Montana Gold

The announcer was yelling, the crowd was on its feet, and the seconds were ticking past forever. In the blink of an eye, almost so fast Elle couldn’t see it happen, the bull stopped and jumped again, way high, then he came back down to buck with a vicious fury that sent a chill down her spine.

“Stay with him, son, stay with him,” the announcer screamed.

The buzzer sounded.

Jared jumped or fell from the far side of the bull and as the animal turned toward him, Elle moved in to shoot the gap between Skinny Dippin’s head and the cowboy. But they weren’t separated. The bull spun fast away from her with the rider flopping and trying to stay on his feet and run alongside, his hand hung up in the rigging. She rushed toward him as the spin got faster.

Skinny Dippin’ was twisting, hooking back at Jared, wanting in the worst way to get a horn in him. Elle threw herself onto the opposite side of the bull and stuck there, running with him, then riding on him, amazed at the uncontrollable force underneath her, jarred and shaken so much that she couldn’t see but she wouldn’t let go, holding on with one hand and grabbing to free Jared from the bull rope with the other.

She and Jared nearly bumped heads, finally she jerked him free, and the force sent her falling headfirst over the back of the bull. Instinctively, she threw herself into a backwards somersault and landed on her feet.

The bull turned away from her, thank God, because for an instant she could hardly stand, much less run. Everything happened in a whirling instant but Elle saw Skinny Dippin’ fixating on his rider and going after him as he tried to scramble away on his hands and knees.

Her heart stopped when the bull flattened him faster than she could take a breath but she got there before he hooked him by running in to jump over Jared’s prone body, dragging her hand across the bull’s nose, grabbing the lowered, searching horn. She tried to turn the massive head, which was like moving a mountain, but she did succeed in getting his attention.

Skinny Dippin’ turned. He was interested in her, now. She took off her hat and slapped him in the face and he came after her.

Her blood singing with the thrill of it and with the satisfaction of getting him away from Jared, she ran toward the middle of the arena. Skinny Dippin’ came with her part of the way but then, as if he’d suddenly decided he was bored, he turned away and trotted toward the out gate, as docile as a calf.

Thank God. She’d used up nearly everything she had.

She heard the crowd, just for a second. Then the safety pickup men got behind Skinny Dippin’ to drive him on out and she ran toward Jared, although she didn’t think she could run another step. Before she could reach him, Junior was helping him to his feet and the Justin Sports Medicine people were coming in.

Jared got to his feet, looking for her. He took a couple of shaky steps toward her and as soon as she got there, gave her a huge hug. He let her go and they shared a big high-five. The announcer and the crowd were screaming now, but she hardly heard them because Jared was stepping back and taking his hat off to her. It was the rare accolade that was usually reserved for a victorious bull after a hard-fought ride.

The roar of the crowd grew even louder.

So. Take that, Chase Lomax.

The thought came out of nowhere and shocked her even more than Jared had just done. She hadn’t even known she was thinking about him.

ELLE’S STOMACH GROWLED as she punched the button in the hotel elevator and sent it gliding downward, toward a late-night snack. More accurately, a very late dinner. She was still so high on what she considered her career-best performance that she couldn’t come down, but she didn’t want to go out on the town and kick up her heels by herself, and nobody would go with her.

Her friends were all gone to practice roping or repair some rigging or lift some weights or work their horse on the barrels or to get some sleep. Or, in M.J.’ s case, to hang out with her boyfriend, who not only thought she was the funniest, cutest woman he’d ever seen, but couldn’t keep his hands off her. She was getting sick of hearing about sexy, wonderful Rodney.

Downright depressing is what it was. Somehow, every time M.J. got started raving about him, Elle felt really lonesome and neglected.

But why think about that when she could rerun the tape in her mind of Jared sweeping off his hat to her? She grinned at her reflection in the mirrored walls of the elevator and messed with her hair a minute while it was still damp from the shower. Then she bent over at the waist and tossed her head around to separate the curls.

The elevator stopped and she heard the door open. She straightened up to find some big guy in a ball cap and sunglasses right in her face, charging into the elevator before she could even get out of it. He had both hands full of carry-out bags—Mexican food, judging from the smell. She looked at them, her mouth watering. Yep. Enrique’s. The best in town.

He whirled around to punch the door-close button.

“Hey,” she said. “I’m getting off here.”

Some girl outside in the lobby yelled, “We know it’s you, Chase. You shouldn’t lie to us.”

Startled, Elle looked at the guy’s face and saw, just before he reached for her, that it really was Chase Lomax in ragged shorts and flip-flops.

He grabbed her up off her feet and bent his head. Found her mouth with his.

“Wait for us,” another girl yelled. The sound of running feet echoed off the marble floor, slid to a stop. “Oh, no!”

Kissing her, without so much as a “Hi, there, Elle.” Burning her up. She tried to struggle but he had both her arms pinned to her sides.

And suddenly she wanted to stay right where she was forever because the shock was wearing off and she was starting to feel. A lot more than she ever had before.

The door slid closed. The girls began banging on it.

“We know your room number, Chase, honey,” they yelled. “See you there.”

Loud giggles.

“We’ll show you a real good time.”

The elevator moved up, the voices faded away. But Chase kept on kissing her.

She had to make him stop it. Right now. Who did he think he was, anyway?

Somebody who could send lightning right through her whole body, that’s who. Lightning so strong it shook her to her toes.

He had to stop this now. But she couldn’t move any part of her body. Except her lips. And her tongue…

When he finally let her go she pulled back and away, fighting to get a handle on her breathing.

“What’s the matter?” he demanded.

Her blood rushed through her so fast it made her dizzy.

“You’re asking me? It’s more like, what’s the matter with you? How’d you get the idea you could get away with kissing me like that without even bothering to say hello?”

She touched her lips. They were still on fire.

“You have got a helluva nerve, Chase Lomax.”

He grinned at her as he took off his shades. He hung them in the neck of his huge, baggy T-shirt that had a bucking bull and rider with Git ’R’ Done written above it. He wore ragged denim shorts and flip-flops, for God’s sake. Chase Lomax was known for always being starched and ironed, custom-booted and hatted.

“I asked if you’re all right because you were bent over double shaking your head when the doors opened,” he said. “Like you were in pain or something.”

“I was drying my hair.”

He stared, then burst out laughing. “Oh, well, then.”

His laugh was contagious but she wouldn’t let herself join in. He could not get away with this scot-free. He’d shaken her up pretty good.

“Oh. I see. You thought I needed help, so you just grabbed me and kissed me senseless. Is that how you treat somebody you think’s in pain?”

He grinned that slow, charming grin of his again. “It made you feel better. Didn’t it?”

He held her gaze and wouldn’t let it go. She must be a sight. She could feel heat in her cheeks, so her face must be red. Plus she was gasping, trying to slow her breathing. And her heartbeat.

“You nearly scared me to death to try to get rid of those girls. And it was all wasted. They’re coming to your room.”

Something flashed deep in his brown eyes.

“Now you’ve hurt my feelings. I don’t think it was wasted,” he drawled. “I liked that kiss.”

She wasn’t going to let that kind of baloney into her head. She wasn’t even going to think about that kiss again. At least, not now.

“You didn’t kiss me like you were scared to death,” he said. “You kissed me back, like you were enjoying it just as much as I was.”

Something inside her shifted.

It was true. Her lips were still throbbing. Her whole body was throbbing. For the first time in her life.

And over one kiss. Was this proof that maybe she wasn’t so abnormal after all?

The mirror felt cold against her back, yet she was warm inside. Chase Lomax had done that to her.

Change the subject, Elle. Get away from this. You’ll have to analyze it later. Think about it later.

She looked at his gorgeous grin. He had a wonderful mouth. A really great mouth. And truly fine lips. Not just in the way they looked, but…

Stop it, Elle. Move on, Elle.

“Why are you running around dressed like an undercover cop?”

“Trying not to be recognized, of course.”

“Why? You had a ninety-point ride tonight. Don’t you want to celebrate? Hear how the fans love you? Sign autographs?”

He lost his grin as he shook his head. “I guess I’m kinda past all that. I’m just tryin’ to get my highs from the ride.”

“Well, don’t despair. In a minute you’ll have those girls waiting at your door to give you a ride.”

“Womanizing’s another thrill that’s kind of fadin’ on me,” he admitted. “My rep in that area is way overblown these days.”

A little silence fell.

“I’m sorry if I scared you,” he said. “I thought you knew it was me and you wouldn’t mind if I kissed you.”

“Why wouldn’t I mind being snatched off my feet and manhandled to save your great big self from some little bitty girls?”

“Well, after the way you danced with me the other night…”

“What do you mean? That I danced like I enjoy being… used?” Her tone of voice came out deadly serious.

He stepped back and looked at her until she thought maybe she was pretty abnormal, after all. Would a normal woman have taken offense at that kiss?

“No,” he said slowly. “You danced like you enjoyed dancing. With me.”

“So does it always follow that if you like dancing with somebody you also like to kiss them?”

He smiled a little. “Not always, I guess. I’m sorry if I upset you, Elle.”

He sounded so sincere that she said, “Okay. It’s okay.”

He gave her that grin again and damn, it nearly melted her where she stood. She didn’t even know if she could talk any more while his kiss was so fresh on her mouth.

The elevator stopped and he hit another button to make it move again. She gave herself a little shake to try and make her mind work.

“You can’t go up and down in this thing all night,” she said, “and neither can I, since I haven’t eaten since noon and I’m about to starve to death. Take me back down to one.”

He shook his head. “I’ve got enough Enrique’s here for an army. You need to help me eat it.”

“Thanks, but you just want my protection because your disguise didn’t work,” she said, finally lightening up a little. She grinned, looking him over. “You’re scared of some young, silly, slightly intoxicated girls when all they want to do is show you a good time.”

“They already showed me more than I expected to see,” he said.

“What?”

“That blond one’s wearing a buckle bunny thong. Black with the pink letters PBR written right across…the bunny’s head.”

She gaped at him. “How d’you…”

“She flashed me. In Enrique’s.”

“What?”

“Yep. In the hallway in front of the restrooms. Recognized me and dropped her jeans right there.”

He shook his head, remembering. “Said she sure does like bull riders, and I think she means it since her little bitty shirt says, ‘Wanna buck?’”

They were both laughing as the elevator stopped again.

“What floor are you on?” he said, his hand hovering over the wall of lighted buttons. “Can I come to your room for a little while?”

Well, no. Not now.

“In case they weren’t lying about having my number?”

“Look, I’m just trying to find something to eat,” she said. “I’m not even going back to my room right now.”

“I told you,” he said, shaking the bags with their delicious smells right in her face. “I’ve got enough here for six or eight people.”

“Why’d you buy so much?”

“Couldn’t decide what I wanted,” he said. “I’ve got enchiladas and mole and tacos and tamales and guacamole and rice and beans and nachos and sopapillas.”

He gave her a smile that could break a witch’s heart. “Any of that sound good to you?”

If she had a lick of sense, she’d go on to the coffee shop. She’d get out of here and leave him. She needed to think.

“What floor?” he asked.

But she really was hungry.

“I’d appreciate the favor,” he said. “I’m just not in the mood to deal with a gaggle of lonely, lustful women tonight.”

How about one lonely, lustful woman?

“You’d be flat-out savin’ my life if you’d take me in,” he added. “What floor?”

She hesitated. No wonder Carlie always said Elle was such a rescuer she ought to drive an ambulance.

“They must think I’m easy,” Chase said sadly. “Why else would the blonde flash me like that?” He flexed his hand—the one waiting for her to choose a number—and gave her a mischievous grin. “I promise,” he told her, “that girl doesn’t know the real me.”

She couldn’t keep from laughing at him, even as she shook her head over her own weakness.

“Seven,” she said.

CHAPTER FOUR

ELLE WATCHED CHASE take off his Hotel California cap and the sunglasses and drop them on the desk in the room as if he meant to stay awhile.

“I hope you don’t expect me to entertain you for the rest of the night in exchange for dinner,” she said. “I have to work tomorrow.”

He threw her a glance.

She felt her face redden again. Now he’d think she expected him to stay. Was hinting for him to stay. That she wanted him to kiss her again.

Well, she did want to know if he wanted to. And, to be perfectly honest, she did want him to, so she could find out whether she’d feel just as much the second time.

She slammed her mind shut on that thought and tried to think of something she could actually say to him.

“I have a costume suggestion for you,” she said, as he headed for the coffee table with the food. “You might stay away from the theme of bulls on your clothing if you don’t want to be recognized.”

He gave her a comical look. “You were wrong about the undercover cop deal,” he said. “I’m disguised as a PBR fan.”

“Evidently not very well,” she said dryly, and loved that he laughed, even though it wasn’t that funny. “Maybe get a cap with a slightly more current bull on it.”

They ate sitting on the little love seat, hardly talking, both of them ravenous. Once they’d consumed almost everything, the habanero salsa was burning them up.

“Milk,” Elle said, and went to get it from the small refrigerator. Chase got up and started clearing away the mess.

“Be careful not to throw out the sopapillas,” she said, rummaging for the paper cups. “How many of them did you say you have?”

He laughed. “I didn’t say. And don’t worry about it. You’ve eaten too much already.”

She turned to nail him with a look. “Well, what about you? Let’s see now, three tacos plus a whole plate of enchiladas? And that was after many, many nachos and a lot of guacamole.”

“Hey, what were you doing? Counting everything I ate? Hoping I’d drop a crumb so you could grab it, I’ll bet,” he said, stuffing trash into two of the Enrique bags.

Elle started for the table with the cups of milk, crossing his path on his way to the wastebasket. He stopped directly in front of her, so close his arm brushed hers.

“You’re just lucky you found me when you did,” he said, the words coming slow and low and sexy as his eyes laughed down at her. “Another hour and you’d’ve died of starvation, Elle.”

Her lips parted but she couldn’t quite think what to say. Couldn’t quite think at all.

She stepped around him. “Will you stop it? I burned up thousands of calories tonight in the arena.”

She set the cups down, went to check on the sleeping dog, then came back to the love seat.

You’re just lucky you found me when you did….

Her body must be insisting that his remark had a double meaning because it was trying to sit in the middle of the little sofa. Better not.

She dropped cross-legged onto the floor beside the table, took a drink of milk, then lifted the container of sopapillas out of the double paper bag. Chase came to sit down beside her, to her surprise.

He opened the box, set out the little tub of honey and removed its lid.

“About tonight’s performance,” he said. “I intended to tell you you were great.”

He really meant it. He said it with feeling. He was so sincere that a thrill shivered through her.

Which was ridiculous. She could care less what he thought of her work, after that unreasonable criticism of it in Austin.

“Are you taking back what you said about women bullfighters?”

He didn’t answer the question. Instead, he turned, smiled at her, and said, “I’m saying every move you made tonight was exactly right.”

She had to hold her arms down at her sides to keep from throwing them around his neck and kissing him like a crazy woman. Nobody, not even M.J. or Rocky or Junior had ever praised her work so extravagantly.

She blurted, “I was hoping you were watching.”

Surprise flickered in his eyes. “You were?”

She bit her tongue too late. “Well, yeah. I wanted you to know…I mean, I was hoping you were watching so I could prove I’m not…overprotective.”

Shut up, Elle. He’s gonna think you hang on every word he says. He’ll think he’s important to you.

Chase didn’t pick up on their old argument. He didn’t say a thing, but he wouldn’t let her look away from him.

Finally, she reached blindly for a sopapilla, bit the corner off, and ate it. He reached for the honey.

She grinned. “You better look at what you’re doing.”

“I am,” he said.

Every inch of her began to glow from the heat in his eyes. Dark and deep in the lamplight, his look went through her, powerful as the touch of his hand on her skin. The glow flared into fire when his hand folded around hers to help hold the sopapilla for the honey. She could feel every callus, every smooth place, every indentation of his warm, rough palm like a brand on the back of her hand.

How could he have such power over her?

“Chase, you’re gonna make such a mess….”

“Hush and don’t move.”

A big, sticky drop of honey hit her hand. Laughing, they both tried to feel where to pour it in.

“You’re getting it all over me.”

“What about me? It’s dripping on my leg.”

“Well, you’re the one doing it…uh-oh, too full. Stop, stop it, it’s dripping out the bottom…”

“Eat it fast. Here, I’ll help you…”

They gulped down the cinnamony, sugary pillow of dough as fast as they could, laughing the whole time because the honey went everywhere. Chase took the last bite.

“I never knew you could be so silly,” Elle said around her last mouthful.

He gave her a look. “And I never knew you could be so sweet.”

He brought her hand—stuck to his—to his mouth and began to lick the honey from it. His hot tongue was a flame on her palm.

“Chase…”

He leaned even closer. His eyes were burning her up. “You’ve got some there…on the edge of your mouth…” he said. “Elle.”

Her name on his lips, the simple sound of it in his low voice, melted her into him.

He took her mouth with his and she fell, helpless, into his kiss, one much hotter and deeper and more thorough and even more thrilling than the one in the elevator. Elle had only one thought—that first kiss wasn’t a fluke—and then her mind floated away. She had no need of it. She was all body now.

Chase pulled his sticky hand from hers and took her by the shoulder to draw her even closer, although she was kissing him back as hard as she could. Her tongue pushed even deeper into his mouth, teasing his, twining with it, then drawing away.

He groaned and moved his hand to her breast, which drew a gasp like a last breath from the depths of her soul. The next instant they were lying prone on the floor with him half on top of her, kissing like desperate, starving people. He slid his free hand into her hair to bring her nearer and she slapped her own sticky hand to the back of his neck to help. His mouth was a whole world of its own, hot and sweet and tasting of cinnamon and honey. And of Chase, the delicious taste of him that she couldn’t get enough of, and she wanted every bit of it now.

They ravaged each other’s mouths and started on their bodies, impatiently wiping honey onto shirts and pants before pushing the interfering cloth out of the way. Chase tore his mouth from hers to take her breast with it, the breast that his rough thumb was setting on fire, even through her shirt.

“No,” she gasped, “get it off…”

He peeled the stretchy tank top over her head and she felt a fleeting happiness that she wasn’t wearing a bra, then his tongue began to flick around her hard nipple and she rode a wave of sensation she’d never felt before. It shot all the way to the core of her. She saw colors on the backs of her eyelids.

She arched her back to rub against his hard groin.

Her mind flashed to life again, thoughts flickering like the glimpses of Chase when she opened her eyes, here and then gone when she sank into the feelings that filled her. She didn’t care if this was a good idea or not. She did have sexual feelings, that was what she needed to know. She was feeling this, actually liking this. Maybe she was normal, after all. Maybe she could be a real woman with a whole life.

But then all thought left her. Chase moved to the other breast and sent a new sensuality pulsing into her blood.

Then he was gone. Her eyes flared open and her arms reached to bring him back again. But he was on his knees, ripping off his own shirt, and she dropped her arms to her sides while she stared. Greedily.

He was gorgeous. Heavy-shouldered, broad-chested, muscled and scarred. She had to touch him. She had to feel him. He dropped the shirt and she grabbed it to wipe her hands, which made him grin, then she ran the flats of her hands up his arms, over his shoulders and down, slowly, slowly, into the hairy center of his chest where the sinews crossed under his skin.

His gaze was like molten chocolate in the glow of the lamp. It stayed on hers as if he’d never look away.

“I sure am glad you wiped the honey off your hands,” he drawled as she twined her fingers in the mat of hair.

She started tracing a path with one fingertip down the center of him to the waist of the baggy shorts and then underneath it.

“All right,” he murmured, and they laughed softly against each other’s lips when he bent down for another kiss.

It was a quick one that led to another on her throat, another farther down in the hollow of her neck, and one, just one, between her breasts. He kept dropping a trail of them, down and down, onto her abdomen, where he used his tongue as well. She felt the new, burgeoning thrill build into the pace of her pulse.