A Cowboy Like You

by Donna Grant

One side of Danny’s wide lips tilted in a smile. “The one thing I noticed about you when we were in school was that you did things on your own. It didn’t matter what it was. I remember you went to the Christmas dance by yourself.”

  She laughed, remembering. “That’s right. I found out that my boyfriend cheated on me a week before the dance and I refused to go with him. Some friends said I could tag along with them, but it’s never fun being a third wheel. I decided there was no reason I couldn’t arrive by myself.”

  “That’s not something people do, normally.”

  “I don’t really follow the norm.”

  “That’s my point,” he said, his face sobering. “You’ve always blazed your own path. You left here after graduation without looking back. You made a life for yourself in Houston without letting anything stop you. You’ll do the same with this fiasco, as well.”

  She cocked her head to the side, wishing she could see herself through Danny’s eyes. “You have high expectations of me.”

  “Not expectations. A belief. Because you’ve proven it time and again.”

  She wanted to be as brave and courageous as Danny made her out to be, but she wasn’t that woman anymore. “I lost some of that over the past few months.”

  “You didn’t lose it. It’s simply buried. You just need to find it again.”

  “I will, somehow.” She glanced at their still-joined hands. “I’m really sorry that Matt and his attorney made this difficult for you.”

  Danny lifted a shoulder. “It was a tactic used to stall us a little. It didn’t work.”

  “Perhaps not, but it’s made you hesitant to spend any time with me.”

  “That’s not entirely true.”

  She raised a brow, not believing him. “Yes, it is. And that’s all right. I understand. You don’t need to feel as if you have to check on me all the time.”

  Though she really liked it when he did.

  “I do it because I want to,” he said.

  She smiled in response, deciding to let it go. She had said what she needed to say.

  They sat in silence for a minute, and that’s when she heard the TV and a Christmas song. The entire house was decorated for the season. Even her bedroom had a Christmas comforter and sheets. There was no doubt that it was the favorite time of year for Abby and her family.

  “Walk with me,” Danny urged.

  She was surprised at the suggestion but agreed. They put on their coats, and once Danny had settled his hat atop his head, they walked from the house.

  Skylar fell in step beside him, letting him lead the way. They made their way toward the nearest paddock where a mare and her two-month-old foal were kept. As soon as Danny came up to the fence, the sorrel foal trotted over, his little tail flapping excitedly.

  She watched as Danny spoke softly to the animal while reaching his hand through the fence to pet the foal. The mother watched with a careful eye the entire time.

  “Matt knows about the restraining order.”

  The smile on her face slipped. She tucked her hands into her coat’s pockets and looked off into the night sky where the stars twinkled above them. “How?”

  “We don’t know yet. His attorney was the one who discovered it. It could’ve come from someone in Houston or right here in town.”

  “It’s Houston, I’m sure.”

  Danny dropped his arm and straightened to turn to her. “His knowledge of the proceedings won’t stop it.”

  “It just goes to show that he’ll know about everything we do. There’s no getting a step ahead of him.”

  “Then we don’t try.”

  She frowned and shook her head. “Why not? That’s the only way to win.”

  “That’s what he’ll expect you to do. He has more money and people working with him. Let him think he’s got you cornered. Let him believe you’re scared.”

  Now, she understood. “Because then he won’t try so hard to come after me.”

  “Precisely. I’ve seen it a hundred times with men like him. He likes to control things. Let him believe he is.”

  “It could all go wrong.”

  “That’s true of any situation. The good thing is, you aren’t alone. Leslie is a hell of a lawyer. Trust me, none of Matt’s team will be prepared for her.”

  Skylar grinned and walked closer to him. “I like the thought of that.”

  “You won’t be able to out-money him, and with his family connections, you won’t be able to be heard by the press or anyone wanting your side to win. They’re going to go to the family that will give them the fodder they want. What you can do is out-lawyer him as well as out-think and out-play him.”

  She drew in a deep breath. “It doesn’t matter how I win, as long as I do.”

  “And I’ll be beside you the entire time.”

  She bit her lip while scrunching her nose. “You have a great thing going here, Danny. I don’t want to ruin that.”

  “You won’t.”

  “You know that’s not true. Matt and his lawyer have already put a spotlight on you. If you continue hanging around me and defending me, they’ll come after you for sure.”

  Danny actually laughed and held out his hand. Once she took it, they walked toward the barn. “Let them.”

  “You could lose your job.”

  He shrugged. “There are others.”

  She couldn’t believe he was so flippant about it. He opened the door to the stables, shutting it behind them once they were inside. “I don’t want anything coming back on you, the Easts, or the Harpers.”

  Danny turned her to face him with a tug of his hand. “If you haven’t noticed, my friends are a strong lot. They’ve been through a great many things together, and I was lucky enough to be there to help them out. If they didn’t want any part of this, they wouldn’t be helping.”

  “Okay,” she whispered.

  The lights were dimmed in the stables, creating a soft glow around them. She noticed that Danny’s eyes were more gold than normal, the gilded flecks drawing her in like a beacon.

  His hand was warm in hers, his hold steady, tender. She liked the dark stubble that shadowed his cheeks and jaw. It gave him a dangerous look. That was one adjective she never would’ve used to describe Danny before, but then she’d seen him come out of the shadows to stop Matt.

  The man who had saved her had been one who was ready to do whatever he had to in order to stop Matt. The air around Danny had crackled with calmness while also showcasing the determined weapon he was in the face of such a menacing scene.

  “I wanted to take you to that Christmas dance,” he suddenly said.

  She blinked, taken aback by his words until she remembered what they had talked about in the house. “Why didn’t you?”

  “I took a shift at work for a friend who wanted to bring his girlfriend to the dance. I hadn’t intended to go. Besides, I wasn’t brave enough to ask you.”

  “I would’ve said yes.” She glanced at the floor and laughed softly. “I looked for you that night. I planned to ask you to dance.”

  His gaze darkened as his voice dipped into a husky whisper. “I missed out for sure.”

  Skylar lifted her free hand and tilted back his hat so she could better see his face. “There’s still tonight.”

  There was a flash of hesitation, of doubt. Just when she thought he might step away, he wrapped his free arm around her and pulled her close. The moment their bodies touched, her blood ran hot.

  She waited, her lips parted until he finally lowered his head. Just before their lips touched, he paused. She wound her arm around his neck, her fingers tangling in the dark hair at the nape.

  Then—finally!—his mouth pressed against hers.

  Skylar barely registered his soft, insistent lips before he brushed them over hers. She sighed, her body sinking against his. Both his arms came around her, allowing her to better wrap hers around his neck.

  His tongue slid along her lips before slipping between them to tangle with her tongue. His kiss was
… perfection.

  They moved in unison, each taking and receiving until the kiss grew passionate, fiery. His hands were in her hair, gripping the strands firmly.

  Then he spun her, pinning her against a stall with his body. She felt his arousal. And her body burned for him. She hungered to feel his skin, his hard body—and most especially, his cock inside her.

  Danny halted, his lips pressed against hers for a long moment. Then he lifted his head and looked at her. “You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to do that.”

  “Then don’t stop.”

  “I’m not sure I can control myself.”

  She knew she couldn’t control herself. “Maybe we don’t need to.”

  He released her, taking a step back. “Having you back makes me crave you with a ferocity that should frighten you.”

  “You can’t say things like that and not expect me to want to kiss you again.”

  “It’s all I can think about.”

  Skylar didn’t need to hear him say it again. She closed the distance between them and pressed her lips to his, reigniting the flame that he’d tried to stamp out.

  His groan made her stomach flutter. His hands clutched her jacket as if he were trying to decide if he would push her away or pull her closer. Then they splayed on her back, pressing her tightly against him as he kissed her as if there were no tomorrow, as if the stars had finally aligned for them.

  She surrendered to Danny, to the desire that blazed hot like an inferno between them. She’d never felt need so strong, a hunger so deep that it clawed up through her soul.

  And she’d never tasted a kiss so absolute, so perfect. So … pure.

  “I want you,” he said between kisses.

  Skylar couldn’t form words to reply. Her body ached for his touch too much. She jerked off her coat and let it fall to the floor. When she shoved his jacket off his shoulders, he tore it away as if the thing offended him.

  Then he lifted her until she wrapped her legs around him. With their lips still locked together, he walked them to a door and opened it.

  Skylar briefly parted her lids to look inside and saw that it was the feed room. More importantly, it had bales and bales of hay.

  Danny set her on her feet and pulled off his shirt before he spread it over the hay. “It itches like the dickens.”

  “I won’t be feeling anything but you,” she told him as she reached for him again.

  Chapter 12

  Skylar couldn’t stop touching Danny. The moment his shirt came off, her hands needed to feel his body. And, oh, what a body it was. His shirts didn’t hide his broad shoulders, but they did obscure his chiseled abs and rock-hard chest and arms. Her mouth watered at the sight before her.

  She removed his hat and smiled up at him, slowly shaking her head. “Damn, sheriff. I wasn’t expecting such a gorgeous body.”

  His cocky smile made her want to get him naked so she could get a look at the rest of him. But when she reached for his pants, he moved his hips away.

  “Oh, no you don’t,” he said as he captured her hands and held them behind her back with one of his. “It’s my turn to see you.”

  “Release me, and I’ll be happy to take it all off.”

  The smile was gone, replaced by raw, unadulterated need. He let her go immediately.

  Skylar grabbed her sweater by the hem and pulled it over her head. Her gaze was locked on his face when she reached behind her and unhooked her bra. A shiver went through her went she let it fall next to her sweater and saw the lust in Danny’s eyes.

  His gaze lifted to her face. “You’re too far away.”

  She chuckled but didn’t go to him. Instead, she took off her boots, jerking her chin to his so he’d do the same. He followed suit. Soon, they stood in nothing but their jeans.

  “You first,” she told him.

  “I can barely keep my hands off you, so we’d better hurry.”

  Skylar smiled even as he took off his gun to set it on the floor, then unbuttoned his jeans and pushed them down his hips before stepping out of them to stand in a pair of orange boxer briefs.

  She took note of the color but didn’t say anything since it was her turn to remove her jeans. She didn’t dally, and while she felt the cold, it didn’t penetrate through the heat that each of them was giving off.

  Then she stood in nothing but orange panties with white polka dots.

  Danny’s lips spread in a grin as he noticed. “Nice underwear. Looks like we both like orange. It’s your turn to remove them first.”

  She was more than ready. She hooked her thumbs in the waist and pushed them down her legs before stepping out of them. Danny’s gaze slowly looked her over from head to feet and back again. She didn’t move, just let him look his fill since she intended to do the same with him.

  “You’re so beautiful,” he said when he caught her gaze.

  She looked down at his arousal, prominent through his briefs. “Your turn.”

  In seconds, the garment was gone. She walked to him and smoothed her hands over his chest, caressing his upper body from his shoulders to over his abs and down to his waist. After several passes, her hands went lower until they wrapped around his cock.

  His breathing hitched, and his gaze burned into hers. “Skylar,” he whispered.

  She moved her hand up and down his length, but she didn’t get the time she wanted. Before she knew it, he had her on her back and was leaning over her as he ran one hand from her breasts, down her stomach, over her hip, and then to her leg before moving back up.

  She was so focused on the feeling of his hand on her skin that she jerked in surprise when his lips closed around her nipple, and his tongue began teasing the nub.

  * * *

  She was everything he’d dreamed of and more. Danny couldn’t believe that he held Skylar Long in his arms. She was even more beautiful than he’d imagined.

  Her breasts were large, filling his hands. And her nipples were sensitive, his every touch causing her to moan and arch her back.

  He was pleased to find that she was devoid of any pubic hair. He spread her legs with his hand and lightly ran his fingers over her flesh while he tongued her nipple. And when he pushed a finger inside of her, he found her hot and wet. His cock jumped, eager to be where his finger was, filling her.

  “Please,” she begged. “I need you now.”

  Danny knew they wouldn’t have long before someone came looking for them, and he didn’t want to be interrupted. His entire high school career, he’d dreamed of all the ways he wanted to make love to Skylar. Now that she was naked in his arms, all he could think about was hearing her scream in pleasure.

  He rolled on top of her, moving between her legs. She took his rod in hand and brought it to her entrance. Danny clenched his teeth when the head of his arousal breached her. He rocked his hips forward and filled her in one thrust.

  Her nails dug into his sides as she moaned. He pulled out and thrust in again, going deeper this time. Her eyes opened as their gazes locked.

  He began moving in and out of her, his hips pumping faster and harder. She wrapped her legs around him, locking her ankles as she met him thrust for thrust. Watching the pleasure cross her face was one of the most beautiful things Danny had ever witnessed.

  She whispered his name as her breaths grew harsh. Then she stiffened, a cry falling from her lips. He covered her mouth so no one would hear as he ate up every sound that fell from her lips.

  The sight of her in such a state of bliss broke the last vestiges of his control. His climax slammed into him with the force of a herd of horses. It took his breath away, locking it in his lungs.

  The ecstasy was so intense that time stood still. All he felt, all that mattered was Skylar.

  When he came to, she held him against her. He hadn’t remembered falling forward, didn’t recall her arms going around him. But he knew he was exactly where he wanted to be.

  “That was amazing,” she whispered in his ear.

  He rose up on h
is elbows to look at her. “It certainly was.”

  “We’re going to do that again, aren’t we?” she asked pointedly, daring him to say otherwise.

  Danny kissed the tip of her nose. It wouldn’t matter what he wanted. Now that he’d had Skylar, there was no turning back. “Most definitely.”

  “Good, because that was something incredible. And I want more.”

  He pulled out of her, realizing when he saw his cock that they’d had unprotected sex.

  “I have an IUD,” she told him.

  That was a relief, but he never had sex without a condom. It just went to show how Skylar made him forget himself.

  Danny stood and gathered her clothes before handing them to her. They dressed in silence, but they couldn’t stop smiling and looking at each other.

  “I really wish we would’ve done that in school,” she said.

  He shook his head. “It wasn’t our time then. We would’ve messed things up.”

  “You’re saying that, despite our mutual attraction back then, it wouldn’t have worked?”

  He shrugged as he shook hay from his shirt and slid his arms into the sleeves before buttoning it. “I’m saying that everything happens for a reason. We weren’t meant to be together then.”

  “But we are now? Yeah. I can see that.”

  Danny didn’t tell her that anything could happen, that this could all be nothing more than a fling. He wanted more—so much more—from Skylar. But he knew better than to try and hold onto something that wasn’t his. He’d tried to hold onto her in school, but she’d never been his.

  She put his hat atop his head, and they left the feed room to retrieve their coats. They had just put them on when the door opened, and Clayton walked in.

  He took one look at the two of them and backed out. “Sorry.”

  “Clayton, it’s fine,” Skylar called. “We just came out for a talk.”

  Danny didn’t say anything because he knew Clayton had determined exactly what they had been doing.

  Clayton returned to the stables and smiled at them, his gaze landing on Danny. “I’m glad you decided to come tonight.”

  “Me, too,” Danny admitted.

  Skylar put her hands into her pockets. “Matt knows I’m going for the restraining order in the morning.”