Comeback Cowboy

by Sara Richardson

  The doorbell rang and cut off all of her thoughts about organization. Which was fine with her because she wasn’t in the mood to focus on business anyway. Shoving the mess of papers aside, she stood and hurried through the living room.

  On her way to the door, she caught sight of Lucas standing on the porch. That one quick flash of him sent hope and happiness brimming over. After he’d kissed her on Jessa’s porch last night she’d figured she’d see him earlier today, but he hadn’t been around. In an effort to run into him, she may have gone up to Lance and Jessa’s house to borrow a cup of sugar, then four tablespoons of butter, then a half cup of milk. Jessa finally told her he was out on fire mitigation duty.

  Now he was at her house…

  She paused to quickly glance at herself in the mirror. Since she’d been stalking him all day, she’d dressed a little nicer—in shorts and a green cashmere camisole that matched her eyes. Just in case.

  Smoothing down her hair, she lightly pinched her cheeks to plump them up. That would have to do. She didn’t have time to run into her bedroom and find her lucky lipstick.

  Bogart pawed at the door as though growing impatient. “All right, all right.” She gently nudged the dog aside and opened the door.

  “Hi.” The word floated away from her as a rush of blood charged through her heart.

  “Hey.” Lucas always seemed to take his time looking at her. All of her. And judging from the raw hunger glistening in his eyes, he liked what he saw. “I thought maybe you could use some company tonight.”

  She could use more than company but she didn’t want to sound desperate. “That’d be great,” she said, stepping aside so he could come in.

  He stayed put. “Actually, I thought we could go out.”

  “Out?” She tried not to look disappointed, but she’d envisioned picking up where they’d left off on the couch the other night…

  “I don’t feel much like going to a restaurant or anything.” And there wasn’t much else to do in Topaz Falls. Minus the concert in the park.

  “What I have in mind has nothing to do with food.” God, that smile of his. It made every word that came out of his mouth seem dirty. Which was enough to pique her interest.

  “What did you have in mind?” she asked, fingering the edge of her hair, hoping it hadn’t started to frizz from the heat rising off her body.

  “You’ll see.” He reached for her hand as if he were her own personal Aladdin, preparing to take her on a magic carpet ride. Except he wore a cowboy hat and sexy tight jeans. Okay, he was nothing like Aladdin. Though when she put her hand in his, she swore her insides sparkled.

  Good lord, she watched too many Disney movies.

  “Where are we going?” she asked as she shut the door behind her and they moved easily down the steps together.

  “You’ll see.” He wore a mysterious grin while he helped her climb into his truck, brushing his hand against her ass—on purpose, she was pretty sure.

  When he slid into the driver’s seat and started the engine, she laid a hand on his arm. “I have to be back by eight fifteen. No, eight,” she corrected. Just in case Gracie wanted to come home a little early. She had her cell phone securely in her back pocket, but she wanted to be home, too. Just in case.

  “I know.” Lucas patted her hand, then moved his to the steering wheel, guiding the truck down the winding drive.

  The evening was hot but soft, too, the sun dimmed by the puffy cumulous clouds billowing overhead. They did that every night—built large white cottony mountains in the sky—but they never seemed to bring the rain the region so desperately needed.

  “So Jessa said you were out all day. Cutting down trees and stuff.” She noticed a deep gash in his forearm.

  “Yeah. The situation’s bad up there.” He turned the truck out onto the highway. “We’re making progress, though. It’s hard work.”

  “It’s so great of you to help.” Considering he wasn’t necessarily a full-time resident. “I’m sure everyone appreciates it.”

  “Not everyone, but most people.” He glanced over at her. “Talked to Dev out there for a while. Told him I’m thinking of staying.”

  “What did he say?” She was almost afraid to ask. Ever since he’d told her he was going to try to stay, she’d guarded herself from holding onto him too tightly. He hadn’t said he would stay for sure. He said he’d try.

  “He thought it was great.” His gaze found hers again before darting back to the highway. “What do you think?”

  That had to be obvious. She was pretty sure her smile could’ve bridged the Pacific. It was much harder to guard herself when he sat right next to her. “I think it’s great, too,” she said, inching closer to him. If the damn console hadn’t been in the way, she’d sit right next to him, like she used to, in his old truck. “Have you told Bill McGowen yet?”

  Lucas’s easy smile fell away. “We’ve talked.” He turned the truck off onto a dirt road.

  Naomi looked around. She hadn’t even realized where they were going, but now she saw…“This is where I almost hit you.” Right back there on the highway…

  “Yeah. Won’t be able to forget that anytime soon.” He grinned and snuck a hand onto her thigh.

  The sensation rolled all the way up her body, bringing a slow, burning throb. Any chance he was driving her to some secluded backwoods make-out spot? God, she hoped so. “Um…are we there yet?” she asked, ready to slide over into his lap.

  “Just about.” He drove up a rough switchback, then parked the truck next to the river.

  She glanced around. It was a little open for making out, but hey, she wasn’t picky. “So what are we doing?”

  Cutting the engine, Lucas turned to her. “I’m taking you fly fishing,” he said as though that was as fun as staying in the truck to make out.

  “Fly fishing,” she repeated. “Hmm. Well. Um…” How could she put this delicately? “That wasn’t exactly what I had in mind.” She added an insinuating bounce of her eyebrows so he wouldn’t miss her meaning.

  “Trust me. You’ll love this,” he murmured, leaning in to give her a long, heated kiss. So unfair! The man was such a tease.

  “I liked that,” she sighed. As far as she was concerned, they could stay in the truck for the next hour doing that exact same thing over and over and over…

  “I liked it, too.” His lips were still so close. “But once that starts, I’m not gonna want to stop this time.”

  “That’s okay,” she whispered. That was really okay.

  “Except we only have…” He glanced at his watch. “Forty-five minutes.”

  “Plenty of time.” Heck, he’d already started some serious foreplay…

  He traced his finger down her cheek. “Not nearly enough time for what I want to do to you.” His gaze dropped to the low-cut neckline of her camisole. “We have years to make up for, Naomi. That’s going to take hours.” He made that word sound so fun…

  “And it’s not gonna happen in my pickup,” he added. “We’re not in high school anymore, baby.”

  And yet he made her feel like that girl again. The same one who’d chased adventure, who’d feared nothing, who’d sneak off with him whenever she had the opportunity.

  “We only did it in your truck once,” she reminded him. “And it wasn’t half bad.” They’d pulled over on an old jeep road halfway up Topaz Mountain and started kissing. Even back then, he’d made her lose control faster than she knew was possible. In all of three minutes, she’d stripped her pants down, undid his zipper, and climbed right into his lap. By then he’d learned to carry condoms in his wallet.

  The memory combined with his low laugh made her quake with the desire to do that again. Lose control. Let everything go except the sensation of his skin against hers…

  “Come on.” Lucas broke away from her and got out of the truck.

  Pouting, she did the same. “I’m pretty sure I’m not going to like fly fishing as much as I liked having sex in your truck that day,” she informed
him.

  “Good.” He ruffled her hair. “I’d hope not.” He pulled a backpack out of the truck bed and strapped it on, then gathered her against his side before leading her toward the river. “When I finally get your clothes off, once won’t be enough. I won’t want to take you home in time to be there when Gracie returns.” They reached the river and he knelt to unpack the backpack—a fishing pole in three pieces, a tackle box and…two pairs of waders?

  “Besides that, I figure there’s a good chance she might call. Seeing as how this is her first time out with Mark and everything.”

  “You’re right.” She sighed. “I know you’re right.” And yet she also knew she couldn’t wait much longer. She’d already waited too long.

  Lucas screwed the pole together, then laid it carefully on the ground. “Trust me. Fly fishing is definitely the next best thing,” he teased. “I haven’t dated much since I got out of prison.”

  For the life of her, she couldn’t figure out why. He likely could’ve had any woman he aimed those charismatic hazel eyes at. Though she couldn’t say she was disappointed to hear he hadn’t been with many other women. She hadn’t been with many other men after Mark left, either. It seemed to level the playing field.

  “So in the absence of good sex, this is what I learned to do for therapy,” he said, focused on tying a fuzzy little fly to the end of the fishing line. “I come here to think. To find some peace.”

  She granted him a soft smile. “Then I’m glad you’re sharing it with me.” Since it meant something to him, she’d try to like it.

  Especially if it helped her know him again.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Good thing she had those waders on. Lucas eyed Naomi. Waders made it a lot harder to get into her pants. A nice solid barrier, that’s what he needed. Damn. He couldn’t remember the last time he hadn’t felt like fishing. But once Naomi had started talking about sex, he couldn’t stop thinking about it.

  “So these are real attractive,” she said, pulling on the suspender straps.

  They shouldn’t have been. There shouldn’t be anything sexy about brown rubber waders, but tonight they were quite the turn-on. “You could make a snowsuit look attractive,” he complained, snatching up the fishing pole, then plodding over to where she stood on the riverbank.

  She turned to face him, her hands seductively placed low on her hips. “You make it sound like you’re having a hard time keeping your hands off of me.”

  “Oh, my hands will be all over you,” he assured her. “I plan to make this lesson a hands-on learning experience.” Might not be as satisfying as a roll in the hay, but he’d still make sure to get plenty of touching in.

  Naomi’s fair skin turned a dangerous shade of red. She hadn’t outgrown the blushing. He hooked an arm around her waist and urged her closer to the water. “Normally you’d have on big clunky boots along with those hot waders,” he told her, shifting into teacher mode. “But this section of the river isn’t too rocky. And I couldn’t find any boots in your size.”

  “Okaaayyy…” She looked down at the neoprene booties connected to the waders.

  “Those’ll keep your feet nice and warm, and I’m gonna help you stay balanced in the current.”

  “Good luck with that,” she said with a telltale smirk.

  Yeah, he wasn’t feeling particularly balanced either. But still, someone had to be the stable one.

  Slipping behind her, he prodded her down the riverbank and helped her step into the water.

  “Oh, wow.” She shuffled her feet slowly, finding her footing, wading deeper. “The current’s so much faster than it looks.” Reaching back, she patted his body until her hand found his arm and held on.

  “Once you get used to it you won’t feel so off balance.” He secured his arm around her waist as they moved deeper into the water. When it was up to their hips, he stopped her.

  “Don’t let go,” she gasped, tightening her grip on his arm.

  “I won’t.” Now that he had her body against his, it’d take a crowbar to pry his hands off her. “But I have to move a little, so I can hand you the fishing pole.”

  Her breathing deepened, but she nodded.

  Shifting his weight, he secured the pole in her free hand, showing her how to hold it with four fingers wrapped around the handle, her thumb on top and reel facing down, while he kept his body behind hers to hold her steady.

  “The key to fly fishing is the motion.” He clasped his hand over hers and kept his chest against her back. “It’s all in the elbow. Not the wrist.”

  “Elbow. Okay. Got it.”

  He loved the solid confidence in her voice. She was so much braver and stronger than she realized. He would help her remember that. Maybe they’d help each other.

  He lowered his lips to her ear. “Now, the most basic cast is the back cast.” He started to pull out line to give them plenty to work with and waited until the current had dragged it out straight. Molding his arm over hers, he prompted her to accelerate the rod up and back in one smooth motion. “See how the line arcs when you pull back?” he asked low against her hair.

  “Um. Mmm-hmm,” she murmured, snuggling in closer to him.

  Yeah, his heart was pounding pretty hard, too, having her body against his this way. He held up her arm as she gripped the pole. “You don’t want to bring it back too far. Just past the point where it’s vertical.”

  Naomi snuck a peek back at him and he took the opportunity to lay a sensual kiss on her lips.

  “What technique is that?” she whispered.

  “It’s called hooking ’em,” he told her seriously.

  “Very effective.” She turned to face the river again.

  He inched closer to her so there was no space between their bodies. “When the line is straight behind you, bring the rod forward in a smooth, accelerating stroke.” He demonstrated the motion so she could get the feel for it.

  The line snapped over their heads and straightened, pitching the fly out to land on the water’s surface before the rest of the line settled.

  “Make sure the power in the cast comes from your bicep and shoulder,” he instructed, giving that area of her body a nice suggestive caress.

  She shot him a brassy look.

  “Told you it’d be a hands-on lesson,” he said with a grin. If he couldn’t sleep with her tonight, at least he could still be all over her.

  “I’m not complaining,” she muttered. “You’ll recall I didn’t even want to get out of the truck.”

  He secured his arms around her waist and rested his chin on her shoulder. “But aren’t you glad you did?”

  Her face relaxed into a smile. “Yes, actually. I am.”

  “So am I.” He kissed his way down her neck. Holy hell, she smelled so good. Like a tropical vacation—coconut and sunshine. The scent took him right to a secluded beach, making love while the waves crashed over them…

  “I’m about to drop the pole,” Naomi said in a panic.

  He almost let her, but he’d had that pole custom-made. So he forced his lips away from her neck and secured his hand against hers again. Best find something else to focus on instead of picturing her in a string bikini. “Let’s try casting again.” He pulled back his forearm. “Maybe we’ll actually catch something this time.”

  Naomi shuddered against him. “I hope not. I want nothing to do with a slimy fish.”

  “You’ll love it. Trust me.” He brought her arm back and jerked it forward, sending the line bowing into the sky before it struck the fly against the water’s surface.

  “It is kind of relaxing.” Naomi smiled at him over her shoulder. “The motion and the water and everything.” She looked up through those long eyelashes. “And having you this close.”

  “Relaxing?” Having her this close didn’t exactly make him feel relaxed. He felt ready to go. But they only had a few minutes until she’d wanted to leave to be back home. So instead of hauling her to the riverbank, they casted a few more times.

  �
�You’re sure the fish can see that tiny fly?” she asked skeptically.

  “Oh, I’m sure. But fly fishing also takes a lot of patience.”

  “Not my strong suit.”

  “After a while, you lose yourself in the motion. It’s almost like dancing, I guess.” Not that he had much experience.

  “Is that why you love it so much?”

  “I love it because I can be alone.” That didn’t sound good. “I mean, it was kind of an escape for me. A place where my past didn’t matter. No one judging me.”

  She let go of the rod, leaving it in his hand, and turned to him fully, reaching her arms up around his neck. “You know I don’t, right? I’d never hold your past against you.”

  “I know.” He let his concerns show on his face. “But that doesn’t mean it would always be easy for you. If I stayed here.” People might give her a hard time. He knew she could handle it, but what if things moved along with them and then people started giving Gracie a hard time?

  “I don’t care what people think.” She stood on her tiptoes to kiss him. “They’ll get over it.”

  “And if they don’t?” he asked, already winded from one small peck on the lips. Their bodies generated so much power together. It was getting harder to fight it.

  “It won’t matter.” Tears brightened her eyes. “I’d want to be with you anyway.”

  He’d waited eight agonizing months to hear her say those words. Eight months of watching her walk by without a glance, of holding his breath whenever he saw her so it wouldn’t hurt that bad. Eight months of believing she’d really given up on him.

  But she hadn’t. And her forgiveness was the best gift he’d ever been given.

  “Thank you.” He leaned down to kiss her again, unable to fend off desire any longer.

  Wrapping an arm around her waist, he hauled her to the riverbank.

  He didn’t want to fish anymore. He only wanted her.

  * * *

  They made it to the truck, leaving a trail behind—Lucas’s boots, both pairs of waders. Naomi had no idea how they’d gotten them off. She was too busy clutching him and letting her hands wander all over him while they kissed to focus on the details. It was so freeing to tell him how badly she wanted him, to let herself fall without worrying that he would leave again. Every last barrier between them had been torn down, and she couldn’t get enough of him.