by Vivian Arend
Marion went through a list of harvest items she had planned on doing that week. Jaxi listened even as she stopped to admire the family picture on the dresser, the six boys ranged in a circle surrounding their parents.
She had missed so much as an only child. Her folks loved her but didn’t understand her need to be around others. They were both quiet, independent people who shied away from social events and thought nothing wrong with their little girl spending evenings and weekends alone with a book. When they moved to Rocky Mountain House and her new neighbours had welcomed Jaxi in, it was like she’d come home. All the time she’d spent at the Colemans’ ranch over the years had opened her eyes and heart to the love of a big family.
The expressions on Mike’s and Marion’s faces in each picture displayed around the room made her heart skip. She saw it, plain as day. They were a team, loving and supporting each other as they worked the land and raised their family. Jaxi had seen that strength in Blake, and she wanted to show him she could create the same kind of team with him. The physical attraction she had for him was one thing, but his responsible character impressed her even more. The kind of a connection his parents had was what she longed for, ached for.
What she was willing to work for, body and soul.
She fell back into the routine of nursemaid easily, guiding Marion from the tub, helping her dress. Marion smiled approvingly. “Tell you what. Let’s have a cup of tea, and we can plan the menus and a bit of a schedule for the next week so I can get those boys of mine to chip in as well.”
“They don’t need to help.”
“Yes, they do.” Marion waved her good finger in Jaxi’s face. “I’m their mama, and if I tell them to help dry the dishes once in a while, it won’t kill them. I don’t expect them to do a lot, only a few things so you and I can get by. It’s not as if they haven’t been doing it on their own anyway.”
“True, but—”
Jaxi rushed to help her as Marion got tangled in the sweater she attempted to lay across her shoulders. The older woman growled her frustration. “I still don’t believe it. The house hasn’t been this full in years, and now is when I had to go and hurt myself?”
“Oh, right. I’m sure you went and broke your arm just because. Accidents happen.”
“Not to me.” Jaxi bit her lip to stop from laughing as Marion’s face changed from indignation to an embarrassed flush. “Listen to me, I sound like a baby, complaining because I’m a little inconvenienced. You’re right. I didn’t plan it, and we’ll have to make the best of it. But that doesn’t mean you’re allowed to martyr yourself for me, young lady.”
Jaxi backed down, or at least pretended to. She’d do what she thought was right when it came to getting work accomplished anyway—what Marion didn’t see wouldn’t hurt her. “No, ma’am. Boys can help out if you insist.”
“And I won’t have you scrubbing and such. Mike already said he’d get the Wilson woman to come in a couple of extra times to do the floors. She usually comes once a week, so it’s not much of a change for her.”
“I really can do that. Honest.”
Marion shook her head firmly. “You’re a hard worker, Jaxi. But cooking and caring for a family this size takes a lot of time and energy. I’m going to need extra help since I can barely comb my hair by myself yet. I don’t want to scare you away.”
Little chance of that ever happening. “I think we’ll figure things out.”
“Come on,” Marion said, grabbing Jaxi by the arm. “Let’s go get that cup of tea.”
4
Blake pulled in next to the barn, his truck coated in dust. The west fields were bone dry, and he’d been driving all morning on bumpy back lanes. He stopped to take a swig of cold coffee from his thermos, distracted by a blonde head bobbing to the right of him as Jaxi walked the path to the chicken coop, her hands full of boards and tools.
Intrigued, he slipped from the truck and followed her, his eyes mesmerized by the sight of faded jeans cupping her trim ass as it swayed from side to side. She dropped her armload outside the wire surrounding the coop structure and snuck into the yard with an experienced air, shooing the chickens before her into the enclosure. Once she rounded them up, she closed the door firmly and spun to fetch her tools.
A flush crept over her skin as she spotted him standing beside the fence watching her. Then she grinned, and he reacted involuntarily to how her smile lit up his heart.
His whole body ached.
“What you doing?” He had to get a handle on himself. This is what he’d been trying to avoid, being alone with her. The setting was far from intimate and should be safe, but the edge of uncertainty was there.
Any situation with Jaxi was potential trouble as far as he was concerned.
She pointed to a section of the fencing that had worked loose, a hole dug partway under the wire. “Someone’s trying to make a break for it, either in or out, and I don’t want to wander the ranch looking for eggs.” She propped open the gate and reached for the boards at his feet.
“You don’t need to do that. One of us will fix it. Ma never told us there was a problem or we’d have done it already.”
She leaned on the gate, her bright eyes sparkling at him. “I know you can fix the hole, but so can I. The sunshine is nice, and getting into the yard for some fresh air feels good.” She waved the hammer at him briefly. “You go ahead and get your work done. I’ve got this under control.”
Blake shifted back on his heels, a grin sneaking onto his face as he watched her haul the boards beside her and kneel to tackle the stiff chicken wire. She did know what she was doing—pulling the staples while holding the wire in place, twisting the hammer with enough leverage the wire popped into line rather than rolling away from her. The sun shone off her skin, a dusky tan showing on the muscles of her arms as she worked.
Jaxi glanced over her shoulder as she leaned back on the hammer, loosening an exceptionally tough staple. “You done with work for the day or what, Blake Coleman? Or have you never seen a fence fixed before so you want to learn some tips from me?”
She winked.
Minx. “Well, I haven’t seen you fix a fence in a long time, Slick. Maybe you do it differently nowadays.”
The hammer jerked and slipped from her grasp, her body falling back to land hard on her ass in the middle of the hen-scratched dirt. Blake stepped forward quickly to help her, and she chuckled, brushing the dirt from her jeans as she smiled sheepishly. “Maybe I do.”
He checked to make sure she wasn’t hurt. Seeing nothing but amusement in her eyes, he joined in the game. Nodding seriously, he teased, “I’m sure the last time I fixed a fence I didn’t end up on my backside, but I suppose this method is more modern and sophisticated.” He tugged the hammer she’d retrieved from her fingers and scooted around to remove the final staples, handing them one at a time for her to hang on to.
It was as if they’d gone back to the days when Jaxi would follow him around the farm all summer long, talking her head off about everything and anything. They worked together, putting the new boards into place and pounding in a stake to hold the chicken wire tight to the ground. All the while, Jaxi shared stories about taking care of the doctor’s little ones, and her work at a local greenhouse the past spring. She even rambled about a book she’d just read that taught how to build a fishpond.
“That’s interesting, but we don’t need to stock a pond around here. It’s a short ride to the river and part of the fun of fishing is heading out to somewhere unsoiled and untouched by human hands to sit for a while.” Blake tugged on her ponytail gently like he used to when she was a kid. It had been good to work with her for a few minutes doing an everyday task. Something about it eased the tension within him, and for the first time in a long time, he simply enjoyed her company as he had for many years before his unspoken sexual longings had come between them.
Jaxi snorted. “You don’t need to stock a pond, but the Mitchells are considering it. I promised to head out there next Saturday f
or a bit and see if I can help them get things ready. You want to come along?”
Blake nodded slowly. “I think I should be able to. Ask me later and we’ll see what’s on the schedule.”
Her grin lit the whole area and Blake’s heart gave a leap. All his calmness left abruptly. He squatted to gather the tools together, and their hands bumped as Jaxi grabbed for the hammer and clasped his wrist instead. Heads close, bodies near enough her scent filled his head and his body tightened with need. This was no little tagalong girl at his side, no matter how much he wanted her to be. No matter how much safer it would be.
Jaxi stared at him, and her pink tongue snuck over her bottom lip to moisten the smooth swell. Blake bit back the urge to lay his mouth on hers and lick over the wetness, tasting her skin and her sweet flavor. He needed to retreat, needed to stand and flee from temptation and the heavenly smell of her warm breath on his skin before he did something they would both regret. But heaven help him if he could budge.
She released her fingers slowly, drawing back with a butterfly softness that stroked up his arm and zipped back down in a direct line to his cock. Jaxi stood quickly, her hip bumping him hard, and Blake fell backward in the dirt. He stared into her laughing eyes.
“Why, Blake. You do know how to fix fences the modern way after all.” Jaxi’s skin remained flushed but her smile was innocent as she gathered the scrap lumber and loose staples. “Can you let the chickens out before you leave, and return the tools? I’ve got to get dinner on the table.”
She waved briefly at him before she headed back to the house, whistling. Blake chuckled as he sat and watched her go. Wasn’t her fault his body slipped into overdrive every time she got near. He needed to tamp down those feelings that should never have surfaced in the first place. Maybe this would work, like in the old days, and he would look out for her, as a big brother should.
He spotted the time and swore, scrambling to his feet to finish his work in a rush before dinner.
5
Jaxi eased the heavily laden cart around the corner of the grocery aisle, finally headed for the checkout. A brief glance at her watch warned she had an hour—hour and a half at the most—before Marion got home for a rest.
An hour to get things put away so Marion would rest instead of attempting to help. She chuckled to herself. Mrs. C was a lousy patient, probably because she had rarely had a chance to slow down while chasing after the boys and taking charge of things. Jaxi stacked the cart contents on the conveyer belt as rapidly as possible and smiled at her friend Cari, who manned the till.
“Jaxi, you having a party or something? You’ve got enough food here to feed an army. Oh, hang on, you’re at the Coleman place, aren’t you?” Cari rang through the items, her mouth and hands in a contest to see which could move faster. “Course I figured you’d help, what with being neighbours and all.”
Cari winked at her but Jaxi shook her head.
“Don’t push it, girlfriend. Just get me through double quick so I’m back before Marion gets home and decides to scrub walls or rearrange furniture. It’s been a week since she got the cast on, and she’s attempting to take on her full workload again.”
“Typical for her, though. Hey, are you going to be busy, or are we heading out tonight for our usual R and R?”
“I don’t think I’ll make it, if that’s okay with you. I want to stick close so I can sit on my patient if she needs controlling.”
Cari shrugged. “Fine with me, I’m free all weekend. We can meet whenever.”
Jaxi paused in the middle of shuffling loaded bags back into the cart. “You’re free? What about Leo and the big date? That’s Saturday night, right?”
Her friend sniffed. “Wrong. He messed up one time too many. I’m done with him. Jerk.”
Jaxi hid her smile. Cari and Leo, the ultimate star-crossed lovers. A week didn’t pass without one pissing the other off, and yet they couldn’t stay apart. “What did he do this time?”
Cari propped her fists on her hips, her jaw hanging open. “You didn’t hear? He went trolling with those wild Six Pack twins, and they weren’t down by the lake from what I heard. They were fishing for females barely above the legal limit.”
Something was off in Cari’s information. That wasn’t Leo’s style, nor the twins. Women chased after Jesse and Joel. They didn’t need to prowl to find willing partners. Besides, Leo was rock solid when it came to Cari, but the two of them didn’t communicate and assumed far too much. “When was this?”
“Two nights ago. Marcy told Karen who told Janice she saw them.”
Jaxi fought back the urge to rub her temples. “Cari, the boys were home two nights ago. All night. Jesse and Joel suckered us into a Monopoly tournament and a game of Thirty-one that lasted until late. Everyone crashed after it was done.”
Cari’s mouth closed tight. “You’re not just saying that? I mean, to protect someone, ’cause I’d be really pissed to find out—”
Enough. Cari could rant for hours, and Jaxi’s spare time was fading away. She handed over cash for the bill. “Trust me. Games all night and a popcorn fight when Mr. C lost his last penny. The man is a hoot—he cheats at cards like a shark, then distracts everyone. I don’t know where Leo was but I doubt he was anywhere near any jailbait. He loves you, girl. Just call him and ask him. Go out on Saturday. Have fun.”
Cari slipped from behind the counter to hug her, and Jaxi squeezed her briefly before whirling to escape the store. She’d arranged for Marion to have coffee with a couple of the ladies from the church. They’d return to the house far too soon. The clock ticking, Jaxi shoved the cart outside and looked around for the truck.
“You need a hand?” Jesse pushed off the wall, his bright gaze trailing over her with admiration as he sauntered closer. His sexy drawl was nice, but it simply didn’t create the same chills big brother Blake’s rougher tones conjured.
“Are you my ride? I want to beat your mom home.”
Jesse shook his head sadly, his arms reaching around her to pull out a bag of M&M’s. “Sorry, I’m meeting Joel to buy some supplies for the workshop. You’re making Blake’s favourite cookies this afternoon, aren’t you? I like peanut butter better.”
He lingered in her personal space, opening the bag and offering her a candy. Jaxi let a sigh loose from deep within her. He was incorrigible. “You want to move it or lose it? I’m not interested, Jesse, I told you before.”
His gaze continued to caress her body. “That was a long time ago, almost a whole week. Maybe I can change your mind. There’s no harm trying.”
Jaxi prodded her thumb into his chest, snickering at his hopeful expression. He was damn sweet, but he wasn’t Blake. “There’s harm if I decide to lift my knee abruptly.”
Jesse danced backward and shook his finger in her face, his grin stretching from ear to ear. “You don’t play fair.”
She raised a brow at him. “Nope, I don’t. I play to win. Remember that.”
A truck horn blared, and one of the Coleman trucks slid up to the curb, Blake’s dark expression framed in the window.
“You needed a ride?”
Between the three of them the grocery cart was quickly emptied, and Jesse handed Jaxi into the passenger side before waving farewell. Blake peeled away, tires squealing, and Jaxi looked over her shoulder to see Joel join Jesse, the twins disappearing into the hardware shop.
She dropped her head back for a minute, closed her eyes and rubbed at the tight muscles in her shoulders. The past few days had rushed by in a blur. Marion’s warning that the workload for a family of eight, nine with Jaxi added, was hellish had been a complete understatement.
Jaxi loved every minute of it.
They were halfway home, sitting in what she thought was a companionable silence, before she turned to Blake. “Thanks for the lift. I hope I didn’t pull you away from something.”
He shook his head. “Had to drop off a delivery at the post office.” His lips clamped shut and Jaxi frowned. What bee did he have up
his butt? Must have been a rush order or something.
“Jesse and Joel told me earlier you boys are playing pool tomorrow night.” She stretched her shoulders and neck slowly, working out the kinks.
He kept his gaze on the road. “Yeah.”
“Pass on a message to Leo for me? Cari’s feeling neglected, and he’d better not cancel his Saturday night plans or she’s going to give him hell. In fact, he might want to make sure it’s an extra special evening to smooth things for a bit.”
Blake grunted but otherwise didn’t respond.
Jaxi frowned at him, his reaction baffling. “What? What’s that look for?”
“Listen to you, handing out romance advice. Leo and Cari are old enough to take care of themselves. They don’t need little girls telling them how to live.”
Her jaw fell open, and she bit back the swear words she wanted to hurl. What the hell was he talking about? “I’m not a little girl, Blake. I’m twenty-one, and Cari and Leo are good friends of mine. I hate to see them screw up their relationship because they’ve forgotten to talk to each other.”
“I still say it sounds ridiculous to hear you giving out advice on relationships and romancing. Leave them be.” He took a corner too sharp and she collided hard with the side door.
“Slow down, Blake. What’s gotten into you?” Jaxi had never seen him this way. He was pissed about something, and damn if she knew what it was. “I’m sorry if I messed with your schedule asking for a ride.”
He glared at her for a second before his gaze darted away. “I said it was no trouble.” He stared forward at the road. “You look beat.”
She snorted. Good to know he found her attractive. “Thanks for the compliment.”
“That’s not what I meant,” Blake protested. “You’re burning the candle at both ends. Between helping Ma keep house and all the things you do in the community, you’re working too hard. The phone’s been ringing off the wall for you the last couple hours. A whole bunch of ladies called with information for the upcoming fall picnic, you got three calls from a guy named Royce, and the Taylors wanted to know if you could babysit for them tomorrow night.”
