Redneck Romeo (Rough Riders)

by Lorelei James

  It appeared Rory wasn’t letting him off the hook. “You’re talkin’ like this is something that just came up.”

  “But it did just come up when you returned to Sundance.”

  “So the fact I’ve known you since you were a bratty, pigtailed six-year-old doesn’t hold any weight with you?”

  Rory stabbed her salad. “I’m no more the bratty six-year-old than I am the virginal eighteen-year-old, or the big-mouthed twenty-two-year-old that you used to know. You’re trying to convince me that you’ve changed?” She looked at him. “So have I.”

  “I realize that.”

  “Oh yeah? Maybe that’s what you oughta be proving to me. Not that you’ve changed, but in the few times we’ve seen each other you’ve noticed the changes in me.”

  Dalton gestured for her to bring-it-on while he forked a chunk of iceberg lettuce into his mouth.

  “Name three things about me that are different from three years ago. And any cosmetic changes aren’t an acceptable answer,” she warned.

  Dalton sipped his tea. “If I do this are you willing to do the same for me? And admit I’ve changed?”

  “Sure. But only if I agree your three guesses are accurate.”

  “I ain’t gonna be guessing, ’cause sugarplum, I know that’s what scares you.” He paused with his fork midair. “There’s a melancholy in you that’s never been visible before. Maybe it’s always been there and you’ve been good at hiding it, but now I see it.” He said, “How’d I do?” before he shoveled in a bite of cucumber.

  “Better than I expected.” She sliced a cherry tomato in half. “Are you waiting for an explanation for my supposed melancholy?”

  “Nope. The more time we spend together, the better my chance to figure it out myself. Besides, I’ve got two chances left to wow you with my insight into you.”

  “Bring it.”

  “You’re not as quick to anger as you used to be.”

  “What makes you say that?”

  Funny how she’d snapped that question at him. “You only punched me once when I ambushed you at the Twin Pines.” He smirked. “Before? You’d’ve gotten at least another shot in.”

  “That doesn’t count because I was shocked to see you and off my game.”

  Dalton lifted an eyebrow.

  Rory fidgeted. “I’ll admit I have mellowed some.”

  “Got you down cold, don’t I?”

  “Don’t get cocky, McKay. You still have one answer to go.”

  “You marked an occasion in your life with a tattoo.”

  Her mouth fell open. “How did you know that?”

  “I didn’t. But I suspected.” Dalton leaned forward. “What is it? A heart? A flower? A butterfly? An Asian symbol?”

  “I’m not telling you. And since that is a cosmetic change, it doesn’t count. Try again.”

  “I noticed you stopped biting your nails.”

  He watched as she automatically curled her fingers into her palms. “You’ve always had ripped cuticles and short nails. Now you don’t.”

  The waitress delivered their main course and conversation ceased. It wasn’t uncomfortable silence, just contemplative.

  They must’ve been hungry because the food disappeared fast.

  “Now before you start in on the changes in me, I want you to tell me three things about you that I don’t know. Big. Small. Funny.” He flashed her a grin. “Sexy.”

  “Oh, I can do sexy.” She lowered her voice to a throaty purr. “I like to wear matching lingerie. Doesn’t have to be the high-end stuff, but my bra and my panties have to match.” She took a quick look around the restaurant before she started to undo the buttons on her blouse. “Today I wanted to feel feminine so I chose this red number.” Watching his avid eyes, she let her finger trace the satin piping of the bra cup across the mound of her breast.

  Dalton made a low sound in the back of his throat.

  “In spite of the pretty packaging, this one offers a lot of support. Which makes the girls beg to be noticed.” Rory kept gliding her finger up and down over the swell.

  “I’m likin’ this bolder side of you, Rory.” He gazed into her eyes. “Is it just a tease or is it real?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “What would you do if I sat beside you and ran my tongue along that line? Would you push me away? Or would you arch your back and offer me more?” Dalton leaned forward. “Would you let me slip my hand into your pants so I could see for myself that your panties matched your bra?”

  Flustered, Rory buttoned up her blouse. “I’ll save you the trouble. It’s a red thong.”

  Not so bold after all, are you, sweetheart? But you wanna be and I can work with that.

  They stared at each other, both of them breathing hard. There’d never been this intensity between them before. Not even the times they’d been naked together.

  “What are you thinkin’ about, jungle girl?”

  “Underwear,” she blurted. “Whether you wear boxers or briefs.”

  “Boxers. Tell me something else about you I don’t know.”

  She paused. “I teach a yoga class at the community center on Monday nights.”

  “Yoga, huh? Did you learn that from your mom?”

  Rory rolled her eyes. “She can’t stand still long enough. I enrolled in a class in college, loved it and I’ve been doing it ever since. Got my teacher’s certificate just for fun. There weren’t any classes available here so I started one.”

  “So technically you’re not down to one job if you’re still teaching yoga.”

  “Teaching yoga isn’t a job. It saves my sanity.”

  “Anyone can come to your class?”

  “Yeah. Why?”

  Dalton shrugged. “Never tried it. Might be interesting.”

  “Challenging,” she corrected.

  He shoved his plate aside. “Tell me something you haven’t told anyone.”

  “Why are we still playing twenty questions?”

  “You claimed we don’t know each other. I’m aiming to learn everything I can about you. So quit stalling. Answer the question.”

  “Some days I feel like a prisoner to my college degrees and wish I would’ve done another field of study.” She froze. “Shit. Sorry. I didn’t mean to say that. Forget it.”

  “Hey.” Dalton picked up her hand. “You don’t have to apologize or pretend with me. I won’t tell anyone what we’ve talked about.”

  Her defiant gaze burned into him. “Like you kept the secret about my mom’s financial troubles when she ran the B&B? Oh, right, you went running to Tell with that information as soon as possible. And you also told your cousin Ben. So I’d really rather you forgot what I just said because I don’t need my boss getting wind of my feelings because of your loose lips.”

  Dalton had clenched his teeth so hard the muscle on the left side of his jaw rippled.

  He collected himself and while he did that, he ran the ragged edge of his thumb over her knuckles in a soothing manner. Was he calming her down? Or himself?

  Keep focused. She’s baiting you to see if you lose your cool like you used to.

  “How about I ignore that outburst and tell you three differences about me. I can claim I’ve changed until I’m blue in the face and you still won’t believe me, which is why I’m gonna prove it.

  “First off, I don’t blab all to my family. I hadn’t done that for a while even before I left here. And yes, that is one claim I can prove. My brothers didn’t know I’d been livin’ in Montana.”

  “Were you mad at them or something?”

  “No. I just liked havin’ my own thing, my own space. Far as they knew I was a wanderer. Second—”

  “You’re a deliberate thinker,” Rory interjected. “You used to say the first thing that popped into your head. Now you factor other things into your response instead of just blurting out whatever you want.”

  Dalton grinned. Then he kissed her hand. “You noticed. Awesome.”

  “How long did it take yo
u to change that about yourself?”

  “Still an ongoing process. I got tired of bein’ known as a loudmouth. It’s amazing how much more I’ve learned when I shut my mouth and listen.”

  “Lastly…” Rory tapped her fingers on the table and studied his face. “You don’t need to be surrounded by people. You’re not afraid to be by yourself. You can’t deny that you never liked your own company. I always knew when your brothers or cousins didn’t want to hang out with you because you came looking for me.”

  “While you’re right about me learning to like bein’ by myself and letting go of the circus of fools that surrounded me all the time, you’re wrong about the last thing. You never were my last choice, Rory. Then or now.”

  That flustered her.

  Good.

  “Would either of you care for dessert?” the waitress asked.

  “What are the choices?”

  “Pumpkin cheesecake, apple strudel pie, lemon honey cake, peanut butter pie, chocolate caramel brownie. Or we’ve got ice cream.”

  Rory’s eyes took on a devious gleam. “Sugar pie, honey bun, doll face, knowing my tastes so well, which dessert would you pick for me?”

  A challenge. “Depends on if you’re planning on sharing or if this is just strictly your treat.”

  “No sharing.”

  “Ah, there pops out the mine demand of an only child. So I’ll say…the peanut butter pie.”

  Her look of surprise was classic.

  Dalton smiled at the waitress. “But go ahead and bring us two forks.”

  “How did you know?” she demanded. “Was it just a lucky guess?”

  He kissed the inside of her wrist. “Nope.”

  “Let go of my hand.”

  That demand only made him slide his lips farther up to nibble on the soft inner flesh of her forearm.

  “You are trying to fluster me, aren’t you?”

  “Yep.” But she didn’t remove her hand from his. “So I believe it was my turn to tell you three things about me that you don’t know. Big. Small. Funny.” He sank his teeth into the base of her thumb. “Sexy.”

  Rory made a soft noise.

  “Here’s a small thing. I keep a hundred dollar bill in my truck and another one folded up in my wallet. I’ve never used them but they’re there if I need them.”

  “Is that because you didn’t have enough money for something at one time and it embarrassed you?”

  “I can’t trace it to a specific incident, but probably.”

  “Interesting.” She pulled their joined hands closer and rubbed her lips across his knuckles. The entire side of his body broke out in goose bumps. “Tell me something sexy, McKay.”

  “How sexy we talkin’?”

  “As explicit as you wanna get.”

  “When I was in Amsterdam, I hired a lesbian prostitute. For twenty-four hours she taught me everything about sexually satisfying a woman. And I mean everything.”

  Her eyes widened. Her mouth opened and closed. Then she said, “Are you serious?”

  “Nope.”

  She dropped his hand. “That was…”

  “Funny, actually.”

  “No, it was not!”

  “Come on, Rory. Admit it’s a little funny.”

  Her lips quirked. “Okay. It was a tiny bit funny.”

  The waitress dropped off the pie.

  Rory immediately snatched both forks. “For that lesbian hooker story, you lost pie. If you behave yourself, I might give you a little taste.” She sliced off a forkful and popped it in her mouth. “Mmm.”

  He growled, “You’re gonna torture me. Makin’ sex noises while you’re eating that pie.”

  “Sex noises?” she asked innocently.

  “Sex noises like you’ll make when my mouth is buried in your pussy. When I’m licking up every bit of your sweet cream and then when I go back for another bite. And another because I’m positive I won’t be able to get enough of the slice of heaven between your thighs.”

  Rory sliced off a huge piece of pie and held it up to his lips. “I’m gonna love hearing that deep growly voice whispering sexy things in my ear when you’re making me moan those sex noises. But for now, how about if we stop teasing each other because it’s bound to get us into all sorts of trouble in a public place.”

  He grinned. That was Rory’s way of telling him he’d passed her I’ve changed test. “I agree.” He let her feed him the pie.

  “So were you really in Amsterdam?”

  “Yep. Wasn’t my favorite place, but I had a good time.”

  “Where was your favorite place?”

  “Lloret de Mar in Spain.” Dalton started talking about his travels. Then Rory told him about her experiences overseas and they completely lost track of time.

  The waitress pointed out the lights were off in Dewey’s, and she showed them the door.

  “First time we’ve closed down a restaurant.”

  “Far more fun than closing down a bar.” He took her hand as they walked to his truck.

  “I’ll definitely have a clear memory of tonight.”

  At her house he left his truck running so he wouldn’t be tempted to stay, but he walked her to the gate. “Thank you for today. For all your help and hanging out. I had a great time.”

  “Me too. Do you, ah, want to come in?”

  “Yes.” Dalton twisted a strand of her hair around his finger. “More than anything. But I’m gonna turn around, get in my truck and go home instead.”

  “Okay.”

  He pressed his lips to hers. “I’m goin’.”

  “Uh-huh.”

  Another kiss. “Seriously.”

  “I believe you.”

  The sweet kisses ended and he damn near inhaled her.

  Jingle raced out the doggie door and barked at them.

  Dalton broke the kiss. “Helluva guard dog, Rory.”

  She laughed.

  “I’ll see you this week.”

  Chapter Nine

  Rory couldn’t believe it when Dalton waltzed into her yoga class at the community center.

  She just about swallowed her tongue seeing him in a black tank top and baggy athletic shorts, his feet bare, his hair just a little too shaggy, dark stubble on his face, those damn dimples and a gleam in his ridiculously blue eyes. The man looked like a rogue pirate. A hot pirate, with thickly muscled arms and a broad chest. When he stretched his arms above his head and his shirt rode up, she noticed that sexy cut of muscle on either side of his hips. She envisioned herself dropping to her knees and following that deep line with her tongue.

  And yep, she caught a glimpse of his abs. Whoa. Did he have a six-pack, an eight-pack, or my god…was that a twelve-pack of abs?

  No. Fucking. Way. Now she really wanted a closer look.

  The other ladies in the class were taking a serious gander at the delicious Dalton. It’d be all over town tomorrow that a macho McKay male had attended a women’s yoga class. Then again, a McKay being surrounded by swooning women wasn’t exactly news.

  That thought annoyed her. Rory marched up to him and completely invaded his space. “What are you doing here?”

  “Takin’ your advice. You said if I wanted to get to know you, I’d show interest in what matters to you. So I’m here ready to be bent to your will, Teach.”

  “Do you have any idea what goes on in a yoga class?”

  “Nope. That’s why I’m counting on you to show me all your moves.” Dalton’s gaze dropped to her mouth. “With your lips this close I’m tempted to give you one of them bully-kisses you’re so fond of.”

  Rory took a step back. “Not happening. There are yoga mats in the corner. Grab one so we can get started.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  She whirled around and walked to the front of the gym. When she faced the group, Dalton flashed her a very male grin. Then she watched as Lou-Ann handed him her pink yoga mat and trotted to the back of the room to get another one for herself.

  Unreal.

  “Wel
come, everyone. Since we have a new member in our midst tonight, I feel it’s important to go over the rules. First rule. No talking. This isn’t a social activity. Second rule. If your muscles become fatigued during a pose, drop into downward-facing dog or child’s pose. Please don’t pack up your belongings and interrupt class by leaving. Third rule. Remember to breathe.” Rory smiled at the sixteen regular class attendees. “Let’s get started.”

  Tempting not to explain any of the warm-up exercises, or demonstrate the resting poses, but her class motto had always been “all who enter are welcome”.

  Including the man who’s only here so he can get into your yoga pants?

  Yes.

  Maybe she ought to modify that motto on the flyer.

  Rory sat cross-legged at the top of her mat, hands resting palms up on her thighs. She demonstrated the uji breathing technique before she segued into basic stretches.

  Then they were on their feet performing sun salutations. Four sets of each series got the blood pumping and the sweat rolling. She talked them through standard standing poses. While she started the second set, her advanced students worked through backbends.

  “Now we’ll move to basic triangle and work on all triangle poses before we switch to hip openers.” Rory shot a look at Dalton.

  His face was bright red. Sweat coated his arms and damp rings darkened his tank top. He looked like he was in pain. But he also wore the determined look she recognized.

  So she hid her smirk and kept going.

  During the last round, she wandered through the class, making adjustments to individuals’ postures.

  Dalton struggled—like so many did in the beginning—with the basic downward-facing dog pose.

  She stopped in front of him.

  He immediately dropped to his knees, breath choppy. He sent her a questioning look from beneath those thick black eyelashes.

  “Watch how I get into proper position.” Rory placed her palms flat on the floor and hiked her hips up, while rolling her shoulders down and back as she dropped her heels to the floor. She spoke in a low tone. “Now breathe in for three counts and exhale for three counts.” As soon as she finished, she said, “Your turn.”

  His upper body strength was impressive but he had little flexibility in those massive shoulders.