Sharp Shootin' Cowboy (16 page)

* * *

Reid glanced up to find Haley standing in the doorway with arms folded. “You left without a word,” she accused.

“You were sleeping, and I was starving.” He flashed a grin. “Strenuous activity tends to do that to a man. I got pizza. Want some?”

Her stomach answered with an unmistakable growl.

Her gaze flickered to the box. “What kind did you get?”

“This one's everything meat.”

She curled her lip.

He pointed to a second box sitting on the table. “I got you the veggie special. I thought you might be hungry too when you finally woke up.”

“Thank you.” She softened. “That was very thoughtful.”

“There's mineral water too, unless you'd like a beer.”

“Sounds great. I love beer with pizza.” She grabbed a slice from the second box, a bottle of Coors, and joined him on the bed, settling back against the stack of pillows. She still wore only the towel. Not that he minded. “What are you watching?” she asked.

“
X-Men Origins: Wolverine
. It's part of a marathon.” He reached for the remote to turn it off.

“Don't.” She stayed his hand. “I love X-Men.”

Reid did a double take. “You're kidding.”

“Why so surprised?” She took a bite of pizza. “There's a lot you don't know about me.”

“True enough. But I
never
would have figured you for a Marvel Comics fan.”

She grinned. “What's not to love about mutants?”

He studied her for a long moment and shook his head. “Nope. I'm still not buying this, Haley.”

“Why? You think girls only watch Disney movies and read Harlequin romances?”

“That's what my sisters did.”

“I'm not like your sisters.”

“That's for sure. All right then,” he quizzed, “which is your favorite of the X-Men?”

“Mystique,” she blurted without a beat. “She has way better mutant powers than any of the rest. I always wanted to be her. She's so cool.”

“She's
blue
.”

“But she can turn into
anyone.
I always wanted to be able to do that.” She took another bite of pizza. “Shape-shifting kicks ass, Reid.”

“You think so? Who did you want to turn into?”

“When I was young? Anyone but
me
,” she replied softly.

He digested that tidbit.

She handed him her bottle. “Would you open this for me, please?”

He popped the top with a thumb and handed it back to her.

“I've never seen anyone do that before.”

He smirked. “My mutant power. It's pretty lame.”

She covered her mouth on a laugh. “So who did you wanna be?”

“I wasn't a big fan of X-Men.”

“No?” She sat back and squinted at him. “Wait! I know. You're an Avenger, aren't you? Captain America, right?” She giggled. “You are
totally
Captain America, Reid. I can so picture you in his costume too. You'd look incredibly hot in it.”

He gave a derisive snort. “Given a choice, I'd much rather be Cyclops so I could nail Emma Frost. For the record, you'd be smoking in
her
costume too. Gotta love all that white lingerie.”

It was all too easy to imagine. She leaned forward to adjust the pillows and her towel slipped, revealing a hint of dusky areola. His prick reacted instantly. His interest in the movie quickly waning, he reached once more for the remote.

She gripped his hand. “Wait just a sec. This is the good part. Wolverine's about to make his big buck-naked escape. Do you think he used a stunt double? Or did Hugh Jackman really streak for the entire world?”

“Don't know. Don't care.” Reid shrugged and clicked it off.

“A lot of them do that you know. Use body doubles. You happen to be a particularly fine specimen of
Homo
sapien
. You should go to Hollywood, Reid. You could make a fortune as a booty double.”

He scowled at her. “You've been ogling my
ass
?”

“Well, yeah.” She grinned. “It's an exceptionally nice one. Women like butts. A lot. Did you know that? Most females are attracted to men with blue eyes and firm, shapely buttocks. So that makes you two for two.”

“Do you make a habit of studying male anatomy?”

“No. But yours just happens to be very hard
not
to notice. Since we're on the subject”—she pushed the empty pizza box onto the floor and peeled away her towel—“there're parts of you that most definitely merit closer study.” She straddled him and wet her lips.

Every ounce of blood rushed to his groin.

She leaned forward until her nipples brushed his chest, then moved up his neck, licking, sucking, and then biting his earlobe, sending a dizzying jolt of sensation surging through him. She reached for his belt but struggled a bit with his zipper. He was already fully erect.

“Lift your hips, Reid.”

He complied with gritted teeth. He'd sworn he was going to stay in control, but he ached to be inside her mouth. He wanted it down to his marrow, but there was no way in hell he'd be able to keep it together once she wrapped her lips around him.

Shit, Everett! You are fucking screwed.

She jerked his jeans to his knees and then began working down his body with her mouth, kissing, licking, teasing, and seducing him with her lips and tongue.

He shut his eyes as his only defense, but that just seemed to magnify the sensations—her warm, wet tongue, her teeth on his nipples, his erection nestling in the valley between her breasts, her hands caressing his chest and thighs as she laved around his navel with her tongue. She moved lower until she was sprawled out over his thighs.

His anticipation ramped to a whole new level with the moist, hot caress of her breath over his prick. He shuddered at the first warm, wet rasp of her tongue that explored his balls while she wrapped her hand around him. She slid it slowly up and down his shaft as she kissed his head and then circled her hot tongue around his glans, probing the slit and then teasing the hell out of him with flicks and darts.

He groaned and squeezed his eyes even tighter.
Don't look, asshole. If she even glances up at you while sucking you off, you're a fucking goner.

“Tell me what you like, Reid. I want this to be good for you.”

He made the fatal error of opening his eyes—straight into hers, all deep green and soft, shadowed behind the lock of pale blonde hair that had fallen in her face. He homed in on her lips, moist, swollen, and smiling shyly at him. The erotic vision squeezed all the air out of his lungs in a brutal gush.
Good?
He was already out of his fucking mind. He knew he'd last about five seconds once she started sucking. His heart slammed against his chest. He'd thought he could control this. Who was he kidding? He'd never stopped wanting her. And the more he got, the more he
wanted.
But he wanted more than animal sex.

“Come here.” He reached for her.

She drew back with a taunting grin. “Nope. Not yet. It's your turn to suffer now. Turnabout is fair play, Reid.”

“This isn't a contest,” he said.

“Is that a complaint?” she teased. “Are you offended at the thought of being used for hot sex?”

“Not at all.” His pulse raced, but he kept his tone passive. “As long as
I'm
calling the shots.” He cupped her head and dragged her back up his body. Flipping her onto her back, he caged her beneath him.

“What are you doing, Reid? What are you trying to prove?”

“Why are you with me?” he demanded.

“You know why,” she answered, panting beneath him.

“Is this only about sex for you?”

“If we're both getting what we want, what's wrong with that?”

“I don't know why the hell you showed up here when you did, but I'm taking it as a sign.”

“A sign? What are you saying?”

“I knew what I wanted back then, and I haven't changed my mind. This is more than just a fuck to me, Haley.”

Her brows pulled together in a scowl. “Do you think you
own
me just because we've slept together?”

“I don't recall any sleeping. I don't
sleep
. Haven't in years.”

“You know what I meant,” she snapped.

“It's real simple, Haley. I need to know if it is gonna be just you and me from here on out.”

“Don't be such a caveman, Reid. It's not a crime to want to enjoy sex without any attachments.”

“Not what I needed to hear.” He rose from the bed, snatched up his shirt, and jerked on his jeans.

“You're leaving? Why? I don't understand this. What do you want from me?”

“Same thing I wanted five years ago—for us to be together. If you don't want it too, I'm not wasting any more time. Now I'm gonna ask you again. Why are you with me? What do you really want?” His gaze bored into hers, searching for the answer as his emotions made war inside him. He'd tried to deny it, but it was no good. He still had feelings for this perplexing woman. But he'd be damned if he'd let her tromp on his heart again.

She looked away. “I'm not ready for this kind of conversation, Reid. Why are you pushing me like this?”

“Because I've already sacrificed too much. I need to get on with my life. If you don't want to be a part of that, we're already done.” He flung his arms into his shirt and stomped into his boots. “I'll pick you up in the morning. Introduce you around. You'll have an easier time of it.”

“No need to trouble yourself on my behalf,” she said, choking back tears.

He stiffened against the sudden urge to go back to her, to take her into his arms. Instead, he reached for his hat. “It's the least I could do to repay you for the
fuck
.”

* * *

Trying to tune out her own thoughts, Haley turned on the television. The original
X-Men
was playing now. She muted the sound and stared at the screen with burning eyes, seeing nothing. She still couldn't believe he had walked out on her like that. How could he?

And why the hell
had
she taken up with him again? Was it gratitude because he'd helped her out of a fix? Or just sheer sexual frustration from months of abstinence? Maybe it was a combination of both, but if that was really all there was, why did she have this hollow ache in her chest? Once more, a night with him had turned her inside out.

She'd left California believing that a return to fieldwork was the answer, but she hadn't counted on Reid. How could she stay here now knowing she'd continue to run into him? Sure, she could try to avoid him, but he was an area outfitter. It was inevitable that their paths would eventually cross again. Was this whole move to Wyoming a huge mistake?

Her instincts screamed to pack up and go back to California, where she could go to a restaurant and order edamame. Where she lectured for people who smiled back and wrote big checks. She wanted to return to the place where people understood her and didn't challenge her; the place where she was comfortable. Where she belonged—the place where she'd become disillusioned…complacent…and bored.

Being honest with herself, she'd felt that way for a long time. No one ever challenged her because she only mixed with people who shared her beliefs. For five years she'd surrounded herself with all the “right” people who did all the “right” things. She lived in a closed circle of intellectuals, academics, and activists, people who outwardly espoused philanthropic and humanitarian concerns. They all talked a good game about saving the world, but so much of it was hollow posturing from hypocrites who gave “green” speeches while traveling in their Gulfstream jets.

She suddenly realized the problem. She didn't really
like
them.

Although she didn't agree with Reid's convictions, she couldn't help respecting him. She admired his courage and character. He had cared enough to risk his own life for a greater cause. They were still on opposite sides of almost everything, but at least he walked his talk. How many people really did that?

Confused and growing depressed, she clicked off the television. It was time for some desperately needed perspective from the one person she could always count on.
Yolanda.

“Haley?” Her best friend picked up on the second ring. “
Chica!
It's been so long. How are you?”

“I was hoping you'd still be up.”

“Yeah, I'm still up. Motherhood is a mixed blessing.”

“How is little Sergio?”

“Too much like his
papi
. They both keep me up all night. Is everything okay? It's not like you to call so late at night.”

“No, Yo. Everything is not okay.”

“Tell me about it,
chica
.”

“I did something incredibly impulsive and impossibly stupid… I left my job and came out to Wyoming.”

“You're in
Wyoming
?” Long pause. “But I thought your future was all set. And what about your professor?”

“Jeffrey's still there.”

“I thought you and he were going to move in together.”

“I thought so too, but he didn't take to the notion when I brought it up. I'm really confused now, Yo. I always thought he and I would end up together, but we've been slowly drifting apart. I finally acknowledged that it was going nowhere… I wanted a new start, so here I am.”

“In Wyoming.”

“Yes.” Haley paused, then blurted, “I ran into Reid.”

“Reid? The cowboy? Oh my God! Really? Is he out of the Marines now?”

“Yeah. He's out and back home now.”

“It's fate!” Yolanda declared. “It has to be.”

“That's kind of what he said, but nothing has changed, Yo,” Haley insisted. “I mean, I'm still me, and he's still…well…him.”