Wow! Her mistrust ran so deep. The urge to kick her ex-fiancé’s butt all the way to the Mexican border for what he did to her was strong. "Hardly. One of the reasons lawmen could be known as serial cheaters is because women seem to throw themselves at them. I can't tell you the number of times I get hit on by older, married women who are just looking for a fling. I can see how some men would have a hard time turning it down. Do you think that's what happened with your guy?"
Young and stupid, Ryan let some girl convince him their quick tumble would do no harm. In many ways, Ryan had been lucky. No unwanted pregnancy, no sexually transmitted disease, but a lot of heartache and a painful lesson on the value of fidelity. Never cheat on the woman you love unless you're willing to lose that relationship. Never again, but Taylor didn't know his past and wouldn't understand the reason for his lie.
After they went out, if he saw they had nothing in common, then he'd slink away. But if something was brewing between them that seemed significant and right, he'd confess.
She shrugged. "I don't know. I thought he wanted forever and then I learned he wanted forever, with a side dish of blonde. And she thought he wanted happily ever after with her and I was just a nuisance standing in their way."
He stopped and pushed back a lock of hair that had fallen on her face, caressing her cheek. She gasped and licked her lips.
"I'm sorry that happened to you. In some ways, I'm glad. Because of that terrible time, you returned to Cupid."
She leaned toward him and he took up her invitation. His mouth covered hers and she opened to receive his kiss, his arms pulling her against him. She tasted of some delicious spice she'd used to cook and he savored the flavor. Her breasts were crushed against his chest and he could feel his penis hardening at the way her curves fit snuggly, melding to his muscles.
If they hadn't been on the street and him in uniform, he would have taken the kiss to the next step. He wanted to press against her hard enough for her to know what she did to him. How he desired her.
Leaning back, he let her go, her breathing fast. "Maybe I've been too hasty saying no to you. I haven't been out on a date in nearly a year. Maybe it's time."
He smiled. "What time do you want me to pick you up?"
"How about three on Sunday afternoon?" she said.
Saturday night the cafe had her hustling all night long and he worked a lot of weekends to give his officers a break.
"Perfect. I'll find something special for us to do," he said and gave her a peck on the nose and kissed her again fully on the mouth. When he released her, he grinned. "Sleep well, Taylor."
* * *
What the hell was Taylor doing? In a weak moment, she decided to go on a date with him. Walking her home last night, he told her to dress warmly, but refused to tell her where they were going. Only that it would be fun. He'd walked away whistling and smiling after kissing her goodnight.
And the man could kiss like the devil in blue jeans. When he smiled that devilish grin, her heart pounded a little faster. Something about the way his full lips turned up in a smile that would reach up and spark his dark eyes from serious to playful had her breathing shallow, her pulse racing.
And now they were going out.
The doorbell rang and she took a deep breath, sighed, releasing her nerves. What could it hurt to enjoy his company for one night.
Yanking open the door, he stood there in jeans, a flannel shirt and cowboy boots looking like a sumptuous candy bar. He grinned at her.
"Hi," he said with a drawl that sent a shiver trickling to her center. Drop dead gorgeous. She reminded herself to calm down. She wasn't supposed to be affected by the chemistry oozing from those brown eyes that seemed to melt the clothes from her body.
"Hi," she said. "Do you want to come in?"
"No, we need to get going if we're going to have any daylight."
"What are we doing?"
"You'll see. Did you dress warmly? It's going to be cold."
"I'm layered," she said, her thinking they'd be a good defense against his charm, making it harder for him to somehow convince her to shed her clothes.
"Let's go," he said.
"Zeus, be a sweet puppy," she said as she grabbed her purse and coat and headed out the door.
"Zeus?" he said laughing. "You named a dachshund Zeus?"
"I thought it fitting. A little dog fit to be king."
Ryan laughed as he took her arm and walked her to his car. "Oh, I'm not used to seeing you driving a truck."
"Well, the city kind of frowns whenever you use a patrol car as your personal vehicle. This way we won't have to respond to any emergencies."
"Good point," she said as he opened the door and assisted her in. At first, she was surprised he helped her into the truck. She liked the fact he thought enough of her to treat her special. After all, they were on a date.
As he walked around, she couldn't help but notice how clean and organized the inside of his vehicle looked. Everything had a place, including his phone. Glancing into the backseat, she saw a large basket sitting on the floor board and a cooler beside it.
"Uh, uh, uh," he said, opening the door and climbing into the truck. "No peeking."
The thrill of suspense, kept her on edge, filled with a fun eagerness. He was doing everything to make this a memorable evening.
After starting up the truck, he drove out of town.
"How are your parents," she asked, wishing in all their time walking home together, she'd asked more questions about his family.
"My father passed away three years ago from a stroke," he said softly. "My mother is now living with my sister. Most of the time, I stay in Cupid, but I thought we might go out to the place.”
"What about your family? Are they expecting us?"
"Oh, no, they've all moved to the metroplex to make their fortunes."
When you're in high school, you couldn't wait to get out of town and explore the world, but when you became an adult, you couldn’t wait to return to the small-town atmosphere. In college, she realized no big city could replace the homey community of Cupid.
"The only place to eat is your restaurant or DQ. I didn't want to drive to Fort Worth today to go to a movie or take you to dinner, so I hope you enjoy what we're going to do."
"What are we doing?"
"We're going out to my parents’ ranch."
A warmth sizzled inside her. Years ago, she had gone to a party at his parents’ place and thought the house and land beautiful. A meandering river ran along the edge of the property.
"I'm sure you've got something planned," she said, picturing him naked in that big bed of his. Not ready to consider jumping between the sheets with him, her mind went to the thought of the two of them alone at his family home.
The truck turned down a gravel road, bouncing as it hit ruts in the lane. "I would tell you the ride gets better, but it doesn't. My brothers and I are planning on getting out here and fixing this in the spring, but until then, it's like riding a bucking horse."
"Well, now I know what that would feel like. I've often wondered what the attraction was for those cowboys at the rodeo."
"The sensation of being in control on the back of a wild jerking animal for eight seconds. There's no other excitement quite like it. But hitting the ground and getting your breath knocked out of you makes you realize there are safer ways to show you’re tough."
"I forgot all about you being on the high school team until now. Why did you give it up?"
"I enjoyed being on the rodeo squad, but I hated slamming onto the ground so hard. When I broke my shoulder, I said enough."
Kelsey had worried about Ryan when a bronc had injured him. At the thought of her best friend, a cringe of doubt raced up her spine. What was she doing here with Ryan? Yes, Kelsey and Ryan's romance happened years ago, but still, the two of them had been the golden couple. The scuttlebutt around school said they were talking wedding dates. And then Kelsey left town unexpectedly.
"What about you? Anyth
ing you miss about school?"
Shaking her head there was no question. "Nope. I hated high school. Remember, I dated only a few boys, but never had a steady boyfriend, unlike you."
"Well, I didn't have a boyfriend," he replied.
She laughed. "You know what I meant."
Frowning, he glanced at her before shifting his eyes back to the road. "Did you tell Kelsey you're out with me today?"
All week, she'd fought with herself. One moment she thought she should tell her, and the next, she pushed the idea away. This date could be a complete bust and she refused to ruin her friendship of fifteen years all because of one man.
"No, I didn't tell her," she said.
"Why not?"
"Why ask for trouble?"
"But...why should us seeing one another matter any longer? We had a mutual agreement never to date each other again."
Gazing at him nervously, she said, "I thought you broke up because you went into the military."
"Yes, and she was going to college. Plus, her family believed there was someone better for her than me. Her brothers had been trying to break us up since our first date."
With a chuckle, she threw her hands up. "That sounds like them. I decided today we'd just spend some time together and take it from there."
Nodding, he smiled. "Fair enough. But I'd suggest you tell her soon. She'll need to learn before the wedding."
Taylor felt her head jerk toward him. Her eyes narrowed and she glared. "Not funny."
"I thought it was hilarious. Got you all riled up, like watching a porcupine raise its quills in self-defense," he said, grinning.
"You catch your man in bed with another woman and then tell me what you think about marriage."
He put the truck in park and turned to her. He touched the side of her face with his fingers and smiled. "I don't do men. I like women. Real women like you."
Her heart skipped a beat at the thought of her and Ryan. No, it just couldn't happen. Today was about getting out and dating once again, going for a performance drive. Ryan just happened to be her test vehicle. Time would tell if they reached the finish line or it was a total spin out.
* * *
Ryan was a very happy man. Taylor clung to him on the back of the ATV as they rode along the edge of his family property checking the fence lines. When the land flattened out and the trail became smooth, he'd sped up, until she started to squeal. He'd ended their time riding along the bank of the river, watching the water flow downstream, the leaves floating. Overall the afternoon had been fun.
As the sun sank beneath the horizon, he headed the vehicle back to the gathering place in the woods. The place where he'd sat around many a campfire. He always kept a stack of cut logs for whenever he felt the need for some time outdoors.
He slid the ATV sideways as they pulled into camp. As they came to a stop, she laughed, the sound sending warm trickles down his spine.
"You don't drive like a man in law enforcement."
"I've had more training than most people. Not only did the city send us to school, but the marines did as well."
Her arms were still around his waist as she whispered in his ear, "I forgot you spent time in Afghanistan."
He chuckled, the sound snide sounding. That time had been the worst in his life. He never wanted to see that part of the world again. Never. "I'm one of the lucky ones. I lived through that hell."
"Was it bad?"
"Toughest thing I've ever done," he said not wanting to ruin the mood. The afternoon had been great, driving through the trees and being outside in the country air. It'd been the kind of day he enjoyed the most and what Taylor didn't realize today was a test. What did she enjoy doing? Did she like outdoorsy things or was she a girly girl only interested in shopping? So far, she seemed to be having a good time. Now for the final exam.
"Come on, let's start a fire and we can sit back and watch the sun set. In the summer, I bring a tent and spend the night. We could have stayed the night."
She didn't respond and he knew he was pushing things, but the thought of waking up in Taylor's arms was pretty special. And it would happen. Hopefully sooner rather than later. After all the talking, he felt confident a growing attraction was building between them, with her ex-fiancé a brick wall in the way. If only he could plow through that barrier, then she'd be free.
He grabbed the basket and cooler attached to the ATV and placed them on the ground. Walking over to a storage shed, he pulled out some blankets and pillows and handed them to her. "Why don't you set up our picnic area while I start the fire."
She stared in shock at him. "How often do you bring women out here?"
"You're the first. Sometimes I bring buddies of mine. Especially if we're fishing in the morning."
"No chairs?"
He smiled. There were folding lawn chairs stored in the shed, but he wanted something cozier. "Not tonight."
It wasn't exactly a lie. He wanted to sit beside Taylor and gaze at the stars as they came out. Sure, they couldn't be out here too late. But long enough.
"Okay, I'm going to start the fire now," he said, hurrying over to the wood pile. "Need to get it going so the snakes won't bother us."
He kept the space mowed but the cold had sent the snakes into hibernation. In the spring and summer, a smart camper watched for water moccasins or even rattlesnakes.
"Snakes?" she said, her eyes dilating as she gazed around the grassy area. Shaking her head, she laughed. "No, they're gone for the winter."
He smiled. "I think you've been camping before."
"Oh yes," she said, spreading the blanket over the grass and putting out the pillows. "If we brought our rods we could have fished. I love a mess of crappie."
Now, that bit of information he filed for future reference. Frying fresh fish at a campfire under the stars couldn't be beat. The hint of smoke made everything taste better.
"Once it warms up, we'll go fishing," he said, knowing he couldn't wait for fishing weather.
She shivered.
"Are you cold?" he asked, blowing on the smoldering tinder hoping that soon he'd be igniting a fire in Taylor. One that would satisfy them both.
"I'm chilly," she said, glancing at him.
"Wrap the second blanket around you. I'm creating a roaring fire and then we'll eat and watch the setting sun."
"Are you always this romantic?" she asked, cuddling beneath the throw.
"This is my first date in two years. You're the first woman since I moved back to Cupid. Does that surprise you?"
Her mouth dropped open and she smiled. "Why?"
"When I got back from Afghanistan, I needed some time to adjust to civilian life. The Middle East is like existing on two different planets. One is focused on killing an enemy that is hard to recognize, and here, life is work and play and family and living."
She nodded and sank to the ground. "I can only imagine what you saw over there."
"Yeah, not good," he said, needing to somehow redirect the conversation. He added several limbs to the kindling now burning. "After I returned, I made the decision to focus on my career. One of my friends told me Sheriff Fred was retiring and the city was interviewing. I realized going home was where I was supposed to be. I came back to Cupid, applied, and got the job."
He joined her on the blanket sitting beside her. Flames licked the wood and soon heat would begin to warm the space. He pulled the throw around her tighter and opened the ice chest. He took out a bottle of wine and two glasses.
"Wow, I'm impressed," she said, gazing at him in awe.
This reaction he'd been looking for. He wanted her to see how much he was vying for her. With the boys, the small cooler would have held beer, but for her a smooth Chardonnay. Digging in the basket, he found the cork remover.
"I didn't think you drank?"
"I drink. Just not to excess," he said. "It's kind of hard to arrest the town drunks if you show up inebriated."
"True," she said.
He poured the alcohol i
nto the glasses and handed her a wine flute before he scooted closer to her. What he really wanted was to kiss her, but he didn't think now was the right time. "Look at that sunset. In about ten minutes, we're going to be in the dark."
"It appears the sun is disappearing into the river," she whispered. She turned to him. "I'm so glad we did this."
"The night is not over yet. In fact, we have a basket full of food."
"Did you bring s’mores?"
"Yes, I did for dessert," he said turning to smile at her.
She leaned her head on his shoulder. "Thank you. I haven't had s’mores since I was a little girl."
He tipped her glass to his. "To first dates."
She smiled and shook her head. "To first dates."
Yet, it didn't seem like a first date. For over two weeks every night he walked her home and every night on the way, they'd laughed and talked and gotten to know each other a little more. They were friends and he wanted to take it to the next level.
The sun slithered below the horizon just as a piece of firewood popped, sending sparks into the sky. "Are you hungry?"
"Starved," she responded. "What did you bring?"
"Well, it's not the gourmet meal you cooked me, but sliced chicken breasts with Brie, grapes and almonds and apples."
"That's perfect. A little protein, some fruit and nuts and who can forgo Brie cheese. I'm very impressed, Ryan."
"This seemed like the place for us to get to know each other better," he said, wanting to kiss her as the first stars appeared.
Instead, he reached into the basket and pulled out the food. He fed her red grapes. With a laugh, she took them from him.
"Remember how Max used to toss grapes in the cafeteria?"
"Oh yes, he got suspended. Hard to believe he played professional football," he said and then it struck him. "Didn't he and Meghan date in high school?"
"Oh yes," Taylor said, picking up a slice of the cheese and stuffing it into his mouth.
"Now she's the librarian and he's the football coach. Wonder if it's hard seeing each other all the time."
Taylor laughed and let him suck a grape from her fingertips. "She can't stand him. They had a misunderstanding that traumatized them both. Now she refuses anything to do with him."
Cupid Stupid: Return to Cupid, Texas Page 5