The Doctor Wears A Stetson (Contemporary Western Romance) (8 page)

Dusk cloaked the barnyard as night settled
in; the lone evening star twinkled in the sky. Crickets chirped
their night song, and a soft breeze rustled the last of the leaves
on the big oak tree near the back door. As the sun gave up its last
vestiges of light, the halogen lamp on the tall pole in front of
the house flickered on, casting a comforting glow around the
yard.

Jessie stopped a moment under the lamp pole
and breathed in a deep lungful of fresh air, enjoying the night
sounds all around. What a stressful day it had been. In Lubbock,
she'd seen her lawyer and set the groundwork to lease the oil
rights she owned on the Diamondback Ranch. She hadn't actually
committed the vile deed yet, but everything was in place. One phone
call to Mr. Bennett, and he'd put the wheels in motion and make it
happen.

Jessie kept hoping against hope that a
miracle would occur--maybe she'd win the lottery or something, so
she wouldn't have to make that call. But in reality, there were no
other options available. Jessie knew she was going to be forced to
renege on the promise she'd made to Ruth McCade. She didn't see any
other way to get the money she desperately needed. She would have
to warn Ruth; she owed her that much.

Jessie spotted the headlights of a car
through the grove of mesquite trees bordering the dirt road leading
to the house. Sherlock took exception to the newcomer and dashed to
the edge of the lawn, barking loudly.

When the black Jaguar pulled up, Jessie's
heart plummeted. She'd purposely stayed away from the shop today
because she'd wanted to avoid another meeting with Cameron. She had
tried not to think of the night before and that incredible kiss
behind the cafe, but her traitorous body wouldn't let her forget.
Her breasts ached and the feeling of emptiness deep inside reminded
her of her lonely state.

Setting the basket of eggs beside the door,
she gathered her courage and waited. And waited. Cameron made no
move to get out of the car. Sherlock stood at the door on the
driver's side, growling ferociously, his sharp teeth gleaming in
the lamplight. For a split second, Jessie had a good mind to go in
the house and leave Cameron to his fate. But that was the coward's
way out and she wasn't a coward. She'd have to face him sooner or
later. With a deep breath for courage, she called Sherlock to heel.
The big German shepherd barked a few more times before
relinquishing his position.

Slowly opening the door, Cameron eased out
of the sports car. "That's some guard dog you've got there."

Jessie patted Sherlock, who had taken a
defensive stand by her side. "He keeps unwanted visitors away."

Cameron squatted on his haunches in front of
Jessie and spoke to Sherlock in a soothing voice, allowing the dog
to sniff his hand, finally petting him on the scruff of the neck.
"Am I an unwanted visitor, Jess?"

Oh no. She wanted him and that was the
problem in a nutshell
.

"Well, it depends on your intentions," she
said. "You come waltzing into town, after being gone for years, and
expect me to fall into bed with you. I can't do it, Cameron. I
don't know you very well. We went out exactly one time when we were
kids. I can't deny the attraction between us, but that's not enough
for me. I need more, and I don't think you're willing to give
it."

There.
She'd said her piece and
unburdened her heart. Now, Cameron would go back to Houston and
she'd never see him again. Never feel his arms around her . . .
never lie in bed with him . . .

Cameron rose to his feet and grasped her by
the shoulders. An odd expression played across his handsome face.
What was he thinking?

Why couldn't she just invite him in the
house and let tomorrow take care of itself? She was good at
that--taking one day at a time. But somehow, she didn't think it
would work in this situation. Guarding her heart was paramount.

"I didn't come to town to seduce you into
bed," he said. "I came home for my mother's birthday."

Jessie's legs trembled. She grabbed hold of
his forearms, feeling the strong tendons beneath her sensitive
fingers, the roughness of the hair covering his skin.

The pressure on her shoulders increased, as
Cameron supported her weight. "I won't lie to you, Jess. You know I
want you. I wanted you the night of the prom. I want you now. But
you have a valid point. We don't know each other very well."

Dropping his hands to his sides, he backed
away. Jessie stifled a moan and locked her knees in place, willing
them to keep her upright.
Just ask him in, Jess. Don't think
about tomorrow.

"Cameron?" Her voice sounded strange to her
ears; her pulse pounded in her throat. She was about to do
something totally against her nature. She couldn't let him walk
away forever. Not again.

He raised an eyebrow in question, his eyes
dilating with desire. The force of the passion radiating between
them hit Jessie like a bowling ball crashing down an alley, laying
all the pins flat. Her lungs refused to operate and she gasped for
breath. One touch from him and she'd be flat on her back like those
pins, and to hell with tomorrow.

Before she could speak, Cameron placed a
finger on her lips and shook his head. "No. You're right; we do
need to get better acquainted. I want to know you inside and out,
backward and forward, from the top of your head to the tips of your
toes. And everything in between."

Jessie stood mesmerized by the subtle love
words and the light pressure of his finger on her lips. Her body
craved contact. She remembered the taste of his mouth and wanted to
taste it again. Good grief, the man was lethal.

"I won't be here very long," he said. "Let's
go out tomorrow night. No pressure, just go out and have fun. You
can catch me up on things here, and I'll tell you about Houston and
my practice."

Jessie smiled. "You really do enjoy being a
doctor, don't you? You had it all planned out when you were young
and you made it happen." She hadn't been part of his plans back
then. Last night, he'd said he'd almost changed them because of
her. Somehow she didn't really believe him.

"Yes, I love being a doctor," he said. "What
about tomorrow night, Jess?"

"Where would we go?" She was stalling for
time because she wasn't certain where this would lead, how it would
end. He wanted her in bed and she wanted him. But then what? He'd
return to Houston, she'd be in Salt Fork . . . she'd been through
it all before.

"How about Billie G's?" he said. "We could
have a few beers. Play some pool."

Jessie shook her head. The honky-tonk up on
the Caprock was popular, but not one of her favorite places. "I
don't drink much, and I've never really liked pool."

"Then how about a movie?" Cameron wanted to
spend time with Jessie and not just in bed. The more he saw of her,
the more he realized how much he'd missed by leaving all those
years ago. He traced his fingers along Jessie's jaw, over her
collarbone, down her arm.

She shuddered deliciously beneath his touch.
Cameron dropped his hand to his side when she stepped away. He
forced himself not to grab her and kiss her till she moaned.

"The closest theater is in Cactus Gap,
remember?" Jessie swiped her hair back from her face. Cameron
wanted to bury his hands in the silky threads. He wanted to bury
himself inside her body.

Taking a deep breath, he tried to
concentrate on her words instead of the husky tone of her voice.
"Right. Cactus Gap's fifty miles away."

"Afraid your car won't make it that far?"
Her green eyes widened as soon as the words left her mouth. She'd
set herself up and knew it.

Cameron grinned. "No problem. I'll be with
one of the best mechanics in Texas. I'm sure she wouldn't leave me
stranded."

Jessie laughed.

"I like it when you laugh." Cameron stepped
closer and reached for her, thankful she didn't pull away. "I like
kissing you, too. I want to kiss you, Jess. I
need
to kiss
you."

The laughter died in Jessie's throat when
his lips brushed hers. His words touched something deep inside. The
kiss was gentle, very different from the passionate one they'd
shared last night. Before she had time to respond, Cameron released
her. He searched her eyes as if looking for something.

"Will you go to the movies with me?" he
asked softly.

Jessie couldn't speak, still trying to
recover from the kiss. She thought he sounded almost hesitant. Like
her answer mattered to him a lot. Finally, she just nodded.

Cameron smiled. "Good. When I see you
tomorrow for the tour of your clinic, we'll finalize the
plans."

Jessie stood in the lamplight after he drove
away. She traced her lips with one finger. The gentle kiss they'd
shared had been different, nothing like she'd ever experienced
before. Especially with Cameron McCade.

****

The next morning, Jessie rolled herself on
the creeper underneath Mrs. Jones's late model SUV and loosened the
oil plug. Placing a pan to catch the oil, she mentally willed the
black fluid to drain quickly. It was eleven-thirty and she was
starving. She hadn't eaten any breakfast. She'd still been shaken
by the gentleness of Cameron's kiss the night before. The man
confused the hell out of her.

The oil flow stopped and Jessie quickly
changed the filter. Wiping her hands on a grease rag, she rolled
herself out from under the vehicle. Before she knew what was
happening, she was lifted from the creeper and held in Cameron's
strong arms. Amused blue eyes stared down at her from beneath his
Stetson, and she was certain she had oil on her cheeks. She tried
to wipe it away.

Low laughter rumbled in Cameron's throat. He
took the rag in one hand, her chin in the other. "You're just
making it worse. Let me do it."

Jessie tried to quiet the tremulous pounding
of her heart. The firm pressure from Cameron's fingers on her chin
warmed her skin and a delicious heat spread downward. A hunger of a
different sort made her lean toward him.

Careful, Jess
. She grabbed the rag to
finish the job herself and stepped away, forgetting about the
creeper on the floor. One minute she was falling; the next, she was
safely in Cameron's arms again. He held her tightly against the
length of his body. But Jessie knew she wasn't safe at all. In
fact, she was in too much danger for her peace of mind.

She pushed out of the embrace and
desperately tried to get hold of her wayward emotions. "Thanks for
catching me."

"My pleasure," he said with a wink.

Prickles of awareness rose on the nape of
her neck at the sound of his low, seductive voice. Jessie bent
down, picked up her baseball cap and jammed it on her head. She
felt like a clumsy fool. Not only for tripping over the cart, but
for her lack of control to Cameron's touch.

The look of raw hunger on his face froze
Jessie on the spot. What
was
this thing between them? It
grew stronger each time they were together.

Jessie tossed the grease rag in the trash
barrel. "I didn't expect to see you for another hour. Has something
come up?"

Cameron stuffed his hands in his pockets.
Something had definitely come up, but it wouldn't be polite to
mention it, especially when he had promised Jessie he wouldn't put
pressure on her. "Actually, I couldn't wait any longer to see you
again. So, I brought lunch. I thought we could go to the roadside
park and have a picnic, before you showed me your clinic."

Jessie melted a little inside. How sweet.
"Shouldn't you be spending this time with your family?"

"I rode out with Dallas early this morning
to inspect the cattle, then visited with Mom at breakfast. I
promise you, she didn't mind at all when I said I wanted to have
lunch with you. In fact, she packed a basket for us."

"I hope Ruth isn't getting any ideas."
Jessie was trying not to get any ideas either.

Cameron smiled. "Mom's always getting ideas.
You know how she is. You
are
hungry, aren't you? I stopped
by the cafe. There's two pieces of Sarah Sue's carrot cake for
dessert."

Jessie's stomach growled in response and she
laughed. "You sure know how to tempt a woman. Let me wash up." She
turned on her heel and ran to the office, blushing at her unruly
tongue.

Know how to tempt a woman?
Good
grief, what would she say next? She hadn't missed the flash of heat
in Cameron's eyes.

After slipping out of her coveralls and
making sure her sweater and slacks were okay, she ran a comb
through her hair and grabbed her purse. She scribbled a note for
Sam to finish Mrs. Jones's SUV when he came back from his break,
which would be any minute now.

Jessie hurried outside. The look of
admiration on Cameron's face generated a warm sensation in the pit
of her stomach. Since she was an expert at compartmentalizing her
troubles, she banished all worries and doubts to the back of her
mind and decided to enjoy Cameron's company today.

****

Cameron waited with arms folded, leaning
against his car, watching Jessie's approach. She had exchanged her
coveralls for a pair of pants that outlined her shapeliness and a
sweater that teased his imagination.

He dug his keys from his pocket, glad to
release some of the tension from his tight jeans. Since coming to
the ranch, he'd been in a constant state of arousal. That in itself
was exciting and new. For the past decade, his schedule had been so
tight and hectic, he hadn't had much time to pursue the ladies, no
matter what his mother thought. He'd essentially put his libido on
hold, but Jessie had certainly awakened it.

She stopped in front of him with a smile on
her lips. "Ready?"

Oh yeah
. "That didn't take long," he
said. On impulse, he held out the keys. "Why don't you drive?"