Can't Resist a Cowboy (8 page)

Chapter Thirteen

“Well, this is unexpected.”

Carrie stood next to Rylan, whose arms were crossed over her pregnant belly. Cole and Levi tipped toward each other, neither of them actually making it to the floor. Instead, they made an awkward pyramid with their shoulders butted and their heads pressed together. Tucker was slumped in the chair, head thrown back, apparently out cold.

She’d had a great time in Missoula at the spa. Hair, nails, skin, all shiny and refreshed. Carrie was still tingly inside that the girls had asked her to come along, seeing how they didn’t really know her that well. Growing up here, she’d been the only girl and had gotten used to hanging around adolescent boys real fast. Even now, she found she related to men more than women, but Sophie and Rylan had made her feel completely welcome. She had half a mind to go home and enjoy the afterglow, and let Levi steep in his own intoxication.

The dining room table was littered with empty whiskey bottles, glasses, spilled liquor and…peppers. Carrie eyed the vegetables, many stabbed with forks and half eaten, the smell nearly singeing her nose.

“Yikes.” She pulled back from the strong, spicy odor.

Rylan heaved a sigh. “I can’t believe they mixed Maeve’s peppers with whiskey. There will be so much pain tomorrow.”

Sophie nodded, hands on her hips, with a grin that implied she wouldn’t mind kicking her husband out of bed and hearing him
thunk
onto the floor. Carrie swept a gaze over Levi. The sight of him leaning like a fallen tree against his equally drunk brother was stupidly funny. All it would take was for one of them to shift or twitch, and they’d both go crashing down.

“Better wake them up,” Carrie suggested. “Cold water will do it.” It only took a minute for the other women to return with full glasses. Carrie put a hand on Levi’s shoulder, trying to see his face behind his mop of curls. She put another hand on Cole and stepped back. “Go for it.”

The water came down; the men roared to life. Levi’s arms came out on either side of his body, his fingers making a fist in Carrie’s shirt. He jerked back in the chair, pulling Carrie forward so she launched onto his lap.

She gasped, her hands clutching his hips to brace herself. Behind her, Cole made a fuss as Rylan helped him up. A chair crashed. Sophie swore like a sailor. Jaxon blubbered apologies. The bewildered look on Levi’s face, combined with the water dripping off his curls onto her forearms and the ruckus behind her, made laughter well up inside. It bubbled up in her chest, escaped her lips. Her head dipped on its own accord, bringing the top of her forehead against his abdomen. A hand slid into her hair. Her breath stalled, the memory of their kiss flashing through her mind.

“No more kissing,” Levi mumbled as his eyes closed.

Carrie scrambled off him and socked him in the shoulder. “Come on. To the couch.” Having no idea just how unsteady he might be, she eyeballed the open space between dining and living room and figured there was enough furniture for him to hang on to make it that far.

Levi stood much faster and steadier than she’d have thought. Her hands went palm-out against his chest. “Geez, slow down.” The smooth, tanned skin of his forehead bunched into deep lines as he made his way to the living room. He was nearly there when he stopped, reached across his body with his left hand and pulled his shirt off. “Hot in here.”

“Oh crap.” Carrie sucked in a slow breath. Levi, Levi, Levi. All that rock-solid male flesh that she’d been dreaming about. It never failed, the moment her head hit the pillow, his half-naked body came to mind. It was a small wonder she hadn’t exploded from lack of sleep and rampant sexual frustration. Damn him.

“You got this, Carrie?” Sophie called from the front door. Tucker’s arm was around her shoulder, as if that small woman could hold up a man his size. Yet somehow, she was doing it. Rylan had a fistful of Cole’s shirt in her hand and was dragging him along. “If I go into labor tonight, I’m cutting your balls off with a razor blade.”

Levi rounded the couch, the squeak and slide of skin on leather marking his body weight as he flopped down onto the cushions. She was throwing a blanket on top of him and going home. “I got it. Thanks again for the fun day.” She waved the foursome and Jaxon out the door, realizing a moment later that it was just her and a very drunk, already-snoring Levi. A very tempting-even-though-he’s-wasted Levi.

His left hand flopped off the couch and waved in her direction. She moved toward him and his fingers slid over the side of her knee. Her breath hitched.

“Carrie…stay.”

Wow, drunk and delusional. She grabbed a throw pillow, thought about whacking him across the head with it. “I’m not staying.” No matter how tempting he looked, all sprawled out like this. His scruffy face relaxed, the lines around his forehead and eyes almost nonexistent. She lifted his head and stuffed the pillow under him. Curls flopped over his brow and she softly brushed them back, letting her fingers linger in the silkiness of his hair. It was nice to touch him, comforting, sweetly familiar.

“What if I get cold?” His voice was small, sleepy and so unlike him that she couldn’t help but laugh. She’d never seen him like this.

“You have a blanket right here.”

“What if I fall off the couch?”

“Serves you right.” She moved to the side table and flicked on the lamp.

His arm crossed across his chest. “What if I need you?”

“Why would you need me?”

When he didn’t answer, she thought he’d drifted off, which would be great so she could grab her bag and slip out of here…

“I never stopped needing you.” The words were followed by a low snore, his breathing going heavy and deep. That he’d essentially passed out didn’t take away the shock of what he’d said. Words jumbled by alcohol, that’s all. Or was it possible that he’d really kept her in his heart all this time? It seemed unlikely that he would, after he’d left her without advance notice and walked away from their love like it had meant nothing. It still stung as if the wound was fresh, and his confession, drunk or not, pulled apart what had healed.

Unfolding the blanket at his feet, she covered him with it, letting her gaze linger on his peaceful face. He’d opened up to her quite a bit this morning in the barn, sharing his personal hell with her. Letting her in. It was useless to deny that they still had a connection, and that maybe she’d pushed a bit to see if it was still there. It was, at least for her, and maybe the booze helped Levi realize it was there for him, too.

She didn’t hate him. The opposite was starting to be true, no matter how she wanted to deny it.

A
boom
sounded over the house, jerking her attention to the window. Hurrying to the sliding doors that led to the porch, she was met with splashes of rain hitting the glass. The storm that had threatened all day had finally decided to let loose. Screw the wet season. All this rain made it hard for her to see while driving. Add the complete darkness outside and she was grounded.

“Shit,” she huffed. Looking over her shoulder to where Levi lay on the couch, she weighed risking the short drive home versus staying until the storm passed. It was coming down steadier by the second. She’d be soaked by the time she ran down to her truck, and with her sight so limited, ending up in the ditch while it stormed wasn’t a great alternative.

With an irritated groan, she wandered back to the couch, spying a perfect spot on the soft leather where Levi had curled up his legs. Another throw pillow sat there, looking all poufy and cozy after her long day. She plopped down on the cushion, back stiff as she measured whether Levi would stay asleep. When he didn’t rouse, she curled into the space.

His even breathing mixed with the raindrops outside, creating a cozy melody that should have helped her relax, but didn’t. Well aware of the close proximity of his body, Carrie closed her eyes as a memory weaseled in—Levi lying on his side on a woven blanket in the hay, propped on one elbow, looking down at her while he absently twirled a piece of hay between his lips. She’d been on the fence rail, watching him and Tucker work a new horse, when Levi had jumped off, handed the reins to his brother, and come her way. Without a word, he’d slipped through the rails and nodded for her to follow him. She had, and they’d barely stepped into the horse barn when his hands gripped her waist and he pulled her into a stall.

“I’ve been crushing on you long enough, Carrie Lynn. You gonna be mine, yes or no?” And then he’d kissed her with the gusto of a fifteen-year-old, and they’d fallen into the hay. It had been the moment she felt certain that this boy she’d known forever was going to be something more. He had a deeply rooted meaning in her life that would grow and likely change with time, but would never wither away completely. It was as true now as it had been then.

Sinking into the memory, she was lulled by the rain on the roof. A loud groan startled her. Disoriented, Carrie sat up, realizing she must have drifted off. Levi sat on the edge of the couch.

“My
head
.”

His arms moved slowly as he rubbed his hands over his face with another groan. She eyed the smooth, sexy slide of his muscles as he moved and the way his tan skin shone in the soft, golden lamplight. Panty incineration starts in ten, nine, eight… Carrie rolled her eyes.
Knock it off!

“No kidding, genius. Whose idea was that little drinking party, anyway?”

He blew out a breath and rested his elbows on his knees. “Not mine. Hey, who passed out last?” He straightened, looking at her expectantly like it was the most important question in the history of mankind.

“Uh, you did?”

“Thank God!” Wincing, he grabbed his head between his hands. “Ouch.”

Carrie shook her head and yawned. The clock above the fireplace showed 2:00 a.m., and she was feeling it. Standing, she crossed to peek out the patio doors, frowning to see the rain hadn’t let up at all behind the glow of the porch lights. As soon as it did, she was out of here.

“I’ll be right back,” Levi said, the couch squeaking as he rose. A burst of thunder went over the house, followed by the flicker of lights. Glancing around, she expected the power to go out and hoped it wouldn’t. She’d never been afraid of the dark until faced with the possibility that she might eventually live in a lightless world.

Weary, she turned back toward the living room, resigned to sink into the couch and wait out the storm. Halfway there, thunder boomed again, taking the power with it as she’d feared, throwing the room into soulless dark. Hugging herself, she stood rooted in place, waiting to see if the lights would come back.

This is silly
, she thought, trying to shake herself out of the inane fear. Six months ago, she’d walk through the house in the pitch black, wasn’t afraid to go out into the night. Why did that have to change, especially so rapidly? It seemed she could barely get a grip on one thing before another piece fell away.

“Carrie?” Levi’s voice came from the hall, filling her with relief. “Where are you?”

“Here.” Nonspecific, but the best she could manage. Footfalls came near, the scent of soap and mint preceding his uncertain touch on her arm. “Hey, you’re trembling.” Was she?

“Don’t tell me the girl who used to watch horror movies without lights on is scared of the dark.” His quip didn’t make her feel any better, but his nearness did. When his thumb began a soft back-and-forth over her wrist, she leaned into him.

“I’m fine.” Blinking hard, she hoped to see some stream of light cut through the room. Even if the moon were out, it would be shrouded by the storm. His hand grappled for hers, finding it and threading their fingers together. Leading her until her leg bumped the side of the couch, Levi sank down and pulled her gently with him. She sat, feeling around her to find his hip next to hers. Only when she touched his thigh did she realize how cold her fingers were, how much her body shook.

“When I was in the desert and it was black as Ma’s coffee, I’d look up and wish the stars to come out to give us some light. Mostly, it stayed dark and we had to punch down our nerves and make it through.” A soft touch on her hair, and then the stroke of fingers through the strands. The strain in his tone was the same he’d had when telling her about his injuries this morning. “Truth? I couldn’t watch a horror movie in the dark now if you paid me.” The pleasure of his caress spread over her entire scalp as he stroked her hair. “What changed for you, Carrie?”

It was a simple, valid question. He’d likely homed in on something going on with her after the questions she’d asked him in the barn this morning. Funny how she’d become adept at hiding her disability from everyone, but with Levi, her body was giving it away.

Levi had been open with her about his war experience. She’d told no one about herself, always making excuses for the times her vision made her stumble or restricted her in some way. Voicing it, hearing the words from her own lips, would cement the prognosis. She couldn’t tell him. Not yet.

“What if the dark never goes away?”

He pulled her down in one steady move. Her forearms went against his chest as both his hands found her hair, kneading her temples and sending her into a delicious haze. “You make your own light.” A warm kiss on her forehead made her catch her breath. “Hey, you’re safe and I’m here for you,
with
you.” His lips cruised her face, gently, lovingly, punching a sob in her throat. “Do you understand, Sunshine? You’re not alone.”

His arms went around her and Carrie settled into his chest, the thud of his heart beneath her cheek. She wasn’t alone. She knew that. There were a lot of people in her life that would be supportive when she told them her truth. She lightly gripped his shirt, hanging on to this moment in case it passed and never brought another like it. The only person she wanted with her was here, working his way back into her life. And her heart.

Chapter Fourteen

“Wake up, Sleeping Ugly.”

Levi woke with a start as something slapped his stomach. Cole stood next to him like a hungover vulture—stubbled jaw, heavily lidded eyes, and a frown that could scare the devil.

Years of practice in the military had given Levi the ability to wake up alert at a second’s notice. He made his voice high-pitched and squeaky. “Good morning, sweetheart.”

Cole grimaced and pressed three fingers to his temple. “Not funny.”

Seemed his brother was the worst of the two of them. Smug, Levi sat up, regretting it immediately as his head pressurized. A large manila envelope crinkled on his lap as he moved. “What’s this?”

Cole huffed. “Your latest project.”

The return address was from some therapy center in California. Pulling out a sheet of paper, he frowned at the heading,
New Abilities Therapeutic Riding Center
. Oh, hell no. He shoved the paper back inside and handed it to his brother. “I didn’t lose. Carrie said I was the last one awake.” He frowned and glanced at the clock, realizing it was almost ten in the morning. Carrie was gone. Had she even been there last night or had it been a whiskey-soaked illusion?

“She’s biased.” Cole flopped the envelope onto the couch. “Just read the proposal and let me know what you think.”

Standing, Levi strode past his brother toward the hall. Shower, then coffee. Lots of it, so he could sort through last night. Probably his imagination, but he thought he caught a whiff of Carrie’s shampoo coming from his shirt. “I’ll add it to the bottom of my to-do pile.” He pulled on the fabric and sniffed. Well, dang. Strawberries.

“Look,” Cole grouched. “She’s going to be gone soon. You’ll need work to drown in until you get over it.”

Levi turned to his brother, a sharp retort stuck on his lips. Each hour brought her closer to going back home. He knew it, but until now, it hadn’t made him so antsy. His chest tingled with the memory of her body lying against him last night. One look at the couch and he remembered holding her in the dark, soothing her tremors by stroking her hair.

What if the dark never goes away
?

Damn him for being too drunk to try to get a little more information out of her last night. Aware that his brother was staring, Levi threw off the shower idea and headed to the kitchen for coffee.

“I won’t need to get over it.” He pulled a mug off the rack, set it down, and reached for the carafe. He lifted it, but didn’t pour, the thought of coffee suddenly leaving a bitter taste in his mouth. He did need to get over something: everything that stood between Carrie and him. She’d slept on his chest and allowed him to soothe her fears, given him the taste of her lips without hesitation. They couldn’t have that level of intimacy without some resolution. He’d hold on to those sweet pieces, but he didn’t want to see her drive away without having wiped the slate clean.

“I gotta go.” He came around the breakfast counter, looking for his keys.

Cole grabbed Levi’s arm and rolled his eyes. “I figured. For Christ’s sake, take a shower first. You smell like a bar.”

After taking his brother’s advice, Levi hurried outside only to find his truck gone. With a curse, he grabbed his cell and called Tucker, the first likely suspect.

“Where the hell is my truck?”

“Good morning to you, too, pretty boy.” Tucker swallowed, strong coffee probably. “My ass is nice and toasty. Love these seat warmers.”

Levi clenched his eyes. “
Why
do you have my truck?”

“Mine’s stuck in the mud in the west pasture. Dug ’er down pretty deep.”

“And you’re taking my truck to…?”

“The west pasture.”

Levi hung up with a growl and went back inside, grabbed a set of keys he hadn’t touched in a long time, and, on second thought, a couple of blankets. It was a shame, really, that he had to do this. All the rain and mud wasn’t good for a beauty like her, yet as he went into the shed and saw Daisy waiting for him, his pulse picked up. His 1964 Chevy Apache was looking prettier than ever thanks to Tucker’s hard work in getting her restored while Levi had been away. It had been a long time since he’d driven her—not since before he’d left for the marines. As he slid inside and started her up, he figured it was a little sentimental that he was driving Daisy over to see Carrie. They’d spent hours together in this truck.

No more kissing. Just friends.

Wicked rules, but he had to abide by them. Even if the feel of her against him, the soft vulnerability of her form pressed against his, was a sweetness he craved. Having a woman in his arms hadn’t meant anything to him aside from a few short hours of pleasure. But not Carrie. She’d always been more.

Levi tapped the key fob hanging down from the ignition, watching it swing before backing out of the shed. Rolling down the window, he stuck his elbow out and tried to relax. The air was balmy, cathartic. By the time he pulled into Agate Falls, his spirits were high—short-lived when he spotted Carrie on the porch, her eyes narrowed at him as he parked.

As he opened the truck door and slipped out, she resumed whatever she’d been doing. He tried not to take it personally, but dang if it didn’t seem like she was dismissing him. Walking up beside her, he spied three nails clenched between her lips, a hammer and a bench with a broken leg lying at her feet.

He shoved his hands in his pockets. “Can I help?”

Her hair fell over one shoulder in a white-blond mess, shielding her face, but leaving the slim length of her arm visible. Pale skin, the smooth line of muscle gliding as she picked up the hammer.

After ignoring him a moment longer, she finally gave him her attention. “No.” She eyed Daisy and her expression softened.

The last time he’d felt this awkward around Carrie, he’d been fifteen and was gearing up to kiss her for the first time. “Take a ride with me.”

“Can’t. I’ve got things to do. So do you, boss.” She turned her back, leaving no doubt it was intentional this time. Well, too bad, because he wasn’t giving up. He was here to bare his soul, and she was going to damn well listen. Even if he had to follow her pigheaded butt around the ranch, talking to her back. At least it would be a nice view.

“I’ve got things to say, Carrie Lynn.” That caught her attention, even as it made his throat go tight. She turned slowly to catch his eyes and hold tight. Yeah, he’d never been a talker, but he figured willingness to flap his jaw now might help his cause. Her lips parted just enough to pull him into the memory of her taste.

She reached for a box of nails and a pair of gloves. “Then say them.”

Hardball? Fine. He shifted his weight from one foot to the other and spread his arms wide. “Fine. I’m sorry, Carrie Lynn. For everything I did that hurt you.” If he had to reel her in with a preemptive apology, so be it. He was going to say it eventually…and surprisingly it hadn’t hurt as much as he’d thought it would.

Her shoulders squared up. Each second that she didn’t look at him or speak dragged on. He could stand and wait her out for hours. Emotional depth had never been his thing. He’d try now, though. He owed her, and himself, the chance at some kind of closure to their past.

Wordlessly, she dropped the hammer and walked to door. It squeaked loudly as she opened it and went in. He thought she was going to shut it in his face, but she peeked out. “Give me a minute.”

He left the porch and leaned against Daisy, ankles and arms crossed, looking up at the clear, sunny sky. Finally, she came toward him with a sweater on and her hair pulled back.

“I thought you might bolt out the back door and ditch me,” he teased, hoping to lighten things between them. Carrie gave a one-sided grin and went around to the passenger door and slid inside. “That was the plan.” Figures.

Levi drove them away from the ranch, down a series of back roads until pavement turned to dirt. He made a series of turns that led them away from the flat ground and over hills and rough terrain.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve been out here.” The excitement in her voice eased him.

This was one of his favorite places—one he’d thought he could put behind him when he’d left for the military, but he’d been wrong. He hadn’t forgotten anything that he’d loved.

Levi parked where the foot of the mountain rose above them, a narrow stream crawling down the crags and rocks to the smooth expanse of grassland where it snaked into the distance. A faint rush of water floated on the warm air, but only someone who knew where to look would actually find its source. Carrie jumped out of the truck, her eager smile contagious.

“Come on,” she said, tugging on his sleeve. He followed, the sound of rushing water getting louder as they approached the stream. A line of rocks made a modest footpath along the water’s edge. They followed, keeping mostly out of the water, until they reached the base of the mountain. A six-foot wide crevice in the rock hugged them as they slipped inside it, daylight fading to nothing. Carrie faltered, her left foot slipping into the water. She reached behind her to grab hold of him. Levi balanced her with one hand while he pulled a small flashlight out of his shirt pocket with the other.

He clicked it on, washing the cavern in light. “Let me go first, Carrie. Then you can hang on to me while I shine the light.” Stepping into the water, he bit back a gasp at the coolness of it, and picked his way in front of her. His shirt was pulled tight—she must have grabbed him with both hands—as he angled the beam ahead of him.

“It’s okay, Sunshine. You want to keep going?”

“Of course. I just can’t see very well.”

Grabbing her hand, he squeezed. “I’m with you.”

She moved closer, the warmth of her body pressing against his back. “Let’s go.”

The heavy fall of water became louder, but not overwhelmingly so. Above them, the cavern rose like a cathedral ceiling, a split in the top allowing the narrow, gentle waterfall to come down from the mountain above. The falls changed from year to year, depending on how frost caused the rocks above to shift. Now it was narrow and appeared easy to maneuver around, though some years, the only way to get behind the waterfall was to go straight through it.

Levi clicked off the light as daylight flooded the space. “Ready?” he asked.

“Ready.”

They skirted the waterfall and got spattered with cool spray. Behind it, they stepped into a circular room veiled by the falls on one side. The Devil’s Kettle. Brilliant light shone down from an open ceiling as a blast of warm, humid air swirled around them. A basin lay in the center of the room, filled with water that came up from a hot spring in the ground. Usually deep enough to be chest-high, the Kettle was warm as bathwater, year round. Nature’s private hot tub.

Bending to the water, Carrie dipped her hand inside.

“Perfect!” She stood, her shirt pressed against the delicate line of her ribs and waist. He wiped water droplets from his eyes, wanting a better view of how luscious she looked just then. He froze. Carrie unbuttoned her shirt, staring at him as the fabric fell open. Then she peeled it off.

The rush in his head wasn’t from the water. Holding him with an unwavering look, she unbuttoned her jeans next and let them drop. Kicked them away on the ledge. Bare, except for the thin line of panties across her hip and the maybe-pink bra cupping her breasts, her body was willowy and graceful. She’d filled out, her hips flaring beautifully, her thighs lush and curved enough to make his mouth water.

Christ.

“I’m going for it, Levi!” He caught a flash of her hair billowing free from the ponytail before she slid chest-deep into the Kettle. His breath came out in a rush, his hands aching to touch her. He’d asked her to come with him so he could settle things between them before she went back to Wyoming. She was grinning at him, wearing nothing but her underwear. Hell, they could talk later.

Levi pulled his T-shirt off.

He was going for it, too.