Cocky in a Cowboy Hat (Crossroads Book 3)

by Em Petrova

  She closed her eyes and allowed the jets to massage spots she didn’t even know were sore. Steam rose up to curl the hair she’d piled in a messy bun. She rested against the side of the hot tub and wiggled her toes in the water. God, this felt good. Not only did she need to ease a few aches and pains, but she’d been carrying a fair amount of stress for ohh…since the beginning of her divorce for starters.

  She’d figured out where to go looking for peace. But sitting here, far from all the cares she’d once harbored and too many that still remained to let go, she actually allowed some of her burden to slip.

  Every day she worked on Aidan’s ranch, she adopted more of that peaceful ease her new life afforded her. Her only worry was what to eat when she woke up in the morning. The rest of the day seemed to handle itself, filled with work she loved.

  Honestly, she didn’t mind working alongside Aidan—or living in close quarters with him either. She’d come to think of it the same as her college days, rooming with someone she didn’t want to spend every minute of every day with, but she didn’t hate either.

  Closing her eyes again, she issued a long sigh that released the last of her stress for the day. Next time, she’d ask Aidan if he cared if she used his hot tub. For now—

  Her eyes popped open, and she sat up straighter. Throwing a glance toward the door leading to the house, she strained to hear over the bubbling noise. Was that a truck door she’d heard? Dammit, why weren’t there any dogs on the ranch to alert a woman taking a clandestine dip in the hot tub whether or not the owner of said hot tub had arrived home?

  After a long minute of listening, she didn’t detect any other sounds. Swishing her legs in the water, she got more comfy in the seat and closed her eyes again.

  The smooth gliding noise of the sliding glass door jerked her upright. Panic hit as she realized her breasts were exposed, and she dunked herself in the water up to her chin.

  Oh God. Oh God oh God oh God. Aidan had come home and—

  “Long day?” he drawled, dragging a wooden chair across the deck to the side of the hot tub.

  Frantically, she looked down at herself. These bubbles better be enough to cover her nudity from his view—and just what was he doing sneaking out here without alerting her first?

  “Uh, I thought a soak in the hot water would feel nice.”

  He threw a glance her way before settling in the chair, at a high vantage point so he could look down on the water. Could he see her…everything?

  She crossed her legs and squeezed her thighs together, praying the hectic burble of water would be enough to conceal her nakedness from her boss.

  With all the poise she could muster, she met his stare head-on, as if she wasn’t sitting here as naked as the day she was born and about to hold a conversation with a man she considered to be an eleven out of ten on the attractive scale.

  “How was your trip?”

  “Just fine.” His hat tucked low over his brow, but she felt his stare roaming over the surface of the water. Or perhaps beneath the surface. Knowing her luck, Aidan could count the number of freckles from her neck to her pubes.

  She held her arms over her chest and purposely relaxed her pose so as not to appear as nervous as she felt. After all, she was a thirty-five year old woman. She’d seen some shit. Lived it, breathed it and had the T-shirt too. She wasn’t some schoolgirl giggling with nervousness.

  She continued to meet Aidan’s gaze. “Where did you go again?”

  “To a buddy’s ranch.”

  “I see.” She didn’t.

  “I went to see about purchasing something.”

  She cocked a brow. “Maybe a tractor. Did you outbid someone on that too?” She sounded more than a little bitter, and remorse flooded in. He’d won the Windswept fair and square. “I mean, you need it for all the work around here.”

  “I went to buy a horse.”

  Without thinking, she pushed up on the seat with interest. The cool air touched the tops of her breasts, and she quickly sank under again. Water lapped at her jawline. “I didn’t know you were going to buy a horse.”

  “Yup.” His stare remained riveted on her face, peeking over the bubbles like it floated on the surface without a body. At least she hoped it appeared that way.

  He sure didn’t seem to be in a hurry to wrap up this talk. How could she get him out of here?

  “Well?” she prompted. “Did you buy one?”

  Slowly, he tipped his head in a nod. Something about the angle of his head made her wonder if he was actually staring at her breasts, belly…her pussy.

  Her insides clenched at the realization that the object of her attraction sat several feet away, and she was totally naked, wet and hadn’t been touched in too many months to count.

  She dragged in a deep breath and almost swallowed a mouthful of water.

  Floundering for something to say, she could only come up with more about the horse—exciting—and yet at this moment, she could think of better things to talk about. Like him leaving.

  “Did you bring it home with you?”

  “I did.” Why was he talking so slow, as if molasses jammed up his teeth and he could barely get the words out.

  “I can’t wait to see it. Maybe I should…get out and throw on some clothes.” Her cheeks burned at the admission she wasn’t wearing a stitch.

  He tipped his head to the side, contemplating her for a long, throbbing heartbeat as he held her stare and left her feeling as though she was participating in something erotic and forbidden.

  “Yeah,” he drawled in a low tone that slipped over her senses and left a burning trail. “Why don’t you do that, Liberty?”

  She blinked. He was calling her bluff, and they both knew it. He also waited to see what she’d do.

  She was a grown-ass woman. She could do this.

  Looking Aidan in the eyes, she said, “We both know I’m naked.”

  A thrill hit her as he dragged his gaze over the water. “Oh?”

  “A gentleman would turn his back while I get out.”

  Through hooded eyes, he continued to stare at her so long that she felt sure he wouldn’t turn his back, go inside or do anything but force more discomfort on her.

  And if she was honest, a heavy dose of desire too. She was naked. They were halfway there.

  Just when she thought he’d ignore her request, he slowly pushed to his feet, tossing one last look at the water—and probably her body—before turning and presenting her with his back.

  Eyes wide, she grabbed her towel and made a big splash as she rushed out of the hot tub. She wrapped the terrycloth around her middle and secured it over one breast. “All right,” she said with a hint of breathlessness.

  He pivoted to face her. They stood several feet apart, but she swore she felt a wave of body heat coming off his big, hard body.

  His stare latched on her feet and moved upward, blazing a path over her skin until he focused on her mouth. Her breaths came in short pants as awareness unlike anything she’d known in her life swept her up in a tempest of hot, tight skin, budded nipples and thighs that ached from squeezing them together.

  “I’ll just…” She looked over his shoulder at the door.

  His chest moved as he inflated it with a breath. Then he stepped to the side. “Go on,” he grated out.

  She wanted to rush to the door but instead employed all her poise and sauntered over.

  “Don’t slip,” he warned.

  At the door, she glanced at him.

  He stood in profile but didn’t look at her when he said, “I’ll turn the jets off.”

  Why did his words only triple the effervescent sensation of bubbles tickling all over her body, across her nipples…between her legs?

  Meeting his stare, she opened the door and stepped inside.

  * * * * *

  Christ on a bike, that woman sat there bare-assed in his hot tub, looking as soft and relaxed as a summer’s day.

  It had taken every damn ounce of his control to keep
from kicking off his boots and stepping into the tub with her fully clothed.

  He passed a hand over his face, and when that didn’t erase the image of her hair curling around her pretty face or the faint curves and shadows he made out between bubbles, he scooped a handful of the hot water and splashed his face.

  It did nothing. Not even a bucket of icy water would do the trick to ease the throb of his balls or make his dick go down enough to fit inside his boxers.

  He stood from his crouching position and adjusted his cock, nudging the length off his thigh and positioning it upward so the head skimmed his waistband.

  Fuck. Double fuck.

  Thinking of fucking wasn’t better.

  What possessed him to sit down in the lawn chair and insist on engaging her in conversation? He’d still be sitting there if she hadn’t called upon his honor by telling him a gentleman would turn around.

  He wasn’t a gentleman—not when it came to taking a woman he wanted.

  And he wanted Liberty.

  The realization didn’t strike him as hard as he expected. Deep down he’d come to an understanding when he couldn’t unglue his stare from her tan thighs. Since that moment, he’d spent restless nights, sleepless nights and painfully aware mornings after waking with a hard-on for the woman.

  And now he’d seen enough to know what he wanted without a goddamn doubt.

  To cup those full breasts and lift the tips to his mouth. To feel her grind against him while he loved her with his mouth and slipped his fingers between her legs to find her slick little nubbin.

  He wanted to feel her juices slick his fingers as he spread her to him and swallowed her cries of bliss with his kisses.

  He wanted her coming apart, shattering with a scream and milking his cock with her orgasm.

  Closing the door on those fantasies wasn’t happening this afternoon—not with her inside his house, in close enough proximity to a bed to make the fantasy come true.

  Hell, he was going to have to jack one off just to get relief.

  He stood there a long moment, battling with himself, telling himself ten more reasons why it was a horrible idea to sleep with Liberty.

  One—she was his employee. Sure, he hadn’t paid her a dime yet, but it felt like taking advantage.

  Two—he couldn’t tangle with her feelings.

  Three—though she had an edge of steel to her, he saw through her tough-girl act. She was obviously still vulnerable from whatever she was going through.

  And four—hell, he wasn’t able to think with his cock throbbing this way.

  Looking to the door where she’d disappeared, he flattened his palm over the front of his jeans and pressed down to ease the ache.

  It didn’t help.

  That towel too. Fuck, it’d been one shifting movement away from slipping off her breasts and falling to her feet, exposing her fully to him. What then? He wouldn’t have stopped himself, was what.

  Issuing a growl, he stomped back inside and into the kitchen for a cold drink. Even swallowing two glasses in a row didn’t cool him off, especially since he couldn’t stop tossing glances toward the hall and wondering what she was doing in her bedroom.

  Slamming the glass on the counter, he strode outside to the pasture where he’d turned the new horse loose. The mare stood alone at the edge of the enclosure, grazing on the hay he’d provided.

  He tugged off his hat and scrubbed his fingers over his scalp. Hell, he needed to find some control and put a stop to these lewd—and luscious—thoughts about his ranch hand.

  “She’s beautiful.” Liberty’s soft tone spoken from inches away made him start grinding his teeth again.

  Knowing full well it was a bad idea, he turned to her. Her pink cheeks only enhanced the shine in her golden brown eyes, and some tendrils of hair framing her face were still damp from the water. She wore a chambray shirt, open at the neck with sleeves rolled up and scrunched to her elbows, faded jeans and her usual boots.

  While the bubbling water had mostly concealed her body from him, simply seeing all that exposed flesh had him more hot and bothered than ever in his life. And he thought that time he discovered his best friend’s neighbor lady sunbathed topless had been a torment. He’d spent a hell of a lot of time at his buddy’s place that summer, hoping to catch a glimpse of her.

  Liberty held his stare, chin raised in a small act of defiance that mimicked what he’d seen in the hot tub.

  Neither of them were kids. They were adults with adult-sized appetites, and he had no doubt at all that they’d devour each other given the chance.

  He should step back, move away, talk about the horse—anything but stand there gaping at her.

  “I apologize, Aidan.”

  Shaken from his thoughts, he jolted in surprise. “Apologize? What for?”

  “I should have asked if you minded if I use the hot tub.”

  “I told you that you have free run o’ the place, and I meant what I said. I don’t mind if you enjoy it.” Though he hadn’t sunk into the heated depths, he’d probably enjoyed the experience more.

  She nodded. “Thanks. So…tell me about the horse.” Clearly, she was finished with their awkward moments where she sat nude chatting with him and he’d grown harder than he ever had in his life.

  He quirked his lips into a smile and placed a hand on the fence rail. “Come see for yourself.” With that, he vaulted over the fence and landed on the other side with the wooden rails separating them. He eyed her in challenge and if he knew much about Mizz Liberty Baker, it was that she didn’t back down from a challenge.

  She braced a boot on the bottom rail, swung her opposite leg over and landed as lightly as a gymnast beside him. He twitched his head for her to follow. They crossed the enclosure slowly, approaching the new horse. Luckily, Matt had acclimated it to humans young, and the mare didn’t skitter off as some would.

  He extended a hand, and the horse snorted. Liberty extended a hand with a baby carrot on her palm, and the horse nosed it.

  Her soft chuckle of delight swept around Aidan, leaving him feeling more than a little out of sorts.

  “Why didn’t I think of that?” he muttered, unsure if he meant bringing the carrots to lure the new horse’s trust or the fact that he was affected by Liberty in more ways than sex and lust. He was coming to enjoy her company more than proved acceptable.

  When she reached up to stroke the horse’s chocolate-colored mane, he tracked the movement of her delicate fingers combing through the thick, coarse hair.

  “What a good girl you are. Did she have a name?” Liberty directed her question to him.

  “Most ranchers selling horses don’t name those they plan to sell.”

  “But you don’t plan to sell her, so you can name her.” Golden brown eyes lit on his face.

  “I’m no good at names. But you’re not either.”

  She opened her mouth on a wide O of shock.

  He arched a brow at her. “Doodles? Woman, that is one hell of a sissy name for a horse.”

  “It is a very noble name!”

  A rumble of a laugh shook him. “Noble how? I’ve never read about any noble horses name Doodles in wars or belonging to kings.”

  She narrowed her eyes and twisted her lips, and the effect made her look adorable. “I’ll have you know, Doodles was the name of a horse I rode as a child! He was a very patient pony for a young, inexperienced girl, and I call your horse Doodles because she has similar traits.”

  Okay, that was kinda cute too. More than kinda. He liked that she was letting him in.

  “My first horse’s name was Destroyer.”

  “Well we can’t all be barbarians like you.” Her offhanded remark had him laughing harder. The horse didn’t like the wheezing noise he made, leaving Liberty no choice but to offer her another carrot as distraction.

  “You’re getting mighty comfortable with me if you’re dropping insults as well as hosing me down in my own kitchen.”

  She sent him an appraising look. “So
meone’s gotta put you in your place.”

  And you’re the one to do it, aren’t you? The words hit the tip of his tongue, but he bit them off.

  The mare, cottoning on to the fact Liberty carried a bag of baby carrots in her pocket, pressed her nose into her side.

  Liberty’s laugh sounded like the sun breaking through on a cloudy day. “She’s quite smart, isn’t she?”

  “She is.” He stared at Liberty when he said this.

  She baby-talked the mare for a bit, praising her and giving her the attention she seemed to eat up.

  He could stand here all day tormenting himself watching her or he could get to work. “I got some things to do.”

  “I have most of the chores done for the day.”

  He tilted his head in the direction of the Windswept. “I’m gonna ride out to the pasture and do some planning for the watering system.”

  “Oh. Okay.” Her fingers never stopped passing over the horse’s mane.

  As he started out of the enclosure, an idea occurred to him. Over his shoulder, he called out, “Why don’t you name the mare?”

  “Really?” she called after him.

  “Yeah.” He reached the fence and started to climb over.

  “Doodles the Second it is.”

  He froze with his leg half over the top rail.

  Her merry laugh floated across the field to him. “Just kidding, Aidan. The look on your face was priceless.”

  The look on her face would be priceless when he bent her over his arm and tongued that soft, enticing flesh between her breasts too.

  “Glad to entertain.” He landed outside the enclosure and pulled off his hat in farewell. The woman’s laugh followed him long after he was out of earshot.

  Chapter Six

  “Wrap the wire around the first like this.” Aidan demonstrated how to wire the solar-powered electric fence for the new pasture on the Windswept.

  Liberty watched him, but mostly she only saw his big hands…long fingers, broad backs with sinew and veins that looked as if they were carved from oak. His knuckles sported a light dusting of hair that only layered on the manliness—as if his nimble fingers, gruff voice and the piney leather smell of him didn’t do enough.