Dalton said, “I buy ’em. Or I did when I lived here.”
The way he kept saying that made her think he wouldn’t be here permanently.
Rory cracked the foil on her cup and scooped out a tiny bite. And another.
“You still eat pudding like it’s a rare delicacy. It’s cute.”
She stuck out her tongue. “How’d you end up renting this house on such short notice?”
“I know the owner. She’s been meaning to install updates before she decides to rent or sell. Since I’m not doin’ anything else, we’re swapping rent for my handyman skills.”
Rory wanted to ask who owned the house. If the woman was a former lover he’d kept in touch with.
Dalton kept talking. “But she’s getting the better end of the deal. A FedEx package was on the steps when I got here with a list of changes five pages long. I also have a packet of paint chips color-coordinated to each room.”
“So what are you doing first?”
“Be easier to show you.” She followed him out of the kitchen. He led her past the empty living room and cut down a hallway with five closed doors. He paused outside the last one. “Too bad you don’t have sunglasses on ’cause you’ll need them.
He opened the door and Rory winced.
“Holy shit that’s hideous.” The room was neon yellow. Not a pretty yellow, but a cross between yellow and green so it looked like someone had pissed all over the walls. “How many coats will it take to cover this?”
“About ten thousand.” He flattened his palm against the wall. “Fortunately I’m texturing this room first, so that’ll cut some of the glare.”
Since she was by nature such a helpful person, it was on the tip of her tongue to offer to help him paint.
Don’t do it.
“It’s a small house so it’ll be a short tour.”
“This place isn’t as small as my cabin. Sometimes it makes me claustrophobic.”
Dalton turned around so fast she ran into him. “Your cabin is great.”
“Great in that I don’t have to pay rent, but that’s about it.”
He brushed a hair from her cheek. “And?”
“And living there makes it seem like I never left here.” Somehow the man had backed her against the wall. “Dalton, what are you doing?”
“You have chocolate pudding on your lip and I’m gonna lick it off. And then I’m gonna kiss you. Really kiss you like I’ve been dyin’ to since you showed up today.”
Since when did he… Oh God. A warm, wet tongue slid across her lower lip. He tugged her bottom lip between his teeth and sucked. He slowly released it and crushed his lips to hers.
Dalton’s mouth demanded. Controlled. Teased. He clasped her hands in his, letting the kiss ebb and then building it back up. No body parts were touching beyond the clasp of their hands and their locked mouths.
Rory never remembered him kissing her like this—with such single-minded absorption.
That’s because he’s had lots and lots of practice.
He ended the kiss before she pulled away. He murmured, “I had to do that out here. Because if I did it in my bedroom we might never come out.” He placed a kiss below her ear.
She ignored how her body tingled just from his soft mouth on her skin. Annoyed, she gave him a tiny head-butt. “Wishful thinking, McKay.”
He chuckled. “Guess we’ll see.”
Smug man. “And I hate the beard anyway.”
He stepped back and opened the door.
Rory looked at the sleeping bag on the floor, then at him and poked him in the chest. “I’m beyond the age that doing it in a sleeping bag holds any appeal for me.”
“Oh, I don’t know. Two sleeping bags hooked together out in the middle of nowhere, beneath a big starry sky, will always hold appeal for me.”
“Who are you?” She poked him again. “It’s this damn beard that’s turned you into a mountain man, isn’t it?”
“No.” He kissed her. “I’ve changed. But with you, proof is in the pudding—ha ha—so that’s what you’ll get.”
“More pudding?”
Dalton looked at her—more like he looked through her. His blue eyes held something warm and dark that she’d never seen and her belly cartwheeled.
That’s when she knew he’d honed that boyish charm into a sharper instrument. A much more dangerous tool.
Then the look vanished and he smiled. “Maybe we oughta go finish our pudding.”
They returned to the kitchen. Dalton’s eyes were glued to her mouth as she licked every bite of chocolate from her spork.
“Besides handyman stuff, what are you doing to fill your days?”
“I’ll put in an appearance at the rehab hospital. Then at some point this week I gotta get furniture for this place and a TV. I need something else to fill the void while I’m stuck here.”
Fill the void? Was that why he was being so cute and flirty with her? Because she was the void he intended to fill…in more ways than one?
Enough. You got what you needed, he explained why he left so walk away. Now.
“Well, good luck with that.” She tossed her empty pudding cup on her paper plate and stood to gather the trash.
“Rory. What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. I have to go.”
“Already? Stay.”
She whirled around. “Why? So you can fill a void? I’m just another way to kill time while you’re stuck here?”
Dalton took the garbage from her and flung it on the counter. Then he grabbed her upper arms. “Spend every waking hour that you’re not workin’ with me.”
“What? No. That’s ridiculous. I—”
He cut off her retort with a steamy kiss that made her wonder why she didn’t mouth off to him all the time.
After he thoroughly scrambled her brain, Dalton rested his forehead to hers. “If you would’ve said yes, then I wouldn’t need to buy a damn TV.”
“You are going to drive me crazy with this need to prove you’ve changed, aren’t you?”
“Something worth doin’ is worth doin’ well. And make no mistake, I’m doin’ it right with you this time.” He touched her face with the back of his hand. “Question is: will you let me?”
“Knock yourself out.”
“So flip,” he murmured. “You scared it might work?”
“So confident,” she shot back. “You scared you can’t convince me?”
He laughed.
Rory held up her hands. “Enough for one night. Please. I need to go home.”
Dalton helped her with her coat.
When she spun around to say something, he put his finger across her lips.
“Give me a chance. That’s all I’m asking.”
Chapter Five
Day two in the rehab hospital sucked ass.
Dalton didn’t know why he and his brothers were sitting in an overheated bedroom with a bitter man who didn’t want them there. The one time when he’d made eye contact with Casper, he’d seen that mean gleam—as if the asshole was remembering the last conversation they’d had three years ago that’d resulted in Dalton leaving.
The TV blared behind him as Casper flipped between twenty-four hour news channels. At least the noise cut the tension in the room.
How long did they have to stay?
The respiratory therapist came in and Casper made that frantic motion that he wanted them out.
The three of them wound up in the reception area. Listening to the constant ding ding that indicated a resident needed assistance. The phone at the receptionist’s desk rang constantly. A couple of people in wheelchairs parked outside the reception area stared at them with vacant eyes. One guy waited by the door, intent on making a break for it.
The sights, sounds and smells overwhelmed him, but didn’t seem to bother his brothers at all.
Tell flipped through a newspaper. He read interesting tidbits out loud. Then he said, “Whoa, check this out.”
“What?” Brandt said.
�
��Remember last year when the legislature revised that law about elk farms?” Tell asked.
“Elk farms aren’t allowed in Wyoming,” Dalton said.
“True, but they passed a bill that allowed for privatization of a few elk farms on a trial basis. That last brucellosis outbreak with the Yellowstone herd fucked up the brucellosis-free status for cattleman too. Which pissed off the Wyoming Stockgrowers Association. They demanded policy changes with the state’s wildlife management plan, but I know this ain’t what they had in mind. There’d been talk of privatization, but no one really believed it’d happen. No one wanted it to happen, but now it has happened. They’re takin’ applications. Only four permits will be issued.”
“What areas are included on the list?”
“Everywhere in Wyoming with the exception of the two areas where the state is already feeding wildlife—in Yellowstone and the Tetons.”
Years ago when he and Tell had discussed putting in a livestock feedlot adjacent to the land Gavin Daniels owned, Dalton had researched the wildlife end of it as an alternative, mostly thinking they could get into the buffalo business if the feedlot idea didn’t pan out.
When the feedlot hadn’t looked feasible, he’d gone so far as to check out privatized wildlife farms in Colorado and South Dakota to check the topography and containment and find out what type of acreage was needed for how many head.
Dalton hadn’t bothered checking the regulations for elk farms because they weren’t allowed in Wyoming. But now…this changed everything.
He needed something to do and a way to prove to Rory he intended to stick around. The section of land he owned might be a perfect fit for the program. Chances were slim his brothers had done improvements. After he checked the regulations and determined whether his land fit the criteria, he’d send in an application. No one would have to know until the applicant’s names were made public. Then he could offer Rory proof that he’d applied right away so she knew he was serious about staying in Sundance since she’d chosen to settle back here. He’d deal with any fallout with his family after the fact.
“Dalton? You okay?” Tell asked.
He glanced up. “I’m fine. Why?”
“You’re wearing an evil smile.”
“Because I’m planning ways to escape this hell.” He rested his elbows on his knees. “How long we stayin’ here?”
“Why? You got someplace else to be?” Brandt asked.
Anyplace besides here. “Casper don’t want us around. And I’ve grown past sticking around someplace where I’m not wanted.”
Tell and Brandt exchanged a look.
“What?”
“Do you really need us to point out how selfish and unsupportive that statement is?” Tell asked and tossed the newspaper on the table.
“But you didn’t dispute the truth of it. Look, maybe you guys have had reconciliation time with him. I haven’t. I haven’t seen the man in three years and I sure as fuck didn’t miss him.”
Brandt’s gaze sharpened. “Why’re you bein’ so hostile about this?”
Two fucking days back here and Dalton was slipping into old patterns. Be enough to make him roar with outrage if he hadn’t gotten a handle on that former tendency too. “I’m not hostile. I’d like to know why it was so all-fired important for me to be here when it’s obvious he doesn’t want me here.”
“You wondering why he don’t want you here?”
No. I already know.
Brandt blew out a frustrated breath. “Look, he’s mentioned over the years he don’t think it’s right that you just up and left your ranch responsibilities to us.”
Dalton shoved his anger down, way down deep. After the mean bastard had all but chased him out of town, he had the fucking balls to talk smack about him to Brandt and Tell?
You’re surprised? He always tried to get you and your brothers to turn on each other.
Pointless. All of it. And he wouldn’t get sucked into an unproductive fight with his brothers because Casper had orchestrated it. He stood and gathered up the newspaper. “You’re right. My hostility, veiled as it may be, is causing problems. So I’ll go. I wouldn’t want to impede Casper’s recovery process.”
Maybe a small part of him was disappointed when his brothers didn’t try and stop him from leaving.
Tell stared at the door that’d banged shut after Dalton’s abrupt departure. “What the fuck is goin’ on with him?”
“Hell if I know,” Brandt said.
“I hate this.” Tell forced himself to flex his fingers, which had balled into fists. “Why won’t he talk to us?”
“I wish I knew.” Brandt got up and started pacing. “I never understood why he took off like he did after the thing with Addie. Something else happened. Something he didn’t tell us then and he ain’t tellin’ us now.”
Tell agreed. He’d gone over that last conversation between Dalton, Brandt and himself a million times. Still made his chest tighten when he remembered how fast it’d happened and everything in their lives had changed.
He and Brandt had shown up at their little brother’s trailer five days after the wedding fiasco at Dalton’s request. He’d taken his lumps for being a runaway groom and the three of them exchanging the good-natured barbs they always did. Then he’d tossed them the keys to his trailer and announced, “Thanks for coming by. Just a heads up that I’m leavin’.”
“What? Why?” Brandt had demanded.
“I don’t fit this place anymore.”
“Bullshit. It’s just a kneejerk reaction,” Tell said.
“I assure you it’s not.” Dalton pointed to his pickup. “I’m packed.” He pointed to the house. “It’s cleared out. Propane is shut off. They’re coming to cut the electricity Monday. The water is turned off. I wanted to say goodbye before I take off.”
“To where?”
Tell had watched as Dalton’s gaze swept the land he’d worked on, cursed at and been part of his entire life. “Anywhere but here.”
“No need to do nothin’ rash because of the Addie situation,” Brandt said. “It will blow over. We’ll help you figure something out that makes more sense than you running off.”
“Look, I appreciate the offer but my mind is made up.”
“Just like that? You didn’t come to us about any of this?” Tell demanded. “You just handled it on your own, like you do everything else? Fuck that, Dalton. You don’t get to leave.”
“Tell, that ain’t helpin’,” Brandt warned.
“I don’t care. This has been building for a while and we all know it. I thought if you settled down with Addie, things would go back to normal between us.”
“Normal…how?” Dalton asked.
“Don’t be a smart ass.”
“I’m not. I’m dead-ass serious,” Dalton said, trying to keep his tone even. “Things haven’t been normal around here since Mom and Casper split up and he got hit by the Jesus stick. We lost our family unit—shitty as it was. We’ve lost out on land. We’ve bought land. We’ve made plans to do something different in agriculture to expand our income base beyond what we’re makin’ as part of the McKay ranch. But I realized it’s all talk.” Dalton held up his hand when Tell started to protest. “Not laying blame. Just stating facts. The feedlot ain’t gonna happen. We’ve got extra acreage but we’re not running more cattle. Haying it does save us feed costs, but I didn’t charm Charlene Fox to become a damn hay farmer.” He paused. “And I get it, all right? You guys have wives and families of your own and you’re settled in. Those plans don’t mean as much to you now as they used to. But I sure as hell can’t implement any of those plans on my own, so I’m gonna take my cue from you two, let it go and move on.”
“So we didn’t do things your way, on your time frame, so you’re showing us how pissed off you are by leavin’ town? That’s pretty freakin’ childish, bro,” Tell said. “Plus, you are part of this ranch. It is your job to hay. Just because you ain’t happy with the work we’re doin’, or the way we’re doin’ it, don’
t mean there ain’t work to be done.”
“My job, huh? When was the last time I helped either of you with chores?” Dalton asked, looking between them. “You don’t know, do you? I do. It’s been over a month. Five weeks and four days. The fact that neither of you noticed I wasn’t around at all during that time just proves you don’t need me around.”
Dumbfounded, Tell said, “Dalton, that ain’t—”
“Let me finish. Jessie helps out. Georgia helps out. Not because they have to; because they want to. That’s what both of you wanted in a wife—a partner who understands ranch life and is a daily part of it. Problem is, there’s nothin’ left for me to do.” Dalton’s jaw tightened. “I’m already known as the youngest McKay. I’m already known as the last single McKay. I sure as fuck won’t be known as the worthless McKay. Which is why I’m leavin’.”
“Tell?” Brandt prompted.
Jerked out of the memory, he opened his eyes and looked at his older brother. “Sorry. What?”
“We have to figure out a way to get Dalton to talk to us,” Brandt said softly. “It’s on us as much as it’s on him that this has gone on so long.”
“I know. Got any ideas on how to get him to open up?”
“Nope. He’s changed. So I don’t think the usual insult him until he fights back way we used to deal with him will work.”
Tell couldn’t even laugh at that. This situation with Dalton was no laughing matter.
Brandt sighed. “Dalton is right about one thing. Sitting here is a waste of time. Let’s go home.”
Rory’s office phone buzzed right before lunch. She checked the line and saw the call was coming from Director Tibke’s office. “This is Rory Wetzler.”
“Rory? Could I see you in my office, please?”
Her stomach did a slow, sick roll. She’d never been called into Director Tibke’s office before. Had she done something wrong? Was she about to get fired?
Relax. Alice in HR does the hiring and firing.
But that didn’t mean Alice couldn’t be lying in wait in Director Tibke’s office.
Redneck Romeo (Rough Riders) Page 5