by Loraine, Kim
I expected it to take a while for Clint to come to my rescue, so I found an empty seat on a cold cement bench and pulled out the paperback I’d picked up at LAX. Say what you want about romance novels, but I loved a good historical with a Duke and a lady and someone ending up ruined. Before long, I was surrounded by the rich visuals the author painted of a lady with a secret and a Duke who was a broken soul.
“Heard you needed a ride,” Clint’s low voice caught me off guard and sent tingles through me. There he was, handsome as ever and completely off limits in a big, dark blue Ford F-150. I closed my book quickly and shoved it into my bag.
“Took you long enough. I’m surprised you aren’t on horseback.”
He pulled forward a little. “I can still leave you here, and you can wait until a car is available.”
“No. No. You’re already here. I don’t want the trip to be wasted.”
Leaving his truck idling, he got out and walked over to me. He grabbed my suitcase and tossed it in the truck bed before opening my door. As the door opened, the running board lowered so I’d have a step up. “Can’t get into your own truck without help?” I asked.
“I manage just fine. I’ve got long legs.”
My heart fluttered a bit at that. “Yes, you sure do.”
I climbed into the truck, avoiding his offered hand, even though I really wanted to touch him. Then he came around to the driver’s side and climbed in, taking off his black cowboy hat and setting it between us on the bench seat. His dark hair had grown a little, curling over his ears and making him look a little more rakish.
He was silent for the first part of the drive before he said, “So, How to Love a Duke in Ten Days, huh? I didn’t take you for the romance novel type.”
I cocked a brow. “Type? I wasn’t aware there was a type.”
“Oh, come on, you know, there’s a type for everything. People who read westerns or police procedurals. Thrillers, horror novels, and then…romance novels.”
“So, you must mean smart, well educated, liberated women who know the difference between reality and fantasy and can appreciate a healthy attitude toward sexual gratification.”
He shut his mouth and stared straight ahead. I’d either scared him off, or he truly had no rebuttal.
Then after ten minutes of uncomfortable silence, he switched on the radio. A song that was a strange blend of rock and country filled the warm cab, and my ears perked up in surprise. “Not what I was expecting.”
He gave me the side-eye. “What were you expecting?”
“Hank Williams, George Jones, Ernest Tubb. You know, those guys my granddad used to listen to.”
“Your granddad, huh? Where you from originally?”
“I was born and raised in California, but my dad came from Texas, and we went back every summer until I was in high school.”
“So you’re a part-time country girl, then.”
I laughed. “Hardly.”
“We’ll see if I can’t get some cowboy in you before you leave.”
His grin was wide and mine faltered. Heart leaping in my chest, I gripped my knees and averted my eyes. Had he intended that to be dirty? Was I falling victim to his cowboy charm? Either way, I didn’t respond. Instead, I clammed up and kept my gaze on the lightly falling snow that had started during our drive. Hopefully, we’d be there soon, and I’d be able to get some distance between us. He wasn’t putting any country anything in me. Not if I wanted to keep my job.
* * *
“We’re setting you up in the guest house. Figured you wouldn’t want to be in the bunkhouse with the ranch hands once they’re back here tomorrow. I don’t want you staying anywhere near those guys. Most of them are young, cocky cowboys.” Clint’s voice was closer to a growl than I’d heard since meeting him as we pulled through the open gate to Ryker Ranch and started down the long dirt road that would lead to the place I’d call home for the next three weeks.
“Do they all sleep in the same room? I thought you said cabins?”
His hands tightened on the steering wheel. “The bunkhouse is laid out more like…dorms. There’s a common area for relaxing, eating supper, shared bathrooms, a kitchen.”
I sat up a little straighter. “But you’re giving me a guest house? Like, my own house?”
He nodded.
“Is there plumbing? A kitchen? A shower?”
“We’re ranchers, not uncivilized.”
“So, why do you sound less than thrilled about this?”
He shrugged. “I’m just…not comfortable with the idea of you being so far out from the main lodge.”
I rolled my eyes. “Well, that’s too bad. I’m a grown woman, and I’d rather spend three weeks in my own place than have to worry about roommates.”
A sigh filled the cabin of the truck. “Just means an earlier start to your days.”
I frowned. “How early is early?”
He smirked and pulled down a service road, heading away from the large house. “We get started before the sun comes up most days. I’ll be around to pick you up before six tomorrow morning.”
That was early. He hadn’t been teasing.
“It really is beautiful here,” I murmured.
“Yeah, it is. Every day I’m thankful for this place.”
I bit my lower lip and glanced at the wide span of land on either side of the road. “Eight thousand acres?”
“Eight thousand four hundred thirty-three.”
“Wow, that’s a lot of land.”
He nodded. “Yep.”
I watched the plains pass by, imagining what the spring and summer looked like. Green as far as the eye could see? Now it was bordering on barren because of the cold. A bunch of cows stood together to my right, their dark brown forms catching my eye. “Cows,” I murmured.
“Cows.”
“How many do you have?”
“Fifteen-hundred, give or take a few.”
I swallowed hard. “That many?”
He chuckled. “What do you think we do here all day? We breed the cattle, sell ‘em, buy ‘em.”
“What about horses? I thought you trained horses.”
“We do that too. Teach people to ride. Break stubborn horses. That’s Buck’s specialty.”
“He breaks them?”
Shrugging, he turned right and took us down another dirt road. “If he has to. He’s good with horses. Him and Sam are the rodeo cowboys in the family. Well, Buck not so much anymore.” In the distance, I saw a small house with a covered porch and a rustic, log cabin exterior.
He pointed toward the cattle and at a bull with long, dangerous-looking horns, and said, “See that one? He’s a nasty son of a bitch. We only keep him around because he’s good stock and makes strong calves. Don’t get on the same side of the fence as him. Ever.”
I nodded and fought the tickle of fear in my chest. “I don’t plan to.”
“Almost there.” His gaze was back on the road, but I kept my eyes on the bull. The damn thing looked like he was watching us.
“You said Sam and Buck are rodeo cowboys? You’re not?”
Shaking his head, he grinned. “I don’t much like getting bucked off my horse. It’s the ride I like, not the risk.”
“What do you mean?”
“Rodeo is about showing you can ride your horse even if it fights you. Buck traded his flashy belt buckles and broncos for the ranch life, but Sam…he’s a bull rider to the death. That boy is gonna get himself killed one of these days.”
I glanced back through the rear window at the bull. I couldn’t imagine riding one of those. “Where is he now?”
“He’s on the pro bull riding circuit. We won’t see him much more than a few days at Christmas.”
“How does your mom feel about that?”
He swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbing with the action. “It kills her every time she watches him. And she watches every competition she can.”
All I know about bull riding I learned from movies, but it seemed dangerous
, to say the least. “Well, no bull riding for me, Mr. Ryker. I’m here to learn how to be a cowgirl, but I draw the line at bulls.”
“By the look of you, I’d say you draw the line at more than that. First time you step in a pile of manure, you’ll be calling it quits, city girl.”
A flash of anger ignited in my chest. “Oh, really?”
“Really. I bet you’ve never even been up on a horse.”
“Not true.”
He cocked a brow as he pulled up to the house and parked the truck next to an ancient-looking jeep. “A pony ride doesn’t count.”
My bravado disappeared then. “Fine. You’re right. But how hard can it be?”
Laughter filled the cab of the truck. “Jesus, this is going to be too much fun. Come on.”
He got out of the truck and walked around to the back where he pulled my luggage out and carried it up to the porch. I teetered on my heels. But I wouldn’t let him see that he’d been right about my choice of footwear. I’d worn these to spite him.
Shoving his hand in the front pocket of his jeans, he grinned as he retrieved a set of keys on a silver ring with a miniature horseshoe keychain. “Keys. Don’t lose ‘em.”
“Aren’t you going to show me around?”
Annoyance colored his features, but he took the key and unlocked the door. Grabbing my bag, he carried it inside. What I found surprised me. A rustic but beautiful little house greeted me. It looked new. A cozy fireplace on one wall with a couch and coffee table in the center of the room were the first thing I saw.
“Living room, kitchen, bedroom and bathroom through there.” He rushed through the tour with a level of discomfort I wasn’t prepared for. He was really ready to get away from me. I wondered what I’d done to piss him off this time.
“Okay, I’ve got it from here.” He turned to leave. “Clint?” I asked, stopping him in his tracks.
“Yeah?”
“How do I get to the main lodge from here?”
“You know how to drive?”
I nodded. “Of course.”
“Then you get in that jeep and drive. Go back the way we came and take a left at both turns. You’ll find us. Supper is at six.”
I knew I couldn’t handle dinner with him. Not after two hours in a car together. “I’m not hungry. See you in the morning.”
With a curt nod, he opened the door. Then he left me alone with nothing but the scent of him to keep me company. It was too bad I liked it so much.
6
Clint
Thermos of coffee in hand, I banged on the door to the guest house for the second time in the last minute. I knew she wouldn’t be able to handle our early morning schedule. She wasn’t cut out for this, just like I would never belong in LA.
I leaned against the doorframe and took a sip of coffee. Then she opened the door, the bright light of the house’s interior making me wince. I didn’t want to see inside. It had been hard enough to see it yesterday.
“Morning, cowboy,” Ever said, a smile in her voice.
My mouth ran dry at the sight of her, long hair pulled back in a ponytail, face bare of makeup, skin glowing. She smiled, her eyes twinkling.
“I got some new boots just for this.” She glanced down at the floor, but I was still focused on the way her pink lips turned up as she grinned at me.
I finally tore my gaze away from her mouth and let it drift over her body. Long legs, strong thighs, and calves encased in dark, distressed denim made me wish I knew what they felt like wrapped around my hips. I’d never understand why people paid for their jeans to have holes in them, but I had to admit, she looked damn good. Fuck, she had great legs. It wasn’t her jeans she was looking for a comment on though. She wanted my approval of the little white boots she had on.
“Those are…” I struggled to find the right words. “Well, they’re fine for today. Tomorrow we’ll take you into town and get you some real work boots.”
Her face fell. “What? They’re cowboy boots.”
I rubbed a hand across the back of my neck. “They’re not. Those’ll protect your toes, but they’ll be ruined by the end of the day. I promise.”
She grabbed a coat off the hook by the door, and I sighed. That coat wouldn’t stand up in this weather either. “What?”
“I…you’re not prepared for this.”
“Well, if you had given me more instructions than wear some different shoes, maybe I’d be more prepared.”
“I don’t have time to take you into town today. I’ve got pregnant heifers to check, fence posts to inspect, and cattle to move. Not to mention bills to pay.”
“I can go into town on my own.”
“You’ll come back with all the wrong stuff. We’ll go tomorrow. You’re gonna need spurs, some chaps, work gloves, a good hat.” My frustration was coloring my words all wrong. I wasn’t mad at her. I was mad at myself. I should have told her what she’d need. I should’ve planned better.
“Fine.” She shoved her arms through the sleeves of her coat and zipped it up to her chin as we walked outside. “It’s cold as balls out here.”
I couldn’t help myself. I laughed, then handed her some hand warmers I had stored in my pockets. “This should help.”
She sighed with happiness as soon as she put the little packets of heat in her pockets. “That does help.”
Then the two of us walked to my waiting truck. “Once you’re used to it, you can just meet me at the stables.”
“Where are we going now?”
“Breakfast with the crew. You didn’t come for supper last night. So you’ve got to meet them officially this morning.”
I could see the nervous energy tensing her shoulders. “They knew I was coming, right? This isn’t a surprise or anything?”
I nodded and opened the passenger door of my truck for her. “They know. They’re not too thrilled about why you’re here, though. These guys are solid cowboys. They don’t want Hollywood to come in and minimize what they do. This isn’t a movie. It’s not entertainment. It’s a hard, dangerous job, and some of them think you’re going to ruin it by bringing people who have no respect for the ranch out here.”
“Look, I can’t guarantee that there aren’t going to be some entitled assholes on this show. But those are the ones who won’t make it to the finals. The ones who do, those are the ones we’re going to celebrate. The assholes are going to look like exactly what they are.”
I take a long breath and nod. “I believe you. But you’re going to have to prove yourself to more than just me.”
She hopped into the truck, and I closed her door before walking around to my side. Strictly speaking, I hadn’t needed to come get her this morning, but part of me wanted to. I tried to pass it off as not wanting her to be late or get lost, but really, I wanted to see her first. Talk to her before the rest of them.
She yawned, and I couldn’t hide my smile. “Tired?”
“No.” Her protest was quick and sharp. “I need some coffee. I don’t run well without caffeine.”
Flashes of her in that robe in my family kitchen had me thickening in my jeans. Shit. “I remember. Early morning coffee in your robe.”
“Just like you, except I don’t know what you wear in the mornings.”
“Depends on where I am and who is keeping me warm.” Fuck, I shouldn’t have been flirting with her, but my mouth and brain couldn’t keep up.
I held out the thermos and turned my focus back on the road. “What’s this?”
“My coffee. It’ll be ten times better than what you’ll get at the bunkhouse.”
She twisted the top until it opened, and those perfect lips of hers pressed against the opening. The moan she let out when the coffee hit her tongue nearly sent me out of my mind. “Thanks.”
I nodded and cleared my throat. “We’ll eat and then I’ll show you the stables. This morning you’ll get your first riding lesson.”
“Are you teaching me?”
I shook my head. “That’s not my strong suit.
Tristan’s got you scheduled for a crash course in western riding.” I hated the idea of my little brother teaching her anything, but I had too much on my plate, and he’d been right. He was the trainer. I was the rancher.
“So, I guess he’s the one that’ll put some cowboy in me.”
I clenched my teeth against that comment. “Not if I can help it,” I grumbled.
“What was that?”
“Nothing.”
We pulled up to the bunkhouse, and I got out of the car before I could say another word. I had to rein in my possessive instincts about her, or this was going to be a very long three weeks. But watching her walk in those tight jeans, her perfect heart-shaped ass swaying with her hips, I had to bite back a groan. The guys wouldn’t be able to help themselves. I gave it an hour before they were all smitten and at her mercy. Myself included. Ever didn’t have a clue what she was doing to me, and I needed to keep it that way.
* * *
Hours later, I stared at Ever as she rode Skye, our most well-trained and gentle horse. She had a good seat. Her heels could have been in better position, and she was leaning forward a hair too much, but she wasn’t bouncing wildly in the trot, her rein control was solid, and I could see her using her legs to steer rather than her arms. But the thing that got me was the smile on her face. She was loving it.
“Heels down, gorgeous.” Tristan’s voice called my attention to where he stood near the gate. “You look good up there.”
My hands clenched into fists, and I had to take a deep breath before I shouted at him and spooked Skye. Ever caught my eye as she came around the arena. “He’s right. You look good on a horse.”
Her answering grin sent something I shouldn’t feel straight to my chest. It had nothing to do with lust and everything to do with genuine affection. “And you thought I couldn’t do it. Tristan says it won’t be long before we’re at a—” I couldn’t stop her, but I saw it happening before she said the word “—run.”
Skye took off like a shot. He loved that word, and we only used it when we wanted him to go, and fast. “Shit!” Tristan shouted.
