Big Cowboy (Blue Collar Heat Book 3) Read online

  He gives me a thoughtful look before heading into the barn. I like that he doesn’t try to console me with useless platitudes. For the last year, all I would hear from people is bullshit about how I could get back on the track one day. I’ll never get back into a race car. Fate doesn’t give second chances. I shouldn’t even be alive, but I am, so I’m not about to take another risk. Not on the track. Not on anything. For now, I’m on the straight and narrow.

  “This is Bella.” Dallas leads a tan colored horse out of a stall. “She’s a sweetheart. We let kids ride her, so you should be able to handle her.”

  “Sounds good.”

  I eye the giant beast. She looks sweet enough with sweeping lashes and a cute muzzle. I give her nose a quick rub. She wiggles her lips at me. I doubt she’ll buck me. Hopefully. Another round of broken ribs wouldn’t be fun.

  “How do I get on?” I ask.

  “Let me saddle her up, and I’ll show you how to ride.”

  There’s that dimple again. I know what I’d like to ride right now, and it’s not Bella. Even though I spent years surrounded by men, I never really dated anyone long term. I went on a few dates, but they never amounted to anything. So now I’m twenty-two, and I’ve got very little experience. I need someone to teach me how to be sexy. Would Dallas be up for the challenge?

  After saddling both horses, he steps to Bella’s side.

  “First, you put your foot in the stirrup,” he says as he demonstrates. “Then you grab the horn and push up with your leg. Swing your other leg across her back to the other side. Then settle into your seat.”

  He makes it look so easy, as if he were born to ride horses.

  “Did you grow up on a ranch?” I wedge my boot into the stirrup.

  “Nope. I grew up in Dallas, in the city.”

  “Is that where you got your name?” I try to pull myself up.

  “I guess. My mom gave it to me. Push with your legs.”

  I try. I’m about halfway up when my thigh starts quivering. I’m falling backward. He grabs my ass in his big palms and pushes me up. I gasp as I drop into the saddle.

  “There you go.”

  I’m sure I’m beet red right now. And even worse, my pussy’s mashed up against this saddle horn. I want to grind against it like a vibrator. I saw this video once of a woman riding a vibrating machine. In an abstract way, it looked like a saddle. I’m sure someone, somewhere sells these things. Rule 34 of the internet and all that.

  “You good?” he asks.

  “Yep.”

  He pulls up and onto his horse in one graceful motion. As we walk out of the barn, he leads. I could watch him ride all day. The view from behind is sexy as hell. He rises and falls in time with the horse, in perfect harmony with its movements. I wonder if he makes love with such grace.

  I shake my head. Ridiculous thoughts. He’s so off limits, it’s not even funny.

  “The trail gets wider up ahead. Pull up next to me.” We ride side-by-side in silence. After a few minutes, he stops and points at a distant hill. “The property goes all the way past those hills. See those cows? Those are his too.”

  “Everything on the ranch is huge.”

  “It sure is.” There’s a hint of dirty in his tone. It doesn’t take a genius to realize he likes being bad. He likes teasing me. Well, two can play at that.

  “I bet my thighs will be aching by the time we’re done.” I flash my most innocent smile.

  “I bet they will.” His gaze rakes down my body, lingering on my thighs, before sweeping up to take me in. I’m wrapped up in a huge jacket, a scarf, and a knit hat covers my head. This outfit is anything but sexy, and yet he’s looking at me as if he wants to peel it off and take me on the frozen earth.

  “So…” I bite the edge of my lip. “How did you end up in Montana?”

  “Montana, hum?” He huffs a laugh. “O-kay…Well, I met your brother working construction in Dallas. He would talk nonstop about how he wanted to get out of the city. He’d always been a country boy at heart.”

  “What about you? Are you a country boy too?”

  “It grew on me.”

  When he urges his horse forward, I put slight pressure into my heels. Bella responds immediately. We walk together, thighs almost touching.

  “What’s your favorite thing about living on the ranch?”

  “Privacy. Sure, your brother’s around, but for the most part, I only see him when I’m working.”

  “I’ll be glad to finally have time away from everything. I couldn’t walk anywhere in Daytona Beach without running into someone who wanted to console me over my loss.”

  “They probably meant well.”

  “Probably, but I hate talking about it.”

  “You haven’t stopped talking about it since we met.” He turns to look at me. His Stetson casts a shadow across his eyes. I can’t read the expression on his face, so I don’t know how to respond.

  “I guess I haven’t,” I admit.

  “It’s okay. The grieving process takes time. When I finally walked away from my family a few years ago, I refused to talk to anyone about it for almost two years. Your brother helped me through the darkest time in my life. If you ever need to talk, I’m here.”

  “What happened with your family?” I ask.

  “I don’t like to talk about it.”

  His tone doesn’t invite more questions. It’s obviously a sore subject. Whatever happened had to be bad if it was enough to make him walk away from his family. Maybe he’ll tell me more some other day, once we get to know each other better.

  He reaches across and lays his hand on my thigh. My flesh burns as if I’m naked. Something about him strips me bare. Even fully clothed, I’m naked, raw, and exposed. I don’t want to like it, but I do. He’s not part of the racing world. He’s not going to pity me the way they do. It’s refreshing, but it also scares the shit out of me. Am I ready to move on with my life?

  “We should head back. See those clouds?” He points toward the distant mountains. “They’re coming in faster than expected. We’re going to get a foot of snow tonight.”

  “You can read the clouds?” I’m amazed.

  “No.” He chuckles. “But I can read the weather app on my phone.”

  “And here I thought you were some kind of weather savant.”

  “Oh, I’m a savant all right, but not with weather.” He winks as he turns his horse back toward the barn.

  “I’m not even going to ask.”

  “It’s probably better you don’t. Ready to ride a bit harder?”

  Oh, I’m ready to ride something hard—my vibrator. Hey, a girl’s got needs. I dig my heels into Bella. She trots several paces before breaking into a steady gallop. I’m hanging on for dear life. This isn’t a race car, and I have no idea how to hit the brakes. Fortunately, she slows to a walk as soon as we’re within range of the barn.

  “I might need a little help down,” I admit.

  “I’ll be there in a second.” He swings off his horse and leads her into a stall. “You stay right there, I’ll be back to brush you down.”

  He jogs back to where I’m standing.

  “It’s just like getting on, but in reverse. Swing your right leg over, then when it’s on the floor, you can take your left foot out. Okay?”

  “I’ll try.”

  I get the first part right, but as I swing my leg over, I move too fast. I fall right into his arms. He sets me on my feet. His hands linger on my waist. Golden brown eyes spark with desire. We’re so close I can feel the soft brush of his breath on my cheeks.

  He leans closer. I lick my bottom lip.

  “For a first timer, you did good,” he whispers.

  “I guess I’m a natural.”

  “What else are you naturally good at?”

  I tug the edge of my lip into my mouth. The air between us burns with intensity. I know he wants to kiss me, but he’s looking for permission. A true gentleman. I want to give it to him, but that would take us on a track we’
re not qualified to run.

  A truck rumbles up the long driveway. I pull away and adjust the knit cap on my head. I tuck an errant strand of hair behind my ear. When my brother parks, he jumps out and heads toward us. I take another step away from Dallas and plaster a smile on my face.

  “What are you two doing out in the cold?” My brother asks.

  “She wanted to see the ranch, so I showed her around.”

  “It’s below freezing.”

  “I have long underwear on,” I offer.

  Dallas’ gaze snaps to me before he quickly looks away.

  “Let’s get inside before you freeze your asses off,” my brother says.

  “I’ve got some work to do out here,” Dallas says. “I’m turning in early. I’ll see you guys tomorrow.”

  After he leaves, Brendan pulls me into a hug.

  “It’s great to have you here.”

  “Thanks for letting me stay.”

  “You’re always welcome. Let’s get inside and we can catch up.”

  The inside of the main house is gorgeous. Hand-hewn wood flooring stretches throughout the ground floor. A staircase of rich chestnut leads to the second floor. A surprisingly modern kitchen with a double oven and a huge island has me swooning.

  “I might have to kick you out and take this place over,” I joke.

  “Want a beer?” He pulls open a Sub-Zero fridge.

  “Sure.” I take an ice-cold beer and follow him into a cozy living room.

  “I don’t mind you talking to Dallas…” he says as he sits in a recliner. “But watch out for him. He’s not a one-woman kind of guy.”

  “Oh, we weren’t—”

  “—Come on, sis. I know you.”

  “It’s not like that. He was just being nice.”

  “Which is fine, but leave it at that. I don’t want you broken again. Last time it was your ribs, but you can live with busted up ribs. You can’t live with a busted-up heart. I mean, you can, but it’s no fun. Trust me on that.”

  I take a swig of beer and wonder who wronged my brother. Apparently, he had some women issues while I was living in Florida. Interesting. I wonder if Dallas knows what happened.

  Ultimately, he’s right. I shouldn’t be thinking about hooking up with anyone right now, especially not Dallas. I can already tell he’s a heartbreaker. After all, isn’t any man with a cute little dimple predisposed to breaking hearts? I need to keep that in mind and keep my damn hands to myself. It’s going to take a lot of batteries, but I’m sure I’ll manage. God help us all if I run out of double AA’s.

  3

  Dallas

  Cold weather makes my nipples hard. But that’s not why my cock’s hard too. I’ve been watching Emily muck wet straw from the pig pen for the last twenty minutes. I’m peeking out one of the barn windows. I should be focused on feeding the horses, but I can’t stop staring at her ass in those jeans. The site is mouth-watering, to say the least. What I wouldn’t give to peel those jeans off and—

  “If you keep staring at my sister’s ass, I’m going to have to get the shotgun.”

  I snap my attention to Brendan. Apparently, I was too focused on Emily’s assets to hear him coming. He trudges toward me with a set jaw and narrowed eyes. Oops. Busted. I’m in trouble, but I’m sure I can talk my way out of this.

  “I wasn’t looking at her ass.” I flash an indignant look. “I was admiring the way she scoops giant piles of wet straw without complaint.”

  “Right.” He huffs. “I checked the water trough in the back pasture. The valve is frozen solid again. I’m going to take the torch to it.”

  “That worked last time.”

  “Yep. I just need to melt the ice.” He stands there staring at me long enough to make me shift my stance. I lean against the railing. “Do we need to talk about Emily?”

  “What about her?” I smile innocently.

  “She’s not a one-night stand. She’s my sister, and I don’t want to see her getting hurt.”

  “I wouldn’t dream of hurting her.” The fact that he thinks I’m capable of it stings. “Don’t worry, I won’t cross any lines.”

  “Good.” He slaps me on the back. “I know I can count on you to stay out of trouble.”

  “I don’t know about that.” I laugh.

  He shakes his head but smiles.

  “I’ll be back in an hour or so. If she finishes the pigs, show her how to check the greenhouse lines.”

  “Will do.” I tip my Stetson.

  After he leaves, I wait until he’s out of sight before returning to the window. I sigh. Now I know what Eve felt like in the garden of Eden. If she couldn’t resist a big juicy apple, then how I am going to resist a big juicy bubble butt?

  I smirk and return to my work. After tossing a flake of hay into each stall, I spot-clean areas of wet straw. Bella whinnies, so I pull off my gloves to pet her muzzle. She tosses her head—her way of asking for scratches on the top of her lip. I laugh as she makes the silliest horse face.

  “You’re ridiculous, you know that?”

  She leans into my fingers. I give her a good scratch.

  “I’ll take you out later. I know you hate being cooped up in here, but it’s supposed to snow later.”

  She snorts, apparently unamused that I’m not taking her out right now. I pull the gate to her stall closed and lock it.

  “We’ll ride later, I promise.”

  I hear boot steps behind me. When I turn, Emily smiles. She pulls off a pair of work gloves and shoves them in her back pocket. Suddenly, I’m insanely jealous of those gloves.

  “You talk to them?” she asks as she reaches in to stroke Bella’s muzzle.

  “Uh…Yeah.” I rub the back of my neck.

  “It’s cute.”

  “Cute? That is the last word a man wants to hear when a pretty lady’s describing him.”

  “If you’d ever met my competitors, you’d realize I’m not a lady.” She flashes a mischievous grin.

  “Really?” I take a step forward, all but pinning her to the gate. “If you’re not a lady, then what are you?”

  “Well…” She walks her fingers across my chest before trailing them across my grizzled cheek. “I could tell you… but I’ve been warned away from you.”

  “By Brendan?” I turn toward her palm and nibble the soft pad of flesh below her delicate fingers.

  “Mm, hum.”

  “That’s too bad.” I suck her thumb into my mouth. She pulls in a breath. Her blue eyes darken to the shade of a storm-darkened sky. “Because, I’ve been warned away too.”

  “You have?” her voice is low and throaty.

  My cock swells and presses against the zipper. I back her into the gate. I grip the bars on either side of her shoulders, caging her between my arms.

  “What should we do about that warning?” I ask.

  She bites the edge of her lip. Desire flares in my belly before sinking lower. Everything about her is pure temptation. I want to lick those lips and peel her flannel shirt off. The softness of her breasts brush against my forearms. My corded muscles clench.

  “What do you think we should do?” she asks.

  I brush my lips across hers in a feathery kiss. She grabs the back of my head and pulls me in, crushing her lips against mine. I groan and wrap an arm around her waist. I lift her slightly, and she wraps her legs around my waist. As I press my denim-blocked cock against her pussy, she shivers. I expect her to pull away, but she doesn’t. Instead, she thrusts her tongue into my mouth.

  I jolt. My Stetson falls off.

  Stunned, I can only melt into the kiss. Our tongues lash against each other at first before falling in a softer, more luxurious pace. Her hard nipples poke up against her shirt. I move one hand to cover her breast. I give her a gentle squeeze before flicking my thumb across the swollen bud. This would be so much better without clothes.

  I slip my fingers under the hem of her shirt. Soft flesh warms to my touch. Her belly clenches as she sucks in a sharp breath.

>   “Your hands are cold,” she murmurs.

  “They’ll be warm in a second.” I smile before returning to explore her mouth.

  She’s soft, sensual, and kisses like a goddess. Her initially rough approach surprised me. I hadn’t expected her to be so aggressive. However, she did race cars for three years, so she had to have learned it on the track. I like it.

  Her hands slide down to pull my shirt free. They’re icy cold on my waist, but I don’t care. I’m on fire, burning up from the inside out. All because of the one woman I shouldn’t be touching. Maybe the forbidden nature of our… whatever this is… is why I want her so much. But am I ready to risk my friendship with Brendan over her?

  I pull away and smooth my shirt.

  “Wow… that was…” I grab my Stetson off the floor and shake it before returning it to my head.

  “Yeah,” she whispers. Her fingers brush across her lips.

  “But… we probably shouldn’t.” It’s hard enough to force the words from my lips, but seeing the hurt in her eyes makes it so much worse.

  “Right.”

  “It’s not that I don’t want to.” I grab her arm as she tries to walk away. “Wait. Hey.” I cup her cheeks. She gazes up into my eyes. My resolve starts to crumble.

  “Don’t tease me if you’re not going to follow through,” she mutters.

  “I don’t mean to… I just—”

  Bootsteps approach from outside. We quickly pull away from each other as Brendan strolls into the barn.

  “You guys done with your chores?” he asks.

  “I finished with the pigs,” she says.

  “Horses are done too.”

  “Good. I could use your help. I took the torch to the valve, but it snapped clean in two. We need to fix the whole thing.”

  “Do we have a replacement?” I say, not liking the way my voice shakes.

  Brendan gives me an odd look.

  “No. We need to go to the store. I called Hank, and he’s got a spare. He’s going to give me a break on it since it’s used. It came off a line he doesn’t use anymore, so it should work fine.”

  “Sounds good.” I look anywhere but at Emily.

  “Em, while we’re gone. Would you mind throwing a roast in the crock pot? I’ve got everything ready to go in the fridge. I figured we could all have dinner together tonight. If you’re free.”