Riding for Love (A Western Romance) (19 page)

Eve took a curry brush from a shelf and slipped the strap over her hand. “At any rate I’m just glad Tilly is smart enough to get both of them into the barn.” She ran the brush down Tilly’s flanks.

“Hey, maybe it was the other way around. Don’t underestimate the powers of my horse, lady. Maybe Della led Tilly back here.” He patted the horse’s nose and spoke in singsong tones. “Isn’t that right, baby? You’re a smart horse, aren’t you, sweetie. The smartest horse ever.” He ran his hands down her sides. “Only a very, very smart horse like this would keep letting someone as inept as me get on her back without tossing him on his keester.”

Eve giggled at his antics. “You’re crazy. The only reason she hasn’t tossed you on your ass is she knows you’re crazy enough to get right back on, and she couldn’t stand the thought of all the clumsy mounting.”

“See, my little pet, you are the most intelligent equine on the face of the earth.” He patted Della one last time. He leaned his elbows on the top of the stall and looked down at Eve. “And what do you mean by clumsy mounting, lady? I thought my mountings today were very smooth. I mean, I didn’t recall hearing any complaints in-between your moans.”

Eve snorted. “You ass.”

“Well?”

“Well nothing. You didn’t hear me complain, did you?”

“Like I said, all I heard was your moans. Oh, and your sighs and your whispers and . . .”

“I get the picture, Denton Johanson,” she said, her face turning red, her stomach tightening.

“Hey, don’t ever be embarrassed with anything you do with me, Eve. I thought it was beautiful and wonderful and”—his voice dropped an octave—“very, very sexy.”

She smiled at him and rubbed her hand over Tilly’s nose. “Okay, I’ll try not to be embarrassed, but you have to remember, this is all new to me. Let’s feed the horses and then get something to eat.”

“Sounds good to me. I’m starving.” He gave his horse a scoop of feed, topped off her water bucket, and closed the stall gate. “Do you want to go into town later for fireworks?”

She moved a finger at him, urging him to come closer. When he stood directly in front of her, she wrapped a hand around the back of his neck and pulled him to her until her lips were just a whisper from his.

“I’d rather make our own fireworks.” She took his hand and led him toward the house and a celebration of their own.

Chapter 17

Eve stood in front of the closet trying to decide what to wear to Denton’s class reunion. She took out a simple sleeveless red dress, then held it in front of her. Her reflection smiled back. The past two weeks had been fantastic. No, incredible. No, more than incredibly fantastic.

After spending the rest of the night of the Fourth in bed, she tried convincing him he didn’t need to continue taking lessons to prove his sincerity. He tried persuading her to let him move from his cabin to the house, but she wasn’t ready. Now with Denton’s classes over, they didn’t get to be together as much, making their time together all the more special.

Instead, he came over nearly every night for supper. Somehow Tom had sensed the change between her and Denton and had decided to play chaperone. He sat on the porch with them each night, sharing the news of the day along with a bottle of beer and discussing the continued small incidents plaguing the ranch. He stayed until Denton finally took the hint and went home.

Eve was frustrated, both emotionally and physically. With only one night snuck in when Tom stayed in town, her hormones were raging through her body like a herd of wild horses. She took the dress from the hangar, shrugged off her robe, and slid the silky fabric over her head. The scooped neckline graced the tops of her breasts. She latched a silver necklace with an onyx stone around her neck, letting the stone nestle between them. The matching earrings dangled at her ears. She smiled at the memory of Denton’s placing the necklace around her naked neck and letting it settle on her naked body during their one rare night together.

A pair of strappy black heels and black nylons completed her outfit. Once again, she stood in front of her mirror. Her hair flowed past her shoulders, the ends turning under like an old-fashioned pageboy. As usual, she kept her makeup simple.

The flared skirt of the dress skimmed above her knees. She thought she looked . . . well, she hoped she looked . . . ah, hell, she just hoped Denton thought she looked okay or at least good enough to make a few heads turn at the reunion. Hopefully, no more ‘old Evie’ or ‘poor Evie,’ or even ‘Denton, what the hell are you doing with her?’

She held her stomach and took a deep breath. On the outside, she may be in power and ready to take on anyone who got in her way, but . . .

“Ah, hell, who am I kidding, I’m scared to death.”

She twisted from side-to-side, letting her dress flare. She stuck out her tongue at her reflection, picked up a little black purse, and waltzed out her bedroom door. With Denton on her arm, she had nothing to worry about. She wouldn’t even let Marie get to her, because she had no doubts Denton’s ex would put on a show.

Eve gripped her purse to stop her shaking hands as Denton pulled into a parking spot at the country club. Her stomach flip-flopped as if she was on a tilt-a-whirl spinning out of control.

Denton turned off the engine and took her hand. “If I didn’t tell you when I picked you up, you look incredible, Eve.” He kissed the back of her hand.

She grinned. The memory of his response when he came in the house would carry her through the next decade. He’d taken her hands, twirled her around, and whistled. The hunger on his face, longing in his eyes, and bulge in his pants told her she was desirable, at least to Denton Johanson and that was all that mattered.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

“You have nothing to be nervous about. Remember you’ve done more with your life than a lot of those people and high school was eons ago. People change.”

Eve hid a snort. If ever there was a person who hadn’t changed, it was Marie.

Denton kissed the back of her hand again. “Let’s go.”

He walked around the SUV and helped her from the vehicle, placing her shaking hand in the crook of his arm. With a quick kiss, he led her toward the country club doors.

Eve had been in the building only once in her life. As a senior honor student, she’d come to a banquet with her mother, probably the last time the two of them had done something together before she died. The place hadn’t changed much. Now a crowd of Denton’s classmates mingled around the bar.

“Hey, Denton, ol’ boy. Good to see you again.” Dan Greenwald grabbed his hand and slapped him on the back. To her surprise, he leaned down and kissed her cheek. “Sure good seeing you two together again. It’s about time.”

A petite brunette came up and put an arm around his shoulders. “You remember Eve, don’t you honey? She was in your class.”

Toni Greenwald reached out and pulled Eve into a tight hug. “I’m so glad you came, Eve. I can’t believe we live in the same town and never bump into each other. How have you been?”

Eve almost laughed. A hug from Toni Greenwald, lead cheerleader and homecoming queen senior year, prom queen junior year, not to mention voted most popular? Unbelievable. Not only a hug, but friendly conversations. Maybe Denton was right. Maybe people did change.

Eve began to believe this more and more as the evening wore on. Everyone seemed to forget how they’d treated her and now acted like she was a long-lost friend. Quite a few kids from her class had married people from Denton’s class and a surprising number still lived in the area. Several knew about the ranch and had come out for her barn dances. Some showed interest in taking riding lessons. She was simply amazed.

It wasn’t because of Denton either, because some of the encounters happened in the ladies’ room. Eve began to question her high school memories. She’d had a few close friends. The more she thought about it though, the more she recalled the fun she’d had in band and the time in chemistry class when she and her partner had accidentally mixed up ingredients from two different experiments. The entire school had to be evacuated. It had taken the entire weekend to remove the stink of skunk from the building. The memories kept coming. Stories told by classmates triggered better times.

But, she mentally chastised herself. No more living in the past. She was with Denton tonight and hopefully in the future. She took a sip of wine and observed the crowd laughing and joking. For the very first time, in a long, long time, she enjoyed being in a social situation.

A short time later, Eve listened to Dent and his friends reminisce. With his arm around the back of her chair and his hand caressing her shoulder, she felt content, happy to be with people she’d known in high school. He and others at their table laughed about a Halloween prank some of them had pulled on one of the teachers. Thinking they had gotten away with toilet papering his house, they were shocked to find their school lockers stuffed with sheets and sheets of toilet paper the next day.

“Shit,” Denton muttered, nodding his head at the entrance to the room.

He moved his arm from the back of her chair to her shoulders. She looked at the door. “My thoughts exactly,” she whispered back.

“I was hoping she wouldn’t show.”

“Not as much as I hoped.” Eve put her wine glass to her lips and eyed her nemesis over the rim. Marie didn’t hide her search for someone, and Eve had a good idea that someone was Denton. Eve’s nerves jumped when Marie located them. A small smile crossed the other woman’s face.

“Ah, shit, she’s spotted us,” Denton said, tightening his hand on her shoulder.

“Probably because she hunted for us, Dent.”

Marie turned to talk to someone standing at the side of the doorway. Staring directly at Eve, she laughed at something the man said, took his arm, and walked into the room.

“Max? What the hell is she doing with Max?” Eve muttered.

“Isn’t that your vet friend?”

“Well, he was my vet friend until he wanted more than I was willing to give.”

Denton took his gaze from Marie and snapped it to Eve. “And what was that?”

Eve patted his hand. “Don’t worry. He only wanted to get a little more serious than I did. Remember the night at the restaurant with your mother?”

“How could I forget? Not one of my finer moments.”

“Mine, either.” Eve paused, waiting for Denton’s ex to make her grand appearance before them. She stopped and chatted with a few acquaintances. “Anyway, after you left, Max sensed something between us. He wasn’t happy about it and told me I needed to figure out my feelings for you.”

“And did you?”

Eve smiled into his eyes, then at his mouth. Not caring who watched, she placed a light kiss on his lips. “I certainly did.”

“Well, aren’t you two cozy.” Marie’s snide voice interrupted.

Eve eased away, giving Denton a slow smile and finally turned to face the other couple. She ignored his ex. “Hi, Max. Good to see you.”

Max took her hand, placed a courtly kiss on its back and gave Dent a curt nod. “Hi, Eve. Good to see you, too.”

“Right,” Marie drawled. “You and Max are friends, aren’t you?” She directed her statement at Denton. “And, as I understand,
very good friends
.” She sat on a chair vacated by their classmates who bid a hasty retreat at Marie’s entrance.

Eve took a deep breath and gave the other woman a small smile. “Max is my veterinarian and friend, nothing more.”

Marie took Denton’s glass from his hand and took a sip. “Hmph. Not what I heard.” She wrinkled her nose in distaste and tossed her long blond hair over her shoulder.

Denton shoved the beer glass to the other side of the table and opened his mouth.

Eve put a hand on his arm and shook her head. She didn’t need him to stand up for her. She glared at Max. “I’m not sure where you’re getting your information, Marie, but I can assure you, Max and I never had anything going between us.” She jumped when Max slammed his glass on the table.

Marie flipped her hand. “Whatever. He’s with me now. Once again, I’ve taken something of yours.” She brought Max’s arm to her side.

Eve gave Marie a thoughtful smile and nodded. “So you say. Once again, I need to explain this to you. Should I speak slower or louder so you can understand? Max and I never had a relationship, so you can’t take something never belonging to me.” Eve picked up her glass and brought it to her lips. “And, let’s see, seems to me that in order to take Denton away from me, you had to lie and cheat. Where is he now, Marie?”

Hatred emanated from Marie. Eve leaned harder into Denton’s shoulder as she glanced at Max. His face was beet red. Now why would he be so upset?

“This isn’t over, Eve Dayton.” Marie grabbed Max’s arm and stalked away.

When Eve thought they were in the clear, Marie called over her shoulder. “Before this is over, I will take more than Denton from you.” Nose in the air, she waltzed away, tugging Max behind her, their path through the other classmates looking like the parting of the sea.

“Well, that was fun,” Denton said sardonically.

With shaking hands, Eve pick up her glass. “I can’t figure out what I did to make her hate me so much or where she got the idea Max and I had dated.”

Denton ran a finger down her cheek. “I wouldn’t worry. After spending all that time with her, I’ve decided she’s mentally unbalanced. Marie focuses on something, and if she doesn’t get what she wants, she goes berserk.” His gaze followed the couple leaving the room. “Max wasn’t too happy when you said you were only friends.”

“Yeah, I noticed. I never led him on.” When they were finally out of sight, Eve turned to Denton. “I wonder what she meant by her last remark. What on earth do I have besides you that she could possibly want?”

“Well, it’s something we need to figure out, but not tonight. There’s no chance in hell she’s getting me back. I’m older and wiser and more in love than before. I only want and need you.”

Eve’s heart warmed at his words, but inside her self-confidence slipped a little.
What man could resist a beautiful woman like Marie when she dangles herself in front of him?

He fingered her hair. “Trust me on this, Eve Dayton. I’m not going anywhere and there is nothing she can say or do to make me.” He stood up. “I need to get a new glass of beer. Want anything, honey?”

She dabbed at the tears in the corners of her eyes with a napkin as Denton walked across the room, swerving around tables, greeting old classmates.

Dan came back to the table a drink in each hand, his wife behind him. Denton followed carrying a beer and a fresh glass of wine. After sitting down, he handed the wine to Eve.

The sheriff leaned his elbows on the table and faced Eve and Denton. “What was that all about?”

“Are you asking as a friend or sheriff?” Denton asked.

“Both.”

“Just Marie playing her little games, Dan.” Eve toyed with the stem of her glass, spinning the base in circles.

“I sense there’s something more to it. Has anything else happened at the ranch?” Dan took a drag of his beer. “You’ve told me about your father and the stolen meat.”

“At the time they seemed like small things, but put together, I think something bigger is going on.”

“Like what?”

“Salt thrown in the water trough, a bridle cut, thorn in a bridle strap causing a horse to bolt.”

Denton flinched.

“Personal one, huh?” Dan laughed.

“Way too personal. Might have been a disaster, but we managed it well enough.”

“Huh. Anything else?”

“Water sprayed on grain making it moldy. Unexplained holes being dug. Customers having items missing.”

“Sounds like theft to me.”

Eve leaned forward. “The items were located in other cabins, like someone was playing a joke by switching things around.”

“How did the customers react?”

“Everyone got their stuff back, so they treated it like a joke, too.” Eve folded her hands around her glass.