KIDNAPPED COWBOY

by Lindsey Brookes

  “Glad to hear it,” he said. “I’ve missed you.”

  “I’ve missed you, too.”

  “Is this where we kiss and make up?” he asked as he bent to retrieve the hammer he’d been using earlier, shoving it into the leather carpentry pouch he wore low on his hips.

  She rolled her eyes. The boys would love that.

  “No,” she replied. “This is where I take that hammer and smash your other thumb if you don’t behave.”

  Her response brought about a husky chuckle. “For the sake of my thumb, I’ll behave.”

  “Thank you.”

  “For now.” He planted a boot atop the bottom rail of the corral and leaned against a post. “And getting back to Martinson. He was delivering some paperwork from my brother.”

  “Something to do with the retreat?” she asked, concern replacing her playful mood.

  He nodded. “You could say that. I’m putting you on the company’s insurance plan.”

  “You what?” she stammered. “Dalton, no. Insurance coverage is expensive.” Alan Martinson had made that fact very clear when she was first hired on. “I don’t wanna give your brother another reason to shut this place down.”

  “Brandon agreed to this,” he told her with a reassuring smile. “It’s not an issue. I promise. Besides,” he added, amusement lighting his blue eyes, “you of all people need health insurance.”

  “All done,” someone chirped behind them.

  They turned to find Jimmy and the rest of the boys standing there.

  It appeared she and Dalton would have to finish their discussion later. And they would. His brother had already spent enough money on the retreat with all the repairs they’d done.

  She turned to the boys. “You should be very proud of what you’ve accomplished here this week.”

  “We’ve couldn’t have done it without Mr. Barnes,” one of the younger boys replied.

  “You boys did most of the work,” he told them. “Put that railing up faster than most men I know could.”

  “Only wasted a half a bucket of nails in the doing,” Clayton reminded him.

  “That’s how I learned,” Caitlin chimed in.

  The teen turned to her with a look of surprise. “You know how to pound nails?”

  She nodded.

  “I’d never picture someone like you doing something like that,” one of the other boys said.

  Dalton arched a brow. “Someone like her?”

  “Yeah,” another boy joined in. “Being an educated lady and all.”

  She leaned back against the corral fence. “I had to work extra hard to become the ‘educated’ lady I am today. Like some of you, I spent a lot of my teen life living on the streets, learning how to survive.”

  There were several gasps of surprise before Jimmy said, “No way.”

  “Yes, way. And I was lucky enough to be sent here to Stoney Brook when I was your age. It turned my life around.”

  The teens murmured among themselves, and then one of the older boys turned to Dalton. “How come you never told us?”

  “Wasn’t my place to say anything,” he replied.

  “It wasn’t meant to be a secret,” she explained. “And I can tell you that like most of you I resented being sent to this place. I set my mind to hate it here, not to let down the emotional wall I’d built up around myself.”

  “So what happened?” Jimmy asked.

  “I learned that there were people who really did care about me. The counselors never gave up on me, just as I won’t on any of you.”

  “Why waste your time on us?” he said. “You could be out there doing couch sessions in some fancy office and making real money.”

  “I’m not in this for the money,” she told him. “And helping teens find a better path in life is never a waste of time.”

  “Yeah, well it’s too late for me to change,” Jimmy said, the tough-guy attitude he’d had when he’d first come to camp returning.

  “It’s never too late,” Dalton said, clasping a hand over the boy’s boney shoulder.

  “For anyone,” Caitlin added, meeting Dalton’s gaze. “We can’t run away from our problems all our life.”

  Like he’d done himself for years, Dalton thought as he listened. But that was in the past. His problems with his brother. His inability to settle down. He needed Caitlin to know that. Needed her to know he wanted more – wanted her.

  “Why don’t you boys go check on Squealer before we head in for dinner?”

  The mention of food had them sprinting off toward the new pen.

  He walked over and grabbed his shirt from the truck mirror, pulling it on. “You know,” he told her, “it wasn’t that long ago I thought the world revolved around my being able to take on the biggest, meanest bull of the bunch and come out the winner.”

  “And now?” she said.

  He walked back over to where she stood. “Now,” he said with a smile, “I’m trying to figure out how to take on a pint-sized, accident-prone psychologist and a bunch of pain-in-the-ass kids and win.”

  And how not to kiss her like he was aching to do.

  “You don’t have to take me on,” she said. “You and I work together, remember?”

  “You know what I’m talking about, Caitlin. And it has nothing to do with our working together.”

  “Dalton, try to understand my situation,” she pleaded, looking away. “Your brother wouldn’t appreciate his employee having a fling with his brother.”

  “A fling? Is that what we’re doing?” he demanded.

  “You know what I mean.”

  “What I know is that my brother is aware of my feelings for you and has no issues with it. I know you’re scared. Afraid to let your heart lead you.”

  “Well you’re afraid of the big ‘C’,” she told him, her tone clipped. “I have reason to be scared. And this conversation is over.” That said she took off, disappearing around the bed of his truck.

  He took off after her. Their conversation was far from over. “The big ‘C’?”

  “Commitment,” she called back over her shoulder.

  “Damn it, Caitlin, when are you gonna realize that I’m crazy about you?”

  She stopped and turned. “Don’t say that.”

  “Why the hell not? It’s true.”

  “We’re from two different worlds,” she argued halfheartedly.

  “What worlds?” he asked, her mulishness frustrating him to no end. “Rich and poor?”

  “Yes.” She looked down at the ground between them.

  He cupped her chin, raising it until she met his gaze. “I’d give it all up for you.”

  Her bottom lip quivered as she looked up at him. “Dalton…” her tone was pleading.

  “Forget it, Caitlin. I can be just as stubborn as you, even more so if you try me.”

  “I don’t wanna argue.”

  “Good. Because arguing’s not what I had in mind.” Giving her no chance to protest, he pulled her into his arms and captured her mouth in a long, hard kiss.

  Her hands shot up between them, but instead of pushing him away her fingers curled into the front of his shirt.

  He ended the kiss with a playful nip at her lower lip. “Now that beats arguing any day.”

  “Dalton,” she exclaimed, clearly flustered as she attempted to squirm free of his hold, “what if the boys saw that?”

  “They’d have to have x-ray vision.” They were standing on the opposite side of his truck, well out of the boys’ view. He lowered his head for another kiss.

  This time she turned her head away. “We can’t-”

  He pressed a finger to her lips, silencing her. “We can. If you’ll just give us a chance. Give me a chance.”

  Caitlin’s gaze darted from him to the cafeteria and then back again. She reminded him of a deer fixing to make its escape.

  “We’ll take it one day at a time,” he told her. “I won’t push for more than you’re willing to give.”

  She looked up at him anxio
usly. “Promise?”

  “Promise.”

  Her deep pink lips formed a slow smile. “I’m gonna hold you to that.”

  “You do that, darlin’.”

  She looked up at him with eyes a man could lose himself in. “Dalton…”

  “No more talking.” Wrapping his arms around her, he pulled her slender form up against his and lowered his mouth to hers, losing himself in the heat of her kiss once more.

  She clutched at his shoulders, opening to the play of his mouth, her tongue tangling with his.

  Desire surged through his veins, right along with the feeling of contentment. Having Caitlin in his arms felt so right. So-

  “Uh, when you two are done making out, it’s time for dinner,” a soft voice said, yanking Dalton from his thoughts.

  Caitlin pulled away with a startled gasp, her fingers flying to her kiss-swollen lips.

  He took a deep, steadying breath before turning to face Kylie. The young teen gave new meaning to the term ‘grinning from ear to ear’. “It’s not… That is, we weren’t—”

  “Kissing?” the girl supplied, challenging them to refute what she had just seen.

  “Please don’t say anything to the other kids,” Caitlin pleaded.

  “I think they already know.” Kylie inclined her head toward the corral.

  Sure enough, the boys had finished checking on Squealer and were now seated atop the corral fence, grinning every bit as wide as Kylie had been as they sat watching ‘the show’.

  Caitlin buried her face in her hands with a soft groan.

  “Okay, so we kissed,” Dalton admitted, pulling Caitlin into his chest protectively. He’d never meant to embarrass her in front of her kids.

  “Kissed, hell,” Jimmy exclaimed. “I need a dip in the lake after that show.”

  The warmth of Caitlin’s breath sank through his shirt as she let out a muffled groan. “Curse again,” he warned the teen, “and I’ll be putting you in the lake personally.” His gaze swept over the grinning teens. “The show’s over. Subject’s closed. If you boys wanna eat, I suggest you go wash up. Now.”

  “What about you?”

  “I’ll be right behind you.”

  “He’s trying to get rid of us,” Jimmy muttered to the others.

  “Yeah,” another joined in. “Probably wanting to kiss Miss Myers again.”

  “Can’t say that I blame him.”

  “Boys.” Dalton’s tone was firmer this time.

  “We’re outta here.” Jimmy hopped down from the rail. The others followed suit, laughing as they raced off toward their cabins.

  He turned to Kylie. “Thanks. We’ll see you inside.”

  She nodded and started back toward the cafeteria, tossing back over her shoulder with a grin, “It’s about time.”

  He had to agree. He’d been wanting to kiss Caitlin for what felt like forever. Grinning, he clasped her shoulders and eased her away from the shield his chest provided. “You can come out now.”

  “Do I have to?” she groaned.

  He chuckled. “Kind of hard to walk around this place without looking.”

  She let her hands fall away from her face, her accusing gaze meeting his. “I hope you’re happy.”

  “Happy?”

  “Now that everyone knows about…us.”

  “You heard Kylie. Those kids are smart. They knew there was something going on between us long before that kiss. And, yeah, I’m happy. Now we don’t have to keep on pretending there isn’t an ‘us’.”

  She parked her hands on her hips. “Have you forgotten your promise already?”

  “My promise?”

  “To take things slow?”

  “Darlin’, I couldn’t go any slower if I tried and it’s driving me crazy. Because if I were to do things my way, I’d be sweeping you up in my arms right now and carrying you off to bed where I’d make love to you over and over until we’re both too weak to move.”

  Her green eyes rounded, desire lighting those emerald orbs.

  “So that’s my game plan should you change your mind about taking things slow.” With a wink, he set off in his usual cowboy swagger, leaving a wide-eyed Caitlin behind him.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  “You should watch leaving your door open at night. You never know who might look in and find you lying there looking so damn sexy.”

  Caitlin’s eyes flew open. She shifted on the sofa bed to find Dalton watching her from the other side of the screen door. “It was warm in here. I was hoping the night air might help to cool it off some.”

  “Dreaming about me again?” he asked with a cocky grin.

  He had no idea. Holding the sheet to her breasts, she sat up and smiled, her pulse doing its usual Dalton-induced skittering. “What are you doing here?”

  “I left my cell phone in the cafeteria, so I ran back out here to get it. I noticed your light was still on.”

  “I was lying here going over some things in my head. I must have fallen asleep. What time is it?” she asked with a tired yawn.

  “Late.” He let himself in and closed the wooden door behind him, pausing just long enough to draw the shade and flip the lock.

  Her heart skittered wildly.

  He turned to face her, his hungry blue eyes seeking hers. “Has anyone ever told you how sexy you look when you’ve just woken up?”

  She blushed at the compliment. “Has anyone ever suggested you need to look into getting glasses?”

  With a low chuckle, he moved toward her in long, deliberate strides. “Nothing’s wrong with my eyes. I can assure you of that.”

  She cast a nervous glance past his broad shoulders. “Dalton, the kids—”

  “Are all in their own cabins for the night.”

  Excitement curled in her belly. Send him away. “I really should get to sleep,” she said softly, very little conviction in her voice.

  “Why?” he asked, the huskily whispered word wrapping around her.

  She scrambled for a response while her traitorous body reacted. Heart racing. Pulse pounding. Flesh tingling for his touch. She forced her gaze away from his to the sheet where it was bunched up beneath her tightly curled fingers. “If I’m not asleep by eleven, I can’t function the next day.”

  “Lucky for me it’s only ten after ten,” he replied with an unabashed grin. “Let’s see, that gives us fifty minutes before your curfew.”

  Fifty minutes. Oh, the possibilities.

  Dalton settled a hip onto the edge of the mattress beside her.

  The sight of him seated there brought back memories of the night they’d spent together there in the snowstorm. A night that had changed her life forever. His sitting there also made her think of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. This sofa bed was definitely too small for a man like Dalton Barnes with his long, jean-clad legs, broad shoulders, muscular arms. And, like the porridge, she was too hot. And it was all his fault.

  “See something you like?” he asked with a playful wriggle of his dark brows.

  “Yes, you,” she was tempted to say, but she was pretty sure he already knew that.

  His fingers drifted along the sheet where it was draped over her leg.

  Heat pooled instantly between her thighs. “Dalton, we can’t.”

  A devilish glint lit his eyes as his hand eased up the sheet over the curve of her hip to cup a breast.

  She squirmed, the only thing separating her bare flesh from the heat of Dalton’s touch was the thin cotton nightshirt she’d worn to bed and the sheet that covered her.

  “One of the kids might need me,” she said, her breath catching as his thumb played over a taut peak.

  “Not as much as I do now,” he said, tugging at the sheet until it slipped from her grasp, slithering off the mattress to the floor below.

  “Dalton…” she groaned as his heated gaze moved over her.

  “I never thought an oversized T-shirt could look so damn sexy on a woman.”

  Her nightshirt had ridden up her hips, giving him more
than a glimpse of her skimpy lace panties. She reached down to tug at the sleep shirt, feeling the need to cover herself.

  “Don’t.”

  Her hand stilled.

  “I like looking at you,” he said huskily. “And I plan on looking at every inch of you tonight.”

  She struggled to breathe. To speak.

  “Fifty minutes, huh?” he muttered.

  “Too long?” she managed with a teasing smile, knowing she no longer had the strength to turn him away. She wanted Dalton to make love to her again. Needed him to.

  He arched a brow. “You questioning my stamina?”

  Laughing softly, she reached for his shirt, pulling him to her. “Not on your life. I know better. I was just thinking that for a man who spent years perfecting the eight second ride, fifty minutes might be quite a stretch.”

  Threading his fingers through her hair, he looked down at her. “The stretching part is no longer in question. Hell, much longer and it’s gonna take a crow bar to get me out of these jeans.”

  “Then what are you waiting for?” she said as her fingers moved to the button of his fly, working it free. There was no awkwardness between them. No embarrassment.

  With a groan, he lowered his mouth to hers.

  Her hand moved lower to the straining zipper, tugging at it. “Dalton…” she moaned impatiently against his mouth.

  With a husky chuckle, he placed his hand over hers and helped ease the troublesome zipper down. Then he sat back and yanked his shirt up over his head, tossing it aside.

  Her appreciative gaze settled on his chest. Her mouth went dry. No man should be that perfect. And why would a man like him want someone like her anyway?

  He caught her face between his hands, tilting it upward until her gaze met his. “You are so damn beautiful.”

  Even without makeup, her hair all a-tangle, and in the least sexy sleepwear she owned, he made her feel like the most beautiful woman in the world.

  She slid her hands up over the ridges of muscle that cut across his abdomen. “You’re not so bad yourself.”

  Her words brought a smile to his face. He bent to press another kiss to her lips. “I’ve waited all summer for this moment. To be with you again.”

  “Mmm,” she mumbled between his heated kisses. “Lucky for me you’re a patient man.”