Millionaire in a Stetson (6 page)

He knew he could stop anytime. He’d probably given her as much relief as he could for the moment. But he didn’t want to let her go. He wanted to hold her against his body a little longer, or maybe a lot longer, maybe forever.

He stole a glance at her face.

She was gazing up at him, those huge green eyes soft in the dappled sunlight. Her lips were dark and full, rosy cheeks damp with water droplets. She had the thickest lashes he’d ever seen. He couldn’t believe a woman could possibly be this beautiful. She was like a spell, holding him enthralled.

The warm wind whispered against them, wafting the scents of pine and clover. The aspen leaves rustled above. The sound of the others’ voices blending away in the distance. Her skin grew warm against his own, and the noise of the water lapping around them seemed softer.

He wanted to kiss her. He didn’t think he’d ever wanted anything so badly in his life. It was stupid and wrong and colossally risky. But he couldn’t bring himself to care.

He bent his head.

She didn’t shy away. In fact, she stretched to meet him. Their cool lips touched, flaring instantly to heat. His lips parted. Hers followed in turn. She was sweet as fresh honey, soft as dew.

His arms tightened around her, and he felt her body arch against him. He was instantly aroused, desperate to possess her. His tongue delved deep. Hers answered, and she moaned against his mouth, her hands tangling in his wet hair.

They were wearing practically nothing. It would be so quick, so easy, so intensely satisfying to strip off their suits and become one.

But faraway shouts penetrated his hearing, and he ruthlessly reminded himself where he was, who she was and what was at stake.

With a superhuman effort, he ended their kiss. Fixing his focus on the far shore, he dragged gulps of oxygen into his lungs.

“I’m sorry.” He glanced down.

Her sexy vulnerability was almost his undoing.

“I didn’t mean for that to happen,” he told her sincerely.

She was silent for a long moment. “It’s complicated,” she finally whispered.

“It’s simple,” he returned, struggling to keep it light. “Fear and pain produce intense emotional reactions. Sometimes our bodies don’t know what to do with those emotions.”

“You think that’s what just happened?”

“I know that’s what just happened.” Not that it had ever happened to him before. Not like this, anyway. Her kiss had all but blown his mind.

She quirked a little half smile. “So, you’re not really a good kisser.”

“No better than average.” He found his gaze dropping to her mouth, and he recognized just how desperately he wanted to do it again.

“That was average?”

Steeling himself against temptation, it took him a second to answer. “Yeah. That was average.”

Her eyes took on a mischievous sparkle. “Then you must have a pretty fabulous sex life, Sawyer Smith.”

His gut clenched. “Do you always play with fire, Nellie Cooper?”

“I never play with fire.” She paused. Her expression going thoughtful. “I’ve never met fire before.”

Every muscle in Sawyer’s body was instantly taut. She was beyond good. When it came to seduction, this woman could write the book. Or maybe she’d read the book. Her mother’s book.

He couldn’t shake the feeling that he was being manipulated. But he also couldn’t figure out why. She didn’t know who he was, or she’d already have run for the hills.

Then again, maybe she did this to all men. Maybe it was as natural for her as breathing.

“We have to go back,” he told her. If they didn’t leave now he was going to kiss her all over again.

“Thanks.” She spoke softly, innocently, all traces of teasing replaced by sincerity. “For everything.”

Sawyer turned for the shore, ruthlessly switching his mind to his uncle’s dilemma and the dire price his family would pay if he failed. He couldn’t afford to lose focus. He couldn’t afford to let Niki get under his skin.

* * *

In the attic the next day, Niki was still trying to wrap her mind around the effect of Sawyer’s kiss. For her, it had been a mind-blowing, earth-shifting experience. The kind of kiss she hadn’t even known could exist. For him, apparently, she was just another pair of lips.

She’d struggled not to feel insulted by his cavalier attitude. Surely her ego couldn’t be that fragile. It wasn’t as if she was hopeless in the romance department. Okay, it was true that she hadn’t had a date since she’d left D.C. And her most recent college boyfriend had broken up with her a few months before that.

So, maybe it had been a dry spell.

In fact, she told herself, perhaps that’s why Sawyer’s kiss had made such an impact. It wasn’t the kiss itself, it was her pent up lust from so many months of being alone. Yes, that made a lot more sense.

“This is their wedding picture.” Katrina rose to carry a framed photograph to where Niki perched on the corner of the wooden crate, browsing through pieces of old, floral patterned china.

The attic was slightly dusty, but well-organized, each cardboard box labeled and stacked in a neat row. It was sultry warm, the air close from the midday heat. Streams of sunshine came through the paned windows, making geometric patterns on the worn, wood floor.

Niki accepted the picture, gazing down at a burly, stern-looking man dressed in a dark suit. Next to him was a small, slight woman, smiling in a full-length white dress. It was a simple, classic a-line with a scooped neck. Her bouquet looked as if it had been picked from the garden, and her veil was a single layer of gauze. But nothing could detract from the woman’s beauty.

“So this is Sasha?”

“Yes, it is.”

“She was gorgeous.”

“I don’t remember her very well. But I do remember thinking she was beautiful.”

“It’s hard to imagine she had a baby like Reed.” Niki caught herself. “I mean—”

But Katrina laughed. “You don’t think I’ve noticed my husband’s size?”

“I didn’t mean it to sound insulting.”

“It didn’t. Sasha was never even remotely robust. It’s funny, not ha-ha, but ironic. When we first met again as adults, Reed nearly killed himself trying to stay away from me, because he was afraid this way of life would kill me, too.”

Niki looked up at Katrina. “I thought he blamed his father.”

“He does.” Katrina’s tone was quiet. “This place just gave Wilton the means to do it.”

“Is that why Reed’s so protective of you?”

Katrina seemed surprised. “You think he’s protective?”

“Yes,” Niki drawled, adding a chuckle for good measure. “And hopelessly in love. I’d give a lot to have a guy watch over me the way Reed watches over you.”

Katrina’s cheeks were slightly red. “What about Sawyer?”

Niki stilled.

“It took him a while to pull you out of the river yesterday. And, when you came back to the water polo game, the two of you looked a little…” Katrina grinned as she waggled her brow.

“A little what?” Niki stalled.

“You know.” Katrina nudged her in the arm. “A little shell-shocked and in awe of each other. Come on. Tell me what happened in the bushes.”

“Nothing happened in the bushes,” Niki answered honestly, feigning an intense interest in the wedding photo.

“Ha,” Katrina crowed. “Then it happened in the river. What happened in the river?”

“Fine,” Niki huffed. Over the past few months, she’d learned it was safest to stick as close to the truth as possible. The fewer lies she told, the easier it was to keep her story straight. “He kissed me.”

Katrina’s grin widened with glee. “Like how?”

“Like, with his lips.”

“On your lips.”

“You are
so
nosey.”

“I’m the closest thing you have to a sister. Of
course
I’m nosey.”

“On the lips,” Niki admitted.

“Was it good?”

“It was great.” Niki couldn’t hold back an involuntary sigh.

“But?” Katrina prompted.

“I don’t think it was that great for him.”

Katrina settled next to Niki on the wooden crate. “Why on earth would you think that?”

“Because he said so.”

Katrina drew back. “He kissed you, and then he told you he didn’t like it?”

“He said it was, and I’m quoting here, ‘average.’”

“Wait a minute.” Katrina gave her head a little shake. “Walk me through that conversation.”

“In detail?” Niki was taken aback by the request.

“Yes, in detail. How else am I going to give you my best sisterly advice?”

“This can’t really be the way sisters talk.”

“Yes, it is. And I have two of them. So, I’m the expert.”

Niki was forced to concede that point. “Fine. He said pain and fear produce intense emotions, and that’s why I thought it was a great kiss. Then he said he thought it was an average kiss.”

Katrina’s shoulders drooped, and she looked slightly deflated. “Oh.”

“Yeah,” Niki agreed. “I guess I’m not like you.”

“Not like me how?”

“Sexy. Stunningly gorgeous, charming and kind. The type of woman who produces intense, undying love in the man of your dreams.”

“You are, too,” Katrina put in staunchly.

But Niki shook her head.

“I don’t know what’s wrong with that Sawyer Smith. You
are
stunningly gorgeous.”

“And you’re also very sweet. Which only helps prove my point about you.”

Katrina scrutinized Niki’s face. “I can’t believe you don’t know you’re beautiful. People must have been telling you that all your life. Do you think they were lying?”

“I think they were seeing the clothes, the jewelry, the makeup and hair styling.”

Katrina scoffed, “That’s ridiculous.”

“My mom did okay for money,” said Niki, again sticking as close to the truth as she dared. “And she knew how to do glam. She went to a lot of expense to make me look pretty.”

“And now that you’re here? In your dusty blue jeans and your wrinkled T-shirt. What’s your excuse now?”

“I rest my case. Sawyer characterized my kiss as average. I’m nothing special without the makeover.”

“Let’s ask Reed.”

Niki burst out laughing. “He’s my brother. He’s your husband. What’s he supposed to say?”

“He’ll tell the truth.”

“Honestly, Katrina. You grew up in New York City, how can you not know that men will lie to humor the woman they love? Or that they want to sleep with? Or to avoid an argument? Or really for any old reason at all?”

“Reed better not be humoring me,” Katrina growled.

“He’s not. But with me, I guarantee he would be. He wouldn’t hurt my feelings for anything.”

“Okay, Caleb, then.”

“He’s still my brother. Honestly, Katrina, this really isn’t a big—”

“Travis.”

Niki stopped.

“Travis is single,” said Katrina. “And trust me, he’s been brutally honest with me my entire life.” She paused, her mind obviously speeding toward a conclusion.

“That’s it.” Katrina snapped her fingers. “Travis is single.”

Niki’s stomach lurched. “Oh, no.”

“Oh, yes. It’s a brilliant idea. You and Travis.”

“You and your sister are married to my two brothers, and now you want to set me up with
your
brother? Bad plan, Katrina, very bad plan.” Not to mention mortifyingly embarrassing.

“You don’t need to worry about a thing,” said Katrina.

“He’s barely looked twice at me,” Niki pointed out.

“He hasn’t had a chance. We’re all going to town tomorrow, Nellie. This is rodeo weekend.”

“You like rodeo?”

“I hate rodeo. But I do like the Saturday-night dance. You and me?” Katrina pointed back and forth. “We’re going to town early, and we’re going shopping, and then we’re going dancing.”

“No.” Niki flat-out refused.

“We are going to make you so drop-dead gorgeous, he’ll never know what hit him.”

Four

N
iki might be at the Springroad Mall under protest, but it seemed that certain life skills had been burned directly into her brain. She simply couldn’t help herself. She had quickly zeroed in on a sparkling gold cocktail dress in Blooms. She knew before she had it off the hanger that it would look terrific.

It needed a belt, black, to go with the black high-heeled shoes she’d spotted from thirty yards away. The low detailed neckline cried out for something chunky and shiny, and she knew she had just the right accessory with an onyx and crystal necklace, specked with gold dust. That it came with matching earrings and a bracelet was nothing but a bonus.

“You rock at this,” Katrina grinned, folding a red satin dress over her own arm. “I don’t need them, but I’m getting shoes, too.”

“Of course you need them,” Niki put in. “All women need shoes always.”

“These?” Katrina held up a pair of impossibly high rhinestone sandals.

“Yes! You’ve got such good balance,” said Niki. “Must be all that dance training.”

“I’m also short,” Katrina complained. “And Reed is very tall.”

“Reed
is
very tall,” Niki agreed. “And Caleb’s not far behind.” She wished she’d ended up with a little of her brothers’ height.

“Try it on,” Katrina prompted, pointing to the gold dress.

Niki easily agreed. Thinking about her serviceable bra and beige panties, she snagged a white, lacy set on the way past a display.

“Right back,” she told Katrina, her heart feeling light for the first time in months.

She snapped the heavy curtain closed and quickly kicked off her sneakers, stripping out of her jeans and T-shirt. She tossed aside her clothes and unzipped the glittery dress.

She couldn’t help regretting her brown hair as she shimmied into the sexy dress, which clung to her curves and accentuated her slim waist. The hemline showed plenty of leg, and she stepped into the black sandals, liking the way they elongated her calves. The necklace was perfect, and she turned one way and then the other in the long, oak-framed mirror.

“Show me,” Katrina called from outside the change room.

Niki ran her fingers through her hair, fluffing it up as best she could, before pulling back the curtain with a dramatic flourish.

“You’re gorgeous,” Katrina gasped. “Buy it. Buy
everything.
”