His Hometown Cowgirl by Anne Marie Novark Page B

hormones.
    Pete cleared his throat. "I just wanted to
tell you that I'll bring up the rear and follow you, okay?"
    Kelsey swallowed hard. "Sure. That'll
work."
    He scanned her face again, his dark brown
eyes now holding only concern and worry. He stepped closer, and
this time she stood her ground and didn't move away.
    "Kels," his voice was low and compelling.
She'd always loved how his voice sounded, how her name on his lips
made her stomach dip excitedly. Now it made her stomach clench with
desire.
    "Are you okay?" he asked. "God, I'm sorry
about what happened the other night."
    Kelsey couldn't let him take the blame. She
instinctively reached out and put her hand on his arm. His muscles
were rock-hard beneath her fingers. "It wasn't your fault. I'm the one who should apologize. We need to talk about it,
but we can't right now. We'll talk later, okay?"
    She didn't wait for his reply, but jogged
toward her truck. She jumped in and slammed the door. Stabbing the
key into the ignition, she backed out of the circle drive and was
heading for the highway in record time.
    "You're going awful fast, Kelsey. You all
right?" Daniel asked. His eyes were McCade-blue, and they stared at
her with trouble shining in their dark depths.
    Kelsey eased off the gas pedal and counted to
five before answering. Seemed like the whole family was wondering
what was going on between her and Pete.
    Nothing was going on. Absolutely
nothing.
    "I'm fine, Daniel. Thanks for asking." Kelsey
looked at her sister and two cousins sitting in the backseat.
"Everyone buckled? Good. Stone Creek, here we come!"
     
    ****
    "I thought the photo session went as well as
could be expected," Kelsey said to Pete, pitching her voice loud so
she could be heard over the din of the crowd at Defalco's Italian
Restaurant. The place was always noisy and chaotic. People gathered
from all around the countryside to eat pizza with family and
friends, and the kids loved playing the video and arcade games.
    The McCade clan had sat down only long enough
to order their pizzas and drinks, before running off to play the
vintage pinball machines, bop-the-squirrels, ring-tosses and a
myriad of video games.
    Pete was left alone with Kelsey at the tables
that had been pushed together to accommodate the large group of
kids. The place was full of soccer players dressed in their orange
and black uniforms. Seemed like everyone had decided to stop for
pizza after team pictures.
    "It could have been a whole lot worse," Pete
said. "As it was, we only had one near-catastrophe when Travis
tripped over his unlaced shoestrings and busted his chin. Not bad,
but it was a lot of blood. Thank God you had a Band-Aid with
you."
    Kelsey nodded. "Poor kid. It's always
something with this bunch. I learned a long time ago, it's best to
come prepared." A smile hovered on her lips as she stirred her root
beer with the straw. "I remember when I was the only McCade kid. I so wanted some little cousins to play with. I was eleven
when Daniel was born. I couldn't wait for him to grow up. And look
at him now. Look at all of them now."
    Without thinking, Pete reached across the
table and gently flicked her button nose with the tip of his
finger. He ignored the sudden jolt of awareness when skin touched
skin.
    Cool it, Lafferty.
    " I remember when you were the only
McCade kid, too," he said. "I always thought you were lucky to live
on the Diamondback Ranch. You know, because I was stuck
living in town. God, I loved it when Mom visited Mrs. Ruth. I'd
head straight for the stables to beg one of the hands for a ride.
You always followed me; it never failed."
    Kelsey's smile intensified, and her blue eyes
took on a dreamy reflective gleam. "I was your shadow, that was for
sure. I don't know why you put up with me; I was such a pest."
    "Sometimes." Pete hunched a shoulder, wishing
that dreamy look were directed at him. Oh, man . He had it
bad . "I usually didn't mind. Remember when we used to ride
together on one horse with me