Chapter Seven

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The day at the Ranch had been challenging.

Almost five cattle were lost during a routine feeding trip, and a scuffle broke out between two men over a girl. At that moment, all Doc Hyrum could focus on was a hot meal, a hot shower, and some intense physical intimacy to relieve his sore muscles.

Based on Crystal’s display of energy earlier, he assumed she was already out and about, getting into mischief, indicating she had fully recovered. As he entered the cookhouse, the sound of female laughter reached his ears.

“He’s the reason for your head injury?” came the voice of the cook, Dakota. She was a five-foot-four, two-hundred-pound Native American beauty, and her chili could scorch your facial hair.

“Yeah, not exactly a high point in my life.”

That was Crystal. That sassy, sarcastic voice was beginning to imprint itself on his memory.

She walked into the room, donning ripped, tight-fitting jeans and a food-stained, oversized T-shirt. The room itself was as rustic as the men sitting around the tables.

“Woo-ee, who’s the new filly?” his men were asking.

“The writer,” Dakota said, hauling a pot of chili wider than she was.

Despite her small size, she managed to place it on the table without spilling a single drop.

“You don’t look like a writer,” said Allen, his second in command.

“Why? What do writers look like?” Crystal frowned, a challenge in her sparkling eyes.

“Old!” one of his hands said.

“And male,” said another.

“And ugly!” said a third.

“You’re none of those things,” Allen finished, his white teeth flashing against his ebony skin.

“Yeah,” said Robby, one of his younger hands. “You look more like a ten-year-old boy with tits.”

“Can I take that one out and shoot him?” Crystal asked.

“A ranch ain’t no place for a woman,” one of his older hands grumbled.

Her smile faded.

“What am I, chopped steak?” Dakota yelled.

“Especially a city woman,” said another, glaring at her beneath the rim of his hat.

“I’m not cooking for any of you tomorrow or the next until you apologize for what you said,” Dakota said grabbing the pot with chili and taking it away and the buns.

“I won’t be in anyone’s way,” she said defensively.

“That’s what they all say, but the next thing you know, we’ll all be drinkin’ fancy coffee and lettin’ her drive the truck,” one of the older hands said.

Crystal didn’t flinch at that.

Dakota started taking the bowls the men were eating away next.

“Dakota, you know we don’t mean you,” Bobby said.

Hyrum shot them a warning look. Before he could open his mouth, Crystal ran out of the kitchen. Dakota, who didn’t mix words, cuffed both men firmly on the back of the head.

“Leave the girl alone!” she bellowed. “She’s good in the kitchen, and Hyrum won’t hire more help!”

Everyone became quiet. Dakota yelled, “Crystal, the guys want to apologize for what dumbasses they are.”

Laughter erupted around the table; Crystal walked back in with a smug grin, surprising everyone. Without warning, a potentially problematic situation was resolved.

With easy camaraderie, they all sat down to eat after she helped Dakota bring the food back to the table. His men believed that if Dakota approved of her, she couldn’t be all that terrible.

Following dinner, his companions brought out the playing cards, and Crystal brought out her cash with a grin.

“Who wants to clean out the city, girl?” she asked innocently, laying fifty bucks on the table. Typically, the guys played for fivers, but she pouted her lips, inspired by sin, and batted her eyes in a way that radiated feminine naivete.

“As long as it’s not Hyrum’s last girlfriend, I can deal with this one,” one of the men said, and the rest agreed.

With laughter, the men dealt her a hand.

“I wouldn’t do that,” Allen said quietly. “She has the look of a ringer.”

Hyrum was certain without hesitation, as he could identify false innocence. He pleased his men by participating in a few hands, then respectfully watched his new roommate.

For an hour, he witnessed her losing hand after hand at the table until she had a mere five bucks remaining. She was the ultimate actress, sulking at the cards and expressing disappointment when she lost, receiving sympathetic pats on the back and patronizing remarks about her skills.

Then, she began to take care of the business.

Crystal started to win…Constantly winning and winning…

When Hyrum ended the game, she had successfully reclaimed her money and outplayed a few opponents. It was one of the most remarkable acts he had ever seen, and he struggled not to smile.

After the game, some of the men opted to turn in; others headed home, and still more wanted to make the forty-five-minute drive to the nearest bar.

“You wanna join us, Crystal?” asked Robby.

Hyrum shot him a glare, practically grunting at the younger man. Robby’s face turned red, and he fidgeted with his collar in response. He recognized that expression and wasn’t in the mood to brawl with his boss. Hyrum acknowledged his jealousy but believed no one, especially a twenty-year-old, could have Crystal except him.

“She’s had enough for tonight,” he said. “When I found her, she was half dead, and she needs to rest.”

“I’m fine, really—” she began.

“No, you’re not. I’m the doctor, and I say you need to get to bed. Now!”

Crystal was not fond of being told what to do, and his possessive tone immediately upset her.

“And I say you’re being an asshole!”

The room was filled with a peaceful silence.

“She is nothing like your last girlfriend. I like this one,” Robby said.

“Knowing our luck, you will run into Maggie, and she will pull Crystal’s hair out,” Hyrum said.

“I’m not his girlfriend,” Crystal said.

“Doesn’t mean she won’t think you are,” Hyrum warned.

“I’ll tell Maggie she is just to piss her off. It’s fun to watch her head spin. You know that girl from The Exorcist when she got possessed? Well, that is her on a normal day,” one of the men said, and all seemed to agree.

“Why would you be with someone like that?” Crystal asked.

“I’m in charge here, Darlin’,” he said slowly, his eyes narrowing. “Would you rather choose the easy way or the hard way?”

“I suppose we’re on a different topic now.” Crystal became tense, her eyes filled with anger. Her hand balled up into a fist by her side. “Try it, and you will rue the day you were born.”

She tried to attack him, but he swiftly maneuvered and had her over his shoulder in an instant.

“Have fun!” he said to his men. While cursing and vowing vengeance, they headed down the hall.

“You son of a bitch! I will kill you! I’ll rip your bones apart and feast on your meat.”

“Keep talking, Darlin’. It’s turning me on,” Doc said.

Crystal expressed her anger by screeching and slapping his buttocks. Hyrum retaliated by slapping her but then comforted her by gently touching her to relieve the pain.

“You watch your hands, Cowboy,” she hissed. As he held his balance against her resistance, he ignored the hand moving down her thigh and dragged her to the bathroom. Despite her kicking and cursing, she couldn’t break free from his grasp as he turned on the shower and adjusted the spray.

“What are you doing?!” she asked in a panic, now oblivious to the water.

“I’m taking a shower, and unless you can admit right now that you don’t want me, you’re taking it with me.”

“Fine,” she said. “I’ll go to bed and give you some privacy.”

Hyrum placed her in the shower while she was still fully clothed. While she was angry and sputtering, he unbuttoned his shirt and sat on the toilet to take off his boots.

Crystal’s throat moved slowly as Hyrum went for his belt buckle. Despite being completely drenched, she was still slightly angry at him for pulling her out of the cookhouse in a primitive manner.

When she saw him ride in last night, looking like a fabulous mirage, she knew her answer.

Without uttering a single word, she kicked off her shoes and flung them, along with her T-shirt, onto the bathroom floor.

With one smooth motion, Hyrum took off his jeans and boxers while licking his lips.

Crystal blew out a breath; he was already hard… and huge, frighteningly huge. Her mouth became dry, and her hands trembled as she unfastened her jeans and took them off slowly.

“Everything,” Hyrum murmured.

“What?”

“Take everything off. I’ve been dreaming about that sweet ass of yours since I first saw it sticking out the front end of your car.”

Crystal closed her eyes, breathing heavily as she removed her glasses and unfastened her bra. She felt Hyrum join her in the shower and shut the door as she removed her panties. Steam wafted around her, and as she tried to turn towards him, he strolled her by placing those broad hands on her shoulders.

“Place your hands against the wall,” he whispered, his tongue grazing the side of her neck before nibbling on her earlobe.

Despite the hot water, her skin developed goosebumps as she followed his orders.

He inserted his muscular thigh between hers, forcing her legs apart.

His lips brushed against her ear as he spoke, causing her anguish.

“Ever since I heard you in the shower last night, I can’t stop thinking about it. Tell me, Crystal, when you make yourself come, do you touch yourself here?” His rough fingers gently moved between her legs, caressing her most sensitive spot with deliberate, tantalizing circles. “Or do you reach deep, like this?” Two fingers slid deep inside her, massaging her G-spot with merciless pressure.

She was barely holding onto her sanity, only able to arch her back and whimper.

“What was that, Crystal? I can’t hear you,” he calmly said, moving his fingers slowly in and out of her clasping body. “Tell me,” he commanded, rubbing her harder. “Tell me how you make yourself come.”

Crystal made an effort to suppress it. She wasn’t talkative in bed and always felt a little embarrassed by the guys who did. This was different. While she bit her lower lip, he gently rubbed until her eyes rolled back and the words escaped her.

In helpless pleasure, she moaned, “Fingers,” and matched his rhythm with her hips. “Fingers on my clit.”

Against her ass, she sensed his cock becoming even more erect.

“Do you ever touch your breasts?”

“Yes,” she whispered as his hand glided up her abdomen, reaching for her yearning, taut bosom.

“How?”

“What?” He was rubbing her stomach up and down, moving inexorably closer to her breasts, scattering her thoughts in a million directions.

“How do you touch your breasts? Tell me,” Hyrum drawled.

“I…” Crystal swallowed slowly. “I rub my hands over them, palms teasing the tips.”

“Like this?” His free hand slid upward, calloused palm gently rubbing her nipple. While he shifted, his other hand continued relentlessly stimulating her g-spot, causing her legs to tremble, with only his thigh preventing her from falling.

“Yes.” she breathed.

Crystal made moaning and whimpering sounds. She had reached a point where she was ready to beg, a first in her life.

“Do you want to come now?”

“Yes, please, dear God, yes!”

She heard Hyrum’s chuckle of pain coming from behind her.

“Too bad…” he said, withdrawing his fingers.

Crystal was on the verge of panicking.

“You can’t do this to me! You can’t tease me crazy and just stop!”

“Yes, I can.”

“Why?”

“Because I only met you last night, and I’ve been painfully hard ever since.”

Crystal trembled, her head falling back onto his shoulder.

“Crystal, this is my way of getting even,” he whispered in a husky voice, his lips brushing against her cheek.

“What do you want from me?” she said at last.

“Tonight, all of you,” he whispered in response, as his hands caressed her hips, and he penetrated her.

Hyrum gritted his teeth.

She was thoroughly soaked, and it wasn’t from the shower. He had made sure of that, but she was also very tense, as if she hadn’t been with a man in a long time. As he entered completely, he experienced immense pleasure, causing his eyes to cross. In his hazy thoughts, he believed she was a perfect match, smooth and gripping him with quivering muscles, craving release.

“Oh Christ,” she whispered, clenching her fists against the wall. Her back curved, and he glimpsed the look of anguished bliss over her shoulder.

“You need release, don’t you?” he breathed, moving his hands over her breasts, her belly. Her skin was incredibly soft.

“Yes.”

“Then come.”

Crystal’s body unexpectedly became rigid and propelled forward. Her control snapped, and she let out a tiny scream as she came, moving her hips forcefully against him, her pussy tightening around his cock.

His self-control was pushed to the limit.

He growled and forcefully placed his hands over hers, thrusting until he heard her scream, her orgasm shaking her with every gasp. However, Hyrum’s desire for more remained unsatisfied. With that idea in mind, he reached out and pinched her nipples. He used his fingers to stimulate her clit while thrusting. She returned, screaming louder and shaking against him, her body squeezing him with each intense spasm.

It was overwhelming.

He let out a groan as he gripped her hips, thrusting harder and deeper until everything faded away and he reached climax.