Chapter Ten
Catie made polite talk as she worked her way through the crowd with Jarrod at her side. They stopped to talk with Kev Grand for a moment. Catie was almost surprised to see him, since he’d been after Dee himself for so long, but the man was his usual down-home-boy self.
Everyone seemed to want to make small talk with Catie and Jarrod, but she was dying to find her best friend—to see if she was really happy being married. When Deputy Ryan Forrester greeted them, it was all Catie could do to patiently wait at Jarrod’s side while they bullshitted about one thing or another.
Finally, Catie spotted Dee MacLeod-Reynolds in the crowd and her heart rate picked up. She asked Ryan to excuse them as she grabbed Jarrod’s hand and then led him toward where her friend stood with her new husband. They were across the way, standing near where a dance would be later that evening. A makeshift dance floor had been laid out beneath a massive tent, with speakers and other soundstage equipment for a live band.
Jarrod’s hand tightened around Catie’s as they walked toward the newlyweds. Dee seemed more beautiful than ever, her hair tumbling down her back in a fall of auburn, a radiant smile on her face. Jake was watching Dee with pride in his eyes, and a look that said
this is my woman.
Dee’s husband was certainly a handsome man,
although not nearly as gorgeous as my man
.
The thought made Catie falter and only Jarrod’s grip on her hand kept her moving forward until they reached her friend.
When she turned and saw Catie, delight filled Dee’s expression. “Where the heck have you been, Sweetpea?”
“So you went and did it, girlfriend.” Catie hugged Dee tight, inhaling her friend’s familiar orange blossom scent. “Are you keeping that man in line?”
Dee laughed as she pulled away. “It’s an uphill battle,” she replied with a grin at Jake.
“Well, be sure and call me if you need any help.” Catie turned from Dee to face Jake, and poked her finger at his chest. “Now listen good, cowboy. You treat my best friend right, or I’m gonna kick your ass.”
Amusement sparked in his gray eyes as he gave her a solemn nod. “Of course, Sweetpea.”
“Only Dee is allowed to call me that.” Catie planted her hands on her hips and gave him a pretend glare. “And if you don’t behave, I’ll tell everyone what her pet name is for you.”
Jake cast Dee a look over Catie’s head. “You didn’t.”
Dee reached up and planted a kiss on his cheek. “Sorry, baby. I did.” He rolled his eyes and Dee laughed.
“Congratulations, Reynolds.” Jarrod stepped forward and offered his hand to Jake. “Snagged yourself one beautiful woman.”
“That I did.” Jake grinned and clasped Jarrod’s hand and then released it. “I hear you caught one of your own,” he added with a wink at Catie.
Jarrod hooked his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. “Got that right.”
“Well, he’d like to think so.” Heat flushed Catie’s cheeks and she elbowed him in the side. “Trust living in a small community to spread crazy rumors.”
“Now what was Lawless telling me?” Jarrod said to Jake. “Tossed your woman over your shoulder and carted her off to Vegas to get married?”
“Yup.” Jake caught a handful of Dee’s auburn hair and tugged on it. “Wasn’t about to let her get away.”
Jarrod looked down at Catie with a teasing grin on his face. “So that’s how it’s done.”
She gave a loud sniff and folded her arms across her chest. “Try it and you won’t be walking straight, Sheriff Savage.”
Jake chuckled and laughter glimmered in Dee’s light green eyes.
“When’s Trace coming home?” Catie asked, anxious to change the subject. “Your sister’s been in Europe for what, four years?”
“Yeah, she’s been all over the place, working in public relations for a software company.” A slight cloud passed over Dee’s expression. “Right now she’s in England and will be home sometime before Christmas. I really wish she could have been here today.”
Catie reached out and squeezed her friend’s arm. “She’ll be here soon, and you can catch up then.”
“Way to go Reynolds,” a deep masculine voice interrupted, and Catie’s eyes cut to Jess Lawless as he extended his hand to Jake. He gave Dee that sexy grin that used to make Catie’s panties wet. “’Bout time someone roped in that gal.”
Dee shook her finger at him, her lips curved into a smile. “This gal is your boss.”
As Jess congratulated the newlyweds, Catie’s gaze went from Jess to Jake, and then rested on Jarrod. Good Lord—talk about a trio of handsome male specimens. All were around the six foot range, all big and muscular, and all drop-dead gorgeous cowboys.
Yet the only man who gave her any kind of thrill now was Jarrod. It was like he filled her senses, fit her life in ways she never dreamed a man could.
Somehow the thought both frightened and comforted her, a strange and unsettling feeling that she couldn’t decide what to do with. The weight of his arm around her shoulders felt
right
, and she found herself wanting to lean into him. Wanting to draw strength from him and let him lead. Wanting to not always have to be the willful woman she prided herself on being.
If she allowed herself to give into these feelings, would she be giving up her own identity?
Catie pushed the thoughts to the back of her mind. She couldn’t deal with them now. They were too new, too fresh, too…alien.
Her gaze roamed the crowd and she spotted her brother talking to a curvy woman with black hair and a beautiful smile. The way the woman was looking at Steve, and the slightly goofy expression on his face, made Catie snap to attention.
“I’ll be right back,” she said to Jarrod. Before he could respond, she slipped out from under his arm and made a beeline for Steve.
He was making such goo-goo eyes at the gal that he didn’t even notice Catie’s approach, so she butted right in. “Hi.” She grinned as she stuck out her hand, offering it to the brunette. “I’m Catie. Steve’s sister.”
The woman grasped Catie’s hand, her smile warm and friendly. “Natalie Garcia. I just bought the old Karchner place a couple miles north of your ranch.” Natalie released Catie’s hand and turned her dark eyes on Steve, who had a sheepish look on his face. “Your brother has mentioned you quite often.”
Before Catie could respond,
funny, but I’ve never heard of you
, Natalie hooked one finger on the back of a wheelchair beside her, drawing Catie’s eyes to a boy of about nine or ten years of age. She’d been so focused on Steve and Natalie that she hadn’t even noticed him until that moment.
“This is my son, David.” Natalie’s look was one of an adoring mother as she stroked his dark hair from his eyes. “He has a recent spinal cord injury. Steve has been helping him with his therapy by teaching him how to ride.”
Catie blinked, her gaze darting from Natalie and David to that big lug who was just standing there, his face three shades brighter. Luckily for her, Catie was rarely at a loss for words. Usually the only one who could do that to her was Jarrod.
She knelt on the ground, at David’s level, and extended her hand to him. “Is Steve being nice to you? ‘Cause if he’s not, I can take him on. Even though he’s bigger and older than me, I can still whoop on him.”
David grinned as he took Catie’s hand and gave her a surprisingly firm handshake. “He’s pretty okay.” The boy lowered his voice, and added, “Even though I think he’s got the hots for my mom.”
“David!” Natalie gave her son a playful swat on his shoulder, a mortified look on her pretty face.
Catie laughed and caught her brother’s embarrassed expression. “I’ve never seen you blush before, big guy.”
He shook his head and winked at Natalie. “Obviously I don’t keep this kid busy enough when I’m there.” Steve ruffled David’s hair. “Partner, I think you need a few more turns around the corral on Dumpling.”
The boy rolled his eyes. “Dumpling is a baby’s horse. When can I ride Shadow Warrior?”
Catie stood and dusted off her bare knees. “That’s a lot of animal, even for me, and I’ve been riding since I could walk. I’d hold off a little longer on saddling him up and taking a ride.” She placed her hands on her hips and tilted her head. “Now Sassafras would be a good step up. That mare’s well trained and gentle as can be. Sass is mine, but I wouldn’t mind you riding her when Steve says you’re ready.”
“Cool!” David’s eager gaze shot to Steve. “Can I?”
“Hmmm.” Steve rocked back on his heels and stroked his chin with a look of serious consideration. “Not much longer, and I think you’ll be ready.”
David pumped his small fist in the air. “All right!”
Catie laughed. “I’d better get on back to that bunch over there. If I don’t, Dee’s likely to tell Jarrod stories about me that I’d rather she keep to herself.” She gave David a grin. “Now you make sure you come see me and Sass soon, ya hear?”
A broad smile creased David’s face from ear to ear. “You bet!”
As she turned to leave, she lightly punched Steve’s bicep. “You and me. We’re gonna talk when I get you alone.”
He just shook his head and smiled. “Go on and get out of here, Cat.”
Cool air chilled her cheeks as she walked toward where Jarrod and the newlyweds were still standing. Boy, when she got home, she was going to have a talk with that brother of hers, and find out why the hell he’d been keeping secret his relationship with Natalie and David Garcia.
As Catie headed back, she passed by a gap between two of the tents. Masculine voices came from behind the tents, piquing her curiosity. She paused, trying to identify them. In the days before Jarrod, she would have taken a peek, just to see if they were good looking or not. Now she could care less.
She shook her head, sure she was losing her mind. All she could think about was one man. Hell, she wasn’t even interested in watching anyone else have sex or any of the other kinky things involving multiple partners that she used to fantasize about and thought she’d wanted to try. Compared to sex with Jake, that other stuff seemed downright…boring.
Yup. She was losing it.
She started to walk away when she caught a familiar voice saying, “Should’a seen him fuckin’ that gal, right below Grand’s north range water tower.”
Catie stopped in mid-step. Now that was intriguing.
“Think they’ll be there Monday night? Maybe we could—”
“Nah. The man’s going to be a hair busy.”
“Mmm-hmmm. Like to get me a piece of what he had.”
“Shut up, dipshit. Keep your mind on what’s important. Grand’s, Monday, twenty-one hundred hours. Get your ass there early.”
“What about Savage?”
“Ah, hell. He’s too busy chasing Wilds.”
Catie rolled her eyes and walked away. She didn’t have time for small town talk. Men always said how women gossiped, but men were just as bad. They just didn’t call it gossip.
She’d recognized the first voice, but who had the second one been? Something about him had been familiar, though. A light chill rolled down her spine as a distant memory flashed through her mind.
It couldn’t be Reggie Parker.
That bastard was long gone. Moved to Texas the last she’d heard, and that was at least eight years ago. There’s no way he would have been invited to Dee’s reception.
No
, Catie thought,
it couldn’t have been Reggie.
While they mingled with the other guests at the reception, it had been all Jarrod could do to not just grab Catie and take her off to a hidden corner in the barn and fuck her ten ways ‘til sundown.
As it was, he was forced to perform the social niceties while Catie teased him. Whenever she could get away with it without being noticed by other people, she’d brush her hand over his cock, rub her breasts along his arm, or any number of other taunts that were about to drive him out of his fucking mind.
Come sunset, Jarrod and Catie were sitting with Dee and Jake at one of the tables surrounding the dance floor. The band started up and the newlyweds were dragged out onto the floor to dance a slow one alone before everyone else joined in. Folks with children had headed on home, leaving mostly couples sitting at the tables around the dance floor. Lamps had been arranged to provide romantic lighting and outdoor heaters had been fired up to chase off the early November chill. They’d been lucky that even for Arizona it was warmer than normal this time of year.
While they watched Dee and Jake dance, Jarrod rubbed his fingers along Catie’s arm and felt her shiver beneath his touch. Candlelight flickered within the hurricane lamp at the center of the table, the soft glow illuminating her golden features.
“You ready to go, honey?” he said, hoping like hell she’d agree.
“Let’s dance first.” She moved her lips to his ear and murmured, “Then we can go fuck.”
His groin tightened as he slid his hand beneath the tablecloth and eased his fingers up the inside of her thigh, knowing this time he’d reach bare pussy if he kept on going. It was dark, and they were alone at the table, so he wasn’t worried about anyone noticing what he was doing. “Sure you want to wait?”
Catie’s smile was wicked, and she spread her thighs a little to allow him access. “We haven’t done anything naughty here. Yet.”
Jarrod’s cock burned with need to possess her. His fingers eased up beneath her short skirt, reaching the smooth pussy lips that were already coated with her juices. “Let’s get out of here so I can have you for dessert. I can’t wait to eat you.”
Her eyelashes swept down as his hand cupped her shaved mound. “Just one dance.” She moaned as he slipped a finger into her slit and flicked her clit. “Jarrod. Someone might see.”