A Cowboy's Heart

“Ralph adores you! I ought to know. I’ve been friends with him for years. If he’s disappointed, then it’s because he’s afraid you’ve believed Ned. Shame on you, Connor!” Her rebuke rang in the cab.

By now, he’d turned into the RV campground and drove to the first place where they could stop. They were in a whiteout. But for the din of her voice, there was an eerie quiet. When she dared to look at him, his shoulders were shaking in silent laughter.

He turned in the seat, resting his head against the window where the snow was piling up and stared at her. “And here I thought you were a quiet little thing. But I should have known better after watching you on a horse. There’s a spitfire inside of you. Feel better now that you’ve gotten it off your chest?”

Heat washed over her body in waves. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what got into me.”

His eyes played over her. “I don’t think you left a thing unsaid. In fact, you mentioned a few things I hadn’t even thought of that went straight to the gut.” She wanted to crawl in a hole. “Who would have thought Liz Henson from the Corkin ranch, who’s always in her own world, had so much insight?”

Always in her own world?

“I’m afraid Sadie and I spent a lot of time on the backs of our horses discussing Ned, who never left her alone. Worse, he never wasted a chance to berate his cousins in front of us and any audience who happened to be around. It wasn’t just Jarod he hated. He had plenty to say about you.

“When you trained Firebrand, a feral no one else could handle, he was furious at your success. Worse, every girl on the Montana circuit would have given her eyeteeth to go out with you and he knew it.”

“Not every girl,” he said in a quiet voice.

“You mean Sadie, but we both know why.”

“I meant you, Liz.”

“Me—?”

Connor cocked his head. “Don’t you remember the time I asked you if you wanted to celebrate with me after you won at the Missoula Stampede?”

Liz blinked. “I figured you asked me for Wade’s sake in order to set us up.”

“He has a girlfriend now.”

“I’m glad. He’s kind of shy. Though I’ve always liked him, I was never interested in him that way.”

“Ouch. Now you’ve wounded him and me.”

“What do you mean you? You were married.”

“Nope. Divorced. If you’d agreed, I would have told you I was single again, but you didn’t give me the time of day. Before you shut me down cold, I figured we were far enough away from home that old man Corkin wouldn’t find out the off-limits neighbors were getting friendly.”

Her heart thudded. “Even if I had known the change in your marital status, I wouldn’t have said yes. Being in love with the woman you married doesn’t go away because of a piece of paper. Jarod and Sadie were still head over heels in love after eight years, even after she wrote him that awful goodbye letter he actually believed, and all because of Ned!”

“That’s a fact.” Connor reached to shut off the engine. “I think your explanation for rejecting me has helped a little.”

“Give it up, Connor,” she teased with a chuckle.

“I’ll keep everything you told me in mind and cogitate on it.”

“You do that.”

“What do you say we go back to the trailer and enjoy some of your mom’s chili while we see how long this storm is going to last.”

* * *

WHILE SHE WARMED up their food, Connor put on his hat and jacket before walking back to check on the horses. The wet snow was coming down fast. The horses were better off inside their stalls where it was warm. He didn’t want them catching a cold and made sure they had what they needed before he headed for the trailer.

He shook off the snow before entering. When he saw her seated at the kitchen table, a sense of guilt swept over him. Not for the things she’d deduced about his troubled psyche, which were right on, but because he hadn’t given her life the same amount of thoughtful attention she’d given his. Most of the time he’d been too immersed in his own problems to think of others. He was the opposite of his grandparents.

They knew all about Sadie’s and Liz’s dreams, but they’d never divulged the essence of their conversations with Connor. His grandparents were saints who worried about everyone and did the little things that endeared them to friends and family. Take that charm bracelet. Connor had seen the loving expression on her face for Ralph. It came from the heart.

After hanging up his hat and jacket, he moved to the table. She immediately got to her feet to wait on him and pour him a mug of hot coffee. The one time he’d traveled with Reva in his trailer, to an event within California, she’d sat there waiting for him to take care of her. Even then, she’d insisted on staying nights at a hotel with room service.

She’d told him she really didn’t like the trailer. It was too claustrophobic for her. Reva liked to eat out. So did he, once in a while. He excused her because he knew it simply wasn’t her lifestyle. But the time came when just about everything he did or suggested didn’t appeal to her.

They didn’t grow together in their marriage. Through no true fault on either part, their physical attraction couldn’t take care of everything else that was wrong. Starting a family had been out of the question. But enough dredging up the past he preferred to forget.

After eight hours of driving it was still so pleasant being with Liz, he kept wondering when the spell would wear off and she’d turn into someone else.

“Eat while the chili’s hot. Mom made some rolls, too.” Liz passed the plate to him. He took three.

“Thank you. I’ve been salivating for this all day.”

“Me, too. How are our children by the way? Do you think they’re getting along all right in such close quarters?”

Connor chuckled at the charming way she’d put it. “They were both quiet.”

“They’ve never been stalled together. Sunflower is probably missing Polly and vice versa.”

“This is a new experience for Firebrand, too. I don’t know if they’re being shy or bored.”

“Wouldn’t it be interesting if horses had romantic feelings....”

When he looked into her eyes, they were smiling. “Since when did White Lodge’s newest vet delve into horse psychiatry?”

“Since the time Sadie told me about Chief, Jarod’s stallion. He had a harem when he ran wild in the mountains. That got me thinking.”

A burst of full-bodied laughter broke from him. “Maybe by the time the rodeo’s over, we’ll find out Firebrand and Sunflower have become inseparable.”

She grinned. “You have to admit it would be amazing. I’d write it up in the Journal of American Veterinary Medicine. At our last stop, I noticed Firebrand sniffing around Sunflower’s dung. Did you know feral horses like yours are fascinated by the dung piles of other horses?”

He tried not to laugh, but couldn’t help it. “I have to admit I didn’t.”

“It’s true. Dung and urine from other herds act as newspapers from one herd to another. Just what is communicated through urine and dung is unknown, but it may communicate how healthy the herd is, what mares are in season and even what types of food is available in the area.”

“Let’s be thankful her heat cycle ended after September. Otherwise, we’d know it by now.”

Liz laughed gently. “Never fear. When I compete at the wrong times, I give her a medication so there’s no problem. So...if these two get interested in each other, it won’t be because of hormones.”

Connor eyed her thoughtfully. “Just pure chemistry.”

“Wouldn’t that be something.” She sounded bemused.

“Indeed it would.” But his mind wasn’t on the horses. The woman seated across from him had drawn his attention. She wore her usual braid, but it lay forward over her shoulder, brushing against her flushed cheek while she drank her coffee. He could pick out the sun streaks in her light chestnut hair.

The collar of her tan Western blouse lay open at the throat. It came to him she had no idea how truly lovely she was. There was nothing artificial about her. If she wore makeup right now, he couldn’t tell. She didn’t need it.

“More chili?”

He handed her his bowl. “Please.”

“You don’t know how happy it will make Mom to hear you liked it.” She got up from the table, giving him a profile view. Liz had to be five foot seven, with a supple body filling out her blouse and jeans in all the right places. With those long legs, she made quite a sight astride her horse during a competition.

His thoughts flicked to Reva, who was five foot four and more voluptuous. But she didn’t move with the same grace as Liz, who was in fabulous shape from working and riding horses all her life.

Connor wouldn’t be a man if he hadn’t noticed, but it had always been at a distance. His grandfather had begged him to stay away from the Corkin ranch so there’d be no trouble. He had obeyed him, effectively putting Liz out of reach over the years.

Since then, she’d become a doctor of veterinarian medicine. No doubt she’d have to work years to pay off her loan for medical school. Besides the gold buckle, she’d win the big money, so maybe she could buy a new truck. More than ever he wanted her to be able to take those prizes home. No one deserved them more than she did. The relic she’d been driving was on its last legs.

He was glad she’d come with him. The storm hadn’t let up. It could snow another hour or two, but they and their horses were safe and cozy inside the trailer. His mood had been dark for the past few months despite his wins, but right now he felt a lifting of his spirits and liked the feeling.

Connor got to his feet and took his dishes over to the minikitchen. “What do you say we give the horses a little exercise now?”

“I can see you’re dying to find out how they’re getting along.”

“Aren’t you?”

She flashed him an intriguing smile before putting on her parka and gloves. Her black cowboy hat came last. After he put on his gear, they walked out into a white world. The snow wasn’t coming down as hard, but it was steady. Like a child, she put her head back to catch some snowflakes on her tongue, reminding him of his youth. He hadn’t had this much fun in a long time.

Connor opened the back of the trailer and they walked inside. Both of them spoke in low tones to their horses as they led them outside for some exercise. After they’d gone a distance, they stopped.

“It feels like we’re in wonderland.” She half laughed the words. “Look, Connor. Did you see what Sunflower just did when Firebrand smelled her breath?”

He couldn’t say that he had because he’d been looking at the expression of delight on her face. “What did I miss?”

“Sunflower’s head lifted in the air and she lowered her ears. See how she’s chewing on the air? That’s a submissive gesture in front of Firebrand because she recognizes his higher rank. Her foal-like behavior is so sweet. I think they really do like each other!”

Connor patted his horse’s neck. “Is that true, buddy? Are you falling for Sunflower?”

A nicker came out of his horse, followed by one from hers.

“I swear he understood you!”

“Maybe they’ve been giving each other tips.”

Her amused gaze met his, sending an emotional response through him he hadn’t expected. How was it that Liz had been his neighbor for twenty-six years, yet it had taken until now to start seeing inside this attractive woman who he already knew had the heart of a champion?

“You mean about racing?”

“And other things...”

Gentle laughter escaped her throat. “You think they’re making plans for after we leave them alone for the night?”

“Something like that. Firebrand hasn’t been around such a fetching little mare in a long time. Being gelded doesn’t mean he’s forgotten anything.”

Her eyes sparkled through the falling snow. “Come to think of it, Firebrand’s Spanish heritage is pretty exciting, with those horizontal zebra stripes on the backs of his forelegs. His coloring is unique, even among ferals. It gets a female thinking.”

He moved closer to her. It brought the horses closer together. “And here I thought it was only the male who was a leg man.”

“You’d be surprised what captures the attention of the female.”

“What else, for example?” he drawled.

“Oh, the white star on Firebrand’s forehead and his dorsal stripe. And he’s a powerful size. Makes a female feel protected. Notice how she’s been scratching him on the rump with her teeth? She likes being around him.”

“He likes a good scratch.”

Her arched brows lifted. “Well, he’s getting one. Amazing she knew where he itched.”

“Lucky him. Who would have thought being stuck out in the back of beyond during a blizzard he would find such bliss?”

“It proves pure chemistry can work anywhere, but I think we’d better take them in. I want to check their gums and temperatures.”

“If they both have a fever, we’ll know romance is definitely in the air.”

As she walked ahead of him with Sunflower, her laughter rippled back to tease his senses. He followed her into the trailer. After they’d dried off the horses, she gave them a thorough checkup while he cleaned the floor and put out fresh water and hay.

They worked as a team. No unmet expectations. No trauma of any kind. No deadlines. All that lay ahead of them was the rest of the night together. Nothing could have suited him better.

“It’s still coming down, Liz. We’re going to have to stay here until morning. By then the highway will have been plowed and we’ll have a straight shot to Salt Lake. Depending on the weather tomorrow, we might make it to Las Vegas by nightfall.”

“I’m glad we’re not taking chances. Our horses need special handling at a time like this if we expect the very best from them in the arena.”

“Amen.”

She threw the light rugs over them. “They look good and are probably wishing we’d leave them alone. Okay, guys. Treat time.” She reached in her parka for some Uncle Jimmy’s Squeezy Buns. She gave a few to Connor to give his horse.

“Did you see that? Sunflower starts talking when she hears the wrapper being opened. I swear she’d drool if she could.”

Another chuckle came out of Connor, who fed Firebrand. After they’d finished their chores, he followed Liz out of the back. Just before he closed things up, he heard more nickering between both horses. Liz’s mouth curved into a mischievous smile. “I’d say all is well.”

Yup. Everybody was happy. It surprised him how much he was looking forward to more time alone with her.

The ringing of his cell phone broke the magic of the moment, preventing him from responding. He pulled it from the pocket of his jeans to check the caller ID.

Reva? He might have known. She knew how to choose her times.

Damn.

“Go ahead and take it while I clean up the kitchen.” She hurried around the end of the trailer. Liz couldn’t have known who was calling, but good manners stopped her from asking questions or lingering. Not that he’d been trying, but so far he hadn’t found anything wrong with her. Quite the opposite, in fact.

He could talk to his ex-wife now or call her back later. The choice was his. But in that moment, while he was deciding what he wanted to do, he realized more than ever how much his feelings had changed since they’d been divorced. The old Connor wouldn’t have let it ring a fifth time.

Before long she’d left him a text message.

Connor? Know u r on the road. Want u to know I’ll be in Las Vegas tomorrow.

No way. He had no desire to see her while he was there to compete. There was no time for her. He and Wade had their horses to exercise and take care of.

I took off work. Have reserved honeymoon suite at the Mirage. Hope to give our marriage another try.

Where was this coming from? Something new had to be going on in her life. Maybe she’d broken up with the television producer she’d been dating since their divorce. Some kind of change was in the works. He knew Reva. For them to reconnect, she’d have to leave Los Angeles, because ranching was his life. She hated ranch life. If he didn’t know anything else, he knew that.

She’d had two years to think about it. So had he, but he wasn’t sure if he wanted her back, even if she gave up her television career and agreed to live with him on the ranch. Two years had changed him, and would have changed her. It would mean starting over again.

He doubted she would ever get the show biz bug out of her system. Connor couldn’t blame her for that, any more than he could stamp the rodeo bug out of his blood. She was pursuing her dreams. With the right marriage she could go on doing it.

Key at front desk. Let yourself in. Middle of night doesn’t matter. Dying to see you, lover. Miss u more than ever.

Connor couldn’t honestly say the same. What was going on with her?

The snow kept falling.

Shielding his phone, he replied with his own text message.

Reva? May not make Las Vegas by tomorrow. Can’t stay at Mirage. Give u a call later.

The Mirage was home to the NFR steer wrestlers, but she knew he preferred staying in his own trailer. After he put the phone back in his pocket, he walked around to the entrance. Shaking more snow off everything, he stepped inside and hung his things up. No sign of Liz, which meant she was in the bathroom. She’d cleaned up the kitchen. Her appeal was growing on him in ways he hadn’t anticipated.

He washed his hands and poured himself another cup of coffee. While she was busy, he phoned Wade. He and Kim had made it to Evanston. So far, so good. They talked about the weather for a minute before hanging up.

He made one more call, to his grandfather, who sounded relieved to hear Connor’s voice. After assuring him that he and Liz were fine, Connor asked how Ralph’s day had gone. That was when he learned Ned would be coming home tomorrow for a supervised overnight visit. His first since being at the mental health facility.

Connor put his coffee down. “Does Jarod know?”

“Yes. I told him that he and Sadie ought to go out to the reservation while he’s here.”

“Good plan. You don’t want anything to go wrong that could set him off.”

“According to the doctor, Ned is making a turnaround. We’re all keeping our fingers crossed.”

“I will, too.”

“Bless you, son. What you need to do is keep concentrating on the competition. Tell me about the little princess.” That was what Ralph had always called Liz.

“She’s a great vet and terrific company.” All of it true. But he’d already found out she was a lot more than that.

“That’s what I needed to hear. I assured her father you were taking good care of her.”

“We’re taking good care of each other. Let him know Millie’s chili and rolls were a sensation.”

“I’ll tell him.” After a silence, “Son?” Connor heard him hesitate. “Reva called the house earlier. I told her you were already on your way to Las Vegas.”

He gripped his phone tighter. “She texted me.” Connor could hear the question his grandfather didn’t ask. It was the question Connor couldn’t answer.

Ralph never pried. That was what made him so lovable.

“I’ll call you tomorrow night, Grandpa. Maybe by then you can tell me how the visit went with Ned. Sleep well and don’t worry about a thing.”

“Ha! Just wait till one of your grandchildren tells you the same thing.”

That last comment stayed with him as he hung up the phone. Since the divorce, he couldn’t see himself having children, let alone grandchildren. Much to his grandfather’s disappointment, as well as Connor’s own personal pain, that didn’t appear to be in his future.

Right now he didn’t want to think about it.

Chapter Three

“Connor? Is everything all right?”

His head jerked up.

Liz had just come out of the bathroom in her new nautical-design pajamas in navy with polka dots on the bottoms. She’d washed her hair and had braided it again.

“Perfect,” he said automatically, but she didn’t believe him. “Where do you want to sleep? Up in the niche or near the floor? Both are comfortable.”

“I think the sofa pullout bed.” It was closer to the bathroom and the kitchen if for any reason she had to get up in the night. In the back of her mind she imagined Connor had probably slept with Reva in the niche with its pull-down ladder.

“Good. I’ll take my shower now. By the way, I had keys made for you to open the trailer and the truck. I put them there on the counter.”

“That was very considerate. Thank you.”

“Anything to oblige.”

By his tone of voice, something was wrong and it worried her.

She turned on the TV to the weather channel and then made her bed. To her surprise, his low-profile satellite dish was still allowing transmission despite the snow. The forecast predicted more intermittent flurries through Wyoming and the northern half of Utah tomorrow, but the southern half would be warmer and might see a little sun. Las Vegas was enjoying sixty-three–degree weather during the day and lower forties at night with some wind.

Liz still couldn’t understand why she didn’t feel uncomfortable in this situation. Maybe it was because they both knew so much about each other’s lives, there was no mystique. Connor didn’t feel like an acquaintance or a confidante, brother, cousin, best friend or boyfriend.

He existed outside those categories, though he wasn’t a figment of her imagination. She didn’t know what he was, but so far the inside of the book matched the cover. That didn’t bother her, either. Curious.

Once under the blanket, she made a call home and thanked her mom for the food. Liz assured her parents that she and Connor were snug as a bug in his trailer while they waited out the storm in Kemmerer. The horses were in great shape. Connor was an expert—behind the wheel or mounted on his horse.

“Good night, you two. Thank you for being the greatest parents on earth.”

When she clicked off, she discovered Connor standing there in a pair of navy sweats. Their nightwear more or less matched. She could smell the soap he’d used in the shower. She’d left hers and he’d used it.

“Your parents are very trusting, you know that?”

“Besides the fact that you’re one of the famous Bannock brothers, don’t forget I was away at vet school for a long time and am not exactly a little girl anymore.”

“No, you’re not.” His emphatic tone sent a shiver through her before he picked up the remote and flipped the channels to an old creature-of-the-lagoon movie. After tossing it to her, he turned out the light and climbed into the niche using the same masterful agility with which he threw a steer. She laughed when he got comfortable and looked down at her over the edge. “Monsters don’t scare you?” His mood had improved.

“Not really, if that was your intention. I’m laughing because I meant this. I’m having fun. Being in the trailer is like we’re in a little hut deep in the forest of some mysterious kingdom.”

“With satellite TV, no less.” His sudden smile turned him into the most attractive man she’d ever laid eyes on. “In truth, I’m having more fun than I’ve had in years, stranded with a vet who’s writing a romance article about the mating rituals of horses. After it’s in print and you’ve won the prize for the world champion barrel racer, what do you plan to do for an encore?”

She raised herself on one elbow. “Mind if I try something out on you?”

“What do you think? Go ahead.”

“Well, the Crow council in Pryor has asked me if I’ll be one of the vets for the reservation. Even if Jarod had everything to do with the offer, it’s such a great honor I can hardly believe it. But I haven’t given them my answer yet because I’m committed to Dr. Rafferty at the vet hospital. I’d have to stretch myself thin to do both.”

He rested his chin on his hard-muscled arm. “And here I thought you were worrying about what you were going to do with the rest of your life once the rodeo was over. Winning money to buy a new truck is going to come in handy with you driving back and forth from White Lodge to the reservation.”