Rugged Hearts (3 page)

He glanced up and saw her taking in the rustic interior. “My father…um, stepdad, built it.”

“Impressive.” She careened her head back to look overhead. “I think my apartment alone could fit in this room maybe—five times over.”

Wyatt retrieved an old map and walked toward her, letting his gaze travel up the tilt of her neck as she gazed up at the ceiling. Her chin dropped suddenly and her eyes met his.
Zing
! Wyatt nearly stumbled over his feet at the impact. He covered his faux pas by blaming poor Sadie and clearing his throat, handed the girl the map.
Nope, cowboy, you do not want to go there
. However, his treacherous body, too long without a woman next to it, had entirely different ideas. Wyatt steered his mind from heading down that dangerous path. “You want to take the lane out here back to the main road.”

She tossed him a dubious look. “Amazingly, I figured as much.” She opened the map, folded it, and moved to his side. “Now what?”

Damn, if she hadn’t taken the words right out of his mouth. He glanced down and decided the sooner he got her on her way, the better for both of them. “You turn right at the top of the hill, then go north on eighty-nine. In about five miles you should see a sign on the right, for the scenic overlook.”

She nodded. “Okay, yep, I remember it. I just couldn’t recall the name.”

“It’s county road forty-five and it ought to be clear. Dusty’s bar is at that end of town. He likes to keep the secondary road open for his customers. Usually does it himself.”

“You think he’s still open?” she asked, busily refolding the map.

He bit his tongue, wanting to advise her about going alone into the old pub. He knew firsthand the sort of unsavory characters who sometimes came in from other towns. There were a lot of guys who frequented the place. Most looking for a good time. He should know, it was how he met Jessie, the woman he thought he’d spend the rest of his life with. He’d given his heart to her completely, only to discover a couple of months later that not only did guys go to Dusty’s to find a little fun, so did Jessie. Suffice it to say he hadn’t been back to Dusty’s in over a year, and the whole affair had left him with a bitter taste in his mouth about dating. He swept his gaze over the woman as she prepared to leave and wondered how many hearts she’d left in her wake. “I’ve never known Dusty to close early for any reason, especially on a night like this. He believes travelers out there might need a hot meal or a place to stay.”

“He seems like a nice man.” She didn’t say whether or not she had plans to stop there. “Okay, great, thanks again. Sorry to have bothered you.” She presented him with the map.

“Keep it. You never know when you might need it again.” When she turned her back, he made a face at how his comment probably sounded and hoped she hadn’t caught it.

“By the way….” She turned on her heel and with a decisive poke with the map nailed him in the chest. “You’ve been so generous with your advice let me give you some.” She pressed her face close enough that it sent his brain scrambling. “Try a little lemon juice on those beef stains.” She trailed the map down his shirt and tossed him a wink before sprinting out the door to her car.

The wind nearly tore the storm door from his hand as he watched her climb into her car. “Drive safely.” Stunned by her blatant comment, his response, too late, was swallowed by the wind. He stared after her and realized she hadn’t asked his name, nor offered hers. He wasn’t terribly surprised in retrospect, given that he’d treated her like she was twelve. Something about her jangled his nerves. Maybe it was her attitude that reminded him of Jessie and his defenses just shot up. He followed the headlights as they bounced up the lane and disappeared from sight and then closed the door. “Like I’ll ever have to worry about running into her again, right girl?” He ruffled the dog’s fur. “Do I look like a serial killer to you?”

A small laugh escaped his lips. He sauntered back to the coffee table, thinking about the strange encounter and the fact that he’d probably need to reheat his stew. To his surprise, he found the dish empty—clean as a whistle. Sadie wagged her tail as though to say thanks for the treat, then realizing his displeasure, ducked her head and slunk back to her bed, where she curled up and looked up at him with a woeful expression. Her soft brown gaze shot to his, silently pleading for absolution.
Isn’t that just like a female
?
With the face of an angel they sucker you in and the next thing you know you’re in a world of hurt
. Thinking back to his recent encounter with that pair of eyes the color of a summer sky, staring up at him for help, Wyatt released an uneasy sigh. Sure as the north wind blowing fierce outside, he felt the swirl of the impending storm stirring inside of him.

***

Aimee gripped the steering wheel and tried to convince herself her body’s uncontrolled trembling had more to do with the cold than her unplanned meeting of the dark-eyed cowboy. She fumbled with the heat, one eye on the view in front of her, and tried to see where the snow had drifted across the road. Abandoning her efforts to stay warm, she leaned forward to stay focused, watching the snow-matted signs so she wouldn’t miss her turn, but her mind slipped back to the stranger’s dark hair and how it curled slightly over his flannel shirt collar. Those gravy stains on his white T-shirt were hard to miss, and she realized she’d interrupted his dinner. Probably just in from his chores, he had that comfortable in-for-the-evening look about him in his worn jeans and unbuttoned shirt that flashed ideas of snuggling on a couch on such a cold night. She hadn’t seen any photos indicating a wife or kids as she waited for him to retrieve the map, but given his bristly attitude, she wondered if he’d recently come out of a difficult relationship. He seemed to be a man of integrity, appeared successful, and Lord in heaven, from a pure physical standpoint, he was her idea of a cowboy, from his honed muscles and the perfect fit of his worn jeans to the glint in his espresso-colored eyes. And he was doing well. Any doubt of that was cinched when she walked into the spacious great room. With a cathedral ceiling, it was a gorgeous blend of a rustic lodge and modern comfort. Honey-colored pine rafters formed the open framework, running the entire length of the ceiling. Two leather couches faced one another in front of a massive, handcrafted stone fireplace and a set of wingbacks upholstered in a rich black-and-red plaid rounded out the warm and inviting seating arrangement. Massive woven area rugs, in reds, golds, browns, most probably handcrafted by local American Indian artisans, accentuated the gleam of the warm, polished dark wood floors. It was as grand as anything Aimee had ever seen. Her head was on a swivel as she took in the floor-to-ceiling bookshelves and the wall of windows across the back of the room. A large-screen television hung over the grand fireplace and what looked like an open office area overlooked the back of the house. She felt as though she’d walked into a layout of
American Cowboy
magazine. How in the world had she missed seeing such a tall, cool drink of fine in town?

The sight of a large buck standing at the edge of the road snapped her back to the present. No match for him in her Subaru, she slowed and waited, her eyes darting back and forth to the rearview mirror, hoping no one would come around the bend and rear-end her. The animal’s ebony eyes sparkled in the glare of her headlights and she swore he was looking right through the front window, defiantly challenging which of them would move first. He turned his head majestically over his shoulder and a female deer with two fawn appeared, inching cautiously to his side and then past him. His head came up and his gaze met Aimee’s as his family crossed the road, blending into the darkness on the other side. She stared in rapt fascination at the protective way he watched them. Then, when he was certain of their safety, he followed, ignoring Aimee’s presence entirely. Her heart beat in wild exhilaration at the sight. Aside from her recent encounter, it was the first exciting thing that had happened to her since moving to this remote area. She had to admit, there was a stirring in her blood as she noted the remarkable likeness of the stag’s intense gaze to the cowboy she’d just met. Aimee eased the car forward and realized suddenly she’d been so flustered by the circumstances that she’d forgotten to ask his name. Perhaps more disappointing, however, was he hadn’t bothered to ask hers. Still, the overprotection of a complete stranger was endearing, in an old-fashioned way. Surely, someone in town could tell her about him.

She drove carefully down the narrow road, flanked either side with pine trees, grateful that someone with a large truck had driven through the pass recently, leaving a clear path for her to follow. “Finally,” she said with a sigh when she saw the outline of Fred’s Garage at the edge of town. Not much farther, should be this place called Dusty’s. She’d known about it, but had wondered if, as the new second-grade teacher, it would be wise to frequent such a place. However, in End of the Line, it seemed to be the only place to socialize besides Betty’s Café. She hoped it wouldn’t be too busy on a night like this. A quiet drink sounded good.

She slowed and searched the array of pickup trucks parked in the gravel lot. The pink neon light flashing Dusty’s was an enticing welcome to her frazzled nerves. She passed the first drive, battling the wisdom of turning in, and saw her last chance looming beyond a short snowdrift, a few feet ahead. With a sigh, she yanked on the wheel and pulled her car into a spot between two massive pickup trucks. She sat for a moment, still debating the social consequences, but her need for a peaceful drink outweighed the potential for scandal. She locked the door, hooked her purse over her shoulder, and headed for the front door, almost dissuaded by the catcalls of two older men who were leaving. She ignored them, pulled open the door, and hoped at least one of them was sober enough to drive. The music of the jukebox blared in the near-empty room and she felt the stiffness in her shoulders relax. Raucous male laughter filtered in from the back room, where she surmised a pool table must be. Cautiously, she unzipped her jacket and looked for a quiet spot where she could be alone. She spotted a seat at the end of the bar. A couple sat in one of the corner booths, so wrapped up in each other that Aimee decided the place could be on fire and they wouldn’t notice. Yet other than the couple, those involved in a pool game, and the bartender, the bar was virtually empty.

“Welcome to Dusty’s.” The man behind the polished counter greeted her with a friendly smile and went on with stacking clean glasses on the shelves. “I’m Dusty. What can I get you?”

Aimee slipped off her coat and placed it on the back of the stool. She looked up and caught the man studying her.

“Stinger, on the rocks,” she answered. “You know how to make one?”

His brows rose and he nodded. “Sure thing. Comin’ right up.” He began to put the drink together.

“Is there a problem?” she asked, sliding into her seat, beginning to regret her impulsive decision.

He shrugged. “Not at all. Forgive me. I make it a point of knowing my customers. This is your first time here, am I right?”

She nodded.

“You’re that second-grade teacher up to school? Saw your picture in the paper after you came to town.” He tossed her a smile.

Aimee propped her forearms on the rolled leather rest of the bar and gave the man a pointed look. “That’s me, and at the risk of starting all kinds of rumors, my nerves are a bit frazzled by what I’ve just driven through. I’m sort of celebrating getting back here, unscathed, before I head on home. You okay with that?” She pushed a hand through her hair. “Sorry, I don’t mean to sound like a—” She stopped herself. It was enough she was here; she probably shouldn’t add cussing to the rumor mill.

“Sounds like the lady needs a drink, Dusty.” She looked to her left and found a handsome face with an equally charming smile. His eyes were a startling blue and he wore his thick, wavy hair combed back over his ears. Broad shoulders filled out his too-small black T-shirt with a faded Metallica logo on the front. He perched his boot on the foot rail and leaned on his elbow, his gaze focused on her. He looked perfectly at home.

The barkeep scooted her drink across on a napkin. “Five-fifty,” he stated, picking up his towel. Aimee fished through her purse in search of her pocketbook.

“Let me get this, darlin’.” Mr. Metallica slapped a ten on the bar and gave her a cocky grin.

The predatory glint in his eye made it obvious where he hoped his gesture would go.

“That isn’t necessary.” She started to pull her money out.

He smacked a hand to his heart. “I realize, sweetheart, but there are so few times when I’ve had the good fortune to meet an angel in the flesh.”

Dusty chuckled and Aimee offered the stranger a congenial smile. Clearly, he was well practiced in the art of pick-up lines.

“Steve? You gonna play or what?” One of the guys came in from the back room, a pool cue resting on his shoulder. He passed Aimee a glance.

“Don’t suppose you play pool, do you, angel?” Mr. Metallica asked, his eyes looked her over as his lip curved in a come-hither smile.

Aimee shook her head and swirled the ice cubes in her drink. She wished he’d take his friend’s invitation to return to the game.

He leaned closer, his grin blossoming into a full-blown, sexy smile. Maybe it was the drink, the storm, or the aftereffects of the handsome cowboy lingering still in her mind, but damn, to a woman wanting to be held for a while, this guy was seriously tempting.

“Well, if my luck holds out, maybe you’ll be here when I get through?”

She offered him a smile. “I don’t think so.” He slid his fingers over hers, letting them linger on her skin. Charming was one thing, pushy another.

“You’re sure?” He lowered his voice.

“Steve, come on man! We’ve got money riding on this one.”

“Quite.” She slid her hand from his.

He stood, towering over her, giving her one last look at his powerfully sexy physique. “Maybe another time. My friends and I come up here a lot. The food…is excellent.” He tossed the bartender a look.