One Texas Night (17 page)

“With the size of your father’s spread, it must be a job to keep up with the paperwork. You like managing the books?” Rowdy shifted to face her. His knee was almost touching her shoulder. He wondered if she was half as aware of him as he was of her.

She shook her head. “It’s what I was trained in school to do.” She stared down at her hands and added, “My father thought I’d never marry so, ‘a girl like me needs a skill,’ he said.”

Rowdy watched her closely. He’d heard the rumors about her and the banker yesterday and wanted to know if they were true. “Do you plan to marry, Laurel?”

She shrugged. “My father told the banker I’d marry him by fall.”

“But you don’t want to?” he guessed.

Her eyes were filled with a thousand unshed tears when she looked up. “But I don’t want to,” she repeated.

Rowdy saw it all then. He knew without asking why she needed the money. Her father thought he could control her. “You plan to leave as soon as I win.”

She nodded. “My father thinks room and board are enough pay, so I’ve never been able to think of a way out. When you win, I know where we can get a good price for the herd. You’ll have enough to go somewhere and start a new life and so will I.”

She was as much of a prisoner as he’d been. “Then we’d better win.” He grinned, wishing he felt half as confident as he sounded. “How soon can we change the cattle into money?”

“An hour after the rodeo. They are already in the pens by the station,” she answered. “I plan to make the Monday morning train. Once my father learns we’re partners, there will be no going home. I can spend the night in the hotel and be ready to leave at dawn.”

“That sounds like a great plan, partner. I might catch it and ride along until a place looks right.”

“What are you looking for?”

He shrugged. “Any place but here where the land is cheap and the people scarce. How about you?”

“A city. I’ve always wanted to work in a big bank.”

“Too many people.” He shook his head.

“If my father hears about our deal, he’ll try to stop me by stopping you.”

“He won’t hear about it.” Rowdy stood and offered her a hand. “But maybe it would be a good idea if you didn’t come around me at the rodeo tonight. Someone might notice.”

She nodded and placed her hand in his. “All right. I brought you a few things you can use around here. When you leave, you can give them back or leave them for the next owner.”

He wouldn’t have taken anything from her but a loan didn’t seem wrong. She handed him blankets, towels, coffee and a lantern. “They won’t be missed. I took them from the chuck wagon that’s stored in the barn until roundup.”

He set the supplies down on the porch and unloaded a bale of hay and some oats for Cinnamon. “Thanks,” he said when the wagon was empty.

“It’s only fair. You seem to be doing all the work in this partnership.” She picked a piece of straw off his shoulder and then looked embarrassed at her boldness.

She turned to climb in the wagon, but his hand stopped her with a touch.

“No kiss for luck?” he asked as his fingers rested at her waist.

When she leaned to kiss his cheek, he shifted and their lips touched. He felt her jerk like a colt about to run, but she didn’t back away.

For a moment they stood in the morning sun, their bodies an inch apart, their lips barely touching. He wanted to pull her against him, but he figured he’d frighten her to death if he did.

He pulled away and stared down into her pretty blue eyes. She looked a little surprised, maybe bewildered, but not afraid, he thought. Then he smiled, thinking that if she could read his mind she’d probably run like hell.

“Good luck,” she whispered.

“Kiss me again,” he answered back without moving. “I can’t believe it felt so good.”

She hesitated, then closed the distance between them. Her lips touched his lightly once more.

He moved his mouth in a gentle caress over hers this time and her body leaned into him in response. Her lips were the softest thing he’d ever touched and he couldn’t resist tugging one into his mouth for a taste.

He felt her shock, then smiled when she didn’t jump away or slap him for being so forward.

“You like that?” he whispered against her cheek as his hand moved around her waist.

She made a little sound of pleasure.

“Then open your mouth just a little, Laurel, and I’ll show you something you might like even more.”

He could feel her heart pounding against his chest as he moved his lips over her mouth, now soft and full. This time when he tugged on her bottom lip, she melted against him. Before he changed his mind, he kissed her fully, taking her breath along with her small cry of joy before he straightened.

Her forehead rested against his cheek for a moment while she breathed. He drew the smell of her deep into his lungs, and with each rise and fall of his chest, he felt her body against his . . . and she felt so good. Nothing in his life had ever felt so right.

When she finally pulled away, neither said a word, but his touch lingered at her waist as she climbed into the wagon.

Without looking at him, she said, “I’ll be watching you tonight.”

“I like your hair down.” He brushed his hand gently over a curl.

He couldn’t think of any more to say as he watched her drive away. Every nerve in his body was fighting to keep from riding after her, grabbing her and teaching her what a kiss was all about. He’d kissed a few girls before he went to prison and a few others when he’d gone with the warden to pick up horses in Mexico. Those saloon girls wanted money he didn’t have and were willing to kiss him to show what they had to offer.

But not one of them felt like Laurel in his arms.

Rowdy turned to the barn. Most men at twenty knew all about women. Most had probably had a half dozen or more. Most wouldn’t get all worked up over one kiss that hadn’t gone deep enough to taste passion.

He worked his frustration off cleaning the barn. If Laurel Hayes had a drop of sense, she wouldn’t be having anything to do with the likes of him. He had nothing to offer her. Even his friendship would hurt her reputation if anyone knew. She’d be wise to marry the banker and live in a fine house. But, he reasoned, the banker would never kiss her as he had and she’d never let him. That was what surprised him the most, she’d let him.

By the time the barn was clean, he’d reached one conclusion. He’d win this rodeo and split the money with her. Then, when she was free of her father and on her own, he’d see if she still wanted to be friends. If not, he’d understand. But if she did, she’d need to know that he wanted more than just a partnership. He wanted her.

He worked with Cinnamon the rest of the morning, then rode in and ate supper at one of the chuck wagons that invited any man riding to eat.

Cinnamon was bright and quick, but in the calf roping event, Rowdy only took second for the night. It was little comfort that none of the bronc riders came close to his score from the night before. With another two nights left, he’d be lucky if he placed in calf roping. He figured he could afford to miss one event. Most riding for all-around weren’t scheduled in all events. They usually sat out bronc riding or bareback riding because those were the two that had the greatest chance of causing injury. He’d heard two men had dropped out after seeing his ride, figuring they couldn’t beat it.

He saw Laurel sitting near her father when he stood directly across the arena and watched the last few events. She didn’t look happy, but he had to smile when he noticed she’d worn her hair down with only a small ribbon holding it in place at the back.

One kiss and he’d ached for her all day long.

After the rodeo ended, Dan talked him into walking over to the dance. It was little more than a floor of boards surrounded by poles of lanterns and hay bales to act as benches. The band sat in the grass a few feet away from the dancers. Half the time he couldn’t tell if they were playing the same song.

Dan rocked back and forth on his boots. “I’m thinking I should ask a pretty girl to dance.”

“I’ll watch,” Rowdy answered, but he was looking at Laurel standing across the floor from him. She had the banker on one side and her father on the other. Neither man was talking to her, but he had a feeling they’d be none too happy if he walked over and asked her to dance.

If he could dance, he thought, and then he studied the cowhands bumping into each other to the music. None of them looked like they could dance and most of the women seemed more interested in keeping their feet out of harm’s way than holding on to the fellow they were with.

“There sure are a lot of pretty girls,” Dan sounded in awe.

“How about one of the captain’s daughters?” Rowdy suggested.

They both looked over at the two blondes surrounded by cowhands.

Dan shook his head. “I set my standards a little higher than them two. They ain’t got a full brain between them.”

“I’m impressed with your wisdom, Dan.” Rowdy slapped his new friend on the back. “How about the other daughter? The one there by her father.”

Dan stared at Laurel. “Not that one. She’s the opposite of her sisters. They say she went away to school for years. Say she can figure in her head faster than most folks can on paper. She’d think I was as dumb as a box of rocks.”

“You could give it a try.”

Dan let out a long breath as if he’d accepted a challenge. “I guess so.”

He walked across the floor and stepped right up to Laurel. Rowdy couldn’t hear what he said, but he did see both the captain and the banker frown and shake their heads. Laurel, to everyone’s surprise, raised her hand and stepped onto the floor with Dan O’Brien.

Rowdy frowned. He wasn’t sure he liked the idea of Dan dancing with her. Not one bit. In fact, the idiot who suggested it should be whipped. He stared at Dan’s hand resting lightly on her back and knew just how it felt.

His only satisfaction was that neither of them seemed to have any idea how to dance. They stepped first one way and then the other. Dan looked like an ox tromping in mud and she seemed like a feather being blown in the wind. When the music ended, they both looked relieved.

They stepped off the floor a few feet from Rowdy.

“Miss Hayes,” Dan said politely. “Thank you for the dance.”

“You’re welcome,” she managed shyly.

Dan smiled at Rowdy. “I’d like to introduce my friend Rowdy Darnell to you if you’ll let me.”

Laurel offered her hand and Rowdy held it. Neither said a word.

She looked around as if afraid to meet Rowdy’s stare. Afraid she might give away too much, or he would if they looked at each other.

Pulling away, she stepped into the crowd. Both men stood watching her go and wondering if they’d offended her.

Before either could comment, she reappeared with a petite, redheaded girl at her side. “Gentlemen,” Laurel said, “I’d like you to meet a friend of mine. Bonnie Lynn, this is Dan O’Brien and Rowdy Darnell.”

“Pleased to meet you,” Dan said as if practicing what he’d been taught.

Bonnie Lynn smiled and offered him a curtsy. “I’m glad to meet you too. I’ve seen you in town, Dan O’Brien, and I’m thinking you are the biggest Irishman I’ve ever seen.”

They all laughed.

“Would you like to dance?” Dan offered.

She looked down at his big boots and said, “I’m afraid you’d step on me, Dan O’Brien, but I’d still like to dance with you.”

When he took her in his arms, she pulled away far enough to see her feet and stepped onto the toes of his boots.

He laughed and began to move across the floor.

Rowdy smiled at Laurel. “It appears you lost your partner.”

“I’m not sure I would have survived another round.”

He saw the banker coming toward them and knew he had little time. Turning his back to the banker, he said low and urgent, “Meet me by the cottonwoods tonight.”

“I don’t know how long I’ll be.”

“It doesn’t matter. I’ll wait.”

She didn’t have time to answer. Rowdy could feel the banker standing behind him and he didn’t like the fear he saw in Laurel’s eyes.

Chapter 6

Laurel listened to her father rant all the way home. Her sisters had danced with half the cowboys at the rodeo and he hadn’t said a word. She’d danced with one and now he swore she would be marked as a tramp. “Why’d you have to pick the pig farmer? One of my men would have asked you eventually.”

Laurel didn’t answer and her father never gave her long enough to even if she had wanted to.

By the time they reached the ranch, he’d decided that she would attend no more dances until she was married and no longer his problem. When Laurel asked if it were the dance or the man she danced with that made him so angry, the captain said the man, of course.

“I have nothing against Dan O’Brien, but you are engaged. You should only be seen with Jeffery Filmore. He’s a fine man and one of the most powerful figures in town. In ten years I wouldn’t be surprised if he owns half the land around here and I plan to have the other half. Marrying him would be smart, girl.”

“But he’s never asked me to marry him,” she tried to reason. How could she be engaged if she’d never been asked?