Roses and Rodeo (Rough and Ready) (7 page)

She looked at Creed while he drove and found desire stirring inside her. Somehow she’d gotten caught up in the excitement and it was making her want him even more than she had before. She had to admit that he’d intrigued her from the beginning. The more that she had talked with him and was around him, the more that she wanted him. And damn but he’d looked so hot riding that bull.

Maybe it hadn’t been such a good idea to invite him to shower in her room.

She swallowed down the words that would tell him she’d had a change of heart. She could handle this. She could do this and not lose her head.

When they reached the B & B, he removed a green duffel bag that had been tucked behind the front seat and slung it over his shoulder. They walked side-by-side to her room and she caught his musky scent of dirt, the bull, and his own male scent that she found indescribably delicious.

For once they were quiet, which wasn’t normal between them. Usually they never had a shortage of conversation. Tension filled the air between them and she knew it was a sexual tension that he felt as much as she did. It made her heart beat faster and more butterflies looped around in her belly.

No, it was not a good idea to be leading him where there was a nice, comfy bed that she really wanted to try out with him.

She bit her lip at the thought. Damn but she had to get her mind going in a different direction.

He opened the door with the old-fashioned key and held it open for her before walking into the room and shutting the door behind them. She turned and faced him and tried for a neutral expression, but was afraid her eyes gave her away.

She caught her breath when he reached up and brushed a strand of hair away from her face.

“I know I already told you once, but I can’t help but say it again.” His words were soft as he studied her. “You have the most amazing blue eyes. Now I know what it means to get lost in someone’s eyes because I could lose myself in yours.”

She looked down then looked back at him again. “Maybe you’d better take that shower.”

He gave a slow, single nod. “I think you might be right.”

A sigh escaped her as she watched him turn and head to the bathroom with his duffel still over his shoulder. He paused and took off his western hat and set it on the rocking chair.

He didn’t close the bathroom door behind him and she couldn’t take her eyes off of him as he stripped out of his red western shirt. He didn’t look at her, as if he wasn’t aware that she was watching.

She bit the inside of her lip as she looked at his muscular yet lean body. He had a cowboy’s build and she wanted to run her fingers over his taut abs to his pecs, her fingers skimming through the light sprinkling of hair on his chest. His hips were narrow and he had a tight ass that looked so good in the Wrangler jeans that he still wore.

But not for much longer. He tossed the shirt aside and she saw several scars on his torso, no doubt from bull riding.

He reached for his silver and gold belt buckle and unfastened it before unbuttoning his jeans. She knew she should turn away but she couldn’t make herself. He dropped his jeans and he was left in a pair of blue boxer briefs, a prominent bulge outlined by the material.

His gaze met hers as he stripped off the underwear. He looked hungry…hungry for her.

Heat rose to her cheeks as she saw his thick erection. She wanted to touch it, taste it, feel it inside her.

He didn’t move toward her and she wondered if she should be relieved or disappointed. Instead he gave her a slow, sexy grin before opening the shower door and reaching in to turn on the water. His cock jutted out as he held out his hand and tested the water and she could barely hold herself back. He looked at her one more time before stepping beneath the spray and closing the shower door behind him.

Her face still burning, she paced away and took a deep breath. Then she paced back to the bathroom, and then away again.

Oh, this was crazy. It was absolutely nuts. She should grab her purse and leave and go for a long walk outside. And maybe when she came back, he would be dressed and she wouldn’t be on the verge of jumping him.

Because that was exactly what was going to happen if she didn’t leave right this very minute.

Chapter 8

Danica stared at her purse, her back to the bathroom.
Pick it up and leave. Tell Creed you’re going to the store, going for a walk,
anything
but staying here.

The water shut off and she went still. She couldn’t move. She heard the shower door open and several more moments went by with her still incapable of movement.

She sensed him behind her, his presence powerful, and she slowly turned to face him. He stood in the bathroom doorway, a towel loose around his hips as he studied her. His dark hair was damp, the muscles in his biceps so hard and tense that his veins stood out.

He crooked his finger in a “come here” motion.

She swallowed, indecision warring inside her, but then she found herself inches from him. She didn’t remember walking toward him but now they were both standing in the doorway of the bathroom.

He raised his hands and took off her western hat that she’d forgotten she was wearing, and he tossed it onto his own hat that was on the rocking chair. He pulled off the hairband that held her locks in a ponytail and let her hair fall around her face. She shivered as he ran his fingers through the strands and lightly massaged her scalp.

With an intent expression, he brought his hands to her shoulders and the strength in them felt like they might bruise her skin.

A few drops of water beaded on his chest and she wanted to lick them off. She tilted her head to look into his gaze and saw dark fire in his green eyes. Still gripping her shoulders, he lowered his head until his lips were a fraction above hers. Her heart pounded faster as she breathed in the scent of soap and felt the heat of his body so close to her own.

And then his mouth was on hers. He kissed her with rough passion. His tongue slid between her lips and she tasted his warm male flavor and felt the wildness in his exploration.

She lost her breath as he jerked her close to him. His body was hard against hers and she felt the rigid press of his erection.

A thrill shot through her, from her belly straight between her thighs. She imagined him inside her, taking her. His kiss deepened, filled with a primal need that she wasn’t sure she could tame if she tried.

She placed her palms on his chest and felt the light sprinkling of hair and the taut, smooth skin beneath her fingertips. He raised his head, drawing away from the kiss. His chest rose and fell beneath her hands, his breathing heavy, and then she realized she was breathing hard, too.

With his gaze still fixed on hers, he moved his fingers to the column of her throat to the V of her blouse and skimmed his knuckles over her soft flesh. His fingers found the top button and he slowly undid each one as he looked into her eyes.

He was waiting for her to stop him, giving her the chance to say no before it went too far. But she didn’t want to say no—she wanted him far too much. Maybe it was crazy when she’d only known him a short time. Most of that time had included long daily conversations on the phone. But maybe that was why she felt so comfortable with him…and it felt so right being with him.

But was it right? What about the reports of him being a womanizer? Maybe they weren’t true, but maybe they were. Did she want to be next in his long line of conquests and then be tossed aside?

What about the crying woman from the bar in Las Vegas, and then by the courthouse in Prescott? Was she another one of Creed’s past conquests? Did he have some kind of relationship with her now?

And the truth was, she did barely know him.

She brought her hand up and put it over his, stopping him, as she met his gaze. “I’m sorry, Creed.” She stared into his eyes that searched her own. “I—I think maybe this is a mistake. I’m letting my desire for you cloud my judgment.”

She lowered her head, looking away from him. He caught her by the chin and raised her head back up to meet his gaze. “The last thing I want you to do is regret any time we spend together, Danica. I want you to have only good thoughts when you think of us.”

“Thank you,” she said.

He gave her a soft smile as he started re-buttoning her blouse. “Not saying it’s easy, but I understand and I only want what’s right for you. And what’s right for you is what’s right for both of us.”

“I think I need to take a shower now.” She stepped back. “But the bathroom door is going to be closed and locked this time.”

He gave a low laugh. “That is definitely the smart thing to do.”

She gave him a quick kiss then sat on the edge of the bed to take off her boots.

“Let me.” He grasped her boot by the heel and tugged it off and set it aside, then did the same with her other boot.

“Thank you.” She smiled at him then peeled off her socks and carried them to the bag she was using for her dirty clothes.

She went to the wardrobe where she’d hung up a few things that she’d brought with her in her duffel bag. This morning, before the bull riding event, she’d ironed the dress she’d picked out. It was a pretty royal blue eyelet western dress, the blue a compliment to the blue of her eyes. She avoided Creed’s gaze as he watched her select black panties with a matching black bra and take them into the bathroom with her.

It wasn’t that she didn’t trust Creed… She didn’t trust herself. So she locked the door behind her to avoid temptation for either of them. The tiled floor was cool beneath her feet as she started to take off her blouse. She could almost feel the brush of Creed’s knuckles as she unbuttoned her blouse and her heart rate picked up.

She swallowed and tried to turn her thoughts away from what she and Creed had almost done.

“Thank God for keeping my head on straight.” She sighed as she looked in the mirror. “You just about made a big mistake, Danica.”

She unbuckled her belt and slipped it out of the belt loops before stripping out of her jeans and then her panties and bra and going to the shower.

As she turned on the water and let it run until it was warm, she tried not to think about Creed, naked, beneath the same showerhead that she was about to step under. She was tempted to bang her head against the shower’s tiled wall but it wouldn’t do her any good to get headache. Or would it?

She rolled her eyes and stepped under the spray to take a nice, long, warm shower.

* * * * *

Danica's long dark hair fell in waves over her shoulders as she walked with Creed into the dancehall and her western dress swirled around her legs and the top of her boots. He touched her elbow as he escorted her inside. They’d just had dinner at a great steakhouse and she was full.

Large wood-bladed fans hung from the open-beamed ceiling, stirring the air, and it smelled like fresh paint and sawdust. The interior walls had been painted a glossy brick red and the floor was concrete with sawdust scattered over it.

Loud country-western music filled the place and the dance floor was packed. Creed took Danica by the hand and shouldered his way through the crowd surrounding the dance floor. She wasn’t sure exactly where they were going, but she liked the way her hand felt in his large one. She was a tall woman at five-eight but he made her feel petite.

Men and women greeted him, men slapping him on the back and congratulating him on his successes. Several buckle bunnies stopped him to get his attention then saw that he was holding Danica’s hand and left when he didn’t respond to their flirting.

“Am I cramping your style?” Danica said after the third woman left, probably looking for another bull rider to flirt with.

“What?” He raised an eyebrow.

She gestured toward the retreating back of the woman who’d just left. “You seem to be in high demand tonight by everyone.”

“I told you, Danica,” he said in a patient tone. “When I’m with someone I don’t flirt or go out with other women. That’s not my style.”

“I believe you.” She smiled and he squeezed her hand.

From the time they’d had that conversation about reports saying he was a womanizer, she’d found that she really did believe him. There was something genuine and honest about Creed that was incredibly attractive.

When they reached the opposite side of the dancehall, he walked up to an equally tall man who had dark hair and a hard look to his tanned face. He wasn’t what she’d call good-looking like Creed was, but there was something about the man who exuded power and virility.

“Danica, this is my oldest brother, Blake.” Creed turned to his brother. “Blake, this is Danica.”

Blake held out his hand. “A pleasure,” he said with a nod and took her hand. His grip was firm, his hand callused from hard work.

“Nice to meet you.” Danica smiled as he released her hand.

“Are you here with Sally?” Creed asked.

A dark look crossed Blake’s features and he squeezed the empty paper cup he was holding, squashing it completely. “No,” was all he said and Danica had a strong feeling that Blake didn’t want to talk about Sally whatsoever. Had the woman broken his heart?

Apparently Creed had the same impression because he changed the subject. “Have you seen Tate, Ryan, or Gage?”

Blake gave a nod toward his left. “Gage is that direction,” he said in a slow drawl. “Haven’t seen Ryan or Tate.”

Creed clapped his brother on the shoulder. “I’m going to take Danica to meet the rest of the family.”

Danica smiled and said, “It was nice meeting you.”

Blake gave a nod. “Likewise.”

Creed squeezed her hand and led her through the crowd. “Blake’s not big on conversation,” he said.

“I had that impression,” she said.

They were stopped three times by people Creed knew including two bull riders and the women they were with.

Danica knew at once when they’d reached another one of the brothers because of his resemblance to Creed.

Creed introduced his brother, Gage, to Danica and they shook hands. Gage had a powerful build, dark hair, green eyes, and a sexy grin that would be enough to make a girl’s heart flutter. If Danica wasn’t with Creed, she might have found Gage intriguing in a different way than she did tonight.