Renegade Cowboy

by Sara Richardson

“So you’re staying in Topaz Falls then.” Her flat tone held no clues as to how she felt about it.

  “Yes.” He gazed at her, but her eyes had gone blank. “At least, when I’m not traveling.” For competitions or to visit her place in Denver. “I figure I can train here. Maybe run a few mentoring clinics each year. It’ll be a good home base for me.”

  “Your dad will be thrilled.”

  He knew her well enough to recognize a forced smile. “But you’re not?”

  “I’m…surprised.” Judging from the way her voice tightened, it wasn’t a welcome surprise. “I didn’t think you wanted to settle down. I thought you felt stuck here.”

  “That was before.” Before he’d kissed her. Before he’d spent time with her. “I’m ready for something different now.” Something more. “I’ll likely have to retire in a few years. Maybe I’ll get more involved in the stock operation.” Before last year, the future wasn’t something he’d cared much about. He’d preferred to live in the present, but everything he’d faced had taught him that he wanted his life to matter. That would happen only if he had people to share it with.

  “I’m thinking four bedrooms.” He’d already started to look at plans. “Nice open concept. A huge back porch up against the mountain with a hot tub.”

  “It sounds…great…” The words stumbled as though she didn’t know what else to say.

  He got that she was scared, that she didn’t want to let herself love anyone and suffer another loss. But he was running out of time. They were running out of time. “Great enough that you’d want to come and visit?”

  “Um…maybe. I don’t know. I mean, I’ll probably stay with Mom when I visit.”

  She must’ve known what he was asking, but she obviously didn’t want to acknowledge it. Eventually, they’d have to, though. He already knew he wouldn’t want to let her go after she moved away. “Look, Cass…” His back pocket vibrated. Damn phone. He snatched it out and nearly tossed it into the grass, but according to the screen, it was Jessa. With a disgruntled sigh, he answered. “Hey.”

  “Where are you?” she asked in a full-blown panic. “Luis called Lance. They’re only ten minutes away! You need to get in here so you don’t ruin the surprise.”

  He didn’t have the balls to tell her he’d already ruined the surprise. Besides, he owed her one for the comment he’d made earlier. “We’re coming. Be there in a few.” When it came to Jessa, he’d do whatever he was told.

  * * *

  It was supposed to be a fling. Some kissing, a couple of fun dates. Maybe a hot night together here and there.

  Levi had promised her uncomplicated entertainment. Now he was talking about building a four-bedroom house? And her coming to visit him? She had no idea what her life would look like in two months. Didn’t he get that?

  Cassidy marched down the hill, the sound of Levi’s footsteps chasing behind her. Unfortunately, his legs were longer, and she couldn’t outrun him. At least not without sprinting, which wouldn’t be the best idea given the fact that she wasn’t wearing a bra.

  “We have plenty of time to get back,” Levi said stiffly. He walked alongside her, matching her frantic pace. “No need to run.”

  “I’m not running.” She was walk-jogging. Like Betty Osterman. “I don’t want to ruin the surprise.” She didn’t want to be the one to ruin Levi’s excitement about his new house either. But what could she say? What did he want from her?

  They approached the creek, and Levi effortlessly hurdled it before reaching for her hand.

  “I think I can hop over a creek,” she said, taking a leap. Her back foot slid on the other side of the riverbank, and she tumbled right into the icy water.

  “Oh god, it’s freezing!” She flailed, trying to get out. Her flip-flops came off, and her feet skidded on the slippery rocks in the creek bed, tripping her up again.

  Holding a straight face, Levi stepped into the creek—boots, jeans, and all—and hoisted her up. Standing thigh-deep in the water, he crushed her body against his and gazed into her eyes. “Quit trying to run away from me.” He hauled her to the creek bank, setting her feet on the soft grass, but he didn’t let go. “And quit worrying about what will happen. Let yourself enjoy the minutes as they pass.”

  “I don’t know how,” she whispered, clinging to him. All she’d ever thought about was the future. Someday she’d be a nurse. Someday she’d have a life again. Someday Cash’s death wouldn’t hurt so much. Someday she wouldn’t miss him anymore. Someday Lulu wouldn’t drink.

  Someday she could lose Levi in an accident the same way she’d lost her brother.

  That was the one possibility that wouldn’t leave her alone. She couldn’t shake it off, ignore it, pretend like it didn’t stand between them. “You’re thinking about the future,” she said, finding the strength to push him away. “You’re building a house. With four bedrooms.” Don’t tell her that was all for him.

  “I have to build a house,” Levi said patiently. “I can’t keep mooching off my family.” He took her hand again, tugging her in the direction of his father’s house. “I used to be afraid of the future. That’s why I avoided it. Just like you’re afraid of the present.”

  She couldn’t deny the truth. The present terrified her. Because the more time she spent with him, the less she wanted to leave, the less she wanted to have her own dreams. Every time he kissed her it would make it that much harder for her to say goodbye to him. “I don’t know how it would ever work. A relationship between us. We’re too different. We want different things.”

  “We’re not that different.” Levi took her hands in his, rubbing his thumbs over her knuckles. “Let’s take it one step at a time, okay? Today…right now, we’re going to the party together. You’re my date,” he added, as though he didn’t want her to mistake his intentions.

  She hadn’t. His eyes were heated and possessive, wanting. The look he gave her was enough to make her want too.

  “Tomorrow, I’m taking you on another date,” he murmured, captivating her with a slow kiss, but he pulled away too soon. “That’s all you need to think about right now, Cass. Forget everything else and lose yourself in the moment.”

  When his lips came for hers again, she did as she was told.

  * * *

  “Hide by me, Auntie Cass!” The second she and Levi walked through the door, Gracie yanked on her arm until Cassidy followed her across the room. On the way, Cassidy reached up to touch her cheeks. They had to be as red as the sparkly hearts that were dangling from the ceiling. Levi definitely knew how to make a girl blush. He’d nearly kissed her into a stupor before she’d finally convinced him they’d better chase her flip-flops down the creek and then get inside so they didn’t miss the festivities. Though she wouldn’t have minded missing them…

  As she passed by her friends, Naomi and Jessa both teased her with their sly smiles.

  “What the hell happened to you two?” Lucas asked. “Did you go for a swim?”

  “Cass fell into the creek, and I saved her,” Levi said, tagging along behind her and Gracie.

  Even with the damp clothes clinging to her, Cassidy’s face got hotter. That wasn’t all he’d done…

  Across the room, Jessa and Naomi elbowed each other. They knew exactly what she and Levi had been up to outside. They’d probably been spying.

  “Can I hide with you and Cass?” Levi asked Gracie hopefully.

  Gracie considered the request with a lopsided frown. “No,” she finally said. “You’re too big. And loud.”

  Cassidy laughed as Gracie spun on her heel and headed for the curtains.

  “I’ll give you M&M’S,” he called.

  The girl halted. She peered over her shoulder, somehow having already perfected that womanly suspicion, even though she was only eleven. “What kind of M&M’S?”

  Levi’s gaze darted to Cassidy, but she shrugged. He was on his own. As far as she knew, Gracie liked all kinds of M&M’S.

  “Peanut,” he tried.

  Gra
cie’s spry green eyes narrowed.

  “No, I meant peanut butter,” he said quickly. “One of those big bags. Jumbo size.”

  “That’s more like it.” The girl held out the curtain and waved him over.

  Cassidy shook her head. Gracie sure had all of the Cortez men right where she wanted them.

  “They’re coming,” Jessa called from her post by the window. Everyone scattered. Somehow, Cassidy scrunched behind the curtain with Gracie and Levi. Her body ended up pinned against his. He snuck his hands onto her hips and pulled her even closer.

  “Are you two in love?” the girl asked as if the word disgusted her.

  “No,” Cassidy said at the same time Levi said, “Yes.”

  Yes? Love? Levi loved her? She didn’t have time to question him before the click of the door sounded and footsteps thudded into the room.

  “Surprise!” Gracie threw the curtain aside and leapt out, waving her arms in the air.

  “Whoa!” Luis jumped back as though she’d really shocked him.

  “Oh my!” Evie added with an expression of perfect surprise.

  “We’re throwing you a wedding party!” Gracie ran to them and took both of their hands, leading them around the room to show off all the decorations she’d helped with.

  Even though they weren’t hiding anymore, Levi still held Cassidy close, moving her to stand in front of him so that her back leaned against his chest.

  She closed her eyes and let herself enjoy it. The feel of his strength, of his body against hers. Her heart hummed. It sure felt like he loved her.

  “They look happy,” he murmured, close to her ear.

  “Very happy,” she agreed, watching Luis and Evie follow Gracie around to admire every sparkly heart.

  He leaned in, glancing at her face, then her lips. “Are you happy?”

  “Yes.” Right now, she was happy. She didn’t know what would happen tomorrow, but she couldn’t pretend Levi didn’t make her happy.

  He held her tighter and rested his chin on her shoulder. Only when Luis and Evie made their way over did Levi let Cassidy go.

  “Welcome home you two.” He hugged them, and it seemed to her that Luis held on to his youngest son a little longer than he’d held on to anyone else.

  “Glad to see you here,” Luis said, pulling Cassidy in for a quick hug too. For some reason, the gesture heated her eyes. She missed her dad. It’d been months since she’d seen him, and even then she’d had to go to Texas. He never visited Topaz Falls anymore. An intense craving to belong here with all of them overpowered everything else.

  “Papa Luis, Grammy Evie, this is Charlotte! My little sister!” Gracie carried the baby over, as slowly and as carefully as if she were cradling a glass vase in her arms.

  Levi’s dad knelt to Gracie’s level. “Would you look at that? She’s as beautiful as you are.”

  Despite her best efforts to keep her emotions in check, Cassidy sniffled. There was nothing quite like seeing a weathered old cowboy cry as he held his brand-new granddaughter.

  “Okay everyone.” Jessa clapped her hands, always the hostess with the mostest. “The food is out. We’ve got appetizers and drinks. In a little while, we’ll cut the cake.”

  “But right now…” Gracie interrupted. “It’s time to dance!” She skipped over to an iPod station set up on the table and pushed the button.

  “Country Girl (Shake It for Me)” blared through the speakers.

  “Yeessss.” Levi clasped Cassidy’s hand in his and pulled her to him, leading her into a perfect two-step. He spun her around the room, holding her close, singing along with the song the whole time.

  Everyone else danced around them—Gracie with Luis, Lucas with his wife and baby girl, Lance and Jessa, even Lulu and Evie, but the room blurred and the others faded as Cassidy followed Levi’s lead. When he dipped her low, she laughed away every worry over what would happen tomorrow.

  There was no sense in trying to protect her heart anymore. It was already too late.

  Chapter Seventeen

  This had been the slowest damn day of his entire life. After driving to Denver and going through a full concussion assessment that morning, Levi was ready to move on to the fun part of his evening. He cruised into the dining room of the Hidden Gem Inn, where Charity, Ty, and Mateo were just sitting down to a dinner that Levi had special ordered from the Farm. The restaurant technically wasn’t open for dinner, but he’d hired Everly to cook for the inn’s special guests this week to give Naomi and Lucas some time off.

  The food looked good. Barbequed ribs, baked beans, homemade coleslaw…exactly what they needed after traveling back from their previous event in Nevada.

  Ty whistled low as Levi passed him. “Wow. You look slicker than a greased pig,” he said, helping himself to a healthy portion of ribs.

  Levi took a seat across the table next to Mateo. “Um, thanks. I think…”

  “Oh yeah…” Charity’s amused expression mocked him. “Tonight’s your big date with Cassidy.” She gave his attire a critical eye. “You went all out. Somebody wants to get some tonight.” As though it were a competition, she piled enough food on her plate to rival the men.

  Levi didn’t deny it. He wanted Cass, and he didn’t care who knew it. “It’s our first date.” The first of many, if it was up to him. “Which means I needed to go all out.” Especially considering there was more at stake than there would be on the average date.

  “What’ve you got planned?” Mateo asked. He’d already burned through half the pile of coleslaw on his plate.

  Levi helped himself to a glass and filled it with iced tea. “It’ll be epic.” If he did say so himself. Far as he could tell, this was his best chance to convince Cass that a long-term relationship with him would be worth it. Even if they got to see each other only occasionally. “For starters, I rented a limo.” He’d had to call three nearby towns to find one, but he figured that’d give them plenty of space if one thing led to another like he hoped it would. “We’re headed up to the Diamond for dinner.” That happened to be the only five-star restaurant within a fifty-mile radius. It was part of the ski resort, perched on the side of a mountain, overlooking the entire valley. “After that, we’re taking a hot-air balloon ride.”

  “Geez.” Charity looked at him like he was crazy, but she was the one who had a smear of barbeque sauce on her chin. “You’re throwing everything at her. Coming on a little strong, don’t you think?”

  “I want it to be perfect.” He’d make it as romantic as possible. Then he’d tell her the truth. He wanted more. A commitment. Maybe a future with her. “Who wouldn’t love that kind of date?” he asked the two men. Charity didn’t seem to love any kind of date. As long as he’d known her, she hadn’t dated anyone. Her mom had been a rodeo queen, married and divorced at least four times, so he could see why she’d be a little gun-shy.

  “Sounds like a hell of a way to spend an evening to me,” Mateo said with a shrug.

  “Yeah,” Ty agreed. “Let me know if she stands you up. I’ll go.” His friend grinned at him. “But don’t expect me to put out.”

  “Cass won’t stand me up.” Not after yesterday. They’d had a breakthrough at his father’s party. He’d told her to let go, and she had. All evening while they’d hung out with his family, they’d been all over each other—holding hands, sitting close on the couch. He’d pulled her into his arms as often as he’d felt like it, and she hadn’t flinched once. Then, when he’d walked her out to her car, he’d kissed her in a persuasive preview of tonight.

  He glanced around the table. “I have to head out, but I wanted to stop in to make sure you have everything you need.” Truthfully, he wasn’t supposed to pick Cass up for another hour, but the anticipation had made him antsy. The minutes had crawled by all day.

  “I could use a date,” Ty said, dropping a clean rib bone onto his plate.

  “Can’t help you with that.” Levi tossed him an extra napkin. Ty really had been raised in a barn—all the way up in Mo
ntana. He wouldn’t even know where to start with finding him a date.

  “I think we’re set.” Mateo looked around at the others. “But we wanted to make sure you’re still on for the Cody Stampede. We’ll have to head out a week after the clinic.”

  “Right…” Levi stalled with a long drink of iced tea. He’d forgotten about that little commitment. He’d been too focused on Cass. But it was one of the biggest events of the summer, and he had promised to do some publicity with the Renegades.

  “Your head is all healed up, right?” Charity asked.

  “Actually, it is. Got the all-clear today.” Along with a lecture about the risks associated with recurrent concussions. But when he’d asked the specialist point blank if he saw any damage on his MRIs, the guy had admitted he didn’t. “So I’m in. Let’s do it. We can load up the trailers and head for Cody a few days early.” By then, Cass would’ve moved to Denver anyway. He could easily swing down to her place for a visit after he got back.

  “Damn right you’re in.” Mateo tipped his glass in a toast. “The gang is back together.”

  “Hope I don’t let you down. I’d best get back on Reckoning and get some training in.” It’d been too long since he’d ridden. Though he’d tried to keep himself in decent shape, he needed a few practice rides before he could compete.

  “Doesn’t matter how much you warm up.” Ty finished off another rib. “I’ll still kick your ass in the competition.”

  “We’ll see.” Unwilling to be late for Cass because of yet another pissing match with Ty, Levi stood. “Everly will be catering your breakfast at the Farm tomorrow,” he informed them. “But don’t wait on me.” He had a feeling he and Cass would be sleeping in.

  * * *

  It’d been a while since Cassidy had put on sparkly eye shadow. Gazing at herself in the mirror, she couldn’t believe what a difference a little eye makeup made. She didn’t wear much makeup. It didn’t go with her EMT uniform, and when she wasn’t at work, she was studying or fussing over her mother or riding her mountain bike, none of which demanded that her blue eyes stand out.