Accidental Cowgirl (20 page)

“I hope for your sake that it doesn’t have to. I really do. It’s such a shame when folks use their properties as collateral. Such a shame.”

Kyla strained her ears for Decker’s response, but none came. The slow footsteps were getting closer to her, though. Shit. She needed to get out of here before he found her. What in the world was going on in there?

She skittered quietly back toward the cabin, lost in nervous thought. Here she’d been, thinking this pristine family ranch was a dream-come-true sort of life for the Driscolls, but apparently not. If the conversation she’d just overheard was any indication, there was something very, very dark going on in Carefree.

Three hours later Kyla was back in the barn, rubbing Kismet’s nose as she gave her a good-night carrot. She’d snuck back down to get her backpack at midnight, telling herself she didn’t want to run into Decker, but knowing full well he often came to check the horses before he turned in for the night.

As hard as she’d tried to reason with herself all day, and as hard as she’d tried to dismiss him as just another Lothario rancher, she’d failed miserably. His kiss had melted her from the soles of her feet right on upward, and good God, she wanted more.

“When exactly
do
you sleep?” Decker eased up behind her, whispering in her ear. Oh, holy hell, the fragments of his breath stirred her girl-parts, and all he’d done was whisper.

“Apparently I’ve learned to exist without it.”

Decker moved around her to look over Twinkle’s stall door, then came back to lean on the wall next to Kismet’s stall. “I hope you don’t drive in this condition.”

“I live in Boston. I don’t drive at all, normally.”

“Did you guys have a nice hike today?”

Kyla nodded. “It’s beautiful up there. And it was so very helpful to have an accurate map this time. I still can’t believe Cheryl and Theresa pulled that prank the other day. Their little game sent us practically into the jaws of a bear.”

“Not that you’re going to be dramatic about it or anything.”

“Just stating the facts. Bad map led to lost girls led to big, mean bear.”

He smiled. “Who ran the other way when she heard your horrendous singing? Don’t worry. Ma’s watching them like a turkey buzzard. I imagine she was ready to do a lot more than put hot sauce in their soup.”

Decker pushed off the wall and motioned toward the south barn. “I need to head back to the other barn and check on Apollo. Want to walk with me?”

No, I most definitely do not want to walk with you. Because then I’ll want to slide up next to you. And then I’ll want you to kiss me again. And this time I won’t want you to stop. And I can’t play that game. I won’t
. “No, thanks. I should get back to my cabin.”

“You sure? You’re not going to sleep anyway.” He paused, looking back at her. “I promise I won’t even try to kiss you or anything.”

Kyla felt her cheeks heat up instantly. Cripes, the man was a mind reader. “I mentioned that I’m a black belt in karate, right?”

“Is that a threat?” His eyes twinkled.

“Just stating a fact. My spinning hook kick is a wonder to behold.”

“Um, no. I think you left that part out.” Decker looked like he was trying not to laugh out loud as he raised his eyebrows. “I’d kind of like to see that move.”

Kyla raised her fists in a pretend fighting stance. “Don’t make me show you, Buster.”

“C’mon, Snow White. Walk with me.” Decker slid open the barn door, and Kyla couldn’t help but follow him.

They headed down a small rise to the south barn, which sat just below the main lodge and Kismet’s stable. Its lights glowed yellow through the windows, and Kyla could hear the quiet sounds of sleepy beasts as they got closer. “Is something wrong with Apollo?”

Decker dragged the sliding door open and guided her through with a hand on her waist. The zing went straight to her head and other parts. “He had a nasty bout of colic last night and this morning. He’s perked up and is probably okay, but I need to keep a pretty close eye on him tonight.”

“Want me to do it? I’m up anyway.” Kyla laughed ruefully.

“Don’t tempt me.” He dragged the door closed, then pointed down the line of stalls.

Kyla followed him to the far end of the small barn, where an enormous gray head poked over the stall. “Good Lord, he’s huge.”

“Thus the name. He was Dad’s favorite horse.” Good thing Decker liked the horse a hell of a lot better than he’d liked his father. He reached up to pet Apollo’s nose. “How you doing, old boy? Feeling better?” He opened the stall door and stepped into the sawdust inside. He ran his hands over Apollo’s belly, nodding as he went. “Much better. Yesterday his ears were laid back so flat he looked like a demon-horse.”

“Yikes.”

“Colic’s nasty business. We’ve lost horses to it. Most of the time it turns out fine, but things can go downhill really fast.” He patted Apollo’s neck once more. “But this old guy looks like he’s on the mend. I just need to keep an eye on him through the night.”

“So what do you do? Come back every couple of hours?”

“Nah. I just stay down here. It’s easier.” Kyla looked around, but didn’t see any obvious snoozing spot. Decker chuckled. “Wondering where I sleep?”

She felt her cheeks heat up. “Kind of, yes.”

Decker pointed to a huge pile of hay bales in the other corner. “Sounds cliché, but hay and blankets. Surprisingly comfortable.”

“I remember.” Kyla smiled as she thought of her grandparents’ hayloft, and all the hours she’d spent reading on a patchwork quilt in a sunny, crackly corner. The barn kittens had always snuggled up with her, purring and kneading their claws. Since she had never been allowed to have a pet, it was just one more thing that had made Gramps and Gramma’s farm a slice of heaven for her.

“You’ve slept in a
barn
?”

“Not intentionally. I fell asleep playing hide-and-seek once when I was a kid … at my grandparents’ farm. My poor grandma called the police department because they’d been looking for me for over an hour. When I jumped down the hay chute, I think I just about gave the police captain a heart attack. I’m pretty sure I spent the rest of the week tied to the porch.”

Kyla saw Decker’s eyes cloud for the briefest moment before he blinked hard and looked down at his watch. “You’re really not even remotely tired, are you?”

“I’m so beyond tired that I exist in a constant state of exhaustion … covered up by a frightening cocoa addiction.”

“Got it.” He motioned toward the hay bales in the corner of the barn. “Well, if you’re not going to sleep anyway, come keep me company.” Kyla’s tummy flipped as she cycled through the possibilities that suggestion engendered. Oh, the ways by which she’d love to keep him company.

She knew she shouldn’t follow him to the dimly lit corner. Shouldn’t allow herself to let her guard down in this heavenly spot where the sights and sounds and smells brought her back to the best part of her childhood. It was too surreal, too perfect. It couldn’t be real.

He spread out a few buffalo-plaid blankets, then sat down and patted the hay bale beside him. “C’mere, Snow White. Help me stay awake.”

Decker wasn’t sure whether he was more afraid she’d sit down, or more afraid she’d head back to her cabin. She’d pushed him away last night, but he’d heard the quiver in her voice, and already he was working hard to keep his hands from straying to her waist, her hair, her face. If she got any closer, he’d be in serious trouble.

For both of their sakes, he knew he should keep things light and friendly tonight. He’d already spooked her once, and she was right. There was no future here.

He saw her weighing both options, and finally, with a what-the-hell shrug, she sat down, but shuffled subtly so their thighs couldn’t touch. “Okay, I’ll stay for a while. But only because I feel guilty that you have to stay awake with Apollo. And because it’s better than sitting on the porch all night while everybody else is asleep.”

He leaned back against the hay bale behind them, folding his hands behind his head. Message received. Hands off. No problem. “So. Has Kismet cured your fear of horses yet?”

“Cured would probably be a strong word.” Kyla smiled as she leaned carefully back next to him. “But I’m sure a lot closer than I was a week ago.”

“I can tell.”

“I haven’t even fallen off once since the second day. That’s progress, right?”

“Definitely. But I should warn you. If you spend much more time here, you might actually
like
riding again.”

“Sounds dangerous.”

He winked. “You might even get to like cowboys.”

“Definitely dangerous. No worries, though. I prefer my men … clean-shaven, preppy, dressed to the nines.” She looked him up and down. “Cowboys are a little scruffy for my taste.”
Right
.

“Really.”

“Yup. All that dirt and dust and five-o’clock shadow? Flies well in novels, I guess. But really? It’s just not that attractive.”

“Really.”

She nodded, and he could tell she was doing her damnedest to keep her lips from creeping into a smile.

“I apologize, then, that you’re being forced to spend your vacation with such a homely lot.”

“It’s a struggle, but I figure we’ve only got a week left. I’ll manage.”

Decker laughed. “You’re a piece of work, Snow White.”

“I imagine it goes both ways, though. You obviously find a certain
type
attractive.”

“Do I really?” He couldn’t wait to see what she’d say next. Just what
type
did she think he was attracted to?

“Yup. I’m going to guess blond, five-seven-ish, skinny, and …” She put her hands near her chest like she was carrying bowling balls. “… built.”

Christ. Marcy. “Are you describing anyone in particular here?”

“Oh, definitely not. It’s just a vibe I’m picking up on. Sort of a Malibu Barbie thing.”

“Malibu Barbie?” He laughed again. Yep, that was a pretty apt description for Marcy, actually. Along with half the women he’d dated back in L.A. He looked at her carefully and sighed. “This wouldn’t, by any chance, be Marcy you’re describing, would it?”

Kyla put her hand to her chest. “Marcy? Nooo.”

“Right.”

“Maybe.”

“I’m not attracted to Marcy, Kyla.”

“Uh-huh.”

“I’m really not.”

“Sure.”

“You’re not convinced.”

“Nope. The woman almost gave me a shiner, Decker. Clearly you’ve got some unfinished business there.” He could almost hear
or current business, buddy
in her tone.

Decker turned toward Kyla and reached out his right hand to brush her hair off her forehead. He could feel her fighting the urge to turn into his hand as he stroked her jaw with his fingers. “Kyla, Marcy has one goal in this world, and that is to marry rich. For a while, she thought I was the answer to that goal. Then she found out … I’m not … and she flew the coop with someone who really
was
rich. He dumped her, and now she’s back.”

“Lucky you.”

“Far from it. She found out I was back, and since then has made it her mission to slither back into my life. But there’s nothing between us. Nothing.”

“What do you mean,
back
? I thought you were a born-n-bred Montana boy?”

Decker sighed. Shit. He didn’t want to break his promise to Ma, but Marcy had forced things to a personal level, and he needed to be honest. “Kyla, I don’t actually live here full-time. Haven’t in a long while.”

Kyla shifted away from him and narrowed her eyes. “Where, then, do you really live?”

“L.A.”

Her chin dropped as her eyebrows went upward. “Oh. Wow.”

“I went to college out west. I have a firm out in L.A. that designs high-end homes. It’s a love/hate thing. Money’s great, clients are hell. When Dad died this spring, Ma asked if I’d consider coming back for the summer, just to help her and Cole get this place back on its feet.”

“So you left the riches of Hollywood and came back to play cowboy?”

He looked sidelong at her. “I guess that’s one way to put it, yes.”

“Wow.”

“I know. We didn’t put
that
in the brochure, either.”

“Nooo, you didn’t. Wow.”

“You could stop saying
wow
at any point here.” She looked flustered. Shit. This wasn’t going well. Now she was going to be
really
pissed that he’d kissed her last night. He knew she already thought he’d been lying about Marcy, and now here he was fessing up that the whole cowboy shtick was a ruse.

“So … you’re single, but I almost got slapped for dancing with you last night. And … you’re a cowboy … but you’re not.” Kyla pursed her lips. “Is Ma really your mother, I wonder?”

“Very funny.”

“Sorry. It’s kind of a lot to process. I’m a little surprised, that’s all.”

“I know. And I’m sorry. Especially about Marcy. I promise you, she pulled that little act at Salty’s for your benefit only.”

“I feel so special.”

Decker curled his hands into fists, desperate to touch her, but doing his damnedest not to.
He practically ached to pull her toward him and kiss her until morning, but he made himself hold back. “So don’t you want to
really
know my type?”

She shook her head. “Nope. You’ll just feed me a line, tell me you go crazy for bland brown hair and matching eyes, tiny chests, and major baggage.”

“And then you’d melt with gratitude and let me do anything I want?”

“Oh, absolutely. Because every woman wants to hear a man say she’s exactly what he’s been looking for. And mean it, of course.” She picked up a piece of hay, rolling it between her fingers. “That’s the hard part, though—the meaning it. Soft blankets, hay, the whole ranch thing? Definite turn-on. You’ve really got a ready-made love shack here. And maybe it’s worked before. But I’m too smart for that. Been there, done that, not twenty years old anymore.”

“Are you done?” He fought to keep a smile from his lips as he listened to her. Good God, there was no way he was letting her out of this barn tonight, not until she believed he was for real. He didn’t have any delusion that there was any future here for them, but damn, he had to at least explore the possibilities.