A Real Cowboy Rides a Motorcycle

by Stephanie Rowe

  He thought about it, waiting for the next words, the ones that would condemn him. “But?”

  “No buts. It’s just nice.” She sighed again, a deep sigh of such contentment that he started to relax. “There’s no baggage, you know? Since we don’t know each other and didn’t have sex or anything. It’s just…nice. No pressure. Just nice.”

  The tension vanished from his body, and he tightened his arm around her. “Yeah, I know what you mean.” He hesitated, and then brushed his finger over her hair. He’d been dying to touch it, but he hadn’t dared.

  She didn’t object, and he moved his hand, trailing it down her head and over her hair.

  “That feels good,” she said softly. “I haven’t been touched like that in a long time.”

  He relaxed further, tangling his fingers in her hair. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d touched a woman without having to watch his back. He was always moderating his comments and his actions, unwilling to do or say anything that could get him into trouble or make her think he was promising things he wasn’t, so he never had the luxury of simply experiencing the moment. “Why not? Seems like you’d have a posse of guys after you.”

  She shrugged, and released his wrist to splay her fingers across his chest. Her touch was so soft that his gut clenched. He was used to women who touched him with the purpose of seduction, but Taylor’s touch was simple and innocent, and completely erotic. “Dating men is so complicated,” she said. “I’ve been taking a break for a while. I don’t mind being alone.” She drew a circle on his chest. “I forgot about this kind of intimacy, though,” she said. “Just being held, you know?”

  “Yeah.” On a whim, he lifted his head and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. She sighed with contentment, making him grin. “I haven’t been in a relationship in a long time. I don’t have the time or energy for it. Women…” He paused, not wanting to insult her gender.

  “Women what?” She yawned again, still tracing lazy circles across his chest. She didn’t sound like she was about to take offense, so he decided to answer the question.

  “Women can be mercenary.”

  She laughed softly. “Yes, they can.” She looked up at him, her blue eyes clear now. He was shocked by how blue they were. In the night, he hadn’t had a sense of exactly how vibrant they were, but now…they were vivid and intelligent, and absolutely riveting. “Tell me, Zane, what do they want from you? Is it because you’re hot?”

  He grinned. “Am I hot?”

  She smiled back at him, and lightly punched his chest. “You know you are. I can see it in your eyes.”

  His smile faded, and he realized that she had no idea about his past. He didn’t want to tell her. He liked that she looked at him like he was just a guy. He lived in a world where he hadn’t been just a guy for a long time, perhaps ever. He’d once been the troublemaker from the wrong side of the tracks, and then he’d become the tour’s most eligible bachelor, and all of it had sucked. So, he just shook his head. “It’s nothing—”

  There was a sudden sound from the front door, but neither of them had time to move before the door flew open and Mira walked in. She took one look at the two of them in the bed, and her jaw dropped. “Zane? Taylor? What’s going on?”

  Zane’s first instinct was to haul ass out of the bed and explain that nothing had happened, to establish that he and Taylor were not together…but he didn’t. He actually, without meaning to, slid his fingers around to the back of Taylor’s neck and lightly clasped her. “Good morning, Mira. The house was dark when I arrived, so I didn’t want to bother you. I crashed here.”

  “But—”

  “Oh, stop, Mira.” Taylor patted his chest affectionately, and then sat up, her long-sleeved shirt sliding off one shoulder in a dangerously sexy move. “You know perfectly well nothing happened here. Zane barged in, completely soaked, and claimed half the bed.”

  Zane realized that all hell wasn’t going to break loose. Taylor wasn’t going to fall over herself trying to pretend that they’d had sex, and she wasn’t going to freak out and dive out of the bed. She was relaxed, and utterly unconcerned. Slowly, he clasped his hands behind his head, amusement beginning to build deep inside him as he watched the interplay between the two women. He liked the fact Taylor was in his bed and not getting up. Yeah, he liked it a lot.

  Mira’s gaze slipped to Zane. “He’s naked. And in bed with you.”

  Taylor’s smile slipped. “You really think I had sex with him?” Her voice was hurt, and she sounded confused. “Why would you think that?”

  Zane was surprised at the question. Why wouldn’t Mira think that? She’d walked in while they were entwined around each other in bed, and, as far as she knew, he was naked.

  But when Mira looked at Taylor, her face softened. Then she smiled, her face so full of warmth that jealousy actually twitched inside Zane. “I’m sorry. You’re right. I know you better than that.” She walked across the room and sat down on the bed, next to Zane. “I missed you, Taylor.”

  “I missed you, too.” The women reached across him and hugged each other, and Zane’s ease with the situation vanished. He wasn’t into hugs and tears and all that stuff. He held up his hands, not sure where to put them with the women hugging across him the way they were. “Okay, ladies, I’m generally up for threesomes, but when one of the women is pregnant and about to marry my brother, I draw the line.”

  The women broke apart with a burst of laughter, and Zane used the opening to extricate himself from the covers, whipping his feet around Mira and hitting the floor. He grabbed his still-damp jeans and a shirt, yanked them on, and pulled on his boots, all in about five seconds. He grabbed his duffel. “I’m going to dry my clothes—” He realized then what he’d said. “I mean, is it okay with you if I use your dryer, Mira?” Shit, it annoyed him that he had to ask that. This ranch was for the Stockton men, not for the women. He knew it had changed, but that didn’t mean he had to like it.

  She smiled, that same warm smile she’d always given him, as if she didn’t care one bit that he didn’t like her there. “Zane, you don’t have to ask. You’re always welcome. Breakfast will be ready in ten minutes, if you want to join us.”

  “Yeah, maybe, thanks.” He ducked out of the bunkhouse, leaving behind the sound of the women’s laughter. He wondered how long it would take for them to start talking about him, and irritation slid down his spine. Mira would tell Taylor all about him, and the next time Taylor looked at him, she’d see what everyone else saw.

  He felt like snarling as he stepped out into the bright sunlight, squinting against the light. With a low growl, he walked over to his bike and opened the case on the back. Inside was his cowboy hat. He never wore the damn thing anymore, but if he was running around the ranch for two weeks, he’d need it. He pulled the old thing out and jammed it on his head.

  It felt weird, and he didn’t like it, but at the same time… something about it called to him. He ran his finger over the brim, instinctively wiping off the bit of dust that had tried to claim it. He brushed his hand over the soft leather of his bike seat, so slick compared to the feel of his hat. The urge to climb onto his bike and leave was so strong, he actually wrapped his fingers around the cool metal handlebars. He’d never stayed here more than one night at a time. He never stayed anywhere for long.

  But he’d made a promise to his brother, and he wasn’t going to let him down. He was going to stay to help with the ranch until the baby was born. His brother had never asked him for help before, and Zane wasn’t going to turn him down. That’s what Stockton men did: they always, always, stood by each other, no matter what.

  With a grim sigh, he turned away from his bike, and headed for the barn. But as he walked, he couldn’t help but glance over his shoulder at the bunkhouse. The small, flat-roofed building looked like nothing, but he could still hear the whisper of women’s voices. He paused for a moment, trying to separate Taylor’s voice, but he was too far away.

  The moment with her was o
ver.

  It was what it was, and he was moving on.

  But as he headed down the dirt driveway toward the barn to do a quick assessment of his responsibilities before breakfast, he couldn’t help but think about the fact that both he and Taylor were going to be on the ranch for the next two weeks.

  Two weeks was a long, damned time. Long enough that he’d considered it a rare, specialized torture designed just for him…until he’d met Taylor. Now, two weeks was still a long, damned time…long enough that interesting things could happen. Really interesting. With a slow smile, his irritation faded, and by the time he’d reached the barn, he was whistling.

  Chapter 4

  “When was the last time you had sex?”

  Taylor grinned at Mira’s question, shouted unabashedly from the other side of the bathroom door. She turned off the hairdryer, amused that Mira had managed to restrain herself that long before interrogating her. It felt so good to be harassed by Mira again. She’d missed having her privacy invaded by her. “It’s been a while,” she admitted, running a brush through her still-damp hair.

  “Tony? Was it Tony?”

  Taylor’s smile faded, and that familiar ache settled in her heart, the ache that she was beginning to think would never fully go away. “I’ve dated since my ex-husband,” she said.

  “Have you? I mean, really?” The door opened, and Mira stuck her head in the bathroom. Her brow was scrunched in worry.

  Taylor picked up her foundation and opened it. With Zane wandering around the ranch, a part of her was tempted to put on makeup and turn herself into the corporate Taylor who never showed her flaws. She studied herself in the mirror, at the face she always covered up with makeup when she was at work. She was so used to wearing foundation and smoothing over her skin so she was always perfect. But today, her cheeks were flushed, and she looked…alive.

  Suddenly, she didn’t want to plaster foundation over her face, and she didn’t want to shove her hair up in a tight bun. She dropped the foundation and picked up her mascara instead. A brush over her lashes was all she felt like doing, and it was liberating. “I dated Edward for six months.”

  Mira leaned against the doorway, her arms folded over her chest. “Your boss? That Edward?” She frowned, looking confused, for good reason, since Taylor had never told her.

  Taylor glanced at her. “Yeah, but he wasn’t my boss when we started dating.”

  Her friend’s mouth dropped open. “You never told me about him. How could you not tell me about him?”

  Taylor turned to face her. “Mira, you were so buried in taking care of your mother, I was afraid to tell you. I didn’t want you to feel bad that I had someone and you didn’t. You were struggling so much, and I just couldn’t do that to you.”

  Mira’s eyebrows shot up. “And you didn’t want me to interfere.”

  Taylor smiled. “Yeah, well, you do like to stick your nose in my social life.” She turned back to the mirror and finished up with the mascara. “It doesn’t matter. It’s over.”

  “When did it end?”

  Taylor bit her lip. “A while ago. Once he became my boss, it got awkward. You know, he got more responsibility and had different priorities.”

  Mira said nothing, and Taylor glanced over at her. Her heart tightened when she saw the knowing look on her friend’s face. “Don’t say it.”

  “He wanted to settle down with you, didn’t he? He wanted more from the relationship?”

  Taylor didn’t answer right away, busying herself with putting her makeup back into her travel bag. “It just wasn’t a fit,” she finally hedged.

  “So, that’s why you like Zane, right? Because he’s a perennial vagabond, and you know he’ll never want to settle down with you. He’s as afraid of commitment as you are.”

  Taylor glared at her friend. “I’m not afraid of commitment. It just wasn’t right with Edward.”

  Mira put her hands on her hips. “Did you love Edward?”

  “I don’t know. I—”

  “Did he ask you to marry him?”

  “No. Not in so many words, exactly.” Taylor pushed past Mira and walked back into the main room of the bunkhouse. Her bag was on the floor against the wall, and she grabbed a pair of jeans from it.

  “Did he ask you to move in with him?” Mira pressed.

  Taylor yanked on her jeans. “Maybe, but just because I didn’t want to move in with him doesn’t mean I have commitment issues—”

  “It’s been six years, Taylor. You can’t keep hiding from men—”

  “I’m not hiding,” she snapped as she grabbed a long sleeved tee shirt and yanked it over her head. “I work hard. My career is important to me, and I don’t have extra time to give to a guy who wants more from me.” She sat down on the bed to pull her socks on, and she made the mistake of looking at Mira.

  Her friend’s face was filled with sadness, making Taylor’s heart ache. “Don’t look at me like that, Mira,” she whispered. “I’m okay.”

  Mira walked over and knelt in front of her, putting her hands on Taylor’s knees. “I didn’t think I had time for anyone either,” she said softly, “but Chase has accepted me for who I am. He doesn’t want anything, except what I can give him.”

  Tears suddenly burned in Taylor’s eyes, but she blinked them away. “I’m happy for you, Mira. I can’t even tell you how happy that makes me. You deserve it.”

  “But I didn’t want to try either, any more than you do. I was forced to put myself out there, and I never would have if I hadn’t had to. You and I have been hiding for years. It’s time to stop. It’s really, really good out in the sunshine.”

  Taylor managed a smile. “But you’re amazing, sweetie. Chase would be an idiot not to love you.”

  “And you’re not amazing, too?”

  Her smile faded. “We both know what I am.” There was no need to spell it out. Her best friend knew all her secrets.

  Mira’s chin jutted out, refusing to accept Taylor’s claim. “The right guy won’t care.”

  “He won’t care, until he does.” She met Mira’s gaze. “They always eventually care, and I’m not going to wait around for him to realize it. My work gives me the independence to live my life the way I want. I fit in relationships when I can, and get out in time.”

  “That’s no way to live.” Mira sighed. “Don’t go down this road with Zane. It has no future. He’s not the kind of guy who even has the capacity to realize how amazing you are, let alone decide you’re worth investing in.”

  A little part of Taylor ached at Mira’s words, a longing that she worked so hard to keep buried. “Then he’s perfect for me, right? Some fun for a couple weeks, and then back to the grind for both of us.”

  “No.” Mira’s fingers tightened on Taylor’s knees. “Don’t sell yourself short. At least pick a guy who might be able to step up. Choose someone who at least has the chance of surprising you.”

  “In my experience, the surprises that men have to offer are never, ever good.” Taylor sighed. “Listen, sweetie, this isn’t about me. This is your time. I’m here to help you get ready for the wedding, or do your laundry or whatever you need.” She nodded at Mira’s massive belly. “You should be sitting around with your feet up, not worrying about me.”

  Mira raised her brows. “I live on a ranch. No one sits around with their feet up. There’s work to be done, my friend.”

  Taylor finished tying her boots and stood up. “Then show me what to do. I’m ready to get busy.” She held out her hand. Mira grasped it, and she hauled Mira to her feet. “Damn, girl, you’re getting heavy. What do you have in there? A set of gym weights?”

  Mira laughed, her voice lifted in genuine happiness. “Feels like it sometimes. You want breakfast? I made muffins.”

  “Your famous blueberry ones?” Taylor’s mouth started to water.

  “One and the same.”

  “I’m in.” Taylor tucked her arm through Mira’s as they walked toward the door. Despite their heavy conversation, her he
art was lighter now than it had been. Even if Mira was about to become a wife and a mom, their bond was still the same. The only difference now was that Taylor didn’t have to worry about Mira whenever she was traveling.

  And of course, there was the fact that whenever she went home, Mira was no longer there. She lived in Wyoming now, a thousand miles away from the town where Taylor called home. That was another difference, a huge one.

  This time with Mira wasn’t real life anymore. This was just a quick vacation. No more girls’ nights together, just brief visits that would be all they had to maintain their bond.

  Mira looked over at her as she pulled open the screen door. “What’s wrong?”

  Taylor managed a smile. “Nothing at all. I’m good.” She stepped back to allow Mira to waddle through, refusing to acknowledge her sadness about leaving the ranch. She was here for two weeks, and she was going to enjoy every minute of it, not worry about a future that wasn’t here yet.

  And, as she followed Mira outside, she couldn’t help but look around for Zane, to no avail. He was nowhere to be seen. She sighed, all too aware of the flash of disappointment that he wasn’t around. Yes, she knew he wasn’t the kind of man a girl would build a future with, but that was why she liked him. Zane was safe, as safe as a man could ever be for her. She knew that was why she was attracted to him, but she didn’t care.

  It had been a long time since she’d had a morning as nice as the one she’d had, waking up in his arms.

  “Do me one favor?” Mira said as they headed toward the house.

  “You bet. What’s that?” Taylor noticed a huge motorcycle tucked up next to the bunkhouse. Was that Zane’s? Was he a biker? A biker cowboy? Wow. That was like a double dose of testosterone right there.

  “Just don’t have sex with him.”

  Her gaze jerked back to Mira. “What?”

  “With Zane. Sex complicates things. You’re a woman, and no matter how much you deny it, if you have sex with him, it’s going to complicate things. You’re not made of steel, Taylor, no matter how much you wish you were.” Mira raised her brows. “Promise me, Taylor.”