Catching the Cowgirl (Cotton Creek Romance)

by Jennie Marts

  Chapter Eleven

  He deepened the kiss, his tongue sweeping across hers, and Skye felt more than heard his low growl of desire.

  Then he slid his hand down her neck and across her shoulder, tugging her bra strap down the side of her arm so her other breast spilled free. His lips followed, kissing her shoulder, her chest, taking turns licking and sucking at her taut, exposed nipples.

  She wanted to reach behind her back and unclasp her bra, rid her body of it, but it was almost sexier having it just pulled down, as if Adam had wanted to ravish her so fiercely that he didn’t have time to even fully undress her.

  His mouth continued its heavenly torture as he moved lower, kissing first her ribs then her navel.

  Ripples of desire swept through her as he skimmed his tongue along the top edge of her panties, toying with her, his breath hot against her skin.

  His hands slid along her waist, then down her back, then under the elastic band of her underwear. He pulled them down, the fabric skimming across her sensitive skin, then tossed them to the floor.

  He knelt between her legs, his gaze sweeping across her body as he raised her arm above her head then bent forward, laying a line of hot kisses along the tender skin of her bicep, the side of her full breast, down her ribs, and across her hip bone.

  Spreading her legs, he lowered his head, running his tongue along the inside of her thigh.

  Anticipation swirled inside of her, like coils tightening, as her body ached with yearning. She’d forgotten this feeling of delicious torture, the wonderful torment of having an ache between her legs. She clutched the folds of the sweatshirt above her head, digging her fingers into the fabric and letting out a gasp as he laid a hot open-mouthed kiss on her center.

  Ripples of pleasure tore through her body as he licked and stroked. Using his tongue and his hand, he started a slow, seductive tease, then, responding to her writhing hips and cries of pleasure, he found a fast and glorious rhythm that took her soaring. Pulse racing, she let out a moan as her body tensed then broke free, falling apart as she shattered into glorious, beautiful bliss.

  She closed her eyes as she collapsed, her limbs fluid against the silky down fabric of the sleeping bag.

  Feeling Adam move, she opened her eyes to see him kneeling above her, his arms braced on either side of her shoulders as his hips rested between her still trembling legs.

  He leaned down, placing a tender kiss on her shoulder, and sending fresh heat surging through her veins. “You okay?”

  “Yes. More than okay. Amazing.”

  His lips twitched in a prideful grin. “Yes. Amazing.”

  But she wanted more.

  He was already in her heart, but she wanted to be completely filled by him.

  “I wish…”

  His eyes narrowed. “Wish what?”

  “Nothing bad. I just wish I had come more…prepared. If you know what I mean.” Although nothing could have prepared her for what had just happened.

  His grin widened, and he reached for his crumpled jeans. “I do know what you mean. And I’ve got it covered. I was a boy scout, you know, and one of our mottos was to ‘be prepared.’” He dug his wallet from his pants, then fished out a foil packet and held it up.

  She gazed down at the wallet still in his hand. “Do you only have one?”

  He laughed, his grin breaking across his whole face. “I’m not that prepared. But I like what you’re thinking.” His lips curved into a wicked grin, and a naughty gleam lit his eyes. “And I am resourceful. So I’m sure I could think of something that would suffice.”

  “I like what you’ve come up with so far.” She couldn’t stop her own smile. Feeling bold, she reached up to run her fingers lightly across his chest.

  “Yeah?”

  “Yeah.”

  “I’ve got a lot more ideas,” he said with a sexy grin as he ripped the top off the foil packet.

  Warmth spread through her, heating her skin. She couldn’t wait to see what he thought of next.

  …

  Adam shivered, his bare skin whispering against the down sleeping bag as he pulled it tighter around his neck. Cold air bit his cheeks, and he blinked at the bright sunshine that poured into the tent as Skye peered through the flap.

  “Good morning,” she said, her smile almost as dazzling as the early morning sun.

  He grunted in response.

  She chuckled. “I’ve made a fire and got some coffee going. You should come out here. The sunrise is incredible.”

  Sunrise? What in the world were they doing up before the sun?

  He wanted to snuggle back into the warmth of the sleeping bag, but she’d uttered the magic word and the allure of coffee had him reaching for his clean T-shirt.

  He crawled out of the tent, dragging the sleeping bag with him. Wrapping it around his shoulders, he stood up, stretching and marveling at the view of the sun coming up over the ridge. It was pretty awesome.

  Even if he was freezing in only a T-shirt and his underwear. “Why is it so damn cold? Isn’t it supposed to be summer? Or did I sleep through the rest of the season?”

  “It is summer. It’s summer in the Rockies. It gets cold in the mountains at night.”

  “Good thing I have something to keep me warm.” He inched closer to the fire and opened his arms as Skye held out a mug of coffee. She stepped into the circle of his arms, and he wrapped them both in the sleeping bag. Inhaling, he captured the scents of coffee, her shampoo, and pine trees.

  She smiled up at him. “Not a bad way to start the day, huh?”

  “Not a bad way at all.” He accepted the warm mug from her and took a sip of the bitter brew. With a grimace, he swallowed then took another sip.

  “We call that cowboy coffee,” she explained, chuckling at his obvious distaste. “It’s part of the camp-out experience.”

  He choked down another swallow. “It’s good. I can feel the hair growing on my chest already.” He glanced down at her shirt, noticing that she hadn’t put her bra back on. “How about you? Has that coffee affected your chest?”

  She shook her head. “I don’t think so.”

  “Let’s go back in the tent. I think we should take off your shirt, just to make sure.”

  Her eyes crinkled at the corners as she laughed, and his heart tumbled in his chest.

  Damn, he had it bad for this woman.

  Just seeing her smile was doing something to his insides. He’d thought he was just attracted to her, but now he knew it was more.

  Everything in him screamed that this was a bad idea. He lived a life of logic and practicality. And there was nothing logical about falling for a cowgirl who lived not only in another state, but in a whole other world.

  They had nothing in common, no shared interests, and their lives couldn’t be more different. Nothing good was going to come out of this. Nothing but a broken heart.

  But it was his heart, not his logic-based head, which commanded him to follow her curvy, heart-shaped butt back into the tent.

  An hour later, they emerged again, the coffee in their mugs cooled and the embers of the fire graying to a smoky ash. But neither of them were cold.

  They might have used their one condom the night before, but Adam was pretty inventive in coming up with alternative ways to put a smile on her face. And now, she was even more anxious to get back to the ranch where he could replenish his supply.

  “As much as I’d like to spend the rest of the day out here with you, we should probably head back,” she told him.

  He nodded and helped her pack up their camp. She saddled her horse and tied their supplies, the rolled up tent, and the sleeping bag to the back of the saddle. Sticking her foot in the stirrup, she mounted the horse and held her hand out to him. “You’re going to have to ride back with me.”

  He pulled himself onto the horse, settling into the saddle behind her. He still wasn’t totally comfortable on a horse, but having her butt nestled against his groin and his arms wrapped around her waist certainly
made the ride more enjoyable.

  His jeans were still slightly damp from the night before, but the sun offered them warmth as it shone down on them.

  “The breakfast food was tied to your horse,” she said, handing him a granola bar. “This will have to hold you over until we get back to the ranch.”

  “Good. This is just what I was in the mood for.” He was actually ravenous—the night’s activities had definitely built up his appetite—but it had been worth it. He unwrapped the snack bar and shoved it in his mouth.

  Skye was a skilled horsewoman, and she led the mare up the river to the shallow area where they were supposed to have crossed the night before.

  The ride down the mountain was easier from the back of her horse. Without the worry of having to control the animal, Adam could sit back and simply enjoy the view. “It really is beautiful up here.”

  “I told you. Something about the mountains seeps into your soul. Once you’ve had a taste of them, enjoyed their splendor, it’s hard to get them out of your mind.”

  His heart tightened at her words. He knew she was describing the mountains, but every word described how he felt about her.

  They were crossing a clearing, and the horse reared back as the brush in front of them swayed with movement. Hoof beats sounded, and a rider emerged from the trees.

  A rider who looked like something out of a movie, with his starched red western shirt and white felt hat.

  Adam’s shoulders slumped. He knew he could never compete with the likes of Clint Carson. The cowboy was the kind of guy who belonged in Skye’s world, and he obviously wanted to be there.

  Clint’s mouth was set in a tight line as he approached Skye’s horse. “You all okay?”

  Skye’s back stiffened. “Of course. Why wouldn’t we be? You think I can’t handle a simple camp-out on my own?”

  Clint’s eyes narrowed, flashing Adam a stern look. “You weren’t alone. And we got worried this morning when we saw Blaze had come back to the barn by himself. Especially since he still had a tent and a sleeping bag tied to his saddle. That must have made it a cold night for somebody.”

  “We managed,” Skye answered, her voice as cold as the night he’d suggested.

  The cowboy’s gaze shifted from her to Adam and back again, as if assessing the situation. But he didn’t say anything else, just turned his horse around. “I’m just glad y’all are okay. We don’t usually have a horse come back without its rider.”

  Skye’s horse fell into step behind Clint’s, and they silently rode the rest of the way back to the ranch. The easy laughter was gone, and a sour taste filled the back of Adam’s throat as he realized that Clint would never have lost his horse or half of their supplies.

  Although, he reminded himself that given the outcome, he’d rather have shared a tent and a sleeping bag with Skye any day. Who cared about a little embarrassment?

  But it still stung his ego.

  His legs were stiff as he slid off the horse and held out a hand to help Skye.

  She ignored his offered hand, scowling at the gesture, and swung her leg over the back of the horse then landed deftly on the ground. “I can manage on my own.”

  Their comfortable banter was gone. Adam wondered how much of that comment was directed at his gesture and how much at their burgeoning relationship.

  Maybe relationship was too strong of a word.

  Hell, he didn’t know. All he knew right then was that he wanted to go back to his room, take a hot shower, and put on some dry, comfortable clothes. “I guess I’ll see you at lunch.”

  “Yeah, see ya.” She offered him a lighthearted wave, but her shoulders drooped as she turned and trudged away, leading the horse into the barn.

  But she didn’t show up for lunch, and Adam didn’t see her the rest of the afternoon.

  Cody came to his room mid-afternoon and told him that Hillside, the original cabin he’d booked was clean and ready. The boy talked non-stop about the game as he helped move Adam’s stuff to the cabin.

  Adam listened with half an ear, nodding at Cody’s ideas and agreeing with most of them, but his heart wasn’t in the conversation. He couldn’t figure out what happened to Skye, why she hadn’t been at lunch or bothered to find him that afternoon.

  Her whole countenance had changed as they rode back to the ranch that morning, as if each step brought them closer to the reality of their real lives and further from the fantasy world they’d shared up on the bluff.

  He understood that. Still, he wanted to talk to her.

  “Thanks, kid. See you later,” he told Cody as he dropped his things onto the sofa in the cabin.

  “Yeah, don’t forget about the dance tonight. Everybody will be there. Even some folks from Cotton Creek are coming up for it. We’ve got a band and everything.”

  “I’m a little wiped out, but I’ll think about it.” He let out a sigh, not sure that he was telling the truth, as he closed the cabin door behind the boy.

  He could think of any number of things he’d rather do than spend his evening awkwardly standing around a country hoe-down. Hell, he didn’t even like country music. Although, he had to admit, he didn’t mind the stuff they’d danced to that second day when Skye had given him lessons.

  But now she’d conveniently disappeared. He was pretty sure she was avoiding him.

  Well, two could play that game. If she didn’t want to see him, that was fine. He’d spend the night tucked up in his new cabin and finish his book. In fact, a night in by himself sounded great.

  …

  Skye cursed as a piece of straw bit into her hand. She was setting up hay bales and trying to get the barn ready for the hoe-down that would start in a few hours, but she couldn’t seem to keep her mind focused.

  She should have been happy, floating on cloud nine. Hell, she’d just had great sex—amazing, toe-curling, howl-at-the-moon sex—so she should have been in a fabulous mood.

  Instead, she was irritable and grumpy, and her mind was racing in a million different directions.

  Last night had felt almost like a dream. When she and Adam had been up on the mountain, all alone, everything had seemed so easy, so right.

  So why did things seem so not right now?

  It had started when Clint had found them and given her a look that told her he knew exactly what she’d done the night before. Then as they got closer to the ranch, it felt like reality was setting in, and she started to question what the hell she had been doing.

  It was true she hadn’t had sex in years, so the fact that she’d given herself to Adam so easily—not only easily, but with reckless abandon—seemed completely out of character for her. She’d always put the ranch and Cody’s needs above her own.

  And hell, she’d only known this guy a few days. So what could she have been thinking?

  She hadn’t.

  She hadn’t stopped to think of the consequences at all. She’d just plowed forward, for once, letting her own needs, her own wants, come before anyone else’s.

  And God, she had wanted Adam. She still wanted him. Something about him made her feel like they weren’t strangers, that they’d known each other forever. And it wasn’t just the physical part of their relationship, although he did make her feel warm and treasured just by holding her hand.

  It was also the comfortable banter between them, the easy teasing, the way he treated her as if she was smart and capable, the way he treated Cody like he really enjoyed being around her son. And the way her heart raced whenever they were in the same room. All of these things combined told her that what she was feeling for Adam was real.

  They did have a connection. She knew it, could feel it.

  Still, she and Adam lived in two separate states, two separate worlds. How could they ever have a future together—if he even wanted one? Maybe she was just his entertainment for the week, something to pass the time while he was stuck at an isolated dude ranch in Colorado.

  She didn’t think so. But how could she know for sure?

&nb
sp; All of these thoughts muddled together in her brain, and she went back and forth, driving herself crazy, trying to figure out what she should do.

  She had guarded her heart so carefully, not letting anyone get too close. How could she let herself fall for a guy who didn’t even live in the same state, someone she knew was going to leave in only a few days?

  What a joke. She was acting like she could stop herself from falling for him when it was already too late. She’d not only fallen, but had plunged head-long and deep in…love?

  No. She couldn’t say it, couldn’t think it. How could she already be in love?

  She needed to slow down, put the brakes on, think this through. She had a kid to consider and a ranch that was in financial trouble. Those were the things she needed to be concentrating on.

  Shoving another hay bale in place, she dropped down on it, ignoring the stiff straw that poked at her legs and backside. She cradled her head in her hands, then dragged her fingers through her hair.

  She knew being around Adam only clouded her already hazy judgment, so she’d avoided him all afternoon. It wasn’t fair. Not to him, or to her. But she couldn’t face him, couldn’t think straight when she was around him, couldn’t make hard decisions when he was in the same room with her. She needed some time to herself, to contemplate what she wanted to happen with them.

  He was probably wondering what was going on with her.

  But how could she explain her behavior, when she didn’t understand it herself?

  …

  A few hours later, Adam stepped into the barn, a country beat pounding through the floor boards under his booted feet.

  A band was set up in one corner of the barn, and tables laden with food covered the opposite wall. His stomach growled at the scent of BBQ sauce and grilled meat that filled the air.

  A guy had to eat, right?

  Couples in colorful western garb packed the dance floor, and Adam was surprised to see Josh swinging Brittany around with rhythmic ease. He was even more surprised to see her laughing and apparently having a great time as her new husband led her around the floor.