Cassie's Cowboy Daddy (9 page)

“Logan…please.”

“Easy, sugar,” he said, nudging her legs farther apart with his knee.

Levering himself over her, he found her with the tip of his arousal and, taking a deep breath, slowly, gently began to push his hips forward. His size, the sheer power of his body as he entered her was overwhelming, and she was reminded just how long it had been since she'd made love with a man.

Once his body was completely joined with hers, he braced himself on his elbows and looked down at her. The light from the dying campfire made the sweat beading his forehead and upper lip glisten and she could tell by the slight trembling of his taut muscles just how much his restraint was costing him. But he remained perfectly still as he gave her time to adjust. Her heart swelled at his consideration, his desire to make her feel safe with him.

“It's been a while for you, hasn't it?” he asked, smiling down at her.

She'd never felt more cherished, more desired. She wished she could tell him how special he made her feel, but she couldn't get words past the huge lump clogging her throat.

Brushing a strand of hair from her cheek, he gave her a tender smile. “Take a deep breath and relax, sugar. I'm going to make sure there's nothing but pleasure for you.”

He lowered his lips to hers, and his kiss set off sparklers behind her closed eyelids. Slowly pulling back, he eased his hips forward, then repeated the process, increasing his pace as she responded by arching into his thrusts. Desire suddenly gave way to powerful need and Cassie felt herself racing toward fulfillment.

Her heart skipped several beats when she realized
that Logan was taking her to a place she'd never been, drawing responses from her only he could elicit. Together they were creating a realm for just the two of them, a place where their souls would unite.

The thought frightened her, but as the pleasure built and her body tightened, she refused to analyze what it all meant. All she could do was feel.

Suddenly wave after wave of shattering sensation crashed over her and she felt Logan's body stiffen, then surge into her one last time as he filled her with his essence.

 

Logan slowly became aware of his surroundings. Realizing his weight had to be crushing Cassie, he eased himself to her side, then gathered her to him. “Are you all right?”

“Yes.”

When she burrowed deeper into his arms, Logan kissed the top of her head. “I know it's been a long time. I didn't hurt you, did I?”

She shook her head, then in a quiet voice added, “Thank you.”

He knew a moment of fear. She was thanking him? For what? For not hurting her? Had her husband been rough with her? The thought twisted Logan's gut and made him want to sink his fist into the bastard's nose.

Tightening his arms around her, Logan asked, “What for, sugar?”

Her soft laughter eased his tension. “I've never felt anything like what we just shared,” she said, her lips brushing his throat as she spoke. He wouldn't have believed it possible this soon, but his body was
beginning to respond again to the feel of her sweet mouth whispering against his skin. “Thank you for that,” she finished.

“You mean you've never climaxed before?” he asked incredulously.

“Well, I have,” she admitted. She giggled self-consciously. “But it was nothing like that. That was incredible. I never knew foreplay could last that long, or be that intense.”

Logan's chest tightened with satisfaction and a healthy dose of male pride. The way he saw it, he was the one who should be thanking her. Didn't she realize what it meant to a man to have a woman admit he was the best she'd ever had?

Possessiveness—so strong it damned near shut off his breathing—tightened his chest and closed around his throat. The thought scared the hell out of him, but there was no use denying it. He never wanted her feeling that way about anyone else. Just him.

His body hardened with a primitive desire to show her once again that she belonged to him. Shifting her to lie on top of him, Logan allowed her to feel the evidence of his need. He watched surprise turn to passion in the depths of her expressive green eyes, and satisfaction filled his soul.

 

Logan lay awake long after Cassie had drifted off into an exhausted sleep. Gazing at the millions of stars overhead, he tried to come to grips with what he was feeling and how radically his perspective had changed.

He and Cassie had made love twice, and instead of satisfying the craving he'd had since the moment
he laid eyes on her, it had only served to whet his appetite. As incredible as it seemed, he wanted her yet again.

Something deep inside told him he always would.

He pressed a kiss to the top of her head and held her close as he stared off into the vastness of the wide Wyoming sky. Two weeks ago he couldn't come up with enough reasons to convince Cassie to leave the Lazy Ace. Now he couldn't think of enough ways to make sure she stayed.

Maybe he'd been wrong. Maybe she wouldn't leave.

She genuinely seemed to love the land as much as he did, and he found that he wanted to share more of it with her. The next camping trip they took, he'd show her Shadow Valley, where the elk and mule deer grazed in huge numbers and a waterfall cascaded to the valley floor below. And, if she was still on the ranch in the spring, he'd take her to the higher elevations, where they could watch the eagles feeding their young.

The dangers of being in such an isolated area still caused a pang of uneasiness deep within him, but Logan acknowledged it, then put it aside. Hank was right. People in town got sick and died the same as people in remote regions. He'd just have to be extra vigilant about keeping Cassie and the twins healthy and safe.

Determination filled Logan's soul. He'd succeed in the one area where his father had failed.

 

Forced to ride single file down the mountain trail, Cassie watched Logan turn in his saddle to look back at her. “You doing okay?”

“Valentine and I are just fine,” she said. Smiling, she patted the mare's neck. “We're enjoying all this beautiful scenery.”

When he turned back toward the trail, she stared at his broad shoulders and decided the scenery was more than wonderful—it was downright devastating. She'd been right about him. He was a sorcerer. With one simple kiss he could make her body hum and stars twinkle behind her closed eyes.

What they'd shared last night certainly hadn't been planned. Far from it. But making love with Logan had been one of the most incredible experiences of her life.

She should have known it would be that way. From the moment they met, the sexual tension arcing between them had been a tangible thing, and although they'd both fought its pull, they hadn't been able to resist.

Deep in her heart, Cassie knew that neither of them had been given a choice in the matter. It had been their fate.

She sighed. Heaven only knew she wasn't comfortable with it, but if she wasn't in love with Logan yet, she didn't have far to go to get there. And it frightened her more than any predator ever could. She didn't need a man complicating her life.

Maybe it would be best for all concerned if she reconsidered her decision to live on the Lazy Ace, took the twins and returned to St. Louis. It might be the only thing that would save her from having her heart completely shattered.

If she was in love with Logan, would he ever love her in return?

And what about the twins? Would he be able to love them, as well?

Stan hadn't been at all happy about the prospect of being a father, even though the girls were a part of him—his own flesh and blood. Of course, if he'd lived he might have had a change of heart once they were born, but that was highly doubtful. He'd simply been too shallow and self-centered to care for anyone or anything but himself.

Was Logan like that?

Cassie didn't think so. When she'd been ill, he'd taken time away from running the ranch to care for the girls, and had even seemed to enjoy the task. But baby-sitting was different than being a full-time parent.

And some men didn't like the idea of a readymade family.

Could Logan accept another man's children as his own? He'd told her point-blank he never intended to have children of his own, so he certainly wouldn't want someone else's. Would he?

L
ogan crossed his arms over his chest and leaned his shoulder against the door frame as he watched Cassie slowly move around the kitchen. She had to be bone tired.

They'd ridden for two solid days and spent all of last night making love instead of sleeping. Then after they'd returned to the house late this afternoon, Hank and Ginny had left for a few days down in Laramie to see Hank's grandmother. Logan had offered to help Cassie with the babies, but, saying she wanted to spend time with them, she'd fed and bathed them herself.

He'd felt a little left out, but he had also understood her need for a little space. Things had changed between them, and no matter where they ended up, they both knew there was no turning back.

Walking over to her, Logan took the plate she held and put it in the dishwasher, then turned to take her into his arms. “You're dead on your feet. Why don't you go on upstairs to bed, sugar?”

“I still have to finish loading the dishwasher and…” She yawned. “I have to do a load of laundry.”

He shook his head. “I'll finish the dishes and start the clothes.” Holding her soft body to his was heaven and hell rolled into one. He wanted her with a fierceness that damned near brought him to his knees, but she needed rest. “Go on and get some sleep.”

She leaned up, kissed his chin, then stepped out of his embrace. “Thank you,” she said before walking down the hall to the stairs.

It took everything Logan had to keep from following her, hauling her luscious body back into his arms and kissing her until they both gasped for air. But she needed rest, and he knew for certain that if he gave in to the urge to kiss her, they'd end up missing another night's sleep.

After making quick work of loading the dishwasher, he started the washing machine. Now what? he wondered as he wandered into the living room.

He stared at the couch, then at the big comfortable armchair with the ottoman. If he wasn't afraid of wrinkling the slipcovers, he'd sit down and watch a little television. He still wasn't wild about the changes in decor, but he didn't want to mess anything up, either. Cassie had worked hard on the room and she was proud of the way it looked.

He shook his head. When had he accepted the changes she'd made?

He chuckled. She'd stormed into his life, turned his world upside down and all he could think of was how amazing she was. She'd made his house a home, and until he'd taken care of Kelsie and Chelsea, he'd never considered how hard Cassie worked to keep a clean house and care for two tiny little girls at the same time. And even though she made it look easy, he didn't want to create more work for her.

While he stood there trying to decide what to do, Logan heard one of the babies cry. Not wanting Cassie to be disturbed, he took the stairs two at a time and opened the door to the twins' room.

As soon as the baby saw him, she cried harder and raised her little arms for him to pick her up. His heart melted right then and there.

Lifting the copper-haired little girl to his chest, he asked, “What's wrong, little one? Did you have a bad dream?”

She wrapped her chubby little arms around his neck and sobbed. What little remained of the wall he'd had around his heart for so many years fell into a pile of dust. He was a goner.

Logan checked on Chelsea to make sure she hadn't been disturbed by Kelsie's cries, then took the baby downstairs with him.

The baby continued to whimper and chew on her fist while he paced around the living room, wondering if he should wake Cassie. He'd checked, and Kelsie's diaper was clean and dry.

Fear suddenly gnawed at his gut. Was the baby sick? Did she need to see a doctor?

Just when he'd decided he'd better wake Cassie, the baby quieted down, stuck her thumb into her mouth and laid her head on his shoulder. He hugged the tiny girl close and hummed tunelessly.

When had he changed his mind about not wanting kids around? Hell, he'd walk through hellfire and damnation for the twins. Not to mention doing the same thing for their mother.

What would he do if Cassie and the twins left the Lazy Ace now? Would he be able to go back to the way things had been, as if they'd never invaded his home? His life?

Logan sat down in the armchair with the baby curled up on his chest and rubbed her little back. Closing his eyes, he asked himself the same question time and again. Could he go on living without them?

He didn't think so. They'd moved in, created total chaos in his blissful bachelor existence and filled a void in his life that he hadn't known existed.

 

Cassie yawned and stretched as she started downstairs to cook breakfast. She still wasn't fully rested from the camping trip, but at least she didn't feel as much like a zombie as she had last night.

At the bottom of the steps she glanced toward the living room and stopped short. Sound asleep, Logan was sprawled out in the armchair, his feet propped on the ottoman and one of the twins curled up comfortably on his wide chest. The sight was so touching it brought tears to her eyes.

She stood staring at the big man holding her daughter so tenderly. Now she knew for certain that Logan was nothing like Stan.

Apparently Kelsie had been restless last night and, instead of waking Cassie, he'd taken care of the baby himself. Stan would never have done anything like that. Stan had been self-centered and
never
did anything for anyone, unless it could benefit him in some way.

Logan, on the other hand, was selfless and took care of everyone around him.

Oh, he tried to bluff his way into making everyone think he was some type of self-contained, cowboy loner. But she'd experienced, firsthand, his caring nature when she'd had the flu. And what man, other than a father, would walk the floor with a fussy baby rather than wake the mother to take over?

Logan had known just how exhausted she'd been last night, and he'd insisted on finishing up her evening chores so she could get some rest. He'd also taken care of Kelsie as if she were his own child.

Tears filled her eyes. He tried to hide behind a tough exterior, but inside he was a marshmallow with more love to give than anyone she'd ever known.

Wiping the moisture that had escaped down her cheeks, she eased her sleeping daughter out of his arms and climbed the stairs to put Kelsie back in her crib. Cassie wasn't exactly sure when it had happened, but there was no sense in trying to deny it any longer.

She'd fallen head over heels in love with Logan Murdock.

 

Logan awoke with the distinct feeling that something wasn't quite right. Slowly opening his eyes, he stretched his arms, then scratched his chest.

Fear like nothing he'd ever known suddenly twisted his gut and choked off his air supply.

“Oh, damn!”

Jumping to his feet, he searched the chair for Kelsie. Where the hell was the baby? What had he done with her? Dear God, if anything happened to her, he'd never forgive himself.

He checked around the chair. Nothing. He threw the ruffled pillows from the couch to the floor. He got down on his hands and knees and crawled around looking under end tables and behind chairs. No baby.

Scared spitless, he felt his hands shake as he ran both of them through his hair. He'd vowed to protect them, to keep them all safe. How could he let something like this happen?

Think, Murdock.

The last thing he remembered before drifting off to sleep, he'd placed the baby on her stomach in the middle of his chest and started rubbing her back with his hand. She'd fussed a little, but then settled down and…and…

“What on earth are you doing?” Cassie asked from the stairs.

Logan turned to face her. How in hell was he going to tell her he'd lost her daughter?

“Cassie, I don't want you to get upset. We'll find her,” he blurted.

“Find who?”

“Kelsie,” he said, glancing around the living room again. Where could one little girl, who couldn't do anything more than crawl, have gone?

“She was restless last night and I didn't want to
wake you. So I brought her down here,” he explained

“That sometimes happens with teething babies,” she agreed.

“Right. Anyway, I walked the floor with her for a while.” He glanced around the room again, hoping to see the little girl. “Then I sat down in the chair with her and we both fell asleep. When I woke up just now she was gone.”

“Oh, I'm sure she'll turn up somewhere,” Cassie said, grinning.

When she turned to walk down the hall to the kitchen, Logan reached out, placed both of his hands on her shoulders and spun her around. “You know damned good and well where Kelsie is, don't you?”

Cassie laughed. “Yes. She's in her crib.”

“And just how the hell did she get there?” he demanded, his relief giving way to irritation.

“I took her upstairs and put her back to bed.” Cassie put her arms around his waist and gazed up at him. “I came downstairs to start breakfast and found the two of you sound asleep in the chair.” She grinned, her eyes twinkling merrily. “You know, you're really cute without your hat.”

“Am not.”

“Are too.” She traced her finger across his brow, and his insides caught fire. “Now stop frowning. It makes you look cranky.”

“That's because I'm peeved,” he said, trying not to smile. She'd flashed her killer dimples at him and his anger had melted away like snow on a hot July day. He caught her hand in his and brought it to his lips. Kissing the finger she'd used to smooth his
brow, he warned, “You're not getting out of this that easy, sugar. I was scared to death that something had happened to Kelsie.”

“She's fine.”

“But I didn't know that,” he said, taking her fingertip into his mouth. Gently sucking on it, he added, “You owe me.”

“For…what?” To his satisfaction, she sounded breathless.

“You made me worry for no reason.” He leaned down to rest his forehead on hers. “That calls for retribution.”

Her eyes darkened to forest green as she stared up at him. “What did you have in mind?”

“Definitely something that will teach you a lesson.” His body tightened as it always did when he held her. “Something you'll remember for quite a while.”

“Sounds interesting.”

“It will be.” He reached down to place both of his hands on her jeans-clad rear and pulled her close. Pressing his arousal to her lower belly, he finished, “But it's a lesson that has to be repeated periodically so you won't forget.”

“I do seem to have a
very
short memory.” The look she gave him made his body harden. “Is this something you've taught me before?” she asked.

Logan nodded and kissed her until they were both breathless. Grinning, he promised, “Only this time it's going to be a longer, better lesson.”

“Better?” She looked surprised.

“Oh, yeah. This time our movements won't be confined by the sleeping bag. And we'll be able to
see what we're doing.” He tucked her to his side and headed upstairs. As they passed the twins' room, he was careful to keep his voice low. “How long before they wake up?”

“Another couple of hours.” She grinned at him and the desire in her eyes sent a searing heat straight to his groin.

“Good.” He quickly opened the door to his room, then ushered Cassie inside. Cupping her face between his palms, he smiled down at her. “I was too hungry for you the other night, sugar. This time we're going to take things slower.”

He lowered his head and traced her lips with his tongue. When she opened for him, he slipped inside and reveled in the way she moaned and pressed herself to him. It was as if she were trying to become a part of him.

Trailing his hands down her neck to the slope of her breasts, then around to her sides, he gathered her pink T-shirt with his fingers. “Raise your arms for me, Cassie.”

When she did as he commanded, he swept her shirt over her head, then made quick work of unfastening her bra. His hands shook slightly as he cupped her perfect breasts and chafed her taut nipples with his thumbs. As he watched, her eyes drifted shut and she grasped his arms for support.

“Feel good, sugar?” he asked, lowering his mouth to kiss the tight peaks.

Her lids fluttered open and the passion he saw in the depths of her emerald gaze made his body feel as if he'd been struck by a bolt of lightning. With one kiss, one touch, she wanted him just as much as
he wanted her. He hoped like hell he could keep his promise to make things last.

When she unsnapped his shirt and pushed it from his shoulders, he reluctantly took his hands from her soft skin long enough to shrug out of the garment. But before he could return to the pleasurable task of loving her, she brought her hands up to his chest and ran her nails over his own puckered nipples, then trailed a finger down the line of hair that disappeared into his jeans. His soul caught fire.

“I lied,” she said quietly.

So caught up in the sensation building a few inches below her finger, he didn't realize for a couple of seconds what she'd said. Her talented touch was playing hell with his concentration.

“What do you mean, you lied?” he asked through clenched teeth.

“The first day we met, I told you that your ‘assets' weren't that memorable.” She flashed her killer dimples at him. “It couldn't have been a bigger lie. The memory of your body has kept me awake nights.”

Her admission sent his blood pressure skyrocketing. Taking a deep breath, he tried to slow down the pounding in his chest and the blood surging through his veins. “If you keep telling me things like that, you'll make me out a liar, too.” At her questioning look, he chuckled. “I won't be able to take things slow.”

“I'm not sure I want you to,” Cassie said, unbuckling his belt.

She unsnapped his jeans, then, smiling, eased the zipper down over his pulsing erection. She trailed her fingertip along the hair from his navel to the waist
band of his low-riding briefs, and he fought to maintain his control.