One Good Cowboy

by Catherine Mann

  Mariah held herself rigidly in control, Ruby and Gem each resting against one leg. Pearl and Sterling curled up together on a seat beside her. Johanna couldn’t help but wonder how well the pack would adjust to being separated.

  She checked the large digital clock above the door. The red numbers blinked nearly ten o’clock while the pilot kept busy with some paperwork outside beneath a Texas flag flapping lazily in the soft breeze. She bit back anger. She was exhausted from lack of sleep and frustrated from bracing herself to appear blasé in front of Stone.

  Only to have him freakin’ stand her up.

  She was mad. Steaming mad. And completely confused. If he was playing mind games with her, that was one thing. But to involve his grandmother? That was plain wrong, and not like him.

  Shuffling a seat to move closer to Mariah, Johanna put a reassuring hand on the woman’s arm. “You don’t have to do this, Mrs. McNair. The dogs can stay with you. They can stay here now and even if the time comes...” She swallowed back a lump of emotion. “Even if the time comes when you’re not here. This is their home.”

  Mariah patted Johanna’s hand. “It’s okay, really. I love them enough to do what’s best for them. I’ll be in and out of the hospital quite often, and they deserve attention.”

  “Everyone here will take care of them.” She held on tighter to this strong, brilliant woman who was already showing signs of fading away. She had new gaunt angles and a darkness around her eyes that showed her exhaustion in spite of keeping up appearances of normalcy with a red denim dress and boots. “You must realize that.”

  “I do, but I need to know they’re settled permanently, for my own peace of mind.” Mariah stroked the scruffy little terrier, adjusting the dog’s bejeweled collar. “They deserve to be a part of a family and not just a task for the staff, or an obligation for a relative who doesn’t really want them.”

  “They could be a comfort to you. Even if you kept one of them, like Pearl or Sterling, maybe...”

  Mariah’s touch skimmed from pup to pup until she’d petted all four. “I couldn’t choose. It would be like playing favorites with my children or grandchildren.”

  There was an undeniable truth in her words and a selflessness that made Johanna ache all over again at the thought of losing her. “I wish there were more people like you in the world.”

  “You’re dear to say that.” She cradled Johanna’s face in her hands. “And I wish you could be my granddaughter.”

  There it was. Out there. The unacknowledged big pink elephant that had sat in the middle of every one of their conversations for the past seven months. Mariah had never once interfered or questioned her decision to break it off with Stone.

  If only there’d been some other way.

  Johanna leaned in and hugged Mariah, whispering in her ear, “I’m so sorry I can’t make that come true for you. I would have liked very much to have you as part of my family.”

  Mariah squeezed her once before easing away and thumbing a lone tear from the corner of her eye. “I just want you to be happy.”

  “My job makes me happy.” True, but she’d once dreamed of much more. “If it weren’t for your scholarship, I never could have afforded the training. I know I’ve thanked you before, but I can never thank you enough.”

  “Ah, dear.” Mariah brushed back a loose strand from Johanna’s braid. “This isn’t goodbye. Even worst-case scenario, I’ll be around for months, and you’re only going to be gone a week. I intend to fight hard to be around as long as I can.”

  “I know.” Johanna fidgeted with the horseshoe necklace. “I just want to be sure all the important things are said.”

  “Of course, but I don’t want us to use our time on morbid thoughts or gloominess.” Mariah smoothed her denim dress and sat straighter. “Stone in particular has had enough disappointment from the people he loves.”

  Johanna looked into the woman’s deep blue eyes and read her in an instant. “You’re sending him away this week so he won’t be here as you start your treatments.”

  “Just until I get settled into a routine.”

  The closeness of the moment, the importance of this time, emboldened her. “What if he wants to be around to support you?”

  “My choices trump anyone else’s right now,” Mariah said with a steely strength that had made her a businesswoman of national stature. “Keep Stone busy and take care of placing my dogs. Enjoy the time away from the ranch. You work too hard, and if I’ve learned anything lately, it’s that we shouldn’t waste a day.”

  Mariah eased the lecture with another squeeze of her hand, which Johanna quickly returned.

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “Good enough, and for goodness’ sake, quit calling me Mrs. McNair or ma’am. If you can’t call me Gran, then call me Mariah.” She sighed, before shoving slowly to her feet. “Now how about we track down my tardy grandson so you can start your journey?”

  “I’m sure he’s on his way...Mariah.” Johanna glanced at the wall clock again. This wasn’t like him. Could something have happened?

  Johanna’s cell phone chimed from her purse, playing a vintage Willie Nelson love song. She glanced at Mariah, a blush stinging her cheeks faster than the fierce Texas sun. Damn it, why hadn’t she changed her Stone ringtone? She should have swapped her ringtone to some broken heart, broken truck country song. There were sure plenty to pick from. She fished out her cell, fumbling with the on button before putting it to her ear. “Where are you?”

  “I’m at the office downtown.” Stone’s bass rumbled over her ears sending a fresh shiver of awareness down her spine. “A few unavoidable emergencies came up with work. I’ll give you a call when I’m ready to leave.”

  Not a chance in hell was he getting off that easy, but she didn’t intend to chew him out with his grandmother listening. She would go straight to the Diamonds in the Rough headquarters and haul him out with both hands, if need be. Not that she intended to give him any warning. “Sure, thanks for calling.”

  She disconnected and turned to Mariah. “He’s fine, just delayed downtown at the Fort Worth office. He wants me to swing by with the dogs, and we’ll leave from there. Would you like to help me load the dogs in the car?”

  “Of course.” Mariah brightened at the task. “But please, take my limo. I’ll have the airport security run me back to the house.”

  Johanna started to argue, but then the notion of rolling up to Diamonds in the Rough, Incorporated in the middle of downtown Fort Worth, dogs in tow, sounded like one hell of an entrance.

  Her Texas temper fired up and ready, she was through letting Stone McNair walk all over her emotions.

  Four

  Stone hated like hell being late for anything, but crisis after crisis had cropped up at the office even though he’d come in at five in the morning to prep for his weeklong departure.

  Parked at his desk in front of the computer, he finished with the last details, clearing his calendar and rescheduling as much as he could for teleconferences from the road. He loved his grandmother, but she had to know the CEO of Diamonds in the Rough couldn’t just check out for a week without major prep. That was the primary reason for her test, right? For him to prove he was best suited to run the company.

  She couldn’t have chosen a worse time.

  Their CFO had gone into premature labor and had been placed on bed rest. His personal assistant was stuck in an airport in North Dakota. Their showroom was still under repairs from tornado damage and the construction crew’s foreman had gone on strike.

  And his grandmother was dying of cancer.

  His hands clenched over the keyboard. For her, he’d put together detailed plans for taking Diamonds in the Rough to an international level, to expand the company as a tribute to his grandparents who’d been there for him over the years. Yet now she might not even live
long enough to see that dream come to fruition. It cut him to the core to think he’d somehow let her down, but he must have since she felt she needed to concoct tests for him to prove himself.

  His eyes slid to the wood drafting table littered with new designs, most of them done by Amie, but a few of his own were scattered through the mix. He sketched late at night, after hours, to ease the tension of the corporate rat race, more so since his breakup with Johanna. His pieces incorporated a larger emphasis on metal work and carvings than Amie’s. He still included signature company jewels inlaid into the buckles, bolos and even a few larger necklaces. Each piece also carried the expected Western aura.

  Amie was the true artist in the family, but his pieces usually landed well, too. Johanna had always encouraged him to design more....

  He scratched his head and leaned back, desk chair squeaking in protest. What had he been thinking, climbing through her window last night like some out-of-control teenager? Except...he had been out of control, jealous over seeing her with his cousin. He hadn’t thought. He’d simply acted. That kiss had left him with a need for her that clawed like metal shards scraping his insides raw. Even hearing her voice on the phone forty-five minutes ago had increased the ache of wanting her in his bed again.

  A quick buzz from the temp serving as a stand-in personal assistant gave him only a second’s warning before his door flung open to reveal Johanna, fire spitting from her eyes. “You missed your flight.”

  God, she was sexy all riled up.

  “I called you.” He creaked his chair back even further, taking in the sight of her in white jeans and layered yellow tank tops. “And it’s a private plane. My private plane, for that matter. There’s no way to miss a flight that’s waiting for me to give the go-ahead for takeoff.”

  Speaking of taking off... What he wouldn’t give right now to peel away those tanks of hers, one at a time, with his teeth. He’d left her place last night to give himself space to regain control. Instead, their time apart had only taken his need to another level.

  “Would have been nice to know you had other plans for your day before I reached the landing strip. I could have worked, too, or slept in. Or...” She held up her hand, four leashes in her fist. “I could have let the dogs play and run around in the yard longer.”

  She dropped the leashes and the four-pup pack stampeded into his office. Stone barely had time to bark, “Heel, damn it!” before Gem launched into his lap, the full force of the yellow lab almost tipping his chair over. Stone regained his balance then knelt to greet the dogs. Ruby, Sterling and Pearl licked over his face with slobbery wet tongues. He liked animals—clearly, since he’d grown up on a ranch—but these guys in full force were a little much, even for him.

  Barks and yips continued until Johanna dipped into sight again, regaining control of the pooches one at time until all four mutts sat in a perfect line. Which only proved she could have controlled them right away. She’d let them overrun him on purpose.

  Wincing, he stood, swiping an arm across his face. He shrugged off his suit jacket. Thank goodness he hadn’t bothered with a tie today.

  He draped his jacket over the back of his leather chair. “My apologies for inconveniencing you. Even if my grandmother questions my ability to run the company, I do still have obligations here that needed to be taken care of before I could leave.”

  “Is that what this is about?” She crossed her arms, which threatened to draw his eyes to her chest just when he needed to keep his wits about him and focus on her words. “Showing your grandmother you’re indispensable?”

  “That’s not a nice accusation.”

  “Is it true?” she pressed.

  Damn it, she always saw right through him. But that was only part of the picture. “My primary goal is to bring my grandmother peace. A crisis here at the office will only add to her stress level at a time when she can’t afford any additional drain.”

  Silently, Johanna assessed him through narrowed eyes while the dogs panted, lazy tongues lolling.

  “What?” he said. “You don’t believe me?”

  “I’m skeptical,” she said slowly. “Are you still sulking because Alex brought me flowers?”

  Did she have to read his every thought? “I don’t sulk. I’m charming. Everyone says so.”

  She cocked an eyebrow. “Yep, you’re sure charming the socks off me right now.”

  Really? He recognized a challenge when he heard one. He flattened a palm to the heavy oak desk that mirrored the one in the ranch office. “If memory serves, I charmed off more than your socks right on this desk about ten months ago.”

  Her jaw dropped, then clamped shut before she finally said, “Never mind. If you’re finished, let’s leave so we can get this trip over with sooner rather than later.”

  All the more reason, in his mind, to prolong this little chat.

  She leaned down to gather the leashes.

  Kneeling, he clasped her wrist. “Wait, you started this. Let’s talk.”

  “Let’s not.” She tugged her arm free.

  “Fine. Not talking is okay with me, too.” Standing, he swept off his desk.

  Her eyes went wide. “What are you doing?”

  “You said you didn’t want to talk.” He fingered a button on his shirt. Sure he knew they weren’t really going to have sex on his desk, but he reveled in the regret in her eyes that she couldn’t hide in spite of her scowl.

  She shook her head, blond hair loose and silky sliding along her shoulders. “You’re being outrageous.”

  “Good.” He untucked his shirt.

  “Stop. Now,” she said firmly.

  Okay, he’d pushed her far enough for today, but he could see that while their love for each other might have burned out, their passion still had plenty of fire left.

  He buttoned his shirt again and tucked in the tails. “Spoilsport.”

  “Let’s clean up the floors first before we go.” She brushed papers into a stack. “The pilot’s waiting.”

  “Damn waste of an empty desk.” He stacked a haphazard pile of Diamonds in the Rough promo flyers and placed them on the drafting table.

  She glanced up at him through long lashes. “Are you trying to chase me off? Because if you don’t stop with these stunts, I am out of here. I will place the animals because it’s the right thing to do, but you, however, are on your own.”

  For some reason, her words caught him off guard. He leaned back against the desk, a weary exhale bursting from him. “Honest to God, Johanna, I don’t know what I’m doing. Ever since my grandmother dropped her bombshell, I’ve just been reacting.”

  Standing, she clutched a stack of files to her chest, the dog leashes still trailing from her grip. “That’s understandable.”

  “So you’re not going to threaten to leave again?” he couldn’t stop himself from asking.

  She chewed her lip for an instant before responding, “If you keep being honest with me, I will stay.”

  “Deal.” He extended a hand.

  She slid hers into his. “Deal.”

  They stood there with their hands clasped for a few seconds longer than a handshake, seconds that crackled like static in the air just before a thunderstorm.

  He enjoyed the hell out of a good drenching downpour, every bit as arousing as a blazing fire.

  Her tongue slid along her lips as if to soothe where she’d chewed moments before. His body throbbed in response.

  She tugged her hand from his self-consciously and rubbed her fingers along her white jeans. “Where’s the first stop on our journey?”

  “You don’t know?” He would have expected his grandmother to tell her. Yet, even without knowing the specifics, Johanna had signed on for Mariah. That giving spirit was one of the things that had always drawn him to Johanna, even as it simultaneously scared the hell
out of him. Because he’d always known she was too good for him. And too wise. Eventually, she would see through him and leave.

  He’d been right.

  “My grandmother has put me completely at your mercy.” He spread his arms wide.

  She thrust the leashes at him. “Feels more like I’m at your mercy, but whatever. You can start by helping me with the dogs.”

  Pivoting away, she strode out of his office, those white jeans showcasing the perfect curve of her hips, her butt. His fist clenched around the leather leads.

  Hell, yes, the fire between them was alive and well.

  * * *

  Johanna gripped the leather armrests of her chair during takeoff. The private jet climbed into the sky and she still didn’t know where they were going. Yet she’d gotten back into the limousine and onto the plane with Stone and the dogs without demanding more information. She’d been grateful to use the animals as an excuse to end their sexually charged exchange in his office.

  Although the confined space of the plane didn’t do much to ease the tight knot of desire inside her. The plane leveled out, and she wished her own emotions were as easy to smooth. She sank deeper into the fat chair, its brown leather and brass gleaming.

  Each of the pups was now secured in a designer crate bolted to the floor in the back, complete with a luxurious dog bed and a pewter bowl. Engraved nameplates marked each crate and dish. Mariah hadn’t been at the landing strip when they returned. Apparently, one set of goodbyes had been as much as she could take. These past two days had been some of the most emotional Johanna had experienced. The only other days that could compare were when her parents had died and when she’d broken her engagement.

  And what about Stone? She glanced across the aisle at him, sympathy whispering through her, mingling with the frustrated passion she’d experienced in his office. Okay, to be frank, that frustrated desire flared every time she saw him, regardless of whether he said outrageous things.