by R. C. Ryan
“Don’t you worry about it, Li’l Bit.” Luke winked at her, and her smile returned. “Your sister can catch up on her sleep tonight, while I have my revenge on a certain little card shark.”
“You mean we can play more Fish tonight?”
“I’m looking forward to it.” He picked up his dishes and Ingrid’s and placed them in the sink. “Thanks for that great breakfast, Mick. I’m feeling fortified for the day.”
Lily carried her dishes to the sink, and following Luke’s example, turned to the old cowboy. “Thanks for breakfast, Mick.”
“You’re welcome. You’re both welcome. Now get out of here and find a way to put a smile on Ingrid’s face.”
Ingrid’s horse was already saddled and nibbling grass outside the corral. Inside the barn Ingrid was busy rubbing oil into an old harness. She looked up briefly when Luke and Lily entered, but held her silence.
Lily opened a stall door and led her mount out into the sunshine, where she proceeded to wrestle a saddle onto the horse’s back.
“Need any help with that, Li’l Bit?”
She gave a quick shake of her head. “I can do it, Luke.”
He led Turnip outside. “Okay then. But that saddle’s bigger than you.”
“Ingrid said I have to be able to take care of myself, especially when we’re up in the hills. That way, if there’s ever an accident, I can go for help.”
Luke tightened the cinch. “Your sister’s a smart woman.” He waited until Lily pulled herself into the saddle before doing the same on his horse.
Ingrid stepped out of the barn and took a pair of worn leather gloves from her back pocket. Drawing her hat low on her head, she mounted and, without a word, took the lead. Lily followed, and Luke took up the rear.
They rode single file until they crossed into a high meadow carpeted with wildflowers. They rode side by side until, at the very top of the hill, Luke reined in his mount.
As he did, Lily opened a zippered pouch hanging around her neck and took out a battered old camera, aiming it at the land below as she snapped off several shots.
“I don’t believe there’s a prettier picture in all the world than Montana in summer.” Luke winked at Lily. “Unless it’s Montana wearing a blanket of snow in winter.”
“I love winter. Do you like winter, too, Luke?”
He nodded. “And spring and fall. I like all the seasons, as long as I can spend them here in Montana.”
“Did you ever go away from here?”
He shook his head. “My grandpop thought I should study veterinary medicine. When I heard how far away I’d have to travel, I decided I’d just learn all I could about doctoring cattle from Burke.”
“Did you go to school when you were my age, or did you get homeschooled?”
“Mostly homeschooling. Our ranch was more than an hour away from the nearest town.”
“Me too. Miss Sarah, the teacher who checks all my online assignments, says I’m really smart.” Lily was beaming as she tucked away her camera. “What do you like better, Luke? Riding Turnip or riding your motorcycle?”
“Now that’s a tough question, Li’l Bit. You’re asking me to compare apples and oranges.”
She looked perplexed. “I don’t understand. What does that mean?”
“I love oranges. They’re sweet and juicy. But I have to peel them before I get to the good stuff. I love apples, too. They crunch when I bite into them. And I can even eat the outer peel. But I couldn’t say if I liked one better than the other.”
“Oh.” She thought about his words. “So you love riding Turnip, ’cause you’ve had him since he was a foal. And your…Harley?”
“I’ve been riding bikes since I was thirteen. My first motorcycle was one of Burke’s rejects. It was old and rusted and lying in the barn, and I spent months fiddling with it until I got it working. Then I took it out to one of the pastures, where nobody could see me, and taught myself how to ride. Pretty soon I decided it would be fun to try doing some tricks with it. In no time I could jump it clear over a couple of bales of hay. Then over a tractor.” He shrugged. “After that, there was no stopping me.”
“Didn’t your daddy worry?”
“My parents were dead. And poor Grandpop was in a panic over what to do with his ornery grandson.”
“Did he punish you?”
Luke shook his head. “He tried. But no matter what, I’d just take my lumps and get right back on my bike. Finally Grandpop gave up. I’m sure he’s amazed that I’ve lived this long.”
“What about your brothers? Do they ride motorcycles, too?”
“Matt’s too sensible.” Luke chuckled. “And now that he has himself a bride, I’m sure he’s not going to do anything too dangerous. He’s got way too much to live for.”
Ingrid’s eyes flashed. “Your brother Matt sounds like a smart man.”
Luke smiled. He’d caught her listening to their conversation and had known that sooner or later she wouldn’t be able to bite her tongue any longer. And though he figured her anger was about what she’d seen the previous night, or thought she’d seen, he had no intention of enlightening her. “Oh, Matt’s smart. But so is my brother Reed. We refer to him as our very own technonerd.”
Lily’s eyes widened. “What’s a…what does that mean?”
“Reed’s a guy who dearly loves the challenge of learning all kinds of new technology. Give him a complicated gadget with enough directions to fill a book, and he’ll sort it out in a matter of hours and have the gadget up and running. He’s been that way since we were just kids.”
“So.” Ingrid’s tone was pure ice. “Both your brothers are smart and follow the rules. It seems you’re the only misfit in the family.”
“That’s me.” He winked at Lily. “A crazy rebel. I thrive on challenge. Or, as I like to call it, opportunity.”
“Do you have any pets, Luke?” Lily guided her horse close to his.
“Just old Turnip here. There’s a bunch of barn cats out back of our place, but they’re not what I’d call pets. How about you?”
She nodded. “I’ve got Little.”
“Sounds like a hamster or a bunny. Which is it?”
“A chicken. Right after she hatched, I picked her for my very own. And I named her Little ’cause it was the name of a chicken in my favorite story.”
“Is she a good pet?”
Lily shrugged. “I used to spend hours dressing her in dolls’ clothes and pushing her around in a stroller. But now she just wants to be with the rest of the chickens in the henhouse. But whenever I feed them, she comes right over and sits down so I can pet her.”
As they came up over a ridge, the herd of cattle was spread out before them in a rolling meadow of lush grass.
“That’s a fine-looking herd.” Luke drew back on the reins, allowing Lily to ride ahead, while he remained beside Ingrid. “How many do you figure there are?”
“Nearly six hundred.” She dismounted, and Luke did the same. “With the calves born this spring, there should be well over a thousand heading to market this year.”
He studied the animals, fat and sleek from the lush grasses in these hills. “You found the perfect place for a summer range. Even without a team of wranglers, they’re pretty much fenced in here by the steep hills around them.”
Ingrid tossed back her hat to allow the breeze to take her hair. “My dad chose this spot years ago. He divided the herd into three equal parts, leaving some to graze on a higher mountainside, some on a lower plain, and some here. At the end of that season, he realized the herd grazing in this spot brought in the highest profits.”
“Your dad was a smart man.”
At Luke’s praise, she beamed with pleasure and turned to him. “He couldn’t hide the love he had for this ranch. All he wanted was to teach me everything he could about ranching, so when the day came for him to slow down, he’d take comfort in the fact that his land was in good hands.”
“And it is.” Luke lifted a hand to the corn silk str
ands dancing around her cheeks.
At once her smile fled and she jerked back. “Don’t. I told you before. I’m not Nadine.”
His eyes narrowed on her. “For the record, there’s no way I’d ever confuse you with your mother.”
“Then don’t try playing those games with me.”
“What games are we talking about?”
“You know exactly what I mean. All those sexy moves.”
“Really? Sexy?” He was grinning as he reached a hand to her hair. “Like this?”
Her chin came up. “If you want lots of hair, reach for Nadine’s.”
“Is that why you chopped yours off?” He allowed a silken strand to sift through his fingers. “To prove a point?”
“Well, aren’t you the brilliant observer. For the record, there are a lot of things Nadine does that I refuse to do. I don’t bother with makeup. And—”
“—and you try to hide your gorgeous body under this bulky shirt.” He fingered the rough collar. His smile was quick and charming. “I’ll let you in on a secret. It’s not working.”
She slapped his hand away. “Stop trying to be clever. I know what I am. I’m a rancher who’s struggling to stay on the land I love. A big sister working overtime to raise Lily to be the best she can.”
“You forgot the most important thing. You’re a woman.” His voice lowered to a near growl. “Maybe you’d like to forget that, but it’s impossible for me to overlook the fact that you’re not just a woman, but a gorgeous, amazing, very independent woman.”
She actually gasped as he leaned close.
“Just so you know, I’m going to kiss you, Ingrid.” His arms came around her and he gathered her close.
He’d known her lips would be soft and inviting. Had known it from the first time he’d looked at them. But he wasn’t prepared for the taste of her. Sweet, yet tart. So strong, and yet he could feel the way her breath hitched, alerting him to her unease.
All woman, and yet fighting it. She kept her hands at her sides, refusing to give him any encouragement.
“I won’t do anything you don’t want me to do. So don’t be afraid.” He spoke the words inside her mouth.
“I’m not—”
“Just for a moment, Ingrid, let yourself enjoy something.”
She responded with a soft purr in the back of her throat. For the space of a heartbeat he could feel her relax in his arms as she gave herself up to the moment.
A burst of heat shot through Luke’s veins. His heartbeat was thundering, keeping time with hers. He changed the angle of the kiss and took it deeper, until he could actually feel the fire.
The ground tilted beneath his feet, and he knew he was losing control. He hadn’t meant to take it this far. None of this had been planned. He’d merely wanted to kiss her and tease her a little. But now, too late, he realized that one taste of these lips would never be enough.
He lifted his head and held her for another few moments, while he struggled to bring the world around them into focus.
As his breathing settled, he took a step back, keeping his hands at her shoulders to steady himself as well as her. Before either of them could say a word, Lily’s horse trotted over to where they were standing.
The little girl looked down at them, her smile as bright as the sunshine. “Are we heading home now?”
Luke managed to find his voice. “Yeah. I think it’s time. Want to race?”
“Oh boy.” She turned her mount before calling, “What does the winner get?”
“It’s a surprise.” Luke would think of something on the ride home. For now, he could barely make his muddled brain work.
He turned to Ingrid, pulling herself into the saddle. “Want to join the game?”
She managed a cool smile. “Sure. I guess I’d be wise to brush up on all my games while you’re around.”
He shot her a dangerous grin. “Just so you know which ones are games and which are the real thing.”
“Are you sure you do?” She urged her horse into a run, leaving him in her dust.
Chapter Eight
Chili.” Luke shot a quick grin at Mick as he ladled out their supper.
“I’d better warn you, son. I like it hot.”
“Even better.” Luke reached for a platter filled with smaller bowls in the middle of the table, holding chopped onion, grated cheese, oyster crackers, and hot sauce. He spooned some of each into his chili before taking a taste. Then he closed his eyes and gave a sigh of pure pleasure. “Now that’s what I call ranch chili.”
“Around here we call it Mick’s fire.” Ingrid followed Luke’s lead and added the garnishes before digging in.
Lily and Mick were too busy eating to say a word.
As usual, Nadine’s chair was empty. Nobody seemed to notice or care. After a day of ranch chores and the long ride into the hills and back, they were ready for the slower pace of evening.
As dusk settled over the land, they enjoyed a leisurely supper, while the others filled Luke in on some of the family stories from years past.
Luke took a third helping of chili before turning to Ingrid. “So your ranch goes back several generations?”
She nodded. “My grandfather came here from Norway. Dad used to say his father was a happy loner, comfortable with his own company. He didn’t marry until he was in his fifties. Then he met a traveling teacher, Winnie, who used to visit ranch families on horseback. He was so taken with her, he asked her to marry him the next day. When she agreed, they rode into Wayside, found a minister, and returned to the ranch that same day. A year later my dad was born. By the time Dad was fifteen, both his parents were dead, and he just continued caring for the ranch like his father before him.”
Luke helped himself to coffee, then topped off Mick’s cup and Ingrid’s. “Where did your father meet your mother?”
“In town. He went in for supplies and came home with a bride. She was a waitress at Barney’s. That’s the only bar in town. Dad was forty-two. Nadine was just shy of her twentieth birthday. When she realized how isolated this place was, she took off after just two weeks.”
“Where did she go?”
Ingrid shrugged. “Back to Wayside. And Barney’s. It was all she knew.”
“What did your dad do?”
“What he’s always done. He tended to the ranch, and when all the chores were finished, he drove his truck to Wayside and found her back at Barney’s, slinging drinks.”
“How did he persuade her to come back with him?”
Ingrid glanced across the table at her little sister. “If you’d like, Lily, you can go in the parlor and get the cards ready.”
“Okay.” The little girl carried her dishes to the sink. Before leaving the room, she said to Luke, “I’ll see you when you’re ready to play Fish. And remember, you promised me a prize for beating you in our race.”
“I haven’t forgotten. You’ll get your prize, Li’l Bit.”
When she was gone, Ingrid sipped her coffee. “In answer to your question…Dad once told me there was only one way to deal with someone like Nadine, and that was to give her time to figure out whether she needed the freedom she craved or the stability he offered.”
“Which did she take?”
“Both. Even all these years later.”
“How long did she take to come home that first time?”
“A month. Eight months later I was born. And my father said he knew then that he’d never be alone again. He didn’t care if Nadine stayed or left, as long as she understood that he was never going to allow her to take me with her.”
Mick, listening in silence, let out a chuckle. “I met Lars Larsen when he was running this place all alone. A man who never had time to be a boy. A loner who never felt lonely. And I can tell you that the minute he laid eyes on his baby girl, he lost his heart completely. It was the same with Lily. He just purely doted on his two daughters.”
Ingrid smiled. “Dad always lived on the edge. The edge of having the family he’d craved, but
never persuading Nadine to stay and make it complete. The edge of making this ranch a success, but never quite attaining it. There were just too many things getting in the way. Nadine’s need to party. Debts that never got completely paid. He died still struggling to make it all work.”
Seeing the look of sadness coming into her eyes, Luke pushed away from the table. “Okay. We’ve been lazy long enough. Since Mick made that great chili, it’s up to you and me to clean up.”
He crossed to the sink and turned on the faucet. While he washed the dishes, Ingrid picked up a towel and dried. As they worked together, Luke kept up a running commentary about his brothers and the silly fights they’d had over the years.
At the table, Mick stretched out his legs and watched the two of them. He could see right through Luke. He was doing his best to keep Ingrid from dwelling on the sad facts of her life. His jokes and funny stories were doing the trick. But if body language could be believed, even though they were both laughing, they were working overtime to keep from touching. Which meant to him that they were probably dealing with some kind of itch to do just the opposite.
His eyes crinkled as a big grin spread across his face. Damned if it didn’t look like Luke took his words to heart this morning and found a way to put a smile on Ingrid’s face. And wasn’t it the warmest smile he’d seen on her in a long time.
It was the way of men and women from the beginning of time. Throw them together long enough, and they were bound to strike sparks off one another. And some of those sparks were just apt to light a fire.
“One more game, Luke. Please.”
Luke gathered up the cards and shook his head. “Thanks for letting me beat you a time or two. It was darned nice of you. But I’m done for tonight. And tomorrow, I think it’s time I taught you something new. Gin rummy. Or poker.”
She clapped her hands. “Poker?” She turned to Ingrid, seated at the desk across the room, her head bent over the ledgers. “Is it okay if Luke teaches me to play poker?”
