A Cowboy Under the Mistletoe (7 page)

He gestured toward the glasses. “See? Counters rock.” He took off his jacket and hung it on the back of his stool.

“Unless you want to fool around.”

“Stop it.” He bumped his knee against hers.

She bumped back. “I can’t help it if you kissed me last night and gave me ideas.”

He blew out a breath and stared straight ahead. “I am deliberately changing the subject. Is your tree decorated?”

“Yes.” This time she rubbed her knee against his instead of bumping it. “And I hung up some mistletoe.”

“Of course you did.” He tugged on the brim of his hat. Then he gave her a sideways glance, amusement glinting in his eyes. “Did you really consider that necessary?”

“The knee rub or the mistletoe?”

“Both.”

“No.”

“I should hope not. The knee rub is overkill and any guy who’s met you wouldn’t need mistletoe to inspire him.”

“That is a really fancy compliment, Ty. I’m not sure I’ve ever had such a fancy compliment.” Or had one delivered by such a gorgeous hunk of manhood.

“See what I’m discovering about you with this lunch date? You have a smart mouth.”

She met his gaze and lowered her voice. “Oh, Ty, you have no idea how smart my mouth can be.” And she ran her tongue over her upper lip.

“Dear God.” He glanced away and his jaw tightened. “What have I done?”

“Not only is my mouth smart, but it’s educated.” She bumped his knee again. “Do you understand what I’m saying, cowboy?”

He turned to her. “Do you realize you’re torturing the man who’s paying for your lunch?”

“Let me remind you that this lunch plan was your idea and not mine. Last night I was perfectly willing to—”

“Enough.” His large hand closed over her thigh and squeezed. “We’re going to talk about neutral topics while we eat the burgers and fries which are coming our way.”

His warm hand on her thigh was doing crazy things to her pulse rate, but she pretended total nonchalance. “Would you care to make a list of acceptable subjects?”

“You know what I’m saying.” He glanced up as plates were put in front of them. “Be nice.”

“I am nice. Very nice. As you’ll quite likely find out later.”

“Whitney, do you have a one-track mind?” He gazed into her eyes.

She could get lost in those gray depths. “Today I do. Don’t you?”

“God help me, yes. But I thought that getting together like this would diffuse things a little.”

“Wrong.”

“So I see. Eat your lunch.” He turned away, picked up his burger in both hands, and took a generous bite.

It shouldn’t have been a sexy move, but with Ty every move was sexy, even chewing. His jaw was clean-shaven, unlike the scruff he’d worn for the calendar. “Who decided you should have a beard for the calendar picture?”

“The photographer.” He glanced pointedly at her untouched meal and lifted his eyebrows.

“Okay, okay.” She focused on her plate and began eating her burger.

He went back to his food, too, but after swallowing another bite, he spoke. “Just FYI, don’t expect a tan. That was taken in the summer. I’d spent some weekends at the ranch helping Rosie and Herb spruce up the place.”

“Nobody has a natural tan in Wyoming in the winter. I was just curious about the beard because I’ve only seen you clean-shaven.”

“Well, there’s no way I’ll have that kind of scruff by tonight, either.” He sounded mildly irritated.

Puzzled by his tone, she put down her burger and looked at him. “I’m not expecting you to show up with a beard.”

“That’s good.” Instead of meeting her gaze, he pretended great interest in his pile of French fries before finally choosing one.

“Is something bothering you?”

“I just hope to hell this isn’t about the calendar.” He looked at her. “Because that’s not who I am.”

“What do you mean by
this
?”

“What’s going on between you and me.”

“Oh.” Now she felt a little guilty for all the times she’d stared at the calendar and fantasized about him.

“You see, Dominique—she’s the photographer—wanted a certain look, especially because I’d be on display first and the picture needed to be a grabber. She suggested the scruff and setting up our session at dawn. Then she kept shooting until she got the expression she wanted, as if I’d just rolled out of bed and left behind a very satisfied woman.”

Whitney hadn’t consciously thought about it, but now that he’d described the intent behind the shot, she had to agree the subtle implication was there. “She nailed it.”

“Apparently. I’ve been propositioned by women who expect me to be... I don’t know. Out of the ordinary. I’m not.”

Her heart ached for him. She’d never considered that such a sexy image would create an unrealistic expectation, or that it would bother him that he might not live up to it. “I was attracted to you long before I saw that calendar.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.” She laid a hand on his arm. His very warm, solid arm. Squiggles of excitement danced in her stomach. “Knowing you’re a lawyer who’s also a cowboy on the side is kind of fun, but I would have asked you to help with my tree even if I’d never seen that calendar.”

He studied her for a moment, and then he let out a slow breath. “I’m sorry.” He covered her hand with his. “I probably overreacted. It’s been a long four months.”

“I can tell. But it’s almost over.”

“Thank God.”

“And I know for a fact you created interest in the program.”

“That’s what I keep telling myself, and that does help, but it’s somebody else’s turn.” He glanced at a clock hanging on the wall and squeezed her hand. “Better eat up. Time’s flying.”

“Right.” She dived into her meal and vowed not to mention the calendar ever again.

But she thought Ty’s view of himself as ordinary was way off the mark. He’d survived losing both parents and from all indications was doing well in a demanding profession. She didn’t see anything ordinary about him.

Besides, that cocky grin the photographer had coaxed out of him had come from somewhere. It wouldn’t hurt for him to let that devilish streak out once in a while. She wouldn’t mind being around when he did.

6

O
N
THE
DRIVE
back to the ranch, Ty saw Rosie’s truck up ahead. She must have finished with her Christmas shopping. If he passed her, he could beat her to the rural mailbox so she wouldn’t have to stop for the mail. He couldn’t save her the trouble every day, but he could do her a favor this afternoon.

She didn’t drive fast, so catching up and passing wasn’t tough. He beeped the horn on his way around and she honked back. Turning in at the ranch road, he glanced at the new sign Damon and Phil had made last summer.

THUNDER MOUNTAIN RANCH
was carved into a slab of wood suspended between two sturdy posts about five feet high. Hanging beneath it was a smaller painted sign announcing Home of Thunder Mountain Academy,
and under that hung an evergreen wreath decorated with pinecones and a big red waterproof bow. Both signs and the wreath looked as if someone had decided to add some whipped cream to the top edges.

Parking carefully along the side of the snow-packed dirt road, Ty climbed out and took a picture with his phone. It was Thunder Mountain Academy’s first Christmas, and although no students would arrive until January, he thought this holiday deserved to be commemorated.

Rosie pulled up beside him and rolled down the window. “Were you planning to get the mail or just stand around taking pictures?”

He glanced over his shoulder. “Take pictures
and
get the mail.”

“Then I’ll wait here. We’ve been expecting word from the state as to whether students can use a semester at the academy for high school credit.”

Shoving his phone in his coat pocket, he walked the short distance to the main road and the mailbox. Sure enough, one of the envelopes had the state seal on it.

His boots crunched on the packed snow as he walked back to Rosie’s truck. “This might be it.” He handed her the envelope.

“Looks like it!” She ripped it open and unfolded the sheets of paper. “Woo-hoo! We’re approved!”

“Hey, that’s great!” He was happy for her and everyone connected with the project, but he suspected what was coming next and it could seriously mess with his plans.

“We need to celebrate!” Then she glanced at him. “Hey, I didn’t mean you. You have a date with Whitney tonight.”

“No problem. I’ll bring her out here.”

“Would you do that?”

“Sure. I’ll bet she’d want to celebrate with you. After all, she talked her boss into backing the project, so she’s invested in the success of it, too.” He had no idea if Whitney would embrace this change of plans. But she was an easygoing person so she probably would, even if she’d been eager to be alone with him. Hell, he’d been eager for that, too.

But this piece of paper was superimportant to his foster family. He couldn’t justify spending the entire evening at Whitney’s while everyone at Thunder Mountain was toasting their latest triumph. He’d ask her during dinner and see what her reaction was.

After handing over the rest of the mail, he got back into his truck and followed Rosie to the ranch. She parked around back in the garage, but he left his truck out front in the circular drive. He’d considered staying in town this afternoon and doing some Christmas shopping of his own, but in the end he’d decided to come back for a couple hours to be with Rosie and Herb.

If Rosie hadn’t been so enthusiastic about his connection with Whitney, he would have worried about stealing time from his foster parents to see her. But Rosie had insisted on shopping alone today, anyway. She’d also made it plain this morning that she’d rather have him find the love of his life than hang out with her.

He’d made a halfhearted attempt to talk her out of that
love of his life
business, but once she got that concept into her head, no one could dislodge it. Others more experienced than he was had tried and failed.

Herb was as excited about the news as Rosie had been. While Rosie figured out the menu, which would largely be Thanksgiving leftovers, Herb called everyone who might be able to show up for the festivities. Ty offered to run the vacuum and straighten up the house in preparation for another party. Every foster brother was a good hand with a vacuum cleaner and a dust rag. Rosie had demanded it.

By the time he left to meet Whitney at Rangeland Roasters, the house and the food were ready. Herb was setting up the bar while Rosie changed into a sparkly sweater and red jeans for the occasion. If Whitney chose not to come out here after the coffee shop closed at nine, then he’d drive back to the ranch after having dinner with her.

That would change the dynamic between them, and the potential for getting together tonight might disappear. He’d take that chance. Whitney made him smile and she turned him on more than any woman he’d dated in a long time. But for one thing, she lived nearly five hours away. For another, they’d barely scratched the surface when it came to getting acquainted. The geographical distance was going to make the getting acquainted part tough.

But when he walked into Rangeland Roasters at exactly six o’clock and was greeted by her warm smile, his heart turned over. Whenever he was with her, something inside him clicked into place. Although he wanted her desperately, that wasn’t the only reason he couldn’t wait to see her. He just plain liked her. Even if they couldn’t be lovers, he’d want to be her friend. That was a new situation for him.

On the way to the diner he wrapped an arm around her shoulders because it was freezing on the street. Huddled together, they didn’t try to make conversation until they were seated at the counter again. They both ordered coffee this time.

“I want something besides a burger,” she said. “Two in one day is one too many.”

“Mac and cheese.” Ty closed his menu.

“Perfect.” She slapped hers closed. “Make that two.”

He smiled at her. “I’ve known ladies who would shudder at the thought of mac and cheese.”

“Really? Why?”

“Calories.”

“Pfft.” She waved a hand dismissively. “I’m on my feet for countless hours a day. If I ever quit working at Rangeland Roasters, I might have to watch my diet, but I’m running from the minute I hit the door until I lock up. I don’t worry about calories.”

“From where I sit, you don’t have to.”

“Thanks, Ty. That’s the gentlemanly thing to say and I appreciate it. My clothes still fit, so that’s all that concerns me. I don’t make enough to buy a whole new wardrobe.”

“Then it’s mac and cheese for both of us.” He ordered when the waitress came by.

“Before I forget, let me give you these.” She pulled two keys on a small ring out of her pocket and handed them to him. “The big one’s for the outside door and the smaller one is to my apartment. I don’t know what you planned to do between dinner and coming over, but it’s silly for you to sit in some bar passing the time. Just go on over and let yourself in.”

“I was going to sit in some bar, but actually, the original plan isn’t going to work.”

“Oh?” She straightened. “Why not?”

He filled her in on the news. “Rosie’s having a celebration, and I...need to be there. If you’re willing to come with me after you close up tonight, that would be great, but I can understand if you—”

“Of course I will.”

“Really? I’m afraid it jacks up our evening.”

She smiled. “You’ll have to bring me back to my apartment sometime, right?”

“Eventually.” He held her gaze. “But you were up early and we’re talking about a really long day. You might want me to drop you off and head for home.”

“I changed the sheets on my queen-size bed. I’d hate to go to all that trouble for nothing.”

He swallowed. “You make a good point.”

“So we won’t have an entire evening together. That could be a blessing if we don’t...if we’re not...compatible.”

He couldn’t help smiling at that. “I seriously doubt that will be the case.”

“I seriously doubt it, too. Bottom line, do you really want to drive back to Cheyenne tomorrow without...”

“
No
.” His response came out with a little more force than necessary. He lowered his voice. “No, I don’t.”