Secured by the Lawman (Mountain Force Book 2)

by Rhonda Lee Carver

  She’d always been the pretty one—the one who gained all the devotion of admirers, while Lexi proudly was dubbed ‘the smart sister’. She had been too busy studying and hanging out with books to party, however, that didn’t mean she and Chloe didn’t get into mischief at times.

  “No more for me,” Lexi said and grabbed a chip from the opened bag.

  “No more? Seriously? This is your party!” Anita whined, cocking one flared hip in agitation.

  “Yes, but I have an early appointment in the morning, and I can’t handle the animals with a hangover.”

  “You’re always worried about the kennel. There’s more to life than grooming pets,” Prudie said.

  Most of the time she loved her job, but on occasion she had an animal that enjoyed giving her a run for her money. The particular dog scheduled for nine AM sharp, Mrs. Gambil’s Boxer, had a fondness for escaping. He would be staying as a guest while his ‘mom’ went on vacation to the Poconos with her latest lover.

  Anita shrugged and headed for the bar. Chloe leaned in and said next to Lexi’s ear, “Where’s your mom tonight?”

  “At a movie. With a date.”

  “A date? Isn’t this her second this week?”

  Lexi laughed. “I think she and Anita are in competition to see who can date the most men in one month.”

  Chloe sighed and shredded a piece of her napkin. “My question is, where are they finding all these single men? I’ve been in Tarnation all my life and have I missed something? If there’s a hidden pool of fellows out there, I’d like to know how to find it.”

  “They have a special lure that brings them out of the woodwork. It’s a gene I definitely wasn’t handed down.”

  “Oh, hush. You’re sexy, even in those too-big glasses you’re hiding behind most of the time. You just turn away all the interested ones. They’re not smart enough. Too tall. Too skinny. Too egotistical—”

  “Too nosy? You should know about that one,” Lexi clipped.

  “Ouch. How will I ever go on?” Chloe gave a dramatic pose.

  “Do you remember the last time I was asked out?”

  “Yes. It was Harvey Cooper just last month.” She sipped her blue cocktail. “You should have said yes.”

  “No, it was five months ago, and Harvey is applying for Medicare as we speak.”

  “What’s wrong with Harvey? He’s a sweet guy.”

  “Oh, I don’t know. Maybe that every Halloween he uses his tongue to take out his false teeth to scare the children away. I have no interest in dating a man who could be my father.” She pushed away the bag of chips before she ate them all.

  “What’s the cut off age?”

  Lexi shrugged. “I don’t mind seasoned. A silver fox would be fine.” She wagged her brows.

  “You always did like mature men.” Chloe played with a cherry floating around in her drink.

  “Well, if you ask me, I think Anita and your mom are cramping your style,” Prudie said. “I can’t believe they’re still living here, with you, in that small house. Those walls are paper thin and a real buzzkill. Peggy is my sister and there’s no way I’d let her live with me.”

  “I can’t believe you haven’t lost your mind and murdered one of them,” Chloe chimed in. “If my mom and sister moved in with me I’d lose my mind in one day.”

  “I love them.” When two pairs of eyes looked at her in allegation, Lexi squirmed and cleared her throat. “Okay, I love them most of the time. They are hard to live with, but we’re family.” Since her mother and sister showed up, uninvited, on her doorstep five months ago she’d been like a stranger in her own home. From picking up after them to hearing her mother entertain through the ‘paper thin walls’, it was getting to Lexi, but she felt guilty when she thought of asking them to leave, especially since they returned to Tarnation to be close to her.

  “I’m always here if you need to vent,” Chloe added.

  “Why don’t we stick to having fun tonight? After all, this is my birthday.” Lexi grabbed a cheese cube from the platter and popped it into her mouth.

  Anita came back and waved a piece of paper. “Guess who got the bartender’s number.”

  “How many guesses do I get?” Chloe groaned.

  Lexi kicked her under the table. “Congrats, sis.”

  Anita turned and waved at the bartender. “Isn’t he a cutie?”

  “Sure, a real looker. I bet his wife thinks so too.” Chloe slurped on her straw.

  “What? He’s married? I’m usually great at separating the married men from the single ones. I have no use for a man with a ball and chain.” Anita plopped down in her chair and crumbled the scrap of paper.

  “Wow. You’re gaining a conscious,” Chloe groaned.

  “How about that movie that we watched?” Lexi thought it was best to change the subject before her friend and sister were bickering. “I think it was romantic. Rose petals spread over the bed sets the mood.”

  Anita spewed whiskey down her chin. “Sets the mood? You mean rose petals and candlelight make you wish you knew what it felt like to be fu—”

  “Stop right there!” Lexi gently warned. “Keep the conversation off my sex life.”

  “Don’t you mean the lack of?” Chloe added with a friendly smile.

  “Can’t we have one discussion where we don’t talk about my bedroom?”

  “Oh Lord! That’s a boring subject,” Anita said flippantly.

  “No one asked you,” Lexi growled.

  “Listen, ladies, take it from a woman who just turned forty-three. You’re all young enough to believe in that romantic stuff. Champagne. Rose petals. Blah blah blah.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” Lexi looked over her carrot chip at Prudie.

  “Well, after you’ve been married for twenty years you’d be surprised at the things a woman can find romantic. You know what really oils my engine? When Thomas cooks. Or when he makes me a cup of coffee in the morning before work. The other evening, I came home after a long day and he took my car to fill up the tank. Yup, those things can really set the tone for a wonderful night.” Her cheeks flushed.

  “Hey, I’d find that romantic too.” Lexi dropped her half-eaten carrot onto a napkin.

  Chloe sighed. “In the movie the man cheated. I for one wouldn’t forgive someone for betrayal, even if he wrote an entire book of an apology. I’d rather have honesty than roses and the beach. Once a man cheats he will always cheat.”

  “Let’s not forget, this is only a movie,” Anita droned. “In real life, we have no clue a man’s cheating. He doesn’t always come out and admit to it.”

  “That’s the truth. I can attest to that,” Chloe sucked up the rest of her drink and popped the cherry into her mouth.

  “Honey, are you still upset about Rod?” Lexi patted her friend’s hand. “He was a jerk. Not only was he a cheater but he was mean to you. You’re better off.”

  Chloe blinked and the moisture in her eyes was gone. “I know. I’ve long figured that out. It’s these damn contacts making my eyes irritated.”

  “I think you have it all wrong.” Prudie gained their attention. “He slept with another woman because he was lonely. His heart wasn’t involved.”

  “You mean, if he sticks his penis where it doesn’t belong, it’s forgivable as long as he doesn’t care for her?” Chloe asked, rolling her eyes.

  “That’s not what I’m saying, but men don’t always relate their sexual organs with their hearts. Sex can mean nothing, but involving his heart is another matter. He loved his wife. He lusted after his mistress.”

  “Does anyone care that this is still a movie?” Anita shook her head.

  “Loneliness is a dangerous evil in marriage,” Prudie said.

  “You’ve been married for a hundred years. At least you have someone to be lonely with. I haven’t been with a man since Rod, and I think I forget how it works.” Chloe stuffed a cracker into her mouth. “Big bed, no lover. No fun.” Crumbs spewed out of her mouth and all over her baseb
all tee.

  “For the life of me I can’t figure out why you’re alone,” Anita said sarcastically.

  “It’s like riding a bike. Once you learn it, you never forget.” Lexi took a sip from her watered-down cocktail.

  “Says the woman who has never been with a man and has no clue what she’s missing out on,” Prudie teased.

  Lexi tossed her napkin at her aunt’s head. “I think the characters were madly in love and just needed a wake-up call.”

  “You’re a hopeless romantic. Always have been, even when you wore pigtails,” Anita said. “I can’t believe you’re not married, or at least haven’t made a D-date.”

  “I haven’t made a D-date because I haven’t met the right man. I for one don’t think of a man’s…you know…as a separate part of his body, like borrowing a tool and bringing it back later. You can’t like the tool and not the man.”

  “Says you.” Anita thrummed her fingers on the table. “Sex is sex. I’ve known many men who could make me forget he had a face as well as a tongue.”

  “You’re horrible, sis!” Lexi tired of these conversations. People thought it was strange that a woman would wait for her soul mate before she gave herself to him. She’d seen enough of her mother’s toxic relationships that Lexi was sure she wanted to wait for the right one.

  “Speaking of hot romance, have any of you met the new cowboys in Tarnation? The Colt brothers.” Prudie’s thin lips carved into a disobedient smile.

  “I did. At the bakery. One of them was coming out as I was walking in. Do you think they all look as sexy? If so, I’m going to need an excuse to go out to the Grinning Spurs Ranch and ride me a horse.” Chloe winked, making a motion in the air to represent twirling a rope.

  “I heard that one of them is marrying Abriella Craig,” Prudie said. “Could be a rumor, but I did see her looking at a bride magazine at the diner the other day.”

  “She works fast.” Chloe grabbed a cube of cheese. “She snagged up one before we even had a chance.”

  “It doesn’t matter, ladies. That leaves four available stud muffins who need a little taste of homegrown beauty.”

  “Prudie, no one uses the term ‘stud muffin’ any longer.” Chloe laughed. “I say we need the scoop if they’re available or not.”

  “Why?” Lexi dipped her carrot into hummus.

  Anita narrowed her gaze. “I can’t believe you’re asking that question. Sometimes I wonder if we’re truly sisters.”

  “Trust me, I’ve asked myself that question a few times too.”

  “I have an idea.” Prudie laid her palms on the table. “Why don’t we make a welcome basket and one of us can take it out to the ranch.”

  “That’s funny. Who will be the lucky winner of that task?” Lexi’s smile faded when all eyes turned to her. “No way. Not going to happen.”

  “Why not? You make the cutest gift baskets,” Chloe said. “The one you made for my birthday was fabulous. The candle was amazing, and the chocolate. Oh my. I still have some of the essential oil. I use it in my bath water.”

  “What cowboy is interested in candles and chocolate?” Lexi shook her head. “Or bath water?”

  “I know a lot of men who like candles and baths. I’ve dated a few who like a long, couple’s bath. Imagine how achy a cowboy’s muscles are at the end of the day, or how rough their callused hands are after mucking stalls. A little oil massaged into the stiff areas…”

  “You and your dirty thoughts.” Lexi was glad to see her friend finally talking about someone other than her ex who had treated her poorly.

  “Include some of that exotic bath oil that you made me. It’s the best. I had eczema on my arms and it was gone in two days. You’ll have those fellows in the bathtub all the time.” Prudie smoothed the tip of her tongue along her bottom lip.

  “No, I won’t, because I don’t plan on taking them a basket.”

  “You have to do this, Lexi!” Anita interjected.

  “You can’t be serious.”

  “Yes, we are.” Prudie clapped her hands in excitement. “You never know, you might be tempted to have a D-date with one of the cowboys.”

  Lexi realized by now she should be used to being teased about her lack of skill with men. “I’m not doing this.” She held her chin up defiantly.

  “Why not?”

  “Because it’s childish.” She pretended interest in scraping hummus from the container onto a chip.

  “No, it’s not childish. It’s creative. Endearing. This is what modern women do. They see something they like and they go for it.”

  Looking at each of them, Lexi then said to Prudie, “Okay, you do it since you’re so convinced on this idea.”

  “I’m married, honey. You’re not.” The older woman downed her glass of wine.

  “That doesn’t mean I’m desperate. If I show up there with a basket of exotic oils I’ll look like the twenty-five-year-old who obviously has an ulterior motive. So, no thank you.”

  “It’s Tarnation, sweetie. It’s obvious that we have an ulterior motive when single men are in the vicinity.” Chloe sighed.

  Lexi looked at Anita. “You’re awfully quiet.”

  “Whatever I tell you will go in one ear and out the other. Although, I think you used to be braver. Remember when we skinny dipped in old man Spooner’s pond? Or the time we egged Mr. Jenson’s truck after he suspended me for three days for telling everyone that the lunch lady had put worms in the spaghetti?”

  “We were little. Kids do silly things. I’m an adult now.”

  “That’s right. That’s what we’re trying to tell you.”

  Lexi shrugged. “Thank you, but no thank you.”

  Later, after the night was wearing down and the dancers had put their clothes back on, Chloe gave Lexi a hug. “Another birthday in the books, my friend. It’s okay, you know.”

  “What’s okay?”

  “To be upset when we tease you about your sex life, but you know we aren’t making fun of you. We’re all envious. Wouldn’t most people like to go back and experience it for the first time, or change the person we experience it with? Especially if the first-time was horrible. I honor your beliefs. I sure hope the man for you is somewhere out there.”

  “When it happens, I want it to be perfect. I want it to be special and with the man of my dreams. That might sound a bit old fashioned, but in this modern day a woman can have her cake and eat it too. That’s my intention.”

  “Sweetie, I can’t believe I’m saying this, but Anita’s right. You’ve always been a hopeless romantic.”

  Lexi looked at her friend through the thick veil of her lashes. “You say that as if it’s a bad thing.”

  “No, it’s not a bad thing, but at some point, you have to realize that your fantasy of a knight in shining armor might not exist.”

  “It’ll happen, just you wait and see.”

  “I sure hope it does because you deserve happiness. You deserve someone who treats you like you’re his all.” Chloe smiled. “Consider taking that basket. Hey, you never know. When we were thirteen I remember you had a poster of a cowboy on your wall. Maybe you still have a thing for a man in Wranglers.”

  CHAPTER 2

  “FOR HER AGE, she looks healthy. Fit. She’s been worked hard, but she’s sturdy.”

  “Her teeth are in good shape. Nice curve to her back. Yeah, she’s worth taking home,” Ash Colt said to his brother, Adam, who was standing on the other side of the horse that was impatiently shifting from hoof to hoof while keeping her eye on them.

  They’d driven the short distance to a neighboring ranch to rescue a horse that would have otherwise been euthanized. Ash didn’t know the entire story, but from the little that Dr. CC Peladora had told him, the owner passed away and the horse had been neglected since. It seemed she also didn’t like strangers and probably why she wasn’t being taken care of properly. No one wanted to mess with an agitated mare.

  Ash had taken a role in helping with the non-profit organization, Horse-to-
well-Horse, that his late father, Buzz, had formed. There was something very satisfying in helping displaced horses find new homes and nurturing sick horses back to health. Submerging himself in the effort had taken his mind off the fact that he and his brothers weren’t in Tarnation for pleasure.

  Buzz expecting his sons to run Grinning Spurs Ranch together was difficult enough, but that wasn’t even the kicker. They were also expected to marry at the end of six months which was ludicrous.

  The horse backed up against the fence, keeping her suspicious wide-eyed gaze locked on Ash who was standing at a safe distance.

  “You boys better be careful. She’s a spitfire. She dang near kicked out Bernie’s teeth last night because he got within fifty feet of her,” Nellie, the late owner’s niece, yelled from outside of the pen.

  They could see by the mare’s disposition that she was skittish and didn’t want to be bothered. “Was she good with your uncle?”

  “Pretty much. He liked to spoil her.” Nellie snorted loud which made the horse claw the dirt.

  “What’s her name?” Adam asked.

  “Porsche.”

  “Okay, Porsche,” Ash said softly. “We understand. You’d rather be left alone.” He’d seen this happen before. Horses that weren’t socialized and relied on one person to handle their care.

  Ash gripped the rope tighter in his gloved hands as he took one step closer, then another until the distance between him and Porsche narrowed. The horse snorted and shifted, swishing her tail back and forth as if warning him to stay his distance. “Sorry, girl. We’re here to help.”

  “Be careful, Ash. She’s not happy.” Adam stayed back. He was the most logical, and careful of all the brothers. Ash had always been the riskier, most bull-headed one.

  “I wouldn’t be either if I lost my owner and had trust issues.” Once Ash managed about ten feet from her, he reached into his pocket and took out a couple of sliced apples he’d brought along just in case. Working with horses his entire life, he understood sometimes it was best to work through their stomachs. “Are you hungry, sweetheart?” He kept his voice low and his movements smooth as he lowered himself slightly to make him seem smaller. Most accidents involving horses happened when the animals were scared.