Renegade Cowboy

by Sara Richardson

She couldn’t help but melt, caught up in the warmth that flowed through her at the sight of him. Longing trembled in her hands, but somehow she managed to open the car door. “Hey.”

  “Hey.”

  “Come on, Levi,” Theo urged, tugging on the man’s arm. “We’d better get in there, right? We don’t want to miss anything. You’re in charge. You can take me in…”

  “I’ll take you.” Lulu scrambled to get out of the car and hurried over to Theo. “We’ll see you in there,” she called, already leading the boy away.

  Swiping at the lingering tears, Cassidy slipped out of the car and faced Levi, not dreading it nearly as much as she had ten minutes ago.

  Concern tugged at the corners of his eyes. “You okay?”

  “I’m…” There was so much she wanted to say to him, but she didn’t even know where to start. “I’ll be fine.” She had a lot to think about. A lot to process. But her mom had said exactly what she needed to hear. Find courage in the moment.

  “Thanks for coming today.” Levi hesitantly eased closer, almost like he feared she’d turn her back on him.

  Maybe it was time to be done turning her back. She smiled up at him, everything inside her going soft. “I wouldn’t have missed it.”

  Interest lit his eyes as he looked her over. “I was hoping we could talk later. After things wrap up for the day. I have something I want to show you.”

  At the deep, mellow sound of his voice, her fears melted into a simmering anticipation. “Yes, of course we can talk.”

  “It’s a plan then. Guess we should get over there.” Levi placed his hand on the small of her back and guided her in front of him. Her legs stuttered at the intimate touch, and she let herself enjoy it, the rush of heat he brought, the weakening in her knees.

  They approached the line, where around thirty kids squealed and laughed and chased one another around.

  Slipping his arm around her, Levi leaned close. “You ready for this?”

  “No.” But maybe she didn’t need to be ready. Maybe she simply needed to jump in.

  * * *

  This was exactly why she’d avoided him.

  Kneeling next to Theo, Levi pretty much embodied every quality she could ever want in a man.

  “All right, buddy. You’re up.” Levi helped Theo climb onto the sheep, those strong hands holding him in place.

  Just when she thought he couldn’t get any sexier…

  “I got this.” Theo leaned over and held on to the sheep while Levi kept the animal steady. “He’s not gonna buck me off for nothin’.” Obvious admiration for his mentor gleamed in the boy’s eyes. He nodded definitely once, as though silently promising Levi he would do his best.

  He had all morning. All the kids had done their best, thanks to that cowboy right there. She should’ve known Levi would assign her to volunteer at his station. Not that she was complaining. All morning, he’d made her laugh. He’d made all of them laugh actually. Together, the two of them had been in charge of the Mutton Busting clinic, teaching a bunch of four- through seven-year-olds how to ride a sheep without falling off. Which was interesting, because she was pretty sure she couldn’t do it.

  “I’ll start the timer as soon as Cass opens the chute,” Levi said, standing to his full height again. “Remember what we talked about. Keep your form.”

  “Ease up, and keep a low center of gravity,” Theo said, reciting the words that had been indoctrinated into him earlier.

  “That’s right.” Levi gave him a proud pat on the shoulder. “You’re the man, Theo.” He turned to the other kids, who were all lined up outside of the corral fence waiting for their turn. “Who’s ready to cheer?” he called.

  A dozen shouts rang out.

  “Me!”

  “I can cheer loudest!”

  “Go Theo!”

  The boy’s face scrunched in determination, and Cassidy suddenly remembered she was supposed to open the chute. It was the hundredth time she’d gotten distracted from her job that morning.

  Levi grinned at her—also for the hundredth time. He looked amused every time he caught her staring at him, and yet she couldn’t stop. It wasn’t only the snug jeans and that plaid shirt he’d rolled up over his defined forearms. It was the way he doted on the kids, the way he’d found the perfect balance between authority and friend. The way they’d all started looking up to him—wanting both his attention and approval.

  She was right there with them.

  “You ready, Miss Greer?” he asked with a teasing wink.

  “Of course.” She lurched over to the gate, stumbling in the process. Her face burned at being caught yet again. “I’m good,” she sputtered, regaining her balance. Positioning herself by the gate, she waited for his signal.

  “All right, partner…” Levi still held on to the sheep, but he backed away. “We’re gonna do a countdown. Five…four…”

  The rest of the kids joined in. “Three…two…one!”

  Cassidy pulled open the gate, and the sheep tore out in the arena dodging and jumping.

  Theo gritted his teeth and stayed in position, his arms around the sheep’s neck and his legs cinched over its middle.

  “Woo-hoo! Lookin’ good, Theo!” Levi shouted, jogging along behind them with a stopwatch.

  She followed too. He was doing it! Holding on so tight there was no way he’d fall off. “Go, Theo!” she called, snapping a picture on her phone for his mom.

  Soft dirt flew up on all sides as the sheep abruptly skidded and switched directions, heading straight for her.

  “Ahhh!” She tried to move out of the way but her boots stumbled on the uneven ground. Levi plowed into her, knocking her out of the way just before the sheep ran her over. They both tumbled to the ground and rolled. Somehow, she ended up on top of him.

  The kids howled with laughter.

  Theo’s giggles rose higher and higher, his grip loosening until he was sideways on the sheep’s body, barely holding on.

  Looking down into Levi’s eyes, Cassidy started to laugh too.

  “You don’t know how much I want to kiss you right now.” His gaze moved to her lips.

  “We don’t want to gross out the kids.” She pushed away from him so she could stand. That and the fact she was pretty sure, once the kissing started up, she wouldn’t want to stop.

  He stood too, brushing himself off. “Maybe later?”

  “Maybe.” Her voice was so husky she might as well have just said yes.

  On the other side of the corral, the sheep took a sharp left, and Theo finally rolled off. “That was so fun!” His laugh was bigger than she’d ever heard it.

  Levi jogged over to him. “Twelve seconds!” He helped the kid stand and took off his helmet. “Man, that’s longer than I’ve ever held on.”

  “Really?” Theo gasped. “I held on longer than a famous bull rider?”

  The rest of the kids cheered, jumping up and down. Theo sprang from the ground and sprinted over to join them, slapping high fives and dancing around like he’d just won the world title.

  Levi joined Cassidy where she stood, and she had to say, this was a whole different side of him. There were obviously many facets of Levi Cortez she’d had yet to explore. “You made him feel like a million bucks. I didn’t know you were so good with kids.”

  His smirk promised plenty of mystery. “There’re a lot of things you don’t know about me.”

  “I look forward to learning them,” she murmured, glancing at him seductively over her shoulder as she turned to face the kids.

  “Did you hear Levi?” Theo asked, swaggering around the group. “He said I held on longer than he ever has. That means I beat him!”

  Levi strode to her side. “Wow, he’s really running with that, huh?”

  Cassidy laughed. “I would imagine holding on to a bull is a little different than holding on to a sheep.” Judging from Levi’s notable upper body strength.

  “I don’t know…” he mused. “Bulls are a lot slower.”

  She w
atched Theo beam as the other kids praised his ride. He seemed to be standing two feet taller than he had yesterday. “This is amazing. It’ll be the highlight of Theo’s year.” He had a happy life, and his mom took great care of him, but they didn’t exactly get to do anything extra—go on vacations or go to any of those fancy mountain camps other kids attended. They couldn’t afford much.

  “I might be having more fun than the kids.” Levi said it as though that came as a surprise.

  “Thank you for making it happen.” She had to admit that she hadn’t thought he would follow through. But the man had obviously changed. Or maybe he’d always been this wonderful and she had simply refused to acknowledge it. “I think this one day will change Theo’s life.”

  “I’m actually hoping we can do it again.” Levi turned to her, gazing down into her eyes. “Maybe more often. If I can convince the other Renegades to hang out in Topaz Falls more.”

  “Do you think that’s a possibility?”

  The kids had started to get antsy. Levi rested his hand on her back, directing her toward the group.

  “My friends are as nomadic as I’ve been with their competition and training schedules. So I think I could convince them to travel out here a few times a year.” Before they reached the kids, he paused. “What about you? Would you come back to visit and help once in a while?” There was a deeper question in his tone. Would she come back to see him?

  Fear still churned with the uncertainty inside her, but her mother’s earlier words held her steady. You can build that for yourself and hold on to it. A love. A family. Maybe she was strong enough. Or maybe they could be strong enough together. She slipped her hands into his, the steady humming of her heart drowning out the raucous noise behind her. “Yes, Levi,” she said bravely. “I will most definitely come back to visit you.”

  Chapter Twenty

  Hey, Cortez. You might want to mop up that puddle of drool at your feet before someone slips in it.” Mateo gave Levi’s shoulder a good nudge.

  “What? Huh?” He didn’t bother glancing at his friend. Nope. He was too busy watching Cass. After the morning clinics had wrapped up, all of the groups had met together to walk to the Farm for lunch. Everly Brooks had insisted on serving free food as a way to contribute to the camp, which made her the most generous chef in town.

  And Cassidy was the finest woman in the room. Jesus, that smile. It was torture being so close to her all morning and not being able to touch her or kiss her. Especially now that she seemed a hell of a lot more open to both.

  “Seriously, man.” Mateo’s hearty headshake mocked him. “Somebody’s whipped.”

  “I’m keeping an eye on things. Making sure everyone has what they need.” He finally pulled his gaze from Cass and glanced around the restaurant.

  Next to him, Mateo chomped on a sandwich. “If it makes you feel any better, she’s checking you out as much as you’re checking her out.”

  “You think?” Throughout the morning, Cass had definitely opened up to him, but after the last few weeks, things still seemed so tentative.

  “Trust me,” Mateo said around a mouthful of food. “I tried to catch her eye earlier. It was a no go.”

  “We have a history.” At least he had that going for him. He looked over at her again. She sat next to Theo in a booth, and the two of them had been laughing nonstop.

  “That’s obvious.” Mateo finished off his sandwich and tossed his napkin onto a plate. “Damn, that was a good sandwich. So who’s the chef lady?”

  Levi gave him his full attention. “Everly Brooks.”

  “Everly,” Mateo repeated with a steady gaze at the woman who was refilling drinks on the other side of the room. “She’s hot. Can you put in a good word for me?”

  “I don’t know her that well.” And she didn’t seem to be the type to go for a fling. Which was typically all Mateo wanted.

  “I’ll get to know her,” his friend said with a grin.

  Everly chose that moment to glance in their direction. She hurried over to Levi, flustered and nervous. “How’s everything?” she asked, looking back and forth between them.

  “It’s amazing,” Levi assured her. “The kids can’t get enough of your mac and cheese.”

  “I couldn’t either,” Mateo broke in.

  Levi had to blink so he wouldn’t roll his eyes. “Everly, I’m not sure if you’ve officially met my friend Mateo Torres.” The least subtle cowboy in the West.

  “I haven’t,” she said with a warm smile. “But it’s nice to meet you.”

  “The pleasure’s all mine.” He leaned close to her, displaying the same smile Levi had seen him use at bars. “So I was wondering…what’s the secret ingredient in your mac and cheese?”

  While he would’ve loved to stay and hear that answer, Levi stepped away. “Excuse me a minute.” Now that everyone was finishing up lunch and he was done dealing with swapping out food for allergies and cleaning up spills, he planned to spend the rest of the hour-long break with Cass.

  As he slipped past the door, it opened, and Gunner Raines sauntered through.

  Levi took a detour to greet his old mentor. “You made it.” He’d invited him a couple of weeks ago, but he hadn’t been sure Gunner would be able to take the time. “I’m glad you’re here.” He embraced the man who’d once been like a second father to him.

  “It’s good to see you, kid.” Gunner took off his hat and set it on a nearby table. “Sorry I’m so late. Flight got canceled last night, so I had to catch one this morning.”

  “I’m just glad you made it. The kids’ll be ecstatic.” He’d been telling them stories about the living legend all morning, about how Gunner had set records and beat out champions in every rodeo event from steer wrestling to bronc riding. Though he’d aged, Gunner still looked the part, with his sun-drenched face and bushy white mustache.

  “Well, cowboy, you made it happen.” The man surveyed the room with a look of approval.

  Most of the kids still sat at tables, stuffing Everly’s homemade chocolate chip cookies into their mouths as fast as they could.

  A hint of pride lifted the old man’s chin. “I always knew you’d do something important someday.” That’s what Gunner had tried to teach him. That being a champion had more to do with conducting yourself with honor and integrity and giving back than it had to do with winning titles. It wasn’t something Levi had paid much attention to until recently.

  “I figure I can help these kids the same way you helped me.” When he’d shown up at Gunner’s ranch, he’d been a broken, arrogant kid. And maybe it’d taken a while, but he’d come a long way. He’d come a lot closer to being the good person Gunner had believed him to be all along. Levi figured the best way to thank him for his confidence in him would be to show him who he was now. “Come on.” He snagged the man’s shoulder. “There’re some people I’d like you to meet.”

  Cassidy and Lulu stood as they approached their table.

  “Gunner, this is Cassidy Greer, an old friend of mine.” He gazed at her a beat too long and made her blush. “And this is her mother, LuEllen Greer.”

  “Call me Lulu,” she said, with a scolding glance at Levi.

  “A pleasure to meet you both.” Gunner turned on the charm, just like he always did in the presence of beautiful women. It was a cowboy thing.

  “Nice to meet you too.” Lulu smiled shyly, and if Levi wasn’t mistaken, her cheeks turned a little pinker. He hadn’t seen that expression on her face in a long time.

  “We’ve heard a lot about you.” Cassidy smiled at Levi and then at Gunner.

  “All good things I hope,” the man said with a stern look at Levi.

  “Great things,” he confirmed. In fact…Gunner happened to be the noblest gentleman he knew. Single too. Just like Lulu. Not that either of them seemed to be looking for anything romantic, but what was the harm in having a little fun? “Hey, Cass and I have plans after the clinic tonight. Maybe you could show Gunner around town, Lulu.”

  “Oh�
�I don’t know…” The woman immediately looked down at the floor.

  “That’s a great idea.” Cass put her arm around her mother. “Main Street is so charming. There’s the Chocolate Therapist, that ice cream shop…”

  “It sounds better than eating dinner alone,” Gunner said. “If you’re willing, that is.”

  Lulu tucked a lock of white hair behind her ear and glanced at her daughter nervously. “I guess so. I mean, sure. I can show you around.”

  “It’ll be fun, Mom,” Cass insisted. “You deserve to have some fun.”

  So did she, Levi thought. Which reminded him…he needed to get everything ready for their evening together. While he and Cass had played with the kids all morning, he’d thought about their years together. The fun things he’d done with her family. He needed to bring her back to that place. Where she was carefree and happy. He needed to remind her of that girl tonight.

  While Gunner asked Lulu some questions about Topaz Falls, he slipped away, leaving Cassidy staring after him with a quizzical look. He simply shot her a mysterious grin and wandered to the kitchen, where Everly was wiping down the large stainless countertop.

  “Hey,” he said quietly, watching over his shoulder to make sure Cass hadn’t followed him.

  “Oh. Hi.” Everly tossed the rag in the sink and wiped her hands on her apron. “Did you guys need something else?”

  “No.” He kept an eye on the door. “Well, at least not for the clinic.” Unwilling to risk Cass overhearing, he directed Everly to a quiet corner of the kitchen. “I’m taking Cass out tonight, and I wanted to make her dinner.”

  The woman’s face softened. “Wow, Levi. That’s so sweet. How can I help?”

  “Do you have any hot dogs? I need hot dogs.”

  “Hot dogs?” Everly repeated, like he’d just said a dirty phrase. “You’re making Cassidy hot dogs?”

  “It’s a long story.” And it would require going way back into their history, which he didn’t have time for. “I mean, I could swing by the store, but I’m not sure if I’ll have time this afternoon, and—”

  “No.” Everly’s lips curled with a look of disgust. “I can’t let you make Cassidy something like that for dinner,” she said with conviction. “God, Levi. Hot dogs? For a romantic date?”