A Cowboy's Honor (The McGavin Brothers #2) Read online

  A Cowboy’s Honor

  The McGavin Brothers

  Vicki Lewis Thompson

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  But Wait, There’s More!

  Also by Vicki Lewis Thompson

  About the Author

  A COWBOY’S HONOR

  Copyright © 2017 by Vicki Lewis Thompson

  ISBN: 978-1-946759-11-5

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Ocean Dance Press, PO Box 69901, Oro Valley AZ 85737

  Visit the author’s website: http://vickilewisthompson.com

  Chapter One

  Cody McGavin’s heart always lifted with his first glimpse of the single-story, rambling log house that was the heart of Wild Creek Ranch. Home. The place looked about the same as it had when he’d left two months ago except the snow had melted off the roof and someone had planted daisies in the flower beds.

  He glanced at the forest green truck parked beside the house. Their new hire, Faith Underwood, must be having trouble with her vintage F150. The driver’s door was open and she lay on her back on the floorboard fooling with something under the dash.

  Cody pulled in beside her and cut the engine. Although she was a better mechanic than he was, a true cowboy always offered to help a woman having trouble with her vehicle.

  And Faith was a woman, although when he and his brother Zane had first laid eyes on her two months ago, neither of them had been sure. Her old boots, baggy jeans, loose plaid shirt and roomy vest hadn’t given them a clue about her gender. She’d tucked her hair up under her hat, too. Until they’d seen her delicate features and had heard her voice, they’d been guessing.

  She wore a similar outfit today, minus the vest since Montana’s June sunshine had warmed things up considerably. In the time since she’d been hired, Zane had reported that she was a good hand down at the stable and invaluable to their mom, who’d been laid up with a broken leg. Cody hadn’t been much help on that deal because he’d had to go back to his job at the Triangle V.

  Shutting off the engine, he climbed out of his truck and walked around the back of hers. “Hey, Faith, what’s going on?”

  She squirmed out from under the dash and stood. She looked a little more like a girl today without her hat, which she’d hung on the truck’s antenna while she worked. She’d put her hair in a single braid and the late afternoon sun picked out some red in it, although she was mostly blond. She shaded her eyes with her hand. “Hey, Cody. You’re back.”

  “For a little while, anyway. Can I help you with something?”

  “You surely could if it’s not too much of an imposition.” She held up the part she’d taken out from under the dash. “Starter. I knew it was going, even bought a new one, but I never got around to installing it. If you could run me home tonight and fetch me again in the morning, I’ll just leave the truck here for now and fix it tomorrow.”

  “I’d be happy to.” Considering the glowing praise Zane had heaped on Faith’s performance, it was the least he could do. “Just let me pop inside, say hi to Mom and tell her where I’m going.”

  “Okay.” Faith gave him a big smile. “She made your favorite dinner.”

  “I thought I smelled pot roast.” He’d forgotten that Faith had a little gap between her two front teeth. She didn’t wear makeup, so between her freckles and her gap-toothed smile, she looked more like a kid than a grown woman. “See you in a few.” Tapping two fingers on the brim of his hat, he turned and walked quickly up the flagstone path to the front porch. The aroma of a simmering roast grew stronger when he opened the front door. He looked forward to eating his mom’s cooking for the next couple of weeks.

  She came out of the kitchen, moving awkwardly on her walking cast, but her face was flushed with happiness. “You’re here!”

  “Hey, Mom.” He crossed to her and gathered her in his arms. The top of her head only reached to his chin and he rested his cheek on her dark hair as he gave her a tight hug. Then he stepped back and looked down at the cast sticking out of her baggy sweats. She’d painted her toenails royal purple. “How’s your leg?”

  “Driving me crazy, but at least I got rid of the stupid crutches and the dumb wheelchair.”

  “I wondered how long you’d tolerate a wheelchair.”

  “About three days.” Her eyes sparkled as she gazed up at him. “Come on in the kitchen. Dinner won’t be for a while yet but I’ll get you a snack.”

  “Sounds good, but first I need to run Faith home. The starter went out on her truck.”

  She frowned. “That’s a bummer. Everything in Eagles Nest is closed by now.”

  “It’s okay. She was anticipating it and so she has a new one at home. I’ll pick her up in the morning and she’ll be all set.” He backed toward the door. “I won’t be long.”

  “Good. I want to hear the latest plans for your trip. Zane and Mandy are coming for dinner. Jo is, too, and she’s bringing chocolate cake.”

  “Excellent.” His mom’s pot roast and Aunt Jo’s chocolate cake. Life didn’t get much better.

  “We all want to know if you’ve decided on your route.”

  “More or less. Can’t wait to see everybody.” Giving her a quick tip of his hat, he headed out. He was glad that Zane, Mandy and Aunt Jo were coming to dinner. Aunt Jo was Mandy’s mom and he and his brothers called her Aunt Jo because she’d been like a second mother. Mandy called their mom Aunt Kendra for the same reason.

  Faith stood by his truck, her backpack over one shoulder and her hat tugged down so it shadowed her eyes. He couldn’t remember what color they were. Not that it mattered. She was a mystery to him—a woman who acted like one of the guys, never flirted or giggled and didn’t seem to care whether her clothes flattered her, which they most certainly didn’t. He’d never met anyone like her.

  But she was still female, so he walked to the passenger door and opened it for her because that was how he’d been raised.

  “Thanks.” She hopped in so quickly he didn’t have time to offer a hand up.

  “Welcome.” He closed the door and rounded the front of his truck. The midnight blue paint job was almost as bad as black for showing dust and he might wash it tomorrow. But he’d have to get used to a dirty truck when he took his road trip, so maybe he’d leave it this way. He couldn’t waste precious time keeping his vehicle spiffy once he began his adventure.

  Climbing behind the wheel, he made sure Faith was buckled up before he backed out of the parking space and started down the ranch road that led to the paved two-lane into town. “I have a general idea where you live,” he said, “but you’d better give me directions.”

  “Sure. Drive into Eagles Nest and take a left at Rawhide. We’re on a little dirt road on the outskirts of town. I’ll tell you when to turn.”

  “Is it Wagon Whee
l Lane?”

  “That’s it.”

  “Then I know exactly where I’m going.” He used to date someone on Wagon Wheel Lane but he decided not to bring that up.

  “We only have a little over two acres, but it works for us.”

  “Am I right that you live with your dad?” Now that he had a chance to talk one-on-one, he might as well find out more about this puzzling woman. She looked like a teenager but was probably older, like in her mid-twenties, basically the same age as him.

  “I do. He’s semi-retired.”

  “Really?” He thought of his mom, only forty-four and not even thinking about retirement. Maybe this guy had been much older when Faith was born.

  “A horse rolled on him last year.”

  Cody winced. “That’s not good.”

  “I know. All those weeks in the hospital took the spunk right out of him. The doctors say he’s healed but he says he’s never getting on a horse again. I can’t imagine that, but his choice, right?”

  “Guess so.” He reached the paved road and turned left into town.

  “But I don’t want to talk about my dad. I have a confession to make.”

  Now there was a comment he hadn’t expected. He glanced over at her as a trickle of uneasiness ran down his spine. “Like what?”

  “There’s nothing wrong with my starter. I left it on the floor of the truck and I’ll just reinstall it tomorrow.”

  Oh, boy. He’d seen movies like this, where an apparently sane person was suddenly revealed to be a whack-a-doodle. “Uh, so why did you do that?”

  “Because I wanted to talk with you privately.”

  There was only one possible reason for that and it scared him spitless. “Is it Mom? Is there something nobody’s telling me about her condition?”

  “Heavens, no! Kendra’s doing great. She’s amazing.”

  He let out a breath and relaxed. “Okay, so not Mom.”

  “No. It’s more personal.”

  His uneasiness returned. He was very glad they were approaching the Eagles Nest town limits. If necessary, he’d turn in somewhere, like the diner parking lot, so he could give her his complete attention. “But I don’t really know you. Why would you want to discuss something personal with me?”

  “Because it also involves you.”

  “How can that be? This is the longest conversation you and I have ever had.” And the weirdest one.

  She sighed. “This seemed so logical when I came up with it but now I’m afraid you’ll think I’m nuts.”

  Too late.

  “But the timing is so perfect. You’ll be at the ranch for about two weeks, right?”

  “That all depends.” On whether you’re crazy and I need to get far, far away from you.

  “Look, I’ve talked to your mom and I know you haven’t figured out what you’re doing about a horse for your trip.”

  “I’ll come up with something.” His grand plan, to spend two months videotaping remote wilderness areas of the West on horseback, required a horse trailer and a horse. The trailer wasn’t a big deal. He could buy one and sell it later. A horse—not so much. He couldn’t in good conscience take one of the horses that Wild Creek Ranch needed for trail rides. He could buy a horse and then sell it to the ranch, but they didn’t have room for another one right now.

  “I want to loan you my horse.”

  “Oh. I didn’t know you had one.”

  “My dad and I each have a horse, although he never rides Ernie so I’m doing my best to keep both Ernie and Bert exercised. I don’t always get that accomplished, though.”

  “So that’s what this private talk is all about? Me borrowing your horse so he can get some exercise?” If so, that would be great, but he couldn’t understand her need for privacy.

  “That’s only part of it.”

  “Listen, if you want me to pay you for taking Bert, I’m fine with that. I thought about renting a horse but this would be way better. Zane says you’re a first-rate trainer so I’d know what I’d be getting.”

  “I’m not looking for any payment but I do have a big favor to ask.”

  Uh-oh. Here came the catch. “What’s that?”

  “See, the thing is, I’m a virgin.”

  He flipped on his signal and pulled into the diner parking lot.

  “Why did you turn in here?”

  Switching off the engine, he glanced at her and swallowed. “Because the conversation is getting very strange and I don’t want to have a wreck.”

  “I shouldn’t have blurted it out. I’ve been told I’m blunt.”

  And looney tunes. Had anyone told her that? “I can’t begin to imagine what your virginity has to do with loaning me a horse so you’ll have to make that connection. My mind boggles.”

  “It’s simple.” She unfastened her seatbelt so she could turn to face him. “You’re the most beautiful man I’ve ever laid eyes on.”

  Yep, completely bonkers. He couldn’t imagine how his mom and Zane had missed that pertinent fact. “I don’t know about—”

  “Come on, Cody. Everybody agrees—your mom, Zane, Mandy, Jo—you’re considered the prettiest of the bunch.”

  “Guys don’t like being called pretty.” But he had been. She wasn’t wrong about the way his family carried on about his looks.

  “Okay, then—handsome! In any case, I see your two-week visit as a gift from the heavens. I would like to be deflowered, and I can’t think of anyone I’d rather have do the deed than you.”

  His brain whirled. “Who says deflowered these days?”

  “I do. It’s a cool word. Are you in? My horse in exchange for a deflowering?”

  “Faith, you’re not making any sense. We don’t even know each other.”

  “I’ll admit that you don’t know me, but I’ve learned a fair amount about you. They say you’re a little spoiled, but—”

  “Hey, I’m not spoiled.”

  “You’re the baby of the family. It goes with the territory. But they said a little spoiled. Nobody described you as a tyrant who demands to get his way all the time. The main thing is that everyone I’ve talked to says you can be trusted. That’s important to me. If we do this thing, I don’t want anyone to find out. It’ll be our little secret.”

  “We’re not doing it. I can’t believe we’re sitting in the parking lot of the Eagles Nest Diner discussing this like it’s a business deal.”

  “It’s a deal, but it’s not about business.” She held his gaze. “Give yourself a chance to think about it before you reject the idea.”

  Green. Her eyes were green. And judging from the way they glowed with anticipation, she was dead serious about this outrageous proposition. He was rarely at a loss for words but this time he was speechless.

  “I’ve freaked you out.”

  He nodded.

  “I can understand that. I’ve been thinking about this for two months so I’m used to the idea, but—”

  “Two months?” He sounded hoarse.

  “Ever since the day I was hired, but I thought it was an impossible fantasy. Then Kendra mentioned that you’d be home for a couple of weeks to prepare for your big trip. When I found out that you weren’t sure what to do about a horse, everything fell into place.”

  He cleared his throat. Time to put an end to this nonsense. “Listen, I’m flattered, very flattered and honored, but—”

  “Like I said, don’t decide right now.” She said it quickly, nervously. Her eyes had lost their eager glow and her expression had grown tense. This obviously meant a lot to her. “I don’t need an answer this very minute.”

  Damn. He hated lose-lose situations with a passion and this was shaping up to be one. She might be a great mechanic and a hell of a horsewoman, but when it came to male-female relationships, she was an innocent. Literally an innocent.

  She wasn’t crazy, but she seemed that way because she was incredibly naïve. If he rejected her request, she’d be hurt. Maybe even devastated. But if he took on the challenge…he could mess up six
ways to Sunday. He’d only had one experience with a virgin and he’d been one at the time, too. That encounter had been a complete disaster, but a puppy love attraction had gotten them through it.

  He wasn’t even slightly in love with Faith. She might have a crush on him, but it was probably the kind that teenage girls have for a guy in a boy band. Guaranteed she’d have unrealistic expectations he’d never come close to fulfilling.

  She buckled her seatbelt and the click sounded very loud in the complete silence of the cab. “Listen, I know you want to get back so you can have dinner with your family, and my dad’s expecting me home, so we should get going.”

  “Right.” He reached for the key and started the truck.

  “I won’t keep you there long, but I need to introduce you to my horse, Bert, so you can see what a sweetheart he is. And you can meet my dad, too.”

  Oh, like that wouldn’t be awkward as hell. Cody began to sweat.

  Chapter Two

  Faith had counted on the prospect of deflowering a virgin to excite Cody enough that he’d agree on the spot. Instead he’d looked worried about it. That wasn’t the usual reaction of the heroes in the stories she’d been reading for a solid year.

  The paperbacks had belonged to the wife of the ranch owner she and her dad had been working for when the accident had happened. Mrs. Preston had offered the books to occupy Faith’s time while she hung out at the hospital during her dad’s many operations. Most of the stories had been set in olden times, so perhaps modern men didn’t have the same thoughts about virgins. Come to think of it, the modern stories hadn’t had any virgins in them at all.

  She’d shocked Cody so bad that he didn’t talk the rest of the way to her house. But at least he hadn’t refused her yet. She’d gathered from the scenes in her books that men were enthusiastic about sex, so if Cody gave himself time, he might see the advantage in this setup.

  Then she had another thought that could louse up her plan. “Did you just get a girlfriend?”

  “No.” He turned down Wagon Wheel Lane.