by Elle Casey
“You’re not going anywhere,” Andie says, frowning at me. “You have a concussion and you’ve slept for twelve hours.”
“I have a slight concussion, first of all, and as you said, I’ve had plenty of sleep. I’m just going to tag along with Ian for an hour or so and then he’s going to bring me back home.”
“I am?” Ian says, walking into the kitchen and going to the refrigerator.
“Yes.”
“Where exactly are we going?” He takes out a jug of milk and pours himself a giant glass of it.
“To Boog’s party, remember?”
He pauses with the glass halfway to his mouth. “Uhhhh… say what?”
Andie sits back and smiles, adjusting Sarah on her boob for the hundredth time. “See? He wasn’t even planning on going.”
I give Ian my death-is-coming-for-you stare and he blinks in response. Then he drinks the entire glass of milk in one large swallow. It leaves a big milk mustache above his lip that he ignores.
“He was too planning on going, right Ian?” I raise both eyebrows into my hairline.
He looks at Andie’s scolding gaze and my unspoken threat and he nods. “Yes. Absolutely. Leaving in a half hour.” He couldn’t be more adorable than he is right now, being my slave with that milk on his lip. I want to eat him up.
I smile and nod. “See? We won’t be gone long.”
“Nope,” Ian agrees, wiping his mouth off with the back of his hand. “We have to get back to feed the calf, so we can’t stay out late.”
Andie shakes her head. “You two are just bound and determined to get yourselves into trouble, aren’t you?”
“Who us?” Ian asks.
I stand up. “Yeah, who us?” My best innocent expression jumps in to save the day. “I’m just being social, getting out of the house, meeting some of Ian’s friends.” I back out of the kitchen down the hallway. “You can go with us if you want, Andie.” It’s mean, but I’m hoping she’ll decline my invitation.
“No, thanks. You guys go ahead.” She says something in a lower tone to Ian, but I don’t hear it. I’m too focused on getting upstairs and finding something decent to wear. I ignore the pain in my head and arm as I mentally comb through the wardrobe I brought with me. Thank goodness I already did my hair and makeup.
I’m inside Mack’s room changing when Ian knocks on the door.
“I’m not dressed. Just wait a second.” I shove my legs into my jeans, breathing hard when it makes my stitches pull and sting like a bejesus.
“You sure this is a good idea?” His muffled voice comes through the door. “I don’t think we should go. You’re still messed up.”
“No, I’m not still messed up. I’m doing just fine, thank you very much.” Everybody is treating me like a baby here. I have fifteen stitches and a bump on my head. Big deal. I burn myself almost daily at work and stand on my feet for twelve hours at a time with my arms up like bird wings. This is nothing.
“Boog’s parties aren’t fun.”
“Boog’s parties have never had me there.”
“You gonna wear your new pants?”
I throw open the door and let him take a long look at me. “You wish.” I know I look amazing. I have my best cleavage shirt on and a pair of skin tight pants that have the pockets bedazzled just the tiniest bit. Ka-chow! Cowgirl awesome? Yes, ma’am. I define the look.
His jaw goes off center and then he backs up. “I’m gonna change my hat.”
I laugh. “Don’t you dare wear that ugly green one.” I actually like the green one, so I’m testing him to see if he rises to the bait.
When I meet him down in the foyer two minutes later I go all warm inside. He has a black cowboy hat on and a black dress shirt tucked into jeans that were absolutely made for his butt.
I have a hard time breathing. Seriously. This man is dangerous. I’ll bet he has all kinds of stalkers and he probably doesn’t even know it. I’m going to be paying extra special attention to the chicks at this party to see who’s giving him those kinds of looks.
“Ready?” he asks.
“Ready.” I look at the coat hooks and frown, distracted from admiring him by my minor wardrobe malfunction. “I don’t have a jacket again.”
He nods. “You’re kind of murder on coats, aren’t you?”
“Superheros do what they have to do, what can I say.”
He takes a puffy black one off the hook. “Here. This is Andie’s. She won’t mind. Try not to get attacked by a cougar in it.”
I put it on and admire myself in the hallway mirror. I do look pretty cute, if I do say so myself. It cheers me up even more. I’m so ready to have a drink and share some gossip. My plan is to get one of these chicks from Baker City to spill the beans … figure out what Ian’s deal is and why Andie doesn’t have any friends here. Kill two birds with one party.
“How’s Candy doing?” I ask as I trudge through the snow to the truck. The knit hat I found in the pocket of Andie’s coat is making me a lot warmer than I expected. Maybe it’ll be worth messing my hair up a little bit to stay warm on some part of my body. My hands are jammed in the pockets but already freezing cold.
“She’s good. She misses you, though.”
I look out towards the barn, feeling like a really bad cow mommy. “Ooooh … maybe I should go say hi before we leave.”
He opens my door for me. “You can say hi when we come back if you want. We need to get to Boog’s sooner rather than later.”
“Why?” I ask, trying to read his expression as I climb up into my seat. As usual he’s got his poker face on.
He slams the door shut and comes around, getting in and buckling up. “Because. People get drunk and stupid after ten.”
“I hear that’s your style of partying,” I say, not looking at him.
“Who says that?” He pulls out onto the rough road that leads to the highway. The headlights make the drifts of snow look like lions. Lots and lots of lions. It makes me break out in goosebumps which then makes my stitches burn.
“Ohhh, people. Where’s my gun, by the way?”
“Under the seat. Don’t take it into the party.”
“I wasn’t going to.” I roll my eyes.
“Who says I do that?” he asks again.
“Is it true?”
He pauses before answering. Then he shrugs. “Maybe.”
“Why?”
“Why what?” He’s playing dumb.
“Why do you do stupid things like that?”
“It’s not stupid to have fun.”
“Are you really having fun, though?”
He doesn’t say anything for a long time. Mostly he just stares out at the road scowling.
“I guess things have kind of sucked for you since your wedding was called off.”
“You could say that.”
“I just did.” I smile at him, trying to ease the pressure off the conversation. I love talking to him and I want to know all his secrets, but I know that won’t happen if he knows I’m digging into his life. I have to be stealth about it.
He smiles vaguely and then goes back to scowling. I can’t tell if he’s doing it because he’s mad or because the snow keeps falling and making it hard to see the road.
“Have you had any girlfriends since Ginny?”
“Define girlfriend.”
“Girl you spent time with not drinking and screwing. Girl you hang out with when you could have been doing something else. Girl you spent quality time with. Girl you do nice things for. Girl you want to smooch all night.”
He laughs once. “I guess that makes you my girlfriend.”
That renders me speechless for all of about ten seconds. “Ha, ha, you wish.”
He shrugs. “Hey, you’re the one always trying to see me naked. I figured the feeling was mutual.”
My jaw drops open. “What? You’re crazy. Nobody’s trying to see anybody naked.” My ears are burning. Maybe Ian does read minds after all.
I let the conversation subside after
that. I thought I was going to have to use a crowbar to get him to talk, but all of a sudden he’s jumping into me liking him and trying to see him naked. I can’t show up at this party not a hundred percent on my game, and talking to him about these dangerous topics definitely throws me off. My ears will not stop burning.
“What’s the matter?” he asks when we’re finally on the highway. “Cat got your tongue?”
“Nope. Just done talking.” I stare out the side window, even though there’s nothing to see.
“Conversation get a little too hot for ya?”
I snort. “As if.”
“So you admit you’ve been trying to see me naked.”
I have to laugh at his gall. “No. I admit nothing.”
“See, you just admitted it right there.”
I slap him with the back of my hand. “Watch it or I’ll get my gun out.”
“Man, you’re dangerous.”
“You got that right.” I love being called dangerous. That’s probably a bad sign, but oh well.
“And here I thought you were some fluff-headed girl from the city, softer than a lamb’s belly.”
“I am from the city, my hair is fluffy, and I am definitely soft. Not sure how soft a lamb’s belly is, but I moisturize every day, so … yeah. You’ve got me pegged.”
He laughs. “Sometimes I can’t tell if you’re messing with me or not.”
Likewise, my seriously hot cowboy crush, likewise. But I’m not going to tell you that.
The lights of the town are coming into view, so I use the opportunity to change the subject. I don’t like it when he talks about his impressions of me. They never sound very complimentary.
“How far into town does Boog live?”
“Not far. We’re just five minutes away now. You chickening out?”
“Hell no. I don’t chicken out.”
“I noticed that about you.” He stops at a red light, the first stoplight off the exit. “You’re pretty damn brave, actually.”
“I am?” I look at him to see if he’s joking.
“Hell yeah, you are. You killed a cougar. Saved my ass.”
My heart drops. “Did I really kill it?”
His voice loses its excitement. “Well, no, you just tagged it. I did the killing.”
I can’t help the tremor in my voice. “Are you just saying that to be nice?”
He lowers his chin and looks up at me. “Does that sound like something I’d do?”
“Yes.”
He goes back to driving, the light now green. “I thought I was a hell-raising bad news kind of guy.”
“You are a hell-raiser or so I hear. That doesn’t make you bad news or not nice.”
“Tell that to Andie.”
“Tell her yourself. You just sit there and let people believe what they want to believe, so you can hardly fault them when they jump to the wrong conclusions about you.”
“Who says they’re wrong conclusions?” he asks, turning right into a neighborhood of small houses with large front lawns.
“Me. I say it.”
He pulls up to a curb and shuts off the engine. “You don’t know me well enough to say that.”
“Oh, yes I do.” I unbuckle. “Are we here? I need a beer.”
He smiles. “One beer, coming up.” He opens his door and jumps out. “Hang on, I’ll get your door.” His door slams shut, rocking the whole truck, and then he’s at my window. “Watch your step,” he says. “Ground’s real slippery.”
I’m warm from my head to my toes, but not because of my jacket or my boots. Ian’s being a total prince and the connection between us is undeniable. I know he feels it too. It’s almost like we’re a couple, and we haven’t even really officially kissed yet. Yet. That one in the hospital didn’t count since it was fake, not fueled by passion. I fully intend to kiss him at or after this party, though. I can’t wait anymore.
He holds out his elbow so I can hook my hand through his arm. I do it not only because it helps me walk over the slippery ground without falling but also because I want all the chicks in this town to know that for as long as I’m here, he’s mine. Mine all mine all mine.
The snow crunches under our feet as we walk across someone’s front lawn. “I hope you aren’t expecting anything too fancy,” Ian says. “Boog isn’t the most sophisticated guy in town.”
“Oh, don’t worry about me. I can party with anyone.” The hair and beauty business attracts all types of people, and I’ve never been one to discriminate.
The sound of heavy rock music comes from the house even though it’s shut up tight. “This is it,” Ian says, stopping just at the bottom of the front steps. “Last chance to turn back.”
I stop, facing him. “You can’t scare me away from this, Ian.”
He looks down at me and smiles. I can’t see his eyes very well, the shadow from the brim of his hat making them pure darkness, but I know they’re twinkling. “Not trying to scare you. Just giving you a chance to change your mind. I hear most women do that a lot.”
“I’m not most women. Once I decide to do something, I do it.”
“Well, you’re right about one thing,” he says, walking up the stairs and letting go of my arm to take the door.
“What’s that?”
He pulls the door open, letting the heat and the noise blast into me. “You’re not like most women, that’s for sure.”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
WE WALK INTO THE HOUSE, me first and then Ian, who shuts the door behind us. The warmth hits me all of a sudden, like I just walked into a sauna but fully clothed in way too many layers. I hurry to get out of my borrowed coat so I don’t start sweating. Several guys stop talking and watch me, so I make sure to arch my back a little and give them a good show. I paid for these boobs so I like to make sure I get my money’s worth.
I’m smiling at the attention, but it doesn’t last long since Ian decides to walk around me and block my view.
“Watch it, Ian. I can’t see.”
“Come on, let’s go get a drink.” He takes me by the hand and starts pulling me through the front room.
Part of me is thrilled that he’s holding my hand in front of strangers, but the other part is getting cranky that I’m being dragged past a whole group of people like some sort of dog on a leash.
Slowing down, I use his forward momentum to break our hands apart. He gets a few more steps towards another room before he stops. Before he can turn all the way around, there’s a guy standing at my side.
“Hey there. You the girl staying up at the MacKenzie place?” he asks. He’s tall and lanky, dressed in a t-shirt and jeans. His belt buckle is the size of a bread plate, but he’s cute. His hair is short like he’s in the military and I see the bottom of a tattoo coming from his shirt sleeve.
I smile as big as I know how. “I am. And you are…?”
He puts his beer bottle in his left hand and holds out his right. “I’m Mike. Friend of Ian’s. Nice to meet you.” He lifts his chin at Ian who stops at my side.
“Mike,” Ian says, shaking his hand too.
“Heard today you got into a little wrestling match with a cat,” Mike says, smiling when he’s done. He has the most charming dimples on both cheeks, I totally want to squeeze his face.
“How’d you hear that?” I ask, mystified since it’s been only a day since it happened.
“Stopped by the diner. Heard it from Hannah.” He takes a drink of his beer without taking his eyes off me.
“How does Hannah know?” I ask, looking from Mike to Ian.
Mike shrugs, looking at Ian. “I figured Ian told her.”
I feel a little sick over the idea that Ian might have been hanging out with her when I was in the hospital, but it’s not like I have any claim over his time. Some of the excitement of coming to this party with him fades.
“I haven’t talked to her or anyone else about it,” Ian says. “Why would you think I did?”
Mike takes a long drink from his beer again before
answering. “Don’t know.” He lets out a burp that he tries to keep somewhat not loud by covering his mouth with the back of his hand. “I suppose because she likes to talk about how much you all hang out.” He shrugs.
Ian lets out a hiss of air. “Man, you know she’s full of it. You know I don’t hang out with her.”
Mike kind of laughs. “So? What’s the big deal whether you do or not?” He looks from Ian to me and then back at Ian. Before Ian can respond he speaks again. “Oh.”
“Oh, what?” I ask.
“Nothin’.” He backs up a couple steps. “You guys have fun. I gotta go talk to Boog.”
He turns around and leaves us standing there.
“What was that all about?” I feel totally rejected. Reaching up, I casually wipe at my nose. If I have a booger hanging out, I’m going to die of mortification. Talk about making a big first impression.
Ian rubs his nose and sniffs loudly. “I don’t know. He’s crazy.”
I panic when I see him staring at my face. My nose twitches and I have to wipe it again, this time harder. The way Ian is staring at me with that concerned expression, I know there’s something amiss up there.
He grabs his nose with two fingers and wiggles it around. “I’m going to get us some beers, okay?”
I nod, pretending I’m not totally covering my nose with my entire hand now. My eyes dart left and right trying to locate a bathroom.
“Be right back.” He turns away and sniffs really loudly.
I turn to the right, sure I’ll find a bathroom near the front door, and accidentally bump into someone. I have to get there before Ian gets back! Emergency dangler alert!
“Well, hello there. I didn’t expect to see you here.”
I’m looking Hannah the Banana right in the eye. We are the same height in snow boots, only a foot apart. I tip my head down so my tragedy won’t be as easy to discover.
“Hi.” Looking over her shoulders, I still don’t see anything that looks like a place that might have a mirror.
“Who you here with?” she asks.
I sigh out my annoyance. “Ian.” A glance at the kitchen area tells me he’s about to come back. Panic sets in. I cannot let him catch me with a dangler!
