Suited to be a Cowboy (16 page)

Urgh!
This
wasn’t helping his body relax one little bit. Jimmy pushed upright and got to
his feet, deciding he may as well toss and turn in comfort. He continued his
walk around the courtyard and entered his room through the patio doors.
A cool shower and then bed, McGovern
. No
more lusty thoughts of the woman across the way.

*
* * *

A couple of weeks had gone by since the accident and for
the first time, Melissa found she could move around without pain.
What a blessed morning!
She wanted to
dance around her bedroom, but was afraid to push her luck. Instead, she undressed
and opted for a long, hot shower. She taped a plastic bag over her cast and
gingerly walked to the ensuite bath, sat on the edge of the tub, and turned on
the faucets. She stood and stepped into the shower, her face upturned to the
stinging spray.
Heaven!

Melissa took her time, shampooed and conditioned her hair,
which proved tricky one-handed, and let the heat soothe her tired, aching
muscles. It felt so good to be totally clean again. She giggled with pure
enjoyment as she stepped out to dry. A slight twinge in her ribs warned her to
be careful. She walked, butt naked, into her bedroom to get dressed and saw
Jimmy coming through the patio door.

She stumbled in embarrassment and he was there in a
heartbeat, lifting her into his arms and carrying her over to the bed.

“You need to be more careful, and give yourself time to
heal.”

“I’m fine, you just startled me.”

He laid her gently on the bed, only now seeming to realize
her state of undress. “God, woman, you’re gorgeous.” His avid gaze raked her from
head to toe, coming back again to lock on hers, his eyes heated with desire. He
touched her face, his hand sliding down to her chin. His thumb idly caressed
her lips for a moment before he moved his hand again, lowered it to skim her
shoulder, her breast.

Her nipples hardened in response to his touch, combined
with the morning breeze blowing in through the still open door. Jimmy ignored
her obvious response to his touch, continuing to skim his hand down over her
hip, hesitating briefly, then continuing along her thigh.

One hand, one continual touch, and she was throbbing,
ready for him, wanting him, but she said not a word, tried not to move, afraid
it would break whatever spell he was under.

When he brought his hand back up, he rubbed the back of it
over her mound of curls, causing her to arch up off the bed. She wanted more, so
much more.

“Your skin is like the finest silk,” he whispered as if to
himself. “An absolute treasure. I want to touch you all over.” He looked at her
then, must have sensed the desire she felt, for he lay down beside her, taking
her in his arms and holding her close.

His kiss started out slow, a gentle caressing of lips as
if he held his passion banked and under strict control. She’d have none of it. With
her good arm, she pulled him closer, her lips parting to trace his with her
tongue. Jimmy groaned and snaked his tongue out to duel with hers, kissing her
so deep and so passionately, she couldn’t think, just feel. When his free hand
cupped her breast, she pushed against him, glorying in the sensations running
rampant through her body. Forgetting the cast, she threw her arm up to hug him
tighter, but instead, she walloped him upside the head.

“Ouch!” His husky chuckle sounded in her ears. “If you
wanted me to stop, all you had to do was say so.”

“No, don’t stop. I wanted you closer. I’m sorry. I forgot
about the cast.”

“Did it hurt you?” he asked, concern for her evident in
his features.

She shook her head and reached for him. He obliged,
capturing her lips in another mind-blowing kiss. When he pulled away, she felt
bereft. The feeling quickly subsided when he slid down to capture one turgid
nipple in his mouth while massaging the other one, pulling and tweaking until
she writhed beneath him. Then he slid lower, caressing her nest of curls before
parting her folds and licking her there.

“
Ohhh
! Oh, Jimmy.”

“Yes, Melissa? Do you like having my mouth on you there?”

“Oh, yes!”

He delved back in, sucking her sensitive nub and stroking
in and out with his tongue. Her climax built. His ministrations brought her to
a fevered pitch of desire.

“Now, Jimmy. Take me now.”

He rose long enough to dispose of his clothing, and pulled
a small foil packet from his wallet.

“Here, let me.” She opened the packet with her teeth and
rolled on the condom, not an easy task with only one hand. His erection was a
beauty, thick, long, and hard…for her. He groaned as her fingers stroked the
length of him. When he rejoined her on the bed, she lay back, more than ready
for him. Positioned between her legs, he looked up. “Are you sure this is what
you want?”

She held his gaze as she answered. “Don’t you dare stop
now!”

He nodded once and smiled, then entered her heat, sinking
deep and then paused, allowing her a moment to adjust to the fullness. “You
okay?”

“Never better, cowboy.” She thrust upward and he moved
inside her, pumping in and out in an age-old rhythm. She wrapped her legs
around his waist, urging him closer, deeper, relishing the feel of being one
with this caring, gentle man. Her insides tightened around him, signaling her
coming release. Jimmy must have felt it too. His thrusts became harder, faster,
as they raced together toward release, collapsing in a tangled heap in the
aftermath.

“Lady, that was one wild ride.”

“Um-hmm. Sure was.” She barely had breath enough to speak.

He rolled to the side, bringing her with him, their bodies
still joined as he cradled her in his arms.

“Did I hurt you?”

“Not at all. Never felt better.” She smiled up at him,
brushing sweat-soaked tendrils of hair back off his forehead. “We should get
up. Aaron will be looking for me.”

As if on cue, a knock sounded on the hall door. “Mom, are
you awake?”

“Yes, I’ll be out in a minute.” She moved out of his
embrace and sat up.

Jimmy rose from the bed and dressed, noting the open patio
door. “Good thing he didn’t come around the other way.”

She glanced out toward the empty courtyard. “Uh, yeah.”

“I’m sorry. This could have been embarrassing for you.”

“Don’t you dare be sorry. I loved every minute of it.”

He grinned and strode to the patio door. “Meet you in the
kitchen.” Then he returned and gave her one last, passion-filled kiss before
striding across the courtyard to his own room.

What a man! And what
a great start to the day!

Melissa touched her fingertips to her lips, savoring that
one last kiss. She wanted to lie back and luxuriate in remembered bliss, but
she pushed off the bed, grabbed another shower, then quickly dressed and headed
for the kitchen, still smiling foolishly.

*
* * *

The next few days were uneventful except that Jimmy received
word from his lawyer that he’d deposited the proceeds from the sale of the firm
into his personal account. Jubilant, he jumped up and did a little dance behind
the desk, unaware of the door opening.

“You look happy. What’s the occasion?” asked Melissa.

He stopped and smiled at her. “I just received an email
from my lawyer. I now have enough money to start searching for property.”

“Congratulations! And here I thought you were working
late.” Her smile didn’t quite reach her eyes.

“I was, but I checked my email before shutting down for
the day.”

“It’s past ten. Everyone else has gone to bed. I’m not a
slave driver, you know.”

“Yeah, I know.” His grin was lethal. “But I wanted to
finish the payroll so I could take tomorrow off.”

“Plan to search for property already?”

“No, I’m hoping to work with the Mustangs. So far,
Tippy’s
been doing all the work, but I’m caught up on the
accounts now and it’s time I got acquainted with my new herd.”

“So what’s your plan for this evening?” A suggestive note entered
her voice as she closed the distance between them.

“I don’t rightly know. Thought I might spend some time
with a pretty lady.”

“Is that so? Would I happen to know this lady you speak
of?”

Instead of answering, he pulled her close and covered her
lips with his own. So soft. So warm and willing. He thrilled to her response as
she wrapped an arm around his neck to pull him closer.

“My room or yours, handsome?” she asked after he broke the
kiss for a much-needed breath.

“Yours is closer.” He picked her up and strode from the
room, not stopping until they were in her bedroom with the door closed and
locked. He allowed her body to slide down the front of his, his erection hard
to miss. He was more than ready for her.

They undressed in a hurry, each article of clothing
removed interspersed with delightful kisses, until they stood naked, wrapped in
each other’s arms. He kissed her soundly as he backed her toward the bed, becoming
a tangled heap of arms and legs as they ravished each other. To his dying day,
he’d never get enough of this woman—the taste, the feel, the smell of her. Even
the sound of her voice turned him inside out with wanting.

Mindful of her injuries, he tried to be gentle, but she
urged him on, faster, harder, until they reached that golden pinnacle of release
and collapsed, gasping for breath.

The steady cadence of her breathing told him that she’d
fallen asleep. Jimmy tucked her firmly against his side, pulling the covers
over their sweat-slicked bodies the best he could. He relished the fact that
she hadn’t asked him to leave. He’d almost blown it earlier—had almost
confessed his love for her. That’s why he’d escaped to the office.

He analyzed his feelings as her warm breaths tickled the
hair on his chest. If it were possible, he’d keep her in his arms forever, but he
was an employee and would do well to remember his place in her life. A brief
affair he could handle. Couldn’t he?

No strings…that was a given. She might
be attracted to him, but she was way out of his league. No regrets? He was
certain he’d have plenty. He loved her. It was as simple and as complicated as
that.

Jimmy had worked hard all his life with
one goal in mind, that of owning his own ranch. Though wealthy in his own
right, it didn’t compare with the Dehavilland fortune. The trouble was, he felt
like he’d come home. This ranch, this woman, even her son, appealed to him. He
fit—sort of.

His glance strayed to the ceiling, to
the stars twinkling beyond the skylight. Funny how he’d never noticed the
skylight before. He smiled, thinking he’d never been on his back in this room,
so it was highly unlikely that he would have.

Melissa shifted in her sleep, drawing
closer to his warmth. What would happen when she awoke to find him still there?
Maybe he should dress and slip out into the night, go to his own room. Yes,
that’s what he’d do. He didn’t need to face an embarrassing morning after. He’d
hold her a while longer, savor their closeness, then go.

As he looked heavenward again, one star
twinkled larger and brighter than the others. He closed his eyes and made a
wish, as he’d often done as a child. Only this time, the wish was very
different from anything he’d ever wished for in the past.

Chapter Eleven

Melissa woke to a strange thumping
sound. She yawned and stretched, and her sore ribs
twinged
in protest. She snapped open her eyes. The thumping was the sound of Jimmy’s
heart beating in her ear.
He’d stayed.
She hadn’t expected him to, but it felt deliciously decadent to wake up beside
him. Careful not to disturb him, she rose to one elbow and studied the man
beside her in the bed.

It had been a hot night, in more ways
than one, and his lean, muscular body was only partially covered by the sheet.
It drooped low on his waist to cover his midsection, but then slid off again to
expose a firmly muscled thigh. With him asleep, she could gaze upon him all she
wanted to.

His upper torso was tanned a dark
golden brown and beautiful. She remembered rubbing her hands over his six-pack
abs, sliding her tongue over his hard nipples, and kissing his belly button.
Funny how she’d never had the urge to explore her ex’s body. But then, Jimmy
had a delectable body whereas Marcus had always been short, plump, and totally
out of shape.

Really, what had she seen in the man?
He hadn’t even treated her all that good once they’d married. By the time she’d
grown weary of his sarcastic comments and put-downs and was preparing to leave,
she found out she was pregnant. That changed everything for Melissa. She felt
that a child needed both parents and decided to stay and hoped things improved.
They never did. His walking out had been the best thing to happen to her in ten
long years of marriage.

Jimmy’s normally clean-shaven face
sported a heavy shadow of overnight growth. She reached out her hand and rubbed
her fingers along the line of his jaw. Prickly. No way was he kissing her until
after he shaved. If not, the entire house would see her pale skin covered in
whisker rash. And speaking of kissing, she’d best crawl out and brush her
teeth. There was nothing she hated worse than morning breath.
Ugh!

She slid backward on the bed, carefully
extricating herself from his hold, then sat up, easing her legs out over the
edge. No time to dally, nature called. She stood only to fall back with a
groan.
Nature!
They hadn’t used a condom.
She slumped forward, her head in her hands as she mentally counted the days
since her last period.
Oh, my God!
This was the best, or maybe the worst, time to forget protection.

What if she’d gotten pregnant? Jimmy
had made it plain that he’d never have kids of his own. That he wasn’t the
marrying kind. So what? Plenty of people had kids outside of marriage these
days. The only thing was, she’d always been old-fashioned in that sense. Until
Jimmy, she’d only been with one man and Marcus had never taken her to the
heights this man had.

Should she tell him what she suspected?
Chastise him for not using protection? Hell, no. In the heat of the moment, she
hadn’t thought of it either. It had been so long since she’d had anyone to
share with. Someone who made her feel desire. And desirable.

“Are you all right?” Jimmy’s voice,
husky from sleep, brought her out of her trance.

“Yes, I’m fine. Sorry I woke you.”

“I’m not. The view from here is quite a
pleasant one. Come here.”

“Nope. I need a toothbrush.” Melissa walked
around the end of the bed to find Jimmy up and waiting to help, his arms
outstretched, should she falter. The man stood in naked magnificence. Her hands
ached to reach for him. She wanted to make love with him again, yet wanted to
run. “I’m okay. My ribs are still a little sore, but I can manage.”

His concern turned to a frown and his
posture stiffened until he stood at full height. “Is that my cue to leave?”

“No, yes.” She shrugged. “Hell, I don’t
know. I sure hadn’t expected you to stay all night.”

“Fine. I’ll see you later.”

Jimmy turned on his heel and she
watched as he dressed and walked away without another word. She wanted to call
him back, but she couldn’t form the words. Still in shock from her morning
discovery, she entered the bathroom. Time to prepare for the day ahead.

To her surprise, the more she thought
about carrying Jimmy’s baby, the more she liked the idea. Fear washed away with
the soapy water and she emerged a determined woman. She’d keep her little
secret for now…wait and see how things played out. His going off in a huff had
saved her from having to explain her mood. He likely hadn’t even thought of the
lack of a condom the previous night. She smiled and rubbed her belly extra
gentle while drying off. Today just might mean the start of a brand new life—in
more ways than one.

* * * *

Jimmy’s angry strides carried him across the courtyard to
his own suite of rooms, his mind in turmoil. He mentally kicked himself for
falling asleep in her bed. Not that he hadn’t enjoyed being with her. He did.
And seeing her nude body first thing upon waking, he’d ached desperately to
hold her and make love to her again. But he’d seen the confusion in her eyes, and
her refusal to allow him to help left no doubt as to her feelings.

She hadn’t wanted to face him this
morning. That much was clear. What did he expect? Melissa wasn’t the type to
gush all over a man, although her passionate nature had set him on fire with
renewed vigor the previous night. He wanted a repeat, but other than sex, what
did he have to offer? He ran a hand through his hair in frustration. He’d
overstepped the boundaries of a working relationship and he had to bear the
falling out sure to come.

Showered and changed, he headed to the kitchen for his
morning coffee. He’d bypass breakfast and spend the day in his office, thereby
avoiding any recriminating glances cast his way. He arrived in the kitchen just
as Sheila opened the door to admit the ranch foreman.

“I need to see Melissa. Is she in the office?” Brian
asked.

“No, she hasn’t surfaced yet. Do you need me to wake her?”
Sheila asked.

The man was anxious over something.

“What seems to be the problem, Brian?” Jimmy asked.

“We have some horses down. I called the vet, but he’s
busy. Can’t get here until tomorrow afternoon.”

“
Some
horses?
How many? Where?” Jimmy asked as he grabbed his Stetson off the hook by the
door.

“About twenty or so, down by the creek. We moved the rest
to a different pasture in case the water got tainted somehow.”

Jimmy nodded. “Good thinking.”

“Tainted water?” Melissa asked as she entered the room. “In
the creek?”

“Yes, I sent Tippy to town with a sample to have it
tested. They promised to fax the results to the ranch office as soon as they
can.”

“And the horses?” A worried frown wrinkled her forehead.

Brian filled her in.

“Is there another vet nearby?” Jimmy asked.

“Tried all the closest ones. Same thing. Some don’t do
house calls, domestic pets only, and most aren’t open this early.” Brian
shrugged. “All I can do is keep calling and wait for the water test so we know
what we’re dealing with.”

“Keep me informed. Who’s with the horses?” she asked.

“All the wranglers are out there trying to coax them to
their feet. We’ve lugged fresh water to them, but the vet said no feed until
they’re diagnosed.”

Jimmy spoke up. “I worked with a vet one summer. I’ll ride
out, see if I can help. Do you have any medical supplies on hand?”

Brian nodded. “I’ll pack them up and send them with you.
I’ll join you as soon as I hear back on the test results.”

“I’m going with you,” Melissa said to Jimmy. “Those are my
horses out there. I just have to make a quick phone call first.” She picked up
the kitchen extension and dialed. Brian was talking again so Jimmy couldn’t
hear her, but her demeanor had changed drastically with the news. She was the
boss, and he had no intention of arguing with her about her health or the night
they’d spent together.

She hung up the phone with a satisfied, yet worried, look
on her face. “A vet is flying in shortly. Should be here within a couple of
hours.”

“Great, if you’re ready, we’ll take my truck. You’re not
supposed to be riding. Better slip your boots on and grab your hat. We could be
out there a while.”

There he goes,
taking charge again as if I don’t know enough to dress myself.
But she
dutifully pulled on her boots and donned her Stetson.

From the time Brian showed up at the door, Sheila had been
busy at the counter.

“Here,” she passed Jimmy a picnic hamper and a thermos, “you
can’t be out there all day with nothing to eat. There are cold drinks in the
hamper.”

“Thanks. You’re a doll.” Jimmy bent to kiss her cheek,
pleased to witness her complexion turn a bright shade of red.

“Go on with
ya
. I have work to
do. I’ll feed Aaron his breakfast and then go clean the office. When the fax
comes in, I’ll get Aaron to run it out to you, Brian.”

Brian nodded and left, followed closely by Melissa and
Jimmy.

“Need help getting in the truck?” Jimmy asked as he held
the door open for her.

“I can do it.”

Her movements were stilted as her sore ribs evidently protested
the strain, but she managed to climb into the cab, providing him with a
delightful view of her derriere. He was tempted to cup those buns, but kept his
hands to himself. There was a time and place for everything, and right now,
they had horses to tend. Besides, she hadn’t been that friendly with him this
morning.

“I’m going to grab those medical supplies. Be right back.”

Jimmy stored the supplies in the back, and drove out to
the creek, taking his time on the rutted track so as not to jar her too much. His
heart caught in his throat as they approached a dismal scene. He’d thought he
was prepared, but the sheer number of downed horses was unbelievable. He
counted twenty-four in obvious agony—leaning against trees, sitting on their
haunches, or lying down. Their plaintive whinnies seemed to beg for help. How
much worse did Melissa feel?

“Oh, my God!” Melissa said. “My beautiful babies.”

Jimmy helped her down from the cab and they rushed across
the pasture to the nearest horse. Tremors shook his body in some kind of
seizure. Jimmy ran back to the truck for the medical kit, drew out a
stethoscope, and listened to the big black’s heart. It was pumping way too
fast.

“We have to get him on his feet. The valve into the
stomach only opens one way, so horses cannot regurgitate. If they’ve ingested
something, walking them around may help force it out.”

They worked tirelessly to get the horses up and moving.
The horses retched and frothed at the mouth, reared and whinnied, protesting
the movement, but together with the wranglers, they were able to keep them on
their feet.

*
* * *

Brian rode out to join them. Melissa was pleased to see
that Amy
Hiltz
, the vet from the train wreck, and John
were with him.

“Hi, Amy. I’m so glad you could make it,” Melissa said in
greeting. “As I told you on the phone, we are in dire need of a vet.”

“Amy, darlin’, what brings you out this way?” Jimmy
greeted her, picking her up and swinging her around. “You sure are a sight for
sore eyes.”

“
Hiya
, handsome. I could ask you
the same thing, but we can catch up later. I hear we have some sick horses to
tend to.”

“Do we ever.” Jimmy set her back on her feet.

Melissa watched them embrace with a pain in her heart so
intense, she was afraid she’d keel over. Had she only caused herself more
problems by inviting the woman here?

Brian spoke, bringing her thoughts back to the matter at
hand. “The water is tainted with oleander, a plant that is extremely poisonous
to animals and humans alike. The testers even sent over a picture of it to help
us find the stuff. I’ve never seen it anywhere on the ranch and I’ve traveled
every square inch of it at one time or another. I called the vet and told Roger
about the test results and sent Tippy back to town for the medicine, a strong
laxative. Roger says if we don’t drive the poison out, they’ll die, depending
on how much they’ve ingested. Given the circumstances, he’s coming straight
here when he finishes the job he’s on.”

“Well, that’s a blessing, although Amy is a vet. Did he
say how long before he’d be here? The extra pair of hands will certainly help
as will a second opinion,” Melissa said, aiming a half-hearted smile at Amy.

Brian shook his head. “No, but he said we also have to
find the source. We’ve never had problems like this before. And like I said, I
don’t even think this plant grows around here.” He showed her the picture the tester
had faxed over.

John had been standing by. “What can I do to help?”

Melissa considered John and his angry outburst when he’d
first arrived.
Would he do anything to
hurt their stock? No, not if he expected to inherit part of the ranch. Or hired
to take the position at the track.
“You’re welcome to stay and help with
the horses. We have to keep them on their feet and moving. Brian, can you take
some of the men and scour the banks of the creek? The oleander has to be
upriver from here, I would think.”

“Sure thing, boss.” Brian scanned the crew and called over
a couple of the men closest to where they stood. “Mount your horses and ride
over to the other side of the river. We’re searching for a plant that looks
like this.” He showed them the picture the vet had given to Tippy.

“I’ll come with you,” said Jimmy. “I’m familiar with that
plant. Had to dig up a bunch of it at my old place.”

“Great. Let’s go.”

Melissa watched and worried as they headed to the river.

“Who would do such a thing to these poor innocent horses?”
Amy asked.