by BJ Wane
He had his own hands full working the Dunbar spread and prepping for the barbeque she was looking forward to attending this afternoon, even more so after he’d opted to spend last night alone with her instead of going to the club again after Amy announced she would be at Jason’s all night. His refusal to stay the night in her bed with her stepmother down the hall tickled her with his sense of honor. Tamara had to admit she enjoyed the evenings alone with him as much as she had socializing and playing at The Barn.
But Connor hadn’t said a word or given her a hint about where they might be headed, or about his feelings now that they were a couple. His determination to remain footloose and free of committed entanglements his entire adult life couldn’t be discounted in one short week, especially given his reluctance to enter into this relationship in the first place.
“Jeremy again?” Amy asked, coming into the kitchen as Tamara tossed her phone on the table.
“Yes, but I’m hoping I was blunt enough to send him back home.”
“You’ve been blunt before,” Amy reminded her as she pulled the large bowl of potato salad from the refrigerator.
“I know, but I keep hoping one of these times it’ll get through to him. I still can’t believe he just showed up here last week. I never dreamed he would be that desperate to get back together.” The oven buzzed and Tamara retrieved the batch of dark chocolate brownies she’d made for the barbeque.
“Hopefully, he’ll give up now.” Amy eyed the brownies with hunger, taking a deep, appreciative whiff. “Oh, those smell wonderful. Are you riding over with Jason and me?”
“Yes, that’ll be easiest. Connor can bring me back, or I might go to his place. I’ll let you know. Thank goodness Jason hired a new hand this week. He’s assigned him and Mark to keep an eye on things while we’re gone since everyone else will be at the barbeque. Let’s hope this run of bad luck has ended.”
“There have been an unusual number of problems. What did you think of Jason’s suggestion someone might be screwing with us?”
Leaning against the counter, Tamara sighed at the possibility kids were behind all of the problems. “There’s always that to consider. Teenagers get bored.”
Amy’s lips twitched. “Yes, I remember.”
“Hey, I was a good kid.” She smiled back.
“Yes, you were, but Connor helped keep you that way and stepped in before you could get yourself in too much trouble,” Amy reminded her.
“His overprotectiveness did put a crimp in my fun.”
“But he’s worth it?”
Tamara’s smile split her face. “Oh, yeah.” At least, she prayed he would continue to be.
Laughing, Amy grabbed the bowl and turned toward the door, hearing Jason’s truck pull up out front. “Let’s go before he comes looking for us.”
Over fifty friends and neighbors were gathered on the sweeping lawn surrounding Caden’s home. Tamara used to love riding over here when she’d been younger and hanging out with Connor while he worked. Now, she mused as she got out of Jason’s truck, she much preferred hanging out at Connor’s house, and staying the night in his bed over watching him work. Although, as she caught sight of him leaning on a rail at the horse corral, his tight jeans stretched across his backside, a pair of chaps framing his pelvis and his Stetson shading his roughhewn face, there was definitely something to be said about taking a moment to ogle him now.
“Here, I’ll take your brownies over to the food table. Jason can carry the potato salad. You go on,” Amy offered after seeing where Tamara’s gaze had landed.
“Thanks. Catch you later.” Tamara handed Amy her pan and took off toward the corral, spotting Avery, Sydney and Nan standing opposite the guys.
She waved to people she knew as she passed the long tables and small gatherings. One of the hands led a pony carrying a toddler around in circles, the sight reminding her of her first horseback ride, and the beginning of her special relationship with Connor. For the first time since he’d driven her away with his hurtful words five years ago, she allowed herself to feel a glimmer of hope they were heading for a future that would be as special, if not more so.
With a loud whoop, Caden bounced on top of a bucking bronco, keeping his seat with a tight grip on the reins and pommel. “You’d think they would be getting too old for this,” Tamara drawled as she settled next to Nan at the rail and leaned her arms on the top post. Her eyes slid across the dusty corral to Connor, who returned her smile with a thumbs-up gesture as Caden managed to slow the horse’s efforts down enough to jump off with a wide grin of accomplishment. Connor hopped the fence to take his turn on the unbroken steed, slapping his brother on the back as he taunted him with a laugh. “Too much for you, old man? Watch how it’s done.”
Nan smiled, shaking her head as Caden flipped Connor the bird. “I don’t think they’ll ever consider themselves too old to play. Damn, they make a nice picture, don’t they?” She nodded to where Caden swung over the fence, joining Grayson and Dan outside the corral as Connor settled onto the back of the quivering horse, both appearing eager to see who would win this round.
“One I never get tired of,” Sydney stated from Nan’s left. “Who doesn’t love a cowboy strolling around in chaps with his hat tipped to keep his expression a secret?”
Avery nodded from the end. “Makes them both sexy and mysterious.”
“Panty-melting.” Nan fanned herself.
Connor’s laugh rang out as he took off his hat and swung it in a circle above his head. The horse slowed his efforts and it didn’t take but a few more minutes of him working the steed with a combination of strong control and coaxing words to calm the bronco enough he could dismount safely.
“Whoa, girlfriend, I know that look,” Nan said as Connor glanced her way while stroking the jittery horse, his grin still cocky, the slit of his eyes, just visible beneath the brim of his lowered hat, lit with a blue flame. “We expected to see you two last night at The Barn.”
Tamara grew warm, pleased and excited he wasn’t hiding the shift in their relationship from anyone. The insecure part of her who had waited for years to get him to see her as more than a friend had worried he would want to keep their new relationship between them as he continued to think it over. She’d been only too eager to spill the beans to her friends when they’d met up for their weekly tea, knowing she had their support.
“He wanted to stay in. I forgot to ask. Did you get in trouble for covering for me last week?” Dragging her eyes away from Connor, Tamara cast her friend a worried look as Nan grimaced with a rueful smile.
“Uh, yeah a little. Master Connor left it up to Master Dan. But, don’t fret.” Nan laughed, waving an airy hand. “You know me. I loved every swat.”
Sydney leaned around Nan, saying, “Boy, did she. There’s no way you’d catch me letting Caden lock me in that medieval torture device and giving anyone interested the chance to whack my butt as they walked by.”
Tamara winced. “Torture device?”
“Stocks. A new purchase the guys are way too excited over,” Avery answered. “I got off easy.” A flush stole over her face. “Master Grayson gave me my punishment himself.”
“I can see that was okay with you, Avery, but Nan, your punishment sounds awful.” Tamara shuddered at the thought of such a public, painful humiliation.
“It wasn’t.” Nan smirked. “Master Dan made every swat worth my while afterward. Man, that guy can fuck.”
They all burst out laughing because, really, who could argue with such logic?
“What’s so funny, or do we want to know?” Connor interrupted as he and Caden strolled over.
“Oh, you’d love to know, but it’s girl stuff, so, not telling.” Sydney took Caden’s outstretched hand and hopped off the fence.
“Come on.” Caden tugged her next to him. “I have to start the grill and grab a burger before I run out serving them to everyone else, and I’m more than ready for a large scoop of those homemade fries I smelled you making all morning.�
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“We’ll catch up with you shortly. Tamara and I are up at the pony rides.”
Several eyes swung Connor’s way at his use of her full name, and it was Tamara’s turn to blush as Grayson joined them with a crooked grin around the toothpick nestled in the corner of his mouth. “Tamara?”
With a shrug, Connor looked at her. “Ask her. She’s the one who insisted we were past nicknames.”
When he phrased it that way, it did sound dumb. “Hey, I just wanted him to quit seeing me as a kid,” she defended herself before flicking Con a sheepish glance. “But I kind of have to admit I miss you calling me Tam.”
He draped his arm around her shoulders and steered her toward the pony ring, saying loud enough for everyone to hear, “You can always dress up as a school girl when you want to hear your nickname again.”
“I got one!”
Connor grinned at Tam’s squeal as she gripped her new fishing pole with both hands and struggled against the yank on the line from under the water. “Okay, Tam, reel it in, nice and slow, just like I showed you.”
Her little face scrunched with a now familiar look of determination as she pulled up on the line. He moved behind her and could feel her small, eleven-year-old body shaking with her excitement and efforts. “Look at that, you’ve landed a nice-sized brown trout. Way to go, sweetie.” He tugged her long black braid and got a beaming smile in return that lit up her gray eyes. “Let’s toss it in the bucket and head back for your birthday dinner.”
She looked at the flopping fish on the bank and shook her head. “No way, Con. I’m tossing the poor guy back in.” She reached for the trout and wrinkled her nose at the slimy feel. “Uh, you do it.”
He caught the fish she thrust at him with a laugh. “Wimp. Watch, this is how you remove the hook.” He gave her a quick lesson and then flung the fish back in the pond with a teasing grin. “There. Safe from the grill for another day. Come on. I want cake.”
She took his hand with a look of gratitude. “Me too.”
Connor glanced over at Tam as she squealed and brought in her catch, the look on her face this afternoon the same as the first time he’d taught her to fish in this same pond. This fishing contest was just one of the activities going on as their friends and neighbors mingled and enjoyed Caden’s labors at the grill. Connor and Tam had already helped give pony rides to the kids and participated on opposite sides of a volleyball game before entering the fishing contest. Setting his own pole down, he strode over to her, admiring her skill in reeling in the large trout wiggling on her line.
“You may have the winner there, Tamara.” Damn but it was difficult to remember she now preferred he used her full name instead of the abbreviated nickname he was the only one to ever call her. He wasn’t surprised when she wrinkled her nose as she pulled the hook from the trout’s throat and placed it on the scale. It was the same cute expression she’d worn when she’d handled her first fish. “Thirty-five inches. That’s definitely a contender.”
“It’s been ages since I’ve gone fishing.” Picking up the trout by its tail fin, she tossed it back into the two-acre pond.
“That hasn’t changed,” he drawled, tugging on her braid. He was glad her hair was still long enough to plait. “Your catches never have made it to the grill.”
“And never will. What do you want to do next?” She looked up at him with a beaming smile, her eyes alight with expectation. Connor’s thoughts shifted to the lustful intentions he’d planned for some time today.
Despite feeling good after getting a handle on the new bronco they’d picked up at auction and the fun he’d been having with Tamara, he couldn’t help the constant frissons of uneasiness over their new relationship that wouldn’t let go. Everything had gone so well this past week, both with the ranch and with Tam. With Greg and Devin’s additional purchases of his and Caden’s horse stock for their new dude ranch, their stock was down and they had buyers lined up, waiting. With luck, the new stud could be used soon to increase their inventory and the extra income would keep rolling in. If only he could be as sure he’d made the right decision in taking the step she’d wanted for so long as he was about his and Caden’s decision to go into horse breeding, he would feel a lot better about it.
But today, he was determined to take advantage of the pleasant afternoon, the good food and then the distraction of everyone eating to sneak away with his girl. “I’m hungry for another burger and we haven’t hit the buffet and desserts yet.” He’d downed one before coming out to the pond, but Tamara had opted to wait.
“That doesn’t surprise me. You’re always hungry,” she returned as she took his hand.
Connor squeezed her hand and leaned down to whisper in her ear. “I’m not just hungry for food.” He nipped the small lobe before pulling back with a teasing grin at her flushed face. “But food first.”
With an eager step, Tamara followed Connor over to the grill where Caden placed a juicy hamburger on her plate before they visited the buffet table. She, too, was hungry for more than food, which had been the case this whole week whenever they were together. Like an addict craving his next fix, she couldn’t get enough of his attention and she knew a part of her desperate need stemmed from not knowing when or if this would end.
As they took a seat next to Avery and Grayson and Connor rested his left hand on the inside of her thigh, she shoved aside those worries for another day. So far, today was perfect.
“I didn’t know what to take. Everything looked wonderful,” she said, glancing down at her full plate with a rueful grimace.
“I’ll eat what you don’t,” Connor offered, squeezing her leg.
A ripple of heat coursed up Tamara’s leg to her crotch and it took every ounce of willpower she possessed not to tighten her thighs around his hand.
Avery shook her head, looking down at her own stacked plate. “Grayson’s responsible for mine. I’ve been trying to lose weight.” She sent him a mock glare from behind her dark-rimmed glasses.
“You don’t need to drop a pound. I like all of your soft curves. Eat.” The warm look in Grayson’s gray-green eyes belied his stern, gruff voice.
“Can’t argue with that.”
Connor winked at Avery and talk turned to horses as Tamara and Avery rolled their eyes. By the time Tamara couldn’t shovel in another bite, the table had filled up and she was ready to move again. Thankfully, Connor was of like mind as he stood and gathered their plates with a nod to their friends.
“We’re going for a walk. Catch you guys later.”
After dumping their plates in a trash bin, he snatched her hand and whisked her toward the barns, and she didn’t question him. With him was where she wanted to be; it didn’t matter where. As he led her down a path and away from the people and activities, her heartbeat ratcheted up a notch, her body going on high alert.
Curiosity prompted her to ask, “Where are we going?” as they passed a copse of trees that blocked them from view and he tugged her toward a small barn she hadn’t seen before. “Is that new?”
“Fairly. It’s our calf barn, for the ones who need extra care or have special needs.” Connor pulled open a side door and the mingling scents of hay and manure wafted out to tickle her senses.
“And you’re showing me this now, why?” She flicked him a look of curiosity and the intent she read on his face tossed her straight into lust.
“I owe you a punishment for taking off last week that I haven’t gotten around to delivering yet. This way.”
Connor urged her toward a storeroom and Tamara stumbled after him, stuttering on a laugh. “Now? Here?”
“Oh, yeah, now, and here.” Closing the door behind him, he yanked her against his muscled body and swooped down to take her mouth in a searing kiss.
Tamara sank against his hard frame, relishing the tight band of his arm wrapping around her hips, pressing her closer to his pelvis as he delved between her lips to duel with her tongue. She moaned, thrusting against the hard, promising bulge he ground aga
inst her mound. By the time he loosened his hold and pulled back, she was ready for whatever he wanted. At least, she thought so until she glimpsed the blanket covered sawhorse and the horse grooming mitt-brush sitting on the hay bale next to it.
“You don’t think you’re going to use that on me, do you?” She flipped him an incredulous glance, her rapid pulse sending her blood rushing through her veins in a heated gush. One side of the mitt was covered with PVC brush bristles, the other, a pimpled rubber surface used to massage. She could only imagine how each side would differ in sensation if applied to her backside.
“No, I know I am.” His hands went to the waist of her jeans as he grinned at her from under the brim of his lowered hat. “Didn’t I tell you to wait for me last time we were at the club?” Connor lowered the zipper and tugged her jeans down to mid-thigh. “And did you deliberately disobey my instructions, with your friend’s help?” Her panties followed, leaving her standing there bare-assed in a swath of sunlight streaming in through the one window.
Excitement curled low in Tamara’s belly, her nipples puckering as she replied on a rushed breath, “You were an ass.”
“I was looking out for your well-being, like always. Like I’m doing now.” Connor spun her around and pushed her over the sawhorse until her hips were resting atop it, leaving her upper body to dangle over the side as she braced on her toes.
Reaching out to steady herself, she exclaimed, “Connor! I can’t stay like this!”
He brushed a hand over her clenching cheeks as he chided her. “Now, Tamara. Have I ever let you fall?”
Tamara felt his other hand press on her lower back, a supportive touch that calmed her until he swatted her buttock. Even expecting it, she jumped, her breath bursting from her lungs in a whoosh as the painful sting warmed her everywhere. She tried wriggling her hips, whether to escape the next blistering smack or embrace it, she wasn’t sure, but the brace of his hand was enough to hold her still.
“Now, aren’t you sorry you didn’t stay put like I instructed?” He slapped her again, a little harder, the pain a touch sharper, the encompassing warmth a degree hotter.
