“No, I did not.” He pushed her top up and planted a kiss on her belly. “I’m sure he figured it out by himself. And that’s why he offered.”
“Oh, my God. Talk about a family affair. Rachel definitely knows, so does Jesse. Your mom suspects something. That leaves only Trace in the dark.”
Cole chuckled. “Trace knew the moment I picked you up and threw you in Jesse’s Jeep.”
“Oh, right, how could I forget? Everyone on the whole damn ranch knows our business.”
He lifted his head, his expression contrite. “I didn’t think of it quite that way.” He pulled her shirt back down. “I’m sorry, Jamie. But it’s not as if they know anything concrete. Dutchy and the boys probably think you told me to take a hike.”
“Now why would they think that?” She held his face in her hands and smiled.
“Because you’re gorgeous and can have anyone you want. Why settle for a burned-out backwater old cowboy like me?”
She laughed, then kissed him hard. “I believe you’re fishing for a compliment, Cole McAllister.”
His serious brown eyes told her otherwise. He lowered his gaze to her mouth, and traced her lips with the roughened pad of his thumb. “You’re so soft.”
“Just so we’re clear, I don’t care who knows. But I figured you might. You’re the one who lives here.”
His thumb stilled, just for a second, and then he drew it down to her chin. “I heard from Noah today. Sheriff Calder. They found Mrs. Clements’s four-wheeler. It went missing the day you arrived.”
“I remember.” She came up onto her elbows. “What about your trailer?”
“No news unfortunately, but Roker’s missing flatbed wound up in a field about ten miles from his place. And the four-wheeler wasn’t even a theft. Separate issue from the Sundance. Technically, yeah, it was stolen, but the guy who took it used to work for Mrs. Clements. They had a dispute, nothing new with her—she’s got a sharp tongue and a temper to go with it—but she refused to pay Toby for two weeks’ work, so the kid took the four-wheeler as payment.” Cole shrugged. “Toby is young and it was wrong, but he’s got a wife and two kids of his own to feed, and Clements can be completely unreasonable. Hard to feel sorry for her.”
“So does this Toby guy have to go to jail?”
“He’s there now.”
“Can’t anyone talk to the woman, convince her not to press charges?”
Cole smiled and brushed back her hair. “If I knew you were gonna get this riled, I wouldn’t have told you.”
“I’m not riled…. What about his wife and kids?”
“They’ll be okay. No one around here will let them go hungry. Everything will work out.”
She settled back against the pillows and tried to relax. “I’m glad you told me. It’s not as if I can do anything about it, just that…” She liked that he talked to her not as a prelude to sex, but because he assumed she might be interested in what happened around Blackfoot Falls. Surprisingly, she was.
“What?”
“I wish you had news about your trailer. And I’m sorry, maybe I’m not catching on, but that flatbed trailer, that has to be connected, right?” She skimmed a palm over his bulging right biceps, where his close-fitting sleeve met skin. He flexed the muscle, and she smiled.
“I don’t know.” He shook his head as he exhaled a heavy breath. “It’s just damn strange.”
“So basically you’re back to square one.”
“’Fraid so.”
“That means Gunderson is still a suspect.”
“Gotta be careful there. No evidence.”
“Guess none of us liking him doesn’t count, huh?”
Cole grinned. “I’ll tell Noah you weighed in,” he said, and kissed the tip of her nose.
She picked up the hand that lay idle on her belly and kissed his scarred palm. “I’m sorry this happened to you.”
He pulled away, and she instantly regretted bringing up the subject. Then relaxed when she saw him yank off his shirt and toss it aside. “It was a long time ago.” He started unbuttoning her blouse. “Water under the bridge, as they say.” He finished and unfastened the front clasp of her bra. “I’m sorry you’re afraid of thunder, and what you went through to cause the fear.”
She sat up, and he pushed the blouse off one shoulder and then the other. “Guess we both had a bite taken out of our childhood,” she said, breathless. He’d pushed the bra cups aside and bared her breasts.
Cole urged her to lie down again, and laved one of her nipples with his skilled tongue. She unsnapped his jeans and drew down the zipper very slowly because he was already hard, his arousal straining his fly. A moment later she felt his hand on her own jeans, and in no time he’d stripped her down to her pink lace panties.
Without realizing it, she’d been clutching his arm, her nails digging into his skin. She took a deep steadying breath and loosened her hold. His gaze locked on hers, he shoved his jeans down his hips, sat back and then quickly rid himself of every stitch. She didn’t try to help, didn’t even offer, simply soaked in the pleasure of watching his rippling chest muscles. Relished the knowledge that his impressive erection was all for her.
“You seem awfully pleased with yourself,” he said, with the beginning of a smile on his lips.
“I do have you right where I want you.”
“Funny, I was thinking the same thing.” He slid his hands down her body, catching the elastic of her panties with two fingers and slipping the delicate lace down her thighs, her calves. Then they were gone.
He picked up her right foot and kissed the inside of her ankle, then reversed his path up her leg, continuing to press warm moist kisses against her sensitive skin. When he got to the softer, fleshier part of her thigh, she sucked in a breath and instinctively tensed.
“Relax, Jamie,” he murmured, switching from his lips to using his tongue.
He spread her legs wider and his mouth found her with a deftness that had her arching off the bed and clutching his hair. As he explored her with his tongue, his hands sneaked beneath her so he had complete control over her hips. Jamie had to bite her own wrist to keep her cries from waking the whole house as he pulled her into a full-body orgasm.
Which was just the beginning. He entered her while she was still trembling and trying to breathe without gasping. She’d been so caught up in her own pleasure she hadn’t even noticed him climbing up the bed, settling between her thighs. But when he thrust into her so hard she slid up the bed, he got her complete attention.
Jesus, the way he looked at her as he curved over her body. As if he was shutting out the rest of the world, staking his claim.
With any other man, she probably would have made a move of her own, asserted her independence and dared him to try again, but not with Cole. Not with his hot breath on her cheek, the wild look in his eyes.
All she could do, wanted to do, was wrap her legs around his slim hips, slip her hand around the nape of his neck and pull him down into a kiss that tasted like sex and need and promises.
When he came, he held her so tightly she could barely breathe.
* * *
“YOU REALIZE EVERYONE is going to want to know who you are,” Cole said the next day as they drove toward Blackfoot Falls.
“They’ll figure out I’m a guest at the Sundance.” Jamie inched closer and laid a hand on Cole’s thigh. “Besides, I already met Marge and some other lady. Forgot her name.”
He kept his gaze on the road, but smiled and slid his arm around her shoulders, urging her closer. “You’ll still get a bunch of questions.”
Jamie laughed.
“You think I’m kidding?”
“No, it’s not that.” She sighed and snuggled closer. “If someone told me I’d be riding in a big old black pickup truck, sitting in the middle of a bench seat next to a tall hunky cowboy, his arm around me like we were teenagers out of a fifties movie, I would’ve asked if they were high.”
Cole pulled back and gave her a long serious
look.
She blinked. God, that had sounded awful. “Not that there’s anything wrong with a pickup, or cowboys….”
Amusement gleamed in his eyes. “You think I’m hunky?”
She squeezed his thigh hard, which made little impact—too much muscle. “Just for that, if anyone asks I’m telling them I’m a hooker you picked up at a Billings truck stop.”
Cole snorted. “Oh, that would be grist for the rumor mill, all right.”
“We could make a bet on how long it takes for the story to get back to your mom.”
“Let’s not.”
Jamie mimicked a clucking chicken, and Cole pulled the truck off to the side of the two-lane road.
She glanced behind to see if anyone was coming. “What are you doing?”
“I thought you wanted to play hooker and the trucker.” He caught her wrist and kissed her palm. He slid his other hand inside her blouse.
She fought him, laughing and sputtering. “Stop. We’re only a few miles from town…and there’s a car coming….”
“Who’s the chicken now?”
She shoved him away and tugged down her blouse, still giggling. “Okay, you win.”
“Yeah? What do I win?”
“What do you want?”
The teasing glint left his eyes. He lifted a lock of her hair and rubbed the strands between his fingers. “Don’t go to Sadie’s tomorrow night.”
“Sadie’s?” Jamie frowned. “Oh, right…Sadie’s.” She slumped back. “Oh, my God, tomorrow is Friday already.” How was it possible? She was scheduled to leave on Saturday. “Wow, where did the week go? I haven’t even opened my laptop in days.”
He smiled. “Is that so bad?”
“Yeah, when that’s how I make my living.”
His smile faded, and after checking the side mirror, he got them back on the road. “What are you doing over there? Come sit next to this cowboy.”
“Only if you’ll whisper sweet nothings in my ear.” She scooted her butt closer, relieved that the mood hadn’t gone south. Something had shifted though, only for a few moments, but it was there.
“Depends.”
“On?”
“If you’re going to Sadie’s or not.”
“Oh…” She thought about torturing him for a few more minutes. It would be only fair, considering his use of extortion. But she didn’t feel like teasing him. She wished she hadn’t remembered she was leaving in two days. “Not. I’m pretty sure Rachel will forgive me. With tomorrow being my last night here and all.”
She held her breath, waiting for his response…waiting for him to ask her to stay longer, express disappointment…anything that showed he cared. She knew he did. He’d shown her in many small ways.
But how much did he care?
His hand had tightened on the wheel, his arm around her shoulders tensed. “Your last night, huh?” he said quietly.
“I booked my stay for a week.”
“I reckon you have another trip planned right after this.”
“Not really. I have three more scheduled this year, but not until next month and the end of October.” She waited, hoping he’d ask her to stay. She could do it, no sweat, even for an extra week. Though she had to be careful and spend more time chatting on her website.
The truth was, she wasn’t ready to leave, but he had to ask. This wasn’t up to her alone, not anymore.
Someone behind them honked.
Cole ducked his head, glanced in the rearview mirror and lifted the hand he’d left dangling off her shoulder to wave at the driver. His nonchalance in returning his arm around her, then giving her a light squeeze, gave her hope.
“Any chance you can stay a few days longer?” The question was as casual as the wave, and her enthusiasm waned a bit.
“I could.”
Silence, and then, “But?”
She turned and studied his profile. He carefully kept his gaze trained on the road, almost as if he didn’t want to meet her eyes. “I don’t know if Rachel has an opening. She might have booked my room.”
He looked at her then, his brows furrowing. “I didn’t mean stay as a paid guest. You’d stay with me in my room.”
Her entire nervous system jumped into overdrive. “Wouldn’t that be kind of weird?” she asked, her mind already racing ahead, trying to analyze what this meant.
“With the family?” His eyes back on the road, he shrugged. “I’ve never had a woman spend the night before, and it might be uncomfortable at first…” The way his voice trailed off, she suspected he regretted his offer. “Hell, we’re both adults, and it’s not as if everyone doesn’t like you. But if you think it’s too awkward, we’ll make sure you have your own room.”
This was what she wanted. Yes, he’d tiptoed around the topic a bit, but he wanted her to stay. “I’ll check online later, make a couple of calls,” she said, her gaze on the town looming ahead. “I have to quit fooling around and update my blog, but I’m sure I can swing another week.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
At his slow sexy smile, heat surged through her body. If they hadn’t been approaching town, she would’ve told him to pull over so she could give him a preview of what awaited him tonight. She slid her hand over his thigh, rubbed her palm across his fly. Was the man ever not hard?
But already another truck had pulled alongside them, the driver honking his horn, the passenger grinning and waving as if he hadn’t seen Cole in years.
Cole lifted his hand in perfunctory acknowledgment, and muttered, “Don’t you just love small towns.”
* * *
COLE STEPPED OUT OF the barber shop onto the sidewalk and rubbed the back of his clean-shaven neck. He’d let Sherman hack off a good two inches when he’d asked for a trim and already Cole regretted the shorter cut. Should’ve waited. Jamie claimed she liked his hair the way it was.
He had to laugh at himself. Since when did he care about what a woman thought of his hair? ’Course, she’d had one hand wrapped around his cock when she’d shared her opinion last night. He suspected that had a lot to do with his reaction.
Shading his eyes, he squinted toward Abe’s Variety. They were supposed to meet there, then go to Marge’s for lunch. Hell, he didn’t have time for any of this cavorting but it wasn’t as though he took much time off. Hadn’t even played poker with the boys in months.
Leaving his hat off his damp hair, he headed toward Abe’s, where he’d left the truck. If Jamie wasn’t there yet, she’d show up soon enough. Not much to see or do in Blackfoot Falls. He walked past the bank and the Salinas Gazette office, which had its lights out. The weekly newspaper had come out yesterday, so Fred, the owner, editor and sole employee, was likely spending the day sipping beer and whiskey in Sadie’s Watering Hole next door.
Cole had no sooner stepped off the sidewalk to cross Main when Wallace Gunderson and Avery Phelps wobbled out of the bar, both of them in high spirits considering half the time Avery hated Gunderson’s guts. Cole figured today Gunderson was buying so all was temporarily forgiven.
Having nothing to say to either of them, he picked up his pace.
“McAllister!” It was Gunderson. “What’s your hurry, son?”
Son. Out of the bastard’s mouth, the word grated on every one of Cole’s nerves. But no need for a scene, or for him to get heated, so he waited for the two men to catch up. He’d be polite, see what they wanted, then be on his way. If Gunderson was shit-faced enough, maybe he’d say something that would help Noah nail him on the theft.
Avery took the lead, his distinctive bow-legged gait making him look as if he’d been born on a horse. Before he reached Cole, he said, “Heard you had some trouble out at your place.”
“The fire?” Cole knew damn well the man meant the trailer theft. He shrugged. “Lightning strike. No damage to speak of.”
“Hadn’t heard about that.” Avery frowned. “I was referring to the theft of your trailer.”
Red in the face and panting slightly, G
underson joined them. His breath was strong enough to crack a mirror, but he didn’t seem particularly drunk. “Pretty low, stealin’ a man’s trailer, no matter how empty your belly.” His apparent sincerity gave Cole pause. “I’m keeping everything locked these days.” Gunderson’s mouth twisted in a nasty smirk. “If it had to happen, can’t say I’m sorry it was to you.”
Yeah, that sounded more like the bastard. “Much as I hate to break this up, I’m meeting someone.” Cole gave them a cool smile and a slight nod. “Gentlemen.”
“You know when this thieving business all started, don’t ya?” Avery called after him. “Right after you turned your daddy’s fine ranch into a fancy boarding house.” He cursed. “Dude ranch, my bony ass.”
Cole ignored him, kept walking, even when Avery kept spouting more bullshit. No sense in Cole getting his back up and ruining his day with Jamie. He was going to have words with Gunderson and Avery, plenty of them. Later. After Jamie left.
Shit. The thought didn’t improve his sinking mood. He didn’t want her to go. Hell, he knew she had to leave eventually. He’d known from the get-go, but he’d never expected to become this attached to her. She was nothing like other city women he’d met. He’d crossed paths with enough of them, Rachel’s college friends, tourists when he’d gone to Billings or Great Falls for livestock auctions.
Jamie was different. She was laid-back, funny. How he’d ever thought she wasn’t the single prettiest woman he’d ever seen was a mystery. Damn. It didn’t hurt that she was smart as a whip, passionate, too. Jamie had a good heart. Yeah, maybe he was biased. He smiled thinking about her, his mood back on the upswing.
Ruth Wilson came out of the Clip and Curl patting her poufy new hairdo and returned the smile she thought had been meant for her. She’d been his seventh-grade teacher and would’ve gotten one anyway. He added a comment about the hot weather, and then entered Abe’s Variety.
He didn’t see Jamie, but Louise and Sadie were standing near the register gabbing with Abe as if they had nothing to do, and mostly they didn’t. They all looked over at him.
“Figured we’d see you today,” Louise said.
He knew the remark had something to do with Jamie, but he’d humor them. “Why’s that?”
Barefoot Blue Jean Night Page 18
