Chantilly’s Cowboy (4 page)

Hidden behind the curtain, Chantilly peeked outside. She chewed the inside of her cheek. Ten minutes to go and Jack hadn’t shown up yet.
What if he was joshing and had no plans to take me out on the town tonight?

She let the lace material fall back into place and moved away from the window. Crossing her arms, she rubbed her bare shoulders. Could her life get any crazier? She went from cold to hot, stubborn to willing, in a matter of a day.
Oh God, I must be nuts.

It was hard enough to admit she wanted to go out with Jack and give up the rivalry with him for her father’s attention. She’d worked hard to prove over the years that she was up to handling the ranch by herself. Having someone share her job was a bitter pill to swallow, but she also knew Stuart McDougal. He let no one push him around, and up until now, he always made the right decision.
Whatever his reasoning may be…

The room grew stuffy and she fanned her face. She could put away her fight to keep her position for the night, but with Jack…she was tired of warring with her body.
God, the man sets me on fire.

A car door slammed and she gasped. Her hand covered her neck.
Oh sweet Jehoshaphat, he really is wanting to go out with me.

Hurrying out of her room, she bunched her dress in her hands and flew down the stairs before coming to an abrupt stop. “Daddy? What are you doing here?”

Stuart set down his hat and whistled. “Look at you, girly. What’s got you all dressed up and fancy tonight? You look absolutely breathtaking.”

“Uh…” She pulled her shoulders back. “Jack’s taking me out.”
There. Now you’ll see what bringing a man in to do my job got you.

“Is that so?” He grinned. “Smart man, that Jack.” He stepped over to the door of his office. “You two have a nice time.”

“Dad?” She stood staring at the spot where her dad had stood.

The door shut. She blinked.
No way was that my dad. What happened to the twenty questions and threats ’bout making Jack a geldin’?

An engine roared to life outside. She shook her head. Later she’d get down to figuring out why he’d been acting so mysterious lately.

“Okay, then, I’m leaving. See you later, Daddy!”

He stuck his head out into the foyer. “Have fun, sweetheart.”

Rushing to the front door, she skipped down the steps and hurried across the yard toward the barn where Jack’s truck was parked. Butterflies danced in her stomach and she couldn’t stop smiling.

Jack stepped out of the pickup and waited for Chantilly to reach him. His insides tightened and flipped at the way she jogged toward him with her hair bouncing loose and her long bare legs showing beneath the hem of her sundress.

“You came.” He leaned over and kissed her cheek.

She nodded and gave him a small grin. “I figured I might as well…although you make me nervous.”

Jack led her around the front of the pickup, opened her door and lifted her into the seat. “Don’t be jumpy, darlin’. It’s just you and me. You’ve worked beside me every day since I got here.”

Chantilly lowered her gaze. “That’s what makes me more edgy. I feel different around you compared to the other guys I’ve gone out with.”

He shut the door, moved around to the driver’s side, glanced up at the house and caught sight of Stuart McDougal standing in the office window. He tipped his hat.
I’ll take care of her.

Without a word, he climbed into the truck, turned the radio on low and drove down the long gravel driveway toward the county road. Out of his peripheral vision, he watched Chantilly’s foot swing in the air. Her dress slid up to midthigh and distracted him.

“I’m glad you decided to come with me.” He glanced over and smiled.

She tossed her hair behind her shoulder. “To tell you the truth, it was a hard decision. I usually don’t let a man boss me around the way you do.”

“Me?” He laughed. “Darlin’, you’ve had me branded since the moment you marched out of the barn and cussed a blue streak at your daddy’s announcement.”

She grinned. “Well…it does tick me off something fierce that he hired you without talking it over with the rest of us.” Smoothing her dress, she picked at the hem. “Guess there ain’t much I can do ’bout changing things now. Daddy’s mind is set in concrete it seems.” Chantilly shook her head. “Has he mentioned to you where he’s been disappearing off to every few days?”

He shook his head. “None of my business. I’m here to do a job. That’s—”

“Oh! Sh…” Chantilly’s hand shot up and she cranked up the radio.

Jack drove the rest of the way into town listening to Chantilly sing along with the radio. His thumb beat out the rhythm on the steering wheel. Not a bad song, something about a relationship that had gone sour and a woman deciding to put the spark back in her love life.

The song dwindled down and the man on the radio cut in. Chantilly turned the radio off and laughed. “Sorry. That’s the first time I’d heard her song on the radio. I swear Bisette drove us all crazy last summer when she came home to visit and was worried ’bout making it back to the studio in time to get it recorded.” Chantilly sighed. “I’m so proud of her.”

“Bisette, as in
the
Bisette, the country singer?” He raised his brows.

“The one and only.” Chantilly laughed. “She’s the second to the oldest of us. Momma loved to sew and she named all five of us after different kinds of lace.”

“I’ll be damned. I knew Stuart had five daughters, but I thought…”

“You thought we all stuck around and settled down in Pike?” She shook her head. “Nope. In fact, I’m the only one who chose to work beside Dad. The others have all gone and done something with their lives. Granted, two of my sisters still live in town, they’ve just chosen different careers.”

“Why?” He turned right off Main Street and pulled into the town’s only bar. “I mean, why did you stay, not that working the ranch ain’t a damn hard job.”

“It’s what I love to do. I’ve always wanted to work the ranch.” Chantilly pointed out the window. “You’re taking me to Valenciennes’?”

He shook his head. “Hell no! Do you think I’d let you get another ride on the bull? Not a chance.” Jack jumped out of the pickup, held his door open and motioned for her to scoot over. “I called ahead and ordered dinner to go. I got other plans for us.”

“You do?” She grinned as she jumped down beside him.

He gave her a solid kiss. “Mm.” He stepped back and pulled her along. “I sure do, darlin’.”

Jack opened the bar door and a blast of honky-tonk hit Chantilly. She stepped inside and waited for Jack to lead the way. He slipped his fingers into her hand and led her toward the bar. She cocked her brow, daring Val to say one rude thing about the guy she was with tonight. From the way Val smirked, she’d be getting a phone call tomorrow full of questions on why she’d shown up all chummy with her recently declared enemy.

“Well, look who the cat dragged in.” Val flung the dish towel over her shoulder and vaulted over the bar. She gathered Chantilly in a hug and whispered, “Did you share a beer with him already?”

Chantilly laughed. “No!” She squared her shoulders and stepped closer to her date. “Val, this is the new foreman for McDougal Ranch, Jack Grady.”

Val folded her arms under her breasts and raised her brows. “We’ve already met.”

“You’ve…” Chantilly wrinkled her nose. “Aw. Last night.”

Jack smiled. “How you doing, Val?”

“Not as well as my sister, apparently.” Val grinned at Chantilly.

She groaned. “Do you have Jack’s order ready?”

Val laughed and slapped Jack on the shoulder. “Yep, let me grab it for you.”

Jack pulled Chantilly over and brushed a kiss against her forehead. “You’ve got a good family. A little overprotective, but they’ve got a lot of love for you.”

“Yeah, when they mind their own business and stay out of mine.” She shook her head, but she smiled to soften her complaint.

“Here you go.” Val walked around the bar and handed over a box filled with paper takeout bags to Jack. “I threw in a couple beers…on the house.”

“Val—”

Val held up her hand. “Just in case…”

Chantilly rolled her eyes. “Night, Val.”

“Sweet dreams, sis.” She stood there in the same spot and grinned. “Remember what I told you the other night, Jack. There are four more of us waiting for you to screw up.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it.” He tipped his hat.

Chantilly turned and opened the door for Jack. “So, if we’re not eating here, where are you planning on taking me?”

“We’re going to watch the submarine races, darlin’.” He winked.

Chantilly stood on the ground at the back of the pickup, smiling up at Jack. She bit her lip to keep from laughing.

“All right. We’re all set up.” He kicked off his boots, stepped across the pile of blankets spread across the back of the truck and held out his hand. “Hop on up, ‘the races’ are ’bout to start.”

“I don’t know. I think I ate twenty pounds of food. You might not be able to lift me up.” Chantilly patted her stomach. “I can’t believe you ordered that much food for the two of us and we ate it.”

She hiked her dress up to the tops of her thighs, placed her sandaled foot on the tailgate, and let him pull her up beside him. “This is perfect, Jack.” Chantilly pointed up at the trees canopying the area. “Without the sun beating down on us and with the breeze blowing off the water, it seems a lot cooler than it really is out here.”

Chantilly settled down on the blanket beside Jack, leaned back against the rolled sleeping bag and gazed out over the river in front of them. Her bare leg brushed against the denim of his jeans. A tingle of awareness warmed her lower stomach and settled between her legs.

Laughter boiled out of her, and she playfully slapped Jack’s thigh. “Did you really think I believed your line ’bout watching submarines race?” She snorted and linked her arm around his, leaning her head against the side of him.

He chuckled, the skin at the corners of his eyes crinkled and he laid his arm around her shoulders, tucking her close to him. “Just watch. Any moment, the race will start and you’ll see I wasn’t fibbing.”

“You’re a smooth talker, Jack Grady.” Chantilly softly laughed and curled her body against him, her arm automatically stretched across his stomach as if it was the most natural thing to do. “Why is it so easy for me to want this with you, and forget ’bout everything else going on with my life?”

He stroked her arm. “I like hearing that. I’ve wanted to hold you like this since I first met you.” Sighing, he let his head lean back against the truck. “Puts me in a helluva position.”

“Because…?” She raised her head and gazed up at him.

“I’ve got a job. I don’t usually mix pleasure with business.” The muscle in his jaw twitched. “I need the money the foreman’s job brings in.”

“I’m a grown woman, Jack. Even though I live with Daddy, he has no say in who I can date.” She frowned. “Can I ask you somethin’?”

“Shoot.”

“What brought you here? To Pike?” She laid her head back down and waited to hear the truth. “Most people think Pike should be called Nowhere, Montana.”

His body shifted and he blew a breath out. “Money.” He kissed the top of her head. “My brother’s in prison for manslaughter. An armed robbery that ended horribly…”

She straightened and turned toward him. The lines at the corners of his eyes were more pronounced than they normally were when he was working.

“He’d left home the moment he was old enough to drive, got involved with the wrong kind of people, and I rarely saw him after that. I suspect there were drugs and trouble following him for quite some time. My parents…they were doing their own thing…whatever that was.” He ran his hand across his forehead. “Anyways, the next thing I knew, he contacted me, told me he was in the slammer, and asked me to look out for his kid.”

“Oh, Jack.” She held his hand.

“Long story short, I inherited a twelve-year-old nephew, raised him, and he’s now attending UC Berkeley.” He grinned. “Going to a fancy lawyer school is spendy, but I’d do anything for that kid.”

She smiled. “You are a good man, Jack Grady.”

“Nah, anybody would do it. Despite everything he’s been through, Craig is the best thing I’ve had in my life.” Jack shrugged. “Once I help him pay for school, I’ll go back home and settle down building my own ranch up to what I dream ’bout.”

She swallowed. The thought of him leaving her ranch should have sent her cheering, and instead it didn’t set well. “Where is home? What about the rest of your family…relatives?”

“Not far. I live outside of Helena. I have a couple hundred acres and a house that has seen better days, but the grass is green and ripe for cattle.” He smiled. “As for my family…” He shrugged. “My parents, if you could call them that, are dead. They had their own problems. Mainly careless living. I didn’t have what you have with your family, but I did all right. I’m making up for it by being the best parent possible for Craig. He deserves it.”

“Th-that sounds real nice, Jack.” She scooted around and wrapped her arms around her knees. “It takes a special man to take on another man’s responsibilities.”

“Hey…” He ran his hand down her back. “I feel like you pulled away there. What is it? Is it because of Craig?”

“No. No!” She shook her head. “Of course not. Family is everything, what you did is honorable and good. It says a lot about your character.”

“Then what is it?” He pulled her back within the circle of his arms. “I could tell somewhere in the conversation, I lost you and that mask you throw over your face when you’re trying so hard not to let me see what you’re thinking came up.”

“I feel silly.” She sighed. “This is our first date, and the thoughts going through my head are unreasonable.”

“You’ve gotta give me more than that, darlin’.”

“I spent two weeks pissed off at you, you know.” She leaned her head over and glanced up at him. “I didn’t wanna like you.”

“But you do.” He chuckled.

“Yeah.” She relaxed. “Maybe too much. You’ll be leavin’…sometime.”

“Chantilly.” His arms tightened. “Let’s take one day at a time. I’m not leaving tomorrow. We have time to figure this all out.”

“Promise?” She linked her fingers with his rough hand. “Because I think I could really fall hard for you, cowboy. I haven’t been able to make sense out of a molehill since you showed up at the ranch. It’s crazy. I’ve fought it, denied it, but you invade my thoughts during the day and my dreams at night. You seem ’bout perfect to me.”

“Ah, Chantilly.” He shifted her to the side without letting go and kissed her.

Desire roared within her body. Touching his face, his neck and working her way down his body fueled her desire and she moaned. With him, she was heating up fast and never wanting to stop.

His hand wandered up her thigh to her hip. She scooted closer. He nibbled his way down her neck, her chest, and groaned as he planted his face between her breasts. Her nipples peaked under the thin material of her sundress.
Oh God.

Moist kisses caressed the sensitive skin in her cleavage and she held his head against her, wanting more. His hand skimmed her panties, landing between her thighs.
Yes.

The night air grew too warm. She squirmed under his touch. His magical fingers drove her wild. A wonderful explosion of pleasure went off deep in her core.

“J-Jack.” She stiffened. Her eyes closed and she shuddered through her orgasm.

Jack leaned back and pulled her down onto his chest, his heartbeat racing under her cheek. Chantilly inhaled deeply. She should be satisfied, but her body wanted him.

Lifting herself out of his arms, she pushed herself to her feet and stood over Jack with a smile. She kicked off her sandals and shimmied out of her sundress. Hooking her thumbs under her panties, she teased him.

“You sure, darlin’?” He sat up straighter and began undoing the buttons on the front of his shirt. “I need you to think this through. I’m okay if you wanna slow down.”

“I’m positive, but maybe you should ask yourself the same question, Jack.” She turned and hopped down from the truck. Standing on the grass, she glanced over her shoulder. “Maybe the idea of letting this cowgirl ride the bull doesn’t appeal to you.”

He jumped up and hurried to strip out of the rest of his clothes. “Oh, hell yeah. I’ve seen how you ride ol’ Roy, darlin’.”

Jack had Chantilly straddling his thighs on top of him in the grass before she could make a move. She gazed down between her thighs and caught her lip between her teeth.
Oh sweet Lord, ol’ Roy had nothing on him.

“Shit. Tell me you’ve done this before…” He ran his hands up and down her thighs.

“I’m almost twenty-five, Jack.” She grinned. “Stick around and you’ll find that this particular McDougal woman can show you a thing or two.” She rose up on her knees and slowly sank down on him. “Oh. My. God.”

Jack groaned low in his throat. “Hang on, darlin’, because this bull’s about to go wild.”