The ladies applauded. See? he told Cissy mentally. They notice me. Women like me, even if you don’t.
He bent slightly at the knee and leaned forward, curling his arm so that he displayed his shoulder and forearm muscles.
The women clapped harder. “More!” someone yelled.
Emboldened, he turned around, showed the audience his backside, held his arms out to the side, and tightly flexed every muscle in his body.
The response was thunderous. With a sheepish grin, he turned back around, done with his antics.
Cissy’s fan gestured wildly.
And then it seemed the arena got quiet. Buzzing hummed in Tex’s ears as the auctioneer pointed to a few more fan-holding women. Tex thought maybe the lovely, dress-wearing Cissy had put her fan into her lap.
He had to admit, it wouldn’t be the worst thing that ever happened to him if she won him. The woman was right sexy for a good girl. If good girls were his thing, which they weren’t.
He liked his women saucy. Minx-y. A little on the bad-girl side.
Sort of the Cissy he thought he knew from their barn encounter, before he’d found out she was newly widowed and had a mess of kids and went to church and took care of her elderly grandma.
A man couldn’t poach on a gal like that, even if she did work for Marvella.
“Sold!” the auctioneer cried. “For five hundred dollars to that lady right over there!”
Chapter Four
Cissy wasn’t prepared for Marvella to purchase Tex. Her heart sank. Poor Tex! His face crumbled.
She felt responsible. Enthusiastically doing her mole-bidding thing and driving up his price, she had been determined to show that she didn’t care that he’d soon have a night with another woman.
It shouldn’t have mattered to her, but now Marvella had her fingers in the pie. Tex wouldn’t enjoy being Marvella’s purchase, not at all. When she walked over to claim Tex, Cissy’s skin crawled. “Wait a minute!” Cissy called out. “Marvella, can I talk to you?”
Hopping out of the stands, she went over to her boss.
“What, Cissy?” Marvella asked.
“I don’t think you want to buy him,” Cissy said. Tex’s eyes were on her, watching her like a hawk. “He’s damaged goods,” she explained.
“Damaged goods?” Marvella turned to stare at the cowboy. “He’s already won two rodeos for me. And he just showed us everything except his—”
“Yes, I realize that,” Cissy said hurriedly. “And it all looked fine, on the surface. But I thought you already had a cowboy for the rodeo.”
“My cowboy just came down with a bad case of running fever. He’s running to Nevada, away from his ex-wife and child-support payments. This one will do better,” she said with a greedy smile at Tex. “I hadn’t expected him to fall into my hands.”
“I’d pick the one over there,” Cissy said softly. “Do you recognize him? He’s the son of a retired Dallas Cowboy. And he’s all the rage on the circuit. I was reading his biography in the pamphlet. He’s not a has-been like this one,” she said with an apologetic glance at Tex.
“I heard that!” he exclaimed. “I am not a has-been!”
She got closer to Marvella, who was looking the younger rodeo rider over with a keen eye. “Tex hurt his ankle a couple of weeks ago,” Cissy said. “And his back. He just doesn’t want anyone to know he’s flimsy right now. Real worn down.”
Marvella’s head turned toward the auctioneer. “Now that I’ve inspected the goods up close, I rescind my bid.”
And she swept away.
Tex glared at Cissy.
“Hey, I’m trying to save you,” she said.
“Due to an unforeseen turn of events,” the auctioneer said, “our bidder changed her mind. Does the previous bidder still want this fine cowboy gentleman? If you want to pay the former price, he’s yours.”
A cheer went up from the stands, and ten women ran over to Tex, throwing themselves at him for hugs. Her rivals from the new salon in Union Junction. They were covering his face with lipstick kisses and he seemed much happier, Cissy noticed. The opportunistic louse! Well, they could have the intimacy-stunted cowboy. And his moral imperative. Plus his nicely fitting jeans and tight muscles. He wasn’t that much of a prize.
“Well, I guess you’re sold again, then, son,” the auctioneer said. “Ten for the price of one. What a lucky guy!”
The girls squealed, thrilled. Cissy heard Tex laugh. He didn’t sound so reluctant now, the ape.
Cissy walked away, telling herself she’d done the right thing.
TEX SAW CISSY LEAVING and tipped his hat to the women swarming him. “Ladies, I look forward to our night together,” he said, eliciting more squeals. I’ll make tonight the night of your dreams.”
They ate that up.
He grinned. “I’ll pick y’all up at Miss Delilah’s at three o’clock, and then we’ll walk to the cafeteria. I’m bringing roses for each of you.”
They crowded around him, smiling. His chest expanded with pride. He could make ten girls happy at once!
But right now, he needed to take care of one. “See you then,” he said, heading after Cissy. He caught her in the breezeway. “Hey. What’s the hurry?”
“None, exactly.” She kept walking.
He caught her hand. “So where are you going? I’d like to talk to you if you have time.”
She refused to slow down. “I really don’t. Sorry. I need to be minding the shop while Marvella and the other girls are gone.”
“The shop’s closed until tonight,” he pointed out. “Everybody’s at Mayfest. In fact, I was hoping to buy you some cotton candy.”
“Don’t like it. It’s too clingy. Thanks.”
Man, he couldn’t slow her down a bit. “Cissy. Please stop.”
She did, looking up at him. They stood on the sidewalk with the bright May sun washing the street in spring light, and he thought about how sweet she was. She had such a rep for being a tough cookie, but that was just her top layer. Once you got past her crunchiness, she was soft and sweet. “Thanks for rescuing me back there.”
“You’re welcome.”
“Of course, you didn’t have to make it sound like I was some over-the-hill, busted-up cowboy leftover.”
“Yes, I did. Marvella’s determined to beat her sister at all costs. She needed a better cowboy.”
“Hey!” He tugged lightly on her long, silvery hair. “Ain’t no better cowboy than this, lady.”
She cocked her head. “Maybe I disagree. However, I knew you felt that this was all my fault, and so I decided to snatch you back from Marvella’s jaws.”
“Had me going there for a minute. Thought you were going to buy me for yourself,” he said with a touch of swagger.
“No.” She said it calmly and with assurance. “I’ve already had you in my bedroom. Sparks didn’t fly.”
He stared at her. “They most certainly did, in the barn!”
“Maybe for you.” She shrugged. “It was fun upping your price. Too bad those girls are going to be disappointed.”
“What?” Now she was getting on his nerves