A Knight In Cowboy Boots

by Quint, Suzie

  Maddie’s face grew warm.

  “He’s got a belt buckle or two for bulldogging and calf roping,” Jake continued, obviously enjoying her discomfort. “And hard as it is to believe, Rach brought home a couple of trophies for barrel racing.”

  “Yeah, that’s the thing I’m most proud of,” Rachel said dryly.

  The waitress arrived to refill their coffee, cutting the conversation short. Maddie pried her pendant from Jesse’s hand, replacing it with a piece of toast she knew he would gum into a soggy mass.

  “How old is your son?” Rachel asked.

  Maddie had known questions about Jesse would come sooner or later; she just wished she’d been able to eat first. She straightened Jesse’s bonnet as she answered. “Jesse’s six months old now.”

  “Six months?” Jake said. “He’s gonna be a linebacker.”

  “Are you having any trouble getting sitters when you work nights?” Rachel asked.

  “No. I’ve got some pretty responsible college students next door.” Maddie glanced at Zach, who had gone quiet when the conversation had turned to Jesse. He appeared to be absorbed in cutting his chicken fried steak into bite-sized pieces before he started eating, the way parents usually did for their kids, but she could feel tension rolling off him. What was he afraid would happen? “One of them is usually available at night,” Maddie said. “Day’s are actually harder because of their classes.”

  Maddie took advantage of the slight pause before Rachel’s next question to sop some yolk onto a piece of toast. She’d just taken a bite when Rachel said, “Must be hard raising a boy all by yourself. Where’s his daddy?”

  Zach’s knife slipped from his fingers, clanging loudly onto his plate, as the toast turned to sawdust in Maddie’s mouth. She kept her eyes on the plate in front of her, forcing herself to chew until she could swallow, then took a sip of water to wash it down.

  The entire time, she fought to keep her temper in check. When she lifted her eyes to see Rachel, cool as a spring breeze, Maddie knew the battle was lost. Damn the job, damn the hotel, and damn Galveston if Rachel thought she was going to tolerate personal questions from someone she only worked with.

  In a carefully modulated tone, Maddie said, “With any luck, he’s burning in hell.”

  Too mad to get any pleasure from the shocked look on Rachel’s face and not caring if she made a scene, Maddie stood, her chair screeching back across the floor behind her. She hoisted Jesse against her shoulder and reached for his diaper bag.

  Zach beat her to it. She was ready to fight him for it until she saw the look on his face. With the hard line of his mouth and the crease in his brow, he looked almost as angry as she was.

  “You’ve stepped over the line, Rach.” He slung the strap over his shoulder as he reached for his wallet. “Buying breakfast don’t give you the right to pry into people’s personal lives.” With a hard flick of his wrist, he tossed a twenty on to the table.

  Maddie barely had time to register the surprised looks on Rachel’s and Jake’s faces before Zach pressed his hand against the small of her back, urging her toward the door.

  “C’mon, Maddie. The food here tastes off today.”

  He backed out of the parking space too fast, then stomped on the brake, and just sat for a few seconds, obviously struggling to get enough control of his anger to drive.

  “You knew she was going to ask that, didn’t you?” Maddie accused when he put the car into gear.

  “No. Not that. I figured it would be something though. Rachel, she … we … our whole damned family is like that. You heard us. Talking about Daisy and Sol and Ezra. We’re like a bunch of old gossips. There ain’t no privacy. You can’t keep no secrets coz we all think we got the right to butt into each other’s business.”

  Maddie was silent for a minute. “But that’s what family does, isn’t it? It’s how they show they care.” She wished she’d been able to force her choices on Laurel, especially where Derek was concerned.

  “Maybe. In some families. In mine, it goes too far.”

  And yet, Maddie didn’t think he’d ever rebelled against Rachel’s manipulations until today. Why had he gotten so angry for her sake when he’d obviously never stood up to his sister on his own behalf?

  “You never asked.”

  “I never asked what?”

  “About Jesse’s father.”

  Zach combed the fingers of one hand through his hair as his foot lifted fractionally off the gas pedal. “I didn’t figure it was my business.” He glanced at her for the first time since he’d put her in the passenger seat. “And I figured if you wanted to tell me, you would.”

  Maddie focused on the rearview mirror outside her door, so she wouldn’t be tempted to look at Zach. “He’s not a nice man.”

  “I kinda gathered that.”

  She glanced at him. The corner of his mouth was curled up in amusement.

  “I guess I didn’t leave much room for you to wonder what I think of him.”

  “‘With any luck, he’s burning in hell’? No, I think you were pretty clear.”

  Maddie covered her eyes with her hand. “Oh, crap. I’m going to have to apologize to your sister.”

  “Don’t you dare!”

  Maddie dropped her hand to stare at Zach. His glare was intense enough to push her back against the door.

  “She’s the one who owes you an apology. And you’re going to get one. Don’t you dare apologize to her.” He took a deep breath. “And don’t you go worrying that your job’s at risk. Rachel’s about to find out her little brother has his limits.”

  “Where are you going?” Maddie asked, suddenly realizing they weren’t headed for the hotel.

  “Your place. Don’t worry. I’m not making a move on you. I’ll take a bus back to the hotel.”

  She didn’t have room for him in her life, Maddie reminded herself, but she was aware that her reasons weren’t as convincing as they’d seemed just a couple of days ago.

  When they parked in front of her building, Zach insisted on carrying Jesse’s diaper bag inside. “You can just set that on the bed,” Maddie told him as she took the bonnet off Jesse. He was sucking his thumb, a sure sign he was ready for a nap.

  Maddie ignored Zach as she changed Jesse’s diaper and put him in his jammies. She kept hoping Zach would leave before she was done, but he just stood by the bed, watching her until she laid Jesse down. She kept the crib at her back as she turned to face him.

  “I want to apologize,” Zach said, “for getting you sucked into this whole thing. My family’s kinda overwhelming sometimes.”

  “It’s not your fault. I could have looked elsewhere for a job.”

  In spite of his obvious reluctance to let it go at that, he turned and walked away. Just short of the door, he paused and looked back. “Jesse’s daddy … he really in hell?”

  “I’m afraid that’s just wishful thinking.”

  “He’s looking for you, ain’t he? And for his son.”

  Maddie swallowed. Zach already had the important points figured out. He wasn’t going to believe anything else anyway, so what was the point of denying it? She looked at him, waiting so patiently. At last, she nodded her head.

  Zach’s mouth tightened into a grim line. “You got more bullets for that there gun?”

  Maddie tensed. “Zach, I’m not your responsibility. You don’t have to look out for me.”

  Zach looked down, scuffing the toe of his cowboy boot on the floor. “I know.”

  “Then why? Why do you keep trying to?”

  When he kept his eyes lowered, she wasn’t sure he was going to answer her. Finally, he said, “’Coz nobody oughta be as alone you are.”

  He looked up at her as his words speared her heart. She fought to keep her face passive, but the look of concern that appeared on Zach’s face told her she wasn’t succeeding.

  He took a step toward her. “Maddie—”

  “No!” She turned her back on him, still trying to hide how much it hurt.
She’d been denying her fear and loneliness since she’d left Wyoming. Hearing it said out loud, knowing it was so plain to everyone around her forced her to face it. She covered her mouth but couldn’t stifle the sob his words wrung from her.

  When Zach’s arms wrapped around her, she didn’t have the strength to push him away. He turned her gently toward him, and she buried her face against his chest, futilely trying to keep him from seeing her distress.

  “Shh. Hush, sweet Maddie. It’s okay.”

  She stood, crying into his shirt until he inched them close enough to sit on the edge of the bed, where he held her, rocking her and making soothing noises into her hair.

  When she finally wound down, Maddie still clung to him, not wanting to lift her head, not wanting to see pity in his eyes. Zach didn’t push her. He kissed her hair softly and ran his hand up and down her arm.

  Maddie focused on the crisp, curly chest hairs peeking out of his open collar. There, in his arms, she felt safe and not nearly so alone. She didn’t want to let go.

  She knew it was stupid; she knew she’d regret it later. Maddie let a hand drop to his thigh as she kissed the hollow of his throat. The muscles under her hand tensed.

  Zach choked out her name. “Maddie—”

  She kissed the side of his neck, working her way up to his ear. Her hand slid up his thigh. He stiffened under her touch, and she was astonished anew at the size of him.

  “Maddie—”

  She could hear the warning in his voice, but he couldn’t seem to get past her name. Stroking him through the denim, she felt a heady rush of power. Maddie opened his belt and popped the button of his jeans. His entire body jerked when she slid her hand inside and touched him.

  The arms that held her stiffened as though he wanted to crush her to him but knew that would put an end to the pleasant things she was doing. He gasped when her fingers traced the soft ridge of the head of his penis. “Maddie—” The warning came through gritted teeth.

  She withdrew her hand just long enough to finish unzipping his fly. His erection sprung free.

  “How did you ever get that all the way in me?”

  “Keep this up and I’ll show you.” His teeth were still gritted.

  “Promises, promises,” she murmured as she stroked his shaft.

  Zach’s hard swallow was the only warning she had. He twisted suddenly and she was on her back, his weight pressing her down into the bed, her hand still trapped between them. He kissed her hard. She kissed him back, sparring aggressively when his tongue invaded her mouth.

  He undid the first button on her bodice as Maddie found the space between their bodies to stroke him. His fingers grew uncoordinated and the second button refused to give way. Zach growled low in his throat and jerked on the fabric. The button parted company with the dress, much to Maddie’s delight. He’d always been so in control, dictating how fast they moved. She relished his eagerness. She was more than willing to sacrifice the dress if it he chose to rip it to pieces just to get to her.

  Zach lifted her breast from the cup of her bra to palm it. Her nipple grew taut against his hand. He broke away from her lips to breathe a sigh into her hair. She lost her grip on his erection when he scooted down to take her nipple in his mouth.

  Maddie couldn’t stop herself from whimpering when electricity sizzled from her breast to the juncture between her legs. His mouth moved against her breast, and she knew he was smiling. He suckled on her nipple, warming it with his mouth. When he drew in a breath, sucking cool air over her sensitive skin, another jolt of electricity jumped to her clitoris. She was barely aware he was rucking her skirt up. Only when he touched the tender skin of her upper thigh did she realize she had to stop him. If he touched her there, she’d be nothing more than a mass of quivering need and that would be the end of her driving him to lose control.

  Only the element of surprise allowed her to push him off to reverse their positions.

  “Not this time, cowboy,” she told him as she grasped his shirt and jerked, just as he had. Buttons flew. The startled look on his face didn’t last long. She closed her mouth on his nipple and suckled as he’d done to her. A long, low moan came from his throat.

  “Don’t move,” she said. Zach lifted his head as she stood, his face full of desire. She undid the last of the buttons on her dress and let it fall in a puddle around her feet. Maddie unfastened the bra, but kept it in place with closely held arms, letting the straps fall from her shoulders.

  Though he’d just had his hands and mouth on her, he gazed at her with the hunger of a teenage boy who’d never seen breasts outside of a National Geographic. Gratified, she dropped the bra and let him look, but not for long. His eyes followed her hand to the top of her panties. She ran a finger coyly just under the elastic. Zach sat up abruptly and, before she could step back, slid his fingers inside of crotch of her panties. She gasped as one entered her.

  “C’mere,” he said, tugging her gently forward, a lustful gleam in his eyes and a mischievous smile on his lips.

  “Not fair,” Maddie whispered.

  “Neither is the way I want you right now.”

  “Do you?”

  He made a disbelieving noise. “You know I do.”

  Maddie took stock. His open shirt, his erection projecting from his open jeans. “You are in a rather disreputable state of undress.”

  “Now whose fault do you suppose that is?”

  But Maddie barely heard the question since he punctuated it by moving his finger inside her.

  She was losing control again. The things he did to her were sweet enough she almost surrendered, but when he moved his hand for whatever he planned next, she shoved him back and dropped to her knees. Her hand was on his shaft before he could protest. She licked him like an ice cream cone, and all the fight went out of him.

  She was back in control, and she intended to inflict sweet torture.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Zach didn’t know when it had become a contest between them. He wasn’t sure why he didn’t just let her win this one, because either way, neither of them was going to lose.

  When she took him in her mouth, he conceded the round, but he silently vowed to make her pay.

  Just as soon as she was done with what she was doing.

  By the time she started tonguing her way up his torso, Zach was grinding his teeth, fighting for control over himself. He watched her rise from the floor to climb onto the bed. She straddled him, her panties the only thing keeping him from pushing his way inside her. The thin material did nothing to camouflage the heat between her legs and even less how wet she was. She slid up and down his shaft, in a not-so-chaste imitation of sex.

  With what felt like the last coherent thought he was going to have for a while, he decided she’d had her fun. It was time for the gloves to come off and for the condom to go on.

  And then it felt like someone had thrown a bucket of cold water on him.

  He grabbed her hips, trying to force her to be still. “Stop. St—st—stop.”

  “Now what?” Maddie’s tone hinted at annoyance, but her eyes gleamed with amusement.

  Zach took several deep breaths. Finally, he swallowed once, hard. “What?”

  “You just keep slowing things down. Last time it was ‘I’ll finish first.’ Is that it? Do you have a problem with … ” Maddie waved a hand, like that was supposed to tell him what she was thinking. “Premature—”

  “No!” Zach shouted, appalled she would even think …

  “Then what?” Her previous amusement was fading.

  Zach closed his eyes and gritted his teeth. Lord, give me strength. “I don’t have a condom.”

  “You don’t have a condom?” Maddie repeated as though he’d said he’d forgotten to bring his balls.

  “Hey! I thought I was going to church with Jake and Rachel,” Zach said, defending himself. “Somehow it seems like God might doubt my sincerity if I start packing condoms to church!”

  He could hear a desperate edge i
n Maddie’s laughter, but at least she was laughing.

  “I don’t know why that’s so damn funny. You didn’t bring your gun to church either.”

  “So which of us gets dressed and goes to the store?”

  Zach sighed. The last thing he wanted was to leave her there. What he wanted was to pull a condom out of the air, so he could bull her. Knowing the delay was inescapable made his need seem even more urgent. But it was time to man-up. “I’ll go.” He rolled, putting her back under him, and kissed her. “It’s the gentlemanly thing to do.” But he kissed her again instead of getting up.

  Maddie still had him trapped between her drawn up knees. Zach moaned into her mouth. She was so ready for him. He didn’t know where he got the strength to push away from her. “You hold that thought,” he said as he reached for his jeans. “Better yet, don’t move a muscle.” He left his shirt untucked so it hung over his jeans; no chance he was going to be able to zip his fly before he reached the car.

  He had his hand on the door when Maddie sat bolt upright. “Wait!”

  “What’d I tell you about moving?” Zach asked.

  “My purse!”

  His male ego reared its head, preparing to be offended. “What? You think I can’t afford—”

  “No, no! Where’s my purse? Where is it?” She flapped her hand at him.

  Zach saw it on the couch and tossed it to her.

  “I don’t go into a woman’s purse for nothing,” He said as Maddie rooted through her bag.

  “Aha!” Grinning like she’d just won a Gold Medal at the Olympics, Maddie held up a red and black box.

  Zach bounded back to the bed and snatched it from her. “Woo-hoo! The condom fairy’s come.” He grabbed her face between his hands and kissed her quickly but soundly. “Now we can have hot, sweaty sex!”

  Too eager, he fumbled-fingered the lid, and the box fell on the floor. As he reached for it, his heart dropped. “Ahw, dammit!”

  “What?” Maddie’s panties went sailing over his head.

  “They’re too small.”