Slow Ride Read online

  Hell, since getting close to Julia had been off the table, he should have just asked Mari out—to discover sooner rather than later if there could be something more between them. Instead he waited ten long years to do it. He’d never found anyone he enjoyed hanging out with more, which was why he and his two pals, Jag and Mac, had put together an asinine plan to fly the girls from their youth—the ones they thought had gotten away—to the ranch, to see if they could have a future.

  He ran the soap over his body, hurrying to get ready before the plane arrived. As he soaped, his cock thickened. Only problem was that as he stroked himself, it wasn’t Mari he was thinking about.

  Shit. Shit. Shit.

  He’d made a mistake asking Mari to come. He blasted the cold water, feeling less than comfortable about their upcoming reunion. He shouldn’t be trying to turn his friendship with Mari into something more. Then again, maybe he’d get lucky and she wouldn’t show.

  Less than an hour later, all three guys stood beneath a towering maple tree. Ranch hands Tessa and Joel greeted the pilot of the small plane. When Joel opened the door for the passengers, the first to exit was Alix Harris—the girl Jag had invited.

  Pacing beside Coop, Jag moaned as he took in Alix, the woman who’d plagued his dreams since high school. She shaded her inquisitive eyes from the blinding rays with her hand and glanced around, looking for someone she recognized.

  The next to disembark was Jess Gray. Looking shy and somewhat timid, she hugged her bag tight to her chest and stepped up beside Alix. Her gaze flitted about uncomfortably, and she fidgeted with her hair, running the short chestnut strands around her index finger. Unable to control his enthusiasm, Mac stepped forward, and when Jess’s glance caught his, a mixture of surprise and delight spread across her pretty face.

  Unable to sit still, Coop paced around the tree and fisted and unfisted his hands. Would the girl from his past show? He honestly hoped not, because he never should have asked her to come. Sure, he’d been feeling a little played out, a little tired of going to bed with a girl only to wake up alone, lonely. But setting this plan in motion had been a huge mistake, one he and his friends never should have conspired over a few too many beers. His stomach tightened as he ran a shaky hand through his hair.

  Two more passengers exited the plane, and after a long moment, he was fairly certain she hadn’t come. A wave of relief rolled through him, and he drove his hands into his pockets. But when he spotted movement—long, slim legs descending the metal stairs—he swallowed hard, hoping that once he explained the situation to her, she’d simply laugh it off and they’d fall back into their easy friendship.

  Thick dark hair cascaded over her slim shoulders as she stepped onto the tarmac and perused the unfamiliar surroundings. Coop’s gaze leisurely roamed over her before his glance traveled back to her face. He took in the soft curve of her jaw, her tanned skin, and her full, lush lips. When her glance met his and he drank in her come-hither whiskey eyes—sultry and sensual beneath the summer sun—his jaw dropped, hardly able to believe who he was staring at.

  Well, holy shit…

  Chapter Three

  Holy shit…

  Julia’s stomach plummeted as she stared at the very familiar man lounging beneath the towering oak tree to the left of the tarmac—a handsome man she knew all too well and couldn’t believe she was coming face-to-face with after all this time. At least this time she had her clothes on.

  When his jaw dropped, understanding hit harder than a judge’s wooden gavel. Her legs weakened, and moisture pebbled on her forehead as she realized what a colossal mistake she’d made.

  Embarrassed and feeling like a complete and utter fool, Julia locked her knees to keep herself upright. She took a tentative step back, wishing the ground would open up and swallow her whole.

  Good God, what the hell am I doing here?

  With her mind spinning a million miles an hour, she berated herself for actually getting on the plane. But when she found out her case was no longer going to court, only to go home to see the invitation glaring at her from her garbage can, taunting her to go and see what this vacation was all about—and discover who had sent it—she went ahead and did just that.

  She’d found herself maneuvering her car down the highway, heading toward the airport. As she drove, she worked to convince herself the short journey was for information purposes only—to discover the sender’s true identity. Since impetuous behavior was completely out of character for her, she was pretty damn certain she wasn’t going to step foot on the jumbo jet that took them to Alberta, or the small Cessna that just delivered them to the ranch—which was why she hadn’t bothered with a suitcase.

  But when she ran into Alix Harris and Jess Gray, two girls she recognized from high school, and they all stood around the gate and compared notes, curiosity got the better of her. Perhaps it was the lawyer in her, or perhaps it was the woman. Either way—luggage or not—she’d decided that, for once in her life, she was just going to act on impulse and see where the adventure led her.

  And where it led her was straight to a dude ranch where the guy who’d seen her at her most vulnerable was standing in the shadows and likely waiting for her sister!

  As her world tilted on its axis, the crowd dispersed, and she faltered backward. Her mind raced as the female ranch hand guided her off the small airstrip. She followed along numbly, forcing one leg in front of the other and wondering if she could jump back on the plane and get the hell out of Dodge before anyone realized the screwup. She turned at the sound of the engine roaring back to life, and sweat broke out on her skin when she spotted the small plane getting ready to taxi back down the short runway.

  Feeling dizzy, she pinched her eyes shut, groping for something—anything—to grasp on to, when she felt a strong pair of arms slip around her waist to help balance her. She didn’t have to turn around to know who those strong hands belonged to.

  “You okay?”

  Oh God, that voice. So deep. So sexy. So achingly familiar.

  He tightened his grip, and she didn’t dare open her eyes as she thought about those big, competent hands of his. Thought about how many times she had wished they were on her body, touching her, caressing her, making love to her. Her panties grew damp, and there wasn’t a damn thing she could do to stifle the moan climbing from the depths of her dry throat.

  Okay, so it was a lie. A complete and utter lie. She’d been jealous of Mari and Coop’s relationship all along. And yes, she’d love to be wild and carefree like her sister for one day, mainly because it was the only way the boy from her fantasies was ever going to notice her. But he never bothered to give her the time of day before, which meant she was far better off without him in her life. Right?

  So why then, after all these years, did his touch reduce her to a giddy schoolgirl? One who wanted him now as much as she ever did?

  God, I am so pathetic!

  Warm hands gripped her shoulders to spin her around. She opened her eyes and wished she hadn’t. When her glance locked on his magnificent baby blues, there was no stopping her knees from wobbling. He pulled her closer until their groins meshed, and she could feel every striated muscle in his rock-hard body, specifically the one between his legs as it pressed against her.

  She melted into his body, which could satisfy the most insatiable. What would it be like to have his work-roughened hands all over her, removing her clothes and touching her in the most erotic ways? Her lids fell shut as a myriad sinful thoughts tormented her suddenly overactive libido.

  “Hey, are you okay?” he asked again.

  His voice jostled her back to reality, and she remembered it was Mari he’d been waiting for under that oak tree, not her nerdy sister Julia. And the truth was, she wasn’t about to offer herself to a man who didn’t want her, no matter how much her body begged her to do just that.

  Julia called on every ounce of strength she possessed, marshaled her wayward thoughts, and forced her voice to work, but for the first time in her
life, words failed her. “I…uh…thirsty.”

  He gestured with a nod over his shoulder, and genuine concern laced his voice when he said, “Come on. It’s scorching out here. Let’s go inside for a cold drink.”

  Julia gave a quick shake of her head, and her voice came out far too breathy for her liking. “No. I should probably go.”

  Something that resembled heat flashed in his eyes, and it was all she could do to ignore the hunger bombarding her hormones. “Where?” he asked as they both watched the plane take to the sky. His sexy voice left her warm, wanting, and detesting him as much as she detested her traitorous body.

  “Oh God,” she croaked out.

  As she stared into his bedroom blues, another shudder ran through her, and she briefly wondered if she’d read him wrong. Maybe he didn’t know the nerdy twin had boarded the plane. Then another more devious thought hit. If he didn’t know, did she have it in her to pretend she was her sister? Just for one glorious week? Talk about the perfect opportunity to walk in her sister’s shoes. As her mind warmed to the idea and her body stirred from his touch, she brushed her tongue over her lips and thought about where such a deceitful little lie would land her.

  Right in his bed.

  His perfect white teeth flashed as he smiled down at her. “Julia, are you okay?”

  Okay, so much for that naughty plan. He obviously knew it was her. Too bad, really, because he was so damn hot.

  No man should ever be allowed to look that good.

  She extricated herself from his arms. Stalling, she brushed her hand over her blouse and form-fitting work skirt, smoothing out the wrinkles as she considered her next move. “Yeah, I’m just warm.” She gave a casual shrug and decided to try to play off her unease. “I guess the invitation was meant for my sister.”

  Coop mimicked her easy shrug. “Yeah, but that’s okay,” he said lightly, a strange gleam in his eyes that piqued her interest. “You’re here now, and I really want you to stay and enjoy yourself.”

  She studied his body language for movement—a skill she’d learned in law school; he was up to something. Crinkling her nose, she shaded the sun from her eyes and said, “Are there any car rentals around here?”

  “Come on, Julia,” he said. “You don’t have to do that.” He gave her a sexy, somewhat devious smile, and once again she couldn’t help but wonder what was really going on here. Why had he invited Mari to the ranch after all these years? From what she knew, they’d lost touch after high school and Mari had been with many men since. The paparazzi loved to splash her face, and her antics, all over the rag mags. He likely wanted in on a little of the action. What other explanation could there be?

  He gave a wide sweep of his hand. “You’re welcome to stay as long as you like. I have a room ready for you and a week of fun planned.”

  “No, Coop,” she corrected, his words hitting like a hard slap. “You have a room ready for my sister and a week of fun planned for her.”

  He frowned, and when he hooked his thumbs in his belt loops, Julia tried not to notice the way his jeans rode low on his hips. “I didn’t mean—” he began.

  She held her hand up to stop him. The last thing she wanted to hear was that he didn’t mean that she, Julia Blair, could take over where her sister had left off. No, she really didn’t want to hear that it wasn’t her he wanted.

  “It’s okay. I need to get back anyway.” She attempted a smile. “Especially since I boarded the plane on a whim and didn’t even bring any luggage.”

  Coop went quiet for a long moment, and she wondered what was going through his mind. Finally, he broke the silence and said, “I’m not going to keep you here if you don’t want to stay. There’s another plane tomorrow at dinnertime. But until then you’re kind of stuck.” He stepped closer, his scent overwhelming her senses when he pitched his voice low and said, “Just don’t make your decision until then, okay?”

  “Why?”

  “Because I think you might actually like it here.” He held out his hand, and his grin turned mischievous when he started ticking things off on his fingers. “We’ve got a guest pool, great food, horses at your disposal, groomed riding trails…”

  As he continued to list the amenities, Julia’s gaze panned the estate and studied the old farmhouse, which had been restored to a quaint country inn. She took pleasure in the sight of the beautiful horses running inside the corral and the magnificent mountains off in the distance. It really was quite breathtaking.

  “And, Julia.”

  She looked back at him. “Yeah?”

  His eyes darkened, and his voice dropped an octave when he said, “I really am glad you’re here.”

  Even though she didn’t believe him, everything in the way he looked at her had her body trembling.

  Must be the heat.

  She shot another glance around the ranch. It was nice, and she didn’t have much of a choice.

  “So what do you say?”

  She gave a resigned sigh, but deep down couldn’t deny that she was a bit excited by the prospect of hanging out at the dude ranch. The thought of being on a horse again was very alluring. She’d just be sure to keep her distance from Coop until the plane came back to rescue her.

  After a quick consultation with herself, she answered with, “I guess if I’m stuck here for the night, then I might as well enjoy the place.”

  He flashed a wide grin. “Good. Come on. And I’m sure I can find spare clothes for you.” He grabbed her hand and pulled, and she wished he’d stop being so considerate and sweet. It made it too hard to hate him. “You look to be about the same size as Tessa.”

  She wondered who Tessa was, but resisted the urge to ask. Instead, she noted the way he’d angled his head to get a better glimpse of her. She could feel his eyes studying her, taking in her navy pencil skirt, starched white blouse, and sensible pumps. She felt completely out of place standing next to this sexy, laid-back cowboy. Then again, they’d always traveled in different circles.

  “What?” she asked and shifted uncomfortably under his scrutinizing gaze.

  “I was just wondering.”

  “Wondering what?”

  “What exactly is it that you need to hurry back for?”

  She thought long and hard before answering. “Nothing now, I guess,” she said honestly, having no reason to lie to him, other than the fact that she didn’t want him to know her life was as boring as her clothes, and that unlike her twin sister, Julia Blair was all work and no play. But he probably already knew that.

  She kept pace with his long strides as they walked the gravel path to the ranch. “Then why didn’t you pack?”

  Julia adjusted her purse over her shoulder. “I wasn’t planning on coming.”

  “Then why did you go to the airport?”

  She gave an uneasy laugh, and instead of telling him that her curiosity got the better of her, she said, “I don’t remember you being a man of so many questions.”

  He gave her a crooked sideways grin that fluttered her heart, not to mention other parts of her body.

  “So what do you remember about me?” he asked as he hurried his steps, moving ahead of her slightly.

  Everything.

  From his gorgeous body and handsome, boyish face to the way he played the field, and she wasn’t talking about the soccer field. All the girls had lusted after him while she watched from the sidelines.

  “Nothing,” she lied.

  “Good.”

  Julia arched a curious brow. “Good? Why good?”

  His mouth turned up at the corner, and his sexy smile warmed her right to the tips of her toes. “Because I was a bit of a cocky prick back in the day, don’t you think?”

  “I hadn’t noticed.” The truth was, he might have been self-centered, out for his own pleasure like every other teen boy she knew, but he did have qualities that drew her to him. That day he’d found her in the closet, it might have hurt her feelings when he said he would never want to walk in on her naked, but he’d been a ge
ntleman, respectful, and went to lengths to protect her from his friends. Rumor had it that later that night, he kicked the shit out of Jag and Mac for laughing at her.

  “Maybe that’s because you were too busy studying,” he said, which raised the question, what did he remember about her?

  As she took pleasure in the sight of his hard body, she noticed the new crook of his nose—how did he break it? Her gaze left his face to take in broad shoulders that tapered to a trim waist, long, hard legs, and a gorgeous ass that looked so damn good in his worn, low-riding jeans.

  When his hand tightened over hers, his rough calluses scraped against her palms, there was nothing she could do to ignore the tremble moving through her.

  As they approached the front entrance of the lodge, she was about to ask what he remembered about her, but he moved close, too close. Her brain stalled, and her body temperature ramped up a few degrees

  He dipped his head, and for a moment she thought he was moving in for a kiss. He tipped his hat, pulled open the heavy door, and in a sexy drawl that nearly had her melting like a summertime Popsicle, said, “After you, ma’am.”

  Rattled by his close proximity and overwhelming ruggedness, she berated herself for her foolish thoughts. Of course he wasn’t moving in for a kiss. She forced herself to grin at his playfulness. Careful not to touch him, she walked into what appeared to be a replica of a nineteenth-century saloon.

  The cool interior helped push back the heat, not to mention the lust, and cleared her head. She glanced around the nearly empty watering hole and smiled as she took note of the decor. Coop tipped his hat to the woman behind the counter.

  “I’ll have a beer,” he said, and turned to Julia. “What would you like?”

  Julia swallowed, and even though she wasn’t much of a drinker, she looked at the draft tap and was sure she could use a cold one right about now. “Same,” she answered.