Hot Cowboy Nights

by Carolyn Brown

  He rolled to the side, taking her with him and when he could speak he said, “Oh, Lizzy, I’m so sorry.”

  “For what?” she panted.

  “That didn’t last nearly long enough.”

  “If it had lasted one more second there wouldn’t be anything left of this trailer but ashes and dead bodies.” She inched over close enough to cup his face in her hands and kiss him hard and lingering on the lips. “Besides who says it’s the only time we’ll play tonight. But before round two I will need food.”

  “And beer.” He grinned.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Lizzy opened her eyes slowly, expecting to see the sun coming up through her bedroom window. Sunday meant no alarm clock and she got to sleep in until at least eight o’clock. But that morning, not a foot in front of her, were two big round eyes peeking up over the edge of the bed.

  Where was she? How did a dog get in her bedroom?

  Then reality washed away the questions. She was in bed with Toby in his trailer, and Blue had every right to be there. It was his home, not hers. Holy blazes! She had never spent the night with a man in her life. There had been the night in the back of Toby’s pickup, but that didn’t count. It wasn’t want-to but necessity, and no sex had been involved.

  “Good mornin’, beautiful,” Toby said.

  She turned away from Blue’s eyes and perky ears to find Toby propped on an elbow. His blue eyes fluttered shut and he brushed a soft kiss across her lips.

  “I fell asleep,” she mumbled.

  “I like waking up next to you. Has anyone ever told you that you are downright cute with droopy bedroom eyes and your hair all messy?” He pushed a few strands back away from her face and planted another kiss on her nose.

  “I’m not sure I like waking up to Blue’s eyes staring at me. Gave me a bit of a startle,” she said.

  “Where?” He peered over her body and chuckled. “I thought I had his door locked. Guess I didn’t. Good morning, Blue. Do you think she’s as beautiful as I do?”

  “He says the tall blondes that he wakes up with those big eyes are more to his liking,” Lizzy teased.

  Toby’s body went stiff and he swung his legs off the bed, sat up, and reached for his jeans. “For your information, there’s never been a woman in this bed with me.”

  The tone in his voice left no doubt that she’d hit a sore spot. “It’s too early for someone to have pissed in your coffee this morning, so what’s the matter? Regretting that you didn’t wake me up and send me home last night?”

  He jerked his jeans up over a fine, firm-looking butt. “No, it’s not that. I want a fresh start at something new and real with you, Lizzy. I don’t want to talk about the past.”

  “The past is part of who we both are, Toby.” She pulled the sheet up over her naked breasts when she sat up. “You can’t erase all those women any more than I can hit a button and delete Mitch.”

  “But we don’t have to talk about either of them, do we?” He pulled a T-shirt over his head. “I’ve got chores to do. Will you be here when I get back?”

  “Do you want me to be here?” she asked. “Before you answer that, you should know something about me. I let Mitch lead me about with an imaginary chain around my neck for more than a year. He told me how to dress, what to eat, and how to spend my time. I won’t do that again, Toby. I will speak my mind and be myself. I expect you to be the same. This is new territory for us both, but we won’t conquer it by walking on eggshells.”

  He shut the door to the tiny bathroom without saying a word. She heard water running and the toilet flushing as she found her scattered clothing and dressed. She was facing the bed, back to the bathroom, when he stepped out and wrapped his arms around her waist.

  “I’m glad you are here, Lizzy, and you are right. I’ve been in there fighting with myself. Can we start the morning all over again?”

  She whipped around and smiled up at him. “Good morning, you sexy cowboy. I think Blue is hungry. He’s sitting in front of the kitchen sink staring at it, waiting for you to open up a can of food for him.”

  Looking at her in the mirror above the built-in dresser, he smiled back. “He can wait a few minutes while I hug my lovely girlfriend. Last night was amazing. I never realized that there’s more to sex than sex until you came along.”

  “I never realized that there was a difference in sex and making love.” She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tightly. “If you’ll get the morning chores done, I’ll walk across the pasture to my house. Come on over there when you are finished and we can have breakfast together before church.”

  “Church?” He frowned.

  “Yes, darlin’.” She kissed him on the chin. “We need to go pray for a crop failure.”

  The frown deepened.

  “We’ve sown our wild oats on Saturday night.” She wiggled out of his embrace. “And now it’s time to do some praying that the seed didn’t take.”

  “I thought you were on birth control,” he said.

  Lizzy stomped her feet down in her boots and headed for the door. “God works in mysterious ways, and I’m not taking any chances. I’ll see you by nine, right?”

  “Yes, ma’am. I’ll bring a healthy appetite and have my boots shined up and ready to sit on our regular pew in church. Wouldn’t want our crops to take root.”

  She glanced over her shoulder at him. “How do you feel about kids, Toby?”

  He leaned against the end of the kitchen cabinets. “Love ’em. Plan on spoilin’ Allie and Blake’s. Don’t know how I feel about any of my own because I never figured on settling down until I met you. What about you?”

  “I’ve always wanted a houseful or at least three,” she answered honestly.

  “Guess we’ll worry with that bridge later on down the road,” he said.

  “If we ever get to it.” She smiled again. “One day at a time.”

  “Sweet Jesus,” he sang the first words to the old song.

  Maybe Toby was right.

  They managed to slip into the back pew five minutes before church started, which meant Dora June and her righteous friends were already seated. And since they were on the last pew, when the services ended and Truman delivered a lengthy benediction in which he made sure God knew how much he appreciated the service, the community, and every blade of grass that had sprung up that spring, they were the first ones out of the church.

  They’d paid their dues and everything was going to be smooth sailing for them from now on. Lizzy’s confidence mounted even higher when they made it to a steak house in Wichita Falls and didn’t have to wait for a table. That was unheard of on Sunday. The church crowd most usually beat everyone to the best eating places.

  Toby threw an arm around Lizzy’s shoulders as the waitress led them to a booth. “I told you our luck had changed.”

  “What are y’all havin’ to drink?” The waitress eyed Toby like he was a five-course dinner and she was really, really hungry.

  “Sweet tea.” Lizzy didn’t like that blast of jealousy that shot through her body, but he was a good-looking cowboy and he did throw off come-hither vibes.

  “Same.” Toby smiled.

  “Appetizers?” she asked.

  Why don’t you slide in between him and the table and give him a little lap dance. I’ll study the menu while you do your thing? Lizzy said to herself. Why am I letting a waitress get to me? I’m not a jealous person.

  “Appetizers, Lizzy?” Toby asked.

  “I’m sorry. I was thinking about food not appetizers, but I would like some fried green tomatoes,” she answered quickly.

  The waitress’s eyes were on the little scar on Toby’s cheek. “With our special dip or another dressing?”

  “I stabbed him,” Lizzy said bluntly. “That’s how he got that scar.”

  “Why? I’m sorry. That’s personal. I shouldn’t ask that.” She blushed.

  Why not? You’ve been undressing him with your eyes for the past three minutes and needed a drooling bib whe
n you got to his belt buckle.

  “It’s okay.” Lizzy laid a hand on the woman’s arm. “I was mad at a woman for flirting with him and he tried to take the knife away from me. It was an accident.”

  “I’ll be right back with your drinks and appetizer.” She turned so fast that she ran into a bus boy with a tray of dirty glasses and he had to do some fancy footwork to keep it all from hitting the floor.

  “Lying on Sunday?” Toby chuckled. “The preacher will make you deliver the benediction next week as penance.”

  She picked up the menu. “It was worth it. And our preacher only calls on a woman to pray at the end of the service on Mother’s Day.”

  “Little jealous were you?” he asked.

  “Right then I was a whole lot jealous, not a little,” she answered honestly.

  He pushed the menu to the side and covered her hands with his, his gaze captivating her eyes. The whole world disappeared and they were the only two people in a tiny space with no sound except the beating of their hearts. “I couldn’t even see that woman because I have blinders on when you are around, and every single thought in my head is about you.” His voice was low, seductive, and mesmerizing. “I’ve never felt like this before and it scares the hell out of me.”

  “Me, too, Toby,” she whispered.

  “It’s too hot to last, isn’t it?”

  “Won’t know until we try,” she answered.

  “It didn’t last before.”

  A presence at their table disturbed their private world. Whatever it was, skunk, tornado, hailstorm, or the waitress bringing their drinks, Lizzy wished they’d vanish into thin air and leave her and Toby alone. She sighed as she looked up at Dora June’s condescending expression.

  “Well, hello, Lizzy. I had no idea that you knew Toby and Blake before they bought the Lucky Penny. My niece, Lacy, works here and she just now told me how Toby got that scar. I bet he’s the real reason you broke up with that dear boy, Mitch, isn’t he?” Dora June asked tersely.

  So much for the bad luck finally playing out. Madam Fate had only given them a slight reprieve before the big storm hit full force.

  “Good morning, Miz Dora June.” Toby flashed his brightest smile her way. “Wasn’t that church service uplifting this morning? And the hymns were sung with such gusto that I bet the angels in heaven are still smiling. Would you and Truman like to sit with us? I’d be glad to buy your lunch or dinner or whatever you folks call it. In my world, it’s always been dinner and supper but I wouldn’t want to offend you.”

  “Hell, no!” Truman said as he joined them. “I wouldn’t even sit with Deke today. He probably knows that Lizzy broke up with Mitch because of you. Was she the one who told you about the Lucky Penny?”

  Toby smiled. “Deke is our good friend and for your information Lizzy was making a joke when she told the waitress that story. Don’t punish Deke because you don’t like us.”

  “Guilty by association,” Dora June said.

  “We’ll take him in anytime. Y’all sure I can’t buy you dinner?” Toby asked.

  “Come on, Dora June. I don’t want folks to see us talking to these people,” Truman said.

  They left in a huff and Toby chuckled.

  “What?” Lizzy asked.

  “Small world, isn’t it? The waitress is her niece. Reminds me of the lyrics in that old song that says he’s everywhere and he’s watching you.”

  “I believe that was Santa Claus, not Dora June.” Lizzy pulled her hands free so the waitress could set the fried green tomatoes and sweet tea on the table. “Thank goodness there’s only a handful of people in Dry Creek who are hoping that the Lucky Penny fails again. The rest of the folks are really great.”

  “Ain’t that the truth? What is it about four women and Truman who’ve got a burr up their butts?”

  Lizzy smiled. “Five out of a whole town isn’t a bad number. I imagine they’re upset because Truman wanted to buy the ranch and waited too long.”

  “Waited?” Toby dipped a fried green tomato into the sauce and popped it in his mouth.

  “Folks didn’t think it would ever sell with the reputation it has, so those who were interested sat back and waited for the price to hit rock bottom. Y’all swooped in before that happened and bought it. Truman was most likely the top dog on that list and now he thinks if he can make life miserable for y’all, then you’ll leave and he’ll buy it with all y’all’s improvements already made on it.”

  “Is that rumor or truth?”

  “Neither. It’s my own theory. He wasn’t ever a happy person, but he turned really sour when he found out the Lucky Penny had sold to y’all. He’s fighting a losing battle, Toby. Folks love you and Blake and what you are doing to the ranch.”

  “Truman nor his posse of self-righteous women are going to run us off.” Toby picked up a slice of fried tomato, dipped it in the sauce, and fed it to her.

  “Good. I don’t want you to leave.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  Dark clouds had begun to gather when they left the restaurant. Lightning streaked through the sky in long spiky strips with thunder following on its heels. The wind whipped around from the south to the north and blasted and shook the tree limbs as the temperature dropped ten degrees in as many minutes. The first big drops of rain sizzled against the hot sidewalk as Lizzy and Toby ran from the truck to the care facility where her grandmother lived.

  “Looks like we beat it,” Toby said as they rushed inside.

  She shook the rainwater from her dark brown knee-length skirt. “Just when I was beginning to think that our luck had run out.”

  Toby ran a hand over her shoulders, brushing the few drops that had settled on her light tan lacy blouse. “Have I told you that you look beautiful in shades of brown? Or that I’m real partial to lace?”

  “Well, well, well! Look what I found, Laney.” A tall blonde with steely blue eyes glued herself to Toby and locked lips with him in a kiss that lasted only three days short of eternity.

  “I’ll be damned. I thought you went back to the hinterlands. We ain’t seen you or Deke since last winter.” Another one, just like the one with her body still stuck to Toby’s, rounded the corner of the hallway. God must have surely had a sense of humor when he made two just alike.

  “Hey, did I hear someone call my name?” Deke stepped in out of the rain and removed his cowboy hat.

  “It’s a party!” The second woman clapped her hands.

  Toby wiped a hand across his lips. “Laney and Lisa, please meet my girlfriend, Lizzy Logan.”

  Deke poked her on the arm. “Nobody will ever know, Lizzy. You’re not going to hold him back are you?”

  What in the hell was happening?

  It was pretty evident that Deke and Toby knew those two bimbos dressed in shorts so tight that nothing was left to the imagination. Lizzy’s eyes traveled upward from the hooker shorts to halter tops that showed cute little belly button rings with a pink arrow pointing downward. They had to be twins and they were six feet tall in those bright red high-heeled shoes. So this was his type—the women that he partied with. No wonder he had second thoughts about a mousey woman with dirty blond hair and brown eyes.

  “Not today, Deke,” Toby said.

  Deke already had an arm around Lisa. “Why not? I thought I’d drop by to see Irene since Katy is gone this weekend, but I can come back anytime. Let’s go grab a six-pack.”

  Laney ran a forefinger down Toby’s jawline. “We’ll take you to our house. It’s not far from here and we can pick up where we left off last time.”

  Toby stepped away from Laney and tucked Lizzy’s arm into his, patting her hand the whole time. “Lizzy and I are going to see her grandmother. Y’all have a wonderful time and I’ll see you tomorrow, Deke.”

  “You ain’t no fun at all,” Laney said with a pout.

  “You were at one time. I remember that morning-after breakfast. Whoa! You look familiar.” Lisa eyed Lizzy like she was checking her for head lice or warts. “She loo
ks like that woman that had Blake buffaloed. Remember that morning, Laney, when the grandmother showed up wearing that crazy outfit?”

  “I’m her sister,” Lizzy said. “And she and Blake are married.”

  “Well, shit! I wanted a chance at that cowboy.” Lisa sighed.

  Laney giggled. “It was one wild weekend, wasn’t it? So Deke, you want to go home with us?”

  “Naw, if Toby isn’t going, I’ll take a rain check. Y’all have fun. Y’all visitin’ someone here?” Deke asked.

  Lizzy could have cut his tongue out with a rusty butter knife. She wanted to get away from the twins, not stand there and catch up with them.

  “Our great aunt Myrtle is in here and it was our Sunday to drop by. Thank God she was sleeping so we didn’t have to stay. We came. We saw. We are going shopping if we can’t talk you two handsome cowboys into going home with us,” Lisa said.

  “Didn’t you hear him? I am his girlfriend,” Lizzy finally said.

  “Who cares? You can come along, too, and we’ll make it an orgy.” Laney winked.

  “What did you mean, Deke? When you first came in from the rain you said this woman would hold him to something? What’s going on here?” Lisa asked.

  “Nothing,” Deke answered. “I reckon we’d better get on down the hall to see Lizzy’s granny.”

  “If you change your mind anytime between now and midnight.” A pen appeared out of nowhere and Laney wrote on Deke’s hand. “That is my cell number and we are always ready to party with you cowboys. Give me an hour after you call and I’ll be sure the ingredients are in the house for tomorrow morning’s breakfast.”

  Lisa pushed a button above the light switch and an attendant came around the corner to poke in the exit code for that day. The fact that they could run through the rain on slick concrete in those high-heeled shoes left Lizzy completely speechless.