Chapter Nineteen

April woke slowly, the warmth of a cocoon nearly tugging her back into dreamland until her senses nagged her into opening her eyes. Sure enough, her short couch had indeed been replaced by an oversized bed. ‘You can sleep wherever you like, but you’ll wake up in a bed.’ The words replayed through her mind. A tiny smile followed. Overbearing men and their penchant for chivalry. The fact only endeared Dusty to her more.

Speaking of, she felt the light whoosh of breath on the back of her neck. A weight around her middle told her he’d not only carried her to bed, but then wrapped her in his embrace for the rest of the night. Protected. Comfortable. Safe and secure.

Twisting slightly, she found him still dozing, sharing her pillow with his face pressed against her neck. No shirt covered his upper body and the covers shielded the rest of him from her questing gaze. Surely he wouldn’t come to bed naked? The image of Dusty in all his nude glory sent her stomach into a slow, exquisite somersault and released a handful of butterflies at the same time.

To sleep like this every night. Wake up in his arms. Roll him over, explore his body, then climb on board for a delicious gallop. Speaking of, an intriguing bump pressed against her bottom. Oh, my. Idly, she considered his shaft. Big feet. Big hands. Big…all over.

“What are you thinking so hard about?”

His quiet voice whispered across her ear, the puff of air a tempting caress.

Her libido jumped tenfold as her thoughts centered on Dusty’s endowment. “Does size really matter?”

He chuckled, and the rich sound sent a cascade of tingling over her quickly heating body. April’s distracted mind took an extra beat to realize she’d just inadvertently spoken the thought out loud. A blast furnace crossed her cheeks.

“I can assure you size does matter. Good thing I was always an overachiever in everything.” He lightly nibbled on her earlobe. “I’m pretty damned good in the sack, babe, if I do say so myself.”

His ego also crossed the line into the overachiever status. She nearly snorted, but gasped instead as one of his hands cupped her breast, the cotton material a thin barrier between his skin and hers. For a second she remained absolutely still, trying to decipher the blaring messages from her body. Ever so gently, he pinched her nipple, sending a spear of pleasure straight to the junction of her thighs. His lips kissed a trail across her nape before he nuzzled her cheek.

“You’ll just have to wait a little longer to sample my talents.” He rose to a sitting position.

She turned and looked up at him, confused and more than disappointed at the sudden stoppage of what had been the perfect morning. “What? Why?”

He grinned down at her, reached out and drew his fingers across her lips. His eyes sparkled with desire laced with mischief. “Because I intend to savor you, inch by delectable inch.”

Sign me up right now. Her mouth opened but nothing emerged.

Once more he laughed, then threw back the covers and stood at the side of the bed.

She scanned his body, noting not only the wide, muscular chest she’d taken in before, but matching thighs, promising stamina and power. Her mouth dried up as she blatantly stared at the most perfect male specimen she’d ever seen alive, in magazines, on television or anywhere else. Scars dotted the tanned skin here and there, not detracting from his gorgeous looks in the least. Instead they provided a roughness, a hint at the warrior inside, which only added to the overall beauty of the entire man.

Dusty walked to the dresser, pulled out a pair of jeans and slipped them on, giving her a primo view of his perfectly sculpted backside. If I only had a quarter. “Wow.”

When he glanced back, his gaze met hers. His brown eyes danced as a wicked smile crossed his face. After buttoning his jeans he headed toward the closet, opened the door, and pulled out a short-sleeved Western shirt. He slipped the garment on without bothering to button up the front, giving her another splendid view of his chest and six-pack abs. If the man carried an ounce of fat, she couldn’t see it.

“I’m going to get started on the chores. Sleep some more. You’ve earned it.”

He called to Ben and strode out of the bedroom. A moment later she heard the door to the stable open, then click shut once more.

Rolling to her back, she released a pent-up sigh. Sleep some more? No way. Daydream about being covered by Dusty and finding out for herself if size did matter? Bring it on.

Mentally, she kicked herself. No sense in lying around being lazy. She would save the images for her dreams at night. Until then, she needed to pull herself together, quit sizing Dusty up for a romp or three hundred in the hay, and get busy. After all, he needed food to keep his strength up for a good, savory round of bliss.

Crawling out, she quickly made the bed then headed toward the kitchen, determined to throw something together for breakfast before driving into town for some much-needed grocery shopping.

* * * *

Dusty couldn’t wipe the smile off his face as he traversed the length of the stable, heading directly for the feed sacks and waiting buckets. Damn, I feel good. Except for my jeans presently chafing the hard-on from hell. He shook his head and pulled the door open to allow Ben outside to do his business.

In all honesty, he’d been granted a renewal on life. The fire, as horrible and devastating as it had been, had had a silver lining. He’d made up with his family, reforged the bond that held them together through thick and thin. His stable had been spared, his assets all were intact, the rains had finally arrived and April had spent the night in his arms.

Talk about being damn lucky.

He’d felt the tension encompassing her body at his intimate touch. While she quickly softened, he’d dared not press her further. Patience proved the key to winning over skittish fillies and women. Besides, taking the time to tame the little blonde would prove pleasurable and intoxicating for both of them. He’d make sure of it.

A steady beat of raindrops met him as he stepped out into the morning. In a single night, everything appeared to not only have soaked in the much-needed moisture like a man lost in the desert gulped down an entire gallon of fluid, everything looked greener. The once lackluster pastures had perked up a smidgen, the leaves glistened with beads of rain and even the dreary sky couldn’t put a damper on such a wonderful morning.

Shit, when did I become so sappy? He snorted to himself, drew in the smell of rain and went back to work, heralded by the whinnies of hungry horses. With practiced ease, he poured out grain into waiting buckets, his mind returning to the woman still inside. April. He’d expected her to at least grumble about their sleeping arrangements. Instead she’d snuggled up against him like a cold kitten in a warm blanket. If that hadn’t surprised him, her muttered comment about whether size mattered would have shocked the boxers right off his body, if he could have stopped laughing. She’d thrown him for a loop and proceeded to stare at him with a look of downright appreciation, enjoyment and sensual longing. In all his experience with women, he’d never had a single one look at him like the sun rose and set on his shoulders. He carried too many scars and remained rough around the edges, compliments of his time as a SEAL. Never would he fit into a pretty boy mold, but then, April didn’t seem to care. Judging by her expression, she liked him just fine and already wondered what lay hidden under his shorts.

She’ll find out. Soon, he promised himself as he gathered up feed buckets and started handing them out. His earlier words were true. He meant to savor her. Lick her. Kiss her. Make love to her until they were too exhausted to do more than exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide. Only, after he gave her ample time to acclimate to him, come to terms with intimacy in their relationship and make sure she wanted him as much as he wanted her. Because one thing was certain, once he had her, come hell or high water, he wasn’t letting go.

* * * *

“April? How would you like to go out? For lunch. Today?” He nearly stumbled through the offer, a bit unsure if he pushed too quickly. Sure, she’d slept in his arms the previous night and they had found a truce as well, but that didn’t mean she was ready to take a leap of faith and start dating.

He’d tossed the idea around all morning as they worked side by side, debated, then decided to just go for it. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

She glanced up from her seat on the straw bale, petting Marmalade. A slow smile appeared. “I’d like that.”

Relief and a small sense of victory flashed through him. He grinned in return. “The Corner Cafe has excellent food. We could go there.” The small restaurant had kept the locals coming in for decades for the delicious offerings while providing a hangout for the retirement club, drinking their coffee and sharing the latest gossip.

“Okay.” She lightly petted the cat. “Looks like I need to get up, girl.” She picked the cat up and set her down on the floor. “Since it’s close to lunchtime, I probably should get cleaned up.”

“Go ahead. I’ll be in shortly.”

Dusty stretched his legs out from his seated position on another bale and watched her walk back into the house. Absently, he reached out and scratched behind Ben’s ears. “Wish me luck, boy.”

Ben wagged his tail and licked Dusty’s hand.

“Thanks, buddy.” Standing up, Dusty headed inside as well, the dog on his heels.

Thirty minutes later, they sat at a corner table in the small restaurant. The middle-aged waitress had dropped off glasses of water along with menus earlier. After looking over the available options, Dusty quickly selected. April did the same. The waitress gathered up the unneeded pieces of cardboard and trotted away.

April glanced around the room, interest written all over her face. “I’ve never been here before.”

Dusty sipped his water. “Really? I thought everyone in a twenty-mile radius ate here at least now and again.”

She shook her head. “I rarely eat out, to be honest. It’s easier to make something at home, even if it’s just a sandwich.”

He easily read between the lines. She’d been saving her money for so long to afford her dream of horse ownership. Probably had long since gotten into the habit of pinching pennies and wouldn’t be dropping a small fortune on designer shoes any time soon. Just another difference between her and the other women who had sought him out simply for his money. Scratch that. Not his money, his family’s money.

Rain pelted the window next to them, much lighter than the rough storms of a few hours before, yet more than welcome. The land, water levels and pastures would recover if the moisture continued to fall in a consistent fashion. He prayed that would be the case.

“Well, look what the cat dragged in.” A man’s voice carried over to him. Glancing up, Dusty spied Sam, the county sheriff, standing just inside the door. Making a beeline over, the tall, brown-haired man smiled wide. “Dusty, how the hell are ya?”

Standing, Dusty held out his hand and shook Sam’s with strength. “Better now that it’s raining. How’s your day? Handing out speeding tickets right and left?” Dusty smirked. Every time he saw Sam, he couldn’t resist teasing him about one of the many stereotypes about cops.

Sam snorted. “You’re thinking of the city police. I’m the one out beating the bushes for bad guys.”

Dusty’s gaze flickered to April. “Where are my manners? April, this is Sam. Sam, this is April.”

They shook hands. Sam smiled at her brightly. “My pleasure.” The words tumbled easily off his tongue.

She grinned and a pink tinge colored her cheeks when Sam kissed the back of her hand.

Biting back a small wave of jealousy, Dusty refrained from kicking his friend in the butt. “She’s my girlfriend, you ox.”

Sam spared him a glance that said it all. He’d gratefully take his chance at April if she were free, but not now. Friends never poached from other friends. “My rotten luck.”

April chuckled. “You’re very kind.”

Dusty snorted. “That’s not what the criminals say.”

“That’s for damn sure.” Sam smiled wolfishly.

“Did you want to join us?” Dusty offered, silently hoping his friend would decline. He liked Sam, considered him as close a friend as he had, yet he didn’t want any distractions from his time with April.

“Can’t. Sorry. Just stopped by to pick up lunch on the go.” Sam met his gaze knowingly. “Give me a call sometime and we’ll go to the shooting range. I still owe you from last time.” With a quick nod, Sam headed to the register, collected his bag of food, paid and left with a wave.

April watched him go. “Something about the way he moves. Not the carriage you have, the absolute confidence, but yet, more than an average man.”

Dusty admired her observation skills. “He’s a former Iraq war vet. Moved up the ranks in the regular Army.”

Her blue eyes met his. “That makes sense. I imagine Special Forces carry themselves differently because of their training. Something inside, pride, command. I don’t know. Just something that shouts alpha.”

He smiled in amusement. Everyone in Special Forces could pick out a SEAL just by the way they walked. He never thought much about it, but if around another SEAL, present or former, he could single them out in a heartbeat. Alpha. The term fit as well as any, he supposed.

“Sam’s a good guy. He’s been there and always has your back.” He couldn’t give much higher praise than that.

She nodded. “Sounds like you two have bonded over the years.”

“Yeah. We’re friends. Spend time together now and again.”

“At the shooting range?” Her eyes lit with mischief.

He chuckled. “Usually.”

April’s head tilted. “What does he owe you?”

“The losing shooter pays the usage fee for the next session.”

She took a drink. “Let me guess. You’ve never paid a fee yet.”

He grinned widely. “Nope.”

The waitress brought their lunch, setting a plate full of food in front of each of them. After asking if they needed anything else, she hurried on her way, leaving them alone once more.

“This looks wonderful.” April eyed the oversized hamburger.

Dusty grabbed the ketchup bottle and poured some on his burger. “They’re the best in the county. Why else do you think Sam stops by here for lunch?”

They dug in hungrily, eating in quiet for a while before April spoke. “I have to return to work tomorrow. As much as I hate to.”

Dusty recalled she’d mentioned once before this marked the last day of freedom for her for a while. He would miss her, but knew she had to get back to work. Short of winning a huge lottery, they both had to carry their own weight. Besides, she might need a breather from him now and again. Absence makes the heart grow fonder and all that.

“I thought you liked your job.”

She stuffed a French fry in her mouth. “Most of the time.” She blew out a breath. “But I’ve gotten spoiled these past couple of weeks. Had a ball hanging around the stable, and I don’t want that to end.”

“Just think, you don’t have to muck stalls tomorrow.”

She laughed. “I’ll be cleaning up poop of another kind, probably.”

“Possibly.” Staring at her for a long moment, he lowered his voice and threw out the question screaming in his head. “Gonna miss me?”

April’s face softened before a flash of troublemaking appeared. “I think I’ll miss you more than horse manure.”

Her teasing proved contagious. He joined her with a genuine chuckle. “Hell, I hope so.”

She rested her hand on top of his, then squeezed. With only the gesture and her expression, she warmed his soul.

He’d be a fool to let her slip through his fingers. He might be dumb from time to time, but he wasn’t a fool.

* * * *

“Feel up to riding today?”

Brushing her hands off on her jeans, April glanced across the aisle at Dusty. When she’d first boarded her horses, the near boiling temperatures outside had stunted any interest in horseback riding, though he’d mentioned the idea once before. In all honesty, she’d nearly forgotten his offer to let her ride some of his horses in the rapid-fire happenings in the stable’s daily life. The idea sounded wonderful, especially when evening rains cooled the day to a moderate, comfortable level. “Sure.”

She’d worked the past three days, one long shift after another. Now she had a couple of days off to recover before having to return for another one. Almost in habit, she found herself up before dawn, hurriedly dressing and driving to the stable in time to help pass out breakfast to the horses and start the list of daily chores. Staying home had been an option, but simply hadn’t appealed. Not when Dusty and her pets waited just a mile down the road.

“Great. There’s a neat trail a few miles away that carries into the national forest.” He picked up a couple of lead ropes.

“Sounds nice.”

“I’ll bring up a couple of horses. We’ll trailer them to the place.”

An idea popped into her head. Checking her watch, she made a quick decision. “Is there a pretty spot we can stop and have a picnic?”

Dusty paused, glancing at her with a look filled with interest and appreciation. “I suppose so.”

She smiled. “Then I’ll see about gathering up some food while you ready the horses.”

“Works for me.” He matched her grin. Happiness lit up his face, making him all the more handsome, stealing her breath.

Dang, April. You’ve got it bad.

Ever since the night they’d returned, their relationship had crept along at a snail’s pace. She didn’t complain, simply understanding and needing them to move slowly. Dusty could use some time to gradually enter into something more than plain old friendship. Both bore their own scars and rushing into intimacy could derail the train. Slow and methodical made much more sense. Even if her body clamored for more touches, caresses, kisses. Anything and everything.

All in good time.

Two hours later, they stopped under a huge oak tree, the limbs spreading far and wide, creating shade for everything underneath. Dusty had chosen to leave Ben behind at the stable, citing that the steep slopes and a few miles of trotting to keep up would be too much for Ben’s advanced age. The dog had seemed to take the decision in stride, flopping down in the shade of the stable as he watched them leave.

Sliding down, April handed over the reins to her bay gelding, Latte, to Dusty. He led Latte and the black filly, Hailey, he’d been working on breaking to saddle for the past few weeks, under the tree and wrapped the leather leads around a low-hanging branch.

Looking over the view, April found the trees, hills and meadows stunning in their natural state. The recent rains had turned all the vegetation green once more, allowing grass to grow and bushes to bloom. A myriad of colors greeted her, making for a feast on the senses, including the delicious scent of mock orange from a nearby shrub. “It’s beautiful.”

Dusty walked to her side, carrying an old tablecloth and two insulated containers filled with their meal. He raked the area with his eyes. “I’ve always thought so. When I first moved here, I spent quite of bit of time in this spot.”

His words touched her deeply—along with the fact that he’d chosen to share this special place with her. A man lost and trying to find himself after leaving unending training sessions followed by war would need such a place. To ponder the new meaning of life, to consider options, to work toward new dreams and desires. She could understand what had attracted him to the top of this particular rise, where you could see for miles and find no other human in sight. No houses. No roads. No businesses. Only pristine forest, which felt little change due to man’s hand. One of the few places still around. Wild and free, the scenery fit Dusty like a pair of his Levi’s jeans. Comfortable.

“I can see why. It’s serene. Tranquil. Like we’re the only people for miles around.”

“Yeah.” He grinned and spread out the material. “That’s always how I felt too.” Reaching for her hand, he tugged her to his side then sat down.

She promptly followed, automatically clutching one of the lunch containers and opening it up. Peeking in, she found his goodies. “This is yours. Trade me.” They swapped and each started unloading their meal. She bit into her sandwich and studied the man next to her. The roughness of his five o’clock shadow only added to his edgy appearance, making him all the more appealing.

He belonged here. Heck, he could have lived in this very area one hundred fifty years ago and still fit in. She had no doubt he could and would fight for everything he earned, work harder than most and still respect Mother Nature along the way. She grinned at the image of him with a Colt .45 strapped on his hip.

“What’s so funny?”

She glanced over at him. “Just picturing you here generations ago. Complete with chaps and gun belt. Walking around, ready to draw on the bad guys and rid the tiny towns of varmints.”

An odd expression covered his face before the corner of his mouth curled up. “SEALs live in the shadows and have more smarts than to walk down the street in broad daylight staring down a man in preparation for a quick draw, winner-takes-all shootout. Hell, one of the villain’s friends could do you in while you’re counting paces and waiting to draw your gun.” He chuckled. “The intent is the same, I guess, just a different approach.”

“I can’t imagine how big a change that must have been for you. From the military to a stable owner.” She sipped her bottled water.

He took a healthy bite of his sandwich and gazed across the horizon. “Yeah. I was lost for a while. I’d changed and nothing seemed to fit anymore.” He turned back to her. “It took a while for me to realize you can’t go back. You can only move forward, baggage and all. Find a new normal.”

“Sounds like a good motto for us all.” She appreciated the intimate glimpse into Dusty’s life, a tiny portion that made up a complex and sometimes puzzling man. He had so many stories to tell, but she knew he’d hardly reach the tip of the iceberg due to promised secrets he’d take to the grave. Too bad. But then again, maybe all for the better. Who wanted to remember the horrors of war when there were other, much brighter and more pleasant memories to share?

“So is this a modern oracle? The place to come for answers?” She grinned over at him.

He shrugged and smiled slightly. “Not answers per se. More like simply clearing my head in order to see things more clearly.”

“Ah-ha. Too bad.” She kept her face carefully schooled, though the mischief rushed to slip out.

“Why’s that?”

“I could ask the oracle a few things myself.”

“Such as?” His head tilted in open curiosity.

Waiting a few beats, she finally answered. “Oh, I’d like to know some lottery numbers, maybe some good investments. Whether I might happen to be growing on a certain former SEAL.” Her words faded as she watched his face.

The corner of his lips slowly hitched up into a full-blown smile. Setting his sandwich aside, he leaned in, capturing her lips with his. Gently, he coaxed her, treated her to a soft merging of their mouths with a string attached to her heart.

All too quickly he pulled back, his eyes sparkling with sultry longing. “Like mold.”

Her distracted brain took an instant to catch up. “Mold?”

“Yep. You’re growing on me like mold on the north side of a barn.”

She furrowed her brows. “Is that good?”

A wolfish smile appeared on his chiseled face. “I’d say really good.”

With a happy laugh, she took the initiative this time, kissing him with the same reverence, though more heat than before, pouring all her unspoken words into the act. He gave back for a little bit before breaking contact once more. Perplexed, she stared at him. With no clue to his actions on his face, she decided to ask. “Don’t you like kissing me?”

Her face heated at the awkward question, but she couldn’t bear not knowing why he cut the affection short when she so readily wanted to continue.

Dusty took another bite of his sandwich and chewed, his focus on her the entire time. “Yeah, but it’s damn uncomfortable riding a horse with a hard-on.”

“Oh.” She blinked, surprised by his candidness but appreciative of the honesty. “Umm. Okay. I can understand. After all, well…”

He shook his head and brushed his lips over her nose. “You go to my head like potent whiskey, babe.”

After his less than stellar record with women, she wondered if that admission proved foretelling. “Is that bad?”

“Only when I have to climb into the saddle for a long ride back.” He licked her bottom lip, sucked it for a split second then returned to his previous position with a long sigh. His eyes sparked.

She picked up her water and drank deeply even as her heart sang. This date had already stacked up as one of the best in her life. Dusty had shared his special place with her, opening himself up section by section. Judging by his body language, he wanted her, but the timing wasn’t right. He wasn’t pushing her, either. Another point in his favor. Add in his confession that she was growing on him and she felt pretty darn good about her lot in life.

Her gaze raked over him, noting the sexy, muscular body wrapped in typical Western wear. The clothing and rugged land fit him like a glove, adding to his overall aura of primal male in his natural habitat, the top predator in this area. She had no doubt he could handle just about anything, including her enthusiastic advances.

The thought of opening his shirt and nibbling on his tanned flesh flashed through her mind. Or, better yet, Dusty with a light coating of chocolate syrup. Talk about a tasty treat.

Confident and relaxed, she watched Dusty eat and wondered what he’d say if he could read her mind. She bit back a chuckle.

He’d smile as bright as the heavens and tell me to bring it on.

Storing the idea for later, she looked across the land and knew this day would live in her memory for a long time to come.