A Cowboy's Baby (The McGavin Brothers Book 11)

by Vicki Lewis Thompson

  “This is a delicious sandwich and really good wine. The company is outstanding. With all that going on, what kind of sourpuss wouldn’t look pleased?”

  “Admit it, Gage. You’re happy I haven’t dated anyone. Although I’ll bet you have.”

  “I have, but I didn’t—well, never mind. Yes, I’m happy that you haven’t dated, which is not very evolved of me. You have every right to date. I should want you to find someone who’s wonderful in bed and crazy about you and Josh.”

  “Yes, you should.” She regarded him with a smile on those sweet lips.

  “You know, it’s the funniest thing, but when I drove up to Great Falls last week, it never crossed my mind that you’d have somebody else.”

  She blinked, but then she started laughing. “You do realize how arrogant that is, right?”

  “Well, I suppose that’s one way of—”

  “You assumed I couldn’t possibly be satisfied with another man after I’d been with the amazing Gage Sawyer.”

  “Yeah, that’s extremely arrogant. I’m not proud of thinking that way. It’s a failing.” He grinned. “But is it true?”

  “None of your business.”

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Emma hadn’t admitted to herself that Gage had made an indelible impression, so she wasn’t about to admit it to him. Didn’t matter. He was sitting across the table with a cat-who-ate-the-cream expression on his handsome face. After her enthusiastic lovemaking, how could he doubt that she was wildly attracted to him…still?

  She sighed. “Okay. It seems I have a weakness for you, Mr. Sawyer.”

  His gaze softened. “No more than I have for you, Ms. Green.” He reached across the table and took her hand. “No one holds a candle to you, Emma. No one.”

  Now there was a comment to warm her all over.

  “Why do you suppose I drove up to Great Falls to see you?” He caressed the back of her hand with his thumb.

  “Guys look up old girlfriends all the time.”

  “I don’t.”

  “That’s hard to believe. Surely you—”

  “No, I really don’t. I figure what’s done is done. But I couldn’t forget you. I had this nagging feeling that leaving you had been a big mistake. I’ve never had such a thought about a woman before.”

  Her heart beat faster. Quite a revelation from a man with Gage’s history. “So you were just curious to see if the spark was still there?”

  “It was a little more than that. I…” He glanced at their empty plates and wine glasses. “Looks like dinner is over. Could we continue this discussion in the comfort of that king-sized bed?”

  “You want to get in bed and talk?”

  “We used to do it all the time.”

  “I guess we did.”

  “We had a great conversation while we sat in bed drinking hot cocoa that one night.”

  “About what?”

  “You don’t remember?”

  “Um…maybe something about wagon trains.”

  “Yep. Space ships as the Conestoga wagons of the future. Ordinary people leaving the world they know for a place they don’t.”

  “Okay. It’s coming back to me.” She sent him a teasing glance. “Mostly I remember finishing the cocoa and fooling around with the can of whipped cream.”

  “Because you’re a sexy wench.” He stood and drew her out of her chair. “I figured that out the first night I came into the bar.”

  “You did not.” Heat swirled low in her belly.

  “I did so.” Wrapping an arm around her waist, he tucked her against his hip as he walked toward the bed. “You looked up and smiled at me.”

  “I did that with all my customers.”

  “Ah, but then you focused on my mouth, long enough that I noticed and gave you a wink. Remember that?”

  “Yes.” Vividly. Moisture dampened her thighs. “You have a very sensuous mouth.”

  “Exactly what you told me the first night we spent together.” He paused beside the bed, pulled her top over her head and tossed it away. “I asked what I could do for you, and you said—”

  “Kiss me all over.” The words came out on a sigh of anticipation. “That night was…”

  “Magic.” He pushed her hair away from her neck and nuzzled her there. “You’re delicious. Every luscious inch.”

  The touch of his mouth drove her crazy. It had from that first night. She moaned softly. “Kiss me all over, Gage.”

  “Yes, ma’am. Be delighted to.” His breath was warm against her throat as he slipped both hands beneath the elastic of her pants and tugged. They fell noiselessly to the floor.

  Lifting her to the bed, he stood back to strip off his briefs and jeans. He was fully, powerfully erect. His hot glance roamed her body as she stretched out on the rumpled sheets. “Best dessert in the world.”

  She lay eager and quivering as his knee dented the mattress and he moved over her. Leaning down, he pressed his lips to her forehead. Then he lifted his head and gazed down at her. “You’re shaking.”

  “Uh-huh. Excited.”

  “So am I.” His voice was husky. “What an incredible night.”

  She sucked in a breath. “Yeah.”

  Lowering his head, he brushed his mouth lazily over hers. “Well, hang on, sweet lady. ‘Cause I’m about to make that a hell, yeah.”

  He moved from her mouth to the hollow of her throat with that same feathery touch, then over to her shoulder and down her arm. Slowly he made his way back to her other shoulder, the light pressure traveling over her sensitive skin like the stroke of butterfly wings.

  She shivered with delight as he traced the slope of her breast, circled the underside and blew gently on her rigid nipple. Tension coiled within her as he continued his maddening, yet extremely erotic journey.

  His warm breath and soft lips tickled and teased as he moved from her belly to her inner thighs. When he skimmed his mouth over her damp curls, she groaned. “You’re killing me.”

  “Shh. I’m savoring.” He grazed the backs of her knees on his way down to her toes and the bottoms of her feet. He made just enough contact to drive her insane.

  She was panting by the time he returned, settled his mouth over hers and kissed her so thoroughly she almost came. Before she did, he drew back, breathing hard.

  He swallowed. “Almost couldn’t finish that routine. Damn, how I want you.”

  “I want you more.”

  His chuckle was thick with desire. “Doubt it.”

  “Then just…” She gasped for breath. “Just get a—”

  “Not yet.” He nibbled on her lower lip. “I’m still hungry.” And he began a second, no-holds-barred trip down her body. This time he used his entire arsenal—licking, sucking and nipping until she was writhing on the bed.

  Sliding between her thighs, he grasped her hips in his big hands. “Hold still.”

  “Can’t.”

  “Never mind, then.” He gripped her more firmly and pressed his mouth to her aching center.

  That was all it took. Her climax roared through her and she arched upward. At the last second, she grabbed a pillow and screamed into it.

  He held on, his tongue prolonging the ecstasy. As the shock waves ebbed, she sagged against the mattress, but he coaxed her back up to the summit. Wild with joy, she clutched her pillow and yelled some more.

  He stayed with her until she stopped shaking. Then he gently lowered her to the bed. She lay sprawled beneath him, still holding the pillow over her face so she could moan and groan if she needed to. After a double climax lollapalooza, she might need to.

  Moments later, he tugged lightly on the pillow.

  She pushed it aside.

  He was braced above her, his sheathed cock poised for action. His voice sounded strained. “Call me old-fashioned.” He took a shaky breath. “But I need to see your face while I do this.”

  “Oh, Gage.” Smiling, she stroked her hands down his sweaty back and grasped his hips. “I need to see yours, too. Come here, y
ou crazy man.”

  He sank into her with a groan of relief. “Don’t move for a minute. Let me…get control…”

  “Don’t know if I can move.”

  “Did I break you?”

  “Just a temporary loss of power.” She gazed into his warm brown eyes. “I’ll regenerate.”

  “I predict you will.” He pushed a little deeper. “Now that you’re plugged in.”

  “You’re a funny guy.” But he was right. Now that his thick cock was firmly seated, her body was taking a definite interest in that fact.

  “I know what I know. Your eyes tell me there’s another climax lurking in that hot body of yours.” He began to thrust.

  “If there is, we might set a record.”

  “You kept track?”

  “Only because I couldn’t believe how many orgasms I was having every night with you.”

  He grinned.

  “Don’t get a swelled head.”

  “Too late.” His breath came a little faster and he picked up the pace. “What’s your record?”

  “Five.”

  “That record’s toast.” Planting his hands on either side of her shoulders, he pushed himself up, shifting the angle. Then he bore down.

  She gasped. He’d found her launch button. After only a few swift strokes, she was gloriously airborne. He leaned down and kissed her just in time to muffle her cry of release. Then, with a low-pitched groan, he surrendered, his chest heaving as he trembled in the grip of his climax.

  She lay in a dazed stupor, barely registering when he left the bed to take care of the condom. Then the light in the kitchen flicked off. A soft buzz indicated he’d pulled up the blinds.

  He walked back to the bed and paused beside it. What a treat for the eye. “You’ll be driving tomorrow. I was thinking we should get some sleep.”

  “Lovely idea.”

  “I put up the blinds. I like waking up to the light, but if you—”

  “I like that, too.”

  “Then I might as well turn off this lamp. Need anything?”

  She held out her arms. “Just you.”

  “I sure like the sound of that.” He switched off the lamp, climbed in and gathered her close. “Did Kendra expect you at a certain time in the morning?”

  “No. She told me not to rush. She’s set it up that Zane, Cody and Faith will feed the horses, but—”

  “You’ll be eager to fetch Josh.”

  “I will. I asked Mrs. Stanislowski if she’d be willing to put breakfast outside my door, to speed things up. She’s going to add an extra portion for you, which is only right since you’ve paid for everything.”

  “I always intended to. Just didn’t expect it to turn out this way.” He kissed her gently. “What a spectacular ending to this weekend.”

  She snuggled against him. “Hell, yeah.”

  * * *

  Six orgasms and the warm security of being held in Gage’s strong arms guaranteed a deep sleep. But Emma’s eyes snapped open when light crept through the window by the kitchen. Soon she’d see her little munchkin again. She couldn’t wait.

  Gage stirred, opened his eyes and smiled. “Mornin’, beautiful.”

  Happiness flooded through her. “Mornin’, handsome.”

  “Excited about seeing Josh?”

  “Yes.”

  “Then let’s get to it. If you want to hop in the shower, I can check to see if breakfast is outside the door, yet.”

  “Thank you.” She cupped his bristly cheeks and kissed him.

  Tunneling his fingers through her hair, he held her head and deepened the kiss. Just as the situation started to get out of hand, he drew away and sucked in a breath. “That’s enough of that. You need to go get that little guy.”

  “I do.” She scrambled out of bed before she changed her mind. “I probably shouldn’t have kissed you.”

  “Yes, you should.” He got up, too, and reached for his clothes on the floor. “We should always kiss each other when we feel like it. We just need a little willpower this morning. I’m sure Josh will be just as excited to see you as you are to see him.”

  “He will.” She ignored Gage’s magnificent body as she scooted past him and into the bathroom.

  After her shower, she came out of the bathroom wrapped in a towel. Gage was setting up their breakfast at the little kitchen table. He’d put on his wrinkled, mascara-stained shirt and had rolled back the sleeves to his elbows. He hadn’t bothered to fasten the front snaps.

  With his shirt hanging open and the stubble of a beard darkening his chin, he was the perfect morning-after guy. Nothing like having a gorgeously unkempt, half-dressed man arranging breakfast.

  He glanced up. “Want to put on your clothes, first, or—”

  “I’ll put on my clothes.” She had a robe, but wearing only that while eating breakfast with a man as sexy as Gage could sabotage their efforts to stay focused. “I’ll make it fast.” She gathered up what she needed and went back into the bathroom.

  When she came out, she was calmer.

  He glanced at her. “You look great.”

  “Thanks.” She walked over and slid into the chair he held for her. “You’re easy to have around, cowboy.”

  “Exactly what I wanted to talk to you about.”

  “Oh?”

  “How would you feel about having me come up to visit for a night or two this week?” He poured their coffee.

  “Visit?” Alarm bells went off. A sexy interlude at the B&B had been a fun fantasy, but he was talking about inserting himself into her everyday life. That was a big step.

  It could play havoc with her careful routine, too. “I don’t know, Gage. I’m very busy during the week, and having you around would make it tougher to get my work done.”

  “I could help you with Josh. Entertain him while you work.”

  “I suppose, but there’s the issue of meals, and—”

  “I’d handle meals. I can cook or pick up something. I wouldn’t expect you to treat me like a guest. I just hate the idea of waiting until next weekend before I see you and Josh again.”

  Josh would probably enjoy having him there. And after Josh went to bed…well, might as well admit she’d enjoy that part. “Just so you know that I have a lot to do, and I’d like to get ahead because I’ll be taking time off again next weekend.”

  “I understand completely. I’ll do everything I can to be an asset and not a liability.”

  “Then I guess we can try it and see how it goes.”

  “When?”

  “How about Tuesday? Then I’ll have time to settle in.”

  “Tuesday would be great. Knowing I’ll see you soon will make it easier to say goodbye to you this morning.”

  “Speaking of that, are you going to follow me over to the ranch when I pick up Josh?”

  “I would have if we hadn’t made this new plan, so I could see him once more before you take off. But it might be simpler for everyone if you go get him and head on home.”

  “That makes sense.” She gave him a teasing grin. “And this way, I can give you a proper goodbye kiss.”

  He waggled his eyebrows. “I prefer the improper kind.”

  “I’ll see what I can do.”

  After breakfast, she quickly packed and he carried her suitcase to the car. After stowing it in the back seat, he opened the driver’s door. “This is it.”

  “What a weekend.” She gazed into his eyes, shadowed by his black hat. “I feel like a different person from the one who drove down here on Friday.”

  “I know I’m a different person from the guy who was sitting with Wes in the bakery.” He cupped her face. “Thank you, Emma.”

  “You’re welcome.” She slid her hands up his chest and inside his open shirt collar. “Your shirt is still a mess.”

  “No worries. I’ll use bleach on it.” He rubbed his thumb over her lower lip. “You didn’t put on lipstick.”

  “It’s in my purse. I’ll put some on later.”

  “Later?”


  “After I give you an improper kiss.” Rising to her toes, she ducked under his hat and captured his irresistible mouth. What pleasure he’d given her with that mouth.

  He welcomed the slide of her tongue with a groan. As she took the kiss deeper and nestled against his broad chest, his breathing quickened. Then she began to slowly and deliberately suck on his tongue.

  He groaned again and backed her against the car, caging her in, pressing his aroused body against hers as he plundered her mouth. When he finally broke away and stepped back, he was gasping.

  She was in the same condition. “How…was that?”

  He choked out a laugh. “I think you know.”

  “See you Tuesday.” Pulse racing, she got in the car before she changed her mind and kissed him again. Her hands shook as she fastened the seatbelt.

  He gripped the edge of the doorframe. “Stay safe.”

  “You, too.” She met his gaze. “’Bye, Gage.”

  “’Bye, Emma.” He closed the door and stepped back.

  As she drove away, she glanced in the rearview mirror. He was still there, watching her leave. His visit to Great Falls might be a mistake, but after that hot kiss, she was ready to take the risk.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  During lunch at his dad’s house on Monday, Gage got a report on Josh’s overnight stay. Evidently it had gone very well. They’d kept the little guy so busy petting horses and feeding chickens that he hadn’t had time to miss his mom.

  He’d been excited to see her come through the door that morning, but he’d shown no evidence of separation anxiety. Good news for everyone involved.

  His dad had acted pleased about the trip up to Great Falls and amused by the gifts Gage had spent the morning buying. For Josh, he’d found a plush pygmy owl, a baby cowboy hat, a kid-sized football, and a wooden barn with a hinged roof that lifted to reveal the wooden farm animals tucked inside.

  He’d gotten Emma a white t-shirt for flag football, a bottle of the red wine they’d had Sunday night, and a big bag of premium bird seed. For both Emma and Josh, he’d bought a print of Home, Sweet Home at the GG Country Store. When he’d pulled that out, his dad had immediately taken it back to the studio so he could sign, mat and frame it for them.