Cowboy Command (11 page)

“
Mom, where did you find that?”

His mother laughed, handing him the box. 
“Mothers always have their secrets and we don’t tell.  Enjoy, but don’t stay out here too long.  The snow is really starting to come down.”

His mother turned and hurried back into the house since she was only in her sweater.  Seth held up the box triumphantly. 

“Snowman supplies.”

Presley peered into the box and smiled. 
“You have a box of things to dress a snowman?  That’s handy.”

Seth grabbed up the pieces of
“coal” to make the eyes and mouth, and handed another handful to Presley for the buttons. 

“
We used to make snowmen a lot when we were kids.  Then Mom would make us hot chocolate with marshmallows.”

“
Sounds like Norman Rockwell would be proud.”  Presley had finished with the buttons and was attaching stick arms he and his brothers had whittled years ago. 

“
I guess I did have a pretty cool childhood.  My brothers and I fought all the time and drove our parents crazy but we’re very close.  Are you and your sister close?”

He almost thought she didn
’t hear him but she had stopped decorating the snowman and was standing there with snow falling all around her looking thoughtful.  Finally she shook her head. 

“
No, I wouldn’t call us close.  I’ve always wanted us to be, though.  I’ve wanted a family like you have, but it isn’t in the cards for me, I guess.  When my mom married Nora’s dad I was ecstatic.  I thought I would have the family I’d always wanted.  My stepdad wasn’t what you would call a family man.  Pair that with the fact Nora is tough to get close to.  She tries, though.  She just has trouble showing her emotions, that’s all.”

Seth didn
’t like the sound of it but kept his mouth shut.  It took all kinds in this world, and not everyone’s family was like his, always in his business and never leaving him alone.  In fact, there were times he wouldn’t mind trading her for a day or two.

Seth reached into the box and pulled out a scarf and a hat.  He handed the hat to Presley and wrapped the woolen length around the snowman
’s neck while she placed the hat on its head. 

“
I think that’s easily the best snowman I’ve ever seen.  You have a real knack for this for someone from Florida.”

She giggled and it made his heart beat faster. 
“Shhh!  Do you want someone to hear you?  I’m from Wheaton, remember?”

He shook his head. 
“There isn’t a soul out here except for Frosty and he ain’t talking.”  Seth reached out and plucked the pieces of charcoal from the snowman’s smile, rendering him speechless.  Presley laughed and then fell back into the snow on her bottom.  Seth grinned and held out his hand to help her up.  “What in the hell are you doing?  You’ll be covered in snow, woman.  Take my hand.”

She did take his hand,
and tugged at his until he slipped in the snow, falling next to her with a bump.  She was giggling and laughing and he couldn’t stop staring at her, mesmerized by her beauty.  He’d fallen under her spell with a little help from the glistening snow and the full moon.  He should want to get them inside and dry.  He should want his life to be orderly and peaceful, but next to this luminous woman, none of those things seemed very important.  The only important thing at the moment was Presley.

He fell on his back and waved his arms and legs, making a snow angel.  Presley watched in fascination as he stood up
carefully, so as to not disturb the impression in the snow. 

“
You next,” he urged.  “Try it.”  She obediently lay in the snow, making the wings and dress of her angel.  He reached out a hand and helped her up, lifting her so she wouldn’t make foot impressions in the snow.  He knelt down next to her angel and drew a gloved finger through the snow in a circle above the head.

“
An angel needs a halo.”

She pointed to his angel. 
“What about yours?  It needs a halo.”

He laughed and stood up, brushing the snow from his pants. 
“I lost my halo a long time ago, honey.  Didn’t we already talk about that night in the backseat of my dad’s truck?”

Her eyes danced with merriment.  She knelt down and quickly drew two triangles above the head of his figure. 
“Horns.  For your snow devil.”

He caught her hand in his and pulled her to her feet, stepping close so their bodies were touching.  His gaze zeroed in on her full lips.  He remembered well what it felt like to kiss them.  He didn
’t know if he’d ruined everything yesterday, but he was going to go for broke.

“
I want to kiss you, Presley.”

Their lips were mere inches from each other. Seth could feel her warm breath on his chin. 

“I want to kiss you, too, but what about yesterday?  About slowing down?”

He shook his head. 
“I’m a dumbass.  Forget everything I said yesterday.  I panicked for a moment, but I’m okay now.”

She looked at him as if she was trying to see his soul. 
“Are you okay with me?  My life is what it is, Seth.  It’s out of control and there isn’t much I can do about it.  I’m not Eliza.  I’m not peaceful and I sure as hell can’t be described as serene.  I make mistakes.  I drink too much coffee and I laugh too loudly.  And here’s the biggie…I make bad decisions sometimes.  Can you deal with that?”

Seth felt a moment of fear in his gut but ruthlessly pushed it away.  He wouldn
’t let Presley down.  He would keep her safe and make her smile.  Nothing would happen to her on his watch.

“
I can.  Can you deal with me?”

She tapped her chin thoughtfully but her lips were curved into a smile. 
“I can.”  She ran her hands up his chest and around his neck, making every cell in his body wake up and take notice.  “I think you should take me somewhere and get me warm.”

He swept her up into his arms, her weight almost nothing. 
“Yes, ma’am.  There’s nothing I’d like better.”

He knew just where to take her and just what to do.  Presley would be his tonight.  At least, while she was here.  He wouldn
’t think about when she would have to leave. 

One
thing was for sure.

When she left, she
’d never forget the time she spent with him.  He’d make every minute memorable.

For both of them.

Chapter Nine

“
We need to get you warm,” Seth said, tugging at her wet coat and gloves. 

“
I can do it.  You’re wet too.”  Presley shrugged off her coat while Seth started a fire.  She looked around the log home appreciatively.  It was beautiful but simple, with gleaming wood and overstuffed leather furniture.  With Seth’s love of football, she wasn’t surprised to see a large flat screen television on one wall.  She was surprised to see the large eat-in kitchen with shiny stainless steel appliances and copper pans hanging from a rack over the large island.

“
Do you cook?”  Presley shook her long hair out and knelt by the fire.  She sighed as the heat seeped directly into her bones.  She held out her hands as if to absorb the radiating warmth.

“
I do, but like you, it’s not much fun to cook for one person.  Maybe I’ll cook for you sometime.”  Seth headed into the kitchen and pulled down a saucepan.  “In fact, how about some hot chocolate?”

“
That sounds yummy.  And warm.”

“
Good,” Seth nodded.  “You’re soaked head to toe.  There’s a robe on the back of the bathroom door.”  He gestured to a hallway.  “Why don’t you get out of those clothes and put that on?  You’ll be warmer.  I can’t have my fabulous secretary getting sick.  How would I run the station without you?”

She chuckled as she headed down the hall, finding the bathroom with no trouble.  The robe on the back of the door was flannel and from its size, clearly belonged to Seth.  She pressed her nose into the fabric and inhaled his scent
, letting it fill her lungs. 

Damn, he smells good.

She stripped off her wet clothes and hung them over the shower rod, pulling the cozy robe over her nude body and tying it in place.  The hem hung past her knees and she had to roll up the sleeves, but she was dry and warm.  She winced as she caught a look in the mirror.  Her hair was a rat’s nest, curling all over the place with the moisture.  She’d left her purse in the living room so she plucked Seth’s brush from its spot next to the sink, hoping he wouldn’t mind her borrowing it. 

By the time she
’d tamed her hair and returned to the kitchen, he’d also changed into a pair of blue sweatpants and a white T-shirt.  The room was filled with the sublime aroma of chocolate and she followed her nose to the stove, where he was lifting the pan from the burner and pouring two steaming mugs.

“
Marshmallows?”  Seth rummaged in a cabinet.

“
Heck, yeah.  What’s hot chocolate without the extra sugar?”

Seth dropped a handful of mini-marshmallows in each cup. 
“My mom used to put peppermint sticks in our hot chocolate at Christmas time.”

“
I’m waiting for Norman Rockwell to break down your family’s door, wrestle you to the ground, and take your picture for some magazine cover or Christmas card.”

Seth picked up both mugs and motioned for her to precede him into the living room. 
“Norman Rockwell is dead.  At least, I’m pretty sure he is.  Would that picture be with or without Dad’s life-size cut out of Elvis?  Grab those cushions and toss them on the floor, will you?  We can be close to the fire.”

They settled on the pillows and Seth handed her the mug
.  She sipped at the rich liquid and sighed with contentment.  The chocolate slid down her throat and warmed her belly, relaxing every care away.

“
Delicious.  My compliments to the chef.  I think the picture would be with Elvis.  I bet Elvis liked Norman Rockwell.”

Seth placed his cup on the side table. 
“From what you’ve said, your family life wasn’t a Rockwell painting.”

She fiddled with the handle of her m
ug.  She had come to terms with it, and didn’t want his pity.  “It wasn’t but its okay.  It’s just every time I’m around your family, they seem so genuinely nice.”  She didn’t know how to describe it.  “Your family are really good people.”

“
You haven’t met them all.  My brothers were real hell-raisers when they were younger.”

“
And now?”

A shadow passed over Seth
’s face so quickly she almost thought she imagined it.  “Now they’re devoted family men.  They’re very lucky.”

“
You’re not lucky?”  He seemed lucky to Presley.  He’d had tragedy in his life, but he had family by his side.

“
In some ways.”  Seth finally smiled.  “I have the best secretary in town.  The sexiest one too.”  His voice had deepened at the end and it sent shivers through her entire body straight down to her curling toes.  Whatever it was, this man had it.  She wanted to pull those clothes from his body, lick up his flat abdomen, and then move to parts further south. 

He reached across the small space between them and plucked the mug from her
fingers, setting it on the side table.  He picked up her hands in his lifting them so he could place a kiss on each palm.  “Presley…”

He didn
’t need to say any more.  She nodded vigorously, wanting him more than she could remember ever wanting a man.  “Yes.  Yes, Seth.”

She wasn
’t sure what all she was saying yes to, but she didn’t have the capacity to say no to him.  Yes to making love.  Yes to stripping their clothes off and exploring private, sensual places on their bare bodies.  If she was saying yes to more than that she would deal with it in the morning. 

Seth pressed her back into the cushions, the heat from the fire nothing compared to the flames licking at her veins and building in her abdomen.  His lips trailed a delicate path from her neck to her ear, nipping at the flesh and making her shiver.  Her fingers gripped his shoulders, an anchor as the room started to spin.  Her head fell back in invitation and his tongue traced a line up her jugular before capturing her lips in a kiss that seared her soul.  His tongue explored every nook and cranny of her mouth as if he owned it.  She gave in to his mastery, content to be a supplicant to the feelings he evoked.  He tasted like sweet chocolate and she rubbed his tongue with her own to get more of his decadent flavor.

When he lifted his head, his expression was stamped with passion, his normally light blue eyes dark with arousal.  Seth’s hands parted the folds of her robe and his eyes glowed with pleasure.  She felt her insides twist at his obvious approval of what he beheld.  Her nipples tightened to taut peaks to entice his mouth and her cunt softened, leaking honey.  She could smell her arousal in the air and feel his hard cock against her belly.  She wriggled against him playfully and he groaned in response. 

“
Witch,” he growled.  “I know just what to do with you.”

Boy, did he ever.  His rough fingers were plucking and twisting at her nipples
, then his lips and tongue were there, teasing and tormenting each in turn.  He blew his hot breath over a wet nipple and it quivered under the attention, puckering tighter and harder.  He smiled up at her and repeated his action on the other side.

“
So responsive.  I love it.”

As long as he didn
’t love
her
, it would be okay.  Further coherent thought was difficult as he kissed a damp trail down her stomach to her waiting pussy.  He pushed her thighs apart and his eyes widened as he gazed down at her.

“
Honey, I think you forgot something down here.” His eyes were dancing and his grin mischievous.  “You must be cold.  I’ll warm you right up.”

Her playful lover had discovered her bare pussy.  She
’d been waxing for the last few years and then eventually simply had it lasered off.  It was a common enough practice in warmer climates but it must be an anomaly in Harper. 

“
I am a little chilly,” she giggled as his tongue swiped at her swollen clit.  The sensations rocking through her stopped her laughter cold.  She moaned and bit her lip as he made a meal of her cunt, running his tongue through every fold and tongue fucking her until she thought she might scream from the pleasure.  He pressed one and then a second finger inside her, moving them in and out until he found a sensitive spot.  This time she couldn’t hold back her approval.

“
Seth!”  Her hands grabbed at the cushions and her fingers tightened as he continued to rub the sweet spot inside her while licking her clit with the flat of his tongue.  He had her right on the edge of orgasm and he kept her there, teetering on the brink.  He was in total command of her body.  At that moment, he was every inch the alpha male, giving pleasure to his woman on his terms and no one else’s.  She wouldn’t come until he decided she would come. 

She closed her eyes and gave over control to this man.  His body, lips, and fingers held the promise of pleasure and she had no doubt he would deliver.  When his lips closed over her clit and he sucked gently, his teeth scraping the sides lightly, she screamed his name in a voice she barely recognized as her own.

Brightly colored lights played behind her lids and her body was wracked with intense pleasure.  She’d never felt this much, and yet the minute it was over she greedily wanted more.  Presley’s eyes snapped open and she reached for the hem of his shirt.

“
I want you naked, too.”

“
Easy, honey.  You’ve got all of me tonight.  Anything you want.”  His voice was like a soft caress and she let her hands glide under the soft cotton to find the ridges of his stomach.  He sucked in his breath as she explored every inch of his torso.  Her fingers lingered on a line of raised and puckered flesh over his ribs.

“
Knife.  I took it off of a perp when I was a cop in Denver my first year on the job.  Luckily, he missed anything important.”  He gave her a crooked grin. 

Presley pushed up his shirt and he grasped the bottom and tossed it away.  The orange and yellow flames cast shadows on his
muscular body and golden hair.  She dragged her attention back to the scar and let her hands and palms run over the smooth flesh until she found another area on his arm that felt rough under her fingers.  She lifted a brow in question.

“
Fell off my bike when I was twelve.  Trent and I built some ramps and we were trying to jump over the family pets.  I managed to miss the dog but ended up sideways and ran into the garage door.  It took fifteen stitches.”

Her hands glided to his jaw and then up to where one of his brows had a slight mar where the hair didn
’t grow.  “And this?”

Seth laughed. 
“I was showing off for Sheryl Albright.  Damn, she was pretty but she only had eyes for Trent.  I was giving her a ride on the back of my ATV when I wiped out.  I cut my forehead and needed four stitches.  Sheryl got her new outfit dirty and didn’t speak to me for months.”

It was hard to reconcile the calm
, controlled man she saw in the office every day to the impetuous young man he had once been. 

The girl
’s name caught her attention.  “Wait.  You said Sheryl Albright.  Isn’t she the girl you lost your virginity with in the back of your dad’s truck?”

Seth
’s eyes widened.  “Holy shit, I can’t believe you remembered I said that.  Yes, it was the same girl.”  He waggled his eyebrows.  “She forgave me.”

Presley shrugged. 
“I have a good memory.”  She pushed him back until he was lounging on the pillows like a sultan, his head cushioned on his hands.  She straddled his thighs and pressed a kiss to his stomach, the muscles jumping under her lips.  He watched as she kissed a trail up his torso and to his chin, tangy from his aftershave.  She rubbed her mouth softly against his, but didn’t deepen the kiss.  “How many scars do you have, anyway?”

He quirked an eyebrow. 
“A few more.  I have one on my thigh from a fishhook gone awry, and there’s one on my back from when my brothers and I tried to build a tree house.”

“
A tree house?  That sounds like fun.”  Presley nibbled at his ear and he grabbed her hips and ground her against his hard cock.  

“
It might have been if we had any damn idea what we were doing.  Dad said he’d help us but we didn’t want to wait.  Jason shot a nail from a nail gun right into my back.  Hurt like a son of a bitch.  Luckily, nothing important got hit that time either.  I guess I have been lucky.”

She noticed he didn
’t talk about any injuries from his time in the Army and she didn’t ask.  It was okay with her if he had a few secrets. 

Presley slid her hands under the waistband of his sweats and started tugging them down his legs. 
“You’re about to get luckier, Sheriff.”

“
Wait,” he held up his hand.  “I need to get some protection.  Are you on the pill, honey?”

She nodded. 
“I am, but I’m almost to the end of my prescription in my former name.  I’ll need to see a doctor or something.”

“
I don’t mind taking care of things.  I’d be wearing a condom until we were exclusive for at least six months anyway.”

Would she be here in six months?  She tried to picture her former home and some of her friends but the memories were already hazy and undefined.  Everything seemed so much sharper and more real here in Harper.  It was funny how she felt more alive when someone wanted her dead.