Page 6 of My Cowboy Kiss (Lucky River Cowboys #4)

Courtney

I don’t care if Matilda “Tilly’s” tits or whoever’s tits they belong to are on River’s mind.

I walk inside the building designed like a log cabin and River walks in behind me, coming up close once I stand still, but I won’t glance at him. I’m feeling irritated as hell.

The college age woman at the counter gives us a big smile. Her name tag has Sue Ellen across it. She’s perky and friendly but hasn’t taken her gaze off River.

It’s not River’s fault women eye-fuck him. He’s handsome, well-built and gives off a I’ll-be-good-to-you-in-and-out-of-bed vibe. Dammit, he’s mine so that vibe is mine. Oops. Check that thought . Not mine, I remind myself.

If things were different and I didn’t have that no-good drunk thieving bloodline running roots deep in my family tree, then maybe…

But the darkness in my family would quickly extinguish the light in his eyes. He’s been through hell but has never lost the core of who he is. A good man with a beautiful heart. How could I take the chance on ruining that? I won’t.

After Sue Ellen gets the equipment, a man comes from the back.

“You can go on break. I’ll finish with these customers.”

The man, tall and lean with a salt and pepper beard glances at the bow set and then at us. “First timers?”

River shakes his head. “I’ve been here before but it was a while back.”

The man snaps his fingers. “I saw you come in and thought you looked familiar but it’s not because you’ve been here before. You were in Clover County last winter rescuing pups.”

“What pups?” I ask River.

He doesn’t get a chance to answer before the man continues, “I dropped by my mother-in-law’s house there and everyone was talking about pups wandering onto thin ice at Clem’s Pond.

I went out there to see what I could do but your fella had already slid across that ice on his belly and went right after them. Made the news there.”

That’s something River would do. He’s been rescuing animals and bringing them home with him for as long as I’ve known him.

The man pops open the cash register and takes out the money River had given Sue Ellen. He puts it on the counter and pushes it toward River. “It’s on the house today.”

“It’s okay, I?—”

The man motions for us to take the bows and quiver of arrows. “Go on. I’m not accepting any money from you. Take your missus out for an ice cream or something with it.”

The man beams at us, and I realize he means me. I’m the missus he’s referring to. I smile back at him then scoop the money off the counter and stuff it in River’s pocket.

I pick up the bows. They’re not heavy, just awkward to hold. “Thank you,” I say, then nudge River out the door.

He takes the bows and the quiver from me.

“Thin ice is dangerous,” I say, the fear I learned from my fucked-up family rearing its head. That someone I love will leave me.

“I’m always careful.”

We stroll out to the beginner’s distance, and I squint at the targets ten to forty yards from where we stand.

“I know what you’re thinking but don’t worry. I’ll always come back to you.”

I make a joke and laugh it off, but his words are a hug to me. He knows what I meant without me saying it.

“I might nail a clump of grass, but I’m not going to hit any of those.”

“I’ll help you.”

A young couple approach to my left and the woman stares at me like she’s trying to place me, then says something to the man she’s with. He gives me a hey baby look.

“Or maybe I’ll accidentally put an arrow in someone’s ass.” The guy flicks his tongue out at me and moves like he’s licking a sucker. Maybe the arrow in the ass won’t be an accident…

“The range sits on five acres of land,” River says. “You won’t hit anyone.” He gives the man a hard stare. “But I’m going to.”

The man starts speedwalking, pulling the woman with him and I clutch River’s arm to stop him from going after them. “He’s not worth it. I used to get that kind of shit all the time when I lived in Clover County when people assumed I was like my mother.”

“What the hell is wrong with people?” River’s gaze burns into mine. Under my touch, his muscles are hard and tight like he’s ready to throw a punch.

The air around us heats up like a fast-moving storm is approaching.

“You promised to teach me,” I say, trying to dispel the tension.

“I’ll teach you.” His gaze drops to my lips, his words laden with meaning. “Whatever you want to learn.”

My skin tightens and my nipples harden. Like he’s dropped a lasso around my shoulders, I’m pulled closer to him. “Archery,” I manage to get the word out.

“Alright.”

I take up the bow but don’t hold it the way he instructs me to.

“Not like that.” He comes up behind me.

A guilty confession here. I am a complete newbie at archery, but I watched a couple of videos online about this. I have a general idea how to hold the bow, but I didn’t do it right on purpose.

Because I knew he’d put his hands on me. While I know in my head it’s best for him if we’re not together romantically, my body wants this delicious treat of him standing behind me, his body brushing mine.

“Like this, Courtney.”

His breath, warm against my ear, reminds me of my morning and the unfulfilled horniness. I heat up, reaching inferno level when he rests his hand on my waist.

“Shift your stance,” he says.

He moves when I do and color me hornier, I think he has a boner. It just poked me in the ass cheek.

“You’re that happy to be with me?” I joke. “If your cock gets any harder, it’s going to push me off balance.”

“That’s my bow that touched you. Sorry.”

Okay. I can die now. What comeback? What comeback? Come on, Courtney, say something. Anything . I’ve got nothing. So I say nothing and don’t even move.

The wind blows. A dove coos mournfully from the roof of the building. The silence between us gets as thick as fog. “Um…” That’s my comeback. Um. I fucking dazzle myself sometimes.

I turn slowly, opening my mouth to say I was just joking around.

River puts his hand on my back, and I whisper his name.

Then he kisses me like a hungry beast that finally found its prey.

River

I’m holding her against my body and her sweet curves are melting into me.

Her hand is on the back of my neck pulling at me, urging the kiss to deepen. And I do that. My heart drinks in every emotional drop of this moment.

She moans and I swallow it with the kiss. I can’t kiss her enough. Can’t hold her enough. She’s intoxicating and I never want to let her go.

Her hand suddenly drops away from my neck, and she pushes against my chest.

“Good thinking,” she says through swollen lips when I reluctantly release her. “We’re definitely being watched and that should help prove you’re my boyfriend.”

I pull a smile from somewhere and act like I’m just her friend and not a man desperately in love with her.

She doesn’t notice how well I’m acting or how tightly I’m holding onto my control.

I manage to pull off a miracle and push the kiss to the back of my mind. I cross my fingers hoping my boner goes down before she notices. Over the next couple of hours, I teach her the basics of how to hit the targets.

When she lowers her arm and says, “I’m done, my muscle is killing me”, I’m glad to step away. Wanting her the way I do but knowing she doesn’t want to be mine is rough on my heart.

“I’ll take you home.” Then I’ll find a shower. An ice cold one.

“Thanks for today. The gossip about us will spread and by tomorrow, we’ll have solidified our relationship.”

“We make a great team.” I’m leading with that, trying to find an opening to get her anti-love/relationship stance to soften.

“We do. I’m glad that you’re my friend.” She puts her hand on my arm. “Love is an illusion, but our friendship is real.” She bites her lip, then adds, “The only real thing in my life.”

Those words let me know that it’s too soon for me to seek an opening in this one-sided love. But I’m not giving up. “It’s almost dinner time. You want to get something to eat?”

“I’m not hungry.”

There’s an inflection in her voice. Something’s bothering her.

I drive to her apartment and park, intending to ask what’s on her mind but she jumps out quickly. “I’ll call you tomorrow.” She shuts the door then rushes across the lot.

I watch her go, her long legs a sight to see in the softening daylight. Then I recall how my hands felt being on her waist when I was kissing her at the range. My cock recalls the moment too. I definitely need a cold shower.

Getting to ranch doesn’t take long even at this time when everyone’s starting to get off work in town because Lucky River doesn’t have rush hour traffic. The town is too small for that.

I’m pulling into the driveway at the ranch when my phone rings.

“I need your help,” Courtney says, her voice taut and thick with tears.

“On my way.” Tires spit dust as I spin the truck around and head back the way I came.

I don’t even see the trees blurring by as I race back. At her place, the minute I stop the truck, I jump out and stride to her.

She’s standing in the lot in front of her car. The hood is raised, and she’s leaning her forehead against the edge of it. When she hears me, she lifts her head.

Her eyes are red-rimmed and her cheeks are wet. “Point me at what you need me to fix,” I say. Physical, emotional, doesn’t matter. I’ll take it on.

“I have to get to Clover County. Mom called and said she’s hurt. She sounds scared.”

“Forget trying to get this going.” I slam the hood of her car and take her by the hand. “Get in the truck.”

“There’s no need for you to go. I already know I need to get a new battery. But if you have cables and can give this one a jump?—”

“We’re wasting time.”

“You’re right.” She gets in the truck and as soon as she’s settled, I take off, heading to her mom’s place.

I know the address because I’ve been there multiple times. Courtney doesn’t know I hounded the hell out of her mom for weeks until she finally agreed to give up custody.

It was the only way I knew to save her.

Because she lives at the far end of the county, it takes a little over an hour to get to her mom’s house.

When I pull in, the truck bounces on the deeply gutted driveway. This place is a train wreck just like all the other places she lived. Here, the grass is almost knee high. Junk cars dot the yard rusting away on cinder blocks.

A couple of trashcans overflow, and flies are everywhere. The front porch sags over broken steps. The large bay window in the middle of the house is missing glass in two panes and cardboard is taped over the holes.

I take Courtney’s arm and help her navigate the steps. “Careful.”

She’s not saying anything but the tension radiating from her body speaks volumes.

The front door is propped open and the smell wafting from inside is one of dampness and decay.

Her mom, Deedee, who goes by the nickname Darling, is on the sofa in a miniskirt and halter top sitting on a scraggly haired guy’s lap. A second guy is on the end of the sofa, his pants unzipped, his hand inside them cupping his junk. All of them have glassy eyes.

When she sees us, Deedee climbs off the guy and staggers around a coffee table piled with overflowing ashtrays and crumpled beer cans.

A cockroach scurries on the wall behind the sofa as a man wearing a pair of boxers steps out of the kitchen, hollering, “Darling, you get any more beer yet?”

“Working on it,” Deedee giggles, approaching Courtney and reaching for her arm.

I pull Courtney back and around behind me.

Her mother tips her head, staggers a step and frowns up at me like she’s trying to place where she knows me from.

“You said you were hurt,” Courtney moves to stand beside me, accusation in her voice.

Deedee giggles. “I am hurt. I need alcohol and I’m broke. Withdrawal hurts and I can’t deal with that.”

Junk clutcher laughs. “Yeah. That’s a bitch alright.”

I clench my teeth so hard my jaw hurts. “How can you ask your daughter to come to this shit hole? How can you put her in a situation like this?”

“Let’s go.” I put Courtney in front of me and start nudging her out the door.

“Wait!” Her mother bats her eyelashes at me. “You got any money on you?”

I keep nudging Courtney forward.

Deedee follows us. “I raised you girl! You owe me!”

Because I know from experience her mom can get mean when she’s drunk, I pick Courtney up and carry her to the truck. I shut the door as her mother rounds the truck.

“Aw, come on, sugar. Don’t be like that.”

Courtney sits straight, shoulders back, staring through the windshield. Her jaw is set like she’s angry, but I know her heart’s breaking. I’ve seen this before.

As I’m backing out, her mother is shaking her fist and yelling what an awful daughter she raised.

Once we’re on the main road, I reach across the seat to cover Courtney’s hand with mine. “It’s not true,” I say softly.

She leans her head back on the seat, beyond hearing me. “I’m tired.”

I’ve seen the aftermath of her interactions with her mom before too. They drain her to the point she walks around in a fog.

“Need me to carry you up the stairs?” I ask once we’re back at her place and she’s made no move to get out of the truck.

She shakes her head and unbuckles the seat belt. “I just want to sleep.”

“Need me to stay with you until you fall asleep?”

I expect her to say no like she always has in the past.

“Please.” She gets out after that and walks listlessly to her apartment. On the welcome mat she stands there until I take out the extra key she gave me a while back and open the door.

“Go inside and rest. I’ll make you a grilled cheese.” She loves the way I make those.

“Not hungry.”

I follow her to her bedroom, and she drops onto the bed, curling up and facing the wall. I can’t leave her like this to suffer alone.

“Scooch over.”

I kick off my boots and get onto my knees on the bed. I remove the decorative pillows shaped like flowers onto the floor, then reach for her feet. “Shoes.” I pull one of her shoes off, then the other and toss them off the bed.

Then I lie behind her and drape my arm around her middle. “I’m here.”

She suddenly turns to face me and puts her hand on my face.

My breath hitches.

“You’re the greatest friend a woman could ever ask for.”