Beth fell asleep in Jake’s arms, for the moment, content.
“Damn! I’ve overslept!”
The bed rocked like a boat on a storm-tossed sea as Jake flung the covers off and tugged on his jeans.
“In ten minutes my mother will be leading the Pledge of Allegiance at the flagpole.”
Beth’s eyes sprang open. “Ten minutes? Ten minutes!” Everyone would be gathered around the flagpole, and the flagpole was within sight of her cabin. “Jake, you can’t be seen leaving here! Kevin…your parents…the other cowboys…the kids. Kevin!”
She sprang out of bed and tossed on a T-shirt and a pair of shorts that she’d picked up off the floor.
“I’ll go out the back porch door, but we’d both better hurry. We ride out on the trail drive right after the Cowboy/Cowgirl Prayer.”
“Oh, no! I have to take a shower and pack…and…and…”
“Get a move on, then!” After giving Beth a quick kiss, Jake yanked on his jeans, gathered up his boots and stuffed his socks and underwear into them. He grabbed his shirt and hurried out the back door, limping as fast as he could down the Chisholm Trail.
Beth moved like lightning. She would have liked to linger with Jake in bed, maybe make love with him yet again, but she was committed to help with the girls. She’d be riding Thunder.
She jumped in the shower and washed her hair. She was a little stiff after using muscles that she hadn’t used in ages. A shiver of excitement went through her when she thought of how they made love for a second time with her legs around his hips, Jake pressing her against the wall of the cabin….
Then again as she sat on the edge of the dresser…
They couldn’t get enough of each other.
She toweled herself off and quickly dressed. Luckily, she had some items packed in a saddle bag, and it didn’t take her much time to pack a sweatshirt and other items from the list that Emily had passed out earlier.
She combed her wet hair as she walked to the flagpole. She made it with time to spare. Jake arrived minutes later, tucking in his shirt and finger-combing his wet hair. He held his hat in his hand.
He gave her a big smile and moved around the edge of the crowd to stand next to her. The scent of his soap and, yes, Bull-istic, drifted on the morning breeze. He didn’t shave, and that made him look sexy. She itched to run her fingers through his damp hair, to press her lips to his in the bright light of day.
She made eye contact with Kevin and waved. He waved back, a big grin on his face. She could tell that he was so excited he could barely sit still.
Emily started the Pledge of Allegiance. Dex led the “Star Spangled Banner.” Then Dex said a special Cowboy/Cowgirl Prayer:
“O Great Spirit, keep everyone safe on this journey. May the spirits of the pioneers who traveled great distances to settle this great country, guide us. And may we have lots of fun.”
A big cheer rose from the assembly, getting the kids even more pumped. Then it was Jake’s turn for announcements. Clint Scully handed him a clipboard; Jake nodded his gratitude. No doubt he hadn’t had time to prepare.
“All riders report to the barn to saddle your horse. All those on the hay wagon, bring your gear and yourselves to the lobby area. All volunteers, please see Clint Scully for your assignment. We’ll all line up for the wagon train in front of the lobby. Any guests who aren’t joining us, you’re going to have to take your meals in town. We’ll be back early tomorrow evening.” Jake waved his hat in the air. “Let’s go, everyone! The wagon train leaves exactly one half hour from now!”
Organized chaos ensued. There were kisses and hugs from parents. Last-minute checks on saddle bags and last-minute instructions from Em, Dex and Jake.
The cowboys scattered in various directions, each with a mission in mind.
Beth got her assignment from Clint. She was going to take care of two girls: Kathy Holmes and Marylou Doxtator. They were both riders and would be on horseback. She had talked to the girls several times. Both were just adorable.
Then she walked to the barn with Kevin.
“Mom, is this not totally cool, or what?”
“Kevin, it’s totally cool.”
“This is awesome, Mom. Awesome.”
She laughed. “Totally awesome!”
“This is just like the pioneers, huh?”
“Absolutely.” Looking around and seeing no one, she bent down. “Kevin, no one is around. Can I just give you a kiss and a hug?”
He verified that no one was around. “Okay. But hurry.”
“I will.”
She kissed him on the cheek and added a big hug. She could tell that he loved it, but would never admit it.
“All done, and you survived. Let’s go saddle our horses.”
“All right!”
Jake held his hand up and yelled, “Westward ho!”
Beth and Kevin rode next to him, something she was sure he’d arranged. She liked that. Better yet, Kevin liked it.
Her two charges, Kathy and Marylou, were behind her, content to drool over the cowboys who were riding with them.
Dex and Emily rode next, followed by Cookie driving the chuck wagon. Clint Scully rode shotgun on the chuck wagon, munching on an apple, his guitar at his side.
Next came the hay wagons with the kids who couldn’t ride horses. They were with some volunteers and assorted cowboys. All had big grins.
The medical wagon was next in line. Doc Trotter drove. Beth recognized several EMTs and nurses.
Bringing up the rear was a supply wagon loaded with tents, sleeping bags, big jugs of drinking water, feed for the horses and other items for the campout.
It was a big operation. Beth admired Jake’s skill in putting it all together.
Jake put a hand on Kevin’s shoulder. “Kev, can you take over being wagon master for a bit?”
Kevin nodded so hard, Beth thought he was going to fall off his horse. Jake winked at Beth, and she lost her heart completely to him in that second—the second that he made a little boy feel like the most important creature in the world. She winked back.
“Just take it slow, Wagon Master Kevin. I’m going to make sure everyone’s rolling.”
“Okay, Jake!” Kevin sat up taller in the saddle. He turned to Beth. “Isn’t this just the coolest thing in the world, Mom? I’m a wagon master!”
“You sure are.”
She couldn’t resist turning back to look at Jake. He was every bit the cowboy with his boots, hat and faded jeans. His very presence commanded respect. Maybe it was the way he sat in the saddle, maybe it was just his demeanor, but whatever it was, people listened to him.
A quiver ran through her when she thought of him naked and hard. He was an attentive lover, thinking of her needs before his own. Thank goodness he had had the foresight to bring a condom or two—or three—with him.
“Mom, which way do we go?”
“I think we turn left, but I’m not sure.”
She heard galloping alongside and knew it was Jake. One hand was on top of his hat, keeping it from flying off as he rode. He looked wild and western, and she wanted him again.
“Hey, Wagon Master! Go left up ahead,” he yelled.
“Got it!” Kevin barely took his eyes off the trail to glance at Jake.
Beth couldn’t take her eyes off Jake to look at the trail.
Jake rejoined Beth at the front of the wagon train. He motioned for her to drop back so Kevin could actually lead the way.
The gesture wasn’t lost on Kevin. He looked back occasionally, making sure that everyone was following him. He was the cutest kid.
Jake really liked Kevin. Beth had done an excellent job in raising him. If he were ever fortunate enough to have children of his own someday, he’d consider himself lucky if they were at all like Kev.
He couldn’t stop stealing glances at Beth. He didn’t know what to say to her. Last night had been the best night of his life, and he hoped she felt the same.
Not only was she a giving lover, bu
t he had felt things that he’d never felt with another woman. But that didn’t change their situation.
He’d have to find some private time to talk to her about last night. He had to make it clear to her that he wasn’t the settling-down type.
Whatever there was between them had to end when her stay at the Gold Buckle Ranch did.
Chapter Eleven
After seeing that all the kids had their breakfast, Jake and Beth took their plates and coffee and sat by the bank of the Silver River.
After last night, there were many things that Jake wanted to say to Beth, but he didn’t know where to start. Before she figured on roping and hog-tying him, he wanted to make it clear that there was nothing more between them than sex.
But that would be a lie. And Jake Dixon might be a lot of things, but a liar wasn’t one of them.
He loved her.
There. He had finally admitted it. When he delivered Thunder with his four white socks and he saw how her face lit up, he fell in love with her.
But what was the sense? They’d go their separate ways after Wheelchair Rodeo was over. That’s the way it should be.
Nothing he’d ever do would convince her that he wasn’t a drinker. And even a woman as interesting and caring as Beth couldn’t keep him from riding bulls.
For now, he’d be content just looking at her, watching her every move, committing her to memory.
“Wyoming is a beautiful state,” Beth said, taking a sip of coffee. “All of the Gold Buckle Ranch is just magnificent.”
“The ranch sits on the prettiest part of Wyoming, but then again, I’m prejudiced.”
“Look there!” Beth pointed to an eagle soaring on the breeze.
“A golden eagle,” Jake said. “I never get tired of seeing them. How’s Cookie’s breakfast?”
She dragged a piece of bacon through the yolk of her egg. “Still greasy, but I think I’m getting used to it.”
They ate their meal in comfortable silence, looking at the scenery and listening to the gentle flow of the river.
Jake cleared his throat, figuring that he might as well say what was on his mind. “Sorry I had to leave in such a hurry this morning. I wanted to stay longer.”
“I wanted you to stay too.”
Jake reached for her hand and held it in his. “I thought you’d have regrets.”
“No regrets.” She traced the back of his hand with a finger. “We reached out for each other. We made love, and it was beautiful. Soon, you go back to bull riding, and I go back home.”
His heart sank. This was supposed to be his speech!
Beth’s gaze remained on the eagle.
This wasn’t how the scene was supposed to unfold. He wanted her arms around his neck, her body pressed against his, and sweet, sweet words of everlasting love.
“Well, what do we do now?” he asked.
Beth glanced at him quickly, then looked away again. “I don’t know. I didn’t know there was a decision to make.”
“We’ll just steal time to sneak away and have sex until I have to drive you and Kevin to the airport.” He raised an eyebrow. “Is that what you want?”
“I didn’t say that.” She let out a deep breath, looked at him, then looked back at the river. “Is that what you want?”
“I didn’t say that, either.”
He didn’t know what he wanted. She was right. She’d be going back to her life in Arizona and he’d be going back on the road. That’s what he did.
She smiled weakly. “I think we need to get back to work right now. I have to check on Kathy and Marylou.”
“I asked my mother to keep an eye on your girls.” He checked his watch. “We have some time yet before we have to move on.” He was handling the whole discussion badly, but he didn’t want her to go just yet. “Tell me about Lizard Rock.”
“There isn’t much to tell.” She shrugged. “I have a job I pretty much hate, but I keep it because they have an indoor pool for Kevin to do his water therapy, and my time is pretty flexible for the most part. Inez, the owner, is an old friend of my mother’s. Actually, she’s come to be more my friend than my mother’s.”
Jake drank his coffee. “That’s the first time I’ve heard you talk about your mother. Is she still alive?”
“She’s alive and well in Boca Raton, Florida. She’s on her fourth husband, and my father is on his third wife. I think they are having a competition as to who can marry the most.”
“They’re not involved in your life? Don’t they see Kevin?”
“They remember us on Christmas. I get a Christmas card with some money in it from each of them, and so does Kevin. I send them both a Christmas card in return, and Kevin and I enclose a letter. That’s about the extent of our relationship with my parents. Brad’s parents both died when he was young, so there are no grandparents on that side for Kevin, either.”
“Your folks never call?”
“No.”
Jake shook his head. How could parents forget that they have a daughter and a grandson? “Did they help out after the accident?”
“Mom was getting married to number three at the time and couldn’t get away. Dad was in Europe with number two. They both married well. After the accident, they each called me about once a week to check on Kevin, and they sent me some money for his medical expenses, but that was it.” She took a ragged breath. Her fists tightened. “They never came to Brad’s funeral. They never came to visit Kevin.”
Tears welled in her eyes, and Jake pulled her close to him, allowing her soft curves to mold against him. “I just don’t get it.”
“I think I stayed with Brad as long as I did because I didn’t want my marriage to fail.” Her head dropped against the hollow of his shoulder. “Over the years I’ve come to realize that it wasn’t me. My parents are just self-centered.”
She straightened, but didn’t move away from him. Her eyes had taken on a surprised look, as if the fact that she’d talked so frankly about her personal pain was startling. Unexpected. For a moment, Jake was afraid she’d stop. That she’d pull away and shut down. But she didn’t.
“I think that it was a complete surprise when my mother got pregnant with me. They didn’t know how to handle a baby. They tried, and for a little while, we lived in the suburbs and superficially things were okay. But they both were restless. After they finally divorced, I was bounced from one to the other.”
She pulled up a little yellow flower and inhaled its fragrance. “But you know what bothers me most?”
He saw the hurt in her green eyes. “What’s that?”
“They don’t seem to care about their only grandchild.”
He shook his head. “I can’t understand people like that. It’s their loss, though. Kevin is one likable young man. You’ve done a good job raising him.”
“Thank you.” The hurt in her eyes receded. “Your parents didn’t do so bad with you, either. You’re a pretty nice guy.”
He grimaced. “Only pretty nice?”
“Wonderfully nice. Fabulously nice.”
“That’s the best you can do?”
“Yes!” She laughed and was back to her old self. “Speaking of your parents, they have such a loving relationship. They’re so warm and happy, and look what they do for the kids.”
“They are pretty special.”
“What was it like growing up with them?”
“We had horses and cattle and wide-open spaces. What more could a kid want? All of us kids were assigned chores. When they were done, the day was our own. We’d swim in the river here. Hunt for treasure. Ride our horses. We’d catch snakes and let them loose in the bunkhouse. Then we’d peek through the windows and watch the ranch hands go crazy. Every day was an adventure.”
She chuckled. “And you were loved.” She stared off in the distance.
“A day never went by when we weren’t hugged or kissed by one or both of them. They went to all of our games. They watched me rodeo as much as they could. They went to all of Ty’s scienc
e fairs and all of Cody’s band concerts. And Karen’s plays.”
“Your mother told me that they’re all in college now.” This time she plucked a purple flower and studied it. “I envy you. You grew up with siblings, had lots of friends and wonderful parents.”
It would be so easy to tell her that he loved her—it was the perfect time—but how could he? He wouldn’t be around for Beth or Kevin any more than her parents or her husband had been. She deserved a husband who’d be there for her. Someone who’d be a father to Kevin.
And if he wasn’t healthy or got severely injured, he didn’t want her to end up with another invalid. She had her hands full with Kevin.
Dammit, he couldn’t even make love to her the way he wanted to.
She reached up and touched the side of his face. “You’re not thinking, are you, Jake? I thought we agreed that thinking was a dangerous thing.”
“Maybe you and Kev could come to some of my bull-riding events.”
“All of my money will be going for Kevin to see specialists in Boston. I need to find out what else can be done for him.”
“I’ll give you the money for Kev’s doctors, and I’ll send you the money to come to the events.”
She took his hand in hers. “That’s very generous of you, but I don’t want to take your money. You’re going to need it yourself. Let’s face it, you’re probably going to have to have surgery soon.”
“Money isn’t a problem for me. And I might even have one sponsor left who hasn’t dumped me yet—Wyoming Wear. I’m going to do some modeling for them for some magazine and newspaper ads and do some posing for their catalog.” He wiggled his eyebrows. “Ain’t that a hoot?”
“I can see you modeling. You’re very handsome in a rugged, cowboy way.”
His hand flew to his heart and he patted it. “Oh, baby!”
“Oh no. Me and my big mouth. I’ve created a monster.” She giggled.
He loved it when she laughed, but it didn’t last long.
“You are going to have an operation if it’s called for, aren’t you?” she asked.
He shook his head. “I have to get back on the tour.”
The Cowboy Way Page 14
