The funeral had come and gone.
He’d been there for her, and to see her beloved grandmother off. He’d spent a lot of time with Evelyn when he and Sierra were dating. He’d made it a point to visit her at least once a month – all this time, over all those years.
He’d visited her a few times after she’d moved into the nursing home and wished now, he’d visited more often. Life can be gone in a flash, and it can leave you with deep regrets.
He’d told himself it was because between his trail ride business and the horse breeding, there wasn’t a lot of time left. But he knew it was because every time he visited her, it reminded him of Sierra. He’d been selfish.
Evelyn’s beautiful old house had stood empty from the moment she’d left. Sierra told him, she’d been and aired it out a few times since she’d moved out, but otherwise it stood there totally forlorn.
Such a shame.
He’d offered to take Sierra back to the old mansion because she didn’t want to go there alone, but she’d wanted to sort out a few things.
She pulled out her key and unlocked the door. It creaked as it opened.
The musty smell hit him the moment they stepped inside. He wandered purposely over to the windows and threw them open.
“The smell is a bit overwhelming,” he said, almost coughing from the dust floating around.
Sierra stood in the middle of the room and gazed around. She closed her eyes and stood there for about two minutes before answering. He wondered what she was thinking.
“It is that. I’ve really neglected this place. I should have opened it up periodically.”
Regret was written all over her face.
He moved toward her and put an arm around her shoulder. “It’s not your fault. You’ve been living in the big city,” he said quietly. “Hell, I could have done it for you, but I just didn’t think.”
She stared into his face. “It wasn’t your job, it was mine.”
Even so, he could have helped. He’d once loved this woman and her grandmother. Had spent a big chunk of his teenage years right here in this house.
His arm dropped away.
“What happens to the house now?”
“It….” She spotted something, and bent over, reaching into one of the packing boxes sitting in the middle of the room. She pulled out a sunhat. “Gran’s hat,” she said, holding it tightly against her chest, tears welling in her eyes.
She closed her eyes again. More tightly this time. “Do you remember the first time you came here,” she asked.
How could he forget? Evelyn was a forbidding woman. Braxton was even a little afraid of her. She’d told him in no uncertain terms that he’d better not hurt her granddaughter, or there’d be hell to pay.
He smiled.
“What are you thinking about?”
He looked up at her. “The first time I met Evelyn, and she threatened me. Remember?”
“How could I forget. I thought you were going to slink right out that door again.” She laughed, and he joined in.
“It didn’t seem it at the time, but it’s pretty funny when you look back.”
Sierra grinned. “You were already well over six foot at that point, and Gran was five-two. And yet you were intimidated.”
“She was scary, your gran.” He ran his hands over his chin.
“No she wasn’t.”
He studied her. “You’re right. She really wasn’t, but the first time I met her, she made sure I was scared.” He laughed, then dropped his voice to a quiet whisper. “She really loved you, Sierra. But I think you know that already.”
She nodded but didn’t speak, continuing to rifle through the packing box. “I’m not sure what to do with the house.”
She turned her head away, not meeting his gaze. “She left you the house?” He whistled low and long.
Sierra’s voice was only just above a whisper. “What else could she do with it except leave it to a charity or something? I’m the only family she had left.”
He really hadn’t thought about it. “Are you keeping it, or selling it?”
“I, I’m not sure.” She put all the items she’d picked up back into the packing box. “I should have sorted this lot out ages ago. But I was so busy with work.”
She looked upwards. “I’m really sorry, Gran,” she said, a tear trickling down her face.
Braxton moved to her side and hugged her. “I wish I’d left my job and spent more time with her. Now it’s too late,” she said, a sob forcing itself to the surface.
He pulled her closer, held her tighter. “I hate that job,” she spat. “I’ve hated it for a very long time.”
Mel had told him she worked at a hotel in the big city, but that was about all. “What do you do?” he asked quietly.
She pushed back from him, and he watched as she tried to compose herself. She pulled out a tissue and blew her nose and stared at him.
Despite her red puffy eyes, and her very red nose, she was still beautiful. She always was, and always would be in his eyes.
“Hotel Manager,” she said softly. “I left town to take up an internship there and worked my way up the ladder. Only now I hate being there. It took me away from everything I loved – this town, Gran, you…”
She stared at him, and he just stood there, dumbfounded. They were only kids, they’d had their whole lives ahead of them.
Despite that, he’d mourned her loss for years, until he decided he had to move on. Only he hadn’t been able to.
He’d dated several women over the years, but they weren’t Sierra. No one could ever live up to her memory, and that nearly killed him. So, he’d stopped dating and had thrown himself into his work instead.
He’d been voted The Most Eligible Bachelor a few years back in the local rag, which only served to get his back up. He was so angry he told them he’d sue them if they included him again.
They never did.
“When do you have to go back to work?” he asked, worried about her state of mind at the moment. Hopefully it wasn’t too soon.
She licked her lips and stared at him. “I haven’t decided. Maybe a few weeks? I have to make a decision about this place, and get it all sorted,” she said. “Work out what I’m doing with all this.” Her arms went up, indicating the mess around them. “It’s going to be so very hard,” she said quietly.
Braxton took her in his arms again. A peacefulness came over him. Time had not lessened his feelings for Sierra. This felt right, so very right, but he couldn’t let himself fall in love with her all over again when she would be leaving town in a few weeks time.
And leave him, once more, to mourn.
Chapter Five
Braxton convinced Sierra to join him and a group of other riders for one of his more laid-back trail rides he’d been conducting that morning.
The groups usually consisted more of tourists than anyone, but occasionally they were joined by people who hadn’t ridden for some years and wanted to get back into it.
Like Sierra.
She’d found her old riding gear in one of the packing boxes at Evelyn’s place. The boots still fitted, but not much else, so today she wore tight jeans and a pink shirt that accentuated her curvy body.
He’d had to stop himself staring on more than one occasion.
Finally, they were alone.
All the horses had been brushed, fed, and were now resting.
They sat on the porch of Braxton’s ranch house eating lunch. A hastily put together lunch of sandwiches and coffee.
“How did it feel to be back in the saddle?” He stared at her over his coffee mug.
She wriggled about in her seat. “The backside is a bit tender, but not too bad. I did enjoy it though.” She brushed her wayward hair out of her face and took another bite of her sandwich. “I don’t suppose you have time for another ride later?”
His heart thudded in his chest. Time alone with Sierra – it was what he wanted, and yet, perhaps he shouldn’t…
He closed h
is eyes momentarily, then opened them to find her staring at him.
“If you’re serious, I’ll make it happen,” he said. “I have workers for a reason – to take the load off.”
“Look, if you don’t want to,”
He cut her off. “I do, of course I do. It’s just…” How did he say it? “I still have feelings for you, Sierra. But,”
“But I’m going back to the city, right?” She looked down into her lap. She’d voiced exactly what he was feeling.
“I’ve tried to tell myself that’s not it at all, but I know deep in my heart, it is.” He felt like a jerk. He had feelings for the woman sitting in front of him. Strong and genuine feelings that wouldn’t go away.
He didn’t know what to do about it.
“We can still be friends, right? I don’t have a choice, Brax,” she said, staring into her lap again. “I have to return to work after my leave is up. I’m just not sure when that will be.”
At least she was being honest with him. “I understand,” he said quietly. “In the meantime, we can still hang out, right? On the understanding it can’t go anywhere, so it’s friends only.”
“Sure.” She didn’t sound so sure, or happy, but it would have to do. They had no other choice.
* * *
Sierra sat astride Storm, one of Braxton’s quieter horses.
They’d finished lunch, caught up on each other’s lives, and decided to go for a ride around his property.
“We have a missing mare,” he said. “A very pregnant mare. We can look out for her while we’re out and about. It will be double-duty – I hope you don’t mind.”
“Not at all. It’s so long since I’ve been out here, I know I’ll enjoy it.”
He finished packing the bottles of water and some snacks into a saddlebag and mounted his horse, Amos. He attached the satellite phone to his belt and prepared to leave. “Ready?”
She took a deep breath. “Ready as I’ll ever be.” She smiled tentatively and Braxton’s radar went up - she was having seconds thoughts. “You don’t have to come with me,” he said. “Honestly. Don’t feel bad if you don’t want to go.”
She wriggled about in the saddle. “No, it’s fine. I want to spend time with you while I can, and I don’t mind riding. I’ve missed it.”
He nodded then flicked the reins and Amos moved forward. Storm followed.
They hadn’t been riding long when Sierra took off. “Race you to the end of the paddock,” she yelled over her shoulder.
Did she forget how big his property was?
She was gone before he could answer. He watched as the wind blew her hair up, sending it flapping through the air.
He’d missed this. Missed them riding together. He finally caught up to her as she slowed down. “Over there, Brax,” she said, pointing across the paddock. “Is that your missing mare?”
He followed her hand and squinted. He couldn’t make it out from this distance but was hopeful it was.
He turned Amos around and headed to the area she’d indicated.
“Dammit,” he said under his breath. It was indeed his missing mare, and she was in labor. This was exactly why he liked to patrol the area on a regular basis.
He checked her over carefully. Her breathing was labored, and she was having trouble giving birth. He pulled out the satellite phone and called Jeff Johnson, the vet he used regularly. Then he called Austin who would bring some equipment to help the mare while they waited for the vet to arrive.
He stroked the back of her neck. “It will be alright,” he said softly, trying to calm her. The mare whinnied as her eyes opened wide, terrified.
He sat there patiently continuing to talk softly to the mare, waiting for help to arrive. Sierra joined him. “Will she be alright,” she asked.
“I hope so, but they can’t be too much longer. She’s not in a good way.”
Austin arrived not long after, and Braxton began to check the mare over. He donned some gloves, deciding he couldn’t wait for the vet any longer. Two hooves had made their way out of the birth canal but seemed to be stuck.
Austin sat by the mare, taking over where Braxton had left off – trying to calm her. Braxton pushed his arms up inside her and pulled.
It wasn’t working. He sat back on ground, giving the mare a rest for awhile, then tried again. Still nothing. He continued this process until the mare was too exhausted to continue.
Finally, the vet arrived and took over.
“It’s a breech,” he announced. “No wonder she’s having trouble. And you.”
He donned his long rubber gloves, adding a lubricant, then reached inside the mare, feeling for the foal’s other legs.
Normally she would heave and kick at this sort of intrusion, but as Braxton found out earlier, she was too exhausted for any of that.
“Ah!” Finally, the vet located the foal’s legs, and pulled – gently at first, but when that didn’t work, he pulled with all his might.
Slowly but surely, he pulled the foal out of its mother, then softly laid him on the blanket Austin had laid out.
Braxton was extremely relieved; he was certain they were going to lose this foal.
Sierra stood shoulder to shoulder with him, waiting for the foal to stand. But he didn’t. He was too exhausted.
“Is he okay, doc?” Braxton asked, feeling quite worried for the new foal. Not to mention its mother.
“I don’t know yet. Give him a minute or two.” Jeff was pulling off his gloves as he watched the foal. Braxton knew what came next. If he didn’t get up by himself soon, he would need intervention.
As he shuffled about, then began to stand by himself, albeit wobbly, everyone let out the breath they’d been holding. Braxton turned to see tears streaming down Sierra’s face.
“That’s the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen,” she said.
He reached out and wiped the tears from her cheek. “Yeah, it is pretty amazing,” he said, pulling her into his arms.
He had to admit to himself that having her in his arms was his favorite thing to do.
What happened to their friends-only deal?
He told himself he was comforting an old friend, but he knew it went well beyond that.
He was falling for Sierra all over again.
* * *
“What an amazing day,” Sierra said, when they arrived back at the ranch some hours after they’d set out.
Austin had left them only to return later with a horse float. They needed to get the wandering mare to safety, along with her baby.
The pair had sat with mother and baby until she was safely on her way home, and finally they were back, both famished.
“I don’t know about you,” Braxton said, climbing down from his horse. “But I’m starving.”
Sierra attempted to climb down on her own and nearly fell. Braxton quickly grabbed her, avoiding a disaster.
“Easy,” he said, coming up behind her and guiding her to solid ground. Her lingering perfume got into his nostrils, and the fragrance reminded him of decades ago when they’d snuggled up on her grandmother’s couch.
He nuzzled her neck. It felt good. She felt good.
“Brax… we had a deal, right?”
Shaken, he pulled back suddenly. “Not that I’m complaining,” she said. “But it will be hard for us both when it’s all over.”
He grabbed the reins and led Amos into the stables. Sierra followed behind with Storm. “I know. And I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.”
He made a silent commitment to them both to ensure it didn’t happen again, but could he trust himself?
He wasn’t certain he could.
After brushing down the horses and seeing them back in their stalls and fed, they returned to the ranch house.
“I’m a mess, I need to have a shower,” he said, pulling down a mug from the cupboard, and filling the kettle with water. “Make yourself a coffee, tea, or whatever it is you want. I won’t be too long.”
She nodded, and he felt her ga
ze burn a hole in his back as he walked away. Man, this was hard. Much more difficult than he’d anticipated, but they both had to abstain, or it would be history repeating itself.
They’d both be miserable when they had to separate once more. Even after all this time.
* * *
He already felt better. Standing under that cool shower made all his troubles wash away. Not the least of them being the lost mare.
At least now he knew she was safe and well.
But what do to about Sierra? Man, he was head over heels for her. Again.
He washed himself as he pondered this problem. It wasn’t as though he could ignore her. They’d been friends too long for that.
She’d also made it clear she didn’t want to get involved. So what was the problem? The problem was, Sierra would leave him again.
Okay, so she wouldn’t leave him per say, but she would leave town to go back to work. In the big city, which was hours away.
He leaned back against the shower stall. He felt totally deflated. He should never have let himself get close to her again – he was asking for trouble, and he knew it.
Even way back when they were dating, he knew she was special. It’s why he hadn’t been able to get her out of his head all these years.
Why the hell didn’t he ring her? Or storm into her workplace and demand she leave?
Because that wasn’t him. She had to make her own decisions, and that was the decision she’d made.
If only he could convince her to stay this time, but she’d already made up her mind. She was going back to work in less than three weeks.
She’d only come back for Evelyn’s funeral, and to sort out her property.
He turned the water to cool before stepping out, as he always did. It was then he heard a scream. Sierra was in trouble!
He turned off the water and grabbed a towel. Draping it around himself he ran to the kitchen where he’d left her.
He was panicking and out of breath by the time he arrived.
She was cringing in the corner of the room. “What’s happened? Are you okay?” He went to her, but she couldn’t speak, she was too frightened. “Just point” he said.
“A spider? You’re scared of a little spider?” He laughed and she grimaced.
A Bride for Braxton Page 3
