Destiny Wears Spurs (21 page)

Jake, Hank and Rusty left the barn, shaking their heads and laughing. Wendell struggled to untie himself and fell off of Snoozer for the tenth time that day.

Monica had enjoyed this past week, watching the well-dressed, smooth-talking, cunning executive fail at “barn duty.” Served him right. “What were you doing with the rope, anyway?”

“I thought if I could rope the stall gate, I could pull him outside, since I can’t get him to walk. What the devil’s wrong with the beast?” Wendell untied himself and got to his feet, wiping his hands on a towel, and then frowned at his ruined manicure. “He’s obviously broken.”

“
He
is a she,” Monica walked over and stroked the mare’s nose.

“Enough said.” He snorted.

She rolled her eyes as she led the mare to her stall and unsaddled her. “She’s no more broken than the pitchfork, the shovel, the water bucket, or the wheelbarrow that didn’t work for you, either.” She glared at him and folded her arms in front of her. “Ever think the problem is you? Do me a favor and go home. You’re not going to win this time.”

“Don’t be so sure about that. Word around the ranch is, you haven’t knocked Mr. Rafferty’s boots off with your slogans, and sleeping with the client isn’t going to convince your father you’re the best person for the job, darling.”

Ooh, she wanted to knock that smug grin right off his too-perfect, plastic-surgery-enhanced features. The man was a jerk, but he was right. Having a fling with Cody had taken the edge off the sexual tension between them, but her slogans had gone from sexual to sappy. Not a whole lot better. If she didn’t watch out, Wendell would win. She couldn’t give him a chance to come up with something better than her.

She had to keep Cody away from Wendell. That’s all there was to it. “I don’t have to answer to you,” Monica said as she got ready to call it a day.

“Yet,” he paused in an arrogant way, adding, “Once I’m in charge, things are going to change, darling. Unlike Daddy, I won’t stand for your bullshit.” He took a step back, turning toward the door, but her voice halted him.

“How about horseshit then? Will you stand for that? Because you’re standing in it right now.”
Moron.

“What?” He looked down and jerked his foot back, shaking it. “Christ almighty. These are Italian leather riding boots. What the hell am I supposed to do now?”

“If you want to be in charge, you’re going to have to learn to be flexible, find your way out of tough situations, remember? I’m sure you’ll think of something,
darling
.” She patted him on the shoulder, sailed out the door, and heard him curse about the awful smell and bemoan his primitive surroundings.

Please tell me I wasn’t that bad
, she thought as she made her way back to her cabin to get ready for her date with Cody. She’d changed so much since she came here. Jake had taught her to ride a horse, Rusty had taught her to ride a mechanical bull, and Hank had taught her to rope a calf. She’d discovered she enjoyed country music and line dancing. Heck, she didn’t even mind the smell of manure anymore, something she’d never thought she’d admit.

What did it all mean? She still didn’t belong here, and Cody certainly didn’t belong in the city. This wild, untamed land and way of life meant everything to him, just like helping her father and paying Wendell back meant everything to her.

* * *

A couple hours later, a knock made Monica’s heart jump into her throat and her stomach quiver like a flurry of butterflies. She pushed her reservations aside and opened the door with a smile, wanting to enjoy every second she had left with Cody. He stared at her with hot eyes, turning her inside out with a single glance. “Would you like to come inside? Maybe have an appetizer before dinner?” She licked her lips.

He shot a longing glance at the bed, looking pained. “If I come in, we’ll never have that date.” He held out his arm. “Ma’am.”

She swallowed her own desire, took his arm, and closed the door behind her. “Why, thank you, sir. Tell you what. You show me a good time now, and I’ll show you a good time later.” She shot him a saucy wink.

“Now, that’s my kind of deal.”

A comfortable silence settled between them as they strolled to the lodge, but she couldn’t stop looking at him. He wore black jeans, with a black western shirt tucked inside, but what made him so handsome were the tan sport coat and tie he’d added.

Still all cowboy, with his big silver belt buckle and cowboy boots, but he’d opted to go without his Stetson. She had rarely seen him without it. He had a pale stripe across his forehead where the skin didn’t tan, and the masculine effect made her mouth water. The thick black strands of his hair were slicked back and hung below his collar in waves.

“You are to me.” Gazing up at him, she adored him with her eyes, memorizing every detail and storing it in her brain so she’d remember him always. Who was she kidding? She couldn’t forget her cowboy if she tried.

Cody tucked her arm into the crook of his, nice and snug. “By the way, this is for you.” He pulled a single, long-stemmed red rose from inside his coat and handed it to her.

“Thank you.” Her eyes swam with tears as she took the rose, but she blinked them away. What was the matter with her tonight? She’d been so emotional for the last few days. “It smells wonderful.” Leaning her head against him, she pressed the rose to her breast.

“It sure does.” Bending down, he buried his nose in her hair, then snatched her hand and tugged her around the side of the lodge. He wrapped his arms around her and lowered his mouth to hers. After kissing the breath out of her, he lifted his head and grinned. “Sorry. I couldn’t wait to do that.”

“Absolutely. In fact, I promised a lovely woman staying at the dude ranch a dance. If you’ll excuse me.” He touched the brim of his hat and wandered off to a crowd of dudettes, held out his arm to a woman who looked at him with stars in her eyes, and led the way to the dance floor.

“Imagine that. I never would’ve pictured those two together. They’re so different,” Cody said as he watched them hold each other tight and sway to the music.

“Oh, I don’t know. Some people are just meant to be together, no matter how far apart their worlds may seem.” Monica stared off, watching them dance as she finished her punch. A minute later she felt Cody’s intense gaze bore into her. As she glanced up at him, her breath lodged in her throat at the play of emotions swirling in his smoky-gray eyes.

“It won’t last. She’ll get bored, and then she’ll leave him for another man,” Cody said, finally looking down at Monica. When she frowned, he seemed to give himself a mental shake and forced a smile. “Dance with me.”

“All right.” She took his hand, letting him pull her into a fierce embrace. Rubbing his back, she tried to comfort him.

Over his shoulder, she saw Wendell staring at her with a knowing smile on his face. She didn’t care. Let him think what he wanted. He couldn’t prove anything. Even if he could, she still wouldn’t let it stop her. It was time she did something for herself for a change.

After a moment, Cody relaxed and began to move her to the rhythm of the music. This was more like it. Before long, she became swept away in the rowdy atmosphere.

Sometime later, Cody stood at the bar watching Monica and Cassie chat in front of the campfire when Jake approached.

“Good to see you here, son.” Jake gave his back a smack. “I gotta say you surprised me, though. Given what happened last week’n’all, I didn’t think you two were on the friendliest of terms.” He rubbed his whiskered face and glanced up at Cody with one wiry brow raised.

“Monica, is it? Looks to me like you finally opened your stubborn eyes to the best dang thing that’s happened to you in a coon’s age.” Jake slapped him on the back again, nodding his approval. “Must’ve done some smooth talkin’ that night.”

“Actually, we didn’t talk much at all,” Cody replied, still watching Monica.

“Who-wee. You don’t say.” Jake snickered.

Cody loosened the knot on his tie, feeling warm as he realized he’d spoken his thoughts aloud. Christ, he was turning into her. “Now, don’t go getting all worked up. We’re only on a date.”

“A word of advice, boy. Don’t try and fight it.” Jake shook his head. “Mo ain’t a bit like Barbara, if that’s what yer thinkin’. She might actually wanna stay, if you’d grow the balls to ask her.” He walked away shaking his gray head.

Cody contemplated Jake’s words. Yes, he cared about Monica, but that was all. He couldn’t change who he was, or what had happened to him. And he couldn’t change her. He’d begun to realize she wouldn’t cheat on him like his ex-wife had, but that didn’t mean she would stay. He could tell how much her father and his company meant to her.

Even if Cody and Monica had something more than a fling, it could never last because Monica’s future was with her company. None of it mattered anyway. Once she found out he didn’t really need a campaign, that he had knowingly deceived her, she’d kick his sorry-ass with those damn purple boots of hers.

Making her put up with Wendell didn’t help matters either, but Cody had to play along. After Wendell had shown up, Cody had called her father, but her old man wanted Wendell out of the way. This whole damn phony campaign was a set-up to force Wendell’s hand and give Stanley a chance to gather evidence on the scumbag. Monica had no idea her father was well-aware of the danger his company was in.

Cody’s eyes were drawn to her once again, and he watched her glance in his direction and give him a tender smile. His heart bucked. Monica had proved she was a strong and capable woman. She was more like him than Cody cared to admit. She wanted to help her dad keep his legacy, just as Cody wanted to keep his dad’s ranch around for generations to come.

Once this was over, would she choose to live her own life? Cody had seen her sketching when she thought he wasn’t looking. She seemed most at ease when she could tuck her feet under her butt, lean up against a tree with a sketch pad and pencil in hand, and draw away. Maybe she could do something else like make a go of her art. She could do that from anywhere, right? Maybe he was full of shit, but maybe it was time to find out.

Hell of a lot of maybes.

He swallowed hard, and his stomach twisted. His father had told him that if a man never risked a thing, he’d never know what kind of man he truly was. Monica’s father had once risked something, and that something had given Cody his father, so Cody could become his father’s son. Something he was damn proud of.

Maybe Monica was worth that risk, too.

Taking a deep breath, he strode to where she sat in front of the fire. He squatted down in front of her and rested his arm on the back of her lawn chair. “Ready?”

“I’m ready for dessert,” she whispered so only he could hear, wiggling her eyebrows and holding out her hand.

He chuckled as he took it, choosing the path that led to her cabin. Somewhere along the trail, his arm found its way around her shoulders. She snuggled in close. When they reached her cabin, he stopped and turned her to face him.

God, he couldn’t seem to get enough of her. He didn’t know if he ever would. Staring at her, he let all his longing burn hot in his eyes, and the next instant she was in his arms. Sweeping her up before him, he carried her through the door and kicked it closed with his boot heel, like he’d done when he’d first met her a few short weeks ago.

Only this time, he wasn’t leaving.

* * *

Monica looked out her window at the mountains in the distance and watched the sun rise. It took her breath away. This place took her breath away. And the man who lived here made her stop breathing completely. She pictured a quaint little cabin in the woods with a spectacular view and a cool mountain lake nearby.

This week would be just Cody, her, and the mountain. Oh, and the cattle, but how much work could they be? All they did was munch on grass and sleep. Piece of cake. She and Cody would have all week to spend alone together. Then she would have to go home.

Back to her life in the city, back to convincing her father not to appoint Wendell as CEO, back to reality. She took a deep breath, refusing to think about that right now. After last night, she didn’t know how she would leave Cody if he didn’t ask her to stay.

He’d let down his guard a lot, and they’d grown close, but she still didn’t think he had it in him to ask her to stay. And she still wasn’t sure she had the guts to make it out here. Everything she loved existed in the city. Everything except Cody. Monica decided to concentrate on him, the time they had left together, and her work. She’d pulled together a pretty decent campaign and some really great brochures, but she still had to come up with a slogan that worked.

Glancing at her luggage, she frowned. Where was he? He’d asked her to go to the mountains with him, but he hadn’t said how she was supposed to get her luggage down to the barn. No matter where she went, she always over-packed, but she was smart. She’d figure it out herself.