Boots and Buckles (2 page)

Ah hell, who was he trying to kid? Gemma was part of the reason he’d gotten into rodeoing. It helped pay her way through school and kept his father out of debt. And none of it would have been possible if Grant hadn’t collapsed in a drunken stupor outside a bar in Minot, North Dakota, during rodeo week.

He owed his current way of life to Grant, but the feeling was mutual. If Sam hadn’t picked him up out of the gravel, shoved him into his truck and taken him to the Whitefeather Ranch, Grant might have died of exposure that night in the parking lot. And if not exposure, he might have crawled back into the bottle he’d been wallowing in and lost everything.

Now, Sam and Grant were on top of the rodeo world, winning big cash prizes and sponsorship deals at every rodeo. Grant pushed them as if he had an evil spirit on his tail he couldn’t shake.

Sam suspected it had something to do with his ex-wife and his ex-partner. Only Grant had never filled him in on those parts of his past and Sam hadn’t pushed.

With the pretty Mona in his arms, he didn’t want to look back, only forward to this dance and maybe more.

“Are you with the rodeo?” Mona asked with a smile.

“I am.”

Her smile faded a bit then reappeared. “That’s nice. What events do you participate in?”

“Team roping and bull ridin’.” He inhaled her scent again, liking the way it wafted around him as they moved in a wide circle around the dance floor.

“You must meet a lot of people on the circuit,” she commented, her gaze leaving his, her smile appearing more strained.

“I do. But none as pretty as you.” His hand tightened around hers.

“Uh-huh. I’ll bet you say that to all the girls you dance with.” This time her smile was gone and she gazed directly into his eyes.

“No, just the ones who deserve it.” He spun her away from him and back into his arms, holding her closer, his hips moving against hers. “Do you have a problem with rodeo cowboys?”

“Not anymore.” She tossed her hair back over her shoulder. “You know, once burned, don’t stand so close to the fire.”

“And a rodeo cowboy burned you?” His fingers squeezed hers.

“Something like that.” Her gaze went past him, as if looking into her memories.

He leaned close and whispered into her ear, “I’m not here to burn you, Mona. I only want to dance with you.”

She blinked up at him, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. “Then shut up and dance.”

Sam’s chest tightened at the sadness he witnessed in her valiant attempt to pretend to be happy and carefree. This woman who fit so well against his body had been hurt badly by someone. The protector in him wanted to find that someone and break every bone in his body.

As the music came to a halt, Sam didn’t want to let go. “One more dance?”

She shook her head. “Sorry, I have to get back to the tables. Those men can get pretty thirsty.”

He held on to her hand as she spun away, dragging her back to his side. “Where can I find you during the day? I’d like to see you again.”

“Sorry, I don’t go out with rodeo cowboys.” When she tried to jerk her hand free, he pulled her against his chest and kissed her lips.

Grant’s heart squeezed in his chest as Mona danced on the bar with the other women of the Ugly Stick Saloon and when she’d tossed her hat, he wanted to be the one to catch it, but he held back. The timing wasn’t right. He wanted to get her alone and talk to her in private. See how she was, if she still had any feelings for him. If not, he knew he had to move on. This wouldn’t be the place where he’d set down roots and retire. Not if he couldn’t have Mona at his side.

When his partner had caught her hat and escorted her to the dance floor, Grant’s gut knotted. Sam was as close as a friend could be. He’s saved his sorry ass from self-destruction. And now he was dancing with the only woman Grant had ever loved.

When the music came to a halt, Grant rose to his feet, with some half-baked thought of going to Mona and demanding she not fall in love with his partner on the tip of his tongue.

Then Sam bent and kissed Mona. On her lips.

The air sucked out of Grant’s lungs in a whoosh and he collapsed back in his chair.

Mona’s eyes rounded and she reached up and slapped Sam in the face so hard the clap could be heard over the rumble of music and conversation of the rodeo cowboys. All eyes turned toward the pair on the dance floor. Sam’s jaw tightened momentarily, then he smiled and dipped his head. “My apologies, ma’am.”

The room erupted into loud raucous laughter and cowboys slapped Sam’s back on his way back to the table he shared with Grant.

As Sam took his seat, he rubbed his cheek. “I deserved that.”

Grant grunted, afraid if he said anything, he’d reveal more than he wanted. Hopefully, the slap on the face would discourage his partner from wanting to see Mona again.

As Sam rubbed the bright red handprint on his cheek, his face split in a grin. “That lady’s got spunk. I’m gonna ask her out.”

Chapter Two

Audrey pulled Mona aside as soon as she returned to the bar. “Did that cowboy make a pass at you? Do you want me to have Jackson take him out back and teach him some manners?”

Mona laughed and pressed her stinging hand to her cheek. “No, no. That won’t be necessary. I overreacted. He was just thanking me for the dance.”

“Still, I don’t like customers taking liberties with my girls.” Audrey’s eyes narrowed. “I think I’ll have a word with him myself.”

Mona grabbed her arm. “No, really. I’m fine and he won’t do it again. It was just a knee-jerk reaction on my part. These rodeos bring back so many memories.”

Audrey pulled her into her arms and hugged her. “I know, sweetie. I shouldn’t have asked you to help out. I know how hard it is.”

Bunny joined the hug, wrapping her arms around them. “Mona, honey, did that big ol’ hunk of a cowboy kiss you?”

Mona rolled her eyes. “As if everyone in the saloon didn’t witness that kiss and my reaction. Yes, he did.”

“And?” Bunny stood back, her brows raised. “How’d it feel?”

Mona’s immediate response should have been,
Terrible
. But she chewed on her lip and a smile broke loose. “Not bad.”

“See? You’re ready to get back out there. To hell with Grant and Dalton. You’re young, beautiful and deserve to find a little love.” Bunny pounded her back.

Mona winced at the force of Bunny’s exuberance.

Audrey’s brows twisted. “Bunny’s right. It’s been three years. You really should give yourself a second chance. Not all cowboys are losers.”

“Yeah, but Sam is a rodeo cowboy. You know the routine…a girl in every town. I don’t want that. I’ll find a man here in Temptation. One who isn’t going to up and leave me for the next town, the next woman.” She sighed. “Although Sam’s arms were really strong and he was so tall I couldn’t see over his shoulders.”

“So what’s it going to hurt to see a guy like that? It’s not like you’re going to marry him,” Bunny noted. “You could practice your moves on him while you’re looking for a man to settle down with.”

Mona looked at her friend as if she’d had one too many. “That sounds so calculating. I couldn’t do that to him.”

“Why not? Rodeo cowboys would do it to you.”

Mona tapped a finger to her chin. “Yeah, they would, wouldn’t they?”

“Now you’re thinking.” Bunny clapped her hands. “Have a little fun. If you tell them upfront you’re not looking for commitment, it’s not calculating. You’re pretty, single, over twenty-one and, honey, you’re not gettin’ any younger.”

“Hey.” Mona backhanded Bunny in the belly. “You could have left off that last comment. I’m not long in the tooth.”

Audrey shook her head. “Flirt, go out with the guy, do whatever you’re going to do later. Right now, I’ve got thirsty customers ready to spend their money on drinks and tips. Get back to work.” She grinned as she shoved a tray in Mona’s hands.

Mona dove back into working her tables, keeping an eye out for the tall, dark and handsome cowboy who’d dared to kiss her. Not that he’d want anything to do with her now, after she’d slapped his face in front of God and everyone.

The Ugly Stick was so packed, she didn’t see him again. But she knew the moment Dalton Faulkner stepped through the entrance. After three long years, he still made her heart flutter, a little. Just as tall as he’d been and still as devastatingly handsome with his sandy blond hair and startling blue eyes. She’d seen him since his and Grant’s break up as a team, plastered on billboards in cowboy boot ads along the highways and in commercials.

Every woman in the place turned to stare as he waded through the crowd, shaking hands and smiling like a prince working a crowd of his subjects.

Too bad it was all an act. The man was out for only one thing. Himself. And whatever woman would fall into his bed at the crook of his finger. Too bad Mona hadn’t seen his true nature sooner. She halfway expected it from him then, but not from Grant. He’d seemed more stable and sincere.

“Did you see?” Bunny slipped up beside Mona as she removed the empty bottles and mugs from her tray and gave Libby her order.

“I did.” Mona turned to watch as a cowboy got up to offer Dalton his chair in a saloon that had become standing-room only. “Do you think they hope his magic will rub off on them?”

“Yeah, when you’re on a roll in the rodeo business, you’re like gods. Too bad it went to Dalton’s head.” Bunny turned her friend around. “You’re over him, aren’t you?”

“Oh, yeah. I’m completely over him.” She said it like she meant it, but that flutter of butterflies in her belly made her wonder if she truly was. Maybe she should test the waters and see if they had really cooled.

“He’s sitting at one of your tables, you want me to take the tray?” Bunny offered. She’d worked the Ugly Stick before when she’d needed money to tide her over during a cash flow crunch at her florist business.

“No, thank you. I need to prove to myself I’m well and truly over him. No time like the present.” Armed with the feel of a handsome cowboy’s kiss still tingling on her lips, she marched over to the table where Dalton sat and settled the mugs and bottles in front of the cowboys who’d ordered them. “Can I get you anything?”

“Mona, baby!” Dalton grabbed her around the middle and dragged her into his lap. “I missed you so much. Give me a kiss.”

When he would have pressed his lips to hers, she shoved the flat side of her tray up into his face. “I’m sorry, kisses and groping will cost you extra,” she said in what she hoped was a flippant tone when she really wanted to crash the tray over his head. The man hadn’t changed.

The men around the table laughed heartily.

Dalton’s face reddened, but he laughed, though it sounded forced. “Just the way I like ’em. Sassy!” He slapped her thigh.

He was a complete, arrogant bastard and what she’d ever seen in him was beyond her comprehension at that moment. Had she been blind? Or too besotted that someone that popular in the media’s eye would have anything to do with the girl from a small town in Texas?

Mona shoved Dalton’s hands away from her and hopped out of his lap. “Do you want a drink? If not, I have work to do.”

He gave his order and Mona escaped. When she made it back to the bar, Bunny was there, eyes wide. “I thought you were going to hit him with your tray.”

“I almost did.” Mona glanced back at Dalton then smiled at Bunny. “It’s official.”

“What?”

“I’m over him.”

Bunny clapped her hands and hugged her. “Good, then you can go after that other cowboy with an open heart and mind.”

Mona frowned. “I have yet to see Grant.” And if truth be told, he was the one Mona was more concerned about seeing. Looking back, it was Grant’s tenderness and caring that had brought her close to the team roping pair. In the end, he’d been no different than Dalton, running out on her without looking back. It had been Grant who’d made all the promises then broken them. In which case, it made him an even bigger heel than Dalton. Not that it mattered. Three years was a long time. Hell, he probably wouldn’t even recognize her.

“Grant, Schmant. You’re ready. If he has the gall to show up here, you can tell him exactly what you think of him and be free and clear of any lingering heartache.” Bunny looked around the room. “Have you seen him?”

“No. As far as that goes, I haven’t even seen the cowboy since our little dance.”

Bunny frowned and glanced around the saloon. “Wonder where he got off to?”

“Doesn’t matter. There are a hundred guys in the room. Why should I worry about one or two?”

“That’s my Mona. She’s back in the saddle!” Bunny grabbed her tray from her hand and slammed it on the bar. “Come on, I want to dance, but I don’t want to do it alone.”

“Yeah, really, where are Cory and Jack?”

“Cory had a big test to study for his medical school in Dallas and won’t be home all week. Jack is on duty tonight since it’s rodeo week. I’m partnerless.”

“I’m sure any one of these cowboys would love to dance with you.” Mona let Bunny drag her toward the dance floor.

“Yeah, but not all of them know the steps to this line dance, and you do.” She jumped into the lines of cowboys and cowgirls kicking up their feet to a lively country song, all in sync with the dance steps. In time with the music, they all yelled, “Hell, yeah!”