One Night With a Cowboy (19 page)

“Uh . . .” Tell the truth or lie? Tuck debated the best course of action here. Maybe
he might want that beer. This could be a long story.

“You have, haven’t you? Holy sh—”

“Language,” Tuck warned, eyeing the nearest students.

“I never thought I’d see the day.” Jace shook his head. “I mean when you didn’t get
the phone number of that hottie from New York you spent the—”

“Jeez, Jace. Please. Shut it.” He ran his hand over his face. If he didn’t watch out,
the entire team would know all of his personal business thanks to his friend’s big
mouth.

“It’s just—” Jace took a step closer and lowered his voice. Tuck was more than grateful
for that, though he’d rather they drop the subject all together. “I thought you weren’t
ready to date or get serious.”

“I’m not getting serious.”

“But you are seeing someone.” When Tuck didn’t respond, Jace blew out a frustrated
sigh. “Come on, bro. Give me something.”

“All right, but I swear, you give me any crap . . .”

“No crap. Cross my heart. Now spill.”

“Well, you obviously remember Becca from the rodeo last month.”

“Yeah, so what? Did she look you up? You two sexting long distance?”

“Jace . . .” After that warning, Tuck waited to see if his friend would stay quiet,
then drew in a deep breath and continued. “She got a job at OSU. We frigging work
together.”

“No!” Jace’s eyes opened wide. “Are you serious?”

“As a heart attack.”

“Holy sh—cow.” Jace corrected himself with a sideways glance at the students nearest
to him. “That’s crazy.”

“Tell me about it. And that’s not all.” Tuck figured he’d already started, so he might
as well spill it all. “There’s a non-fraternization rule for the faculty.”

“So you two can’t even . . . you know.” Jace waggled his eyebrows.

He ignored Jace’s insinuation. What happened in Becca’s bedroom was going to stay
in her bedroom. Didn’t matter whether the person asking was a friend or not.

“As faculty we’re not supposed to date or interact in any way that’s not professional,
but I figure it should be okay since we’re not dating. We had dinner last night and
lunch today . . .” Crap, that sounded an awful lot like dating when he said it out
loud. He added, “. . . as friends.”

“You’re more than just friends, you dog.” Jace grinned wide. “I can see it in your
face. You’re getting laid.”

“Shut up, Jace.” He shook his head. “I shouldn’t have told you anything.”

“No. I’m glad you did. It explains so much. So, so much.”

“What are you talking about?
So, so much
.” He mimicked Jace with a scowl.

“You’re in a mood today and I think it’s because of her. I think you like her too
much, and it scares the hell out of you.”

“What? Stop. It doesn’t. I’m not scared. It’s just . . . the situation is confusing.
Working together and sh—stuff.”

He glanced at the group of students nearby. Luckily all their attention seemed to
be focused on the roper in the arena.

This conversation should definitely not be happening here among the team. Not only
because talking to Jace made Tuck want to cuss like a sailor, but because it was an
inappropriate damn subject to be discussing in front of them—for so many reasons.

Jace folded his arms and ignored the crowd around them. “It’s confusing because you
like
her.”

Tuck fully expected Jace to break into a schoolyard chant and start skipping circles
around him, he was acting like such a child about this. “You’re a fool.”

“Oh, no. If anyone is being a fool, it’s you. You can’t even face it yourself.”

“Face what?”

“That you’re attracted to this woman but you’re afraid to take a chance on a relationship
after the last one. Why don’t you just give in and start dating her? See how it works
out.”

Tuck let out a huff and shook his head. “You’re not listening again. I’m not allowed
to date her.”

“And yet you just told me you two had dinner last night and lunch together today.”

“I was only showing her around town today. Help her get familiar with Stillwater.”
All the way to Drumright
. Tuck kept that part to himself. “And last night’s dinner was just to welcome her
to town. I mean it’s only proper I be neighborly.”

“Neighborly. Yup. I know what you mean. And if I know anything else at all, it’s how
you look when you’re getting laid. You’ve got that look now, so don’t you try to tell
me there’s nothing going on.”

“I’m not discussing this here.” He focused on the rider in the arena, hoping against
hope Jace would disappear, or at least shut the hell up.

“That’s okay. We don’t have to talk about it now. I’m sure she’ll be around for a
good long while. Plenty of time. In fact, maybe I’ll get to see some more of that
cute sister of hers now you two are an item. Is she coming out to visit soon?”

Tuck shook his head and took a step forward, putting his friend and, he hoped, this
conversation behind him. He drew in a deep breath and called out, “Looking good, Lucas.
Watch that barrier, though.”

Jace meandered up to stand beside him again, all the while smiling in his annoying
know-it-all way. “Yup, a judge in competition would have given a penalty for that
run.”

Tuck knew damn well Jace’s smile had nothing to do with the roper and the calf, and
everything to do with the city girl who’d roped him.

T
he phone vibrating in Becca’s pocket nearly had her dropping the heavy, leather-bound
volumes stacked in her arms.

It shouldn’t be Emma calling. She’d already talked to her sister today and been put
through the ringer as to every detail of her day with Tucker—the G-rated parts anyway.
She glanced around. The campus library was silent as a tomb this time of night since
the new semester wasn’t in full swing yet. She was at the opposite end of the building
from the few others who were there, so she figured it was safe to answer without disturbing
anyone.

Becca jostled the books a bit and finally managed to pull her phone out of her pocket.
She smiled at the name in the display. “Hello.”

“Hi there. Where are you?” Tucker’s smooth, sensual voice had her cradling the phone
closer. She had it bad. He’d only left her apartment a few hours ago.

“I’m in the library.” But she could definitely leave if he had other plans for them.
She remembered their time spent alone together earlier that day and made a mental
note to pick up some more honey at the store.

“The library?” The long silence after he’d repeated the location told her he was confused.
“On campus?”

She laughed. “Yes, Tuck. The library on campus. That big building full of books. I’m
sure you’ve heard of it.”

“Hey, now. No need to get snippy about it.”

“I didn’t mean to be snippy. I’m sorry.” She felt bad. That had sounded as if she
were calling him a dumb cowboy who’d never heard of a library, and that wasn’t what
she’d intended at all. “I only meant I’m not sure why you’re so shocked I’m in the
library. Classes start soon. I’m an English professor. Books are kind of the tools
of my trade.”

“I know that. But do English professors always go visiting their tools at twenty-one-hundred
hours?”

If their day had been taken up by lunch and very creative sex, followed by a nap,
they might. And what was he talking about? Twenty-one-hundred hours? “And it’s not
that late.” She glanced at the clock on the wall. “It’s nine p.m.”

The sound of his laugh came through the phone. “That’s what I said . . . never mind.
Anyway, I’m done with practice. I already went home, showered, and grabbed a bite.
Stay there. I’ll meet you.”

She glanced at the rows and rows of books in front of her, suddenly no longer as inspired
to look through them all as she had been. “Don’t bother coming here. I can finish
this tomorrow. Why don’t you meet me at my place? The key is under the potted plant
outside to the right of the door.”

“What?” A long string of foul language followed, before she heard him draw in a deep
breath. “You leave a key under a plant outside?”

“Yes, so I don’t lock myself out.” She no longer had Emma right down the road to drive
over with a spare key.

“But you triple locked me inside with the dead bolt and the chain last night.”

Why he was still sputtering about this topic, she didn’t understand. “Well, of course.
When I’m inside I use the dead bolt and the chain. A single woman living alone can’t
be too careful.”

“But somebody could use the key to get in when you’re not home and be hiding . . .”
He let out a big breath of air. “Never mind. We’ll discuss this key situation later.
Just stay where you are now. I’m on my way. I don’t want you wandering around campus
alone this late at night.”

“I’m sure it’s perfectly safe. I’m not parked very far.”

“Becca. The semester hasn’t officially started yet. When there are twenty thousand
students there and the security patrols aren’t still on a summer schedule, yeah, I’d
agree with you that it’s safe. But the campus is a ghost town right now and I don’t
want you walking to your car this late at night, so please just stop arguing with
me and stay there until I come get you. Okay?”

That was quite an impressive rant from a man who’d rarely spoken more than a few words
at once during all the time they’d spent together. “Okay. I’m in the stacks by the
Chaucer.”

He laughed again. “Yeah. Okay. I’ll call when I get inside and maybe you can come
up with some better directions than that.”

“All right. I’ll work on it.” She smiled.

Becca hung up and stashed the phone back in her pocket so she could re-shelve the
books she’d pulled out to look through. The library did have a decent collection,
and it was an impressively big building. There were probably books here she’d never
had access to at Vassar.

When Tucker finally appeared at the end of the row of shelves, she couldn’t help thinking
he was something else she hadn’t had access to back home. She smiled. “Hey. I thought
you were going to call for directions.”

“Since I can guide a platoon using nothing but the stars as a reference, all while
the bad guys are out to get us, I figured I could find Chaucer.”

“I’m very impressed.”

“Then I probably shouldn’t tell you I asked at the front desk and the librarian told
me which number shelves to go to.” He smiled and took a step forward.

She laughed and moved into his arms. “That does make it seem a bit less impressive.”

“Sorry. Just being honest.”

“Don’t apologize. Honesty is good.”

“Then maybe I should continue and tell you, as inappropriate as it is, I’m getting
turned on.” He pulled her closer and she felt the bulge in his jeans. “I never knew
books were so sexy.”

“You got turned on today by a bologna sandwich, too.” She wrapped her arms around
his waist. “I don’t think it’s the books.”

“You’re right. Maybe it’s not the books or the bologna.” He leaned lower.

“Maybe it’s not.” She rose up on her tiptoes, closer to his tempting mouth.

He groaned and closed the small distance between them, backing her up against the
shelves as his lips covered hers. He kissed her until she was off balance, when he
finally broke away. She blew out a breath but didn’t dare let go of him yet. He stayed
where he was, keeping her nestled between his body and the books, which was good since
the man could take her breath away with just a kiss.

His gaze moved to the volumes behind her head. “Ah, there’s my buddy Chaucer now.
Just who I was looking for.” Tuck grinned down at her.

“I’m sure.” She rolled her eyes. “Can we go now?”

“Yeah. I’ll see you to your apartment—crap, I can’t even believe I’m saying this but
then I’m going to have to go home.”

“You can’t stay? Why?”

“The cadets are rallying at zero-four-thirty.”

That sounded awfully early, even in military time. “In the morning? That’s before
the sun is up.”

He laughed. “Believe me, I know. It’s an overnight camping retreat, so I won’t be
back until the day after tomorrow.”

“Oh. Okay.” Crazy as it seemed, she didn’t like the thought of not seeing him for
two whole days.

Still pressed close to her, he shook his head. “Maybe I could hang out at your place
for just an hour or two.”

“No, Tuck. Stop. You got hardly any sleep last night. You should be in bed sleeping
already now. I’ll let you walk me to my car and watch me drive safely away, but that’s
it. You’re going home and getting some rest for this retreat thing.”

After a moment’s pause during which she could almost see the battle going on inside
him, he nodded. “Okay.” He glanced left and right before his hands dipped lower until
he cupped her butt cheeks in his large palms. “You better kiss me good night here
so no one sees in the parking lot.”

“Good plan.” Becca had gone through many, many years of schooling in her life. She’d
spent more hours in libraries than she could begin to calculate. Yet this was the
first time she’d ever made out in one. As he claimed her mouth for the second time
against the volumes of Chaucer, she realized all she’d missed out on in the past.

When the pull of desire got her so wound up she was pretty sure she wouldn’t be getting
any sleep tonight, she pulled away. “Come on. Time to go.”

His eyes twinkled. “Good idea.”

“I meant time for me to leave so you can go home and get to sleep.”

“Oh, all right.” He gave her one last squeeze and stepped back, sighing as he dropped
his hold on her.

They couldn’t exactly walk past the front desk holding hands. The librarian might
get suspicious as to what they’d really been doing in the stacks, but knowing Tucker,
she suspected that’s exactly what he’d like to do.

He glanced at her as they walked. “By the way, there are no cell phones allowed on
the retreat, so I won’t be able to call or answer.”

“No cell phone for two days?” That was a frightening concept. She stared at him. “What
if there’s an emergency?”

“You and Jace been comparing notes?” He laughed.

“No, why?” She frowned.

“No reason.” He shook his head. “And we have phones on site, we just can’t use them
except in an emergency.”

“Okay. Good.” That made her feel a little better. Who knew what could happen on an
overnight camping trip. There could be bears, or wolves, or murderers hiding in the
woods from the authorities. Someone tripping on a tree root and spraining an ankle
might be more likely, but either way, Becca and her overactive imagination would feel
much better knowing Tucker had a way to call for help if he needed to.

He gave the librarian a nod on the way past and pushed the exit door open for Becca.
When they were outside on the sidewalk, he asked, “You worried about me, darlin’?”

“No. Of course not. You can take care of yourself,” she lied, and turned to lead him
toward her car. “I’m parked this way.”

“Good, because I’ve been taking care of myself for a while now.” He followed her until
they were standing at her driver’s side door. “You take care of
your
self while I’m gone. Okay?”

“I will.”

“Logan’s number is in the faculty directory. Call his phone if you need anything.”

“Won’t he be camping with you?”

“Yes, but since he’s in charge, he’ll have his phone on him. I won’t. And if for any
reason he doesn’t answer and you need anything, Jace’s home number is listed in the
local book. Jace Mills. Can you remember his last name? Never mind, I’ll just text
both numbers to you when I get home so you have them.”

“Tuck, if there’s an emergency I’ll call the police. If there’s not, it can wait until
you’re back.”

“All right. I just hate leaving you with no one—”

“There’s always Dean Ross.”

“That’s right. Call Ross if you need something. That’s good.”

“You are a big worrier.” She was beginning to realize that about him. It was incredibly
endearing how concerned he was for her.

“Not usually.”

“Then why now?”

“Good question.” He let out a snort. “Now get in and get going before I don’t let
you leave.”

Tucker reached behind her and opened the door. He dropped the quickest kiss on her
lips she’d ever had from him, then stepped back, his hand on the door frame as he
waited for her to step inside so he could close her door. He must be really determined
to not stay the night.

“All right. Have a good night. Get some sleep. Have fun camping, but be careful.”

“Now who’s the worrier?” He grinned. “And will do, to all of the above. Night, Becca.”

“Night, Tucker.” She bit her lip to stop from saying what she was feeling. How much
she’d miss him.