by Em Petrova
“That’s not what I was thinking at all.”
Pausing, she sliced a look at him.
“I was thinkin’ about that wet shirt molded to your body after you fell into the trough.”
She almost choked on her own surprised gasp. “Should I just beat you over the head now or wait till you’re asleep?”
He chuckled, a low sound that felt dirty, hot and irritating all at the same time. Then he pushed up close to her and plucked the sledgehammer right out of her hands.
She wrinkled her nose at the smell he gave off, but if he cared about her own aroma, he didn’t show it. In fact, he hovered over her. Up close, even the creases of his eyes held a layer of dust and sweat.
And his beard was sprouting in the heat and humidity, coming in thick and black on his angled jaw. He gave her a crooked smile that cut a path up his tanned cheek and popped a dimple.
Dear God. Why hadn’t she ever noticed that dimple before? Maybe she’d never looked close enough or seen him smile so big. Either way, the little divot made her want to brush her lips over it.
She stepped back, relinquishing the tool.
“I suppose you expect me to watch and learn from the master,” she said.
“No.” Whack, whack. “I’m just not as tired as you. Yet.” He threw her another grin, this time featuring both lifted corners of his mouth… and two dimples.
Two.
Dimples.
“How does a man as rugged as Noble Watkins have dimples?” She reached for the jug of sweet tea he’d abandoned. The cool brew slipped down her parched throat and made another layer of sweat break out on her, which meant her clothes clung to her more.
Noble turned his head toward her, smiling to show off the dimples she’d mentioned. “You like ’em?”
“Only little girls with golden ringlets have dimples.”
“Plenty o’ women have enjoyed them in the past.”
“Well, I’m not one of them.”
“Good. Because I don’t like that divot in your chin either.”
She almost lifted a hand to slap it over the small genetic trait her father had passed on to her. Instead, she raised her chin a notch to proudly display it. “Plenty o’ men have liked it in the past,” she threw back at him.
Laughing, he finished the post, kicked a little more dirt around the base and moved on to the next six feet down the line. She took her rest for the next dozen or so, before he dropped the sledgehammer and reached for the tea jug she’d almost drained.
Somehow, watching him bring the plastic rim to his lips, that had just touched her own, gave her a funny feeling low in her stomach.
When Langtry called them off the task for the day, she was relieved as hell. Not only to get a break from the labor in the heat but so she didn’t see Noble bend over for the thousandth time and think for the thousandth time how prime his backside was.
Perfect for grabbing.
Digging in her nails.
And pulling him into her.
Disgust washed over her as they hitched a ride back to the main ranch. The guys all piled out of the pickup and walked straight to the stock tank. Taking turns dipping their hats in the water and setting them back on their heads so cold streams of water ran down their necks and backs was the highlight of her day.
No, it had not been when Noble mentioned her wet shirt.
Or gave her a damn good view of his ass, dimples and everything in between.
With the morning’s work behind them, they took a break for lunch. After that, Langtry separated them into two groups. Some would continue the trail rides with the younger horses while the rest got the small herd of new cattle integrated into the main herd.
As they called her name to go with the herd and then Noble’s to hit the dusty trails, the man sent her a long look, and then dropped his head.
Again, that flutter took up in her core, and she firmly shoved it down. She had work to do here, and she should be glad Noble wouldn’t be part of her afternoon.
She strode to the paddock to saddle up and then forgot her leather gloves in the bunkhouse and headed back for them. When she reached the door, Noble stepped up to the opening.
But he wasn’t only blocking her way.
He was staring at her with a burning intensity, two fireworks in his eyes.
“I forgot—”
“Your gloves,” he answered for her.
Why was the air suddenly sucked out of Texas? Her lungs constricted as she struggled to draw a breath. Then, when she did, her senses filled with the musk of the man still barring her way.
“Excuse me while I get them.” Why was she being so polite? Normally, she’d be giving him enough sass for three cowboys.
He continued to stare at her as he slowly shuffled aside, allowing her just enough room to slip by him and into the bunkhouse. Heart pounding for some unknown reason, she grabbed her gloves.
On the return, Noble still stood there, half blocking the doorway.
She stepped out.
“Gracie.” His low, deep voice was a rumble over her mind, body and every nerve ending she owned.
She came to a dead stop, only inches away from him. She stared at his mouth, and she felt his gaze traveling over her face.
“Be careful out there,” he grated out.
Without another word, he walked away, leaving her staring at his strong back. What the hell was that? And what was this reaction she was having to him?
Whatever it was, she couldn’t be late to join her party, so she hurried to saddle a horse and mount up. Riding out and listening to the other guys talk didn’t get her mind off what had just occurred between her and Noble.
The way he’d stood there, so close, fists clenched at his sides and his stare burning a hole through her… That wasn’t a normal, everyday thing that happened between people.
She replayed it in her mind three times then four, and each time, she felt that rush of awareness just like the first time. Her insides felt a little fluttery too.
Never in all her years of being around guys had one made her feel so… so… off balance, was the only word that came to mind.
Maybe it was Noble’s intent—to throw her off her game so she’d make some huge error and end up out of the running for the position.
Compressing her lips, she tried to squelch the moment between them but found it impossible to feel anything but that same gravity, like they were rotating around the same sun in sync.
Ugh—clearly, the sun had gone to her head and scrambled her brains.
She focused on the talk between Timms and Langtry, who was heading them, leaving Vin to go with the other men.
“I heard rumors about the Blackburn women,” Timms was saying.
Her ears perked up, and she guided her horse closer to listen.
Langtry sliced a look his way. “Rumors are never true. Don’t you know that by now?”
“If they’re true, why isn’t there a Blackburn woman out here with us right now, pushing the new herd to pasture?”
A grunt came from Langtry. It was the universal sound of cowboys, though Noble had the market cornered on grunting rather than saying what was on his mind.
“So it ain’t true that Blackburn’s granddaughter asked to work on the ranch and they sent her off to school back East instead?” Timms pushed.
Gracie blinked. She didn’t know everything about the Blackburn family, only that there were two sons who were now running most of the operations while the old man got to kick back and relax more.
But she didn’t know anything about a daughter.
Langtry’s next words gripped her by the guts and twisted. “That’s true enough. Josie wanted to fill one of the positions, but they asked her to attend school instead.”
“Because they don’t trust women to do the job right, is what I heard,” Timms went on.
Everyone tossed a look at Gracie, who kept her gaze on her horse’s ears. But her insides had gone cold.
When Langtry only grunted again
in response, not denying Timm’s claim, she felt the burn of anger and a prickle of tears behind her eyes. She’d never, ever let a single drop fall, but she couldn’t help but think she was out here wasting her time. If what Timms said was true, that they didn’t feel a woman could handle the work, why was she even here?
Maybe they’d only accepted her as a contender because of her last name.
* * * * *
Noble threw Gracie a look from across the dinner table. So far, she’d only picked at the food on her plate even though they must have gotten a cook, because it was a real meal and not just sandwiches.
Her mashed potatoes must have gone cold by now, but she forked some up, brought them to her mouth but then lowered her fork to her plate, obviously giving up on pretending to eat.
Whatever had happened out there today, she was upset by it. She’d come back with her head down and her heels practically dragging the floor, and he knew she wasn’t tired. The woman had the stamina of two men put together.
He had to get her alone to ask her what was wrong.
When she pushed back her chair and took care of her dishes, he stood too, hoping to catch her as soon as she went outside, but she was too quick for him. He didn’t see hide nor hair of her in the yard or thereabouts.
Where would she go? He crisscrossed the property, from barn to outbuildings and back but didn’t see her.
Then it hit him—the one place she might go to be alone.
He started up the hill to the lookout where they’d bumped into each other before. The grasses were higher and would need to be cut soon. He imagined hours of baling ahead of them. Even with equipment to do a lot of the heavy work, the cowpokes would still be coated in sweat and hay for days until the task was complete.
As soon as he crested the hill, he spotted her. Back to him, arms slung around her knees. The set of her shoulders gave him a sharp pang. He felt himself moving forward, the urge to comfort her strong.
When he took a seat beside her, she didn’t even look his way. Unsure of what to say, he remained silent in hopes she’d spill what was weighing on her.
“Why am I here?” she suddenly spat.
Rocked and shaken to his core that Gracie, who was so full of determination and drive, would question herself, his jaw dropped. “You’re here to do a damn good job for the Blackburns.”
Suddenly, she jerked her head to stare at him, eyes the blue of flames. “You know they sent Blackburn’s daughter away because they don’t want women working the ranch.”
His brows crinkled. “No, I don’t know that.”
“Langtry didn’t deny it when Timms asked about the rumor. They drove their daughter off, so how could I ever get this?”
“Gracie.”
She flicked her gaze up to his.
“You are worthy of a chance. Maybe Blackburn’s daughter wasn’t.”
She pushed out a snort. “A woman born and raised to this?” She spread her hand toward the view of pasture dotted with cattle and fence for miles. “The fact that she asked to do it is enough evidence she believed she could.”
He couldn’t argue that.
“Whatever their reasons for not wanting her to do this job, it doesn’t affect you.”
“Why am I even talking to you about this?” She jumped to her feet, but before she could take a single step, he was standing beside her. He grabbed her by the wrist.
Under his fingers, her bones felt solid and warm. The contact shouldn’t have him hard as rock, but his jeans were suddenly far too tight.
She bowed her head, not pulling from his hold, just utterly still.
He edged a step closer until he felt her body heat wash over him and smelled the sweet fragrance of mint gum and vanilla body wash. He knew that was what she used, because he’d seen it in the shower—and smelled it. He didn’t like to think of the other guys smelling it too, but they probably did.
“Gracie.” Her name came out as a rough plea, but he didn’t know what the hell he was even asking of her.
To come closer.
To let him kiss her.
To stay and fight for what she wanted and not give up.
She took a shaky breath. Head bowed, her hat concealed her face from him, and damn, he wished she’d show him her eyes.
He looked down at where his fingers wrapped around her wrist to see her own fingers extended, and a slight tremble ran through her.
“Noble, this isn’t a good idea,” she said at last.
Her breathy words only amped up the tension strung through his body like live wires.
He stared at the top of her hat, silently urging her to look at him. One glance and he’d know what he wanted.
Then he’d have her mouth under his in a crushing kiss.
She pulled away slowly, as if waiting for him to grab her back. Damn, he wanted to, but he let his hand drop instead. Taking a step away from him, she glanced up. The blue of her eyes was more intense.
She bit into her lower lip before giving a shake of her head and turning. He watched her walk back down the hill.
Chapter Five
Down time was scarce around the Blackburn Ranch, but since it was Sunday morning, they were given a bit of leave to attend church services or run home and visit family members who lived close enough.
Gracie had neither of those on her mind, but she did feel the need to call home. To speak to her parents or one of her sisters might center her again, and she needed that right now.
Leaning her back against a fence post, she took out her phone and dialed home. Nobody picked up, and she went to voicemail. So she tried her sister Jessamine next, and she answered on the first ring.
“If it isn’t my long-lost sister,” Jessamine sang out.
Gracie smiled at hearing her sister’s—and one of her best friends, if she was honest—voice. “How’s everything?” she asked.
“Well, Momma’s having a cow because Daddy doesn’t want to keep the spring kids that were just born. Says we have enough goats, but you know Momma and how much of a softy she is for those cute little kids.”
“They are cute,” Gracie admitted, still smiling.
“I think Daddy’ll give in, don’t you?” Jessamine asked.
“Yep. He’s a softy for her. What about Kizzy?”
“She’s raisin’ hell as usual. Got in trouble for running off with Chaz for a weekend in Vegas and not tellin’ anybody. Our parents were convinced she was eloping, but we all know Kizzy won’t settle down for maybe a hundred years.”
“If that.” Gracie laughed about their youngest sister’s antics. She had a lot of growing up to do, but why bother when she was fresh out of high school with her entire life to get dragged down by the weight of responsibilities?
“At least tell me she won something at the slot machines,” Gracie said.
“Two bucks.”
“At least she was up.”
“Right! So how are you doing on the Blackburn? Is it everything you dreamed of and more?” Jessamine had a direct way of finding what troubled someone and picking off the scab.
Ignoring the question, Gracie turned the conversation to their brothers and cousins in Paradise Valley. Then Jessamine mentioned their distant second cousins—or maybe they were third—Gracie never could remember, and don’t get her started on the once or twice removed.
Either way, more Daltons were spread to the north. They didn’t see that branch of the family tree often, seeing how they were in Colorado, but Gracie had good memories of family picnics and playing with cousins who were around their same age and having lots in common with them, as they were a big, close-knit ranching family too.
She listened to how one older cousin had gotten married and then filed for divorce almost immediately. The rumors were flying in the family, but nobody knew what had prompted him to do such a thing.
“You know that bloodline is far more scandalous than we are down here in Texas,” Gracie said.
Jessamine laughed, and Gracie could picture her sister
clearly, which brought about a homesickness she hadn’t expected to feel. “I think Kizzy’s trying to remedy that misconception.”
“More power to her. She might as well sow her oats till she figures out what she wants in life.”
“You didn’t answer me, Gracie. What about you and the Blackburn? Are you doing okay?” Her tone gentled, and Gracie had to pinch the bridge of her nose as she thought about her sister’s words.
“Yeah, it’s all great. Too much work but it’s good work that keeps us busy.”
“You’ve got a lot of the summer left there. Think you’ll stick it out?”
Now they were at the crux of the conversation. Gracie was no quitter. But since hearing the Blackburns weren’t going to allow a woman to do the work, she didn’t feel all that motivated either.
“I’ll stick it out,” she heard herself say, though till that moment she hadn’t been so sure of her answer. “Even if I don’t get a place here, I’ll have more experience under my belt and maybe they’ll need me in Paradise Valley eventually.”
There—she’d said it.
“That ranch is overrun with Daltons. I haven’t counted, but I bet there’s fifty of them by now, with the way they’re all reproducing. Like rabbits,” Jessamine said.
Gracie snorted. “That’s true enough.”
Her sister sighed over the line. “We all know you hoped to graduate and become the business-minded Dalton down there in the valley, Sis. Don’t feel too bad if there isn’t room there for you too.”
Damn, did her sister have to dig at every sore spot?
“I’m good with wherever I end up. Because I’m a believer in you ending up where you need to be when you need to be there.”
“Right. And at this moment, you’re meant to be on the Blackburn. When you comin’ for a visit? We miss you, and you’ve gotta help me dig up this flower bed Momma asked us to do months ago. You left home before you could finish the job, remember?”
Gracie grinned at having missed out on completing that awful chore. “I remember. Have fun with that, Jessa! Love you, bye!”
She ended the call before her sister could respond and giggled at what her sister’s face would look like right now. She lowered the phone, still grinning, and glanced up to see Noble standing a dozen yards away, watching her.
