Always a Cowboy (7 page)

His mouth twitched. “Not a ton of restaurant choices in Mustang Creek.”

“Whatever lucky woman's out there waiting for you, she should be warned that you're a smooth liar.”

He didn't even pretend to dissemble. “You think she's lucky, huh? I'm honored.”

Luce watched him over the rim of her wineglass. Of the three Carson men, he was perhaps the most complicated. Slater was brilliant and driven. Drake was the pragmatic, down-to-earth type who dealt with life head-on. Mace was harder to figure out. All she knew with certainty was that he liked to needle his older brothers and would've been disappointed if they hadn't returned the favor.

Luce liked him. There wasn't the same pull she felt with Drake, but chemistry was an unpredictable thing. “Hmm. She'd need to be sassy. Sophisticated. Smart. And she has to be able to handle you.”

“You fit the bill.” His smile was flirtatious.

“I'm not sophisticated.” She wasn't particularly; she'd always been more of an academic than the polished type she pictured at his side. He was equally aware that they weren't well suited in a romantic sense. And he obviously had some intuition about her and Drake—or at least her attraction to Drake—since he was pressuring his brother. She liked him all the better for his matchmaking because she found it both funny and touching. “I'm all about hiking boots and skinny-dipping in the river. You want someone who can pick up a wine list and recognize every single label.”

“I don't like snooty women.”

“That's not what I said, is it?”

“No.” Mace was drinking one of his own red wines, and apparently enjoying the conversation. “I'll wait for her to come along. In the meantime, you and my brother?”

She had no idea what to say. She raised her shoulders in a helpless shrug. “I don't think he even likes me.”

“Think again. I recognized that scowl on his face when I walked through the door. It wasn't because you were here. It was because you were here with
me
.”

She regarded him dubiously.

With a cheeky grin, he added, “Trust me on this one, Ms. Hale. He just doesn't know what to do with you. Whoops, badly put. He knows what he'd
like
to do with you, but the thought of being part of a research project affronts his desire for solitude. You could put Drake in a time machine and take him back about a hundred and fifty years, drop him anywhere in the American West, and he'd fit right in. Even when we were younger, he hardly ever watched TV or played any video games. When we got home from school, he did his homework as fast as possible so he could saddle his horse and ride out. Harry used to get on him because he missed supper so often.”

As Luce took another sip of wine, she was tucking this information away for reasons that weren't really connected to her graduate thesis. The hum of the restaurant had faded into the background. “Yet he went to college, even played a collegiate sport.”

Mace leaned his forearms on the edge of the old wooden table, which had seen years of use. “Not going to college wasn't an option. Our father made that clear very early in our lives. What we did after college was our decision, but we were going to college, all three of us. And yeah, Drake is one hell of a tennis player. Think about it, though. Unless you play doubles, that's not a team sport. Slater played football and I ran track, but you should see Drake rope a calf. He's got incredible aim, so that's why he chose tennis. If I was drowning and needed someone to toss me a flotation device, I'd sure hope he was around.”

Fascinating. And not what she needed. She was a bit too fascinated already.

“Do you suppose he'd ever let me film him doing that? The calf roping, I mean?”

“Doubtful.” Mace shook his head. “Slater might be Mr. Showbiz, but Drake is camera shy. I remember that he had to be bribed with this vintage pickup truck he wanted before he agreed to have his senior pictures taken. He just wanted to skip the whole thing. Some sort of compromise was reached because he said yes to the pictures and he got the truck. He and Red restored it. They're kindred souls.”

She'd met Red and could agree with that. “Hard to reach. Softhearted, but they hide it well.”

“See, you're observant. What else have you picked up on? Have you decided he's worth the effort?”

Luce kept her cool. “I've decided you're jumping to a few conclusions here.”

“I doubt it.”

The reappearance of the grouchy waitress ended that conversation. Luce couldn't recall ordering, but she got a plate of fried walleye with homemade coleslaw and thick-cut fries, and Mace got a burger loaded with all the extras. Mystified, she asked, “How did she know what I was going to order? That's impossible.”

“There are some questions better left unasked.” He gestured at his plate. “Usually, I arrive, she brings me a drink, then she delivers the food. Maybe she's a witch or something, but like my brother, she tends to hit the mark.”

The fish was delicious, crispy and paired with tartar sauce made from scratch. She'd barely finished the last bite when the poker party broke up and the players headed for the door, probably eager to get home to their wives and kids. Drake, the only bachelor in the bunch, didn't keep late hours, either, since he got up before dawn.

Speak of the devil... He stopped by their table. “How was your dinner?” he asked.

“Delicious.” She waited; he seemed to have something to say.

“Good.” He planted a hand, palm down, on the table, looking at her intently. “Finish your wine. You're coming with me. Mace can find his own way home.”

When the ultimate cowboy gave you an ultimatum, it was kind of hard to ignore.

Mace was grinning behind his wineglass and his eyes twinkled. “Sure. Home. The place where we grew up. Sure, I can find it on my own.”

“Don't even try to be funny. It's never worked for you before. I just want to show Luce something—not that it's any of your business.”

“Wonder what that might be,” Mace speculated, his tone easy and unhurried.

A muscle tensed in Drake's jaw. “Your tactless comments are getting on my nerves, little brother.”

Time to run interference.

Luce finished her wine in an inelegant gulp and smiled apologetically at Mace. If she hadn't known what Mace was up to, she would never have agreed to leave one brother, who'd treated her to dinner, for the other. But he was the one who'd set everything in motion, so she interrupted whatever he was going to say next. “Thanks for dinner. So...what's your advice?”

He gave Drake a once-over. “He's harmless enough.”

Drake didn't look flattered. “Don't be so sure.”

Luce stood up hastily, aware that Mace could be right and Drake hadn't liked her coming to Bad Billy's with him. Even though it was none of his business. Her reaction to this was both positive and negative. So far, all her interactions with the Carson family had run that way. Three very different brothers who got along well, but there was some head-butting now and then. And she just happened to be the reason for this latest bout.

Drake steered her toward the bar. “I'll be a second. I need to talk to Billy.”

Billy—a former biker, or so she'd heard—was busy pouring drinks. Smiling, he paused when Drake walked up. “You boys seemed to like the food okay. I see you stole Mace's woman. That didn't take long. Ain't you slick, cowboy.”

“She isn't Mace's woman.” Drake sounded emphatic. “Anyway, here's Thelma's tip. I didn't want to leave it on the table. Tell her it's from all of us.”

Billy's eyebrows rose as he took the thick wad of bills. “Let me guess. Seven hundred dollars—enough to take care of the car repairs. That's real thoughtful of you.”

Drake shrugged. “She brought us chicken-fried steak and beer. The least we could do is help her fix Frankie.”

“Dammit, son, don't make me tear up in front of a pretty girl. It'd ruin my reputation. I'll see that Thelma gets this.”

Luce would give a lot to see Bad Billy all misty-eyed, but Drake was already leading her toward the door, his fingers firmly around her wrist. Outside, the night was clear and, according to the weather report she'd heard earlier, unseasonably warm. “Do you mind telling me what I need to see so badly that I rudely abandoned your brother?”

He opened the passenger's-side door of his truck for her. “Explaining would defeat the purpose.
See
is the operative word here. Hop in.”

CHAPTER SIX

T
HE
MOON
ROSE
slowly above the mountains, right on cue, spreading its silvery light, and while he certainly knew she'd seen a full moon before, he was convinced she'd never seen one quite like this. Drake thought it was spectacular and he never tired of it.

Since he was going to watch it, anyway, she might as well come along.

Okay, the truth was he
needed
her to see it. If she wanted to have a true Wyoming experience, this was one of the best. He pointed. “This way.”

He'd driven his truck as far as possible, but it was still a considerable walk, although he knew she wouldn't mind that part. Luce gave him an inquiring look and he just shook his head. “Worth it. Trust me.”

“I am, obviously,” she said drily.

He led her over the rustic pass, since he was the one who knew where they were going, and because there might be snakes. Rattlers usually left the vicinity as fast as possible when human beings showed up, but if they were startled, it was a different story. He'd been raised to pay attention, and he did.

The sound of rushing water told him they were getting close. When they got to the stream, he eyed her impractical open-toed shoes and without a word picked her up, ignoring her sudden gasp of protest, then waded across. Once he'd set her down on the other side, she straightened her skirt and glared at him. “I could've carried my shoes.”

She did have the world's prettiest eyes, even when they were staring at him indignantly.

“That was easier, wasn't it? Look around. I think this might be the most beautiful place on earth.”

In the twilight, a small waterfall that fed into the stream from a rocky outcrop glimmered. There was a natural bench in the form of a flat stone about six feet wide. He gestured toward it. They were in a small theater of aspens and ponderosa pine, and the air smelled like fresh water and meadow grass. “Have a seat and let the show begin. We're right on time.”

“On time for what?”

“Wait for it. Watch the tree line.”

The sunset was even
more
spectacular than usual—or at least he felt as if it was. The rows of trees were illuminated in a glow that intensified as the moon came up. With the mountains behind, and a starry sky above, the veil of the waterfall reflected the light.

Luce's eyes widened, and Drake heard her catch her breath as she took it all in.

Oh, hell, he
was
falling for her. He'd always wondered how it would feel if that ever happened—he was thirty-two now and it hadn't yet—but he knew this
was
happening.

He'd once told Slater that when the woman of his dreams walked into his line of vision, he'd know it.

That might be true, but he wasn't sure he wanted it to be Lucinda Hale. They lived in different states, an obstacle in itself, and he sensed that her interest in him was based on her intellectual pursuits—but it might have evolved into something more. He couldn't pick up the ranch and move it somewhere else, so unless she was willing to completely change
her
life, it wasn't going to work.

How had he gotten himself into this situation?

Wait,
he
hadn't done it. She had.

Was he really that serious? He'd met her only a short time ago.

Maybe he was...

“That's so beautiful,” she whispered. “Drag me out of a bar and carry me across a river anytime.”

“Count on me.”

The hell of it was he wanted to reach over, haul her into his arms and prove he meant it, but he wasn't comfortable with this kind of emotional impulse. He led a simple life and liked it that way. He got up early, saddled his horse, went to work and came home. Yup, simple.

Luce was throwing a hitch in his stride. She was a complication, and that was the truth.

It didn't help matters when she turned and smiled almost tremulously. “I could very easily fall in love.” She amended quickly, “With Wyoming, I mean.”

Damn, he was going to kiss her, and the worst part was that she knew it, too. There was an expectant look on her face, and when he leaned in and slid his arm around her waist to pull her close, she accepted it willingly, one hand coming up to rest on his chest.

It was quite the kiss, starting tentatively, but then it deepened with alarming speed. Still, he didn't care to analyze it. Luce was warm and pliant against him, her hair smelled like flowers and was tangled around his fingers. His heart was pounding and—

A familiar sound broke them apart, and to his complete shock, he saw the stallion, probably less than a hundred feet away. He'd come up here to drink from the stream and snorted again in displeasure at their presence. Then he lowered his head and drank, anyway, always vigilant but apparently thirsty.

If he could've had a conversation with that mare-thieving bastard, Drake would have pointed out that
he
was the one who should be ticked off.

To make it worse, Luce seemed to forget the kiss entirely. “I can't believe it,” she said in a hushed voice. “Look how close he is!”

“Yeah, he sure is.” Drake spoke in his normal tone, because while he had affection for all creatures on the planet, he was greatly irritated by this one at the moment.

“Shh. You'll scare him away.”

“That would be fine with me. I don't have a tranquilizer gun, and if I did, there's no way I could transport him from this spot, anyway. So I guess if I spook him, it doesn't bother me too much.”

“We agreed you weren't going to do that. Use a tranquilizer gun, I mean.”

Oh, good. Great kiss followed by an argument. “We didn't
agree
on anything.
You
made the declaration that you'd become his new best friend, and I told you flat out that you were delusional.”

“I do remember you being extremely closed-minded now that you mention it.” She stood up and Drake gave an inner sigh.

Smoke, the coward, turned and melted into the shadows. Smart horse.

“
Practical.
That's a better word.” He stood, too. He might as well ride fences tonight, even though Red had it handled. Never hurt to check twice.

“Whatever,” she muttered and started to walk toward the stream, stopping to yank off her shoes, holding them in one hand. “No need to carry me, by the way. I can take care of myself.”

“Look, the herd's growing. If I wait too long, it'll be impossible. So I'm not going to wait. I can't afford to.”

“The government will auction them off!”

“But not to a slaughterhouse or the glue factory, if that's what you're worried about. I wouldn't condone that, either. The real problem is that you're getting unreasonably attached.”

Those gorgeous eyes sent him a death glare to rival Thelma's. “
I'm
unreasonable?”

* * *

R
EALLY
?

In just one evening, Drake Carson had ordered her to leave a restaurant with him, picked her up without warning, kissed her senseless and then infuriated her. It was becoming pretty clear that he did things his way, and if she didn't like his approach, he wouldn't lose sleep over it.

Oh, the moon rising up over the mountains was gorgeous, no question about that. Not to mention romantic, which might've been why she was so drawn into that passionate kiss. She could tell that her research project meant little or nothing to him, and
his
agenda was what mattered. It was his ranch, true, but he hadn't done anything about the horses yet. Maybe they could figure something out...

Maybe
she'd
figure out what that something could be.

She splashed through the cold stream, finding the bottom rockier than she'd expected. She gritted her teeth and went on, the current swirling around her thighs. She understood he was running a business; that part was fine. But the fact that he seemed to think she was pursuing a frivolous degree set her teeth on edge. No, he'd never
said
that. He really didn't need to.

Drake Carson was bullheaded, and that was all there was to it.

To make matters worse, he knew she was mad and didn't try to talk about it. He just walked behind her and didn't stop her when she rushed forward to open her own door. He closed it, climbed in the driver's side—both of them wet—and started the truck.

Clearly, if it was up to him, they weren't going to have a conversation.

Well, she had a news bulletin—it
wasn't
up to him, not entirely.

Luce began by asking, “Why did you kiss me?”

“I wanted to.” He put the truck in gear and drove down the rutted track.

“I could swear you don't even like me. I told Mace that earlier.”

“Mace is nothing but a pain in the ass.”

“
And
he's your brother, and a really nice man.”

“Nice? When did
that
happen?”

“You're joking and you know it.”

“Luce, what do you want from me?” He kept his tone even. “I assume you realize I'm attracted to you. Not sure I want to be, but there it is. I don't do casual, so that means it has to be serious, and in the end, you're going back to California. It might be better if we stayed away from each other, but you're there every time I turn around. This is a hard rock or a deep pool situation for me.”

He had a point. She murmured, “I don't think that's quite the right saying. Devil or the deep blue sea? Between a rock and a hard place?”

“Close enough. That's Red talking. He always says that you could be stuck on a hard rock or drowning in a deep pool.”

She laughed. “I can imagine him saying that. So what now?”

“If you want to fall in love, Wyoming is your only choice.”

That was honest. A play on her words, but honest.

Still, this was moving far too fast. “I don't know if I want to fall in love—with you
or
Wyoming—at all. Anyway, I can't fall in love—in just a couple of weeks.”

“It does seem to defy logic, but my impression is that logic doesn't enter into falling in love.”

Time to give him some perspective. “I was kissed by a sexy cowboy near a waterfall during a full moon while a wild stallion intruded on the moment. Let's not confuse romantic with deeper feelings.”

Drake only grinned. “I'm sexy?”

“Oh, yes.” She wished he wasn't.

“Nice to know you're inclined to think of me that way.” His smile flashed again.

“Like you didn't already know that.”

“I'm not sure I did.”

“Just do me a favor and don't play that card, okay? You're totally aware of what's going on between us. And by the way, I don't do casual, either.”

“So—what, are we making a pact not to get involved?” He did that thing with his hat, tipping it and then adjusting it back down. “I'm not positive it works that way. That choice isn't yours—it's made
for
you.”

“Voice of experience?” She looked at him curiously, hanging on to the car door, since they were bumping along on something that only resembled a road. “Have you ever been in love?”

“No details available. This isn't a sorority gossip session.”

Fine. Whatever Drake's opinion of her, she actually did respect his privacy. So, no questions.

No reason
she
couldn't be honest. “I thought I was in love once, but the man I fell for slept with my roommate. She blamed him, and he blamed her. I blamed them both. End of story. I lost a friend and a fiancé in one fell swoop. I did thank her, though, for saving me from making a big mistake. I got the flat-screen TV when I moved out. That gave me some satisfaction. She could watch the empty space on the wall.”

“Ouch, but she did do you a favor. Faithful is not negotiable in my book.”

“
The Cowboy Guide to a Successful Relationship
? I assume that's the title.” She didn't conceal her amusement. “Let me guess. Chapter One is ‘Never Discuss Previous Relationships.' What's Chapter Two?”

“Chapter Two is ‘Avoid Beautiful Graduate Students Because They're a Passel of Trouble.'”

“What trouble have I caused you?”

He didn't budge an inch, but his mouth twitched with laughter. “I sense it coming.”

“Do you now?” She was laughing, too. “So you think I'm beautiful, or were you just trying to be polite, since I said you were sexy?”

“You'll discover that I don't say anything I don't mean. Then again, I didn't mention you by name, did I?” He spoke in that low deliberate drawl she found so charming. “But yes, I think beautiful applies.”

Maybe changing the subject would be a good idea. He was right; she was going to gather all the information for her thesis this summer and then return to California. Involvement with Drake was the last thing she needed. Her whole life was in California, including every member of her family. “So tell me, why did you give a seven-hundred-dollar tip to a waitress who was so grumpy I hesitated to ask her for a glass of water?”

“Someone hit Frankie.”

Luce wrinkled her brow. “Frankie is...who? Husband? Dog? Cat?”

“Car. She doesn't really have the money to fix it. We all pitched in. This is Mustang Creek. She lives frugally, takes care of her elderly mother, and everyone knows she loves Frankie.” He shrugged in a nonchalant way. “We all brought money for the poker game, so we pooled it together and gave it to her.”

“That's generous of you.”

“I've known her my whole life.”

Softly, Luce said, “I'm guessing Chapter Three is titled ‘Loyalty,' right?”

“If it isn't,” he responded as they reached the paved road, “it should be.”