Yet he’d bought it. She clung to that thought as evidence that he might yet resume the profession he’d trained for. Replacing the study guide exactly as she’d found it, she took a paperback mystery from the shelf and returned to the table.
The book stayed closed as she wrestled with her thoughts. It shouldn’t matter to her whether Zach abandoned his career. He obviously intended to stay in this area, and whether he worked as a lawyer or a ranch hand wouldn’t affect her one bit.
But that wasn’t the whole story, and she knew it. She believed that everyone came into this world with certain gifts, and using them fully contributed to a satisfying life. That’s what she wanted for herself and for anyone sharing her journey.
In discussing her Thoroughbred-foal case with him, she’d discovered that he had a mind perfectly suited to the intricacies of contract law. She knew that because she had the same gift. Physically they were a great match, but they were also in tune mentally. No wonder they’d bonded so fast.
Sure, circumstances might keep them apart, namely his decision to live here and her career opportunities in Virginia. But that problem wasn’t the biggest sticking point between them. She purely hated that he was wasting his potential.
She’d agreed to this sexual adventure because she’d desperately needed a night of fantasy and Zach had been eager to share that with her. Now the adventure would last longer than one night, but the boundaries hadn’t really changed. She was still leaving on Monday.
They could continue having great sex until she left and keep those boundaries in place. Until finding that study guide, she’d expected to do exactly that. She hadn’t intended to involve herself in his future.
But now she planned to open up this can of worms. If he loved working on the ranch, great. Surely he could satisfy that urge and still use his top-notch legal mind in some capacity. If he chose not to, well, that was his right, of course.
If she were more Zen maybe she’d be able to accept it. She wasn’t Zen. Before she left on Monday, they were going to talk about that study guide. Maybe the discussion would blow up in her face, but she had to give it a shot.
As she finished her PB and J and sipped her coffee, she decided to choose that moment very carefully. So much could depend on how such a discussion ended. She certainly wouldn’t hit him with it when he walked in the door this afternoon.
Between now and then she had some tidying up to do. Rolling back the sleeves of his bathrobe a couple more turns, she washed up her lunch dishes. Then she tackled the suitcase and shopping-bag situation.
Miracle of miracles, she found two empty drawers in the hallway. She transferred the contents of her suitcase and the bags to the large drawers. She put the box of condoms on the ledge in the bedroom next to the clock.
She’d brought a pair of flip-flops, and she put those on while she carried her empty suitcase to the car.
Zach pulled up just as she opened the back door of her rental car to hoist the suitcase inside. He hopped out and rounded the front of his truck. “I hope this isn’t what it looks like.” His tone was joking, but there was a slight frown denting the space between his eyebrows.
“The suitcase is empty.”
“That’s good news.” The frown disappeared and he nudged back his hat. “For a minute there I wondered if you were moving out.”
“Nope.” She closed the door and walked over to him. “Just tryin’ to keep the floor clear of obstacles.”
He smiled. “Good thinking.” Hooking his finger in the bathrobe’s tie, he tugged her closer and loosened the tie in the process. “Missed you.”
“I missed you, too.” She’d noticed sawdust on his jeans, which matched the heady aroma of freshly cut lumber and manly sweat. Her body responded with astounding speed. “You’re early.”
“We finished up sooner than expected.” He slid both hands inside the bathrobe, loosening the tie completely as he drew her into his arms. “So I hotfooted it home only to find you slinging your suitcase into your car. I immediately started coming up with what I could say or do to keep you from taking off.”
She wound her arms around his neck and nestled against him. The cool metal of his belt buckle pressed against her warm skin. “Like what?”
“Like telling you how much fun you’re going to have under my solar shower.” He massaged her bottom.
“I will?”
“Guaranteed. If you haven’t been soaped, sponged and rinsed off by Zach Powell, you have no idea what you’re missing.”
“Can’t wait.”
“I’m afraid you’ll have to.” He lowered his head and gave her a kiss that included a very erotic use of his tongue. Finally he lifted his mouth a fraction from hers. “The thing is,” he murmured, “because I’m back early, we have some time to kill before we shower. And I have some ideas about that, too.”
“I’ll just bet you do.”
“How do you like my bed?”
“Love it.”
“I predict you’ll love it even more with a couple of enhancements.”
“Which are?”
“Me and a condom.”
10
ZACH RELISHED EVERY HOT, heavy-breathing moment with Jeannette in his double bed, even if they were a little cramped and he bumped his head. Twice. That was the number of times she’d come, and he was so involved in her enthusiastic response that he forgot the space constraints.
He came soon after her second orgasm, which canceled out the pain in his head right quick. Eventually he had to exit the bedroom and go into the airplane-sized bathroom to dispose of the condom. Knowing the solar shower was next on the agenda, he grabbed a couple of towels on his way back.
He walked in to find her lying there all pink and mussed from their great sex. She rolled to her side and smiled at him. He realized then that he was well and truly screwed, and not in the way he would have preferred.
Weeks, months, maybe years would go by before he could sleep in that bed without being reminded of Jeannette. The hot sex was part of it, but he loved the way she looked lying there, especially at this very moment, her green eyes smoky and her body relaxed and languid.
Despite knowing the memories would haunt him, he would give anything not to have this party obligation. Although every intimate second he spent with her dug the hole deeper, he longed to hide away with this woman. They wouldn’t have to make love constantly. He was willing to take time out to eat and talk. In fact, talking to her was one of the best parts.
In short, he was falling in love. And that was why he was screwed six ways to Sunday. He wasn’t right for her and she wasn’t right for him. They’d both known it in advance, and like a fool, he’d thought he could handle this temporary arrangement.
Well, he’d just have to, wouldn’t he? Not much choice in the matter. He wasn’t going to ask her to give up all she’d worked for in Virginia to start over in Jackson Hole so she could hang out with him. He knew what it took to build a practice from scratch. She’d be justified in laughing at the idea.
Maybe the party was a good thing. It would get them out of here for a few hours so he could pull back emotionally. He adopted the drill-sergeant voice he’d learned from watching movies. “Time to hit the showers, Trenton!”
“Aye, aye, sir.” She gave him a sloppy salute and stayed where she was.
“I said move it!”
“Somebody turned my bones to rubber, sir.”
“Tell me who that son of a bitch was and I’ll have him thrown in the brig!”
“Only if you’ll throw me in there, too, sir. I want him to do it again.”
His cock stirred. “Trust me, he wants to.” His voice grew husky. “But he promised to take you to a party.”
“I know.” She sighed. “And the party’s important. I need to get into that shower.”
“It’ll be a very good shower.” He waggled his eyebrows.
“I see.” She sat up and swung her feet to the floor. “You’re turning me into a libertine, Zach Powell. All I can think of is having sex with you in all sorts of imaginative ways.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“You should. You’re looking at a type-A personality who always puts business before pleasure.”
“It takes one to know one.”
She shook her head. “If you were that way once, you’re not now.”
“You’d be surprised. I could revert in no time.” That was one of the reasons he wouldn’t go back to practicing law. He was a recovering type-A personality, if there were such a thing.
“Does it make you nervous to be around someone like me, then?”
“A little bit.” He grinned. “But then I can get you naked and make you come, and we’re all good.”
“So that’s your method.” She stood and walked toward him. “FYI, it works like a charm.”
“For now, anyway.” He didn’t kid himself. He knew when she was back in lawyer mode that his strategy would be less effective. He’d caught her at a time when she needed the distraction he was willing to provide. “Ready for the solar-shower experience?”
“Why not? What should I bring?”
“Just your sweet body. You can put on your flip-flops if you want. I’m used to walking barefoot on the ground, but you’re not. The soap and sponges are already out there.”
“We’re leaving the trailer wearing nothing? I thought you said it was always possible someone would come by.”
“Normally that’s true, but everyone and his dog is working furiously to get ready for the party. They’re either setting up tables and chairs, fixing food or getting dressed. No one has time to take a trip out to check on you and me.”
“What about some stranger?”
“We’re on private property. A stranger would be trespassing, and Jack doesn’t tolerate trespassers. He takes his stewardship of this land very seriously. Not much happens on the Last Chance that escapes his notice.”
“Including me staying out here with you?”
“I told him about that this morning.”
She looked wary. “What did he say?”
“Not much. He was surprised at first, but in the long run, I think he figures it’s our business.” He thought about whether to add any more, and decided she might be reassured if he mentioned what else had been said. “He wanted to make sure I wouldn’t be heading for Virginia in the near future. I said there was no chance of that.”
“Of course not. I can tell how much you love it here.”
“Anyway, Jack understands this deal between us is temporary.”
“That’s good.”
“I thought so. I didn’t want any speculation on anyone’s part. Jack will probably inform Josie, and the word will get out.”
“At least I know Regan will be fine with it.”
Zach started to say that he couldn’t care less. He’d been the one to offer Jeannette support when Regan had been otherwise occupied, so the guy was in no position to say anything about the situation now. But he thought better of saying so. “But if we don’t take showers, we’ll never get there, which would not be a good thing.”
“Right. Lead the way.”
He grabbed his keys on the way out the door and locked up after them to make sure nothing got in while they were engrossed in the shower. He’d checked the time and they had some leeway. They could have some fun with the shower.
The relaxation they’d both felt after rolling around on his bed had disappeared during their discussion. The shower would be another tension reliever. Nothing like warm water, a smooth bar of soap and a soft sponge to make them both feel great.
He was proud of this shower setup. The Airstream had one, but he was always knocking his knees and elbows against the wall in there. His solar shower gave him all the room he needed, and it didn’t use any energy other than sunlight.
He’d built a wooden drainage platform and positioned it under the bag of water hanging from a tree branch, and the trench he’d dug carried water away so he didn’t end up with a mud hole. A bamboo shower caddy hanging from the trunk of the tree held his soap, shampoo and a sponge.
Jeannette surveyed his creation. “This is amazing, Zach. Everyone should have something like this.”
“That would be great except not everyone has acres of private land surrounding them, and come winter, I won’t be using this anymore.”
“I’ve wondered what will happen with you and this trailer after the first snow.”
“I’m working on that. I have some ideas. I’ve only been here a month.”
“I know. And for the summer, you’re in great shape. So what happens first with this shower situation?”
“Do you want to wash your hair? I recommend it because I don’t have a shower cap.”
She peered at his shampoo. “Okay, sure. Not my brand, but it’ll do.”
The scene seemed somewhat unreal. He’d been out here nearly every afternoon for a month and had begun taking the routine for granted. Seeing Jeannette standing there in all her glory put a whole new erotic spin on things. He had a little trouble concentrating on the task at hand.
She peered at him. “So what next?”
“I have to get you wet.”
Her green eyes sparkled. “That’s usually no problem.”
Lust hardened his cock. “Uh, with water.”
“Oh, that’s what you’re talking about. You’ll have to be more specific.”
He cleared his throat. “I’ll try to remember that. First thing, get up on the platform.”
“With or without flip-flops?”
“Without. I sanded the wood until it was like satin. You’ll like standing on it.”
“Gotcha.” She stepped out of her rubber sandals and onto the platform. “You’re right. This feels great under my toes. Now what?”
“I’ll release some water from the bag. Get under it and use your hands to work it through your hair and spread it over your body.”
“Sounds kinky.”
“It’s not when I do it.”
“You don’t have a little solo fun in this shower?”
“No. I’m outside, for God’s sake. I’m not going to...”
“Then we won’t be fooling around out here?”
He realized all the plans he had for her. They would still be outside, and he’d specifically imagined using the sponge to make her a happy woman. “I didn’t say that.”
“But you don’t fool around alone.”
“That’s different.”
“Why?”
He stared at her as he tried to come up with a reasonable explanation as to why he was perfectly willing to make her come during this shower experience, but he’d never considered taking his own pleasure that way.
“You don’t have an answer, do you?”
“No.”
“Then here’s the deal. You can play around with me all you want, but then you have to let me have the same liberties. Because I’m getting into this outdoor recreation plan. Now that you’ve convinced me we won’t be observed except for the birds and the bees, I’m all for it.”
“Then so am I.” Hell, why quibble? He had her here for a very short time, and he might as well get as much enjoyment out of those precious hours as possible.
She gazed up at the spigot. “Now that we’ve settled that, turn on the water. And don’t use too much.”
“I won’t.” He opened the valve.
“I want plenty left for my turn with you.”
That comment distracted him so much that he forgot to turn off the water.
“Zach!”
He shut it off again.
“That was too much water. I know it was.”
“Maybe.”
“I’m guessing I should wash my hair before you move in with whatever you have in mind. Otherwise I’ll get soap in my eyes.”
He grinned. His seductive operation was being taken over by this newly liberated woman and he was fine with that. “Sure. Get some suds in your hair and then I’ll give you more water to wash them out.” Then he had a thought. “Or I could wash your hair.”
She paused with her hand cupped, shampoo pooled in her palm. “I suppose you could. Do you want to?”
“Silly question.” He stepped onto the platform, took her hand and transferred the slippery shampoo to his palm. Standing behind her, his body brushing hers, he began working the lather into her hair. “Are your eyes closed?” He didn’t want to get soap in them.
“Yes.”
“Well, tip your head back some more to make sure nothing runs into them.” He massaged her scalp with the tips of his fingers. “Am I doing it right? I’ve never washed anyone’s hair but mine.”
“You’re doing...great.” Her words tumbled out along with a soft purr of contentment.
“Don’t know why I never have. This is fun. Especially naked.”
“Mmm.”
“Eyes still closed?” He leaned over her shoulder to make sure and discovered her nipples were tight with arousal. He was turning her on by washing her hair. He’d had no clue that would happen.
He hated to rinse her hair and break the mood he had going. Figuring that shampoo wasn’t much different from liquid soap, he stroked the lather over her shoulders. Next he covered her breasts with his hands and massaged in slow circles.
She moaned softly and leaned against him, which brought her sleek behind in contact with his increasingly rigid cock. Sweet torture. He reached a hand between her thighs and caressed her with deliberate intent.
Riding Home Page 10
