Indulgence (302 page)

“Los Angeles.”

“In L.A. itself, or one of the suburbs?”

There he went, stretching out his long legs again.
Damn,
the man looks good in a pair of jeans.
“A suburb. I have a small
apartment with my cat.”

“Ah. A catlady.”

Her head whipped around as her gaze locked with his. Those
intense blue eyes stared back until she focused on the road again. “I only have
one. I don’t consider myself a catlady.”

“Boy, you’re testy. I didn’t mean anything by it. I like
cats.”

“Do you have pets, other than your horse?”

“A horse isn’t a pet. It’s a working animal. Something
required for my job.”

She raised a hand and said, “Sorry. I think of horses as
pets. They can be big babies.”

“Ours aren’t pets.”

“But you love him, don’t you?”

“Yeah. He’s my buddy.”

“Then he’s your pet.”

Joel laughed. “All right. I’ll give you that. He’s my pet.
I’ve had him since I was young. My parents got him for me on my thirteenth
birthday.”

“Did your brothers get one, too?”

“Yeah. We all three got our own. Before, we would ride one
of the stable horses. Jet is my horse.”

“Jet? But he’s red.”

“I know. He fit the name ’cause he’s quick. He’s a cutting
horse.”

“You don’t mind if I pick your brain while I stay with your
family, do you? I’m realizing even though I write about cowboys, horses,
bullriders, and all things western, I don’t know everything I should to make my
books authentic.”

“Sure. I don’t mind.”

She glanced his way and smiled. “Have you ever ridden a
bull?”

“A few times, yes. In high school, mostly. We all did those
crazy-ass things during our younger years.”

“You make yourself out to be this old man. What are you?
Twenty-five?”

“Twenty-eight, but when you’re doing rodeo for a livin’, it
makes you old fast. Ever realize there aren’t a lot of old rodeo guys? It’s a
hard life.”

“Any of your brothers do professional rodeo?”

“Nah. We have too much work to do around the ranch.”

“Oh.”

“Ranchin’ is a hard life too. Don’t get me wrong.” He wiped
his palms on his pant legs. “We get up before dawn most days and don’t get to
bed until late.”

“I’m sure you all have a normal party life though, right? I
mean, all work and no play makes Joel a dull boy.”

“We get around,” he said with a crooked little grin on his
lips.

She wanted to kiss it right off his mouth.

The lights of San Antonio came into view as more businesses
sprouted up along the sides of the road.

“What hotel are you staying at?”

“The Marriott near the airport. The conference is being held
there in the business suites and ballroom.”

“How’s the conference been?”

“Pretty boring, actually. I was hoping for more reader
interaction, but it’s been mostly panels and such. There is a book signing
tomorrow, but I think I’ll skip it for the research the ranch offers me.” She
pulled down the road toward the hotel. The Marriott stood five stories high and
encompassed the whole block. Concrete walls and steel framed windows, painted a
bright yellow with white trim, outlined the hotel. Native bushes lined the
walkways. She pulled into a space and shut off the car. “Do you want to wait
here? I don’t have much to repack.”

“I can help you bring the stuff down if you like.”

Hmm…a sexy man in a hotel room with a bed? So not a good
idea.
“Why don’t you wait in the car? It’ll only take me a minute.”

“Okay. If you’re sure. I came to help, you know.”

“Yeah, but you don’t need to see all my underwear and stuff
strung all over the room.”

He laughed a deep, throaty laugh that made her toes curl.
“Fine. I’ll stay in the car.”

“Great. Be right back.”

After she slipped out of the car, she shut the door and
hurried toward the side door of the hotel. Luckily, her room was on the second
floor, so it wouldn’t take much to get her big suitcase and her computer bag
down to the car. She really didn’t want Joel seeing all her makeup, toiletries,
and personal unmentionables. It seemed weird to have a guy in her room,
especially since she’d only known him a few hours.

The door lock beeped open as she slid the keycard into the
slot. When she pushed the door, the darkness of the room surrounded her for a
few moments until she flicked the lights on with a press of the button on the
wall. She grabbed her suitcase from the closet and quickly folded her clothes
to pack back in the bag.
Shampoo, conditioner, makeup bag. I think I got it
all.

She grabbed her computer and slid it into the case.
That
didn’t take long.
She glanced around the room to make sure she had
everything as she pulled up the roller bar on the suitcase. The conference had
included her hotel room so she would be losing the money there, but the chance
for front row seats to a real ranch setting would be worth it in the long run.
Her book would be authentic and her hero would be to die for!

*****

Joel checked the reflection in the side mirror of the car.
He could clearly see the door Mesa disappeared through in the glass.
What to
make of her?
When he’d found her stranded in her car, he wasn’t sure she
had a brain cell in her pretty head. Who would take a drive out into the middle
of nowhere without enough gas to get back? But while he chatted with her, he
realized she actually was a very intelligent woman with a big heart.
She
sure is beautiful with all of her long, dark hair and brown eyes.

He checked his watch. She’d been in there for several
minutes.
What the hell is taking so long?

Tap, tap, tap.

Joel turned his head to see a security guard tapping on the
window with his flashlight.

“Can I help you?” he said, after he rolled the window down.

“Can I ask what you’re doing sitting in this car?”

“I’m waiting for a friend to come out. She’s getting her
stuff.”

“She’s checking out?”

“Yes.”

“Why didn’t you go in and help her?”

“She asked me not to. Come on, man. I’m just sitting here.”

“In a guarded parking lot of a nice hotel. How do I know you
aren’t casing cars to break into?”

“Do I look like a thief? I’m sitting here in muddy jeans,
cowboy boots, and a T-shirt.”

“Step out of the car please.”

“Are you a cop?”

“Yeah, I am.”

Joel glanced at the man’s shirt and noticed the San Antonio
police badge.
Shit
. This is all he needed. Trouble with a capital T. He
pushed open the car door and stepped out. His six-foot-four frame towered over
the cop, but he didn’t try to intimidate the guy.
Be nice to the policeman,
Joel
. He heard his mother’s voice in his head as clearly as if she were
standing next to him. After all, the man had a gun.

“What’s going on here?”

Mesa skidded to haul next to him with her suitcase dragging
behind her.

“Our friend here thinks I’m casing cars.”

“He is not, officer.” She tapped her chest with her finger.
“He’s with me. I came to check out and get my things before I headed back to
his house.”

“His house?” the cop asked with a raised eyebrow.

Great. Now the guy thinks I’m soliciting or something.
Shit.
He stuffed his hands in the front pocket of his jeans. “It’s not like
that, officer. My family owns a dude ranch out in Bandera. She’s a guest. I
came with her to get her things so she wouldn’t get lost driving back out there
since it’s dark now.”

“Do you have your check out paperwork?”

“Not yet. I brought my suitcase out here first to put into
the car before I walked back into the front desk.”

“Put your things in the car then and we can all walk in
together.”

“Seriously? This is ridiculous,” she snapped, hitting the
trunk latch on her key fob. She slid the suitcase in the back before she
slammed the hatch with a loud bang.

Joel walked behind her with the cop beside him. He couldn’t
help but notice how her ass jiggled a little as she stomped her feet. The girl
had a temper, it seemed. He liked girls with enough gumption to stand up for
themselves.

They walked in through the sliding doors. The desk stood off
to the left with large plants flanking either side. Mesa had her dander up now.
She slapped her hand down on the counter and snapped, “Tell this idiot I am a
guest at this hotel and I don’t appreciate my
guest
being harassed in
your parking lot.”

“And you are?”

“Mesa Arraguso. I’m here with the writer’s conference and
I’m checking out.” She slid her keycard across the counter. “My room is 2103.”

“Of course, ma’am.” The guy tapped on a few keys of the
computer. “You do realize there won’t be any refund on your hotel stay because
of the special rate and…”

“Yes, I know. Just check me out while I deal with this
idiot.” She stomped back to where he and the cop were standing. “Now do you
believe us? We weren’t giving you a line of shit, officer. What we told you was
the truth.”

“I’m sorry, ma’am, but we’ve had a rash of car break-ins
around the area and your friend here looked suspicious when he kept checking
the doors.”

“I kept looking for her. Nothing more.”

“I’m sorry but you have to understand, we are only
protecting the hotel guests.” At least the man looked sheepish. “I didn’t mean
to harass you.”

“Then I suggest you go out there and find whoever is really
breaking into these cars. It’s not my friend.”

“No harm done, Mesa. Really. He’s doing his job.”

“Believe me, I know how these guys work. I deal with the
same crap in Los Angeles with the police out there. Everyone is guilty until
proven innocent, not the other way around.” The cop tipped his hat before he
walked out the doors. Mesa huffed out a sigh. “Really, he should have been more
apologetic. I hate being harassed like I’m some kind of criminal.”

“It’s fine. I get into trouble with the police sometimes in
Bandera. Luckily, they all know us. They don’t here in San Antonio.” He shrugged.
“I didn’t give him my name or he might have recognized me. I don’t like
throwing names around, you know?”

“Yeah. I appreciate you standing up to him, though.”

“I didn’t do anything.”

“Ms. Arraguso? Here is your receipt. Thank you for staying
with us.”

“I appreciate it. I’ll keep this hotel in mind should I have
need for a room in San Antonio again. Thank you.”

Joel grabbed her hand as they walked outside. Knowing there
were people out casing the cars in the lot didn’t sit well with him. He had a permit
to carry a gun, which he did in his truck, but not in someone else’s car.
Bandera didn’t have these kinds of problems. The small town kept to themselves
most of the time. To each his own. They took care of each other with their
small police force and didn’t have much trouble in the way of things in San
Antonio. The bigger city had a lot more issues.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah, why?”

“You’re squeezing my hand kind of tight,” she said, tugging
on her limb although he didn’t release her.

He kind of liked how her hand felt in his so he pulled her
in tighter. “Sorry, darlin’. Knowing there are people possibly hanging out in
the parking lot for nefarious reasons makes me nervous for you.”

“Aw, how sweet. I’m fine though. I can take care of myself.”

“Maybe, but as the man, I’m supposed to take care of you.”

“Very chivalrous of you.”

“It’s the way my mom raised us. The men take care of the
ladies.” They’d reached the side of her car. Once she unlocked it, he opened
the door for her, and then shut it behind her before going around to the
passenger side.

“Do you always open doors?” she asked after he’d settled
himself in the seat again.

“Yep.”

“I didn’t think men did those kinds of things anymore.”

“Southern gentlemen do, but I don’t know any other way to
be, so there you have it.”

“It’s nice.” She smiled and he relaxed.

“I’m just a simple, country boy.”

“Perfect for what I’m needin’.”

“And what might that be?”

“Inspiration, Joel. For my next book.”

“Ah.” He quirked an eyebrow at her as she flushed in embarrassment
from the little smile on his lips.

“Men,” she whispered under her breath.

“What did you say?”

“Nothing.”

They headed out of San Antonio on their way back to the
ranch. Quiet surrounded them, so she flipped on the radio to a country music
station and sat back in the seat, prepared for the long drive.

“Have you ever been married?” he asked, breaking into the
low radio hum of the song playing. His voice reminded her of a sexy growl. She
totally needed to use that in a book.

“What brought that on?”

“Just making conversation.”

“No. I had a long-term boyfriend up until about six months
ago.”

“What happened?”

“We just grew apart, I guess. We’d been dating about three
years.” She glanced across the car, then back to the road. “What about you?”

“Nope. I haven’t found the right girl yet. Of course, if Mom
had her way, all of us boys would be married already and have a dozen kids
each.”

She laughed. It felt good with everything her life had
turned into lately. Her career had gone into the toilet after her last book.
Her love life sucked. “Why am I not surprised? Nina reminds me of my mother.
She’s trying to marry me off, too. She was pretty upset about my breakup. More
so than I was, I think.”

“Only one of our family has been married before. Jeff. It
broke up a few years ago.”

“What happened?”

“Misha was a total ho bag. She tried getting half of us in
bed with her. When she couldn’t accomplish that, she went after the sheriff.
She succeeded there.” Joel rubbed his eyes with forefinger and thumb like he
had a headache.