Only Hers (33 page)

“Y-you better ask your questions while I’m still able to think.”

“I thought I was.” One arm slid around her waist as his tongue stroked across her nipple. Then he sucked long and hard.

“M-Matt!” He caught her in his arms as her legs went out from under her. “M-maybe we should do this sitting down.”

“You want to continue?” He couldn’t keep the surprise out of his voice.

Her arms tightened around his neck. “Whatever it takes. Besides, you may look ready to shake my teeth out, but you only touch me with gentleness.”

“Why would you say something like that?” he yelled, fighting the tender warmth of her words.

She kissed his cheek. “Because it’s true. Even with the test, you didn’t grab and take, you gave to both of us.”

“You confuse the hell out of me,” he admitted grudgingly.

“You’re not so easy to understand yourself.”

He eyed her. “I’m a reasonable man, and if you don’t stop smiling I’ll drop you.”

“I’m going to give you a chance to prove it. But first I think you better put me down,” she requested.

He put her down. She drew her blouse up on her shoulder and backed away a couple of steps. “That bad?” he asked.

“Not if you’re going to be reasonable, and I hope you are because what I’m about to say also concerns me.” She took a deep breath. “I couldn’t help but notice that buying the bull almost depleted your operating expenses for next month. Since the meadow is a part of the ranch—”

“Name your price for the meadow and I’ll get it,” he cut her off, his voice cold and curt.

She continued as if he hadn’t spoken. “I think it’s only fair that I pay my share of the operating expenses. I didn’t get a chance to figure out the percentage, but you and I could come up with a figure. Of course, I also insist on helping with the taxes.”

Stunned. When he opened his mouth, nothing came out.

“I am a junior partner and you’re the one who told me how integral one part of the ranch is to the other.” She fidgeted when he continued to remain silent.

“You want to give me money?” he finally got out.

“It seems only fair.”

“It also doesn’t make sense. Unless you plan on keeping the meadow.”

She clasped her hands in front of her. “My vacation is
over at the end of the week. When I leave, the meadow is yours.”

“Where had you planned on getting the money? Daniel?” He didn’t wait for an answer. His face became harsher with each word he uttered. “I don’t need any help taking care of the ranch. That’s not what I want or need from you.”

She flinched, but her eyes flared. “No, you don’t want any woman’s help. You want an obedient bedmate. Shall I lie on the desk or on the couch?”

The torment of her words, the sparkle of tears in her eyes, lanced through him. He handed her his handkerchief and she snatched it out of his hands. Why did her tears always get to him? “I didn’t mean that the way it sounded.”

She sniffed. He touched her and she moved away.

“You want to give me a lie detector test?” he asked.

“I’d rather punch you in the nose.”

“Then you’d go get me an ice pack and defeat the whole purpose.” When she didn’t bother to deny it, Matt shook his head. Shannon was generous, kind, and easily hurt. Too soft for a hard man.

“Maybe we shouldn’t discuss the ranch or the meadow for the time being,” she suggested, removing the last traces of tears with his handkerchief.

“Maybe not.”

She bit her lip, her face solemn. “Would you like some lunch?”

She was also polite, kind, willing to forget, to forgive. She was too softhearted for her own good. It was about time someone tore those rose-colored glasses off her eyes.

The world was cruel and life sure as hell wasn’t fair. And most men were heartless bastards when it came to getting a woman into bed. He stood at the head of the line.

“I’ve got a better idea.” He picked her up, laid her on the couch and followed her down, planting soft, fleeting
kisses on her lips, her cheek, the curve of her cheek. Nearing her mouth, but never fully joining their lips.

With a little whimper Shannon arched against him and tightened her arms around his neck, trying to bring his mouth to hers.

The honest need in that sound rocked his body and made a liar out of him. He wasn’t teaching
her
a lesson, she had taught
him
one. Even heartless bastards had a conscience with the right woman.

Lifting his head, he stared into her eyes. “Do you know why they call me Hardcase?”

“What has th—”

“Do you?”

“Wade said it was because nothing affected you. That your emotions were encased in ice.”

“You should have listened. I kissed you just now to teach you a lesson that men and life aren’t going to play fair. Hell, I sure didn’t. Last night I wanted you and I took you,” he said tightly.

She punched him as hard as she could on the shoulder. To her increased anger, he didn’t even grunt. “Of all the arrogant braggarts. You didn’t take anything. I
gave.
I am sick and tired of people thinking I’m some kind of nitwit because I try to be nice. Get off me!”

“Shan—Ohhh.” From his sprawled position, Matt watched Shannon head for the door.

He reached it before she did. For some reason, he couldn’t stop grinning. “Now, honey, don’t get so upset.”

“I’m not your honey and that smile is wasted on me.”

“I was only trying to protect you.”

Her arms crossed over her chest. “By insulting me. Get real.”

He looked uncertain. “It sounds kind of strange I guess, but I was angry that you forgave me so easily after I hurt you. I was trying to teach you to be less forgiving, but when you made that little sound in the back of your throat, I couldn’t go through with it.”

Smiling, Shannon launched herself into his arms. “Matt, that’s the nicest compliment anyone ever gave me.”

“Trusting isn’t easy for me, Shannon.”

“I know.” Her tongue stroked across his lower lip. “So we’ll work on something we both enjoy and go from there.”

His mouth sought hers, his lips molding against hers with gentle pressure in a kiss as slow as it was deep. With a little sigh, she opened to him, luring him deeper to explore at his leisure the taste and texture of her mouth’s sweetness.

He couldn’t seem to get enough. Then it was her turn to savor him. The tentative glides and strokes of her tongue became more aggressive, more demanding.

His hands in her hair, he gave her all she asked for and more. When he finally lifted his head they were both breathing hard. He stared into her passion-filled eyes and pressed his forehead to hers.

“You go straight to my head, among other places.”

Shannon stroked his back. “You seem to have the same effect on me.”

Sighing, he reluctantly opened the study door, the other hand draped loosely around her waist. “Will you come to the cabin with me tonight?”

“Yes.”

He kissed her, Shannon was nobody’s pushover, and for the time being she was only his.

Shannon was nervous. With each rotation of the truck’s tires taking them closer to the cabin, her agitation mounted. It was one thing to agree to a rendezvous but quite another to deliberately carry it out under the nose of people you respected. She had never snuck around like this in her life. Although she wanted to be with Matt, she wished it could be different.

His continued silence wasn’t helping.

She cast a glance at the shadowed profile of the man sitting next to her. He’d only spoken two words to her
since she arrived back at the ranch tonight: “You’re late.” He had proceeded to put her in the truck parked a little ways from the house and drive off.

The truck came to a halt. Matt cut the motor. “I’ll see about some light.”

Without waiting for an answer, he got out and went inside. After what seemed like forever, he came back and opened her door. The light coming through the window was barely discernible. She started to ask him about her lantern, then decided perhaps it was best they couldn’t see each other clearly. Whatever closeness they had shared earlier was gone.

Head down, she let him lead her to the cabin door, praying, hoping, when he took her into his arms, the power and passion of his touch would make everything all right.

Two steps inside the cabin, she came to a dead halt. Her mouth formed a silent O of wonder. She couldn’t believe it. Scattered around the cabin were more than a dozen large candles. Peach fragrance permeated the air. On the table was a bottle of wine in an ice bucket and two long-stemmed glasses.

“Say something,” Matt demanded.

“I—it’s beautiful.”

“If you cry, I’m going to blow out all these candles and keep my surprise,” he told her.

Shannon brushed the moisture from her eyes and gave him a watery smile. “Thank you.”

Going to the ice chest in the corner, he lifted the lid, came back, and shoved a bouquet of spring flowers at her. “Here.”

Shannon glanced at the bouquet, then at Matt’s stern expression. Her brows furrowed. Matt didn’t do anything he didn’t want to. Yet, he acted as if he had been dragged kicking and screaming all the way. The reason hit her all at once.

He was as nervous as she was. Not about coming here, but about how she would react to his gifts of tenderness when he wanted her to think he was incapable of such acts.

More than anyone she knew he needed and deserved love, but he would deny it with his last breath. His willingness to be vulnerable to please her calmed her fears and strengthened her love.

“Matt. How did you know?”

“The more Octavia dropped hints about us during dinner, the more subdued you became. By the time you left tonight, your chin was dragging on the floor.” His shoulders hunched. “You looked like you could use some cheering up.”

She wanted to know how he’d thought of the scented candles, but most of all she wanted to be in his arms, his lips on hers. She lifted her face to his.

His mouth was hot and soft and utterly intoxicating. She could kiss him forever. The taste, the feel of him curled through her body as much as the slow building of heat.

He lifted his mouth enough to mutter, “What about the wine?”

“I’d rather taste you.”

His eyes narrowed and darkened. “We’ll take turns.”

“Anywhere and everywhere,” she breathed softly.

Matt’s entire body went still, then he repeated her words: “Anywhere and everywhere.”

His lips took hers and it was a long time before either thought of anything, but each other.

I’m in trouble.

And Matt didn’t have the foggiest notion of how to get out. He had come up against unpredictable calves, killer broncs, blind judges, bad weather, failed crops, deceitful people, but nothing had prepared him for Shannon.

In the four days since they had become lovers she had gotten under his skin but good. It wasn’t just the sex, though Lord knew it was hot enough sometimes to blow his mind, it was Shannon herself. He had never met a woman more open, more generous, more compassionate, or more attuned to his needs. A lot of the time, he lay awake just holding her, listening to the even sound of her breathing, feeling oddly content.

But then there were times he was as greedy for her body as he was for her teasing smile, her disarming laughter. The shape of his jeans changed just looking at her. He worried about her when she was out of his sight. Like now.

He’d been pacing the porch for the last fifteen minutes waiting to catch a glimpse of Shannon’s headlights. Last night she’d flatly refused the escort any longer. At the time she’d presented her argument, he was on his back in the hay. She was straddling him, her blouse hanging open with nothing underneath except temptation, her lips working
their way down his chest. He’d agreed before she reached his navel.

He had taken her to the hayloft instead of the cabin because he remembered her comment about not understanding how people could make love in the hay. He had planned to show her. Instead, they had ended up showing each other.

Her vacation would be over this weekend and she’d be gone. The thought of her leaving filled him with an anger which made no sense. He refused to dwell on it. The ranch was what mattered. In the distance he saw a flash of light. Excitement and anticipation drummed through him.

He took a step off the porch before he realized it. He paused, only then measuring the undeniable response of his body to a woman he didn’t completely trust. How had he forgotten the lesson his ex-wife taught him?

Letting another person have control over your emotions was asking for a kick in the teeth. He had to remember that. Stepping back up on the porch, he turned to go into the house, then noticed the headlights were different.

The late-model sedan stopped directly in front of the house. The door on the driver’s side opened and out stepped a broad-shouldered man a good three inches taller than Matt.

“Gazing at the stars or wishing on one?” drawled a deep, velvety voice.

“Kane.” The brothers met halfway, hugged unashamedly, smiling at each other. “What are you doing here this time of night?”

“Visiting my brother,” he answered.

Matt’s eyebrow lifted. “If it’s about the call, I have everything worked out.”

“Glad to hear it.” Kane reached into the front seat and drew out a small suitcase. “That’ll give us more time to catch up.”

Matt, who knew how stubborn his older brother could be, turned toward the house. “Come on inside.”

“Looks like you’ve got more company.”

Those
headlights Matt recognized. Shannon. He cast a quick glance at his brother. This was going to be as tricky as hell. “She works here.”

“What is she doing here so late?”

“She happens to live in the ranch house,” Matt explained. Although Kane didn’t say anything, Matt felt the weight of his stare.

Shannon stopped behind Kane’s car and got out, her smile tentative, her lower lip tucked between her teeth. Kane, used to people being fascinated or intimidated by his size, backed up closer to Matt. Her gaze widened, slid to Matt, then away.

Matt realized their relationship, not Kane’s size, was causing Shannon to chew on her lip. When they were alone, she held nothing back, but around other people he often caught the dread in her eyes that someone would find out they were lovers. No matter how much he told her they had nothing to be ashamed of, he wasn’t able to convince her.