Cowboy Country (15 page)

Small talk and a non-committal type conversation kept things on an even keel for the rest of their ride into Vegas. They say everything is brighter in Sin City. She knew it to be true. Lights flickered pointing to different casinos, wedding chapels, and eateries. Massive buildings in every shape and size graced the strip. Pyramids, gold gilded buildings, circus tents, the Eifel tower, and even Merlin's castle catered to every taste or want a person could have.

The arena sat off near the airport but away from the strip. Fortunately, she knew every side street or cutoff to reach the arena without having to go down the strip in her truck.

"We'll go around to the rear where they are unloading the stock," she said, keeping an eye on her side mirrors.

Once she parked the truck, Tucker jumped out to walk toward the older gentleman standing off to the side, holding a clipboard. After several minutes of discussion, laughter and a few backslaps, he returned to the truck on her side, then motioned for her to roll the window down.

"Pull around to the side there and back it up to the fence. They are herding the bulls in through there, but let me get inside to slip the halter on his head before you do."

"No problem," she replied before she rolled the window up. Even Vegas had a chill to the air in late November. She sure felt it with the air coming in. The sight from her mirrors gave her a nice view of Tucker's ass as he walked toward the trailer. "Very nice indeed."

Several minutes later, he motioned for her to go ahead and reverse the rig. With the trailer in place, she shut the engine down and crawled out of the cab. She walked toward the rear to get her mare settled while Tucker managed to get the bull out.

"Hey girl," she said to the horse as she stroked her nose. "You ready to get out of there?"

Jacie popped the gate and crawled inside to hook the lead rope on her mare's halter. The rear door of her stall opened with a little pressure of her hand and she helped the animal step out. Brandy’s coat quivered as she released some of the tension from being inside the trailer.

"Let's find your stall, shall we? We'll get you all settled and bedded down for the night."

She approached the man assigning spots and asked where hers would be. Once she got her number, she moved toward the large double doors and into the slightly warmer air of the arena. Animals of every shape and size were herded, led or otherwise corralled by more cowboys than she'd seen in one place in a long time. Stetsons and straw cowboy hats in a rainbow of colors graced cowboys and cowgirls from more states and counties than she knew the names of.

Walking down the dirt aisle, Jacie searched for the number eighty-six on the stall for several minutes. On the verge of asking someone, relief washed over her at the sight of her number on the door. She hated being a helpless female and it irked her to ask for directions. A snort left her mouth at the thought. Much like a man—hating to ask for directions.

The small metal fenced area would be her horse's home for the next couple of weeks. Thankfully she knew the crew of NFR would be helpful in caring for the livestock. She would still be required to clean her stall every couple of days and check on her.

"I'll be back in a bit, girl. I need to grab you some hay and find water for your bucket."

"Next to the bathroom," came the reply from a deep, sexy voice outside the gate.

She looked up only to lock eyes with one gorgeous blond with startling green eyes.

"Thanks."

"You're welcome. Names Nick."

"Hi, Nick. I'm Jacie."

"I'm assuming your ridin' in the events. Barrels?"

"Yeah. You?"

"Calf ropin'."

"Cool," she replied, heading for the bathroom with the bucket for Brandy's water.

"Let me get that. A lady shouldn't be carryin' something so heavy."

"I got it, but thanks."

He shrugged his broad shoulders. "Okay."

She filled the bucket, but he stood right next to her making her almost nervous.

"Did you just roll in?" he asked, bracing his shoulder against the cement wall.

"Yep. Green eighteen-wheeler is mine."

"You mean you rode in with the driver right?"

She narrowed her eyes as irritation zipped across her chest. "No, I mean it's mine. I drive it."

"You're shittin' me."

"I'm not explaining myself to you." The metal handle of the bucket felt cold in her hand as the weight almost toppled her over, since she'd misjudged the size and load with it full. "Excuse me while I water my mare." She wasn't about to let the jerk know the bucket was too heavy for her to carry. Every step sloshed water over the side and down her pant leg. The variety of her cuss words got more colorful with each stride.

Tucker rounded the corner racing to her side. "Honey, let me get that." He glanced behind her and she assumed he saw her companion when his eyes narrowed into slits. "You shouldn't be liftin' such heavy stuff in your condition, darlin'. You know the doctor said nothin' heavy the first few months of your pregnancy."

"My wha—"

He brushed his lips over hers, as he slipped an arm around her shoulders.

Nick stammered a quick, "See you around," and disappeared.

"Pregnancy? I am going to kick your ass for you." She shrugged off his arm as they reached her mare’s stall. "How
dare
you," she hissed.

"Easy, Jacie," he replied, holding up his hands. "I got the feeling you were brushing the guy off, so I figured I'd help. Nothin' will get a man gone faster than her significant other and the mention of a baby."

"Whether I wanted him gone or not is none of your business. Do we understand each other? Who I hit on or give the brush off, doesn't require your attention. If I thought I couldn't handle him, I would have let you know."

Both of his hands stopped on his hips. "Let's get somethin' straight. I don't share. If we are going to be keepin' company over the next two weeks, I will be your
only
partner. You didn't have to agree to this and you can retreat any time, but if I find out I'm not your lone fuck buddy, we are gonna have issues. Do I make myself clear?"

"Crystal."

"So what's your decision?"

She didn't hesitate. She couldn't. The decision had been made for her yesterday after she realized her feelings ran deeper than they had with any other man. "We are exclusive for the next two weeks."

"Fantastic. Now, kiss me woman. I need your lips on mine," he growled as he slipped an arm around her waist to pull her up against his chest.

"Jealous, Tucker?"

"I'm not sure if I would call it that, but I didn't like the way he looked at you. You’re mine, Jacie, even if it's only temporary."

His lips covered hers and his tongue speared its way inside her mouth. Desire rushed through her veins, bringing heat and electricity with it. She wound her hands in his hair as a groan rumbled inside her.

When he finally lifted his head, they were both breathing hard. His hand snaked down her back and skimmed over her ass.

"Are you about done?"

"Yeah," she whispered, still lost in the sensations of his touch.

"Why don’t we go find our room?" he asked with a lick up her neck.

Our room. Mmm.
"Sounds like a plan."

"Let’s wrap things up here then," he replied with a smack to her butt as she turned away.

Within several minutes, she had her mare settled in and the bull was snug in his pen too.

Before she knew what he was up to, he’d hoisted her over his shoulder and walked toward her truck.

"Tucker! Put me down."

"Nope." His palm came down on her ass cheek. "I want everyone around here to know you are with me."

She felt her anger rising again. His highhanded attitude with her would cause some distention between them if he kept it up. She almost understood his reasoning behind making sure the other men around them knew they were together, but it didn't make it any easier to swallow his behavior. It would save her being hit on, but she wasn’t sure if she liked his possessive attitude.

As they reached the side of her truck, he let her slide down his body, making damn sure she felt every muscle and bulge, especially the one between his hard thighs. He trapped her against the side with one hand braced on each side of her shoulders and one of those muscled thighs between hers.

The devil on her shoulder whispered for her to pay him back tenfold. She slipped one palm up his chest and stopped to play with each button on the way while the other cupped his erection through his jeans. "If you’re real nice, you might get lucky in the next couple of hours."

"Oh, I plan on it, darlin’. More like the next thirty minutes."

She lifted one shoulder in a shrug. "I don’t know. We do need to go shopping too. Didn’t you say you had a dinner party to attend tomorrow night?"

"Yes, but that leaves tomorrow to shop and tonight to make you cream for me," he replied, nuzzling her ear. "All night. Several times."

Damn the man. Making her hot came easy for him and he knew it.

Blood rushed to her pussy and the throbbing had her shifting her thighs.

"Are you getting horny, honey?"

"Getting? I’m in permanent horny mode with you around."

The smile lifting the corners of his mouth looked wicked and enticing. "Is that supposed to be a compliment, Jacie?"

"You don’t need a bigger head. Take it as you will." She pushed him away and slipped out from under his arms. "Let’s get out of here. I’m sure someone else probably needs the spot."

His warm chuckle reached her ears as she pulled open the door to climb into the cab, embarrassment flushing her cheeks a bright red she noticed, glancing in the rearview mirror.

Cars, buses and people were everywhere as they drove toward their hotel. The road from Thomas Mack to the Bellagio wouldn’t be the easy trek they had made to the arena. No way around it, they had to go through town on at least one road. She picked the least congested one—Tropicana Avenue to the freeway and up one exit. Traffic wasn’t bad on the interstate, thank goodness. She quickly found the rear lot of the hotel to park the truck and trailer. Tucker grabbed his suitcase from the trailer as she snatched hers from the behind her driver’s seat. Even though they had spent a few nights making love inside the luxury of his trailer, she never had retrieved her suitcase. Only her small overnight bag with her toiletries in it and a change of clothes.

She captured her bottom lip between her teeth. A quick glance around revealed no one paying her any attention, so she lifted her arm and sniffed.
Not bad, but I could use a shower.

"Ready?" Tucker asked as he came up behind her.

"I guess so."

Her suitcase rolled behind her on its wheels while Tucker carried his over his shoulder, until they reached the luxurious front desk of the hotel. Jacie had never been so self-conscious of her attire until she noticed the women around her. Gold, diamonds, dresses barely covering important parts, and heels high enough to break an ankle, swirled around her in a sea of color. Her T-shirt and jeans stood out like a sore thumb making her want to hide. Why Tucker wanted her when he could have any one of these women mystified her.

The squeal of a female voice brought Jacie’s attention to a woman rushing across the foyer. "Tucker, honey!" Her boobs had to be double D’s, her waist couldn’t have been more than twenty-four inches around and her hips were definitely baby-makin’ hips. Platinum blonde hair pulled up into some kind of upswept hairdo, and big blue eyes the color of sapphires that Jacie figured for sure weren’t real, landed in Tucker’s arms. When the woman finally let him come up for air, bright red lipstick was smeared over his lips.

The possessive growl coming from her lips sounded almost inhuman.

"Tiffany," he said, pulling her arms from around his neck.

Jacie pulled her bandana from her pocket and stepped to his side. "Tucker,
honey
," she said, her words so sweet they made her teeth hurt. "You’ve got somethin’ on your mouth, baby." She wiped the lipstick from his lips even though the other woman still had an arm around his waist. "You know we need to eat soon. The doctor said I should eat every few hours to forestall the morning sickness and your son sure makes me hungry all the time."

"Son?" the woman squeaked.

A grin spread across his face as he winked. "Yes, Tiffany. Let me introduce you to Jacie. Jacie is my wife and we’re expecting a baby in about eight months."

"Your wife? But Tucker. I thought we’d get together while you were here and have some fun," Tiffany whined, plucking at the buttons on his shirt. Her eyes narrowed as she shot Jacie a snarky look. "You never mentioned a wife a few months ago when we hooked up in Phoenix at the rodeo."

"Jacie and I haven’t been married long."

"Mr. Marshall, I have your keys to your suite. I need you to sign here," the man behind the desk said.

"Certainly," Tucker replied, pulling away from Tiffany and signing the paper the man shoved across the desk. "Thank you. Can you please make sure no one disturbs us this evening? We are celebrating our wedding."

"Of course, sir. Enjoy your stay."

"We will," Tucker said before he pulled Jacie into his embrace. "Nice to see you again, Tiffany, but if you’ll excuse us, we need to get changed and find some dinner."

With one arm around his waist and the other rolling her suitcase, they moved toward the elevator, leaving the blonde behind. As they moved around the corner, she glanced behind her to find Tiffany still standing in the same spot, a frown on her painted lips and a sparkle of challenge in her eyes.

"I'll have to get Macy settled in the trailer while we are staying up here."

"No problem. Will she be okay in there alone?"

"Yeah, but she won't like it. She's pretty demanding with her attention needs."

"I gathered that."

The elevator door opened shortly after they stopped next to the doors. Tucker slid one of the key cards into the slot and pushed the button for the thirty-first floor.

"Damn! Are we at the top? I didn’t think they had anything, but the fancy rooms up there."