Dirty Cowboy

by Alycia Taylor

  I could hardly wait to find out.

  Chapter Twelve

  Noah

  Things can change in the blink of an eye. I was convinced I’d never want anything to do with Laci Daniels. The next, I was thinking she may not be as bad as I’d originally thought. Okay, fine, I was thinking I really want to get to know this girl better. A lot better.

  For the most part, as I’ve said before, I’m a pretty up front guy. I don’t like to beat around the bush. I don’t do cryptic. I say what I mean, and I mean what I say. But Princess Laci turned me on my head and had me talking all kinds of nonsense. I was saying stuff like, “I guess you’ll find out,” and being all vague. That’s not normally my style, at all. Now every time I’m near her, I don’t have a clue what’s going to come out of my mouth.

  Laci spent the next week joining us for Jackson’s bull riding lessons. For the most part, she just sat off to the side and watched, occasionally she would make a comment such as, “That was smooth, Noah,” or, “Dear God, how am I related to you, Jack?” One particular time, she decided to join in and try her hand at the lesson I was teaching Jackson. She did it wrong.

  We had been going over the importance of control—physical and mental—and to test it, I had Jackson close his eyes and try to walk in a straight line while I tried to distract him. I yelled and made noises, said silly things, whatever I thought might work. It was actually pretty amusing, especially when he got turned around and ended up stepping in a big pile of horseshit. Apparently, Laci thought she could do better. She walked over and told me to give her my best shot.

  “You can’t disorient me,” she boasted.

  Oh, yeah? I thought. We’ll see about that.

  I told her to walk along the rope and started yelling things like, “Turn left!” and, “Look out behind you!” My favorite line was, “Holy hell, it’s Ryan Reynolds!” She stopped and turned her head toward me with her eyes still closed then cocked her hip to the side.

  “Ha, ha, ha, Mister Hilarious. If it was Ryan Reynolds, I’d be able to smell his cologne. He only wears Hugo Boss and all I smell around here is Old Spice.”

  “The fact that you know that is beyond creepy,” I told her, then commanded that she continued to walk along the rope line. She stuck her arms straight out in front of her and started groaning like some kind of extraordinarily animated zombie, then walked straight at me.

  Jackson announced very loudly that he needed to poop and took off for the house in an all-out sprint, waddling like a penguin with his hands clenched over his backside by the time he reached the porch. As I was watching him in sheer amusement—what a class act that kid can be—Laci smacked right into me, then backed up and bumped against me again and again. “Hey, I think I’m running into a big, dumb tree or something,” she said, patting up and down my chest and squeezing my arms. “Okay, maybe not a tree.” She grinned as she constricted her fingers around my arms again.

  One thing I refused to let her know is that I’m extremely ticklish on the sides of my ribcage, so instead of laughing, I flinched away from her touch and turned her by the shoulders to go in a different direction. She promptly turned back around and started poking and prodding at my abdomen again, stepping closer and closer all the while until her nose met my sternum. She took a deep breath in through her nose and said, “Old Spice! Hey, it’s Ryan Reynolds!” Most people would be weirded out by the fact that they just got sniffed, but Jamie used to do that to me it all the time, so it was nothing new to me.

  “Chimichangas!” I laughed. I’m no Deadpool, but hey, I aim to please. Princess then started to say over and over that she just didn’t understand why she couldn’t walk anymore, and so I grabbed her by the shoulders again and spun her around once more. In hindsight, I was fully aware that her desire to join in the lesson was on purpose and a not-so-subtle attempt to instigate a little physical interaction.

  After turning back around and running into me again, she said, “I’m sorry, but my feet just seem to be attracted to your position, Mr. Reynolds.” She tilted her head up, pushed up on her tiptoes, and planted a quick, playful kiss on the bottom of my chin with her eyes still closed. I couldn’t stop the ridiculous grin that spread over my face. The sexual tension between us was so palpable, I swear you could’ve cut it with a knife. I did control myself, however. I demonstrated just how strongly I fit the title of “Southern Gentleman.”

  “Well, Princess Laci, it would appear that you missed the intended target. My lips,” I said slowly, curling my finger under her chin and lifting it up, “are up here,” I finished. I bent down slightly and brought our lips together in a gentle kiss. It was slow and soft, but my heart started to beat faster in a way that it never had when I kissed Jamie—or any other girl, for that matter. It was the kind of kiss that made you thirsty for more and reminded you that the world isn’t such a crappy place, after all.

  I tensed a little as her hands slipped up and curled around the back of my neck. I slid one hand around her waist while the other caressed her cheek before I tangled my fingers in her hair. The kiss deepened as I pulled her closer to me so that our chests were pressed together. For a moment, nothing else existed, until I heard Jack approaching. Hoping he’d see us and just turn around, I ignored him until he shouted, “Woah! What are you doing?” No such luck.

  We broke apart slowly, almost hesitantly it seemed, our eyes locked for a moment. Laci wiped one corner of her mouth with the side of her index finger and turned her attention to Jack. “Hey, buddy, we didn’t hear you.”

  “Clearly,” he gawked, looking at us like we just told him the sky wasn’t blue.

  “Well, I did,” I corrected, “but I-”

  Laci gave me a “don't-you-even-dare” look, stopping me in my tracks, and I changed the course of my sentence. I was planning on ending it with “hoped you would walk away,” but instead, I finished with, “Actually, didn’t hear you at all.”

  Jackson narrowed his eyes and lowered his voice. “You two were kissing!” he hissed, pointing his finger in an accusatory tone. “Are you guys, like, in love now?”

  “No, Jackson,” Laci scoffed. Jackson raised his eyebrows.

  “But Mom said people only kiss when they’re in love,” he pointed out.

  Damn, what did we just get ourselves into? Luckily, Laci knew how to handle it because I was at a complete loss.

  “Well, she’s not wrong. But there can be a little more to it than that. Basically, when it comes down to it, sometimes people kiss because it helps them decide if they are in love or not.”

  “How can you not know?” he questioned, crossing his arms over his chest like he was challenging us both.

  “It’s just that we don’t know each other well enough yet to be able to tell, but we both think that it could be possible at some point,” she explained. She’s good.

  “Alright, fair enough,” was Jack’s response.

  “So that’s that?” I asked. “I can’t believe that’s all the explanation you need.”

  “Yeah, well, when something makes sense, it’s not like you have to keep going around in circles, Noah,” he said in that matter-of-fact tone I’ve come to expect from him. “Not to mention, I see the way you two look at each other. I knew it was bound to happen sooner or later,” he finished with a smirk.

  Laci looked bewildered, glancing over at me then back to Jackson. “How on earth did you know before we did?”

  Jack tapped a finger to his temple. “I know things,” he whispered mysteriously.

  “So it would seem,” I said.

  “Anyways, are we going to get back to it or what?” Jackson asked.

  “Or what,” Laci interjected, glancing at her watch. “It’s noon, and I’m starving.”

  We followed her to the house to find Sara standing over the stove, frying up hot wings. On the table, a bowl of blue cheese, carrots, and celery were already spread out. Next to those was a large pitcher of ice cold lemonade, complete with strawberry slices bobbing along underneath
a layer of ice.

  “Geez, Sara, you went all out for lunch today,” I observed.

  “It was either this or cold cereal. So, I pulled out all the stops and decided to use what we had left in the fridge. Jack, you wanna come shopping with me after we’re done eating?” she responded.

  “Sure!” he chirped, bouncing over to a chair and pulling it out. “Anything to stay out of the lovebirds’ way.”

  Sara arched one eyebrow. “Lovebirds, huh?”

  “I caught them kissing!” he burst out. “I came inside to poop, and when I walked back out, they were all over each other!”

  “I see,” Sara sing-songed as she tossed the wings in hot sauce.

  “Is that all you have to say, Mom? ‘I see?’” Jackson asked.

  “I don’t think I need to say more. I’m sure they can figure out how I feel about it,” she said suppressing a grin. “I guess things are about to change a bit around here,” she finished with a wink.

  It sure seemed that was a possibility, and I couldn’t wait to find out.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Laci

  The first kiss was incredible. Unforgettable. Even a little unexpected.

  Don’t get me wrong, I was hoping for it, but I wasn’t expecting it. So far, Noah has been anything but what I expected. And that kiss… There’s just something about a good kiss that sets you on fire, and that was more than just a good kiss. It was unbelievable. After our lips had parted ways, my brain was engulfed in flames. Every moment that our lips were pressed together, I wanted more.

  But as much as I wanted more from that kiss, after it was done and my head was a little clearer, a little part of me felt a touch guilty. After all, just a few weeks earlier I had told a guy—one that is likely a great match for me—that I just couldn’t get involved at this point in my life. My exact reasoning for saying no to him was that my career was about to launch and I needed to keep my head on straight; yet there I was, flying off in all sorts of directions. Wanting things to take off with Noah. And, I really just met the guy—even hated him at first. Mark, on the other hand, was the world’s sweetest human being from day one, and we’d practically been attached at the hip for eleven years.

  As everyone sat around the table eating and talking, I excused myself to go to the bathroom just to have a minute alone. When I reached the bathroom and shut the door behind me, I allowed my hand to close over the necklace Mark had given me. I rubbed my thumb across the back of the mask and thought about the words inscribed there. Even at 3 a.m. Even at three in the morning, Mark promised to always be there for me, and I didn’t know if I could expect that of Noah.

  Denying Mark only to fall into the arms of another guy was the last thing I wanted to do—or planned to do—but for some reason, I couldn’t help myself. There was just something about Noah, some inexplicable quality that made him irresistible, even to someone who had spent her life around a guy who was hotter than hot. A guy who was sweeter than sweet. A guy who would be crushed if I were to start something someone I just met without even giving him a chance.

  I pulled out my phone and shot a text to Mark: Hey, bud, missing you. Literally seconds later, before I even locked my phone, I heard a quiet woosh and looked down to find his response.

  Hey, beautiful. Missing you, too. Always. Everything okay?

  Leave it to him to rub it in a little bit, even without knowing it. Almost daily, he called me beautiful and constantly reminded me that I was loved, even if I wasn’t quite sure the type of love it was. Deciding that I wasn’t prepared to explain that everything was, but wasn’t, alright I simply responded with: Sure is. Hope your summer’s going alright. :)

  Eh, it’d be better if I wasn’t trapped with this boring co-star I’m working with. Talk about a snooze-a-thon.

  I smiled to myself, then responded one more time: Not everyone can be the life of the party like me. Anyways, gotta go, talk to you later.

  Alright. Remember, if you need anything…

  I read the message and then clicked the lock button, flushed the toilet so as not to arouse suspicion, and walked back into the kitchen. I hated lying to Mark and saying everything was just fine, but what was I supposed to tell him? No, everything’s not okay. I just had the kiss of a lifetime from a guy I just met and I think there’s really something there, but I’m not really sure. Basically, I’m confused as hell; I don’t want to have turned you down and made a mistake there, but I also think this could really be something with Noah. And, oh, did I mention how amazing that kiss was?

  No thanks, I’ll pass.

  I slid my phone into my pocket, sat down, and picked up a wing, trying to mask the fact that my brain was at war with itself. I tore into the chicken like it had beat up my favorite pet, and Aunt Sara noticed. “Woah, there, missy, you act like I haven’t fed you in a week.” I stopped mid-bite and looked at the people around me. Noah was staring at me with a confused glare, Jack was holding back a laugh, sputtering through his closed lips, and Aunt Sara was shaking her head as she took a sip of her lemonade. Realizing I’d probably looked like a total savage, I set down the wing, wiped my mouth, and took a sip of my lemonade. “Everything alright?” Sara asked.

  Not wanting to mention that I was feeling like a terrible human being with Noah at the table, I let out a small chuckle and said, “Yeah, I guess that piece was just a little tough. Sorry.”

  Aunt Sara eyed me suspiciously and nodded. “Okay, but remember next time, you don’t have to act like you’ve never seen a chicken wing before. And, we do have these things called utensils. You can use a fork and knife if ya need to; it’s not a crime.” Jack finally let out the laughter he was holding back and drank down the rest of his lemonade. I was the only one not finished eating.

  “You mind cleaning up a little, Lace?” Aunt Sara asked.

  “Sure thing,” I told her.

  “Awesome. I want to get into town and back before the crowds get too crazy. Thanks, honey. You ready to go, Jack?”

  “Yes, ma’am,” he confirmed. His chair slid out with a scratch, and he followed his mother out of the kitchen. As I heard their voices fade, then the front door close, I gathered up the plates and started throwing all of the bones into a bag when I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned to face Noah and saw those deep, mahogany eyes of his searching mine.

  His stare was intense and calculating, yet soft and sympathetic at the same time. How someone can pull off so many conflicting sentiments with their eyes all at once was beyond me, but his gaze was unwavering. Finally, he spoke. “Something tells me you weren’t just trying to deal with a tough piece of chicken,” he concluded.

  “What makes you say that?” I countered.

  “Your eyes,” he said simply.

  “What about them?”

  “They look troubled.”

  I’ve always been a firm believer that looking into someone’s eyes will tell you all you need to know about them. From the time I was little, my dad always told me, “If you’re ever not sure what someone’s intentions are, look in their eyes. You’ll be able to tell.” Being an actress, however, I’ve gotten really good at washing my feelings out of my eyes and putting on a façade when I need to. How Noah saw past that façade was beyond me. But he did, and I would feel like an ass if I lied to him.

  “They are,” I admitted.

  “Is this about our kiss?”

  “Well, yes and no.”

  “That’s not vague, at all.”

  “I’m not sure you’re going to like what I have to say.”

  He shrugged. “You can’t please everyone. Spit it out. Even if the truth hurts,” he said, not actually as aggressively as you’d think.

  So, I spilled my guts.

  “Please everyone? Ha. Ain’t that the truth. The thing is, I hate letting anyone down. Saying no to someone makes me feel like a complete ass, and I had to do just that to one of my closest friends. He gave me this charm and told me that he wanted to give us a shot,” I rattled off, picking up my necklac
e and showing the charm to Noah. “Anyway, I’ve known him practically my whole life and I turned him down so I can focus on my career, and…”

  A look of understanding spread across his face. “And, you’re feeling weird because you just kissed me and liked it.”

  How does he know that?

  ”Yeah, basically. And, screw you for automatically assuming that you’re the reason I’m troubled,” I finished, making finger quotes around the last word.

  “It’s not that hard to figure out,” he answered. “I mean, we just shared a pretty amazing, intense kiss, and then you told me about another guy who’s in love with you. I can add two and two and get four.”

  I laughed a little. “For a cowboy, you’re pretty smart!”

  “Don’t push your luck, Barbie,” he warned. Standing there laughing with him, I suddenly felt a little bit lighter. Mark was in love with me, that much was pretty clear, but he’d always been the kind of guy who would rather that I be happy. If that meant it was with someone else, I could only hope he would support me all the way. As much as I didn’t want to hurt him, it was time for me to do what made me happy. At that moment, I realized that just might be Noah—if I let it be.

  I decided to let him.

  Dad had always reminded me to read a person’s eyes to see how they really felt, but Mom repeatedly told me it was the little things, the little moments with someone, that made you realize what a person was really like—those were the things that could make or break a relationship. Sure, whatever this was with Noah wasn’t quite a “relationship” yet, but it seemed it could be heading there, and small moments like this showed promise. We could joke around with each other and call each other names in good fun, he was really good with Jack—one of the hottest things a guy can do is show me they’re good with kids—he genuinely seemed to care about the feelings of others, and he understood why I was troubled about our kiss. Every one of these little things I knew could add up to something good. Maybe even something great. And, what better way to keep the moments going than with the one thing that I knew we had in common.