The Cowboy Wins a Bride (The Cowboys of Chance Creek) (5 page)

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“I don’t flirt,” Jamie said, indignation sending him to his feet.

“Are you kidding me? You flirt with everything that moves,” Claire said. She speared a mini quiche with her fork and cut it in two. Judging by the smirk on her face, she thought she had him by the short hairs.

Actually, she did.

“It doesn’t mean anything,” he tried again. She had to know that. Flirting was like breathing to him – people expected him to act that way.

“Whatever. Those are my terms.”

“But…there’s bound to be women among the guests. How do I talk to them?”

She put down her fork and raised an eyebrow. “Really? You don’t know how to talk to women without flirting with them? No, why am I even surprised? Of course you don’t.” She shook her head. “Just talk to them. Pretend they’re men."

Jamie turned away. Hell, she had him this time. He didn’t mean to do it, but flirting came as naturally as the beating of his heart and it made life a hell of a lot easier. A smile and a look, and women just took care of your needs. It wasn’t his fault God gave him a handsome face. He wasn’t stuck up about it, either. He knew what he had and he used it to make other people happy, and if that meant flirting with a pretty girl at the local takeout place or an older woman manning the desk at some office in town, why not? It didn’t hurt anyone.

And if he'd slept with women from time to time during the years, so what? He wasn't a monk. He'd always known the minute he got Claire's attention all that would stop. And so it had. Except she'd instantly gone off with that Daniel guy.

Claire watched him, her sharp blue eyes taking in all the arguments he wasn’t speaking out loud. If he couldn’t touch her, then how was he supposed to convince her during their six weeks’ time together that she belonged with him back on the Cruz ranch?

By letting her figure it out all by herself
.

He considered that notion and nodded. She couldn’t tell him that she didn’t itch to be back among the Cruz horses, training them, riding them, living and breathing those magnificent beasts. Claire rode like the wind and understood animals better than she did people – just like him. Five weeks on the ranch while she designed his interior, and one week helping him run the trail rides and she’d be hooked all over again.

He hoped. Because if she left Montana to travel the world he didn't know what he would do. All his plans depended on her marrying him. Besides, he didn't think world travel was the answer for her, either. A few years ago when she'd started hanging around the ranch again, she'd been happier than he'd seen her in years. Then she'd quit coming. These days she looked so pale and drawn he knew she was miserable. She was doing a good job keeping that fake smile plastered on her face anytime Ethan or Autumn or one of the guests wandered by, but her eyes gave her away. Maybe a trip around the world would bring the bounce back to her step, but he doubted it. Something was really wrong with Claire and his gut told him she needed to come home – to the ranch, to her family – to her horses, or she might get to a place where she couldn’t be healed.

“Deal,” he said aloud and her eyebrows shot up.

“Really? You think you can handle six whole weeks without flirting with or touching a woman?” Her playful tone was at odds with the coldness in her eyes, and for one second Jamie thought he was getting close to the truth behind the mystery of her defeated expression. Some man had hurt her – bad. Ledstrom? The thought made him clench his fists.

“Easy,” he forced himself to say. Well, not really, but hell – he should be able to survive it. Most guys did, right?

She laughed, a sound too bitter to suit him. “Well, this I gotta see. Okay, I’m in, too.” She put out a hand and he shook it, reveling in touching her. He pulled her in and stole a kiss, not surprised when she pushed him away roughly.

“See – you can’t even last a minute.”

“Our bet hasn’t started yet.”

“When does it start?”

“Tomorrow. And you have to keep that ring on until the bet's done.”

She pulled her hand back and wiped it on her dress, then tugged at the ring he'd put on her finger. He hadn't meant it to be so small she couldn't get it off, but he liked seeing it there. Liked that she was stuck with it. “And if I lose?” she asked.

“If you lose, that ring stays on your finger forever, and we get married on Labor Day. I happen to know the lawn will be free that day.” He waved a hand to encompass the wedding festivities in front of them.

"This is ridiculous."

He sat back and gazed at her. "Are you afraid I’m capable of not flirting for six weeks or are you afraid you actually want to marry me?”

“Neither.”

He crossed his arms. “If it’s neither, then you shouldn't be worried about the bet.”

“You’re such a pain in the ass.” Her sharp face had grown even paler.

“Yeah, but I’m a pain in the ass who’s completely in control of my libido. Ah, you didn’t think I knew fancy words like that, did you? I’m a surprising guy.” He grinned again, and watched her fight her reaction to it. Fury, desire, and for one split second, anguish. Then she forced her face into its familiar pleasant expression.

“Your libido is in no way under control,” she said. “You’ll lose before we even hit the trail with those greenhorns, and I’ll laugh myself all the way back to Billings and onto my round-the-world tour. And even if you don’t, nothing can convince me to marry you.”

Jamie smiled as she walked away. He might be facing the toughest six weeks of his life, but, oh, the reward was going to be sweet.

CHAPTER THREE

She was losing her mind.

How else to explain the seesaw of emotions she’d felt during this endless day? Happiness for Ethan mixed with the ache that came from knowing no man had ever loved her the way he loved Autumn. Fury at Rob's stupid trick. Sadness that her parents weren’t here on the most important day of their son’s life. Dread of her own future.

All mixed up with the swirl of lust and anger Jamie's fake proposal and bet stirred up within her. Libido was certainly the word for the day. She didn’t know if it was Ethan and Autumn’s tangible love for each other, the romance of the wedding, or Jamie's talk about getting married but she wanted to feel his hands on her body, and she more than anyone knew that desire led to nothing but heartbreak.

Although she tried to put some distance between them, Jamie sat next to her at the head table when the real dinner started, and took advantage of the situation by brushing her arm, bumping her shoulder and re-filling her champagne glass at every opportunity. When she confronted him angrily, he smiled his slow smile and reminded her that their bet didn’t start until the next day. As more and more people stopped by to offer their congratulations, Claire realized how hard it was going to be to undo this farce.

Thank God she already planned to travel for at least a year. Maybe by the time she came back, gossip would have died down.

As dusk set in, the Cruz lawn was lit by fairy lights and the band began to throw in some slow songs among all the popular dance tunes. When Jamie appeared by her side again and pulled her to the dance floor, Claire threw caution to the wind and actually let him draw her in close. After all, everyone thought they were engaged.

She scanned the crowd, noting Rob dancing with Autumn's friend, Becka, and Cab Johnson squiring Rose Bellingham around the floor.

“See, this isn’t so bad,” Jamie said.

She made a face. “It is now that you’re talking.” But he was right; it felt good to be in his arms. Too damn good.

“You know you belong here.”

On the Cruz ranch or in his embrace? “Never. Get that in your head right now. I’m not marrying you and I'm not coming back here to live.”

Jamie abruptly stopped swaying to the music. He took her hand and pulled her through the couples.

“Where are we going?” She tried to tug free, but he gripped her tighter, probably guessing she wouldn’t make a scene. He nodded at friends and acquaintances as he dragged Claire across the lawn, around the back of the house and toward the stables.

When she saw their destination, she dug in her heels. “No. No way.”

“Come on, quit squirming. You’ve been in the barn before.”

“Not in a hell of a long time.” She pulled him to a stop. “I don’t want to do this. Not now.” She wobbled slightly where she stood. Too much damn champagne.

“Too bad. You’re going to do it.” Wrapping an arm around her waist, he practically shoved her into the stable, flicking on the light by the door.

The pungent smell of the horses took her immediately back to the long days of her childhood spent mucking out stalls, oiling saddles, and curry combing manes. Overwhelmed by memories, she looked for Starshine. But no, the mare she’d ridden as a teenager in countless rodeos was long gone, sold by her father when it was clear she wasn’t coming home. Tears pricked her eyes and she forced them back. She missed her horse desperately when she moved to Billings. Cried for her every night for weeks. What had the mare thought when Claire disappeared?

“Come see,” Jamie said softly, and led her down the center aisle. She heard the mounts shifting in their stalls, saw heads stretch over walls to see who had come to visit. Snuffling for treats. She hardened her heart. No way would she touch any of them.

Jamie opened a stall at the far end and crooned to the grey quarter-horse within. “This is Storm,” he said, maintaining his soft cadence.

“She’s beautiful,” Claire heard herself say. She was drawn forward against her will, wanting so badly to run her hand along her glossy coat. Storm turned and looked at her from one long-lashed eye.

Claire was a goner.

Later, she barely remembered stepping to the mare, barely remembered stroking her, pressing her cheek to hers, and feeling the acquiescence of the horse, the subtle shift that told Claire this animal would consent to bear her. She breathed in the warm, straw scent of the beast, and something unhitched in her heart, a little give like a crack in a dam. She ignored it, talking to Storm as Jamie saddled her, then took over from him, buckling buckles, tightening straps, her fingers going through the motions as if she’d never left the ranch.

“Let’s go,” Jamie said, and wonder of wonders, she was in the saddle, riding Storm, her dress bunched up around her thighs, thankful she was wearing her old boots. She followed Jamie, who rode a bay gelding he’d introduced as Walter. Dusk had deepened into night while they were in the stables, but she didn’t care. She knew all the trails around the ranch as well as the streets of Billings. Besides, all she cared about was Storm. The way she paced, the way her muscles shifted under Claire’s own.

To be back on a horse…

Jamie headed northwest, past outbuildings, pastures and onto open range, winding through the rolling land for nearly half an hour before he came to a stop. Claire finally took stock of her surroundings and her heart squeezed. Damn it, she should have known.

“No.”

“Yes, Claire. You can’t let the past control your life.” He dismounted and turned to face her. “We’ll only stay a moment.”

After a second, she, too, slid down from her horse and dropped the reins to the ground. Cautiously, she followed Jamie the final few steps to her parents’ gravesite. The Cruz headstones stood plain and matter-of-fact in the desolate ground. There were no trees to shade them, no flowers, no bench. Her mother and father laid to rest together for all eternity.

“I came to the funeral,” she said.

“Have you come back to visit their graves since?”

“No.”

“Why not?” Jamie moved to her side, but didn’t touch her.

She shrugged.

“Are you still angry at her?”

She thought about that. “I don’t know.”

“Still carrying a torch for Mack Mackenzie?” His tone was ironic, but she sensed the question was real.

“Of course not. What an ass.”

“Then maybe it’s time to forgive your mom for putting an end to all that,” he said.

She closed her eyes. Jamie didn’t know the half of it. He thought she left the ranch because her mother found out about her crush on Mack. He had no idea she’d walked right in on them. Mack and her mother, right in the stables.

“Was it all her traveling? Did you mind that she didn’t take you with her?”

“Hell, no. I liked it when she was gone.” Claire hugged her arms across her chest, the lie sitting heavy in her throat. “She was miserable here and she made all the rest of us miserable. She wouldn’t have wanted me on those trips of hers anyway. I would have cramped her style.”

“In what way?”

“Not you, too.” Claire shook her head. “I don’t know if all of you just play dumb or if you really are dumb.”

“Whoa, slow down there. I assume you mean Ethan and me.”

“And my father.”

“None of us are dumb.”

“You sure act like it.” She blew out a breath. “What exactly do you think my mother was doing in Europe?”

“Shopping, I guess. She sure spent a lot of money.”

Claire turned to him. “So you were paying attention. Sure, she shopped all right. Spent us all into debt. But that’s not the half of it.” She waited expectantly.