Renegade Moon (CupidKey) (16 page)

“That is good. You two go to bed.” She padded out onto the porch.

“Goodnight, Martin,” Destiny said.

“Goodnight, sugar. Sleep tight.”

Ha! Fat chance.

“I’m going to Albuquerque,” Eric announced, pushing his empty breakfast plate away. “Domingo can finish up the roof work if I’ll get him the material.”

Martin drained his orange juice. “Want to go in the Suburban?”

“Nah, you don’t want to load that stuff in your Suburban. I need more roll roofing, tar, and I want to pick up some cement and lumber while I’m there. Want to go?”

“Might as well.”

Eric grinned at Destiny. “It’s a fairly nice drive. Join us?”

“Yes,” she accepted quickly, rushing to gather camera and canvas bag. She wore faded blue jeans and a blue lace-banded tee, so she decided to keep her sandals on rather than change into boots. Assuring herself no one could fault her choice since they would be traveling in a vehicle, not hiking or horseback riding. Though Eric might lecture her anyway. Sometimes she thought he enjoyed it.

Both brothers stood in the middle of the living room, fidgeting as if they’d been kept waiting for hours. They immediately turned and headed for the door as soon as she emerged from the hallway.
Men!
Amused, she followed them to the pickup and climbed in-between them.

Eric’s dark eyes gave her a quick and approving sweep. “Remember this thing’s air-conditioner is broken.”

“That’s okay.” She fished her large clip from her canvas bag and twisted her hair up and fastened the clasp.

As he drove over the ridge, Eric’s gaze wandered to trace the smooth curve of her neck and linger on the golden tendrils escaping the fat twist of hair. He groaned to himself.
She looked so female, so touchable
. Driving while observing Destiny, his steering wavered.

“Hey, watch out!” Martin yelled, grabbing the dash with one hand as the truck drifted off the road. “You want me to drive?”

“Don’t start,” Eric warned, speeding up.

“Well, watch the road instead of you-know-who.” Martin winked at Destiny.

“Shut up,” Eric growled, not really mad. Glancing at the fuel gauge, he added, “I’d better gas up in Las Nubes.”

“Beats walking,” Martin agreed.

Destiny listened to their brotherly banter with a smile. She felt great. The gorgeous day sparkled clear and bright, the hot sun tempered by a cool breeze. With the windows down, some dust sailed in, but she found herself growing more and more accustomed to the wind and a little dust. Of course, Eric’s speed caused a lot of extra wind and dust as they zoomed along over the rocky road to the highway. She rummaged in her bag for sunglasses, which provided just enough protection despite the interior windstorm.

She glanced at Eric. He was in his usual driving position—his right hand draped on the wheel and left arm resting on the open window frame. His jeans were faded and patched at both knees, and his plaid cotton shirt was also faded. He wore the cowboy hat with the rattlesnake skin band he’d had on the first time she’d met him. His ‘working’ hat. He had a nice one for dress-up, Destiny knew, but Eric wasn’t like many of the men out here who never seemed to be without a hat. She’d seen two of Martin’s. His ‘high plains drifter’ hat that he alternated with a low-crowned ‘dandy’ hat with a leather chinstrap he never put under his chin, but wore in back, like today. The strap cupped around his thick wavy hair, giving him a rakish air.

Definitely two handsome men
, she thought, riding contentedly between them. So different, yet each so attractive in his way. But Eric sent her senses reeling as well as her radar.

He possessed so many facets.
She snuck another glance at him. Powerful emotions emanated from Eric that Destiny couldn’t ignore. A feeling something tightly leashed lurked beneath his surface control. Like a beast continually prowling back and forth in its cage, seeking release. Yet, at the same time, she sensed a heart-grabbing vulnerability in him. It made her want to touch him, to soothe those hidden troubled feelings boiling inside him.

As the truck turned onto the highway, they shot forward. Martin muttered under his breath. Hitting the gas, Eric glanced at Martin, then his gaze slid to Destiny. The corner of his mouth lifted in a smile and he winked. She smiled back, knowing it showed her dimple, but glanced away because he’d caught her watching him
again
. Even sunglasses couldn’t conceal her staring.

They reached Las Nubes and drove to the gas pumps at the convenience store. “How about you get us some cold drinks,
hermano
?” Eric said, inserting the pump nozzle into the tank.

“Sure.” He glanced at Destiny. “What’cha want, sugar?”

“Nothing for me, thanks.” She followed Martin inside. She’d finally thought to ask the meaning of the word
hermano
, and discovered it meant ‘brother’ in Spanish.

Martin chatted with several people as he got the drinks. In a few minutes Eric came inside to pay for the gas.

“There’s your Seven-Up.” Martin pointed at the can and Eric picked it up.

“Let’s go, babe,” Eric said to Destiny as she admired a collection of old pictures. He popped the top on his drink, stuffed his billfold back into his jeans pocket, and turned right into a collision with Iris Blake Rampton. He caught her arm with one hand and held his drink away to keep from sloshing her.

Destiny beheld the scene.
How
cute
. Iris wore tight fitting jeans tucked into high black boots, a paisley shirt with top buttons undone, and an unbuttoned denim vest. Tall, slim, and graceful, Iris stood there laughing up into Eric’s face, one leg bent at the knee, booted foot pointed. She placed one hand on Eric’s shoulder while he held her other arm with his free hand. Destiny wanted to snarl and shove them apart. Instead they all walked outside, quite civilized, Iris falling into step beside Eric.

“Where are you headed?” she asked.

“Albuquerque. I have to pick up some roofing material.”

“Can I ride along?”

“Why?”

“Something to do.”

Eric shrugged at Iris’s statement, but Destiny went on full alert. The willowy Iris in her high-heeled boots walking beside Eric made Destiny feel about four feet tall in her little flat sandals.

He continued to the truck. “Suit yourself.”

“Thanks.” Iris accompanied Eric around the side of the truck and Destiny grew totally determined not to allow Iris to plant herself in between them. No way. Even if she had to make a scene.

Martin calmly jumped in on the passenger side. He obviously didn’t intend to help Eric one bit, and appeared to be enjoying the show. Eric opened the truck door. Iris shot Destiny a hostile glance, the first acknowledgment that Destiny existed. Destiny took a step back to stand beside Eric, smiling sweetly at Iris. Iris glared at her before shifting her gaze to Eric.

“Are you going or not?” Eric sounded annoyed. “If you are, get in. If not, see you later.” He tossed his half-finished drink into the trash.

Iris flounced into the truck, scooted over beside Martin, and stared straight ahead. Martin turned slightly to rest his arm along the back of the seat. A tiny smile played at his mouth as he sipped his drink.

Destiny got in and Eric followed and slammed the door. He looked at no one, just started the truck and off they streaked. Away from the store they roared, leaving a cloud of dust, onto the highway.

Iris patted her blowing hair. “Turn on the air-conditioner.”

“Bro-ken,” Martin sing-songed.

“Oh, terrific!” Iris scowled, forcing Destiny to suppress blurting ‘serves you right’ or something meaner. She couldn’t remember when she’d felt so petty and immature.

Eric slammed on the brakes right in the middle of the highway. He glared at Iris. “Do you want me to take you back to Las Nubes?”

“No, no. It’s all right, for goodness sakes! Eric, there’s a car coming!”

His foot found its home on the gas pedal and they shot forward. He drove no more timidly on the highway than on the ranch roads.

Destiny tried to peek at the speedometer, but decided she didn’t want to know after all as they streaked along this twisty road. He did slacken speed after a moment, and she shifted, trying for more room. She didn’t enjoy being jammed up against Iris in the least.

However, being jammed against Eric was an entirely different matter. She nestled against his side. He glanced down at her, arching an eyebrow at her dimpled smile. But his expression assured her that he didn’t mind a bit that she crowded him.

“This is ridiculous,” Iris muttered, holding her blowing hair with one hand and rummaging through her handbag with the other. Strands of hair whipped across her mouth, clinging to her lipstick. Martin chuckled and drained his drink, smashing the can on the floorboard with his boot heel. Destiny stifled a giggle against Eric’s shoulder. Iris unearthed an elastic band from her bag and stuffed her hair into a makeshift ponytail.

“Nice,” Martin complimented with a grin. “I haven’t seen you so casual in years.”

Icy daggers shot from her violet eyes. “You haven’t seen me
period
in years.”

Martin slid his arm around her shoulders and squeezed. She tried to yank away, jerking against Destiny.

Destiny glared at her, feeling all too keenly that they were rival lionesses. Then Iris allowed Martin to pull her back against him.

“This round to me,” Destiny murmured.

“What?” Eric asked, glancing at her.

“I said, what a lovely drive,” Destiny fibbed, gazing up at Eric’s firm jaw, aching to trace it with her fingertip. Thinking of the standoff at the pumps over who would sit where, she remembered when she and her sister were small, and would fight over who sat in the front seat. Only her sister hadn’t worn that expensive, heavy perfume of Iris’s. Every time Iris raised her hand to smooth back escaping tendrils of hair, the scent would waft under Destiny’s nose.

She turned her face away, resting lightly against Eric’s shoulder. He smelled of sun and dust and maleness. She could have inhaled him forever. Just for an instant, he brushed the top of her head with his cheek.

Destiny glanced over to check if Iris had seen, but she had her arm up again fussing with her hair and had missed it. Too bad.

“Where’s your watch, Eric?” Iris demanded.

“Uh . . .” Eric shifted slightly. “It’s too, ah, expensive to wear for every day.”

“You threw some shindig last night, Iris,” Martin commented, obviously steering the conversation away from such a touchy subject.

“Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves,” Destiny added diplomatically.

“Yeah. Thanks,” Eric mumbled, hitting a bump that bounced his passengers upward.

“My offer to drive is still open, little brother.”

“Keep it up,
hermano
, and you’ll be walking.” A pickup approached from the opposite direction. Eric lifted two fingers of his hand resting on top of the wheel in a little wave. The passing motorist answered his wave in the same manner.

Destiny had noticed all the waving here. It seemed that everyone waved at everyone else when driving on these back country roads, usually just a little salute with one or two fingers. She caught herself picking up the habit, and wondered what Austin motorists would think when she returned and compulsively waved to every car on the freeways. After her experience here in the high desert, her old life in Austin felt so far away and far removed. She knew returning home might prove bittersweet. And Eric merely a memory, or a photo in her portfolio. Her screensaver.

Those thoughts drew her gaze back to Eric’s hands and the power in them; hands capable of crushing her if he so chose. Instead, she recalled their gentleness, touching her tenderly during her heat exhaustion, combing her hair . . .
that had been amazing
. Thinking of it still made her heart flutter.

“Hello, Destiny, please come in, over,” Martin teased. “I’ve been trying to get your attention for five minutes.”

“Oh. What?” She felt a blush tint her cheeks.

“Want a piece of gum, little girl? It’s sugarless. Won’t rot your pretty white teeth.”

“Yes, thanks.” She took the offered stick from his hand.

“Excuse me,” Iris snapped. “Am I in your way?” She pressed back into the seat, glaring at Destiny. “We can exchange places.”

“Oh, no,” Destiny replied breezily. “You and Martin look so cozy together.”

“Yes, don’t we,” Martin agreed, running his fingers along Iris’s shoulder.

Iris folded her arms and scowled at everyone and everything.

Eric’s cell phone chimed, surprising him since it didn’t ring much. Most of the time he left it at the house, only carrying it when traveling off the ranch. He didn’t know whether to be pleased or spooked by the caller ID. “Hi, Mom.” Though not his biological mother, he had called her ‘mom’ since he could remember. His birth parents had died when he was so young, yet between the Montoyas, who actually adopted him, and the Garcias, he’d never felt he’d been without family. Certainly there were times he felt the outsider, but never shut out. It stemmed from his own feelings of isolation, not from the way he’d been treated.

“Hi, sweetie, how was your birthday?”

“Okay. Had a little party last night.”

“Oh?”

Eric heard all sorts of things in that simple remark. His mom knew his view of parties and he hoped she didn’t try to dig out the information. Bad enough he’d endured the celebration. He refused to revisit it for his mother, especially in front of this particular audience. “It was a surprise.”

“I see. Well, since we had to miss your actual birthday, we’d like you to come to lunch today. I called the ranch and Estrella said you were on your way to Albuquerque to buy some roofing, so that should work out well, right? Martin’s with you, isn’t he?”

“Among others.” He squirmed mentally, thinking of those ‘others.’ If his mother had talked to Estrella, she’d already heard the details of events and guests.