Chapter 10
I thought we’d made progress when Garrett took me out for that ride a few weeks ago, but lately, it seems Garrett’s been doing everything he can to avoid me. I don’t like it, and the stubborn bitch in me wants to make it hard for him.
“Where are they?” I ask Dalton, when we’re walking Darcy back to the stable after my lesson.
Now we’re in the thick of summer, the bunkhouse boys are taking group shifts camping out to protect the herds from predators, and Garrett announced over dinner last night that he’d be joining them.
“We got a Long Camp out on grid four. They’ll be staying around there,” Dalton informs me.
“Could you take me there?” I ask, trying to make it sound more like a dare than a chore.
“I could, but I don’t know if the boss would like it,” he raises an eyebrow at me awkwardly.
“And who, exactly, is the boss?” I question.
“Well, technically, it’s old man Carson, but Mitch is in charge of me, and Garrett is in charge of him, so…”
“Stay right there.” I march off toward the main house, heading straight into Bill's office. He’s at his desk where he usually is, and when I knock at his already open door, he looks shocked to see me.
“What a nice surprise,” he stands up and gestures for me to sit in the seat opposite him.
“I’m not staying, sir. I just came to ask if I could ride out to where the boys are camping. I was gonna take them some homemade cookies,”
Bill doesn’t need to know that there are no homemade cookies. I’m sure he’s far too busy pen-pushing, to check up on me.
“I think that would be a very nice idea,” he smiles, almost seeming proud. “But you mustn’t ride alone, have Dalton or one of the boys from the yard ride out with you.”
“Thank you,” I smile, before I start making my way back out.
“And Maisie,” Bill’s voice commands me to turn back around.
“It’s nice to see Darcy out of the stable again. It’s even nicer to see her being ridden. Keep up the good work.” The old man shows he’s got a soft side after all, and I smile at him again before rushing off to find Dalton.
“Keep her saddled. We’re heading out to grid four,” I call out at him ,before he can put her away.
“Guess I better saddle up myself.” He passes me Darcy’s reins and rushes off toward the wrangler's stable to find himself a horse.
I had no idea how far away from the ranch grid four actually was, and I’m grateful when I see the tiny cabin in the distance.
There are tents pitched up near it, and a campfire is lit, despite it being the middle of the day and sweltering hot.
Dalton tells me it’s to ward off those predators that they’re out here protecting the cattle from.
“I can go from here by myself,” I explain. I already have a feeling Garrett isn’t gonna be happy about me being here. And the last thing I want is for Dalton to get into trouble.
“I don’t know, Miss, it’s still quite some distance,” he looks unsure.
“Look, it’s open fields until the tree line, and I can make it there in a few minutes if I canter.”
“And what if she throws you off?” he takes off his hat and scratches his head, still unconvinced.
“She won’t throw me off. Will you, girl?” Reaching forward, I tap her neck confidently. “You can wait here and watch me if you want.”
“Ok, I’ll watch ya. Just make sure you take it steady.”
I nod him a thank you and kick Darcy on. It feels kinda liberating riding through the open land all by myself, and when I reach the camp, I twist around on my saddle and wave Dalton off.
There are a few wranglers on horseback, making sure no cattle stray from the herd, but I can’t see any sign of Garrett.
“Where’s your boss?” I ask the big, mean looking one who’s resting by the fire. I’ve seen him around the yard a few times before, and from the vibes he gives off, I figure he’s not afraid of much, especially bears or wolves.
“He went spotting,” he answers, before spitting at the ground. I don’t like the way his eyes linger on my body. It creates a different kinda feeling to the one I get when Garrett stares at me. These eyes feel dirty on my skin.
“Which way did he go?” I ask, keen to move on.
He slowly tips his head toward the woodland and smirks, and when I kick Darcy on, and steer her into the trees, I feel him watch me leave.
I’m wary of the fact there could be wolves or bears as I ride through the trees, but there’s something about being on horseback that feeds my confidence, and I make sure to keep my wits about me while scanning the forest for Garrett.
I head toward the sound of running water, and when I come to the river and see a horse tied to a tree, I laugh when I find one of the cowboys bathing.
Pulling Darcy to a stop, I sit back on my saddle and watch Finn toss water over his face. I never had him down as the type of guy to have tattoos, but his back is covered with a huge, hooded skull, and I tip my head to try and get a better look at it, so I can recall where I’ve seen it before.
“Like what ya see?” Finn catches me staring, and the smirk on his face suggests he doesn’t mind too much.
“Aren’t you supposed to be working?” I point out, trying to be clever.
“Taking a break, it’s damn hot. You should join me,” His eyes are daring, and never being one to back down from a challenge, I call his bluff, and slide off my saddle. Tethering Darcy up beside his horse, I brush my hands together and watch his face turn to shock as I head towards the water edge.
I look at his pile of clothes on the rock beside me and notice the rifle sitting beside it.
“What’s the gun for?” I ask, kicking off my boots and unbuttoning my shirt. I have a tank top beneath, which I won’t mind getting wet.
“What do you think I’d do if a wolf came out of those trees?” he smiles, and I suddenly realize what a stupid question that was. It also makes me realize how stupid I’ve been riding through these woods alone.
I pop open the button of my jeans and slide them off my hips. Then kick them to the side and move closer to the water. It’s a little chilly when I dip my toe in, and Finn keeps that cheeky look on his face while I withstand the cold bite and force myself deeper.
The river flows steadily, and I wade through it as I head toward the middle where Finn is standing with the water up to his waist. I have to admit it does feel good, especially when I spread out my fingers and let the water run through them.
“You got a pretty smile, you should use it more often,” he tells me, and I roll my eyes at his attempt of flattery.
You can tell Finn’s a typical cowboy. A love ’em and leave ‘em type like Wade is. But he’s close to my age and fun to be around, and there’s something about him that reminds me a little of home.
“I smile plenty,” I assure him, bending my knees and leaning back against the current to look up through the trees. The sunlight shines through them and heats up my skin, and when I hear Finn start to laugh, I quickly stand up straight again.
“You know, I think you like it here.” He’s wearing a smug look on his face, and despite it being handsome as sin, it doesn’t match up to any of the expressions I’ve seen from Garrett.
“I got no choice in being here, so I might as well make the most of it,” I shrug.
“That’s the kinda attitude to have,” he starts moving through the water to get closer to me, and my heartbeat picks up.
He looks as though he might kiss me, and as handsome as he is, there’s only one man here who I want to be kissed by.
I gasp in shock when he slams his forearm hard at the water and splashes my face.
“You rat,” I giggle, feeling a little relieved, then using both my palms I push some water back at him. He hits me with another faceful of water, and when I lose my balance on the stones beneath my feet, his strong arm quickly wraps around my waist to steady me.
Suddenly he breaks us apart, and when I turn my head to see what he’s looking at, I see Garrett leaning forward with his elbow resting on the front of his saddle and a finger sliding over his lips. He’s staring at me as if he expects an explanation.
“I’m sorry, sir. I was just taking a break.” All the fun has suddenly vanished from Finn’s voice.
“I can see what you’re doing Finn, what I’m wondering is what she’s doing here with you?” Garrett’s cold dark eyes remain fixed on me.
“I was… I just came looking for you.” I sound so foolish, but I also notice that Garrett looks taken off guard by my answer.
“Finn, break time’s over. Get back to the herd, and take Darcy with you,” Garrett dismisses him.
I watch him quickly wade through the water, and grab up his clothes and rifle before he jumps on his horse’s back.
He’s still soaking wet, and when he reaches across to untether Darcy, I realize Garrett’s instruction makes no sense.
“But how will I…”
“Maisie.” The way he says my name with such authority actually stops me from finishing my sentence, and I remain standing in the water, with my head down, while I await his next order.
It’s unlike me to fall in line, I’ve always liked to push boundaries.
Back in L.A. it used to get me in trouble, but Garrett has a presence about him that makes me want to please him.
“And how do you expect to get your clothes back on, now that you’re soaking wet?” he asks eventually. I find the courage to raise my head and bravely look at him again, and he makes no attempt to hide the fact he’s staring at my body.
“I guess I wasn’t thinking about that at the time,” I admit, pissed off at myself for being in this stupid situation.
“See, that there’s the problem. Out here, if you don’t think, you die,”
I close my eyes in shame, the tank top I’m wearing is sticking tight to my skin. and I can feel my nipples hard and poking through the fabric.
“I’m sorry,” I force the words out, pissed off at the fact I feel the need to say them. I owe this man no apology, he has no right to control me, and yet he seems to hold authority over me that I can’t explain.
“Get out,” he shakes his head as if he’s disappointed in me, then jumping off his horse he starts untying something from the back of his saddle.
I push through the water and step out onto the bank where he waits with a thick, tribal print blanket; and as he drapes it over my shoulders and pulls it tight around me, I can’t help taking satisfaction in the contact.
Once the blanket is fully wrapped around me, he holds it together tight in his fists and when I look up at the dark eyes that are staring at me from beneath the rim of his hat, he slowly releases me.
I stand here feeling helpless and stupid as he gathers my boots, jeans and shirt from the floor and ties them all onto the back of his saddle. He jumps back on it, then holds out his hand for me.
“Come on.” There’s no patience left in his tone, and he doesn’t look me in the eye. It almost seems like he’s ashamed of the gesture himself.
“You want me to get up there, with you?” I check.
“I’m taking you home so you can get dry,” he explains, still waiting for me to take his hand.
Despite it being a hot day, my lips are trembling from the chill of the water, and I’m really not in the position to argue. Besides, I kinda like the idea of riding close to him.
I gradually step forward, holding the blanket around me in one hand and gripping the front of his saddle in the other. When I place my foot in his empty stirrup, Garrett reaches down and wraps his arm around me, then hauling me up, he makes room for me on the front of his saddle.
We’re so close that I feel his warm breath against my neck, and as he takes the reins and makes a slow ride through the trees, I do all I can to distract myself from the way his hips rock against mine.
The hand he’s holding the reins in rests against the inside of my thigh, and it feels so intimate, I’m grateful my panties are already wet.
Garrett doesn’t speak to me for the whole ride back to the house, and I can sense his anger and feel the tension beating from his chest into my back.
“What about Darcy?” I ask, when we finally make it back to the yard.
“I’ll have one of the boys bring her back,” he answers me bluntly, before jumping off from behind me and gripping my waist, ready to lift me off.
“I could have just ridden her back my…” I go to argue, but he cuts me off.
“Do you realize how dangerous it is being out there by yourself?” He fires the words out his mouth like he’s been holding them back for too long, as his fingers dig deeper into my waist.
His eyes are narrow and full of frustration, and it makes them even more appealing.
“I was only by myself for a little while. I saw Finn bathing in the river, and it looked like fun. Excuse me for trying to have a good time.” I try to pull away, but he keeps his hands firmly in place, forcing me to listen.
“Well, that good time could have cost you your fucking life. I watched you both for a good five minutes before either of you realized I was there. Supposing I was a predator. Do you think Finn would have got to his rifle fast enough…? Out here, there’s no such thing as a good fucking time Maisie!”
The way he snaps at me makes my stomach twist. I won’t have him get away with talking to me like that, and all the anger on his face quickly turns to shock when I shove him hard in his chest and force him off me.
“Maybe not for you, but there are some people in this world who intend to enjoy life,” I rip off his blanket and thrust it at him, and the way his shocked eyes stare down at my body reminds me of the very little I’m wearing.
Yes, my top may have become a little see-through from the water, and yes, I am standing in the middle of the yard in my panties, but I will prove to Garrett Carson, and myself, that he can’t control me like he does everyone else around here.
“I’d thank you for rescuing me if I actually needed rescuing, but the only thing you saved me from today was fun.” I turn away from him, then somehow manage to untie my boots and clothes from the back of his saddle before I storm past a startled looking Dalton back to the house.