“Don’t let me interrupt,” he called out.
“Come join us for a cold one,” Rafe said. “We want a report.”
They deserved one, since they’d pitched in to help, but they didn’t need every detail. He walked in, grabbed a bottle of cider from the fridge and took his usual seat at the kitchen table. “First off, thanks.”
“Don’t mention it.” Nick grinned. “She and I bonded over the eating thing. Only problem was her tendency to talk about you all the time.”
“No kidding.” Rafe leaned back in his chair. “We were dancing pretty fast, but she still managed to get in some discussion of your Seattle plans. She’s against them, in case you needed to be reminded of that.”
“Yeah, no.” He twisted the top off his cider. “I’m aware.”
Garrett drained his bottle and set it on the table. “Since you’re back so soon, I assume you stuck with your program and didn’t go in.”
“That’s right.”
“But he got some mouth-to-mouth action,” Leo said. “Definitely some friction happened there.”
CJ sighed and ducked his head. Some guys could kiss a woman for hours and their mouth never got red. His always did.
“I was trying to be polite and not mention it,” Garrett said.
Rafe chuckled. “FYI, we’re not that polite around here. If one of us comes into the bunkhouse with make-out mouth, we’ll comment. Same deal if a shirt’s buttoned wrong.”
“And if you come home with your fly open,” Nick said, “you’ll never hear the end of it. Not that I know anything about that.”
“You sure learned your lesson, though.” Leo tipped his bottle in Nick’s direction. “It hasn’t happened since.”
“How can it when my social life is a barren wasteland?”
“You should ask Eva out,” Leo said. “Besides being good at cutting hair, she’s cute and funny.”
“And she’s stuck on CJ.” Nick turned to him. “You do know that, right? She’d go out with you in a heartbeat.”
“Not interested.”
“Not now, obviously, but—”
“We still haven’t heard CJ’s report.” Rafe glanced at him. “Did you settle anything on the drive home? Is she okay with you going riding tomorrow?”
“She agreed to it. But she’s blaming herself for handling things poorly by coming here. She says if I’d flown to Seattle, I’d have realized I couldn’t live there. Moving would’ve been a non-starter.”
Rafe nodded. “She could be right.”
“I don’t want her to be right, damn it. But when she keeps pushing me away, I ask myself if I’m doing her any favors by insisting on this idea.” He took an angry swig of his cider.
“Uh-oh.” Nick gazed at him. “Someone’s going negative. Turn that frown upside down, cowboy.”
“Is she pushing you away?” Rafe leaned forward and rested his arms on the table. “Your make-out mouth indicates the opposite.”
“Oh, I turn her on. Our chemistry is hotter than ever. That doesn’t mean she wants me with her in Seattle. She’s convinced we should follow the paths we were on before this happened.”
“But we launched the Brotherhood campaign to change her mind,” Nick said. “I get her point about Seattle, but after spending time with her tonight, I want to see you two work something out. You’re nuts about each other.”
“Then why was she on the brink of packing her bags tonight?”
“She was thinking of you.” Nick held his gaze. “You should have seen the way she watched you dancing with Henri. She wants what’s best for you.”
“And I want what’s best for her. What if I’m not it?”
“It’s too soon to tell, bro,” Rafe said. “I agree with Nick that she’s crazy about you. I say follow through with your plan to court her. See what happens. Don’t call it before you give it a chance to work.”
Nick pushed back his chair. “You might also want to order a pizza topped with anchovies and see if you could stomach it.”
Rafe stared at him. “Nicholas? What the hell?”
“Get CJ to tell you about it. I’m off to bed. Barn duty in the morning.”
* * *
By the next afternoon when Matt led the procession out the gate to the meadow trail beyond, gray clouds had blocked the sun and rain in the distance curtained off the mountains. CJ brought up the rear behind Izzy with Lucy in front of her.
The storm was moving their way. A few stray drops dampened his shirt. He doubted that would be the end of it. “I hope everybody’s okay with getting wet,” he called out.
“Won’t bother me,” Lucy said.
“Me, either.” Izzy’s hat and boots made her look like a cowgirl, but her posture in the saddle and her grip on the horn gave her away. She was game, though. She’d followed instructions and mostly groomed and saddled Lucky Ducky, the senior horse they’d all agreed would be the best bet for her first ride.
Matt turned in his saddle. “That’s Seattle women for you.” He rode Thunderbolt, the black stallion he’d bought more than a year ago to begin his dream of a breeding operation. The stallion was already earning his keep with stud fees.
“I do love rain,” Lucy said. She was on Muffin, the buckskin barrel racer Ed had given her in April so she could improve her racing skills.
“I don’t mind it.” CJ guided Sundance through the gate and leaned down to close it behind them. “But I’m not crazy about mud.” The big bay was his favorite horse in the stable.
“Mud’s not so bad.” Izzy was probably talking to him even though she was still facing forward. Good chance she didn’t trust herself to turn in his direction.
“Try cleaning the barn floor after twenty horses have tracked in a ton of it.”
She laughed. “Can’t you teach them to wipe their feet?”
“Great idea. Hey, Matt, why didn’t we think of that?” The rain grew more consistent, tapping lightly on the crown and brim of his Stetson.
“I’ll get right on it, bro. We’ll need that in place by this evening, looks like. How’re you doing back there, Isabel?”
“Terrific! Lucy and I are ducks. Right, Luce?”
“Quack, quack.”
Matt laughed. “Alrighty, then. Since it’s only rain and not a thunderstorm, we’ll press on.”
“Please do. I’m starting to get the hang of this. How do I look from the back, CJ?” A hint of insecurity crept into her tone.
A rush of tenderness caught him by surprise. “You’re doing fine. You’ll have better balance if you tuck your elbows in, though.”
“They call that chicken wings,” Lucy said. “I was bad about that when I learned to ride.”
“When you were what… four?” Izzy pressed her elbows to her sides.
“Six. That’s when I started taking lessons from Henri.”
“Lucy has more years of riding experience than I do,” Matt said. “Or CJ.”
“But not more time in the saddle.” Lucy swiveled to glance at Izzy. “Two weeks every summer times twenty is less than a year of steady riding. They may have started later but they have me beat by a country mile.”
“But now you’re a barrel racer and we don’t know how to do that,” CJ said.
“I’m eager to see a demonstration.” Izzy’s elbows stuck out again but she pulled them back in. “My friend, the barrel racer. She showed me a couple videos on her phone while we had our hair done yesterday. I can’t wait for the performance on Saturday night at the Founders Day thing.”
“The Babes on Buckskins put on a show.” He dreaded Saturday—the end of Izzy’s stay.
“I’m sure I’ll be blown away, especially because I know so little about riding. Speaking of that, if you have any pointers for me, CJ, shout ’em out.”
“Happy to.” Objectivity was tough to come by when she was adorably intent on her task. He wanted to give her a pass, tell her she was doing awesome. But her intensity had prompted her to clench her muscles. “It’ll help if you loosen up.”<
br />
“Can you be more specific?”
“Relax your thighs and your tush. Move with the horse.” Like you move with me when we’re making love. Couldn’t very well say that.
“My instinct is to grip with my thighs so I don’t fall off.”
“I understand, but the more you let go and pick up the natural rhythm of your horse, the better it will feel.” Same with lovemaking. He had a one-track mind today. Today? How about every day since she’d arrived? Every hour?
“How’s that?”
He blinked. She’d done it. Her tempting bottom had settled nicely into the curve of the saddle and her thigh muscles were no longer rigid. She moved in sync with the gentle rocking of Lucky Ducky’s gait.
Didn’t take much to imagine her rocking in sync with him. He cleared his throat. “Excellent.”
“Just following your directions. They’re very… descriptive.”
Was that amusement in her voice? Had she guessed where his mind had gone? “Glad to be of help.”
“Okay, folks.” Matt guided Thunder around so he faced them. Water dripped from the brim of his hat. “I don’t mind a little rain, but if we don’t start back we’ll be soaked to the skin. We might end up that way even if we turn around now.”
CJ dumped the water off his hat. “I’m with you, bro.”
“Okay.” Lucy smiled at her husband. “Not everybody is rain-toughened like Izzy and me.”
Izzy pulled her shirt away from her breasts, which clung to them in a damp caress. “I suppose there’s also the matter of decency. We can go back.”
Matt nodded. “CJ, take us home.”
“Will do.” He wheeled Sundance in a circle and started down the increasingly muddy trail. The rain came down harder, discouraging conversation, but he didn’t dare pick up the pace with Izzy so new at this.
“A ride in the rain!” she called out. “So appropriate!”
“Reminds me of a certain song!” he hollered back.
“Me, too!”
Her response warmed him. They had a special song he could reference and she picked up on it. He could build on that.
Nobody spoke again until they reached the barn. Unsaddling in a downpour wasn’t a picnic, but they got it done. They returned the horses to the pasture and wiped down the tack.
“CJ, I’ll give you and Isabel a ride,” Matt said after they’d toweled off a little.
Izzy peered out the partially open barn door. “Believe it or not, it’s letting up some. Thanks for the offer, but I’d rather walk back to my cabin.”
CJ glanced at her. “Want some company?” He held his breath and waited for the answer.
She met his gaze. “Sure.”
Chapter Fourteen
It could be the rain. Or the arousing sight of CJ in cowboy mode astride that big coffee-colored horse. Or his sexually charged examples while giving riding instructions. Or the hormones turned loose by the baby he’d helped create.
Whether Isabel blamed one factor or a combination of many, she couldn’t hold out any longer. If she didn’t make love to that cowboy soon, she’d combust.
Matt and Lucy exchanged a look. They’d likely guessed how that walk in the rain would end. Judging from the heat that flared in CJ’s eyes, so did he.
Matt put a hand on CJ’s shoulder. “I’ll take your evening barn duty.”
“Thanks, but I’ll be there.”
He would? Then again, maybe he’d walk her home, kiss her and leave. He was capable of it.
Matt frowned. “But—”
“I’ll be there, bro.” He glanced at her. “Ready?”
“Uh-huh.” She thanked Lucy and Matt for the ride and stepped through the door into what had become a misty rain.
CJ followed. “It really has let up.”
She turned to him. “When is barn duty?”
“About an hour from now.” He took her hand, laced his fingers through hers and started off. “Is this a Seattle kind of rain?”
“Yep. Perfect for walking in.”
“That I agree with. Especially since we’re already wet.”
“Yes, I am, CJ. Inside and out.”
His grip tightened. “Don’t tease me, Iz.”
“I won’t if you won’t. Are you coming in this time? Or will you kiss me and leave for barn duty?”
“What do you want me to do?”
“Come in.”
“I didn’t bring a condom.”
“As we discussed last time, we’re both healthy. We only used them in April for…” She started laughing.
“Yeah, birth control. Ironic, huh?”
“I want you to make love to me. Please.”
“There’s not a doubt in your heart?”
She groaned. “Oh, I have a million doubts. If that’s your requirement, then—”
“Ideally, yes. But after giving up the chance last night, I’d be a fool to turn you down a second time.”
Okay. She let out a gusty sigh. “But you’re not staying?”
“Depends on your definition. I’ll leave to handle my job, but I’m off the clock at six. What happens after that is up to you.”
“I want you to spend the night.”
“Then I will.”
Ahhh, the whole long night… top-drawer lovemaking… they’d need sustenance. “Come over at six-fifteen. I’ll have food.”
“I could pick up—”
“I’ll do it. I’ll go over to the buffet and use the to-go containers. Dinner will be waiting for you.”
“Can I make it six-twenty, instead?”
“Why?”
“Gives me time to shower and shave.”
“You don’t mind eating a cold dinner, then?”
“No, but five minutes shouldn’t—”
“If you walk through my door freshly shaved and showered, I’ll be compelled to lick every inch of your manly self.”
He gulped. “Better go for the cold cuts and salads, then.”
“Good idea.”
His pace quickened. “Can we move a little faster? I know this was supposed to be a romantic walk in the rain, but—”
“You’d prefer a romantic run in the rain?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Then let’s go, cowboy!” She started off, clamping her hat to her head as her boots splashed water and mud everywhere.
He kept pace with her, laughing as he displaced his share of water and mud. His share was much larger.
Running up the steps to her porch, she gasped for breath and surveyed the situation. “Nobody’s around. Let’s strip down.” She laid her hat on the nearby Adirondack chair and toed off her boots as she reached for the hem of her shirt.
After pulling it over her head, she checked on CJ. He stood frozen in place, his chest heaving as he stared at her lacy black bra. “CJ! Strip! Nobody’s here now, but any minute they—”
“Right.” He blinked and started unbuttoning his shirt while continuing to watch her. “Got distracted.”
“Faster, dude.” Shivering in the cool air, she unfastened her jeans and struggled out of them. Wet, muddy denim was a challenge, especially with CJ’s hot gaze ramping up her excitement.
“Are you taking off your undies?”
“No. They’re wet, not muddy.” She concentrated on stepping out of her jeans without transferring any mud to her legs. But one sock was muddy from toeing off her second boot. She pulled off the clean one and leaned over to roll down the other one.
CJ made a sound low in his throat.
Glancing up, she came eye-to-eye with him. She’d unintentionally mesmerized the poor guy with her cleavage. “You’re falling behind.” She said it gently, because his hypnotic state was sweet, really. Her focus drifted to his fly. “Better get out of those jeans before you break the zipper.”
He swallowed. “I just… you have… cute little goosebumps… and your nipples… then you leaned over and…”
“You’re adorable.” Removing her sock, she left it with the pile of muddy
clothes and reached for the doorknob. “Meet you inside.”
He unbuckled his belt. “Be right there.”
“Hope so. I’ll be waiting.” She went through the door. She left it open for him but stepped out of the line of sight.
Just in time, too. As she peeled off her wet bra and panties, the rumble of a truck announced someone was on the access road that wound past the cabins. The truck drew closer and a male voice called out Have fun, bro! Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do! Sounded like Jake.
“Leaves me plenty of room!” CJ yelled back.
She grinned. Jake wouldn’t keep this incident to himself. Soon the entire staff would hear that CJ had been shucking his clothes on her front porch.
She barely had time to toss back the covers before he hurried through the door and closed it behind him. She climbed into bed and pulled the sheet and comforter over her chilled body. Propping her head on her hand, she flashed him a grin. “Was that Jake?”
“That was Jake.” He shoved off his briefs.
Her grin faded in a rush of adrenaline and a sharp tug from her core. Judging from the angle of his cock, getting caught undressing on her porch hadn’t dampened his ardor. Neither had the cool breeze that had given her goosebumps.
What a magnificently sculpted body. Was he more cut than he had been two months ago? She swallowed. “Have you been working out?”
He nodded. “Borrowed Nick’s gear. Lifting weights helped me… accept a few things.” He approached the bed.
Anticipation gave her the shakes. “We’ve n-never made love during the day.”
“No, ma’am.” He took a shaky breath. “The preview outside was nice, but… may I?” He reached for the covers.
“You may.” His courtly attitude thrilled her. “I’ve changed a little, too.”
“I wondered. When you leaned over, your bra seemed too small.”
“I thought I was gaining weight.”
“And sure enough, you are.” Taking hold of both sheet and comforter, he drew them aside. “Ah, Izzy.” He knelt beside the bed and laid his palm on her slightly rounded stomach, spreading his fingers. “I can barely tell.”
Baby-Daddy Cowboy (The Buckskin Brotherhood Book 3) Page 8