Bet Your Boots

by Starla Kaye

  Irritated, he tossed aside the sheet and climbed swiftly out of bed, which clearly cost him. He immediately sat back on the edge and wrapped his arms around his ribs, which were a mass of discolored bruises.

  Mandiescurried to his side. “Are you okay?” She gently touched his shoulder, inhaling his enthralling masculine scent. Her hand trembled even as she felt the heat of his body beneath her fingers. For an instant she forgot his injury, forgot his momentary problem. All she wanted was to shove him back on the bed and have her way with him. Her conscience tried to get through to her. No! You don’t go around attacking men. Really. You don’t. But she could make an exception in his case.

  He brushed her hand off him. “Don’t touch me,” he growled. Yet the way his coal black eyes seemed backlit with a fire of desire countered his gruff words. His nostrils flared and he stiffened. “Just go away.”

  She inched backward, stopping within an easy distance should he need her help. Stubborn man.

  “I can do this on my own.” He shoved to his unsteady feet and she heard him suck in a pain-filled breath.

  Defiantly, she perched on the side of the bed. The scent of him that drifted up from his rumpled sheets made her heart race. “I’ll be waiting right here until you get back.”

  He grumbled under his breath, something about women that she really didn’t want to hear clearly. He made his way to the adjoining bathroom and slammed the door. He probably hoped she would change her mind and leave. Not going to happen. She worried about him. Would he be okay in there by himself? What if he passed out? What if he fell and injured himself even more?

  Mandie was still adding to her list of What Ifs when the door opened and their gazes locked. He looked paler now, but somewhat steadier. Some of the tension went out of her. Then another kind took its place low in her body. How could she not feel sexual desire? The big cowboy stood there in all his naked glory. His many bruises took nothing away from his appeal.

  “My bed. Off.” He ruined the moment with his attitude and fierce glower.

  She considered defying him, but realized he struggled to remain upright. Pain lines bracketed his tight mouth. Feeling guilty, she slid from the bed. Still, she remained close by as he walked past her and eased onto the bed.

  He sat for a second, holding his breath, one arm resting against his damaged ribs. “You’re an irritating woman, you know that.” When he appeared adjusted to his new position, he slowly eased to his back. Again, he held his breath and adjusted once more, closing his eyes.

  She hated seeing him like this and wished she could do something to help him. The best she could manage for now was to pull the sheet he’d thrown aside back over him.Such a shame to cover up all that yumminess, but really for the best. Less temptation exposed.

  Cole’s eyes shot open when her fingers brushed his bare chest. Before he could grouch at her again, she thrust out her chin. “Calm down, cowboy.”

  “I’d be better if you left me alone.”

  “Such a whiner.” She shook her head in annoyance then asked, “Are you sure you don’t want a pain pill? Just one?”

  To her surprise his expression softened. “My getting hurt wasn’t your fault.” He gave a weak smile. “Well, not all your fault, anyway. You distracted me.”

  Mandie blinked back tears that suddenly filled her eyes. She was used to his gruffness, not this softer side of him. “I didn’t think… I just saw you there in the arena, looking so… well, good, on that horse.” Her cheeks heated. “I just wanted to watch for a few minutes.”

  He held her gaze several seconds and blew out a sigh so deep he put his arm over his ribs once more. “What’s done is done. I’ll be back to normal in a day or so. You don’t need to worry about me.”

  “I’m not worried,” she lied, wanting to reach down and shove a lock of dark hair off his forehead. Maybe steal a kiss, too.

  “Go get some sleep. I’ll be all right here. You’ve got clients to deal with tomorrow. You need rest.” His last words were barely audible, fading, just as he was fading back into sleep.

  * * * * *

  Cole woke somewhere just after dawn with the sun creeping in between the blinds on the window close to the bed. He ached all over. He didn’t want to move, yet he refused to laze about in bed all day. He’d take a shower, manage to get dressed, and at least go out to talk to Rusty. But he’d no sooner mulled over those thoughts when he realized he wasn’t alone.

  Hot breath blew over his chest. A soft scent tickled his nostrils. A warm body snuggled against him.

  He fully opened his eyes and found Mandie lying next to him, fully clothed—damn—withher head on his chest. When had she crawled into bed with him? He should shove her away, push her off the bed. Instead he simply enjoyed the feel of her, the odd comfort of having her here. She’d stubbornly defied him and stayed with him all night. Now that he thought about it, he remembered her waking him a couple of times, just enough to make sure he at least became semi-conscious. He also remembered trying to order her back to the cottage. She’d refused to leave. Contrary woman. Yet he found himself smiling.

  Another breath blew over his stomach. One of her small hands lay just below his navel, way too close to his now-awakening cock. If that hand moved even a couple of inches…. He sucked in a shuddery breath, which shot a bolt of pain through his sore rib cage. He cursed.

  She jerked awake, automatically attempted to right herself by pushing down with her hand to sit up. Unfortunately he hand was on his body.

  “Holy hell!” he gasped. “You trying to kill me?”

  “Sorry! I’m so sorry!” She launched off the bed. “Did I do more damage? Should I take you to the doctor? Oh, jeez!” Her eyes mirrored her horror, glistened with tears.

  He could almost breathe now without suffering the demons of hell. “What were you doing in my bed?”

  Pink tinged her cheeks. Her hair was in disarray; her eye makeup smudged. She was a mess, but damn if she didn’t look adorable.

  “I’m not sure. Guess I got so tired that I ended up there. It won’t happen again.”

  “No, it won’t.” The problem was—wrong or not—hewanted her in his bed again. When he was back to a hundred percent, maybe even just fifty percent. “We talked about this. Not getting involved, I mean.” Who was he kidding? They’d been somewhat involved since he’d carried her to the cottage that first night.

  Her chin jutted out. “We’re both strongly sexual adults. There’s no denying that after the way we—“

  “It shouldn’t have happened,” he cut her off. His body fully remembered what they’d done, how fast it had happened, how intense it had been. “I don’t want to become involved with a woman right now.”

  Now her green eyes danced with irritation. “Who says I do either? What is wrong with us fulfilling each other’s needs while I’m here this summer? Having a simple affair. Nothing more. I’m not asking for anything from you other than you sharing your beautiful body with me. Is that so bad?”

  “My beautiful body?” He studied her, shocked by her boldness. Intrigued as well. “It’s not right,” he protested half-heartedly. He’d had affairs in the past. Not many. But with Mandie….

  She glanced at her watch, then at her rumpled clothes. “I need to go back to the cottage and get ready for the new day. Bessie will be here soon, I’m sure.” She spotted the short red boots she’d tossed by the dresser and went to step into them. “You think about it, Cole. I won’t force myself on you, but I think we could have some pretty enjoyable times.”

  He watched every move she made, listened to every word she said. Tempting. Damn tempting. He liked sex and all the games that went with it as much as any man did, maybe more. But he’d been pretty burned by women this last year. Still, he couldn’t deny the heat between them. “I just don’t know,” he finally admitted.

  She straightened, faced him with a sassy look, and he sensed trouble coming. “If I let you spank me occasionally, does that sweeten the deal?”

  Cole f
ought down a groan. He’d been right, trouble. His spanking hand could almost feel her soft bottom beneath it. He easily envisioned her squirming over his knee, all but heard her soft moans. “Damn, Mandie, you don’t fight fair.”

  Blasted woman just grinned.

  Then they both heard the front door open and Bessie call out, “Mandie dear, you still here? Rusty is looking for you. Said he called the cottage.”

  “Why’s Rusty looking for you?” Cole questioned in irritation, hearing the jealousy lacing his words, pushing up into a sitting position and grimacing.

  “I’m up here!” Mandie yelled down the stairs, stopped in the doorway to look back at Cole. She studied his pained expression and looked worried. “Are you all right?”

  “Fine. I’m damn fine. About Rusty?” He struggled not to slide back down and give in to the pain washing over him again.

  She didn’t look convinced, but she said, “He promised to help me this afternoon when I do a session on the art of flirting. It’s so nice of him.”

  Nice of him? Not what he was thinking! “I don’t pay him to….” He bit off his protest when Bessie walked up next to Mandie.

  Bessie looked at Mandie’s wrinkled clothes and a smile lit her rheumy eyes. Then she focused on Cole, clearly having overhead their conversation. “Rusty works as hard as you do around here. Harder, I suspect, for the next week or so. There’s nothing wrong with him taking a little time off to help Dr. James.”

  She grinned and added as a torment, he was sure, “Besides, there’s not a man in the county better at flirting than our sweet Rusty.”

  “I believe you might be right about that.” Mandie chuckled, her eyes dancing with mischief. “But I’m teaching the art of flirting. I just hope he’s willing to learn something new.”

  Cole’s hands knotted the sheet at his sides. The two women played some kind of maneuvering game with him and he was losing. Even though he knew he should just stay quiet, he gritted out, “If anyone on this ranch is going to help you today, it’ll be me. Rusty is busy. I’m not.”

  Mandie winked at Bessie before focusing on Cole. “Are you sure you’re up to it? Sure you shouldn’t stay in bed another day or so?”

  If he’d been sane, he’d have changed his mind. Instead he shifted up higher, ignored the pain gripping his ribs, and snapped, “I’m up to it.”

  His aunt’s lips twitched in merriment before she headed out again. “I’ll go make you some breakfast. See if you can manage to clean yourself up.”

  Mandie hesitated in the doorway. “Do you need some help? Really. You don’t have to be all macho man for me.”

  If she touched him now, he’d have her flat on her back right here on his damn bed. No amount of pain would keep him from plowing into her. So he battled down his animalistic urge and said as calmly as he could, “I can do this. I’ve been hurt far worse and managed to take care of myself.”

  She appeared doubting, but nodded acceptance. “Then I’ll be going now. If you’re still up to it, I’ll see you in the guest lodge’s gathering room at one o’clock.”

  He had another chance to change his mind. But then he knew she’d go to Rusty and his womanizing friend would leap at the opportunity to help her anyway he could. “I’ll be there.”

  Her smile blossomed once more before she turned to leave. “Think about the other matter, too. There are other men on this ranch who might be willing to share a little summer romance with me.”

  “Over my dead body,” he grumbled. Damn woman didn’t even respond, just walked away. Was that laughter he heard? Lord, she was something else!And, God help him, he wanted her even more.

  Chapter Five

  A half hour later Mandie sat soaking in the claw-footed tub in the cottage she’d borrowed for the summer from her good friend Victoria. Rose-scented bubbles rode high around her and the warm water felt comforting. She’d always had a tendency to be outgoing, daring and those closest to her sometimes wondered about her. Her mother was outgoing, too, but far from daring and usually did her best to rein her daughter in every chance she got. As she was doing now, while Mandie listened on her cell phone and tried to basically tune her mother out.

  Her mother had droned on and on about the importance of safeguarding her professional reputation, about listening to those older and wiser. Finally she was getting to the heart of her argument and Mandie stiffened in resignation. Why had she called her?

  “You’ve been there almost a week now, more than time to get this being on a ranch out of your system,” her mother stated firmly. “I’ve located a wonderful estate here in Denver you can use for these retreats of yours the rest of the summer. It belongs to a dear friend of mine who is out of the country for several months. It’s perfect. You can—“

  “Stop! Now!” Mandie attempted to calm her temper and poked at one bubble after another for several seconds while her mother no doubt turned red in annoyance and sat up straighter in her chair. Because even though it was still early there, Mandie was certain her mother was at her office. Finally she said, “Thanks, but no thanks, Mother. The CW is a very nice ranch and the guest lodge facilities fit my needs well. And my current group of clients love it here.”

  Marilyn James snorted her disapproval. “But you…on a ranch…really? It is so not you.”

  True enough, at least in the past. “Actually I’m enjoying it here. Even the surly rancher is starting to come around.” She thought about watching Cole walk naked across his bedroom last night and thought about his reaction to finding her in bed with him this morning. Lots of heat flashed between them. Lots of he-wants and she-wants and way too much resistance—on his part—at the moment. She hoped to change that. “No, I’m definitely staying here for the summer.”

  “Your partners are totally against this. They want—“

  “This is not about what they want. I’m thinking about breaking out of that partnership,” Mandie interrupted in mounting frustration. The statement surprised her almost as much as it did her mother, who sucked in a stunned breath. Yet now that the idea was boldly out there in the open, she liked it. A lot. “I haven’t been happy there in almost a year. We don’t meld well. Our client focuses are so different.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous! Harrison and Parker took a big chance bringing you into their business.”

  “Yes, Mother, I know you went out of your way to convince your old college friends to take me in. Yes, they have a prestigious, well-established practice in Scottsdale. They’re wonderful men, great partners. But we do not fit together. I think they’ll be relieved to have me leave the partnership.”

  She settled back against the tub and thought about the two, late-fiftyish psychologists. They never came into the offices less than impeccably dressed, less than meticulously groomed. She seldom wore suits, instead favored flowy skirts and gauzy blouses. She wore her hair short so she wouldn’t have to spend a great deal of time with it. She didn’t even wear the traditional full make-up like the other professional women in their building. No, she did not fit into their world. But her clients liked her and her more laid-back, unconventional style. And that was what was important.

  Interrupting Mandie’s thoughts, her mother stated grimly, “Evidently I need to come there, so we can sit down to have a serious talk about this nonsense. I won’t allow you to ruin your reputation so new into your career.” There were some scratching sounds, like her mother was reaching for pen and paper. Then she continued, “Tell me again exactly where this ranch is located. Kansas, right?”

  Okay, she’d reached the end of her patience. She was tired of her mother always trying to interfere in her life, always convinced Mandie didn’t have the sense to make a good decision. Enough! “You are not coming here, Mother! Not to lecture me on the way you think I should handle my practice. Not to try and convince me that working with Harrison and Parker is the best choice for me.”

  She wasn’t a little girl anymore. Her mother needed to respect her as an adult.

  “I don’t like you
r tone of voice. I’m your mother.”

  “Yes, you are. In spite of the way you constantly try to control my life, I love you.” Mandie tried to remember a time when they’d simply enjoyed one another, but, sadly, couldn’t think of a single happy time like that. “I’m an adult now and I wish you’d learn to respect me as one.”

  Her mother was silent, possibly thinking that over…possibly not.

  “I’ve got to go now. I have to get ready for today’s sessions with my clients.”

  Before she could end the call her mother asked awkwardly, “This rancher, Victoria’s older brother. You said he was surly. Are you sure you’ll be all right there with him? I mean… Believe it or not, Mandie, I worry about you.”

  Mandie blinked in surprise. That was as close to real concern for her that her mother had expressed in years. She softened. “Cole has reasons to act like a bit of a jerk sometimes. He’s been hurt by other women.” She decided to admit a little more. “Victoria and his Aunt Bessie want me to help him emotionally heal while I’m here this summer.”

  Her mother snorted again. She knew Victoria. “She’s playing at matchmaking, isn’t she? You’ve mentioned at other times when she’s tried to get you two together.”

  So her mother had actually listened to some things she’d said in the past. Interesting. “Victoria might be, but Cole and I have nothing more in common than high sex drives.”

  “I do not want to talk about that, Mandie James. No, no, no. It’s time this conversation ended. I want you to be careful with this young man. You hear me. Be careful.” With that her mother disconnected.

  Mandie gaped at the silent phone unable to believe she’d even mentioned sex drive to her mother. Good grief! Sex drive! At least she hadn’t blurted out that she and Cole had already gone at each other. Or admitted she really wanted to have at him again. Longer this time.

  She set the phone on the floor beside the tub and leaned back, closing her eyes. Her thoughts drifted to the session this afternoon on flirting. Cole would be there, possibly. Probably. Even though he was battered and bruised, she’d seen it in his expression and heard it in his irritation that he wasn’t going to let Rusty help with the session. Jealous? Maybe. She kind of liked that.