Always a Cowboy (13 page)

“No, you aren't. You do what you think you should do, and that's that.”

“I hate to be the one to tell you this, but that's not a flaw. You'd better pick another one.”

“You...you argue with your younger brother a lot.”

“Nope, that doesn't work, either.
He
argues with
me
. Go on.” He replaced his hat and adjusted it. “If you continue at this rate, I'll start to feel damn near perfect.”

“You're...too tall,” she said with a laugh.

“Too tall for what?”

She didn't respond but rushed into her next bogus complaint. “You talk to your dogs more than you talk to people.”

“Hey, Harold and Violet are smarter than most people. So if I want intelligent conversation, I usually do pick them. They're also very good listeners. Besides, aren't I talking to you now? That was a compliment, by the way. I said
most
people.”

“So, you're saying I'm smarter than your dogs?”

“Oh, heck, no. I was talking about people, remember.”

If she could throw something at him, she would, but then she'd probably fall off and there was nothing available to chuck in his direction, anyway. She agreed with Grace; he was very funny.

And far too attractive.

He pointed at a spot she recognized. “I'm thinking we should pitch the tent there, by that spring. I'd leave Molly with you, but I can't, not with the other horses nearby.” He studied the location, a small, protected valley. “Good cover for when it starts to blow.”

She looked at the cloudless blue sky. “Are you sure—”

“I'm sure.”

CHAPTER TWELVE

T
HE
CLOUDS
WERE
THICKENING
.

“You aren't going to leave that pretty little girl up on that mountain by herself.”

Drake glanced up. Red wasn't asking, he was
telling
. Right behind him stood Ryder, and the kid looked as bent out of shape as the old man.

Well, they could back off, both of them. He'd been busting his ass to get everything done so he could take off and he didn't need them crowding him. “Uh, no, I'm not. I'm waiting for Jax Locke to get here so I can talk to him about those two sick cows.”

“Wind's picking up.”

“You told me it would.” Drake straightened. “I checked my phone and the Doppler confirms you have it right, as usual.”

“Get going. I'll talk to the doc.” For the second time that day, Red had Starburst saddled and ready to go. He handed over a large insulated bag. “This here's a present from Harry. Supper. Don't know what's in there, but I bet it's good.”

He'd bet on that, too. He accepted the cooler. “Any instructions?”

“Didn't think you needed any. Just do what
comes
naturally, son.” Red guffawed at that remark. Luckily, Ryder had gone back to mucking out stalls.

Oh, news about the condoms had gotten around for sure, but by now Drake was resigned to that. “I meant for the food, Red.”

“Sorry, couldn't resist that one.” He was still chuckling. “Nah, Harry knows a campfire meal might be kind of difficult tonight, so she kept it simple. No instructions. All she said was
enjoy
.”

Drake sensed another bad joke on the way and staved it off by mounting his horse with lightning speed. “I trust you to deal with the situation if those cows need to be quarantined. I don't want the entire herd getting sick.”

“I was handling cattle before you were born. Good call to bring in the vet, but I'm guessing he'll agree with me that those two just ate some plant they shouldn't have. I've seen it before.” Red waved him off. Drake pointed at the dogs. “Stay.”

Both obediently sat down. At least
someone
listened to him.

It was one thing to spend a stormy night in a tent with a beautiful woman, and another to share the experience with two wet dogs.

He went before Red could repeat
enjoy
. He wouldn't have put it past the old coot.

The air smelled like rain, and that rising breeze sounded faintly like a wail. Part of him said he shouldn't have left Luce alone for most of the day, but another part reminded him that she was an intelligent and determined woman, smart enough to take care of herself. Besides, he'd had plenty to do. The first time they met, he'd explained that he wouldn't babysit her, hadn't he?

And yet... If he could, he'd keep an eye on her all day—and night.

He was looking forward to the nighttime shift, in particular.

The darkening sky told him the storm was bound to roll in before sunset. He squinted up at the slate-gray clouds roiling overhead and gave Starburst a gentle nudge to pick up the pace. The horse didn't like the distant sound of thunder, his ears going back.

“You'll have shelter soon,” he said reassuringly, patting the horse's neck. “I chose a good spot.”

He had. It was a place where he and Slate and Mace had fashioned a lean-to for their horses, back when they were teenagers and still camped out fairly often. It was hardly master construction, but he'd left it because it reminded him of those outings, and no one saw the place, anyway. Truth be told, he'd replaced part of the roof last fall, just in case he ever had the urge to spend a night.

Good decision. The trees sighed as he got closer to the ridge, and flashes of lightning illuminated the silhouette of the mountains.

When he pulled up and slid off the horse, the drizzle had already started, and his boots made a soggy noise as he hit the ground.

Although the tent had been pitched, it was empty.

Oh, hell.

He stood there, holding the reins, trying to make a decision. He figured that was the moment he first knew he was in love with Luce Hale, because he was ready to jump back on his horse and go looking for her.

Good luck with that. There was a lot of country out there, and she could walk places he couldn't get to on horseback. He wasn't even sure what direction she'd gone.

She'd done some camping; she wasn't inexperienced.

She'd know enough to come back to the site—wouldn't she?

Drake hated waiting around, but right now, it was the most sensible thing to do.

Another hour passed before Luce finally turned up, and by then, the weather was really going to hell. The wind was practically tearing the tent off its pegs.

He was inside, fretting, thinking he couldn't recall the last time he'd been so on edge.

When someone unzipped the flap of the tent, he actually ran a shaking hand over his face.

She was back. Thank God.

He was instantly furious. “It's about time! Where've you been?”

Luce stumbled through the opening, lost her balance and landed squarely on top of him. There was no room to stand—and he had no objections at all. It took him two seconds flat to realize she was soaking wet and shivering. Her teeth were chattering. “I jumped in the stream. Not like I had a lot of choice. Oh, thank heaven, you're warm. Take off your shirt.”

She certainly wasn't warm. Wet, cold and delightfully female. But she was shaking so much he could hardly understand her.

He stripped off his T-shirt and dropped it. “Jumped in? Why?”

She wrapped her arms around his neck. “I'll get to that. For now, just help me off with my clothes. I'm so cold my fingers don't work.”

Well, he wasn't about to refuse that request. He did have questions about her fall in the river, but...

“Hold still.” He unfastened the buttons on her blouse. Underneath she wore a camisole thing with a built-in bra; he helped strip that off, too, and she settled against him, bare breasts to his bare chest.

It felt as wonderful as he'd predicted. This had been coming all along and he'd known it, but he hadn't expected it to happen quite this way. Outside, the wind was shrieking.

He asked,” You aren't hurt?”

She buried her face in his neck. “No...no. Frozen, but not hurt. What do you do up here, pour ice into your rivers?”

“Mountain runoff.” He kissed her underneath her ear. They were very close to altogether naked. He'd had fantasies about this. Her hair was damp and he smoothed it back, combing it with his fingers. “Any warmer?”

“Yes, thanks.”

“Get as close as you want.”

“I want closer. Take off my jeans.”

That would be his pleasure, as long as she was okay with it. His voice was huskier than he'd intended. “Luce, if I do...”

“Take them off. While you're at it, take yours off, too.”

“You sure?”

“I am. But I'm so seriously cold I know I couldn't work the zipper.”

It was really going to happen. He helped her out of her wet jeans and some very sexy panties he hoped she'd selected just for him. He'd probably set a world record at getting out of his own clothes.

He held her until she stopped shivering. In their intimate position, there was no doubt that she could feel he was interested in a lot more. Her arms were tight around his neck, but they relaxed bit by bit until she sighed against his chest. “Much better.”

“Is it okay for me to let go of you for a minute to get something from my pack?”

She artlessly kissed his jaw and ran a hand over his bare chest. “Hmm. What would you need at this particular moment?”

“I assume you'd prefer that we use protection. I'm old-fashioned enough to like things done in the right order.”

“Oh! Yes. Glad you're thinking straight. Maybe my brain is still frozen.” She shifted onto her side so he could reach over. He'd brought a battery-powered lantern, and the light revealed every supple curve and hollow of her perfect—in his opinion, anyway—body. Nicely rounded breasts, feminine hips that emphasized her long athletic toned legs...

His hands weren't quite steady as he found what he needed and rolled it on.

“Red was right about the storm.”

“He always is,” Drake agreed as the tent shuddered under another blast from Mother Nature.

“Harry said you need the rain.”

“We do.”

“I started back here when the sky was getting so dark, but—”

“Luce, stop talking about the weather.” He brushed his thumb across her lower lip in a slow caress, pulling her close again.

“Um, sounds like a good idea. Kiss me?”

“That's an offer I won't turn down.”

He thought he did a thorough job of it and then moved lower to her breasts. He took a taut nipple in his mouth. There wasn't a single mention of the rain now pelting the tent. There might've been a gasp of enjoyment he missed because of the storm's noise, but he certainly got the message from the arching of her body and the way her fingers ran through his hair.

His own message to Luce was loud and clear. He wanted her. He'd always believed that meant for his entire lifetime, and that desire and passion were naturally linked to commitment. But now, with the wild storm rushing through, he wasn't going to do anything except make love to her.

The big questions were left for later. The growing love affair, the proposal, the response...

He wasn't ready to propose. Not because he didn't want to head in that direction, but they hadn't really talked about her return to California. Right now, they didn't need to have that conversation.

He slid his hand over the smooth curve of her hip, down her thigh and upward to touch her intimately. She quivered against him, not at all shy about how much she enjoyed it, her thighs parting in unspoken invitation, her hands tightening urgently on his shoulders.

He'd been trying to go slow, take his time, make sure she was ready, and that he wasn't rushing things because his body was sending him signals like the sudden flashes of lightning outside. But apparently she was impatient, too.

“I'm in love with you,” he whispered.

He stopped whatever response might have been with a searing kiss. He'd just needed to say it.

* * *

H
ERE
SHE
WAS
, making love with a very sexy cowboy. As usual he didn't want to talk; all he wanted was to get to the business at hand.

She might ask later how he'd learned what he was doing so well, but she doubted he'd answer. Every touch had been reverent and gentle, and he certainly knew his way around a woman's body. And that brief declaration—good timing. But she wasn't interested in talking. Not yet. Maybe one day they'd have that discussion, but not now. She didn't own his past and he didn't own hers, either.

But...he was in
love
with her?

If anyone other than Drake had said that, she might've thought it was nothing more than an opportunistic line. Drake wasn't like that.

He truly did mean everything he said. Down to the last word.

She wasn't prepared for any life-changing discussion, but she decided she had to say
something
, meet him halfway. “I think about you from when I wake up in the morning until I go to sleep,” she admitted. “Is that love? Help me out.”

The way he responded was so Drake. “Can't right now. I'm kinda busy.”

Busy
translated into driving her crazy with his mouth and hands. When he finally did slide deep inside her, she was already on the edge, so that didn't take long at all.

They moved together naturally and were so lacking in awkwardness that she might've marveled at it, but at the moment she couldn't think anything remotely profound.

Sexy cowboy, score one. She wasn't sure she was still breathing after her first orgasm. After the second, she didn't recall her own name. Then, with a fine sheen of sweat on his skin and his face buried in her still-damp hair, he went rigid and groaned in pleasure. They lay there in the breathless aftermath, intertwined, sated, silent. He finally lifted his head. “The storm's passing. Tent stood firm.”

Luce traced the arch of his brow with a fingertip. “So far, so good. It could've blown away and I probably wouldn't have noticed.”

“Could be a rocky night. Who knows what might happen next.” His grin held pure male satisfaction.

He didn't seem inclined to let her go, which was okay with her. Despite the events of the afternoon and the volatile weather, she felt safe nestled there against him. “Could we just live right here?”

It must have been the afterglow talking. He'd never once mentioned marriage and she'd avoided the subject, as well. She was instantly appalled that she'd spoken out loud.

Luckily, he didn't seem fazed. “Too far from the day-to-day on the ranch. Getaway for the weekend, maybe? A nice little log cabin. I bet Slate and Mace would pitch in to build it because they'll want to use it, too. That's a great idea.”

“I wasn't suggesting—”

“Suggest away. You could convince me of anything right now.” He raked back her hair, feathering the strands with his fingers. “Unfair advantage.”

The lantern light and the fading sound of thunder did lend a romantic ambience, and the rain had let up, too.

She looked into his eyes. “I think the advantage is all yours.”

“Hope that's true, but we can debate it later. In the meantime, Harry sent us a present. If you aren't starved, I am. Let's see, I spent all afternoon worrying about you and working like a fiend so I could get up here, you fell into an ice-cold river and I still don't know why, and we finally acknowledged something I think we both figured out a long time ago. Oh, I have a dry shirt in my pack. Why don't you wear it so we can have dinner?”