Mountain Man's Bride

by Lauren Wood

  Karen pouted for a moment and then brightened back up. “If you aren’t going to hook me up, you could at least find out if he has a girlfriend or anything.”

  I could have reminded her that he didn’t date, he brought back random women to the hand house all of the time. They were always different, never introduced and never brought to the main house for dinner. It was rather clear to me what Dante was looking for. Instead of arguing, I just went with it though. She didn’t want to hear my real opinion.

  “I will see what I can do. I don’t know if he is seeing anyone right now, but next time I see Dante around I will ask him.” I just didn’t want him to think that it was because of me and some interest that I had in him. I would have to be clear that I was asking for Karen.

  She thanked me and had this beaming smile on her face. I didn’t get it with Dante. The man was sexy, sure, but how did he get grown women to lose their minds a little bit. It just didn’t make sense and though it was entertaining to see, I didn’t want Karen to go down the same path. She had a tender heart and didn’t need to get it broken because of some pheromone that Dante was letting off. I knew better myself than to get involved with it.

  Karen left a little while later, complaining about the lack of air conditioning in the office. My father never liked A/C, so when the house was modernized, he had worried very little about upgrading the heating and cooling. Over the years I had gotten used to it and rather enjoyed the slight breeze on another hot day in Texas.

  I sat back in my chair and tried to figure out what I was going to do for next week’s schedule. It was one of those weeks where I was already short, something that was normal at the Barclay’s Horse Ranch, but now there was another rodeo in town and several of the horses were going to have to be transported to the location. That meant I was going to lose Dante on the ranch, which meant chaos. He did a lot when he wasn’t a womanizer and I was going to miss him. I knew I was going to be the one that picked up the slack if I didn’t get in gear and hire someone else immediately.

  “Speaking of the devil.”

  “Huh?”

  “I was just thinking about you. What are you doing this Friday night?”

  “Seeing if you had any hires for me to train before I leave for Houston.”

  “Not at the moment. You have any friends that I can hire on?”

  Dante sat down on the other side of the desk and smiled at me with that boyish look. “What are you looking for?”

  “Hands mainly.”

  “I know a few people. I will make some calls. Those flyers didn’t work?”

  I sighed and blew out a deep breath. “No, they didn’t. I wanted to go to the rodeo next weekend, but I don’t know if I am going to be able to. Hell, I don’t know what I am going to do when you are gone Dante.”

  “Aww, are you going to miss me?”

  He was up again and walking behind me. He was being patronizing, but I didn’t care. I knew what he was going to do next and usually I would shrug him off, but right now I needed it. Dante was always on and the charm was something that he couldn’t turn off or he just refused to. It was hard to deny what Karen and many others seen in him, but I knew him too well to ever consider him a romantic option.

  But his hands were amazing and I was going to allow it. “You have a lot of tension in your neck Cece.”

  I agreed but didn’t say anything. It was best just to let him work. Dante had first rubbed my shoulders after a long ride where it was killing me. I had learned then that he had magic fingers, but I also learned quickly that his tongue was too honeyed for me. I had to be careful to not get sucked into his vortex.

  “Does that feel good Cece?”

  “You know it does Dante.”

  He bent down and moved close to my ear. “You should imagine what I could do if you would let me rub on more than just your shoulders.”

  His hands were moving down my arms and I felt one of his fingers lightly touch the underside of my left boob. That pulled me from it and I shrugged off the hands that drove me crazy.

  “That’s enough. I am feeling better, thank you.”

  Dante grinned and leaned on the desk in front of me. “I will wear you down one day Cecelia.”

  “Doubt it. You know how I feel about it. But seriously, get that wolf look off your face and tell me who it is that you know that can start immediately. They have to know a little something and be able to learn, that’s it.”

  “You had a lot of people in and out of this office today.”

  I just gave him a look. “I know.”

  “So the bar is that low now?”

  “Ever since hiring you Dante.”

  He grinned again and I just shook my head. “So?”

  “Well I was seeing this chick that worked at Billy’s. She doesn’t like it over there, pay is crap. She knows her stuff, knows the animals, so she would be a good fit.”

  “Are you still seeing here?”

  “Jealous?”

  I returned that grin he always had on his face with one of my own. “Not at all. Don’t let it get in the way of your work and I don’t care. But my friend wanted to know if you were seeing anyone.”

  “That curvy blonde with the huge rack?”

  Shaking my head, I nodded in agreement. That was Karen in a nutshell, according to a man. It was the first thing that entered the room and the part of her that everyone seemed to remember more than anything else. But it also proved my point about the depravity of the man.

  “Yes, that’s the one. But I would rather you just say you are taken.”

  His smile faded and he got serious.

  “Why did you ask then?”

  “I said I would. I don’t go back on my word. So forget Karen. What is this girls’ name you were running around with?”

  “Barb.”

  “Give me her number and I will give her a call. Or if you want to do it yourself, I am sure she would be happy to reward you for such good news.”

  “Well do I get a reward for bringing in some help?”

  Dante leaned in like he wanted a kiss, pursing his lips up.

  “I will keep writing your pay checks. That is all. Besides, you are the one that is getting run ragged. I figured you would like some help around here. Get your little girlfriend in here, sounds like you owe me.”

  “I am yours for the taking Cece.”

  I groaned and waited for the name and number. I wasn’t going to tell Karen what he said. It really was for her own good. Dante was a mess. And frankly, I just didn’t like the idea of them two together, at all.

  “Get her trained enough so that I can go to Houston next weekend and we will be square.”

  His smile finally faltered and I was going to take that as a win.

  “You are no fun.”

  “Yeah, I know. Dealing with you guys all day doesn’t help. I need a break.”

  Dante also gave me another name that might work out and I told him I would call him in the morning. At least the second suggestion wasn’t a woman that he was sleeping with. It didn’t matter to me of course, why should it? But I didn’t want any cat fights on the ranch because he was dating both.

  Yeah, Karen dodged a bullet this time. Dante really was a big mess that would cause anyone who cared heartache.

  Turning off the light in the office, I went out on the porch and watched the moon as I had a hot tea to calm my nerves. Every night I came out here. The familiar sight was something that reminded me of my parents. It was night’s like this, when I was exhausted to no end, that I wondered if I would be able to do this all. They had died almost two years ago and I really thought by now I would have it all together. Sometimes, I wasn’t so sure. Was I really better off than I was when I had to take over? I felt sometimes like I was taking two steps forward and then three steps back.

  “Tomorrow will be a better day.” I whispered the reminder before I went back in the old ranch house and up the stairs to my room. The bed was calling to me and I was unable to not hear the ca
ll. With any luck, I could get some people in tomorrow and get some training done before next week.

  Chapter 2

  Cecelia

  The week was a long one, but I did manage to hire both of Dante’s suggestions, as well as a couple other stragglers that came through. It was going to be the first time I had left the ranch in months and I hoped more than anything that it would all still be here when I got back. Taking the horses up to Houston was just me and Dante. I wasn’t looking forward to the car ride, but I knew that it would be good to get out for a bit and get away from all of the pressures at home.

  I didn’t have to go to the rodeo, but it was a favorite past time of mine. I used to travel to many in the area with my dad and I just wanted to get that feeling back that I had when I went with him. It didn’t matter that I had to drive in with Dante. He was already going and I was really just tagging along. I had a little business to conduct, but more promotional and not really all that needed. What I needed was a break.

  “Are you ready to go?”

  I had a duffel bag in my hand and I nodded my head that I was. He had already gotten the two horses in the trailer and squared away. We weren’t supposed to leave for another hour, but I think we were both anxious to get out of here. I know that I was.

  “Yeah, you?”

  “Yeah, hop in and let’s go. It is going to be a long trip. We won’t get there until this evening. Do you want to drive first, or do you want me to?”

  I told him that I would take the wheel first. I felt refreshed in the mornings and it would give me something to do besides that accounting paperwork that was in the front pouch of my duffel. The last thing that I wanted to do was get into that. It was another part of the ranch running that gave me a headache.

  So I got into the driver’s side of the truck and moved the seat up so that I could reach the pedals. Dante had me by about a foot and a half and he chuckled from the passenger side when he saw me do it. I just ignored him, like I did most of the time.

  He started in pretty quickly, asking about Karen and how she was doing. I didn’t say much, letting him know that I wasn’t going to entertain the thought of the two of them together and I certainly wasn’t going to promote it.

  “It was a mistake to say anything Dante. I don’t want her getting hurt, so if you could just blow it off, I would appreciate it.”

  “I still think you are jealous.”

  “I could have had you before if I wanted to.”

  Dante looked out his window. “You know, you are about the only woman around here that can tell me no.”

  “Your kryptonite doesn’t work on me Dante. It is just that simple. I know what you are looking for and I know that I am not looking for the same. You are a nice guy, but I bet you are a horrible boyfriend.”

  “I sure the hell wish it did. The more you tell me no, the more I want you.”

  I just shook my head and told him that it just proved how perverse he was. I pulled the subject away from what it seemed to always go to and enjoyed the drive. Ever since taking over the ranch, I hadn’t had much time to myself. The main reason I hated talking to Dante half of the time was the fact that he got me thinking about my love life, or lack thereof anyways.

  It had been a little barren lately and though I had a friend back home that I hooked up with on occasion, even that had gotten to be too much commitment and I hadn’t seen him in almost a month. I didn’t need that reminder that I had now.

  “Gosh, it is hot in here.”

  “I told you that I would fix the A/C if you wanted me to.”

  “No, usually I am okay with it. It is just this traffic. There is no moving air.”

  The windows were both down and I finally held the wheel with the top of my knee and maneuvered in the twenty mile an hour traffic so that I could take off the shirt that was starting to feel like it was suffocating me. I had a camisole on underneath it and I instantly felt better as cool air dried the sweat off of my skin.

  Moving over to throw the shirt in the back, I caught Dante staring at me. “What? Do I have something on me?”

  He had a strange look in his eyes and I wasn’t sure what was going on in his head. I never really knew. That was the challenge of him.

  “No, nothing.”

  I sighed and leaned my head back on the rest. My trip out was already becoming too much. It wasn’t what I had envisioned and even though I was going to enjoy the rodeo, I had known all along that I wasn’t going to enjoy the ride too much.

  ***

  It was dark when we got there and Dante nudged me a little. “Wake up Cece, we are here.”

  My eyes were finding it hard to adjust and it took me a minute to realize that I was propped up against his shoulders and I had a little drool on the side of my face. I wiped it away quickly, hoping that he hadn’t seen it and sat up. I mumbled an apology for crashing out on him. “I have told you before Cece, anytime.”

  I wasn’t going to listen or look in his eyes. This is what I told myself and I turned away before I could be roped into it. I was still a little sleepy and since he couldn’t stop talking about intimacy on the way up, I had of course had several disturbing dreams that left me in a strange state of mind. I needed to get away before I did something that I was going to regret later.

  “You are going to take the horses in, right?”

  “That is my job boss.”

  “Good, I am going to go down to the hotel and get us checked in. Your key will be waiting for you at the desk. I will see you in the morning Dante.”

  He had hesitation in his face, but after a moment of waiting for more of a response, I realized that I wasn’t going to get anything else. I grabbed the duffel bag and threw it over my shoulder. Dante most likely didn’t get why I was just leaving, but I knew it was because of the way my mind worked right now. He had me thinking about nothing but sex and I had to get away. Maybe I wasn’t as immune to him and his kryptonite as I liked to think I was.

  Making my way the short walk to the hotel we passed as we drove in, I wished that I had waited around as the bag got heavier. That or I wished that I hadn’t packed as much as I did. It was getting heavy and I still wasn’t even all the way awake. I had a lot of things on my mind and the walk wasn’t helping.

  When I got to the hotel, there were a few people in line that were waiting to check in. From their attire, it was clear that I wasn’t the only one coming over from the rodeo. It was a line full of cowboy hats and boots. I felt right at home here for some reason. It wasn’t the sight I had expected to see in Houston.

  As I got to the front, the man behind the desk was called away to answer a question for another employee and I was left there to wait.

  “Didn’t think it would be this busy, did you?’

  I turned around to answer the posed question and stopped when I saw who it was. Even though I was unable to get to many rodeos lately, I still knew that it was Cliff McGow standing next to me. He was a famous bull rider in the rodeo world and I had had a crush on him since I was a teenager. He was older than me, but it didn’t matter when he smiled my way. What were the chances of running into him of all people?

  “Well the rodeo brings in the crowd. You in particular Mr. McGow.”

  “Are you a fan?”

  “Transporting some horses for a couple of clients for the events. I own a horse ranch about 6 hours from here in Conroe. But I am definitely a fan of yours, have been for years.”

  His smile got brighter. “A fan that knows her stuff, even better.”

  The look on his face was one I had seen before, but never did I imagine that it would have been generated towards me from him. This guy was on the cover of magazines and he was even hotter in person than I would have thought possible. What a coincidence that he was here and I was here at the same time?

  The guy from the front desk came back and I can’t say that I was that excited to see him. Just minutes before I had been so worried about how long everything was taking. I just wanted to go back to the
room and lie down, finishing the nap I had started earlier. Now everything had changed and I wasn’t sure how I felt, but I knew that I didn’t want to walk away from Cliff. I wanted to run towards him and now the desk clerk was getting in the way of that.

  But I had no choice. I set up the rooms and got the keys, leaving one for Dante when he decided to show up. He should have been here by now, something else that seemed easier to contend with before I knew Cliff was behind me.

  I was about to go to the elevator when he got out of line and stopped me. “I will be around for a bit tonight. Would you like to go out and get a bite to eat with me? I know a few great places around her for barbeque and I hate eating alone.”

  “Yeah, okay. Um, I have to go upstairs and change real quickly. It was a long drive up here.”

  His eyes moved over my figure and I felt self-conscious for a moment, hoping that he liked what he saw. I know what kind of girls he was with in the news, so I was left blushing from the attention from him.

  “You are worth the wait. Meet me down here in an hour. I didn’t even catch your name.”

  “Cecelia Robart.”

  “Nice to meet you Cecelia. My name is Cliff…”

  “I know who you are.”

  He smiled and for a moment it reminded me of Dante and the way he smiled at me as well. The difference was that I had fantasized about Cliff a whole lot longer than I had fantasized about Dante. Cliff was something of a dream and going out with him was something else together. I just wasn’t sure what I was supposed to do, or what I was supposed to say.

  “Good, I will see you in a little while Cecelia. I look forward to taking you out.”

  My heart was slamming in my chest when I pushed the elevator button. I knew that I had lots of stuff to do while I was here, but an opportunity like this wasn’t going to happen very often. I was going to have to get used to it.

  When I got to my room, I quickly got in the shower. I didn’t have much time and I really wanted to make a good impression. I was going to be going out with Cliff McGow for goodness sakes. This was not something that I thought would ever happen again. I couldn’t just let such an opportunity pass me by.