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Bella lifted her small chin. “He’s not blind,” she said. “He knows what goes on here.”
“Take my pie back in the house,” Nell told her.
Bella glared at her. “She’s not getting a bite of it.”
“Tell her.”
The older woman nodded curtly. “Don’t think I won’t.” She glanced at Tyler and grinned. “You can have a slice, though.”
He took off his hat and bowed. “I’ll eat every crumb twice.”
She laughed gleefully and went back inside.
“Aren’t you late for the camp out?” Nell asked curiously.
“We canceled it,” he replied. “Mr. Curtis fell into a cactus and Mrs. Sims got sick on the chili we had at lunch and had to go to bed. The rest figured they’d rather watch television.”
Nell smiled faintly. “Oh, well. The best laid plans… We’ll try it again on the weekend.”
Tyler studied her quietly, his eyes narrowed in thought. “About this afternoon…” he began, holding Nell’s surprised gaze.
But before he could say another word, the door behind Nell swung open.
“Why, Tyler, how nice to see you again,” Marguerite said laughingly, pausing in the doorway.
“Nice to see you again, Mrs. Regan,” he replied dryly, and there was a world of knowledge in the pale green eyes that swept lazily down her slender body. Marguerite couldn’t take him in with that strategic pose. He knew too much. But it was amusing to watch her try.
Nell wanted to throw herself down in the dust and cry, but that wouldn’t have done any good. She went back inside, giving up without a struggle.
Marguerite gave her a curious glance, but Nell didn’t even look at her. If she wanted Tyler, she was welcome to him, Nell thought miserably. After all, she had nothing to give him herself.
Supper was a quiet affair, except for the boys squabbling over everything from milk to beans.
“Tyler is taking me riding tomorrow,” Marguerite said, giving Nell an apprehensive glance. “You’ll mind the boys, won’t you?”
Nell looked up. She felt rebellious. Restless. “As a matter of fact, I can’t,” she said with a faint smile. “Take them with you. Tyler’s already said he wouldn’t mind helping them find arrowheads.”
“Sure!” Jess burst out. “I’d love to go.”
“I’ll go, too,” Curt said.
Marguerite looked annoyed. “I don’t want you along.”
“You don’t love us,” Jess wailed.
“You never did,” Curt seconded, and he started to cry.
Marguerite threw up her hands. “See what you’ve done now!” she accused Nell.
“I haven’t done anything except refuse to be your doormat.” Nell finished her potatoes. “I don’t remember inviting you here,” she replied coolly. “Don’t expect me to entertain you or baby-sit for you.”
“You always have before,” Marguerite reminded her.
“That was before,” Nell replied. “I’m not doing it anymore. You’ll have to take care of yourself.”
“Who’s been talking to you?” Marguerite asked, fascinated.
“Nobody has,” Nell replied. “I’m just tired of holding up the world. Why don’t you get a job?”
Marguerite’s gasp was audible, but Nell had gotten up and left the table before she had time for any outbursts.
* * *
Tyler took Marguerite and the boys riding the next morning. Marguerite did look good in a riding habit, Nell had to concede, but the redhead was obviously out of sorts at having the boys along. Tyler hadn’t fussed about taking the boys, either. He liked children. Nell smiled. She liked them, too, but it was Marguerite’s job to be their mother, not Nell’s.
She wandered out to the kitchen and picked up a biscuit, having refused breakfast because she hadn’t wanted to hear Margie raising cain about the boys going along on her romantic ride.
“And what’s eating you, as if I didn’t know?” Bella asked.
Nell laughed. “Nothing at all.”
“You’ve got Margie running for cover. Imagine, you talking back to her and refusing to be pushed around. Are you sick or something?” she added, her keen old eyes probing.
Nell bit into the biscuit. “Not at all. I’m just tired of being worked to death, I guess.”
“And watching Margie flirt with Tyler, I’ve no doubt.”
Nell glared at the older woman. “Stop that. You know I don’t like him.”
“You like him. Maybe it’s my fault that things never got going between you,” Bella confessed gently. “I was trying to spare you more heartache, or I’d never have said anything when you put on that pretty dress….”
Nell turned away. She didn’t like being reminded of that day. “He isn’t my type,” she said gruffly. “He’s Margie’s type.”
“That’s what you think,” Bella murmured dryly. She put her towel down and stood staring at the other woman. “I’ve wanted to tell you for years that most men are nice critters. Some of them are even domesticated. All men aren’t like Darren McAnders,” she added, watching Nell’s face go pale. “And he wasn’t even that bad except when he was pushed into getting drunk. He loved Margie.”
“And I loved him,” Nell said coldly. “He flirted with me and teased me, just like Tyler did at first. And then he did…he did that to me, and it wasn’t even because he was attracted to me. It was just to make Margie jealous!”
“It was despicable,” Bella agreed. “But it was worse for you because you cared about him, and you felt betrayed and used. It was a good thing I happened upstairs when I did.”
“Yes,” Nell said tautly. The memories hurt.
“But it wasn’t as bad as you’ve always made it out to be, either,” Bella said firmly, ignoring the shocked look she got from Nell. “It wasn’t,” she added. “If you’d ever gone out with boys or had a date, you’d understand what happened a lot better. You hadn’t even been kissed—”
“Stop it,” Nell muttered miserably. She stuck her hands in her jeans and shifted. “It doesn’t matter, anyway. I’m plain and countrified and no man is ever going to want me, no matter what I do. And I heard what Tyler said that night,” she added with a cold glare. “I heard every word. He said he didn’t want a ‘lovesick tomboy hanging on to his boots.’”
Bella sighed. “So you did hear him. I was afraid that’s why he was getting the deep-freeze treatment lately.”
“It doesn’t matter, you know,” Nell said with deliberate carelessness. “It’s just as well I found out early that I was annoying him. I’ve been careful not to bother him since.”
Bella started to say something, but obviously thought better of it. “How long is Her Highness here for?”
“Just until tomorrow afternoon, thank God.” Nell sighed. “I’d better get cracking. We’re going riding, and then this afternoon I’ve got a busload of shoppers to take into town. I thought I’d run them over to the El Con mall. They might like to get some real Western gear at Cooper’s.”
“The silversmiths are over near San Xavier,” she was reminded. “And they could have some Papago fry bread for refreshments.”
—Tohono o’odham,“ Nell corrected automatically. “That’s a real Papago word, meaning people of the desert. They changed it because they got tired of being called ’bean people’ in Zuni.”
“I can’t say that,” Bella muttered.
“Sure you can. Tohono o’odham. Anyway, the fry bread is a good idea if we have any time left from the shopping.”
“Are any of the husbands tagging along?” Bella asked.
Nell pursed her lips. “Do you think I’d look this cheerful if the men were coming with us?”
“Stupid question,” Bella said with a sigh. “I’d better get started on chow, or is Chappy laying on a barbecue tonight before the square dance? He never asks me, he just goes ahead with whatever he wants to do.”
“Chappy did say something about a barbecue. Why don’t you make a bowl of potato salad and some homemade rolls and a few pies to go with it?” She put an arm around Bella’s formidable girth. “That will save you some work, too, won’t it? Actually, I think Chappy’s kind of sweet on you.”
Bella flushed and glared at Nell. “He ain’t, neither! Now get out of here and let me get busy.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Nell grinned and curtsied before she darted out the back door.
Nell went down to the stables to check on the mounts for the morning ride. Chappy Staples was alone there, and after all the years, Nell was still a little in awe of him. He was older than most of the men, but he could outride the best of them. He’d never said a thing out of the way to Nell, but she couldn’t help her remoteness. It was the same with all the men, except Tyler.
“How is the mare this morning?” she asked the wiry man with the pale blue eyes, referring to a horse with a bad shoe.
“I had the farrier come over and take a look at her. He replaced the shoe, but she’s still restless this morning. I wouldn’t take her out if I were you.”
She sighed. “That will leave us one mount short,” she murmured. “Margie’s gone riding with Tyler and the boys.”
“If you can handle it alone, I’ll keep Marlowe here and let him help me work the colt, and one of the guests can have his horse,” Chappy said. “How about it?”
“That sounds great.” She sighed, thanking her lucky stars that the foulmouthed Marlowe was being kept clear of her guests. If he kept it up, he’d have to go, and that would leave them a man short. Nell didn’t like the idea of adding on new men. It had taken her long enough to get used to the ones she already had on the place.
“We’ll start at ten,” she told Chappy. “And we have to be back in time for lunch. I’m taking the ladies shopping about one-thirty.”
“No problem, ma’am.” He tipped his hat and returned to work.
Nell wandered back toward the house, deep in thought, almost running head-on into Tyler because she didn’t see him until he rounded the corner of the house.
She gasped, stepping back. “Sorry,” she said, faltering. “I didn’t see you.”
He glared down at her. “I was about to head off riding with Margie and the boys when I heard that I’m escorting Margie to the square dance tonight.”
“Are you?” she asked, all at sea.
He lifted an eyebrow. “That’s what Margie tells me. She said it was your idea,” he added in an exaggerated Texas drawl that could have skinned a cactus at close range.
“I guess you wouldn’t believe me if I told you I haven’t said a word to her about it,” she said resignedly.
“You throw her at me every time she comes out here, don’t you?” he asked with a mocking smile.
She lowered her eyes and turned away. “I did once or twice, sure. I thought you might enjoy her company,” she said in a subdued tone. “She’s like you. Sophisticated and classy and upper crust. But if you’d rather she went with someone else, I’ll see what I can do.”
He caught her arm, noticing the way she tensed and froze. “All right. You don’t have to make a federal case out of it. I just don’t like having myself volunteered for guest escort services. I like Margie, but I don’t need a matchmaker.”
“No, you wouldn’t,” she said more sadly than she realized. “Will you let go of my arm, please?”
“You can’t bear to be touched, can you?” he asked speculatively. “That was one of the first things I noticed about you. Why?”
Her heart went wild. He couldn’t know that it was his touch lancing through her like white-hot pleasure that made her tremble, not a dislike of being touched by him. And that surprised her. “My private life is none of your business,” she said firmly.
“No. You’ve made that very clear lately,” he replied. He let her go as if her arm burned his fingers. “Okay, honey. Have it your own way. As for Margie, I’ll work things out with her.”
He sounded vaguely exasperated, but Nell was far too nervous to wonder about his tone of voice. A quick getaway was on her mind. When she was alone with him, it took all her willpower not to throw herself into his arms, despite all her inhibitions.
“Okay,” she said, and shrugged, as if what he did were of no consequence to her. She went around him and into the house without looking back, unaware of his quiet gaze following her every step of the way.
Chapter Two (#ulink_e8b1b28e-199a-50a3-8393-cefc29fa08c1)
Nell avoided Tyler for the rest of the day, and she didn’t go to the square dance that night. She excused herself right after the barbecue and went up to her room. She was being a coward, she thought miserably, but at least she wouldn’t have to watch Margie flirt with Tyler.
But memories of Tyler wouldn’t be put out of her mind. Her thoughts drifted relentlessly back to the very beginning, to his first few days at the ranch. From the moment she’d met him at the airport, he’d been gentle and kind to her, putting her at ease, making himself right at home in her company.
And not only with Nell—he’d won over the men and Bella just as quickly. Nell had warmed to him as she never had to any man, with the exception of Darren McAnders. But even though Darren had left deep scars on her emotions, Nell knew instinctively that Tyler wouldn’t harm her. Before she realized what was happening to her, she was following him around like a puppy.
She grimaced, remembering. She’d alternated between sighing over him and trying to find ways to make him more comfortable. She didn’t realize how her eagerness to please him might seem to other people…or even to Tyler. She was in awe of him, the wound of McAnders’s long-ago rejection forgotten.
There was a square dance the second week he was in residence. Nell hadn’t put on a dress, but she did make sure her long hair was clean and neatly brushed, and she didn’t wear her slouch hat. As usual when there were strangers around, especially male ones, she drew into herself. Tyler made a convenient hiding place, and she got behind him and stayed there.
“Scared?” he’d teased gently, not minding her shy company. She was a little sunflower, a child to cosset. He hadn’t asked her age, but he assumed she hadn’t made it out of her teens yet. She didn’t threaten him in any way, and he could afford to be kind to her.
“I don’t mix well,” she confessed, smiling. “And I don’t really trust men very much. Some of the guests…well, they’re older men and their wives aren’t interested in them. I guess any young woman, even one like me, is fair game to them. I don’t want trouble, so mostly I stay away from dances.” Her dark eyes sought his. “You don’t mind if I stick back here with you?”
“Of course not.” He leaned against one of the posts that supported the loft and busied his fingers braiding three strands of rawhide he’d found. “I haven’t been to a barn dance in a long time. Is this an ongoing ritual here?”
“Every other Saturday night,” she confided. “We even invite the kids, so everybody gets to join in. The band—” she indicated the four-man band “—is a local group. We pay them forty dollars for the evening. They aren’t famous, but we think they’re pretty good.”
“They are,” he agreed with a smile. He glanced down at her, wondering what she’d think of the kind of party he was used to, where the women wore designer gowns and there were full orchestras or at least string quartets and jazz quintets to provide the music.
She twisted a strand of her hair in her fingers nervously, watching the married couples dance. There was a wistful expression in her eyes. He frowned as he watched her.
“Do you want to dance, Nell?” he asked gently.
She blushed. “No. I, well, I don’t dance,” she confessed, thrilling to the thought of being in his arms. But that might not be a good thing. He might see how attracted she was to him. She felt helpless when his hand accidentally brushed hers. She wasn’t sure she could handle a dose of him at close quarters without giving away her growing infatuation for him.
“I could teach you,” he volunteered, faintly amused at her reticence.
