by Imani King
“Yeah, I’m sure.” He took off his hat and ran his hand over his silky, sienna-colored hair that was trimmed short. “He’s a good-looking guy.”
She lifted an eyebrow. “Have you changed your tune, Max? Not the ladies’ man anymore?”
“Don’t be silly.” A faint frown creased his forehead. “I’m just looking out for you. Wasn’t sure if a guy like him would work well at this place, especially with you and your mother alone in the farm house.”
Max looking out for me? She wanted to laugh in his face. “We’re hardly alone. There are three ranch hands.”
“They leave in the evening.”
“Blade stays,” she said of the guy who was hired by her father seven years ago. Blade stayed in a cottage that was on the other side of the ranch. He was a loner, but an excellent hand with the horses.
“So, I heard this guy is staying in the cottage. That’s right in your backyard.”
What the hell was this conversation about? She couldn’t understand his motive. “He has dinner with us, and it’s kind of nice to have a man around the house. Mom loves cooking, so she’s having a good time.”
She had the pleasure of seeing Max’s eyes darken, his lips pursed in a flat line. Damn it! What right did he have to show concern for her? He’d blown away an opportunity to be with her for a good time in bed with another woman.
“Have you checked his references?”
Temper simmered in her heart. “He’s not the first man I’ve hired for a job, and I doubt he’ll be the last.”
“I didn’t mean to insult you.”
She swallowed her anger. Was she being overly sensitive just because it was Max who uttered those words? If someone else said the same things, she might’ve been more opened to a discussion, but she didn’t want to discuss this with Max. “It’s okay. Thank you for your concern, but we’re all right.”
He put his hat back on and patted his horse. “Cullen, I’ve been thinking…it’s been two years since we broke up. Maybe we should get back together?”
If he’d punched her in the face, she would’ve been less shocked. A sudden coldness hit her at the core of her being. Go out with you again? Have you lost your damned mind? Man, I must be hearing wrong? “That’s not a good idea, Max.”
“I’m a changed man now, Cullen. Losing you was the worst thing to happen to me.” He flashed her a smile.
She’d found that smile so disarming in the past, but now, it only left a bitter taste in her mouth.
“It won’t happen again. I promise I would do my best.”
Unfortunately, his best wasn’t good enough. How could she trust a man who’d cheated on her before? Maybe he was sorry, but she wasn’t in the mood to fall into his arms just because he wanted to try again. “I’m busy.”
“So am I, but we’re entitled to a personal life.”
Not with you. Not now. Not ever. “It won’t work, Max. We tried once, and it failed. Nothing much has changed.”
“I’m not the same guy anymore. Give me a chance, and I’ll prove it to you.” He reached out to touch her.
Cullen quickly stepped back before his hand landed on any part of her body. Maybe when they’d just parted ways, she would’ve swayed if he’d said those words, but at that time, he was angry that she’d caught him. Max wasn’t ready to settle with one woman back then, and she doubted he was prepared to make such a commitment now. But most important was the fact that she didn’t care either way.
She licked her bottom lip as she considered his words and her feelings on this subject. As far as she was concerned, Max was a closed topic. She didn’t want anything to do with the man anymore. “It's not going to work for me.”
His eyes narrowed and she could see the temper that coiled in their clear depths. Max wasn’t used to hearing no from a woman. He liked them to fall at his feet, and maybe she did it once, but she wasn’t about to do so anymore. “You’re making a mistake.”
“It’s my mistake to make.”
“Wait a minute. I’ve been thinking maybe it’s time for us to merge our ranches.”
She narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms. “What do you mean?”
“I’ve got guests who come in to stay. Maybe we can send them over to your place for horse riding lessons and such. That way, we don’t have to bother with that and in return, you could start advertising our facilities over here.”
Working with Max wasn’t the best of ideas, but of course, he would send a lot of business her way. It wasn’t something she could dismiss easily, though. After all, business is business. “Let me think about it.” She waved, dismissing him at the same time. But before she could move away, Graeme came into view.
“Hey, Cullen. Glad you got back safely. How was your meeting?”
“Fine.” Another complication. Another headache.
Graeme turned towards Max and thrust out his hand. “I’m Graeme.”
“Max.” The men shook hands.
Cullen resisted the urge to laugh. They were both sizing each other up as if they would soon get embroiled in a physical fight. What was it about men? Why did they always need to prove which one was stronger? “Max was just leaving,” she said.
Max sneered. “Welcome to Westbury Ranch, Graeme. I own the ranch next door. If you want, you can drop by for a drink.” Max smiled, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Come any time.”
“Thanks, but I don’t drink much,” Graeme replied as if he was taking his cue from her.
Although she was glad he snubbed Max, Cullen was astounded that he was able to pick up on the waves of hostility that emanated from her. Could he tell she didn’t like Max? Or was he simply being difficult on purpose?
Much to her relief, Max took the hint. He mounted his horse, raised his hat, and then turned the animal around.
“Nice horse,” Graeme noted.
“One of ours,” she commented as she turned back and marched towards the farm house. If he asked her any personal questions about Max, she was going to ignore him. It was already enough that she had to deal with Max, and now she didn’t want to rehash her history.
“Listen, this saddle is torn,” he said. “We need to fix it.”
“Give it to Blade. He does a fine job of it.”
“Yeah, that’s what he said, but I wanted to check with you first. Also, one of the horses is sick, so I’ve called the vet.”
She stopped and rubbed her chin. This was serious. “How bad?”
“Nothing that won’t get better. He should be okay in a couple of days. I’ve talked to that guy about the cattle, and he said to come in about two weeks’ time and check out the herd. Do you want to go?”
“How far is his place?”
“It’s an eight-hour drive. We would have to stay the night. They’ve got a nice motel nearby.”
She nodded. It was full speed ahead as far as she was concerned. Max or no Max, she wasn’t going to let the ranch take a back stage to her personal life anymore. “Fine. Make the arrangements, please. Two rooms. I’ll pay. And now, I’m going to the stables. If there’s anything that you need me for, I’ll be there.”
She left him behind and went off to do her work. Men! They were usually far more trouble than what they were worth. She had learnt her lesson with Max. She wanted to keep men at an arm’s length, and that included Graeme. Cullen wasn’t looking for a relationship or a fling—and that was her final word on the matter.
Chapter Four
Graeme was settled into a good routine. He liked his life at the Westbury Ranch. It was a good place to make a home. The ranch hands were cooperative and happy. Cullen, as an employer, was fair and respectful. She gave him plenty of leeway when it came to making professional decisions, and she trusted his judgment.
What more could he want?
Yet, his heart desired more. He showered and got dressed. As he picked up his hat, his thoughts were dominated by images of Cullen. She was beautiful, of course. But also, she was strong, independent, and kind. He detected
some story in her past, something that made her wary of men in general. He didn’t think she had anything personal against him; it was just that she didn’t want to risk her heart.
Neither did he.
On the other hand, Graeme felt that with Cullen, he didn’t have a choice. It was impossible to ignore her. Even if he somehow convinced his mind to let go of thoughts of her, his heart wouldn’t allow him to do so. Every time she was in his vicinity, his heartbeat accelerated and sweat dampened his palms. He longed to get his hands on her sweet, gorgeous body, but more than that, he wanted to spend time getting to know her, to become more aware of the various layers of her heart and mind.
She was a complex woman—and Graeme couldn’t let go of a mystery.
He made his way to the farmhouse. There was definitely another reason for his decision to stick to Westbury Ranch, and that was Jackie. Her cooking was divine, and like her daughter, her personality was riveting. They got along well, and he was grateful for her company. When he knocked on the back door, opened it and strode in, Cullen was talking to her.
He was so attuned to her that he even noticed her fingers tightening around the mug as he took off his hat. “Good morning, ladies.”
“Hi.” Jackie’s smile was friendly, warm. She was a shade shorter than her daughter, but had the same haunting features and the deep, dark eyes. “Nice weather, isn’t it?”
“Sure is. Do you need any help?”
“In my kitchen, the only help you can give me is to sit and eat whatever I put in front of you,” she said in a firm voice.
Graeme smiled. “Great, then. I’m ready for that.” He took a seat and his gaze traveled to Cullen who nodded. “The vet’s coming in to see Tate today, and I’m going to stay with him until he leaves.”
“Has he improved since yesterday?”
“He seems a little better to me, but we’ve got to cover all possibilities.” Tate was one of their breeding stallions. He’d limped yesterday and Graeme called the vet out of concern.
“Did you talk to the cattle suppliers?”
“We’ve made the arrangements. We’ll go two Saturdays from today. Does that suit you?”
“Yeah, that’s fine.” She finished her coffee and rose. “I’ll see you at the barn.”
“Cool.” He watched her leave. She was friendly, professional, but not very forthcoming as far as other things were concerned. Maybe he shouldn’t have pushed her too hard, but Graeme was ready to admit that he lost his head a bit. Seeing her, he got a punch in his heart. There was an air of vulnerability about her, a lost look in her eyes that he wanted to see disappear.
Jackie put a heaping plate in front of him.
“Thanks.”
She took a seat opposite him. “Don’t mind my daughter, Graeme. She doesn’t like to talk that much.”
He met her gaze. Something made him decide to open up. “Is she always like this?”
Jackie sighed as she leaned back, her hand firm on the cup of coffee she held. “Once, she was carefree, happy but after her…last breakup, she has closed herself off from pain.”
“No pain, no gain,” he said. “May I guess? Last breakup…Max?” he continued eating.
She took a sip and gazed at him. “You’re a perceptive man.”
“It wasn’t hard to guess.” He polished off his food. “I won’t beat around the bush, Jackie. I like your daughter…hell, I more than like her. Asked her out—twice, and she turned me down. I can take rejection as well as another man, but in her case, I don’t think it’s personal.” He shrugged his shoulders. “Any man who asks her out would get the same answer.”
Jackie put the cup down. “You’re probably right. I suppose she doesn’t want to suffer through another heartbreak.”
“That Max must’ve done a real number on her.”
“That’s her story to tell, and if, perhaps she trusts you, she might tell you herself,” Jackie muttered.
He nodded. Graeme stood, picked up his plate, and rinsed it in the sink. He put it in the dishwasher. Walking over to a cabinet, he took down a cup and poured himself a cup of coffee. “I’m not ready to give up.”
“Lord knows, I would like my daughter to find a good man, but he has to be worthy. She’s very special. Took on too much when her father got sick, and then on top of it, she suffered that setback…”
“I won’t hurt her,” he assured her.
Jackie sighed. “I hope so. I like you too, Graeme. If you’re the one who wins my daughter’s heart, believe me, I would be more than happy to accept you in the family. Well, as far as I am concerned, you’ve chosen to make this your home and you’re already a part of our household.”
Graeme walked over and hugged her. “You’re a blessing, Jackie.”
After he left, Graeme strolled over to the stables. He inspected the horse that didn’t look that bad. The vet came, examined the animal, and gave his prescription. “I’m not worried. Just make him rest today and he should be fine. Nothing much to worry about.”
“Thanks.” As he walked the vet out, Cullen came into the stable.
“Hey, Cullen, how are you?”
“Fine, Doc. And you? Keeping busy?”
“A man’s got to do what he can do for as long as he can.” Since the guy was well over seventy, Graeme understood what he was saying. “Nothing is wrong with my mind, but the legs don’t work like they used to.”
“In that case, I hope you won’t be taking part in the county fair races.”
He laughed. “I’ll try not to. Have you met the new vet who set up practice?”
“I haven’t called him, Doc. You’re our man, and everyone in the farm knows it.”
“Thanks for your vote of confidence. Not that the new guy is bad…but you know I’d like to keep going for as long as I can.”
After he left, Cullen went to see Tate. “He’s going to be alright.”
Graeme wasn’t sure if she talking about the horse or the vet. She told him to call the doctor, and he did so, but it seemed that the vet shared a history with the family. “Was he your father’s friend?”
She nodded. “Doc spent a lot of time with my dad when he was sick. Used to come and sit. Played cards. It was nice of him. Also, he is an excellent vet.” Cullen chuckled. “Yeah, we’ve got a new guy, but I like holding on to people I trust.”
“No harm in that,” he said. “My mother was a vet.”
Her eyes widened. “Oh, she was?”
“Although my dad was foreman, she was the one who instilled a love for animals in me. I assisted her on a lot of occasions and she was always happy to explain things. She had hoped I would become a vet.” He shrugged his shoulders. “But I guess I wanted to be more hands-on. She died in a fire. A barn caught fire while she was assisting a mare with birth. She could’ve run out, but she wasted too much time trying to get the animal on her feet.” He took a deep breath as the memory of her flashed across his mind. “I was eighteen.”
“Oh, Graeme, I’m so sorry.”
“It was a long time ago, but yeah, I miss her.”
“It’s hard to let go of a parent. I miss my dad, too.”
While he stared into her eyes, Graeme knew that she could understand his pain. Not having any parent alive in the world made one feel like an orphan, and it didn’t matter that he was a grown man who didn’t need an elder influence. She got that. So many people didn’t.
As he gazed into her thoughtful, kind eyes, Graeme acted on impulse. His arms encircled on her waist, his hand resting in the shallow of her lower back, and although her body tensed, she didn’t pull away. Instead, her lips parted as if on a sigh, and that was enough to make his blood boil. His heart raced, his palms tingled, and he forgot to breathe. His head bent and his lips touched her. The kiss started soft and slow.
He wanted to take it easy.
He wanted to devour her.
But those intentions went by the wayside as soon as his brain registered the moment. He was a goner and he was going to take Cullen with
him. He pulled back a bit, lifting his gaze to look deep into her eyes. Her long lashes hid her pupils, but her irises had darkened and as her tongue darted out to lick her lips, Graeme could tell that Cullen was still reeling from their contact. He took full advantage.
Mirroring her action, he licked across her full, bottom lip with the tip of his tongue. He felt more than heard the moan reverberating from her chest. He caressed back across the tender skin and rejoiced as her body quaked and shivered in his clasp. Then, once again pressing his lips firmly to hers, he stroked up the length of her back and cupped the back of her head in his palm. He tilted her head back and seized her mouth in a new-found intensity.
No matter his original thought to move slowly, he couldn’t now.
Graeme drew her closer. Her soft curves fit against his hard muscles perfectly. Her skin was warm, smooth, and her breath hot against his mouth. He silently hoped that he’d ignited her long-buried passion and chased away the fears for her heart, as he rubbed his lips back and forth in a sensual slide along her own. Cullen fell against him, as if her knees had suddenly weakened, and rested her full weight upon his chest. Her arms lifted and wrapped around his neck, her fingers tangling in his hair. His hand at her lower back settled lower and pulled her even closer.
Graeme opened his mouth and he swept his tongue within the heat of her, tasting her and memorizing every single nuance he discovered. Somewhere in the back of his mind he feared this might be his only chance with her—this was a huge risk—and he wasn’t going to waste this time in a hurry, forgetful series of actions. He was in a savoring mood. And he savored her. She was delicious, sweet where it counted, and full of the fire he knew dwelled deep within her soul. The bits and pieces of what had kept her going after all she’d been through. Like vanilla and cinnamon, that’s what she tasted like. Unique. Her. All her.
She responded viciously, her own tongue licking along his. She wasn’t an idle participant anymore. She gave as much as she took. Returning his desire, his attack, with her own, she took the opportunity he offered and savored him as well. Her whimpering sigh spoke volumes.
His breath was stilted, harsh and pounding in his ears. He needed oxygen, but his body begged to differ. What he really needed was Cullen. Under him, moving around him. The sudden image of their entwined bodies struck him hard and he got dizzy with the implications. Or maybe he really did need to more air. Pulling back, gasping, he caressed the soft skin of her cheek, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. Her lids raised and he saw them glisten. His heart caught and skipped.
