In Search of the Long-Lost Maverick

by Christine Rimmer

  “Do you want me to let go?”

  Never. “Um, yeah. I think you’d better.”

  He turned his head just enough to touch his warm, soft lips to her palm. Heat skated along her arm, flared across her shoulder and up over her throat. Only then did he release her.

  Rex appeared again to ask if they would like dessert and coffee. They both said yes and he brought them a decadent chocolate mousse to share. Mel enjoyed every bite and then settled back to sip her coffee.

  Gabe said, “You asked about my sister...”

  “I did, yes.”

  “She’s completely absorbed in her life in Denver, with a longtime serious boyfriend and a great job in a growing company.”

  “Sounds pretty good to me.” A lot like her own life in Bozeman—until Cheating Todd showed his true colors.

  “Yeah.” Gabe seemed a little sad now. “If she’d only come home every once in a while. She’s been in Denver for twelve years, and every year we see less of her. We lost Great-Grandma Cora five years ago. Erica barely made it home for the funeral. My great-grandfather is not well. This is my sister’s last chance to spend some time with him while he’s still around.”

  For once, Mel was the one reaching out. She took his hand and wove their fingers together. She needed the contact—to show him support. “Hey...”

  “Yeah?” He leaned closer, blue eyes warm as a bright summer day.

  Drawn by the clean, intoxicating scent of his skin, she leaned in, too. “Cut her some slack,” she whispered in his ear.

  “Good advice,” he answered ruefully.

  “And sometimes that’s the hardest kind to follow?”

  “Yeah, pretty much...” He brought her hand to his lips and pressed a tender kiss to the back of it. She didn’t pull away.

  Was she sending the wrong signals? Probably. But this little room tucked away by itself seemed like a place where real life couldn’t touch them. Where she could forget all the reasons she shouldn’t let herself get too close to Gabe. She liked him so very much.

  Every moment she spent with him just made it more difficult to remember why those reasons even mattered. It grew easier and easier to imagine crossing the line between a carefully controlled friend zone and something more.

  More. It didn’t have to mean forever, did it? When, in her whole life, had she ever taken a chance on having a little fun with a guy, having it be just for now?

  The answer to that was a big, fat never.

  Before her parents died, she’d known she wanted what they had—a loving relationship with a life partner, the kind of relationship that weathered the years, and children to cherish together. She would find a man she could count on, one who could count on her in return. Along with the right man, and the children he would give her when the time was right, she intended to have an interesting and challenging career.

  After she lost her folks, she still wanted those same things, but even more so. Without their steady love and unwavering support, she’d felt cast adrift. Untethered. She’d needed to ground herself, to carve out a place for herself, make a new family after losing the family she’d loved so much.

  By the time she’d said yes to Todd’s marriage proposal, she’d been absolutely certain that he was the right man, the one she was meant to share her life with. The one she could count on to cherish her and love her as she would cherish and love him for the rest of their lives, the one she could trust to have children with.

  And then Todd blew her trust all to hell.

  Was there really any coming back from that for her?

  Maybe not.

  Not every woman ended up half of a couple with children around her. She might just be destined to go it alone.

  What if that ultimately turned out to be the case for her?

  The thought that it might caused a deep, echoing sadness within her, as well as a need to reach out and grab hold of the good things. She was no longer waiting for the one. And tonight, with Gabe, she couldn’t stop asking herself a different kind of question.

  Why couldn’t she have something wonderful just for now?

  She glanced down into her empty coffee cup.

  Gabe asked, “More coffee?”

  She sent him a grin. “This was perfect. Nothing more, thanks.”

  A few minutes later, they waved goodbye to the pretty hostess in the front foyer and went out into the summer darkness where the Cadillac was waiting.

  “Come out to the Ambling A with me,” he offered as they left the Association behind. “Just for a little while.”

  It had been such a great evening. She really didn’t want it to end. And she didn’t have to be at DJ’s until late afternoon tomorrow. “All right. I would like that.”

  * * *

  “Where’s Butch?” Mel asked as Gabe ushered her in the front door. “I thought he’d be right here waiting at your door.”

  “He’s over at the other house. He likes to hang out with Malone and my folks when I’m not around. They spoil him rotten, not that I mind.” He led her into the big living room. “Brandy?”

  “Brandy sounds just right.”

  He tapped at his phone and music played. It was country, a slow song. They settled on the sofa. She sipped her brandy, enjoying the warmth and the heady flavor.

  “It’s so good,” she said. “This evening. The dinner. This brandy...you.”

  He set his glass on the beautiful burled wood coffee table in front of them, then gently took hers from her hand and set it down, too. She didn’t object. She was much too eager to find out what would happen next.

  And she was not disappointed.

  He touched her cheek and then traced her jaw, his big, warm fingers sliding under the waves of her hair to gently cradle the nape of her neck.

  “Melanie.” He said her given name rough and low, lingering over it, as though savoring the taste of it. She preferred to be called Mel. It was short, sweet and strong, and that was how she saw herself. But tonight, well, the way he said her full name worked for her in a big way. “All night, I’ve been hoping I might just get a chance to do this...”

  He gathered her into him. For a long, sweet span of seconds, she was looking in his eyes, feeling lazy and easy, arousal curling through her, smoky and warm as the taste of the brandy on her tongue. Then he covered her mouth with his.

  She let her eyes drift shut as she opened for him. The kiss bloomed into something hotter, more urgent, as his tongue swept in to taste her.

  Beneath his crisp white shirt, his broad chest was hard and hot to her touch, and his arms held her so tight, like he would never let her go. Images danced on the insides of her eyelids—his smile that first day when they met out by the creek, the patient look he’d given her every time she’d told him no, those nights at DJ’s when she would spot him at the bar as he glanced up and saw her looking his way.

  Whatever this was, this heat and energy that always arced between them whenever he was near, she wanted more of it. She wanted it now.

  He leaned back enough to capture her gaze again. “I’m thinking you really need to spend the night here with me.”

  Okay, yeah. She’d been thinking pretty much the same thing.

  Pulling the trigger on that, though—it was another big step altogether. “Really not sure that’s such a great idea.”

  He kissed her, soft and quick. “That’s okay. I’m sure enough for both of us.”

  She fondly combed his spiky hair back with her fingers. It was silky to the touch. “I am so tempted.”

  “Excellent.” That smile of his was downright combustible. “And you know what they say...”

  She lifted up from her lazy slouch against the cushions to press a kiss to that sculpted jaw of his, lingering long enough to nip him lightly with her teeth. “Tell me. What do they say?”

  “The best way to get over a
cheating rich guy is to jump right in with an honest man.”

  “You mean someone like you?”

  “That’s right. You should jump right in with me, Mel. You should do that right now, tonight.”

  “You, the rich guy who pretended to be a poor cowboy when I met him?”

  “We’ve been over that. Let’s not go there again.”

  She laughed, the sound low and husky to her own ears. “But it’s so much fun to razz you about it.”

  “Fair enough. Go ahead. Razz me all you want, just as long as you...” He nuzzled her neck. “Stay.” He breathed the tender word against her skin. “I want you, Mel. Here. In my arms. All night long.”

  And then his mouth found hers again and they were kissing, endlessly kissing. He slid a questing hand down her body, under the curve of her bottom and on along her thigh, over her short skirt to the bare skin midway to her knee. Every inch of her flared with heat and yearning in the wake of that long, slow caress. His palm skated lower, over her knee and down her calf. When he reached her ankle, he eased off her high-heeled shoe. She heard a soft thunk as it hit the floor.

  The other shoe followed right after.

  No doubt about it. All the so-valid reasons she had not to go where she was going with him right now were blown away. By his touch. By each and every teasing conversation she’d indulged in with him at DJ’s in those evenings he’d shown up to sit at the bar. By the way he always looked at her as if she was the only other person in the room.

  Right now, it didn’t matter in the least where this might be going. She was swept away by his manliness, his great sense of humor, that burning look in his summer-sky eyes. Somehow, he’d done it, thoroughly seduced her. And tonight, she was ready to relax and enjoy this for what it was—the magic of true chemistry, the pleasure she might find in one perfect night with a man like Gabe.

  There was no tomorrow. Only now. Only Gabe and his captivating kisses, his bold, burning touch. For once in her life, she was going for it, giving herself up to the delicious decadence of it, a wild night with the right man—not a man for forever, but the perfect man for right now.

  And as for tomorrow?

  Tomorrow could damn well take care of itself.

  Chapter Five

  Gabe couldn’t believe it. It was happening at last.

  He had Mel in his arms and he wasn’t letting go.

  He kept kissing her, greedy for her. He wanted to claim every inch of her with the heat of his mouth. She was eager, ready. Every signal she gave him said yes.

  She clutched his shoulders and surrendered her mouth to him, moaning so sweetly when he kissed his way down the V-neck of her dress, into that soft, perfect valley between her pretty pale breasts. She urged him on with eager sighs and softly murmured encouragements.

  “Yes,” she cried low as he nibbled her collarbone. “Please,” she begged sweetly as he swept her heavy, fragrant hair aside to get to the long zipper at the back of that sexy little dress. With a sizzling purr of sound, the zipper parted.

  “Gabe. Anything, everything,” she whispered as he pulled the dress down her arms, revealing a purple lace bra and more smooth, kissable skin.

  He pressed his hungry mouth to the tiny satin bow between the perfect swells of her breasts.

  She let her head fall back. “Yes,” she said again, her long hair falling every which way, curling down her back, tumbling over her satiny shoulders.

  He kissed his way up over the top rim of the lace, a chain of kisses, first one breast and then the other. When he couldn’t wait another moment to uncover her, he undid the clasp and the bra fell away.

  She stared up at him, open to him, her eyes a jewel-blue sea of want, of yearning. “Gabe,” she whispered. “Oh, please. Yes...”

  He took one hard, pebbled nipple and then the other in his mouth as she clutched him close, crying his name again, begging him, “Gabe, yes, more...”

  More sounded very, very good to him.

  But not here.

  He wanted to stretch out with her. The leather sofa was a big one, but not big enough.

  He tipped up her chin and she gazed at him dazedly. “Hmm?” she asked sweetly.

  “Bedtime.”

  A quivery little breath escaped her. “Um. Okay.”

  Oh, he could get used to this side of her. So soft and innocent. Not the sharp and guarded Mel he sparred with at DJ’s. This was a softer Mel. Vulnerable and yielding.

  Rising, he caught her hand and pulled her up to stand with him. The skirt of her dress still hung around her hips. She glanced down over her bare breasts and then back up at him. “I guess I don’t need this right now, do I?” And she pushed the dress down. It fell in a satin and lace puddle around her bare ankles, leaving her standing there in nothing but tiny purple panties.

  He indulged in a long, slow look. At all of her, from her strong, slender legs to the outward curves of her hips, the fine indentation of her waist, the womanly beauty of her round breasts. There wasn’t an inch of her he didn’t want to kiss, to hold, to worship all night long.

  Her hair spilled down over her shoulders, golden, wild and curling. She was glorious. A sight to behold.

  “There.” She stepped out of the dress, snatched it up and tossed it across the back of the sofa. Gently, she nudged her shoes with a toe until they were under the coffee table. And then she held out her hand to him.

  He took it, but only to turn her and scoop her high against his chest. With a low, happy sound, she twined her arms around his neck and dropped a sweet little kiss at his jaw.

  “Ready?” He kissed her plump, delicious lips, thinking of how long he’d waited. To find her. To hold her. He’d dated a lot of women, gotten himself something of a rep for never sticking with even one of them. Slowly, he’d reached the sad conclusion that Gramps didn’t know what he was talking about. There was no special woman out there for him, no one who was the one.

  Well, Gabe got it now. He was a believer. Gramps was right. With this woman, he didn’t have a single doubt. He truly didn’t even need to ask.

  “Let’s go,” she said softly.

  Cradling her close, he headed for the master suite.

  In his room, he carried her straight to the bed, which was already turned down by the housekeeper who came in daily to whip everything into shape.

  “Where are you going?” she demanded when he gently set her on the white sheets and took a step back.

  “Nowhere.” He unbuttoned his shirt, impatiently enough that two buttons went flying. “I’m staying right here with you.” He tossed the shirt at a chair, turned and dropped to the side of the bed to pull off his boots.

  As he was tugging on the second one, her smooth, cool hands came around him from behind. “I like it better when you’re close.” She pressed her naked breasts to his bare back and the silky skin of her slim arms encircled him. For a moment, he forgot how to breathe. He felt her lips against his shoulder.

  And then those clever hands of hers got busy unbuckling his belt.

  He chuckled at that, turning his head to share a kiss with her over his shoulder—a long, sweet one. His eager tongue met hers, tangling. She moaned into his mouth. It was possibly the sweetest, hottest sound he’d ever heard.

  The boots were off in a matter of seconds. Socks, too, as he kissed her. She undid his belt and whipped it away. Her nimble fingers dealt with his fly.

  He hated breaking their long, sweet kiss. But it had to be done for him to get out of his pants and boxer briefs. He stood and shoved them down, groaning a little when his erection got in the way.

  Finally, though, everything was off. He turned to her and his heart stopped. She’d dispensed with those tiny panties. On her knees on his bed, her hands on her creamy thighs, her golden hair all over the place, she was an invitation to sin. Those eyes were cobalt-blue right now, full of longing and secret
s, deep and dark as a hidden pond in some magical forest glen. He loved the look of her, so small and strong and perfect, without a stitch on.

  She caught her lower lip between her pretty white teeth, the way she did when she was uncertain. “Gabe. What’s the matter?”

  He gave her a slow smile. “Not a thing.”

  “You sure?” She was chewing on that lip a little now, adorable and nervous.

  He bent, put a finger under her soft chin and used his thumb to pull her lower lip free. “If anyone’s going to be biting those pretty lips tonight, it will be me.”

  At last, she smiled again. “You looked so serious there for a moment.”

  “You’re beautiful.” He kissed her quick and hard. “All of you. I’m very serious about that.”

  “Oh, Gabe...” She came up on her knees, reaching for him.

  Best invitation he’d ever had. He went down to her, wrapping his arms around her good and tight, rolling her little body under him.

  She felt like paradise, like she’d been made just for him.

  They kissed, one of those kisses a man can get lost in, the kind where he hoped he would never be found. Her hair tangled around them, silky. Wild. And her soft hands stroked his shoulders and strayed down his back, pausing in the dip of his spine, rubbing there as she made the sweetest, softest, hungriest little sounds that echoed pleasurably inside his head as their endless kiss continued.

  He wanted more—to get his mouth on every inch of her. She whimpered in protest as he broke their long kiss and then sighed in delight as he kissed his way across her collarbone and then back to that little notch at the base of her smooth throat.

  From there he went down, stopping to worship each pink-tipped, round breast, and then moving lower, dipping his tongue in the tender well of her navel, but not stopping there.

  Oh, no. He wanted—needed—to kiss the secret heart of her.

  But he took a small detour first, down to the tender groove where her hip met her body. He kissed her there, pausing to scrape his teeth against the sweet jut of her hip bone. She stirred restlessly, making little pleading sounds that only got him more determined not to rush a single caress during this first time with her.