No Getting Over a Cowboy

by Delores Fossen

  Good.

  Garrett got an even better reaction from her by kissing her right between her legs.

  He got a reaction all right. She bucked beneath him, made a sweet take-me sound that was music to his ears. So he continued kissing her there. Pleasuring her, pleasuring himself and giving him some time to strip her naked.

  There was just enough moonlight sneaking through the windows for him to see her. Not the scar. But everything else. With all his clumsy teenage moves, he hadn’t taken the time to appreciate this seventeen years ago, but he damn sure appreciated it now.

  That didn’t last, though.

  She cursed him, latched on to his hair and pulled him back to her. Not gently, either. Nicky kissed him, hard, cursing his clothes, as well, so Garrett helped with those. He managed to get off his shirt, mostly anyway. He freed one arm, gave up when it started to eat up too much time.

  Because right now, time wasn’t on their side.

  There was a raging need. An ache so deep that Garrett knew there was only one cure. And the cure required a condom.

  While Nicky unzipped him and shoved his jeans off his hips, Garrett fished around on the floor for her pajama top. It wasn’t easy to find in the dark, and Nicky had started to torture him again by freeing him from his boxers. Things had been moving pretty fast before that, but this sped things up further and created a new urgency for him to find that blasted condom.

  He finally fished it from the pocket and had to wrestle Nicky back into place because she was trying to give his dick some “special” kisses. He was already too primed so he got the condom on with every intention of finishing this the right way.

  Something he hadn’t done seventeen years ago since he hadn’t lasted long enough to make her climax.

  He pushed inside her, his brain nearly exploding. The rest of his body wanted to explode, too, but he made sure he held off. Nicky did no such thing. She hooked her legs around him and moved right into the thrusts. There certainly didn’t seem to be any pain tonight, just the pleasure.

  Good.

  Because Garrett was feeling plenty of pleasure, too.

  He moved and moved and moved, making sure that this time he hit just the right spot. A spot he hadn’t even known existed the last time they’d been together like this. But he knew it now, and after a few of those well-placed thrusts, he gave her the first and only orgasm that she’d gotten from having actual sex with him.

  Judging from the bad name she called him and the sounds she made, it was a good one, too.

  It certainly was for Garrett when a few seconds later, he let Nicky give him an orgasm right back.

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  NICKY WOKE UP with a jolt. Literally. Her shoulder and hip smacked against the floor, hard, and that was when she realized she’d fallen off the chaise. When she also realized she’d been sleeping on that same piece of uncomfortable furniture.

  And she’d been sleeping there with Garrett.

  The sound of her fall must have alerted him because he grunted. He obviously wasn’t awake yet. The sound of her groaning and groping to get up must have alerted him further because he finally opened one eye.

  Then he cursed a blue streak when he saw her.

  “Are you all right?” he asked, pulling her back onto the chaise.

  She’d been about to say no, that she might have dislocated her hip, but apparently Garrett was the cure for that. Especially since he was naked. She was, as well, from the waist down, and she got a nice reminder of how good his naked body could feel when he pulled her against him.

  He yawned, scrubbed his hand over his face. All mundane things if he’d been any other man, but she could see that Garrett didn’t fall anywhere in the ordinary category. That sent her in search of a kiss. Until it hit her.

  She could see him.

  Clearly.

  That was because the sunlight was pouring through the window. Jeez Louise. It was morning. And now that her ears weren’t ringing from the fall, she could hear some movement on the floor above them. Out in the hall, too. It sounded as if everyone in the house was up.

  Garrett must have realized it, too, because he scrambled off the chaise. Just as the doorknob rattled. That sent Nicky scrambling, as well.

  “Yoo hoo!” someone called out. Loretta. She was testing the knob again and then knocked on the door.

  Nicky debated if she should just stay quiet, and then Loretta might just go away. Or not.

  “Nicky, if you’re in there, I need to see you,” Loretta added.

  That caused Garrett to move even faster, which was a good thing since he had more clothes to put on than she did. She only had to locate her pajama bottoms and panties. She managed the first but couldn’t find the second.

  “It’s really important, Nicky,” Loretta went on and tested the knob again.

  Lord, Nicky hoped she hadn’t found another skeleton. Since the woman’s knocking was getting more insistent, Nicky pulled on the pajama bottoms, sans panties, and motioned for Garrett to move to the side of the room. There was another locked door there, one that led to a sitting room, and he could dress in there and try to sneak his way through the house so that no one would know where he’d spent the night. Not that Nicky was ashamed of what’d happened, but she really didn’t want to be the focus of this kind of gossip. Gossip that her daughter might overhear.

  “I’m coming,” Nicky called out to Loretta.

  When Nicky opened the door, she stretched and yawned as if she’d just awakened and hoped she didn’t have any visible hickeys or anything. That would be rather hard to explain now that Garrett was no longer in sight.

  “I was reading and fell asleep,” Nicky lied. She yawned again.

  Loretta nodded as if she had no trouble believing that. “I heard that the chief found out about the d-e-a-d m-a-n, that his name is Felix something or other.”

  “Yes. Felix Drummond. His niece ID’d the wedding ring.”

  Loretta let out a long breath and glanced in the hall. “Well, that’s good. I mean, now that we know who he is, we can start putting all this behind us.”

  Nicky wasn’t sure of that at all. There was still the investigation to figure out the cause of death and to prove that Garrett’s mom wasn’t involved. Nor was she sure why Loretta had spelled out those two words when there was no one else around to hear.

  “Clay still has some questions about how the man got here, but it’s a start,” Nicky said.

  “Is that why Garrett is here?” Loretta asked. “Because of Clay’s questions?”

  Nicky was certain she looked like one of those proverbial deer caught in headlights. “Garrett’s here?”

  “Uh, yes,” he answered. He strode toward them from the direction of the sitting room. Apparently, he hadn’t gotten around to making his way out of the house. “I drove over, hoping everyone would be up. I wanted to give Nicky the latest update.”

  Even though Garrett was clothed, he still looked as if he’d just climbed out of bed with someone after a night of sex. That meant Nicky probably looked as if she’d had two nights of sex since she was still wearing her pj’s.

  Loretta didn’t leave. She stayed there, apparently waiting to hear the update he’d just mentioned. An update that probably didn’t exist since he hadn’t been home all night.

  “I’ll be taking my mom to see Clay this morning,” Garrett said as if carefully choosing his words. “He wants her fingerprints to compare with the partial on the receipt. He doesn’t expect it to be a match, but this is standard procedure.”

  Well, that was definitely an update. One that Nicky was surprised he would tell her in front of Loretta. But maybe he knew it would get around when folks saw Belle going into the police station.

  “Oh, dear,” Loretta murmured. “Belle has to be so upset about this.”<
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  “She is.” Garrett checked his watch. “That’s why I should get back.” He slipped on his hat, ready to leave, but then someone called out to him.

  “Gare-if!” Kaylee squealed.

  Her daughter came barreling down the stairs. As much as she could barrel considering she was wearing another bulky outfit that she’d obviously taken from the trunk.

  “Who am I?” Kaylee asked, doing her standard twirl when she was playing this particular game. She didn’t seem to notice the way Nicky was dressed.

  But Gina noticed all right.

  Her friend gave her a sly smile. The smile was tempered a bit with a narrow-eyed warning directed at Garrett. A warning for him not to break her heart again. However, that ship had sailed way out into the ocean. Because Nicky was certain another heartbreak was in her near future.

  Well, maybe.

  It was probably a postorgasmic thought, but maybe Garrett and she could have an affair. Nothing permanent or with strings. Just sex. It would be a start anyway, and far better than a broken heart.

  “Who am I?” Kaylee repeated with another twirl.

  Nicky pulled her attention back to her daughter and studied the clothes. Kaylee was wearing a small floral print old lady dress, complete with a pearl necklace that Nicky hoped was fake. Someone, probably Gina, had gathered Kaylee’s hair into a granny bun.

  Since Loretta was standing right next to her in an old lady dress, granny bun and pearl necklace, this was easy. But Nicky tried to make it seem hard in case Loretta was insulted by Kaylee’s interpretation of her.

  “It’s Miss Cunningham,” Kaylee announced, and she did a decent job of pronouncing the woman’s name.

  Loretta stared at her as if trying to make the connection and then smiled. “Of course you are. She’s sweet as Texas tea,” she added to Nicky. Loretta checked her watch, as well. “But I need to be going. I’ll stop by to see Belle before I head into San Antonio. I need to check on my house, which I’m renting out, and see some friends. I’ll be back in plenty of time to help you with the party.”

  Nicky groaned before she could stop herself. She certainly hadn’t forgotten about the party, but thankfully it wasn’t until tomorrow night. Maybe by then, this situation with Belle would be cleared up.

  Kaylee waved goodbye to both Garrett and Loretta before she went back up the stairs. That was where Nicky needed to go so she could shower and get dressed.

  “You’re here early,” Gina commented to Garrett.

  Garrett nodded. “Like I told Loretta, I was giving Nicky an update from Clay.” He tipped his hat and headed for the door.

  His lie would have been a whole lot more effective if Nicky’s panties hadn’t been caught on the heel of his right cowboy boot.

  Nicky considered running after him, but at that moment the sisters walked by. No sense in drawing attention to something like that. If the panties fell off in the yard or on the trail, everyone would assume they belonged to Lady.

  “So?” Gina said the moment the sisters were out of earshot.

  “You want details or the big picture?” Nicky asked her.

  “Both.”

  Nicky didn’t intend to get too specific. “Garrett came over, and we ended up in here again. It was better this time. Much, much better.”

  Gina smiled. “You look well pleasured.”

  She was. Well, her body was anyway. But the doubts started to come. And the realization that if she wanted to continue this with Garrett, then she needed to tell him the whole truth.

  “I think I’m falling in love with him,” Nicky admitted. “I know. Bad idea,” she added when Gina’s smile faded.

  “It could be.” Coming from Gina that was practically an endorsement for Nicky to take the plunge. She patted Nicky’s arm. “Just talk to him. Tell him about the flowers, about who’s sending them and why. After everything else that’s gone on, it probably won’t even cause him to raise an eyebrow.”

  Yes, it would. Because she didn’t have a stellar track record with him when it came to her secrets. And this was a secret with life-altering consequences.

  One that could possibly send her to jail.

  Thankfully, Nicky didn’t have time to wallow in that depressing thought because Kaylee came back downstairs. No more granny buns and pearls, but she’d gotten into the markers again because she was sporting a red nose and a hat made completely of fake yellow flowers. The flowers had frayed and mushed together, making it look a little like a blond wig.

  “Who am I?” Kaylee asked, complete with twirl.

  But this time, Nicky wasn’t trying to guess. Her attention was on the shirt that Kaylee was using as a dress.

  A man’s plaid shirt.

  It matched the suit and the hat brim on the dead man they’d found in the closet.

  “I a clown,” Kaylee proudly announced.

  “Where did you get that shirt?” Nicky asked her, and then she tried to soften her expression so she wouldn’t alarm Kaylee.

  “In de trunk.” She blended it together like one word, but Nicky had no trouble understanding what her daughter was saying.

  Apparently, Gina made the connection, too. “You think that belongs to Felix Drummond?”

  Nicky doubted it was a coincidence that the pattern matched. “Where in the trunk did you find it?” she asked Kaylee.

  “Way, way, way at the bottom.” She took a wallet from one of the pockets and a small box from the other. “With dis.” The box contained the pearls that she was certain her daughter had been wearing earlier.

  “This wallet and necklace were with that shirt?” Nicky pressed.

  Kaylee nodded. She took off the shirt and proceeded to wrap the box and wallet inside it. “Way, way, way at the bottom,” she repeated.

  “You think he was trying to hide it?” Gina asked. “Maybe because the pearls were a present?”

  That was as good a guess as any, and maybe the CSIs hadn’t found it because it’d been buried deep in the box. Of course, they also might not have found it because they’d had to go through heaven knew how many boxes and trunks filled with clothes.

  Nicky took the shirt, wallet and necklace from Kaylee. “I’ll take them to Clay.”

  First, though, she had to get dressed, and she was about to head upstairs to do that when the wallet fell open, and she saw the driver’s license that was still in place behind a clear plastic screen. She also saw the name.

  And that name wasn’t Felix Drummond.

  * * *

  GARRETT HAD TO hand it to his mother. She was dealing with this a lot better than he’d ever thought she would. Maybe the honeyed shots of booze had helped. Or maybe Sophie had managed to sneak something into Belle’s morning tea before she left for Austin.

  Either way, Belle hadn’t ducked down in the seat on the drive to the police station. In fact, she’d smiled and waved at everyone they drove past on Main Street. For the most part, people had smiled and waved back, but that didn’t mean they weren’t whispering about this situation. He only hoped the gossip stayed at a whisper and that none of the guests brought a side dish of meanness with them when they came to the party at the Widows’ House.

  Garrett had had no luck talking his mother out of cohosting that event, but he hadn’t given up yet. In fact, when he was done with this visit, he was going to ask Nicky about canceling the dinner party.

  Of course, that wasn’t the only reason he wanted to see her.

  He wanted to talk. And kiss her. He didn’t like the way he’d had to rush out of there a few hours ago. Also hadn’t liked that he’d come home with her panties caught on his boot. He especially hadn’t liked that his mother had been the one to notice those undergarments.

  Thankfully, his mother hadn’t asked for any details, but that was probably because Garrett had rushed off to t
he shower. He was betting, though, that the subject would come up soon enough.

  “What are your thoughts about crabs?” his mother asked when he parked in front of the police station.

  Garrett doubted she meant anything sexual so he went with the obvious. “For the party?”

  “What else?” Belle kept right on talking as they got out of his truck. “It’s not too late for Alice and me to make crab cakes. That would be a nice addition to the menu. After we’re finished here, let’s stop by the store and see if Leland can get them for us in time.”

  Well, at least the party gave her something to think about, something other than what was about to go on inside.

  “Remember, Clay will need to fingerprint you,” he reminded her.

  He doubted she needed that reminder, though. Nor had she forgotten about it. That’s why she’d brought a pair of white gloves with her. She probably meant to wear them afterward in case her fingers still had ink on them.

  They walked in, getting everyone’s attention in the squad room. The two deputies—Rowdy Culpepper and his sister, Reena. And Ellie Stoddermeyer, the receptionist. Judging from their somber looks, they knew what was going on.

  “The chief’s waiting for you in his office,” Reena said. “Nicky Marlow’s with him.”

  That caused Garrett to stop. “Why is Nicky here?”

  Reena shook her head. Rowdy lifted a shoulder. “She wouldn’t tell us,” Ellie said. “Nicky always was the secretive sort.” She glanced at Belle. “That seems to be going around.”

  Normally, Garrett could just let that kind of snide remark roll off his back, but he was suddenly in a dick kind of mood. “By the way, Ellie, you left your panties in my truck.”

  And with that, Belle and he continued toward Clay’s office. Sometimes, it didn’t take many words to make a dick-ish statement. Reena gasped, probably already reaching for her phone to tell everyone she knew about this. Rowdy chuckled. And despite Ellie rattling off a protest that they weren’t her panties, few people would want to believe her.