by Em Petrova
At this moment, all he wanted was a taste of Sabrina.
With a groan, he angled his head and plunged his tongue between her honeyed lips.
* * * * *
Sabrina sagged against the fence and clung to the only thing solid she could—Owen. As Beck swirled his tongue through her mouth, she almost forgot what an uncaring and callous jackass he could be.
She tore away, breathing hard, head spinning. She didn’t want to think about the state of her hormones. A hot throb between her legs and the heaviness in her breasts demanded she move into Beck’s arms—and bed.
I have stretch marks and wobbly skin on my stomach now, though. He won’t like that—even if he’s the reason for it.
Shaking herself, she backed away from the fence. “I didn’t come here for a kiss, Beck Dalton.”
Damn him to hell. He looked amused. And aroused. Through the metal bars separating them, his bulge was evident. Not to mention that bad-boy smile, the crinkles around his freaking sapphire eyes and the way he tasted like mint and grass.
“Why did you come out here, honey bun?”
She stomped a foot. “Stop calling me that.”
He sobered. “Sabrina. Why did you come out here?”
She realized he was still holding the baby’s hat and snatched it from his hand. “You can’t just take his hat off. He’s teething and your mom said sometimes a baby’s immune system is lowered by it. He could get sick.”
“In this hot air? Not likely.”
Ugh, she really needed to hurry and find a teaching position ASAP. The sooner she got some distance between her and this hot cowboy, the happier she’d be.
She took another step back. “You missed second breakfast. Your family told me where to find you.”
“Oh.” He pivoted to watch the horse.
It was circling the pen with such grace and rhythm, Sabrina’s throat tightened. Then she turned her attention to Beck and sucked in a gasp.
The man stood silhouetted against gray sky, hands fisted, throat working as he watched the animal he’d been training. Pride was evident in the set of his shoulders and lifted jaw.
For a dizzying moment she believed she and Beck could make this work—make a family. Her stupid emotions stole her sanity. Owen squirmed and she faced him forward.
Beck swung around, the moment with the horse broken, only to be replaced by a new moment involving his son. Beck’s faced split with a grin, and Owen waved his arms and kicked his legs.
“Can I take him?” Beck asked.
Sabrina felt a sense a relief at being able to rely on someone besides herself. But even handing Owen to family was hard. She reluctantly nodded.
With a nod, Beck strutted toward the gate. A second later he stood at her side. Owen practically jumped at him, and Sabrina relinquished him with a happy heart.
Beck kissed the baby’s head and took a right hook to the jaw. “He’s a little bruiser. Already picking a fight with a bigger adversary.”
It was impossible to keep from smiling. Being out here surrounded by beautiful country and the two people who meant the most to her in the world—
No, she couldn’t think that way anymore. She’d made her decision to leave Beck. And no matter what he said, if she’d stayed, he would have married her because it was the right thing to do. After spending just a few hours with the Daltons, she understood their moral code.
Beck was such a free spirit, though. He had left her with no question that he wasn’t interested in a real relationship. Forcing him to settle down would have resulted in resentment and she would have been tormented and trapped.
He was staring at her, a pensive look on his rugged features. “You know, I don’t agree with what you did—running off to have Owen on your own. But I was dumb and I can’t say I would have handled things the way you needed me to back then.”
She hauled a deep breath of heavy, grass-scented air into her lungs until she felt they’d burst. Energy throbbed between their gazes. She released the air in a rush. “How did you know I was thinking about that?”
Surprise widened his eyes. “Maybe I can still read you pretty damn well, honey bun.” He snagged her around the waist and hauled her onto tiptoe against his very hard body. When he dipped his head, she surged upward to meet him.
Their mouths collided. He thrust his tongue between her lips as she opened to him. His rumbled groan vibrated through layers of clothing, igniting a need she wished she could forget.
Passion flared. She wrapped her arms around his neck, yanking him down for more. He tasted so damn good. So clean and male and oh God, how was she ever going to stop these feelings racing through her again?
Owen gave a squeak of protest. Beck’s tongue swept against hers, then she realized what she was doing.
She pushed away from Beck, and he dropped his gaze to his boots. “I’m sorry, Sabrina. I know you didn’t come here for this. I guess old habits are hard to break.”
An inner tremor made her words shaky too. “Come inside for breakfast. Your momma saved you a plate.”
The next half hour she tried like crazy to feel normal. But Beck’s flavors swirled in her mind and whenever she ran her tongue over her lips, his gaze would latch onto them. Her nipples ached from being puckered for so long, and she was distracted beyond reason.
Beck snapped his fingers in front of her face. She looked up. “What can I feed this boy?”
Owen was seated on his father’s knee, smacking his lips and mouthing his hands.
“He can’t be hungry again. He just had a big bowl of banana and oatmeal.”
“He’s a rancher now. We’ve got big appetites.”
The way he said that left her mouth feeling dry and a deep hum in her core.
He looked at her closer. “You okay?”
“I never realized how committed you are to the ranch.”
“Keeping Paradise Valley Ranch going and putting beef on people’s dinner plates is what I do, honey bun.”
She didn’t even correct him when the endearment rolled off his tongue. It felt too right, sitting here with him.
“I think Momma keeps some teething biscuits in that cookie jar. Why don’t you get one for Owen?” Beck stuffed a huge bite of sausage in his mouth.
Sabrina found a hard biscuit and handed it to Owen. He snatched it with both hands and shoved it in his mouth with a gurgled, “Mmmm.”
Laughter bubbled from Sabrina and mingled with Beck’s deep chuckle. Their gazes locked.
A serious light filled Beck’s eyes. Was he feeling the strange joy of acting like a family too?
“Are you going back out to work with the horse again?” she asked to interrupt the moment.
“I’ll give him a break. Grab another horse and head off with Kade to the top pasture for a spell. After lunch we can head into town for those supplies, if that’s all right with you.”
She nodded. During second breakfast, the Daltons had said something she couldn’t stop thinking about. The brothers’ discussion about Beck had yanked open some hidden door inside her.
“Beck’s different,” Cash said.
“Yep. Taking time to earn that horse’s trust?” Hank shook his head, shoveling bites into his mouth rapid-fire.
“The Beck we know used to just run into the pen and leap onto a horse’s back. He hardly bothered with a lasso.”
“Guess he’s grown up.” Hank had settled his attention on Sabrina. The touch of blue eyes almost identical to Beck’s had punctuated his words. She still felt the vibration of their echo.
Damn, she had to stop this runaway train of emotions on its tracks. Beck was now holding the teething biscuit for Owen, drool running down the backs of his knuckles.
He couldn’t have grown up that much in a year and a half. She wasn’t going to make them a family only for it to fall apart. All she knew of him was he was great in bed and she loved his company—when his attention was on her. None of these things made for a strong foundation.
She grabbed the n
ewspaper and flipped open to the classifieds section. She needed a job so she could get out of here before she made a big mistake.
Chapter Five
“Sabrina?” Beck strode through the silent house. No one was around. At this time of day Momma often took a walk out to visit the grandbabies on the ranch even though she saw them for second breakfast and oftentimes dinner. But Sabrina and Owen should be here.
He clomped into the kitchen, empty except for a housecat lying in a pool of sun on the tile floor. On the plank table the newspaper lay open with black circles all over it.
Drawing the paper toward him, he saw a few job listings Sabrina had circled. He skimmed one description. Sounded fine, even if it wasn’t in her field. Then he read the location.
He grunted.
Lips tense, he picked up the pen and crossed it out. Then X’ed through another and another.
“What are you doing?”
He glanced up to see her looking beautifully disheveled. He wanted to fork his fingers into her hair and muss it more and see her eyes glaze with need.
Her outraged tone brought out his own. “Are you aware of how far away these jobs are?”
“I lived in this area for six months. I have an idea.”
He narrowed his eyes. “You don’t think it’s a problem to take Owen so far away from me?”
“It’s within driving distance. You could have monthly visitation.”
He threw up a hand to stop her. “Monthly? That ain’t how this works. I hardly know that boy, and I’ll damn well keep him here.” His voice lifted with each word.
Sabrina clapped a hand over his mouth. “The baby’s sleeping, you ass,” she hissed.
The feel of her soft hand and her womanly scents just under his nose sent a stab of lust through him. He opened his mouth and lightly grazed her fingers with his teeth.
She cried out and yanked her hand back, cradling it as if he’d hurt her. But he hadn’t. Judging by the sparks in her eyes, she was feeling exactly the same thing he was—raw lust.
In a swift movement, he whisked her off her feet and trapped her against the wall. She sucked in half a breath, and he stole the rest of it with his kiss. At the first touch of his lips, she sagged. A guttural groan broke from him. With his hands on her ass, he lifted her to his erection.
She cried out, and he swallowed the noise, searching every corner of her sweet mouth with his tongue. Passion and need were wild horses in his system, and he couldn’t think straight. Didn’t want to.
Rocking his hips into hers, he rubbed his cock into the welcoming V of her thighs. She moaned. He growled.
They threw themselves into the caress. Her hands skittered over his spine as she kissed him back with as much want as she had on their last day together. Angling his head, he plunged his tongue deeper, taking everything he’d wanted for so many months. She’d never completely left his system—he’d only managed to pretend he wasn’t addicted to her.
Could he win her back? Keep her and Owen in his life?
Marry her and get that land?
But it was so much more than the land, he thought as he explored her lips and tongue. When he broke the kiss to suck the tender spot on her neck that made her writhe, the last of his control flew out the window.
“Come to bed with me,” he murmured against her throat.
She went dead still. The heels of her hands struck his chest, rocking him back enough for her to wriggle free. She rushed across the kitchen, but a few square feet weren’t going to stop him.
He stalked toward her.
She balled her hands into fists, her eyes snapping and her curls wild around the oval of her pretty face. “Stop, Beck.”
“Like hell I will. You want me.”
“Yes. No.” She shoved an errant curl out of her eye.
He closed the gap. Wrapped an arm around her waist and brought her against his length once more. As he stared into her turbulent brown gaze, his heart stuttered. “You still have feelings for me.”
“You’re so full of yourself.”
“I’m not blind.”
“Yeah? Well neither am I. You’re the same arrogant jackass you were years ago. Don’t you dare touch me again.”
A wail sounded, and they both turned to look at the staircase off the kitchen.
His heart throbbed heavily. They didn’t have time for sorting this out—feelings, lust and old anger. He released her and stepped back, trying to compose himself.
Another wail sounded.
“I’ll get him ready for the trip to town. You’d better fix your appearance.” He gestured toward the small bathroom.
“What’s wrong with my appearance?”
“You look like you’ve been ravished. Funny. I hadn’t even gotten started.” He took the steps two at a time, and her growl of frustration followed him. He was laughing as he picked up his son.
A sudden tenderness rocked him. The baby blinked up at him, blue eyes wide and trusting. Performing a fatherly duty was never going to get old. He set about changing the baby. When he peeled the one-piece suit off his feet, Owen kicked.
“Hold still, little cowboy.” He worked at the side of the diaper, but the baby started to roll. Beck shoved his hat back, ducked his head and blew a raspberry on Owen’s rounded belly.
He squealed and kicked. As quickly as possible, Beck rushed through a diaper change and fumbled to fasten all the snaps of his suit in the right order. Then he grabbed the diaper bag and ran downstairs again. The bathroom door was still shut.
“Meet us outside,” he called to Sabrina.
By the time she came out of the house, looking as fresh and pretty as always, her curls brought to order and some of the redness cut from her cheeks, Beck had managed to tackle the infant seat problem. It was installed in the back seat of his truck and Owen was facing rearward.
Sabrina glanced in then met Beck’s gaze. “You’re looking mighty proud of yourself, but what did I tell you about the baby’s hat? He’s going to get sick and it will be your fault.” She ripped open the door and dug wildly through the diaper bag. When she placed a green hat on their son, Beck couldn’t resist a quip.
“That hat doesn’t go with his outfit.”
“You always have a joke ready,” she snapped.
Hiding his smile, he climbed behind the wheel. She got in and slammed the door a second later. For the first half hour of the drive, Beck ached to touch her again. Her nearness made him as hard as steel and the feel of her still scalded in his hands. God, he wanted to cradle her full breasts and kiss the beaded tips.
He shot her a look.
She was watching out the window, ignoring him.
“You cool enough? Should I turn on the A/C?”
She shook her head. “You got a new truck.”
“Sort of had to. The old one gave its last wheeze, stranding me outside of Vixen. And you know there’s nothing there. I walked back to town and had to call one of my brothers for a ride.”
She smirked.
“You’re thinking of leaving me in the field, aren’t you?”
A giggle escaped her, and his own smile cut across his face. “I keep seeing you in the rearview mirror, running naked in a cloud of road dust.”
“Oh yeah. Hilarious.” His smile widened as their gazes met. “Go on and laugh. Get it out of your system.”
She doubled over, peals of laughter filling the truck. Owen added a few chortles of his own and rattled his teething keys. Beck’s chest tightened with every mile he drove. An odd warmth around the area of his heart couldn’t be explained. But it felt good.
Sabrina wiped tears of mirth from her eyes. “I haven’t laughed like that in so long, I’d forgotten how good it feels.”
“Glad I could help,” he said dryly, which sent her into another giggle fit. When she’d calmed herself again, he cracked his window. His temperature had risen about ten degrees since seeing her biting her plump lower lip to keep from bursting into more laughter.
“Where are we goin
g?” she asked.
“General store should have a lot that you need. Maybe not the brands you’ve used before but I’m sure you can make do. My sisters-in-law make a monthly trip to the big shopping center two hours away. You can find out when that is and go with them.”
She nodded.
“I need to stop at the insurance office too.” He’d spoken with his pa about adding both Sabrina and Owen to his family’s health insurance policy. Gaze steady beneath his hat brim, Pa had informed him costs could be higher without marrying Sabrina, but Beck had shaken his head.
She would never go for that, even if he were up for it. Visions of her sprawled beneath him, screaming in ecstasy wasn’t enough reason to shackle himself to a woman who thought badly of him.
But she was the mother of his child, and someone he hadn’t stopped thinking about since the day she’d driven out of his life.
“Insurance? Beck, are you sure?”
“Damn sure. You don’t have any, right?”
“No.”
“And you haven’t been in Texas long enough to be eligible for help. You don’t need it anyway. You have me.”
“It’s going to cost a lot.” She worried her lip.
Reaching across the space, he ran his fingertip along her lower lip. Her breathing hitched and she released the swollen flesh. When she raised her big, brown eyes, he found it hard to breathe too.
“Just let me do this.”
As they passed the Vixen school, she swiveled to gape at the long building faced with windows.
“There’s no opening listed for a teacher here,” she said quietly.
“I know. I checked into it.”
“What?” Shock flitted over her features. Her cheeks were pink, and she still bore the mark of his beard on her throat where he’d kissed her.
His jeans grew uncomfortably tight as thoughts of capturing her beneath him for more revolved through his head. “I called my friend on the school board.”
Her eyebrows pinched together. Oh no. He recognized a dangerous storm coming when he saw it. He held up a hand to ward off any lightning strikes or pellets of hail. “Don’t get your panties all twisted up.”