A Cowboy's Song

by Megan Ryder

  “If the girls come out, we’ll keep them company. I’m sure Piper will love meeting Cam,” Chase needled Ty.

  His brother was really pushing his fucking luck. And Cam looked entirely too interested in making Piper’s acquaintance.

  “Cam, maybe you should be looking closer to home rather than a guest at our ranch. Someone might be hurt if you pursued Piper,” Ty pointed out, thinking about Emma Holt’s not-so-secret crush on Cam. And if it kept Cam from hitting on Piper, well, he’d take the side benefits too.

  Cam grunted again, not even bothering to pretend he didn’t know who they meant. “Emma and I can never happen. She’s too young and deserves something more. Maybe it would be better if I moved on with someone else.”

  Aw, shit. Ty sat and leaned across the table. “You know the girls are drinking back there. If Emma sees you hitting on someone else, shit’s going to hit the fan. You prepared for that clusterfuck? Not to mention the hurt she’ll experience?”

  Cam shrugged, staring at the deep brown bottle of beer as if it had the answers he was searching for. “If it means she moves on with her life, maybe it will be worth it.”

  Ty sighed. Cam would never hurt Emma like that, not willingly. But things were coming to a head between those two, someday soon. As long as it wasn’t tonight and not involving Piper. He finished his beer, grabbed his guitar, and headed for the stage all under the watchful eyes of Zane Calabrese, who was giving him the evil eye from behind the bar.

  By the time they’d finished the first set, the bar had filled up nicely, with new people that they didn’t often see. Word of Piper singing the other night must have spread and people flocked to the bar in the hopes she would sing again. Despite the lights that shone in his eyes, occasionally, he thought he saw pink feathers and boas interspersed in the crowds, definitely out of place at The Rock, where jeans, flannel, and cowboy hats were more the norm. They took a break after finishing the set, and he headed for his brothers’ table.

  Tara was draped sideways across West’s lap, a cowboy hat perched on her head decorated with weird shapes. As he got closer, he was horrified to see they looked like cocks and balls.

  “What the hell do you have all over your hat?”

  Tara grinned at him, a little loopy. “I own West’s ass now. This is symbolic.”

  The guys all laughed, and Chase, his own wife sitting a little tilted on his lap, nodded sagely. “This is why we wanted to elope. No time for a bachelorette party.”

  “I still had one,” Hailey said, a little primly. “I was just smart enough to not let Emma plan it. That girl is seriously wild. She needs a keeper.”

  All heads swiveled to Cam, who scowled and scanned the room. Ty frowned. “Where’s Piper?”

  Tara waved her hand, almost falling off of West in the process. “She’d been stuck on the ranch for too long. We sent her on a mission tonight. Along with the other single ladies, like Emma.” She exchanged a glance with Hailey, and they both giggled and touched their nametags.

  Ty scanned the name tag and shook his head at Cam. “I have a bad feeling about this.” He headed for the bar for a refill and to try to find Piper. It shouldn’t be too hard, especially if she was dressed like the women at the table and the scattering of pink Ty was noticing in the bar. Cam was doing the same thing he was—stopping each woman and checking who they were—but both of them were striking out, though they got a few offers, often related to the very interesting nametags each woman sported, and often those offers were more blunt than he was used to, even at the bar.

  Finally, he heard a voice over the speakers and froze. No, she wouldn’t. She hated performing. He had to convince her to sing with them the other night. She’d never willingly go on the stage alone. He pushed through a group of people so he could see the stage, and there she was, his guitar in her hands, in front of the microphone. Alone.

  This was bad. Very bad.

  Ty started to weave his way toward the front, but the crowd had no interest in letting him through, more interested in hearing Piper Raines, Nashville country and western music star, sing. She began strumming and started singing a tune he didn’t recall hearing before. By the time he reached the steps, she was fully engaged in the song, and Grant grabbed his arm, stopping him from going on stage.

  “You can’t interrupt. You’d ruin everything.”

  Ty stood at the bottom step, hands fisted at his sides, paralyzed as he listened to a beautiful ballad, a heartfelt melody that tugged at the listeners’ hearts and got to the root of country. Yet it was far from her usual sound, less bouncy, less perky. Slowly, he relaxed as she settled into the song, swaying slightly with the music, feeling it. This is what she should be performing, what she should be recording. This was her sound. And this was the sound that was missing from his song for Tara and West, the voice he needed for them. The soul of the song.

  When the notes died away, there was silence for several seconds. Her eyes slowly fluttered open, and he launched himself onto the stage, not waiting for the crowd’s reaction. She stared up at him, her gaze slowly focusing as if just realizing where she was. The surrounding people started clapping, hooting and hollering their appreciation.

  Ty gave her a slow grin. “Never thought I’d see you up here voluntarily.”

  “I had to know.”

  He nodded as if that explained everything. “Want to try another song?”

  “Do you know ‘Road and Dreams’?” She referred to one of her parents’ most popular songs.

  “I can manage that one. Hang on. Let’s get the group up here.”

  She put a hand on his arm and shook her head. “No, acoustic. I could play the chords in my sleep.”

  “Well, damn, darlin’. I’m just going to stand here and look pretty?”

  She bit her lower lip, eyes sparkling. “One of us has to.”

  She strummed the guitar and launched into the song, Ty joining her immediately, their voices meshing as if they had practiced for weeks. They segued into a second song, then a third. At some point, the band joined them, and they moved into other songs beyond the Raines family until their next break.

  Ty led Piper to the family table, and she collapsed, gratefully drinking a full glass of water before starting in on the beer that waited for her. She chatted with the women and even some of the other people who stopped by to thank her for her songs, seeming more at ease and relaxed at The Rock than she had been at any other time since coming to Montana. Ty stood next to Piper since all of the chairs were taken and he talked with the other guys, including Cam, who had found Emma and corralled her back to the table. She didn’t seem overly thrilled about it, judging by her folded arms and the way she sat with her back to him. Ty remained firmly entrenched next to Piper, running interference with guys who came over to talk to her, giving them warning looks if they got too close.

  Finally, she huffed and glared up at him. “Well, if you’re not going to let them ask me to dance, then you’re going to have to do it.”

  He blinked. “I don’t know what you mean.”

  “Sure you do.” She pointed to her nametag. “We all have to do our nametag, and you’ve been stopping me from doing it. If I don’t, then I have to pay the whole bar tab for the bachelorette party. Do you know how much your sisters-in-law drink? Well, I do, and I don’t want to pay that tab.”

  “You can afford it,” Tara called from the other side of the table.

  Piper didn’t even look over, just gave her the happy finger. “So, are you going to ask me or walk away so someone else can?”

  “How hammered are you?”

  Ty cursed as the guys stifled laughter. He grabbed her hand and dragged her out of her chair and onto the dance floor. “Play something!” he barked at Chase and Hailey who headed for the jukebox and made a selection.

  An older, sexy duet by Faith Hill and Tim McGraw came on, “Let’s Make Love.” Well, shit. If that didn’t put all kinds of ideas in his head and lower. With Piper plastered against his body, her arms
twined around his neck, he wasn’t going to be able to hide his reaction from her either.

  She buried her face in his neck and sighed. “God, you smell so good.” Then she giggled.

  Oh, shit.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Piper leaned against Ty and swayed slightly to the music. Why didn’t she dance more often? Ty’s arms tightened around her, holding her against his lean, warm body, and she just wanted to curl into him and hold on forever. For the first time in a long time, she felt safe, protected, wanted. Or maybe that was just the evidence of his desire pressing against her belly, getting her all hot and bothered, though that could be the pink punch affecting her. It had been yummy, tasting like the kids’ drink she remembered when she was young, but it was all kinds of adult with its nasty punch that kind of snuck up on her. But she enjoyed it anyway.

  The music continued in the background, a slow, love song from the past Piper had always loved. The sound of that song, the way the singers connected through their voices and words had always touched her heart. Somewhere deep inside, she had always longed to have someone sing with her, have that soul-deep connection like her parents, yet she never thought it would be possible. Earlier that evening, when Ty stood with her on stage, she finally thought she may have found that special person. Now, in his arms, she was even more sure that they had something.

  And he thought she was drunk.

  She opened her eyes and blinked a couple of times until she could focus on him. Maybe he was right. But it was so hard to care when she was so happy. Again, that could be the goofy juice talking, but she didn’t think so.

  She laid her head on Ty’s chest, feeling his heartbeat under her ear, and sighed. Ty’s arms tightened around her and his chin rested on her head. “You’ve gone over to the dark side,” he muttered.

  “I prefer to think of it as giving in to peer pressure, finally. What’s that cologne you’re wearing?” She rubbed her face against his shirt, trying to get closer.

  He groaned, put two fingers under her chin and lifted her face. “Stop doing that, Piper. You’ll regret it in the morning.”

  She cocked her head and pursed her lips. “I don’t think so. You tend to regret the things you don’t do more than the things you did. And there’s a lot of things I haven’t done because I’ve been too afraid to do them. Maybe I’m done being afraid.”

  “Alcohol will do that to you. Give you that illusion that you have nothing to fear, but when you wake up, you may think differently. Besides, what do you have to fear?”

  The music switched to a Dierks Bentley song that told her to get a little closer, and she tried, but honestly, she was as close as she could be without climbing him like a tree. So, she settled for pulling his head down a little closer, giving her the illusion they were alone on the dance floor, not surrounded by half the town. She tangled her fingers in the strands of hair that barely tickled the nape of his neck and tugged a little, loving the feel of his hair, clean and without all that product so many men liked to use nowadays, at least men she met. Ty was clean, neat, natural.

  “Piper? Are you with me, or have you drifted off again?”

  She grinned. “Just thinking.”

  “That’s what I was afraid of. When you think, I worry, darlin’. What were you thinking about? Things you’re afraid of?” He grinned at her, not appearing to be at all bothered by her tendency to drift off in the conversation and dwell in her own thoughts. He just patiently brought her back to their topic.

  “Fears, right? Maybe I’m afraid of being rejected if I do this.” She rose up on her tiptoes and pressed her lips to his, softly at first, tentatively.

  They had kissed before but hadn’t gone much further, and she wanted to make that next move, needed to show him that she wanted him for at least that night. His lips opened under hers, and his tongue stroked into her mouth, teasing her, tempting her to play. His arm drifted lower on her back to pull her tighter against his body; his other hand buried itself in her hair, to angle her head just right for his kiss, the kiss he now took over with ruthless intensity. She was powerless under his assault, his lips and tongue enticing her to higher levels of desire she had never felt before, and she met him stroke for stroke as she clutched at his shirt with her hands. Lust swept over her like a hurricane, something she had never felt before, had never understood, but now she knew what those country songs were all talking about, what she had been missing in her life.

  Ty lifted his head, breaking the kiss, and she gasped, reaching up for him, dazed, wanting more. But he shook his head, looking just as stunned as she was. As if from a distance, she heard laughter and a man’s voice.

  “Take it outside. Or better yet, take it home, brother.”

  She turned to see West and Tara next to them, amusement on their faces, tempered with concern. Piper blinked away the desire that had fogged her brain. What had she been thinking to basically attack Ty, in public no less? What if someone had been recording it?

  Before she could say anything more, Ty wrapped his arm around her waist, hauling her close, and nodded to West. “Can you grab our things?”

  “You got it.”

  And he headed straight for the door and into the cool evening.

  *

  Ty barely remembered to grab their coats from the table before escorting Piper outside the bar, ignoring the catcalls from his brothers and the suggestions from his sisters-in-law. As if he needed any pointers. It may have been a while since he’d left The Rock with a woman, but he hadn’t forgotten what to do. Not that anything was going to happen. He’d never taken advantage of a drunk girl before tonight, and he wasn’t about to start now. No matter how much his body screamed at him to finish what they started on the dance floor and no matter how much her hands wandered all over him like she was doing right now.

  He stopped her hands from drifting below his belt line, holding them gently while pinning her to the side of his truck as he fumbled with his keys to get the passenger door opened. She wiggled against him, reigniting the heat that had smoldered between them in the bar. He shifted, trying to move his aching cock away from her body, but she maintained the contact between them, laughing low and husky, the sound going straight to his groin.

  “Damn, Piper. We can’t. Not here.” Finally, the door opened, and he lifted her into the cab.

  She twined her arms around his neck and looked in his eyes. “Do you find me attractive?”

  Aww hell, even he knew that was a loaded question. Fortunately, he could answer with complete honestly. “Absolutely, darlin’. Which is why I need to get you home.”

  “Kiss me again.” She tugged him closer and kissed him with a deep passion that made him forget they were in the parking lot of The Rock. Well, until a truck horn blared from several spots away, accompanied by a burst of laughter.

  Ty’s face burned, and he pulled away. “Enough of that. Inside.” He grabbed her legs and swung her inside the cab and slammed the door, trapping her.

  He rested his forehead against the cool metal of the truck, willing his body to settle down. He’d need every ounce of his control if he wanted to be a gentleman tonight, especially while Piper was determined to make him forget. Oh, but he wanted to forget himself in her, for one night. But that—or a few nights—was all it could be since she was leaving, and he was done with one-nighters—not that he ever really had them, not like Chase. He was more the serial monogamist in the family, a string of girlfriends who rarely made it past the physical but lasted for more than a few dates. He wasn’t sure he wanted a wedding fling. Though Piper was tempting him sorely.

  He headed around the cab and got in the driver’s seat and saw Piper had not only buckled her seat belt but was already sleeping, her head at an awkward angle against the headrest. Looked like he’d been worried about nothing. He took off his jacket and arranged it so it would provide a bit more comfort and support for her neck, then headed for home, driving carefully to not wake her.

  Chapter Fifteen

 
Ty was in the barn grooming Calypso in the crossties when he heard the scuff of footsteps behind him. Dundee, who had been dozing in a pile of clean hay, roused himself, tail wagging, and greeted the visitor. He didn’t turn, only continued currying the horse who was almost dozing under his ministrations. He glanced over and saw Piper settle on a bale of hay and watch him, saying nothing, Dundee at her feet. She’d eventually get to what she wanted to say, so he continued grooming, cleaning the hooves last and then leading the horse back into his stall when he was done. He fed the horse, and still, Piper said nothing.

  When he came out of the tack stall, she was stroking Calypso’s face. Calypso nuzzled her, almost knocking her off her feet. She stumbled a little and Ty grabbed her, steadying her in place. She laughed and looked up at him, a broad smile on her face.

  “He’s beautiful. And so soft.”

  Ty scratched the horse between the eyes for a moment then gave him a gentle nudge toward the food container. “Go on, boy. Eat your breakfast.” He leaned against the stall door and folded his arms across his chest. “Morning.”

  Piper walked across the aisle to the white horse who poked his head out of his stall, curious about the guests in the stable. She stroked Ghost’s nose and he waited patiently, sensing a diversionary tactic when he saw one. Finally, she turned and leaned against the wood door and looked at him, her teeth tugging on her lower lip.

  He took pity on her. “How are you feeling this morning? Did the aspirin help?”

  She flushed bright red. “God, I had hoped I had dreamed all of that. I’m so sorry for everything. But thank you for bringing me home and putting me to bed. Alone. The water and aspirin were much appreciated.”

  He grinned. “It sure wasn’t easy. You were a handful.”

  She huffed. “Forgetting all of that…”

  His smile widened. “I sure won’t.”

  She shot him a look that promised retribution. “Anyway, I had something else in mind. You promised me a ride. I thought I’d collect. We could work on the song too, where no one will hear us. I had some ideas on the lyrics if you want to hear them.”