All Hat No Cattle: A Red Hot and BOOM! Story

by Randi Alexander

  That surprised her. He never mentioned farming. “Do you get back there often?”

  “Some.”

  She waited for more, but nothing followed that one word. Maybe he was getting sick of her and her whole friend thing. The thought worried her.

  He didn’t speak until they reached the door of the inn.

  “See you tomorrow?” She looked up at him.

  His eyes, shadowed under his hat, gave nothing away. “Wouldn’t miss it.” He touched his hat brim.

  She took the cue and walked into the hotel lobby. In her room, she washed off her makeup and changed into shorts and a cami top.

  It took her a few minutes to verify everything for the event the next day, then she was faced with that blank screen again. “Why would you research him if you were truly planning to be just friends?”

  Curiosity ate at her. What would she find if she searched his name? He had some kind of secret, something he didn’t want her to know. She probably wouldn’t have caught his hesitation if she hadn’t taken that course in body language and vocal patterns.

  Shutting her laptop, she tapped her fingers on the case. She probably would never see him again after this weekend, so spending time worrying about him was just plain stupid.

  Why did the thought of never holding Shaw’s hand again make her anxious as heck?

  ****

  Shaw wandered back to the bar, feeling the loss of Harper by his side. As they’d walked through the parking lot toward the inn, he’d been torn between maintaining this friendship bullshit and grabbing her in his arms and making her admit she wanted him as much as he wanted her.

  He could see the desire in her eyes, in the way her breath caught whenever he touched her, in the little shivers that raced through her when he leaned close to her.

  She was so sweet and funny with the guys, kind to those little girls at the parade, and painfully honest about her goals—and his lack of a place in her plans.

  He almost felt guilty, the way he withheld the truth from her when she asked about his family. Telling himself again and again that this was the best way to play this, was beginning to get old. He adjusted his jeans, making room for the perpetual semi-hardness behind his fly. Getting damn old.

  He’d give her until Saturday night to break and admit she wanted him. He wasn’t letting her leave Sunday without telling her the truth about his ranch. Shaw didn’t care much how he accomplished it, he wanted her to be part of his world.

  He liked her. She liked him. The sexual draw between them was epic. Just her goddamn rule against cowboys with no cows...

  He walked into the bar, hoping his buddies were ready to head out. He didn’t feel much like drinking tonight. He needed sleep, and maybe the chance to dream about her.

  “There he is!” Huck’s voice reached Shaw from across the bar. “Harper’s friend.”

  Shaw stopped dead. Shit. What had she told them? He didn’t need this. Holding up one middle finger, he turned and walked out, ready to make the mile walk back to the hotel. After five minutes, headlights hit him in the back and didn’t move past.

  “Need a ride, friend?”

  Shaw turned, looking at Dax’s dumb-ass grin from the passenger window. “That’ll be the last reference, or there’s going to be a fist involved.”

  Dax held up his hands. “Okay, okay. Get in.”

  Shaw opened the back door and Pete slid over. “You gotta at least tell us your plan for Harper so we can help. She’s a keeper.”

  She was definitely a keeper. Shaw got in the truck and Huck pulled into traffic. “How do I know I can trust you asses?” He smirked at his buddies.

  “Son...” Dax turned to look at him. “We want you off the market. Gives the rest of us a fair chance.”

  Shaw let out a long breath. He would open up to them some, but there was no chance of him telling them about why she was pushing him away. It’d sound shallow to the guys if they knew it was because he didn’t have the right job. But it wasn’t shallow. Was it?

  “Shit. I don’t know what I’m doin’.”

  “We know.” Huck laughed. “Friends with the hottest babe we’ve ever seen you with? You got problems, boy.”

  ****

  At one-thirty the next afternoon, the four of them drove to the park in the middle of town. A portable stage sat at the edge of the trees, facing rows of folding chairs. On the stage, musicians tuned instruments and banged on drums.

  The guys wandered off to the beer tent and Shaw looked around for Harper.

  Pacing across the grass behind the stage, she turned sharply, holding her phone to her ear. Her lips were pressed tight together.

  This didn’t look good.

  He headed that way.

  An older man sat at a table, tapping a pencil on the tabletop as he stared at Harper.

  Shaw stopped halfway between them, straining to hear what Harper was saying. He caught a few words.

  “...twenty-five minutes...”

  “...we will still need you to produce them...”

  The man at the table got to his feet and walked over to her, looming nearly a foot taller than her. “What’s going on now?”

  Harper held up a hand to stop him, and the man’s face turned red. She spoke into the phone. “What do you mean the ink’s still wet? You’ve had months to print the signs.” She listened for a minute and rubbed her forehead. “You’re loading the signs in your delivery truck right now, is that what you’re telling me?” Her gaze met Shaw’s, and she tried to paste on a smile. It didn’t work.

  “All right. How far away are you?” She paused. “What?” Her voice rose to nearly a squeak. “North Dakota? You’ll never get here in time.” Swallowing hard, Harper closed her eyes for a long moment. “I’m sorry, too. You’ll be hearing from my company’s accountants.” She pressed a button on her phone and dropped it into her pocket.

  The man standing next to her shook her head. “This is a major screw-up, Ms. Johansen.”

  Shaw walked closer, standing near Harper to support her.

  The man looked at him, frowning.

  She pulled a folded paper from her pocket. “Mr. Evenson, I’ve been in contact with the printer every day this week. I’ll send you my e-mails and their replies—”

  “That won’t be necessary. It’s a brand new company, but they swore they could deliver.” The man shrugged. “It’s not your fault.”

  She took a breath and looked at the paper. “I need to ask why you suggested I order from a printer in North Dakota instead of someone local?”

  The man seemed embarrassed. “They came in with the lowest bid, but evidently they’re just not equipped for this big of an order.”

  She checked her watch. “The event is due to start in less than a half hour. Do you have any suggestions, Mr. Evenson?”

  The man rattled off a few ideas, but none of them seemed feasible.

  Harper blinked rapidly, her breathing growing shallow.

  “Hang on.” Shaw had seen a store downtown. “I’ll be back in fifteen minutes.”

  Chapter Five

  “Shaw?” Her voice sounded small and frustrated.

  He winked at her. “Trust me.” Running toward where the guys were drinking beer and talking to women, he went right to Huck. “Need your truck keys. Harper’s got a mess happening, and I think I know a way to help.”

  “I’m going with.” Dax dropped his half-full beer in the trash. Huck and Pete did the same. “What’s up?”

  Shaw got them running. “I’ll tell you in the truck.”

  Seventeen minutes later, the guys walked up to Harper, arms full of three-feet square foamcore boards, giant markers in four colors, tape, and even some glue and glitter.

  Harper’s face beamed with a gorgeous smile. “You guys are the best.” She cleared off a table and they set everything down. “Where did you find all this?”

  Shaw moved closer to her, his chest swelling with pride at being the reason for her smile. “I saw an arts and crafts store on our
way here. Their door stood open and a big Come On In! sign sat out front.”

  “You’re a genius.” She frowned slightly as she picked up a marker. “Okay, how am I going to...”

  “I made some signs when I took graphic arts classes.” Pete picked up a marker, too. “I’ve got decent printing.”

  “Pete’s one hell of an artist.” Shaw nodded at his friend. “Harper, you’re going to want to hire him to do signs every year.”

  Pete shook his head. “Available only in emergencies, ma’am.”

  She touched his arm. “Thank you, Pete. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate this.” Her gaze touched on each of the men, locking at last with Shaw’s. “All of you, thanks.”

  His heart thudded a few times. He’d do just about anything for this woman.

  “Okay, enough mushy looks.” Dax knocked on the table. “What do you need first?”

  She pulled a paper out of her pocket. “Let’s do the bands first. They’re the most important.”

  ****

  An hour later, Harper sat next to Shaw on chairs he’d pulled back a ways from the audience watching the last band perform at the music showdown.

  The signs Pete had produced were a hit, especially when Harper added a little glitter to the female singers’ names.

  “I just don’t know how to thank you, Shaw.” She wouldn’t have been able to do this on her own. “You really pulled my ass out of the fire.”

  Shaw slung his arm across the back of her chair. “You’ve thanked me about fifty times, Harper. You’re welcome.” He leaned in a bit. “And as for your ass...”

  Even though he was teasing, her breath caught at the desire in his eyes. “Don’t say it.” She looked away, but his touch across her back heated her, sending sparks down low into her belly.

  Pete, Huck and Dax congregated around the beer truck, talking to women, of course.

  “At least let me buy you all supper before the rodeo tonight.” Harper glanced up into Shaw’s beautiful eyes.

  “I’m happy to let you buy me a steak, Miss Harper. And I’ll ask the guys, but I’m guessin’ they’re gonna want to stick with those honeys they’re spending all their money on.”

  “I’m still going to ask them.” She gathered her clipboard from under her chair. “Then I’ll finish up backstage and we can go find the biggest ribeye this county has ever seen.”

  “I’ll be here.” His smile showed his white teeth. Harper had never noticed before, but one of his front teeth was just a bit crooked. Somehow, that made her heart flip-flop. She really liked this man.

  She stood quickly and walked away, her stomach jittering. Why couldn’t she shake the feeling Shaw was becoming more important to her than she’d planned?

  As she walked up to the beer truck, the guys greeted her.

  “Can I buy you all a steak to thank you for your help today?” She glanced at the ladies by their sides. “Your dates are welcome, too.”

  Dax stared behind her, then frowned. “Uh, no thanks, Harper. You and Shaw go on ahead.”

  She turned and spotted Shaw looking too innocent.

  “Okay, but I owe you one.” She smiled at each of them. “Thanks again.”

  They touched their hat brims, mumbling “Welcome,” as she walked away.

  They would have been a buffer between her and the attraction she felt for Shaw, but she could stay strong. She hoped.

  After thanking the musicians and promoters of the event, she turned to find Shaw leaning against a tree, watching her.

  What made her so crazy for him? His touch lit her on fire. His gaze puckered her nipples. His smile made her want more than she ought to be wanting.

  She wandered his way, wishing she could just let go, drag him back to her room and give in to the wicked ideas that ran through her mind when she was with him.

  Harper had resisted this long. She could hold off another day and a half. “Ready?”

  “Can we use your car?” Shaw stood and took her hand. “I have an idea.” He got them walking, the glint in his eye demonic.

  “Yeah, I bet you do. It’s supper. That’s all.” She had to bite back a smile.

  “How about a little gambling, too?”

  “Gambling?” She didn’t indulge much, but it would be fun to do with Shaw.

  “Let’s run down to Deadwood. Gamble a little, find a nice steak house.”

  That meant a half-hour drive there and back, alone in the car with him, plus a few hours in Deadwood together. He’d been a gentleman since she’d declared them friends, and the alternative was a dull afternoon alone. “Sure.” She pulled her keys out of her pocket.

  “I’ll drive.” He held out his hand.

  “Sorry. Company car.” She smirked and jingled the keys. “You get to ride shotgun.” How was he going to like being driven around by her?

  “Fair enough.” He opened her door for her, then went around and got in the passenger side, taking off his hat to accommodate the lack of headroom. “Now I get to enjoy the scenery.” His eyes slowly roamed over her body.

  Chills pebbled her skin wherever his gaze touched. She stared through the windshield. “Oh, please.” She pulled away from the curb. “Do any of your lines work?”

  He barked a laugh. “Evidently not.”

  The drive was beautiful, and Shaw pointed out interesting landmarks. They stopped at the cemetery first and visited the graves of Calamity Jane and Wild Bill Hickok. As they stood looking at a grave marker, Shaw took her hand.

  Her body melted a few degrees, leaning closer to him of its own volition.

  He tipped his head, slid a bent finger under her chin and tilted her face up toward his. “I’m glad you decided to come with me.” He dropped his hand. “This is one of the few places I feel...I don’t know...spiritual?”

  She blinked a few times, staring into his eyes. There was no one around, a quick kiss wouldn’t hurt anyone, would it?

  He didn’t move closer, but his breathing grew faster. Was he waiting for her to make the first move?

  She drew back, looking around the cemetery. “Spiritual, like in ghosts?” Harper had to swallow to regain her composure.

  “Something like that.” He tugged her down the hill. “C’mon. Let’s go waste some of our hard-earned money.”

  At the casino, Harper demonstrated her favorite penny slot machine. Shaw sat next to her, trying to keep up. They both lost ten dollars.

  Shaw stood. “No more machines. Let’s do the real thing.” He dragged her to a blackjack table and attempted to teach her how to play.

  As her pile of chips grew, and Shaw’s decreased, he gave her his last chip. “You’ve got to be the luckiest woman in South Dakota.”

  “I think I am.” Her gaze locked with his and her cheeks heated. She’d said the words as a joke, but their meaning hit her as something entirely different. “Okay, let’s go.” She scooped up her chips. “This’ll pay for supper.”

  Two hours later, Harper paid for their three-course steak dinners and they sat back, both stuffed full.

  “I have an idea.” Shaw’s eyes did that twinkling thing again. “Let’s skip the rodeo tonight and see the rest of the town.”

  She stared down at her empty dessert plate. “Tempting. But I have to work.” Tempting because she was fighting a losing battle with the friendship rule she’d put in place between them.

  He sat forward and she lifted her gaze.

  “Somethin’ going on tonight?”

  Shaking her head, she slung her purse strap over her shoulder. “I need to be in my seat.”

  He waited a few seconds, then looked away, his jaw tight.

  She’d offended him by not asking him to sit with her, but that would mean they’d have spent almost the whole day together. And while that sounded like the perfect scenario, it wasn’t healthy for either of them and their tentative friendship. “I’m sure you want to spend at least one day of the rodeo with your friends.”

  His smile didn’t reach his eyes. “Whatever you want,
Harper.”

  Checking her watch, she pulled in a choppy breath. What she wanted was the complete opposite of what she had been trying to accept. Friendship only with the greatest guy she’d ever met. Why did this have to be so complicated? “Better get rolling. We’ll be late as it is.”

  The drive back was quiet, a few discussions popped up but died out quickly. Her mind kept rolling around, trying to sort out her feelings for Shaw. Was she crazy to push him away? Was she losing the chance at love just because he didn’t share her dream of ranching? Could there be a compromise somewhere in the mix?

  She drove right to the rodeo grounds and they headed into the stands as the first event ended. Walking to Shaw’s seats, they found Dax and Pete sitting with two women who Harper remembered from the music showdown. The guys stood.

  “Hey! How was Deadwood?” Pete asked.

  “Lucky for me.” Harper knew she should ask Shaw to sit with her, but she needed some time away from him to sort out her conflicting thoughts.

  Shaw looked up into the bleachers. “Where’s Huck?”

  “He’s...uh...back at the hotel.” Dax’s gaze caught hers for just a second.

  She laughed. “Not alone, I’m guessing.”

  Dax gave her a crooked grin. “No, ma’am. Not alone.”

  Shaw stared at his buddy, then looked at the woman still sitting in Shaw’s seat. “Introduce us?”

  After names and greetings were exchanged, Shaw and Harper said goodbye to them and walked toward her section.

  He caught her elbow. “Thanks for a fun day, Harper.” He let go of her, touched his hat brim, and waited a few seconds.

  “I had a great day, Shaw.” She didn’t want it to end.

  He looked up into the stands.

  Harper admitted the truth to herself. She didn’t want to sit through the rodeo alone. She didn’t want to sit next to anyone but Shaw. “You’re not getting away from me that easily, cowboy.” Taking his hand, she led him to her seats.

  The grin on his face stretched nearly ear-to-ear. “Yes, ma’am.”

  ****

  Shaw squeezed Harper’s hand. This was the first time she’d taken his. Before this, he’d been the one to touch her.

  Was this progress?