Her eyes widened as he removed his hand and leaned close. He knew he could kiss her and shead return it. But now wasnat the time, and he wanted more from her than her desire.

He wanted her heart.

aSee you tomorrow,a he murmured as he brushed his lips over her forehead.

A faint shudder went through Dee, and when he raised his head he saw that her eyes were closed. She opened them as he stroked one finger along her jaw, and he read the desire in her gaze. Before he could step away from her, she had her hands at his belt and was unfastening it.

aAh, Dee?a aJust let me see your c.o.c.k.a Her face was intent, and d.a.m.n near close enough to kiss his crotch as she unb.u.t.toned his jeans and yanked down the zipper.

Jake could hardly think straight with Deeas hands on him, and he groaned. aDonat start something you donat intend to finish.a She gave a satisfied sound as his c.o.c.k sprang from his underwear. aIad forgotten how big you are.a aUh, thanks.a His body vibrated with l.u.s.t as Dee wrapped her long fingers around his thick length.

aI want to taste you,a she murmured, her gaze fixed on his c.o.c.k, and then she licked the head with one long stroke of her tongue.

Every other thought left Jakeas mind as Dee swirled her tongue over him, her hands alternating between exploring the soft cloud of hair around his b.a.l.l.s and stroking him.

aCome in my mouth,a she said, her lips hovering just above his c.o.c.k.

He groaned grabbed her braid and tugged her closer. She gave a satisfied laugh before slipping her lips over his c.o.c.k and going down on him. Jake thrust his hips back and forth, plunging in and out of the moist heat of her mouth.

Dee looked up at him while he watched himself slide in and out of her. aIam gonna come, sweetheart.a He clenched her braid tighter.

She answered by sucking him harder, taking him deeper in her throat. Jake groaned as he came, moving his c.o.c.k in and out of her mouth until she had drawn every drop of s.e.m.e.n from him. He was breathing hard and still semi-rigid when he pulled his wet c.o.c.k out of her mouth.

Dee licked her lips and smiled up at him. aYou taste better than I remembered, too.a Jake grinned. aWell, why donata"a aYo, Dean?a A manas voice said from behind Jake, coming from the kitchen.

Deeas heart pounded and heat flushed her cheeks as Jake stuffed his c.o.c.k back in his jeans and zipped them up. He was b.u.t.toning them when boot steps came closer.

aAre you in herea"a The manas voice cut off and the only sound was the clank of Jakeas belt as he fastened it.

aUm, right here, Jess,a Dee said as Jake moved from between her and her foreman.

She tried to get out of the rocker, but Jake pushed her back down. aRest that ankle,a he demanded, not looking the least bit embarra.s.sed at being caught at her giving him head.

Well, practically caught at it.

Jess raised an eyebrow, an amused look on his handsome face. aSorry, boss. Didnat mean to interrupt anything. Iall just leave you twoaa aJess this is an old, uh friend, Jake Reynolds.a Dee struggled to look composed as she introduced the two. aJake, this is Jess Lawless, my foreman.a aWe met yesterday.a Jake gave a quick nod to Jess as he rested his hand on the back of Deeas rocker.

With a knowing grin, Jess hooked his thumbs through his belt loops. aCustoms, right?a aYeah.a Dee pushed her braid back over her shoulder. aSo. Whatas up?a Jess walked closer to Dee and Jake, his grin fading into a frown. aFence cut along the north pasture and another dozen Angus missing. Our herdas down to two-thirds size.a Dee put her fingertips to her forehead, as if it would force away Jessas words. aWe canat afford this. And we certainly canat afford to post twenty-four hour guards around the entire perimeter of a couple thousand acres.a aFound these where the fence was down.a Jess reached into a back pocket and pulled out a pair of wire-cutters with a red rubber grip.

aLet me have a look.a Jake held out his palm and took the tool from Jess. aPretty common make and obviously used regularly. The rust says he doesnat take real good care of his equipmenta"leaves his tools out in the weather rather than putting them away.a Jake turned the cutters and examined the blade. aBy the wear on this, Iad guess heas right-handed.a aOr she,a Dee interrupted. When Jake turned his gaze to her, she smiled. aHey, I believe in equal-opportunity rustlers, too.a aCould be.a Jakeas mouth quirked as he handed the cutters back to Jess. aSeems I remember seeing Kev Grand using a pair like this to fix his fence a few days ago.a Dee frowned. aKev wouldnat be involved with the cattle disappearing. Heas pushy and outspoken, but heas just not the kind of guy that would pull a stunt like that. Besides, the d.a.m.n rustlers are swiping his cattle, too.a Jake had to admit that head always known Grand to be an honest man, even if he was a sonofab.i.t.c.h. aAnyone else having problems with these rustlers?a Jake asked.

Jess shook his head as he stuck the tool in his back pocket. aOnly Grand, according to Ryan Forrester.a aSheriffas deputy, right?a Jake folded his arms across his chest. aMet up with him at Grandas.a aYeah.a Jess hooked his thumbs through his belt loops. aThe rustlers seem to just go for Black Angus. Kev Grandas the only other rancher whoas lost a few head, but nothing like Dean here.a A thoughtful look crossed Jessas strong features. aSome neighboring ranches have Angus, but most have Hereford and Brahma. So far none have reported any stock gone missing.a Leaning back in her rocker, Dee propped her throbbing ankle on the ha.s.sock. aSheriffas department is so busy that theyare not giving us much attention.a aIad better head on out.a Jess tipped his hat to Dee. aGot stock tanks to check.a A knock sounded at the door and Jess opened it. aHowdy, Catie,a he said as he touched his hat, letting the blonde walk through.

aHi, Jess.a Catie watched him leave and then sighed before turning to Dee. Her big chocolate eyes widened. aOops. Sorry. Didnat know you were busy.a aNot at all.a Dee tried not to grit her teeth. She was usually glad to see her best friend, but right now she wanted to be alone with Jake. The taste of him was still in her mouth, and it wasnat near enough.

After Dee introduced Jake and Catie to one another, Jake leaned over and brushed his lips across Deeas. aIall see you tomorrow.a Disappointment eased through Dee. But dammit, she wasnat going to beg. aAll right.a He brushed his finger over her nose and then whispered in her ear. aAnd donat forget. If youare a bad girl, Iall have to play desperado and tie you to your bed.a aPromise?a Dee asked when he pulled away.

He winked and headed on out the door.

Chapter Seven.

Dee paused from mucking out Impas stall to wipe sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand. A cool October breeze stirred the loose hair at her cheeks and chilled her skin.

It was Thursday, almost exactly two weeks since her injury. Her ankle still felt a little stiff and sore, but as far as she was concerned, she had recovered and didnat need help from anyonea"no matter what Jake Reynolds might think.

The rustlers had left her cattle alone the past couple of weeks, thank G.o.d. But unfortunately, shead heard of neighboring ranchers having lost several head of their cattle. When shead asked Jake if head heard any news, head just given her his usual answer, aThe Sheriffas office is working on it.a b.u.t.terflies tickled her belly as she realized Jake would be arriving soon and at the same time, a twinge of regret that theyad come to the end of their agreement.

No. Not regret. She was thrilled that she didnat have to put up with his desperado routine any longer. Dee grimaced and swatted a fly away from her face. Yeah, right. In truth, shead miss having him around.

Imp b.u.t.ted her thigh and she reached down to scratch the calf behind his ears. aYouall miss him too, wonat you?a she murmured. The devilish spark was still in his eyes, but he was no longer bent on plowing down anyone who came near him.

Dee sighed and got back to work cleaning the calfas stall. Barn smells of hay, horse and manure comforted her. Much more so than Jakeas masculine scent. When she was near him she felt at ease, yet she also felt wild and restless, and more than a little reckless.

Every day Jake had shown up, any time from late afternoon to evening, depending on how his day had gone. Dee had expecteda"had wanteda"him to take advantage of the time theyad spent together to try and get her clothes off.

But to her surprise, and dismay he hadnat. He wouldnat even go in the house for a gla.s.s of iced tea when shead offered. Head spent time with Imp, made sure the stalls and aisles were mucked out, and asked her if there was anything else she needed help with. Then he would brush his lips across hers and go.

Leaving her feeling so frustrated and hot for him, she didnat know what to do with herself. Even though Jake hadnat done more than give her chaste kisses, every minute in his presence was a form of s.e.xual torture.

But d.a.m.n if she was going to again beg the man to f.u.c.k her.

When shead watched him work with Imp, gradually taming the calf, Dee couldnat help imagining Jakeas hands on her instead. His gentle touch on her skin. His lips blazing hot trails over her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, his tongue seeking out her nipples.

aGet a grip, Dee MacLeod,a she muttered as she raked the manure from Impas stall and into the aisle.

Dee. It had only taken a couple of days around Jake to start thinking of herself as Dee again.

She realized she would miss more than his masculine presence; she would miss his daily companionship. While head spent time with Imp, theyad talked about everything and nothing at all. Jake would share his day at work and talk about his mother and brother. She would confide in him her concerns about the rustlers, plans for upgrading the herd and breeding championship stock.

Talking with him was easy and natural. It made her realize how immature their relationship had been ten years ago. Theyad talked, yes, but their relationship had been fiery and pa.s.sionate, based more on s.e.x than substance.

These last two weeks, about the only thing they hadnat talked about was the future of their relationship.

Friendship, she reminded herself.

aBad girl,a Jakeas deep voice rumbled behind her.

Dee yelped and spun around, almost clobbering him with the rake. aDonat scare me like that!a She punched him in his muscled bicep and he grinned.

aThe deal was two weeks, sweetheart.a He took the rake from her and set it aside, then placed his hands on her shoulders. aIave got one more day.a His stormy gaze captured her, and she felt as though she was hovering on the edge of a precipice. Just one step and shead throw herself over.

She swayed towards him, intoxicated by his earthy scent and potent s.e.xuality. aMy ankleas fine,a she murmured, amazed shead found her voice.

He rubbed her arms through the light material of her T-shirt, setting her skin on fire, and smiled. aHumor me.a Oh, shead like to humor him all right. In the barn, in broad daylighta"anywhere.

Jake brushed his lips over her hair and released her to grab the rake. Muscles in his arms and back bunched as he worked, and she barely contained a sigh.

She frowned and moved away. While Jake worked with Imp, she busied herself brushing down Shadow. The gelding whickered his pleasure and lipped her braid. She couldnat help glancing at Jake, watching how gentle he was with the calf.

For the first time in the two weeks theyad spent together, they said little. It was a companionable silence, but she already missed him.

When they were finished, Dee walked Jake to his truck. A breathtaking sunset rode the horizon, gold, pink and purple streaking the sky above the Mule Mountains.

They stopped at the front of his truck. Dee avoided his gaze and trailed her fingers over the repaired fender. aLooks good.a Jake leaned against the hood and into her line of vision. aDid you get the Rover back?a aYeah. The body shop did a great job.a She shook her head. aI still canat believe I backed into your truck like that.a He chuckled. aIf you could have seen your face, sweetheart.a aGlad you found it amusing.a aWhy donat we celebrate?a aWhat?a Dee slid her hands into the back pockets of her jeans and tilted her head. aBacking into your truck?a aTaming Imp. Your ankle being better.a He reached around her to catch one wrist, easing her hand from her pocket and clasping it. His touch electrified her through every nerve ending in her body.

aDinner, tomorrow,a he murmured. aIall pick you up at eight.a She swallowed. aAs friends?a aWhatever you say.a Jake smiled and squeezed her hand. aHowas Mexican food sound?a aAll right.a Dee pulled her hand away from his, afraid head feel her trembling. She made her tone light and teasing. aDonat be late, cowboy. Iall be hungry.a He gave her that sinful grin that turned her inside out. aIam already starving.a * * * * *

Jakeas gut clenched as he drove the last mile between his office and Deeas door. Head spent the day tracking down leads on the rustlers, but they just kept dead-ending, frustrating the h.e.l.l out of him.

When Jake had called Jarrod Savage, the sheriff had been out of the office, and Jake had ended up talking with Deputy Ryan Forrester instead. Forrester had been the cowboy Dee had danced with that night at the rodeo dance when she had ended up with a twisted ankle. Just the thought of another man with his arms around Dee was enough to make Jake want to kick the manas a.s.s.

As far as the phone call, Forrester hadnat been much help. The deputy was far too relaxed about the whole rustling situation.

Jake parked in front of Deeas house wondering if any of the local ranchers could be involved. Or was this strictly an outside job?

Whatever the answer, he couldnat give it any more thought. For the moment, his mind needed one thing and one thing only.

After a deep, slow breath, he got out of his truck, headed up the steps and knocked on Deeas door. His throat tightened, and he realized he was nervous. Nervous. It was his first real adatea with her since head moved back to Douglas, and he didnat want to blow it.

The past two weeks had been h.e.l.l, forcing himself to keep his distance from Dee. He intended to take things slow and easy this time. Give their relationship a chance to grow, and give her a chance to trust him again.

But when the door opened and he saw Dee, every shred of his good intentions vanished, replaced by raging desire. He clenched his hands and swallowed real hard.

Dee smiled, her green eyes wide. Shead piled her auburn hair on top of her head in a s.e.xy style that made her look like shead just gotten out of bed after a day of f.u.c.king. The tiny black dress she wore only reached mid-thigh, revealing her long s.e.xy legs.

Legs he wanted to have clamped tight around him as he thrust his c.o.c.k into her wet core. It was all he could do to keep from grabbing her and taking her now.

As though she could read his thoughts, Dee sighed and ran the tip of her tongue over her bottom lip.

The woman had no mercy.

He reached up and hooked his finger under one of the delicate straps securing her dress. aG.o.d, but youare gorgeous, sweetheart.a Deeas smile was seductive. aYou sure clean up nice.a Her hand went to that sensitive spot at the base of her throat. His gaze followed, then dropped to the generous amount of exposed cleavage. Her nipples peaked below the thin material, and he had to force himself not to let his hand wander from her shoulder to her b.r.e.a.s.t.s.

aJust a sec.a Her voice was low and husky as she drew away from his touch. aLet me get my purse.a When she walked to the kitchen, he just about groaned out loud at the sight of her sheer black stockings hugging her shapely legs. A line ran down the back of each stockinga"stockings that should be outlawed for what they did to a man. Not to mention those high heels she was wearing. Her outfit screamed s.e.x and he had the erection to prove it.

Trying to gain some control over his body, Jake took a deep breath and thought about work. Thought about anything but what Deeas body did to him.

It didnat do a d.a.m.n bit of good.

Deeas skin tingled where Jake was touching her elbow as he guided her into Los Dos Hermanos, a popular restaurant in Douglas. Sounds of laughter and voices, clinking plates and mariachi music filled the air. Tantalizing smells of Mexican food caused her stomach to growl.

The place was crowded, but they didnat have long to wait before the hostess escorted them to a corner booth. Serapes and sombreros decorated the walls, strategically arranged baskets of colorful gourds, and piatas swaying from the ceilingas exposed beams.

Jake slid onto the bench next to Dee, his presence solid and virile. When she glanced up, he gave her a devastating smile, and she quivered with awareness from head to toe.

After they had ordered, and the waitress had returned with their drinks, Dee took a long sip of her margarita. The mixture of salt from the rim and the citrusy taste rolled over her tongue. She needed to relax and enjoy the evening, and she was hoping the margarita would help her mellow a bit.

Jakeas eyes swirled stormy gray as he watched her, filled with pa.s.siona"and something else. Something that made Dee wonder if there could be a happily ever after.

Not likely. She wasnat Cinderella.

Though lately Jake had been kind of like a Prince Charming. A devastatingly handsome, untamed cowboy of a prince.

A smile teased the corner of her mouth.

He trailed his finger over her lips. aWhatas that smile for?a aItas silly.a aTell me.a Dee dropped her gaze to her margarita, picked it up and took a healthy swallow. She rarely drank, and she could already feel her body loosening from the alcohol. Maybe it would loosen her inhibitions, too, and shead get Jake where she wanted him.

In bed, between my thighs.

Heat flushed her cheeks as she looked back to him. aI was just thinking youave been a cowboy Prince Charming these past couple of weeks.a His mouth curved into a slow grin, and fine lines at the corners of his eyes crinkled.

Deeas face grew even warmer. aTold you it was silly.a aCinderella.a His voice was a husky murmur as he stroked her shoulder, drawing lazy circles on her bare arm with his fingers. aDoes that mean if I find your gla.s.s slipper, youall be my princess?a His touch was sensual and hypnotic, stirring her blood, igniting flames throughout her body. She shivered, every fiber of her being acutely aware of him. Wanting him.

Her b.r.e.a.s.t.s ached, pressing against the taut silk of her dress. Her naughty stockings and garters felt erotic, and she wanted Jake to explore her body and discover exactly what she wore beneath her dress. She needed his touch, his kiss.

aWatch out.a A voice said, breaking Deeas l.u.s.tful trance. aItas hot.a Iam hot. So hot.

Dee blinked, reality seeping in as she realized the waitress was setting their plates in front of them. Jake smiled and eased his arm from around her shoulder and started eating his combination platter of enchiladas, tacos and refried beans.

So very hot.

Ignoring her own plate, Dee picked up her margarita and took a long draught, peeking at Jake from beneath her lashes.

It wasnat food she was hungry for.

Jakeas groin tightened as Dee climbed into the truck cab and scooted next to him. Her orange blossom and rain scent mingled with the smell of his leather upholstery.

As he backed the truck out of the restaurantas parking lot, Dee rested her head on his arm, her body snug against his. The next thing he knew, her hand was on his thigh. Slowly tracing patterns with her fingernail down to his knee, and then higher. Not quite up to his hip, and then back to his knee again.

His heart punched his chest as he guided his truck through Douglas, his body on fire, his c.o.c.k so hard he could use it as a gearshift. He drove with one hand and captured her wayward fingers with his other. Just as sure as the sun would rise, he knew she wanted him. And he sure as h.e.l.l wanted her.

She sighed and snuggled closer. aThanks for the wonderful dinner.a aYou hardly ate.a aIam not hungry for food.a Her voice was filled with sensual promise.

Jakeas erection grew so enormous he was in some serious pain. He wanted to bury his c.o.c.k inside her more than anything. He wanted to touch her and taste her p.u.s.s.y, and make her scream when she came.

When Dee couldnat dislodge her hand from beneath his, she shifted in her seat, pressing her b.r.e.a.s.t.s against his arm. He groaned as she started an erotic a.s.sault, nipping at his shoulder through his shirt. She moved her other hand to his chest, sliding her fingers down to his belt.

aDee,a he grumbled in warning and desire combined.

Pausing, she looked up at him. aWhat?a she asked in an innocent voice.

aIf you donat stop that, Iam liable to have an accident.a aMmmm.a She lightly ran her finger over the bulge straining against his zipper, lightly stroking his c.o.c.k. aNow that would be a shame.a aYouare killing me, woman.a Jake wasnat sure how he made it to the ranch without coming in his jeans. Dee hadnat let up and his c.o.c.k was so hard for her that the minute he reached her house, he wanted to shove that tiny skirt to her waist and take her in the cab.