Waltz With Me, Cowboy

by Debra Holt

  “Okay, already. I’ve got it, Lily,” Calla spoke up, stepping forward and wrapping her little sister in a quick hug… more to quiet her than anything else. “Enough about a silly pie. Just drive careful and I’ll see you on Thursday.”

  “And I’ll see you both then, too.” Jaz stepped into their embraces next. She was the first to leave the drive with a wave of her hand out the window of her red convertible. Lily followed a couple minutes later in her small, pink VW. That left Calla to stare after them until they turned the corner and disappeared. A sigh escaped her. It was always a downer saying goodbye to her sisters after they had all been together for the weekend.

  She could hear the sawing and hammers coming from the back of the hall, but that didn’t draw her interest. She had that darn pie to deal with. Calla couldn’t help thinking it was just a ploy of Lily’s to get her and Ty to spend more time in each other’s company. Her sisters needed to get a grip on matchmaking. She was not in the market. Why didn’t that ring true in her mind? Shake it off. She needed to just get it over and done and then concentrate on the important matters at hand. The celebration was less than a week away.

  An hour later, dressed in another new purchase… a blue and white gingham-checked sundress with a short jean jacket and brown leather sandals, she allowed her hair to swing free down her back while a couple of barrettes held it back from her face. Her leather purse was slung over her shoulder and the pie carrier was secured in her hands when she pushed through the familiar door into the Mayor’s Office. Alice looked up and a wide smile crossed her face as she saw their visitor.

  “Well, aren’t you a pretty sight? I almost didn’t recognize you. Last time you came in here, you were dressed like quite a city lady and today, you look like you belong here with the rest of us.”

  “Thanks… I think,” she said, smiling at the woman. “Would Ty…the mayor, I mean, be in? I need to leave this cream pie with him.” She nodded to the carrier in her hands.

  “Oh, I’m sorry, hon.” The woman shook her head. “He’s at the ranch for most of the day. In fact, he might not make it in at all. I’d offer to keep the pie here for him, but we don’t have any way to refrigerate it.”

  Darn it. Now what was she to do? “That’s okay, Alice. My sister Lily wanted him to have it today and left me with strict delivery instructions. I guess I’ll have to think of something else.”

  “Well, it’s a nice day for a drive in the country.”

  Seriously? Was the woman in on the matchmaking vibe, too? The smile on her face and the open hint in her eyes were not a bit ashamed in their boldness.

  “Thanks, I’ll bear that in mind. I won’t keep you from your work. Bye.”

  “Bye, now… don’t be a stranger around here.”

  Right. The pie carrier mocked her from the front seat beside her. It would, until she got rid of it. Fine. She’d deliver it to the ranch, and then be done with it. She had other things to do with her day other than take time to worry over a pie for the mayor. Calla headed the car toward the river bridge and the Conners’ ranch.

  She passed the turn to the Jeffers place and noted the Sold sign on the front gate. For a moment, she felt a tinge of disappointment. She hoped the person who bought it knew how lucky they were to be getting such a nice home. Another five miles, and past a couple of ‘dead end’ signs and warnings about ‘private property’ and she came to the stone pillars, one on each side of the cattle guard entrance, with a wrought-iron arch that had ‘Conners’ scrolled on it.

  The wide black top road was a nice surprise. She had pictured a dusty, rutted road leading onto the ranch itself. About a mile in, she rounded a bend and there, in a green valley between two tall hills, sat a rambling ranch house with walls of native sandstone and wood trim. The metal roof looked new and shiny. She parked in front of the sidewalk that led to the long porch. Get it over. Gathering the pie carrier in her arms and her bag over her shoulder, she made her way up the walk, past the empty flowerbeds. Ty was right. He needed some green-thumb help. It was a shame that the place didn’t have more color to it. There was room for a lot of possibilities.

  She knocked on the wooden door. There wasn’t any sound from inside. Looking around, she noted a barn setting off to the side of the yard a little ways away from the main house. Its doors were open, but no sign of anyone. Maybe Ty wasn’t even there? Great. She knocked one more time. Nothing. She was headed back down the sidewalk when a noise caught her attention from the direction of the barn again. One last try and then she was gone… pie be damned.

  Stepping into the opening of the barn, she paused and allowed her eyes to become accustomed to the dimmer interior. There were stalls on either side where a couple of horses looked back at her. That was enough to draw her a little further inside. Horses fascinated her and always had. Their parents had never given in to their pleadings to have their own. She supposed they had been right… they had no pasture for them, no proper place to keep them. But she would have loved to have had one, nonetheless. The one closest to her, moved his head over the stall door opening. Just a scratch on the nose, what could it hurt?

  She had to balance the pie carrier with her left arm and hand, and her bag was about to slip down on her right arm. She let the bag finally slip down to the ground at her feet. With a slow movement, she raised her hand and made contact with the broad white strip of hair on the animal’s nose and forehead. A smile automatically creased her face.

  “You’re quite something, aren’t you? You like that, don’t you, boy?”

  “He is a she, and she’s a real con artist when it comes to getting attention.”

  The sudden voice behind her made her jump and put the pie carrier in danger of joining her bag on the barn floor. She made a quick grab and he did the same, their bodies making sudden contact with each other. Her eyes flew to his.

  “I’ve got it.”

  “Let me help.”

  They both spoke at the same time… more nerves on her part than anything.

  “I didn’t mean to startle you. I just hadn’t expected to walk in here and see you.”

  “I hadn’t expected to see you… or be here… or I mean I knew you’d probably be here, that’s why I had to come here… I mean.” Wow, way to be an articulate woman in control of the situation.

  It wasn’t like it was the first time she had ever encountered a shirtless, broad-chested man with a superlative set of abs going for him, and a fine sheen of perspiration making the tanned skin look luminescent and… she was losing it again. Calla tried to find someplace for her eyes to land other than on bare skin… which was almost impossible.

  “I take it that you came here to deliver the pie from last night?”

  Coherent thought… good. “Yes, that’s correct. Here it is.” She held the carrier out to him.

  He didn’t take it from her. “You hang on to that, my hands are filthy right now. Come on in the house and let me clean up a bit.” He was already headed out the door, not leaving room for her to disagree.

  Not a great idea. But she followed him against her own best advice.

  He led them through the back door into a kitchen that was huge. The appliances were all silver and the cabinets light oak. The walls were a pale yellow.

  He noted her interest. “It needs something, right?”

  “It’s very large and nice.”

  “But…”

  “It could use something…make it more… I don’t know…more…”

  “Homey? Welcoming?”

  “Well, now that you mentioned it,” she said, with a slight smile.

  “Suggestions?”

  “Well, maybe…”

  He held up a quick palm. “Hold that thought. I need to clean up. Be right back. There’s fresh coffee in the pot over there and some lemonade in the fridge… make yourself at home.”

  “I really….” She stopped when she realized she was talking to empty space. He was gone. The pie carrier found a home on the cabinet. She laid her purse beside
it. Opening the carrier, she lifted out the pie and found a place for it inside the refrigerator. She shook her head noting the contents… bottled water, fruit… although some of it looked ready to be tossed out, eggs, some other condiments and a pitcher of the aforementioned lemonade. He truly did mean it when he said he seldom cooked at home, unless it was on the outside grill. She shut the door and pulled out a chair at the small table set into the alcove in the kitchen. She noted the sound of water running in the background soon after his departure from the kitchen. Now, there was silence. Perhaps she should just leave. She had done what she came to do. Best make a break for it soon. Calla stood and reached for her purse.

  “You aren’t leaving. At least not until we share some of your sister’s pie. It’s only right since you did take your time and make the effort to drive out here and all.” Ty spoke as he came into the kitchen, straightening the collar of the red plaid shirt he had slid over his shoulders… but not buttoned. His hair was damp from a quick shower. Clean jeans rode low on hips sans a belt. He was barefoot. He didn’t pause but reached inside the refrigerator and brought out the pie, setting it on the table top. With quick movements, he had added two small plates and a couple of forks and a knife.

  Calla wished he would pause long enough to finish dressing. The kitchen shrunk in size for some reason. It was ridiculous how he made her feel so… so awkward, like some high school girl with a crush on the football hero or something. Those days were long gone, but her brain needed reminding. “I’ve got a lot to…”

  “To do.” He finished for her with a knowing grin. “I’m sure of that, but you need to eat lunch, too. While you probably don’t begin your meal with dessert, we’ll do something crazy and have ours first today.” He poised the knife over the pie. “You tell me… big piece… small one?”

  “Small one, please. Then I really need to be on my way.”

  A few minutes later, Ty shook his head. “Even better than the one last night. Maybe I should marry your sister and then she can turn this place into a homier atmosphere and bake pies every day for me.” He took another bite.

  Calla lost interest in the remaining pie on her plate. She put her fork down and wiped her mouth on the paper napkin. She gathered her purse and stood up. “Good luck with that plan. I need to get back to work. I’ll leave you to your pie.”

  He was out of his chair and met her at the doorway, one arm barring her exit. That put her much too close to the bare chest over which he still hadn’t buttoned his shirt. “You know I was just joking, right?”

  “I do have a sense of humor. And I do have things to do.”

  “But not as fun as the ones I can show you if you stay a little while longer.”

  Her gaze flashed to his. It was difficult to read just how much of a joke he was making. “What fun would that be… or dare I ask?”

  “Take a ride with me. I think you like horses and that would be a lot more fun than being inside on such a nice day. Say yes…you know you want to.”

  That smile, those deep grooves that were made for tracing by a female fingertip that was itching to do so, a green-eyed temptation… and her resolve was slipping by the minute. He sensed it.

  “I’m not dressed for it. But I’ll take a raincheck.”

  “Are you always so difficult? Or is it just with me?”

  “Just you.” Why had she said that out loud?

  Ty straightened, his arm dropping from the doorway. The smile went away as his gaze pinned her with a jade spear, heat sharpening the edges. “Why do you think that is?”

  “I haven’t given it a lot of thought.”

  “Liar.” The word was just above a whisper, his breath warm on her upturned face. When had he moved closer… leaving just mere inches between them? “You’re a smart lady with an analytical mind that likes to dissect things and reason them out. That’s what you’ve done with each kiss we’ve shared. But maybe you need to give that brain of yours a rest for a while. Just let yourself feel.” His hand captured hers and he brought her palm to rest against the bare skin in the center of his chest. Once her fingers made the contact, they weren’t leaving on their own accord. The steady pounding of his heart mirrored hers. Her breathing became harder to remember to do.

  Through lowered lashes, she watched his lips dip until they were just a breath away from hers. The tip of his tongue tasted her bottom lip, lazily trailing over the sensitive skin and then back again. Without conscious thought, her body swayed ever so slightly into his, and that was the match to the flame. She caught her breath and her mouth parted, allowing his tongue to find the treasure it sought, dueling in an abandon with hers that made her knees grow weak, her head go light, and fires flared in her mid-section before blazing into heat pooling at her core. An ache grew into a pulsing crescendo.

  Hands slid her jacket off her shoulders and it and her purse landed on the floor. Her fingers were busy sliding his open shirt over strong muscles and dispensing it around his feet. He had said to feel and that was what moved her to take full advantage of discovering the taut stomach muscles and the ridges of his back, the heated skin addictive to her touch. His own hands moved to cup either side of her head, long fingers losing themselves in the hair at the back of her head, holding her captive as his kiss moved from being invasive and turned to inflicting delicious pleasure.

  Somewhere the blaring of a truck horn resonated in a loud interruption of the charged energy inside the kitchen. Eyes opened and blinking, she lost contact with his lips as he raised his head from hers, a grimace and then a muttered curse escaped from between them. It was like a dash of cold water in her face and she crashed back to reality in seconds. What had she almost done? Shades of San Antonio and Barclay invaded where they were not welcome. But intrude they did.

  Ty scooped up the shirt from the floor and shrugged into it in a quick movement, already moving toward the door. “It’s the feed delivery. It’ll just take a few minutes and I can get rid of him. Hold that thought.” He threw her a swift look that still held green fire in its depths.

  Calla didn’t hesitate to react when the door closed behind him. She grabbed her jacket and scooped up her purse. Keys in hand, she exited onto the porch. Ty was talking to the delivery driver and they both glanced in her direction as she made her way quickly down the steps toward her car. She caught a glimpse of the sudden frown crossing his face. He said something to the driver and quickly headed her way. She made it inside her car as he met up with her, his hold on the door keeping her from closing it.

  “So, you’re running away after all?”

  “I have a business to get back to.”

  “Keep telling yourself that excuse. But I can’t let you go without a proper goodbye.” He was fast and right on target. The kiss, even as brief, still packed a punch. “We’ll take things slower if that’s what you need. I’ll see you later, Calla Rose.” It was a promise delivered with a determined gleam.

  Calla didn’t trust herself to speak in a coherent manner, so she said nothing, her mouth closed in a tight line. She turned the car toward the road home and did not look back… something which took supreme effort.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  Two days. Two whole days and no sight, no sound, nothing from the cowboy mayor. Calla didn’t know whether to be relieved or on guard. But, she was a whole lot of disappointed. She had given up trying to ignore that truth. And it didn’t make her happy to admit that fact. Maybe Ty Conners had found a chink in the armor around her feelings. But then maybe he had given up and gotten the message. She almost talked herself into that one until she found him on her doorstep. He spoke before she could.

  “It’s a great day for a picnic. And I figured you needed a break right about now and I know I do.” He turned up the wattage on the smile and her pulses answered in spades.

  This is crazy. “Is this you taking things slower?”

  “Yes, it is. It’s been almost two full days that I’ve given you space to talk yourself in and out of us. I’ve already told you that
patience is not a virtue of mine. But I’m giving it my best shot. I truly am. Ask me why.”

  Us? There went the heart speeding up, moist palms. Deep breath. “Okay… why?”

  “Because I think you’re worth it. You say you’re confused, your trust level has hit zero, you’re guarding that heart of yours behind iron walls. But you can’t deny in any sane imagination that there’s definitely something between us. All I ask is that you let us take it one day at a time and don’t let what one fool did to you color the rest of us males. So, say yes, Calla. Take a leap of faith with me. It’s just a little picnic. I’ll have you back in two hours’ tops.”

  His hand was outstretched. The ball was in her court. The world was waiting. Would she be able to let him through the barriers? Did she dare let him close to her heart? Who was she fooling? He had already made a pretty good breach of the wall erected around that organ. But he didn’t need to know that.

  Her palm slid into his. “I can’t remember the last picnic I went on. But one hour and a half is all I can spare and then I have to get back to work and so do you.”

  “I’ll do my best in the time allotted. Let’s get moving, pretty lady.”

  His grin was wide and too infectious. She had to return it. Already there was something ‘freeing’ in her soul.

  Ten minutes later, Calla stood on the riverbank, shaking her head in amazement. Ty placed the blanket and the basket inside the red rowboat and then turned to her. “You’re next.” He handed her into the boat and kept hold of her while she found her seating on the quilt in the bow. Tucking her legs under her, she settled back against one of the bright yellow and red striped pillows that he had placed there for her comfort.

  “You’ve really put some thought into this little picnic. I am impressed.”

  Ty stepped in and used an oar to push them off from the bank. Then the oars went into the water and long strokes moved them to the center of the slow-moving river. He aimed for the area where there was shade overhead from the tall Cypress-lined bank.