A Cowboy’s Destiny: The McGavin Brothers Read online

  “Yes.” Tansy’s cheeks were pink. “Yes, we are.”

  “Then allow me.” Michael opened the door for them. “Probably shouldn’t say this, but you’re stirring up some great memories for me.”

  Aleck glanced at him as he walked into the building. “How’s that?”

  “He used to live upstairs,” Tansy said.

  “Sure did.” Michael came in and closed the door. “That’s where Roxanne and I…well, like I said, great memories.”

  Aleck stared at him in total confusion. “I have no idea what to do with that information.”

  “Just letting you know the place has good vibes.” Michael grinned. “Have fun.” He tipped his hat and walked into the GG dining room where the lunch crowd was already gathering.

  Tansy turned to him. The depth of emotion he’d seen in her eyes a few moments ago had been replaced by a sparkle of laughter. She gestured toward a wooden staircase where a velvet rope blocked access. “Ready to go have fun?”

  He shrugged, feigning nonchalance. “Seems like that’s what everyone expects of us.”

  “No kidding.” She stepped over to the rope and unhooked it. “Pressure’s on. We’d better have fun or else.” She headed up the stairs.

  “I’m not too worried about it.” Predictably, his jeans began to pinch as he followed her. “I’ve been having fun ever since I met you.”

  “Same here. But this is a different sort of fun.”

  “I’d call it the best sort.”

  “It can be. With the right person.”

  “Like I said, nothing to worry about.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  Aleck followed Tansy into the apartment at the top of the stairs, turned and closed the door. The soft click jumpstarted his pulse.

  Drawing in a breath, he took off his hat and hung it on the doorknob. Then he looked around.

  Tansy kept her small living area shipshape, the way Aleck kept his. But there the similarity ended. Each wall was a different color. Brightly patterned curtains hung at the window and she’d used the same material for a cloth to cover her small dinette table and the cushions on each of the two chairs.

  A tiny kitchen created an L shape at the far end of the apartment. The bed took up most of the remaining space and commanded nearly all his attention. The coverlet on her bed was a kaleidoscope of every shade in the rainbow.

  He looked closer. The room was more than shipshape. Nothing was out of place. Even the coverlet on the bed was perfectly smooth. Not a single dent or wrinkle in the fabric.

  She stood motionless in the middle of the room, calmly watching him.

  “The place looks nice.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Almost as if you were expectin’ someone.”

  “I was.”

  “Who would that be?”

  “You.”

  He blinked. “But we just came up with our plan today.”

  “I’ve been imagining you in my apartment ever since you walked in the door of the GG.”

  “Hey, now. That’s…I like hearin’ that, lass.”

  “Remember when you asked if I lived upstairs?”

  “Aye.”

  “I wanted to say you’re welcome anytime. I didn’t know if it would ever happen, but I’ve been keeping the place picked up since then, just in case.”

  “And here I am.”

  “And it’s like I imagined, only better.”

  He walked toward her, taking his time. “We’ve been on the same page all along.”

  “You imagined yourself in my apartment?”

  “Couldn’t since I’d never seen it. I just knew that somehow I had to find a way that we could be alone.” He cupped her face in both hands. “From the moment I looked into your eyes, I knew…” He paused to draw a breath. “Knew I had to make love to you.”

  Reaching up, she cradled his head and held his gaze. “Then please do.”

  The glow in her eyes was back, shining so brightly that his heart ached. He lowered his mouth to hers.

  Ahhh. Sinking under waves of delight, he surrendered at last to the needs that buffeted him whenever she was near. Her kiss urged him on. Her moans fired his blood.

  He undressed her with hands made clumsy with haste. Breathing hard, she fumbled with his shirt buttons, swore softly when she couldn’t undo his jeans fast enough. Frustration gave way to laughter as they were nearly defeated by their boots.

  After an eternity of struggling to free themselves from the trap of jeans and boots, they tumbled onto her multi-colored coverlet gasping for breath. He moved over her and braced himself on his outstretched arms.

  “I want to look at you, lass.” He gulped for air. “So bonnie lyin’ on this riot of color. A feast for the eyes, you are.”

  “Feast away.”

  “I must warn you, I have a powerful appetite.”

  She ran her hands over his pecs, lightly stroking his sensitized skin and teasing his chest hair. “I like that in a man.”

  “Somehow I knew that about you.” Leaning down, he pressed his mouth against the hollow of her throat. The quick tattoo of her pulse vibrated against his lips for a moment.

  Slowly, deliberately, he began his journey, a quest to learn all he could about the woman who had bedeviled him. Along the way he intended to ratchet up that drumbeat. He wouldn’t stop until she was writhing in the grip of the same insatiable desire burning in his loins.

  That assumed he could explore her quivering body without giving in to his own needs. Maybe not. As he traveled, her breathing kept pace with his progress. He made sweet love to her breasts before kissing a trail down each arm, paying close attention to the tender spot inside her elbow.

  Ah, but his tadger and his baws paid the toll on this road of discovery. He silently promised them their eventual reward. The wait would be worth it.

  Bypassing his main goal, he concentrated on her feet with her patriotic toenails. She was ticklish. Made him smile. Nor did he take advantage. He was ticklish, too.

  The backs of her knees were sensitive to the slow swipe of his tongue. Her thighs even more so. As he made his way to her inner thighs and gradually moved higher, she gasped out his name.

  He nibbled closer, breathing in the intoxicating scent of arousal. “What, lass?”

  “Please.”

  “Aye.” Sliding both hands under her firm backside, he lifted her for the most intimate of all kisses.

  Ah, now she was in the grip of it, moaning and twisting on the coverlet as he brought her to the brink and hurled her over it. She muffled her long, lusty cry of release.

  Lowering her back to the coverlet, he kissed his way up her flushed body, propped himself on his forearms, and gazed into her heavy-lidded eyes. “Having fun?”

  She sucked in a breath. “Big fun.”

  “My turn.” Sliding off the bed, he located his jeans and fished a condom out of the pocket.

  “I’ll…do my…best.”

  He lifted his eyebrows. “Concerning what?”

  “To be fun. I’m…limp as a…banana peel.”

  He finished rolling on the condom and returned to the bed. “Dinna fash yourself, lass. My tadger and I will bring you back to life.”

  She smiled. “I could listen to you all day.”

  “And all night?” He moved between her thighs.

  “That, too.”

  He ached something fierce, but he held back so he could check her beautiful face for whisker burn. “I see a wee bit of evidence of my beard.”

  “I don’t care.”

  Bracing himself above her, he studied the smooth slope of her breasts. “Some there, too. I’ll be more careful.”

  “Don’t you dare be careful. The brush of your beard was erotic especially…at the end.”

  “Didn’t think of that. Was just—”

  “Driving me wild. If my thighs chafe a little during my shift tonight, I’ll remember why.”

  Desire fisted in his gut. “Somethin’ more I’d have you remember.”
He thrust deep.

  She gasped. “I do…believe I will.”

  “So will I.” Closing his eyes, he reveled in the sensation of her warm channel sheathing his tadger.

  “Having fun?”

  “Aye.” He opened his eyes so he could watch the change in hers. “Can’t remember ever havin’ this much of it at one time.”

  “Me, either.” She wrapped her arms around him. “Maybe it’s the good vibes here.”

  “Could be.”

  “You agree?”

  “Why not?” He took a chance and moved a wee bit. Didn’t lose control. Moved a wee bit more.

  “The lawyers I’ve known wouldn’t.”

  “I’m a Scotsman.” He eased back and pushed deep again.

  Her breath hitched. “So?”

  “Our national animal is the unicorn.” He stroked more firmly. Got an answering quiver from her channel.

  “It’s…it’s the lion.”

  “Do your research. It’s both.” He initiated a steady pace, even though his tadger wanted fire and fury. Tansy needed to catch up so she could ride the whirlwind with him.

  “Didn’t know that.” Her breathing quickened.

  “But I don’t credit the vibes of this place.”

  “See? You don’t really—”

  “It’s us.” He took a chance and moved faster.

  Her pupils widened. “You think?”

  “I do, lass. I also think you’re goin’ to come again.”

  “Couldn’t possibly.”

  “Is that a challenge?”

  “Ah, right. You love a—”

  “Challenge accepted.” He shifted the angle and bore down.

  “Oh, my.” Her fingertips pressed into his back.

  Even better, her core muscles clenched. He had this. “Still limp as a banana?”

  “Not…so much.” She rose to meet his next thrust.

  “Come when I come.”

  “I just might.”

  “Count on it.” The pressure of an impending climax made him gasp. “We should…be quiet.”

  “Uh-huh.” She began to pant. “If you can.”

  “I can.” Her first spasm rippled over his rock-hard tadger. “Let go, Tansy-girl.”

  “Ah, Aleck…Aleck.” She pressed a fist to her mouth as she arched upward in a blaze of glory.

  Her orgasm set off his. Teeth clenched against the bellow he had to swallow, his breath hissed out as his happy tadger celebrated with gusto. He quivered and shook. The room spun as if he’d been drinking all night. Somehow he managed not to collapse onto Tansy.

  When the red haze cleared and he could see again, she was gazing up at him, her brow furrowed.

  He peered closer. “Lass? You all right?”

  “I’m fine. Great. Are you okay?”

  “I’m spectacular.”

  “Whew, that’s a relief. That was an epic reaction to a climax. Worried me some.”

  “Thought the top of my head was comin’ off.”

  “That doesn’t sound good.”

  He smiled. “Oh, no, that climax was braw.”

  “Is that like pure barry?”

  “Aye. But I couldn’t yell and carry on, so I stuffed it down. Took some effort. Probably looked like I was havin’ a fit.”

  “Braw, huh?” She looked pleased about that.

  “Best word for it. Any more intense and I might have blacked out.”

  “Wow. Is that how it usually is for you?”

  He hesitated. Oh, what the hell. “No.”

  “Maybe it’s the time change.”

  She was adorable. “It’s not the time change. It’s you.”

  “Me? I didn’t do anything.”

  “Except be your wonderful self. But I stand corrected. It’s not only you.” He dipped his head and brushed a light kiss over her mouth. “It’s us.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  While Aleck was in the bathroom taking care of the condom, Tansy threw on a filmy cover-up she used to wear when she’d lived back East and had spent weekends at the beach. She hadn’t worn it since moving to Eagles Nest, but it was perfect for walking around her apartment while entertaining a lover.

  What a concept. Although she’d dated a few guys since relocating, none of them had excited her enough to justify inviting them up here. Aleck was the first. After the height of the bar he’d set, she couldn’t imagine inviting anyone else.

  She should feed the guy, though. He’d expended a lot of energy on her behalf. She was hungry, too. Rummaging through her small fridge yielded a tub of potato salad and a couple of baked chicken breasts, a quarter of a cherry pie from Pie in the Sky and a quart of vanilla ice cream.

  He came out of the bathroom wearing nothing. It was a good look for him. If he wanted to stay like that, she wouldn’t object in the slightest.

  But one glance at her and he reached for his jeans and briefs.

  “You don’t have to put on clothes while we have something to eat.”

  “You did.”

  “This isn’t clothes. You can see through it.”

  “Noticed that.” A gleam lit his green eyes. “Enjoyin’ the fact.” He put on his knit briefs.

  Although they hugged his package in a tempting way, she missed the full monty. “I enjoy seeing you without any clothes at all.”

  “Thank you for that, lass, but I’ll put these on for sittin’ at your wee table havin’ some lunch. After that I’ll be more than willin’ to strip down again.” He buttoned his jeans and zipped the fly.

  “Okay.” She smiled. “There’s something to be said for that look, too. Same outfit you were wearing this morning when I walked out of the bathroom.”

  “Wearin’ only a towel.” He walked toward her. “Were you meanin’ to drive me crazy?”

  “No! I’d left my clean clothes in my room. How did I know you’d be leaning in your doorway waiting for me to come out?”

  “After that kiss the night before, you didn’t expect me to be there with my tongue hangin’ out?”

  “I didn’t think that you—”

  “You lit a fire in me.” He pulled her close. “Leanin’ in the doorway was all I could get away with. Wanted to come in and join you in the shower.”

  “Wish you could’ve.” She wound her arms around his neck and snuggled against his bare chest. “I’d like showering with you.”

  “Checked out your wee shower just now. Sharin’ it would take some doin’.”

  “I’m not sure we’d both fit, let alone have room to…have fun.”

  His eyes darkened. “Now I’m cravin’ that experience with you.”

  “Not in the cards this trip.”

  He studied her silently for a moment, his expression unreadable. “Aye, can’t be greedy.”

  “I’m afraid that’s exactly what I am.” She ran her finger around his sculpted lips.

  “Want to forget about lunch?” He caught her hand and nibbled on her finger. “I could feast on you, again.”

  “Or I could feast on you.”

  He hummed low in his throat and pulled her in tight. “Sounds great. Let’s—”

  “But we should eat lunch. I’m not sending you back to Wild Creek hungry.”

  “Ask me if I care.”

  “I care.” She wiggled out of his arms. “I have cold chicken and potato salad. I could warm up the chicken if you’d—”

  “I’d rather not take the time.”

  “Good call.” She opened the fridge so she could pull out the containers of food. “I also have cherry pie and ice cream if you want dessert.”

  “I definitely want dessert, but I have somethin’ else in mind.”

  Desire curled and stretched, warming her core. He’d loved her so thoroughly already. What other treats did he have in store? Would he—

  “Reconsiderin’ the lunch plan?” He slid his arm around her waist and placed a kiss on her shoulder.

  She snapped out of her daze and grabbed the container of potato salad. No telling how long sh
e’d been standing in front of the fridge with the door wide open. “You can put that on the table, if you would, please.”

  He chuckled. “Sure thing.”

  “It’s just that I’m not used to having a man in my apartment. I got distracted.” She carried the container of chicken over to the counter and took two plates from the cupboard. “If you wouldn’t mind, napkins are in that holder on the counter and silverware’s in the drawer on my right.”

  “Happy to.” He transferred both to the table and came back into the tiny kitchen area. “Do you consider Rory a man?”

  She put a chicken breast on each plate. “Of course he’s a man. What—”

  “Just askin’, because he told me that he and Damaris come up here and hang out with you sometimes. He said I’d like the place.”

  “You know what I mean.” She handed him the plates.

  “I do, lass. Just teasin’ you. And thanks for the information, although I’m surprised. I’d think the men in this town would be beatin’ a path to your door.”

  “I’m picky.”

  “Glad to hear it. And in case you couldn’t tell, I feel honored to be here.”

  “I can tell.” She gave him a smile.

  “Quieter than I thought it would be up here. Cozy.”

  “There’s usually a lull in the early afternoon. Want some McGavin Pale Ale to go with this?”

  “Sure.”

  She took two bottles out of the fridge, twisted off the caps and brought them to the table. “Have a seat.”

  “First I’ll get your chair.” He came over, held it for her and scooted her in.

  “Thanks.”

  “You’re welcome.” He took the other chair. “And just so you know, I didn’t do that because Rory told me to. It’s what I do for ladies back home.”

  “I’m sure they appreciate it.” She wanted to ask about those ladies. Or did she? Maybe she wouldn’t like what she heard.

  He met her gaze across the table. “I’m picky, too.” His expression wasn’t difficult to read this time. He’d looked at her this way in the parking lot, right before Michael had come out.

  Her heart beat faster. “Good to know.”

  “I want you to know. This…what’s happened is…I don’t usually…”

  “Make love to someone the day after you’ve met?”