Page 4 of Possessive Rancher

Inside the garage are four ATVs, a large mower, and a bunch of other supplies that go into the care of the landscape. Hudson flashes me a smile as he pulls a helmet off a shelf and hands it to me. “You know how to drive one of these things?”

“Sure do. I ain’t no virgin when it comes to driving this stick.” Immediately, I want to take it back as I’m too comfortable talking to Hudson like he’s not in a position of authority over me.

Hmm…Over me, his body flexing, moving, doing things I’ve never done before makes me press my thighs together. What is it about Hudson that makes my body go crazy?

“Careful, little girl, before that mouth gets you into trouble.” His warning is sexy even if it’s not meant to be.

I give him a quick wink, throwing a leg over the wide seat of the ATV and telling him, “I’m sure that whatever trouble my mouth gets me into, my mouth will get me out of.”

I don’t wait for him to say anything as I start the engine and ready myself to take off. He matches my grin as he eases onto his own ATV and drives out of the garage.

The mini-tour is exhilarating. The views are breathtaking, and the transition from a wide-open pasture into densely wooded areas makes a perfect track for the ATVs.

The path is exciting with hills and valleys that take us through the trees and into a small clearing. There’s a scent of pine and a touch of sweetness in the air, most likely from Sycamore trees beyond the treeline.

The first cabin we reach looks stylish and modern. The entire front is made of windows that wrap around to the side. There’s an open area for a few cars to park and a road that approaches from behind, with another that takes off in another direction away from the main house.

We get off and I sit my helmet on the seat as I look at the cozy cabin. The air is fresh and it makes me think how this tranquil place is still a part of Conklin.

“This is so beautiful, Hudson. Is that a fire pit?” I ask, walking over to a seating area. There are large boulders surrounding a pit that’s about a foot deep into the ground.

Hudson nods while pointing everything out. “These boulders can’t be moved. These are just the tops I jackhammered and polished into seating. I try to keep the brush and tree line clear so folks will be able to use the pit when they’re out this way.”

“Is this completely off the grid?” I ask, running my hands over the smooth finish of the seats he’s etched into the boulders. There’s room for at least six to sit around a fire. It must be amazing camping out here.

He nods. “There’s solar panels on the roof and a system I got running from the lake for water and electricity too.”

“What do you want, Hudson?” I ask him, the question coming from out of nowhere.

The moment I feel his hand on the small of my back, my heart skips a beat as I lean into his touch. He leads me around the cabin to the back where I can see the mountains even closer and the lake off in the distance.

“I want anyone staying out here to fall in love with this place as much as I have. I had to fight my siblings and parents to not sell it. They let me have it, but now that I’ve sunk a few hundred thousand into it, I want folks to come.”

“I’m sure you have no issues making folks come.” Again, I’m letting myself be too comfortable flirting with him. I need to get myself together around Hudson, but I can’t help it. He makes me want to say any and every dirty little thing that crosses my mind.

“Little girl, that mouth of yours is working on stirring up something. You gonna mess around and lose that virginity of yours.”

The need to challenge him rises inside of me. “What if I want you to be the one to find it?”

Completely out in the wilderness, this guy can do what he wants to me out here and no one would ever know, but there’s no danger around him towards me. On the contrary, he makes me feel safe. He’s not giving me weird vibes, and I have no doubt that I can trust him to be a gentleman.

“Oh, that mouth of yours. I’m gonna have to teach you a lesson about making promises you don’t intend to keep. I’m not someone you want to give that gift to, Heather.”

“I think that’s my choice to make,” I tell him confidently.

Hudson moves in front of me, making sure I see his immense frame, a wall of muscled masculinity standing firm. His 6’2 height forces me to look up at him as he licks his lips. “Little girl, best believe if you give that to me, you’re mine.”

Shit. How bad is it that I want to be his?

“Let’s head to the lake and then I’ll show you the property lines. We can head back to the main house before this storm rolls in.”

I look to the sky and it’s clear from what I can see. “You a weatherman too?”

He laughs as he tosses his thick denim-clad leg over the seat. “Nah, just a good ole farm boy. I can smell it. There’s something about the wind blowing off them mountain tops that just tells me when there’s extra water in the air. Come on. It gets nasty out here and I’d hate for us to have to walk back.”

I nod my head and put on my helmet. We take off to see the other two cabins. One is close to the shore, clearly bigger than the other with its own deck and dock. The other is about a half mile away with a deck, but no entry into the water outside of a tire swing.

Hudson points out the features of each and how he maintains them all by himself. Granted, he hasn’t had any guests outside of his family, but I can see why he needs a manager.

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