With This Ring (Denim & Spurs Book 1) (9 page)

“Lying to your father is still wrong. You’ve never kept secrets from me before, why do so now?”

Guilt twisted her gut. She hated keeping anything from him. Determined not to say anything she shook her head. “Nothing important enough to worry about, Daddy.”

He didn’t believe her from the look on his face. She knew and knew he knew she knew he didn’t. Thankfully, he let it go. She dug in hungrily when their food was delivered. The thick gravy made her taste buds weep in relief. Oh how she’d missed this.

“Jack called yesterday,” her father said. “Would like you to call him back.”

She ate a bit of mashed potatoes. “Didn’t say what it was about, did he?”

“No, ma’am.”

Finn almost reached for her phone then and there only to stop as her childhood flashed. Mealtime was family time. No television, papers, books. Family only. Talking.

“I’ll call him on the way…” She trailed off.

Coming in through the door, she saw none other than the man she had struggled to let go of this past week. Lord, had she tried. And failed. Royally. Dustin Kane moved as if he were a jungle cat who’d become human. Danger, athleticism, and beauty all rolled into one. He was clad with blue and black today as he entered as if he owned the place, Connor on his heels. Their eyes locked, and her core temperature skyrocketed. She fought not to squirm in her seat.

“On the way where, Finn?”

Tearing her hungry gaze from Dustin, she focused on her father and the food on her plate. “Home, Daddy. On the way home.”

Her father glanced between the two of them before grunting and attacking his food. She gripped her fork and began eating again, acting as if she couldn’t feel his piercing gaze upon her back. Damn her weak and traitorous body.

Chapter Five

“You gonna go talk to her or just stare and not eat your food?”

“Stare.” Dustin never took his gaze from the woman across the diner to spare a glance for his foreman. Seven days. Correction, eight had passed since he’d seen her at her place. Until she wasn’t around, he never realized the importance of him seeing her daily and how it affected his overall happiness. Now, days dragged and he had gotten grouchier than ever.

“’Cause that’s not freaky or anything.” Connor’s sarcasm wasn’t lost on him.

“Here y’all go.” Marley refilled their drinks. “You need anything else, holler.”

“Eat, Dustin.”

Obediently, he grabbed a fork and had a bite of his baked potato. “Happy?” he asked after swallowing.

“You know you’re gonna create more gossip if you keep that up.”

Dustin didn’t respond for it took everything he had not to fly from his seat and punch Brad Thornen. For the way Brad dared to touch Samantha with such familiarity and kiss her cheek, after he’d entered and seen her there. The smile she gave Brad choked the air from Dustin’s throat.

It didn’t get better when she and her father rose to leave, and Brad walked out with them. She never looked at Dustin, and that was the worst of all. Brad returned and waved before striding toward them.

“Afternoon.” Brad drew out a chair and sat. “What’s up with y’all?”

Connor talked while Dustin stared at his friend. Handsome enough if he cared to think about it. Another rancher on a smaller spread. One who had no problems going from woman to woman. He was a playboy and didn’t mind being known as such.

“Dustin? What about it?” Brad asked.

“What about what?” Dustin made no apology for losing track of the conversation.

Brad eyed him but withheld comment. “Party this weekend. My place.”

“Sure.”

“Awesome. See y’all then. I best get on my way before they wonder where their food is.”

Dustin didn’t care at all about “they” or their food. Something—or rather someone—else concerned him. “Samantha going?”

Brad had been rising but sat back at the question. His green eyes narrowed slightly. “Finn? I heard the two of you went out on a date. What was that about?”

“None of your damn business. Is she going to your party?”

Brad straightened the condiments. “Finn is my friend, Dustin. Be careful.” The warning in his statement was blatant. “No, she’s not going. I didn’t ask because I know her. It’s not her thing.” He stood. “Don’t hurt her.” Brad walked off.

“Hurt her? How can I do that when she ignores me all the time?”

“When did you get it so bad for Finn, Dustin?” Connor asked.

Dustin leaned on the table, stared at his friend, and sighed. “Since she walked out of the night and tripped in front of me. She was my pixie.”

Dustin cleared his throat at the arched brow Connor leveled at him. Had he actually admitted that out loud? From the expression on his friend’s face, he had. He licked his lips and opened his mouth only to shut it again. With a shake of his head, he turned his focus to his steak and ate it. Thankfully, Connor didn’t press the issue and allowed him to eat in relative peace. Relative because his pants still threatened to strangle him how they dug into his erection.

After they finished, Dustin paid and they headed to his truck. A few steps from it and a deep voice called his name.

“Dustin Kane.”

As one, he and Connor turned. A tall cowboy strolled across the parking lot, hat low over his eyes and moving with the rolling gait of a man who spent most of his time in a saddle. The man stopped before him, thumbed back his hat, and Dustin found himself staring into some deep brown eyes. Recognition hit him.

“Judd Travers. How are you doing?”

He offered his hand and found it in a strong grip. Judd owned the Flying T, the largest spread near Branchwater. Other side of town from his but same side that the Finley ranch resided.

“Fine. You?”

“Staying busy. You know how it is.”

The man grunted. Dustin knew he didn’t talk much but compared to Judd, he was a chatterbox.

“Have a moment?”

Connor walked away, leaving them alone. “What can I do for you?” Dustin asked.

“Finn.”

His hackles rose. He didn’t like the man mentioning her name. Much less the one people who knew her called her. “What about her?”

“Were you pleased with her work as a farrier?”

Hell yes he was. However, if he said no he could keep
Samantha
away from Judd and his brooding good looks. Where this proprietary notion came from he had no clue, but it was there and he couldn’t ignore it. On the other hand, she would never forgive him if he got between her and a job.

“Yes, I was. Samantha does a great job.
You won’t be disappointed.”

Judd stared at him before nodding. “Thanks.” He walked away.

“Everything okay?” Connor asked as Dustin climbed into the truck.

“No. He wants to hire my farrier.” He forced his fists to relax.

“Your farrier?” Connor faced him, question in his eyes.

Dustin gave a brusque nod. “Mine.”

“You didn’t…nawh, you wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize her name.”

“Thought about it,” he admitted, pulling the truck onto the road.

“But didn’t.” Dustin didn’t speak. “Right, Dustin?”

“Didn’t.” Dustin refused to look at his foreman, well aware of what Connor would see.

The ride back to the Diamond J was silent aside from the music pumping through the cab. Once there, they parted ways and he strode to his office and sat at his desk. Mounds of paperwork stared at him, and he didn’t even want to begin.

“Hello?”

He jerked at the voice echoing in his ear, caught completely by surprise after having forgotten he’d even dialed or picked up the phone. Much less that he’d called Samantha Finley.

“Hello?” Her question came again with that similar cock-hardening Texas drawl that no matter how long she’d been away she couldn’t ever lose. That voice, her intoxicating, spine-tingling tone.

“Samantha.” Yeah, he sounded like a fool.

He felt as much as he heard her sigh. “What do you want, Dustin?”

Good question. What did he want? What had he called her for? Hear her voice? Ask her a question?

“Meet me.”

“Meet you?” she asked.

“Yes, come meet me.”

“To what end?” Her words and tone were cool, and he knew she was suspicious.

Not that she would be wrong. He had a visual of the end he’d prefer to share with her.

“To talk.” He could lie with the best of them.

“Right now?”

He scowled as the ugly image of her with Judd Travers flashed through his mind. “You busy?”

“Yes.”

“With what?” What was wrong with him? This proprietary anger and demanding wasn’t like him.

“Cleaning if you must know.”

He thought fast. “So you could use a break.”

“Sorry, no.”

His opportunity was slipping away as he breathed. “Meet me,” he said one more time.

“Something you need a face to face for?”

“Yes.”

She sighed again. “I’m at Clyde’s vacuuming my truck.” Click.

That was all he needed to know. His chair scraped along the floor as he shoved it back. He grabbed his hat and was out the door within minutes. Normally forty-five minutes or so to Clyde’s, Dustin made it in thirty-five as he pushed the speed limit beyond anything he’d done before.

Sure enough, he spied her truck by the vacuum and air station. The shiny silver gleamed where there wasn’t a layer of dirt—which to be honest didn’t include much of the vehicle. He parked beside her, waved to Jones the proprietor of said gas station, and walked around only to pause. No longer was the truck in the forefront of his thoughts. Not even close.

He had singular focus on the firm derrière that stuck out as its owner vacuumed. She’d not changed since he saw her earlier, at least pants wise. Those jeans cupped her in ways that made him jealous. Her cowboy boots bounced up and down, and he figured she was singing along with working. He leaned against her truck, waiting for her to realize he had arrived. Right beside her kicking legs and firm ass. He had to clench his fingers to keep from grabbing her.

Samantha kicked him as she began backing out, paused, and glanced over her shoulder. Despite how swiftly she masked it, he saw the flash of admiration—and lust—in her eyes. He didn’t release her gaze or move as she continued backing up. The motor quit on the vacuum and the silence surrounded them, heightening the existent tension.

For a moment, he wondered if she was going to bolt. She brushed by him, and that concoction of honeysuckle and jasmine teased him. His pants felt as though they’d shrunk another size.

“You wanted a face to face, you’ve got it.” Again, her tone bland and unemotional.

Didn’t matter. Her eyes continued to give him perusals, and he hid his smirk. She tilted her head and began to step to the side. He readjusted, ensuring to keep her blocked in by the door and him.

“Here we are.”

She blew out a breath, her frustration apparent. “I don’t have time for games, Dustin. What do you need?”

You.

He couldn’t push the word past his lips, it wasn’t happening. He could do something for her though. Perhaps—and most likely—for him.

Dustin backed her against the wall of the door, pressed his lower body against her, and rubbed his shaft along her jeans. She clenched her jaw, nostrils flared slightly, so he did it again. A whimper slipped free this time, and he took it as a sign.

Kissing Samantha had to be as close to heaven as a man like him would ever get. Soft lips parted beneath his gentle pressure, and her tongue met his. It was his throat that released the groan this time.

He would never get tired of kissing this woman. Her taste seeped into him, bringing with it a centering calm he hadn’t realized he’d missed until this moment. He gathered her close, pressing his palm against the small of her back, encouraging further connection between them.

Samantha resisted, her hands against his tightened abs, and held herself back slightly. He didn’t like that and used his other hand to draw her flush to him. Thrusting his tongue deeper, he took what he wanted, keeping up the pressure until she gave him what he craved. Her submission.

Once he received it, the kiss gentled until he ended it. Lips still touching, he breathed heavily.

“Is that it?”

His pride took a direct hit from that simple question.
That’s all she can say to me?
Anger sparked in her gaze, which was fine by him, as his had been pricked as well.

“Is that all?” he repeated. “No, that’s just the start.” He lifted her, the hose dropping down on the ground, and placed her on the seat before wedging himself between her legs. “There’s no denying the passion between us, Samantha. You can’t. Hell, I won’t let you.”

“Not denying it, just deciding to ignore it. Which is something I very well
can
do.”

“Why ignore it?” He grabbed her thighs, drawing her along the leather seat until she fit against him. Damn, he wanted her long legs around him without a single stitch of clothing between them.