RockHardHeat (2 page)

“That, darlin’, is an invitation I cannot refuse.”

Chapter Two

Jenna had been fairly sure her rock sample was placer gold
and once it had been confirmed, she was overjoyed. It wasn’t even a half ounce,
but it proved to them that there was gold in them there hills. Now they had to
decide what to do about it.

Chet knew she wouldn’t be left behind so she had joined him
when he took a few geologists up to the creek. Their private cabin had become a
hub of activity for a week while they roamed about the area doing exploration
and sampling. They had picked some sites that seemed likely for the origination
of the deposit and were still waiting for the results from the processing
plant. The last few weeks had been a whirlwind of excitement.

Both of them were well aware the impact of mining and
depending on the deposit type, how it could affect the land. Once they had the
sampling results they could make a decision to see if extracting the gold was
viable or if they should just leave it all alone. Since it was his family
heritage, it was totally up to him how he wanted to proceed, but it didn’t stop
Jenna from bubbling with excitement. He was pretty thrilled himself.

He’d already decided on a name if he established a gold
mining company, Chester Gold. A very fitting way to honor his
great-great-uncle.

But for now, they would enjoy the glow of knowing, after all
these years, Chester had been proven right. Now all Chet had to do was try to
dissuade her from heading home at the end of the month. Chet’s heart ached at
the thought of her leaving him again. He wouldn’t try to change her mind. It
was up to her, but he did have something up his sleeve.

Tonight the kids were coming for a barbeque. He was thrilled
they got along so well with Jenna after meeting when she first arrived. The
three of them seemed to genuinely like each other. That was the toughest part
when kids, no matter what their ages, were involved. They were also bringing
his parents along as well. Chet was looking forward to a full-fledged family
reunion. Especially now with the surprising news he wanted to share.

He glanced at Jenna beside him and smiled. She was
inspecting the rocks in her hand. The sun shone in the back window of the
truck, setting her hair afire with sparks of copper. It had lightened the past
few weeks from being in the sun. She had tanned too, a lovely golden tone.
Surprising for a redhead.

“Hope you’re not nervous about tonight, darlin’.”

She glanced at him and smiled. Chet couldn’t help the surge
in his heart rate. She was so goddamn gorgeous and to think, she
wanted
to be with him. He still couldn’t get over that.

“Not at all. I’m looking forward to seeing everyone and
meeting your parents. Finally.”

He nodded and turned his attention back to the road leading
to his house. Or mansion as she called it. He had a few plans of his own before
tonight’s festivities began and was still sorting it out in his mind how he’d
accomplish it.

“We have to make a stop on the way home.”

* * * * *

“Wow, I didn’t know you had a greenhouse.”

“It belongs to the ranch. We try to be organic and grow vegetables
for the ranch hands and livestock. Anything left over we give to local
shelters.” He took her hand and led her to the back into a smaller,
newer-looking building. “I had this built just after you left earlier this
year.”

Jenna was stunned by the view before her. A greenhouse of
roses in various states of bloom and rainbows of color. “Oh Chet, I can’t
believe this. It’s amazing.”

“It’s all for you, darlin’.” Chet rocked back on his heels,
clearly pleased with her reaction.

She threw her arms around his neck and hugged him as tight
as she could. “It’s so beautiful. Thank you.” He knew how much she loved roses
and now she had her own private garden. “But I don’t know anything about
growing them.”

“Then you’ll learn. A gardener comes in regularly and you
can fit your schedule to hers. Or, you can simply enjoy them. It’s hot in here,
so why don’t you pick whatever you want for a bouquet.”

Jenna threw her arms wide. “How can I possibly choose?”

Right at that moment the overhead sprinkler system grunted
and water rained down, soaking them.

“Shit! They were supposed to fix that,” Chet boomed over
Jenna’s screech of surprise.

“I think it’s fabulous.” Jenna spun around under the water
and laughed. She grabbed Chet’s arm and twirled around him. Her summer dress was
soaked and clinging to her skin within seconds. He watched her spin and hardly
noticed how quickly his clothes also got soaked. She was a delight and the
wetter she got, the more transparent her dress was. Revealing all her lovely
charms to him through the fabric. His throat tightened and desire seeped down
his spine.

“C’mere, darlin’.”

Jenna let out a surprised gasp when Chet spun her into his
arms and flush to his chest, her fingers splayed over his powerful muscles. She
pressed her palms to his soaked shirt and took in every hard plane of him. The
brim of his hat shielded her face and sheltered them from the indoor shower.
Sexual heat bubbled in her belly when their gazes met.

Jenna’s breath stilled. She pressed into his muscles then
slid her hands over his wide shoulders to lace her fingers behind his neck. She
had come to know him so well and the look in his eyes right now told her
volumes. Her gaze dipped to his smiling lips. He lowered his head to her and
she encouraged him by pulling him closer. They paused with their lips a
hairsbreadth apart, the air between them almost crackled with their passion.
Jenna was sure she could feel little jolts of electricity ripple along the
sensitive skin of her lips and like magnets they were drawn to one another.

She arched against him until they were molded together from
shoulder to hip. His cock pressed into the rippled folds of her skirt. Even
though the sundress was a light summer fabric, Jenna felt as if she were
weighted down with a parka. Keeping them from being flesh-to-flesh.

“Kiss me,” she murmured.

“Darlin’, you don’t have to ask.” And he crushed his mouth
to hers, pushing her until her bottom was pressed against the wooden bench
supporting all her roses.

The intoxicating scent of the blooms, mingled with Chet’s
wild and natural essence, ignited Jenna. Her legs didn’t seem to want to
support her and she wobbled until Chet lifted her to sit on the wood. The water
raining from the sprinklers seemed to lessen after the initial deluge, as if
the pressure had righted itself. They were both soaked and the heat of their
bodies misted into the hot greenhouse air. She was a steaming bundle of passion
and scrabbled to get Chet’s jeans undone, keeping her lips locked to his.

He slipped one then the other strap off her shoulder and
pushed the bodice of her dress down until her breasts were bare. She sucked in
a breath and leaned back into his supporting hands. Chet nuzzled along her jaw,
down her neck. His tongue scorched a trail until he pulled her aching nipple
between his lips.

Jenna froze with delight. But she wanted, needed, more. His
heavy, wet jeans made it difficult to free him and finally she pushed them past
his hips until he was clear. His cock heavy and hard in her hands. He had
positioned her perfectly on the bench and it was so sweet and easy. She pushed
her thong aside and guided him into her pussy.

“Now, Chet, here among my roses you grew for me—” The words
caught in her throat when he thrust deep, spearing her with ecstasy.

Jenna widened her thighs, giving him more room, and locked
her ankles around his hips, pulling him in with her heels. She gripped his
shoulders and met his thrusts.

“Ah woman, anything, anything for you.” His voice was
strained and he blazed a trail from her breasts until he caught her lips with
his again, kissing her as if he needed her to sustain his life.

His words, his touch, his lovemaking, everything about Chet
fulfilled her beyond words and tears seeped from her closed eyes. Emotion
overwhelmed Jenna, and her desire rose to a fevered pitch unlike anything she
had felt before. She lost her sense of space and time, the only grounding was
Chet’s arms around her, and she let herself go. Sensation took over and carried
her, wrapping her in his aura until the groans of his pleasure finally took her
to the edge.

He drove hard and deep into her center. Chet reached between
them to find her clitoris. His fingers swirled on the sensitive pearl until she
sucked in ragged breaths. Jenna’s mind went blank. Her orgasm built in slow,
blissful peaks. She sucked in a quick breath and hovered, poised and waiting.
Chet’s pace increased and his groans triggered her to action. She wanted them
to come together. With his hand still pressed between them she tightened her
heels on his ass, keeping him firm and buried in her until her muscles clamped
down on his cock. He let out a groan when he swelled inside her with his
release.

Jenna cried out as he filled her and she crumpled into
quivering contractions in his arms. Chet leaned a hand on the bench to support
them, his face resting in the curve of her neck as Jenna clung to his
shoulders. Slowly her legs sank until her feet rested next to his calves.

Jenna blinked and looked around. Realization of what they
had just done in such a public place alarmed her.

“Chet. We should get dressed. What if someone sees us?” She
pulled her dress up and flipped her hair behind her. “Oh, the water stopped.”

He looked up at the sprinklers. “So it has. Damn stupid
things.” He helped her off the bench and fixed the front of his jeans.

“If they hadn’t gone off would we have…had sex?”

He shrugged and took her hand. “Who knows, but I’m glad we
did. There’s more I want to show you.”

“Chet, you’ve done far too much as it is.” Jenna still
flushed from making love, followed him between the rows of fragrant roses. She
wanted to bury her nose in the blooms and inhale their perfect scent. But she’d
wait to see what he had up his sleeve now.

“Here. See this plant?”

“Yes. It’s lovely.” Deep-red blossoms covered a bush set
aside on a table.

“It reminded me of last winter.”

Jenna smiled. “You mean the roses you left for me on my
birthday?”

“Yes.” He gave her a gentle push toward the plant. “I bet
the smell is even nicer than the ones I got you before. Take a sniff.”

Jenna looked at Chet with curiosity. He was up to something.
The smile on his lips and sparkle in his eyes gave it away. “What’s going on?
You’re being kind of odd.”

He burst out laughing. “Odd? Not what I expected to hear
from you.” He nodded to the plant again and shifted on his feet, crossing his
arms over his chest.

Jenna turned to it and furrowed her brows. It was a pretty
plant, but why was it so special to make him act so antsy? She stepped forward
and cupped a bloom in her palm, holding it steady. The tease to inhale its exquisite
fragrance and let the velvety petals brush her cheeks drew her. Jenna closed
her eyes and enjoyed the sweet scent.

“Mmm. I do love roses.”

“I know you do.”

He stepped close behind her, pulled her ass up tight to him,
circling his arms around her waist. His fingers splayed on her belly. How she
loved the touch of this man.

“Oh Chet, you are asking for trouble.” She moved to turn
around and face him for a kiss, but he stopped her.

“Take a look at that big flower there. It’s one of the
largest I think I’ve ever seen.”

“Which, that one?” A wide one seemed hidden behind the rest
and she moved aside some leaves so she could see it, careful not to get pricked
by a thorn. A flash came from inside the flower and Jenna jumped.
What the
hell?

“Yes, that one.”

Curious now, Jenna turned the plant until she could see the
bloom better and gasped.

“Oh my God. Chet! Is that—”

“Yes, darlin’. It is.”

Gently, Jenna held the bloom and stared at the sparkle in
it. A diamond ring nestled in the blossom. “It’s beautiful.” Prisms of light
sparked from within the red petals. Tears welled up and emotion rushed through
her, strangling her breath. The hand holding the rose trembled, causing more
flashes of light to reflect off the diamond.

“Take it, darlin’. That is, of course, if you want it.”

His words prodded her to life. “Of course I want it. Oh
Chet, I’m stunned. This is so not expected.”

She cupped the rose and carefully moved aside the petals
until she saw the full glory of the ring. It was a solitaire, close to two
carats with trillion diamonds flanking the stone. It must be worth a fortune.

“It’s a Canadian diamond. I thought it would be appropriate,
under the circumstances.”

Jenna’s tears mixed with laughter. “Very appropriate. Seeing
I’m from Canada and all, eh.”

He turned her to face him and took the ring from her
fingers. Jenna gazed into his chocolaty-brown eyes, knowing her own reflected
her love for him.

He held her trembling left hand in his.

“Jenna.” He paused and licked his lips. Suddenly he seemed
anxious. It was the first time since she had known him he ever appeared
nervous. Other than the time on the mountain when she had her accident, but
that was totally different.

She nodded and rested the palm of her right hand on his
cheek.

“You have made this cowboy happy. In so many ways.” He
swallowed and continued. “It kills me to think of you leaving again. Maybe
that’s selfish of me, but I don’t want you to go. Ever.”

Jenna nodded. Tears overflowed and spilled down her cheeks.
Chet reached up, the ring flashed in his fingers, and with his thumb swept away
the trail of her happy tears. Ever so receptive to his touch, she instantly
responded to him. But this was serious and she had to keep her head about her.

“Don’t cry, darlin’. This is nothing to be sad about.”