One Night Stand (8 page)

“You know what I mean,” she said, nipping his chin.

“No, Mandy. I don’t think I do.” He set her on her feet, keeping his hands on her arms until she was steady.

“I just meant that if you need to be somewhere, I’d understand.” This was definitely a weird conversation to have naked, so she reached for his T-shirt and pulled it over her head. He stood watching her, arms crossed over his chest. “What?” she asked, wide-eyed. “It’s not like I have a lot of experience with the morning-after thing. I was trying to give you an out.”

“I’m not looking for an out,” he snapped, swiping his jeans from the floor. “I say we make our own rules.”

“Really?” She didn’t mean to sound so hopeful.

“Really. Jake can handle the bar. I don’t have any pressing business and I’d like to spend some time with you.” He stalked closer. “Unless
you
want an out.”

She shook her head. “I’d like to spend some time with you too.” She pressed her hands to her stomach as it grumbled again. “Starting with food.” She took his hand and started from the room. She gave him a sexy smile over her shoulder. “But first we need clothes.”

“You keep looking at me like that, baby, and clothes will be a long time coming,” he warned, swatting her on the ass.

Her stomach clenched with a need far greater than food. She tossed him another smile. “Breakfast can wait.”

Chapter 7

As far as weeks went, Samantha figured this one ranked a ten on the suck-ass scale. It wasn’t so much that her apartment had been broken into. Okay, it was a little bit about that, but not as much as it was about Caleb Martin and his arrogant, dumbass idea that she couldn’t take care of herself. Hell, she’d been taking care of herself for practically her whole life. Her parents sure hadn’t had anything to do with it. She snorted with disgust at the thought of her mother pretending to be anything except her father’s lapdog. Sit, stay, heel. Obey, obey, obey. That was all her so-called father knew, and her mother fell in line. And now it seemed Caleb was taking a page from her father’s book of irritating.

What she needed was a release. Something to take her mind off all the drama that seemed to be her life lately. First her office, now her apartment. The bastard was getting desperate; she could feel it.

She eyed herself in the bathroom mirror. She’d attempted to tame her wild mass of deep auburn curls into a subtle French braid. However, the unruly locks had a mind of their own and wisps of hair fell around her face in what she decided was sexy dishevelment.
Nothing wrong with looking a little tousled.

Her simple black tank top was tight across her breasts, showing off just the right amount of cleavage as well as being short enough to expose the glittering gem dangling from her belly button. Her low-riding jeans only added to the wealth of toned and tanned skin she had on display. Studded rhinestones sparkled against the faded denim that trailed down into her most comfortable pair of cowgirl boots. Not her favorite choice of footwear, but this was Texas after all.

Country music drifted through the door as she leaned into the mirror to add a touch of gloss to her lips. She looked nothing like the lawyer she was, which was precisely her goal. She’d come to get her groove on and maybe to find a good-looking cowboy who wanted to join her back at the hotel she was temporarily calling home.

Pleased with her reflection, she left the bathroom and worked her way toward the bar. There were no bar stools here, only a brass rail running the length of the base for those who needed a place to rest their boots.

“Shot of tequila,” she said to the bartender and slapped a twenty on the bar.

“It’s on me,” she heard from her left as a hand reached over and slid her money back to her.

She turned to see a very young, very handsome cowboy smiling wickedly at her. She looked him over from his black cowboy hat to his beat-up, well worn shitkickers and had to stop herself from yelling, “Jackpot!” Instead, she played it cool. “You old enough to be in here, son?” she asked.

He actually blushed and kicked his boot against the rail. Sam wouldn’t have been surprised if he’d busted out with an “Aw shucks, ma’am.” Instead, he just kept smiling at her. And it was quite a smile. She wondered how many panties he’d melted with that expression, because it was certainly starting to get to hers.

“I’m plenty old enough to be in here,” he confirmed, leaning in to brush his lips against her ear. “But still young enough to show you a thing or two … for as long as you need showin’.” He pushed his hat back on his head. “Wanna dance?” He extended his hand in offering.

She watched him as she picked up her shot glass and brought it to her lips. His golden gaze was glued to her mouth as she licked the rim slightly before drinking it down in one gulp. When she reached to take his hand, he swooped his arm around her and lifted her off her feet, pressing her tight against him.

“Oh!” She laughed as he swung her around and placed her on her feet again. “Please tell me that wasn’t it.”

“We’re just gettin’ started, darlin’. I aim to burn off a little steam tonight, and you’re just about the tastiest thing I’ve ever seen. Care to join me in a little hell-raisin’?”

“Cowboy, you have no idea. Buy me another shot and then you can show me your moves,” she said suggestively and smiled as he threw his head back in laughter.

He twirled his finger at the bartender to signal another round. “Darlin’, I got moves that’ll curl your toes,” he promised.

“I’m counting on that, Cowboy,” she said as she accepted her drink.

After another round, she was beginning to feel the blissful warmth that came with being tipsy. She was far from drunk and perfectly happy to let her cowboy lead her to the dance floor. She pressed herself along the length of him and swayed as he spun her into a slow, tight dance. His hands caressed the skin of her back, farther exposed as she reached up and laced her fingers around his neck.

Halfway through the first song they were interrupted by another man looking to cut in. Cowboy clutched her tight for a minute and put his mouth to her ear. “I don’t mind watching you dance with other guys tonight, darlin’, but you’re goin’ home with me.” He winked at her before giving her ass a possessive squeeze and passing her to the other man.

After Sam had danced with just about every guy in the place, she felt as if she was going to fall over. She laughingly held off her next admirer. “I need a drink.” Her buzz was completely gone. She scanned the crowd for Cowboy and found him watching her from the spot at the bar where they’d met. He held up a glass to her to indicate he had one waiting.

The minute she reached him, he grabbed her up and planted a kiss on her lips. She opened and let him in. And boy oh boy, he didn’t disappoint. His lips were firm and demanding. His mouth possessed her; his tongue tangled with hers until she was breathless. She pulled away. “What was that for?” she asked.

“Because you’re drivin’ me crazy, that’s why.” He nuzzled her cheek.

His hand caressed up her side, his thumb grazing intimately across her nipple. Her body responded immediately, her nipples tightening into hard buds and warmth flooding her panties. “You about ready to get out of here?” she asked.

“Finish your drink, darlin’, then I’ll take you wherever you wanna go.” He reached down and lightly fingered the jewel at her navel. “’Cause honestly, I can’t wait to get you naked.”

Oh hell yeah!

She pressed her breasts against his chest and nipped his chin. “And what’ll do you with me once you get me naked?”

“He’s not going to do a goddamned thing, because he’s not getting you naked,” a voice growled from behind her.

“What’s it to you?” Her cowboy sneered over her shoulder. “You her boyfriend or somethin’?”

“Or something,” Sam said as a hand clamped down on her bicep. She didn’t turn around, just glared at the fingers that gripped her. “Get your hand off me, Caleb.” She jerked her arm, emphasizing her demand.

“Mister, I don’t know who the hell you are, but the lady doesn’t want you touching her so how’s about you back the fuck off?”

“
Son
, unless you want a whole mess of shit you can’t handle, which in my current mood would suit me just fine,
you’ll
back the fuck off. Trust me when I say I could wipe the floor with you without breaking a sweat.” His grip increased on Sam’s arm. “Wanna try me?”

Sam gave her cowboy a defeated look. “I’m sorry. This isn’t what I intended. This jackass,” she tugged on her arm again, “thinks he’s some kind of watchdog or something. Maybe we can hook up … hey!” Caleb jerked her back against him.

“She’s nothing but trouble, I assure you. Get out while the gettin’s good, man.” Caleb sounded almost apologetic.

Sam nodded at her cowboy and he backed off. “I ain’t lookin’ for a fight, dude. I was just lookin’ to have some fun. If she’s yours, then by all means. But you really should keep a better eye on her. A gal like her won’t ever be alone long.” He winked at her before strolling off and leaving her in Caleb’s clutches.

Un-fucking-believable.

“Let go of me, Caleb.” Her hands itched with the urge to slug him.

“Are you going to be good?”

Seriously?
“No.”

“Then what’s my incentive to let go?” He pulled her deeper into his chest, sounding as close to being amused as she’d ever heard him.

“Um, keeping your balls in their proper anatomical position?”

He snorted. “We’re going to talk, Samantha.”

She whirled on him, forcing him to release her or twist her arm. He quickly released her. “No.” She jabbed her finger into his chest. “You mean you’re going to talk and you expect me to listen. Who do you think you are, anyway? You’ve never given two shits about me or my life except when it concerns Amanda. Now that you know where she is, there shouldn’t be any reason for you to keep hounding me.”

“For some ungodly reason,” he took hold of her arm again, “everything about you concerns Amanda.” He gave her a pointed stare. “Which concerns me.”

She dug her boot heels into the floor as he started to drag her away. “I’m not leaving.”

“You’re not staying.” He simply continued to pull her along behind him.

She cursed and followed, if only to save herself the embarrassment of tripping and being dragged out of the bar on her ass. By the time they hit the parking lot, she was steaming mad. And still very horny.

He backed her up to his truck and was in her face before she could form words to yell at him. “Just what the fuck did you think you were doing in there?” he demanded.

Sam was taken aback by the anger rolling off him. Oh sure, he’d been mad at her in the past. Hell, she wouldn’t know what to do if he wasn’t frustrated with her about something. But this was new. She’d never seen him actually ready to spit nails at her before. She wasn’t sure what to do. Flustered, she pushed at him. He didn’t budge so much as an inch.
Bastard.

“Do you have any idea who broke into your office? Your apartment?” She opened her mouth to respond but he kept going. “How do you know that whoever is looking for you isn’t in this bar right now? That he isn’t that innocent-looking cowboy you almost took back to your hotel? Christ, Samantha, you can’t be this foolish.”

“I’m not being foolish, I was trying to get laid. Burn off a little stress, you know?” She sneered at him. “You ought to try it. It might help your disposition a little.”

“You offering? ’Cause I guarantee I could do a better job than the youngster you were about to leave with.” His eyes flashed in a way that made her suddenly uneasy.

She took a breath. “You’re such an ass.”

“Tell me something I don’t already know, darlin’. But that doesn’t change the fact that someone is looking for you, or something you have. Until we figure this out, you’ve got to be more careful. No more bars, no more … well, just no more.”

The command in his voice pissed her off. He was ordering her around like her father had tried to do, and that was something she wouldn’t stand for.

“For the last time, Caleb, I can take care of myself. I know who’s looking for me, and I know what they’re looking for.”

He jerked away from her, his face as hard as granite. “Who?”

She sighed and pushed at him again, this time successfully gaining some breathing room as he took a step back from her. “The husband of a client.” She gave him a weary look and decided to give him a taste of the truth. “I helped her get away. He’s powerful, Caleb, but he won’t get what he wants from me. Ever.”

“What does he want?” His voice shook with barely controlled anger.

“He wants his wife.”

“And this wife … she’s worth putting yourself at risk?”

Sam couldn’t believe he’d asked her that question. “He almost killed her, Caleb.” She considered him hard. “You’d have me send her back to save my own skin?” She was mortified he believed she’d do such a thing.

He didn’t hesitate. “Yes.” He blew out a harsh breath. “No.” He shook his head. “Of course not. But there has to be another way, goddammit.”

“I’m working on it. It’s not like they’ve threatened my life or anything. Living in a hotel is a small price to pay to keep my client safe. I get my meals cooked for me and have clean towels every morning,” she said, making light of the situation.

“They?” He got in her face again.
“They?”

“I can only assume this man wouldn’t want to dirty his own hands. I’m speculating here, but I’d say he’d hire men to do things like break into my apartment.”

“And these hired men, to what lengths will they go to obtain the information they want?”

“Now, how the hell am I supposed to know that? But again, it doesn’t matter. There’s nothing to find. The only way to get the information is to get it from me. And I’m. Not. Talking.” She jabbed her finger into his chest with each word.

He stiffened. “Give me a name.”

“This isn’t your fight.”

He let loose a string of vile curses. “Give me the name, Samantha.”

“Forget it. Look, I’ll be good and go back to my hotel, but only because I’m tired of standing here fighting with you. I won’t go back in the bar and I won’t take anyone back to the hotel with me.” She let her frustration show as she pushed past him and headed for her car. “But I’m damn sure going to stop at the nearest adult toy store on my way,” she tossed over her shoulder. “Since you ruined any chance I had of having a real cock in my henhouse tonight, I’ll at least have a fucking artificial replacement.”