“When are we leaving, Gwenny? Christy and Robby already left with the bull this morning. I wish I could have gone with them.”
Gwen thought Cameron was about to bounce off the walls, he was that excited about going to the Fourth of July celebration in Hangman’s Loss. “Yeah, well, you’re stuck going with us.” She took pity on him. “But I’m almost ready. Go on outside, and I’ll be out in a few minutes.”
She wondered if Cameron felt the tension that had settled around the Broken Arrow over the past couple days. The FBI had reported no developments, and the two men she’d seen on the trail had disappeared, but other things had happened. The diverter had been damaged again, this time seriously enough that replacement equipment had to be ordered. Fence line had been cut, leading to another day being devoted to rounding up cattle that had escaped into the neighboring forest land.
She picked up the small cooler she’d packed with drinks, and a cloth bag with a change of clothes. The temperature would cool after sundown so she’d brought jeans and her hoodie, but for the warm day she wore a sundress Daisy had given her. One good thing from the past week was finally meeting Ben’s wife. Daisy was as pretty as her name implied, and Gwen appreciated her calm competence in dealing with her children.
Daisy had offered the dress, claiming she’d bought it for herself and then never worn it. In summer yellows and greens, Gwen realized why. With dark hair and eyes, her new friend did better in jewel tones, while the lighter colors warmed Gwen’s golden complexion. It was fun to dress like a girl for a change, as Cameron called it, and she’d spent some time getting ready. She didn’t have any makeup with her, but she had styled her hair in a French braid and wore strappy sandals on her feet.
She stepped outside and Cameron ran up to take the cooler. “Uncle Eli says he’s ready.”
They walked together toward Eli’s truck, Cameron struggling a bit with the cooler. She’d noticed lately that he’d been doing that a lot, helping her if he thought something was heavy, opening doors for her. She guessed she’d have to talk with him. Being a gentleman was fine, but she wanted to make sure he didn’t think women were weak.
Eli held open the passenger door as she and Cameron neared, and Gwen had an inkling where Cameron’s behavior came from. That cool gray gaze warmed as it traveled over her, making her glad she’d gone to a little extra effort with her appearance.
Eli and Gwen sat in the front while Cameron chatted excitedly from the backseat. They pulled onto the road that led into town and Gwen sat back as they passed meadows dotted with Broken Arrow cattle. The sun shone brightly, and though the morning had started cool, the day promised to be blazingly hot by afternoon.
“Uncle Eli, will there be cotton candy at the carnival?”
Elijah glanced in his rearview mirror. “There will be enough junk food to keep you happy for a week, kid. You don’t need to worry on that score.”
“What about Rocky Mountain oysters? Robby said I should try those.”
Eli responded with a dry laugh, saying, “You gotta watch out for that Robby.” He then proceeded to explain Rocky Mountain oysters, eliciting a horrified, “Yuck. People eat that?” from Cameron.
Gwen flashed Eli a laughing look, and she could admit to befuddlement when he reached over and took her hand in his, raising it to press a warm kiss to her knuckles.
They arrived in Hangman’s Loss where the streets were blocked, and people were already gathering, lining up along the parade route. After finding a parking space on a side road, Eli led the way back to Main Street with its wooden boardwalks and window boxes filled with brightly colored flowers.
The smell of roasting meat carried in the light breeze and the buildings along the parade route were festooned with patriotic bunting. Band instruments being tuned echoed through the air, and Gwen’s spirits lifted. She’d never experienced a small town Fourth of July and liked the idea of the community coming together in celebration. The adults of the Broken Arrow knew to be watchful for the two men she’d seen, but she couldn’t help feeling that today was a reprieve from worry.
“Here, this is a good spot.” Eli motioned to the shade under a large, leafy tree. Many people had staked out spots with camp chairs and ice chests and were already seated, ready for the parade to begin. Eli nodded or waved to people he knew, and she felt speculative gazes settle on her and Cameron. Eli must have felt it, too, because he reached down for her hand. He leaned back against the tree as more people crowded under its shade, and pulled her closer.
“Cam.”
Robby Cutter waved excitedly from across the street, a straw cowboy hat on his head. He sat with his family and motioned for Cameron to join them. Cameron turned his face up to hers. “Can I go across and watch the parade with Robby and Christy, Aunt Gwenny? Please?”
“Sure.” She heard the sound of the approaching band. “You better go quick, the parade is about to start.”
Cameron darted across the street and settled into a chair between Ben and Robby. A large woman with a florid face squeezed in next to Gwen. “Sorry, honey, but I need some shade. I’m liable to get heatstroke standing in the sun.”
Gwen shifted to give the woman room, backing up against Eli. “Sorry.” She tried to move, but a man she thought might be the woman’s husband crowded beside them, wearing a red, white, and blue top hat with stars bouncing around it on coiled wire. Warm hands settled on her shoulders as Eli pulled her firmly against him.
“Oh, here comes the marching band,” the woman sang out.
Drums beat the cadence and a fanfare sounded with trumpets blaring the opening measures of a Sousa march, and all Gwen could think about was the hard chest against her back and Eli’s hands on her shoulders holding her firmly against him. When she would have shifted to give him a little space, his fingers tightened. She felt the tingle when his lips pressed against the slope of her shoulder left bare by the wide collar of the dress.
“This is nice, isn’t it?”
She had no way of knowing if he was talking about the parade or the two of them being all but glued together from head to toe. She nodded, not even caring if people thought they were strange standing so close together on a warm summer day.
Teenagers carrying a banner reading “City of Hangman’s Loss” led the parade, followed by a classic Cadillac convertible carrying the grand marshal. A couple sat inside, a handsome dark-haired man in a dark blue police uniform, his arm draped around the shoulders of a slight woman with long brown hair. The man caught sight of Eli and waved.
Gwen cocked her head. “Who’s that?”
“Police Chief Brad Gallagher, and that’s his fiancée, Emma Kincaid. She owns that resort with the cabins we pass on the way into town. There was some trouble a month or so back and Brad ended up shot. Luckily, he’s okay. Brad’s a standup guy. I’ve only met Emma briefly, but she seems smart, and is as head over heels for Brad as he is for her.”
The band followed, then floats sponsored by different organizations from the town. There were floats representing Little League, the local Native American tribe, the Future Farmers of America, as well as the local rodeo association. Tiny little girls marched by in rodeo costumes, and when Gwen turned her head to comment to Eli, their gazes locked, and she found herself almost lip to lip with him. It took the blaring siren from a fire truck rolling by for her to break the connection and look away.
When the parade ended, Eli took Gwen’s hand and they crossed the street to join Ben and Daisy and the kids. The children were anxious to visit the carnival booths set up at the elementary school. Cameron turned to her in full plead mode. “Please, can I go with Robby and Christy? They said there’s games and prizes and stuff. I really want to go.”
Uneasy, Gwen looked at Eli. She didn’t like the thought of Cameron being away from her. Even though she knew the likelihood that the men she’d met on the trail were still around, or that they would be a threat, was far-fetched, she was still nervous. Daisy seemed to read her mind. She gave her a friendly smile. “Gwen, why don’t you and I go with the kids?” She indicated Eli and Ben. “These two need to go to the rodeo arena, so we will be on our own soon anyway.”
Gwen looked curiously at Eli, remembering his teacher they’d run into saying he participated in the rodeo, but he wasn’t giving anything away with his blank expression.
“Okay.” Eli pulled out his wallet and handed Cameron a twenty-dollar bill. “This is for you to buy tickets with. Get some for Robby and Christy, too.” Then he turned and handed several folded bills to Gwen. “This is for lunch.”
“Eli, I—”
“For once, don’t argue, Gwendolyn.”
With the others looking on, she didn’t have much choice, and took the money.
***
The next hour and a half was spent chatting with Daisy and keeping an eye on Cameron who seemed to be having the time of his life. He returned several times to the batting challenge, obviously his favorite booth. Swinging the baseball bat as the pitching machine lobbed balls at him, he hit pitch after pitch into the netting, with Robby and Christy taking their turns.
A man Gwen recognized from sitting on the Little League float approached her. He stuck out his hand to shake. “I’m Pablo Diaz. Your boy there has a good swing.” The man had thick dark hair with gray at the temples and kind eyes.
“Yeah, he loves baseball.”
“He ever play Little League?”
Gwen nodded. “We’re from Southern California and he played there.”
“Well, if you’re still around when the next season starts, sign him up. He’s a natural.”
Gwen nodded, and as the coach strolled away, she wondered what she would be doing when baseball season started in the spring. Before the end of the school year, she had put out feelers in the school district for jobs and filled out applications for positions within driving distance of her home. But Chloe’s death had changed things. The thought stuck her that she could stay in Bridgeport. Once Justin was behind bars, and if the local district was hiring, she and Cameron could find a place in town. That would satisfy her desire to live in a more rural setting, and it would allow Eli to visit his uncle on a regular basis. That she’d also see Eli made the idea even more attractive.
After lunch, grilled chicken sandwiches for the women and hot dogs for the kids, they walked down the street toward the rodeo arena. The crowd grew as they approached the gate. A prickling sensation sent goosebumps up the back of her neck. Gwen glanced behind her. She caught a glimpse of a big man, hair hidden beneath a cowboy hat. Under the shadow of the hat she couldn’t see if he had a crooked nose. She shifted to get a better look, but he had disappeared into the throng of people.
Trying to shake off the unease, Gwen took a seat in the stands under the blazing sun. She found sunscreen in her bag and rubbed some on her arms and legs, and had Cameron turn up his face so she could coat him as well, then shared the bottle with Daisy. As they waited for the first event, Cameron studied the program, then shoved it under Gwen’s nose. “Look, riders from the Broken Arrow are listed.”
Gwen took the folded paper and studied the entries. Sure enough, Broken Arrow riders were entered in several events. “Daisy, is Ben competing in any of the events?”
Daisy gave her a curious look. “Well, yes. Don’t you and Eli ever talk? Most of the hands compete in at least one event. Ben and Eli do the team roping event, then Ben rides the bronc, and Eli rides the bull.”
“Rides the bull? You’ve got to be kidding. That sounds dangerous.”
“Have you ever been to a rodeo before?”
“No. Is it?”
“Is what?”
“Daisy, is bull riding dangerous?”
“Of course it’s dangerous, that’s why they do it.” Daisy gave her an encouraging pat. “Ben and Eli have been doing these events since they were teenagers. You don’t need to worry about your man.”
“He’s not my man.”
“Sure seemed like he’s your man during the parade. In fact, the way the two of you look at each other when you think the other won’t notice is so hot, I’m surprised you’re not constantly putting out spot fires.”
“Daisy.” Even though her tone was quiet, Gwen glanced warily at Cameron. He had taken the program back and was studying it carefully, but she had the impression he’d heard every word.
A voice boomed over the speakers, announcing the opening of the rodeo. Gwen clapped along with the crowd as a group of riders dressed in fancy western gear rode their beautifully groomed horses and carried the U.S. flag around the arena. A young girl sang “The Star-Spangled Banner” and then the events began. Gwen cheered when Jed, and then Rafael, competed in the calf roping competition, Jed coming in with a good time.
The team roping event started, and pairs of riders worked in tandem to rope a steer as it ran out into the arena. The cowboys and cowgirls shot out in pursuit, ropes circling over their heads until swirling toward the running animal.
“Look in the pen, Gwenny, Uncle Eli’s up on a horse. And there’s Ben.”
Gwen followed Cameron’s pointing finger and there they were. Both men were on horseback on either side of the chute, and when the gate opened and the steer bolted, they were after it. Within seconds, Eli had looped his lariat over the steer’s horns and Ben had the back legs roped.
“They did it, Eli and Ben have the best time.” Cameron joined Christy and Robby in cheering wildly.
The next event was saddle bronc riding, and Gwen found herself holding her breath as the cowboys with their fancy chaps and hats firmly planted on their heads flew into the arena, one arm held high in the air, the other holding firmly to the rope. One rider sailed off at the bronc’s first wild kick, while two others lasted until the eight-second buzzer sounded. Daisy grabbed her hand when it was Ben’s turn. Two men on the ground pulled back the gate and Ben’s bronc twisted and bucked out of the chute, trying to dislodge its rider. Ben, dressed in blue chaps embroidered with broken arrows, held on, and when the buzzer sounded, he leapt clear of the horse. As the sun began to descend, the final event, bull riding, was announced.
Gwen watched as the first rider, then the next, flew out the gate on the backs of the monstrous animals, and were thrown off on the third or fourth twisting buck from the bull. Then it was Eli’s turn.
She felt her stomach clench as, wearing the Broken Arrow’s blue chaps and his black cowboy hat clamped low on his forehead, Eli climbed onto the top of the fence over the chute where a huge bull was already kicking at the gate. He settled on its massive back, gripping the rope that spanned the bull’s chest. The gate was pulled back and two thousand pounds of mad bull charged, twirling and churning up dust in an attempt to dislodge his rider. Eli held on, one arm high in the air as the bull spun around, bucking and twisting. The buzzer sounded at eight seconds, and the crowd roared. Eli kicked free of the bull but as he leapt clear, the bull whirled, swiping Eli with a wicked-looking horn.
Gwen surged to her feet without conscious thought. Eli was tossed through the air to land in the dirt. Rodeo clowns sprang into action, distracting the bull as Eli regained his feet. She allowed herself to breathe again when she saw him trot over to the fence. He climbed to the top and turned to scan the crowd. Even with the distance, she felt the jolt like a completed electrical circuit when his gaze locked on hers.
With the rodeo over and three kids in tow, Daisy and Gwen made their way around the outside of the arena. They waited as the crowd thinned and several of the riders Gwen had seen in the events filed out. Finally, Eli and Ben appeared, and all she could think about was that bull ramming its horn into Eli.
***
Once he hit the dirt, Eli scrambled out of the way of the bull’s churning hooves. He climbed the seven-foot fence and swung one booted foot over, then turned to look out into the crowd. He knew exactly where she was sitting. In that pretty summer dress that left her shoulders bare and all that golden hair shining like a beacon, he thought every cowboy at the rodeo had secretly wished she was there to cheer for them. Ignoring the vicious pain in his side, he found her staring straight at him. Satisfied, he flashed her a grin and jumped down on the other side of the fence.
He wasn’t sure how things had come to change so fast between them, but they had. And he was going to see where those changes led. Eli crossed to where Broken Arrow cowboys were busy loading horses into the trailers. Jed and Whit would return to pull the trailer back to the ranch after the fireworks. He unstrapped his chaps, stowing them with the rest of their gear under the bed cover of the truck and, when everything was squared away, walked with Ben to the front of the arena. The rest of the men headed over to the high school football stadium where the fireworks show would start once it was full dark.
He spotted Gwen standing with Daisy and the children. Christy ran to her father, and he swung her up to ride on his hip. Eli glanced over to find Gwen studying him with narrowed eyes.
Daisy spoke with her mom voice. “Okay, you three. We’re going to get ourselves to the stadium so we can sit together to watch the fireworks. You,” she pointed to Eli, “are going to take Gwen to the truck to get her change of clothes. She’s going to freeze to death.”
He looked at Gwen when she made a noise that sounded like a muffled groan. “I can get them. Eli doesn’t need to come with me.”
Ben shook his head. “It’s no use arguing when she’s decided on something. You might as well do as she says.”
“Right,” Gwen muttered.
“And rub some of that horse liniment where the bull got you, Eli. It will help with the bruising.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
She narrowed her eyes. “You sassing me, Elijah?”
Eli felt a grin spread across his face. He dropped a quick kiss on Daisy’s cheek. “Never, darlin’.” He turned to his foreman. “You all go on, we’ll be there in a bit.”
While the others trooped away, Eli looked at Gwen. “Let’s go.” As most of the crowd headed toward the football stadium, Eli and Gwen walked the few blocks to where his truck was parked. With the sun dropping behind the mountains the sky had darkened to a deep lavender. Neither of them spoke, but he noticed her set expression. They got to the truck and Gwen climbed in the backseat and pulled the door shut so she could change, stepping out minutes later wearing her jeans and sweatshirt with sneakers on her feet.
“Let me see.”
He thumbed back his hat. “See what?”
“See what that bull did to you. That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever seen. Who rides on a big, mean bull on purpose and then jumps off thinking that the mad-as-heck bull isn’t going to get back at him?”
“Me, I guess. Some women find that kind of thing hot.”
“And some women are idiots. Pull up your shirt.”
He gave her a wicked grin. “I thought you’d never ask, sweetheart.”
“Don’t sweetheart me.” She tugged at his shirt. “Let me see what he did to you.”
Realizing distracting her wasn’t working, Eli tugged the shirt free from his pants and pulled open the snaps.
“Jesus, Eli.” She brought her fingers up to skim lightly along the nasty red welt running across his lower ribs. “Where’s the liniment?”
“We don’t need to do that. The stuff smells.”
“Then you’ll smell. I’ve used it before and it works.”
“Come on, Gwen, the fireworks show will start without us.”
“Then you better cooperate because I’m not going anywhere until we treat this.”
Giving up, Eli unlocked the truck’s cargo box, pushed aside assorted tools, grabbed the tin, and handed it over. Gwen pried off the lid and dipped her fingers in. After giving him the tin to hold, she pulled his shirt clear to gently spread the salve over the vicious bruise, bracing her other hand on his hip.
She massaged gently, and he thought her fingers lightly kneading to work it into his skin did as much good as the ointment itself. He studied her bent head and fought the overwhelming desire to tip her face up and take her lips with his. It occurred to him that he was done fighting, that what he wanted from her was something totally different. He had a sneaking suspicion their arguing over the years mostly had been a screen for some seriously potent sexual tension.
Gwen stepped back, her fingers still lightly touching him. He set down the tin and dipped his head, brushing a kiss across her lips. “Thank you.” When she continued to look at him with those shadowed eyes, he leaned forward again, this time slanting his lips across hers in a hungry, open-mouthed kiss.
Her touch, the smell of the liniment she’d rubbed on his skin, the little hum of pleasure she gave when their tongues clashed, shot a knotted fist of need straight to his gut. Aching desire overshadowed the aching of the bruise. Her fingers curled around his belt, knuckles rubbing against his skin. The image of her lying beneath him on the rear bench seat of the truck made him hard and had him ignoring the fact that the backseat of a pickup was too public a place for what he had in mind.
He bent his knees, reaching down to hitch her up. He took her weight and she wrapped her legs around his waist, her hands diving into his hair. He backed her up against the truck, his mouth moving over her throat, and along the silky skin below her ear.
“I gotta have you, Gwendolyn. You’re making me crazy.”
A shudder ran through her body. “Eli, we can’t do this.”
“We have to do this.”
Her hands fisted, then tugged at his hair, pulling his head back. “Elijah.”
He sucked in a deep breath and their gazes locked. He was gratified to see her struggle for control was no easier than his. When she wiggled to be set down, he held her still. “Don’t move. Let me cool down.”
They stared into each other’s eyes, and after a long few moments, Eli felt like he had a tether on the needs still clawing through him. He set her down but didn’t release his hold. “I guess this means you don’t want to make out with me behind the football stadium.”
“Wanting to and knowing better are two different things.”
“I was afraid of that.” He took a deep breath to tighten his hold on his libido, and grasped her hand. “I’d like to revisit this sometime soon, but for now, let’s go see some fireworks.”