Italy shrugged. “We wanted a decent beer instead of the watered down crap they’ve been serving all night. We sent Red to the bar to get them for us.”
“You can’t avoid the subject altogether you know,” Robot said calmly. “We’ll get it out of the girls one way or the other.”
“Yeah, difference will be whether you’re painted in a nice light or a shitty light.” T-Rex lifted his beer in a mock salute.
“Fuck, we really have turned into a knitting club,” Greg grumbled again as he picked up his own beer bottle and took a long swallow.
Ahh that’s much better.
Italy was right, the beer had been an ordinary errand but now that Red was back, he supposed he could give the guys a bone, but the bare bones facts only. Giving them a once over and seeing all eyes on him, he picked at his label and started. “You guys know I did rodeo and Faith was always around at the same events as me. We were friends. When I left we lost touch and then I saw her at the stables I ride at occasionally. I needed a date for the wedding, she was at a loose end and so she said yes.” He sat back and lifted his beer to his lips. “There you have it. Our history.”
Silence descended around the table, which was difficult considering a wedding was still happening and the other guests were on the dance floor. But a second later laughter erupted from everyone.
“Fuck, Cowboy, that’s pathetic. You expect us to believe you were just friends. You were all starry eyed on the dance floor.” Italy said around his laughter.
“Fuck off, Italy.” Greg said as he gave his teammate the bird.
The DJ announced it was time for the newlyweds to cut the cake. “Saved by the cake,” mocked Robot.
Greg refrained from giving his team-lead the bird as well, not that he’d get into any shit for doing so, but once at a wedding was enough.
He pushed back from the table and moved to where everyone was congregated around the edge of the dance floor.
“Who do you think will smash the cake into whose face first?”
Greg gripped his beer a little tighter before glancing to his right to see Faith had sidled up beside him. “The guys and I have a bet going that it’s going to be Erin. It would totally be the way she’d operate.”
Faith chuckled. “Yeah I could definitely see that happening. She doesn’t pull her punches does she?”
By her comments, he guessed Erin was the one who asked the most pressing questions out of the group of women, which was a total surprise. Antonia had always seemed the one to speak her mind. Maybe being married to Robot had mellowed her, although their surprise marriage only came out a few months ago. But it certainly explained the way Robot and Antonia had rubbed each other the wrong way when Erin and Italy first got together.
“Yeah, Erin and Antonia together are quite the team, sorry you got caught up in it all.”
His forearm tensed when Faith laid her hand on it. “It’s okay, Cowboy, I can hold my own.”
His lips lifted in a wry smile. Of course they would’ve told her about him. He looked at her and their eyes met and held. “They told you my nickname, huh?”
“They did and it suits you.”
A round of clapping drew his attention back to the dance floor where the couple were forking pieces of cake into each other’s mouths, not a speck of icing smashed over either one of their faces.
“Well look at that,” Greg mused. “Neither one smashed cake. Guess the money stays in the kitty for the next time we bet on something.”
“You mean no one took the neither one smashes the cake odds?”
Unable to keep from touching her, he slung an arm around her shoulders. “You only met them today and yet you asked me who was going to do the smashing. Why would anyone take that bet? We all figured we’d lose.”
Faith leaned into him and he tightened his hold on her, enjoying having her so close. “I suppose you have a point.”
The music started up again. “How about another twirl around the dance floor?” he asked.
“Why, shucks, Cowboy, I thought you’d never ask. I’d love to do-si-do around the dance floor with you.” Faith injected the perfect amount of southern twang in her voice and he laughed.
“Well, ma’am,” he tipped an imaginary cowboy hat. “Let’s go show ‘em how it’s done in Texas.”
An hour later he and Faith were seated in a car heading toward her hotel. The wedding had been fun, and he didn’t want the night to end, but knew that it had to. She’d declined his invitation to attend Suzie and Joker’s wedding.
He didn’t quite believe that she had to go to Colorado for a sponsors meeting. Having been born and bred in Houston, Texas, he was well aware their annual livestock show and rodeo was coming up. All the sponsors would be there. He planned to go with his family this year. In the past it had been an annual family event and as a kid, he’d always dreamed of competing there.
But then Paris happened, his world pivoted and he’d changed career choices. Now he was a SEAL and loved every second of being one. His training made him able to tell when someone wasn’t being entirely truthful to him. Faith had lied about her meeting and while he wanted to call her out on it, he had no right. They weren’t in a relationship, it was a one night thing. He refused to allow the disappointment that she didn’t want to see him again from consuming him.
“We’re here, Greg,” she said softly, her fingers brushing across the top of his hand. His dick reacted immediately to the touch. He’d been able to keep his physical responses to her under control most of the evening, but in the close confines of the car, it was proving impossible. Her spicy scent enveloped them, reminding him of the markets in Morocco.
“Right,” he said and pulled out a credit card to swipe in the machine to pay for the cab fare a second before Faith tried to do the same.
“Why did you do that? You should’ve kept the cab to take you home.”
Greg opened the door before answering. “I’m seeing my date to the door. I can always get another cab.” In the morning, he wistfully thought. So many of his hot dreams as a hormonally charged teenager had featured Faith.
Ever since he’d seen her in that stable, running her hand down the flanks of a gorgeous gelding, she’d been front and center of his dreams again. He hadn’t had the bravado to follow through with his fantasies then, but could he do it now? More to the point, would Faith?
He placed a hand atop the cab when he realized Faith hadn’t followed him out. He leaned down and looked in. “Are you coming?”
A flash of fire entered her blue eyes, a fire he’d never seen before. “This is ridiculous, I’m a grown woman, I don’t need an escort to take me to my door.”
“Faith, I do this with all my dates. I always see them to their door. My mama taught me a man never leaves a woman to enter her house in the dark, he must always make sure she gets inside safely.”
“But I bet none of your dates were staying in a hotel.”
“Look.” A tired voice from the front of car broke into their argument. “Are you getting out of my cab or not? I’ve got fares to get and mouths to feed.”
Greg silently thanked the cabbie for forcing Faith’s hand, not that he didn’t think she’d get out of the cab. But it certainly stopped her arguing.
“This is ridiculous,” she huffed as she stood next to him on the pavement.
“Are you telling me, Faith Timberly, that not one of your dates ever saw you to the door? What did they do, kiss you in the car and then say, thanks for a good night. See yourself out?” He couldn’t believe a woman like Faith would put up with that behavior. He’d witnessed her going toe to toe with competitors at the rodeos who thought they could mistreat a woman.
“No.”
“Well then, why are you being so difficult just because I want to do the same with you?” He couldn’t understand her reluctance with him doing what he wanted to do. Did she not want to be near him?
That thought had never occurred to him. Maybe he was the only one wanting to prolong this d
ate.
Fuck, he was as insensitive as those competitors she’d lambasted all those years ago.
They reached the entrance of the hotel and as the glass doors whispered open, he took a couple of steps back. “Well thanks for coming tonight, Faith. I had a good time. Good luck with your meeting in Colorado.” She blinked and looked like she was going to say something, but her lips tightened.
Damn, he’d like to know what she was about to say. Instead he leaned over and brushed his lips over hers. A light touch, but enough for him to remember her taste from a kiss so long ago. He touched a finger to her cheek. “Take care.”
As much as he was disappointed things wouldn’t go any further, he couldn’t deny he’d enjoyed being with Faith. Maybe after his trip to Houston he could try and connect with her again.
What’s the worst she could say, no? But maybe she might say yes.
Chapter 2
Late February in Houston could be cold or it could be hot with stifling humidity. This year was the latter, and sweat streamed down Faith’s back, dampening her shirt and making it stick uncomfortably to her skin.
“That was a good run, Faith. Keep that up and you could win the barrel racing event.” Eddy her coach praised her. Eddy was also an undercover agent, and while coaches/trainers weren’t normally at rodeos, he was needed as part of the case and they’d made it work. He’d been by her side at so many rodeos now, no one questioned why he was there. In his late fifties he fit the profile of a person who’d seen a few things in his time. It also helped that he had, like her in a previous life, been involved in the rodeo scene. They’d been an ideal partnership for this assignment.
She climbed off her horse, Ginger, and stroked her long neck. The horse snorted in approval and Faith chuckled. “Thanks Ed, I feel good, but I think that’s stretching it that I’ll win it all.” She then lowered her voice. “Have you seen any sign of Chester and Simba?”
“None. If they’re coming, they’re not here yet.”
Chester and Simba were two prize stallions that had been stolen from a California rodeo rider. The horse smuggling ring they were trying to break up was getting brazen; taking horses that could easily be recognized and selling them to honest people using false papers, those unfortunate people being none the wiser that they had just bought stolen goods.
“They’re leaving it a bit late. The rodeo starts tomorrow. Maybe our source was wrong?” Faith gripped the reins a little tighter. She really wanted to crack the case. If she did, she would have a better chance of getting the promotion she was aiming for.
Eddy glanced around before leaning toward her. “Well maybe Chester and Simba aren’t going to be here, but it doesn’t mean those sons of bitches who are stealing the horses aren’t. We need to be vigilant.”
“I know. It just seems every time we get a tip it seems to be a false one. Like in Virginia, that horse looked like Chester but it wasn’t.”
Faith had tried hard not to think about her visit to Virginia the last couple weeks. If she let herself, she would remember Greg’s retreating back as he climbed back into another cab that had just deposited more people at the hotel.
Her heart wanted to call him back, but she didn’t and over the last two weeks, she’d regretted her decision.
Being near Greg had fried her senses. He’d been right, she’d always liked it when a date had seen her to her door, not that she’d been on many dates in the last couple of years because of her job.
As stupid as it was, nerves had hit her when he’d offered to walk her to her door, and she’d acted completely out of character, being bitchy when his actions hadn’t warranted it.
His number was still saved in her phone and she could’ve texted him a hundred times, but every time she thought about it, she stopped herself. He may not have even been in the country, making responding to her impossible.
“Look, why don’t you go take a shower, the big barbecue cook-off is happening tonight. I can’t wait to sample the food. I’ve heard so much about it. One good thing about this job, is being in Houston for this event.” Eddy rubbed his belly as he spoke.
You’re right. I can’t wait either.” Faith laughed before lowering her voice again. “You’ll keep an ear out while you’re settling Ginger down?”
Eddy looked at her as if she was five years old. “Of course. I may want barbecue, but I also know my job.”
Of course he did. She didn’t have to remind the other man. He’d been with the agency far longer than she had. “Sorry, I know you will.”
He nodded his acceptance of her apology and then held his hands out for the horse’s reins. She handed them over. “I’ll keep an ear out in the locker room too, although I don’t think women would be talking about horse smugglers much.”
“You never know. One of them could be sleeping with a smuggler. Pillow talk can be very effective in spitting out information without even knowing what you’re doing.”
Pillow talk conjured up images of her and Greg in bed together, him whispering words in her ear as he thrust inside of her.
Dammit, she couldn’t think about Greg or bed or anything like that. Normally her focus had always been on the task at hand. One chance encounter in Virginia and her steel-trap focus had holes in it all over, like it was peppered with buckshot.
Determinedly she pushed Greg from her thoughts, again, and concentrated on Eddy. “Very true. How many cons have spilled their big secrets in the bed?”
“A lot.”
“Do you want to meet up tonight so we can head to the cook-off together?” she asked, giving her horse one last long stroke.
“Nah, why do you see if you can go with some of the girls and I’ll go with some of the other guys. That way we can try and get as much information as possible.”
“Sounds good. Though it’s not fun pumping for information sometimes.” Faith was in two minds about spending a whole evening with the other barrel racers. This was part of the job she didn’t like. Being an undercover agent she’d had to make friends on assignments and sometimes, when the truth came out, a few of the girls felt betrayed by her lies. After a while she’d become immune to the negativity. But for this case, the other barrel racers were nice, and some were girls who’d competed when she’d first started on the barrel racing circuit. There had been many questions as to why she was now getting back into competing when she’d been off the scene for almost ten years. It wasn’t like she could say she’d been recruited by the FBI out of college. Keeping her real job a secret was the key to keeping herself safe.
“I know some parts of being undercover suck, but you’re good at your job. Don’t let it get you down. Imagine if one of those girls lost her horse to those assholes. You asking questions is a big part in stopping that happening.”
“I know you’re right.” Ginger stamped her leg, clearly tired of standing around. “Go look after Ginger. I’ll touch base later on tonight and we can compare notes.”
“Ahh, might be best to keep it until the morning. If I know these guys, it’s going to be a long one.”
Faith laughed, Eddy was clearly enjoying his time hanging out with the other trainers. “Okay, well you make sure you don’t spill any trade secrets.”
“I’m made of stern stuff, you can trust me.”
“You know I do.”
Faith waved goodbye and headed out of the training arena and back to her car. The drive to the hotel where everyone was staying was short, but Houston traffic was never friendly and she hated driving in it most of the time. Growing up in a small town in hill country Texas meant the only time there was traffic build up was when Old Man Murphy left his gate open and his cattle escaped onto the main road of town.
A small smile played over her lips as she recalled the times she and some of the other townsfolk all worked together to clear the road. Those definitely were fun times. While she was in Texas, she should pay a visit to her folks. It had been almost a year since she’d last seen them. They were understanding of her job’s requir
ements and were very proud of her. They would love to know that she was competing in barrel racing again.
“What are you smiling, about, Ms. Faith Timberly. Are you thinking of sweet nights under the stars with me?”
Faith steeled her spine. She recognized that voice.
Randy Williamson.
He’d been competing when she and Greg had been. He’d hated Greg because he placed second or third most times in bronc riding, while Greg had always placed first. Once Greg left the circuit, Randy started drumming up the wins and the success had only increased his arrogance.
Faith hadn’t been happy to see him around the circuit even though she knew, in all likelihood, he would be at the same events as her. She’d fought off his flirting attempts back then and she was fighting them off now.
“No Randy, I was thinking about the last time I branded a horse. You know it’s quite satisfying.” That was a total lie. She hated to see any animal in pain and though it was part of ranching life, whenever it was that time of year on her parent’s ranch, she made sure she was as far away from it as possible.
“You’re evil, you know that?” Randy spat out tobacco at her feet and she jumped back in disgust. No way would she ever consider kissing a guy who chewed tobacco or smoked.
“Yeah I am, and don’t you forget it.”
“One day, your high and mighty attitude is gonna get you in trouble. You’d best be taking care. Wouldn’t want anything to happen to you.”
Faith planted her hands on her hips. The guy had no idea she could break his neck if she wanted to. The FBI had trained her and, she may not like hurting animals, but asshole criminals… she was more than happy to rid the world of them. “Is that a threat, Randy? Because you’d best be taking off.”
Randy blinked, then roared with laughter. “You’re just a woman. What can you do to me?”
You don’t want to know, was her immediate thought, but she didn’t voice it. Dickwads like Randy weren’t worth wasting her breath over. They generally were all bluster in any case. No way did she plan to dismiss him though; it would be dangerous to do that. Her best bet would be to make him believe he’d outsmarted her, she didn’t need him all up in her business.
Guarding Faith Page 2