My True Cowboy (13 page)

“Susan, it's so good to hear your voice.”

“Mr. Norton, I have to say I'm pretty surprised to hear from you,” Susan replied, juggling her cell phone while walking through Electra Elementary's open house.

He chuckled. “I know I'm calling out of the blue, but I wondered if you could spare me a few minutes of your time.”

Well, this wasn't a good time.
Ever since she'd gotten home from work, Hank had been talking about the open house. She didn't want to neglect him.

But for the life of her, she didn't want to push off this call, either. If she didn't talk to Mr. Norton tonight, she'd have to wait until tomorrow.

And that would drive her crazy. “Of course, if you could hold on just one sec?”

“Sure. Take your time.”

Putting her hand over the receiver, she walked over to Hank, who was standing in front of a line of artwork. “Hank, I need to take this call.”

He shot her a look full of disappointment. “But we've got to go in my room so you can meet my teacher.”

“As soon as I'm off the phone, I'll do that. Now, you can wait right here, or you can go in the room without me.”

“I'll go in,” he said.

“I'll hurry. I promise.” She smiled, but he'd already turned his back on her and gone in the room. Susan felt terrible, but she still brought the phone back up to her ear. “Mr. Norton, I'm sorry. I'm at a school meeting.”

“Sure you can take my call?”

“I'm sure.”

“Well, it's like this. We've had some restructuring here and I'm now the director.”

“Oh, my. Congratulations!”

“I thought you might be happy to hear about that,” he replied, a smile in his voice. “It was pretty evident that there hasn't been a lot of love lost between you and Ms. Wynn.” He cleared his throat. “Susan, I'm calling to see if you would be interested in having my old job.”

“As assistant director?” As other parents walked by, some looking at her curiously, her heart started beating double time.

“Exactly.”

“Wow, this is quite a surprise.”

He chuckled. “I thought it might be. Listen, it's just as well you're busy now, because I don't want you to do anything but think about this for a day or two. But please know that you're our first choice, and the board has told me that I can offer you a very competitive salary.”

When he told her the amount, she closed her eyes. It was a full twenty thousand more than she'd been making when she left. And it was a whole lot more than what she was making in Electra.

“Oh, my gosh,” she said, practically choking.

“I thought that might catch your attention,” he said. “Well, I'll let you get back to your meeting. But think about it and give us a call soon. Okay?”

“Yes, sir. Thank you.”

After clicking off, she raced in to see Hank.

He was standing next to his desk, staring at the doorway. His face lit up when she walked to his side. “I'm all done, honey. And I'm sorry about that. Now, show me all around. Is this your desk?”

He nodded. “Uh-huh. And this is Miss Shay.”

Susan shook the young teacher's hand. “It's a pleasure to meet you.”

“Hank's doing great,” Miss Shay said. “I'm glad he's in my classroom.”

Beside her, Hank beamed.

After they exchanged a few more pleasantries, Hank grabbed her hand and showed her their class turtle, their cubbies, his reading book and their calendar by the door.

Next, he took her toward the art room. Walking down the hall, Susan smiled. “You really like your school, don't you?”

“Uh-huh. Well, I mean, I'm starting to.”

She was about to ask him some questions, when they came upon Cal and Ginny. Hank came to an abrupt stop and grinned. “Hey, Mr. Riddell. Hey, Ginny.”

After a brief nod in her direction, Cal leaned toward Hank. “You showing your mother your classroom, Hank?”

“Uh-huh. Now we're going to look at the art room.”

“We just came from there,” Ginny said importantly.

“Hank, you going to come over for another riding lesson soon?”

A look of pure wonder filled his face. “Yeah. I mean, yessir.”

Right then and there, Cal Riddell chuckled. “Hank, you speak to me like that, I'm going to think you're Texan!”

“I'm getting to be one,” Hank said with a little lift of his chin.

And that made Susan more confused than ever.

Patting the boy's shoulder, Cal said, “I'll ask your mother to bring you over soon.”

With a brief salute her way, Cal left, Ginny skipping down the hall by his side.

“Did you hear that?” Hank asked. “Did you hear Mr. Riddell say I can come over soon? And that I almost sounded Texan?”

“I did,” Susan said with a smile.

Of course, she'd also heard Cal laugh. And that had to be one of the sweetest sounds ever.

 

A
S THE OPENING CREDITS
appeared on the large screen in the middle of the field, Cal glanced her way. “Funny how things worked out, huh?”

“It's hard to believe, that's what it is.” When Cal had called her on Friday night, he'd suggested a date to the drive-in with the kids.

Then, earlier today, he'd called again. This time to ask if Hank could come over to watch videos with Ginny and Gwen—and to see the new kittens in the barn—while the two of them went out.

It had taken less than two seconds for Hank to decide he'd much rather do that than sit in a truck with his mom all evening.

And now here they were. Alone in the dark.

“Did you know that this is what I've been thinking about all day?” Cal whispered just inches from her lips. “Is this what you had in mind when you agreed to go to the drive-in?”

“Actually, no…”

“No?” he drawled. As his lips brushed her jaw, his tongue flicked at a spot under her ear. “What were you thinking about?”

Um…did it really matter?

No. It didn't matter at all as one of his hands curved around her rib cage. As the other cupped the back of her head. As his lips claimed hers.

She shifted and cuddled closer, and kissed him back. And held on…because it was like lightning had struck. There was no other way to describe it. Heat enveloped them. Heat and attraction and…want. With a moan, she moved even closer. Tilted her head so he could deepen the kiss. Though, really…it had never been a tentative thing at all.

No, from the first moment he'd touched her, there had been a current between them. Fast and hot. His tongue swiped against her teeth, murmured something, then he gently bit her bottom lip.

She melted. Just like that.

It was almost hard to breathe.

Moments later, panting, he leaned his head against the back of his seat, but she could tell that he was as overcome as she was. His hands were still on her.

“Susan, I'm old enough to be more patient, but for the life of me, all I want to do right now is kiss you. Hold you close. Why do you think that is?”

“I don't know. I've been feeling the same way, too.”

That declaration spurred another embrace. Oh, but things were getting out of hand fast and furiously.

When Cal came up for air, his breathing was ragged. “Do you want to stop? Are we going too fast?”

She knew what he was saying. Ever the gentleman, he was giving her options. Giving her space. If all she wanted to do that evening was watch a movie, eat popcorn and kiss, that was all that was going to happen.

But oh, that was not what she wanted at all. “I don't want to stop.”

“Yeah?”

She almost laughed at the relief she heard in his tone. She couldn't blame him; she felt relief, too. There was something to be said for knowing you were about to have sex.

Especially when it had been a really long time.
Years.

Reaching out, she curved a hand around his neck. Enjoyed the way his skin felt…so different from her own. “I'm not going to pretend I don't want you, Cal. I do. There's something about you that I can't resist.”

“I feel the same way. I think you're gorgeous. At first, I thought that was the problem.”

“Problem?”

“The problem with me, not you, of course. I didn't want to feel like I do, if you want to know the truth. I didn't want to think about you so much. I didn't want to feel out of control. Everything inside me was screaming for order.”

“And peace,” she murmured, completely agreeing.

“For too long, I've kept myself hard at work, only thinking about what needed to be done, not what I wanted. But damn it to hell, Susan. I want you like nothing else I've known.”

Her whole body reacted. Her breath hitched, her body went on alert. Waiting for him to touch her. Just waiting. Turning to him, she reached for his chest. Felt how solid it was under her hands. Felt the muscles, the smooth skin under the starched cotton. “Kiss me again?”

He complied. Once again, there was nothing tentative. His lips were firm, demanding. Teeth clashed against each other as they both fought the urge to pin down their desires. His hands clenched her waist, pulling her toward him. One palm covered her breast, his thumb tracing over the tip.

She responded by pushing against him and looping one thigh over his. Aching to be on top.

Neatly, he reversed their positions and he had her lying
on the bench seat of his truck, her legs open under his, his jeans and her skirt the only barrier. Hardly aware of doing it, Susan lifted the ends of her white frothy peasant blouse and pulled it over her head. Seconds later, she'd unhooked her bra and tossed it on the floor.

“Damn,” he said, then leaned down again, warming her skin with his cotton-covered chest. With his hands. Then finally, with his lips and tongue. His cheek was slightly rough, as if he'd shaved that afternoon, but not very well. Or maybe it was just that her skin was so sensitized to his own that every nuance, every movement between them was exaggerated. More pronounced.

She smelled his fresh, clean scent. Tasted the faint taste of mint, the slightest hint of coffee…

His fingers were slightly callused, abrading her skin, making her melt. She nipped at his neck, heard an answering moan of appreciation, then pretty much forgot everything except how delicious it was to feel his weight on her, how attentive he was, how perfect he was…as his lips claimed hers again.

Minutes passed, or maybe it was an hour.

The seat creaked underneath them. Her hands cupped him through his jeans; his hand did the same with her.

Finally, he broke away, panting. “We have to stop,” he said. “I can't do this any longer. This is definitely not where I want to make love with you.” He pulled away, digging under the seat for his shirt. It had come off just moments after his lips had touched her stomach.

Little by little, reality returned, making Susan realize that they only had the semblance of privacy. Thankful for the dark, for the fogged windows, for the faint glow of the movie still playing, Susan sat up as well and fumbled for her bra. Finally she found it. With a sigh, she did her best to untangle the white lace, and then noticed him staring
at her. She smiled. She, too, could have looked at him all night.

“You're beautiful,” he said. “I've rarely seen something that takes my breath away like you do.”

She merely smiled and fastened the clip behind her, then hastily slipped her shirt back on.

“We should probably at least be heading back to the ranch. I mean, the kids are there.” He paused. “But maybe we don't need to go inside to see the kids right away.” A crooked smile turned her way. “What do you say, Susan? Want to go parking?”

She was twenty-five years old. She had a son and a demanding job. At the moment, she wanted nothing more than to go parking with Cal Riddell. “Of course.”

“Thank God. Buckle up, honey.”

 

F
EELING SUSPICIOUSLY
like a teenage boy about to lose his virginity, Cal drove the truck back to the ranch, keeping one hand securely on Susan's knee.

He decided he truly deserved a medal for keeping his hand there. All night long, that flirty skirt of hers had played with his insides, turning his stomach into knots, encouraging his fingers to drift a little higher…to caress her thighs.

Now her knees were slightly apart, and her hip was resting against his. It didn't help things that just a little while ago, he'd had his hands a whole lot higher than her knee, and that she'd given him nothing but encouragement along the way.

Desperate for relief, he turned the air conditioner on high and tilted the vent his way. When the cold air blasted his face, he hoped it would cool the rest of him off. Warily, he looked Susan's way.

Oh, she'd noticed what he was doing, all right. She
smiled a little helplessly. “Is it always so warm at night in September?”

“Not always.” He swallowed. No, he hadn't been this hot in weeks. Shoot, months, most likely.

She shifted uncomfortably. “No, I imagine not.”

They were now less than five minutes from the ranch's entrance. Maybe it was the cold air, maybe it was the idea that they were so close to getting what they wanted. And still so far from how he'd imagined making love to her that he pried his palm from her knee and gave her fingers a squeeze. “Anyone looking at us from a distance would think we're a couple of teenagers.”

“Until they saw us up close.”

“And then they'd be shocked, hmm?” He braked as he made the turn onto his land. He drove slowly as he waited for her to come to her senses. For her to tell him that there was no way in hell she was going to let them get naked on the bench seat of his Chevy.

But she said nothing, only continued to look a little bemused, whether from what they were doing or where he was taking her, he didn't know.

It was obviously up to him to return them to reason. “Sue, there's a thicket in our north pasture. I thought we could park there. No one will bother us. Shoot, no one will even be able to see the truck, the trees and brush are so thick. If…that's what you want.”