Lassoing The Last Dance (Double Dutch Ranch; Love At First Sight Book 4)

by Mary J. McCoy-Dressel

  “That’s enough.” Roxanne scooted up to a sitting position. Faced him. “And Kim?”

  “They found enough information on her computer, blah blah, blah… You know the rest. I should’ve waited until the morning to mention this.”

  She lay back down and kicked the covers off, sighed.

  Randy lay beside her and brought her into his arms. “It’s over, Roxanne. You won. Put them out of your mind.”

  “We both did a whole hell of a lot of losing first. When they go to trial and are locked up in prison, I’ll say it’s over.”

  “One day they’ll be memories we’ll forget to think about.” He held her closer. “Are you sleepy?”

  “I want to see Kim. To look into her eyes, or better yet, to have her look into mine.”

  Randy rose up. “Get the idea out of your head right now. No!”

  “I want her to realize what she’s done to us.”

  “No. I mean it. She has plenty of time to realize what she’s done. They all do. Leave it alone.”

  All right!

  “Now, again, are you sleepy?”

  “A little. Why?”

  He pulled jeans on. “Want to see how I start a painting? The canvas is ready to begin.”

  She got out of bed and was the first one out of the room. In the kitchen, she brewed a pot of coffee. She didn’t know if once he got started, he’d work into the wee morning hours. If so, she wanted to be by his side through each stroke of the brush.

  Randy brought out his easel from the pantry and set it up near the table. Going back and forth until he had the supplies he needed, he finally settled. He had the photo enlarged to size 16x20 inches. Roxanne stared in awe at the photo. If he wasn’t a rancher, or a painter, he’d make a good photographer. She fixed them both a cup of coffee, then dragged a chair over to be able to see him paint.

  Randy mixed paint, but shook his head. “You can’t sit there. How about you sit on the other side of the easel.” He stared staunchly at her while waiting for a reply.

  Didn’t he say she could watch? Roxanne got up to peer at the canvas and folded her arms across her chest, then looked at him. “Why?”

  He moved the chair back to the table, picked up his coffee, and sipped it while observing the photograph. “You’re absolutely beautiful in this picture. I like it quiet when I paint, except for maybe birds in the morning or the coyote or wolves howling at night.”

  A shiver went down her back. With a sigh, she sat. The smell of mineral spirits bruised her nostrils. He made some strokes on the canvas, nothing she could see, of course. “Did you always want to be a painter?” She closed her hand over her mouth. Oops. A quick glance was all she got, but a few minutes later, he asked if she had always wanted to be a dancer. She nodded, yet kept her big mouth shut. Watching a painter at work turned out to be boring. Roxanne rose to dump her coffee. “I’m going to bed.”

  “Come here.”

  She strode over to him. “You can look now while I’m setting it up, but promise me you won’t look again until I show it to you.”

  Promise? That’s a lot to ask, buddy. “I’m afraid you’ll have to lock it up to keep me from peeking.”

  “I appreciate your honesty, but I must warn you, peeking in advance has its disadvantages.”

  Yeah?” She smirked. “Like what?”

  “It won’t look like anything until it comes together. You’ll be thinking I’m nothing but a damn fake. Or…or a guy who had you in the barn nearly stripped down, for the fun of it.” He laughed and reached for another brush. “It was fun.”

  The canvas appeared to be all one ugly color. On second thought… “I promise not to look until you say it’s okay.”

  He continued to stare at the canvas as he spoke, “I was wrong to think I could have you watch. Go on to bed, Rox, and I won’t be far behind you.”

  Roxanne hugged him from the back. “You know how much I’m in love with you, don’t ya?”

  Holding the brush up, he turned in her arms. Smiled. “I do.” He leaned in to kiss her. “Just a warning, but I might wake you when I come to bed. You know, after the caffeine and arousal from staring at your picture.” Randy grinned.

  And after the arousal in the barn when he took the picture. “In the meantime, I’ll be dreaming about you. Good night, cowboy painter.” She smacked his ass before leaving.

  ***

  Randy dragged a chair over and sat, and he stared at the painting. He widened his eyes in disbelief at how much he had finished. His gaze went to the photograph. Her beauty was mesmerizing. Confidence showed in her eyes, but he detected something else. A part of her still held fear. He put the canvas away, brushed his teeth before going to bed in the wee hour, and crawled in beside her warm, fragrant body.

  Roxanne rolled over, scooting close to him. A quick glance at her face showed she still slept. He put his arm around her, and she moved her head to his shoulder so naturally, and did it all without waking. The sexual yearnings from earlier crept over his body again. He wanted her, had all day. Each vision of her sitting half-naked in the barn shot his manhood all to hell. Right now, the adult male wanted to play.

  Her warm flesh against his skin comforted his aches and pains from the beating he’d taken. Her hair—lighter now due to the sun or a bottle, tickled his arm. He brushed it away with a ginger touch. Soft breath blew across his chest, then her hand rested on his abdomen. He clenched it. Tiredness drove him to close his eyes, but he willed her to awaken and discover he was ready. If I’m lucky, I’ll dream of making love to her.

  ***

  Roxanne woke in his arms. Her hand was held against his chest. He was warm in a cool room. What time was it? Darkness engulfed the room. No moon peeked out tonight to cast shadows and light across their bed. She slipped her hand out from beneath his and slowly glided it down his chest to the waistband on his boxers, but there were no boxers. She splayed her fingers open on his abdomen, moved down an inch, and she draped her leg over his. One of his legs lay bent at the knee. He moaned softly and shifted his head to the other side, moved his hips upward, coaxing her hand.

  “This is so much better than texting you in bed in separate homes.”

  “You’re awake.”

  “Crawl on top of me.” He peered at her in the dusky room and placed his hands on her waist to bring her over. “Yeah, right there. Can we get married sooner so you’ll be here every night?”

  Randy pulled her t-shirt over her head. He tossed it aside and cupped her breasts. The warmth of his fingers caressing her sent her into a downhill spiral. Ready for her, his hips pushed and she spread her legs, taking him inside of her. Heat built up between them—both of them breaking out into a sweat. A sweet sweat covering their bodies. Their sighs filtered through the room in combined sensual whispers and moans. She moved with him in a hungry unbridled need that couldn’t be denied. “You make me feel soooo good.”

  Randy pressed his fingers against her back to bring her to his chest. He rolled over, connected with her again, and kissed her lips, her neck. He drove into her unlike a man who had been sleeping, but like a man who had lived his life waiting for her. She wanted to proclaim to him and the world how much she loved him. Her body bucked beneath him. Bated breaths soon came in deep inhales and unconscious exhales, until she had no choice but to shamelessly release the rapturous cries her body had no control over.

  Randy dropped to her chest, panting through his own climax. His tongue separated her lips in a sex-charged demand as his mouth crushed against hers. She locked her fingers into his hair, returning a kiss as electrically charged as his. He lowered his head to the mattress beside her head, breathing soft tickles against her ear. “Can you wake me every night? Wow.”

  “I’ll try.”

  “I’m kidding. I’d never get up in the morning.”

  “Yes, you would. You’re a virile, sexy man.”

  Randy chuckled. “You’re right.” He moved off her, but their bodies still touched. She scooted closer to lay her hea
d against his shoulder, right where they had started when she woke. Roxanne smiled to herself. Before her eyes, the unexpected had happened. Happiness crept into her life, and she hadn’t even sought it out. She raised her head to peer at him. “I want to say I love you, Randy, but the way I feel now, doesn’t have a word big enough to explain what I mean.”

  “I’m a simple man. Lovin’ me works, hon, but I know what you mean. This—what we have—what we experience with each other is… Are you trying to say it’s something deeper than love?”

  The words from a poet. Of course, he’d find the correct way of saying it. “Uh huh.”

  Randy gave a soft chuckle. “Good night, Roxanne.”

  Mmm, his words melted into her heart and she’d lock them up there. “We can get married now. I don’t want to be apart from you on a daily basis.”

  “All right. We’ll have to sneak off.”

  “Let’s. How about we marry now, and then announce it at the engagement party. Late into the party?”

  “All right. Tomorrow we’ll get the license and set up an appointment with a magistrate or whoever can do it first.”

  “I’ll need a day to get a dress!”

  “Only a day?” Randy got out of bed and pulled his boxers on. “Need anything. I’m getting some water.”

  “Champagne to toast? It’s obvious we aren’t getting much sleep tonight.”

  “Damn, you caught on. I was about to get the champagne to surprise you.” He tossed the t-shirt to her, then went to the other side of the bed for her crutches. “Come on.”

  Her leggings were around here somewhere. “Can you turn the bathroom light on for a little light? Open the champagne. I’ll be right out.”

  “Stay where you are. I’ll bring it in here instead.” He leaned his knee on the bed to give her a kiss before leaving.

  While he was gone, she went into the bathroom then came back to bed wearing an ankle-length cream satin gown. Toasting to getting married in two days called for more than one of his t-shirts. She finger-combed her hair and sat against the pillows she had pushed up against the leather headboard.

  He came back in, his hair combed away from his face. And he wore a smile. A bottle was in one hand and two glasses were in the other. Randy poured them both a glass, handed one to her, and got in bed. He faced her, checked out her gown, and grinned through a once over. “This is nice,” he muttered, holding up the glass to her. “Are we doing this in two days?”

  Roxanne held her glass against his. “We are if you think so in the morning. We won’t tell anyone until the party. It’ll be a wedding party, but they won’t know it until later.”

  “Let’s tell them early on at the party instead of later. You can tell your dad ahead of time if you want.”

  “I might, but it’ll be fun to let him be surprised with the rest. You know, he’ll want to be with me, and—”

  “It’s okay. Make sure my sister and her husband get on the invitation list.”

  Roxanne sniffed the champagne in her glass then took a sip. “Yeah, definitely. Do you want to tell your buddy Zach or—?”

  “Maybe. I’m still pissed at Tristan for not telling me about you. It takes everything in me not to throw a right hook across his jaw. They betrayed me.”

  Roxanne took his hand from his thigh. “Please don’t be angry at Nora and Tristan. They only did what I asked of them. I had begged them to remain silent. They didn’t want to keep it from you. Nora wanted to call you from the hospital the first morning, but I protested even so drugged I barely knew what I said, but I remember that. She asked again the next day.”

  “I don’t care. He should’ve told me anyway. You all should have told me.” Randy’s jaw clenched. “Never mind.”

  She kissed him then held her glass up to his again. “The next time I lie in this bed with you, you’ll be my husband. Cheers!”

  “To you finding a dress in one day. Cheers back at ya.” He winked and tapped her glass. “I’ll miss having you in my bed, miss sexy.” Running his finger over her arm, he asked in an intimate whisper, “You sure you want to stay away even one night?”

  Roxanne closed her eyes and smiled inside. Nodded. She sat her glass down and placed her hand against his face.

  His eyes smiled. She truly loved this man more than what she believed was possible. She scooted down to lay her head on the pillow. “I’m sleepy now. How far did you get with the painting?”

  He finished his champagne and lay beside her. “Further than I expected.” He took her into his arms and brought her up against him.

  His eyes closed in about ten seconds, and his breathing deepened. They wore each other out tonight, and she’d make sure they continued to for many years to come.

  ***

  The next day at home, Roxanne couldn’t trust herself enough to talk to Nora when she called, so she stared at the phone as it rang. She got ready to drive into Phoenix after checking online for a lady’s specialty shop. They’d have what she wanted. What had she wanted? She’d know when she saw it, but it wouldn’t be an official wedding gown, not for a courthouse, albeit some did wear bridal gowns to the courthouse.

  Thinking back to what Randy said, she called her dad but hung up right away. It wouldn’t be fair for him to know and not be allowed to attend the ceremony. On the other hand, it didn’t feel right not telling him. She dialed again and told him right off, concluding with, “You can’t even tell Brett. I know he’s like a son to you instead of a nephew, but please don’t tell.”

  “You have my word, Roxanne. Are you sure I can’t walk you into the courthouse, or be with you?”

  “I’m positive. Please don’t be offended, Dad. We just want to get married now. Maybe we can have a traditional ceremony later, and I’ll walk down the aisle on your arm.”

  “If you’re happy doing it this way, then I’ll be happy for you. I’m glad you found the right man. If you change your mind, I’ll make myself available.”

  “Thanks, Dad. I gotta go. I love you.” The next call was to Judy Carlson.

  “Hi there, Roxanne. It’s nice to hear from you.”

  “Hi!” Roxanne tapped her nail against the phone and paused while deciding what to say.

  “Roxanne, did you need something?”

  Taking a breath, she continued, “How soon could you throw together a party?”

  “Maybe two weeks. Sooner if necessary. I’ll give the gals a call and let my daughters-in-law know. Give me the word and we’ll get the job done. You and Randy ready, dear?”

  She felt bad about hurrying her, but they’d need to make the announcement about the party before the news came out in the Gazette in case anyone read that tiny section for Marriage Licenses and Deaths. “We’re ready! I can’t thank y’all enough for doing the party. We’re so grateful.”

  “We love you both, Roxanne. You let me get to work on it. Weekend after next too soon?”

  “What? No! Can you? Let me know what I can do.”

  “You leave it to me and the gals. Talk to you soon.”

  What a shocker. Roxanne jumped up and down with her hands pressed together in front of her. “I love these people—this town. I’m in love with Randy Drake!” She danced around the room with her arms out like she had a partner. On the way to Phoenix, she’d call Randy to tell him Judy’s news. Without these pillow talks she and Randy had, they might never get anything discussed.

  After the call, she stuck heels into her biggest Coach bag and hit the road to find a dress for her wedding, and also a dress for their engagement party. On the way, she came up on Randy coming in the opposite direction. How ironic. How cool! She waved and gave him a smile as they both slowed. He touched the tip of his hat and winked. Oh, what a doll!

  They drove on like tectonic plates sliding past each other, but they peeked back into the rear-view mirrors—both of them sharing in the same little secret. Her body trembled at the whimsical idea of marrying him in secret. The smile might not leave her lips. What a lucky woman she was after all. />
  Chapter 20

  Still getting used to being Mrs. Randy Drake, her mind settled on the engagement party tomorrow night. The party dress she had purchased was daring red, low in the back, with a skirt that’d swirl in dance. Dance. The word made her smile. She planned on doing a lot of dancing at their party.

  She’d be late arriving to the Double Dutch to help Nora and the ladies with food prep tonight, and she still had to stop at the store for a forgotten ingredient. It seemed like she made a habit of being late these days. It was so unlike her.

  Leaving the ranch and turning onto Rocky Road toward the highway, she stretched across the seat for her phone to call Nora, but became distracted by the bright lights coming up behind her at a rapid speed. She slowed to a crawl to let them go around. The cloud of dust behind her blurred the headlights. Thinking of Randy—her secret husband, had her brain in a spin. How tomorrow they’d tell their family and friends they were already married. She glanced at the mirror again. Who the heck else drove down Rocky Road anyway? “Come on, go around, idiot.”

  The vehicle didn’t pass her but remained close to her bumper. She sped up a little more, and so did whoever drove the car. It quickly became a sick reminder of a man she once hated. “Get off my ass.” She flung her hand up as if waving him off. Her head fell back against the head rest as the car rammed her. The 60 wasn’t much farther. Oh, God, no. God no! She clenched the steering wheel and pressed on the accelerator. “Dammit.” Had one of the men escaped from jail, or was this a culprit not yet brought into the mix? No, no!

  He rammed her again. She gripped the steering wheel even tighter. Fear she had lived with until last month returned to the forefront. Enough of this. She stomped on the gas pedal and took the speed up to sixty, and she wasn’t comfortable driving like this on rutted Rocky Road.

  Another glance into her mirror as she increased her speed, showed the car continuing close behind. She peered back at the road in front of her with barely enough time to avoid hitting a dog, or some animal of the night. Roxanne swerved and ran off the road. She hit the brakes and her front tires settled into a dip. She took a deep breath then lifted her eyes to the rear view mirror.