by T. J. Kline
“We’ve really got to get going,” he said as he nibbled on her earlobe, his hands sliding around her waist. “But you are just too tempting.” Scott spun her around and took possession of her mouth once again.
The warm water sluiced between them and she broke the kiss. “You aren’t giving me a chance to tempt you.” She turned off the water and reached for a towel, making her way toward the bedroom.
Scoot stepped out of the shower and reached for the bottom of her towel, pulling her back into his arms. “You are absolutely beautiful.”
Sydney squealed, gripping the front of the towel to her, and blushed at the desire she could see still smoldering in his eyes. “If we don’t get out there and help get this rodeo ready, we will be absolutely dead.”
She slipped from his arms and hurried to get dressed in jeans and a t-shirt as Scott brushed his teeth and shaved. As she walked past the bathroom area, she wrapped her arms around his waist and laid her cheek against the muscles of his back, listening to his steady heartbeat. She sighed and looked at his reflection over his shoulder.
Scott paused mid-shave. “What?”
“Nothing.” Sydney shrugged. “I’m just content.”
He smiled as he washed off the last of the shaving cream, wiping his face with a towel, before turning and kissing her nose lightly. “Good. Let’s keep things that way.”
Scott moved aside to give her access to the sink as she watched him head to get dressed, appreciating the view. He was an incredibly built specimen of manhood. She washed her face and applied her minimal makeup as she heard him open the trailer door and yell to Clay.
“You ready?”
“Coming,” she said as she grabbed her boots from the side of the bed and hurried to the door. “Okay, let’s go.”
Scott placed a hand over the door, not allowing her to open it. “One more, since I won’t be able to do this all day.” Scott dipped his head and melded his lips to hers. Time stood still and he pulled her into his arms, fitting her against his frame. She could feel his arousal. Sparks of electricity shot through her and she wound her hands around his neck. She held on tightly as he kissed her. She’d never known this sense of dizzying longing. Every nerve ending seemed to vibrate at his touch.
Scott cupped her face in his palms and broke the kiss. He leaned his forehead against hers. “If I don’t stop now, I’ll never get out of this trailer.” He opened the door and hurried out without looking back.
Sydney held onto the door frame, still trying to catch her breath. She could hear the crew outside as they shouted at the cattle, but nothing seemed to penetrate the storm of desire Scott had stirred. Her fingers touched her tender lips, still swollen from his kiss, and her eyes sought out his frame as he mounted his gelding.
“Earth to Sydney,” Jennifer called.
“What?” She felt the heat rise over her neck and cheeks as she turned to face her friend. Jennifer was grinning like a Cheshire cat. “What are you so happy about?”
“You’ll find out soon enough.” Jen jerked her chin at Valentino and her gelding, Sable, which were tied nearby at the back arena gate. “Scott’s meeting with the group putting on the rodeo, but he wants us to use the usual opening since you guys haven’t worked out the kinks in the new one yet.”
Sydney nodded her understanding. She was on pins and needles. As much as she wanted to lure Scott back into the trailer and make love all day, she was terrified that the rest of the crew would discover the extent of her relationship with him, ruining her professional reputation. She had worked too hard to get to this point to ruin it with a fling. Although Jen assured her that none of the guys knew, or would care if they did find out, Sydney knew better. She was certain her feelings for Scott were as obvious as the nose on her face, but she had no clue as to where she stood with him.
She began to question his motives throughout the rodeo when he barely glanced her way. He hadn’t done more than bark a few instructions at her, and a bystander would have thought he was simply talking to any of the cowboys working for him. As grateful as she felt, her heart took a beating from his indifference. As the rodeo came to a close and the last of the trailers pulled out of the arena, Sydney could hear the band tuning their instruments and the cooks warming up the barbeques on the hill overlooking the arena. It wouldn’t be long before the crowd of party-goers returned, freshly showered and clothed, for the dance.
“Are you heading up?” Jen asked. Sydney knew that Jen and Clay were planning on going up, which would free her from putting in a supportive appearance as a representative for the stock contractor, but the tantalizing scent of the mesquite barbeque was tempting.
Clay approached the two women and placed a kiss on his wife’s forehead. Winding an arm around her waist and pulling her close, he glanced at Sydney. “All packed and ready to head home?”
“Packed?” Sydney glanced over at Jen. “Already?” Jen snuggled into Clay’s embrace and smiled as if she had a secret. “Okay, what’s going on?”
Clay shrugged. “Scott wants to see you over at his trailer, ASAP.” Clay smiled down at Jen.
Sydney raised a brow at the couple. “Okay, I don’t trust either of you.” She pointed a finger at one, then the other, before narrowing her eyes.
Jen rolled her eyes. “Just go already.” She planted a palm firmly against Sydney’s spine and pushed her toward Scott’s trailer.
Sydney tapped on the door gently before stepping inside the doorway. “Scott, Clay said you wanted to see me?”
The trailer was silent and dark. There was no sign of Scott in the kitchenette and the bathroom door was open. She tried to see into the darkened bedroom, climbing the three stairs toward the bed. “Scott?”
Strong arms appeared from the dark to encircle her waist, pulling her close against his chest. “I always want to see you.” Scott’s lips nuzzled against the sensitive flesh of her neck. “I have some good news.”
His words barely registered; her body’s response superseded her brain’s ability to think. “News?”
Scott chuckled seductively. “Everyone is heading home tonight.”
Her shoulders slumped as she realized what he’d said. “We are?” She wished she were able to hide her disappointment better.
“Well, not quite everyone.” Sydney wrinkled her brow. “You’re staying with me to make sure we tie up any loose ends.”
Sydney smiled. “What loose ends?”
Scott’s thumb traced the fullness of her lower lip. “I’m sure I can find a few. I’ve been waiting all day for this.” He captured her lips in a soft caress that left her limbs weak and her heart willing.
SCOTT AND SYDNEY headed toward the others to bid everyone goodbye. As Scott slipped an arm around her shoulders and leaned to whisper into her ear, he saw Jake approaching from the back of the trailer.
“Looks like the two of you finally made peace.”
Glancing down at Sydney, Scott could barely hide a smile at her embarrassment as her cheeks flamed in the last light of the dying sunset. Jake chuckled and shook his head as he slipped behind the wheel of the cattle rig.
“Sometimes it don’t matter how big a wall is if someone can just find a chink to break through.” Jake arched a brow at Scott.
“Have a safe trip home, and tell Mike we’ll be back by tomorrow afternoon.”
“Will do.”
Jen hung out of the passenger side of the truck Clay was driving. “I’ll see you both tomorrow! Love ya, baby brother!”
Sydney waved furiously while Scott simply raised a hand toward the trucks pulling away from the arena. Scott looked down at the woman nestled against his side.
“Hungry for some dinner?” He jerked his chin toward the barbeque already in full swing at the top of the hill. “Since Clay and Jen left, we should probably put in an appearance for the company.”
“Just give me a few minutes to get ready.” Sydney slipped from his arms, and he instantly missed the warmth from her body. He wanted to pull her back into his
embrace and brand her as his, once and for all.
SYDNEY HURRIED BACK to the trailer and reached into the closet where she had hung the dress that Jen had insisted she bring along. She suspected that Jen had planned this all along, but she didn’t have time to ponder the implication of it. She slipped the coral dress over her head, grateful that the rayon was just clingy enough to be provocative without being hot and that the spaghetti straps would be cool in the summer evening breeze. She tightened the mesh leather belt and slipped on her brown leather dress boots.
She knew she only had a few more minutes before Scott came looking for her, so she rushed to the bathroom mirror to touch up her makeup and add a touch of eye shadow before piling her curls onto her head, pinning them in place, and allowing a few stray curls to trail down her back. As the trailer door opened, she heard a low whistle.
“Does that mean you like it?” she asked.
Scott took a step closer and reached for her hand, twirling her toward him and pulled her close. Sydney’s hands instinctively curled against his chest. Scott pressed his lips to her palm before moving to the pulse racing at her wrist. Her knees turned to liquid and she felt as if his touch had set her skin ablaze.
“I thought that you said we had to make an appearance.” Sydney wondered if that husky voice was really her own.
“Are you sure you want to?” His eyes grew dark with the passion she knew could consume her completely at any given moment.
“I think Mike would probably appreciate it.”
“Then, by all means, let’s get this evening started so we can get back.” He arched a brow at her and she felt the heat in her stomach spread outward toward her limbs.
SCOTT LED THE way to the truck and opened the door for her. They could have walked up the path to the barbeque, but he wasn’t about to ask Sydney to do that dressed the way she was. She seated herself near the passenger door and buckled her seatbelt out of habit. He climbed into the driver’s seat and looked over at her as he slipped the key into the ignition. She took his breath away. The dress clung to her in all of the right places and left the rest to his hungry imagination. After making love to her last night, he couldn’t wait to explore every inch of her body again.
“What are you doing all the way over there?”
Sydney smiled, unbuckled her seatbelt, and scooted closer to him before planting an innocent kiss on his scruffy cheek. “How can it even be possible?”
“What?” Scott asked.
“Are you sure you’re the same man that tried to run me over at the rodeo three weeks ago?”
Scott laughed at her recollection of their first meeting. “That’s me.”
As they reached the top of the hill, Scott followed the directions given by the parking attendant and pulled the truck off to the side, into the area set aside for reserved guests. Scott reached for her hand as they made their way through the crowd buying tickets at the front gate. The band was already tuning up, reminding him of the first barbeque and dance he’d attended with Sydney.
“Here you go, Scott.” Jeff Garretty, the president of the group who had contracted Scott and Mike, handed him two passes for dinner, free drinks, and wristbands for the dance.
“Thanks, Jeff.” Scott held up the passes. “We appreciate it, really.”
“No problem.” Jeff glanced at Sydney appreciatively and nodded. “After the performance you guys put on for us this weekend, it’s the least we can do.”
Scott slipped his hand to Sydney’s lower back, preparing to lead her to an empty table set up for diners under the ancient oak trees. The trees sparkled with millions of tiny lights strung through the branches; the little lights looked like fireflies.
“Actually, Scott”—Jeff interrupted their retreat—“we thought that you might want a more private area so you aren’t totally bombarded by people recognizing you from the rodeo.”
Scott was surprised that anyone would have been considerate enough to think of their privacy. He followed Jeff to a table behind a large oak, set away from the rest of the tables yet still in view of the festivities. At this table, he and Sydney would be almost completely hidden unless someone knew to find them. Jeff pulled Sydney’s chair out for her.
“I’m assuming you are both ready for some of our famous T-bones with all of the fixings?”
Scott looked to Sydney for her agreement before answering. “That would be fantastic.”
“I’ll bring you a beer.” He assured Scott before turning to Sydney. “Would you like wine or beer?”
“I’ll have a glass of white wine, if it’s not too much trouble.”
“None at all.” Jeff hurried away from them toward the barbeque.
SYDNEY LOOKED AROUND her in awe. As they were seated at their table overlooking the empty rodeo arena, tiny lights sparkled in the trees above while the band launched into a quiet ballad. The entire evening had an enchanting ambiance as the sun melted into the hills, giving way to the moonlight overhead.
“I’m not sure how they did it.” Sydney shook her head in admiration at what a few lights had been able to achieve. “They turned this into a mini-fairyland.”
Scott’s eyes darkened with desire as his gaze swept over her. He leaned forward to respond when he caught a glimpse of Jeff returning with their food and jerked his chin at him. “Ready to eat?”
Sydney’s mouth watered with anticipation as the wonderful aroma of the steak wafted to her nose. She watched as Scott cut into his with relish. As soon as she tasted her own she could understand why. The food was delicious and cooked to perfection. The sourdough country rolls had just enough tang to bring out the richness of the baked beans. She took her time, savoring every bite of the meal and sipping the wine Scott kept refilling from the bar. As a result, she was starting to feel a bit lightheaded.
“Would you like to dance?” Scott asked as he dropped his fork onto the table.
Unable to take another bite and feeling like she should loosen her belt a notch, Sydney smiled across the table at him. His midnight eyes revealed his desire. “I’m not sure that I can stand, let alone dance.”
Scott rose from his seat and took her hand into his calloused palm. “I promise not to let you fall.”
“Too late.” She smiled up at him, the room beginning to tilt slightly. “I fell for you a while ago.” Sydney’s eyes widened as she realized how loose the wine had made her tongue and what she had just revealed.
Scott’s chuckle rumbled in the back of his throat. “I seem to recall our meeting somewhat differently.”
Sydney shot him a sly grin. “I’m a good actress.”
His laughter erupted as he led her in front of the tree and the other diners turned toward them. Embarrassed, Sydney pressed a finger against her lips. “Be quiet,” she whispered loudly. “Everybody is staring at us.”
He leaned close to her ear, sending chills down her spine as his warm breath caressed her neck. “They’re staring at my beautiful date. I think it’s jealousy.”
“Nope.” Sydney shook her head. In her inebriated state, she lost her balance and felt her legs give way beneath her as the floor rushed toward her. Sydney giggled as Scott caught her in his warm embrace and lifted her onto his toes. “This is how my dad taught me to dance when I was little.”
Scott’s eyes twinkled. “I think it’s a bit easier than trying to hold you up all night.”
Sydney felt like they had been dancing for hours. When she needed something to quench her thirst, Scott was right there with a glass of something refreshing, but whether it was wine or water, she could no longer tell. When she found herself still leaning against Scott’s shoulder with no music playing, Scott decided it was time for them to head back, and she wasn’t about to argue. While the dance floor spun around her, Scott led her to his truck and helped her into the passenger side. When he slipped behind the wheel, she scooted close to his side, curling up against his arm with her head against his bicep.
SCOTT PUT THE truck into gear and looked over at Sydney,
fully prepared to kiss her senseless, when he found her already asleep against him. “So much for a night she’ll never forget. I’ll be lucky if she even remembers anything tomorrow,” Scott mumbled and turned the key in the ignition awkwardly with his left hand in order to leave Sydney undisturbed.
As he pulled into the arena below and parked beside the trailer they would share, he realized that Sydney was quietly snoring and had passed out. He left her in the truck to unlock the door of the trailer before returning to her, gathering her gently into his arms and carrying her inside. Scott laid her on the bed and stared down at her. Her soft sigh of contentment pounded in his brain, sending a pulsating need throughout his body, making him ache for her. But he knew he couldn’t live with himself if he were to take advantage of her in her less than conscious state. He reached down and brushed a curl from her cheek.
Sydney’s eyes opened. “Scott?” Her eyes remained glassy but trained on him as he dropped to a knee at the side of the bed.
“What’s the matter, princess?” Scott cupped her jaw in his hand, brushing her cheek with his thumb.
“Gimme a kiss.”
Although she slurred the words slightly, he could understand the need that drove them. He prayed he could retain control of his senses as he gently placed a chaste kiss on her pliant lips.
“No, no, no . . . not like that,” she scolded as she cupped his face with her hands and pulled him toward her.
As she pressed her lips to his he stiffened, knowing he should break the kiss now before he lost all sense of control, yet unable to tear himself away from her. When Sydney darted her tongue past his lips to meet with his own, sighing deeply in her throat, he knew he was lost. Her tongue began to duel with his and he could taste the sweet honey of her mouth, nearly driving him insane. She pulled at him, urging him to join her on the bed. He tightened his fingers on her shoulders, wanting nothing more than to lose himself in her. Scott growled, a sound that to his ears was a mixture of pleasure and pain, forcing himself to end the erotic kiss.