Heart of a Cowboy

by Kristin Vayden

  “N-no,” she answered, taking a deep breath.

  “And tonight…after Jack is all tucked in nice and tight…” he murmured.

  “I’ll be on call, but he’s usually fine till earlier in the morning,” she answered, a bit of her sass returning as she gave him a grin.

  “Then we’ll have plenty of time to make plans for tomorrow. I have a few ideas. And, of course, all of them start with coffee.” He grinned before he took her palm and rested it on his shoulder, freeing his hands to pull her into the lee of his body.

  Her breath caught at the contact, and slowly she traced her palms over his shoulders then down farther over his back. The sensation of her exploration had him fighting for control over his reaction. He wanted to push her gently back till she was flush against the barn wall and explore her as she explored him. He took a step, but she reached up on her tiptoes and brushed a kiss against his lips, inviting him as her tongue grazed his lower lip enticingly. It was a wrestle for control as he leaned into her kiss, and she pressed back, giving as much as he gave, marking him every bit as much as he was marking her. Her lips angled across, her teeth nipping, her tongue caressing while her fingers arched into his skin, creating an odd mix of pain and pleasure. With a growl, he slid his hands down from her shoulders to the tempting curve of her hips then pulled them in tightly against his, wanting—needing—her to be closer.

  “Laken, honey! There’s smoke!” Jack’s voice held a slightly panicked edge, and Laken pulled back abruptly, her lips swollen, her face flushed with desire.

  “I-I, oh shit.” She groaned and took off to the house at a dead run.

  “Is something on fire?” Laken called out, and Cyler couldn’t help the grin.

  Yeah, something was burning. Him. And like ice water, Jack had effectively put out that fire.

  Some things never change.

  But this time, Jack wouldn’t interfere. He’d make sure of it. Because Laken was his.

  She just didn’t quite know it yet.

  Chapter 14

  As Laken pulled out the store-bought lasagna, she wasn’t sure if she’d been saved by the smoke, or if the smoke had ruined everything. Well, so maybe not everything. She glared at the oven, biting back a curse as the wisps from the overflowed lasagna burning on the bottom filled the air.

  She sighed.

  And here she thought she’d been so brilliant by buying something pre-made again.

  She should have stuck with takeout.

  “Everything okay, honey?” Jack called from behind her.

  “Yeah, yeah. Just overflowed and burned on the bottom. That’s going to be fun to clean”—she blew out a breath—“but the lasagna isn’t ruined or burned even.” She studied the pan. “In fact, I think it’s still half-frozen.”

  “That’s why God made microwaves. We’ll dish some out, zap it, and boom! We’ll be good to go. Don’t worry, honey. Can’t be perfect at everything.” Jack clapped once, rubbed his hands together, and went to pull down some plates. His steps were slow and unsteady, so Laken intercepted him.

  “I’ll tell you what. You just boss me around from that chair over there, and I’ll pour you some coffee. Sound good?”

  He narrowed his eyes and allowed her to lead him to the chair, but not before muttering, “Who’s bossing whom?”

  “Heard that.”

  “Don’t care.”

  “I’m putting sugar in your coffee to sweeten you up.”

  “Won’t work. I’m tougher than rawhide and just as mean.” He nodded emphatically.

  Laken rolled her eyes. “Sure, sure. Your secret’s safe with me.” She bit her lip and turned, but not before noticing his wry grin.

  “So, I’m assuming we don’t need the fire department. Unless Jack wants to go down in a blaze of glory instead.” Cyler’s voice carried from the hall as he strode into the kitchen.

  “You wish,” Jack replied.

  “Nah, no heroics for you,” Cyler shot back.

  “And again, done. And no, no fire department. I didn’t actually even burn the lasagna.”

  “Nope, it’s still frozen.”

  “Thanks, Jack. Helpful.” Laken gave a sarcastic smile.

  “Anytime, sweetheart. Just making sure he knows what he’s getting into.” He chuckled.

  Laken froze, then closed her eyes. Thanks again, Jack.

  Cyler’s laughter had her eyes snapping open. “That obvious, huh? Well, I never was one to beat around the bush.” Cyler strode the rest of the way into the kitchen and pulled down the plates. “Hey, Laken? You’re only cuter when you blush.”

  She took a deep breath through her nose and shook her head. She was surrounded. “Between the two of you, this might kill me.”

  “Nah, I’m the one with a timetable to work with. You’re young, sweetheart. Act like it. I’m putting myself to bed, but not till after dinner. Kinda hungry, you understand. Then you two can—honestly, I don’t want to know.” Jack held up his two hands, his grin becoming more of a smirk.

  “Just when you thought it couldn’t get more awkward,” Cyler stage-whispered.

  “Not helping.”

  “Wasn’t trying to.”

  “Gah!” Laken groaned.

  “Anytime tonight, sweetheart.” Jack called out, and as Laken turned to glare, he pointed to the lasagna.

  “Fine.” She cut through the still chilly middle of the lasagna and handed a plateful to Cyler, who placed it in the microwave.

  “So, since Jack’s being helpful and all, putting himself to bed…” He gave teasing grin.

  Laken rolled her eyes as anticipation filled her.

  “Come with me tonight.” Cyler hitched a broad shoulder, his blue eyes burning through her.

  “Where?” she asked as she placed a portion of the lasagna into the microwave.

  “That’s for me to know and you to find out.”

  “Then no.” Laken turned, hiding her smirk.

  “Playing hard to get?” Cyler flirted, reaching around her as the microwave dinged. He opened it and pulled out the plate. His masculine scent overpowered the aroma of the food and had her body tightening, remembering the sensation of his lips on hers.

  “Just seeing if you’ll take no for an answer,” she shot back, curving a brow in challenge as she swiped the plate from him and walked over to where Jack waited.

  “Dinner and a show. Keep going.” He lifted a fork and grinned, watching them.

  “Lovely,” Laken grumbled.

  “Actually, I didn’t really ask, so…” Cyler leaned against the counter, a cocky grin on his face.

  “Then I didn’t really answer,” Laken challenged, grinning in spite of herself.

  “Better than HBO,” Jack murmured from the table.

  Laken gave him a glare.

  He grinned wider.

  “Please?” Cyler interrupted her scolding of Jack, and she turned to him.

  “There’s something I want to show you, and I promise you’ll enjoy it. It’s stargazing, and Jack, so help me, if you make any smart-ass remark—”

  “Whoa there. Ding-ding-ding. We have a winner! Hell has officially frozen over and—”

  “Eat your damn lasagna,” Cyler replied, his tone exasperated. He turned his gaze to Laken. “Please, Laken?”

  Laken took a deep breath, knowing she was powerless to say anything but yes, but enjoying the opportunity to mess with him a bit. “Yes.”

  “You better bring your A-game, boy,” Jack remarked around a full mouth of lasagna.

  “I promise not to disappoint.” Cyler leveled his blue gaze at her, making her body tingle.

  Nodding, Laken made a plate of lasagna for herself as well, and soon, after dinner, she walked Jack to his room, making sure he didn’t need anything.

  In short work, she was changing into jean shorts
and a T-shirt before nervously returning to the kitchen.

  “You ready?” Cyler asked. Everything about him screamed sexy, from his faded jeans to the way he filled out his black T-shirt.

  Laken nodded, her stomach full of butterflies as he pushed away from the counter and walked toward the door.

  “It’ll start getting dark soon,” he remarked as he opened the back door for her, leading to the driveway.

  “I don’t think I’ve ever actually been stargazing.” Laken spoke, walking to his truck.

  Cyler opened the truck door for her as well. “I used to do it all the time as a kid. The city lights don’t interfere if you go down by the canyon.” With a grin, he closed the door behind her and circled around the front of the truck before hopping in on his side. Soon they were driving behind the ranch on an old dirt road with rye grass growing between the wheel ruts.

  “Is it on the ranch property?” Laken asked, holding on to the armrest as they hit a large bump.

  “Yeah, it’s out where Jack used to run the cattle during the spring. He sold everything but a few old longhorns when he was diagnosed. Those last steers were sold yesterday. Bo called this past week and caught me up on everything. Bo is his lawyer.”

  “Oh, I actually kinda wondered about that.” Laken turned to Cyler.

  “Well, it was just wiser to keep things simple,” Cyler remarked, pulling the truck left down a narrow path.

  “I can understand that.”

  “Here we are.” Cyler put the truck in park and flashed a quick grin. “Stay put.”

  Laken unbuckled her seatbelt, and Cyler opened the door then held out his hand for her.

  “Thanks.” She blushed as his warm hand held hers then slowly let go as he opened the second door to the back of the cab. He pulled out a few quilts and then shut both doors.

  “Because the truck bed is great for lumber but sucks for stargazing, these will help a bit.” He tossed the quilts in the back of the truck bed then lowered the gate. After extending his hand, he helped Laken as she climbed onto the bumper then the tailgate to walk into the truck bed.

  Cyler one-arm-hurdled into the truck bed and picked up the quilts from where he’d tossed them. He laid them out one by one.

  Once he was finished, Laken took a seat on the wheel well, thankful for the warm evening to combat her nerves.

  “I love it out here,” Cyler remarked, sitting down on the quilts, his back resting against the cab.

  “It’s quiet,” Laken whispered.

  “You can hear yourself think.” Cyler closed his eyes, and Laken watched as he took a slow breath.

  “You can.” She listened to the silence, her whole body slowly relaxing.

  “The first star will be the north star. It will be visible just above where the sun sets. It’s pretty bright, so we should be able to see it in a few minutes since the sun’s starting to set over the ridge.” Cyler opened his eyes and met her gaze, grinning.

  “So, we really are stargazing?” Laken half teased.

  Cyler grinned mischievously. “What else would we be doing?”

  “No idea,” Laken answered too quickly.

  “Honestly, Laken, I just wanted to spend time with you. Is that so hard to believe?” He hitched a shoulder.

  “Nah, I’m pretty amazing.”

  Cyler laughed, the sound echoing around them. “Yes, yes you are. So, while we’re discussing how amazing you are, would you be open to spending more time with me tomorrow?”

  Laken’s face burned with a blush. “Again? Hmmm. It’s my day off, so I’ll have to check my calendar,” she teased. “Are you sure? I mean you might be sick of me after stargazing.”

  “Damn, I gotta stop asking,” Cyler shot back with a grin. “Tomorrow. Spend it with me.”

  “That’s still a question,” Laken flirted.

  “Sorry, I was raised right.”

  “I’ll tell Jack you said that.”

  “He’ll give credit to my mom.”

  “You’re probably right.”

  “It’s true.” Cyler shrugged, waiting.

  “Fine.”

  “Fine…”

  “Fine. I’ll spend tomorrow with you. But I need coffee.” Laken pointed at him.

  “Done.” Cyler gave her a warm smile, his mouth drawing her attention, and she licked her lips instinctively.

  Then she remembered.

  “I completely forgot. Okay, not forgot. You kinda had me a little distracted—”

  Cyler’s chuckle interrupted her, and she would have laughed had her stomach not tightened with the foreboding about the doctor’s appointment tomorrow.

  His smile faded, his eyes tightening as she studied her face.

  “What is it, honey?”

  “Sorry, it’s just that tomorrow I’m open all afternoon, but in the morning, I need to take Jack to his doctor’s appointment.” She put on her best nurse face, hoping it gave nothing away.

  “Oh, well, that’s fine.” He studied her further, his gaze intent. “There’s something else,” he stated as his gaze narrowed.

  “It’s important that I’m there so I can ask any questions that maybe Jack wouldn’t think of and can get the best idea for his care,” Laken answered, leaving out the part where she’d need to help Jack work through the bad news.

  “What time is the appointment?” Cyler asked, leaning back on the truck bed, his hands tucked behind his head.

  “Ten.”

  “And you’ll be free after that?”

  Laken bit her lip. Technically, yes, she would be. But with Jack getting an update on his cancer’s progress, he might need her. Normally, it wasn’t an issue to lose potential time off, but this time it wasn’t so easy to ignore the chance at a break.

  Not a break—a date—a chance to explore this…thing…with Cyler.

  “That doesn’t exactly sound like a yes.” Cyler’s voice broke through her deep thoughts.

  “It’s complicated.”

  “Complicated like you don’t want to go, or complicated like you are torn between Jack’s needs and yours?”

  Her gaze flickered to his, her brows drawing as she replayed his words in her head. Her needs? No…well…huh. She twisted her lips.

  “There’s more to the appointment than just a checkup, isn’t there?” he asked softly.

  She couldn’t answer; it wasn’t professional. It wasn’t ethical.

  “You can’t tell me, can you?” Cyler rose on his elbow, regarding her.

  “No, I can’t.” Lake answered honestly.

  “I can respect that. I’ll tell you what. I’ll be working on the back shelter of the barn. The roof needs patching from that windstorm last spring. If you feel comfortable taking some time to yourself, come find me.”

  Laken nodded. “Thank you…for understanding.”

  It meant more to her than she could quite articulate. Whomever she was with, he needed to respect, to encourage her in her passion, in her work. If Cyler felt that she was picking work over him, then that didn’t bode well for any future in their relationship. That he was able to understand—when the person in question wasn’t one he particularly liked—was impressive.

  Then he shocked her completely. “Do you want me to go to the appointment with you?”

  She blinked. “Uh, that would actually be up to Jack. You’d have to ask him,” she answered automatically, her mind spinning with the idea that Cyler would choose to be in the same, small, confined room as his father. Did this mean part of the rift was beginning to mend?

  “Don’t let your hopes run away wild, Laken. I’d be there for you, not him,” Cyler replied dryly, apparently reading her mind.

  She arched a brow. “Still up to Jack.”

  “Enough about Jack. Gives me indigestion to talk about that pain in the ass.” He gave a quirk of his l
ips, taking a bit of the heat from his remark. “Tell me about yourself. I figure I’ve learned a bit just though observation, but that’s not enough.”

  Laken slipped from her seat on the truck bed wheel and lay back on the quilt beside Cyler, watching the stars growing brighter. “What do you want to know? Just a heads-up, whatever you ask, I’ll be turning right back around on you,” she teased.

  “Wouldn’t expect anything less,” he joked. “Hmmm. Family. Mom, dad, siblings…”

  Laken took a break. “Dad’s a plastic surgeon in Seattle. Mom is a pre-school teacher at a small classical school. They’ve been remarried for six years.” She smiled to herself.

  “Re-married?”

  “Yeah, they got a divorce when I was about eleven. But neither of them really got over the other, and my dad decided that he wanted my mom back. He pursued—my mother calls it chased—her for a year-and-a-half, and then they remarried when I was about eighteen.”

  “Huh, I don’t think I’ve ever heard of that actually happening.”

  “I know. I was pretty thankful. Divorce sucks,” Laken whispered.

  “Yeah, yeah it does,” Cyler answered quietly.

  “Sterling is almost thirty. He actually called yesterday! He’s coming home for Christmas, I think. We’ll see. I don’t really take anything he says about leave seriously till I actually see him with my own eyes.”

  “A few false alarms?” Cyler asked, a twinkle in his eye.

  “Yeah, a few. He loves being a marine though. He’s good at it.” She sighed a laugh. “I tell him he’s saving the world one day at a time.”

  “In a way, he is,” Cyler replied kindly.

  “I miss him,” she admitted softly.

  Cyler’s hand wrapped around hers, enveloping her in warmth. “I’m sure you do, honey.”

  “What about you? Your family? I mean, I know Jack, but your mom?” Laken let the words linger, suspecting that his story didn’t have a happy ending.

  Cyler took a deep breath then blew it out deliberately. “Mom was amazing. I loved her. She was beautiful from the inside out and loyal to a fault. She didn’t believe in divorce, hated it. Her parents were divorced, and she swore she’d never do that to her kid. But Jack didn’t have the same convictions.” His grip tightened on her hand, and she waited patiently for him to continue.