Texas Tough

by Janice Maynard

  A light breeze danced around them, ruffling the water, diluting the moon’s reflection. The wine bottle was empty now. Abby felt mellow, but melancholy.

  When Carter said nothing for long minutes, she blurted out the truth that had struck her tonight. “I envy you, you know.”

  He set his glass on the table. “How so?”

  “Your family. I love my mom and dad, and they love me, but I’ve never had the kind of family unit the Cranes have. Even your brother-in-law is an integral part of that tight circle. I can tell that each of you would do anything for the others.”

  “Like taking over a huge ranch far too young?” Carter sighed. “I’m handling things now, though the first few years were tough. I grew up here, but suddenly sitting in the owner’s seat was terrifying.”

  “Your father is proud of you.”

  “I hope so.”

  Abby was drenched in sadness suddenly. To come close to something so perfect and yet know it was out of reach shredded her emotions.

  “I think I’ll swim now,” she said.

  Eleven

  Carter stayed where he was, his hands fisted on his thighs. Watching Abby shed his robe and dive gracefully into the water was an experience he couldn’t describe. Her beauty in the moonlight made his heart ache.

  When she surfaced, laughing, he felt something crack inside his chest, some wall of self-protection that had begun to crumble without his knowledge. Since Madeline’s defection, he had put his emotions on hold, denying his needs, focusing on the ranch.

  Tonight, beneath a full moon, sated sexually and slightly drunk on a bottle of very good wine, he felt reborn. Yet, at the same time, he knew nothing for certain.

  Was he feeling lust and gratitude, or something more?

  Abby swam and played like a creature familiar with the sea. He supposed she really was. With one home base in Malibu, she must have spent long hours on the beach, or frolicking in the Pacific.

  Carter was jealous suddenly of every teenage boy and young man who had lain at her side, flirted with her, wallowed on a sandy blanket and kissed those perfect lips.

  His breath sawed in and out of his lungs as if he was running full tilt. His heart pounded. He didn’t know what to do. That very uncertainty was so novel, he was stunned.

  At thirty-four, the world was his oyster. He had money and power and unlimited opportunity.

  What he didn’t have was a mate, a lover, a life partner.

  With Madeline, he had seen her as he wanted her to be. His blindness had cost him greatly in terms of his pride and his confidence. Thankfully, he had ultimately realized that while she had treated him shabbily, she hadn’t broken his heart.

  He didn’t want to make another impulsive mistake. Especially with so little time. He and Abby weren’t ships passing in the night. They were high-speed trains on opposite tracks. This moment with her was nothing more than a blip.

  She came to the side of the pool and waved at him. “Come join me.”

  He noticed that she was careful not to expose her naked breasts. The show of modesty amused him. “How’s the water?”

  “Somewhere between chilly and almost perfect.”

  “You’d better not be kidding.” He dropped his towel and walked down the steps into the shallow end.

  Abby stayed near the rope that marked deeper water. “It’s your pool. You should know by now. Or do you never go skinny-dipping when you’re alone?”

  He strode through the water, stalking her, grinning when she ran out of her depth. “Stay put, little mermaid. Don’t be scared.”

  She lifted her chin. “I’m not scared of you. But I’m not accustomed to being stark naked in public.”

  He glanced around the pool. “It’s just us, Abs.”

  Finally, he was within touching distance—close enough to see the droplets of water beading on her arms, each one reflecting a tiny moon. Her dark hair floated around her, partially obscuring her bare breasts.

  Was that intentional?

  “Do you know how beautiful you are?” he whispered hoarsely.

  She didn’t respond. But a blink of her eyes could have meant anything.

  He shook his head slowly. “I know you’re smart and competent and career focused, and all those things strong women aspire to be. But damn, Abby, you’re also incredibly lovely. The kind of lovely that makes a man wish he could paint you exactly the way you look right now.”

  “You’re embarrassing me,” she whispered.

  “Oh? Does that mean you want me to stop talking?”

  She nodded slowly. Even with the moon, he couldn’t read the secrets hidden in her dark eyes. Carefully, he took a piece of her hair and tugged. She came to him willingly, her smile striking him dead in the chest, stealing his breath.

  When their bodies met, they groaned in unison. Naked flesh to naked flesh. The water made them buoyant. He coaxed her legs around his waist.

  “I like your...pool,” she said, with a naughty grin.

  He fondled her butt, feeling his sex flex and stir. “I like the way you’re all wet and slick. Like a sea otter.”

  Her head fell back, and she laughed so hard one breast popped up above the water. “That’s awful, Carter. No wonder you don’t have a girlfriend.”

  He took them a few steps closer to the side of the pool. Then he kissed her long and slow. “If you’re auditioning for the part, it’s going really well,” he muttered.

  She clung to his shoulders as her smile dimmed. “I’m not an actress,” she said. “What you see is what you get. Just a girl who’s a friend.”

  The moon dipped behind a cloud, plunging them into darkness. “I want you again, Abby. Now.”

  “We can’t, Carter. It’s too dangerous.”

  Beneath the water he stroked her sex, entering her with two fingers. “Did I ever tell you I was a Boy Scout years ago? Always prepared?”

  He leaned toward the side of the pool briefly and reached for the robe she had discarded, finding what he wanted.

  Abby stared at him, mouth agape. “You hid a condom in my pocket? That’s sneaky, Mr. Crane.”

  “Sneaky? Or very, very smart?”

  He set her on her feet and tugged her by the hand. “Come toward the steps for a minute.”

  When he ripped open the packet and dealt with the latex, Abby watched. He liked that. A lot. Men had a tendency to show off for the opposite sex. He was no different.

  He took her hand. “I’m ready. Are you?”

  She ran her hand down his chest, stopping to toy with his navel. “I was born ready, cowboy.”

  They moved into deeper water. Carter scooped his hands under her hair and cupped her neck. “I’m glad you stopped to film the sunset that first night. Otherwise, we might never have met.”

  Now that she couldn’t touch bottom, she clung to his shoulders. “I’ll tell you a secret. The sunset was gorgeous, but I was filming you. Riding flat out. Horse and man moving as one. It was poetry in motion. I liked what I saw.”

  He kissed her slowly, intimately. “And now?”

  “I’m super glad you dumped that skank Madeline.”

  This time he was the one to laugh uproariously. “Hell, Abby. If I’d been married to her, I’d probably have dumped her for you.”

  Abby smiled softly, running her thumb over his lower lip. “No,” she said. “If you’d been married, you never would have looked at another female. I’ve learned a lot about you since I’ve come to Royal. You’re a man of honor. A gentleman. The kind of guy all women want. But when they don’t find him, they settle for less.”

  “You’re buttering me up, Abs. I’m as flawed as anyone. For instance, right now I’d like to beg you to forget about your documentary and stay with me for a while.”

  She rested her head on his shoulder, her legs tangling with his. “It sounds like fun. Bu
t I know you’re not serious, not really. We both see the bigger picture. Sometimes doing the sensible, mature thing sucks.”

  “Yeah,” he said gruffly. “It does.” He was done with talking. Nothing Abby had to say made him feel any better about their situation. His erection hadn’t flagged, not even in the midst of a semiserious moment. In fact, holding her like this was pure torture. The moonlight. The silky water. The way Abby’s body felt against his... His sex throbbed with urgency, even as his brain tried to draw out the pleasure.

  Abby kissed his chin. “Take me, Carter. I want you so much I’m shaking.”

  It was true. He could feel the tremors in her body, could hear her fractured breathing. “Hang on, sweetheart.”

  He lifted her, aided by the water, and positioned her to slide down onto his swollen sex. The muscles in his arms quivered as he supported her weight. When they were joined, male to female, yin to yang, he cursed. “Damn, woman. You’re killing me.”

  His knees were embarrassingly weak. Abby’s body accepted his as if they had been designed for this exact joining. Her sex took him in and wrapped him tightly in blissful heat. The sensation was one he couldn’t have imagined.

  “I’ve never done this in the water,” he said, the words breathless.

  Abby pulled back so she could see his face. “Really?”

  “Really.”

  He wasn’t sure she believed him, but he was beyond talking. He’d gone into this without overthinking the logistics. Now his body was driving him to seal the deal. “Abs?”

  “Hmm?” She pressed kisses along his jawline.

  “I need the wall.”

  Her lips curved. “I can handle that.”

  He lurched toward the metal stairs and gently pressed Abby to the right of them against the slightly rough surface of pool. The water was up to her chin. “Does this hurt?” He thrust into her while he asked the question, obviously not under control.

  “I’m good,” she said.

  It was weird, weirder than he had anticipated. The water made his movements clumsy. Carter drove into her once, shifted, and then went deep again. He was close to coming, but what about the mermaid in his arms?

  She had one hand wrapped around the metal steps. Her breasts pillowed against his chest. Leaning back, he reached between their bodies and found her most sensitive spot. As he thumbed it, Abby climaxed, a little cry echoing on the breeze.

  Her inner contractions were all it took to set him off. He moaned and came hard. The pleasure was mind-blowing, yet at the same time, he found himself mentally cursing the way the water made it difficult to move like he wanted to...

  Abby was limp in his embrace. He peeled her fingers from the step railing and put her hands behind his neck. “It looks more romantic in the movies, doesn’t it?”

  She rested her cheek against him. “I’ve got no complaints. Except that my fingers are getting pruney.”

  “Well, we can’t have that.”

  With no small amount of regret, he separated their bodies. “Time to get out.”

  Abby refused to go first, so he dragged himself up the steps, dealt with the condom and reached down to take her hand. “Up you come.”

  It felt strange to be on firm ground. The night air seemed colder suddenly. Abby’s arms were covered in gooseflesh. He fetched her a towel and grabbed the one on the lounger for himself.

  She didn’t say anything. Neither did he.

  They walked back inside the house and down the hall to his room. “Do you want to shower again?” he asked, trying to be the gentleman she proclaimed him to be.

  Abby yawned. “Nope. I just want to sleep.”

  They tumbled beneath the covers. He twined his arms and legs with hers and turned out the light.

  His lover was asleep in seconds, her damp hair spread across his pillow.

  Carter was not so lucky. He lay awake, staring into the darkness. An odd memory floated across his brain. Something from when he was six or seven years old. He’d heard a tale about a pearl that was so valuable, a man sold everything he had to purchase it.

  At the time, he’d thought it was a stupid story. His Sunday school teacher had been a stern, no-nonsense woman who—as Carter remembered it—had little patience for wiggly boys who only wanted to be let loose outside.

  He turned his head and watched Abby sleep. Unable to resist, he kissed her forehead and gently stroked her hair. Even if the merchant’s actions made more sense now, Carter couldn’t follow suit. The ranch belonged to him on paper, but its legacy was a joint venture, a family bond.

  Even worse, he couldn’t repeat the mistakes he made with Madeline. He’d met her at that damned wedding and proposed to her far too soon, without even knowing her. His impulsive behavior had doomed the relationship from the start.

  But Abby was different, wasn’t she? There was no artifice in her, no selfishness. And Carter was older and wiser.

  The more he thought about his situation, the more trapped he felt. In that moment, he felt the sting of loss.

  Abby was right there beside him, but he knew their time was short.

  Sometimes life was a bitch.

  * * *

  Abby didn’t leave a note this time. They had come too far for that. She’d set her alarm for six thirty. When it buzzed, she silenced it quickly. Carter never moved.

  After she showered and dressed, she sat down on the bed at his hip. “Carter,” she whispered.

  He grunted and rolled onto his back, scrubbing his hands over his face. “What time is it?”

  “Barely seven. I wanted to say goodbye before I left.”

  He sat up and frowned. “What’s the rush?”

  “We talked about this,” she said quietly. “Your family will be over for breakfast soon. I’m heading back to the hotel.”

  “And did we agree on anything for when you return?”

  Her smile cost her. Leaving Carter like this was a physical pain in her chest. If she’d had her wish, she would have lingered to play all day. “I’ll let you know when I get back from New York.” She leaned down to kiss him. The cheek seemed too casual for what they had shared. But the mouth was dangerous.

  She chose the mouth anyway, her lips melding with his. Carter was warm. His big arms wrapped around her and held her close.

  He nuzzled her forehead with his. “You sure you don’t want to stay a few more minutes?”

  “No. It wouldn’t be a few minutes, and you know it. Tell your family I enjoyed meeting them. Bye, Carter.”

  She fled the house, perilously close to letting him sweet-talk her into staying. But she knew what was right. Family was important.

  * * *

  Every moment of the week that followed, she worked herself hard, researching, filming, interviewing. She had thought that she and Carter might text back and forth casually. But neither of them initiated a virtual conversation. After all, what was there to say?

  She missed him terribly.

  Though her personal life was a mess, her professional life flourished. Most notably, Lila arranged for Abby to have access to the Texas Cattleman’s Club to shoot interior montages after hours. With patrons on-site, the permissions involved would have been too complicated.

  Abby began working on a voice-over script that would narrate this particular section, touching on the history, but also pointing out how the club was central to life in Royal even in the twenty-first century.

  Carter was a member. No surprise there.

  When Abby had first sat in on the meeting of the advisory board, she had seen part of the club, of course. Now, with no one in residence but the night watchman, she was free to roam the halls and peek into the various rooms.

  She was surprised to see a state-of-the-art day care on the premises. The center was a bright, cheerful place with murals on the walls and everything a young child could possibly wa
nt.

  Lila had given her a roster of current members and oddly, Billy Holmes was included. He’d only lived in Royal a few years, and he didn’t own a ranch. But other people of influence in the community were recognized for their accomplishments, so maybe Billy had been inducted based on merits Abby wasn’t privy to during her short visit with him.

  The night watchman himself had related how an F4 tornado a few years before had destroyed part of the town and even damaged this fine old building. The community had pulled together to rebuild Royal stronger and better than before.

  At last, Abby had all the footage she needed, in truth, far more than she would ever be able to use. But she was fascinated by what seemed like a vestige of the Old West. Money talked. Here in Royal, it talked louder in this building than almost anywhere else.

  When she packed up her gear and wandered back to the front lobby, she found the night watchman talking to someone familiar. Carter.

  Her pulse jumped. She approached the two men calmly. “What brings you here, Carter? I thought I was the only after-hours visitor.”

  They made their goodbyes to the guard and stepped outside. Carter took two of her bags and carried them to the car. “I wanted to see you before you left,” he said.

  “Oh.” She didn’t know how to respond to that. “Is your family still in town?”

  “They’re leaving in the morning, too. Maybe you’ll see them at the airport.”

  I hope not, she thought wryly. “Did you have a good visit?”

  “Actually, yes. It was great. My brother-in-law helped me around the ranch. Dad’s health is doing well, so he joined us occasionally. It was especially fun to spend time with the baby. She’s changing every day.”

  “And your mom and sister?”

  “My mother was extremely well-behaved. I think she feels guilty about what happened with you. My sister, on the other hand, told me not to let you get away.”

  Abby winced. “But you told her we weren’t a thing?”

  He shoved his hands in his pockets and leaned against the car. “I did.”

  “Good.”