The Last Cowboy Standing

by Barbara Dunlop

  Randal twisted around to face him, his jaw clamping down. “This is a private party.”

  “Hello, Travis.” Danielle couldn’t help but feel grateful for his arrival.

  “Hello, Danielle.”

  Randal’s gaze darted from one to the other, settling on Travis. “How did you get in here?”

  Travis kept his gaze on Danielle. “I flashed my belt buckle.”

  She couldn’t help but grin.

  “Everything okay?” Travis asked her.

  Randal angled his body toward Travis. “That’s none of your business.”

  “I’m fine,” Danielle quickly put in, at the same time willing Travis to stay put. She had no desire to return to her conversation with Randal.

  “Are you hungry?” Travis asked, seeming to read her mind. “Can I get you a fresh drink?”

  “We’re having a private conversation here,” Randal firmly stated.

  Travis’s gaze slowly moved to Randal. “Yeah?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Well, maybe you want to do that in a less public place.”

  Randal turned to Danielle. “Let’s go.”

  She didn’t know how to react. She didn’t want to be rude to Randal, but she certainly didn’t want to leave the party with him.

  “Aren’t there more people you need to see?” she asked, glancing around. Surely Randal wouldn’t give up an opportunity to schmooze.

  “There’s something I need to ask you.” There was a determination in his eyes.

  “Right now?”

  “Right now.” He reached for her hand, twining his fingers around hers.

  She automatically pulled back, and his hand came with hers.

  Travis stepped forward, tone hard, words deliberate. “Let her go.”

  Randal held his ground, glaring at Travis. Both men were still and silent for what seemed like a full minute.

  Finally, Randal let go of her hand.

  He turned to Danielle. “I’d like to speak with you.”

  “Let’s do it later.” She wasn’t afraid of Randal, but his behavior bordered on the bizarre.

  He stared at her for another long moment.

  “Fine,” he ground out. “Later.”

  With a withering look at Travis, he turned to stalk away.

  “That was weird,” she couldn’t help commenting.

  “You okay?”

  “Perfectly fine.” She shook off her feelings. “You?”

  Travis grinned. “I’ve been to plenty of parties that ended in fights.”

  She shook her head at the ridiculous notion. “You weren’t going to fight.”

  “He wasn’t going to fight. I would have.”

  “You’re incorrigible.”

  “Just from a different part of the country than him.”

  “What are you doing here?”

  Randal had been right on that count, this was a private party, only the conference delegates had been invited. She doubted very much that flashing a bull riding belt buckle would have got Travis past security.

  “Hedley invited me. Probably thanks to your exaggeration of my family’s artistic and political success.”

  “That’s how you play the game.” She glanced down and noticed her drink glass was empty.

  Travis noticed, too, and took it from her, quickly flagging down a passing waiter and handing it off.

  “Thanks,” she told him.

  “Would you like another?” he asked.

  “I think I will. Thanks to Caleb, I don’t have to go to work in the morning.”

  “I was hoping to find you here,” said Travis as they moved toward a nearby bar. “I need your advice on something,”

  “You mean you didn’t come to the party to mingle with lawyers and judges?” Out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of Randal.

  He was talking to one of the conference presenters. He glanced up, and their gazes met. She quickly looked away.

  “As appealing as that sounds...” said Travis.

  Danielle smiled at his sarcasm.

  “I’m going to have to sign a contract on Thursday. I’m sure it’ll be a simple matter for you, but I need to make sure I understand the liability.”

  She tried to switch to her lawyer brain, and quickly realized she was a little tipsy. “What kind of a contract?”

  “Dune buggy racing.”

  She rested her hand on the bar and turned to peer at him. “Excuse me?”

  “For the bachelor party. Thirty or so guys are all going dune buggy racing. Either me, or the ranch, or maybe Active Equipment, needs to pay the bill and make sure our insurance covers the liability.” He switched his attention to the approaching bartender. “Can you give us two of those tall, frothy, orange things.”

  “You probably want to ask me tomorrow instead,” said Danielle. “I’ve already had a couple of drinks, so I can’t guarantee the quality of my advice.”

  He smiled at her. “Tomorrow’s fine.”

  The bartender set the drinks on the bar top, and Travis handed him a tip.

  “So, do you believe me now?” Travis asked as they turned away, heading in the general direction of the fountain pool.

  “Believe you about what?”

  “About Randal’s motives.”

  “No,” she answered with confidence.

  Nothing had changed.

  “He tried to hold your hand,” Travis pointed out.

  “He tried to get me away from you.”

  Travis took a sip of the drink and grimaced. Then he held it up to the light, inspecting it. “Really? This is what you’re drinking.”

  “Cowboy up,” she told him, using an expression she’d borrowed from Caleb.

  “I think I’d rather come off a bucking bull.”

  “Wimp,” she muttered.

  “And why do you think he was so hell-bent on getting me away from you?” Travis asked.

  “I don’t know if you’ve noticed.” They came to an empty bench facing the gardens, and she sat down. “But Randal doesn’t like you much. And you’re not helping matters by being so sarcastic all the time.”

  Travis sat down at the other end of the bench. “I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I’m not trying to make friends with Randal.”

  “Really?” she drawled with exaggerated sarcasm.

  “I’m the competition, and he knows it.”

  “Oh, get over yourself.”

  “I kissed you, and he didn’t.”

  “I used to date him, Travis.” As soon as the words left her mouth, she regretted them.

  Travis shifted on the bench. “I mean lately.”

  “Okay, no,” she backpedaled. “He hasn’t kissed me lately. Not in five years, as a matter of fact.”

  Travis took another, tentative sip of the drink, turning up his nose again. “Whereas, I kissed you last night. And he can tell it by my swagger.”

  “That’s crazy.” She tried for a haughty tone, but her words came out breathy as memories of the kiss bloomed in her mind.

  Her body’s reaction was nearly as strong as it had been in the garden, making her grateful to be in the middle of a crowd. Since, it was frighteningly tempting to do it again.

  “What do you think he wanted to talk about?” Travis asked.

  She pulled herself back from the unbidden fantasy. “He thinks I’m insulting Nester and Hedley by not snapping up their offer. He believes, and he’s right, that they’re the most prestigious law firm in D.C., and people would crawl over broken glass for the chance they’re giving me.”

  “Doesn’t mean it’s right for you.”

  “Doesn’t mean it’s wrong.”

  Travis seemed to give that some th
ought. “Did he have anything to do with you getting the offer?”

  “He says not.” She took another drink.

  “He also said he has a serious girlfriend.”

  “We have no evidence to suggest otherwise.”

  “Oh, yes, we do.”

  She pinned him with a dubious stare. “You are by far the most clairvoyant cowboy I have ever met.”

  “Doesn’t take a mind reader to see what that guy’s thinking.”

  Before she could respond, a neatly dressed waiter appeared in front of them. “Kobe beef sliders?” he asked, holding a silver tray out to Danielle.

  “Yes, please,” she answered, realizing she was hungry. She helped herself to a cocktail napkin and one of the mini burgers.

  Travis took two.

  “If I don’t eat something soon,” said Danielle. “You’ll have to pour me into bed.”

  The waiter quirked an amused smile as he backed away, and she realized how the words sounded.

  She glanced at Travis. “I didn’t mean...”

  He grinned at her embarrassment. “I know what you meant.”

  A second waiter arrived, this one carrying a tray of champagne. At his offer, Danielle held up her half-full superior court and shook her head.

  “Any chance I can exchange this for a beer?” Travis asked.

  “Of course, sir.” The waiter took his drink.

  “Anything from DFB,” said Travis.

  “I’ll be right back.”

  “You’re very loyal,” Danielle couldn’t help but note as the waiter disappeared.

  “Zach makes very good beer.”

  “Lots of companies make very good beer.”

  “Lots of companies aren’t co-owned by my brother-in-law and the man who’s engaged to my cousin.”

  “Unusually loyal,” said Danielle, biting into the burger.

  “And you’re not?” asked Travis. “Don’t they make lawyers take some kind of an oath?”

  “That’s confidentiality. And that’s a professional relationship, not something lifelong like family.”

  Travis’s tone turned curious. “What about your family?”

  “What about them?”

  “Are you close? You must be loyal to them.” He examined one of the tiny burgers, biting off half.

  “Loyal? Of course. Close? Well, we’re not exactly that kind of family.”

  “What kind of family are you?”

  “Just me and my parents.”

  “Are they lawyers?”

  “They have law degrees, but they’re corporate executives in New York City. Dad works in Midtown for a transportation conglomerate. Mom’s downtown at an international fashion chain.”

  “Do you see them often?”

  “Not really. We’re not a, you know, Sunday dinner in the suburbs, confide your deepest secrets kind of family. We’re all pretty self-sufficient.”

  He looked curious. “What does self-sufficient mean?”

  She pondered how to elaborate. “You know how some mothers want their daughters to find a good man, get married and give them grandchildren?”

  “I do,” he nodded.

  “My mother wasn’t like that. She always told me not to count on a man to take care of me. It was vital that I educate myself, develop a good career. And if, if I decided to one day get married, it should be an equal partnership, with an iron-clad prenup to protect me when it all fell apart.”

  “That’s not very romantic.”

  “Maybe not, but it is very practical.” Danielle took another bite of the burger. “This is delicious.”

  “I was thinking cynical.”

  “Not delicious?” she joked.

  “So, what would your mother think about Randal?”

  “That I ought to be doubly careful with the prenup, since he’s a smart attorney.”

  Travis smiled at that. “Maybe you should marry a dumb cowboy instead.”

  “Sure.” She kept her tone deliberately light, memories of their kiss still doing a number on her hormones. “Know any?”

  Travis laughed. “Was that an actual compliment?”

  For a second she was puzzled.

  “You don’t think I’m dumb?” he prompted.

  “I never thought you were dumb.”

  “Sure you did.”

  “I thought you were annoying.”

  “Your beer, sir.” The waiter approached. “DFB C Mountain Ale.”

  “Perfect,” said Travis, accepting the tall glass. “Thanks.”

  The waiter nodded and withdrew.

  “Do you still think I’m annoying?” Travis asked, taking a swig.

  “Sometimes,” she admitted. Though those times were getting fewer and farther between. The Travis she was coming to know in Vegas wasn’t like the one she remembered in Lyndon Valley.

  “I’ll try to do better,” he offered.

  “And here I thought you were trying to be annoying.”

  He gave a sheepish shrug. “Sometimes, I am. But only because I thought you were a snob.”

  “I’m not a snob,” she told him with conviction. “I’m self-sufficient.”

  He thought about that for a moment. “I’m sorry about your family. They don’t sound like much fun.”

  “They’ve been my family for a long time. I’m used to them.” Though, for some reason, she found his sympathy touching.

  His blue eyes were soft in the dim light, his expression uncharacteristically caring. He was handsome. He was sexy. He was smarter than she’d expected. And now he seemed genuinely compassionate.

  She could feel herself being pulled to a very dangerous place. She struggled to remember all the reasons he irked her. He was a sarcastic, smart-ass, dusty, sweaty, tough-as-nails cowboy, who didn’t have any use for big-city lawyers. He might kiss her, but he was never going to respect her as a person. If she let this thing go any further, she was definitely going to get hurt. Travis, on the other hand, would saunter away unscathed.

  She forced herself to glance at her watch. “I think I’ll call it a night.”

  “Had enough of lawyers?”

  “Had one too many drinks.” She rose to her feet. “These things are giving me a headache.”

  Travis rose with her. “Do you want me to walk you to the elevators?”

  She quickly shook her head. “I’ll be fine.”

  The last thing she was going to do was give herself a chance for second thoughts. She was walking away from Travis, his deep blue eyes, his strong, broad shoulders and his sexy smile, right this second. And she wasn’t looking back.

  Five

  Danielle made her way along a fieldstone walkway that was illuminated by yellow-toned pot lights, past the lush gardens, the overhanging oak trees, and across a small footbridge that covered a babbling brook. She passed a few guests coming the other way, while the noise of the conference party gradually faded away behind her.

  “Had enough?” Randal’s voice unexpectedly broke the quiet as he came up beside her on the narrow path.

  “Getting tired,” she told him, deciding it was best to simply ignore their tiff from earlier.

  “It was a good conference,” he offered.

  “Interesting discussions,” she agreed. “I’m not sure I concur with the direction the country seems to be taking on tariffs for emerging economies.”

  “You have to remove the exemption at some point,” Randal countered. “Or you risk flooding the market and compromising domestic manufacturing.”

  “Maybe,” she allowed. “But you also risk protectionism on the other side. Then again, I’m a little drunk, and so are you. This might not be the best time to make any sweeping policy decisions.”

  Randal laug
hed at that, sounding more like his old self, and she found herself relaxing.

  “So, have you decided?” he asked.

  “About moving to D.C.?”

  “Yes, about moving to D.C. What else is there for you to decide?”

  Whether or not to sleep with Travis was the first thing that came to Danielle’s mind. But as quickly as the thought formed, she squelched it. She wasn’t going to go there. There were less than two days until they went their separate ways, possibly for good. Once she was back in Chicago, and especially if she left there for D.C., she was certain these feelings would disappear.

  “Danielle?” Randal prompted.

  “I told them I’d let them know in a week.”

  He was silent, but she could feel his disapproval.

  “It’s the best I can do,” she offered into the silence.

  It was a great offer, but it was also a very big decision. Caleb Terrell wasn’t the only client she’d miss working with. There were another half dozen that she’d represented for years. Their holdings were complex and interesting, and she liked to think she was a pivotal piece of their international successes so far.

  “You’re overthinking,” said Randal, his voice tight.

  The path widened out to a small, dim courtyard. A waterfall splashed at one side.

  She stopped. She wasn’t overthinking. She was thinking exactly the right amount, given the magnitude of the decision. And she wished he’d back off and let her do it.

  “We can’t keep having this same argument,” she told him.

  He gave her an easy smile. “We’re lawyers. That’s what we do.”

  “Well, I’m tired of doing it.”

  “Danielle.” With a gentle hand on her shoulder, he urged her to one side of the courtyard.

  She drew a deep sigh, but went along because she wanted to get this over with and get back to her room.

  “Say whatever you need to say,” she told him. “And then I’m going to bed.”

  His expression faltered for a second. But then it smoothed out. “Danielle.” He took her hands in his.

  She glanced down, uncomfortable with the intimacy of the gesture.

  “I’m afraid if you leave here without deciding, you’ll go back, get comfortable in Chicago, and you won’t do what’s best for you.”