Against her will her body responded with a warm flush.

“Now it’s real nice for those of us with some restraint ; he continued, “but tempt inga man like Parnell with tight little shorts is dangerous”

“I beg your pardon!” she exclaimed, glad for an excuse to be angry. “What I wear is none of your concern !”

“I’m only trying to warn you.”

“Save it : She pushed past him and stormed into her shop, her heart beating wildly. Once again he’d completely destroyed her composure. What right did he have making such personal comments about her appearance ? Some nerve, to discuss her tight shorts.

Which means he’s noticed, whispered her libido And you like that, don’t you? Desire, so carefully monitored and controlled, began stretching within her. She didn’t want to feel this craving for Gabe Escalante, but apparently she couldn’t help herself.

As the minutes ticked away, she was aware of every move he made over by the pool tables. And with that awareness, passion shouldered its way to the forefront of her consciousness. She’d never paid much attention to the lyrics of the country songs played at Rowdy Ranch, but tonight the words of love and lust wouldn’t leave her alone. I want you, crooned a song, and instinctively

Dallas glanced over at the pool tables.

As if sensing the direction of her gaze, he looked up. She turned away, not ready to confront that heated stare. Moments later, she found herself watching him again, and again he lifted his head from the shot he’d been about to make. This time she didn’t look away. Love me tonight, demanded another song. Love me now. Love me right. She noticed Gabe’s fingers tighten on the pool cue and saw a muscle hvitch in his jaw. Longing exploded within Dallas and she trembled. Her customer spoke to her, and with an effort she broke the charged connection with Gabe.

She forced herself to concentrate on her work, until a familiar phrase from a new song distracted her again. Somethingabout “a cowboy s dream.” That’s what Gabe had called her. She’d been unable to forget the way he’d looked at her when he’d said it, as if he wanted to take her in his arms and kiss her senseless. She’d reacted to his comments with anger because she couldn’t allow him to see that he’d touched a deep chord of sensuality that was still vibrating.

She tried to ignore the song, but the words hammered at her. And I’m going crazy, no matter how cool

Iseem, ‘cause she is the answer to this cowboy’s dream. Dallas clenched her jaw. She wouldn’t look at Gabe. She wouldn’t. But at last she peeked in the direction of the pool tables. He wasn’t there. Disappointment felt like a soggy lump in her stomach.

Wondering if he’d left for the night, she glanced out toward the bar. He sat on a stool, a half-empty mug of beer in one hand, his gaze fastened on her.

The song’s refrain swirled between them-cause she is the answer to this cowboy’s dream. Dallas’s heartbeat quickened as he slowly raised the mug in salute. Then he winked, tilted back his head and drained the contents of the mug. When she returned to her haircut, her hands quivered so much she almost snipped off the tip of her customer s ear.

THE NExT MoRNING Dallas made a long-overdue phone call across town to her mother. She hoped Lucille Frakes had found a job. When she and Dallas’s stepfather had decided to relocate from Texas to Arizona, Dallas had thought she’d be able to convince her mother to find work. Lucille was far too dependent on Jeb Frakes for Dallas’s taste, but then her mother had always allowed men, including Dallas’s father, to dominate her.

After answering the phone and sounding delighted to talk, Lucille chattered in southern-belle style about the activities of Dallas’s trvo brothers, two sisters and their respective offspring. Dallas listened patiently until her mother wound down.

“Any luck with a job?” she asked finally.

There was a pause. “Well, you know that Jeb prefers I not work.” Lucille sounded as if she were sitting on a veranda sipping mint juleps and supervising the help.

But Dallas knew they didn’t have much money, and Jeb was making very little as a clerk in an auto-parts store. “Mom, I don’t think “

“Dallas, you’re not married, and you don’t know about these things. Most men’s egos can’t stand up to a woman bringing in money of her own. I tried that with your father, and you see what happened.”

Dallas wanted to scream, but even screaming wouldn’t change the way her mother looked at life. Deserted by one weak man when Dallas was sixteen, Lucille had promptly found another whose self-esteem fed on denying any to his wife. Dallas had moved away from Amarillo partly to free herself from her stepfather’s dictatorial ways. But ten years had passed, and Dallas foolishly had dreamed that she could influence her mother to lead a more productive existence than catering to the whims of a middle-aged man.

Apparently that wouldn’t happen. Dallas took a deep breath. “If men are all that sensitive, then I’d rather not have one around.”

Her mother’s chuckle lacked humor. “You may not have to worry. You plum scare men off, Dallas. I’ve told you that before.”

“Maybe I just scare off the wrong ones. Maybe the right one wouldn’t be scared at all.”

“If there is such a man, her mother said. “you’re such an idealist.”

Dallas gripped the phone. “I’ll tell you this. I’d rather live alone all my life than be tied to someone who tells me what to do .”

“They all try, honey.” Her mother’s sigh, heavy with resignation, drifted across the telephone line “They all try.”

THE tension built between Gabe and Dallas each night at Rowdy Ranch. Dallas suspected that without Neal in the picture, they might have acted on their obvious attraction to each other. But Gabe’s hostility toward Neal stood between them.

During the day Dallas distracted herself with the routine she loved-taking long horseback rides into the Tucson Mountain foothills, making improvements to her property and having an occasional lunch and shopping trip with Amber.

The weather continued unseasonably warm for February , which brought more than the usual flock of winter visitors to Tucson. Cadillacs and Lincolns with out-of-state plates clogged the roads as Dallas drove into town one sunny morning to pick up dog food.

The influx of tourists would bring more business to Rowdy Ranch, she reasoned. The idea cheered her and she began singing along with Alan Jackson’s “Chattahoochee on the radio. She swung into the parking lot of the pet store to pick up the special brand of dog food she fed Gretchen. She’d be glad when Gretchen wasxi t in season anymore. Usually she brought the Great Dane along on shopping trips and left her guarding the truck. But Gretchen couldn’t socialize again until she stopped panting after every male dog within a square-mile radius

Inside the pet store she wasted no time. She still had a list of projects for the day, including putting another coat of paint on the tack shed. She’d just hefted a twenty-pound bag of chow into her cart when Neal Parnell sauntered down the aisle, grinning at her.

GABE HAD STAZ’ED with Parnell until nearly five in the morning. Parnell and his buddies had closed down Rowdy Ranch at two before heading out into the desert to drink beer theyti bought at a convenience store. Gabe had followed at a safe distance and parked off the road about a half mile from the spot where Neal and his friends partied around a makeshift fire of mesquite and creosote. The pungent odor of the burning wood and the loud voices didn’t draw the attention of any passing patrol cars. Gabe had hoped they would, so he could go home to bed, but no such luck.

Parnell seemed to be drinking more recently and spending fewer hours at the dealership: Jasper and Diego’s reports indicated he put in less than two hours at work each day. Gabe figured the wilder Parnell became , the greater the chance he’d tip his hand by molesting another woman. His continued attentions to Dallas told Gabe who that woman was likely to be.

A little before 5:00 a.m. the party finally broke up and Gabe followed Parnell back to his apartment before putting in a call to Diego to spell him. He felt lucky both Diego and Jasper were available. If a more lucrative job came along, either of them might be forced to take it, but for now they were unemployed and willing to help out for a modest fee.

Once Diego arrived, Gabe drove home and fell into bed with his clothes on. Something would break soon, he thought, just before sleep claimed him.

The phone woke him and he reached for it with the automatic reflex of someone used to interrupted sleep.

Diego spoke without preamble. “he’s found out where she lives, amigo. I followed him to the turnoff to her house. He waited behind some bushes until she drove away, then tailed her into town and went into the pet store after she did. They came out together, arguing It looked like he wanted to carry her dog food and she wouldn’t let him .”

Gabe rubbed one eye with the heel of his hand. He’d been right. The campaign was escalating. Maybe Dallas would realize that now. “What happened after that?” he asked.

“She drove away, and I guess he was ticked, because he peeled out and tore over to the grocery store muy pronto to buy some beer before he went home. He’s still in his apartment, probably polishing off the six-pack. Thought you’d want the update: ‘

“Si. Gracias, amigo. Stay there until I can grab a shower and call Jasper. I want to take it from here today”

“Want some help?”

“Not yet, but maybe soon. Adios.” The excitement of the chase banished his tiredness. It always did.

DALLAS HOPED THAT AFTER the argument in the parking lot of the pet store and Neal’s abrupt exit she’d be rid of him for good. But that night, when he showed up at Rowdy Ranch, that hope died.

“You womens-lib types are making a mistake; he said, leaning in the doorway of her shop while she was firushinga trim on a customer. “If you don’t let us help out once in a while, we’re liable to quit offering.”

“Hello, Neal,” she said. “You’ll have to excuse me. I’m busy with a client just now. “

“Yeah, okay.” He pushed away from the doorway. “Just wanted to mention a mutual acquaintance we have, Stewart Ellison, The Ellisons lived next to us when I was growing up. I understand you know him, too.

Small world, huh?”

Dread touched the small of her back with icy fingers Stewart Ellison held her business loan. Was Neal threatening to have that loan called in? “Yes, I do business with Mr. Ellison, she said, not looking at Neal.

“Well, like I said, he’s a good friend of the family s. Thought you d want to know.”

She looked up, trying to gauge the level of menace in his statement. She didn’t like the speculative expression on his face.

“See you around, sweet thing.” He turned on his expensively booted heel and swaggered away.

“Sounds like he’s trying to make an impression on you,” the customer said.

“I guess he is .” Dallas unclenched her teeth and willed herself to relax. Maybe that was all Neal meant, after all. He just wanted to let her know he had important friends. “That takes care of you for another couple of weeks, Mr. Nelson.” She unsnapped the cape and removed it before handing him a mirror.

“Somebody should tell that poor boy he has the wrong approach.” He held the mirror and admired the back of his head. “Nice job, as usual, Dallas.”

“Thank you: She accepted his payment and smiled her goodbyes, although a piercing headache had lodged just behind her right eye. Neal was getting very tiresome She heard loud laughter and glanced out the door in time to see Neal hugging Beth, one of the waitresses. With luck he would find someone else to bother. She fervently hoped so, because she couldn’t have him embarrassing her in front of customers. Maybe she would have to speak to the security staff, although she hated to make an issue of his behavior. She wished this wasn’t Amber’s night off. She’d like to discuss the situation with someone.

As if on cue, Gabe Escalante walked in. Definitely not the person she wanted to discuss her problem with.

He shoved his hands in the pockets of his worn jeans and cleared his throat. “There’s something you need to know.”

Willing her heart to stop beating so fast, she turned away and reached for the broom to sweep up. “I can just imagine. “

“Parnell didn’t find you at the pet supply store by accident. He followed you there from your trailer.”

She whirled and stared at him, her stomach churning’ How do you know that? And how do you know I live in a trailer?”