Southern Charm: A Single Daddy Cowboy, Secret Baby, Ranch Western Romance (Rainbow Canyon Cowboys Book 5)

by KC Crowne

  I shouldn’t have been thinking such thoughts. Chance was my boss, as I kept telling myself. That little detail made him most certainly off-limits. But I still wanted him, wanted to know what it’d feel like with those rough hands all over my curvy body. It was enough to create a wave of heat between my legs that traveled to the rest of my body. I rubbed my thighs together, hoping that’d take my mind off what I wanted.

  “You are lucky,” I commented. “You’ve got the place, your family, an adorable little daughter.”

  He nodded. “And on top of all that, I have a great teacher to look after her.”

  I smiled, his words warming me just as surely as the whiskey and the fire. “Thanks,” I said, setting my drink down. “I’m happy to be here.”

  “And it doesn’t hurt that she’s easy on the eyes.” He winked before turning his attention back to his drink.

  Fuck, was he flirting with me? Maybe it was unprofessional, but I didn’t care. I watched as he took a long sip from his own drink, his eyes fixed in that steely expression I’d seen, the one that made him look like he had more on his mind than I could imagine.

  He set down his drink and abruptly turned to me. “Somethin’ else I wanted to mention.” As he spoke, he reached over to point out something. “Is that—”

  Right in the middle of his words, Chance’s hand collided with his mug of whiskey and coffee. The drink tipped over, and a sharp gasp escaped my lips as the liquid spilled over the armrest of the chair and onto my jeans.

  “Aw, hell,” he said, seeing what he’d done. “You alright?” He got up as he spoke, hurrying to one of the closets.

  “I’m fine,” I assured him. “It’s not that hot anymore.”

  He opened the closet and took out a small towel. “Just stay right there,” he said as he approached. “I’ll handle it.”

  Even though it wasn’t a big deal at all, there was a firmness to his voice that let me know without a doubt that he was in charge.

  Chance squatted down in front of me, placing the towel on my leg and firmly pressing it against my jeans, soaking up the coffee. A bit had seeped into the denim, but it rapidly cooled.

  “Sometimes I feel like I’m all thumbs, ya know?” he flicked those golden eyes up to me, a hint of a smile on his lips.

  “It’s nothing, really.”

  Well, the mess was nothing. Chance in front of me, cleaning up the coffee, his hands on my thigh – that was most definitely not nothing. He continued to clean up, putting his other hand on my other leg to keep himself steady.

  “Might want to take these off,” he said. “Hang ‘em up in front of the fire.”

  “Okay!” The word shot out of my mouth so quickly I surprised myself and immediately blushed.

  Chance chuckled. “I was only messin’ around, darlin.’ But you should take care of these sooner rather than later.”

  I closed my eyes, focusing on how damn good his hands felt on my body. It was wrong, but I didn’t care. And Chance was so focused on the work that he didn’t seem to realize his hands were moving further and further up my legs, only inches away from between my thighs.

  “Alright,” he said. “Just about…” He stopped, glancing at his hands. His eyebrows raised as he seemed to realize what was happening, what he was doing. “Aw, shit,” he cursed, removing his hands. “Sorry, didn’t mean to get fresh with you, Sam.”

  Chance rose and chuckled quietly, running his hand through his sandy-brown hair. Then he flashed me a smile. The situation was awkward as hell, but that smile and his easy, confident way diffused any tension that happened to be there.

  “It’s fine,” I said. “Kind of liked having your hands on me.”

  Oh, fuck. I couldn’t believe it. Had I really said that? But he was nonplussed. He put his hands on his hips and cocked his head to the side.

  “Is that right?” he nearly purred.

  “Yes.”

  Chance flashed me another grin. “Then, how about this?”

  He reached forward and put his hands on my hips, lifting me to my feet so effortlessly it was like I weighed nothing. When I was on my feet, his hands stayed on my hips. He gazed down at me, his golden eyes smoldering like he was thinking the same thing I was.

  “If my hands felt good doin’ that, imagine what else I could get up to.”

  I swallowed hard, knowing I was in the middle of doing something I shouldn’t – that we shouldn’t have been doing. But neither of us cared. The sexual tension that lurked underneath the surface bubbled to the fore with each passing moment.

  “I got a hunch,” he mused, “that we’re both thinkin’ the same thing.”

  “Oh yeah?” I asked, a smile of my own taking hold. “And what’s that?”

  “Well, thinkin’ about you not wearing those jeans.”

  “Hmm,” I said. “Maybe I should dry them off by the fire after all.”

  I couldn’t believe what I was saying. It was as though I was possessed by some spirit that only cared about getting Chance inside me as soon as possible.

  “It’s a thought.”

  “Yeah. One I kind of like.”

  We regarded one another for one long, sensual moment.

  Finally, at the same instant, we decided we couldn’t take it any longer. Chance leaned down, and I stepped up on my tiptoes, and our lips came together. However amazing I might’ve imagined the kiss would be, the reality was something else, something more. Our lips locked and our bodies pressed together, our mouths opening and tongues intertwining. I moaned through the kiss, barely able to wrap my head around the pleasure running through me.

  He kissed me good, rough, and sensually at the same time. His big hands held me by the waist, keeping me in place like he wanted to make sure I wasn’t going anywhere. I couldn’t if I had wanted to.

  Then something occurred to me. I took my lips from his, a worried expression on my face. “Wait. What about…” I nodded toward the entrance.

  He chuckled. “Ain’t no one comin’ in here. If we were in the bar or the lounge, that might be another matter. But the study’s kinda my place.”

  His words put me at ease, and I allowed myself to relax, to close my eyes as he laid his lips on me again.

  The kiss was passionate, heated, and intense. Even if he were right about no one coming in, we couldn’t let our guard down. Whatever we were about to do, we had to do it fast.

  His hands still on my hips, Chance lifted me off my feet and turned me around with the same effortless strength he’d shown before. He positioned me near the fireplace, bending me over just enough that I had to fold and rest my arms across the mantle. The fire was toasty that close, but there was a different kind of heat on my mind.

  He reached around, undoing the button of my jeans along with the zipper. Then he hooked his thumbs under the waistband of my jeans and panties and pulled them down, enough to expose my ass. He wanted me and made no effort to hide it.

  “God, that’s a gorgeous ass,” he said, clapping his hand onto my cheek and giving it a firm squeeze.

  “Show me what you want to do with it,” I replied, my voice a moan.

  “I’ve got some ideas.”

  I glanced back and watched him open his shirt, exposing the incredible sight of his sculpted upper body, colorful tattoos covering much of his tanned, toned skin. Then he undid his belt buckle and jeans before reaching into his pants, taking hold of his cock, and bringing it out.

  The sight of his cock was nearly enough to make me faint. It was long and thick, throbbing in his big hand. Part of me was worried I might not be able to take it all. But I was more than willing to try.

  I leaned forward, pressing my round ass against him. Chance ground into my rear, his cock grazing my wet lips. With one hand on my hip and the other on his cock, he positioned his head at my opening and slowly, deliberately, began to push into me.

  I couldn’t believe how damn good it felt. Chance let out a grunt as he filled me, driving his cock deep inside me until he was buried balls dee
p. The sensation of his dick between my walls was enough to make me go weak at the knees.

  Once Chance was fully buried, he held for a moment, allowing me to adjust to his incredible size. Then he pulled back and entered me again.

  It wasn’t going to take much more of that to make me come. He reached around me, undoing the buttons of my shirt and unclasping my bra, freeing my breasts. He cupped one with his right hand, pinching my nipple as his pace went from a slow thrust to a relentless pounding.

  I moaned, the sounds from my mouth blending with those of his skin against mine and the crackle of the fire in the fireplace.

  “That feel good, baby?” he asked, plunging deep.

  “So…so…fucking good.” I could barely speak, barely think. Chance was fucking me hard, so hard my vision began to blur, and all that was on my mind was the pleasure rapidly building inside me.

  His hand left my breast to cup between my legs, his middle finger swirling around my clit as he thrust impossibly deep. I couldn’t take any more. I gripped the mantle as I leaned forward, my nails digging into the wood. A powerful orgasm rushed through my body, more moans pouring out of me as I struggled to stay on my feet.

  “You comin’ for me, baby?” he asked, his voice an impossibly hot growl.

  “I’m…coming…” I could barely speak.

  Chance came next, shoving his cock into me with a series of slow, deep thrusts. Through the pleasure of my orgasm, I could feel his cock pulse as he shot his load deep inside me, the warmth of his cum blending with the sensations already coursing through me.

  I let my head drop as I caught my breath. Chance withdrew his cock, the evidence of our tryst trickling down my leg. I dropped to my knees, my legs still wobbling.

  He chuckled. “You alright over there?”

  “Yeah,” I panted. “That was just…really something.”

  He extended his hand, and I took it. Chance pulled me to my feet before grabbing the towel he’d used for the coffee and helping me clean up. We dressed in silence, my mind racing.

  “What did we just do?” I asked, finally speaking.

  He chuckled as our eyes met. “I think you know what we just did.”

  I couldn’t help but smile. “I mean, I know what we just did. But…”

  Chance finished buckling his belt and zipping up. Then he put his hand on my shoulder. “We got a little carried away. But it’s probably not a good idea to do it again, all things considered.”

  “Yeah…not a good idea.”

  When we were both dressed, I took another sip of my coffee. I watched Chance do the same thing, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallowed the whiskey left in the glass after his spill.

  Yeah. Might’ve been a bad idea. But even then, I sure as hell wanted to get carried away again.

  Chapter 9

  CHANCE

  Man alive, what a situation. I sipped my coffee and booze, trying to wrap my mind around it.

  “Thinkin’ I oughta get to bed,” I announced. “Got a full day tomorrow.”

  Sam nodded. “Yeah, same here. I want to start bright and early with Ellie.”

  “Good idea with that. I’ll help you get her goin’ in the mornin’.”

  Sam shook her head. “No, don’t you worry about that. I’ll get her up and out of bed – that’s part of my job, remember?” She finished her words with a smile.

  “I know. But I still feel like I’m slackin’ if I’m not takin’ care of those things.”

  “Well, I’m here to teach Ellie and make your life a little easier in the process. So you just let me know what you need.”

  I need you buck naked and underneath me for the next three hours. The words popped right into my head, totally out of my control. But they remained in my head.

  “Anyway,” Sam said, rising. “I should get to my room.”

  “I’ll walk you up there.”

  Another smile and we left the library, drinks in hand. We made our way to Sam’s room without saying a word. I was never a man to doubt myself, even for a moment. But what we’d just done…I wasn’t sure if I’d made a huge mistake. I mean, I’d just had sex with my daughter’s nanny. And more than that, she was my fucking employee. How big of a cliché could I be?

  There was no doubt I’d crossed a line. Well, we both had. But I could’ve put a stop to it at any moment and didn’t. I let it happen. And more than that, I wanted it to happen again.

  Sam turned to me once we were in front of her bedroom door. “I’ll see you in the mornin’.”

  “Bright and early.”

  “Bright and early.”

  That was the moment when, if we’d been on a date, I’d have given her a kiss. But nothing happened. She offered one last half-smile before opening her door and stepping inside.

  As soon as I was alone, all I wanted was to see her again. What the hell was wrong with me? How the hell had I only known this woman for a short time, and she was already having this effect?

  I should’ve gone to sleep, but more than that, I knew if I were to try, I’d be tossing and turning as soon as I was under the covers. Another drink sounded about right, something to put my mind at ease before turning in.

  I headed down to the lounge and found a handful of tourists in the huge room. Travis was at the bar, and he caught my attention as soon as I stepped in.

  “You look like a man who needs a drink,” he said, stepping around the bar and grabbing a bottle of whiskey off the shelf.

  “That obvious?”

  “Bro, we’re, uh, bros. I can read you from a mile away.” He grinned as he poured the drink.

  I watched the brown liquid fill the glass. “Make that a double, why don’t ya?”

  “Comin’ right up.”

  He added a little extra booze, pushing the glass over to me before making one for himself. When that was done, he took a seat at the bar next to me. For a few moments, neither of us spoke. We watched the tourists milling about and chatting, watched the rain trickle down the glass of the tall windows that looked out over the back stretch of the property.

  “Alright,” he said. “What’s goin’ on?”

  I sipped my drink, conflicted. I couldn’t tell him what was going on. Sure, we were family, and family was open with one another. But what had happened with Sam and me had only just happened. I needed some time to process it before I talked the matter over. But I had to say something. Travis wasn’t the type of guy to let things go.

  “You ever…want somethin’, but you know you can’t have it?”

  He laughed. “You kiddin?’ Bro, my best friend and I share a woman. Of course I know a thing or two about wantin’ what I can’t have.”

  “But that worked out for you, right?”

  “Well, sure. I’d say so,” he agreed with a shrug. “Took a little to wrap our heads around it – not to mention sell the family on the idea. But we’re happy together. And none of that would’ve happened if we’d worried about what other people might think, or any of that shit.”

  He was right. The situation with him and Skye and Adam was strange, but it worked. He looked at me as I remained silent. “Why?” he asked. “You thinkin’ about something you want but can’t have? What’s on your mind, bro?”

  I had to play it carefully. Letting him know that less than an hour ago, I’d had sex with Sam wasn’t right. But neither was lying.

  “Just thinkin’ about…I don’t know – might sound kinda stupid. But I’m wonderin’ if it’s fair to El that I’m thinkin’ about how she might need a woman in her life. Not a replacement for her mama, of course. But…” I trailed off, not sure how to finish.

  Travis let out a laugh. “I get what you’re sayin’, bro.”

  “What’s that?”

  He clapped his hand hard down on my shoulder. “You’re thinkin’ about dating’. Of course you are. You’re a red-blooded Texas cowboy.” He grinned broadly, showing off two rows of milk-white teeth.

  “Somethin’ like that.”

  “Let me ask yo
u this – how long has it been since you’ve been with a woman?”

  My eyebrows raised in mild surprise at his question.

  “Now, now,” he said, raising his hand. “You don’t need to get explicit about it. But how ‘bout this – how long since you’ve even been on a date?”

  I thought about it, trying to remember the last time. “Hell, a date? Like goin’ out to dinner and drinks and all that? Must be years. And the last woman I’ve been with…shit, probably that girl from San Antonio I had that one-night thing with.”

  “And how long ago was that?”

  “Months. Too long.”

  He laughed. “Now how the hell did you let that happen?”

  “Too busy with work, I suppose. No time to fit in a girlfriend or anything like that. And one-night stands aren’t really my thing anymore. Last few times I’ve gone into town to have a drink I’ve had a few women make it clear they’d be down for some fun. But…I don’t know…the idea just…”

  “Bored you?”

  I raised my eyebrows, surprised that Travis had found the word I’d been searching for. “Yeah. Just bored. I had my wild years back in my twenties, but now that I’m a grown man, you know, you can only hook up with so many women before it loses its luster.”

  Travis laughed again.

  “Now, what’s so damn funny?”

  “You’re talkin’ like a man who’s lookin’ for somethin’ more than just a night of knockin’ boots with some city girl wantin’ to hook up with a real cowboy.”

  “What’re you sayin’?”

  “I don’t want to ruin the surprise. But what I can say is this – go with your gut. And don’t be afraid of wantin’ what you want.” He threw back his drink, swallowing nearly all the whiskey. As he set his glass down, his eyes widened, and he took his phone out of his pocket. “Shit,” he said. “Skye wants a little help with the baby. Gotta scoot.” He pushed aside the rest of his drink. “Responsibility and whiskey don’t mix all that well, you know?’

  “Oh, I know.”

  He rose from his chair and gave me another smack on the shoulder. “Whatever it is, you’ll figure it out. Have a good night, baby bro.”