Prairie Heat (Cowboys of The Flint Hills #1)

by Tessa Layne

  He sighed deeply and raised his eyes to hers, conflict swirling in their depths.

  Damn.

  Her heart sank.

  Double damn.

  Whatever history he had with Kylee, he wasn’t willing to come clean just yet. Disappointment knifed through her, settling in her gut. She withdrew her hand, taking another gulp of whiskey to deaden the ache that threatened to overwhelm her.

  “How many other secrets are you keeping, Blake?”

  For the merest of seconds, panic flew through his eyes, only to be replaced by the same impassive, shuttered expression.

  So there were more. Silly Maddie. He had zero obligation to her. Technically, he wasn’t even her boyfriend.

  “Sinclaire finally let you up for air, Maddie Jane?”

  A half empty beer bottle slammed on the table. She glanced up to meet the laughing eyes of Axel and Gunnar. Oh boy. They had trouble written all over their faces. “How many beers have you had?”

  “Enough to know it’s time for a few rounds of pool.” Axel gave her hand a little tug. “Come on. You owe us for babysitting Uncle Warren. We’ve got a table reserved.”

  “Come on, Maddie.” Blake was already pulling her out of the booth. “Do you play?”

  She shrugged. “A little.” This could not end well for any of them.

  Gunnar’s arm snaked around her shoulders as they made their way to the back where the tables were lined up.

  “Don’t worry.” Gunnar spoke low in her ear. “We’re not going to rough him up.”

  She tilted her head up to spear him with her severest look. “You better not.”

  Where Blake’s laugh was rich and low, Gunnar’s was more melodic and earthy. His laugh had always put her at ease. “Do you think that look can scare me, Maddie Jane? I’ve endured worse from Ma.”

  “Look, just don’t make a scene, okay?”

  “Fair enough. But now that I have you alone, I want to ask you a few questions.”

  Uh oh. This was it. Her jig was up. She pushed her glasses up her nose. Gunnar could always tell when she was lying. He’d put the fear of God into her too many times when they were kids. Conditioned her to the point she’d blurt out the truth before he even asked. Anything to avoid his nuggies. She swallowed, and forced herself to smile brightly.

  “Of course. Anything. I’m an open book Gun, you know that.”

  “I will nuggie you if I think you’re lying.”

  She didn’t doubt that for a second. “No need.”

  His eyes narrowed as he maneuvered her around a couple. “Why are you marrying Blake Sinclaire?”

  Did he have to be so direct? It was a horrible Hansen trait.

  “You don’t waste time, do you?”

  “Not my style. Are you going to answer my question?”

  And tell you he sweet talked me into a fake engagement? Or that he was so hot I didn’t want to say no? The admission surprised her. Was that why she’d agreed to this crazy scheme? Because deep down she’d wanted to?

  No.

  Absolutely not.

  “Dang, Mads.” Gunnar rolled his eyes. “Your shit eating grin says it all.”

  Did it? Lucky her. One bullet dodged. “Any other questions?”

  “Yeah. Wanna tell me why you never even told us you were dating him?”

  “What is this, the third degree?”

  “Pretty much.” He tucked her further under his arm. “There’s a lot that doesn’t add up, and I mean to find out.”

  “Why? What’s the point?”

  “Just lookin’ out for my cousin.”

  “Just looking for a way to stick it to a Sinclaire is more like it.”

  His eyes narrowed. “Look, Maddie Jane. If you’re happy, I’m happy. But why marry a Sinclaire? Especially when for the last twelve years, all I’ve ever heard from you is that your life is in Boston, or your life is in Chicago. You barely come home for the holidays. And now when Uncle Warren drops over you’re back? And engaged?”

  Damn he was good. She shrugged. “He asked, I said yes. End of discussion.”

  “We’ll see about that.”

  CHAPTER 19

  Blake trailed after Maddie and Gunnar, disliking the way he seemed to be grilling her. Protective instincts kicking in, he quickened his pace. He didn’t care that Gunnar was her cousin. He’d pound him to next week if he upset Maddie in the slightest.

  “Hold up there, Sinclaire.” A hand landed on his shoulder, and Axel caught up with him.

  Great.

  Were they tag teaming tonight?

  His balls were ten kinds of agitated already, thanks to the incredible kiss Maddie had laid on him. If Axel wanted to pick a fight, he’d go there. He certainly wouldn’t be fucking tonight. Or the next night. Or any night soon.

  “What do you want?”

  He’d lost sight of Maddie and Gunnar, and he didn’t have the patience for bullshit tonight. Not with Kylee here, too.

  “Just wondering what your intentions are with Maddie Jane.”

  He didn’t like it, but he respected it. Hell, if Emma’d shown up out of the blue, engaged, he wouldn’t hesitate to do the same thing. Hansens were stand-up. Even if he didn’t like them.

  “Entirely honorable.” Mostly honorable.

  “Because if they’re not… If we find out different… we’ll be waiting for you in the tall grass.”

  He nodded. “Understood.” He didn’t doubt it for a second.

  Axel moved to pass him, but Blake stuck out his arm, stopping him. “And just so you know. You’re going to see us kissing. Better get used to it.”

  Axel chuckled low, respect showing in his eyes. He tipped his Stetson. “I think we’ve reached an understanding. Buy you a beer?”

  He nodded. Axel slipped through the throng to the bar while he made a beeline to the table, and Maddie.

  Slipping a hand around her waist, Blake pulled her close. “Everything okay?”

  She turned her face to him, eyes stormy behind her glasses. Everything was not okay. “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing. Just the usual first date activities. Deflecting probing questions from Gunnar, wondering if I’ll meet any other exes, and whether you’ll tell me about them.”

  “Are you jealous?” He couldn’t keep the smile off his face. “That’s an irrational feeling for a scientist.”

  Before she could respond, he swept his lips over hers, savoring her sweetness for the tiniest second. “Don’t worry.” He murmured in her ear. “I like you more. Lots more.”

  Gunnar grumbled behind him. “Who’s up first?”

  Maddie eyed him with a glint, adjusting her glasses. “Blake and I go best of three. Then we can team up.”

  “Are you sure, you wanna do that, sweetheart?” Concern slipped into his voice. “How often do you play?” He played pool all the time, and had won more than his fair share of drinks at the table.

  “Enough to know which end of the stick to use.”

  So she was going to take out her frustration at the pool table. Fine. Maybe he’d let her win the first round. “Feeling sassy, huh?”

  “You might say that.”

  “What are we betting then?”

  She skewered him with a look so hot, his balls tightened. “Winner gets to ask the loser any question they want. Loser has to answer.” She narrowed her eyes. “And no evading.”

  Huh. Not what he expected. But he was game. Everything would change tonight if he won. No turning back. Not with the question he suddenly had in mind. He stepped toe to toe with her, forcing her to look up. “That’s a pretty confident wager, darlin’. You sure about this?”

  A hint of a smile played at her lips. “I’ll give it the old college try.”

  He tilted her chin and swept his lips across hers, savoring her taste. It didn’t matter they were in public. He could drown in the sweetness of her mouth.

  “I’ll look forward to collecting my winnings later,” he murmured against her lips.

  “Play or get a
room, Sinclaire.” Her cousins stood scowling on the other side of the table, arms crossed.

  “Just setting the terms of our little wager.” He handed her a stick. “Ladies first.”

  She strolled to the end of the table and began racking the balls. He could have sworn she put an extra swing in her hips as she stepped away from him. And as she bent over the table, his mouth went dry. He reached for his glass on the high top, not taking his eyes off her.

  She glanced up at him, a flirtatious smile on her face. “Be gentle with me, it’s been awhile.”

  Blake’s gut clenched at her innuendo. He was already half hard just watching her. How in the hell was he going to stay cool enough to focus if she kept doing that?

  “Ready to go down?” He grinned back mischievously.

  She bit her lip and pushed her glasses up her nose. The telltale flush pinking her cheeks. “I confess I have an unfair advantage,” she acknowledged, gazing up at him through her lashes as she covered the cue with blue chalk.

  “Yeah?” He sidled up to her, running his hand over her hip.

  She smelled great, too. That aroma of violets and hay drove him wild. Gunnar coughed loudly. He didn’t care. She stepped to the table getting ready to break. She looked over her shoulder at him and winked. His cock jumped to life.

  So that’s how she was going to play it.

  Just as she was ready to break, he leaned close. “I’ll be asking you my question naked.”

  She made a sound in the back of her throat, and the cue slipped off the ball, ruining the opening shot.

  She glared at him. “No fair.”

  “Two can play that game, darlin’.”

  She adjusted her glasses, and pinned him with a steely gaze.

  “Fine. This is war.”

  He tilted her chin, stealing a kiss. “Fighting or fucking. It all comes down to fighting or fucking. You decide.”

  Her cheeks flushed pink. He couldn’t resist. He stole another kiss, savoring the whiskey still remaining on her lips.

  “If you two are going to kiss every two seconds, then let us have the table,” Axel hollered.

  She kept her eyes locked on his. “I’m just warming him up, Axe.”

  Giving him a seductive smile, she trailed a finger down his shirt, hooking it just inside his waistband. The movement sent an ache straight to his balls.

  “So… I’ve decided.”

  Holy. Hell.

  Lust churned in his gut. These days on tenterhooks had to end soon. He’d explode from wanting.

  “Decided what?” He asked thickly, his tongue suddenly sticking to the roof of his mouth. They weren’t talking about the game anymore. They couldn’t be. Her tongue flicked out, wetting her lips. His cock jerked and he choked back a groan.

  “To let you win.”

  Sweet Jesus. He wanted to get this game over as quickly as possible and sashay her back to the ranch. This fighting or fucking standoff ended tonight.

  She handed him his stick, and God help him, the only thing he could think about was her hand wrapped around his cock.

  She grinned, a triumphant gleam in her eyes. “Your turn, cowboy.”

  He covered her hand with his. “Don’t play me, Maddie.” Desire roughened his voice. “This ends tonight.”

  Her eyes softened a fraction, and she stepped back, breaking the electricity arcing between them.

  She leaned her hip on the table, still smiling. “Play on.”

  He stalked around the table, looking for his best shot. Gunnar and Axel stepped back, sipping their beers, entirely too interested in the game. If he was a gentleman, he’d have taken the harder shots and left her with the easy ones. But he was through being a gentleman tonight. He sunk three before missing.

  She sunk one ball, then missed her shot, setting him up to take two more.

  She brushed by him, scoping out her next shot, then leaned forward, wiggling her ass. He clenched his fist to keep from palming it in front of her cousins. She turned to study him, a slow smile curving her mouth.

  “I hope I’m not distracting you.”

  He stepped close so her cousins couldn’t hear. “Keep this up, and I won’t be the only one naked.”

  Hunger flashed in her eyes, even as her cheeks flushed. She turned and missed her shot.

  Ha.

  He finished the game, calling the eight-ball. Gunnar and Axel saluted him from across the table. He moved to join them, taking a sip from his beer.

  Gunnar poured out the remains of the pitcher between the four glasses. “Maddie Jane’s out of practice.”

  “Yeah.” Axel leaned against a pillar, munching on a chip. “Usually she puts up a better fight. You must have her wrapped pretty hard around your finger, Sinclaire.” His voice held a hint of challenge.

  “That a problem?” He fought the surge of adrenaline that went straight to his fist.

  Gunnar answered thoughtfully. “No… no. She needs a strong hand.”

  What was it with all the Hansen men treating her like a piece of livestock? He clenched his fist, but for different reasons now. “She’s not one of your horses.”

  Gunnar snorted. “Don’t be an idiot, Sinclaire. Every woman is as unpredictable as a broomie. But once you figure ’em out, they’ll gentle.” He slid him a glance. “Maybe even take the sugar you offer.”

  He held up his hand. “Enough. I get it.”

  Maddie rejoined them, taking a sip of her beer. “Ready to lose?”

  “Whatever you say, darlin’.” He admired her pluck. Even if he was about to kick her ass.

  “You break this time?”

  He nodded. This would end quickly. He struck the cue ball forcefully, sending the balls scattering. Nothing sank, but a few were close. Maddie took the easiest shot, sinking one. She missed her next shot.

  He sunk two.

  All the easy shots were gone. She circled the table, brows furrowed in concentration.

  He slid next to her, stroking her side. “No way you’ll make that shot, hon. Try for fourteen in the corner.” He might as well help her. The ten was an impossible shot.

  She shot a glance sideways, challenge in her eyes. “Are you trying to tell me how to take my shot?”

  He put up his hands.

  She smiled tightly. “I didn’t think so.”

  She took the shot and came surprisingly close. But now the ball blocked his shot. He’d either have to shoot her ball in with his, or he’d have to look for another shot.

  She leaned her hip on the table, watching him circle.

  He missed his next shot. She made hers.

  They both quieted after that, circling, shooting, sometimes missing. Soon there were two balls left. Her ten ball, and his six. He’d have to separate his ball from hers, but risked sinking it in the process.

  She slipped up next to him, chalking her cue.

  “Tough shot. Think you can manage?” She pursed her lips, eyes twinkling behind her glasses.

  “I’ve managed worse.”

  “Good. You won’t mind if I watch how you do it? I’d like to improve.”

  Warmth ballooned in his chest. He tilted her chin, leaning in to graze her lips. “For luck.”

  He bent, lining up his stick with the ball. Just as he shot, she caressed his ass, giving him a little squeeze. He jerked, glancing the stick off the cue, and sinking her ball.

  He spun, pulling her tight. She shook with laughter. “Vixen. You’ll pay for that.” He took her mouth, not caring who saw, bringing his hand up to caress her check as his tongue slid against hers. Whoops and catcalls from the cousins registered in the back of his brain, but he didn’t care.

  Ending the kiss, he leaned back, gazing down at her. “That was a dirty trick.”

  Her lips tilted up, and she pushed her glasses up her nose. “All’s fair, cowboy.”

  “Fine.” Grim determination mixed with hot lust. His voice turned hoarse. There was no turning back tonight.

  “Fine. Double down then. Winner gets to ask any que
stion, and call the shots in bed.”

  She inhaled quickly, eyes widening in anticipation. She slowly worried her bottom lip between her teeth, then licked the spot she’d bitten.

  “Okay…” She smirked. “Winner take all.” She turned, hips swaying exaggeratedly, and strutted to the end of the table.

  The ache in his balls increased. Tongues of fire licked through his belly. They needed to get out of here fast. She deserved better than a heated fuck in the darkened corner of the parking lot, but that was what it would turn into if she kept torturing him like this.

  She glanced up when she finished racking, a dangerous glint in her eye.

  “Ready?”

  He lifted his chin and crossed his arms. Her first break hadn’t been very good. But he’d distracted her.

  She broke with a firm stroke, sinking a solid and a stripe.

  Not bad.

  She circled the table sizing up her shots, choosing the eleven in a side pocket. Easy shot. He’d seen how she played the first two games. She’d take the few easy shots, and then he’d take over. He’d take no quarter. Their game ended tonight.

  She hit two more, then aimed her stick at the thirteen. Ha. No way. It was partially blocked by another ball, making the only angle available all wrong. “Good luck with that.”

  She gave him a look of challenge, and bent, eyebrows furrowed in concentration, tongue sticking out. At least she was putting on a good face. She shot. The cue ball glanced off the rail, hitting the side of the thirteen, sending it right into the corner pocket.

  Triumph glinted in her eyes. “Like that?”

  “Lucky shot.”

  She shrugged and smirked.

  There were two more stripes on the table, but there was no way she’d sink either of them. Warning bells started ringing when she sunk the nine by sending the cue ball into a solid with just enough backspin the solid stopped while the nine hit its mark.

  She eyed him shrugging. “Lucky shot.” Her hip knocked into his as she brushed by him to set up her next shot. She aimed the stick, letting it slide between her delicately arched fingers. A fierce light shimmered in her eyes when she glanced up again. “So’s this one.”

  Burning realization hit as she sunk her final ball with the ease of a pro. But she didn’t stop. She went after the rest, calling ball after ball, moving around the table like a queen. Sinking impossible shots with ease.