Hillbilly Rockstar (Blacktop Cowboys 6)

He dressed and eyed his luggage. They had to leave early in the morning for the long drive to Denver and his junk was spread out everywhere. “I need to pack, but I’ll get supper goin’.”

Right after he entered the kitchen, he heard the shower kick on.

Devin seasoned the steaks, dumped frozen hash browns in the fry pan and took the bag of corn from the freezer. Good thing they were leaving tomorrow since they were almost out of food. He didn’t keep staples stocked—no reason to tempt vagrants or bears.

Liberty’s cocoa and vanilla scent wafted to him a few seconds before her arms circled his waist. “Steak twice in three days? You spoil me.”

“I’m happy you’re a meat lover.”

“What can I do to help?”

“Get out the plates. The broiler is on, so we’ll eat in about ten minutes.”

They dined inside rather than fighting the bugs outdoors.

“As usual, the meal is delicious,” she said, grabbing the last slice of toasted bread.

“In two days we’re back to meals grabbed on the run and bein’ at the mercy of the catering company.”

“Don’t remind me. So what’s on the agenda tonight? You’ve been wearing that secret smirk all day.”

He sliced off a chunk of meat and ate it before he answered. “It’s a surprise.”

Her eyes lit up. “Are you taking me to see a real, live bear?”

“Sweetheart, you don’t want to purposely cross paths with a bear. Trust me on this. They’re either destructive or grumpy or fiercely protecting their cubs.”

“Have you seen one around here?”

“Yep.”

“Where?” she demanded. “And when?”

“Last fall, down by that stream we crossed. It was scary as hell. I was maybe fifty feet from it. I looked at it; it looked at me. I froze, and it lumbered off. Luckily, I’ve never had a bear come close to the cabin when I’ve been here, and that’s why we’ll take every scrap of garbage with us when we leave.”

After they finished eating, Liberty said, “I’ll clean up the kitchen and get everything ready to go for tomorrow.”

“Thanks. I’ve still gotta pack and lock up all the guns.”

“The trapdoor under the bed is a clever idea. Even if someone broke in, they probably wouldn’t find them.” She frowned. “God, I can’t believe I left my guns on the bus. I must’ve been more sleep deprived than I thought. I should’ve stuck around Houston—”

“Hey. Stop. We’ve gone over this. Reg is a responsible guy. He didn’t have a problem with guns on board while he’s drivin’ the bus across the country.”

“I should’ve left him my cell number.”

“No service up here, remember? We’ll be in Portland the day after tomorrow, and you can check them yourself.” Devin dropped a quick kiss on her lips. “I’ve got an extra jacket you can wear tonight.”

Her eyes narrowed. “Last time you sprung a surprise on me, you told me to wear flip-flops. This time you’re telling me to wear a coat?”

“Yep.” He kissed her again. “I like to keep you guessing.”

Fifteen minutes later, they’d climbed into his rag-top Jeep and were tooling down a gravel road.

“Curiosity is killing me. Where are we going?”

“To Flathead Lake. For a romantic boat ride.”

Even in the darkness, Devin felt her probing gaze.

After a bit, she said, “You sure that’s the best idea? Zipping across a glacial lake, this late at night, with no moon?”

That’s exactly why he wanted to do it. “It’ll be fine, sweetheart.” He plucked up her hand and kissed her knuckles. “I trust you to protect me. Will you believe I’d never put you in harm’s way if I wasn’t absolutely sure it was safe?”

“When you put it like that . . .”

The parking lot was empty. Only about a dozen boats were moored at this humble dock space. Devin shouldered the duffel he’d brought along and lit the ground in front of them with his big flashlight.

Liberty stuck close to his side. “Is this your boat?”

“Nope. It belongs to Moe, the guy who keeps an eye on my place throughout the year.”

“But you have driven this boat before?”

“It can’t be that hard to figure out.” He stopped at the edge of the dock. “We’ll get on board just as soon as I remember which boat it is.” He pointed. “Eeny, meeny, miny—”

“Devin!”

He laughed. “Kiddin’. Yes, I’ve driven this boat quite a few times. Bran would come up here with me and fish—before he got saddled with a wife and kids.”

“Funny.”

“Follow me.” He paused and faced her. “You have been on a floating dock before, right?”

He swore he heard her roll her eyes.

Moe’s boat wasn’t fancy. Just the basic inboard family-type watercraft, with a platform in the back with seating and a fishing chair up at the bow.

After he untied the front, he said, “Hop in.”

Devin fished the keys out of the tackle box and started the motor. Then he unhooked the side clip holding the boat to the dock and stood while he backed the boat out. He looked over at Liberty huddled behind the glass partition on the passenger’s side, noticing she’d zipped up her coat to her chin. “Ready?”