A Cowboy's Claim. Marin Thomas

cheek and he jumped inside. “Is it because of the scar?” She leaned back and looked him in the eye.

      He admired Tanya for asking such a direct question. “I’ve never given much thought to the future.” Marriage had never been on his radar. Since he’d been nineteen he’d had one goal—winning a national title. He couldn’t move forward with his life until he put the past behind him.

      “Mind if I cut in?” a feminine voice interrupted them.

      Tanya stiffened in Vic’s arms a second before she smashed her breasts against his chest. The feel of her sent a rush of blood straight to his crotch. Then she bumped her pelvis—intentionally—against his erection before acknowledging the interruption.

      “I’m Darcy.” The buxom blonde batted her butterfly lashes.

      Vic opened his mouth to decline Darcy’s offer, but Tanya beat him to it. “No can do, Darcy.” Tanya’s fingers bit into his arm. “We were just leaving.” She stared at him. “Right, Vic?”

      Tanya’s eyes flashed—from anger or desire, it didn’t matter. He was leaving the bar with her. “We’re out of here.”

      Tanya stepped forward, but Darcy blocked her path. “Where are you leaving to...if I may ask?”

      Tanya slid her arm through Vic’s. “Somewhere more private.”

      Darcy’s eyes widened. “You two are sleeping together?”

      Vic waited for Tanya to set Darcy straight, but instead of denying the accusation, she dragged him through the crowd and straight out the door.

      After they got into the pickup, she spoke. “Vic?”

      He stared out the windshield afraid to look at her. Afraid to see in her eyes the same yearning he was positive showed in his. “What?” He forced the word past his lips.

      “I know you have another ride tonight, but I’m going to ask anyway.”

      He stopped breathing.

      “Do you want to get a motel room with me?”

       Chapter Three

      There were a thousand reasons why he and Tanya shouldn’t get a motel room—the most important being that he had another go-round waiting for him in Vernal. But when he stared into her blue eyes, he couldn’t remember why that ride was important. He started the engine and drove three miles to an out-of-the way motel no other cowboys would stay at for the night.

      When he pulled up in front of the office of the Sweet Dreams Inn, there was only one other customer—a red Mustang parked outside room 7. He’d ask Tanya one more time, hoping mostly for his sake that she’d change her mind. But before he voiced the question, she’d opened her door and with one boot on the pavement she said, “You’re not having second thoughts, are you?”

      Nothing short of a bullet through the heart would stop him now. “You want to wait here while I register for a room?” Tanya wasn’t like other women he’d shared a motel bed with. She might care if someone recognized her. Thanks to her ex-husband’s wild ways, she’d already been the victim of gossip, and he didn’t want people talking bad about her because of him.

      She shook her head and got out, then came around the hood and slipped her fingers through his. “I’ll go in with you.”

      Five minutes later the motel manager handed Vic a plastic key card with the number 4 on it. The walk to the room took ten seconds. His attraction to Tanya convinced him the sex would be great—better than great—but it was what happened after they made love that worried Vic. This could only be a one-night stand. He couldn’t afford to lose focus on his goal, and it would be too easy to become preoccupied with Tanya. He slid the card through the lock and opened the door.

      The king-size bed beckoned, but his boots sank into the sidewalk as if it were made of wet concrete. Tanya’s fingers squeezed his right biceps and then she stood on tiptoe and pressed a kiss against his neck. Her warm breath puffed across his skin, propelling him forward. He shut the door behind them and flipped the locks.

      He didn’t bother with the lights.

      * * *

      A HEAVY WARMTH pressing against her backside woke Tanya. It took a fraction of a second for her to remember she was at the Sweet Dreams Inn with Vic. The room was pitch-black, only a sliver of light spilled beneath the closed bathroom door. She’d asked Vic to turn on the bedside lamp after they tumbled naked onto the mattress—she’d wanted to gawk at every inch of muscle—but he’d distracted her with kisses and touches and she’d lost herself in their lovemaking.

      She’d seen through his tough act. He wanted her and others to believe he wasn’t self-conscious about the scar on his face, but he was. If he didn’t care about it, he’d smile and laugh and not stop himself when the action stretched the puckered flesh, pulling one side of his mouth down.

      She made a conscious effort to look him in the eye when they talked, but it was difficult to ignore the ugly mark. She could only imagine how painful the wound had been, but was reluctant to ask how he’d gotten it for fear he’d push her away for good.

      Vic stirred, his hand moving from her belly to her breast. His thumb flicked her nipple and she exhaled a soft sigh.

      “If I tell you something,” she whispered into the dark, “promise you won’t get a big head?”

      He pressed his mouth to her neck and nibbled her skin. “Promise.”

      “On second thought, never mind.”

      He sat up and rolled her onto her back. She could only make out the shadow of his face as he loomed over her. “You can’t leave a man hanging like that.”

      She wished she could see his eyes. “Rodeo’s already given you a big ego.”

      “If that’s the way you feel, then...” His mouth trailed kisses down her neck, across her collarbone, then lower...lower... Her back arched and she moaned. She knew it was wrong to think of her ex when she was in bed with Vic, but Beau had never spent much time pleasuring her, and Vic acted as if he couldn’t get enough of her. The sensations he aroused in her were powerful and humbling.

      He kissed his way up her body and then brushed the hair from her eyes. “What we’re you going to tell me a few minutes ago?”

      “I can’t remember.” She curled against him.

      “Guess I’ll have to do this all over again.” His mouth latched onto her breast.

      “Wait,” she cried out in defeat. “I haven’t caught my breath yet.” She could feel his smile against her stomach. “Okay, fine. You’re amazing in bed.”

      “Amazing? That’s it?”

      He kissed her—a tender caress that led to more kisses on her nose, cheeks and forehead. This gentle side of Vic was a surprise and she savored every touch and whispered word.

      “My turn.” She pushed him off her.

      A silent chuckle rumbled through his chest, but it didn’t last long.

      * * *

      VIC WOKE AT 6:00 a.m. to snoring sounds coming from the other side of the bed. Tanya rested on her back, her arms and legs spread wide as if she’d been making snow angels on the mattress. Watching her filled him with longing. He’d missed his ride in Vernal last night but being with Tanya had meant more to him than winning his next rodeo. More than was good for his sanity. Tanya was an easy woman to be with and the first woman in forever he could be himself with.

      But the timing was wrong. Hell, the timing might never be right. Once he won the national championship buckle later this year, he’d retire from rodeo. Tanya only knew him as a broncbuster. When he hung up his spurs for good, she might not care for the new Vic—whoever he turned