Why not Wyoming? (Wyoming Wilds Series Book 1) (8 page)

With the roads cleared, they’d taken the less adventurous
route to CJ’s house from the lodge. Annie had kind of missed dodging trees. Taking
her boots off, she wandered into the living room. With the animals cared for,
CJ had broken out the tractor to clear his driveway and suggested she wait
inside where it was warm. It felt more than a little weird to be let loose in
his home alone. She didn’t want to snoop, but couldn’t deny the curiosity was
there. Eyes drawn up to the loft, she wondered if his private space was as
presentable as the public areas.

He’d confessed his mudroom and desk were a mess, what about his
bedroom? Was he one of those guys that at least flung his dirty laundry in the
general direction of the hamper, or did he let it fall where it would? She
glanced out the window. The long country drive was going to take some time to
plow. She bit her lip then shook her head. Would she want someone analyzing her
boudoir? The first time Finn had visited her in Grand Rapids, Annie had felt
the editor’s eyes crawling over every surface. It had been unnerving because
she knew how a writer’s mind worked.

The kitchen, however, was a little different. Public domain. No
expectation of privacy there. Annie grinned, walking her fingers over the
countertop. Peeking in the side-by-side refrigerator and freezer raised an
eyebrow. The stovetop had a grill. Not exactly a surprise, but the appliance
looked higher end. His mom’s influence maybe. She paused when she spotted the
coffee maker. The sturdy machine was like the one that had graced the Brand
kitchen for years. She’d since updated to one of those fancy one cup jobbies
since she preferred cocoa or cappuccinos, but seeing the Bunn was like a little
slice of home as silly as it sounded.

Opening the top cupboard to the right of the machine, she
predictably found the coffee and filters and set about starting a pot. It was
still early and CJ would be cold when he came in. There was something
comfortable about the mundane task. Her phone rang and she groaned. What now?
Her frown faded when she saw Finn’s freckled face. Speak of the devil.

“Are they sicking you on me now?” she asked in lieu of a
greeting.

“I was calling to find out if you’d survived the Wild West. What’d
you do now?”

“Nothing.”

“Too late for the innocent act now, kiddo. Spill it,” Finn
ordered, audibly taking a drag on her cigarette.

Annie curled up on the end of the plush leather couch where she
could watch CJ out the front windows. Finn’s gravelly purr sounded like she
gargled with whiskey and razorblades. It drove her husband wild. They were the
cutest damn couple Annie had ever seen.

“I didn’t come home from Wyoming.”

“Did you find yourself a hot mountain man to shack up with?”

“How’d you know he wasn’t a ski bum?”

“Not your style, honey,” the other woman said dismissively.
“Tell me about him.”

“He’s a hunting and fishing guide.”

The bedroom purr came back saturated with suggestion and wicked
humor.

“Ohh, a big game hunter!”

Annie laughed. Even when they were fighting it out over commas
and purple prose, she never made it off the phone with Finn without her cheeks
and stomach muscles aching.

“Come on. Details!”

“Okay. Okay. His name is CJ. He’s six-footish, yummy shoulders,
burly, barrel chest, all solid, dark hair, beard, and the bluest eyes. Oh! And
dimples. He’s adorable, like a sexy teddy bear.”

“He sounds scrumptious.”

Annie nodded but waited for more. Finn sounded downright smug.

“All I’m going to say is, it’s about damn time!” 

“Yeah right,” Annie scoffed, still waiting.

“What else is there to say? It’s long overdue. You’re a young,
vibrant, beautiful woman. Batteries shouldn’t have to suffice!”

“Nothing else to say, but yet, you keep talking,” Annie said
dryly.

Finn ignored her.

“So, how serious is it? You said you didn’t come home. Are you really
planning on staying in the Cowboy State?”

“I haven’t even known him a week. I think it’s a little
premature to be calling movers.”

“But you’re thinking about it.”

It didn’t sound like a question when Finn said it and,
truthfully, it wasn’t. She was thinking about it.

“I have to come back. My book launch is Friday afternoon.”

“You don’t sound too damn happy, kiddo. Is that what you
thought I was calling about?”

“Yeah.”

“You know this is your best yet, right?”

“So you tell me,” Annie said watching CJ swing down off the
tractor.

“Not just me. The suits are buzzing. You know they don’t do
these launch parties for hardly anyone anymore. They know this is going to be
big. Why do you think they insisted on sprucing up your back catalog? When your
name hits the big time they want to be ready to capitalize.”  

“I know, and I know a lot of people have worked their ass off
for me.”

“This is about you, not them.”

“You’re one of the
them
.”

“I’m your friend. Besides, no one is going to see me at the
grocery store and scream, oh my God! You’re that editor!”

Annie buried her face in the arm of the couch.

“If anyone does that to me, I’m going to die.”

“Makes a move to mountaintop nowhere Wyoming sound pretty damn
good doesn’t it?”

“You have no idea,” she mumbled into the leather.

“I know you. So I kind of do.”

A door opened somewhere beyond the kitchen. Probably the
maligned mudroom.

“He’s back. I need to go. You’re going to be at this thing,
right?” she asked, praying for one friendly face.

“We’ll be there. It’s only an hour drive, but the hubby is
spoiling me. We’re staying the night. You know what that means?”

Annie shook her head with a groan. “Hotel sex.”

“I knew my favorite romance writer wouldn’t fail me.”

“Just make sure you leave the room long enough to attend this
thing so I’m not alone. Crystal is going to freak when she hears she missed my
first and probably last launch party.”

“You’re going to be fine. Read an excerpt, answer a handful of questions.
Smile, shake hands and sign a few hundred books. Then, you’re out of there. Trust
me. You can do this.”

“I hope it’s open bar.”

“You, drunk in a room full of literary critics, book bloggers,
and VIPs. That I would pay to see.”

“It’s either that or see if my aunt can hook me up with a couple
of Xanax.”

Finn laughed, her gravelly delight bouncing off cell towers to
wrap around Annie like a favorite sweatshirt.

“Get through the promotional poo-poo. Make a ton of money and
then you can go back to Wyoming and hide with your big game stud.”

Annie watched CJ pour a cup of coffee and wrap his cold hands
around the mug. He smiled at her, raising the steaming brew in thanks.

“That sounds like heaven,” she murmured. “I’ll see you Friday.”

CJ walked into the living room as she tucked the phone away.

“I didn’t mean to interrupt,” he said, sinking down onto the
couch next to her.

“It was just Finn checking up on me. Besides, it’s your house.”

“I told you to make yourself at home. Did you get something?”
he asked, nodding toward the coffee as he took a slow sip.

“Not yet. I knew you’d be cold so I started a pot, and then the
phone distracted me.”

“Finn’s your editor, right? No problems I hope.”

“Good memory,” Annie said, shifting against his side. His arm
moved behind her. “
Mackinac Monday
is long past the editing stage and my
next one is still in the first draft. Finn’s also a friend. She called to see
if I’d survived the Wild West.”

“What did you tell her?”

“That I was being held captive by a sexy survivalist in the
Bighorn Mountains and not to send help.”

“A survivalist, huh?”

“Have you seen your freezer?”

“I’m a hunter,” he said with a shrug.

“And a gatherer, apparently. I saw vacuum sealed Morel mushrooms
and asparagus in your freezer. Most bachelors are lucky to have Hot Pockets and
pot pies.”

“What were you looking for in the freezer?”

Annie felt her cheeks warming under his all too knowing look.

“Okay, so I was looking to see if you had more than beer and
bologna.”

“Did you have time to raid the medicine cabinet, or should I go
move more snow?” CJ’s smirk widened into a full grin. “I’m just giving you a
hard time.”

She nudged him with her shoulder. “Sorry. It’s the writer in
me. I’m curious or, as my mother always said, nosey.”

“You can look anywhere you want. No deep, dark secrets here.”

“No kinky toy drawer?” Annie asked, snickering at the thought
of Finn and her hotel hanky panky.

“Oddly, no,” he said with a slight frown. “But I wouldn’t be
against allocating a drawer and shopping together. I’m up for you playing in my
drawers anytime.”

“There’s that adventurous spirit,” she said, smiling into his
flannel. Her fingertips slid behind his belt buckle giving it a tug. “So
generous and sharing too.”

CJ nuzzled behind her ear before nipping the shell.  

“Speaking of adventure, did you decide what you want to see
today?”

“This might sound crazy, but could we just hang around here?
Show me the rest of your property if you can, or your favorite place. Then we
could light a fire in this slightly smaller fireplace, snuggle up, and come up
with crazy topics for rapid fire.”

CJ nodded, obviously remembering their fireplace discussion at
the rehearsal.

“That doesn’t sound crazy at all. I will be happy to raid the
freezer for dinner fixings, and you can look through the medicine cabinet if
you want.”

Annie reached up to stroke his cheek, fingers playing in his
dark beard. “Play your cards right and maybe I’ll check the medicine cabinet
out in the morning.”

Annie blinked sleepily. Between the hypnotic flicker of the
flames and the stroke of CJ’s fingers through her hair, she was having trouble
keeping her eyes open. His blunt fingers massaged her scalp, making her purr. It
wasn’t just the cocoa that had her spoiled. Going back to real life was going
to suck.

“I’m pretty sure this is what heaven is like.”

“Mmhmm.”

CJ’s affirmative answer rumbled against her back. It was funny.
She’d never thought about the feel of laughter or speech until she’d cuddled to
him. The experience was sure to add to her writing. A shiver skittered over her
skin as he suddenly nuzzled behind her ear.

“So leave the fruit trees alone. We don’t want to be kicked
out.”

Annie’s eyes flared wide. She let out an incredulous laugh,
twisting to swat at him.

“Sure! Blame it all on the woman!”

CJ held his hands up in mock innocence. “Have you read the
book? That’s the way it happened.”

“You know it was probably a sexist smear campaign, right? Like,
the original one.”  

“Yeah, because the Bible is full of lies,” CJ said, eyes
crinkling in amusement.

“Ten to one, what actually happened was Adam was like, ‘Hey
babe. While you’re up, grab me an apple.”

CJ shoved her to the other end of the couch.

“Hey!” she sputtered in protest.

He shook his head, holding out a staying hand to her as his
eyes flitted to the rafters. “Unh-uh. You stay down there. I don’t want to be
caught in the crossfire when the lightning bolts start flying.”

His play was infectious. Annie pounced, knocking him backward.
Nose-to-nose she grinned down. “If I’m going, you’re going with me.”

 “I like the sound of that,” he said lifting his head slightly
to kiss her. Strong arms wound around her, hands roaming. “But food for
thought,” he mumbled between kisses. “Award-winning writer or not, I still
think re-writing the Bible might be seen as sacrilegious.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” she murmured against his lips and
pinched his side.

His chest shook under her. God, he made her happy. She grinned
into his kiss. CJ’s hands spanned her back pockets, giving a cheeky squeeze,
but his lips remained slow and exploratory. Annie was all for taking things
slow. It had been a long time since she’d done this. People said it was like
riding a bike, you never forgot. Fingers crossed they were right.

CJ scooted under her with a grunt. Annie froze. Was she too
heavy sprawled on top of him like this? The thought burst into her mind and
seemed to pulse with an ugly life of its own. She’d put on weight. She wasn’t a
kid anymore. Trying to be discreet, she shifted. The couch made an obnoxious
noise, sounding way too close to embarrassing bodily functions. Her face flamed.
Mental note to writer-self; no sex on leather furniture.
CJ groaned a
protest as their lip lock broke. A finger against her jaw tried to turn her
head. Mortification and fear made her avoid his gaze as she tried to find a
comfortable spot on the edge of the cushions.

“Annie?”

Wanting for all the world to disappear, she searched for a
reply to the unspoken question in the form of her name. Scooting back a little
further, she opened her mouth and closed it. Concern etched in the lines of his
face, CJ rolled up on his shoulder. He leaned forward, an arm going around her
waist. The leather made an undignified squeal and Annie’s tentative hip hold
gave way. CJ grabbed for her. A startled cry burst from her lips as they both
fell.

She clenched her lids tight and landed with an oomph on top of CJ.
The bridge of her nose smacked his chin bringing tears to her eyes. She
desperately rolled her gaze heavenward to stall the waterworks and gave a
tentative sniff to make sure her nose was still working. CJ clutched her to
him, his eyes wide. He didn’t move. She blinked at him. Shit! How in the hell
had he twisted in midair?  He rocked slightly up on his side, reaching behind
him. Annie sat up, hands running over his chest. Had he hurt his back? She
needed to get off of him.

“Just stay still. Are you okay? Shit! I’m so sorry,” she said,
wiggling to bring her knees up on either side of his hips.

Tossing his phone on the couch he groaned and his big hands
clamped on her butt. She froze. His reasoning throbbed against her zipper.    

“I’m so—”

“Please don’t apologize for that,” he begged with a chuckle. His
breathing was harsh. “I just landed on my phone. Are you okay?”

“You’re the one that hit the floor. I’m fine.”

“That you are.”

Annie blushed at the unabashed desire in his husky tone. “I
think maybe you hit your head,” she teased.

CJ speared his fingers into her hair tugging her lips to his
for a kiss that stole her breath.

“Nope. Never felt better,” he murmured, slowly pulling her back
down flat despite her mumbled protests.

“I’m too heavy.”

“Not even a little bit.”

His lips played over hers as if learning the lay of the land.
Annie hummed softly. The man knew how to kiss. Her head spun and before long her
chest burned for oxygen. She squirmed, rubbing against him. Jokes and innuendos
aside, were they really going to do this? God, she hoped so. His tongue slid
over hers and she shuddered. Sweat trickled between her boobs. She shot a
sidelong glance toward the fireplace, sure the flames would be licking at their
clothes any minute. It was a hundred degrees in there. Dark whorls of hair were
soft under her fingers. She blinked. When had her hands found their way under
his shirt?

Her finger brushed his nipple and he made a strangled sound. Eyes
flying to his she found shards of sapphire glinting from under dark lashes. The
intensity was sexy and terrifying both. She couldn’t look away. The voice in
her head whispered he couldn’t be looking at her like that. Yet, she was the
only one in the room. Her heart raced. What in the hell was she doing? Sure,
she’d wrote hundreds of sex scenes, but her actual experience totaled teenage
trysts with Brad and a one night stand at a writer’s conference in Boston. As
much as she wanted to do this, she wasn’t sure she knew how to get there. It
was time to let someone else drive.

Licking her lips, she slid a hand behind CJ’s neck. Gripping
his far shoulder with the other, she leaned toward the fireplace, silently encouraging
him to roll. She smiled as he moved with her. The feel-good moment came to a
screaming halt as the side of her head smacked the rolling coffee table with a crack.
 Annie blinked against the stars.

“Are you okay?” CJ asked, leaning over her.

His big hand cupped the back of her neck, turning her head to
the side. Fingers ran lightly through her hair. Annie jerked away, hissing in pain
when he found the spot above her right ear. CJ winced.

“Stay right here and I’ll get you an icepack.”

Annie caught his arm as he started to stand.

“I’m fine.”

“Let’s get you off the floor where I can get a better look at
it,” he said, worry wrinkling his forehead.

“CJ. I’m fine.” She laid a hand on his cheek. “Really.”

“I’m sorry.”

“That was all me,” Annie said with an embarrassed snort. “My
dad always joked that he didn’t know how someone so graceful on gymnastic mats
could be such a klutz in the real world.” 

“Focus,” CJ said softly.

“Huh?” she asked, then winced. Way to sound intelligent. Now he
was probably going to check her for a concussion.

“Focus. On the mats, your attention is solely on what you’re
doing for that event but out here, your mind is wandering, bouncing to a
million different topics.” He cleared his throat with a shrug. “It’s all about
focus.”

She blinked at him. In all the times her dad had teased her, or
that she had told the story, no one had ever pointed out what now seemed so
obvious. “You’re so right. That’s probably exactly what it is. I never thought
of it that way.”

He stood, cradling her easily in his arms. “Are you sure you’re
okay?”

Annie fought to find her breath at the subtle play of his
muscles against her. Even in the warm room, she felt her body’s response like a
coiling flame. His dark brows knitted together. She looked up at him for a
moment and then it hit her. He’d asked a question and was still waiting for a
reply. A nod was going to have to suffice. Her hand shook as she stroked his
chest through the soft cotton.

“I didn’t mean to kill the mood,” she said slowly.

“I’m not sure how much more abuse you can take.”

She bit her lip. She really didn’t want this night to end like
this. “It’s not gymnastic mats, but maybe the bed would be safer.”

He nodded, his dimples threatening. “If we start in the middle
it will at least give us a little margin for error this time.”

“I like a man with a plan,” she said with a little giggle.

He didn’t offer to put her down. There was no hesitation in his
step or tremble in the arms that held her. Maybe she wasn’t so heavy. She ran
an appreciative finger over the rounded bulge of his bicep. It reminded her of
CJ’s comment about liking his women real. His muscles weren’t honed in front of
a mirror at the gym. It seemed she liked working men.

CJ took a right at the top of the stairs and they were in his
bedroom. The sparse furniture was rustic in keeping with the rest of the décor.
He’d have needed the muscles she’d just been admiring to carry the bed
upstairs. The roughhewn square posts looked like barn beams. She lost interest
in furniture when he stretched her out in the middle of the bed and followed
her down.

CJ’s touch was tentative. A line of tension furrowed his
forehead. She might not have killed the mood, but it was on life support. Looking
for a way to at least drive her clumsiness from immediate thought, if not erase
it, Annie ran her hands under the back of his shirt. Her nails scored lightly over
his skin, drawing a shudder. What she lacked in practical experience, she made
up for in literary lessons. She traced the swell of his bottom lip with her
tongue. He returned the favor, adding a light nip to the play that made her
blindly follow his lips up when he pulled back. Slowly the kisses deepened,
reigniting the intensity they’d shared downstairs.  

He sat up enough to strip off the t-shirt wadded under his
armpits. With his chest free, he turned his attention to hers. Blue eyes glinted
in the dim light as he stroked her breasts. Slowly releasing the tiny buttons
on the soft Henley, he pushed the sides of her shirt open. His eyes ran over
her, making Annie forget to breathe. What did he see? The ivory satin demi-cup
was nothing fancy. She’d never been one to waste money on secrets no one was
going to see. Was she what he’d expected? Her fingers twitched, fighting the
urge to cover up. CJ seemed to know exactly when the doubts grew too strong.
His hands went back to work, distracting her. She gasped, back arching,
pressing up into his palms as his thumbs strummed her nipples.

Mouth returning to hers, their teeth scraped awkwardly. She
sucked on his tongue as it slid over her incisors in apology. Lips and fingers
grew more desperate as he fumbled to strip away her bra and shirt. CJ’s hips
ground against hers, pressing her down into the mattress. Suddenly, he pulled
back. Annie blinked, brain struggling to identify the new problem. CJ’s head
dropped onto the pillow beside hers, his breath raspy in her ear. Panting, she
hesitated, not wanting to make a big deal out of it if he’d changed his mind,
or just needed a minute.

“I’m an idiot.”

Annie nuzzled the shell of his ear. “You have a way to go to
catch up with me tonight,” she said, keeping her tone light.

“I don’t have, I mean it’s been, I should’ve thought,” he
stammered.

It only took her a minute to put her feet on the path to his
supposed idiocy.

“I’m on … I have birth control covered,” she said, shaking her
head. No need for too much information. He didn’t need details. “Uh, as far as
protection goes, I’ve only had two partners and it was a long time ago. So if
you trust me …”

CJ lifted his head to look at her.

“Of course I trust you. I haven’t, that is…” He shook his head.
“This shouldn’t be this hard. There’s only been a few, and I had a clean bill
of health six months ago.”

“I’d say we’re about as safe as it gets then,” Annie said, eyes
locked on his as she reached for his belt buckle.

CJ straightened on his knees to make it easier. He was right.
As two mature adults, it shouldn’t be so difficult. She’d never had to talk
about it in the past. Teenage hormones and alcohol had smoothed the way. Looking
at it that way, she was glad they were talking. With a lot of tugging, pulling,
and a nervous laugh or ten, they ended up stripped and between the sheets.

“Who knew undressing could be a cardio workout?” CJ asked.

Annie raised a hand. “You’ve obviously never tried on skinny jeans
in a dressing room stall.”