She jumped out of her car as he was opening his door. “I thought we’d never get here. When you said this place was out in the middle of nowhere, you weren’t kidding.” She laughed. “I just knew you were a cowboy. You meet lots of wannabes in the music business, but...”
He frowned. “You’re in the music business? What do you do?”
She smiled and linked her arm through his. “I don’t want to get into that now. How about you take me inside and we pick up where we left off back at Jimmy’s?”
Normally, Ty wouldn’t have hesitated to take her up on her offer, but he wasn’t ready to jump into bed with Avery. He wanted to get to know her, build a solid foundation that he hoped would be the start of a lasting relationship.
His father always told him he’d know when he met the one and he was willing to bet his truck that Avery was the one for him. He just had to convince her that he could be the one for her, because clearly she wasn’t feeling it yet, but he had all night to change her mind.
She walked ahead of him up the stairs. “This is nice,” she said. “Aren’t ranches usually big old houses, though? No offense, but this doesn’t look very old and it doesn’t look very big.”
He chuckled. “No, you’re right. The big house belongs to my parents; they live just up the road. I needed a place of my own, but I still wanted to be able to help out with the ranch chores, so building this place seemed to be the best solution.”
She turned around to smile at him and it took his breath away.
She patted his cheek. “Aren’t you the dutiful son?”
He tried to ignore the annoyance triggered by her offhand comment. Family was important to him; he wasn’t about to apologize for that. “What about your family, Avery? I take it you’re not close?”
She shrugged. “I fly back home a couple of times a year to keep the peace.”
“Where is home?” He held his breath, wondering if she would shut him down every time he asked a question about her personal life.
She stopped when she reached the front door. “L.A., born and bred.”
He settled his hands on her waist. “The quintessential California girl. Can’t say I’m surprised.”
She drew her perfectly shaped eyebrows together. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
He looped a strand of her silky blonde hair around his finger. “Blonde hair, blue eyes...” He paused to kiss her full mouth. “Smooth, sun-kissed skin.” He eased her wrap off her shoulders so he could kiss her neck.
“Sounds like you’re stereotyping me,” she said, breathlessly.
“Isn’t that what you were doin’ when you assumed I was a cowboy?”
She slid her hands inside his jacket, wrapping her arms around his waist. “I guess so. Sorry about that.”
He dropped moist kisses along her jaw line. “Forget it.”
She moaned in his ear. “When you’re doing that I could forget my own name.”
He chuckled, gratified by her response. He wanted her, but more than anything, he wanted to break down her defenses and get her to open up to him. He wasn’t above using a little sexual persuasion to make that happen. “Let’s get you inside. Give me a few minutes to build a fire, open a bottle of wine...”
“You don’t have to go to all that trouble, Ty. Why don’t we just...”
He knew she was going to suggest getting straight to the main event, but he had no intention of wasting his time with her. He wanted to enjoy every second of it. “It’s no problem, darlin’.”
She gaped at him when he pushed the door open. “You don’t even lock your door? Are you crazy?”
He laughed. “Honey, the only threat around here is the animals.”
His dog, Ike, barked and she jumped back. “Ohmigod, you have a dog?”
He took her hand and led her inside. “Ike is as sweet and gentle as they come. He’s ten years old, a golden retriever.” He knelt down to greet the dog. “Come here, boy. There’s someone I want you to meet.”
Avery looked hesitant, using his body as a shield between her and the dog. Ike barked at her, prompting her to jump back.
“Relax,” Ty instructed. “He senses you’re uneasy and that’s puttin’ him on edge.”
She took a few deep breaths and stepped out from behind him. “I haven’t had a lot of experience with dogs, especially big dogs.”
He loved her honesty, her vulnerability. In that moment, he fell just a little deeper. “Get down on his level. Let him check you out.”
She knelt down hesitantly and held her hand out, allowing the dog to sniff her.
“Stay put,” Ty said, squeezing her shoulder.
She looked up at him, panic-stricken. “Where are you going? You’re not leaving me alone here with him, are you?”
Ty laughed. “Sit tight, I’ll be right back.” He walked to the kitchen and grabbed a few of Ike’s favorite dog biscuits. When he came back into the room, Avery was tentatively stroking the dog’s head.
“Stand up, honey,” Ty said, coming up to stand beside her. “Hold your hand out.”
She did as instructed and he gave her the dog biscuits. “What are these for?”
“It’ll show him that you’re in charge, but you’re someone he can trust.”
The dog got up and started wagging his tail when he saw his favorite treats pass between them.
“Tell him to sit, but do it with authority. When he does, reward him with a treat.” He watched Avery square her shoulders, take a deep breath, and convey the command with quiet conviction. Everything about her intrigued him and he couldn’t wait until she was willing to share herself with him completely. “Okay, now give him the treat for obeying your command,” he said quietly.
Instead of holding her hand out and allowing the dog to claim the treat, she dropped it at her feet.
He laughed and turned her into his arms. “I think that’s enough dog training for one night. We’ll save lesson two for next time.”
Her blue eyes darkened. “Uh, next time? Who said anything about there being a next time? I thought this was just about having a little fun. Bringing the new year in with a bang...”
He clenched his jaw, trying to control his mounting frustration. If she thought he was going to let her walk out of his life without a fight, she was in for a surprise. “How ‘bout we talk about where this is headin’ later? Why don’t you slip out of those shoes and get comfortable while I build a fire?”
She slipped them off where she stood and Ty laughed when the top of her head barely skimmed his chin. “Okay, maybe you should’ve kept the shoes on.”
She slapped his arm. “Shut up.”
“Much as I love that dress, you’d probably be more comfortable in one of my old shirts. Sit tight...”
She looked at the dog, who had just finished his treat and was looking at her expectantly. She slipped her hand in his. “Uh, I think I’ll come with you.”
Laughing, he squeezed her hand. “Why don’t I let Ike outside for a bit?”
“Wait. You said there was lots of wildlife out there. Will he be okay out there by himself?”
If he’d had any doubt before, he didn’t now. He could definitely fall in love with a woman who put the welfare of a dog who terrified her above her own peace of mind. He kissed the tip of her upturned nose.
“Aren’t you just about the sweetest little thing I’ve ever met?”
She pushed against him. “Stop it. I’m serious. Maybe he should stay in here with us. I’d feel terrible if something happened to him because of me.”
He chuckled as he opened the front door and the old dog set a new speed record in his quest for freedom. “Ike’s a ranch dog, darlin’. He knows how to avoid danger. Besides, there’s an old barn out back. He usually just goes out there and chases the little critters away at this time of night.” He laughed when she shuddered. “You really are a city girl, aren’t you?”
She looked at him as though she was trying to convey an important message. “And you really are a country boy, aren’t you, Ty?”
He cursed himself for walking into that one. “Why don’t I get you that shirt now?”
She followed him into the bedroom. He surveyed his closet while she took in the huge pine four-poster bed dominating the room. She sat on the chocolate brown duvet and brushed her hand over the fabric.
“This place suits you. I like it.”
“Thanks.” He considered sweats but knew they would swallow her up, so he opted for a button down shirt instead. He passed it to her and pointed to the bathroom. “Restroom’s right in there if you wanna get changed.”
She grinned as she stood up and reached for the zipper stitched down her back. “I’m not shy. Are you?”
He knew she was testing his resolve, trying to prompt him to take action instead of wasting time with the preliminaries, but he was determined to get to know her better. No matter how much he wanted to ease her back on the bed and make love to her all night long, he was willing to wait.
She let the dress fall to her feet and toed it off. She stood before him wearing a black strapless bra, a matching thong, and garters suspending silky nylons.
“Sweet Jesus,” he whispered.
She reached around to unlock the clasp at her back. “You sure you don’t want to skip the romantic stuff and get straight to the good stuff?”
Ty suspected that in spite of her beauty, sex appeal, and confidence, Avery had never had a man willing to pamper her. If that was the case, he was determined to be the first.
She let the lacy bra fall to her feet as she watched him watching her. “Should I keep going?”
He couldn’t utter a word so he merely nodded.
She smiled as she un-hooked the garters and reached down to roll the silky nylons down her legs. She slipped them off to reveal hot pink painted toenails and a sexy floral tattoo that wrapped around her ankle.
“Got any more tattoos?” he asked, his voice sounding foreign to his own ears.
She must have noticed because she smiled. “Guess you’ll have to find out for yourself, won’t you, cowboy?”
She left the thong on as she slipped his button down shirt over her shoulders. It fell just above her knees so it should have served as a modest cover up, but on her, everything looked sexier than sin.
“You know you’re makin’ me crazy, don’t you?” he whispered.
She took a step toward him, leaving the shirt unbuttoned to her navel. “That was the idea.”
She reached out and un-tucked his black button down shirt. “I’m feeling a little overdressed. Why don’t you get rid of some of these clothes?”
He chuckled as he unbuttoned his shirt and let her peel it off. “Wow,” she said breathlessly. “Just wow.”
I’m used to guys who spend hours in the gym to look picture perfect, but you...” She wrapped her hands halfway around his biceps. “Earned all this muscle the hard way, didn’t you?”
“I’m not gonna lie to you. Ranchin’ is hard work.”
Her hands skimmed his bare chest. “But if it produces results like this, I’d say it’s well worth the effort.”
He laughed. “That’s not why I do it, but I sure am glad you approve.”
She pulled her bottom lip between her teeth and looked up at him through her lashes. “Oh, I definitely approve.” She reached for his belt buckle. “I can’t wait to see what other surprises you have in store for me.”
He stilled her hands before she could rid him of the black dress pants. “Why don’t you make yourself comfortable in front of the fireplace, baby. Let me grab that wine.”
She wrapped her arms around him from behind and stroked his chest as they walked down the hall toward the great room and adjoining kitchen.
He grabbed a throw from one of the leather sofas and set it on the floor in front of the fireplace. He decided to get the fire going first so he hunkered down and began to stack the kindling in a crisscross pattern atop crumpled papers and ashes.
She laughed as she settled on the sofa to watch him work. “Let me guess, you were a Boy Scout too, weren’t you?”
“You say that like it’s a bad thing.”
She shook her head. “No, you’re a good man, Ty.”
He didn’t know why it made him uneasy when she said that. Maybe it was his impression that she favored bad boys and he would never be able to measure up to her fantasy.
Once the fire was blazing, he went to the kitchen to retrieve the wine.
She followed him, perching her hip against the counter as he reached for the wine glasses in the glass cabinet overhead. “Hey, did I say something to piss you off?”
He shook his head. It was ridiculous that an off-hand remark she’d probably intended as a compliment should make him feel insecure about their compatibility. “No, I’m fine. Do you prefer red or white?”
“Either’s fine with me.”
“I haven’t chilled the white, so let’s go with red.”
“You strike me as more of a beer kind of guy.” She picked up the wine and read the label. “But I’m impressed.”
He clenched his teeth. “And you strike me as more of a champagne and caviar kind of girl, Avery. So why don’t you just come out and say it. I’m not good enough for you.”
“What?” She stilled his hand on the corkscrew. “Is that what you think?”
“Look at you, Avery. I may be a dumb hick, but I recognize a designer handbag and a $100,000 car when I see one.” He hated that he sounded so petty, like he was asking her to feel sorry for him because he wasn’t as worldly and sophisticated as she obviously was.