Why Me, Cowboy?

by Stephy Smith

  “Wait, Tansy!” She stopped and whirled around. Gulch ran toward her. She raised both hands to keep the distance between them.

  “What . . . no 'Pansy Tansy'? Don’t play games with me. And why did you kiss me? Do you kiss every woman you carelessly run into? Do you really think that women are so enamored by you that they melt into a lousy kiss? Or is that some kind of lame way of apologizing to make up for the evil you thrust upon others?” Tansy straightened her shoulders.

  Gulch stepped toward her and she backed up. A spark of amusement twinkled in his sexy, gray eyes. His lips parted and turned up at the corners. He held his cowboy hat in one hand.

  “Well, aren’t you the little lioness? Never suspected you had a lick of vinegar in you.”

  “Look here Gulch, you stay away from me and my friends. I will mess you up!” Her lips quiver, but she kept the shakiness from reaching her voice.

  “What are you going to do to me?” He took a few steps closer.

  “I don’t know, but I’m pretty sure you won’t like it!” Tansy stomped her foot. Her fisted hands grew sweaty. He kept advancing on her. “Don’t do it, Gulch. Don’t you dare come closer.”

  Before she could inhale, he pulled her into his massive chest. His lips met hers with fiery excitement. Her knees buckled. The warmth of his tongue parted her lips and danced across her teeth. Don’t let this moment end. Her heart tried to convince her mind.

  Gulch broke away from her. She leaned against the wall and watched him slowly back away. He pivoted and strolled casually down the corridor. Tansy sunk down on her bended knees and waited for the sound of the door closing behind him. Her breath rushed from her lungs as if she hadn’t taken a breath since she first entered the hospital.

  Chapter Eight

  What was he thinking? The first kiss was supposed to be an ‘I’m glad to see you’ type kiss, but it turned into more. The second kiss was more. He hadn’t intended to let so many emotions invade the act.

  Gulch knew Tansy was probably more confused at his behavior than he was. He tried to put the warm, sweet taste of her mouth out of his mind. Tansy’s soft lips left a special kind of magical tingle to linger on his. The flowery aroma from her shiny hair tickled his nose. He could get used to the way she responded to him as she leaned into his body.

  Since his sister’s death, he had told himself he didn’t have time to get involved with a woman. Up until now, he had no problem keeping true to his word. He had to stay away from Tansy no matter what it took. His sister was a vibrant, hard workingwoman who tackled every problem she came across at the feed yard up to the time she was killed. Benny was so proud of her. Every time Gulch called home, that’s all their father talked about. Gulch knew one day Robin would inherit the Grow ‘em. The idea was fine with him since he had chosen to go into law enforcement.

  Everything had changed when the rustler first hit the feed yard. Gulch packed up and moved home to help solve the case for his family. Robin continued to do her job, bossing men around most of the time. They all respected her, all but one.

  The rustler had turned into a murderer. It was his fault Robin was dead. Gulch worked hard at trying to figure out who was behind the crimes. At times, he didn’t feel like he was gaining ground on solving the case and at others, he thought for sure he had nailed it. But the rustling continued and now the added attack of Andi drove him to the carelessness of letting his true feelings show for the one person he wanted to protect with his life; Tansy.

  How could he have been so clumsy? The act had been done and that was a confirmation to his heart. He couldn’t deny the feelings, the desire, and the dream of making her his wife. The possibility of her having his children and doing things together as a family made a pretty picture. He shook his head and gave a small laugh. “Jumping the gun, aren’t you?”

  His crazy fantasies would all depend on Tansy’s heart of gold.

  The cell phone in his pocket vibrated. The sun dulled the screen as he shielded it with his hand. “Hey Dad. What’s up?”

  “Gage, my boy, your mother insists on your presence for supper tonight. She’s making your favorite . . . steak and baked potato.”

  “Dad, I really don’t−” He focused on the blond exiting the hospital. Gulch kept his eyes on Tansy until she crossed the street and left the parking space.

  “I know son, we have business to discuss. We’re getting close to cracking this case wide open.” Benny’s gravelly voice had more hope than it had in a long while. “Ken will also be here.”

  “OK. I’ll be there in about thirty minutes.” He clicked off and longed to call out to Tansy to accompany him. “That will never happen.” He drove home to shower before going to his parents'. As he peeled off the clothes he had worn to work, he thought about the kisses he had shared with Tansy.

  The hot water pulsing from the showerhead soothed the tight muscles in his neck and shoulders. Benny’s call had to be important or his mother would have made it. He reached for a thick towel hanging on a hook. He ran his hand across the stiff stubble on his face.

  The fragrant aroma of a dryer sheet flowed from the fresh shirt and jeans he pulled on. It was similar to the fragrant smell of Tansy’s hair. He rested his hand upon his chest where her small hands had pushed against him. He thought how strong she was and how vulnerable her heart was.

  From the way she kissed him back, there was no mistake in how she felt about him. He wanted to believe her reaction was real. The way he treated her had caused a lot of mistrust. He could detect it in her reaction toward him. His heart sunk to the pit of his stomach.

  The time passed quickly while he drove to his parents' house. His father greeted him at the door. His mother stood over the grill. Smoke rolled in the air along with the smell of fresh food cooking. Gulch’s stomach grumble. He hadn’t eaten all day. He followed his father to the canvas chairs sitting on the patio.

  “Did you learn anything else at the sheriff’s office after I left today?” Gulch leaned over his mother’s shoulder and placed a kiss on her chubby cheek as he spoke to his dad.

  Chapter Nine

  Tansy tossed her keys down on the small table near the door of her tiny two-bedroom house. She thumbed through the mail she collected from the mailbox in front of the house. “Bills, bills, bills,” she muttered into the sweltering air in the house. She tossed the stack of envelopes down and reached for the thermostat on the wall. Warm air swirled in the air for a few seconds before the coolness gradually took over.

  She slunk down on the couch and turned on the TV. The evening news was on. There wasn’t a lot to hold her interest. The hot, steamy kisses Gulch laid on her held her muddled mind hostage. Why did he have to go and confuse her? One minute he’s calling her names, treating her as if she’s the enemy, and the next thing she knew, he was treating her as if she were a long lost lover.

  Her stomach protested in hunger. She rose from the couch and walked to the door. The cold keys chilled the palm of her hand. The desire to cook had slipped from her mind. She drew in a long pull of fresh air as she walked down the street to the Hamburger Hut.

  Birds flittered to and from treetops, chirping along the route. The blue sky laced with the green boughs of trees. Texas was a beautiful place. On days like today, she missed her home in Mississippi. Her mother would listen as she vented and wouldn’t say a thing unless asked for advice.

  Her mother was only a phone call away. Tansy knew deep down she didn’t need advice. This was something she had to work out on her own. Tomorrow would be a new day. With a little luck, it would be better than today had been. She ordered her burger and a small drink. When it was done, she ventured back toward her house with supper clenched in her fist.

  The crackle of the food bag spooked the birds overhead. The whines of a pack of dogs and then the whistle of the train that had set them off caused more howls from dogs throughout town. Tansy welcomed the distraction. Most days she shuddered at the thought of any city noise. She preferred the peace and quiet of country
life.

  Country life, like on the mountain minus the bloody sight she had happened upon. Andi was doing better than Tansy thought she would be. The bottom line was no matter what Tansy tried, she couldn’t forget the events of the day. Her mind reeled with flashes of everything. One thing stood out most and that was the unforgettable kiss. Her lips tingled at the thought, the warmth, and the emotion of Gulch’s thick, kissable lips.

  The twisted evilness he generally turned on her whirled around and filled her full of heated desire that he didn’t deserve. Her heart seemed to be asking her to forgive the arrogant devil. In her mind, she knew it was a mistake. In the morning, Gulch would be back to his regular, demeaning way. But for now, she preferred to think of him as a sexy, nice, loveable cowboy.

  An envelope flapped on the door as she approached the porch. She slipped the key in and unlocked the door. With her free hand, she pulled the letter from the wood and carried it in with her. Tansy reached into the bag and grabbed onto the paper-wrapped burger. She took a bite and laid it down before she ripped the envelope open.

  Her breath caught. The lump in her throat tightened as she forced herself to swallow the food. The black type stood out on the white background. The rattling paper shook in her hand. Tansy didn’t know what to make of it. “If you know what’s best for you, you’ll stay away from the feed lot or you will be next.”

  As soon as she pulled herself together, she dialed the number to the hospital. The night nurse answered cheerfully. “Royce Memorial. How may I direct your call?”

  “Room 104, please.” Tansy listened to the music as her call was transferred. She tapped her fingernails on the hard wood top of the dining table.

  “Hello.” Andi’s groggy voice made Tansy feel guilty for interrupting her sleep.

  “Andi, sorry I woke you but this is important. I need to ask you one more question.”

  “Oh, Tansy, sure honey. What is it?”

  “Did you get a warning letter before you were attacked?”

  “How . . . what makes you think that?”

  “You did, didn’t you?”

  “Yes. I thought it was a hoax. I tossed it in the trash. How did you know? I didn’t tell anyone about it except Ken and Gulch.”

  “There was one pinned to my door when I got home from the Hamburger Hut. I don’t know what to do.”

  “Pay close attention to everything and everyone around you. Give the note to the sheriff.”

  “Anyone in particular I should ask for?”

  “Ken. He’s the sheriff. Tansy, the guy who sent the note is dangerous. He means business and he’ll stop at nothing. I’m surprised he didn’t kill me. One of the gates on the scales blew shut. I think it scared him. By that time, I couldn’t see a thing except darkness closing in around me.”

  “You’re scaring me. What’s this all about? Why is Gulch doing this?”

  “It’s not Gulch! No one knows who this man is at this time. Look Tans, that’s all I can tell you right now. Call the sheriff, and then call Gulch. Turn that note over to him, and call in sick in the morning.” Tansy could hear a long breath on the other end of the line. “Promise me you’ll do what I tell you.”

  Tansy fell silent. Andi didn’t know what she was asking. Call Gulch? What kind of medication were they pumping into her? If Tansy missed work, it would be like she was surrendering to the enemy. Everyone at the feed yard would think the demonic Gulch had finally run her off.

  Andi said to call him . . . to call Gulch. Would it make any difference anyway? The only thing that would accomplish would be to alert Gulch that the women were onto his game. Then it wouldn’t take him long to figure out just how scared of him she was. The man who gave Andi a severe thrashing knew where Tansy lived. She couldn’t up and move without any money.

  She couldn’t run off and leave the life she carved out for herself. Every cent from her savings she had sunk into moving to Texas and getting a house. Her knees grew weak as she tried to absorb the strange words that came from the other end of the phone.

  “Are you still there? Tansy, please do it for your health. You see where I am. He may not be as easy on you. There may not be a distraction to keep him from killing you like he did Robin. And trust me, you don’t want that.”

  “Do you know what you’re asking? Andi, think back on how Gulch has tried to scare you, me, and Jo off. He has instigated your assault. I watched them cuff him and haul him to jail. He’s behind all of our problems and you want me to call him? That’s kind of like loading the gun and handing it to the killer, don’t you think?”

  “You have to! Gulch isn’t who or what you think he is. Just promise me you will make the calls and don’t go to work tomorrow without having Gulch close by.”

  There was a panic in Andi that Tansy had never heard before. “OK. I promise.”

  Tansy held the phone in her hand. The hard plastic bit into her palm. She hesitated and then dialed the sheriff’s number. She bit her lip as she debated whether or not she should call Gulch. Her breath whooshed from her lungs.

  The phone only rang once when the husky voice came on the line. Tansy froze until Gulch asked if anyone was there.

  “Uh . . . yeah, Gulch. This is Tansy. I have something you need to see. The sheriff is on his way to my house.” She didn’t want to call him, but she promised Andi she would. Her heart pounded like war drums. “Can you meet him here?”

  “I’m on my way.” The tone in his words set her on edge. The line went dead. Tansy’s shoulders dropped. Gulch was too eager. He didn’t ask the reason of her problem. Maybe he already knew. Of course he did. He was the one who left the note.

  Tansy walked to her closet in the hallway and pulled her revolver from the top shelf. She shoved the clip in and checked the safety to make sure it was set. Just because Andi trusted Gulch, didn’t mean she had to. She concealed the weapon in the waistband of her jeans.

  She pulled open the front door and peered out through the screen. The sound of an engine roared down the street as she was walking away. It pulled to a screeching halt in her driveway. The slamming of the vehicle’s door caused her to freeze in her tracks.

  “What the . . . why is that door open? Don’t you know you’re being targeted by a killer? Tansy, use your brain. Now what is it that you had to call me about? I assume it was important.” Gulch pulled the screen door open and walked in as if he lived there.

  Her heart seemed to stop. Here she was, trapped in the house with Gulch. She had half a mind to shoot him if he made any kind of advancement toward her. She was ready, willing, and scared out of her wits. Defending herself against him was justifiable.

  “You can wait until the sheriff gets here. And by all means barge into my home and make yourself comfortable. I don’t want to have to repeat myself.” Tansy waved her hand toward the couch.

  Gulch turned and looked out the door. Another vehicle stopped in front of her house. She hoped it was the sheriff. There was no time for any more long, lingering kisses from the cowboy to confuse her. Tansy moved behind the couch as she waited for him to move away from the door.

  “Thank goodness you’re here, Ken!” Gulch pushed the door open for the sheriff to enter. “I just got here myself. Maybe you can talk some sense into Tansy.”

  “What’s this about a note, Miss Adams?” The sheriff removed his cowboy hat as he entered.

  “You got a note? Why didn’t you tell me about this?” Gulch glared at her.

  “You should know. You’re the one who wrote it!” Tansy handed the paper to the sheriff. Gulch moved next to the sheriff and looked over the man’s shoulder like a vulture on a fence post waiting for an animal to die.

  “How long ago did you get this?” The sheriff raised the note clenched in his hand.

  “Half an hour tops. Why?” Tansy moved toward the sheriff.

  “Gulch, who is working at the yard right now?” Ken turned his attention to her boss.

  “No one. All of the pen riders should be home by now.” Gulch shifted
his weight to one leg.

  “I was hoping we could narrow the list down.” The sheriff moved to the dining table and placed the note on the flat surface. The scuffing of the chair across the wooden floor sent shivers down Tansy’s spine.

  Glass from the front window shattered and scattered across the floor. A rock with a paper wrapped around it fell upon the small round carpet. Tansy whirled around. Her gun held in her hand pointing toward the broken window.

  Gulch and Ken drew their pistols and ran out the front door. Tansy followed them. There wasn’t hide or hair of the culprit. She lowered her gun and drew in a deep sigh.

  Ken was on his radio calling for assistance of all officers in the outlaw community needed to identify everyone in the area. Tansy would have laughed if her fear hadn’t overshadowed the irony of the section of town she lived in. Oddly enough, it was the safest community in Millstone.

  Several city officers responded to the call. Deputy Putman pulled up in front of the house and called the sheriff over to his SUV. Tansy tried not to eavesdrop from her small front yard.

  “What you got sheriff?”

  “Vandals. Check out everyone walking or driving.” The sheriff sent the deputy away. Tansy saw the disgusted look on the deputy’s face and the way he glared at her.

  “I don’t think he likes me much.” Tansy shivered as she watched the SUV pull onto Ma Barker Avenue.

  Gulch and Ken shrugged. “Let’s see what the note has to say. Hopefully, your boys can catch this guy.” Gulch slapped the sheriff on the back.

  The three walked back to the house. Gulch pulled a pair of gloves from his pocket and picked up the rock. He carried it to the table and placed it next to the previous note. Slowly he untied the piece of twine bounding the paper to the rock.

  Tansy ran her hand over her face. Gulch didn’t have anything to do with her busted window, but he and the sheriff were a little too chummy sitting at her dining table. They both had guns! What in the world was going on?