Charming Jo

by Laura Drewry

  Levi groaned and pulled her onto his lap so she straddled him. Was no denying how much he wanted her now. Her fiery green eyes widened in shock, then smoldered, their heat boring straight through him.

  She slipped her fingers through his hair, lowered her mouth to his and wiggled her bottom against him.

  “Joanna,” he groaned again and felt her smile against his mouth. “You’re killing me here.”

  “Now you know how I’ve felt all this time.”

  “Wha. . .?” He pulled back again, shocked to see the love shining in her eyes. Everything he felt for her, everything he wanted for her, was reflected there in the depths of her eyes. Dammit!

  “We can’t do this.” He lifted her off his lap and deposited her in a heap next to him. Then, before she could move again, he leapt to his feet and paced the ground beside her.

  “Look, Travers,” she began, her voice losing the velvety softness it’d had a moment ago. “I don’t know what kind of game you’re playing here, but one thing’s for certain. We both want this.” She waved her hand between them as she’d done so many times before.

  He couldn’t stop his head from nodding.

  “And from what I’ve heard, you’ve never been one to refuse a woman before, so what’s the problem?”

  God, where did he start? He was the problem. For the first time in his life, he didn’t want a quick roll with a woman. He didn’t want to have sex with her and then move on. He wanted to make love to her and spend the rest of his God-forsaken life with her. He wanted her to depend on him, to love him and to give him children. Lots of children.

  The pain that shot through his heart made his head seem like little more than a splinter. LeeAnna Pearson was still claiming that child was his. He knew it wasn’t, but no one else believed it. And if the baby’s looks didn’t prove who the real father was, Levi would be in a heap-load of trouble. He couldn’t put Joanna through that.

  “I’m sorry.” He stepped back, adjusted his shirt the best he could without any buttons, and reached for his horse’s reins. “I know you think I’m an idiot, and you’re probably right. But when we do this,” it was his turn to wave a hand between them. “And we will do this - it’s not going to happen on the hard ground where anyone could walk up on us.

  “When it happens, it’s going to happen somewhere private, where I can take my time over every inch of you and you won’t have to worry about anything.”

  “I’m not worried.” She stepped forward and he let her. He had to be the weakest man in the world.

  “Joanna.” He kissed the frown across her forehead. “You’re the one who made me respect you. You’re the one who made me want to be a better man.”

  “Me?” She snorted. “I didn’t have anyhing to do with that.”

  “Yes, you did.” He tipped her chin up so she had to look him in the eye. “I want you more than I’ve ever wanted anything in my life.”

  Tears glistened in her eyes.

  “And because of that,” he went on, kissing away the tears as they tripped over her lashes. “I don’t want this to be like anything else ever was. I want you to be in my arms, and in my bed. . .” he hesitated, swallowed and kissed her as soft as he could. “For the rest of my life.”

  Joanna’s eyes shot open, her jaw dropped. For a long minute – too long – she said nothing, did nothing. Then more tears flowed down her cheeks, faster than Levi could wipe them away.

  “Y-you--” she shook her head, licked her lips. “What?”

  “You heard me.” He wiped her cheeks again, then cupped her face between his hands. “I love you, Miss Joanna. And I want you to marry me.”

  She slumped against him. “You what?”

  “Stop saying that.” He chuckled as he tucked her head under his chin. “You heard me. And it’s not like you to be speechless about anything, so what d’you have to say about that?”

  “I. . .I. . .” she snorted against his chest, then wiped her nose on his shirt. “Mac’s gonna kill both of us.”

  “I really don’t give a shit about your uncle right now, Joanna.” He held her shoulders and eased her back so he could see her face. “Tell me.”

  She swallowed hard, but said nothing.

  “Just say it, Joanna.” He grinned. “You’d be amazed how much better you feel once it’s out.”

  “I, um, I. . .” she lowered her head, but he tipped it back up again. It was a motion he seemed to do a lot with her.

  “Tell me,” he murmured. “Or tell me to leave. But for God’s sake, say something.”

  Panic shot through her eyes. “Don’t leave me, Travers.” She wound her fingers around the front of his shirt and pulled him closer until their noses touched. Her voice was barely a whisper. “I love you. Are you happy now? God, but I love you.” She shoved him back a bit, but kept her fingers clenched in his shirt. “And if I even think you’ve gone near Stella again, the beating you took from Mac’ll be nothing next to what I do to you.”

  Laughter exploded from Levi. He should have known she’d come out with something like that. But he didn’t care. She loved him. Him, of all people. There couldn’t be a happier man in the world.

  Now if he could only prove to her and her damned uncle that he was worthy of her love, then everything else could go to hell.

  Joanna loved him. Knowing that made the love he felt for her explode inside him. He might never stop grinning.

  CHAPTER 10

  “Have you asked anyone to the dance, Mr. Travers?” Carrie’s voice dripped with its usual sweetness.

  Levi finished his coffee and shook his head. “Don’t imagine I’ll be attending your shin-dig, Miss Carrie, even if Will and I are still here.”

  A brief look of shock crossed her face, then irritation. “You and Joanna – I swear the two of you are trying to drive me mad.”

  He sat a little taller. “Joanna’s not going?”

  “She never does,” she answered almost indifferently. “Aunt Ginny, have you heard from the Harveys yet?” Carrie ran her finger down the list in front on the table, carefully crossing off several things.

  “No,” Ginny collected the dirty dishes as she spoke.

  Levi looked from one woman to the other. “Why?”

  Carrie glanced up. “Because they’re supposed to be bringing chairs and we’re going to need all we can get.”

  “No.” Levi frowned. “I mean why doesn’t Joanna go to the dance?”

  Carrie opened her mouth to answer, but Ginny stepped in. “She doesn’t like them.”

  “That’s not it,” Carrie piped up. “It’s all P--”

  “Carrie.” Ginny’s tone was soft, but firm. “It’s Joanna’s business, no one else’s.” She turned back to Levi. “She’s not fond of all the fuss and dancing. She’d rather be on her own.”

  “Really?” Levi shook his head. It was the only reason he’d even considered going to the fundraiser – just to see Joanna in something other than her dead father’s clothes.

  In the days since they’d confessed their love to each other, they’d both agreed it probably wasn’t a good time to let anyone else know. Especially Mac.

  But this – this was a perfect opportunity to touch her again. And it’d be in front of the whole town, so he’d have to behave himself. The temptation might kill him, but at least he’d get to hold her.

  He smiled. Maybe this was the year she’d learn to like the fuss and dancing. He suddenly needed to talk to her, to hear her whiskey-smooth voice – even if it was yelling and telling him he was an idiot for even considering this whole idea. But hell, he’d missed her so much over the last few days, he’d be happy to sit and listen to her yell.

  It was a risk. If anyone at the dance thought for one second there was more to Joanna and Levi than work at the ranch, her reputation would be ruined forever. And he’d be run out of town quicker than he could take a breath.

  But the memory of their kisses, the taste of her sweet lips against his and the way her fingers twisted through his hair
. . .

  Levi blew out a long breath and leaned back in his chair, hands clasped behind his head. Carrie’s voice prattled on about what needed to be done for the dance, but Levi ignored her; Ginny could deal with her. He had other things to think about.

  Joanna. This whole love business was complicated. Why the hell couldn’t he stop thinking about her? He’d never spent so much time wondering about one woman; hell, he probably hadn’t spent so much time thinking about anything. She’d crept under his skin, into his brain and lodged herself deep in his chest – at least that’s where it hurt the most. It was a good hurt, though. Most of the time.

  What amazed him the most was that she’d done it without even trying, and without even realizing it. Just by being Jo, she’d done something he’d never believed could be done; she made him want to be a better man. She demanded so much from him on the ranch, expected to be treated with respect, and took nothing less.

  And God help him, but he found himself wanting to give her more than she asked. If only she’d ask for something other than his ability to string a fence or tend the ranch. But she hadn’t. Even after she’d said she loved him, she didn’t ask anything of him. Never even said she’d marry him.

  Deep in his brain, he knew what that meant. She might love him, might enjoy his kisses, but she wouldn’t marry him. Mac had been right. Levi wasn’t near good enough for Joanna, but he couldn’t help himself. The memory of their kisses haunted his every breath. He needed one more – just one - and then, if she wasn’t going to marry him, he could leave the Double M a happy man.

  There was little doubt that no matter how he felt, or how much he wanted to make Joanna his for the rest of his life, Mac would kill him before he’d let that happen.

  And with the way things were, there wasn’t a hope in hell of kissing Joanna again anytime soon. Not unless he got himself some kind of miracle. And it’d have to be a quick miracle, too, because the fence would be done sooner than he expected and after that, he’d be run off the Double M. If only he could prove to Mac he wasn’t the lying cur-dog he thought Levi to be.

  In the meantime, he had to see Joanna. Had to touch her. And if no one else was around, he’d have to kiss her good and hard, too.

  He left the house and rode for almost an hour before he found her; up to her knees in a thick mud bog, with her arms wrapped around the horns of a frantic, bawling steer.

  Here was Levi’s miracle.

  “Need some help?” he asked innocently, from atop his mare.

  “Get me out of here, Travers, before this animal gores me.” She almost sounded scared. Almost.

  “Calm down.” He slid off his horse and dropped the reins to the ground.

  “Don’t tell me to calm down,” she grimaced. “I’ve been standing here for. . . well, I don’t know how long, but this young fella isn’t looking nearly as friendly as he did when I first found him.”

  Levi tipped his head to the side and frowned. “Why didn’t you just rope him?”

  Jo’s face flushed a deep pink. “Would you shut up and just get me out of here?”

  He pulled a rope from his saddle and stepped as close to the mud as he dared, eyeing the steer’s position. They stood about six feet apart, with nothing but mud between them. He climbed back on his horse and nodded toward Jo. “Let him go.”

  “What?” Jo’s green eyes flew wide. Damn, but she had pretty eyes. “Are you crazy?”

  “Probably,” he shrugged. “But you’re going to have to trust me on this one.”

  “I swear, Travers --.”

  “It’s Levi. And I’ve heard you swear before, so you don’t scare me.” This better work. “Let go.”

  With a long doubtful look, she released the steer and promptly fell backwards. The animal bawled, pushed its horns toward her and tried to lift its front foot.

  “Travers!”

  Levi whirled his lasso over his head and tossed it around the animal’s horns. With a quick yank, he pulled the rope tight and looped it around the pommel on his saddle. He urged his horse around the edge of the bog until the steer had no choice but to turn in the same direction, the rope forcing him around.

  Joanna tried to push herself out of the mud, but slipped back onto her rump. Levi kept the rope taut, despite the animal’s determination to get free. He kneed his mount on further until the steer pulled its legs from the muck and stepped up onto dryer land.

  “Ya!” With a quick flick of his wrist, Levi released the loop from the frightened animal and chased it off in the other direction. Then he turned back to the next problem. Joanna.

  The mud which had been almost to her knees, now covered her to the waist as she struggled helplessly to stand. He slid from his saddle and stood smiling down at her. How could he not?

  “Are you going to help me or what?” A great blob of mud flew from her hand and landed just under her eye. She tried to wipe it off, but only managed to smear it down her cheek.

  “That depends on two things.”

  “What?” she cried.

  “First, stop yelling.”

  “I’m not yelling!”

  Levi crossed his arms and looked at her, his brow raised, his head tipped to the side.

  “Okay,” she breathed. “I’m not yelling anymore.”

  “And. . .”

  “And what?” She pushed up again and landed on her left side.

  “No yelling,” he repeated with a grin. This was going better than he’d even hoped. He’d missed being this close to her, missed their fights. And Lordy, she was sexy when she was mad. Even covered in mud.

  She closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths. “No yelling. No yelling.”

  “Good,” he said. “The other thing is easier. You have to go to the fundraiser with me.”

  Jo’s eyes sprang open. “Not a chance.”

  “Okay.” He picked up his horse’s reins and gripped the pommel.

  “Wait,” she yelled. “You can’t just leave me here.”

  “Then you’ll go to the dance with me?”

  “No.”

  Levi slipped his foot into his stirrup.

  “Travers!”

  “It’s Levi. And don’t worry, I’ll send Clay back to help you. With his skill and sense of direction, he should have you out of there by Thursday. Friday at the latest.”

  “Please.”

  Had she ever said please to him before? Not that he could remember, that was for damned sure.

  Levi pulled his foot out of the stirrup and turned. “Then you’ll go?”

  Her chin trembled slightly. “Why that?”

  He cleared his throat and crouched as close as he dared. “First you tell me why you won’t go.”

  She sat in the mud for a full minute before she answered. Her brow wrinkled and her mud-speckled mouth turned down in a small frown.

  “I went to the first one. Papa and Ginny spent months organizing the whole thing; there was music and flowers and more food than could feed a whole army.” Jo’s gaze seemed to drift off to another place and time. Levi sat back and watched the storm build in her eyes.

  “Ginny even made me a new dress.” A smile touched her lips. “Pink – just like Carrie’s. Had lace around the collar, too.” Her finger traced where the collar would have been on the dress, leaving a streak of mud across her chest.

  “I bet it was real pretty.”

  “Prettiest dress I’d ever seen,” she breathed.

  “So what happened?”

  Jo’s smile vanished as the clouds washed over her expression. “Me, that’s what happened.”

  “What d’you mean?”

  “Look at me, Travers.” She waved her hand in front of herself, indicating the mud, the tattered blue shirt and her old weathered hat. “Do I look like someone who should be wearing pink silk?”

  He did his best imitation of her snort. “Now’s probably not the best time to ask me that.” With a quick dodge, he just missed getting hit with the handful of mud she threw at him.

 
“It was awful,” she said. “I tripped over everything and everyone. Stepped on everyone’s toes when we danced and then,” she stopped and wiped her muddy arm under her nose.

  The thought of lassoing her, too, danced through his mind, but only for a second. Instead, he tossed her the rope, waited until she had a good grip on it, then tugged her from the mud. She landed on the ground beside him and sat there, covered in mud, looking better than any woman ever had.

  “And then what?” he asked, lowering himself down beside her.

  “And then,” she sniffed. “Peter Carlson told everyone that no amount of silk or lace would ever turn an ugly goat like me into a princess like Carrie.”

  Fury gnawed at his gut. He should have killed Carlson when he has the chance. If anyone was an ugly goat, it was Carlson himself. So why would Jo let a fool like him scare her off?

  “That’s it?” he said. “That’s why you’ve never been to another one?”

  Jo shoved him hard and stood up. “I always knew you were a skunk, Levi Travers. You’re no better than Peter Carlson and I wouldn’t go to that stupid dance if you were the last idiot on earth.”

  She headed for her horse, hobbled in the shade of a tall cottonwood.

  “I didn’t mean. . .” He pushed to his feet and strode after her. “You let someone like Peter Carlson – Peter Carlson - scare you off that easy? He’s about the biggest idiot I’ve ever met.”

  “He didn’t scare me off.” She whirled around. “I just realized he was right, is all. I don’t belong there.”

  “Yes, you do. And I want you to go with me.”

  “No.”

  “Why?”

  A moment’s hesitation, then a shrug. “I have nothing to wear.”

  “I’ll take care of that.”

  “You most certainly will not.” She hooked her foot into the stirrup, but with the mud quickly caking on her pants, getting up into the saddle was proving a little difficult. “Can you imagine the talk if people knew you’d bought me a fancy dress?”

  “Come on, Joanna. It’ll be fun.”

  She stopped and turned to face him. “I can’t dance.”