Bare Naked: Naked Cowboys, Book 4 (10 page)

She could see the signs of his impending climax, the darkening of his eyes, the tensing of his body, the tightening of his muscles. This time, instead of reaching for her clit, he adjusted their bodies so each time he drove in and out of her, his groin rubbed against that hot little bundle of nerves.

More, more, more.

She wanted to scream it at him and she felt the intense buildup in both of their bodies.

And then they were there, the shared orgasm surging through both of them, exploding and consuming them. Everything fell away except the intense spasms that gripped them both and shook them like a giant fist. His cock pulsed over and over in her throbbing channel, her heart pounded, and for a long moment, she was blind to everything but what was happening to their bodies.

Georgie had no idea how long they shuddered together before the intensity abated. Holding on to each other, they rode out the aftershocks. Cade’s heart pounded against her own, his rasping breath mingling with hers until finally their bodies were completely spent.

He rolled to the side, taking her with him. He held her for a long time, stroking her back before easing himself from her body and heading into the bathroom to dispose of the condom. When he returned, he lay down next to her again, cuddling her against him, both bodies slicked with sweat. They lay there in silence, somehow neither of them needing words.

As many times as they’d made love in such a short amount of time—not just sex, Georgie, no matter what you try to tell yourself—there was something different this time. More emotional. More…connecting. Cade sensed it too. She’d seen it in his eyes.

So where did they go from here? Everything was still so new. So fragile. She admired him for picking up the shattered pieces of his life, but what if he relapsed? What if they reached a point—

“I can hear your brain turning, Georgie.” Cade placed a gentle kiss on her cheek. “No one should have such heavy thoughts after such outstanding sex.” His voice tightened. “Anything you’d like to share?”

She sighed. Enough already. “Just thinking how lucky I am. That’s all.”

“Sure you aren’t worried about dinner tomorrow night? All the questions sure to come your way?”

Was she?

No.

She was more than capable of fending off the most prying inquisition in the world. She’d done it for a long time at Carlton Enterprises. She could certainly take on these people in Rowan County.

“Not at all. In fact, I’m planning to get there on time and leave early. This foot makes a good excuse.”

“You can’t hide me forever.” His voice was tinged with bitterness.

“I can until you’re ready to face them. When you believe you’ve got a good hold on your life.”

A long pause. “And on us?”

“Whatever happens with us, I want you to be absolutely sure of it.”

“You too. You’ve made a huge difference in my life.”

Tears clogged the back of her throat. She needed to break this mood. “Hey. Weren’t you going to show me the outside of the house?”

“Right now.” He helped her to her feet. “Let’s throw some clothes on so we don’t get arrested for indecency and I’ll show off my handiwork.”

As they walked through the house, she said, “I never asked, but did you run into anyone when you hauled all those trash bags to the dump?”

His laugh was anything but humorous. “Honey, the people I ran with don’t go anywhere near the dump. And the people who did see me looked at me like I should throw myself into the dumpster with those bags.”

“I’m so sorry, Cade.”

“Why? No one got me into this mess but me. I just nodded, unloaded the trash and took off.”

By now he’d walked her out the back door and around to the side of the house he’d worked on all day. She stopped and caught her breath. Sure, it was only one side, but oh lordy. The off-white paint she’d chosen had a hint of cream in it and caught the rays of the end-of-the-day sun so it almost glowed.

“Oh, Cade.” She clasped her hands in front of her body. “It’s gorgeous.”

He laughed. “We’ve got a long way to go, sweetheart, but yeah, it sure looks a damn sight better.”

“I can’t wait until it’s all done.” She turned around and pulled his face down to hers. “We’re building something together here, you know? A fresh start for us and this place. Thank you so much. Thank you, thank you.” She peppered his face with kisses.

“Wow. If I get this when I do just one side of this place, think what’s in store for me when I have the whole place painted.”

She punched him playfully in the gut. “Then you’d better get started early tomorrow.”

For the first time, a river of excitement flowed through her veins and images danced in her brain. It was really going to happen. Her dream was going to come true. She might even send a thank you to the asshole at Carlton Enterprises for giving her the impetus to make this happen.

Cade worked until there was no light left on Saturday, trying to wipe his mind of thoughts of Georgie’s coming evening with her friends. When the light began to fade, he climbed down off the big ladder to admire how much he’d gotten done and decided to work on the old wallpaper. All the walls on the first floor had been stripped except the big foyer. If he could get that done for her, maybe on Monday when the plumber began to work he could tackle the upstairs and stay out of sight.

He knew he couldn’t hide away forever, but he didn’t plan to face the public any sooner than he had to. He was just beginning to come to terms with what he’d been and how he was redeeming himself. He wanted to be sure he had a good handle on things, because once the cat was out of the bag, all hell could break loose. No one else would believe he was behaving himself and working his ass off. They’d probably give Georgie all kinds of grief for hiring him. And getting involved with him.

If I were as decent as I’d like to think I’m becoming, I’d take off before that happens.

But he wanted to be here. With her. So he guessed he’d take things one day at a time, the way they’d discussed.

Alone, the evening dragged as if it had lead weights tied to it. As he did every day since he arrived at the emerging B&B, and at night now when he wasn’t in Georgie’s arms or sleeping, he relived the crap he’d made out of his life, disgusted with the person he’d been and praying that the results of this epiphany would last. He guessed he’d had to fall lower than the gutter to find his way up. Maybe if he hadn’t met Georgie he wouldn’t want this redemption so badly, but he wanted to be worthy of her. To be in a place where he could stand with her. Protect her. Prove to people that, unbelievable as it seemed, he had really changed and he was here for her in this massive undertaking.

He spent most of the night lying on the mattress, trying to watch television, but every time he turned his head, he inhaled Georgie’s scent that clung to the sheets and pillows, and it drove him nuts. He figured he looked at his watch at least every fifteen minutes. Every bad scenario ran through his mind. Maybe Amy and her friends had grilled Georgie and gotten everything out of her. Maybe they had told her about every rotten thing he’d done. Insisted she toss him out of here. Finally, when he was about to lose his mind, he heard her car pull into the gravel parking area, her steps on the front porch and the opening and closing of the front door.

He was on his feet when she walked into the bedroom.

“So how did it go?”

“How about a kiss hello first?” She smiled up at him, although he could see lines of strain on her face.

“Anytime.” He kissed her with as much feeling as he could put into it. They were both breathing heavily when he broke the kiss. “How’s the foot?”

“Who’s asking? If it’s my new friends, it hurts like hell. I need to get off it and ice it right away. If it’s you, it’s getting better every minute.”

“Let’s get you off it and let me take a look.” He eased her down to the mattress, took off the soft shoe she had on and prodded it gently with his fingers. When she barely winced, he nodded in satisfaction.

“Don’t worry. I kept it elevated all night and made a big deal out of it.” She lay back on the pillows and sighed. “Boy, I’ll tell you. Those women could give the CIA lessons in interrogation.”

“They really dove into you, didn’t they?”

“Uh huh.” She winked. “But I gave as good as I got. I dodged the questions I didn’t want to answer and talked so much about everything else they couldn’t get a word in. I did good, Cade.”

“I bet you did.” He gave her a soft kiss. “But you know it’s only a temporary reprieve. You can only put them off for so long.”

She looked up at him, brushing his hair back from his face. “And what if they do find out? I think it’s amazing that when Ed threw you out you didn’t just lie in the gutter and drink yourself to death. You deserve credit for this. For showing up here that day and sticking to this.” She frowned. “Is there anything you haven’t told me that they can spring on me? Anything I should know?”

Bitterness washed through him. “I don’t think so, but who knows? And Amy hates me so much who knows what she’ll come up with.”

“Listen to me.” She put her hands on his cheeks. “We’re building something here, Cade. Not just a B&B, but a relationship. It’s just as fragile as this house, but we’re working on both. If either of them fall apart, they weren’t meant to be. And I’m tired of hiding.” She let her hands fall back beside her. “I let a lecherous bastard spread rumors about me and chase me out of Dallas. I’m not going to let that happen again.”

“And if you end up not being able to open this place because of it?”

She shrugged. “Then I’ll sell it, take my money and find a place somewhere else where gossip won’t matter.”

Something inside him softened at her words. “If you’ve got the stomach for it, I guess I do too. Let’s give ourselves the rest of the weekend. On Monday I’ll take you to lunch at the Bit and Bite.”

I don’t deserve her. Not yet. But by God, I’m going to.

The Montgomerys and the Starks hung out with Jinx and Dillon until the evening chill chased them inside. The men appeared content to just sit back and finish their drinks. Dillon had turned on ESPN and they were watching the final minutes of a baseball game. The women, on the other hand, were huddled around the dining room table, consumed with curiosity.

“I agree with what you said the other day, Jinx.” Reenie paused to take a sip of her wine. “There’s definitely something she doesn’t want us to know.”

“What do you think it is?” Amy asked. “Is she having more trouble getting that place in shape than she wants to admit?”

Jinx shook her head. “Maybe, but I don’t think so. I checked with the plumber and electrician I recommended to make sure they gave her rock-bottom prices and she’s full steam ahead. I asked if she needed help with anything else and she said she’s got it handled.”

Amy leaned forward. “You know she’s not doing everything herself. But who the hell did she hire? You’d think by now whoever it is would be spilling all the details at the Lone Star Bar or the Bit and Bite. I mean, this town is a gossip-hungry animal. Everyone wants to know everything about everyone.”

Reenie downed the last of her wine. “I say we make an impromptu visit. Who’s up for it?”

The other two women looked at each other.

“I’m not sure that’s a good idea,” Amy said in a slow voice. “We want to be friends with her and we’ve made a good start. But if we just barge in and jump all over her, I think it would piss her off.”

“Maybe she just wants to wait until the place is really presentable,” Jinx put in. “Maybe she doesn’t want us to see it in process. Some people are funny that way.”

“I don’t know.” Amy fiddled with her empty glass. “Let’s meet for lunch on Monday. I have to take stuff to the post office. Reenie, didn’t you say you had to pick up some things at the office supply store?”

Her sister-in-law nodded.

“Okay,” Amy went on. “Jinx, lunch break? Bit and Bite at one o’clock?”

“All right.” Jinx frowned. “I just have a weird feeling about this whole thing. I hope we’re not going to piss her off before we hardly start being friends.”

“Friends care about friends,” Amy pronounced. “We’ll just do what we have to do.”

Chapter Seven

“Are you nervous?” Cade looked over at Georgie as he pulled her SUV into a parking space and killed the engine.

She smiled at him. “For you, not for me. Think you’re up to this?”

“I think we have to do it sooner or later, so we might as well get it over with.” He paused. “But, Georgie, if people—”

She pressed her fingers to his mouth. “If people are unhappy, that’s their problem. I believe in you, Cade. Let me help you start believing in yourself.”

He let out a slow breath. “Okay. If you’re game, I am. Let’s do it.”

He walked around to help her out of the vehicle, balancing her weight. Although she could walk on her sore foot by now, she still favored it and found herself with a slight limp. When he opened the door to the Bit and Bite and ushered her in ahead of him, people automatically looked up, curious to see who was arriving now.

All conversation suddenly stopped, as if the audio switch had been thrown. Eyes stared at them from faces frozen in astonishment.