In the Cowboy's Arms

by Vicki Lewis Thompson

  “Thanks.” She smiled and took off her glasses to polish them. “But I would have had to be a real knockout to succeed. Luckily, along the way I discovered that supporting the careers of other actors makes me happy. I’ve hung out with them all my life, so opening a PR business was a no-brainer. Mom wasn’t too pleased with my decision, but she eventually came to grips with it.”

  “That’s good.” He sometimes wondered if the woman who’d given birth to him would come out of the woodwork and claim his success was all because of her. “I’ll have to admit that I’ve never seen one of your mother’s movies.”

  “Sad to say, they were forgettable. She blames the scripts and the directing. Personally, I think she’s better at creating drama offscreen than on. I was afraid she’d end up with her own reality TV show, but fortunately we were all spared that. She finally gave up trying to draw attention to herself and moved to Italy.”

  He couldn’t get a bead on whether she loved her mother or tolerated her. “Is that a good thing?”

  “To be honest, it’s a relief. She’s exhausting to be around.”

  “Almost as bad as a day spent trying to get to Sheridan, huh?”

  “In retrospect, it wasn’t so terrible.” She put her glasses back on and pushed away from the railing. “Anyway, I didn’t want to go to bed without talking to you about something.”

  Ah, yes, bedtime. Between the dancing, the beer and finally being alone with her, he was losing the battle with his sexual attraction. She’d be in the bedroom next to his and that would make falling asleep a challenge. When he’d arrived, his mom had asked him if he wanted to bunk in one of the cabins for nostalgia’s sake. Knowing he’d be interfering with the cleaning and preparations for the summer school kids, he’d decided not to.

  Now he wished he’d opted for the cabin. His mom had obviously accepted Geena, and for all he knew Rosie had put them adjacent to each other on purpose. It would be like her to think it served him right for being so unwelcoming. He wasn’t feeling unwelcoming anymore. Life had been so much simpler when he’d thought of Geena as the enemy instead of a sexy woman who might or might not be seeing someone.

  She took another deep breath, which strained the buttons on her jacket.

  He’d been fascinated by that jacket all evening. It revealed a slight bit of cleavage, and near as he could tell, she wore nothing but a bra or a camisole underneath. She didn’t really need a blouse because the jacket provided decent coverage, but he’d thought about what he’d see if he unfastened the buttons.

  He needed to get off this train of thought and buy a ticket on another one. Her outfit was no more seductive than any she’d worn in meetings they’d had regarding his career. But those meetings had taken place in her office and not during a cool evening when a silky breeze wafted over them bringing the scent of wild grasses and pine trees.

  “You’re upset because I invaded your territory.” Her voice was soft and weary.

  “That did upset me.” He wasn’t angry now but chose not to say that.

  “If I’d only hoped to convince you to go along with my original plan, then coming here would have been obnoxious, but that’s not why I booked those flights.”

  “Then why did you?”

  “First of all, I realized that Briana isn’t going to let go of this. If you haven’t gone online then you might not know, but she’s come up with a cutesy slogan and she’s plastering it everywhere.”

  Okay, this topic might effectively cool his jets. “I’m afraid to ask what it is.”

  “Run, Forrest, run.”

  “Oh, for God’s sake.” Just as Geena had predicted, he’d been branded a coward. “That’s sickening.”

  “I agree, but the plain truth is that you’re not going to be able to ride this one out. She’s portraying your silence and your absence as an admission of guilt and she’s spinning stories about how you lusted after her during the filming of Preston’s Revenge.”

  His stomach pitched. “That’s a damned lie.” So much for the seductive ambiance of the porch.

  “I know it is.”

  “How?” Their discussion in her office came back to him along with the anger he’d felt at being wrongly accused. “You weren’t there.”

  “No, but I—”

  “Geena, you’ve always been a straight shooter before. Please don’t twist yourself into a pretzel because you like my family and you want to smooth things over.”

  Her chin lifted and she met his gaze. “That is not the case and I resent your implication.”

  “And I’m suspicious of your sudden turnaround! How can you be so sure I’m telling the truth?” He took a step closer. “Maybe I spent every available moment on location trying to seduce her while she valiantly fought me off.”

  A flame burned in her eyes, which were definitely green, like he’d thought. “I’m trying to apologize, damn it. You didn’t try to seduce her and you didn’t kiss her outside that café. A gentleman wouldn’t do those things. I allowed the photo to convince me of something I should have known wasn’t true. But I finally figured it out.”

  This was turning into an effing roller coaster. “So you’ve decided I’m a gentleman?”

  “I didn’t just decide. You’ve demonstrated it from the beginning with your yes, ma’am behavior and your respect for everyone in my office, including the cleaning lady. She made a point of telling me that you showed up late one afternoon after we’d all left and you offered to carry out the trash.”

  “Who wouldn’t?”

  “Most people, Matt. So obviously you didn’t initiate that embarrassing scene in Burbank and you didn’t hit on her during the filming. It doesn’t fit your profile. It’s not you.”

  “God, that makes me happy. You can’t imagine how happy.” Vindicated. Damn, that felt good.

  “Because I hadn’t put that together, I insulted your sense of honor. No wonder you stomped out of my office. I’m surprised you didn’t end our business relationship.”

  He smiled. “That was my original goal when I thought I’d be escorting you back to town. First I’d get you a hotel room and then I’d fire you.”

  “Good thing Rosie asked me to stay, huh?”

  “I wasn’t in favor of that, either.”

  “Yeah, she robbed you of your chance to fire me.” She gazed at him with an expression that bordered on tenderness. “You can still do that if you want, although Rosie seems to think you need me.”

  The warmth in her eyes brought him right back to the thoughts he’d been having until the discussion turned ugly. Drawn by that warmth, he drifted closer, within touching distance. “I probably do need you. I have no idea how to deal with this fiasco. Anyway, I can’t fire you with Rosie around. She’d give me hell for it. The others wouldn’t like it, either. You made some friends in there.”

  “Nice to know.” For some reason her glasses misted up. She took them off. “How about out here?”

  He was a goner. “I’ve always liked you. That’s why it bothered me so much that you believed I’d caused that scene.”

  “I’ve always liked you, too.” She moistened her lips. “That’s all the more reason I should have stopped to think before I jumped to conclusions.”

  The gesture caught his attention and he noticed her lipstick had worn off. He’d never seen her without it. Because of that, the natural pink of her bare lips was more arousing than if she’d stripped naked. The sweep of her tongue had left her mouth with a satin sheen that begged to be savored.

  “Rosie thinks there’s more to it.”

  “More to what?” While he’d been imagining how she’d taste, he’d lost track of the conversation. Lifting his gaze, he saw awareness in her expression and his heart pounded in anticipation. She knew what he wanted. Judging from the way she was looking at him, she wasn’t opposed.

&n
bsp; “The kissing incident.” Her breathing quickened. “She doesn’t think we have all the facts and you won’t make those public because you’re too much of a gentleman. I’m inclined to agree. There are lines you won’t cross.”

  He searched her expression. “Apparently you admire that.”

  “I do.”

  “Then maybe we should head inside.”

  She swallowed. “We should?”

  “Uh-huh. I’m guessing you already have someone in your life.”

  “Actually, I don’t.” Her voice was laced with tension. “Why do you want that information?”

  “Because I’m two seconds away from kissing you and I’d hate to ruin my sterling reputation.”

  Color bloomed in her cheeks. “I promise your reputation’s safe with me.”

  Chapter Five

  Being kissed by Matt Forrest was the last thing in the world Geena had expected to happen to her in Wyoming. Being trampled by a moose had seemed far more likely, or being eaten by a grizzly bear.

  But kicking off her shoes to learn Cade’s new dance step had felt like kicking off the traces. She’d been under strain, too, and dancing plus a bottle of beer had relaxed her. She’d forgotten to be so darned professional, and like any good actor, Matt had taken his cue.

  Licking her lips had been an innocent and unplanned move, but when those electric-blue eyes had focused on her mouth, game over. A powerful wave of lust had swept her brain clean of everything but the need to kiss and be kissed by the hottest cowboy she’d ever known.

  He took off his hat and laid it on a chair. Then he reached for her. Cupping her face in both hands, he gazed into her eyes. “I’ve thought about doing this for months. How about you?”

  She was so excited she could barely breathe. “Never crossed my mind.” Sliding her hands up the soft cotton of his T-shirt, she felt the solid muscles underneath. The tactile thrill was more delicious than she could have possibly imagined.

  “You’re not attracted to me? I could have sworn—”

  “I didn’t say that.” She rubbed her hands across his chest because she couldn’t help herself.

  “So you are attracted to me.”

  “Uh-huh.” She began a slow massage and watched his eyes darken to navy.

  “I should’ve asked you out. I almost did.”

  “What stopped you?”

  His gaze searched hers. “I thought it might be unprofessional.”

  “And people talk.”

  “Tell me about it.” He tipped her head back. “But tonight, after watching you dance, I don’t really care.”

  “I don’t much care, either.” Her pulse raced as she anticipated the touch of his mouth. It looked sexy on screen but ten times more kissable in real life.

  He leaned closer. “Glad to hear it.” And he captured her mouth.

  When he did, the takeover was complete. She leaned into him and ran up the white flag without firing a single shot. No doubt the guy had many talents or he wouldn’t be finding success in the competitive film industry. But he could give a master course in the art of mouth-to-mouth contact.

  He made the connection effortlessly, as if he’d already mapped the contours of her lips. And once he settled in, heaven help her. The movements of his mouth and tongue were subtle yet devastating. He teased, he sucked and he nibbled until she was ready to rip her clothes off because she wanted his brand of intense pleasure everywhere.

  That tortured moan had come from her. Her panties were damp and she was clinging to him for dear life. Dimly she remembered they were on the porch of his parents’ house and nothing she longed for could happen here.

  Gasping in reaction, she struggled out of his arms and backed away. “You should have a license for that mouth.”

  His chuckle was low and sexy, although he was breathing hard, too. “You were giving as good as you got, lady.”

  “Okay, Forrest, the gloves are off. We’re officially hot for each other.”

  “I noticed.” He dragged in air. “I’m quick that way.”

  She pressed a hand against her thumping heart. “I’m... I don’t know what’s supposed to happen next. This is still highly unprofessional.”

  “Like I said, I don’t care anymore.”

  “Honestly, neither do I. But I’m a guest in your parents’ home. I’m not planning to embarrass either me or them.”

  “We won’t.” He retrieved his hat and settled it on his head. “But this isn’t over.”

  “I hope not, but I’m a stranger in a strange land. I need a guide.”

  “Right.” He paused. “The first thing you should know is that Mom put you in the room next to mine.”

  “Oh, geez.”

  “That might have been an accident but it might not. She could have done it because she was upset with me for being a jerk when you arrived. But I also feel obliged to warn you that when it comes to her boys, she’s a matchmaker.”

  Geena gulped. “But she barely knows me.”

  “And that may not figure into her thinking at all, but I might have mentioned you a few times on the phone. That could be enough to set her in motion.”

  “Oh.” Knowing he’d talked to Rosie about her was flattering but she wasn’t crazy about being the target of a matchmaking scheme, even if the proposed match was between her and Mr. Hotter-than-a-jalapeño.

  “I’m really not sure what she’s thinking. But she knows that you want the best for me, which is a big deal for her. I’m sure she appreciates your interest in the academy, too. You’ve made a good first impression.”

  “I’m glad, but let me be clear. After that dynamite kiss I’m eager to get even friendlier, but it’s way too early to be picking out china patterns. Considering my background, I’m not sure that will ever be in the cards.”

  “I’ll call your background and raise you mine. Not to mention the lousy odds of any Hollywood couple lasting more than a few years.”

  She grimaced. “Isn’t that the truth? But it’s good that we’re on the same page, even if your foster mom has other ideas.”

  “You know, I shouldn’t assume she wants to marry me off just because she has that reputation with her boys. She knows how important my career is, how much I want to make it as an actor. So forget what I said. For sure she wants us to get along for our mutual benefit, but that might be the extent of it.”

  “Even though she put us in adjoining rooms?”

  “Yeah, she did.” He shrugged. “I’m not sure what she had in mind when she did that, but in any case, it won’t work for me. I’ll take a bedroll down to the barn.”

  “Is that a veiled invitation to join you there?”

  “No, ma’am, it isn’t.”

  “Getting it on in the barn has a certain ring to it.”

  “Been there, but with country girls. I’m not subjecting you to that.”

  She looked him in the eye. “What if I want to be subjected to it?”

  His reaction was all she could have hoped for. His eyes darkened and his chest heaved. But he didn’t give in. “Maybe before you leave, but not the first time. For all you know you’re allergic to hay. Or horses. Hear me out on this and don’t get crazy on me.”

  “I’m already crazy, and it’s your fault because you kiss like no man I’ve ever known.”

  “So I’ve been told.”

  She groaned. “You could have warned me! I wasn’t the least bit prepared!”

  “Oh, Geena.” Moving closer, he pulled her into his arms. “We’ve started this thing between us and I promise we’ll finish it. I bought a ranch, and I’m thinking that maybe we—”

  “A ranch? A whole ranch?”

  “I’m hoping it’s a whole ranch. I’d hate like hell to buy half a ranch.”

  That made her laugh
. “So, where is it?”

  “Right down the road.” He rubbed the small of her back. “I vaguely remember the place from when I lived at Thunder Mountain but I’ve never been inside the house. Rosie and Herb looked it over for me and said it was a good buy, although it needs work. I want to go see it tomorrow, so if you’d like to ride along, you’d be most welcome.”

  “I’m way ahead of you. I accept your invitation to visit your ranch.”

  “Excellent.”

  “Now, let me go or I’m liable to drag you into my SUV and drive you over there tonight.”

  He backed away. “You’re good for my ego.”

  “You ain’t seen nothin’ yet.”

  His gaze swept over her. “We need to get back inside before I change my mind about the barn.”

  “I’m not allergic to hay. Or horses. I just remembered that I’ve been exposed to both at Disneyland. I’m good with goats, too.” His laughter made her smile. “Well, I am. They came right up to me wagging their little tails.”

  “I’ll bet they did. But please don’t come down to the barn tonight. It’s not an appropriate venue for what I have in mind, and anyway, I didn’t anticipate this so I don’t have supplies.”

  Supplies. He really was a gentleman. “Okay. I’ll respect your wishes.” She put on her glasses and tucked a few strands of hair back into place.

  “Besides, you should get a good night’s sleep after what you’ve been through today.”

  “What about you, bedding down in the barn? Surely you won’t get a good night’s sleep.”

  “Actually, I will. I love listening to the horses moving around in their stalls, munching on hay, making snuffling sounds. It’s comforting. I used to do it all the time when I lived here. I’d pretend I was John Wayne, banished to the barn by Maureen O’Hara.” He took a deep breath. “Ready to go in?”

  “Do I have a choice?” Now she wished that nature had given her red hair so she could be Maureen O’Hara to his John Wayne.

  He shook his head. “We’ve already been out here long enough to raise suspicion. And you must be exhausted.”

  “I used to be.” She glanced at him. “But thanks to you, I’m all revved up again.”