Teasing Annie: The Temptation Saga: Book Two (6 page)

“I’m sorry, gorgeous.” He turned her to face him. “Here. Let me.”

He grabbed a washcloth, wet it, and gently rinsed out her eyes. He turned her into the water stream, rinsed her hair, and brought her back around to face him. Her hair hung in dark wet ringlets, clinging to the swell of her breasts. He lowered his lips to hers and kissed her hard.

When she encircled her arms around his neck, he knew she had surrendered. He lifted her off the ground and she wrapped her legs around his hips. He entered her with one swift thrust.

“Mmm, Cowboy,” she said. “You’re insatiable. You can’t be thirty-six. Are you sure you’re not nineteen?”

“I can’t seem to get enough of you,” he said through clenched teeth. “Damn. I’m sorry, Doc. I’m coming in for a landing.”

“I’m right there with you.” She panted and moaned his name, and every spasm of her walls clamped him in sweet tightness.

Annie lowered her legs and slowly slid down his body. She laid her cheek against his chest and twirled her tongue around a hard male nipple. His whole body trembled.

“Mmm,” she said. “For a cowboy and a gentleman, you’re an awesome lover, Dallas.”

He knew he had a stupid grin on his face. He couldn’t help it.

“
D
id Joe say
when your car would be ready?” Dallas asked Annie over breakfast.

“No. He probably won’t even get to it until tomorrow. I assume he takes the weekends off.” She petted Jet’s soft head and fed him a scrap of scrambled egg.

“True. Only us ranchers work the weekends around here. I’ll drive you over to the Bay place this morning, and then I’ll take you home.”

“Thanks, Cowboy. You’re a darned cute chauffeur.” She loved teasing him. What was it about this man? “But I need to go home first. I promised Catie I’d take over the rest of the mare’s medication.”

“Not a problem.”

She leaned forward and planted a kiss on his sexy mouth. “I am really glad I met you, Dallas McCray.”

“Me too, Doc, and not just because of the sex.”

“I don’t know. The sex is pretty good,” Annie said, teasing.

“Hell, yeah. But I like you, Doc. You’re special.”

“I like you too, Cowboy.” Oh yes, she liked him. She
really
liked him. She downed the last gulp of her water. Dallas didn’t have any tea or herb tea in the house, a problem he had promised to remedy before her next visit.

“You still cooking me dinner tonight?” He rose and took his plate to the sink.

“Sure. If you want me to.”

“You bet.”

“Then take out two pounds of round steak to defrost. I’ll bring the rest.” In her mind, Annie began planning an elaborate Italian menu.

“You sure? The grocery’s not open on Sundays.”

“Crap.”

“Small town, Doc.”

“I didn’t think of that. Do you want a rain check?”

“Nope. You can use what I have here. You said so last night.”

“Okay. That’ll work,” she said. “But right now, we need to get over to the Bays’, and then I need to get home. I still have a lot of unpacking to do.”

“Need help?”

“Not that kind of help, Cowboy. If you stay with me all day, do you really think I’ll get any unpacking done? Besides, last time I checked you have a ranch to run here.”

“True. Plus, the rodeo starts up in a couple weeks.”

“Rodeo?”

“Yeah. It’s regional. Held here for six weeks every summer. We get some pretty good cowboys, though not as many as the national stock show in Denver.”

“Do you…rodeo?”

He laughed, his gorgeous eyes crinkling. “I used to, a little. Not any more though. It was never really my thing.”

“What is your thing, Cowboy?”

“Shooting, I guess. I’m a crack shot.”

“A cowboy who doesn’t ride.”

“Oh, I ride. I just don’t compete. That’s more Zach and Chad’s thing. They still compete, and Dusty used to.”

“Dusty? Sweet little Dusty?”

“Sweet little Dusty is a hell of a bull rider.”

“No kidding?”

“Yeah, believe it or not. Competed as a barrel racer. Was darn good at it too, but she gave it up when she got pregnant.”

“Good choice.”

“We all thought so. I’ll be happy to take you to the rodeo. Opening night.”

“Sounds great. I’ve never been to one. This may surprise you, but we don’t have many rodeos in Jersey.” Annie giggled. Then, “Oops, I almost forgot. Could you hand me my pocketbook?” She motioned to her handbag on the counter.

“Pocketbook?”

“Yeah, there.” She pointed again.

“That’s a purse, Doc.”

“In Jersey it’s a pocketbook.” She took it from him. “I need to take my pill.”

“Pill?”

“Just my birth control pill. I take them in the morning. You’d think after all these years I’d remember. I’m terrible about forgetting. I keep an extra month’s worth in my purse for just such an occasion. After last night, I sure don’t want to be even a few hours late taking it.”

“Yeah, that could be a problem.” He tossed her the purse. “After all these years? So you and your husband never wanted kids?”

“Oh
he
did. I did too. Just not with him.”

“Oh?”

“I decided I didn’t want to get pregnant. After a while, he assumed I was infertile from—” She cleared her throat. She didn’t want to get into that. “Anyway, I was always on the pill.”

Dallas’s lips pressed together and the muscles in his face tensed. Had she angered him?

“You all right?”

“You didn’t tell your husband you were on the pill?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“I had my reasons.” None of which she cared to discuss with him. Or anyone.

“I see.” He stood up and fisted his hands around the back of his chair, his knuckles white with tension.

“What’s wrong?”

“Let’s get you to the Bays’, Annie, and then home. You’re right. I have tons of work to do around here.”

H
e had promised
his mother he’d come for supper. On a Sunday evening. That was the excuse Dallas gave Annie when he broke their date for her to cook him dinner. No offer to take her with him to meet his sainted mother. No offer of a rain check.

He had hardly spoken to her as he drove her to her office to get medication for Catie’s horse, back to the Bay ranch, and then to her apartment. If he hadn’t wanted to be with her, why hadn’t he just taken her home and let her make her own way over to the Bays’? Sure, she had no car, but she had a feeling Catie or her brother would have gladly driven into town to fetch her.

Because Dallas had said he’d do it, and he wouldn’t go back on his word. He was the consummate gentleman.

It was starting to get on her nerves.

She thought back on their morning. He had made love to her twice, had all but begged her to stay with him for the day, and then suddenly he had become distant.

What had they been talking about? The pill. She was on the pill, and had been on it all through her marriage to Riggs. For good reason. Why would that upset him?

He had kissed her goodbye, but it was a light brush of his lips on her cheek. Then he had cupped her face in his hands and stared into her eyes for a few seconds. He had wanted to kiss her. Thoroughly. She was sure of it. His need and desire were so thick she could feel it in the air, but he had backed away.

“I’ll see you around, Annie,” he had said. Not “I’ll call you later.” Not “When can I see you again?”

He’d called her Annie, not Doc.

He probably wanted time to think. Sure. That was it. Time. They had only just met. She could give him time. Hell, she should want time herself.

But she didn’t. She wanted to be in his arms. In his bed.

She sighed and picked up the box containing her college degree and her veterinary doctorate. Time to hang them in the office downstairs. She pulled out the framed and matted diploma.

Annalisa DeSimone Riggs. Doctor of Veterinary Medicine.

She made a mental note to contact the university and get a new copy of her degree, minus the Riggs. She didn’t want to think about him every time she glanced at the wall in her office.

She plunked into her office chair and raked her fingers through her curls, matted from perspiration. She inhaled. Sweaty horse. Riggs had hated how she smelled after working with animals. He’d hated so much.

Damn him. Damn Logan Riggs.

And damn Dallas McCray. Stupid cowboy. The truth cut through her heart. He didn’t want time. He had just wanted sex. It had been about the sex all along, and now he was done.

Were all men truly assholes? Why couldn’t she catch a break? Again, she dropped her gaze to her veterinary degree.

Annalisa DeSimone Riggs
, the doctorate jeered. The print pulsed against the stark white contrast, mocking her.
You’re nothing but a whore, a goddamned bitch. Only good for a fuck
.

Only good for a fuck. Clearly, Dallas saw her the same way.

She threw the framed degree against the wall, her heart thundering. As shards of glass speckled the carpet, Annie burst into tears and cried for a long time.

H
e didn’t call
.

By Thursday Annie had resigned herself to the fact that her affair with Dallas McCray had been just that—an affair. A one-night stand that had lasted for a weekend. A glorious weekend of mind-boggling sex. That was it.

She was no stranger to disappointment. She could get over this hurdle. All things considered, it was nothing. She hardly knew Dallas McCray.

So why did she feel such an acute loss, like a limb had been ripped from her body?

The vibration of her cell phone against her hip jolted her out of her barrage of self-pity. What was wrong with her anyway? She had long ago learned how to pick up the pieces of her life and move on.

“This is Annie.”

“Hi there. It’s Dusty McCray.”

Crap. A McCray.

“Hey, how’s Nigel doing?”

“All better, thanks to you.”

“Glad I could help.”

“Oh you did. Though it was an interesting couple of days.” Dusty’s voice rippled with laughter. “Anyway, I was wondering if you’re free this Saturday.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah. Zach and I are having a barbecue out at the ranch. My brother’s coming into town. I’d love for you to meet him.”

“Well…” She didn’t need to ask the question. Of course Dallas would be there. He was Zach’s brother. She cleared her throat. “Sorry. Frog.” She hesitated again. Then, “I don’t know, Dusty. I’ve still got a lot of unpacking to do.”

Dusty’s husky giggle echoed in her ear. “You work too hard, Annie. I’m going to have to insist. Around four, okay? Is your car out of the shop? If not, I can have someone pick you up.”

God, no.

“I have my Bug back, but thanks.”

“Too bad. I’m sure Dallas would have been glad to bring you.” Dusty’s tone was teasing.

“I’m not so sure.”

“He chauffeured you around all last weekend, and he didn’t seem to have any complaints.”

“He was just being gentlemanly,” Annie said, trying to think of a way to end this conversation. Quickly. “Besides, I haven’t seen him since Sunday.”

“Really?” Dusty’s voice registered surprise. “I could have sworn you two hit it off.”

“Apparently not.” She rolled her eyes. She didn’t want to be rude. Dusty had been her first friend in Bakersville, and she didn’t want to offend her, but— “I’m sorry. I need to go.”

“Okay. We’ll see you at four on Saturday.”

“Yeah, I’ll be there. Thanks, Dusty. Bye.” She had never been so glad to hit end.

Oddly, her afternoon turned out to be free. No animal emergencies, no appointments, no walk-ins. She took the time to walk around and familiarize herself with her new home town. When she walked by the auto repair shop, she waved to Joe.

“How you doin’, Dr. D?” he called.

“Call me Annie. And I’m good, thanks.”

“How’s your Bug runnin’?”

“Great.” She continued walking.

“Hey, Annie. Wait a minute.” He left the car he was working on and walked toward her, rubbing his greasy hands on a red cloth.

“Yeah? What is it?”

“Where’re you off to?”

“Kind of taking the afternoon off,” she said. “I haven’t had the chance to wander around since I got here.”

“I’m due for a break. Can I buy you a coffee?”

Annie regarded the mechanic. Clad in blue coveralls and covered in black, he was still handsome, with searing blue eyes and silky chestnut hair pulled back in a low ponytail. Was he asking her out? Or was he just being friendly?

She smiled to herself. What did it matter? “Sure, Joe, that’d be fine.”

“Cool.” Cool? Man, he couldn’t be more than twenty-two. “Give me two minutes. I’ll wash up and be right with you.”

Annie was admiring a vintage Corvette when Joe sidled out. She nearly jumped out of her skin when she saw him. Levis sagging at just the right spot on lean hips, broad shoulders clad in a Ralph Lauren polo. Hardly the clothes for a little town in the west. He had combed his hair and re-secured it behind his neck.

“You ready?” he asked.

“Yeah. Sure.” She ran her fingers over the blue sports car’s sleekness. “Whose car is this, Joe?”

He grinned at her. His lips weren’t as full and shapely as Dallas’s, but they were darn nice nonetheless. “It’s mine.”

“No kidding?”

“Yeah. I work on her in my spare time. You wanna go for a ride?”

“Don’t you have to get back to work?”

“Nah. It’s a slow afternoon. And Brady’s there for anyone who walks in.”

“Are you sure?”

“It’s called Joe’s for a reason, Annie. It’s my business, so I can come and go as I please. That’s the way I like it.”

His business. Maybe he was older than she thought. “Can I ask you a question?”

“Sure enough.”

“How old are you?”

“Thirty-one.”

Her eyes widened. “Wow. I’d have thought you were much younger.”

“Why? How old are you? Wait. Let me guess.” He eyed her up and down, his sizzling gaze heating her body. “I’d say about twenty-seven?”

Annie burst out laughing.

“Did I say something humorous?” Joe asked, his eyes confused.

“Not at all, Joe.” She linked her arm through his. “You just made my day is all. I’d love that ride now.”

“I’d have guessed even younger,” he said, opening the passenger door of the Corvette, “but I knew you’d have to be at least twenty-five when you finished vet school.”

Smart, too.

“It’s only two blocks to Rena’s,” he said, sliding into the driver’s seat next to her. “We’ll have a coffee, and then I’ll take you on a
real ride
.”

Annie winced slightly at the double entendre. Surely he hadn’t meant it that way.

“So”—she leaned forward and smoothed her fingers over the glossy leather console—“how long have you lived here in Bakersville?”

“My whole life. Grew up on a ranch, a small operation, near the McCray place. Horses and cattle were never my thing though.”

“Let me guess. Cars were your thing.”

“You got it. Give me chrome over cowhide any day.” He laughed as he pulled in front of the coffee shop.

While Annie hated the taste of coffee, its aroma was something else altogether. The robust fragrance wafting out of the small haven intoxicated her. Before Joe could touch the door handle, it opened on its own, and Annie found herself face to face with Dallas McCray.

“Ow!” she exclaimed. Dallas had dropped his cup of coffee and the hot liquid spattered over Annie’s sandaled toes.

“Christ, McCray,” Joe said. He hurried inside the shop.

“I’m sorry,” Dallas mumbled.

Annie sighed. “It’s a good thing I didn’t wear my white sandals today.” She laughed nervously.

“Are you hurt?” He reached toward her, but quickly whisked his hand into his pocket, as though thinking better of touching her. “Thank God it was a mocha. The milk cooled it down. If it had been hot coffee…”

Annie glanced down at her toes, red from the heat. “I doubt it’s life threatening, Dallas. Don’t worry about it.”

Joe returned with a damp cloth. He knelt down and wiped off Annie’s feet. “Your silver toenail polish is very sexy, Annie,” he said.

Annie was still watching Dallas. His forehead wrinkled at Joe’s comment, and his eyes, darker than the coffee in the shop, seared into her. Annie shuddered. A few nights ago, Dallas had kissed every inch of her body, including her toes. He had liked the silver polish also. “You have incredible feet, Doc,” he’d said. “You got a foot fetish, Cowboy?” she had teased him back. “Only for your hot silver toes,” he’d said, and proceeded to pamper them with kisses and an incredible foot massage.

Her heart quickened at the memory.

Joe got to his feet. “All better?”

“Yeah. Thanks, Joe.” She couldn’t take her eyes from Dallas. Her skin was blazing from his heated gaze. She wanted to touch him. To pull him into her body. To kiss him senseless.

“Ready for a coffee?” Joe asked.

“Annie hates coffee,” Dallas said.

“Oh. Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I figured I’d have tea,” Annie replied.

“Great. If you’ll excuse us, Dallas.” Joe took Annie’s hand and steered her into the shop, leaving Dallas on the sidewalk, his brow furrowed and lips pursed.

“He could have apologized,” Joe said, holding out a chair for Annie.

“He did. While you were getting the towel.”

“Not much of a talker is he?” Joe sat down across from her. “He never was. Absolutely no sense of humor either.”

No sense of humor? She and Dallas had shared an easy banter that had kept them both in stitches.

“Do you know Dallas well?” she asked.

“Not too well. I went to school with his brother Zach. He was never much of a talker either. He’s loosened up though since he got married.”

“I know his wife. She’s very nice.”

“Yeah, a pretty little thing, too. Their son’s adorable.”

“He is,” Annie agreed.

“Dallas, though, he’s an enigma. He went and married some rich east coast girl right out of law school.”

“Law school?” Annie said. Clearly there was a lot she didn’t know. “Dallas McCray’s a lawyer?”

“Licensed, yeah. Went to Yale. But he doesn’t practice, so far as I can tell. He’s a rancher at heart.”

“I see.”

“Anyway, they’re divorced now. The younger one, Chad, he’s never been married.” Joe let out a guffaw. “He’s a lot more fun than the other two.”

“How so?”

“Likes to party. Always laughing. Never serious. A love ’em and leave ’em kind of guy. He got all the personality and sense of humor, I think.” Joe rose to his feet. “Tea, you said?”

“Yeah. Thanks.”

“I’ll be right back.” He winked at her.

Joe was attractive. Funny. Smart.

But he wasn’t Dallas McCray.

T
here was
a knife in Dallas’s gut.

A dull, jagged knife that tore into his flesh.

A knife named Annie DeSimone.

He wanted to kick the snot out of Joe Bradley, and for what? Buying his girl a cup of tea? Hell, she wasn’t his girl. He didn’t want her. Couldn’t go down that road again. He would never get involved with a woman who was capable of deceiving her husband.

Still she haunted him day and night. He dreamed of her smooth skin, her sweet kisses, her lovely body.

If only things had been different.

The knife in his gut was buried deep, and he wondered if he’d ever be free again.

F
ifty thousand dollars
.

Morgan Bailey cleared his throat. “Okay,” he said to the tall man on the bar stool next to him. He met all kinds at the Sour Mash Saloon. The hub of Lorna, a small town that made Bakersville look like a thriving metropolis, the Sour Mash attracted local ranch hands, due mostly to its dollar beers from four to six p.m. daily.

“Okay what?” The man arched his dark brows.

Morgan took a deep swallow of his beer and set the mug on the bar.

“Okay.” He fidgeted with some change and laid it on the counter next to his empty glass. “I’ll do it.”