Cowboy Crushin' (Dalton Boys Book 3) (4 page)

She’d only seen one that made her insides quiver, though.

Snap out of it.

After hailing down Alex’s teacher and letting her know she was taking him home today, she approached Alex and Witt.

The sexy-as-sin cowboy hooked a thumb in his front pocket. Damn, could he get any more gorgeous? Even his warm brown hair pasted to his head made her fingers tingle to touch him.

She squeezed her thighs together. Tonight she’d definitely have a date with her vibrator. Forget the romantic movies. She had a better man to use in her fantasies.

“C’mon, Alex. We’d better get back to the shop. Nell needs to go home.”

“Nell Parker?” Witt’s low rumble shoved open some unseen gate inside Shelby, and desire flooded. She locked her knees together.

“Yes, she’s been such a good friend. Helping me at the shop and with Alex too.”

He nodded, his eyes probing too deep, seeing too much. “Good friends are important. I’d best get back to the ranch and see if my lazy brother did his job right.” His voice held a teasing note for his brother, and she envisioned a warm, loving family.

Longing rose in her.

He removed his hat from Alex’s head and mashed a big hand onto her son’s hair, ruffling. “I’ll see you later, Alex.”

“Will I see Kiser too?”

“That’s up to your mom.”

Damn and double damn. The man knew how to work her—a shot right to her most vulnerable spot. But she wasn’t making any commitment. Maybe she’d adopt a pet from the local animal shelter and keep Alex on this new healing path, but she wasn’t going to Witt Dalton’s ranch.

“We’ll see, honey.”

Alex tugged Witt’s hand. His skin was so rough and tanned against her son’s. Dark hairs sprouted from his rolled sleeves. “I like you, Witt.”

“I like you too. Thanks for your help today.” He tipped his hat to Shelby, giving her a smoldering stare that turned her knees to jelly. “See ya ‘round, Shelby.”

Long after he walked away, she felt his stare in spots she shouldn’t. As she led Alex out of the schoolyard and they walked down the street toward the shop, she couldn’t get the cowboy out of her head.

She was in deep trouble. But her will was stronger. She didn’t need a Dalton boy calling her, popping into the shop and swaggering his way into her thoughts. She’d had enough men for a lifetime.

Except Witt seemed so genuine and was great with Alex. Even the way he’d cradled the piglet in his arms…

She stomped all over her hormones and focused on her overflowing shop. As she served a customer, Alex talked Nell’s ear off about the donkey and Witt.

“Witt Dalton’s a good man. He was raised right, he and all his brothers.”

Shelby kept an ear on the conversation.

“I want to be a good man someday.”

“You will be. Your momma will do right by you.” Nell tweaked Alex’s dimpled chin and gathered her purse.

“Thank you for staying a few minutes late, Nell,” Shelby said.

“No trouble. It’s not every day a boy gets to meet a donkey
and
a cowboy.” Nell winked at her, and Shelby felt heat bloom on her cheeks at mention of the cowboy.

“See you tomorrow,” Shelby called to Nell’s retreating back.

“Will we see Witt too? And Kiser? Witt said we can go see him whenever we want,” Alex said.

“I don’t know where he lives, buddy.”

“Get on the main highway and head straight west for an hour. Can’t miss the Dalton spread,” Nell offered. “If you drop in, tell Maggie I said hi.”

Nell left the shop, depositing a whirlwind of hopes in Alex’s head. And leaving Shelby to drown in daydreams of rough, tongue-tangling, apple pie-flavored kisses.

Kade rapped on Witt’s bedroom door and stuck his head in without waiting for his response. “Grab your old boots. There’s a bonfire just outside town.”

He looked up from the
Classic Farm and Tractor
article he was reading. “Who’s going?”

“Same group of us who used to raise hell at bonfires back in the day.”

That meant a few guys they’d run with as teenagers were back in town for the weekend. They usually tried to get together a couple times a year, but they’d graduated from pitching in dollars for a keg to bringing their own six-packs of better quality beer.

Kade came into the room. “You’re going, right?”

He sighed. After busting his ass all week on the ranch, he’d been looking forward to an early night. But he was also too young to start falling asleep while watching TV like his father.

He tossed his reading material aside and rolled off the bed. “We riding together?”

“Uhh.”

He raised a brow at Kade’s hesitation. “You’re taking someone?”

“Not exactly.”

“Then what? You’re a terrible liar, so don’t even think about trying.”

Since Kade wasn’t wearing his hat, he couldn’t hide his eyes either. “There might be some females going.”

Witt cocked his head. “If they’re girls from Vixen, they’re underage.” Vixen had two age groups of the opposite sex—school age or old age. Anyone in the middle category was married.

Or Shelby.

Shit.

“I’m not sure. I just heard girls,” Kade said.

“And thought you’d drive yourself in case you get lucky.”

“Somethin’ like that.”

With a grin Witt grabbed his truck keys and pushed Kade out the door. “No problem. I’ll drive myself.” When he got tired of sitting around the fire, listening to bullshit so deep he’d need a ladder to climb out of it, he’d take the four beers left of his six-pack and head home.

An hour later they were climbing the hill to a flat of land outside Vixen. Flames shot into the sky and dark forms clustered around. Some had brought lawn chairs—testament that they were getting older. No one was willing to sit on a log anymore.

“Hey, Dalton. Haven’t seen you in a coon’s age,” someone said.

Three heads snapped up at the sound of their last name—Witt’s, Kade’s…and Beck’s. Witt peered through the darkness at Beck standing with a group of people. Someone shifted and firelight flickered over a woman’s face.

A beautiful woman who had been haunting the hell out of Witt.

He started toward them before he knew his own intentions. As he drew closer, he found Shelby surrounded by men. She didn’t exactly look comfortable, if the set of her shoulders was anything to go by. As Witt watched, she ran her fingers through her hair.

Beck crowded closer to her, and Witt felt his teeth strike together.

“Did you bring any of those treats with you tonight, Shelby?” another guy asked.

Witt shouldered his way into their midst.

“Witt.” Her face registered shock before she turned it away and her features were obscured by shadows.

“Hi, Shelby. How’s Alex.”

Beck’s shoulder brushed Shelby’s. “You two know each other?”

“Yes.”

“No,” she said at the same time. “I…excuse me.” She ducked between bodies and disappeared into the darkness.

Witt stared at his little brother, seething that he’d probably set his sights on Shelby. For how long? Had they come up to the hill together?

“Sorry about your luck, bro,” Beck drawled. “Can’t blame a guy for tryin’.”

Witt grabbed Beck’s shoulder and hauled him away from the others. When they were out of earshot, he growled, “How do you know her?”

“Everyone knows Shelby.”

“Did she come with you?” He leaned close to his brother, hoping to intimidate.

“Well…no. Don’t know who she came with.” He snaked a finger under his hat brim and scratched. “Why do you care so much?”

He didn’t answer but set off through the mob of people drinking and laughing to find Shelby. When he spied the outline of her body, he approached as he would his fitful donkey. With caution. He didn’t want her to bolt again.

He also needed to get his emotions under control. He didn’t like seeing her within a country mile of Beck—or the twenty other guys he’d gone to school with.

Hell, was that Kade approaching her now?

Biting off the need to roar, Witt quickened his step. “Shelby.”

Kade narrowed his eyes at Witt but cracked open a beer and handed it to her. She thanked him but didn’t take a drink.

“Can I talk to you?” Witt asked her.

His brother gave him the evil eye, but that attitude hadn’t worked on Witt since he was five and realized Kade didn’t like head-locks.

She half-turned from Witt, distracted by her phone. “Uh, I guess.”

When Witt placed a hand on her forearm and led her to an isolated spot far from the warmth of the fire, she looked him full in the face. At last. Something that felt strangely like relief filled his chest cavity.

He drew in a deep breath. “I didn’t know you’d be here.”

“Me either. I should probably go. I don’t really fit in.”

“No, stay. Talk with me.” His gaze roamed over her. Those sexy jeans destroyed him. Add outdoor lace-up boots and a plaid shirt molded to her breasts and he was hard as hell.

She shook her head, waves of hair brushing her shoulders. “No, really. I don’t belong here. I don’t know why I let myself get talked into coming.” She shoved the beer into Witt’s hand and took off.

She wove through the crowd and circled the fire before descending the hill with surefooted grace. He caught up to her at her SUV. As she reached for the handle, he grabbed her forearm.

When she looked up at him, her eyes widened and her breaths came faster.

What he wouldn’t do to lean in and kiss those inviting wide lips. “Have you been drinking?”

“Not a drop. I’m not stupid.” She tugged her arm free.

“I’m not saying you are. I just want to make sure you get home safely. At least let me follow you.”

Anger crossed her features. “I said I haven’t been drinking. I don’t need an escort.”

“The road down to Vixen is winding and dangerous on the best of days let alone in the dark when you’re unfamiliar with it. I’d hate for you to skid off one of those switchbacks.”

She pushed out a sigh that aroused him fully. His cock strained and absolute desire licked his insides. How easy would it be to trap her against her vehicle and kiss her until she was gasping? To cup her luscious ass and pull her against his aching length?

He rested a hand on her forearm again. This time she didn’t withdraw. “Let me follow you. For Alex’s sake.”

That did it. She nodded.

Feeling that strange surge of protectiveness once more, he opened the door and she climbed behind the wheel. By the time he got into his truck and followed her out the road, he had a dozen questions for her.

What had possessed her to come out here to party? She seemed responsible and not at all the type to mingle with his old friends. Whoever had persuaded her to come obviously hadn’t captured her attention for long.

Witt would be lying to himself if he said he wasn’t happy as hell about that. He ran his tongue over his lower lip, thinking of taking his six-pack somewhere private and coaxing long, beer-flavored kisses from her while watching shooting stars.

Shit, what was wrong with him? Shelby wasn’t going to dabble with him. She was a single mom and deserved someone who was serious.

Except all of a sudden he was. He pictured taking her and Alex home and introducing them to his big family.

Then showing her what eternity with him looked like.

But first he wanted to get her parked in a Chevy, if only to talk.

As he followed her taillights out of town, past the church and across the small bridge leading to Vixen, he realized somewhere between settling his hat on her son’s head and seeing her in that firelight, he’d changed his mind about women.

He didn’t like seeing men buzzing around her like bees to honey-flavored candy.

He wanted her.

Mashing his lips into a line, he parked behind her in front of the small white house. She got out of the SUV and started up the sidewalk, the sway of her hips sending a shock of need straight to his groin. He followed and she waved him away.

“I’m fine, Witt. I made it home in one piece.”

“Can I come in?”

She pivoted to look at him. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“Why?”

“Alex is asleep. Most likely Nell is too.”

“I don’t want to wake them, so I’d best do this here.” He gripped her upper arms and hovered close—so close.

Her breathing stuttered but she didn’t pull away. “You can’t pressure me, Witt.”

“I have no intention of pressuring you. But I think your response is answer enough.”

“Wh-what do you mean?” Her eyes were wide, the lashes black smudges in the darkness.

She was sucking him under. There was no turning away from the sweetness of those lips. He swooped in and claimed her mouth.

Shelby felt as if she were floating, as if her feet weren’t on concrete and she hadn’t told herself twenty times tonight that she wasn’t going to have a thing to do with that Dalton boy.

Yet here she was, his tongue tracing slow patterns over hers. And when had her arms circled his neck? He angled his head and sank his tongue deeper, pulling shivers up from her toes. She clung to him and he bent her over his arm.

Who knew heaven came in the form of a hunky cowboy in worn boots and a barn jacket?

She pushed away and straightened, but he didn’t let her get far. This time his lips were tender. He held the kiss and she breathed him in, noting pine and something dangerous that was purely Witt.

She tore herself from his hold, mind spinning. No, no and no. She’d come to Vixen to stop her endless relationship cycle. The last thing she needed was to be seen with Witt. After they broke up, it would invite the other guys to pursue her. Pretty soon she’d end up engaged two more times and with a string of new text messages she didn’t want.

“No.” Her panting breaths didn’t sound remotely certain. She stole a look at him. His eyes were completely in the shadow of his hat but she felt them moving over her, touching her in brand new ways, touching her too deep.

She threw up a hand to ward him off but he hadn’t moved. “Witt, I’m flattered.”

“And you like kissin’ me.”

“Yes. No. Stop. Please listen.” She dragged in a lungful of air but only managed to fill her head with his manly scent again. Her nipples throbbed and the space between her legs felt too hot, too wet. “I moved here to start over. I’m not willing to complicate my life.”

“I get that. You’ve had a tough time lately—divorce, move, starting a new business and then troubles with Alex.”

God, whenever he mentioned her son, she became a boneless lump. She wanted to tip her head against his broad chest and say yes, she was struggling with a little boy who refused to show affection or allow any into his life. Only when he’d been with Witt and those animals had Alex’s inner light bulb been switched on again.

And just why did Witt have so many insights into her emotions? Was she so transparent or was he just good at reading her?

She stuck her key in the lock and turned it. Nell’s voice came from the living room. Before Witt could inch a toe into her house, Shelby squeezed inside and held the door open just a crack. “Thanks for seeing me home. Goodnight, Witt.”

Without waiting for his response, she shut the door firmly, blocking him from her life.

A minute later she heard his truck pull away. Somehow she evaded Nell’s questions and managed to forget Witt’s kisses while she got ready for bed. Alex was in a deep sleep but probably not for long. He usually came into her bed with bad dreams.

Once she stretched out on her mattress, her mind whirled. She couldn’t shake the feel of Witt’s beard scruff scraping her skin or the spicy scent of him. She’d wanted to unzip his coat and climb inside with him.

Her phone buzzed and she attacked it, stabbing delete on several messages. Damn these men. Why wouldn’t they leave her alone?

She tossed her phone on the nightstand, flopped face-down on the mattress and tried to shove Witt from her thoughts.

But he kept returning. At least it had been too dark to see his disappointment before she shut the door in his face. She didn’t know if she could withstand him if she’d seen his expression.

After their scorching tongue duel, he certainly had the wrong idea about her availability. She’d felt every hard inch of his wrong impression pressing against her belly. Her blood was still heated from it.

At least she’d put on the brakes before making another bad decision. She kicked herself for going to that bonfire in the first place. She’d been under the impression she’d meet other women her age. Nell had encouraged her to go, assuring her Alex would be in good hands. After she’d arrived, two guys had asked her out, and one had offered to take her to his truck.