Or was she playing with fire? Was what they’d had gone forever?
Only one way to find out, she thought. And moving to Tumbleweed would prove the best way to put it to the test.
If she dared.
* * *
BY THURSDAY AFTERNOON, Lisa questioned her outrageous plan to try to seduce Sam. She’d been around him all day and never detected the slightest bit of interest beyond getting the job done.
He and four cowboys had shown up at her apartment building, complete with five big pickup trucks. Before mid-morning, her furnishings had been loaded in the trucks and headed for Tumbleweed. Lisa had only had to vacuum and clean the kitchen and she was soon following.
Sam had everything organized when she reached the old Victorian that would now be home. But he treated her as if she were some stranger impersonally friendly, but nothing more.
Even when they were finished, he merely tipped his hat and went out with the other men. They were laughing and discussing a rendezvous at the local country-western bar.
Wistfully, she wished he had included her in the invitation. Joey was at her mother’s. He could have stayed long enough for her to have a beer or two.
Had she read the signs wrong?
Putting away her kitchen utensils, pots and pans, and all the food she’d brought over, took most of the remainder of the afternoon.
By ten, the apartment was almost the way she wanted it. Joey was asleep in his bed, excited to be so close to his father. He’d talked about going out to the ranch on Saturday. The week had flown by.
Lisa couldn’t stand it any longer. She picked up the phone and dialed the main ranch number. If Nick answered, she’d hang up. But if Sam was home
“Haller.”
“Hi Sam.” She hoped she wasn’t making a fool of herself.
“Lisa?”
“I just wanted to call to thank you again for moving all my stuff today.”
“You’re welcomed.”
“With so many men helping, it went fast. I wish you could have moved me from Denver.”
“If I’d known you were moving, I might have offered.”
For a moment she hesitated. There was so much between them, behind them. Could she ever make this work?
“Um, what time do you want me to bring Joey out on Saturday?”
“Bring him early.”
She remembered last Saturday when they’d all gone to the zoo. It had been a special day.
“How about I bring a picnic lunch. We could come around lunch time, I’ll stay for the picnic and then leave.”
“Want to go riding? We could head for the stream on the southern boundary. It’s too cold to swim yet, but Joey could skip stones.”
“That would be great. We’ll be there by noon.” Lisa wanted to stay on the phone, continue the tenuous connection with Sam. But she couldn’t think of another word to say.
“See you then.” Sam severed the connection.
She replaced the receiver and took a deep breath. That had been easier than she suspected. Now if only the day itself would prove as easy. But she doubted it. Nothing was easy with Sam Haller.
* * *
SAM REPLACED THE receiver and leaned back in the chair. He’d muted the television before he picked up. Now he watched the moving figures with no sound. Lisa’s call had surprised him. As had her suggestion for a picnic. He guessed things would be different with Joey around. He knew Lisa was used to having their son with her, and it would be hard for her to relinquish him every other week. Was this her way of staying around as long as possible?
Or was there another reason?
For a moment he wondered if Nick’s comment earlier had any merit? Was Lisa making a play for him?
He doubted it.
But for a moment he let his fantasy take wing--Lisa, back in his life for good. Had they learned enough from their mistakes to avoid them in the future? Or would the old patterns take hold?
No reason to let them, he thought. He was older and wiser now. Much wiser. And Lisa, herself, had changed. She was more mature, more practical in her outlook. Maybe....
Maybe pigs could fly, he thought in disgust. It was past time to get on with his life. He flicked the button on the remote and the sound flooded in. Live in the present, not some fantasy world, he told himself.
Saturday dawned as perfect as it gets. The wide Texas sky was a deep blue, without a trace of clouds. The sun shone brilliantly, flooding the air with warmth, yet the heat of the summer was still weeks away.
Sam did his chores in a state of anticipation that grew as the clock moved closer to noon. He tried to tell himself it was for Joey, but he knew he lied. He couldn’t wait to see Lisa again.
He’d kept his distance on Thursday, to keep his sanity. After that kiss in her kitchen, he dare not relax his guard for a moment especially around men who worked for him. He’d learned enough about gossip over the last few months to know he would never consciously do anything to feed the flames again.
The after-moving party at the country-western bar had seemed flat with Lisa not there. He’d stayed the bare minimum he needed to before escaping without causing comment. He’d have left even earlier if he’d known Lisa might call.
Leading the two horses out of the barn, he tied them to the rail fence. He’d saddled his normal mount and the mare Lisa used to like. Would she remember?
“Going for a ride, boss?” Jose asked as he walked up.
“Out to the creek. You need anything?”
“Naw, just coming to check on that gash on Sundown’s leg. Vet said to keep it clean and you know how he likes to roll in the dust. That boy of yours coming again?”
“Today. He’s the one going with me on the ride. Thought he’d like to play by the water.”
“He’s a handful, that one. Chip off the old block, huh?” Jose grinned and nodded, heading into the dark barn.
Sam felt the pride fill him with the comment. He loved his son, and was proud of him.
The car drove down the long driveway and veered toward the barn when Lisa saw him. He waited by the horses, watching, savoring the anticipation. He could see her behind the wheel. In only moments she was out of the car, releasing a wild bundle of energy who came running toward Sam.
“Daddy! I’m here!” Joey flung himself into Sam’s waiting arms. Standing, Sam smiled over his head right into Lisa’s eyes.
“I see you’re here. Both of you.”
She nodded, and reached back into the car to pull out a cloth sack. He watched as the snug jeans pulled tight over her rounded bottom. Swallowing hard, Sam looked away. Lisa had suggested a picnic, nothing more.
“I brought everything we’ll need,” she said, slamming the door with her hip. She carried two bags.
“We can hitch them behind the saddles and be set.”
Sam put Joey on the ground and went to take one sack. His fingers brushed against hers and he felt the warmth of her soft skin. For a moment he hesitated. They’d discussed kissing goodbye, did that include a hello kiss?
She smiled and moved to the mare as if she’d been doing it every day for the last two years.
Sam spun around and soon had his sack tied firmly behind the saddle. Lisa had also finished the task.
“One more bathroom stop and we’ll be ready,” she said. “Come on Joey.”
“I want to ride with Daddy,” Joey said when they returned a few minutes later.
“Sure thing, partner. Let’s get Mommy on her horse first, okay?” Sam suggested.
“I think I can mount myself,” Lisa said indignantly.
“Check the stirrups.”
“Someone else use this saddle recently?”
“Jennifer,” Sam said, watching as she easily swung into the saddle. The stirrups were a little long for her, so he moved to adjust them, trying to ignore the warmth of her leg, of the eye appeal of her thigh inches from his face. Maybe he should have let her adjust her own stirrups. But he couldn’t resist the sweet torture.
“All set,” he said, looking up at her. She smiled at him and he felt his heart kick into overdrive. She had the prettiest smile he’d ever seen.
“Thank you, Sam.”
“Let’s go, Daddy!”
In only a minute Sam and Joey were mounted and ready to ride. They left at a walk, Lisa looking around as if trying to see any changes since she left. Joey kept up a running commentary of things he wanted to eat for lunch giving Sam a full rundown of everything Lisa had fixed.
“No surprises for lunch,” Lisa said. She laughed at Joey’s enthusiasm.
“Sounds great. I can’t wait to eat,” Sam said.
“Me, too,” Joey chimed in.
They crested the small rise that hid the creek from the house, and trailed down the slope to the water’s edge. Cottonwoods grew along the banks, affording shade. The grass was still green from the spring rain.
Dismounting, they soon had the picnic blanket spread and the food out. Joey took a drumstick and began to eat, beaming at his parents.
Lisa felt his happiness herself. Looking at Sam, she met his gaze. Once again she felt as if they were silently communicating both knowing what the other thought. Love for their son was something easily shared.
“This is fun,” Joey said.
“Yes it is,” Lisa quickly agreed, smiling at Sam.
He stretched out on his side, eating the chicken. Lisa had always had a way with southern fried chicken. He remembered what a great cook she’d always been. Pete’s chuck couldn’t compare.
Not that her cooking was the only thing he missed when she’d left.
“You’re quiet,” she said.
“Thinking.”
“Not on a picnic. This is a time for having fun. If you want to think dark thoughts, do it on your own time.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Dark thoughts?”
“You were frowning.”
“Couldn’t have been, I was thinking how good the food is and what a great cook you are.”
Color stained her cheeks. “Thank you.” For a moment, she looked flustered. Sam liked that look.
“I didn’t know you thought I was a good cook.”
“Great,” he corrected. Taking another piece of chicken, he looked at her consideringly. “Didn’t I mention it before?”
She shrugged. “I don’t remember it if you did.”
“Probably too busy yelling.”
Startled she stared at him, then burst out laughing. “I guess we’re not going to pussyfoot around the past.”
“No need. We both know what was there. Nothing’s changed, has it, Lisa?”
She hesitated a moment. “I don’t know, Sam. I think some things have changed. I have for one.”
He sat up and reached for one of the soft drinks she’d brought, popping the top. He looked at it for a moment, then raised it up to drink. Stalling. He knew it. But he didn’t have an answer to her comment.
“Can I go play in the water?” Joey asked. “I’m finished.”
“It’s too cold to play in the water today, son.” Sam said, glad for the reprieve. “We can skip stones, though.”
“What’s that?”
“Come on and I’ll show you.” He looked at Lisa and she smiled again. She was doing that a lot today.
“I’ll watch you from here. When you get back, there’s chocolate cake.”
“My favorite.”
She nodded.
He glanced at the picnic and then headed to the water’s edge with Joey. Everything she’d brought was a favorite. Had she done it deliberately? Or was it coincidence? Most of the fare was normal for picnics.
He found some flat pebbles and showed Joey how to skip them across the surface of the wide, slow-moving creek. The little boy tried time and again, but could only make a big splash with his stones.
Lisa called encouragements.
“You come, Mommy,” Joey called back. “You come skip rocks.”
Lisa joined them on the edge, searching for the perfect stone. She skipped it four times and turned to Sam, her eyes sparkling.
“Show off,” he said, throwing another one. This one skipped six times.
“Me a show off,” she muttered, hunting again for another stone. Before long, they were vying with each other on who could skip the most times.
Lisa laughed and sent another pebble skimming across the top of the water, skipping seven times.
“Wow, that’s the most I’ve ever done,” she exclaimed, clapping Joey’s hand in a high five.
“Not bad for a girl,” Sam said. He grinned at her mock anger and sent a stone flying only to have it plop and sink without a single skip.
Her laughter rang out. It did funny things to his heart. He had missed the laughter. Her passion and zest for life. She threw herself into everything wholeheartedly.
Including that kiss the other night.
He had to stop thinking about that kiss.
Joey threw a rock, making a big splash. He clapped his hands. “This is fun.”
“The whole day is fun,” Lisa agreed, smiling directly into Sam’s eyes.
He wasn’t blind. She was making a play for him. There was no question about it. And he wasn’t one to question why.
Leaning over, stopping a scant inch from her mouth, he gazed into her eyes. “Winner gets a kiss?” he said in a low voice.
“Do I win with seven skips?” she asked, flirtatiously, her own gaze dropping to his mouth.
He almost groaned with the intensity of feelings that surged. Closing the distance, his mouth covered hers. Sam savored the taste of her, the heat that enveloped them. For a moment, everything else faded, the water, Joey, the remnants of the picnic. There was only Lisa and him, alone in a world of their own.
“Mommy, I throwed a rock.” Joey pressed against Lisa’s leg, trying to separate his parents.
Breaking the kiss, Sam’s gaze never left hers as he pulled back. “Good for you, Joey.”
She licked her lips and turned to face her son. Sam turned away, wishing for a split second that Joey had not come with them. If he and Lisa had been alone....
What was he thinking of? They would not have been together at all today without Joey. And the last thing she wanted was a roll in the hay with her ex-husband no matter how much he might want that!
He was playing with fire. They were on a family outing, nothing more. And once they finished the picnic, they’d head for home--their separate homes.
“It’s hard to tell who was the clear cut winner, wouldn’t you say,” Lisa said. “Want to try best two out of three?”
He swung around. What was she up to?
Chapter Seven
LISA ALMOST LAUGHED at the expression on Sam’s face. Normally he never let anyone know what he was thinking. But she knew he was puzzled by her attitude. Good, time to shake the man up.
“What are you playing at?” he asked.
“I’m not playing. I’m deadly serious,” she said solemnly.
“About?” He raised an eyebrow again.
“About you and me,” she said in a rush.
“There is no you and me.”
“There could be.”
“I don’t think so. We tried it once, and got burned.”
“So that means you don’t want to try again?”
“Got it in one.”
“What if I do?’
“Why?”
She looked away, watching Joey’s attempts at skipping rocks. “Maybe I want to give Joey a family. The way it should have been, two parents.”
“Most families have two parents who love each other.”
Love. Lisa felt the familiar clutch in her heart. Did she love Sam? She once thought she did. But had it only been illusion? Sex?
“What’s love,” she asked softly.
“Something neither of us had,” he scoffed. Turning he headed for the picnic blanket. “You’re kidding yourself and trying to kid me if you think we can make a go of it again.”
“We could if we tried,” she sai
d, turning to follow him with her eyes.
Sam sat on the blanket and opened the plastic container with the cake. It had tilted and one side was squashed against the container. “I’m not going down that road again, Lisa. Did you bring a knife?”
She frowned and headed for the blanket. “Yes. I wrapped it so it wouldn’t poke anything. Why not?”
“Why not what?”
“Sam! Why not try again.”
He looked up, putting down the knife and the cake. “I could list a whole bunch of reasons starting with I don’t want to. Is that what you want, a list of reasons, or will that one do.”
“I made a mistake.”
“I’ve made a few.”
“I want to make it right.”
“It can’t be made right.”
“Okay, then let’s start over. Hi. I’m Lisa Haller.”
He shook his head. “Lisa Haller? That’s starting over? That’s coming with the past.”
“So,” she almost shouted, “I do have a past. One I’m trying to change.”
“You can’t change the past, Lisa. No one can.” He tossed the knife down and rose to his feet. “I can’t change what’s happened and neither can you.”
“Then maybe we can start over. Why won’t you even talk about it?”
“There’s nothing to talk about. The answer is no.”
She watched him stride away with a growing sense of futility. He wouldn’t even discuss the situation. What had all those kisses been about?
She rose, torn with wanting to follow him and make him talk, and her need to stay with Joey. The creek was too enticing for a three-year-old to be left alone.
Dammit, she thought, as she headed back to the bank, the picnic was not going like she’d hoped.
“Where’s Daddy going?” Joey asked, looking after Sam.
“He’ll be back soon. Want to skip more rocks?”
“Can we go wading?”
“No. The water’s too cold. Come summer, it’ll be nice and warm.” She smiled remembering a summer’s afternoon when she and Sam had gone wading, and ended up soaked and laughing. Not all her memories of living on the ranch were bad. As she let herself, she could remember a lot of happy times. Why hadn’t she remembered those when she got so angry with him?
Love Me Some Cowboy Page 42