Adrianna's Cowboy

By reading any further, you are stating that you are at least 18 years of age. If you are under the age of 18, it is necessary to exit this site.

An Excerpt From: ADRIANNA´S COWBOY

Copyright © SAVANNAH STUART, 2009

All Rights Reserved, Ellora's Cave Publishing, Inc.

Chapter One

Adrianna Campbell grabbed another scarf and shoved it into the side pocket of her overflowing suitcase.

"Did you hear what I said?" her friend Lindsay asked.

Holding her cell phone against her ear with one hand, she grabbed a pair of boots from her closet. "Yes, I heard you but I´m not going to sue them so forget about it."

"You should. Firing you without any notice after you worked your ass off for four years is wrong. And all because you wouldn´t screw your boss. Stupid fucker," Lindsay muttered.

Adrianna sighed as she folded another pair of jeans. "I know but I was planning to quit soon anyway. Taking that sleaze ball to court is the last thing I want to do."

"Fine, how about we trash his car then?"

She chuckled. "Sometimes I can´t tell if you´re kidding or not."

"Who´s kidding? Teach that jerk a lesson he´ll never forget."

"Okay, no, because that´s crazy and I don´t want to end up jail. Besides, this is going to be a good thing in the long run. I´ve already called my dad and he´s excited I´ll be spending some extra time at home." Even though she only lived two and a half hours away, she hadn´t been home in four months.

Her dad might have an idea why she´d been avoiding Campbell Ranch but if he´d guessed, he hadn´t let on. A year ago he´d rehired Sam Blackwood so she´d made sure to schedule her visits around the cattle runs, knowing she wouldn´t see Sam.

"I´m going to miss you," Lindsay said.

"I know but I´ll call you when I get there, I promise."

"Okay, be safe."

After they disconnected, she gave her room one last glance before rolling her suitcase down the hall and stairs.

Her phone rang again so she fished it out of her purse. She smiled when she saw the number. "Hey Dad, I´m walking out the door now."

"Adrianna, it´s not your father."

Her throat clenched at the intoxicating, familiar voice. Somehow she made her throat work. "Sam? Why are you calling from my father´s phone?"

He sighed. "Listen, I don´t know how to say this but uh...your dad...."

"Is my dad okay?"

"Shit, sweetheart... Your dad had a heart attack. He passed away about ten minutes ago."

Her purse slid to the floor and she leaned against the wall for support. "You´re wrong."

"I´m going to send someone to pick you up-"

"No! I´m leaving right now." Without waiting for a response, she hung up the phone and shoved it in her purse. It continued ringing until she made it to the highway.

It was almost easy to tune out the sound but finally she shut it off and turned the radio on low. Talking to anyone right now was impossible. If she talked to Sam of all people, she´d start crying and then she´d never make it home.

* * * * *

Sam Blackwood paced the length of the front porch and tried calling Adrianna. Again. Went straight to voicemail. Again.

Sighing, Sam scrubbed a hand over his face and headed back inside. Even if he was annoyed with her, he sure as shit couldn´t show it when he saw her. She´d just lost her dad. She might put on a tough façade sometimes but he knew the woman would be hurting something fierce. Hell, everyone who knew Jacob Campbell was hurting.

The sound of a car door slamming stopped him. He rushed back to the front door but before he made it, the door swung open. A gust of icy wind blasted him but he could barely feel it as unexpected heat swept through him.

It was her. The woman he´d wanted for longer than he cared to admit. Big blue eyes he remembered well stared at him with raw pain. She had the type of eyes a man could drown in if he let himself.

"Sam." The ragged way she said his name tore at his heart.

He took a few steps toward her, closing the distance between them. He´d regret holding her later but for now he didn´t give a damn. Tears spilled down her fair-skinned cheeks as she stepped into his arms and he fought the guilt he experienced at actually enjoying holding her slim body against his.

Her strawberry blonde hair was shorter than he remembered. She wore it closer to her shoulders now. And it was straight, not wild and curly like before. Of course he hadn´t seen her in about four years. Things and people changed. One thing was for sure, his attraction to her hadn´t.

She was also smaller, leaner, than he remembered. Everything except her breasts of course. They pressed against his chest and even though she had on a thick sweater, he knew what they looked like. Knew what they tasted like. Perfect rosy buds he´d kissed and sucked on until she came. To his horror, his cock lengthened as memories assaulted him.

He tried to think of something, anything else but nothing worked. Like some horny teenager, his cock wouldn´t listen.

Abruptly she pulled back and stared up at him through tear-laden eyes. "Are you..."

He cleared his throat but didn´t answer. To his surprise, an unexpected grin spread across her face and she laughed. Actually laughed. "You always were a randy bastard," she murmured, as she stepped out of his arms.

Yeah, only for you. "Do you have luggage?"

"Everything´s in the car. I can get it later-"

But he was out the door before she could finish. He found her car unlocked so he lugged out a suitcase that should have its own zip code. Looked like she was planning to stay awhile.

The thought gave him a moment´s pause but he shoved it away. Adrianna might have been interested in him when she was young and too naïve to know what she wanted but things were different now.

When he came back inside, he found her sitting at the kitchen table sipping on a beer.

"You hungry?" he asked.

"Not really. Maybe this beer will dull some of my senses." Her laugh was wry and full of pain.

"I don´t want you to worry about anything, Adrianna. I´ve talked to the funeral home and your father´s lawyer. Everything´s being handled."

"When...when´s the funeral?"

"Sunday afternoon." Today was Friday.

She stared at her beer. "He always said he wanted to be buried out by that old sycamore tree."

He pulled out the chair and sat across from her. "I know and we´re going to do exactly what he requested. Listen, why don´t you settle in and get some rest? There´s nothing you can do until tomorrow anyway."

For a moment he thought she might say more but instead she simply stood. "Okay, just lock up on your way out."

"I live here now." The words sliced through the quiet room, effectively sucking all the air out with them.