Chapter Seventeen
Tara rescheduled three morning appointments to the afternoon, which meant she wouldn’t be home after school. For the first time ever, she was glad Royce had an after-school activity, even if it was football. She had sent a text to Drew, asking him to keep Royce after practice and bring him back around bedtime. Royce would miss the Ryker family dinner, but she wasn’t ready to explain to Drew why she would need Royce home by five. Drew had agreed to take Royce without complaint probably because he was still trying to court her and prove he’d changed. After he scared her the other night in her living room, she didn’t believe it. Royce was happy to spend time with his dad. As long as Drew was good to their son, she would continue to encourage their time together, even though every time they went out the door, she worried something would change.
Her hands shook as she fitted the massage table with clean sheets. To be nervous was ridiculous. She had given hundreds of men massages, including Kace. But after last night’s kiss and his declaration of wanting to be with her, the field had shifted. The dim lights in the massage room and the soft spa music piping in took on a romantic quality that had never been there before. She should find him another masseuse who could remain professional.
She knew what he needed to continue to heal, though. His muscles had responded to her therapy. He had felt better almost immediately. She would never touch him inappropriately while she helped him with his recovery. She was a professional even if the locusts in her stomach said otherwise.
“Anybody here?” Kace’s voice rang out from the front area.
She swallowed the knot in her throat and went out to greet him. “Good morning.”
“Good morning to you.” His hair was wet and slicked back. He had shaved but left a goatee this time. His bright smile popped against his darker skin. He handed her a to-go cup. “I brought coffee this morning.”
She didn’t need caffeine. His allure ramped up her adrenaline just fine. She wanted to have sex with him—not just sex—more than that because he opened a door to her desire that had long been shut. “Thank you. Do you want to get started or finish your coffee first? I have some paperwork I can do while you sit and relax.” She needed a few more minutes to pull herself together. Maybe splash some cold water on her face.
“I’m ready to get started. I woke up with the headache again. I took ibuprofen and went on a short hike with Gage. Afterward, he tossed the exercise ball with me along with other therapy things. I was dizzy, but the spinning stopped by the time I grabbed the coffee for us.”
“Wow. You’ve made some great progress.” She led him down the hall toward the massage room near the office.
He shrugged and sipped his coffee. “I told you I had it under control. I’m a man of my word.”
“I’m looking forward to dinner tonight.” In more ways than one. “I’ll wait outside the room while you undress.” She took his coffee and placed it on the table in the hall.
He took a step toward the massage room and stopped. “I have to say this. After last night at your house, I can’t stop thinking about your hands on me.” He paused. “Boy, that sounds bad. You’re doing your job, and I’m thinking like a high schooler with his first girlfriend, but I can’t help it. I could barely bring myself to come over here knowing I’d be in my underwear under that sheet with you in the room. If I’m going to be in my underwear, I’d rather it be with you in my bed.”
She wasn’t sure her legs would continue to hold her up after that statement. Picturing him in bed with her made her heart palpitate and her blood roar at the same time. She leaned against the wall for support. “You are direct.”
“Saying what I need is how I win races.” He closed the space between them. “I don’t want to be your client. I want to be your man.”
She let out a whistle and held his gaze. “I can still help you feel better. I want to do that for you.”
“Then do it with my clothes on at least until the first time we’re together. I won’t rush you on that. You’re the driver, remember? Until that time, neck and shoulders only. And not in that room with the candles and the sappy music.”
“Sappy?” Laughter fizzled under her nose like carbonation. He was the only man who could make her laugh over the littlest things.
He waved a hand in the air. “Whatever you call it. Would you be insulted if I wanted to lie half-naked with you someplace else?”
She shook her head and wrapped her arms around his neck, then tangled her fingers in his still-damp hair. “My morning is clear. Looks like my nine o’clock found something better to do.”
He growled and possessed her mouth with his. The sweeping movement of his tongue unhinged her urges. She had waited too long to know bone-deep passion. She had only read about it and never believed it existed.
She fought with the buttons of his flannel shirt, excitement turning her fingers to rubber. She hadn’t planned on having sex at the spa, probably shouldn’t since this was her workplace, but she couldn’t stop, not now that she had decided on Kace.
He ran his hands up the inside of her tunic and along her belly, leaving a trail of heat. His fingers circled her nipple through the fabric of her bra. She had worn a sports bra instead of something pretty because, though she wanted this to happen, she hadn’t planned for it. If she had known he would have said he didn’t want to be her client but her man, she would have worn her matching black lace bra and thong, the set she saved for a special night. A night she hadn’t had in years. He continued to taunt her appetite with his touch, inciting a moan to escape her lips.
“Mmm…I like the sound of that.” His lips found her neck.
Her brain misfired as his lips worked their way down and his hands slid over her bottom, pulling her against his erection. Work…she was at work…what was the problem again?
She eased back, unlocking the embrace. “I don’t think we should have sex in the spa.”
“We can lock the door.” His hands slipped under her bra and made her forget her train of thought for a second.
“I can’t do it on this table. It won’t be comfortable, anyway.” She had the sexiest man alive turning her to mush with his expert touch, and she allowed her damn work ethic to get in her way.
His head snapped up. “Have you had sex on a massage table?”
Heat filled her face. That was not a story for now. Or ever.
“We are definitely not doing it there. What other rooms are back here?”
“There’s the office, the storage room, and the laundry room.”
“We could do it on the dryer.” He wagged his eyebrows.
“Seriously, I could get fired for something like this. It’s inappropriate conduct.”
He ran a hand through his hair. “I understand how important your job is to you. And honestly, I want our first time to be special. If you have a few hours, we could go to my place.”
She smoothed her hands over his chest, relishing the muscle definition even through the fabric of his shirt. “Yes, I would like that. Let’s take my car to get there faster.”
The chime in the office dinged. Her body froze. “Someone’s here,” she said.
“I suppose you can’t get rid of them.”
“If we were in the middle of a massage, then they’d have to wait or come back later, but since we’re not, I don’t think it’s fair to send them away.” Damn her work principles.
“Then that’s a no to my place.” He dropped his forehead to hers.
She ran her thumb along his jaw and over his new goatee. “I like the facial hair, but it’s a no, for now. I’m sorry.” Sorrier than he might know. She had decided to take this leap with him. She didn’t want anything to get in the way of her resolve.
“Don’t be sorry. This was just a practice run for the main event.”
“Can you wait a few minutes? I want to talk to you about your recovery. I can’t let you leave here feeling dizzy or in pain.”
“My head is the least of my worries at the moment.”
“Kace, seriously?”
“I told you I was acting like a teenager. Go see who it is. I’ll wait in the office.” He kissed her and ambled off.
She rearranged her tunic and smoothed her hair before entering the waiting area to find Calista standing by the counter. Her dark hair flowed down her back. She wore a white cropped top with a cardigan and printed wide-leg yoga pants. Several mala bead bracelets ran up her wrist. Her engagement ring sparkled in the overhead lighting.
“Tara, I was wondering if you were here. Did I interrupt a massage?”
She hoped her face wasn’t red enough for Calista to notice. “Um, no. I was in the back. What can I help you with?”
“I came by to get those lotions for the fundraiser. I was on the property and figured I could put them in Gage’s truck. I’m taking it for the day. We’re down to one vehicle until I finally buy something. My old clunker gave out recently.”
“I have an old car too. I understand. I have two boxes in the storage area ready for you. I can help you load them. Hang on.” She hurried down the hall. Kace met her halfway, holding one of the boxes.
“Here,” he whispered near her ear.
“I’m going to walk up to the main building with her. Can you sneak out the back now so she doesn’t see you?” She should shove the boxes at Calista and run with Kace up to his cabin, but this was her chance to talk with Calista and make a good impression.
“Are you keeping me a secret, Ms. Haden?”
His warm breath on her skin would drive her mad.
She pushed him away. “Just for now. Please, Kace. I don’t want her to tell Gage we were getting busy in the spa. She’ll be able to see it all over my face.”
“Getting busy? Huh. Is that the same as getting jiggy with it?” He swung his hips from side to side.
“Oh, you did not.”
He barked out a laugh. She slapped a hand over his mouth. He grabbed it and pulled her close. The box slipped to the side, but he caught it. “I’ll stay quiet until dinner. After that, my family can think what they want. I won’t deny how I feel about you, and that includes the horny part.”
She shook her head and hurried back to Calista before she came looking for the lotions herself. “I have one more box in the back. If you want to take this one, I’ll grab it.”
“Are you sure you weren’t in the middle of a massage? I thought I heard someone laughing.”
“I had the satellite radio on too loudly. Let me grab that last box.”
Kace was going to pay for this, and she could think of a few tantalizing ways too. She returned to the hall, but he was gone. The rooms were empty. He must have slipped out the back door. He had honored her request, allowing her to keep her dignity in front of Calista. Her heart swelled. She had a penchant for Kace—maybe too much of one.
“Okay, I’m ready,” she said as she returned with the last box.
“Great. Thanks for helping out with the fundraiser. I think it’s going to be a great event. We will be able to help so many people who are suffering from mental health problems. This fundraiser will give support to education and resources like therapy.”
“I appreciate being included. I really hope everyone likes the lotions.” She held the door for Calista. The morning sun tipped over the top of the mountains in the distance and spilled rays of gold on the ranch. The air was cool and crisp like a Gala apple from the fridge. The gravel crunched under their feet as they made their way to the main building.
“Did you ask Jett if you could sell your lotions in the spa?” Calista waved to someone working on the landscaping.
“He wanted to wait since the spa is new. He wanted a high-end line of products people would be familiar with first. I understand.” Besides, she had her online store that grew every week.
“I don’t. Those Ryker men are so damn stubborn sometimes. They always want things their way. What Jett needs is a woman to soften him up. I can have Gage talk to him if you want.”
“That’s not necessary. He’s allowing me to use the kitchen when I want to mix up product. That’s good enough for now. I have the online store. Once I’m really settled here, I’ll start finding other ways to spread the word.” She couldn’t have Calista fighting her battles even if this was a family who spoke their minds to each other. She stole a glance at Calista’s engagement ring. She was a lucky woman to have found her way into this family.
She could talk to Jett again about using the lotions in the spa. She hadn’t wanted to cause friction when she first approached him that morning in the kitchen. She had been grateful for a chance to start over, but now she was making her way.
“I’d like to order some lotions for the B and B. I can put them in the rooms and sell them if they want more. Our occupancy is more seasonal than the ranch, but it’s something.”
“That’s really nice of you. Thank you.”
“Us girls have to stick together. Gage’s truck is right there.” Calista stopped at a black truck covered in a thin layer of dust. She placed the box on the ground and dropped the tailgate. “Can I ask you a question?”
“Sure.” She slid the box onto the truck bed.
“Are you and Kace seeing each other? Gage mentioned you two were in the hunting cabin overnight.”
“Oh. Um…well…a storm had come up.” She couldn’t say Kace hadn’t been feeling well and couldn’t make the hike back. He didn’t want his family to know that, and she would respect it even if she disagreed.
“Kace has never brought a woman there before. You must be special to him.”
He was special to her. He had said he wanted his family to know about the two of them starting whatever it was they had begun. Could she share this with Calista? She had never had a lot of friends and didn’t always know who to trust. Keeping to herself had been easier than bringing anyone home and having to explain her parents’ behavior.
“He wants to tell everyone tonight at dinner. Could you keep it a secret until then? I still have to tell Royce too.”
Calista offered a small chuckle. “I won’t say anything. I was kind of hoping because it would be nice to have another female around. I love Izzi, and Karen is fantastic, but a confidante would be awesome. You know, someone to have girl talk with about our men. Only another woman involved with these men can understand what it’s like.” Calista placed her box beside Tara’s and shut the gate.
“I’m a little overwhelmed and enjoying myself at the same time.”
“That about sums up being involved with a Ryker.”
She wanted to ask if Gage shut his emotions down too, and did that scare her? Could a man turn off that part of him and still know how to turn it back on? Drew couldn’t. He had shut down all the good things about him and replaced them with anger and hurt. Would Kace turn out that way too if he didn’t take care of his illness or was hurt further? But the words stuck in her throat. She and Calista weren’t friends yet.
“When are you getting married?” That was an easier conversation to have.
Calista’s face beamed. “Good question. We can’t decide. Gage wants to sneak away right now. He thinks we’re too old and have been through too much to make a big deal about it. He hates the fuss too. I think our families should be there. They would all be hurt if they weren’t, especially my dad. Maybe Christmas. Maybe right after the new year. I don’t want to wait much longer. I’ve waited long enough to be Mrs. Gage Ryker. Though it’s going to be Calista Hartman-Ryker.” She winked.
The front door of the main building burst open. Four men pushed and shoved their way out and down the steps. They yelled at each other without regard for the people who had stopped and stared. It took her a second to realize it was Kace and his brothers with their chests puffed up and a tightness on all their faces. She should have guessed who it was by their similar builds, dark hair, and tan skin.
“What’s going on?” she said.
“Trouble.” Calista shook her head.
“Should we do something?”
“Not now. They have to work out whatever it is between them. It’s how they communicate with each other. Kace will tell you when he’s ready. Then tell him what you think. Be honest and don’t hold back. No matter what they say, they want the truth.”
“Are you sure?”
“They’re stubborn, not stupid.”
“Some of the guests are watching.”
“Jett will realize. He’ll walk away first.”
As if on cue, Jett threw his hands in the air. “This conversation is over, Kace.” He marched back inside.
Lock shoved Kace, and Kace shoved him back. Gage stepped in the middle. Lock pointed at Kace without saying another word and followed Jett inside.
Kace tried to walk away, but Gage grabbed his arm. He said something to Kace, but she couldn’t hear what they talked about. The set features of Kace’s face said he wasn’t changing his mind.
“I don’t feel right watching. It’s like I’m eavesdropping on a private conversation.”
“They shouldn’t have these conversations outside in public if they don’t want anyone watching. Maybe it’s time to interrupt. The four of them can be a bit much at times, but they are the best people I know.”
Kace stomped off in the opposite direction without so much as a look their way. She wanted to run after him and help, but her feet didn’t move. He was having a family problem, and she wasn’t a part of that. Calista stood beside Gage and waved for her to follow.
“What was all that about?” Calista said as she reached the two of them.
He bent down and kissed Calista quickly on the lips. “Hey, Tara. Ranch stuff. I would like to stand around and talk, but I have to get to work. I’m interviewing Phyllis’s replacement. I’ll see you tonight at dinner. Take care of my truck.” He kissed Calista again, and she glowed, staring up at him.
Something green and a little prickly sat in her throat as this scene of two people in love unfolded. She had never felt that way about Drew and was pretty certain Drew never looked at her the way Gage soaked in Calista.
Gage turned to her. “I hear you’ll be there tonight too.”
“Looks that way.”
“Well, I’m pretty sure tempers will be flaring. If you still like us all after tonight, I’d say Kace found himself a keeper.”
“Gage, you’re scaring her.” Calista elbowed him in the ribs.
“Sorry, Tara, but you might as well know what you’re in for if you’re going to get involved with my brother. He’s a package deal.” He headed off to the far end of the parking lot, slid into the police car, and drove away.
She had no idea what she was getting into, but this was a family she wanted to be a part of. She only hoped taking a chance wouldn’t mean destroying her heart.