Not My First Rodeo 2 Boxed Set

by Donna Alward

  Joe paused to strip her bottoms off and then dropped them on the floor. Now she was completely naked on top of the blankets, and just the thin cotton of his underwear separated them. Her skin felt so good against his, and tasted even better. He kissed her again, long and slow and deep, while trailing his fingers over her breasts, her ribs, the soft skin of her stomach, her tender inner thighs.

  She kissed him back, meeting him halfway, her hand trailing over his shoulder.

  He slid his mouth away from hers, and instead left a wet trail of kisses down her neck, her collarbone, over her full breasts, her navel. All the while he teased her with his fingers until she reached down, grabbed his wrist, and thrust his fingers inside her.

  This was what she wanted, then, and he was happy to accommodate. Keeping his gaze on her face, he used his hand to lift her to the breaking point. He could tell when she was getting close; her hips met his thrusts with quick little jerks, and her head tossed on the pillow. He lowered his head and pulled one tight, pebbled nipple into his mouth and she came apart with strident moans as her legs clamped around his hand.

  So much passion. And so much trust. He was awed and amazed and so turned on he reached down inside his shorts, his fingers damp, and finished the job in six firm pumps.

  When he opened his eyes, she was watching him, her gaze dark and intense in the gray light. “You didn’t want to…” She couldn’t seem to finish the words, but he knew what she was thinking.

  “Oh, I wanted to. But it would have been wrong, Cass. Shit, what we just did was so far out of professional bounds…”

  “So what?”

  He got off the bed, stripped off his underwear, and went to the dresser for a new pair. He slipped them on and then went back to the bed. It was cold now, and goose bumps erupted over his arms. He ignored them.

  “The truth is, I would have felt like I was taking advantage of the situation.” He rested his right hand on the mattress. “You had a nightmare. You had a traumatic day. There’s feeling alive and then there’s crossing a line.”

  She looked as if she were going to speak again, but he cut her off. “That doesn’t mean I didn’t want to. I did. So much it hurt.”

  He reached down and grabbed her top. “Here. You must be getting cold.”

  She sat up and he held the shirt for her while she put her arms in the sleeves. He swallowed thickly; when she opened her arms, her breasts were bare to his gaze and need stirred within him all over again. Damn, she was beautiful. All creamy skin, delicate pink tips, and full lips that looked puffy from the way she’d bitten down on them. As tenderly as he could, he buttoned the shirt to the second-last button, then handed her the bottoms and helped slide them over her slim hips. “There. All put back together.”

  “Thanks.”

  “Okay, then.” He stood and paused, knowing he had to go back to the sofa, unsure of how to gracefully exit the situation. “Are you going to be okay now?”

  She pulled the blankets close to her chest. “I don’t know. Could…could you stay? Not for anything more like…Oh shit. This is so awkward. I just…”

  She looked away, but he knew that expression. It was uncertainty and fear. He’d seen it lots of times over the years. She didn’t want to be alone. She’d had a gun pointed at her face today. Of course she was scared.

  “It’s okay,” she said, her voice wobbling. “I know I’m safe now. Go back to sleep. I’m sorry I woke you.”

  He sat back on the edge of the bed. “Wrong or right, I’m not sorry,” he said. “Not sorry at all. If you want me to stay, I’ll stay. If it’ll make you feel safer.”

  She nodded quickly, a few brief bobs of her head but he could see the relief as she relaxed her shoulders.

  He shifted and lifted the covers, then slipped beneath the blankets. It was warm inside, thanks to her body heat, and she scooted over a bit so there was room for him.

  “Damn. Hang on.” He crawled out of bed again and went to the living room to retrieve his pillow. When he came back, she was fully over on one side of the bed, and she’d turned back the covers for him to get in.

  “You’re sure this isn’t too awkward, Joe? I mean…oh, I don’t know what I mean.”

  He smiled at her uncertainty. “It’s been a day of odd circumstances. If you’d told me this morning that we’d be sharing a bed together tonight, I would have called you a liar. But I want you to feel safe. And we both need some sleep. It’s okay, really.”

  “Thanks.”

  No thanks required. It wasn’t exactly a hardship, curling up next to a warm, beautiful woman. Then again, it wasn’t exactly an easy thing to do, either. Especially now. Even though they hadn’t made love, the scent of sex lingered in the air. He knew how she felt, how she tasted. They’d blown way past platonic and plunged deep into intimate territory.

  Joe put down the pillow and got under the covers again, rolling to his side to face her. “You’re safe, Cassidy. I promise.”

  “I know that, in my head. I think you’re right. The dream was just me still processing what happened. It’s the most afraid I’ve ever been, you know?”

  He did know. The first time he’d faced an armed man, he’d frozen for a moment. It was hard to face mortality straight-on. Her words gave him comfort, too, in an odd way. If that was as afraid as she’d ever been, then maybe her married life hadn’t been as bad as he’d imagined.

  “Come here,” he murmured, and scooted closer. He reached around and pulled her next to his body, spoon-fashion, so that her head rested on his lower shoulder and her feet tangled with his. Her bottom lightly touched his hips; he’d have to be careful there. Even the slightest touch could bring his arousal back to life.

  “You’re so warm.”

  “You are, too.”

  She reached behind for his hand, then drew it over her hips so that his palm rested on the soft flatness of her belly. “You have big hands.”

  He smiled in the darkness. “You know what they say about big hands.”

  “Big gloves,” she replied, and he felt her smile.

  He closed his eyes and let out a breath.

  “I feel safe with you, Joe.”

  Me, too, he almost said, but that was a ridiculous thought. Why would he need someone to make him feel safe? He thought back to that day at her apartment, when he’d dealt with Darren and his ugly, angry face. Cassidy had tried to look more angry than afraid, but he’d been able to tell. She’d been intimidated and unsure. That she was even considering dating again was a leap of faith.

  And her first foray into dating had turned into a disaster. Well, at least as far as the dating site was concerned. In other ways…

  He was going to ask her about the online dating thing when he noticed her breathing had deepened. “Cass?” he whispered, but she didn’t move. She’d fallen asleep, curled up in his arms, warm and trusting.

  Sleep took a long time for Joe, though. He held still, afraid to move and wake her. Her hair held the faint scent of her shampoo—something light and floral. His hands already itched to touch her again. Maybe they hadn’t known each other well before tonight, but unique circumstances had unexpected effects. Things had changed. She’d opened up to him, and he’d let her in, too. More than she realized.

  He wanted nothing more than to touch her again, to slip inside her, feel her tighten around him. But until this Chad guy was in custody, he wouldn’t. He’d already breached any sort of professionalism he possessed; this was the one line he wouldn’t cross.

  But then, once this was over…all bets were off.

  Chapter Six

  Cassidy squinted against the shaft of sunlight beaming through the bedroom window.

  She was in Joe’s cabin. In the woods. In his bed. And… Memory came flooding back and her face flamed. He’d been in his bed, too. With her. And they’d…

  Well, they hadn’t. She shifted her head on the pillow, thankful she was alone under the covers right now. She hadn’t heard him get up, but as she woke fully, she was awar
e of sounds coming from the kitchen.

  Thank God she had her pajamas on.

  There was a small clanging sound, and the hiss of a kettle heating. Cassidy remained motionless, trying to process everything she remembered from the night. There’d been the terror of the dream, where she’d stared at the man she now knew was named Chad, and he’d smiled before pulling the trigger pointed at her head. She’d awakened screaming, only to find Joe at her side, dressed in nothing but some cotton shorts.

  He’d been so warm. So alive and solid and reassuring. So strong and sexy and she’d clung to him, needing to feel that contact when inside she’d turned to ice.

  But nothing had prepared her for the heat of his kisses, the touch of his rough fingers on her skin, his mouth on her body.

  Abandon. She’d let herself go without a second thought, something so uncharacteristic it was shocking. Or might have been if the memory of it wasn’t so sweet. He’d been turned on, too. She felt an ache between her legs as she thought of how he’d reached inside his briefs…she wished now they’d made love.

  One-nighters were not her style. But sometimes an opportunity was too good to miss.

  “You’re awake.”

  Her gaze snapped to the doorway, where he stood with a mug in his hand. Was she still blushing? God, she hoped not. Her whole body felt flushed and she tried to smile as naturally as possible.

  “What time is it?”

  He looked at his watch. “Oh, around nine thirty. Are you hungry? What do you take in your coffee?”

  She pushed herself up to a sitting position, leaving the blankets covering her to her hips. “Nine thirty? I never sleep this late.”

  “It was a…um…a weird night. No more nightmares?”

  Hah. She’d slept like a baby after their roll in the sheets. “None,” she said quietly. “And yeah, I could eat.” She smiled again. “I like milk, no sugar.”

  He came inside the bedroom and held out the cup. “I guessed.”

  When she took the mug from his hand, their fingers brushed and the contact sent little darts of awareness through her. “Thanks,” she murmured, wondering how on earth this was going to stop being awkward. She hid her face by taking a sip. She wasn’t sure if Joe could really cook, but she was reminded of her aversion to instant coffee. It was hot and strong, at least.

  “I’ve got stuff ready for omelets if you’re up to it. There’s time for a quick shower if you like, too. Or you can wait until after breakfast.”

  She’d feel better if she faced him across the breakfast table wearing regular clothes. “I wouldn’t mind a quick shower.”

  “I put out a towel for you already. Breakfast in fifteen?”

  Her stomach growled in response and she laughed a little, pressing a hand to her belly. “I think that sounds perfect.”

  He disappeared out the door again, and she flipped back the covers and stepped out onto the wood floor.

  As she dug around in her overnight bag, she heard Joe in the kitchen, humming something as he cooked. It had been a long time since she’d heard morning sounds like this; she’d been living alone for nearly a year now. Sometimes the solitude was great, but sometimes it was nice to think of someone being there. Just there, cooking breakfast or watching the TV or…hell. She might as well face it. She was pretty lonely. The fact that she’d signed up for an online dating service was proof enough of that.

  The water was hot with lots of pressure, and she closed her eyes and tilted her head back, letting it cascade through her hair and down her back. She soaped her arms and ran the suds over her breasts, unable to stop thinking about Joe touching them last night. He’d known how to do everything just right.

  Her hand drifted lower, rinsing away the slippery soap. Would she go home today? Had they caught the guy? What would happen if she had to stay another night?

  She turned off the shower and got out, toweled off quickly, wrapped the towel around her hair, and got dressed. Jeans, a narrow T-shirt, and then a looser fleece hoodie over top—certainly nothing sexy or seductive about it. She squeezed extra moisture out of her hair and hung up the towel, then brushed out the mass and ran her fingers through it, shaking it out. She’d forgotten a hair dryer and Joe wasn’t likely to have one. Oh well. If he kept the fire stoked, it shouldn’t take long to dry.

  Joe was sliding a semi-circle of omelet onto a plate just as she walked into the kitchen.

  “You didn’t have to do this, you know.” She smiled at him, determined to put things on an even footing this morning. There was no denying that yesterday had been an extraordinary circumstance. “Though I appreciate it. It smells amazing.” It was a treat to have a man cook for her, too. She owned a restaurant and usually ended up doing a lot of the cooking no matter what the situation. She liked that he was wasn’t intimidated by that.

  “I like to cook. Good thing, too, because otherwise I’d go pretty hungry up here.” He handed her the plate. “Not like I can stop at the corner fast food place and grab a burger, you know?”

  She went to the table as he put food for himself on another plate. It wasn’t just the fluffy omelet, but there was also a heap of pan fries, crispy on the outside, punctuated with fried onions. Her mouth watered and she picked up her fork. At the first bite she closed her eyes. Ham, peppers, and mushrooms, if her guess was correct. And not regular cheese, either. It had a kick to it—Pepper Jack, maybe? The eggs were fluffy and perfectly done.

  “Oh my sweet Lord,” she said, stabbing a piece of potato. “You weren’t kidding. This is delicious.”

  “I thought you could use a good breakfast. Dinner last night was hit and miss, I gather. And you’re going to want a full stomach this morning.”

  She frowned, hesitated with her fork in mid-air. “I am?”

  He nodded and grinned. “I’m going to take you on a hike.”

  A hike. She sat back in her chair. It would definitely give them something to do today other than sitting in the cabin, staring at each other. “I take it I can’t go home, then?”

  Joe frowned and shook his head. “No, they still haven’t caught him. I checked in with Sam and Tim first thing this morning. But we know a lot more. He’s divorced, in a fair bit of debt, and overdue on his child support payments. He’s got a previous arrest for assault, though the charges were dropped. It sounds like it was just a bar fight when he was younger.”

  Cassidy wasn’t sure she was still hungry.

  “It’s good, though. It sounds like he’s more of a guy who’s at the end of his rope, you know? It’s just a matter of if he recognized you, or if he realized that you recognized him. That’s why I suggested to NMFR that they disable your profile last night. I didn’t want him to come across your picture and put it all together. We’ll keep looking, but if he thinks it’s safe, he’ll come home. Probably catch up on his child support to avoid getting in trouble.”

  “If he’s not dangerous, then I could go home.”

  “Except we don’t know for sure that he didn’t recognize you.” Joe frowned. “If you really want to go home, I’ll take you tomorrow. Monday I can put a regular staffer on you. And, uh, I promise that nothing like last night will happen again.”

  Well damn. That was disappointing. Probably smart, but a let-down just the same. “That wasn’t your fault, Joe.” She stared at her plate.

  “It certainly wasn’t yours. I took advantage.”

  She looked up, startled. “What? No. If anyone took advantage, it was me.”

  “Nice try.” He smiled a little and picked up his coffee. “I’m supposed to be the one looking after you.”

  “And you did,” she replied, butterflies of anticipation fluttering around in her stomach. “Better than any calming tea or whiskey or sleeping pill.”

  His gaze clung to hers. “This is the damnedest thing.”

  “Isn’t it?” She smiled back and then attempted to resume eating, though she wasn’t really tasting the food. She was too attuned to Joe, sitting there in his jeans and soft cotton shi
rt, looking ruggedly delicious. “Hey, at least I can promise that I won’t run out part way through the meal and stiff you with the bill. That puts me head and shoulders above your last date.”

  “I’m never going to live that down, am I?”

  “I wouldn’t tease you about it if I thought it would really upset you. It doesn’t, does it?”

  He shook his head. “Nope. But I’ve told my sister that she is not allowed to set me up on a date ever again. I can find my own dates.”

  “Indeed.” She sent him a teasing look, then focused on her plate. He was quiet so long that she looked over again. “What is it?”

  “Nothing.” He shook himself out of whatever he was thinking and shoved a huge forkful of potatoes into his mouth. He stood and gathered his plate, then went to the sink to scrape the remnants into the garbage before stacking the dishes. “Do you think you could be ready in ten minutes or so? The morning’s warming up, and we can be there during the nicest part of the day.”

  She scrambled to eat what was on her plate; it was too good to waste and she really was hungry. “Be where?” she asked between bites.

  “It’s a surprise. But you’ll like it. And it’ll take your mind off the other stuff. Trust me. I go there a lot when I want to clear my head.”

  …

  They’d set out on foot a good half hour earlier, following the dirt road for a few hundred yards and then veering off to the left, going single file down a rough trail that led to a gully. The leaves were changing now, morphing from green to gold and rust, and the sun shining through the branches seemed to gild everything with a hazy glow. Cassidy was content to let Joe lead the way; his reassuring footsteps and imposing figure were steady and sure, and now and again he looked back to make sure she was following close behind. Like he did now, flashing her a quick grin.

  “Doing okay?”

  “Of course.” She’d thrown a windbreaker over her hoodie, just in case the mountain air cooled, and she was glad she’d brought running shoes with her. Boots would have been better, but the path, though narrow, wasn’t overly rocky or uneven.