If she went home, Jim would call her into his office, sit her down and proceed to lecture her on how to run her shop. Win or fail, it was her business and she was going to do it her way.
Pulling onto the gravel road that led to the house, the dogs came bounding out of the barn to greet her. When she got out of the car, she looked toward the house and he was standing on the porch, his jeans snug against him, shirtless, watching her.
"Did you forget it's winter?" she asked, staring at the broad expanse of his chest, knowing how the strength of those muscles beneath her fingertips felt.
"No, I was about to jump in the shower," he said. "Kind of surprised to see you here."
"Me and you both. Kind of shocked myself to be here," she responded the air in her lungs seeming to shrink. The thought of him wet and naked had her body heating. This had to stop, a voice in her head reminded her. But another voice said, touch him.
Walking up to him, she stood gazing. Slowly she reached up and pulled his face down to hers and kissed him. Heat swelled inside her, her tongue sliding along the outside of his lips. He yanked her to him and took control of the kiss, his mouth moving over her lips demanding, devouring.
She went limp against him, willingly giving up, surrendering to the desire he evoked.
Releasing her, he stared at her in the darkness. "What are you doing here, Kelsey?"
"I don't know. I had to come back. I had to see you," she whispered, running her fingertips along his naked chest.
Since last night, she couldn't stop thinking about him. And now here she was at his house again.
"Want to come in," he asked, his tone low and sexy, sending vibrations along her spine.
"Yes," she said breathlessly. "Oh yes."
Grinning, he opened the door and pulled her through. When he would have stopped in the living room, she took his hand and led him back to the bedroom clearly indicating what she wanted.
"You were about to take a shower," she said.
"Yes."
"I'm feeling a little dirty myself from painting today. Mind if I join you?"
A slow grin spread across his face. "Only if you'll let me wash your front and back."
"Only if you'll let me scrub you all over," she said, heat filling her at the thought.
"Gladly."
It took them less than a minute to finish shedding their clothes. With a twist, he turned on the hot water and she stepped inside. The spray hit her in the face and she let it rain down over her. As he crawled in beside her, she pressed her warm, wet body against his, his hardened penis poking her.
A sense of homecoming came over her as she lifted her lips to his and his mouth ravaged hers. Pressing her against the shower wall, he took her hands in his and raised them above her head. Last night, he'd been gentle, but now she could feel the power of him and she welcomed this side of Cody as desire radiated from her.
"Tonight, we do things my way," he said.
"And how is that," she gasped, as his fingers stroked her slickened folds.
"Anticipation is the best part," he said as he plunged inside her causing her to gasp. Freeing her hands, he pulled her legs up and she wrapped them around his waist as he thrust into her again and again. The feel of his lips moving over her neck, her shoulders, kissing and caressing, desire building, left her trembling.
"Cody," she cried.
"Go ahead," he said. "This won't be the only time."
Tremors rocked through her as she grasped him, crying out as her orgasm rocketed through her. What about this man had her body in such a tangled web of desire.
While she was reaching the stars, he paused long enough for her to catch her breath and then he was changing their positions. Weak from reaching her peak, he moved her, coming at her from behind. Pushing her until she was bent over and he shoved into her once again.
Grabbing her breasts, he twisted her nipples and she moaned from the sensations that shot through her. Warm water continued to spray over them as he plunged into her over and over.
Never had she experienced sex like this before. Never felt the emotions charging through her filled with desire. Never felt so filled and wanted. So loved and cherished. Yet they weren't in love.
His fingers caressed her swollen folds, sending her over the edge once again, but this time, he went with her, slamming into her as he cried out.
"Kelsey," he groaned holding her tightly against him.
For a moment, they stayed in position, both drained, then he lifted her and turned her to face him.
Kissing her softly on the lips, he held onto her. "Girl, what you do to me," he said in a ragged breath and she couldn't speak because she was having the same type of emotion. Tears filled her throat at the magnitude of what they'd just experienced.
Finally, he picked up a washcloth, soaped it up and begin to gently wash her body, almost paying reverence to her. The simple action of lathering her seemed sensual and loving.
This was just sex, she reminded herself. Pure and straightforward, good old-fashioned coitus - no emotions, no promises, no tomorrows.
That's what frightened her the most because she knew she could not continue to do this with him without her emotions becoming involved. Kelsey had never indulged in sex for pleasure, no strings, no commitments.
And she couldn't do this again. This had to stop or she feared it would break her heart.
Chapter 4
Half asleep, Cody rolled over seeking the comfort of Kelsey's body and realized the bed was empty. Groggily, he raised his head and glanced around the room, searching for her. They only slept a couple of hours as most of the time spent in his bed had been exploring each other's bodies, tempting and tormenting one another.
Never before had he experienced such an intense sexual relationship. One so filled with explosive desire that one look, one touch, had them shedding their clothes. It was both exhilarating and frightening. The woman made him feel things long forgotten and that scared him. Yet, she also made him feel more alive than he'd felt in a decade.
After rising from bed, he went through the house nude trying to find her. He didn't like when she left his side without saying goodbye, and like an unwanted visitor, fear filled him. What if he slept through her leaving?
The house was quiet, though her purse sat on the counter where she placed it the night before. Opening the door, he looked outside and saw her sitting on his deck, wrapped in a blanket a cup of coffee in her hands.
Quickly, he grabbed some socks and a covering, made his own cup, and joined her on the swing on his patio.
"Good morning," she said, glancing up at him.
"Morning," he said, dropping down beside her. "What are you doing out here?"
"Thinking and watching the sun rise," she said softly.
When a woman admitted to a man she was deliberating, watch out. A bad feeling about the nature of her thoughts overcame him.
"What are you thinking about?"
"Life, love, and the pursuit of happiness," she replied.
"Well, that's a whole gauntlet."
Turning, she laid her head on his shoulder and sighed. "Why is it that early in the morning is when your deepest, most life changing thoughts arrive?"
Pulling her tightly against him, he took his blanket and covered them both. The air was downright cold.
"Never gave it much thought."
"Look, the sky is starting to lighten in the east."
"Sunrise is my favorite part of the day," he responded.
"Mine, too. The day is new and filled with so much hope and promise."
"Yes," he said, watching orange streaks light up the skyline.
Her eyes narrowed and she stared at him. "Cody, you just committed a cardinal male sin."
"How is that?"
"By admitting I was right. Men don't acknowledge a woman is right."
"That's asinine. Sometimes you're right and sometimes I'm wrong. It's just the way of life."
A chuckle came from deep inside her chest and she
gripped her coffee cup in both hands, taking a sip. "You are constantly full of surprises."
"Good ones?"
"Oh yes."
The sun began to peek over the horizon, spreading across the land he loved. In the early morning quiet, they shared a sense of wonder between the two of them. The beginning of a new day. Never had he been so at peace, so close to a human being. And he wondered at his growing feelings for Kelsey.
After the orange ball crested the sky line, she gazed at him. "We can't keep doing this."
His chest tightened and pain gripped his stomach and he shook his head. How could they go so quickly from one of the best mornings of his life to her questioning what they were accomplishing? Besides having great sex.
"Why not? From the sounds you were making, I thought you enjoyed being with me. So much that last night, you came to me," he said.
A sigh released from between her lips. "These last two nights were the absolute best."
"But?" he said, knowing one was coming.
"If we keep doing this, sooner or later, we're going to get caught. My brothers would be so angry at you and right now is not the time for me to become involved with anyone. I'm not certain if I'm going to stay in Cupid. Everything depends on the success of the boutique. Otherwise, I'll return to corporate America."
Cody had already gone through one woman leaving him for the big city and he refused to date someone who planned to leave the town he loved. This was his home, his life, and someday there would be a woman who wanted to make a life with him here.
If she had thoughts of going back to Dallas, then Kelsey wasn't that woman. But damn, the connection between them, he had never known with any other woman. One he didn't know if he could resist.
"You're right. Sooner or later, they will find out. We have two choices. Continue having great sex, hiding it from everyone, and tell your brothers, or we ignore this attraction between us and walk away. Personally, I'm for talking to my friends, your siblings. We're good together. How can you deny this chemistry? Last night you couldn't."
Watching her bite her bottom lip, the urge to take her in his arms and kiss her senseless, to stop her from speaking and possibly ruining what had swelled inside him. Kelsey was the object your parents told you, you couldn't have and you were damn determined to get it regardless the cost.
"If you had any willpower, you'd leave me alone," she said, her brown eyes reflecting a taunt he couldn't ignore.
"No. Don't blame this on me. You came to my home, not once, but twice and both times we had sex."
Giggling, she stared at him, her eyes wide with laughter, "Let's have a challenge. I bet I can be around you without having sex."
Throwing back his head, he laughed. "So you're making this a game?"
A grin spread across her beautiful face. "Yes, I think I am."
"So if we're not dating, how is this challenge going to work?"
She put a finger to her lip tapping it while she thought.
"I'll agree to go out with you in secret. After three dates if neither of us has succumbed and this is going places, then we'll tell my brothers. Until then, we're keeping it quiet, so we can make certain we're together before the drama erupts."
For a moment, he considered what she was doing. Basically, she was allowing them a chance to explore each other besides physically before she told her family about them dating. That time would give him the opportunity to learn if she was serious about going back to Dallas. Did they have a shot at happiness together?
"And if someone succumbs to sex before the three dates?"
"Then you lose. And I hate to lose at anything," she admitted. "If we wait three dates, I'll tell my brothers."
"The challenge is on. I can be around you without the two of us having sex. Can you?" he said.
"Of course."
To seal the deal, he reached over, his mouth covering hers, his kiss branding her lips, letting her know what she was giving up for now.
* * *
Cody sat across from Jim and Kyle Lawrence, two of Kelsey's three brothers. This morning they'd called and wanted to have lunch sending alarm bells soaring through him. Did they learn he'd been sleeping with their sister?
Sure, occasionally they met to talk, but this one seemed so ill timed that he wondered if they found out about him and Kelsey.
Instead, for the last fifteen minutes, they had been speaking about getting ready for their roundup and how many new calves they expected this spring.
"Hey, didn't you go to that livestock auction in Abilene," Kyle asked.
"Yes, they should be delivering the cattle this week. Ten new heifers who I think will bring in some new bloodlines in my herd," he said nervously picking at his steak.
"I would have gone to that sale, but we've been trying to get Kelsey's boutique painted and ready to open," Jim, her oldest brother, said.
Jim had taken on the family ranch in his twenties when their father passed away. He'd become the patriarch and was protective of his siblings, but especially his sister.
"How's that going?" Cody asked, wondering how long before the shop would be open.
"We plan on it being finished and up and running in about two to three weeks," he said shaking his head.
"Sounds like it's almost ready, and yet, you don't seem too happy about it?"
"Oh, she's giving me some trouble, right now. Be glad your sister is happily married and not living on the ranch. Kelsey hasn't slept at home the last two nights. While I realize she's an adult, I worry something happened to her. Then she informed me the other day she intends to sell unmentionables in her shop."
Kyle started laughing. "Jim, I can't believe you're telling him this."
"Cody has a sister. He'll understand," Jim said, glaring at his brother. Turning back his voice became low. "There's a closet in Kelsey's boutique and she is going to have ladies’ sexual products. Things like vibrators and creams."
All his life, Jim was the sibling who worried about their name and image. No one was supposed to cause gossip or make the family look bad or be dealt with harshly. And now Kelsey was going to ruin her virginal status by selling sex toys in her boutique.
For a moment, Cody assessed how he felt about his girlfriend merchandising those items and decided he hoped she got some good samples.
"And that bothers you," Cody said, leaning back in his chair trying to appear nonchalant, wishing this lunch would end.
"It's not just that. She's acting strange. She's been secretive, late nights, and well, if I didn't know better, I'd think there was a man in the picture," Jim replied.
Worry trickled up Cody's spine. Is this when Jim would tell him he knew she was sleeping at his place? Seeing each other? Having sex?
"Who in Cupid is going to be stupid enough to date Kelsey?" Kyle said with a snort. "Remember, we scared everyone off when she started dating. Our motto was leave our sister alone."
"And it worked very well, but now I think she's just not herself lately. Somethings going on," Jim said.
Sitting across from his friends, he almost wanted to slap them. Did they ever reason that if Kelsey didn't meet and marry a man here in town, she'd probably move away to who knows where. And living in the big city made her unhappy. Weren't they concerned about her happiness?
"Could it be conceivable it's moving back to Cupid. Opening the boutique, leaving Dallas. A lot of change going on," Cody volunteered and immediately regretted saying anything.
Jim looked at him, a puzzled expression on his face. A tremor of oh crap went through Cody. It wasn't that he feared her brothers, hell they were his best friends, but she didn't want them to know.
Best if he just kept his mouth shut and said as little as possible.
"At least, it was for me when I returned home from college," he said, hoping they would not be too suspicious.
"You could be right," Jim said. "Kelsey is a woman now and well, my track record with women is pretty lousy. But I still think something is going on. I'm going to keep
my ears to the ground and my eyes open trying to find out what's with little sister."
Unable to stop himself, Cody couldn't help the words from pouring from his lips.
"If you guys don't want her seeing someone from Cupid, you must want her to move away. Sooner or later, for better or worse, she's going to find someone and marry them."
Staring at him, Jim narrowed his eyes. "You're right, Cody. Maybe we should start considering a man for our sister. Someone we think deserves her."
"Someone like you," Kyle said, smiling at him. "You'd make a fine brother-in-law. As long as you treat her right. And you're planning on staying right here."
Nodding, Jim said, "The thought of who Kelsey marries never entered my mind. What with her job situation being a disaster, a husband could be the answer. And we need to help her find one. Thanks, Cody. You're in the running."
Swallowing the food stuck in his throat. Cody kept his eyes down. While it was generous of Jim to consider him, the problem was he wanted to be the only man courting their sister.
And the worst thing was, he couldn't even say anything. He wasn't certain whether he'd helped or hurt Kelsey with his suggestion.
"Thank you, I'm happy to be considered. But ultimately, Kelsey is the one to decide who she wants," he said and turned his attention to his plate. Cody didn't dare look up for fear his friends would see the guilt all over his face.
* * *
Kelsey sat on the floor putting together shelves when the door opened and Cody strolled in. Glancing around the boutique, he grinned at her.
"Hi," she said, watching the way his shirt clung to his muscles. What about this man attracted her? Already, she was thinking of what he looked like beneath his clothes. They had a bet and she wasn't going to lose.
"Hi," he said. "Looking good."
"Thanks, it's coming along. The painting is finished. Now I'm working on the set up, and hopefully by the time all the shelving is put up, the merchandise will be here."
"Including the sexual products?" he teased.
A blush spread across her cheeks, her insides fluttering. Dropping her screwdriver on the floor, she stared at him. "How did you know about that?"
Cupid's Dance: Western Small Town Contemporary Romance (Return to Cupid, Texas Book 3) Page 5
