The Cowboy and His Baby Page 9

  He immediately pulled it away again. “Don’t you dare,” Dustin told her. “I haven’t gotten my fill of looking at you yet.”

  Her nipples tightened at hearing that, and she could feel her body growing hotter and wetter between her thighs. It took everything she had to remain still, waiting for him to do something, to move, to touch her.

  Something. Anything.

  “Damn,” was all he said. He rubbed a hand over his mouth and shook his head. “Just . . . damn.”

  “Bad damn?” She had to ask.

  “No such thing,” Dustin told her, and traced a fingertip over one nipple. “I wanted to kiss every freckle but there’s so many of them that I think I’d lose control first. You’re too beautiful. And these breasts . . . perfect.”

  Annie arched her back as he touched her, lost in sensation. Her breath was coming out in jagged pants. “Touch me,” she begged him. “Please. I want your hands on me.”

  He groaned and shook his head as if to clear it, then cupped one breast. She gasped at how hot his hand felt against her skin, how urgent, how perfect. “Look at you,” he murmured. “So beautiful.” His thumb skated over her nipple again. “Can’t get over how pretty you are.”

  “That’s . . . nice,” she managed. “Thank you.”

  He laughed, shaking his head. “Never thought I’d hear a girl tell me thank you when I’m praising her breasts. Then again, they are mighty fine breasts.” He leaned over her and his mouth closed over one nipple, drawing lightly.

  Annie moaned again, her hands moving to his hair. It was so short she couldn’t hold on to it, but that didn’t matter. She clung to him and writhed while he tongued her breast, caressing the other with his hand. By the time he lifted his head, she was panting again, as if there wasn’t enough air in the room.

  There was never enough air in the room when she was with Dustin, it seemed. She was always bowled over by him, always struck dumb at his handsomeness, at how sexy he was, and how he made her smile and laugh when no one else did.

  I love you—the words bubbled up in her throat and she bit them back, because it was too soon. But she wanted to say them anyhow.

  He kissed her stomach, his tongue teasing over her navel, and then his hands were at her waist and he undid the buttons of her jeans, sliding them down her legs. Then she was clad in nothing but her panties, and she sat up on the bed to help him get undressed, too. She put her hands on his belt, unbuckling it and then pulling his jeans down, and then his boxers were revealed to her. Plaid. For some reason, that gave her the giggles.

  “What, you don’t like my britches?”

  That made Annie giggle harder. “Britches? Are you serious?”

  Dustin just grinned. “I’d have worn something more suave if I’d have thought I was going to get laid tonight.”

  And that made her sigh. Because he was coming to spend time with her without any expectation of getting sex, and wasn’t that just perfect of him? How on earth had he been single this long? She really was the luckiest woman. She waited for him to kick off the rest of his jeans, his belt rattling, and then he slid his boxers down his legs.

  Dustin was naked.

  She’d wondered what he’d look like naked. In a few of their intense kissing sessions, she’d brushed up against the hard bulge in his pants and known he was well-built, but she wasn’t sure how well-built. This, well, this took her a bit by surprise. Because my goodness, but the man was packing some serious heat. His shaft was long and thick, probably the largest cock she’d ever seen. No wonder the man was so cocky . . . ha. He knew he was well-built and he knew he was sexy.

  Really, it was unfair for one person to be so gifted in every dang department.

  “I’ll get condoms,” he told her, then leaned in and pressed a sweet kiss to her forehead that reminded her that she was maybe the lucky one this time around. He moved back across the room, showcasing buns that were pale enough that they looked luminescent in the room’s dim lighting. Clearly he didn’t tan all of himself, and it should have been amusing, but for some reason, it just made him seem human, and that made her ache for him all the more. He picked up his wallet, pulled out a pair of condoms, and then squinted at one package.

  “What are you doing?” she asked.

  “Checking the expiration date.”

  That made her laugh. “Oh, come on.”

  He just grinned at her and then opened the wrapper of one with his teeth. “You never know.”

  She watched as he rolled the condom onto his thick length, her breath catching at the sight of him. His cock seemed impossibly large as it jutted out from his body, and she clenched her thighs tightly together, trying to ease the hollow ache low in her belly. When he was done, he moved back to the bed and she lay flat, trying not to get nervous. But then he was in the bed with her, his big body covering hers, and there was nothing but Dustin—warm, wonderful skin and a mouth that kissed her so sweetly that she forgot who she was, sometimes. She loved the feel of him, and when he gently pushed her thighs apart, she clasped her legs around him and drew him closer.

  He claimed her mouth with another hot kiss, and then nuzzled at her breasts, the heat of him resting between their bodies in a silent tease. When he kissed her again, she arched up against him, trying to hint that yes, she really would like him inside her. “Impatient minx,” he murmured against her mouth, and then she was smiling as she rocked up against him and dug one heel into his backside.

  “No one said I had to be patient,” she told him.

  “Fair enough.” This time, the kiss was possessive and fierce, and when he reached between them, Annie felt the head of him press against her core.

  He sank into her in one hard stroke and she gasped, startled at how large he felt and how intense everything was.

  “You okay?” Dustin went still over her. When she nodded, her fingers clenching on his shoulders, he grinned. “Need a moment?”

  “No.” She gave a little sigh, her body adjusting to his size. “No, I think I’m good now.” And when he stroked again, this time it was all pleasure. He was hard and invasive, yes, but in a way that excited her and made her want to push back against him, to increase the friction between their bodies until something between them gave. She wanted to claw at his shoulders and bite at his gorgeous skin. With a little growl, she leaned in and did just that—gave him a fierce nip.

  This time, it was Dustin that sucked in a breath. “Did I say minx?” he growled. “Clearly you’re a wildcat.” He grabbed her hand in his and as she gave a delighted laugh, he hauled their joined hands overhead, until her knuckles were resting against the headboard. His face inches from hers, he gazed into Annie’s eyes.

  And thrust.

  She whimpered, all playfulness disappearing in that intense moment. The way he looked at her was so good, so deeply intense. It made her feel like the only woman in the world.

  He kissed her, and this wasn’t a sweet kiss but a claiming, exquisite one that seemed to pierce her soul. He continued moving atop her, working her body with an expertise she’d never had before. It was like he knew just how to pace himself to make her wild, just how to stroke deep, leaving her hungry for more. A slow burn started in her belly, a precursor to an orgasm, and she encouraged it, meeting his thrusts with her hips, clawing at his back until the tease of a climax became a reality. Then it was on her, and she was sobbing Dustin’s name even as she was filled with wonder at how quickly—and how intensely—she’d come. That was a surprise—as was the tender way that Dustin held on to her, his forehead pressed to hers as he came, too.

  When their joined breathing slowed, he gave Annie another kiss, as if reluctant for things to end, and then eased off of her. The moment he did, he cursed aloud.

  “What is it?” She sat up on her elbows.

  “Condom broke. It’s nothing. Let me get you a towel.”

  Annie bit her lip,
waiting as Dustin cleaned up in the bathroom and then returned with a warm, wet towel for her. She scrubbed herself—too shy to take up his offer to do it for her—and then they settled back in together, his arms going around her and pulling her against his chest. He tucked Annie against his shoulder, stroking her hair.

  “Should we be concerned?” she murmured.

  “I don’t think it was a bad break, but I don’t know. You on the pill?”

  “Not exactly. But there’s a pharmacy in town, right? I’ll get a morning-after pill.”

  “Okay.” He was quiet.

  Worry gnawed in her belly and she couldn’t help but think about his parents. The story he’d told her about how his father had gotten his mother pregnant, and between that and the family business, he hadn’t been able to leave town. How that had eaten Dustin alive and to make sure it wouldn’t happen to him, he’d left home at sixteen. Gosh, she hoped he wasn’t thinking about that. She poked a finger in his ribs. “You’re quiet.”

  “I’m just wondering how soon is too soon to be in love,” he mused.

  A warm glow shot through her. She leaned in, kissed his nipple. “A week?” she teased. “Isn’t that about how long it takes celebrities? I’m sure it’s equally speedy for us plebeians, too.”

  The slow, easy grin spread across his face once more. “Ain’t nothin’ plebeian about your body, Annie Grissom.”

  “Why thank you, cowboy,” she teased back, one finger dancing down his flat stomach. “You had two condoms, huh?” At his nod, she circled his navel lightly. “How long do you think it’ll take for you to be ready for round two, then?”

  “Not long, sweetheart.” He wrapped his arms around her and rolled over, taking them both along until she was on her back once more and he was over her. Dustin’s smile was heartbreakingly gorgeous as he gazed down at her. “Not long at all.”

  * * *

  • • •

  Sometime before dawn, Annie awoke—sort of—to a kiss on her shoulder. “Stay in bed,” Dustin murmured. “It’s early and I have to go to head to the ranch.”

  “Mmmokay,” she mumbled, clutching her pillow against her face. She was not a morning person and they’d stayed up pretty late doing filthy things to each other.

  He just chuckled and kissed her forehead. “I’ll take Spidey for a walk and then bring him back up. You sleep and text me when you wake up.” He smoothed her hair back from her brow. “Don’t leave town without seeing me again, okay?”

  She nodded and went back to sleep.

  A few hours later, she woke up to Spidey’s incessant licking of her arm. Lick. Lick. Lick. Lick. Lick. Lick. Right. He was hungry, and the licking was his subtle way to remind her that he was alive. She rolled over in bed, groaning at the sunlight streaming in. Her hair was a rat’s nest around her head, snarled and messy, and she was naked. She never slept naked. Why—

  Oh.

  A hot flush crept over Annie’s face as she remembered last night. Sex with Dustin had been . . . well, just wow. She’d had good sex before. She’d had great sex once. Sex with Dustin was off the charts, though, and she’d been sad that they’d only had two condoms because they’d definitely wanted to go more than that and—

  Shoot.

  Annie leapt out of bed, racing to the bathroom. She’d forgotten about the broken condom. She needed to get to the pharmacy and get a morning-after pill, just in case. She grabbed her shirt as she ran, flinging it over her head. She could just splash water on her face, then—

  Oh dear. The reflection in the mirror was a woman who’d spent all night destroying her bed with her man. Her hair was indeed a wild nest, she had hickeys all over her neck, and her lower face was pink from the abrasion of Dustin’s beard stubble. On a hunch, she pulled her shirt against her and sniffed. Even through the clothing, she smelled like sex.

  Shower first, then a frantic race to the pharmacy. No problem.

  “Five minutes, Spidey,” she told the whining dog, and then jumped into the shower.

  Ten minutes later, she twisted her wet hair into a clip, grabbed his harness leash, and they went out the door. The hotel itself was crowded, and everywhere she looked, she could see her coworkers—production assistants, gaffers, grips, sound techs, people she’d worked with for the last three months. They all had suitcases out, readying to leave. The maid service cart was in front of the room across the hall and she could hear vacuuming.

  The urge to go back to her room was strong, but the need for a morning-after pill was even stronger.

  As if she did the morning walk of shame every day, Annie headed down the hall, avoiding eye contact and doing her best to look inconspicuous. A few people smiled and waved, but no one stopped her, thank goodness.

  The pharmacy was just a short jog down Main Street, but then again, everything in Painted Barrel was off Main Street. She let Spidey do his business and then they headed inside. The moment the doorbell clanged, though, the employee behind the counter was staring at her. It was a woman, and a really pretty one. She had bright blonde hair and even brighter red lips, and she frowned at the sight of Annie.

  “You can’t bring dogs in here,” she practically snarled.

  “I’m sorry. I’ll just be a moment,” Annie promised, picking Spidey up so he wouldn’t walk on the floor.

  “This is a pharmacy,” the woman hissed at her. “I don’t care if he’s a service dog or not, but people have allergies!”

  Oooh, right. Wincing to herself, Annie went back outside and tied Spidey to a nearby mail drop. She didn’t like leaving him alone, but it was quiet and there was no chance of him getting in the street at least. Five minutes, she silently promised him, and then trotted back inside, heading for the feminine hygiene aisle. The store wasn’t very big—no more than four dingy rows of shoulder-high shelving, but surely they’d have the morning-after pill.

  They did. Naturally, everything was locked.

  She squinted at boxes and peered at things, but there was no sign of a morning-after pill. She’d have to ask the pharmacist. Figured. Bracing herself, Annie went back to the front cash register, where the blonde was glaring at her. “Hi. I’m looking for the morning-after pill?”

  “We keep that behind the counter, skank.” The blonde looked furious.

  Annie blinked at her in shock. “I . . . I’m sorry? What did you say?”

  “I can’t believe you slept with him,” the blonde hissed. She glared daggers at Annie. “That’s my man.”

  “I . . . what . . . who?” This felt surreal, like something in a bad dream. Her stomach started to hurt. “I think you have the wrong person.”

  “Are you sleeping with Dustin Worthington? Tall, dark-haired cowboy? Good-looking? Because that’s my man.” The blonde gave her another scathing look and then added, “Bitch.”

  Annie’s jaw dropped. She couldn’t breathe. “I . . .” She stared at the woman’s name tag, trying to make out if there was a last name. Just a first name—Theresa. Surely Dustin wasn’t married, was he? There was no way. He lived out on a ranch—

  Wait. She’d asked to go over there a few times and he’d said it wasn’t private. What if it was because this woman was living there? Annie stared at the blonde in horror. “I think there’s been a mistake,” she whispered. There had to be.

  The blonde just gave her another ugly look. “Please. He sticks his dick in everything that comes into this town. The only mistake was you thinking you could come in here and brag to me.”

  “I wasn’t . . . I didn’t . . .” She swallowed hard—or tried to, but the gigantic knot in her throat wouldn’t go down. For a moment longer, she stared at the blonde, and then turned and left the store, racing out to where Spidey was tied. She fumbled with the dog’s leash, desperately pulling at the knots with trembling fingers, and when he was finally free, she scooped him up and ran back to the hotel.

  Thankfully, she mad
e it up to her room before she started sobbing.

  It wasn’t true. It wasn’t.

  But it made so much sense. She’d wondered why someone as handsome and charming as Dustin was interested in her. She knew, now. He had a girlfriend—or a wife, she’d forgotten to look at the woman’s finger. He didn’t ever bring her home because he had someone there. Katherine had tried to warn her.

  And Annie had been such an idiot. The stunt with the condoms? Checking the dates? That had seemed so stupidly sincere, but would he need condoms if he had a steady girlfriend/wife? Of course not. The whole “is it too soon to fall in love” schtick? She’d fallen for it like an idiot.

  Sobbing, she collapsed on the floor and hugged Spidey close, letting him lick her face. Dustin had played her. He’d played her and she’d fallen for it like an idiot. He’d carefully kept them apart from the rest of the town and she hadn’t thought anything of it because she didn’t want her coworkers to know.

  She was so stupid.

  CHAPTER TEN

  Dustin’s phone buzzed with texts all morning long, but unfortunately, all of them were from Theresa. He ignored the first few, like he always did, and then when they didn’t stop, he blocked her without bothering to read any of them. He wasn’t interested in hearing what she had to say.

  It was probably time to get a new phone number, he reckoned.

  There wasn’t a single text from Annie, though, and that struck him as strange. Last night had been . . . well, he’d broken one of his own rules about dating. Treat ’em like a Good Time Girl. Have fun but never get serious, and never take it past kissing.

  Yeah, he’d broken all those rules last night. He’d slept with Annie and lost his heart in the process. Then again, he suspected his heart hadn’t really been his since the moment she’d looked up at him, eyes shining as her arms went around one of Old Clyde’s dogs. There was just something pure and sweet and good about her that called to him. She wasn’t fake or pretentious. She was the type of girl he’d never get tired of, never wonder what she was thinking or if she was lying. She was real and honest and he loved that. When he was with her, he didn’t feel that nagging restlessness. He just felt calm and peaceful. Happy.