A Cowboy's Charm (6 page)

His hands roamed from the baby-soft skin of her ribs to her waist and then to her hips. The blood pulsed in his cock so hot and hard that his legs trembled. She moaned and locked her fingers in his hair, urging him to prolong the deep, wet kisses. When she sucked his tongue his whole body bucked in reaction. He cupped her buttocks and kneaded the firm flesh. Then he lifted her until she wrapped her legs around his hips and rubbed his erection against the juncture of her thighs.

They swallowed each other’s groans. Rylan leaned against the wall of the shower for support and finally dragged his mouth from Callie’s. It shifted unerringly to the hard buttons of her nipples. He sucked them through the damp fabric until she was shuddering in his arms. He shuddered too.

“Hey, you guys! I need to take a shower before I go swimming!”

Chuck’s teasing voice finally broke through the haze of desire enveloping them. Rylan didn’t know how long his brother had been yelling. It was hard to hear over the roar of the shower and the roaring of blood in his head.

Callie’s fingers relaxed their grip on his hair and he buried his face between her breasts. Their breathing was ragged. They wouldn’t have made love with Chuck so close but it took a few minutes to gather some control.

Rylan finally found the strength to ease his grip and set her away from him. He stepped out of the tub and grabbed a towel. When she reached to unsnap her bra he pulled the shower curtain. Then he noticed his brother leaning casually against the bathroom door.

“Get wet?” taunted Chuck, his eyes full of very adult masculine knowledge. “That cousin of mine sure is a handful, isn’t she?”

Rylan supposed he’d witnessed the whole scene but he had no intention of discussing his relationship with Callie.

“Get Callie’s robe from her room while I get out of these wet clothes,” he ordered stiffly. He didn’t need Chuck’s knowing smirk to remind him that his behavior was a far cry from responsible. Call him old-fashioned but he wouldn’t have sex with his brothers nearby.

He kicked off his boots, shucked off his jeans and pulled his shirt over his head. After tossing the clothes in a hamper he wrapped the towel around his waist and headed for his own room. Chuck met him in the hallway with Callie’s robe.

“Take that to her and then go use the shower in your mom’s room,” he growled. The master bedroom was usually off-limits but he made an exception. “And leave it as clean as you find it.”

“Yes, sir!”

“Shithead,” Rylan mumbled, shaking his head.

He went to his own room for dry clothes, taking a few extra minutes to get his desire under control. His cock didn’t want to cooperate. It craved satisfaction, a satisfaction that wouldn’t be coming from Callie. She’d made it clear she wouldn’t refuse him yet he was determined to shut her out of his thoughts and keep her from crowding into his heart again. He’d thought they could be intimate and keep an emotional distance but it wasn’t working. Some of the old, possessive feelings were starting to crowd in on him. He couldn’t be with her physically and not want more. That meant no sex.

Chapter Four

Another week passed with Callie seeing very little of Rylan. It seemed like being together again and making love had spooked him. She knew he resented wanting her, so he’d started avoiding her and deliberately shutting her out. Other than the small lapse in the shower after her skunk episode he’d been careful not to touch her at all. He rarely spent more than a few minutes in her company.

She ached for him day and night but apparently he’d gotten what he wanted from her and decided to cast her aside again. It hurt. Badly. Because she loved him just as desperately now as she had four years ago. Despite all her efforts to convince herself it wasn’t so, her breath still caught each time she saw him. Her heart pounded when he was near. He had only to look at her and her body reacted with tightened nipples and an emptiness deep within her.

She watched him juggle his heavy responsibilities and take care of his family and badly wanted to be the person he turned to for support. He worked so hard and asked so little for himself. She wanted his love, his trust and his respect more than she’d ever wanted anything else in her life. She wanted to be the woman who warmed his bed at night and helped him unwind.

But if all he felt for her was lust and disgust then she needed to get on with her life. Without shirking any of her self-appointed duties at the house she began spending a lot of time away from the Masterson homestead.

Only her parents knew of her plans for the future, which included establishing a wildlife sanctuary near the ranch. She’d changed her college major after her freshman year, taken the necessary coursework and applied for several grants to help with funding. Her dad had already promised some financial support so she needed to contact realtors in the area and purchase the land.

When she and Rylan had fallen in love and started planning a future it had been their dream to create the sanctuary. Even though he’d lost faith in her she’d kept the dream alive. She wondered how he would feel if he knew she was thinking about making Wyoming her permanent home.

Late one Saturday afternoon Callie returned to the house after looking at a very promising piece of property. Sammy met her at the door with an anxious frown.

“What’s up?” she asked.

“Brad called and Chuck had to take more supplies to the clinic in town. Joey’s dad is picking me up in a few minutes for our camping trip but Rylan’s turning hay in the back field. He wants to leave the tractor out there so I’m supposed to pick him up soon. I can’t do both. Do you mind driving the old pickup out to get him?”

Callie hated to refuse yet was wary of invading Rylan’s territory again. “Is it a stick shift?” she hedged.

“Yeah, you know how to drive one, don’t you?”

“I know how but it’s been a while.”

Sammy grinned, taking that as agreement. “I don’t even have a license but I’ve been drivin’ it around the ranch for years. The keys are in the ignition. Rylan should be done in a half hour or so.” A horn blasted from outside. Sammy grabbed his duffle bag and ran out the door.

Callie called goodbye to his retreating form. Her stomach clenched at the thought of going after Rylan, of being alone with him, even briefly. Still, it would have been petty to refuse. Sammy had really been looking forward to the camping trip. Brad and Chuck were helping with a pet immunization clinic in town. She had no plans and plenty of time on her hands.

Rylan was the only one who worked tirelessly. The rest of the ranch hands called it quits by noon on Saturday. It was going on four, the heat of the sun was unrelenting, yet he was still out in the hayfield.

She took time to change into her gym shorts and a sleeveless tee shirt. The vinyl seat of the old pickup truck had soaked up too much sun. It burned her bare legs, making her squirm uncomfortably until she found somebody’s discarded shirt to sit on.

When she finally got settled and turned the key the truck lurched forward a few feet and then died. Callie’s pulse lurched too. She hadn’t hit anything but the false start made her realize the truck was in first gear, not neutral.

“Don’t any of the men around here know you’re supposed to take the thing out of gear when you park it?” she grumbled aloud.

After stepping on the clutch, she tried again. Her second attempt was much smoother. Shifting the aging gears wasn’t easy but she quickly got the hang of it. The only thing she had to worry about was navigating a mile or so of dirt lane leading to the hayfield.

There were two gates to open and close, so two other stops and starts. Her efforts to handle the old truck weren’t great but sufficient. She didn’t figure she’d have to drive back to the house.

When she reached the hayfield Rylan was parking the tractor in a small clearing near the fence. She pulled into a little drive and shut off the engine. After sliding to the passenger side, she watched him climb from the cab of the tractor and head toward her.

He looked hot, tired and dusty yet still so gorgeous that her heart skipped a beat. He’d pulled his shirt on without bothering to button it. His darkly tanned arms and chest were partially revealed, a teasing reminder of their heat and strength.

His waist and hips were lean, his stomach washboard flat. Strong thighs and long legs were encased in faded, tight-fitting jeans. The whole package advertised an incredibly sexy, virile male.

Callie realized she was holding her breath and forced herself to breathe deeply. He was just a man. She’d known lots of gorgeous, sexy men. Any healthy red-blooded female would have the same heart-stopping reaction to Rylan. Hers was nothing out of the ordinary.

She knew the glare of sun on the windshield kept her identity hidden until he opened the driver’s door. His eyes widened a little in surprise then were instantly shuttered.

“How’d you get roped into chauffeuring?” he asked as he swung into the seat and reached for the ignition. He brought with him the scent of the sun, air and pure male. She faced forward and fought the pull on her senses.

“Chuck had to take some supplies to Brad. Sammy left for his camping trip.”

“Sorry if it put a dent in your plans.”

“No problem,” she insisted.

He shifted the truck into reverse and then into first gear with an ease Callie admired. The flex of muscled arms and thighs sent a shaft of heat through her that she tried to ignore.

When they came to the first gate she hopped out of the truck, opened the gate while he drove through, then closed the gate and hopped back in the truck. At the second gate she repeated the process. But once she was back in the cab the engine died.

Rylan tried to restart it, without any luck. He mumbled something about an adjustment and reached for the glove compartment. Callie jerked her legs out of his reach, alarmed at the thought that he might touch her.

Rylan tossed her a grim glance then grabbed a screwdriver out of the compartment and climbed from the truck. She heard him tinkering with something metal under the front end and then he yelled for her to try the starter again.

Callie slid into the driver’s seat and flicked the key. The truck lurched, bouncing her on the seat as it flew forward. She heard the sickening thump of a body being hit and then all she could hear was shrill, hysterical screaming.

After an instant of sheer, blinding panic she realized that the screaming was her own. She abruptly stopped, trying to still her pounding heart.

Rylan. Holy shit, she’d hit him. Frantically she searched for a radio or cell phone. Nothing. Panic welled in her, making her chest tight. She had to do something. Forcing herself to breathe deeply, she tried to focus on what could be done.

First she had to see how badly he was hurt. She opened the door and looked down but all she could see was Rylan’s legs. He was lying so still that panic clawed at her insides again.

She cautiously slid out of the cab and fell to her knees beside him.

“Rylan! Rylan!” Her voice was hoarse even though screams of terror still echoed inside her head.

Hearing her own panic, she warned herself to remain calm. Her stomach churned and she was nearly blinded by tears as she ran her hands over his body to check for injuries.

The imprint of a dusty bumper covered his chest. Callie gasped when she saw it, swiped at her eyes and prayed for strength. Being extremely careful, she leaned closer and grasped his face in her hands.

“Rylan! Please be all right. I’m so sorry! I didn’t realize the truck was in gear. Please, Rylan, please. Talk to me. Tell me where you hurt.” Her voice dropped to a choppy whisper as she watched his lashes flutter open. Then he was looking straight into her eyes. His were dark as thunder clouds.

“You ran over me,” he charged, his tone gruff with accusation.

“I didn’t mean to!” she cried. “I forgot to push the clutch!”

He studied her teary expression a little longer then spoke again. “I’m all right. Just got the wind knocked out of me.”

He started moving and Callie panicked again. “Don’t move! You can’t move! You could have spinal or internal injuries! Don’t move an inch until I get some help!”

“How? Gonna drive over me?” he challenged as his strength returned.

“Rylan!” she gasped indignantly.

He ignored her warnings, slid from beneath the truck and stood. Callie rose beside him and then reached out a hand to steady him when he swayed a little. She brushed the dust and dirt from his shirt with the gentlest of touches.

“I’m so sorry,” she whispered, her breath catching and eyes swimming in tears.

The muscles under her fingers rippled at her touch. Rylan inhaled raggedly and then stepped out of her reach. “I knew you were upset about the skunk affair but you sure picked a helluva way to get even,” he said, rubbing his chest.

Callie swiped the dampness from her cheeks. His accusation snapped her from misery to anger in seconds.

“Damn you, you know I didn’t do that on purpose!”

“Do I?” he challenged, eyes gleaming.

“You’re impossible!” she snapped. There was just a tiny rasp in her voice. Rylan’s totally annoying attitude eased some of the fear clutching her insides. He seemed his normal, annoying self.

“Are you sure you’re all right?” she whispered again.

She splayed both hands on his chest. Her gaze locked with his. For a long moment all they could do was stare at each other.

“I said I’m fine,” Rylan growled as the tension strung tighter. “The truck should start now. You can drive it up to the barn. I’ll walk.”

Callie snatched her hands from him. “I’m never getting in that stupid truck again!” she insisted. “You drive, I’ll walk.”

Rylan slammed the truck door. “We’ll both walk.”

She eyed him suspiciously. “Why aren’t you driving?”

“I want to walk.”

Fear snaked through her. Was he hurt worse than he would admit? Was he afraid he couldn’t shift gears? She ran her eyes over every inch of his lean form, wanting to run her hands over the same areas but doubting he’d appreciate the examination.

“I said I’m all right, dammit!” he groused. “I was just a little winded. You would be too if you got run down by a half-ton truck.”

The thought made her stomach roll. “Half-ton?”

Rylan didn’t argue any more, just turned and started up the lane. The barn was in sight so they didn’t have far to go. Callie lagged behind, watching him closely and prepared to assist if he should get dizzy.

By the time they’d reached the barn he was openly annoyed. He stopped and stared at her until she moved to his side. “I told you I’m all right.”

“And I know you could have a concussion or internal injuries.”

“I’m bruised, not seriously injured.”

“We’ll let the doctors decide that.”

“I’m not seeing any doctors.”

“Are you crazy? I’m calling the emergency squad as soon as we get to the house.”

“You’ll just be wasting their time and yours. “

“Then I’ll take you to the emergency room.”

“No. I’m fine and that’s the end of it. I’ve been hurt worse by a rowdy horse.”

“Rylan, be reasonable. Just let the doctors take some x-rays and make sure you didn’t break anything.”

“My chest took the brunt of the hit, not my head, and my ribs aren’t cracked. I know what that feels like. I’m fine.”

“You’re not fine,” she snapped. “You’re a big, stubborn idiot!”

“Well you’re a little, stubborn idiot. I’ve made up my mind so quit harping.”

Temper flared in her eyes yet she didn’t respond. She felt emotionally raw. She didn’t need the added aggravation of Rylan Masterson’s bull-headed remarks.

Without another word she stomped her way to the house.