Page 24 of Mountain Rancher

But before I can recover, Hunter flips us over and pins me beneath him without breaking our connection.

“Fuck that was hot,” he snarls as he hooks one of my legs over his arm to open me wider. “Do it again, honey. Make this pussy come for me again.”

Hunter drives into me with renewed purpose, his thrusts deep and relentless. I’m helpless beneath him and take everything he gives me as I clutch at his back.

“Mine.” He says the word against my neck, and I feel it more than hear it. “You’re mine, Abby.”

Hunter’s rhythm falters and becomes erratic.

“Yours,” I whisper. Then I wrap my legs around his waist and urge him deeper. “Only yours.”

A second later, his whole body tenses as he empties himself inside me with a rough groan of my name.

We lie tangled together afterward. Hunter’s weight presses me into the mattress, but I don’t want him to move. I want to stay connected to him like this, feeling the aftershocks of pleasure ripple through both our bodies.

Eventually, he rolls to the side, but he keeps one arm draped possessively across my waist. We face each other in the dim light, and neither of us speaks for several minutes. We just study each other’s features as if seeing them for the first time.

And I guess in a way, I am.

I’ve known Hunter Thomas my entire life. I’ve seen him laugh with my brothers around the bonfire, stern-faced while giving instructions to the ranch hands, gentle while tending to an injured calf.

But I’ve never seen him like this.

I’ve never seen him vulnerable, his defenses completely lowered, looking at me like I’m the answer to a question he’s been asking his whole life.

“I need to tell you something,” he says finally, his thumb tracing the curve of my cheek. “And I know it’s probably too soon, and maybe it’ll scare you off, but I need to say it anyway.”

My heart hammers against my ribs.

Is he regretting this already? Is he about to tell me this was a mistake?

“I love you, Abigail Clayton.” His voice is rough with emotion. “Have loved you for years. Tried like hell not to, but I do.”

Relief floods through me, followed quickly by a joy so intense it steals my breath. I search his face for any sign of hesitation, but find only earnest certainty in his amber eyes.

“I came back to Cooper Hills for the ranch,” he continues, “but I stayed for you. Even when I told myself it was impossible, that you’d never come back from Houston, that your brother would kill me if he knew how I felt about you. None of it mattered. I still woke up every morning hoping you’d come back to me.”

My throat tightens with emotion.

I reach out to trace the strong line of his jaw. I like feeling the rough scratch of his beard against my fingertips. “I’m glad you finally said something.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.” I take a deep breath and gather my courage. “Because I love you too, Hunter. I think maybe I always have.”

His eyes darken at my words, and he pulls me closer and presses his forehead against mine. “Say it again.”

“I love you.”

The words come easier this time, as if they’ve been waiting just beneath the surface, ready to spill out.

“You know this changes everything.” He drifts his hand down my spine. “There’s no going back after this.”

“I don’t want to go back.” I press a kiss to the corner of his mouth. “I want to go forward. With you.”

His chest rumbles with soft laughter. “Then we’re agreed. This is serious.”

“Very serious.” I press a kiss to his collarbone.

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