“What time is that?”
“Around eleven.”
“Which church?”
“Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Gillette. Do you know where that is?”
He ran the backs of his knuckles down her jaw line. “I’ll find it. I’ll try my best to be there by eleven, but I’ve gotta check cattle and do a bunch of other stuff before I can get on the road, so I might be a little late.”
“I’ll wait. But right now I have to find my brother and convince him to take me home.”
Carson’s eyes sharpened. “You make sure that jackass Randy doesn’t volunteer to give you a ride.”
“Carson—”
“I mean it. He touches you or comes on to you in any way, I will pay him a visit, because I know where he lives.”
“Fine.” She’d never had a guy show jealousy and it surprised her how much she liked it.
“Good girl. Until tomorrow.” One last kiss and he headed toward the parking lot.
She watched him walk away, that cowboy swagger such an innate part of him she knew he’d been born walking that way.
Within ten minutes of returning inside the bar she found Thomas and pleaded a headache, asking him to take her home. She felt Randy’s suspicious gaze on her but she didn’t acknowledge him. When they reached the car, Carolyn crawled in the back seat. Thomas dropped Randy off at the ball fields.
He didn’t say a word until they’d parked at home. “So is your headache from bein’ in too tight a lip lock with Carson McKay?”
She scrambled upright from her prone position in the back seat.
“I saw you with him, Carolyn.” Thomas whirled around and glared at her. “What the hell are you thinking, getting mixed up with him? The man has a bad reputation. He uses women and dumps them. He’s reckless and rude; the typical McKay.”
“So says you. I’ve not seen him act like that. He’s different around me.”
“Because he wants to get into your pants. Literally. If Dad finds out—”
“Thomas. Please. You can’t tell him.”
He sighed. “He’ll find out. Trust me. There’s bad blood between the Wests and the McKays and someone will tell him.”
She leaned over the seat. “Do you know what happened between our families?”
“Dad refuses to talk about it. I’ve just heard him muttering about them bein’ above the law, and bein’ a bunch of liars and thieves.” Thomas pointed at her. “So if that McKay is sneaking around with you, it just proves the point. The McKays can’t be trusted.” He paused. “But I can. I’ll keep your secret since you agreed to keep mine.”
“But?”
“But I’m rescinding my offer of help with the dishes.”
Chapter Four
Carson
“Why’re you in such a damn hurry this mornin’?” Cal asked as they sped across the pasture to check the bulls.
“I’ve got plans so I wanna get this done.” Carson scowled at his watch. If he took the shortcut on the back roads he might only be fifteen minutes late.
“What kinda plans?”
“None of your business kinda plans.”
“It’s her, ain’t it?”
“Yeah.”
“Why you even bothering with this, Carse? You know it can’t go anywhere.”
He downshifted and stopped so Cal could get the gate.
But Cal made no move to get out of the truck.
“What?”
“Answer the question.”
“Why you pushing me on this?”
“Because I think you’re getting involved with her for all the wrong reasons.”
“As usual, you don’t know shit.” Carson threw open the door and stomped across the pasture to get the gate himself. Then he climbed back in the cab and drove through the opening.
This time Cal did get out and close the gate behind them.
They’d nearly reached the corner section where the bulls had gathered when Carson spoke. “I’m not pursuing her because I wanna piss Dad off or get her to sleep with me. It’s different with her. From the moment I saw her I knew… Dammit, you were there.” He scrubbed his hands over his face, realizing he had to shave before he left. “Makes me sound like a pu**y, but I’ll just say it straight out, okay? She’s special.”
“See? That wasn’t so hard,” Cal said with a grin.
“Jackass.”
“You plannin’ on bringin’ her to the trailer?”
Carson shot his twin a look. “She’s not ready for that. And why do you care?”
“A woman like that won’t slide into filthy sheets with you in your pigsty of a bedroom. We both know getting her sweet ass into your bed is the final goal here. And if it’s not?” Cal raised an eyebrow. “Then her wearin’ pants last night wasn’t just a fashion statement, was it? She gonna expect you to slip on a frilly apron?”
“Says the man who knows his way around a feather duster and a vacuum,” Carson retorted.
“You’re damn lucky I can’t stand to live in filth ’cause it sure don’t bother you.”
“Fine. I’ll fumigate my room.” He’d rather live with Cal’s nagging ways about the state of their trailer than spend a night living with their dad again. “But when she does agree to come over, you gotta give us some privacy.”