Second Sunrise Cowboy (Second Chance Book 8) (11 page)

Chapter Seven

Cash’s heated breath caressed her skin and she trembled under his warmth. Her fingers dug deep into his flesh as he flicked his tongue along her breasts, gently nibbling and tasting. She’d never felt something more erotic. “I don’t know you and yet it feels like I do,” she whispered.

He lifted his head, kissed her chest, her jaw line, and then her lips. “I’ve been thinking about you…thinking about this. I can’t get you out of my mind.”

So I wasn’t the only one?

He brought his hand to her hair, entwining the tendrils around his fingers and bringing them close to his nose as he inhaled deeply. “My God. I could never get enough.” His ragged voice vibrated her insides.

His mouth covered hers, slipping his tongue between the seam of her lips, seeking, demanding, needful, reflecting her inner emotions. His kiss left her wanting more and more. He was an intoxicating aphrodisiac and he filled her bloodstream like an illegal drug. She realized this spiraled too fast and headed down a path of uncertainty, but she couldn’t put on the brakes—wouldn’t, even if she could.

Desire overwhelmed her senses as he continued to place her under a cowboy spell of lust and yearning. She met his tongue, matching his exploration until her head reeled with a hunger she’d never known, but always dreamt of having.

His hands smoothed over her bare skin of her back, undoing the bra strap, scorching her under his calloused palms. She liked his touch. Hell, it’d become a need she couldn’t control.  His fingers walked down her spine until he reached her bottom and he palmed her ass, gently squeezing and molding the curves to his touch. His hands moved upward, along her stomach and to her bare breasts. He ran his palms over the tingling flesh. She leaned her head onto one shoulder, a moan dripping from her parted lips and the bulge behind his zipper brushed her hips.

She dropped her hand and skimmed her knuckles over the hard shaft below his belt. His moan penetrated the air, tickling her senses. She became more aggressive, rubbing and following the long length.

His hands grew hot, possessive, demanding on her body.  He loosened the button to her jeans, then slipped his fingers inside the edge of her panties. Her desire came in waves, bittersweet. Sensations traveled down her, over her, through her. Sparks flashed through her veins and gathered like an inferno at her throbbing core.

She stood on tiptoes and wrapped her arms around his neck, wanting to get closer to the man who erupted such yearning within her. He broke her hold and dipped his head, kissing her breasts leaving a moist trail down the cleavage as his fingers slipped across her cotton covered slit.  Her pulse raced, her breath became uncontrolled pants. She wanted his mouth on her, everywhere, especially where his hands had touched.

He gripped her ass again as a deep moan escaped his throat. He slid his hand along her trembling secret spot and she widened her thighs. Her panties became a barrier. She gyrated her hips, urging him to touch the folds without the barricade.

Yes. So. Close.

Suddenly he stilled. His breaths came in shallow wheezes as he stood straight, his gaze meeting hers in question. “Did you hear that?” he whispered.

She hadn’t heard anything but the heavy beating of her racing heart.

Their breaths mingled as they waited, bodies molded together.

“Daddy?”

Becca’s voice ripped through the silence like a blast of explosives. Cash jerked and stepped backward. Dakota slipped further into the bathroom out of the girl’s sight. Space. She needed to move farther, but the small bathroom didn’t allow her to go where she needed. She attempted to catch her breath, but it wasn’t easy when Cash still stood so close, his large body hiding her from Becca’s view on the other side of the doorway.

He glanced at her, his chest still rose and fell, then he looked at Becca.“What is it, Becca?”

“I need a drink of water,” Becca asked.

“Sure, sweetheart.”

Cash left the room and Dakota stayed pressed against the tiled wall trying to gain her normal breath. The man did amazing things to her body, to her soul. One touch and she was lapping at him like a thirsty animal. Her body demanded things her mind couldn’t quite comprehend.

She heard water running in the kitchen, the tinkling of a glass, and mumbled voices. Dakota waited patiently, not moving. She heard soft footsteps going up the stairs. Seconds turned into long minutes.

And then Cash returned.

His chest wasn’t rising and falling as fast and some of the demand had left his gaze.

He cursed and rubbed his hand down his face as he handed her a T-shirt. She didn’t need to hear his words to understand what he was silently telling her. Taking it, she pulled it on. His smell lingered on the soft, cotton fabric that fell to her thighs.

He cursed, his warm gaze on hers with unleashed turmoil. “This was a mistake.”

****

Dakota hadn’t slept but a wink or two.

Lying in her aunt’s bed, she stared at the ceiling, her mind drifting to calloused hands and warm lips. Her dreams had been haunted by what happened last night—Cash’s lips on hers, her neck, her breasts, and his coiled muscles under her fingertips.

His last words, “This was a mistake,” rolled around inside of her head. What exactly did he mean? She could have asked him, but instead, she’d left his house like she was escaping a monster.

Cash had sparked something within her and he’d backed away so quickly that it’d taken her a good hour to start breathing normally again.

Although she’d realized Becca coming downstairs had definitely put a wrap up on any chance of things going further, rejection lingered in her bones. She knew it was crazy of her to think Cash had rejected her, but in a way, he did.

She’d never had low self-esteem, but what woman wouldn’t feel disappointed if a man told her he’d made a mistake by kissing her?

Cash wouldn’t want a woman like her anyway. She wasn’t a country girl and she certainly didn’t have large assets like Lanie Madru.

Unfortunately, she had started seeing possibility. Had she only seen what she wanted to see?

Finally dragging herself from bed, she dressed and went downstairs. No one was home. A note from Hope was clipped with a magnet to the refrigerator.

“I’m running errands. Won’t be back until late. Make yourself at home.”

Today was the reading of the will. She had to be at the attorney’s office by eleven.

Taking a quick shower and dressing in a simple sundress, Dakota headed into town.

Her stomach growled and she wondered what the small town had to offer by way of fast food. Probably not much. She drove through the three stop light town, coming to the end of the main street, disappointed. Next to the public library she found a diner and parked on the street. She started to lock her doors, but then laughed. In a town like this, no one would have reason to break into her car. After racing across the street while the light was red, she then entered the diner. The bell above the door chimed loudly as Dakota took a seat at the bar, grabbed a menu from the metal holder, and perused the options.

The waitress, a cute blonde, approached. “You must be here for Delores’s funeral.”

“How did you know?” Dakota asked.

“We don’t get many visitors in town. I’m Sandy.”

“Dakota Childs.”

“She must be here for the funeral too. If I didn’t know any better I would have thought she was Cash’s late wife.” Sandy pointed.

Sitting in a booth in the corner, she saw a familiar looking brunette, and across from her was Cash. Dakota would know that broad back anywhere. Through the reflection in the window, she could see that his hat was tugged low on his forehead. His elbows were leaned onto the table and he appeared focused on the conversation with the woman. Dakota quickly swiveled on the vinyl stool, covering her profile with her hand. “I don’t know her.” But she looked familiar to Dakota as well.

“You’ve met Cash Bailey, right?” The waitress wiggled her brows suggestively.

“Yes, I’ve met him.”

“Nice to look at, huh? If only I was single.” Sandy picked up a menu and fanned her face. “Are you single?”

Dakota nodded. “Very.”

“Take some advice. He’s the pick of the town if you’re interested, and who wouldn’t be?” She sighed longingly.

Dakota wanted to get the hell out of the diner. She ordered the quickest thing she could find. “I’ll take a bagel with cream cheese and a café mocha, please.”

“Honey, we don’t have café mocha. But I can mix a little hot chocolate with coffee if you think that’ll work.”

“Coffee with cream and sugar is fine.” Dakota kept her voice lowered.

“Coming right up.”

Dakota watched the waitress take a bagel from the glass case, silently hoping she’d hurry. Dakota had no desire to see Cash this morning. She had nothing to be embarrassed about, but the last thing she wanted was to face last night before she met with Mr. Jones.

“Here you are, honey. A bagel, cream cheese, and coffee.”

Dakota clumsily reached into her pocketbook and found a wad of dollar bills, placing it on the counter, then slipped from the seat. She gave Cash a quick glance before slipping out of the door.

Her trust dwindled.

No wonder he didn’t want to take things to the next level last night. Maybe this was one of the ladies from the letters. He had plenty to choose from.

Once she was in her car, she watched through the large window at Cash and the brunette. Whoever she was, she certainly had his attention. Dakota sighed. She had no right to him, and she didn’t want any involvement. Sure, they’d gotten very close last night, and she’d wanted things to go further, but the train had stopped before it reached the destination.

She reminded herself that she needed to avoid him. He was danger to her bloodstream and she couldn’t bear becoming a fool under his spell again.

****

Cash stared at the woman who sat across from him. She looked similar to Rebecca, but now that he saw her close up, he could see the differences. Her eyes were lighter, her skin darker, and her hair had highlights. Or maybe Cash hoped he could find the differences.

He’d debated meeting her in a public place, but since she was staying at the bed and breakfast, he couldn’t keep her presence in town a secret. As far as he knew, most people didn’t even notice her since they’d been sitting here, although Sandy had looked twice.

“I’m not here to cause trouble.” Kennedy rolled her short nail around the rim of her cup.

“Then why are you here?”

“Like I told you. I want to see Becca. She is all the family I have left.” One corner of her mouth dipped into a frown.

“And like I said, you’re a bit too late.” He laid his hands on the table.

“Will you give me the opportunity to explain?” One thin brow curved.

“I have some place to be in a short while.”

She wasted no time. “For the last seven years, I have been in South America. I didn’t get the letter Rebecca sent me until it was too late.” Her eyes misted and she blinked. “I brought it so you can see that I’m telling you the truth.” She reached into her purse and brought out an envelope, placing it between them at the table. “As I told you, since she didn’t mention Becca in the letter, I had no idea she’d had a child until the magazine. In the letter, she told me she had only months to live.”

Cash stared at the envelope. The writing on the front belonged to Rebecca. He didn’t make a move to take the envelope. Instead, he lifted his gaze, meeting Kennedy’s. “Why, Kennedy? What happened that you two stopped talking?”

There was a long hesitation. “Growing up, Rebecca and I were very close. Since I was older than she was, I took her under my wing, I protected her, and took care of her while our mother worked. She looked up to me. She said she wanted to be like me.” A smile flickered across her expression, but didn’t last. “When I got engaged to Derrick, I was in my last year of med school. Things changed with Rebecca, but I couldn’t quite pinpoint the cause.” Kennedy laid her hands on the table, the trembling evident. “Derrick and I were married in a small church wedding and moved to a little apartment. While I finished medical school, he opened a law office and we scraped every penny to make ends meet. Life was busy and we rarely saw one another. Things weren’t easy, but I believed things were okay between us, until I came home early one afternoon. I found Rebecca and Derrick at the apartment together.”

Cash clenched his hands. “What are you saying?” Acid rose in his throat.

“I was a fool. I loved them both and refused to see the truth staring at me in the face. They’d had an affair and all the sign were there.”

Shaking his head, he couldn’t wrap his head around Kennedy’s words. “I knew Rebecca. She’d never have betrayed you,” he said through tight lips.

“I’m not saying she was evil, I’m only stating the facts. When I found out, I cut all ties with everyone. After school ended, I took off to help with medical needs in Peru, and then on to other remote places.” She waved a hand through the air and shrugged. “No one knew where I had gone, not even Derrick. That’s why I didn’t get the letter until I came back. She’d sent it to his address. She’d probably Googled it and that’s what she got. I guess I had assumed they kept in contact, but once I left, so did Rebecca. I realize now she came here.”