The Cowboy Next Door (The Cash Brothers)

by Thomas, Marin

  “Take your time,” Clive said.

  Johnny felt bad for the pair—the father and daughter loved each other, but they also disappointed each other. “We’ve got a five-hour drive ahead of us. We’d better get on the road if you need to be there by noon.”

  Johnny honked as he pulled away. Sixty minutes into the trip and he was sweating from the tension in the cab. “Need to stop?” he asked when he passed the sign for Riverdale.

  “No.”

  Her sullenness irritated him. “What’s the matter?”

  She finally looked at him. “You really don’t know?”

  A sinking feeling settled in his gut. He gripped the wheel as if it was a life raft and guided the truck to the side of the road and shifted into Park.

  “What are you doing?” she asked. “We’ll be late for the rodeo.”

  “We might as well get this over with.”

  “Hey, if you’d rather forget that we slept together, just say so.” She chopped the air with her hand. “Done.”

  Shannon was right—they’d be late for the rodeo if he didn’t get back on the road. He shifted into Drive and merged into his lane. “You never brought it up until now, so I assumed you didn’t want to discuss it.”

  She gasped. “You think I do one-night stands all the time?”

  “No!” The skin over his knuckles glowed white and threatened to split open. “I just thought, you know...”

  “No, I don’t know, Johnny. I have no idea what that night means to you. Why don’t you tell me?”

  He gaped at her.

  “Watch the road!”

  Johnny straightened the wheel and the truck swerved back into the lane. “If you were expecting all kinds of flowery compliments and—”

  “Do I look like the kind of woman who needs a man to praise her?” Then she added, “I just assumed you didn’t want to talk about that night because you didn’t enjoy it.”

  “Enjoy it?” Now he was mad. He wasn’t a Don Juan by any means but he’d never had a woman not know he didn’t enjoy making love to her. The stress from days of ignoring his attraction to Shannon, days of agonizing over sleeping with her, days of not knowing how she felt about it, bubbled to the surface and his temper exploded. “That was the best damned sex I’ve ever had!”

  Stunned silence echoed through the cab. Way to go. Now Shannon can drag you around by your ears and stomp you flat.

  “Me, too.”

  Her quiet admission knocked the fight out of Johnny and he expelled a long breath.

  “So where do we go from here?” she said.

  “Nowhere.”

  Her stare burned the side of his neck.

  “I crossed the line with you, Shannon. I’m older. I should have known better. You had too much to drink that night and—”

  “Three beers. I knew exactly whose clothes I was taking off.”

  If his face grew any hotter it would melt. “Doesn’t matter. I’ve known you forever and I shouldn’t have taken advantage of you.”

  “Maybe I took advantage of you.”

  He glanced across the seat. Was she for real?

  “Are you being stupid about this because you regret breaking up with Charlene?”

  Stupid? “I’m over Charlene.”

  “Then why are you acting like what we did was a first-class felony?”

  “You’re practically my sister!”

  “I am not your sister, so you better not use that lame excuse.”

  “Lame? I cleaned your skinned knees and—”

  “You put bandages on them, too.” She laughed.

  “It’s not funny, Shannon. You sat at our dinner table more often than you sat at your father’s.”

  “That may be true, but I’m no longer a little girl. I’m all grown up. Didn’t you notice that in the shower?”

  Hell, yes, he’d noticed.

  “Are you worried about what my father might think?” she asked.

  “Aren’t you worried?”

  “No. My sex life is none of his business.”

  “Are you going to tell him?” If Johnny lost his job, he’d have to come clean with his brothers about the farm’s financial troubles.

  “I’m not going to tell my father.” She tapped her nail against the armrest on the door and the clicking sound grated on his nerves. “So you want to forget about sleeping together and call it a mistake?”

  “I think that’s best, don’t you?”

  “I suppose.”

  This conversation hadn’t been as tough as he’d imagined it would be. If they’d had this talk the day after they’d slept together they might have spared themselves—at least him—all this anxiety. “Okay, then. We’ll forget about it.”

  She snorted. “Already done.”

  This was going to be a hell of a long day.

  * * *

  “THERE YOU GO, Rebecca.” Shannon handed the autographed program to the little girl with dark pigtails, then watched her walk away with her mother.

  “Can I take your picture together?” A man with plastic media credentials hanging from his neck motioned to C.J., who stood a few feet away signing his name across the belly of a beautiful blonde bimbo.

  “Sure.” She nudged C.J. and when he scowled at her, she pointed to the reporter.

  “Excuse me,” he told the blonde, then pulled Shannon close. As soon as the camera flash went off, he removed his arm. Another fan shouted, “Wait, I want a picture!” From then on it was a steady stream of fans snapping photos of her and C.J.

  Shannon glanced at Johnny, who stood nearby watching. A short while ago he’d looked bored to death, but right now wisps of steam leaked from his ears. Good. It would serve him right if he was jealous after insisting it had been a mistake for them to sleep together.

  She might be nine years younger than Johnny, but she wasn’t so naive that she hadn’t noticed the chemistry between them. It ticked her off that he didn’t want to admit they’d rung each other’s bells.

  “How about a kiss!” someone in the crowd yelled.

  C.J. quirked an eyebrow.

  Oh, what the heck. She lifted her chin and C.J.’s mouth drew closer. Just when she felt his breath caress her face, a hand spun her around.

  “Isn’t it time for Rodriguez to get ready for his bull ride?” Johnny glared at C.J.

  If having sex with her had been no big deal, Johnny sure had a funny way of showing it.

  C.J. whispered in her ear. “I don’t think he’s playacting anymore.”

  “Johnny’s right.” Shannon shoved C.J. “Your ride’s coming up.”

  “I’m winning this one for Shannon,” C.J. boasted, and the fans shouted their encouragement as he and Johnny headed to the cowboy ready area.

  When they arrived behind the chutes, Shannon checked the JumboTron and saw their images displayed across the screen.

  “Gonna wish me luck, Cash?” C.J. taunted.

  “Break a leg, Rodriguez.” A reporter nearby held up his iPhone, recording the exchange.

  “Now, boys—” Shannon stepped between the men “—no fighting.”

  “Stand back, Cash. I’ll show you how a winner competes at rodeo.”

  “Or you’ll show me how they lose.”

  Shannon glanced between the men, unsure if they were serious or pretending.

  C.J. spoke to the cowboys by the chute. “Maybe Johnny Cash’ll sing the ‘Folsom Prison Blues’ for us.”

  “You enjoy making fun of my name, don’t you?”

  “Well, folks, it looks like C. J. Rodriguez and the Man in Black are quarreling again!”

  The announcer’s voice startled the cowboys and they stepped apart.

  “What’s going on down there, C.J.?” the announcer
asked from the media booth. All of a sudden a microphone appeared in front of C.J.

  “Johnny Cash doesn’t want to admit that I’m better at rodeo than he is.”

  Johnny snatched the microphone from the reporter’s hand. “I’ll take you on any day, Rodriguez, just say the word.”

  “I believe Johnny Cash has just thrown down the gauntlet,” the announcer said. “How would you folks like to see these two cowboys square off?”

  Thunderous applause and boot stomping filled the arena.

  The announcer chuckled. “And the winner gets a date with cowgirl Shannon Douglas.”

  Shannon sidled up to Johnny. “You don’t have to do this.”

  His smile didn’t reach his eyes. “It’s just part of the show, right?”

  “Let’s see who makes it to eight, Rodriguez,” Johnny spoke into the microphone. “But we’re riding broncs not bulls.”

  “There you have it, folks, we got us a ride-off today!”

  “You didn’t bring your gear,” Shannon pointed out to Johnny.

  “He can use mine.” A cowboy in the crowd offered his saddle and rope.

  “You sure?” Johnny asked.

  “Happy to lend a hand to further the romance,” the man said. Another competitor offered his Kevlar vest and spurs, then nodded at C.J. and said, “Put the braggart in his place.”

  “Sit back and watch the fireworks, folks. We got two cowboys who are going head-to-head in the saddle-bronc event. First up is C. J. Rodriguez.” Loud music exploded from the sound system and the JumboTron showed several cowboys riding broncs then faded to black.

  “As many of you know, cowgirl Shannon Douglas suffered a bad wreck back in August on a bull named Heat Miser. A broken leg has put her competition with C.J. on hold for a while.” After the fans honored Shannon with a round of applause the announcer said, “Check out the JumboTron, folks.”

  Good grief. Footage from Johnny and C.J.’s fight behind the chutes in Yuma played across the screen, inciting a frenzy of catcalls and whistles. “Looks like Johnny Cash and C. J. Rodriguez have a score to settle.”

  Shannon gritted her teeth to keep from protesting the way this love triangle was being played out before rodeo fans. Do it for the title. She was close enough to achieving her dream of winning Cowgirl of the Year that putting up with a little sexist behavior wouldn’t kill her.

  “C. J. Rodriguez is riding Big Bang, a bucker from the Pine Top Mountain Ranch in Colorado.”

  Standing in the shadows, Shannon watched C.J. prepare for his ride. He was agitated—served him right. Now he knew how she’d felt when he’d baited her at the rodeos. C.J. glanced up and made eye contact with Shannon. She dutifully waved, then he brazenly blew her a kiss with his free hand. The crowd went nuts.

  The gate opened and Big Bang went to work. C.J. hadn’t ridden a lot of broncs the past few months because of their bull riding competition and she noticed his spurring was off. By the third buck he was slipping in the saddle. The fourth buck sent him flying through the air. C.J. landed hard and was slow to get up, but he bowed toward the stands and the fans applauded his effort.

  “Up next is Johnny Cash, coming out on Mud Bog, a four-year-old bucker from the Carlisle Ranch outside Payson, Arizona.”

  Shannon inched closer to the chute, not caring if fans believed she favored Johnny over C.J. She was worried about Johnny—he hadn’t rodeoed in a long time—since he’d begun working full-time at the Triple D four weeks ago. If he hurt himself and couldn’t keep up with ranch chores, she didn’t want to be the one to tell her father how he’d gotten injured and why.

  She climbed the rails next to Johnny as he worked the rope around his hand. “Are you sure you want to go through with this?”

  “Don’t have much choice, do I?”

  She lowered her voice, so the cowboys by the chute didn’t hear her. “You can scratch. A ride-off wasn’t part of the deal Dynasty Boots offered you.”

  “I’m not scratching. Rodriguez’s head is already too big for his body.”

  Men.

  “Watch me kick his ass.”

  Or get your backside stomped flat. “Do you know anything about this horse?” she asked.

  “He bucks high and tight and spins left.” A cowboy Shannon didn’t recognize spoke from behind her. “I rode Mud Bog in Houston earlier this year.”

  Before she’d prepared herself, Johnny nodded to the gateman and the chute opened. The bronc vaulted into the arena and did exactly what the cowboy had warned—Mud Bog bucked high and tight twice, then twirled left and repeated the action. Johnny hung on, his spurring mediocre at best.

  Shannon held her breath, wondering if the gut-tugging anxiety she felt was anything close to what Johnny had experienced when he’d watched her leave the chute on Heat Miser. Eyes glued to the action she ticked off the seconds in her head. Johnny fell out of the saddle just as the buzzer sounded. She doubted the judges would give him credit for the ride.

  “Well, folks, Johnny Cash almost made it to eight. Looks like he and Rodriguez will have to fight it out another day.”

  Shannon watched Johnny leave the arena, noticing the limp in his stride. “You okay?” she asked when he stopped to remove his gear.

  “Fine.” Sensing he needed some space, she backed off and waited for the hoopla to die down.

  “Wouldn’t hurt for you to act like you prefer me over Cash,” C.J. grumbled as he approached her.

  “I doubt you’re jealous, not with all the buckle bunnies vying for your attention,” she said.

  “That’s different.”

  “You only have to do this one more time before I’m back in the arena competing against you.”

  “You think you’re ready to take me on again?”

  “I will be.”

  “Coming back from injuries isn’t easy. Been there, done that,” C.J. said.

  “Don’t worry. I intend to give you a fight right down to the finish.”

  He inched closer and touched her arm. “You do realize that there’s no way I’m letting you win this competition between us.”

  “You don’t have to let me win because I’m taking the victory.”

  “Why is beating a man in bull riding so important to you?” he asked.

  “I’m not in this to prove I’m better than you or any man. I’m doing this because I want the title of Cowgirl of the Year.”

  “If all you care about is a damned title then you could have picked a less dangerous event to go after it.”

  “Then the title wouldn’t mean as much, would it?”

  “You’re one crazy woman.” He and Shannon exchanged smiles, which drew stares, including Johnny’s.

  Johnny walked up to Shannon. “We done here?”

  “I believe we are,” she said.

  “Nice try, Cash.” C.J. lowered his voice. “Next time I’ll beat the buzzer.”

  Shannon glanced between the men. “There won’t be a next time.”

  “You protecting lover boy?” C.J. asked.

  “I don’t need anyone’s protection.” Johnny glared at Shannon, then shifted his dark gaze to C.J. “I’ll take you on anytime anywhere. Just name the rodeo.”

  “Hey, hold up here.” Shannon placed her hands against both men’s chests and straightened her arms, pushing them farther apart. “There will be no more ride-offs.”

  “You letting her do all your talking for you, Cash?”

  “C.J., stop it. Johnny’s working at the Triple D. He can’t afford to get injured.”

  “Sleeping with the boss’s daughter, are you?”

  Johnny moved Shannon out of the way and took a swing at C.J., but the bull rider ducked and Johnny stumbled forward.

  Not again.

  After regaining his balance Johnny tackled C
.J., who’d become distracted by a buckle bunny. “Keep your hands off Shannon, got that?” Johnny growled.

  C.J. rolled on top of Johnny. “She was mine first.”

  Two cowboys pulled them apart and Shannon said, “Let’s go, Johnny.” She turned away but C.J. caught her around the waist and dipped her over his knee, then ducked his head and skimmed his lips across her cheek. “That ought to piss off the Man in Black until next time.” C.J. set her on her feet and walked away, catcalls and whistles echoing in the air.

  Johnny took Shannon by the elbow and escorted her toward the exit. Once outside in the parking lot she made a move to pull her arm free but Johnny held tight. When they arrived at his truck he backed her against the door and kissed her—not a soft, gentle kiss. A passionate, breath-stealing kiss.

  His mouth worked her lips open and he thrust his tongue inside. When he pulled away, he said, “Get in.”

  Feeling slightly woozy, Shannon obeyed without protest, thinking that this love triangle might be a lot more fun than she’d imagined.

  Chapter Eight

  Sunday morning Johnny dropped the last hay bale off the back of his truck, then sat on the tailgate and took a swig of water as the herd made its way toward the feed. He loved fall in Arizona. The third weekend in October had arrived and with it, a dip in temperatures. Mornings started out in the mid-fifties while afternoon temperatures reached the eighties—perfect weather for working outdoors.

  And preparing for the pecan harvest.

  After the Winslow rodeo Dynasty Boots had sent Johnny a check for half the five thousand they’d promised him for playing his part in the fake love triangle between him, Shannon and Rodriguez. Johnny had used the money to make a down payment on the farm’s back taxes.

  He wasn’t looking forward to the next rodeo, whenever that was. Acting a fool had been too easy, considering that his jealous feelings were one hundred percent authentic and not make-believe. His brain insisted there were too many logical reasons he and Shannon shouldn’t be together, but every time Rodriguez so much as looked at her, Johnny felt the urge to claim Shannon as his. None of it made sense.

  He pushed thoughts of Shannon aside. He had more pressing problems to address. He’d yet to lease the pecan orchards to an agricultural company, but at least he’d found a harvesting company willing to bring in this year’s crop. Now he had to find markets to sell the nuts. If he didn’t, he and his siblings would be eating a whole lot of pecan pie. The thought of the sweet dessert triggered a trip down memory lane.