by SJ McCoy
His smile faded and he came to her. His eyes seemed to sparkle as he got closer. He looked more intense than she’d seen him – and it was sexy as hell. Sure, she loved that he was fun and seemed pretty laid-back in general, but the intensity and urgency as he closed his arms around her and crushed her to his chest took her breath away. He didn’t speak, just lowered his lips to hers. He moved so fast that she braced herself for him to crush her lips, but he stopped less than an inch away, and she relaxed. Even when he was obviously overtaken by … what? Urgency? Lust? She didn’t know. But whatever it was, it didn’t make him thoughtless. He still gave her control. She could move away if she chose. Or she could be the one to close the final distance between their lips.
And she did.
Wow! When they’d kissed last night, it had been amazing. They’d explored each other, gotten to know each other. Some had been hot and hard, some had been flirty and playful. But this kiss? This was different. It was raw and real. He kissed her with an urgency that awoke the same in her. She clung to him as he took possession of her mouth. His arms clamped her to him, as he devoured her. He kissed along her jaw, over her collarbone, then came back up to nip her earlobe before claiming her mouth again.
His hand closed around the nape of her neck, and she moaned in the back of her throat. He felt like a stallion, nipping his mare’s neck as he let her know who was in control and what to expect as he mounted her. Her body trembled at the image her mind conjured up. But he wasn’t about to mount her. He was only kissing her, and even if he wanted to, they were still standing in the driveway in front of the house.
As if he sensed what she was thinking, he pulled back just as abruptly as he’d arrived. He didn’t let her go but leaned back to look into her eyes.
“Jesus, Frankie. You can’t say stuff like that. We’re supposed to be getting to know each other – as people, not just as bodies.”
She smiled and traced her finger over his lips. “When I said before you leave here, I meant before you leave the valley – not before you leave this house today.”
He pursed his lips, but she could see the smile hiding behind them. “I don’t think it matters what you said or what you meant. I’d stopped hearing you. I was too busy wanting you.”
“I want you.” Her words came out as a breathy whisper. She couldn’t help it.
“And you’ll have me, but not yet.”
She pouted and pressed a kiss to the corner of his mouth. “Most guys wouldn’t hesitate, you know. Most guys would want to go at it as much as we could before they left.” She didn’t even know why she was saying it. Partly because it was true, and she was surprised that he wasn’t like that. Surprised, but glad.
His arms dropped to his sides, and he stepped away from her. “If that’s the kind of guy you want … I’m not him.”
“I’m sorry, okay? I was being a brat.” She gave him an apologetic smile. “I love that you’re not just about jumping my bones, but at the same time that I love your control, I want to be able to break it. I want you to want me that much.”
His hand came up to stroke her cheek. “You could break me, sweetheart. You have no idea.”
She held his gaze. The pain was back in his eyes. She hated feeling like she was the one who’d put it there, even though she hadn’t. “I don’t want to break you. I want to make you.” She smiled, and mirrored his movement, cupping his cheek as he cupped hers. “I want to make you lose it when we make love. I want to make you laugh. I want to make you happy.” She took a huge breath when the next thought came. She wanted to bite it back, but she knew it was true even at the same time she knew how crazy it was. “I want to make you stay.”
His head jerked back.
“Stay?”
She nodded. “Buy the bakery. Move up here. Ride with me – motorcycles, horses, each other. I know I don’t know you, but my heart feels like it does. We fit together, you and me.” She smiled and stepped back. “And now, can we both please just dismiss me as a crazy cowgirl? I don’t know where that all came from, but it felt true, so I had to say it.” She swallowed, hoping she hadn’t just driven him away. “Can we forget it?”
Her heart sank when he shook his head. “I can’t forget it, Frankie. I don’t want to forget it. But I can put it aside for now. Does that work for you?”
“Yeah. As long as you can put it far enough aside that you let me show you around the barn.”
He chuckled. “Sure. I’d like that.” He winked. “I didn’t notice much last time I was here. It’s hard to concentrate with the barrel of a shotgun between your shoulder blades.”
She narrowed her eyes at him. “I told you. I won’t apologize. I did what I thought was best to keep Owen and Libby safe.”
He dropped a kiss on her lips. “I know, and I’m glad.”
She raised an eyebrow.
“I’m glad that that’s who you are. You shouldn’t ever apologize for being you, Frankie. Who you are is one amazing lady.”
She couldn’t help it, she flung herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him with everything she was.
Chapter Ten
Spider sat with Owen at the island while he ate his breakfast. He was going into school to attend some classes. Spider was glad that he got to do that. He knew Owen wasn’t like the other kids and he didn’t seem to need them. Maybe it was based on his own experience, but Spider hated to think of him as being all alone.
Owen finished his cereal and set his spoon down in the bowl. Then, he smiled and put his hand over Spider’s. “Owen loves Spider.” Spider put his other hand over the top of Owen’s and held it tightly as he looked the kid in the eye. “Spider loves Owen – very much.”
“I know.”
Spider had to swallow the lump in his throat, even at the same time that he wanted to laugh at himself. He was an emotional wreck from that little exchange, while Owen simply slid down from his stool and took his bowl to the sink. “What time is Frankie coming, Mommy?”
Tara smiled. “She’ll be here at eight thirty.”
Owen looked at the clock. “Twelve minutes.”
“That’s right. Are you ready?”
Spider wanted to laugh at the look of irritation that crossed the kid’s face. “No. First I must go pee and wash my hands. Then I have to get my backpack and have it ready by the front door.” He trotted off obediently to take care of business.
“He’s come so far,” Spider told Tara. “I knew the move up here would be good for him but …” He shook his head. “If I wasn’t seeing it with my own eyes, I’m not sure I’d believe it.”
“I still struggle to believe it myself. When I think what our life was like back in LA, the two of us in that apartment, the way I never dared go anywhere without him. I kept his life so small.”
“Hey! You did the best you could with what you had.”
“Yeah.” She smiled. “And before I met Reid, there’s no way I could have imagined how different our lives could be. He changed everything. He’s made Owen’s life so much better – and mine of course.”
“And we all know that you’ve done just as much for him.”
At that moment, Reid came out of his office. He straightened his collar as he gave them both a puzzled look. “Is everything okay? You both look serious.”
Spider loved the way Tara went and wrapped her arms around him, and he dropped a kiss on her lips.
“We were just talking about how well Owen’s doing and how it’s all down to you.”
“It’s down to him. We changed his environment, but he’s adapted so well.”
“Yes. But if it weren’t for you, we’d both be in our old environment; nothing would have changed for him to adapt to.”
“True. But I’m the one who’s gained the most. I got the two of you and a whole new life.” He looked at Spider. “I would never have believed that my life could change so much. And I certainly wouldn’t have believed that I could be so happy.”
“I’m happy for you guys.
You all deserve it.”
Reid gave him an odd look. “You deserve to be happy. Have you ever thought about changing your life? Changing your environment?”
Spider held his gaze for a long moment. He wasn’t about to admit that he’d been awake most of the night considering those very questions. He wasn’t like Reid, though. He didn’t have a house and family here – or anywhere – that he could just move into. Of course, the idea of buying the bakery held its appeal – even in its own right, and even more so when he added the thought of being around Frankie. But he’d worked long and hard to build his life in LA, to build his business, to become a part of the community. The coffee shop was the center of its own little community, and he was proud of what he’d built there. Even more than that, he was part of a bigger community – the community center that Grace ran, the place that had provided refuge for them both when they were kids. He’d helped Grace run the place for years. Since she’d married Oscar and he’d poured money into it, the place was legit now. Spider was on the board and everything. But that mattered less – way less – than what he did there. He helped out with meals, delivering everything he hadn’t sold each day at the coffee shop, and way more besides. He saw kids like he used to be find a refuge there, just like he and Grace had. He spent time with the kids, talked with them, guided them as best he could. How could he walk away from all of that?
He realized that he’d been staring back at Reid, lost in thought, when Owen came back out from his room carrying his backpack. “Four minutes,” he announced.
It took Spider a second to realize that he meant until Frankie arrived. He knew he’d only get a glimpse of her; she was coming to pick up Owen and take him to school, not to see him. Even so, he couldn’t wait to see her again. He hadn’t lied when he told her that she was an amazing lady. But they still didn’t know each other all that well. How could he even consider buying the bakery when his main motivation would be to be able to see more of her? How could that possibly compare to staying put – remaining in the environment he knew, the life he’d built where he was able to give so much to the community?
He realized that Reid was watching him closely. They were going to take a ride over to Bozeman together this morning. Tara had to work, and Reid joked that she sent him out of the way. Spider decided that he’d talk to Reid about it – he was so damned logical, he’d no doubt tell him he was crazy to even consider buying the bakery.
The buzzer sounded, announcing a car in the driveway. Spider knew the smile on his face probably matched Owen’s as he called, “Frankie’s here!”
“Spider can let her in,” said Reid. “You say goodbye to your mom.”
Owen looked puzzled but didn’t protest. Reid smiled at Spider and jerked his head toward to the door. Spider didn’t need telling twice. He hurried out, closing the door behind him, happier than was reasonable to be gifted a few minutes alone with her.
His breath caught in his chest when she jumped out of the truck. He hadn’t seen her look anything less than smoking hot yet. But he’d only seen her in jeans and T-shirts and cowboy boots. This morning, she wore a dress – a freaking dress! He hadn’t expected that. He could feel the blood pounding in his veins, and it was all rushing to the front of his pants. Visions of pushing that pretty, floaty-looking fabric up around her waist and taking her right there against the truck filled his head. He had to shake it to try to clear them.
Her eyes shone as she smiled at him. “Good morning, sexy.”
He narrowed his eyes and stalked toward her. He hadn’t planned on going within three feet of her – because he didn’t know how to be that close to her and not want to kiss her. Now he didn’t know how he could be that close and not do a whole lot more than kissing, but he was going anyway. He closed his hand around the back of her neck and stole a hot, hard kiss. He pulled back way before he wanted to.
Her breath was coming fast and shallow as she smiled up at him.
“You’re calling me sexy?” he asked.
“Err, yeah. And horny if that kiss is anything to go by. I take it you’re a morning wood kind of guy?”
He threw his head back and laughed. “I am when I see you dressed like that. You’re the sexy one around here. So damned sexy that I want …” He groaned and looked back over his shoulder when he heard the door open. He forced himself to step away from her and shoved his hands in his pockets in an attempt to adjust his pants.
Frankie dropped her gaze, and the thought that she was looking straight at his dick made him groan again. She looked back up at him and laughed. “I’d offer to help you with that, but …” She shrugged. “I have to get Owen to school.”
Owen came and leaned against Spider’s leg. “I have to go to school now.”
“I know, little bud. I hope you have a good day.”
Owen just shrugged and went to Frankie. “I’m ready.”
“Let’s go then.” She shot Spider another smile and turned to get back in the truck. They hadn’t made plans to see each other again. It hadn’t felt like they needed to – he just knew that they would. But now, seeing her dressed like that – and it was about more than how hot she looked in the dress – it was about realizing that she was a fully faceted person, who had different aspects of her life, and that made her seem more real, and therefore even more desirable. He wasn’t even sure he knew what he meant. All he knew was that he needed to see her again soon.
He watched her climb into the driver’s seat and caught the door before she could close it. “Can I call you?”
The way she smiled made his heart soar. It looked like she’d been waiting for him to ask – had she? – and she was thrilled. Had she been waiting for him to make more moves all along? He didn’t know. He didn’t care. All he knew was that she was smiling and nodding.
“I’d like that.”
“What time do you finish?”
“I’ll be bringing Owen home at two-thirty.”
“I’m going to Bozeman with Reid this morning. I don’t know what time we’ll be back. But I’ll call you as soon as I can, okay?”
She put her hand over his on the door. “Whenever you’re back, whenever you call will be good for me. I’m not going anywhere.”
He stepped back as she closed the door. Owen stuck his arm out the window and waved as they pulled away. Spider waved back, but his gaze was fixed on the rearview mirror where Frankie’s gaze met his. He didn’t know what had just happened between them. It was more than just the dress, that was for sure. He felt as though they’d just made a big shift in their relationship and the look in her eyes told him that she felt it, too.
I’m not going anywhere. There was something in those words and in the way she said them. Something that made him believe – believe her, believe in her, and believe that they might have some kind of future together.
He watched until her truck disappeared around the bend in the driveway and then turned back to the house. Reid was standing on the steps watching him, his head cocked to the side and a puzzled look on his face.
“What?”
Reid straightened his collar, looking as though he was thinking carefully before he spoke. “There’s something there, isn’t there? Something real.”
Spider opened his mouth to agree that yes, there absolutely was something very real between Frankie and him, but he closed it again abruptly. That might not even be what Reid meant. It’d be wiser to wait until he explained.
Reid came down the steps, smiling now. “When I sent you off to collect Owen from the barn, I wondered what you’d make of Frankie. Of course, she’s an attractive woman. Even I can see that. But on the surface the two of you are so very different. I imagined there might be a surface level attraction, but I was curious whether you would see anything in each other besides good looks.”
Spider couldn’t help smiling. Reid sometimes made him feel like an insect he was studying dispassionately, but he knew he didn’t mean to. In his own way, he was trying to be helpful. “She’s a good person.”<
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Reid let out a short laugh. “I’m aware of that. You know full well that Owen wouldn’t be riding off to school, or anywhere with her, if I didn’t know it. She’s a very good person. But you know a few of those. Some of them are even women, and good-looking women at that. But I’ve never seen you react to any of them the way you react to Frankie.”
Spider met his gaze. “I’ve never reacted to anyone the way I react to Frankie.”
“That’s what I thought. What are you going to do about it?”
“I don’t know. You’re the genius. You have any suggestions?”
Reid chuckled. “I was hoping you might ask. As a matter of fact, I do. I didn’t want to impose my suggestions on you. But since you asked, are you ready to go? We can talk on the way. It takes an hour to get to Bozeman.”
“Sure.”
“Great.” Reid led the way to his SUV, and Spider followed, wondering what suggestions were about to come his way.
~ ~ ~
It was almost five by the time Frankie pulled up back at the ranch. She’d hoped that Spider might call her before she dropped Owen back at home, but he hadn’t. She’d hung around a while, chatting with Tara for longer than usual, but she didn’t seem to be expecting him and Reid back any time soon. She’d even gone over to the bakery, wanting to stick around so that she’d be close by in case he got home and called. But after an hour there she’d gotten mad at herself and driven the thirty miles back down the valley. She wasn’t the kind of chick who hung around, waiting on a guy. Any guy. She did her own thing, and if someone wanted to run alongside her for a while that was fine. She didn’t mind if a guy wanted to bring some fun into her life for a while, but she didn’t deviate from her path for them.
She’d dated some. Even had a couple kind of serious relationships. But they’d ended when she was ready to move on. She didn’t like to stay in one place for too long, and when she was ready to go, she went. The guy she lived with for a while hadn’t believed her about that, she’d told him that he could move in when he asked – it’d seemed practical at the time, they were sharing a bed every night anyway. But she’d also told him that she didn’t plan to stay in Wolf Point for more than another few months. He’d acted all heartbroken when she left, but that was his problem to deal with, not hers. She hadn’t made him any promises. But as she got out of the truck and headed into the house, she felt bad for him for the first time. She knew that she’d feel that way if Spider left town.
