The Rancher and the Rich Girl

by Heather MacAllister

  “I ordered them when I ordered the building materials,” she explained. “A gift.”

  “You should have told me.”

  She probably should have. “I wanted it to be a surprise.”

  “It is,” he said, and the tone of his voice left no doubt that it was not a pleasant one.

  “Sam, go ahead and get started with your bath. I’ll be in to help you in a minute.”

  “Mom! I can take a bath by myself,” he said disgustedly.

  “And how would I know? You obviously haven’t had one since you’ve been gone.”

  “Aw, Mom.” Sam set his empty glass on the table and trudged off to the bathroom.

  Lita was ignoring, or was unaware of, the tension between Matt and Jessica. She demonstrated all the facets of the new kitchen appliances until Matt excused himself to wash up before dinner.

  Then she came over and squeezed Jessica’s shoulder. “Don’t you worry none, Jessie. He’ll be right and tight after he sets his spoon to my chocolate mousse.”

  An exhausted Sam couldn’t stay awake long enough for the chocolate mousse.

  Jessica took him off to bed, relishing the opportunity to tuck him in. She had a feeling these times were nearing an end.

  Sam continued to talk as she pulled the covers up to his chin, telling her all the adventures he’d had with Matt. Just before he fell asleep, he murmured, “Do we have to go home?”

  “You know we do. What would Gramma think if we never came home?”

  Even near sleep, Sam frowned. “I like it here. I don’t like living with Gramma.”

  Jessica stroked the hair back from his forehead. “What about all your friends?”

  “I have new friends here. Let’s stay, please, Mom?”

  She should drop it and let him get to sleep. “There’s a lot of hard work to be done on a ranch.”

  “I know.” He yawned and pulled his hand from under the covers. “See? I’ve done work.” His palm had a blister on it. “’Night, Mom.”

  Jessica kissed his temple and left the room.

  She should have expected this reaction, yet she was still troubled. In spite of the blister, was Matt showing Sam only the fun parts of being a cowboy on a ranch? Although she’d hoped Sam would enjoy the cowboy life for a few days, she’d never imagined he would take to it as he had. Maybe she should say something to Matt. Sam should see the downside to ranching, as well.

  Lita had stayed and eaten with them—mainly so she could load the dishwasher, Jessica suspected as she came in the door after checking on Sheba.

  The housekeeper was getting ready to leave for the night. “I put another pan of cinnamon rolls in the refrigerator,” she said. “You just let ’em sit out on the counter tomorrow morning until they get big, then bake ’em in the oven.”

  “Thanks, Lita. Have you seen Matt?”

  “He’s gone into the office.”

  Jessica nodded.

  Lita took her purse from the peg behind the pantry door. “Now, you stand your ground about the new stove and such. It was high time we had new here and a woman needs working tools as much as any man, but they don’t see it that way.”

  Lita made a good point. Jessica smiled. “Okay.”

  She couldn’t figure out why Matt would be angry. The cost of the appliances was coming from her money, so he shouldn’t care. Maybe it was more that she’d done something without his knowledge than any real objection.

  He was going through the mail when she found him, slicing through the envelopes with a mother-of-pearl-handled knife.

  “I wanted to thank you for giving Sam the time of his life,” she said.

  “My pleasure.” He opened an envelope and plucked out a sheet of paper.

  After glancing at it, he added it to the growing stack on his left, then attacked another envelope with unnecessary vigor, Jessica thought.

  Might as well get on with it. “I apologize if you’re angry about the new appliances. But the stove wasn’t working and the rest of them were equally ancient.”

  “I know how old they were.”

  “Lita was cooking half the stuff at her place, anyway.”

  He gave her a brief look. “Since she’s usually only cooking for me, it worked out okay.”

  “The refrigerator was not running efficiently. The new one will save you money in the long run because it uses less electricity.”

  “It looks twice as big.”

  It probably was, she had to concede. “Well, it won’t use any more electricity than the old one. And it has an ice maker.”

  He grabbed another envelope. “Did it occur to you that I might want to spend money on something other than an ice maker?”

  “I’m sorry,” she apologized again. “I told you they were a gift.”

  “I don’t need your gifts.” He unfolded the letter and stared at it.

  His pride was hurt. She understood. “I was able to use the Fremont Construction account to get them wholesale for—”

  “What the—” Matt stared at the paper, then at Jessica. “This is an account summary from the vet.” He pointed to the payments column. “According to this, he was out here a couple of days ago. Is that true?”

  She should have known that if he begrudged the new appliances, he’d have a fit over her paying the vet bill. “Sheba wasn’t eating and I couldn’t reach you, so I called him.”

  “And Frank let you?”

  “He wasn’t wildly enthusiastic about it, but he didn’t stop me.”

  “He should have,” Matt told her bluntly.

  Jessica was trying very hard to be reasonable and see Matt’s side. “I’ll admit that I was surprised at how much it cost. However, I paid—”

  “I’m aware that you paid. And are you aware that between the vet visits—both of them—the kitchen stuff, the wood and the new shed that almost all the money you’re paying to let your son play cowboy has been spent?”

  And this was her thanks for trying to do something nice for somebody? “I said I’d pay for the new appliances and I’ve already paid for the second vet visit. But wait. Why don’t I pay for the building materials, too? I’ll just go get my checkbook and write you a check for five thousand dollars that you can spend any way you want.”

  “Typical. You think all problems can be solved by throwing money at them.”

  Jessica had started for the door, but at that, she wheeled back around. “Wrong. I deal with money problems by throwing money at them. Money is just a tool. I use it, but I know what it can do and what it can’t do.”

  He looked at her with an unreadable expression. “Sorry. I was out of line.” Slitting open another envelope, he barely glanced at the contents before adding them to the stack.

  From where she stood, Jessica could see Past Due stamped across the top of the pink paper.

  Stubborn man.

  “Was there anything else you needed?” He didn’t look at her as he spoke. “If not, I’ve got some paperwork I need to catch up on.”

  Jessica hated the strain between them. “Actually I did come in here to discuss something with you—Sam.”

  “What about him?”

  “He’s having a wonderful time. Maybe too wonderful.”

  Matt tossed the knife on the desk and swiveled in the leather chair. “What do you mean?”

  “He told me he doesn’t want to go home.”

  A corner of Matt’s mouth tilted upward. “That’ll pass.”

  “I think so, too, but I’d appreciate it if you wouldn’t glamorize ranch life for him.”

  “Glamorize it?” Matt gave a crack of laughter.

  “Yes! This place is like a little boy’s fantasy. There are circus animals wandering around, he gets to ride a horse, go camping, ride an elephant, learn card trick
s—why would he want to leave?”

  “If anyone has glamorized it, you have. First off, Sam would have had to watch me sell my horse. I still may. And next, I either would have fixed the broken stove or eaten cold food.” He dug in the pile and waved the vet’s bill at her. “If you and Sam hadn’t been here—if I hadn’t had the money you brought—I never would have called the vet. Sam would have had a real hard lesson in the value of animals. There isn’t room on a ranch for sentiment. Sheba’s old and she doesn’t contribute. There’s no way to justify this expense for her. That money would have bought a lot of feed.”

  “There are lots of animals around here who don’t contribute.”

  Matt’s anger faded. “You got that right. And it’s going to bankrupt me. When Sam and I were out, I could see that the grazing land isn’t going to produce enough to last through the winter. I’ll have to cut my herd—again.” Elbows on the desktop, he rubbed his forehead with both hands.

  A door to Jessica’s heart opened, a door she’d kept locked since Sam’s father died.

  This was the wrong time, the wrong place and with the wrong man, but she couldn’t help it. For the second time in her life, love had struck quickly and completely.

  Matt exhaled. “I’m going to lose this place, Jessica. I’m going to lose my home.”

  “Oh, Matt.” To a man who’d grown up without one, a home was everything. “I’m so sorry.” She hesitated, then touched his shoulder. She wanted to do more. Much more.

  “And the worst of it is that all those people and animals will lose their homes, too.”

  Jessica knelt by the chair so she could see his eyes. “It doesn’t have to be that way. Let me help.”

  He looked at her, his expression as vulnerable as she’d ever seen it. Reaching out, he cupped the side of her head, caressing her cheek with his thumb. “You’ve already helped plenty.”

  Jessica leaned into his touch before standing abruptly. “I’m going to get my checkbook and you’re going to figure out exactly how much you need to fix this place up and make it profitable again.”

  “Jessica, wait.”

  But this time, she wasn’t turning back. She couldn’t stand seeing Matt so dejected. He was a good man. A fine, honest, dependable man. A caring man. A strong man whose openhearted kisses had touched her in a way she never thought she could be touched again.

  A man she loved.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  JESSICA REACHED HER BEDROOM. Her leather purse was on the nightstand and she quickly walked toward it, ignoring Matt’s footsteps behind her.

  “Jessica, will you stop throwing your money around? This isn’t your problem.”

  “Why won’t you let me help you?” She dug in her purse for her checkbook.

  “I’m not taking your money,” he stated flatly.

  “Why are we arguing about this again? You need it. I’ve got it.” She found her checkbook, turned and took a step forward at the same moment Matt did.

  She ran into the solid wall of his chest. He reached out to steady her and their gazes locked.

  His eyes were dark with pain, frustration and a hungry desire.

  They stood there long enough for Jessica to become aware of the ticking of the old china clown clock on the bedside table.

  Still, it was a short time, considering how everything changed between them.

  “Jessica.” Matt said her name on a sigh of surrender. Taking the checkbook from her nerveless fingers, he tossed it on the table. “I don’t need your money as much as I need you,” he whispered, and pulled her to him.

  Jessica fell into his arms willingly. All their arguing, all their disagreements had only been ways to deny their feelings.

  When her lips met his, Jessica forgot why denying their feelings was supposed to be such a great idea.

  She’d spent all week telling herself she only wanted a getting-back-into-circulation fling with this man. And if Matt hadn’t been the man he was, that might have been all she had. As it was, time and distance had allowed her feelings to deepen, though until a few moments ago, she hadn’t been aware of it.

  Matt kissed her the way he looked at her—with total and complete attention. She had no doubt that he was thinking of her and only her. He wasn’t worrying about the future, or if there would be a future.

  There was only now.

  As he held her, kissing her with a desperate hunger, she felt a shifting inside her. A realignment. A freeing.

  And a recognition that she was being given the opportunity to love again.

  That was what she was going to concentrate on now, on her feelings for Matt and his for her, without regard to timetables and circumstances, complications and... more complications.

  “I tried to stay away,” Matt said against her mouth.

  “You’re very wise. Wiser than you know.”

  Using both hands to frame her face, he dragged his mouth away and pressed his forehead against hers. “Tell me to stop and I will, but tell me now.”

  “Stop now and you and your steers will have a lot in common.”

  She felt his smile. “Not a chance, honey.” He nuzzled the side of her neck, sending delightful tingles up and down her spine.

  “Which brings to mind something else...”

  “Mmm?” His nuzzles were more insistent.

  “I don’t want you to get the wrong idea...” Oh, honestly, be a big girl about this, Jessica. “My friend Liz gave me a going away present. It’s in my purse—the purse on the nightstand. Right behind us. So when we need—”

  He interrupted her with a lengthy kiss. “Frank gave me the same present after our elephant ride.”

  Jessica smiled and looped her arms around his neck. “Don’t we have thoughtful friends?”

  He smiled, kissed her quickly and said, “Hang on. I’ve always wanted to do this.”

  Bending down, he scooped her into his arms and carried her to the bed, then set her gently on it.

  Jessica sighed. “That was lovely. So romantic, so gentlemanly, so courtly...” So slow. She sighed again, then arched her eyebrow. “You know what I’ve always wanted to do?”

  Smiling, he shook his head.

  Jessica crooked her finger at him.

  Matt leaned over. She grabbed the edges of his shirt and ripped it apart. “Love those snaps.” She ran her hands over his chest and pushed the shirt off his shoulders. “You have beautiful shoulders. That was one of the first things I noticed about you. I thought they were broad enough to give a boy a piggyback ride.”

  Matt shrugged his shirt off and tossed it at the chair in the corner. He sat next to her. “I first noticed your strength.”

  Jessica ran a finger over the muscles in his arm. “So my workouts have paid off.”

  “Not that kind of strength.”

  The expression on her face must have reflected her puzzlement. “I know it’s not the first thing a man generally looks for in a woman, and you do have plenty of the other kind, but, yes, I have to say that my first impression of you was that you were a strong woman. I liked that.”

  Jessica liked the idea of being strong, too. “Come here.” She patted the spot next to her.

  Matt shook his head. “Well, now, ma’am, even a cowboy knows better than to come to a lady’s bed wearing his boots.”

  Jessica propped herself on an elbow, prepared to volunteer to help, but was fascinated by watching the muscles work in his back as he struggled to get his boots off. She sat up and ran her hands over his back and shoulders as he tugged off first one, then the other of his boots. When he finished, he carefully paired them and set them toes inward at the foot of her bed.

  “Is that some kind of statement?” she asked.

  “It means I plan to stay awhile.”

  “Good.” She opened
her arms.

  Matt knelt over her, laced his fingers through hers and just looked at her.

  First, he looked into her eyes, his own unblinking and dark. But the longer Jessica gazed back at him, the more she saw and the closer to him she felt. She saw a deep and ancient hurt that shadowed everything and knew it was his childhood.

  But she saw newer emotions, too. Trust, tenderness and a growing desire.

  He was looking for a specific response from her, she guessed, and was content to wait until he found it.

  His gaze roamed over her face with such intensity she could almost feel it, could anticipate his touch. She shivered.

  “Cold?”

  She shook her head, though she wouldn’t mind feeling his warm body next to hers.

  His thumbs rubbed the sides of her fingers. His eyes held hers, reassuring and patient.

  And Jessica relaxed. She stopped anticipating, stopped waiting for his kiss. She simply savored this time with him, knowing that this man already held a special place in her heart. She didn’t question how it came to be, she only knew that it was.

  Matt gave her a slow smile, then lowered his mouth to hers in a kiss that branded her soul.

  When he looked at her again, Jessica understood. He was going to make love to her and he wanted her to realize it.

  “Oh, Matt.” Her eyes stung. She wasn’t going to cry, was she? She didn’t want him to think she was upset. “Kiss me again.”

  “You could kiss me,” he murmured.

  “I can’t reach you!”

  Smiling, he slowly unlaced their fingers and lowered himself beside her.

  Her heart was beating so fast and all she could think about was his touch, but Jessica made herself straddle him and relaced their fingers. Then she looked at him, telling him without words of her past hurt and her deepened feelings for him.

  She felt nervous and vulnerable and incredibly close to him. In his gaze she saw understanding—and love. She lowered her mouth to his.

  The kiss was better for having waited, but Jessica sensed the waiting had ended. And about time, too. She met his tongue with an insistent thrust of hers, then gently pulled on his lower lip.