He went to the lower end of the bed and hesitated, glancing at the leggy woman in the red dress. The material had bunched way up, exposing firm, shapely thighs, legs that cried out for his attention. Jake heaved a heavy sigh and slowly lifted one shiny black heel off her foot, then the other, careful not to touch her in any other way.
Jake tossed her shoes aside, covered her up to her chin and closed the drapes. In total darkness now, he might be able to forget that Cassie Munroe slept just three feet from him.
Cassie woke to the alluring aroma of fresh coffee. She opened one eye, then the other, and stared straight into the face of a cowboy. The man sitting on the opposite bed, dressed in Western gear, complete with a black Stetson, smiled. “Morning.”
Cassie blinked, then blinked again. She wasn’t dreaming. He was as real as Nevada heat and so was the hot mug of coffee sitting on the nightstand just inches from her face. She brought the covers up to her chin, probing her mind for answers. Slowly, and with great effort, she began to remember everything. Except how she got into this bed.
What happened last night…with Jake?
Heavens, it’d be just her luck to have a torrid night with the sexy cowboy and not remember a darn thing in the morning. “Morning…oh!” Her head and facial muscles ached. It actually hurt to talk.
“That bad?” he asked, sipping from his mug of coffee. “I would have let you sleep longer, but I didn’t know what time your brother’s wedding was.”
Brian’s wedding! Cassie bounded upright, then paid a heavy price for her quick move when her head spun. She slumped back down with a groan. “I have two questions. What time is it?”
“Ten-thirty.”
That was doable. The wedding wasn’t until later this afternoon. She had time for a quick makeover, hair and makeup after an abbreviated workout. She didn’t have to be at the river dock until four-thirty.
“And…” she began, swallowing past a lump in her throat. This was a more difficult question. Fear ran rampant through her body in anticipation of the wrong answer. “And…well, um, what exactly happened last night?”
Slowly she sat up, bringing the covers with her. She peered directly into Jake’s dark eyes.
“You sort of passed out.”
That much she remembered. It was the “after” part that she couldn’t recall. “I mean, between us, Jake?”
Jake rubbed the side of his nose and tried darn hard to conceal a grin. “Wish I could say I was unforgettable in bed, but guess not.” He chuckled, then added, “Nothing happened, Cassie. When we couldn’t get you a room last night, I brought you up here to sleep. And you slept, all night, in that bed, by yourself.”
Cassie let out the breath she’d been holding. “Thank you,” she said with great relief.
Jake sipped his coffee and eyed her. “Don’t be so quick to thank me.” A sinful smile graced his face. “I do have rules, like a woman has to be coherent when I make love to her.”
Warmth spread to her cheeks and a deep flush of heat traveled the length of her. What an appealing thought, she mused, making love with Jake. Instinctively she knew he’d be great in bed.
Biting her lip, she looked away, taking in the Spanish motif of the room with its intricately carved dark wood furnishings and pictures of haciendas and vaqueros on the adobe walls. How fitting that she’d wake up in such a room with a cowboy. She turned to him again. “I’m really sorry about last night.”
Jake removed his hat, tossing it on the bed. “Yeah, what was that all about, anyway?”
Cassie stared at the shiny black Stetson on the bed, imagining Jake wearing it and nothing else. The image flashing in her head brought hot tingles to her body. Cassie cleared her throat—and her mind. She had to get over her fascination with Jake Griffin. He was strictly off-limits.
“What was what all about?” She played dumb. She couldn’t bear for Jake to know she was so desperate for a date to Brian’s wedding that she’d actually set out to meet a man last night. Her plan had failed, and even if Jake hadn’t intervened with that bull rider, she was doomed to disaster. Brody had already told her he wasn’t sticking around after the rodeo. He had to head home, straightaway.
“Cassie, I doubt you’re the type of woman who goes around picking up strange—”
“I’m not,” she said in her defense. “I don’t do that sort of thing. In fact, I’ve pretty much sworn off men for the rest of my life.”
Jake cast her a dubious look then shook his head. “I don’t understand.”
No, he wouldn’t understand. And she wouldn’t tell him that she’d been a dismal failure with the opposite sex since the beginning of time, it seemed. Cassie didn’t want to try anymore. She was through coming up with the short end of the stick. She’d drawn her last short straw. She wasn’t going to play second fiddle again. To anyone.
Disheartened with the path her life had taken, she’d decided to take a stand. For once she was going to put her needs first. She had other things to focus on besides men…such as that promising new job she’d been offered. It was perfect. There wasn’t even a need for her to find a place to live. All the arrangements had been made for her. The job was set. All she needed to do was to show up in three weeks and sign the deal.
“It’s…complicated.” She reached for the mug of coffee and took a long sip. The hot liquid slid down her throat like soft velvet, soothing her nerves and helping to clear her head. “Coffee is good,” she said, gauging Jake’s reaction to her obtuse answer.
He stared at her a moment, smiled, then jammed his hat onto his head. “Why don’t you take a shower? I’ll get your bags out of your car and you can change your clothes.”
Cassie lowered the sheet a bit, noting that Jake had left her dress on last night. “Oh, yeah. I guess I’d better get going. I’ve got to check into my own room.”
“Where are your keys?”
Cassie pointed to her purse. “In there. I think I’m on level three. Neon-yellow Volkswagen Bug.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll find your car. How many of those bright yellow Bugs could there possibly be?”
Cassie chuckled, but her mirth was stymied when Jake tossed her one of his shirts. The one he’d worn last night. “Put this on after your shower. I’ll be back later.”
Cassie watched him rummage through her purse, come up with the keys and head out the door. As soon as he was gone she undressed quickly and, on impulse, donned his light blue chambray shirt. She closed her eyes and turned her face to the collar, inhaling deeply, taking in his spicy scent. “Mmm.”
But then she snapped her eyes open instantly. She’d forgotten to give Jake the code to her car alarm. With the way things were going, hotel security might just arrest him for breaking and entering. She dashed to the door, took a step outside, catching sight of him at the elevators. “Jake!”
He didn’t hear her.
She called again, stepping farther into the quiet hallway. “Jake!”
Finally spotting her, he cast her a questioning look. She waved him over and he left the elevators, heading back to his room. She met him just outside the doorway, gripping tight the shirt she wore. “Cassie?”
“I forgot to give you—”
“Cassie!” Brian’s voice resonating in the hallway spelled out doom.
“Cassie!” Alicia’s sweet voice coming from the same direction spelled out unabashed interest. Cassie didn’t know which was worse. They approached her instantly, but both sets of eyes were on Jake.
Cassie wanted to melt into the floorboards. She wanted to wake up from this nightmarish dream. Neither was going to happen, so instead she looked her brother in the eye. “Good morning,” she said cheerily.
Brian grunted. Alicia grinned.
Cassie knew what they were thinking. What else would they think seeing her dressed this way, just outside the hotel door, with handsome Jake Griffin standing by her side?
“What’s going on?” Brian asked point-blank, staring straight into her eyes.
“U
h—”
“Oh, don’t be silly, Brian. Your sister’s a big girl,” Alicia interrupted. “And this is her date, right?” Alicia smiled at her and continued. “Brian and I worried that you’d made up that whole story about having a date when he didn’t show up with you for the rehearsal dinner. But it seems he made it here just in time for our wedding.”
“In more than enough time,” Brian said sourly, glancing at Jake then piercing her with a look. Things were spinning out of control and Cassie didn’t have a clue how to put a stop to it.
“Well, aren’t you going to introduce us?” Alicia asked, her eyes darting back and forth from Jake to her.
“Uh, of course.” Brian had never met Jake before. Her brother had been away at college for most of Cassie’s high school days. She put a hand on Jake’s arm, giving him a little pleading squeeze. “Jake Griffin, I’d like you to meet my brother Brian and his fiancée, Alicia.”
Jake shook hands with Brian. “Nice to meet you.”
Brian nodded, then Alicia stepped up to give Jake a big hug. “I’m so glad to meet you.”
“Nice meeting you, ma’am.”
Alicia blinked and cast Cassie an approving look. “Oh, he’s just precious, Cassie. Where did you two meet?”
Cassie hesitated, praying for divine guidance. “Uh, well, the truth is—”
Jake stepped closer, wrapping an arm around Cassie’s waist. “Cassie and I go way back, don’t we, honey?”
Cassie braved Jake a look, hoping to keep trepidation and fear out of her eyes. Yet she was grateful that he’d played along, for what it was worth. “Uh, yeah. Way back.”
“Well, isn’t that nice,” Alicia said. “We’ll want to hear all about that, later on. But right now I’m starving and Brian promised me a big breakfast, then it’s off to the hairdresser. C’mon, Brian. Let’s give these two some privacy. We’ll see them at the wedding.”
“Okay,” Brian agreed. “We’ll see you later, sis.” He bent to give her a kiss on the cheek then said a brisk goodbye to Jake. Cassie watched the two of them head down the hallway.
When they were out of sight, Jake took hold of her hand and led her back inside the hotel room. “Mind telling me what that was all about?”
Jake stood with hands planted on his hips, staring at Cassie. She made her way to the bed and slumped down, biting her lip. He took a seat on the opposite bed, facing her, waiting. She wore his shirt, looked damned good in it, too, and her exposed legs were enough of a distraction to keep Jake’s mind from sorting all of this out on his own. He needed Cassie’s explanation.
“This is embarrassing,” she said, “and I’m sorry you got involved.”
“Involved in what, Cassie?”
She looked into his eyes for a moment, then averted her gaze.
“Does this have something to do with that bull rider from last night?” Jake hoped not. For some bizarre reason, Jake’s gut clenched at the idea that Cassie might be interested in Brody Taylor, in any way, shape or form.
“Sort of. I, um, needed a date for my brother’s wedding. I, uh…oh, never mind. It’s stupid.” Cassie ran a hand down her face.
“Why is it so important that you have a date for your brother’s wedding?”
Cassie crossed one leg over the other, a move that sped up his heart. She shifted on the bed, restlessly, and the shirt she wore—his shirt—moved fluidly with her, tempting him with a peek or two of her creamy skin above the knee. Jake curtailed his own desire to concentrate on what Cassie had to say. She stared into his eyes for a moment, then on a long sigh, began to explain. “Because, my ex-fiancé will be there with his new wife, that’s why. Because the date I had for today isn’t coming. And because I didn’t want to face a crowd of people with pity in their eyes. It was bad enough yesterday at the rehearsal dinner when I showed up alone.”
Jake twisted his lips. He was beginning to get the picture, although for all he was worth, he couldn’t figure out why any man would dump Cassie Munroe. What had happened between them in high school didn’t count, in his estimation. He hadn’t dumped Cassie, but that night so long ago had been heart-wrenching for him and had changed his whole life. He couldn’t explain that to Cassie. He never spoke of that night to anyone. But that didn’t excuse the others who had treated her badly.
She was gorgeous in her own unique way and intriguing, if not a bit flighty. Those green eyes of hers could just about melt any man’s heart. “I take it, it was a hard breakup?”
“Humiliating. Two days before the wedding. Then the guy turned around and married his tennis instructor, just two months later.”
“That’s rough,” he said, understanding Cassie’s dilemma better now. He leaned forward and took both of her hands in his, resting them on her thighs. He ignored the sensation ripping through him from that contact, the sharp pang of desire. He couldn’t act upon his urges. Not now, not with Cassie so vulnerable. He wondered why she hadn’t asked him to the wedding instead of trying to pick up some stranger. “You could have said something yesterday.”
Stark fear entered her eyes and they went amazingly wide. “Oh, I couldn’t ask you. You’re the last man I’d ask.”
Jake flinched, his body tightening. The sting of her pronouncement ran deep, cutting through his heart. He’d been the outcast in school, the foster kid nobody seemed to want. And later he’d been the bastard son of a cold unyielding man. His own father hadn’t wanted him until it was too late. Far too late. Jake had known rejection all of his life. He’d dealt with it in his own way. Somehow it always managed to hurt, though, even when it came from a woman he’d just barely met. He dropped her hands and sat back, wondering how many times he’d have to feel this way. How many more times would the pain of rejection slash through his gut? Hell, he’d given up the battle years ago when Lorie had deserted him, but dammit, he wanted to know why Cassie wouldn’t even consider him. Or had that one night in high school, when he hadn’t showed, been that devastating to her? “Because of what happened in high school?”
Cassie closed her eyes briefly, as though reliving that night, then cast him a somber glare. “Being stood up for homecoming is a pretty big deal for a young girl.”
A tick worked at Jake’s jaw. “I know. But it had nothing to do with you.”
“It was as if you’d just dropped off the planet, Jake. I never heard from you again.”
Jake gritted his teeth. Just when life should have been about cars and girls and going out with your friends, his life had been a mess. And he had pretty much dropped off the planet. His father had finally admitted Jake’s existence that night and had come for him. In one insane instant Jake’s whole life had changed. “It couldn’t be helped, Cassie.” Jake paused. “Is that the only reason you don’t want me taking you to the wedding?”
“Not exactly,” Cassie answered. “I have a much better reason.”
Jake couldn’t wait to hear this one. “I’m listening.”
She looked him dead in the eyes, hers, wide, green and so honest. “It’s because I’m attracted to you.”
Jake flinched again. He took a moment to let that sink in, staring at her, trying to understand what the woman meant, but none of it made sense. It was the last thing he’d expected her to say. “And that’s a bad thing?”
She bobbed her head up and down. “Oh, a very bad thing. You see, I’m a terrible judge of what’s good for me. What happened in high school with you was just the beginning. From then on I made a string of bad choices, always hooking up with the wrong guy. I’ve been hurt, Jake, and I don’t trust my instincts anymore. I’ve made too many mistakes. I refuse to make any more. That’s why that bull rider would have been perfect for me. I didn’t feel a thing for him.”
Jake silently applauded her for that. He slid his hand down his jaw and took a deep breath. Leaning toward her again, he took her hands in his, greatly relieved her rejection hadn’t been entirely because of him or that one night, but because of her own insecurities. He owed this woman and a compelling t
ug in his heart had him offering to help her. “Listen, Cassie, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t attracted to you, too. That’s not the issue here. Besides, tomorrow we’re both going our own separate ways, right?”
Cassie nodded slowly, keeping her gaze fastened to his.
“Let me take you to your brother’s wedding. It’d be like a make up date for the one in our past. We’ll spend the evening together. You’ll be able to enjoy the wedding and then we’ll part company. It’s as simple as that.”
“I don’t know.” She began shaking her head. Jake knew she didn’t really trust him. He couldn’t blame her for that. They really didn’t know each other anymore. All she had to go on was what she knew of him in the past. And he hadn’t left her with a good impression. But Jake felt a compelling need to set this one part of his past to rights.
He couldn’t afford anything more with Cassie Munroe.
“Look, your brother already thinks I’m your date. Why change that?”
Cassie hesitated, drawing in her lower lip, contemplating. Finally she asked, “You really think we can pull it off?”
Jake nodded. “We can manage one evening together, don’t you think? We’ve already spent a night together, and that didn’t turn out so badly, did it?”
She chuckled, the sound a relief to his ears. “No, not really.”
“What time is the wedding?”
“We have to be at the riverboat dock at four-thirty. They’re getting married under the London Bridge in Lake Havasu, so the boat has to leave on time.”
Jake calculated his timetable. “I’ve got a rodeo event scheduled today. I have to compete. I need those points to win the championship. It’s been my goal for five years and this is the closest I’ve come. But I’ll meet you at that dock at four-thirty. It’s a promise.”
Cassie stood and for the first time today she appeared hopeful. “Okay, that’s the best offer I’ve had in months. I’d better get into the shower then.”
He rose from the bed, also. “I’ll get your bags out of the car. Just give me the code this time, okay?”
Expecting the Cowboy's Baby Page 3