by Joann Baker
He changed the angle of his thrusts, gripping her hip and holding her still for his possession. This time it was him calling her name as they found their release together. She was the one hushing him, soothing him, petting his damp, feverish skin and pulling him into her arms as his entire body shuddered. His hot breath flowed over her shoulder as they lay there, their souls, she thought hazily, almost as exposed as their bodies.
“Are you okay?” Cal raised his head. He shifted until he was supporting himself on one arm. The other he used to brush back damp strands of hair from her face.
She smiled up at him, the moment the most perfect she’d ever had in her life. “Oh, yeah, cowboy, I’m fine.”
“You certainly are, baby.” He smiled wickedly and, incredibly, she felt his body stirring once more inside her. “Let me show you just how fine you are.” He lowered his head and gave her a kiss that held the perfect combination of sweetness and passion. He began to move inside of her and Kristen gave herself over to the wild beauty surrounding her, the cowboy above her and the love that she felt blossoming inside her heart.
CHAPTER NINE
HOT AND TIRED from a morning working the corral, Cal headed to the house for lunch, a smile curving his lips. He thought his face might freeze that way. Adding a light-hearted whistle, he quickened his step. It had taken all his willpower not to kidnap Kristen when she’d arrived this morning and take her back up to the mesa.
The only thing stopping him—besides the explanations he’d have to give his grandfathers for such odd behavior—was the fact that he’d promised himself the next time he had Kristen, it would be in a bed.
His bed.
His good mood faded a little at the realization he was going to have to have that talk with his grandfathers. There was no way he was going to be able to keep his hands of Kristen until her mother left town. While Gabe had, surprisingly, been respectful of his grandfathers’ values and never brought a woman home, Cal had very little choice. Ry and Georgie were still living in Pops old house while their new one was being built. Other than the ratty motel on the outskirts of town, there was really no place to take Kristen. And he certainly wouldn’t consider taking her to a place like that. She was a lady.
His lady.
He met up with Gabe just as he was about to enter the back door. His brother stopped and waited for him. When he got closer, he asked Cal, “I thought Ry was working today?”
Cal’s light mood became even brighter at this sign that just maybe Gabe was taking an interest in the ranch. “He went into town to make sure Georgia isn’t overdoing anything at the library.”
Gabe snorted. “He’s gonna smother her to death if he’s not careful.”
Cal had to smile at Gabe’s caustic tone. Someday he hoped his older brother would find a woman that would bring out such feelings in him. Right now, though, he understood Ry’s need to constantly check on his new wife about as much as Cal understood his burgeoning feelings for the new bookkeeper…accountant. His smile widened remembering the day he’d first laid eyes on Kristen
Opening the back door, Gabe ushered Cal in before him. “Gramps and Pops went into town for supplies. I’m in charge of lunch, so it’s bologna sandwiches. How many do you want?”
“Three,” Cal replied without hesitation. “And pile ‘em high.”
“No other way to make ‘em,” Gabe replied, stepping up to the sink to wash his hands. He threw Cal a sly look. “Would one of those be for your girlfriend?”
Cal smiled at him, leaning against the counter as he waited for his turn to wash his hands. “Yep. So you better make ‘em extra good.”
“Don’t you think you might want to offer her something a little fancier?”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“How much do you know about her, Cal?”
Cal’s first reaction was to throw a punch at his brother. The only thing that stopped him was the concern he heard in the other man’s voice. It wasn’t the usual sarcasm his brother had been spouting for the last three weeks.
“I know enough. All I need to know really. But if you have something to say, say it.”
Gabe heaved a long, drawn out sigh. “I did a background check on her, bro. When her father died, he was basically broke. And he left a lot of debt behind. A hell of a whole lot.”
Cal felt his temper rise even as he recalled Kristen telling him that Roger had left her because she no longer had money. “What are you saying, bro?” He stepped forward, getting right up in Gabe’s face. “That she only wants me for my money?”
Gabe didn’t back down and didn’t give an inch. “I’m saying it may be her primary motivation.”
Before Cal could throw the punch promised by his closed fist, a high-pitched yell rang out from the office. Instantly, both men forgot their heated exchange and charged down the hallway.
Cal entered the office with Gabe hot on his heels. That was the good thing about brothers. They could be literally at each other’s throats one minute and circling the wagons, ready to fend off the enemy, the next. The scene before him had Cal growling like a wild animal. Kristen stood in the corner of the office, the heavy desk lamp in her hands as she faced the irate cowboy stalking menacingly towards her. He was torn between pride and fear at the expression on her face—she would give no quarter.
“Get away from her, Bill.” Cal moved quickly, grabbing the man by his arm and placing himself in front of Kristen. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
“Your lady friend is refusing to write me a check for my wages. I was just trying to convince her otherwise.”
“Your damn wages went to pay the vet for the damage you did to that horse,” Cal snarled, his heart racing at the thought of what could have happened if he and Gabe had been farther away. Or in the barn.
“I never hurt that animal.”
“The hell you didn’t.”
With a swiftness that belied his size, Gabe grabbed the brash cowboy by the collar and pulled him back just before Cal’s fist could connect with his chin. “You’re damn lucky I don’t take that whip to you,” Gabe snarled, dragging the squirming man across the hardwood floor. “Take care of Kristen, Cal. I’ve got this.”
“You owe me, and I’ll see that all of you get what’s coming to you. Especially you, honey.” Bill snarled at Kristen even as Gabe’s hand bit into his fleshy arm. For a cowboy supposedly used to manual labor, he wasn’t in the greatest shape. But then, he hadn’t been a very hard worker.
The repulsive cowboy smacked his lips together, and it took everything in Cal not to ram his fist into the man’s mouth.
“Save it, Bill,” Gabe muttered, shoving the inebriated cowboy through the front door. “Just get gone and stay gone. Otherwise, you’ll be the one paying.” He slammed the door, cutting off the other man’s angry tirade. Gabe shook his head. Bill had been one of those people he’d had confidence in. Seemed he’d been wrong again. People just kept letting him down in some form or another. Which was why he was going to finish his conversation with Cal, even if his brother decked him for what he had to say.
Walking back to the office, he hesitated outside the door. Cal was attempting to get the lamp from Kristen’s hand. Gabe heaved a sigh, pulling the door shut behind him. Their conversation would have to wait, he realized as he retraced his steps to the kitchen. “I guess its sandwiches for one,” he muttered, pulling the bread from the cabinet.
As soon as the door closed behind Gabe, Cal turned to Kristen. She still held the lamp in front of her, her arms trembling. “Are you alright, baby?”
“I, I think so.” She drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly. He gently removed her makeshift weapon from her hands and set it gently back on the large wooden desk.
He placed his hands on her shoulders and searched her face. “He didn’t hurt you did he?”
“No,” she shook her head sending her long hair swinging. “He just scared me.”
“I am so sorry. That never should have happened.�
�� He drew her close, needing to feel her in his arms and know for sure she was okay. “Seeing you like that scared me too.” He kissed the top of her hair, wanting to hold her tighter but afraid of frightening her further. They stood embraced loosely in each other’s arms for several seconds until Kristen attempted to move away.
“I should get back to work.”
“Kristen.” Her name came from between his slightly parted lips on a growl, and she wanted nothing more than to lean over and take it from his mouth. Their eyes met and held. She trembled as his head lowered, anticipation washing through her. She longed for the taste of him, and now she was ravenous to rediscover all his unique flavors.
“Calhoun,” she whispered back as her arms slid around his neck and drew him closer. Before she knew what was happening, he was lifting her as though she was nothing more than a feather and moving towards the desk chair. He sat, keeping her on his lap. Even though the chair was large, made for the masculine weight of the cowboy now sitting it, it groaned beneath their combined weight and once more she started to move away.
“Uh-uh, sweetheart.” His arms tightened.
“The chair…” She tried to talk, but his lips wouldn’t leave hers, nibbling and sucking even as she tried to form words.
“Is perfectly fine.” He shifted her higher, pressing her breasts into the hard wall of his chest. She groaned at the contact, and he took immediate advantage, pressing his tongue into her mouth, licking and tasting every inch of her.
She felt his hand gliding beneath the hem of yet another one of her button-down shirts. “Baby, let me,” the ragged words were accompanied by another shift of their position. The warmth of his palm distracted her from the fact that he was touching her where she always hated to be touched—her stomach. In this position, there was no hiding the roundness of her body. At least stretched out as she had been on the mesa, the bulges weren’t as apparent. But none of that mattered, she thought hazily, as his hand slid upward and cupped the full, aching weight of her breast. He squeezed the hungry flesh, teasing her mercilessly through the thin shield of her satin bra as he continued to kiss her senseless.
“Calhoun,” she breathed raggedly, “please, I need more.” She ground her buttocks against the hard ridge beneath her, knowing he also needed more than their precarious position allowed.
“Ssh, baby, I’ll take care of you.” He pulled away to place moist, lingering kisses along her jaw and throat. Cool air hit her chest. How he managed to undo the buttons of her blouse with his mouth on hers, she’d never know, but she was ever so grateful that he’d learned that trick somewhere.
Seconds later, the cup of her bra was pushed aside, and his mouth had covered the center of her breast. She arched into his touch. There were no words really to adequately describe the feel of a man’s mouth on a woman’s breast. The feeling was wet and warm and so damn dangerous that it made one beg for what came next.
Her fingers dug into his hair, her nails scraping along his scalp as she pulled him closer.
“More,” She panted. “More.”
His hand replaced his mouth on her breast as he moved back to her lips, kissing her deeply. The nip of his strong teeth on her soft lips added to the sensations rocking her body. His hand left her breast and traveled back down her torso, heading, she knew, for the place she needed his touch the most.
His fingers lingered at the waistband of the new jeans she’d bought specifically because she’d known he’d like them. His other hand came up to cup the back of her neck as he tore his mouth from hers. His breathing was harsh, erratic, and the sound echoed hers in the small confines of the office.
“Tell me how you want me to touch you, baby.”
“Calhoun!”
He laughed a devilish sound that made her insides weep with need. He knew just how much she wanted his touch, how much she wanted…
Bang, bang, bang! The office door rattled from the pounding blows.
“Calhoun, you still in there? We need you down at the barn. Now.”
The sound of Gabe’s voice even through the thickness of the office door was like a bucket of cold water over Calhoun and Kristen. They both stilled instantly with Calhoun’s mouth firm against the skin beneath Kristen’s ears, his fingers barely inside the waistband of her jeans. Her fingers were knuckle deep in the thickness of his hair, holding onto him.
“I....” Calhoun pulled back, licking his lips as if trying to capture her taste one last time.
“Need to go.” She finished his sentence, pulling her hands from his hair. It took her another couple of deep breaths before she could make herself move off his lap.
As Calhoun rose from the chair, he moaned. She had to smile as she snuck a look at him. The front of his jeans left her in no doubt that he had been just as involved as she had been.
Noticing her grin, Cal’s lips tilted upward as he blatantly tilted his lower body toward her. “Yes, honey, this is what happens to me every time I’m near you.” He winked as he opened the door. “Just remember, I like to finish what I start.”
“So, what do you think it is?”
Cal shook his head, glancing at his brother to the big bay horse that had been his last birthday present from his Grandmother Alice. “He’s not any worse. But he’s not any better either.”
For the past hour, he and Gabe had taken turns rubbing the horse down and trying to get water down him. Sun Dancer had, so far, refused anything to eat.
“What’s his temperature now?”
“Just north of a hundred and one.
“Are you going to call the vet?” Ryder entered the barn and walked toward Sun Dancer’s stall. He’d been moving the other horses to the foaling barn just in case whatever was causing Sun Dancer’s temperature to spike and his lack of appetite, was contagious. It would be bad enough to have their own horses succumb to an outbreak of some sort, but they certainly couldn’t afford to have it happen to horses they were training for others.
“Not yet. We’ll wait a while and see how his temperature does. If it goes down, we’re good. If not…”
“You rode him to the mesa with Kristen, didn’t you?”
Cal nodded, wondering what Gabe was getting at. If he was going to suggest that Kristen had anything to do with this…
“Do you think he could have ingested something there?”
“No.” Cal’s forehead scrunched in thought. He’d been paying more attention to Kristen than his surroundings. While they kept the pastures as clean and free of trouble causing plants, they couldn’t monitor all the land. “It’s possible, but I don’t think so.” He didn’t think the couple of occasions they’d stopped had been enough time for his horse to have eaten enough of anything to be causing these problems.
“Then I hate to even bring it up, but do you think Bill could have done something before he left?”
Cal’s eyes glittered. “He was mad enough, that’s for sure.”
“And he did threaten to get back at us,” Ryder agreed. Gabe had filled him on the incident that had taken place earlier.
Cal nodded, eyeing Sun Dancer’s half full bucket. “I think we ought to get rid of the rest of the batch this feed came from.”
“You don’t think he could have poisoned it all do you?”
“If that’s what it is, it’s better to be safe than sorry,” Ryder answered.
“Damn it, that’s about a thousand dollars.”
“I’ll get one of the guys to take it out and burn it.” Ry stepped closer, running a hand across the horse’s head and down to his nose. “I’m sorry about Sun Dancer, Cal. I’m sure the big guy will feel better tomorrow.”
“I hope you’re right.” Cal put his hand against Sun Dancer’s neck, offering silent sympathy and strength to the animal that he loved. The big beast was more than a pet, he was family.
“You headed out?” Gabe walked to the sink in the corner of the barn to wash up.
“Yeah,” Ryder nodded, “unless there’s something else you need me for.”
<
br /> “No,” Gabe grabbed a clean down and dried off his hands. “Tell Georgia we said hi.”
“I will. See you both tomorrow.”
“See you.” Cal stepped out of the horse’s stall. “Ry?”
His brother turned. “Save some of that feed just in case we need to have it analyzed.”
“Will do, but he’ll be fine.”
Cal’s smile didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Sure.” He waited until his youngest brother left then joined Gabe at the sink to wash his hands. “I think I’ll stick close to the barn for a while.”
“I’m going to go call the sheriff.” Gabe’s voice was hard as a rock and Cal saw a glimpse of the brother he’d had before he’d slipped into whatever funk he’d been in the last few years.
“Yeah, I agree. We should have done it when we found him threatening Kristen. I guess I was too angry to think straight.”
“Look, Gabe, about Kristen...”
“I don’t want to have this conversation with you, Gabe. Ever.”
Gabe sighed, running his fingers through his hair. “I’m not going to apologize for trying to protect you.”
Cal crossed his arms. “Is that what you were doing?”
“Yes.” Cal could hear the sound of his teeth grinding against themselves.
“It’s hard to trust you anymore, Gabe. You tried to run off Georgie and—”
“So you’re serious about Kristen?”
Silence greeted Gabe’s question because Cal didn’t really know how to answer. He remembered the taste of her lips and the feel of her shapely body beneath him under the warmth of the sun. Serious? Yep, he was seriously interested in seeing where this would lead. “Do you have a problem with it if I am?”
“No,” Gabe answered quickly enough that Cal believed him.
“Good. Now, I’m going to call the vet just to fill him in on what’s going on. Maybe even get him out here to check the other horses just in case.”
“Good idea.”
As dinner time neared and Cal hadn’t made an appearance, Kristen decided to go on home. She’d found it very difficult to concentrate the rest of the afternoon, and her adrenaline levels were still off the chart from the confrontation with the disgruntled cowboy and the bit of afternoon loving she and Cal had shared. Or almost shared.
