Only Hers (32 page)

“Shh. Don’t cry.” His broad hand swept up and down her back. “I don’t have a handkerchief, so stop that.”

Nodding, Shannon inhaled his clean scent and clung to him. No matter how he pretended otherwise, he was as unsure as she.

“Knowing how new you are to this, I thought you might feel abandoned.” He pushed her gently away. “I’m going to stay with you, but that’s all. Tomorrow you’re going to stay in bed and rest.”

She nodded again. He looked so stern and held her so gently.

He led her over to the bed and pulled the covers back. “Get in.”

He didn’t have to tell her twice. The light on the nightstand went off, throwing the room into complete darkness. The mattress dipped, his arm loosely circled her waist. Taking his hand in hers, Shannon scooted backward until the solid warmth of his body stopped her.

“Shannon, cut that out.”

She settled against him with a contented sigh. “Good night, Matt.”

Early the next morning, Matt carefully withdrew his arm and his body from Shannon’s sleeping warmth and slipped
from her bed. He hadn’t slept a solid thirty minutes the entire night. Every time he moved, she moved with him, wiggling her hips against him until he was as hard as a rock. The only thing that kept him from burying himself deep inside her was the knowledge that she was asleep and didn’t know how she affected him.

And she wasn’t going to know.

Without looking back, Matt quietly let himself out and went to his room to dress. Shannon made him feel too much. He’d known from seeing her face when he left the bathroom, she felt deserted. He’d lain in bed staring at the ceiling for as long as he could.

Except for his ex-wife he’d never spent the entire night with a woman, preferring to wake up by himself. He’d gone to Shannon because of a desire to comfort her that was too strong to deny.

Shoving open the swinging door to the kitchen, he went straight to the automatic coffeepot. He grimaced. No coffee. Looking through the cabinets didn’t yield any, either.

Matt had a hunch it was more than an oversight on Octavia’s part. After last night, he’d be lucky if she fixed anything for the next month. That might work to Shannon’s advantage. As long as Octavia was upset with him, she’d have less time to notice Shannon. He didn’t want her upset. He scowled at the protective, instinctive thought and opened the back door, then abruptly pulled it closed.

Going to the window, he watched Shannon pause near the back of Daniel’s motor home. Equal parts of jealousy and annoyance swept through him. She was supposed to be resting, not going anywhere near Daniel. Matt didn’t know he had held his breath until she passed the hood and kept going. Air gushed over his lips as he watched her.

The saucy spring in her walk was gone. Instead, her movements were more deliberate. He remembered the reason, the open generosity of her body. She had touched him as no other woman ever had and her stubbornness set his teeth on edge.

Seeing Shannon disappear behind the barn, Matt headed out the door. She was going to rest if he had to tie her in bed. His gaze on the spot where Shannon had disappeared, he didn’t hear Daniel until the other man spoke.

“You look like you’re in a big hurry.”

Matt never slackened his pace. “I am.”

“When you catch up with Shannon don’t make her cry again,” Daniel told him, a slight edge to his voice.

Hands fisted, Matt spun to face Daniel, who was leaning against the front of the motor home. “Stay out of something that’s none of your concern,” he ordered.

“I was worried about her last night, so I drove up to the cabin and saw your truck. You two didn’t come back until hours later.”

Matt went still. “Mention one word of this to Shannon and I’ll tear you apart.”

“Do you really think I’d do that?”

“No,” Matt clipped out.

Daniel studied his manicured nail, then glanced up. “So when’s the wedding?”

“I’m never getting married again.”

“Does Shannon know that?” he asked mildly.

“Daniel, you don’t want to push me this morning.”

“I saw her face last night when you were with that other woman. Shannon doesn’t understand how the game is played. She’s too honest to use subterfuge, too good to hurt someone intentionally.” Daniel laid his hand on Matt’s tense shoulder. “This could blow up in your face.”

“I know what I’m doing.”

“I really hope you do. For some men there’s only one woman.” His expression hard, Daniel walked into the motor home.

Matt shrugged off Daniel’s warning and started after Shannon. He had made no promises and Shannon hadn’t asked for any. It was easy to confuse love with lust. He knew.

He took the steps two at a time at the bunkhouse, then
knocked on the door. “Cleve, it’s Matt. I’m looking for Shannon.”

“Just a second,” Shannon called, but it was more like sixty before she answered the door. “Good morning, Matt.”

Her gaze was centered on his chest. Cleve remained at the table, a cup of coffee in his hands. Matt glanced down at the top of Shannon’s head. “I thought we agreed you were going to rest.”

“I’m resting sitting down.”

She thought of others before she thought of the consequences to herself. But she had given him her word. “I won’t argue semantics with you, Shannon. Can I trust you to keep your word or not?”

Her head lifted. “After I leave here I was going back to my room.”

“Yes or no?”

Hurt flashed into her eyes before she glanced over her shoulder. “I’m not feeling as well as I thought, Cleve. Do you mind if we put the lesson off?”

“Don’t worry about me, Miss Shannon. You go on back to the house.”

Stepping around Matt, she went down the steps. His gaze followed. He noticed everything about her, particularly the slight droop of her shoulders. He had meant to push her into going to bed, not hurt her.

“Pretty hard on her, weren’t you?”

Matt sighed. Another of Shannon’s champions. He had had enough, but when he saw the censure in the eyes of the man he respected and loved, all Matt said was, “She takes too much on herself sometimes.”

“That’s the kind of woman she is.”

“Today she rests.”

“Glad to hear your concern. I took a drive out to the cabin last night to check on her.”

Knowing what was coming, Matt groaned. At least Octavia wasn’t with—“Were you alone?”

“Yep. Good thing I was, too.” Cleve’s eyes were as
hard as jagged glass. “A man has certain responsibilities. Don’t you go forgettin’.”

Matt’s ears and face grew warm. With unnecessary haste he went back down the steps. And Shannon had worried about them seeing
her
face.

Shannon heard Matt’s footsteps behind her and paused in front of the kitchen door. She hadn’t meant to break her promise, she had only wanted to help Cleve. Somehow, Matt had to understand.

A hand reached around her and opened the door. “Go on inside.”

She faced him. Dread pounded through her as she saw his harsh expression. “I know how important trust is to you. I don’t want you angry with me.”

“You were supposed to stay in bed.”

“Matt, I admit I’m a little sore, but that’s no reason to become an invalid,” she told him. “Frankly, you look more in need of rest than I do.”

His eyes narrowed. “Something kept me awake last night.”

“What?”

“You using me as a back warmer.”

Shannon flushed, her gaze lowering. “Oh. I didn’t . . . er, realize. I’ll be more careful tonight—” She laced her trembling hands together.

“If you rest today, you won’t have to.”

Her lashes lifted. What she saw caused her breath to catch. In Matt’s hot gaze was a desire barely held in
check, a hunger that matched her own. Her fingertips lifted to press against his lips.

“Not if you don’t want to shock Octavia and everybody else within sight,” he said roughly.

“Can I touch you tonight?”

“Anywhere and everywhere.”

Shannon shivered and withdrew her hand. Silently she entered the kitchen and tried to calm the wild cadence of her heart, the need churning through her body. Not wanting to leave him, she started for the coffeepot. “No wonder you’re so grouchy. I’ll fix you some coffee.”

“I couldn’t find any. We must be out.”

“That’s impossible, I opened a fresh bag yesterday.” Looking in the usual spot where the coffee was kept revealed nothing. Undeterred, Shannon opened the cabinet over the refrigerator. “Eureka.”

Matt plucked the can off the shelf. “I can handle it from here.”

He was certainly being protective and stubborn. She worked hard to keep from grinning. She took the coffee. “I’d like a cup myself. I’m also hungry.”

“I cook worse than Cleve.”

Shannon laughed at his disgruntled expression. “I heard. Now sit down and stay out of my way.” After preparing the coffee, she took out two big skillets. “I’m sure Daniel and his men would like breakfast before they leave,” she explained. Opening the refrigerator, she removed a package of butter, a can of biscuits, rolled sausage, and some bacon.

“I can cook for them,” he said, a smile in his voice.

“If you don’t mind, I’d rather not have to use my nursing skills this early in the morning,” she said drolly. “I wouldn’t want to tax myself unnecessarily.”

Black eyes narrowed. “You’ll pay for that.”

She laughed. “Oh, Matt. Where’s your sense of humor?”

“Gone South.”

She laughed so hard her stomach hurt. Who would have thought Matt had a sense of humor? She leaned her head against his chest and felt his body shaking with his own laughter.

“Don’t you dare forgive that scoundrel.”

Shannon whirled to see Octavia, hands on ample hips, glaring over Shannon’s shoulder at Matt. “G-good morning.”

The housekeeper advanced on them with firm steps. “If I had my broomstick handy, I’d teach you a lesson about respecting women.”

Shannon held her breath. Octavia knew.

“Shannon forgave me for my bad manners in the restaurant, why can’t you?” Matt said.

“I’m immune to that smile of yours.” She looked around the room. “That skillet will do just as good.”

“Octavia, no,” Shannon yelled and caught the other woman by the arm. “He apologized, really he did. He even gave me the day off because I’m not feeling well.”

The housekeeper looked back at Matt. He hadn’t moved. “See what you did.”

“I know. That’s why I’m not trying to stop you,” Matt said calmly.

“Please,” Shannon pleaded. “He apologized and just offered to cook breakfast.”

“He did?” the older woman questioned, surprise in her voice.

“He did.”

The expression on Octavia’s face went from censure to approval. “It’s about time you came to your senses.”

Shannon didn’t like the sound of that and from the way Matt’s brows bunched, he didn’t, either. She flicked on the gas burner under the skillet. “Octavia, do you think a pound of bacon is enough?”

“Better cook two.” She beamed at Matt. “We don’t want our men going hungry.”

Rolling her eyes, Shannon began placing the strips of
bacon in the hot skillet. Talk about jumping from the frying pan into the fire.

Matt unsaddled his horse and headed for the house. He tried to tell himself the account book was the reason he had stopped work so early in the day. He wasn’t quite able to convince himself. Ever since Daniel left and Octavia mentioned Cleve was taking her into town to do some shopping after lunch, the thought of coming home and just holding Shannon had never been far from Matt’s mind.

It was going to be dangerous as hell to hold her and not make love to her, but worth every nerve-wracking moment. He was crossing the den when he noticed the door to his study ajar.

Shannon. She was probably searching for something to read.

Opening the door, he saw her lying on her stomach on the couch, a pencil poised in her hand, staring at his account book. He had let his body rule his mind. Look where that had gotten him. Now she knew everything about the ranch’s finances.

“Looking for anything in particular?” he asked.

She jumped and almost fell onto the floor. Eyeing him warily, she sat up. “I was hoping to have this finished before you came home.”

“I don’t like anyone working on the accounts except me.” The door snapped shut.

Anguish flashed across her face. “I should have asked if you wanted my help.” Picking up the hand-held calculator and the account book, she placed them back on his desk.

He stepped in front of her when she would have left the room without speaking again. “Where’re you going?”

“My room,” she said softly, her gaze meeting his squarely.

“Sulk all you want, but I haven’t changed my mind about tonight.”

“I don’t remember asking you to. At least when you
make love to me I don’t have to see the mistrust in your face,” she told him.

The anger left as swiftly as it had come. He didn’t understand her. He had offended her, but she was staring at him as if he was all in the world that mattered to her. His hand curved around her neck, anchoring her, searching for deception in the depth of her eyes, hating the thought of finding it.

“A woman’s body doesn’t lie as easily as her tongue.”

“Let me go.”

When he did, Shannon picked up his hands and placed them over her breasts. Never taking her eyes from his she curved her arms around his neck and pressed her lower body against his. “I’m ready to take a lie detector test.”

Before he had a chance to reason, to think, his hands closed around the soft mounds, his thumbs stroked over her nipples. Her breasts blossomed in his hands, the tight bud of each nipple straining toward his hand, seeking. Some force compelled him to look down to where he held her.

The erotic sight of his hands on her made him feel humble and tender. A desire so strong it shook him to the deepest level of his soul coursed through him. She wore another of those loose-fitting blouses. This one was made of some kind of turquoise clingy material that hung off the shoulder. All he had to do was . . .

His hand opened, then he hooked one finger over the top of the scooped neck and tugged. The blouse slid down revealing the lush swell of her naked breast.