Climbing behind the wheel, he started the car, turned on the air and pulled out of the gravel driveway. “I think it’s possible for a man to be too private,” he said.
“Oh?” Caution echoed in that single syllable.
He hated hearing that note of hesitation and knew he’d put it there. “If you’re offering to go with me to Jackson this afternoon, I’d be honored to have you. I think it’ll be boring as hell, but I—”
“Boring? No way!” The smile was back in her voice. “I love helping a gorgeous guy pick out clothes. I have all the fun, and you spend all the money. What could be better than that?”
He glanced over at her, and her face was alight with enthusiasm at the prospect. To think he’d almost deprived her—no, almost deprived himself—of the experience. And he wouldn’t soon forget that she’d labeled him gorgeous. “I’m sorry I didn’t take you up on the suggestion right away. I just—”
“Hey, it’s not the way you usually operate. I get that. Knowing I’ll be the first woman you’ve ever taken clothes shopping makes me feel special. I’ll do my best not to be annoying.”
“I can’t imagine you being annoying.”
“Trust me, I can be. Now that I know how good you look in this Western stuff, I’ll be trying to get you to load up on it.”
“And then what?” Rafe winced as the Lexus took a beating on the rutted road leading to the highway. “I can guarantee I won’t be dressing like a cowboy in San Francisco.”
“Are you sure you couldn’t find times to wear jeans and boots? Not every guy wears jeans like you do.”
“What, they put them on backward?”
“You know what I mean. You have a great butt, Rafe. You should show it off more.”
That made him grin. “I’m not sure that’s a good idea in San Francisco.”
“Okay, maybe not,” she said with a laugh. “Anyway, you’ll be in possession of the credit card, so you can rein me in anytime. I don’t think it would hurt to have a few extra outfits, though, now that Wyatt’s moved here.”
“So these would be my Wyoming vacation clothes.” He stepped on the brake pedal as they came to the two-lane highway leading into the small town of Shoshone. After glancing both ways, he pulled out.
“Exactly,” she said. “You want to fit in when you’re here, and now that you’re a horseback rider, you really need the right clothes.”
“I’m not sure I can call myself a horseback rider yet.”
“Sure you can. You were awesome for your first time. After a few more outings, you’ll be— Rafe, look out!”
“Shit!” A red pickup was in their lane, coming straight at them.
7
MEG SCREAMED AND COVERED her face with both hands. Not again. Please, not again! She braced for the impact, the sound of grinding metal and breaking glass, followed by pain, incredible pain.
The car jerked violently, throwing her against her seat belt. Every muscle in her body tensed, and then…nothing. Gradually she became aware of Rafe beside her, gasping for air.
“It’s okay.” He drew a shaky breath and his arm came around her shoulders. “We’re okay, Meg.”
She dared to take her hands away and open her eyes. The car was tilted to the right, off the road, and the engine was still running. She felt light-headed and did her best to breathe, even though she felt as if a giant hand squeezed her chest.
Someone rapped on Rafe’s window. She watched in silence as Rafe powered it down to reveal a teenager’s agonized stare.
“God, I’m sorry! Are you okay? Is anybody hurt? I have a cell phone. I can call someone. Jesus. I’m so sorry.”
Rafe heaved a sigh and shut off the motor. “I think we’re all right.” He turned to look at Meg. “Meg? You okay?”
She nodded, unable to speak.
“I don’t know what happened!” The kid seemed semihysterical. “When I checked before, the road was deserted, but then, suddenly, there you were! Thank God you have good reflexes, man. Listen, do you need a tow? I have rope. I can get you outta there.”
“That might be a good idea.” Rafe gave Meg’s shoulder a quick squeeze. “Hang on. I’ll supervise getting us hitched up to his truck, and then I’ll be right back.”
“My girlfriend is directing traffic so we won’t get run over doing this. Man, I am so sorry.”
“Things happen.” Rafe unsnapped his seat belt and opened his door. The kid held it while he levered himself out. Once he was standing, he leaned down to give Meg a reassuring smile. “You might want to give Olivia a call and tell her we’re running late.”
Meg nodded again, although she couldn’t call. She didn’t want to admit that she’d tightened every muscle for fear that if she relaxed a single one, she’d start shaking uncontrollably. After three years, she’d imagined herself over the shock, but obviously she wasn’t.
To be fair, she hadn’t been tested until now. A couple of near-misses in a parking lot and having a driver stop suddenly in front of her—those minor close calls didn’t count. They’d been nothing like this. She’d been convinced they would die.
Rafe and the kid, who wore a straw cowboy hat and looked no older than eighteen, worked together to attach a rope to the front of the car and the back of the pickup. Meg watched them and tried to keep herself together. She longed to crawl into bed and curl up in a ball, but that wasn’t an option.
Rafe opened the door and eased back inside the car. Then he started it up. “Once we’re on the road again I’ll be able to tell if there’s any damage. The kid’s insured, so no worries there.” He looked over at Meg. “Were you able to get in touch with Olivia?”
“Not yet.”
“She’s probably turned off her phone. Did you leave a message? Whoops, here we go.” He gripped the wheel as the rope tightened and the car gradually edged up the small embankment and back on the road. Rafe set the emergency brake and got out of the car again.
While Meg watched Rafe and the teenager disconnect the rope, exchange information and shake hands, she began to quiver. Apparently the shakes were going to take over, whether she wanted them to or not. Her teeth began to chatter.
When Rafe came back, he put the car in gear without looking at her and started down the road. “That’s that. Or at least, I hope it is. I’ll know in a few minutes if we have an alignment problem. Maybe not, but wow. Too close for comfort, huh?” He reached over and took her hand.
Once he touched her, he glanced sharply in her direction. “Meg? Good God, you’re not okay, are you?”
“N-not r-really.”
“There’s a dirt road up ahead. I’ll turn off there.” He kept giving her worried looks as he approached the road, drove down it and shut off the engine. “What is it? Whiplash? Should I take you to a hospital? Hell, I don’t even know where the nearest one is. Screw that. I’ll call 9-1-1.” He took his phone off the dash.
“No!”
He paused, his finger hovering over the phone. “Meg, you’re scaring me. If something’s wrong, then I want to get help.”
“I j-just need s-somebody to hold m-me.”
He was out of the car in a flash and came immediately around to her side. Opening her door, he reached in and unfastened her seat belt, then scooped her up and deposited her in the backseat. He climbed in after her, tossed his hat into the front and pulled her onto his lap.
“Y-you’re so w-warm.”
“And you’re cold as ice.” He held her tight. “And shaking like a leaf. I should
have realized it sooner.”
She clung to him and burrowed against his solid chest. She couldn’t seem to get close enough.
“You’re okay.” He stroked her back and kissed her hair. “You’re safe, Meg.”
Slowly her tremors subsided, and once they had, she took a shaky breath. “Better.”
“Good.” He continued to stroke her back. “Take your time. We’re in no rush.”
“But Livy and Wyatt…”
“I’ll call them in a little while, just so they won’t worry.”
“The thing is…three years ago…I was in…a very bad accident.”
Rafe groaned. “No wonder you’re a mess.” He rocked her gently. “Poor Meg.”
“No, lucky Meg. I should have died. But I didn’t, which everyone said was a miracle.”
His arms tightened around her. “That’s scary.”
“This was the first close call I’ve had since then. I lost it. Sorry.”
“Don’t be. You had a perfectly logical reaction. I wish it hadn’t happened, but life’s unpredictable.”
“Exactly. But I didn’t always understand that. The accident changed me.” Resting her cheek against his chest, she listened to his steady heartbeat and thought how precious that sound was.
“I can imagine it would.”
“I’d always been a fairly positive person, but when I realized how easily life can be snuffed out, I vowed to make the most of still being alive, against all odds.”
“Which explains why you’re so ready to try new things.”
“You don’t know the half of it. I have a list.”
“A bucket list?”
“Sort of, but I’d rather think of it as my celebration-of-life list.”
He kissed the top of her head. “Would you show it to me sometime?”
“Sure. But it’s not a set list. It’s always changing. Some things drop off after I’ve done them, and other things are added as I think of them.”
“I see.”
Shifting position, she gazed up at him. “For instance, you’re on it now.”
He looked into her eyes and smiled. “And exactly how am I on it?”
Her pulse quickened. “I’ll bet you can guess.”
“I sure hope so. Will I get checked off tonight?”
“I suppose that’s possible.” She reached up and traced his mouth with her finger. “But I have a feeling once won’t be enough.”
“I have the same feeling.” Leaning down, he captured her lips in a slow, sensuous kiss.
She kissed him back, enthusiasm mingled with gratitude that they’d survived. The kiss quickly heated up and he’d started unbuttoning her blouse when both of their cell phones belted out simultaneous ring tones.
He lifted his head, his gaze hot. “Later.”
“It’s a date.” She climbed off his lap and they both reached into the front seat for their phones so they could assure the bride and groom that all was well.
* * *
RAFE WASN’T SURE WHAT haunted him more—the harrowing experience on the road today or the knowledge that Meg had nearly died in an accident three years ago. As he pulled into the dirt parking lot next to the Spirits and Spurs, he admitted that Meg’s decision to fully embrace life made a lot of sense.
As he switched off the engine, she unbuckled her seat belt and reached for her door.
“Will you let me help you out?” he asked.
She paused and turned to him. “I’m really fine. You don’t have to baby me.”
“That’s not why I want to do it. I think of it as a gesture of…caring. I realize you’re capable of getting out of a car by yourself, but then I lose the chance to be gallant.”
She smiled. “You were very gallant when I went through that meltdown.”
“I hope so. I never gave it much thought before, but gallantry appeals to me. Some women object to it on the grounds that I’m not treating them like an equal.”
She took her hand off the door. “I won’t. I’m secure in my equality.”
“Good to know.” He couldn’t help chuckling. She was such a fascinating combination of spunkiness and vulnerability.
“The longer I’m around you, Rafe, the more I think you really are a cowboy underneath that sophisticated exterior.”
“City boys can be gallant, too, you know.”
“I’m sure, but it seems to go with the life out here, somehow. To me, cowboys are the modern equivalent of knights in armor, and when I think of gallantry, I think of knights.”
“In that case, I’ll be as much of a cowboy this week as I can manage, given my limitations.” He climbed out of the car and walked around to her side feeling happy to be alive. Meg helped him keep his priorities straight.
When they walked into the Spirits and Spurs he had the unwelcome thought that his mother would hate it there. His father might, too. It was old, and the tables were scarred from years of hard use. The overriding smell indicated that beer was more popular than any other beverage.
A few days ago, Rafe probably would have turned up his nose at the idea of having lunch in a cowboy beer joint. Yet now he could hardly wait to slide into a booth and order up a pitcher and some eats. It suddenly seemed like the most fun he could have, short of taking Meg to bed. And he looked forward to enjoying that tonight.
The place was full of lunch patrons enjoying exactly the kind of meal Rafe had in mind—a juicy burger and a big pile of fries. His parents would roll their eyes, but they weren’t here, and he was enjoying a sense of liberation. Wyatt and Olivia waved from a booth across the room, and he put his hand in the small of Meg’s back and guided her over to them.
Olivia jumped up and gave Meg a hug. “How awful for you, sweetie! I hate that you went through that.”
Wyatt slid out of the booth and held his hand out to his brother. “Thanks for getting here safe and sound, bro. I wonder if we need to haul that kid into traffic court. He shouldn’t have—”
“It was a rookie mistake,” Rafe said. “He looked terrified, and I doubt he’ll try anything like that again without checking and double-checking. I think he’ll punish himself enough reliving that moment when we almost crashed.”
Olivia shuddered and glanced at Meg. “I can only imagine what went through your mind.”
“You probably can. You were there to get me past the trauma three years ago.”
“I was.” She looked over at Rafe. “Did she tell you she had a near-fatal accident?”
“Yeah.” And Rafe was so grateful that she had told him. If their positions had been reversed, he wondered if he would have been that willing to share. He had much to learn from Meg.
Wyatt studied his brother and his gray eyes twinkled. “Nice duds there, Rafe. Did Sarah fix you up?”
“As a matter of fact, she did.”
“Well done.” Wyatt gestured to the table. “As you can see, Olivia and I started on a pitcher, but let’s get another one and have some food. What sounds good?” Then he hesitated. “Or maybe we should rustle up a bottle of wine. I’m sure they have—”
“Beer’s fine,” Rafe said. “In fact, beer and a burger would be perfect for me, but I can’t speak for Meg.”
Wyatt looked surprised, but he didn’t make a comment.
“I’d be very happy with a burger and a beer,” Meg said. “At this point, I could use some comfort food.”
“Coming up.” Wyatt signaled a waitress and gestured for Rafe and Meg
to have a seat. After the waitress took their order, he glanced across the table at his brother. “How was the ride this morning?”
“Good.” Rafe nodded. “It was good.”
“Rafe was amazing,” Meg said. “He picked up on the basics in no time. I think we have a cowboy on our hands.”
“Really?” Wyatt raised both eyebrows. “I never would have figured that.”
“Meg’s exaggerating. I had beginner’s luck. Besides, they put me up on Destiny, the old man of the barn. I couldn’t go wrong.”
Olivia laughed. “I’ve heard tales of that horse from when Jack was teaching Josie to ride a couple of years ago. Isn’t Destiny the one who likes to head on home if his rider gets off and doesn’t tie him up good?”
“That’s the one.” Meg grimaced. “I tied Destiny to my horse, and before we realized it, Spilled Milk was ready to lay into Destiny because he was trying to drag her away from her station.”
Wyatt looked amused as he glanced from Meg to Rafe. “So, brother-of-mine, you didn’t notice that the horses were getting snippy with each other?”
Rafe gave Wyatt the evil eye. “We were admiring the spectacular scenery. It’s easy to get caught up in the view when you’re in this part of the country.”
“So it is.” Wyatt picked up his mug of beer and took a sip while unsuccessfully hiding a grin.
“Are the caterers all set for Saturday?” Meg asked.
Rafe could recognize a change of subject when he heard one, and he followed her lead. “Yeah, how’s everything going? As the best man I need to know these things.”
“The caterers are all set,” Olivia said. “We’ll double-check on the flower delivery after lunch to make sure what we ordered will actually be here.”
“I feel as if I should be doing more,” Rafe said. “Are you sure you don’t want me to organize a bachelor party?”
Wyatt shook his head. “Olivia and I would ten times rather have a party here for everyone Thursday night. This tradition of separating the men and women doesn’t work for us.”
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