Tough to tame, but not too tough to love…

Charlie Allington is supposed to be on the fast track to the top—a small-town girl who was making it big in her career. Instead, she’s reeling from a scandal that’s pretty much burned all her bridges. Now, out of options, she needs a place to lick her wounds and figure out her future. True, working at a ski resort in rugged Jackson Hole, Wyoming, isn’t her dream job. But if there’s one perk to coming back, it’s a certain sexy hometown boy who knows how to make a girl feel welcome.

Cowboy Walker Pearce never expected a grown-up Charlie to be temptation in tight jeans. She’s smart and successful—way out of league for a man like him. But he’s not about to let that, or his secrets, get in the way of their blazing-hot attraction. Yet when passion turns to something more, will the truth—about both of them—send her out of his life for good…or into his arms forever?

Praise for the novels of USA TODAY bestselling author Victoria Dahl

“Dahl adds her signature hot sex scenes

and quirky characters to this lively mix

of romance in the high country.”

—Booklist on Too Hot to Handle

“Victoria Dahl never fails to bring the heat.”

—RT Book Reviews on Too Hot to Handle

“Hits the emotional high notes. Rising romance star Dahl delivers with this sizzling contemporary romance.”

—Kirkus Reviews on Close Enough to Touch

“A delightful romance between two people

who struggle to discover their own self-worth.”

—RT Book Reviews on Bad Boys Do

“This is one hot romance.”

—RT Book Reviews on Good Girls Don’t

“A hot and funny story about a woman

many of us can relate to.”

—Salon.com on Crazy for Love

“[A] hands-down winner, a sensual story

filled with memorable characters.”

—Booklist on Start Me Up

“Sassy and smokingly sexy,

Talk Me Down is one delicious joyride of a book.”

—New York Times bestselling author Connie Brockway

“Sparkling, special and oh so sexy—Victoria Dahl

is a special treat!”

—New York Times bestselling author Carly Phillips

on Talk Me Down

So Tough to Tame
Victoria Dahl

www.millsandboon.co.uk

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This book is for Jif,

who tries very hard to keep me almost sane.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Praise

Title Page

Dedication

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

CHAPTER NINETEEN

CHAPTER TWENTY

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

EPILOGUE

Extract

Copyright

CHAPTER ONE

RAIN SNAKED DOWN the windshield of his F-150 in lazy rivers as Walker Pearce waited for the stoplight to turn green. Jackson Town Square was deserted, but the light waited for nonexistent tourists to make their way across the street. He hit the windshield wipers, wishing they could wipe the phantom trace of her fingers from his skin, as well. The cab of the truck still smelled like her perfume.

Ignoring the rain, he cracked his window, then pulled forward when the light turned.

It wasn’t that he hated her. It was just that he’d thought she’d really wanted to talk when she’d called. But, of course, that wasn’t what Nicole had wanted from him. It never was.

He knew his scruples weren’t exactly sound. He’d kissed her, yes. In fact, they would’ve had sex one night if they hadn’t gotten spooked by a near interruption. So no, he couldn’t pretend that he was above such things, exactly. But somehow, messing around with the ranch owner’s wife had felt less wrong when it had been...happenstance. An unexpected moment alone in the tack room. An accidental meeting after a summer party. He hadn’t meant it. Neither had she. Or so he’d told himself.

But now that he was no longer working at the Fletcher Guest Ranch, Nicole couldn’t leave it to chance. She’d called and asked him to meet her by Old Warm Springs. It was important, she’d said. She’d needed to see him. He’d liked that. Feeling important to a woman like her. But he’d mistaken the word.

Walker scrubbed a hand over his mouth, thinking he’d have to shave his beard if the smell of her skin wouldn’t wash off.

He hadn’t had sex with her this time, either, despite the way she’d climbed onto his lap and pressed herself against him. He wasn’t sure why he was so determined to protect her marriage. She didn’t seem to care all that much. Before he’d gotten fired from the ranch, Walker had told her they couldn’t do it because he worked for her husband, because they’d be doing it under the man’s roof, because he’d be fired if they got caught. But those things didn’t matter now, so why did he feel even less tempted?

Maybe she’d just picked the wrong meeting spot. The springs had reminded him of junior high, and swimming with girls who’d made his head spin with fascinated lust when sex had seemed unattainable and dangerously romantic.

Sex was no longer unattainable and there was nothing romantic about the danger with Nicole. She just made him sad. And he was worried that everyone at the ranch suspected. He’d been fired for yet another paperwork screwup, but being fired over paperwork wasn’t one of the most common stories told around a campfire. It had been an excuse. Walker had known that and so had his manager. Walker had no idea if that meant Nicole’s husband knew, or if it was a matter of rumors just becoming too much for management to ignore.

Whatever the reason, seeing her felt wrong now, but his refusal had seriously pissed Nicole off. Maybe she wouldn’t call again.

He felt only relief at the idea as he parked his truck in front of his apartment and got out. But instead of heading into the building, he crossed the lawn and walked toward the old saloon next door.

Truthfully, he missed the ranch. He missed his dog. He needed a drink, and fast.

“Hey!” Jenny Stone called from behind the bar as soon as he walked in. “You’re just the man I was looking for!”

Walker couldn’t help the wide grin that spread across his face. Jenny was a damn cute blonde. “Oh, yeah? Is there something Nate ain’t giving you, darlin’? I’d be happy to oblige.”

Jenny rolled her eyes. “You wish.”

“True enough. But I do try to steer clear of a woman whose boyfriend carries a gun. Tends to leave a mark.” He took off his hat and grabbed a stool.

“The usual?”

When he nodded, she drew a beer and shot a nervous look toward the back of the saloon. Walker turned to look, but the place was nearly empty at 3:00 p.m. on a rainy Tuesday.

She slid him his beer and leaned close. “You remember Charlie Allington?”

For a moment, Walker had no idea who Jenny was talking about. He’d worked with a damn lot of cowboys in his day, some who’d come and gone so quickly that he’d never even learned their names. “Charlie,” he repeated, looking for a memory. The one that popped into his head shocked the hell out of him. “Oh, Charlie! Of course.”

He and Charlie Allington—known as Charlotte only if you were trying to irritate her—had gone to high school together. In fact, she’d been his tutor for all of his junior year. “It’s been a long time,” he said.

“So Charlie is Nate’s cousin. Once removed or second cousin or however that works.”

“Is she doing okay?” Last he’d heard, she’d moved to Vegas for a big job.

“She’s great. She’s back in town, working at one of the Teton resorts as a security manager, and she called Nate to ask if he knew a place she could stay.”

“And you suggested my place?” he asked with an automatic wink. But he felt guilty as soon as he said it. The last time he’d seen Charlie she’d been a sweet teenage girl whose number-one interest had been the track team.

“Oh, I know your door’s always open, but I need something else.”

“What?”

She smiled and cocked her head. “A favor.”

He eyed her fluttering lashes suspiciously.

“Rayleen has been complaining about the Stud Farm being invaded by a swarm of women.”

“I’d hardly call Merry a swarm.”

“Yeah, well, she’s still pissed that Grace moved out and talked Rayleen into letting Merry stay. She was hoping to pack the place with nothing but big hotties again this winter.” She nudged his elbow. “As usual.”

He gave her another grin. Old Rayleen owned the apartment building next to the saloon. She had a long history of only renting to young men, and since the house had once been the Studd homestead before it’d been broken up into apartments and modernized, the town had started calling it the Stud Farm.

Last year, Rayleen had reluctantly broken with her lecherous tradition and let her great-niece move in. Then her niece’s best friend.

“What does this have to do with Charlie?” Walker asked.

“Um...I was hoping you might talk Rayleen into renting to your old friend Charlie. You know, just another cowboy looking for a place to crash for the winter.”

“Another— Oh, no. No way. Rayleen likes me.”

“Rayleen loves you!” Jenny interrupted. “That’s why she’ll let Charlie move in without even seeing her. And by the time she’s moved in, even Rayleen wouldn’t be mean enough to evict her. Not to mention it’d be illegal to blatantly kick out a tenant for being female.”

“What about kicking out a tenant for lying about a new renter?” he grouched.

“She’ll forgive you. You’re too big and handsome and sexy for her to hold a grudge.” She fluttered her eyelashes again.

“I like it a lot better when you don’t have an ulterior motive for calling me sexy.”

“But that’s the only time I call you sexy, so catch-22.”

He grinned. “You sure about that, Jenny?”

Jenny rolled her eyes. “Save your magic for Rayleen, cowboy.”

“Hey, I’ve got an idea. Why don’t you trick her into renting a place to Charlie and leave me out of it?”

“No way. Rayleen’s my boss. She can fire me. She can’t fire you.” Jenny nudged his half-empty beer. “That beer’s on the house if you do it.”

“One beer? I haven’t been out of work that long. I’m not desperate.”

“One beer and the gratitude of Deputy Nate Hendricks. That could come in handy. A cop on your side. And think of your old friend Charlie!”

Yeah. Cute little Charlie. She needed a place to stay. And the Stud Farm was one of the few cheap, nice options in this tourist town. “Shit,” he muttered.

“Yea!” Jenny cried, confident she’d won him over.

Walker shook his head and scrubbed a hand through his hair. It was too long and starting to curl over his collar. He’d meant to shave his beard and get a cut weeks ago, but now it was turning cold and he couldn’t bring himself to shear any of it. Still, it would’ve given Nicole less of a hold if he’d gotten rid of it.

He downed the rest of his beer. “I’m not going to lie to an old lady. But I’ll do what I can, all right?”

“All right. Thanks. You’re the best, Walker.”

“That’s what they say.”

“You’re also incorrigible. Good thing, because here comes Rayleen.”

He grimaced and nudged his glass toward Jenny. “Free refill?”

“I thought you weren’t desperate.”

“I’m not. I’m scared.”

“All right,” she laughed. “Free refill. After you pull it off.”

Walker took a deep breath and turned with a grin to meet the harmless-looking white-haired woman. “Well, if it isn’t my favorite landlord. Hey there, Miss Rayleen.”

“Turn back around, Walker,” she snapped. “I wasn’t finished looking at your ass.”

“I’d think you’d have it all mapped out by now. You look often enough.”

“There’s no such thing as enough when it comes to a fine piece of tush, fool.”

“Why, thank you, ma’am.” His smile came more easily now. He really did love this menace of a woman. “I was just asking Jenny here where you were hiding.”

Rayleen raised a silver eyebrow and settled into her normal seat at a table at the corner of the bar. “You finally decided to up your cougar game? Ten-year age difference no longer a challenge?”

Walker felt his cheeks heat a little at that. Was she talking about Nicole? Did everyone know? But he shook it off. She was kidding, and if he didn’t want to own up to his actions, then he’d do better to behave well in the first place. “Nope. I wanted to ask about the apartment across from mine. Is it still vacant?”

Her eyes narrowed. “Maybe. Why?”

“My old friend Charlie is looking for a place.”

“Hmph. Just how old a friend is Charlie? Some dried-up cowhand?”

“Nope. My age, give or take.”

Her eyes sparked with more interest now. “Yeah? Is he a cowboy?”

“No. More of a security expert, I believe. Works at a resort.”

She stuck a cigarette between her lips and let it dangle there. He’d never actually seen her smoke one. She just liked having them on hand, apparently. Her gaze darted down his body and then back up. “How tall is he?” The cigarette bobbed.

Walker cleared his throat and shifted. “Aw, hell, Rayleen. I don’t know. Shorter than I am.”

“Hm.”

Everyone knew Rayleen liked a lot of eye candy hanging around. Walker didn’t care. He was just happy for the chance to get a decent place at a decent price. And he could use her fondness for his ass to his advantage now. “I have heard the word ‘cute’ bandied about on occasion.”

“Oh, yeah? Well, then.” She shuffled a pack of cards with a flourish and started dealing out her first solitaire game of the day. “That snowboarding instructor I’d hoped to rent to broke his damn leg or something. Won’t be here this season. A shame. He was almost as big as you. Not sure about this whole cute thing.”

Walker shot Jenny a look and she made a hurry-up motion with her hands.

“Well,” he tried again. “I’ve known Charlie a long time. Since high school.”

“Charlie who?”

Walker rolled his shoulders. This was it. “Charlie Allington. You know the Allingtons?”

She shrugged. Charlie had left town for college, so she might never have been around after reaching legal drinking age.

“Charlie’s one of Nate’s cousins,” he clarified.

Rayleen made a noncommittal noise, but she liked Nate. Maybe that would work in their favor. Rayleen flipped over another card. Jenny hovered close by, rubbing a slow circle into the bar with a rag.

Finally Rayleen shrugged. “All right. I am getting a little tired of these seasonal workers. That last one really tore up my wood floors. What the hell was he doing in there? Playing hockey?”

He shook his head sympathetically. They’d all had to listen to Rayleen complain about refinishing those floors, but he’d heard the real reason for her anger was that the kid had called Rayleen a nasty old bitch when she’d kept his security deposit. Walker shook his head at that. What kind of punk would say something like that to a woman?

She flipped another card. “How long does he want to rent the place?”

Walker met Jenny’s eyes. “Through the winter?” She nodded.

“So he’d be up for a six-month lease?” Rayleen asked.

“I’m not sure. Probably.”

“Okay. Tell him to come on by. No pets. No water beds. A month’s rent as a security deposit up front. If I like the looks of him, I’ll offer a six-month lease. If I don’t, it’ll be month to month and he can get gone before the skiing starts.”

“Thanks, Miss Rayleen.”

She shrugged. “I ain’t doing anyone any favors. I’m just looking to fill in the next couple months of dead time before the season.”

“Aw, you’re sweeter than you let on.”

She snorted. “Not hardly, boy.”

Shit. “Here’s the thing....”

The cigarette went still between her lips and her eyes rose to meet his with a hard gaze. “What?”

Walker glanced at Jenny, who shook her head, but Rayleen would find out sooner than later, and his mama hadn’t raised him to lie to old ladies. “My old friend Charlie? Charlie is actually short for Charlotte.”

“Charlotte?” She cackled. “What kind of a name is that for a...” The amusement left her face and was quickly replaced with tight anger. “No,” she said firmly. “No, sir. I don’t care how fine your behind is in those jeans, I ain’t letting one of your floozies move in here.”

“She’s not one of my floozies! I haven’t seen her since high school!” He frowned at his beer and muttered, “Not that I have floozies.”

Rayleen snorted. “I said no, and that’s that.”

“Come on. Charlie is a great girl. And she’ll take good care of the apartment, not like some twentysomething snowboarder looking for a place to party with his friends.”

“He’s right,” Jenny finally jumped in. “The last two seasonal renters were a nightmare. And you say all the time how disgusting men are.”

“Hmph.” She took up her cards again. “They are disgusting. And idiotic. That’s why I don’t keep any in my own house. But they’re nice from a distance.”

Trying not to imagine that he and the other residents were just exotic animals in a zoo, Walker ducked down and met Rayleen’s eyes above her hand of cards. “It’s just for a few months, Rayleen. Please? As a favor to me? I’ll make sure she doesn’t play hockey in there. In fact, if she does, I’ll kick her out myself.”

Rayleen scowled. “Goddamn women. They’re starting to breed like rabbits in there. Every time I look up, there’s another.”

“Please?” he repeated, folding his hand around hers, cards and all. “For me?”

She jerked her hand away. “Fine. Just cut the shit. She can move in, but she’d better not put up any pink paint. Or frilly curtains. It ain’t a damn henhouse.”

Walker leaned in and kissed her cheek before she could get away. “I owe you, Rayleen.”

Her face went pink as she shoved him away. “Oh, go on. Stand by the bar and look pretty before I change my mind.” She was grumbling as he moved away, but Walker tossed Jenny a big smile.

“Refill?” he asked, pushing his glass toward her.

“I can’t believe you pulled it off!”

“Aw, she’s just a big softie.”

Jenny laughed so hard she had to brace herself on the bar. “Yeah. Sure. You keep telling yourself that.”

But Walker knew he was right. Rayleen was harmless, and she was going to love Charlie. He was sure of it.

* * *

“OH, CHARLOTTE, there you are!”

Charlie gritted her teeth at the sound of Dawn Taggert’s voice, but she made herself smile as she turned around to greet the other woman. She’d known her boss would likely be at this baby shower. After all, the mom-to-be was one of their old friends from high school, another girl like Dawn and Charlie who’d been invited to all the after-school clubs and none of the parties.

They’d all been good girls back then, and so far, Charlie was the only one who’d fallen from grace. Dawn had yet to miss a chance to remind her.

As Dawn closed the distance across the crowded living room, Charlie realized that Dawn had the mom-to-be in tow. Charlie forced her smile wider. “Sandra! Congratulations! Thank you so much for inviting me. It’s been so long.”

“It has,” Sandra said, hugging Charlie past her hard belly.

“You look amazing.” She did. She had a smooth bob similar to Dawn’s, though several shades darker than Dawn’s blond hair. And despite the amazing bulge of her stomach, she looked as if she hadn’t gained weight anywhere else.

“You look great, too.”

“Thanks.” Charlie smoothed a self-conscious hand over the cardigan sweater she’d pulled on over her dress. She didn’t feel great. She felt dowdy and unnatural and thin as a stick in her modest clothes and ballet flats. She hadn’t dressed like this since she’d interviewed for college, but she’d been trying to change her image. Besides, Dawn had insisted her head of security couldn’t wear heels and be effective. Charlie wanted to protest that she felt much more badass in heels and a tight skirt, but unfortunately she wasn’t in a position to argue.

“Your house is beautiful,” Charlie said to Sandra.

“Thank you. Peter bought it as a surprise when I made partner.”

Partner. Right. They both cleared their throats and shifted uncomfortably, but Dawn jumped right in. “Speaking of work, Charlie, will you come in early tomorrow? You’re going to need to put in a few extra hours in the next weeks before the grand opening of the resort.”

Charlie ground her teeth together as she watched Sandra look away. Sandra was uncomfortable, yes, but she was also trying to hide a smile. “I’ve been in early every day this week. It’s not a problem.”

“I know, although I’m surprised, considering the hours you keep.” She turned to Sandra. “I thought she would’ve settled down after that mess in Tahoe, but...”

Both women turned to look at her with pity, but their pity looked suspiciously avid. Scandal was so delicious, after all. Or it was as long as you weren’t involved. Charlie had enjoyed scandals and gossip herself, up until a few months ago.

She didn’t want to be defensive, but she was under attack yet again, and it grated against her bones. At least Dawn was masking her distaste in politeness this time. “All my late nights since I moved here have been spent working,” she said slowly, carefully.

“Right,” Dawn answered with a sly smile. “That’s why the facilities manager was in your place until ten last night.”

Charlie’s smile slipped as her heart thundered. She’d been worried her suspicions had been paranoia, but this was the confirmation she’d been looking for. Dawn had been watching her. Spying on her.

“We were working,” she finally mumbled.

“Oh, I’m sure,” Dawn replied.

Sandra reached out to pat her arm. “Well, Charlie, we’re just happy to see you on the right track again.”

The right track. Sure. That was why she’d come back here, wasn’t it?

For a few months, she’d been lost. Utterly lost. Shut up in an apartment in Tahoe she could no longer afford and terrified about her future. But she was setting it right now. Working hard, toning down her life. Losing the heels. Keeping her head down. Biting her tongue and biting it hard.

“I’m doing my best with her,” Dawn said, as if Charlie was her new pet project. Considering the effort she put into spying, the idea wasn’t too far off. But Charlie couldn’t be her project anymore. Anger was boiling beneath her skin. She wanted to bolt, but she couldn’t.

She was trapped, and the urge to fight back was getting harder to suppress. But she couldn’t lose this job. She couldn’t.

Her phone vibrated just in time, providing a reason to escape. “Excuse me. I’d better get this. It might have something to do with work.”

Before she was out of earshot, she heard Dawn saying, “I just don’t know what happened to her. She had so much promise.”

Charlie closed her eyes, took a deep breath and answered her phone. It was her knight in shining armor, otherwise known as her cousin Nate, calling with exactly the news she needed.

“Oh, my God,” she whispered. “You really did it? I’ll be there in twenty minutes. Don’t move!”

This time when she turned back to the party, it wasn’t hard to smile. Not at all.

“Sandra!” she called out, hurrying back for one last fake hug. “I have to run, but congratulations again. You’re going to make a great mom.”

She was. Sandra seemed great at everything. Unlike Charlie, she’d actually lived up to her promise.

Before Dawn could ask where she was going, Charlie made her escape and rushed out to the valet to get her car. She pulled away with a groan of relief. Freedom. For a few hours, at least.

When she’d moved back to Jackson, she’d thought reconnecting with old friends would be good for her. After all, she really was trying to get back on the right track. At first, she’d been so beaten up, she’d thought that track had started back with high school and the girl she’d been then. Hardworking, studious and so worried about becoming her mother that she’d never even gone out on a date.

She’d obviously gone wrong somewhere, so why not start where everything had been good?

But she was realizing now that everything hadn’t been good. In fact, she’d spent all of high school scared to be herself.

Muttering a few choice curses, Charlie struggled out of the cardigan, holding the steering wheel with her knees as she yanked off the sweater and tossed it into the backseat.

“Screw this shit,” she said triumphantly as she pulled up to the resort.

Five minutes later she was back in the car in the clothes she’d worn back in Nevada. Tight jeans and heeled boots and a pretty little striped T-shirt.

Today she was going to get her groove back, damn it, and the clothes were only the first tiny step.

Charlie turned on some music and drove into town with the windows down. The breeze was too cold, but she didn’t mind. It was the first time her nipples had been hard in months. She had to take her thrills where she could get them.

When she pulled up to the address Nate had given her, she saw that the apartment building was right next to the Crooked R Saloon. Her cousin greeted her from the sidewalk with a wave.

Thank God for Nate. Charlie had a brother in town, but he never offered any help unless it could benefit him, too. Nate, on the other hand...

Charlie jumped out of her car and threw her arms around his neck to squeeze him tight. “Thank you, thank you!”

“Hey, calm down. It’s no big deal. I’m sorry the place at the resort fell through.”

“Well, you know...” She let him go and crossed her arms to hide the nervous flutter of her hands. She didn’t want to lie to him, but she didn’t know how to explain. “Construction on the hotel is behind schedule. Naturally, the last big push goes into the rooms people are actually paying for. Hopefully my apartment will be ready in a few months.”

“I think Rayleen wants to rent this place out through the winter. Six months, Jenny said.”

“Sure, I understand. Of course. I have no problem with that. It was so great of you to arrange this for me.”

“Walker was actually the one who pulled it off.”

Charlie shook her head in shock. “Walker Pearce?”

“Yeah, you remember him?”

“Of course I remember him! He’s still around?”

“Living right here at the Stud Farm, actually.”

Well, that made sense. Walker had been a hell of a stud in high school. She’d had a serious crush on him, though she’d been careful not to let him know. Half the girls in the school had had a crush on him. Any time she’d tutored him in the library during lunch, girls had made a point of sauntering by like a rotating show of blondes and brunettes and redheads. All the prettiest girls in the school. The cheerleaders and the rodeo queens. And Walker had made a point of smiling at each and every one.

Charlie followed Nate into the apartment building and up the stairs to the second floor. The two-story entryway was clean and bright, sunlight shining through the old farmhouse windows that flanked the front door.

“Here’s your key. You’ll need to go by the saloon to pick up the lease agreement.”

“Cool.”

“Just a warning. If Rayleen Kisler is there, you might want to lay low. You know Rayleen?”

“I know of her.”

“Walker talked her into letting you rent the place, but she’d much rather have had someone...” He stopped at the door to apartment C and shook his head. “Bigger and hairier.”

Charlie grinned. “She hasn’t given up her hobby, then, I guess?”

“Nope. She still likes to ogle. But she made an exception for you. Although there’s another woman living in the apartment below yours. Merry Kade. So it was a damn miracle that Walker managed to get you in here.”

“I’ll have to find a way to thank him.”

“Won’t be hard. He lives right there.” Nate tilted his head toward the apartment on the other side of the small upstairs landing.

She shot a surprised look at the other door before unlocking her own. Walker lived right there? That would be interesting. Or just irritating, if the parade of beautiful women was still marching after all these years. Maybe she could sit on the landing with a book and wave to each one. Recapture some of the fun of her youth.

Charlie let herself into the apartment and took in the simple white walls and the gorgeous shine on the wood floors. It was nothing like her studio at the resort. There were no fancy appliances in the kitchen or stained timber details. There was no hand-hewn rock fireplace. It was modest and empty and it was private.

She breathed a sigh of relief. “I’ve got a few things in storage. I’ll pull them out as soon as I’ve signed the lease.”

“Let me know,” Nate said. “I’ll help you move what you need.”

“You don’t have to do that.”

“Come on. I know you’re a kick-ass security specialist, but you’re not that strong.”

She punched him solidly on the shoulder, but he didn’t even wince. Yeah, she wasn’t that strong. Or kick-ass. Her specialty was really observation. Surveillance. Intelligence. Or it had been. Before.

Feeling her smile go stiff and strange, Charlie turned away from her cousin, pretending to check out the apartment a little more closely. “Okay, I’ll call you when I need a hand.”

“Perfect. You’ve got the key. Don’t forget to go see Jenny for the lease.”

“Oh, the new girlfriend, huh?”

Her cousin’s cheeks actually went a little pink. “Not so new, actually. We’ve been together since February.”

Charlie grinned. “Wow. Your mother must be over the moon. I can’t wait to meet this woman.”

“Want to come over to the saloon with me right now?”

Aw, he was so cute. It must be nice to be one of those people who believed in love. “Give me a few minutes and I’ll meet you there.”

As soon as Nate left, Charlie let her smile vanish and moved purposefully through the apartment. Though their entrances were separated by the landing, she noticed that she and Walker would be sharing a wall along the living room, bathroom and bedroom. She hoped the walls were thick. The Walker she’d known hadn’t looked like a boy who’d inspired silence in the bedroom.

Chuckling at the thought, Charlie checked off a mental list of things she’d need to make this place comfortable. Her boots knocked against the wood floors and echoed off the ceiling, reminding her of exactly how empty the rooms were.

Her studio at the resort was fully furnished, so everything except her clothing and some knickknacks was in storage, but she had plenty of nice furniture from her old place in Tahoe. Some of it she could even move without help. She could rent a truck and have all her kitchen stuff by tonight, plus a table and chairs. Her lamps. Maybe even her bed. Hell, she’d sleep on the floor if she couldn’t move the bed. The resort was unbearable. Just the idea of spending another night there made her break out in goose bumps.

Bad enough she had to work in that place. Bad enough that she couldn’t quit.

Charlie shut off the lights she’d turned on and locked the apartment behind her. She wanted to get this part over with. Lying to her cousin made her stomach hurt, but she didn’t have any choice. She wasn’t going to admit another defeat. There’d been so many this year.

Charlie blinked back the tears of frustration that sprang to her eyes. The worst was behind her. There was no question of that.

All those years of living in Vegas and Tahoe, those years of building a career and a reputation, and it was all trashed, but it was going to be different now. She wasn’t going backward. Not back to who she’d been in Tahoe, and not back to high school, either. No, she was going forward.

Charlie walked down the stairs of the Stud Farm, opened the front door and pasted a big smile on her face. If she wanted to be a new woman, it was time for the debut.

CHAPTER TWO

“I HATE HER,” Rayleen groused to no one in particular from her corner table. Somehow, Walker knew he was the one being addressed.

He looked to Jenny, who rolled her eyes. “Charlie was in to sign the lease today,” she explained.

Rayleen huffed. “She came in wearing skinny jeans and a big ol’ shit-eating grin. I thought you said she was a nice girl, Walker.”

“What?” he asked in honest confusion. “Nice girls don’t wear skinny jeans?” In his opinion, the very nicest girls graced the world with skinny jeans. Tight denim was a gift to all.

“No, they do not. And they certainly don’t walk in here like they own the place.”

“Rayleen,” Jenny sighed. “Charlie was perfectly kind. You just didn’t like that she didn’t take your bait.”

“What bait?” the old lady snapped.

“Oh, I don’t know. What about when you said you’d prefer a Charlie that damn well fit his name, and she just winked and said she’d take a cowboy over her own self any day, too?”

“Impertinent.”

“Kind of like you?” Jenny said.

Walker tipped up his hat. “I like a lively lady myself. Why else would I be hanging out in your saloon all the time, Rayleen?”

“Maybe because it’s right next door to your place and you don’t have a damn job!”

“Hey, now. I’m picking up work and I’ve got plenty lined up for roundup.”

Rayleen dismissed him with a wave of her hand. “You’re the one who got me into this. I’m not speaking to you.”

“Are you just trying to get me to turn around so you can look at my behind, Miss Rayleen?”

“That’s a perfect idea. Gives me a nice view and I don’t have to talk to your lying self. Go on. Turn around now.”

“Only ’cause you asked nice.” He turned his back on her and raised his eyebrows to Jenny, who leaned closer.

“Charlie was great. Rayleen just wanted her to be intimidated, and Charlie met every one of her barbs with a smile and a wink. Sort of like you. Only without the big cowboy part.”

“Which big cowboy part?” Walker asked.

“You’re awful.”

“Come on, now. That’s not what you’ve heard.”

Jenny threw her head back and laughed. “You really are incorrigible, Walker.”

“That I’ll admit to. Is Charlie all settled in? I haven’t seen her yet.”

“Nate gave her the key a couple of hours ago, and she took the lease to read over. Which Rayleen also didn’t like. She likes you cowboys who just sign the thing without even glancing at it.”

“We are adventurers at heart.”

“Or romantic fools.”

“That, too.”

She winked. “Want a beer?”

“No, I was just checking in on the new tenant. I heard about some winter work up near Yellowstone, so I’m gonna head up there and check it out. I’m fine through fall, but I’m hoping to find enough work to get me through to spring.”

“You’ll find something, Walker. People like your face.”

“Ha. That they do.” People did like his face, thank God. It was one of the few things he had going for him. Otherwise, he was just another cowboy among thousands. A good one, granted. Good with his hands. Good with horses. Willing to endure heat and cold and snow and rain, not to mention low pay and physically punishing work for fifty years, give or take a dozen.

But people liked his face, so he’d been able to get jobs at dude ranches, which offered work that paid a little more and hurt a little less, as long as you didn’t mind working with tourists. He didn’t. But this damn sure wasn’t dude ranch season.

He tipped his hat. “I’ll see you later, Jenny. Have a good day, Miss Rayleen.”

Rayleen shooed him away without looking up.

She’d get over it, and Charlie had a place to stay. His good deed was done, and he was wrapped up in his own troubles before he even stepped outside.

Finding work wasn’t really a problem. He’d already gotten plenty of jobs at an old dude ranch he’d worked for years before, and they’d likely hire him on permanently in the spring. He had enough savings to get through winter. Things should be fine.

But if stories were circulating about him and the boss’s wife... Shit. He’d really fucked up. Every boss had a wife. And none of them wanted their women sleeping with the hired hands.

Still, something more than that was tugging at his brain. Maybe—

His thoughts were sliced in two when he glanced up and saw a woman struggling to get a big round table up the front steps of the Stud Farm.

“Charlie?” he called, rushing forward to take the table from her hands.

She looked up, her brown hair sliding over her shoulders as she turned. Her light gray eyes went wide. “Oh, my God! Walker, is that you behind that beard?”

“It’s me,” he said with a grin that widened the longer he looked down at her. She was still damn cute. Actually, she’d gone from cute to pretty at some point in the past ten years. “It’s good to see you, Charlie. Can I take this somewhere for you?” He lifted the table a few inches.

She shot his hands a look of irritation. “I can’t believe you can just tote that thing around like it’s nothing. I had to roll it like a barrel just to get it across the lawn.”

“I see that.” He plucked a few clumps of dirt and grass off the table and lifted it up to his shoulder. “Come on. I’ll take it upstairs.”

“Thanks.”

“After you,” he insisted. She held the door open for him, then started up the stairs to the landing above.

Walker followed right behind, noticing that she was obviously still an athlete. Still slim and tight and strong. But not quite as slim as she’d been in high school. No, now there were hips. And an ass. And black leather boots that hugged her calves. And most of all, there were those awesome skinny jeans showing off all the changes.

Yeah, Charlie was obviously just as nice as she’d always been. But maybe sweeter than ever before.

He glanced at his apartment door as he passed.

She was certainly much closer.

Shit. Maybe this good deed wouldn’t go unpunished, after all.

* * *

“SWEET MOTHER OF everything hot,” Charlie muttered under her breath as she watched Walker Pearce’s biceps flex and bunch as he maneuvered her pine table through the doorway of her apartment. He wore a beat-up gray T-shirt with a Stetson logo on it, tight jeans, ancient boots and a black cowboy hat that threw a shadow over his blue eyes. But that was fine. She didn’t need to see his smiling eyes right now. She was too busy taking in his body.

His shoulders hadn’t been that wide in high school. His arms hadn’t been so thick. And he hadn’t been quite that tall. Jesus, he must be six-four now.

All in all, he looked like a dangerous, forbidden, older-brother version of the Walker she’d once had a crush on. Every butterfly she’d ever felt for him swarmed back to life in an instant, only now their restless wings brushed more sensitive areas. There was no reason for her stomach to feel nervous. After all, that wasn’t the part of her body she wanted Walker to touch.

He set the table down close to the breakfast bar in the kitchen. “Is this good?”

“Oh, that’s definitely good.” She glanced at his left hand to be sure there was no ring. Not that she could imagine Walker married. He’d be a terrible husband. Carefree and aimless and throwing off pheromonal invitations to every ovary in town.

She was still trying to take all of him in when his chest suddenly filled her vision and he swept her up into a hug. “How the hell are you, Charlie?”

He squeezed her so tight the air rushed out of her lungs. When he set her back down, she inhaled nothing but the scent of him. Leather and hay and clean sky and something so deliciously spicy that her mouth watered.

“You look good,” he said, holding her at arm’s length and giving her a once-over. “City life has been good to you.”

She wanted to say something witty. Something sexy. But for the first time in a decade she was that high school girl again, too shy and uncertain to flirt with Walker Pearce. “Thanks.”

“What else can I do for you, darlin’? You got a bed?”

“What?” Her cheeks flamed as if her body didn’t want him to know what she’d been thinking. Stupid, brainless body. “A bed?” Yes, please, a bed!

“Surely you didn’t haul a mattress up by yourself?”

“Oh, a bed!” She laughed nervously while her brain screamed for this retro Charlie to get her shit together. You are not a sixteen-year-old virgin. You are an experienced woman who likes sex. Lots of sex.

Retro Charlie won out with a tiny giggle. “Thanks, Walker. It’s down in the rental truck. I’ll help.”

“Nah, you stay here and start unpacking those boxes. I’ll have your bed set up in no time.”

This was her chance. Crack a joke about hanging around after to test it out. Not that she’d jump into bed with him within minutes of their reunion, but just to let him know it might be a possibility. Just to plant the seed. But no. In the end, she only watched his ass as he walked away. It was a good ass. Strong. Muscular.

Ah. This was just like high school. Always watching him from afar even when he was so close.

“Shit,” she muttered, kicking the box closest to her foot. When she heard the rattle of dishes, she winced and told herself to cut it out. This wasn’t high school, and she’d lived a lot since then. Walker Pearce was no longer too much man for her. And hell, if he was, that’d be her dream come true. A big ol’ cowboy to ride into the sunset. But only into the sunset. Best to keep the mornings a clean slate, especially with a roving boy like Walker.

Cheered by the thought, Charlie picked up the box she’d kicked and hauled it onto the kitchen counter. When she pried open the flaps and saw the familiar bright yellow of her dinner plates, a weight lifted from her shoulders as if a vulture had just left its vigil. She’d barely moved in and this place already felt more like home than the resort had after three weeks.

She’d been thrilled with the gorgeous studio apartment set aside for her. It wasn’t normal procedure, but Charlie hadn’t questioned her good luck. She’d just figured that being friends with Dawn, the executive manager of the resort and the wife of the owner, had come with its own perks. Dawn had explained that they wanted a permanent security presence at the resort and left it at that.

The offer had been a relief. Now Charlie realized that beautiful apartment had been nothing more than a cage.

Charlie unwrapped her yellow plates and put them precisely in the middle of the lowest shelf next to the stove. “Perfect.” When her brain reminded her she had to be back at the resort by 8:00 a.m., she frowned and dug back into the box. It was just a job.

At the sound of boots on the stairs, she looked up to see Walker heading toward her door, her bed frame under one arm and her headboard slung over his other shoulder. He eased his haul through her doorway, then headed for the bedroom.

Her own personal mover.

She followed him in to watch as he propped the slatted wood headboard against the wall, and then she reached to help with the first part of the frame as he fitted it to the wood. “You don’t have to do this, Walker. I can take care of the bed.”

“You’ve been living in Nevada too long if you think a nice Wyoming boy is going to let a woman haul furniture on her own.”

She grinned. “I guess you’re right. I’ll have to get used to Wyoming again. More chivalry, less gambling and legalized prostitution.”

“There are subtle differences, but they’re there if you look.”

“Thanks for the advice. I’ll put away my poker chips and platform heels and try to fit in.”

He winked as he crossed to the other side of the bed and fit a new frame piece onto that side. “There’s no need for anything that drastic, darlin’. Just be yourself. Let it all hang out.”

She snorted at his ridiculous flirting, just as she always had. There was no way to take it seriously. He flirted with everyone, young and old. She’d always been smart enough to see that. But she was finally ready to flirt back.

“You have any beer in the fridge next door, Walker? There’s no need for this to be all work and no fun.”

He didn’t seem to notice her inviting smile. “Oh, I’ve always got beer, but I’ve got to head up toward Yellowstone for a couple of hours. I’ll grab a couple bottles for you if you want, though.”

“No, I’m good. If you need to get going, you should go. I’m fine.”

“Girl, didn’t you hear what I said about us nice Wyoming boys? I’ll have the rest of your bed up here in five minutes.”

Girl. Just like in high school. Charlie drew herself up, a tingle of anticipation zinging down her spine and tightening her nipples. She wasn’t a girl anymore. And she wasn’t his pal or his tutor or his favorite tomboy track star. He couldn’t see that yet, but he would.

She’d always liked a challenge. “Then go get my bed, Wyoming boy. I’ll buy you a beer tonight at the Crooked R if I see you around.”

“That’s a deal.” He stepped past her, then surprised her by reaching out to ruffle her hair as he passed.

He ruffled her hair.

Unbelievable. That decided it. This boy was going down. Hard. And frequently, if she had anything to say about it. She was finally going to get a taste of Walker Pearce. And from what she’d heard, he’d taste damn good.

She hadn’t gotten laid in months, and working at a resort that hadn’t even opened yet hadn’t exposed her to many opportunities. But opportunity had knocked now. And it lived right next door.

CHAPTER THREE

THERE’D BEEN NO room for Walker at the inn. Literally. All the bunks at the Blue Sleigh Inn and Ranch were full for the winter, which wasn’t much of a surprise. Most of the cowboys who worked there during the summer stayed on, and there wasn’t nearly as much work during the winter. But he’d been invited to stop by again in the spring, for what that was worth.

Muttering a curse, he stepped out of his truck into the icy night. The sun had set two hours ago, and he was already dead tired, stressed from dodging migrating elk on the highway and trying too hard to read the face of that ranch manager. She’d seemed sincere. She hadn’t sneered at him. She hadn’t flirted, either, or dropped any hints about rumors she’d heard. He was being paranoid, probably, thinking the word was out that he couldn’t be trusted.

At least tonight he was too damn tired to lie in bed worrying about it. He wasn’t cut out for this crap. His life was simple. He took care of horses. He taught folks how to ride. He roped and herded and branded cattle. It wasn’t that hard and he wasn’t that deep. Anxiety was for city folks and people a lot smarter than he was. He just wanted to work and hang with friends and occasionally have a little fun with a hot woman. Clearly, he should’ve been more careful about mixing all those up at the same time.

His legs felt weighted with lead as he trudged up the front steps of the Stud Farm. He grunted in surprise when the door opened before he could reach for it.

“Hey, Walker!” Merry Kade called as she bounced outside.

He automatically tipped his hat and grabbed the door to hold it open for her. “Evening, Merry.”

“Your friend is so much fun!”

“My friend?”

She bounced her hip against his leg as she passed. “Charlie, silly. She’s hilarious. You’re coming over, right?”

He glanced over to the saloon, feeling not the least bit tempted. “No, I’m beat. I’ll catch up another time.”

Merry spun around at the bottom of the steps. “No, you have to come, Walker! Just for a little while. Charlie said to think of it as her homecoming party. Look, she made me go put on my heels.” Merry lifted her foot and angled it so he could see the black heels she wore.

“I’d better not,” he said with a wink. “I left my last pair of heels at the ranch anyway.”

Merry snorted with laughter, but she didn’t give up. “Even Rayleen’s having fun.”

That made him pause. And then Merry pushed the button that was hardest for him to ignore.

“Come on, Walker. I can barely walk in these things. Be a gentleman and let me hold your arm.”

Well, shit. He wouldn’t say no to that, and she knew it. Her smile tipped into triumph. Walker gave in with a sigh. “Fine, I’ll walk you over to the saloon, and then I’m leaving.”

“We’ll see.”

She took his arm even though he highly suspected she didn’t need any help. Then again, he hadn’t often seen Merry in heels. She was more a jeans and Converse kind of girl. “Where’s Shane? I like it when he gets all riled up about you.”

She grinned. “Me, too. But I don’t think he’s home yet.”

“Aw, that’s too bad. I was going to dance you around the saloon porch a little, just to rub it in.”

“I don’t dance in heels. I just sit on a bar stool and look stunning.”

“Same as without heels, then?”

She elbowed him and snorted. “You’re such a dork.”

This was what he loved about Merry. No one ever called him a dork. And he was damn sure no one had ever called Shane Harcourt a dork, either, but Walker had heard Merry say the same to him. No wonder Shane was hooked. Merry was sweet and smart as hell. Unfortunately, that kind of woman didn’t go for Walker. Not for the long term anyway.

He escorted Merry up the steps to the saloon porch, then hesitated at the door. He normally loved a good night out, but he wasn’t in the mood quite as often lately.

Merry tugged him forward. “You can drop me off at the bar.”

“In case you think I don’t know I’m being played, I know I’m being played,” he muttered, but he opened the door and waved her in.

Country music thumped through the air, and his heart immediately reset itself to the rhythm. Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad. Maybe he could stay for a few minutes to be polite. He let Merry lead him toward the bar. She’d apparently dropped any pretense that she needed a steady arm to support her, but Walker couldn’t resent it. He’d spotted a hot female ass in tight jeans and Merry was taking him straight toward it.

“Look who I found!” she called to the crowd at the bar.

Several faces turned toward him, but Walker was busy raising his eyes up the woman’s spine and over long brown hair to see Charlie smiling over her shoulder at him. He blinked, surprised yet again that she was all grown-up and working a gorgeous ass. His eyes slipped down again, over her long, long legs to the bright red spike heels she wore. Damn.

“Hey, Walker,” she purred when he drew near.

Wait, he thought as he leaned down to return her hug. Charlie Allington purring? He must’ve heard that wrong.

“You ready for that payment I promised?” Her breath whispered over his ear, the words sneaking inside him.

He pulled back quickly. “A beer, right?”

“Sure, unless you want a pomegranate martini.” She pointed at the drink she held, which was such a bright red the reflection tinged the underside of her chin pink.

“You think I won’t drink a pomegranate martini?” He lifted his chin toward Jenny and gestured to Charlie’s drink. “I’ll take one of these,” he called.

Jenny rolled her eyes, but she grabbed the martini shaker.

Charlie looked up at his hat, then down to his boots, but she stayed silent until he reached over to the bar and snagged the drink.

“Thanks,” he said, raising the glass toward her before he took a sip. “Perfect.”

“You’re pretty damn adorable,” she said. “A big old cowboy drinking a pretty little cocktail.”

“Yeah?” He leaned a little closer out of flirtatious habit.

“Yeah. Those rough fingers curved around that delicate glass? It’s...promising.”

His blood heated by a few degrees. She liked seeing his fingers on something delicate, did she? She’d moved closer, too, and he could smell her hair. He could also see straight down the front of her red shirt, and the rise of her breasts were faint curves that ended at a silky black bra. “You look awfully promising yourself, Charlie.”

The shape of her name in his mouth stopped the rush of his blood. He blinked and leaned back a little, reminding himself that this was his pal Charlie, but she just clinked her glass against his and smiled. “Thank you,” she murmured softly before turning toward the man who’d appeared at her side.

“Hey, Nate!” she gushed before hugging her cousin.

Walker took the chance to enjoy the sight of her from a new angle. The long line of her side curving out to that perfect ass, then those ridiculous legs. He’d noticed those even in high school. How could he not? She’d been one of the tallest girls in school. Still about six inches shorter than him, but tonight the heels added a few more. Hell, he could kiss her for hours without getting a crick in his neck. He could even bend her over a table and—

His eyes skittered away from her ass as if they were horrified at where his imagination had gone. This was Charlie. Way too smart to date a guy like Walker, and way too sweet to be used to scratch an itch. But damn, it’d been easier to be friends with her before she’d grown into heels. And flirting. And shiny lip gloss that made her mouth look full and plump and—

He looked up to find Nate glaring at him above Charlie’s head. Walker shrugged and gave an innocent grimace of confusion as if he had no idea what Nate could be upset about. Nate didn’t look appeased. And he looked downright dour when Charlie reached back to lean her hip against Walker and loop her arm around his waist. She craned her neck up until Walker leaned his ear closer to her.

“Why’s my cousin shooting you a death glare? Were you checking out my ass, Walker Pearce?”

“Uh.” He cleared his throat. “That may be what he thought I was doing.”

“You can look. I think it’s pretty nice myself. What do you think?”

“I, uh...” He’d never once in his life gotten tongue-tied around a woman. If there was one skill he could rely on, it was the power of flirtation. He enjoyed it. Women liked it. No one got hurt. But the invitation to make a comment about Charlie Allington’s ass had thrown him off his game.

“Aw.” Her lower lip turned down in a pretty pout. “You don’t like it? I think it’s nice and round and firm.”

Oh, fuck. What was she doing? Didn’t she know the kind of image her words would conjure? Of her stripped out of jeans and panties, her naked ass taut under his grip as he positioned himself behind her and... “Damn it, Charlie.”

“What?” she asked with a laugh that tickled his ear.

“Stop teasing me. You’re not...” He stopped himself and took a deep breath.

“I’m not what?”

“You’re not that kind of girl.”

“What kind of girl is that?”

His face felt odd and hot. He reached up to adjust his hat so he could think a little more clearly. “You know. You were a smart girl. You never got into trouble with the rest of us. You—”

“I’m still smart,” she said, talking so close now that her lips brushed his ear. “But I’m not any kind of girl at all anymore. I’m a woman, all grown-up. Can’t you tell?”

Yes, he could damn well tell. In fact, his cock was starting to swell as the tingle of her words raced down his neck and kept right on going. This definitely wasn’t Charlie from high school. “It’s gorgeous,” he murmured.

“What?”

“Your ass. It’s beautiful. But I can’t give any opinion on whether it’s firm. It might be. It might be the sweetest, tightest ass in the county, but that’s not something I can tell just by looking.”

Her face was angled slightly away from him now, but it wasn’t hard to catch the way her mouth turned up in a wide grin. “You don’t believe me?” she murmured. He watched her fingers slide over her own hip, spreading a little as if she meant to test the give of her flesh right there.

Walker didn’t dare look up. There was no way Nate could’ve missed the way Charlie had snuggled so close. And Walker knew there was no hiding the heat in his gaze. And there wouldn’t be any hiding his erection if this went on much longer. The hand at his waist had started tracing slow circles that made waves of pleasure radiate out over his body. And he was picturing that scene again. Of Charlie naked, her hand opening over her own hip as his fingers spread over her ass. She’d look back at him with that taunting little smile, just as she did now. Do you like it? she’d ask. And he’d answer by squeezing her ass hard and laying his cock against the plump mounds of her cheeks as he—

“Jesus,” he cursed with a harsh laugh as he eased his hips back and shook his head. “You turned cruel while you were gone, Charlie. Good God.”

She shrugged. “Maybe a little cruel. But I bet you can handle it. You’re a big boy.”

And getting bigger by the second, damn her. But Charlie didn’t notice. The jukebox rang with the opening notes of a song from their school days, and she danced away from him.

“Miss Rayleen, do you allow two-stepping in here?” she called.

Rayleen plucked her cigarette from her mouth and pointed it toward the tables. “If you can find room for it, knock yourself out.”

“Hmm.” Charlie turned back to look him up and down, then shook her head. “I do believe this one is too big to be nimble.”

Rayleen cackled. “You’ve got that right. That’s a tool for blunt work.”

“Hey!” he protested, but Rayleen laughed harder.

“Look at his face, poor thing!” the woman hooted.

Charlie shook her head in mock sympathy. “Too bad. I’ll have to find another partner.”

“I’m nimble as hell,” he grouched. “I’ve never had any complaints.”

He should have known by the thrilled smile on Rayleen’s face that she was about to cause trouble, but he didn’t move fast enough to stop it. “Naw,” she drawled, “he comes with good reviews. Just like a nice hotel. With pictures online and everything.”

Charlie’s eyes lit up. “What?” she gasped.

“Damn it, Rayleen, that is not true!” He took off his hat and scrubbed a hand through his hair. He couldn’t believe they were having this conversation again. And this time it was in front of Charlie.

But Rayleen was relentless. “You know when men sometimes take pictures of their—”

“That is not what happened!” He cringed at the volume of his own voice and muttered, “Pardon me, ma’am,” but Rayleen was howling and slapping the table while Charlie looked from her to Walker, her jaw dropped open in a wide smile.

“Seriously?” she gasped.

“No! Not seriously! There is no picture of my...” He glanced at Rayleen, self-conscious about his language even if she did have the mouth of an old sailor. “...manhood online. Or anywhere else. As far as I know.”

“Ah. Cell phone cameras are tricky beasts, aren’t they?” Charlie tried to make her words sound sympathetic. It didn’t work. She broke down in laughter.

No, there were no cock shots of him anywhere, but there was one small problem that—

Rayleen cupped her hand around her mouth as if she were going to whisper a secret. “Someone posted a picture of his naked ass on Facebook.”

“Rayleen,” he groaned.

“Took me a few days to find it, but it was worth the work.”

Walker closed his eyes against the sight of Charlie’s horrified delight. He shook his head. “Why do you have to tell everyone? It’s just a picture of an ass, for God’s sake.”

“Just a picture of your ass while you were sleeping naked on some girl’s bed.”

Not for the first time, he said a quick prayer of thanks that he was a stomach sleeper. He should’ve known that woman would be trouble. She’d started texting her friends five seconds after orgasm.

“Oh, Walker,” Charlie said, her voice closer than it had been. But he didn’t open his eyes, even when her hand patted his cheek. “You haven’t changed at all.”

Much as he’d like to, there was no denying the truth. When he’d woken this morning, he’d greeted the day with exactly as much to his name as he’d had when Charlie had left town for college: a big truck, a strong back, good hands and some almost-promising ranch work lined up. The only thing he’d managed to add were a few aches and pains, a small savings and a little regret.

He suddenly remembered that he’d been too tired to hang out tonight.

When he opened his eyes he found that everyone had moved on. Rayleen was reabsorbed in her game of solitaire. Nate and Merry were propped on bar stools, laughing with Jenny, and Charlie...Charlie had cleared a small space near the jukebox and pulled some cowboy into her arms to two-step.

“You were right about her,” Rayleen said without looking up. “She’s all right. Bought me a drink and everything. In my own bar. My best Scotch.”

“I’m glad to hear it.”

Rayleen nodded. “Yep. You were right. I like that girl.”

Yeah. Unfortunately for his pride, so did he.

CHAPTER FOUR

CHARLIE STARED DOWN her hangover in the mirror. Unless Rayleen had installed fluorescent bulbs in the bathroom, her face was a damn unattractive color this morning. She looked closer, scowling down her own bad mood and daring her stomach to rebel.

It’d been years since she had a hangover. A few unwise nights during her first year in Las Vegas had taught her about pacing.

But the hangover hardly mattered. She dreaded going to work anyway. No point wasting good health on it. It would be a bad day with or without a shifty stomach and a headache. At least she’d had fun flirting with Walker last night.

Resigned to her miserable day, she forced herself to drink a full glass of water, then showered and shaved her legs and put on enough makeup to hide the green before slouching to her car. She already had antacids in the glove compartment. This wasn’t the first stomachache the Meridian Resort had given her. She was prepared.

She’d thought this job was her saving grace. She’d thought Dawn was swooping in to save her like an old friend riding in on a white horse. Now Charlie was tied to the railroad tracks and trying to figure out what the hell had happened.

Then again, it wasn’t really something that had happened. She’d done it to herself. Not deliberately, just...stupidly. And she’d always thought she was so smart. She’d spent a blissful twenty-nine years believing she wasn’t an idiot, and then she’d been arrested for criminal conspiracy. Lesson learned.

The drive to Teton Village was over in a flash, fifteen minutes accelerated to mere seconds by her dread. The scattered resorts and gigantic lodges were beautiful. There were miles of exquisite architecture and landscaping designed to look perfect amid the snowdrifts and icicles. But to her, the whole village looked like so much trash washed up on the shore of these mountains. She wove her way through the maze and headed toward the Meridian Resort halfway up the hill.

Three weeks ago, she’d been grinning through this whole drive, so thrilled and excited to have an opportunity. Any opportunity.

Clenching her jaw, she waited for the gate to the employee parking garage to open, staring straight ahead so she wouldn’t glare at the tiny camera lens to her left. Her stomach turned. She ignored it and pulled into her numbered spot. Another little camera lens watched as she got out of her car and headed toward the utilitarian steel door set in the cement wall. On the guest level, the cement walls were painted a homey beige, and the fire doors were paneled with wood. But the employee floor had all the appeal of a prison. Appropriate.

She took the stairs up one level and headed for the basement offices of the security department.

Dawn’s office was two floors up, with a lovely view and high ceilings, but Charlie wasn’t the least bit surprised to see Dawn sitting on one of the metal chairs outside Charlie’s door.

Dawn leaned back in her chair with a smile. “This is quite the walk of shame, Charlotte.”

“What are you talking about?” Charlie asked with a sigh. She unlocked her door, aware that she was an idiot to bother with locking it in the first place. Dawn had keys to everything, after all, and she used them.

“You haven’t been in your apartment since yesterday. Already out making new friends, I guess.”

Charlie hid her grimace of frustration before rounding her small desk. “What I do when I’m off the clock is none of your business.”

“As long as you’re not sleeping with other employees of the resort, you mean. Or anyone in management.” Her tone was always sweet, always helpful, which only made her words so much creepier.

“I’m not.”

“With your history, we can never be too careful, can we?”

Charlie squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, just so she wouldn’t have to look at that cute cherubic face. “I already explained about the facilities manager. Twice. And your husband—”

“Oh, I’m not worried about my husband, Charlotte. He likes nice girls. Like me. He wouldn’t risk everything he’s built just for a few moments of sordid...What’s the word I’m looking for?”

“Pleasure?” Charlie muttered, thinking Dawn must be a real treat in bed, with her stiff neck and her inability to even say something dirty, much less do it.

“No,” she snapped. “Depravity. Or plain old sluttiness.”

“You should try it sometime. You might like it.”

Her face wasn’t looking so cherubic anymore. Her perfectly rouged cheeks went red. “I pushed for you for this job in spite of your reputation. Nobody else wanted you. You should remember that.”

As if she could forget. As if she’d still be sitting here for any other reason. “Why?” she asked.

“Because if you don’t remind yourself of that, you’re going to—”

“No, I mean, why did you want to hire me?”

Dawn drew in a breath and smoothed down her blond bob. Her smile reappeared. “Because we’re friends. And I’m not the kind of person who’d turn her back on a friend in need.”

She was insane. That was the only explanation for it. Dawn had lost her mind sometime after high school. Sure, she might have been a little uptight and judgmental, but she’d been normal. But this? This wasn’t normal.

“Nobody else would’ve hired you, Charlotte.”

“Yes, so you’ve reminded me.” It was true. She’d sent out dozens of résumés. With her education and experience, she should’ve been an automatic interview. She hadn’t received one phone call. Until Dawn.

“And nobody will ever hire you again if you leave here under bad circumstances.”

She knew that, too. She had to stick this out. Just for a little while. Just until the memory of what had happened in Tahoe began to fade from sight. If she could work here for a year or two, she could send out some quiet feelers. Maybe somewhere farther east.

“You need to make this work, Charlotte. And I’m happy to help you, but I expect a little more cooperation on your part. You’re being nasty today. I’m not sure what’s gotten into you....” She swept a hand down to indicate the sexy black pencil skirt Charlie had dared to wear. “But you need to watch your attitude.”

Charlie took a deep breath. She did need to watch it. Dawn was her boss whether Charlie liked it or not.

“And stop fraternizing with male management.”

“That drink with your husband was just a drink. He was reviewing the restaurant menu, and—”

“Of course it was just a drink,” Dawn snapped.

Charlie wanted to scream with frustration. She was at a complete loss here. What could she do but scream? She breathed deeply, trying to let the feeling go. Finally she opened the laptop on her desk. “I need to get to work.”

“You do. Is everything going to be ready?”

Charlie nodded. The resort’s grand opening was in three weeks. Charlie had been so determined to make a good impression that she was ahead of schedule, but she wouldn’t slack off now. For one thing, staying busy kept her mind off her desire to drop everything and race out the front doors.

“All right, I’ll be back to check on you later.”

“I know,” Charlie said under her breath. Dawn checked on her several times a day. And probably had several times a night, too, before Charlie had moved out of the resort apartment.

“I’ll leave your door open,” Dawn said breezily as she walked out on her five-hundred-dollar heels. Charlie couldn’t help being jealous of the gorgeous shoes. She was going to don heels as soon as she got home.

Her hangover was starting to fade, at least. Probably the rush of adrenaline from wanting to strangle Dawn. She grabbed herself a cup of coffee, poured in tons of cream and sugar and sat down with her simplest task: background checks of every employee that would be hired before opening day. She’d tweaked nearly every camera in the resort, though a few were still waiting to be installed, and there wasn’t much monitoring to be done at this point. But the background checks were piling higher every day.

The last thing any hotel manager needed was a maintenance man or bellboy with a history of theft or sexual assault. A high-end place like this was hypervigilant about reputation. Charlie was more concerned with actual safety, but luckily, those two concerns coincided.

She’d insisted on installing more cameras in the employee areas than had originally been planned. That had been commonplace at gambling resorts where management considered employee theft an important target, but Charlie had found that just as often those tapes could be used to weed out gross managers who harassed their female employees. There were few things more satisfying than showing incriminating video to some asshole who thought he could act with impunity because his employees were women who barely spoke English. The back rooms of hotels were called the heart of the place, and she liked to do her part to stick to the spirit of that term.

But for now, with the employee halls mostly empty, it was time for the mind-numbing task of background checks.

An hour later, her mind was sufficiently numbed. Her headache had vanished and the three cups of coffee had cleared the haze. Charlie set aside the two applicants whose checks had set off alarm bells. She’d press a little harder on those after lunch, but first she had a more personal investigation to pursue.

The surveillance room was a vivid cave of darkened lights and bright video feeds that would have devastated her sore head an hour before, but she was ready for it now. Eli, one of the security guards, was stationed in the room but he was working a crossword puzzle. If the resort were up and running, Charlie would’ve read him the riot act, but right now he was a bit superfluous.

“Hey, Eli. Why don’t you get out of here? Make the rounds of all the current construction areas just so they know you’re around.”

“Got it,” he said, giving her a quick nod of deference. Sometimes security guys could get shitty and macho about working for a young woman, but she’d managed to assemble a good team so far. She didn’t know how long that would last, though. Dawn’s disrespect would start filtering down. Charlie had to figure out what was going on with that woman and stop it before it spread.

Once Eli was gone, Charlie called up the video feed for the corridor that led to her studio on the first floor. Her place was near the elevators for easy access, so the camera was only a few yards from her door.

She fast-forwarded, flying through hours of video. When the tape showed 11:05 p.m., Dawn appeared in the hallway, and Charlie slowed the tape. She wasn’t the least bit surprised to see Dawn knock on her door, then knock again. She was surprised to see her try the doorknob, as if Charlie would leave her place unlocked, or, more importantly, that she’d be okay with her boss opening her door uninvited.

When the door didn’t budge, Dawn stared down at the knob for a long while. She glared at it, then turned to look directly up at the camera.

The skin on Charlie’s arms drew tight as goose bumps sprang to life.

On the video, Dawn frowned and then walked away. Charlie backed up the tape and paused it.

This wasn’t the kind of video they used at the local convenience store. This was crisp and digital. She could clearly see the tightness around Dawn’s eyes. The furtive line of her mouth.

Charlie stared her down.

People were always surprised that Charlie was in security, but these days it wasn’t about big, burly guys with concealed handguns. Well, it wasn’t only about them, though they certainly had their place in the ecosystem. These days it was more about prevention than enforcement. Charlie could read people. She could anticipate. She could pick up on interference that disturbed the flow of normal traffic. On small tells that revealed intentions.

She’d lost a little confidence in her own intuition after the setup in Tahoe, but it didn’t take much skill to read Dawn’s thoughts. That glance was irritation and arrogance, not with Charlie, but with the camera. She was clearly thinking, If only that stupid camera wasn’t there, I could use my master key to get inside.

What Charlie couldn’t see on Dawn’s face was why. Why? Yes, Charlie had met Dawn’s husband for drinks one evening, but if Dawn was going to be that paranoid about Charlie being a femme fatale, why had she recruited her for the job? It made no sense. None of it did.

They’d been close in high school, despite their different interests. Charlie had filled her time with volleyball and track and tutoring, and Dawn had been student council president and head of the honor society and in charge of half the student volunteer organizations. But they’d had something in common, she and Dawn and Sandra and a few other overachievers: none of them had been popular with boys. While other girls had been out drinking beer around bonfires with horny teenage cowboys, Dawn and Charlie and their group had usually been at school. They’d shared running jokes about saving themselves for marriage. They’d assured each other that those party girls were going nowhere fast. They’d shaken their heads at the bad judgment.

But they’d also secretly yearned. Charlie had, at least. She’d tutored those boys in the library after school. Sometimes she’d even gone to their houses to sit in their rooms with them. But she’d never been in danger of being led astray. She was just Charlie. One of the guys. Another runner on the track team. Taller than most of them and flatter-chested, too. They’d hung out with her. They’d asked if they could copy her homework. They’d shoved her on the shoulder when they joked. And then they’d sidled away to flirt with the fun girls.

So she’d claimed not to want anything to do with them and their restless hands and crude mouths, but boy, had she imagined!

Luckily, when she’d gotten to college, she’d found a new role. A new group of friends. She’d assumed Dawn had, too. But all Dawn seemed to have gotten was more uptight.

Charlie shook her head and unpaused the video. Shoulders tight, she scanned the remaining hours, but nothing else happened. Tears sprang to her eyes.

Her instincts had failed her in Tahoe, but she wasn’t going to let them fail her here. Dawn was jealous, that was all. Maybe Dawn’s husband had made a stupid comment about Charlie’s ass or something. Maybe Dawn had just expected Charlie to be the same harmless tomboy she’d known in high school. Whatever the reason, it was Dawn’s issue. Charlie wasn’t going to get sucked into it. Dawn had started spying on her, commenting on Charlie’s comings and goings, implying she was a man-stealing slut, so Charlie had moved out. End of story.

She wouldn’t be paranoid and scared. She wouldn’t turn into one of those people who was carried along by life, tumbled over and knocked around every time the current got too fast. Like her mother, who could never grab on to anything, could never find a handhold.

No. Charlie would work hard. She’d let the scandal in Tahoe die down. She’d pay off her legal bills. And then she’d find a job somewhere else. Anywhere else. Just not at the Meridian Resort.

But for today, just having her apartment at the Stud Farm was enough. She felt a little stronger. A little more herself. She’d hit rock bottom, but she was on her way back up now, and she’d be damned if she’d leave the best parts of herself behind.

CHAPTER FIVE

“GODDAMN IT!” the ranch foreman yelled. “Pull!”

Walker wrapped the rope more tightly around his wrist, took it in both hands and hauled as hard as he could as the heifer struggled and fought against the mud. The slick goo must have felt like a predator’s mouth tugging her deeper in, and her eyes rolled in wild panic. Walker pulled harder, urging the other men on when they wanted to stop. The poor girl was going to freeze to death if they didn’t get her out. Granted, she was destined for the packing plant in a year or two, but there was no reason for her to go like this, cold and shaking and scared.

“Fuck this,” the hand next to him muttered.

“She’s almost there,” Walker said, getting a new grip on the rope. Actually, she seemed to be slipping deeper, but he wasn’t going to give up. “Come on. One more good haul should get her.” In the end, it took three more hauls, but they pulled her free. She stumbled a few feet, then went to her knees.

There wasn’t anything out here to clean her off with, and the ranch was a mile away, so Walker swept his gloved hand down her flank, over and over, sluicing off the thick mud. Her big body shook under his hands, but her panicked lowing had stopped. By the time he stood and went to his horse to grab a blanket, she was breathing almost normally. She struggled to her feet and took a few steps toward him.

“Well, look at that,” one of the cowboys crowed. “You really do have a way with the ladies.”

The younger one laughed. “I’ve heard they follow you around like cats in heat, but damn, I’d never heard anything about heifers.”

Walker laughed off the jokes and took the blanket over to scrub some warmth into the cow. It only took a few moments before she was alert enough to jerk away from his ministrations and trot back to the herd. Hopefully she’d stick close to the others and the collective body heat would do the rest.

“All right,” the foreman snapped. “Move ’em on the last mile, and come collect your pay.” He trotted off without a word of thanks.

They remounted and spread out to move the herd on. Once they got them going, the older cowboy rode closer. “Mr. Kingham is a real asshole, but the trail work with the guests is okay if you can get hired on at the lodge. Heard you was looking for work.”

Walker glanced at the guy. His name was Tom, but Walker didn’t know more about him than that. “Where’d you hear that?”

“Well, you’re here, aren’t you?” He tipped his chin toward the foreman. “He asked me to keep an eye on you, see how you did. Too many years at one of these dude ranches can make for a soft cowboy.”

“You think?”

Tom shrugged. “Teaching pretty ladies how to ride?” He shot Walker an arch look, but he smiled and shook his head when Walker met it with a straight face. “Hey, I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with it. Just saying if you’re used to having a warm woman at hand, it might make it harder to face a cold night on the range.”

“Yeah, well. They bring their own sets of problems.”

“Don’t I know it? Anyway, the back end of the operation is pretty quiet. No guests out here. Obviously Kingham’s not ‘customer service oriented.’”

“Yeah, I worked here ten years ago. Kingham wasn’t here, but I know they only use a few dozen head of cattle in the guest areas and keeps the rest of the work behind the scenes.”

“Well, you don’t seem soft. I’ll put in a good word.”

“Thanks.” Walker was thankful, but not as thrilled as he should’ve been at the prospect of a permanent job. Maybe Tom was right. Maybe he had gotten soft. He looked toward the distant buildings of the guest ranch almost hidden in the long evening shadows cast by the hills. But they weren’t headed there. The working side of the ranch had its own outbuildings and trailers. The guest ranch was only an attractive outbranch of an operation that ran two thousand head of cattle every year.

It’d be good work, but Walker’s heart fell. He’d gotten used to being around people. Ten or fifteen cowhands, the whole staff of the lodge, the clients: moms and dads and lots of kids. And yes, the occasionally group of raucous ladies looking for a mountain adventure.

Working at a dude ranch was a hell of a lot of fun.

This assignment, on the other hand... Well, shit. At least he could go back to his own place every night. That, and the steady income was probably the best he could say about it.

Freezing rain hit his hat in a slow patter before it picked up to a steady drizzle. The rain left him feeling even more defeated. Apparently he could’ve just left the damn heifer wet and muddy, because she was about to get that way again.

Turning his collar up, he concentrated on edging in a few cattle who were trying to break off from the herd. Soon enough, he was tracking mud and water into his truck and leaving for home, his pay for the day’s work stuffed into his pocket. He’d earn another few bucks tomorrow. It wasn’t comfortable, but it was something. He’d rather not dip into his savings any more than he had to.

Body aching from the cold, Walker cranked up the heat in the truck, then cranked up his favorite George Strait album, as well. No point dwelling on his problems. If he’d wanted stability, he’d chosen the wrong career. At least it came with damn good music.

He was just settling into a good fantasy about the scalding shower he was about to take when his cell phone rang, and his fantasy morphed to something else.

Maybe what he needed was a shower and a beer and a woman in his bed. He pulled the phone from his pocket, already wondering which old friend it could be. Granted, in the past few years, most of his lovers had been brief hookups with ranch visitors, but there were always a few—

His fantasy of a quiet night of good sex died when he saw the display.

Nicole.

Apparently she’d let go of her anger. But Walker hadn’t let go of his, if that’s what it was. Anger at her, maybe, or just at himself. He’d been stupid enough to mess around with another man’s wife. That didn’t mean he had to make it worse.

He declined the call and slipped the phone back into his pocket. A shower and a beer and his hand, then. Good enough. And a hell of a lot smarter than a bad-news woman.

He was so tired by the time he pulled up to the apartment, his hand would’ve been the only good choice, regardless. He’d never been the kind of guy to get off and go straight to sleep. Taking care of a woman the right way was hard work, and he didn’t have it in him tonight.

He took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a moment. Normally, he’d never have gotten into his truck covered in mud, but there’d been no bunkhouse washroom to clean up in. And he couldn’t face cleaning off his floor mats tonight. Or the seat. And tomorrow would likely be just as muddy. He’d take care of it when the job was done.

A knock on the window startled him out of his stupor. He rolled down the window and was surprised to see Charlie’s face a few inches from his.

“Hey, cowboy!” She held both hands over her head as if to shield herself from the few raindrops still falling.

A smile stole immediately over his mouth. “Hey, Charlie. What are you doing out?”

“Heading to the saloon. Are you coming over?”

His gaze slipped to the porch of the saloon as he reached for the door. Charlie hopped back as he eased the door open and got out. He stretched his back. Yet again, he found himself turning down a good time. “I’m sorry. I’m beat. I need a shower as soon as possible. And then bed.” He cleared his throat, knowing what he meant by bed and telling himself she couldn’t have any idea.

Her eyes swept down his body. “You are kind of a mess. You look like...”

“I’ve been wrestling cattle in the mud?”

“Something like that.” Her eyes lingered on the mud smeared across his shirt. “So shower and then come play.”

Come play. Jesus, did she say that kind of thing on purpose? “I wish I could.”

“Aw. Are you really too tired?” Her little smirk was a challenge. He wanted to accept it.

He found himself leaning a little closer before remembering that he smelled like horse and mud and sweat. “I’d love to. But after I take a shower, I won’t be able to talk myself into going back out in the cold.”

“Well, I can’t fault that, I guess. But I won’t lie. After the day I had, I’d be willing to dare a lot of discomfort for a drink.”

“Trouble in paradise?” he asked.

Charlie opened her mouth; then her eyes swept down his body again and she shook her head. “All right. I wasn’t exactly wrestling cattle in the mud. I suppose I’ll recover from the office politics.”

“Hell, Charlie. Any redneck can wrestle a cow. Put me in a room with computers and the kind of work you do, and I’d look like a trapped bear.”

A wide smile spread slowly over her face. “I admit, I can’t imagine you dressed in creased pants and sitting at a computer.”

“Aw, shit, darlin’. Nobody can. That’s why I’ll never be anything but a dirty cowboy.”

“Nothing wrong with that,” she purred. “Hard work is a beautiful thing, Walker Pearce. It really is.”

“Jesus, Charlie,” he said, huffing out a shocked laugh.

“Go on and take your shower. Get cleaned up and maybe I’ll take pity on you and bring you a beer later.”

“Ha. I’ll be sure not to still be in a towel, then.”

“Don’t get all dressed up on my account.” With that, she sauntered off toward the saloon, her ass a sweet, swinging demand for attention.

Suddenly, Walker wasn’t half so tired. In fact, he felt like a man who’d just gotten home from a two-week vacation. Or so he assumed. He’d never had more than a few days off at a time, but one thing he’d learned was how to jam a hell of a lot of good time into a quick moment. Maybe he could put that skill to use tonight.

He forgot all about his muddy truck and headed inside.

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