The Cowboy's Saving Grace, an erotic western novella (Taming the Cowboy) (5 page)

Liam headed over to the horses and set Noah on one of the metal rungs, standing behind him so he wouldn’t fall back. His instincts to protect Noah surprised her. She kept thinking that she’d have to step in, but so far, she hadn’t.

“Liam!”

She and Liam both turned toward the voice, to see a tall man and a smaller woman walking toward them.

Liam embraced the man, and bent to kiss the woman’s cheek before stepping back. “Luke, Kennedy, this is Grace. And this...” He swung his son off the fence and set him on the ground in front of him, his hands on his little shoulders. “Is Noah.”

Grace’s shoulders tensed as Luke and Kennedy made a fuss over her son, admiring his hat. She saw the assessment in Luke’s eyes as he took in Noah’s resemblance to his father. Then he turned his gaze on her, and his eyes darkened.

Shit. She started to take a step back. She’d met him before, four years ago. Liam had brought him to the club, and Luke had watched her strip. She could hope that he’d forgotten, but the expression in his eyes told her he remembered exactly where they’d met, and he wasn’t pleased. He said nothing, instead turned back to Noah.

“So what do you like better, Noah, horses or cows?”

“Horses!” Noah announced.

“That’s my boy,” Liam laughed, swinging him up, a proud father.

How long would his pride last? Until he was on the road again?

***

Luke shoved the door to the men’s room open so hard it bounced off the wall. “She’s a stripper, Liam.”

Liam’s vision blurred around the edges. He’d fought Luke for less. “Watch it. That’s the mother of my kid you’re talking about.”

Luke turned a bland expression toward him. “Am I wrong? You took me to see her dance.”

Liam tamped down the temper and walked toward the urinal, purposely keeping his stride even. “She’s not anymore.”

“Not anymore? But she still works at the club, right? That’s where you found her? And she took you back to her place your first night here, so who’s to say how many times she’s done that in the past, with other guys? Add to that the fact that she kept your son a secret from you for three years.”

“She didn’t know how I’d react.”

“Yeah, well, keeping a secret isn’t the way to go. Are you wanting a relationship with her? I see you out there holding her hand, and I’m guessing you were at her place last night, since you weren’t at the RV park when we came by. So what, are you going to marry her?”

Just the word made Liam light-headed. “I’ve known I’ve had a son just over twenty-four hours. I don’t know what I’m doing yet. I know I’m not going to do what our father did. I’m going to be right by him.” Their father had been drunk most of the time, leaving the two of them to fend for themselves.

Luke shook his head. “I know you wouldn’t. I’m just saying, be aware. You don’t know her, you haven’t talked to her in four years. You don’t know if you can trust her.”

He’d thought about that, but he didn’t want to hash it through with his brother. He hadn’t made a choice yet, and couldn’t, not when the revelation was still so fresh. “I know I want to be part of my boy’s life. And I know she’s had it hard since he’s been born.”

“So you’re going to sweep in and be her knight in shining armor? That’s not a way to start a relationship. Hell, Liam, everything about this relationship is screwed—secrets and sex and a kid.” Luke shook his head as he washed his hands.

Liam faced his brother. “So you want me to walk away? Pretend I don’t know about him?”

Luke yanked a paper towel out of the dispenser with so much force it rattled the dispenser. “No, I think you can fulfill your legal obligations to the boy, but I think you need to keep your distance from her. Be wary of what she wants from you.”

The advice sat uneasily in Liam’s gut as he followed his brother out of the restroom. True, he didn’t know Grace so well. True, he didn’t like that she’d kept this secret. But he wanted to trust her, wanted to believe she was telling him the truth about being worried about his reaction to her pregnancy. He wanted to believe they could have a future—or at least think about it. True, they didn’t have the strongest basis, but neither did Luke and Kennedy. Kennedy had come to Luke for help after her father died. Luke had been pissed at her for keeping her father’s illness a secret, since the man had practically raised Luke and Liam after their dad finally drank himself into the grave. Add to that, Liam had slept with Kennedy back in the day and Luke hadn’t been crazy about that, either. If Luke could overcome that and love Kennedy, why didn’t Liam and Grace have a chance?

***

“Your brother does not like me,” Grace observed as Liam carried a sleeping Noah into the apartment a few hours later.

Liam crossed to Noah’s daybed and hesitated. Grace took Noah from his arms and laid him on the bed, tugging off his boots. Her son slept like a rock, and didn’t move when she pulled off his jeans.

“I wish I could sleep like that,” Liam said as she tucked Noah in.

“You do.” She turned and placed her hand on his chest, her heart skipping at being so close to him, at the way he was looking at her. How many times had she imagined this very thing, spending a day together, the three of them, like a family? How many times had she convinced herself it couldn’t happen?

Even now she tamped down her willingness to believe it could, and moved toward the bedroom.

“Your brother,” she prompted.

If she thought he was going to sugarcoat it, she was wrong.

He sat on the bed and pulled off a boot. “He’s not crazy about you keeping the secret from me.”

She inclined her head, conceding the point. “Are you sure that’s it?”

He let the boot fall and pulled off the other. “He’s not a fan of your job, either.”

“Ah. Well.” That’s what she thought, but hearing it didn’t make her feel better. She had dealt with prejudice against her career for years, but somehow Luke’s judgment penetrated deeper. She tossed her earrings on the dresser hard enough that they slid across the top. “He’s not paying my bills.”

“Don’t get your back up. You asked.”

She had, indeed. “You understand why I didn’t tell you, right? And you understand why I kept this job?”

“I guess.”

“Claire is really good to me, with scheduling, and I make good tips. Not as good as when I was dancing, but I don’t—feel right doing that anymore.”

“We need to probably see a lawyer and work out child support.”

Her breath hitched. Just the word terrified her. Visiting a lawyer, even for child support, meant giving up some control. Right now Noah was hers, hers alone. Her family had nothing to do with her, and after her roommate Teresa’s experience with her in-laws, she was just as glad.

She struggled to push her fear away. She knew she wasn’t enough for Noah. And having Liam in his life would be good for her son. She just couldn’t predict when he’d walk away and hurt them both.

She didn’t want to talk about it now, and straddled his lap, her hands on his shoulders.

“Tomorrow. We’ll talk about it tomorrow.”

He lifted his mouth to capture hers, the roughness of his stubble stinging her lips as they kissed. The only sound in the room was their breathing as he coursed his hands up her back, under her shirt. He unhooked her bra and palmed her breast, his callused palm rough and masculine against the tender flesh. She wriggled a little on his lap to show her approval. He wrapped his other arm about her waist and stood, lifting her, and turning to place her on the mattress, his hips between her knees. He pumped his hips against hers so that the seam of her jeans rubbed along her cleft as he scissored his fingers against her nipple.

“Love looking at you,” he said against her neck, just below her ear. “Love knowing I’m going to be taking you home.”

She stiffened a little, remembering that he’d said that to her before, when she’d been dancing. What did it mean that he still felt that way, not watching her dance, but watching her walk around with their son? Was she reading too much into it?

She slid her hands down his strong back and squeezed his ass in his tight Wranglers, pulling him closer into the cradle of her legs. “Me, too.”

He rose up on his arms, looking down at her as he fucked her through her jeans. Her hands fell away from his ass as she gave him control, as her whole world became the press of his body against hers.

“Thought you didn’t...dry hump...anymore,” she managed, lifting into each thrust, unwilling to give up the contact.

“Does it feel good?” He circled his hips against her.

In response, she only moaned.

He chuckled, hushing her at the same time, and bent his head to close his teeth over her nipple. The sensation shot straight to her pussy, and she almost came.

“Naked, Liam, please!”

Suddenly, he was gone, his weight no longer on top of her. His short nails scraped against her skin as he dragged her jeans down, her panties with them, tugging off her boots. Before she could reach for him, he parted her legs and lowered his mouth to her pussy.

Just the pressure of his lips against her clit was enough to make her come. He tightened his fingers on her ass to hold her still as he licked and stroked. Then he pulled away and reached for a condom. She was still quivering when he pushed deep inside her.

After a few strokes, he had her on the verge of another climax. She reached between their bodies and touched her clit. Both of them drew in a breath at that. He rose on his knees and dragged her up his thighs, spreading her so he could watch her touch herself as he fucked her. The new angle was exquisite, his cock rubbing just so inside her, making her clit swell beneath her fingers. That, and the way he was looking at her.

She locked her feet around his back and came, hard. He pumped into her, his thrusts strong and even, carrying her pleasure out before following her.

He collapsed on the mattress beside her and tucked her against him, nuzzling his face in her hair.

“Glad you brought me home,” he murmured.

She lay awake a long time, wondering what he meant by those words.

***

The squall of his car alarm woke Liam from a dead sleep. A moment passed before he remembered he was in Grace’s bed. He dragged himself from beneath the covers, yanked on his jeans and padded into the living room. He quickly checked to see that Noah was still sleeping before he crossed to the front door. Behind him, the other bedroom door opened and he turned to see a dark-haired young woman emerge, presumably the roommate.

“My alarm,” he explained, and slipped out the front door, hoping he could get back in.

Once he reached the landing, he heard footsteps pounding on the pavement. Shit. Barefoot himself, he ran down the stairs and turned the corner, but whoever it had been was long gone, and his truck sat in a pool of broken glass.

“Shit.” The asphalt bit into his soles and he stopped short just as he reached the edge of the shattered glass. His alarm still reverberated off the brick exterior of the apartment buildings, so he dug into his pocket and clicked the button on his keyring to silence it, before he vaulted into the bed. He peered into the back windshield to see the damage.

Jesus. The steering column was broken open, wires were hanging out, glass was all over the driver’s seat. What the hell had they thought would happen? That they’d get away with a new truck? They couldn’t steal the stereo, and he’d taken his phone upstairs for this very reason. Idiots.

“Here.”

He pivoted to see the dark-haired roommate holding his phone up to him.

“Grace thought you’d want to call the cops.”

He’d kind of thought they’d show up on their own, but he took the phone anyway and dialed, then looked up at the apartment to see Grace leaning over the rail, wearing his shirt.

“She didn’t want to leave Noah.”

He nodded and turned his attention to the dispatcher on the phone.

The air had a little bite to it as he sat in the bed of his truck and waited for the patrol car. The roommate and Grace had retreated into the apartment. About fifteen minutes passed before Grace came downstairs, dressed and carrying his shirt and boots. He dusted the bottoms of his feet off with his socks before pulling them on, then his boots, then his shirt.

“How long does it usually take the cops to get here?” he growled.

“I’ve never had to call them.”

Because no one in his right mind would want her piece-of-shit car.

“Is it bad?” She walked around to the driver’s side and winced at the damage.

Now that he had shoes on, he could join her. He opened the door, careful in case he smudge fingerprints, and placed his key in the ignition. Nothing. No response. He swore and pulled out his phone again to place a call to the insurance company. Once the cops came, he was going to have to get it towed. God knew how long until it was fixed.

“I’m so so sorry,” Grace said.

He didn’t want to take his temper and frustration out on her, but if she didn’t live in such a shitty complex... He snapped his mouth shut.

“You can go back inside. No sense both of us being cold.” He slid out of the truck and slammed the door shut, harder than necessary, and more safety glass rained onto the pavement.

Grace winced.

“Are you hurt?” he asked sharply.

“I’m fine.” She hefted herself on the tailgate and he circled around to sit beside her. “Did they get anything?”

“I don’t keep anything in there. I don’t like you staying here.”

“Liam, I’m sorry this happened, but we’re fine.”

“Tomorrow we’re going to look for another place for you.”

“No. No, we’re not. I can’t leave Teresa. And I can’t afford better.”

“You can if I help pay for it.”

“We aren’t—I’m not ready for you to do that.”

“Why not? He’s my kid, right? I want him safe.”

Her head about snapped off her neck as she whipped around to glare at him. “Of course he is. Do you think I’d lie about something like that?”

“My point,” he said slowly, aware he was being testy, “is that I want better for him. I don’t want him to live in a place where this happens.”