12-Alarm Cowboys (176 page)

“Jesus, Lisa,” he breathed. When he scored that nub with his thumb, she winced, but her nails sank into his shoulders, telling him she liked it, practically begging him to do it again. So he did. When he brought his fingers together in a gentle pinch, she reared up, taking his mouth with hers. To his shock, she took his lower lip between her teeth and nipped.

If he thought he was crazed with lust before, he was feral now. With a snarl, he yanked up her apron and unzipped her jeans and eased his hand in between her legs. When he found her wet heat, his knees locked.

He toyed with her slowly, teasing, circling, brushing her tender flesh as she panted and moaned beneath his kiss. As her cries became more manic, he moved faster, wilder, determined to bring her to bliss, determined to make her come.

She was close. He could tell. He wanted to see, so he lifted his head. Her features were taut, her attention locked on him. Her lips parted, her eyes glazed as he worked her. She sucked in a deep breath and seized. He shoved his hand lower and filled her with two fingers in a savage thrust. Her creamy arousal registered on his lust-sodden brain and he nearly exploded right then and there. By the grace of God, he was able to hold out.

It was painful, the way she clutched him, inside and out. Oh, her nails in his flesh for one thing, but the inner grip made his eyes cross. He couldn’t help but imagine his cock sunk deep within her, barraged by the waves of her orgasm.

After her crisis, he soothed her, kissing her gently and stroking her until her shudders became mere quivers and her manic breathing eased.

He leaned back and smiled at her. His cock ached. His body hummed. Delight gusted through him at the knowledge that he had done this for her…and she had let him.

He was about to unfasten his jeans, to finish this, when the oven timer dinged, reminding him—with something of a shock—that they were in the kitchen.

She blinked in surprise and glanced around, as though realizing the same thing. “Oh my,” she said.

Shit.

Shit, shit, shit.

He couldn’t fuck her here.

With a sigh, he zipped up her jeans and let the apron fall. He tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. “Are you okay?” he asked.

He liked that she responded with a nod and a wide grin. He didn’t want to step away, but he did—he was still plastered up against her after all—and it was a good thing, because their privacy was shattered when Claire burst into the kitchen.

“What is that smell?” she yowled.
Yowled.
Claire was a yowler.

Lisa smoothed her apron and then ducked around him, over to the island. “Um, cupcakes.”

Claire picked one up and bit into it. “Oh my God. That is divine.” As divine as it was, it didn’t stop his sister from shooting Cade a glare. “Get out.”

He blinked. “What?”

“Go on. Shoo. I know you’re in here trying to beguile Lisa.”

His lips worked. Heat crept up his neck. “Ah…”

“These cupcakes are mine. All mine. And you cannot sweet-talk her into giving you one.”

Oh.
That
.

He forced a glower at his sister. “But there are at least a dozen cupcakes there. Surely you can’t eat all of them.”

“Surely I can. Besides, it’s none of your business what I eat or don’t eat. Oh, and Andy was looking for you.”

Cade frowned. “Andy?”

“Some problem with the fence.”

Damn.

Cade glanced at Lisa, trying to assess her mood. He hated to leave her like this, with no words between them. It was a relief to see her smile. As much as he really wanted to finish their…conversation, that wasn’t going to happen with Claire around and—apparently—he had business to attend to. It would have to wait. But they would finish this. They would.

“I’ll see you later,” he said to her. And surely that wasn’t a question in his tone.

He loved that she nodded. Loved the rise of pink on her cheeks. The sparkle in her almond-shaped eyes.

And then, grabbing a cupcake—and licking it thoroughly before Claire could snatch it back—he sketched them both a salute and headed out the back door.

He couldn’t hold back a satisfied grin.

He’d kissed her.

He’d made her come.

And he’d gotten a cupcake.

‡

T
hat had been
magnificent.

Long after Cade left the house, Lisa’s body hummed. She could barely pay attention to Claire’s chattered conversation as they cleaned up the mess she’d made in the kitchen. Thankfully, once everything was done and Claire got her goodies, she headed to the office to work on the books.

She took the cupcakes with her. Each and every one.

Evidently, growing up with two strapping brothers had taught her to get while the getting was good.

At something of a loose end—because seriously, how many cupcakes could she make in one day?—Lisa headed for the library. She found a wide selection of books ranging from agronomy to romance. There were a lot of women’s magazines scattered around as well, which made sense if the ranch’s customer base was female. It was a comfortable room with wide-open windows and lots of cushy chairs.

It was the perfect place to relax and partake in one of her favorite pastimes. She searched the shelves, found one of her favorite authors and curled up in the window seat.

“Well, hey there.”

Lisa glanced up as Cody meandered into the library. He tended to meander. Everything was slow and easy for him. “Hey, Cody.” She closed her book on her finger and scooted over so he could join her on the window seat.

“Whatcha doing?”

She waggled the tome. “Reading.”

He tipped his head to the side so he could check out the title and he grimaced. “Romance?”

She didn’t like his tone so she smacked him with the book. “Shut up. It’s a good one.”

He chuckled and took it from her, which she found annoying. It was also annoying that he tossed it on the floor. “You know, Lisa, I can’t tell you how good it is to see you again.”

“Really?” She leaned down to rescue her read.

“You’re as pretty as you always were.”

Oh hell.

He eased closer and tucked her hair behind her ear. He was way too close. To her horror, she realized he intended to kiss her. She stopped his approach with a palm to his chest. “Thanks.”

Ignoring her hand, he pressed even closer and offered a crooked grin. “Don’t you think it’s interesting that you came back to Snake Gully right now?”

“Right now?”

He lifted a shoulder. “I don’t have a girlfriend.”

Seriously? Did he still believe the world revolved around him?

He did, apparently. He took her hand in his and kissed it and, now that the way was clear, he kissed her…on the forehead, on the nose. On the lips.

“Cody,” she said through his lips.

“Mmm.” He deepened the kiss. He probably would have deepened it more, but she turned her head. It was a damn shame that as she did, she caught a flicker of movement in the doorway. Cade.

Her stomach dropped at his expression. Damn.

Without a word, he whirled away.

Damn, damn, damn.

Cody, oblivious to this byplay, moved to nibble on her neck. Lisa pulled back and, when that didn’t dissuade him, stood. Cody flopped onto the pillows and then stared up at her with a pout. “What’s wrong, Lisa?”

“What’s wrong?”

He righted himself and fixed her with a curious expression. Not a heartbroken one, as she suspected Cade’s had been. Merely curious.

“I would prefer it if you didn’t do that again,” she said.

He gaped at her. Obviously Cody wasn’t used to hearing
no
from women. “I…what?”

Lisa folded her arms around her book and stared back at him. “First of all, I’m not the girl I was when we dated. We sure as hell are
not
going to pick up where we left off. Second of all, I’m really not in the market for a ‘boyfriend’ right now. And third of all, if I were looking for a man, do you really think it would be you?”

He stood and raked his hair. Befuddlement wreathed his features. “It wouldn’t be me?”

She snorted a laugh. “Not a chance in hell.”

For some reason, he found this confabulating. As annoying as his arrogance was, there was a certain sweetness to it. He was like a clueless puppy dog who couldn’t understand why anyone would refuse to love him.

“Why not me?”

Lisa blew out a breath. “Did you really expect me to forget about Jenny Sanders?”

His mouth dropped open. “Jenny Sanders? Shit, Lisa. That was ten years ago.”

“I don’t care if it was a million. You cheated on me with another woman. In my book, that’s a deal breaker.”

“We were
fifteen
.”

She shrugged. It didn’t matter. It wouldn’t. It couldn’t. It was something she could never forget.

But there was more to it than that. More reasons why she couldn’t slip into a relationship with Cody again. She wasn’t that girl anymore.

And he didn’t fascinate her the way he once had.

Oh, he was handsome. And charming. And funny. And—when he wasn’t cheating on his girlfriend—he was a good person. But she’d outgrown him.

She wanted more in a man.

Someone who had lived a little. Sacrificed for what he wanted. Worked for it.

She wanted a man who was solid and steady. Who wouldn’t leave her in the lurch or use her. Someone who wouldn’t siphon off her energy and love and leave nothing but an empty husk. Someone with large hands and strong arms and blue-gray eyes. Someone whose kiss made her feel safe and loved and on fire at the same time.

Her heart stalled.

Oh, she knew she was attracted to Cade. She’d known it from the second she plowed into him at the bar. Before then, maybe. But she hadn’t realized how much until now.

A sudden realization hit her with the force of a tsunami. As much as she wanted to explore whatever it was between her and Cade, she had to be careful. It would be too easy to fall for him.

“Lisa?” Cody called her back to the conversation. No doubt he still felt they needed to negotiate.

There was no negotiation here. There was no point.

She hit him with a somber frown. “My father cheated on my mother, Cody. It ruined my life.”

“I’m sorry. I—”

“And my husband cheated on me too.”

“Oh. God. I—”

“It’s a deal breaker for me, Cody. Plain and simple.”

Oh hell. She hated the way his face fell; it wasn’t disappointment as much as remorse. It probably wasn’t fair for her to flail him for something he’d done ten years ago, but she needed to drive the message home. She couldn’t have him hitting on her if she stayed. “Look, you’re a nice guy. A good guy. You’ll find someone. It just won’t be me.” She patted his hand for good measure, but couldn’t help adding, “And when you do find her?”

“Yeah?”

“Don’t cheat on her.”

Shit.

Shit, shit, shit.

He’d known.

He’d known Cody would fuck this up. But Cade hadn’t figured it would be this quick.

Walking by the library and seeing Lisa in his brother’s arms had devastated him. Ripped through his gut like an RPG, exploded his hope, strafed his fantasies.

Had he really thought he had a chance with her with Cody around?

No one had a chance with Cody around. No one.

Cade pulled up on the reins, realizing he was riding too recklessly. It wasn’t Champion’s fault his life sucked. He shouldn’t take it out on his mount. As he rode the fence line, checking for problems, he managed to calm himself. He reminded himself that he and Lisa had shared something amazing this morning. At least it had seemed amazing. At the very least, he owed her a conversation.

Aside from that, he wasn’t going to walk away without a fight. He’d vowed as much to himself. If he did that, he’d only be reinforcing the patterns of the past, where Cody always got his way and Cade was left with the scraps.

That wasn’t happening this time.

It wasn’t.

Though he was calm, his anger flared when he saw his brother waiting for him at the barn when he returned.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” Cody muttered as Cade pushed past him into the paddock. “You’ve been like a horse with a burr all afternoon.”

“Me?” He forced a laugh, though it was tinged with bitterness. “I’m deliriously happy.”

“No. You’re not. What the hell is it? I’ve never seen you like this.”

“Really? You don’t have any idea why I’m ticked? Not one inkling?”

“No!”

“You kissed her. You fucking kissed her.”

“Kissed who? Lisa?”

“Oh. Have there been so many women you kissed today you aren’t sure?”

“Don’t be an ass. We just—”

Cade didn’t wait for him to finish. He did the thing he’d been wanting to do since he came upon his brother cornering Lisa in the library…
fucking kissing her
.

He curled his fingers into a fist and slammed it into Cody’s perfect, charming, handsome face.

It was damn satisfying. His brother reeled—probably in shock—and then fell onto the ground with a thud.

Yup. Damn satisfying.

He towered over Cody and glared down at him. “Was it worth it?” he snarled. “I hope it was.”