Читать книгу Wild For You - Debbi Rawlins - Страница 11

3

ERIN STEPPED OUT of the Food Mart into the brisk morning air and shivered from head to toe. Her medium-weight black hoodie just wasn’t cutting it anymore. It was perfect for fall, even winter, in Southern California. But not here in Blackfoot Falls.

But damned if she’d spend money on a coat. And damn Spencer Hunt’s stubborn hide. She wouldn’t even be here if it weren’t for him.

Hugging a bag of groceries to her chest, she picked up the pace across the parking lot, nodding at an older man getting out of his truck, and wishing she’d driven from the inn. Fat lot of good the exercise would do her if she ended up a Popsicle.

Just before she reached the sidewalk, the sign for the new bakery caught her eye. If she was still here tomorrow, she’d check it out. Hell, she’d probably be stuck here for another week after screwing up so badly yesterday. For now, she stayed on the right side of the street with the sun shining directly on her.

Her cell rang, and hoping it was Lila, Erin pulled her hand out from the warmth of her jeans pocket. They’d been playing phone tag since yesterday’s fiasco with Spencer.

“Finally,” Erin said. “Where the hell have you been?”

“Don’t you dare give me attitude.” Lila was normally laid-back, but she sounded grumpy. “I’m so sick of your friend Jason and the damn princess...one minute she wants hair extensions, the next she’s in my face over— Hey, did you know he’s banging her?”

“Penelope? You sure?”

“Well, they were buttoning up when they left his trailer last night. So, you tell me.”

Erin groaned. He wouldn’t be the first director to sleep with his leading lady, but dammit... “Jason is too smart for that bullshit.”

“I thought so, too, but I guess he just couldn’t resist Ms. Lane’s many charms. That woman is so impressed with herself it makes me gag.”

“I hope you’re not worried about your role in the sequel.”

Lila hesitated. “A little bit,” she admitted. “Penelope doesn’t like me.”

“Well, that’s because you’re so much prettier than she is.” Erin ignored her friend’s familiar sigh. Bias aside, it was the absolute truth. She also knew for a fact that Jason had been hot for Lila since college. “And even if they are screwing, it won’t last,” Erin said and then lowered her voice when a woman emerging from Abe’s Variety store frowned at her. “They’ll have moved on by the end of shooting. Anyway, Penelope is just a hired hand. We have equity in this project.”

“Not much.”

True. But Erin wasn’t worried. “By the way, your list and accompanying tools of the trade sucked.”

“My instructions were very detailed. What happened?”

“I hope I can get the mud out of your heels and denim skirt.”

“Mud? Ah, jeez, Erin. What did you do?”

“I fell on my ass, that’s what. And that wasn’t even the worst part. He found the list you gave me.”

After a startled squeak, Lila asked, “Why on earth did you have it with you?”

“Why do you think? To remind myself to smile and be charming.”

Lila burst out laughing. “You’re lying.”

“Like hell. He asked if I’d be willing to sleep with him to get the contract signed.”

“Well, you did say he was pretty hot.”

Erin stopped in the middle of the sidewalk. “I can’t believe you just said that.”

“Because I know he didn’t come out and ask any such thing. You wouldn’t be so calm about it.”

“Ah.” Erin shivered and started moving again. “Okay, so I paraphrased, but the implication was there.”

“And you said?”

“I might’ve implied he was a prick.”

Lila sighed. “Do me a favor? Don’t tell Jason yet.”

“Tell him what? I’m not giving up. Hunt left the house before I could take another run at him. I’m going back out there later.”

“Wait. You were in his house?”

“Yep, waiting while your clothes were in the wash.” Hearing her friend’s soft whimper, Erin winced. God, they both knew better. Erin in heels? That was just begging for an accident. “Anyway, he didn’t give me time to explain about the list before he took off on horseback.” Although she doubted an explanation existed that wouldn’t end up making her sound hopeless. “I couldn’t even snoop around. Dusty, the kid who works for him, was there. He told me Spencer rarely leaves the ranch.”

The words were barely out of her mouth when a late-model silver truck passed her. For a second she thought she saw Spencer at the wheel.

“Ooh,” Lila said. “That’s why he’s so mysterious. People around town don’t know anything about him. I can’t wait to see for myself—”

A block down, the truck pulled to the curb. A man climbed out and set a tan cowboy hat on his head.

“Hey,” Erin said, cutting Lila short. “I gotta go. I think his royal hotness just made an appearance.”

She disconnected, not trusting herself to walk and talk at the same time. She couldn’t see his face, but the tall, lean body was right. So was the short dark hair. And she vaguely recalled seeing a silver truck parked near the barn yesterday.

He glanced around before closing the car door. That is, he looked just about everywhere except in her direction. So, yep, that was Spencer, and she’d bet Lila’s designer stilettos that he’d spotted her, too. He could’ve kept going, but he hadn’t, so that was promising.

Glad for her old comfy Nikes, she sped up as she watched him round the hood and then drop an envelope in the mailbox near the diner. She half expected him to go inside, but he was already retracing his steps back to the driver’s side.

“Spencer, wait,” she yelled, switching to a jog.

He paused briefly, at least long enough for her to know he’d heard, and then he opened the door.

The hell with that.

She stuck two fingers in her mouth and whistled loud enough to wake the dead. And because he’d ignored her to begin with, she added, “Yo, Spencer.”

Everyone who was out and about on Main Street turned to look.

First, they glanced at her.

And then people stared at him.

Apparently he was more interesting. Probably due to his reputation for being a hermit. She’d bet half the town knew who she was from her last visit.

A small, wiry woman wearing an oversize World’s Best Grandma sweatshirt stopped pushing a stroller to give him a once-over. Two old-timers leaving the diner eyeballed him as they dug out their chewing tobacco.

Unsmiling, Spencer nodded at the men.

Erin couldn’t see what he’d done to get the World’s Best Grandma moving. But she seemed anxious to be on her way. So did a young blonde walking her little white poodle.

“I’m surprised to see you in town,” Erin said and leaned against his ridiculously clean truck. “Did you miss me?”

Spencer bit off a startled laugh and shook his head. “Haven’t you left yet?”

“Um...” She glanced down at her beat-up Nikes and well-worn jeans. “Nope. Still here,” she said and straightened when he pulled his door open wider. “Come into the diner with me. I’ll buy you coffee. Or breakfast. Have you eaten yet? Marge makes great cinnamon rolls. And chocolate chip pancakes.”

“No, thanks.” He took off his hat and slid in behind the wheel.

“Wait.” She shot forward, laying a hand on his arm, stopping him from pulling the handle. “Spencer, please,” she said, finding herself sandwiched between him and the door. Not one of her better ideas. He smelled too damn good. His slightly parted lips were too tempting. The awareness darkening his eyes made it difficult for her to breathe. She was standing too close, but she couldn’t make herself move away.

“Please what?” he asked softly, then waited for an answer she couldn’t seem to articulate. “I can’t give you what you want, Erin.”

She wanted him to touch her.

The thought came from nowhere and wrenched her out of fantasyland.

“Look,” she said, inching back, “I’m sorry I whistled and called attention to you. That wasn’t cool. But I’d really like to explain about the list you found yesterday.”

An air horn honked ungodly loud and close.

Grimacing, she covered her ear.

Spencer pulled her against him just as a truck sped by. The door closed behind her, biting into her back while her breasts pressed against his arm. It was unnecessary. The truck hadn’t passed close enough to hit her, but she wasn’t complaining.

When the teenage boys riding in the truck’s bed laughed and jeered, she realized then the driver had purposely swerved just to scare them. If Erin had been anywhere else, she would’ve flipped them off. Or maybe not, since her heart was pounding so hard the roar had reached her ears. Even her legs were shaky. Damn kids.

“Are you all right?” Spencer’s arm had tightened around her, and he was trying to look at her face.

“I don’t think they got your door.” She would’ve heard the metals scraping together. “Did they?” She turned to see for herself, but Spencer caught her chin and forced her to meet his eyes.

“Forget about the truck. I yanked the door pretty hard trying to get you out of the way.”

“I’m fine.” She lowered her gaze and focused on the muscle working in his jaw. “Stupid kids.” Her heart was still racing, and her knees had lost their starch, but that had more to do with the feel of his warm breath on her cheek.

“You’ll bruise.”

“Maybe it’ll match yesterday’s...” She shrugged, noticed her palm pressed to his chest and blinked. When had that happened?

Resisting the urge to snatch her hand back, she casually reached up and brushed a loose strand of hair away from her face.

Spencer glanced down Main Street and lowered his arm. “It’s clear. Come on, hop in. I’ll give you a ride.”

She didn’t give him a chance to change his mind. After a quick peek for herself, she hurried around and jumped into the passenger seat.

“Where are you headed?” he asked as he pulled out.

“I don’t know. Where are you going?”

His mouth lifted in a slight smile. “I can drop you off on the next block if you want.”

A sudden flash of memory had her peering into her bag. “Damn.” Both Twinkies were flat. No problem, she’d eat them, anyway. Of course the carton of dip had survived, because the bag of corn chips was now crumbs.

“Groceries?”

“Yep. Oh, well.” She offered him a candy bar. “It’s only smashed on the end.”

“No, thanks.”

She rooted around and found another. “How about this one? It doesn’t look too bad.”

He took his eyes off the road to frown at her just as they passed the inn where she was staying. Next was a gas station, and after that, nothing but open highway and a scattering of large ranches.

Spencer lowered his gaze to the bag. “Is there anything healthy in there?”

Fishing out the dip, she pretended to study the ingredient list. “It’s green, so probably,” she said and hid a smile at his look of revulsion. “The chips got smashed, though. But I bet we can make it work.”

“Are you serious?”

“I’m starving. This is breakfast. Oh, I should’ve asked...do you care if I eat in your truck?”

He shook his head, his expression puzzled. “It’s all junk food.”

“Look, I’d love to be dining on delicious organic salads and fruit every day. But even if the Food Mart did carry organic produce, it’s not in my budget.”

“You must have an expense account and per diem.”

“Sort of.” She unwrapped a Twinkie and broke it in half. “Motel rooms are covered, within reason, of course, and I’m reimbursed for gas. I’m using my own car, and I pay for my food.” She bit into her half and offered him the other.

It came as no surprise when he turned down the Twinkie with a single lifted brow.

“I have a bag of organic apples that I brought with me. It’s in my room.” Feeling a bit defensive, she stuffed the rest of the cake into her mouth. She hated that she hadn’t completely kicked her college junk food habit. But what she’d told him was true. She had to watch her pennies.

“And that room would be where?”

Shit.

She looked at him, pointed to her mouth and kept chewing, wondering how long she could stall. God, she’d kill for some coffee.

The scenery was beautiful. Her gaze skipped the scrubby brush closer to the road and took in the mix of pines, cottonwoods and quaking aspen covering the foothills of the Rockies. Fall had come late to this corner of the country. Some of the lower altitude trees still had orange-and-gold leaves clinging to the branches.

Not that she held any hope the landscape would distract Spencer. She fully expected him to make a U-turn at any second.

Deciding not to push his patience, she swallowed the last of the Twinkie and said, “I’m staying at The Boarding House Inn.”

“The same Boarding House Inn we passed five minutes ago?”

“Yep. The place is pretty cool. It really was a boardinghouse at one time.” Waiting for him to lay into her, she studied his hand resting on the steering wheel. His long, lean fingers looked elegant and graceful, with trimmed fingernails that seemed too neat and clean to belong to a cowboy. “Do you play the piano?”

The truck veered to the shoulder. He’d put both hands on the wheel as he prepared to make a turn. They hit a rock, and the sudden jerk had her reaching for the dashboard.

“Wait. Please, don’t,” she said just as a second bump jarred her poor bruised butt and made her wince. “Can I come with you?”

Spencer stopped the truck and sent her a curious look. “You don’t even know where I’m going.”

“It doesn’t matter. It’s warm in here, and I don’t have anything better to do.”

“So, why are you hanging around town, wasting money on lodging?”

“Well, if you’re going to resort to logic, forget it. I have nothing to say.”

He sighed and shifted to Neutral. “I’m not changing my mind.”

“I know.” And she wasn’t giving up the fight. “Actually, I do have a few things to take care of, like getting some pictures of the new storefronts in town. It’s crazy how much has changed in three months.”

“That shouldn’t take long.”

She stared at him. “You really do want to get rid of me. Okay.” She didn’t know what else to say. She’d always been outgoing and people generally liked her. “I’d offer to walk back if it weren’t so freezing, so if you wouldn’t mind...”

Shaking his head and looking resigned, he shifted to Drive. “I’m going to the Lone Wolf, a ranch about twelve miles from here.” He glanced at her. “If you want to come along.”

She nodded enthusiastically.

Spencer kept his foot on the brake and his attention on her. “On one condition.”

Erin stopped herself from rolling her eyes. “I don’t nag you about using your land.”

“Good girl.” He almost smiled. “You’re catching on.”

Good girl.

Gritting her teeth, she tore off a piece of Twinkie from the remaining half and stuffed it in her mouth before she ended up saying something snarky. God, did she hate not having the upper hand. She had to be nice no matter what, and Spencer knew it. He also knew she hadn’t folded. But she’d stick to the deal and not pester him for the rest of the day.

“Now, you want to tell me about that list of yours?”