Rules of the Ride: A Silver Star Ranch Novel by HJ Bellus Page B

could have together…a gorgeous house on the ranch, little babies, and a love that can stand the test of time. My eyelids grow heavy as I envision every part of what our future could hold, and soon they win the battle as my thoughts turn into my dreams.
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    T he sun shines into the room, and peeking an eye open I can tell it’s probably well into the morning. I look down to a very wide awake Ella staring up at me.
    “Hey.” I smooth back her hair.
    “Morning.”
    “What’s with the smile?” I ask her.
    “I’m happy.”
    “I’m happy too, Pinks.”
    I wrap her up in a bear hug and listen as her giggles fill the room, and I roll her on top of me until we are belly to belly.
    “You’re a restless sleeper, missy.” I reach up and peck her on the lips and she only shrugs her shoulders.
    “What in the hell did you dream about?”
    She only shrugs her shoulders again.
    “Playing hard to get?” I raise an eyebrow.
    “Maybe.”
    The grin covering her face is electric and she’s definitely the old carefree Ella from high school.
    “What should I do about that?” I slap her ass, making her squeal.
    Ella reaches over for something, and when she rises back up, she has my black Stetson cowboy hat on the top of her head, and every single part of me is wide awake with the vision of her naked and on top of me in my hat.
    “I don’t know, cowboy, think you can handle me?”
    Pushing up into her, I roll over, staying inside of her, and then cover her body. Ella lies below me spread out and giggling until I find my pace pushing in and out of her. It doesn’t take long before she’s moaning and fighting to push up into me. I dip down and take one of her puckered nipples between my teeth and sink down into it.
    Her screams and cries only make me devour her more. I slow down my pace and pay plenty of attention to both of her nipples and then mark her neck with light kisses trailing up her jawbone until I finally reach her lips.
    “Fuck me, Maverik,” Ella mumbles before I cover her mouth.
    I obey her command and begin to drive into her hard and punishing. The sensation is overwhelming and addicting at the same time. I feel my release build rapidly and don’t wait for her signal before I spill into her. Her fingernails pierce the flesh on my back. The pain is followed up by her screams of pleasure.
    I drop my forehead to hers. “I love you.”
    “I want pancakes. Feed me.” A smile spreads across her face and I can’t help but smile back.
    “You got it, baby.”
    Sliding off the bed, I wrap her up in my arms and carry her to the bathroom. It’s so tiny we both barely fit in it. I throw down a blue towel on the counter and then sit her on it while I adjust the water of the shower.
    “Son of a bitch.” I grab the back of my head after it just collided with the top of the shower curtain.
    Giggles escape from Ella, and when I turn to scold her, my toe jams into the base of the toilet.
    “Fuck me,” I holler, still rubbing the back of my head. “We are staying at my place from now on.”
    Ella has both of her hands covering her mouth while the rest of her body shakes violently.
    “You think this is funny?” I ask, holding my hands up and nailing the back of one hand into a small window.
    “Maverik, stop.” She clutches her stomach. “You look ridiculous in this tiny bathroom. I mean, you’re like a giant in here.”
    “I’m glad you think it’s funny that your king is getting the shit beat out of him by a rundown bathroom.”
    “It’s the funniest thing ever, Maverik.” She takes a moment to wipe the tears rolling down her cheeks. “I mean, you cut the nuts off of cows and ride wild horses, but can’t handle this.”
    “That’s it. Get your ass in the shower.” I grab her around the waist and whirl around, placing her in the hot stream of water and then follow her in, knocking my head on the shower curtain rod again.
    “Mother fucker,” I growl.
    “Here, let me wash your back,” Ella manages