Texas Tough (The Tylers of Texas 2)

Lauren’s silence told him what she thought of that idea. “What did you find back there?” she asked after a long pause.

“Nothing.” Sky was mad enough to lie to her. “Just a place that looked like some homeless people were camping out. Since they weren’t on ranch property, I decided to leave them alone.”

“I heard the motorcycle. Did you see anybody?”

“No, that was when I decided to leave. You know about Jasper getting shot, don’t you?”

“Everybody does. It was on the news. Do you think the people back there might have done it?”

“Maybe. But since I didn’t have a gun, I decided not to stick around and find out the hard way. I don’t want you going near the place again.”

“Why should I? What reason would I have to come back here?” Lauren’s response made it clear that his orders meant nothing to her. “How is Jasper, by the way?”

“Mending.” Sky was relieved to change the subject. “He should be home in the next couple of days. From what I hear, he’s really put the hospital staff through their paces.”

“He sounds delightful. I’ve never had the chance to meet him, but I’m looking forward to it.”

“Fine, but be warned. Jasper says exactly what he thinks—and he doesn’t think much of your family.”

“Sometimes I don’t think too much of them, either. We’ll get along fine.” Lauren laughed—that low-pitched, s

exy laugh that sent Sky’s thoughts spinning in all the wrong directions. He’d had sex with her on a desk and almost had sex with her on the bare ground. A bed would be a nice change. Maybe he should ask her out on a real date—dinner in Lubbock followed by an adventurous night at a first-class hotel. If she was worried about her father, they could always come home earlier—but Lauren was over twenty-one and accustomed to running her own life. Beau had even mentioned that she’d been engaged once. Why should it matter?

The more he thought about the idea, the more sense it made. He’d bring it up when he drove her home, after he’d put the horses away.

They’d made it back to the corral and were just climbing off their horses when a low-slung red Maserati came speeding up the lane toward the house. As if the driver had spotted them, the car made a sudden swerve toward the corral and braked in a cloud of dust. The man who climbed out appeared to be in his early forties, his health club body dressed in a tailored blue suit with a silk shirt open at the throat. His thick, sandy hair was sculpted into a pompadour that would hold up in a norther. Sky had never set eyes on the man before. But he certainly seemed to know Lauren.

“Here you are!” His grin showed movie-star-perfect veneers. “I hope you don’t mind my coming by. Your father said I might find you here.”

Sky glanced at Lauren, trying to gauge her reaction. She was cool, unreadable.

“Hello, Josh.” She wiped her dusty hands on her even dustier jeans. There was mud on the knees where she’d knelt by the spring to splash her face—and to splash him. “This is Sky Fletcher. He’s been giving me a . . . riding lesson.”

So that’s what she wanted to call it. Fine.

“Sky, this is Mr. Josh Hardesty. I met him at a fund-raiser for my father.”

“Hardesty.” Sky offered a hand.

Hardesty pumped it vigorously, a politician’s handshake. “This girl made quite an impression on me, Fletcher. So much so that I just dropped by the Prescott Ranch to give the congressman a nice little contribution to his campaign—I suppose it would be bad form to say how much.”

“That was very kind of you, Josh.” Lauren spoke as if she were reading lines from a play. “I know how much my father appreciates your help.”

Hardesty grinned. “Well, he did tell me that if I came over here and found you, you might consent to have dinner with me.”

Lauren glanced down at her dirt-stained clothes. “I appreciate the invitation, but—”

“No problem. I’ll just run you home and visit with your dad for a bit while you change and freshen up. I got us a table at the Texas Tower. Best prime rib in the country, but it’s a down-home place, so no need to dress fancy. If Fletcher here doesn’t mind putting up your horse, we can leave right now.”

Sensing Lauren’s hesitation, Sky looked away. She wasn’t his property. He hadn’t even asked her out, though he’d meant to. If she wanted to go to dinner with a rich older man, why should he give a damn?

And why should he want to dump a bucket of fresh manure all over that fancy red car?

“Your dad was mighty grateful for my help,” Hardesty added, no doubt pushing Lauren’s guilt buttons. “And since I have the governor’s ear, I promised to see that he endorsed the nomination.”

“Fine,” Lauren replied with a toss of her hair. “Sky, now that you don’t need to drive me home, you won’t mind taking care of the horses, will you?”

“It’s my job.” Sky’s tone was flat with indifference. “Can I still tell Beau you’ll be back here tomorrow?”