a wonder the man hadn’t thrown her over his shoulder and run. Frustration filled Toby.
He opened the door across from him to let them know he was ready to go. Still, it took several minutes to get Elizabeth away from the stranger. At least Toby hoped he was a stranger.
Finally the threesome reached the truck. Then Elizabeth suggested Russ sit up front because he’d have more leg room. Toby figured he’d kill Russ in his sleep tonight if he did that. Toby wanted Elizabeth in the front seat beside him so he could question her about the man who’d hung onto her so tightly.
Finally Russ helped Abby into the back seat and followed her, leaving Elizabeth to the front seat.
Before she’d even closed the door, he demanded, “Who was that man?”
Her eyebrows slid up and she stared at him. “What man?”
“The one you were talking to. I didn’t know you knew anyone in Denver.”
“As it so happens, I know several people in Denver.” She paused and smiled at him. “Not that man, however. He stopped because he figured I was going to the rodeo and he wanted to ask me about it. He’s thinking about going.”
“Yeah, now he is,” Toby muttered under his breath.
“What did you say?” she asked.
“Nothing. You didn’t tell him your name, did you?”
“Of course not.”
She didn’t say anything else, and Toby wasn’t sure what to say. He was afraid if he commented on her appearance, he’d start drooling. Or sound angry. He was going to have a hell of a night trying to keep her safe from a lot of cowboys.
“I, uh, hope steaks are all right. I made us reservations at a steak house near the rodeo. It’s supposed to be good.”
“Great,” Russ responded. “These ladies believe in shopping til you drop and I carried all the packages. I’m starved.”
Over his shoulder, Toby glimpsed Abby lean toward Russ and pat his arm. “But you were so helpful, Russ. I don’t know what we would’ve done without you.”
Russ blushed under such praise.
Toby was green with envy. Elizabeth wouldn’t even look at him. “Did you shop a lot, too, Elizabeth?”
“Yes, I did. I bought the outfit I’m wearing tonight. Do you like it?”
Now, she’d done it. He knew she wasn’t going to be pleased with his words. “You look terrific, but, well, isn’t it a little sexy? I mean, there’ll be a lot ofcowboys out there tonight who might think you’re—I mean, it fits you well and—men like—”
“I think I get your drift, Mr. Randall. Just pull over and I’ll find a cab and go back to the hotel!” Elizabeth snapped, her cheeks red.
Toby kept driving, frantically trying to rephrase his words. But he was in such a hole with Elizabeth by that time, if he judged by her expression, that he figured that would be Mission: Impossible.
He looked in the rearview mirror and realized the pair in the back seat were laughing. “What’s so funny?” he demanded, irritation in his voice.
Abby covered her mouth with her hand and looked away. Russ tried to stop laughing. “It’s just that, well, you’re usually so good with words, Tobe, and for a man who wanted to say the lady looked good, you sure put your foot in it.”
With a sigh, Toby admitted, “Yeah, I did, didn’t I? Elizabeth, you’re a vision and every man who sees you is going to want to follow you home. Is that better?”
“Yes,” she said, not looking at him, “though it does make me feel a little like a juicy bone.”
He couldn’t get it right tonight, that was for sure. Fortunately, the restaurant was nearby. He pulled into a parking space. His pleasant evening had gone to hell in a handbasket.
Chapter Nine
Elizabeth hid a smile as she slid out of the truck. At least she’d accomplished her goal. Toby had noticed the change in her appearance. She’d spent time in the beauty shop this afternoon in addition to shopping. She was glad it had been worth it.
The waiter escorted them to a booth in the restaurant, and she and Abby each slid into
He opened the door across from him to let them know he was ready to go. Still, it took several minutes to get Elizabeth away from the stranger. At least Toby hoped he was a stranger.
Finally the threesome reached the truck. Then Elizabeth suggested Russ sit up front because he’d have more leg room. Toby figured he’d kill Russ in his sleep tonight if he did that. Toby wanted Elizabeth in the front seat beside him so he could question her about the man who’d hung onto her so tightly.
Finally Russ helped Abby into the back seat and followed her, leaving Elizabeth to the front seat.
Before she’d even closed the door, he demanded, “Who was that man?”
Her eyebrows slid up and she stared at him. “What man?”
“The one you were talking to. I didn’t know you knew anyone in Denver.”
“As it so happens, I know several people in Denver.” She paused and smiled at him. “Not that man, however. He stopped because he figured I was going to the rodeo and he wanted to ask me about it. He’s thinking about going.”
“Yeah, now he is,” Toby muttered under his breath.
“What did you say?” she asked.
“Nothing. You didn’t tell him your name, did you?”
“Of course not.”
She didn’t say anything else, and Toby wasn’t sure what to say. He was afraid if he commented on her appearance, he’d start drooling. Or sound angry. He was going to have a hell of a night trying to keep her safe from a lot of cowboys.
“I, uh, hope steaks are all right. I made us reservations at a steak house near the rodeo. It’s supposed to be good.”
“Great,” Russ responded. “These ladies believe in shopping til you drop and I carried all the packages. I’m starved.”
Over his shoulder, Toby glimpsed Abby lean toward Russ and pat his arm. “But you were so helpful, Russ. I don’t know what we would’ve done without you.”
Russ blushed under such praise.
Toby was green with envy. Elizabeth wouldn’t even look at him. “Did you shop a lot, too, Elizabeth?”
“Yes, I did. I bought the outfit I’m wearing tonight. Do you like it?”
Now, she’d done it. He knew she wasn’t going to be pleased with his words. “You look terrific, but, well, isn’t it a little sexy? I mean, there’ll be a lot ofcowboys out there tonight who might think you’re—I mean, it fits you well and—men like—”
“I think I get your drift, Mr. Randall. Just pull over and I’ll find a cab and go back to the hotel!” Elizabeth snapped, her cheeks red.
Toby kept driving, frantically trying to rephrase his words. But he was in such a hole with Elizabeth by that time, if he judged by her expression, that he figured that would be Mission: Impossible.
He looked in the rearview mirror and realized the pair in the back seat were laughing. “What’s so funny?” he demanded, irritation in his voice.
Abby covered her mouth with her hand and looked away. Russ tried to stop laughing. “It’s just that, well, you’re usually so good with words, Tobe, and for a man who wanted to say the lady looked good, you sure put your foot in it.”
With a sigh, Toby admitted, “Yeah, I did, didn’t I? Elizabeth, you’re a vision and every man who sees you is going to want to follow you home. Is that better?”
“Yes,” she said, not looking at him, “though it does make me feel a little like a juicy bone.”
He couldn’t get it right tonight, that was for sure. Fortunately, the restaurant was nearby. He pulled into a parking space. His pleasant evening had gone to hell in a handbasket.
Chapter Nine
Elizabeth hid a smile as she slid out of the truck. At least she’d accomplished her goal. Toby had noticed the change in her appearance. She’d spent time in the beauty shop this afternoon in addition to shopping. She was glad it had been worth it.
The waiter escorted them to a booth in the restaurant, and she and Abby each slid into
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