Wrecked (22 page)

Blindly, she reached between them, unfastening the remaining buttons on her shirt, intent on finishing the job he’d started and get them both naked.

He pulled his mouth off hers. “You call that pilot?”

Breathless and needy, she didn’t know why he’d chosen to start a conversation now. “Yes.”

“When did you tell him you’re leaving?” he asked.

“Tomorrow. Noon.” CeCe couldn’t stay longer.

For one, she had a company to get back to. More than that, she had nothing more with her than what was in her purse. Luckily she didn’t tend to travel light, and inside that bag she had her cosmetics bag, dental floss and a toothbrush. She’d be doing the walk of shame tomorrow, going home in the same clothing she’d arrived in, but at least she’d have fresh breath and makeup on.

“Good enough, I guess.” Wade drew in a deep breath, sending his nostrils flaring. “We’ll just have to make the most of tonight . . . and tomorrow morning.”

Feeling his hard length pressing into her as he lowered his mouth to hers again, CeCe was totally on board with that plan.

When his tongue stroked against hers, she started to think about calling the pilot and pushing that departure to a later time. Maybe another day even.

When he finally slid his sheathed length inside her and her body bowed off the bed, pure relief warred with the need for more.

Still kissing her, Wade pushed deeper and groaned, low and deep in his chest.

She felt the vibration rumble from his body through hers and she feared she might not want to leave at all.

CHAPTER 24

CeCe was trying to catch her breath, but the dryness in her throat wasn’t helping her effort.

She tried to swallow and realized she had no saliva to do so. “Wade, I have to get up. I’m thirsty.”

“I have no idea why.” Wade grinned down at her and finally rolled to the side so his weight no longer held her captive beneath him. “There’s water bottles in the fridge. I’m gonna take a quick shower. Feel free to join me.”

He stood and winked at her, obviously ignoring the fact he was as naked as the day he was born, but a lot bigger . . . and still partially erect.

She’d better get the water fast.

Knowing Wade, and for better or worse she did know him, her time to rest between rounds was limited.

She wasn’t quite as comfortable as he was padding around his house naked. Especially after what he’d said about his family popping in. CeCe grabbed Wade’s jersey off the floor.

One look at it, and the dirt and dust on it, had her dropping it back to the floor where she’d gotten it. She moved to the dresser and, feeling equally guilty as she was curious, pulled open the top drawer and peered inside.

Socks. All in pairs, rolled and lined up with impressive neatness.

Closing that one she opened the next. Underwear.

One more drawer yielded a stack of neatly folded T-shirts. She pulled one out and held it up beneath her chin.

It fell to far above her knee.

Deciding it would cover enough, especially considering she was only running to the kitchen for a bottle of water, she pulled it over her head.

Her pilfering his clothes had yielded one surprise. Wade was surprisingly organized.

Another thing had been revealed—his room held little to nothing personal.

She considered what that meant as she strode barefooted over the cool floors of the hallway and toward the kitchen.

There was one obvious reason why the house was so neat and clean but didn’t feel lived in. Wade traveled a lot. But she knew from her own travel that when she arrived home, the house became a shambles of suitcases, laundry and toiletries.

Of course, she traveled a bit heavier than Wade, luggage-wise, but the fact remained he lived more like this was a hotel than a home.

This man was not the kind to ever settle down if he didn’t even do so in his own house.

She swung open the door of the fridge and reached inside. After grabbing two bottles from the shelf that didn’t contain much else she turned . . . and nearly dropped the water in her hand.

The man, whose bulk filled the doorway where he’d stopped, resembled Wade enough that she didn’t scream, but the sound was very close to the surface. One consolation was that he looked as surprised to see her standing there as she was to see him.

“Who are you?” he asked.

She lifted her brows in surprise at the gall of his question. “I could ask you the same thing.”

In her own defense she had been invited inside by Wade. This guy hadn’t even knocked. If he had, she didn’t hear it.
 

“I’m Wade’s brother.” He moved farther into the room and leaned against the edge of the heavy wooden table, crossing his arm over his chest.

He hadn’t provided a name. Neither would she. “And I’m Wade’s guest.”

It was an obvious stand off and she was enjoying the cat and mouse, until his gaze dropped down to her exposed legs. He slowly raked his eyes back up to her face and let out a snort of a laugh.

“Yeah. I’m sure you are.” A crooked smile, so like Wade’s except she didn’t find it at all attractive on this guy, tipped up the corner of his mouth. “So where’d he find you? Today’s rodeo, I assume.”

“You assume correctly. He did indeed find me there.” She forced a smile she didn’t feel. “Why do you ask? Jealous?”

“Pfft. Hardly. If I had a dollar for every buckle bunny my brother picked up thanks to his big time TV bull-fighting career, I’d be a rich man.”

It was meant to wound her, and truth be told it did sting, but she wasn’t about to let this asshole see that.

No wonder Wade didn’t like coming home. It was more than obvious his brother had a bad case of envy. He was stuck here working the family ranch while Wade’s career was televised as he traveled the country.

That still didn’t excuse this man’s rudeness to her or his ire toward Wade. He didn’t know her and that was fine, but Wade was his brother and blood was thicker than water. He should be happy for Wade’s success. Not resent it.

CeCe clenched her jaw, getting angrier by the second on Wade’s behalf and on her own. She was going to enjoy when Wade made the introductions and he figured out who she was.

This guy had no idea who he was dealing with. She’d make him grovel, not just apologize. Then maybe she’d buy this ranch and kick him off the property. Hire guards and ban him forever from the land his grandfather had owned for probably the past sixty years or more.

The more she plotted this man’s demise, the harder her heart pounded until she was breathing nearly as heavy as she had been in Wade’s bed.

“What’d you get lost?” Wade, shirtless and barefoot and wearing nothing but a pair of cotton shorts, stopped in the doorway. His eyes moved between her and his brother. “I see you two have met.”

CeCe decided to take matters into her own hands.

“Not exactly. At least we haven’t been properly introduced. I’m CeCe Cole. Owner of Cole Shock Absorbers, though you might recognize me from my modeling career. Of course, that was all before my new occupation as Wade’s latest buckle bunny, as you put it.” She took a step forward and extended her hand to him, as formally as if she wasn’t naked beneath a T-shirt that was far too short. “And your name is?”

He swallowed, sending his Adam’s apple bobbing in his throat. “Buck.”

“Buck?” Her brows shot up as she glanced at Wade. “Buck Long?”

Wade, lips pressed together as he watched the interaction, nodded. “Yup.”

CeCe couldn’t help the laugh that erupted from within her. “Oh, that’s priceless.”

It would make the perfect name for a porn star. That the man was a cowboy made it even more amusing.

Meanwhile, Wade wasn’t at all amused, judging by his expression. He turned to his brother. “What did you need, Buck?”

Buck dragged his gaze away from CeCe and concentrated on Wade, while she continued to chuckle at Wade’s reminder of his brother’s name.

“I, uh, wanted you to know we’re planning to move the heifers to the upper pasture tomorrow.”

“I’m driving CeCe to the airport tomorrow, late morning. I’ll ride up when I get back.”

“No need. I’ll call the car service I used today.” She wasn’t about to get blamed for delaying the moving of the heifers, whatever exactly they were. Or be responsible for Wade being blamed for it.

Wade’s gaze cut to CeCe. “I’m driving you.”

The hardness in his tone told her there was no more room for discussion.

She nodded. “All right. Thank you.”

“No problem.” Even those words sounded hard. Wade turned to his brother again. “Anything else you need?”

“Nah. That was it.”

“A’ight. I’ll get back tomorrow as soon as I can.”

“Sure. Take your time.” Buck’s gaze cut to CeCe. “Nice meeting you.”

That elicited another snort of a laugh from CeCe. “You too, Buck.”

He turned and left through the doorway he’d come through. The sound of the front door of the house clicking shut spurred Wade into action. He strode across the kitchen and brought both hands up to cradle her face.

“CeCe, I don’t know what to say. I’m sorry—”

“It’s okay.”

“No, it’s not.” His concern was clear and she could see the anger seething inside him.

“Wade, really. I’m fine. I kind of enjoyed putting good old Buck in his place actually.”

He let out a breath and she could almost see some of the tension leave his body. The tiniest smile lifted the corner of his mouth. “You did a good job of it too.”

“Thank you. But seriously, Wade. Buck Long? Who named him that? Your mother?”

He smiled for real now. “No. He’s William after my father. Buck was called Willie until he was a teenager and decided he was too old for that, but it got confusing having two men both named Will in one house.”

“So he chose Buck?” she guessed, still amazed.

“No. He earned that nickname riding broncs. He was pretty good too, until he got married and his wife put a stop to it.”

Things were beginning to become clearer regarding the tension between the brothers. “That explains a lot.”

“Does it?” he asked while looking more interested in pushing her hair back.

He leaned in and brushed kisses from her jawline to her neck, making it hard for her to concentrate on expressing her point. “Yes, it does. He’s jealous of your career.”

Wade pulled back and laughed. “Yeah, no. I don’t think so.”

“I do. It was pretty obvious and I only just met him. Just keep that idea in mind. You’ll see. His insults and comments about you not being around, they all stem from his being pissed it’s not him on that television, traveling the country, picking up all those
buckle bunnies
.” She couldn’t quell the nausea those two words caused.

CeCe was under no delusions Wade had been a saint before he’d met her, or since, but the thought of those no doubt many women bothered her more than she liked.

“CeCe, Buck is mad because it takes more men than we’ve got to run this ranch and they could use my help all the time, not just the times I’m home between events.” Wade took a step closer, wedging his thigh between hers. “And by the way, I don’t seem to have a taste for bunny anymore. I think you might have ruined me in that area. Probably forever.”

She couldn’t let herself believe words like
forever
when they came out of Wade’s mouth. She changed the subject to a safer topic. “Why don’t you just hire more men to help out?”

“Life on a ranch is not that simple, city girl.” He pressed closer.

CeCe discovered that the two bottles of water currently making her hands wet from the condensation were getting in the way. She was defenseless as Wade ran his hand up her body beneath the T-shirt.

Not that she would have stopped him if she’d had the use of her hands. She wanted him again, as much as ever.

That need scared her. She was leaving tomorrow and they had no plans for when—if—they’d see each other again.

 
“I got us water,” she said, to distract herself from the reality she didn’t want to face.

“Great. Bring it to the bedroom with you.” He was busy nuzzling her neck and she still had yet to quench the thirst she seemed to have forgotten about.