“Nothing, forget I said anything.”
Cole’s nostrils spread as he inhaled deep. “You’re not gonna tell me?”
“There’s nothing to tell.”
Brett was lying. A clear case of CYA—Covering Your Ass—and he turned away, picking up a piece of lumber and muttering something about getting back to work.
Cole had to get cracking too, but his head wasn’t in the game. He had a pile of papers cluttering his desk waiting for him, but he wasn’t ready to sit down with them yet. He was antsy and needed something to pound. He paid his employees to ride fence and make repairs, but as he headed toward his ranch truck, nothing suited him more today. He grabbed what he needed out of the supply shed beside the barn and loaded up the back end with fence material, post diggers and shovels.
He had Dakota on the brain and nothing but a good hard workout would get her off his mind.
Hopefully.
*
Day yanked open the door to Cole’s mudroom and dashed inside, not quite ahead of the sudden storm that burst upon Hope Wells unexpectedly while she was out on the range. She was soaked from head to toe and began shaking herself off like a mangy mutt after an unwelcome bath. Her braid splattered raindrops all over the walls. Thank goodness, the mudroom came equipped. She tossed her backpack down, grateful she was smart enough to keep a change of clothes inside.
There was no way she could continue to work looking or feeling like this. Mud had sprayed up into every uncovered orifice of her body and maybe some covered ones as well as she’d pressed Snow to run as hard as she could back to the ranch. Lightning was striking off in the distance. Luckily, she and Sam had gotten back to the ranch unscathed. And so had their mounts. Snow was a filthy mess and Jerome was waiting for them when they returned to comb the horses down.
“Cole?” she called out.
He didn’t answer.
Her clothes were stuck to her, fabric plastered to her body, wet and caking. Ugh. As a kid, she loved getting drenched, having mud stick to her. She would make gritty mud ball mounds all over the yard, until her mother got wind of it. June Jennings liked things clean and neat, especially her tomboy daughter, although that might have been the one battle her mother lost, time after time.
“Dakota May Jennings, why is dirt your best friend,” her mother would say.
She smiled thinking it. How times had changed. Right now, getting out of these drenched clothes was a priority.
She sneezed.
A major priority.
She removed her boots and then peeled her pants down her legs. Stepping out of them, she gave them a kick and they ended up stuck to the wall. She was unbuttoning her thick plaid work shirt, when she heard footsteps.
“That you, Dakota?” Cole’s voice boomed.
“In the mudroom,” she called out. “Don’t come—”
The mudroom door opened and Cole got a good look at Day. Half-dressed, mud on her face and in her hair. His mouth twitched.
“Don’t you dare laugh at me, Colby Ryan.”
“I’m not laughing,” he said, and then a chuckle bubbled up from his throat.
She glared at him.
“You look cute.”
“Cute?”
“Yep. Pretty as a picture.”
She rolled her eyes.
His smile brightened.
He wasn’t dressed either. Not entirely. His jeans hung low on that fabulous body, no shirt, no shoes, no…that was a song, wasn’t it?
“I looked like you ten minutes ago,” he said.
“You did?”
“Yep, I got caught in the storm too. I was in the truck and went searching for you.”
“You did?” Her voice mellowed.
“Yeah, Snow is a favorite of mine.” Then he winked.
Was Cole making a joke? He sure was smiling a lot.
And standing here, both half naked, wasn’t lost on her. She lowered her lids to his chest. God, she’d never tire of seeing him this way, broad-shouldered, solid, muscles indenting his chest.
“Cole,” she whispered. “Can I use your shower?”
“Thought you’d never ask.”
“It’s not an invitation.”
He pulled her up against him and gave her a kiss on the cleanest part of her face, her left cheek.
“I know.” And then he hoisted her up into his arms and strode through the kitchen, down the hall to his master bathroom. He deposited her right in front of the shower. “Here you go. Have fun, without me.”
She glanced at him, and his smile was gone now. Something more powerful lit in his eyes.
“We can’t,” she said, surprising herself.
His gaze skimmed over her body, as if he couldn’t get enough, as if he needed one last look. “Right about now, I’m thinking we can. I want to.”
“I want to as well, but it would seem too… I don’t know, like we’d be breaking too many rules or something. Work is work. We should keep it that way.”
He nodded slowly. “You’re right about that. So…what are you doing tonight?”
She shrugged. “Just staying in.”
“Can I stay in with you?”
She smiled then, and nodded. “Thought you’d never ask.”
He laughed and as he was walking out of the room added, “You have no idea how hard it is for me to walk away from you right now.”
A smile cracked her muddy face as she stripped the rest of the way down and entered the shower. They’d set boundaries today and she could only think of it as progress. As much as she wanted Cole and as much as he wanted her, there was still a code of ethics to be honored.
It wasn’t easy for her to deny him, but at least they were in agreement about keeping their private life separate from their professional one.
And tonight, she had a date with him to stay in.
*
Staying in meant different things to different people, she supposed, but for her it meant reheated Mac and cheese, watching a sappy love story on TV and getting into her jammies early. Tonight, she wondered what staying in with Cole would mean. He was due to arrive any second. Butterflies swarmed her belly and her throat tightened up.
When the knock came, she jumped and rushed to the front door. Taking a moment to breathe and calm her nerves, she put her hand on the knob, steadied herself and then opened the door.
Cole stood on the porch in a crisp pair of jeans, a new ink black shirt with silver snaps, holding a box from the Bluebonnet Bakery in one hand and a bag from the diner in the other.
“Hi,” he said.
She swallowed. “You brought food.”
“Not just food. Fried chicken and doughnuts.”
“Perfect staying in food.” She stepped aside to let him in.
Cole walked into her tiny kitchen and set it all down. This was friend Cole now, showing up with take-out. But it was more. He’d dressed up for her. Even wore his Sunday boots out in the rain tonight. She smiled.
She’d sort of dressed up too. She let her hair fall down her back, wore a soft white blouse tucked into black slacks and put on the belt buckle his mother had given her for Christmas last year stamped with the Circle R logo on it. It was a far cry from her jammies, but coming to the door in her pajamas wasn’t an option.
His back was to her, his gaze laser focused on the food on the counter.
“Still raining hard out there?” Her heart was beating out of her chest.
“Uh-huh.” He wasn’t moving, wasn’t turning to her. He stood there, hands now braced on the countertop. Tension whirled in the air. It was thick and electric, amplified by the rain pounding the roof and the sharp silence in the room.
“Cole? Look at me.”
He turned his body. Stared into her eyes.
And then they were in each other’s arms and he was kissing her and she was kissing him back, frenzied and desperate. His mouth devoured hers and his hands, those big strong hands, were caressing her, weaving through her hair, down her back, molding the slope of her
rear end and up again. His touch caused a wild riot in her body.
“This is crazy,” he rasped. “Couldn’t stop thinking about you in the mudroom today.”
“I know. Me too,” she admitted between kisses.
And then she pulled at his shirt, the easy snaps giving way to the solid torso she craved. She flattened her palms over his pecs, absorbing his power, his strength. A hint of his aftershave reached her nostrils and she breathed in his scent as she stroked him. He was hot to the touch, smooth as silk and hard as granite. She tweaked his nipples.
He nearly jumped out of his skin. “Oh man, Day,” he whispered. It wasn’t long before her blouse was off too, his fingers working the buttons with precision.
Her pale pink Barely There teddy lay underneath and Cole let out a groan. Appreciation lit in his eyes. Her investment in lingerie was paying off. Big time.
“The bedroom. Now.”
Yes, boss. But she didn’t dare say that. Instead, she took his hand and led him down the hallway to her room.
He wasted no time pulling his shirt off all the way. All that toned skin called to her and she moaned and reached for him. And as she began gliding her hands across his chest again, he was busy unhooking her Circle R belt buckle. He gave her a beautiful smile, dimple and all, and then helped her wiggle out of her pants.
“You’re so hot, Day,” he murmured, his gaze roving over the scanty bit of fabric she wore.
Her body was on fire. “Feel me,” she said.
“I intend to, sweetheart.”
She lay down on the bed and Cole came up over her. All he had to do was touch that sensitive spot between her legs and she was flying. Her body arched, lifted, came off the bed as he caressed her, creating waves and waves of glory, of pleasure.
She was his.
Nothing else mattered at this point. She couldn’t slow down, couldn’t speed up. All she could do was flow with him, allow him to dictate the terms, allow him to masterfully bring her to completion.
Her release registered on the Richter scale.
“Oh, Cole,” she breathed.
“I know, sweetheart. I know.” There was pride in his voice and satisfaction and she loved him all the more for it.
He was off the bed now, removing the rest of his clothes, coming up with a packet of protection and ready to join her again.
She was new to this, and let her instincts guide her. Let her wildest dreams soar. She knew the mating ritual—she was after all, a horse wrangler—but there were things she wanted to do. With Cole. Only with him and she’d be foolish to think that more would come of this than Cole could give. He had warned her. He didn’t want to hurt her. She got that. And she didn’t know where this craziness would lead, if anywhere. But there was now. And she was determined to have all of Cole.
“Wait,” she said.
He froze, just before tearing open the packet.
She came up on her knees and gripped him loosely. Goodness, he was thick and hot.
“What are you…”
She took him inside her mouth, her hair cascading down around her, covering the act from his eyes, but the sounds he was making, the muttered oaths and sighs, told her she wasn’t too far off the mark. She was pleasuring him, the way he had her, and it was…amazing.
“Babe,” he was saying. “You…oh man.”
His hand went to her hair, sifted through as he guided her.
Before long, he was gripping her shoulders. “Enough,” he commanded.
And she missed him: the taste, the newness of loving him this way.
“You can’t know…” he said, backing away to put on protection. But he never finished his sentence, yet she did know. At least, she thought she did.
He was over her again and kissing her, his body stiff and tight and so ready. He joined their bodies and there was a sense of rightness to it, a sense of wonder and pleasure of course. She’d never been with a man before him and she was glad she’d waited…for the perfect one.
His release was quick and fast and satisfying for them both.
They lay back on the bed quiet, taking it all in.
Then Cole made a noise. Coming up from his throat. He was snoring.
Day bounded up on the bed, panicked a little. Was it testimony to her lovemaking skills? He hadn’t just fallen asleep, had he?
He chuckled, and a crooked mischievous smile spread across his face. “I think I like staying in.”
She gasped. “You!”
And then picked up the pillow and tossed it at his head.
*
Day was getting used to eating cold food. She and Cole would joke about it, first cold pancakes, then cold fried chicken and the other night, they’d put hot pizza on hold. Making love took precedence over eating warm food and this past week had proven that over and over. When she hadn’t been working nights at Barely There, she’d been with Cole. The days at the ranch were long. Stealing glimpses, catching longing looks and brushing hands accidentally all seemed so darn torturous. But the nights made up for her days of yearning. She’d never been this happy in her entire life. It was as if a sweet song was playing inside her soul where silence used to reside.
Cole too, was lightening up. His mood was better than it had ever been and she’d witnessed the odd looks the crew would give him every time he smiled or told them a lame joke.
“Day, do you think this should go or stay?” Cole asked, gesturing toward a maple serving cart in his living room.
“I think it can stay. We can serve lemonade and other drinks from it,” she said, as they worked on opening up space in his living area for Maddie’s baby shower tomorrow. Cole was doing most of the heavy lifting, shuffling furniture about and removing some of the bigger unnecessary pieces.
“Sounds good to me,” he said.
“Jillian is coming over tonight to help us put up the decorations.”
“Tonight?” He set down the side table he’d just hoisted onto his shoulder and gave her the look.
“She won’t be long.”
“Can you guarantee that?” He was only halfway teasing.
Day walked over to him. “No, but there isn’t much to do and you did agree to this.”
Cole glanced at the shuttered window. No one could see inside. He’d been locking his doors lately too, whenever they were alone. Just in case impulse struck. It was thrilling to have this secret between them and every day it was getting harder and harder not to break their vow to keep a professional distance while at work.
Day longed for more. She longed for a time when they wouldn’t have to sneak around. When Cole would feel free to announce to the world they were a couple. But for right now, this was her life and she wasn’t going to dampen her joy with thoughts of the future.
Now was pretty amazing.
“Yeah, I know. I have to come up with some excuse to get Maddie over here. What time does the shindig start?”
“Noon, but everyone is getting here half an hour early. They’ll be parking their cars on the east pasture. She won’t see them when she drives up.”
Cole nodded and his gaze dipped to her mouth. Her pulse raced and that yearning came back. She tried hard not to let it show. It was murder keeping away from him. He was too close, only an arm’s length away, and then his hand wrapped around her waist, his fingers possessive on her skin, and she was pulled up against him. “Cole,” she breathed.
The heat in his eyes burned her, and she was lost, totally gone. He bent his head down and crushed his mouth to hers and it was new again, like the very first time. She’d never tire of being in his arms, of kissing him. Her body reacted immediately. It was insane how responsive she was to him. How easy it would be to follow him into his bedroom right now, in the middle of the afternoon, and indulge in her fantasy again.
This time, Cole pulled away first.
She gulped air and stared at him.
He stared back. And blinked.
What was between them was strong, perhaps stronger than he wanted to adm
it, but Day could easily see it. She felt him on the edge, teetering towards her, but it was like a hemp rope was wrapped around him holding him back, preventing him from falling off his well-maintained ledge. “This isn’t just about sex for me, Cole.”
His Adam’s apple bobbed up and down and pain entered his eyes. “I know.”
“It’s more,” she whispered. “I think you feel it too.”
He winced at her words and looked down to the hardwood floor. “I…”
His phone rang. He scratched his head and let it ring three more times, before picking it up from the arm of the sofa. “It’s my mom. I’d better get this,” he said, walking out of the room.
A second later, Day’s phone rang too. She pulled it out of her jeans pocket, glancing at the screen. It was her mother. The simultaneous phone calls sparked her curiosity.
Something was up.
And ten minutes later, Cole returned to the room, eyeing her, a scowl pulling at his mouth. “Thanksgiving in Arizona.”
“Yep,” she replied. “There was no talking my mother out of it.”
“My mother either.”
“That should prove interesting,” Cole said, his hands on his hips.
“Yeah, just hope my mom doesn’t conjure up another blind date for me like she tried last Thanksgiving. I keep telling her I can get my own dates.”
Cole’s frown deepened.
“Not that I need to go out on dates or anything,” she rushed out. But Cole didn’t seem to hear her. He was lost in thought and so far away it put fear into her heart.
He scrubbed the back of his neck. “You deserve more than staying in, Day.”
“I can decide what I want. And right now, staying in suits me just fine.”
Cole drew a big breath and nodded. He seemed relieved for the moment but Day pictured him on that ledge again, being tugged away by a power he couldn’t seem to control.
Chapter Seven
All the baby shower guests were seated in the parlor of Cole’s house and as soon as Trey pulled his car up, Jillian stood at the front of the room and put a finger to her lips to hush the chatter. Excitement stirred the air and the ladies quieted. From behind the parlor door, Day gave Cole a nod that they were ready. When the knock came, he walked to his entryway and then she heard the sound of the door opening.
Redeeming the Texas Rancher Page 11
