Free Millionaire in a Stetson by Barbara Dunlop Page A

and she knew exactly what he was asking.
    She knew she should refuse to answer, but she couldn’t stop herself. “You’re the guy who skips the iced tea, skips the moonlight stroll and invites a girl straight to the hayloft.”
    A half smile quirked at the corner of his mouth. “You’re a smart woman, Nellie Cooper.”
    “I’m smart enough to know when to run away.”
    “Are you running away now?”
    She slid from the barstool, determined to do the smart thing. She nodded, but then forced out the words. “Travis is a good man.”

Five
    S awyer reached for Niki’s hand, grasping it just in time to stop her from walking away. He was making a colossal mess of everything. He was supposed to be gaining her trust, not scaring her off with talk of flings in haylofts.
    “What?” she asked.
    “I’m sorry,” he began. “I didn’t mean to—”
    The band went suddenly silent, and the arena plunged into darkness. An instantaneous whoop went up from the cowboys, and Sawyer reflexively pulled Niki to him, sheltering her in the dark.
    Lightning flashed through the open doorways at the far end of the arena, and thunder rumbled its way through the big building.
    “You okay?” he asked her, keeping his arms solidly around her cradling her between his bent knees. He heard a glass break nearby, and someone bumped against his shoulder. He turned his body, putting her between him and the bar.
    Lightning flashed again, and thunder cracked directly
above them.
    “Last summer, they had a storm that blew down half the trees in Lyndon Valley,” she told him. “It closed the airport for three days.”
    “Exciting place, Colorado,” Sawyer replied.
    Voices around them rose and fell. Most people seemed to be taking the blackout in stride. He could see cell phones coming out as light sources all around them.
    He lowered his voice. “I’m not looking for a fling.”
    “Yeah, well, you’re not getting one. So, that’s good.”
    He couldn’t quite peg the tone of her voice. Was she joking with him? “I don’t know why I said I was devious. I’ve never invited a girl to a hayloft.”
    “Not even once?” she teased.
    “Not an unwilling one,” he joked back. Then he sobered. “I feel like we got off on the wrong foot.” He felt his way along her arm to her hand, taking it gently in his to shake. “Let’s try again. Hi, I’m Sawyer Smith, your new neighbor, here to be friendly and assist you in any way I can.”
    “Nellie Cooper.” She shook his hand, and there was a smile in her voice. “Single, and definitely not looking.”
    He couldn’t help but grin at that. “Not looking for what?”
    “A man. A relationship. Anything more than a friend.” She shifted closer in the intimacy of the darkness. “My life is complicated right now.”
    “Complicated how?” He had to concentrate on keeping his hands to himself. Her vanilla-scented shampoo teased his senses, and she had the sexiest voice, especially when it was low, husky with a touch of whisper.
    “I’ve just found my brothers. I’m getting my feet under me in Colorado.”
    “I can respect that. I’m getting my feet under me, too.”
    “I guess you are,” she agreed. “So, why did you leave the navy?”
    “My family,” he allowed. “They were…worried about me.”
    “Your mother?”
    “My mother passed away several years ago. And my father was killed shortly after. But I have a large extended family. We’re quite close.”
    “They’re in Montana?”
    “Mostly,” he hedged.
    She was silent for a moment. A few flashlights had gone on around them, and the bartender lit a couple of candles at the far end of the bar.
    “So, you lost your mother, too,” Niki said.
    “I did.”
    “How old were you?”
    “Twenty-two. I joined the navy right after.”
    “Did it hurt for long?”
    He gave in to the urge to rub his hand over the small of her back. “It gets better. You must miss yours a lot.”
    “I do.” Another silence. “She wasn’t exactly