Page 4 of My Cowboy Kiss (Lucky River Cowboys #4)

Courtney

River ripped my clothes off and made love to me all night. Until I woke up alone on the floor by my bed, heart pounding, body throbbing. That kiss was more potent than I’d thought it would be.

Other than my case of lonely hornies this morning, my day hasn’t been too bad so far.

The post is gone from the town business forum, and in its place is news about the upcoming renovation to the sidewalks. Nothing is said about me but I’m uneasy, still feeling yesterday’s humiliation.

I’m still getting looks. Being judged. When I got out of my car this morning, I’d ducked my head to let my hair cover my face and raced to get inside the office.

Allison pauses the meeting, her arm raised mid-air toward the wall-mounted screen. She presses her lips together, then clears her throat. “Courtney? Are you with us?”

I send an apologetic smile to her and a glare at Stacy after she mutters, “She’s with everyone.”

If anyone needed bad karma to smack her upside the head, it’s her.

The lunch meeting continues as Allison shares her vision for the company in the upcoming month and it’s difficult to pay attention. I sneak a glance at the clock on the wall willing time to move faster. The rhythmic ticking remains steady providing a soundtrack for monotony.

I shift in the seat and smooth the mauve retro pencil skirt I found at the thrift store. High marks for beauty, low marks for comfort. I told myself I chose to wear the outfit as an armor of glamor because of what happened yesterday, but the truth is I’m excited about spending time with River.

“You never told me you had a boyfriend,” Mark says, leaning back in his chair to rest his arm along the back of mine.

His shirt is three buttons undone, showing more chest hair than a woolly mammoth.

He angles his body toward me. “You have to tell me what he’s got that I don’t.

” He rests his hand on his thigh with his index finger pointing at his crotch.

“Me.” I fake smile and get to my feet the second Allison winds down. I’m out the conference room door and at my desk before Mark lumbers from his seat.

I thank the stars that this is my half day because one more minute and I think I’d implode. Yanking open the desk drawer, I snatch my purse and then zipping for the front door.

Outside, I take a deep breath of the warm air and the weight of everything I left behind in the office rolls from my shoulders. Dreamer me would love to quit this place before I find a new job. Realistic me has bills to pay and amends to make.

The seat of my car is hot enough to cook my ass and I jump out as soon as I make the mistake of sitting down. That’s one way to cook crack.

I take a jacket from the back seat that’s probably been there since November then lean in to spread it across the seat.

“Hey baby!” a deep voice growls. “Looking good. Come give me some.”

Who the fuck? I straighten and laugh when I see River in his truck idling at the curb. “Are you being wicked today?”

“No more than yesterday. You ready?”

“Yeah. Follow me to my place. I have to change first.” I indicate my skirt. “This is kind of tight.”

“I noticed.”

My foolish heart flutters even though I know he’s only playing. I lower my car window to let some of the stifling heat out. “Where are we going on our date?”

“The archery range.”

I make a face. “That’s romantic.”

“You want me to be romantic?” His expression says he’s teasing but his tone doesn’t.

Blow that off, Courtney. You know what’ll happen if you dream impossible things.

I scurry closer to the truck and lower my voice to talk to him through the open passenger window. “In public, yes.”

“But we need to practice in private, so we don’t screw up in public. Holding hands, kissing, having sex.”

“I swear, River. I can’t take you anywhere. And who needs to practice sex? It’s like a transaction.”

“Just when I think I’ve heard every hurtful thing your mama taught you, something new comes out of your mouth.”

I shrug. “How is it hurtful if it’s the truth?

” My mama taught me sex meant the lights stayed on.

Sex put food on the table. There was always a round of icky guys slinking around for what she called her transactions.

Sometimes they acted like I was a bonus but thankfully that transaction was never completed.

River shakes his head. “It’s not the truth.”

Because I don’t want to argue with him about sex where anyone might overhear, I tell him to follow me then step away from the truck and go get in my car. It’s less like an oven now but still not cool enough to be comfortable. The air conditioner works as fast as a sloth.

Though I live less than ten miles from the office, by the time I get to my apartment, my shirt is sticking to me and my skin is flushed from the heat.

River parks in an empty spot two spaces down from where I do and gets out. I don’t know how he manages to look sexier the longer the day gets while I look bedraggled.

He walks with me toward the older home that was renovated and divided into five apartments. I’m fortunate that I found the rental ad for it when I did because these don’t stay empty long.

“Do I need to close my eyes while you run around and pretend the place is clean?”

“I cleaned yesterday because I thought Mom was coming over.” I walk in and flick on the lights. Normally, I’m a bit of a slob. I say bit of because it sounds gentler than owning the truth. I hate cleaning a little less than I do cooking.

“She didn’t?”

I glance at him. “You don’t have to pretend you didn’t already know she wouldn’t. You want something to drink?”

He doesn’t deny it. “I’ll get something to drink myself. You change so we can go.”

He’s walking into the small kitchen and I’m almost in my bedroom before I remember what I left on the counter. The deposit slip where I’d added money to River’s family’s bank account.

I spin on my heel and race to the kitchen. Cutting him off, I get in front of him and put my hand on the counter over the deposit slip. “On second thought, I need some water before I change.”

Plucking at the neck of my shirt, I exhale loudly. “Whew. It’s warm today. Must be the humidity.”

River has this thing…this way of looking at me with his gorgeous eyes that makes me want to pour out all my secrets which would be disastrous. I turn away and open the refrigerator. Taking out a bottle of water, I hold it out. “Want this?”

“I do.”

He’s not looking at the water. He’s looking at me.

You’d hate me if you knew my estranged uncle is the one who almost made you lose the only loving home you’ve ever known.

You’d hate me if you knew I’ve kept this secret from you .

You’d hate me if you knew I’m not the good person you think I am.

Us fake dating isn’t the only pretense going on here.

When they’d nearly lost the ranch, I’d felt so damn guilty even though I wasn’t the one who stole from them.

I was afraid to speak up. Afraid they’d think because I’d never told anyone I was related to my estranged uncle, that I was somehow involved.

I’d needed them all so badly I couldn’t bear the thought of losing them.

Of having them look at me like I disgust them.

I thrust the water at him, then take one for myself and slip past him. “I’ll change. Give me ten minutes.”

In my bedroom, I lean my weight against the door and hold the water bottle to my face. When I’m calmer, I set the water on the bedside table, then work the skirt off and toss it onto a chair that has a pile of laundry waiting to be done.

I’m standing in my bra and panties in front of my closet trying to remember where I put my clean shorts when glass shattering reverberates through the apartment.

Shit! My neighbor has a cat that likes to launch himself at my kitchen window to sit on the windowsill. I usually leave it open for him. With everything going on, did I forget this morning? Worried that I did and that he might be hurt, I run into the kitchen.

River is kneeling on the other side of the small dining table. I quickly kneel beside him and peek under the table. “Where is he? Did the cat get hurt?”

He drops the dustpan where he’d been gathering the pieces of a coffee cup, and his eyes darken when he looks at me. “Courtney…”

“I don’t see the cat. Then did you get hurt?”

“No. I accidentally bumped a cup on the counter when I turned around.”

“Are you sure?” I can’t bear the thought of him being hurt either. “Let me check you.”

River clamps his hand around my forearm to prevent me from touching him and stands, dragging me to my feet. A muscle leaps in his jaw. “Get dressed.” His voice is sharp and commanding.

Cool air from the vent above my head hits my skin at the same time his gaze does. Both travel over my body. One cools. The other sets my core ablaze.

River

I’ve seen Courtney in various states of undress over the years. Those images flash to the front of my mind—swimsuits, a slip she had on right before she stepped into her formal prom gown and asked me to zip her up—a short nightgown when she’d spent the night at my house.

When we’d hung out and I didn’t think of us as anything but friends, I never gave a thought to what she wore. As far as I was concerned, it didn’t affect me. It was harmless. But since falling for her, nothing has been harmless about her to me.

And her in front of me like this feels dangerous. I could take a step and kiss her. I could carry her to bed and show her that making love is nothing like a transaction.

I could show her we belong together, but she doesn’t know that yet and I won’t be the guy who pushes her just because it’s what I want.

I gentle my voice. “ Please get dressed.”

“I wasn’t thinking. I reacted when I heard something break. I wasn’t trying to tease you.”

“I know you weren’t,” I say firmly.

Just like I’m not like any of those men your mama let into the house.

She reaches for the broom. “I can sweep that up.”