She’d had enough coffee to float a battleship by the time she drove out to the Last Chance. She was determined not to fall asleep while riding her horse, or worse yet, while in a clinch with Logan.
Although she didn’t know the ranch well, she’d been there for Josie and Jack’s wedding the previous October. The double ceremony had included Jack’s brother Nick and his bride, Dominique. Technically, Jack and Nick were half brothers, but there was nothing halfway about the relationship.
Caro knew some of the story from local gossip, but during one of the trips to Jackson to check out assisted living facilities, Josie had explained the whole convoluted situation. Jonathan Chance was the father of all three brothers, but each had a different mother.
Jack’s mother, Diana, had left the ranch when Jack was four, never to return. A despondent Jonathan had taken up with a free spirit named Nicole for a while. She’d left Wyoming and later died unexpectedly. Baby Nick had arrived in the company of a lawyer who’d said Nicole had named Jonathan as the father and guardian.
By that time, Jonathan had remarried, and Sarah Chance was pregnant with Gabe, Jonathan’s third son. Sarah had proceeded to raise all three boys as her own, and Caro suspected each of them would give his life for her.
Almost two years ago, Jonathan had died in a rollover, a tragic end to a true love story. Now Sarah shared the job of running the ranch with her three sons. Caro had always been in awe of the woman, but after hearing Josie’s version of the family’s history, Caro had elevated Sarah to sainthood.
The ranch buildings lay at the end of a long, unpaved road. As Caro’s ancient truck bounced over the ruts, she remembered something else Josie had mentioned. Jonathan had left the road unpaved to discourage casual visitors. Sarah and his sons had continued to honor that wish. Caro hoped her shocks would hold up under the assault.
Considering the poor condition of the road, the house and outbuildings were surprisingly luxurious. Caro wasn’t sure where to park, so she pulled into the gravel drive that circled in front of the main house. She could always move her truck down by the barn if necessary.
The two-story ranch house was immense, an expanded version of a log cabin. In the center stood a boxlike structure that was obviously the heart of the house. Two wings stretched out from there, each of them canted forward, like arms reaching to embrace a weary traveler.
A covered front porch ran the entire length of the house, and rockers sat quietly spaced along the porch as if anticipating a time when the family would have the leisure to sit and contemplate the view. That view, Caro noted as she climbed down from her truck and reacquainted herself with it, was spectacular.
The house faced the Grand Tetons in all their majesty. Even now, in mid-August, snow clung to the jagged peaks. She stood for a moment and admired it before putting on her hat, a summer straw that she’d picked up a few years ago, back when she’d still had time to take trail rides from the local stable.
“Hey, Caro.”
At the sound of Logan’s voice, she spun in the direction of the barn, a hip-roofed structure that looked as if it belonged on a postcard. “Should I move my truck down by the barn?” She noticed two horses had been saddled and tied to the hitching post.
“Your truck’s fine where it is.” He walked to meet her, but kept a safe distance between them. “I’m glad you’re here.” His stance was casual, but his eyes, shaded by his tan Stetson, glowed with a banked fire.
Her heart thumped heavily in her chest. It could be all the caffeine she’d consumed today, but she figured it was probably the man. “It’s good to see you again, Logan.”
“You have no idea how good it is to see you, Caro.” He studied her with such intensity that she began to tremble. “Love the hat.”
“It’s old.”
“Looks great on you, though. I like the ponytail you wear at work, but I like your hair down like this even better. It reminds me of…well, never mind.”
“I know what it reminds you of.” She longed to reach for him, but that would be a bad idea. “We should probably get going, huh?”
“Yeah.” He cleared his throat. “But first I want to show you something. It’s in the barn.”
“Sure.” She fell into step beside him as they walked to the building.
“How’s your grandmother?”
“She wanted to know why I’m so perky today.”
He choked on a laugh. “And what did you tell her?”
“I said I’d been drinking espresso.” “Have you?”
“Yes. I didn’t get any sleep last night, for some reason.”
“Not even after I left?”
“No. I looked you up on Google instead.”
He stopped and turned to stare at her. “You did what?”
“I looked you up on the web. I learned a lot.”
His expression was unreadable. “Ancient history, I’m afraid.”
“Maybe so, but I want to apologize for so breezily suggesting you find another career. You were brilliant. I understand why you can’t just move on to something else. It’s not that easy.”
He took a deep breath. “It may not be easy, but it’s the right idea. I haven’t slept, either, and I’ve guzzled coffee, too, so my mind is probably hopped up on caffeine. But I do know that you were absolutely right to say that.”
“I was arrogant to say that.”
“I’d call it practical, and I apologize for being irritated. The door has closed behind me. Time to find a new door.”
She met his gaze. Obviously he was making progress in his thinking, and she didn’t want to wreck that. “Any ideas?”
“Not a single one.” He smiled at her. “But you promised to help me come up with a plan B once we got out on the trail.”
“Now that I’ve seen all that stuff on the internet about you, I don’t think I’m qualified. It won’t be easy coming up with something that absorbs your attention like that. And I know nothing about sports.”
“Doesn’t matter. I have to start somewhere, and I can’t think of a better person to brainstorm with than you. But before we leave, I have to show you what I’m working on. It’s kind of cool.” He turned and started back down the pathway to the barn.
Whatever this new project was, she was encouraged by his enthusiasm. That attitude was a huge improvement over describing himself as a washed-up baseball player. Maybe he’d get lucky and this project would lead to something bigger, something he could latch on to.
A dog lay on either side of the barn doors. The one on the left had short hair and was tan and white, with a snub nose and pointed ears. The one on the right was all black, with long curly hair and floppy ears.
“Meet Butch and Sundance.” Logan pointed to the left and right. “Guys, this is Caro, a most excellent lady of my acquaintance.”
The dogs lumbered to their feet and came toward her for some attention. She crouched down and petted both at once. “I’d forgotten how much I love dogs. My grandmother is allergic to animals, so I couldn’t have any while I lived with her.”
“Knowing Josie, she’d be willing to let you have a dog in your apartment.”
Caro gave each dog one last scratch and stood. “It wouldn’t be fair. I’m either working or driving to Jackson. Dogs need someone who can take them out for walks, throw balls for them, keep them company.” She glanced at him. “I don’t have room for a dog in my life, any more than I have room for a man.”
“At least the man wouldn’t need you to play fetch with him.”
She laughed. “No, but he’d want me to play other games, no doubt.”
“Yes, he would.” His eyes gleamed with wicked intent. “Come on, let me show you this real quick, and then we’ll ride off into the sunset.” He ushered her into the cool interior of the barn, which smelled of hay, manure and leather.
She rather liked the combination, but then, she was a country girl. She wondered if Logan simply tolerated it for the time being.
“I don’t have an elaborate workb
ench.” He gestured toward one of the stalls, which had been swept clean. “But Jack helped me put something together so I could tackle this job. Take a look.”
She peered into the stall, which had been recently modified, judging from the sawdust and the scent of cut lumber. A waist-high shelf spanned the end of the stall and a pegboard loaded with various tools hung above it. Under the shelf lay pieces of what must have been an old cradle. Judging from the newly cut sections on the workbench, Logan was in the process of creating a replacement.
She was surprised. His complete dedication to baseball didn’t seem to have left room for a hobby. “You didn’t mention that you were a carpenter.”
“I wouldn’t go that far. I like working with wood, and I did a fair bit of it when I was in high school, but after that I abandoned woodworking completely to concentrate on baseball. Fortunately, the techniques I learned in shop class are coming back to me.”
“You are a man of many talents.”
He gave her a lazy grin. “Thanks. Care to elaborate?”
“Not here.” She lowered her voice. “Anybody could come in.”
“You have a point. Emmett Sterling, the foreman, will show up any minute to adjust your stirrups before we ride out. He’s already fixed mine, but you need to mount up before he can adjust yours. I wouldn’t pretend to know how to do it.”
“It’s not that hard.”
Logan laughed softly. “Maybe not yet, but it will be soon.”
“Logan…”
“Couldn’t resist. I love making you blush. Anyway, you’ve seen what I’m doing, so now we can leave.”
“Hang on a minute.” She wanted to explore this new side of him a little more before they left the barn and got sidetracked by…well, obviously, sex. “I assume you’re making a cradle for Josie and Jack’s baby, and using the old one as a guide.”
“That’s right.”
“Where did the old one come from?”
“It should have been an heirloom.” Logan crouched down and picked up one of the sections that had a cutout of a heart in it. “Jack’s grandfather Archie built it for Jack’s dad, Jonathan. But Jonathan’s first wife, Diana, didn’t use it for Jack when he was born. Instead it got shoved up in the rafters above the tack room, and has been there ever since.”
“What a shame.” She noticed he winced a little when he crouched down, but she wasn’t about to mention it.
“It is a shame. Archie put a lot of loving care into making this. I hope I can do the project justice.”
“I’m sure you can.” Caro almost said what she was thinking—that maybe Logan could consider making furniture, at least until he figured out what else he might want to do with his time. But the solution seemed too simplistic. She didn’t know anything about that field, and it had nothing in common with a high-profile job like baseball.
Of course, if Logan put his name on the furniture, it could become a high-profile venture. He might not like that idea, though. He didn’t strike her as the kind of guy who would enjoy trading on a reputation for past accomplishments.
“I can see the wheels going around,” Logan said.
“Just thinking about the cradle.”
“You wouldn’t be thinking that my future is in cradle making, would you?”
She looked into his eyes. “Okay, I did for a minute there. Not just cradles, but other stuff. I don’t suppose that’s the answer, though.”
“No, it’s not. I don’t see myself peddling furniture I’ve made. I have a certain amount of skill, but I’m no master craftsman. I’d be embarrassed to charge money for making something.”
“But you said you don’t need money.”
“I don’t, but I’m not going to build furniture and pass it out to strangers on the street for free, either.”
“Of course not.”
“The thing is, if I make something that’s a labor of love, like Archie did with the cradle, that’s a joy. Mass production for customers I don’t know doesn’t appeal to me.”
She nodded. “Totally understandable.”
“But for the record, I’m not going to shoot down everything you come up with, so don’t stop thinking, okay?”
“I won’t. I like solving problems.”
“Well, here’s one.” He lowered his voice. “How fast can we ride out of here and find a secluded spot so I can get you naked?”
She felt as if he’d shoved her under a heat lamp and sucked all the air out of her lungs. She gasped.
“Sorry.” His grin was positively wicked. “Was that too direct?”
She had only enough breath for a single-syllable response. “No.”
“It’s so tempting to tease you. You’re as pink as the inside of a ripe watermelon.”
She wouldn’t be surprised, considering the heat pouring through her.
“Anyway, I figure we’ve spent enough time looking at my woodworking project. Let’s move on to more important things.” He touched the small of her back lightly, a signal to move out of the stall and back to the barn entrance.
That brief contact was enough to dampen her panties. She gulped. “Okay.”
As he walked beside her, he pulled a piece of paper from his jeans pocket and continued to keep his voice to a low murmur. “Josie drew me a quick sketch of the trails we can take. I’m not a great rider, but I should be able to stay on the horse long enough to find us some privacy.”
“All right.” She sounded like robot woman, but putting one foot in front of the other took all her concentration as she fought the urge to drag him back into the stall and strip him down.
“They put me up on Destiny, because he’s easy, but I’ve been warned if we don’t tie him well when we have our, uh…” He coughed. “Our snack that Mary Lou fixed, then he’ll go back home.”
“That wouldn’t be so good.”
“Actually, riding double sounds kind of fun.”
“Have you ever done it?”
“Nope, but I’m picturing you in front of me, and I get an excellent image.”
That made her smile. If he thought two people could have comfortable sex on a saddle, he was sadly mistaken, and neither of them were accomplished enough to ride bareback and have sex at the same time. Still, it was a fun fantasy.
They emerged from the barn, and the bright sunlight curbed her raging libido somewhat. Besides, Emmett would be along anytime now to adjust her stirrups and she didn’t want the foreman to pick up on any sexual vibes zinging between her and Logan. She walked toward the horses standing patiently tied to the hitching post.
“That’s Destiny.” Logan pointed toward a brown-and-white paint with a white blaze down his nose. “The one you’ll be riding is Cookies and Cream, or Cici for short. She’s a mare, but Destiny’s no longer in the mating game, so we shouldn’t have any trouble with these two.”
“I can probably adjust the stirrups myself.” Caro walked around Destiny and approached her chocolate-colored mare. She was a pretty thing, with a white mane and tail. “Hello, Cici.” Caro rubbed her velvety neck. “Thanks for taking me out today.”
“Or you can tell me what to do once you’re up there.” Logan came to stand beside her. “I watched Emmett, but I want to make sure I don’t screw it up.”
“All right. I’ll—”
“You two ready to head out?” A square-jawed cowboy came around the corner of the barn before Caro had a chance to mount up. His mustache was mostly gray and his face was lined, but his manner was that of a much younger man. He touched the brim of his hat in a courtly gesture. “Nice to see you out here, Caro.”
“Thank you, Mr. Sterling.”
“Ah, call me Emmett. Everyone does. I don’t get into the Spirits and Spurs very often, but I was there last night for the reception. You did a great job.”
“Thanks, but I wouldn’t have if Logan hadn’t helped me out.”
“I know.” Emmett glanced over at Logan. “I saw the juggling act. Impressive.”
Logan shrugged. “It’s pretty e
asy.”
“It is if you’ve been a top-notch catcher for years. It’s too bad Nelsie isn’t still around. She was a devoted Cubs fan.”
“She was Archie’s wife, right?”
“Yep. She started following the Cubs in the sixties, and she kept up with them until the day she died. I’ll bet Sarah still has the Cubs cap Nelsie used to wear all the time. And now here’s an actual Cubs player staying at the Last Chance. She would have been thrilled about that.”
“That’s quite a coincidence.” Caro decided to say something before Logan cut in with some nonsense about not being a player anymore. “Why did she follow the Cubs?”
“Sarah has her old diary. In it she says that she picked them because they were a historic team, one of the oldest in the game. Nelsie gravitated toward anything with history attached to it.”
“That’s one of the things I loved about playing for them,” Logan said quietly. “Being part of all that history.”
Caro heard the sorrow buried in his comment, and she wished they were alone so she could wrap him in her arms and give him comfort.
Emmett put a hand on Logan’s shoulder. “Didn’t mean to bring up a sore subject, son.”
“Hey, no worries.” Logan smiled at the foreman. “I’m glad you told me about Nelsie. It makes me feel more like a part of the ranch, to know my team was her favorite.”
“Well, good, then. Now let’s get Caro mounted up so you two can explore the ranch. It’s a pretty day for it.”
Caro climbed aboard and Emmett busied himself adjusting her stirrups. In no time they were headed away from the ranch on a trail that crossed a meadow filled with wildflowers. Logan had the map, so he led.
That suited Caro just fine. She could ogle his tight buns all she wanted, because there was no rearview mirror on a horse, so he’d never know.
Then he turned to look back at her. “Checking me out, Caro?”
“Would I do that?”
“I sure as hell hope so, considering my plans for the afternoon.”
“I see.” Her body tightened deliciously. Rocking along on a warm leather saddle didn’t hurt matters, either.
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