Rescuing the Cowboy

by Cathy McDavid

  It had been a beautiful wedding and gone off without a hitch. Summer’s heart stirred as she recalled Josh and Cara reciting their personally written emotional vows. The children had been adorable and managed to get through the ceremony—barely. The bride had been stunning, her carefully chosen dress flattering her advancing pregnancy rather than hiding it, and the groom was handsome in his tux.

  The groomsmen weren’t half-bad-looking, either. All right, they were gorgeous. One in particular. Summer hadn’t been able to take her eyes off Quinn the entire time, to the point she was afraid of drawing unwanted attention.

  They’d been placed together several times during the photo sessions at both the church and the ranch. Summer had gone weak in the knees being near him, all her self-warnings these past weeks going by the wayside. She was still smitten with him, if not on the verge of something greater.

  Better she keep busy with the cleanup before she dropped a pan or broke a platter. Stepping outside again after another trip to the kitchen, she glanced around for Quinn. Come to think of it, she hadn’t seen him for a while now.

  As promised, he’d saddled up a couple of the gentler horses and supervised rides for the children in attendance. About an hour ago, with people beginning to leave, he’d returned the two horses to their stalls. She’d spotted him once after that, but not for a while now.

  What was he doing? Had he retired to the apartment? The next instant, she saw him talking to Cole in a corner of the yard and pretended the fluttering in her stomach was residual excitement from the wedding.

  Singing softly to herself—she’d always liked this particular song the band was playing—she made her way to the long line of tables that had held food and currently looked like a war zone.

  Out of habit, she searched for Teddy. Silly—he wasn’t there. She’d missed him during the reception and would have liked him to attend but was glad she’d decided to leave him at his favorite sitter’s for the night. This would be his first time sleeping over at the sitter’s house. Another milestone reached.

  Summer had checked her phone often during the evening and placed two calls to the sitter. According to the last report, he’d gone willingly to bed. Taking their dog, Paw Paw, to the sitter’s, along with several beloved toys and his favorite pajamas, had probably helped keep him calm.

  This was, she realized, the first time she’d be away from Teddy in over four years. Since well before his diagnosis. Knowing he was in good hands allowed her to relax. She might even indulge in a glass of wine and a bubble bath when she got home, a treat she denied herself and something she deserved after the long day.

  Standing at the table, she heard movement behind her and sensed the presence of someone approaching. The next instant, she inhaled a familiar aftershave. It was the same one that had invaded her dreams repeatedly of late.

  “Why don’t you put that down,” Quinn said, “and let’s dance.”

  She turned slowly and took in the sight of him. He’d done away with his tux jacket at some point, along with his cummerbund, bolo tie and brand-new cowboy hat. The slightly rumpled appearance suited him, and her knees went weak all over again. Could she even dance?

  “I really should—”

  He didn’t let her finish and, instead, took her by the hand, leading her to the area in front of the band that had been reserved for dancing. They were the only ones.

  With an ease she found incredibly sexy, he pulled her into his embrace and fit her comfortably to him as if they’d danced together many times rather than never before. She’d imagined this moment often during the reception, seeing other couples locked together and swaying to the music. But he hadn’t asked her, and she’d been too shy to ask him. She’d spotted him several times on the dance floor, once with Violet, another time with Cara’s mother and later with a few women she didn’t know.

  She, of course, had danced with Cole. Wasn’t that practically a requirement for the best man and maid of honor? Also Cara’s father. Neither time had been as wonderful as this. Quinn held her tight, even possessively. She didn’t object. In fact, when he smoothly turned her in a half circle, she held on more securely, never wanting the music to end.

  He leaned down, put his mouth close to her ear and said, “Sorry for the completely unoriginal line, but you look great tonight.”

  “Thanks.” It had been a long while since Summer felt attractive. The pale yellow taffeta dress was quite lovely, and her reflection in the mirror had pleased her, though it hadn’t made her feel half as good as Quinn’s remark. “I might say the same about you.”

  “’Fraid I couldn’t stand to wear that jacket a minute longer. Damn thing is stifling.”

  “Well, there are always the pictures to remember us by.” She’d be sure to request several copies for herself.

  Though no one joined them on the makeshift dance floor, the band continued with another slow number. Summer figured this had to be their last and decided to enjoy herself while she could.

  “What time is Jenny bringing Corrine by tomorrow?” she asked.

  “Early. Their flight leaves at two. I offered to meet them at a halfway point, but Jenny said Corrine loves the horses. Can’t say I’m not glad she inherited at least one thing from me.”

  Summer didn’t mention Jenny’s earlier reservations about Corrine riding and instead asked, “Everything go as well today as it did yesterday?”

  With all the hustle and bustle surrounding the wedding and reception, she hadn’t found a free moment to talk with him about the visit.

  “It went great, if a little rushed. Jenny left early. She claimed Corrine was tired.” He sounded as if he didn’t quite believe Jenny.

  “She’s still young. Children her age typically nap every day.”

  “Jenny did leave me alone with Corrine for a whole ten minutes.”

  The hint of amusement in his voice was nice to hear. At least he wasn’t angry anymore about the supervised part of their visits. “You can laugh, but it’s a start.”

  “Marty suggested I talk visitation with Jenny tomorrow.”

  “Really?”

  “He wants me to try to get a sense of what she’s willing to do.”

  Summer couldn’t help but notice his muscles tightening. “You nervous about that?”

  “I don’t want this to turn into open warfare. But with her living in Oregon and not likely to move back here, it might.”

  Summer took a deep breath. “You could always move.”

  Though she had no right whatsoever to ask, and would never deny Quinn the opportunity to be with his daughter, she selfishly wanted him to remain in Mustang Valley.

  “I doubt it. There’s not much work for me in or near Seaside. I checked online. It’s mostly a beach town. Besides, I probably need to be here, for a while at least. As long as Marty’s willing to work my case against the state pro bono.”

  He clearly needed to talk, and she wanted to be the one he chose to confide in. Except she missed the thrill when he’d been entirely focused on her and their dancing.

  “You have to remain optimistic,” she said. “That’s the only way you’ll get through this. Jenny has reasons to visit Arizona, what with her mother living in the area. And you can go there. There are also the summer months. A lot of fathers take their children during school breaks.”

  Quinn moved his hand from Summer’s waist to the center of her back. The few inches magically increased their intimacy, and she was once again dizzy from his touch.

  “Four months ago, I couldn’t imagine myself as a father. Now that I am, now that I’ve met Corrine, I know I don’t want to do this part-time. ’Course, there’s no chance in hell Jenny would agree to give me custody.”

  “I understand how you feel. I see it a lot at work. There are fathers who want nothing more than to be involved in their children’s lives a
nd can’t because of circumstances like distance or jobs. Then there are the fathers who have the ability but don’t give a hoot about their children. It’s not always fair.”

  “Is Hal still insisting on seeing Teddy more often?”

  Quinn must have been reading her mind. “In fact, when he learned I called the sitter for today, he insisted on taking Teddy. I debated long and hard about letting him and finally agreed. I wanted to find out if his motives were genuine. Then he called me this morning and backed out. I’m lucky the sitter was available.”

  “Are you surprised he did?”

  “I wish I was. He now says he wants to see Teddy in the morning and that he’s going to pick up him up from the sitter’s. We’ll see.” She shrugged one shoulder.

  “Has he mentioned me again?” The strain in Quinn’s voice was obvious even over the sound of the band playing.

  “I’ve been careful about going to the market only when the manager isn’t there. I don’t want to give him a chance to gossip about me again.”

  “You didn’t answer my question.”

  “He might have,” she relented.

  “Summer.”

  Quinn looked around as if to see whether they were being watched or not. For some reason, that annoyed Summer.

  “Relax. Hal doesn’t have the right to dictate who I dance with or who I see.”

  Quinn allowed a lazy grin turn his mouth up at the corners. “Am I hearing you right? Are we going to start seeing each other?”

  “You know we can’t. And Hal isn’t the only reason.” If only that weren’t true. Summer swore she could feel her heart breaking.

  This time, when the band stopped playing, they quit for the night. The lead singer thanked the remaining audience, and the members began to disassemble.

  “Come on.” Quinn took her hand again. “I’ll help you clean up.”

  “You sure? You have to get up early tomorrow.”

  “And when we’re done here, I’ll drive you home. Violet mentioned she picked you up on the way to the church.”

  “That’s not necessary, Quinn.”

  “No arguing.”

  She didn’t. Having Quinn drive her home was infinitely more appealing than even that glass of wine and bubble bath she’d been contemplating.

  * * *

  “YOU TIRED?” QUINN ASKED.

  “Yes...and no.” Summer gazed out the passenger window at streetlights and dimly lit landmarks. They were nearing her house. Quinn had never been there and needed directions. “It’s been a long day. A long month. Weddings are a lot of work. But I’m excited for both Cara and Josh and Cole and Violet.” She took a moment to marvel at the recent changes. “Do you realize there will be two babies born less than five months apart? The Dempsey family is certainly growing.”

  “I hadn’t thought about it.”

  Of course not. He was a guy, after all. A rough-and-tumble kind of guy with hard edges and a love of adventure. The kind who rode bulls and busted broncs for a living or ran cattle. Someone else’s babies weren’t particularly interesting.

  She, on the other hand, found him interesting and was confident he shared her feelings. She needed only to recall their kisses and the way he’d held her tonight while they danced...

  Sitting up straighter, she indicated the next road. “Turn right here, then right again.”

  “What brought you to Mustang Valley?”

  Huh? How did he know she wasn’t from this area? Had he asked around?

  “Hal. His father moved the Goodwyn family here, oh, during the seventies, I suppose.” She had to think about it. “He was a park ranger up until he retired. Thirty-five years with the federal government.”

  “How did you and Hal meet?”

  “My old college roommate introduced us. I was going through a rough patch. First, I was laid off from my job, then my boyfriend dumped me.”

  “Ouch.”

  “My friend invited me here over Memorial Day weekend in the hopes of cheering me up. She happened to be dating Hal’s coworker. He and I hit it off, and when he suggested I stick around another week, I did.”

  “Ah, a rebound romance?”

  “It’s kind of true, I suppose, though I did make Hal wait three years before I married him just to be sure. I started looking for a job that first weekend and, by some stroke of luck, landed one at Marty’s.” She tapped her chin. “Which I guess means I’ve been with Marty longer than I was with Hal.”

  The thought was a little unsettling, and she was glad the truck’s dark interior hid her reaction.

  “This is it.” She sat up and pointed. “Second house from the corner.”

  He pulled into the double-wide driveway and parked in front of the closed garage door. She observed him taking in the Sante Fe–style exterior, red tile roof, enclosed courtyard and attractive desert landscaping.

  “Nice.” His tone reflected his appreciation.

  “I like it. The backyard is huge and one of the reasons I chose the house. Plenty of room for Teddy to play.”

  He got out of the truck and came around to her side. By the time he reached her, she was already getting out. Not that Summer was a hardcore feminist like her mother, but she and Quinn weren’t on a date, and she’d rather not send the wrong signals.

  “Looks new,” Quinn remarked as they made their way to the front door. Twin potted plants flanked the front door, and a trio of terra cotta quail formed a small parade along the walkway.

  “Mustang Valley’s newest neighborhood,” Summer said, letting her pride show.

  “I assumed you’d lived here with Hal.”

  They stopped at the door, and Summer searched her purse for her key. “No. I bought the house. Teddy and I lived in duplex after the divorce. I wanted something bigger.”

  She wondered what would happen next. Would Quinn leave? Shake her hand or kiss her good-night? She debated inviting him in, but there were those mixed signals she vowed to avoid.

  “Thanks for driving me home,” she finally said.

  “Call me tomorrow if you need anything.”

  Okay, he was planning on leaving. Why, then, wasn’t she relieved? “I’m not sure what time I’ll be at the ranch for the big cleanup. It depends on when Hal picks up Teddy and decides he’s had enough.” Summer sent Quinn a guilty look. “Oops. That wasn’t very nice of me.”

  He grinned in a way that had her heart skipping erratically. “I won’t tell.”

  “I’ll deny it if you do.”

  That earned her a chuckle.

  Darn it, did he have to look so sexy in the glow of the porch light? The shadows emphasized his strong, compelling features and lent him a romantic and mysterious appearance. He could have starred in one of those late-night classic films from the fifties, giving James Dean or Clark Gable a run for their money.

  That, she supposed, would make her the ingenue. Her imagination immediately took flight.

  “I’d love to know what you’re thinking right now.”

  A low, rumbling voice interrupted her thoughts and sent shivers of the good variety skittering along her spine.

  “You would?” She stared up at him, certain he could hear her wildly drumming pulse.

  Removing his cowboy hat, he leaned down and touched his forehead to hers. His arm felt strong around her waist as he anchored her to him.

  “Unless you tell me no, I’m going to kiss you, Summer.”

  Tell him no? Was he joking?

  “Yes. Please.”

  When he moved to make good his promise, she stopped him with a hand centered on his chest. He drew back, surprise registering on his face. Well, she had practically begged him to kiss her.

  “Not here.” She stood on tiptoes and brought her mouth close to his. “Inside.”

 
; His eyes widened, then glinted with desire. “Yes, ma’am.”

  Turning, she inserted her key in the lock and opened the door. Convinced he would follow her, she nonetheless smiled to herself when she heard the sound of his boots on the ceramic tile.

  Where this was leading, Summer had no idea. She knew only that she wanted to be with Quinn. For a while, at least. She also wanted to feel sexy and desirable and even a little decadent. Was that so wrong?

  A sudden gentle pressure on her arm stayed her.

  “Here?” Quinn asked, lowering his head. They stood in the entryway, directly beneath the overhead light.

  “No. Not yet.” She stepped away from him.

  He resisted and held on to her.

  She slid out of his grip and, taking his hand, led him across the living room to the hallway where a dim wall sconce provided the perfect amount of illumination, enhancing rather than ruining the mood.

  “Now?” he asked, pushing her hair off her neck and placing his lips on the patch of bare skin just above her collarbone.

  “Quinn.” His name came out on a soft sigh.

  “Should I stop?”

  “You do and I swear I’ll never speak to you again.”

  “You’re hard to resist, Summer.” There was a raw edge to his voice as his mouth climbed the side of her neck.

  “Nothing worthwhile is easy.”

  Before she quite realized what was happening, he pushed her up against the wall, pinning her between him and the unyielding surface.

  “What are you doing?” As if she didn’t know.

  “Whatever you want, darling.” He nuzzled her ear, then nipped delicately on her sensitive lobe before taking it between his teeth. “My next move is entirely up to you.”

  Advance and retreat, only to advance again. It was a titillating combination, and every nerve in her body hummed in delicious response.

  “No kiss first?” She tilted her head to give him better access to her neck, not quite ready to quit the game.

  He got the message loud and clear. Pressing his lips to the skin just below her jaw, he traced a silky line with his tongue. “I’ll get around to it eventually.”