Chapter 6
Just before 11:00 a.m., Haylee’s truck bounced as she hit the only ruts on the dirt road leading to Tyson’s. For the most part, it was a pretty good road that had been graded.
The smell of the sour cream chicken enchiladas filled the cab, making her hungry. She hoped Tyson enjoyed them.
She rounded a bend, and his home spread out before her. It was a beautiful, long ranch-style house with brilliant fuchsia bougainvillea and hibiscus bushes in front. This part of Arizona didn’t have freezing temps until sometime in the winter, so the red hibiscus blooms were bright and many.
Two Border collies rounded the house, barking. Haylee pulled her truck next to Tyson’s. He followed the dogs, a smile on his handsome face, and her stomach quivered at the sight of him. He was so tall, sexy, and good-looking that she couldn’t help staring at his broad shoulders and muscular physique and the way his jeans molded to his thighs. Damn, there was nothing like a hot cowboy in a Stetson, Wranglers, and boots.
She opened the door, unable to help the broad smile on her face. Tyson was there before she could get out, and he took her hand and helped her down.
The moment she stood before him, he drew her into a tight embrace and kissed her long and hard. She matched his hunger, and her head spun when he pulled away. “Couldn’t wait to kiss you.”
“What a hello.” She gripped his rock-hard biceps to steady herself. “I think I’ll come here more often, just for that.”
He held her gaze, and a shiver trailed her spine. “Any day, hon.”
The way he looked at her took her breath away. She inhaled deeply then let it out slowly. “The enchiladas are on the back floorboard, groceries on the seat.”
Haylee turned to greet the border collies as Tyson closed the driver’s door. She crouched in front of them and put her hand out for each to sniff. “Hello, girls. Which one of you is Zoey, and who is Freya?”
“The gal on your left is Zoey. Freya’s the smaller of the two.” Tyson opened the backdoor of her club cab and retrieved the grocery bag and foil-covered casserole pan as she petted the pair.
“You’re such beautiful girls.” They didn’t have tails, and their butts wiggled in excitement as she spoke to them. “I bet you two are great ranch dogs.”
“They are.” Tyson closed the backdoor. “Come on in.”
“I made the enchiladas last night, so they need to be reheated.” Haylee walked beside him toward the house as the dogs walked beside them. “Funny thing is they taste even better the next day.”
“You mean I have to wait?” He looked down at her. “Dunno if I can.”
Haylee laughed. “You can show me around while they heat up. It takes about thirty minutes.”
Tyson’s hands were full, so Haylee opened his home’s front door and entered his extensive living room. The dogs didn’t come in, instead trotting off toward the barn.
She took in the room and its vaulted ceilings with exposed rough-hewn beams and skylights. Heavy dark-stained oak furniture with tan-colored leather couches occupied much of the room. Southwestern rugs were scattered on the floor, and desert art hung on the walls.
A giant TV and entertainment center were in the far corner, in front of the couches, armchairs, and a recliner. The recliner showed wear, as though it was used frequently, but everything else looked like it could have come straight out of a furniture store.
“This is beautiful.” She closed the door behind him. “I have a feeling you don’t entertain much.”
“You’re my first guest in a long while. I’m not much for regular gatherings.” He gave a nod in the direction of a large archway. “Kitchen’s through there.”
“You might have to get used to gatherings with my family.” She followed him into the spacious kitchen with vaulted ceilings and a series of small high windows above larger ones, which let in a lot of sunlight. The room had leather-textured granite countertops and stainless-steel appliances. “That is if you’d like to join me sometime.”
He set the groceries and casserole pan on a large island and looked at her. “For you, I’d be happy to.”
Warmth filled her, and she smiled. “I have to warn you that we’re talking parents, grandparents, eight children, five spouses, and lots of little ones running around.”
Tyson groaned and looked up at the ceiling. “Like my mama used to say, Heaven help me.” He shook his head then met her gaze. “I appreciate the warning.”
She laughed. “I’ll turn on the oven.” She set it for the right temperature and slid in the pan before starting a timer on her phone, not waiting for the oven to preheat. “I’ll lose track and forget it’s there without a timer.”
He indicated the grocery bag on the counter. “What do you have in here?”
“Salad fixins.” She drew out a bag of pre-made salad, a container of baby tomatoes, an orange bell pepper, and two bottles of dressing. “I cheat so I don’t have to cut up lettuce and shred carrots.”
“We’re of the same mind.” He looked at the dressing. “Blue cheese and ranch—I’ll take the ranch.” He put the bottles and the bag of salad in the fridge. “Do you like to cook?”
Haylee shrugged. “No, I can’t say cooking is one of my favorite things. I do like baking sometimes, though.”
“I guess it’s a good thing I don’t mind eating from a can.” He flashed a grin, then tipped his head toward the kitchen door. “Come on out.”
She joined him as they walked to the barn, and his dogs scampered around them. The low of cattle came from the left, and she saw he had Herefords. There were three corrals, plus one for the horses. Large desert willows, mesquite, ash trees, and palo verdes shaded parts of the property.
“These trees are big, so they’ve been here for a while.” She looked up at him as they walked. “You must have acquired the property from someone else.”
“When I came home from the service, old man Callahan passed away, and his kids put the place up for sale,” Tyson said. “I took out a business loan, bought it, and invested in cattle and horses.”
“Do you have ranch hands?”
He gave a nod. “They’re off on weekends.”
A whinny came from the corral attached to the barn as a horse stepped out of the shadows. “You have a gorgeous bay mare.” She met his gaze again. “I’d like to meet her.”
“That’s Jess.”
They went to the corral, and Haylee climbed on the lower rung of the fence and called to the horse. “Come see me, sweet girl.”
The mare bobbed her head and walked up to Haylee, looking at her with bright, intelligent, inquisitive eyes. Jess’ tail swished as Haylee stroked her forehead to her soft, velvety muzzle. “I’m sorry I don’t have a treat for you. Next time.” The mare’s ears twitched, and she stamped her hind foot.
Tyson chuckled. “She loves her treats. She’ll hold you to it.”
Another horse came out of the barn then trotted to them, and she admired its dappled gray coat with black points. “Your blue roan is gorgeous, too.”
“This is Jasper.” Tyson patted the gelding’s neck when he reached them. “I work the ranch with him—he’s a damn fine horse.” He nodded to the mare. “Jess has spirit to her, but I’m sure you can handle her if you want to go for a ride sometime.”
“I can handle just about anything but busting broncs.” Haylee smiled. “I’ve been on horseback since I could walk. I’d love to ride with you.”
Tyson reached out and brushed hair from her cheek. “You are the most amazing woman.”
Heat rushed from Haylee’s belly to the place where his fingers skimmed her face. She didn’t know what to say except “Thank you.”
He slid his fingers through her hair to her shoulder. “Let’s go to the barn. Your timer’s bound to go off soon.”
She jumped off the rail and landed beside him. “Lead on.”
Zoey and Freya bounded ahead as Tyson shortened his stride for her. She was average height for a woman, but his legs were so long. He had to be a good six-three.
The barn’s weathered exterior was gray, the paint worn away. “One thing I haven’t done is paint the barn since I bought the place,” he said as they walked through the big double doors into the cool recesses. “It’s next on my list.”
“What color?” She stepped onto the hay-strew dirt floor. “Barn-red?”
He shrugged one big shoulder. “Possibly. I’m considering a blue-gray shade, too, with white trim.”
“That would look good if it’s more blue than gray.” She looked around the interior. Haybales were stacked five high on a wood floor to the right. Overhead was a loft, but she couldn’t see what he kept there. Straight ahead was a path between stalls on the left and a room on the right, which turned out to be the tack room.
Ancient, rusted farming and ranching tools that were at least a century old hung from the walls throughout the barn.
Just as she peeked into the tack room, her alarm went off. She pulled her phone out of her pocket and dismissed it on the screen before tucking her cell away again. “Are you ready to eat?”
“I’m hungry enough to eat the whole pan.” He hooked his thumbs in his pockets as they walked back. “You might have to fight me for a piece.”
“That’s a big pan.” She patted his taut belly through his T-shirt. “You might lose these great abs.”
He caught her hand, brought her knuckles to his mouth, and kissed them. She shivered from the brush of his lips against her skin. He linked his fingers with hers and led her back to the house.
The Border collies busied themselves by one of the corrals, enthusiastically sniffing the yellow grass and stones.
“Looks like the girls might be trying to get hold of a lizard,” Tyson said. “They’ve only caught one once that I know of.”
“Go, lizard.” Haylee smiled. She loved the feel of his big hand holding hers. It felt comfortable, like they’d done it a thousand times before.
Once in the kitchen, Tyson grabbed potholders from a drawer by the stove. Heat rolled out of the oven when he opened the door, and the enchiladas sizzled. He set the pan on the stove, and Haylee pulled off the foil. Gooey cheese stuck to part of the covering, and the sauce bubbled.
“It needs to cool about ten minutes.” She retrieved the salad bag out of the fridge. “Where is a cutting board and a knife?”
“I need to contribute somehow.” He got the items out of a drawer and a cabinet. “I’ll cut up the pepper.”
Haylee sat on a swivel stool in front of the island. “What’s your idea of a home-cooked meal?”
He looked at her with amusement. “Are we talking about what I fix for myself or what I’d like?”
She watched as his long fingers wrapped around the knife handle, and he cut the pepper in half. “Tell me first what you make for yourself.”
“For the ranch hands, we have pinto beans, cornbread, fried chicken, and other stuff that’s easy to make.” He shrugged. “For myself, fried Spam sandwiches, boxed mac and cheese, and TV dinners are good enough.”
Haylee stared at him, half-horrified, half-amused. “And I thought I was awful about cooking. I’ll throw together casseroles and real mac and cheese, spaghetti, and other things that don’t require a lot of talent.”
“Sounds like heaven to me.” He finished cutting up the pepper and got a big bowl for the salad. “When Callahan’s kids sold me this place, they left me his well-stocked kitchen or my cabinets would be bare of things like bowls and cooking utensils. Apparently, the old man was quite the cook.”
“Good thing, or we’d be eating out of the salad bag with our fingers.” Haylee smiled. “Where are your plates?”
“I’ll grab those, and you can get the forks.” He pointed to a drawer.
Haylee retrieved them, tore off a couple of paper towels, and folded them for napkins while Tyson got the salad dressings and a pitcher of iced tea. He poured two tall glasses of tea.
They loaded their plates and sat close to each other at his dining table. Haylee wasn’t shy about eating her fill in front of a man. It was silly how some of her friends would only eat salads on dates, and she had told them that. They had just laughed, and Haylee had shaken her head.
During dinner, they talked about people they knew in common and shared things about their friends. Tyson’s best friends were her brothers, Brady and Bear, but he did have a beer at Mickey’s Bar and Grill with a couple of other guys on occasion.
“I have a pretty good circle of friends, but I’m closest with my sisters.” She slid her fork into more of the enchiladas. “We fought a lot when we were young, but no more than normal from what I’ve seen. Once we got out of high school and did some growing up, we became closer as sisters and good friends as well.”
Tyson looked thoughtful. “My brothers stuck together, and I was always on the outside, being several years younger. We never grew beyond that and see each other at my dad’s or around town.” He met Haylee’s gaze. “I’ve never known anything different, so I haven’t felt like I’ve missed anything.”
She cocked her head to the side. “What was it like for you growing up?”
“I hero-worshipped my older brothers, but they chased me off when I tried to hang around those two. Dad spent more time with them, and I always felt like I was living in their shadow.” He shrugged. “I was closer to my mom, but she passed away when I was in my teens.”
Haylee put her hand over his. “I’m sorry. You must miss her terribly.”
“I do.” Tyson turned his hand over and linked his fingers through hers. “I know she would have liked you.”
Haylee squeezed his fingers. “I wish I could have met her.”
He smiled then released her fingers to pick up his fork. “Henry Goldman is fond of you.”
“I’ve known him since I was a kid.” Haylee wrapped her fingers around her glass. “How about you?”
“I’ve provided cattle for Henry’s jerky products.” Tyson stabbed a tomato with his fork. “He’s selling his company, and I’m considering buying it.”
“You’ll become a jerky tycoon.” Haylee laughed. “That could be a great investment.”
He nodded. “I’ve got my lawyers looking into his company’s financials. If I’m happy with what they come back with, I might go forward with the purchase.”
Haylee sipped her tea and set the glass down on the table. “It’s a great product. I love the seasonings on his spicy version. How big is his business—is it nationwide?”
Tyson shook his head. “It’s a regional small-batch company that specializes in providing products for wholesale outlets.”
“Does he have beef suppliers other than you?” she asked.
“Henry’s ranch provides most of the beef,” Tyson said. “As part of the buyout, I would take over his ranch. I’m concerned about stretching myself too thin. I don’t want to bite off more than I can chew.”
“I get that.” Haylee tipped her head to the side. “I have a competitor who offered a good price to take over her business. I decided not to because I have other goals for the future.”
“Your art.” Tyson studied her. “You have the talent needed to be successful at it full-time.”
“Thank you.” She smiled. “It’s been a lifelong dream. After the successful showing at the gallery in Scottsdale, I feel like the ability to focus on painting is closer to being within reach.”
“It’ll happen.” He spoke as if it was as good as done.
“Henry must have named his company after the Lost Dutchman Mine legend,” Haylee said.
Tyson looked amused. “Are you familiar with his slogan, ‘You can’t find gold in the mountains, but you can find it in every bite?’”
“No.” Haylee laughed. “Can you imagine finding the Dutchman’s gold in the Superstition Mountains?”
“A hell of a lot of people have tried since the late 1800s,” Tyson said. “Have you heard the legend of the lost gold in the Huachuca Mountains in southeastern Arizona?”
Haylee shook her head. “How did that one go?”
“In the 1940s, an Army private named Jones was out for a walk with a buddy and fell thirty feet into a manmade chamber. He later returned to the same location, found gold bars in a tunnel, broke off a piece, and sold it to an assayer in Mexico.”
“Interesting,” Haylee said. “What happened after that?”
“According to reports, Jones didn’t return for the gold until years later.” Tyson looked thoughtful as he recalled the story. “When he finally did, he got permission from the Army to dig for the gold and was even provided with some heavy equipment, but they didn’t find the cache. He tried again and again over the years, but no luck. Others have tried to find it, but the most that’s been located with some electronic gear is a shaft and caves filled with silt.”
“Where did the gold come from to begin with?” she asked.
“Some say it was stolen from Mexico, and others believe it was brought here by Spaniards in the 1800s.”
Haylee’s adventurous spirit had her palms itching. “Wouldn’t it be a kick to go looking for the gold?”
The corner of Tyson’s mouth tipped. “Would you like to make a weekend of it? I’ve hiked in the Huachuca Mountains and stayed at a nice little bed-and-breakfast in Ramsey Canyon.”
“Oooh.” Haylee loved spontaneous activities, and this would be something new. “That sounds like a fun way to spend a weekend.”
“Let’s do it.” Tyson drew his phone from his back pocket and looked at his calendar. “I’m free in a couple of weeks. We can go down on Saturday morning and return Sunday evening.” He gave her the date and met her gaze. “Say the word, and I’ll make a reservation at the B B.”
“Hold on.” Haylee consulted her phone. “Yep. That date works for me.”
“I’ll reserve two rooms.” Tyson smiled at her. “And I’ll take care of the details.”
“Great.” A stir of excitement tickled her insides. She loved that he didn’t assume they would be sleeping together. That could change, but it was good he was reserving two rooms for now. “We can go over our plans when the date is closer.”
He pushed his seat back, stood, and gathered their now empty plates. “What do you say to some dessert if you’re not too full?”
“There’s always room.” Haylee got to her feet. “The more, the better.”
They washed dishes, cleaned up, and put leftovers in a plastic container. Haylee had insisted on leaving the rest of the pan of enchiladas for Tyson. “Fewer Spam sandwiches if you have something decent to eat in your fridge.”
“You don’t have to offer twice.” He reached into the freezer and brought out the container of ice cream while Haylee grabbed two bowls and spoons.
She wasn’t bashful of filling up her bowl, either. “This is why I use my treadmill regularly. I need to burn off what I eat to indulge often.”
“A woman with a plan.” He returned the now lighter ice cream container to the freezer.
“Yep.” She carried their bowls to the table and settled into her chair.
The treat made her sigh with bliss. “Keep buying this for me, and I’ll be on your doorstep plenty.”
“Deal.” Tyson seemed to be enjoying his as well. “I’ve got to do a few afternoon chores. How about a movie after that?”
Haylee smiled. “You’re on.”
Tyson wrapped up his afternoon chores with Haylee pitching in. She was enthusiastic and fun, and he enjoyed her company more than he could have imagined. He’d dated plenty but couldn’t remember ever wanting to be around a woman as much as he wanted to be with Haylee.
Tyson had popcorn on hand and used the popper left behind by his home’s former owner. They made a big batch and filled a large silver mixing bowl to share. He grabbed a couple of beers, and she carried the bowl to the living room.
Zoey and Freya trotted ahead and plopped down on their beds in front of the fireplace.
“Do you like westerns?” Tyson sat beside her on the couch, set the beers on the coffee table, and reached for the remote. “There’s one out in the theaters recently that I haven’t seen—it’s an action thriller.” He named the movie. “We can rent it unless there’s something you’d like better.”
“I’ve been wanting to see that one, too.” Haylee settled back against the couch. “It’s supposed to be a good movie.”
Tyson found the flick on a streaming service and paid for the rental before easing closer to Haylee so that their upper arms touched.
He found it hard to concentrate on the film with her so near. He figured he could always watch it again later when he wasn’t so distracted by Haylee’s scent and the heat of her body next to his.
They shared the popcorn from the bowl on her lap and drank the beer. He wanted to set it all aside, pull her into his arms, and kiss every part of her body from head to toe.
Not a good idea, not yet.
The popcorn vanished by mid-movie, and he set the empty bowl on the coffee table before draping his arm over her shoulders. He drew her closer, and she rested her head on his chest.
His heart beat faster, and he wondered if she could hear it. He stroked her upper arm, and his breathing elevated. His cock hardened, and he ground his teeth in an effort to control himself, but he couldn’t help his body’s reaction to holding her tightly to him.
She seemed comfortable where she was and rested one palm on his jean-clad thigh. The heat of her hand burned through the tough cotton to his skin. Could she sense what she was doing to him? Was her breathing a little more strained than it had been before?
When the credits rolled up the screen, she tilted her head so that their gazes met and held.
“It was a good movie.” Her words came out low and throaty. “My favorite part was cuddling next to you.”
“Funny.” He brushed his thumb over her upper arm. “That’s mine, too.”
Her throat worked, and she shifted in his embrace so that her face was close to his. Her lips parted, but he took her mouth with his before she could utter a word.
Her soft moans sent a thrill straight to his groin. He deepened the kiss, tasting popcorn and beer on her tongue.
He drew her on top of him so that her thighs straddled his hips and her body pressed against his cock.
A rumble rose in his throat as she kissed him back, matching the heat in his own. His body was on fire, and he thought he would explode when she rocked her hips.
“Damn, Haylee,” he said when she broke the kiss, her mouth still close to his. “Do you have any idea what you do to me?”
Her lips curved into a sensual smile, and she shifted her hips to rub against him. “I think I do.”
With a low growl, he gathered her into his arms, twisted so that she ended up on her back, and held himself between her thighs. “Don’t play with fire.”
Her brown eyes smoldered as she looked up at him. “What if I don’t mind getting burned?”
He kissed her long and hard until he wasn’t sure what was up or down. He wanted more, so much more. But it was too soon to go any farther.
This time, he broke the kiss and settled back on his knees, still between her thighs. “Hell, woman. You tempt me to the point I can barely control myself.”
“Me, too.” Her eyes were dark with desire. “If we don’t stop, I’m afraid we’ll go too far.”
He blew out his breath and gave a slow nod. “You’re right.” He shifted and brought her up and into his arms, kissing her again.
Tyson drew back, breathing heavily, and he moved her to the couch. They stared at each other, their eyes locked.
“I’d better get home.” Her words sounded strained. “I had a wonderful time.”
“Yeah, me too.” He brushed strands of hair behind her ear. “I’ll walk you to your truck.”
She arranged her blouse when she was on her feet again. She retrieved her keys, wallet, and phone from the kitchen. They walked hand-in-hand to her vehicle.
He kissed her again under the moonlight, then forced himself to back away. “I’ll call you Monday.”
She climbed into her truck and buzzed down the window. She started the vehicle, blew him a kiss, then backed up and took off.
He watched until the red of her taillights disappeared around the bend, and he stood there a while longer.
He felt like he’d been blindsided. Haylee McLeod had entered his life like a storm and had captured his soul so fast it made his head spin.
Yeah, he’d fallen hard. Now, he had to figure out exactly what to do about it.