Chapter 10
He tried to keep his mind on the trail ahead, but his gaze kept drifting to her. Partially to assure she was able to handle the horse. But that wasn’t the only reason.
He couldn’t take his eyes off her if he wanted to. And he didn’t want to. She’d fit nicely in his hands when he’d hoisted her up, and for a moment he’d thought about turning her around so he could kiss her. But he knew that would likely get him smacked.
She’d been clear she didn’t have time for romance. And he’d made it equally clear he’d wait until she had time. And he meant to keep that promise… if he could. But running into her like this, being alone with her out in the middle of nowhere, was testing his restraint.
“So we’re riding on what used to be my family’s ranch.” He needed to keep his mind engaged so it didn’t wander into imaginary places he shouldn’t go. “What do you think?”
Before them laid a vast expanse of pastureland. Tall grasses swayed in the ever-present Wyoming breeze. The soil was dry and dusty, but the grasses were dusky green and plentiful. Mountains could be spotted in the far distance, reminding everyone that they were on the outskirts of Rocky Mountain country. He was proud of his family’s roots in the region. But not proud enough to take it on.
“It’s beautiful country. It must have been amazing growing up here.”
“It was.” He pointed to the dirt road ahead. “Up there we’re going to swing right. That’s where the straw bales are waiting to be picked up.” In the opposite direction of the pond. One positive of her arrival was that it had banished the demons dredged up by the visit to the pond. Maybe Hank had a hand in this meetup.
She nodded, her blond hair blowing against her face as she sat back in the saddle.
“You seem comfortable up there,” he said. She held her seat like a seasoned horsewoman.
“I am. Makes me realize how much I’ve put riding on the back burner these last few years.”
Like she was doing to him. Back burners were kept at a simmer, but sometimes they came to an unintentional boil. “Well, whenever you want to ride, just give a holler. Cort runs a lot of horses these days. He doesn’t use ATVs if he can help it. I’m sure we can find a mount for you.”
She turned her head toward him. Sunbeams bounced off her dark glasses as her body moved in time with the horse’s gait. She seemed relaxed for the first time since he’d met her.
“That’s very generous, but be careful—I might take you up on it.”
He smiled. “I hope you do. Be good for you to take some time to do something you enjoy. All work and no play…”
She sighed. “I’m just so nervous about this charity thing. It will make or break our business. There’s a lot on the line. And with Marcia out…” Her voice drifted off.
“From what Lexi told me, you’ve got some great ideas, bail out of jail notwithstanding. And by the way, I’ve pulled some favors, and Stetson and Mel have agreed to participate. I might even get Colby.”
“That’s great.” She settled back into the saddle. “Who’s Colby?”
“Colby Johnson. He’s a rodeo cowboy. Pretty well known in these parts. He’ll be a draw for sure, if he hasn’t got a conflict. Summer is his busiest time on the circuit.”
“That would be fantastic. You three will draw the bidders, but it would be great to have some more.”
She beamed a smile at him that made his insides flip-flop like a fish on a hook. Guess he had it bad.
“Remember, you promised to bid for me.” He was counting on it.
“If no one else does.” She chuckled.
“That wasn’t the deal. The deal was you would bid on me. Regardless.”
“Not how I remember it, but okay, I promise I’ll bid. But I’m not promising the winning bid. Believe it or not, we’re not going to make much on the charity event. Especially since we intend to donate a portion of our fee back to the event. I believe it’s important to support the community and those in need, and it’s good for business too.” She’d even gotten Marcia to sign off on it. A clear signal that her boss’s health issues had scared the woman.
“That’s mighty kind. And smart.” And that was how he’d sum her up. Kind and smart. A winning combination in his book. “Make a right,” he said as another trail intersected.
She reined the horse for the turn. He was enjoying the slow walk of the horses. Gave him more time to be with her.
“I’m surprised none of this”—she waved her arm—“tempted you to take up ranching. Seems to me it’s a great way of life.”
“It was great growing up on a ranch.” Except when tragedy had struck. “But too isolating. And… well, there are a lot of reasons, much as I love this ranch.” He didn’t want to live his life among constant reminders of what had happened. Yet here he was staying in the old homestead, helping out his sister. But just temporarily. Until he could move on with a totally different job.
“And your father respected your decision. Imagine that.” She shook her head in seeming disbelief.
He chuckled. “My dad is the most supportive person you could ever meet. And maybe you will meet him when we get back. He’s a sucker for my mom’s peach cobbler and just about everything else she bakes. Me too, for that matter.”
Golden bales of straw bundled into blocks could be seen in the distance, dotting the landscape like drops of sunshine.
“We’re almost there. Up for a trot?” He wasn’t sure how good a horsewoman she was. And though he was enjoying their slow ride, he wanted to assure she would have time to meet his mom. For a guy who had dubbed himself as not being relationship material, he was jumping the gun a bit. But if he could have a serious relationship, the woman beside him would be the one, and he respected his mother’s intuition. To hear her tell it, she’d been a supporter of Cort’s long before Lexi realized he was the one.
“Love to.”
He nudged his horse, and Misty began her prance. Sheba followed. In no time they were among the scattered bales of straw, the sun glinting off the bundled golden stalks.
He pulled up. She did the same. She was a pretty good horsewoman after all.
“So how do plan to make the maze?” He leaned over the horn toward her.
“We’re thinking we could stack them up three high, like they were bricks, to create alleyways in order to make a maze of sorts. We’ve got a lot of space at that convention center, so why not use it. People would enter the maze, and when they found their way to the end, they’d get ten tickets as a bonus. Tickets they could use for the Chinese auction of goodies we’re collecting.”
“What type of goodies?” He slid off his horse.
She did the same, and they stood facing each other, holding the reins of their respective horses. The breeze played with the strands of her blond hair, swirling it around her face. She lifted her glasses onto her forehead, and her blue eyes paled in the light from the sun, giving her an angelic aura.
He could imagine her on the ranch, riding Sheba, relaxing. He’d like to make her relax even more.
“We have businesses donating auction items. A stay at a vacation cabin. Tickets to the rodeo. A boat rental. A spa massage. Fishing gear. A hunting jacket. Things like that. You buy tickets and then put your tickets in the box in front of the item you want. If your ticket gets pulled, you get the item. You can put in as many tickets as you want. The money from ticket sales is part of the fundraising. So we figured an extra ten tickets at the end of the maze was a good bonus and would add some fun to the night.”
Holding Misty’s reins, he sat down on the nearest bale. He patted the straw, for her to sit next to him. It might be the nearest he’d ever get to her.
She obliged, tugging Sheba to follow her.
Her thigh touched his thigh, and he felt warmth spread through him, steaming every part of his body. Every part.
“You know people are going to be fancied up for this shindig. And hay is dusty, as you saw.”
“So definitely straw then.”
He nodded.
“And your sister will be able to supply enough?”
“Depends on how big the maze is.”
“We have the whole event space, with room dividers for six rooms. The floor is cement, so no problem there, and the space has two overhead doors, so we can unload the bales. We figured that the equivalent of two rooms would be used for the maze and the other four rooms will be opened up to create the area for tables, dance floor, bar, and the stage for the jail. So I’m guessing between one hundred and thirty and one hundred and fifty, considering we are stacking them three bales high.”
He cocked his head. “If you’re going in a straight line, maybe. But you’ll need more if you’re making some dead-end alleys. At least two hundred.”
“Do you think your sister can spare that many?” Her brows furrowed as she brushed strands of hair from her cheek. She had nice cheekbones. Prominent but not harsh.
“If you give them back so she can sell them for barn bedding.”
Her tongue wet her lips. Very kissable lips.
“That shouldn’t be a problem. We might lose a few to a beer spilled here and there, but I doubt it would be many, if at all.”
He braced his free hand on the firm straw. “No big deal then.”
She took a deep breath, raising and lowering her chest in the process as she let out a relaxing sigh. She had a nice body. Very nice. Hard not to notice.
“This maze idea might be a little out there for a gala, but we’re trying to be different.” She twirled a strand of hair around her finger. “You know, to show that we will give you that affair to remember.”
He leaned toward her. She looked him in the eye.
She was so earnest. And caring. And just plain delectable.
She leaned toward him.
He cupped her chin.
She didn’t move.
Not one to miss an opportunity, he brushed his lips across her sweet ones.
Her tongue wet her lips again, and he felt a push in his abdomen.
He held her chin and swirled his lips over hers, tasting, pressing, pushing. Desire pulsed inside him like a demolition jackhammer, breaking his restraint.
***
As his lips ravaged hers, a spark ignited deep in her belly, warming her insides like hot flowing lava and causing beads of perspiration to dot her body under the sizzling sun. She closed her eyes and let the delicious heat swamp her as she wrapped her hands around his neck, reins and all.
His hot hands slid down her shoulders and then pressed against her back, as if marking her, as he moved her closer to his body.
It had been so long, too long, since she felt like this. Felt desired, wanted, needed. Too long since she had desired, wanted, needed someone.
Like an addict getting a drug after abstaining, the rush overwhelmed her senses.
His mouth opened. She thrust her tongue in. He tasted minty and fresh and so good.
She pushed harder against his mouth. He pulled her against him so she could feel the flex of his muscles, the solidness of his body. She was going under and she never wanted to surface.