Cowboy Candy Read online

  do is get your pretty little behind in the house and rest.” He kissed the top of her head.

  “Thanks for everything darlin’ . . .I’ll see you later on, okay?” She practically beamed at him.

  He turned around at the hitching post.

  “If you’re up to it, why don’t we go for dinner and a drive-in movie

  Friday night?”

  “That’s sounds like a date,” she smiled.

  “I’ll make us a picnic basket . . .”

  He gave her one of his patented dazzling smiles.“Perfect . . .” She closed the door and swooned. “Hot Damn, he’s fine.”

  CHAPTER 30 Something had changed between Maddy and Dusty. His parents noticed that he was smiling more and seemed like his old self. Of course, they knew that Maddy was the reason why.

  Since her arrival, she had lit the ranch up like a Christmas tree. Her impeccable manners, determination, and strength were as attractive as gorgeous as her long flowing chestnut mane of hair and big brown eyes.

  She had endeared herself to everyone in town, as well. Miss Mabel couldn’t brag enough about the young woman. She had even managed to bring the family together at the supper table each night, which was no small feat.

  Yes, they were positive that she was “the one.” Their son deserved a strong and humorous woman who wouldn’t put up with any shenanigans.

  “I think our son has finally met his match,” Walt mused.

  “I think you’re absolutely right,” Grace smiled.

  “You should have seen his face when I knocked on Maddy’s door at three a.m. He was as protective of her as a stallion is of his mares.”

  “Do you think anything has happened between them?”

  Walt shook his head, no.

  “Hard to say, but I think not. Looked like I just woke them up is all. Let’s just keep our fingers crossed. I can’t think of a finer woman for that boy.”

  Grace laughed.

  “It reminds me of when you used to court me, Walt.”

  “Oh? How so?” he laughed.

  “You had that same gleam in your eye and if you remember correctly, you kept a watchful eye out for any man who dared try to ask me out.”

  He looked down at her and gave her a lingering kiss.

  “That’s because you’re a gem. A diamond in the rough . . .and I didn’t want to lose the best girl in all of Grand Valley.”

  She nestled close against his chest and he held her gently.

  “Walt . . .I love you,” she cooed.

  He pulled her close and tipped her chin.

  “I love you darlin’. . .why don’t we go for a nice long walk?”

  She pulled away and walked towards the French doors that led to her sanctuary.

  He was momentarily stunned. He hadn’t seen an amorous look in Grace’s eyes for years.

  The click of the deadbolt echoed down the hall. She turned to look at him and slyly grinned.

  “Not tonight cowboy, I’ve got other plans.”

  CHAPTER 31 Maddy checked her image in the full length mirror that hung in her bedroom.

  “I can barely recognize myself,” she giggled.

  She had decided to wear the red bra and panty set that Peg had recommended. The thong panties accentuated every curve and the bra left little to the imagination. She felt sexy in all that lace and skimpy fabric.

  “I feel positively wicked,” she grinned.

  She pulled on a tiered floral dress, sandals, and applied a thin coat of mascara, blush, and her signature red lip gloss. A dab or two of musk oil, and she was ready for their first official “date.”

  Humming to herself, she went downstairs to the kitchen and began to pack their supper inside. Tonight, everything had to be perfect.

  “I’ve kept him waiting long enough . . . Mr. Cash, prepare to have your world rocked upside down.”

  The aroma wafting from the basket was heavenly. She had packed it with fried chicken, corn on the cob, and buttermilk biscuits. There was fruit, and some chips. She’d also made some sun tea and of course a thermos of coffee.

  She found herself waiting quite impatiently for Dusty’s Jeep to pull up. Normally, she didn’t really pace the floor unless she was worried about something, but that was then . . . suddenly, she heard the familiar roar of the Jeep coming up the hill.

  She grabbed her denim jacket and checked the pockets. Dusty’s white bandanna was always in one or the other, and she ensured it was still there. From time to time she would pull it out and inhale the lingering masculine scent that was all his own. He’d probably tease her about it if he knew, but she didn’t care. She finally realized something the other night. She loved him. Every part of him. Tonight, she planned on telling him all about it, in more ways than one.

  When she stepped out on the porch her heart skipped a beat. He was in a striped western shirt with a white tee shirt underneath. He was a sight for sore eyes. He grinned and tipped his hat.

  The butterflies in her tummy and the warm feeling she had between her legs were a reminder of how attracted to him she really was.

  He whistled.

  “Mademoiselle, you sure do clean up nice.”

  “Same goes for you cowboy.”

  There eyes caught and held.

  Was she looking at him flirtatiously or was it all in his imagination. Nope, she was definitely flirting when she walked up and fixed his collar. He felt chills go up and down his spine as her fingernails gently caressed the nape of his neck.

  “I’ll give you forever to cut that out,” he grinned.

  Feigning surprise, she bent over to pick up the picnic basket, giving him a birds eye view of the most spectacular cleavage he’d ever laid eyes on.

  He cleared his throat.

  “Ready?”

  “Cowboy, you can’t possibly imagine just how ready I am,” she grinned.

  He helped her get into the jeep, leaning his body against her behind. His hands lingered around her tiny waist. If he could, he’d take her right here on the spot. Man, she was really something.

  He hopped into the drivers seat and gave her a wicked grin.

  “Let’s go get my truck, I don’t want you to get cold tonight.”

  She put her hand on his muscular arm.

  “Dusty, I’d rather not. I love the Jeep. We have blankets and when all else fails, we do have body heat.” she smiled sweetly.

  He looked deeply into her eyes and cupped her chin with his giant hand.

  “The lady will get whatever she wants, and that’s a fact.”

  As they drove past the house, they waved to Walt and Grace who were standing outside on the porch, hand in hand...dressed only in their robes.

  Dusty was incredulous.

  “Did you just see what I did?”

  “Yep I sure did, it must be the full moon tonight.”

  They both laughed as the wind whipped through their hair. They were heading down to Miss Mabel’s first to pick up a few pieces of pie. Maddy smiled. It was his suggestion. She supposed that he wanted God and everybody to see them together as a couple. She felt honored to be by his side, and wouldn’t mind letting the gals in town know what’s what, either.

  The jeep approached Mabel’s and they coasted to a stop. Dusty hopped out and helped her out of the passenger seat. She slipped her arm through his and held her breath as he opened the the door for her.

  Maddy had been coming to Mabel’s for over a year now, but this time it was different. This time she was on the arm of the most handsome, charming, and eligible bachelor in town. Everyone in the diner momentarily stopped their chatter and smiled. It felt surreal to Maddy, for she suspected that those knowing glances could only mean one thing. All of Grand Valley considered them an item.

  Miss Mabel wiped her hands on a towel and came up to the counter.

  She was grinning from ear to ear.

  “Well, I’ll be. . .ain’t you two a sight for sore eyes.”

  They smiled and sat down at the counter.

 
“Thanks beautiful,” Dusty grinned.

  She giggled like a young schoolgirl.

  “Oh stop, you’re gonna make me blush . . . So, what are you two doing out at this time of night?”

  “We thought we’d stop in and pick up some of your world famous apple pie. Two slices, to go. We’re off to the drive-in and couldn’t really have a picnic without your pie, Miss Mabel.”

  “Well, isn’t that nice? Two apple pies to go . . .comin’ right up.”

  Maddy and Dusty were staring into each other’s eyes like two lovesick teenagers. Mabel couldn’t be happier.

  She brought out a jar, placed it on the counter, and flashed Maddy a mischevious grin.

  “Maddy, you sure you don’t want to bring some Cowboy Candy along?”

  Maddy blushed, aware that Dusty was staring at them both with amusement.

  “Nope, but thank you Miss Mabel. I think I’ve got that covered.”

  Mabel winked and stepped back to the kitchen.

  They were aware that everyone in the place began to speak in hushed tones. Maddy gathered that they approved of this arrangement.

  However; there was one person who definitely was not pleased with the arrangement. He wasn’t happy about it, at all.

  Jack Carter had left his room and was heading over to the diner to get his supper. Lucky for him, he spotted the Jeep. He stood back in the shadows and could view his Maddy sitting with some muscular cowboy that looked like he had just stepped out of the pages of G.Q. Magazine.

  He was furious. Even though he knew she was in Calfornia and living at the Mountain Rose Ranch; he never in his wildest dreams thought she’d stoop so low as to be sleazing around with the hired help, or anyone for that matter.

  Jack Carter was fuming mad. He observed them laughing and talking. The cowpoke had the nerve to place his hand upon her thigh. They were carrying on . . .laughing and talking without a care in the world. He had to stand there and witness his girl acting like a whore. Well, that was gonna’ change real quick. He had no choice but to carry out his plans sooner than he had anticipated.

  Quietly, he stepped backwards into the shadows and went straight to his room for a shot of whiskey to calm his nerves.

  “Who in the hell do you think you are? Miss high and mighty, leaves me with the short end of the stick and goes runnin’ off with some wrangler. Trust me Maddy, you’d better sleep with one eye open. Surprise, surprise. Loverboy ain’t gonna’ know what hit him.”

  CHAPTER 32 The Jeep was parked in the very last row at the Grand Valley drive-in. Maddy and Dusty sat on the tailgate, enjoying their picnic and each other’s company. The drive-in had always been a fascinating place to people watch. Children were playing on the swings. Fathers were carrying large quantitities of snacks to their cars, and mothers were carrying their babies on their hips.

  She sighed.

  “I love this time of year, don’t you?”

  He grinned.

  “Sure do, always have.”

  “Dusty, have you always been this nice?”

  He stopped eating his pie for a moment, and wiped his mouth. “Nice? Hardly, I used to be quite the hot head in my younger days. A

  real hellion. Guess it was because the old man was so hard on me at home.”

  She looked into his eyes. She could detect the slightest trace of sadness.

  “Well, you and your father seem to get along well, now.”

  “Sure, because I decided that I was going to make him proud of me.”

  “He sure does look at you as if he is, and you’re the apple of your mother’s eye.”

  He looked down at their legs, swinging back and forth.

  Then he looked up and took her gently by the shoulders.

  “Maddy, I have to ask you something. I want you to be totally honest with me. I know you well enough by now, that I think I’m entitled to an answer.”

  She got a scared deer in the headlights look in her eyes.

  “What? . . . what is it?”

  “What are your thoughts on marriage and kids?”

  She nearly spit out her coffee.

  “Whew . . . for a minute there I thought you were gonna’ tell me you’re gay; not that there’s anything wrong with that.”

  They both laughed and he suddenly grew serious, knowing that she was trying to joke her way out of the question.

  “I’m serious, Maddy.”

  “Well, how do you feel about it?,” she countered.

  “Okay, since you’re answering a question with a question, I’ll go first.”

  She listened to his sexy deep voice and all but forgot what he was talking about. . .

  “ . . .For the longest time, I didn’t think I was capable of feeling anything, really. When I got burned a while back, I thought I could do one of two things. I could be the cowboy cassanova that women seem to think I am, or I could concentrate on myself . . .improve the things that needed improving, you know . . .try to be a better man. I put all thoughts of women and marriage on the back burner. Once bitten, twice shy . . .so they say. That all changed when you came into my life.”

  She smiled when he began to cradle her small hand inside of his.

  “Dusty, you don’t need to explain yourself to me. I have a pretty good intuition about things, most of the time. I was in the same boat as you. I devoted four years of my life to someone who verbally and physically abused me. I swore up and down I’d never place myself in a risky position ever again, as far as men are concerned. But then, I met you . . .and it’s all changed in a scary and exciting way.”

  He grinned and pulled her close for a moment. The stars were twinkling above and the night air was beginning to cool. They scooted back and leaned against the front seats. Dusty pulled a warm blanket around their shoulders and the movie started to play.

  Dusty laughed.

  “Urban Cowboy, huh? Well, I’ll be.”

  “What, you got something against city folks?”

  He nodded.

  “There’s an old saying in Mexico that I heard once . . .bad roads, good people - good roads; bad people.”

  She snuggled up against the warmth of his muscular body.

  “Must be some truth to that. If I didn’t take a wrong turn off of the highway, I never would have met you.”

  “Let’s not think about that, Maddy. The fact is . . .you are here. I might not be “urban” but I sure am one hundred percent, bona fide cowboy.”

  He tilted her chin and his mouth covered hers in a delicate kiss.

  “Ahem. . .guess what cowboy? I won’t break,” she smiled.

  “Well, I’ll be . . .”

  He held her face between his hands and proceeded to give her an erotic, bone-shaking, passionate kiss. She smiled, put her arms around his neck and kissed him for all she was worth.

  He reached down and pulled up the tailgate, zipped the back window, and pulled her on top of him. The movie, whatever it was . . . played in the distance.

  CHAPTER 33 Jack was so angry that he was numb to the cold night air. He looked back to ensure that the car was well-camouflaged. It was in the perfect location . . .a utility road that had long been abandoned. He squinted his eyes and could hardly distinguish the black paint from the nighttime sky.

  He traipsed along a now-familiar path through the back woods leading directly behind Maddy’s cabin. For the past week, he’d been scouting the area to ensure that he wouldn’t be noticed. The woods were dense enough and he had located a perfect vantage point.

  “You bitch,” he muttered. Images of Maddy and the cowboy swirled in his deranged mind. It was like a broken record, that played over and over. Jack had always been overly jealous of everything that Maddy did. He didn’t like her job because her supervisor was a man. He didn’t like the way the produce guy at the grocery store smiled at her and said hello. He didn’t like her having any friends, using the telephone, or doing anything that took her attention away from him. He was the man of the house and she did as she was told.

 
It hadn’t always been that way. He recalled their first year as a couple. They laughed and made love. They enjoyed one another and had fun. Something had snapped inside of him when he realized just how independent she was. He didn’t trust her, but his ex-wife had something to do with that. Maddy paid for his past hurts on a daily basis.

  He finally arrived at the cabin, lit a cigarette, and took another swig of whiskey from the large bottle in his hand. He shook his head and was so angry, he was practically trembling.

  “And now, look at you. Livin’ high off the hog, bonking some cowpoke, and dressing like a floozy. Well, Maddy Cassidy . . .just wait until you get home tonight. You’re gonna wish you never set foot on Mountain Rose Ranch.”

  CHAPTER 34 Dusty had just walked her to the door and gave her a passionate kiss. When she finally came up for air, he was walking towards the Jeep. “Thanks, cowboy. . .I had a really great time tonight.”

  “Thank you mademoiselle, the pleasure was all mine.”

  He grinned and her stomach did flip-flops again.

  “Miss Mabel was right,” she yelled.

  “Right about what?”

  “You are like Cowboy Candy . . .just the right combination of sweet

  and heat.”

  “Is that right?,” he grinned.

  “See you in the morning?”

  “You bet.”

  He flashed a grin and turned the Jeep around. She stood on her front porch listening to it dissappear in the distance. She leaned back and inhaled deeply. Her lips still tasted of his sweet kisses, her breasts were still stinging from the rough scrape of his stubble, and her heart felt as if it had wings.

  He had been the perfect gentleman. He let her take the lead, it was all up to her. She appreciated that. Most men would have been fumbling around in the dark. . .trying to get their way. Dusty was different. He respected her enough to give her just what she needed and left her wanting for more.

  She sighed dreamily.

  “Dusty . . .in case I didn’t tell you tonight, I love you.”

  She turned to step inside and noticed the porch light was out. “Darn it.”

  She felt in the bottom of her purse for her keys, then realized that she

  hadn’t locked up when she left. Stepping inside of the cabin, she flipped on the light and went upstairs with a plan in mind. She was about to do something that would change the course of their relationship forever.