Should've Been A Cowboy & Cowboy Up: Should've Been a Cowboy / Cowboy Up. Vicki Thompson Lewis

grinned at her. “I didn’t know you could sing.”

      “There are lots of things you don’t know about me, Mr. Keller. An activities director on a cruise ship has to wear many hats, and being able to sing and dance is a great thing to have on a résumé in my line of work.” She executed a sloppy soft-shoe routine in the wet grass and finished with a little bow.

      “You are so stinkin’ cute.”

      “Yes, but do I get the job? Will you hire me as your entertainment for tomorrow’s event? Me and Watkins, the reluctant guitarist?”

      “Maybe. I know I can afford Watkins, but you’re a professional. I don’t know if I can afford you.”

      “Sure you can. I will work for...” She stepped closer and whispered a suggestion involving whipped cream and chocolate sauce.

      He pulled her in tight, their wet clothes sticking together like Velcro. “To hell with making an entrance and having dinner with the family. Let’s head back to the barn.”

      “Hey, you two,” called a male voice. “Don’t you have sense enough to come in out of the rain?”

      Alex released her immediately. “Hey, Jack.”

      Tyler knew it had to be one of the Chance brothers who’d opened the screen door, but when she looked at the figure silhouetted against the light she wouldn’t have been able to say which one it was. They sounded similar and all had the same broad-shouldered cowboy look. Apparently it was Jack, the oldest.

      “We’ll be right in,” Alex said. “We were just—”

      “I was practicing a number for tomorrow,” Tyler said. “Watkins and I will be filling in for the country band that canceled on Alex. We’re going to give the entertainment a down-home feel.” She remembered Jack as being dark haired and moody, but according to Morgan, his disposition had improved since marrying Josie.

      “The band canceled?”

      “Afraid so,” Alex said. “About two hours ago.”

      “I see. So are you also part of this number Tyler’s practicing?”

      Tyler realized Jack probably had witnessed the clinch. “We were discussing that,” she said. “But I think not. He’s not much of a dancer.”

      Jack chuckled. “I know he can’t dance, but he tries.”

      “I’m not that bad of a dancer,” Alex said. “It’s just that all the Chance guys are like semiprofessional or something.”

      Tyler had noticed that family trait last summer and remarked on it. Sarah had told her they all took after their father, who was the best dancer she’d ever known. “Maybe I should let you help me with the entertainment for tomorrow, Jack.”

      “No can do. I’ll have my hands full working with the horses. But you sounded great just now. I happened to hear you when I went to fetch myself a beer in the kitchen, and I was curious enough to stick my head out the door. Was that ‘Oklahoma’?”

      “Yes.”

      “Unfortunately the Last Chance is located in Wyoming. You know any songs about Wyoming?”

      “No.”

      “Guess I’ll have to teach you some, then. Alex, you might want to think about bringing your talent inside before she catches her death out there.”

      “We were heading in when Tyler decided she needed to audition for me,” Alex said.

      “Uh-huh. Well, Tyler, you’ve got a helluva voice.”

      “Thank you.”

      “Wrong tune, but helluva voice. Can we afford her, Alex?”

      Alex’s voice sounded choked. “I... Yeah, we should be able to meet her terms.”

      “Good to know. See you two inside.”

      The screen door banged shut and Alex lost it, doubling over and shaking with silent laughter. “Good God,” he said, gasping. “If Jack only knew...what you named as your fee...” He gazed at her, still chuckling.

      She smiled at him. “This way I won’t have to claim it on my taxes.”

      “Yeah, I doubt there’s a line item for being served up like an ice-cream sundae.” He looked at her as if he’d like to start immediately. “Have you had sex with whipped cream before?”

      “No, but I’ve always wanted to try it. Assuming you can smuggle stuff out of the kitchen.”

      “Don’t worry about that. All you have to be concerned with is keeping the noise level down while I drive you crazy.”

      “Do you have whipped cream experience, then?”

      “No.” He winked at her. “But I’ve always wanted to try it. Shall we go in?”

      “Okay. How do I look?”

      “Beautiful.”

      “Liar.”

      “It’s not a lie. You look like a woman who’s been having fun, and that’s always sexy to me.”

      “I have been having fun.” She gave him a quick kiss. “And I intend to have even more fun later on tonight.” Then she started for the stairs leading to the back door.

      “Damn, but you’re hot, Tyler O’Connelli.”

      She glanced over her shoulder. “You’re no icicle yourself, Alex Keller.”

      * * *

      SPEAKING OF ICICLES, Alex could have used one to shove down his pants before he followed Tyler and her tight little tush into the house. The woman turned him inside out. She was right that they could never have managed four more days without falling into bed with each other.

      Now that the dam had broken and they were committed to squeezing all the pleasure they could out of this time, he would ignore the ticking clock and make the most of every second he had with her. Of course, he wanted her all to himself 24/7, but that wouldn’t be happening.

      They were both committed to making the open house a success, and that would take up a chunk of time. Besides that, Tyler had come here to see Morgan, so whenever Morgan was around, Alex would back off.

      And he could start now. Morgan met them at the door and ushered them into the room containing two large-capacity washers and a matching pair of dryers.

      “Jack said you two got caught in the rain.” Morgan’s smile was merry, but her gaze was assessing. “I see he wasn’t kidding.”

      “We’re soaked and we’re muddy,” Tyler said. “We didn’t want to track all through the house like this, so—”

      “Stay right there, both of you,” Morgan said. “I’ll ask Sarah for a couple of bathrobes.”

      Alex pulled off his boots and his wet socks. “She has an idea something’s going on,” he said in an undertone.

      “It’s fine. I’ll talk with her. She knows this cruise job doesn’t give me much opportunity to date. She’ll understand.”

      “Probably.” But he noticed Tyler didn’t sound quite as confident as she had out there in the rain. Neither was he. He wasn’t looking forward to dealing with Josie’s questions.

      Last summer he’d tried to protect his sister from Jack, who had previously dumped her. Obviously Jack had learned the error of his ways and now spent all his time proving to Josie how much he loved her, but Alex hadn’t known it would turn out that way.

      Josie wouldn’t approve of Alex having a temporary fling with Tyler any more than Alex had liked Josie hooking up with Jack. She’d see it as a heartache waiting to happen, and he couldn’t promise her it wasn’t. He couldn’t very well claim to know what he was doing, either, considering