Shoulda Been A Cowboy (17 page)

She rested her forehead against the tile wall in the
shower and the let water beat down on her. For such an outwardly
resilient man, Cam had a wide streak of vulnerability. As much as she
hated to see him hurting, it gave her a sense of…purpose that
he'd leaned on her, confided in her, needed her. That he could
rely on her to be the strong one for him for a change.

During the course of the day would Cam decide he needed
a break to regroup after opening himself up to her? Especially after
she'd seen him reliving his worst nightmare?

She'd ached for him, knowing exactly how it felt
to wake up in the hospital with a piece of yourself missing.

Why didn't you tell him?

Because the early morning breakdown wasn't about
her or what she'd experienced, it was about what Cam needed.

Clean, dressed, loaded with caffeine, Domini grabbed her
laptop and tackled the grocery order for the following week. She
emailed the invoices to Macie in Canyon River, along with a note
about payroll changes.

After juggling next week's employee schedules,
Domini powered down her computer. She locked up her apartment and
paused at the bottom of the staircase when she heard a baby wailing.
She grinned and detoured to the back door leading to India's
Ink and Sky Blue. “Indy?”

No answer.

Chances were good given the baby boy's set of
lungs that India hadn't heard her. Domini followed the crying
to the retail store at the front of the building.

But India wasn't holding the squalling baby. Colt
was.

“
Colt?”

He circled around slowly as he continued to pat Hudson's
back. “Tell me he wasn't loud enough that you heard him
clear upstairs.”

“
No. I was in the stairway. I thought India was
closing the shop today.”

“
She is. We're just waitin' for Mama
to get back.”

The drop-dead gorgeous cowboy looked like hell. Colt
wore stained cut-off sweats, flip-flops and a wrinkled sleeveless
T-shirt. The ball cap pulled low on his forehead didn't hide
the dark circles under his eyes. The second he quit moving, the baby
fussed.

“
Is everything okay?”

His bleary gaze connected with hers and it hit her that
Colt and Cam had the same midnight blue eyes.

Colt smiled at her crookedly. “Everything is fine,
except Hudson doesn't sleep much. Which means Indy and I don't
sleep much.” He dropped a kiss on the baby's dark head.
“Not that I'm complaining.”

She wouldn't either. “Where is India?”

“
At Doc Monroe's getting her post-baby check
up—three weeks late.”

Domini bit back a smile. “My offer to babysit any
time still stands.”

“
You're gonna be shocked when we take you up
on that one of these days.” Colt gave her an odd look. “So,
what's goin' on with you and Cam?”

Domini blushed. Dammit. She was pretty sure red cheeks
and stammering was a dead giveaway something was going on.

“
That sneaky little shit,” Colt said. “He
hasn't told me nothin' about this.”

How was she supposed to answer? What if Cam didn't
want his family to know? “Maybe there's nothing to tell.”

“
Right. Seein' as his pickup has been parked
outside your apartment late at night for the last week…well,
sweetheart, that's not something that's gonna escape
notice in this gossipy town or in the gossipy McKay family,”
Colt drawled.

“
In that case, I guess it doesn't matter
that my shades are drawn?”

Colt grinned. “Oh, I wouldn't go that far.
There's lots of shocking things goin' on behind closed
doors that are better left to the imagination.”

No kidding. “Tell Indy I said hello,” she
said and ducked out the back door.

Domini snuck in the delivery entrance to Dewey's.
She watched David's knife flash as the scents of onions and
green peppers filled the prep area.

David didn't look up when he said, “Hey,
Domini.”

“
Hey, Dave. How's it going?”

He shrugged. “I'm good.”

“
Did lunch go okay?”

“
Slow. So I have a feeling you'll be busy
tonight.”

“
Why's that?”

“
Because you're cooking.”

She groaned. “I forgot. Is there any chance—”

“
Nope. I'm prepping until five and then I'm
outta here.”

“
Please?”

“
No way. I have a date with a hot number from
Spearfish. She's staying over at my place and everything.”

“
Lucky you.”

“
Yep.” David scooped the mix into a white
plastic bucket.

Domini wandered out front. The place was empty, typical
for the time of day. Myra, the night waitress, sat in a booth rolling
silverware. “Need some help?”

“
I won't say no if you're offerin'.”

She slid across from Myra and grabbed a stack of
napkins. “How was the lunch crowd today?”

“
Eating someplace else according to Bea.”
Myra peered at her over the rim of her leopard-print eyeglasses.
“Bobby is slacking big time when you're not around.”

That was disconcerting. “I haven't heard
customer complaints.”

“
That's because they don't bother to
complain. They just don't bother to come back in.”

“
David says we'll be busy tonight because
I'm cooking.”

Myra rolled the silverware into the napkin and dropped
it into the bucket with a muffled clank. “Why don't you
hire another cook if you don't want to do it anymore?”

“
That's the thing. I'd rather just
cook. It's the management stuff that I don't want to do.”
Domini almost clapped her hand over her mouth. Why had she admitted
that? To an employee?

“
Why don't you tell Macie? I'm sure
she'd understand.”

“
No, she wouldn't. After what happened with
Cat, she needs someone she can trust to manage this place. I had to
promise David the moon to stay on as a prep cook because no one else
has applied. I know it's the exact same story on the management
side.” Domini sighed. Unemployment rates may be skyrocketing
everywhere else in the country, but not in Wyoming. For the most
part, skilled workers in the restaurant industry could pick and
choose where they hung their apron.

The doorbell chimed.

“
Right on time.” Myra's eyes sparkled.
“Chin up, boss. Maybe a knight in shining armor will ride to
your rescue and sweep you away from this mundane existence.”

Domini didn't have to turn around to know who'd
walked in.

Cam.

Silly, but her heart did a little flip.

“
Hey, Deputy,” Myra called out. “Want
coffee?”

“
Please.”

She waited until Myra delivered Cam's coffee
before she sauntered over. Her body flushed hot as the griddle when
his hungry eyes ate her up. “Deputy. May I join you?”

“
I'd be disappointed if you didn't.”

“
Would you prefer I sat beside you or across from
you?”

“
Depends.”

“
On?”

He blew across his coffee. “On which side offers
the easiest access for me to cop a feel.”

“
A cop copping a feel?”

“
Yep.”

She sat across from him. “How has your day been?”

“
It started off with a bang.” His sexy
bad-boy grin made her stomach cartwheel.

“
I'll say.”

“
How's your day been?”

“
Good. I saw Colt and Hudson a little while ago.
Colt grilled me on what was going on with us.” She swiped his
mug and took a drink. “The rumor mill has been churning.”

“
Yes, it has. My mother called today.”

“
What did you tell her?”

“
Nothin'. I didn't answer her call. I
just…”

Don't want to tell her it's just sex
between us?

Cam sighed. “I want to keep you to myself for a
little bit longer before they start meddling. Does that sound
stupid?”

“
No.” Before she choked up at another
glimpse of the sweet side of this gruff man, she changed the subject.
“So, did you arrest anyone today, Deputy?”

“
I ticketed two kids for drag racin' out by
the old cemetery. Then I finished paperwork. I got tired of listening
to Shortbull and Reeves arguing about baseball so I took a break and
came here. What time do you get done?”

“
Ten thirty. I'm cooking tonight, which I'll
admit I am not looking forward to.”

“
Funny, I always look forward to your cooking.”

“
Ah. So is that why you've been coming in at
least once a day for the last two years? Because of my culinary
skills?”

“
I'm a bachelor. Half the time I eat Cap'n
Crunch for supper.”

Domini leaned across the table. “That is not an
answer, Cam.”

“
I know. But I don't guess you'd like
to hear how seeing your pretty face never fails to make my day, no
matter what else happens to me during the course of that day.”

“
You're wrong. Sometimes I want to hear
mushy stuff.”

Cam touched her face. “Anything you want, Domini.
Name it.”

The doorbell pinged. Cam dropped his hand and threaded
their fingers together. Before Domini tore her gaze away from Cam's
compelling blue eyes, a blond ball of energy stopped short of
tackling her in the booth.

“
Guess what? Mom said next week I can spend the
night and you can take me to school—” Anton caught sight
of Cam. His teeth clamped together so fast Domini feared he might
have chipped a molar.

“
Hey, Anton. Do you know Deputy McKay?”

Anton shook his head.

Cam stuck out his right hand. “Pleased to meet you
Anton.”

He shook Cam's hand, albeit reluctantly.

The bell pinged again and Nadia hustled in. The second
Nadia saw Cam, she froze too. She gathered herself and stood behind
Anton.

“
Nadia, you remember Deputy McKay?”

Cam returned Nadia's quick nod of acknowledgment.

“
What brings you guys by?” Domini asked to
fill the silence.

“
We were out and about and thought we'd see
if you had time to eat with us.”

“
Shoot. I'm working in the kitchen tonight—”

“
No big deal, it was a spur of the moment idea
anyway. Another time.” Nadia squeezed Anton's shoulders.
“Let's go home.” She aimed a cool gaze at Cam.
“Deputy.”

Then Nadia and Anton were gone. Weird.

Half a dozen people came in. She sighed. “Time to
get to work.” Domini tried to tug her hand free. Her breath
caught when Cam brought their joined hands to his mouth, licking and
nibbling her knuckles like he was kissing her sex.

He flashed her a cocky grin. “See you at ten
thirty.”

 

 

Cam's cell phone rang right after he'd
climbed into his patrol car. “McKay.”

“
Is this Cam McKay? The war hero?”

He grinned. “Brock Tennyson, you bastard. Were
your ears burning? Because I was just talking about you last night.”

“
Yeah? I hope you were talking me up to that hot
sister of yours, because, man-oh-man that cowgirl she has got it
going on, whoo-ee.”

“
Don't make me hurt you after you saved my
life. I will rip your arms outta the sockets and beat you with them
if you lay so much as a single finger on Keely.”

Brock laughed. “You're so easy to rile,
McKay. So what's up with you? Been busier than a one-legged man
in an ass-kicking contest?”

“
You're a fuckin' riot.”

“
Admit it. You miss my humor. How goes the deputy
job?”

“
Great, most days. Better than chasing cattle,
that's for damn sure. What about you? It's a little early
to be calling about setting up our bi-annual hunting trip.”

“
Actually, I apologize for giving you such late
notice. I'm on my way to Seattle and I've got an extra
day to burn, so I thought I'd stop off in Sundance, see if
you're gonna be around.”

“
When?”

“
Day after tomorrow.”

“
I'll be here. I'm scheduled off that
day so if you wanna hit Colt's fishin' hole—”