Rough Rider (Hot Cowboy Nights, #2)(56)

“Fairly well, actually,” she answered at length. “Once he was over the initial shock, his acceptance surprised me. But they were never very close. I used to resent that Grady didn’t take much interest in him, but maybe it was a blessing in disguise. On the flip side, I’m afraid I’ve overcompensated a bit.”

“How’s that?”

“I’ve kept him too close. He needs more freedom. He needs to be a boy.”

“True enough.” Dirk nodded. “All boys need to raise a little hell.”

“You’re right. And I think coming back to Montana has been really good for him. He’s already made some friends and now he’s learning to ride.”

“He’s riding? You still got horses?” Dirk asked with surprise.

She shook her head wistfully. “No, we don’t. He’s learning on a friend’s horse, but I hope maybe one day we can get a couple of our own. We still have a small paddock and a hay shed. It would be nice to ride again.”

“Dig in,” he said, indicating her plate. “Syrup?”

Janice noticed four bottles of gourmet syrup and laughed. “Where’s the Aunt Jemima?”

“Only the good stuff here. I might have something going soon with this same gourmet foods company. They want to expand into high-end meats. Here. Try this one.”

Janice poured the blueberry syrup on her pancakes and took a bite. It was delicious. So were the pancakes. Dirk hadn’t exaggerated his cooking skills.

“If you want to ride, why don’t you bring Cody out here?” Dirk said after a time. “We’ve still got a couple dozen horses and Red Man’s the best babysitter you’ll ever find.”

“You really mean that?” Janice’s gaze met his over her coffee cup. “I don’t even know what to say.”

“They’re all getting fat and lazy. Hell, they need to do something to earn their keep.”

“Thanks,” she said.

Dirk flushed. He seemed almost embarrassed by his offer. “Eat up,” he grunted and then attacked his own plate, downing the pancakes in record time. He looked up in surprise when Janice pushed away her half-full plate. “You aren’t gonna finish?”

“God no!” she exclaimed. “I’m about to burst.”

“Waste not, want not.” He stabbed his fork into the remains of her stack and wolfed them down as well. It suddenly seemed so natural, so comfortable to be sitting across the table from him like this. She’d never had that with Grady. He was too restless…too preoccupied…or too absent. Afraid to linger on domestic fantasies that could never come true, Janice stood and started clearing the table.

“Just leave it,” he said. “Time’s a wastin’.”

“Cleaning up is the least I can do when you did the cooking,” Janice protested.

“Fine. Just throw them in the sink.”

But Janice was already filling it with hot, soapy water.

Dirk came up from behind, reaching around her to turn off the tap. “You don’t take orders very well, do you?” he rumbled in her ear. “You need to know something straight up, Red. I don’t brook disobedience to direct orders.” His body was warm and hard behind hers, his breath sweetly scented. His tone, however, was anything but sweet.

She froze with her hands braced on the countertop. She swallowed hard. “I—I was just trying to help.”

His other arm came around her, trapping her body between his and the sink, his hands gripping the counter top beside hers. His chest and hips pressed against her back, sending a flood of heat to her core. She shut her eyes and tipped her head back, breathing him in, filling her lungs to capacity with the scent of musky male. Dear God, I want him. Right here. Right now.

Did he feel it too? He must have but he continued, cool and controlled. “I know that, Red, but I’m in charge here,” he said. “You can chalk it up to my time in the Marine Corps, but I’m gonna expect you to do exactly as I tell you.”

“Or what?” she asked breathlessly and arched into him.

His breath hitched. His arms tightened. “You’re playing with fire, Red. You better think real hard what you’re doing, ’cause this time I’m not about to let you walk outta here.”

He released the counter to skirt his hands slowly up her sides, cupping her breasts in his big strong hands, brushing his thumbs over her taut nipples.

She gasped.

“Last chance,” he warned, nuzzling his face into her neck and inciting another ripple of pleasure deep in her belly. “If you wanna leave, you’d better do it right-f*cking-now.”

“No. I don’t want to go,” she whispered, making no move to escape.

He released her and took a half step backward before he anchored his hands on her hips and spun her around to face him. His pupils were dilated, his mouth compressed as he backed her up to the table.

“What about the cattle?” she whispered.

“Fuck the cattle.” He tugged her shirttail out of her jeans. “They can damn well wait…I can’t.”

His mouth came down on hers, hard and possessive, his tongue sweeping the seam of her mouth demanding entrance. She parted on a moan and he plunged into her mouth, his tongue tangling with hers, every touch sending echoes of sensation straight to her sex.