Cowboy Dreamin' (Thunder Creek Ranch Book 8) (5 page)

“We’re finished with the bedrooms. Anything else you need help with, Allison?” Jack asked as he came up behind her.

Startled, she turned and came chest to chest with the man and his arms wrapped around her as she toddled backward.

“Since you guys have the tools and I haven’t found mine yet, could you please put the shelving unit together in the living room and unpack the TV?”

“Yes, we guys
do
have the tools.” Jack chuckled as he went off to do her bidding.

“Oh, and I need the legs put back on the table,” she called after him.

“We’ll get to it. No worries.”

All the while Allison worked, she thought of Jack, wondering if she should invite him to dinner. Then again, she didn’t have any food to cook and she didn’t want him to think she was chasing him.

Is that what she was doing? She enjoyed his company, but these new feelings were churning her up inside. What was it about Jack that was so different from any other man? She’d met plenty of kind, caring, and handsome men in recent years, but none attracted her as he did.

Finished in the kitchen, she entered the bathroom and unpacked her toiletries. She’d made do with the bare essentials at the motel. Now she’d have her full arsenal at her disposal.

Look out, Jack. Here I come,
she thought with a grin.

Allison giggled out loud and quickly stifled it before one of the men heard her. She happily tossed her old shower curtain in the garbage as her new shower had sliding glass doors.

Allison passed through the living room on her way to make her bed and put her clothes away. The men had the shelving put together and had hooked up her TV, stereo, and DVD player. “Thanks, guys. This is beginning to feel like home. Help yourself to the pop in the fridge. Or I could make a pot of coffee if you prefer.”

“Don’t go to any trouble. We’ll grab a pop when we finish here,” said Jack.

“If you tell us where you want your pictures, we’ll hang them for you,” said Terry.

“How did I luck into having you two for moving buddies?” Allison stood and considered for a moment. “I think this time I’ll put the landscape over the electric fireplace. The portrait of my parents can go on the other wall with the two smaller pictures on either side. The rest I’ll unpack and figure out later.”

They nodded and she left to see to her bedroom. She’d packed the bedding in the dresser drawers so she’d be able to find it easier. She took them out now and made her bed. Terry had installed the new blinds and curtain rods, so she hung her curtains and then stepped back to see the effect. Perfect. The white curtains with pale pink roses looked great with the dusty rose color of the walls. Her spread matched the curtains, and even the runners for the dresser and nightstand were the same material. She loved how it all came together. Eventually, she might purchase a border to go around the room, but for now, it was fine.

Next, her clothes. Her winter wear went on one side of the closet along with hats, gloves, scarves, and boots. She hung her summer clothes on the right, with her work clothes at the front, and hung all her coats at the back. Geesh! She forgot how many pairs of shoes and boots she had. And purses to match. Those she put on the top shelf as she tended to use the same one all summer, unless she was going someplace special and needed one to match her shoes. The animals she cared for didn’t pay attention to her footwear, so she wore what she wanted. That first day with Jack at work, she’d tried to impress him with her sexy outfit and shoes and ended up with sore feet. Never again. Although she was certain Jack got a chuckle when he saw her running around the clinic barefoot.

The closet finished, she was unpacking her lingerie when Jack appeared in the doorway.

“Oh, wow! What would it take to convince you to model that one for me?”

She looked at the red satin teddy she held and then back at Jack. “Now?” she asked impishly, instantly rewarded as Jack swallowed, hard.

“Ah, no, not right now. We’ve finished putting everything together. Terry’s packing up his tools and I’m heading home for a shower. Do you need anything else before I go?”

Plenty, but she couldn’t tell him what. She hadn’t quite figured it all out herself yet. “I can’t think of anything, but I do want to catch Terry before he leaves.” She stuffed the teddy in the drawer and closed it.

Jack stepped aside to let her go first, and she could feel his gaze on her backside.
I hope he likes what he sees.

Her purse was on the counter. She dug out two fifties. “Hey, Terry, this will help out with your gas. Thanks a lot for all your help today.”

“You’re welcome and thanks.”

“I’ll have you and Janet over for dinner one night after I get a little more organized.”

“That would be great. Neither Janet or I is much of a cook, but we’re learning.”

“As they say, practice makes perfect. If you two want to come early, I can show you how to make whatever we’re having. Give you a few pointers. We can even make a day of it, barring any emergency calls. What do you two like?”

“Everything. We’re not fussy.”

“Okay. I’ll shop for something easy to make.”

“Hey, what about me? Am I chopped liver?” Jack asked with a smile.

“Gee, I hope not. I hate liver.” Allison grinned at him and said, “I’ll have you over for dinner one night as well. Thanks for helping today.”

“Think nothing of it. I was glad to help.”

She passed Jack the other fifty.

“What’s that for?” he asked.

“Gas, helping. Take your pick.” He opened his mouth to refuse it, but a quick shake of her head and a silent motion toward Terry had him closing it again.

He gave a brief nod. “Thanks. The tank is getting a little low.”

Terry cleared his throat and got their attention.

“I’m taking off now. I hope you’ll be happy here. If you ever need anything else done, call me.”

“I certainly will. Enjoy the rest of your weekend.”

“I will. Bye now.”

After Terry left, the silence became awkward—expectant—as if something special was about to happen.

“Well, I’ll leave you to get settled in. If you need anything, holler. Otherwise, I’ll see you on Monday.”

“Oh. All right. See you then.”

She walked him to the door and out onto the patio. “Drive safe.” Then, before she knew what was happening, he took her in his arms and looked into her eyes.

“I’ve been wanting to hold you all day.”

“Yeah, well, we’ve been kind of busy,” she said, her hands resting against his chest. She could feel his muscles through the t-shirt he wore.

“Uh-huh. And we had company.” His hands came up to tangle in her hair, now loose and disheveled from moving and unpacking.

“True.”

He lowered his head, slowly, ever so slowly, giving her time to push away, she supposed. Instead, she reached up and pulled his head down for a kiss. And wow, what a kiss. The moment their lips met, passion exploded. She felt its impact from her head all the way to the tips of her toes. If he hadn’t been holding onto her, she’d be nothing but a puddle of heat at his feet. All too soon, he broke the kiss, and she strived to remain upright.

“Until we meet again,” he said as he drew away, still holding her.

What? Was he leaving? “Would you like to come back for dinner?” she asked, her voice sounding breathless to her own ears.

“Not tonight. I ordered a few things for the ranch. Mom called earlier and told me they had arrived, so I need to get them set up. I’ll take a rain check, though.”

“Anytime.” Damn. Why did she say that? It made her sound wanton.

He gave her another quick kiss, a brief meeting of the lips, and then he was gone. She watched as he got into his truck and drove off. He hadn’t even once looked back. Had kissing her senseless meant so little to him? Maybe he was used to kissing and running away, but she felt bereft after he’d left. Allison struggled for a composure she didn’t feel and finally decided to finish her unpacking.

Chapter Five

Jack relived that kiss the whole way home. He’d wanted to turn around and go back, finish what he’d started. Allison had started a fire within that he didn’t know how to deal with. Well, he knew, but wasn’t sure she was ready to take their friendship in that direction. Hell, he didn’t know if he was ready. Everything seemed to happen so fast. He needed time to think this through. His plans after graduation certainly hadn’t involved a relationship of any kind.

He parked beside the house and went inside, half-expecting his mother to ply information from him with her questions, but neither she nor Lucas were home. He ran past a stack of boxes as he went upstairs where he grabbed a shower and changed into clean clothes. Then he went back down and carried all the boxes into the den. He figured it was high time someone brought the ranch into this millennium, and he was just the man to do it.

Once everything was in the den, he opened boxes and set up the computer and printer on the big walnut desk his father had used. Then he installed the programs he’d bought. Jack smiled and thought of Allison when he got to the Simply Accounting package. His stomach growled, and he glanced at the clock on the mantle. Eight o’clock? Four hours just to unpack and hook up the equipment?

He pushed back the chair to go rummage through the fridge for something to eat. His mother not being home meant no supper cooked, and he wondered where she and Lucas had got off to. He was sure he’d find leftovers in the fridge, but nothing he saw appealed to him. He wondered if Allison had eaten yet and palmed his phone to call. Then he decided to surprise her.

On his way to the clinic, he spotted a fried chicken place. He went drive-thru and bought two chicken dinners and sodas, then continued to the clinic. As he had earlier, he drove around back and parked near her private entrance, surprised when the outdoor lights came on automatically. Motion sensors. Terry had thought of everything. He’d have to remember to throw some work his way. Their wranglers could only do so much and not nearly up to the standard of Terry’s work. He’d been suitably impressed when he’d entered Allison’s apartment.

That huge walk-in shower and the oversized whirlpool tub had lusty thoughts swirling through his mind big time. Yep, he’d love to get Allison in that tub with him.

He grabbed their dinners and stepped down from the cab. Her truck was there and lights were on in the apartment. Jack went to the door and rang the bell. No answer. He rang it again. Still no answer and, starting to worry, he pounded on the door. When he didn’t hear any movement from inside, he set the food on the patio table and dug out his phone.

“Wakefield Clinic. Please leave a message and I’ll get back to you shortly.”

Damn! He pounded on the door again and hollered, “Allison.” Then he walked over to her bedroom window. It was open and he heard music playing. “Allison, open the door or I’m coming through this window.”

Suddenly there she was, standing in the bedroom doorway wrapped in a towel. Her hair was dripping from the ends. She’d been in the tub.
Wow! Great timing, Grayson.
His heart thumped like crazy in his chest. Allison looked fantastic in her clothes, but seeing her in only a towel had his libido responding big time. She disappeared, and he gathered up the food and waited by the door.

“Jack, what are you doing here? I thought you had work to do.”

“I do, but I also need to eat and, knowing the current state of your larder, I decided to buy for two. What took you so long?”

“I fell asleep in the tub. What a lovely way to relax. Those jets gave me a great massage.”

“I give a good massage,” Jack suggested with a lascivious grin, envisioning her in the tub with his hands molding her body.

Allison giggled. “I just bet you do. Come on in. Is that chicken I smell?”

“Yep.”

“Take it to the table. I’ll get dressed and be out in a second.”

“Hmmm, I kind of like the way you wear that towel.”

She smiled and headed for her bedroom, firmly closing the door behind her.

Jack shrugged, set the food on the table, and waited. It wasn’t long until her door opened and he watched as she made her way to the table. She walked with such grace and economy of movement that she seemed to glide across the room. The pink shorts she wore were barely there and the matching tank top easily told him that she’d forgone a bra. His throat closed off, and he wanted to take her right there and then. To hell with the food.

“Thanks for bringing dinner. I’m starving,” she said.

He swallowed hard and pulled out a chair for her when what he wanted to do was carry her right back into her bedroom and make love to her. He eyed the table. It was a heavy, sturdy piece of walnut furniture. Maybe …

Nope. She was already digging into her dinner. His lust would have to wait while they ate. He took a seat and dug into his chicken dinner. He really hadn’t known how hungry he was until he’d started eating. All he’d had today was coffee for breakfast and the pizza at lunch. Still, every time he glanced over at Allison, he wanted her more.

Like now. She was licking the grease off her fingers … Such a sensual act, and so distracting, he almost choked on a fry. But he shouldn’t be surprised. She’d kept him in a permanent state of arousal all week as he worked in the clinic. If it hadn’t been for her home visits in the evenings, they probably would’ve indulged themselves by now. Instead, he’d gone home every day to a cold shower.

“Do I have ketchup on my nose or something?” she asked.

Her jerked back to reality and realized he’d been staring. “Not on your nose, but…” He reached across the table and rubbed his thumb slowly beneath her bottom lip. “There. Got it.”

Before he could pull his hand back, she put her lips over his thumb and sucked off the imaginary ketchup.

“Funny, but I can’t taste any,” she said, a teasing glint in her eyes.

“You caught me.” He grinned at her. “I needed to touch you. Is that so bad?”

“No, not bad. I’ve finished eating. Have you?”

“Yes, ma’am.” He pushed his unfinished meal away and rose to walk around the table to where she now stood. Their gazes locked as they stood facing each other, not touching. “That sounded like an invitation. Are you sure this is what you want?”

“I’m sure. Shall we adjourn to the bedroom?” she asked as she took hold of his hand.

“With pleasure.” He allowed her to lead the way. If she slowed, hesitated the slightest bit, he’d be one sorry excuse for a man. But this had to be a mutual coupling. He wouldn’t settle for anything less.

Only she didn’t hesitate. She walked straight to the bed, stopping only long enough to drop her shorts and pull her tank top over her head.

He couldn’t move. All he could do was stare at those perfect rosy tips until his mouth watered. Then his eager gaze took in the rest of her. All she wore was a pretty pink thong. “Lady, you’re going to kill me,” he said as he moved closer, feeling the weight of her breasts as he cupped them in his hands. “You are so beautiful.”

“And
you
have too many clothes on.” She turned and flipped back the covers on the bed and then slipped beneath the sheets.

Jack didn’t waste any time. He stripped in a nanosecond, his erection springing up as his boxers went down, and he joined her, hugging her close and enjoying their nakedness, skin to skin, except for her thong. “Oh, my. What have we here?” she asked as she took him in hand, her thumb caressing the tip.

He sucked in a ragged breath as she began to stroke up and down his shaft. Two could play that game. He ruthlessly ripped the thong from her body, and his hand rubbed her mound of curls until she writhed beneath him. But he wanted more of her breasts first.

His hands cupped them again, bringing first one and then the other to his mouth. He laved and suckled and nipped at her turgid nipples. She tasted delicious, and he feasted until she pulled him up and away, securing his mouth to hers in a kiss filled with rapture.

“Make love with me, Jack.”

“Oh, yeah,” he managed to say. Then he remembered protection. “Just give me a sec.” He reached over the side of the bed and grabbed his jeans off the floor, extracting his wallet from which he removed a small foil packet. He tore it open, and she reached for it.

“Let me.”

Oh boy.
He should have said no. Her gentle hands made long, slow smoothing motions as she worked the condom over the swollen tip and down his hardened length. He wanted to lie back and enjoy the sensation. He wanted to tell her to hurry. But most of all, he wanted to be inside her.

Jack got his wish, only not in the way he’d thought. She straddled him and impaled herself in one fell swoop. He gasped in pleasure.

“I’m sorry. Did I hurt you?” she asked.

“Allison, the only way you could hurt me right now is to stop. Now move.” He thrust upward and she moved with him, riding him, thrust for thrust, and taking him to the limit much too fast. “Whoa, girl, slow down or this’ll be over before we’ve properly begun.”

“No worries. We have all night.”

He groaned as she rotated her hips and pressed down on him. Surely, he couldn’t get in any deeper, but he did. Her inner core was like a warm velvet glove, silky soft and tight as she encased him. He was on fire. On fire for Allison.

It seemed as though he’d wanted her forever, although he’d only known her one week. Her breasts jiggled as she moved, and he lifted his upper body to suck a nipple into his mouth while his hand massaged the other breast. He lay back, taking her with him as he continued to pleasure her with little nips wherever his mouth could reach. He loved the feel of her silky skin, warm and soft as satin, as he allowed his hands to roam freely along her back and womanly curves.

Suddenly, she sped up and then stiffened as her climax struck. His followed, and her insides contracted until she’d drained every drop of juice from him. Exhausted, he pulled her down beside him and cradled her in one arm while he disposed of the condom.

“That was sensational,” he said as soon as he’d caught his breath. “I don’t think I’ve ever come so hard or so much.”

“Mm-hm.”

He laughed out loud. “Is that all you have to say?”

“Mm-hm.”

He rolled over on his side to face her and rubbed his hand along the length of her body. He found a ticklish spot and took advantage. Allison gasped and laughed until she begged him to stop. Their lips met and, before he knew it, he was hard again.

“I only have one more condom and I want to try out your tub. You game?”

“Race you.”

Now
that
move he wasn’t prepared for. She jumped out of bed and ran through the apartment with him hot on her trail. It was a short game of catch, kiss, cop a feel, and release as her apartment wasn’t all that big, but it was fun. Allison was so much fun to be with that he was glad he’d come back. He’d needed the release of tension, and from what he could discern from her actions, Allison had needed it too.

She leaned over to turn on the taps, and he was a goner. He sidled up behind her and rubbed his hardened length up and down her crack while he squeezed her butt cheeks.

“You have a fantastic ass. Full and curvy.”

She straightened, turned, and in one swift gesture, grabbed his butt and squeezed. “I kind of like your tush, too.”

They rubbed and kissed and teased each other until the tub filled. Allison gave as good as he dished out. The tub was large enough that they could lay side-by-side, if they wanted to, but they lay down on their sides, facing each other and continued the foreplay. There wasn’t an inch of her body that he hadn’t tasted and caressed. And she returned the favor ten-fold.

He rose above her and entered her silken core, the jets adding buoyancy to his movements as he pounded into her repeatedly. She raised her upper body to lave his nipples, and that was it. Game over. He shot his load as she tightened around him, holding him close while they rode the wave of fulfilled desire.

They lay side-by-side allowing the jets to wash over them as they slowly came back to Earth.

“Now
that
was fantastic,” she said. “The first time I did all the work.”

“Hey, I was there, too. I met you thrust for thrust, woman. Making love is a two-person combo of delight.”

“Speaking of which, I’m hungry again.”

“Then let’s dry off and find something to eat.” He stood to climb out, and that was when he realized he hadn’t worn a condom. “Oh, no, babe. I forgot the condom. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry. I’m clean and on birth control. No biggie. Unless you have some dreaded disease that you haven’t told me about.”

“No, no disease. I just hate being irresponsible. I
always
use protection.”

“Hey, Jack,” she said as she got out of the tub and wrapped her arms around him. “I forgot, too. And I’m a doctor. I know better. So, don’t beat yourself up about it. Okay?”

He heaved a heavy sigh and rested his head atop hers as they stood wrapped in a comforting embrace. “I enjoy being with you, Allison. I’d hate for my lack of protection to put a wedge between us. What if your birth control doesn’t work?”