All Hat No Cattle: A Red Hot and BOOM! Story

by Randi Alexander

  “To what? To settle for an oil worker?”

  She stopped. He stopped next to her. People flowed around them with a few grumbles. “Here.” He handed her the umbrella. “At least let me walk you to your car.” He held his hands up by his shoulders. “Promise not to touch you.” With my dirty paws. He didn’t say those last words out loud, although it was damn tempting.

  She heaved out a breath and started walking. “Why is this so hard?”

  He walked beside her for a minute. “What’s so hard?”

  Shaking her head, she muttered something about a promise to herself.

  That couldn’t be good for any of his seduction plans.

  When they reached her car, she tossed her things in the back seat and closed the door. When she looked up at him, the moonlight reflected in her eyes. Instinctively, he moved a fraction closer before he caught himself. She’d walked out of the arena without him. Couldn’t he take a hint?

  “It was nice to meet you, ma’am.” He turned to leave.

  Her hand brushed his arm. “Wait.”

  Chapter Two

  The skin on Shaw’s arm warmed Harper’s palm. She dropped her hand and stared up at him, and the busy parking lot seemed to fade away as she realized her worst fear had come true. She’d fallen for another cowless cowboy.

  True, Shaw had all the cowboy traits she adored: considerate, attentive, gentlemanly, in control of himself and the situation around him. And hunky and smart and sexy and funny. But she’d promised herself—she’d actually sworn aloud—that she would not waste her time on another man unless he had a real cowboy job.

  No, he didn’t need to own a ranch, just work on one. He didn’t need to own horses, just wrangle them. He didn’t need to breed and sell rodeo stock, just haul them. She’d vowed that she would wait until she could find a guy with the same goal: to find a plot of land where they could start their own ranch.

  But she’d gone and fallen for a roughneck. And she’d fallen fast. She should have asked him right away when she agreed to sit next to him. Should have guarded her heart against his charm. But she’d waited until the end of the rodeo. When it was too late. “Crap.”

  “You change your mind again? You want me to go?” His voice was so low, she could barely stand thinking about how she’d offended him.

  “I just want to explain why we can’t be anything but friends.”

  He dropped his head and kicked dirt with his boot. “Friends, huh?” When he looked at her again, his chocolate eyes narrowed. “Okay, I can do that. Come and watch the parade with me tomorrow morning.”

  He’d given up too easily. He wasn’t taking her seriously. “Let me get this said, then you can decide if I’m even worth being friends with.”

  His eyebrows shot up as he stepped closer. Brushing his knuckles along her cheek, he tipped his head slightly. “You’re worth it, Red.” Shaw’s gaze lingered on her mouth.

  Her breath stalled as her lips opened, waiting for his kiss. She lifted her chin as flares of heat raced through her bloodstream.

  “Yeah. Just friends.” He took a step away from her. “I’ll be sitting in front of the bank on Main.” Shaw turned and walked a few feet. He looked back at her. “I’ll save a chair for you, Miss Harper.”

  “Shaw, wait.” Her voice came out a soft whisper and by the time she’d cleared her throat and caught her breath, his long legs had carried him halfway across the parking lot.

  She could run after him, but she couldn’t see chasing after a man she’d just turned down flat. “Crap.” As she slid into the driver’s seat, her hands were shaking a little. He was one potent man.

  She started her car and got in line with the rest of the departing crowd. There was no chance Shaw had believed her when she said they’d only be friends. The best thing for both of them was for her to cut it off cold. Avoid him. Nod in passing. Let him know she was serious.

  She sure didn’t want to, though.

  Traffic had stopped. With a sigh, she pulled out her schedule. Tomorrow was Thursday. She was free until the afternoon rodeo, and the parade started at ten-thirty.

  The car behind her honked.

  She got rolling and took a left, heading toward the inn. Where was Shaw staying? With her luck, he’d be in the room next to hers. She parked near the back door and slunk inside and up the stairs...just in case.

  At one in the morning, Harper still flopped around, sleepless. Shaw seemed like a great guy. They could be friends, couldn’t they? She stuck a pillow between her legs and rolled to her side. His touch had sent her spinning, breathless. The look in his eyes told her he wanted more. She squeezed her legs together, feeling the heat flooding there. She wanted more.

  If he’d grabbed her while they were standing by her car, pressed his big body against hers, backing her up against her car, she would have let him. And wrapped her arms around him. And kissed the breath from him.

  He didn’t, though. He was a gentleman. Just one more reason why she shouldn’t get close to him. She needed to focus on finding a man to share her life with, not just stolen weekends whenever they were in the same state.

  She bit her lip. She sure was curious to see what he had in store for her tomorrow. It’d be one heck of a seduction.

  “Ahhhh!” She grabbed fistfuls of her hair. “What do I do?”

  The bad habit she’d acquired after so many years traveling alone had her asking questions and answering herself aloud.

  “Okay. If I’m awake by nine in the morning, it means I should go to the parade. If I’m not, it’s karma telling me to keep away from Shaw Donahue.” With a smirk, she closed her eyes and drifted off, letting fate have its way with her.

  Harper woke at eight-fifteen. “Okay, fate. Have it your way.” She smiled as she jumped out of bed and started the shower. If nothing else, she’d have someone to keep her company for the next three days of rodeo. If she could resist whatever seductions he threw her way.

  The inn was only six blocks from downtown, so she walked. Her white cowgirl hat, trimmed with shiny red, white, and blue garland, kept the sun off her face. She’d forgotten sunscreen, but if the drugstore was open, she’d slip in and pick up a tube.

  As she drew closer to Main Street, the flow of foot traffic surrounded her. Children held American flags on sticks, parents wheeled coolers and carried folding chairs. Her excitement ramped up. She’d never come to the Belle Fourche parade in all the years she’d been working this circuit. Sitting in her hotel room working seemed like a more industrious use of her time. And who wanted to go to a parade alone?

  She stopped in front of the Closed sign on the drugstore door. “Crap.” Maybe she could borrow a couple squirts if she got to know the people sitting around them. First, she had to find Shaw. The bank was across the street. Harper stepped off the curb and glanced at the people sitting along the curb, looking for... “Dear heavens.”

  Shaw sat on a chair, leaning down to talk to three little blonde girls who sat on a blanket on the curb next to him. Their little Western hats had red, white, and blue jewels attached to the crown in random patterns.

  Harper swallowed and stepped into the street.

  He laughed at something, and his deep, rich voice sent an ache to the back of her heart.

  “Zat her?” a tiny feminine voice asked.

  Shaw looked up, his dark eyes fastening on her. “That’s her.” He stood and walked to meet her at the solid yellow line down the middle of the street.

  He removed his hat, and in the sunlight, his brown eyes glittered with gold highlights. Why hadn’t she noticed that before? “Saved you a chair.” He took her hand and led her to the chair next to his, one with three, star-shaped helium balloons hovering over it in Old Glory’s colors.

  He helped her to her chair, sat in his, then pulled his hat back on his head, grinning at her like he’d won the lottery.

  “You’re right. She’s pretty.” The oldest of the girls who was maybe six, nodded to Shaw.

  A woman walked to the g
irls from somewhere in the shade behind them and handed them bottles of water. “Girls, don’t bother these nice people.”

  Shaw laughed. “They’re no bother, ma’am. You go sit and cool down a bit more. We’ll keep an eye on your little ones.”

  The woman, at least eight months pregnant, patted Shaw’s shoulder. “Bless you.” She winked at Harper then moved back into the shade and sat fanning her glowing face.

  Shaw looked at Harper. “The girls are right. You are pretty today, Red.”

  She looked down, her jeans shorts and old white T-shirt weren’t close to being as dressed-up as he was.

  Jeans, boots that shone so bright they nearly blinded her, and a short-sleeved, snap-front white shirt. His straw cowboy hat looked new, too. Did he think this was a date, or was he just pouring on the charisma for her? “You’re looking mighty spiffy today yourself, cowboy.”

  He leaned closer, his eyes narrowing on hers. “Mighty tasty.”

  A rush of desire blew through her and she blinked herself back from the sweet warmth.

  The littlest of the girls stood and stepped right in front of them. She handed Shaw her water bottle. “Open?”

  “Magic word?” He twisted off the cap.

  “Peeeez.” She took a slug of the water. “Tank you.” She smiled, looking at them. Her pale skin and fuzzy blonde hair gave Harper the urge to pull her in for a hug.

  He nodded. “Welcome”

  The little one put her hand on Shaw’s knee and leaned closer to speak to Harper. “He got you bo-woons.” She looked up at the balloons hovering over Harper’s chair.

  “I know he did. Isn’t he nice?” She smiled as the girl’s sisters joined them.

  “He’s funny, too.” The oldest girl tipped her head. “You should marry him.”

  Shaw glanced at her, lifting a brow. “Hear that?” He looked away before Harper could give him a warning glare.

  “This is Miss Harper.” Shaw looked at her. “She’s got red hair.”

  Harper held in a giggle. This cowboy was so darn cute.

  “Miss Harper? My teacher’s name is Miss Harper.” The middle girl jumped up and down. “Are you her sister?”

  Harper laughed. “I don’t think so, but we might be related.”

  The sound of a marching band drifted their way.

  Shaw grinned at Harper and she leaned close, scrunching her face. “Do you mind if I share my balloons?”

  He looked down, sucking in an uneven breath. “I think that’d be more than all right.”

  He turned to the girls. “One of you go ask your mom if you can each have a balloon.”

  The three ran shouting, begging, then squealing with delight as they made the return trip with an affirmative answer from their mother.

  She and Shaw spent the next few minutes tying the balloon’s ribbons on the girls’ tiny wrists.

  “Thank you!” The girls looked so proud of their fancy balloons as they took their seats on the curb. They practiced waving, deciding which was the best way to do it to show off their balloons.

  “That was nice of you.” Shaw leaned between the chairs, digging in a paper bag she hadn’t noticed.

  “You like kids?” The words slipped out of her mouth before she could stop them.

  He froze for a second, his gaze locked with hers. “Yeah, I like kids.” He handed her a plastic bottle. “Sunscreen?”

  She took it from him, a catch in her throat. “You’re very considerate.”

  “Friends do that for each other.” His words came slow and quiet.

  Smoothing it on her arms, she looked away from his intense stare. He’d make a good father someday. A good husband, too.

  She rubbed lotion on her neck, and a thin coat on her face, just in case. From the corner of her eye, she could see him watching her every move.

  After she returned the bottle to him, he reached and ran a finger over her cheek.

  “A little glop.” His finger rested there a few seconds too long.

  The first flank of the parade came into view and they stood, removing their hats for the American flag.

  When they sat once more, he dragged a small cooler from under her chair. “Water? Soda?” He wagged his brows at her. “It’s your brand.”

  “Then water, definitely.” After all the years she’d been drinking it at events and meetings, sometimes just the smell of the product she sold made her queasy.

  The sidewalk filled as people came out of the shade to enjoy the parade.

  It was undoubtedly the best parade Harper had ever seen. Bands, floats, cowboys, horses. She and Shaw talked, but kept it impersonal—friendly.

  When the parade finished, he nodded to his right. “I’m parked a couple blocks away. How about I tote everything back to the truck, then I’ll meet you—”

  “I’ll help.” She jumped up. This would have been a good time to break away, head back to her hotel, but she wasn’t done with spending time with her new friend.

  He shrugged. “Okay.” Tucking both chairs under his arm, he picked up the cooler, and left her with the little paper bag.

  “At least let me take one of the chairs.”

  He gestured for her to go ahead of him. “Nope. I got it.”

  They walked single file, swarming with the crowd leaving downtown.

  “On the left. The gray truck.” He loaded everything in the bed and took the bag from her. He looked inside it for a second. “This is gonna sound dumb, but I thought you’d like this.” He pulled out a small, rectangular pin and pressed the button on the back.

  Red, white, and blue lights flashed like fireworks around the words, Black Hills Roundup and the year.

  She took it and their fingers brushed. “Thank you, how sweet.” Such a nice guy to think of it.

  “Thought you might want to remember...” He puffed out a breath and stepped away from her. “Want some ice cream?”

  Chapter Three

  Harper held tight to the pin Shaw had given her, fighting the urge to reach out and touch him. “You bet I want ice cream.” She laughed. “I sound like one of those little girls.” She attached the pin to her shirt and looked up at him.

  His gaze trailed from her shirt up to her eyes. Blinking a few times, he took her elbow and guided her around his truck and down the sidewalk, back toward the stores. “I like that about you.”

  She didn’t know how to respond to that.

  The ice cream store was packed, with a line out the door, but they chatted and the time passed quickly.

  They took their cones, hers mint chocolate chip, his rocky road, to a park a couple blocks out of town, in the direction of the inn where she was staying.

  He gestured to a bench and they sat, watching the river trickle over rocks. Turning toward her, he stuck his cone close to her mouth. “Want to try mine?”

  She didn’t breathe for a few seconds. It seemed too personal, too intimate. “I...”

  “Friends do that.” He looked at her, as sober as a monk.

  How did he make her so darn weak for him with just a look?

  ****

  Shaw waited for Harper to take a bite of his ice cream. He sure wanted to get a bite of her. Um, hers.

  After taking a small nip, she scooted a few inches away from him. “This might be a good time to talk.”

  He licked his cone, watching her face. She seemed torn, as if she wanted to fall into his arms one minute, and run from him the next.

  Shifting, she licked a drip that trailed down the cone.

  That tongue...

  His eyes closed for a second and he held back a groan. His groin tightened and things started to harden.

  “Shaw? Are you all right?”

  He shoved his cone in his mouth, taking a big bite, letting the cold hit his teeth. The pain drew his mind from the raunchy stuff happening behind his fly. “Yeah.” He said it around the ice cream. “Go ahead.”

  “Okay. This is going to sound shallow.” She turned her body to face him, hitching her leg up on the bench
.

  Slim and silky looking, that leg gave him ideas. He wanted to kiss his way from her ankle to her... He focused on her eyes. Just. Her. Eyes.

  “I’m getting to the age where I want to settle down. Start a family, and do something else for a living.”

  “Like what?” He crunched away at the cone.

  “I want to ranch. Farm. Raise livestock.”

  The corner of his mouth twitched. He had one of those...a ranch he’d inherited. “Why would I think that was shallow?”

  When he finished his cone, she handed hers to him, eyebrows raised. “Want the rest of this?”

  He wasn’t much for mint in his ice cream, but to be able to put his lips where hers had been, he’d suffer through it. “Thanks.” He took a quick bite.

  “I’ve dated.” She held her breath for a second. “Mostly cowboys. I’ve looked for the right combination of a man who knows ranching and a man I could...love.” She swallowed.

  “Ain’t found him yet?”

  She puffed out a quick laugh. “No. Not yet.”

  “You say you’re ‘getting to the age.’ You’re what, twenty-four, twenty-five?”

  “Thirty.”

  He tipped his hat back and whistled. “That’s damn near retirement age.” He grinned.

  She took off her hat and set it in her lap. The sun shone off her red hair, reflecting colors like sparks.

  “I’m ready to get out of the business world and stay in one spot. While it’s fun dating, I need to focus on finding the right person.” She touched the little button on her shirt that still flashed. “Doesn’t that sound shallow to you?”

  He took one last bite of ice cream. “No. I can understand your reasoning.” Now would be the time to tell her about his ranch, but something held him back.

  “We can still have this weekend, though.” He leaned closer to her. “I’m not leaving ‘til Sunday. And you’re here until...”

  “Sunday.” Her cheeks colored. “I thought of that. Believe me, it’s been on my mind.”

  He liked to hear that.

  “But I don’t want to risk... It doesn’t work that way for me.” Her gaze shifted around the park. “I’m not built that way. For casual sex.”