One Stubborn Cowboy (13 page)

"Thanks." The word was forced out. She could hear the strain and bitterness behind it.

"Sure." She went to the truck, tossed the blanket in back and climbed in, almost burning her legs on the hot seat. She carefully fastened her seat belt. Even with the windows open, the cab felt like an oven.

When Kit got in, his face was shuttered, closed. He didn't say anything, just started the truck and slammed it into gear.

The ride home was long and tension filled. Kelly resolutely stared out of her side window, her lips tightly closed against the pain now growing in her heart. She knew the rodeo accident had been awful, traumatic, changing the entire course of his life. But in two years he should be more reconciled. Especially to the scars.

Her fingers tingled in her lap as if they remembered the feel of his hot skin, the strength of his muscles, the wiry hair on his chest. Her breasts ached to feel his touch again, to feel his mouth opened on her, his hands moving against her, the solid wall of his chest.

She took a deep, shaky breath. She couldn't keep thinking about it. She'd go mad. Especially if he didn't want her anymore.

Tears filled her eyes at the thought, but she resolutely blinked them away, willing him to drive as fast as he normally did, willing the journey to be finished soon. Before she broke down and cried.

Finally he turned in to her driveway.

She reached for the handle, but his hand caught her arm and held her in her seat. She turned to look at him.

"Are you all right?" He hadn't planned to ask her that, but the look on her face stopped the words he'd been going to say.

She nodded.

"I didn't hurt you?"

She shook her head. He was hurting her, but not the way he meant.

She dropped her gaze to the edge of her shorts, tracing the material with one nervous finger. "Actually, it was quite wonderful. I didn't know my body was capable of such feelings," she said slowly.

"What are you talking about? What about your other lovers? Did none of them ever satisfy you?"

She rubbed the edge of her shorts, wondering how to tell him. "Except for one fumbling foray into the realm of sex when I was in college, I, er, haven't had a very, um, active social life."

"Meaning?"

She threw him a look, a flush of embarrassed anger rising in her cheeks. "Meaning I've only done it once and it hurt."

He closed his eyes. He certainly had not been expecting that. This woman was the epitome of self-assurance and confidence. Hell, she'd lived in San Francisco all her life. Of course he'd expected her to have had lovers. Shoving his hat back from his face, he turned and looked at her.

"Dammit, you lived in San Francisco, a big, swinging city. You're pretty, successful..."

"What does that have to do with anything? You think I sleep around just because I'm from the city? Let me tell you something, cowboy, I have morals just the same as anyone else. And I don't—"

"Kelly, shut up. Jeez, you have a mouth on you. Say one little thing and you jump in with both guns blazing."

"I wish I did have a gun. I'd take a shot at you."

"And I bet I know where."

"You'd better believe it, cowboy. Then you'd have a scar that would really gross people out."

He laughed. She was so mad she could hit him, and he laughed.

"Hell, I'd never show anyone," he said between breaths.

She smiled, then chuckled as his infectious laughter reached through her anger. It was an absurd picture.

Clamping her arm tightly against her side, she brought his fingers into contact with the soft swell of her breast. Slowly she stretched out her hand and rested it on his thigh.

"Kit, get some protection," she said softly, watching her fingers rub against the soft, faded denim.

"Have a care, darlin'. I can't use that leg, but it's not lost all its feeling."

She smiled, but couldn't quite meet his eyes. She felt like a brazen hussy, suggesting he get protection. Maybe she should get something, carry it with her, just in case.

"It might take a while," he said at last, the back of his fingers making the most of the contact with her softness. "Wouldn't have been a problem a few years ago. But now, dammit, I can't get anything from around here. After my display at the dance everyone would suspect you and I..."

She looked up and blushed. "Small town, huh?"

"You better believe it. It'd make the front page of the local paper. I told you I haven't had another woman since I was injured."

"So what if they know? We're grown up."

"I don't want gossip about you, Kelly," he said gently.

Her eyes stung with tears again, but for a different reason. No one had ever taken care of her before. She felt cherished.

"I said you were a pussycat." She smiled shyly.

"Now listen here." He dragged her across the seat, his hand suddenly hard on her arm, pulling her up against him, his hard thigh pressing against hers. "Men don't mind being called a tiger, or lion maybe, but I absolutely draw the line at pussycat." He glared at her.

She giggled. "You scare me."

His face softened and he released her arm to cup her chin in his hand, brushing his thumb over her lips.

"Go inside and stop being so sassy."

"Or?"

"Or your reputation can go hang. Molly Benson is about to fall out of her window watching us."

She giggled again and kissed against his thumb. "Thank you for taking me on my picnic. It was rather different from any I've gone on before. I didn't realize how differently you do things in the country."

"Get."

She slid across the seat and out the door. Taking her things from the back, she stood on the side of the driveway as he backed out, gazing after the truck long after it had disappeared from view.

* * *

Seeing the little black pony had helped. The next morning she began painting again, the sketches from yesterday just what she needed to bring the book to life. She concentrated on her work, and slowly the panels came to life.

Two days were uneventful, but productive. Kelly worked on the story line, blocked out pictures and began the soft watercolors that she used for illustrations. The book was taking shape and she would be finished before too many more weeks passed.

The strident ring of her phone shattered the peaceful afternoon. Dashing down the stairs, she wondered if it would be Kit, asking about her, seeing if she wanted to go out with him. She'd heard nothing from him since he'd dropped her off earlier in the week. Blast the man, he had to know she wanted to hear from him.

"Hi, Kelly. Sally Lockford."

Surprised at the wave of disappointment that swept through her, Kelly forced her thoughts away from Kit.

"We're having a small group for a barbecue next Friday. We'd like you to join us. Can you make it?"

She'd see him on Friday was her first gleeful thought when she finished talking to Sally. She had longed to ask after Kit, but was too shy, too unsure of their tenuous relationship to do that. It was enough she'd see him soon.

* * *

Sally had arranged for Beth and her husband to give Kelly a lift, and when they arrived at the Lockford ranch late Friday afternoon they were not the first. There were several cars parked on the grass, people already sitting on the deck, Kit in the center of the group.

Kelly recognized some of the other guests—Clint, Greg Martin, Bob and Mary Nash, whom she'd met at the dance. There were others, but she couldn't remember their names.

Sally came out the screen door with a tray of cold drinks in her hand just as Kelly and the Stapletons joined the group.

"Hi, glad you could make it. Kelly, do you know everyone?" She easily made the introductions, and Kelly tried desperately to remember all the names. If people wouldn't move around, she'd have a better chance.

"For you." Kelly handed Sally her latest story, about a little Chinese boy playing detective in San Francisco's Chinatown.

"Oh, thank you!. Julie'll love it."

"Not another book for Julie. I'm still hoarse from the last one," Kit protested, his eyes on Kelly, amusement and something else gleaming there. He'd had his eyes on her since she had arrived.

"Should I have brought you your own copy?" She smiled and walked toward him, unsure of her place here tonight.

Was the charade over? Or should she greet him as if they were lovers?

"Pull up a chair next to me, Kelly, darlin', and tell these folks about your writing," Kit said, glancing around the group. "Earlier this week we tracked down the Smiths' pony so she could get authenticity for her next story. Though all our picnic wasn't suitable for a child's book. Was it?" His smile was devilish, his look decidedly provocative.

Kelly saw Sally's look of surprise as Kit reached out to take her hand in his, threading his fingers through hers. She shook her head and smiled at the group, blood pounding through her at his touch. Had their picnic meant anything to him? Or was he just playacting here? How was she supposed to reply to his seductive innuendo?

"Dinner will be ready in about a half hour," Sally said to fill in the momentary silence. "We hired the Soames sisters to fix the side dishes and Pete is in charge of the barbecue." The tantalizing aroma of the meat cooking over the grill had been wafting around the house for some time. Kelly's stomach growled and she was glad they'd be eating soon. Maybe if she remembered she was only playing a part, she could manage to eat in peace. She had a hard time keeping her eyes off Kit. Laughing at his nonsense, preening before his blatant approval, and flirting. She must be doing something right—his look was definitely approving.

"Clint, would you get Kelly's present?" Kit asked, his eyes dancing as he studied her, interested in her reaction.

"What present?" Kelly turned in surprise.

"I bought you a peace offering," he said.

"What awful thing did you do, Kit?" Sally asked, looking between Kit and Kelly as if puzzled by their relationship.

"We had a small problem at the end of the picnic. I hope to make it up to her."

Kelly's face flamed. If he'd bought a box of...

Just then Beth said in strange voice, "Oh, Kelly."

She turned and looked, her heart catching in her throat as Clint led the small black pony around the side of the house. A bright blue ribbon was tied cockily on his mane.

Sam's ears were pricked as he looked around expectantly. Bewildered, Kelly looked back at Kit, his eyes on her as he watched for her reaction.

"Sam? For me?"

He nodded. "Got him yesterday. Had the devil's own time talking Will Smith out of him. But I convinced him their grandbaby wouldn't need a pony for years and I knew someone who needed one right now."

Kelly caught her bottom lip between her teeth as she rose and hurried gleefully across the veranda to the pony, hugging his neck, rubbing his forehead, laughing at the silly extravagance. Happiness flooded through her at the unexpected gesture. Had he known how much this would mean to her? She'd never had a pet in her life!

"Wouldn't a horse be more in order?" Beth asked, puzzled.

"No, this is perfect! Kit's good at doing wonderful things." Kelly threw him a saucy grin and ran back up the steps to him. Leaning down, she brushed her lips against his.