The Cowboy's Secret (Cowboys After Dark: Book 3) (14 page)

“Why haven’t I ever thought of that?” she declared. “That’s brilliant.”

“Just easier, and even though most horses don’t care about havin’ a blanket thrown over them, it prevents an unexpected spook.”

“I’ve been riding my whole life and I’ve never seen that before,” she exclaimed.

“Stick around, you might learn a thing or two,” he winked.

Walking around the horse she adjusted the straps, and as she buckled up the front, he dropped his head and pulled her into his chest.

“Awww, aren’t you the sweetest thing,” she purred, wrapping his arms around his wide neck and returning his hug.

“You two should get a room,” Clint quipped. “Come on, let’s go check on the other kids.”

Leaving Jiminy they headed into the barn, and as Clint flicked on the lights announcing their arrival, a series of light knickers echoed back at them. Wandering down the wide aisle they checked all the horses, Clint taking one side, Amelia the other, and when they reached the end he grabbed her around the waist.

“Hear that?” he breathed as he held her.

“I do, it’s heaven.”

The sound of the horses moving around and an occasional knicker rustled through the air. Wrapping his fingers through her hair he pulled back her head and softly kissed her.

“Mmm, that was nice,” she murmured snuggling against him.

“I agree,” he crooned,
and standin’ here with you like this, feels kinda like it was meant to be.
“Feelin’ better?”

“Much, you were right, tired though,” she yawned.

“You’re stayin’ the night,” he decreed.

“Is that an invitation?” she giggled.

“Hell no, that’s an order,” he replied, squeezing her tightly.

“Um, I didn’t think that far ahead,” she commented as they headed out. “I didn’t bring anything to sleep in.”

“Now why would you want somethin’ to sleep in?” he frowned. “I’ll keep you warm.”

“I’m sure you will,” she sighed.

Stopping by Jiminy, the big grey gelding dropped his head so Amelia could scratch his ears, then finally climbing into the golf cart, they drove through the cold night up to the house.

“Any chance of lighting the fireplace in your bedroom?” she asked as they entered the house and pulled off their coats.

“Sure, I’ll go do it right now so it’ll warm things up.”

“Perfect, I’ll get started in the kitchen,” she offered

They went their separate ways, and as she quickly rinsed the dishes and placed them neatly into the dishwasher, she felt a warm sense of comfort.

This feels so natural. I feel like I’m at home, like I belong here.

Clint ambled in, cleared the table, and leaning back against the counter crossing his arms, he stared at her.

“What?” she asked.

“First time a woman’s been at that sink,” he remarked. “It looks good on you.”

“Is that right?” she said, raising her eyebrows. “You don’t have a housekeeper?”

“Yeah, but I’m not in the house when she is.”

“Ah, so I’m not the first woman, just the first woman you’ve seen,” she corrected him.

“Nope, I don’t see my housekeeper as a woman, at least, not like I see you as a woman,” he quipped.

“We can finish this debate in your bed,” she said firmly, closing the dishwasher and starting it up.

“You might not wanna debate me in bed,” he warned, grinning from ear to ear, “not unless you wanna go into it knowin’ you’re gonna lose.”

“Listen to you, Mr. Confidence,” she retorted. “I wouldn’t be so sure of myself if I were you.”

Clint laughed, then shook his head.

“What?” she challenged.

“This is what,” he replied, and stepping forward he lifted her off her feet and threw her over his shoulder.

“Aaargh, put me down,” she laughed.

“Nope,” he replied, swatting her upturned backside.

“What are you doing?” she demanded, trying to kick out her legs, but her peals of laughter were making it virtually impossible to fight against his hold.

“Just makin’ a point,” he replied, swatting her again.

“Stop that,” she protested.

“Nope,” he repeated, landing several more smacks as he carried her own the hallway.

“OW! Okay, you win,” she yelped, but she was laughing so hard, by the time threw her on the bed she was completely breathless.

“You pull off those clothes fast enough, and I might just let you get away with a few more light slaps, but any longer than thirty-seconds and I’ll wallop your butt.”

“Whaaat? I wanna take a shower,” she protested.

“You’ve got five minutes,” he grinned, “startin’ now.”

Jumping from the bed she ran past him and disappeared into his bathroom, then ran out again.

“Whatta you doin’?” he asked as she bolted from the room.

“All my stuff is in my bag in the guest room,” she called from the hallway.

Continuing to chuckle he pulled off his clothes, crawled into bed, and switched off the light at his bedside. The flames from the fire washed the walls in its honey glow, and sighing happily he waited for her return.

You’re toast buddy. You stuck your toe in, then your foot, now your whole damn leg.

Nope, I’ve got all of me in, and I’m lovin’ it.

You told her a day at a time.

I know what I told her.

But you don’t feel that way.

Nope. I’m feelin’ fuckin’ amazin’ right now, and scared shitless, and like I never want this to end.

Only ’cos it’s been so long.

Nope, it’s because she’s somethin’ special, real special. I know what I felt in that barn, and it had nothin’ to do with sex.

If anyone would know about that, it’s you.

No shit.

“Hey big guy.”

Glancing across the room he saw her standing in the door with a towel wrapped around her chest.

“Room for one more?” she asked.

“Only if that one more is naked,” he replied, feeling his cock grow.

“Easily done,” she purred, and walking towards him, she slowly, teasingly, sensuously, pulled the towel away from her body letting it drop to the floor.

I
t was in the early hours of the morning that Amelia found herself waking from sleep. Blinking her eyes open she rolled over and snuggled close to the man at her side.

When she’d crawled into bed, Clint had made her lay quiet and still as he’d dawdled his tongue across the front her body. Tracing her skin from her neck, around her breasts, across her stomach, down each of her legs, he’d finally landed in her delectable crevice where he drove her mad with his lips and tongue.

When he flipped her over he took his time caressing her, lightly spanking her bottom until it tingled, tracing his fluttering fingers between her legs, but he didn’t pull her up on her knees to slide into her depths until she was begging.

Riding her slowly, then forcefully, then resting inside her, slapping her hard if she moved, he finally pummeled her to their united release, and in silent joy he’d held her until they drifted off into blissful sleep.

Closing her eyes she relived the magical moment when he’d hugged her in the barn. It had felt so right, being there with him, surrounded by the sounds of the horses and the smell of hay and leather.

That’s how it’s supposed to feel. Close and easy and wonderful. We’re kindred spirits you and me. I wonder if you felt it too.

Yawning, she felt an unpleasant dryness in her mouth, and blinking her eyes open she looked across his body; the bottle of water was empty. Softly slipping from the bed she padded quickly across the room and out into the hallway.

The cold air took her by surprise, and dashing into the guest room she pulled a sweatshirt from her bag. It fell to her the top of her thighs, but it was better than nothing, and guided by night-lights she hurried down the hall and into the kitchen.

It was a dark night, no moon to speak of, and she flipped a switch illuminating the counter next to the refrigerator. Opening the door she grabbed two bottles of water, and was headed back to the bedroom when she realized she hadn’t turned it off. Cursing under her breath she returned to the kitchen, and was about to turn off the light when she saw the drawers.

Huh. I wonder. People keep all kinds of things in kitchen drawers.

Her curiosity stirred, she carefully pulled them open, one after the other, rifling through the contents to see if there was anything that might answer the many questions she had tumbling around in her brain about Clint Hogan. Finding nothing, feeling frustrated and slightly annoyed, she picked up the bottles, flicked off the light, and headed back to the bedroom, passing his study as she walked down the hall.

She would not have even noticed had a gust of wind not rattled some branches against the window. The unexpected sound in the cold quiet startled her, and when she turned her head and saw the black leather, high-backed chair behind the wide desk, she paused.

Don’t do it.

Just a peek.

Don’t do it.

Just a quick look over the top of his desk.

Don’t do it.

I have to.

Creeping down to the bedroom, she peered around the door to make sure he was still sleeping soundly. Finding him motionless and heavily breathing, she stole back to the study, and heart pounding, she walked inside.

Laying the water bottles on the carpet she moved behind the desk. It was dark, but she spied a tiny chain hanging from under the shade of the desk lamp, and when she pulled it down a bright glow illuminated everything before her.

Envelopes were neatly stacked, file folders with the names of horses written across the front sat one on top of the other, and a yellow pad with notes was sitting next to the phone.

Hmmm, where do I start?

You don’t.

I’m here now, I’ll just peek at one of these envelopes. Well, well, it’s addressed to a J.C. Hogan. Clint must be his middle name. I wonder if that’s why I couldn’t find him on the internet.

It wasn’t a sound that made her lift her eyes, or even a shadow, it was a prickling at the back of her neck, a prickling that told her she was being watched. Nervously raising her gaze, she stared at his tall frame in the doorway.

“Find what you were looking for?” he asked calmly.

“Maybe,” she trembled.

“And what was that exactly?”

“Anything,” she said honestly.

“Anything, like what?” he pressed.

“Like, something that will tell me more about you. Since you don’t want to share who you are, I thought-”

“You thought snooping around my office might answer some questions,” he interrupted.

“Uh-huh,” she managed, trying to quiet her hammering heart.

“The curious cat again, come out to play,” he remarked shaking his head. “Why are there two bottles of water on the floor?”

“Uh, I put them there so I wouldn’t leave a mark on your desk,” she muttered, “and so they wouldn’t fall off and wake you.”

“Hmmm, well at least you’re an honest snooper.”

“I’m sorry, Clint,” she mumbled.

“Make that, you were an honest snooper,” he quipped.

“I am, sorry…kind of,” she protested.

“Come on back to bed,” he ordered, an edge to his voice.

Turning off the lamp, she was grateful for the cloaking darkness; her face was blushing furiously, and she didn’t want him to see the guilty look in her eyes.

“Don’t forget the water,” he reminded her.

She stooped down and picked up the bottles, and as she walked past him into the hallway he swatted her, hard.

“Ouch,” she exclaimed. “I suppose you’re going to spank me now.”

“Nope, right now we’re both goin’ back to bed. I’m gonna sleep on this. There’s more than one way to punish a bad girl.”

“If you’d told me-”

“Hey, don’t even go there,” he growled, stopping as they entered the bedroom. “You’re in enough trouble.”

“Yes, Sir,” she muttered, then frowned, surprised at how the response had automatically fallen from her lips.

“That’s better, now get yourself into that bed,” he said firmly.

“You want a water?” she said lightly, offering him a bottle.

“You’re treadin’ on thin ice, girl,” he threatened.

“Okay, jeez, I’m going,” she said hastily darting across the room to the bed, and placing both bottles on her nightstand she slid under the covers.

I told you not to do it.

Yeah well, that’s not helping me right now.

I don’t think anything’s going to help you.

Shit, you’re probably right.

Clint slipped in beside her, turned off his bedside lamp, and turning to face her he propped himself up on an elbow. The fire was still burning but the flames were low, making his face barely discernible.

“Why are you still wearin’ that sweatshirt?” he asked softly.

“I, uh, just didn’t take it off,” she mumbled.

“Rule number one, when you’re in bed with me you’re naked.”

“Oh, right,” she said hurriedly, and sitting up she pulled it over her head, throwing it on the floor. “Better?”

“Much. Rule number two, no more snoopin’. If you wanna know somethin’, ask me. If I wanna tell you, I will, if I don’t, that’s an end to it. Got it?”

“Yes, Sir.”

“Now go back to sleep,” he directed, and pulling her against his chest he hugged her tightly.

“You’re not mad?” she murmured.

“Of course I’m mad, but that doesn’t mean I don’t still, uh, wanna hold you,”
and it doesn’t mean I’m still not crazy about you either, dammit.

Sighing deeply she sank into him, nuzzling her cheek against the soft bristles of his chest.

“I just want to know about you. Is that so terrible?”

“It’s not terrible, but,” he paused, taking a deep breath, “I’ll tell you things as we get to know each other. Don’t be impatient. When you’re gallopin’ up to a jump it’s all about timin’, you wait to see your take off point; this is the same, you’ll know more when the time’s right, I promise you.”

“Okay, but I can’t stop being curious, it’s just in my nature,” she muttered.

“Really?” he quipped. “There’s a news flash!”

“Are you going to-”

“Shush, enough, go back to sleep.”

“But I have to know, are you-”

“Dammit, Amelia, we’ll talk about all this in the mornin’.”