Cowboy Up (Coming Home #3)

“What did you tell me about the ugly in our past, Clayton? I got you and you got me, all of that stuff we’ve dealt with in our lives just helped us get to this point. So stop thinkin’ I can’t handle it and let me show you how strong your love helped me become.”

“Fine,” he grinds out unhappily. “I’ve known John Lewis since his family moved to Pine Oak. He was a middle school punk then, as I’m sure you know, but his arrogance didn’t turn dangerous until years later. I never liked him, but I didn’t hate the man until more recent years. It started when Jess used him to attempt to make me jealous. Didn’t bother me that she was carryin’ on with him, but him tryin’ to pick a fight with me got real old, real quick. He mighta had a drinkin’ problem when you left him, but he developed a drug problem on top of that when he came back to Pine Oak.”

“How long has he been back?” I ask, unable to stop the chill that trickles down my spine just thinking about him being so close to where I’ve settled, even if he never made an attempt at making me aware of that. Just thinking about how easy it could have been for him to inflict pain on me makes my heart race.

“Way I figure, right after you left him. Dates seem to match up.”

“I never knew.”

“Darlin’, he was so strung out, I don’t think he knew which way was up, let alone that you were only a half hour, forty-five minutes tops, away.”

“Tell me the rest, Clayton. I can see all over your face that there’s more.”

He runs his fingers through his hair, his naked chest flexing as he does. “He was supplyin’ drugs to some of the newer hands here on the ranch back then. I busted him myself when I came back from a night ride checkin’ the property after a nasty storm to find him in my fuckin’ barn dealin’. He was so high, but he was even more reckless. He took off before the sheriff got here, but not before his strung-out ass took out a fence and killed two of my horses on his way out. He didn’t even slow, Linney. Blew right through them in his daddy’s jacked-up truck. First time I’ve seen him since was that afternoon outside the diner in Wire Creek. I know he went to jail, heard rehab followed, but I’m not ready to eliminate him from the list of suspects who could be responsible for this just because he supposedly got help.”

I shake my head, shocked by what he’s telling me.

“I should’ve told you, but after you confided how bad things were when you were with him, I didn’t want you havin’ more reasons to fear that man. Not when I had hoped to protect you from that.”

“You really think it’s him?” A tremor hits me and I shiver, making Clayton push off the counter and walk over to me, pulling me from my seat and into his arms.

“I don’t know, darlin’, but I’m not goin’ to assume it isn’t.” He presses a kiss to the top of my head and tightens his soothing embrace. “I’m sorry I kept that from you, but I’d do it again if I felt like I could keep you from shakin’ like you are right now.”

I shift closer and press my face against his chest. Clayton’s scent fills my lungs and calms my racing thoughts. “Thank you for tellin’ me, honey. I don’t like hearin’ it, you’re right, but it makes me thankful I got out and got another chance at happiness. I’m not convinced it’s him, but I’m also not convinced it isn’t.”

“I’m not gonna let anythin’ happen to you. You know that, right?”

“Yeah, honey. If it’s all the same to you, I’m goin’ to hold off on startin’ the process of openin’ The Sequel here in Pine Oak. I know Luke doesn’t need help at Hazel’s anymore, but I’m goin’ to give him a call and see if I can work in the—” I stop talking when I feel the man holding me growl, the sound in his chest vibrating against my cheek.

“You ain’t workin’ in that bar, Caroline. I respect Luke, and your friendship with him and Lucy, but I won’t have you workin’ in Hazel’s when I know how rowdy that crowd is.”

“Luke won’t let anything happen to me, honey.”

“Luke can’t watch you and run that place at the same time. If you’re worried about money, don’t be. You never have to work another day if you don’t want to.”

I untangle myself from his hold and narrow my eyes at him. “I will not sit at home and do nothin’ while you bust your tail all day, Clayton Davis. I’m not an idle woman, but even if I was, I won’t be like her.” I poke him in the chest, the thought of his vile ex and how she just wanted to use him for his money making me see red at his implication that I should be a kept woman and live off his hard work.

He wraps his hand around my finger when I poke him one more time, and I almost melt into a puddle when he smiles that devastating grin of his. “Calm down, darlin’. You know damn well I don’t think you’re with me for my money. If you want to keep busy until you’re ready to open the store here in town, you can take over the accounting for Davis Auto Works and here on the ranch. I hate dealin’ with that shit, so you’d be doin’ me a favor.”

He had already successfully dashed my ire with that smile, but learning that he trusts me with something so important to him—his ranch and family business—a whole new emotion hits me, and hits hard.

“Clayton,” I breathe.

“Don’t go givin’ me breathy Claytons now, sweetness,” he warns, pressing against me and pulling me close by the hips so that I don’t miss his erection.

“I really wanna be bad with you right now,” I shamelessly admit, feeling a rush of arousal curl low in my belly and wrap around the base of my spine.

“Fuck, I love you,” he rumbles, bending enough to pull me into his arms. My legs go around his body and my eyes all but cross when his hardness presses firmly against my aching core.

“I’d love to help take some work off your plate. I won’t have you payin’ me, but I meant it when I said I wasn’t an idle woman.”

“You keep givin’ me this greedy-for-my-cock pussy and I’m pretty sure you’ll be the one payin’ me.”

“You’re naughty.” I giggle, speaking against his neck, kissing my way across his skin, and feeling the heat of his words bathe me in intoxicating pleasure. I rock my hips, wishing my lounge pants weren’t in the way. “I love it when you show me your bad.”

He hums, his fingers tightening on my bottom when I bite the thick column of his neck. Even with my pants and his jeans between us, my belly starts to flutter. My hips rock and roll quicker as his hold on me turns just a hair shy of painful. Thinking about his hands leaving bruises on my tender skin oddly only makes me hotter. His erection rubs me in the most toe-curling spot, and from that contact alone, I drop my head back, seeing the ceiling for just a second before my eyes roll back and close; then I come with his name on my lips.