by Starla Kaye
Starla Kaye
Rose’s Cowboys
Copyright 2013 Starla Kaye
Cover Art Copyright 2013 by Richard Savage
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.
All characters in this book are completely fictional. They exist only in the imagination of the author. Any similarity to any actual person or persons, living or dead, is completely coincidental.
Published by Black Velvet Seductions Publishing Company
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CHAPTER ONE
Pity parties were…pitiful. Rose Myers sat miserably on the one nearly threadbare chair in the middle of the small living room. Not only was her life pathetic, but the only house she’d found to rent in Evergreen, Colorado was sad.
A tear trickled down one cheek and her heart pinched. Ryan. Her ex-dancing partner. Her ex-fiancé. One seriously lousy excuse for a man and the reason she was swearing off all men for…maybe the rest of her life.
She drew in a breath, forced the painful memories away, and looked at the stack of boxes she needed to unpack. She’d been here a week and hadn’t found the desire to dig into them or to settle into the place. Every day she’d gone to work as the new librarian in town and vowed to come home and unpack, but she was having a hard time accepting this “needs a little TLC” house as home. Home was still supposed to be the cramped but much-loved apartment in the heart of New York City’s theatre district. She glanced again at the boxes in the corner. That life was over. She needed to come to terms with her new reality.
The sound of a car pulling into her driveway snagged her attention. Who would be coming to see her? She didn’t know that many people here. She wasn’t in the mood for a neighborly visit. Maybe if she didn’t answer the door…
A car door closed and all too soon she heard footsteps crossing the wooden porch. Thoughts of hiding out in the bedroom, pretending she didn’t hear the doorbell passed through her mind. But when the off-key buzzer rang, she got up and answered the door, politeness too ingrained in her to do anything different.
Evergreen’s exceptionally beautiful and all too enthusiastic mayor flashed a smile. Then she took in Rose’s faded torn jeans and baggy sweatshirt. “You’re not ready,” she said, her brow pinched as if confused.
“Ready?” Rose tried to remember what she was supposed to be “ready” for. It was Friday night and…
Victoria Holmes pulled open the screen door and stepped forward, her jaw set with clear determination. As Rose automatically moved backward, her visitor said, “The Evergreen Fall Dance.”
She now recalled the slightly older woman mentioning the big shindig and inviting her to attend. No, actually she had more or less insisted that she go, since she was new to Evergreen. “You were serious?”
“Absolutely.” Victoria glanced around the room, her forehead pinching in annoyance. “I can’t believe Fred Thompson advertised this as ‘furnished.’ I mean, really. A garage-sale chair, a crate for an end table, that sad-looking lamp.” She shook her head. “Evidently all the money for living room furnishings went to that entertainment center. Nice. But there’s no TV or stereo or, well, anything for entertainment.”
Oddly, Rose felt a little defensive about her new home. “It has the basics and I can get the rest sometime.” The basics were extremely simple: an ancient stove and refrigerator, a twin-sized bed with a less-than-wonderful mattress, a nightstand and table lamp that was pretty iffy about working, and the living room ensemble Victoria had described. But there was also a not so awful antique bookcase she’d already filled with her favorite books.
She sighed and slowly smiled. Why not? The house had more than four walls and a roof that didn’t leak. At least she didn’t think it did. “It’s not perfect, but it’s acceptable for now.”
Victoria’s smile was back in full bloom. “Great attitude! My kind of woman. We’re going to be such good friends, I just know it.” She motioned Rose toward the bedroom. “Go change, but keep it simple. We need to get going.”
Rose didn’t move. “I’m kind of tired tonight. I was planning to just start unpacking and—”
“You can unpack tomorrow,” Victoria interrupted. “Tonight is for fun. You can meet some of the townspeople, have some of the best barbequed beef in the state, drink a little, and let a few of the single men around here twirl you around the dance floor.”
At the mention of dancing, her heart squeezed. “I don’t dance,” she said weakly.
Victoria raised a perfectly shaped eyebrow. “I thought you mentioned studying to be a ballerina. I just assumed…”
“That’s in the past.” She didn’t want to talk about anything to do with ballet. It hurt too much. “Look, I don’t want to put a damper on your fun tonight. I’m not in the best of moods and it would probably be better if—”
Victoria cut her off. “Staying around this dismal place won’t perk you up. You need this party. You need to forget about all of this and get to know some of the people you will run into around town. Visit a little. Laugh a little.” She shrugged. “If you don’t want to dance, it’s not a big deal.”
Rose knew when she was losing, and, truthfully, the idea of staying around “this dismal place” was pretty depressing. Besides, she was hungry and barbeque sounded good. But there would be no dancing. She headed for the bedroom. “No wonder you’re mayor. You’re a determined politician.”
“I’m the best mayor Evergreen’s ever had.” She lowered her voice and added, “At least most people think so.”
Rose hesitated in the doorway.
Victoria waved her away. “Nothing important. Go on. Get ready.”
* * * *
Doug Grayson dug a bottle of beer out of the tub full of ice and wondered if he should head on back to the ranch. He wasn’t in a partying frame of mind. Sure, there were plenty of pretty ladies here. A few had already given him hints about being interested in more than boot scooting with him tonight. He’d smiled but not encouraged any of them so far. He wasn’t quite sure what was wrong with him. He guessed he was just having one of those days. Actually, the date of September 15— same as the Evergreen Fall Dance—always soured his mood. No matter how he tried not to, he couldn’t help remembering the day he’d made his way to Samuel Grayson’s ranch. He’d been so damaged, physically and emotionally. Emotionally he knew he was still a mess even after sixteen years. If Samuel hadn’t taken him in… He had. End of story.
“I’ve only been here an hour and my feet are getting plumb worn out,” Camden Grayson said as he stepped up next to him. With his typical grin in place, he reached for a beer. “What’re you looking so grim about? Elizabeth chasing after you again?”
It was good to think of something besides bad memories. He glanced across the crowded dance floor at the raven-haired schoolteacher dancing with one of the neighboring ranchers. “I wish she’d keep her focus on someone else. She just can’t accept that I don’t plan on ever settling down.”
Camden nodded and took a long swallow of beer. “Don’t go there.” Camden stepped right in front of him, a serious expression on his face. “Not the time or place for t
hose kinds of thoughts.”
Doug kept a lot of stuff to himself, but never from Camden. The man read him so easily. If anyone understood how Doug felt, it was his “brother.” They were alike in so many ways, both having come from family backgrounds better left forgotten, although they never would be. In spite of the number of years he’d spent at the Last Chance Ranch with Samuel and his “siblings,” he couldn’t forget the horrors of his first fifteen years. Camden understood that.
He attempted to push down the ugly memories. He glanced around the nearly packed community hall at the laughing and happy people. Determined not to ruin the night, he blew out a deep breath and nodded. “You’re right.”
“Damn straight I’m right. Always am.” Camden studied the room, zeroed in on the bubbly, overly-endowed blond looking in their direction. “I’m thinking Barbie might just get lucky tonight.”
Doug liked women, liked a good time wrangling around in a bed, but he had his limits. “That woman’s got too much energy. One time was more than enough for me.” When Camden turned to him again, he shook his head and glanced at the sling Camden wore. “Injured as you are, you ought to be careful.”
“Maybe we’ll play a little nurse and patient thing.” Camden chuckled and then handed his bottle to Doug. “I’m feeling a bit peaked at the moment. Better go talk to Nurse Barbie.”
Doug chortled as Camden headed away. Camden had been acting different lately. A bit depressed. He was concerned for him, although Camden never seemed to get as low as he sometimes did. He was just quieter than normal. Something was off with him and he needed to find out what was going on with him. Camden had sure been there for him all these years whenever he got feeling down, haunted by the nightmares he still endured. Without him, he wasn’t sure he could keep his head on straight. Anyway…maybe a round or two with “Nurse Barbie” would be a good idea.
He sat Camden’s beer on the table next to him. He didn’t want to play with a buxom blond tonight. His gaze shifted across the room and he noted Elizabeth looked in his direction again. Darn woman wouldn’t give up on him.
No way was he going to stand here alone and have her come prancing over, determined to get him to dance with her…or more. He chugged his beer and hurried over to a couple of Last Chance’s ranch hands shooting the breeze only a dozen feet away. He wasn’t up to jawing about anything. But this would be better than having the schoolteacher come after him.
Camden started weaving his way through the couples on the dance floor, aiming for Barbie. Doug was right. The waitress from the diner had a hell of a lot of energy in or out of bed. But then she was only twenty-two. Most of the time when he was with her, which was only now and then, he could keep up with her. Today, though, with his sprained arm hurting, he felt every one of the ten years difference between them. If they went at it tonight like they usually did, she just might kill him. He’d die a damn happy man, though.
He’d considered not coming tonight, same as Doug. But it was a party and he was a party man. Usually. Lately he was becoming kind of bored with carousing, with hanging out Saturday nights at Pete’s Bar, and playing poker every other Sunday night with the ranch hands. He was even getting tired of sex with the few local ladies who liked to have a good time with him. Sex. Yeah, that was all it was. None of the women wanted a real relationship. Fine by him. He wasn’t interested in making any kind of long-term commitment. Still, he’d begun wondering what making love with a special woman – not just having hot monkey sex—would be like. That was a foolish notion considering that he had no real intention of changing his ways. He was just in a slump at the moment.
Oddly, he suddenly wasn’t up for another night of good old hot and sweaty sex. He wouldn’t seek Barbie out after all. Instead he turned toward the propped-open double doors of the hall. The night was about as perfect of a fall evening as you could get. He needed some fresh air. Maybe it would help clear his head, lighten his spirit, and get him back in the party mood. Maybe he’d change his mind and go find Barbie in a little while. She would be here until the dance ended…or until he or one of the other men took her back to her place.
He’d almost made it to the doors when he heard a soft, feathery laugh. Something about it drew him. He glanced toward the sound. Victoria stood drinking punch with a couple of her married lady friends and a brunette he didn’t recognize. The stranger laughed at something one of the ladies said and her small body shook with it. And what a body it was! She wasn’t all that tall, but there was a lot of woman packed into that delicate frame. She wasn’t model thin, a definite plus in his opinion, and there was something graceful about the way she held herself. He had to see more of her, maybe get her to dance with him. He was definitely in a party mood again.
“Well, little darlin’, aren’t you a pretty one.”
Rose was both pleased and annoyed at the come on. She looked at Victoria where they stood sipping spiked punch in the corner of the community hall. The other women she’d met had wandered off to find their husbands. She’d been glad to be alone again, or at least be alone with just Victoria. She didn’t even turn to glance at the velvety-voiced smooth talker. “Is he serious with that line?”
Victoria quirked an eyebrow at the man now standing behind Rose. “Who knows.” She pinned him with a chastising look. “Let’s just say Daniel Grayson is one of the major players in these parts. And I’m sure you know what I mean by that.”
Even though she was new to the area, she’d already heard about the famous Last Chance Ranch owned by Samuel Grayson. The seventy-something cowboy was a legend, cantankerous, stubborn to the core, and known to have the biggest heart ever. He’d taken in over twenty troubled boys and girls over the years, adopted most of them, and turned their lives around. She looked forward to meeting him some day. Now it appeared she was meeting one of his “boys.”
Six-foot something of breath-stealing man in freshly pressed jeans and a pale blue Western-cut shirt that struggled to stretch across his broad shoulders stopped next to Victoria. His left arm was in a sling. She noted the faint hint of pain lines around his mouth and experienced a second of concern. She couldn’t help it; she was a nurturer by nature. If she hadn’t been so determined to become a ballerina, she might have gone into nursing.
Then he grinned crookedly at Rose and put his good arm around Victoria’s shoulder for a friendly squeeze. “Tori might be exaggerating a bit about me.” He glanced down at Victoria with a somewhat haunted look in his pale blue eyes, then back at Rose. “It’s Camden these days. Daniel is no more.”
Victoria gave him an apologetic look. “Right, sorry. I have a hard time remembering.” She turned her attention back to Rose. “Don’t ask. It’s complicated.”
Now Rose definitely wanted to ask, curiosity was killing her. But she clamped down that desire, also on the urge to ask about his arm injury and his obviously recently broken nose.
Appearing satisfied with the name clarification, his smile grew bigger, his eyes lit with mischief. “I spoke the truth, though. You’re one fine-looking lady. New around here, too, right?”
Heat crept up her neck, singed her face. She wasn’t used to being the focus of men, and certainly not handsome cowboys. Flirting wasn’t something she had much experience with and she felt uncomfortable. She hadn’t wanted to come here tonight, but she’d had a weak moment and given in to Victoria’s insistence. She was already wishing she had stayed home to finish unpacking. Anything but come face a hall full of far-toohappy people, watch them dancing, when it just reminded her of what had been taken away from her life. She’d gone from being one of a pair to being alone. Even after six months of slow healing, the emotional pain was still raw. She’d hoped with this move that she’d put the loss, the romantic dreams behind her. Evidently not quite yet. But she would!
“You okay?” he asked when she didn’t answer. He studied her with kind eyes, his teasing smile gone.
She drew in a steadying breath and forced her musings aside. She offered him a weak, reassu
ring smile. “Yes, I’m new here. Actually, this was my first week in town.”
Another equally good-looking cowboy ambled up next to them. This one was taller by a few inches and he pinned his striking electric blue gaze on Camden. “Trying for sympathy? That’s really low.” The comment had been teasing, but his gaze held some stronger feelings. Worry maybe.
All she could do was gape at the two gorgeous men. Dream cowboys…at least cowboys that would star in her dreams. Camden had thick, wavy blond hair she would like to slide her hands into, to see if it was wiry or as soft as it looked. Doug had straight, somewhat shaggy blond hair that reached his collar and she wanted to touch it, too. This second long-legged devil had a hint of sadness behind his smile, even though she wondered if anyone else noticed it.
“You’re the librarian the town just hired, right?” He extended his hand. “Doug Grayson.”
She hesitated, a bit disconcerted, and slipped her hand into his much bigger, much rougher one. Oddly, her hand tingled and a strange longing jolted through her. As she gazed up at him, she noticed he didn’t appear to be aware of her feeling. Thank goodness. Still, her face heated.
He withdrew his hand and stepped back. His brow furrowed in confusion. Evidently he’d noticed her uneasiness. She quickly focused on Victoria, who also watched her curiously.
At least Victoria didn’t question whatever reaction had shown on her face. Instead she said, “This pair of blond devils is possibly the most ornery of Samuel’s rowdy bunch. They each set about gaining that honor from the day they first stepped foot on the ranch.” She gave them both a warm look. “They’ve matured. Some. I’m giving you fair warning: they’re good-hearted, but heart breakers. And Doug is the second biggest player in the area.”
Camden hooted in amusement.
Doug immediately protested, “No second to it.” And then he seemed to realize that his admission wasn’t helping his case with her. “Ignore that. Ignore Tori, too.”
The one thing she couldn’t ignore—even though she really wanted to—was the crazy pull she felt to these men so different from any she’d ever been around. What really bothered her was that she was drawn to both of them. She wasn’t ready to be tempted by any man, not for a good long while. Absolutely not by two men. Still, her foolish heart skipped a beat as she tried not to look at either man again.