Cameron, Paige - The Billionaire Cowboy Takes a Wife (Siren Publishing Everlasting Classic)

by Paige Cameron

  “Are you angry about what happened tonight?” The words came out before he thought about them. Had he pushed too fast? His own strong desire had no patience. He’d not even tried to pull back.

  Samantha glanced at him. “Not angry, confused, tired.” A brief smile crossed her face. “I’m totally relaxed in a different way.”

  His lips curling into a satisfied smile went unnoticed. “Let’s go riding tomorrow or, I should say, today. We’ll talk.”

  “I’ll think about it. Call me later.” Samantha opened her door. “Don’t get out. I know my way in.”

  He waited until she disappeared inside before starting his truck and heading home. Her scent clung to him and was in the air around him. She excited him in a way no other woman had. He’d known for a long time he wanted to marry her. He’d never dreamed of the intense desire she’d release in him.

  Tonight, he’d taken her slowly at first and then fast and hard, a raging fever of need and want taking control. Jackson raked his fingers through his hair. He’d always been a controlled man in his business and personal life. She’d brought out a side of him he’d never experienced before.

  He wanted Samantha more than anything or anyone he’d ever desired. She’d marry him. She cared for him, and hopefully she loved him, but loving meant letting go of control, and for Samantha that was difficult. Still, whatever means he had to use, he was not going to lose her.

  * * * *

  Her ringing phone woke her. “Hello.”

  “It’s time to wake up, sleepyhead,” Jackson said.

  Samantha looked at her clock. “Ten. I’ve got to get dressed. I never sleep this late.”

  “Get ready. We’ll go riding.”

  “I’m not even awake yet, and I have to check with Gramps to see which part of the ranch he’s working today.”

  “Your grandfather stopped by early. He’s headed out to his south field. I sent one of my men with him so you wouldn’t feel you had to help.”

  “Jackson, I really don’t like this attitude you have that you can control my life.”

  “We need to plan our wedding. I’m going to call my folks after we talk and make some decisions. I thought you’d like to speak with them. It’s your choice. I have plenty of work around here I can do. In fact, that might be the best idea. You can think about what kind of wedding you want to have, and what we need to do to get ready in two weeks. We’ll go riding tomorrow.”

  She hadn’t really wanted him to change their plans. Her annoyance at him arrogantly taking control had backfired on her. But this would give her time alone to build up her defenses. Really, she had to stop melting into a puddle at his feet.

  “All right, tomorrow is better.”

  “Good. I’ll ride over around seven in the morning in time to have breakfast with your grandfather.” He hung up.

  Samantha stared at the phone and shook her head to wake up better. She’d gotten her way, but it didn’t feel good. Not at all.

  She dressed in her old jeans and a comfortable shirt, pulled on her cowboy boots, and grabbed her hat then headed downstairs.

  “Good morning, Maria. When will Gramps return?”

  “Not sure. He didn’t say.”

  Samantha took a biscuit off a platter by the stove. “I’ll eat this on the way. I’m going to join him.”

  “He thought you and Jackson were riding out together.”

  “Nope. We both have our own things to do. See you later.”

  Her mare, Princess, let Samantha know she wanted to run. Samantha enjoyed flying across the meadow with the breeze in her face and sunshine beaming down on her. She’d returned to her element, nothing but trees, cattle, and open land stretching as far as she could see. The fragrance of wildflowers tickled her nose. In the distance, she saw several of the ranch hands working on a fence. Gramps sat on his horse observing them. She pulled Princess up and headed in their direction.

  Seeing her, Gramps rode toward her. “Thought Jackson and you had plans for the day.”

  “Nope. We both had things we wanted to do separately.” Samantha took a deep breath. “I’ve missed being out on the ranch. Even a few days in the big city is too much for me.”

  Gramps frowned. “You know your life will change when you get married.”

  “Not really. Jackson’s agreed I can take care of the two ranches while he does what he needs to around the world.” She shrugged. “He’s headed to Singapore on Thursday.”

  “I don’t think so. He said he’d made plans for someone else to cover for him.”

  “Whatever. Today is mine to enjoy what I love doing. Are you staying out here all day?” she asked Gramps.

  “No. I’m heading back.”

  “Don’t worry. I’ll be here to help. See you at dinner, Gramps.” She pretended not to notice the scowl on his face as he rode off.

  In the late afternoon, a cooler breeze blowing over Samantha’s face had her looking up. Dark, cumulous clouds were building in the east. She and the others decided to head for home. The breeze soon turned into a strong wind, and large raindrops began to fall just as they reached the barn. Samantha led Princess inside and removed her saddle and rubbed her down.

  She was tired, a good tired, and she hadn’t thought of Jackson at all—well, almost not at all. Having a day by herself had given her back her equilibrium. She’d not be a pushover for him tomorrow. Feeling very satisfied, Samantha walked briskly through the rain toward the back screen door.

  “Sam.” Maria opened the door calling her name. Samantha ran to her and took the towel she offered. “Jackson wants to speak with you.” Maria pointed to the receiver hanging from the wall phone. Samantha wrapped the towel around her wet hair and picked up the receiver. “Jackson?”

  “Did you have a busy day?”

  “Busy, but good.”

  “Look, something has come up. I’m flying out early tomorrow morning, but I plan to be back by late tomorrow evening. I’m going to have several of my associates and their families join me here for the weekend. I thought you might think about how we could entertain them and their children. My PR person is working on some ideas, but if you have any suggestions I’ll see they get added.”

  “Have any of them been to a ranch before?” Samantha asked.

  “Not the families. Most of my senior associates have been here for a working retreat.”

  “If I think of anything, I’ll give you a call.”

  “Good. I’ve got to go. Oh, by the way, have you given our wedding any thought?”

  “Not really, and with the rest of this week being so busy, we’ll need to put it off for at least another week or two.”

  He laughed. “Not at all. I’ll ask Mrs. Haverty to come here with the rest of the staff. She can help you plan.”

  “That won’t be necessary. I’ll invite Janice. She’s very organized.”

  “All right. Talk with you tomorrow night.” The phone clicked off. Samantha glanced around. Maria had left the kitchen to give her privacy. For some reason, her good mood had evaporated. Surely, she hadn’t been looking forward to their ride tomorrow that much. She was tired. A hot shower and meal and she’d be fine. Afterwards she’d call Janice, and tomorrow she’d work with the ranch hands again. Somehow that didn’t excite her as much as it had this morning.

  * * * *

  Jackson strode into his office early the next morning. He’d missed seeing Samantha yesterday but hoped a few days apart might help her realize she did want to marry him, and not just because of her grandfather’s demands.

  He really did need to be here in the city today. He had papers to sign, and soon he’d have to make a final decision on his replacement. He planned to retire the day before his wedding. He’d still be the major stockholder and president of the board.

  All the necessary decisions and plans were coming together. He’d decided on this move six months ago, when he realized he wanted to be more actively involved with all aspects of ranching and the community. He’d tired of the cutthroa
t rat race.

  One of the reasons he’d never seriously considered marriage until now was because he didn’t want to raise a family in that environment. He wanted his full-time home and job to be at the ranch. He’d get to see his children grow, to teach them to ride a horse and to work the farm.

  Only a very select few knew about the major changes coming. He’d decided even to wait to tell Samantha. It was vitally important that not even a hint get out until all papers had been signed. His enemies might like to create problems.

  “Hello, Mrs. Haverty. How are you today?” Jackson smiled at his longtime secretary.

  “I’m fine, Mr. Stone. Mr. Terrell is in your office enjoying a cup of coffee.”

  “He’s always said you make the best,” Jackson teased. He strode to his door and stopped. “Mrs. Haverty, I’d like you to come in after he leaves. I have something I want to ask you.”

  She looked puzzled. “Is anything wrong?”

  “Not at all, just the opposite. We’ll talk later.” He waved and went in to join one of his best friends, who also happened to be his attorney.

  Jackson hurried through the day. He’d decided to get back early enough to visit Samantha. His strong desire to see her and touch her continued to surprise him. The big question was, did she miss him as much?

  By five, he was on his helicopter headed home. Mrs. Haverty had agreed to think about his offer to join him at the ranch as his all-around assistant with the business of running the ranch. She’d voiced her preference for the country several times in his presence, so he expected, if her husband agreed, that they’d move to the ranch shortly after him. She’d known all along of his plans to retire and leave most of the running of his company to one of his current associates.

  He still hadn’t quite decided which one he’d choose. For that reason, he had invited them and their families to visit this weekend. He hoped to convince Samantha to be his hostess.

  “Let me off at the Rileys’ landing strip,” he said to his pilot.

  “Yes, Sir.” The pilot turned the bird due west as Jackson settled back in his seat. At his feet was his surprise for Samantha.

  * * * *

  Samantha heard the helicopter coming close. She leaned as far as she could out her window and saw the big bird landing. Her heartbeat quickened. Jackson must have left the city early. She’d just hung up from talking with Janice and arranging her arrival for Friday. Glancing down at her shorts and T-shirt, she started to the closet to change, but the noise outside had stopped, meaning Jackson was probably already coming to the house. She put on her tan sandals and hurried downstairs.

  His large frame shadowed the doorway as she reached the last step. “Samantha,” he called out.

  “I’m here. Just a minute.” She took a deep breath to steady her nerves before forcing herself to walk slowly to the screen door. “Jackson, I thought you weren’t returning until late tonight.” She opened the door and stood back as he came in, carrying a carton.

  “My work took less time than I expected.” He dipped his head and kissed her mouth. “Miss me?” His eyes held a teasing expression.

  “Not at all,” she said. “The time went by very fast.”

  “Liar,” he whispered in her ear.

  The brown box he held in his hands moved. She heard a noise. “What is that?”

  He held it out to her. “My surprise.”

  “For me?” Her face flushed with pleasure.

  He nodded. “Yes, open it. But be careful, handle gently.”

  Puzzled, she sat on the nearest chair and opened the loosely closed lid. Dark brown eyes looked up at her. “A puppy.” She reached in and lifted the small golden-haired dog into her lap. “You’re beautiful.”

  “She’s a golden retriever. Her fur reminds me of the color of your hair.” Jackson knelt in front of Samantha as she hugged the pup. “Is it all right? I know you’ve missed Sergeant since he died of old age almost two years ago. You swore you’d never have another dog. But I saw this one at a friend’s house recently.” He petted the puppy’s fur. “Their dog had four puppies, and this was the runt of the litter. I thought of you, so I asked to buy her.”

  Samantha rubbed her cheek over the silky fur. “She’s precious. Sergeant was just a mutt, but I loved him anyway. He was a great thirteenth birthday present.” She put the puppy on the floor and stood. The puppy immediately began to sniff their feet and the furniture. “What shall I call her?”

  “You decide. She’s yours.”

  Samantha looked at Jackson. “Thank you.”

  He reached for her and pulled her close. “Now you can do better than that.” He gave her his half smile that always made her body tingle.

  She put her arms around his neck and stretched up on her tiptoes to brush her lips across his. Jackson’s arms pulled her tight as his mouth ravished hers. His hard cock pushed against her abdomen. The sound of the screen door opening broke them apart.

  “Well, well. Finally, I get to see some passion between you two. I was beginning to worry that you’d concocted this whole thing only to meet my demands. I know how persuasive my granddaughter can be. I was sure she’d convinced you to go along with her,” Gramps said. He had stepped just inside the door and wore a wide grin. He looked more relaxed then she’d seen him in a long time. A rush of guilt went through her hearing his words.

  “What do we have here?” Gramps had knelt down to look at the puppy. Feeling frisky, the small pup ran to Gramps and licked his chin. Gramps picked her up, chuckling.

  “I brought her to Samantha as a surprise,” Jackson said.

  “I’m glad. I’ve missed having a dog around here. Of course, I guess she’ll go with Samantha when she moves to your place.”

  “I’ll bring her around every day, Gramps. I promise.”

  Gramps shook Jackson’s hand. “Good to see you back. Why not join us for dinner? Maria always has enough for company.”

  “I’d like that. First though, do Samantha and I have time to take a walk? I need to discuss something with her.”

  “Sure.” Gramps glanced at his watch. “We won’t eat for another hour. I have to get cleaned up.” He glanced down at the puppy, who was trying to chew on his boot. “She’ll be safe here. Nothing much she can hurt in this room. I’ll ask Maria to keep an eye on her. Go on.” He made a motion with his hands for them to leave.

  Jackson grabbed Samantha’s hand and led her outside. The sunset in the west shed streaks of purple, pink, and yellow across the sky, and a soft, cool breeze blew across Samantha’s face. Jackson led her away from the house toward a grove of trees. He didn’t stop walking until the house was out of sight.

  Samantha tugged at his hand. “What is so important, Jackson? Slow down. I’m almost out of breath.”

  “This.” Jackson swung her around and against a large oak tree. He moved his body hard against hers and cradled her face in his hands. “I’ve missed you and this.” His lips closed on her mouth. She opened her lips, and his tongue invaded, moving along the inside and over her teeth. Involuntarily, her fingers ran through his silky hair as she kissed him back.

  He nudged her legs apart and put his full erection against her softness. She moved herself against the ridge, creating a deep ache inside her. His fingers ran along the edge of her short shorts and then underneath to touch the wetness gushing from between her pussy lips.

  “You’re so hot and slick. You want me as much as I want you. Come home with me tonight.”

  “I can’t. Maria and Gramps will know what we’re doing.”

  He leaned his head back. “Honey, it’s natural. See how suspicious your grandfather was because he hadn’t seen us show this excitement for each other. Anyway, we have a good excuse. We need to plan for my guests who will arrive tomorrow afternoon and leave Sunday morning. Then, the next Saturday we get married.”

  “We really shou—”

  He stopped her. “We’re not going to postpone the wedding. I don’t care if we only have my parents, your grandfat
her, and Maria here.”

  She leaned her head against his chest and tried to ignore the movement of his fingers sending shivers up her spine. “Janice is coming tomorrow to help.”

  He gave her a quick peck and stepped back from her. “If I don’t stop now, I won’t be able to, and we’re a little exposed here. We’ll continue this at my house, tonight.” Taking her hand, he started back. “You can call Janice and see if she wants to fly in with the other guests. The plane will land them on my private airstrip.”

  “All right.” She pushed her hair back and straightened her clothes as they came out of the trees. “Behave at dinner.”

  Jackson laughed. “It’ll be a strain, but I’ll do my best.”

  Samantha ran upstairs to freshen up and then joined Jackson and Gramps at the dinner table. Gramps was in a good mood. He and Jackson talked about the two ranches, while Samantha enjoyed just watching their faces and listening to them. When Jackson mentioned Samantha going to his house for the evening Gramps readily agreed. “I’m tired and going to bed early anyway.”

  “You don’t need to work so hard, Gramps. We have plenty of help, and I can ride out and check on things.”

  “Don’t take my work away from me, child. What would I do with myself but sit around here and miss your grandmother? No, I’ll be fine by tomorrow morning. I’ll come in earlier in the afternoon.”

  Although Samantha worried, she knew any further conversation would only upset him and not accomplish anything. She kissed him on the cheek and stuck her head in the kitchen door to tell Maria good-bye. Then, she and Jackson went to Gramps’ truck.

  “Since you have to drive me home, and you’ll be returning on your own, I won’t keep you with me as late as usual,” Jackson said.

  “Like there is anyone around here that would harm me.”

  “Even in the country, strangers can be passing through.”

  “I suppose.” She climbed into the driver’s seat.

  Open truck windows let in the sweet fragrance of night-blooming jasmine. Samantha glanced at Jackson. “You look tired.”