Round-the-Clock Temptation (6 page)

“I left it in the oven so it'll stay warm.”

“I hope you turned the temperature down.”

“Of course I did,” she snapped. At least, she'd
meant
to. They simultaneously turned to look at the display on the stove.

“See,” she said smugly. “It's on low. As in, not too hot.”

Connor didn't look impressed by her stroke of genius. “I'm no gourmet, but on my stove the broiler settings are high and low and the regular oven is by temperature.”

Her heart slid south into her belly. There was no way she could have ruined another entire meal.

She yanked open the oven door and smoke rolled out to join the cloud already hanging in the air from the potatoes. “Oh no!”

Connor grabbed an oven mitt, pulled the pan out and set it on the stove. The chicken was completely charred on one side and still smoking. “One side is okay…sort of. Maybe if you cut off the burned part?”

He had every right to be smug about it, but he wasn't, and, although she appreciated his encouragement, they
both knew she couldn't serve chicken this burned to the men. They would accuse her of trying to poison them.

It wouldn't be the first time that week.

“Dump it,” she said. She grabbed a newspaper from the kitchen counter and waved the smoke toward the open kitchen window. “I just wasn't meant to be in a kitchen. I think I was born without the cooking gene.”

Connor dumped the chicken in the sink with the potatoes and set the pan back on the stove. “I have an idea.”

“What idea?”

He pulled his cell phone out and dialed.

“Who are you calling?” Please let it be someone who knew how to cook.

“It's chili night at the Royal Diner.”

Nita felt herself begin to salivate. Manny's chili was the best in Royal—hell, probably the entire state of Texas. But what about the men? They had to eat, too.

When Manny answered, Connor ordered chili with all the fixings. Enough to feed everyone, saving her from an inevitable mutiny. It wasn't the first time he'd saved her butt the past couple of days. She owed him big time, and could think of a couple of fun, mutually gratifying ways to pay him back.

They drove into town together to pick up the food, then after dinner he helped her clean the kitchen until it was spotless. He even did a couple of loads of laundry for her since he knew how and she was in no mood to mop up a flood.

Later, after Nita got her daddy settled in his suite and was on her way upstairs to get ready for bed, she realized she'd ruined dinner three nights in a row, fed him sandwiches for lunch and cold cereal for breakfast, yet
Connor hadn't uttered a word of complaint. He'd even insisted on paying for dinner tonight.

He hadn't made fun of her for not having a domestic bone in her body the way some men had. And he hadn't acted all high and mighty when he'd fixed things for her. He was so reserved, so guarded sometimes it was frustrating. But there was a fire burning in him, a passion he kept buried deep inside, she just knew it. She'd been so busy holding things together the past couple of days, and fell into bed so dead tired every night, she hadn't had time to even think about a seduction. Maybe, after a relaxing hot shower, it was time she paid Connor back for all his good deeds.

She might not have known how to operate an oven, but she sure knew what to do to set a man on fire.

C
onnor checked all the windows and doors, and when he was sure the house was locked up tight, he trudged up the stairs to his room. The bathroom door was closed and he could hear water running. Nita was taking a shower. He fought to block out a sudden image of her naked and wet, but it slid through his brain and lodged itself there to torture him.

He walked into his room and closed the door, wishing he could leave the erotic image in the empty hall. Every time he was near Nita, he found himself wanting to touch her, wanting to taste that sassy mouth of hers.

Everything about her fascinated him. The way her silky raven hair shined when the sun hit it. How her violet eyes brightened or darkened depending on her mood. He never tired of watching her. The graceful flow
of her body as she worked with a horse, the pure joy on her face that said she was doing exactly what she wanted to, what she was meant to do.

And if the sexual attraction wasn't bad enough, he really liked her. She was so feisty and full of life. The way she'd been looking at him with blatant interest the past couple of days both intrigued him and made him uneasy. He couldn't meet her eye, couldn't face the honesty there without his feelings getting away from him. If he allowed himself to let go, nothing good could come of it. Things would get out of hand and someone could get hurt.
She
could get hurt.

Still, he'd never met a woman who made him want to lose control the way Nita did.

He stripped off his shirt, tossing it over the footboard. He had just unfastened his pants when he was interrupted by a knock. He zipped back up and opened the door. Nita stood in the hall, her long hair wet, dressed in an oversize men's shirt that wasn't buttoned very high.

Aw hell.

When he should have closed them, his eyes wandered lower instead, and what little breath he had left backed up in his chest. If he'd ever wondered whether or not she had nice legs, he just got his answer. The shirt stopped at midthigh, and that exposed a lot of silky, milk-white bare skin.

“Can I come in?” she asked.

Though his head was saying no, his body didn't listen. As if in some sort of sexual trance, he backed up and held the door open wider.

She stepped inside and shut the door behind her,
leaning against it, as if she was making sure he couldn't get away. Her eyes fixed on him, wandered across his bare chest, then lower to his partially unfastened pants.

She was looking at him as though she'd been starved for a month and he was an all-you-can-eat buffet.

This was not good.

“I wanted to thank you for all your help this week,” she said, “with Daddy and with the farm. I couldn't have done it without you.”

He had a feeling he knew exactly how she wanted to thank him. He backed away a safe distance, keeping his face stony and disinterested. “No need to thank me. I'm sure you would have managed just fine without my help.”

She stepped toward him, unfastening one of the buttons on her shirt, widening the V of smooth pale skin, so he could make out the curve of her breasts. “Maybe I
want
to thank you.”

He held his ground, but he could feel his body reacting to her presence, to the scent of her freshly scrubbed skin. A warm curl of need started in his groin and spiraled outward. “As I said, that isn't necessary.”

She propped her hands on her hips and gazed up at him. “Boy, you sure don't take a hint.”

“I understand exactly what you're…suggesting. I'm declining your offer.”

She popped another button on her shirt, till a lone button was all that kept him from pure heaven. “I'm not looking for a commitment if that's what you're worried about. Just some good clean fun. And if you want to play dirty, that's okay, too.”

“And I'm still not interested,” he lied. The truth was he wanted to rip off that shirt, and whatever she might
be wearing underneath, and take her right up against the door. He wanted to feel those silky legs wrapped around his hips, feel her nimble body pressed up against him.

“I may look and act like a boy, but I'm still a woman, Connor.” She undid the last button on her shirt, slowly eased it off her shoulders and let it slip to the floor. She wore plain white cotton panties—not what most men would consider overtly sexy. But combined with the woman underneath, they had fire pumping through his veins. Her skin was pale ivory and looked flawlessly smooth. Her breasts were small and pert, her nipples two tiny, dark points begging to be touched.

Longing swept through him in a hot rush, but he beat the feeling down. With most women he had no trouble keeping his emotions in check. He could see to his physical needs without letting his feelings override his good sense. Not that the encounters had ever been particularly satisfying. For him or his partner. But they had been safe, and that was all that had mattered. He knew with Nita he already was invested emotionally. Once he let go, let the sex happen, there would be no stopping him.

“Trust me, Nita, you look nothing like a boy. All the more reason for you to put your shirt back on.”

She flashed him a teasing grin. “What's the matter, Connor, you don't like women? Is it that army, don't-ask-don't-tell thing?”

“Of course I like women.” He knew she was only teasing—taunting—him and he yearned to take her in his arms and prove just which way the barn door was swinging. But he would lose control. He could hurt her.

“Are you always this…
forward
with men?” he asked,
though he had a pretty good idea the answer was a big fat yes.

“When I see something I like, I go after it. Is there anything wrong with that?”

“I guess that just depends on who you're after.” He could see that she'd set her sights on him, but she had no idea what she was getting herself into. He was a ticking bomb, one she didn't want to be anywhere near when he finally detonated. “Whatever you think you know about me, you're wrong.”

“I've seen the way you look at me.” She spread a hand over her stomach, slid it slowly upward, across her rib cage and over her breast. She cupped it, pinching the nipple lightly, her lids heavy with desire, and Connor nearly groaned. “Your eyes don't lie. No matter how hard you try to hide it.”

She stepped closer, until the tips of her breasts touched his bare chest. He sucked in a breath, felt his control slip another notch. For a woman who considered herself unfeminine, she sure did know how to seduce a man.

He clenched his hands into tight fists at his sides, so he wouldn't give into the urge to touch her. “You don't want a man like me, Nita.”

“Why not?”

“I'm damaged goods.”

She cupped a hand over the bulge in his jeans, rubbing him through the heavy denim. “Everything seems to be working fine.”

He wanted to grab her hand, make her stop, but the second he touched her, it would be all over. And he couldn't look at her any longer without devouring her.

He closed his eyes. “I'm here to protect you.”

Her breath was warm and sweet on his chin. “What has that got to do with us having sex?”

“I'm protecting you.”

“From
what?”

“From
me.”

She stroked the skin just under the waist of his jeans and the muscles in his stomach spasmed. “Why the heck would I need protecting from you?”

“You wouldn't understand.”

“I'm not afraid of you, Connor.” She slipped her fingers lower, inside his boxers, and his legs went weak. “Let me make you feel good.”

When she brushed against the tip of his erection, it was more than he could take. He grabbed hold of her arms and backed her against the nearest wall. The air wooshed from her lungs and her eyes went wide with surprise. Then he got in her face, so close their noses were almost touching.

“I'm going to warn you one last time,” he said, teeth clenched, jaw tight. “Do not mess with me or you
will
regret it.”

He let go and swiped her shirt from the floor, thrusting it at her. Then he turned and folded his arms across his chest, waiting for her to leave. He heard the rustle of fabric, then the door opened and snapped shut again.

He was almost afraid to turn around. Afraid he'd find her completely naked and undeterred, and this time he might not be able to hold back.

But when he turned, he found the room empty. It wasn't until then that he realized he was shaking.

 

At 6:00 the following morning, Connor trudged down the stairs, feeling cranky and out of sorts. He'd
slept like hell last night, guilt burning a hole in his gut every time he thought of how he'd treated Nita. But she hadn't given him a choice. There hadn't been any other way to get through to her.

He walked into the kitchen, expecting to find her there eating her breakfast, but the room was empty. He checked the office next, but she wasn't there, either, and she wasn't upstairs in her room.

Where the hell was she?

He took the stairs two at a time and headed out to the stable. The sun was a glowing orange shadow on the horizon and the air was chilly and scented with fresh hay.

No Nita, but he did find Jimmy.

“Have you seen Nita?” Connor asked him.

“She got up early this morning. A couple of the men thought they saw a light out in the west pasture last night. They took the truck out there but whoever it was musta heard 'em and run off. Nita went to check it out.”

“
Alone,
in the
dark?”

The old man shrugged. “Said she wanted to search the property for more holes before we set the horses out to pasture.”

Connor could hardly believe what he was hearing. “And you let her go?”

His look was solemn. “She is the boss, Connor. I'm in no position to be giving her orders.”

“You could have at least gone with her.”

“I offered, she said no thanks.”

Connor knew she was doing this to get back at him for last night. He cursed under his breath and headed for
Goliath's stall. He had him saddled and ready to go in three minutes. “She ever does this again, you come and find me right away.”

“I know you're worried about her getting hurt, but she can handle herself,” Jimmy said as Connor walked Goliath out of the stable and mounted him.

“I know she'd like to believe that, but right now, she's not safe anywhere by herself.” He drove his heels into the horse's sides and took off in search of her.

 

Nita studied the tracks in the dirt. There was a single shovel mark in the ground, as if the digger had been interrupted. That must have been about the time the boys drove out to investigate.

She shook her head. Whoever was doing this, was certainly persistent, and not very intelligent if he thought she would fall for this old trick again. But if he'd set out to annoy her, he'd succeeded. She was going to have to have a talk with the men to see if anyone would be willing to patrol the property at night until the guilty party was caught. Maybe they could take three-or four-hour shifts. And if they were really lucky, maybe they would catch him in the act.

A smile curled her lips when she thought about what she would do if she caught him herself.

She heard the beat of a horse's hooves and, looking at her watch, knew it was Connor. She didn't have to turn and look at him to know he'd be angry she'd left without him.

She was hoping he would be, though it couldn't begin to make up for the anger and humiliation she'd felt last night when he'd turned her down. And yes,
she'd been hurt. She'd never misread a man as badly as she had Connor. She'd been sure he was as interested in her as she was in him.

Apparently not.

Although that didn't explain the bulge in his jeans. He'd definitely been turned on, but he sure had freaked out when she'd touched him. Then it occurred to her, maybe by saying he was damaged, he'd meant he was physically disfigured somewhere down there. He had been in an explosion. What if his back wasn't the only place he'd been burned. Maybe he was embarrassed to let her see him.

Oddly enough, the thought was almost comforting. He hadn't actually rejected her. He was looking out for her welfare—protecting her from the gruesome truth. And he'd said that, hadn't he? At the time she'd figured it was just some lame put-down line. Maybe he thought she'd be appalled by the way he looked.

Well, hell, he didn't need to feel embarrassed. She didn't care what it looked like, as long as the plumbing worked, and even if there were kinks to work out she would be okay with that, too. The more challenging, the more fun as far as she was concerned.

Maybe this wasn't a lost cause after all.

Connor stopped a few feet from where she was crouched inspecting the ground. “What the hell do you think you're doing?”

If he was going to go all macho on her, maybe she shouldn't be so eager to let him off the hook. She slowly rose to her feet and turned to him, her face the picture of serenity. “Good morning to you, too.”

He jumped down from his horse. “Look, I know you're probably upset about last night…”

Oh yeah, he was askin' for it. “Don't flatter yourself, cowboy. Men like you are a dime a dozen. It's a shame though, we could have had fun.”

If she'd wounded his pride, he didn't let it show. “Then why did you leave without me? Are you
trying
to get yourself killed?”

“I have a farm to run. If you can't keep up with me, that's not my problem.” She mounted her horse and headed for the stable, Connor riding close behind her, a silent sentinel. He didn't say a word the entire ride, but she could feel his anger hovering over her like a heavy black storm cloud. And she was only slightly enjoying it.

Well, maybe more than slightly.

Jimmy was outside the stable waiting for them.