’bout a star?” Josh asked. “When I’m a good boy, like when I ’membered to pick up my room, you give’d me a star.”
Shelby blushed. “Well, that’s a good idea, Josh, but I’m not sure that Mr. Connor—”
“The name’s Boone, and I’d love a star.” He probably shouldn’t have said that. No doubt about it, he was having trouble keeping his distance from these two.
“Uh, okay.” She looked flustered, but she dug around in her purse and came up with a sheet of peel-and-stick gold stars. She peeled one off. “Where…where do you want it?”
Even if he was creating a problem for himself, he couldn’t help loving this. “On my shirt’s fine.”
She looked him over, and finally stuck the star on the flap of his shirt pocket, smoothing it carefully without looking at him. Her cheeks were bright pink. “There,” she said, glancing up. “There’s your star.”
“And a kiss!” Josh said.
Boone knew he should tell her to forget the kiss, but he couldn’t make himself say it. Only a fool would turn down a kiss from someone as adorable as Shelby, with her ponytail perched on her head and that sweet blush on her cheeks.
“A star and a kiss!” Josh insisted. “You always do that.”
Apparently she decided that giving in quickly was better than making a bigger scene by protesting. Standing on tiptoe, she leaned over and gave Boone a quick peck on the cheek.
Her lips were soft and full, and her scent swirled around him. He fought the urge to close his eyes with pleasure. But he needed to keep the moment light, so he grinned at her. “Thanks. Now I’ve been fully rewarded.”
“I do appreciate the room,” she said shyly.
“You’re most welcome. Listen why not stay and eat here? Taking the food back to the room will be a real hassle in this weather.” Well, hell. He seemed determined to dig himself into a hole. If he didn’t watch it, he’d ask for her phone number next.
Fortunately for both of them, she didn’t fall in with his plan. A wary look flashed in her eyes again, and she glanced away. Boone had the strangest feeling she was thinking of some story to explain why she couldn’t stay in the café to eat dinner.
“Bob wants to stay,” Josh said. “’Cause Bob gots to go potty.”
Shelby looked down at him. “I’m sure it won’t take long for them to whip up a couple of burgers and fries. Can Bob wait until we go back to the room?”
Josh held his crotch and peered up at her. “I gots to go, too,” he whispered. “Real bad, Shebby.”
Shebby. Boone heard it, plain as day. No way had the kid said Mommy just then. Shebby was probably his version of her name, Shelby. This wasn’t her son. The word kidnapper flashed in his brain, but he just couldn’t buy it.
She sighed and looked around until she located the sign for the rest rooms. “Okay.” She glanced up at Boone. “If you’ll excuse us, we’ll—”
“Do I hafta go in where the ladies go?” Josh hung back, his gaze pleading.
“Yes.” She took his hand firmly in hers.
Josh hung on her hand and tried to plant his feet. “But last time that lady was laughin’ at me.”
“She was laughing at the Cheerios, Josh, not at you. We don’t have to use them this time if you don’t want to. Now come on.”
Boone had to ask. “Cheerios?”
Shelby glanced back at him. “I throw some in the bowl. It gives him a target.”
Josh gazed up at Boone with a worried expression, as if he now expected Boone to laugh, too.
Boone bit down on the inside of his lip so he wouldn’t. “Great idea,” he said, although his voice was husky with the laugh he’d swallowed.
Josh’s expression cleared and his smile came out like sunshine. He pointed a stubby finger at Boone. “Me and him could go.”
Shelby shook her head and tugged on his hand. “No, I’m afraid not, Josh. Now come on.”
“Please,” Josh wailed, hanging back and dragging his feet. “I wanna be a big boy.”
Boone’s heart went out to him. He remembered a few trips to the ladies’ room, himself, when he was a kid. He’d always been tall for his age, so a couple of women had given him the evil eye when his mother had insisted on taking him in with her. He’d hated every minute of it, although now he completely understood why she’d done that. The world had some sick people in it.
“I’d be glad to take him,” Boone said. “I realize you don’t really know me, but—”
“I know you,” Josh said. “You gived us a room. Please, Shebby. Let me and him go.”
Shelby paused. She looked exhausted, frustrated and scared. “Okay,” she said at last. “If you’re willing to do that, I appreciate it. While you’re gone I’ll put in our order. Can I get anything for you while I’m at it? I’d love to be able to buy you some dinner.”
“No, thanks.” Boone had decided that eating would be his main entertainment tonight, and he didn’t want to rush it. “I’m not really hungry yet.”
She seemed even more frustrated that she couldn’t repay him with dinner, but Josh began hopping up and down, so she put the boy’s hand in Boone’s. “Thank you for everything,” she said. “You’ve been a real godsend.”
“Glad to help.” He touched a hand to the brim of his hat, which coaxed a faint smile from her. Then he had to focus all his attention on keeping Josh’s tiny hand in his. Such a small hand. Boone had to lean to the right to keep hold of it as Josh ran along beside him on the way to the rest rooms.
“Do you gots horsies?” Josh sounded breathless but determined to communicate. “’Cause me and Bob, we like horsies. We’re gonna ride some in Yellowstone.”
Boone realized the little guy was puffing because Boone’s stride was too long. He shortened it. “I have two horses,” he said. “One I keep with my friend Sebastian at the Rocking D, and the other one I keep at my folks’ place in Las Cruces.”
“Rocking D? What’s a Rocking D?”
Boone pushed open the swinging door to the rest room. “A ranch.”
“A ranch? You gots a ranch, like on TV?” Josh seemed beside himself with excitement, so beside himself that he’d obviously forgotten why he was in the rest room in the first place.
“Well, it’s not my—”
“Can I come there? Can I?”
“We’ll talk about that later. Right now you’d better tend to business.”
“’Kay.” Josh headed for a stall.
“You
