Chapter Four
C asey watched as Eva made a big deal out of straightening her waistcoat and shirt, clearly feeling very aggrieved that he’d interfered in her personal affairs.
“You didn’t need to do that,” she said.
“Yeah, I did. The sheriff was sitting in one of those booths. He was about to jump in before I did.”
Eva frowned. Her face was flushed, her eyes a little glassy. He’d been watching her pretty much since she’d come into the saloon, and he’d seen her down two straight vodkas in rapid succession in the ten minutes before the asshole in black had arrived. She wasn’t fall-over drunk, but she was definitely tipsy.
“I can handle myself,” she said.
“Saw that. Nice shot with the water. Next time, you should just kick him in the nuts.”
She stared at him. Then she let out a crack of laughter, her blue eyes bright with appreciation.
“Then I really would be in trouble with the law.”
“Probably,” he agreed.
He didn’t blame her for losing it. He’d heard what the asshole had said to her—half the bar had—and he’d already been pushing to his feet when Eva threw her glass of water.
Not that she was Casey’s to protect—not even close—but he wasn’t about to stand by and watch a man insult a woman without doing something about it.
She pushed her hair off her forehead, leaving one side sticking up unevenly.
“I s’pose I should thank you for saving me from myself,” she said grudgingly.
“You can sleep on it if you like, decide if you want to in the morning,” he suggested.
She pointed a finger at him. “You’re funny.”
“You’re pretty drunk, aren’t you?” he asked.
“I just need something to eat. I forgot to have lunch.”
“Right.” Casey glanced up the street, assessing his options. There was no way he could let her drive home in the state she was in, and he couldn’t just abandon her, either. “They do good burgers at the diner.”
“Thanks for the hot tip.” She gave him a mock salute.
He hid a smile. “All right, off we go,” he said, laying a hand on the small of her back and propelling her into motion. “Let’s get some food into you.”
She made a small sound of protest, but when he took his hand away, she remained at his side as he crossed the road and headed up Main Street toward the diner.
“You’re probably wondering who that guy was,” she said after a small silence.
“None of my business,” he said.
She threw him a look. “Come on. You’re not even a little bit curious?”
“I know all I need to know about him already,” he said.
She processed that for a beat, then shrugged. “He’s my ex. Ex-boss, ex-collaborator, ex-everything.”
Casey frowned. “Any reason you’re both in Marietta at the same time?”
“Oh yeah,” she said. “The Marietta Chamber of Commerce approached him four months ago to commission him to do a mural. We were in the middle of breaking up at the time. I offered my services as an alternative. They agreed to hear my pitch, and voila , here we are.”
She punctuated her speech with a wide, dramatic sweep of her arm that inadvertently smacked into his chest.
“Sorry. Don’t know my own strength,” she said. Then she grinned at him, amused by her own silly joke.
The sooner he got a burger into her, the better.
“Here we are,” he said, steering her up the steps and into the diner.
Flo was at the counter and she acknowledged him with a wave and pointed him toward an empty booth. He guided Eva into one side and took the seat opposite her, sliding a menu in front of her.
“The chicken burger is good, but the cheeseburger is better. And the fries are legendary,” he said.
“What are you having? I’m buying you dinner,” Eva announced.
“You don’t need to do that.”
“Yeah, I do. It’s cheaper than bail, right?”
He laughed at her logic. “Yeah, I guess it is.”
Flo approached the booth, offering them both a weary smile. “Evening. What can I do you for?”
“I will have the cheeseburger and some of your legendary fries,” Eva said, before looking at him with her eyebrows raised.
“Same for me, thanks Flo. And how about a couple of chocolate shakes?”
“Done and done. Won’t be long,” she said, giving him a friendly wink before bustling off.
“She’s a nice lady.” Eva pronounced it like a queen issuing a decree.
“She is.”
“She was going to try to find me somewhere to stay before Sierra stepped in.” She frowned as if something had just occurred to her. “Hey, that makes it two times now that I’ve been rescued by a Carmody.”
“We’re a helpful people,” Casey said.
She narrowed her eyes, studying him from across the table. “Why did you come to my rescue? You don’t even know me.”
“Didn’t seem like a very fair fight,” he said.
“I could totally take him,” Eva scoffed. “I grew up in Detroit. I fight dirty.”
“Right. That’s what I said.”
She laughed. “Thanks for the vote of confidence.”
Their shakes arrived and Eva immediately went to work on hers, lips pouting and cheeks hollowing as she sucked on her straw. Casey frowned and focused on his own drink, disturbed by how often and how quickly his thoughts turned to sex around this woman.
Plus she was tipsy-drunk, and it felt like he was taking advantage somehow by noticing how hot she was while she was under the influence.
“Okay, you were right, I needed that,” she said when she finally came up for air.
Then she pulled her straw out of her drink and licked it, her tongue curling around the length of it with erotic dexterity.
Holy shit.
Casey shifted in his seat.
“So. When do you find out who won the commission?” he asked.
“Tomorrow.” She pulled a face.
“You don’t like your chances?”
“He’s the one with the name. I might have helped build that name, but that doesn’t mean anything in the big scheme of things.”
“What’s next for you, then?” he asked.
She poked her straw around in her drink, her mouth pressed into a straight, unhappy line. “Don’t know. Back to LA. Might have to give up my studio, move in with my sister.”
Casey frowned. “Sounds like a tough call.”
“What can I say? You find me at a crossroads in my life, Casey Carmody. Anything could happen next.”
He liked the way she said his name, almost as though she was daring him to do something.
What, he wasn’t sure.
“Here we go. Let me know if you need anything else. We’ve got that coffee walnut cake you love on today, Casey,” Flo said as she slid two loaded plates onto the table.
“I’ll try to save a little room,” he said with a smile.
Eva grabbed a fry from her plate and popped it into her mouth as Flo sailed off again.
“You should use your powers wisely, you know. With great power comes great responsibility.”
“Excuse me?”
“That smile of yours. You should use it wisely.”
Casey frowned at her, genuinely bemused. She paused in the act of getting a grip on her burger.
“Are you seriously telling me you don’t know what I’m talking about?” she asked.
Casey’s frown deepened. “That’s exactly what I’m telling you.”
“Your smile—the one you just aimed at poor Flo without even considering the consequences—is a weapon of mass panty destruction. You must know that.”
He shook his head. She eyed him for a moment as if trying to work out if he was bullshitting her.
“Huh. The last of a dying breed—the hottie who doesn’t know he’s hot,” she said. “They ought to put you in a glass display case and charge admission.”
Casey could feel his face starting to get warm. “Think we could talk about something else now?”
“Why? Is me objectifying you making you uncomfortable?” she asked, eyes dancing with mischief and challenge.
“A little.”
“Okay. I will cease and desist. Just promise not to use that smile on me, okay? My defenses are down.”
He gave her a look across the table. “Eat your burger.”
The sooner she was sober, the better. For both of them.
Eva eyed the burger in her hand as though it was a challenge, then took a generous bite out of it. Casey watched, fascinated, as she closed her eyes, ketchup dripping down her chin.
“Oh my God. This is the best burger I’ve ever eaten. Either that, or I’m really hungry,” she said.
“Probably a little of both.”
She took another enthusiastic bite, then used a scrunched-up napkin to blot her chin. Which was when Casey realized he was staring, and forced himself to focus on his own burger.
He couldn’t help wondering if she was as enthusiastic about other things in life. Her work, for example.
And sex.
And there you go again .
“So what do you do around here when you aren’t cowboying?” she asked, one elbow propped on the table.
He gave her an amused look, guessing that “cowboying” in her mind probably consisted of woolly concepts she’d garnered from TV and movies.
“I sing in a band. Play a little ball in summer. Not much time for anything else with just the three of us on the ranch.”
“What sort of band? What sort of music do you play?”
“We’re a four piece—two guitars, keyboards, drums. And we play rock and country music. Crossover stuff, I guess.”
“What’s the band called?”
“The Whiskey Shots.”
“Cool name. Do women throw their underwear at you when you’re on stage?”
He reached for his shake to wash a mouthful of burger down. “No. What’s this obsession with me and underwear?”
“What’s this obsession with my obsession?” she asked, eyebrows raised in mock outrage.
He laughed again. She’d finished her burger, and she dusted salt off her fingers before undoing the buttons on her waistcoat and shrugging out of it. His gaze dropped to her breasts before he could stop himself. She was wearing a bra today, the texture of the lace discernible beneath her shirt. It made him think of the way he’d been able to see the outline of her nipples last night, the soft shape of her.
“You said no time for anything else. Does that mean no girlfriend?” she asked.
Her gaze was very direct across the table and he knew she’d caught him looking again.
“No girlfriend.”
“No boyfriend?” Eva asked.
He smiled. “No.”
Her gaze dropped to his mouth, then to his chest. He watched her checking him out and wondered what she’d taste like, how she’d feel beneath him.
“You want dessert?” she asked after a long moment.
“I’m good. But you have some if you want it.”
“God no, I’m done. But thanks for suggesting this place. I didn’t realize how hungry I was.”
“Not a problem.”
She eased to one side, pulling her wallet from her back pocket.
“You don’t need to do that,” he said, pulling out his own money.
“Shut up and take it like a man,” she said, throwing money on the table.
She had a mouth on her—there was no denying that. He liked it, a lot. Liked that she gave as good as she got, that she didn’t hold back or back down.
They stood simultaneously, and Casey was a little surprised to discover all over again how slight she was—she had such a big personality, while they were sitting down he’d forgotten he was almost a foot taller than her. They headed for the door, and Eva stopped at the counter to thank Flo personally for their meal. Then they were outside, in the quiet darkness of the street.
“Where are you parked?” she asked.
“Just past the saloon,” he said, indicating the direction they’d come from.
“Same,” she said, pivoting on her heel.
He matched his stride to hers, shooting her a quick, assessing glance. The glassy-eyed look from earlier was gone, and her gait was steady. But she’d seemed pretty tanked when she launched herself at her ex and he wondered if she was safe to drive now.
“I’m fine,” she said, looking at him.
“If you say so. I can drive you home and bring you back to pick up your van tomorrow, if you want to be sure.”
She was silent for a moment, and he liked that she seemed to be genuinely considering his offer, not just rejecting it out of hand.
“Thanks, but I’m okay. I just needed some food to soak up the vodka and adrenaline.”
They were about to pass the saloon and he watched as she glanced at the front window, a quick, furtive check to see if her ex was still there.
There was no guessing what she was thinking as they continued past the bar. He wondered if she was still hung up on the guy. In his experience, the kind of anger he’d witnessed earlier indicated there might be unfinished business on both sides.
Eva stopped and he saw they’d arrived at her van. She pulled her keys from her pocket.
“Thanks again for riding to my rescue,” she said.
“Actually, this is your first thanks. You were gonna sleep on whether you were actually grateful or not, remember, and get back to me with an answer.”
Her mouth turned up in a rueful smile. “What a pain in the ass I am, huh? An ungrateful, rude, pain in the ass. Let me do this properly—Casey Carmody, thank you for saving me from an assault charge. Your gallantry is noted and appreciated.”
“Don’t mention it,” he said, and she cracked up laughing.
“All right, I’m going to quit while I’m ahead. I’ll see you out at the ranch.” She turned to unlock the van.
“Keep an eye out for deer on the highway. They tend to move around a lot after dark,” he said.
She looked over her shoulder at him, a worried frown pleating her forehead. “What should I do if I see one?”
“Not drive into it.”
She blinked, then gave him a wry smile. “Right. Thanks for the insider intel, cowboy.”
“Pleasure, ma’am,” he said.
He walked across the road to where his pickup was parked and got in. She was just pulling away from the curb as he did a U-turn, and he wound up following her out of town. He put the window down and rested his forearm along the top of the door as he drove, keeping a safe distance as he trailed her out to the ranch. The night was still warm, and the radio was playing an old Dire Straits song, “Brothers in Arms.” Watching Eva’s taillights, Casey let himself think about the moment in the diner when she’d asked if he had a girlfriend.
There was something between them, something they both felt. An attraction, a magnetism.
She was unlike any other woman he’d ever known—a bit wild, fun, maybe even a little dangerous. If he hadn’t been there to hold her back tonight, he could only guess at what she’d planned on throwing at her ex next. A barstool? A fist?
He admired her fighting spirit and her refusal to concede, and he was becoming increasingly obsessed with the need to find out if her mouth was as soft and sweet as it looked.
And he really, really wanted to fill his hands with her perky little breasts.
He could feel himself growing hard and he eased off the gas a little. He was getting way ahead of himself. Reading too much into some heavy-duty flirtation and the heat in her eyes. They’d had fun over dinner, but it didn’t mean anything. It definitely didn’t mean that anything was going to happen between them tonight.
And she was leaving tomorrow.
Ahead of him, Eva’s left turn signal came on and he followed her up the bumpy gravel drive to the house. He parked beside her and made himself take his time getting out of the car, refusing to rush like a horny teenager just for the pleasure of scoring a few more minutes’ conversation with her in the dark.
He took his time gathering his jacket and phone, then got out of the car. She was waiting in front of her van, her face cast in shadows, hands tucked into the pockets of her pants. She looked as though she was supremely at ease, but as he drew closer he could feel the tension in her.
The edginess.
He pretended to inspect the front of her van.
“Didn’t bring any deer home. Good work,” he said.
“Had my heart in my mouth the whole drive.”
He wished he could see her face properly, wished he was the kind of guy who acted first and thought second. She was so damned pretty and sexy.
“Think you’ll drive back through Salt Lake City on the way home tomorrow?” he asked, because it was safer than saying the things he really wanted to say.
She laughed, the sound low and husky. “You don’t really want to stand here talking travel routes with me, do you, Casey?”
He was still trying to work out what to say in response when she turned and headed for the path beside the barn.
Damn . Real smooth with the frickin’ Google maps routine, Carmody .
“You coming or not?” she called over her shoulder.
For a moment he was so thrown he didn’t know what to do. And then he did, and he was moving, following her through the dark like a heat-seeking missile.
*
Eva’s heart was pounding so hard it was a wonder it didn’t hammer its way out of her chest. She could hear Casey following her and she got a little breathless thinking about what was about to happen.
Him, her, no clothes, a bed.
She’d been thinking about it—about him—all the way home.
The feel of his strong arm banded across her body. His voice in her ear, deep and low. The way he’d watched her across the diner table, his green eyes dark with hunger.
Last night, she’d told herself not to be distracted by him, but the chances of her winning the commission were almost zero, and she was going home tomorrow.
And she wanted to fuck Casey Carmody, big time.
She’d wanted it from the moment she’d first laid eyes on him, and she didn’t see any good reason to deny herself the pleasure of riding his big, hard body. Getting the chance to lie skin to skin with him might be the only good thing that came out of her trip to Montana.
She stepped up into the trailer and leaned across to flick on the reading light over the bed. Then she started on the buttons on her shirt. She had half of them undone by the time Casey filled the doorway and stepped inside. Once again he seemed to suck up all the available space, but tonight that was exactly the way she wanted it.
His gaze went to where she was working on her buttons.
“If you don’t mind, I like to unwrap my own presents,” he said.
He stepped closer, gently easing her hands away. Then he undid the remaining three buttons, his fingers warm against her ribcage and belly, his gaze intent on the task. When he was done, he pushed her shirt open and took a good, long look at her breasts. She was wearing a white lace balconet bra, and the way his gaze went from one breast to the other told her she’d made a good choice.
“Gorgeous,” he said, the single word thick and low with desire. He traced the frivolous, lacy edge of one bra cup and she felt herself get even hotter and wetter with need.
“Fair’s fair,” she said, reaching out to grab the hem of his T-shirt. She pulled it up, exposing the astonishing topography of his belly, chest, and shoulders.
“Holy fuck,” she whispered. “How can you be real?”
His shoulders were broad and bound with smooth muscle, his pecs covered with dark hair that narrowed to a silky, enticing trail that bisected his cut abs before disappearing beneath the waistband of his jeans.
He laughed. “I was going to say the same thing about you.”
And then he closed the remaining distance between them, pulling her close and ducking his head to find her mouth. His lips were soft but firm on hers, and she gave a little moan as she realized how much she needed this. He took it as encouragement, his tongue tracing the seam of her lips, and when she opened to him, his groan echoed hers as his tongue swept into her mouth.
He tasted like chocolate and warm nights and hot man, and she gave back as good as she got, clinging to his shoulders as they kissed as though their lives depended on it. He was the first to break the contact, muttering something under his breath as he trailed kisses to her ear and then down her neck. Need rocketed through her as he licked and nipped at her sensitive skin, his hands sliding up her ribcage to cup her breasts.
“Yes,” she encouraged. “Please.”
He pushed her bra up, and she almost forgot how to stand on her own two legs as his calloused fingers brushed over her nipples. The achy, needful throb between her thighs became a demand as he teased her, plucking and squeezing and soothing her with his clever hands.
Pushing him away, she ignored his muffled protest and concentrated on unbuckling his belt before tackling his fly. He was wearing gray boxer briefs, his cock pressing against the soft fabric. Impatient to see him, she pushed his underwear down with shaking, urgent hands. He was everything she’d hoped for and more—thick, long, and incredibly hard.
The thought of having all of that wonderful, hot hardness inside her made her even more frantic, and she pushed his jeans down his hips.
“We in a rush?” he asked, amusement in his voice as he obligingly kicked off his boots and stepped out of his jeans and underwear.
“Yes. Get on the bed,” she said, already working on her own pants.
He looked as though he might be about to object to her bossiness—then she pushed her pants and panties down, revealing the neat patch of her pubic hair. His face got very intent then, his features hardening, his cock twitching against his belly.
Half naked, she placed a hand in the middle of his chest and pushed him toward the bed. He went willingly, sitting on the edge of the mattress to watch her shrug out of her bra and shirt. She liked the way he looked at her, as though everything he saw pleased him.
As though he wanted to be inside her as much as she wanted him to be there.
She kicked her clothes to one side and took the two steps necessary to join him on the bed. Eyes holding his, she straddled him, snugging the hot, wet heart of her right against his hard cock as her breasts pressed against his chest. It felt good—amazing—to be skin to skin with him, and she angled her head and kissed him. His hands slid onto her breasts as their tongues danced together, his work-hardened hands once again driving her crazy as he played with her nipples.
So much had happened in the last few days. She was stressed out, worried, angry, scared about her future—and right now, none of it mattered because Casey Carmody’s mouth was on hers, his body hard and ready.
She made a small, regretful sound as he broke their kiss, only to shudder with pleasure when he immediately lowered his head to her breasts. The pull of his mouth on her nipple was nothing short of electric, the sensation shooting straight to her pussy. Need rippled through her as he split his attention between both breasts, sucking and teasing her with his hands and mouth.
“You like that?” he asked, the words blurred by her flesh.
“What do you think?” she asked, barely able to think, let alone speak.
“What about this?” he asked, one big hand sliding over her hip and belly to where she was spread wide for him.
Two fingers delved there, sliding over her slick flesh before plunging inside her.
She bit her lip, pressing down on him, loving the feeling of being invaded, of being full.
“You are so fucking hot,” he said, lifting his head to gaze at her in wonder. His eyelids were heavy, his cheeks flushed, his mouth slightly wet from her kisses.
Maybe it was what he’d said, or the look in his eyes—either way, she was done. Leaning across, she grabbed her makeup bag from the counter and extracted one of the three condoms nestled inside. Her eyes locked with Casey’s, she tore the foil pack open with her teeth, then shifted back just enough to get her hands on his cock. He felt smooth as silk and incredibly hard as she rolled the condom onto him.
The moment the contraceptive was safely deployed, she took him in hand and rose up onto her knees, guiding him to her entrance. His hands found her hips as she slid down onto him, his thickness filling and stretching her.
“Oh, God, yes ,” she sighed.
Hands gripping the hard muscles of his shoulders, she closed her eyes and started to move, savoring the slide, the pressure, the pounding of her own heart. It was perfect, exactly what she’d needed, what she’d craved.
Then she felt the heat of his mouth on her breasts again, and it stole the last of her sanity.