The problem seemed to stem from the fact that none of the women he dated were marriage material. What his mother, sister, and assorted well-meaning females he considered family failed to understand was that he liked it that way.
Girls he dated provided a fun diversion for a few weeks or months.
The moment one of them started getting ideas about a more lasting relationship, Ben thanked them for their time and moved on.
There wasn’t any room in his life or his heart for a girl who made him dream about a future together.
Thoughts of Harper, of her sweet, funny personality, made him realize that maybe he was tired of dating shallow, self-serving girls.
Then again, he didn’t consider Harper a date. She was a friend, a welcome distraction while he spent time in Grass Valley on the ranch.
Ben worked to convince himself of that as he dressed and slapped on some aftershave then hurried back down the hall to the kitchen.
The girl with Tess practically drooled when he grabbed a bag he’d packed and left by the door earlier. Politely, he tipped his hat to them. “Have a nice evening, ladies. Stay out of trouble.”
“We could say the same to you if we knew where you were going.” Tess called after him.
Ben shut the door, cutting off further comments or his need to reply and hurried to his truck.
Tossing the bag into the backseat, he cranked up the air conditioning and headed into Grass Valley.
He ran by Viv’s diner and picked up a picnic basket she had ready for him.
“You promise you didn’t mention this to anyone,” he asked as Viv walked him to the door of her café.
“Cross my heart, hon. I didn’t breathe a word of it to anyone, even Cady.”
Ben had a hard time believing Viv wouldn’t call her niece, Cady Thompson, and tell her everything she knew. Perhaps the woman had more restraint than he gave her credit for possessing.
“I appreciate that, Viv. It’s getting to the point I can’t even sneeze without six people who weren’t anywhere around me at the time asking if I have a cold.”
Viv laughed and smacked him on the back. “That’s life in a small town, Ben. Now, go on with you and have fun. Whoever this girl is, she must be something special.”
Ben grinned. “She is, Viv. Thanks again.”
He set the picnic basket in the backseat next to his bag then drove to Hart Hammond’s gas station.
Harper stood near the door talking to Hart. General sat at her feet, observing the people at the gas pumps. Like the other night when he’d seen her, Harper wore a summery dress with sandals. This one was dark blue and swished around her calves as she reached down to stroke the dog’s head. The wedge sandals on her feet accented her tan, shapely legs.
Doing his best not to gape, Ben swallowed hard as he pulled in and parked. Reluctantly, he got out of his pickup. It wasn’t that he didn’t like Hart, because he did.
The problem was that Hart would tell Denni about him taking Harper out. In a matter of minutes, the entire Thompson clan would know, which would mean his sister would be all over him for not telling her every detail.
Determined not to let the local grapevine deter his plans, he walked up to Hart and Harper.
“Hey, Ben, what brings you into town?” Hart asked, shaking his hand.
“Harper agreed to keep me out of trouble this evening,” Ben said, reaching down and petting General when the dog leaned against him.
“That’s a tall order, Miss Hayes. The Morgan boys are almost as ornery as my stepsons.” Hart grinned at Harper as he spoke.
She smiled at him. “So I’ve heard. I haven’t met all of the Thompsons, but I look forward to making their acquaintance while I’m staying with Uncle Cletus.”
“Well, shoot. Denni would have a fit if we didn’t fix that. Why don’t you and your uncle plan to have dinner with us some evening? I’ll have Denni get in touch with you to figure out a day that will work.”
“That would be really nice, Mr. Hammond.” Harper gave him another warm smile.
“Call me Hart. Everyone does.” Hart glanced at Ben. “And I don’t want to know what you boys call me when I’m out of earshot.”
Ben chuckled. “It’s all complimentary, sir.”
“Don’t you start that sir stuff with me.” Hart thumped him on the shoulder. “Take this girl and go have some fun.”
Ben placed his hand on Harper’s elbow and steered her toward his truck. Hart walked beside him and spoke quietly so she wouldn’t hear. “If anyone asks, I have no idea what you’re doing this evening or who you’re with. From firsthand experience, it’s tiresome to be the center of everyone’s well-meaning speculation.”
“Thanks, Hart. You can’t begin to know how much I appreciate that.”
“Go on and get out of here before one of our many relatives drives by.”
Ben opened the passenger door and helped Harper inside then opened the back door for the dog. General jumped right in and settled himself on the blanket Ben had left on the seat.
“Good boy, General.” Ben took a bacon-flavored treat from the bag he’d brought along and fed it to the dog.
“Don’t you go spoiling him,” Harper said, watching him from the front seat.
Ben shut the door and jogged around to the driver’s side. “I don’t think one little doggy snack will ruin him.”
Harper smiled at him. “No, it won’t. Thank you for thinking of him and agreeing to let him come. He gets tired of being cooped up with me at the office. I’m afraid to leave him with Uncle Cletus, not that he’d do anything. I envision my uncle tripping over him and breaking a leg or something.”
“And knowing your uncle, he wouldn’t wear one of those emergency things around his neck so he could get help.”
Harper nodded in agreement. “Nope. He’s far too stubborn for that. Anyway, I thought General might enjoy coming along this evening.”
“Where we’re going, General can run all he wants.” Ben pulled out on the road and headed south of town.
“And where, exactly, are we headed?” Harper leaned back against the seat and let the cool air from the vents fan her hot cheeks. It could have been from the hundred-degree temperature outside, but the hunky cowboy sitting across from her presented a more likely reason for her overheated state.
“To a secret place only a few people know about.”
Harper gave him a disbelieving look. “And I suppose you have to be a Thompson or a Morgan to gain entry to this secret place. Is it a private swimming pool?”
“Nope. You won’t find one of those on the Triple T or the Running M Ranch. Trey has a big pond full of goose poop, fish, and moss. I guess you can swim in that if you like, but I’m not too keen on the idea. I just took a shower.”
“I noticed,” Harper said, wishing she refrained from offering a comment. When Ben had pulled up and got out of his pickup at Hart’s gas station, she’d almost swallowed her gum. From the straw cowboy hat on his head and the cotton shirt with the sleeves rolled up around his impressive biceps to his worn jeans and scuffed boots on his feet, he was one smokin’ hot cowboy.
It seemed surreal that he wanted to be with her. Someone like Ben Morgan could have his pick of any girl he wanted, yet he’d asked to spend his Saturday evening with her.
Exhaustion had to be plaguing him from working hard in the wheat harvest all week. In spite of that, he seemed excited to see her when he held her gaze outside of the Renegade station.
Ben gave her a questioning glance as she pulled her thoughts back to the present. “So does that mean you thought I smelled like a stinky ol’ boy the previous occasions we’ve been together?”
Harper blushed. “No, that isn’t what I meant.”
The look he shot her was full of male flirtation as he puffed his chest out a little. “Then it must mean you think I smell good. Is that right, Miss Hayes?”
“You don’t smell bad, for a stinky ol’ boy.” Harper teased then squealed when Ben leaned across the cab t
rying to reach her very ticklish sides.
The dog sat up and barked from the backseat. Ben turned to gauge the dog’s response, uncertain if the canine was giving him a warning or egging him on. General’s ears pointed forward and his hind end wiggled, announcing his interest in having fun.
Ben reached back and rubbed the dog’s head before turning his attention to Harper. “Even General thinks you need a good tickling.”
“He does not,” Harper said, grabbing Ben’s hand as he inched it toward her again. She held it captive between both of hers, resting it on her leg.
The woozy feeling that swept over her when Ben began rubbing tantalizing circles on her palm with his thumb made her question the wisdom of having dinner with the big tease.
A powerful attraction pulsed between them and Harper wasn’t sure how long she could ignore its existence. If she didn’t enjoy Ben’s company so much, she’d tell him goodbye and go back to pretending there wasn’t a man in the world that possessed the ability to turn her head.
Regrettably, Ben Morgan had not only turned her head, but piqued her interest unlike anyone ever had.
The first time she saw him, dressed as a bad boy biker with his bare chest and motorcycle boots, she’d found him intensely attractive but she wasn’t concerned about a potential relationship with him. Bikers were definitely on her list of guys to stay far away from if she wanted to keep out of trouble.
The second time they ran into each other, he’d been dressed in black pants and work boots, with a white shirt bearing the stripes of a captain across his shoulders. He looked professional and so handsome, she couldn’t help but admire his broad shoulders and strong physique. Even with her undeniable attraction to him, she hadn’t worried about anything coming of their budding friendship.
The day he’d shown up to ask her to meet him for dinner, dressed in dusty cowboy boots and a ball cap covered with wheat chaff, her throat had gone dry at the sight of him. He looked like the hero from every girlish dream she’d ever had of finding a country boy to call her own.
After spending summers with Uncle Cletus during her growing up years, Harper knew deep down in her heart she wanted to live a country life, not one in the city. Unfortunately, she couldn’t see a way to make that work and it was important to her to stay with her brother. They were a united front against the world, with the exception of Uncle Cletus.
When Ryan enlisted, she considered doing something different then, but she was almost finished with school and ready to make it on her own.
Now, though, being back on the ranch with her uncle had resurrected many old wishes and dreams. It was kind of Ben to encourage her to look into starting an accounting business locally, but she wondered if it could really work.
Deciding to think about it another day, Harper pushed away her worries about her future and focused on the present.
The fine-looking, delicious-smelling present made up of Ben Morgan.
As he turned off the highway onto a dirt road, she studied his smooth jawline. He must have recently shaved, otherwise his five o’clock shadow would have been growing dark by now. She’d noticed that the first time they met.
“We’re almost there,” he said, offering her an encouraging smile.
Lost in the warmth of his gaze, she merely nodded her head. Ben’s eyes put her in mind of the centers of sunflowers, a deep, rich brown filled with little golden flecks. She studied the laugh lines at the corners of his eyes and the way those fascinating lips tipped upward in the corners, making her want to kiss each one.
Frustrated with her runaway thoughts, she stared out the window. A grove of trees looked like an oasis in a sea of golden wheat as they approached it.
“What’s this place?” she asked as Ben parked the pickup near a grassy area beneath the shade of the trees.
“It’s our fishing hole, but we also go swimming in it sometimes. There are a few deep spots, and the creek keeps the water clear.” Ben rushed around to open her door.
“So it is a private swimming pool,” she said with a teasing grin as he offered a hand and helped her out of the truck. General jumped down and looked to Harper.
“Go on, General, check it all out.” She motioned for the dog to explore. He wagged his tail and raced off with his nose to the ground, sniffing everything.
Ben took a blanket, his bag, and the picnic basket from the backseat and carried them over to the grassy bank near the creek.
“What do you think? Are you up for a summer picnic and a little swimming?” Ben flicked the blanket and spread it out then set the picnic basket on one corner and dropped his bag on another.
“Sure.” Harper shifted her gaze from the creek to the man beside her. “Do you want to eat or swim first?”
“I’m starving, so if you don’t mind eating first, we can let our dinner settle then go for a swim.”
“That works for me,” Harper said, hurrying back to the pickup. She returned with her purse and took out her phone and a set of speakers. “You did say for me to bring music, didn’t you?”
“Yes, ma’am, I did. What have you got there?”
Harper pulled up one of her favorite country playlists. Although she listened to everything from R&B to pop classics, she’d been listening mostly to country tunes since she returned to Sherman County.
“The best of today’s hip hop selections,” she teased, turning up the volume on the speakers as a familiar Tim McGraw song filled the air.
Ben cocked an eyebrow at her. “You had me going for a minute. I thought I might have to bust out my heavy-metal collection as a counter to your choice.”
Harper shook a finger at him. “No fair. You put me in charge of music for the evening so you have to listen to whatever I choose. I assumed you’d like country, but I can switch over to some good old classical piano if you’d rather.”
“That won’t be necessary,” he said, holding onto her elbow as she settled herself on the blanket.
Ben took out the food Viv had prepared and handed Harper a plate. “It’s not Marge’s fried chicken, but Viv does a good job.”
Harper helped herself to a drumstick and a scoop of potato salad. Viv had included slices of watermelon, cherry tomatoes and fresh cucumber spears, along with chunks of French bread. “Everything looks wonderful. I didn’t realize Viv did to-go picnic baskets.”
“She doesn’t for just anyone, but I’m…”
“Family.” She added the word before Ben said it. At the strange look he gave her, she smiled. “I think it’s wonderful this is such a tight-knit community.”
Derisively, Ben snorted and sat back on the blanket. “You won’t think it’s such a great thing when you do something you’d rather no one know about and within an hour, every person in a fifty-mile radius has heard the story at least twice.”
Harper laughed. “I don’t believe it.”
“It’s true.” Ben took a bite of the chicken.
“Then you have to substantiate your statement with facts. Give me an instance when something like that happened.”
Thoughtful, Ben browsed through his memories until he found one that would clearly illustrate how fast news traveled in Sherman County.
“By the time I was twelve, I handled our old pickup pretty well. I somehow talked Dad into letting me drive it into Grass Valley one Saturday afternoon. All three of us kids had spent the day working hard with minimal complaints. As our reward, Dad gave us ten dollars and let us go without adult supervision.” Ben leaned back on his elbows and stretched out his long legs. “We made it into town just fine, but the trip home, well…”
Harper leaned toward him, enthralled with the story. “What happened?”
“All three of us wanted ice cream, so we went to the café and got cones. The smart thing to do would have been to sit down and eat them, but we were in a hurry to get back to driving. Puffed-up with the accomplishment of making it into town, the three of us climbed back into the pickup and headed toward the ranch.” Ben grinned at Harper. “We dec
ided to take a back road that would take twice as long for us to reach home. Everything went along fine until my ice cream started to melt. I was busy licking it and forgot to pay attention to the road. Before I knew what had happened, we’d bounced off the road, taken out a section of fence, scared a herd of cattle, and stopped with two tires stuck in a muddy ditch.”
“Oh, my gosh! Did you get hurt?” Harper’s humor turned to alarm, envisioning three children bouncing around like ping pong balls inside the pickup’s cab.
Ben shook his head. “No. Tess was a bossy little thing even then and insisted we had to wear our seatbelts.”
Harper gave him an amused look and he continued the story.
“Before we had a chance to wipe the splattered ice cream off our faces and get out of the pickup, Drew Thompson showed up along with half a dozen other ranchers from the area. Mom and Dad arrived a few minutes later, alternating between hugging us and hollering at us for doing something so stupid. By the time an hour had passed, people were showing up, checking to make sure we were all fine, and relaying the story they’d heard. Apparently, someone saw us go through the fence while they were on the phone and the gossip spread from there. As punishment, we had to round up the cattle, mend the fence and repair the mess we made in the ditch before Dad would let us go home.”
“Oh, come on. It’s not that bad.” Harper took a bite of the sweet, juicy melon.
“Not that bad? Try being seventeen and desperate to sneak off with your girlfriend. Mom, Dad, or a neighbor showed up at every good kissing spot in the county because someone put out the word that they saw me driving around with a girl. It was pure misery.”
Harper giggled and pointed her fork at him. “Serves you right. You were probably up to no good with that poor innocent girlfriend anyway.”
“Darn right I was. Why do you think everyone seemed intent to keep me from getting her alone?” Ben sat up and leaned toward Harper. “That’s why I went to great lengths to keep anyone from knowing who I was meeting this evening and where we were going.”
The Cowboy's Last Goodbye (Grass Valley Cowboys Book 6) Page 6
