Catching the Cowgirl (Cotton Creek Romance)

by Jennie Marts

  “Wow,” Cody whispered, his voice filled with awe as he stared at the screen. “This is so freaking cool.”

  “This is amazing,” Skye agreed.

  “Wouldn’t it be so cool to actually be in this video game and have to scale the walls yourself, and then you get to walk into this room? That would be awesome.”

  “That would be cool.” Skye nudged Adam. “Could you please work on that? We’d like an option to actually crawl inside your video game and be part of the action.”

  Adam laughed. “I’ll get right on it.” His mind was already racing with the possibilities.

  …

  Skye let out a yawn, then glanced up at the clock on the wall.

  It was almost midnight.

  How could that be?

  They had spent the last two hours playing, wandering around the treasure room and amassing artifacts to use in the next level. She’d been totally immersed in the game and in the fun she was having with both Cody and Adam, and she hadn’t realized how late it was.

  She stifled another yawn. “You guys, we’ve got to quit. We’ve got a big day tomorrow with the cattle drive and the camp-out. We need to get some sleep.”

  “Aw, come on, Mom. Ten more minutes?” Cody pleaded.

  She couldn’t remember the last time her son had begged to spend another ten minutes with her. “Okay, ten more minutes. Then that’s it. No complaints. We’re turning it off and going to bed.”

  Sneaking a glance at Adam, she caught him raising his eyebrows teasingly at her comment about going to bed.

  A grin tugged at the corners of her lips, and she nudged him with her elbow. “Be good,” she mouthed.

  “I plan to be,” he said quietly against her ear, before he reached forward and took the last cookie from the plate.

  Heat bloomed in her chest at the thought of sleeping with Adam, at how “good” it could be. From the way he had kissed her earlier, she imagined it would range somewhere in the category between “amazing” and “spectacular,” bordering on “mind-blowing.”

  His first kiss had been toe-curling enough, and her inner muscles clenched as she fantasized about what could have happened if Cody hadn’t come home.

  Would Adam have taken her to bed?

  Would she have wanted him to?

  This was crazy. And seemed to be happening way too fast. She couldn’t believe how far and how fast that first kiss had gone, how quickly they’d both become carried away in the moment. He’d gone from touching her hand to first base in a matter of minutes.

  And the craziest thing was…she’d wanted him to. Wanted him to touch her, and reveled in the fact that they’d been so caught up in the heat of passion that he was pulling aside her clothes. The thought of his hand, and his mouth, on her breast had her skin heating even now.

  The fact that things had happened so quickly told her there was something special about this guy. They had chemistry.

  Still, her actions had surprised her. She hadn’t kissed a man in years, and yet, she was suddenly considering jumping into bed with Adam.

  Could she just be desperate to have a man’s hands on her?

  No, she knew she wasn’t like that. Besides, she’d had plenty of opportunity to date, if she’d wanted to. But she hadn’t.

  There was only one man in her life. Well, one boy, that she was busting her butt to turn into a man. A fine man, who respected women, and who wouldn’t leave.

  Not like his father, who had left before he’d even met Cody. Skye had been nine months pregnant when she’d turned up on her father’s doorstep with a suitcase, a swollen belly, a tear-stained face, and a promise to herself to never trust another man with her heart.

  And she hadn’t. It was easier to turn guys down, right at the start. She didn’t need to date. She wasn’t even sure she ever wanted another man in her life.

  But then a tall, dark-haired computer whiz had stepped off the bus, wearing a frown and a pair of awful snakeskin cowboy boots, and her heart had stumbled in her chest.

  Who would have thought that a guy who’d never even been on a horse would be the one to finally jumpstart her heart?

  And her libido.

  One touch of Adam’s lips and she was right back in the old saddle again…er…so to speak. Her mind might have put those feelings aside, but her body remembered, responding to his touch with a fire and intensity that she didn’t even know she had in her.

  But evidently she did. And not just a little flame, but apparently a freaking inferno.

  Just thinking about it had licks of heat darting up her spine, and she barely resisted squirming in her seat.

  Focus on the game, girl.

  They were only going to play for ten more minutes. So, she had ten more minutes of feeling Adam’s thigh pressed against hers, of smelling his amazing aftershave, of having her bare arm brush against his bicep.

  Thirty minutes later, they were still playing.

  “We have to stop,” she said, setting down her controller and finally calling it quits.

  “Okay. Okay,” Cody conceded, dropping his controller on the sofa and giving his mom a quick one-armed hug. “I’m going to bed. Thanks for playing, Mom. That was cool.” He waved at Adam as he headed for his bedroom. “Good night, Adam. Thanks for teaching my mom to play Misfortune.”

  “Good night. See you tomorrow.”

  Skye sat perfectly still, unable to move, stunned at the actions of her son.

  “You okay?” Adam asked, turning to her as the door of Cody’s room thumped shut.

  She shook her head slowly. “Did you see that? My son just gave me a hug. And thanked me for hanging out with him.” She raised her head, her gaze meeting Adam’s. “Thank you. Thank you for teaching me to play this game. For having this idea.”

  He shrugged. “It was no big deal.”

  “It was a big deal.” She rested her hand lightly on his leg. “Everything about tonight was a big deal.”

  A shy smile crossed his face, and he glanced down at her hand. “Yeah. It was for me, too. I wish…” He stopped.

  “You wish what?”

  He shook his head. “Nothin’. It’s late. I’d better let you get to bed.” He set his controller next to hers and pushed up from the sofa. He stretched his arms above his head and let out a yawn. His shirt rose above his waistband, offering her a glimpse of the tight muscles of his abdomen, and she wanted to reach out and run her fingers across the band of skin.

  “How do you stay in such great shape when you work in an office all day?” She stood up and followed him to the door.

  He grabbed his computer on the way. “Brandon, one of my partners, is a big health nut. He had a workout room installed at our office and insists that we all work out together three or four times a week. We usually strategize as we lift and do cardio. It works out pretty well—keeps us in fighting shape.” He laughed as he patted his stomach.

  “They sound like great guys.” She opened her front door and stepped into the empty hallway with him.

  “They are. And we usually do whatever Brandon tells us to do. Except when he tried to get us to drink kale smoothies. We drew the line at that one.”

  “I hope I get to meet them.”

  “I’d hoped so, too. But from the last email they sent, it’s not sounding likely. But don’t worry. I’ll still pay for their stay here.”

  “That’s fine. Whatever you want to do,” she said casually, although she was breathing an inner sigh of relief. She didn’t want to tell Adam that she needed their registration fees to pay one of her overdue bills. It was embarrassing enough that he’d caught sight of those bills scattered on the floor of her office. Hopefully, he hadn’t realized what they were.

  “And I’ll cover their fees for the excursions, too. I know the cattle drive and the camp-out was an extra fee, and I’ll make sure that’s covered, even though they didn’t show up. In fact, maybe I’ll throw in a bit extra, just to make up for the inconvenience.”

  Apparently he did realize i
t. “You don’t have to do that.”

  “I want to. I want to help.”

  Even though his words were spoken in earnest, her back still bristled. Did he feel sorry for her? She already had Clint offering to swoop in to save her. Now Adam was going to try, too? Did she seem that desperate? “I don’t need your charity.”

  He reared back slightly at the hostility of her tone. “It’s not charity. It’s business. Besides, it’s not a big deal. I’d just like to help you out. Because I can.”

  Where was this coming from? Did he have some kind of white-knight complex? Did he think he was some rich guy coming in to help the poor country girl? Screw that. “Sorry, I’m not trying to be nasty about it, but I’ve come a long way to prove that I can run this ranch on my own. I can take care of myself. I don’t need your help, or anyone’s.”

  “Except for Captain Cowboy’s,” he muttered, his gaze going to a spot on the carpet.

  “What did you say?”

  He sighed and looked back up at her. “I said, except for that guy, Clint. You seem to be okay taking his help.”

  “Not that it’s any of your business, but I don’t take his help. We barter for services. He doesn’t work on the ranch for free. He does it in exchange for my help.”

  “You’re right. It isn’t any of my business.” He took a step back, hurt and embarrassment evident on his face. “I should probably just go.”

  “Yeah, you probably should.” Annoyance and defeat swirled through her chest as she stepped back into her apartment and shut the door behind her.

  Chapter Nine

  Breakfast the next morning proved to be an ordeal, as Skye did her best to avoid looking at Adam, or crossing paths with Adam, or mentioning Adam’s name, all while her traitorous eyes kept trying to sneak glances at him.

  He must have visited the gift shop again, because he showed up at breakfast wearing one of the blue flannel shirts they sold. She didn’t know whether to feel glad for the sale or insulted that he was trying to find another way to offer her charity.

  The shirt did look good on him, though. So did the boots. Dang. Why did he have to look so freaking cute?

  And why did she start to sweat every time she thought about that kiss?

  Although calling it just a kiss didn’t do it justice. It was more like a toe-curling, spine-tingling, heat-filled lip assault. And that was putting it mildly.

  Looking at him this morning, with his glasses slightly askew and a shock of his dark hair still sticking up from where he’d just run his hand through it, he didn’t appear to be the suave, charming guy that had knocked her socks—and her bra—off.

  The rest of her breakfast companions had already left, but she still sat at her table, nibbling on the last of a butter-covered biscuit, while she tried not to look at him.

  Adam was still at his table, too, apparently deep in conversation with Josh, the young newlywed.

  Skye studied him for a moment, his expression intense as he nodded, apparently agreeing with whatever the other man was saying.

  Looking at him now, there didn’t appear to be anything special about the guy. Sure, he was cute, and he had a great body, slim and lean and muscled just enough so that you could see the outline of his bicep straining against the fabric of his shirt.

  But she knew plenty of guys who were cute and muscular. What was the big deal about this one? Why did the thought of him keep her awake most of the night as she relived that make-out session on the sofa?

  He is just a guy, she reminded herself. A guy that lived in California, who would be here for only a few more days. A guy who didn’t have a place in her world and who would soon be walking out of her life. Just like every other guy.

  Adam wasn’t any different. He wasn’t special.

  Then he grinned at something Josh said, and her insides went loopy, and her heart suddenly felt too big for her chest.

  She took a deep breath, fighting the sudden sting of tears in her eyes. Where the hell did that come from?

  Swallowing back the sudden emotion, she turned away, busying herself with cleaning up the table and putting the condiments back in their place at the center. Staring into her lap, she twisted the corner of her napkin between her fingers.

  She needed to forget about Adam Clark. She knew he was going to leave. He had to leave. He had a life somewhere else. No—it was best to just forget about him altogether. Focus on her work, the ranch, her son.

  “Is this seat taken?”

  Her head jerked up as Adam pulled out the chair next to her and sat down.

  The scent of his now familiar aftershave mingled with the smell of maple syrup filled the air around her, and her pulse quickened.

  “Um…no…I mean, hi,” she stammered. He didn’t touch her, but she swore she could feel the heat of his skin as his leg rested less than an inch from hers.

  “Listen, Skye, I’m sorry about last night. I hated the way we left things.”

  She let out a shaky breath. “Me, too.”

  “I thought about what you said. Actually I thought about you all last night. I don’t think I slept at all.”

  She blinked. He’d stayed up all night thinking about her?

  He waited a beat, as if hoping she might return the sentiment, but she didn’t know what to say.

  “Anyway, I wanted to tell you that I’m sorry, and that last night really meant something to me. You mean something to me. I don’t usually act like that.”

  She sighed. “It’s just that I’ve been on my own for a long time. I don’t need someone to come in and act like they know what’s best for me.”

  He shook his head. “I wouldn’t dream of suggesting that I know what’s best for you. I was just trying to help. That’s how my brain works. I see a problem, and I try to fix it.”

  “But I don’t need anyone to fix me.”

  His hand rested on the table next to hers. He stretched out his thumb and gently stroked it across the edge of her hand, sending a shiver down her spine.

  “I wasn’t trying to fix you. You are perfect. Couldn’t you tell? I acted like a sex-starved teenager, something I never do. But you just make me kind of crazy.”

  Crazy? She tried to pull her hand back, but he reached out and grabbed it instead. His skin was warm as he squeezed her fingers against his palm.

  “Crazy in a good way. Like in an ‘I can’t stop thinking about you—I’m crazy about you’ kind of way.” He leaned closer and lowered his voice. “And last night, when I kissed you, I did feel like a teenager. I don’t know what came over me, but I couldn’t think straight, couldn’t think at all. And I definitely couldn’t keep my hands off of you.”

  Heat warmed her chest, and her mouth went dry. He’d just said he was “crazy about her.” She swallowed. This whole thing was crazy.

  “Thanks, Skye. Breakfast was great,” Josh called out as he and Brittany left the dining hall.

  She pushed back in her chair, shaking her head, and dropped Adam’s hand so she could wave at the newlyweds. It was as if she’d forgotten for a moment that they were still at the breakfast table, surrounded by guests. “We’ll see you guys this afternoon.”

  Adam cleared his throat, looking around as if he, too, had just noticed they weren’t alone.

  He changed his tone to a more professional, less intimate one. “So anyway, like I was saying, I do see a problem with the efficiency of your office equipment. Even though Bess, your antiquated but familiar computer system, is great, she could use a serious upgrade. And that’s something I can easily help with. I work for a company that deals with computers, and we have to keep up with the latest technology. We literally have dozens of computers that are only a few years old sitting in a storage room, waiting to be recycled or donated or used for spare parts. You would actually be helping me by taking a few off my hands.”

  “But…”

  “Before you say anything, I want you to know that I heard what you said last night about Cowboy Clint and how you barter for services. So I came u
p with what I think is a suitable trade. I want to upgrade your technology for the lodge and make life easier for you. You want to upgrade my appreciation for nature and make life better for me. Right?”

  “Right.”

  “So how about if we strike a deal? A barter, if you will. You let me install a little bit of technology to update your system, and I’ll let you introduce me to the finer points of nature and try not to grumble too much about getting dirt on my clothes.” He offered her a friendly grin.

  He’d obviously thought this through. How could she say no? “Are they really old computers that you don’t use anymore? I know computer equipment is expensive, and I wouldn’t feel right letting you spend money on me like that.”

  He drew an X on his chest. “Cross my heart. We literally have a storeroom full of old equipment that will probably just get recycled anyway. If you were to take it, it would clear stuff out of our storage space, and it will make me feel better about our upgrades, knowing that someone is putting the old stuff to good use.”

  She grudgingly held out her hand. “Okay. You’ve got a deal.”

  He took her hand and held it in his for just a moment too long. “Good.”

  “But I’m not gonna take it easy on you with this nature stuff. Since we’re already doing a camp-out tonight, I’m thinking we need to add a hike up the bluff and fire-making lessons.”

  “I’m all in.”

  “Prepare to get dirty.”

  A naughty grin spread across his face.

  She laughed. “I didn’t mean it like that.” Not entirely. But now that she thought about it, maybe she did.

  …

  Adam shifted in the saddle and squeezed his legs around his horse’s middle, trying desperately to hold on. He was fine when the beast was just walking, but it made him nervous every time it sped up, bouncing him around while it jogged or trotted or whatever Skye had called it.

  A “sore ass” was what he called it. But he was trying to be a good sport. What was the worst that could happen anyway? The horse could buck him off, and he could break his arm in the fall, then get trampled by the hundreds of cows they were moving from one ridge to another and end up hospitalized or dead. Other than that, no big deal.