Cleo would have been happy with a bank of floodlights, say about the wattage of those used to illuminate Yankee Stadium.
“Yeah, this place is cool,” Laura said. “It’s exactly the sort of deserted spot aliens would pick to land.”
“You’ve been watching too many movies,” her father said. “Anything to drink in that wagon, Jeeter?”
“Sure. Everybody have a seat, and I’ll take orders.”
Cleo eyed the camp stools arranged around the fire circle, then pictured herself inching down to sit on one and the grimace of pain that would give away her delicate condition. She elected to stand. Jeeter got around to her drink order just as Tom came back from seeing to the horses. When Tom materialized out of the darkness looking so solid and safe, she had the urge to run into the protection of his arms. She’d actually moved a few steps in his direction before she caught herself and stopped.
“What’ll you have, Cleo?” Jeeter asked.
Still watching Tom as he came toward her, she spoke without thinking, giving the response she would have in New York. “Perrier with a twist.”
Tom grinned as he joined them. “Make sure you serve that in the Baccarat crystal while you’re at it, Jeeter. You know where we keep it, don’t you?”
“No, boss, I sure don’t.” Jeeter sounded totally mystified. “Isn’t that some kind of board game?”
Cleo winced. Then she turned to Jeeter. “What do you have to drink, Jeeter?”
“Beer and soda pop, ma’am.”
“Then I’ll take a beer, Jeeter. Thanks.”
“Boss? Want something?”
“Sure.” Tom shoved back his hat. “I’ll take a beer.”
Cleo turned to him after Jeeter left. “A cowboy who knows his crystal. You’re a fascinating combination, Tom.”
“Not fascinating enough, apparently.”
“I’m the only daughter of a business tycoon. I have personal discipline like you wouldn’t believe.”
“A tycoon, huh? And all you got was a hamster?”
“We lived in an elegant apartment in the city.”
Tom nodded. “I know the kind.” He paused as Jeeter brought them each a beer. He tipped his can against hers. “Here’s looking at you, kid.”
“Casablanca. Don’t tell me you’re a fan of old movies, too.”
“Okay, I won’t tell you that.”
As she took a sip from her beer can, she conjured an image of curling up with him on the deep cushions of his couch to watch Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman, while a fire blazed on the hearth and snow whirled outside the windows. They’d have popcorn and beer, and after the movie they’d... No, they wouldn’t, because by the time the winter snow arrived, she’d be long gone.
“How come you’re not sitting over with the others on the camp stools?” he asked.
“Standing’s nice.”
“Uh-huh. You got a little sore, after all, didn’t you?”
“Maybe.”
“We always bring along some sports cream for that problem. I’ll get you a tube and you can go off a ways from the group and rub some on.” He set his beer on a nearby rock and turned toward the wagon.
“Wait. What do you mean, go off a ways from the group?”
He glanced back at her. “I figured you wouldn’t want to be pulling down your jeans in front of everybody.”
“But it’s dark out there.” As if to make her point, something howled off in the distance.
“Then take somebody with you. One of the other women.”
“Oh, sure. The blind leading the blind. Amy’s in a romantic haze and Laura’s looking for aliens. And I don’t want to give Laura’s mother the satisfaction of knowing I’m sore. When she wasn’t correcting Laura’s riding form, she was correcting mine.”
He smiled. “Want me to go with you?”
“That’s even more dangerous. I’ll just put up with it”
“No, you won’t Hell, I’ll send Jeeter out there with you, and have him take a rifle if it’ll make you feel safer. He’ll turn his back.”
“Tom, please. I’d be embarrassed for Jeeter to know. Let’s just keep this our little secret, okay?”
He shook his head. “You have to ride back to the ranch tomorrow, and you’ll be so stiff you won’t get your calendar work done. I’ve seen how much you move around when you’re shooting. Here’s the deal. I’ll go with you. I’ll take a rifle. Believe me, I’m not going to try anything funny with guests no more than thirty yards away.”
“Oh, all right.” Cleo decided she was becoming paranoid about the temptations he afforded. Of course they wouldn’t get involved in hanky-panky when other people were so near. And she didn’t want to be in worse shape tomorrow because she’d refused the treatment offered. She set her beer next to his on the rock.
Tom left and returned a few minutes later with a tube of ointment, a flashlight and a rifle. He handed her the ointment. “Let’s go.”
“After you.”
He cradled the rifle under one arm, flicked on the flashlight and swung the beam back and forth across the grass as they walked into the darkness.
Cleo followed right on his heels. “Shouldn’t you be shining that thing higher up, so it reflects off the eyes of the bear, or whatever comes along to eat us?”
He chuckled. “I’ll hear something that big. I’m checking for snakes.”
“That’s it. I’m leaving.” She whirled and started back.
He caught her by a finger through her belt loop and pulled her back. “Come on. Don’t be a such a greenhorn.”
She turned to face him. “I am a greenhorn. And proud of it.”
He turned off the flashlight and tucked it in his pocket.
“Turn that thing on.”
“In a minute.” He nudged her hat back on her head and cupped her face in his free hand. “Kiss me, Cleo. It’s gonna be a long night.”
She wanted his kiss, no matter how much she tried to deny it. “I knew following you out here was a bad—”
His mouth came down on hers, ending her protest and playing hell with her self-control. There was nothing leisurely about his kiss. He ravaged her mouth, took possession with his tongue and left her pounding with desire. Then he pulled away, tugged her hat in place and reached in his pocket for the flashlight
She could barely breathe.
“I thought you could use something else to think about besides critters,” he said, switching on the flashlight and sweeping it around the area where they stood.
If that had been his strategy, it had worked really well, she thought. Two powerful emotions couldn’t coexist within her, apparently, and lust had just obliterated fear.
He gestured with the beam of the flashlight “Over there’s as good a spot as any. I’ll keep the light below your knees. Just walk about ten paces away and pull down your pants.”
She took a shaky breath and followed his instructions. “I’ll bet you say that to all the girls.”
“Only the girls who look good in that hat.”
“And how many has that been?”
“One.”
8
TOM PULLED the last shift of guard duty, taking the few hours just before dawn. Jose, Jeeter and Tom had divided the night into thirds, as they always did when they had either people or animals to watch over. They didn’t make a big deal of it, not wanting to alarm the dudes, but they couldn’t afford to have a grizzly sneak up on the campsite. Tom had noticed that Cleo had looked immensely relieved when she’d discovered that someone would be patrolling the area all through the night
He’d teased her about being a greenhorn, but he’d rather have the guests show her sort of caution than think they were in Disneyland and the animals could all talk and sing songs. Being out in the wilderness of Montana meant accepting some level of risk, but not everyone was willing to face that. Therefore, he took the responsibility for them and made sure someone stayed on guard, someone who could handle a rifle and keep a cool head.
It had be
en a quiet night. With the fire reduced to embers and the stars bright as the New York skyline after dark, visibility was pretty good. Jose had reported seeing a black bear venture partway out of the trees before heading back in. Tom had watched for the bear to reappear, but it hadn’t. Bears weren’t usually a problem unless they’d learned to raid campsites and had a taste for human junk food. Then they could be deadly in their search for the goodies they craved.
Tom was seeing more of that happening in his beloved wilderness, and he hated it, just as he hated the disappearance of the elegant cougars. He needed to keep his herd intact, but if at all possible, he’d do it without killing one of the giant cats.
As the stars lost some of their brilliance and the edge of the horizon began to lighten, he meandered over to the side of camp where Cleo slept. He took satisfaction in knowing that she slept, even though she’d stirred restlessly when the wolves had started in about an hour ago. Tom had always thought they sounded mournful instead of frightening. Wolves were another sore point with Montana ranchers now that the environmental faction had reintroduced them, but Tom figured they were part of the mix, just like cougars. Montana wouldn’t be the same without predators.
The wolves had quieted, and Cleo looked peaceful now, her hand curled under her chin, her golden hair spilling over the rolled-up jacket she’d made into a pillow. She couldn’t know that he’d sacrifice himself before letting anything happen to her. He wasn’t sure exactly when it had clicked in, but he’d developed a protective feeling about her that probably spelled trouble. The minute he felt this urge to take care of a woman, it usually meant that he’d let down his guard and eventually she’d play him for a fool. Deidre sure as hell had.
He watched Cleo sleep and tried to pinpoint when he’d felt that telltale tug at his heart. Maybe when he’d seen how much like a cowgirl she looked in that hat, or when he’d noticed she was lagging behind and trying valiantly to coax Dynamite into a trot Maybe it was the picture she’d painted of teaching her hamster tricks, or the plucky way she’d helped drive the cattle and then kept quiet about how sore she was.
In any case, more than lust drew him now, which could be dangerous. He could forget the lure of a woman’s body, but once she’d started working on his mind, he’d remember her for the rest of his life.
From the corner of his eye, across the meadow, he caught a movement. Turning slowly, he glimpsed a huge bull moose coming out of the trees, headed for the brook. The moose was only an indistinct shadow now, his rack of antlers rising like an unattainable, perfect trophy in a hunter’s dream. Tom never had developed a taste for hunting. He killed only when there was no choice—if an animal was a threat or very sick. He wouldn’t lead guests on hunting trips, either, although many of his neighbors brought in extra money that way.
Moving carefully so as not to startle the moose, Tom crouched and gently shook Cleo’s shoulder.
She opened her eyes at once, making him wonder if she’d been as fast asleep as he’d thought.
He leaned close to her ear and pushed the silky hair aside so he could whisper to her. Breathing in the flowery scent of her skin, he wanted to linger, to nibble and enjoy, but he knew she’d want this wildlife shot to take home to New York. “There’s a bull moose approaching the stream,” he murmured. “Move slowly and get your camera. It should be light enough soon for you to get a great picture of him.”
She nodded and began crawling carefully out of her bedroll. He stood and kept an eye on the moose, and in no time Cleo stood beside him, shivering slightly, her camera hanging around her neck. He leaned down to her bedroll, shook out her bundled jacket and eased it over her arms.
She smiled her gratitude, and his heart turned over.
She was a beauty in the morning. He took note of the breeze that lifted a lock of her hair. The wind was blowing toward them, which meant they might be able to sneak closer without being scented.
He mouthed follow me, and she nodded again. Watching each step to make sure he didn’t step on a twig and shatter the morning silence, he crept forward. Looking like a ghost stepping slowly through the ground fog, the moose reached the rushing water and gazed around. Tom froze. As the moose lowered his head to drink, Tom started soundlessly forward again.
The moose lifted his head, water dripping from his muzzle, and Tom paused, knowing they dared go no closer or the animal would vanish back into the forest. Cleo put her hand on Tom’s shoulder and squeezed, as if to signal to him that this was the spot As they stood rigidly waiting, the first light of morning tipped the bull’s mighty antlers with bronze.
Click. The sound of the camera’s shutter was no louder than a cricket’s chirp, but the moose swiveled his massive head and stared straight at them, as if he’d known of their presence all along. Click. The shutter opened and closed a second time. The moose turned and walked regally away, with no apparent haste, until he was lost in the shadows of the trees.
“Do you think you got it?” Tom asked, speaking softly as he watched the trees where the moose had disappeared.
“I got it.” Her voice was rich with joy. “Oh, Tom, wasn’t he magnificent?”
“Yeah.” He turned toward her. “You asked me to show you what makes this place so special to me. I think I just did.”
“Do you see stuff like that all the time?”
“Not all the time, but often enough to make all the hassles worthwhile.”
“Thank you for waking me up.”
“You’re welcome.” He couldn’t help himself from touching her cheek. “How do you feel?”
“On the outside? A little stiff. On the inside? Like a kid at Christmas.”
He smiled. “Welcome to the life of a cowpuncher. Most of the time you’re stiff and sore from the work, but you have the most beautiful office in the world.”
“No kidding.” She gazed up at the mountains as sunlight gilded the snowy peaks. “I had no idea, Tom.”
Easy, he cautioned himself. She might be falling in love with Montana. Lots of folks did that. It didn’t mean much, in the long run. They went home, got back in their comfortable routine and forgot the wonder of a mountain morning like this one. Still, he’d never heard that awestruck tone in Deidre’s voice. She’d liked the idea of being married to a Montana rancher because it sounded exotic to her New York friends. She hadn’t liked the reality all that much.
“I have a very personal question to ask,” Cleo said.
“Okay.”
“You can tell me to mind my own business.”
“Okay.”
“Why...why did you get divorced?” She looked up at him and quickly glanced away. “Sorry. I shouldn’t have asked.”
That she had her mind on a question so close to his own thoughts shook him. “Why did you ask?”
“I don’t know. It’s just that you don’t seem like the divorcing kind, and I can’t believe a woman would give up...all this.”
“I don’t think it was so tough to give up. Deidre had her priorities. Being married to me wasn’t one of them.”
Something unreadable was going on behind those blue eyes of hers. “I guess you take the whole idea of marriage pretty seriously,” she said.
“If you don’t take it seriously, what’s the point in getting married?”
She looked uncomfortable. “Well, of course, a person should take it seriously, to a point But as for having a marriage control your whole life, I think that—”
“It damn well should control your whole life. It controlled mine, so why shouldn’t it have controlled hers? I was standing here thinking that you weren’t anything like her, but maybe I was wrong. Maybe you would have sided with her. Career comes first, and a husband is just a handy convenience.”
She flushed. “Career has always come first for men, though, hasn’t it? What did you do, expect her to give up modeling?”
“Just for a while.” He tried to stem the tide of anger rising in him. “She could have gone back to it.”
“Not likely!” Her e
yes flashed blue fire. “That’s not the kind of job where you take a leave of absence to play house. You miss a step and you’re history. I don’t suppose you ever considered giving up ranching, now, did you? The little woman has to make the adjustments, while the man—”
“The man finds out too late that the little woman aborted their baby! Since when did you get the idea that men have all the control? A woman has the ultimate control!”
She looked stricken. “Oh, Tom. Tom, I’m sony. I didn’t realize.”
He stared down at the ground, where dew sparkled like tears on the grass. “Nothing to be done about it now. Shouldn’t have said anything.” He was shaking, dammit. Worse yet, he could hear people stirring at the campsite. He’d probably woken them up with his shouting. Wonderful.
Cleo touched his arm. “Tom...”
“I need to check on the horses.”
“I’ll go with you.”
“No.” He gazed at her with regret. “It’s probably just as well we got this argument out of the way. You’d think after going a few rounds with one New York woman I’d have sense enough to stay away from the next one who came along. Guess I’m a slow learner.”
“Tom. I’m not...” She looked confused and didn’t finish the sentence.
“I’m not saying you’d be sneaky, like Deidre. But you think like her. You’ve got a foothold on that success ladder, and you’re not about to let some guy loosen that hold. You have a right to think like that. And I have a right to stay the hell away from you before I get myself in trouble again.” He turned and headed out into the meadow where the horses grazed on the dew-soaked grass.
Thank God for this land, he thought as he took a deep, calming breath. The women might come and go, but the land never disappointed him.
THE CATTLE DRIVE seemed to have acted like a fountain of youth for Dynamite. Either that or the little mare was eager to get back to her corral, Cleo thought. Head up and steps light, Dynamite pranced near the head of the group heading down the mountain. That was fine with-Cleo. She’d lost her taste for picture-taking.
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