Cowboy Blues

Chapter 2-3

Her world narrowed to his lips, his hands, and his body. Everything else fell away. He tore away from her without warning, his body tensing. Rebecca leaned back, confused, but before she said a word, the camper door flew open.

“Becky Rankin, what the hell do you think you’re doing?”

The sound of Lonnie’s voice made her scramble out of Spencer’s lap, but the instant her foot touched the floor, the world pitched around her and Rebecca fell on her ass. Strong hands grabbed her arm to haul her back upright, but it wasn’t the hot bull rider helping her. It wasn’t even Lonnie. It was Officer Ferris. Her dad’s best friend.

“Oh, crap,” she muttered.

Spencer stood. “Hey, guys, this is just a misunderstanding.”

Ferris released Becky long enough to grab the depleted bottle of tequila. “Giving alcohol to a minor, Cole? No, I think I have a perfect understanding of what’s going on here.”

Spencer gaped. “Minor? No, nobody’s a minor here. Right?”

“I’m not a minor,” Rebecca cut in. Ferris didn’t blink, and Lonnie snorted. They were ruining everything. “I’m not. Eighteen is not a minor. It’s just not legal for drinking.”

“Eighteen? Lonnie, look man, I didn’t know she was eighteen.”

“But you didn’t ask, either,” he accused.

Spencer swallowed. “Okay, you’re right, I should have asked before I got out the tequila. It won’t happen again.”

“You know we could bring you in front of Judge Spizer and get you banned from the entire county,” Ferris warned. “We don’t take kindly to your sort taking advantage of our daughters around here.”

Rebecca stepped between them. If Spencer got kicked off the circuit because of this, it would to be all her fault. She couldn’t let that happen. “Don’t do it, Bruce. Because then I’ll have to tell about the party at graduation, when you kept buying for us. You were the one who went out and brought back the keg, remember?”

“Becky—”

“Shut up, Lonnie.” She stepped closer to Ferris, shifting her tone. “Please, Bruce, this isn’t Spencer’s fault. It’s mine. Don’t punish him because I didn’t mention my age.”

Bruce looked from Rebecca to Spencer and back again, the hard light in his eyes softening slightly. “Fine. But this is your warning, Cole. I better not catch you doing something like this again. Understood?”

“Completely,” Spencer said quickly. “It’ll never happen again.”

Rebecca threw her arms around Ferris. “Thank you, thank you, thank you. You won’t regret it.”

He patted her back awkwardly before pushing her away. “Let’s get you home, Becky. Your dad’s been wondering where you are.”

She cast a glance over her shoulder, taking a deep breath before speaking. “Can I just have a second with Spencer? To apologize. I’ll be right out. I promise. And if I’m not, you can tell my dad everything.”

Lonnie looked like he wanted to argue more, but Bruce glanced at Spencer and nodded. “You have one minute, Becky. Any more than that, and…” He made a slicing motion across his neck.

“One minute. Got it.”

Spencer waited until the door closed behind Ferris before saying softly, “I probably would have invited you here even if I had known.”

Her eyes widened. Listening for sounds outside the door, she closed the distance until they were toe to toe. “I’m so sorry about all this. I should’ve said something, except I think Lonnie would have gone looking for another reason to get me out of here.” She smiled. “Told you he was overprotective.”

Spencer’s fingers glided down her arm. “Don’t apologize. It was worth the heart attack they gave me. And don’t be too hard on him. If I had a cousin like you, I’d be overprotective, too.” He leaned forward and brushed his lips across her cheek. The contact was almost innocent, but it still made her toes curl. “Maybe our paths will cross again next year, yeah?”

“Maybe. I’ll even ditch the chaperone for you.” Though it took stomping on every impulse she had to throw her arms around him, Rebecca retreated toward the door, not taking her eyes off him for a second. “Thanks for pretty much making my whole summer. And don’t worry too much about Laramie next week. I have a feeling you’re going to show Red’s Kitten exactly who’s boss.”

“I’ll dedicate the ride to you,” Spencer promised.

She smiled, and opened her mouth to speak again, but the doorknob turned in her hand and Lonnie nearly pulled her off balance.

“Let’s get going, Becky. Your minute is up.”

Spencer raised his hand in a brief wave. “G’night.”

She waved back, not trusting her voice to work again. She waited until they were in the parking lot to slap Lonnie’s arm.

“You just have to go and ruin everything, don’t you? He’s a good guy. You didn’t have to do that.”

“He is not a good guy. He’s a cowboy, and he’s only after one thing, just like the rest of them. You deserve better than somebody who’ll take advantage of you and ride away in the morning without a second glance.”

Rebecca rolled her eyes. “Please. You act like I’m a virgin. I know the score, Lonnie. It’s not like I haven’t been coming to these things since I was two.”

When Lonnie launched into how she shouldn’t even know what the score was, Rebecca tuned him out. She’d heard it all before. The men in town had the patent on trying to protect the women in it. She just didn’t understand why so many women tolerated it.

She wasn’t going to. As soon as she had the chance, she was out of there.

And maybe Spencer Cole would be the first person she looked up.