Vicki Thompson - Cowboy Untamed

“They’re good people.” She got out the bowls and opened a bin of fishy-smelling dry cat food.

“They think the same of you. They’re excited about this event to generate donations for the shelter.”

She smiled at him. “Glad to hear it.” She began scooping food into the bowls.

“Did you get your paperwork finished?”

“What paperwork?”

“You know, the paperwork you rushed home to work on last night.”

“Oh...yeah.” Her cheeks turned pink. “I didn’t finish but I made a sizable dent in it. Thanks for asking.”

He started the coffee perking and turned to watch her. “Actually, I didn’t know until last night that the event is to raise money for the cat shelter and the work they do with feral colonies. Ben and Molly filled me in.”

“I didn’t tell you?”

“You might have. I wasn’t focused on that aspect.”

She paused and looked over at him. “Are you saying you only agreed to be here because of me?”

“Yes, ma’am.” She might as well know it.

She groaned. “I didn’t mean to give you the wrong idea.”

“Or maybe you gave me the right idea. Three weeks ago I glanced in the rearview mirror as I was driving away from here and you were standing there watching me go. I extrapolated from that and figured we might have a good time when I came back.” He held her gaze. “I still believe we can.”

Her breath caught and desire shimmered in her turquoise eyes. He’d bet good money that if he tried kissing her again, she’d let him. They weren’t in a public parking lot anymore, either. He imagined lifting her to the counter and unbuttoning her blouse.

The image was followed by thoughts of openmouthed kisses and intimate caresses as he sought the moist recesses of her trembling body. By the time he was finished loving her, they’d have bowls and cat food scattered everywhere and a mess to clean up. The cats still wouldn’t be fed.

He took a calming breath. “We need to feed those cats.”

3

SAPPHIRE COULDN’T DECIDE whether she was relieved or disappointed that Grady had passed up the chance to kiss her. Her thoughts had run in circles all night long, but one intriguing concept kept coming back around. What if they could have sex without any emotional entanglement?

The idea had merit. He lived in Cody, after all, and he was a very busy guy. She’d made the mistake of becoming emotionally invested in those other men and that had seemed to bring out the worst in them. If she didn’t allow that to happen with Grady... Yeah, getting involved with him would still be somewhat of a risk, but he could be worth it.

She was touched that he’d wanted to interact with the cats this morning and that he’d taken it seriously enough to give the job priority. He’d clearly had other things on his mind a moment ago. Yet here he was helping her carry bowls out to the same spot where he’d found her the night before.

He glanced at her as they set the bowls in the grass. “Couldn’t you just use a couple of large bowls?”

“I could, but some cats might be crowded out and not get their fair share. This way I know everybody gets a decent helping.”

“Must be tricky hauling them all out here by yourself.”

“A little. I’ve learned to manage it.”

He crouched down beside her, which meant she was able to breathe in the scent of his aftershave. Whatever he used had a smoky, seductive quality that suggested an activity involving hot bodies and soft sheets. Rolling around in the grass sounded like a good alternative. Being with Grady was a party waiting to happen.

If she didn’t concentrate on something else, she’d be fighting the urge to grab him the entire time they were out here. “Normally, some of the cats would be here waiting but we’re a little earlier than usual.”

“So you’re feeding them, but how does the shelter come into the picture?”

“The biggest contribution is medical.” She kept her attention on the tree line as she looked for cats emerging from the shadows. “If we can get the cats into carriers, that’s great, but mostly we have to trap them. Then they’re either spayed or neutered, vaccinated and checked for any other issues. If the vet finds anything else, she treats it for the cost of the meds and supplies.”

“Sounds like a great program.”

“It is. The cats stay healthy but they don’t keep adding more strays to the population.”

“Have you figured out how the cats wound up here?”

She appreciated his interest. Questions about a topic dear to her heart made for a welcome distraction. “The first generation might have been barn cats when horses were housed in the stalls. Then the property was sold and the grain and the hay disappeared. Once the mice left, the cats had nothing to eat, so they likely moved to the woods and foraged for small rodents.”

“And essentially became wild.”

“They did.” As she talked about the cats, her tension gradually eased. “But most of them seem to have retained a connection to people and to this barn. Fred’s the least trusting. He joined the colony late and I don’t think he liked being trapped and neutered.”

“Do you blame him?”

She smiled at his look of horror. “We can’t let them procreate.”

“I get that and I’m all for population control. I just avoid thinking about the process.”

“Are you squeamish?”

“Only when we’re talking about cutting off—”

“Look.” She pointed toward the trees. “Here they come.”

“Where?” Squinting, he scanned the area.

“Over there, moving past the trunk of that big pine. Snow White’s in the lead, as always. Grumpy, Sneezy and Dopey are following her.” The little white female was always easy to spot, while the dappled shade camouflaged the others until they stepped out into the open.

“Okay, I see them.”

“We’re fairly sure those gray tabbies are Snow White’s kittens because of the way she mothers them. And here comes Athena with her brood. They all got her butterscotch coloring except Persephone, the tortoiseshell. There’s Fred, bringing up the rear.”

“He sure does stand out.”

“Yep. He was the hardest to catch. We finally got him in the trap using tuna as bait. I think the others would eat any flavor I put out, but I buy the fish kind because that’s all Fred will eat.”

“You’re partial to him.”

“I am. He’s the smartest one and a survivor. He has several scars from the fights he’s been in, but he beat the odds.” She glanced at the approaching cats. “They seem a little uneasy about you being here. Maybe we shouldn’t talk.”

As they both fell silent, every cat settled down to eat except Fred, who stayed about six feet away with his green eyes fixed on Grady. Sapphire waited in hopes the cat would come forward on his own, but at last she decided he needed to be coaxed.

“Stay very still,” she said, “while I try to sweet-talk him into coming over.”

Grady gave a slight nod.

Leaning forward, she began crooning to the cat. “Come on, sweet Freddie. This man isn’t going to hurt you.” She lowered her voice. “Freddie, Freddie, Freddie. You know you want some. Come on, kitty-cat. That’s a good boy.”

Fred crept up to the bowl and began to eat, his teeth crunching on the small pellets. But that wasn’t the only sound Sapphire heard. The rhythm of Grady’s breathing had changed. She knew that rhythm because she’d heard it last night after he’d kissed her senseless.

She couldn’t imagine why he was reacting that way, unless... She had to smile as she thought of a possible reason. She’d probably sounded damned seductive just now when she’d lured Fred up to the food bowl. Having a man around who was that susceptible to her was flattering. And arousing.