Cowboy Love (4 page)

"Well, it's only one date. Besides, it's not like you are a virgin or anything. You've had lovers before."

"Thanks, Chris."

"I didn't mean it like that. I think you are reading way too much into this."

"You're attracted to him, right?"

She inhaled sharply before she answered, "Yeah, you could say that."

"Well, what's the big deal? I say go for it. Have a good time and worry about the consequences later. All I'm saying is don't shut the door before the horse is in the barn."

She frowned, knowing her friend meant well, but she was afraid. Never having been this quickly attracted to a man before, the thought of walking away after the weekend came to a close, did not appeal to her.

The two women fell silent for the rest of the ride, but as they pulled into the drive, Chris said, "Amy, listen. There isn't any harm in going out with Tanner one time. I think you two probably have a lot in common. If nothing else, you might end up with a good friend."

"I guess you're right. No big deal."
Yeah right, Amy,
her heart whispered
. His stare curled your toes. If a look could do that, what do you think making love with him would do?

Once they reached their respected temporary bedroom doors, Chris said, "Tanner is different from the guys you are used to dating. Those stuck-on-themselves guys you've been seeing, only make you doubt yourself. Tanner is a simple cowboy. Be careful. I don't want either of you to get hurt."

Amy shrugged, Chris was right.

"I'm tired of seeing you miserable. You are a beautiful girl, inside and out. It would be great to see you with someone who would appreciate you for yourself and who isn't the type to abuse women. Tanner is too sweet for that. I'm not saying he's Mr. Right. It's only one date. Take advantage of it."

Without waiting for a reply, Chris went into her room and shut the door behind her, leaving Amy standing in the hall.

When Amy stepped into the room, the moon shone brightly through the window, casting silver ribbons on the floor. She pulled off her boots and clothes, slid her t-shirt on and pulled the covers back on the bed, climbing underneath. She focused on the ceiling overhead as shadows danced across and visions of Tanner smiling at her from the stage flashed through her mind.

Damn!
Heat infused her body, making her squirm under the sheets. She'd never had anyone look at her with such hunger, like he would devour her, given the chance.

That's it! I need to put him out of my mind; otherwise I'll never get any sleep tonight.
She rolled onto her side and closed her eyes.

As sleep finally claimed her, dancing brown eyes and a wicked smile plagued her dreams.

Chapter 3

The next morning, she woke late. She did not remember her dreams from last night specifically, but she awoke very much aware of her body and its needs. The sun shone bright in the sky when she rolled out of the bed, grabbed her robe and wandered into the kitchen for coffee.

"You girls came home rather early. I sure didn't expect to see you two until the wee hours of the morning."

"Why am I not surprised to find you out here and knowing exactly what time we got in? We didn't come in until after two a.m."

"It comes from many years of keeping track of Chris and her siblings. They constantly came in past curfew." Catherine's smile warmed her heart.

Thoughts of Chris getting in trouble on a daily basis made her smile. She could imagine her friend sneaking into the house, only to be caught by her mother who stood guard over the front door.

"Did you girls have a good time?"

"Um, it was fun, I guess."

"Fun? You say one thing, but your face tells me something else." Amy blushed under her scrutiny.

"Well…" she started, before being interrupted as Chris wandered into the kitchen.

"The world must be coming to an end," Catherine remarked, feigning surprise. "She's up before noon."

Chris gave her mother a smirk and a shake of her head as she headed toward the coffee. "How am I supposed to sleep with the noise going on in here?"

"Amy and I were talking about last night."

"Did she tell you she has a date with Tanner today?"

Catherine's surprised gaze returned to her. "No, she left that part out. That would explain the pretty blush."

Feeling completely out-numbered, Amy rolled her eyes and stood. "I'm going to go take a shower. If you'll excuse me."

"Of course." Catherine winked and laughed as Amy took her coffee with her and walked back down the hall to her room.
Those two obviously think Tanner hung the moon. You had better be careful or they'll have you married off to the guy.

She grabbed some clean clothes and walked into the bathroom, turning on the water. A hot shower, that's what she needed.
Or maybe I should take a cold one.
Tanner's eyes, hot with desire, swam before her. Shaking her head to displace her erotic thoughts, she stripped her clothes off and stepped into the stream of water. She quickly showered and redressed in clean jeans, a tank top and her boots in preparation for their ride. She was looking forward to this. It had really been too long since she could just enjoy herself and not worry about a competition or whether she looked nice enough for the company she would be keeping.

Once dressed, she glanced at her watch grumbling, "Shoot. I better hurry. It's almost eleven."

When she stepped into the front room, Catherine, Robert and Chris greeted her.

"My, don't you look pretty." Catherine took in Amy's attire.

Amy shrugged. "Nothing special."

"Yes, well, I still think you look nice. Have a nice time with Tanner." Catherine grinned as she reached the front door.

"With Tanner?" Robert questioned.

"Yes, dear. Amy and Tanner are going riding."

She shook her head as she slipped out through the screen, as Catherine continued to explain to her husband why she and Tanner were going somewhere together.

The balmy breeze picked up her hair from her shoulders, spreading it softly against her back, as she walked down the drive toward Tanner's. The smell of hay, animals, sunshine and leather lifted her spirits while they calmed her soul.

It was a bit farther going this way than cutting through the garden, but it put her closer to the barn. She approached the house, noticing Tanner standing near the shelter, brushing a beautiful sorrel gelding.

"Morning," she said, walking up behind him.

He turned as he heard her voice, giving her an appreciative smile. The sunglasses he wore, shielding his eyes from her, but she could tell they ran down her body by the shivers it caused on her skin as his grin widened.

"Mornin'," he replied, setting the brush aside. "You can pick any of the horses in the corral. They are all broke to ride."

"Thanks," she said, eyeing the wonderful group of horses in the pen nearby.

"Mornin', young lady."

She turned to find an older version of Tanner standing at the open door of the barn. Appearing to stand a little shorter than his son's six feet, the same brown eyes twinkled as they met hers, although a few more years of experience wrinkled the corners.

"Good morning," she replied.

"I'm Scott Lewis, Tanner's dad." He held out his hand.

"It's nice to meet you, Mr. Lewis."

"Please, call me Scott. Mr. Lewis makes me feel old."

"All right, Scott," she said with a smile.

"Dad, this is Amy," Tanner said, but paused, pushing his sunglasses on top of his head. "You know, I don't even know your last name."

"It's Russell." Amy grinned.

"Amy Russell," Tanner finished. "She's a friend of Chris' from Dallas."

"It's real nice to meet you, Amy. I watched you work the horse yesterday. Pretty amazin'. I haven't seen anyone do that in twenty years. You happen to be related to John Russell?"

Her gaze returned to Scott, laughing as she said, "Yeah, you could say that. He's my dad."

"Well, hot damn! You're John Russell's little girl?"

"Yes, I am. Do you know him?"

"Hell yeah!" he exclaimed. "We used to ride rodeo together way back when."

"Really? What a small world."

Scott looked hard at her for a moment and said excitedly, "Your dad called you little squirt!"

"Yes, he did, still does at times." Amy laughed, thinking about her dad and how he would kid her.

Scott grabbed her in a hug, pulling her against his large frame in a warm embrace. "I used to tease you when I caught John at a rodeo. I can't believe you are all grown."

* * * *

Tanner's gaze moved back and forth between the two people in amazement. His dad knew Amy's dad? It blew his mind to think their families knew each other, or at least used to.

"Where's your dad now?" Scott asked.

"He and Mom settled on a piece of land in Oregon. He'll be surprised to know I ran into you."

"Wait a minute. You went to rodeos with your dad?" Tanner questioned, getting into the middle of the amazing reunion.

"Yeah, all the time when I was little. I rode after I got into high school. I've started doing the rodeo thing on the weekends now, when I can."

"What do you do now? Barrels?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"Trust me, you won't."

"Don't tell me you ride bulls?" He kept his voice teasing. The more he learned about this incredible woman, the more she fascinated him.

"You will not believe me so just drop it, okay?"

"Come on, Amy, tell me."

She shifted uneasily. "All right, I team rope," she murmured quietly.

"I told you that you wouldn't believe me."

"I've never heard of a woman team ropin'. What position?"

Rolling her eyes and sighing heavily, she said, "Heeler."

"You have to be kiddin' me." He grunted. "How come I've never heard of you competin'?"

* * * *

She found the need to constantly defend her riding around men aggravating and it pissed her off. Every rodeo she went to someone questioned her abilities, and on many occasions, she had to prove them wrong. People she knew even made bets when they would hear a cowboy say he did not believe she roped.

"I don't go around advertising it, Tanner," she said, exasperated as anger built in her chest. It really bothered her that he didn't believe her.

"I still don't believe it."

"Fine. Is there someone on your place that ropes?"

"Get him and I'll prove it to you. Where can I find a good roping horse?" She looked toward the corral, shading her eyes from the sun.

"Take your pick. I'll find Larry." Tanner turned his back and headed toward the back of the barn.

He returned a short time later with Larry in tow. He had explained to the man the situation and Larry seemed more than happy to oblige. She still stood near his dad, looking over the horses in the corral.

"Come with me. There are more in the barn." She followed him, anxious to see if there happened to be a different horse that might work for her demonstration.

She walked toward the back where a chestnut gelding poked his head out of the stall. Taking her hand and running it up the animal's nose and across his neck, she looked over the stall door, surveying him.

"I'll take him," she said with confidence, aware of Tanner's surprised look. She knew a good roping horse when she saw one.

"All right. I'll get some tack. There's a lead rope hangin' there by the door."

Grabbing the twisted nylon, she slipped it into the ring under the animals halter, pulled the lock on the stall and led the beautiful horse to a spot where she could tether him.

Tanner returned with a gorgeous saddle, bridle and blanket for her use.

"You don't have a saddle that's a little more worn? I hate to use something so nice." She ran her hands over the tooled leather, still crisp and stiff from non-use.

"It's okay. It's the best tack we've got. I wouldn't want you to have a problem ropin' with defective tack."

"Give it to me," she snapped, pulling the tack from his hands and briskly saddling the horse. His joking tone just set her nerves on edge as she bristled with anger.

Larry sat already astride his horse in the pen, waiting for her. Tanner opened the gate to the pen after she had mounted and pulled it shut behind her as she rode over to the shoot. She nodded to the man already in position with the cow between them, bawling.

She put her sunglasses on to cut the glare, and she readied the rope for their first run. Watching the cow and her partner, she made sure everything was set properly, before she nodded for Tanner to release the cow.

The animal shot out of the holding shoot like a bullet and Larry took off, cleanly roping the horns, as Amy brought up the back. She threw the rope with perfect timing, hooking both back feet, and her horse instinctively stopped on its rear haunches, pulling it tight.

The scenario played out several more times, each ending in the same fashion. Time came for their final run and she could tell by her partner's posture he wasn't happy about a female showing him up. As he roped the horns, he pulled the cow's head enough to throw her timing off, causing her to miss. As she rode over to the cowboy, she said, "It's a good thing you don't do this with me all the time, or I'd kick your ass for pulling that cow's head."

A stunned expression rippled across his face as he replied, "Sorry."

Heat crawled up her neck as her anger built to an explosive level. She had proven she indeed knew what she was doing, but it felt like a hollow victory to her heart. Tanner didn't believe her and that hurt more than she wanted to admit. She pulled the horse back around and rode toward the fence where Tanner and Scott stood watching each run in earnest. The proud raise of Scott's eyebrows and the frown on Tanner's face should have made her anger dissipate, but it didn't. When she pulled the horse up, she hooked her sunglasses with her finger, pulling them down her nose slightly so she could see him over the top rim.

"Satisfied?" Not waiting for an answer, she swung the horse around and headed back for the barn, fuming.