by Eve Gaddy
Damn it, Sean was right. He’d fallen in love with Sam. No matter what he told himself—he hadn’t known her that long, there was still a lot he didn’t know about her, she was no different from any other woman he’d been with, and a big one, he hadn’t even made love to her yet—it didn’t matter. He’d fallen for her. The fact that with Sam he thought of it as making love, not having sex or any of the myriad other ways to phrase the act, was telling in itself. No matter what, he kept coming back to the fact that he didn’t just enjoy Sam or want to get her into bed. No, he was head over bootheels in love with Samantha Striker.
And he was almost a hundred percent sure that Sam was not in love with him. Yet.
A few days later, Sam came out to the ranch one afternoon to meet all of the horses. She brought Shadow with her, but since he’d recently been neutered, she left him in the kitchen with Glory to make sure he didn’t overdo it.
They went out the kitchen door to go to the stables and then on to the pasture where most of the horses stayed during daylight. Occasionally one stayed in for various reasons, but Dylan was a believer in pasturing his horses as much as he could. “Hold on a minute,” Dylan said. He tugged her to him, leaned down and kissed her. “Hi,” he said, still holding her close.
“Hi.” She smiled up at him and he thought again how pretty she was.
“I’m not sure how you do it, but you get prettier every time I see you.”
Sam laughed. “I doubt that but thanks.”
He kissed the tip of her nose. “Never doubt it. Let’s take you to meet my horses.”
They walked down to the stables and Dylan showed her around. He’d been out mending fences all morning and hadn’t been anywhere but the tack room since he came in. But now he noticed that more than one of the stalls hadn’t been mucked out. Dammit, that was supposed to be Jim’s job but he was nowhere to be seen. Failing Jim, one of the other hands usually handled that chore. “Hold on a minute,” he said to Sam and yelled for Jim. “Shit,” he said when Jim never showed up. “This guy is never where he’s supposed to be, when he’s supposed to be there. I haven’t seen him since before lunch.”
“I saw someone a little earlier when I drove up. Dark hair, clean-shaven. Medium height, maybe. That’s the impression I got, anyway. Could that be him?”
“Might be, although there are others around here you could describe that way. Was he young or old?”
“Maybe in his thirties. It was hard to tell because I only saw him for a minute and at a distance. It was a little odd. I could have sworn he was staring right at me but then he disappeared when I got out of the car.”
“Sounds like him. Connor’s been around him the most and he thinks he’s weird. All I know is if he doesn’t start doing his job better I’ll have to fire him. And finding anyone to take his place at this time of year won’t be easy.”
He took her out to the pasture and told her a little about each horse. She was very complimentary of his horses, sincerely so, he thought. Sam was good about not bullshitting people. He’d found that out when Clay got injured.
“Are you too cold or do you want to see Trouble? He’s out in the round pen. I worked with him some before you got here.”
“Of course I want to see your new stallion. It’s not nearly as cold today as it was the day we found Shadow.”
“True.” He looked up at the blue sky. Not a cloud in it and the sun was warming everything up.
They went out to the round pen. “What do you think?” Dylan asked Sam. Trouble was on the other side of the pen. The stallion had been a real pain in the ass earlier when he was working with him. But that was nothing new.
“He’s beautiful, Dylan. He looks like a buckskin.”
“He’s a brown dun. Brunblakk in Norwegian.”
“His mane is gorgeous, but it looks like it’s never been cut. Sunshine has a clipped mane. So does Riptide. I thought that was more common with this breed.”
“It is. All of my other Norwegian Fjords are clipped. But Trouble doesn’t like people messing with him. We damn near had to sedate him for the vet to examine him.”
“I think it’s gorgeous the way it is. I’m not sure I’d cut it. What’s his story? I know you mentioned he was abused. Do you know anything about that?”
“Not a lot. His previous owner could never get him to settle down. According to him, the person who had him before him is the reason he’s so touchy. Claims he wasn’t the one who scarred him.”
“You don’t sound too sure of that.”
Dylan rolled a shoulder. “All I know is someone abused him. He’s got scars on his legs and his rump that don’t look accidental.” He sighed. “I’d really like to breed him but the jury’s still out on that. I’ve been trying to get him used to the other horses so I can pasture them together. I think he’d do better if he had some company.”
“He’s been watching us the whole time we’ve been here.”
“Probably trying to decide where he’s going to kick me next.”
“He looks sweet.”
Dylan laughed. “Sweet? Anything but.”
She whistled and Trouble lifted his head. She whistled again. “Trouble, come see me, boy.”
“You have to bribe him to get him close enough to put the line on him. He won’t come without—”
Damned if the horse didn’t start ambling over. He still appeared suspicious but Dylan had the feeling that was for his benefit and not Sam’s. He was sure of it when Trouble went right up to her.
“Aren’t you pretty?” Sam crooned, laughing when he put his nose in her chest and pushed. She rubbed his nose and spoke quietly to him.
“Careful, he bites.” But he had to admit, Trouble was acting like a different horse.
“I don’t think he wants to bite me,” she said.
Sam kept patting him, talking so quietly to the horse that Dylan only heard snatches. He hoped she was right and Trouble wouldn’t change his mind. But hell, he thought, watching the two of them, the stallion was all but purring.
“I’m having a hard time believing he’s as bad as you’ve told me. He’s a sweetheart.”
That sure as shit wasn’t how Dylan would have described him. “Watch him when he’s with anyone but you. As far as I know, he’s never acted this way with anyone else. Any other human, at any rate. You seem to have the magic touch.”
“Do you have anything to give him? A sugar cube or a carrot?”
Dylan fished in his pocket for one of the sugar cubes he usually kept there. Handing it to her he said, “How would you feel about working with Trouble? I could use some help with him.”
She laughed while feeding him the sugar. “Right. I’ll fit it in between shifts.”
“I’m serious. You’re the first person he’s ever warmed up to. He doesn’t even like Burt. Well, he tolerates him but he’s not crazy about him.”
“Burt? One of your dogs, right?”
“Yes. See that big fuzzy guy over there?” He gestured to the big dog lying in the sun by the barn. “All horses like Burt. Except Trouble.”
“Why do you think I could do anything with him when your brother Sean couldn’t? Isn’t he supposed to have the magic touch with horses?”
“Because Trouble didn’t take to him like he has you. Look at him. He’s crazy about you.”
“Dylan, I’m a doctor, not a horse whisperer.”
He laughed.
“What’s so funny?”
“That’s exactly what Sean used to say.”
“Stay for dinner,” Dylan said to Sam when they finished cooling down Trouble and getting him set for the evening. “Glory made beef stew.”
“I should probably take Shadow home. I haven’t fed him.”
“Sam.” She looked at him. “I have dog food.”
Of course he did. There went that excuse. And really, why was she hesitating?
“Are you worried I’ll ask you to stay?”
“Not worried, exactly.”
He smiled and pulle
d her into his arms. “Stay,” he said, stringing kisses along her jawline. “For dinner. And tonight.” He kissed her mouth, a long, slow, drugging exchange of lips and tongues. He went to work on her neck.
“I can’t think when you do that.” But, God, it felt so good.
“Why do you need to think?” He kissed her mouth again. If he kept this up they’d be naked and making love in no time.
There was no doubt they wanted each other. She felt him against her, already hard. Was she making a mistake? Again? She didn’t believe Dylan would hurt her like the men in her last three disastrous relationships had. But neither was she certain she could sleep with Dylan and not become more involved with him than he was with her. Oh, he’d said they were involved, that he, at least, was involved, but his reputation still made her uneasy.
Or was he ready to stop playing the field and be with one woman? Her. Perhaps not forever, because God knew, she wasn’t sure she was ready for that. But she wanted more than sex just for the fun of it.
He held her close, nuzzling aside her coat to get to her collarbone. She was melting. She closed her eyes, felt his lips on her neck once more, and thought about the night at her house, before Shadow alerted them that something was wrong. Oh, yes, Dylan would definitely be fun. She hadn’t worried about anything that night. She’d gone with the flow. If her tires hadn’t been slashed she wouldn’t be having this stupid, irritating conversation with herself.
He stopped kissing her, but still held her close. Sam opened her eyes and stared at him. At his mouth, his lips firm, but soft. And oh, so talented.
“I see the wheels turning. Is this really that difficult of a decision?”
His eyes had darkened to jade. He was a beautiful man. She wanted to put her hands on his bare chest, feel his hands on her. Feel his hands everywhere. On her bare skin instead of through her heavy coat. So why the hesitation?
“Hell,” she said, and laid her lips on his. That’s all it took. He backed her into the tack room, closed the door and pushed her up against it. How could kissing him, only kissing him, make her feel like melting? Sam shoved him back and stripped off her coat. When he saw what she was doing, he did the same. And then she was in his arms again, backed against the door, her legs around his hips and Dylan hard against her. She wanted her jeans gone. She wanted his gone. But he was kissing her, and she was drowning.
He let her down slowly. Undid her buttons, one by one, his expression fierce. When he finished, he pushed her shirtsleeves down her arms and let the shirt flutter to the floor. Her bra came next. He unhooked it, stripped it off of her and flung it aside. Her nipples pebbled, both from his intense scrutiny and from the chill in the air. He cupped her breasts, then lowered his head and licked her nipple, then drew it slowly into his mouth and sucked on it.
“Take your shirt off,” she said when he would have switched to her other breast.
Damn, he had a great smile. She wanted to rip off both their clothes right now.
“Whatever you want.” He unbuttoned the top few buttons and then pulled off the shirt over his head. She had a brief moment to admire the white T-shirt that covered his broad chest and muscular arms and then he yanked it off too.
He picked her up and she wrapped her legs around his hips again. She kissed him, rubbed her bare breasts against his skin. They both groaned.
“Are you on the pill? Or something else?” he asked hoarsely.
“Yes. But...”
Chapter Thirteen
Dylan knew why Sam hesitated. She was cautious. Careful. Who would have thought her reaction would make him hotter? He had a rule. Never have sex without a rubber. He’d almost broken that rule with Sam. That bothered him. Briefly. Why Sam?
Because you’re in love with her, dumbass.
“Dylan?”
He let her down, groaning as her breasts rubbed against his chest. Stepping back, he bent to pick up her sweater and handed it to her. “Let’s go to the house.” He found his flannel shirt and put it on. Sam was still holding her sweater, looking around.
“Do you see my bra?”
“No, but you don’t need it. I’m going to take off that sweater again in about five minutes.”
“What about Glory?”
“Glory?”
“Yes, Glory, your housekeeper. We can’t go to the house and immediately disappear. What would she think?”
Dylan had his coat on and helped Sam into hers. He zipped it up, spied her bra and gave it to her to stuff in her pocket. “She’d think we were going to do exactly what we are going to do.” He kissed her briefly. “But she’s gone home by now so don’t worry about it.”
He grabbed her hand and left the tack room, intent on getting her to the house as quickly as humanly possible.
Sam was laughing as he pulled her along. “Can you slow down so I can keep up without running?”
“No.” He heard Connor calling him. Cursing him under his breath, he halted, turned around and gritted out, “What?”
“I won’t be here tomorrow, Boss. Remember, I have a dentist appointment.”
“Fine.” He turned his back and started walking again. Sam was biting her lip to keep from laughing. All it did was make him want some of that himself.
“Jim should be here,” Connor continued. “Least he said he would. He took off early today.”
Dylan halted again and looked back at Connor, who was grinning, knowing full well, he’d wager, what Dylan was up to. Or trying to be up to. “Connor?”
“Yeah, Boss?”
“I really don’t give a shit.”
Dylan couldn’t tell who laughed harder, Connor or Sam.
Five minutes later they were in his room, ripping off each other’s clothes. He’d forgotten about Shadow, who he’d left outside the door barking indignantly. He swore, stopped kissing Sam long enough to let the dog in, then pulled her into his arms again, ignoring the disapproving look from the dog. “Get used to it,” he told him, causing Sam to laugh.
When he got down to his jeans he went to the bathroom to find what was left of the last box of condoms he’d had. He wasn’t sure where he’d left them, or even, unfortunately, if he actually had any since he hadn’t needed one for several months now.
“Dylan? What are you doing?”
She was waiting for him. Naked. In his bed. And he couldn’t find the goddamn condoms. There were a couple of places in his bedroom where they might be. He went back in the bedroom and sure enough, she was lying on his bed. But she wasn’t naked. She wore a tiny pair of panties and nothing else.
“Damn, you’re beautiful.”
She smiled. “Thank you. But why am I all alone here? What are you doing, Dylan?” Her voice was low and husky. And very, very tempting.
“Looking for a condom.” He pulled out the top drawer in his dresser and halle-freakin’-lujah, there they were. He crossed the room, tossed the box on the bedside table, unzipped his jeans and got rid of them, and then he was gathering Sam’s nearly naked, curvy body against his. He kissed her, ran his hands over her sweet ass and that’s all it took to make him hard again.
Sam slid her hand down, wrapped it around his cock and he thought he’d died and gone to heaven. Returning the favor, he slipped his hand inside her panties and his finger inside of her. They both moaned.
“Slower next time,” he said, grabbing a condom. Sam took it from him, unwrapped it and rolled it down over his cock. He kissed his way down her stomach, stripped off those tiny panties and admired her for about five seconds before he spread her legs and drove inside her.
She was hot, wet and so damn tight. Her legs wrapped around him, her muscles gripped him, her hips bucked as she met each thrust, pulling him deeper inside her with every movement. Each time he drove inside her she tightened around him. He felt her orgasm rip through her, heard her cry out, and he came in a mind-blowing rush of pleasure.
After a while he realized he was crushing her and rolled off of her. He got up, got rid of the condom, then slipped back
in bed with her. Wrapping her in his arms, he kissed her and said, “That was amazing.”
Sam laughed softly. “Yes, it was.”
Damn. He was crazy in love with Sam. There was no denying it any longer.
Fine, but you don’t need to tell her. It’s too soon. You’ve only now gotten her into bed. Do you want to push her away?
No. But I want her to know we have something special. At least for me.
What if she’s not ready to hear it? What if she just wants to have fun? Like you usually do.
Oh, shut up.
“Dylan, is something wrong?”
“No, everything is right.” He kissed her and added, “I was just having a little argument with myself.”
“What about?”
“You and me.”
“This isn’t where you dump me, is it?”
He had to laugh. “No. Far from it.”
“Oh, good. You had me worried for a minute there.”
“You don’t need to worry.” Don’t do it, dumbass. It’s too soon. Way too soon.
“Are you going to let me in on what’s going on or do you plan to argue with yourself all day?”
“I’m in love with you, Sam.” Well, hell, there it was.
Her eyes widened and she stared at him. “What did you say?”
“I’m in love with you,” he repeated. She didn’t look like she believed him. He pulled her closer. Kissed her cheek, her jawline, the corner of her mouth. “I’ve never told a woman who wasn’t family that I loved her.”
Sam looked at him solemnly, her hand over his heart. “If you were anyone else and we were anywhere else, I’d think you told me that just to get me into bed. But since I’m already here I know that’s not it.”
“No. I’d be pretty pathetic if I had to tell a woman I loved her to get her into bed.” He kissed her, long enough to make both of them want more. “I can’t get you out of my head. I think about you every day. I dream about you every night. It’s making me crazy.”
“I don’t know what to say to you.”
