Cowboy Double-Decker (5 page)

She had Scotty dressed in no time. She slipped into shoes, shoved her wallet in her back pocket, and spoke through the bathroom door.

“I’m going to pick up a few things at the shop downstairs. Do you want anything?”

The door opened. The white towel made his tanned skin stand out.

He leaned a shoulder against the doorframe and smirked down at her.

“You know what I want, Kaela,” he murmured.

She fought the rising heat, cursing her red hair and the pale skin that blazed at times like this. “I should be back in fifteen minutes,”

she said, refusing to meet his eyes. Scotty squirmed and she remembered her appointment. “Oh, darn, I have to check on the babysitter for this weekend. I might be a bit longer.”

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“Why don’t you leave Scotty with me? He needs to run around a bit and burn off some energy.”

Bryan leaned so close Scotty grabbed his nose. The big man honked loudly, receiving giggles in return. Surely she could leave her son with a dad who seemed to like kids. After all, she’d be sleeping in the same bed with him tonight. She swallowed hard.

“That’ll be, uh, great.”

“No promises
I’ll
be dressed when you get back.” He winked and adjusted his towel. Her eyes automatically dropped. She shivered at his words, dripping with innuendo, and then straightened her spine.

“Don’t bother on my account,” she retorted. “I’ve seen a naked man before.”

“Not like me, darlin.’”

She dashed into the hallway as soon as he took Scotty, his deep laugh taunting her.

* * * *

“You’re momma’s playin’ with fire, my man,” said Bryan to the child smacking his crooked nose with a flapping palm. He’d given up getting it straightened after Adam broke his nose the second time. He set Scotty on the floor of the bedroom—
their bedroom
—while he pulled on jeans. Very carefully. The woman did things to him, and she’d better solve them. His strong attraction, or downright need, must be from going without sex for months after having Candy available for so long.

Head forward like a bull charging, the boy headed for a basket of toys in the corner. He could walk, but his talking wasn’t as advanced as the girls. He was sturdy while they were, well, feminine. Scotty had a joyfulness in him, just like Evie. Diane, like Adam, would think things out before acting, while Edie bulled ahead full speed. When she hit a roadblock, she climbed over, around, or through.

Or howled in frustration.

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What would it be like to have Scotty and Evie as teenagers, running wild on the ranch? He could see the two of them racing their horses home. He bet Scotty would let her win. Nah, his daughter’d be so far ahead the boy couldn’t catch up.

Where the hell did that come from?
He blew out his breath.

“Face it, Bry,” he said. He pulled a white T-shirt over his head.

“You’re jealous of what Adam has and you know it. You love Candy, but she belongs to Adam. Two months looking and you can’t even find a woman who’ll consider taking you on.”

Bryan swooped Scotty up and tossed him in the air. His tiny, red-striped T-shirt rolled up, so Bryan blew raspberries on the exposed tummy.

Damn, he’d missed this.

The boy clutched his long hair with both fists. “Ouch. First thing, I’m getting a haircut.”

He missed the girls with an ache so heavy.

He’d stupidly sworn he wouldn’t return without a wife. There’d been a lot of women willing to be pleasured by a tall, smiling cowboy, especially when they learned he owned a ranch. But they weren’t the type he’d bring home as a potential wife.

Almost Thanksgiving and all he had was a weekend’s possibilities with a happy kid and his hot-tempered mommy. He’d had enough one-night stands years ago. They left him hollow. Kaela was different.

He’d need more than a couple of nights to show the skittish woman how her body could respond to an enthusiastic man.

“You think she’ll share more than the bed, buddy? ’Cause I ain’t sleepin’ on no couch. Done that waaay too many times. These old bones need a bed.”

Hell, he was damn near thirty and lonely. But how many women would live on a ranch in the middle of Nowhere, Montana, especially sharing sex with another couple? His wife had to enjoy role playing with two dominant men, yet still be a sweet woman to welcome him home after a hard day in the saddle. She’d massage his sore body,
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arouse him, and ride his cock until they came together. Then she’d cuddle up and keep the nightmares away.

He’d try Internet dating next. It wasn’t a manly way to find a wife, but it would save time. Adam was already pissed about having to ramrod the ranch for two months. Bryan stretched out his muscles, sore from the long, hard ride. Too many rodeo tosses and a violent childhood didn’t help. All water under the bridge.

“Even if I don’t get laid this weekend, at least I’ll get a good night’s sleep in a soft bed. Let’s go find your momma.”

He stomped into his boots, settled his cowboy hat far back on his head to avoid clutching baby fingers, and tucked an arm around Scotty. They walked down the stairs, a fatherless boy on the arm of a man with a strong body made for work and loving.

And a cock harder than a fencepost in January.

* * * *

“Where’s your little boy?”

“Patricia!” Kaela turned quickly from the condom display and smiled at the teenage girl. “I’ve got someone looking after him.”

“Oh.” The big smile faded. “So, like, uh, you won’t need me to babysit this weekend?”

“Oh, yes, I will.” She nodded encouragingly and Patricia’s face smoothed. “Scotty’s going to love playing with you. But I have to warn you, he’s getting another tooth and may be cranky.”

“That’s okay.” Patricia dropped her head forward so her long hair covered her face. “Um, the guy at the desk told my mom you’re sharing your room with a biker. Mom doesn’t want me to go up there in case he like, attacks me or something.” She bit the cuticle of her thumb and stared at her feet for a moment. “Mom says you’ll have to bring everything to the hotel’s baby room,” she said in a rush.

Kaela gave a mental groan. She counted on keeping the playpen in the suite instead of lugging it up and down the stairs each day. But she
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couldn’t blame the mother. A huge, scowling man dressed in black leather would scare most people, including herself.

“I understand your mom’s concern, but just because Bryan drives a motorcycle doesn’t mean he’s a bad man. He can look a bit scary, though.”

“I’m not scared of him.” The teenager grinned. “I saw him when he roared into the parking lot on that huge black Harley. Like, he is so totally hot! Is he your boyfriend?”

“Uh, no.”

Kaela felt a flush rise from her chest to her forehead. The way her ears burned, they must be red. Of course he’d drive a huge motorbike.

As a teenager she had fantasies about riding away with a bad boy on one. Not that she’d ever have the nerve.

“The hotel messed up our reservations. He doesn’t have anywhere else to stay. He’ll be sleeping on the couch, of course.”

Though only sixteen, Patricia gave an adult “yeah, sure!” look.

“Maybe if I introduce him to your mother she’ll change her mind.”

Patricia snickered. “Mom’s between boyfriends. You might not want her seeing yours or she’ll be jealous. She’ll try to take him away from you.”

“He’s not my—”

“I’d better get my homework done so I’ll be all set for the little guy. Bye!”

She waved and turned her back. Kaela sighed. Some choice.

Either the mother approved of Bryan and wanted to snuggle up to him or she disapproved and Kaela’d be humping baby furniture around all weekend. She went back to staring at the display. Freddie had been in charge of protection so she’d never bought condoms before. She’d never be that stupid again.

What type should she choose? Lubricated? Would the extra-thin type tear, like what happened to create Scotty?

“Get glow-in-the-dark. Purple’s my fave, babe.”

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Kaela froze at the slimy voice oozing from behind her. He sounded like her uncle at his sober worst. She pretended she hadn’t heard. When she tried to step away, a hand grabbed her arm. An overpowering aroma of aftershave hit. The scent threw her back years. She trembled, fighting for control.

“Hey, Red, don’t walk away. I’m bein’ nice and friendly here.”

“Let go of my arm,” she said slowly and distinctly but with determination. He yanked hard, and she whirled around to face him.

A slightly taller man wearing a rumpled business suit and white cowboy hat leered at her. Another stood behind him, the same look on his face. They must have come from a long session at the bar. She knew the signs too well. The pretending-to-be-friendly stage of mean drunk was rapidly followed by a beating if you didn’t follow orders.

“Whyn’t you come with me? We kin get to know each other better.”

“Let me go!” She struggled to pull away, but he dug his nails into the inside of her arm.

“Problem, Kaela?”

Bryan’s deep, icy voice drawled the words from beside her. He grasped the bully’s wrist and squeezed. The man let go of her with a hiss of pain. She rubbed her arm and turned. Blinked. Biker boy no more, replaced with a fantasy cowboy. Scotty watched the scene, tucked securely in the crook of Bryan’s elbow.

He wore faded blue jeans with a thick belt and silver oval buckle, scuffed boots, and a snug white cotton T-shirt. A well-worn brown cowboy hat with a thin black braid sat at the back of his head. Unlike the fancy-dressed bully, he wore it like it was part of him.

“Mama!”

She caught Scotty when he lunged. She hugged him against her chest, inhaling the sweet smell of clean baby. They were safe, thanks to Bryan.

“Didn’t know she was yours,” groused the bully. He tried to back away, almost tripping over his feet in eagerness to escape, but Bryan
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still held him.

“Never. Ever. Touch a woman like that,” said Bryan, punctuating each word with a stiff finger in the man’s chest. “And next time one says go, you
git
!” Bryan lifted the bully’s hat and smacked him around the shoulders with it until he ran from the store. He threw the hat after the man.

He turned and gathered her in his arms. He held them close, rocking gently side to side. She rested her head on his chest and inhaled the same soap scent as Scotty, plus a dash of musky deodorant. She never felt so safe, so cherished. After a moment, she pushed him away. She couldn’t get used to feeling cared for. It would leave such a hole when he left, and she’d have to learn to be strong again.

“You okay?” He looked down at her, eyebrows low. “I can have Security throw the bas—ah, bully out.”

“No.” She forced a smile. “But thanks. It’s nothing I couldn’t handle. Women get used to that sort of thing.”

“Not my women.”

He glared over her head in the direction the men had gone as if the lesson wasn’t over.

“Thanks for bringing Scotty.” She put a bright note into her voice, dismissing the last few minutes as if they never happened. Stuffing the nasty memories deep with the rest of them.

“This what you lookin’ for?”

He held up a silver box labeled extra-large, ribbed, with a reservoir tip. Scotty lunged for the shiny box like a magpie.

“No, Scotty, love.” To hide her blush, she buried her face in her baby’s neck, yelping when he grabbed her loose hair.

“I’m gonna be a lot more careful when I run my fingers through those soft, red curls,” said Bryan. He dropped his voice to a whisper.

“Then I’ll check out the lower ones. See if my tongue can find hidden treasure.”

She gasped, heat flaring in the region he described. He lifted
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Kaela’s hand and pressed the box into her palm. He added a lingering kiss on her knuckles while his eyes laughed at her blush. He nodded at the condom display.

“Buy the big box, sweetling. We’ll need it,” he whispered. He kissed the top of her head. “I’ll cover my bike and then I’ll get some whipped cream.”

The heat in his eyes wasn’t faked, nor was the bulge in his jeans.

Kaela forced a shaky smile. He smoothed the curls back from her ear and kissed her neck. Goosebumps saluted all over her body.

He released Scotty’s fist from his hair, patted her bottom as if it belonged to him, and sauntered away in that rolling walk she’d seen in cowboy movies. Stunned silence rushed to fill the space he left behind.

“Da!” called Scotty, watching him go. He learned the word from the fathers of other children at the daycare.

“Not on your life, sonny boy,” she muttered. “Arrogance might be okay in the bedroom, but it’s hell to live with the rest of the time.”

She switched the three-package box for one holding ten, bit her lip for a moment, and then added condom-safe lube.

Would she get up her nerve to use one? Did she have anything remotely sexy to wear? Did a guy who hadn’t had sex in months care what she wore, as long as he got to peel it off? And was he joking about the whipped cream?

“Oh, no.” She kept Scotty’s hands from grabbing her purchases.

“You’re not touching this stuff for at least twenty years if I have any say in the matter.”

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Kaela finally forced herself to stop watching Scotty sleep. She was so exhausted that she could almost crawl in next to him and zonk out. She could hear Bryan moving in the bedroom they would share.

She stopped in the doorway and watched Bryan setting folded shirts in the drawer she cleaned out for him. She hadn’t really expected him to use it. She figured he’d be more like Uncle Wesley and Freddie, both slobs. She expected dirty clothes stuffed into the black leather saddle bags he used as a suitcase. But he shook out a striped polo shirt, set it on the bed, and refolded it as if he did this often.

While she watched, she tallied points in his favor. He was clean and neat, though his hair almost reached his shoulders. A father, he knew how to care for babies, and even seemed to enjoy it.