The Cowboy's Baby: A Small Town Montana Romance (Corbett Billionaires Book 1)

by Imani King

  "Are you OK?" I asked, finally, because it seemed to be the obvious question, and boyfriend material or not, I wasn't a total asshole. "I mean, are you sore?"

  I rolled over and looked at her. God, she was beautiful. I couldn't help reaching out and flattening one hand on her soft belly. She smiled when I did that.

  "I think so. I can't really tell. Maybe it'll be worse later?"

  "Maybe it will," I agreed. "Listen, Tia –"

  "Don't."

  I raised my eyebrows. "Don't? Don't what? You don't even know what I'm going to say."

  "You're right," she replied. "But I've got some idea. You're going to tell me this was nice and I'm nice and you liked it but that you're not really looking for a relationship, right? You think because I'm – I mean, because I was a virgin – that I'm going to get all clingy."

  Whatever I'd seen in her eyes when we were making love, it was gone. That openness was gone. She didn't look hard, she just looked kind of resigned. And was she wrong? What was I going to say? Probably pretty much what she'd just told me.

  It wasn't true. Not entirely. There was a part of me that wanted her to cling, that wanted her to need me. And another part that almost instantly tried to shut that first part down. Don't be an asshole. You know you're not what this girl needs. Better to let her down easy now than drag it out and break her heart.

  "You're too young to be so cynical," I said, not entirely sure where I was going.

  Tia looked at me. "Am I? What about you? You're not some old man."

  "You're right, I'm not. But in some ways I might as well be."

  "How old are you, anyway?" she asked.

  "Twenty-six. And you're what – twenty-one? Twenty-two?"

  "Nineteen."

  I felt my eyes widening. "Nineteen?!"

  Tia giggled. "Yeah – so? You just guessed twenty-one, it's not like there's some huge difference."

  Nineteen. For some reason it just felt so much younger than twenty-one. I made a face. "I don't know, it just seems so young, Tia."

  "So you think you've ruined me, then? Is that it? Ruined forever?"

  She was joking. "You're smiling," I told her, reaching out without even intending to and tucking one dark, glossy curl behind her ear. "It's nice to see that smile on your face."

  What the hell was I doing? Not only did I have a big, stupid grin on my own face, I actually felt proud. Proud to have made Tia smile like that, proud to have made her first time something more than pain and awkwardness. Fortunately for me, she asked me what time it was before I could say anything to further embarrass myself. I grabbed my phone.

  "Uh, it's almost seven."

  "Oh my God, really? I have to go home – Jenny and John eat dinner early, they're probably wondering where I am."

  Part of me wondered if it was an excuse to leave, but it probably wasn't. And if it was – why did I care? I didn't care about stuff like that. Did I?

  I stayed on the bed and watched her get dressed, still woozy and relaxed from coming so hard.

  "I love the way women do that," I said, at one point.

  "What?"

  "That thing you just did – doing up your bra at the front and then turning it around so it's at the back."

  Tia turned and looked at me like she suspected I might be high. And, truth? I think I was high. Just not on any illegal drugs.

  "I bet you've watched a lot of women do it, huh?"

  "No," I responded defensively by habit. "No, I –"

  "I'm kidding," she smiled. "And Dallas, I'm sure you're aware of the effect you have on women. I'm not blaming you."

  I wanted to protest further but a) she was right that I'd seen a lot of women fasten their bras after a roll in the hay with me and b) I didn't want to be the guy who got his back up over stuff like that.

  When Tia was dressed I walked her out to the car. She looked up at me before she got inside. I knew what she was waiting for. I knew what she wanted me to say, I knew she wanted some sign that what we'd just done wasn't meaningless. Hell, I wanted to say it. But somehow I just couldn't. She didn't get upset, all I saw was a brief flicker of disappointment in her eyes. And then she was in the car, rolling down the window and reminding me to get the groceries the next day.

  The groceries. Of course. I was going to see her again – probably very soon.

  "Will do," I called, holding onto Beau's collar so he didn't chase the car down the driveway.

  "What was that, boy? Is she a witch? Did she put a spell on me?" I asked when Tia was gone, hoping that maybe my loyal cattle dog had developed the ability not only to speak English but to understand the emotional interplay between men and women. Unfortunately, he hadn't.

  I wanted to sleep. But there was a section of fence that needed to be fixed in the top pasture, way out on the other end of the Corbett Ranch property, so I pulled a shirt on and headed out to the stable to saddle Ranger up. And then the three of us – me, my dog and my horse – rode out into the evening to take care of it. I couldn't remember being in a mood like that, so content and at ease with myself and the world, since I was a kid.

  Seven

  Tia

  I smiled the whole drive back to Jenny and John's house. A real smile, not like the fake ones I'd been plastering across my face for the past couple of months. Dallas Corbett didn't give me any kind of temporary amnesia or anything like that, but he did give me a reason to smile. I glanced at myself in the rearview mirror to see if I looked any different, and then laughed because of course I didn't. But I was different. I wasn't a virgin anymore. And I was pretty overwhelmed by the whole experience, still trying to wrap my mind around it. For some reason I thought it would be...gentler. Not that he wasn't gentle – he was, I'd noticed him actively trying not to hurt me, or to go too fast. But there was something about him, about the way he was when he was inside me, something animalistic and masculine. That was it. Everything about him was masculine. From the feeling of his spiky stubble against my cheek to the surprising power and hunger in his body, the way his voice had gotten slower and deeper as he got closer to coming.

  Just thinking about it, about Dallas coming, gave me a little twinge between my legs. And afterwards he'd been positively strutting around the cabin, escorting me out to the car like a rooster with his hen. I almost felt guilty for liking it but damn, I did. A lot. He hadn't asked me when he was going to see me again when I left, or tried to make plans, but maybe that was because he knew we already had them? Our plans were for me to give him cooking lessons. I hoped I didn't look too clingy, reminding him to get the groceries the next day just before I left. Maybe I'd done it because I got the feeling he did actually want to ask me, like it had been on the tip of his tongue and he'd held back for some reason.

  Well, not for some reason. Dallas hadn't tried to hide his reclusiveness from me. I suppose it was just difficult for me to really buy it at that particular moment, after I'd just spent the afternoon in his strong arms, feeling protected and cared for and desired.

  When I got back to the house Jenny came rushing out the front door when she heard the car door slam.

  "Oh, Tia!" she exclaimed. "There you are! I was wondering where you'd gotten to. Were you with your friends? Are you hungry? I saved some dinner for you if you are."

  I didn't want to lie to my great-aunt. And I didn't quite lie, I just didn't tell her the whole truth. Dallas was a 'friend' – wasn't he? "Yeah," I replied, "I was with a friend."

  Jenny took a closer looked at me when I got inside. "Where have you been, girl? You're covered in dust!"

  "Oh. Uh, yeah. A dog chased me and I had to jump on the hood of a truck. A really dirty truck."

  Thankfully, instead of questioning me further, Jenny just told me to leave my clothes in the hamper after I had a shower. I told her I'd eat my dinner later and disappeared upstairs, into the bedroom that was slowly beginning to feel like it was mine. After closing the door behind me I threw myself onto the bed and curled up into a ball – a move that, for once, was n
ot precipitated by sobbing. I wasn't a virgin anymore! I wanted to call someone. I couldn't call Amber or any of the girls in River Bend, because they would ask me who did the deed and then I'd have to tell them and I knew they would freak out.

  I knew who to call. Daneesha. Daneesha Jones from Philly, my best friend since third grade. I hadn't spoken to her once since moving to Montana. I hadn't even replied to the two e-mails she sent me, asking how I was. It wasn't that I didn't want to – it was because I was afraid. Afraid that doing anything connected to home, even hearing a familiar voice, would break me.

  But I had to. I knew she wasn't going to be angry at me for not calling yet, and now I had an excellent reason to do so.

  She answered after a single ring. "Tia! Girl, what's up? I was just thinking about you."

  It was strange to hear my best friend again – so familiar and yet so alien, like an artifact from a different life. "Hey, Dani. Listen, I'm sorry I didn't reply to your –"

  "Forget it. Seriously, forget it. I understand. I knew you'd call when you felt ready. Sooo, how's country life treating you? Found any hot country-boys yet?"

  "Well..."

  I listened as she inhaled sharply, picturing that wide-eyed, open-mouthed look she always got when there was some juicy gossip at hand. "Oh my God!" she yelled. "Really? Wait – are you serious? You met someone?"

  "Yeah," I replied, unable to keep the giddiness out of my voice. "I mean, I did more than 'meet' him."

  Silence. Silence followed by the sounds of muffled glee. "No way. NO WAY, Tia! Are you telling me what I think you're telling me?"

  I lay back on the bed, laughing at her reaction. "Yeah, I think I am."

  Then I heard her put the phone down, followed by a bunch of random noises. When she came back she was giggling. "Sorry, I just had to do a little dance. The 'Tia Finally Got Laid' dance."

  "Aw, shut up."

  "OK, I will. I'll shut up. And you – you need to tell me everything. Everything. Right now."

  I put my hand over my mouth, self-conscious even though I was alone in my room. Now that Dani had asked I found that I didn't actually have any idea where to start. "Well, he, uh – he has a horse. A black horse, called –"

  "TIA!"

  "What?"

  "Let's start with his name. Age. That stuff."

  I took a deep breath, still embarrassed but also pleased to be sharing my news. "OK. His name is Dallas. Dallas –"

  "Dallas?! That's the most country name I've ever heard, Tia! OK, OK, I'm sorry, I'll shut up. Go on. Dallas, though. Does he have a pick-up truck?"

  "Actually, he does. But he doesn't –"

  "I knew it!"

  I wasn't annoyed – Dani had always been over-excitable. And this was big news. She'd lost her own virginity to her high school boyfriend when we were seventeen. And although she never once bragged about it or used it against me, I knew she was eager to be able to talk about certain things and certain aspects of relationships with me.

  "Are you going to let me finish?" I asked, pretending to be impatient.

  "OK, yeah. I am. I'll listen now. Promise."

  "Good. OK. So, his name is Dallas. He lives here in River Bend but he's from Texas. He's – he's twenty-six."

  Dani scoffed. "No big deal. Twenty-six is nothing. Lisa Patenaude is dating a forty year old. So nasty."

  "Is she?" I asked, thinking of my old classmate Lisa for the first time in many months.

  "Yeah, but only because he's rich. Is Dallas rich?"

  I giggled. "You're terrible. And no, I don't think he's rich. He does own a huge property but his house is basically a cabin and, I don't know – land is probably pretty cheap here. Oh and he has a herd of cows. Steers, I mean. He has a herd of steers. Well, and some cows but they're in a different – you know what, never mind – he has cattle."

  "So he's, like, a cowboy? You're dating a real life cowboy, Tia? I am so jealous."

  "He rides his horse everywhere, that's what I was going to say about the pick-up – he has one, but I don't think he ever uses it. But I'm not, uh, I'm not sure if you could say we're 'dating' exactly."

  "Oh my Gooood," Dani sighed. "A cowboy. You're so lucky. And – wait, you don't know if you're dating? Well are you or aren't you?"

  I threw my head back on the pillow. "I don't know! This literally happened an hour ago! We do have plans, though. I'm going to teach him to cook. All he knows how to do is fry eggs and eat soup out of cans."

  "You're dating!" Dani told me. "You're teaching him to cook? Oh yeah, you're dating. So – how was it? The actual sex part, I mean?"

  I scrunched my eyes closed. "It was good. Dani – I mean it. It was really good. It hurt at first, but then..."

  "Did you come?"

  I sighed happily. "Yes."

  "What? You came during your first time? Oh, that's just not even fair. You came?"

  "Uh-huh."

  My best friend and I spent the next three hours going over every single interaction I'd ever had with Dallas Corbett with a fine-toothed comb. She was a little wary of his self-professed lack of need for any serious human contact, but I think she assumed – like I did – that it was something he wasn't completely committed to. When we hung up my eyelids were heavy with exhaustion, but I actually felt great. As great as it was possible for me to feel at that time, anyway.

  After showering and getting into bed I did feel some soreness down there, between my legs. Nothing too bad, just a kind of dull ache. In a weird way, it made me happy. It was proof, somehow, of my rite of passage. And thinking back to what had caused that dull ache just made me want to see Dallas again, and soon.

  The next morning, I got down to work putting together a résumé. John and Jenny hadn't said anything, but it didn't feel right to keep staying with them, eating their food and using their hot water, without contributing in some way. I planned to drop one off at Parson's and then at various small businesses in the center of town. I also intended to ask Amber if she knew anyone who was hiring. I didn't have any qualifications, but it's not like I was looking for anything too complicated or high-paying.

  It hit me, on the drive into town, that I hadn't exchanged numbers with Dallas. That was dumb. Oh well, I could probably just show up at his cabin again, like I had the day before. As it turned out, that wasn't going to be necessary because as soon as I hit Main Street I saw Ranger tied up at the wooden post outside Parson's. Just seeing Dallas's horse sent a sweet rush of excitement through my body. Calm down. If he sees you bouncing around like an overexcited puppy he's going to think you're one of those crazy girls. One of those clingers.

  I grabbed the pile of résumés on the passenger seat and walked into the grocery store, assuming that's where he would be. But as soon as I walked in, I saw Amber at her till. Damn. I hadn't told her anything about my little 'date' with Dallas, and I wasn't sure how to handle it.

  "Tia!" she called, waving me over. "Hey! What's up?"

  I tried to look casual. "Oh, not much. I just printed out some résumés to drop off – do you know if anyone is hiring?"

  "Actually, um, let me get my manager, I think she said something last week about –"

  "Hey."

  We both looked up. Dallas. Oh shit. He had a basket full of groceries – and not just soup. I watched the expression on Amber's face go from confusion at being greeted in a friendly manner by Dallas Corbett to surprise to, finally, curiosity when she realized he was talking to me.

  "Hey," I replied, taking instant notice of how the faded grey t-shirt he was wearing emphasized the breadth of his shoulders and chest. Mmm.

  Instead of saying anything else to me, however, Dallas simply started unloading the basket. I stood there, waiting for someone else to say something – but no one did. So I left one résumé on the till for Amber to give to her manager and walked away. It was only after walking away that I remembered I didn't actually need to buy any groceries. I pretended to be looking for something for a few minutes, until Dallas was gone, and then grab
bed a bag of apples and took them back to Amber's till.

  "What was that about?" she asked, obviously referring to the awkward moment we'd just shared.

  "Uh – I don't know," I shrugged.

  "He's such a weirdo."

  I made a non-committal noise. "So can you give that résumé to your manager? I have to go drop some more off right now."

  "Sure. I'll call you later, OK? If we are hiring I'm pretty sure I can get you the job no problem."

  I thanked my friend and headed out. And sure enough, Dallas was waiting for me, packing groceries into Ranger's saddlebags.

  "Sorry about that," he said when he saw me. "I don't really want my business spread all over River Bend."

  What did that mean?

  "Neither do I," I replied defensively. "I was there applying got a job, not gossiping about you, Mr. Conceited."

  "Were you?"

  "Yes! What do you think? That I'm just wandering around town telling anyone who'll listen that the handsome and mysterious Dallas Corbett deigned to sleep with me?"

  He laughed.

  "What?" I continued. "Do you have some reputation to uphold? Are you embarrassed?"

  Dallas stood up and faced me, a stern look on his face.

  "Well?" I asked.

  "No, you idiot. I'm not embarrassed. I just – you haven't been here for long, have you? You don't know how small towns are. The whole town would be on fire with this."

  I scoffed. "That's ridiculous. No they wouldn't."

  "Well, whether they would or wouldn't, I still don't want my business out there, OK?"

  "Fine! I wasn't putting your business 'out there,' Dallas. I was dropping off a frickin' résumé. So calm down."

  He held his hands up. "OK, Miss Tia. I'll calm down. And don't look so annoyed, I was only down here to pick up the groceries you told me to get."