Authors: Gigi Moore
He was beautiful, not handsome but beautiful. Desiree broke out into a cold sweat when she realized that she and he were alone. She had been trying to avoid being alone with him earlier, but now it was a condition she gladly settled into. She liked the privacy even if they were outside and in the open and anyone could walk by. They stood so close and in each other’s personal space that it gave her the illusion they were all alone in the world. She felt like she could trust Carson Quarry with all her secrets, even her life, because he had proven he would protect her even when she hadn’t asked.
When Carson finished chewing and swallowed, he opened his eyes to gape at her as if he couldn’t believe what he had just tasted.
“C’mon, it’s not that bad, is it?”
“It’s not bad at all. It’s delicious.”
“I’m not fishing for compliments, but really?”
“I’m ready for seconds.” He polished off the piece in his hand in short order and reached in the basket for another piece. “Now I see why you were so upset about the possibility of this being trampled. Surely would have been a pure waste.”
Desiree watched as he made quick work of the second piece. He smiled at her when he was done. It was such a simple thing, really, but his smile and honesty made her chest fill as if he’d pinned a medal to her lapel. She knew it was honesty and not empty flattery. The man, after all, had the nerve to call her an idiot to her face. He made it obvious he wasn’t trying to flatter or impress anyone, especially not her.
“Did Sam get his fill?”
“I don’t think so. He only had one piece. But I can always make more.”
“We wouldn’t want to put you out.”
She wondered at the way he spoke for himself and his brother, playing the role of the boss and leader in every way. She wondered how far that went in the brothers’ relationship. How much influence did Carson have over Sam, and would that translate in a relationship with her? How much convincing would Sam need to share a woman with his brother?
What are you thinking?
Maia and Tamara were rubbing off on her in very unhealthy ways. She couldn’t see herself handling one man, especially this man. How would she handle Carson
and
Sam?
Desiree cleared her suddenly dry throat. “You wouldn’t be putting me out. I love to cook, even better when someone’s going to be enjoying what I’ve created like you boys are enjoying this.” Desiree offered him the basket and Carson readily relieved her of it.
“Good deal, then.”
“Just drop the basket by the house when you’re done.” She turned to leave but slowed her steps as Carson caught up to walk beside her.
“If you’re going back to the house, let me give you a ride. I’m going that way, too.”
Desiree glanced over at his horse shuffling his hooves several yards away and swallowed hard. Earlier when Carson had scooped her up into the seat with him had been her first time on a horse. She’d gone through plenty of pains to avoid the animals since she’d been on the ranch and had been miraculously successful. With Maia’s and Tamara’s nagging, this had been no mean feat. Desiree appreciated the animals at a distance, thought they were beautiful, but…
“You’re not afraid, are you?”
She winced. “It shows?”
Carson whistled and the animal trotted over and stopped beside him. Carson pet the horse’s head then rubbed his nose and the animal whinnied, obviously enjoying the attention. “This here critter is Freedom’s Call. I call him Free. Free, meet Desiree.”
The horse snorted and bent his head toward her as if he understood exactly what Carson talked about.
Desiree put her hand up and hesitated.
“Go ahead. He won’t bite, not unless you have an apple in your hand. I can’t be responsible for anything the greedy bugger does, then.”
“Guess you’d better watch out for your pie.”
“Already taken care of.” Carson held the basket behind his back and Desiree laughed, not missing how the slight motion pushed out his chest, stressing the muscles in his shoulders and arms as they flexed.
Desiree laughed as she finally touched Free’s nose with her fingertips and the animal pushed against her palm as if asking for a firmer touch. She readily accommodated him, rubbing his nose before sliding her hand down to stroke him under the chin. Free released a low rumble.
“Looks like you’ve made a new friend. Either that or he’s trying to soften you up to make him a pie of his own.”
“Sorry, you’ll have to share yours and Sam’s.” The thought made her wonder if he’d be willing to share more than just a pie with his brother.
Would he share her?
Chapter 5
Carson shifted his weight from one leg to the other as his jeans got decidedly tight around the crotch trying to accommodate his burgeoning, hot cock. Inside his jeans his cock wept and he prayed the drop of pre-cum he felt leaking from the slit of his erection couldn’t be seen through the front of the jeans he wore.
Despite the denim being thick, he thought there was definitely a drawback to going commando the way he and Sam habitually did.
He should have turned away, averted his eyes. He couldn’t look away, though, getting more turned on watching Desiree stroke his stallion the way he wanted her to caress him, the way he wanted her to touch his wanting cock.
He did close his eyes finally, muttering a curse under his breath as his cock jerked and began to throb, painfully hard behind his zipper.
This wasn’t good. This wasn’t supposed to happen.
How had it?
“Are you okay?”
He opened his eyes to see the concern in her whiskey eyes and something inside him snapped. He didn’t want her to be concerned for him, didn’t want to have to reciprocate, because only trouble lay down that path. “I’m fine. We’d better go before it starts to get dark.” He wanted to bite off his tongue for coming out of his face so harsh, especially when he saw the hurt in her eyes, even though just as quickly she veiled the hurt with detachment.
That was the oldest trick in the book, one he’d perfected.
Dammit, why had he let her in? Now it would make things twice as hard seeing her around the ranch and keeping his distance, which he had been doing very well before now, thank you very much.
Drawn by her vanilla scent, Carson bent his head, knowing full well he was digging himself into a hole and not caring. He wanted to wipe that detached look off her face. He knew there was too much passion and concern under that expression to keep hidden for too long.
Her eyes widened right before his lips touched hers, but she didn’t show any sort of resistance, didn’t give any sort of indication that she wanted him to stop. By the time his lips made contact, Desiree’s eyes had drifted closed.
The minute he noticed this act of acquiescence, the minute his lips connected with hers, Carson knew he was in deep trouble and wished she
had
resisted. He surely couldn’t, not with her slightly parted lips so demurely inviting him in. He pushed his tongue past that temptation and stroked hers, couldn’t deny the lure of her spicy scent, her sweet taste, her soft skin.
A low groan quickly followed her gasp, boiling his blood in his veins and spurring him further. Carson framed her face with his hands, his big mitts almost swallowing her head as he drew her closer, angled his head, and deepened the kiss. Inside, his beast growled to be released and he knew had Desiree opened her eyes right then she would have seen the evidence of Carson’s waning control, his green eyes glowing out of his face as bright and yellow as the sun.
He was almost too far gone to know whether her whimper was a rebuff or approval, but when she put her palms against his chest and fisted his shirt, pulling him forward, he accepted her action for what it seemed—capitulation.
Carson pressed into her, shuddering when she slid her arms around his back, and he felt the pointed tips of her hard nipples stab just under his pectorals. He slammed the hot ridge of his cock into her slit when he hunkered down and finally took hold of her luscious ass to lift her up against him. He circled his hips, grinding into her as if to sear her with the heat of the blood rushing and filling his cock, wanting to give her something to remember him by once they parted, to imprint the memory of this moment, his body, on
her
body and soul.
He didn’t want this to end, didn’t want to imagine how empty his arms would feel once he let her go, but knew condemnation approached, if not from him then from her, because why would a poised and polished city slicker want to be pawed by a country boy like him? Why would she want to get involved with an animal?
Desiree’s breath came out in pants, her movements distinctly hostile and agitated even as she slid her hands into his hair and fisted a nice hank at the nape. He felt the push-pull of her actions before she finally tried to fend him off in earnest. When she jerked her hands from his hair and punched her small fists into his chest, Carson got the picture and released her. He didn’t step back quick enough to avoid the hard slap she delivered to his cheek, though.
It proved a nice wake-up call, one he had to admit he needed.
Carson shook his head and glanced down at her standing in front of him, unable to miss the way her full breasts pushed against the soft cotton of her Western shirt as she breathed heavily. He especially was unable to miss the stunned look on her face.
He wondered what stunned her more, that he had kissed her or that she had kissed him back as passionately as she had. That proved at least one thing he was certain of. She’d wanted that kiss as much as he had.
What had happened inside that beautiful head of hers in the span of seconds to make her pull back so violently?
Carson wanted to blame his brother and Desiree, anyone but himself, for the tangle his emotions were in right then, but he couldn’t really muster the energy, not when he remembered the look on her face when he’d shown his appreciation for her pie.
Spending this time with her and enjoying her dessert as well as her lips had been a rare indulgence and a nice break from the usual Old West exhibitions and shootouts he participated in. As much of a disruption as her appearance had been, he couldn’t even bring himself to regret her unscheduled visit.
Problem was, any time he spent with her would prove as much of a façade as the Western town. It wouldn’t be real, not for him, because they couldn’t go anywhere.
He almost reached for his heated face where she’d struck him, but Carson fought the impulse. He wanted to protect her, if only from her own regret and shame. Besides, he’d deserved it for taking advantage of the situation even if he hadn’t exactly taken advantage of her.
Wordlessly, Carson turned from her and mounted Free, then reached down to help Desiree up into the saddle. She accepted his help this time without comment or complaint. She took his offered hand before easily sliding her left foot into the stirrup and swinging her other leg up to settle into the saddle behind him all cuddly and snuggly like a tick.
Carson closed his eyes and gritted his teeth when she curled her arms around his waist and pressed her cheek against his back. Her body heat practically singed the skin beneath his shirt, made him tense and hard.
What was she trying to do? Torture him?
“I’m sorry,” she whispered.
Were tears now moistening the back of his shirt?
Merde!
Yep, she was definitely trying to torture him, no doubt about it. “Me, too.”
* * * *
Carson entered the barn determined to give Sam a good talking to, but before he could open his mouth to say anything, Sam slammed his fist into his jaw.
The blow caught him totally off guard and spun him around. The basket of pie he was carrying went flying out of his hand and hit the floor, kicking up dust a couple of feet away.