Cougar in Texas: 3 (Rugged and Risque) (6 page)

“You do more than turn me on,” he said. “You turn me inside out.”

Trailing her fingers over his temple and across his cheek, she told him, “I’m totally hot for you.”

“Good to hear.” He kissed her again. Then he unhooked her bra. After he slid the straps down her arms, he said, “You really are gorgeous. And so easy to be with.”

A tinge of embarrassment crept up on her. “Even with all my inner turmoil? And let’s not forget the age difference.”

“It’s just a number, sweetheart. I’ve struggled my whole life with being too mature for the age listed on my birth certificate. It’s frustrating. Don’t think twice about it.”

She brushed a lock of dark brown hair from his forehead. “You really are a gem.”

“I just want to be me, Reese. Not someone’s idea of who I’m supposed to be.”

With a slight shake of her head, she said, “I can’t imagine anyone wanting to change you.”

His laugh was a hollow one. His brow furrowed and she instantly smoothed her thumb over the crease above his nose.

He stared deep into her eyes and told her, “I swear I’ve never met another woman like you.”

“One woman’s idiocy and all that…” She loosely quoted his earlier sentiment.

“Yeah.” He grinned at her, every sign of dismay that had come with his previous comments about people wanting to change him vanishing. “God, you are such a treat.”

Words couldn’t describe how wonderful it felt to finally be appreciated. Cherished, even. Whoever screwed him over deserved a swift kick in the butt.

Reese kissed him, wanting to convey not only how grateful she was to have met a stand-up guy, but how willing she was to be a stand-up girl for him. She’d more than changed her mind about her one-night proposition. Admittedly, it felt as though there was something significant enough between them—from the onset of their meeting—to give this budding romance a chance.

He massaged her breasts, amping up her excitement. He fell back against the pile of pillows, bringing her with him. Sliding his hands around to her backside, he held her in an embrace that kept her pressed tightly to him.

“I want to make you come again and again,” he told her.

She sighed. “How lucky am I?”

His bare skin against hers felt heavenly.
Finally
, she was drowning in the sexual bliss that had eluded her for so long.

She whispered in the dark, “I’d given up. I really and truly had given up on ever feeling like thi—”

A harsh rap on the door made her jerk upright. Caleb’s arms fell away. Her head whipped in the direction of the private entrance as an ominous sensation slithered down her spine.

Climbing off the hunky cowboy, she grabbed her sweater and slipped into it, pulling it tight around her body.

Caleb said, “Don’t answer it. Let me.” He swung his long legs over the edge of the bed.

“No worries.” She held a hand up to stop him. “Could just be a neighbor checking on me. I haven’t had a guest in a while.” Though the prickle at the nape of her neck told her otherwise.

She pulled open the door and her stomach dropped to her knees.

“
Tommy.
”

Chapter Four

Panic mixed with her tension as Reese stared at her ex-husband, a pissed-off expression on his face. She stepped outside and closed the door behind her.

“I’ve been ringing the bell out front for five minutes. What the fuck?” he demanded. Reese caught the hint of alcohol on his breath and cringed inwardly.

“What do you want?”

“I need to talk to you.” He glanced past her shoulder and then speared her with a hard look. “What the hell’s going on in there?”

“Nothing. Go away. You don’t live here anymore.”

“Reese, baby.” His dark eyes pleaded with her. “I need a place to crash.”

“You’re supposed to be with Amy in Corpus Christi.” Her teeth ground together. “If you fucked that up and have come back here to grovel, sell your story walking. I’m not buying.”

The door behind her opened and Reese rolled her eyes. Jesus, of all things… She hardly needed Caleb to witness this exchange.

“Who are you?” Tommy asked in the sort of tone that suggested he had the right to know. He didn’t.

“None of your business,” she said. “Now leave my guest alone and stay away from this door
and
the front one, or I’ll call Deputy Bain to personally escort you off my property.”

“
Your
property?” One of his black brows lifted.

“You heard me correctly. And you read the divorce papers. If you’d like me to add a restraining order to the stack, I’ll happily file one first thing Monday morning.”

“Whoa, babe, come on.” He held his hands up as though in surrender. “Let’s not get testy. I just need someplace to spend the night.”

Of all the nerve!

Reese’s anger kicked into high gear. “Amy dumped you, did she? Too bad, you deserved each other.”

“Just let me take one of the spare bedrooms.”

“Not a chance in hell,” she said in a slow, measured tone. “Off my property.
Now
.”

“You know, Reese,” he told her as he crossed his arms over his chest, clearly agitated anew. “People are already talking about you. And you.” He jerked his chin up, indicating Caleb.

Her heart sank. “There’s nothing for them to talk about, Tommy.”

“Really?” His gaze slid over her likely disheveled appearance as she shivered from the cold air and the more frigid look he gave her. “’Cause I can see there’s something going on here. And I gotta say, babe, you screwing a paying guest… That just makes you a whore, doesn’t it?”

Fury rose within her. With one hand holding her sweater together, she raised the other and slapped him. Hard. Unfortunately he recovered quickly and grabbed her wrist, nearly crushing it in his death grip. She let out a small cry of agony.

“Let her go.” Caleb swooped in, his fingertips digging into Tommy’s forearm. Apparently so deep, she felt her ex’s hand shake before he released her. “And don’t ever touch her again.”

“You’d be wise to stay out of this,” Tommy said.

Caleb didn’t back down. He stood a good three inches taller than Reese’s ex and was much broader and stronger from head to toe. “You’re clearly not welcomed here. And I’m not going anywhere, so I suggest you do as the lady asked and get the hell off her property.”

Tommy narrowed his eyes on Caleb, who’d thankfully put his shirt on before coming outside. Caleb didn’t budge. He didn’t even flinch.

Reese said, “Do it, Tommy. You don’t want the sheriff and his deputies breathing down your neck any more than you want the trouble you’re about to invite into your life.”

She didn’t doubt for a minute the knight in shining armor standing behind her would defend her honor. He was that kind of man.

Not that she wanted Caleb involved in this nasty aftermath of her divorce. But she’d deal with that later.

Tommy stood his ground for another minute or so, then abruptly turned away. He stalked down the path that led to the parking lot.

She breathed a sigh of relief. Caleb took her hand and led her back into the house, locking the door behind them.

“How’s your wrist?” he asked.

“It’ll be fine.” She tried to keep her tone even, though mortification immediately set in. “I am so sorry about that bizarre incident.”

Of all the nights for Tommy to return to town… Or had he been there much longer? Holed up with friends until they’d tired of his mooching and had kicked his ass out? Obviously he’d spoken with someone who’d seen her with Caleb at dinner or at the saloon. And what? He didn’t like the fact she’d
finally
moved on from him?

Asshole.

Unable to make eye contact with Caleb, she bustled around the room, collecting her bra and tank top. The mood had clearly been spoiled.

He gently placed a hand on her arm and said, “No rushing out on me. What just happened is not your fault.”

She shook her head, still incapable of meeting his gaze. “I can’t even begin to explain what that was all about. He must have come back in the past few days. No doubt he heard you were interested in a room here.”

“Your rumor mill really does take some getting used to, but he doesn’t bother me, Reese.”

His sincere tone brought her around. She stared up at him. “He’s got no business being here and I intend to let the sheriff’s office know he was at the house tonight. And I’ll file a restraining order if the judge deems I have sufficient cause. I changed all the locks when I filed for divorce. The only way he can get into the house is if he forces his way. I don’t believe he’d do that.” Anger gripped her anyway. He shouldn’t have even stepped on the premises. “This is my fight, Caleb. Not yours. I don’t want you to get tangled in—”

“Hey,” he said, his tone a strong and steady one. As was his gaze. “Don’t say you want me to walk away. I already knew about the divorce, remember? I knew you had an ex and a difficult breakup. It didn’t stop me then from wanting to get involved with you and it’s not stopping me now.”

Her heart melted. Yet that mortification seizing her soul did not dissipate.

“I appreciate what you’re saying,” she told him. “In fact, it’s really nice to have your support and understanding. But again, this isn’t your problem. It’s mine. And I have to deal with it.
Me
, Caleb. Not you.”

He crossed his arms over his wide chest and seemingly debated the situation. Endless moments ticked by and she didn’t say a word as he worked out whatever it was he needed to work out.

Eventually he said, “I hear what you’re telling me. You want to prove you’re strong and independent—not just to me, but to yourself.”

She nodded. “Thank you.”

“The thing is, sweetheart, I’m involved whether you want me to be or not. Because I’m already crazy about you. And I’m not letting him lay a hand on you again.”

Reese couldn’t contain the smile that tickled the corners of her mouth. Or the tears that stung her eyes. “Geez. Where did you come from?”

With a shake of his head, he said, “I’m no Prince Charming. But I don’t like to see anyone get pushed around.”

Her smile faded. “Clearly I should come with cautionary signs.”

“Everyone has their cross to bear.”

“Yeah? What’s yours?”

His tense look softened. “Crawl under the covers with me and I’ll tell you all about it.”

As tempting an offer as that was, she felt about two feet tall at the moment. “Can you understand I’m embarrassed and frustrated and… I don’t know. Mad as hell? I’m not good company to keep right now.”

“I won’t press. Just know I’m here for you.”

She said, “We’ll see how you feel about it in the morning.”

He let out a low groan. “I have a very good idea of how
you’d
feel next to me in the morning.”

Her smile returned, despite the anxiety still gripping her body. “Stop dangling that carrot in front of me. I’m trying to be respectable here.”

“Oh I’d still respect you in the morning.” The conviction and admiration in his eyes told her his words were said in earnest. “But you’re right. We’ve got time.”

Reese resisted the urge to sigh. He made her heart soar and her pulse race. Two sweet and sexy sensations she liked feeling, since they’d both been absent from her life for far too long.

He gave her a tender kiss that left her speechless. He was everything Tommy had never been—could
never
be. Why oh why hadn’t she waited for him to come into her life?

“Thanks for being so wonderful.”

He shrugged nonchalantly, as though he had no idea how wonderful he truly was. With one last kiss, he said, “Sweet dreams, darlin’.”

“You too.” She walked away, taking the stairs to her room.

She dumped her clothes in a chair and changed into a pair of loose pants and a comfortable long-sleeved shirt. Eyeing the bed, she debated her options. Her stomach twisted at the thought she’d once shared that intimate space with Tommy. And he’d shared it with someone else. Hell, rumor had it he and Amy had gotten it on in every room at the B&B. How was that
not
the most humiliating damn thing?

Tormented by her misfortune—and her botched evening with Caleb—she left the room. Downstairs, she retrieved a spare pillow and comforter from the linen closet and dropped them on the sofa that faced the fireplace. She started a low blaze in the hearth, then curled up on the couch.

Her mind wandered briefly to the hunky cowboy-vet-rescuer-of-abused-horses-and-devastated-women. Or
woman
. He didn’t seem to be the sort to collect broken hearts, and he’d said as much. He’d come unexpectedly into her life, but not even his sizzling kisses could keep her from thinking of her altercation with Tommy. And cursing the day she’d said “I do”, when she’d known, deep in her heart, it’d turn out to be a mistake.

* * * * *

Caleb stepped out of the shower the next morning and reached for a towel. After dragging on a pair of jeans and brushing his teeth, he grabbed a long-sleeved Henley from one of his duffle bags. He pulled it on as he walked into the kitchen, the rich scent of coffee drawing his attention.

He found Reese at the counter. “‘Mornin’, darlin’.”

She turned and he planted a kiss on her. The move seemed to take her aback, as though she was surprised he hadn’t hesitated to show her affection. Maybe the ex hadn’t been so forthcoming with intimate gestures.

“Good morning,” she said, a blush creeping up on her. “I have no idea what you want for breakfast, so I cooked a bit of everything.” Removing the foil from a serving platter, she said, “Help yourself.”

The plate was piled high with scrambled eggs, sausage, bacon, breakfast potatoes, French toast and silver-dollar pancakes. His stomach growled.

“That’s for both of us, right?”

“I have to run,” she told him with a furrowed brow that expressed her disappointment. “Ginger had a wedding dream last night that resulted in some sort of dramatic change in direction for the design of her dress—not the first time, mind you, and for sure not the last. Anyway, she needs to see her seamstress
immediately
. She just called to ask me to open the shop for her.”

“We’re still on for dinner?”

One corner of her mouth dipped, as though she was having second thoughts. “I’m so sorry about last night.”

“Put it out of your mind, Reese. I’m not the least bit spooked.” He gave her a pointed look. “Tell me we’re still on for this evening.”

She nodded. “Of course.” After collecting her purse and keys, she added, “Don’t worry about the dishes or your bed. I’ll take care of everything when I get back.”

She left the kitchen and he heard the front door close behind her. Knowing Reese, she’d already set the table for him, so he took the platter and a cup of coffee into the great room and had breakfast alone. Not an uncommon occurrence, since he’d kept an apartment in Dallas that he hadn’t shared with anyone, but he would have enjoyed eating with her.

Despite her instructions, when he was done, he wrapped up the leftovers and put them in the fridge, then rinsed off the dishes and placed them in the dishwasher. He made his own bed, as he’d done since he was a kid, despite his parents having house staff. Then he headed to the Painted Horse to meet with various people who’d graciously given up their Saturday for him.

Don Peters was his first appointment. The good-natured vet arrived just minutes after Caleb.

They shook hands and Don said, “Nice setup you’ve got here. I like it already.”

“Plenty of space, that’s for sure. Thanks for helping me draw up the plans for the med facility. My crew will break ground in a week. We’re supposed to have a mild winter, so I don’t anticipate any delays.”

“I’m impressed by how much you’ve accomplished in such a short time.”

With a laugh, Caleb said, “Doesn’t seem like a short period of time to me. Took a while to find the right location, file all the paperwork and start collecting donations. I had to work with the IRS to determine how much I could contribute monetarily to the project. I don’t want to mess around with outdated equipment. The horses we’ll rescue deserve better.”

Don nodded. “I’ve had a passion for equines since I was a kid too. That’s why I was so pleased you contacted me. Wish I could give more of my time, but you can count on me being here two afternoons a week. And I’m perfectly fine with being on call for emergencies.”He had his own practice to maintain in Austin, though he’d told Caleb he had other vets on staff full-time.