She swallowed so hastily, she coughed on the crumbs. 'Oh, a bit of this and that, mainly for my family business.'

'Which is what?'

'Based in Los Angeles.'

He frowned. 'I can't say I like that city. It's so huge and it takes for ever to get anywhere on the freeway. My brothers live further up the coast in San Francisco and Oregon.'

'And where do you call home?'

'It depends. Up until recently I would have said Arizona, that's where my mother and stepdad live, but now I'm looking to set down my own roots and have my own home.' He drank his coffee, gestured at Robyn to drink hers. 'It depends what happens in the next six months as to where I end up.'

She stared at him. How nice to have such quiet confidence and self-a.s.surance. She had no idea where she'd be tomorrow, let alone in a year. Panic and anger clashed uneasily in her stomach. She clutched her plastic cup so hard, coffee spurted out of the top.

'So are you heading back to Los Angeles?'

Robyn just stared at him. Was she? Did she really want to go back there and deal with the ruins of her life and her family's indifference? In reality she knew she had no choice. She had to return and face up to her responsibilities. She took a deep breath and put her coffee down. 'I'm heading wherever you're heading.'

'What?'

She leant closer, laid her hand on his knee. 'I'm willing to do whatever you want to make you keep me around.' She slid off the bed and knelt between his thighs. 'Absolutely anything . . .'

Chapter Three.

'Holy s.h.i.t!' Dakota leapt to his feet spilling coffee and crumbs everywhere. He glared down at Jane. 'What the h.e.l.l are you doing?'

She looked up at him, her expression one of injured innocence.

'What do you think I'm doing?'

He sat back down. 'Nothing I asked for, nothing I want.'

'You don't want a free, no-strings-attached b.l.o.w. .j.o.b?'

His c.o.c.k did and stirred in antic.i.p.ation. He forced his mind back to cold showers, injuries he'd sustained while riding, bleak winter landscapes. It didn't work.

'Listen, Jane or whatever your name is, I'm tired. All I want to do is get some sleep and be ready to leave as soon as those guys fix whatever is wrong with my truck.'

'It's Robyn.'

He frowned. 'What?'

'My name is Robyn.'

Her hand slid up his thigh again and he clamped one of his over it.

'Whatever your name is, I still don't want you.'

She started to cry, the tears falling down her frozen face. He wanted to howl. Why did women do this? Didn't they know how unfair it was? h.e.l.l, of course they did.

'Don't you find me attractive?'

'I don't know you well enough to say that.' Her lip trembled and the speed of the tears increased. He hastened to continue. 'I'm sure you're a beautiful woman and that someday some guy will make you very happy, but it's not going to be me.'

'But I don't want to be happy. I want to make you happy.'

Her fingers moved again, came to rest perilously close to where his disobedient c.o.c.k yearned to be serviced. He slammed his hand over hers again, cursing silently as he rubbed against his own half-aroused flesh.

'I'm perfectly happy just as I am, thanks.'

She moved closer until her mouth was only a couple of inches away from the fly of his jeans. He tensed as she pursed her lips and let out her breath.

'You sure look like you could do with a b.l.o.w. .j.o.b.'

He gave up the struggle to restrain her hand and resorted to grabbing her by the shoulders and forcibly lifting her on to the bed. She looked up at him, her eyes wide, and her tears miraculously disappeared.

'You do want me.'

'Nope, my c.o.c.k might because he's got no sense, but I don't.'

She cupped her b.r.e.a.s.t.s and rubbed her thumbs over her nipples. Dakota swallowed hard as his shaft throbbed and thickened in his jeans.

'Why are you doing this?'

She licked her lips, her gaze considering. 'Because I want to and because you're here.'

He backed away until his shoulders. .h.i.t the door frame of the bathroom. 's.e.x should mean more than that, shouldn't it?'

'Why? What's wrong with two people whiling away a few hours f.u.c.king?'

Dakota folded his arms across his chest. d.a.m.n, he felt like her parent or something. Where had she learnt such c.r.a.p? 'If you don't know the answer to that, I can't help you.'

She knelt up, her hands balled into fists, her expression incredulous. 'You think you're too good for me, don't you?'

'No, I'm tired, I want to get some sleep and that's it.'

He turned away from her, went into the bathroom and locked the door behind him. He sat down on the toilet seat. What should he do? Hide out here for a few hours until she either went to sleep or left in disgust? G.o.d, what a disaster. He really should steer clear of women; he obviously didn't have what it took to deal with them.

He scowled down at his jeans, ran an impatient hand over his erection. He might as well have a shower and take care of his disobedient c.o.c.k while he decided what to do next. He turned on the water and checked the lock. No way did he want her coming in and giving him a hand.

He pictured her on her knees before him, taking him into her mouth, and bit back a groan. What difference would one night of anonymous s.e.x make? He knew it was common these days of f.u.c.k buddies and casual relationships, but somehow it didn't sit well with him.

Maybe she was right and he was a big prude who thought he was better than anyone else. He stripped off his clothes and stepped into the tiny shower. Better she thought that than he had s.e.x with her when she was so vulnerable. He soaped his c.o.c.k, which didn't agree and kept his hand moving until he knew he had to come.

So her name was Robyn . . . He closed his eyes and leant back against the cold wet tile, biting his lip as he climaxed. He turned off the shower, rubbed himself dry and reluctantly stepped back into his dirty clothes.

Time to cowboy up and go back out there in a more amenable state of mind to face whatever she had to throw at him.

To his relief, she'd turned off the lights and lay on her bed, her back to him. Back to sulking then. With a sigh of liberation, he slid under the covers and stretched out. After listening to her regular breathing, he cautiously unzipped his jeans and gave himself a little more s.p.a.ce to maneuver. He'd have to face her in the morning but that was quite soon enough for him.

Robyn lay rigidly under the thin blankets as Dakota settled himself down to sleep. Her jaw hurt from clenching her teeth so hard and she was close to crying again. How dare he not want to have s.e.x with her! Didn't he know who she was?

She smiled bitterly into the darkness. Of course he didn't and now she was being ridiculous. He probably wouldn't care anyway, what with his old-fashioned morals and all that. She studied the illuminated face of her Rolex. Three hours should be more than enough to lull him into a false sense of security. Then they'd really see who needed to be f.u.c.ked.

Dakota half woke up and moved his hips in time to the gentle suction on his c.o.c.k. G.o.d, this was a great dream. He felt good, his body humming with s.e.xual tension, his c.o.c.k primed to come. He groaned and slid a hand between his legs found his fingers had settled on thick hair and a skull.

'What the f.u.c.k . . .?'

He went rigid and opened his eyes. Robyn crouched between his thighs, her mouth working his c.o.c.k. He tightened his fingers in her hair, tried to pull her away, stopped when her teeth clamped around his shaft. She continued to suck on him, her movements rougher now, designed to make him come hard and fast down her throat.

He set his jaw, closed his fingers around her skull and yanked her away from him. He yelped as her teeth sc.r.a.ped down his shaft and climaxed, his come spurting out over her face and his belly. He held her still as he fought to regain his breath then scrambled to sit up.

'What the h.e.l.l is wrong with you?'

She stared at him and slowly licked his come from her lips. She'd stripped down to her bra and panties, exposing a belly ring and a flat pale stomach. He tried to look away but found himself fascinated by her obvious enjoyment. He switched on the bedside lamp and grabbed a box of tissues, handed her a wad. She ignored them, continued to wipe his come off with her fingers and suck them into her mouth.

His c.o.c.k quivered and started to fill out again. He took the tissues that had fallen on to the counterpane and swiped at his stomach and groin.

She grabbed his wrist. 'Let me do it.'

He shuddered as she leant into him, her tongue flicking out to catch a drop of come on the tip of his c.o.c.k. Again he took her by the shoulders and set her gently back at the other end of the bed.

'Stop it.'

He picked up the tissues and wiped himself clean, tried to avoid touching his shaft which was already half-erect. A slight movement made him look up. Jesus, G.o.d, Robyn was taking off what remained of her clothes.

She held his gaze. 'Are you sure you don't want me?'

He stared at her pert b.r.e.a.s.t.s and the triangle of dark hair at the top of her crossed legs. It was hard to breathe. Still staring at her, he fumbled around until he tucked his c.o.c.k back into his jeans and zipped them up.

'No, I don't. Go back to your own bed and go to sleep.'

Her eyes widened as she studied him. He swallowed hard as her fingers curved over her breast and flicked her nipple. She slid her other hand further down between her legs and sighed.

'I'm wet. Would you like to see?'

She held out her index finger toward him. He caught the musky scent of her arousal and the glint of her juices. His c.o.c.k tried to drill a hole through his zipper.

'I don't want you.'

'Liar.'

She smiled and returned her fingers to her p.u.s.s.y, moving them in and out as she continued to fondle her breast. Dakota found it impossible to look away as she pleasured herself; his blood pounded through his c.o.c.k. He wanted to shove her fingers aside and bury himself deep inside her, show her how much better it would be with a real man.

He fisted his hands in the bedclothes as she leant back against the headboard and closed her eyes. Her breathing shortened, little pants and sighs that oozed s.e.xual pleasure. Dakota fought a groan as she started to shake and moan, her knees fell open to show her hand working through her s.e.x. His c.o.c.k responded to the sounds, pulsing against the rough fabric of his jeans, wet now and swollen with need.

As she climaxed, she opened her eyes wide and looked at him. 'You see? I don't need you either.'

'Great, then I'll leave you to it.'

Dakota moved off the bed, grabbed his hat and boots and headed for the door. Outside, it was still warm and humid. G.o.d, he was so hard it was difficult to walk let alone think straight. He'd rather spend the night in his trailer than go against every decent instinct he possessed and f.u.c.k a woman he didn't know or care for.

He glanced back at the motel as he turned the corner onto Main Street and then stopped dead. Dammit, he'd forgotten his frickin' keys! There was no way in h.e.l.l he was going to get back into his truck now and there was equally no way he was going back inside room fifteen to face whatever her name was.

He contemplated the deserted street and turned reluctantly back toward the motel. Perhaps he could turn on the charm and get Dorothy to let him another room or at least wait out the night in her office.

Robyn stared at the door as it slammed shut behind Dakota, her mouth hanging open. He'd actually walked out on her. He'd f.u.c.king walked out on her! She couldn't remember the last time that had happened. She closed her mouth and picked up her discarded bra, her hands shook and tears crowded the back of her throat.

He'd wanted her all right. She'd seen it in his eyes and his c.o.c.k. Why hadn't he acted on his desires? She grabbed her panties and pulled them back on. Perhaps he really was gay. She bit her lip as she gathered the rest of her clothes and headed for the bathroom. She fumbled around for the light. The room still held a hint of steam and peach-scented soap from Dakota's shower.

He'd made her feel cheap.

She clutched the bundle of clothes tightly to her chest. He'd made her feel like she was worthless. A tear slid down her cheek. Perhaps the photographer who'd asked her to pose nude had been right and there was nowhere else for her to go but into the gutter or the p.o.r.no movie circuit.

But what good would she do there? She couldn't turn on a light bulb let alone a man. Tears slid down her face in earnest now and soaked into her clothing. She glanced at the bottle of painkillers. More than enough to kill herself with, but she wasn't willing to try that again. The last time she'd woken up with a tube down her throat having her stomach pumped had been enough to put her off that particular method of suicide for life.

So what was she going to do? She couldn't stay here. She needed Dakota Scott's help. Had she alienated him completely or was there still time to try something else? She got dressed and walked back into the bedroom. He had to have gone back to his truck to bed down there. A glint of metal caught her eye on the bedside table.

He'd left his keys behind. A smile trembled on her lips. No keys, no comfortable hiding place. Perhaps she really did have a chance to coax him back. She grabbed her coat, took his keys along with her own and cautiously opened the door.

There was no sign of him sleeping across the threshold or on the street outside. Robyn eyed the motel office which was still lit up, the orange vacancy sign flashing on and off. Were there people in there? She thought she could see movement. Maybe Dakota was trying to persuade Dorothy to give him another room.

Robyn marched across to the office and opened the door. Through the pink beaded curtain she saw Dakota leaning over the registration book chatting amiably to Dorothy. She pinned on a bright smile and went right up to him.

'Honey, did you realize you left your keys?'

He glanced up at her, his expression wary. Robyn flashed a conspiratorial smile at Dorothy.

'My sweet little honey bun was probably trying to get another room so he didn't have to wake me up. He hates it when we fight. Is that right, baby?'

Dakota stared at her. 'I reckoned you'd prefer to be by yourself, lambkins.'

She linked her arm through his. 'Oh no, honey, you just come right back to bed. Wouldn't want to bother Ms Dorothy with our silly problems, now would we?'

She hoped he heard the implied threat in her words and would rather have this out with her quietly than in front of the motel manager. She let out her breath when he allowed her to tug him away from the desk.

He tipped his hat at Dorothy. 'Sorry to bother you, ma'am. Have a good night.'

Robyn kept hold of his arm until he was firmly back inside their room.

He sat down on the bed and held out his hand, his expression guarded. 'Can I have my keys?'