Last Chance Cowboy

by Cathy McDavid

  The mustang, undoubtedly confused at what his human captors were doing, snorted angrily and pawed the ground.

  Gavin slowed the tempo of their kiss but didn’t stop.

  “Dad! Sage!” Cassie’s voice carried from the house. It was followed by more ringing of the dinner bell. “Hurry. We’re hungry.”

  Gavin slid his mouth from Sage’s, only to tickle her earlobe with his lips and teeth.

  “We’d better go,” she murmured, as reluctant as him for the moment to end.

  He closed his eyes, collected himself and stepped back.

  She moved from the railing on legs a little unsteady, gave the mustang one last look and started toward the house.

  An acute awkwardness settled over them—only until Gavin took hold of her hand and linked their fingers.

  Sage supposed they had a lot to talk about. It was very unlikely their relationship would go anywhere. Even if she resolved her differences with Dan, she and Isa were leaving in a matter of days.

  Suddenly the prospect of going home to Show Low didn’t hold nearly the same appeal as it had this morning.

  Chapter Twelve

  “Can we stand next to the pen?” the reporter asked.

  “I don’t think that would be a good idea.” Gavin pushed his cowboy hat back and scratched his forehead thoughtfully.

  “Why not?”

  “He got mad at the last reporter and bit him on the…right cheek.”

  “Cheek as in…” The reporter grimaced.

  “Yeah, that one,” Gavin confirmed.

  The woman camera operator giggled, then sobered when the reporter glowered at her.

  “How about we stand over here?” The reporter relocated a respectable distance away from the pen. “Sal, can you get a shot of the horse in the background?”

  “No problem.”

  Gavin was happy to oblige them. Given his choice, he’d rather the mustang not be filmed up close. Part of him worried that someone would recognize the horse and come forward, claiming ownership.

  He still had no idea who’d leaked the story to the news media or why, though his suspicions were leaning toward Conner. He certainly understood the interest. It wasn’t every day a horse was found roaming an urban preserve. There was also his family’s long-standing ties to the valley, and that the horse was captured as a result of searching for two lost girls.

  “Are your daughters here?” the reporter asked as the camera operator positioned them according to the best light. “I’d like to interview them, too.”

  “Only one of the girls is mine. And she’s not here now.”

  Gavin’s father had taken Cassie with him to Scottsdale for a dentist appointment. After that, they were running errands, which included the bank, the post office and, lastly, the warehouse food store. They’d be gone for the rest of the afternoon. Cassie despised their monthly stock-up shopping trips. She despised the unpacking of everything they brought home even more. Accompanying her grandfather was part of her punishment for taking off without permission or telling anyone about it and, Gavin thought, a fitting one.

  Cassie had tried her best to sweet-talk him out of it, saying if she and Isa hadn’t gone in search of the mustang, they’d have never found him. The argument got her nowhere. Funny thing was, she hadn’t been all that mad at Gavin. Once she realized there was no swaying him, she backed off.

  He wasn’t sure he’d ever understand the twelve-year-old female mind.

  “The other girl,” Gavin continued, “is the daughter of…” He hesitated, not sure what to call Sage. After their fiery kiss last night, he didn’t think of her as just the BLM agent who’d come to Mustang Valley to assist with rounding up the horse.

  That was, however, what he told the reporter. The man, the whole world, didn’t need to know about Gavin and Sage’s relationship. Not yet. Certainly not until they’d figured it out themselves. Besides, if Dan got wind of their involvement, no telling how he’d react.

  “Who else went with you on the roundup?” the reporter asked.

  “My brother, a buddy of ours and…” Again Gavin hesitated. “Some neighbors.”

  He appreciated Clay Duvall’s help. However, he was nowhere ready to bury the hatchet. Bud Duvall had ruined the Powells’ lives, and Clay had profited every bit as much as his father from the sale of their land.

  The reporter continued to fire questions at Gavin about the mustang. He answered, squinting into the early afternoon sun. He didn’t much like being interviewed and would have refused under different circumstances. Except his phone hadn’t stopped ringing all day. And the callers weren’t just reporters or folks curious about the mustang. Many were potential new customers interested in taking lessons or boarding their horse. After the first TV news segment ran on the midday edition, people started inquiring about breeding their horses to the mustang.

  Gavin couldn’t believe it. If only a percentage of the callers became actual customers, the increase in revenues would be enough to make a difference in his family’s lives, if not change them completely.

  It would take time. Nothing happened overnight. He might even be able to buy Dan out eventually.

  The idea appealed to him on many levels.

  So, for those reasons and others, he tolerated the various reporters and patiently answered the same questions again and again.

  Ethan sauntered over during the interview, a wide grin splitting his face. He was enjoying the attention they were receiving considerably more than Gavin.

  Distracted, Gavin tripped over his next sentence.

  The reporter told the camera operator to cut and glanced backward. “Is that your brother?”

  “Yes.”

  “Mr. Powell!” The reporter gestured at Ethan. “Mind if we interview you, too?”

  “Naw, that’s all right.”

  “I’m sure our viewers would enjoy hearing about how a man with only one leg manages to work as a cowboy.”

  How did the reporter know that? Gavin hadn’t mentioned it. Damn Conner, if indeed it was him.

  Ethan’s grin dissolved. “My brother’s the one in charge of the ranch and the mustang. It’s him you need to talk to.”

  He walked away, leaving the reporter confused and irritated.

  The interview progressed poorly after that. Gavin’s cell phone ringing twice didn’t help. While the reporter and camera operator were getting into their van, Ethan’s red Dodge truck rumbled past.

  Gavin’s irritation spiked. Fine, the reporter had been a jerk, but this wasn’t a good day for Ethan to be playing hooky. They were far too busy.

  Gavin’s cell phone rang yet again. As he spoke to the potential new customer, reciting boarding rates and lesson fees, Sage arrived. He forgot all about his caller as memories of their kiss filled his mind.

  She drove behind the barn to park. He walked over, meeting her halfway. He noticed she carried a briefcase.

  “You here on business?” he asked, half joking.

  “As a matter of fact—” she smiled brightly “—I am.”

  He was tempted to take her in his arms. Common sense prevailed.

  “My supervisor wants me to email him pictures of the horse. And I brought some paperwork for you to complete in order to start the adoption process.”

  “Great.” They headed toward the round pen and the mustang. “Where’s Isa?”

  “Not coming today. I felt she needed a couple days away from the ranch and Chico to help drive the lesson home.”

  “I bet she’s taking that hard.”

  “Very.”

  “You will bring her back.” Gavin stopped himself from adding, before you leave. He didn’t want to think about Sage returning to Show Low.

  “Yes, of course.” she glanced at the arena and stables. “Where is everyone?”

  By everyone, Gavin knew she meant his family. The ranch was crowded today and not just because of the reporters. All the regulars also wanted a peek at the mustang. He’d had to station Javier near the round pen
in order to run interference.

  “Dad took Cassie into Scottsdale. Ethan left right before you arrived. I have no idea when any of them will be back.”

  At the round pen, the mustang greeted him and Sage the same way he did everyone else—by lowering his head, snorting and backing himself into the farthest corner.

  Sage set her briefcase on the ground, opened it and removed a digital camera. “Have you thought of a name for him yet?”

  “No. Been too busy.”

  “It needs to be something really special.” She stood on the bottom rung and powered up the camera. At the small noise, the mustang raised his head, his ears pricked forward, and stared intently at them. “Would you look at that. Am I wrong, or is he posing?”

  Gavin laughed. “Who’d have guessed he’s a ham?”

  Three pictures later, the mustang had enough. He trotted back and forth in the pen, a shower of soft dirt exploding from beneath his feet. Sage continued taking pictures until she had at least two dozen. Stepping down from the railing, she reviewed the pictures, sharing them with Gavin.

  Heads bent close together, they commented on each shot. It was hard for Gavin not to lean in and steal a kiss from her. She must have sensed his thoughts, or was having similar ones herself, for she tilted her head to gaze at him, invitation in her eyes.

  Oh, hell, Gavin thought, why not? Who cared about propriety?

  He reached for her—only to be distracted by a vehicle roaring to a dirt-spitting stop not far from them. He glanced up to see who it was with the lousy timing and cursed under his breath.

  Dan Rivera pushed open his truck door and emerged, his booted feet hitting the ground with purpose.

  Beside him, Sage stiffened.

  “It’s all right,” Gavin murmured. “He didn’t see anything except us looking at the pictures you took.”

  Not entirely true but a plausible excuse if Dan should question them.

  He didn’t and marched toward them, scowling at Sage.

  Gavin had been expecting Dan. He’d called his partner last night to give him the good news. Dan had said he’d be over later in the day. Too bad later in the day coincided with the exact moment Gavin had decided to kiss Sage.

  “What are you doing here?” Dan directed the question at Sage.

  Gavin didn’t like the man’s tone. He was about to reply when Sage cut in.

  “I brought papers for Gavin to sign.” She held up the camera. “And to take pictures for our files.”

  Dan made a noncommittal grunt, then went over to the railing and peered through the bars.

  Sage’s mouth tightened with suppressed tension.

  “Why don’t you wait for me in the house,” Gavin said in a low voice, his back to Dan. “The door’s unlocked. There’s leftover sandwiches in the fridge if you’re hungry or help yourself to a cold drink.”

  “I will not run and hide,” she said between clenched teeth.

  He admired her tenacity. “That’s my girl.”

  “Nice-looking horse,” Dan commented when Gavin went to stand with him at the railing.

  They discussed the horse’s merits, along with the problems they would face breaking him to ride.

  “I’ll start tomorrow,” Dan said.

  Gavin’s hackles rose. “We agreed that Ethan would be the one to train him.”

  “Your brother’s got a bum leg.”

  Sage inhaled sharply.

  “Which doesn’t slow him down one bit,” Gavin replied.

  “This horse is too valuable to risk screwing him up.”

  Okay, now Gavin was mad. Dan typically talked tough, it was part of his two-faced salesman personality. Insults, however, were another matter.

  “Ethan’s the best there is with a horse in these parts.”

  “That’s debatable.” Challenge sparked in Dan’s eyes.

  He had Gavin over something of a barrel, and they both knew it. Without Dan’s money, Gavin couldn’t afford to construct the mare motel, which would cost in the tens of thousands of dollars.

  For the second time in recent days, he felt trapped by his and Dan’s partnership agreement.

  “No reason you and Ethan can’t work together.”

  Dan made another disgruntled sound. After a few more minutes of observing the mustang, he announced, “I have an appointment with a client,” and left without so much as a “See you later.”

  The air surrounding Gavin and Sage felt suddenly lighter and clearer.

  “Let’s get out of here.” He took her arm.

  “Are you sure? It might not be a good idea to be seen with me. Someone’s bound to tell Dan.”

  “At the moment, I don’t care about him.”

  “Strong words for someone you’re in partnership with.”

  “Yeah, well, that remains to be seen.”

  SAGE SET HER BRIEFCASE on the kitchen table and removed her jacket. After Dan’s rude behavior at the round pen, she’d expected to be distraught, if not downright furious. She was neither. Something inside her had changed the past few days. Dan was losing his ability to yank her emotional chains.

  It was a step. A huge one.

  She glanced over at Gavin, a tenderness stirring inside her. He was responsible for this change in her. At least, in part.

  “Water?” he asked, opening the fridge.

  “Thanks.”

  He plucked two bottles from the shelf and handed one to her. It was then she noticed the scowl.

  “Are you upset about Dan?” she asked.

  “I don’t like the way he treated you. Or his attitude.” Shrugging off his jacket, he hung it on the coatrack. His hat landed on the countertop.

  “Me, either. But it could have been much worse.”

  “I don’t see how.”

  She unscrewed the lid on her water. “Attitude aside, he wasn’t argumentative and he didn’t make a scene. Which is more than I can say for the last two times he and I were together.”

  “I can’t believe he insisted on breaking the mustang.” Gavin braced his hands on the countertop. “That wasn’t in our original agreement.”

  “It’s because you’re getting all the attention. And new customers. He doesn’t like that.” When Gavin didn’t respond, Sage went over and placed a hand atop his. “I’d say forget about him, but he’s your partner and you can’t. So do the next best thing. Forget about him for now.”

  “He shouldn’t have talked to you the way he did,” Gavin repeated.

  “With any luck, it’ll be the last time he talks to me for a while.”

  “What about Isa?”

  Sage removed her hand. They really should be going over the adoption paperwork. She’d promised her cousin she’d be home by four.

  “She hasn’t mentioned Dan since our talk yesterday after the paternity test. I think once we get home, I’m going to have her see a counselor. A professional can probably help her deal with Dan’s rejection better than I can.”

  “We, my family, saw a counselor before and after my mother’s heart transplant surgery and again when she died. He did a lot for us. For me and Ethan and Sierra. Dad’s still struggling.”

  Wanting to dispel the somber mood they’d fallen into, Sage opened her briefcase and removed a manila folder. Before she could lay the papers out on the table, Gavin removed the folder from her grasp and tossed it aside.

  “We need to go over those,” she protested.

  He took her by the shoulders and held her in front of him, his intense gaze boring into her. “It’s not just Dan. I wouldn’t let anyone or anything hurt you, Sage. Not if I could help it.”

  “I know that.” And she did. She trusted him. It should have come as a surprise considering they’d met only a short time ago. Somehow, it didn’t.

  “I can give you a dozen reasons why a relationship between us won’t work.” He paused, drew a breath.

  “Are you asking me out?” she blurted.

  “To start with.” He raised his hand to her face and brushed away a stray ten
dril of hair. “We can go from there.”

  “Gavin, I…”

  “Don’t say no. Not without giving me a chance.”

  “I wasn’t going to say no.”

  His mouth lifted in a half smile. “You weren’t?”

  “These last days at the ranch, capturing the mustang, being with you, your family, they’ve been the best I’ve had in over four years.”

  “Even with the arguing?”

  “Even with that.” She looked away, suddenly shy. “I’m not sure I can walk away.”

  “Don’t.”

  Whatever else was on her mind to say would have to wait because he kissed her then and conversing was the last thing on her mind.

  This wasn’t their first kiss, yet, in light of their recent confessions, it felt like it. Discovering how much he cared, that he, too, wanted to continue seeing her, ignited a new intimacy between them. A connection that wasn’t there before.

  Within seconds, the kiss went from warm and tender to off-the-charts hot. When his lips abandoned hers to seek the sensitive skin beneath her ear and along the column of her neck, she let out a tiny, needy moan. Her body, responding without any direction from her, curled into him.

  He kissed her again, groaned, then pulled away. She saw the lines of tension etched in his face, recognized the effort it took for him to exercise control.

  “Gavin?”

  “We should probably quit while we still can. While I still can.”

  He desired her and cared about her. The combination was a heady one and gave her the courage to voice what was in her heart.

  “Why?” She slipped into his arms, aligned her hips with his. “You did say your family would be gone for hours.”

  That was all the persuading he needed. Scooping her up, he held her against his chest. She stifled a laugh. No man had picked her up like this since…maybe not ever.

  He carried her out the kitchen, through a rustic great room and down the hall. She caught only glimpses of the house as they stole into its recesses. Photographs and pictures adorning the walls. A bathroom with—was that a claw-foot bathtub? Doors leading to bedrooms, one with clothes strewn over the floor and plastic horse figurines on a bookcase that had to be Cassie’s.

  At the last doorway he stopped and gazed down at her questioningly.