Cameron, Paige - The Billionaire Cowboy Takes a Wife (Siren Publishing Everlasting Classic) (7 page)

“You’re back.” A large smile covered her face. “Let me see that engagement ring. I can see the sparkles from here.” Maria headed toward her, and Samantha held out her hand.

“My, my. It’s beautiful and impressive.” She looked at Samantha. “Do you like it?”

Did she? Samantha studied her ring. Sunlight sent flashes of light glancing off the stones. “It is lovely,” she said in a low tone. “But, I’m glad to be back. The big city is not for me.”

Maria opened the door and went into the kitchen. She took the bowl to the sink and started running water over the vegetables.

“Guess you’ll have to get used to spending time there. Don’t expect
Jackson
will want his wife in one place and him in another.”

“How do you know what
Jackson
might or might not want?” Samantha asked as she took out a pitcher of tea and poured herself a glass. “Want some tea?”

Maria shook her head no and continued to work on the beans. After a moment, she said, “He’s a man. No man wants to have his woman miles away from where he’s living. Not natural.”

His woman
, the image of those words brought an instant recall of the hungry look she’d seen on
Jackson
’s face earlier. A part of her was trying very hard to keep control of the situation, but she found it harder and harder to deny the urges of her body, the desire to have
Jackson
make love to her again. And yet, she feared if she gave in to him, she’d soon become more Mrs. Stone and less the woman she had envisioned for herself.

“What do you want for dinner?” Maria asked. “I thought I might cook a couple of steaks?”

“I’m going to
Jackson
’s for dinner.”

Maria chuckled. “See, he’s a typical man.”

Samantha felt her blush. “It’s only dinner, Maria.”

“Whatever you say, dear. I’ll ask Mr. Riley what he’d like.”

“Where is Gramps?”

A brief frown crossed Maria’s face. “He said he had an important appointment in Saddle Creek. He didn’t say with whom or how soon he’d return.”

“You’re worried.”

“No. I’m sure it’s nothing. Now you go unpack and decide on what you’ll wear for your big date tonight.”

“Really, Maria, you and Gramps are too much.” She heard Maria laugh as she headed upstairs. Gramps rarely went to town. Folks mostly came to him. Maria was worried, although she denied it. Something felt wrong. Still, whatever the problem, if there was one, Maria would never tell her if Gramps said not to.

She quickly unpacked and changed into her jeans and a blue shirt. Just the outfit alone made her feel more like her old self. She’d saddle Princess and ride around the ranch. She opened her window and took a deep breath. Home. This was where she belonged, where she intended to stay. She just hadn’t figured out how to make it all happen her way.

* * * *

Samantha took a last glance in the mirror at her jeans and black shirt. She’d pulled her hair back into a pony tail. Casual and comfortable, nothing special to give
Jackson
any ideas.
And how about your own?
She shook her head at her reflection. She had herself under control. What happened in
Houston
was just an aberration.

She walked briskly downstairs and heard voices from the kitchen. Gramps,
Jackson
, and Maria sat around the table drinking coffee and talking.
Jackson
spotted her first. He glanced at his watch.

“A woman that’s ready on time, a miracle.” He gave her that thousand-watt smile, and her knees went weak.

Ignoring him, she went to Gramps and kissed his cheek. “I missed you today.”

“I had lunch with some friends and went out to see old Mrs. Daley. Her arthritis keeps her close to home.” He nodded at
Jackson
. “He tells me he’s having you over for dinner.”

“We discussed it, but we can eat here just as well and keep you company.”

“Definitely not. Maria is going to join me. I’ll be fine. You two have a lot of talking to do.
Jackson
said he’d like to decide on a wedding date, and I’m all for that. Don’t keep this old man waiting too long. I still want to walk you down the aisle.”

Samantha saw the warmth in Gramps eyes, so she bit her tongue. She’d been planning on a long engagement, but looking at
Jackson
and Gramps, she didn’t think she’d get away with prolonging the inevitable.

Jackson
rose, kissed Maria on the cheek, and shook Gramps’ hand. He put his arm around Samantha. “Don’t wait up for her. It might take hours to convince her to plan our marriage for later this month.”

“This month!”

“We’ll talk later.”
Jackson
shuffled her quickly out the back door and to his truck. Before she said another word, he helped her into the seat and went around the front to get into the driver’s side.

“I’m not marrying you this month. There are plans to be made, invitations to send out. Why, you probably have hundreds that will expect an invite.”

He reached out with his right hand and squeezed her leg. “Relax. We’ll discuss the wedding while I barbecue our steaks.”

“Right. You don’t discuss. You order. I will not be told what to do.”

His deep chuckle and the warmth of his hand on her thigh sent a zing of desire straight to her core. She would not let him distract her with sex. She straightened in her seat and brushed his hand aside. “Behave. I’m coming for dinner, not to be dinner.”

Jackson
laughed out loud. “That does sound much more enticing than mere barbecue.”

“Whatever has come over you, Jackson?”

“You, and the thought of having you all to myself, especially on our honeymoon.”

Heat rushed to Samantha’s face. “We do not need a honeymoon.” She heard the tremble in her voice.
Jackson
’s words had conjured all kinds of erotic pictures. Maybe she was losing her mind from all this stress. Determined to ignore him for the rest of the short ride, she turned her head and studied the passing scenery.
Jackson
hummed as he drove. She found she couldn’t ignore him or put him out of her thoughts. His scent, particular to him—part outdoorsy and part just his sheer masculinity—surrounded her, his humming set her nerves on edge, and his body seemed to fill up the truck cabin. Damn him. Where had all her newfound determination gone?

“Make yourself comfortable,”
Jackson
said as he led her into the large family room with the kitchen on one side. “I’ll start the fire. The steaks are marinating in the refrigerator.

“Can I help?”

“Sure, toss a salad together and turn on the oven.” He pointed to the island in the center of the kitchen. “The potatoes are ready to go in.”

Samantha saw the aluminum foil-wrapped spuds. In the fridge she found romaine lettuce, radishes, tomatoes, shredded carrots, and mushrooms to dice and slice for the salad bowl.
Jackson
had gone out the glass doors to the patio and was bent over checking the propane tank.

He really did have a fine ass. His tight jeans did nothing to hide his physique. He’d left his white shirt unbuttoned to the third hole, and brown hair shown between the edges. A familiar gold chain hung around his neck. She had glanced closer, when she first noticed it, and it was the one she’d given him at his high school graduation.
A St. Christopher
’s medal to protect him in his travels. On the back she’d had inscribed,
To My Best Friend ever, Samantha.

Thinking back to their interlude in the shower, she realized he’d worn it then, too. Had he always kept it on or just recently since their situation changed? She could ask him, but something stopped her. She didn’t want to know.

“You’re staring,”
Jackson
said in a teasing tone.

“Not at you,” she denied. “My thoughts were miles away.”

“Your nose is going to start growing if you keep telling fibs.”

“I don’t fib.” Samantha turned her back to him and put the potatoes in the oven then grabbed the vegetables and began to rinse and cut them up.
Concentrate, be strong, or you’ll find yourself at the justice of the peace tomorrow.

Surprisingly,
Jackson
didn’t tease her anymore, and he kept the conversation casual.

“The food is delicious,” Samantha said. “I’ve noticed you’ve made some changes since you bought the ranch from your folks. I like the new colors in here.” She glanced around the family room. “And that’s a gorgeous pool and patio area, very private, too, with the high concrete walls you had built around it.”

Jackson
grinned. “That’s so I can skinny-dip whenever I want. Have you ever gone skinny-dipping, Samantha?”

There went her face blushing again. “No, I haven’t.”

“What a shame. Maybe we can take care of that tonight. Your first adult adventure with me.”

Samantha jumped up and began to clear the table. “I don’t think so, Jackson.”

He stopped her, took the dishes, and set them in the sink. “The maid comes tomorrow. She’ll clean this up.” He pulled her close to him. “I dare you.”

“No.”

“Scared?”

“Of course not.”

“How about if I promise not to do anything you don’t want.” His husky tone flowed like a caress over her body. “If it makes you feel better, then leave on your bra and panties.”

“But you’ll be naked.”

“Of course.” Slowly, he lowered his head and captured her lips. His tongue slid into the warm recesses of her mouth, moving in a light, soothing motion. He continued to kiss her while he picked her up and carried her outside to the pool. After putting her down, he strode to the side of the patio, reached in the family room door, and flipped the switch, leaving the house in darkness. Next he put out the lights on the patio and around the pool, except for a few colored ones under the water.

“Just in case you decide to join me. You can be assured no one will see you but me.” His hand went to his shirt. He quickly took it off, and then sat and removed his shoes.

Samantha watched, mesmerized, as he undid the button on his jeans and slid the zipper down. Her heart pounded. She ought to turn away, but her fascination held her in place.
Jackson
stepped out of his jeans and shorts. Moonlight glistened across the planes of his chest and abdomen. His face was in the shadows, so all she saw was the taunting curve of his mouth. Walking casually to the deep end, he dove into the water and came up shaking sparkling drops of water from his hair that appeared black in the dim light.

“Are you going to stand there all night or join me?”

“Turn around.”

“Not fair, you watched me.”

“Please,
Jackson
.”

He moved away from the edge and began to swim along the length of the pool. Samantha undressed quickly, leaving her bra and panties on, then she slipped into the pool from the nearest side.
Jackson
popped up right in front of her.

“Now that wasn’t so hard, was it?”

“I don’t guess so.” She plunged to his left and swam away. They raced each other from one end of the pool to the other. Samantha swam well, but the only time she beat
Jackson
, she knew he’d held up just a bit. Breathless, she stopped at the end and paddled with her feet.
Jackson
moved to her side.