Free Dentelle by Heather Bowhay Page A

for
such flagrant flirtations. Telling Dakota off was one thing; flirting with Ash
was another. Standing a few inches taller with his shoulder-length brown hair,
iridescent green eyes, and shirt unbuttoned a notch too low, he looked
dangerous and sexy. And if I hadn’t been in love with Jason I would have been
affected by his good looks – or maybe I was just a little bit and didn’t want
to admit it. Either way, I fought hard to gain control of my emotions while
deciding on a response.
      “Don’t look at Jason right now. You’ll blow
it. Smile and toy with me a little bit.”
    “Awkward.”
    “Well, get
over it. Treat this as a game. You need to outplay me.”
    I laughed .
“But you’re the master.”
    “I won’t
deny you’ve learned from the best. Now, have a little fun with it; you’ll be
more believable. Dakota’s obviously ripe for gossip and because of her position
at the Ranch, she’ll be talking to a lot of people. Let’s squash those rumors
about you and Jason and get them running rampant about us.”
    “You’re
right,” I finally agreed. Standing on my tiptoes, I grabbed his stubbly
chin and smiled coyly. “Well, you are a sexy rock-n-roll singer after all, so
how could you not be enough? But…” I paused and wet my lips, “I wouldn’t be
opposed to seeing you all dressed up like a cowboy…” Letting my voice trail, I
smiled and could feel all eyes watching me. “Wait, scratch that. How about just the cowboy hat,” I paused and
smacked my lips together, “and maybe a lasso.” My comment brought a few raised
eyebrows and a couple of gasps. I imagined if I kissed Ash it would pretty much
seal the deal for Dakota, but I had no desire to do so. Not even for show, and
especially with Jason standing right there. Luckily, Laci saved the day.
    “Okay then,” she interrupted, “TMI. I think we
should hit the road. We’ve got a long drive ahead of us.”
    Grabbing my hand, Ash whistled and said, “Laci’s
probably right. But wow! Looks like I’m gonna need to find myself a cowboy hat.
Maybe one for you, too, sweetheart.”
      “For heaven’s sake, Ash,” I said with
disdain. “Cool it a little bit.”
    “And the
Oscar for best male actor in a leading role goes to…”
    “This is
gonna be one long week.”
    “Just
saying,” he replied.
    Jason and I exchanged looks, and he offered a
reassuring smile as we climbed into Dakota’s mud-caked Durango. Sadly, he slid
into the back row with Madison, and I found myself crammed in next to Ash,
practically in his lap because of all our suitcases. Welcome to Big Sky
Country, I thought.
      Dakota
gave us something akin to an educational tour as we passed through the city of
Great Falls. Eventually, we left the city behind and drove across the plains
until we entered a heavily timbered area. Winding along the backcountry road on
our way to the Ranch, I felt like we were trespassing on one of nature’s
private reserves. Not only were the Ranch’s 30,000 acres of pristine grasslands
and forests a sight to behold, but they also offered the secluded setting
necessary for Guardian fun and games.
    “Check it out,” Laci exclaimed, pointing out the
window as we bumped along the gravel road.
    Dakota slowed the vehicle to a crawl. “Oh yeah,
count on seeing lots of wildlife while you’re here. Even bears, wolves, or
bison if you hike out far enough. During the games, though, the local deer and
whatnot will keep their distance.” She laughed. “A few hundred Guardians
gathered in one place at the same time can be pretty loud and intimidating.”
    Rolling down the window, I gazed with admiration
across a meadow – or a wildflower paradise rather – at a six-point bull elk
feeding on lush green vegetation. My dad and uncles would be so jealous right
now. They were avid bow hunters, although their success rate wasn’t anything to
brag about, which made me happy. I appreciated how they respected nature, loved
the outdoors, and hunted with the