“A mighty fine idea, if I may say so.”
Hot color flooded her cheeks. “I assumed…” she trailed off in uncertainty. Openly amused, he laughed. The husky sound tensed Samantha’s insides with a zealous craving.
“It’s the middle of spring, Lady. It’s warm outside, and this isn’t the Wild West. There’s nothing dangerous out there, well maybe…us.”
“Oh, all right, Mr. Be—”
“Cody…the name’s Cody.” He retrieved two blankets from the cupboard and stood.
Huh? Samantha gawked at him in surprise. Now this certainly is a first, an offer to use his name. Will wonders never cease? Wow, definitely a whole new side to the irksome Cody Bentley. Perhaps it’s for the best. “Is there some place to wash up? I’m dusty.” She smirked at her dirty white shorts and tee. Not the best riding clothes. Then again, it wasn’t like she planned on riding Daredevil today.
“There’s a warm spring around the corner. I’ll show it to you.” Blankets in hand, he trudged outside.
A quick rummage through the cupboard, Samantha discovered a small towel and an oversized checkered shirt. Bringing it to her nose, it smelled clean. It will do. Not like there was a choice. Outside, she fell into stride next to Cody.
He was right. The night air certainly radiated warmth and bright light from the brilliant glow of the moon. The ground underneath her bare feet resembled a carpet with gossamer soft grass and ferns. The heavy scent of freshness and perfumed flowers prevailed, languidly usurped her senses.
At the spring, she clasped her hands in delight at the splendor of the granite rock pool surrounded by an outcrop of rock and ferns. Big enough for two people, the water shimmered in the bright glow of the moonlight and created a delightful scene fit for lovers. Only, she didn’t have a lover. She grinned.
“Enjoy your bath.”
All thoughts of eroticism fled out the door as she balked at the idea of being alone out there even if he were a few feet away. Samantha gripped his arm desperately. “Please don’t leave me alone.”
Cody gaped at her in bewilderment. “Lady, it’s okay, I’m just a minute away.”
“I’m not used to being out in the open.” A sudden sound made her glance behind him nervously. “You could sit here. Please, I won’t be long. I promise.” She pointed at the ridge behind the spring.
“Hey, it’s okay. Take your time. I’ll sit here on the grass.”
“Thank you.”
Gingerly, she stepped up over the outcrop and descended onto the ledge circling the pool. Removing her clothing, she swept her hair up into a knot then dipped in a toe to test the water. “Wow, its warm.” With a laugh, she submerged herself fully. It couldn’t be any more perfect. Samantha delighted in the silky strands of water embracing her body, lovingly. “Take a load off and try this, Mr. Bentley. Probably help you relax a little.”
****
Yeah right. Relax? Not an easy feat when his cock stood at attention every damn time she entered the room. His heart lurched at the sound of her laughter. Damn, this night just got longer. Right now, keeping his sanity in check seemed like a feat easier said than done. Lost in thought, he slid a blade of grass to his mouth as he relived the past hour.
Panic set in when he arrived at the river crossing and debated which way Daredevil had gone. Desperate, he sent up a silent prayer and hoped like hell Daredevil would head for the cabin. What a relief to find them there.
Her tear streaked face produced a sense of discomfort he never allowed himself to feel before, knowing he caused them. His reflections shot his hanker up a notch. Despite her tough exterior, her naivety more than peeked through the edges. Cody witnessed, tasted, and sensed it in their shared kiss. Samantha may run scared if he so much as hinted how much he wanted her or the potency of his need. An insatiable hunger he couldn’t deny.
He hadn’t been able to get the kiss out of his mind. Her lips, so full, so pink, and she tasted like coffee and strawberries. Weirdly delicious since he hadn’t bothered to taste other women he’d kissed before. Shocked at his behavior, he spent the last three days at the cabin. Comfort the furthest thing from his mind as he fought to control his bamboozled emotions the kiss instigated.
“I’m almost done.” Her words flittered over as a husky whisper.
Cody stood and dropped immediately to his knees, not before he glimpsed her naked moist skin and full tilted breasts bathed in the glitter of the moonlight. Oh, fuck. Not a sight he expected. Arousal, hot and heavy staggered each breath. He assumed she’d dressed already. How did he avoid her now? Think dammit. All the blood needed for thinking flowed quickly to his hard cock. It strained against his jeans, begged release.
A moment later, she appeared. The sight of her wearing his shirt which ended mid-thigh drew his hungry gaze to her long sexy legs. Electric pulses shot through his body. His hands itched. Touching her, now grew as a serious must. Aroused, he snared her shy gaze. Those green eyes alive with a sexual vibrancy hypnotized his senses. Cody’s body floated. Drowning described the sensation better. His mouth went completely dry. She’s so damn beautiful. Suddenly, riding back to the ranch seemed like a better option now. Being alone with her intensified his desire. No longer lust. It scared the hell out of him. Nothing must happen between them, not now, not ever. Say something please…anything.
“I borrowed it,” she whispered as if reading his mind and tugged the shirt collar.
Cody dragged a breath of air into his lungs in an attempt to calm his heated body. “It looks better on you.”
Her lips curved in a succulent smile. “Two sizes too big I’d say.” She fidgeted with the hem of the shirt.
He stood, extremely glad for the blankets in his hand. It hid the determined bulge in his jeans.
“Thank you again for waiting.”
Cody nodded. They strolled back in silence. In the kitchen he retrieved a metal coffeepot, coffee, and two mugs before practically fleeing outside. The busier he kept his hands the better for his horny state. It didn’t matter. The pressure in his balls stubbornly persisted. His cock still so hard he could hardly walk. Like a damn stud stallion during breeding. Hard, hot, and voracious.
****
Samantha sank into the springy mattress and attempted to dry her wet hair. A clear waste of time, she wrinkled her nose at the towel, too small for the job. Ticked off, she leaned back against the metal frame and stared at the ceiling. The smell of coffee wafted in through the door. Her stomach grumbled. She hadn’t eaten much today. Breakfast consisted of two cups of coffee and she skipped lunch. Fifteen minutes passed in agonizing slowness.
Unable to stand the aroma any longer, she jumped to her feet and ventured outside. Cody lay stretched out on a blanket in front of a blazing fire. Propped on one elbow, he chewed on a blade of grass.
Approaching the fire, Samantha stopped. “May I join you?”
He glanced up from his haven and gestured at the ground. “Sure.”
She hurried back inside the cabin, returned with the other blanket, and placed it on the ground opposite. Samantha sat down, bent her head forward, and attempted to dry her hair from the heat of fire. Throwing her head back, she finger-brushed her hair then conducted a silent survey of the grounds.
An enchanting picture, the silvery moonlight cascaded down on the luxuriant green carpet of ferns and grass. The gentle trickle of a nearby stream and the glow of the fire enhanced the setting. Undeniably romantic, she simply needed a willful lover. Her gaze rested on her companion.
She studied him through veiled lashes. Calm and serene, his hair appeared damp and slightly messy. He probably took a quick dip in the spring. Up close and without his hat, the man was broodingly gorgeous. She watched, fascinated, as the firelight played on his hair, adding depth to the rich chestnut brown color. Her fingers itched to run through its glossy softness. Cody oozed blatant sex appeal and an attitude there was nothing he couldn’t handle. Samantha wondered if he realized the effect he had on women.
His relaxed face softened the fine lines around his mouth and gave him a vulnerable boyish appearance. A stark contrast to his morbid expression she observed since her arrival. Staring languidly into the fire, he appeared lost in thought.
Her gaze wandered to his mouth recalling their shared kiss. Instant heat cascaded through her body. His lips were full and seductive shadowed by light stubble yet coarse enough to chafe the insides of her thighs with sensual pleasure. Drifting further down, her gaze rested on his neck and chest visible through the top two open buttons of his shirt. His skin appeared nearly bronze against the firelight.
Samantha itched to touch his bare skin. To run her hands over his defined six-pack abs she’d drooled over, twice. Continuing her furtive inspection, she stared at his masculine hands and long fingers resting against the blanket. She wondered if the callouses on them were rough, or would they add the right amount of friction on her skin. Her gaze slid lower, roamed over his long powerful legs. Yes…definitely the perfect lover for a romantic night like this.
Perfect but not willful.
The furtive scrutiny ended abruptly. Cody sat up and leaned forward. He poured then handed her a mug of steaming coffee. With a guilty blush, she accepted the mug. “Thank you.”
Silently, Samantha watched as he prepared their meal. His mannerisms held a sense of care, something she didn’t see before. Then again, she hadn’t the opportunity previously to scrutinize him this close. What little she perceived, exhibited the same officious arrogance equating to her father’s usual behavior. Perhaps it was this care though, which made his personality dissimilar to her father. The same caring, which Deborah gave her wholehearted love for her brother, despite his pompous indifference to her relationship with Steven. Obviously, there was a lot more to Cody Bentley she didn’t know. Time, however, wasn’t an easy pleasure. Her holiday would be long over before she figured him out.
Cody handed her a plate, drawing her out of her contemplative silence. They dined on canned beef stew and crackers which appeased Samantha’s hungry tummy yet did nothing to satisfy the subliminal hunger lurking in the depths of her womanly core. The bold realization startled her and she choked on the cracker she chewed.
“Are you okay?”
Her heart rate vaulted when her gaze locked with Cody’s. The inherent concern in his enigmatic eyes puzzled her briefly. Did the man even begin to understand the power he wielded with one look from those intense baby blues? Samantha nodded and dropped her gaze. Did she mistake his concern with raw desire? Stop it, Sam. What in God’s name is happening? She needed to break this strange spell. “Can I ask you a question?”
He nodded but didn’t look up. “Sure.”
Setting aside her plate, Samantha conducted a mental search for the right words. “Why do you hate women so much?”
Startled, his head snapped up. His lips shifted from a smile to a scowl. Damn, there goes the harmony. She waited for the onslaught of perpetual rudeness.
Instead, he answered dryly, “My experiences with the fairer sex have…what you’d say, left a bad taste in my mouth.”
“Care to elaborate.”
Cody shrugged his shoulders carelessly and got to his feet. “I don’t think it will interest you.” His voice held a faint trace of iciness as he stepped away.
Samantha persisted. “I beg to differ, Cody.” The use of his name made him turn. One dark brow jerked upward. “You’ve been rude since the day we met. I think I deserve an explanation, don’t you?” He zoned out again on another reflective journey. Samantha tried reading in his expression, seeing the battle raging in his head.
A moment later, he hunkered down in front of the fire and gazed at the flames. “My father hired my mother as a housekeeper to care for my grandma. Three months later, grandma passed away. Close to his mother, Dad took her death badly. Somewhere between work and tears he found comfort in my mother’s arms. Not long after, they married. After my birth, people started talkin’, warned Dad she wasn’t a good fit. He ignored them and worked hard, day and night. She spent her days sleeping with the ranch hands and nights spending his money at parties.”
Samantha observed the tightening of his jaw and the pulsating nerve near his temple. Reliving his past appeared to be a painful experience. Her heart bled for him and his pain.
“Just after my sixteenth birthday, she told him she wanted out. As a cattle rancher, my father’s business grew, obviously too slow for her liking. My mother wanted riches, a life filled with comfort and luxury. Out of the blue, she ran off with some rich oil bloke, she met at a party. Being tied down by kids wasn’t part of her big plan.” He shuddered with the pain of pent up emotions.
“They say love is blind, and my father, was blind to my mother’s wild ways ’cause he loved her, unconditionally. A man could stay without food for a few weeks, he could stay without water for a few days, and without air for a few seconds. Without hope, however, a man shrivels up and dies. My father aged twenty years overnight. He shut himself up in his room with the bottle as his only comfort. I reckon a mighty big part of him died the day she walked out. I tried my best to assume the reins on the ranch. A year after my mother left home, she died in a car accident with her boyfriend. That stressed my father even more and, like a zombie, he threw himself into his work, until his death two years later.” On a disgruntled exhale, Cody thrust a hand through his hair, stretched out a leg and leaned back on one hand.
Anguished, Samantha jumped up, skirted the fire and dropped down beside Cody. She took his roughened hand in hers. “I’m so sorry.”
The corners of his mouth dipped in a smile laden with a wealth of pain and regret. “Barely seventeen, I left school and took over the ranch. Dad and I worked hard to make a success of it. I guess when my mother left she not only killed my father’s love for life, but my spirit to trust and love. I swore I’d never let the twins and Jace suffer the same fate as my father and made sure education became a priority.” Cody took a deep breath through his nose and let it out slowly.
Samantha now understood. To protect his family from reliving a painful past, he became hard and tenacious. It was only natural. Swiftly, it dawned on her why her father was so protective. He shielded her from the cruel, harsh realities of the world. She refocused her attention when Cody spoke again.
“The twins were six and Jace nine. They don’t know our mother ran off and Jace. He’s still not clear on the facts. I told them she died in an accident. I vowed I’d never tell them the truth. While I may be a tyrant to some, hurting my brothers and sister would kill me. It’s better they think I’m a downright bully.” His reflective gaze stared at the flames as he fought some hidden demon. “I know families go through tough times and couples disagree but for a mother to leave her kids behind and walk out, is difficult to understand.”
An almost maternal tenderness washed over Samantha. No wonder the man erected such a severe barrier, shutting everyone out. Cody suffered a fate far worse than most teens his age. The pain forced him to substitute ambition for emotion. Deborah’s perpetual loyalty suddenly made sense. The man sacrificed everything for their happiness while nothing else mattered. A truly commendable feat. Gently, she squeezed the hand she held.
“Two years ago, I met one of Debbie’s friends. Someone who actually appeared normal or so I thought. Within a couple of months, we grew close. Then, Rachel declared her love. I told her I don’t fall in love so easily. I reckoned love required time and patience. She wanted total commitment, straightaway. Somethin’ I wasn’t ready for at the time. Rachel wanted a child…” Hesitation broke his words. “At least, I frickin’ thought so. To bring a child into this world, demands love and trust. I told her I didn’t have the time or the desire for either and it made her unhappy. I love children and I want my own someday, but I have to be ready for them, both mentally and physically. At the time I wasn’t.” The scowl on his face deepened at some unpleasant memory.
Samantha held his clenched fist in her hand. She massaged it with tenderness until he calmed down and relaxed his fingers.
“Two days later, she convinced me everythin’ was okay. Couple of weeks later, Rachel dropped a bombshell. She was pregnant. For a while I believed the condom broke and remained furious with my carelessness. She told Debbie I didn’t want the child. My sister, as expected, gave me the third degree…” he trailed off, his jaw clenched angrily.
“Cody, you don’t have to go on.”
“Unfortunately, I found her in bed with one of the ranch hands.” His wry laugh filled the night’s silence.
“No.” Samantha gasped in dismay. Oh, God, the poor man.
“When Debbie asked what happened, I chose silence. Rachel’s pregnancy was a scam. She wanted to hook a wealthy husband while she slept with the ranch hands.” His muscles tensed as his eyes filled with sardonic amusement. “Ironic, isn’t it.”
“What is?”
“The one woman I wanted a meaningful relationship with, turns out to be like my mother.” His brow creased in a frown which lent his face an angry grimace.
She massaged his hand tenderly. Faith dealt him the same blow twice. How awful. Life just isn’t fair. Tormented for love. It now explained his rudeness toward women. She really didn’t blame his behavior. Her throat constricted. Her heart cried out for the pain he’d suffered.
Samantha cupped his chin and gently eased his face in her direction.