The Cowboy's Homecoming

Ry’s needs were simple and he’d been careful with his money. As a result he had a rather nice little nest egg built up for a rainy day.

A rainy day that might have arrived. He still had some thinking to do before making any firm decisions. Still, it didn’t hurt for a man to have his ear to the ground.

But first he had to get unhitched. He could hear the dogs, Molly and Ranger, barking inside when he hopped out of the truck and moved to disconnect the camper. It took very little time for him to have it level and ready, just the way he liked it.

No one was home, so he went in the back door and emptied his dirty clothes from his duffel into the washing machine. After petting the dogs and putting some water in their bowl, he took a quick scrounge of the fridge and found leftover meatloaf. Ry sliced a huge hunk and put it between two slices of homemade bread for his dinner, then grabbed a beer from the fridge before heading back outside.

It was quiet. Almost too quiet. What he’d really like to do was go for a swim, let the cool water soothe his tired muscles. With more than an hour of daylight left, he shoved the last crust of bread into his mouth, washed it down with the beer, and struck out for the western edge of the property.

He’d discovered the bend in the creek quite by accident a few days after he’d arrived at the ranch. He’d been out riding, familiarizing himself with the place, and he’d started following the creek toward the property line. He knew at some point the land became Brandt property, but he didn’t know when and where. It took him a good half hour to make his way to the spot he’d found before, where the rushing, burbling sound faded to a soft lapping. It was wide enough, deep enough to swim. With the warm sun bathing his face, he stepped through the tall grass to the edge and prepared to strip to his briefs.

And halted, with his hands on the button of his jeans. There was already a pile of clothes on the ground, a heap of denim and a pale green T-shirt next to running shoes. Women’s running shoes.

He snapped his gaze to the water at just the right moment to see a woman surface in the stillness, parting the water with a soft splash and then swiping her hair back off her face.

Kailey.

His body reacted in a typical way and he shifted his weight to the other foot, unsure of what to do. What were the chances of him getting out of here without attracting her attention? Slim to none, he would imagine. Standing here staring was another ill-advised move... Damn. It didn’t really matter what he did, it would be wrong. After leaving Kailey the way he had, he’d come to expect it from her.

He took a step backward and dry grass crackled beneath his feet. Maybe she wouldn’t hear. He’d approached after all, and she hadn’t been the wiser. But no such luck this time. Her head snapped around and she saw him standing there, next to her mound of clothing, and he could see her blush even though they were several yards apart.

“Sorry,” he called. “I’ll go.”

He’d turned halfway around when her voice stopped him. “What are you doing here, Rylan?”

He hesitated and faced the pool—and her—again. “I was going to go for a swim. I saw this place a few weeks ago and thought it would be perfect.”

“It is. Don’t go. I’m done anyway. If you don’t mind turning your back for a few minutes, I’ll leave you in peace.”

He swallowed, hard. Looked down at her clothes. He didn’t see any underwear, and he let out a relieved breath. He wasn’t sure his body, or his imagination for that matter, could take knowing she was skinny dipping.

“Don’t get out on my account. Really, I’ll just go back home.”

He’d taken two more steps when she called after him. “Are things going to be this awkward between us forever?”

Forever was a long time. He called back, “I’m not staying forever, so I doubt it.”

She didn’t answer, but he heard a splash and dared to look over his shoulder.

She’d disappeared again. Lord, but the woman knew how to get under his skin. Far more than she realized.

The water parted and she popped up again. Screw it, he thought. He was tired and hot and achy, and he wanted a swim. She could stay or she could go, but she didn’t own sole rights to the swimming hole.

He went back to where her clothes were and began unbuttoning his shirt. Kailey had switched from treading water to floating on her back. Only little bits of her were exposed. The tips of her breasts in a white bra and he could just see the edge of matching white underwear.

He took off his jeans and was suddenly very self-conscious. Tighty whities left nothing to the imagination. At all.

There was only one thing to do. He jogged to the water and splashed his way in up to his thighs before diving under.

He surfaced with a bellow. “Janey Mac, that’s cold!”

He scrubbed the water away from his face and saw Kailey floating nearby, an amused smile on her face. One thing was for sure, the cold water had gone a long way in helping his uncomfortable situation. He shivered as goose bumps popped up on his skin.

“Janey Mac?” she asked, the surface swirling around her as she tread water.

He grinned. “Something I remember my grandfather saying when I was just a little boy. And my gram would always give him this strange look and call him Joseph.”

She nodded. “I remember that. I miss them, you know.”

He knew it would be strange for him to say “me, too.” He hadn’t seen his grandparents in years. He’d avoided this place like the plague, had written it off as simply a part of his past. Being here again, though, had brought back a lot of memories. “You knew them better than I did. Of course you miss them.”

He gave a little shift of his body and used his arms to propel himself around, not really swimming, but not treading water either. “It’s a bit better when you get used to it,” he observed, and Kailey nodded.

“I’m kind of dreading getting out. The air is going to be cold.”

“Do you come here a lot?” he asked.

“This is my first time swimming this year. It’ll be warmer in the middle of summer. Unless we get a really dry season. Then the creek goes down and there’s not much good swimming at all.”

“I just got back from Washington. Felt like a dip would blow some of the dust off.”

She leaned back, let her toes pop out of the water. “You haven’t heard of a shower?”

“This sounded nicer.”

They were quiet for a few minutes and Ry decided it was one of the strangest silences he’d ever encountered. On one hand, it was surprisingly comfortable. And on the other, he knew she had a zillion burning questions. Probably starting with asking why he’d run out on her that morning. He hoped to God she didn’t actually ask.

“How’d you do?” she said finally, as she started to push herself off in a breast stroke.

“Huh?”

“At the rodeo. How’d you do?”

He shrugged, the air cold on his shoulders. “I did all right. In the money.”

He’d won, but he wasn’t going to brag.

“You’re really good. I’ve seen the standings. And a couple of our guys are pretty excited you’ve shown up next door. You could probably come over and sign autographs.”

Maybe she really was warming up to him after all. Maybe she’d gotten over whatever had been bugging her that day at the diner when she’d refused to let him buy her lunch. “That’s pretty generous of you to say,” he observed. “Considering.”

“Considering what? That I think you’re a jerk?”

And just like that she was beneath the water again. The girl could swim like an otter.

She emerged at the other side of the swimming hole. “Maybe it is time for me to go,” she said, and struck out for the edge.

“Kailey, I get that you’re mad, and you have every right to be. I’m sorry. I have no excuses for my behavior.”

Her feet touched bottom and she started walking her way in. “It says something when a guy can’t even hang around for breakfast.” She was stomping now, making an unholy racket as she splashed her way toward shore. “Or when you stiff the motel on part of your bill.”

“Wait, what?” He put his feet on the bottom and stared at her. What was she talking about?

“You underpaid. I had to drop off the room key, which would have been humiliating enough. But there was still twenty bucks owing.”

He’d been sure he’d counted out enough twenties before leaving the money on the desk in an envelope he’d found in a drawer in the room.

But it had also been five in the morning. And dark.

She was standing on the edge now, in her white bra and panties. Which theoretically covered as much as any two-piece bathing suit, maybe more. But then there was the issue that it was white. And soaking wet.

And see-through.

“Kailey,” he said, his voice rough. “For the love of God, I hope you have a towel.”

She stared at him for a few seconds before what he’d said registered. But it was long enough for him to get a good long look at what was beneath the transparent fabric. And long enough for him to remember what it had been like with her back in February in the dim light of the motel room.

Amazing. Incredible. Scary as hell.

It was that last part that kept him grounded, tempered the need pounding through him to have her again. Cold water or not, he knew it was best for both of them if he stayed submerged right now.

She spun away and trotted off to where she’d left her clothes, then bent over to retrieve a towel she’d brought. He groaned a little, wondering if she’d bent over like that on purpose just to torture him.

When she turned around again, she had the towel wrapped around her. Well, around her middle, anyway. It was short and only went to the tops of her thighs. He could still see the lovely, long expanse of leg beneath it.

Kailey Brandt was trouble. And he was starting to believe she didn’t realize that about herself.

She was also angry. And beneath that he suspected she might be a little bit hurt. That’s what bothered him most of all. He hadn’t meant to hurt her. Hadn’t known he actually could.

“I’m sorry,” he repeated. “Kailey, me leaving that morning was all on me. It had nothing to do with you.”

“Really?” Skepticism was ripe in her tone.

“Really,” he insisted. What could he say that would be close to the truth but not the truth? He was scrambling and the moments strung out until Kailey let out a huff.

“You’re a liar, Rylan Duggan. What was it, anyway? Was I too clingy? Too sweet? Did you think I’d expect a proposal in the morning? Was I unsatisfactory as a lover? I mean, I haven’t had that complaint before, but sometimes people don’t gel for whatever reason and—”

“No!” He cut her off, ran a hand over his wet hair. “Shut up, Kailey. Just shut up.”

He started walking out of the water and as he got closer he could see her eyes swimming with tears. “Aw, Kailey...”

She held up her hand. “Just don’t. I cry when I’m angry. And right now I’m really wound up.”

He reached her and tried not to shiver as the cool evening air touched his wet skin. “You want to know the truth? I liked it. A lot. Too much. And I was afraid that if I didn’t get up and leave that morning that I’d end up staying for breakfast. Or longer.”

“And would that have been so bad?”

“At the time? Yes.”

“Why?”

God, he hated these kinds of conversations. He’d learned long ago that there was no right answer to her kind of question, so he was as honest as he dared to be. “Because I didn’t have anything to offer you. I still don’t. I’m not the kind of guy who hangs around, Kailey.”

“You’re here now. At the ranch, I mean.”

“But only temporarily. Remember?” He didn’t stick around any one place for long. He liked it much better being free to go where he pleased, when he pleased. He called the shots and made his own choices. It had been a long time since anyone had made them for him. His choices, his consequences. It was easier that way.

He scooted past her and grabbed his shirt from the ground, gave it a shake and pulled it on. His shorts still dripped and there was no way he could put his jeans on over top. If she hadn’t been here, he would have simply stripped to the skin and gone for a dip. Now his only option was to stand here and be cold or to take them off and pull on his jeans commando.

“Turn around,” he ordered.

“What?”

“Turn around.”

He could tell the moment she understood his meaning because her cheeks flushed bright pink. Despite it, she lifted her chin a little. “It’s nothing I haven’t seen before.”

He could mention that he’d pretty much seen everything of hers, too, through that wet underwear, but he didn’t. If she was determined to prove a point, he’d oblige. With a shrug he pushed down his shorts and stepped out of them, then reached for his jeans and tugged them on awkwardly. His skin was still wet and the fabric clung to his legs. He finally got them buttoned and carefully zipped.

When he looked up her face was bright red, but she hadn’t looked away.

It was better now that he was dressed, and he reached down and grabbed her T-shirt, handing it over. “Here. Get warm.”

She dropped her towel and he caught a glimpse of her abdomen, lean and pale compared to the worker’s tan on her arms and face. Immediately the green shirt got dark, damp spots on her chest.

What he really wanted to do was spread out his shirt or that towel and lay her down on it. That part hadn’t changed. He still found her beautiful, intriguing and sexy as hell. Probably because of her confidence. Or bullheadedness. Two sides of the same coin, he figured.

And then she stripped off her panties and pulled on her jeans and he had to look away. Whatever point she was trying to prove, she’d done it.

“Kailey, I don’t want things to be strained. I can’t apologize forever. I meant it when I said I was completely at fault. I don’t know how else to make amends. What do you want me to do? I’ll do it. The last thing I want is to disrupt anything here.”

She wadded up her underwear and rolled them into the damp towel. “There’s nothing you can do. I don’t actually want to keep punishing you for it. I can’t seem to help myself.”

“I’m not trying to push your buttons.”

“I know that. You’ve gone out of your way to be nice. I just...don’t want you to be nice. I don’t know what I want, Rylan. I have too much pride for my own good.”

He chuckled then. “No wonder we seem to butt heads. All that pride getting in the way.”

“What can I say? I have a bit of a chip on my shoulder. I’ve had to.”

He didn’t doubt it. He knew for a fact that Kailey was heavily involved in raising Brandt stock, and that took strength and a good amount of backbone. There were still some good old boys who didn’t appreciate a woman running ranch operations and didn’t like taking orders. It was a load of garbage, in his opinion.

But he guessed that what had happened on Valentine’s Day probably also had gotten around town. He sat down on the grass and patted the spot beside him. “Sit for a minute, instead of looking like you’re ready to throttle me.”

She hesitated but then sat, pulling her knees close to her chest and wrapping her arms around them. The pose made her look almost childlike, especially with her tawny hair falling over her shoulders in wet ribbons.

“Did what happened with us make things difficult for you?” he asked quietly.

She frowned. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, stiffing the guy for the room was unintentional, but Gibson is small. If what happened got around...” He let the thought hang for a few seconds before continuing. “I know you’re a woman operating in a male-dominated world. The last thing you need is rumors about your personal life undermining that.”

“I’m not sure if I’m touched by your concern or infuriated that it’s even an issue. I’m sure your reputation wouldn’t suffer for such a thing. You’d be given atta boys. Am I right?”

“It’s a stupid double standard, and I hope I didn’t play a part in it.”

She met his gaze. “Rylan, I’m no angel. I’m in my late twenties and definitely not some delicate, virginal flower. But I certainly don’t make a habit of catting around, and I keep my personal life discreet.” She sighed. “Or at least I try to.”

Rylan hadn’t considered this side of things before, and a pang of regret made his heart heavy. When was the last time he’d truly liked someone enough to care what happened the morning after? He honestly couldn’t remember. He moved around. Got used to the buckle bunnies who followed the circuit and were looking to put another notch on their belts. Up until this year, he’d obliged now and again.

Not since February though. Not since he’d awakened in the dark to find Kailey sleeping beside him. Something had happened. Something that had made him feel wonderful and extremely uncomfortable at the same time.

The urge to stay.

He’d half figured that by leaving the way he did, she’d get a good old-fashioned hate on for him and that would be that. He’d come back to Crooked Valley expecting a cold shoulder. Over and done with, move on.

He could see now his thinking had been flawed. Because Kailey was more hurt and embarrassed than angry, and knowing it brought out every single protective and possessive instinct he had. He wanted to fix it, explain. He wanted... Crap. He wanted to be able to forget about her the way he’d expected her to forget about him. And he couldn’t.

That wouldn’t do anyone any good, and neither would sitting in the middle of a field in semi-darkness.

“Come on. I’ll walk you home,” he suggested. “It’s getting dark.”

“Newsflash, Duggan. You’re on Brandt land. I’m already home. Maybe I should walk you back, huh?”

She was so quick, a little feisty, and he liked that about her. A lot. “If you want to kill my reputation with a single blow, sure. Big bad rodeo star needs an escort home in the dark.”

Not that he couldn’t find a few things to do in the dark with her.

He had to stop thinking that way.

“I guess we’ll just part ways here then,” she replied and pushed to her feet.

“I guess.” He got up and brushed the dirt from the seat of his jeans. “Um, I’ll see you around. I guess.”

“Yup.”

He’d taken maybe half a dozen steps back toward the horse trail that ran along the creek when she called out to him. “Hey, Rylan.”

He turned and faced her, and the image of her standing in the twilight among the waving grass did something queer to his pulse.

“It was good to say my piece. Clear the air, so to speak.”

“Good. It’s probably better if we can be civil.”

She nodded. “Well, see ya.”

Kailey turned and started walking in the opposite direction, her hips swinging a little with each step, her towel and underwear balled up in her hand. Rylan looked down at the cotton in his hands and let out a huge breath before tucking his shorts half into his back pocket, the end trailing out like a handkerchief.

Civil. Clearing the air.

He was glad she was happy about it, because to his mind things just had gotten a whole lot more complicated.

Chapter Four

Kailey looked in the mirror and frowned. The dress fit perfectly. The boots were cute. Her hair was pulled back a little from the sides, but the curls were left in corkscrews over her bare shoulders. Thanks to Lacey’s self-tanning cream, they’d managed to mostly blend her tan lines with her darker skin, though she could still tell where they were, particularly around her neck. Oh well. Hazards of being a farm girl and she wouldn’t change that for anything.

Her makeup was perfect. The happy little bouquet of yellow and white flowers was on the bed behind her. Lacey was currently having her makeup done in the next room, and then Kailey would help her get dressed and calm the bride’s frayed nerves.

There was a lot to do. A crazy day during a manic time of year for ranchers. There was no reason at all for her to be thinking about Rylan.

But she was.

All the damn time.

Now she was wondering what he’d think of her in this dress and hating herself for it. Was it wrong that she hoped it knocked out his eyeballs? It would serve him right...

And then there was that niggling knowledge that she wasn’t entirely blameless in what had happened that night.

She turned away from the mirror and grabbed her bouquet. Might as well go to Lacey’s room and focus on getting the bride ready for her big day rather than fret about what couldn’t be changed.

She opened the door to the bedroom and nearly chucked her flowers as Rylan stood there, his fist poised to knock.

“What are you doing here?” she blurted out, and then let out the breath cramping her lungs. “Sorry. You just startled me.”

“Quinn and Duke sent me over. I’m supposed to pick up Mom and David and take them to the church, then come back for you and Lacey.”

“I thought Duke was going to do that.”

His expression changed, as if he was trying to look nonchalant but was hiding something. “They ran into a slight snag. And that’s all I’m going to say because I’m not equipped to deal with wedding-day drama. I’m to tell you that we’re just saying that Duke is driving Quinn and Amber, and I’m driving you two like one big happy family.”

He smiled at her. When he smiled at her that way she knew she’d agree to just about anything. She was such a weak woman where Rylan was concerned. Not that she’d tell him that. Like ever.

“Mum’s the word. I don’t know if Lacey is a nervous bride or not, but I’m not going to be the one to tempt fate.” Worried, she looked fully into his face, trying to read it. “You’re sure it’s nothing major?”

“Major is relative on wedding days. Quinn’s handling it. Don’t you worry. By the time we get to the church, it’ll be right as rain.”

“I’m going to trust you.”

“There’s a first.”

But the words were said in a teasing manner, not with an edge of sarcasm or hostility. She couldn’t help it, she grinned back at him and in that shared moment she was reminded all over again why she’d found him attractive in the first place.

“I’m about to check on Lacey. You can go chill for a bit. We’ll be ready soon.”

He checked his watch. “Schedule says I need to have Mom to the church in twenty-five minutes. Can you tell her to meet me downstairs in fifteen?”

“Of course.”

He turned to go back down the stairs and she got a good look at him. Black trousers and dress boots, a crisp white shirt and a tie. No jacket, but then he wasn’t in the wedding party either, and it was June. He’d had his hair cut, the hint of dark auburn curls that were usually at his temples and neck clipped off in precise lines.

He was gorgeous—even if she did secretly prefer the bits of curl that added a roguish look to his rugged face.

“Ry?”

He turned around. “Yeah? Did you need something else?”

She shook her head. “N-no,” she stammered. “I just wanted to say that, uh, you look nice today.”

“So do you, K. So do you.”

He threw her a wink and went down the stairs.

Kailey took a calming breath and opened the door to the master bedroom.

Lacey was sitting on a little stool in a lovely satin robe waiting to put on her gown. Her mom, Helen, was behind her, hooking a set of creamy pearls around Lacey’s neck. Lacey had the Duggan coppery hair, and right now it was pulled back in a lovely romantic top knot with a simple circlet of white flowers around it.

“Is there a blushing bride in here somewhere?” Kailey asked, stepping inside.

God, Lacey looked happy. Her cheeks were flushed but not unnaturally. She was simply radiant, and calm, and so, so sweet looking. Helen couldn’t stop smiling either. “We’re nearly ready. Just the dress and boots to go.”

“Kailey, you look beautiful. Thank you so much for doing this today.”

“Of course I’d be here. Don’t be silly.” She put down her flowers and moved to the closet to get the dress. Together she and Helen unzipped the garment bag and withdrew the soft material. Kailey draped it over her arm. “Okay, are you ready? I’ll unzip and you step in.”