Chapter 4
It was lunchtime before Trace stepped into The Broken Bridle the next day and sauntered to his regular booth.
Kip occasionally tried to seat him at other tables, but he always headed to the fourth booth on the opposite wall from the door.
Everyone in Wilder knew that booth was his.
It let him keep an eye on the door and every booth and table in the restaurant.
The stranger was in the saloon again this morning.
The man’s eyes were black as coal and just as flat.
More important, they followed Kip every step she took.
Trace had a bad feeling about the man, but Boone hadn’t gotten back to him yet.
Not that it mattered. If Kip had a bad feeling, that was reason enough to check him out.
Almost all the tables were in use, which wasn’t unusual.
Hank ran a good saloon with good food. During the day, a steady stream of traffic frequented the saloon because the food was good, and the prices were fair.
It had more of a diner than a saloon feel until around seven in the evening when the kitchen closed and the drinks flowed.
There hadn’t been time to even take off his coat when a cup of black coffee, a bowl of streaming hot chili, and a giant cinnamon roll clattered to the table. Kip stood there, her eyes daring him to tell her that wasn’t what he wanted. “Ah, darlin’. You know me well.”
Her lips twitched. “It’s not like you haven’t eaten the daily special every day for the past six months. I thought I might go out on a limb and bring it out.”
“Foxy, you are such a good girl. It smells delicious as always,” he said with a wink. Rosy, gorgeous color rose to her cheeks. Did she know he used to only stop by the saloon occasionally before she started working there? Probably not.
Someone had a praise kink. Interesting. He’d keep that need well met once she was his.
While he had her attention, he got to the real reason he’d stopped by.
Well, other than his desire to spend every moment he could with her.
“Kenzie organized a small party for tonight out at the ranch, just family and close friends. It’s been a year now since Joy and Tildi joined our ranch family, and Kenzie’s always looking for a reason to get people together. I’d love for you to join us, too.”
Interest sparked her eyes for a second, quickly replaced by sorrow. She shook her head, tussling the waves of scarlet hair so it looked like flames dancing. “I’m not part of your family.”
“No,” he answered without hesitation. “But you’re a close friend, though not as close as I’d like you to be.”
Her eyes widened enough to show him the longing there. Enough to see it die. “I, ah…have to have to check on my other customers. Sorry, I wish I could. Please give everyone my best.”
“Uh-uh-uh, little fox. Naughty girls who tell lies get their mouths washed out with soap.”
Her mouth dropped open. “How did you… I wasn’t ly—”
“Now, I’m gonna stop you right there before you get in even more trouble because I happen to have an extra toothbrush in my truck, and I know there’s liquid soap in the bathrooms just perfect for washing out a naughty little girl’s mouth.
I also know where Hank keeps the schedule posted in the kitchen.
I couldn’t help but notice yesterday that you get off work at one o’clock this afternoon. ”
Her lips twitched. “Couldn’t help but notice, huh?”
“Nope. I’m observant that way. That gives us time to stop by your place so you can change clothes and be at the ranch in time for you to take a nap before the fun starts.”
“A nap? I don’t take naps.”
“You do today. The party might go late, and you’ve been here since five o’clock this morning. That means you’ve probably been up since four thirty. And that means you are taking a nap when we get to the ranch.”
She stared at him like he had ten heads, and none of them were talking sense. But dark circles rimmed the bottoms of her eyes, and she’d yawned three times in the few minutes since he’d arrived.
“I’ll bet you got up about the same time. Are you taking a nap when we get to the ranch, too?”
It was cute she thought that she had him dead to rights. “Is that an invitation?” Her blush returned in full force.
“Tomorrow, I work from two to closing. I’ll need to get to bed early so I can do my errands before work.” She said that, but her gaze dropped to the tabletop, brushing away imaginary crumbs.
“You sure that’s your plan?”
She nodded. “Absolutely.”
She said the word with conviction. What she did not do was look at him. He’d learned soon after meeting her that she had a tell. When she was being less than honest, she dropped her gaze. “So, when I come check on you later, I’ll find you asleep?”
She hesitated but slowly nodded. Once again, without looking up.
If she were his, she’d learn that even white lies would get her a hot bottom.
Ah, damn it. The thought of being her Daddy in times like this, having her over his knee with that luscious ass wiggling to avoid his hand smacking her bottom, hardened his cock.
Thankfully, she couldn’t see under the table.
“Seems a lesson on always telling the truth is in order. We’ll take care of that soon enough.”
Kip's gaze shot to him. “A lesson? Wh-what do you mean, a lesson?”
Trace noticed her darkening eyes and quickening breaths. Nice. “I mean the kind delivered across my knee, naughty girl. That is, if you agree to that kind of relationship. Do you understand?”
Again, a slow nod. But this time she held his gaze. As much as he loved having her eyes, this time he needed more. “Words, Foxy. I need to hear you say it. Do you understand?”
“Yes, Trace. I understand. And it’s not that I wouldn’t enjoy being with you...that way. But I’ve already told you I’m leaving town soon. There isn’t really a point in starting something for such a short time.”
“You let me worry about that, sweetheart. Once your shift is over, we'll run by your apartment, then head out to the ranch. When the party’s over, I'll bring you back home, if that’s what you want.”
“I have a car, Trace. I can drive myself.”
Yeah, that wasn't going to happen. “You are so tired you can barely walk, much less drive. We’ll do it my way.”
She scowled, eyes narrow and lips pursed. Adorable. “Has anyone ever told you you’re bossy?”
He feigned surprise. “What? Me? Never. I’m protective, that’s all.”
She huffed a laugh. “Only if protective is spelled B-O-S-S-Y.”
Then it was his turn to laugh.
An hour later, they headed to Kip’s apartment.
Trace had ridden by it before. Many times.
He’d seen worse, but not much. At least it was brick and not siding, but the large window facing the side street had to go.
The sidewalk ran directly beside her only window.
Anyone walking by could see inside. One heavy rock would be all it took to break in.
That meant she had to choose between living in a dark apartment and leaving her curtains open. And she’d better not be leaving her curtains open. The bottom line was, if someone was after her, the ranch was the safest place for her to be. He needed to make that happen.
The apartment building's door had a keypad. He didn’t know the code, but it was some combination of two, six, seven, and nine because those were the buttons with the numbers almost worn off.
He’d find out who owned the complex, making sure they understood the danger they were putting their tenants in, and what would happen if the problem wasn’t addressed.
The door to her apartment had the same type of lock, but at least this one was in better shape. Once they were in, she closed the door and started down the hall. When he stepped past her, she re-engaged the lock and then locked the three other locks someone had attached to the door.
“Are you worried about someone breaking in?”
She glanced over her shoulder, then kept walking down the hall that led to the… well, the room that wasn’t her bedroom. “I just like to err on the side of caution. You never know who might be lurking in the hall and not realize they’re at the wrong door.”
“Right,” he drawled. “Does that happen often?”
She turned on the light at the end of the hall. “Not really. Not here, anyway. But it only takes once or twice to make you want to be extra careful.”
His jaw clenched. Once or twice? That was once or twice too many in his opinion. Getting her moved out to the ranch just became his top priority.
After changing, she headed toward the door. “Ready to go?”
He narrowed his eyes. “Where are your coat and gloves?”
Kip rolled her eyes. “I don’t need all that to walk to your truck.”
He’d insisted on buying her snow boots, a heavy coat, and gloves the first time he’d seen her walking to her car after her shift in the cold. She’d tried to talk him out of it, but that was easier said than done.
He’d nixed the conversation by asking, “Do we need to have the rest of this conversation over my knee?”
The butterflies bouncing off the walls of her stomach insisted on self-preservation. Or at least, butt preservation. She didn’t think he’d really do it. But in Wilder… let’s just say she wasn’t willing to risk being wrong.
Turning on her heel, she marched back to her room and grabbed her coat, gloves, and boots.
She would never lose the awe of driving to the Wild River Ranch.
Squinting her eyes did little to shield them from the brilliance of the sunlight bouncing off the pristine snow-covered pastures.
The majestic mountain framing the horizon added to the glare in the most beautiful way ever.
Icicles lined the porte-cochère, dribbling icy drops onto the truck as Trace eased to a stop in front of the lodge.
Kip hopped out of the truck as soon as Trace pulled to a stop, skidding in the slush in her still-too-new boots, her cheeks flushed from the drive and the secret thrill of being here.