Chapter 12
Abby dreamt of Brady all night and she woke frustrated with unfulfilled need. She hadn’t expected it to be so difficult being in the same house with him.
He had placed her clean clothing on the chair again, and she dressed as quickly as she was able to with her injury. Her knee did feel better today, and she figured she could get around pretty well without the walking stick.
When she opened the door, the smell of bacon, buttered toast, and coffee met her nose. She limped to the kitchen, smiling, but instead of Brady she found Caesar at the stove.
“Hi, Caesar.” Abby approached him with a smile. “I adore the smells of breakfast.”
“Buenos días.” He finished flipping the bacon and turned his dark eyes on her. “I want to apologize for my daughter. She shouldn’t have come in here and bothered you yesterday.”
“You don’t need to apologize,” Abby said quietly. “The day before Irene’s B B burned down, I had wine with her and Irene. Elena didn’t know about me being acquainted with Brady, and I didn’t know who she was until late in the conversation. She told her story to Irene, and I do feel some sympathy for her. Not with what she did to Brady, but what she went through with the man she left him for. Abuse can never be excused or tolerated, and I’m sorry she went through that.”
Caesar frowned. “I heard nothing about another man or abuse.”
“Maybe she hasn’t had the chance to tell you, or maybe she’s too embarrassed.” Abby shrugged, wondering if Elena had lied to Irene. But Abby didn’t think so. She’d bared her soul and Abby had just happened to be there. “I’m sorry if I said something I shouldn’t have.”
He shook his head and looked like he was mulling over what she’d said, and Abby decided to change the subject.
She poured herself a mug of coffee and added sugar and half-and-half from the fridge. “Is Brady out in the barn?”
Caesar gave a nod. “When he’s back I’ll fry up some eggs.”
Abby held her mug and took a sip of life-giving coffee. She leaned up against the counter to take weight off her knee. “Is there anything I can do to help?”
He gave a little shake of his head and looked up from his work. He gave a slight smile. “I wanted to apologize for my daughter, so I thought the best way was through your stomach.”
Abby laughed. “Not necessary, but I can’t deny my stomach is growling.”
The back door opened and Brady stepped through. Abby’s belly fluttered at the sight of the sexiest cowboy she’d ever met—and she’d grown up with some damned fine-looking ones. Brady made the craziest things go on inside her.
Caesar looked over his shoulder at Brady. “How many eggs and how do you want them fried?”
“Three, over-easy.” Brady turned his smile on Abby. “’Morning, sunshine.”
“Good morning.” Abby returned his smile. When Caesar asked, she told him she wanted two eggs over medium.
“Get off that knee.” Brady gestured to the nook table. “I’m going to have to take you around in a wheelchair when we go shopping.”
“I’ll take it easy when I can, but I’ll be fine.” Abby took his advice and sat down, coffee in hand. “It’s much better today, just a little tender.”
“I’m glad to hear that.” Brady got out plates, silverware, and a coffee mug for himself since Caesar and Abby already each had one.
“Ready for adventure day?” Brady asked Abby when he had his own mug filled.
“I’m dying without a cell phone or laptop,” Abby said. “And then there’s a wardrobe. A girl has got to have more than one change of clothes.”
Brady smiled. “We’ll get you all taken care of.” He inclined his head toward his foreman. “Caesar is going to cover the ranch today and tomorrow, so we can take our time in Phoenix and Scottsdale. I figure we can stay at the Scottsdale Princess Resort for the night and I’ll take you out for a nice dinner, if you’re good with that. I have a friend from high school who runs the resort. We’ll get two rooms, of course.”
Abby’s face had immediately flushed at the thought of staying in a hotel room with Brady, but the heat faded once he mentioned a second room.
Soon, Caesar served up breakfast and joined them in the nook. Abby enjoyed the conversation with the two men and the sense of belonging she felt, as if she’d done this a hundred times and would a hundred more.
Her heart seemed to skip a beat. Was she ready for something greater than flirting and dating? She gripped her coffee mug and decided she would dive in and find out.
While Abby selected a laptop at the electronics superstore in Phoenix, Brady looked over the selection of drones for the ranch. Once he established his herd, it would be a sight better to track down errant cattle from the sky than searching them out on horseback.
As far as for the neighbors’ cattle taking down his fences, that should be coming to an end when he had the new fencing installed. But between now and then, the drone would come in handy, and long after that.
“I found what I want.” Abby came up beside him carrying a large package as he examined another drone. “It was easy. I got the same thing as I had before. No learning curve.”
“Glad to hear you found something you can rely on.” Brady looked at her leg before meeting her eyes. “How’s that knee?”
She shrugged. “A little sore, but glad I graduated from having to use the walking stick.”
“Let me know if you need to stop and rest it, okay?”
She nodded. “Okay.”
Brady turned back to the big display. “I did some research online for the top drones.” He nodded to a black and orange model. “That one has the best ratings for long-range drones—it has a transmission range of over seven miles and forty-minute battery life. A little pricey, but I think it will be worth it.”
Abby cocked her head to the side. “My family started using drones on the ranch last year, but I don’t think it has the same range or battery life. I’d bet they’d like a version meeting those specs.” She opened her new phone and took a picture of the drone package. “I’ll send this to Emma.”
When Brady had completed his purchase, they headed for an outdoor mall in Scottsdale, filled with exclusive shops. He had provided her with enough cash to shop with that morning. He kept a decent amount in his home safe and felt she would feel more independent having cash in hand.
First thing, Abby headed into Victoria’s Secret and ordered Brady to go to the bookstore next door.
“A girl’s gotta have some secrets,” she said with a teasing grin before she disappeared into the store.
Damn, she looked cute when she grinned like that. He’d seen an example of her lingerie, and he hoped to get a look at what new things she bought in the near future.
“A guy’s gotta have hope,” he said to himself as he walked to the bookstore.
Abby showed up fifteen minutes later, carrying a pink striped bag, and found him in the nonfiction section on WWII, an extensive subject he found fascinating.
“No peeking.” She held the bag out of reach and he saw she carried a small black bag, too. “I stopped by the place next to Victoria’s picked up some makeup.”
He didn’t think Abby needed it, but thanks to having three sisters, he knew sometimes women liked something extra.
“What do you think of helping me model new outfits?” She gave her sexy little grin that would make him say yes to anything she asked. “I could use a man’s opinion.”
He shrugged. “Normally I’d rather walk on hot coals, but I wouldn’t mind seeing what you’re getting.”
“Awesome.” She hooked her arm in his. “This way.”
What would normally be sheer torture turned out not to be so bad. Abby wasn’t one to dither and she made up her mind quickly. He enjoyed seeing her in the various outfits she tried on and she seemed to appreciate his opinion, which tended to be on the affirmative since she had great taste and looked good in anything.
The one thing she wouldn’t let him see was the dress she had picked out for their dinner tonight.
“A little mystery never hurt anyone,” she told him.
This was one mystery he was dying to solve.
When they finished clothes shopping, they loaded everything into the back seat of his king cab and headed for the freeway.
He frowned as he noticed a yellow overcast to the sky. He looked to the east—and saw the wall of a dust storm rolling in and fast.
“Damn.” Brady punched the gas. “We need to get to the Princess. There’s a massive dust storm to the east.”
“That is so freaking huge.” Abby sounded awed. “Don’t they call those haboobs?”
“I’d roll my eyes but you couldn’t see to get the full effect.” He flashed her a grin. “Arizona natives call them what they are—dust storms. Haboob is a Middle Eastern term.”
Abby watched the horizon. “It looks like it’s getting even bigger.”
“I really don’t want us to be in the middle of that.” Brady guided the truck through traffic on the freeway. “Trick is to get us where we need to be without going too much over the speed limit.”
She kept her eyes on the storm. “I hear they’re fierce when they hit.”
“Some more than others.” Brady saw the sign for their exit and spared a glance for the storm. Yep, it was going to be bad when it hit.
When they arrived at the resort, the wind whipped the awning and caused Abby’s red hair to fly around her face. The bellman helped grab their bags and they ducked into the resort’s lobby while the attendant parked the truck.
Not five minutes later, the dust storm slammed into the resort.
The sky instantly darkened, nothing but dirt and sand pounding the sky-high glass entryway. The chandeliers swayed, the panes rattled, and the sound of wind whistled through the building.
“Haven’t seen one this big in years,” a man said to a woman nearby. “This will dump a hell of a lot of sand into the pool.”
“And everywhere else,” the woman replied.
Abby stared at the roiling wall of dust. “This is something else.”
Gradually, the dust storm ebbed and then was gone, but heavy rain followed it, washing dust from the sky. Vehicles were parked beneath the awning where patrons, who hadn’t made it inside in time, had stayed until the storm passed.
Now the rain pounded down on the building and rolled off the awning in torrents.
Brady inclined his head toward the registration desk. “Let’s get our rooms.”
After they’d registered, Brady handed Abby her room key and they took the elevator to their floor. He helped her take her bags into her room, then went into his own.
He walked through the entrance to the floor-to-ceiling windows, and stepped onto the balcony, where he watched the torrent of rain pouring from the sky. It was one hell of a monsoon storm.
His throat grew dry at the thought of Abby being in the room next door.
Tonight, they would enjoy dinner and drinks. How could he handle a wall between them when he wanted her so damned much?
Brady took a deep breath then blew it out slowly. No matter how much he wanted to be with Abby, he didn’t want to push things too far too fast with her, and he was afraid he’d lose control and do just that.
The woman already meant more to him than he’d ever dreamed of. Just days ago he’d said he wasn’t interested in a relationship, and now he was looking for a permanent one with a gorgeous, leggy, green-eyed redhead who was intelligent, interesting, funny, mature, and from what he could tell, zero drama.
Well, hell. This was the last place he expected to be right now, but he couldn’t be gladder of it.
Rain lashed the windows as the storm picked up steam, but Abby felt secure and sheltered in her room.
The little black dress she now wore had a plunging neckline, reached mid-thigh, and hugged every curve, snugger than Abby remembered when she’d tried it on. But she had to admit she looked great in it. A thick gold zipper ran down the back of the dress, like the line on a pair of sexy nylons.
She stood in front of the bathroom mirror and turned to look at her ass. Not too bad. She hadn’t let Brady see this outfit, wanting to surprise him, since he’d never seen her in anything but jeans and shorts.
Yeah, she had a feeling he would appreciate seeing her dressed up for him. Beneath it she wore a push-up red bra trimmed with black lace with matching panties, probably the sexiest lingerie she’d ever owned.
Would Brady be seeing it tonight? Abby mentally shook her head. She’d just have to make that judgment call when the time came.
She wore her hair up in a chic knot—who said country girls couldn’t look elegant? After she finished her hair, she applied eyeliner, mascara, and a fiery red lipstick, then heard a knock at the door.
Abby smoothed down the dress, took a deep breath, and walked to the door in the comfortable flats she’d purchased to complete the outfit. She would have loved to wear something sexy for Brady, but it wasn’t practical with her injured knee. She might even have gone for three-inch heels, what a friend of hers called “ceiling shoes.” The thought made her grin, but she composed her face when she opened the door.
“Damn, Abby.” Brady let out a low whistle as he slowly let his gaze travel over her from head to toe and back. “You take sexy to a whole new level.”
A shiver ran along her spine at his lingering perusal. The man himself took her breath away. He wore a cream-colored Stetson with a cream western shirt that went well with his dark hair and coffee-colored eyes, along with deep blue Wrangler jeans, a silver and gold-plated western buckle, and polished mahogany-brown boots.
“I can say the same for you,” she murmured. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a sexier cowboy than you.”
Brady flashed her a grin. “Apparently, we’re star material tonight.”
“I like that.” She inclined her head toward her room. “I’ll grab my purse and we can rock the night.”
Brady held the door open as she scooped her purse off the bed and returned. He let the door fall shut behind them and he took her hand in his and smiled at her.
Abby returned his smile before he rested his fingers at the base of her spine as they headed down to Bourbon Steak, the hotel’s exclusive triple A, four-star dining establishment. Her knee ached a bit after their long day, but it wasn’t too bad.
The host showed them to a cozy table and the low and intimate lighting gave the place ambiance. Brady pulled out her seat then scooted her in before taking the seat to her left. She set her purse on the chair next to her and waited for the server to fill their water glasses.
“It’s beautiful, Brady.” Abby picked up her glass. “Thank you for bringing me here.”
“All day I’ve been looking forward to tonight.” He rested his warm hand over hers and lightly squeezed. “I don’t suppose you like steak?”
She laughed. “We ranchers love our steak.”
Brady selected a fine red wine, and they touched glasses in a clear bell clink of crystal. “To beautiful cowgirls in little black dresses.”
Abby grinned. “To sexy cowboys and their Wrangler butts.”
Brady snorted a laugh before he tipped back his glass and took a healthy sip while Abby took a smaller one.
He ordered the tuna tartare for an appetizer, and he decided on the cowboy ribeye with baked potato and charred snap peas while Abby chose the Maine lobster pot pie.
After the server retreated with their order, Brady met her gaze. “I’m glad you’re here with me, Abby.”
“I am as well.” She gave him a soft smile. “If I’m not mistaken, we have developed a relationship that both of us would like to explore further.”
His smile was so damn sexy she sighed. “I have every intention of sweeping you off your feet.”
She laughed. “Good start, cowboy.” She tilted her head to the side. “I have an important question, before we go any farther.”
He gave a nod that told her to continue.
“Elena has walked back into your life out of the blue.” She paused. “Is there any chance that you would consider taking her back?”
Brady gave a slow shake of his head. “She’s a past mistake that I won’t make twice. We grew up together and were friends once, so maybe we will be again, but with you at my side. I have no interest in her beyond friendship, if that was to ever happen. I am good friends with her parents, and our families are intertwined, so that would be a decent scenario. But that’s the only place it could go.”
“I am truly fine with that,” Abby said. “She’s made some big mistakes, but that doesn’t make her a bad person.”
“You are amazing, Abby.” Brady held her gaze. “Not every woman would be willing to accept that as a possibility. I promise you that she won’t be in our lives other than her being an old friend.”
Abby looked at him thoughtfully. “Not every man would be willing to forgive what she’s done enough to make peace. I admire that.”
He raised his glass and grinned. “To our mutual admiration society.”
Abby laughed and clinked her glass with his. “To us.” She sipped her wine and placed it back on the table as their appetizer arrived.
Brady speared a bit of tuna tartare. “Tell me about your family. You’ve met mine, and I’d like to know more about yours.”
Abby swallowed the bite she’d just chewed and took a sip of wine. “We have had our little spats, especially between us sisters—I don’t think you can get away from that when it comes to siblings. But we’re very close.”
“I’ve heard Haylee say something similar about sisters,” he said. “Things are different when it comes to brothers.”
Abby stabbed at her tuna. “My dad’s been under the weather with a virus and just can’t seem to get past it.” She smiled at Brady. “I’d love for you to meet him when he gets better. I know he’ll like you.”
Brady gave a firm nod. “One day I will.”
She ate a bite then swallowed before continuing. “Our mom passed away when the youngest was two and I was a teenager, so I partially raised my brothers and sisters. Daddy worked hard on the ranch, and he needed me to be there for the kids. I can’t say it was easy, but they grew up to be fine young ladies and men, as my dad says.”
“Does your dad run the fencing business?” Brady asked.
“Yes.” Abby nodded. “He has good people in key places, employees that have been with us for years, mostly family members. He still gets in on running the ranch, too. My dad is amazing.” She shook her head. “Like I said, he’s been ill for a bit, but he insists he’s fit as a fiddle.”
She went on, “My sister, Emma, makes sure the front office runs smoothly. She’s only twenty, but she’s been helping out since her early teens. She really knows what she’s doing. One day Daddy will probably show her how to manage the business, but he thinks she’s too young for that now. As of this date, I’m the only one qualified to take over the business.”
“Family is as important to you as mine is to me.” Brady held his wine glass. “I love that about you.”
She smiled. “I feel the same way about you.”
Their entrees were served not long after. Brady commented on how good the cowboy ribeye was and Abby absolutely loved the lobster pot pie.
He looked up from his steak. “So where would you like to travel most?”
“Ireland,” she said without hesitation. “Most of my ancestors come from there. I’d love to visit Scotland and England, too.”
Brady smiled. “Scotland has been on my bucket list—that’s where most of my ancestors came from. McLeod is the Anglicized form of the Scottish Gaelic MacLeòid from what we’d discovered in genealogy records. I love the idea of visiting Ireland and England as well. I’ve always wanted to go to London.”
“Oh, yes.” Abby nodded her agreement. “I’m dying for a real English tea, and I hear the Savoy has the best.”
They discovered more places they were interested in visiting. Brady seemed as interested in traveling as she did.
For dessert they shared a piece of hummingbird cake and lingered over the excellent wine pairing.
When Abby finished her wine, Brady took her hand and held her gaze. “I haven’t ever enjoyed an evening as much as I’ve enjoyed ours.”
She linked her fingers with his. “I’m not ready for this night to end. There’s a bottle of wine in my room—why don’t we enjoy it together?”