Cowboy Country (88 page)

“No.” Not since he’d been about ten years old, when he’d briefly considered becoming a smoke jumper.

“Neither have I. Dancing has been my dream since I was five years old.”

“It’s not over yet,” he said.

She didn’t answer. Was her faith in him shaken, then? Finally she said, “I need to limber up. Do you have a place I could work out a little bit?”

“Sure. Let’s put old Mouse back in his stall and go inside. You can use the loft.”

“Loft?”

“You’ll see.”

He took the lead rope from her and guided the grulla gelding back into his stall. After turning Mouse loose, Levi closed the bottom part of the Dutch door and hung the halter back where he’d found it. He again took Ava’s hand and they walked back out into the blinding sunlight. With the sun warming their backs and the scent of pines in the brisk air, it was hard to believe they were in danger in this isolated, pristine place.

Levi refused to dwell on it any longer. “Let’s go.”

Inside, the scent of baking apples filled his nose and he inhaled deeply. “Mom’s making pies. How soon is dinner?”

Liberty appeared from the kitchen. “Levi, has it even occurred to you that Ava’s wearing borrowed clothes? She’s probably dying to get into something of her own. If she’s game, I’m taking her into town for a while to shop.”

His first instinct was to refuse, but the hopeful look on Ava’s face changed his mind. “You’ll be careful?”

“Of course.”

Liberty had a permit to carry a weapon, and she knew how to use the Ruger she carried in her purse. “If that’s what Ava wants to do.”

Ava smiled at Liberty. “Very much.”

“Let’s go, then. All these big male egos around here can make a girl crazy.” Liberty grinned at her brother.

He frowned back. “You’re not going without me.”

She gave Ava a mock frown. “See what I mean?”

“This is no joke, Liberty. Ava’s in serious danger.”

Liberty sobered instantly. “I know, but you hate shopping more than root canals.”

He laughed. “That’s true. But I’m going.”

“Can we go, then, and quit talking it to death?”

“Yeah.” Levi turned to Ava. “If you’re ready?”

“Yes. Let me get my purse.” She hurried inside the house and returned in a minute, carrying her bag. “Should I wear your hat?”

“I don’t think you need to today,” he said. “With what you have on, you’ll blend in.” Levi ushered the woman to his pickup and helped Ava in. Liberty jumped in the passenger seat, sandwiching Ava between them. Her long leg brushed his and a jab of awareness poked him. She smelled like a summer flower—honeysuckle, maybe. His mom grew a row of them out by the loft, and their sweet scent was embedded in his brain.

He navigated the snowy road and turned onto the highway.

Next to him, he felt Ava tense.

No one traveled the road. Not a car in sight. Typical. Mostly ranchers lived in this part of the world, and they weren’t generally on the road in the middle of the afternoon. Gradually she relaxed.

“Where are we going?”

“To Settler. It’s a small town, kind of an artists’ colony.”

“And there are clothing stores there?”

Liberty answered. “Yes, there are several boutiques and there’s a western-wear store.”

“Sounds wonderful,” Ava said.

Levi entered the small town, set in a tiny, pine-rimmed valley. Victorian houses lined both sides of Main Street, decorated with pine boughs and red ribbons for the holidays. At nightfall, white lights strung across the street gave off a soft glow. In a few days, the town council would light the enormous pine tree in the town park. It all reminded him of a postcard.

He turned onto a side street and drove to an old-fashioned carriage house now converted to a shop. He drove inside and a man wearing greasy coveralls approached.

“Levi. What can I do for you?”

“Hi, Tony. Do you have time to change my oil and check the fluids?”

“You bet. Hey, Liberty.” He looked expectantly at Ava.

Levi indicated her. “This is Ava. But you haven’t see her if anyone asks, okay?”

“Howdy, miss.” He removed his grimy baseball cap. “I’ve never seen you.”

“Thank you, Tony.” She smiled at him and the mechanic blushed.

“What about me, Tony?” Liberty asked as she jumped out of the truck. “Have you seen me?”

His face flamed now. “I see you, Miss Liberty.”

She smiled sweetly at him. “Good. I thought maybe I wasn’t your special girl anymore.”

Levi grabbed her elbow. “Come on, Liberty. Ava, you ready?”

He walked between the two women, escorting them to the sixth block in town, where the retail section of town began. Several men turned their heads as they walked by. He imagined how he looked, striding between two beautiful women.

“Here’s the first place,” Liberty said. “Are you coming inside?”

He shook his head. “No. I’m going across the street for a cup of coffee. If you need me, call.”

“Okay,” Liberty agreed. “Bye now.

Levi turned away with a grin. “Have fun.”

He crossed the street and entered a small coffee house. Although he had no use for cappuccinos or lattes, the place had decent regular coffee—and lemon bars to die for. He recognized a person or two and waved, but didn’t stop to talk.

Inside the coffee hut, a perky waitress with a nose ring took his order. As Levi reached in his pocket for a bill, a thought crossed his mind—Ava had no money that he knew of. He should have given her his credit card. He paid the waitress and hurried outside.

Not paying attention, he stepped into the street. A car honked and swerved. Levi jumped back onto the sidewalk, spilling half his coffee. He held on to his lemon bar, but squished it in its wrapper. “Damn it. Stupid tourists.”

Before attempting to cross again, he looked both ways. The car that had almost hit him had disappeared down one of the side streets. He crossed without incident and walked the few feet down the sidewalk to the boutique his sister and Ava had entered. The cloying scent of incense or something else greeted him and he fought not to sneeze.

A girl wearing long dreds and a flowing gray gown with a jagged hem approached him. “May I help you?”

“I’m looking for two young ladies. They came in here a few minutes ago?”

She looked puzzled. “No.”

“Are you sure? They said they were coming here.”

“There’s no one but me. You can check the dressing rooms if you like.”

He backed up. “No, that’s not necessary. I must be mistaken.”

On the street, he looked up and down the sidewalk, but didn’t see the women. His heart began to beat faster. They should be safe here in Settler, but Abruzzo had tracked them to Denver. Maybe he’d made it here, too.

He walked toward the next store. Another boutique. He opened the door and a little bell made a silvery tinkling sound. Several women browsed the tiny space, but he didn’t see Ava or Liberty anywhere. He didn’t hear them either.

The next two stores were a florist and a variety store. He didn’t check them, sure the women hadn’t entered either. His pulse thrummed through his veins and his head began to ache. Hadn’t he warned them to be careful? He looked around. The sidewalks were busier than usual, due to holiday shoppers. Both Ava and Liberty were tall and blonde; they shouldn’t be hard to spot.

He caught a glimpse of a light-haired woman going into the store at the far end of the street and hustled that way. The woman he’d spotted had two toddlers with her, and close up bore no resemblance to his sister.

At the doorway, he paused and looked back down the street. Walking toward him were the women, laughing as if they didn’t have a care in the world. Neither of them carried bags, and he wondered what they’d been doing this whole time.

Levi fought back his irritation and went toward them. Meeting them halfway, he said, “Where were you two? I looked in the first store and you weren’t there.”

“I didn’t like that place,” Liberty said. “It’s a hippie hangout.”

“It smelled like a funeral home,” Ava added.

The two girls giggled like old friends.

“We went to Prospector’s,” Liberty said, “but we didn’t find anything.”

Levi hated to rain on their parade, but he wasn’t letting them out of his sight again. “Where are we going next?”

They exchanged a glance.

“Mika’s,” Liberty said. “She has cute stuff.”

“Where is that?” Ava asked.

Liberty pointed across the street. “Right there.”

As they turned to look where she indicated, Ava gasped and grabbed his sleeve. “Levi, look.”

CHAPTER TWELVE

Ava’s fingers curled into Levi’s sleeve so tight she feared them breaking off. Across the street from them sat a white H2. The vehicle that had run Paco and her off the highway and sent them both to the hospital.

“What?” Levi looked confused.

She began to tremble. “That white SUV. It’s the one that almost killed us.”

Levi glanced her way. “That’s not an SUV, it’s an H2. A completely different thing. Are you sure that’s what ran into you?”

“Positive.”

“I’m taking a closer look. You two stay here.” Before either Ava or Liberty could protest, he darted across the street.

“I’m going, too.” Ava went after him, feeling safer when closer. Liberty followed on her heels.

Levi frowned when they reached him, but didn’t say anything. He was studying the bumper of the H2. “It doesn’t look like it has any dents and it has a Wyoming license plate. If Abruzzo rented it in Colorado, it would have plates from there, not here.”

Ava peered in the window and saw an infant seat in the back, along with a diaper bag and a few toys. “I don’t think this is the same one.”

“Me either,” Levi said.

A woman wearing a ski parka and dark sunglasses approached with a frown. “Excuse me? Do you need something?”

“We thought this vehicle belonged to a friend,” Levi said. “We were mistaken. Sorry.”

“No,” the woman said. “This one’s mine, and has been for several months.”

“Sorry for the trouble.” Levi smiled at her and the woman smiled in return.

“Not a problem.” She opened the door and stepped inside, the conversation clearly over.

“Let’s finish shopping,” Liberty said. “We barely got started and Mika’s place is right here.”

“I’m coming this time,” Levi said.

Ava’s heart slowed as the woman drove away. “I could have sworn—”

“It’s okay,” Levi said. “Let’s get you some clothes so we can get out of here.”

They entered the small boutique and a petite woman with waist-length black hair greeted them with a smile. “How are you today? Is there anything I can help you find?”

“Just browsing, thanks.” Liberty headed for the racks alongside the wall, Ava in tow. Levi took up guard by the front door, looking into the street. They were safe with him on the job. No one would come through him.

A black lace dress caught Ava’s eye, and she lifted the hanger off the rack to inspect it further. Short, a mini, it had a high collar and capped sleeves. On her tall frame, it would be short, probably too short, but she loved its simplicity. Would Levi like it on her?

Not exactly ranch wear.

Still, she held onto it.

A Kelly green cable-knit sweater also attracted her and she picked it up. A pair of black velvet jeans and two long-sleeve silk tees went into her pile.

Liberty carried over a swirly silver dress. “What do you think of this?”

“Love it.” Ava showed her the black mini. “Where would we wear these?”

“We have a pre-Christmas party and also New Year’s Eve. We have a big dance here at town hall and everyone really puts on the dog.”

Ava quirked a brow.

“Dresses up,” Liberty clarified.

“I don’t think I’ll be around by New Year’s Eve,” Ava said with a pang of regret. It would be so much fun to dress up and dance with Levi.

“There’s still the pre-Christmas party.” Liberty held up her dress and inspected it again. “I’m going to try this on.”

The shop’s proprietor approached. “Are you finding what you need?”

“Do you have any lingerie?” Ava took a quick glance at Levi to make sure he wasn’t listening. She didn’t want him thinking she was buying under-things for his benefit. He seemed in his own world, still peering out the front door.

“Of course.” The lady took Ava to the opposite side of the store where she showed off glass cases filled with lacy and silky bras and panties.

Ava pointed to a pearl pink bra and said, “May I see that one, please?”

“Certainly.”

“That one, too, please.” Ava pointed at an ivory bra and the matching underwear. The panties—two scraps of silk held together by tiny ribbons—were meant for a liaison of the naughty kind. She shivered imagining how Levi would react seeing her in the skimpy things.

As Ava admired the bra and matching panties, Levi said near her ear, “I like that one.”

Ava’s face flamed. “They’re not for your eyes, so it doesn’t matter if you like them or not.”

“That’s not what you said in the hospital,” he teased.

Oh, God. She thought she dreamed telling him they could have sex. “That doesn’t count. I was drugged.”

“We’ll see.” His rich chuckle made her belly quiver.

He went back to his post before she could retort, but added the set to her pile. “I’ll take these, too.”

Liberty bought her silver dress, along with several other things.

Ava wanted everything she tried on, including the short lace dress. She had no heels to go with it, but hoped to find some. After the purchase was rung up, she dug in her purse for a credit card. Before she could find it, Levi handed his to the owner.

“Use mine.”

“No,” Ava said, “you will not buy my clothes.”

“I am because you don’t want your card traced.” At her stubborn look, he said, “You can pay me back later.”

She sighed. “Okay. And thank you.”

“I’ll think of a way for you to repay me.”

The promise in his husky voice made her toes curl.