Page 10 of Rust and Stardust

“S-Sorry to disappoint,” I said, my voice trembling.

“It’s no problem,” Lucas said, shaking his head. He seemed to sense my discomfort, so he changed the subject smoothly. “So, tell me about these dune buggy riders. Is that a common problem around here?”

I was grateful for the shift in conversation. “More common than I'd like,” I admitted. “Tourists come out here thinking it's all just empty land they can tear up and then they end up in the pastures, scaring the animals, tearing down fences, and anything else they can find. None of them ever stop to apologize or offer to fix it. These big city people don’t like to play honestly like the rest of us.”

Lucas’s gaze dropped to the counter, and I quickly backpedaled.

“Of course, not everyone is like that. You seem like an upstandin’ fella.”

There was a flash of discomfort on his face, and I knew I was the one that had put it there. I was a just about to apologize again when Dolly sat down two plates, one in front of each of us.

“Y’all gettin’ along over here?” she asked, giving us both a big smile.

“Yeah,” Lucas nodded. “Thanks.”

His tone didn’t convince her any more than it did me.

“Well, if this guy is botherin’ you, you just let me know.” She reached out, flicking me in the nose with one of her bright red acrylic nails. “And I’ll kick his ass.”

Lucas smiled at that, giving her a nod as he glanced back at me. “I’ll remember that.”

“And you,” she said, turning on me. “Behave. Just because you don’t like to be social doesn’t mean you gotta scare my customers away.”

“Yes ma’am.”

I felt my cheeks burn with embarrassment as Dolly walked away. I hadn't meant to offend Lucas, but I'd clearly put my foot in mymouth. This was a perfect example of why I should never try to date men. Clearly, I had no idea how to act or behave. I glanced over at him, watching as he picked up his fork and started to eat.

“I'm sorry,” I said softly. “I didn't mean to imply anything about you. I just get frustrated sometimes with the way tourists treat our land. There’s a lot of family history here that they don’t seem to care about.”

Lucas looked up at me, his green eyes softening. “It's alright. I understand. I'm sure it's not easy dealing with that kind of disrespect.”

I nodded, relieved that he didn't seem too upset. “Thanks for understanding. I really didn't mean to offend you.”

“No offense taken,” Lucas replied with a small smile. “How about we start over?”

“I'd like that,” I said, feeling a flutter in my chest.

We ate in companionable silence for a few minutes, the only sounds were the clinking of utensils and the soft country music playing in the background. I couldn't help but steal glances at Lucas as we ate. The way his strong jaw moved as he chewed, the flex of his forearms as he cut into his steak—it was mesmerizing and surprisingly hot. It seemed odd to get all hot and bothered watching another man eat, but at the same time, I clearly was more than a little hard up.

“So,” Lucas said, breaking the silence. “What else is there to do around here besides fixing fences and scaring tourists?”

I laughed, caught off guard by his playful tone. “Well, there's the fair comin’ up soon and that’ll occupy everyone’s attention for quite a while. But once that’s over, this town goes back to being pretty small and sleepy. The only other people we get out here is trail riders and wannabe cowboys.”

Lucas chuckled, his eyes twinkling with amusement. “Wannabe cowboys, huh? And how do you spot those?”

I grinned, feeling more at ease. “Oh, it's easy. They're the ones with the fancy boots that have never seen a day of work, hats that aretoo clean, and they can't even sit on a horse to save their lives, much less ride.”

“Sounds like you've had some experience with that,” Lucas said, leaning in closer.

I nodded, my heart rate picking up at his proximity. The way he stared at me with those green eyes of his was intoxicating. “More than I'd like. Every summer, we get a few city slickers who think they can handle ranch life. Most of 'em don't last a week.”

“And what about me?” Lucas asked, his voice low and teasing. “Do I look like a wannabe cowboy to you?”

I swallowed hard, my eyes roaming over his ropey muscles and tight clothes that left little to the imagination. “You’ve got the build for it,” I said, trying not to seem too obvious that I was enjoying my inspection of him. “But your clothes are pretty nice for ranch work.” I glanced up at him, meeting his gaze. “How are you on a horse?”

“Not sure,” he smiled, leaning even closer. “I’ve never tried it.” He leaned his elbow on the counter, propping himself up. Thankfully the diner was empty because I had a feeling his closeness would’ve gotten people talking. “Maybe I just need a real cowboy to show me how it’s done.”

I swallowed hard, unable to break his gaze. “Uh… y-y-yeah,” I stammered. “Maybe.” I turned back to my food, my left hand pulling at my collar that suddenly seemed too tight, the heat rolling off my skin making me sweat instantly. “I’m sure you’d make a good rider.”

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