“Damn, I want you,” he murmured, resting his hands on her hips.
“I don’t see the problem.”
“I swore to myself—” He exhaled a harsh breath that felt hot and fiery against her collarbone. “Christ, Jamie…”
Their lips met in a heated rush, and his arms came around her, his hands cupping her bottom until she arched against him. She pushed a hand through his damp hair, and though he started slow, his mouth grew more demanding, until he’d pushed his tongue between her lips and swept inside.
Her unsteady fingers slid to his chest so she could continue to free his buttons until she’d managed to unfasten them all without ripping anything. The way his arms were bent, she couldn’t successfully push off his shirt, but she slid her hands inside and stroked his bare muscled back.
Cole let go of her, and she whimpered a protest before guessing his intent. He shrugged off his shirt, then grabbed the hem of her stretchy top and yanked it over her head. He tossed it over his shoulder; the whole time his gaze was raking her face and the front of her pink lacy bra. He found the clasp between her breasts and opened it with a single flick.
Her taut nipples were flushed and beaded, and he circled one with the rough pad of his thumb. She quivered inside, or maybe her entire body reacted, she wasn’t sure, all of her senses were on full alert.
He cupped the weight of her breast, and when it seemed touch wasn’t enough, he rolled his tongue over the nipple, tasting and nibbling, then tugging the tight bud into his mouth. She shivered almost uncontrollably, and he froze, lifted his head, searched her face.
“Don’t stop,” she whispered. “Please don’t.”
Moaning deep in his throat, he wrapped both arms around her, lifted her onto the bed and laid her back. She rubbed her palm across his straining fly, and he sucked in a sharp breath. Her shoulder came off the bed as she reached for him, anxious to unzip his jeans, but the force of his mouth pressed her back against the mattress. He tasted her lips, then licked at the hollow of her throat and trailed a warm moist path to her other breast.
He found her nipple and traced it with the stiff point of his tongue before sucking her into his mouth. His hand trembled with what she presumed was an attempt at restraint as he gently kneaded her other breast. Knowing that he was having trouble controlling himself released a surge of fiery warmth that rushed through her veins as she grabbed hold of his bulging biceps.
As he used his hands, his teeth and his tongue on her mouth and breasts, she slipped her other hand between them, splaying her fingers across his chest, loving the feel of his taut warm skin against her palm. Loving that his nipples were nearly as responsive as her own.
“You’re perfect, Jamie. Beautiful and perfect,” he murmured against her breasts, and the vibration of his lips sent a shaft of pure pleasure through her.
Or maybe it was the words themselves that had her floating a foot off the mattress. No one had ever said anything like that to her before, and had it been any other man she wouldn’t have believed for a second that he meant it. Easier to imagine the sentiment as a meaningless attempt at foreplay. But Cole wasn’t that kind of guy.
He kissed the valley between her breasts, then kissed the sensitive skin leading to her navel. With one hand he unsnapped her jeans and slowly drew down the zipper.
She closed her eyes, not lifting a finger to help him. Her turn to undress him was coming, but if he didn’t hurry she wouldn’t be able to wait.
His hand abruptly stilled.
She opened her eyes in time to see a flash of light behind the drawn curtains. No, it wasn’t a flash after all. Someone had turned on the outside floodlights.
Then came the yelling.
9
COLE MET HER EYES, then allowed himself a final glimpse of her smooth flushed skin. Battling every primitive instinct he possessed, he pulled away from Jamie and walked to the window. He shoved aside the curtain and saw Dutchy and Josh hurrying from the barn toward the house, grim looks on their faces.
Half expecting to see Gunderson being escorted off the property, Cole surveyed the area and saw several of the other hands in various stages of undress milling around outside the bunkhouse and barn. Kyle and Chester were crouched down by the driveway, inspecting something in the dirt.
“What’s going on?”
He turned and saw that Jamie had gotten to her feet. She still wore jeans, but no top, her firm high breasts still bare.
His cock twitched. He wasn’t as hard as he was a minute ago, but staring at her didn’t help.
“I don’t know.” He found his shirt on the floor. “I’ve got to go find out.”
“Can I go with you?” She quickly searched the bed, then the floor and scooped up her bra.
“Probably not a good idea,” he said, shrugging on his shirt.
“Oh, right.”
He knew Dutchy and Josh would’ve reached the front door by now but he heard nothing. For an old house, the place was well insulated and soundproof, though he suspected Trace had answered their knock.
She picked up his boots from where he’d left them in the corner and brought them to him. He repaid her thoughtfulness by trying not to stare at her breasts. It was damn hard. While he sat at the edge of the bed and pulled on his boots, she helped him out by slipping on the lacy bra.
“Whatever’s happening,” he said, “lousy timing.” He caught her hand as he stood, and pulled her close.
She slid her arms around his waist and looked up at him, her eyes dark instead of the usual warm golden-green. “Be safe.”
“I’m sure it’s nothing.” He brushed back the hair from her face and lightly kissed her lips. It was a mistake. He wanted so much more than a brief kiss but he had to go. “If you wait a few minutes, Rachel will be out there and you can come see for yourself.”
“Okay, I will.”
Mistake number two. He shouldn’t have encouraged her to come outside. Really stupid move. He was a mess inside. His body still hadn’t calmed down, and as much as he wanted her, he equally wanted to kick himself for not having had more willpower. He wasn’t a kid. Acting on impulse wasn’t his style, so what the hell? Jesus, she was a guest at the ranch and he’d just met the woman. Sex wasn’t the problem. It was the weird connection he felt with her that made no sense. Made him a little nervous.
By the time he walked through the front door, a whole crowd had gathered outside: Rachel, Trace, a few of the guests and most of the hands. They all looked at him as if he’d finally found his misplaced invitation to the party.
“What’s going on?” He directed the question at Dutchy, their foreman, but he and Trace both started talking at once. “Hold on, one of you at a time.”
“It’s the Exiss,” Dutchy said, yanking the battered black Stetson off his balding head and shooting a reluctant glance at Josh.
“What about it?” Cole asked.
“It’s missing.”
Cole hoped like hell he’d heard wrong. The horse trailer was their newest purchase. “It’s what?”
Josh stuffed his hands in his jeans pockets and visibly swallowed. “I know it’s my fault. I shoulda put it with the others, but I was late for supper and I left it in back of the barn.”
“Wait a minute.” Cole shook his head. “A horse trailer doesn’t just hook itself up and drive away. You sure it’s not parked in the lean-to?”
Josh stared at the ground, kicking at the dirt with the toe of his scuffed boot. “I’m sorry, boss. I truly am, but I’m real clear on having left it behind the barn.”
“It’s gotta be Gunderson,” Trace said, his shoulders tense and his jaw clenched. “That bastard needs a good ass-kicking.”
“Don’t jump to conclusions,” Cole warned, even though Trace had echoed Cole’s thoughts exactly. “How did you know it was missing? You had to have heard something.”
Josh shook his head. “I came out for a smoke before bed and was walking around, looking at the moon when it struck me there was a big ol’ empty spac
e where the trailer shoulda been.” He scrubbed at his long narrow face. “Earlier I heard a truck, but it sounded like Kyle’s. Dammit, I’m sorry, boss. Wouldn’t blame you if you fired me right here on the spot.”
“Let’s worry about locating the trailer.” Cole tried to keep his cool. Fitted-out horse trailers were damn expensive. They couldn’t afford to buy another one. He heard murmuring and looked over at two of the guests whispering to each other. He’d almost forgotten they were there. “Rachel.” He motioned with his eyes for her to step aside with him. “Everyone doesn’t need to be out here,” he said in a quiet voice.
“You’re right.” Her sympathetic gaze went to Josh, and she gave him a small reassuring smile before herding the guests back inside.
“All right.” Cole faced the men. “I want everyone to think about the last couple of hours since it got dark. You remember hearing anything unusual that you didn’t think much of at the time?”
He got a few blank looks, a lot of head-shaking, and then Dutchy said, “I was playin’ poker with the boys till nine. My luck got to runnin’ kind of muddy so I hit the sack.” He shrugged his bony shoulders. “My bunk’s on the barn side but I didn’t a hear a thing till Josh came barrelin’ in all excited.”
“We’re wasting time,” Trace said, his temper plainly coursing hot. “I say we ride over to Gunderson’s place.”
“And do what? Accuse a man without any proof?” Cole gave him a stern look. He didn’t want to dress his brother down in front of the men but he wouldn’t hesitate to pull him inside for it.
“I’m not suggesting we accuse him, just poke around his property.”
“That’s trespassing.”
“He has no problem waltzing onto McAllister land.” Trace was obviously spoiling for a fight, and man, Cole did not need that right now.
“I’d call Noah before I cross onto another man’s property uninvited,” he said. “You know better, Trace. Let’s keep a cool head.”
“Are you gonna call the sheriff?” Dutchy asked. “’Cause you know I dislike Gunderson as much as any man here, but truth be told, this ain’t the first theft this week.”
Frowns were exchanged, heads scratched and silence stretched for an eternity.
“Good point, Dutchy.” Cole almost hated to admit it. “We have to consider that maybe Mrs. Clements was a victim, too.”
“Did the sheriff believe her?” Josh asked. “Everyone I know thought she misplaced the four-wheeler.”
“What difference does it make?” Trace said irritably. “That won’t get back our trailer.”
“I know that.” Josh hung his head. “I’ll pack up my things now if you want.”
“No,” Trace and Cole said at the same time.
“Anybody else happen to be outside since nightfall?” Cole was pretty steamed but he wouldn’t fire the kid. He was only twenty-one and a good worker, even if he had left out the trailer. The fact was, during the summer they often left out the older trailers and everyone made mistakes.
Cole was no exception, he thought glumly as he caught a glimpse of Jamie standing near the porch. His stomach cramped in a sickening rush of guilt. Here he was asking if anyone had been around, and where had he been?
Logically he knew it didn’t matter that he’d been kissing Jamie, stripping her naked, on the verge of making love to her. If she hadn’t been here, chances were he’d have been in his room anyway, probably asleep and unaware of an intruder. But he apparently was in a mood to let his thinking be clouded because the tension in his belly wouldn’t ease.
He purposely positioned himself so that he couldn’t see her and hoped like hell she’d go back into the house. “Chester, I saw you and Kyle crouched by the driveway. You find tracks?”
“A whole mess of ’em.” Chester spread his hands. “Nothing that would help.”
Cole nodded. “I don’t see any point in dragging Noah out here this time of night. He won’t find anything we haven’t. I’ll call him in the morning. You guys try and get some sleep.”
“Shit, Cole, I still say—”
“Trace, no one is going to Gunderson’s.” He met his brother’s defiant glare, and gave him a stern look in return. “Get a flashlight and meet me by the barn.”
“I wish Jesse were home. He’s not so hardheaded,” Trace muttered as he turned toward the house.
“Where is Jesse?” Dutchy asked. “Still in Wyoming?”
Cole nodded. “He’ll be back in the morning.” Under the guise of tracking Trace, he swung a look toward the porch. Jamie was gone. “No need to stay up. I don’t expect we’ll find anything, but it might help Trace let off some steam.”
“I figured as much.” Dutchy plopped his hat on his head. “If it’s all the same to you, I’ll have a look around with you two boys.”
“Suit yourself.” Cole glanced up at the second story.
Jamie was standing at the window. She was in her own room. Good. She was going to have to stay there. Enough mistakes had been made tonight.
* * *
JAMIE HADN’T EXPECTED Cole to knock on her door last night. She knew something had been stolen, and she’d seen the concern on his face. Nevertheless she had hoped to catch him before he left this morning. But by the time she’d run downstairs at six, he was gone.
“Pass me the lime marmalade, would you?”
She had the horrible feeling that he was trying to avoid her. Naturally she understood why he’d been tied up last night, but…
Brenda elbowed her. “Jamie?”
“What?”
“The lime marmalade?”
She blinked. “Oh, sorry.” She reached for the glass bowl brimming with Hilda’s special recipe. It was a huge breakfast hit with all of the guests, and she was surprised there was that much left. Though the bowl could’ve been refilled three times and she wouldn’t have noticed.
“You look tired,” said the blonde sitting across from Jamie, and darn if she could remember the woman’s name. She bore too much of a resemblance to her friend, both bottle-blondes with spray-on tans and frighteningly white teeth. “Even with all the excitement last night, I crashed hard. Must be the mountain air.” She glanced coyly at her roommate. “Adele couldn’t sleep. She was too busy sitting at the window watching Cole.”
Adele rolled her eyes and sipped her coffee.
The other four women at the table grinned.
Jamie silently cleared her throat. She didn’t blame the woman for ogling Cole. He was hot. And he was hers. At least for the next five days. “Does anyone know if they found whatever it was they were looking for?” she asked casually, and buttered her biscuit.
“Who knows? I just hope that cute sheriff comes by before we go white-water rafting.” The chatty blonde wrinkled her nose. “Rachel said stuff like this never happens around here, but it was kind of exciting. Do you think it was all staged for our benefit?”
“Seriously?” Jamie hadn’t realized she’d spoken aloud until everyone stared at her. Not in a good way, either.
Thankfully, Rachel’s entrance into the dining room distracted everyone. Jamie met her eyes, saw the smile she was holding back and knew she’d overheard.
“How’s the coffee? Need a refill?” Rachel lifted the silver carafe. “More biscuits or fruit?”
Everyone shook their heads, and then questions were asked about their day’s activities.
Jamie poured more desperately needed caffeine down her throat while she watched Rachel interact with the other women. She was a puzzle, that was for sure. Rachel seemed smart, had a masters degree in hotel management, and she’d obviously known what she was doing when she created the ranch’s website. She was terrific at marketing and a wonderful hostess. What Jamie couldn’t figure out was how she could be content living here where her opportunities were limited.
Granted it was her home and all her family was right here, but she’d been away at school for over six years and had seen there was more to the world than her little corner of Montana. As far as Jam
ie could tell, there weren’t many men around who someone like Rachel would be interested in dating—not to mention she’d probably known all the guys close to her age since kindergarten.
Some of the hired hands were nice and most of them were fairly good-looking, a dream for a single woman who was visiting for a week, but not for Rachel. Jamie couldn’t see her with any of them. Did she feel trapped now that she was growing the dude ranch side of the business? Was she biding her time, making her contribution before she planned her escape?
God, Jamie had no idea why she was contemplating any of this nonsense. Not only was none of it her business, but she didn’t really know Rachel. She was simply projecting. For all she knew, Rachel might want to be married with four kids, stay at home and churn butter.
Nah, Jamie was never that far off on her first impressions. She brought the cup to her lips and made a face. The coffee was barely lukewarm.
“I figured it was cold by now.”
She looked up and saw Rachel with her hands full of plates and leftover bowls of fruit. Everyone else had left the table and they were exiting the dining room.
“Um.” Jamie blinked. “Guess I spaced out a minute.”
“I saw that dazed look.” Rachel grinned. “Come on, we have fresh coffee in the kitchen.”
Jamie got up, grabbed the basket of biscuits and, balancing three dirty cups, followed Rachel.
“I didn’t mean to put you to work,” Rachel said when she turned and saw Jamie set her load on the counter by the sink.
“What, you think I’d sashay in here with free hands?”
“You are a guest.”
“Oh, please.” Jamie eyed the huge coffee station. “I won’t turn down that cup you promised.”
“Of course…” Rachel set down the fruit and wiped her hands with a dish towel.
Jamie waved her off. “I’ll get it.”
“Keep this up and we’ll have to refund your money.”
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