Stony Creek Cowboy [Stony Creek] (Siren Publishing Classic) (24 page)

Ben stood like an avenging angel over the still form, eyes blazing with fury. “Are you both all right? Did he hurt either of you?” he managed to roughly ask them. Cole wrapped an arm around each of the trembling women, moving them a bit further away from their attacker. He paused only to call for the sheriff and then resumed gently rubbing both of their backs.

Lizzie looked at Ben. “We are okay, I think. When I saw him accost Billie, I ran in to try to help. I guess I need to work on my rescuer skills, huh?” She laughed. She nervously glanced at Billie who looked like she was in shock. “Billie, hon? Are you okay?”

“I think so, maybe, not sure yet,” was all Billie could manage with a smile for a moment. They heard the pounding of obviously male footsteps running down toward them. Billie felt herself being ripped away from Cole and swung up into a very strong male body.
Jackson.

She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, allowing herself to calm down now that he was here. In the next second, she wrapped her arms in a bear hug around Jackson’s waist, trying to sink into his comforting warmth. She felt the chill of her fear began to melt away as she was safe and secure in his tight embrace.

“What the fuck happened here, Ben?” Jackson tried to ask quietly.

“All I know is I heard them screaming and found this piece of shit stepping on my woman’s chest so hard she could barely breathe. While he was doing that he was also choking your woman so she sure as shit couldn’t breathe either. Asshole.”

Jackson realized that Ben had left it at that for the moment as he didn’t want the women to have to rehash the story too many times as they were going to have to tell Nat and the sheriff as well.

With Sheriff Sly Mulligan and Deputy Nat Winston’s arrival, Jackson, Ben, and Cole turned the women down toward the street to wait.

“Your woman?” Lizzie took exception to Ben’s reference. “You haven’t yet even asked me out to dinner, dancing, or a drink, buster. Nothing! You don’t even talk to me in real sentences but now, all of a sudden, I am your woman? You are out of your mind if…”

“If you all will please excuse me, I have to have a conversation with Ms. Carmichael here over her actions today. We will be back in just a minute,” Ben politely murmured.
Her speech was cut off as she was unexpectedly hoisted over Ben’s very tall shoulder and moved out of Billie’s hearing range.

“If you think you have any control what-so-ever as to whether or not I come to anyone’s defense, you have got another thing coming to you mister! I can dance naked down Main Street if I chose to do so. Let me down, you overbearing, uncommunicative, can’t have a relationship with a woman, too scared to commit lug!”

“We will just see who belongs to whom and who is actually the scared one in just a moment, baby.” The loud, reverberating sound of a slap on her ass echoed as he walked her away.

Jackson held Billie cradled up against his chest, gently rocking her back and forth comfortingly. He and Cole passed an amused look at the slapping sound and sudden quiet that befell the retreating couple.

Jackson looked down at Billie. “Baby, are you okay?” he asked with concern.

“I am now. Where did you come from? I thought you had left?”

“I did, but Ben put out a 9-1-1 to us, so I turned right around. I am going to kill that waste of DNA.” He took a deep breath and slightly tightened his hold on her as he continued. “Baby, I am sorry I about what I am going to ask, but I need to know. Did he touch you?” Jackson found himself holding his jaw clenched as he waited for an answer.

“No, Jackson. Thank goodness, no. He just scared me and roughed up Lizzie and myself. Is she okay with Ben? He looked very angry,” Billie said quietly.

Both Jackson and Cole exchanged another amused look and a chuckle. “Yes, Billie. She is going to be just fine. Ben just is going to explain a few things to Lizzie, and she is going to comply with Ben’s suggestions most likely,” Cole answered her with an amused grin.

“Comply? Lizzie? They don’t exactly go in the same sentence, Cole,” Billie returned.

Cole just smiled for an answer as he sauntered off to see what was taking Sheriff Mulligan and Nat so long to haul off the trash. Jackson took the privacy gratefully as he inspected the precious woman in his arms. Precious. He kept surprising himself with these revelations. She was precious to him. Len’s actions would have enraged him if it had been any woman but that it was his woman… He needed to calm down a bit more.

Billie sighed as Jackson spread light kisses over her face, trying to coax her back into her usual fighting form. She turned her lips up to his and allowed him to cover her with his affection. Billie closed her eyes and allowed herself to feel the protective security that he was trying to provide. She nuzzled her face into his neck and just breathed in the scent of his cologne. She focused on that. Delicious, familiar, comforting and as always, arousing. Not quite what she needed at that particular moment but she figured that she should permit her body to respond in whatever manner it needed to while recovering from the shock of the situation.

Jackson gently put her on her feet as Ben approached with Lizzie securely mashed up into his side. He wasn’t entirely sure whether Lizzie was in heaven or was going to kill his brother but figured things would be okay if her blush was any indicator. The ladies gave their accounts of the incident to Sheriff Mulligan and then protested as the men tried to separate them.

“Ben, would you please stop being so high-handed! Billie and I were going to have a drink before we were waylaid by Mr. Asshole. We have things to discuss!” Lizzie lectured to her intended huge target of a man.

Ben looked down patiently at his beautiful charge. In a very soft but firm voice that gave even Billie the chills, Ben replied, “I thought we had just come to an understanding, Lizzie. I don’t think you want me to repeat that particular discussion in front of everyone, do you?”

To Billie’s surprise, Lizzie suddenly became completely docile. “Um, no Ben. You may take me home.” With that, Ben excused himself and his blushing companion.

“What in the world do you think he said to her that could make her suddenly so, um, compliant?” Billie asked Jackson.

Jackson looked almost indulgently down at Billie. His eyes were warm with his feelings for her. “He probably explained that she was to never again to put herself in danger and gave her a small spanking. That’s my guess,” he said almost offhandedly. “Now for you, Madame Doctor. Let’s get in my truck as we are going to have our own conversation about what the hell you were doing going out the back door, in minimal light and all alone at night. This may not be New York, but there are still a boat load of horny cowboys running around who find you to be pretty damn hot. I won’t have it either.”

Billie just looked at Jackson. “You won’t have it? Just who the hell do you Powell men think you are? I am not a baby to be told what I can or cannot do! You don’t own me!” Billie was furious. She went from repulsion to terror to fear and now to anger all within an hour’s time. Her mind didn’t know if she was coming or going. No wonder she was overreacting to Jackson’s display of possessiveness.

Jackson just continued to drive as though she hadn’t just had an outburst but did respond gently. He knew she was on overdrive. “We Powell Neanderthals, as you love to put it, know who we are, baby, and what matters.
You
matter. You matter a hell of a lot to me. I may not have put a ring on that finger, but more than anyone, I sure as hell own you, woman. Just as you own me. Everything is going to be all right. I am here and I am never going to allow a man like that to get to you ever again, so cooperate, please.”

It was obvious to Jackson that Billie didn’t feel like arguing anymore. She obviously liked hearing him confess in words that she did matter to him. It felt good. The fight was all out of her now and she just closed her eyes in exhaustion. Jackson glanced over at her as she was attempting to fight off sleep. He threaded his fingers with hers and laid them on his thigh. Realizing she had just dozed off, he allowed himself to let his guard down and unmask his facial expressions. He was enraged. That fucker dared to accost his woman! Jackson gripped the steering wheel so tight his knuckles blanched. He tried not to squeeze the hand holding hers but apparently failed. She moaned in her sleep and turned sideways so he could see her beautiful features. She was sleeping so peacefully he willed himself to calm down so he didn’t disturb her further. He pulled up in front of his cabin and got out to pick her up and carry her in. She was so wiped out, she didn’t stir as he undressed her and laid her gently on his bed. He undressed as well and climbed in after her a moment later. Jackson gathered her slim body against his and closed his eyes while taking a deep, calming breath. Thanking god, Lizzie, and his brother, he gazed down at the woman who dropped into his life and was creating wonderful havoc with it. Tonight could have turned out so much worse if not for their quick thinking actions. Jackson just lay there for quite a while looking down at Billie, afraid to take his eyes off of her.

Life returned to a somewhat normal pace during the holidays and into January. The snowstorms provided many a romantic evening for Billie and Jackson to get lost with each other as the weather raged outside. Billie sat in her comfy chair watching another few inches fall while trying to make some sense of her current state of affairs. She came out here to find herself, to find real love for the first time, and to find out what living a dream really meant. She sipped her wine and tried to digest all that had happened. She had found the man of her dreams, someone who made her feel all lit up inside every time he got near her, someone who got her and wanted her, just the way she was. She paused in thought about that fact. Jackson liked her when she was stubborn, liked her when she was submissive, liked her when she was bossy, and basically took her any way she presented herself. He just liked her from the get-go. Billie sunk deeper into her chair with a real smile on her face at that realization. The man protected her, helped her, supported her, and gave her crazy, pleasurable hot monkey sex every chance he got. Sure there were hiccups since she had gotten here. His ex-wife was a constant nuisance, there were things that she had trouble getting used to like having to shop for her naughty lingerie online as there were no stores for that within a two-hour drive, and Len had gotten out on bail while awaiting his trial for assault. However, if she was going to be truthful, she knew that she had never been happier than she was now, nor would she ever be again. Her practice was full of patients that loved and appreciated her as she did them. She had a new family that amused her every Sunday while torturing most of its immediate members, and she got to ride Sheeza and Danny constantly as well as ride the finest man she had ever known. It was a good life.

The scrumptious scent of the spicy seafood gumbo and fresh cornbread hung in the air. Jackson loved it the first time and every time she made it for him. The look he got while eating it was similar to his look of male satisfaction on his face as he watched her orgasm from his ministrations. She was getting damp already thinking of how happy he would be when he got home tonight. Home. They spent the vast majority of their time in her house. It felt more like a home than the one she had shared with Matthew. Here there was warmth, fun, and love because of Jackson.

Oh god. That was the truth. It hit her like a sledgehammer. Holy cow. She was completely, undeniably, and utterly crazy in love with Jackson. She sat up so quickly, the big beasts masquerading as her dogs started and she almost spilled her wine. What the heck was she supposed to do with that?

She didn’t have time to even ponder the thought. The silhouette of pure Wyoming cowboy rode up on Lachlan in the darkness. It was just like one of those male models posing for a cowboy calendar but for real. It was his beloved chiseled face with that huge, hulking muscled body beneath layers of warm clothes and parkas that made her rub her thighs together in anticipation of the privilege of being with this man. Already she felt the flush and cream that started to gush in her pussy from her thoughts. Her body knew who its master was long before her slow brain had ever figured it out. She watched him ride into the barn and decided to surprise him.

Jackson was stomping his feet on Billie’s back porch when the tantalizing scent of his favorite meal teased his senses. Ah, what a woman, Jackson thought. After a long day rounding up stray cows, feedings, and fixing some of the equipment, there was nothing that could compare to knowing that Billie was waiting impatiently for him with a warm smile and a delicious dinner. He had never had that or the associated feelings it evoked in him with Gwen or any other woman. She had to be one of the most thoughtful, generous, and sensitive people that he had ever known. He appreciated her so much. There was never going to be another woman who could pleasure him like Billie did. Mind, body, and spirit. She took everything into account on everybody, but especially him and his needs. Today was a difficult day for him mentally. He was fighting a losing war with himself over the depth of his feelings for her. He was crazy about this woman but still a little gun-shy to tell her that he loved her. One moment, he was sure that he wanted to tell her and then the next, he was reliving his stupidity at rushing into things with Gwen. Part of him said, why rush? Let things just fall into place, but the other part of him, probably the smarter half, said to him that he should have her branded as his mentally, physically, and legally as soon as possible. Whoa! Did he just admit that he wanted to marry her? Shaking his head as though to clear the thought, he dismissed the idea quickly. Tonight wasn’t the time to ponder huge decisions like that. He laughed to himself. Yeah, maybe he should get up the balls to tell her that he was head over heels in love with her first. Nah, not yet.