Chasing The Wild (Crimson Ridge Book 1)

I’m dreading the call that is going to come in any day now.

In fact, at any minute that handset tucked in the cradle below my truck’s stereo could potentially crackle to life with the words I do not want to hear.

There’s likely to be a cheery fucking asshole on the other end of the line, letting me know that the mountain road is cleared and that they’ll be arriving at the entrance to the ranch, reuniting us with the rest of the world.

I’ve never felt more animosity toward the men and women who work to keep these mountain roads safe and passable. For the first time in all the years I’ve been living on top of Devil’s Peak, I don’t want them to arrive with their beaming smiles and friendly jokes and motherfucking helpful attitudes.

Not once have I ever felt this much longing to be hidden away and kept isolated from anyone and anything outside this ranch.

One more day. One more hour. That’s what I keep begging to some fucking unknown entity as I let my whispers fly on the icy wind.

Layla is so close to slipping through my fingers, and I can’t believe that the most desperately short two weeks of my life are coming to a close. I know time like the veins mapped out on the back of my hand. I’ve nursed broken bones and burns and been left with scar tissue that needed the best part of a year to heal properly. I’ve endured nine months of waiting for a child to be born—all while torn to shreds by the conflicting emotions his arrival would bring. I’ve hit my knees wishing for time to speed up, wishing for death to come calling, when there seemed to be no end in sight to the beatings or trauma, being a kid frightened half to death by the monster left in charge of my life.

Time is an asshole of the highest order, and we’re close fucking acquaintances.

This fraction of a moment has disappeared as fast as the sun sets behind the Peak on a mid-winter’s night. For only the briefest of glances, I got to bask in the brilliance of this girl, and now I have to go back to enduring the longest, coldest, most fucking soul-destroying darkness. Alone.

Even worse than that? She’ll still be right here.

The girl of my dreams will be in a bedroom just down the hall from me, with her sweet scent still embedded in my pillowcase because there’s no way I’ll be able to bring myself to wash it. Every time I roll over, all I’ll see is the lingering outline of her coppery curls fanned across my sheets. She’ll be everywhere, and I won’t be able to go near her.

A rock lodges in my throat knowing that the second we receive that impending update from the roading crew, Kayce will arrive back, and I don’t know how I’m going to get through the coming weeks with him here at the ranch—having both of them in the same place—until Layla ups and disappears once her contracted time is over.

I’m not going to stand in the way of her future, because it’s one that is radiant and filled with possibility. She deserves to have everything she’s ever dreamed of, and it certainly doesn’t look like wasting her life away in a place such as Devil’s Peak.

Could we tell him? Sure. However, we both know Kayce is miles too immature to handle something like this. She knows it. Don’t I fucking know it.

And I’ve got so much to make up for that I cannot put my own selfishness ahead of my kid’s life. Goddamn, I would be the world’s shittiest person and most fucked up human being if I didn’t care about him enough to put our relationship as father and son above my own desires.

Maybe in another life.

Maybe sometime in the future, there’s a miracle that this girl won’t have gotten married and settled down with some nice guy her own age, and an old, gruff asshole like me could have a hope in hell of finding her again years from now.

But that’s never going to damn well happen, and I know it.

That girl is too special, too brilliant, and too fucking beautiful. She’ll have someone proposing to her and sweeping her off her feet and buying her every horse she could ever want within minutes of leaving this place.

I swear to god I hear a molar crack beneath the force of my clenched jaw.

“You want me to feed them today, cowboy? Let me ride that big ol’ tractor of yours?” Layla gives my shoulder a playful nudge from her spot in the passenger seat and pokes her tongue out at me when I jolt back to earth.

I’ve spent the whole drive down to the cattle wrapped up in my own head with my fists strangling the steering wheel, and it’s her teasing that grounds me back to the present moment. I mean, she’s been quiet, too, maybe even thinking along the same lines as me. There are moments lately when I catch her staring off into the distance, lost in thought, or chewing hard on her bottom lip in that way she does when something is bothering her. But then she spots me and quickly shakes off whatever shadow has been hanging around and kills me with that sparkling green gaze.

A part of me secretly hopes that she’s as tangled up in conflicted thoughts about our situation as I am, while another part of me wants her to head down that mountain and never give me a second thought.

That part of me is pretty goddamn tiny, though. In fact, it has just about withered away to nothing. The bulldog residing in my chest wants to snarl at any motherfucker who even dares breathe the same air as her for the rest of her life.

You know, the completely sane, normal reaction to having a girl half my age, who I absolutely cannot keep.

“Be my guest. I’ll happily wait right here in the warm with this heater blasting.” I flex my hands around the wheel, not missing the way her eyes snag on the place where my fingers curl. She’s commented, more than one time, on liking my hands. God knows why; they’re rough and cut up and been weather-beaten after all the years up here wrestling livestock and mending fences.

Fuck it, if she’s gonna eye fuck me in this truck, I’ll be a greedy dickhead and savor every last second before that final grain of sand trickles through the hourglass.

She twists her lips, cocking her head to one side. “Nope. Actually, that sounds like a much better idea. You go do your thing, while I hug this air vent, and enjoy the sight of your ass in those jeans.”

I’m defenseless against this girl. So, of course, I shake my head and hop out, leaving her looking mighty smug curled up on the passenger side. Would this be quicker with two of us feeding out the cattle? Probably.

But right now, I’ll let her watch me work and know she’s keeping warm. Apparently, I’m an old fucking fool and have developed an addiction to having her eyes on me.

It takes me no time to load up, distribute feed for the herd, give them a check over—especially keeping an eye out for any injuries or hint that the Piersons have been back up here messing with my stock—making good time to jog my way back to the warmth of the cab.

When I open the door, the sound of static and a metallic voice makes my stomach plummet to the icy ground beneath my boots.

Layla’s got the radio handset in one fist, and her wide eyes meet mine.

“Actually, Sheriff Hayes, Colt’s just here…” She speaks into the radio and holds it out for me to take over the conversation.

“Hayes.” I bite out. Damn near crushing the plastic in my hand as I slam the truck door shut behind me.

“Bad fucking news, Colt.”

My stomach flips.

“Talk to me.”

“I was just telling your ranch hand. Rock fall. It’s worse than a couple of years back when that part of the valley gave out.”

My mind immediately leaps back to the last time the road was nearly entirely wiped off the face of the mountain thanks to heavy snowfall and subsequent melt bringing down a landslide.

“What are you saying?”

“We’ve gotta source diggers and shit. Heavy machinery. I’m fucking sorry, man, hate to do this to you up there… but we can’t get any further until all this rock is shifted and we can make sure the road is stable.”

A drum beat thunders inside my chest. Probably shouldn’t be feeling fucking giddy about the prospect of half the mountain sliding down the valley, but here we are.

“Your crew ok? No one got caught up in it?” It’s taking everything for me to keep my voice level and not sound like I’m over the goddamn moon right now.

Out of the corner of my eye, I can see Layla watching me while I talk, and she’s twisting her fingers in her lap, no doubt piecing together this conversation because she’s quick as a whip this girl.

“Yeah, they’re all fine. It happened overnight, and we only discovered it this afternoon once we got past the hairpin bend. I wish we could get to you faster, but this’ll set us back another week I’m guessing.”

One. More. Week.

My eyes meet Layla’s, and she’s giving me an expression that I can’t read. Is she happy to hear that? Fuck. I don’t think I could handle it if there was an alternative answer. She’d better be fucking happy to hear that because as of this second, the selfish bastard inside me is crowing like every Christmas in my miserable life has come at once.

“It’ll be fine. The ranch is well stocked, my deep freeze is full, you know I’ve always got enough to get through the entire goddamn winter if needed.”

“Yeah, well, I still wanted to check in. Anything urgent, like a medical emergency or shit like that, you get on the radio and don’t be a stubborn fucker, you hear me?”

“Got it. You’ll be the first to know if I put an ax through my foot or one of the cattle breaks my ribs.”

“Don’t fucking joke with me, Wilder. I worry about your ass enough without you getting clever and thinking you’ve got a sense of humor all of a sudden.”

“I promise, it’s all good up here.” As I say those words, I can’t help but hold Layla’s eyes. She’s the good up here, and I’m so fucking relieved we’ve just stolen another momentary glimpse of time together. Or, at the least, I’ve managed to hoard this girl to myself for another week.

Another fucking week.

As I finish up with Hayes, my heart is thumping in the back of my throat. Setting the handset back in the cradle, I feel like I’m going to crawl out of my skin.

Do I even know a life where things aren’t always hard? Horns and hooves. Metal gates and wooden fence posts. Bullets and knives.

And then there’s her.

Layla is a constant reminder that softness and beauty exist. Wrapped up in feather-soft cotton and lace and the delicate fragrance of jasmine flowers.

Heat flashes up my spine, and the air inside this cab becomes electrified, like static, causing all my fine hairs to stand on end.

As I watch her tongue dart out to wet that bottom lip, she swallows beneath my gaze, a little cautiously, or like she’s turned the fuck on. Holy shit, I’m hoping it’s the latter because I’m ravenous for this girl, and waiting until we’re back at the house isn’t feeling like an option.

Turning to angle my body toward hers, I brace one hand on the dash and the other on the headrest beside her ear.

“Anything you wanna say after hearing all that, sweetheart?”

She flushes, pink decorates her cheeks, and pupils dilate as we sit here, while warmth blasts from the truck heaters, keeping the chill from outside at bay.

“They won’t be able to open the road for another week?” She says it slowly. Sensuality in every little form of those words as they dip across her tongue.

“Nope. That ok with you?”

Teeth catching her bottom lip, Layla nods in reply.

“There’s somewhere I want to show you tomorrow—a place I want to take you.” I’ve imagined being able to go there, but it’s at the far ridgeline of the ranch and the past two weeks went by so fast I just never got time to plan the trek. But now that I’ve been given a golden opportunity, I’m not going to miss out on this moment.

“Like the Ridge?” She’s teasing, but sounds a little breathy, and I’m glad I’m not the only one feeling worked up right now.

I grunt. “Much better than the damn Ridge.” Or at least I hope she thinks so when she sees it.

“Is it on the ranch?” She shifts in her seat, squirming a little.

Leaning a little closer, I nod. “We’ll need to take the horses. Pack to stay overnight. Feeling up for a little adventure with me, angel?”

Layla’s eyes bounce between my mouth and my gaze. My dick perks up at the hunger in her expression. A dangerous idea forms, one of saying fuck it all, and hiding her away in the place I would spend all my time if I could.

She adjusts herself in the passenger seat, then leans forward, reaching out to rub a forefinger along the rim of my hat. “Sounds like the full cowboy treatment.” There’s a smile tugging at the corner of her mouth as I let her flutter those long eyelashes at me. “You know… the first day I saw you, I wondered what it would be like to get the cowboy treatment in the backseat of your truck.”

My cock is immediately rock hard at the sound of that. This beautiful creature wants to fool around with me in the backseat? I’ve officially died and gone to heaven if that’s the case.

“Is that so?” My tongue pokes against the inside of my cheek. Fuck being in heaven, this girl could tempt me into the flames of hell.

Nudging the brim of my hat up, Layla gets a real damn shimmer in her eyes, stealing it off my head before she settles it over her silky tresses.

Oh, it’s fucking on.

“Mmm. I haven’t had the full ranch experience, yet. Wouldn’t want to leave without a chance to see what the view’s like from back there.”

A groan escapes me. “How fucking wet are you right now?”

Layla squeezes her thighs together and licks her lips. “Why don’t you come over here and find out for yourself?”

“You wanna get dirty in my truck, sweetheart? If you’re gonna sit there wearing my hat, teasing me with promises of getting inside your sweet cunt, then you better damn well show me.”

Layla makes a soft little noise and unbuttons her jeans, shoving her hand down the front of her panties as my greedy eyes devour the way she writhes in my passenger seat.

“That’s it. Drag your fingers through your soaked pussy. You’re drenched, aren’t you?”

My girl lets out a tiny whimper as her fingers find her clit, and I click my tongue. “No relieving that ache, not yet. Be a good girl and let me see.” She pulls her hand back out, and I can see the sheen coating her delicate fingertips. Shit. My dick throbs, and I want to snatch her hand and suck down on her sweetness, but my girl is keen to play, and I know what will get her even more riled up.

“Taste yourself,” I command. And ever the fucking good girl she is, her fingers pop into her mouth and she hums out a horny little noise. Flushed lips form an O around her knuckles, and I’m imagining that exact expression when her soft little tongue swirls along my length. Damn, I love the way my girl chokes on my cock like a dream, made intensely and maddeningly hotter anytime she does because I know just how soaked she gets, without fail, whenever my dick is in her mouth.

“Fuck, baby. Look at you. Dripping all over my seat because you’re desperate for me to fill you up.”

She whimpers around her fingers.

“Maybe I’ll keep you on edge. Make you wait.” I have zero intention of doing that, but it’s fun to toy with her. She gets extra fucking turned on whenever I get growly like this.

But today, it seems, Layla has other games in mind. She hits me with a sultry gaze, then starts climbing into the back. Giving me the most enticing fucking view of her ass as she does so. “I guess I’ll have to show you what you’re missing, hmm?”

At first I don’t move—can’t for whatever reason. I’m still caught in a snare of disbelief that we’ve been given more time, while also feeling like I’m going to suddenly wake up and this will all be ripped away from me.

There’s a stunning girl, panting and wet for me, in the backseat of my truck, and my blood turns to fire.

Giving her a stern look, one that tells her in no uncertain terms that I’m not planning on missing a single part of this, I climb in after her—because that’s what I do. I follow this girl wherever she fucking goes, and I don’t want her venturing anywhere without me. I can’t think about it too much—about what comes after all of this because I’m going to drive myself insane if I allow that floodgate to open.

So, for now, I’m shoving it all to one side, like an absolute fool.

“Please, I want to feel you inside me… please.” As she begs, I take in the image before me. One hand wedged down the front of her jeans, back braced against the door, my hat perched on her head, and it’s the hottest fucking sight I’ve ever seen. I’m leaking, throbbing in anticipation of getting inside her, but it’s too goddamn cold out here to strip naked, even with the heat blasting.

Wrapping a palm around each of her thighs, I kneel, kind of hunched over in front of her. Devouring every single movement of her fingers beneath the fabric, every moan dripping past her lips. “Baby, how’s this going to work out here? As much as it kills me to say this because holy fuck, I want to, I can’t strip you out of those jeans.”

She bites her lip.

“I know…”

Pulling her hand away, she tugs the waistband looser, shimmying the material over the swell of her hips. “You know I love how deep you get when you’re behind me. Imagine how good it’ll feel.”

The backseat of my truck has become hotter than the surface of the sun.

“Jesus, I want you naked and in my lap… want you riding me so fucking bad right now, so I can suck on your tits while you come all over my cock.”

“Well, I want to be bent over in the back seat while you fuck me so good I forget my name, cowboy.”

“Christ, sweetheart.” Heart thundering, my neck heats, and I scrub a hand over my jaw. “Such filthy fucking words for such a pretty little mouth.”

“Please.”

Mossy green eyes mixed with that sultry word, that moment of pleading with me, well, that flips a goddamn switch. Hearing her say those words and give permission for this is too fucking tempting. She’s too tempting for me. Even though there’s absolutely no way I should be allowed this girl, or to be given the gift of her playfulness and sweetness and submission. She gives it to me anyway, and fuck if that doesn’t light a fuse inside my chest.

Words are coming out before I’m able to stop them.

“You want my cock filling you up and a mouthful of that leather seat while I rail you from behind?”

“Oh god. Oh god. Yes.” Layla twists around, my hat knocks off her head and lands in the footwell as she repositions herself. She’s on her knees, ass facing me, looking like a filthy dream brought to life with her jeans stretched tight part way down her thighs.

“Do you want to be a dirty little cowboy cum slut for me?” My knuckle traces up the center of her. Finding the drenched patch on her panties and rubbing over the spot, before my fingers slip under the edge.

She whines louder as I make contact. Her oh-so-goddamn delicate, bare skin waiting just for me. Back arching, giving my fingers easier access to her pussy, my dream girl makes all the sounds that have my dick aching and my balls throbbing in response.

“Fuck. Yes. Use me. Please.”

Holy shit, what is it about this girl that drives me into this caveman state?

“Is it too much?” My voice drops low and husky, checking in for a moment, as I palm her ass, squeezing her flesh with my other hand.

It’s too easy to feel out of control, but I only want to say or do something that leaves her knowing exactly how much she’s adored. Because every word I say to her, or every moment I sink inside her—no matter how hard or demanding and filthy that might be in the heat of the moment—it’s only ever with the intent of worshiping her.

“No. It’s perfect.” Twisting her head to look back at me over one shoulder, she gives me her eyes. “It’s so fucking hot—you’re so fucking hot when you talk like that.” She squirms and tries to fuck herself backward onto my fingers playing with her beneath those soaked panties, and I’m so close to losing it already with this girl.

“Good. Because if you’re going to taunt me like this, begging to be railed right here and now, I’m gonna eat this sweet little ass first until you’re shaking.”

Roughly tugging the silky fabric to one side reveals how flushed and wet she is at the apex of her thighs. Layla’s head drops against the seat as I spread her out like a goddamn feast. Every inch of her is on display just for me, and there’s a roaring in my blood as I lower my head and soak up every quiver, every tiny noise of need. My nose roams along her crease, and my girl jumps a little when she feels me there.

I haven’t done much more than tease her occasionally over the past two weeks, more intent on being inside her pussy every chance I’ve had, but there’s no hiding the way Layla isn’t shying away from letting me pleasure her like this. Fuck, it’s so sexy.

“You’re goddamn perfect, angel. This sweet little ass of yours has been tempting me for weeks. You gonna let me own all your pretty little holes?”

She makes a strangled noise, gasping and desperate, that turns into a sultry moan as my mouth explores her ass. Feeling how responsive she is to me only drives everything into more of a frenzy. I’m consumed by the need to make her legs tremble and have her pussy dripping so that when I shove my cock inside her, she’ll be seconds away from coming apart.

Swirling my tongue over the bundle of nerves, I lick and suck and devour every choked-out noise coming out of her. God, it’s the filthiest, most fucking perfect thing, and the thought of getting to have more of Layla when I’d been resigned to giving her up, makes my head spin.

“Colt—oh, fuck—” She’s quivering and bucking beneath my tongue as I press harder against that little rosebud hole, exploring, worshipping, feasting on her like a man starved.

She pushes back, ever so slightly toward my face. “That feels—god, that feels so good.”

Just as I suspected, my perfect girl likes it a little dirty. The whine in her voice goes straight to my dick, and I can’t hold out any longer. I’m just about ready to explode if I don’t feel her wrapped around me.

Pulling back, I give her ass cheek a nip, a warning not to move, then I’m fumbling with my belt and to free myself from my jeans. Every inch of skin feels alive and overheated. Someone has turned all my senses up to full volume, and the blood currently rushing around my body—mostly in the direction of my straining cock—is like jet fuel. Racing and raring and eager to pound into her so hard she’ll be screaming my name.

Sliding her panties to one side, Layla’s body is already more than ready to take me. Her entrance is so warm and soft and allows me to push forward on a wet glide.

Fuck. Fuck. It’s already too good. Her silky channel is even tighter than usual because of her jeans trapping her thighs together, and I have to shove my way inside. We’re both frantic, and this is going to go down as one of the hottest fucking moments of my life.

“Mmmmfuck… just like that.” Her fingers claw against the seat. The way her head tilts to one side, allows me to see the deep blush covering her cheek, matching the darkened shade of her full lips. She’s so perfect.

“You look so good taking me, baby.” My voice is a growl, and I can’t fucking help it. “Like you were made for me.” Goddamn, her pink, swollen cunt grips my dick and swallows me inch by inch as I feed her my length.

She wraps around me like a vise, and I’m seeing spots and stars and the fucking Milky Way as I start pumping in and out of her.

“I want to see you dripping baby. To see your pretty little holes all filled with me. Do you like that idea?”

“God. I do.” Layla moans and whimpers louder. “After…” Her face screws up with unrestrained desire as my cock hits that sweet spot. She lets out a soft cry. “After… I want you to push it back inside… please, please.”

Christ. My balls draw up.

“Fuck, you’re such a good girl for me.”

She knows we both get off on that, and I’m lost in the mist of pleasure that claims us. Driving and pounding into her over and over as the truck rocks, my windows fog up, and I’m numb to anything else. Nothing exists right now outside of this cramped backseat except how good it always feels being with her.

Our joint climax builds and my balls tighten. Tingling races through my spine, and I manage to wedge one hand beneath the front of her panties as I hold her hip in a punishing grasp with the other. It only takes the first brush over her clit to feel her tighten around me and those flutters I’m addicted to start to ripple. As I circle that pouting bud, Layla falls apart beneath me.

“Coltohfuckohmygod.” Shaking and moaning, her pussy milks me so damn hard, I’m tugged over the precipice right alongside my girl.

The rhythm of my thrusts falters, my cock jerks, and I’m unloading, pumping forward, spilling deep inside. I’ll never fucking get over this feeling. Of nothing being between us. How my release fills her. How each slide of my dick is coated in the evidence of where I’ve marked her up, my seed painting her inner walls.

Holy shit.

Chest rising and falling rapidly, I don’t know if I can even see straight for a moment. My hips thrust languid strokes against her ass until I bury myself to the hilt and hold myself there. Sweat dampens my brow and I fall forward, feathering kisses along the back and side of Layla’s neck. She turns, gives me her mouth and we’re both panting.

There are some very specific words that threaten to fall past my lips that I have to swallow back down. Because all I want to do is confess everything to this beautiful girl, and now is not the fucking time. Truth be told, there have been a hundred little moments I’ve felt this urge lately, only, the situation is intensified right here as I’m buried deep inside her.

Layla hums against my mouth, and it’s the sweetest little purr of pleasure.

“How was that for the backseat experience?” I move to suck her earlobe between my lips and relish the shudder that rolls through her.

“Extremely fucking hot, cowboy.”

“I like the look of you, full of my cum in the back of my truck.” My teeth nip her ear, and I draw out. Holding her hips in place, I watch on as the evidence of me starts to well at her entrance. Layla rests her head against the seat, looking so fucking soft and satiated and blissed out of her mind. The feral thing inside me is roaring like a goddamn wild creature that I’m the one who gave her that.

“Stay still for me, angel.” Swiping my fingers through the cum leaking out of her, I press two fingers back inside, and Layla lets out a whimper. Her spine bows, and she pushes against me. Yeah, she fucking loves when I do this, and it’s the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen.

“Look at you. Loving being filled up and desperate for more.” The husk in my voice sounds strange to my own ears. Repeating the process, each time I collect more and press back inside her swollen entrance. It’s too easy to get lost in the fantasy of simply fisting my dick, fitting myself at her core, and pulsing into her again.

Based on the way Layla is shuddering and moaning softly, chasing my touch, I’d say she’s feeling exactly the same way.

As I push my fingers past the second knuckle, coated in my release, her green eyes watch my face.

“You want to taste us, angel?” I’m slowly finger fucking my cum back into her and as soon as I say those words, Layla nods. My good girl opens her mouth and sticks out her tongue.

Her eyes glaze over as she feels me draw out, then push back in again, swiping up the slickness. Then I brace myself to lean over her back, slip those fingers past her soft lips, and allow her to swirl her tongue around. Cleaning me up, moaning softly as she does so.

“Goddamn, angel. You’re not making it easy to do anything but wanna stay right here.”

She gently nips my fingers, making a sweet little contented noise.

And even though I’m still floating, still coming back down, we can’t keep lingering. The sun has well and truly set, and we both need to get inside into the warm. There’s plenty of time between now and morning to have her all over again while spread out in my sheets.

Fixing her panties back in place and slipping her jeans back up over her ass to sit loosely over her hips, I pull her up and against me seated sideways across my lap.

“Are you ok? Was that ok?” I just want to hold her and kiss her softly for a moment. Even though I know we should get moving, she’s still so pliant, and it always feels like a gift I don’t deserve to get this side all to myself.

Layla’s smile is a little dreamy looking and it makes my chest squeeze. She reaches up to thread her fingers through my hair and nods, “That was amazing.”

Resting our foreheads together, my heart clatters around behind my ribs. So fucking lost to her. “Bath and food when we get back?”

“Sounds perfect.”

Yeah. It fucking does.