4. Four
Four
Rhett
It didn’t matter that I had only gotten two hours of sleep when the other three were spent with Kyla. When she let it slip that no one had talked to her the way I had, I made it my mission to give her the best night possible. I had to show her that she was worth every touch, every kiss, and every single moan. I could still taste her on my lips—a taste I hoped I could have again.
I woke earlier than my alarm, making sure to silence it before it woke Kyla. Facing her, I suddenly wished I could spend the day here with her instead of on the land. Her chest rose and fell softly as she slept, complete bliss on her face. Her cheeks were still flushed, but she was relaxed. Absolutely perfect.
I traced my knuckle up her arm and she stirred, raising her arm above her head as she exhaled, allowing the sheet to fall from her chest. We had agreed on one night, but one night wasn’t enough. Washington was her final destination, that wasn’t that far from here. Maybe, just maybe, I could keep her for longer than one night.
But for now, I knew Lachlan was waiting for me. The morning was hers to relax while I was out working on the ranch, and then I would show her everything—give her that tour I promised her.
She hummed in her sleep, tilting her face away from me. I trailed my fingers down her arm before kissing her bare shoulder. I dressed silently, slipped my boots on and went to the kitchen, making sure to make enough coffee for her. My thermos full and my hat perched on my head, I took a few moments to write a note to Kyla. I didn’t want her to wake up alone thinking I had taken off, leaving her alone in my house.
I didn’t want her to feel like a one-night stand.
The morning air hit my lungs as I opened the door, and Kyla’s small, red SUV announced to the entire ranch she was inside. I knew the moment I walked in the main house for breakfast, someone would say something. Taking a long pull from my thermos, I stepped off my porch, making the quarter mile trek to the main house. I focused on the landscape in front of me, trying my hardest to ignore the tug towards the sleeping beauty in my bed.
The ranch was still silent, and the sun hadn’t quite made its way over the mountains yet. Soon the glow from the sun would illuminate the valley, creating a picture-perfect world filled with soft-lit gold and greens. I may love the arena, but this was my heaven on earth.
Hartwell Hills Ranch, named by my grandfather Phillip Hartwell, was where I grew up. It’s where I learned how to mount my first horse and how to tie-down my first calf. This was home—all five thousand acres of it. The rolling hills flew into the mountain backdrop perfectly, and now, in the beginning of summer, I knew they were covered in the brightest greens Idaho could offer. Behind the main house sat the barn, as well as an indoor and outdoor arena, and if you took the path following the gated pastures, you’d eventually hit a small lake, with a quiet river flowing into the gardens. My mother had claimed that lake when she moved in, instantly naming the river that flowed from it “Lottie’s River.” I had never called it anything else.
Making it to the main house just in time to fill my thermos back up, I stepped inside and was greeted by the smell of bacon and sausage. My younger sister, Abi, was already in the kitchen, her blonde hair pulled into a ponytail as she focused on the stove in front of her.
“Good morning, Rhett.” Abi turned to face me, coffee pot in hand, like a waitress, but instead of filling my thermos she set it down in front of me on the counter, the coffee sloshing around inside. “Wanna explain that SUV I saw this morning? I know it doesn’t belong to one of the ranch hands, it’s way too nice.” Her eyebrows rose and for a split-second I saw Wyatt in her facial features. Fraternal twins, yet they were so much alike.
I shook my head and removed the lid. “Nothing to explain,” I answered with a neutral tone.
Abi pinched her brow and hummed. “Sure, there isn’t. I’m assuming you need me to help keep her company, or least make her breakfast and show her how to get out of town? I know the drill, but never with you. It’s always Wyatt bringing girls home from The Steel.”
I let out a long sigh, needing to stop Abi before her comparison to her twin got any further. “Her name’s Kyla, and I’d really appreciate it if you hang out with her. Maybe convince her to stay? I won’t be out on the land long. I need to pack.”
“Not until those cows are in the grazing field.” Lachlan walked into the kitchen, his boots hitting hard with each step. “You don’t need any more distractions. You agreed to work.”
“I’ll work.” I nodded to him, giving him a silent promise.
He narrowed his eyes and took a sip of his coffee, turning away from me.
My cousin, always quiet and reserved, mainly kept to himself. A part of me knew it was because of what he went through years ago, and even though he claimed he was “fine,” losing his family the way he did destroyed him. When his father, my uncle on my dad’s side, died, he left Lachlan his portion of the ranch. Lachlan took charge and completely flipped his life around. He and my dad ran the ranch together, more responsibilities falling to Lachlan as my father began to step back more and more. Lachlan Hartwell’s entire world centered on Hartwell Hills the moment he signed the deed. This land was his life.
“I guarantee you we will get the cows in the field. I promised I’d help, but I didn’t say how long.” I lifted my coffee to my lips and walked around Abi, grabbing a fork and stabbing a piece of sausage.
Lachlan huffed. “So, you’ll help move ‘em and then take off?”
“Damn straight.” I bit into my sausage link .
“She stuck around, didn’t she?” he asked as his expression dropped, his lips forming a straight line as his eyes bore into me. He was obviously not amused.
“And he wants me to convince her to stay,” Abi added, smirking when Lachlan’s gaze jerked towards her.
“Wyatt is normally the one who brings girls home,” Lachlan taunted, the tight line of his lips forming now the slightest curl.
“Right?” Abi leaned on the counter. “That’s what I said.”
“I left her a note asking her to stay,” I started to explain. “It’s up to her if she wants to stay or leave. We only agreed on one night anyway.” I stuck the sausage in my mouth, using it as an excuse to stop talking.
Abi pushed herself off the counter and patted my shoulder before turning back to the stove. “I’ll keep an eye out for her. Wyatt is supposed to help Stetson with his riding today, maybe while trying to ‘convince her to stay’”—she air quoted—“I can convince her to get on a horse.”
The front door opened, and the ranch hands began to fill the room. Their normal loud voices were always quieter in the morning, keeping in mind my parents and Abi’s son were still sleeping above their heads. Mornings were always more peaceful than anything, but once the sun was up noise was fair game, and most of the time welcomed.
“Morning, Abi,” they all began to say as they filled their coffee mugs and grabbed their own breakfast.
Abi’s eyes followed them, but her body was still aimed at me. “Morning, guys.”
“See you at the stables soon.” Lachlan patted my shoulder, grabbing a sausage link before turning his back.
“Nah, I’m coming. Thanks for the coffee, sis.” I waved as I followed Lachlan out of the house, catching Abi’s nod.
The rhythm of saddling up the horses was what I needed to get my head where it needed to be. I focused on my paint horse, Buckle, as I placed the blanket and saddle on her and she patiently waited. I patted her as she turned to nudge me with her nose before I shoved my thermos in her saddle bag and mounted up to leave the stable. Lachlan followed with his black horse, Onyx, trotting to catch up to me. The sun had now peaked over the mountains, the morning glow making me wish I had thought to grab my sunglasses.
“You left her a note, huh?” Lachlan finally broke the silence.
I turned to my cousin, seeing the other guys getting their saddles ready. “I don’t want her to leave. Having a one-night stand is bad enough, but leaving her in my own house so I could go move cattle with my cousin—”
“Boss,” Lachlan interjected. “I’m technically your boss when you’re on the clock.” Lachlan liked to make note of that little fact. “Who signs your paycheck?
“You mean the few paychecks I get out of the year? Didn’t know I was on the clock.”
“You’re not,” Lauchlan admitted with a groan.
“My original statement stands. I didn’t want her to think I left her alone to help my cousin move cattle.”
“It shouldn’t take too long, once they’re in the field you can take off. ”
“Pretty sure we already established that.” I laughed. “Wyatt and I leave early tomorrow to get to Billings. I need to pack. And . . .”
“Make sure that gal in your bed is ready for any other curve balls you may throw at her?” Lachlan chuckled as he jumped off Onyx, making his way to open the gate to let the cattle out.
The ranch hands showed up just in time, slowing their horses down as the cows began to make their way towards the grazing field a few miles away. With one final glance at my house, I wondered if Kyla was awake yet.
“I don’t throw curve balls,” I finally replied, watching Lachlan mount Onyx.
“She knows you’re leaving?”
I nodded.
“She knows you’ll be gone for a few weeks?”
I pursed my lips. “I added it to the note . . .” Now that I’ve thought about it, maybe that wasn’t the best way to tell her I was leaving. I scrunched my nose and looked ahead, breathing in the clear air.
“She knows you’re Rhett Hartwell—”
“She doesn’t know anything about the rodeo, so no, she doesn’t know I’m Rhett Hartwell ,” I grumbled. “Like I said in the house, we agreed on one night.”
Lachlan looked over at me, a single eyebrow cocked up as he sized me up. “Just watch it. I guarantee you’ll be back by noon.”
“Perfect.” I looked at my watch, it was barely seven. Five hours. I just needed to make it through five hours.
I just hope she’ll stay that long .
My mind wandered back to her. Was she still asleep in my bed? With that same blissful, relaxed smile on her lips?
The noise of the cattle brought me back to reality, and I forced myself to focus on the task at hand. Move the cattle as fast as possible and then race back to the house. Don’t even think about the gorgeous naked woman in my bed.
Ha . . . yeah right. My mind wouldn’t think of anything else.