His Last Rodeo

by Claire McEwen

  She deliberately helped the woman next to him, who’d been waiting longer. Then the guy behind her, and then every other person who might possibly have been there before this curly-haired stranger. Because he was good-looking, confident and with silver hoops threaded through his ears, he looked a little like a pirate. A dangerous man. Her drug. Her downfall.

  Lila was at the other end of the bar and Tyler was swamped with groupies, so Kit had no more excuses not to serve him. “Can I help you?” she asked.

  “Are you sure you don’t want to ask any of these other fine people if they’d care to go before me?” He’d called her bluff, but she could call his right back.

  “Okay.” Suppressing a smile, she turned to the mild-mannered-looking guy who approached the bar. “What can I get you?”

  Her downfall watched her with a slow smile growing on his face, long dimples shadowed under the stubbled growth of his beard. When she’d handed the nice guy his scotch and soda, she turned to the gorgeous man again. “Ready now?” she asked innocently.

  This was fun. She was flirting. Window-shopping, just like she and Tyler had joked about. But this guy was funny, and he was wickedly handsome, so maybe she was ready to do a little more than window-shop.

  “Always ready,” he said, with a tilt to his eyebrows. “I’ll take a shot of Jack Daniel’s. And a pint of that ale you have on tap. The one from June Lake.”

  “Jack Daniel’s and a microbrew,” she commented, reaching for a shot glass and the bottle. “Interesting combination.”

  “I’m a guy with many interests,” he countered. And when she slid the shot toward him, he set his money on the bar and held out his hand. “Ian.”

  She shook, thrilling a little at his warmth and his firm grip. “Kit.”

  “Very nice to meet you, Kit. If I’d known that the most gorgeous woman on the east side of the Sierras worked here, I’d have stopped in a long time ago.”

  She rolled her eyes. “I’ve only known you about thirty seconds, but I still expected a better line than that one.”

  He put his palm to his forehead in mock dismay. “That was really bad, wasn’t it?”

  “Terrible, actually.” She shut off the tap and handed over the pint.

  “Here,” he said. “You’re clearly a very busy woman. Keep the change, and go help some other people. Check back with me in a few minutes. I promise I’ll come up with something better by then.”

  She laughed, charmed by the humor in his dark eyes, the confident humility. “Sure, Ian. Good luck with that.”

  A few of Tyler’s groupies had gotten fed up waiting for him and waved their money at her over the bar. She took their orders and glanced at Ian as she poured vodka into one of the large cocktail shakers. He gave her a nod and lifted his Jack Daniel’s in a brief toast.

  He was hot. And funny. And witty. And he liked her. And maybe she liked him a little, too.

  She glanced at Tyler as he accepted a kiss on the cheek from some girl on the other side of the bar. Yes, she was attracted to him. Just like every woman was. But she wasn’t his type and he wasn’t hers. Plus, it seemed he was doing a little more than window-shopping tonight, too. So she’d get to know Ian a little. Maybe she was ready to get back out there. Ready to try dating again. Maybe Ian was the guy to try it with.

  * * *

  TYLER RESISTED THE urge to wipe the young woman’s lipstick off his cheek in front of her. She’d said she had something to tell him. When he leaned in, listening for a drink order or maybe an autograph request, he’d gotten that kiss instead.

  He handed her the drinks and accepted the tip with thanks. Then grabbed a napkin, stepped into the shadows by the storeroom door and used it to wipe his cheek. Not that he was opposed to kisses, but lately, he’d felt like they should come from the right person. Maybe staying in one place for the first time in years was making him want to settle down.

  Or maybe that was Kit. Because if she leaned in to give him a kiss, he’d be a very happy guy. Not that she would. Because she didn’t see him that way at all.

  “Hey, Tyler.” Relieved that a masculine voice called him, he tossed the pink-stained napkin in the trash and turned to the crowd. His brothers were there, and he high-fived Parker across the bar.

  “Glad you’re here.” He cuffed Miles on the shoulder.

  “We found you a couple horses,” Miles said. “So we’re here for the free beer.”

  Tyler filled two pint glasses and set them on the bar. Parker took a satisfied sip. “That’s good. Haven’t been in here for a long time.”

  “And who knew you had such gorgeous bartenders.” Miles nodded his head toward Lila, who was shaking a cocktail and laughing at some joke Crater was telling at the far end of the bar.

  “She’s taken,” Tyler informed his brother. “Very, very taken.”

  He shrugged. “Just my luck.”

  “Miles has a thing for redheads.” Parker nudged his brother. “Down, boy.” He nodded his head toward Kit. “Is that who I think it is?”

  Tyler wanted to shoot back, “She’s taken, too,” but he couldn’t. Kit was free to do whatever she pleased and right now, it was clear that what pleased her was the dark-haired man in black leather, with a white-toothed smile and the ability to make her laugh whenever she walked near him. Not Tyler’s business. Not a reason for him to go plant his fist between the dude’s eyes, as much as he wanted to. “That’s Kit Hayes.”

  “You two used to be inseparable,” Miles said. “It’s nice that you’re working together.” His brother eyed him shrewdly. “Is that why you spend all your time working?”

  “I spend all my time working because I’m expanding this business,” Tyler shot back.

  “Yeah, right.”

  “Does she know that guy?” Parker tipped his head in the direction of Kit’s admirer.

  “I dunno.” Tyler shrugged with a lot more nonchalance than he felt. “She knows a lot of the people who come in here, but I don’t recognize him.”

  “I think he’s bad news,” Parker said, downing another gulp. “We met him in the parking lot. He asked us if we wanted to buy weed. When we said no, he asked us what we liked. Said he could get anything.”

  Stress coiled in Tyler’s gut. Kit was pouring the guy another shot of JD. He laughed at something she said, but his eyes were on her chest, not her face. The drug-dealing scum wasn’t good enough to even look at her. Or speak to her. Tyler’s hands went to fists at his side.

  “Easy there, bro,” Miles cautioned. “Don’t you have bouncers for this kind of stuff?”

  “Yeah, but I hate to make a scene if I don’t have to. Just give me a minute to deal with him.” He slid past Lila and made his way to Kit’s end of the bar. He tapped Kit gently on the arm. “Can I speak with you?”

  Kit glanced at him, obviously surprised. “It’s crazy tonight. Can we talk later?”

  Her dark eyes had a new sparkle in them. It made him sick to think that a low-life drug dealer put that there. “The guy in the black leather? You need to cut him off. Don’t serve him any more.”

  “What?” She looked shocked, then handed the beers she’d poured to a brunette in a white cowboy hat. She turned so her back was to the drug dealer. “He’s not drinking that much.”

  “Trust me, just cut him off. We need to get him out of here.” He’d leaned close to speak, so the guy wouldn’t hear, but it was a mistake. She smelled like vanilla and spices. He took a step back.

  Lila brushed by with a tray of empties. “What are you two arguing about?”

  “Tyler’s trying to kick that guy out of here. He hasn’t done anything,” Kit hissed.

  Lila glanced at the dealer. “Good,” she said simply.

  Kit flashed an outraged glare at her friend. “What do you have against him?”

  The smile Lila flas
hed her was sweet, but Tyler saw steel underneath. “Because the last thing you need is Arch Hoffman Part Two. And that’s exactly who that guy is.” Lila marched off to the sink in the back. Kit stared after her.

  Tyler hated to pile on the bad news, but she deserved an explanation. “He tried to sell my brothers drugs out in the parking lot. I’m sorry, Kit, but I can’t let him stay.”

  Her pale skin went paler and Tyler grabbed her elbow. “Are you okay?”

  “I need some air.” Her voice was choked, and she yanked off her apron and shoved it into his hands.

  She stepped into the crowd and her black-haired friend rose as if to follow her. Kit, in high-heeled cowboy boots, only came up to the guy’s chest. But her hand, raised palm-up toward his face, sent a clear message. “Don’t follow me,” she said to the drug dealer, and pushed her way through the crowd and out the front door.

  The guy looked at Tyler, hands raised in a helpless gesture. “What did I do?”

  “You dealt drugs in my parking lot,” Tyler answered, stepping around the bar so they were face-to-face. “So I’m asking you to leave my property and not come back.”

  The guy looked a lot less handsome when anger and pride twisted his features. “It’s a crappy little bar anyway, man.” He shoved out through the crowd.

  Tyler followed, quickly letting Ernie and Loomis know what the deal was. “Loomis, did I hear a rumor that you fill in behind the bar sometimes?”

  “Not if I can help it,” Loomis answered. “You need me to?”

  “I gotta check on Kit,” Tyler said. “Can you go back there for a few minutes?”

  “Sure, boss.” Loomis paused. “Did that guy do anything to Kit? Because I can go after him.” He didn’t need to explain more. “I’ll crush him” was loud and clear in the bouncer’s posture.

  “He hurt her pride a little. Nothing more,” Tyler assured him. He clapped the big man on the shoulder. “Thanks.”

  Tyler stepped out into the parking lot to see a big black pickup peel away. Probably the indignant drug dealer. Good riddance.

  There was no sign of Kit, so he walked around the side of the building, picking his way through the darkness. She was there, a darker shadow sitting on the shadowed picnic table. “Hey,” he called. “It’s Tyler.”

  She watched as he approached. He stopped, wary, a few feet away. “I wanted to make sure you’re okay.”

  “I’m fine. I just needed a breath of air.”

  “I’m sorry that guy came in tonight.”

  She sighed. “It’s not your fault. It’s just part of bartending.”

  “I guess so. Want to take the rest of the night off?”

  She looked at him as if he was crazy. “No. I’m not some delicate flower who’s going to fall apart because some bad man came into the bar. I just needed to get some air.”

  “I don’t like you sitting out there alone in the dark. What if he comes back?”

  “Then I’ll happily kick his ass. Just like I did yours that first night.”

  He couldn’t argue with that. “Okay then. I’ll just go on in. Unless you want to talk.”

  “I don’t.”

  He got up to go.

  “Wait.” Her voice was quiet in the dark. “Can I ask you something?”

  “Sure, of course.”

  “When you look at me, what do you see?”

  He was instantly wary. “Is this one of those trick questions? Like when someone asks if they look fat?”

  “It’s just a question. What do you see? Because obviously, screwed-up guys like Arch, or this guy tonight, Ian, they see something in me that they really like. I’m trying to figure out what it is.”

  He wasn’t sure how much to tell her. Because some of what he saw when he looked at her wasn’t G-rated. Definitely not what a boss should see. But that wasn’t what she needed to hear. “Well, first of all, you’re tough and independent and capable of taking care of yourself. And since guys like Ian must realize, on some level, that they’re totally messed up, maybe they feel drawn to someone like you, who solves problems and gets stuff done.”

  She watched him warily, as if trying to figure out whether he was telling the truth. “You’re beautiful, of course. You must realize that. But the way you dress, the tattoos, it’s all a little edgy. And it seems logical that edgy guys like edgy-looking women.”

  He watched the doubt cross her features. Remembered how the guy she’d loved forever had chosen someone else. “You’re totally beautiful, Kit. Please trust me on that.”

  Her laugh was a little forlorn and he was surprised to hear a hint of tears in it. It loosed something in him. He hated her feeling this bad. So he kept talking. “You have no idea how much energy you bring when you walk into a room. Haven’t you noticed how every head turns? And not just because you’re so pretty, but because you’re funny and you take charge. And because you take care of everyone.”

  She shook her head. “You’re being nice.”

  “No, I’m being honest.”

  “So if I’m as great as you say I am, why am I drawn to guys like this?”

  A crescent moon was hanging in the sky, just above the ridgeline. He studied it a moment, thinking. “Maybe it’s like we talked about the other night. Because they’re dangerous and risky. Maybe you can sense that and you’re attracted to it.”

  She sighed. “Great. I have a sixth sense for drug dealers.”

  “Or maybe you see dating as a way to have adventures. To do something a little wild. It’s your eight seconds on the bull.”

  She looked at him wide-eyed. “What do you mean?”

  “Maybe dating guys like Arch or that guy is the way you get your adrenaline rush. Like bull riding is for me.”

  “So you’re saying my life is boring, and I look for guys to make it exciting.”

  The idea obviously upset her, so he sat next to her on the bench, putting an arm around her to offer comfort. “Look, there’s nothing wrong with looking for that kind of rush. I just think that if you crave some kind of excitement in your life, you have to be careful where you get it from. I’ve seen guys quit the rodeo, then start drinking or doing drugs, because they’re trying to re-create the way they felt during that eight second ride in the arena.”

  She leaned her head on his shoulder and he allowed himself a moment to breathe in her perfume. He could live on it, it smelled that good. “You’re gonna be okay, Kit. Don’t be hard on yourself because you flirted with the wrong guy.”

  She put her arm around his back and tucked herself closer under his arm. Maybe she was cold. Maybe she didn’t even realize she was doing it. But Tyler wasn’t complaining. It felt amazing to sit with her like this. Like this was how they should always be. He pressed a gentle kiss to her hair, unable to resist the silken feel of it against his mouth.

  “I’ve been reading all those self-help books. Trying to understand so much. But I feel like I’ll never get it. That I wouldn’t recognize the right kind of guy if he was standing in front of me holding a big sign with Mr. Right written on it.”

  And it hit him, right there, that he was that guy with the sign. He’d known it on some level for weeks. Next to her, every woman he’d ever met paled in comparison. He’d never wanted a committed relationship before. He’d traveled too much. Been too focused on his career to give love a whole lot of thought. But Kit was different for him. Kit was it for him.

  He let out the breath he’d been holding, wondering what to do next. Now that he knew his feelings, every cell wanted to blurt them out. It would be so easy to tip her chin up, to kiss her lush mouth the way he’d been wanting to ever since he saw her again. To see if she’d let him touch her in all the ways he’d dreamed of.

  But there was too much at stake for him to get this wrong. He needed Kit’s help to make this renovation happen. He
needed her expertise, her great ideas, her way of seeing them through.

  And she and Garth needed the money they’d get from this partnership she and Tyler had formed. If he told her how he felt, and she didn’t feel the same way, he could ruin everything, for all of them.

  So yeah, he was the guy holding the sign, but he couldn’t show it to her. Not yet. But he could spend more time with her. And try to help her feel better, if she’d let him. “What about trying something different that doesn’t involve guys in leather jackets hitting on you in the bar?”

  “What did you have in mind?” That breathy, teasing note was back in her voice, and when she tilted her head to look at him, it took a good chunk of his self-control not to drop his lips to hers.

  “Ethan offered to take me rock climbing tomorrow morning. You want to come?”

  “You think I should climb up a cliff?”

  “Why not? It’s exciting and it’s better than dating losers. You might even like it.”

  She gave him that solemn, studying look he was getting used to. He tried again. “Meet us here at seven tomorrow morning. Wear shorts or leggings or something. And shoes you can hike in. Lila’s going, too, so I’m sure you can borrow her climbing shoes.”

  “What if I fall?”

  “There are ropes to catch you.”

  “What if I get hurt?”

  “I’ll bring bandages.” He pulled her a little closer in a bracing hug. “Plus, you’re tough. You’ll heal. Or you’ll find a self-help book to read, and then you’ll heal.”

  She giggled. “Healing Your Broken Ankle. It sounds like a fascinating read.”

  She’d gotten him smiling again, just like she always did, and it was balm for this new angst in his heart. “I’m sure it’s a bestseller. Right up there with Romance on the Rocks.”

  Her laugh crackled through the quiet night. “Or how about Hitting the Wall?” She pulled her arm away from his waist and stood. “We’ve got to get back in there.”