Lost Without Them (6 page)

We’ll be on the ranch all day. Help yourself to anything in the kitchen. There’s a walkie-talkie on the island if you need us for anything. We’re always on channel 2. We’ll be back to the house around 6.

Cody

Keegan set the note back down and resumed making coffee. She needed caffeine. That was apparently one mystery about herself she could knock off the list. She was a caffeine addict.

* * * *

Cody adjusted the saddle girth around the horse. He gave him a pat before dropping the stirrup and fender into place. He heard the crunch of footsteps on the hard, cold ground and turned to see who came to join him. When he saw Keegan moving toward him, he smiled.

She looked nice this morning. Her hair was full of soft curls that blew gently in the winter breeze. The jeans and shirt Sam had gotten her fit her well. Too well. They hugged her curves like they were made for her. The denim jacket came just short of her waist and wasn’t nearly enough for the much colder weather that was on its way. Cody would have to remedy that and get her a warmer coat.

“Hey, Sunshine,” he said. “You finally decide to get up?”

“I’ve been up,” she replied.

She appeared nervous as she shifted from one foot to another and fiddled with the fingers of her right hand. He decided to try to put her at ease.

“I’m sorry about last night, Keegan. It’s just, well…we heard you—”

She put her hand up. “Let’s don’t talk about that.”

Cody smiled slightly. That was probably a good idea, if truth be told. Hell, he still had a hard-on thinking about her naked and undulating on that bed.

“I’ll just say this, then. From now on, we knock first.”

Keegan grinned. “I would appreciate that.”

Cody nodded. “Done.”

“That’s a beautiful horse,” she said.

“Have you ever ridden one?” he asked, then realized his mistake when he saw her raised eyebrows. “Yeah, gotcha,” he said with a chuckle.

She bit at her lower lip so adorably it was all Cody could do to keep from grabbing her and kissing her. Damn, this was going to be a long freakin’ winter.

“Wanna go for a ride?” he asked, unsure they should really be on the horse together, but he couldn’t think of another reason to get his arms around her.

She looked hesitant at first as she stared at the horse. “Yeah,” she whispered. “I think I do.”

Cody held his hand out, and she came toward him. He helped her place her boot in the stirrup, then climb onto the animal.

“His name is Chestnut,” Cody said as the horse bobbed his head in reaction to her added weight.

She took the reins in her left hand and patted Chestnut’s neck with her right. “That’s a nice name.”

“Watch your foot, darlin’,” Cody said as he nudged her foot from the stirrup and put his in its place. Swinging his leg over the back of the horse, he climbed up behind her.

She leaned to the left so she could turn slightly. “You’re going with me?”

He settled his arms around her waist and took the reins in his hand. “Is that a problem?”

He hoped not. He liked how she felt in his arms, the way her thighs rubbed against his as the horse sidestepped from the added weight.

“No,” she whispered and quickly turned back to the front.

Cody grinned slightly as he kicked Chestnut gently in the side, urging him out of the barn. Keegan felt stiff at first but slowly began to settle back against him as they made their way up a worn path. At the top of the hill was a nice spot that overlooked the house. It was where he planned to stop and show her the surroundings.

“This isn’t uncomfortable on you, is it?” Cody asked. “On your stitches?”

She shook her head. “No. It’s not bad. The fresh air and activity actually feels good. It’s so beautiful here.”

“Yeah. I forget that sometimes.”

He placed his hand on her thigh just above her knee. She didn’t push him away, so he let it rest there as the horse casually made his way up the path.

“I guess it’s easy to take things you see every day for granted.”

“Yeah.”

The wind blew her hair into his face, so he used his left hand to brush it back over her shoulder. She turned her head slightly to look at him from the corner of her eye, but she didn’t say anything. He glanced down at the side of her neck.

He was so tempted to place a soft kiss there, just below her delicate earlobe. The diamond studs in her ears caught his attention, and he touched one with the back of his finger.

He hadn’t noticed those before. They looked to be about two karats, maybe more. Definitely high quality.

“Those are nice earrings,” he said.

Keegan lifted her hand and touched her ear. “Just wish I knew where they came from.”

“I’m just hoping it’s not a jealous boyfriend or husband,” Cody drawled.

Keegan giggled, then suddenly went quiet. Was she married?

“I didn’t see a wedding or engagement ring, Keegan, so I think we’re okay,” Cody said with a slight chuckle.

Keegan jerked around as best she could to stare at him. “This isn’t funny, Cody.”

Cody frowned. “I never said it was, sweetheart.”

She turned back to look at the scenery stretched out before them. Cody sighed and put his chin on her shoulder. “I know it’s scary, Keegan. I know you’re confused.”

“I don’t know what I am. That’s a lot of the problem.”

“I know what you are,” Cody whispered.

“What’s that?”

“A beautiful, sexy woman who makes me think of doing things that should truthfully get me shot.”

Keegan snickered.

“Life’s much better when you smile, Sunshine,” he whispered.

He felt the slight tremor in her body and wondered if it was from the cold or their close proximity. The horse pranced, and Keegan’s bottom shifted against his groin. Damn, he could feel himself getting hard. He imagined her straddling him while he sat on this saddle, his cock buried deep inside her hot body, her mouth on his. He pictured his hands full of her curvy ass, and every part of him tensed with need.

If he didn’t stop this, he’d kiss her. And probably scare her off. She had enough problems. The last thing she needed was two horny cowboys seducing her.

“You’re so different from your brother,” she said softly.

Cody began to absently rub his hand along her thigh. He offered her the reins, and she held them limply in her hand.

“How so?”

“It’s…hard to explain.”

Cody knew what she meant. Others had noticed it too. Sam was gruffer, more intense. Cody was more easygoing, slower to anger. He felt the change in her body, the way she breathed. Looking down, he noticed just how high his hand was getting.

He hadn’t been paying attention to what he was doing until his hand almost touched the apex of her thighs. He moved it back down and slowly began to work the other one as well.

Ever so gently, inch by inch, he rubbed up her thighs, then back down. He could feel her heart pounding against his chest as his fingers slid even higher.

Tilting his head, he placed a kiss on the side of her neck, barely touching her skin with his lips. Her breathing hitched as her head shifted just a little. He placed another kiss just a tad bit higher, this time pressing his lips against her more firmly.

She sighed; barely audible, but Cody heard it, and the sound encouraged him to continue.

“Did you ever get off last night, Keegan?” Cody whispered.

She shook her head.

“I can do that for you now.”

She swallowed as he nipped at the side of her throat. He let the first two fingers of each hand slide over her pussy. Even through her jeans, he could feel her heat. Her hips shifted slightly toward his hand, and he knew he had her. He moved his hands back down her thighs before slowly sliding them back up again, this time applying a little more pressure to her mound.

She let her head fall back as a low moan escaped her parted lips. Full, kissable lips that Cody wanted to taste so bad it hurt. He kissed the side of her neck again, this time parting his lips and letting his teeth sink into her flesh.

Keegan gasped and arched her back. God, she was incredible. He rubbed both hands against her mound before roaming down her leg once more. This time she whimpered when he removed his touch.

“Do you want me to get you off, Keegan?” he asked softly.

Please say yes. Please say yes.

“Yes,” she whispered.

Keegan could hardly breathe. What was she doing letting him touch her like this? All she knew was that it felt so good, and after that dream last night, she needed it so badly she could hardly stand it.

What would he think of her, though? They hardly knew each other. She didn’t even know herself. The only thing she did know was that if he stopped touching her, she’d fall apart.

This felt so right. So incredible.

Oh God…what am I doing?

She put her hand over Cody’s and pulled them away from her body. If she didn’t, she’d lose herself, and she just couldn’t do that right now.

“We can’t do this,” she whispered.

Cody briefly put his forehead on her shoulder before sitting back up and putting some much-needed distance between them. She finally felt as though she could breathe again, despite the lustful tightness of her body.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “It’s just…after last night and… I don’t know who I am, if I belong to anyone, although…it doesn’t feel like I do.”

Crap, she was rambling.

“It’s okay, Keegan. I shouldn’t have let it get that far.”

“It’s not all your fault.” She swallowed and passed the reins back to him. “Could you take me back to the house?”

Cody nodded and turned the horse back down the path. Keegan couldn’t admire the scenery. All she could think about was how his touch had made her feel. Her mind went back to the dream and how well she’d known them. How could she know them like that? Was it really them or just two men her mind conjured up while sleeping?

It felt as though it was really them—that she really did know them that well. She glanced to the right briefly to study Cody from the corner of her eye. She knew deep down that he wasn’t angry…that he understood. How did she know that?

“Are you sure I don’t know you two?” she asked.

Cody shifted his hat lower over his eyes. “Trust me, Keegan. If we’d known each other, I would’ve remembered. Why do you ask?”

“I don’t know. It’s just… I feel like I know you.”

“Hmm,” Cody hummed. “Maybe you were stalking us, and we just didn’t know it.”

Keegan smiled slightly. “Maybe,” she replied coyly, knowing that Cody was teasing her.

An image raced through her mind, and she tensed. She could see Sam and Cody at a table. Sam lifted a beer bottle to his lips. Cody laughed at something a third man said as he passed by their table. Country music blared over speakers hidden throughout the dim, smoke-filled room.

“You okay?” Cody asked. “You got tense all of a sudden.”

“I remembered something.”

Cody stopped the horse. “Yeah. What?”

“I don’t know. It was just an image for a split second.”

“Well, that’s a good thing, right? Did you recognize any of it? Did it seem familiar?”

Keegan debated what to say. Should she tell him she saw them? “No. None of it seemed familiar.”

Cody gave her a comforting squeeze. “It’ll come, Sunshine. Just give it time.”

* * * *

Cody stood on the porch, waiting for Sam to park the truck. He’d been in the helicopter all day, so Cody was sure he would be tired, but he needed to let his brother know what he’d done earlier. Or more precisely, what he’d almost done.

Sam slowed as he came up the steps. “You look like you have news I don’t want to hear.”

Cody shifted from one foot to another. “It’s nothing bad…I guess. I just thought you should have a heads-up.”

Stopping on the top step, Sam narrowed his eyes. “What?”

“I took Keegan for a ride on Chestnut earlier today, and things might’ve gotten just a little…carried away.”

“How carried away?”

Cody sighed. “I had my hand between her legs. She almost came before she stopped me.”

Sam closed his eyes, and Cody could tell he was silently counting to ten. He waited for him to finish and for the inevitable blowup. Cody didn’t know why he bothered to count. It never helped.

“Have you lost your mind? I know it’s been a while, Cody, but damn!”

Cody rolled his eyes. “It wasn’t like that; it just happened. I’m not even sure how it happened or even when. It just happened.”

“Is she pissed?”

Cody shrugged. “No. I don’t think so. She did remember something, though.”

“What?”

“She didn’t say.”

Sam let out a tired breath and glanced toward the front door. “Have you talked to her since then?”

Cody shook his head.

“Well,” Sam said as he headed for the door. “If there’s going to be a meltdown, might as well get this over with.”

Cody followed his brother into the kitchen. The smell of food filled the house, and Cody’s stomach growled. “Wow. That smells good.”

“Yeah, it does,” Sam said as he looked around the kitchen.

The smell came from the oven. The rest of the kitchen was clean.

“Where is she?” Cody asked.

“Good question. Keegan!” Sam yelled.

The door to the deck opened, and Keegan stuck her head inside. “Yeah?”

“There you are,” Sam said. “I thought maybe you’d left.”

Keegan’s lips thinned. “Where would I go, Sam?”

Sam opened his mouth to say something but instead just nodded in agreement. “What’s for dinner? It smells incredible.”

Keegan walked inside and shut the door behind her. “It’s a casserole recipe from a cookbook I found in the cabinet. The timer will go off when it’s ready.”

She had her hair pulled back, exposing her neck, and Cody’s hands shook with the tension of holding back. He wanted to taste her again, this time her mouth. He needed to calm himself down, or he’d end up running her off. And that was the last thing he wanted to do.

“Have we got time to wash up?” Cody asked.

Keegan looked at him and nodded as her lips spread into a hesitant smile. Part of him relaxed in relief. At least she wasn’t shooting daggers at him.