“Bart says you’re going to that casino with his cousin next Saturday,” Bill began.

She flushed and glared at both of them. “I’m twenty-four years old. I’ve only ever really dated one man up until now. Cort isn’t likely to put me out on the side of the road with a note in my mouth and leave me there.”

Fender sighed. “It’s your life, boss lady,” he said gently. “But the man has a bad reputation locally. Sometimes people who get notorious like that can give you a bad one just by being seen with them.”

“I don’t believe you two,” she said, exasperated.

“We worry,” Bill said gently.

Fender just nodded.

She glowered. But after a minute, when she realized how genuinely concerned they were, she backed down.

“I’m not going into any dark rooms with him alone,” she said in a stage whisper. “And I won’t have a single drink in the bar. We’re going to tour the reservation, not participate in any orgies.”

They laughed. It was outrageous, the way she said it.

She grinned at them. “But thanks for the concern,” she added, and meant it. “You guys are pretty cool.”

They thanked her, tipped their hats and went off to Fender’s truck, where his big dog, Sagebrush, was occupying the passenger seat. They spoke for a minute or two before Bill went to his own car. By the time Mina got into her little car, they were both long gone.

SHE DEBATED FOR the rest of the week about her decision to go out with Cort. Yes, he was a rounder. Yes, he was dating a notorious local woman. Yes, it might damage her reputation to be seen with him.

But he’d been tender with her. Protective of her. She remembered helplessly that hard, beautiful mouth pressed so hungrily to her lips. She tingled all over at just the memory. She’d had so little joy in her life, outside her career. Was it too much to ask to spend an innocent evening with a man to whom she was violently attracted?

Bart was concerned. So were her part-time foreman and her newest hire. It made her feel good that they cared so much for her well-being. But in the end, it was up to her to make decisions that affected her life. And she’d rather have died than refused to go out with Cort.

The one burning issue she had at the moment was what to wear. She had a few nice dresses, a pretty pantsuit, some dress slacks and mix-and-match blouses that were trendy. What did a woman wear to a casino, an evening gown?

Then she remembered the one concert she’d gone to in New York with one of her editors. People had dressed in everything from velvet to denim. It seemed to be a matter of personal taste. So she picked out a long denim skirt that swirled around her ankles and paired it with a pretty blue-and-white cotton button-up blouse with pointed collars. She left her hair long, brushing it until it shone. She put in turquoise stud earrings and wore a turquoise bracelet that her grandmother had given her, so long ago. She looked in the mirror and smiled. Well, she was no great beauty, but she didn’t look too bad, she thought.