Free Expecting the Cowboy's Baby by Charlene Sands Page B

made it to the hallway and, by the time he got to his bed, he was down to his briefs. He tossed the covers aside and climbed in, resting his head upon his pillow and closing his eyes.
    A familiar scent drifted by, a soft, subtle, fragrant smell that brought back memories of the woman he’d been trying darn hard to forget.
    Cassie Munroe.
    Jake squeezed his eyes shut tighter and scoffed at his addled brain. Fatigue, he figured, lowered your resistance, because he’d made a great effort in the past three weeks to put the woman and that weekend behind him.
    A soft feminine sigh, the barest of sound, had him turning toward the far end of his king-size bed. Jake blinked and rolled a bit closer, wondering if the apparition was real or some trick of his imagination. No trick, he realized immediately. There was a woman in his bed.
    And as he took a better look, relying on a slim sliver of moonlight edging its way into the window, there was no mistaking who she was.
    Cassie Munroe.
    A dozen emotions whirled around, creating havoc in his head, his gut and his groin. Stunned, Jake could only stare. Cassie was in a deep sleep. He’d watched her sleep before and the sight of her sexy body, so serene and peaceful in his bed, brought forth many questions. Why was she here? Why had she come to him?
    He’d been royally ticked off when she hadn’t come to the rodeo as he’d asked. He didn’t quite know what he’d say to her, what he’d expected, but he had wanted to see her again. Anger had surfaced then and all of his stubborn pride wouldn’t allow him to call her in Los Angeles. Hefigured he’d served his purpose by taking her to her brother’s wedding. She’d had no use for him after that.
    Jake was accustomed to being abandoned. He’d dealt with rejection all of his life. He wasn’t that needy kid, looking for love any longer. In truth, he scoffed at the notion. In Jake Griffin’s world, love didn’t exist.
    But after the incredible night they’d shared making love, Jake hadn’t expected Cassie to run out on him. Okay, maybe his ego had been bruised. But he’d wanted to say something to her that day. He’d wanted to ask her if he could see her again if he happened to visit California?
    Hell, he didn’t know. The woman made him nuts.
    And now, she was lying next to him in his bed.
    Jake edged himself closer and the immediate impact, the way he responded to her, had him silently swearing. His body hadn’t forgotten her. Hard and tight, Jake rolled away, a mental debate going on in his head whether he should wake her or not. He ruled in favor of sleep. Morning was just hours away.
    He’d find out soon enough what Cassie Munroe wanted from him.

Six
    C assie had slept the sleep of the dead. She’d never been so tired in her life. She lay there reluctant to open her eyes to welcome the new day. Just another five minutes, she told herself, then she’d bounce out of bed and start unpacking. The thought made her sigh and she rolled onto her side, grasping her pillow, snuggling in, but something solid, unyielding and vaguely familiar stopped her.
    A soft kiss brushed her lips. “Morning, Cassie.”
    Startled, Cassie blinked her eyes open. Hazy from sleep, she fought to focus, to make sense of it all as quick, dreadful sensations ripped straight through her. She knew those lips, that deep voice, the appealing scent of the man she’d been dreaming about. This was no dream. He was real, and holding her in his arms.
    What piece of this puzzle had she forgotten?
    She pulled back and away quickly, grasping her pillowtight. “Jake? W-what are you doing here? And w-why are you in my b-bed?”
    â€œYour bed?” Jake chuckled, coming closer, running a finger down her face and tucking strands of her hair behind her ear, sending shivers along her spine. “Sweetheart, did you mix your allergy pills with liquor again last