by Fox, Calista
“Free me,” she said with a laugh.
He moved in close and she got another nose full of the enticing scent he wore, along with the leather from his jacket. His hunky body filled the passenger side and his shoulder brushed hers as he jiggled the latch until the metal released from its holder.
“There you go.” He ducked out of the SUV and straightened.
Reese tried to get her breathing under control. She slipped from the vehicle and led him to the entrance of the saloon, admittedly on shaky legs. He did crazy things to her insides. Made her knees practically knock together. Her nipples puckered behind her lacy bra and her pussy pulsed with awareness. None of those sensations could be controlled, least of all the tingling of her skin.
He reached around her for the door handle and pulled it open. She stepped inside, instantly relieved to have the upbeat country-western music and the noise from the patrons take her mind off the way she innately responded to Caleb.
“Hey, y’all!” Jess waved them over. They’d pushed together several tables to accommodate the large party.
Jack delivered scotch to George and beers to the others. He asked Reese and Caleb, “What can I get you two?”
“The same,” Caleb said as he inclined his head toward the brew.
“Ditto.”
“Comin’ right up.” Jack headed off to the bar.
Caleb draped his jacket over a chair and added Reese’s after he helped her out of it. His gaze slid over her, and it made her pulse accelerate. She hadn’t gotten too dressed up for the evening out. She wore jeans along with a sweater and tank-top ensemble in winter-white. Admittedly, she was glad she’d left her hair down and had applied a bit more makeup than what she’d had on earlier. Caleb seemed to like what he saw.
Yet she couldn’t help reminding herself she wasn’t looking for a new man. And certainly not a younger one. Though five years wasn’t a huge difference, it’d be nice if they’d at least been born in the same decade. Him being a twentysomething made her feel as though she was trolling for a younger man to spite her ex. That was not the case at all, particularly since she’d decided yesterday she needed to cut the ties with the past. Let it all go.
Caleb leaned toward her and asked in a low tone, “You two-step, darlin’?”
“Not in a very long time.”
“Like riding a bike,” he said in her ear. “You game?”
She spared a glance at her friends, all of whom wore expressions of encouragement. She debated the situation a moment. Despite all of her reservations though, the offer was simply too tempting to pass up. Placing her hand in his, she let him lead her onto the dance floor.
Chapter Three
Caleb pulled Reese into his arms and had to bite back the sigh of relief that sprang up on him. From the minute Jack had suggested they head to the saloon, all he could think of was dancing with her. It was a wonder he’d been able to get through the conversation about his new business on the drive over, though it was such a grand passion he could talk about it extensively with little thought. Reese, he’d discovered, had incited a different kind of passion.
They moved together easily as he guided her around the dance floor. He kept her close to him, which didn’t go unnoticed by those in the near vicinity. He caught the curious glances shot their way and knew Reese did too, because her body turned rigid.
He smiled at her and said, “Relax, darlin’. We’re just dancing. That’s hardly newsworthy enough to set the rumor mill on fire.”
“You have a lot to learn about this town.”
With a chuckle, he added, “I can take the heat.”
But he wondered if she could. She seemed preoccupied with the indiscreet attention they received.
When the song ended, he asked, “Ready for that beer?”
“Definitely.”
Despite her obvious tension related to the scrutiny from the townsfolk, Caleb didn’t miss the flash of awareness in her eyes. Something more than self-consciousness edged her tawny irises. An unmistakable flicker of desire told her she’d liked being in his loose embrace. So he didn’t think twice about taking her by the hand as they strolled over to rejoin their party. They took the empty seats and sipped the cold draught beer awaiting them.
George said, “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you out on the dance floor, Reese.”
“Not since my wedding reception, which was a few months before you came to town,” she told him, a distant tinge to her voice.
“Looked like you were enjoying yourself,” Jess added.
Caleb watched as her gaze slid to the dance floor and then returned to him. She smiled.
“I was enjoying myself. Too hell what anyone has to say about it. Wanna get back out there?”
The band covered Garth Brooks’ lively American Honky-tonk Bar Association. He reached for her hand again and said, “Damn straight I do.”
He heard George’s laugh as they left the table. Whether the half a pint she’d had while they were sitting helped to calm her nerves, or she really did want to brush off the busybodies, he wasn’t sure. Nor did he care. All that mattered to him was that she settled comfortably in his arms this time and was much more relaxed as he led her across the floor. Song after song, he twirled her and shuffled her around They moved together in a natural way, as though effortlessly in tune with one another.
When the band slowed it down, Caleb didn’t let her go. He pulled her closer to him, so her breasts nestled below the ledge of his pectoral muscles. She stared up at him, that lusty flicker in her gaze again.
“You’re a very good dancer.” Her tone was provocative and breathy. Her fingers tangled in his hair at the nape of his neck and a soft smile played on her lips.
“It’s our chemistry.”
The way his groin tightened assured him of this. She nodded in confirmation. “I like being in your arms.”
He groaned. Those were words he’d wanted to hear. Bending his head to hers so he could keep his voice low, he said, “Darlin’, you feel better than anything I’ve ever known.”
Her breath seemed to catch. Her eyes searched his and he was certain she found what she was looking for—sincerity. Because he didn’t spew nonsense or empty sentiments.
Her chest rose a tad faster against his. “Maybe we should work our way back to the table.”
“Is it really so bad we’re attracted to each other?” he asked.
“I’m too old for you,” she retorted, a bit quick for his taste.
“Hell, I’m too old for me, Reese.” He scowled. “If that’s the best defense you’ve got…”
“Being the talk of the town again isn’t something I welcome.”
“Too late for that. We left tongues waggin’ back at the restaurant. And jaws have been droppin’ in this joint since we walked in together. I don’t mind one bit.” He stared deep into her eyes. “Tell me you don’t either.”
She hedged for only a moment, then said in a lighter tone, “I’m out here on the dance floor with you, aren’t I?”
He grinned. “Well, then. Problem solved.” He twirled her slowly, then brought her back to him, holding her close. “I’d say from the looks of things, your friends aren’t opposed in any way.”
She glanced around his shoulder and then shook her head. “We didn’t leave all the tongues wagging back at the restaurant. We brought six of them with us.”
He found the situation amusing, despite the fact he’d forewarned himself he didn’t need any complications. Something about the woman he held in his arms made him think he was inviting all kinds of trouble into his life—on a lot of different levels and from varying outlets, including his own family, since they would not approve of his interest in someone outside their social circle. But impending adversity neither slowed him down nor tripped him up.
After several more songs, he suggested, “Why don’t we get out of here?”
She nodded, likely ready for a break from all the interest they’d racked up. He released her and placed a hand at the
small of her back. She collected her purse and their jackets as he dug out some bills from his front pocket.
Liza raised a hand in protest. “No, no. These are on Jack.”
Caleb gave the saloon owner a wave and then said to everyone else, “We need to head out. I’ve got another early start at the ranch tomorrow. Thanks for the good time. And happy birthday again, George.”
“Nice to meet you,” the other man said.
The rest of the group bid them a good evening and then they left, Reese holding her chin at a respectable level, he noted.
When they reached the Range Rover, he opened the passenger door but she didn’t slip inside. Instead, she gazed up at him.
“Are you sure you don’t mind all the gossip we just sparked?”
“What are they going to say? That the new guy in town took an instant liking to the woman he’s renting a room from? Can’t get too worked up about that. It’s the truth, after all.”
Her fingers toyed with a button on his white shirt. “You just got here. Maybe you should keep your options open. Plenty of younger, single women in town.”
“I don’t play the field,” he said. “I didn’t come to Wilder to hook up, that’s true. I have a lot on my plate. But something about you feels right, darlin’. And I don’t give a damn how old you are.”
She drew in a long breath, let it out slowly. “I wasn’t looking, either.”
“I can tell. You didn’t put on the high heels and pearls for me when you knew I was on my way over to the B&B. And I’m glad, because I like how grounded you are.” His head dipped and his lips brushed over hers. “So real.”
Her eyelids fluttered closed, so he moved in for a kiss. A slow, easy one that had their bodies gravitating to each other. He wrapped an arm around her waist as the other one cupped the back of her head. Her breasts pressed to his chest again, the sensation more enticing this time than when they’d been on the dance floor, because there was no one around to take note of the way their bodies melded together.
His tongue slipped past her parted lips and delved deep. His arm tightened around her waist. He kissed her with all the passion she incited, all the desire she evoked.
When he finally broke their kiss, she was breathless. Her chest heaved against his and short pants of air fell from her lips.
With a grin, he asked, “What was that you were saying about keeping my options open?”
Under the dim light of the parking lot lampposts, he saw the blush spread over her cheeks. “You’re very sweet.”
He groaned. “One kiss and I’m already hard. You wanna call me sweet?”
The rosy color seeped down her neck. “And sexy.”
“Now you’re talking.” He kissed her again. When he heard voices coming from the entrance of the saloon, he pulled away. “Why don’t you hop in?”
She stared intently at him a moment, and it stirred myriad feelings within him. Although the hint of reticence still rimmed her eyes, the prevailing emotion he saw was need. Plain and simple, she needed him to help her get back something she’d lost because of her ex—her dignity.
Caleb could see this quite clearly, because he knew what it was like to have a shortcoming that required someone else’s assistance to rectify it. He suffered from being too young numerically for his advanced maturity. The very reason he had to bring in a more experienced vet to help him get his business underway. Though he was damn certain he was capable of managing the operation—he’d helped injured animals since he was a kid, after all—he was smart enough to admit eight years of schooling and working in a clinic did not make him the be-all, end-all of large-animal vets. Maybe someday he’d be able to make that claim. In the meantime, he looked to Dr. Donald Peters to work with him on the most difficult cases.
As far as Reese went… The woman seemed to know he was more than capable of getting her back in the saddle. If a little romance helped her regain her confidence and inner strength, Caleb was definitely the man for the job. Hands down, he was already nuts about her.
Finally she slipped into the passenger’s seat and he shut the door after her. He climbed in on his side and started the vehicle. “Need the heater?”
“Not after those scorching-hot lip locks,” she said with a sigh. “In fact, I could use a little air to cool down.” She cracked the window an inch.
Caleb backed out of the parking space and hit the road. He reached for her hand and rested it on his thigh, his hand covering hers. His muscles bunched at her touch, a reaction he liked. She did all sorts of interesting things to his body.
Glancing over at him, she asked, “Do you always work this fast?”
His laugh filled the quiet interior of the SUV. “Do I go after something I want? Yes. But when it comes to women… Let’s just say I’ve always been a bit gun-shy.”
“Oh really,” she deadpanned. “Because I don’t get that at all.”
He liked her gentle teasing. “You’re a different story. Something clicked when I met you. I can’t explain it.”
“Yeah, I felt it too.” Regardless of her affirmation, she pulled her hand from his leg. “The thing is, I’m still bumbling along. As you observed earlier.”
He was quiet as he considered this. On the one hand, he did have a tenacious nature when it came to his goals. His professional aspirations required his undivided attention. As for Reese… Well, he certainly knew where she was coming from.
The difficulty with the situation was that he’d never actually been this ensnared by a woman. That it had happened almost instantaneously meant even more to him. He’d kept his guard up since he’d been a teen, having learned at a very early age what the opposite sex typically wanted from him. His family name on Forbes billionaires’ list was a guarantee he’d never be lonely. But that was not the kind of companionship he sought.
The woman sitting next to him hadn’t even asked where he’d come up with the money to bankroll the rescue operation, nor had she been quick to snatch his credit card for the room and board. While he had a well-padded trust fund, he hadn’t needed to dip into it for the animal shelter. His grandfather had taught him about the stock market when he was in high school, and he’d invested his graduation money in several sweet spots that had helped him to make even bigger investments later on. He’d also saved his money from birthdays and Christmases, knowing someday it would be better spent on his dream than a collection of comic books or a video gaming system or some other expensive, though inconsequential toy.
He wouldn’t say he’d made his money all on his own. His family had too much of it for the cash not to flow in his direction. But he’d more than stepped up to the plate to reach this point—a necessary tactic in order to justify his need for independence. He didn’t want to be a drain on the Bennett finances any more than he wanted to be a slave to them.
Pulling into the drive of the B&B, he wondered about the current course of action to take with Reese. While his libido was in high gear, he also knew any sort of involvement with her would not be strictly physical. He wasn’t the love ‘em and leave ‘em type.
He cut the engine and she attempted to release the seatbelt again.
“You’ve got to get this thing fixed.”
“Already planned to trade the SUV in for a truck next week. But in the meantime, you’re my captive audience.”
She sucked in a breath, audible over the chirping of crickets and the rustle of leaves that blew in the gentle breeze, which filtered in with her window still cracked.
“You have another point to make?” she asked, her brow lifting.
“Yeah. I’m not looking for romantic complications any more than you are. We both have our issues to work through. But…” He shook his head. “Sometimes you have to step off a cliff. Otherwise you stay stagnant. And potentially miss out on something worthwhile.”
“Meaning?”
His chest pulled tight. He had plenty of dilemmas to wade through, but something drove him to say, “I’m going to kiss you again. If you decide you want
me to do more than that, just nod your head.”
She did before he even leaned in. “I already know. Not sure how it’s gonna go, but… I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want one night with you. I swear I thought I’d never be attracted to anyone ever again. I don’t want to ignore it.”
His eyes narrowed on her. “One night?”
With another nod, she said, “You were right. Neither one of us is interested in emotional entanglements.”
Rubbing his thumb against his jaw helped to loosen it. “I’m not into that, Reese. If this spark between us is real, I’m not going to pretend it isn’t. And I’m sure as hell not going to use you to scratch an itch.”
She frowned. “But you said we both have issues to work through and—”
“I also said sometimes you have to jump off a cliff. It’s entirely possible there’s a reason we responded so quickly and easily to each other.”
Shaking her head, she said, “I can’t travel that path with you, Caleb. I know what it’s like to be emotionally devastated and I can’t take that chance again.”
Clearly, she had no idea that she’d already started down the path with him. She’d shared the humiliation of her divorce and he’d told her of his dream. He’d been introduced to her friends. They’d danced together, holding each other intimately. And their kisses… They hadn’t just been filled with passion. He’d read plenty into her wants and desires and he knew he’d conveyed his own needs.
But he understood her trepidation. She had valid concerns. So did he—because he was damn certain one night with her would not be enough. And juggling a new romance and a new business venture at the same time would not be a walk in the park.
Yet every grand plan had its hiccups. This was a very enticing one. He was up for the challenge both undertakings presented.
Finally he told her, “I’m not going to deny I want you. From about the moment I laid eyes on you. Maybe it was the flour on your face or how forthcoming you were from the start. Maybe it was the pie.” He winked at her and she laughed softly. “I don’t know. I’m not supposed to know. Chemistry is mystical and should stay that way. Whatever the catalyst, when I saw you at Pietro’s I kinda thought it was fate lending a hand. Would it really be so bad if there’s more between us than physical attraction?”