Page 13 of Wyoming Heart

AFEWMINUTESLATER, while Mina was saying her goodbyes and getting her coat, Cort paused at Bart’s side.

“Do you mind if I bring Ida back to the ranch with me?” he asked lazily.

Bart stiffened and glared at his cousin. “Yes, I do. That woman has the morals of an alley cat. I don’t want her seen on my place.”

Cort’s eyebrows arched up. “I beg your pardon?”

“You tomcat around all you like, cousin. Do whatever you please, as long as you don’t involve me. I don’t approve of that sort of behavior and I won’t condone it. Least of all on my own property.”

Cort stared at his cousin as if he’d gone insane. “Everybody does it,” he began hesitantly.

“I don’t.” Bart looked absolutely intimidating. “A lot of people around here don’t. We’re a churchgoing community, for the most part.”

“Isn’t that just a little backward?” Cort chided softly.

“Pardon me for being out of step with the anything-goes society you’re used to. I don’t deal in used women.”

It took Cort a minute to get that. He had to stifle the laughter that welled up in him. “Used women.”

“Damned well used, from appearances,” Bart said. He glared at Cort. “There are three motels in town. Be my guest.”

Cort sighed, shrugged and went back to the divorcée.

Mina came back with her coat draped around her, having thanked Pam for the party and said goodbye to a couple of readers. She was surprised at Bart’s indignant look. “Everything okay?” she asked hesitantly.

He shook himself mentally and forced a smile. “Of course it is. I’ll follow you home, just in case.”

She laid a small hand on his sleeve. “You don’t have to do that.”

He just smiled at her. “You’re my best friend,” he said softly. “Of course I have to do that.”

She smiled back.

Cort glared at the two of them. So much for Bart’s assurances that the plain woman standing with him was just a friend. That looked a lot more than friendly.

“Wasn’t this party supposed to be in honor of some author Pam Simpson knows?” Ida asked as they moved toward the front door. “Willow Shane, who wrote that new bookSPECTRE?”

“Beats me,” Cort said.

They moved just ahead of Bart and Mina in the small group headed out the front door.

“The dancing was fun, anyway,” Ida said, almost purring. “Coming home with me?” she added to Cort.

“You bet,” he drawled, making sure that his uptight cousin and that vicious woman beside him heard every word.

He took Ida’s hand in his as they went out the door. He didn’t look back.

“He wanted to bring her home to the ranch,” Bart said when they reached her car. “I told him no.”

She looked up at Bart. “The world moves on, but we don’t, do we?”

He smiled. “I guess not. Cort isn’t like us. He’s more...well, more worldly.”

“I guess cowboys do get around,” she replied. “We had one who had a girl in every rodeo town,” she chuckled.

Cort was no cowboy, but Bart didn’t want to blow his cover. After all, Cort had come up here to get away from his life. Not that it seemed like it tonight. He was a rounder, and he’d scored at the first gathering he attended. Maybe he was used to doing things casually. Bart wasn’t.

“I’ll see you soon,” she told Bart. “It was a nice party. I met a hunter who reads my books in the woods,” she added on a laugh.