Just What the Cowboy Needed

by Teresa Southwick

  “Thanks.”

  “Buckle up.”

  He closed the door and realized how stupid he sounded. She wasn’t a kid but a grown woman, a fact not lost on him after holding her exceptional curves in his arms.

  After removing his tuxedo jacket, he yanked open the driver’s door and tossed the coat in the back seat. The night didn’t do nearly enough to cool his heated skin. What he really needed was an ice-cold shower. And he’d take one. Fifteen minutes, twenty tops, and he would be home free. No pun intended. After sliding the key into the ignition, he turned it and the engine roared to life.

  “It was a beautiful wedding, wasn’t it?” Grace’s voice was dreamy, and she sounded a little bit buzzed.

  “I suppose.”

  “You don’t think it was?”

  “Doesn’t matter what I think as long as Tracy was happy with the way it turned out.”

  “She looked beyond happy,” Grace gushed. “And how very modern family and enlightened of you to walk her down the aisle and give her away. Especially after you once proposed to her.”

  It felt like a million years since he’d asked her to marry him and she’d laughed. “She told you about that?”

  “Yes. But she said the two of you were much better off as friends.”

  “She’s a smart woman.” Logan knew he would have made her miserable, and that went for anyone who was foolish enough to take him on. “She waited for the right guy, and he’ll be good to her.”

  “Because you threatened him.” Grace laughed.

  The sweet, happy sound unlocked empty places inside him that were off-limits. “That wasn’t a threat. More of a promise.”

  “You’re so macho and protective. I have to say it’s very sexy.”

  No, she really didn’t have to say that. The words were like throwing kerosene on the fire already burning inside him. Logan went tight with need, and he regretted giving her that last glass of wine. It had really loosened her up, and his willpower was melting like a pat of butter in a hot skillet.

  He decided to change the subject. “Sure do hope we get some rain soon, otherwise wildfires could be a problem. Last summer there was a real bad one. A lot of people had to evacuate their homes. Some of them, the properties, were completely destroyed.”

  He was rambling, about fire of all things. It was stupid when he was already hot enough to set off dry brush with just a look. But that was better than letting her get in another comment with the word sexy in it.

  After what felt like the longest ride of his entire life, Logan finally pulled up to his ranch house and parked. It had been only a few hours since they left here, and yet it felt like forever, too. A lifetime since he’d followed her down the stairs unable to take his eyes off her back, bare except for a bra strap.

  Raising her zipper without letting his feelings show had taken a lot of self-control, and he was going to need an injection of it now as he never had before. He’d wanted her more than his next breath earlier, but he wanted her even more than that right this minute.

  He blew out a long breath before exiting the truck and closing the door. Then he walked around to help her down. When he saw that she’d already slid to the ground, he felt as if he’d finally caught a break. Thank God he didn’t have to touch her again.

  Side by side they walked up the front steps, and he opened the door, letting her precede him into the house. Another minute and he’d be up the stairs to the isolation of his room. Sweat popped out on his forehead as a vision of her there with him flashed through his mind. He couldn’t stop wanting her more than almost anything. But he also knew he couldn’t cross that line. Hitting on someone who worked for him would make him as big an ass as his father, something he’d sworn never to be.

  He set his keys in the basket on the table just inside the door, then met her gaze. “Good night, Grace.”

  But apparently fate wasn’t going to let him off that easy. She didn’t say a word, just smiled as she moved close. The scent of her skin was intoxicating and messed with his rational thoughts. This wasn’t a good time to find out that it was true about the road to hell being paved with good intentions. When she stood on tiptoe and touched her mouth to his, he was a goner. He’d had better kisses, but there was something about the soft, sweet innocent pressure of Grace’s kiss that pushed him over the edge.

  Logan pulled her against him until their bodies were pressed together from chest to knee. Then he slid his fingers into her hair to make the pressure of their mouths firmer and proceeded to kiss the living daylights out of her. If he was going to hell anyway, why not make a detour to heaven first?

  Chapter Eight

  In some fuzzy part of her brain, Grace was aware that she’d never thrown herself at a man before, but she wasn’t sorry. She’d thrown caution to the wind because she was tired of going along for the ride and wanted to drive this car. She wanted it more than she’d ever wanted anything ever, and life had a way of disappointing her. So now she kissed him back with all the longing she’d stored up. His mouth was everything she’d ever fantasized about and more—hot and demanding in the sexiest possible way. One breathless moan from her and his hold on her tightened—a good thing since her legs felt too wobbly to keep her upright.

  He traced the seam of her lips with his tongue, and when she opened to him, he dipped inside. Every nerve ending in her body came alive and her skin grew hot and tingly. Then he kissed her cheek, chin and neck before taking her earlobe gently between his teeth. How was it possible to be so hot all over and not go up in flames?

  His breathing was ragged as he skimmed the palms of his hands from her waist slowly up to her breasts, brushing his thumbs over each tip. She wanted desperately to feel him touch her bare skin, and a whimpery little sound came from deep in her throat.

  Logan’s eyes burned hot when his gaze touched her. His chest was heaving. “Grace?”

  “W-what?”

  “I’m going to take you upstairs to my bed. If that’s not okay with you—”

  She stood on tiptoe and kissed him on the mouth, mostly to stop the words, but partly because she was so thrilled that this was going exactly where she wanted it to. Especially because she hadn’t thought he even liked her very much the way he’d been acting. “You talk too much. Has anyone ever told you that?”

  One corner of his mouth quirked up. “No.”

  He took her hand in his and led her upstairs, flipping on the hall light before going into his room. Standing beside the bed, he put his hands on her shoulders and turned her. Then she felt his fingers at the back of her neck, undoing the dress’s hook.

  “What goes up must come down.” His voice was rich and warm like chocolate, smooth and soft as velvet.

  Grace could feel the material covering her back slowly separate, just before he pressed his mouth to the skin he’d just bared. She shivered in the most delicious possible way, then pulled her arms free of the dress before tugging the material over her hips to let it fall at her feet. She stepped out of it and kicked it aside before turning to face him.

  “You probably could use some help with the man jewelry.” She started removing the black-and-silver studs marching up the front of his crisp white dress shirt.

  Wordlessly he held out one wrist then the other for assistance with the matching cuff links. After setting the hardware on the nightstand, she unbuttoned the shirt and he shrugged out of the wrinkled material, tossing it to the floor.

  She settled her palms on his chest, letting the dusting of hair tickle her fingers. He was all lean, masculine muscle. Smiling up at him, she said, “All that ranch work has really paid off.”

  Grinning, he traced a finger from her collarbone to the top of one breast, just above her lacy bra. “And what do I have to thank for this?”

  “Nothing.” She laughed. “This is God given.”

  “And God is good.”

 
; He reached behind her and undid her bra with a twist of his fingers, and she let it fall to the floor between them. Next he took her bare breasts in his hands, and she thought, Finally. Her flesh seemed to swell from his touch, and when he brushed his thumbs over her again, a jolt of electricity flashed through her, headed straight to her girl parts. The knot of need in her belly tightened. Her eyes drifted closed, her chin tilted up and she moaned.

  “Oh, God, Gracie. When you look like that I can’t stand it. I can’t wait—”

  “Neither can I.”

  Logan threw back the spread and blanket on the bed and lowered her to the mattress. He shrugged off his socks and shoes, tuxedo trousers and briefs and moved into the bed beside her. She toed off her heels, and he settled his big palm on her midriff, then just looked at her.

  “What?” She was so breathless she could barely speak.

  “The first day you were here I surprised you while you were unpacking and you dropped all the panties you were holding.” His tone was soft and seductive and scraped over her skin like a caress. “I’ve been thinking about those panties ever since. Seeing you in the pink ones—”

  “I hope you’re not disappointed,” she whispered.

  His eyes went dark and he shook his head, just a slight negative movement. “You’re more beautiful than I imagined.”

  The words just melted her heart. She was nothing but putty in his hands, and she wanted him more than anything. She met his gaze, smiled, then lifted her hips and slid the small, silky scrap of pink material down her legs. “It’s a real shame, then, that they have to come off.”

  He sucked in a breath and without a word rolled away and opened the nightstand drawer to retrieve something. Quickly, he ripped the square packet and put on the condom. The next moment she was in his arms and he was kissing her senseless with that wonderful mouth of his.

  Gently he settled over her and nudged her legs apart before slowly entering her. Her breath caught and she savored the feel of him inside. Then he began to move, thrusting deeper, carrying her higher, stealing more breath. The intense pleasure started in her core and then rolled through her, picking up speed and power as it took over her mind, body, spirit. She clung to him, and he held her tenderly until the amazing storm passed.

  And then he started to move within her again, pushing in more deeply, over and over. Suddenly he tensed, then buried his face in her neck as he groaned with satisfaction, finding his own release. She had no idea how long they stayed that way, but finally he lifted his head.

  “I’m crushing you.”

  Before she could respond, he pushed himself up and rolled away, slipping out of bed. Moments later a light went on in his bathroom, then the door closed it off.

  Grace must have dozed because when she opened her eyes, Logan was standing at the window, looking out. He’d put on sweatpants, and his whole posture looked just the opposite of relaxed, which was unexpected. Why hadn’t he come back to bed? Not a postsex cuddler?

  That would have been too simple. She thought about just slipping away, pretending this never happened, but decided against that. It was like spotting a particularly nasty spider in the house and not dealing with it. You just kept thinking about when it was going to jump out and bite you.

  She got up and grabbed his shirt, then slid her arms into it to cover herself. The only thing that would make this conversation worse was being naked for it. She crossed the distance between them and stopped beside him.

  “So you’re brooding. I can hear it. What are you thinking about, Logan?”

  A long moment passed before he answered. “I wouldn’t blame you if you quit.”

  “Why would I?”

  “Because I’m your boss. I hit on an employee.” He pressed his lips together for a moment. “That’s the kind of thing my father would do. I’m no better than he is, and I swore I would not be a chip off the old block. Guess there’s no fighting DNA.”

  “So, you’re taking full responsibility for this?”

  “Yes.”

  “Oh, brother.” She shook her head. “First of all, I believe I, the employee, hit on you, the boss. For the record, you said good-night and I kissed you. In case you’re wondering, I don’t regret it in the least.”

  “Okay.” But he didn’t sound all that sure. “What else?”

  “Hmm?”

  “You said first. That implies there’s more.”

  “Right. Second, I can’t quit because I need this job.”

  “All the more reason I shouldn’t have taken advantage of you.”

  “Don’t go there.” She folded her arms over her chest and looked out the window of his house. The moon bathed the outbuildings, land, lake and mountains in its silver light. This was all his, and she envied him. She wanted something of her own, too. “I made the decision to sleep with you, and I’m not an innocent, impressionable, vulnerable woman. I’ve been making my own decisions for a very long time now.”

  “Can’t be that long. You’re not that old.”

  Sometimes she felt ancient, and now was one of those times. “Right after I was born I was left at a fire station and never knew my parents.”

  He sucked in a breath. “Grace—”

  “Don’t interrupt me.” She cut him off because the tone in that single word flirted with pity, and she wanted no part of that. “I went from one foster care situation to another. There were any number of reasons for the moves—personality clash, a job transfer, loss of job. Birth of their own child. It didn’t matter to me because I knew early on the danger of expecting more. When change happened, I put my stuff in a plastic bag and went where they took me. At eighteen I aged out of the system and took care of myself.” She could feel his gaze on her. “Why are you looking at me as if I have two heads?”

  “I don’t know. It’s just—you’re so cheerful all the time.”

  “That’s a choice I make every day. Someone told me once that today isn’t forever. That’s true, and I made the decision to have a goal.”

  “Care to share?”

  “Do you have any idea how lucky you are to have this land, this place to belong? The roots go deep.” She glanced out the window again. “I want a house of my own with my name on the title. A place that no one can take away from me. That takes money.”

  “So that’s why you can’t quit.”

  “Yeah. This time it’s going to happen.”

  “This time?” He frowned down at her.

  “I was almost there before I got sidetracked by a man.”

  “What did he do?”

  “Oh, it was my fault. He bought a fixer-upper house to flip and vaguely talked about love and someday marriage. I was so blinded by the glow of belonging that I gave him my savings, figuring we would do the project together, that it would bring us even closer.”

  “Obviously, something went wrong.”

  “When the house renovations were complete, he decided he didn’t love me after all. We had no legally binding agreement, which meant I had no protection for my investment, no recourse for recovering my money.”

  “Geez, Grace—you got nothing?”

  “Actually, that’s not completely true. I got an expensive lesson. So, in case you were wondering, being stupid again over a man isn’t part of my plan.”

  “Want me to beat him up for you?” There was enough menace in his voice to make one question whether or not he was kidding.

  “No. I’m pretty sure that’s against the law, and Cassie needs her dad not to be in jail.”

  “Even if her dad doesn’t know that much about being a dad?”

  “Let’s be clear. You obviously have issues with your father, but from my perspective you’re lucky to know who he is. What I said before about God-given assets—” She met his gaze. “I have no clue who gave them to me. You know where yours came from, the good, bad and ugly. And you have a
connection to the land, something tangible that goes back generations. I envy you.”

  “When you put it like that...”

  “Don’t you dare pity me, Logan Hunt. I’m going to have property, too. When my job here is over, I’m going back to Buckskin Pass and buying a house.”

  “So, to sum up, you’re saying that we should equally share the responsibility of having sex with no strings attached?”

  That made her smile and she relaxed, just like one should after mind-blowing sex. “Only if you kiss me. Then we’ll be even.”

  He did that and more.

  * * *

  The next morning Logan got out of the shower and looked in the steamy mirror. There was an actual grin on his face. He was choosing to take Grace at her word that she didn’t hold him responsible for sex last night.

  “Good thing,” he said to his reflection. “Because I’d have to take the blame for two more times.”

  This shared blameworthiness worked for him.

  The bed was empty when he woke up and now he smelled coffee, so his guess would be that she was downstairs. The grin on his face got wider, but that had to be about the prospect of coffee because one night with Grace didn’t change anything. Well, maybe it changed a little since he didn’t feel like putting his fist through the wall anymore.

  He shaved, dressed and went downstairs. Grace was standing by the coffee maker and smiled when she saw him. Her eyes went all soft and glowy, and that made his chest feel tight. So that was another change.

  “Wild guess,” she said. “You’re here for coffee.”

  “It’s like you can read my mind.”

  “That makes me feel very powerful.” She grabbed two mugs from the cupboard and filled both with the steaming, dark liquid. “Here you go.”

  He rounded the island and took the cup from her. “Thanks.”