To Love a Texas Cowboy

by Julie Benson

  That’s not true, a little voice insisted. When times have gotten tough, he’s always had your back. He’s stepped up every time you’ve needed someone.

  “Now you and I have to take care of her. That’s our job,” Ty said in a soft calm voice. “You get her purse and make sure her phone’s in there.” He leaned forward as if he were sharing a secret. “She tends to misplace it. I think she’s a little forgetful.”

  Ella nodded and smiled the tiniest bit.

  He’s so good with her. Better than I am most times.

  He placed the child on her feet and she set off on her task while Ty joined Cassie.

  “Thanks for coming.” She lowered her voice. “Between the pain and being one handed, I didn’t want to risk driving.”

  “Smart thinking, especially since you could have a concussion.” He placed his hand on her right arm and helped her stand as Ella returned with her purse. “Now let’s get you to a doctor.”

  Now that her adrenaline waned the pain kicked up a notch and weariness zapped her strength further. By the time they reached the hospital, signed in, and sank into one of the uncomfortable waiting room chairs, she was running on fumes. Apparently Ella was too, because the child stretched out on a bench and immediately fell asleep.

  “Thanks again, for helping,” Cassie said to Ty. “I didn’t know who else to call.”

  How sad was that? She’d always been a loner, but not like this. Now that she was living in Wishing for who knew how long, maybe Grace was right and it was time to meet people and make friends. Lord knew she could use a little support.

  But wasn’t that what Ty, his mother, and Aubrey had done?

  The realization ricocheted through her leaving her oddly pleased and afraid at the same time. “For me Texas is feeling like the Bermuda Triangle. Contrary to what you’ve seen, I’m not usually this accident prone.”

  “You do seem to have a bull’s-eye on your back.”

  “Then please take it off.” She nodded toward Ella. “I’m just thankful I landed on the bottom, and she wasn’t hurt. I don’t know what I’d do if we were here because she needed treatment.”

  “Don’t be so hard on yourself. You love her and are doing a damn good job in a tough situation. And Ella will get hurt some time. It’s part of life. You can’t shield her from that, and when it happens, you’ll comfort her and do what needs to be done.”

  His genuine reassurance worked its way inside her, bolstering her battered and weary spirits. A tiny glow unfurled and spread through her. He thought she was doing a good job with Ella. Considering how critical he’d been when she first arrived, his confidence in her meant a lot.

  A few minutes later when the nurse called Cassie to the intake window, she nodded toward her sleeping niece. “Do you think she’ll be okay out here, Ty? I don’t want her to wake up and be upset—”

  “If that happens I’ll handle it or bring her to be with you. Go.”

  A couple of hours, multiple x-rays, a CAT scan, and pain meds later, Cassie returned to the waiting room, her wrist protected with a brace, her arm in a sling to prevent movement. Her breath hitched at the sight greeting her. At some point Ella had woken up, crawled onto Ty’s lap, laid her head on his shoulder and had fallen back asleep. The cowboy sat with his arms wrapped around the child, asleep as well.

  Cassie closed her eyes and another sculpture materialized. The Angel and the Cowboy.

  When she opened her eyes, she walked across the room to join the pair, giving a prayer of thanks that Ella had Ty in her life. A girl needed a father. Without him, there would be a giant hole in her she’d spend years trying to fill. If Ella couldn’t have her own father to turn to for guidance, Ty was the best she could ask for.

  He’d make a great father some day, and yet she knew when that day came, he’d still have room in his life and his heart for Ella because he was that kind of man. When he made a commitment he was in for the long haul.

  Any woman would be lucky to have him.

  Solid. Loyal and the man’s kisses could burn the socks right off a girl’s feet.

  Cassie froze as awareness bolted through her. She’d thought she felt crazy wild chemistry for Ty, but she couldn’t have been more wrong. Somewhere along this frenzied journey she’d been on, she’d fallen in love with Ty Barnett.

  Chapter Thirteen

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  A gentle nudge on his arm woke Ty and he opened his eyes to find Cassie seated beside him, her left arm in a sling. Her strength and how much he admired her hit him hard. Life had knocked her around pretty good, and while she’d bent a time or two, she’d never broken. The woman knew how to cowboy up, that was for damned sure.

  “What did the doctor say?”

  “He doesn’t think my wrist is broken, but he can’t be sure until the swelling goes down. The bad news is I have a mild concussion. He made me promise someone would keep an eye on me for the next twenty-four hours.” She peered up at him expectantly.

  Lucky him. Why couldn’t he have won five bucks in the Texas Lottery scratch off instead? “I guess you’re waiting for me to offer?”

  “That would be the nice neighborly thing to do.”

  “Throw my words back at me, will you?” He chuckled. He’d told her folks here helped each other out, and now he had to back it up with his actions. “You’ve gotten awful gutsy all of a sudden.”

  Who was he kidding? She’d always been gutsy. He liked that about her.

  Liked her? When had that happened?

  “Must be the pain meds. They give me a devil may care, speak my mind attitude.”

  “Sweetheart, that’s nothing new.” His husky voice rattled in his ears, and he shifted in the chair, realized he couldn’t feel parts of his ass. While Ella didn’t wake, she squirmed and whimpered. He patted her back and brushed her soft hair away from her innocent face. “You’re safe, Ella. Don’t worry.”

  People talked about women’s biological clocks, but no one talked about a man’s. Since turning thirty a few years ago, he’d thought a lot about the future. He couldn’t see life without a family of his own. Holding Ella tonight he realized the fact even more. The fatherhood part he felt confident he could handle. It was the relationship to get the child that worried him. He glanced at Cassie. “Let’s get you home and to bed.”

  A wicked, tantalizing grin spread across her face. “About time you decided to take me to bed.”

  Ty swallowed the lump in his throat and thanked the good Lord he was sitting down. Otherwise when she dropped her little bomb he’d have ended up on his ass.

  After the initial rush of excitement swept through his body, his brain kicked into gear. Cassie couldn’t mean what she said. She didn’t understand. Was delusional. Something. Whatever the cause, being a smart man, he ignored her comment as they left the hospital and drove back to the inn.

  A few minutes later when they entered the house, Cassie said, “Thank you for being there for us tonight.” She nodded to Ella asleep in his arms. “You’re so good with her, and she thinks the world of you.”

  “She’s a great kid.” He pulled his gaze away from the sway of Cassie’s hips as he followed her upstairs to Ella’s bedroom. Once there Cassie pulled back the covers and he placed the child on the bed.

  “If you take off her shoes, we’ll call it good. I don’t want to wake her to put on pjs,” Cassie said.

  The intimacy of their situation slammed into Ty, kicking up that need for a family he’d been feeling more often lately.

  Cassie bent over Ella, brushed the hair away from her face, and kissed the child’s cheek. “Love you, sweetie. May your dreams be filled with moonbeams and sunshine.”

  Then they slipped out of the bedroom, with Cassie closing the door behind them. “We have unfinished business,” she said, placing her hand on his arm.

  “No, we don’t.” Then before she could say or do anything else, he raced down the stairs as if a pack of coyotes were nipping at his heels and prayed Cassie wouldn’t follow him.

>   When he reached the safety of the living room, he sat on the couch and researched concussions on his phone. Once he understood the signs for concern he set his phone alarm for two to check on Cassie. All he had to do was get through the night and tomorrow his mother or Aubrey could babysit her for the rest of the twenty-four hour concussion watch.

  Solid plan in place, he pulled off his boots, sprawled out on the couch, and tried to get comfortable. Damn. How could Jack let Chloe buy a couch so blasted uncomfortable? He flopped onto his left side and found that was better. Just as he started to drift off, a light came on at the top of the stairs followed by footsteps.

  “Ty? Are you awake?”

  Why the hell wasn’t she asleep? A dull ache formed between his eyes and every muscle in his body tensed. “What is it Cassie? Are you okay?”

  “They say you learn something new every day,” her breathy voice floated down to him. “I’ve learned I can’t get undressed with one hand. I need your help.”

  His breath caught in his chest. How could she ask him for help undressing? Didn’t she realize he wasn’t a saint? Especially when his body had shifted into overdrive at the thought of seeing the curves that had taunted him since they tumbled into the lake. “Sleep with your clothes on, Cassie. That’s what I’m doing.”

  Her exasperated sigh floated down to him. “I tried. I can’t. My jeans are too uncomfortable.”

  She didn’t know the meaning of the word uncomfortable, but he did. His jeans had become painfully so. “Too bad. You’ll have to make it work.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous. What’s the big deal? We’re both adults, and neither one of us is a virgin.”

  She was right. What was he worried about? He reached for the lamp on the end table and fumbled to turn it on. Squinting against the harsh yellow glow, he trudged upstairs and followed her into her bedroom.

  His gaze scanned her room. Sketch pads, pencils and clothes lay scattered around the space. Then his gaze landed on the antique four poster bed dominating the room. An image of them together there flashed in his mind. He cleared his throat and tried to focus on anything but Cassie. When that failed, he stared at the floor and concentrated on his breathing. “What do you need me to do?”

  Stupid question. She wanted him to help her undress and he knew good and well how to undress a woman. But not like this, a little voice argued. Not when he had no intentions of making love to her. This was unchartered territory.

  “Would you unbutton my pants?”

  His brain completely short circuited. Unfortunately his body hadn’t. It was firing on all cylinders. Holy hell.

  He inched forward as if he was afraid to touch her. But wasn’t he? After all, a man could resist temptation only so long. Maybe if he talked about mundane things this would be easier. He popped the button on her pants and lowered the zipper. “Do you miss New York?”

  What a lame question, but at least it was a start.

  “Not as much as I did. Working on the new art line, running the inn, and doing the tours has helped a lot. New challenges to tackle and all that.” She wiggled her hips trying to shake off her jeans, but they didn’t budge. Her little dance might not have done much to loosen her pants, but it did wonders for him. She chewed on her lower lip and frustration furrowed her brow. “If you tug them down a little it would help.”

  “I like keeping busy, too.” He cringed at his stupid comment as he tugged her jeans lower. His hands brushed the warm skin at her hip and he felt her shiver. The task finished, he jumped back, refusing to look at her.

  Big mistake because his imagination conjured up the image of her shaking her slender hips and the material sliding down, revealing her body a little bit at a time. When denim hit the floor with a solid whoosh, he’d had all he could take. If he got wound any tighter he’d bust or embarrass himself. “You should be comfortable enough to sleep,” he said and turned to leave.

  “I meant what I said at the hospital. I want you. In bed. Naked. With me.”

  Ty froze, his body throbbing with need and his chin dropped to his chest. He’d been seconds away from a clean getaway.

  No mistaking those words, and no way he could ignore them.

  He faced Cassie and sucked in his breath at the sight of her in a form fitting neon pink T-shirt that reached to her hip bone. Bits of black lace peered out from under that. And her legs. Long and lean. The image of them wrapped around his waist left him hard and aching until his gaze locked on the sling. Only then did a sliver of common sense return. “You’re hurt.”

  “I ache more.”

  “Us there,” he nodded toward the bed, “Isn’t a good idea.”

  “Probably not, but it’s what I want, and unless I’m wrong, it’s what you want, too.”

  “More than you know.”

  “Then what’s the problem?”

  There were too many to list, but right now he couldn’t recall a single one. Must be lack of blood flow to his brain.

  “I think as long as we promise to put Ella first no matter what happens between us, we’ll be okay,” she said, her voice tight and husky.

  What she said made sense, and yet his gut told him they shouldn’t do this. He couldn’t. No matter how much he wanted her. For so many reasons. “You’re not thinking clearly because of the pain meds.”

  She closed the distance between them. “This has nothing to do with that. Remember the first tour we did together? The day with the writers?”

  He nodded. If he moved more than that he’d wrap his arms around her, pull her against him, and explore her feminine curves until they lacked the energy to do more than breathe.

  “I decided to seduce you that day, and I’ve wanted to every day since, but we haven’t been alone.”

  Her words sank in. No matter what Cassie did, she did it with passion. Her art. Caring for Ella. Helping him with the tourists. Arguing with him. What would it feel like to have her passion focused on him? His body shuddered as at the jolt of excitement coursing through him.

  Her decision wasn’t spur of the moment.

  That didn’t mean them making love was a good idea.

  He’d never been one to rush ahead without thinking a situation through. He considered every pitfall because he hated surprises. Plans, goals, order ruled his life, and logic dictated his choices.

  But damn, he was tired of being controlled. Of being responsible. And he was tired of fighting what he felt for Cassie. Worse yet, he was tired of being alone. To hell with common sense. Right now he wanted to lose himself in Cassie and her wide expressive eyes. He wanted to feel her passion engulf him and carry him away. He knew there’d be consequences, but he’d deal with the fallout tomorrow.

  “Last chance to change your mind.”

  *

  Her body strung tighter than a barbed wire fence, even though Ty hadn’t touched her, Cassie walked past him and locked the door. “No way am I changing my mind. Thinking about you and me together has been driving me crazy for too long.”

  She barely got the words out before he pulled her into his arms. His mouth covered hers, tender at first, but when she became impatient and nipped at his lower lip, he opened for her, deepening the contact. His hand covered her breast and teased her nipple through her clothes. Desire shot through her, hot and consuming. His earthy, clean scent filled her and she wanted more. Now. Her good hand fumbled with his shirt buttons as her tongue mated with his, but frustration soon took over. “This will take forever, and you’re wearing way too many clothes. I want to feel your skin against mine.”

  He clasped her hand in his and kissed her long and hard. “Slow down, sweetheart. We have all night.”

  “Patience isn’t one of my virtues.”

  “I’d never have guessed.” He smiled as he picked her up and carried her to the bed. Then as she leaned against the massive headboard, he unbuttoned his shirt. One agonizing button at a time. Desire coursed through her as he stripped for her. He peeled off his shirt revealing tanned skin and abs any personal train
er would envy. Desperate to touch him, she scooted across the bed to kneel in front of him, but when she reached out, he stepped back. “Patience.”

  He was going to kill her.

  He dug into his back pocket, pulled out his wallet, withdrew a foil packet, and tossed it on the nightstand. Then he reached for the button on his jeans. His desire for her evident in the bulge pressing against the denim, her body tightened in anticipation. When the button slipped free and he slid his zipper down, she licked her lips. He hooked his thumbs in the waistband and slid his jeans and boxers down his lean hips. Cassie’s breath caught in her throat at the sight of him, strong, gorgeous, and hard for her.

  This time when she reached for him, he moved closer. Her hand covered his pulsing shaft and he groaned. “Enough. A man can only take so much,” he said, his voice hoarse with passion as he pushed her back on the bed.

  She smiled. Who needed patience now? How she loved that she could make this controlled man frantic with need. How she loved him period.

  He slid her lace panties down, his lips teasing and exploring the same path. After he tossed the slip of fabric aside, he reached for her sling, but paused. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

  “I want to feel your skin next to mine.”

  With incredible tenderness, almost a reverence, Ty removed her sling, T-shirt, and bra. Then his body covered hers. Pleasure built inside her as they caressed each other. When his hand moved down her body and his fingers found her heated core, she bucked upward. Afraid of waking Ella, Cassie bit her lip to keep from crying out as he stroked her. His mouth returned to her breast, his tongue flicking her nipple and she clung to him as her climax rocked through her.

  He grabbed the foil packet from the nightstand and then seconds later he returned to her, caressing her, bringing her to life again, before he slid inside her. She moved against him, feeling the frantic beating of his heart against her chest. His kiss consumed her as he reached his own fulfillment, taking her with him.

  *

  The next morning Ty woke with Cassie’s body all warm and beautifully naked pressed against his. He smiled at the memories of what they’d shared last night. He’d been right about her. She’d made love the same way she did everything, with complete abandon and passion. If he had his way, they’d spend the day in bed, but one of them had to make sure Ella got to school and Cassie needed her rest.