It Takes A Cowboy (Heart Of The West #5)

by Gina Wilkins

  “Well, yes, but—”

  “You did it for yourself. You didn’t want to flip burgers or run a cash register or other jobs that took less work to prepare for, so you did what you had to do to get what you wanted. That’s all I’m saying to Jeff here. He should do well in school to benefit himself—not to please his teachers or even to please you. For himself.”

  “That sounds rather selfish.”

  “Self-serving, maybe,” Scott agreed with a shrug. “But in the long run, that’s what it’s all about, right? He’s got to learn to take care of himself, just like I did. Just like you did.”

  Jeffrey cleared his throat, reminding them that he was the topic of their conversation. “Some of the kids at school say only dorks care about making good grades. They say it’s no big deal to get Ds and Fs.”

  “Yeah, well, we’ll see how they like spending their whole lives asking, ‘Do you want fries with that?’” Scott answered carelessly. “If a guy’s capable of making good grades, he should take advantage of it. Keep his options open for the future, you know?”

  “For my own sake, right?”

  Scott grinned. “Right.”

  “That’s what you mean by working the system.”

  “That’s exactly what I mean. Get what you want out of it—and you should want the grades, because you can use them to your advantage later—and then move on. It’s no big deal to write a dorky Q for a couple more weeks if it gets you an A, right?”

  “And what if some of the guys call me a nerd?”

  “Just smile knowingly and tell them you’re playing the game for your own reasons. Let’s face it, none of the guys at school care about your future. Heck, half of them don’t even care about their own futures. The only real losers are the ones who just dumbly follow the crowd, Jeff. The ones who never learn to think or act for themselves. The ones who’ll destroy their own lives with booze or drugs or stupid behavior just because they worry about what everyone else might say about them. Winners keep their own goals in sight and don’t let anyone hold them back. Like your aunt. It’s pretty cool that she has her own law practice while she’s so young. I’ll bet a lot of her friends from school who weren’t willing to work so hard are pretty jealous of her now.”

  Jeffrey eyed Blair’s face speculatively. “She still works awful hard.”

  “Yeah. But only because she wants to. You like being a lawyer, don’t you, Blair?”

  “Well, yes, but—”

  Dismissing her for the moment, Scott turned to the boy. “So what you’ve got to do, Jeff, is decide what you like and go after it. That’s what my friends and I learned at Lost Springs. And the ones of us who took that advice seriously have turned out very well. Most of us are doing exactly what we wanted to do. The ones who ended up in jail were too stubborn to take advantage of a good thing while they had it.”

  “So being at Lost Springs was a good thing?”

  “For me it was.” Scott glanced at Blair. “For you, it’s a good thing you have your aunt. It’s obvious she cares about you. My grandparents never would have gone to the trouble of arranging a weekend like this for me.”

  Jeffrey blinked. “This weekend is for me?”

  Blair turned to stare at her nephew. “Of course it is. I thought I’d made that clear.”

  “You said we were spending the weekend with a new friend. You said you thought we might have a good time.”

  Scott shook his head. “You think your aunt went to all this effort and expense just so she could sit around here and read or cook for us while we fish and play?”

  “I thought you might enjoy spending a few days doing guy things,” Blair added with a smile. “Since I don’t fish or tie flies or fly small planes or any of the other cool stuff Scott has entertained you with, I hoped you’d have fun with him.”

  She hadn’t known exactly what Scott had in mind for the weekend, of course, but she’d suspected all along that he would know better than she how to entertain a ten-year-old boy. And it seemed she’d been right. Jeffrey appeared to have had a wonderful time today. She hadn’t seen him so relaxed and involved since the day his father had vanished without even a goodbye for him.

  “Sounds to me like this weekend has been all for you from the start,” Scott murmured to Jeffrey. “Like I said, you’ve got a pretty good thing with your aunt. If I’d had someone like her to take me in, maybe I wouldn’t have been such a punk.”

  Uncomfortable with the conversation again, Blair cleared her throat. “I’d say this weekend has been very pleasant for all of us. I’ve enjoyed the chance to relax and read. You’ve been hiking and fishing and you had your first flying lesson. All in all, it’s been a great success.”

  She hoped Jeffrey had also benefited from Scott’s advice about school. Even if she still wasn’t sure about his working-the-system-for-personal-gain philosophy, she approved the well-meant intentions.

  “The weekend isn’t over yet,” Jeffrey reminded them. “What are we going to do tomorrow?”

  Though Blair was reluctant to dampen his enthusiasm, she needed to prepare him for the return to reality. “We’ll have to leave fairly early tomorrow. You need to spend some time tomorrow evening getting ready for school Monday morning.”

  Jeffrey’s sudden scowl was all too familiar. He hadn’t magically changed his opinion about school just because Scott had pointed out its value. She could only hope the advice would have some influence in the long run. “We don’t have to leave too early,” he argued. “I don’t have any homework.”

  “No, but you have a spelling test to study for.”

  “I already know all the words. I want to go fishing again tomorrow.”

  With a look of commiseration, Scott shook his head. “I don’t think we’ll have time tomorrow, partner. Not if your aunt wants to get back early. We’ll have time to take another hike in the morning, see if we can spot some wildlife. Maybe we can go fishing again some other weekend.”

  “I want to fish tomorrow,” Jeffrey insisted. “We have time.”

  “Jeffrey, don’t push your luck,” Blair advised him firmly. “You’ve had such a good day. Don’t spoil the rest of your evening by sulking.”

  “Yeah, I was hoping we could play another game this evening,” Scott added quickly. “You and Blair stomped me last night. I need a chance to get revenge.”

  Though the boy’s lower lip showed a tendency to protrude in a pout, he allowed the subject of fishing to drop. At Blair’s urging, he helped clean the kitchen and then moved with them into the living room, where they selected another board game. By the time the game was under way, he was smiling again, to Blair’s relief. But there was something in his stubborn eyes that warned her he wasn’t going to make things easy for her when it was time to leave the next day.

  *

  ONCE AGAIN, Blair had trouble sleeping that night. Not only was she still in a strange bed, but she really wasn’t all that tired, she decided. She’d spent the whole day being lazy and now found herself wide awake and restless in the middle of the night.

  She read for a while, still enjoying the author’s crisp, fast-paced style. But even that failed to hold her interest after a time, so she set the book aside. She was a little thirsty. She wondered if she could make it to the kitchen for a cold drink without disturbing her sleeping cabin mates. She crept to the railing that looked down over the darkened living room, noting that both bedroom doors were closed. Maybe she could...

  “Should we act out the balcony scene from Romeo and Juliet?” a deep, quiet voice asked from the shadows below.

  Blair jumped, clutching the railing with both hands. “Scott?”

  He stepped into a path of dim light coming from her loft, his face upturned to her. “No, it’s Romeo.”

  She couldn’t help smiling as she leaned against the metal rail. “What are you doing down there?”

  “I got hungry. Thought I’d find a snack.”

  “I didn’t hear you come out of your room.”

  His wic
ked grin flashed. “I’m pretty good at sneaking in and out of bedrooms.”

  “I’ll just bet you are,” Blair murmured.

  “Shall I sneak up to yours?”

  Because she would have dearly loved to say yes, she very quickly answered, “No. I’ll come down.”

  “If that’s what you prefer,” he said, exaggerating his disappointment.

  She moved quietly down the spiral staircase. Waiting at the bottom, Scott reached out to take her hand for the last few steps. “Couldn’t sleep?”

  “No. I’m thirsty.”

  “Then it appears you and I are headed the same direction.” He tucked her hand into the crook of his arm. “Come into my kitchen and let me impress you.”

  Her fingers tingled from the contact with his bare skin. “All I want is a glass of water.”

  “Oh, I think I can tempt you with something more interesting than that.”

  Blair gulped. That was exactly what she was afraid of.

  He practically pushed her into a kitchen chair. “Sit right there. I’ll see what I can rustle up.”

  “But all I want...”

  He’d already poked his head into the freezer. Blair couldn’t resist letting her eyes drift downward to the tight fit of the jeans he wore with a white T-shirt.

  Tempting? Oh my, yes. But she hadn’t forgotten her reason for being here...or all the reasons she could not get involved with this man.

  He glanced over his shoulder, caught her looking, grinned when she blushed. “I think I’ve got something here you’ll like,” he murmured.

  She cleared her throat. “Actually, I’ve decided I’m not very thirsty, after all. Maybe I should just go back....”

  He set a quart of fudge ice cream on the table, dropping two spoons beside it. “No need to dirty up a couple of bowls. We can just eat right out of the carton.”

  Fudge. It had to be fudge. Just how much temptation was she supposed to resist tonight, anyway?

  Scott took a chair very close to hers and dipped into the ice cream. He murmured his appreciation as he swallowed a large bite. “Oh, man, that’s good.”

  Well, heck. She was only human. She reached for a spoon. Maybe just a little...

  He smiled in satisfaction.

  The ice cream was good. So good her eyes closed in sheer, sensual appreciation at the first taste. When she opened them again, Scott was there, smiling at her.

  “Good?”

  She smiled at him. “Good.”

  “I thought you’d like it.”

  She took another spoonful. “I love ice cream. And chocolate. I try not to indulge very often.”

  “Such a very disciplined young lawyer. Just what do you do for fun, Counselor?”

  “I don’t climb mountains. Or race cars. Or jump out of planes. I do occasionally eat ice cream and read thrillers.” She took another generous bite of the ice cream.

  Scott chuckled. “Sounds very...exciting.”

  “I never claimed to be exciting,” she answered mildly. “I have a practice to manage and a child to raise. I’m lucky to have free time to get my hair cut occasionally.”

  He reached up to touch her dark blond bob, running his fingertips through the soft, straight tresses. “You have very pretty hair.”

  She didn’t even blush that time. Maybe she was getting used to his ways. “Thank you.”

  “Would you ever like to do something totally wild and crazy, Blair?”

  Several wild—and definitely crazy—ideas were buzzing through her mind at that very moment. “I have my fantasies like everyone else, I suppose.”

  His smile was pure, sexy sin. “Want to tell me about any of them?”

  One of them was sitting right in front of her. “I don’t think so.”

  “C’mon. Surely there’s something you’ve always secretly wanted to do. Someplace you’ve always wanted to see.”

  Savoring another bite of the fudge ice cream, she shook her head. “Nothing I can think of at the moment.”

  “I don’t believe that.”

  She made a face at him. “Whatever.”

  He grinned. “Chicken.”

  It was the second time he’d called her that. Again, she refused to react, simply dipping into the ice-cream carton again.

  “Just what does it take to get a rise out of you, Counselor?”

  “A great deal.” With one last, longing look at the remaining ice cream, she resolutely set her spoon aside.

  “I’m afraid I’m not nearly as disciplined as you are.” He scooped out another huge spoonful.

  “Somehow I’m not surprised by that,” she commented wryly.

  With a chuckle, he held his spoon to her lips, giving her another tantalizing taste of the treat. “I have a great number of fantasies. Most of them, I’ve gone after.”

  She nodded, thinking of those fascinating photographs he kept in his scrapbook.

  He slipped another spoonful of ice cream between her lips. “I’ve always figured that life is too short to waste it daydreaming about grand adventures. I prefer to experience them.”

  “And if one of those grand adventures makes your life even shorter?”

  “Then I go with no regrets.”

  She frowned and pushed his hand away when he would have fed her more ice cream. “Don’t you think that’s a rather selfish way to live? What about the people who care about you? Who depend on you? What about the stress and worry your reckless behavior causes them?”

  He shrugged. “That’s not a problem. There’s no one who depends on me particularly. The ranch runs well enough without me, as do the other businesses in which I have holdings. Unlike your brother, I have no children to pine for me. I might be selfish, but I’ve been very careful I’m the only one who risks getting hurt.”

  Blair found that hard to believe. There had to be people who cared whether Scott lived or died. He was too vibrant, too charming, too compelling. She couldn’t imagine that he lived like a monk, and she didn’t believe the women he romanced were all able to protect their hearts from him. This was a man who would be all too easy to love, even for someone who knew from the beginning that it was not a wise emotional investment.

  So why was he saying these things to her now? Was this his way of warning her not to expect too much from his flirting? If so, she could have assured him his precaution hadn’t been necessary. She made a production of stifling a yawn. “As entertaining as this has been, I really should go back to bed. I have a long day ahead tomorrow.”

  He capped the ice cream and rose to replace it in the freezer. “I feel a bit like Jeff. I’m not quite ready for our weekend to be over.”

  She crossed her arms. “I haven’t thanked you yet for all you’ve done for Jeffrey this weekend.”

  He lifted an eyebrow. “I haven’t done much. Just took him fishing.”

  “You’ve done more than that. He’s had a very good time this weekend. He needed a man’s attention, and you’ve given it to him. You’ve been very kind and patient even when he was difficult. I just want you to know I appreciate it.”

  Looking uncomfortable, Scott shrugged. “He’s a cool kid. I’ve enjoyed spending time with him.”

  She bit her lip. It felt good to hear someone say something nice about Jeffrey for a change. To think someone had actually enjoyed being with him, whether Scott was being honest or just being nice.

  “He’s very fond of you, you know,” Scott added conversationally. “He just doesn’t know how to show you.”

  Her arms tightened defensively around herself. “Do you really think so? Or is he just tolerating me until his father comes back? Not that I believe that’s going to happen anytime soon, if ever.”

  “No, I think Jeff really cares for you. But maybe he isn’t sure how you feel about him.”

  Blair stared at him. “Of course he knows I care about him. Why else would I care whether he eats right or gets good grades or has someone to watch out for him when I’m tied up at work? Why would I work so hard trying to keep him s
afe and happy?”

  “He’s a kid, Blair. He needs things spelled out. He doesn’t know how to read between the lines. As far as he knows, you do all that stuff because you think you have to.”

  “Why, that’s—”

  “All too common,” he cut in. “I know what it’s like to be a kid who feels like an unwanted burden. I know how frustrating it can be to have to feel grateful for every crumb of attention or affection.”

  Almost before she became aware of it, the bitterness in Scott’s eyes disappeared behind his usual lazy smile. “I’m only suggesting you let the kid know how you feel. Maybe give him a big hug every once in a while. He might stiffen up at first. Maybe he doesn’t think he needs or deserves hugs and kisses. But trust me, he does. And eventually, he’ll learn how to respond.”

  The voice of experience again? Had there been someone at Lost Springs who had given Scott hugs even when he hadn’t realized he needed them? Or had he only wished someone would? And was Jeffrey really hungry for physical affection, even though he tended to draw back every time she reached out to him?

  Scott held up both hands, palms outward. “I’m not trying to interfere between you and your nephew. It was just a suggestion, take it or leave it.”

  She nodded. “I appreciate your advice. That’s why I asked you to spend time with him this weekend.”

  He smiled and dropped his hands. “You didn’t exactly ask me. You paid big money for me.”

  “Yes, I’m aware of that,” she replied dryly.

  He reached out to touch her cheek. “I’d like to think you got your money’s worth.”

  “I bought you entirely for my nephew. I’m quite satisfied with your efforts so far, thank you.”

  He moved a bit closer. “You remember those fantasies we talked about earlier?”

  Her throat tightened, and when she replied, her voice emerged as little more than a strained whisper. “Yes.”

  “There’s one that’s been tempting me for two days now. And you know how I am about resisting temptation.” He’d leaned his head toward her as he spoke, so that his lips were only an inch or so from hers.