Page 2 of Haunted Cowboy

I keep my smile bright. “I’ll be organizing the town Halloween party we’re having here.”

He lets out a scoff. “There’s no town party happening here, lady. I believe that about as much as I believe that you know karate.”

I blush at that little fib. But, rifling in my briefcase I pull out the file and hand it over to him. Watching his face as he looks over the papers. He is seriously handsome. A body built from a lifetime working on the land. But with a face that could be one of those guys who advertise aftershave, the ones who can look down a lens of a camera and make your uterus jump. I glance at his hands. No wedding ring there.

But I’m not here for romance. I’m here to get my career on track. This project is important to me. My first event where I am totally in charge of pulling this together. It will be great on my resume. An important step. So I can’t be distracted by some sexy hot, grumpy cowboy, no matter how good he looks.

He scrunches the paperwork in his hand and looks back at me. His emerald green eyes are on fire. And mesmerizing. “I suppose they went to my brothers with this?” He holds up the papers in front of him.

I don’t know the full details of the agreement. But I do know that the old man who built this old west replica town, he left a note in his will that he wanted it opened to the town for one big party. I didn’t know that Liam wasn’t yet aware of the plan. But I was told he might be difficult to deal with.

Everything is planned. We’ve got carnival rides booked. It’s been advertised far and wide. The fact that this guy hasn’t seen or heard of it tells me just how isolated he must be. This is my first real project. I need this to go smoothly. I refuse to be scared off by this grumpy cowboy, his dark frown and his beautiful piercing green eyes.

“The town is so excited about this.” I tell him.

One grunt. A shrug of his shoulders. His gaze turns stormy.

Okay, that is the wrong track to use with this man.

I take a chance. “I haven’t been here for long, but a lot of people talk about this place. I bet if they could just see it once, all done up for Halloween, then the talking stops. No more kids sneaking out here to get a look.”

I can see he is considering it. And I have one more bow in my quiver.

“You won’t have to do a thing. I’ll organize everything. We’ll come, we’ll party for one night and then we will be gone. Everything put back in its place, not a sign that anyone was ever here at all.”

He looks like he is coming around to the idea. But he still hasn’t said anything. And so I try pleading. “It’s Halloween. Just one night when people get to be something different. It’s almost magical. Exciting. And this place is amazing. It would be such a thrill to do it up right. An honour really. To show it off on the one night that is about letting go of all the rules and just getting to be whatever you want to be.”

I’ve gotten carried away. I shut my mouth, ignore the blush creeping over my cheeks, and wait for his answer.

Chapter 3

Liam

It’s been six months since my grandfather passed. For six months I’ve ridden out here and to look down on this place he built with his own two hands. His life’s work. Pa would just shrug and say it was good for him to keep busy. But he didn’t have to go to school in town with kids talking about his crazy grandfather building his crazy little town. Over the last few years, Grandpa Joe would dedicate all of his time to this palace. Even dressing up and re-enacting his favorite old west movies here.

We’ve been chasing kids out of here for as long as I can remember. And now Grandpa Joe has passed onto greener pastures, and pa has retired. Now it’s up to me to decide what to do with this place. I’d like to level it. It’s good pasture land just gone to waste. But my brothers have argued to keep it here. Lately they’ve mentioned it more, how it would be nice to let the town come and see it. And now I know why.

I’m sure the mayor and my brothers have kept this from me deliberately. They might think I’m a hard ass, but this is my land. My responsibility. And everybody knows I have no love for the town of Hog Wash and the gossip mongers that live there.

But Hazel isn’t from around here. And there is something charming about her. From her claim to know karate to her cheeky smile and sexy curves. I’m intrigued. And it’s been a long time since I found anything…. Intriguing.

It’s a shame she is here on town business. I keep myself to myself. As far as I’m concerned the town of Hog Wash should do the same thing. The idea of having a town event on my land is madness. And here? In this wreck of a place that my grandfather built, the place the whole town called crazy. There is no way. But faced with the bright eyed Hazel, with her enthusiasm, and this strange feeling that I want to make her happy.

I must be high on the dust in here. I should send her on her way. I have no problem telling people no. I do it all the time. But there is something about the pleading look in Hazel’s eyes. I can tell it’s important to her. I find myself nodding.

“Fine. Just for Halloween. One night and you clean up everything. I want everything as it was. And, this isn’t an open invitation to the town. It’s just this one night.”

Her bright smile creates a warm feeling in my chest. It almost takes my breath away. It’s a feeling I’m not familiar with, leaving me feeling awkward and unsettled.

“Now, I promise I can sort this out on my own.” She’s practically dancing on the spot with joy. “But since you’re here, is there any chance you’d like to show me around the place?”

Again, I should send her on her way. I have things to do. A ranch to run. My brothers and my men to oversee. Cattle that need to be moved. A hundred things to do. But I find myself nodding again. Feeling like a star-struck school boy. Taking off my hat, I run a hand through my hair before replacing my hat on my head.

She walks by me and I reach for the door at the same time she does. My hand on hers. A zap of electricity passes between us. My body close to hers. I can smell her hair conditioner. It’s something fruity. Oranges and citrus fruits. Like summer picnics. She smells really good.

We both drop our hands. Flustered, I murmur an apology. She turns around and smiles up at me. I’m lost in her blue eyes. My heart racing. I know people have called me cold. Dead inside. If they could feel what I am feeling right now, they’d never say those things again. I’ve never felt more alive. On fire. There is heat between us. She’s looking up at me through thick, dark lashes. She licks her lips. Her pink tongue makes me want to pull her into my arms and suck on her luscious bottom lip. To hold her body against mine and kiss her hard.

Somewhere a broken shutter bangs in the wind. She looks away and the spell is broken. Reaching out, I open the door for her. I’ll show her around. But for my own sanity, hopefully this will be the last I see of her. I don’t have space in my life for love. I don’t need anybody. I’m just fine on my own.