by Imani King
“Maybe some other time,” she replied in a voice she hoped was cool and distant, but friendly. After all, she didn’t want to piss him off from the beginning, yet she definitely didn’t want to give him the wrong impression. Better he knew from the start that she wasn’t looking for complication—and as sure as hell is hot, Graeme Burton was a complication.
He shrugged. “Sure, no problem.”
Just like that, they were back on an even keel. But for some strange reason, Cullen had the feeling that since he was in her life in one way or another, Graeme wasn’t leaving anytime soon. She didn’t know how she felt about this situation, but for now, she was willing to leave it alone and not worry.
Time would sort things out, or at least she sure hoped so.
Chapter Two
Graeme hadn’t expected to meet a woman who would rock his world, but Cullen did it with one glance. The moment she walked into the room, he knew he would never be the same ever again. She was special, definitely different. He loved the steel in her spine, the haunting beauty of her face, the sexy curves that he could see even though she was fully clothed, and the intelligence that shone in her eyes. Her caramel smooth skin shone with an inner glow, and her dark eyes appeared to see the depths of his soul.
He felt the buzz of desire careen through his veins, but of course, she wasn’t even thinking about him in those terms.
This was his new job, a new place, and he should be concentrating on his work, but instead Graeme found himself focusing more and more on Cullen as they rode side by side while she showed him the ranch. Yesterday, she gave him a tour of the barn, the stables, and the fields where the lessons took place and helped him settle in the cottage—but today they were outdoors, scrutinizing the ranch that would soon become his home.
The place was beautiful with its rolling meadows, hills that stood a little far away, a gurgling stream that traversed through the fields, and trees that dotted the land. Indeed a place where he could be comfortable and happy—if only it wasn’t for the gorgeous, stone-faced woman who was tying his insides into knots.
“That’s where I plan to put a new barn for the sheep.” Cullen pointed to the west side of the field. “And we can divide that acre for the cattle. Perhaps I should concentrate on the cattle first.”
He tried to focus on the job at hand. “Do you have any experience with cattle?”
“We’ve never kept them before, but it shouldn’t be that hard.”
“It’s not,” he admitted as he ran his hand over his horse’s neck. “But they’re a bit different from horses. Cattle don’t really get you.”
She glanced at him with a smile on her face. “I wasn’t actually expecting to hold an intelligent conversation with them.”
He gave her a sheepish grin, wondering how the hell he was supposed to keep his hands off her if she continued to stare at him like that. Her eyes, as dark as the midnight sky, were mesmerizing. “Are you seriously telling me you’ve never held a conversation with King?”
She bit her lip. “Well, a couple of times.”
“More than a couple, I bet.” He laughed. “And I don’t blame you. When a horse looks at you, you can sense their intelligence but with cattle…it’s like grass, grass, water…and more grass.”
The laughter that sputtered out of her was music to his ears.
“Grass and water? Is that all they think about?”
“I guess so.”
“It seems to me you’ve spent a great deal of time glancing into cows’ eyes.”
“That’s because where I was…there weren’t many beautiful women like you,” he blurted out the words before he could think them through.
Cullen snapped her mouth shut. Her lips pursed. Her eyes became guarded.
Damn it! He never could leave well enough alone. Graeme realized that this woman was going to take a lot of time. Frankly, he wasn’t the most patient of men, but when it came to her, he was willing to try his damnedest. Now that he’d put his foot in the mouth, he might as well make the most of it. “Are you opposed to going out in general, or just not interested in going out with me?”
She sighed, turned her horse around, and made the animal trot toward the trees.
He followed her. Did he just say too much? This was a dicey situation because she was technically his boss. Not that he had a problem with something like that, but she might. He didn’t blame her if she didn’t want to get involved with him, but in that case, he would close off his heart to keep it intact. Graeme got a nasty feeling that this woman had the power to affect him in a way he’d never experienced before.
“I’ve got work to do, Graeme. It’s my dream to see this ranch prosper as it never did before.”
“From what I’ve seen, so far, you’ve done a good job of it. I talked to some of the ranch hands and got to know how you brought it around, right from the pit of bankruptcy.”
“I want to do more,” she expounded in a determined manner.
He could see that she was the type of woman who did what she said.
“And it’s not going to be easy, so I need to give it my full concentration.”
Graeme wasn’t a fool. He could see where this was going. “And you don’t think you would be able to do it if there was a man in your life?”
“I’m glad you understand.”
He didn’t like it. Sure, she was focused on her work. He admired people who could do that, who had the ambition and guts to make things happen, but it didn’t mean she needed to spend her life alone, without someone by her side.
Perhaps she did have a problem getting involved with him, but what if he wasn’t her employee? “Would you change your mind if I wasn’t working for you?” He tipped his hat to look into her eyes. “Because I would quit this job in a minute if it gave me a better chance with you. I like you a lot, and I want to see if that leads us somewhere.”
She smiled a little, even though she appeared a bit taken aback by his blunt admission. “I admire your honesty, and frankly from what little I’ve seen of your work, I would sleep with you in a minute, if it meant that I get to keep you on my ranch.”
He laughed. “Ah! I think I could be persuaded to stay.”
“But you’ve already signed the papers,” she reminded him.
He groaned. “Shit! If only you had told me this before.”
Her laughter rippled across the meadow. “Come on. A race to the other end of the meadow. Let’s see how King measures up against your horse.”
They took off. The stallion and the gelding enjoyed the free rein as they galloped across the meadow. Graeme also relished the wind in his hair and the slap of it on his face. He loved working outdoors. It was the only thing he’d ever known and without it, he might as well be dead. But he wished the woman who rode beside him gave him more than a passing glance. If he had her in his life, things would be far more interesting, but so far, she wasn’t willing to give him the time of the day.
They both reached the place at about the same time. “Wow! That horse can gallop. There aren’t many horses that can keep up with Sauron.”
“I like your gelding. He’s got heart.”
A woman who understood his horse was worth fighting for. “So, where are we?”
Cullen nodded, as if she understood instinctively what he meant.
One more point in her favor. The woman was perfect, and they would fit well together, but only if he could convince her of that.
“We’re in the same place. I’m not looking for a complication right now.”
“It’ll be easy,” he assured her. “We work together, laugh, and then make love.”
She threw back her head and laughed. “You’re a persistent man, Graeme.”
He pulled a face. “I take it that it’s still a no?”
“I can’t afford to concentrate on anything other than my work,” she reiterated.
He didn’t quite believe her. There was something more to this story than she was telling him. Now that he’d set his eyes on her, Gr
aeme was willing to wait. Granted, patience wasn’t one of his strongest virtues, but when he put it into action, he never failed to achieve the success he wanted. It seemed better to change the topic for now. “So, you’ll need to hire more people if you want to expand into cattle.”
She appeared relieved that he wasn’t pushing his luck. “Yes, I know. Maybe we could start small with…hmm…let’s say ten cattle, and then build it up. It’s not really for quick bucks that I want to do this.” Her eyes gleamed as she told him about her plans, proof she was happy he’d veered off the topic she’d been trying to avoid.
Cullen was devoted, and he admired that. Graeme loved his work and he respected those who had the same commitment to their career. “I know a guy who has good animals. He believes in quality and I think if you start off with his stock, you’ll build a fierce reputation, but we’ll have to go meet him, and you’ll have to inspect the animals before we finalize the purchase.”
“Great. The sooner the better.”
“First, we need to build a pen for them and a barn.”
“I’ve actually got a plan chalked out for that, and workers are coming in next week to start work on the barn.”
“We can make the pen ourselves. All we need is a good, sturdy fence that will stand and I’m quite good at that.”
“Great.” She gazed around. “We should head back now. It’s time to get the horses out, because pretty soon, we’ll have the first person coming in for lessons.”
Graeme’s eyes were drawn to the lone rider who was making his way to the fence. His horse was beautiful, all white and strong. The wide brimmed hat that covered most of the man’s face didn’t give Graeme much of a chance to see more, but from his carriage on the horse and the way the man’s shoulders bunched under his shirt, he could tell this was a man of importance. “Who’s that?”
Cullen glanced over. Did he imagine it or did an expression of distaste cross her face? “That’s a fellow rancher. Max Hayes. He owns the ranch next to ours.”
“So, he’s our competition?”
“Not really. Max runs a dude ranch, and he’s doing quite well.”
Graeme winced. That’s what he’d come here to avoid. He didn’t want to shepherd people from one end of a trail to another. Instead, he wanted to raise castle, to handle animals, and to get his hands dirty doing all those things he loved. From the look of the man, Graeme could tell that he hadn’t done a hard day’s work in a long time, if at all. “Should we go over and say hi?”
Cullen’s gaze didn’t quite meet his. “Why don’t you stay here, and I’ll go and talk to him.”
She rode off before he had a chance to reply. When she reached Hayes, Cullen didn’t bother to get off her horse. Instead, she remained seated.
By the way her body angled away from his, and the manner in which she talked, Graeme could tell that they had a history. He was a keen observer of human behavior, and he could tell that these two people had gone through some shit together.
Was this guy her ex-boyfriend?
Personally, he couldn’t see why she would’ve chosen him. Hayes looked like a peacock in his white breeches and the brown vest but then, there was no accounting for taste. After a while, Cullen rode back and he didn’t gave her any indication that he’d spent the last few minutes admiring her and hating the man.
“Let’s go.”
He felt tempted to ask what Hayes wanted, but Graeme was sure she wouldn’t tell him anything. This was one smart cookie, and he wouldn’t get any information she chose to withhold, but of course, he had his ways. Graeme put the matter out of his mind. At least, for now. “Should we fix up a schedule of our duties?” he asked as they trotted back. “I want to know what I’ll be doing.”
“Sure. We can sit and talk about it, then draw up a schedule for both of us. Since you’ll be foreman, you’ll also have the additional duty of dividing up the work among the men and making sure they complete their chores. I must say, though, that most of the guys are hardworking.”
“That’s because you quickly boot out the ones who don’t pull their weight.” When she looked at him, he shrugged. “Not my words. One of your ranch hands told me and he said it in the nicest way possible. Said you drove the men hard, but you were fair and kind, and that was all he cared about.”
“That’s a nice compliment.”
“Yeah, it is. And of course, other than your many qualities, what keeps the men here are your mother’s cakes which are said to be delicious pieces of heaven.”
She laughed and he enjoyed the way she leaned forward. The shirt she wore stretched tight across her chest and he was given a glimpse of her voluptuous bosom.
“I totally agree; my mom’s an excellent cook.”
“From the dinner I had last night, let me say that the word excellent doesn’t begin to describe her cooking. Magical might be a better description.”
“I take it then you’ll be taking your meals with us,” she teased him.
“Actually, much as I would like to sample her cooking all the time, I will make my own lunch and eat it with the men. I think it fosters a bond which I need to make them listen to me. But yes, count me in for dinner. I wouldn’t miss it.”
She tipped her hat and cocked her head to look at him. “I like that you’re committed and devoted to your job, Graeme. I believe I’ve made a good decision in hiring you. Together, we can do a lot with this place.”
“Oh yes,” he agreed. As far as he was concerned, the experience was made all the more pleasant because he got to spend time with her and get to know her. Sooner or later, he intended to get his hands on her body. When she writhed under him, only then he would be able to sate the hunger that coiled in his body and heart. When he made her smile at him, only then he would be able to rest in peace.
But for now, he was content with what they had, and that was the start of a great working relationship.
“Race you to the stables,” she said and took off.
He gave chase, knowing full well he was going to lose for now, but soon he would have her exactly where he wanted her to be. Until then, he would enjoy this game. It fascinated him—and he felt sure that on some level, she enjoyed it too.
Chapter Three
Hiring Graeme was the best decision she’d made in a long time. Within a week, he’d proved he was not only in charge of the situation, but was also capable of making independent decisions she approved of. Now that he was available to deal with the daily chores, she could concentrate on her expansion plans. Westbury Ranch had always enjoyed a good reputation, thanks to her father’s hard work and his dedication to the horses they reared, but she wanted to put her own stamp on the place.
Cattle became the next goal in her mind.
While she drove back to the ranch, Cullen felt happy. She’d gotten the approvals for the new barn that would be constructed. The plan was final and next week, construction would begin. In the meantime, she could start looking at cattle and begin the process of finalizing the supplier. She parked her car and cast a gaze at the ranch. Everything appeared to be in order. With Graeme at the helm of things, he would have to monitor the lessons as well as feed and groom the horses.
Yet, the man was an enigma.
As a foreman, he was dependable, efficient, and trustworthy—but as a man, he made her palms sweat. It’d been far too long since she had the hots for a man, and Cullen wasn’t comfortable with these new feelings that engulfed her every time she looked at him. Sure, he was handsome. But handsome was as handsome did. She got taken in by a man’s good looks and charm once, and Cullen swore she wouldn’t make the same mistake twice.
After she got out of her car, Cullen winced. As if she just summoned the devil, Max Hayes rode into the ranch.
Seeing her, he headed her way. His horse, Bay, was an animal that he’d bought from her ranch.
As much as she sought to avoid Max, Cullen was always glad to see one of their mounts. She had to give Max credit; he treated the animal well. Bay’s chestnut
-brown mane gleamed with health and his skin was smooth and supple.
When Max dismounted the animal and led her towards Cullen by holding the reins, she stood still. What brought Max here? They’d met yesterday at the boundary of their ranches and she’d told him she hired a new foreman. Cullen didn’t expect to see him this soon again. By mutual decision, they kept out of each other’s way.
Max and she dated two years ago. When she caught him in bed with a young barmaid, Cullen broke off the relationship without much fuss. She was hurt beyond belief because Max was her ideal man up until that point. He was sweet, charming, and a gentleman. Clearly, fidelity wasn’t one of his strongest qualities.
“Hi,” she said. “What brings you here?”
“It’s just a friendly, neighborly visit.”
She cocked her head as she surveyed him. Although she buried the feelings of betrayal and resentment that always simmered in her heart since that fateful day, Cullen was still enraged at Max. It wasn’t enough that he broke her heart, he made her the butt of gossip in the town. Everyone knew what happened on that night because his pretty, blonde girlfriend told the tales in not one bar, but a few too many. She left town a month after that, but the damage was done.
Cullen was the poor dupe who didn’t know what was going on right under her nose. She would never be able to forgive Max for that insult. But he was her neighbor, and she couldn’t afford to be on bad terms with him. She forced a smile on her lips. “I wish I could invite you in for coffee, Max, but I’ve got a lot of work to do. As you can see, I just came in, and there are some chores that need my attention.”
He made no sign to move away. “How’s that new foreman coming along?”
“He’s good,” she said. “Graeme has a lot of experience, so I don’t have to train him much. It’s a relief to be able to leave the reins in someone else’s hands for a change.”
