Courage To Follow (Cowboys of Courage 1)

by Charlene Bright

  Again, Garrett saw nothing, but he believed her. Who could have come out here and waited for him without his absence noticed? Leland would have likely been caught. Even though not much ever happened in their quiet little town, there were random calls for things like having a kitten stuck in a tree or a tussle between two guys at the bar who’d had too much to drink.

  Eliminating him didn’t help, though. Any greedy person wanting to take the money from Garrett’s land and run with it could have been conspiring with the sheriff. “There are far too many options,” he told her, hating to admit how many people might actually be willing to set him up just for a little money.

  “If it helps, the hooves are small. I’d guess the horse wasn’t more than fourteen hands, full grown,” she told him as they continued forward.

  It sounded like a woman, but even Lou was married. The only unmarried woman in town Garrett knew was Eleanor, who was still at her place, taking care of her kids and his animals. She didn’t have any part in this. Besides, her two horses were shoed. Her kids rode them, and she avoided any hazards as much as possible.

  “I think it’s an outsider,” he told her. “You’re describing a horse for a small woman, and we don’t have any small, single women in town or on the mountain. If it’s a woman, she’s not from Courage.”

  “Do you know everyone in town?” she asked, her tone filled with curiosity.

  “Yes, I do. There are only about six hundred of us, and maybe thirty thousand in the whole county. I won’t say I know the whole county, but I know everyone who lives in a Courage address.” He tilted his head and considered her. “I must have been mistaken. I thought everyone on your reservation knew everyone else.”

  She grimaced. “That might have been true a hundred years ago. Now, there are more of us on the reservation than you say are in your whole county.” Her expression changed completely and she gave him a teasing smile. “If I knew everyone, I certainly would have seen you during one of your visits, and I wouldn’t have forgotten you.”

  Was that the first real compliment she’d paid him? Or was it a slam of some kind? “And why is that? Am I really that disgusting?”

  Her pupils dilated, and she gave him a very serious look. “Because you’re that enticing, Garrett. I would have been hard pressed to forget the likes of you.” Before he could respond, she dug her heels into the horse and pulled ahead of him, moving faster, and he had to nudge Hunter pretty hard to get him to catch up. She pointed ahead as he pulled up beside her. “Is that your gas station?”

  Garrett tried not to show his frustration at the sudden change of subject. Sure enough, when he looked, he could see the speck on the horizon, what looked from this distance like a white toy house with a flat roof. “That’s the one.” He knew from experience that, when they drew closer, that white would be dingy with dirt and age, and much of the wood on the railings would be split and splintering. The gas pumps were old fashioned, not the newly updated versions with credit card payment available at the pump and four different types of fuel to choose from on one pump.

  However, they did have a place to tie up the horses, since riding was big in the area, and there was water for them, too, so they could drink while riders went inside to go to the bathroom or grab a snack and a drink. Shakota and Garrett had a little bit of a different mission, but the horse stow worked just the same.

  Stretching as he got off the horse, Garrett realized it had been a very long time since he’d spent so much time riding. He was strong, and hard labor barely made his muscles ache these days, but riding a horse incorporated all different kinds of muscles that hadn’t been in use for a while, and he was tense. He’d definitely have some soreness over the next few days from this adventure. And if he got his way, he’d be exercising some other little-used muscles with Shakota, making the soreness much more tolerable after the delicious reward.

  Chapter 10

  Shakota immediately approached the clerk at the counter, not wanting to waste any time. She had to find out which direction the two riders had gone. The hoof prints continued back into the woods and likely led back up the mountain to some other rancher’s stables, but the set belonging to the sheriff’s horse were much lighter. Since they were newer, it wasn’t due to being washed away; it was because the horse no longer carried the additional weight of the sheriff.

  Garrett followed her, looking anxious, as if he expected to find his man sitting at one of the booths in the back, snacking on donuts. Shakota only wished it were that easy. Now, she was in hot water. Car tracks were almost impossible to follow, and she at least needed to know what kind of car she was looking for in which direction.

  “Excuse me, I was wondering if you could help me with something.” She smiled brilliantly at the young man behind the counter, who stared at her like he’d never seen a woman before. “I’m looking for a friend of mine. I was supposed to meet him here, and we were leaving with someone else. They were being all sneaky and wouldn’t tell me where we were going. I was wondering if you saw them.”

  The boy stuttered. “Well, ma’am, we see a lot of people come through here.”

  “This one would have been a larger man, a little round in the middle, and he had a limp. He came in on horse because he already had the car here. I’m a little upset because they were supposed to call me, but my phone was dead, and by the time I had enough charge to call him, his phone had died or lost signal, so I don’t know where to go to meet him.” She pouted, sticking out her bottom lip and batting her eyelashes.

  The kid scratched his head of overly long curly brown hair. “Was it maybe day before yesterday?” Shakota perked up and nodded, hoping Garrett would keep his mouth shut. If he interfered, he could ruin this. She needed him to just step back and let her finish what she was doing. The young man nodded. “Yeah, he came in with some little guy, and they were both talking real quiet. The little guy left and took the horses. Your friend stayed and had a pulled pork sandwich and then got in the car and left.”

  “Oh, so you saw his car?” The kid nodded, and Shakota wanted to shout, being so close to victory. “I know you said they were quiet, but did you hear them say anything about where he was going?”

  “I heard something about Thermopolis. I don’t know if that helps.” He scratched his head again. “His car almost didn’t start, and he came back in for some fuel injection fluid. I took a look out at the old monster. It was some 80s-style boat with a soft top and mossy green color. I remember because it reminded me of what my mom drove when I was a kid.”

  “Thermopolis is a couple hours across the border in Wyoming,” Garrett muttered behind her.

  She nodded; a couple of her tribe members had gone there a few times. “So, did the car run better after he put the fluid in? I’d hate to think he ran into trouble along the way and that’s why I can’t get a hold of him.”

  “It sounded a little better, but I don’t know. I think it needed a new muffler, and one of the belts sounded loose from in here.” The kid frowned. “I should’ve said something to him, but he was in a hurry and looked upset.”

  Considering what he was doing, he should have, Shakota thought. “Thank you so much for your help! I guess we’re going to Thermopolis to see if we can find him and make sure he’s okay.” She left the store, Garrett right behind her. “So, how fast can we get back to your place from here, the direct route?”

  He clenched his jaw. “In daylight, maybe two and a half hours. With nightfall, it’ll take about four.”

  She nodded. They’d hurry back to Garrett’s place, call it a day, and head to Thermopolis in the morning. She was sure she could find this secretive sheriff quickly once they got there. But tonight, she had other plans. She straddled the horse, anxious to get back, and told Garrett, “Let’s get back. Maybe I’ll help you cook dinner.”

  * * *

  The kitchen had never seemed small to Garrett; he’d created this floorplan himself, making sure the kitchen was spacious, since he liked to cook and wanted modern a
ppliances. But somehow, as he worked with Shakota, it seemed cramped, the two of them bumping into each other every way he turned. After a while, he started watching her, and he grew suspicious that she planned each little misdirection that caused them to collide.

  His suspicions were confirmed the third time she managed to bump that firm, rounded ass of hers into his thigh. She bent over, reaching in the fridge for more butter, and he was at least three feet away, yet as she stood, she stepped back far enough to make sure she brushed up against him.

  He smiled to himself. The woman was incorrigible, and he decided to teach her a lesson. He kept tight watch on her movements, and when she backed into him the next time, he was ready for it. Rather than letting her scoot away with a coy apology, he grabbed her by the hips and pulled her tighter against him, leaning down so his mouth was beside her ear and blowing the hair to the side so his breath tickled her skin. She inhaled sharply, and Garrett chuckled.

  “You know, most men aren’t very good at taking hints. You have to be a little more direct. So, if you want something from me, you should just ask for it rather than acting like some giant, clumsy oaf in my kitchen.” He spoke in a low, quiet tone, and as he ended his statement, he made sure his lips brushed her earlobe, just the lightest butterfly kiss.

  Then he released her as quickly as he’d grabbed her and turned away to toss the cubed potatoes in the frying pan. But he caught her gaping at him from the corner of his eye and knew he’d had just the right effect on her. Shakota’s breathing pattern had changed, and he could almost feel the energy of her excitement in the air around him.

  She said nothing as she picked up the knife to slice the French bread she was going to turn into garlic toast, and while her silence didn’t bother him in the least, he knew women well enough to know he had to watch over his shoulder as long as Shakota had the knife.

  “Are you that generous?” The question surprised Garrett, and he almost burned himself on the pan as he turned to stare at her. Her back was to him, and she was spreading generous portions of minced garlic over the bread.

  “What are you talking about?”

  “You said if I want something, I should ask. Do you offer anyone whatever they ask for, as long as they say please?” Sarcasm dripped from her words, and it took a lot of willpower for Garrett to hold back the laughter climbing up his gullet.

  Clearing his throat, he told her, “I’m not into that kind of charity, no. But if it doesn’t hurt me, or if I fancy the idea, I can be quite accommodating. For example, if you ask me to sleep on the couch so you can take the bed, I might be willing to do that. It’s the gentlemanly thing to do, even if I know my legs are a little too long for the couch.”

  She turned and looked at him with horrified eyes, and he wondered what that was about. “Come on, Garrett, I live on the reservation and I’m a tracker. Do you really think I need a bed? I could lay on this wood floor without a blanket or pillow and sleep. I can use the couch.”

  Her indignant response was amusing, though he couldn’t understand why she would be so upset...or why she wouldn’t just suggest they share the bed. He knew she wanted him now, and he’d given her the perfect opening to just spit it out.

  Garrett sighed. “I didn’t mean to offend you; I just gave the first example that came to mind, all right? I thought we were joking around, bantering back and forth. I didn’t realize you’d take me so seriously.”

  She raised an eyebrow at him. “But you’re a very serious man, Garrett Woodward. You have been for years. Sometimes, I have a hard time reading when you’re serious and when you’re teasing because they look and feel so similar. Maybe you should try lightening up.”

  He scoffed, a little irritated at her for continuing to turn everything back on him. Hands on his hips and food forgotten, he asked, “All right, if you’re going to play shrink over there, why don’t you tell me what to do to lighten up?”

  She threw her arms in the air, looking exasperated. “Whatever it is you cowboys do to relax. Don’t you ever do anything just for you? Is it always about someone else?”

  An idea was forming in his head, and he thought it just might work. When he was done here, she’d have to let him know just how much she wanted him. “You’re saying I should do something solely for my own benefit. I should take pleasure in something selfishly and not worry about what anyone else who may be involved thinks.”

  She shrugged nervously as if to take it back. “I don’t know. I...”

  He didn’t give her a chance to finish her sentence. He reached out and grabbed the waistband of her jeans, yanking her to him and covering her lips with his. She tasted exactly as he’d imagined, like lemonade on a hot summer day and cocoa butter. He held her by the hips, and she stiffened instantly, but as he coaxed her lips to part and flicked his tongue against her teeth, she sighed and melted in his arms.

  Her tongue tangled with his, proving she possessed great talent with her mouth, and the thought of other things she could do with it set his blood humming and made his groin tighten with desire. He had half a mind to ask for what he wanted and see if Shakota was generous enough to comply. But for now, he settled for this taste and decided to let things play out on their own.

  He broke the kiss before his body could respond with physical signs of his arousal, and he put a small distance between them, but he didn’t release her, waiting for her to open her eyes and locking gazes with her. Her cheeks were flushed, her lips swollen, and her eyes glazed over, even as she registered surprise in her expression. She brought her hand to her mouth, touching it gingerly like she was confirming she hadn’t just slipped into a trance and imagined the kiss.

  “What made you do that?” she asked, her voice breathy and a bit deeper than usual. It had him ready to break out in a sweat as he held back from making another overt move on her.

  He gave her a crooked smile that felt strained. “You said to do something for me, that I needed to relax. So, I let go of all that seriousness and did something that made me happy without worrying whether or not you’d like it.”

  Shakota just stood there and stared for several heartbeats, until she finally asked, “And did you enjoy it? Did you get what you wanted out of it?”

  If she was asking if he was satisfied, the answer was hell no. He wanted so much more. But in terms of the kiss itself... “Well, I’m smiling now, right?”

  Though a grin curved that luscious mouth of hers, she acted irritated, reaching up and slapping the brim of his hat so it sat low on his brow. He reached up to fix it, releasing her, and she spun away, apparently achieving her goal. The muscle in his jaw twitched, and he crossed his arms, glaring at her back. “Come on now, don’t you have anything to say?”

  She turned slowly back to look at him, her face a mask that was unreadable, void of emotion. “Which subject would you like me to comment on?”

  It was like pulling teeth with this woman! She claimed to be different than others, not looking to be courted or wooed, but here she stood, forcing him to play games when they should have been headed for Oregon and Hoyt. “I’ll let you decide. You can talk about anything that’s been said or done in the last five minutes.”

  Garrett watched her search his face, and her bravado faded, replaced with apprehension. “I’ve been trying to feel you out all day, Garrett. I’ve flirted with you and gotten you to flirt back. That made me a little more confident, and I was a little more direct. You seemed to follow suit. And then we get back to your place, where it’s more intimate and far easier to act on some of that flirtation, but all you can think about is food. That’s fine, but when you finally notice me showing interest in you, you get me all hot and bothered, and then you pretend like nothing happened.”

  She stopped to breathe and continued, “We argue about joking, and you pull this stunt, which only works me up even more, and then you tease like you only did it to prove a point. Well, guess what, Garrett. You didn’t prove your point because, in case you were too selfish or blind to notice, I really
got my rocks off!”

  Garrett listened in silence to her rant, his arms crossed still, and found it gratifying to know he’d thrown a woman with such a strong will and such an amazing ability to read people. When he was sure she was done and waiting for an answer that had to come fast to avoid more anger from her, he asked, “If you enjoyed it that much, then why are you standing there screaming at me instead of putting that energy to better use?”

  She waited for a split second and then jumped at him, wrapping her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist as she devoured his mouth. The force of her leap against him shoved him backward until his hips leaned against the counter. Shakota seemed to throw every bit of pent-up passion into that kiss as she delved deeper into his mouth, and Garrett returned it with fervor. His hat fell to the ground, but he didn’t bother picking it up, just dove into the kiss, fisting his hands in her hair at the back of her head and tugging gently so he had better access and could probe deeper.

  She seemed more than willing to cooperate, and Garrett walked forward until he had her pressed against the wall. It gave him the leverage he needed to hold her in place so he could slide his hands up her arms and then back down, around her waist to her lower back and further. Still locked lip to lip, he felt glorious victory as his palms finally cupped the enticing ass she’d been flaunting at him. He squeezed, and Shakota moaned into his mouth. He wasn’t sure he could contain his baser urges for her much longer, but she’d made this move, so it was on her to stop him if he took it too far.

  Chapter 11

  Shakota’s brain was the consistency of warm gelatin, her conscience numb. Her body registered only the delightful taste and feel of the man who had her pinned against a wall, the pleasure it brought her, and the need for more. All inhibitions aside, she thrust herself into the moment, a creature of instant gratification that needed to be satisfied.