Cowboy Untamed

Maybe she had mountains of paperwork and really did need to finish it before tomorrow. “Listen, if you don’t have time, we can take a rain check.”

“No, it’ll be okay. I’m grateful that you agreed to be part of this.”

Oh, great. Now she was joining him out of a sense of obligation. “I’m happy to do it. Please don’t feel you have to keep me company while I eat. We can talk in the morning.”

“No, let’s do it now.” She gave him a quick smile. “I’ll lock up and be over there in a jiffy.”

She clearly didn’t want him hanging around while she took care of that. “See you there, then.” He touched the brim of his hat.

Damned if that gesture didn’t light up those amazing eyes of hers. Not for long, but this time he knew he wasn’t mistaken. She was attracted to him. But for some unknown reason, she didn’t want to be.

2

ONCE GRADY LEFT, Sapphire leaned against the nearest wall and groaned. How the hell was she supposed to get through tonight, let alone all the days and nights to follow, without jumping his bones? She’d hoped at least one of the co-op members would show up, but as much as they all wanted to meet Grady, every blessed person had other things going on.

She’d have to deal with his high-octane sexiness all by herself. Her hope that he wasn’t as gorgeous as she’d remembered from their meeting three weeks ago had died the minute he’d appeared beside the barn. He possessed a lethal combo of cowboy charm, good looks and creative talent that spelled trouble in neon lights. He was her particular brand of kryptonite and she’d agreed to have dinner with him.

Refusing would have been rude, even though he’d given her a way out. He’d put his own work on hold and driven up here because she’d asked him to support the charity event. Although he was staying with Ben and Molly Radcliffe, he apparently wasn’t expected there for dinner—another piece of bad luck.

Or maybe he’d been vague about his arrival time so he’d be free to ask her to dinner. They’d sparked off each other three weeks ago and self-preservation should have stopped her from asking him to headline the event. But her love for the kitties and gratitude to the shelter had overcome her misgivings.

She had no one to blame for this mess but herself and she’d do it all again considering how many guests and potential donations he’d pull in. She’d just have to exercise restraint whenever they were alone together and make it clear that she wasn’t interested. If the little voice in her head suggested that this man would be different, she wouldn’t listen.

She had a weakness for creative men. But after four failed relationships with artistic guys, she’d finally admitted that she didn’t belong with that type no matter how much they intrigued her. Some fatal flaw always turned up and doomed what had started out as something wonderful and promising. She was through taking chances.

After locking up, she drove her purple truck over to Scruffy’s, a bar known for good food and live country music. The smell of barbecue made her mouth water as she climbed out of her pickup, tucked her keys in the pocket of her skirt and started for the door. The parking lot was full, as always, so at least they’d have plenty of chaperones.

“Hey, there.” Grady walked toward her from the other side of the lot.

“Hi.” She paused, captured by the sheer beauty of him. Ignoring that for the next few days would be impossible. The waistband of his Wranglers sat easy on his lean hips and his yoked Western shirt emphasized the breadth of his shoulders. She imagined sliding her palms up the soft material and feeling his muscles bunch beneath her hands. His wavy brown hair, worn collar length, would feel like silk between her fingers.

His smile brought her attention to his mouth. She could write an essay on the sensual contours of those sculpted lips. Men like Grady had usually perfected the fine art of kissing. His lips would be like velvet as they—

“Ready to go in?”

Great. She’d been caught ogling. She cleared her throat. “I thought you’d already be inside.”

“I waited for you.”

“Thanks.” She risked looking into his brown eyes and her heart began to pound. Even shadowed by the brim of his hat, his gaze was hot. When a man looked at her that way, he had more than dinner on his mind—but she should talk after the way she’d checked him out.

The evening was taking on a familiar pattern. First they’d share a cozy booth and enjoy a meal along with some beer, which would loosen her inhibitions. Scruffy’s casual atmosphere made it a great place for shedding inhibitions, especially on the dance floor. She could hear the music from here and it got louder every time someone went in or came out. Grady would ask her to dance to a slow tune and they’d rub against each other until they were both ready to combust.

After that she’d suggest heading to the little house she rented with her sister, who was conveniently out of town. They’d spend most of the night having amazing sex and the game would be on. She’d vowed never to take that path again with an art-making man.

Accepting his dinner invitation had been a bad idea. Yet changing the plan now would be a delicate operation. She hoped the excuse she was about to give him would do the trick. “You know, I hate to do this, but on the drive over I continued to think about all the paperwork I have waiting at home. Dinner would be lovely, but I really need to take a rain check.”

“I see.” He nudged back his hat, which allowed the light from the building to illuminate his square-jawed perfection.

“I’m really sorry, Grady. Organizing the event put me behind.” True enough, but he didn’t seem to be buying it.

He gestured toward a spot away from the entrance and out of the glare of the lights. “Let’s step over there for a minute, where it’s not so loud.”

“All right.” She followed him into the shadows.

He paused and faced her, thumbs hooked in his belt loops. Sexy stance. “Sapphire, I’m interested in you and I get the impression you’re interested in me. But if there’s another guy, just say so. These things happen.”

“There isn’t anyone.” Not for lack of trying to find a nonartist whose company she enjoyed. She’d dated an insurance adjuster, a dentist and a systems engineer. She hadn’t clicked with any of them.

“Then why not have dinner with me?” He moved a little closer as his gaze held hers and a smile brought her attention back to his tempting mouth. “You have to eat sometime.”

“I know, but...let’s be honest.” She took a deep breath. “It’s not just about dinner, is it?”

His eyebrows lifted. “You want dessert, too? I dunno, Sapphire. That might stretch my budget.” His grin faded. “No, you’re right. It’s not just about dinner, but if you don’t have a boyfriend, what’s the problem? Am I wrong that you kind of like me?”

“You’re not wrong.” God, he was potent. Being near him fried her brain cells right when she needed to be alert. “But it’d be better if we just leave it at that.”

“Why?”

“What if it didn’t work out? That could make this week very awkward.”

He smiled and drew closer still. “If that’s all you’re worried about, there’s no problem. It’ll work out.”

“You seem pretty sure of yourself.” Too bad she found that hot as hell.

“Normally, I’m not, but this time I have my reasons. We’ve had chemistry from the minute we laid eyes on each other three weeks ago. I’ve seen the way you look at me.”

Heat sluiced through her. “Sorry. I’ll stop doing that.”

“Please don’t stop on my account. I look at you the same way. Finding you at the Art Barn that day was a revelation. From what I can tell, you’ve allowed your true self to shine through and that turns me on. You make the sexiest pottery I’ve ever seen.”

She laughed because he was the first person to say it out loud. No one else had dared. “Thank you.”

“No, thank you. Holding it is quite an experience. I picture the way your hands molded each piece and I—”

“Um, right.” If she let him go on in this vein, they’d never make it back to her house. They’d end up doing it in the back of a pickup, either hers or his. She’d thought their mutual attraction would be manageable. She’d never been so wrong.

“Lady, you and I generate a lot of heat. You can head home to catch up on paperwork but that’s not going to change anything.”

“Maybe not.” She shoved her hands in her pockets and clutched her keys as a reminder that she was leaving. Just because he thought her surrender was inevitable, didn’t mean he was right. But she could feel that heat he was talking about melting her resistance. “I need to go.” She started to turn away.

“Hang on for a second.” He lightly touched her arm.

The contact sent fire through her veins. “What for?” She turned back to him and saw the intent before he spoke the words.

“A kiss.”

“No, that would be—”

“Only fair. I’ve been imagining kissing you ever since I drove away three weeks ago. If you don’t want to take it beyond that point, I’ll abide by that decision.” He smiled. “What’s one little kiss?”

A mistake. “I guess that would be okay.”

“Not a very romantic answer.” He drew her into his arms and lowered his head. “But good enough.”

The velvet caress of his mouth was every bit as spectacular as she’d imagined. If she stuck to her guns, this would never happen again, so it seemed criminal to waste a single second of kissing Grady Magee. She hugged him close as he worked his magic. She’d figured the man could kiss, but she hadn’t known the half of it. He started slow, tormenting her with gentle touches that made her ache for more.

When he finally settled in, she opened to him greedily, desperately wanting the stroke of his tongue. Kissing him was exactly what she’d been trying to avoid, but when he cupped her bottom and drew her against the hard ridge of his cock, she forgot why she’d been so reluctant.

Wouldn’t a woman have to be crazy to reject this man? Wrapped in his strong arms and teased with his hot kisses, she craved the pleasure he promised.

Taking his mouth from hers, he continued to knead her bottom with his strong fingers. “Still think we should nip this thing in the bud?”

Speaking of nipping...she wouldn’t mind some of that, too. She gulped. “You’ve paralyzed my brain.”

“Good.” His mouth hovered over hers. “Maybe you think too much.” And he delved deep again as he coaxed her to respond.

She didn’t need much coaxing. With a low moan, she slid her arms around his neck and arched against his solid body. He answered with a low growl of pleasure and locked her in tight. She’d completely lost her mind.

In no time she’d thrust her tongue into his mouth. Somehow her hands moved from around his neck down to his firm butt cheeks. When his muscles flexed, she whimpered in frustration. There was only so much that could happen in the shadow of Scruffy’s Bar and they’d reached the limit.

Breathing hard, he lifted his mouth a fraction from hers. “Okay, we’re stopping now. But this isn’t over.”

She was incapable of speech, let alone an argument on that point.

Slowly he released her and backed away. “What time are you opening up tomorrow?”

She swallowed and frantically tried to remember. It finally came to her. “Seven.”

“I’ll be there. Take care, Sapphire.” He touched the brim of his hat.

She turned and fled. If she didn’t get out of there, she was liable to hurl herself back into his arms. Tomorrow she’d be stronger.

* * *

AFTER GRADY FINISHED his sandwich and beer at Scruffy’s, he headed over to Ben and Molly’s place. Although it seemed strange to be with them instead of at Thunder Mountain Ranch, they soon made him feel right at home. He had a chance to admire Ben’s new saddle shop adjacent to the house and talk with Molly about her teaching job at Sheridan Community College and her curriculum planning for Thunder Mountain Academy. He also made friends with their golden Lab.

He found out from Ben and Molly that the charity benefiting from Sapphire’s art event was the Fabulous Felines Cat Shelter. Fortunately, he was able to discuss the event and its organizer without letting his thoughts drift to that explosive kiss. But once he bid them good-night and stretched out on their comfy guest bed, he could think of nothing else. Holding her had been even more perfect than he’d imagined.

They fit together as if designed for the passionate lovemaking she claimed they shouldn’t have. Her soft breasts, her perfectly rounded ass and her supple lips taunted him relentlessly as he lay aroused and sweaty in the Radcliffes’ guest room.

Maybe she really believed that getting involved would compromise their working relationship this week, but he hoped to change her mind. He fell asleep thinking of all the ways he could do that. Kissing would be a major part of the plan.

The next morning he dressed in his old scuffed boots, well-worn jeans and a faded chambray shirt. Leaving the black dress hat on the dresser, he picked up his everyday brown Stetson and left the Radcliffes’ house after politely declining breakfast. They’d offered to fix him some, but that would have made him late.

He figured she’d be feeding the cats at seven. Ben and Molly had called it a feral cat colony. Although he wasn’t familiar with the term, he could figure it out. The cats living in the woods weren’t completely civilized, but they weren’t completely antisocial, either. He could relate to that. There were times he longed to retreat into his studio and never come out. Other times he craved human companionship.

He wondered if other artists felt the same. This week would be a great time to find out if he was crazy or not. He was very different from his brother, a guide for white-water rafting trips. Liam was extremely social and even after all these years didn’t totally understand Grady’s need for solitude.

Dew sparkled on the grass when he pulled into the Art Barn parking lot a good thirty minutes early. Sapphire’s purple truck wasn’t there, so he sat with the windows rolled down and waited. The air smelled great and he wondered how often these days he took the time to simply be.

The sudden fame had taken him by surprise. Within a year he’d gone from living a somewhat solitary life in Alaska to being the darling of the Western art world. He was a beer-and-barbecue guy thrown into a champagne-and-caviar crowd and he still didn’t quite have his footing. Being in Sheridan for this fund-raiser offered him the small-town ambiance he liked, maybe even needed.

Sapphire drove in and his body tightened. He couldn’t remember ever wanting a woman this much. Maybe her reluctance to become involved with him played a part in that—the old forbidden-fruit ploy.

Because she didn’t know him that well yet, she might be worried that he’d take off if the two of them had a spat. Raising money for the shelter was very important to her and she wouldn’t want to jeopardize that. He wasn’t sure how to convince her that he wasn’t the kind of selfish SOB who would ruin her cherished event because they weren’t getting along. Besides, they would get along. Oh, yeah, they certainly would.

Grabbing his water jug for later, he left his truck and closed the door with a minimum of noise. This time of the morning, traffic was light on the road that ran past the Art Barn, so birds chirping and warbling provided the only soundtrack. He liked sharing this peaceful setting with her.

Yet when he joined her as they walked to the front door, he could tell she was nervous. She gave him a quick smile and a breathy “Hi,” but her hand quivered as she tried to open the door. Today she’d worn embroidered jeans and a tie-dyed blouse. Her colorful glass earrings reached to her shoulders and they tinkled as she worked with the key.

“Let me.” He took the keys and got the door open. He fought the urge to cup her earrings in one hand to quiet the music while he nibbled on her tender earlobe. He’d read somewhere that earrings were a sexual invitation and he was more than ready to accept.

“Thanks. I must have had too much caffeine.”

He hadn’t had a drop but he was as wired as if he’d mainlined a whole pot. “Speaking of that, if you’ll show me the coffee routine, I’ll make some.”

“I’ll put some on. I’m sure you want to start setting up your equipment.” Her gaze met his and skittered away.

“How about if I help you feed the cats first?”

“You don’t have to.” She gave him another quick glance, this one more pointed, as if silently warning him to back off.

“Are you worried that I’ll scare Fred?”

She opened her mouth and then closed it again. Her tiny sigh of resignation was almost too faint to hear. “If you come out with me and keep still, it should be fine.”

“I can do that.” He wasn’t about to stay away from her, even though that was clearly what she thought she wanted. “Since they’re the reason I’m here, I’d like to get better acquainted.”

Her smile said she didn’t quite believe that, but she nodded. “You can make the coffee while I fill the food bowls.”

“Sounds like a plan.” He followed her into the small space. Close quarters, which made it a great spot for a seduction, but he wasn’t going to attempt one. He could feel the tension radiating from her. If he remained patient, she might surrender to it and seduce him, instead. Not this morning, but maybe before the week was over.

“The coffeepot and coffee are down there at the end. It’s a basic model.”

“Good. I like basic.” He filled his water jug before making the coffee. He’d need the hydration once he started welding. “Ben and Molly said to say hi.”

“They’re good people.” She got out the bowls and opened a bin of fishy-smelling dry cat food.

“They think the same of you. They’re excited about this event to generate donations for the shelter.”

She smiled at him. “Glad to hear it.” She began scooping food into the bowls.

“Did you get your paperwork finished?”

“What paperwork?”

“You know, the paperwork you rushed home to work on last night.”

“Oh...yeah.” Her cheeks turned pink. “I didn’t finish but I made a sizable dent in it. Thanks for asking.”

He started the coffee perking and turned to watch her. “Actually, I didn’t know until last night that the event is to raise money for the cat shelter and the work they do with feral colonies. Ben and Molly filled me in.”

“I didn’t tell you?”

“You might have. I wasn’t focused on that aspect.”

She paused and looked over at him. “Are you saying you only agreed to be here because of me?”

“Yes, ma’am.” She might as well know it.

She groaned. “I didn’t mean to give you the wrong idea.”

“Or maybe you gave me the right idea. Three weeks ago I glanced in the rearview mirror as I was driving away from here and you were standing there watching me go. I extrapolated from that and figured we might have a good time when I came back.” He held her gaze. “I still believe we can.”

Her breath caught and desire shimmered in her turquoise eyes. He’d bet good money that if he tried kissing her again, she’d let him. They weren’t in a public parking lot anymore, either. He imagined lifting her to the counter and unbuttoning her blouse.

The image was followed by thoughts of openmouthed kisses and intimate caresses as he sought the moist recesses of her trembling body. By the time he was finished loving her, they’d have bowls and cat food scattered everywhere and a mess to clean up. The cats still wouldn’t be fed.

He took a calming breath. “We need to feed those cats.”

3

SAPPHIRE COULDN’T DECIDE whether she was relieved or disappointed that Grady had passed up the chance to kiss her. Her thoughts had run in circles all night long, but one intriguing concept kept coming back around. What if they could have sex without any emotional entanglement?

The idea had merit. He lived in Cody, after all, and he was a very busy guy. She’d made the mistake of becoming emotionally invested in those other men and that had seemed to bring out the worst in them. If she didn’t allow that to happen with Grady... Yeah, getting involved with him would still be somewhat of a risk, but he could be worth it.

She was touched that he’d wanted to interact with the cats this morning and that he’d taken it seriously enough to give the job priority. He’d clearly had other things on his mind a moment ago. Yet here he was helping her carry bowls out to the same spot where he’d found her the night before.

He glanced at her as they set the bowls in the grass. “Couldn’t you just use a couple of large bowls?”

“I could, but some cats might be crowded out and not get their fair share. This way I know everybody gets a decent helping.”

“Must be tricky hauling them all out here by yourself.”

“A little. I’ve learned to manage it.”

He crouched down beside her, which meant she was able to breathe in the scent of his aftershave. Whatever he used had a smoky, seductive quality that suggested an activity involving hot bodies and soft sheets. Rolling around in the grass sounded like a good alternative. Being with Grady was a party waiting to happen.

If she didn’t concentrate on something else, she’d be fighting the urge to grab him the entire time they were out here. “Normally, some of the cats would be here waiting but we’re a little earlier than usual.”

“So you’re feeding them, but how does the shelter come into the picture?”

“The biggest contribution is medical.” She kept her attention on the tree line as she looked for cats emerging from the shadows. “If we can get the cats into carriers, that’s great, but mostly we have to trap them. Then they’re either spayed or neutered, vaccinated and checked for any other issues. If the vet finds anything else, she treats it for the cost of the meds and supplies.”

“Sounds like a great program.”

“It is. The cats stay healthy but they don’t keep adding more strays to the population.”

“Have you figured out how the cats wound up here?”

She appreciated his interest. Questions about a topic dear to her heart made for a welcome distraction. “The first generation might have been barn cats when horses were housed in the stalls. Then the property was sold and the grain and the hay disappeared. Once the mice left, the cats had nothing to eat, so they likely moved to the woods and foraged for small rodents.”

“And essentially became wild.”

“They did.” As she talked about the cats, her tension gradually eased. “But most of them seem to have retained a connection to people and to this barn. Fred’s the least trusting. He joined the colony late and I don’t think he liked being trapped and neutered.”

“Do you blame him?”

She smiled at his look of horror. “We can’t let them procreate.”

“I get that and I’m all for population control. I just avoid thinking about the process.”

“Are you squeamish?”

“Only when we’re talking about cutting off—”

“Look.” She pointed toward the trees. “Here they come.”

“Where?” Squinting, he scanned the area.

“Over there, moving past the trunk of that big pine. Snow White’s in the lead, as always. Grumpy, Sneezy and Dopey are following her.” The little white female was always easy to spot, while the dappled shade camouflaged the others until they stepped out into the open.

“Okay, I see them.”

“We’re fairly sure those gray tabbies are Snow White’s kittens because of the way she mothers them. And here comes Athena with her brood. They all got her butterscotch coloring except Persephone, the tortoiseshell. There’s Fred, bringing up the rear.”

“He sure does stand out.”

“Yep. He was the hardest to catch. We finally got him in the trap using tuna as bait. I think the others would eat any flavor I put out, but I buy the fish kind because that’s all Fred will eat.”

“You’re partial to him.”

“I am. He’s the smartest one and a survivor. He has several scars from the fights he’s been in, but he beat the odds.” She glanced at the approaching cats. “They seem a little uneasy about you being here. Maybe we shouldn’t talk.”