The Barter System (25 page)

Breathing deeply and
swallowing the giddy laugh rising in her throat, she said carefully, “You don’t
understand.  I’ve had a thing for Sam Elliot since I was twelve and saw him in
Roadhouse
. 
And you…you talk like him, too.  Okay, let me acclimate.  Whew.  Another deep
breath.”  She fanned herself a minute and he watched her with such intensity it
was hard to settle her nerves. 

She returned his appraisal
openly, “I was expecting someone softer.  You’re far from soft, Lucas. 
Interesting how
not-soft
you actually are.  I’m Riya, obviously.”

Amusement glinted in his
eyes, “You’re much prettier in person, Riya.”  His low, husky Sam Elliot voice
washed over her and she feared creaming her panties in the middle of this
little small-town diner. 

“So are you, my goodness,”
she murmured and he quirked his eyebrows at her. 

He turned to the waitress,
“Hi, Ann, can you bring me a coffee?  And a couple of those fresh cinnamon
rolls?”  Turning back to her, he said frankly, “You’ll like them.  You’re too
thin.  Haven’t these guys been feeding you?” 

Riya was taken aback at his
reference to the other subjects.  “They have.”

“Maybe you don’t eat much,”
he said with a smirk.  She got the distinct impression she was being tested in
some way. 

Leaning forward, she crossed
her arms on the table.  “Maybe I’ve been burning it off,” she sassed back with
a quirked eyebrow and he burst out laughing. 

“You have spark, Riya.  I
like that.”  He thanked the waitress for their coffee and rolls, pushing one at
her and waiting until she picked up a fork obediently. 

Lucas said bluntly, “I’m
happy to answer any and all questions you have.  I’ll participate in your
research without asking anything from you.  I find you interesting and lord
knows I could use some company.  Maybe learn how to speak around a woman
again.  But I’m not taking anything I haven’t earned.”  He sipped his coffee.

She leaned in close, and
told him quietly, “I’ll tell you what.  Why don’t we see how it plays out? 
Before I started this project, I was celibate for years.  To be honest, other
than the deed being done, I guess I was still pretty much a virgin until this
project started.  And one thing I’ve learned, there is something about each of
you that made you stand out to me, from the other thousands of men who
applied.  Something that made each of you apply, that made me choose you.  And
here I am.  My main focus is research, but the study is for my dissertation in
Human Sexuality and Psychology.  I’m already attracted to you and you might end
up being attracted to me too.  It could happen.  I’m thinking we don’t lay down
the ground rules so early.”

Then she leaned back, took a
sip of her coffee, and waited. 

Lucas looked at her for a
long time before he answered, “Fine.  Let’s get you out to the house.”  He
dropped bills down on the table and picked up her bag.  “Have a good day,
Ann.” 

Holding the door for her, he
waited as Riya went past then followed, throwing her stuff in the back of a
black Excursion two spaces from the door.  Opening the passenger side door, she
hopped up and smiled at him.  He shut the door, not seeming to know what to
make of her. 

She noticed a lot of people
were staring at the truck, particularly at her in the truck, as it drove by,
starting with half the people who’d been in the diner.  “People aren’t used to
you having a woman in your truck, I take it?” 

“That would be putting it
mildly.  I don’t remember the last time I was around women in general, and the
fact that you have a bag and I came into town specifically to pick you up will
have tongues wagging for a long while,” he told her. 

“There are better things to
do with their tongues, I could write them a book on it if they’d like,” she
came back, annoyed that people were so nosy about his life.  He laughed and
shook his head.

“Lord, woman, you are a
breath of fresh air.”  He glanced over at her, “Now I’m more worried about
getting attached to you or some damn thing.  Half my age and pretty as a
picture with a spitfire attitude.  I’m not used to that at all.  I have no idea
what I’m going to do with you.”

“Lucas, can I ask you to
play a little game with me…don’t give me that look.  I didn’t mean it that way,
goodness!  In six months, if someone were to ask how many men I’d been with
over my entire lifetime, the grand total will be ten.  Not so awful.  It’s
because I haven’t had a life in forever and now I’m cramming it all into two
months.  Makes me look bad, I can see that, but I’m usually very shy and
conservative.  I’m quite the wallflower.” 

“I can’t imagine any man
with a visual of you allowing you to be a wallflower.  I wouldn’t.  Before we
go another mile, let me assure you I have absolutely no negative view of your
or your project.  I think more women should stand up and say what they want
then go get it.  Most don’t, so you’re going to stand out.  That isn’t
necessarily a bad thing either.  Just so we’re clear, I do find you attractive
and that scares the hell out of me on a lot of different levels.  Now, what
game would you like to play with me, Riya?” 

His voice was low and
rough.  He talked slowly, as if he wasn’t used to talking, or in no hurry to
rush the conversation.

“Thank you.  For the
multiple compliments you just gave me.”  She felt a blush creep up her face,
knowing this man didn’t throw remarks like that around lightly.  She took a
peek at him and he was smiling. 

She cleared her throat.  “I
think you need to create an alternate universe.  Imagine things the way you’d
like them to be right now, current circumstances included, and let me help you
create it.  I’m not saying things will magically get better.  When your wife
died, you told me you lost your will to live, and yet you continue on.  The
time has come for you to get the control you lost back.  I can help get you on
the right track.  I think you want to live and be happy…satisfied with who you
are again, but you may have forgotten how.  If you’ll keep an open mind, you
might be surprised.”

He pulled off on his road
and parked.  “How old are you, Riya?”  He was looking through the windshield. 

“Twenty-five, Lucas.”

“Who did you lose?” 

“Seven years ago, during my
senior year of high school, I lost my mother.  She was a wonderful mom, wife,
and friend.  A good woman in her prime.  I was so angry.  I was very confused. 
My father was utterly devastated, perhaps still is, but too proud to allow me
to help him.  Devoted to my mother then and now.  Only now he uses sex as the
only outlet, never allowing anyone close.  He says he’s happy, and perhaps he
is.  I know he fakes it well.” 

She turned to him, “But I’m
actually more concerned about you.  You live out in the middle of nowhere and
work with all men.  By your own admission, you have withdrawn from everything
but this ranch.  You are too young, more than ten years younger than my own
father, to be alone like this.  Play my game for a week.  You have nothing to
lose and I’d be very happy if I could help you.”   

Weighing her proposal for a
long moment, he said quietly, “You’ve got a deal, Riya.  But don’t get your
hopes up.”  He put the car in gear and drove up the dirt road.  The land they
drove across was flat but there were mountains stretching along the horizon. 

As the truck topped a low
rise, she saw a huge log cabin a half mile away.  They crossed over a cattle
guard with a large gate stretching over the road, now standing open.  Above in
wrought iron was ‘Circle T Ranch’.  There were stables, hay barns, and corrals
near the main house.  Barbed wire fencing stretched for miles in both
directions.  She could see horses in the corrals and cows grazing everywhere. 

When he noticed Riya’s
interest in the corrals, he asked, “Do you ride, Riya?”

“Oh yes.  Since I was
little.  Both my parents were excellent riders,” she said. 

“We’ll have to take them out
then.  I rarely ride just to ride anymore.”  He smiled at her obvious happiness
at the prospect of going riding.  Maybe she wasn’t as city as he’d thought
she’d be.  “Stay put, there’s a lot of mud today from the morning rain.” 

He pulled under the carport
and jumped out to help her down from the truck.  As he set her on her feet, he
took note of her petite stature with a small smile.  Going to get her bag, he
slung it over his shoulder and took her elbow just in case she slipped. 

At the side door, they
cleaned their boots and stepped into the mudroom.  He set her bag on the
farmer’s bench and slid his lightweight jacket off and hung it up. 

Riya took that opportunity
to really look him over.  About six-two, he was light, probably didn’t break
two hundred pounds.  There was nothing wasted on his frame, broad shoulders,
wide chest, long limbs with strong bones and lean, capable muscle.  Narrow
hips, flat waist, and a very decent ass.  There was a little silver shot
through his black hair and it was shaggy.  His eyes were so brown they were
almost black.  Thick eyebrows and strong features, slightly crooked nose, wide
sensual lips, and rough stubble shadowed his jaw. 

He bent to pick up her bag
and totally busted her checking him out.  She shrugged good-naturedly and
followed him through the kitchen, into the living room. 

There were three bedrooms on
one side of the house.  He paused between two of them, obviously distressed. 
Riya laid her hand on his shoulder, “I’ll stay in the guest room.  Lucas?  No
big deal.  I’m going to freshen up and then why don’t you show me around?”  He
placed her bag at the end of a huge pine bed and nodded. 

“I’ll be in the kitchen,
Riya,” he said as he passed her.

She grabbed her toiletries
bag and went to brush her teeth and put on deodorant.  She’d done it all at the
hotel but he needed time to pull himself together and she was going to give it
to him.  She brushed her hair really well then pulled it up in a ponytail. 

Grabbing another t-shirt,
Riya pulled it over the long sleeved one giving her some layers.  Early
September and the air was brisk.  Having wasted all the time she could, she
left the room and went to the kitchen to face Subject Four.       

When she entered, he was
standing over the kitchen sink, looking out the window at the mountains behind
the house.  “Want to go riding?  We can take the horses over the property,” he
said without turning to look at her. 

“Sure,” she answered, aching
for the pain she saw in him. 

He turned and walked toward
the mudroom.  Glancing at her clothes, he took a dark blue jacket from one of
the hooks and handed it to her.  Helping her slip it on, he rolled the cuffs
up.  It was going to be plenty warm, lined with sheepskin.  He grabbed another
jacket and opened the door, motioning her to go first. 

When she stepped off the
porch steps she slid a little and he caught her.  “Sorry, I’ll be careful,” she
said quietly. 

“Riya, I’m sorry if I’m
making you feel unwelcome,” he told her sincerely, a light crease between his
brows. 

“You think that’s what I’m
worried about?  Hardly.  I’m hurt for
you
.  What a lonely life you must
have.  A big house with too many memories, no one to talk to, and nothing
changes day after day except the weather.”  She stuck her hands in the jacket
pockets and fell silent. 

They entered the horse
stables and she waited for him to tell her what saddle she could use.  She
wasn’t picking up anything that might have belonged to his deceased wife.  He
laid out rigging for both of them.  Lucas brought out a pretty dappled gray
mare to the center for her and went back for his own horse. 

When he came back, she was
to the left of the horse, checking for saddle sores and laying a clean blanket
on its back.  She threw the cinch and stirrup on top of the saddle seat and
hefted the saddle up and over.  Once she dropped the stirrup and cinch, she
reached under and tightened them with a sturdy knot.  She checked the length of
the stirrups, shortening them a little, then walked the horse around to check
her work.  She stood stroking the horse’s face.