The Cowgirl's Secret (The Diamondback Ranch Series #) (22 page)

"Oh, baby. I know something is going on between you two. Everyone knows. You danced a lot of dances together at Doc's retirement party. And the way Sam's eyes light up anytime you're in his vicinity . . . Something's going on for sure."

"Nothing's going on, Mom."

Ruth narrowed her blue eyes. "Victoria McCade! Don't you lie to your mama!"

"Okay. All right." Tori finished stuffing everything back in the basket, keeping her eyes lowered, not wanting to see the rampant curiosity and concern in her mother's gaze. "Something
is
going on, but it's complicated. Very complicated."

"Baby, haven't you learned by now that nothing in this life is easy? And loving a good man is definitely not easy, but it's worth it if you love a man as good as Sam Garza. You do love him, don't you?"

Tori stared at her mother in amazement. How had she guessed? "Yes, I love him," she said softly. Her heart shifted in her chest when she thought about how much she loved him. Why was she so scared to make that final commitment?

"Well, there you go then," Ruth said in triumph. "You love him. And he loves you. It shouldn't be all that complicated. Maybe you're over-thinking it like I was with the twins' birthday gifts. It's time to get on with your life, baby."

"I'm trying, Mom. I'm going through a period of adjustment right now. Taking over the two veterinarian practices has been more challenging than I'd ever imagined."

Ruth looked around the reception area. "Maybe you need an assistant. I don't know why Doc never hired anyone, and he only had
this
practice to deal with. Think about getting someone to help you. Besides Mary Ann, I mean. You don't have to do this all alone."

Yes, she did. At least, she
felt
like she did
.
Tori wanted to carve out a place in the community that was hers and hers alone. Prove to everyone and herself that she had what it took to succeed in Doc Pritchard's practice. All of her careful plans had led up to this final step in her lifelong goal and dream of being a vet.

Tori forced a smile for her mother's benefit. "I'll think about it, Mom. Thanks for your words of wisdom."

"Anytime, baby. Anytime." Ruth hugged her, then stepped back. She lifted the bag of leftover donuts. "I'll leave these here for you to eat later." She set the bag on the counter. "Now, let's scoot. You don't want to be late for your appointment."

***

Sam waited in the office of Kincaid's Garage, glancing up at the ancient clock hanging on the wall for the umpteenth time. Tori was due any minute to help him deliver the car and truck to the Diamondback Ranch for the twins' birthday party.

His body hummed in anticipation of Tori's arrival. He only saw her for a couple of hours at most every night, but it wasn't enough. She was so busy, she had no real time off. He was fast losing patience with Tori's stubborn refusal to publicly acknowledge their relationship.

While she'd been attending A&M, he'd played least in sight when she'd breeze into Salt Fork to visit her family. Oh, he'd seen her every time, but it was always on the sly, always in secret. Why had he put up with it? Damned if he knew.

He'd kept his end of the bargain they'd made. He hadn't told a living soul about their past relationship, their shared history. He was ready to take up where they'd left off--when he'd asked her to marry him--before Tori had headed to A&M. He was more than ready. Much more than ready.

Except now she was so damned busy, she didn't have a moment to call her own.

She had no time for him, no time for herself. It was worse than when she'd been away at school. At least then, he'd had a deadline in mind that helped keep everything in perspective. He'd tried to the best of his ability to facilitate Tori's need to become a veterinarian and realize her dream.

Well, he had dreams, too. He wanted Tori for his wife. He wanted to settle down and begin their life together. But first of all, he wanted everyone in Salt Fork to know they loved one another. He didn't want to hide their relationship anymore. It was time to come clean. Time to move forward.

Moving to Salt Fork had been one of the best decisions Sam had ever made. He'd still been grieving for his mom, and dealing with going through her stuff and selling the house. He'd been emotionally drained, and Salt Fork had offered a new beginning for him, a chance to start over with a clean slate. The perfect place to wait for Tori during the years she'd attended vet school.

He'd lucked out when he'd first driven into town and stopped at Kincaid's garage to buy some gas. Jessie Devine, now Jessie McCade, had been newly widowed. She'd been advertising for a mechanic to work in her garage, and since Sam had a knack for repairing engines, the job opportunity had been a stroke of good luck. He'd also been able to rent the apartment behind the garage, since Jessie lived outside of town on the small farm she'd inherited from her husband.

Sam had set up shop in the apartment, where he could write code for his buddy's game company. Hell, he'd invested money in the start-up and so had a personal interest in the company himself. Between working on cars, tractors and trucks during the day and writing code at night, he'd been pretty busy during the years he'd waited for Tori to finish school. The people of Salt Fork had taken him into their hearts, and he'd set down roots and found a place to call home. A place to settle down and marry the girl of his dreams.

Sam rolled his shoulders trying to ease the tension in his neck.
Enough was enough, damn it.
It was time to end the charade.

He glanced out the glass windows of the office and watched Tori's little compact turn into the service station. As if on cue, his body went on high alert, hardening at the sight of the young woman who'd stolen his heart. Sam rose from the desk and strode out to meet her.

Tori smiled as she met up with him by the gas pumps. "Sorry, I'm late. I had an emergency at the C&L Ranch. Are you ready?"

"I'm ready, all right." Sam couldn't stand it a moment longer. He pulled Tori into his arms and crushed her mouth in a hungry kiss. She held herself stiffly for all of three seconds, then melted under his onslaught.

She tasted so sweet, so hot, so alive. He dragged his mouth away from her lips and smiled down into her passion-glazed eyes. "I'm more than ready, as you can see."

Tori pushed out of Sam's embrace and swiped back her wild tangle of hair. "You really shouldn't kiss me like that out here in front of God and everybody." Her eyes were wide and she licked her lips, watching him warily.

"Goddamnit, what's the matter with you?" He took hold of her shoulders and narrowed his eyes. "We had an agreement, babe. I'd wait here in Salt Fork while you finished school. Well, you have your diploma, you're back home and you're a licensed vet in a bustling practice. It's time for us to come out of hiding. We need to begin acting like a couple involved in a relationship."

"I know, Sam. I know. I just need a little more time."

"I've given you five fucking years. How much longer do you need?"

CHAPTER TEN

Tori looked into Sam's angry brown eyes and tried unsuccessfully to still the fluttering in her chest. "I'm well aware that I've trespassed on your goodwill and patience. I don't blame you for being angry and frustrated. Believe me, I know how you feel."

"I don't think so, sweetheart. Or else, you wouldn't be asking for more time."

"You need to listen to me, Sam."

"I'll listen to you after we make love. We need to make love. I know it was only last night, but I need to make love with you
now
."

"Oh, Sam." Tori looped her arms around his neck and gave into the moment. They hadn't made love during daylight hours in months, and their time together at night was always rushed and cut short because she returned to the clinic to sleep in order to keep the gossip down. Yes, they needed to talk--and they would real soon--but first they needed to reaffirm their love for each other.

Sam scooped her up in his arms and carried her to his apartment. He walked straight down the hall to his bedroom where he dumped her on the bed and followed her down onto the mattress.

Supporting his weight on his elbows, his big body aligning on top of hers, Sam smoothed the hair out of Tori's face. The gentleness of the gesture and the fine tremors of his fingers as he unbuttoned her blouse melted the last of her resistance.

She could feel Sam holding on to his control by only a thread. A familiar thrill shot through her system with the knowledge that he wanted her with such a fierce hunger. Well, she wanted him, too. They were going to be late for the party, but she couldn't worry about that now. It seemed unimportant compared to immediately joining with Sam in the most basic and primal way. To feel all that passion unleashed and directed toward her.

Sam's eyes dilated and his finely chiseled nostrils flared. He dipped his head and sucked one of her sensitive nipples, and Tori dug her fingers into his crisp black hair.

"Oh, God, Sam."
Her voice was a whisper of a groan as she held him close. She wiggled her body against his hard length, bucking against him, needing to become one with him.

He raised his head, a savage heat burning in the depths of his eyes. "Tori, I don't think I can take this slow. I need you too much,
want
you too much."

Tori smoothed back the lock of hair that had fallen across his brow. "It's okay. Just hurry!"

Sam unzipped the fly of his jeans and shucked them aside, along with his boxers. Tori scrambled out of her slacks and panties, moaning with pleasure when he shoved into her hard and deep. She wrapped her legs around his waist and met each powerful thrust with an upward thrust of her own, pulling back only to meet him again and again.

Sam rose up on his knees, taking her body with him. Never missing a beat in the rhythm of their lovemaking, he licked the pad of his thumb and gently pressed it against Tori's most sensitive flesh. The combination of the hard thrusts and the feather-soft touch of his thumb nearly drove Tori out of her mind.

"Sam, please!" She grabbed his shoulders to try to pull him closer, slamming her body upward against his shaft, opening her legs wide, seeking more exposure, more friction engendered by the rasp of his thumb on her sweet spot.

Tori exploded into climax, all of her energy and concentration focused on that sensitive pressure point at the juncture between her thighs.

"I can't hold out any longer, babe. I'm coming." Sam fell on top of her, clasping her wrists in one hand, dragging her arms above her head, holding her hostage, pounding his body into hers again and again until he found his own release, straining to get as close as possible, his breath ragged in Tori's ear.

They lay together on the twisted bedcovers, each trying to hold on to the bliss for as long as possible. Each knowing there were still issues to resolve and reality to deal with. But they could wait for a little while longer. First, they had to catch their breaths while their passion-sated bodies slowly floated down from the ephemeral heights in the aftermath of their lovemaking.

***

Sam found himself once again standing on the sidelines of a big party at the Diamondback Ranch, sipping beer and watching Tori. Always watching. Always wanting. Always waiting.

"Oh, Sam dear! Don't just stand there. Come on over and sing Happy Birthday to the twins." Ruth McCade motioned for him to join the crowd gathered around the birthday girls.

To his surprise, Tori met him halfway across the yard and took hold of his arm, a mischievous light dancing in her sapphire blue eyes. "Yes,
Sam dear
. Do join us by all means," she said in a soft voice.

He was tempted to swat her shapely butt, except he didn't feel like the McCade brothers were ready to find out just yet how involved he was with their baby sister. All four men had glared at him when he and Tori had driven up in the truck and car--the two vehicles Ruth was presenting to the twins for their birthday.

Sam wasn't in the habit of backing down from any of the McCade brothers, but this was neither the time nor the place to duke it out with them. Sam had no wish to spoil the twins' birthday party. The girls had been through enough sorrow losing both their parents at such a young age.

Tori clasped his hand in hers as they stood near the twins and sang the birthday song. He wanted to laugh at the smoldering looks the McCade men were shooting at their sister and the go-to-hell stares thrown his way.

"I don't think your brothers like the fact that we're together," Sam whispered in Tori's ear. He couldn't help inhaling deeply; her familiar scent was both comforting and arousing.

"You leave my brothers to me. I didn't keep our relationship secret because I was afraid of them. I wanted to keep it secret, because they would have hassled us to death. I had to concentrate on my studies. I couldn't afford any distractions, remember?"

He caught Austin's eye and dipped his head at him. "Maybe we should confront them together and make a united stand."

Tori pulled back and looked at him with a funny expression on her face. "Protecting your lady fair from the fiery dragons?"

Sam shrugged and squeezed her hand. "Something like that."