Gillian’s cheeks warmed with a quick blush, but with the early afternoon heat it would be hard to tell—hopefully. It was surreal having this conversation. “It itches like crazy.”
He beamed a million-watt smile again at her. “I’ll bet.”
“Mom, we’re going to go up to the grocer’s and grab a couple of things for Hank.” Heidi held a slip of paper and dragged Ryder behind her by the sleeve. She didn’t so much as drool or swoon over Cade Holstrom.
Gillian frowned. Her daughter was way further gone with her puppy love for Ryder. A scary prospect. Maybe they should go now, before Heidi was too far gone—if it wasn’t already too late.
“Cade, can you give me a hand?” Missy’s smile hadn’t wavered.
“Excuse me.” The man tipped his hat at Gillian and hurried over to Missy’s side.
Zan, Jacob and their daughters settled in around the other end of the table. They all waved.
“It’s nice being someplace where folks are always welcoming.” Bonnie Carmichael pulled out the chair next to Gillian and sat.
“Mmm.” A non-committal grunt was all she could manage. The tightness in her throat threatened to asphyxiate her. Bonnie Carmichael had voiced her thoughts and, at the same time, her fears. Having people around to watch out for you could also lend itself to someone getting too close and poking their nose into business they had no right to intrude upon. Someone breaking down the wall she’d spent a number of years constructing after her sister’s murder and her mother’s death.
Gillian glanced over to Quint’s table. How many times can someone bang into that wall before it starts to crack and possibly crumble completely? And what might that person think about what they found on the other side? Too much insecurity and damage? Too much past that couldn’t be put behind?
Not that he’d be the one knocking on walls. He was otherwise occupied with one protective female.
Gillian shook off her melancholy. It was hard to let her thoughts grow so sad with the wonderful weather and all the folks around having a good time. She sat and just listened while the small group chatted about everything from Jacob’s plans for Skipping Rocks Ranch to their opinions on the next job Cade Holstrom should take.
Half an hour later, Hank came over to the table. He shook hands with Cade and made small talk for a few minutes. As he was leaving he asked Missy, “You wouldn’t happen to know where that your son of yours has gotten himself off to? He was supposed to be back ages ago.”
“No, Daddy, sorry. Do you need me to go find him?”
He shrugged. “Naw. He’s gotten himself somewhere. I’ll find him eventually.” He headed back to the food table.
Gillian scanned the area for Ryder and Heidi. She’d assumed they’d come back already. Panic rose in her chest. She excused herself from the conversation and headed toward the grocer’s.
She cradled the cast in her other arm to keep from swinging into anyone as she wended her way through the ever increasing crowd. By the time she turned the corner onto Main Street she was almost at a run and she smashed into a firm, warm chest.
“Hey, where’s the fire?” Quint smiled down at her.
She took a step back to keep the man from invading her space. Something he was constantly doing. “I’m, uh.” Her voice cracked. “Looking for Heidi.”
“Is everything okay?”
“It will be when I find my daughter.”
Quint’s smile broadened. He glanced over his shoulder and stepped farther into her path, blocking the way. “She’s fine. Let’s take a walk.” He snagged her elbow and tried to lead her back the way she came.
“What?” Gillian pulled free. “What’s going on?” A riot of thoughts crowded around her head.
“Nothing.”
“Quint, if you don’t move so I can find my daughter so help me…” She shook with fear and rage.
His smile fled quickly. “Gillian, darlin’, calm down.”
“Move.” She pushed past him and stopped hard in her tracks.
Standing next to the cottonwood tree in front of the grocer’s, Heidi and Ryder were…kissing. Heat flamed through Gillian’s cheeks. “Oh.”
She retreated until her back came flush with Quint. He wrapped his arm around her middle and guided her back behind the building, out of view of the necking teens.
Laughter rumbled in his chest and vibrated against her back.
“You knew?” she whispered, fighting her own laughter.
Quint ducked his head, his mouth right up against her ear. “Yeah, about ten seconds before you. Hank asked me to come find Ryder.” He paused and his breath feathered her hair. “I didn’t want to embarrass them.”
His thumb rubbed back and forth over her stomach. His laughter subsided, but his heart beat a steady tattoo against her back. More of a comfort than Gillian thought possible.
He took a deep breath. “You want me to break them up?”
Did she?
Of course she did. While she wanted Heidi to have a normal adolescence, what little was left, she didn’t want her to become too attached, for when they had to move again—and it was only a matter of when not if—she didn’t want Heidi to pine away for something she couldn’t have.
“Yes.”
He held her a moment longer, gave her a quick squeeze, then released her. He settled his hand on her elbow and turned her to face him. “Do you want Heidi to know you caught her?”
She gnawed her lip. No one ever said parenting was easy. It didn’t come with an owner’s manual. No instructions for this—and when she was a teen she’d never even come close to a boy to be found kissing.
“Tick tock.” Quint tapped her on the nose. He peeked around the corner. “They’re getting an extraordinarily long amount of…face time.”
She scanned the space between the buildings where they both stood. “One sec.” She wedged herself behind a stack of empty crates. “Knock yourself out.”
Quint gave a high pitched whistle. “Ryder?”
There was a momentary pause then the teen hollered back, “Yeah?”
Quint’s boots crunched on something as he rounded the corner. “Hey, bud, your granddad’s looking for you.”
Gillian held her breath as the scuffle of feet grew between the buildings. She didn’t dare try to catch a peek of her daughter; she might not be able to keep her mouth shut.
After a minute or two the crates shifted and Quint’s hand reached around the stack. “Coast is clear.”
Quint waited to see if she would actually take his hand. When she did, he was hard-pressed not to pull her tight up against him again.
Did she know how perfectly she fit to him? Did she know how much his heart raced any time she came near?
Of course not. He hadn’t paid her one lick of attention in over a week. He’d acted like the jackass his aunt had all but accused him of being. He’d stayed away from her, hoping whatever lust and want that had clogged up his judgment would pass and he’d be able to get on with his life. The opposite happened. He’d fantasized about her night after night. After a few days, he’d hung around town longer than need be when he came through running errands, hoping to get a glance of her.
Worse than longing for the sight of her was the hunger for conversation. He’d had no pretenses with her, didn’t feel any of the demands he did with other folks. She held zero expectations for him. He’d picked up the phone several times to call—only to remember how he’d left things with her. He should have apologized, right away, admitted what an ass he’d been and how he’d messed up things between them. So many things he could say, so many things he wanted to share, but pride kept him away from the one person who pulled his attention.
Plain and simple, he’d missed her.
He sure as hell wasn’t going to tell her, though. The look on her face when he’d asked her to sit with him at the picnic… He shook his head.
“Thanks.” The corner of her mouth tilted up. “You know, you’re a pretty thoughtful guy.”
A s
park of hope floated around him when she didn’t immediately release his hand. “You say that like it’s a rarity.”
“To me it is.” She sighed. “And it’s nice.”
“Then why didn’t you want to sit with me?” Damn. He could kick himself for saying it aloud.
Gillian’s gaze shot up to his. “And get between you and Ruby? No thanks.”
His short bark of laughter echoed between the buildings as they strolled slowly. “We’re just friends.”
“She doesn’t seem to think so. Any time anyone—any female—comes near, Ms. Ruby all but starts snarling and baring her teeth.”
“She’s not like that.” He ran his finger along his collar, all of the sudden a little tighter than a few minutes before. Sure Ruby had a crush on him when he’d moved to town, but they’d become friends. Nothing more. He’d never intimated anything stronger. Had he?
“She’s exactly like that.” She glanced up at him. “I may be new here, but I’d bet if you ask anyone in town, they would tell you as much. People around here love nothing more than something juicy to talk about.”
Zan was right about the gossip churning through town. Folks had speculated about him and Ruby from the beginning. They hadn’t even bothered to do it behind his back. It had died down some. Until the Cates’ party. He’d talked to Ruby about it again and confirmed nothing had happened when he’d drunk himself into oblivion. If she was so hot for him why would she lie about not doing anything with him? “We’re just friends.”
“Does she know that?”
“Yes. And hopefully so do you.”
She blinked up at him, her forehead pulled down with a huge crease for a brief moment. Then she shrugged and her face smoothed out. “It’s kinda cute really. A big strapping thing like yourself and you have your own personal guard dog.”
He waggled his eyebrows at her. “You think I’m a big strapping thing?” He jumped at the chance to change the subject.
“Man, your ego does not need any help, does it?”
“Are you offering it up a boost or something?” He pulled on their clasped hands and stopped her. “’Cause you know, I’m always in need of a boost.”
“I could go holler at Ruby for ya.” She motioned with her cast. A wicked smile curled her lips.
“No, I think I’m good right here. Right now.”
“I, um…”
“With you.” Quint walked her backward until she came up against the building, hidden from any passersby.
The mischief on her face faded. Her lips parted, but she didn’t utter a single word.
With his free hand, he stroked the backs of his knuckles down her soft, creamy cheek. “You’re so beautiful.”
Slowly he leaned in, gave her a chance to protest or move away. Nose to nose, he waited a heartbeat before he captured her mouth with his.
It seemed like a lifetime rather than only a couple weeks since the rainstorm when they’d first kissed. Or even the week earlier at the garage. It was never enough. He always craved more.
He ran his tongue across the seam of her lips, teasing, enticing. When she opened to him, he let her warmth envelope him as he held her small hand clasped his. His other hand slid from her cheek up into the hair at the nape of her neck, the soft locks sliding between his fingers.
Quint itched to feel more, to slide his hand up under the light blue T-shirt she wore. But he didn’t want to spook her by moving too fast. It took every bit of effort to step back and disengage himself.
Gillian’s blue eyes fluttered open. A crimson blush darkened her cheeks. “Wow.”
A huge smile spread across his mouth. “I knew you’d know just what to say.”
The corner of her mouth tilted. “Yep. Ego the size of Wyoming.”
“Don’t you mean Montana?”
She frowned. “Huh?”
“That’s where you were heading when you got here.”
Gillian released his hand and pushed away from the wall so quickly Quint didn’t have time to react. He hurried to catch up to her. “Hey. Did I say something wrong?”
“Don’t be silly.”
“Talk to me.” Quint jogged until he could cut her off. “What just happened?”
“Nothing happened.” She toyed with the edge of her cast.
“I don’t mean to pry.” He cupped her elbow. “Okay, maybe I do. Every time anything remotely personal comes up, you change the subject or shut down completely.” He tried not to think of the heat seeping from her into him. He’d like nothing more to go back to kissing her and teasing her. The seriousness that rolled across her face was so intense it twisted his gut. “I’m trying to get to know you. But you’re not making it easy.”
Gillian frowned. “Why?”
“I’m guessing someone hurt you pretty deep.”
She gave a quick laugh. “I mean, why are you trying to get to know me?”
As soon as the words left her mouth a spark of déjà vu flitted through her from her conversation with Heidi after Quint’s job offer.
Quint’s eyebrows knitted together. “What kind of question is that?”
“A dumb one.” She pulled her elbow free. She didn’t want him to feel how badly her entire body shook. “I need to get back to the picnic.”
“I want to be your friend. I am your friend. Friends get to know each other. Learn about each other. They talk to each other.” He reached for her face, but pulled his hand back and tucked his hands into his pockets. “I’m a good listener.”
There were a lot of things Quint Walters was good at. Not least of which was confusing her. When he was near she didn’t know which end was up. “There’s that ego again. Is there anything you’re not good at?”
He shifted his gaze up toward the sky for a moment. “Modesty.”
Gillian shook her head.
“Tell ya what.” He started walking and led her back to the rest of the picnickers. “Come sit next to me during the fireworks tonight.”
She scoffed. “Uh, no.”
“Come sit with me.”
“And have your guard dog nipping at my heels?” Gillian shook her head. “No thank you.”
“We can talk. No hanky-panky. No judgment. Just someone to listen to whatever you want to talk about. Or not talk at all.” They came to her table and stopped. “What could it hurt?”
What indeed? Again, the wall’s integrity threatened to disintegrate. She sighed. “I’ll think about it.”
“You do that.” He tapped the tip of her nose and left to find his table.
Gillian sat heavily in her seat. She wanted to go bury herself under the covers of the huge bed and block out everything. Except the feel of Quint’s lips on hers. And the tender way he caressed her cheek. Whether he wanted to admit it or not, he was a damn nice guy and it was a rare thing.
“Mom, I was looking for you. Where have you been?” Heidi plopped down beside Gillian.
“I was out looking for you.”
The teen’s cheeks pinkened. “I’ve been here and there.”
And under the tree with Ryder Lunsford. Gillian wouldn’t bring it up at the picnic, but later, they’d talk for sure.
“Can I get you a plate?” Heidi stood and pulled at the hem of her short shorts.
“No thanks, hon. You go on ahead.”
The rest of the afternoon blurred into early evening. Food disappeared as fast as it hit the tables. People talked and laughed. Gillian managed to relax in slow degrees, but just before dusk as the sun slid being the Big Horn Mountains, her nerves tightened. Quint and his offer to “talk” taunted her.
Maybe he forgot. He was sitting with Ruby. And no matter what he said, that woman had a proprietary hold over her friend. It wasn’t even just Gillian. Ruby crossed her arms over her chest and frowned at any woman under sixty who dared come within eyelash-batting range of the man.
“I think I’m going to head back to the house.” Gillian stood from her chair and lifted the quilt.
“Are you okay?” Missy swiped at her
mouth with a napkin. A smudge of chocolate sat on the corner of her mouth.
“You have a little, right—” Gillian motioned to her own mouth.
Cade leaned back in his chair. “I got it.” He slowly ran his thumb over Missy’s lips and wiped off this chocolate.
The intimacy between the two was too much to bear so Gillian slipped away while they were distracted.
She found Heidi, Ryder and a group of teens setting up seats with Hank. She motioned her daughter over. “I’m heading back to the house. My arm’s bothering me.” True enough. She tried not to ever lie to her daughter and it had been aching all day, though really she was running from a man who wanted to be her friend.
“Do I need to…?” Heidi volleyed her gaze over to Ryder.
“No, sweetie. You stay. But be home right after the fireworks show, okay?” She gave Heidi a quick hug. “Get back to work before Hank comes looking for you.”
Heidi flashed a quick smile. “Aw, he’s a big old teddy bear. Love you.” She ran back over to the small group and grabbed another chair from the stack.
“Not trying to sneak away, are you?”
Gillian almost stumbled at Quint’s words. She pivoted slowly around. He stood, leaning up against a stack of chairs.
“Who me?” She pasted on a bright smile. “Wouldn’t think of it.”
“Yeah.” He straightened. “I have us a spot over here. Follow me.”
“Where’s your guard dog?”
He glanced back over his shoulder at her and smiled. “Ruby had a late check-in and had to go in to work. Then she has to run up to Sheridan to see her mama.”
“And she let you stay here all by yourself?”
“Be nice or I won’t share my popcorn with you.” He stopped at a dark, plaid blanket with a huge bowl of popcorn, a bottle of wine and two fluted glasses.
The little voice in the back of her head screamed at her to leave, but the warmth that spread up from belly rooted her in place. “This looks a little more than watching some fireworks.”
Wrong Turn, Right Cowboy: Paintbrush, Book 2 Page 14