“Depends on what they’re worth,” Shelby said.
“I would guess at least a grand.”
Shelby’s eyes lit up. “Then definitely Craigslist would be the place.”
“What if Brett finds out?”
“How’s he ever going to know? It isn’t likely I’ll ever run into him again, is it?”
“You might since he’s staying here.”
“Then I’ll hold on to the tickets until we get home.”
“That’s his number, isn’t it? Are you going to call him for some après-ski?”
“I might,” Shelby replied and tapped the tickets against her teeth. “But I’m not going to make it easy for him. The tickets cost him nothing. If he wants me, he’s gonna have to work for it.”
“You might want to reconsider since you’re going to be on your own tonight.”
“What do you mean?” Shelby looked puzzled. “You’re here.”
“I won’t be for long,” Nikki said. “I’m driving up to Helena.”
“What, tonight?”
“Wade and I have to talk and I’m not wasting any more time. If he gives me the boot I’ll check into a motel up there and drive back in the morning.”
“You mean I’m going to have this place all to myself?” Shelby beamed.
“Yeah. Maybe you’ll want to see if your quarterback has dinner plans, or I suppose you could always order room service and boil yourself alive in the hot tub.”
“Alone? Not on your life. Hot tubs are made to be shared.”
“Knock yourself out, Shel.” Their accommodations were spacious, luxurious, and had a fantastic ski-in location complete with Jacuzzi. But Nikki had no plans to enjoy any of it.
Rather than face her, Wade had taken the easy route and split. She wasn’t about to let him have the last word. Again. The more Nikki thought about it the madder she got. He could try to avoid her all he liked, but there was one thing Wade hadn’t counted on—and that was a fight. Nikki was heading to Helena with her guns blazing. Wade Knowlton would never know what hit him.
* * *
The drive to Helena was a grueling two and a half hours on slushy roads. It also meant Nikki arrived well after dark. Thanks to the GPS on her mobile phone, she was able to locate Wade’s address, a high-end condo in the historic district of Last Chance Gulch. After parking in the basement garage, she dialed his number, praying she’d have a strong enough signal to overcome her subterranean location.
The phone rang four times, her heart beating a little harder with each ring. He had to know it was her. Perhaps he wasn’t going to answer? She really hadn’t considered a contingency plan. On the fifth ring she closed her eyes in dismay. She was about to disconnect when his voice abruptly sounded on the other end.
“Nikki?”
“Hi, Wade. I s’pose you already know I arrived in Montana this morning.” She tried to sound nonchalant.
“Yeah. I knew you were coming.”
“Why didn’t you tell me you wouldn’t be there?”
“I didn’t see the point when Evans was there to take care of everything. Is there a problem?”
“Yes. Well sort of.” She walked across the garage and pressed the call button on the elevator. “There are a number of things that are still unsettled.”
“Like what?”
“First of all, you and me, and the way we left things.”
“You left, Nikki.”
“And we never even said a proper good-bye.”
“Maybe it wasn’t proper, but I vividly recall the farewell fuck.”
Heat inflamed her face at the reminder of their encounter on the tailgate. “Is that all it was to you?”
“It seemed all you wanted,” he replied. “And if that’s what you want from me now, I’m sorry I can’t oblige you—” The phone went dead.
She stared at the display trying to figure out if he’d hung up on her, or if the call had dropped because the elevator door closed. Either way, he’d still had the last word.
“Not this time, cowboy,” she muttered and then jammed the button for the penthouse floor.
* * *
Wade was furious that she’d called him. He’d left Bozeman thinking he was done with her, but the moment she spoke he was filled with the need to see her, which pissed him off even more. Then she’d gone and hung up! Shit! He didn’t need this. He wasn’t about to let her tromp on his heart again. His doorbell buzzed.
He turned away from the door, intending to ignore it and go shower, but the bell sounded again in rapid succession. His uninvited caller was damned persistent. Ready to unload on whoever disturbed his peace, he padded barefoot and shirtless to the door and flung it open to find Nikki standing there.
“You?” He glowered in disbelief.
“Yeah. Me. Can I come in?”
He hesitated, arms across his chest. “Why’d you come here? Looking for another good-bye fuck? Is that what you want from me?”
“No, Wade.” Her eyes flickered at his confrontational demeanor but her tone remained even. “Please, we really need to talk.”
“There’s nothing left to say. I’m not interested in picking this back up, Nikki. I told you I don’t believe in long-distance relationships.”
He’d made his feelings for her clear once and she’d walked away. Although he’d known the minute he laid eyes on her again that he wasn’t over her yet—not by a long shot—he still couldn’t put himself through that agony again.
“That’s not why I’m here.”
His gaze narrowed. “Then what are you here for?”
“I want to discuss a business proposition.”
“What kind of business?” he demanded.
“Your brother wants to lease my pastureland, but I came to see if I can negotiate a different kind of deal with the Flying K.”
“Shouldn’t you be talking to Dirk about this?”
“Evans is already presenting my proposal to Dirk, but you’re still involved in the business side of the ranch, aren’t you?”
“I s’pose, but only until Dirk buys me out.”
“Then you are part of this too. Can I come in?”
He stepped aside with an exasperated sigh, arm outstretched in reluctant invitation. She followed him inside, shrugged out of her coat, and handed it to him. Apparently this was not going to be the brief conversation he’d hoped for.
Involuntarily, his gaze tracked over her, lingering on her curves. Shit. She was wearing the black dress again. Had she worn it just to torture him? If so, it was working. It pissed him off royally that she’d wear that same dress, and even more that he was responding to it.
Preferring to avoid temptation, he didn’t join her on the sofa, but sprawled in an overstuffed chair opposite her. The dress was damned distracting. He wondered if she wore the thigh-highs. His mind wandered back to the last time she’d worn that dress and how she’d looked at him when he got her off in the parking lot, then how she’d ridden him in the SUV. He was getting hard just thinking about it.
Her skirt rose when she sat down, but not enough that he could tell what was underneath. Then she crossed her legs, giving him a better view. Yup. Sure as hell, she was wearing the damned thigh-highs.
“What kind of deal?” he asked, carefully modulating his voice. This was business. She was just another client. He’d treat her with strict professional courtesy, nothing more, no matter how hard she made his dick.
“Cattle, Wade.”
“Cattle?” he repeated blankly.
“Yes, I came to talk about ranching.”
“You drove to Helena to ask me questions about cattle ranching?”
“Yes, you advised me to make some investments and your brother’s looking to expand.”
“—against my advice.”
“Why would you be against a perf
ectly good business opportunity?”
“Because it means taking on more debt. He could lose everything.” He shook his head. “I’m done. If he falls on his face I’m not bailing him out.”
“He wouldn’t have to go into debt if he had an investor.”
“Who’d be fool enough—”
“Me.”
“You?” He stared at her as if she’d sprouted a second head. “Don’t you recall anything I told you about ranching?”
“I remember everything, Wade. Look, I have a business degree that I worked six long years for, but haven’t put to any real use. I also own a thousand prime acres in Montana. Why shouldn’t I invest in cattle? It makes perfect sense—”
“It doesn’t make a lick of sense! You don’t know shit about cattle.”
She jutted her chin. “You don’t know anything about what I do or don’t know about cows! As I recall, you didn’t think I knew the backside of a horse either. Besides, I can learn, can’t I?”
“You’re out of your ever-lovin’ mind if you wish to pursue this.”
“But it was you who introduced me to the meat, after all. Do you remember that night, Wade?” How could he ever forget? He shifted in his chair. “It was tender and succulent.” She ran her tongue over her lips.
His attention riveted to her mouth. He recalled the feel of her lips on him, surrounding him, and wanted like hell to feel them again.
“What I sampled with you was the best I ever had, Wade, and I haven’t wanted any other since. Problem is,” she continued, “I haven’t found anything like it in Georgia, so who’s going to satisfy my craving, Wade? It seems I have little choice now but to satisfy myself.”
Was he imagining the sexual innuendo? Either way, he was getting as hard as a fucking post.
“You have no idea what you’re getting into,” he argued. “You don’t have a clue about the economics of it. It’s not like you just throw some cows on the pasture, watch them eat grass, and count the days until they’re fat enough to take to market.”
“Then enlighten me.”
“All right.” He gave an exasperated groan. “In the most basic operation your first expense is the herd. At minimum, you need a bull and two or three dozen cows and heifers. Thirty is about the max a single bull can handle, unless you opt for artificial insemination.”
“That seems unfair to the poor cows.”
He gaped, feeling completely derailed. “What do you mean?”
“Depriving them of the bull. Don’t you think they enjoy it too, Wade? It appears the bulls do, anyway. I’ve watched some YouTube videos. They mount, thrust frantically, ejaculate, and then move on to the next cow. Bulls are very well endowed, aren’t they? Do you think they satisfy their cows?”
“I doubt they care very much either way.”
“We’re also a lot more versatile in our techniques, aren’t we? I mean bulls and cows, stallions and mares, canines and felines, they all do it doggie-style, don’t they? I guess that’s the biggest difference between animals and humans, isn’t it? Animals are so mechanical about it while we copulate for pleasure. You and I explored quite a few different ways, didn’t we, Wade? I want happy cows. I could never deprive them of a good…bull. What’s a decent one cost?”
The sudden invasion of erotic imagery had him struggling for coherency. “Cost? Probably five to ten grand, depending on the breed.”
“Well, I’d want to make sure I got the best one. How can you tell? By the size of his”—her gaze slowly passed over him—“apparatus? Does that matter, Wade? Does it help in breeding if they fit together real snug and tight?”
The question sent another surge of blood to his groin. She’d been so hot, wet, and tight it had blown his mind. He shook off those thoughts with an exasperated sound. “This is a ridiculous conversation!”
“No, it’s not,” she protested. “I want strong, virile bulls that will satisfy my cows. I’m sure bulls like that are real hard to find. I don’t want frustrated cows, Wade. It’s miserable not to be satisfied, do you know that?”
He could hardly think at all now…beyond dragging her into his bed and fucking some sense into her. “I can’t believe you’re seriously thinking about this.”
“I am. I haven’t stopped thinking about it since I got here.” She held his gaze as if she read his thoughts.
“At startup you’re already in to the tune of fifty grand and you still have to feed the animals.”
“But I have a thousand acres of prime grassland.”
“Which is covered with snow for five to six months. On top of feed, you still have the cost of ranch hands, vet visits, and general farm expenses. You see, Nikki? You’re in belly-deep and will have negligible profit for years. Do you understand now? Ranching sucks—as a lifestyle and an investment.”
“Well, speaking of what sucks, Wade…it sucked to be in a job I hated… I told you I wanted to be in control of my life…but it sucked to be alone…it seems I’ve become an expert at things that suck. I’d rather suck you, Wade.”
He drew in a breath. Holy hell, it was agony to sit there after that remark and pretend he didn’t feel anything. “Let me be sure I understand this,” he replied slowly, deliberately. “You wouldn’t stay here when I asked you to, but now you’d come back just because you suddenly have a harebrained notion to raise cattle? I’m not buying it.”
* * *
He was slouched in the chair wearing only his faded jeans and a deepening frown. He’d never looked sexier, but he’d also never looked so distant. She was desperate to get a rise out of him but he’d hardly blinked when she’d blurted a crude offer of a blow job.
Had she just made a fool of herself? Had she come all this way for nothing?
“You’re not really here to talk about ranching.”
“No, Wade.”
“Then why are you really here?” he demanded. “What do you want?
“There are some things I need to say to you.”
“I’m listening.”
“I’ve been thinking a lot about everything you said—about not trusting you. About pushing you away. You were right. You were right about a lot of things. When you asked me before I left what I wanted, I told you I didn’t know. That wasn’t exactly true. I already knew what I wanted but I didn’t believe I could have it.”
“And what’s that?” he asked.
She took a deep breath. “You.” She watched for any flicker of emotion, but he remained impassive, unreadable. She’d waltzed in with such bravado but now felt so uncertain, so vulnerable. “Am I too late? Are you already involved with someone else?”
“Not at present.” His crystal gaze held hers.
“I want a joint venture with you, Wade. What’s it gonna cost me?”
“I don’t know,” he replied slowly, hauling himself out of the chair. “You still talkin’ ranching?”
“No,” she answered, tension coiling in her belly as he came toward her. “Ranching just seemed like a good excuse to come.”
“I can give you a much better reason to come,” he said. “In fact I’d like to give you a whole mouthful. And for the record, I’d like you to suck me too. C’mere, Nikki.”
The minute she was on her feet his arms came around her. She locked hers around his neck, shutting her eyes on a sound that was halfway between a sob and a sigh. She clung to him tightly as they moved, almost as if they were two-stepping across a dance floor as Wade backed her toward his bedroom. God, it was so damn good to be back in his arms. He was big and warm, smelled like heaven, and felt like it too.
“Did you really have any doubt about me?” His voice rumbled in her ear. “You must have been pretty damn sure of yourself to have put on that dress.”
“Not at all. The dress was my secret weapon.”
He cocked a brow. “A secret weapon?”
“Yes.” Sh
e was growing breathless with lust but he still held back. “I came prepared to wage war.”
Once through the bedroom door, he closed it with his foot, then spun her against it. His lips came down hungrily on hers, his kiss growing deeper, more intense, as he slid his hands with slow deliberation up her thighs, setting every inch of her skin on fire. His mouth broke from hers to glide up her neck, tracking her pulse with his hot tongue, and then tracing her ear.
“You must have known I was a goner the minute you walked in here.” His hot words tickled in her ear, sending ripples low into her belly and a pool of moisture between her thighs.
“I only hoped,” she murmured back, urging his hands higher. Her heart fluttered at his flaring pupils when he discovered nothing underneath but the thigh highs. “I was ready to pull out all the stops.”
“Were you now?” The low rumble of his laugh warmed her insides. “And you thought to begin by talking about cows?”
“I had to infiltrate your camp,” she explained. “I hoped we’d eventually move on to other things.”
“Like what?”
“Like maybe how much you missed me?” She tilted her head and parted her lips, inviting his kiss, but he held back, cupping her face and stroking her mouth with the pad of his thumb.
“I’ve missed you all right. A day hasn’t gone by that I haven’t ached for you.”
“Me too,” she whispered and brought his hand to her heart, covering it with her own. “Right here. But you still haven’t said you want me back.”
He tangled his fingers in her hair and crushed his mouth to hers, kissing her as if he wished to devour her. Until she melted into him breathless and mindless.
“That answer good enough?” he asked. “Or do you still need more convincing?”
“Oh yeah, cowboy.” She grinned. “Lots and lots more convincing.”
He took her at her word, sliding to his knees and inching her skirt up, his lips following his hands. His hot mouth and questing tongue blazed a scorching trail from her knees to the tops of her stockings. He licked the lace edge and then nuzzled his bristled face between her thighs. Her knees buckled at the first hot, wet swipes of his tongue. She whimpered and clutched his shoulders for balance.
Slow Hand Page 23
