Bowles, Jan - Bound by the Montana Mountain Man [Cowboy Bad Boys 3] (Siren Publishing Classic) (3 page)

His last words filtered through before she drove away. “Forever is a long time, Cassie.”

* * * *

Brad watched her reverse the Jeep out the parking bay and onto the road. She sure looked spooked.

That was one part of the puzzle completed. Now he knew why she’d settled all alone, far away from her roots. Whatever her ex had done, he’d sure ruined her trust in men.

Still, the chase was all part of the fun. It was something he’d always enjoyed, and if it was too easy, then what was the point?

Mmm, Cassie Philips sure turned him on. He felt his cock harden in his jeans just thinking about her.

Now he’d have to use all his charm and guile to get her between the sheets, just like he’d done with every other girl from around these parts.

All he had to do was make her want him, as much as he wanted her.

* * * *

The first heavy snow had fallen over night, and winter had arrived with a vengeance. After seeing to her chickens in the barn and stoking up the fires, there really wasn’t anything left for her to do.

As a web designer back in Minneapolis, Cassie had always been busy. If she didn’t start working soon, she’d go stir crazy. She’d already put out feelers to do freelance work, and some projects had started to come her way.

What she desperately needed was an injection of cash. The sooner it happened, the better she’d feel. All of her thoughts kept coming back to that piece of land Brad Dawson wanted so badly.

Maybe she should just put aside her preconceived notions of the man and ask him what he wanted it for. If it seemed acceptable, then why not sell it to him?

There was no time like the present. She picked up the telephone receiver and dialed his number.

His rich, velvety voice made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up.
“Dawson Ranch.”

“Why sure, Cassie. I look forward to it. Shall we say about three.”

“Yes, that sounds fine. You can expect me then.”

When she put down the receiver, her hand shook. Just what was it with Brad Dawson, anyway?

* * * *

Brad looked at his watch again. It was almost four o’clock and Cassie still hadn’t arrived.

His brow furrowed. She should be here by now, he reasoned, unless something had happened. He decided to telephone her. When the phone clicked onto the answer machine, he knew she’d already left.

He stepped outside and looked up the valley toward her ranch. He could just make out her red Jeep, a mere speck in the distance, no more than half way down her track. It was stationary. He chuckled to himself. The easterly winds had been blowing real strong all morning. She’d most likely got it stuck in a snowdrift.

Maybe he’d get Rufus out the stables and ride over there. See if she needed a hand.

The black stallion looked none too pleased as he began saddling him up. “I know it’s cold out there, Rufus, but there’s one thing I’ve learned about women. Help them out of a crisis, and they can’t wait to share your bed.” Rufus shook his head and snorted his agreement

A quick movement of his heels, and they were on their way. “Walk on, boy.”

He half expected her car to start moving at any moment, but as he approached he saw the Jeep had gone into the drainage ditch at the side of the track. Cassie was nowhere to be seen.

The driver’s door was open, and the constant pinging told him the keys were still in the ignition.

With a sense of urgency, he dismounted and removed the keys. The front of the Jeep was caved in. He was amazed that the air bag had not deployed after such a large impact. It looked like she’d left the track at some speed.

He re-mounted Rufus and began to follow a set of footprints in the snow leading back up the track. Then he spotted what looked like a bundle of clothes, lying in a snow bank.

Chapter Three

This didn’t look good. When he got closer he could clearly see Cassie lying unconscious, half in a stream, half in the snow. He dismounted Rufus and moved toward her. He felt her pulse and breathed a sigh of relief. At least she was still alive.

Although by the color of her, she’d been in the freezing water and snow for some time. Her lips were blue, and her skin looked ashen and pale. On her forehead was a large gash. He guessed she’d hit her head on the car windshield, and then tried to stumble back to her ranch house before she’d collapsed.

He scooped her into his arms. My God, she was soaking wet and ice cold. Hypothermia had surely set in. Time was of the essence. She needed to warm up and fast.

He called, “Here, boy.” Rufus dutifully trotted over. He managed to rest her over his shoulder and then ease himself into the saddle. After laying her across his lap, he headed toward her ranch.

As they rode up the frozen track, he kept calling her name. “Cassie, time to wake up now. Do you hear what I’m saying? I ain’t asking, I’m telling you. You need to wake up right now, Cassie.”

This did not look good. Not a flicker or murmur came from her. The sooner he got her inside, the better.

Eventually, he reached her ranch house. Thankful that he’d got her keys, he left her lying across Rufus and then opened the door.

When he pulled her onto his shoulder once more, he heard a small whimper escape her lips.

“Cassie, time to wake up now, baby.” He felt her move slightly against him.

Her place couldn’t have been more different from the last time he’d seen it. It literally shone like a new pin. She must have worked hard to create such a difference. He took her into the living room and laid her on the floor next to the roaring fire. Then, after tossing his sheepskin jacket aside, he went upstairs and pulled the duvet from her bed. He laid it on the floor next to her.

He felt the pulse in her neck. “Cassie, I gotta get these wet things off you.” She murmured incoherently, but her eyes remained closed. Her lips weren’t quite as blue, so that was a good sign. He pulled the sodden boots and socks from her feet. He knew it would be difficult to remove her wet clothing, so he took a seven-inch serrated hunting knife from his boot. “You are so gonna hate me, Cassie, and not just for ruining your clothes.” Still, if she hated him afterward, then that meant she’d still be alive.

Brad was careful not to cut her baby soft skin, as the sharp knife made quick work of her jeans. He undid her belt, and then threw it into the corner of the room. He managed to shrug off her jacket then cut about four layers of clothing from her torso in one go. Slitting up the middle of her sweaters and then sliding the knife down through her sleeves.

His fingers couldn’t help grazing against the naked flesh of her stomach and shoulders. A belly button ring sparkled from the firelight. Fuck, now that looked so sexy. Her body twitched slightly, but she still appeared unconscious. Her eyes closed, her lips slightly parted.

Down to just her bra and panties, he hesitated, and then felt the material. Wet through, too. Shit, if she didn’t have the cutest, most fuckable body he’d ever seen.

“Damn it to hell, Cassie. Why do I have to be in this position?”

He quickly dispatched her red lacy underwear with the knife, its blade effortlessly slicing through the flimsy material. He cast the tattered fragments away. His gaze lingering briefly on her full, pert breasts, with their pale pink nipples, and her neatly trimmed pussy before he rolled her naked body onto the duvet and wrapped her in it. Her silken back and peachy ass his last view of her before he pulled the quilt tightly around her.

The feel of her skin against his only added to the mental torture. With a raging hard-on in his jeans, he felt guilty as hell. He felt like a voyeur taking advantage of her, but hell, she wasn’t dead, and he would make damned sure she stayed that way. So he might as well enjoy the view. It would probably be the one and only time he’d get to see her naked. Why should he give a fuck if he was turned on? He was trying to save her life. Yet, all he could think of was the shape of her breasts, and the fact that she was a natural blonde.

“Brad, you are one motherfucker.” He shook his head and chuckled slightly. “Yeah, well, when I stop looking, I guess I’ll be six-feet-under.”

He held her in his arms and began rubbing the duvet, trying to coax some heat into her skin. He patted her face with his hand. “Cassie, come on now. You need to wake up.” Her forehead was cool to the touch, and he looked closely at the gash on her head. She’d taken one hell of a knock.

He heard her groan, and her eyes flickered open. Now that was a good sign. “Cassie, wake up.”

Obviously in some discomfort, she began mumbling. Incoherent words at first. He stroked her hair. “It’s okay, baby. You’ve hurt yourself, but you’ll be all right.”

“No,” she whispered, shaking her head, a knot of tension in her brow. “Don’t say that.”

Still delirious, she began to sob.

Trying to give some comfort, he cradled her against him, and stroked her face. “You’re fine, Cassie. You just need to wake up.”

“But my baby’s gone.”

“Shh, now. Everything’s fine.”

“Just leave me alone, and go back to your floozy.”

At first he thought she was talking to him, but he realized she was referring to her ex-husband. Her subconscious was dwelling on her most painful recent memories. It looked like the bastard had dumped her at a most vulnerable time in her life.

Suffering from concussion, she was just starting to come around. Now Cassie looked more stable he needed to get her some medical attention. He grabbed the telephone from its cradle and dialed the doctor.

* * * *

Initially, Cassie thought the voice talking on the telephone was Aaron’s. Cocooned in a duvet, it seemed the most logical choice. The pain of loss filled her senses once more. Surely that was why Aaron was here? To comfort her because she’d lost her baby. Her head hurt so much it was difficult to think straight, but the voice didn’t quite sound like Aaron’s. It was deeper and more sensual.

Then it dawned on her. It was Brad Dawsons’ voice, her neighbor. But what was he doing here?

“What happened?” she whispered, and then everything went black once more. When she came to, Brad was leaning over her. He looked all blurred. “My head hurts.”

“Yeah, she’s coming ’round now. Says her head hurts.” He listened some more, and then said, “Okay, will do. Thanks, Doc. I’ll keep her warm and safe until you get here.” He put the phone down and caressed the side of her face. “You’ve had an accident, Cassie. Your Jeep ran off the road.”

Somewhere in the back of her mind, the memory surfaced. She’d been going to visit Brad when she’d lost control. Everything from that point on was a blur.

So what had happened? How had she gotten here?

She watched Brad stoke up the fire, adding more logs. When she turned, she slowly became aware of her skin rubbing against the inside of the duvet. What the hell?

Quickly, she lifted the material and stared down at her naked body. Her head snapped toward Brad.

“Your clothes were all wet,” he said matter-of-factly. His silver eyes unreadable as he stared back.

“You removed them all?” Her voice cracked with emotion. Brad, her neighbor, had seen her naked body. Stared at it and taken a keen interest in it, no doubt.

“Had to, Cassie, they were keeping you from warming up. Hypothermia had set in.”