Curves and the All-American Male (BBW Western Romance - Coldwater Springs 7) (5 page)

Crossing the road in front of the diner, she waved to Kate who was looking out of the large sparkling plate glass window of her bakery.

Her friend waved back, pulling back a tendril of light brown hair from her heart-shaped face.

Lori pushed open the door, smiling at Kate, then turned her attention to the few small tables and chairs in the corner of the bakery. She recognized Ty, even though he had his back to her, and his outfit - faded blue jeans and a red and white checked shirt.

“Lori, I’m sure it’s not what it looks like,” Kate said reassuringly, touching her on the arm.

Lori stiffened as she caught a glimpse of platinum blonde hair opposite Ty.
Her boyfriend.
Or at least
she thought
he was her boyfriend.

She inched closer to their table, frowning as she heard the woman speak.

“What’s it going to take to get you to come back to the rodeo, Ty? And me? Didn’t we have fun together?” The skinny blonde laid a hand on his arm, her long black eyelashes fluttering at him in a manner that made Lori think of creepy black spider legs. They were
definitely
false lashes.

“The company’s prepared to pay you
a lot
to come back as a special guest star. And I want you back too. You know that.”

Lori’s indrawn breath betrayed her presence. Ty whipped his head around, jumping up when he saw her. “Lori--”

“This is a private conversation, honey,” the blonde woman snapped, remaining seated.

Just like Ron
. The words echoed in her mind as she fled out of the bakery. Ty was
just like Ron.

If Ty wanted that bleached blonde rodeo bunny, then he could have her! The image of her low cut pink sequined t-shirt, showing off her tanned wares, haunted her as she ran along the street. She couldn’t see what else the woman was wearing, but it was probably a black miniskirt or something similar, so all the men in Coldwater Springs could look at her tanned skinny legs perched on black stilettos.

“Lori!” She dimly heard Ty shout her name, but she kept running. She had to get to the safety of her home.

She slammed into the cottage, locking the door behind her. The landline rang. She glared at the phone sitting on the hall table. There was no way she was going to answer it.

A minute later, her purse started ringing. She pulled out her cell phone and stared at the screen. It was Ty. She turned off the phone and shoved it back in her purse.

She’d been right about him in the first place!

He was supposed to be meeting her today at the bakery, not that blonde rodeo groupie! And why was he talking to Blondie anyway?

She forced herself to recall the snatch of conversation she’d overheard. Blondie was trying to entice Ty back to the rodeo circuit. With money … and her body.

Had Ty been involved with her before? From Blondie’s side of the conversation, it certainly seemed that way.

Eew.

Lori sank to the floor, not caring that the soft, pale blue carpet brushed against her palms.

The landline rang again. Lori stared at it from her position on the floor, but didn’t move. It could ring all day for all she cared. In fact, when she got up in a few minutes, she’d take it off the hook. That would fix him!

Harsh knocking sounded at the front door. Ty’s voice. “Lori, are you in there? Please, sweetheart, open the door.”

He had the nerve to call her sweetheart! She felt numb. She thought she’d be crying right now, but she couldn’t summon the tears. Heavy disappointment crushed her heart. She’d thought Ty was the real thing.

“Lori!” Ty pounded
on the door. “Please! Let me explain.”

She shook her head, not caring that he couldn’t see her. How could he explain? He’d never mentioned to her he was thinking of going back on the circuit - in fact, he seemed content here with his ranch. And dating her.

Obviously, she’d been mistaken.

“Lori!”

She realized after a few minutes that his shouts and knocking had stopped. Standing up, she tiptoed to the living room window and peeked out from behind the white lace curtain. He was walking toward his pickup, his head down.

Tears gathered in her eyes and she turned away from the window. Was she only worth a few minutes of him trying to get her attention? The phone hadn’t rung again since he’d started hammering on the door. How long had he listened to Blondie at the bakery this morning?

Lori squared her shoulders. She should have listened to her instincts about Ty in the first place.

***

Ty reached his truck. He clenched his hand around the car key, not caring that the sharp metal bit into his fingers. That small amount of pain was infinitesimal compared to the pain in his heart.

Lori had gotten the wrong impression in the bakery. There was absolutely nothing going on with Renee and there never would be again. He’d been thrown for a loop when she’d plunked herself down at his table while he’d been waiting for Lori.

How Renee knew he would even be at the bakery was a mystery. But he knew from past experience she’d do practically anything to make the rodeo a success.

But he wasn’t interested in any of that now. He was only interested in Lori.

Lori was real. And sweet. Real sweet. His mouth twisted ruefully. He wasn’t a poet. But she was the one.

Apart from mentioning the first time he’d met her that he’d won the All-American rodeo title twice, he hadn’t brought it up again
in conversation. Because he instinctively knew she wasn’t the kind of woman who would be impressed by a braggart
.

She was different to the rodeo groupies who’d surrounded him in his hey day. A muscle twitched in his jaw. He might have exaggerated his exploits a tad back then to his rodeo pals, but he hoped it didn’t bite him in the butt
now. He’d done a lot of growing up on the rodeo circuit, and now he wanted what any sane man wanted. Home. A family.
Lori.

He glanced back at her cottage and straightened his shoulders. He wasn’t going to let his pride get in the way. She was worth fighting for. And he wasn’t going to give up until they cleared up this misunderstanding.

Ty headed back to the cottage, new determination in his stride.

***

“Lori!”

Lori raised a hand to her mouth. She thought Ty had gone.

“Lori!”

Loud knocking on the door accompanied his raised voice. If he kept on like this, her grumpy, elderly next door neighbor might decide to call the sheriff, and she didn’t want that. Even - especially - if the sheriff was married to Libby, Sarah’s cousin.

She looked guiltily at the tub of ice-cream in front of her on the kitchen table. It seemed like a good idea at the time, to comfort herself with mint chocolate chip, so she wouldn’t succumb to a bout of tears, but now …

She shoved the ice-cream back in the freezer, then ran to the bathroom to check for green smears on her lips. Just because she and Ty were over didn’t mean she wanted him to see her with a smudge on her face.

“Lori!”

It looked like he wasn’t giving up. She ignored her pounding pulse and sauntered - or tried to - down the hall, towards the front door. Just because Ty was calling her name didn’t mean she had to hurry - not after she heard Blondie in the bakery making him an offer!

Her fingers trembling, she opened the front door. And stared at him. Thank goodness she hadn’t really cried yet. There was no way she wanted him to see her with puffy red eyes and tear tracks down her cheeks.

Ty speared his fingers through his hair, his gaze never leaving her face. He didn’t look happy.

“Can we talk?”

She considered the question. “Do we have anything to talk about?”

“
Lori.
I can explain.”

“Can you?” Doubt warred with hopefulness.

“Yes. Please, sweetheart.” Determination lit his eyes.

She hesitated. “Just for a minute.”

“Inside?” Although he phrased it as a question, it didn’t really sound like one. But she didn’t
want her neighbors to hear their conversation - or their break up - so she stood aside and let him enter.

She led the way into the living room and stood in the middle of the room, facing him.

“Sweetheart, there’s nothing going on between me and Renee.” He held her gaze.

“Do you mean Blondie?” She dug her fingernails into her palms, waiting for his reply.

“Yeah.” His mouth twisted humorlessly. “If that’s your name for the woman who was talking to me at the bakery just now.”

“But … she said she wanted you back.” Her heart pounded as she waited for him to reply.

A muscle pulsed in his cheek. “It was only a casual, no strings thing with her. And it was over almost as soon as it started, when I realized I was a fool to get involved with her.” He answered her unspoken question. “I didn’t sleep with her.”

Relief flooded through her. Did this mean he didn’t mind her curves? That they could have a future together? Then she remembered …

“But what about her offer to guest star at the rodeo?” Would he leave Coldwater Springs, and his ranch, to take up the lucrative offer? Where would that leave her?

“No.” He shook his head. “I’m not interested. And I told her that. Last year when I broke my leg - again - I realized I’d be an idiot to keep working the circuit. So I took some time off, stayed with my sister for a while, then decided to buy a ranch with my earnings.”

Lori stared at him, positive her conflicting emotions flickered across her face: elation but also a touch of wariness.

When she didn’t say anything, he added, “And settle down.”

She wanted to believe him - so much - but could she?

“I want strings, Lori.” He clasped her hand in his. “And I want them with you. No one else.”

“You … you do?” A tremulous smile escaped her lips.

“You have no idea how much, Lori.” He wrapped his arms around her waist and drew her close. “You’re the only one for me, sweetheart.”

His lips claimed hers, warm and soft. With a sigh, she relaxed in his arms and returned his kiss.

Long minutes later, Ty reluctantly drew back. “I have to be honest, Lori. The night we met when we both babysat for Chase and Sarah was a setup.”

“It was?” That explained a lot. Her suspicions that night had been right.

He chuckled. “Yeah. And I have to admit I had mixed feelings about it - until I met you. And then you should have heard me thanking Chase afterward.”

She furrowed her brow. “But if I hadn’t had that flat tire … ”

His mouth swooped down on hers. “I was going to call you that night. And if that didn’t work, I was going to ask Chase to arrange another setup for us. Anything, until you agreed to go out with me.”

“Oh, Ty.” Her finger caressed his cheek. All her feelings bubbled up inside her. Was this the right time to tell him exactly what she felt for him? Or perhaps she could just take his hand and lead him to the bedroom, and show him without words that she--

“Lori.” He cupped her chin, his dark brown eyes scorched with heat. “I love you. I think I fell in love with you that first evening, when you went to check on the baby.”

Joy bubbled through her. Her feelings were returned. He loved her!

She took a deep breath. “I love you too, Ty.”

She knew now her first impression of him had been wrong. He wasn’t anything like her ex-boyfriend. This was the real Ty.

“Baby.” He crushed her to him, his lips claiming hers, his passionate kiss telling her just how much he loved her.

Minutes - or was it hours later - Lori dragged in a much-needed breath. She couldn’t help feeling a little trepidation, but she needed to know if Ty would still love her - and her curves - when he saw her naked.

“What is it sweetheart?” His hands roamed over her back, his fingers briefly trailing over her derriere, before returning to her spine.

“This way.” She took a step back and tugged on his hand, her heart racing.

Her hand felt so small in his large, calloused hand, as she led him to her lavender and cream bedroom.

“We don’t have to do this now, sweetheart.” He traced her lips with his thumb.

“You don’t want to?” She looked up at him, anxiety flitting through her. Ty didn’t want to make love with her?

“Of course I want to.” He slid an arm around her waist, pulling her close. “You have no idea how much I want to make love with you right now.” His eyes gleamed with desire. “But I don’t want to rush you, Lori.”

Excitement quickened inside her. She stood on tiptoes and slanted her mouth over his.

“You’re not rushing me,” she murmured when she lifted her mouth.

He chuckled, lifting her in his arms and carrying her the short distance to the large brass bed. “I never felt so frustrated in my life when I said goodnight to you at the end of our dates.”

Conflicting emotions ran through her. Would she be too heavy for Ty to carry? But by the easy way he’d swept her in his arms and strode to the bed, her doubts disappeared. She couldn’t believe she was with this man, about to share her body with his. Then his last sentence registered.

“Then why didn’t you say something?” she said breathlessly as he gently placed her on the bed.

“I didn’t want to blow it.” He looked rueful.

“And you didn’t.” She smiled, her arms stealing around his neck as he followed her down on the bed.

“I love you, Lori.” His lips covered hers hungrily.

She melted in his arms, her hands drifting down his back, the cotton of his shirt smooth against her palms. Too many clothes, she thought hazily, returning his kiss with equal passion.

Tugging his shirt out of his jeans, she slipped her hands against the warm flesh of his muscled back, reveling in the play of muscles as he shifted against her.

“I can’t get enough of you,” he muttered against her neck, trailing a string of kisses down to her collarbone, then unbuttoning her blouse and parting the soft fabric.

“You’re beautiful, Lori.” His gaze feasted on her ample breasts enclosed in her silky bra. “And you’re mine.”

His finger trailed across the cream lingerie, stroking her nipple through the thin fabric.

She released a breath she hadn’t known she was holding. He looked at her as if she were all his fantasies wrapped up in one incredible package.