“That’s great that they’re getting married. Love knows no age limits.”
Ryder grunted and steered the truck into the parking lot. He found a spot easily enough and after parking it, climbed out. Not waiting for him, Kelsey opened her door and stepped down out of the cab. He stood at the front of the truck waiting on her. She stuck her chin up and walked past him, clenching her jaw when she heard him sigh. She hoped he wasn’t going to embarrass her in front of his friends. She spun around to glare at him, half-expecting him to make some snide remark but he just grinned and stepped up next to her, taking her elbow in his hand.
“Try not to let everyone know you hate me,” he whispered against her ear. Her hate him! She stared at him and confusion raced over her. Two can play this game.
“You’re asking the impossible,” Kelsey muttered, but smiled when he chuckled.
They entered the town hall and Ryder led her around the room introducing her to people, and somewhat, explaining the situation without giving too much detail. Once done, they joined their friends at the table. Kelsey pulled out a chair and sat down between Olivia and Emma. Ryder sat across from her beside Becca.
“You look great,” Becca told her.
Kelsey smiled at her. “Thank you. So do you.”
Jake sat forward and put his arm around his wife. “She always does.” He kissed Becca’s temple, making her blush. Kelsey laughed at how adorable they were.
“How are things going out at the Wolfe ranch?”
“Good.” Kelsey smiled, hoping her discomfort wasn’t too apparent to the women.
“I’m sure it’s not a hardship being with a man who looks like Ryder,” Emma said from beside her.
Kelsey laughed. “You live with a gorgeous man. All of you do.”
“Yes, we do, but we also love looking at other gorgeous men.” Olivia sighed. “Like Sam.” She nodded her head toward the door and Kelsey watched as the sexy sheriff entered the town hall.
“He is really hot,” she said wondering if he would turn her away like Ryder had.
“I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, if I hadn’t met Wyatt, I would have gone after Sam. That man is fucking sexy.”
As Sam walked further into the room, all the women followed him with their eyes. Olivia turned around and fanned herself, making the women laugh.
“He certainly fills out a pair of jeans,” Becca said.
“Front and back, honey,” Emma added with a big grin.
“Oh yeah, for sure. That’s ten pounds of sugar in a five pound sack,” Olivia said and then sighed. The women all burst out laughing at her dramatics.
“They’re talking about Sam,” Wyatt said aloud, sounding somewhat annoyed.
“I figured as much,” Jake said frowning.
“What?” Olivia asked as she batted her eyelashes.
“It’s just a damn good thing we love you,” Gabe said and then winked at Emma.
Trick and Kaylee along with Brody and Madilyn took seats at the table.
“What’s everyone talking about?” Kaylee asked.
“How the women are drooling over Sam,” Jake told her.
Kaylee laughed. “Sam is hot.”
“What?” Trick growled from beside her. Kelsey watched as Kaylee smiled at her husband and Trick winked at her.
Madilyn laughed. “He is. I don’t think there’s a woman in town who doesn’t think so.”
The men laughed. Wyatt shook his head. “Why didn’t you go out with him then, instead of Ryder?”
Olivia laughed. “He never asked.” She squealed when Wyatt pulled her onto his lap.
“You dated Ryder?” Kelsey asked, suddenly feeling very inadequate since Olivia was the most beautiful woman she’d ever seen.
Ryder chuckled. “I wouldn’t call going out once dating.”
“What happened that you didn’t go out more?”
Ryder looked at Kelsey. “We just didn’t feel it. Although I remember, Wyatt hated me for a while.”
“A while? What makes you think I still don’t? I can hold a grudge, you know.” He grinned when Olivia whispered something in his ear. “She’s talking dirty to me, so no grudge held.”
Ryder burst out laughing along with everyone else.
As the humor of the group, helped put her more at ease, Kelsey watched as a woman came up behind Ryder, put her arms around his neck, and leaned over his shoulder. He glanced over his shoulder at her.
“You didn’t call me like you said you would, Ryder.”
Ryder looked at Becca and winked. “I thought you wouldn’t want me to after the last time we spoke.”
The woman laughed softly. “You know better than that. When have I ever stayed mad at you?” She glanced over at Kelsey, and for some reason, gave her a dirty look. “Dance with me, Ryder…unless your date won’t let you.”
Ryder’s gaze slid to Kelsey then back to Nicki. “She’s not my date, Nicki. Be nice.”
Nicki sneered at Kelsey. “Sorry.”
Kelsey didn’t think she sounded sorry. “No problem. If I was his date, you sure as hell wouldn't be hanging all over him.”
Olivia nearly choked on her drink, and Becca placed her hand over her mouth. Everyone else laughed. Kelsey didn’t know why she had said what she did but apparently, it didn’t bother Ryder, because he was grinning at her.
Nicki pulled on his arm. He rolled his eyes, stood up, and started toward the dance floor. Nicki looked back at Kelsey.
“In your dreams, honey.” Then she quickly caught up to Ryder.
“I can’t believe I said that,” Kelsey said with embarrassment, and put her hands on her cheeks.
Olivia laughed. “I loved it. Nicki Shaffer deserved it. She thinks she’s the only woman Ryder’s interested in.” She shrugged. “He dates a few women at a time. I seriously think he’s one man who will never settle down.”
Wyatt grunted. “I thought I was that man for a while. It just takes the right woman.” He looked at Olivia and winked. She put her head on his shoulder, and let out a big sigh, making everyone laugh.
****
Ryder had his hands on Nicki’s waist while her arms wrapped around his neck, her fingers tangling in his hair. She was gazing up at him.
“Who’s that woman?” she asked.
Ryder shrugged. “Nobody important, she’s staying with me for a while. Frank sent her to me for some protection. She seems nice enough. You, however, were being a bitch.”
Nicki pouted at him. “You know how I feel about you, Ryder. Do you think I need any more competition where you’re concerned?”
Ryder scowled. “Nicki, you know how I feel. I’m not committed to you or anyone else.”
“So, are you saying you’re interested in her?”
“I didn’t say that but even if I was, it wouldn’t be any of your business.”
“Sometimes, I really hate you, Ryder. There’s going to come a day when you want me and I might not be available anymore.” Nicki stalked away from him as soon as the song ended.
Ryder returned to the table, wishing the night would end. Having two women angry with him for no apparent reason was more than enough. The band suddenly stopped playing, and Becca stood on the stage. Everyone stopped what he or she was doing to pay attention.
“We’re here tonight to celebrate the love of Evelyn and Stan. It’s about time you two did this. You’ve been dancing around each other for quite a while now.” The crowd laughed. “Seriously, we all love you and are so very, very happy for you both. It will be a beautiful wedding, and Jake and I are thrilled to death to have it at the B and B. Let’s all raise our glasses to Evelyn and Stan.”
Everyone raised their glasses and toasted the couple, who smiled and leaned into each other. Becca walked straight to Evelyn and hugged her, and then Stan. Jake hugged Evelyn and shook Stan's hand then he led Becca back to the table.
The band started playing again to get back into the party mood. A slow song started and everyone left the table to dance, except f
or Kelsey and Ryder.
“Would you like to dance?” Ryder asked her, not sure how she might answer.
“Oh, I don’t know. Where’s the she-devil you were dancing with earlier?”
Ryder chuckled, almost with relief. “I don’t know. I’m sure she’s around. Why? You’re not afraid of her are you?”
Kelsey snorted. “Please. I could take her in a heartbeat.”
Ryder laughed, suspecting she could at that. He stood, and put his hand out to her. She came around the table and accepted it. He led her to the dance floor and turned her in his arms. Kelsey had her hands on his shoulders and his were around her waist. Kelsey softly laughed. Ryder leaned his head back to look at her, raising his eyebrow.
“Don’t look now, but the she-devil is shooting darts at us with her eyes.”
Ryder huffed out a laugh. “I’m sure she is.”
Kelsey giggled. “I just waved at her.”
Ryder threw his head back and laughed. Kelsey laughed with him. He turned her so he could see just in time to watch Nicki stalk toward the bathroom.
“And you call her a she-devil. You’re just wicked.”
Kelsey laughed. “You have no idea.”
Ryder was about to try once more to apologize about the other night when Sam interrupted the band, and walked to the mic. “Sorry to interrupt, folks, but it’s snowing and accumulating kind of fast. Some of you may want to leave now.”
“Are we leaving?” Kelsey asked Ryder with a worried expression.
He nodded. “I think we should. If it’s getting bad here in town, it’ll be worse on the outskirts.” He led her back to the table and talked with Gabe and the others. He turned to Kelsey. “Everyone is leaving. We’re all going together in case there’s any problem. We all live in the same direction, so it makes sense.”
“It wasn’t even snowing when we came in,” Kelsey said as Ryder handed her coat over.
“It can happen fast here and pile up in no time. No one will take the chance that they can’t get home. Everyone who lives out of town will probably leave.” Ryder glanced around the room and watched as most of the people were getting their coats and hats on to leave.
Kelsey nodded. “I hate it for Stan and Evelyn.”
“They know how it is and I’m sure they’re ready to go too. In fact, I think they’re already gone.” Ryder smiled as he pulled his coat on.
The group walked out to the parking lot together. Once on the road, they pulled the vehicles into a caravan, and soon the snow got heavier.
“I can’t believe this,” Kelsey said peering out through the windshield.
“Welcome to Montana.” Ryder chuckled and kept his eyes on the truck in front of him.
As they drove on, each time one of the trucks pulled into a driveway, Ryder would blow the horn. His driveway was the last one so he saw everyone get home safely. Now if he could just concentrate on driving and not on the beautiful woman beside him. He tightened his grip on the steering wheel. He should have just kept his damn hands to himself the other night. He still didn’t understand why she felt what she did was wrong. She’d given him a sweet touching kiss on his cheek and he’d taken it to pawing her and wanting to take it much further…much, much further. Touching her was not only wrong but also stupid. Frank wouldn’t like what had almost happened. He trusted him to watch over her, and he was nearly as bad as the stalker.
Ryder slowed the truck to pull into his driveway and it slid on the snow-covered road. Kelsey let out a gasp and gripped the center console and suicide bar on the dash.
“We’re fine, I got it,” he said quietly and saw her nod out of the corner of his eye. He was glad he’d left the gate open, was his thought, as he drove through, and toward the house. He stopped the truck by the back door and shut the engine off. “Are you all right?”
“Yes. That was just a little scary.” Kelsey looked at him with large round eyes. “I’ve never driven in snow and now I’m glad I didn’t have to. I would have panicked.”
“Rule of thumb…never slam on the brakes. The wheels lock up, and the vehicle will slide.”
“I’ll never drive in it, so no worries.” She smiled at him.
Their eyes met and held for longer than was necessary. Ryder cleared his throat, opened his door, and climbed out. He trudged through the snow, around the front of the truck, planning to help Kelsey but she met him there.
“Take my hand so you don’t slip,” Ryder told her as he held out his hand.
“If I fall, you’re going down with me.” She laughed even as she put her smaller hand in his.
“Wouldn’t be the first time my ass has hit the snow. Come on.”
They made their way through the quickly accumulating snow to the porch. The dogs barked from inside the house. Ryder opened the door and they ran out and off the porch. Once inside, Ryder helped her out of her coat, and then removed his own and his hat.
“It sure got cold really fast,” Kelsey said rubbing her hands up and down her arms.
“Go take a hot bath. I think I’ll watch some TV before I head to bed.”
“All right.” She seemed to hesitate as if she wanted to say something but then didn’t. “Goodnight, Ryder.”
“’Night.” He watched as she walked down the hallway and disappeared into her room. The closing of the door had him leaving out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. He flopped down in the recliner and picked up the remote. He suspected it was going to be another fucking sleepless night.
****
After changing into sweatpants and a T-shirt, Kelsey fell back on the bed and sighed. She wanted Ryder. All night with him, sitting across from him, and then dancing with him had put her body on high alert. Watching him dance with Nicki, Kelsey had wanted to skin her alive. The woman had her hands all over him.
She punched the quilt-covered mattress, thinking about them together. Ryder slept with that woman and Kelsey knew it as well as she knew her own name. Bitch!
Staring at the ceiling, she wondered how much longer she was going to have to be here. The more time she spent around Ryder, the harder it was going to be not to touch him or let him know how much she wanted him even though he wasn’t interested. Why should he be? He has Nicki. He was probably disappointed he had to bring her home instead of being with the she-devil.
Kelsey was twenty-seven years old and never been married. She could count on one hand the number of men she’d had sex with and still have fingers left over. Daniel Ward had been the last man she’d been with and she really thought she was in love, until she found out he had a wife and three kids at home. Some of her friends had tried to tell her he was married, but she’d believed him when he said he was separated and getting a divorce. Believed him completely, until his wife came to her apartment and told her different. Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!
Daniel even came to her apartment that very night to tell her he’d leave his wife but she shut the door in his face. Once a liar, always a liar. He’d fucked around on his wife, and Kelsey knew he’d do the same to her if she stayed with him. He’d made her feel such the fool when she found out he never intended to leave his wife. Damn men. The police had even checked into Daniel as the stalker, but it wasn’t him. He’d moved on to greener pastures with a new young teacher at his school, or so she’d heard. The man couldn’t keep it in his pants and his wife couldn’t keep him at home.
The only other two men she’d been with had been one in high school and one in college. They had both been too immature. Inexperienced, neither knew anything about satisfying a woman. She didn’t seem to have much luck where men were concerned.
Kelsey pushed off the bed and moved to the window where she watched the snow falling outside. Amazing. Snow so early in the year. She slipped her feet into her slippers and padded to the door. Opening it quietly, in case Ryder had gone to bed, she stepped into the hallway and strolled toward the kitchen. As she passed the living room, she saw the flickering glow of the television. She peeked into the room and rea
lized Ryder was sitting in a recliner.
Quickly retreating, she hurried to the kitchen for a snack. The light was on so she moved directly to the refrigerator and pulled the door open, peering inside. Suddenly, a barking sound came from outside. She started toward the back door but stopped when Ryder entered the kitchen. He stopped. He stared at her. His hair was slightly mussed as if he had been sleeping, and his shirt was open and the T-shirt beneath clung to his hard body.
Another bark sounded from the other side of the door. Ryder moved quickly to the door, opened it and the two dogs flew inside bringing the scent of cold and snow in with them. They shook, spraying cold wet droplets around the kitchen. Most of it showered Ryder’s jeans but some hit Kelsey too, making her laugh and jump back a step.
“Go on, get in there,” Ryder commanded with a chuckle, sending the dogs into the laundry room. He followed them.
Kelsey smiled. The dogs had certainly enjoyed themselves out in the snow. Like children, she thought. She returned to the refrigerator and grabbed an apple from the crisper, and a bottle of white wine from the door. She was pouring wine into a tumbler when Ryder returned to the kitchen.
“Want some?” she asked, showing him the bottle.
“No, thanks, got a beer in the other room,” Ryder answered and headed toward the living room.
Kelsey frowned as she watched him leave the room. Why did she even try? She took a crackling bite of the apple and chewed the tasty fruit, thinking about Ryder. Was she really so unappealing? Less appealing than that she-devil, who hung all over him at the party.
She took a mouthful of wine and swallowed hard. She bit into the apple again, feeling annoyance and perhaps anger build with each bite. When she finished, she slam dunked the core into the trash bin, picked up her glass of wine, took a fortifying gulp, and marched into the living room.
Ryder was sitting in the recliner, a bottle of beer in one hand, his arm resting on the arm of the chair. She walked into the room and took a seat on the sofa. He glanced at her but didn’t say anything. She sipped at her wine and glanced at the TV. Some classic black and white movie was playing but the sound was low so she didn’t really know what the actors were saying.
Ryder Men of Clifton, Montana Book 5 Page 4