Chapter 5 Lane
“I can’t believe I just did that,” he muttered to himself as he walked back to the house. “The hug maybe. The kiss. Wow.”
He grinned. “Not sorry, though. She certainly didn’t seem to mind.”
Colton was sitting in his usual chair on the porch. “Another date night with Taylor?” he asked, raising his eyebrows.
“I guess you would call it an all day and night date,” Lane said. “We went to church together, had lunch, drove through the Garden of the Gods, and watched a movie together after dinner.”
“Impressive,” Colton said.
“I’ve only known her a couple of days, but I feel like there’s something there. I even kissed her.”
“Really?” Colton said. “How did she take it?”
“She didn’t scream, push me away, or throat punch me,” Lane said.
“Those are all good signs,” Colton said.
“We held hands for most of the day, so I think she digs me,” Lane joked.
“It sounds like it.”
“You know I’ve dated a few women since Catherine died and I always compared them to Catherine. None of them could measure up. I know that’s not fair, and I didn’t do it on purpose, but you know how it is.”
“I can only imagine,” Colton said.
“The funny thing is that Taylor is nothing in the world like Catherine. Taylor is small, but she is anything but a delicate little flower. Catherine was always a little frail, even when we were kids,” Lane said. “Catherine was sweet and had a polished air about her. While Taylor isn’t a wharf rat, chewing tobacco and using words that would make a sailor blush, she is… I don’t even know how to explain it.”
“She’s a true woman who can put in a hard day’s labor but still be what one would call a lady,” Colton said.
“Yeah, that. Taylor is the first woman I’ve not compared to Catherine.”
“That means one of two things or both. The first is that you are finally healing after her death. Second, there is a real connection between you and Taylor,” Colton said.
“Or C all of the above,” Lane concluded.
“Yep,” Colton said.
“We’ve only known each other for a few days,” Lane protested.
“You’ve experienced that before. You’ve met a woman at the club who you felt attracted to and asked her out without knowing much about her. The only difference is that you know a little bit about Taylor.”
“You have a point,” Lane said. “This is the first time that I’ve spent personal time with a woman and didn’t feel like I was cheating on Catherine.”
“She told you not to feel that way and that you needed to move on and settle down with someone.”
“I know, but since when do I listen to anyone?” Lane asked wryly.
“Since never,” Colton conceded.
Except for the faint blush on Taylor’s cheeks when she smiled at him the next morning, she acted like nothing happened. She ate breakfast and joked around with everyone like normal. Taylor slipped out to say good morning to Diablo and to give him an apple and was back on time for the morning assignments.
“It’s you and me again, Kiddo,” Sam said.
“Kiddo? You’re what, two years older than me?” Taylor laughed.
“Maybe, but you’re the new kid on the block,” Sam said.
“That was a great ’80s band,” Taylor said, a deadpanned look on her face.
“You listened to that?” he asked.
“Obviously not in the ’80s, but I like a nice blend of pop and rock music from that era plus country from the 1960s to the current,” she said.
“A well-rounded woman,” Sam said. “I’m impressed.”
Lane laughed at their conversation. “Would you believe that I’m a Michael Jackson fan?”
“No way,” Taylor laughed as she tossed the last hay bale into the back of the truck. “See ya later.”
Sam reported that she worked every bit as hard as he did and would rather have her on the range than Anthony any day.
After lunch, Lane said, “Taylor, I want your help in the sick pen. We need to cull those out who can be saved from those that can’t.”
“Sure,” Taylor said.
Lane watched her carefully as she inspected each of the cattle that was in the pen.
“This one has eye cancer. It wouldn’t affect the meat, but we shouldn’t put her in with the rest of the cattle to go to the market.”
“We’re getting low on meat here. I’ll take her in tomorrow,” Lane said.
After half an hour, she had three that weren’t going to survive and ten that were on the mend.
“I hate euthanizing them. I know it’s necessary and they are better off being put out of their misery now, but I’ve always hated that part, and if it’s okay with you, I would rather not participate in that.”
“No worries,” Lane said. “I’ll take care of it and haul them off to the dead pile.”
“So, our little princess would rather not kill the animals. I thought that you were so tough and could do anything that men could do. You’re a chicken and weak. I don’t have a problem shooting them right between the eyes. They wouldn’t feel a thing,” Anthony sneered.
Lane was about to jump Anthony’s case but Taylor beat him to it.
Taylor whirled around and walked up to him. They were about an inch apart. She glared into his eyes. “Only weak pathetic men bully women. If you keep it up, I promise that you will find out exactly how weak I am. I don’t doubt that you could put an animal down without a second thought because you are a cold-hearted jerk who only cares about himself. Now step aside before I put you down,” she growled.
Anthony stepped out of her way and she stormed past him.
Lane glanced sharply at Sam and Robert who both laughed loudly and walked away.
“You had better knock it off. Your antagonistic behavior toward Taylor will stop right now, or you will be fired. I don’t care how long you’ve been here, you do not get to treat anyone with any kind of disrespect. Am I clear?” Lane said.
“You’re only sticking up for her because she’s got you wrapped around her fingers,” Anthony spat out. “You’re whipped.”
Grinding his teeth, Lane growled, “I would walk away right now if I were you.”
Anthony stomped off muttering under his breath.
Lane took care of the sick cows and hauled them off. Taylor was already putting out the bottles for the calves when he got back. He watched her for a few minutes. Colton joined him.
“I heard what happened earlier,” Colton said.
“I’m sure you did. Robert and Sam were laughing their butts off,” Lane said, shaking his head.
“They were taking bets on how long it would be before she completely knocked him out.”
“Maybe I should get in on that bet,” Lane said. “I think Anthony might have a week if his mouth keeps going.”
“I know that he’s a decent worker – not great, but decent. I also know that you’ll be short a hand, but I think that it might be in our best interest if you got rid of him. Taylor doesn’t strike me as the kind of person who would sue us for a hostile work environment or sexual harassment, but Anthony is a liability.”
“If he does it again, I’ll can him,” Lane said. “I think I’m going for a ride. I’ll see you later.”
He saddled his favorite horse, Loki, and rode around the wooded area on his land. He loved his ranch, which had a little bit of everything – hills, trees, and good pasture land. A creek meandered through the middle of it. Sometimes it was dry but during the rainy seasons, it was full and moved fast enough to carry a house downstream.
Lane was about to head home when he looked over the stream and saw Taylor waist-deep in the water. She was slowly making her way to a young calf that had somehow fallen in and got caught in the brush. Its mother was bawling loudly from the bank.
He jumped off Loki and without even thinking, he rushed into the water. He shivered. The water was cold even if it was the middle of summer.
Taylor was trying to hold the calf still and unwrap a vine or something from one of its legs.
He grabbed the calf from her. “Get her leg.”
Finally, they were able to free the calf and he carried the animal back across the cold, rushing current. By the time he reached the other side, the calf weighed about three tons.
“Here you are, Mama. I would suggest drinking out of the stock tank from now on. It’s low enough and full enough that baby can drink without any problems,” Lane said.
Lane and Taylor herded the two back to the rest of the cattle.
“We’d be complete icicles and suffering from hypothermia if it was winter,” Lane said.
Taylor shivered and said, “Don’t I know it. Now that the sun has set, I’m about ready to freeze.”
He looked over at her and noticed how her wet shirt formed well to her body. She is an incredibly sexy woman.
Shaking his head he thought, Knock it off. Lately, I’ve been more like a teenage boy than a grown man.
Lane led Loki back to the cabin and ground tethered him. The horse had a hackamore bridle, which didn’t have a bit, so he could comfortably snack on the grass.
Taylor had a fire going in no time. Without even thinking, Lane peeled off his shirt and put it in front of the fire. He pulled off his boots and socks.
He heard a gasp and saw Taylor looking at him, her eyes wide.
“I promise, the pants stay on,” he laughed.
Blushing so red that he thought her face was going to ignite, she hurried off to the bedroom. She was wearing a sweatshirt and sweatpants when she came back.
“I have a robe. It’s powder blue, but it would cover you if you wanted to take off your pants and things.”
He had to laugh at the many different shades of red she turned.
“The fire is doing a nice job.”
Grabbing his shirt, she tossed all of their wet clothes, except his pants into the dryer.
He closed his eyes for a second, enjoying the warmth of the flames. It was almost as hot as the fires that were starting to burn inside of him. The image of her body as her wet clothes clung to her made him want to pull her close to him and warm her up the old-fashioned way.