“Okay. I really appreciate that. I better go pay my bill, though.”
Sam wasn’t in the mood for drinking anymore, so they finished their drinks quickly. Sam tried to pay for Nick’s beer to thank him for the ride, but he refused and after a short, friendly, and flirty battle Nick won out and paid for both her drinks along with his one beer.
She appreciated that Nick didn’t try to make small talk on the way home. She was deep in thought. What was the procedure for getting her car released? Did she even have the phone number for the loan company? Why did Nick smell so good?
She was keenly aware of his nearness. She couldn’t focus. Her attention kept drifting over to the way his muscular body relaxed into the driver’s seat. His big hands on the wheel, bulky biceps peeking out from his tee-shirt. His thick thighs and…
When he pulled up in front of Tessa’s house, she was reluctant to get out of the truck. Reluctant to leave his company.
He came around to the passenger side door and opened it for her. The truck was high, and she slid out, stumbling a little. Maybe because of the alcohol still running in her veins, or maybe from the heady feeling of being near him.
He caught her by the waist to keep her from falling. Her hands clutched his biceps and their eyes locked. Instead of letting her go, he pulled her in closer, his face dipping toward hers.
His warm breath ghosted over her face, and she drank in the earthy smell of leather and musk as she looked up into his eyes, now dark with desire. This time, when his gaze dropped down to her lips, she knew nothing could interrupt their kiss.
The kiss was soft at first. Hesitant. As if Nick was feeling her out, unsure of how to proceed. But when she pressed herself closer to him, his arms wrapped tighter, and he angled his head, deepening the kiss.
His hands rubbed her back, her hips. She moaned, opening her mouth and letting his tongue in. It tasted of grainy beer and salty pretzels. His hands, hot and rough with callouses, strayed under her shirt to stroke her sides, her back.
Sam gave in to the moment, twining her arms around Nick’s neck and through his hair. Pressing herself closer, she tasted his tongue with her own. The flush of desire pressed at her core, urging her closer to him. She wanted more of Nick Bradford. Much more.
Sam tasted sweet. Like creamy chocolate and hot desire. Nick tangled his hands in her hair, gently slanting her head to deepen the angle of their kiss. Her hair was like the finest silk, just as he’d imagined it would be. When her tongue darted out to meet his, he moaned and pulled her closer.
Her skin was as smooth as butter. He couldn’t get enough of it, his hands caressing her back, the indent of her waist, the bottom of her ribcage, stopping just below her breast. Teasing. He let them drop to her hips, then around to her backside to pull her hips tight against his. She didn’t resist. In fact, she pressed even closer, grinding, the motion sending an arrow of heat straight to his groin.
He’d better stop now or he wouldn’t be able to stop at all.
He pulled away, breaking the kiss slowly. The look of confusion in her eyes tore at his heart. He traced his finger down the line of her jaw. “I want more but now is not the time.”
Her eyes cleared and she smiled. He almost changed his mind when she reached up and ran her fingertips over the cleft in his chin, but Sam was tipsy and upset over what happened with her car. Vulnerable. Nick wouldn’t take advantage. He wanted her, but not this way. If Sam was going to give herself to him, he didn’t want it to be because she wasn’t thinking with a clear head. He didn’t want her to have any regrets.
He laid a light kiss on her lips, her nose, and then her forehead. “Come on, I’ll walk you to the door.”
At the door, Nick gave her one more kiss, but it was more chaste this time. She opened the door and turned to him.
“Thanks…for everything.” Her cheeks flushed. Nick figured that by ‘everything’, she wasn’t just talking about the ride.
“You’re welcome. Will you need a ride to the fair tomorrow? I could pick you up.” Nick shuffled his feet, feeling like a schoolboy with his first crush.
Sam chewed her bottom lip as if deciding. “I don’t want to impose. I’ll ask Tessa to take me.” She leaned out and pressed her lips to his softly, her warm hand splayed flat on his chest. She let her lips linger against his for a few seconds, barely touching. He had all he could do not to crush her to him. Then she pulled back. She smiled, a wicked sexy gleam in her eye. “I’ll see you at the fair tomorrow.” He stood there mute as she touched her fingertip to his lips, then turned and shut the door.
Nick stood at the doorstep for a few seconds. Suddenly, he couldn’t wait to get to the fair tomorrow.
10
The next morning, the fairgrounds looked somehow brighter and more exciting to Sam. Her mind wasn’t on the chili contest anymore it was on Nick Bradford. She could barely keep her eyes from straying over into his tent and every time they did he would catch her looking and wink, setting her stomach aflutter.
She wondered if he felt the same way. Judging by the way he kept looking over, and the way he’d kissed her last night, it was a pretty sure bet that he did.
Tessa had dropped her off and promised to make good on the trail ride that she’d had to cancel the night before. Sam had mixed feelings about that. She hadn’t been on a horse in years. But Tessa really wanted to ride together, and she wanted to make her friend happy.
Though looking over at Nick brought thoughts of another type of ‘ride’ to mind, Sam wasn’t one to push off a friend for a guy. Guys could be fickle, but friends were forever. And besides, she was only here for another week. Maybe it wasn’t so smart to start something up with Nick.
But something had already been started. The kiss last night had been electrifying. More intense than Sam had ever felt with another guy and now she had an itch that only Nick could satisfy. And if Nick wanted the same, there was no way she’d be able to resist him.
She realized that he could’ve easily taken advantage of her the night before. She was tipsy and more than willing. She knew he’d read all her signals, but he’d backed off. It made her like him even more and her feelings for him all the more bittersweet.
Why couldn’t there be a guy like Nick back in Boston?
She was so busy thinking about Nick that it was ten o’clock by the time she realized she’d forgotten to look at the scoreboard. Glancing over, she was surprised to discover she was winning. Yesterday, she would have been elated. Today, not so much. Not now that she knew Nick needed the money as much as, if not more than, she did.
Nick had more at stake in this contest then she did. He had a family restaurant owned for generations and a child depending on him. Sam just had herself. She felt petty and small taking the win from him. But the contest wasn’t over yet. Nick might still pull ahead. The only bright spot in the score was that Beulah had crept up a notch and was now fourth from the top.
She went through the motions of making a new batch of chili and set it to simmer on the stove. Her eyes drifted over to Nick’s booth so many times it was embarrassing. She had an almost uncontrollable urge to go over there, just to stand near him.
What was wrong with her?
She was losing her head over some guy she barely knew. Was it just lust, or something more?
The early afternoon lull came, and her heart leaped when she saw Nick approaching her tent. She tried to act cool, but with him standing only an inch away she was anything but.
“I was thinking maybe we could go have a drink tonight. Pick up where we left off,” he said.
Her throat tightened, and she had to swallow a few times before she could speak. “I’d love to, but I’m going riding with Tessa tonight. We already had plans.” She explained so Nick would know she wasn’t putting him off.
He cocked his head to the side and raised his brow. “After?”
Sam’s lips quirked up into a smile. “Definitely after.”
“Hey, is anyone serving chili here?” A custome
r stood at her table, empty bowl in hand. Sam flushed and moved to serve him.
Nick headed over to serve the customers who had lined up at his tent, shooting her a hopeful look as he crossed the aisle. “See you later?”
“Absolutely.” Sam returned to the task of food prep and service, but chili was the last thing on her mind. Her thoughts were filled with Nick and the promise of the night to come.
The thoughts were bittersweet. She was falling for him hard already, and she knew long distance relationships never worked out. She pushed the thought away. No sense in spoiling things by thinking too much. For all she knew, this thing with Nick would run its course in a few days like it had with many other men. And then she’d be glad to get out of town with the ten thousand dollar prize money.
Her tent and Nick’s always had the most customers. She’d bet her life savings that one of them would be the grand prize winner. And that prize money was vital to her future. Hot guys like Nick would come and go, but this was a rare opportunity to get seed money to launch her career.
A pang of guilt shot through her. Nick needed the money for much more. But all was fair in love and war and now that neither one of them were using any tricks they were competing on a level playing field. Things were fair, and judging by the scores thus far, either she or Nick would win.
The question was…which one of them was she really rooting for?
11
Sam had lived in three countries and all over the United States, but she’d only set foot in a barn twice before. She’d expected the trail riding barn to smell sweaty and dirty, but it didn’t. The earthy smell of manure mixed with the sweet smell of the hay and spiced with the scent of leather was pleasant, natural. The barn was neat and clean. Bridles, some fancy, and some plain hung on hooks. Her boots thudded on the floorboards and dry hay crunched underfoot as she walked down the long row of stalls. Horses of all sizes and colors, their heads hung out of the tops of their stalls, watched her curiously.
She stopped in front of one of the stalls. “So this is the famous Nacho I’ve heard about? Can I pet her?”
“Him.” Tessa smiled. “And go ahead. He’s very gentle.”
Sam was smitten as soon as she touched the soft velvety muzzle. The horse was a beautiful chestnut color with black mane and a white marking down his nose which Sam later found out was called a blaze. She’d never felt anything as cushiony as the tip of the nose of the magnificent creature who contemplated her with liquid brown eyes that seemed to be deep with understanding.
“Hey, Nacho. Nice to meet you.” The horse flicked his black tail in response.
Sam tore herself away from the beautiful creature and turned to Tessa. “Okay, which one of these guys am I going to try to ride?”
Tessa turned toward a light brown horse with a blonde mane and tail. “You can take Bella. She’s our gentlest quarter—“
“Tessa, can you take my appointment. I just got an emergency call. My mom’s been rushed to the hospital.” The harried women hovered in the doorway of the barn, her face searching Tessa’s.
Tessa glanced at Sam. “Well, I—“
“Go,” Sam said. “It’s obviously an emergency. I can hang out here and—“
“I’ll take her for a ride. I came to take Nacho out anyway and she can ride along with me.” Nick’s voice rang out from behind Sam, and both she and Tessa turned to look at him, Tessa with a smirk on her face and Sam with a confused look on hers.
“Oh, I don’t think…” Sam’s eyes flicked between Nick and Tessa, unsure if she should accept his invitation. She’d promised to go riding with Tessa and didn’t want to renege.
“That’s a great idea,” Tessa beamed. “Nick is an expert rider. You’ll be in good hands.” The way Tessa said ‘good hands’ made Sam wonder if she was talking about riding a horse or something else.
“I promise we’ll take it nice and slow.” Nick stepped further into the barn. His red plaid shirt hung open, revealing a navy tee-shirt underneath that was just a tiny bit too tight, showing off his muscular chest. The hopeful look on his handsome face made it impossible to resist. Not that Sam wanted to.
“Okay, that sounds great, then.”
Nick showed Sam how to saddle Bella. The horse seemed impossibly large, but Sam felt safe with Nick there. He helped her up into the saddle, his strong hands keeping her from falling over onto the other side, which she almost did. After a few minutes, she was comfortable in the saddle, and Nick got on Nacho and they headed down the trail at a slow walk.
The trails were beautiful, meandering through cool forest shaded by tall pines then opening up to vista’s that overlooked prairies that went on for miles and ending in the painted blues of the distant mountains. Birds chattered away in the trees, and squirrels rummaged in the brush beside the trails. Rays of sun slanted through the tree trunks, leaving long shadows. Soon it would be the magical twilight of dusk.
“You okay?” Nick rode beside her, asking the question every few minutes.
“Yes.” Sam had spoken very little, mesmerized by the swaying of the horse and the beauty of the scenery. The tall buildings, loud traffic, and smog-filled air of Boston seemed much less desirable in comparison. Just why did she prefer the city?
They came to a small stream. Nick stopped next to a gigantic oak tree. “Let’s rest for a while. The horses need a drink.”
She slid off the horse into his arms, the closeness of him ratcheting her pulse up. He kissed her lightly, but then let go, twinning her fingers in his and tugging her toward the stream.
At the stream, the horses dipped their noses in then walked back toward the tree where Nick tossed their reins over a branch.
Sam looked down into the stream. It was only a few inches deep, running at slightly more than a trickle and clear as a bell. She could see large smooth stones at the bottom. Her feet were hot and sweaty inside her boots, and she had an urge to dip her toes into the cool, clear water.
She kicked off her boots. “I’m sticking my feet in. You coming?”
Sam didn’t wait for Nick. She stepped in, balancing on the flat rocks as she waded in to mid-calf. The cool water swirled around her tanned legs, and she stared at it, mesmerized by the tiny fish that swam over to check her out. Nick splashed in, too, standing just behind her, almost touching.
To the west, the sun was a ball of fire, dipping down behind the sapphire mountains and painting the underside of the clouds in pink and orange.
“It’s so beautiful,” she said.
“It sure is.” Nick’s voice was rough. She turned to look at him, but he wasn’t looking at the sunset. He was looking at her. “You’re beautiful.”
Her breath caught as he stepped closer, his hands coming up to her shoulders, his face dipping toward hers.
His kiss was soft at first. Tentative. Then he pulled her in tight, deepening the kiss. Exploring. Her head spun, she moved closer. Losing her footing, she slipped, unintentionally breaking the kiss.
“Whoa, there.” Nick kept her from falling in the water, and they both laughed before he pulled her up onto the grass. Then he kissed her again, this time, his lips trailing to her cheeks, her neck then back to her lips.
More intense now, his hands roamed her body, pulling the bottom of the gingham button shirt she’d worn out of her jeans and sneaking up under it, rubbing up and down her sides, then finally sliding in front to cup her breasts, his thumbs teasing her hard nipples through the silky fabric of her bra.
Sam moaned. She needed the feel of his skin on hers. Needed to touch him. She pulled the red plaid shirt off his shoulders, then snaked her hands up under his tee-shirt, her palms skirting his warm flesh, feeling the strong muscles of his chest, his abs.
He broke the kiss then trailed his lips down her neck, to the hollow of her throat and then moved down her chest. He flicked open her top button, then pushed the shirt aside and pressed a kiss to her skin. Then the next button and another kiss. The next button revealed her lacy bra and he stopped there, r
unning his tongue along the top edge of the lace, dipping in just enough to make her knees grow weak.
He straightened, his eyes burning into hers, his fingers on the next button of her shirt.
“Okay?” He said it with a look so sweet that it almost brought tears to her eyes.
She nodded, not trusting herself to speak, and he crushed her to him again, searing her lips while he worked on the last few buttons.
He backed her up toward the horses. “Hold on.”
Sam held on, all right. She held on to his hips while she rained kisses along his neck, making it difficult for him to reach into the saddlebags from where he produced a black and red plaid blanket.
“You keep a blanket in there?” She was surprised.
How many times had he done this same thing here?
Somehow Nick managed to flip it open and spread it on the ground while still holding her close.
“I come here a lot,” he said, and then at her look added, “Just me and Nacho. I like to lie down and look at the stars and think.”
Sam glanced up at the sky. The sun had set, but the sky was still the grayish blue of twilight. “Stars?”
“It’s still too light out for them.” Nick dropped kisses on her face, down her neck and back up to her lips. “I’ll show you the stars later on,” he whispered as he swooped her up into his arms and gently lowered her to the blanket.
He kissed the shirt off her shoulders, his hands lightly exploring her, his thumbs slipping under her bra to rub against her pebbled nipples, causing her to suck in a breath with the exquisite pleasure.
Her bra snapped in the front and Nick made short work of it. His eyes roamed her body hungrily, his hands soon to follow and then his mouth kissed down one breast and then another. His tongue flicked over her nipples, causing her back to arch.
She wanted him more than anything. Pulling at his tee-shirt, she hiked it up over his head, spreading her palms on his bared chest and then raking her fingernails lightly down his stomach, causing him to shiver.
Some Like It Hot (Sweetrock Cowboy Romance Book 1) Page 8