The Cowboy's Fate (The Govain Cowboys Book 1)

by Janalyn Knight

  Caleb said, "I can't remember the last time, honestly. Mom said they'd come in handy when her boys marry. There are quite a few bedrooms in the house, too, so she probably plans on family staying here at the ranch. If we have visitors, they stay at the house, not at the cottages."

  Eve typed away on her tablet, nodding. "It seems such a waste."

  "I guess I never really thought about these cottages. They've just always been here. The maid keeps them clean—I know that." Eve's beautiful lion's mane hair fell over her face as she concentrated on her task, and it was all he could do to stop himself from tucking a lock behind her ear.

  As he shut the door on the last little house, Eve said, "Thanks for letting me take up so much of your morning. This information will keep me busy for the rest of the day."

  He grinned. "Not too late, I hope. We're going to dinner, remember?"

  She glanced over at him and smiled. "Oh, right, I forgot. What time should I be ready, and what do I wear?"

  With a wounded expression, he said, "What? You forgot about dinner with me, Caleb Govain?"

  Eve cracked up. "Get over yourself, cowboy, and answer my questions."

  He laughed. "How about six thirty and dress casually. Ft. Stockton is not a fancy place." He couldn't wait to have her all to himself.

  THAT EVENING, EVE SHIVERED as she faced herself in the mirror. Caleb definitely desired her, and, despite her misgivings, she wanted him, too. Yet, she shouldn't. It was a lose/lose proposition for both of them. Their worlds didn't mesh. She lived in Dallas and traveled all the time. He lived in the boonies and seldom left the ranch unless it was for a reining competition. His father even went to the bull sales to buy their herd sires. Sure, opposites attract, but do they make a life together? Not in this instance, from what she could figure. Sliding the back on her earring, she headed for the door. It was only dinner, what could it hurt? And she wanted to go with him, dammit.

  Caleb stood as she walked into the family room.

  Millie smiled. "You look lovely, Eve. Coral is your color, my dear."

  She nodded her thanks. "My mother says so, too, so it must be true. How are you this evening?"

  Millie glanced at Caleb then back at Eve. "I'm happy you two are getting away from the place for dinner. My son spends way too much time on this ranch. And, thank you for running my errand."

  Caleb approached and touched her arm. "Would you like a drink before we leave?"

  The soft touch of his fingers set her heart pounding. "No, I'm ready."

  Urging her ahead, he said, "Off we go then."

  Once outside, he opened her door and set his hand on her hip as she climbed up inside the tall lifted truck, then handed her the seat belt so she could buckle in. His attentions felt intimate, almost sensual. He shut the door with a soft click and walked around to his side.

  As they drove down the drive he asked, "What kind of food do you like? We actually have a few options."

  She stared at his strong, handsome profile. His mirrored sunglasses couldn't hide how breathtakingly gorgeous this cowboy was. "I'm not a picky eater. I like everything. Why don't you decide?" She grinned. "And I'm hungry."

  "How about Mexican food? Or there's a seafood place."

  "Let's go Mexican."

  He smiled. "They make great margaritas. I like your choice."

  "Mmm."

  Resting her arm on the console, she leaned her head back as the arid desert land passed by. Green spikey lechuguilla plants, ocotillo cactus, and soaptree yuccas dotted the pastures on either side of the road.

  Caleb glanced at her. "Tired?"

  "Just relaxing. You're surprisingly easy to be with." She didn't need to watch how she moved or sat or spoke when she was around him. It was like she'd known him years instead of just a few days.

  He looked at her for a long moment. "I feel that way about you, too." Then grinning, he said, "Did we really just meet?"

  She narrowed her eyes teasingly. "My thought exactly."

  Clasping her hand, he returned his eyes to the road.

  His grip was gentle, sending ripples of pleasure straight up her arm and across her chest. Her nipples hardened. Damn, damn, damn.

  He looked at her, allowing her time to respond, and she gave his hand a tiny squeeze.

  His mouth quirked, and he looked back at the road.

  Keeping her eyes ahead, her thoughts centered on the fact that she was on a sinking ship. She liked this guy—really liked him—and she wasn't resisting him very well. Not being a love 'em and leave 'em kind of girl, this would hurt when she had to go back home. How she dreaded that.

  Caleb squeezed her hand. "You okay?"

  Without looking at him, she replied, "I guess I'll be done here in a day or so. Two, tops."

  He clenched her hand. "Let's not think about that tonight."

  Reluctantly, she turned to him. "Okay, we won't."

  They drove first to the bank and made Millie's deposit in the night drop. A few minutes later, when he pulled into the lot of the restaurant, Caleb parked and came around to help Eve down from the tall truck.

  To her surprise, he rested his arm on her shoulders as they walked to the door. Despite her height, he towered over her. Giving in to her need, she laid her head against his chest and he cuddled her, then released her to open the door.

  Hand at her waist, he held her close as they waited to be seated.

  The heat of desire slowly wound through her. His scent, the warmth of his body, his hard muscles pressed against her created an insidious need that she wanted to satisfy.

  They followed the hostess to their table next to a tall window that went all the way to the floor. Night was falling, and the shadows added to the feeling of being in their own little world. Caleb sat beside her, rather than across from her. She liked it and touched his knee to let him know.

  He smiled. "So, are you going to try a margarita?"

  His deep blue eyes, like the depths of the ocean, swept her away, and she caught the edge of the table. She licked her lips. "I think so. Frozen, no salt. How about you?"

  "I'll have one, but that's it, since I'm driving. You may want two. They're hard to resist."

  The waitress brought menus and chips and salsa.

  Caleb ordered their margaritas.

  As Eve peered at her menu, she watched him out of the corner of her eye. He kept glancing at her. She asked, "What's good here?"

  "I'm partial to their beef fajitas and chili rellenos." Laying his menu down, he took a drink of the margarita the waitress had set in front of him.

  Eve eyed the large bowl of her margarita glass. Lord, and he thought she'd want two? Taking a sip, she sighed and smiled at him. "You're right. This tastes great."

  During dinner, Caleb talked about his horses, and she'd never seen him so animated. He obviously held them close to his heart.

  She asked, "So, this stallion you compete on, how old is he?"

  "He's five, named Freckles Spark Man. His bloodline is reining royalty going back to champion reining stallions, Freckles Playboy and Shining Spark. He's the best horse I've ever owned. In another life, I'd spend all my time on the reining circuit and make him famous."

  She raised her glass. "Here's to what could have been."

  He tapped his glass to hers and smiled. "So, do you have any unfulfilled dreams?"

  She set her glass down, clapped her hands quietly and grinned. "Not anymore! I just signed up for flight school. I'm going to learn to fly and then buy my own plane. I've always dreamed of flying, though I secretly wanted it to be jets."

  He laughed, "Oh, a jet, huh? Let me guess, you have a need for speed?"

  Now it was her turn to laugh. "Hey, I saw Top Gun when I was a kid, and it was all over. I wanted to be up there in the sky doing barrel rolls and breaking the sound barrier. But now I'll settle for flying my own plane."

  They visited all through their meal until finally the waitress came, and Caleb paid the bill. As he stood, he said, "Thanks for coming out to dinne
r. You're a lot of fun." The twinkle in his eyes said he meant it—that and a whole lot more.

  "I'm glad your mom suggested it. I enjoyed myself."

  Caleb shook his head. "I'm afraid Mom was being something of a matchmaker. She hates seeing her oldest boy wasting away at home when there's a gorgeous woman she can throw at him."

  Eve barked a laugh and covered her mouth, looking to see if anyone had noticed. "That's funny. I can't imagine any man who looks like you languishing at home."

  He put his hand to her waist and guided her to the door. "You'd be surprised."

  After helping her get settled in the truck, Caleb got in and headed them back out of town. It didn't take long to leave Ft. Stockton, with a population of only 8,000, behind. He reached across the console and clasped her hand again.

  She smiled and squeezed his fingers.

  "Would you like the radio on or do you like the silence."

  "Honestly? I like the silence when I can find it. I'm usually busy—my brain speeding furiously, talking on the phone, working with a rancher, or flying on a crowded plane. This is a luxury for me. You're doing the driving, I don't have to think, and it's a beautiful starry night."

  "I like silence, too. I do my best thinking when I'm driving, and I do a lot of driving on the ranch 'cause it's so big. I record notes to myself on my phone as I think of things. It's pretty handy."

  She hadn't realized how solitary his life could be. "Do you use your horses for ranch work?"

  "There are several I take out when we're rounding up cattle. Not my best ones, though. I don't want them getting hurt. The four-wheelers are fast but can't work cattle on the rocky abutments as well as a horse can. Whenever we're gathering a herd, I have a horse or two as back-up." He was silent for a moment, then drew her hand closer to him. "I don't want you to leave. I know you have to, but I don't want you to."

  She sighed. "I wish our lives weren't so different. This connection between us—I didn't expect it. I don't know what to do with it."

  "I don't either. I know what I want to do, but it wouldn't be fair to you."

  "What is that?"

  "Ask you to marry me."

  Her heart thudded, hard, and her pulse raced. She gasped. "What?"

  "I told you. I don't want you to go. I've waited for this—the way I feel about you—for a very long time. But you have a whole life out there waiting for you. Like I said, it wouldn't be fair."

  Her mind whirling, she couldn't answer. Marry him? Was he serious? How could he be? They barely knew each other. A part of her contradicted that. How long had it been since she'd felt this way about a man? And felt it instantly? Thinking back, the honest answer was never. He'd swept her off her feet without even trying. It was like their souls knew each other at first sight. She blew out a breath. It was ridiculous. Of course, she wouldn't marry him. She'd worked years for the life she had now. She squeezed his hand. "You're amazing."

  He glanced at her, then back at the road. "I'm not."

  She clenched his hand. "Yes, you are. I can't tell you how honored I am. I know you didn't think I'd say yes, but still, you asked. If my life were different, if I hadn't worked so hard to get where I am, if I were a girly girl like my mom always wanted, then, yes, I’d say I would stay and get to know you and seriously consider your offer."

  He laughed softly. "A girly girl?"

  "My mom tried like hell to make me wear dresses."

  "Didn't work?"

  "No way."

  He was silent a moment. "Can we pretend you didn't turn me down? Until you leave?"

  She examined his beautiful profile in the light of the stars. "Deal."

  He squeezed her fingers. "Deal."

  Chapter Four

  CALEB OPENED THE FRONT door but didn't take his arm from Eve's shoulders. He didn't want the evening to be over. Listening hard, he found the house silent. His parents must have gone to bed. "Don't go up yet. Stay with me a while." He looked into her eyes and smiled.

  She hesitated, then nodded.

  Hanging his hat by the door, he led her to the family room. "Would you like a drink?"

  "I'll have what you have."

  He made them both a whiskey—hers on the rocks—then joined her on the couch. Handing her hers, he slid his arm around her shoulders and took a swallow, the whiskey adding to the fire inside him. He wanted Eve more than he had words for. She smelled different tonight. The scent was deeper, more exotic, sensual somehow. "I love your perfume."

  She took a sip of her drink and inclined her head. "Thanks. It's from Paris. I went with a friend to a fancy charity event and mentioned to him that I liked the perfume a particular woman was wearing. Two weeks later, he dropped by my office with a bottle of it."

  Caleb narrowed his eyes slightly. "That's some kind of friend."

  "David's like that. I met him a couple of years ago when I was working on a Habitat house. He'd donated all the construction materials and stopped by to see the progress we were making. We got to talking, became friends, and now, when he's short a date for a function, and I'm around, he takes me."

  Caleb gritted his teeth. Right. Like the man didn't have eyes in his head. He'd bet this David wanted more than an occasional date from Eve. "He's lucky to have someone as beautiful as you to call on like that."

  She shrugged. "I guess. I don't mind, as long as I'm in town. David's a sweet guy. Does a lot of good in the community."

  Caleb stifled a groan. She sounded like she admired the man. Even worse. Caleb blinked. Wait a minute. Was he jealous? Time to change the subject. "Do you visit your parents often?"

  She took another drink. "Not like I should. I stay too busy. I always tell myself I'll get over there, but I don't. You're lucky you're right here with your mom and dad."

  He laughed shortly. "Sometimes I wonder." Snuggling her closer to his chest, he said, "Since we're pretending tonight ... I want to kiss you, Eve."

  She turned and met his gaze, her pupils dilating in those beautiful golden eyes. With a nod, her lips parted, inviting him in.

  Tilting her chin with his fingertips, he grazed her mouth with his, tasting her gently, then pulled back and looked into her eyes. "I’ve waited for you for so long."

  Closing her eyes, she leaned into him.

  He kissed her, caressing her tongue with his, kissing her deeply. Whispering in her ear, "You're an amazing woman, Eve Owen."

  She kissed his neck, nibbling, tickling him with her tongue.

  He moaned and was suddenly harder than he ever remembered being. Stretching his legs out, he tried to relieve the pressure from his jeans. Damn, this woman was everything he wanted. He cupped her face in his hand and held her gaze. She was panting. Shit! "Eve, how far are we going to pretend?"

  Still breathing fast, she bit her lip. "Your room or mine?"

  He lurched to his feet, swept her into his arms and hugged her tightly. Setting her down, he clasped her hand. "Come with me, beautiful."

  Leading her to the door of his bathroom, he said. "Thought you might need this first."

  "Good thinking, cowboy." She had caught her breath.

  He headed to his room and turned on a bedside lamp, pulling back the covers on the bed. Strange. He'd never had a woman in this room. Though it matched the vintage décor of the house, his room had a gentleman's colors and feel to it that appealed to him. Heading back to the bathroom, he waited to show Eve the way.

  When she opened the door, he grinned and stepped toward her, lifting her and cradling her in his arms.

  She squealed, then covered her mouth.

  "Pretend I'm carrying you over the threshold."

  Giggling, she said, "Yes, husband."

  He laughed quietly.

  Carrying her into his bedroom, he sat her on the bed. "I'll be right back. Don't move a muscle."

  She nodded solemnly.

  After a quick cleanup, he was back in the room. He raised a brow at her. "You know how to mind. That's important in a wife."

  She narrowed her
eyes. "Oh, really."

  "Yep."

  "We'll see about that."

  He held her gaze. "I'm going to undress you."

  "Nope. I'm going to undress you."

  He grinned. "Okay, we'll undress each other. One for one. Who's first?"

  "Me, of course." She unhooked his buckle and yanked his belt out of the loops, all in one swift movement.

  His eyes widened. "Wow." He grinned wickedly. "My turn." Pulling her shirt from her Wranglers, he lifted it over her head and dropped it on the bed. Her lacey bra held her full breasts high, turning them into round globes. He wanted to cup them in his hands, but he resisted. "Like I said, wow."

  She said, "Better sit down, cowboy, I need those boots."

  He sat, and she took his foot in her hands and pulled hard, rocking his boot until it came off.

  He couldn't take his eyes off her breasts. This was taking too damn long. He wanted her naked and in his bed. When his other boot was on the floor, he said, "Come here, woman," and drew her close, between his knees. Reaching behind her back, he released her bra, slipping the straps from her shoulders and tossing it on the bed. Her soft brown aureoles and nipples were so near. He clutched his knees to keep from touching them.

  She stepped back and said, "Stand up, husband. My turn."

  Her look said she had him where she wanted him. Nimble fingers popped the button loose on his Wranglers and pulled his zipper down. Grasping the waistband at his hips, she yanked his jeans down to his ankles.

  He gasped. Damn, she was strong. Her face was near his cock, where he wanted her, but not with his briefs on.

  She helped him step out of his pants and folded them over the antique clothing stand by his dresser. Walking back, half-naked as she was, her eyes roved over him, staying for a time at his crotch.

  His cock jerked. Down boy. A little while longer. She was beautiful. Was she born with that tawny skin, or did she lay out naked? His fingers twitched, needing to touch every inch of her body.

  This time, he pulled her belt off.

  She smiled and knelt, slipping her fingertips inside the band of his briefs then held still.

  He waited.