AdriannasCowboy (4 page)

Just as she was drifting to sleep, the rattling of her door
startled her. Seconds later, the connecting bathroom door swung open.

She jerked up in bed to find Sam standing there. She kept
the covers pulled up high since she was only wearing panties. Right now, she
didn’t have the energy to deal with him. “What the hell are you doing?” Her
words came out harsher than she’d intended.

“You’ve been crying.” He took a tentative step inside the
room.

“My dad just died,” she snapped. His head jerked back as if
she’d slapped him and instantly she wished she could take the words back. “That
came out wrong, Sam.”

He shoved his hands in his pockets. “I wanted to make sure
you were okay.”

She raked a hand through her hair. “I told you I was fine.”

“Why’d you lock the door?” For some reason his words sounded
almost accusing.

“I wanted some privacy.”

He wiped a palm on his jeans and suddenly he didn’t look
like the confident cowboy she adored. “I just…just wanted to make sure you
didn’t need anything.”

Her annoyance dissipated as she witnessed this new side to
Sam. It wasn’t his fault her father had left the land to him. “I’m not going to
off myself if that’s what you’re worried about.”

His features darkened and her stomach clenched with guilt.
“Bad joke. Sorry. I’m okay, I promise. Thanks to you I didn’t get a lot of rest
last night.” At her last statement, she tried smiling in attempt to make light
of the situation.

His jaw clenched but he nodded and backed out of the room.

Closing him out was the last thing she wanted to do but what
was she supposed to say to him?
It’s cool that my dad chose you over me?

Her eyelids felt as if sandbags weighed on them as she lay
down again. A moment later, she heard the door open but didn’t bother getting
up. “Sam, I told you I’m fine,” she mumbled.

“I know what you said.” His deep voice enveloped her as the
bed dipped under his weight.

She tensed and turned toward him. “I don’t want to—”

“Shh.” He placed a finger on her mouth and that’s when she
realized the only thing he’d taken off was his boots.

Wordlessly, she turned back around and let him pull her
against his stomach. For some reason Sam had never struck her as a cuddling
kind of guy but right now, this is exactly what she wanted. She hadn’t even
realized it but he obviously knew she needed to be held. Even through his jeans
it was impossible to ignore his erection but he kept one arm wrapped around her
bare waist and didn’t make a move that he planned to try anything else.

There’d be time enough later to worry about the future.
Sighing, she nestled closer to Sam and let sleep overtake her.

Chapter Five

Sam shut and locked the front door, then sagged against it.
Almost the entire population of Cedar Grove had come for Jacob Campbell’s
funeral. Adrianna had been holding up well. Or at least he guessed she was.

Since he’d held her in bed yesterday morning, she’d kept her
distance. Hell, she’d even slept in her own bed last night. It had been obvious
she hadn’t wanted him to touch her so he hadn’t pushed. All morning she’d been
helping the ladies of the town prepare and set up food for the mourners. People
had stayed hours longer than he’d imagined, well past sunset and into the
evening. While it touched him that so many people wanted to pay their respects,
he hadn’t had more than thirty seconds alone with Adrianna all day.

Now it was just the two of them in the house again. He
couldn’t understand why she was pushing him away. At first he’d assumed that it
was grief but now he knew it was something else. He just couldn’t put his
finger on why she was acting this way.

His boots thumped across the wooden floor as he strode
toward the kitchen. He paused in the doorway but she heard him. She looked over
her shoulder as she slid a plastic container into the stainless steel
refrigerator. “I think that’s the last of the food. Do you think any of the
hands would want to take all these desserts?”

In response, he nodded.

She quickly broke eye contact and shut the door. “Good.
Well, I guess I’m going to hit the sack.” Without looking at him, she tried to
brush past him but he caught her by the arm, forcing her to meet his gaze.

“What’s going on, Adrianna?”

She swallowed and licked her lips. He didn’t think the
action was meant to distract him but it certainly had that effect. His eyes
trailed to her moistened mouth.

Despite the mournful situation, he’d been half hard all day
just being in the same vicinity as her. Staring at her now, his cock lengthened
fully. He wondered if he’d ever get to a point where he wasn’t turned on by
this woman. Somehow he doubted it. “I’m waiting.”

She cleared her throat and glanced down at her feet.
“Nothing.”

It suddenly hit him that he might be the problem. Maybe
she’d changed her mind about him. “Decide you didn’t want a fling with me after
all?” He couldn’t have kept the bitterness out of his voice if he tried.

Instantly her head jerked up. “No!” Her small outburst eased
his mind a fraction. Before he could respond, she continued. “Damn it, Sam, I
have a lot on my mind. I’m trying to keep it together here.” Her voice cracked
on the last word and a vise cinched around his heart.

He was an asshole. She’d lost the only family she had left
and he was dumb enough to think her distance had anything to do with him. He
let go of her arm and cupped her chin.

When she didn’t resist, he bent down until their lips were
barely touching. He didn’t know shit about comforting a woman but if he could
give her some relief, he’d do it the only way he knew how.

His balls pulled up tight when she swayed into him, her lips
hungrily tangling against his. How the hell had he gone an entire night without
touching her?

Anticipation hummed through him as she fumbled with his
jeans but he encircled her wrists and held them tight.

She pulled her head back and frowned. “What—”

He cut her off when he hoisted her up onto the kitchen
island and slid a hand up her thigh. Adrianna had worn a button-down black
dress since they’d been inside most of the day and now he was thankful for the
easy access.

Crouching down, he nudged her legs apart. Wordlessly, she
shifted and helped him shove the thick material higher until it was around her
waist.

“Lie back,” he ordered.

The island was more than wide enough to accommodate her. She
did as he instructed. When she lay back, he positioned her feet onto the
counter, giving him a perfect view of her sweet pussy.

Only a tiny scrap of black thong barred his view. He didn’t
understand why she even bothered with it in the first place.

He sucked in a deep breath, savoring her scent. Beginning
near her knee, he kissed a trail up her inner thigh. When he’d almost reached
the juncture between her legs, he raked his teeth over one of her sensitive
spots.

Her legs squeezed around his head so he gently pushed them
back open.

“Unbutton the top of your dress.” His words came out raspy.
Though he couldn’t see her, he could hear her moving.

When he was satisfied she was doing as he said, he pushed
the material aside with his teeth and sucked on her engorged nub.

A moan escaped and her body bucked so he continued swirling
his tongue around the sensitized bundle of nerves. He only stopped for a brief
moment. “Take your bra off and touch yourself,” he ordered.

Adrianna had never experienced something so erotic. She didn’t
know if it was because she couldn’t see but only feel what he was doing to her
but the sensation made her head light.

She’d worn a long shirt style dress and from her flat
position, her dress covered Sam’s head.

Doing as he ordered, she pushed her bra down and palmed her
breasts in small circles until the hardened tips ached with need.

Sam’s movements between her legs were painfully slow. He
swirled around her clit, pushing her toward the brink of release but he wasn’t
moving fast enough. And she guaranteed he knew it.

He wanted to tease her. It was just his nature. It was also
one of the reasons she’d completely fallen for him. No other man had ever taken
such good care of her needs. With Sam, he made sure she was satisfied before he
thought of himself. That thought alone was enough to make her come.

He paused. “Are you touching yourself?”

“Mm-hmm,” she murmured.

Without responding, he parted her pussy farther with his
tongue. She was soaking wet. The more he worked his magic, the hotter she got.
Arching her back and hips she resisted clenching her legs as he stroked and
lapped her clit with barely restrained gentleness.

Most men had no clue what they were doing down there. They
always pushed too hard but not Sam. The man already understood the nuances of
her body.

As she captured both hardened nipples with her fingers and
pinched, he sucked hard on her clit, drawing an unexpected orgasm from her.

He spread her legs wider as the surprising climax rippled
through her. She heard his zipper and the sound of a condom wrapper opening but
didn’t open her eyes, mainly because she didn’t have the energy.

After the day she’d had, that had been the exact release her
body had been craving. Something Sam had no doubt known.

When he thrust into her, her eyes flew open to find him
staring down at her. Pushing up from the counter, she clutched onto his
shoulders as he buried himself inside her.

He didn’t make a move to kiss her and something told her
this time between them was different. With his hands he cupped and massaged her
already sensitive breasts but he didn’t tear his gaze away from hers.

There was something so personal, so erotic about staring
into his eyes as he moved in and out of her.

“You’re so beautiful,” he murmured.

Or at least she thought that’s what he said. Blood rushed in
her ears as he increased his tempo. Her breasts bounced in his hands with each
penetration.

Shifting her hips, she wrapped her legs higher around his
waist, locking her ankles in place and letting his cock hit her from a
different angle.

When his neck muscles corded and his ripped abs clenched,
she knew he was about to climax. She tightened her inner muscles around him,
milking him until he moaned her name.

He moved harder, faster, still never taking his eyes from
hers until her own vision clouded over and another, smaller climax rocked her
body. Sam tensed as he came with her and she arched her back one last time
before she turned to mush. Holding onto his shoulders was the only thing that
kept her steady.

When they were both sated, he pulled her even closer,
wrapping his arms around her waist and laying his head on her shoulder.

“God, I love you.” His words were said quietly but she knew
what she’d heard.

People said all sorts of things during sex so she threaded
her hands through his dark hair and nipped his ear with her teeth instead of
responding.

She knew she loved him but she wasn’t going to say it in the
heat of the moment. She’d already lost enough people in her life. If she said
it back and it wasn’t what he meant, she’d die of embarrassment.

Once she caught her breath, she leaned back and wiped a bead
of sweat from the side of his face. He still wore boots and his jeans were
around his ankles. She was no better. Her dress twisted around her midsection,
covering her bellybutton ring, but her breasts and lower body were bared.

When she realized the state of their undress, she chuckled.
“You want to head upstairs?”

Wordlessly, he pulled out of her. Instantly her body mourned
the loss but she slid off the counter and tried to adjust her dress. Finally
she gave up and started unbuttoning it. It’d be coming off eventually anyway.
As she headed for the hallway, she realized he still hadn’t moved. She turned
by the entryway and frowned at him. “You coming?”

“Yeah, I’ll be up in a sec.” His face was an unreadable
mask.

“Okay.” She didn’t bother heading for her room because she
knew she wouldn’t stay there. If she tried, Sam would just get in bed with her.
After stripping, she slid under the covers of his bed and tried to keep her
eyes open.

Thankfully he entered the room seconds later.

“Everything okay?” she asked, watching him strip off his
clothes.

“I need to talk to you about something.”

Great. Here it comes.
She guessed he’d decided not to
wait for the attorney to tell her after all. Internally bracing herself, she
sat up. “I know what you’re going to say.”

He’d paused with one boot in his hand and glanced up at her.
“You do?”

“Yeah, I heard you talking to the lawyer yesterday.”

For a second confusion marred his face, then that mask slid
back into place. He was silent as he took off the rest of his clothes. When he
slid into bed, he laid on his side so that he was facing her. “How do you feel
about your dad’s decision?”

Sam said it so calmly, as if it wasn’t a big deal. “I don’t
have much of a choice do I?” Her voice cracked on the last word.

His expression changed to something she’d never witnessed
from him before. He looked almost…hurt? “Do those few acres really mean that
much to you?”

She started to respond when his words registered. “Acres?”

“The five acres near the stream. I thought you said you
heard us talking.” He shifted against the sheets, his movement making a slight
rustling sound.

“He didn’t leave you Campbell Ranch?” The words blurted out
before she could think about censoring herself.

“What? You thought…” His words caught on a laugh as
realization played across his features. He fell back against the pillows and
howled.

Adrianna sat up and crossed her arms over her chest, waiting
for him to finish. “It’s not that funny,” she muttered.

After a few long moments, he hooked his arm around her waist
and tugged her so that she was stretched out on top of him. “I can’t believe
you thought he left me the ranch.”

Fighting embarrassment and fatigue, she simply shrugged.

He caught her bottom lip between his teeth before feathering
kisses on her face. “Darlin’, he loved you so much, I can’t believe you thought
that.”

Before she could stop herself, a few tears escaped so she
pushed off him and turned on her side.

“Shit, don’t cry, Adrianna.” She could feel him moving
behind her but didn’t turn around.

Her throat seized, stopping any response. She swatted away
the remaining tears and leaned into him. Relief washed over her that she’d been
wrong but she couldn’t find the words to express herself. He seemed to
understand though. Wordlessly he shifted her and pulled her back tight against
his chest. Normally she liked her space when she slept but she found herself
breaking all her bedroom rules where Sam was concerned.

* * * * *

Adrianna’s world shook beneath her. “What the hell?” She
opened her eyes to find Sam standing above her, fully dressed and gripping her
by the shoulder.

“Good, you’re awake. I swear you could sleep through a
tornado,” he muttered as he shrugged into his leather jacket.

“What’s going on?” She wiped at her eyes and sat up.

“There’s a problem with some of the cattle. I’ve got to help
Malcolm and the men round them up.”

“Is everything okay?” She shook her head in an attempt to
clear the cobwebs from her brain.

Sam bent down and planted a kiss on her forehead.
“Everything’s fine. I don’t get cell service out in the fields but I should be
back by dusk.”

Groaning, she fell back against the pillow. “What time is
it?”

“It’s a little before dawn sweetheart. Go back to sleep.
I’ll see you tonight.”

Her eyelids refused to open but she felt him kiss her again
before she heard the door shut behind him.

Hours later, Adrianna forced herself to get out of bed.
Sleeping until lunch wasn’t something she’d ever done before and she was a
couple hours away from doing just that.

After showering and fixing a pot of coffee, she decided to
unpack the rest of her clothes. She wasn’t sure how long she’d be staying but
considering she didn’t have a job to go back to and a hot man was intent on
staying in her bed, the decision to stay a while longer was a no-brainer. Once
she’d emptied her suitcase, she shoved the monstrous thing under her bed.

It was a little after ten on a Monday morning. She couldn’t
remember the last time she’d slept in on a weekday. Sure she needed to review
the ranch’s books, but considering her father’s funeral had been yesterday, she
figured Sam would cut her some slack. She dug her phone out of her purse and
cursed when she realized it had died.