Honor Bound

“He’s all carnie. Born and raised traveling with his parents who worked the show,” Frank had told him. “The only other one you asked about, the security guard, Lance Roderick? He’s a former lawyer. Filed bankruptcy a year ago after being disbarred. Pulled some legal shenanigan.”

From lawyer to security guard on a fly-by-night video production company. That definitely sent up a red flag.

Sawyer had thanked Frank and headed for the hotel. He managed to grab a bite to eat in the kitchen just before it closed without crossing paths with Kitzie or Ainsley. This time of year, it got dark by six. As he walked around, he noticed that Ainsley’s cabin was unlit.

Voices and laughter carried on the breeze. He followed the sound to find the crew around a big campfire in the pines next to the spring creek. He helped himself to a beer from one of the coolers someone had dragged up and, staying in the shadows, simply watched. Of the group around the fire, he gathered most of them were the crew. The man he’d seen earlier, Lance Roderick, was still wearing his uniform shirt.

It was hard to tell if any of the men were more interested in Ainsley than was warranted. She was a beautiful woman. They all flirted with her and Kitzie, except for the man Sawyer took for the carnie, Ken Hale. Hale had left the fire for a while but had only recently returned. Hale had noticed Ainsley. His gaze kept straying to her. But his wasn’t the only one.

Lance Roderick secretly watched her as if not wanting anyone to know. Bobby LeRoy wasn’t as sneaky about it. Neither was T.K. Clark.

Not that he could blame them. Ainsley’s face glowed in the firelight, making her even more striking.

The only person missing was Gunderson. Kitzie hung around for a while, joking with the men before saying she was turning in for the night. As the fire burned down and the night cooled, he watched people wander off. LeRoy, Clark, Grant and Hale headed into town, after trying to get Ainsley to go with them and failing.

Roderick stayed only for a little bit before he trundled off, saying he had to take a look around to make sure everything was locked down for the night.

Sawyer waited until the guard left before he moved up to the dying fire—and Ainsley. As he joined her, she didn’t look up. All night she’d seemed lost in the flames, avoiding conversation with the others and keeping to herself.

That’s why he was surprised when she asked, “Have you ever had your life flash in front of your eyes?”

She sounded tipsy, and he wondered what she’d been drinking. He’d noticed that her glass hadn’t been empty while Kitzie was there. Kitzie had been keeping them both in refreshments.

At her question, Sawyer chuckled to himself given his near-death experience from the train—not to mention the rock slide earlier. “I take it yours passed before your eyes?”

She nodded, still not looking at him, her blue eyes wide in the firelight, her attention locked on the flames. “Today I realized I’ve never done anything. I’m the oldest of my sisters, the good one, the one everybody in my family depends on. But guess what?”

He hated to guess. Nor did she give him a chance.

“I’ve never lived. I’ve never...cut loose. The most irresponsible thing I’ve ever done is quit law school.”

“Then why did you quit?”

Ainsley shook her head. “I don’t know. Maybe it was my one act of rebellion.”

“So, do you still want to be a lawyer?”

“Actually, I do.” She laughed, losing balance and stumbling a little. He caught her arm. She wasn’t just a little tipsy. She was drunk.

“What is that you’re drinking?” he asked.

She frowned as she looked down at the liquid in her large plastic cup. “Tea. Strong tea. Kitzie made it for me.”

He’d just bet she had. He took the paper cup from Ainsley and sniffed, wrinkling his nose. “I’d say it was strong. Hundred proof. Have you ever been drunk before?”

“I told you, I’ve never done anything before.” She took it back from him and, draining it with a grimace, tossed the cup into the fire. The paper cup flamed up, sending sparks into the air. Smiling, she turned to him for the first time since he’d joined her.

She blinked. “I know you. You’re that cowboy who saved my life and took off without even giving me a chance to say thank you.”

“Sawyer Nash,” he said, extending his hand.

Her hand was warm and small in his. “The new Ainsley Hamilton,” she announced with a flourish. “I’m sick of being the old me. I feel like a snake that’s about to shed its skin.” Her eyes sparkled in the firelight. “I feel like doing something completely not like the old me.” She looked around, her gaze lighting on the dark silhouettes of the carnival in the meadow. “I’m going to climb that Ferris wheel and bay at the moon.”

He couldn’t let her do that. Not in her condition. “Why don’t I walk you back to your cabin?”

She shook her head. “I’ve had enough of men trying to protect me. Putting me on a pedestal. I’m like the princess who’s been locked in her tower. I’m suddenly free, and I want to do something wild and completely irresponsible.” Her big blue eyes locked with his. “Don’t you want to do it with me?”

Damned if he didn’t. She wasn’t just beautiful with her long blond hair and moon-like blue eyes; there was something endearing about her—even drunk. He also knew what it was like to be the good son, the one his parents had depended on.

She sighed. “There is so much I haven’t done, I don’t even know where to begin. What should we do first?” she asked, slurring her words. Her gaze went to the spring creek nearby in the pines. “I’ve never been skinny-dipping. Let’s go skinny-dipping!” She began unbuttoning her Western shirt as she moved away from the campfire toward the creek.

Hell, that water would be freezing cold this time of year. But he couldn’t very well let her go in alone. She’d drown for sure. He followed her trail of discarded clothing through the darkness of the pines to find her standing naked at the edge of a deep dark pool in the crook of the stream. Silhouetted there against the moonlight, she was a sight for sore eyes.

“You coming in?” she asked over her shoulder and then fell face forward into the water.

CHAPTER FIVE (#ue9eba98d-f31f-50e8-b60f-de4516fe0cc0)

AINSLEY WOKE WITH the worst headache of her life. She groaned as she opened her eyes and quickly closed them.

“Here, this might help.”

Her eyes flew open, sending a dagger of pain straight to her brain. She grabbed the sheet and pulled it up to her neck as she stared at the strange man not only in her cabin, but also sitting on the edge of her bed.

“What are you doing here?” she cried and quickly peeked under the sheet. She was naked as a jaybird. “Oh no, I didn’t!”

“You didn’t,” he said in a deep, sultry voice she remembered. This was the cowboy who’d saved her in the canyon—but at what cost? “Your virtue is safe.”

“How long have you been here?” She spotted his boots by the door. “You stayed all night?”

“I didn’t trust you not to do something even more...wild, given your condition.”

“More wild than what?” she asked, her voice breaking.

“Skinny-dipping.”

She groaned and, sliding back down in the bed, covered her head with the sheet. “Please tell me I was alone,” she said in a tremulous voice from under the sheet. “The rest of the movie crew—”

“Weren’t there. It was just the two of us.” He pulled the sheet down until their eyes met and gave her a big smile. Had she noticed last night how handsome he was? Is that why she’d decided to go skinny-dipping with a complete stranger? Well, nearly a complete stranger.

“You were the only one naked,” he said, as if trying to reassure her. “Actually, you were the only one who went in the water, except for when I had to wade in to fish you out.”

She didn’t think she could feel worse. “I might have had too much to drink.”

“You think?”

“I don’t drink but a glass of wine occasionally. Normally.”

“So I gathered.”