Millionaire in a Stetson (12 page)

“I can drive you back to the Valley,” said Sawyer. “Just give them a call and let them know you’re with me.”

There was no way he wanted to turn this into a foursome. Or worse, add Travis the champion bull rider to the mix. Dylan would understand if Sawyer left alone with Niki in their loaner truck. His ranch manager would find his own way home.

“I’ve heard great things about the Riverfront Grill,” he added.

She was still glancing around. “Probably everybody will—”

“Nellie.”

She turned.

“You and me. Dinner. What do you say?”

She looked confused. “You mean…”

He couldn’t seem to stop a grin at her confusion. “Are you usually this daft?”

“No. I mean. Not usually. I didn’t think…”

“Well, start thinking.”

She cocked her head ever so slightly. “Is this a date?”

“Give the girl a gold star.” He found himself easing in a little closer. “It’s the least I can do.”

Her teeth scraped over her lower lip, and her cheeks flushed. “After last night?”

“After I nearly drowned you,” he put in quickly.

Until she blushed, he hadn’t been thinking about their kisses. But now that was all he could think about.

“We’ve already had our first kiss,” he offered, surprised by her apparent unease. “And our second. So, that’s out of the way.”

She was a sophisticated, worldly woman. She must have dated dozens of guys a whole lot more intimidating than a Montana cowboy. Then again, maybe the problem was that she didn’t like cowboys. Maybe this whole blending in with the locals thing was going to backfire on him.

“I clean up good,” he offered.

“I saw that last night.”

“I can do it again. You won’t be stuck across the table from a smelly cowboy.”

“That’s not what worries me.”

“Then tell me what worries you.”

“You don’t smell,” she put in.

“Glad to hear it. So, what worries you, Nellie?” He couldn’t help but hope she’d own up to something, any little thing from her past that would give him a toehold into an advantageous conversation.

The silence between them stretched, while the announcer prattled on, and the crowd whooped and clapped at the awarding of the prize purses.

“Nothing,” Niki finally answered. “Okay, Sawyer. I’ll go on a date with you.”

Seven

W
alking toward the river, across the trimmed lawn after dinner at the Riverfront Grill, Niki realized she hadn’t felt this relaxed in months, maybe not in years. Her brother Reed knew the truth, and he’d forgiven her. What’s more, he’d offered to help her in any way he could.

He’d called Caleb last night, and had then sworn to Niki that Caleb had taken the news well. He wasn’t upset. He understood why she’d made the decision to keep her secret. Of course, the call had taken an hour. She could only speculate that Reed had done some serious talking to bring their brother around.

“We can go have dessert on the deck,” Sawyer offered, walking beside her on the cobblestone path.

“I want to see the waterfall,” Niki responded. “Before it gets dark.”

The sun was hanging low near the western mountain peaks. It had turned the wispy clouds to pink, and the sky was going purple above them.

“The waitress said it was half a mile.”

“What’s the matter, Sawyer? You out of shape?”

His chuckle was low and warm, strumming through her. “I don’t want you tripping in the dark.”

“Don’t worry about me.” She wasn’t worried.

For the first time in, oh, such a long time, she wasn’t worried. Her future might be uncertain, but she wasn’t alone. And she could stay in Lyndon Valley. She could stay here just as long as she liked.

She found herself breaking into a trot.

“Race you,” she called over her shoulder, heading for the packed dirt path that ran along the river. The hill fell steeply down to the water beside it, but there was a low guardrail along the edge.

Sawyer caught up almost instantly, positioning himself on the outside of the pathway, between Niki and the hillside.

“Afraid I’ll fall over?” she teased as she ran.

“I’d hate to lose you on the first date.”

“Does that mean there’ll be a second?”

Yesterday, she would have said dating Sawyer was a ridiculous dream. But everything had changed. Not that she could tell him her true identity. The family was keeping it a closely held secret. But it did mean she could continue to be Nellie Cooper. And Nellie Cooper could have a crush on her sexy, new neighbor. Especially if that sexy, new neighbor seemed to like her back.

“I hope so,” Sawyer told her.

He took her hand, bringing her knuckles to his lips to kiss her as they jogged.

Their gazes met, and she stumbled.

He swiftly grabbed her, swirling her to a halt, pulling her safely against his body, chuckling at her clumsiness.

“That was your fault,” she pointed out.

“I’ll take the blame every time,” he agreed easily. “If this is how it ends up.” He smoothly turned to face her, keeping his arms wrapped loosely around her waist. He brushed her hair back from her cheek.

The atmosphere shifted between them, awareness sizzling in the dusky light. He was an incredibly sexy man, handsome, strong, intelligent and confident.

“I want to kiss you, Nellie Cooper.”

She was taken aback by his gallant manner. “Are you asking permission?”

“I am.”

She searched his expression. “Who are you, and what have you done with Sawyer Smith?”

He smiled. “I’m very sorry about last night.”

She wasn’t. What woman didn’t like to dress up, go out on the town and be swept off her feet by a sexy cowboy?

“I don’t know what came over me,” he said.

“I kind of hoped it was me.”

He tugged her closer. “You’re not saying yes, Nellie.”

She gave a tiny, noble bow, fighting a grin as she stared into his eyes.

He stared right back, irises darkening to indigo. His fingertips twitched against her waist, but he didn’t make a move.

“Are you going to stand there and let me tease you?” she challenged.

“I’m waiting for you to say yes.”

“And if I don’t?”

“I’ll assume you mean no.”

“Seriously?”

“Seriously.” He waited.

Longing came to life within her, sending a zigzag of awareness to her limbs. Her gaze moved to his mouth, remembering the touch of his full lips, their sweet taste, their firm texture. The way they gave and took at the same time.

She knew she should break down and tell him yes, but there was something electrifying about their standoff.

She walked her fingers playfully up his chest. “You didn’t wait for a yes last night.”

He trapped her hand. “That was a mistake.”

“I thought it was sexy.”

He jerked her flush against him, and there was an edge to his tone. “Every single thing about you is sexy.”

“Have I gone too far?”

“Depends on what you’re trying to do.”

“Make you kiss me.”

He sucked in a breath. “Okay,
that’s
a yes.”

“You’re cheat—”

His mouth swooped down on hers.

She remembered this—his incredible kiss, the feel of his strong arms around her. Last night, she’d been guarded, reluctantly swept along by passion. But today, she stepped into it. Her world didn’t seem quite so precarious, Sawyer quite so forbidden.

She opened to him, stretching up, meeting his tongue, while her own arms wound around his neck, steadying her on the uneven walkway. Their bodies flush to one another, he shifted, one leg slightly between hers. His hand cupped the back of her head, deepening the kiss.

Then, suddenly, he gasped, pulling back, touching his forehead to hers, sucking in deep breaths. Niki was breathless herself. But she missed his kiss, and tipped her head, tilting in an invitation.

“We’re in full view of the restaurant,” he reminded her.

She swore under her breath.

“Agreed,” he offered. Then he captured her hand, entwining their fingers as he put a little distance between them. “Let’s go see the falls.”

Niki had to remind her feet to move. She clumsily fell into step beside him. But it took her heart a few seconds to calm down, brain a bit longer to find equilibrium. The roar of the falls grew in the distance, while the path followed the curve of the river.

“Another average kiss?” she couldn’t stop herself from asking.

“What?” He seemed to shake himself out of a daze.

“You told me my kisses were average.”

He frowned. “When did I do that?”

“In the river. After you rescued me.”

He seemed to consider that for a moment. “I told you
my
kisses were average.”

She waited, wondering if he’d turn it into a compliment. He didn’t.

“Sawyer?”

“Yeah?” His tone was a bit gruff, but she was feeling too carefree to let it upset her.

“Your kisses aren’t average.”

His hand squeezed down on hers. “Here are the falls.” He pointed to a wall of white, foaming water.

“They’re huge,” Niki whistled, quickening her pace.

“One of the longest vertical drops in the state, so they say,” Sawyer remarked.

A few clusters of people were standing beside the chain-link fence that lined the cliff’s edge. Behind them were benches and a few gazebos dotting the lawn.

“The sign says they light them at night,” he told her.

Niki glanced at the setting sun. “Can we wait to see?”

“Of course.”

They paused beside the fence. He let go of her hand to place his around her shoulders. The spray dampened her face, her hair, the front of her shirt. The sound of the water was deafening where it crashed at the bottom of the cliff, roiling into streams of white foam that cascaded down the riverbed, over boulders, cutting into the side of the channel. It was somehow mesmerizing.

“Can you imagine riding down that?” Niki found herself venturing.

“The fall would probably kill you.”

“Well, I wouldn’t jump from here.”

“I wouldn’t jump from anywhere.”

She shifted to look at him. “Have you ever done white-water rafting?”

He met her gaze, and she couldn’t help but drink in and appreciate his tousled, windblown looks.

“I have,” he responded. “Kayaking, too, and I’ve also taken on very big waves on the ocean.”

“Was it fun?”

“It was exhilarating.”

“Is that fun?”

“It was fun for me.”

“But it’s dangerous, right?” Her gaze went back to the rushing rapids. She couldn’t help but imagine bobbing over them in a raft.

“Depends,” he drawled.

“On?”

“On whether or not you take a former naval officer along for protection.”

Niki grinned, casting him a sidelong gaze. “If I was to take a former naval officer along for protection?”

His hand moved around to the curve of her waist. “Then, you’d be perfectly safe.”

“Good to know.” She tried to gauge and quantify her fear after the flood and after getting towed away by the river current at the water-polo game. She and water seemed to be having a power struggle.

“Nellie?”

“Yes?”

“You want to try white-water rafting?”

“I think I do.” Her heart beat a little faster at the thought of shooting a river, but she didn’t want to let that stop her. She was in the mood to confront her fears, take control of her life, and this seemed like a good place to start.

“You can just come right out and ask, you know.” There was a knowing chuckle in his voice.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean—” he brushed the tip of her nose with his index finger “—you don’t have to manipulate a man into doing what you want.”

Something stilled inside Niki. Her fear was replaced by annoyance. She didn’t manipulate men, that was Gabriella’s weakness. “I don’t do that.”

He did a double take of her expression. “Okay.”

She eased slightly away from him. “I mean it, Sawyer. I don’t manipulate men.”

“I said okay.”

“That’s not an admirable character trait.”

“I’m sorry.”

“I don’t want you to apologize.”

“Then, what do you want?”

What she wanted, was to not be her mother. Gabriella was the master of mind games with men. She got what she wanted, and they didn’t know what hit them. Winning had never made her particularly happy, but she seemed compelled to do it with every man she came across.

Niki also didn’t want to be the person she’d been for the past three months.

“Nellie?” Sawyer prompted. “What do you want?”

“I want not to be afraid.”

“Of white-water rafting?”

“Yes.” It wasn’t her only fear, not even her biggest fear. But she’d told her brothers the truth, and she was ready to move on to something else. Maybe she’d work her way up to confronting her mother’s lovers.

“Then that’s what we’ll do,” he told her, snagging her at the waist and pulling her close once again. He kissed her damp hair. “We’ll take a thrilling, exhilarating trip down some whitewater rapids. I guarantee you’ll love it. And, afterward, you won’t be afraid anymore.”

“I won’t,” she vowed.

“Look,” he told her, nodding to the waterfall. “The lights are coming on.”

A rainbow of lights came on beneath the water, layering their way down the falls, pink to purple, to blue and green, with white pot lights glimmering beneath the foliage that clung to the rocks. The water danced, and mist rose up, making the atmosphere a cloud of pastel magic.

“Gorgeous,” Niki breathed.

“Stunning,” Sawyer agreed.

When she glanced up to smile at him, he was gazing at her, not the waterfall.

“Thanks for bringing me here,” she whispered.

“I’ll take you anywhere you want to go,” he vowed.

* * *

Sawyer could have seduced Niki last night. Or he could have let her seduce him. Either would have had a fantastic outcome.

But he’d ruthlessly held back, dropping her off at the Terrell ranch, safe in the bosom of her family, with little more than a fleeting good-night kiss.

While no one would accuse any Layton of misguided chivalry, Sawyer wasn’t morally bankrupt, either. At least, not yet. Though making love with Niki could well put him over the edge.