“I think your old man would let you off the hook just this once.” Malcolm grinned as if he’d read her mind.
“Okay. Thanks, I really appreciate it.”
“No problem. Just good to see you back at the ranch. You plan on sticking around?”
She bit her bottom lip. It was a question she’d been asking herself. The thought of leaving now burned a hole in her gut. Partly because of Sam but partly because she missed her home and she knew her dad wouldn’t want her to give up her heritage. She was tired of the daily traffic and she hated not getting to ride her horse among other things. Ironically, the only reason she’d been avoiding the place for the past year was because of Sam. Now she didn’t want to walk away from him.
Sighing, she shrugged. The man was waiting for an answer she didn’t have. “I have no idea, Malcolm.”
“It’d seem a shame not to have a Campbell living on Campbell Ranch,” the old hand muttered before taking the reins from her hands.
Damn, had he learned that guilt thing from her dad or what? She took off her riding gloves as she walked back to the house. Sure enough, she could see the oversized sedan peeking around the corner of the house.
Instead of going through the front—where Sam and the lawyer were sure to be sitting in the living room—she went through the kitchen door. Before she met with them, she wanted to take off her dirty boots and dust off her jeans.
She was thankful that the screen door and kitchen door didn’t creak as she opened them. After slipping off her boots, she took off her coat and draped it on the table.
Male voices drifted in from the next room but she stopped cold in her tracks when she heard Sam’s next words.
“Why did he give me the land?”
“Jacob wanted you to have…” The rest of the man’s answer was impossible to understand so she stepped closer to the entryway and kept her back pressed up against the wall, straining to hear.
“Does Adrianna know?” Sam asked.
“That would be between her and her father. Truthfully, I don’t know if he told her.”
“Let’s just keep this between us for right now.”
“But—”
“Tell her after the funeral. She’s got enough to worry about. I don’t know that she’ll even care but I don’t want to add to her troubles.”
“She’s expecting to talk to me today,” the other man argued.
“I’ll tell her you got called away.” Sam’s voice left no room for argument.
Adrianna’s throat clenched. Had she heard right? Had her father left the land to Sam? Tears burned her eyes. She knew he’d thought of Sam as a son but to leave him the family land instead of her?
“Fine, for now but I’ll be back here on Monday.”
She heard shuffling so she took the chance to peer around the entry. Sam was leading the white-haired man to the front door so she snagged her coat, gloves, and boots, tiptoed toward the stairs, and hurried up to her room. After locking her door and the connecting bathroom door, she stripped out of her jeans and sweater and got under the covers.
Hiding from the world might be childish but she didn’t give a damn. Her heart hurt and now was as good a time to feel sorry for herself as ever. How could her father have left the ranch to Sam? Her chest tightened as she tried to hold back her tears. It had been in her family for generations.
Pulling the covers up higher, she burrowed deeper, wishing she could somehow block out the world.
A sharp knock jerked her back to the present. “Adrianna? Are you in there?”
The door rattled and she was thankful she’d locked it. “I’m just getting some rest,” she called out.
“Is everything okay?” His deep voice carried through the heavy door as if he was standing right next to her.
“I’m fine.” When he didn’t respond, she fell back against the pillows in relief. If there was ever an excuse to sleep in the middle of the day, now was it. Her father was gone. Really and truly gone. And tomorrow she’d have to go to a funeral, talk to a bunch of well-meaning people and pretend she’d be okay. At least with Sam she’d been able to forget everything for a while. She curled up on her side and let a few tears fall.
Just as she was drifting to sleep, the rattling of her door startled her. Seconds later, the connecting bathroom door swung open.
She jerked up in bed to find Sam standing there. She kept the covers pulled up high since she was only wearing panties. Right now, she didn’t have the energy to deal with him. “What the hell are you doing?” Her words came out harsher than she’d intended.
“You’ve been crying.” He took a tentative step inside the room.
“My dad just died,” she snapped. His head jerked back as if she’d slapped him and instantly she wished she could take the words back. “That came out wrong, Sam.”
He shoved his hands in his pockets. “I wanted to make sure you were okay.”
She raked a hand through her hair. “I told you I was fine.”
“Why’d you lock the door?” For some reason his words sounded almost accusing.
“I wanted some privacy.”
He wiped a palm on his jeans and suddenly he didn’t look like the confident cowboy she adored. “I just…just wanted to make sure you didn’t need anything.”
Her annoyance dissipated as she witnessed this new side to Sam. It wasn’t his fault her father had left the land to him. “I’m not going to off myself if that’s what you’re worried about.”
His features darkened and her stomach clenched with guilt. “Bad joke. Sorry. I’m okay, I promise. Thanks to you I didn’t get a lot of rest last night.” At her last statement, she tried smiling in attempt to make light of the situation.
His jaw clenched but he nodded and backed out of the room.
Closing him out was the last thing she wanted to do but what was she supposed to say to him? It’s cool that my dad chose you over me?
Her eyelids felt as if sandbags weighed on them as she lay down again. A moment later, she heard the door open but didn’t bother getting up. “Sam, I told you I’m fine,” she mumbled.
“I know what you said.” His deep voice enveloped her as the bed dipped under his weight.
She tensed and turned toward him. “I don’t want to—”
“Shh.” He placed a finger on her mouth and that’s when she realized the only thing he’d taken off was his boots.
Wordlessly, she turned back around and let him pull her against his stomach. For some reason Sam had never struck her as a cuddling kind of guy but right now, this is exactly what she wanted. She hadn’t even realized it but he obviously knew she needed to be held. Even through his jeans it was impossible to ignore his erection but he kept one arm wrapped around her bare waist and didn’t make a move that he planned to try anything else.
There’d be time enough later to worry about the future. Sighing, she nestled closer to Sam and let sleep overtake her.
Chapter Five
Sam shut and locked the front door, then sagged against it. Almost the entire population of Cedar Grove had come for Jacob Campbell’s funeral. Adrianna had been holding up well. Or at least he guessed she was.
Since he’d held her in bed yesterday morning, she’d kept her distance. Hell, she’d even slept in her own bed last night. It had been obvious she hadn’t wanted him to touch her so he hadn’t pushed. All morning she’d been helping the ladies of the town prepare and set up food for the mourners. People had stayed hours longer than he’d imagined, well past sunset and into the evening. While it touched him that so many people wanted to pay their respects, he hadn’t had more than thirty seconds alone with Adrianna all day.
Now it was just the two of them in the house again. He couldn’t understand why she was pushing him away. At first he’d assumed that it was grief but now he knew it was something else. He just couldn’t put his finger on why she was acting this way.
His boots thumped across the wooden floor as he strode toward the kitchen. He paused in t
he doorway but she heard him. She looked over her shoulder as she slid a plastic container into the stainless steel refrigerator. “I think that’s the last of the food. Do you think any of the hands would want to take all these desserts?”
In response, he nodded.
She quickly broke eye contact and shut the door. “Good. Well, I guess I’m going to hit the sack.” Without looking at him, she tried to brush past him but he caught her by the arm, forcing her to meet his gaze.
“What’s going on, Adrianna?”
She swallowed and licked her lips. He didn’t think the action was meant to distract him but it certainly had that effect. His eyes trailed to her moistened mouth.
Despite the mournful situation, he’d been half hard all day just being in the same vicinity as her. Staring at her now, his cock lengthened fully. He wondered if he’d ever get to a point where he wasn’t turned on by this woman. Somehow he doubted it. “I’m waiting.”
She cleared her throat and glanced down at her feet. “Nothing.”
It suddenly hit him that he might be the problem. Maybe she’d changed her mind about him. “Decide you didn’t want a fling with me after all?” He couldn’t have kept the bitterness out of his voice if he tried.
Instantly her head jerked up. “No!” Her small outburst eased his mind a fraction. Before he could respond, she continued. “Damn it, Sam, I have a lot on my mind. I’m trying to keep it together here.” Her voice cracked on the last word and a vise cinched around his heart.
He was an asshole. She’d lost the only family she had left and he was dumb enough to think her distance had anything to do with him. He let go of her arm and cupped her chin.
When she didn’t resist, he bent down until their lips were barely touching. He didn’t know shit about comforting a woman but if he could give her some relief, he’d do it the only way he knew how.
His balls pulled up tight when she swayed into him, her lips hungrily tangling against his. How the hell had he gone an entire night without touching her?
Anticipation hummed through him as she fumbled with his jeans but he encircled her wrists and held them tight.
She pulled her head back and frowned. “What—”
He cut her off when he hoisted her up onto the kitchen island and slid a hand up her thigh. Adrianna had worn a button-down black dress since they’d been inside most of the day and now he was thankful for the easy access.
Crouching down, he nudged her legs apart. Wordlessly, she shifted and helped him shove the thick material higher until it was around her waist.
“Lie back,” he ordered.
The island was more than wide enough to accommodate her. She did as he instructed. When she lay back, he positioned her feet onto the counter, giving him a perfect view of her sweet pussy.
Only a tiny scrap of black thong barred his view. He didn’t understand why she even bothered with it in the first place.
He sucked in a deep breath, savoring her scent. Beginning near her knee, he kissed a trail up her inner thigh. When he’d almost reached the juncture between her legs, he raked his teeth over one of her sensitive spots.
Her legs squeezed around his head so he gently pushed them back open.
“Unbutton the top of your dress.” His words came out raspy. Though he couldn’t see her, he could hear her moving.
When he was satisfied she was doing as he said, he pushed the material aside with his teeth and sucked on her engorged nub.
A moan escaped and her body bucked so he continued swirling his tongue around the sensitized bundle of nerves. He only stopped for a brief moment. “Take your bra off and touch yourself,” he ordered.
—
Adrianna had never experienced something so erotic. She didn’t know if it was because she couldn’t see but only feel what he was doing to her but the sensation made her head light.
She’d worn a long shirt style dress and from her flat position, her dress covered Sam’s head.
Doing as he ordered, she pushed her bra down and palmed her breasts in small circles until the hardened tips ached with need.
Sam’s movements between her legs were painfully slow. He swirled around her clit, pushing her toward the brink of release but he wasn’t moving fast enough. And she guaranteed he knew it.
He wanted to tease her. It was just his nature. It was also one of the reasons she’d completely fallen for him. No other man had ever taken such good care of her needs. With Sam, he made sure she was satisfied before he thought of himself. That thought alone was enough to make her come.
He paused. “Are you touching yourself?”
“Mm-hmm,” she murmured.
Without responding, he parted her pussy farther with his tongue. She was soaking wet. The more he worked his magic, the hotter she got. Arching her back and hips she resisted clenching her legs as he stroked and lapped her clit with barely restrained gentleness.
Most men had no clue what they were doing down there. They always pushed too hard but not Sam. The man already understood the nuances of her body.
As she captured both hardened nipples with her fingers and pinched, he sucked hard on her clit, drawing an unexpected orgasm from her.
He spread her legs wider as the surprising climax rippled through her. She heard his zipper and the sound of a condom wrapper opening but didn’t open her eyes, mainly because she didn’t have the energy.
After the day she’d had, that had been the exact release her body had been craving. Something Sam had no doubt known.
When he thrust into her, her eyes flew open to find him staring down at her. Pushing up from the counter, she clutched onto his shoulders as he buried himself inside her.
He didn’t make a move to kiss her and something told her this time between them was different. With his hands he cupped and massaged her already sensitive breasts but he didn’t tear his gaze away from hers.
There was something so personal, so erotic about staring into his eyes as he moved in and out of her.
“You’re so beautiful,” he murmured.
Or at least she thought that’s what he said. Blood rushed in her ears as he increased his tempo. Her breasts bounced in his hands with each penetration.
Shifting her hips, she wrapped her legs higher around his waist, locking her ankles in place and letting his cock hit her from a different angle.
When his neck muscles corded and his ripped abs clenched, she knew he was about to climax. She tightened her inner muscles around him, milking him until he moaned her name.
He moved harder, faster, still never taking his eyes from hers until her own vision clouded over and another, smaller climax rocked her body. Sam tensed as he came with her and she arched her back one last time before she turned to mush. Holding onto his shoulders was the only thing that kept her steady.
When they were both sated, he pulled her even closer, wrapping his arms around her waist and laying his head on her shoulder.
“God, I love you.” His words were said quietly but she knew what she’d heard.
People said all sorts of things during sex so she threaded her hands through his dark hair and nipped his ear with her teeth instead of responding.
She knew she loved him but she wasn’t going to say it in the heat of the moment. She’d already lost enough people in her life. If she said it back and it wasn’t what he meant, she’d die of embarrassment.
Once she caught her breath, she leaned back and wiped a bead of sweat from the side of his face. He still wore boots and his jeans were around his ankles. She was no better. Her dress twisted around her midsection, covering her bellybutton ring, but her breasts and lower body were bared.
When she realized the state of their undress, she chuckled. “You want to head upstairs?”
Wordlessly, he pulled out of her. Instantly her body mourned the loss but she slid off the counter and tried to adjust her dress. Finally she gave up and started unbuttoning it. It’d be coming off eventually anyway. As she headed for the hallway, she realized
he still hadn’t moved. She turned by the entryway and frowned at him. “You coming?”
“Yeah, I’ll be up in a sec.” His face was an unreadable mask.
“Okay.” She didn’t bother heading for her room because she knew she wouldn’t stay there. If she tried, Sam would just get in bed with her. After stripping, she slid under the covers of his bed and tried to keep her eyes open.
Thankfully he entered the room seconds later.
“Everything okay?” she asked, watching him strip off his clothes.
“I need to talk to you about something.”
Great. Here it comes. She guessed he’d decided not to wait for the attorney to tell her after all. Internally bracing herself, she sat up. “I know what you’re going to say.”
He’d paused with one boot in his hand and glanced up at her. “You do?”
“Yeah, I heard you talking to the lawyer yesterday.”
For a second confusion marred his face, then that mask slid back into place. He was silent as he took off the rest of his clothes. When he slid into bed, he laid on his side so that he was facing her. “How do you feel about your dad’s decision?”
Sam said it so calmly, as if it wasn’t a big deal. “I don’t have much of a choice do I?” Her voice cracked on the last word.
His expression changed to something she’d never witnessed from him before. He looked almost…hurt? “Do those few acres really mean that much to you?”
She started to respond when his words registered. “Acres?”
“The five acres near the stream. I thought you said you heard us talking.” He shifted against the sheets, his movement making a slight rustling sound.
“He didn’t leave you Campbell Ranch?” The words blurted out before she could think about censoring herself.
“What? You thought…” His words caught on a laugh as realization played across his features. He fell back against the pillows and howled.
Adrianna sat up and crossed her arms over her chest, waiting for him to finish. “It’s not that funny,” she muttered.
Adrianna’s Cowboy Page 4