Hot Cowboy Nights (16 page)

Deke laid a hand on her shoulder. “I love her, too. And I’ll take care of her. Don’t you worry your head none about that. You and Allie can settle up financially, but right now I’m taking all these boys out to the ranch so she can write them a paycheck. Oh, and I need a case of twelve of those citronella candles that keep the mosquitoes away.”

“They’re on the bottom shelf at the back. You plannin’ on sitting out a lot this summer, are you?” she asked.

“I want to be ready. Never know when a pretty girl will want to spend some time outside under the stars rather than under the fan above my bed.” He chuckled.

“Put them on your bill?” she asked.

“No, I got cash. Can’t hardly classify them as a farm expense on my taxes,” he answered.

Lizzy rang up the total and Deke paid her with two twenty-dollar bills. He put the change in his shirt pocket and carried the box out the front door. “Hey, don’t forget to lock up that new overhead door.” He stopped and turned back around. “I told the boys to leave it up when they got all done. And we moved the light switch over a foot so be prepared for that change. Other than that, it’s all the same as it was.”

“Thanks again, Deke,” she called out.

She made sure everything was locked up tight, that Stormy was fed and the kittens were all given equal petting time, and closed up shop at five fifteen. Katy had offered to pick up takeout from Nadine’s that evening for supper because she had to pack for her Vegas trip and wanted Lizzy to help her.

Lizzy was glad to have something to do to take her mind off the next night. She’d been to bed with Toby numerous times. They’d shared dozens of kisses that came close to melting her insides with the fake dating thing. The whole town knew they were a couple these days, but this was the first time they were really going out together.

She’d never been so nervous about anything in her life. Not when she went out with Mitch the first time. Not even when she dated those other two guys she’d had brief relationships with. So what did it all mean? That she was playing with fire and was sure to get burned? Or that she was doing the right thing in spite of all the advice she’d been given against it?

F
riday night was hot so Lizzy opted for a pair of jean shorts, a pastel plaid shirt, and sandals for her date. Surely that wasn’t too casual since he’d said she could wear jeans. She pulled her hair up away from her face and clamped it with a big clip, slapped on a minimum of makeup, and hoped that wherever they were going food was involved.

Nervousness made her hungry and right then she could have eaten half an Angus steer and polished off a couple of apple pies—with ice cream on top! Purse slung over her shoulder, she was on her way to the porch swing when she heard the crunch of tires on the gravel lane.

Her stomach knotted up and her palms went clammy. But it was a false alarm. Katy pulled up into the driveway, parked her vehicle, and waved. “We made last-minute changes. We are meeting here and all going down to Dallas in one vehicle. Janie and Trudy will be here in about five minutes. They’re coming down the back roads from Seymour.”

If Lizzy could have kicked Madam Fate right square in the shins she would have done so and enjoyed every second of it, even if it broke her toes. Now all those women who hadn’t seen her since she was a little girl would arrive at the same time Toby did. Dammit! Dammit! Dammit! The words kept repeating themselves.

Be nice or she’ll figure that something is going on.

“Want a glass of sweet tea?” Lizzy asked.

“Not now. I’d have to stop at every bathroom from here to Dallas if I drank tea. I thought you and Toby were going dancing or out to eat tonight.” Katy sat down on the swing and eyed Lizzy from sandals to hair.

“We are going out, but it’s casual. Are you playing slots or poker this weekend?” Lizzy changed the subject.

“Slots. I’ve got a set amount that I plan to spend tonight, tomorrow, and Sunday morning before we leave. I’ll stretch it out and make it last all weekend. We are going to see a show tomorrow night and, Lizzy, I’m so excited I can hardly sit still. But another part of me is worried that something will happen while I’m gone. If they call about your grandmother, you get in touch with me immediately.” Katy finally took a breath. “I’ve taken care of her so long that I feel guilty taking the weekend for something other than going to see her.”

Lizzy patted her mother’s hand. “Mama, most of the time she doesn’t know us anyway, but if it will make you feel better, I’ll go see her Sunday after church. Or I’ll go see her instead of church.”

Katy smiled. “Church first and then go see her. That helps my feelings a lot, Lizzy. Even if she doesn’t recognize us, I don’t want her to go two weeks with no one dropping by.”

“I’ll see if Allie wants to go with me and we’ll make a girls’ day of it.” Lizzy withdrew her hand and set the swing in motion with her foot.

“Allie and Blake left this evening to go to his folks’ place in Muenster. They’ll be gone until Sunday night. It was spur of the moment. Toby said he’d hold down the fort so they could get away for the weekend.”

Lizzy sucked in a double lungful of air and let it out in a rush. “That means I’m going to church with no support group. Dora June and her little buddies will slice me up and feed me to the buzzards.”

“Why?” Katy narrowed her eyes.

Lizzy gave her the short version of what had happened in the store that day. When she finished, Katy’s mouth was set in a firm line and her perfectly arched brows drawn down into a frown.

“That which does not kill us,” she said.

“After Sunday I should be able to bench-press a John Deere tractor. I hear the parade turning off the main road.” Lizzy pointed.

Katy stood up and waved two vans into parking spaces beside her car. “Thank you again, Lizzy, for taking care of things.”

“Is this Lizzy or Allie?” Trudy yelled as she opened the yard fence and made her way to the porch. Tall, thin, and with gorgeous blond hair cut in a feathered back style, Trudy looked at least ten years younger than her age.

Lizzy left the swing behind and extended her hand. “Thank you. I’m Lizzy.”

“Bullshit, girl! I want a hug.” Trudy smelled like expensive perfume.

“And Lizzy is the middle girl, right?” Janie came up behind Trudy.

“Yes, I am. Allie is the oldest and Fiona is the youngest.”

“Well, I’m glad to see one of Katy’s girls.” Janie’s thick gray hair brushed against her chin and bangs touched arched brows over brilliant blue eyes. The total opposite of Trudy, she was short and slightly overweight. “Now come here and give your long lost Aunt Janie a hug.”

Her back was to the road but Lizzy heard the truck, loud and clear, coming up the lane. In five more minutes they would have been on their way to Dallas and now they’d stick around to meet Toby. All three of the older women turned around to watch Toby get out of his truck, shake the legs of his jeans down over his boot tops, and swagger up to the porch.

“Oh. My. God.” Trudy fanned herself with her hand. “That is sex on a stick. If only I was thirty years younger and had a hell of a lot more energy.”

“Honey, I’d have to get me some of that Viagra for women to keep up with that,” Janie whispered.

Toby tipped his straw hat as he started up the porch steps. “Ladies?”

“Toby, these are my friends, Trudy and Janie. Girls, this is Toby Dawson, the cowboy Lizzy is dating.” Katy made introductions. “Remember I told you about him.” She winked broadly.

Toby bent at the waist and kissed first Trudy’s hand and then Janie’s. “Pleasure to meet you lovely ladies.”

“Sweet Jesus! You need to keep this one for real not pretend. And if you don’t want him call me. I won’t even mind if they make me wear a sign around my neck with
cougar
written on it,” Trudy said.

“I’m not going to wash my hand until we get to Vegas. I know that kiss is going to be my good luck charm and I’m going to win a bunch of money right off the bat,” Janie said.

“Y’all have a lovely time,” Toby drawled.

“And where are you going tonight?” Katy asked.

“Cinderella and I are going to the ball. If she loses a glass slipper, I will bring it by tomorrow.” He smiled.

Lizzy fell in love at that moment. She might not be in love when morning came because she’d proven that falling in love didn’t mean staying in love. But at that very moment on a Friday in June, she loved Toby Dawson.

“I’ll fight you for him,” Janie teased Trudy. “You’ve already had three and I only had one. I deserve him more than you.”

“Y’all are making Lizzy blush,” Katy scolded. “Let’s move our things into Trudy’s van. If we get to the airport early, we might have time for a margarita before we have to board.”

Toby pulled Lizzy close to his side with an arm around her shoulders, and they waved from the porch until the van was out of sight. He rested his chin on her head and inhaled.

“I love whatever perfume or shampoo you use and, Miz Lizzy Logan, you are gorgeous this evening.”

“Thank you,” she whispered. “You handled them well so thank you for that, too.”

“The ladies love attention.” He kissed her on the forehead. “You might want to change your shoes into your oldest boots, and you won’t need that purse over there on the porch.”

“Where exactly are we going?”

“Hiking at first,” he answered.

“Give me five minutes. Do I need longer pants?” she asked.

“No those sexy little things will work just fine.”

Toby sat down in the swing, tilted his hat over his eyes, and crossed his long legs at the ankle. He’d worked hard to make the evening special and he hoped that no coyotes or raccoons had made off with the picnic basket, because he was really hungry. If anyone would have told him six months ago that he’d be interested in a short, curvy woman with dirty blond hair and brown eyes, he’d have thought they’d lost their minds.

And yet, here he was.

The door closed and he straightened up, resettled his hat, and grinned. She was the cutest thing ever in those cowboy boots worn down at the heels and denim shorts. His heart kicked in an extra beat when he took her hand in his and led the way off the porch.

She started toward his truck but he shook his head. “Not that way, darlin’. Our hiking begins right here.”

“Is there food involved? I’m so hungry, I could eat a bear,” she said.

He opened the back gate for her. “Trust me, darlin’. I asked you out so I’ve got everything covered. It’s only about fifteen minutes of hiking.”

“What is that?” She pointed. “Holy smoke, Toby, you have cleared a path through the mesquite for us. When did you do this? I didn’t even hear the dozer this close to the house.”

He stopped at the edge of the heavy mesquite, whipped off his hat, and did a bow. “It’s not as smooth as I would have liked, but we can pretend that it’s the yellow brick road. I know I’m getting all kinds of fairy tales mixed up. Boys aren’t much for those things, but I’ve had to learn when my oldest two brothers got married and brought a couple of girl-type babies into the family that was previously all boys. So this is the yellow brick road that takes Cinderella to the ball. It may look like nothing but a swath through the mesquite, but tonight it is the entrance to the magical forest.”

He shortened his step to make it easier for her, but she quickly proved she was no stranger to rough ground. “And, darlin’, you were at work in the daylight hours when I cleared out the mesquite to make us a fairy-tale road.”

Most women, especially those in his past, would have whined from the first step. Not Lizzy. Her body language said that it was an adventure for her, not something to endure until she could get back to the party.

“Sleeping Beauty.” She stepped in a rut and lost her grip on his hand.

His arms went around her waist and held her tightly to his chest to keep her from falling. “Yes, you are a beauty and I reckon we could sleep.” He could feel her racing heart keeping time with his.

Half her face was darkened by shadows, but moonlight lit the other part. It might take a lifetime, but someday he wanted to be the cowboy that lit up both sides when he kissed her.

She rolled up on her toes and the tip of her tongue moistened her lips. Heavy lashes fanned across her cheeks as her eyes fluttered shut. Arms snaked up around his neck and fingers splayed through the back of his hair. Then his lips were on hers and all the fairy tales in the world couldn’t describe the way he felt.

Men weren’t supposed to go all tingly and mushy when they kissed a woman. Toby could testify from past experience that cowboys got aroused, loved the chase, and enjoyed kissing a woman. But this business with Lizzy tugged at something inside his heart as well as behind his zipper.

“I believe”—she panted when the kiss ended—“that Sleeping Beauty has been awakened.”

“I remember that story now.” He wrapped an arm around her waist and took a step. “Does that make me a prince? I always thought I was just an old cowboy.”

“Depends on whether it works again.” She fell right in beside him. “Oh, no! I see a flame. Is the pasture on fire? I left my phone in my purse.” She whipped around to run back toward the house.

He scooped her up in his arms. “It’s not a fire. It’s part of the surprise.”

She wiggled. “Then put me down, Prince Charming, so I can go see it.”

Lizzy had been skeptical as well as hungry when they started down the pathway that he’d evidently cleared in the past couple of days. It hadn’t been there before and the ground was still rough from where the mesquite had been ripped out of the ground and pushed to one side or the other.

Dates involved going out to dinner, maybe a movie, or dancing at a honky-tonk. Hiking through thick mesquite to a place where firelight flickered in the distance had certainly never been one of her past dates. Excitement replaced skepticism and she was eager to see what he’d planned.

Sure, he would have eventually cleared the trees off the land to make room for pastures and cattle, but he’d done all this especially for her for only one evening. It was enough to render her speechless, and Lizzy Logan hadn’t been in that position very often in her lifetime.

A red bandanna appeared out of nowhere. “After we make this turn, you’ll be able to see the surprise but I want to keep it secret a little longer. Trust me?”

She nodded and he blindfolded her. Taking both her hands in his, he walked backward and led her. She hadn’t hesitated about the blindfold, but now all those stories about that book and movie,
Fifty Shades of Grey
, flashed through her mind. She hadn’t read the book or seen the movie, but with all the hoopla in every magazine at the time, it wasn’t difficult to imagine what all it involved. If whips or leather came out, she would be nothing but a blur as she made her way back to the house.

“Stand right here,” he whispered.

Without sight, all her other senses became heightened. The frogs, crickets, and a lonely old owl joined with a howling coyote. A soft breeze fluttered the mesquite leaves around her, adding a crispy sound to the wild animal concert. There was something else, a crackling sound much too faint to be wood burning.

The aroma of freshly turned earth and Toby’s shaving lotion blended together to tease her sense of smell. She inhaled and caught a whiff of something familiar. Citronella. The date involved candles in the middle of a forest of mesquite trees.

She’d never noticed how rough or big his hands were until she couldn’t see them anymore. They’d reached out to her when she’d come close to falling. They’d roamed her body on those hot nights they’d shared. But right then, she recognized the intense comfort in knowing they would protect her.

His lips closed on hers and he teased her mouth open with his tongue. She tasted sweet tea and excitement as her knees went more than a little weak. Sometime during the scorching-hot kiss she felt the blindfold disappear, but even after Toby took a step back, she kept her eyes closed.

“Open your eyes,” he drawled.

She obeyed and gasped. To most women it would have been nothing more than a cleared patch in the middle of a bunch of small, gnarly trees, but to Lizzy it was enchanting. She stood beneath an archway formed of uprooted branches piled and stuck together, wide enough for two people to walk under if they stayed close together. On the other side a spot had been cleared with the old well in the northeast corner and a patchwork quilt on the other side.