Page 2 of Cowboy's Last Stand
She popped the top off and set it on the coaster, charmed by his fish-out-of-water vibe.He paid for the drink and left a tip on the bar for her.She collected it with a quick sweep.“You’re not from around here.”
“How can you tell?”
“Your accent,” she said.“And your backpack.”
He took a sip of his beer and seemed pleased with the flavor.“You don’t miss much.”
She wiped down the surface of the bar, though it was already clean.“Are you going on a trip?”
“I just finished one, actually.”
“Oh?Where did you start?”
“Montana.”
“You’re kidding.”
“Nope.”
“You walked all the way here from Montana?”she asked.
“I did.”
“Without stopping?”
“I stopped to sleep at night.”
She stared at him, bewildered.“How long did it take?”
“Four months.”
“Is that some kind of world record?”
He laughed, shaking his head.His teeth were a flash of white against his bronzed complexion.“Not even close.”
Natalie tossed the rag aside.The sound of his rumbling laugh and that deep, masculine voice made her stomach flutter.He had a wolfish grin and dark eyes that gleamed with interest.“You sure about that?”
He nodded easily.“I was on the Continental Divide Trail, a famous long-distance route.The current record is seventy-six days.”
Natalie suspected him of downplaying his athletic feat, which was interesting.Most of the men of Last Chance bragged about their accomplishments.“I didn’t know there was a long-distance trail around here.”
“It goes through New Mexico,” he explained.“From there, I switched over to the Grand Enchantment Trail in Albuquerque.Then I took a detour into Texas.”
She cocked her head to one side.“Why?”
“Why not?”he countered, taking another sip of his beer.
She realized she was prying, which she never did.It was a chore for her to make polite conversation with most customers.He wasn’t her typical customer, however.She wiped her hands on her apron, flustered.
“I guess it seems crazy to you, hiking cross-country.”
“This is Texas,” she said, shrugging.“Everybody’s a little crazy.”
“Even you?”
“Especially me.”
He smiled and arched a brow at her claim, like he didn’t believe it but found her intriguing all the same.She smiled back at him, surprised by the spark of energy between them.She hadn’t sparked with a man in ages.Not since… Mike.
