Dashing Druid (Texas Druids) (8 page)

CHAPTER FIVE

Ignoring the man at her side, Lil glanced around Fossett Hall’s upstairs assembly room. Folks from all over Bosque County were gathered here in Meridian, the county seat, for tonight’s dance. She saw several blond Norwegians but didn’t spot Arni and Thea Knudson. Maybe they hadn’t arrived yet, or else they’d stayed home.

“Wish I could’ve,” she grumbled under her breath. She always felt miserably out of place at these socials. She’d have dug in her heels when her folks ordered her to keep Frank Howard company, except for one thing: she hadn’t wanted to get into a battle with them in front of Frank. That would have given him an excuse to poke fun at her again, as he’d done so often in the past. Instead, she was now forced to endure his obnoxious presence.

She felt his lustful gaze upon her bosom and felt half naked. Right after Frank showed up at the ranch a few days ago, her mother had decided to make her a new dress for tonight. Lil was kind of partial to the dark red color, but she still didn’t like wearing a dress, especially one intended to please Frank Howard. And she sure hadn’t expected the neckline to be cut so low. What had Ma been thinking, for gosh sakes?

Lil had refused to wear the dress after trying it on earlier, but Ma had badgered her into it. And the moment Frank caught sight of her in the consarned thing, he’d started eyeing her as if he’d never seen her before, in a lewd way that turned her stomach. The way he was doing right now.

Why were her parents pushing the two of them together all of a sudden? They knew she couldn’t stand Frank. His father, Judd Howard, was her father’s best friend, but that didn’t mean she wanted to cozy up to him. He expected everybody to lick his boots just cuz his pa owned a huge spread up on the Trinity. Not her, no sir. Besides, he had a mean streak she’d seen in action too many times when their families got together.

His arm snaked around her waist. Twisting out of reach, she glared at him. He was big, with strong, even features and shoulder-length blond hair. In his dark blue shirt with its fancy yellow piping, he was easy on the eyes. He was also vainer than a turkey cock.

“Keep your hands to yourself, Frank Howard,” she snapped. “I don’t care if my folks told me to be nice to you. I’ll take your arm off at the elbow if you start pawing me.”

He splayed a hand across his chest and tried to look hurt. “Shoot, Lil, I was only bein’ friendly. Can’t yuh be sweet to me? I’m leavin’ tomorrow. Gotta get Lord Stanley home.”

She eyed him sourly. “How come you stopped here anyway? Seems like you’d want to get that precious bull home to your pa pronto.” If she heard one more time how much Judd had paid to have the purebred Hereford bull shipped over from England, she’d scream.

Grinning, Frank flipped a hank of hair back from his face. “Fact is, Pa told me to pay a neighborly call on your folks on my way home from Galveston. And I’m right glad I did. Now,” he drawled lazily, gaze dropping to her breasts. “Mm, mm, mmm. Honey gal, I can’t get over how fetchin’ you look tonight. Reckon I oughta feel honored, you shuckin’ your Levis and puttin’ on that purtty dress for me.”

Lil narrowed her eyes at him and exaggerated her own soft drawl. “I’m only wearin’ the durn thing cuz Ma made me. And if yuh don’t quit eyeballin’ me thata way, I’m gonna shove yore teeth in. I’m not some hurdy-gurdy gal.” She looked him up and down mockingly. “I’m not one of them fluttery females who swoon over yuh, neither.”

Frank’s lips curled nastily. “Seein’ as how I’ve never seen yuh look like
any
kinda female before, I figured yuh might wanta be treated like one for a change. Shoulda known better.”

She couldn’t care less what he thought of her, but his sarcastic remark struck the heart of her secret pain. She hid that pain behind a loathing glare and whirled around, meaning to put the width of the hall between them. But she froze when she sighted Tye Devlin.

He stood with Jessie and David by the entrance. They must have just walked in. Jessie carried baby Reece, well blanketed against the nippy November night. David held Nora, looking very much the family man in his sedate charcoal frock coat. With his free hand, he helped Jessie out of her wrap. Beneath it she wore a becoming russet dress.

Drawn like a compass needle, Lil’s gaze swung back to Tye. She hadn’t seen him since the roundup;
never
had she seen him look so handsome. He wore a white shirt, snug-fitting black pants and a gold-trimmed
charro
jacket of the same color. Lil wondered if he’d borrowed it from that Mexican wrangler of David’s. More than likely, because it was short on him. He’d disguised the fact with a red sash that showed off his narrow waist and lean hips. At his corded throat, a black ribbon tie stood out against the snowy shirt.

In those clothes, with his bronzed skin and raven hair, he was enough to make any woman look twice. Glancing around, Lil noticed several eyeing him right now. However, when she looked at him again, he wasn’t returning any of their hungry gazes. He was watching
her
. He smiled and her heart skipped a beat.

“Your
ma
made yuh get all gussied up?” Frank scoffed in her ear, making her jump. “Liar! Yuh done it for him, didn’t yuh.”

Seeing Tye aim a scowl at Frank, she pivoted to face her tormentor. He stood much too close. She would have laid into him for crowding her, but she was keenly aware of Tye watching them. She didn’t want him to think she was desperate for his attentions. After all, she’d told him to leave her alone. Goaded by pride, she smiled at Frank. “You couldn’t be more wrong, Frank Howard.”

* * *

Across the room, Tye glared at the pair. Delighted to see Lil and encouraged by the way she’d looked at him, he’d been about to walk over to her. Then that yellow-haired stranger had stepped up to whisper in her ear, stealing her attention. From the tilt of her head, she was gazing up at him now. The man grinned at her, and Tye balled his gloved fists, longing to charge over there and knock him flat.

Suddenly, he resented Lil’s red dress. He’d admired it moments ago, particularly the enticing neckline, but now he realized she wore it for the other man. Seeing how her hair draped in lustrous dark waves down her back, almost to her waist, made him even madder. He longed to run his hands through the silky mass and press it to his face, but it wasn’t meant for him.

Where were her parents? Why weren’t they watching out for her? Scanning the room, he saw Jeb Crawford among a group of men. Then he spotted Del and Rebecca; they stood talking with another older couple, completely ignoring Lil and her companion.

Bejasus!
The grinning mongrel had his hands on her now, sliding them boldly up and down her arms. Seconds later, one hand moved to her waist and began inching upward. Why didn’t she slap him and tear into him with her sharp tongue?

Tye had vowed not to go near her as long as she wished him to keep his distance, but the look she’d sent him moments ago made him wonder if she still felt that way. And
damnú,
he couldn’t just stand here and watch that man’s hands crawl all over her. He had do something. Yanking off his gloves, he shoved them under his wide sash.

“I’ll see ye in a bit,” he said without looking at David and Jessie. Not waiting for a response, he strode toward Lil.

* * *

Lil fought a strong urge to shove Frank away. She hated the touch of his hands. This was a bad idea. Give Frank Howard an inch of ground, and he’d try to take the whole pasture.

She’d purposely led him on, smiling and denying any interest in that black-haired rogue by the door, and Frank hadn’t even questioned her sudden change of heart. The swollen-headed fool probably thought she couldn’t resist him. Now she was paying the price. And why? Just to show Tye Devlin she wasn’t without her admirers. As if he cared.

The fiddler finished tuning up. Beside him on a raised wooden platform, the caller shouted, “Y’all ready to shake a hoof?” He got a loud ‘Yeah!’ from the crowd. “All right, gents, grab your gal and get ready for a reel.”

Frank gave a boisterous whoop, seized Lil’s hand and dragged her onto the dance floor. As they lined up with the other couples, she glanced around and saw Tye standing near where she and Frank had just stood. Had he meant to ask her to dance? Meeting his fierce scowl, she swiftly looked elsewhere, flustered.

Fortunately, Uncle Jeb had taught her how to dance a reel. Not risking another glance at Tye, she got through it without making a fool of herself – or slapping Frank for the way he continued to leer at her. When the dance ended, she clapped without much enthusiasm.

“Yuh dance real good, honey,” Frank commented. “Never woulda thought yuh knew how.”

She smiled tartly. “I’m just full of surprises, Frank.” She glanced toward her mother and received a nod of approval. Her father and uncle were on their way out the door, for a smoke no doubt. Not glimpsing Tye, she wondered if he’d also stepped outside. With a woman, perhaps? The thought caused a sinking sensation in her stomach.

The caller announced a waltz. Without asking if Lil wanted to dance with him again, Frank grasped her arm and swung her toward him. Incensed, she resisted. Just then Tye stepped out of the crowd.

“Might I have the pleasure of this dance, Miss Crawford?” he asked, smiling at her and ignoring Frank.

“Go find yore own gal, mister,” Frank barked before she could say a word. “This one’s mine.”

Tye drilled him with a hard blue glare. “Indeed? Well now, I’ll hear that from the lady’s own lips if ye please.” He grinned in challenge. “Or even if ye don’t.”

Frank cursed and made a move toward him.

Anger drove Lil to step between them. She faced Frank, fists on her hips. “I’m not your property, Frank Howard. And I’ll dance with whoever I please.”

He gaped at her. “But yuh said yuh don’t even like –”

“Never mind what I said. You don’t own me.” Turning her back on him, she scowled at Tye. “Well, you want to dance or not?”

“By all means,” he said, flashing a wicked smile and offering his hand.

Accepting it, she saw him throw a taunting grin past her and heard Frank’s furious snarl. Then Tye led her out to the strains of
Sweet Genevieve.

Frank vanished from Lil’s thoughts the moment Tye took her in his arms. A barrage of dizzying sensations shot through her. Where he touched her, even through layers of clothing, her skin burned. The aroma of shaving soap, mixed with his own subtle, manly scent, stirred her blood. His broad, black-cloaked shoulders filled her vision, and she felt an absurd longing to lay her head on that inviting expanse. When she raised her eyes, he smiled down at her in a caressing way that made her feel, well, pretty. That was nonsense, of course.

“Have ye forgiven me at last, colleen?” he asked. “For what I said that day when we rescued the calf, I mean. I’d take back every cruel word if I could.”

She lowered her gaze to his shirt front. “I said some things, too. Reckon we’re even.”

“I think not, but so long as ye don’t hate me, I’m content. Now tell me, who is this Frank Howard who wishes to keep ye all to himself?”

“He’s a friend,” she said falsely, “from up Fort Worth way.”

“’Twould seem he considers himself somewhat more than a friend.”

Lil stiffened. “Listen, I agreed to dance with you to show Frank he doesn’t own me. That doesn’t give you the right to nose into my business.”

His mouth curved downward briefly, but then he nodded. “As ye say, colleen.” He tilted his head, studying her. She was about to tell him to quit staring when he spoke. “And will ye also object if I ask ye, as I did once before, if Lil’s your full given name?”

She blinked at his unexpected change of subject and shrugged. “It’s Lily, like you guessed that day at the barn raising, but nobody ever calls me that. It doesn’t suit me.”

He laughed softly. “Ah, but I think it does, for you’re as beautiful as your namesake.”

Lil forgot to breathe for a moment. Was he mocking her the way he had that day last summer at the creek? Or . . . was it possible he really meant what he said, both now and back then? Suddenly unsure, she felt herself blush and sent her gaze skittering away like a terrified rabbit searching for a hidey-hole.

“Y-you must be addled. I’m not even pretty.”

He sighed and murmured in a deep, husky tone, “Lily, Lily, ye know not your own worth. You’ve the face of a Greek goddess I once saw pictured in a book. Your skin glows as if kissed by the sun, your brown eyes spark with fire when you’re angry and call out to me in my dreams. And your hair . . . ah, colleen, it makes me think of moonlight on dark water. My dearest wish is to bury my face in it and drink in your sweet scent.”