The Cowboy's Gamble: Destined For Love Series

by Denison, Janelle

“I have another surprise for you.” Kellie looked giddy and ready to burst with her secret. “I’ll be right back.”

  When Kellie disappeared into the pantry off the far side of the kitchen, Josie glanced at Seth. He shrugged, silently relaying that he didn’t have a clue as to what the young, precocious girl had planned.

  A minute later, Kellie stepped out of pantry with a flourish, a beaming smile, and a proud, “Ta-da!” Balancing a crystal platter in her hands with a crooked two-tiered cake on top, she carried her treasured item to the table and she set it in a cleared spot between Josie and Seth, then returned to the cupboard for plates.

  A smile twitched Josie’s mouth. Her daughter had helped her bake on numerous occasions and now it seemed she had attempted to bake and decorate a wedding cake for her and Seth. While her effort was admirable, the result wasn’t quite as attractive as a bakery bought wedding cake. The double layered confection leaned precariously to one side, making the small, plastic girl and boy standing on the second tier—compliments of a miniature doll house set she’d gotten one year for Christmas—appear as if they were near to toppling over the side. The white frosting was lumpy, and Josie assumed that the pink blobs of frosting placed strategically on the cakes were attempts at roses.

  It was hilarious, and more touching than Josie could put into words. Seth seemed moved by Kellie’s sweet gesture, too.

  Kellie cut the bottom layer of the cake, put two pieces on separate plates, and handed one to each of them. “You’re supposed to feed each other the cake,” she said, and stood back to watch.

  Seth lifted a dark brow, prompting Josie to explain, “Kellie saw it done that way at a friend’s reception.”

  He picked up his slice of cake, his eyes glimmering with mischief. “I’m game.”

  “Do it, Mom!” Kellie whispered from the sidelines.

  Josie knew exactly what “it” meant—smash the cake into Seth’s face, just as the bride had done to the groom at that reception. Kellie had thought that was great fun to watch, and was apparently eager to witness the entertaining exchange again between her mom and Seth.

  Debating for all of ten seconds the merits of turning a playful moment into a fitting retribution, Josie decided that Seth deserved every bit of the traditional wedding ritual.

  They moved closer, bringing their cake up to the other’s mouth. They both took a bite, and when he automatically lowered the uneaten portion of his cake back to his plate, she squished the rest of the cake in her fingers and smeared the sticky concoction along his mouth, jaw, and cheek, giving him a white frosting beard.

  Seth reared back, his expression stunned, as if he couldn’t believe she’d dare to do something so outrageous. Kellie cheered uproariously in the background, and spontaneous laughter escaped Josie. It felt wonderful to let loose.

  Something in Seth’s eyes changed, darkening with intent. Faster than she could anticipate, he grasped the hand coated with cake and frosting. A rakish smile lifted his lips, and she knew she was in big trouble.

  Josie’s heart slammed against her rib-cage the same time an awful flavor filled her mouth. She blanched and stopped chewing. The cake tasted horrible, like Kellie had added too much salt and not enough sugar to the batter. And the frosting had a bitter edge to it, enough to demand a drink of iced tea to wash it down.

  If Seth realized how bad the cake tasted, he didn’t show it.

  “Okay, bride, let’s see how you handle a dose of your own medicine,” he murmured, his mouth softening with a smile that was warm, lazy, and just a trifle on the dangerous side.

  Too late, she realized she’d provoked him too far.

  He brought the hand coated with cake and frosting to his parted lips, the caress of his breath warming the tips of her fingers. Panic surged through her and her eyes widened . . . surely he didn’t intend to take this to a sensual level with her daughter present!

  The man had no scruples. Kellie believed his act was all innocent fun, but Josie knew better. Thank goodness only Josie was privy to the effect Seth’s outrageous behavior was having on her senses.

  Blue eyes glittering with a sexy, predatory heat only she could see, he slowly licked from the base of her palm and upward, lapping off the cake and frosting with the agile stroke of his tongue. She struggled for breath as a shocking jolt of excitement raced through her. She tried tugging her hand away; he tightened his grip.

  “Umm, this has got to be the best cake I’ve ever tasted,” he lied flagrantly, though Kellie was oblivious to his fib since he seemed to be enjoying the confection so much. “I’d hate for any of my slice to go to waste.”

  Kellie hooted, laughed, and egged Seth on.

  He came back for more, thorough in his sampling as he sucked a finger into his warm, wet mouth. The touch of his tongue slid between her sticky fingers and swirled around the tip, sending a melting heat spilling through her and brought a flood of color to her cheeks.

  Her gaze beseeched him to stop. His gaze said she deserved every bit of the sensual torment. The silky interior of his mouth gave her pleasure. The sleek softness of his tongue made her tremble. The way he grazed his teeth along her fingers, then gently bit into the sensitive flesh just below her thumb, made her gasp.

  A shivery sensation rippled down her spine and settled in her belly. She felt dizzy with desire and an urgent need that startled her. His eyes were lit from within with a hungry, arousing fire that promised things she’d only experienced with him. Exciting, thrilling things she wanted to experience again—with him.

  She moaned, and was horrified that she’d allowed the telling sound to escape.

  She fought desperately to free herself of the drugging magic he created. Fought desperately to get herself, and the situation, back in control. If she let him triumph in this sexy game of wills, she knew she’d never stand a chance at winning the war she intended to wage in the bedroom that night.

  It was that thought that spurred her into action. His hold on her hand had loosened, and this time when she tugged, her wrist slid free of his grasp. She reached for her iced tea and gulped the rest of the cool liquid to wash down the unpleasant taste in her mouth. Then she bee-lined it to the sink to wash her hands.

  Kellie sighed in the aftermath of the delightful moment and handed Seth a few damp paper towels so he could wipe the cake and frosting off his face. “I wish Grandpa was here,” she said quietly, unintentionally putting a damper on the light atmosphere.

  Josie knew her daughter was speaking from the heart. Kellie adored her Grandpa and hated when he left for extended periods of time. This time, though, Josie feared Jake was gone for good, his own guilt over losing the Golden M driving him away.

  “I wish he were here too, honey,” Josie responded in an attempt to soothe her daughter.

  “I miss him.” Kellie’s gaze was sad and melancholy. “I hope he comes back soon.”

  Josie dried her clean hands on a towel, refusing to give her daughter false promises. She had no idea what her father intended, but considering he hadn’t contacted her since last Friday when he’d gambled away the Golden M to their family nemesis, she wasn’t holding out much hope that he would arrive on their doorstep anytime soon.

  She glanced at Seth, who was watching the exchange with interest. There were questions in his gaze, but he didn’t voice them.

  She returned her attention to Kellie, deciding it was time to get things back on track. “Thank you for a nice evening, honey.” A curly lock of hair had escaped her daughter’s braid, and Josie gently smoothed the unruly strand away from her face. “It’s been a long day for all of us, so why don’t you go on up and take a bath and get ready for bed and I’ll clean up the kitchen?”

  Kellie nodded, suddenly looking tired. She took off her apron, smiled shyly when Seth thanked her for all her hard work on their dinner and wedding cake, then headed upstairs.

  Seth stood and came up to the kitchen sink, using soap and warm water to rinse away any lingering frosting. The edges of his dark hair got
wet in the process, and he raked the spiky, gleaming strands off his forehead with his fingers.

  “Have you heard from your father?” Seth asked, patting his face dry with the hand towel.

  “No, just the note you gave me.” She stacked their dirty dishes and brought them to the counter, then returned to the table for more. “He gave me the impression that he’s not coming back anytime soon.”

  “I’m sorry, Josie,” he said, his voice low. “I never meant for your father to leave.”

  She whirled around to face him. Her temper flared—anger, hurt, and her own guilt over the situation clashing all at once. “What did you expect, Seth? He lost everything to an O’Connor.”

  “Not everything.” His expression hardened, all traces of compassion vanishing. “You still have half of the Golden M, and that was a stipulation your father devised. He wasn’t stupid about putting the Golden M deed into the pot. Both of us would win something, regardless of the outcome of our poker hands. His outstanding debts are paid, half of the ranch still belongs to his family, and I have a cattle ranch I intend to build into one of the top ten operations in the state of Montana.”

  He pulled in a deep, calming breath. “Whether or not you believe me, I’m sorry that Jake is gone, but I can’t and won’t apologize for winning the Golden M.”

  They stared at one another, the air around them rife with tension. Josie guessed that the bitter emotions Seth had unknowingly injected into his speech was linked to him not inheriting any part of Paradise Wild. She wondered what had transpired between Seth’s father and himself that would cause Seth to end up with nothing but a job on his family’s ranch and a place to live. But he didn’t look in the mood to talk about personal issues, and she decided she really didn’t want to know intimate details of his life, either.

  He moved toward the back door and grabbed his hat from the rack. “I need to get Lexi’s things put away down in the stables,” he said curtly, jamming his Stetson back on his head. “I’ll be a few hours, enough time for you to get ready for bed.”

  With that effective parting remark of what he expected from her when he returned, he was gone.

  Chapter Seven

  She was ready for Seth, cloaked in a physical and mental armor certain to put a damper on her husband’s passionate intentions.

  Josie smiled at her reflection in her dresser mirror, pleased with her appearance. It was the middle of summer and normally she wore a thin, sleeveless, thigh-length cotton chemise to bed. In honor of her wedding night, she’d dug out her favorite old flannel gown she reserved for cold winter nights. The gown covered her from neck, to wrist, to ankles. She made sure all buttons were primly fastened all the way up to the ruffled collar at her throat, then donned a pair of matching pale pink socks so her feet were covered, too.

  She giggled, unable to hold back the bit of giddiness bubbling within her. Seth was so determined to have his wedding night, and she was going to give him an evening to remember. The flannel gown was as sexy as a potato sack, and as soon as she plaited her hair back into a severe, tight braid, she was certain he’d take one look at her and his interest would wane. And if he persisted on seeing things through despite her best efforts to look unattractive, then he was going to have to consummate their marriage with minimal cooperation from her.

  This time, she would stay in control.

  She heard the front door close and the lock click into place, and her heart fluttered uncontrollably in her chest. In a matter of minutes Seth would be up in her bedroom, and she still needed to re-braid her hair. She’d meant to be in bed, snuggled beneath the covers, lights out, when he arrived.

  Deciding that pretending to be asleep would have been the coward’s way out anyway, she defiantly sat down at her vanity, took a deep breath to calm her nerves, and began brushing her hair so she could plait it.

  And anxiously awaited her husband’s arrival.

  Seth stepped into Josie’s bedroom after making sure Kellie was in bed and asleep, his gaze drawn to the woman sitting at the vanity brushing her long hair. The light from the lamp on the night stand shimmered off those curly strands, giving her hair a burnished, fiery luster he longed to sink his fingers into.

  He closed the door, locked it, and moved purposefully toward her. She ignored him and continued with her chore. Setting the brush on the table in front of her, she separated her hair into three thick strands and began twisting them into a tight braid.

  “Leave it down,” he said, coming to stand behind her. It wasn’t an order, but a polite request.

  Finally, her gaze lifted, meeting his in the mirror above her vanity. She didn’t stop the quick movements of her hands and fingers weaving the strands to her whim. “My hair is prone to tangles, especially when I’m sleeping,” was her flat response.

  He never thought she’d make tonight easy on him, knew she’d do her damnedest to defy him, but he wasn’t about to let her thwart him. Not in the bedroom.

  “Don’t waste your energy on this fight, Josie,” he said meaningfully. “I want your hair down.” This time, his tone was demanding enough to make her glare at him with fire in her eyes.

  Pushing her hands away, he used his fingers to comb through the silky strands. Her hair was warm, thick and luxurious. The curly tresses clung to his fingers, and slid sinuously over his hands. His body quickened, making him realize just how much he wanted her. How anxious he was to have her.

  Still standing behind her, he took off his Stetson and set it on her vanity, boldly claiming his right to be in her bedroom. In her life. As husband and lover. Then he pulled his t-shirt from the waistband of his jeans, drew it up and over his head, and tossed it aside, leaving his chest bare.

  She watched him in the mirror, more out of rebellion than any compelling urge to see him strip off his clothes, he was certain. He unfastened the buckle cinched at his waist, slowly slid the strip of leather through the jean’s loopholes and placed the belt next to his hat. Still her gaze remained cool and distant.

  Allowing a slow, wicked smile to claim his lips, he popped free the top button of his jeans. Her breath caught at his brazenness, and her fair complexion flushed with indignation. Or maybe excitement, he mused.

  Satisfied that he’d finally gotten a real feminine reaction out of her, he spared her the immediate embarrassment of him stripping off his pants and her seeing the full effect she had on him. He was fully aroused, and he’d yet to do any of the things to her he’d fantasized about all day long.

  Moving to the large four poster bed, he sat on the edge of the mattress. “Come here, bride,” he said, softening the command with a charming smile. “I need your help to take off my boots.”

  The searing look she shot him told him what she thought he could do with those boots of his. “Can’t you take them off yourself?”

  Bracing his hands behind him on the bed, he reclined casually. “Oh, I’ve managed just fine for the past twenty-nine years. I just thought this would be more fun.”

  Her gaze narrowed skeptically. “You have a warped sense of what a person considers ‘fun’.”

  “Aw, c’mon, Josie, darlin’. Don’t be such a stick in the mud.” Unable to resist goading her, he added, “It’s not like I’m asking you to get naked.” Not yet, at least, he thought.

  With an audible, perturbed hrmph, she accepted his challenge and stood, giving him his first full-length glimpse of what she was wearing. He blinked. Twice. Then he frowned.

  The ugly, unflattering gown she wore engulfed her entire body, concealing everything feminine about her, from the lush swells of her breasts, to the sweet curve of her waist and hips, to the sleek line of her thighs and legs. And she was even wearing socks, for crying out loud!

  He didn’t know whether to laugh, or be irritated. “Flannel?” he questioned incredulously.

  She gradually approached him. The long gown swirled around her ankles and billowed around her slender form like a too large burlap bag. “What’s wrong with flannel?”

  �
��In case you haven’t noticed, it’s the middle of summer.” His tone was openly sarcastic. “Not to mention our wedding night.”

  Stopping beside the bed where he was sitting, she lifted her shoulders in a shrug. “It’s soft and comfortable.”

  He gaze flickered down the length of her. “It’s hideous.”

  A feline-like smile curved the corner of her mouth. “That’s an added bonus, too.”

  He chuckled, unable to help himself. Did she honestly think an uncomely flannel nightgown would stop him from making love to her? In his estimation, she wouldn’t be wearing the garment for long, so it didn’t really matter what it looked like at all.

  He crooked his finger at her. “C’mere, so we can get my boots off,” he suggested easily, and maneuvered her so she was standing in front of him, her back to him. “The way to get the best leverage is to let me put my leg between yours and you grab the heel of the boot. One good hard tug and it should slip right off.”

  She stiffened when he wedged his leg between hers, offering her his boot, but she didn’t complain or back down. The hem of her gown lifted with his leg, giving him a fascinating view of her limbs to her shapely thighs. Giving into temptation, he leaned forward and caressed that silky skin.

  She sucked in a sharp breath, jumped forward out of his reach, then twisted around to scowl at him. “Keep your hands to yourself, O’Conner.”

  He affected an innocent, little boy expression and held his hands up at his sides. “Okay, darlin’,” he drawled, knowing there would be plenty of time for touching later. But first, he needed to get Josie to relax and loosen up. “Give my boot your best effort.”

  With an admonishing look not to further distract her, she turned back to her task. He flexed his foot when she yanked, and the boot slid off. She repeated the process with his other boot, then quickly moved away from him, shaking out the voluminous skirt of her gown until it covered her modestly again.

  He pulled off both of his socks and put them with his boots. “Now how ‘bout you take off your nightgown?”