Читать книгу Do You Take This Cowboy? - Vicki Thompson Lewis - Страница 12
ОглавлениеDrew put the dirty dishes and anything food-related in the metal cooler while Austin smothered the fire. He told her the ice chest was fairly critter-proof and should be okay until he drove out with the ranch truck in a little while to haul everything back and make sure the fire was out.
“But we can take the blanket.” He shook it out, folded it and handed it to her. “If you wouldn’t mind holding it on the way back.”
“Or I could sit on it. That might make more sense.” She wasn’t sure why he wanted to take the blanket when he was leaving the rest of the gear, but she’d go along with the plan.
“Actually, I want you to stuff it between us.”
“You want me to... Oh, I get it.” She managed not to laugh. “A barrier.”
“The trip out here was painful, especially going over bumps.” He tugged on the brim of his hat. “Now that I’ve kissed you, the ride back will be even worse.”
“I’m really glad I’m a girl.”
He laughed. “Yes, ma’am, so am I. Let’s go.” He swung his leg over the ATV and sat down.
She climbed on after him and sandwiched the folded blanket between them. “I’ll still need to hold on to you.” She wrapped her arms around both the blanket and him. Not nearly as much fun as she’d had without the extra padding, but she didn’t want to make the poor guy suffer.
“That’s okay. I’m just trying to avoid having you pressed tight against my backside.”
“What if I drove?”
“That would be worse.”
She imagined his arms wrapped around her middle just below her breasts and her bottom nestled in the V of his legs. Her pulse kicked up a notch. “Guess so. Next time we do this you should probably just drive the truck out here and forget about the ATV.”
“Next time we do this I don’t plan to be in a constant state of arousal. Ready?”
“Y-yes.” She managed to get the word out, but her brain had stalled on his last statement. She’d never met a person more goal-oriented than Austin.
She was beginning to understand what Cade meant. Being with Austin was a little like booking a ticket on a high-speed train and she could be in for a thrilling ride. She might regret allowing him to go along on this video trip because of all the ramifications, but she seriously doubted that he’d get in her way.
If anything, he might make things easier because he was more experienced at camping than she was. The more she thought about it, the more she looked forward to showing him something inspirational right here in Wyoming. Those mustangs were descended from horses ridden by Spaniards looking for adventure two hundred years ago. That should appeal to him.
Mostly, though, she was excited about exploring a relationship with a man, both sexually and emotionally, without her family members knowing about it. They’d met and evaluated nearly everyone she’d dated except a few times when she’d only gone out with the guy once. Setting up this overnight camping trip with Austin seemed strange because he hadn’t been vetted. But ultimately it felt liberating.
When they pulled up in front of the ranch house, she was very glad they hadn’t continued to make out furiously on that blanket because Rosie and Herb sat on the front porch with a cowboy she didn’t recognize.
Austin did, though. “Jonah, is that you? I thought you were driving over tomorrow!”
“Got off a day earlier so I just headed out.” The cowboy ambled down the steps toward them.
“And why wouldn’t you? We’ve gotta be more fun than the folks in Pinedale.” Austin dismounted from the ATV and then helped her climb off.
“That’s the truth, bro.”
Drew left the blanket on the seat and turned to meet another returning foster son. His name sounded familiar but she’d heard so many recently that they were all blurring together.
Austin gestured toward the newcomer. “Drew Martinelli, I’d like you to meet Jonah Bridger, Zen master.”
Jonah shook her hand. “Pleased to meet you, ma’am. Don’t pay attention to that Zen stuff Austin’s spouting. I’m not a master of anything. But Rosie and Herb tell me that you’re the best videographer in Wyoming.”
“That’s stretching it, but it’s nice to hear.”
“Ah, she’s just modest.” Austin gave his foster brother a hug. “Like you are, bro. With all that meditating you used to do, you must be enlightened by now.”
“’Fraid not. I’ve learned just enough to be dangerous.”
“And to conduct Cade and Lexi’s ceremony.” Austin clapped him on the back. “I’m gonna get a kick out of that.”
“Oh, right!” Drew remembered now. “You’re the minister.”
“With no church and no parishioners,” Jonah said.
“So how does that work?” All Drew’s relatives had been married in a church.
“I work at a dude ranch, and my boss wanted to offer weddings to our guests. He asked me if I’d be willing to get qualified to marry folks. You can apply online. It sounded like fun so I did it.”
Austin nodded. “I can see how it would be fun being the person who launches a couple on their great adventure.”
“Then you should get into it.”
“Nope, not my thing. I have other plans in the hopper. But I look forward to seeing your performance on Saturday.”
Drew realized that she’d heard Austin mention his future plans but he’d never been specific about them. She’d have to ask him about it tomorrow night. Right now, though, she needed to make her exit. These guys had some catching up to do, and at some point Austin had to drive back out to the clearing and gather the cookout gear.
She laid her hand on his arm. “Thanks for a great dinner. I’m going to head home.” She glanced over at his brother. “Great to meet you, Jonah.”
He touched the brim of his hat. “Same here, Drew.”
She raised her voice. “Rosie and Herb, I’m going home. Have a good night.”
“Come on up and sit for a while,” Rosie called back. “Have some coffee.”
“Thanks. I’ll take a rain check.” She turned back to Austin and smiled. “See you tomorrow afternoon.”
“I’ll walk you to your truck.” He looked over at Jonah. “Be right back.”
“Take your time.”
She didn’t bother to tell him that walking her to her truck, which was only a few yards away, was completely unnecessary. She suspected he’d want to open her door for her and give her a hand up. In truth, she was beginning to cherish that about him.
Once they’d reached the driver’s side they had a small measure of privacy. She kept her voice low. “Are you sure you wouldn’t rather stick around here tomorrow night and spend time with Jonah? You two seem fairly close.”
“We lived in the same cabin once I was old enough to move out of the ranch house. He’s a great guy and I’m glad he’s here, but the answer is no, I wouldn’t rather hang out here tomorrow. I want to be with you.”
“All right.” The intensity in his gaze made her heart race. “Then I’ll see you at four.”
He opened her door. “Don’t bring any food. That’ll be my contribution.”
“Understood, but I’ll ice up the chest so it’s ready for the food. Having a chef along will be a treat.”
He nudged back his hat and grinned. “Well, maybe food won’t be my only contribution, come to think of it.”
“Hey, don’t go getting me hot and bothered.”
“Do I?”
“You know you do.”
“Good.” He leaned down and gave her a quick kiss. Then he helped her into the truck, closed the door and stepped back.
She had to get her keys from under the seat and when she looked out the window he was still there, feet braced apart, thumbs through his belt loops, looking amazing. She gave a little wave and he touched the brim of his hat.
Somehow she managed to start the engine and drive away even though her mind was completely occupied by the image of Austin standing in the driveway. She’d be sharing a small tent with that gorgeous cowboy within twenty-four hours and the concept left her breathless. It wasn’t until she’d started down the dark ranch road that she realized she’d forgotten to turn on her headlights.
* * *
Austin climbed the steps to the porch where Jonah had resumed his seat next to Rosie. He and Herb each had a beer but his foster mom was sipping from a coffee mug that probably contained her favorite evening beverage, maybe her favorite beverage period—coffee laced with a little Baileys.
She lowered the mug to smile at him. “Did you have a good time?”
“We had a great time. Thank you for loaning me all that stuff. I’d better get back out there and pick it up, though. If I could borrow the ranch truck one more time, that should be it for a while.”
Jonah put down his beer and stood. “We can take my truck. I wouldn’t mind paying a visit to the back twenty.”
“Hasn’t changed much,” Herb said. “Same scrub brush, same rocks around the perimeter.”
“But it must be overgrown with weeds by now.”
“It was a few months ago.” Herb cradled his beer in both hands. “But this summer I started taking the academy kids out there for sleepovers. They’ve cleaned out the weeds.”
“So that’s why I didn’t have much to do.” Austin had raked a little but the place had looked as if it had been used regularly. Apparently the teens enrolled in the recently launched equine program would carry on some of the traditions the foster brothers had helped create.
“It’s great to think of the kids enjoying the same things we did.” Jonah walked over to join Austin before turning back to Rosie and Herb. “Listen, if you two want to hit the sack, you can leave my beer where it is. I’ll come back to it after we finish up.”
“We’ll still be here,” Rosie said. “Unless you boys dawdle.”
“Then we’ll see you soon.” Austin walked with Jonah toward the barn where Jonah’s beat-up truck was parked.
“Drew’s pretty,” Jonah said.
Austin chuckled. “That doesn’t even begin to describe her.”
“I know that, but I have to be careful. If I get too detailed, you might punch me.”
“No, I wouldn’t. I know you better than that. You don’t poach.”
“None of us ever did. I mean, think about it. I’ll bet at one time or another all of us had a crush on Lexi. But once Cade made his move, that was it, hands off.” He fished his keys out of his pocket. “I suppose you got the word that we’re all considered part of the Thunder Mountain Brotherhood now.”
“Cade told me. It’s kind of nice, you know?”
