MONTANA HOMECOMING (Montana Book 2)

by Lane, Soraya

  "Truth is, you do know me, because I'm not that different from the teenage me."

  "Yeah?"

  "Yeah," she replied. "But I've spent the past ten years hoping to meet Mr. Right, and so far that search has been pretty pathetic."

  "So you've just decided to give up?"

  She shook her head, looking into his eyes as she spoke. Her own eyes had adjusted so it didn't seem anywhere near as dark as it had before.

  "I guess I always believed that a woman could have it all, but I'm starting to realize that's not the case," she admitted to him, wondering why she was saying out aloud what she'd kept in her head for so long. "I've met some guys who've seemed great on the outside, but it doesn't take long before they expect me to change. Before they either resent my career or just outright think that what they do is more important than what I do."

  He chuckled, but it wasn't patronizing because she knew it wasn't her he was laughing at so much as the situation she was describing. Or at least that's what she hoped.

  "So what you're telling me is that no one's going to have you as their housewife, barefoot and pregnant?"

  She laughed, tipping her head back and looking up at the stars. It was a clear night and the moon was almost full, with stars dotted all around it.

  "It's not that I wouldn't like a family one day, because I would, but I left home with a dream of becoming an artist, and I've worked so hard to get where I am."

  "Hey, you don't have to explain to me," he said, slurping the rest of his drink before turning slightly so his body was facing hers. "We all have our reasons for not wanting to settle down, I was just curious."

  "Can I ask you something, then?" she said, wanting to ask Scott a question that constantly played on her mind.

  "Sure."

  "Do you see Jack and Maddie together and get a little jealous of what they have? I mean, does it make you want that, too?"

  "Is that how you feel when you're around them?" he asked her.

  "Hey, I was asking you the question," she said with a laugh. "But yeah, I guess I do think that sometimes. Not that I'm jealous, but it must be nice."

  He stared straight ahead before turning back to her, touching her hand. She felt her heart start to race, hadn't expected him to just touch her without warning like that. Amanda let it happen, didn't move as he linked their fingers and gently stroked her hand with his thumb.

  "You know, Jack's like a different man since he married Maddie, and I mean that in a good way. He's always smiling and he's not so serious." Scott took his hand away and she wished she was brave enough to reach for it again, but instead she just watched as he ran a hand through his hair. "So yeah, I admire him for what he's got, but I've always had this feeling that I'm not the type to settle down like that."

  Scott blew out a breath and wondered why the hell he was baring his soul to Amanda. Sure, it didn't matter what he told her because they'd known each other forever, but it still wasn't like him to talk about his feelings.

  He glanced down when she touched him, when her hand came to softly rest on his thigh. She didn't move her fingers, but hell, if she had he would have found it hard to sit still. Just having her hand there was tempting as hell.

  "I think we're all the type to settle down, it's just whether or not we let it happen. What we're prepared to compromise on," Amanda said.

  Scott was still staring at her hand, but instead of just watching it, he covered it with his own. What he wasn't going to say was that he didn't ever feel like he deserved a happy ending. He was shit scared of getting close to anyone, because he knew what it was like to lose the person in the world you cared most for, and he'd spent all his childhood being told he didn't deserve to be loved. Hell, his father had treated him like crap, made his life hell, telling him all the time that he wasn't good enough. That he wouldn't even amount to anything. He'd gone from being cuddled and loved by his mom, to a cold and cruel upbringing that he did his best to forget all about.

  "Maybe some of us are just made to have fun," he replied, not wanting to discuss of his feelings anymore.

  "Yeah, maybe."

  He watched as Amanda's tongue darted out to moisten her lips, all of the gloss gone as a result of the food they'd eaten. Suddenly he couldn't take his eyes off her mouth.

  "So what do you say, Mandy?" he asked.

  Her gaze had dropped now, too, eyes on his lips. "To what?"

  "Do you still just want to have some fun?"

  She nodded, slowly, moving her hand from beneath his and reaching up to touch his cheek, to run her fingers down his face.

  "I'm only here for a short time, Scott. So yeah, just for fun."

  He was so used to being the one wanting to keep things on casual terms, but hearing her say it was… unexpected. He'd waited a long time for this, and he was going to take his sweet time over anything happening between them. His problem was that he always lost interest too quickly, and he wasn't going to let that happen with Amanda, especially if they only had a week or two together.

  "It just so happens," he said, moving closer, his mouth barely an inch from hers, "that fun is my middle name."

  Amanda's hot breath was like a hit of cocaine to his sex-deprived soul. Scott wanted to tease her longer, and he had every intention of doing so in other ways, but holding back from kissing her wasn't one of them.

  He gently touched his lips to hers, moving them so slowly it was almost painful. Her mouth was warm and soft, moving in time to his, so innocent it was almost unbearable. There was only so long he could keep it up without letting things get rougher, more intense, but hell he was trying. Damn, was he trying.

  But for all his good intentions, all his willpower, Amanda was the one not prepared to go slow. One minute she was beside him, her body only just skimming his, and the next she was on her knees, slinging one leg over his thighs so she was straddling him. He didn't know where her sudden burst of confidence had come from, but he wasn't going to ask questions, not with her breasts pressed to his chest, her arms slung over his shoulders, her thighs clamping down tight as she sat on him.

  Amanda had one hand in his hair, his too-long locks that he'd been meaning to cut, and he was pleased he hadn't. Because he liked the feel of her fingers raking through them, tugging slightly, spurring him on.

  He delved deeper into her mouth with his tongue, wanting to tease her, to pleasure her, even if they were only kissing, even if things didn't go any further than making out at Lookout Point like teens. There was something more exciting about being here with Amanda, because he genuinely had no idea whether he'd see her naked or not, how hard he was going to have to work to get her into bed. He'd take uncomfortable kissing on the bed of a pickup to a one night stand hook up from a bar any night of the week. He'd become bored of too much predictability, but this? This was hot. This was how he'd always imagined Amanda would be, only he'd expected to be the one taking charge.

  Scott grinned when she moaned, liking the feel of her nails scraping his scalp as she wriggled even tighter against him. He took the opportunity to run one hand down her back, caressing her long hair along the way, and touching the top of her breast with his other. He stroked his fingers across her soft, silky skin, before gently nudging her top down, feeling the lace of her bra and wanting to rub his fingertips across her nipples, to feel the heaviness of her breast in his hand.

  "Ow!"

  Amanda slapped his hand, shuffling back some so she could look down at him. With her other hand she grabbed a handful of his hair and yanked a little.

  "No getting frisky," she whispered with a grin.

  He looked back at her, trying not to laugh. It had been a long time since he'd actually had his hand slapped away.

  "Tell me what you want me to do, then," he replied in a low voice.

  She pressed her lips to his again, slowly moving them, her tongue touching his. When she pulled back, he could see how much she wanted more, how sexually charged she was, but for some reason she was holding back.

&nbs
p; "I want to take things slow," she finally said, wrapping her arms around his neck again.

  "I can do slow," he told her, even though slow wasn't something he'd ever wanted to do before. "But just don't mistake me going slow for not wanting you."

  He got it; she'd probably never had no strings sex before, she'd as good as admitted to being a relationship girl, and if he had to be patient, then he damn well would be.

  "Same here," she whispered, trailing her hands down his chest and staring at his face.

  "You know," he said, stroking her back again and loving the feel of her long, silky hair. "I'm really regretting not thinking about a blanket now."

  She laughed. "I can't even feel my knees anymore."

  Scott groaned. It was all well and good getting it on under the stars, but it was time they shifted this to somewhere more comfortable.

  "As much as I want you to stay exactly where you are…" He smiled at the look in her eyes, like she wasn't actually sure what he was going to say. "Let me start again. I'd like to lie you back and strip you naked, but given we're sitting on steel, I think it's time we moved this party elsewhere."

  Maybe she'd thought he was going to let her down and say he wasn't interested, because suddenly her smile was back, even if it was a shy one.

  "This was fun," she said, slowly pushing herself up and to her feet.

  Scott took the hand she held out, not using it to pull himself up but happy to have her palm in his. Now that they were both standing, he wrapped his arms loosely around her waist, pushed his feet apart he could press his pelvis into her. Scott ducked his head down, using one thumb to push her chin up so he could stare into her eyes, before slowly, ever-so slowly stroking her lips with his, kissing her more tenderly than he'd ever kissed a woman in his life before. Because this was Amanda, sweet Amanda who had been forbidden to him for so long and still was, and he wanted to be careful with her. To take his time. She asked for slow, then he'd deliver, because the wait would only make anything than did happen between them even sweeter.

  His problem was that he'd never had to wait for anything when it came to women. He was used to getting what he wanted and not having to work to get it, which is why he probably always lost interest. When it came to his career, he'd had to work his ass off for everything that he'd achieved, and every single victory had been incredible. And that was exactly his game plan with Amanda.

  "How about I get you home?" he said, tucking her hair behind one ear so it wasn't hanging over her face.

  "Blake did say I'd turn into a pumpkin at midnight," she said with a smile as she placed one hand on his chest, firm over his heart.

  "Well it's not midnight, but I'd rather get you home early so he doesn't ban you from me for life."

  "Oh, you're banned," Amanda told him. "I've just decided to play by my own rules for once."

  They both laughed and Scott reluctantly let her go, jumping over the edge of the tailgate and then holding out his hand for her. When she took it, he nodded for her to jump, and he caught her, body tucked into his arms.

  "You know, I had fun tonight," Scott said, dropping a kiss into her hair before placing her on her feet.

  "Yeah, me to."

  "So what do you say to a spin on the Harley tomorrow night?"

  She touched his arm before walking around to the passenger side and leaning on the hood. "I say it's time I stepped out of my comfort zone, so why the hell not?"

  CHAPTER NINE

  "So when are you seeing her again?"

  Scott looked over at his brother and shrugged. "Maybe tonight."

  He received a laugh in response. "Just maybe?"

  "We had a nice night, but we're just hanging out. No big deal."

  Jack leaned on the post and rail fence, taking his hat off and running a hand through his hair. The sun was beating down, and they'd both already stopped to roll their sleeves up.

  "Does it bother you even a little that Blake will kill you if he finds out?"

  That was something he didn't want to be reminded about, and he sure as hell didn't want to spend time thinking about it. But his brother was right - at some stage he was going to come face to face with Blake, and he didn't want things to be strained between them. Hell, he'd been looking forward to catching up with his old buddy, and instead he'd managed to piss him off within a day of him getting back, and then spend his time chasing his sister. It wasn't what he'd planned, but then he also didn't want to admit that he was doing something he shouldn't be. He was almost thirty years old, not a bad-ass kid that needed to be kept away from everyone's sisters and daughters.

  "Do you really think he's that worried? I mean, we're all grown-ups now. Surely he doesn't actually expect me to stick to an agreement we had almost thirteen years ago?"

  "Wanna bet?"

  Scott grimaced and leaned on his shovel. "I guess I was being optimistic. He didn't exactly seem to worry when you shacked up with Maddie."

  "Yeah, but Maddie and I were friends when we were kids. It was different. The whole thing kind of took us both by surprise." Jack laughed. "And it wasn't like I was the one who stole Blake's girlfriend, was I? Or was caught making out in the barn with his little sister."

  "I get the picture," Scott said. "All I'm saying is that Amanda and I are just hanging out. She's only here for a week or two, so it's not like anything's going to happen."

  Jack put his hat on and started to walk backward. "I've got cattle to feed. See you before your date tonight."

  "It's not a date!" Scott called out, laughing at how stupid he sounded defending what he was doing with Amanda. "Just two people going for a cruise on a motorcycle."

  Jack stopped when he reached his pick-up, whistling for his dog and leaning against the door. "You know, you sound just like I did when I was denying things with Maddie. And for the record, I remember just how much sympathy you gave me when I phoned you for moral support."

  "Yeah yeah," Scott muttered, but he also remembered what a hard time he'd given his brother. "Just don't say anything to Blake, or Maddie for that matter."

  Jack touched his hat and disappeared behind the wheel, leaving Scott standing on his own, wondering what the hell he was doing. He'd never been one to give a damn what anyone else thought about him, had long ago stopped trying to please anyone else but himself, but something about this particular situation was making him wonder if he shouldn't be so damn selfish.

  And then he thought about Amanda again… the feel of her breasts when he'd trailed his hands across her soft skin, her moist lips against his, long hair tumbling down her back into his hands. That's what he gave a damn about. Blake could go to hell as far as he was concerned, because Amanda was a big girl and if she wanted something to happen between them, then that was her decision.

  "Sweetheart, you know you could just ask Scott over here for dinner one night. Jack and Maddie are here all the time."

  Amanda kept stirring her coffee, not paying much attention to what she was doing. Her gaze was focused out the window, watching the horses in the distance and wishing she'd enjoyed riding more. It was times like these that she'd like to feel the wind whipping the hair from her face, galloping like she'd so often watched her sisters do across the fields.

  "Mom, do you think I shouldn't be spending time with Scott?" she asked.

  Her mother laughed. "You're asking me that after I just told you to invite him for dinner?"

  She dropped her spoon into the sink and jumped up onto the counter, legs dangling as she watched her mom roll cookie dough into evenly sized balls.

  "You know what I mean, mom. I don't want to fight with Blake, and he's pretty annoyed with me about the whole thing."

  "I don't know what happened between them to make Blake so wary, but all I can say is that you're old enough to make your own decisions. He's always been protective over you and Charley, you know that."

  "I know. But after losing dad, it just seems stupid to let anything come between us, you know?"

  Maddie walked in, slow
ly like she was on the verge of waddling.

  "What's coming between who?" Maddie asked.

  Amanda smiled at her sister. "I don't know how you have the energy to lug that belly around."

  "Trust me, it's no fun. I feel like I'm going to topple over and he moves so much it's like having an alien inside of me."

  They all laughed as Maddie came to lean against the counter. She reached for Amanda's coffee and took a sip.

  "I was just saying to mom that I don't want to cause a rift with Blake."

  She watched as Amanda took another sip then passed it back to her.

  "Scott's been living with us for almost three months now, and he's been the sweetest guy to have around. I've had two men doting over me and it's been divine."

  Amanda nudged her sister with her leg. "You're seriously not sick of having him in the house?"

  Maddie shook her head. "I'm sick of having double the amount of stinky socks to wash, but Scott is always making me cups of hot chocolate and being as sweet as pie, so I'm probably not the one to ask for advice."

  "But if I did ask you?"

  Maddie leaned back and looked up at her. "I'd say that Blake doesn't know what Scott is like anymore. He might still be a womanizer, I don't know, but all I can say is that he's been an absolute sweetheart to me."

  A rumble made Amanda sit a little straighter. It wasn't a noise she recognized, but it was also one that she thought she should know.

  Holy shit. It was the rumble of a motorcycle, which meant that Scott was here. They'd planned on him arriving early that evening, and she was going to meet him at the end of the drive. She had no idea why he was turning up now.

  "Um, I think that's Scott."

  "Maybe he's come to see Blake?" Maddison laughed as soon as the words left her mouth, but Amanda didn't even bother to react.

  She ran a hand through her hair, smoothed it down, and took a deep breath. After last night, she'd been excited about seeing him again, just not with her entire family able to watch.

  Amanda peered out the window, locating Scott straight away. His lanky frame was walking in the opposite direction to the house, heading toward the home field, near the stables. She thought about staying in the house, waiting to see if he came in looking for her, but staying put and sitting around wasn't her style.