Cowboy Country (17 page)

She cleared her throat and moved to her chair. Within seconds, he stood behind it to pull it out for her to sit.
Such a gentleman.
Some woman would be incredibly lucky to call him hers some day, even if she would never be between the two of them.

The cork popped on the bottle with slight pressure from his thumbs before he poured the pale yellow liquid into her fluted glass. "For you, sweetheart," he said, handing her the glass.

Whoa!
The new endearment made her do a double take. He’d called her darlin’, baby, and honey, but never sweetheart.

"What’s wrong?"

"Nothing, why?"

"You were frowning."

She touched the skin between her eyebrows. "Sorry. I didn’t realize it."

He took her fingers in his hand and brushed a kiss to the tips. "Shall we eat? I didn’t know how hungry I was until the food arrived." Her stomach growled in protest. "Sounds like you are too."

"Yeah. It smells amazing."

They continued their small talk through dinner, but she found herself extremely aware of the magnetism of the man across the table. Every look, smile and wink made her think of nothing more than getting him in bed again and letting him have his way with her.

When they had finished eating, he stood and pulled out her chair. With one hand in his, she sank down on the leather couch next to him. She hadn’t noticed the small plates with cheesecake and cherries until they sat, since the waiter had placed them on the coffee table.

"Shall we have the cheesecake now or later?" he asked, with a wicked sparkle to his eyes.

"I’m full enough to pop now. Why not wait until later and we can eat it in bed?"

One eyebrow rose and the grin on his lips had her sucking in a ragged breath. "I think I love you."

Her heart stopped and restarted with a slam. "I…uh."

"I’m kidding, Jacie. You are a woman after my own heart though. Your thoughts mirror mine so closely it’s scary sometimes, but a good scary."

She exhaled forcibly. "Don’t scare me like that, Tucker. Love is a four letter word we shouldn’t be using in each other’s company at all."

"I agree. Forget I said it. I don’t want to ruin our time together by bringing unwanted feelings into the mix." He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her half on top of his lap. His lips brushed against her ear as he whispered, "Shall we watch television for a bit and let our food digest or should we cuddle in the bed and watch the lights of the town for awhile?"

"I like the cuddling in bed idea."

"Good. Me too," he replied, coming to his feet. "Shall we?"

A quick nod and he swept her up into his arms. "I can walk, you know."

"I know, but I like holding you." The few steps it took to reach the bed seemed to take no time at all. He gently laid her down and crawled in beside her. His fingers untied the robe at her waist and parted the soft material. "I want your skin next to mine."

"You need to get rid of yours then too."

"So I do." He rolled off the side of the bed and pulled his robe off. With the lights off in the room, no one would be able to see in, but they could see out. His hard body felt wicked next to hers when he slid in and drew the covers over the top of them.

"Mmm," she hummed as she cuddled in next to him and laid her head on his chest. "I like this."

His fingers danced over her shoulder and down her arm. Goose bumps rose in their wake. His touch made her think of lots of things, but mostly naughty things like him licking her from her toes to her lips.

The lights of the Strip blinked outside the window as she wondered how long they could live in this fantasy they were creating.

"How long have you been coming to NFR?" she whispered, her lips brushing against his skin.

"Five years."

"With bulls?"

"Not always. I rode the first couple of years, but I realized it was a lot more profitable to breed the bulls than ride them."

"A lot less dangerous too."

"Very true." The silence between them stretched for several minutes. "You know, you haven’t told me much about you, other than you have three sisters, four brothers and your parents own a place in Tennessee."

"Not much else to tell."

"Have you been married?"

"No. Not even close."

"No serious boyfriends or anything?"

"Nope. Most men don’t like my independent nature."

"I find that hard to believe. I think it’s one of the sexiest things about you."

"You’re different, Tucker. You aren’t put off by the way I am—my occupation doesn’t make you feel incompetent because you have your own business and way of life. Besides, we aren’t trying to impress each other and make each other fall in love."

"Would you do things differently if you did want me to fall in love with you?"

"No. This is me. Take it or leave it."

"I’ll take it." His cell phone rang on the nightstand next to the bed, saving her from commenting on his words. "I wonder who could be calling at this hour." He picked up the phone and stared at the screen for a moment. "Hello?"

She could vaguely hear the voice on the other end. Something concerning the bull and it didn’t sound good.

"What the hell do you mean my bull is being disqualified?"

* * * *

Tucker sprang from the bed, not caring he stood buck-ass naked in the middle of the bedroom. "You got a tip saying what?"

"We got a phone call from an anonymous source saying your bull has been exposed to steroids. You know drugs of any kind in a PBR bull is strictly forbidden, Mr. Marshall."

"Of course, I know that and my bull has not been given steroids of any kind."

"Can you prove it?"

"Yes. Have the vet meet me at the arena tomorrow morning bright and early. He can draw blood. Test it. I don’t care. Nothing is further from the truth than any of my animals having steroids in their system."

"All right. Because you are a known supplier, we’ll go this route. Be here at nine and we’ll draw blood. Rest assured though, Mr. Marshall, if drugs are found in his system, we won’t have any choice but to disqualify you and ban you from any further participation in PBR or NFR events. You know the rules."

"I’m aware of the rules, Mr. Hammond. I will see you at nine."

He snapped the phone shut and threw it across the room. He paced back and forth in front of the bed as he raked his fingers through his hair. This could ruin him. The thought of anyone calling the commission and reporting his animals being on steroids was ludicrous, but apparently someone did.

"What’s wrong?" Jacie asked as she sat up in the bed and pulled the sheet around her breasts.

"Some asshole called the NFR to report my bulls are on steroids."

"You’re serious?"

"Deadly serious. We have to be at the arena first thing in the morning so they can draw blood on the bull to check it."

"The animals aren’t are they?"

"Of course not! I wouldn’t do such a thing to an animal." Her bottom lip disappeared between her teeth and he could see worry in her eyes. "I’m sorry, darlin’," he said, crawling into the bed beside her. "I didn’t mean to yell. This just blows my mind."

"There shouldn’t be anything to worry about then, right?"

He pulled her in and settled back against the pillows. "No, I’m sure everything will be fine. It just means my bull won’t be useable for the first couple of rounds of riders. It will take a day or two for the results to come in. Until then, they won’t let him compete. It’s a pain in the ass to have to go through this, but if I find out who called them, I’ll break them in half."

Every muscle in his body was strung tight. Even with this beautiful woman lying against him, he couldn’t think through the haze of red and it pissed him off even more. He wouldn’t be able to think clearly until the whole mess had been cleared up. It meant days of worrying. The only way the bull could have steroids in his system would be for the vet in Littleton to have given him some after the truck accident. It would be imperative for him to call the guy in the morning. Hopefully he would be able to get in touch with him before they drew the blood. Otherwise, he could be royally screwed and not by the pretty female tucked in bed with him. His fingers tapped on her shoulder in a nervous rhythm.

"Tucker?"

"Yeah?"

"Want me to take your mind off of things?"

"I would love for you to, darlin’, but it wouldn’t be fair to you. I’m really distracted right now."

"All right. How about if we get all cozy and warm and fall asleep in each other’s arms?"

"I could to that," he replied, sliding further down into the bed, rolling on his side toward her and pulling her close. One of her gorgeous thighs tucked between his, bringing her hot body closer still. He tucked one of her stray curls behind her ear and ran his finger over her jaw. "You are one special lady."

Easy, Tucker, old man. You’ll be head over heels before you have a chance to run for the border.

The lighting in the room kept him from seeing the gold flecks in her eyes, but he knew they were there. He had seen them too many times over the last few days to ever forget.
God help me, I don’t want to.
If only he could get past his mistrust of women and money, he might be able to find happiness.

Jacie didn’t come across as someone who got wrapped up in all of it, but when he thought about it, he really didn’t know her very well. She seemed reluctant to take anything he offered though, which spoke highly of her. Her shock at the prices of the food on the menu told him she didn’t like spending money frivolously.

She tucked her nose against his throat and sighed. Within minutes, her soft breathing and slight snore told him she’d fallen asleep.

"What am I gonna do with you, darlin’?" he asked softly as he continued to run his hand down her arm. "You’re windin’ yourself tight around my heart and there isn’t a damned thing I can do to stop it, I’m afraid." He knew he wouldn’t get much sleep. The worries with the bull and his ever growing feelings for Jacie would keep him awake long into the night. Not falling in love with her didn’t seem to be an option anymore.

* * * *

The alarm on his cell phone brought him straight up in bed. "Damn," he grumbled and fell backward again. He hadn’t fallen asleep until the early morning hours, his arms wrapped around Jacie as she slept soundly beside him. Reaching one hand out for her, he came up with nothing but a cold, empty bed.

"What the hell?" He rolled to his side and peeked through squinted eyes. And then he heard it—the soft hum of her voice coming from the bathroom. He couldn’t help but smile. Listening to her in the shower brought thoughts of home and hearth. But reality came crashing down around his ears. Jacie would never cut her wandering ways. A free-spirited nomad described her to a T. Her life consisted of being on the road. She had said as much many times before. No one to tell her what to do and no one to tell her where to be. The last thing she wanted was an overbearing man insisting she stay home.

He threw one arm over his eyes.
What the hell am I thinking? Making myself a permanent part of her life would only lead to heartache. Even if she wasn’t after money, she’d never settle down and I can’t be with a woman who is never home.

The shower turned off and he heard the door open. A few moments later, she plopped in the middle of the bed.

"Wake up sleepyhead."

He opened one eye only to find her smiling face. The wrapped towel on her head and the big white bathroom hugging her body, had him thinking of getting her naked and taking care of an issue he had neglected last night. Torturing her delicious body until she screamed for mercy from the many orgasms he planned to give her.

"I ordered breakfast. It should be here in a few minutes. I don’t know about you, but I need coffee and sustenance if I’m going to be dealing with assholes and NFR commissioners this morning already."

"You are a saint, woman."

She leaned down and kissed him. Not one of the soul-binding, scorching kisses she had given him before, but a sweet, lose-your-heart-to-this-woman kiss. He was a goner.

"I’m going to finish getting ready. You need to roll that hot body out of this bed and get in the shower," she said, springing out of the bed on the other side before he could capture her and hold her close. "We can work on getting naked again later. We have things to do this morning."

"Slave driver."

Her warm laughter floated to him as she headed toward the bathroom and he couldn’t help but smile in return. She could be a fighter when needed, a lover when required, and friend at the most important times. He was so screwed.

A soft knock on the door brought his attention to the things at hand—coffee, breakfast and then dealing with the issues at the arena, in that order.

"I got it," he called while he slipped on his robe.

The waiter standing on the other side of the door looked way too cheerful for this early.

"Good morning, sir. How are you this morning?"

"Tired and cranky." Tucker stepped aside so the man could roll in the cart. "Set it up on the table and I’ll be right back."

"Certainly, sir," the man replied.

Tucker grumbled, "Thank you."

He walked into the bathroom to take care of immediate business, and brush his teeth, but he should have realized the resourceful person Jacie had turned out to be as she took over. He could hear her cheerful, high-pitched voice while she chatted with the waiter. By the time Tucker returned, breakfast had been laid out beautifully on the table, and his cup had already been filled to the brim with life sustaining caffeine. He took several sips before he let himself speak again.

Jacie was already dressed, hair in a ponytail at the back of her head and a light dusting of makeup on her face.
Wow
. He hadn’t seen her all dolled up since the bar the first night they had met, but this pretty, down home country girl took his breath away. The almost feminine blouse she wore emphasized her gently rounded figure, while still showing off the soft swell of her breast. No baggy shirt, oversized jeans and boots to take your mind off the beauty beneath. Today, she was all woman.