6. Tested
SIX
Tested
CARTER
“Carter…” Sage nudged me awake with a hand on my knee. I peeled open one eye. With another smile of my name whispered from her lips, she held out a tumbler of coffee with a lid on it. “Hi, sleepyhead.”
Her hair was still damp from a shower, and sweet perfume wafted around me. Dangerous combination this early. I shifted under the blanket, painfully aware of the morning wood that had zero respect for timing or circumstances.
“What time is it?” I croaked. The windows were still a shade too dark for my taste.
“Almost five. If we hurry and get you to the ranch, you just might make it in time to grab some of Eldon’s biscuits and gravy. He makes the best around.”
“Right. Wouldn’t miss it.” Fuck.
I couldn’t remember the last time I’d been awake at sunrise. Hell, most of the time, I’d be coming home from a party at this hour. I stretched, bones creaking. But what do I do about this raging hard on?
“I’d offer to make you breakfast, but I need to get to the hospital and be there for Daisy,” she added.
I shifted upright, blanket gathered at my lap, and took her coffee offering.
“Thanks. This is fine.” I sipped. Damn. Wonderful coffee. Flavor unexpected, strong and black, nothing added, nothing fussy, just a good cup o’ Joe.
She fussed around tidying up, and I finally calmed down enough and got my ass off the couch. After a quick shower myself, we headed out.
We talked in her car of nothing much, mostly pleasantries.
I took in the lay of the land as we drove past it, from the prairies to the peaks as the sun rose over the snow-capped ridges.
The scenery was almost as gorgeous as that one time after college when I stayed in a little Swiss village with a woman whose name I’d since forgotten.
“Where did you work before arriving here?” Sage asked.
I took my time answering, trying to recall last night’s conversation.
Somehow I had to devise a way to remember the details of every lie.
If only Chris and I had worked out more of a backstory for Carter James, the mysterious new cowboy in town.
But everything happened so fast since I set foot here.
It’d be best if I kept as close to the truth as possible so I didn’t trip up.
The Lachese boots were my father’s? Not quite, but half-brother Chris was close enough.
My mother and her interest in plants and herbs?
Yes, that was actually true, although she dabbled in it in her sunny conservatory of the exclusive Magnus mansion in Nashville, complete with a professional gardener on her staff who created art with greenery and flowers.
His work rivaled that of the Palais de Versailles in France, only so she could host elaborate outdoor luncheons for her society ladies.
“Carter? Did you hear me?” Sage broke into my thoughts.
“I’ve taken odd jobs on farms and ranches since I got out of the military. I heard about the Off-Duty Ranch and what they do for horses, and got lucky that they hired me.”
“It’s a special place. I hope you like working here.”
I glanced at her profile again—those freckles, the way the morning light caught the dark auburn tendrils—and felt an unwelcome twist in my chest. She made this whole ridiculous situation feel almost… possible.
Careful, Carter. You’re here for thirty days, not forever.
“You seem familiar with it.”
“Chris, the owner, he bought most of our family property to start the ranch. He really helped us out in a pinch, even leaving us the twenty acres and apple orchard around our family home so that we could continue living there. So yes, a special place.”
I was almost jealous of Chris for being the one to keep Sage and her family safe. He’d done so much with his inheritance. What would I do with mine—assuming I earned it? I had no plans other than to continue my former lifestyle, such as it was. Did that make me sound like an entitled asshole?
How right Dad was about me, and I despised that. My entire life had been one of complete entitlement.
When she pulled to a stop in front of the bunkhouse, we sat there, neither of us quite moving. For me, it was the unknown of what to expect when I stepped foot on this ranch. Or maybe it was the question of whether I’d see her again.
I glanced at her profile, taking her all in, just in case.
She adjusted a purple jacket tighter around her neck.
The color highlighted the blue-green of her eyes, and rosy cheeks, framed by reddish-brown hair falling in waves around her shoulders.
A light scattering of freckles lay across her nose.
So pretty, and not what I needed to chase right now. Damn shame.
“So… I’ll see you around?” I managed.
She cocked her head slightly, considering that. “You’ll see me when you come to pay me back for those clothes you’re wearing.”
I huffed out a quiet laugh. “Right. Strictly a financial arrangement.”
“Maybe not so strictly,” she echoed, a glimmer in her eyes and a fluttering of her lashes behind it.
“Oh here. Your dad’s coat.” I moved to take it off. “I didn’t think to bring anything like this. Should have added a new jacket at the shop last night.”
It was heavier than anything I owned back in my real life—thick canvas outside, well-worn wool interior. It smelled faintly of wood smoke and slightly of lavender. Of her.
“It’s going to get colder day by day. You’ll want to keep that at least until you get something better.”
I knew what this garment meant to her. “I’ll take good care of it and return it as soon as I can.”
“You better,” she shot back, but there was a hint of a smile tugging at her lips.
“And thanks. For last night.”
She raised her eyebrows in warning. “Try not to get yourself stranded in your underwear again.”
I chuckled. “No promises. And if I do, I hope you’ll rescue me.”
She rolled her eyes, but I caught the way her lips curved.
I stepped out and closed the door with a soft thud before she pulled away. Her car disappeared down the road, leaving me alone with the hard reality of what I’d signed up for.
I swallowed and turned toward the bunkhouse.
A group of men stood just outside, coffee mugs in hand, and apparently watched me leave Sage’s car with open curiosity, snickers, and very little attempt to hide it.
Ash was among them, leaning casually against the exterior wall, though his eyes were sharper than his posture suggested. Chris had introduced us at the dance before I met Sage, which had given me too little time to form an opinion about him.
He introduced me. “Men, this is Carter. Looks like he’s starting work for us today.”
“Well, hell,” one guy said, loud enough for everyone to hear, “first day on the job and you’re already spending the night with a Wylde sister. Have a good time?”
A few chuckles followed from the others.
Something primal snapped tight in my chest. The same protective instinct that had surged when I held Sage while she cried last night flared up again.
“Don’t you say another word about her, not like that,” I warned, voice growly enough that it surprised even me.
The guy lifted his eyebrows, clearly amused. “Relax, man. Just a joke. Everyone knows Sage Wylde doesn’t put out; she’s?—”
I didn’t let him finish.
My hand fisted in the front of his jacket, shoving him back against the siding of the bunkhouse hard enough to rattle it.
“Finish that sentence, and see how funny it is when I slam my fist into your mouth,” I seethed.
“Dammit, Trig, shut the fuck up,” Ash barked, stepping in. “And Carter, back off.” His hand clamped down on my shoulder, pulling me enough to break the contact.
“With me. Now,” he ordered, his tone like an Army sergeant no one wanted to piss off.
My chest rose and fell a little sharper than it should have. What the hell was that? I morphed into some other person, defending a woman I’d known less than twenty-four hours. Suddenly very aware of the weight of the situation, I followed Ash toward a small office attached to the bunkhouse.
He slammed the door shut behind us and crossed his massive arms. His look could level me. “What the hell happened last night? Chris couldn’t find you after the dance. Your fancy car was gone. We figured you took off and negated the deal.”
“I didn’t,” I retorted, shaking my head. “I just needed a minute to process it all.”
“And?” He cocked a brow like an angry parent confronting a teen, waiting for the truth to come out.
“I… I took the car for one more spin and found a place to grab a drink. Things got out of hand.”
He waited still, both brows lifted.
“I ran into some biker guys who gave me trouble,” I admitted. “They took me for everything I had and left me mostly naked on the road. Sage found me and took me in for the night.”
“Who were these guys?”
“Red Amos and his brother. Do you know them?”
His jaw tightened. “Christ. You’ll soon find out there are certain characters around here that you should stay away from. In one day, you found the worst of them.”
“If it weren’t for Sage?—”
“Did you take advantage of her kindness last night?” He stepped forward, hands forming fists. I knew what he meant.
“No. I slept on the couch.”
“Those sisters are like family to me. Do you understand that?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Then stay away from them,” he added bluntly. “Given your short time here and what you need to do, it’s not the time or place to get involved.”
I nodded. “Couldn’t agree more. She was just helping me out. Gave me some clothes. I’ll pay her back when I get paid. When is that, by the way?”
“Fridays.”
I did the math in my head. Today was Sunday. “Six more days,” I groaned. I’d never survived a minute without money in my pocket or a black card to fall back on.
He let out a short laugh. “Welcome to the real world.”
“Thrilled to be here, sir.” I tried not to roll my eyes. Why did this feel like book camp all over again?
“Have you eaten yet?”
“Only coffee.”