Page 9 of Filthy and Fierce (Stone Cold Cowboys #1)

DIXON

I’m rubbing my hand over my chest, and I realize I’ve been doing it a lot today. Ever since I apologized to Faith for what I did to her last night.

I shouldn’t have done it. I’m not sorry. I mean, of course I didn’t want to hurt her, but also I meant to make her feel the remnants today. I wanted her to remember everything we did last night.

She avoided me when she and Carl came back from mending fences, and I spent the rest of the evening in the office, trying to mentally prepare for the rodeo tomorrow. We have to be up early, and I should get to bed soon, but I can’t seem to make myself go to sleep.

I pace back and forth in the office and then step outside the barn and look up at the main house. From where I’m at, I can see Faith’s bedroom window, and her light is already off. Maybe she’s in bed. We were up late last night.

Carl and Eddie step out of the bunkhouse, and Carl seems surprised to see me. “I’m surprised you’re here, Dixon.”

“Where else would I be? I have a rodeo tomorrow. ”

Carl points at himself. “I figured boss man would put you in charge of watching his daughter. You want us to keep an eye on her while we’re in town?”

I stand up straighter. “What are you talking about?”

Carl must not sense the urgency in my voice. “Faith said she was going to the bar tonight to let off some steam. I just thought…”

I don’t even let him finish. I walk back into the barn and into the office. I don’t even have to think about what I’m going to do. The thought of Faith at the Whiskey Whistler without me makes me crazy. I grab my hat and my keys, and not two minutes later, I’m on my way into town.

I park next to Faith’s little car, and then instead of walking around to the front entrance, I go in the back door.

I stand in the darkened hallway and look around the bar.

It takes me no time at all to find her on the dance floor.

Her long red hair is hanging around her shoulders.

Her lips are painted a cherry red, and I’m in a trance as I watch her sway her body side to side.

I could stand here and watch her all night, but as soon as I see some cowboys surround her, I’m on the move.

Possession like I’ve never felt before pushes me through the crowd, and I don’t stop until I’m muscling my way between the cowboys and standing in front of a now frowning Faith. I stand up a little taller, and the cowboys that were hitting on her disappear.

“What are you doing here?”

I growl my response. “I was going to ask you the same thing.”

She pokes a finger in my chest. “You’re the one that has to perform tomorrow. You should be in bed. ”

I move closer to talk in her ear. “And you thought I would be at home asleep while you’re here doing God knows what?”

She rears back in surprise. “I’m not sure what you think of me, Dixon Chase, but I’m not going to fuck you one night and then move on to another man tonight.” There’s a sadness in her eyes that wasn’t there before. “I know I was an easy lay for you, but?—”

I growl, putting my hands to her waist and pulling her against me. “Don’t finish that sentence, Faith. You weren’t an easy anything for me.”

She’s mad, that much is obvious, and I’m not sure why. This is what we talked about. This is what we agreed on, and I’m honoring our agreement.

“I need to go to bed, Faith.”

She points to the door. “Well, go then because I sure didn’t ask you to come here.”

I grab her hand and pull her through the bar to the back door. On my way, I see Carl and Eddie, and the look they’re giving me tells me they think I’m babysitting my boss’ daughter when that’s not the case at all. No, what I’m doing is purely for me.

When the door slams behind us, Faith pulls from my hold and starts stomping to her car.

“I’ll go home, Dixon, but only because you need to get some rest. You’re not going to be worth shit tomorrow.

You get killed it’s your own stupid fault because I sure didn’t ask you to come and get me.

” She stops with a huff and gasps. “Oh my God, did my dad send you?”

I grab her hand, and when she tries to go to her car, I pick her up by the waist and carry her to my truck. “Dixon, put me down. My car is here.”

I put her in the passenger seat. “Give me your keys. ”

She crosses her arms over her chest. “No.”

I hold my hand out. “Give me the keys or I’ll get them myself.”

“I’ll give you my keys if you sleep in the house in your bedroom tonight. You can’t keep sleeping on that damn couch.”

I grunt. “I’ll never be able to sleep on that couch again. Hell, I look at it and I’m hard imagining you sprawled out on it.”

She stutters. “Well, then move back into the house. You’re being ridiculous.”

I raise my hand out, palm up. “Give me your keys.”

“Are you going to sleep in the house?”

“Yes.”

She reaches into her front pocket and slams the keys into my hand. I put her seatbelt on her, open her car door, toss the keys in, and then walk around to get into my truck. She’s glaring at me across the cab. “You’re just going to leave my car here with the keys in it?”

I huff. “Please, you’d be lucky if someone would steal it.”

“It’s a good car!” she shouts.

I type out a message on my phone. “I texted Carl. One of them will drive it home.”

She has her arms crossed over her chest, and the anger is practically oozing off her. She can be mad all she wants. “What were you thinking going to the bar?”

I don’t have to be looking at her to know she’s rolling her eyes at me. “Oh, I don’t know. I’m twenty-three, and I lost my virginity last night to a man that can barely look at me today. I wanted to go out and forget about everything. ”

I grip the steering wheel. “Do you regret last night?”

I look over at her, and she opens her mouth but doesn’t answer. She snaps her mouth closed and looks out the window.

My heart is racing. It kills me to think she regrets last night.

We’re at the Allen Ranch, and I can’t stay quiet any longer. “Are you okay?”

She’s looking out the front window, so all I can see is her side profile. “I don’t know why you keep asking me that. I’m okay. People lose their virginity every day, Dixon.”

I don’t care about anyone else. I care about Faith, and it kills me to think she could be hurting and it’s my fault.

I should have taken things slower. I should have been softer with her and not so rough.

I shouldn’t have taken her three times last night.

On top of that, her stubborn ass rode a horse half the day, so I know she’s hurting.

When we get to the house, I park, and she doesn’t want for me to come around to help her out. I know she doesn’t want to hear me give her a speech about how I should be opening her door, so I open the screen door and then the front door, standing back to let her in.

I follow behind her, and I can tell from her gait she’s hurting even though she’ll never admit it to me.

Quietly, we walk up the steps, and without a backwards glance, she walks into her bedroom and shuts the door behind her.

I should go to bed and get some rest, but I know I won’t be able to. I walk into the bathroom, find the healing ointment, and then without knocking, I walk into her bedroom, shutting the door behind me .

She’s shocked I’m in her bedroom, and I know I shouldn’t be in here about to do what I’m planning to do, but I’m here, and it’s happening.

“Take your pants off and lie down on the bed.”

She shakes her head. “Why? So you can apologize tomorrow for fucking me again? No thank you.”

I grit my teeth. “Let me take care of you, Faith.”

She cocks her hip out and stares at me with hatred coming from her eyes. “The only thing I want from you is for you to leave, Dixon.”

I stalk toward her, lean down, and whisper, “Don’t wake up your dad.”

As soon as she registers what I’m saying, I pick her up, carry her across the room, and lay her back on the bed.

She’s glaring at me, but she goes quietly.

I reach under her skirt, pull her panties down, and toss them to the floor.

I push her knees apart, and her skirt slides up her thighs.

I inspect her pussy, and she raises up on her elbows to look at me. “What are you doing?”

I pull the tube of healing ointment from the pocket of my jeans and hold it up. “This should help you.”

She leans back and covers her face with her arm. “Ugh, I don’t even want to know how you know to do this.”

I ignore her and put the ointment on my finger. I slide it across her red skin, and she jerks at first but then sighs contentedly. I have to remind myself she’s hurt and she doesn’t need anything from me but soothing. After I’ve caressed the ointment into her skin, I put the cap on the tube.

Her voice is soft. “I shouldn’t have gone riding today… after last night.” She moves her arm so I can see her face. “This is n’t your fault. I’m the one that was stubborn. You told me I shouldn’t ride, and I did it anyway.” She blows out a breath. “I just don’t want you to think this is on you.”

I move to sit on the bed next to her. I put my hands on each side of her head.

“I googled it. I knew you would be hurting, and when you left on the horse today, I searched online to see what could help you. It’s not because I have experience with this or anything…

I’ve never cared enough to worry about this. ”

She blinks up at me, and if I let myself, I could get lost in the blue of her eyes. She brings her hand up and cups the side of my face. I know I shouldn’t, but I tilt my face into her hand as if I’m yearning for her touch. Maybe I am.

Her voice is so soft, I have to lean down to hear her. “So what you’re telling me is that you care about me.”

The connection between us is strong, and I can’t look away. Hell, I don’t want to. I shouldn’t admit it. I should stick to the plan, but I feel myself nodding. “Yeah, Faith, I do care about you.”

She raises up, and I lower my head. I don’t know who moves first, but our lips meet in desperation. I tilt her head, deepening the kiss. Her arms hook around my neck, and I don’t want this feeling to ever end.

Her moan is what brings me to my senses, and I pull back.

She doesn’t let go, though. Her hands are still around my neck, and we’re looking into each other’s eyes.

I don’t want to explain to her again why this is a bad idea or why we shouldn’t do it, but I do put my hands on hers and unclasp them from my neck.

“I should go to bed. We gotta be up early in the morning.”

She opens her mouth but closes it quickly before nodding .

“I’ll see you in the morning.”

I sit here, waiting, and I’m being a fool. I should just get up and go, but I don’t want to leave or walk away from her. She must see my indecision because she gestures to the door. “Go ahead. You’re riding tomorrow. You really should already be in bed.”

I nod, lean down, and give her a quick kiss before abruptly pulling away and standing up. Kissing her is an addiction.

I get to the door, and she sits up. “Thanks for… you know.”

She gestures to her lower body, and I nod. “You’re welcome, princess.”

I force myself to walk out of her bedroom, and as I walk to mine, I know I’m not going to be getting much sleep tonight with Faith just down the hall.