Читать книгу A Cowboy In Paradise - Shana Gray - Страница 12

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JIMI HAD NO WORDS. The sight held her spellbound, and she was stunned when tears pricked at the back of her eyes. A sunset had never moved her so deeply. She stood in hushed silence along with the rest of the wedding guests. All facing west watching the sun slip to the horizon.

She hadn’t wanted to hike up to this ridge while they were told the barbecue was being readied, but, boy, was she glad she had. She’d been too ready to hang on to her misery, tucked away in her tent, but Jimi realized that was stupid. Rather than being a party pooper, she should join in. Make the best of a bad situation. A view like this was what she needed to remind her how good life truly was.

She hadn’t been able to get Dallas out of her head and still felt his lips, the weight of his hand, his heat, keeping her at a slow burn of arousal. So, of course she looked for him. At least she knew his name now, thanks to his brother.

“Dallas,” she whispered, letting the letters roll off her tongue. She liked it. It was different and fit him so perfectly.

She glanced around—trying not to make it obvious—hoping to see him. She spied him off to the side leaning against a tree. It was like her gaze had found its home and she thrilled that he was watching her. Their gazes met and locked. The sunset momentarily forgotten. She didn’t look away, didn’t want to, couldn’t. He gave her a leisurely smile, and her heart tumbled. She returned his smile, then turned back to the sunset, a new sense of excitement building inside her.

Brilliant hues of red and orange streaked the sky as the glowing orb set into the horizon. Wispy clouds reflecting in shades of pink chased across the sky above them. All too soon the sky purpled and darkened, giving way to the beginning of the velvet night.

No one seemed to move. Spellbound by the spectacle before her, Jimi wrapped her arms around herself and drew in a contented sigh. This really was beautiful.

“It’s something.” His deep voice was soft and low in her ear.

Jimi smiled and leaned back slightly, feeling his heat, almost like the air between them crackled with life. She nodded and breathed in the smell of the dusk air.

“It’s quite a view. The way the land rolls down to the sea. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

“So maybe being up here in the wilds of Hawaii isn’t so bad after all?” She heard the humor in his voice and smiled.

Jimi turned to him and tipped her head back to gaze into his eyes. “Maybe it’s not. At first I thought being on this farm—”

“Ranch,” Dallas corrected her gently.

She smiled. “Ranch, then. This isn’t anything like where I grew up.”

He looked down at her, and in that moment she knew they would be together. “Where did you grow up?”

She pressed her lips and wasn’t sure what to say. She glanced at him and figured she’d never see him after the wedding right, so what did she have to lose? “Believe it or not, I grew up on a commune. Do you know anything about that lifestyle?”

“Only what I’ve read or seen on television.”

“Trust me, it’s not all it’s cracked up to be. So I’ve tried to avoid any kind of farm or country life since.” She rested her head back on his shoulder and looked up at him. There was something about him that called to her and she was eager to find out what that was.

“I’ve never met a woman, other than my sister, who enjoys country life.”

“But this is beautiful.” Jimi had begun to relax, even if she still didn’t want to be here. “There’s been nothing but surprises from the moment I stepped off the plane. You being one of them.” Jimi rested back into him. “Everything is playing out so perfectly.”

“That’s the wedding planner’s job. I only know the basic plans.”

“Well, that’s not really what I meant.” Jimi didn’t look away from him, not wanting to break the connection. She needed to see his eyes, those wonderful eyes, and maybe be able to see what was lurking in their depths.

His eyebrows rose. “Really?”

“Surely you have some idea.” She smiled and her knees almost buckled when his lips curved up in return. But his eyes were shuttered. He was holding something back, even though his smile seemed to promise all sorts of tempting possibilities. There was depth to this man. She liked it and the challenge he posed. He held an air of authority, determination and compassion. A curious combination.

“Maybe some. Why, did you have something particular in mind?”

Jimi was enjoying their back-and-forth bantering. It was fun. Suggestive. And delightfully flirtatious. She was adapting quickly to her strained circumstances and hadn’t thought of her lost suitcase in a while, mainly thanks to him.

“I might have something in mind.” Jimi reached out and laid her palm on his hard chest. It seemed a completely natural thing to do, even if it was deliciously dangerous. His body heat warmed her palm and scorched up her arm, rushing through her blood, hot and heavy. She had a difficult time breathing as her desire settled with seductive heat deep inside her. Her nipples rose against the soft fabric of her borrowed shirt, which grazed the sensitive peaks. She trembled with anticipation.

Good Lord, there was something about this man.

Dallas drew in a sharp breath as if he felt the same electricity between them. His hand closed over hers and tightened momentarily before stepping away. “Perhaps we should explore the possibilities later.”

Jimi nodded, drawing in a shaky breath, and took his cue, wandering off on her own. She glanced over her shoulder and watched him walk away, appreciating his magnificent male physique. Ranching had made him muscled, honed his body that clothing couldn’t conceal. Jimi had the insatiable urge to rip off his clothes, desperate to see him naked. Her body temperature soared and it wasn’t because of the Hawaiian heat.

“Hello! Everyone, please gather around.” Jimi was glad of the distraction when the wedding planner called everyone. “The barbecue is about ready and the light is going fast. It’s a tricky walk back down to our campsite, so how about we get a move on. And there are two special people waiting to say hi to y’all!”

Jimi smiled. That meant Diana and Matt had arrived. Then her heart dropped at the bad news she had to give her friend.

The wedding planner herded the group, but Jimi hung back behind a tree. She could follow them down and she ran a bunch of scenarios around in her head. She might be able to do something for Diana’s wedding day. Oh, how she hoped her suitcase arrived tonight, or tomorrow morning at the latest. Rather than alarm Diana tonight, she’d hold off. Every bride’s worst nightmare was her gown not showing up for the wedding. Jimi looked out across the waves to the darkening sky. It really was beautiful. Peaceful and serene. Something she hadn’t felt in such a long time.

The voices faded. She was in no hurry to join them, rather liking the solitude. But she knew she shouldn’t delay too long. Night was descending rapidly now that the sun was gone.

She turned around, and alarm flared inside her when she realized just how dark it was, making it difficult to see the path. She picked her way, trying not to trip over the loose stones, and listened carefully to hear the voices long down the path. Almost bumping into a tree, Jimi raised her hands and felt her way through the brush. While this was a beautiful country, she could see how quickly it could turn on you. Totally unprepared for this wilderness trip in Hawaii, Jimi swallowed the fear building inside her.

Being alone out here in the wild was a harsh reminder of her childhood. Getting lost in the bush and spending a night all by herself huddled and terrified in the root of a tree wasn’t something you could easily forget. She kept moving one foot in front of the other—shuffling them over the ground—and stared into the darkness between the trees, hoping, waiting, for a flicker of light from the camp to show her the way. The icing on the cake would be for a storm to roll in. Jimi’s heart clenched at the thought. After her mother died during a storm, she’d never gotten over her fear of them.

“Oh, thank God.” Relief washed through her when she saw a sparkle of firelight off in the distance. The trail was steep and she had to take it to get down to the camp. Hopefully light from the torches would show her the way.

“I knew you were trouble the minute I laid eyes on you.”

The deep, velvety voice in the dark made her jump out of her skin. “Oh! You scared the crap out of me.” She wasn’t going to tell him how glad she was he’d come back for her.

“The last thing I need is for someone to get lost up here. Why didn’t you follow the group down?”

She wasn’t going to admit that she’d frightened herself. “I was so peaceful up there I wanted to stay a little longer. I was finding my way back with no trouble at all. There was no need for you to come looking for me.”

“Right.”

She heard the tinge of humor in his voice and knew he didn’t believe her. That irked her. “So, lead the way, Tarzan.”

“No need to get testy, Jane.” He laughed, a low, slow chuckle that sent shivers along her skin. “You best take my hand—it’s dark, and you can’t see where you’re going. I know how clumsy you are, too.”

“I’m fine. Lead the way. And I’m not clumsy.”

Jimi knew Dallas was standing in front of her by the darker form his body created in the shadows. He didn’t move. Neither did she, until Jimi decided she wasn’t going to wait for him to make the first move. They’d started something earlier, and she’d been yearning for it since. She had to get this man out of her system.

Jimi stepped into him, felt for his arms and grasped them. She stood on her toes and found his mouth with hers, sealing off any form of resistance. There was no fumbling, just his hot lips on hers.

Jimi sighed when his hands slid along her arms, took her wrists and lifted so she could wrap them around his neck. The musical night sounds and the warm, scented Hawaiian air embraced them. Jimi lost herself in the moment.

Without the ability to see in the dark, all her other senses exploded into high alert. It seemed as if he touched her everywhere. The sultry tropical breeze whispered over her heated flesh, rousing her further. Threading his hands through her hair, he pulled her head back so she was at his mercy in the shadows. His lips, more powerful and insistent than before, had her melting into him. Her legs wobbled and Jimi clutched him tighter.

Night birds and other nocturnal animal sounds serenaded them as the creatures woke to their new day as the hour slipped deeper into the night. Leaves rustling in the breeze, distant voices from the camp, the tropical frogs and, mostly, their breathing was all she heard. Dallas’s scent, warm, manly, was tinged with soap, leather and horse. He smelled so good she could eat him.

Jimi reached her tongue, wanting—no, needing—to find his. When the tips met, she moaned in ecstasy as molten fire flowed through her. He was magic, this man. This Hawaiian cowboy had the touch and she was thrilled to be at the receiving end of it.

He tightened his arms around her and shuffled her back until the solidity of a tree trunk pinned her sweetly between the rough bark and his powerful chest. Hooking a foot around his calf, she pulled so he had nowhere to go except closer to her. And like lava flowing over the craggy ground, he filled her. But not in the way she desperately needed. Jimi ached for him, and she clutched his shoulders, wanting him to take her here and now. In the dark. Under the rising tropical moon and rustle of leaves overhead.

“Now—”

“Easy, hemahema.” His lips silenced her.

Jimi ran her hands up into his hair, and it fell over her fingers. Thick and soft, it made her want to discover more. He held her against the tree and she fell victim to his lips. Never had she been so thoroughly kissed. It was exquisite—the delicious fusion of their mouths, the way their arms held each other, the feelings that exploded inside her.

All from a kiss.

She moaned into him and he pressed deeper. His tongue danced with hers lightly, then firmly, only to tease her again. He was wooing her with his mouth, and she was falling for him in the most elemental way. His hard body pinned her, and she felt his erection nudge her belly.

Jimi felt like a schoolgirl again and she loved it. This man made her feel it was okay to let go—not hang on so tight—and give up her control, handing it over to him. She sensed it deep inside. He was safe. Hadn’t he come to find her in the dark? After what seemed like a sweet eternity, he broke the kiss. His breathing was ragged, just like hers.

She was desperate to see his face, the expression in his eyes, but the dark hid him from her. “Take me to your tent. Or mine. I don’t care.”

“What I’ll do is take you back down to the camp. The tent can come later when everyone is asleep.”

He slid his hand from her neck, along her shoulder and down her arm, taking her hand in his. He left a charged trail of excited nerve endings where he touched her. Dallas tugged her and she followed him in the dark. “I’ll hold you to that, cowboy.”

He chuckled. “I had no doubt that you would.”

Jimi smiled and her heart did a little tumble.

Dallas led her into the camp by the long barn, where she’d first fallen into his arms. The bright light from camp beyond the barn caught her attention. She was surprised at how much it had changed since the trek up to the ridge.

It was almost...pretty.

Through the trees and past the tents, she saw torches and twinkle lighting strung through the trees. Tables had been covered with some kind of cloth, and wide leaves with flowers grouped into them sat in the middle as centerpieces. The backs of chairs were draped with more flowers and leaves, as were some tree trunks. Torchlight lit the paths between the tents. It had a magical look, like a tropical fairyland, and Jimi loved it! Now she wanted to see what else had been done in the way of decoration.

“Just a quick walk through the barn to make sure the horses are all settled. That way, if we’re spotted no one will think anything,” Dallas told her as she followed him into the barn. The horses were dozing in their stalls.

“I don’t really care if anyone thinks anything,” Jimi confessed.

He stopped halfway down and turned toward her. “Well, I do. This is business, and reputation is very important to the family. I wouldn’t want it to get around that a guest had been taken advantage of.”

“I’m a big girl and can make my own decisions,” she retorted and immediately regretted her words, feeling contrite not considering it from his perspective.