White Collar Cowboy (7 page)

Chapter Twelve

For the second time in two weeks, it was completely dark by the time Lauren pulled up to the beach house on Galveston Island.

She checked her reflection in the rear view and cringed at her swollen, red-rimmed eyes. She’d made it half way to Houston before the tears streaming down her face had forced her to the side of the road. And that wasn’t the half of it.

After she’d cried herself exhausted, she’d gotten turned around and ended up traveling in endless circles until she’d screamed in frustration. Fucking GPS, her ass. It had GPS’d her to insanity, which was nowhere near the address she wanted.

She’d pulled over, again, and held the frayed ends of her patience while she’d navigated through the menus to find Gavin’s address.

She hadn’t even tried to find the airport. She couldn’t do it. Couldn’t go to California without knowing where she stood with Gavin. They hadn’t talked about the future, about what they meant to each other. From the way he’d looked at her, the way he’d touched her… Lauren knew he returned at least some of her feelings.

She was banking her future on it.

Their talk this morning had opened her eyes, in more ways than one. She realized he
had
tried to talk to her about losing her job. Repeatedly. But, her pride had shut down his attempts. She’d been too wrapped up in her grief and perceived failings. She hadn’t given him a chance to touch the subject for fear he’d see her as inadequate.

Which was bullshit, because she wasn’t. And Gavin had proven, time and time again, he hadn’t considered her lacking in any way.

If she wanted them to be a couple, she’d better start acting the part. Running off to California for a life-changing job interview, without so much as a word to Gavin, was not the way to do it. She’d tried to text him, only to realize mere words on a screen wouldn’t be enough. Her calls went straight to voice mail, and leaving one hadn’t seemed right either.

She loved Gavin, more than any job, more than any place. He’d given her space when it had obviously killed him to do so, and she’d repaid him by taking off.

Lauren frowned as she let herself into the darkened house. She glanced over her shoulder to make sure she hadn’t imagined his truck, and there it sat, looming over her tiny rental car.

She left her bag by the door and went further in. The slider was open, and she saw his silhouette on the deck. He stood at the railing, looking out over the Gulf.

Her heart clenched at the sadness permeating the air around him.

“Gavin?” His shoulders rose and fell in slow motion and she heard the distinct sound of ice jingling in a glass.

He raised a hand and his head leaned back. By the look of it, whatever had been in the glass was now traveling down his throat. She glanced at his other hand and saw an almost empty bottle of something dangling from his fingers. Scotch, would be her guess.

“Are you drunk?” she blurted. She wouldn’t blame him, since she could use a drink herself, but that probably wasn’t the greatest way to start a conversation. Right up there with
I was going to tell you
…

He made a disgruntled sound. “Hardly. Although, if the bottle hadn’t been all but empty to start with, I might’ve considered it.” He set the glass and bottle on the rail and turned toward her. “Funny what runs through a man’s mind when he comes home to an empty house. Especially when he’s expecting something quite different.”

He still wore the jeans and button-up she’d seen earlier, but the boots were nowhere in sight. He’d unbuttoned and untucked his shirt, and as he shoved his hands into his pockets, she couldn’t help but appreciate the ripple of muscles on display.

He didn’t look any different. A little angry, maybe. But, knowing she loved him enhanced what was already there. Her mouth went dry and she licked her lips as she met his gaze. “I’m sorry about that.”

His brows lowered. “Come here.”

Butterflies exploded in her stomach at the same time her pussy clenched tight. That didn’t seem the appropriate response to his demanding tone, but her wet panties begged to differ. She was dying to get her hands on him, to put today behind them and move forward.

“Christ, Lauren. If you keep looking at me like that, I’ll end up fucking you up against the house. Solid idea, but we’ve got some shit to get straight first.” He leaned back against the rail and crossed his arms. “I’ll go first. I love you.”

Lauren closed her eyes, savoring the words she’d hoped to hear. She hesitated all of ten seconds before she moved from the doorway and launched herself into his arms, almost knocking them both over in the process.

“Easy, sweetheart.” he whispered. “I’d rather keep our tumbles to the bedroom, if you don’t mind.” His arms supported her as she buried her nose in his neck and squeezed him tight. The stress of their earlier argument and her decision about the job offer melted away the minute his arms locked around her.

“I’m so sorry I took off. It happened so fast. I didn’t have time to think.” Lauren hadn’t realized she was dangling until he loosened his hold and she slid back to her feet.

His gaze was intense. “I’ve been standing out here, waiting for my damn phone to charge long enough so I could call you, and trying to figure out what I would say.” He cupped her cheek. “The minute I heard your voice, I had to tell you the only thing that mattered.”

She tried to wrap her arms around him, but he turned her instead, pulling her back against his chest. Her breath caught as he turned them around, trapping her between the rail and his rock-solid strength.

His hands slid over her belly and down to sneak under the hem of her shirt. “Where’d you go?” His voice was soft in her ear as he traced around her belly button.

Lauren relaxed against him, reeling with the fact he loved her. “Andrew called with a lucrative job offer. I got the impression it was a done deal. All I had to do was show up at the meeting. Andrew scheduled it for nine in the morning.”

He tensed, but his fingers kept moving. “And where is this job?”

“California.” She grabbed his hands before he could pull away. She laced her fingers with his and held him in place. She craned her neck to look at his scowling face. “I’m not going, Gavin, because I love you, too. I realize you can’t leave Texas. You came here for a reason I trust you’ll share, and I know you wouldn’t have made that decision lightly.”

His lips thinned. “I’m here to help with the ranch. My dad wants to retire. My brothers are great with cattle, not so great with paperwork.”

Lauren didn’t buy for a second Gavin had come here to push papers. “Gonna be a white-collar cowboy, huh?”

His grin was full of mischief. “I’ve got some ideas, but if my brothers have their way, I’ll spend my fair share of time mucking around in the mud.”

“It’s settled then. I’ll call Andrew and have him confine his search to within a reasonable distance.”

She could stand a commute, but she didn’t want to be so far away that they’d only have weekends to see each other.

“I have a better idea. Call Andrew and tell him you won’t be needing his services any longer. Come work with me at the ranch.”

He flexed his hand and she took the hint to ease her grip. His fingers fluttered down her stomach and flipped open the button of her shorts.

Her breath caught. “You’re offering me a job? I don’t know the first thing about cattle.”

“You’re a quick study.” He licked the sensitive spot behind her ear, then trailed hot kisses down her neck. “Besides, I’m prepared to offer you a helluva benefits package.” He lowered her zipper and slipped his hand inside her panties. He growled deep in his chest as his fingers slid along her folds. “Fuck, Lauren. How am I supposed to think when you’re so wet?”

She opened her mouth to tell him not to think and his mouth was there, insistent and hot. He jerked his hand from her panties, his lips left hers long enough to turn her so he could grab her ass and lift her against him.

Locking her legs around him, Lauren peeled his shirt from his shoulders. She broke away from his kiss and trailed her lips across his jaw, delighting in the scruff that would redden her skin.

Before she realized it, her back pressed into the bed. Talk about being lost. From the moment Gavin had kissed her, all she’d been aware of was him.

“Almost didn’t make it to the bed. Jesus, Lauren, one touch and I’m crazy to get inside you. Get those clothes off, baby doll.”

She laughed, breathless, as he stepped away to strip off his jeans. She pulled her shirt over her head and quickly got rid of her bra. She’d just begun to shimmy out of her shorts and panties when he was back to help her finish the job.

Before he could stop her, she sank to her knees and wrapped her hand around his thick length. She wanted to taste him, feel the strength in his thighs as he pumped into her mouth.

“Jesus, you’re so beautiful.” His hand joined hers, guiding her as she stroked him. She leaned in and swiped her tongue over the red, swollen head of his erection.

Gavin tightened his grip. “Open up, sweetheart. I want to see those pretty lips wrapped around my cock.”

Moisture seeped from her body as she teased her tongue over him, flicking the sensitive skin below the head before sucking him in. She braced a hand against his leg, her other hand trapped under his around his shaft.

He cursed and fisted his fingers in her hair. He showed her the pace he wanted, with his hands and the thrusts of his hips.

“Goddamn, I don’t want to stop. Your mouth is pure heaven,” he panted.

Lauren tightened her grip as she sucked him deep, taking him as far into her throat as she could. She didn’t want him to stop. Giving him pleasure was an addiction. She’d get one throaty groan and need another and another, until she was drunk with the satisfaction she’d given him that. Only her.

She could get herself off while he fed her his pleasure. She was close. Probably closer than he was. She reached between her legs and Gavin’s fingers tightened in her hair. “No,” he ground out. “Stop.” His face scrunched up as if it were painful to pull from her lips.

“What are you doing?” she asked as he pulled her to her feet.

He spun her toward the bed. “Claiming what’s mine. Bend over.”

Lauren’s pulse pounded in her ears as he reached for the condom he’d tossed on the bed.

Claiming what was his? Yes. God, yes. She leaned over, and Gavin stepped between her spread thighs.

“I love you.” He entered her with one, hard thrust.

She screamed in pleasure as he stretched her, filled her body and her heart. She’d never get enough of this, of him.

“I love you,” she breathed.

He didn’t start slow, didn’t wait for her to adjust—and she didn’t care. Filled with the same primal need that seemed to be driving him, she wanted him to take her. Hard. Fast. Greedy.

She pushed back to meet his thrusts and perspiration began to build on her skin, the heat from his cock melting her from the inside out.

“Gavin,” she pleaded and dug her nails into the bed.

He slowed only enough to reach around and press a finger to her clit. “Say you’re mine,” he demanded and thrummed against the sensitive bundle of nerves.

“Yours!” she cried and her body erupted.

A groan tore from Gavin’s throat as her inner muscles convulsed around him, drawing him deeper into her body with every pulse of her orgasm.

Her name burst from his lips and she knew the power of his release. Knew she’d never be alone again.

Knew she was loved.

* * *

Gavin watched Lauren get dressed and felt the final piece of his life click into place. W
hatever came next, he had no doubt they’d handle it together. “I was serious about that job.” He didn’t bother with his shirt and rooted around until he found a clean pair of shorts to put on.

The look she shot him said she believed he was patronizing her. “I’m sure Andrew can come up with something.”

Gavin hid his grin. “No doubt, but
I
need you. Remember the Nelson ranch?”

“You mean the one that almost got Tom killed for mentioning?”

Gavin cringed at the reminder. “That’s the one. I want to buy it, and Tom has been taking a look at the financials for me. Nelson ran a successful outfit, and it could mean huge returns for Shadow Maverick Ranch if we move quickly.”

“Why the urgency?”

“He left the ranch to his niece, his only living relative apparently. She’s young and inexperienced. If we wait too long, there might not be anything left to buy. We’ll meet with my family this weekend and hash out what we are willing to do. It’ll be a heavy load for my brothers to handle until we get the right people, people we choose, in place.”

Ah, there was the smile he knew. He had her.

“You talk as though it’s a done deal. It sounds to me it’s anything but.”

He took her hand and led her to the kitchen. “See why I need your help? You keep me grounded.”

She hopped up onto the counter while he rummaged through the fridge for something quick to eat. “I don’t know about that, but I can see there’d be certain benefits to working together.”

Gavin grabbed a bowl of grapes and stuff to make sandwiches. He set everything beside her on the counter. “Were you just checkin’ out my ass?”

She popped a grape in her mouth and grinned. He poked at her ribs and she cried out with laughter. “I was! I was!”

He shoved her knees apart and took the kiss he’d never tire of. She responded immediately, wrapping her legs around him and using her feet to pull him closer.

They’d worked together for twelve years, but he felt as if he’d waited his whole life for her. She’d been worth every fucking minute.

He eased out of the kiss. Her happy smile sucker-punched him. It humbled him, stole his breath. “You know, I always thought my heart lived here. With my family, with Shadow Maverick Ranch.”

She rested a hand against his chest. “It doesn’t? You aren’t happy that you came home?”

He ducked his chin to look at her, wanting her to understand the depth of what he was about to say.

“I’ve never been happier, sweetheart. For the first time in my career, I’ll be working to ensure my family’s future. Just as my dad did, and my grandfather before him. I get to be a part of that now. For my nieces and nephews and who knows? Maybe for our own kids, one day. That’s heady stuff.”

Her cheeks flushed at the mention of kids. “See? Your heart
is
here, Gavin. It’s obvious how much being here means to you.”

“I might belong here, but my heart…” He hugged her close to his chest, loving her so much it hurt. “Lauren, my heart lives with you.”