Shoulda Been A Cowboy (3 page)

Skylar groaned. “Does everybody have to be
tattooed in your world?”

“
Yep. It makes the world so much more colorful.”

“
Has anybody ever guessed the truth?” Jessie
asked. “Or does everyone believe you're a deposed Russian
princess who used to be a knife-wielding Soviet spy and who was
kicked out of Bosnia?”

Domini squirmed at their curious looks and being the
rare center of attention. “If they ask I tell them I immigrated
to the U.S. from the Ukraine with a church group when I was eighteen,
which is the boring truth. So that's why I didn't mind
when India created a more dynamic…virtual tattoo for me.”

“
At least I didn't make up a tale about your
past as a hot Ukrainian mail-order bride,” India said.

Dr. Monroe's pager went off and she bailed. Then
Jessie turned milk pale when a group of women blustered into the
restaurant and insisted on departing immediately. Skylar begged off
since she had the longest drive. Libby was the next to take her
leave.

Keely sighed. “Looks like things are winding down.
Maybe I should take—” she dug in her pocket for the
folded piece of paper, “—Davis up on his offer of a
midnight rendezvous. It really sucks goin' home alone.”

“
Tell me about it,” Ramona said. “Although,
I imagine I go home alone way more nights than you do, little
cousin.”

“
You'd be surprised if you knew how untrue
that statement was in the last two years,” Keely said softly.
“Especially since I don't have a place of my own to go
home to when I'm in Sundance. I'm pretty sure Dad would
disembowel any man he found me havin' wild monkey sex with in
my bedroom.”

“
I beat you both,” Domini said. “I
haven't gone home with any man since I moved to Sundance and
I've never had wild monkey sex.”

Silence.

Shoot. Maybe she should've kept her mouth shut.

Keely's brooding expression vanished. “So
nothin's goin' on between you and Cam? Not even a fuck
buddy type thing?”

“
Keely!” Macie said.

“
Ignore her.” AJ added, “
We
all do.”

“
No, Domini, I'm serious. Whenever I'm
in the diner with Cam, he can't keep his eyes off you. And you
do some serious staring and stammering of your own. So what gives?”
She paused thoughtfully. “Does his handicap bother you?”

“
Keely!” that protest came from Channing.

But Keely ignored her sister-in-law, focusing intently
on Domini. “Don't you think he's a little bit
attractive?”

Domini nodded.

“
So what's the problem?”

“
Why don't you ask him?” Domini said
evenly.

The air went still.

“
Get out. Big, bad, bold, take charge Cam…?”

“
Runs as hot and cold as the broken pie case when
it comes to our comrade Domini,” Macie said wryly.

Keely rolled her eyes. “I hoped I'd have a
least one brother who wasn't a complete bonehead when it came
to women.”

Channing, Macie, AJ and India pelted Keely with snack
mix and booed her.

“
What happened with Cam that he's shied away
from you? 'Cause, honey, you're gorgeous. And sweet.
Plus, you have that sexy, mysterious accent. Hell, you can even cook.
You're like, perfect for him.”

“
Keely, leave Domini alone,” India warned.

But Keely was undeterred. “If you're not
interested in the down and dirty details, Indy, maybe you oughta
conjure an I-just-got-laid virtual tattoo for her,” Keely
retorted. “However,
I
wanna know why she and Cam aren't knocking combat boots.”

There was no way Domini was avoiding this conversation.
Maybe that wasn't such a bad thing. Despite her embarrassment,
she told them how Cam had backtracked after he'd kissed her,
apologized and never approached her again.

Another bout of silence lasted a minute and then they
all chattered at once.

“
Cam's got it bad for sure,” Chassie
said.

“
Uh-huh. No wonder he's always working out.
Working off all that sexual frustration,” AJ said.

Ginger Paulson cocked her head. “Is that why Cam
passed off the cooking lessons he won from you to Buck and Hayden?
Because he—”

“—
cringes at the thought of being alone with
me?”

“
Or a better explanation is he's scared he
won't be able to keep his hands
off
you if you're alone together,” Ginger countered.

Keely squinted at India. “Has Cam said anything to
Colt about this thing with Domini?”

“
Are you kidding? Guy talk is sacred. Colt
wouldn't tell me anything, especially when it comes to
divulging details about his precious little wounded hero brother,
Cameron.”

AJ nodded. “Cam isn't talking to Cord about
anything either.”

“
Or to Colby,” Channing added.

Wow. Maybe Cam's rejection had nothing to do with
her. Sounds like he steered clear of his family too, which made no
sense because his family was great.

“
Put Carter on the ‘no talking' list.
However, I'm impressed you've managed to stay
professional around him at the diner, Domini,” Macie said.

“
Real professional. I want to jump that man every
single time he walks through the door,” Domini muttered.

Ramona grinned. “So do it. Grab him by the hand,
drag him upstairs and force him to finish what he started.”

“
You know, that's not a bad idea,”
Keely mused. “You're a modern woman. Take control.”

Domini understood what these helpful, experienced ladies
were saying…in theory. But the truth was, she needed Cam to
take charge. That's what had attracted her to him from the
start. His bold, bossy nature.

Advice was bantered about. Keely angled forward and
spoke very softly just to Domini. “I'll bet a million
bucks you both want the same thing. Cam is staying away from you in
some misguided attempt to protect you—probably from himself.
Tell him what you need, Domini, and he'll move heaven and earth
to give it to you.”

“
And if he doesn't believe me?”
Or
want me?

“
That's where actions speak louder than
words. Never ever underestimate the power of getting naked. Get him
alone, strip to nothin' but skin, and I guarantee he won't
look away, let alone walk away.” Keely scowled at someone over
Domini's shoulder. “Is Cam on duty tonight?”

“
Uh-huh. Why?”

“
No reason.” Keely pointed to Domini's
empty glass. “You ready for another drink? Something with more
kick to it?”

Bizarre conversational change, but then again, it was
typical Keely behavior, so Domini went with it. “Umm. Sure.”

“
Cool. What the hell happened to our waitress?”

“
I wondered the same thing, K,” Ramona said.

“
No worries. I'll be right back.”
Keely popped up and exited into the main part of the bar.

While she was gone, the ladies dispensed more detailed
advice on how to handle Cam. Some of the raunchier suggestions made
Domini blush, but were very intriguing. Mostly because these
seemingly mild-mannered mothers were obviously very sexually
satisfied with their McKay men. Hard not to be even more jealous of
them.

Keely returned with a pack of unfriendly women on her
bootheels. She slid the tray on the table and faced the gatecrashers.

Ramona hopped up in a show of support. “What the
fuck are they doing here?”

“
Grazing,” Keely said.

“
So this is where the skank meeting is,” a
chubby blonde sneered.

“
We saved a seat for you, Amanda, but damn, I
don't think your fat ass will fit in the chair,” Keely
shot back.

India coughed to cover a laugh.

“
You could always get on your knees,” Ramona
suggested, “since we all know that's a natural position
for you.”

“
Fuck you, Ramona. Your mouth has always been
bigger than your brain,” another woman snapped.

“
You think I'm all talk, Margo? Try me.”

Holy cow. Domini had never seen a real live bar fight,
let alone seen women in a bar fight.

The sneering blonde—Amanda—crossed her arms
over her chest. “I'd still break you like a twig. I'll
spare you the pain and humiliation in front of your friends.”

“
Generous of you. But you're a fucking idiot
if you think I'm scared of you now. I no longer play nice
because God and Mommy say I have to.”

Domini swallowed a laugh. Man. She'd lived that
statement.

Amanda shuffled closer. “Bring it. I owe you
serious payback anyway.”

“
Payback for what?” Ramona asked innocently.

“
Don't pretend you've forgotten, after
you rubbed it in my face for months afterward.”

Ramona shrugged. “It's pretty sad that you
haven't gotten over it by now. Old news, Amanda.”

“
Gotten over what?” Ginger asked.

“
Me and Ramona banged their boyfriends a couple
years back,” Keely said. “Some people hold a grudge.”

“
Ryan and me were practically engaged!”
Margo shrieked.

“
Not according to him. Besides, it's not my
problem your lover boy couldn't keep his little winky in his
pants,” Ramona cooed.

Amanda's upper lip curled with disgust. “Sluts.”

Keely and Ramona exchanged a look and laughed. “Was
that supposed to be an insult?”

“
Only a McKay would take that as a compliment,”
Margo said. “Everyone in the entire state knows a McKay or West
will fuck anything that walks.”

“
Except for you, apparently,” Keely
retorted. “How many of my brothers and cousins have you
propositioned? And how many turned you down flat? All of them.”

“
Not all.” Margo smiled nastily. “Apparently
you
haven't been
talking to Luke lately. Where is sweet little Jessie? Did she run on
home? Does she even know where her husband is?”

The group of women behind the two in the front guffawed.

Keely's stance changed, as did her demeanor—to
absolute fury. “Get the fuck out of my sight, Margo, or I will
beat you bloody.”

“
Oh, I don't know. The odds look pretty
good.” Margo's gaze swept the women seated around the
table. “None of your other ‘friends' have jumped in
to save your smart mouth from getting your dumb butt kicked.”

“
That's because Keely knows we have her
back,” AJ said, and stood up on the other side of Keely.

Amanda's eyes widened with recognition. “Amy
Jo Foster. Still a McKay hanger-on I see. How pathetic.”

Chassie pushed to her feet. “No one here gives a
shit about your opinions, so crawl back to the swamp you slithered
out of.”

“
So the little squaw is allowed to speak?”
Margo tsk-tsked. “But I see they're still makin'
you sit at the back of the table.”

Domini caught Chassie as she lunged at Margo.

More laughter.

“
Why don't you load up your freakshow
friends—” Margo jerked her head toward India, “—and
get the hell out of here.”

Keely didn't budge. “Make me.”

“
Remember you said that when you're cryin'
for your mama, McKay.”

No one moved.

This was going to get ugly.

“
Afraid to take the first swing?” Margo
taunted.

Casually, Ginger said, “Keely? Can I offer a
suggestion?”

“
Sure.”

“
Kick her ass. I'll bail you out.”

All hell broke loose.

Keely lunged for Margo; Ramona charged Amanda. Chairs
were kicked aside. Tables fell over. Drink glasses and beer bottles
crashed to the floor. Shrieks, grunts, sounds of flesh hitting flesh,
cries and curses bounced off the concrete walls.

AJ, Chassie, and India yelled encouragement to Keely,
while Domini, Channing, and Macie closed off the circle, keeping
Margo's friends from joining the fray.

Someone pushed Domini from behind. She turned and got a
fist to the jaw. Rather than turning the other cheek, she slammed her
hands on the woman's shoulders and sent her flying with a
terse, “Don't touch me.”

Macie said, “Whoa. You okay?”