Lingerie and Lariats (Rough & Ready#7) (10 page)

Rain pelted the house, a steady drumming on the rooftop. Renee peered outside through the wooden blinds and watched the tire tracks fill, the road shimmering with water that the hard packed dirt didn’t easily absorb.

It was Sunday, the morning of the Camerons’ BBQ. Summer storms in Arizona are often intense and hard to predict. They came and went, so it was possible the weather would clear up by the afternoon. She didn’t hold out a lot of hope, though since the forecaster on the TV had said they were in for a wet one today.

Memories of her night with Dan kept a smile on her face all morning. Every now and then thoughts of what he had said made her pause. He’d said he was falling for her. Truth was, she was falling for him, too, but she didn’t know what to do about it… Not with the mess her life was in.

Her phone rang and she moved away from the window and pulled her phone out of her pocket. Zane Cameron was on the caller ID—she’d programmed his number into her address book yesterday. Likely he was calling to tell her the get-together was cancelled.

She pushed hair out of her face and brought the phone to her ear and answered it. “Hi, Zane.”

“Good morning,” he said in his country drawl. “How about Mexican food instead of barbeque? Unless it clears up it’s going to be a mite wet outside.”

Renee brightened. “That will be great. What time?’

“Around one this afternoon,” he said.

“I’ll tell Dan,” she said. “We’ll see you then.”

She disconnected the call just as the front door opened. Dan walked in, water dripping from his western hat and clothing and mud on his boots. As he set his wet hat on the hat rack beside the door, he wiped his boots on the doormat then toed them off so that he was in his sock feet.

“Let me get you a towel.” She hurried to the downstairs bathroom, grabbed a towel from the rack, and returned with it.

“Thanks.” Dan took it from her with a smile and kissed her firmly before he started toweling off.

“The get-together with the Camerons is still on,” she told him as he took off his wet shirt. She almost couldn’t keep talking as she watched his muscles ripple as he dried himself the best he could. She cleared her throat. “Zane called and said to be there sometime around one. What was BBQ is now Mexican food.”

“Mexican food sounds good,” he said as he smiled down at her.

They headed upstairs and she entered the guestroom, where all of her things were.

Dan paused in the doorway. “How about moving your things into my room after I shower?”

She smiled. “I’d like that.”

When he left, she peered at herself in the mirror. The bruise on her face was fading, but she’d put on makeup to cover up what remained. She went to her suitcase and dug out her cosmetics bag. She didn’t want to have to answer questions and say something ridiculous like she’d run into a door.

Fifteen minutes later Dan returned to the guestroom and something inside her warmed at the sight of him. He’d showered and he was now dressed in dry clothes. He leaned up against the doorframe and watched her French braid her hair into a long braid that fell to the middle of her back.

His lips curved into a sexy smile as he studied her and she felt more flutters in her belly. Every time the man was around her she felt a charge in the air between them, and after last night it was even more palpable. The feeling was more than sexual… It was a connection between them that transcended anything else.

Dan felt a tightening in his gut as he watched Renee. She stirred emotions in him that he’d never felt for another woman. He wanted to take care of her, to keep her safe. He wanted to be with her, to spend time alone or in the company of others—he liked being around her.

Last night hadn’t been nearly enough as far as he was concerned. He wanted to take her in his arms and claim her in every way a man could claim a woman. He’d told her he was falling for her because it wasn’t something he could have held back. Maybe he should have stopped himself. He didn’t want to pressure her but at the same time he intended to claim her as his own.

His lips curved. She looked so damned cute with her long braid and sweet smile. Snug blue jeans molded her nice little ass and her firm breasts pressed against her red blouse. He’d loved the way her petite body had felt spooned with his when they’d slept together. In every way she was a perfect fit.

When she finished her braid, she faced him and smiled. That adorable smile made his heart thump a little harder. Damn, but he had it bad when it came to this woman. Real bad.

“I need to make that dessert to take to the Camerons,” she said as she walked toward him. “We still have a couple of hours.”

He’d all but forgotten she’d planned to make something. He’d already brought the cooler out of the back room to use to take a couple of six packs of beer along with some sodas on ice.

“Looking forward to eating whatever it is you’re making,” he said.

“How can you be so sure when you don’t know what it is?” she asked with a grin.

He pushed away from the doorframe. “Anything you make I’ll be pleased to eat.”

She moved past him into the hallway. “First we need to see what you have in your pantry.”

“Good luck,” he said in a teasing voice.

They headed downstairs, him following behind. When they made it to the kitchen, she went straight for the pantry.

She hummed as she pushed things around. “It’s not as bad as I expected for a bachelor.” She glanced over her shoulder at him and smiled. “Flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, vanilla, and a few other staples. I can work with this.” She started taking things out of the cabinet and handing them to him. “Do you bake?”

“Biscuits and cornbread every now and then,” he said. “Not much more than that.”

He helped her make a golden cake that smelled so damn good while it baked that it had his stomach growling. She made caramel frosting using granulated sugar since he didn’t have powdered sugar, and had baked the cake in an oblong pan because he didn’t have round ones to make a layer cake.

She looked happy as she baked and was clearly at home in the kitchen. Now and then their hands would brush or they’d bump into each other and he’d have to stop her and kiss her. Every time they touched he felt something alive between them and by the way she looked at him he knew she felt it too.

An hour after the cake had finished baking, the pan was still warm as he picked it up and carried it out to the big white truck, Renee hurrying beside him through the warm summer rain. On the passenger side he opened the door for her and helped her climb in with one hand then gave her the cake to hold onto. He’d already loaded the ice chest with beer and sodas while the cake had been baking.

Her spirits were clearly high as he drove to the Camerons. He liked how relaxed and happy she had looked as the day had gone by. It was markedly different from the tense way she’d seemed around Nelson when they’d last been at the Camerons, especially when the man would put his arm around her.

She’d only been with Dan a couple of days, but it felt as if they’d been together much longer. If it were up to him, he’d never let her go.

Excitement bubbled up inside Renee as the truck’s tires splashed through puddles in tire tracks on the dirt road leading to the Bar C Ranch. It wasn’t long before they were driving through the ranch’s gate and up to the Cameron home. Other vehicles were there, telling her that likely more of the Camerons had arrived.

Dan parked the vehicle then came around to the passenger side and helped Renee climb out. It had stopped raining and the world felt washed clean.

A tiny bit of nervousness went through her and she held the cake pan close to her belly, the still-warm glass heating her through her shirt. She told herself that these were old friends and there was no reason at all to feel nervous. Still she felt another twinge and she swallowed.

Dan put his hand at her waist, a comforting touch that bolstered her courage. She smiled up at him and he gave her a sexy smile of his own. That delicious smile made it all the easier to let some of her nervousness slide away.

Her shoes sank into the soft earth leading up to the house until they were on the walkway. Just as they were wiping their shoes on the welcome mat, the front door swung open.

“Come on in.” Zane held the door as they walked through the entrance. As soon as they were in the house, Zane gave Renee a one-armed hug since she was carrying the cake pan.

He took the pan from her and nodded toward the kitchen. “Everyone is waiting in there.”

After they wiped their shoes again on the inside mat, they followed Zane into the spacious kitchen.

Immediately, Renee was swept up into the Cameron family. There were greetings, laughter, and hugs. All of the Cameron men were tall and all had the intense Cameron blue eyes that she remembered so well.

Dillon introduced her to his wife, Carly, and then she met Wayne’s other half, Kaitlyn. Wyatt had married a woman named Sabrina, and of course Renee had already met Zane’s wife, Jessie. The only ones missing from the family get-together were Danica and her husband, Creed.

Small children ran underfoot and Renee managed to memorize their names. Chelsea was the oldest and the only girl. That left Chelsea’s baby brother and three boy toddlers.

“There’s someone else you need to see.” Zane rested his hand on Renee’s shoulder and guided her toward the kitchen table where an older woman was sitting and smiling. She had watery eyes but they were Cameron blue. A cane was propped up against the wall behind her.

“Aunt Grace!” Renee went to the woman and knelt to give her a hug. Grace felt much more fragile than she had before, but it had been over two decades since Renee had seen her.

She drew back, tears pricking the backs of her eyes. “I missed you so much, Aunt Grace.”

The elderly woman took Renee’s hand in hers and Grace’s voice was clear and strong. “I’ve missed you too, honey. I’m so glad you’ve come home.”

Home.
Renee liked the way that sounded.
I’ve come home.

“I’m glad to be here, too.” Renee gripped Grace’s hand in hers.

“Have a seat, honey.” Aunt Grace nodded to the chair behind Renee. To Dan she said, “You take the chair next to my little Reenie, Sheriff Cooper.”

Dan grinned. “Good to see you, Grace.”

Aunt Grace released Renee’s hand and Renee pulled the chair closer to the older woman. Grace asked her about her life after leaving the ranch and told her how much everyone had missed her.

“You don’t know how badly I missed all of you, too.” Renee smiled. She asked Grace how she liked being a great aunt to the five little Camerons and the elderly woman seemed to delight in talking about them.

Aunt Grace had sacrificed a lot to raise Zane, Wyatt, Wayne, Dillon, and Danica when their parents died. Grace had never married, but she seemed happy to have raised the bunch and to now have little ones who were like grandchildren to her.

The kids had already eaten and their parents put them down for naps. It took time to settle them but eventually it was quieter without the laughter, squeals, chatter, and cries of the children. Renee had enjoyed the kids. She loved everything about this big family.

They made her feel a part of them and she longed to have this family as her own again.

Tacos, enchiladas, burritos, refried beans, Spanish rice, and salad were served for dinner with homemade salsa and hot sauce. They drank iced tea, sodas, and beer. The caramel-frosted golden cake, a couple of lemon meringue pies, and a platter of fudge nut brownies were set out for dessert and devoured.

After dessert, Zane took Aunt Grace home because she’d said she was tired and needed to rest. The kids were up and the moms and dads were chasing the little ones and the house became even rowdier.

“How about a game of horseshoes?” Wyatt asked after Aunt Grace left. “I think you skunked me the last time we played.”

“That was a very long time ago. I haven’t played the game since,” Renee said with a grin. “But you’re on.”

The kids came outside to play in the mud while the adults played horseshoes. Jessie held the baby as Chelsea and the toddlers ran around in their bare feet, splashing in puddles, toes squishing in mud, all of them shrieking with laughter.

Zane didn’t ask Renee what had happened to Jerry. It was clear that she was with Dan now and Zane probably figured that Jerry was long gone. Since Dan had been the one to pick her up, Zane didn’t know Jerry had been arrested.

Wyatt handed Renee a pair of horseshoes. “You go first,” he said.

Renee took the horseshoes. “Let’s see if I remember how to do this.”

The other members of the Cameron bunch gathered around to watch.

Renee stepped up to the stake closest to her and looked at the other one that was forty feet away. The layers of sand that had been put around each stake were high enough to keep puddles from forming at the bases.

“How far out is the foul line?” she asked Wyatt. “I’ve forgotten.”

“Three feet.” He gestured to the approximate distance she had to pitch from.

She held up the horseshoe, lined it up so that she was aiming for the stake, then pitched. The horseshoe landed in a puddle a good four feet from the stake.

Wyatt grinned. “A little rusty?”

“Just wait until I’m back in form.” She lined up the next horseshoe and pitched it. The shoe landed about a foot from the stake.

Wyatt’s turn was next and he pitched two ringers, the horseshoes landing neatly so that both edges could be touched with a straight edge.

Renee shook her head. “I think I have my work cut out for me.”

They played until Wyatt scored twenty-one to her fourteen and then it was time for the next opponent to step up. Dan challenged Wyatt and only lost to him by one point.

While they took turn playing horseshoes, a soft warm rain started to fall. It felt invigorating and they stayed outside.

Someone brought out a lariat and tied a honda knot to make a lasso. Zane and his brothers took turns doing tricks with the lasso that they’d learned as kids and were even better at now.

When it was Dan’s turn, he did a couple of tricks and Renee smiled as she watched him. She looked away for one moment when Wayne spoke to her.