The Loneliest Cowboy. Pamela Macaluso

she would ask for more. She hadn’t decided what she would do when that day came.

      “Obviously we’re not going to agree on this,” she said. “Let’s just drop it, okay?” She gathered a handful of plates, glasses and silverware from the table and carried them to the sink.

      “Someday Dawn’s going to want to know more about her father,” Chuck said. “What will you do then?”

      “That’s my problem, isn’t it?”

      “Skye, I want to help.”

      “The subject is closed!”

      They didn’t talk anymore about it, but the question of Clint’s right to know about Dawn haunted Skye the rest of the day.

      

      Almost as though her thought waves had reached out, lassoed and reeled him in, Clint was waiting for her when she went to work that night.

      As she crossed the dark parking lot, the silhouette of a man separated from the shadows of the building and moved purposefully toward her. She recognized Clint’s walk before he was close enough for her to recognize his features.

      She came to a stop several yards from him.

      “Hello, Skye.”

      “Clint.” He had an unreadable look on his face. Surely Chuck wouldn’t have gone to Clint behind her back and told him about Dawn. “A-are you here for coffee and pie again?”

      Clint continued walking until the distance between them had shrunk to feet. “No, I stopped by to have a few words with you.”

      Chuck had told him! Now what?

      “How’s your father doing?”

      “As well as can be expected.” If he knew about Dawn, he was playing mind games with her. On the other hand, maybe Chuck hadn’t spilled the beans.

      Clint ran his hand over the back of his neck. “I’ve been wondering why we never met until a few days ago.”

      “We went to the same schools and the same church,” she said. “I knew who you were.”

      “How did I miss you?” He took a step closer, reaching out to caress her cheek. “Are you working tonight?”

      “Yes. Thanks for reminding me.” She started to step past him.

      Clint stretched an arm across her path, curving it around her waist when her momentum moved her against it. “Whoa, honey, not so fast.”

      Skye froze, torn between the urge to run away from him and the urge to curl the rest of the way into his arms. She remembered well...too well...the feel of being enclosed in his warm, powerful embrace. “I...I’m due at work.”

      “How ’bout if I buy you a cup of coffee when you get off? Or we could go for a drive if you need some time away from the house.”

      “No, thanks. I’m training some of the new employees tonight, won’t be getting off until late.”

      Skye slowly backed away from him until she came up against cold metal. From the height of the bumper, she assumed it was someone’s pickup or four-by-four. Clint moved in so close, their bodies were almost touching.

      He removed his Stetson, setting it on the hood, then placed his hands on either side of her. “Can I see you tomorrow then?”

      “I have things to do.”

      Like take care of our daughter for starters, she thought.

      “So do I, but I’ll make time. I want us to spend time together, get to know each other.”

      Skye wanted to scream. Why couldn’t he have said these words to her six years ago? Then she would have wanted to shout for joy. Now she wanted to shout out her frustration.

      “I’m not going to be here that long.”

      “We’re living in the age of phones and cars, darlin’. Your leaving doesn’t mean we can’t stay in touch or see each other again.”

      Raising one hand, he threaded his fingers through her hair, resting his warm palm against her cheek. With his thumb he tilted her chin up. He started to lower his head toward her.

      “Hold on. What are you up to?”

      Clint straightened. “I’m doing something I’ve wanted to do from the moment I set eyes on you.”

      Skye had to clear her throat to get her voice to work. “And what is that?”

      “I’m going to kiss you.”

      Three

      “I don’t think that’s such a good idea,” Skye said. She knew it wasn’t a good idea, but a flutter of anticipation stirred inside her nevertheless.

      “I think it’s the best idea since barbed wire.”

      She started to laugh, but the sound was trapped as Clint leaned down and placed his lips against hers. Floodgates burst open. For five years she’d been wrapped up in her role as Dawn’s mother. In half a heartbeat of Clint starting to kiss her, she awakened to the forgotten fact that she was also a woman. A woman extraordinarily physically attracted to the man kissing her.

      Skye knew she should slip away and put distance between them. Instead, she slid her arms around his neck and kissed him back. Clint moved closer until he was thrust tightly against her. A need grew within her and she remembered the night that had changed her life forever. She recalled the passion his touch had ignited, the burning desire that had driven her to make love with Clint.

      With a soft sigh, she parted her lips. Clint slipped his tongue between them, probing, tasting, inciting more and more memories in Skye. What was it about the way this man kissed her, held her, touched her, that gave him the power to affect her so deeply?

      She was six years older, six years wiser—he shouldn’t be able to make her knees so weak, to make her melt against him.

      Her only consolation was that the desire wasn’t onesided, the proof of his arousal pressed hard between them. Instinctively, she shifted her hips, rocking against him. He moved one arm to the small of her back, encouraging her to continue the subtle movement. He slid his other hand up to curve gently around her breast. Skye felt her nipple pull tight, then push forward, pressing against the fabric of her bra and blouse. Her reaction didn’t go unnoticed. Clint moved his palm seductively over the area, intensifying the sensation.

      The rumble of an engine and the harsh glare of headlights sweeping across them were an abrupt intrusion to their steamy kiss. With a honk, the car was gone as quickly as it had appeared, but the mood was shattered.

      Clint moved back a step. The sound of them trying to catch their breaths was the only indication they’d been doing anything more than talking.

      “I need to get to work,” she said hoarsely.

      “Are we on for tomorrow? Just pick a time and I’ll be here.”

      Skye shook her head. “No. Long-distance relationships are possible, but I don’t think we should start one.”

      “You’re going to ignore what just happened?”

      “We kissed each other. That’s all that happened.”

      “And steers have udders!”

      “Okay, so it was a very...” Hot, passionate, sexy? “A very good kiss, but still just a kiss. I’ve had a rough couple of days, I’m tired, stressed-out, and you’ve obviously had a lot of practice at this kind of thing.”

      “Stress and my reputed expertise had nothing to do with what was happening between us.” He stepped forward, grabbed his hat from the hood of the car and put it on. “There was more to it than that. Now, if you plan on working tonight, you’d better get going before I decide to kiss you again.”

      Skye