Almost a Cowboy (10 page)

The task before them felt impossible.

They bumped into the rest stop. Caroline grabbed her duffle bag and went straight to the restroom. He changed his clothes and washed his face, and then sprayed himself with deodorant and body spray. Feeling slightly refreshed, he waited outside the women’s room for Caroline.

Scents of fried eggs and bacon turned his stomach inside out. A good meal would fortify him for the day ahead.

When Caroline finally emerged, his breath caught.

She was fresh and stunning in a white cotton sundress. Her pale hair hung in a long braid over one shoulder, and wisps kissed her jaw. Her complexion glowed from a scrubbing, and she’d applied a light coat of mascara and lip gloss.

His balls clenched tight at the thought of smearing off that lip gloss. As he continued to stare, she shifted, her boots scuffing the worn tile floor.

“Do I look like I just took a bath in the truck stop restroom?”

“Baby, you look like trouble.”

A mischievous light winked in her eyes. “Is that good or bad?”

“Depends on whether or not you really want to be arrested for public nudity,” he drawled. Her eyes hooded, and a heady sense of power came over him.

She was a word mistress, and he could undo her with a simple sentence. He tucked the knowledge in the back of his mind. “Let’s get some eggs.”

While they waited for food, she fired up her laptop and grew so engrossed with trying to find more information on Bennett and Aurora that she let the coffee she’d wanted so badly get cold.

He stared at what he could see of her face over her computer screen. Her long brows connected in the middle, her expression intense. He looked around himself, feeling almost more isolated than he did in the mountains, though truck drivers and vacationers filled the booths and tables.

He leaned forward. “Find anything?”

She waved a hand but didn’t answer. The waitress brought two platters of ham and eggs. “Can you get her a warm cup of coffee?” he asked, and the waitress nodded.

Once she left, Caroline spoke. “She took her time looking at you.”

Taken aback, he said, “Did she?”

Caroline’s eyes met his over her screen. She pushed her laptop to the side to see him fully. “Yeah, didn’t you notice?”

“No.”

“You really don’t care that women have always gawked at your good looks?”

He lifted a shoulder in a half-hearted shrug and took up his fork, holding it tines down. “After I set eyes on you, I hardly gave a care.”

Her hard expression melted, and she was once again his Caroline. Her mouth bowed in a soft smile. “Thanks for that. And for the hot coffee. I get sort of engrossed while researching.”

“I see that.” He filled his mouth with scrambled eggs and chewed.

The waitress set a steaming mug before Caroline, and she thanked her tersely. “So I think I have some information. I found the website for the town of Bennett. There’s a name on the town officials page.”

“It’s his?”

“Unless there’s another Bennett Davies in Bennett, Colorado, then yes.”

Utah’s heart lurched. He set his fork down and turned the laptop to see the screen. Sure enough, there it was. His brother’s name right on the website.

“If he’s in the public eye, he should be easy enough to find.” Caroline sipped her coffee.

“Good. Now that we know where he is, we can drive right to him. That means we have a few hours to waste sightseeing.”

Over the rim of her mug, she narrowed her eyes, but they danced.

“Eat up. Time’s a-wasting.”

•●•

Without ever consulting a map, Utah guided them right to a river’s edge outside Laramie. Caroline could barely tear her gaze from his handsome profile long enough to see the grasses were tamped down where other travelers had obviously blazed a trail to the river.

She climbed out, greeted by the chirp of birds and a few childish voices coming from downstream.

Utah came around the truck and reached a hand toward her. “Feel like taking a little stroll?”

She shook her head in awe. “You know geography like…”

He arched a brow. “Like I know my way around a woman’s body?” Sliding his arm around her waist, he tugged her flush against his chest.

She issued a short laugh. “Hopefully not just any woman’s body.” Since the waitress had blatantly looked over Utah, hunger on her face that no amount of eggs and ham could sate, Caroline had been crawling with irritation.

He may not be lying about having a special woman in his life, but he sure as hell had more than one lusting over him.

Cupping Caroline’s ass, he hitched her tighter to his body. She felt every hard ridge from chest to knee. And there was one very big bulge against her lower belly. Warmth pooled in her core.

Sighing, she gave herself up to his kiss and a few fondles. Then he led her down to the river. The grass on either shore was lush and green. The clear water rushed over some big rocks, creating rapids too fast to wade, but upstream the waters were calm.

She drank in the quiet setting. It inspired her to write—about small western towns and farmers markets and country rodeos on a Saturday night.

But she didn’t need a vacation guide—she needed an article. Something that roused readers and got them taking sides or inspired emotion in them.

Right now the only feelings she could conjure was for the man striding beside her with twelve unknown siblings he was meant to unite. The concept still blew her away. He was handling it so well. Then again, why should she be surprised? He’d never gotten riled up in his youth.

Even when she hadn’t shown up to elope, he’d calmly driven off, never to be seen again. Part of her had desperately wanted him to storm into her parents’ house and fight for her.

Then Jeremy had shown up and wheedled until she’d agreed to go on a date.
That was far from fighting for me.
Too bad she’d still been reeling from her breakup with Utah. If she’d been in her right mind, she would have sworn off a man like Jeremy.

And her parents hadn’t opposed their union, so she’d thought he must be the right one. God, was she wrong.

The sun glinted off the water, turning it into a million diamonds. Someone stood in the middle of the river fly-fishing.

Utah took her hand and led her down the bank. Tall grasses tickled her ankles, adding to her entire feeling of happiness. Being here with Utah was everything she could dream of. They weren’t exactly picking up where they left off in their youth. No, the loving was stronger.

Scarier.

The bank narrowed, and she followed him. His broad shoulders tapered to a backside that made her think very dirty thoughts. Too well she knew how that carved muscle felt under her hands.

He tossed a grin over his shoulder. “Okay?”

Caught looking at his ass, she flushed. His deep laugh sounded before he faced forward again. When he came to a wide spot of mud, he stopped. On the left, tree branches reached toward the water. On the right, the bank sloped sharply to the river.

“Wanna go wading?”

“Maybe we could turn around and walk the other way,” she suggested, laying a palm on his warm spine. Lust spread through her body.

“Nah. We’ll stay the course.” He gave her a wicked smile before yanking her off her feet. He swung her. Greenery and Utah’s face rushed past her vision. Then suddenly she landed on solid ground.

She stood on the other side of the mud hole, staring at Utah several paces away. A smile claimed her features. She reached out and dragged her hand down the arm of a pine tree, pulling off a few fragrant needles. She brought them to her nose.

Had she felt so alive in the decade since she’d refused Utah?

“Step back, baby. I’ve gotta jump.”

She’d think it impossible for his legs to breach such a wide expanse, but his arms had already done it when he swung her. She backed up, her gaze never leaving him.

A boyish look crossed his face a split second before he leaped. He landed, muscles coiled and oh so close to her.

She wrapped her arms around his waist and burrowed her nose against his chest. He smelled of the pine she clutched in her fist and heated man. He held her for long moments while the river burbled and the birds chirped.

Finally she gave him a simple smile of joy and released him.

“You lead the way, baby.”

She twisted on her boot heels and continued on. After only a few steps, her skin prickled. Unable to help herself, she cast a glance over her shoulder to find his gaze locked on her ass.

“Like what you see?”

“Always have.”

“But it’s bigger now.”

“Mmm, yeah. A real woman’s ass.”

Her heart flipped over, and she somehow managed to keep from tearing off her clothes and jumping into his arms.

They walked on, following the natural zigzag of the river. Tilting her face up to the sun, she thought she’d remember this day if she lived to be a hundred. She’d missed out on exploring life with Utah. Even though she was frightened, it was impossible not to jump boots first into loving him.

“Look at this.”

At the rumble of his deep voice, she drew to a stop. He was crouched looking at the ground. She hunched to peer at the dirt. Erratic movement drew her attention to five tiny frogs, obviously newly sprouted from tadpoles.

She let her gaze slide upward to Utah’s face. His rugged features made her heart contract hard. When had she last looked at the world through non-jaded eyes?

“You finished staring at me?”

Gasping, she opened her mouth to speak.

With a swift motion, he dropped to a sitting position and pulled Caroline into his lap.

“Don’t want grass stains on this pretty dress,” he rumbled, nuzzling her throat.

Heat spiked in her. She rubbed her ass against his ever-present erection. There was so much she could say—about their time apart or how the last few days with him scared the hell out of her.

But she couldn’t form a complete thought as he lazily circled her nipple with a forefinger. The bud pinched tight.

A child’s squeal from downriver brought her back to the present.

She dug her fingers into the thick mass of his hair. “We can’t do this here. A child might come around the bend and see us.”

He raised his mouth from her flesh, and disappointment sank low in her belly. “Mmm, right as always. That college degree has you thinkin’ smart. Guess I’ll have to find an alternate place to make love to you, though.”

Before she could say a word, he yanked off his boots and then hers. How had she managed to keep him loving her all these years? She started to sputter out the question. But before it was out, he launched to his feet with her in his arms.

In four long strides, he stormed into the water. Icy droplets splashed her bare feet and legs. “Utah!”

“We haven’t made love in the water yet, baby. I promise to keep you warm.” He let his knees buckle, and they dropped, down, down to the cold river water.

Utah had effectively dwindled away the daylight by keeping Caroline in the water, on the shore, and then in the cab of his truck. He’d loved her three times, each time more explosive than the last.

She was insatiable, and he’d do anything in his power to meet her needs.

But now night had once again fallen, and he hadn’t made an attempt to contact his brother and sister.

After grabbing fast food, he and Caroline drove on. In Denver, about twenty minutes away from Bennett, Colorado, they snapped up a hotel room.

Utah paced the small space past Caroline. She was set up at the cheap desk, earbuds screwed into her ears and her music cranked up as she tapped away on her computer keyboard.

He sailed by her and twitched back the drapery. A greenish glow from the parking lot lights made everything outside look creepier.
I hate the fucking city.

No—correction. He hated the rising fury in his chest. How was he going to face his siblings and explain that their father was a cheating, lying ass who’d betrayed fifteen children, a wife, and six other women?

With a rough sigh, Utah pivoted and crossed the sea-foam green carpet to the door. On the way past Caroline, he glanced at the computer screen. Whatever she was writing was intense. He caught words like “secretive” and “damnation.”