Somebody Like You (15 page)

How could she look so fragile, yet possess such strength? He’d been afraid at first, afraid he’d snap her in two. But the lady took no prisoners, gave no quarter. Her toned body matched his, need for need. Fiercely, she’d drained him dry.

Nobody had ever touched him the way Annie did.

“Are you okay?” He kissed the top of her head.

“Okay?” She shook her head. “No. Okay is such an anemic word. It doesn’t begin to do justice to what just happened. The way I’m feeling right now…” She sighed. “It far surpasses anything I could ever have expected.”

She nuzzled her face into his chest. “And I’m thinking how much time I’ve wasted by waiting so long.”

Her words, her voice, tickled against him, and he grinned. “Personally, I’m glad you did.”

She tipped her head to look at him. “You know what? So am I.”

“Sing to me, Annie,” he whispered. “Like you did to Shadow.”

And she did. She moved her lips to his ear, sang softly, and totally devastated him. He hadn’t come so close to losing it since he’d been a randy, wet-behind-the-ears teenager.

Rolling over quickly, one hand on her lower back, he gathered her to him. Then, he plunged into her. Nothing slow or easy this time. Both took from the other, gave to the other.

If he’d thought the first the best he’d ever had, he couldn’t even begin to describe the second.

Staring into the sky, trying to catch his breath, he heard Annie say, “Boy, was I wrong. I thought riding a motorcycle down the highway was the ultimate experience. Not even close. Sex is, by far, better than any motorcycle ride.”

When her hand trailed over his stomach, he caught it in his. “Have I created a monster?”

“I think so. If my mother could see us now, she’d be appalled.”

“Honey, if your mother could see us now,
I’d
be appalled.” He flashed a quick grin.

Annie smiled. “You know what I mean. For years, she’s drilled into me that sex isn’t to be taken lightly. Because of who I am, I have to be careful—my reputation, my family’s reputation, blah, blah, blah. She forgot to tell me how much fun it is!”

“Thank you.” He shot her a sideways glance. “You know, your great-grandfather apparently didn’t play by the same rules your mother fed you.”

Her brows furrowed. “What do you mean?”

“Well, if he had, you wouldn’t be here hunting for his illegitimate child now, would you?”

“Guess not.”

“I owe your great-granddaddy a big, old thanks.” He kissed her, then sat up. “You hungry?”

“Famished.”

“What do you say we take a quick rinse in the pond, then break out the picnic lunch Rosie packed?”

“Sounds great.” She ran ahead of him, straight into the water, splashing as she went.

His phone vibrated, and he picked it up, glanced at the caller.

Annie stopped and looked back. Water streaked down her body and glistened in the sunlight. She looked pretty as a picture. She quite literally stole his breath.

“What are you doing?”

“I had a message.”

“Here?”

“Yeah, we had a tower installed so the guys could stay in touch when they’re out on the range.” He tossed the phone onto his crumpled jeans. “I turned it off. Nothing I need to take care of now.”

He raced into the water, needing to be with her.

Ten minutes later, cooled off and dressed, sitting cross-legged under the big oak, they shared the best fried chicken Cash had ever tasted. Rosie had outdone herself today. Potato salad and homemade bread-and-butter pickles had been tucked in his lunch, too. And to top it all off, she’d added two huge slices of chocolate cake. He swore the woman had some supernatural ability. She knew Annie’d be sharing his lunch and had packed enough for both of them.

He took the last bite and licked the thick frosting from his fingers.

Annie put her hands to her stomach. “I’m so full I don’t think I can move.”

“Lay your head right here.” Cash patted his damp jeans. Annie slid close and laid her head in his lap. Two birds in the tree overhead sang to each other. A butterfly flitted from daisy to daisy, and a frog croaked from a lily pad in the center of the pond.

It had been ages since he’d taken off in the middle of a workday. He thanked God he had today. What a magnificent gift these last couple of hours had been.

He ran his fingers through her damp hair. She smelled of the fresh spring water. Yet beneath was the scent of her, of Annie. Pure female.

“So, Annie, what did you study in college?”

“Business. How boring is that?”

“Not. A lot of my classes were in business. That’s what the ranch is, after all.”

“True. And because my mother insisted, I carried dual enrollment and got a degree in fine arts, too. The perfect accessory for every well-dressed woman.”

He grinned. “Yeah, there’s that.”

“Since Daddy and Grandpa weren’t in any huge hurry to turn over the reins,” Annie said, “I finished up my college career with a doctorate in economics.”

“You’re a Ph.D.?”

“What? You don’t think I’m smart enough? Capable enough?”

He kissed the tip of her nose. “You’re all of that, Dr. Montjoy. It just doesn’t fit the bad-girl, Harley-riding woman I first met. You may have to give me a couple minutes to merge the two.”

She laughed. “That’s because, essentially, the doctorate and the escapee are two completely different people.”

“I’m not so sure of that,” Cash said easily. He drew her hair back from her face and nibbled on the side of her neck. “They’re simply two sides of one coin.”

“I never thought of it that way.”

The sun dipped lower in the sky. He rolled to his side and tickled her nose with a piece of grass. As much as he hated to, it was time to head home. Chores waited. With a last kiss from Annie’s now-swollen lips, he pulled her to her feet.

Stashing everything back into the picnic bag, they folded the blanket and tied it to Moonshine’s saddle.

“Thanks for a lovely day, Cash.”

“Believe me, Annie, when I say the pleasure was mine.”

With a sly smile, she said, “Oh, I’m not so sure it was all yours.”

“Down, girl, or we’ll never make it back to civilization.” As he handed her up on the horse, he realized not a single soul who saw Annie would have the slightest doubt about what they’d been doing on this fine sunny afternoon. With her stubble-burned cheeks and neck, her red, swollen lips, and wet, tousled hair, she looked like pure, unadulterated sex. Everyone would know they’d shared a little afternoon delight.

Well, they’d take a slow ride and maybe head back the long way. That was only fair to Annie.

On the way back, as they ambled through a field of wildflowers, Annie drew up, pointing to a jackrabbit. The animal, on alert, sat on its haunches eating a blade of grass and watching them watch him.

“Maybe it’s Thumper, from
Bambi
.”

Cash’s heart lurched in his chest. She looked so amazing, so awestruck. Exactly the way he felt—amazed and awestruck. Riding up beside her, he hooked an arm around her neck, drew her close, and kissed her. Beneath him, his horse shifted. Shadow stood still. She’d done a good job with him.

“I can’t get enough of you, Annie.”

She smiled, and a twinge of conscience pricked Cash. He flashed to the terms of his grandpa’s will. Thought about Vivi. Reminded himself what a huge mistake a man could make if he let himself act on impulse.

Still, Annie wasn’t Vivi. The two were as far apart as they came. If he ever did get married…but no. That wasn’t in his plans. What about Annie? She’d just given herself to him. Her first. Did she expect more because of that? Surely she understood he didn’t have any plans for their future.

And yet who knew what went on in a woman’s head.

A trickle of cold sweat ran down his back. Before he could stop himself, he asked, “You ever get really serious about anyone, Annie? You know, like, thought about getting married?”

“Married?” Her eyes widened. “No, I haven’t. I’ve never met anyone I’d want to spend the rest of my life with. Have you?”

“No.” Cash thought about his folks. They had a good marriage. But this wasn’t a “like father, like son” thing. Vivi and his grandfather had been a disaster. And the woman continued to be a royal pain in his side.

Annie was a good person. She had a lot of heart. A trusting heart. He couldn’t risk hurting her. He’d made it a rule to be totally upfront with any of the women he’d been involved with. Before things reached the point they had with Annie.

The thinking part of his brain had deserted him, though. Now it was working again—in a limited fashion.

Calling himself all kinds of a fool, he knew he had to deal with it. Had to be totally honest. After all, hadn’t he been livid when she’d been less than that with him? Wasn’t that what yesterday’s fight had been about?

“Annie, this afternoon was, well, pretty damn wonderful.”

She grinned at him, and he nearly swallowed his tongue.

But he untangled it and went on. “This—what happened this afternoon—doesn’t change anything between us, you know? I mean, you’re here for a short time. Until you find your great-aunt and get a few things settled in your head. And me, I’m not interested in anything long-term. I’m not ready to settle down, not looking for anything permanent.”

He heard the sharp intake of breath. Saw the raw pain on her face, in her eyes. And then he watched the lights simply go out in those magnificent eyes. They turned from warm pools of blue to shards of ice in seconds.

“Good. Then we’re on the same page.” She nudged Shadow, and the two tore off across the meadow, her back ramrod straight.

C
ash cursed himself. He’d
so
screwed up. He’d taken what had been beautiful and transformed it into the bad and the ugly. This afternoon had been Annie’s first time.

She’d handed him the gift of her virginity, and he’d hurt her. Not physically. No. She’d been right with him there. He’d been careful. But afterward, he’d been a bastard.

He’d told himself he was watching out for her. That he was simply being honest with her.

What a crock! Truth was, he’d been so afraid of the feelings building inside him, so afraid of where they might lead, that he’d cut her to the quick by intentionally making light of what had happened between them. Of what had been the most incredible experience of his life.

He’d basically told her she’d been a one-night stand. Had turned her special day to shit. What an arrogant, callous bastard. If anybody else had treated her that way, he’d beat his ass. He deserved a thorough trouncing, and if he could figure out how to go about it, he’d give himself one.

He couldn’t remember ever making such a monumental mess of things.

Giving Moonshine his head, he urged him on faster. Inside a couple minutes, he rode alongside Shadow and Annie.

The lady sat a horse well.

When she turned those cold eyes on him, he found himself relieved she had no riding crop in her hand, certain she’d have used it on him. And rightfully so.

“Annie, pull up. Listen to me for a second.”

“I think you’ve said everything there is to say. I need to be getting back to work. Boss.”

“Stop it. I—” He hesitated. “I didn’t want you to—”

“I got the memo.”

He swore again.

She drew up her horse and simply sat looking at him, one brow arched imperiously.

“Oh, you do that well.”

“What?”

“That haughty lady-of-the-manor thing. Can’t believe I didn’t figure things out sooner.”

“Shifting the blame?”

“No,” he answered. “I’m not. But we’re wet. Disheveled. If we ride back looking like this, every hand on the ranch is going to know exactly what we’ve been doing.”

Her face flamed.

“Let’s ride over to my house. Dry our clothes and clean up a bit.”

When she looked at him suspiciously, he held up his hands, palms facing out. “Nothing more.”

“You’ve got that right.”

An uneasy truce stretched between them.

When they rode up to his house, she pulled gently on her horse’s reins. Leaning down, she patted him. “Good job, boy.”

Then, she simply sat there, drinking in the scene. Even through her anger, she had to admire Cash’s home. At night, it had been magical. In the daytime—absolute perfection. Rather than clashing, it blended with its surroundings. The wood and stone structure welcomed. The lake stretched out, reflecting both the house and the trees around it.

Under normal circumstances it would no doubt be peaceful. Tranquil. But these were far from normal circumstances, and Annelise ached from the tension in her shoulders.

Unlike the other night, no Staubach ran out to greet them. They’d left him in the barn with Hank when they’d rode out.

She dismounted and followed a silent Cash inside. This time, when she walked into his home, her brain wasn’t clouded with passion. She stood in the center of the two-story foyer.

“You built this yourself?” She kept her tone cool.

“Most of it. I had some help.” He shoved his hands in his pockets. “The bath’s upstairs to the right. If you want to shimmy out of those wet clothes, toss them out the door and I’ll throw them in the dryer. There should be a robe hanging on the back of the door. Take a shower if you’d like. Shampoo, soap, everything’s there.”

When he took her elbow to guide her to the stairs, she pulled away.

“Sorry.” He dropped his hand.

“You should be.”

“Annie, I know you’re pissed at me, but—”

She held up a hand. “Don’t.”

Conflicting emotions buffeted her and made her angrier still. Fighting the urge to turn into him, to bury her face in his shirt and cry, she took a step away instead. She wanted to throttle him, and still his touch created a need in her. Heat boiled in her stomach at the thought of his hands moving over her, touching her, of his mouth tasting her. Him inside her.

After everything that had happened between them, the thought of using his shower, his soap made her stomach flutter. Without another word, she walked up the stairs and into the bathroom, locking the door behind her,

Leaning against the wall, she closed her eyes. Maybe he’d been right to draw the line. To set the rules. Because something major was going on inside her. Yes, physically she found Cash thrilling. But it went deeper than physical. And that scared her.

He’d been right when he’d said she was here short-term. She’d come to Maverick Junction to find her great-aunt, then she’d return to her life in Boston with her boardroom and her power suits. Back to a world she understood.

Nothing about what was happening here made sense.

How had the search for her aunt turned into a mission to find herself?

How had a chance encounter with this cowboy turned into so much? They came from two totally different worlds, and she’d known that from the start. Still, she’d let herself get caught up in something that frightened her with its intensity.

Apparently it scared Cash, too. Did that mean he felt the same way? Was this more for him, too?

Chilled, she peeled off her wet jeans and tank. Hesitated at her bra and panties. Should she give them to him? Have him put them in the dryer for her? It seemed so intimate.

It
was
so intimate.

What they’d shared at the pond—the ultimate intimacy.

Since her only option would be to crawl back into wet panties after her shower, an extremely unappealing prospect, she slid out of them and into the robe. Pulling the collar close, she held it to her nose and breathed in his scent.

Oh, boy. Big, big trouble.

Unlocking the door, she opened it a crack and piled her clothes on the floor outside. “Here’re my things, Cash.”

“Okay. I’ll be right up for them.” After a second, he asked, “Want an iced tea?”

“That sounds wonderful.”

“It’ll be down here on the kitchen table waiting for you.”

“Thanks.” She closed the door. After a few seconds, she flipped the lock again and guilt rushed over her. Still…she’d enjoy her shower more knowing for absolute certain she wouldn’t have a guest.

Finished, wearing only his robe, she headed downstairs. Today, she had time to take in his house, and, in spite of the situation and her mood, she loved it. Very masculine in browns and creams, sunlight showered in from large windows. Along the back of the house, floor to ceiling windows opened onto a magnificent view of the lake.

Rough timbers spanned the two-story ceiling in the living room, and hand-carved stone formed the columns that separated it from the kitchen.

Cash sat on a bar stool at the island. While she’d cleaned up, he’d showered, too, and changed into fresh clothes. From another room, Annelise heard the sound of her things tumbling in the dryer.

He handed her a glass of tea. “Here you go. Mind if I turn on the TV? I’d like to catch the stock report.”

“Not at all.” But her mind flew to another time the two of them had shared kitchen time, another time he’d flipped on the TV—and the ensuing disaster.

She sat on a stool next to Cash as he clicked on the remote, flipped through the channels for the local news, and stopped at the stock report.

Despite herself, a bubble of laughter burst from Annelise.

When he turned to her, quizzical, she said, “I’m sorry. I’m so used to listening to the stock report—from Wall Street. This…” She waved a hand at the television. “This really is a stock report. They’re talking about cows.”

“Honey, beef is big business here in Texas. Hard money on the hoof.”

“I guess so.” She sipped her drink, relishing the cold blast of caffeine. The news correspondent’s next words, though, sent her into a tailspin. Déjà vu.

“Speculation is running rampant with the impending annual fund-raiser for Now and Then only two days away. No one has seen or heard from Annelise Montjoy, founder and sponsor of this charity, in nearly three weeks. Tickets for the event sell for a thousand dollars a plate. When we spoke to those in charge this morning, they insisted all is well.”

Annelise slapped her forehead and ran to a wall calendar that sported a buxom cowgirl in a black, almost-there bikini. Oh, my gosh. How could that be? How had she so lost track of the days?

“The question remains,” the announcer continued, “will oil heiress Annelise Montjoy show, or will she disappoint the hundreds of children who depend on the money raised yearly by this event?”

She met Cash’s eyes. “I have to go.”

“I know.”

She’d expected to be back home in Boston, her grandpa’s sister in tow, in time for the fund-raiser. But then everything had taken longer than she’d planned. The trek to Texas, the search for her aunt. And she’d gotten sidetracked by a man she thought she’d come to know. A man she’d allowed to mean something to her. Her mistake.

As if reading her mind, Cash said, “Annie, my mouth moved faster than my brain awhile ago. I handled this whole thing badly.”

“I can’t argue with that.”

“Boy, you’re a tough nut to crack, aren’t you?”

Her chin trembled. “I can be.”

He moved to her, wrapped his arms around her, and pulled her close. “I’m sorry.” He kissed her forehead.

She wanted to stay mad, but so much was going on. Inside her. Around her. Now this. It was all too much.

She let him hold her.

“Once I resurface, show my face in Dallas, they’ll follow me. The press. They’ll come to Maverick Junction if I return here. This”—she waved a hand—“will all be gone.” She swiped at a rogue tear. “And I haven’t found Grandpa’s sister. I haven’t found his miracle. Grandpa will die because I failed.”

“Darlin’, we’ll find some way—”

She shook her head. “No. Too many kids depend on this, Cash. I can’t let them down. I need to contact the organizers right away.” She sniffed. “And I’m being a baby. It’s just, I’m not ready to quit my search. I’m not ready for any of this to end. Not yet. But Grandpa will be so disappointed in me if I miss the fund-raiser.”

Now the tears started in earnest.

He scooped her up and carried her to the leather sofa, sat down and held her close, rocking and soothing her.

Somehow, in the midst of her misery, she realized this man comforting her was the same one who’d nearly destroyed her earlier. How did she meld these two sides of him?

The soft kisses he dropped on the top of her head, her forehead, the side of her neck changed subtly. The atmosphere shifted from compassion to sexually charged. His fingers moved to the tie on her robe, undid the knot. Beneath it, she was naked.

She moaned when his palm flattened on her belly, arched her back when his mouth took her breast. Her hand snaked up to curl around the back of his head.

When his lips trailed lower, dropping kisses along her stomach, she could have cried with pleasure. Instead, straining for some small vestige of willpower, she slid away from him.

His eyes, dark with passion, lifted to hers. “Annie? What’s wrong?”

What’s wrong?
she wanted to shout.
You broke my heart.
Instead, she said, “This isn’t a good idea.”

She pulled the robe together and knotted the belt, his eyes watching every movement.

“It’s…well.” She fiddled with her small pinky ring, twirling it around her finger. “You said you’re not looking for anything permanent—”

“That’s what this is about? I apologized already. I admitted to being an ass. I don’t know what more I can do or say.”

“It’s not entirely about that. Hear me out. You’re not interested in a long-term relationship, and neither am I.” She looked away. “So I think it’s better that we don’t, you know, do this again.”

“Guess I deserved that.”

She narrowed her eyes, tried to read the expression in his but wasn’t quite sure what she saw there. Hurt? Maybe. Maybe it was simply disappointment that he hadn’t scored. That he’d struck out.

Instantly, she rebuffed that idea, ashamed of herself. This was Cash. He’d understood at the pond and taken only what she’d offered.

But her heart ached. She tried to convince herself it was simply hurt feelings and wished like heck she could believe that.

“It’s getting late, Cash. I have a ton of things to take care of. Do you mind if I take the rest of the day off?”

“Nope. Do what you need to do.” Without another word, he moved to the laundry room and returned with her clothes, now dry. He tossed them onto the sofa beside her, then went back into the kitchen.

Ten minutes later, they were on horseback. Neither spoke during the ride.

When they walked their horses into the barn, Annelise saw an older man and woman beside one of the stalls, talking to Hank.

“Hey, there, son. Riding the fences today?”

Beside her, Cash tensed. “Might say that. Annie, my mom and dad. Pauline and Quentin Hardeman.”

Annelise slid from her horse. Keeping a firm grip on Shadow’s rein, she led him to where Cash’s parents stood. Extending her hand, she said, “It’s so nice to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Hardeman.”

Cash’s father swallowed her hand in his huge one. “Nice to meet you, Annie. Quentin, please, and Pauline. We’re not big on formality here.”

“Thank you, Quentin.” She took Pauline’s hand, surprised at how strong it was. “I’ve heard a lot about you, Pauline, from your son.”

“I’ll bet you have.” Cash’s mom shot her a smile. “Don’t believe half of it, and I won’t believe everything he tells me about you.” Then she moved to give her son a hug.

Annelise studied Cash’s parents. His father, a good half-foot shorter than Cash, fell a couple of inches shorter than his wife, too. He stood somewhere around five-feet-eight and carried an extra twenty to twenty-five pounds, all of it in his midsection. A handsome man, his face was tanned and lined, no doubt from time spent outdoors. Slightly bowlegged, he’d probably spent a lot of that time on the back of a horse.