COWBOY FOR SALE--A Second-Chances Spicy Romance (16 page)

Great. I might just have to strangle them all when I get back.

She sighed, then placed the set back into her suitcase, settling for a sweatshirt and jeans to put on after her bath.

***

On the deck, Jared slipped out of his clothes. He imagined Lacey was doing about the same thing at that moment. After moving the cover off the hot tub and placing it to one side, he stepped into the steaming water of the hot tub, then let his body go limp and slid completely into the water, head and all.

A small, happy groan escaped his throat as he pulled his head out of the water, wiping his eyes and smoothing back his hair. Settling himself on the smooth bench seat that circled the interior, he cradled his neck on the edge of the tub.

With great effort, he emptied his mind of every nagging thought, every chore that wasn't being done, each detail of his normal, everyday life. But as he soaked in the steaming water, his resolve weakened and his mind filled with imaginary, detailed pictures of Lacey covered in bubbles in the large bathtub on the other side of the wall.

He imagined her hair…wet, dark, tendrils floating in the bathwater. Then soaping herself, bubbles touching every inch of her creamy, delicate skin…
Stop
. His body betrayed him once again and he banished the lovely visions from his head.

Back in control, several delicious, thoughtless moments passed before Jared finally opened his eyes, more asleep than awake. The stars had come out and were brilliant against the dark sky. He identified the stars and planets he knew, remembering how Lacey had seemed to enjoy looking at them with him that night at his place. Then his heavy-lidded eyes closed again.

He felt so relaxed, so comfortable.

What am I doing here? This is about the stupidest thing I've done in a long time.

Jared's jaw clenched. Another picture of Lacey flashed into his mind. She was beautiful, that was no lie. And how did she make her hair so…soft. So touchable. While posing for the photographs he'd hardly been able to resist from allowing his hands to entangle themselves in her curls. Truth be told, he wanted to bury his face in her hair.

No.
She's a career woman. And a successful one. Jo had been good enough to remind him of that. He didn't need that kind of complication—now or ever.

A nagging voice planted new words for him to consider.
Maybe it doesn't have to be serious. Who says every relationship has to be serious, anyway?

His subsequent thought answered the question. Why start something if it's going to end? Reluctantly, he realized his groin had the best argument. Even in the hot water he was reacting just to the thought of her. He felt like a teenager sneaking peeks at his father's Playboy magazines.

Why go through with it if it's not real?

He imagined them together, and the ache increased.

It had been a long time. Too long?

Reluctantly, he had to admit that he missed the touch of a woman.

***

Lacey avoided the bathtub's power jets in lieu of using the strawberry scented bubble bath. Her hair neatly coiled and pinned on top of her head, she rested her neck on a folded towel on the tub’s edge.

This is heaven. My next home must have a bathtub.

She played with the bubbles, palming them, building sculptures on the curve of her breasts. Relax, she commanded herself, slamming her eyes shut. It was difficult to slow down. Her life was busy, just the way she liked it. Nothing to complain about.

Except for the loneliness.

Her eyes blinked open. Pushing the thought away, she eased herself deeper into the water.
I like my life.
Of course it would be nice to share…some things with someone.
And I will someday, on my terms…my choice.

So, why was she here? The voice in her head whispered the question clearly.

They could have easily chosen not to stay the night, she knew that. Jamie's flu provided the perfect excuse. And their hostess wouldn't have known that Jared's daughter was almost over her twenty-four-hour flu-bug and, in fact, had been up watching videos when he'd called to check on her after their meal.

Why am I here?

She closed her eyes to concentrate. The only word that she was able to grasp among the many slippery excuses was one: curiosity. And, well, maybe she needed to consider Kandy's advice and just have a little fun.
It’s the twenty-first century, for heaven’s sake. I'm over twenty-one. I take the pill. Why not?

A sharp rap at the bathroom door sent her adrenalin pumping. She sat up in the tub so abruptly that water and bubbles slapped on the floor.

“Lacey? It's me. I…I need to come in for a second. I cut…myself…on a piece of glass in the hot tub.”

She sat up straighter. “Is it bad? Are you bleeding?”

The door opened a crack and she slid back into the bubbles up to her chin.

“Sorry, I really need to come in—”

Lacey strategically positioned the dwindling bubbles as he pushed open the bathroom door. Jared's face was flushed, his eyes filled with apologies.

She stared at him, her lips apart in appreciation. She took an instant inventory: well-developed chest muscles, flat stomach, farmer-tanned arms, dark hair just above the small towel that was wrapped at his slim waist.

She watched as he turned around to show her the steadily expanding bloodstain on the towel—a stain originating from his right cheek.

“Oh, my goodness! What happened to your—”

“I'm afraid you're going to have to help me…bandage it or something. I don't think there's any glass in it or anything—”

“Well, don't just stand there, hand me a towel, Jared.”

“Oh. Right.” He took the folded towel off the counter by the sink, backed up toward her, and dangled it behind him for her to grab.

She stood up and wrapped the oversized towel securely around herself, making sure the ends were tightly tucked. “Okay, I'm decent. Now, if you're sure there's no glass, you should put some pressure on…it…while I look for a first aid kit.”

When Jared turned around again, his eyes widened as he stared at her, but then obeyed by putting one hand on his right buttock.

Suddenly she felt dry-mouthed, and the bathroom felt much smaller. Jared took a step toward the door to give her more room at the medicine cabinet. “Antacids, aspirin, toothpaste, mouthwash…” As she continued her search, a box of condoms fell out of the cabinet into the sink.

Her cheeks flushed with sudden heat as she caught Jared's stare of amusement in the mirror.

“This is the honeymoon cabin, remember,” he said.

Lacey continued to stare it his reflection. His damp hair gave him a impish look, but a devilish expression came into his eyes. “Hush, or I'll start looking for something really painful like rubbing alcohol.” Even so, she couldn't help smiling back.

“Let's check underneath.” When she squatted to open cabinet below the sink, her arm grazed his leg. “Sorry—” This time Jared didn't step backward out of her way.

She looked up for an instant, and his eyes held her still. A sultry moment froze between them. Blinking hard, she turned her attention back to the cupboard. “Eureka—at last.”

She pulled out a familiar-looking blue and white plastic-cased first aid kit and opened its lid. “Gauze, tape, scissors, scalpel—just kidding.”

“Right.” A huskiness lingered in his tone.

She licked her lips. “You're going to have to, uh, move the towel so I can see exactly what I need…uh, how big a…bandage you need.”

“Be gentle,” he teased, obediently turning his back to her. Deftly he undid his towel and flipped it to cover his front.

Lacey occupied herself laying out antiseptic wipes and different sized bandage strips. When she was ready she directed her gaze to Jared's right cheek. The wound was still bleeding a little, but was fairly small.

“Well?” he asked.

“Looks deep, but not that bad. This is going to sting a little.” She watched his muscles tense only slightly as she rubbed the blood off his skin with an antiseptic wipe.

Jared turned his head, stretching his neck to try to see her handiwork. With one eyebrow raised he asked, “Will I have a scar?”

She flashed him a good-natured smile. “Hope so. Just think of it as a souvenir.”

“Not one I can share with too many people.”

She blushed at his remark, the fact that she was staring at his behind becoming just a little too real. “This is just a little antibiotic cream. It shouldn't hurt,” she said, dabbing the cream on the wound. She finished with a waterproof bandage square. “All done.”

“You sound like Jamie.” Jared deftly readjusted his towel as he turned to face her. “Thanks, Lacey. You have a gentle touch.”

She impulsively brought her hand to the front of her towel to secure it. Then she watched as he bent toward her. His dark hair was damp, long tendrils curving around his neck. There was a sexy five-o’clock shadow that she knew men worked hard to achieve. Jared, of course, had it naturally. Naturally sexy. Naturally… Her gaze locked on his full lips as they slowly descended to meet hers.

The butterflies fluttered in her tummy and something wonderful tingled between her thighs.

At the last moment, his head tipped so his lips touched her cheek, just at the corner of her mouth. He lingered there for just a moment longer than necessary, then pulled back.

Shivers of delight followed his gentle touch. She searched his eyes and saw a smile there that contained a sensuous flame.

“Are you done?” he asked.

“What?”

“With your bath. The water's probably cold.”

“Oh. Right.”

“You hungry?”

She nodded.

“How 'bout we both get dressed and I'll check out the snacks in the fridge. We could eat out on the deck.”

“Sounds great.” She watched him turn and quietly close the door behind him.

There was now a tingling in the pit of her stomach and her thoughts spun.
Okay, it was just a kiss on the cheek. Nothing more.

The mirror above the sink betrayed her emotions as she stared at herself. Reddened cheeks, dilated pupils, the sheen of nervous perspiration on her upper lip. Her hair piled on the top of her head, she looked like she was ready for…what?

Oh, my.

Grabbing her makeup bag, she decided to forego her usual routine and simply powdered her face and added a touch of lip gloss. Then she brushed her hair until it gleamed, her waves cascading down her back.

She slipped into clean panties and felt a slickness between her legs that confirmed her arousal. She closed her eyes, breathing deeply, waiting for her sanity to return.

A soft knock at the door interrupted her meditation.

“Lacey?”

“I'm almost dressed—be out in a second.”

“I put the food out on the deck.” His voice was low and smooth.

“Okay.” She realized that the pounding of her own quickened heartbeat was competing with the fading thud of his footsteps. Irritated, she quickly pulled on jeans and a bright pink sweatshirt, then looked down at the slogan emblazoned on the front.

“Great,” she said, reading the phrase there.

Hairdressers Do It With Style.

Chapter Eleven

Much to Jared's delight, one of the contest sponsors had loaded the cabin's ample refrigerator with gourmet delicacies—jumbo boiled shrimp, artichoke hearts, an assortment of sliced cheese, a small fruit and vegetable platter, caviar, pâté, and hand-dipped strawberries and cocoa-dusted chocolate truffles.

Waiting for Lacey, Jared had rummaged in the cupboards and discovered napkins, paper plates and bowls, a box of crackers, and plastic champagne glasses.

He busied himself putting a little bit of everything on plates, going back and forth to the deck. On his final trip, he brought out one of the three bottles of champagne that were also in the refrigerator, each bore a gift tag from businesses that had sponsored the bachelor auction.

He had changed into faded jeans and a long-sleeved denim shirt. The night was beginning to feel cooler already, so maybe he'd have to build a fire after all.

As he popped the top off the champagne, he wondered if he should have asked Lacey first if she wanted it. Then he looked up to see her stepping onto the deck. The first thing he noticed was her hair, free-flowing and sexy as hell. His gaze roamed over her figure—the curve of her breasts beneath the sweatshirt, her luscious hips, ending at her feet which were bare, with polished toenails, each a different color.

“Wow, was all that in that little fridge? It looks great,” she said.

“I wasn't sure what you liked, so I took a little of everything.”

He stared as she walked to one of the chairs and sat down. Suddenly he felt ravenous.

“I don't know about you, but I'm starved,” she said, dipping one of the shrimp into cocktail sauce.