Gentling the Cowboy (20 page)

Sarah swayed in his arms, wanting to deny him even as her body begged for his touch. He was so close to being the man she knew he could be. Softly she said, “You could simply ask me not to go.”

His hand tightened in her hair. “I don’t want to date you. I don’t want to discuss what we have. But I do want you. You’re all I can think about.”

Sarah stiffened in his arms.
Or you could continue to be a complete ass
. “The only way you could make this worse is if you offered to pay me.”

“I can if that’s what you want. I could pay off whatever your friend owes and it wouldn’t make a dent in what I still have from my old career.”

Sarah saw red. “How can you be so nice one minute and then such a jackass the next?”

His kissed her with such need that she forgot why she was angry. She forgot everything except how it felt to be with him, on him, beside him in his bed. Her body quivered with want and her hands clung to him feverishly.

He set her back from him and smiled, a devilishly cocky smile. “I’ll call your friend. I’m sure her number is saved on the phone.”

He walked away, heading to the house, looking happier than she’d seen him since their return. She called after him, “I didn’t say I was staying.”

His laugh echoed back to her and she made a silent promise to his retreating back.

She muttered to herself, “Mine. In my room. In my bed. Whenever I want you.”
What an asshole. A hot, sexy, blow-your-mind-because-the-sex-is-so-good asshole.

So why am I still here? Why not throw his conditions back in his face?

Because I want more than anything to believe that regardless of how he asked me, he did so because he doesn’t want to lose me.

Because the more I understand myself the more I believe I can save him.

He wants more time and I don’t have the strength to deny him.

Sarah dug through her luggage for her high-heeled cowboy boots. Tony had brought her luggage to his room and from the near-grin on his face when he’d rejoined her on the porch, it seemed he’d enjoyed the act immensely. Then he’d given her some lame excuse about having to get some work done but how he’d see her that night.

She could just imagine him now, gloating with the other men. “For all of you who think I don’t understand women, don’t worry. I got this one.”

She had fumed and stomped into the house and up the stairs.
Feeling pretty proud of yourself, aren’t you, Tony?
She whipped the zipper of another piece of luggage open.
Think you have the upper hand?

She smiled when she came across the jean shorts she’d impulsively purchased for the trip, imagining she might one day have the confidence to wear such a revealing pair.

She searched through Tony’s closet until she found a blue, plaid cotton shirt and tied it in a knot just below her breasts. She buttoned it, then smiled mischievously at her own reflection in the mirror and unbuttoned two more than she’d ever dared to.

You shouldn’t have taught me poker.

I’ll see your blackmail and raise you one deliberate seduction.

In your bed whenever you want me?
Sarah arched her back and widened the open collar of the shirt a bit more, revealing just a tease of her lace bra.

Really?

Oh, you’ll want me.

And then I’m going to help you.

Whether you want me to or not.

No ponytail, this called for a bit of hair tussling. She teased and sprayed her long curls until they hung wild and free in a casual, sexy style that looked natural—slept on. She applied just the right amount of makeup and pink lipstick to accentuate her full lips and studied her reflection, kicking up one heel in mock flirtation. She put a hand over her mouth and rounded her eyes with forced innocence.
Perfect.

She made a quick phone call, then with her head held high, she walked down the stairs, past an open-mouthed Melanie, and out the front door of Tony’s house. She saw him in the distance, talking to David near one of the round pens. Without sparing them more than a glance, she walked into the barn.

Her ego received a boost as all activity instantly ceased. All five young men stood absolutely still, as if they were animatronics whose power source had just been pulled. She walked down where they were working and hid a laugh when one of them dropped the pitchfork he’d been holding and didn’t take his eyes off her to retrieve it.

She’d never felt particularly beautiful, but the past week had brought a side of her alive that she’d never expected. For once, she was aware of the power of her femininity.

“I’m looking for Tony,” she lied huskily, almost bursting into laughter when none of them moved except for one red-haired young man who pointed wordlessly toward the side door.
I’ve spent twenty-five years dressing fashionably and have never gotten this reaction. No wonder women do a little flash and tease now and then. Holy crap, men are easy.

“Sarah,” Tony growled from the main door of the barn.

Sarah didn’t turn to face him, instead she bent slowly at the waist to pick up the pitchfork that one of the men had dropped. She was fully aware how high her shorts rode up her ass cheeks during that move and the view it probably gave him.

He was beside her in a flash, and Sarah smiled up at him before slowly straightening. His eyes were flashing with a mix of passion and anger. She leaned against him, loving how his eyes were drawn to the cleavage she’d purposefully revealed. “I was looking for you,” she said and laid a hand on his tense forearm. He knew she’d seen him outside before she’d entered the barn. Her words hung like a playful taunt between them. “But luckily you found me. Now we can invite them together.”

His eyes narrowed and between gritted teeth he asked, “Invite who—where?”

Sarah looked around at the rapt audience. “Do you remember how we talked about how nice it would be to have a dinner to thank everyone who helped search for Scooter the day he got loose? Why not tonight? Melanie and I can throw something together.” Sarah asked the young men around her, “Would you be able to make it on such short notice?”

The men looked to Tony as if their responses were dependent on his reaction to her offer.

And for a painfully long pause, everyone waited.

His men all knew that he didn’t want them in his house. Hell, some of them had worked there for years without being this close to him. This was the exact opposite of the way he ran his ranch, and his temper rose even as he bit back the initial impulse to shoot her idea down without discussion.

It wouldn’t change anyone’s opinion of him in the slightest if he gave Sarah a verbal thrashing right in front of everyone for suggesting this. In fact, that was the behavior they expected from him.

And Sarah knows it.

This is her attempt to stick it to me.

Let her have her one dinner. It won’t change a thing.

And it won’t bother me because it doesn’t matter.

She’s here until I work her out of my system, until I dull the edge of my need to kiss those pink lips she’s pursing so seductively at me right now. Let her invite whoever she wants to dinner. Knowing that I can sink my teeth into that ripe little ass that’s she’s deliberately waving in my face right now will more than make up for the aggravation.

Stone-faced, Tony addressed the men. “Y’all be at the house tonight at seven.”

“Yes, sir,” they said practically in unison, then continued to stare at him wordlessly.

“Now get back to work,” Tony ordered and almost smiled as the men scrambled to do just that. One paused in front of Sarah as if he were about to ask her for the pitchfork, then changed his mind and hurried off.

When they were alone, Tony pulled her into his arms, his hands instantly claiming the curve of her ass just above the high hem of her shorts. Her soft flesh felt just as good as it had looked and he claimed her mouth hungrily, impatiently wishing they were somewhere more private. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pressed herself wantonly against him and moaned in pleasure. He kissed the side of her neck and threatened, “You put me in a difficult position there. You’ll pay for that tonight.”

She rubbed herself against him, sending a throb of need through him in a punch of lust. “I’m counting on it,” she murmured, throwing her head back and moaning softly.

He bit the lobe of her ear in gentle chastisement and said, “You need to learn who is in charge here. I don’t mind putting time into training you.” She froze in his arms, then relaxed, and he chuckled. “Good girl, you’re starting to understand, Sarah. Don’t challenge me again. You won’t win.” He kissed her deeply, not stopping until she was sagging with need against him. Then he said, “I’m going to enjoy making you beg for your orgasm tonight. Beg until I forget how deliberate this setup was.”

Sarah pulled back a bit and flipped her long mane over one shoulder. “Sounds like it’s going to be a long night, especially since I invited your brother.”

“You did what?” Tony boomed, grabbing her arm.

She smiled impishly up at him and said, “I know how to use redial also. His number wasn’t that difficult to uncover.”

This time she’s gone too far.

“Not going to happen. Call him back and tell him dinner is off.”

Sarah ran a hand playfully down his cheek. “Yeah, about that. I’m going to need considerable training before I jump when you use that tone with me.” She pulled her other arm out of his grasp and said, “If you don’t want your brother to come, call him and tell him he’s not welcome. I have a dinner to organize.”

Taking advantage of his moment of shock, Sarah flounced out of the barn. Tony rubbed a hand roughly across his face while he attempted to recollect the thoughts she’d just scattered from his brain.

David entered soon after her departure. “So, we’re all eating at your place tonight?” he asked, his tone heavy with amusement.

Tony glared at him but kept his profanity to himself. He wasn’t sure he’d be able to stop swearing if he started.

Why did I think I could do this?

What if tonight is a disaster?

Standing on Tony’s front porch, Sarah saw David walking by and waved him over to talk. He looked back at Tony, who was glaring at both of them from the doorway of the barn, then headed in her direction, stopping just a foot before the bottom step.

Sarah bit her bottom lip and looked across the driveway at Tony. Their eyes met and held for a hot moment. David, the ranch, everything else disappeared, and she could feel his need for her pulsing through the air. She wanted to run to him. He looked like he was considering closing the distance between them, swinging her over his shoulder, and taking her to his bedroom without a care for who was watching—until he turned abruptly away and strode back into the barn.

Sarah let out an audible sigh of longing and sagged against the top of the railing. In the quiet that followed, Sarah whispered, “Will you help me?”

David took off his hat and brushed it against his jean-clad thigh. Quite blandly he said, “Depends on what you’re asking.”

Sarah gave him a funny look, then continued, “I can’t cook. I invited more people than will fit in his dining room. And I don’t even know where the damn town is to go buy what we need. Why did I think it was a good idea to invite everyone to dinner tonight? Why didn’t I think this through? Is there any way this is not going to be a complete disaster?”

“Sounds like a conversation to have with Melanie.”

With a shrug Sarah said, “In case you haven’t noticed, she hates me.”

David shook his head. “Melanie has too much on her plate already to care about much else, so I doubt that.”

Remembering what Melanie had said earlier, Sarah asked, “What’s going on with her son?”

David said, “Not my place to talk about it.”

Sarah walked down the steps to stand in front of David, not wanting her questions to be overheard. “Does Tony know?”

Looking uncomfortable with her line of questioning, David hedged. “We’ve never discussed it.”

She attempted to explain her motivations, as much to herself as to David. “David, I don’t know if Tony and I are going to work out, but I do understand why he bought this place. He told me about the girl who died.” David’s eyebrows shot up, the only sign that her words surprised him. “I know what guilt can do to a person. You can’t run from it. You can’t hide from it. If you try, you lose a piece of yourself to it every day. I was lost before I came here. Now I see that I am strong enough to face what I did. I don’t want to hide anymore. I don’t think Tony does, either.”

David looked past the barn to where Tony was still watching them and said, “He’d tell you that some creatures are damaged beyond help.”

Sarah followed his line of vision and said, “You don’t believe that, do you?”

David said, “I wouldn’t be here if I did.”

Setting her shoulders in determination, Sarah said, “Where is this town that everyone talks about? Looks like I have some shopping to do.”

David coughed into his hand and asked, “You going dressed like that?”

Sarah’s smile widened as she met Tony’s eyes across the distance. “Oh, yes.” After David gave her the directions, Sarah said, “Could you have some of the men put two tables together under the tree on the side of the house? Make sure there are enough chairs for everyone here and Tony’s brother.”

David asked, “You invited Dean?”

“I did.”

“And Tony knows?”

Chin held high, Sarah said, “He does.”

David whistled and raised his hat in admiration. “Tony needs someone like you.”

Truly surprised, Sarah said, “Thank you.”

David replaced his hat and said, “I hope he’s not too much of a damn fool to realize it.” He walked away and left Sarah standing there, thinking about what he’d said.

I hope so, too.