Ryan had only just arrived driving the chuck wagon, with his horse tied behind. The light rubber-tired wagon was pulled by a mule that looked barely winded. A canvas top, supported by several bowed metal strips attached to the wagon box, made it look like a covered wagon. The hinged door of a large box-like cabinet at the back end of the wagon opened up and dropped down to form a table, revealing compartments for utensils, supplies and provisions for cooking.
While Josh and Ryan unloaded the food and set up for dinner, Genie sat at a table at the opposite end of the shelter, chatting with several guests, having decided that keeping her distance from Josh would also keep her from obsessing over him. He was dominating far too much of her thoughts, and again she had to remind herself that a relationship with a rodeo bullfighter was not in her best interest. Odd that the words, not in her best interest, seemed to have replaced her earlier words, was a dead end. Yet nothing had changed. Like Cal, Josh was a man whose goal was to follow a performance circuit while tempting fate…
"I could use some help with the cooking," Josh's voice came from behind.
Genie turned around and saw a definite gleam in his eye, which she found unsettling as it stirred up a cauldron of feelings she didn't want to acknowledge. "What about Ryan?"
"He's corralling the horses."
"I thought you did that."
"Not this time."
Genie glanced around at the group of people at the table, whose eyes were darting between the two of them. She also saw slight smiles, like they knew what was going on, even though nothing had happened… yet. "I suppose I can help." She turned on the bench and followed Josh to where he'd set a large stainless steel platter stacked with frozen hamburger patties just to the side of the grill. "That wasn't very subtle," she said.
"I know, but subtlety's never been one of my strong suits," Josh replied.
"Incidentally, I loved the ride here. I didn't hold onto the saddle horn the whole way, even during the canter," Genie said.
"I'd kiss you if I could," Josh replied.
"Because I didn't hold on to the saddle horn?"
"No, because I'm going a little crazy right now wanting to, which is why I need you to help me cook. If I kept looking over my shoulder to watch you, the hamburgers would burn. And maybe you could move a little closer. There's still some space between us."
Genie eased sideways until their arms touched, and when they did, Josh bent over like he was going to kiss her, then stopped short. "Okay, I can get through this," he mumbled, then started placing patties on the grill.
"What am I supposed to be doing here?" Genie asked.
Josh handed her a spatula. "Looking busy."
As Genie arranged and rearranged patties, she said, in a thoughtful voice, "Josh?"
"What, babe?"
"Did I make a mistake by telling you how I felt?"
"Yeah, a big mistake," Josh replied, "but Pandora's Box is wide open now and it's too late to stuff it all back in."
"I guess I really complicated things then," Genie said.
"That, you did." Josh tossed a handful of waxed paper rounds that he'd removed from between the hamburger patties into a plastic garbage pail.
"I know why it's complicated for me, but why is it complicated for you?" Genie asked.
"Because you've got me thinking things that don't fit in with my long-term plans," Josh replied, "but I'm working through it."
"Just for the record, I'd never ask you to give up bullfighting."
"I know, babe. That's the problem," Josh said. "If you gave me an ultimatum, I'd probably give it all up then resent you for making me do it, even though you didn't make me do it."
"It's called compromise," Genie said. "That's what Ryan and Marc did with their wives, and they seem happy."
"They are, but I'm not my brothers," Josh pointed out.
"I know. You're much more than your brothers," Genie said. "Even following your badass profession you're a better man. Well, maybe not better—all of your brothers are great guys—but what you're doing isn't self-serving like riding bulls. You're doing it to keep other guys safe. Like I said, you're a remarkable man."
"Telling me things like that isn't helpful right now," Josh said. "Now I want to nibble on your neck. You liked it when I did, didn't you?"
"Yes," Genie replied. "I like everything you do, and even though I don't have the physical changes a man goes through, I do get strong urges when you're around, and it makes me want to act on them, but making love also binds souls, and that's for all eternity, so it's not something you do simply to satisfy urges. It's a spiritual thing."
"And you can't see yourself bound to a bullfighter for all eternity," Josh stated.
"Bound to you, yes. To a bullfighter, no," Genie replied. "It's as simple as that."
"Honey, there's nothing simple about that statement. You just gave me an ultimatum, and I don't know what in hell to do with it."
"For now, I guess you'd better do a lot of rope jumping, and maybe I'll learn to jump too. Maybe it could shift some excessive progesterone from where it is now to other places."
Josh eyed her with awareness. "Are you telling me you've got a serious case of the hots for me, the kind that settles waaay down low?"
"That's an interesting way of describing it, but yes, that's about it," Genie replied.
"Oh man. What I need right now is an angry, aggressive, fighting bull to play around with to help defuse some excessive testosterone. It works every time."
Although Genie knew Josh was kidding, she also knew there was some truth in what he was saying. From what she'd observed of the cowboys at the rodeo they all seemed to be overly endowed with testosterone, which might be the reason why they continually tempted fate. What she didn't understand was why, after so many of them had been seriously injured, they kept going back for more, Josh being a prime example. "You might be joking about the testosterone," she said, feeling the old anger rising, "but in playing around with bulls you stand to lose a lot more than that. After your last experience you should not have to be reminded of that."
"My last experience was over three years ago," Josh said, "and nothing's happened since."
"And because of that you think you're invincible," Genie replied. "Do you need yet another reminder of what the state of your lower body was in after the bull got to you? Next time you might not be lucky enough to stay intact."
Josh slapped a hamburger onto the grill, and said in a curt voice, "I suppose if I live to be a hundred and somehow we managed to be together you'd never stop reminding me of that." He slapped another hamburger onto the grill, and when it split apart from impact, he mumbled a couple of expletives Genie couldn't decipher.
Deciding she didn't want to be around a man who was angry because she was pointing out the obvious, she said, "Actually, you've probably got that right, if we manage to be together." She handed him the spatula and went to join the ranch guests.
Maybe it was time to start shoving stuff back into Pandora's Box.
CHAPTER 9
During the barbecue, which was managed by Josh and Ryan, Genie made a point of staying clear of Josh, not glancing his way, or speaking to him when she went up to put food on her plate. Instead, she made an attempt to get to know the guests, deciding it was more productive than sitting alone and fixating on Josh, which would lead to frustration because of a situation that would never change.
After the meal was over and Ryan had left on his horse to return to the ranch for the night, and the campers were sitting around talking, Genie made a point of joining in the conversation, although on occasion she couldn't help glancing in Josh's direction, but never long enough to catch his eye and she got the impression he was also trying to avoid eye contact with her… that he was actually trying to avoid her, and with good reason. She was fixated on what could happen to him, and that wouldn't change as long as she had deep feeling for him.
It wasn't until everything at the chuck wagon and the cooking area was cleaned and put awa
y, that Josh stepped forward and whistled to catch everyone's attention, and said, "Guys and gals, we're going to do some square dancing. I brought along some square-dancing outfits, so come on over and see what you can find. There are shirts and bola ties for you gents too."
Genie looked to where an array of outfits were draped over a table, and after Josh turned away, she walked over with some of the women and started shuffling through the outfits. She was trying to decide between two skirts when Josh came up from behind, took her by the arm, and said while steering her out of the area, "Can we talk away from here for a few minutes?"
"I guess," Genie replied, making no attempt to pull free.
Once out from under the shelter, Josh maneuvered her behind the chuck wagon, and said, "Okay, honey, I'm apologizing. I got irritated earlier, and I'll acknowledge that if I came close to losing my male equipment to a bull again I might give it up, and I'll admit that bullfighting's a badass profession in that it can bust a guy up some, even if it's also a noble profession in that it keeps other guys from getting busted up, so now that I've said all that, maybe you could stop giving me the cold shoulder and give me a kiss instead."
Genie looked up at Josh, whose face was solemn, and with his broad-shouldered frame outlined against the evening sky, and light from the low sun shining in his direct gaze, all she could think was that she wanted him in every way. Slipping her arms around his neck, she said, "I guess I have no choice."
"I didn't just issue an order," Josh said, while curving his hands behind her. "You do have a choice."
"No I don't. Not when you're around." Genie raised her lips to meet his, and when his arms closed around her she threaded her fingers into his hair and pulled him closer and captured his mouth in a long, slow kiss that had her wanting more…
On hearing voices approaching, they broke the kiss just as a couple of women rounded the corner of the chuck wagon. On seeing them, the women looked surprised, then aware, but said nothing and continued on.
"So much for wranglers not mingling with guests," Josh said. "So we'll continue this later. Meanwhile, I brought along something for you." He reached over the sideboard of the wagon and grabbed a plastic bag that looked like it came from a clothing store. Opening it, he pulled out a dress that was obviously new, and held it up.
Genie eyed the frilly thing, which was mostly pink, except for the bodice, which was white with tiny flowers trailing across it. The dress had puffy pink and white gingham sleeves with lace on them—not a dress she'd wear anyplace except maybe on a high hill away from civilization, even if it did bring back fond memories of a time far in her past—but the earnest smile on Josh's face obliterated any thought of suggesting that the dress looked like it was from another century.
"Then you bought this?" she asked, hoping someone had given it to him because if he bought it she'd feel that much more obligated to wear it someplace beyond the campsite.
"Yeah," Josh replied. "I saw it on a rack at Pine Grove Farm and Ranch and it looked like something you'd wear since pink is your favorite color."
Genie eyed him with curiosity. "How did you know that?"
"How did you do the thumb trick?" Josh asked.
"I can't tell. It's a magician's secret."
"Okay then, what's it worth to you to find out how I know pink is your favorite color?"
"It's not worth anything. It was just a lucky guess," Genie said. "I'm relatively small in stature and I have long hair, which makes most people think I'm a girly girl, so it would be natural for you to assume pink is my favorite color."
"Then is it also natural for me to assume your favorite dog is a Morkie?"
Genie eyed him with bafflement. "You must have gotten that from Annie," she said, but knew she'd never mentioned her love of Morkies to her. When Josh just stood there smiling, she said, "Okay it was another lucky guess. You assumed because I like pink and I'm small in stature that I also like tiny dogs that fit into big purses."
"You want to tell me how you did the thumb trick now?" Josh asked.
"No, you just made two lucky guesses," Genie replied.
"I suppose I could have," Josh said. "With over four hundred breeds of dogs in the world, one in four-hundred isn't bad odds. I think it's interesting that pistachio is your favorite ice cream though. Since pink is your favorite color, I would have thought you'd like strawberry better."
"Who have you been talking to?" Genie asked. These were all things she'd never told Annie or anyone Josh would have known. She couldn't remember ever telling any of it to anyone, except maybe in casual conversation, because none of it was important.
"Am I right about the pistachio?" Josh asked.
"Well… no."
"Babe, don’t ever try to lie. It's written all over your face." Josh gave her a light kiss this time, and said, "So, admit it's pistachio."
"Okay then, it is."
"Now, do you want to tell me how you did the thumb trick?"
"Not really. So far you haven't told me anything that matters. You could have gotten that information anywhere."
"Okay, honey, get ready for the next one." Josh kissed the tip of her nose, and planted a sound kiss on her lips. "Your favorite book is A Tale of the Wind by Kay Nolte Smith."
That caught Genie up short. To her knowledge the only people who would have known that were Dimitri, her father, and her mother, and she was certain Josh had had no contact with any of them, even before her mother died. Totally baffled, she said nothing.
Josh grinned, and said, "I'll trade my source of information for the thumb trick. Are you ready to barter?"
"No," Genie said. "I'll figure it out. We probably have a mutual friend," though she couldn't imagine who that could be, but keeping Josh guessing about the thumb trick was now a power play. Her father had also drummed into both her and Dimitri's heads to never give away their magic, no matter what the size of the carrot being dangled in front of them. But she was curious, actually more than curious, to know how Josh had learned things about her that were so hit and miss, except for the book. But like her thumb trick, there was a simple explanation.
Determined to snuff out her curiosity, she held the dress up, and said, "It's very… pink," because she couldn't think of anything else. It looked like it belonged in Little House on the Prairie. But then, so did Josh, with his day old beard and blue bandana, and worn and weathered hat. She'd never had a thing for rodeo cowboys before, like some of the nurses at the hospital, but the cowboy look was definitely growing on her.
"Is it okay then?" Josh asked. "You didn't say anything more about the dress except that it's pink, which I knew was your favorite color when I bought it. Did I mess up?"
"Oh… no," Genie said, and tried to sound sincere. "It's… really… perfect for… tonight."
Josh took the dress from her and draped it over the sideboard of the chuck wagon, then looking both ways, pulled her to him and kissed her again, another long, slow kiss. But after the kiss ended, he said, "You hate the dress."
"No I don't," Genie replied, while trying to process the fact that kissing Josh was now a part of being with him, but now she could imagine him being a gentle bear of a lover in bed, all male, but very attentive to awakening the places hidden from his view, especially those places…
"You're smiling," Josh said.
Genie looked at him with a start.
"You said you didn't hate the dress then smiled."
"I wasn't thinking about the dress I was thinking about… other… things."
"Okay, you're having those thoughts too. There's a way to fix it. All we need is to get everyone bedded down early and sneak off to the aspen grove."
"I hope you're joking most of the time," Genie said, "because if you aren't, you're making things even more complicated than they already are."
"What's complicated about two people who care about each other wanting to share their bodies for enjoyment and spiritual bonding? You know I care a lot about you, don't you?"
"I suppose you do," G
enie said, "but for most women, including me, there has to be a commitment before sharing a man's bed, and making a commitment means making compromises. I don't think you could do that, at least not with your bullfighting, and since I'd never ask you to give it up, a commitment's out, which brings us back to square one."
"Okay then, let's approach this another way," Josh said. "While you're here at the ranch, could you set aside your preconceived notions about bullfighting and give me a chance to convince you that it's no different than being a firefighter or a policeman or in the military?"
Genie said nothing because she needed time to think. The problem was, Josh had a point in that some professions were inherently dangerous, yet brave men pursued those professions in spite of the danger, and selfless women stayed with them because they loved the men and wanted to help them follow their dreams…
"Honey, give me this chance," Josh said. "Give me through the Pine Grove Rodeo. If you're not willing to do that for us then at least give me a reason why."
"Okay then, I'll give you a reason," Genie said. "I was engaged once. He was a motorcycle stunt driver. I was there when he launched his motorcycle over thirteen cars, except that he only made it over twelve. He flipped over, landed head first and broke his neck. They carried his body off. He also asked me to give him a chance to show me that he was good at what he did. I'm over it now, but after that I vowed I'd never allow myself to love a man who tempts fate."
"Then you're not willing to give me a chance," Josh said, in a flat voice.
"I don't know," Genie replied. "What all would it entail?"
"Having some faith in me, watching me work with practice bulls, coming to the rodeo and watching me there," Josh said.
Seeing the look of expectation on his face, Genie sighed heavily, and replied, "Okay then, I'll try to see things your way, but only through the rodeo."
The worried look on Josh's face vanished, replaced by the broadest grin Genie had ever seen. "Thank you," he said. "Now go put on your pretty pink dress and I'll go set up the CD player." Lifting the dress from the sideboard he offered it to her.
Dancing With Danger: Book 8: Dancing Moon Ranch Series Page 11
