Chapter 15
OLIVIA
Ahuge rainstorm was brewing in the distance. The clouds in the sky above Charlie’s house were already dark gray and ominous. I doubted I would even hear it once it came over the ranch, though.
After grabbing a quick shower and brushing my teeth, I hopped in bed and I was convinced I was going to be out cold in less than five minutes. Even my bones felt tired tonight.
“Olivia!” Wyatt called suddenly from right outside my door. “Cody and I are here to save you if the house floods.”
“That’s funny,” Charlie said with dry amusement in his tone. “The house has never flooded before.”
Laughter bubbled out of me as I shook my head.
I pushed back the covers and climbed out of bed to find out what those two were up to.
As I crossed the room, I heard Cody speak up.
It was amazing how fast I’d learned which voice belonged to who, and how quickly I was getting to know each brother for the individual he was.
“We’re staying over here tonight just in case you need our help. I’m right next door if you get scared. There’s going to be a lot of water soon.”
“I don’t think you’re here because of the water, but okay,” Charlie was saying.
I opened the door. He glanced at me, his gaze fleeting as he took me in wearing my pajama shorts and tank top. As fast as he looked away again, I’d seen the heat flickering in those eyes. Deep inside my belly, I felt that need for him building in response. Immediately, I started closing the door.
“Good night, boys. I’ll see you bright and early in the morning.” As it clicked shut, I let out a low groan, covered my face with my hands, stumbled back to bed, and felt a lot more awake now than I had just a couple minutes ago.
What is it with me and the cowboy? Why isn’t it going away?
I’d been trying my best to look at him and see just another guy, but I was failing miserably.
Every second thing he said ticked me off, but when we were just speaking openly and with our defenses down like we had that first night and last night again in the creek, it was almost like I could feel the connection between us solidifying.
In those moments, during those conversations, our differences and all the harsh comments faded away and what remained was a fragile, but beautiful truce.
Once we reached that, it felt like I could talk to him for hours and hours, expose my deepest secrets and vulnerabilities, somehow knowing they would be safe with him.
In turn, he’d opened up to me at the creek last night, talking passionately about their family history, the ranches, and why what they did here meant so much to him.
It’d made me feel like I understood him.
Like we’d reached a mutual understanding actually, and that understanding felt like a foundation.
While it was certainly delicate and quickly buried once those moments had passed, I still felt it there whenever he looked at me.
Frustrated in more ways than one, I picked up my phone and called Lacey, switching off the light on my nightstand so I could watch the storm roll in outside. I heard the smile in her voice when she picked up.
“How’s my cowgirl doing?” she asked. “I was wondering when I was going to hear from you. Are you enjoying it so far?”
“I am,” I said honestly. “It’s been amazing. I love the animals and seeing the way the Andersons care for them. Being outside all the time is incredible. It’s physical and tough, but it’s a very different kind of challenge and that’s been pretty fun.”
“I can hear a ‘but’ coming.”
“But…” I chuckled. “I’m worried the rustic life isn’t for me. I’m overwhelmingly unequipped to perform the tasks I’m given and I’m having a hard time being so bad at everything.”
“You’re only there to experience life on the ranch for a few days, babe,” she said patiently. “It’s not actually going to become your life.”
“Fair enough.” I paused, wondering if I should even say this out loud. Ultimately, it wasn’t anything she didn’t already know. “I’m also worried about getting down and dirty with our biggest client, and that could impact my life for much longer than just a few days.”
“But you want to, right?”
“I want to.” I stared at the trees swaying in the wind outside. The skies hadn’t opened up yet, but I could smell the rain coming on the breeze. “The vibes are all there and they’re becoming impossible to ignore.”
She laughed softly. “Live a little then, Liv. Your dad will never know, and if he ever finds out, he’ll be so weirded out that he’ll pretend not to know.”
A soft giggle escaped me at the thought of Dad trying to pretend he didn’t know. “That’s probably true.”
“It’s definitely true,” she said confidently. “Go for it, and report back after. London and I are both dying to know what he’s like in bed.”
I groaned, trying my level best not to allow my mind to go there and desperately needing her to talk about something else. “How’re things at the office?”
“Ah. The not-so-subtle change of subject. Alright, I’ll bite.” She paused for a moment. “It’s all good. Nothing to worry about except that London might go to prison for murder if she’s ever put on a project with Liam.”
I sighed. “I have no idea what we’re going to do with those two.”
“Lock them in a room together and see if she comes out pregnant or if she doesn’t come out at all?” she suggested.
“That might not be the worst idea.”
“Of course, it’s not.” She laughed. “None of my ideas are.”
A knock sounded at my door and I frowned. “I’d better go. It looks like I’m about to have company.”
“Have fun with him,” she said a sing-song voice before she hung up.
I set my phone down and switched on the lamp, blinking against the sudden intrusion of light. Another knock came, a little more insistent this time, and Charlie’s voice called out with it.
“Come on, Liv. Wake up.”
“I’m coming!” I rolled my eyes but opened the door with my heart starting to beat faster in my chest.
As I looked up into those ice blues, I almost let out a happy little sigh at seeing them again so soon, but the tightness of his features told me this was not a happy visit. I felt the smile that had been spreading on my lips start to fade.
“What’s wrong?”
“The storm is coming,” he said, voice harsh and words clipped. “We need to get the rest of the horses into the stables. Let’s go, Cowgirl.”
Without waiting for me to respond, he descended the steps to the lower level two at a time and disappeared from sight. I cursed under my breath. “Alright, then. Just give me a minute to get dressed.”
Although I knew he couldn’t hear me, I said the words out loud anyway, then grabbed a light jacket and shoved my feet into my boots. I was seriously starting to wonder if he slept in his clothes or something.
How is it possible that he’s always just ready to go?
Still muttering under my breath, I left my room, jogged downstairs, and ran out into the sudden rain with him, grateful that it wasn’t absolutely pouring just yet. The downpour was coming. I could both see and hear it in the distance, but for now, it was a light drizzle.
We ran to his truck, tension pouring off him. He glanced up at the sky and tore out of his spot. “Cody only just told me that these animals are still in the paddocks. Fucking idiot. He could’ve said something when they got to the house. This should have been done hours ago.”
“You need to loosen up a bit,” I said lightly.
He turned his head to give me an incredulous look, his eyebrows raising. He held my gaze. “You need to a live a little more, City.”
“You need to get the stick out of your ass.”
He scoffed. “You need to turn the screens off.”
I shrugged. “You’re not wrong, but you should also really watch where you’re going.”
“I don’t need to.” He turned his head back to the farm road anyway, though. “I know this ranch like the back of my hand.”
“No doubt, but it’s still dangerous to be behind the wheel of a car on a dirt track while it’s raining without looking at where you’re going.”
He took one more turn before sliding to a stop next to one of the large paddocks near a building I assumed was the stables. Only a few horses were outside, none of them looking particularly bothered about the steadily increasing drizzle.
We climbed out of the truck. He raced over to a series of hooks on a pole next to the gate that led into the paddocks. What appeared to be bunches of knotted rope hung from the hooks, but as soon as he lifted it off, I realized they were lead ropes—and they weren’t knotted at all.
“Here,” he said. “Take this. Do you see that palomino mare over there?”
I glanced at the majestic creatures roaming around, two brown horses, a blackish one, and another almost golden horse that I assumed was what he’d called the palomino. “Yeah, I see her.”
“She’s feisty but sweet. You’re on her. Don’t worry,” he said quickly. “She won’t hurt you. She doesn’t scare easy.”
I swiped my tongue across my lips. Nerves fluttered around in my belly. “Okay. What’s her name?”
“Cutie.”
“Cutie?” I practically gawked at him, ignoring the immediate urgency of our task to demand answers. “Are you serious?”
“We’ll talk about this later,” he ground out, passing over one lead rope while clutching the others in his hand.
I took Cutie’s lead from him. He unlatched the gate and glanced at me. “Shut it behind you, in case any of them bolt.”
I struggled to link the metal chain around the nail on the outside of the paddock after following him in. It slid into place and I finally turned and started making my way through the rain to Cutie.
She saw me coming. I froze as I looked into her eyes. When she flicked her tail and went back to lazily watching the other horses, I finally exhaled. At least she knows I’m here. She’s not going to get a fright and trample me.