Lassoed Into Marriage

by Christine Wenger

  He closed his eyes, needing to drift off into sweet sleep, when the door swung back open and Lisa stuck her head in.

  “I have to get some clothes for Rose,” she whispered. “For some reason, she suddenly decided she didn’t want to go to the playground now, she wanted to take a shower.” She shrugged.

  He propped himself up on his forearms to watch her. “Go ahead. Get what you need.”

  He liked watching Lisa. There was scarcely a wasted movement when she was doing something, but right now she was double-tracking, dropping things, getting flustered.

  “Can I help you find something?” he asked.

  “If I knew that we were going to share the bed, I would have changed the sheets,” she said. “I mean, we’re not sharing the bed, not in the literal sense, but we are sharing the bed, somewhat...sharing...the...bed. We are separately sharing the bed. I guess that’s what I’m trying to say.”

  Sully had never seen her so flustered, and he noticed that she avoided looking directly at him. But she was staring at his chest.

  “I was going to sleep on the floor or fix up the dinette, but I didn’t think you’d mind if I just used the bed for now,” he explained.

  “Um...I—I don’t.” Now her eyes were fixated on the ceiling. “I’ll be out of here in a second.” Her cheeks looked a little flushed. “I just can’t find Rose’s panties.”

  Well, she wouldn’t find them on the ceiling.

  He pointed. “What are those pink things in your hand?”

  “Oh. Oh, yes. There they...are. Here they are.”

  Sully rubbed a hand over his chest, just scratching an itch. He thought he heard Lisa’s breath catch, but he must have imagined it because her attention was now focused on the carpet.

  “Well, I’d better see to Rose’s shower.” She bumped into the door and dropped some of the clothes that were in her hands. “Oh!”

  He flipped off the sheet, jumped up and bent down to pick them up for her.

  “I got it!” she said. “Stay in bed.”

  But he was already standing toe-to-toe with her in the small quarters. He was wearing his cutoff jeans and dammit if they weren’t getting snug. Lisa was fully dressed, clutching Rose’s pink underwear to her breast.

  He handed her the rest of the clothes.

  “Good night again...uh, Sully.”

  “G’night.”

  He opened the door for her, and as she backed through it, she finally met his eyes.

  He closed the door behind her and practically dove into bed. Man, he was tired.

  He stretched out, thinking of Lisa. What the hell was wrong with her? She wasn’t acting like the efficient, confident, task-oriented pilot that she usually was.

  She’d been a frazzled mess.

  But then what accounted for Lisa’s strange behavior?

  He put his hands under his head, thinking.

  He’d been around enough to tell when a lady was interested in him, and he’d bet his lucky bull rope that Lisa was interested.

  Sully drifted off to sleep thinking of ways to test his hypothesis.

  * * *

  Lisa didn’t mind the spray from the shower as she washed the soapy bubbles down the drain. She should turn up the cold water; it might cool off her cheeks.

  Why was she acting like a schoolgirl?

  In approximately the eighth grade, she’d had a crush on the big basketball star of the commune’s half-hearted attempt at an organized sports team. His name was Kip McCleary, and he hadn’t yet grown into his feet. The first to have a bountiful case of acne, poor Kip was forced to brandish a homemade cream that his mother and some of the other women had made. Kip’s face had a purple hue.

  But whenever there was a basketball game and half of the boys had to take off their shirts, she’d always hope that Kip would be on the shirtless team. There was always something so exciting and forbidden about seeing a man shirtless, especially at the commune, where gauzy white was the uniform for everyone.

  Kip McCleary was a mere shadow when compared to Brett Sullivan. Brett had a body that made her gasp.

  There wasn’t an ounce of fat on his frame. His arms were thick with muscle and sinew, especially his riding arm. He had a smattering of dark hair that disappeared into the waistband of his low-riding cutoffs.

  Lisa splashed some water on her face. She had to get back to reality, and reality was the fact that the two of them were worlds apart as to how to raise Rose.

  Oh, sure, Sully had a great body, he exuded masculine energy and he was starting to grow on her. Like a barnacle, she scoffed.

  Shutting off the water, she wrapped a fluffy pink towel around Rose. The little girl kept singing away, a mishmash of cartoon theme songs.

  Rose wrapped her arms around Lisa’s neck, and Lisa could smell the scent of soap, shampoo and little girl. Lisa vowed to remember this moment, a moment when a bath, complete with bubbles, made a little girl happy.

  “Thanks for the hug, sweetie.”

  “Can I play with Lacy now?”

  “Sure. We’ll go to the playground, but let’s get you dressed first.”

  “Okay.”

  She helped Rose get dressed, and Rose sat down at the dinette as the DVD of a purple dragon caught her eye. Lisa went back to straighten out the bathroom.

  She noticed by the overflowing laundry bag hanging on the back of the doorknob that she needed to do a wash. There must be a Laundromat somewhere around here.

  It was Sully’s turn to do laundry, but he needed to sleep. Then he had to get to the arena and ride. A large autograph session for the fans was scheduled after the event, so he wouldn’t get back to the RV until very late.

  Oh, she’d just do the darn laundry. He could do it the next time.

  There was a knock on the door, and Lisa hurried to answer it. She wasn’t ready for company. Her hair was wet and so was the front of her shirt. She needed to refresh her makeup, too.

  Nevertheless, she swung the door open and found five giggling women. They were dressed in tight jeans, shirts with plunging necklines, boots and cowboy hats. They sported rhinestones, feathers, silver conch belts and big hair.

  In Florida?

  “Yes?” Lisa asked.

  “Um...uh...we’re here to see Sully. Is he here?” said a tall, tanned blonde. Whenever she moved her eyes, her bangs moved with them.

  “Yeah, Sully,” said another girl. She blew a bubble with her gum. “He’s hot.”

  “Who are you?” said a third.

  “I’m Lisa Phillips. I’m a friend of his. He’s busy right now and can’t come to the door. I’m afraid you’ll have to wait and see him at the bull riding.”

  Rose peeked out under Lisa’s arm. “Hi!”

  “Who’s that?” said a woman with glittery eyeliner. “There’s nothing about kids in Sully’s biography.”

  “I guess he needs an updated biography,” Lisa said just to tweak the women. “Have a great day. Bye now.” She had her hand on the outside door, ready to swing it shut.

  “But—”

  “Hey, wait a minute!”

  “We want to see Sully.”

  Behind the buckle bunnies, Lisa noticed several fast-approaching security guards. “Ladies, I think you’d better boot scoot.”

  “Can’t we see Sully? Just for a second,” whined the blonde.

  Lisa shook her head. “He’ll be at the autographing after the event.” She felt like Sully’s agent.

  Two security guards herded the women out of the area, while the other stayed and apologized to her. “Sorry, Mrs. Sullivan. It won’t happen again.”

  It took her a while to find her voice. “Mrs.? Who? What?” She swallowed. “Oh, no. No! I’m not Mrs. Sullivan. Never. Never will I be Mrs. Sullivan.”

 
The security guard shifted on his feet. “Sorry. Um...”

  “Lisa Phillips.”

  “Sorry, Miz Phillips.”

  “Thanks for getting rid of the groupies,” Lisa said, changing the subject.

  He tipped his hat and hurried away. He probably thought she was a psycho after her overreaction to being called Mrs. Sullivan.

  Poor man.

  She closed the door and pondered why she reacted so strongly. She decided that Sully was driving her to the brink of insanity, and he didn’t even know it. But it was all his fault.

  “Can I go and play with Lacy now?” Rose asked.

  Lisa would just like a moment to get herself together and fix her makeup, and maybe have another cup of coffee.

  Instead, she wrote a note to Sully: “Going to the playground with Rose. Will you find out where there’s a Laundromat? See you at the arena. Tickets? Good luck. Lisa.”

  Rose packed up her dolls, and they headed out of the RV. Rose handed the dolls to Lisa so she’d be free to skip.

  Lisa noticed that the communal breakfast was over and lunch was not yet under way. She hoped that she wasn’t the talk of the camping area due to her previous quick exit.

  Rose spotted Lacy and was ready to scamper off to the little girl’s trailer, but Lisa hurriedly grabbed her hand.

  “Wait for me, Rose,” Lisa called.

  Lacy held up her doll. “My brother ran over Peggy with his skateboard, and her head fell off,” Lacy said. “But my mommy put it back on.”

  Darlene, Lacy’s mother, turned the corner. “I was just going to walk over to your RV. We’re going back to the playground. How about if I take the girls now?”

  “I was just going to ask you the same thing, only I was going to take the girls.”

  “I’d be glad to do it.”

  “Well, then that leaves laundry duty for me. Would you happen to know where I could do that?” Lisa asked.

  “Right around the block.” She pointed. “That way. It’s an easy walk, even with a laundry basket. But take Lacy’s wagon. It’ll be easier for you.”

  “I’ll take you up on that wagon. Thanks.” Lisa didn’t have many close friends due to her work schedule, but she felt that she could be friends with Darlene.

  Unfortunately she’d only see Darlene during bull riding events.

  Lisa sighed. She missed Carol so much. She would pick up the phone anytime day or night and talk to her sister. She still found herself reaching for the phone to tell Carol of something cute that Rose had done. Actually, she almost dialed Carol’s phone number to tell her about Rose’s singing in the shower.

  As she walked back to Sully’s RV pulling Lacy’s red wagon, she waved to all those who made eye contact with her. Everyone was very friendly, and it made her feel less like a stranger.

  They were friends who liked to share meals together, who liked to meet at bull riding events and catch up.

  For some strange reason, she now wanted to belong.

  Why? She was so unlike them. They were easygoing; she was uptight. They wore logo shirts and Western wear; she wore designer clothes. They had their boots planted firmly on the ground; she’d rather fly.

  And they were just three reasons that she was so different from Sully.

  She climbed up the metal stairs and unlocked the door. She could hear Sully’s even snoring through the thin walls. Going into the bathroom, she got the laundry bag and a red plastic bottle of detergent.

  Just as she was about to leave the bathroom, Sully blocked her way. His eyes were slitted, and he was rubbing the stubble on his chin.

  “Lisa?”

  She was staring at his washboard stomach, but she forced herself to meet his half-closed eyes.

  “I’m going to do laundry. It’s around the block. I have a red wagon to carry it all in.” Why was she babbling about a wagon?

  “A red wagon? That’s nice,” he mumbled.

  “It’s Lacy’s wagon. She and Rose are at the playground. Darlene and Tate and the others are watching them, so I thought I’d do laundry.”

  “That’s nice of you.” He rubbed his eyes. “I’ll cook up a pot of chili to bring to lunch. We can eat with the gang before I have to go to the arena. Is that all right with you?”

  “Lunch with the gang?” she asked.

  “Is that okay? I know you don’t like to eat with everyone because it reminds you of the commune, but—”

  “No. I’m fine.”

  He didn’t say anything, but his deep-blue eyes opened a little wider.

  “I’m fine, Sully. Really. It’ll be fun.”

  “Okay. I’ll start browning the beef,” he said, “and then I’ll jump in the shower.”

  The image of Sully shedding his cutoffs and letting the water sluice over his muscular body as he soaped up made Lisa’s cheeks heat. When was she going to get over her girlish reaction to him?

  Maybe it was because Sully was in such close proximity in the little RV. And she hadn’t had sex in ages. First, she’d had a grueling flying schedule, and then, well, no one had interested her.

  “I’ll see if I can find a bakery in my travels,” she said. “I’ll get some nice bread to go with your chili.”

  “Sounds like a plan.” He picked up the laundry bag and the soap, walked down the three metal steps in his bare feet and put it all in the wagon. Then he handed her a twenty.

  “Thanks.” She stuffed the bill into her pocket. “Well, I’d better get going and head to the Laundromat.”

  “Lisa?”

  “Yes?”

  “I want to thank you.”

  “For?”

  “For doing such a good job with Rose and for the laundry and all.”

  “Thanks.” His compliment made her feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Merciful heavens, she hadn’t felt all warm and fuzzy in ages. “But I notice that you didn’t mention my cooking.”

  “Your microwaving is top-notch.” He made a goofy face and the “good” sign with his thumb and index finger, then he got serious. “We’re doing fine. We’ll get through this.”

  “Until Rose turns eighteen?”

  “And beyond,” he said.

  Rose was three years old, so she figured that meant that she had fifteen years with Brett Sullivan.

  Fifteen years. Somehow that didn’t seem as bad as it had before.

  Could there be hope for them yet?

  Chapter Seven

  Sully opened all the windows in the RV, set the air conditioner several degrees lower, took out his biggest frying pan and began cooking several pounds of ground beef.

  He added a couple of diced onions and peppers. He added whatever spices he could find in the slide-out pantry and let the whole thing simmer.

  In a slow-cooker that he always carried just for chili, he added several cans of diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes and a couple of real tomatoes.

  When the beef was brown enough, he drained the grease and added the frying pan contents to the tomatoes and stirred. After covering the slow cooker, he ventured into the bathroom for a shower.

  He turned on the water. Nothing.

  Checking the control panel, he discovered that he was completely out of fresh water, and his other tanks should be drained. Damn. He should have stopped and filled up with water somewhere and pumped out his tanks before he’d parked his rig here, but he was anxious to stop for the day after driving all night.

  He had no other choice but to drive to the nearest pump facility. He’d pump out and fill up with water.

  Dry camping was for the birds when he was with two females. Maybe he should have camped at one of the nearby campgrounds after all, but he didn’t want to work out the logistics. Besides, he’d wanted his fellow riders and their families to meet his...daughte
r.

  Yes. He considered Rose his daughter.

  What did that make Lisa? She wasn’t his sister-in-law anymore now that Rick and Carol were deceased.

  She certainly wasn’t his girlfriend.

  At one time he would have shuddered at the thought, but now he just puzzled over the fact that he hadn’t shuddered.

  Go figure.

  He went outside and told the camper next to them, his pal Jess Caruthers who was sitting outside with a cup of coffee, that he needed to pump out and that he’d be right back. He told Jess to let Lisa know.

  He put the pot of chili into the sink, bracing it with old copies of Pro Bull Rider Magazine so it wouldn’t slide around. Backing out carefully, he headed for the closest dump station, which was at a nearby RV dealership.

  Traffic was heavy on the highway, and most of the time he barely moved. Eyeing the gas gauge, he decided to pull out of line and get some gas.

  A lime-green VW bug followed him out of line and stayed close to his bumper. Sully didn’t think anything of it until four women jumped out of the car at the gas station.

  “Sully!” said a tall blonde with big hair. “I’ve been waiting to see you.”

  “Me, too!”

  “And me!”

  The shortest one eyed him up and down. “You’re looking hot, Sully.”

  He felt hot. The Florida sun was blazing overhead.

  They all had big hair and smelled of buckets of different perfume. They gathered around him, and the blonde slipped her hand into his.

  “I’m going to need my hand back, miss, so I can pump gas,” Sully said, not quite sure how to handle this situation.

  “Can we see inside your RV?” the one with the shortest shorts asked.

  “That’s not a good idea,” Sully said.

  “Well, we think it’s a great idea. We’ll warm it up for you.”

  Sully slid his credit card into the slot and hit the button for the gas he wanted. “It’s warm enough in there.”

  “Where’s your girlfriend?”

  “My what?”

  “The woman with the blond hair and the attitude. Oh, and we met your little girl. She’s really cute.”

  Sully scratched his head. “Where did you—”