by Peyton Banks
“You don’t see anything. You are imagining it.” He sat back but couldn’t help but think of how Yani had looked at him when he had approached her in the salon. She had become as skittish as a new mare he was trying to break in on the ranch. Yani had always been shy around him, and today she had on the same smile.
“Don’t dismiss what I’m saying, Rashad Mays. I may have been with your father for forty years, but I know the look in a woman’s eyes who sees the man she’s interested in.”
Rashad shook his head and exited the truck. He walked around and opened his mother’s door. He helped her down and grabbed her cane from the backseat.
“Are you listening to me, Rashad?” she asked.
“Of course I am,” he replied. He loved his mother and knew she wanted what was best for him. As much as he was attracted to Yani, he would have to push that down out of respect for his friend.
“Just think about it.” She patted his arm as they walked toward the porch.
Little did she know, he’d been thinking of Yani lately. It was a struggle anytime he was around her.
Rashad escorted his mother up the stairs and to the door. He pulled his keys out of his pocket. He didn’t live with his parents, hadn’t for years, but they always believed their boys needed to have access to their childhood home.
Rashad opened the door and guided her inside, then he handed her the cane.
She turned around and eyed him. “You’re not staying?”
“I need to get back to the ranch, Ma.” He ran a hand along his head.
Wade wanted him to work with a few of the new horses he and Parker had purchased. It was a job he had fun with. Wade had a way of picking horses that were easy to tame. Rashad always joked with him that he needed a challenge. He loved the thrill of breaking a wild, stubborn horse.
Rashad had been employed by the Brooks family for a long time. The Brooks brothers were good men and looked out for their employees. They paid quite well, and Rashad enjoyed working for them. Their father, on the other hand, was a mean son of a bitch who Rashad tried not to deal with. Parker was in charge of the hands and thankfully was in between them and Jonah.
Recently, the elder Brooks had some medical issues that had led to him being hospitalized for a while. It left Rashad and the other ranch hands in the dark about if the ranch was going to be exchanging power. If the old man died, then the ranch would have gone to his sons, Parker, Wade, and Carson. The old man was released and was home, and it appeared all would remain the same.
“I put on one of your favorite soups in the slow cooker this morning. I’ll toast up French bread.” She smiled innocently, balancing on her cane.
The offer was quite tempting. His mother’s cooking was famous, and she knew he wouldn’t be able to resist a good home-cooked meal.
Then the scent hit him.
His stomach grumbled.
He could take a little more time. The Brooks brothers wouldn’t mind since he always worked such long hours. He was dedicated to the ranch and always would be. As long as they would have him, he wasn’t going anywhere.
“Okay, Mom. Lunch, then I have to get back to work.”
3
“You did real good, Tyler,” Rashad called out.
Parker’s son was taking to the ranch like a natural. It was no surprise since he was a Brooks. The family had been into ranching for generations. What had been a shock was that Tyler existed, and no one had known he was a Brooks.
Rashad understood from the gossip amongst the hands that Maddy, Tyler’s mother, and Parker had fallen out years ago. She’d left town pregnant and had told no one. It wasn’t until recently when she’d moved back that it was discovered she had a kid and he was Parker’s.
Parker and Maddy had rekindled and now lived with their son in Parker’s house on the ranch. They were also expecting their next bundle of joy.
Rashad focused his attention on the kid trotting around on his horse. Tyler had wanted to surprise his family by roping a calf.
“Thanks, Rashad.” Tyler grinned. He beamed like a man who’d just taken home a first-place prize at the local rodeo. He hopped down from his horse and ran toward the calf. “I’ll put him back in the corral with his momma!” he called out over his shoulder.
Rashad laughed, watching Tyler chase after the scared cow. He adjusted his Stetson and shook his head.
“You sure you got him?” Rashad hollered. He was prepared to go help him, but Tyler would brush him off. He was one determined boy.
“Yup!” Tyler responded. The kid practically jumped on the back of the calf to halt it from continuing to run around.
Rashad turned and walked toward the wooden fence. Tyler would be fine. He was just as stubborn as his father and every man who carried the name Brooks. The calf didn’t know what it was in for.
Brandy, his mare, was waiting outside of the corral for him.
“Hey, girl.” He stopped in front of her and gave her a good rub on the head.
She nudged him when he stopped, wanting him to continue. He’d had Brandy for about six years, and she was his favorite girl. She was such a good horse. He’d purchased her from a ranch that had needed to get rid of some of their horses.
“We have work to do, girl.”
He walked around the fence and paused at Brandy’s side. The sight of a familiar sedan driving up the dirt road caught his attention.
Yani.
What in the world was she doing here on the ranch?
“Be right back, girl,” he muttered. He gave Brandy another pat before moving toward where Yani stopped.
She parked and got out.
“Hey, Yani. What are you doing here?” he asked.
She pulled a bag out of the car and faced him. “Hey, Rashad. Funny seeing you here.”
He grinned and placed his hands on his hips. “What are you talking about? I work here.”
“Oh, yeah.” A sheepish grin spread across her face.
He loved how cute she was when she was flustered and nervous.
She held the bag to her chest. “Of course, I knew that. I thought you’d be out on the range or something. You know, doing cowboy stuff.”
She tucked her hair behind her ear, and he couldn’t help but be intrigued by her.
“Well, I was about to go do my ‘cowboy stuff’. What are you doing here?” He fought the urge to be near her. He wanted to be up close and personal with her. The scent of her perfume wafted over to him. It was a light floral smell that had him wanting to bury his face in the crook of her neck so he could breathe it in.
“I told Maddy I would stop by and drop off the haircare products she’d ordered.”
“Oh, Maddy and Parker’s house is over in that direction.” He pointed. Each of the Brooks brothers had built a house on the homestead. “Come on. I’ll take you.”
He spun around and headed back toward Brandy.
“Are you serious? On a horse?” she scoffed.
Rashad grinned and turned to her, walking backwards. “What’s wrong with Brandy here? She is as sweet as can be.”
Brandy snorted as if to confirm what Rashad had said. He arrived at Brandy’s side with Yani standing behind him.
“Is it safe?” Apprehension was clear on her face.
He paused and stared at her. “You have been on a horse, right?”
How could she live in Shady Springs and not have been on one before?
“Um, when I was twelve and someone held on to the reins and walked me around in a circle.” She bit her lips and fidgeted in place.
“The country fair?” He burst out laughing and held out his hand. “I promise I’ll be gentle on your first ride.”
He wasn’t sure where the huskiness came from in his voice. But he meant it. He would let nothing happen to Yani. She slid her hand into his.
“You better not let me fall,” she grumbled.
He helped her up on Brandy and got on behind her. He inhaled the soft scent of her perfume and prayed his cock would behave its
elf. She shifted slightly and gripped the bag in front of her. Rashad held back a groan. His lower member was taking notice.
He guided Brandy toward Parker and Maddy’s house.
“You know you could have just given me directions.” Yani glanced back at him.
He kept his gaze forward, unable to look down at her. If he did, he wouldn’t be responsible for his actions. The need to kiss her was growing stronger. Her plump lips were painted a bright red, her hair was curled, and she was dressed in jeans with a half shirt that kept riding up, allowing his hand to brush her soft belly. She had on sandals that displayed her toes, which were painted the same color as her nails.
Hot pink.
Everything about Yani was downright sexy.
How had he resisted for so long?
“It wouldn’t have been as much fun,” he murmured. He finally glanced down to find her big brown eyes were locked on him.
A slight smile graced her lips.
“Are you flirting with me, Rashad Mays?” she whispered.
He paused for a second. He glanced around to make sure Brandy was still on the right trail.
“Yeah, I am. Is something wrong with that?”
She shook her head and turned back away from him. “Well, if I could be honest, it is about time. I’ve been flirting with you for years.”
“I know.” He chuckled and pulled her close. He would not admit he missed her innocent flirting. He’d known and tried to ignore it as best as he could because she was Nate’s sister. But the thoughts going through his mind were anything but innocent.
Well, he’d opened Pandora’s box, he might as well dive in it.
“So what about I pick you up tonight when I get off work? We could go somewhere nice and have fun.” His heart raced, and he wasn’t sure why. He’d never been one to be nervous around a woman. They usually threw themselves at him and Nate when they went out. The idea of hopping in bed with a black cowboy drew women to him.
She nodded and giggled. “I’d like that.”
They arrived at Parker’s house. Brandy stopped near the stairs of the porch. He dismounted first before turning to Yani. She slid down, allowing every inch of her body to press against his. He stiffened and held her waist tighter.
“You’re playing with fire,” he growled.
Her sassy nature came out full force. She threw her head back with those red lips in a wide grin. “Just make sure I don’t get burned, Rashad Mays.”
She stepped away from him with a wink. She spun around and sashayed up the stairs without a glance back at him. He openly took in the roundness of her ass and how it swayed as she moved.
Hell, it was best she didn’t look back. He had to adjust himself.
Rashad grabbed the reins and walked Brandy over to an area of the grass to allow her to graze.
He peeked at Yani and watched Maddy come out on the porch. The girls shared a hug.
“Hey, Rashad!” Maddy called out and waved.
“Hey, Maddy!” he replied, tipping his hat to her. He was a little ways away, trying to give the girls some privacy, but he could still hear their conversation.
“I could have come into town and picked this up,” Maddy said. She took the bag from Yani.
“It’s not a big deal. I felt bad that it took as long as it did. I think I will stock it in the salon because a few of the ladies have been wanting it,” Yani replied.
Brandy nudged him. She wanted attention. The horse must have picked up the sexual tension between him and Yani.
Rashad turned and rubbed her head, but she nodded toward the girls again. Rashad squinted over his shoulder at the house.
“What do you think about Yani? You like her?” he asked. Brandy did a prance to give her blessing. He knew it was crazy talking to a horse, but he and Brandy had spent plenty of time together, and she was an excellent listener.
“After you wash and condition, spray this protein all throughout your hair. Comb through it and let it sit for about fifteen minutes before rinsing.” Yani was in her beautician mode. She was a true professional.
Maddy listened intently to her.
Brandy pushed her head against him again. He grinned and reached into his pocket and brought out a sugar cube he kept for her. Animals had a strange way about sensing things in humans, and Brandy had always been a superb judge of character.
“See ya later, Rashad!” Maddy called out. “If you see Tyler, send him home, please. I swear that child runs out of here and doesn’t think of nothing else but this darn ranch.”
Rashad laughed. “Yes, ma’am.”
Tyler would not go home anytime soon. That kid was out with his uncles and father from sunup to sundown every day. When Maddy came looking for him, he’d hide until she found him and dragged him home.
Maddy went back in the house. Yani was making her way to him. His breath caught in his throat at the sight of her.
He’d known Yani forever and he shouldn’t be thinking such carnal thoughts like peeling those clothes off of her.
Nate would murder him.
“So, I took the rest of the day off and don’t have any plans. Can I hang out with you and see some of the cowboy stuff you do?” Her eyebrows rose, and he grinned.
He didn’t want to break her bubble and tell her his work wasn’t really called ‘cowboy stuff’, but hell, if that was what she wanted to call it, he’d let her.
“If you think you can handle it,” he teased.
“I’m sure I can handle whatever you throw at me,” she replied flirtatiously. Her eyes twinkled with laughter.
All the shyness had disappeared, and he liked this side of Yani.
“Is that so?” He couldn’t help but touch her. He took her hand in his and directed her to Brandy’s side. He leaned down and whispered in her ear,” You don’t know what you are in for.”
It was a promise. Yani Polk was about to get the full brunt of Rashad Mays.
4
Yani was in awe at the sheer strength of Rashad. He had placed her under a large tree so she could watch him and the others wrangle cows into another corral. According to Rashad, it was the best seat in the house.
A sign escaped her while she watched him. It should be illegal how good that man looked sitting upon a mare. He and a few of the other fellows worked as a team leading the cattle. The air was filled with the moans of displeasure from the animals as they were forced to do as the cowboys commanded.
Rashad sat atop Brandy with his wide-brimmed cap on like he’d been born to ride. Confidence exuded from him. The surrounding men gave him respect, following his orders as he instructed them on what to do. What they were doing was dangerous. With the amount of cattle enveloping the group of men and horses, one wrong move, and someone could get hurt.
She chuckled at some antics of the cattle trying to getaway. Some of them just weren’t having it. A few tried to rush toward the exit of the corral. Rashad and Brandy raced over to block them.
“Get!” Rashad yelled out.
The scared heifers took off in the opposite direction.
Yani clapped her hands, laughing. She wasn’t sure why they were moving certain cows where they were, but the guys had it down like a well-oiled machine.
Rashad glanced over at her and tipped his hat to her. She bit her lip and waved. Her heart did a little flip-flop.
He was one sexy man.
She didn’t know if it was the backdrop, or him showing off doing his physical job in front of her, but she could now see why he was all muscles.
“Geesh.” She waved a hand toward her face to try to cool off. Her body was heating up at the memory of sliding into his arms when he’d helped her dismount from the horse. Her first instinct was to jump in his arms and wrap her legs around him, demanding he take her somewhere private.
Her core clenched at her remembering the hardened muscles of his chest and abdomen… and something else that had pressed up against her.
“You here observing so you can get a job out here?” Stan
Larsen, one of the other hands walked over to her.
She chuckled and shook her head. “Nope. I’ve always been interested in seeing what you fellas do out here on the range.”
Stan barked a laugh and took his baseball cap off. He was nice-looking and appeared to be around her age. He hadn’t grown up in their town, but she’d seen him around here and there.
“Ranch life is hard,” he replied. He put his hat back on and adjusted it.
She nodded in agreement. She had caught the show Cattle Life a few times and had been curious if what she saw on television was the same thing as in real life. It was a popular unscripted television series that followed a few ranches down in Oklahoma. It showed real-life work that usually wasn’t known about ranchers. What she liked about it was that it wasn’t one of those cheesy shows that had drama just to get ratings.
Growing up in a small town like Shady Springs, nothing really happened. So to see other small towns showcased in the widely popular show, she felt she had to support.
Yani’s gaze moved back to Rashad and found him speaking with one of the owners, Carson Brooks.
“Well, I’m sure Rashad won’t keep a pretty lady like you waiting too long.” Stan nodded to her and walked back to his horse.
Yani giggled, her gaze once again on Rashad. Their eyes met, and she clenched her thighs together.
“I hope he doesn’t make me wait too long,” she muttered. There was a double meaning to her words. She had pined after him for too long, and it was time she got her man.
Yani broke their stare and turned to take in the beautiful land. It was peaceful, and she could sit here and watch nature all day. She had never been the most outdoorsy girl but could appreciate what she saw before her.
Footsteps drew her attention, and she caught sight of Rashad and Brandy walking toward her. The other men were riding away in the opposite direction. They must have completed what they needed.
“Done for the day?” she asked.
“Yeah. I was just informed that a pretty little lady was patiently waiting for me and I shouldn’t keep her waiting too long.” He paused near her and removed his hat to run a hand along his close-shaven hair.
