Cowboy Dragon Page 14

  He looked genuinely conflicted by her statement. “I just want you to be safe,” he said vaguely.

  “Maybe I should leave, then.” She knew she was challenging him. And the Harrison she thought she knew wouldn’t let whatever was bugging him come between the hot, soul-searing love they’d expressed for each other the past few days. Wouldn’t let a simple misunderstanding throw everything off course.

  He stood over her imperiously. “If that’s what you want, maybe you should.” He was copping out. He knew what she wanted.

  She wanted him.

  But maybe all her rules about cowboys had been correct from the start.

  How long until the things he was withholding from her would truly tear them apart. A month? A year? Ten years?

  “Maybe I will. Long enough for you to get your shit straight.”

  “I had everything under control until…” He scoffed, and for a moment, this whole argument would have been hilarious if it didn’t feel like her heart was hanging in the balance. “Typical human. Running off. I should’ve expected it from the start.”

  “Only because you’re pushing me away so hard you give a woman whiplash.”

  “I just want what’s right—”

  “What’s right isn’t always what’s safe. Or easy. I thought you of all people could accept that.” She was walking past him, heading for her room.

  She needed space. Time to think. More words would just set them both off further.

  Heavy boots on moist ground followed her. “Where are you going?” The man had the audacity to sound worried about her moments after practically throwing everything they had in the dumpster.

  “Wherever I want.” She turned on him one more time, stopping him in his tracks. “Because whether you believe it or not, you aren’t the boss of me. You may be the boss of this ranch, but you don’t get to say what I do or where I go.”

  His lips flattened, thankfully not trying her any further on that.

  “For now, I’m going to my room.”

  He seemed placated by that, and she left him standing in the courtyard as she got to her room and shut the door behind her.

  It was almost foreign being in here, since every night since that first night she’d been spending her free time with Harrison and sleeping in his room.

  She let out a harsh sigh and slumped onto her bed, somewhere between anger and tears and despondence.

  Damn cowboys.

  Would they go back and forth like this until everything finally exploded? She loved the man, and she knew in her heart he loved her. But this back and forth was exhausting, and after so many years of being the only one to care about her own welfare, Marian wasn’t going to go throwing her independence away just because Harrison was having a fit of anxiety over hell knew what.

  Maybe some space was really what she needed.

  She looked over at the picture of her father on the nightstand.

  Maybe it was time she finally learned her lesson about cowboys…

  22

  “Now what the hell was that all about?” Beck’s voice suddenly behind Harrison annoyed him.

  “Just get back to work, Beck.” He made for the house, going over things he needed to get done by sundown in his head, anticipating more rain at any moment.

  But knowing his mate could leave for San Antonio, and that it would be all his fault, rankled so hard he couldn’t even think straight.

  “No way. This is more important than whatever it is you’re obsessing over. Whatever work you’re trying to concoct so you can make yourself feel better over that snafu.” Terminology Beck had picked up during his multiple deployments in the military always came out when he was angry.

  Like he had any right.

  Clancy was already inside, a mess of paperwork in front of him as Harrison strode in, Beck right behind him.

  “Did the boss finally propose, good and proper? It’s ‘bout time,” Clancy said, not looking up from his work.

  “More like shoved his face so far up a steer’s ass he can’t see what’s right in front of him,” Beck said gruffly.

  “You’re out of line.” Harrison whirled on his second-in-command, standing eye to eye with Beck. Beck, for the first time in a long time, though, didn’t budge.

  “What happened?” Clancy sat up, tenting his fingers, expression serious.

  “Nothing. Nothing happened.” Harrison knew he’d stuck his foot in things. Knew he was letting his fear of something happening to Marian drive a wedge between him and the only woman he’d ever loved.

  Beck just laughed at his face. “If you’d said even two more words to our friend and crew member, I’d have laid you out right there in the courtyard. Pushing your mate away like that is absolute bullshit.”

  “Like you know anything about having a mate,” Harrison shot back.

  Beck’s mouth just screwed into that smug grin. “We both know I have no interest in having a mate. Ever. And Clancy…”

  They both looked at Clancy. His gaze went harsh and green, brooking no further discussion.

  “Is Clancy. But you have everything you need right in front of you, and all you have to do is not fuck it up.”

  “This is more talkin’ than I even thought possible, Beck. You dun’ learned words good,” Clancy said with a chuckle.

  “Fuck you, Clancy,” Beck said, unamused.

  “Not even if you asked nicely,” Clancy replied. “But the mountain dragon’s right, boss. Which ain’t usual. But he’s right,” he added, directing his attention toward Harrison.

  Harrison finally shrugged, breaking off from Beck and slumping into a chair, hands clasped in front of him. “There’s just a lot to worry about. And she’s a human. In the past, we didn’t keep a single human on our ranch for more than a few months before they were sent packing.” He took in a deep breath. “I didn’t think it would go this way.”

  “What does your dragon say?” Beck asked.

  “That’s a stupid question.” When it came to nature, came to harnessing the monster inside him to tame the land and protect their freedom, he had no problems being all dragon.

  But when it came to accepting the kind of love he never thought he’d have in his life, especially toward a human, things were messier.

  “The man’s got a point.” Clancy leaned back in his chair, arms folded while he balanced on two feet effortlessly. “So answer.”

  “That she’s my mate. That I want her by my side forever. That I’d give up anything to have her.”

  Clancy and Beck shared a knowing look, confusing Harrison. “Then goddamit, go get her and tell her these things,” Beck said.

  Harrison shook his head.

  “She’s not just a woman, Harrison. She’s a person. A person with feelings and wants of her own. You can’t go assuming you know better than everyone else just because you’ve been the boss around here longer than the railroads have connected east to west.”

  “But what will happen if I don’t make sure everything is done right around here? This ranch is our way of life, and it needs to keep going.”

  Beck laughed. “Then someone else in our crew will do it. Or we’ll hire more help, you stupid bastard.”

  “Just because you got used to mending every broken fence and rounding up every stray yourself don’t mean you’re the only one capable of doin’ it.”

  “And as for the fact that Marian’s a human, she’s the strongest, most capable, smartest human I’ve ever met. In fact, you could learn a thing or two from her, boss.”

  Beck was right. He’d spent all his time surviving and running things. Somewhere along the way, he’d missed some important lessons about living. What it meant to be happy, to share yourself fully with another person. Things Marian knew effortlessly with her courage and openness.

  “Also, dragons like us merge their lifespan with their mate.” Both Beck and Harrison looked at Clancy suddenly, and he just shrugged innocently. “What? I’ve traveled. Let’s just say I’ve met other dragons and heard a th
ing or two and leave it at that.”

  “So that’s that. Just mate her, and just focus on runnin’ the ranch instead of chasing down every prairie dog that pokes its head up on our land.“

  Harrison wanted to deny that, but it was true. He’d been a bit obsessive.

  “And if the rain awakens one of those things?”

  “Then we take it on like a crew and worry about it if it happens. Not twenty steps before then,” Clancy said matter-of-factly.

  Harrison stood, pacing a few steps. He’d have to give up the life he’d become comfortable with over a long, long time. Surrender the illusion of control he’d deluded himself with.

  Before Marian, life was just being alive and enjoying the good moments that came every now and then.

  With Marian, every moment was bright like an overexposed picture, full of happiness and joy and excitement for the future.

  Would she even accept his apology if he went to her right now?

  “Is Harrison overthinkin’ things right now?” Beck asked Clancy.

  “Sure looks like it. Do something about it, Beck,” Clancy responded with a nod.

  Harrison expected another lecture.

  Instead, he got Beck’s fist right across his left cheek.

  It was a dirty move, and Harrison’s whole face smarted as he hit the ground with a thud. But even as Harrison pushed himself up off the floor and put his hat back on, things were definitely clearer in his head.

  Marian was everything. He was a fool to let any worries stop him from the most wonderful thing in the entire world.

  Love. Real, complicated, overwhelming love.

  “Figured that would work better than words,” Beck said. “From the look on your face, I’d say it did.”

  “Cranial realignment. Works wonders every time,” Clancy said with a gleam in his eye. “So what next?”

  Harrison popped a muscle in his jaw, lining it up properly before cracking the knuckles in his fist. “First, this—” He then cocked his arm back and hit Beck square in the cheek, sending Beck reeling into the wall from the force of it. Beck grunted, then started laughing. “Just in case anyone forgot who runs this crew.” He then straightened his shirt, hoping he looked presentable for Marian. “And second, I’m going to go tell my mate I love her and that I want her to stay. Whatever I have to do to show Marian that I’m going to be straight with her from here on out.”

  “That’s the Harrison I know,” Beck said, grin a little wild as blood from a split lip got in the corners of his teeth.

  Harrison came forward and offered his friend a hand up, which Beck took.

  In the back, Dallas stood watching. Hell, he’d probably been there the whole time, but he finally decided to speak. “She’s good people, boss.” His amber eyes were dead sure-looking.

  Clancy got up and put an arm around Dallas, which Dallas immediately frowned in response to. The big guy didn’t like being touched. “See? Even the tiger that hates anything that walks on two legs has an opinion on our new crew member. She’s basically family already,” Clancy said.

  He nodded at his friends and steeled himself to put everything on the line, when Reno busted into the room, light-blue eyes looking over the scene in front of him with uncertainty.

  “Is this a bad time?” Reno appraised the healing cut on Beck’s lip and backed away a step.

  “Another time, Reno,” Harrison said, making for the door.

  Behind him, Beck stepped forward. “You tell me what’s up. The boss has his mate to go win over.”

  Reno’s expression fell. “Uh, about that. You know those tires we ordered for the T-bird? They came today, but when I went to install them, the car was gone. Did you move it, Beck?”

  Beck’s laugh couldn’t hide a hint of worry. “Of course not. You probably just left it in the shed.”

  Harrison paused in the door, listening.

  Reno shook his head emphatically. “It ain’t anywhere. I thought maybe someone took it out to test the new alternator.”

  There was a long, stark pause as the sudden realization dawned on everyone, including Harrison.

  “How bad are the tires, Reno?” Harrison asked.

  “Balder than a baby rat.”

  Harrison swore. He’d gone and messed up bad. Real bad. He’d pushed his mate away hard enough that she’d actually left. Either because she felt life would be better in San Antonio or because she just wanted away from here.

  He didn’t blame Marian. But he was going to find her and tell her everything. And if she still was done with cowboys forever, if she still didn’t want anything to do with him, he’d respect her wishes and drive her the rest of the way himself, just to make up for it.

  But first, he needed to find her.

  23

  Marian groaned inwardly as she appraised Freddie’s extremely flat front tire. The car had been running like new, and she and the others had been excited to take him out for a spin.

  But she hadn’t anticipated a nail in the road stopping her no more than twenty minutes out.

  So here she was, stranded, again, in the middle of nowhere. Above her, the sky was gray but at least dry as she went to her trunk to get a second look at the spare stored under a panel.

  Unsurprisingly, it was flat too.

  Just perfect…

  She was just a few minutes outside of town on a stretch of road that was frequented more than the one that led up to Dragonclaw Ranch but was still made of dirt. She wondered how many county roads like this one stretched out in every direction.

  Something she would’ve liked to explore if she’d stayed.

  Heck, there were a lot of reasons to stay. The fact that she didn’t actually have any intentions of going all the way to San Antonio would probably be lost on Harrison and the others once they saw she was gone, but that was neither here nor there.

  Just because she wasn’t going to stay with Edith didn’t mean she was going to keep taking her chances with cowboys.

  Well, one in particular.

  She huffed, keeping an eye on her phone to see if she’d get reception so she could call for a tow. Maybe she could just hoof it.

  But she was still miles from anywhere. And, admittedly, she was starting to like the feeling, so long as she wasn’t stranded.

  There were a lot of things she’d come to like these past few weeks. Campfires at night with the crew. Learning new terms from Clancy. Watching Beck try to break his record for how many hay bales he could carry. Reno’s stories. Dallas’s ability to enjoy things without speaking a single word. Long days, warm evenings, and living off the land in ways she didn’t know were possible in such a fast, modern era.

  Maybe she should go back and ask to be a part of the crew still, just to prove to Harrison she wasn’t some fragile human.

  But even Harrison was impossible to hate for long. Not when he made her laugh, made her smile, made her come so hard the ceiling would spin.

  Especially the last part.

  He was a good man. Trustworthy. Honest, except with himself of all things. And the hardest worker she’d ever known. Maybe even too hard of a worker.

  She knew her feelings were as strong as they were the second she’d driven beneath the big wrought iron sign at the front of the ranch. Every mile since then had felt like the hole in her heart had gotten bigger and bigger.

  And not just because of the ranch itself, with its wild, untamed beauty and good people.

  But because she felt like her future belonged there. That if she told Harrison these things, he might let go of whatever obsession was keeping them apart.

  She was tired of running. And for a minute, it felt like fate had finally, finally dealt her a winning hand. Something that could sustain her for the rest of her days if she played her cards right.

  Marian’s ear pricked when she heard rustling, and she looked around her, afraid the coyotes were coming back for seconds. But after a quick glance, she realized the rustling was coming from inside the car.

  She gr
abbed her tire iron and held it aloft, opening the passenger door as she saw something moving beneath a pile of clothes she’d hastily tossed into the back. Her heart raced, and she got ready to strike at whatever was crawling around inside, be it a snake, a coyote, or…

  A small head with a black mask and beady little eyes popped up, emerging with its tiny paws clutching an old, half-eaten cracker.

  Gary.

  Marian let out a long, pent-up breath. “Gary, you nearly scared the living daylights out of me.” She set the tire iron on the ground, and Gary’s mouth chomped happily on the cracker.

  For a moment, she just relaxed, grateful she hadn’t come head to head with a rattler or something poisonous. “I can’t go stealing the ranch mascot, now can I?”

  Gary stopped munching and cocked his head at her.

  “I guess we both belong back at Dragonclaw, don’t we?” Not that Gary sneaking into her belongings for food was some sort of universal sign. But just the fact that the thought of going back to confront Harrison—instead of running again—was more comforting than worrying had to mean something.

  If he really couldn’t abide loving a human, loving her, then she’d keep her head high and do what she’d always done. Survive.

  But if the magic she felt with him was mutual… If he was willing to trust her and if she was willing to trust him, then what they had was certainly more important than a little misunderstanding.

  She looked down the road, and her heart practically leapt in her chest when, as if in some sort of divine answer, she saw a truck coming down the road, headed toward her.

  “Look at that, Gary. Someone’s coming.” Gary perked his head up, sniffed the air, then hissed and disappeared into the pile of shirts and jeans.

  “Okay, maybe you don’t like the guys as much as I do, but—” She squinted, trying to make out whose truck it was. Not blue like Harrison’s. Not white like Beck’s. Not bronze like Clancy’s.

  If she wasn’t mistaken, it was a pale, worn-looking teal. And it coughed up exhaust at odd intervals as it got closer and closer.