CHAPTER 36 #3
Only two of the three currently listed cabins were occupied today.
One by a couple who'd arrived the previous evening, and the other by a family of three settling in for a weeklong stay that included daily riding lessons for their daughter.
The third cabin sat empty, waiting for guests scheduled to arrive tomorrow.
The clear, crisp morning air held the promise of a perfect day.
The temperature was comfortable now, though I knew it would climb into the eighties by afternoon.
I'd decided to give the horses a well-deserved break from riding, opting instead to spend the day lavishing them with attention and grooming.
They'd been working hard with all the lessons and trail rides. They deserve a day off too.
Lost in thought, mentally running through my to-do list, I barely noticed when Jaxon joined me on the porch. His strong arms slipped around my waist from behind, his chin resting atop my head as he exhaled slowly, contentedly.
Instinctively, I leaned back into his embrace, my hands resting on his forearms, savoring the warmth and comfort of his presence. Together, we watched in peaceful silence as the horses frolicked in the paddock, their joyful antics bringing a smile to my face.
Then Jaxon gently tilted my chin with his hand, turning my face toward his. Our lips met in a tender kiss that started soft and sweet but quickly deepened as I pivoted more fully in his arms. The rest of the world faded as we lost ourselves in each other.
Sensing the intensity building, I turned completely in his embrace, my hands sliding up to lock behind his neck as I deepened the kiss, pouring all my love and longing into the connection.
A low growl rumbled in Jaxon's chest, a sound that never failed to send heat flooding through me, as he lifted me effortlessly, setting me on the wide porch railing without breaking the kiss.
My legs wrapped around his waist, pulling him closer, desperate to erase any remaining distance between us. Jaxon's lips trailed a path of fire down the column of my throat, making me gasp and tilt my head back to give him better access. God, what this man does to me.
"Gross!" Connor's voice, dripping with amusement and mock disgust, cut through the charged atmosphere like a bucket of cold water. "I thought you moved in with Jaxon so I wouldn't have to see my sister making out with my best friend?"
I couldn't help laughing at Connor's outburst, my cheeks flushing with embarrassment even as Jaxon continued his ministrations along my neck, entirely undeterred. The man had no shame, and I loved him for it.
Though maybe we should try to behave. Sometimes.
Gently cupping Jaxon's face, I guided his lips back to mine for one final, searing kiss before reluctantly disentangling myself. He helped me slide off the railing, his hands steady at my waist, and I had to suppress a shiver at the loss of contact.
"That's enough, Jax," I teased, my voice light despite the lingering heat in my veins. "We don't want Connor to have nightmares, do we?"
Jaxon, his eyes still dark with desire and a glint of mischief that promised we'd continue this later, chuckled softly and pressed a chaste kiss to my forehead.
"I suppose not," he conceded, though his arms stayed loosely around my waist. "But you can't blame a man for getting carried away when he's got the most beautiful woman in the world in his arms."
Connor rolled his eyes good-naturedly, though a smile tugged at his lips. "Alright, you two," he said with mock sternness. "If you're done scarring me for life, I've got work to do in the office. Try to keep the public displays of affection to a minimum, will you?"
I laughed, the sound ringing bright and happy on the morning breeze, and slipped from Jaxon's arms to pull Connor into a tight hug. "No promises," I whispered conspiratorially, mischief dancing in my eyes. "But we'll do our best to spare your delicate sensibilities."
Connor shook his head in amused exasperation, returning the hug with a bone-crushing squeeze that reminded me of our childhood. Then he headed down the stairs toward the barn, leaving Jaxon and me alone once more on the porch.
As we turned to face each other, our hands instinctively finding one another, the love and contentment flowing between us became almost tangible, humming in the air, warm and real and ours.
"So," Jaxon murmured, his voice low and filled with promise, "what do you say we head over to the barn and spend some quality time with those horses of yours? I'm sure they're eager for some attention from their favorite girl."
I nodded in agreement, a soft smile playing on my lips. "I think that sounds like the perfect way to spend the day," I replied, my fingers intertwining with his as we made our way down the porch steps.
As Jaxon and I walked toward the paddock, hand in hand with the morning sun warming our shoulders, a lone figure caught my eye. A slender woman was leaning against the fence, her attention fixed on the horses grazing peacefully in the sunlight.
Her faded brown hair peeked out from beneath a well-worn ball cap, the kind you could buy at any gas station.
She was dressed casually in jeans and a long-sleeved shirt despite the rising temperature, her arms crossed loosely over the top rail of the fence, seemingly lost in thought as she observed the horses.
One of the guests. Must be.
Intrigued by her apparent fascination with the horses, I gently tugged on Jaxon's hand, guiding him toward her. As we approached, I called out a friendly greeting, keeping my voice warm and welcoming. "Good morning!"
Startled by the intrusion into her solitude, the woman jumped slightly, her wide brown eyes darting toward us with something that looked almost like fear before it was quickly masked. Her hand flew to her chest, and I could see her heart beating rapidly at the base of her throat.
Yikes. Didn't mean to scare her that badly. Realizing my unintended impact, I quickly apologized, leaning slightly into Jaxon's comforting presence. "Sorry! Didn't mean to scare you."
The woman's features softened almost immediately, a shy smile playing at the corners of her mouth as she shook her head. "Oh, it's fine," she replied, her voice soft and gentle, barely above a whisper. "You just caught me off guard is all."
There was something about her demeanor that struck me, a kind of wariness, like a stray animal that had been kicked too many times. She kept her distance, maintaining a careful space between us even as she smiled. She's nervous. Of what, though?
My curiosity piqued, I tilted my head, studying her with what I hoped was a friendly, nonthreatening gaze. "You're one of the guests in the cabin, right? Are you Mrs. Lewis or Ms. Patel?"
I'd memorized the names from my bookings, tried to keep track of who was staying where. The Lewis family was in Meadowlark with their daughter. This woman had to be from the couple in Stargazer.
"Patel," the woman answered, tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear in a nervous gesture. "Kim. I'm here with my boyfriend. He's still inside sleeping, but I wanted to stretch my legs after the drive here yesterday."
Jaxon, his own interest apparently growing, chimed in. "Did you come from very far away?"
"Nevada," Kim replied briefly, her attention once again drawn to the horses. A wistful expression settled over her features as she watched Choco roll enthusiastically in the dirt. "It's beautiful here."
My heart swelled with pride at the compliment to our beloved ranch. "Thank you," I said, sincerity ringing in my voice. "Let me know if you need anything while you're here. I'll be around the property most of the day. Trail rides, lessons, anything you want to try."
"Thank you," Kim murmured, her gaze still fixed on the horses, seemingly lost in her own thoughts. There was something sad about her, something that tugged at my instincts.
Sensing that our guest might appreciate some solitude, and not wanting to overwhelm her with too much friendliness, Jaxon and I exchanged a brief glance. His slight nod told me he'd noticed the same thing I had: this woman wanted space.
We turned to continue our journey toward the barn, and as we walked, our conversation shifted to the day's plans for grooming the horses and the upcoming reservations that would keep us busy through the Labor Day weekend.
"She seemed nice," I commented quietly as we approached the barn door. "A little jumpy, though."
"Probably just tired from the drive," Jaxon said, pulling open the barn door and gesturing for me to enter first. "Nevada's what, ten hours? Twelve?"
"Something like that." I stepped into the familiar dimness of the barn, breathing in the comforting scent of hay, horses, and leather. "I hope she enjoys her stay. She looked like she needed a break from something."
"Most people who come here do," Jaxon said quietly, his arm sliding around my shoulders. "Need a break from something."
Like I did. Like we both did.
I leaned into him, letting the peace of the barn wash over me. "Yeah. I guess that's true."
And as we set about our day, gathering grooming supplies, filling water buckets, preparing to lavish attention on the horses, I let myself sink into the routine of it all. The simple, honest work. The life we'd built. The life we were building together.