StudinTexas

by Calista Fox

  He grinned and it crinkled the lines around his eyes. “She’s a handful. But I do adore her.”

  “What’s not to adore? Beautiful, determined, smart. I’ve always thought she was special, even though she somehow got it into her head that she dulled in comparison to me.”

  “Well, now, you are pretty remarkable, darlin’.”

  His emerald eyes mesmerized her and she took a step closer to where he stood next to her vehicle. Staring up at him, she said, “I’m kind of in a tough spot right now, cowboy.”

  “So am I.”

  She nodded. “You’ve got a lot on your plate.”

  “And you’re going through something even Reese doesn’t know about.”

  Sky sighed. “Intuition, powers of deduction, or did she mention this to you?”

  “All of the above.”

  Propping her shoulder against the side of her pearl-white Escalade, she said, “The past couple years haven’t been so great. I got mixed up with someone I shouldn’t have. Didn’t know it at the time, but boy did he jack my program.”

  “Where is he now?”

  “Nashville, I’m guessing.”

  Sam let out a heavy breath. “Is he an ex, or still in the picture?”

  “Definitely an ex. But a serial caller. Wants something from me I’m not willing to give.” And she feared it wasn’t just her money. “I think I scared him off enough to keep him from actually coming to Texas again, but he keeps inventing new things to say to my voicemail in an attempt to persuade me to see him. To give him the money he needs to pay…whoever.”

  “How’d you scare him?”

  She swallowed hard. Staring into the green irises that glimmered in the moonlight, she said, “He busted down my trailer door in Luckenbach, and I pulled a gun on him. Released the safety. Told him I wouldn’t think twice about shooting him if he dared to make a move, other than back out the door.”

  With a nod, Sam said, “Can’t blame you for that. But something tells me there’s more to needing to protect yourself than money and a busted door.”

  Sky glanced away, avoiding that hot mess of a statement. “He’ll keep trying to convince me to help him out, but I’m not listening.” Her gaze returned to his. “I’m stronger than that. I can handle this situation.”

  Sam stared down at her for several tense moments, then said, “Don’t think you’re all alone. You’re Reese’s best friend. That means Caleb and I are here for you.”

  She smiled, her heart melting again. The cowboy did all kinds of sexy things to her. “That’s sweet. And appreciated. I don’t like to lay my troubles at anyone’s feet, though. Or get anyone involved in something that never should have happened in the first place. But I do think it’s kind of you—and Caleb and Reese—to be concerned.”

  “You can take care of yourself, I don’t doubt that. And I’m not saying otherwise. Just know you’ve got some backup.”

  Her breath caught. Damn, he really was a hero.

  Impulsively, she leaned in close and brushed her lips against his. A whisper of a kiss. She said, “I’m not the type to drag anyone into my drama. But I do thank you for being in my corner. You don’t even know me all that we—”

  He kissed her, stealing the words from her mouth. Warning signals went off in the back of her head, but Sky couldn’t be bothered with them. The gorgeous cowboy who rescued injured horses pulled her to him and slipped his arms around her waist. Her breasts pressed below the hard ledge of his pectoral muscles. Her lips parted and his tongue delved deep, intensifying the impassioned kiss.

  She wound her arms around his neck and held on for dear life. His blazing kiss sent fire roaring through her veins. Oh there was some serious chemistry happening between them! But more than that, Sky felt the scorching effects of his kiss all the way to her toes. And wanted more of the hunky hero.

  One of his hands eased over her backside to cup a cheek. He gave a gentle squeeze and then kneaded the flesh, making her burn. All the while, their searing liplock went on and on.

  Her fingers threaded through his silky hair, twisting and tangling. A hot flash of desire caused a moan to lodge in her throat. They just kept clinging to each other, kissing as though they couldn’t get enough of one another.

  Those wicked tickles along her clit that he so easily incited caused a throbbing in her pussy that made her restless. She wanted to drag Sam’s hand at the small of her back around to the front of her. To encourage him to slip that hand under her skirt and rub her slowly. She wanted him to push his fingers deep inside her and stroke her until she came.

  With her chest heaving and her pulse racing, she forced herself to break the kiss and pull in some much-needed oxygen. And to try to get her bearings.

  She wasn’t in any sort of position to get all hot ’n heavy like this. And, as she’d contended earlier, she didn’t want to get him tangled up in her current drama.

  With her hands splayed over his muscular chest, she said, “You know how to leave a girl breathless.”

  He seemed to be in the same state. He stared deep into her eyes and said, “To hell with having my hands full. I’m all kinds of crazy for you.”

  Her pulse soared, but her stomach churned.

  Reluctantly, she told him, “Guess there’s something you ought to know about me, then. Because that was not just a kiss. That was—”

  “The start of something.”

  Chapter Four

  “Yeah,” Sky said in a quiet voice, her chest still rising and falling quickly. “Makes me a little nervous.”

  Sam cocked his head to one side. “How so?”

  “Because I need to tell you what happened to me in Nashville. If you’re planning on kissing me like that again, you ought to know.”

  He had a bad feeling about this. Reese had alluded to something shady taking place, and he’d seen enough flickers of torment in Sky’s eyes to agree with Reese that there was more to her story than attempted extortion.

  Sky was going to tell him something disturbing. Something that wouldn’t sit right with him.

  Regardless, he said, “I wouldn’t normally consider a kiss the point of no return, but with you…” He let out a long breath. “Well, let’s just say I knew it was going to be damn hot and so yeah, I do plan on kissing you again. A lot.”

  She smiled sweetly, not quite enough to give him the dimples he longed to see, but enough to cut some of the tension. “I like that you don’t beat around the bush.”

  “Don’t see much point to it. And besides, I’m sure you got a good idea of how much I want you.”

  Christ, he’d been hard in a heartbeat. No woman had ever gotten him so worked up so fast. And his adrenaline still pumped as her palms remained flattened against his chest and she gazed up at him with those big blue eyes of hers.

  He added, “But to be clear, I’m more than willing to take this slow and easy.”

  “Of course you are. I knew you were a good guy the minute I saw you with Anabelle. You were gentle with her. Doing whatever it took to keep her calm. You’re that way with me too.”

  “Well, I did mention I’m crazy about you, right?”

  She laughed softly. “I’m sure it goes without saying that the feeling’s mutual. I didn’t even mind Reese gloating all through dinner over her matchmaking skills.”

  His fingers grazed her cheek. His head dipped and he kissed her tenderly. Then he whispered against her lips, “Now what is it that you need to tell me?”

  Her breath hitched. She stepped away.

  Sam sighed. “I like it better when you’re in my arms.”

  “I like that too.” But she didn’t return to him. Instead, she broke their eye contact and stared out toward the stable. “The thing is, the ex got a little rough when I realized he was trying to swindle sixty grand from me.”

  Hell.

  He wasn’t going to like this conversation at all.

  His muscles bunched, but he managed to ask in a steady voice, “Did he hit you?”

  “Y
es.” She shuddered, the memory clearly running through her mind. “So hard I fell to the floor. Had a black-and-blue mark on my cheek for close to two weeks.”

  Sam’s gut clenched. Those cheeks he found so damn alluring? Son of a bitch.

  He swallowed down a lump of anger and asked, “That all?” As if it weren’t enough. Jesus.

  She took a deep breath, then said, “No.”

  He waited for her to fill in the blanks. He had to stuff his hands into his pockets to keep them from balling into fists at the thought of someone smacking her around.

  Sky finally said, “While I was on the floor, he pinned me down. Shoved my skirt up.”

  Fury flashed through him. “Are you telling me he forced himself on you?”

  She nodded.

  Sam stalked away. Raked a hand through his hair. Then went back to where she stood.

  “Who is this guy?” he demanded in a low tone. “’Cause if he comes near you again, I’m going to kick the shit out of him.”

  “Sam,” she said, turning to face him. “This isn’t your fight.”

  “So let’s take it to the sheriff.”

  “With what? I have no evidence—just my word against his. There was no one in the recording studio when it happened. Hell, he told me I could scream for help as loud as I wanted—the walls were soundproof.”

  His jaw tightened briefly. But he tried to keep a level head and a calm voice. “Someone had to have seen you all roughed up, Sky.”

  She shook her head. “I drove to Texas that night. Left my clothes behind and everything else, except for my box of recipes I’ve always kept in the glove compartment, because I like to have them with me wherever I go.”

  “What about when you bought the trailer?”

  “I had my lawyer get me a hotel room in Fredericksburg and I lived off the mini-bar while I searched for a place to buy. I found the listing for the trailer on the Internet and my lawyer handled the transaction as well. It was a cash deal so it didn’t take too long, but by the time the escrow papers were ready to sign, the bruise on my cheek was gone.”

  “Why so careful?” he asked. “Making sure no one saw you. Not going to the police in Nashville…?”

  Her head dropped. “Look, as much as I claim to be a nobody, my face and my name are familiar. I don’t want anyone to know about this, Sam. It’s…humiliating.” She crossed her arms over her chest, a defensive move.

  Sam hooked a finger under her chin and gently lifted it. “If you tell me you’re ashamed about what happened, you know what I’m going to say about that, right?”

  Mist covered her eyes. “That it wasn’t my fault.”

  “Yeah.”

  Her lips pressed together for several seconds, then she said, “Much as I’d like to believe that, Sam, I do have a history of getting involved with the wrong men. There have only been a few, but still… I chose this one as a boyfriend and a manager. So, really, who’s to blame?”

  “Not you,” he told her in a strong voice, his gaze unwavering. “He tried to steal money from you. He ra—”

  Her hand instantly shot out and her fingers pressed to his lips. “Don’t say that word.”

  He pried the fingers from his mouth and said, “Call it what you want. The fact still remains that you were assaulted.”

  His fingers curled around hers and he rested their entwined hands against his chest.

  She took a few deep breaths, then told him, “Reese can’t know about this.” Her beautiful blue eyes pleaded with him. “You need to know, because I’m still a little skittish and I don’t want you to think it has anything to do with you. And I don’t want to start something with you without being totally honest. You wouldn’t do that to me.”

  “No, I wouldn’t. But Reese is your best friend, darlin’, and she’d be damn hurt if she heard it elsewhere.”

  “She’s not going to hear it elsewhere.” She gave him a hard look. “This is just between you and me. And I already know you’d never say a word to anyone, not even Caleb, if I asked you not to. I might not know you as well as the others at this ranch, but one of the things I have picked up on is that you’re loyal and you’re genuine. You wouldn’t do anything to discredit me.”

  “Jesus, Sky.” He shook his head as dismay slithered through him. “You really believe Reese would think less of you if she knew about this?”

  Tears sprang to her eyes. “She’s like a sister to me, Sam. And she just thinks so highly of me… I couldn’t stand to see any sort of pity in her eyes. Or worse. Disgust.”

  He pulled her to him and was damn glad she let him hold her. Her arms wound around his neck and her body melded to his.

  “You heap a hell of a lot onto yourself, darlin’.”

  “It’s my bind,” she said, her warm breath on his neck. “I got myself into it.”

  “And how do you plan on getting yourself out? Especially if you won’t let anyone help you?”

  She squeezed him tight, then stepped away. “I’m guessing the best thing to do at this point is to give him the money. I mean, I have the cash. It’s not as though it’d create any sort of hardship for me. I didn’t hand it over initially because of the principle of the matter, but… If money gets him out of my life, then it’s worth it.”

  Sam considered this a viable option, but a dark thought occurred to him. Actually, two dark thoughts occurred to him.

  He said, “What if this guy takes the money and starts thinking of you as his own bank teller, because he wore you down the first time?”

  Dark thought number one.

  She crossed her arms over her chest again and rocked back on her boot heels. “Chances are good I’ll never get rid of him, aren’t they?”

  “Well, darlin’, if he believes you’re an open checkbook…”

  “Goddammit.”

  Sam groaned. Now for dark thought number two. “The other concern is that it’s not just your money he wants. He broke into your trailer when you were there. What’d he expect to find? That you keep your money stashed under your mattress and you’d just happen to have the sixty grand waiting for him when he popped by uninvited?”

  She gaped.

  Sam felt chilled to the bone. “He didn’t come for the money that night, darlin’.”

  She swallowed hard. Her eyes squeezed shut for a moment, then she stared up at him and said, “If I didn’t have my gun, I wouldn’t have had any way to defend myself, unless I could’ve gotten to a frying pan or a knife. I keep the gun in an end table drawer in the living room, not far from the front door. I never would have made it all the way into the kitchen if he really wanted to—”

  Another tremor ran through her.

  Sam closed the gap between them. He caressed her cheek, brushing away tears. “You’re in over your head, darlin’. Let me help you.”

  “I don’t want to be trouble for you. I have to handle this myself, Sam.”

  He let out a low grunt. “I know when to take no for an answer. This is not one of those times.”

  She smiled softly, despite the tension lingering between them. “You can’t save everybody, cowboy.”

  “We’ll see about that.” His head dipped and he kissed her. A sexy tangling of lips that turned hot and passionate when she opened her mouth and his tongue delved inside. His fingers threaded through the silky strands at her temple as his thumb glided over her cheekbone. His other hand rested on her waist.

  He deepened the kiss, eliciting a moan of pleasure from her. His cock swelled and the adrenaline pumped through him again.

  Her hand clutched the material of his shirt at his back. The other splayed over his pecs. She returned his kiss with equaled fervor.

  Christ, she made him hot and hard. Her tight, curvy body, intoxicating scent and addictive kisses had him believing there was a hell of a lot more to the way he felt about her than the “crush” Reese had suggested.

  When they finally came up for air, they were both breathing heavy. Yet he kept tangling his lips with hers, stealing soft kis
ses.

  “You do me in, darlin’,” he whispered against her mouth.

  “No one’s ever kissed me the way you do. So much fire and reckless abandon.”

  “Like I can’t get enough of you?”

  She grinned. “It’s really very sexy.”

  He chuckled. But then he looked her deep in the eyes and said, “I do know when to stop.”

  “Sam.” She sighed. Her fingers whisked over his clenched jaw. “I already know you’re different. And after getting such a healthy dose of reality in Nashville, I wouldn’t get involved with you—or anyone else—if I thought I’d have to fight you off at some point. You’re not that type.”

  “You thought the same of the ex, though, right?”

  “I was naïve with him, admittedly. Lesson learned. I can read the signs much clearer. Besides, the true testament of a man’s moral fiber is what his family, friends and dog think of him. Or in your case, those horses you take such good care of. And Reese is nuts about you. She’s a good judge of character. I trust her.”

  “She did make the right choice with Caleb.”

  “I like him a lot.”

  “Not too much, I hope.”

  She laughed. “Nothing to worry about there, cowboy. You have no competition.”

  Just a healthy amount of obstacles, he thought.

  Concerned over her situation with the ex, he said, “Maybe you ought to stay at the inn. Reese brought it up last week, and Caleb and I both thought it sounded like a good idea—even before I knew the extent of your troubles.”

  “I appreciate the offer. But I can’t let this take over my life. And I really do love my trailer.”

  “You don’t worry about him coming back?”

  “Think he’s got it through his head I’m going to shoot first and ask questions later.”

  She unraveled herself from Sam and walked over to the opened door on the driver’s side of her SUV.

  He asked, “You a good aim, darlin’?”

  She turned back to him. “My daddy taught me.”

  Sam swallowed hard, then said, “Shoot him in the leg, not the heart. You’ll regret it later if you don’t.”