Tycoon's Tryst (Culpepper Cowboys Book 10) (7 page)

“I…” Rachel’s jaw hung open and she shook her head at the craziness of the ceremony, the insanity of the marriage itself, and the inexplicable fact that she’d never felt more confident or happier about something in her entire life. She glanced to Sly, unable to contain her smile. “I do.”

“Then by the power invested in me by God and the State of Wyoming, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your underwear-wearing bride.”

The congregation erupted into applause, and Brother Anthony took a bow. As he collected his accolades, Sly let go of Rachel’s hand and slid his arm around her waist. Rachel handed her bouquet off to Elvie, then turned to stand fully in Sly’s embrace. And saints above, it felt good! His arms were strong and thick, and they gave her the tickling feeling that he would hold her up, not just physically, but in everything she did. It made no sense to feel that way, but she couldn’t help it.

And then he brought his mouth slanting down over hers. Mount Vesuvius hadn’t erupted with so much passion. She sank into him, indulging in just how good of a kisser he was. His lips caressed hers, his tongue teased her and made her feel like a million dollars at the same time. She sighed and gave in to him more and more…until she realized they were being watched by dozens of people. Then she gasped and straightened.

“Don’t worry,” Sly whispered to her as he turned to wave at the people who had come to watch the wedding. “There’s much more where that came from.”

* * *

H
e had
one chance to get this right. Sure, everyone in the modern world would probably just assume that because he was a man of a certain age and not a complete troll looks-wise that he’d be all over every girl that caught his eye. The truth was that Sly was secretly proud that his “number” was so low. Sure, it wasn’t zero, he knew his way around, but he’d never behaved like a sex-entitled hound dog a day in his life.

Which was why, when he knocked on the door to his own bedroom, wearing nothing but a terry robe, his heart was racing and his palms were a little sweaty.

“Come in.” Rachel’s voice was low and, yes, a little anxious.

Sly grabbed the doorknob, swallowed, took a deep breath, and reminded himself that if his hunch was right, his new wife needed all the loving she could get. And it was now his job to give it to her.

He always did a top-notch job.

Putting on a smile, he opened the door. “Hey.”

His heart dropped to his toes—okay, not quite as far as his toes—at the sight of her. Rachel sat on top of the bed, reading. She had on a silky, light-blue robe, her hair was down and wet from being washed, and she wore reading glasses. It was the glasses that sent him over the edge.

“Wow.” He couldn’t take his eyes off her as he stepped over to the bed. Should he get right in and down to business? Should he make casual conversation first? Would she mind that he was staring at her? Good night, she had great breasts!

Rachel closed the novel she was reading, took off her glasses, and put both on the bedside table before he could pick his jaw up off the floor. “I was reading.”

Sly blinked, coming back to his senses. She was nervous. He could tell not only from her quick blurt, but from the way she crossed her legs and arms as she stared at him with wide deer-eyes. Instantly, his protective instinct took over.

He sat on his side of the bed, inching closer to her. “That was some wedding reception my brothers, Elvie, and Doc’s wife, Nancy, threw, huh?”

She stared at him for a second before laughing tightly. “Yeah. I’m surprised they could pull something together like that on such short notice.”

“Folks are good about short-notice parties around here.” He edged a little closer, still careful not to touch her. “It was mostly just supper, but everyone was in such a good mood.”

“They don’t know me,” Rachel whispered, lowering her eyes.

Sly’s heart knotted in his chest. He scooted close enough to slip a hand under her chin and bring her face up to look at him. “Not yet, but they will. Either way, I’m pretty sure they’ve already accepted you as one of the gang.”

A flicker of a genuine smile passed over Rachel’s face. It was replaced by sadness and irritation too soon. “Bev didn’t show up.”

Sly had a thing or two to say about that and a neck or two to wring, but instead he asked, “Does it bother you? Really?”

Rachel’s eyes lost focus for a second. “I don’t know. She’s the only family I have, but…”

“No distant cousins hiding in the closet?”

She shook her head. “Mom was an only child. Dad had a brother who died of an overdose in college in the 70s.”

If his heart twisted and bled any more, he would never be able to get the mood back, and right now, the mood was what they needed.

“Well, you’ve got loads of family now.” He grinned, scooted even closer so that their thighs were touching, and went on with, “Do you want children?”

Her startled blink hinted that he’d at least pushed her out of her gloomy mood. “I…I’ve never thought about it.” Her eyes lost focus again, and a wistful smile came to her face. “Yeah, I think it would be nice to have kids. Not that I’m demanding them right now.” Just like that, she switched to anxious and apologetic.

“Don’t worry about it.” He did his best to be casual. “We’ve got years ahead of us.”

She arched a brow at him. “Do we? Really?”

He laughed and slipped an arm around her shoulders. “Absolutely. I take marriage seriously.”

“But I married you for money so I can save my company,” she all but whispered.

“And I married you so that I could help you, not only to save your company, but to feel loved and protected.”

She stared at him in disbelief.

“What?” He shrugged. “Can’t a guy fall in love at first sight and want to do everything in his power to support his wife?”

“I…I guess so?”

She was getting more nervous, not less. He hugged her sideways, waiting until she let herself go and sagged against him to say, “You’re not used to people caring for you, are you?”

“Nope.”

At least she answered honestly.

“Well, how about you let me do that tonight.”

“What, care for me?” She glanced up at him, and he could tell she was working hard to let her inhibitions go.

“Yes.” He grinned at her and bent his head to kiss her lightly. “After all, we’re married. It’s our wedding night. I know some pretty interesting ways to relax and feel good.”

Her answering blush sent blood to all the right places.

“You’re sure you feel okay about that?” She fiddled with the sash of his robe. It was a great sign.

“About what? Making love to my wife on our wedding night?”

Her blush deepened. “Yeah?”

He chuckled, which caused some awesome friction between them. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

She bit her lip. Little Rambo was millimeters away from breaking out through the front of his robe. “I don’t want to take advantage of you.”

He jerked his head back. “Take advantage of me?”

“Well.” More blushing. “Because.” She tugged at his robe. “The thing is.” Her fingers inched up to his abdomen. “I’m not like Bev or my Dad at all, not even a little bit.” Her eyes flickered up to meet his bashfully. “But I’ve been around the block…once…and it’s a really good way to relieve tension…”

“Say no more,” he growled.

And he meant it. She’d already tugged the sash of his robe loose, so all it took was a shimmy, and he tossed the thing aside entirely. And thank heavens above, her eyes went wide as she looked at him in all the glory God gave him.

“Wow,” she whispered, eyes drinking him in.

He wasn’t going to leave it there. Deftly, he tugged her down the bed a little and balanced himself over top of her. Her eyes continued to zip down to Little Rambo, which made him chuckle even more. Balancing on his knees, he undid her robe, only a little disappointed to find a silky nightgown underneath. It wasn’t so disappointing to run his hands over the soft fabric and her curves beneath, especially when she shuddered and sighed. He wasn’t going to be able to outlast too much of that, so as quickly as he could, he tugged the nightgown up over her head and tossed that and her robe to the floor.

“Wow,” he repeated her assessment. She really was amazingly beautiful, naked or clothed. The sight of her curves, her breasts with their pink, pert nipples, the plane of her stomach, and the curls between her legs was more than his poor thoughts could take.

He lowered himself until their bodies were pressed together, then kissed her like he meant it. She took about half a second to get into it, then kissed him back with abandon. That only made his body—and more importantly, his heart—sing. He couldn’t get enough of her, of the pleasured sounds she made as their lips and mouths explored and as his non-balance hand slipped across her side and up to her breast.

His legs were still on the outside of hers, preventing her from opening to him. That turned out to be amazing in itself as she writhed and arched and whimpered to break free.

“Not yet,” he whispered, then kissed his way down her jaw and neck, and across her collar to her breasts.

He spent a good, long time kissing and suckling and teasing her with his lips and tongue, all the while keeping track of how relaxed she was. Apparently, she really liked him playing with her breasts. First she just wriggled and moaned, but then she threaded her fingers in his hair to encourage him. He didn’t need much encouragement. She tasted like heaven. He could make love to her all day.

When he broke away from her breasts to continue down across her stomach, she cried out in earnest and struggled to free her legs from his restricting position over her.

“I can’t,” she panted. “I can’t hold out. I’m about to burst.”

He loved everything about that, from the desire in her voice to her shortness of breath to the fact that he was able to rocket her so close to the edge without breaking out the big guns.

“Go ahead,” he whispered, stretching himself above her and rubbing his erection against the juncture of her hips. “You’re free to come whenever you want to.”

She writhed and shook her head, digging her nails into his back. “I want you inside of me when I do. It feels so good that way.”

He thought about telling her no and proving her wrong, but in the end, he was so close to losing it himself that it would have been silly to deny her. He kissed her neck and nodded against the side of her head, then lifted and moved his legs so that she could open hers.

There were so many things he wanted to do and touch and explore as he repositioned himself against her inner sanctum that it took a colossal effort of will not to go back on his promise and touch her, stroke her until she came. The sounds she was making were the most sensual he’d ever heard. There was no sense in losing his mind by denying either of them. Besides, they’d have a lifetime to tease and torment and explore each other.

Because it was what she wanted, he positioned himself right where he needed to be, then pushed inside of her. His brain shattered as her hot, wet sheath surrounded him and squeezed him. She sighed in victory, closing her arms and legs around him. He groaned with the exquisite pleasure of it all and began a steady rhythm of thrusts that sent spears of friction and amazement through him. He wanted to move harder and faster, and when every sound she made and every clue her body gave him told him she wanted that too, he let himself go.

A few minutes later, they both came apart with cries of pleasure. Something sacred filled Sly’s soul as he poured himself into her, his wife. He would never give himself to another woman again as long as he lived. He was hers now, utterly and completely, and he would spend his life proving that to her.

“
T
his wasn’t a good idea
,” Rachel whispered, soda in one hand, cell phone in the other, as she sat at the bar in the Culpepper Watering Hole. “Not such a good idea at all.”

She glanced up from the report she’d been skimming on her phone and looked out over the dancing, celebrating crowd for Sly. He was laughing and smiling, looking like the world was his oyster as he participated in a line dance with the rest of his friends. She smiled, unable to help herself. He was seriously hot, her husband. He could look sophisticated and gorgeous, even with that goofy western shirt he’d insisted on wearing to this party, while kicking up his heels in a dance. He’d looked equally as sizzling all through the night last night too.

A stab of guilt hit Rachel in the gut. She didn’t care what he insisted, she’d taken advantage of him last night. In so many ways. Forget dutiful wife sex, she’d gone for broke and had lava-hot, forget-all-your-problems, relaxation sex. And in the morning he’d added her name to his bank account, giving her access to a stunning amount of zeroes.

“This was a bad, bad idea,” she whispered, waving at Sly when he tipped his cowboy hat to her as part of the dance.

“I’ve seen some people come in here with morning-after blues,” the bartender and owner, Austin, startled her as he leaned across the bar to her. “But never about marriage.”

Rachel’s guilt struck deeper. “It’s not that.” She had to stop herself and wince. “Okay, maybe I’m feeling a little anxious about getting married so fast.”

“Why?” Austin shrugged. “Sly’s a great guy, and you should have heard the way he was talking about you when you went to the ladies’ room with his sister.”

“Really?” A tiny sprig of hope sprouted in her chest.

“Yeah. He’s crazy about you. And I can tell by the way you’re watching his ridiculous dancing that you’re crazy about him.”

In spite of herself, Rachel laughed. “Well, you’re half right.” She was definitely crazy.

“So why the long face?” Austin asked on.

Because she felt like she was taking his money? Because she definitely felt like she’d used his body? Because she didn’t want to go back and undo anything that she’d done?

Her tumultuous thoughts were given a break when an older couple walked into the bar. They were greeted with waves and well-wishes, but it was like all of the molecules in the bar stopped moving and started spinning in the other direction. Every eye in the place was on them, and everyone was all smiles.

“Who are they?” Rachel asked, overjoyed to have something else to think about.

Austin grinned and waved to the couple. “That’s Linda Culpepper and Roy the Electrician.”

Rachel turned back to study the couple only to find Sly breaking out of the line dance and crossing to them. He said a few words, then started to usher the cute, older couple over to the bar.

“They used to date way, way back when they were barely more than kids,” Austin went on. “They each went their separate ways after that, but the whole town is tickled that they’re apparently back together. They’ll deny it if you ask them whether—hey, Roy! Linda!” Austin stood straighter as they came within earshot.

“Austin,” Roy nodded.

“Here she is.” Sly grinned from ear-to-ear and extended a hand to Rachel. “My beautiful wife.”

Rachel blushed and stood from her bar stool, setting her phone down. Did Sly really think she was beautiful? Not just when she was naked and under him in bed?

“Everyone in town is talking about you,” Linda said, taking Rachel’s hand with both of hers. “And I can see why. You won yourself a pretty one, Sly.”

“She’s so much more than just a pretty face though, Linda. Rachel is a genius and a fantastic business owner,” Sly gushed.

Rachel blushed harder. “I don’t know if I’d go that far.”

Apparently Sly would. He shifted so that he could loop an arm around her waist. “I would. I’m lucky I snatched her up when I could. And to think, I was going to sue her instead.” He laughed.

Rachel tried to laugh. Yep, this was a terrible, terrible idea, and everyone in town would think that she had somehow manipulated Sly into marrying her just so she could save her company. The same company that most of these people probably hated already. She was in way over her head.

But Linda said, “I’ve been praying for someone worthy of our Sly to come along and make a matched set with him for years. You’re just who I imagined him being with.”

“Don’t let him get all bossy with you,” Roy added. “Sly here likes to be in charge of things, but what he really needs is someone to rein him in now and then.” He blinked at Sly to show it was all meant well.

“Which is exactly what I love about her,” Sly told him.

Heat that went far beyond just a blush washed through Rachel. Sly loved her? No, it had to be a figure of speech. No one loved her.

A scrunchy, sick feeling pooled in her stomach at the thought, but she fought to keep a smile on her face. “I hope I can meet everyone’s expectations.”

Linda and Roy, and even Austin, who was listening in, laughed at that. Sly hugged her from the side.

“Sweetheart, you already exceed my expectations.” He added a kiss on her cheek to prove his words.

Rachel felt like a liar and a thief. Particularly after reading the report her assistant back in L.A. had just sent to her. “I’ll do my best,” she told Linda and Roy. Then she turned to Sly and whispered, “We need to talk.”

Sly’s giddy little boy expression faltered. “Why? Is something wrong?”

“Yes and no.” She leaned closer to him as Linda and Roy were flagged over to join another group consisting of Linda’s sons and their wives, half of whom were round and pregnant. Sly continued to hold onto her, and Rachel tried not to enjoy it too much. “My assistant just sent me some figures.”

“Go on.” Sly gave all his attention to her, which kind of just made Rachel feel worse.

“I…I might be able to make a profit this quarter after all.” She lowered her voice, even though the bar was noisy.

“That’s great news.” Sly kissed her again, on the lips this time.

Rachel was far too tempted to lose herself in his arms. He felt so good as she slid her arms around his waist. If she was a much greedier person, she could stay there for life, but she had to be more honest than that.

“Yeah, maybe.” She forced herself to stay on topic. “But if I can make a profit, then I meet Dad’s contingencies for the will. And if I do that…” She swallowed, unable to meet his eyes.

“What?” Sly stroked a hand across her face.

It felt so good, so tempting, but she made herself look him in the eyes and say, “If I meet the terms of Dad’s will, then I married you under false pretenses.”

Sly shocked her by laughing out loud. He cupped her face with both hands. “Forget about the silly business deal. Marrying you was my idea, and in the last twenty-four hours I’ve become convinced it was the best idea I’ve ever had. And I’ve had some awesome ideas,” he added with a wink.

With her whole heart, Rachel wanted to believe him. But people didn’t just do nice things like marrying her and rocking her world in bed. “Are you sure?” she went on. “Because it’s not too late for you to change your mind and get rid of me.”

Sly blinked at her, still standing close and holding her face. He rubbed his thumb over her cheek. “It’s way, way too late for me to change my mind about anything. Last night proved it. I am blissfully happy with you right where you are, in my arms.”

Rachel’s breath caught in her throat. She had no experience with this, no experience with these feelings at all. Was she even mentally capable of opening her heart to love someone? Could she begin to wrap her brain around someone loving her?

“Besides,” Sly went on before she could put any of those questions into words. “Even if you fulfill the terms of your Dad’s will, you’re still going to have to deal with Bev. And maybe making a profit isn’t the same thing as actually wrestling the company from her. We still need to buy her out and—”

“Where’s my sister?” Bev’s shrill shout from the bar’s door brought everything to a screeching halt. All conversations stopped, and the CD player that was blasting country music skipped. Bev stood in the doorway wearing a skin-tight mini-dress that was cut so high it left nothing to the imagination and so low it might as well have not been there. Her grapefruit boobs were so close to popping out of her top that Faith Culpepper reached over and covered her husband’s eyes. Hans stood behind Bev with his arms crossed, like a bodyguard.

Rachel met Sly’s eyes for a moment, then broke away from him and marched quickly across the room. The patrons, Sly’s friends, made a show of going back to what they’d been doing, but Rachel could feel everyone’s attention on her.

“What are you doing here?” she hissed once she reached Bev.

“Don’t you go shushing me.” Bev’s voice was as loud as ever. “You cheated”

Rachel wasn’t sure if she should feel like she’d been caught with her hand in the cookie jar or irate for Bev’s behavior. “What are you talking about?”

Bev held up her phone, showing Rachel an email on the screen. She didn’t keep it up long enough for Rachel to read any of it. “Dickie says you made an offer to buy out my part of Korpanty Enterprises this morning.”

“Yes, we did.” Sly strode up behind Rachel, standing just as authoritatively behind her as Hans stood behind Bev, although with less looking down her top.

“Well, you can’t do that,” Bev snarled at him. “It’s cheating. Rachel can only buy out my part of the company with her own money.”

“It
is
her own money.” Sly shrugged.

“No it’s not, it’s your money,” Bev snapped.

“What’s mine is Rachel’s,” Sly continued with a smile. “Or didn’t you hear that we got married yesterday?”

Bev sniffed and turned up her nose. “I thought you were joking.” She pouted her puffy lips at Rachel. “No one would ever be stupid enough to marry you. You’re ugly and uptight and flat-chested.”

Rachel glanced down at her C girls and frowned.

“My wife is gorgeous and intelligent and tougher than any woman I’ve ever met,” Sly defended her.

Those weird, wonderful, squishy feelings that she had no idea what to do with flared inside her. How come no one told her having someone care about her could feel so…squiggly?

“I’m well within the terms of Dad’s will,” she said, sticking to what she knew. “I have the funds to buy your shares of Korpanty Enterprises, so I’m going to buy them.”

“No you’re not.” Bev crossed her arms, sending her boobs bulging into dangerous territory.

“I’ve had my lawyers check the will,” Sly said. “She can.”

“Only if I agree to sell.” Bev’s grin was downright wicked. “I don’t agree.”

A rush of despair took Rachel’s breath away. “But you were going to sell the company to someone else. You don’t even care about it. You don’t want to work.”

“So?” Bev shrugged one shoulder. “I don’t want you to have it. I’m not selling.”

“But—” Rachel couldn’t think of anything else to say. Life had been like this as long as she could remember. Why should it change now?

“What kind of a heartless, cruel, contemptible sister refuses to sell something she doesn’t even want to the closest family member she’s got?” Sly grilled her, stepping closer to glower at her.

“Back off,” Hans warned him, sticking out an arm as thick as a tree-trunk to keep Sly at bay.

Sly glared at him.

Bev laughed. “I’m that kind of person. I don’t like her. I never have. Why should she get what she wants when I never get what I want.”

“But you…you always…I can’t…” Rachel stuttered, too overwhelmed to form an entire life’s worth of indignation into one sentence.

Sly looked as though he might risk Hans’s wrath to give Bev a piece of his mind.

At least, until his expression suddenly lit with cunning.

“What’ll it take?” he asked.

“Huh?” Bev gaped at him, looking like a flailing puffer fish.

“Not money, but how about a contest?”

“Contest?” Bev still wasn’t getting it.

Neither was Rachel, if she was being honest. She sent Sly a questioning look.

He met her eyes and wiggled his eyebrows, letting her know he was on to something. “A contest. For the company. You win, you keep the whole thing. Rachel wins, she keeps it. All of it. You sign over your portion without her paying you a cent.”

“Sly,” Rachel whispered in alarm.

Bev eyed Rachel, probably sensing her panic, and turned an interested look on Sly. “What kind of contest?”

Sly shrugged. “Any kind. You name it.”

“No.” Rachel grabbed his arm to try to stop the madness.

Bev definitely picked up on that. “Whatever contest I want?” She tapped her ridiculously large lips.

“This is too dangerous, Sly. We can’t do it,” Rachel insisted.

“Don’t worry, sweetheart.” He took her hand to reassure her and told Bev, “Anything at all that you want.”

Rachel could see her entire life crumbling before her eyes.

Which was probably why Bev said, “You’re on.”

Rachel’s heart stopped, and her brow shot up. “You’ll do it?”

“Yep. Contests are fun. Winner take all.” She grinned at Sly and held out her hand. “It’s a deal.”

Sly shook Bev’s hand, letting go quickly. “What contest will it be, then? Chess? Cards? Horse race?”

Bev shook her head. She glanced over her shoulder at Hans, eyes dropping to his thick arms. Then she turned back to Sly with a vicious light in her eyes and said, “Tug-of-war.”

“What?” Rachel gasped.

“Your team versus my team,” Bev went on. “Let’s say, ten guys?”

Suddenly, it all made sense to Rachel. This was Bev they were talking about. She’d probably specify that the men had to compete naked. She probably just wanted to see twenty naked, sweaty guys straining as they pulled on some dumb rope.

Rachel peeked at Sly. Actually, she wouldn’t mind seeing one man naked and sweaty with ropes involved.

No, no, no. That was not where her thoughts needed to go. Not when Sly was putting everything on the line for her. Not when Bev had that look in her eye. … THAT look.

“Wait.” Rachel spoke up. Both Sly and Bev turned to her, Sly questioning, Bev peeved. Rachel didn’t let that deter her. “We need a condition here.”