Clancy shook his head. “We’ll have dessert first. The Neapolitan ice cream looked particularly delectable.” He cocked an eyebrow at Billie, and she nodded, grinning.
“All right, then. It’s settled,” he said, tipping his hat up at the waitress. “Two, if you please, ma’am.”
The waitress nodded and, blushing, moved away.
A few minutes later, the ice cream showed up at their table in two ornate bronze containers.
As they began to eat it, Billie took one spoonful of chocolate and placed it in her mouth and sighed happily.
The sound sent a jolt through Clancy, thoughts rushing through his head that he never had before. Heated, inappropriate thoughts about him and Billie, doing things that could get them thrown out of the old chapel down the street. More than that, she was enjoying something he got for her, and the action was immensely satisfying.
When the ice cream was all gone and the bill showed up at the table, Clancy was surprised to feel sadness coursing through him. Inexplicably, he wanted to see more of her. He didn’t want this night to end.
“Here,” he said, grabbing a pen and a piece of paper. “If you decide to take me up on my offer, here’s the directions to Dragonclaw.”
Billie took the piece of paper, looking perplexed. “So you really trust me?”
“I’m a pretty good judge of character,” he replied easily, winking at her. Then he pointed to the dragon’s talon, which was sitting in the middle of the table next to a vase of white flowers.
Clancy laughed as she swiped it quickly back into its case, then into her pocket.
“By the way,” he said. “Only legend I heard about that coin is that it tends to bring trouble to those who own it. So if I were you, I’d make up my mind quickly.”
He threw down some money for the tab and tipped his hat. “Billie.” With that, he turned and left.
She would probably be fine, but even so, it wouldn’t hurt for him to stick around town for a few hours and see what happened. But he imagined by the glow in her eyes when he talked about Tucker Thompson that it wouldn’t be long until he saw her again.
5
Dust filled the evening air as Billie’s Jeep bounced down the old country road marked out by Clancy’s note as being the path to Dragonclaw.
She still couldn’t believe that she was going to get to see it. Seeing a mysterious ranch, brimming with local legends, was one thing, but getting to spend time with the descendant of her greatest hero?
Heck yes!
That had been her immediate answer when he had offered, and it had taken almost everything she had to play it cool through dinner. There wasn’t any sense in playing it desperate, not when this was such an awesome opportunity.
After he had left the restaurant, she’d gone straight home to pack. It had taken her all of ten minutes to get her things out the door and into her car, and another five minutes later, she was on her way to Dragonclaw before Clancy could change his mind about the offer.
Clancy.
She leaned back against the headrest, her mind wandering to his powerful jawline, dashing smile, and overall southern gentlemanly demeanor.
Billie had never thought a man could be like that. All muscly and fascinating and masculine and so, so beautiful. But was she just getting confused because he looked something like her hero or because he was connected to her hero?
No, that couldn’t be. Her feelings for Tucker Thompson had never been like that. She’d always felt cool admiration and respect for Tucker, but Clancy… Clancy gave her different feelings altogether.
Feelings that ran hot.
There was just something about him. Something likable, something distracting and something she definitely couldn’t afford to be thinking about at the current moment.
After all, she needed to keep her eyes on the prize: her dreams of a Tucker Thompson museum right in her hometown. But there was something in Clancy’s sultry, experienced gaze that made her think of dark, wicked things she’d never thought about before.
Billie shook her head, focusing again on the dirt road in front of her. After a few more minutes of driving, the ranch came into view.
At the entrance was a big, wrought iron sign that said, “Dragonclaw.” She paused for a second, in awe because it had taken a very long, very sprawling drive with lots of turns you wouldn’t guess to take to find it and because she’d grown up hearing legends about this place.
After admiring it for a second longer, she pulled through the gate and took in her surroundings as she coasted into the main yard.
The place was well-kept but beautifully old-fashioned and homey, like something out of a black-and-white western. Directly in front of her was what she guessed to be the main homestead, a huge, white building with a long porch area and a swing that hung to one side.
On her left was a bunch of smaller houses that she assumed to be guest homes for workers.
On her right was a large red barn. The bulky double doors were open, and she could see stalls filled with horses and other kinds of livestock.
She parked in the dirt and got out of her car, taking in the cool evening air. Behind her, the sun had finally collapsed beyond the mountains, and the last of its rays were lighting up the sky, turning it all shades of purple, red, and blue.
Billie looked around, suddenly realizing that Clancy hadn’t told her exactly what to do when she got there.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a huge raven-haired man walking toward her.
And when she said huge, she meant it. This gentleman had to be way over six feet, but she stood her ground, standing up a little straighter.
When he was only a few feet away, he stopped and tipped his hat to her. “Ma’am.” His voice was curiously deep and quiet, almost to the point of being a mutter. “Clancy said you’d come.”
“Yes, where is he?” she asked.
But he didn’t say anything. Instead, he just stood there, watching her, his brown eyes intense and seemingly all-seeing.
Billie just stared back, refusing to be cowed or intimidated by the man, but it didn’t feel like that was what he was doing. Right now, he just kind of seemed like… he didn’t talk much.
At that moment, a loud voice cut through the silence.
“Well, I’ll be damned!” Walking toward her was a handsome, boyish, blond-haired, blue-eyed man wearing rugged work jeans, boots, and a canvas shirt. “We don’t get visitors this pretty very often.” He grinned at her and held out a hand. “I’m Reno, and you must be Billie.”
She shook it, still taking in the two men.
They were both huge!
Neither of them was shorter than 6’3”, and even through their shirts, she could see huge, rock-hard muscles and toned physiques. The only person she’d seen who could compare in pure size was Clancy.
Only, both of these men were much more rugged than Clancy. He was a clean, southern gentleman through and through, and while these guys were incredibly handsome, they were definitely rougher. Still, she preferred Clancy.
But holy cow, was everyone on Dragonclaw Ranch a bodybuilding male model?
“Nice to meet you, Reno and…” She trailed off, frowning at the raven-haired one.
Reno laughed easily. “Don’t worry. Dallas doesn’t bite. He just ain’t big on words, that’s all.”
Dallas just nodded at that as Billie caught Clancy coming out of the barn out of the corner of her eye.
“Stop scarin’ off my guest, you two!” he shouted, winking at her as he came close.
“Wouldn’t dream of it, Clancy,” Reno replied, stepping back but still eying Billie with a curious gleam in his eye. “We were just bein’ friendly.”
“That’s true!” Billie called back. Still, she couldn’t help but feel slightly relieved now that Clancy was here and she wasn’t alone with these two big, intimidating men.
“Good, I see you’ve met some of the other residents of Dragonclaw,” Clancy said, readjusting his Stetson once he was close. “Th
is makes introductions easier.” He moved to stand next to her, and her body buzzed with awareness as he gestured toward the two other men.
“Reno’s our mechanic. If it’s got an engine, he can fix it.”
Reno tipped his hat at her, his lips turning up in a small smile.
“Dallas is our handyman. He does just about anything we need, nearly silently,” Clancy said amusedly.
Billie nodded. “They’re a nice welcomin’ party, but you really couldn’t come out to meet me yourself?”
He shrugged coolly. “I heard your car, but one of the horses got spooked. That’s my job, head wrangler.”
“Well, we don’t want that, do we?“
“No, indeed.”
She looked up at Clancy’s face again, taking in his features. Somehow, he seemed to look more and more handsome the more she looked at him.
Then he caught her looking and cleared his throat. “Should we get your stuff out and moved in?”
That brought her back to reality, and she nodded quickly. “Yes, I didn’t pack much, but movin’ it would be helpful.”
She wasn’t wrong about that. They were helpful, almost too helpful. Clancy carried the bulk of her things while Dallas and Reno carried the rest. All of them refused to let her help. She just walked behind them, feeling amused and pleased.
What exactly were they feeding the men at Dragonclaw?
As they stepped onto the porch, a couple strode out. The woman had long dark hair and kind, albeit appraising, hazel eyes. The man was just as tall and muscled as the others, but he was clean-shaven and looked like a typical cowboy, except for his gorgeous face and his incredibly bright blue eyes.
“Ah, Billie, meet Harrison and Marian,” Clancy said.
Marian stepped forward, a warm smile on her face. “So very nice to finally meet a friend of Clancy’s.”
Billie laughed nervously. “Well, we’re barely acquainted, but—”
“We’re fast friends already.” Clancy interrupted warmly, shooting her that blinding movie star smile.
Any tension that had been in the air dissipated, and suddenly, Billie was calm again. Clancy just had a way of putting her at ease.
Most of the time.
“So,” Harrison said gruffly but not unkindly. “Clancy tells us you have a bit of a fascination with Tucker Thompson. Why is that?”
Billie smiled eagerly. “He’s just someone who’s important to me and my family. Has been for a long time.”
At that, Clancy and Harrison shared a glance, but it was so quick that she couldn’t tell what they were trying to communicate nor what they were thinking.
“Anyway,” Clancy said, clearing his throat. “I’ll be havin’ you stay at the main ranch house in the guest room.”
“Really? Where do you live?”
He cocked an eyebrow. “Why would you want to know about that?“
“I’d rather stay with you,” Billie said bluntly. She’d never been one to mince words. If she wanted something, she went for it, and she wasn’t afraid to ask for things.
Clancy looked flattered and rubbed the back of his neck. “Why, you even want to sleep next to Tucker Thompson’s progeny?”
Billie laughed. For the descendant of the most cunning legendary gunslinger she’d ever heard of, he could be a little dense at times.
“Nah,” she replied with a shrug. “I just like bein’ with you.”
He blushed furiously at that and looked away.
Dammit. He was super hot even when incredibly flustered. Was there ever a time when Clancy didn’t look like her absolute ideal of a man?
After a minute or two of this and no response, Harrison chimed in, looking amused. “Clancy’s place is only a short ride from here, off of the main ranch. He likes his privacy. That all right with you?”
“Absolutely.”
Harrison nodded. “Right, then it’s settled.”
“I guess it is,” Clancy said, finally recovered from his befuddlement.
With that, everyone suddenly seemed like they had places to be, and only a minute or two later, Clancy and Billie were left alone.
He motioned with his head outside, and they stepped out onto the porch.
It was getting darker by the minute, and any shades of red that had been on the horizon earlier were disappearing, leaving only deep blues and purples and the vague twinkling of stars in the sky.
“Wow,” Billie said. “Your friends are really overwhelming.” She smiled up at him, and he smiled back. Deep down, her stomach began to turn, and tension began to build between them.
Their eyes remained locked for a second longer before he smiled charmingly and looked away. “My friends are perfectly trustworthy. I promise. But if you want to spend the first night at my house, your company is welcome.”
“Okay, but you really live out there on your own?”
Clancy’s laugh emanated through the evening air. “I do. As Harrison said, I value my privacy, and you’re the first in a long, long time to see my house.”
“Ooh, lucky me,” Billie replied, grinning. “You must really want this coin.”
“Of course I do. It’s bad luck,” Clancy said, picking up a few more of her bags and walking toward the barn. “And it’s my ancestor’s.”
Billie frowned, considering that for a moment. In all of the legends, she’d never heard of it causing poor luck. If anything, it had been seen more as a good luck charm.
“By the way, I’ve got two horses ready to go.” He shot her a questioning look. “Can you ride?”
“Of course,” she said haughtily. “I took lessons as a kid, and I’m perfectly comfortable with horses. You can’t live this far out in the country without knowing how to ride.”
Clancy flashed her another smile as he tied the rest of her things into his saddlebags. “I agree. In fact, I think everyone should know how to ride a horse.”
Her things all strapped up, he held a hand out to her so she could step up into the stirrup and onto her horse, and she took it.
When their hands met, a wave of electricity coursed through her, and she pulled her hand away as soon as she was in the saddle.
If he felt the same thing, he didn’t show it. He just laughed in his usual charming way, mounted, and headed out of the barn.
As she followed him out, she couldn’t help but take in the beautiful sight that was the wild Texas range. In front of her was a vast untouched prairie, and in the distance, beautiful mountains loomed, indomitable in the near darkness.
Living in town her whole life, Billie had never known that such magnificent, wild places still existed. The view radiated pure freedom and possibility and even tranquility. It was peaceful, listening to the sounds of the horses’ hooves against the silence.
But surprisingly, even more exciting than the view or the prospect of learning more about Tucker Thompson, she found herself looking forward to learning more about the sexy, enigmatic man that was riding in front of her.
When did that happen?
6
Clancy flipped the switch to the living room light in his modest home and set down the rest of Billie’s things in the center of the room.
When he stood back up, he took a deep breath and told himself to calm down.
But his dragon wouldn’t. The whole ride, it had been chanting the same thing, and it had only gotten more and more insistent the longer they’d ridden together.
Mate, mate, mate…
It had started the moment he’d stared down into her eyes on the porch and felt a wave of heat and wanting shoot through his body from his toes all the way up to the top of his head.
From that moment, his dragon had been adamant.
Dammit.
Earlier, the inclination he had for her had been quiet and small, like a mountain brook, but now it was a roaring river, faster and more powerful than the Rio Grande during a rainstorm. And it was only getting more and more difficult to hide.
Clancy never thought he’d have a mate, but was this w
hat having a mate was like? It was hard to think, hard to swallow. His throat was so dry. He’d never been this nervous or thrown off before in his life.
He needed to pull himself together, fast.
“Very nice place you have here,” Billie said, breaking him out of his train of thought as she walked into the room. “It’s very kind of you to let me stay.”
He smiled, unable to look at anything or anywhere but her. “Whatever makes you comfortable.” Though, secretly, he was glad she was staying with him. There was something possessive inside him that felt at peace about it. “I’ll show you to your room.” With that, he gestured up the old, worn stairs that he had fashioned himself decades before.
Clancy’d had some help from the guys back at the ranch, but most of the house he’d built by himself. He liked the control of knowing every minute detail about the place.
He led her down the hallway and pulled open a door, feeling slightly abashed.
The bedroom itself was bare except for a bed, dresser, and a few other things. Everything was in a simple shade of white or grey. He hadn’t put a lot of thought into furnishing the rooms, as part of him never really believed someone else would be staying there.
Like Harrison had said, Clancy liked his privacy.
Billie stepped into the room and looked around, then nodded. “This will do just fine, thank you kindly.”
He nodded. “If you need anything, don’t hesitate. I’m only a call away.” He grimaced. “The reception out around Dragonclaw is pretty bad usually, but within the house, it should be just fine.”
After all, there were only a few bedrooms; it was a pretty small place, but it had been enough for him.
Clancy felt his eyes drawn to her curvy frame as she set her stuff down on the bed. She didn’t dress to emphasize her curves, but they showed all the same, and they made his mouth water.
“Thank you again for the opportunity. I can’t tell you how much this means to me.”
Clancy laughed easily. “If you like what you’ve seen so far, then I think you’re goin’ to love your stay here.”
“Still doesn’t mean I’m going to give you the coin for certain.” She reminded him, grinning shrewdly.
Wrangler Dragon Page 4
