She's Mine Read online

  This was what his father had talked about many times.

  Finally, he understood the value of loving a good woman, the right woman. Waking up, Drew had brought her to orgasm with his fingers, and she’d brought him off with her hand. They had taken another shower together, and she had changed into some fresh clothes. He put on his old ones, and they were heading toward his home.

  “When I go see my mom in the week, I want you to come with me,” he said.

  “I’d like that.”

  “She’s going to love you.”

  “My mom would have probably told her that we’re together.”

  “Good. I’m not ashamed of us being together.”

  “Me neither.” She took his hand this time, and he smiled. Each step with Raven, holding hands, kissing, for him, it was one step closer together.

  Pulling into his driveway, he paused when he noticed Francine’s car parked outside his place.

  “Raven, will you stay here?”

  “I’m not going to hide, Drew. I’m not stupid. You’ve been honest with me, and I’m not going to shrink away.”

  She climbed out of the car, and he moved behind her, wrapping his arm around her waist, and heading toward his front door.

  Francine was sat on the little porch swing, smoking a cigarette. It was one of the reasons he never kissed her. Smoking was just plain nasty.

  “I’ve been waiting all morning for you!” Francine glared, getting to her feet.

  “I don’t know why. You’re a married woman.”

  “And I hear you’re taken.” She finally looked at Raven. “Yeah, as if that’s going to appeal to you.”

  Pulling Raven behind him, he glared at Francine. “Get your skank ass off my fucking property.”

  “This is your property? I could have it like that!” She snapped her fingers.

  “Try it, Francine. Take my property if you can. It’s bought and paid for, but beware, I know exactly how to hurt you. Those little selfies you put on my phone. The times you recorded us, I kept them.” In time Drew had believed he would need some kind of protection from the vile woman.

  Francine went pale. “Excuse me! I don’t know what—”

  “Save it. You’re a married woman now. Do your husband and me a favor, and try to stick to it. Get off my property before I call the sheriff, and have you up for harassment.”

  “This is just so fucking rude. How dare you, Drew Reynolds? You’re nothing but a piece of scum—”

  “Don’t you dare talk to him like that,” Raven said, coming out from behind him. “You spiteful woman. Take your lies, and get off his property. He doesn’t want you. He never wanted you.”

  Francine went to say something else, but Drew wasn’t having it. “Tell your friends my cock is no longer for use. They want to start a war over this, I’ll gladly take them along for the ride as well. I wonder what your father would say to you fucking the trash in this town.”

  Once again she went pale, but it got her off his property.

  Entering his home, he closed the door, and pulled Raven against him. “I’m so sorry you had to deal with that.” He breathed in her scent, regretting ever touching another woman.

  “Do you really have films of you two together?”

  “Only shit that she filmed. I was going to get rid of it, but after talking it over with Brice a few months ago, he suggested I keep them just in case.”

  “Why?”

  “You saw Francine. I didn’t think much of it, but Brice said a woman scorned is the worst enemy to have. It’s why I kept them. You can watch them if you want. I don’t exactly care, and I didn’t then.”

  “No, it’s okay. I don’t want to see.”

  “If they start, I’ll take care of them, Raven. I’m not having them talk shit about you.”

  She held her hands up in surrender. “It’s fine. I’m not going to have them talking like that about you either.”

  “You don’t think I’m a dumb-ass rancher.”

  “Do you think I’m a dumb-ass cook?”

  “No,” he said.

  “Then don’t go thinking things that are not true.” She patted his chest. “Go and get dressed. Mom’s waiting for us.”

  Twenty minutes later they were pulling up outside of her parents’ house. They were not even out of his truck before the front door was open. A kind-looking woman, similar in appearance to Raven, came out. She was much older, of course. Behind her was a stern-looking man who clearly wanted to kill him.

  “It has been too long already.”

  “I only got back last week.”

  “It’s still too long,” Miranda said. She looked toward him. “You don’t have to be frightened, Drew. I hid his shotgun.”

  He laughed, knowing she probably had. Clark Howard did not look happy. “He’s not coming in my house.”

  “Seriously. You’re going to do that?” Miranda asked, hands on hips.

  “I’m not having any man with that reputation anywhere near my girl.”

  “We talked about this. If you feel that way then pack your bags and leave, but don’t be a hypocrite. You had the same old bad reputation, and I still took you in. I still do. I cook for you, clean for you, and everything else.” Miranda stepped up to him.

  Clark glared at him. “Take your shoes off before you step in here, boy!”

  “Dad, stop it.”

  “It’s all right.” Stood outside, he removed his boots, and waited to come in.

  “Socks too!”

  “Dad!”

  “Clark!”

  Socks came off. “It’s no problem. I heard your pork roast, Mrs. Howard, is the best.”

  Miranda chuckled. “Call me Miranda. Mrs. Howard reminds me too much of Clark’s mother, and she was a handful.”

  Raven giggled. They stepped inside the house, and Drew knew that wasn’t going to be the end of it.

  “Have you asked her to marry you yet?”

  “Dad!”

  “It’s his right, dear. Don’t worry, I’ll keep him in check. Let’s head on into the kitchen.”

  “Leave us men to have a nice long chat. That is, are you a man or a boy, Drew?”

  “I’m standing right here, sir. I’m happy to have a chat with you.”

  He followed Clark into the sitting room, and he noticed all the pictures of Raven, Miranda, and Clark. The happiness shone in the pictures. “You’re a lucky man for Raven to be looking at you.”

  “I know, sir. I’m the luckiest man alive. Yes, I do intend to marry your daughter. Right now, I’ve got to show her I’m the right kind of man she wants.”

  “Right kind of man doesn’t go around screwing other women.”

  Drew took a seat opposite him. “I get what you have to do. I really do. I love your daughter, and I’ve loved her for a long time. Touching those women, it was a mistake. I wish I hadn’t done it, but I did.”

  “Well, that’s good to know.”

  “I was hoping I could ask you for advice.”

  “Advice. What advice do you think I could give you?” Clark asked.

  “The kind of man who had my reputation who has been married to a woman for many years.”

  Clark sighed. “I’m still not done with you.”

  “I know. You’ve got to make my life miserable. I accept that, and I’ll jump through all the hoops I can. Tell me how to handle it.”

  “You could ask your own mother. She had to deal with your father’s reputation as well.”

  “You called them all out, the women?”

  Clark looked away. “I didn’t know how bad Miranda was getting it. I was a looker, all right. I was even hotter than you. What was worse, I was cocky with it. I thought screwing the girls, and the women, made me all big and powerful. Then Miranda came to town. She was a seamstress, and highly respected. Every other woman faded in comparison. She’d heard about me. At first, she told me no. Point blank no. I stopped screwing the women, and after a few months of me showing I’d changed, I got her. She was mine, and
I knew in one date I had met the woman I was going to love for the rest of my life.”

  Drew smiled. It was how he felt around Raven.

  He saw their future, growing old together.

  “Anyway, we got married, moved in together. We were so damn happy, and Miranda never once told me the crap they were saying. Calling her a city whore, telling people I was only with her because she was pregnant. Making up vicious rumors saying she did something that no other woman would do, and crap like that.” Clark ran a hand down his face. “It still makes me so fucking mad right now, thinking about what they did. I was in town, and I was heading toward the diner. I was going to meet up with Miranda for lunch. I happened to be behind her when I watched some guy I didn’t recognize try to convince my woman to go with him. I’m not going to tell you exactly what, but once Miranda made it to the diner, I grabbed that bastard, and made him tell me who was spreading those rumors. I also let him know who Miranda belonged to. I met Miranda at the diner, and got her to tell me exactly what crap she’d been dealing with.”

  “What did you do?” Drew asked.

  “I went around each of the women I’d been with, called them out, and made sure everyone knew the lies they were spilling. In front of their husbands, their friends, even their parents, I made sure it was known they were lying bitches, and my woman was never hurt again.”

  Drew thought about Francine, and decided to tell him about the encounter.

  “Luderman is a bitch. I’d be careful with her. It’s probably a good thing you kept hold of those videos. Why did you?”

  He felt his cheeks start to blush. “Partly as leverage because I knew she was a bitch.” He looked toward the kitchen. “Also, I didn’t know how to delete them.”

  Clark burst out laughing. “Technology will kill us all.”

  ****

  “So, how did it go with the parents?” Cathy asked, Monday morning.

  “After Dad was really embarrassing, and trying to pretend he was a saint, they went back, talked some, and then they both seemed to be kind of … cool with each other.”

  “That must be something, right?”

  “It’s something. Dad wants me to take him back home with me next week.”

  “What did Drew say?”

  “He’s happy about it. Before we went to my parents, we had a horrible run-in with Francine.” Raven explained everything that had happened, including the threats, and the fact Drew had video evidence of their time together. “Do you think I should be a little grossed out?”

  “I don’t know. If Drew had filmed it, maybe. This was something she did though. He’s a rancher. I’m surprised he even knows how to work his phone.”

  “What about Brice? He uses his.”

  “I taught him how to, honey. It was a pain in the ass to get a booty call, and him ignore it because he didn’t figure out how to answer.”

  Raven chuckled, imagining Brice pressing the screen of his phone rather than swiping it.

  “My mom adores him. She thinks he’s good for me.”

  “I’ve seen a difference in you. It’s only been a handful of days, but you’re smiling, and you’re enjoying life.”

  Raven agreed. “I do feel happier. I never thought I’d feel this happy, but he does something to me.”

  “It’s his dick. They always make us feel that.”

  “We haven’t actually gone the whole way,” Raven said, her cheeks heating as she did.

  “Seriously? You haven’t taken him to bed?”

  “Yes, we’ve gone to bed, but we’re taking our time. I’m not ready to just jump—”

  “You have got to marry this guy.”

  “What?”

  “Drew is a hard ass. I’ve heard so much shit about him. You either put out, or get out. He’s not interested in romance. Drew is totally into you. I’ve seen the way he looks at you. He wants you, Raven. With the way he is, I imagine he’s partly in love with you.”

  “I don’t know.”

  “Seven years he’s waited. Brice told me that he said that to him.”

  “We’re not school kids anymore.”

  “I know. So you should marry him.”

  “Excuse me, are you going to gossip about something that would never happen, or are you going to serve your customers? Respectable customers,” Francine said. The friend with her, Betsy, laughed.

  Rolling her eyes, Raven went to serve them, but Francine shook her head. “No, I’m not getting served by some whore. I’d rather be served by Cathy.”

  “Oh, hell no. You did not just insult my girl here,” Cathy said, stepping up to the counter.

  “It’s okay, Cathy.”

  “It’s not okay. I don’t accept that. Especially when a skank thinks she can talk to someone like that.”

  “I’m the married one.”

  “The married one who had her ankles around her own neck so that Drew could plow your skanky hole. Not happening. You got what you wanted, and now that he’s taken, you think you’re going to pull that shit in my bakery. Get your ass out.”

  “Don’t lose business because of me.”

  “This is not because of you. These ladies are just pissed off that Drew took himself off the market, and told every guy within hearing distance to stay away from you. You belong to him, and that’s what is really pissing them off. Tough! Get out!”

  Raven moved to the back of the bakery, and finished preparing the ranchers’ food. The Monday rush was gawking at the spectacle, and she didn’t want to be a reason for them to point fingers. She’d never liked attention, and right now, she was getting more than she ever wanted.

  Cathy tried to console her, but there was no point. Nothing could be changed. She wasn’t going to walk away from Drew. Her mother had warned her about what could happen while Drew and her father had been talking. Her mother’s advice had been to keep her head up, and not allow anyone to try to make her feel small.

  She didn’t feel small, just exposed.

  Traveling toward the ranch, she got set up, and started to serve up brisket and potatoes. It wasn’t long before Drew was there, pulling her into his arms. She pulled away from him as whistles came from the men.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing. I just don’t think it’s appropriate you grabbing me in front of the men you work with.”

  Drew stared at her a couple of seconds, and without breaking eye contact, told Seymor that he was just having a private word with her.

  “What are you doing?” she asked.

  He didn’t say a word, just took her to the ranch shed where a lot of the equipment was. She had seen him in this shed a couple of times. One of the first times she saw him, she’d been unable to speak. Words had failed her, so she’d blushed, turned away, and walked out. The other time he’d been balls-deep inside a woman. Thinking back to when she saw him, she actually believed that the woman had been Betsy, who he was with.

  They were alone in the shed, and he’d closed the door.

  “What’s the problem?”

  “How could you sleep with women who clearly don’t care about you? Not one bit?” she asked.

  “I don’t understand. I didn’t care what they thought.”

  “Clearly. Otherwise you wouldn’t have slept with them.”

  “I’m confused right now.”

  “Two women came into the bakery today. They said some pretty embarrassing things to me—”

  “Like what?”

  “Nothing you have to worry about.”

  “Raven?”

  “No. I’m not going to tell you. I’m fine. What bothers me is the way they spoke, how they describe you. How could you let them do that to you?” she asked.

  He frowned. “You’re pissed at me because I screwed women that didn’t like me?”

  “Yes! I care about you, and you don’t care about yourself.”

  Drew gripped her hips, pulling her close. “Where have I been without you all these years?”

  “Clearly not with the right
women.”

  He silenced her with a kiss.

  Wrapping her arms around his neck, she pressed her body against his, loving the feel of his hardness. The ridge of his erection pressed against her stomach, and she wanted him. Her pussy grew slick, and need suddenly consumed her.

  “You’re not going to tell me who you spoke to?” he asked, pulling away first.

  “No. You don’t need to know them.”

  “I’ll find out.”

  “No, you won’t. Not from my lips.”

  “I’m coming by your place tonight,” he said.

  “Okay. I’ll be waiting for you.”

  He sighed, running his hands up and down her body. “The last time I saw you here I was fucking another woman.”

  “I remember.”

  “Is it wrong to say I wish it was you?”

  “I was legally allowed. Eighteen years old. You don’t have to worry.”

  “If it had been you, neither of us would have wasted all these years.”

  She kissed his lips. “Then we won’t waste any more.” And she wouldn’t allow anyone to tear them apart. Those women could say whatever they wanted to her. She didn’t care. She loved Drew, and had loved him before she left.

  There was no way she was leaving.

  This man was hers, as much as she was his.

  Chapter Seven

  A couple of months later

  Drew pulled up to Bobby’s bar along with Brice. They were meeting the girls inside for some drinks. It was starting to get cold out, and along with it jobs at the ranch were much harder. The cold seeped into their bones, slowing them down. The last time he’d seen Raven had been at lunchtime. He missed her something fierce. Their relationship was strong as they spent every available minute with each other.

  She’d been to see his mom, and Doreen adored her. When Raven had gone to the bathroom, his mother had promised him that his father would have loved her. He went to her parents’ place regularly for dinner. Clark no longer treated him like a hostile target that needed to be brought down.

  They had also taken their relationship slow. He didn’t mind the slow. Taking his time, exploring her body was one of his favorite things to do. He loved her body. It was all pure, soft, and supple. When she was ready, he’d show her exactly how good it could be between them.