I'm out to change people's attitudes about them. Wolves are a whole lot more than just predators who feast on a rancher's herd. They're smart and clever and loyal and courageours, and sometimes they do really stupid, silly things, just like people.
R.C. RyanStichwörter: wolves ranching wyoming
It's hard to imagine you working as a waitress in some college-town bar, Aunt Cora. Were you wearing Coot's overalls back then?"
The older woman put a hand to her hip. "I'll have you know I was once considered quite a babe."
While the others were grinning, Cal rushed to her defense. "Still are to me, Cora."
Then,realizing what he'd just said, his face reddened.
His discomfort wasn't lost on the others.
Amy and Marilee exchanged meaningful looks, while Jesse,Wyatt, and Zane jumped at the chance to start teasing him.
"Careful,Cal." Jesse winked at his cousins. "Next thing you know,Aunt Cora will invite you to her studio to pose for a portrait."
Wyatt chuckled. "Just remember to keep your boots on,Cal.
I was never in any danger, Cal." Cora's tone was patient.
"So you say.But you admitted that the heavy snow brought down a tree right beside your tent. You could be lying out there right now, pinned and gravely wounded,and we wouldn't have a clue."
"Cal,I always have my cell phone under my pillow."
"A lot of good that would do if you were crushed beneath a tree. The calendar may say it's springtime, but somebody forgot to tell Mother Nature. If it isn't a tree falling,it could be an avalanche. And there you are, all alone in the wilderness,at the mercy of any number of dangers."
Cora gave a long,deep sigh. "You know I'm not going to give up my excursions. It's where I do my best work.I love it too much to ever stop."
"And I'm not going to stop worrying. I've been doing it too long."
"Now,children," Jesse said with a laugh. "There will be no fighting at the table.
When the bullhorn signaled that he'd met the qualifying time,he struggled to gather his wits,waiting until Devil was right alongside the gate before he freed his hand,cutting himself loose. He flew through the air and over the corral fence,landing in the dirt at Marilee Trainor's feet.
"My God! Don't move." She was beside him in the blink of an eye,kneeling in the dirt,probing for broken bones.
Wyatt lay perfectly still,enjoying the feel of those clever, practiced hands moving over him.When she moved from his legs to his torso and arms,he opened his eyes to narrow slits and watched her from beneath lowered lids.
She was the perfect combination of beauty and brains.He could see the wheels turning as she did a thorough exam.Even her brow,furrowed in concentration,couldn't mar that flawless complexion. Her eyes, the color of the palest milk chocolate, were narrowed in thought.Strands of red hair dipped over one cheek, giving her a sultry look.
Satisfied that nothing was broken, she sat back on her heels,feeling a moment of giddy relief. That was when she realized that he was staring.
She waved a hand before his eyes. "How many fingers can you see?"
"Four fingers and a thumb. Or should I say four beautiful,long,slender fingers and one perfect thumb,connected to one perfect arm of one perfectly gorgeous female? And,I'm happy to add,there's no ring on the third finger of that hand."
She caught the smug little grin on his lips. Her tone hardened. "I get it. A showboat.I should have known.I don't have time to waste on some silver-tongued actor."
"Why,thank you.I had no idea you'd examined my tongue.Mind if I examine yours?"
She started to stand,but his hand shot out,catching her by the wrist. "Sorry.That was really cheesy, but I couldn't resist teasing you."
His tone altered,deepened,just enough to have her glancing over to see if he was still teasing.
He met her look. "Are you always this serious?"
Despite his apology,she wasn't about to let him off the hook,or change her mind about him.
In case you haven't noticed,rodeos are a serious business.Careless cowboys tend to break bones,or even their skulls,as hard as that may be to believe."
She stared down at the hand holding her wrist. Despite his smile,she could feel the strength in his grip. If he wanted to,he could no doubt break her bone with a single snap. But she wasn't concerned with his strength,only with the heat his touch was generating. She felt the tingle of warmth all the way up her arm.It alarmed her more than she cared to admit.
"My job is to minimize damage to anyone who is actually hurt."
"I'm grateful." He sat up so his laughing blue eyes were even with hers. If possible,his were even bluer than the perfect Montana sky above them. "What do you think? Any damage from that fall?"
Her instinct was to move back,but his fingers were still around her wrist,holding her close. "I'm beginning to wonder if you were actually tossed from that bull or deliberately fell."
"I'd have to be a little bit crazy to deliberately fell."
"I'd have to be a little bit crazy to deliberately jump from the back of a raging bull just to get your attention, wouldn't I?"
"Yeah." She felt the pull of that magnetic smile that had so many of the local females lusting after Wyatt McCord. Now she knew why he'd gained such a reputation in such a short time. "I'm beginning to think maybe you are. In fact,more than a little.A whole lot crazy."
"I figured it was the best possible way to get you to actually talk to me. You couldn't ignore me as long as there was even the slightest chance that I might be hurt."
There was enough romance in her nature to feel flattered that he'd go to so much trouble to arrange to meet her. At least,she thought,it was original. And just dangerous enough to appeal to a certain wild-and-free spirit that dominated her own life.
Then her practical side kicked in, and she felt an irrational sense of annoyance that he'd wasted so much of her time and energy on his weird idea of a joke.
"Oh,brother." She scrambled to her feet and dusted off her backside.
"Want me to do that for you?"
She paused and shot him a look guaranteed to freeze most men.
He merely kept that charming smile in place. "Mind if we start over?" He held out his hand. "Wyatt McCord."
"I know who you are."
"Okay.I'll handle both introductions. Nice to meet you,Marilee Trainor. Now that we have that out of the way,when do you get off work?"
"Not until the last bull rider has finished."
"Want to grab a bite to eat? When the last rider is done,of course."
"Sorry.I'll be heading home."
"Why,thanks for the invitation.I'd be happy to join you.We could take along some pizza from one of the vendors."
She looked him up and down. "I go home alone."
"Sorry to hear that." There was that grin again,doing strange things to her heart. "You're missing out on a really fun evening."
"You have a high opinion of yourself, McCord."
He chuckled.Without warning he touched a finger to her lips. "Trust me.I'd do my best to turn that pretty little frown into an even prettier smile."
Marilee couldn't believe the feelings that collided along her spine. Splinters of fire and ice had her fighting to keep from shivering despite the broiling sun.
Because she didn't trust her voice, she merely turned on her heel and walked away from him.
It was harder to do than she'd expected. And though she kept her spine rigid and her head high, she swore she could feel the heat of that gaze burning right through her flesh.
It sent one more furnace blast rushing through her system. A system already overheated by her encounter with the bold, brash,irritatingly charming Wyatt McCord.
You've got good taste,honey." Daffy winked. "In food and in men."
As Daffy walked away, Marilee chuckled. "You realize," she said as she lifted the frosty bottle to her lips and drank, "that Daffy was practically drooling when she looked at you."
"She drools over every cowboy that walks through the door.Now if you'd drool"-he touched a finger to her jaw-"my ego would definitely be stroked."
"I doubt your ego needs stroking. I'm thinking you have a very high opinion of yourself,rebel."
He gave an easy laugh. "Does this mean you're not going to buy into my shy-guy routine?"
"Not likely.
A hundred bucks,cuz.And judging by that spectacular toss over the rail, I'd say you earned it."
Wyatt tucked the money into his pocket. "It was pretty spectacular, wasn't it? And it worked. It got the attention of our pretty little medic."
Jesse,Amy,and Zane stopped dead in their tracks.
Amy laughed. "You did all that to get Lee's attention?"
"Nothing else I've tried has worked. I was desperate."
Jesse shook his head in disbelief. "Did you ever think about just buying her a beer at the Fortune Saloon? I'd think that would be a whole lot simpler than risking broken bones leaping off a bull."
"But not nearly as memorable.The next time she sees me at the saloon, she'll know my name."
Zane threw back his head and roared. "So will every shrink from here to Helena. You have to be certifiably nuts to do all that just for the sake of a pretty face."
"Hey." Wyatt slapped his cousin on the back. "Whatever works.'"
Zane pulled out a roll of bills. "Ten says she's already written you off as someone to avoid at all costs."
Wyatt's smile brightened. "Chump change. If you want to bet me, make it a hundred."
"You got it." Zane pulled a hundred from the roll and handed it to Jesse. "Now match it, cuz. I was going to bet that you can't persuade Marilee Trainor to even speak to you again. But just to make things interesting, I'm betting that you can't get her to have dinner with you tonight."
"Dinner? Tonight? Now you're pushing the limits,cuz. She's already refused me."
"Put up or shut up."
Wyatt arched a brow. "You want me to kiss and tell?"
"I don't say anything about kissing. I don't care what you do,after you get her to have dinner with you.That's the bet. So if you're ready to admit defeat, just give me the hundred now."
"Uh-oh." Wyatt stopped dead in his tracks. "Is that a dare?"
Amy stood between them,shaking her head. "You sound like two little kids."
Wyatt shot her a wicked grin. "Didn't you know that all men are just boys at heart?"
He reached into his pocket and handed Zane a bill before he strolled away.
Over his shoulder he called, "I'll catch you back at the ranch. You can pay me then."
He left his cousins laughing and shaking their heads.
I thought I heard Delia calling for help.Once I stepped inside,I was able to follow the sound of her voice."
"Apparently you had some angels on your side,Delia."
"Angels? More like demons,sending me flying like this.
They're playing my favorite song." He swept her into his arms and began to move with her around the floor.
The honky-tonk music was something low and bluesy.
Marilee looked up into his face. 'I don't recognize this song.What is it?"
He gave her that soulful smile. "I don't know.But from now on it's going to be my favorite."
She felt her heart stutter.
He closed both arms around her, drawing her close.
She knew that everyone in the saloon was watching. At the moment, she didn't care. She couldn't think about anything except the press of his body to hers.The feel of those strong, muscled arms around her.The warmth of his thighs molded to hers.The touch of his mouth against her temple,his warm breath feathering her hair.
"This is nice." His voice vibrated through her, sending a series of delicious tingles along her spine.
"Yeah." She looked up into his eyes and could feel herself drowning in them.
She was melting all over him, with the entire town watching. She could actually feel her heart beginning to drum in her temples.
She knew she ought to draw back, but she couldn't.She didn't want the song to end.Or this night.
Oh,hell.Just look at her. She was falling for a footloose rebel with a smooth line who'd probably left a trail of broken hearts from Toledo to Timbuktu. The kind of guy she'd made a career of staying as far away from as possible. And here she was. Falling hard. Willingly. Right in front of the entire town.And loving every minute of it.
And that unfortunate loss? Was that really an accident,or did you lose deliberately so I wouldn't have to pay the bill?"
He shrugged. "My lips are sealed."
"I should have known."
Once on the open highway he turned on the radio,and they both sang along with Garth as he lamented his papa being a rolling stone.
When the song ended,Marilee looked over. "I'll consider that a sermon. According to Garth, a woman would be a fool to lose her heart to a man who'd rather drive a truck than be home with her."
Wyatt winked,and in his best imitation of Daffy's smoky voice he said, "Honey, a man may love the open road,but any female with half a brain can figure out how to compete with a truck.Just bat those pretty little red-tipped lashes at any male over the age of twelve, and his brain turns to mush.Next thing you know, instead of revving up his engine, he's on his hands and knees, carrying a toddler on his back around a living room full of toys and baby gear."
Though the image was a surprisingly pretty one,Marilee had to wipe tears from her eyes,she was laughing so hard. When she caught her breath she managed to say, "You've got Daffy down so perfectly,you could probably answer the phone at the Fortune Saloon and no one would believe it wasn't her."
"She's easy." He chuckled. "I think she's the only female with a voice that's deeper than mine."
She looked out the window at the full moon above Treasure Chest Mountain in the distance. "It's a shame to waste such a pretty night.Maybe you ought to pull over and park.We can make out like teenagers."
"Not a bad idea." At his arched brow she added, "It would give me a chance to see if I could turn your brain to mush."
"Believe it.
Seite 1 von 3.
nächste letzte »
Data privacy
Imprint
Contact
Diese Website verwendet Cookies, um Ihnen die bestmögliche Funktionalität bieten zu können.