He laughed. “I own a farm—that’s what I do. Why are you so opposed to it?”
She crossed her arms. “I’m not. If that’s your thing, that’s cool. Somebody has to do it, right?”
He crossed his arms. “Right. You know, you remind me of this prissy girl I went to school with.”
Her jaw dropped. “Excuse me!”
“I don’t mean it in a bad way. I’m just saying you’re like a black Barbie doll.” He smiled as if he’d just complimented her.
“No, farmer Rollin, I’m not a Barbie. I’m a city girl, born and raised. I don’t dig or crawl around in the dirt or go pickin’ vegetables in eighty-degree weather.” She turned and headed for the barn door. “I’m out of here.” She mumbled to herself, “A Barbie doll!”
Before she could reach the barn door, Rollin caught up with her. “Hold up. I didn’t mean to insult you.”
She stopped and turned around.
“I put my foot in my mouth. I’m sorry. Will you accept my apology?”
“Will you drive me back to the house?”
He drew in a deep breath and released it. “Yeah, come on. I’m ready to go.”
Tayler marched out of the barn, eager to get back to the house and away from this rude, obnoxious, good-looking man. So walked with her head up and didn’t see the pile of wet compost until she stepped into it.
“Oh, my God!” she screamed and hopped around on one foot.
Rollin laughed as he caught up with her and supported her by the arm. “Are you okay?”
“No, I just stepped in something brown and stinky. It touched my toes. I’ve got to get this shoe off!” she yelled. She tried to take the shoe off while hopping around on one foot.
Still laughing, Rollin swept her up in his arms. “It’s compost—nothing more than plant and food waste. You’ll be okay.”
Tayler wrapped an arm around his neck to keep from falling. “What are you doing?”
He reached the truck and turned her so he could open the passenger side door. “I’m gonna take care of that for you. Sit right here.”
She slid her arm from his neck and held her feet out while he opened the back door and returned with a towel.
“I bet you can’t get that mess off my shoe. It’s ruined.”
He stepped one foot up on the footboard and laid the towel across his leg. He reached for her ankle and brought her foot to rest on his thigh. Tayler watched him maneuver the strap around her ankle until he released her foot from the shoe.
“You should have changed shoes like I suggested.”
“We were just going to the hardware store, remember?” She looked down at the brown stains on her expensive designer shoe and sighed.
Rollin wiped the shoe off and set it down before wrapping the towel around her toes.
He held her foot in the palm of his hand. A shiver ran through her body as he wiped her toes one at a time. It felt good, but a little too sensual at the same time. She bit her lip and pulled back when it tickled.
He looked up at her. “I think I got it all.”
She took a deep breath. “Thank you.”
He slowly let go of her foot and shook the towel out.
Tayler scooted back in the seat and turned around so he could close the door. Her heart raced a mile a minute.
Rollin jumped back in the driver’s seat and started the engine. He pulled off and glanced at Tayler.
“You know, you’re welcome to spend all your time sitting on the porch or up in your room. But part of the objective of staying on an organic farm is learning about the food you eat. You’re staying a month, so let me teach you a little something about organic food while you’re here.”
A month? We’ll see. She tilted her head to the side. “Hmmm.”
“I know you’re used to being in charge at work, but you’re on vacation. Embrace some new experiences. Become a student for a little while.”
“If I become your pupil, do I still have to ride on the back of that truck every morning to fetch my food?”
“Yes, but you can sit up front with Kevin, and I promise no more blackberries.” He held out his hand, and she reluctantly accepted it.
He smiled and gave her an appreciative nod. “You know, there’s something I’ve been wanting to ask you.”
“I’m almost afraid to ask. What?”
“How come a beautiful woman like you is single?”
She shrugged. “Who said I’m single?”
He shook his head. “Okay, that’s the last assumption I’m making.” He pulled up to the B and B and jumped out of the truck.
Before Tayler could say anything else, Rollin was standing outside holding the door for her.
He looked down at his watch. “Just in time for lunch.” Then he reached in and swept her up in his arms again.
Tayler started to protest. “I can—”
“I’m taking you to the porch. Can’t have you cutting your feet, now can I?”
She relaxed in his arms. “I guess not.”
Chapter 6
Come Thursday morning, Tayler surprised Rollin when she walked into the dining room for breakfast. He looked up from his newspaper and arched a brow.
“Good morning,” she said.
“Well, good morning to you, too.” He folded the paper and set it on the table. “I didn’t expect you this early.”
“I didn’t want to try my luck eating at Donita’s again. So I guess that means I’ve got a truck ride ahead of me.”
The kitchen door opened and Rita walked into the room carrying a platter of eggs and bacon. “Tayler! Good morning.”
“Morning, Rita.”
Rita set the platter in the center of the dining room table. “You’re just in time for breakfast, and I didn’t have to send Rollin up for you.”
Tayler smiled as she took a seat. “No, I won’t be missing breakfast again. Let’s just say I learned my lesson.”
Rita placed her hands on her hips and smiled. “Nothing’s wrong with Donita’s. The cook’s just not as good as I am.”
“You can say that again.” Rollin interjected. “I’ve got the best cook in the county.”
“I don’t know about that.” Rita turned around and headed back into the kitchen. “Rollin, grab y’all some plates.”
Rollin walked over to the buffet and took out two plates. Tayler tried not to stare, but the view of his rear was so enticing. He looked like a calendar model for Hot Farmers Monthly. His worn but fitted black jeans hugged his thighs and showed off his nice round...
“Tayler?”
She blinked when she realized Rollin was talking to her. “I’m sorry, what did you say?”
“I asked if you mind me joining you for breakfast.”
“Of course not.”
Seconds later, Rita returned with another platter of food. “Breakfast is served.”
* * *
An hour after breakfast Kevin sat in the truck talking on his cell phone, while Tayler strolled through the pear trees trying to decipher what needed to be picked. She’d thought at least Kevin would help her, but she should have known better. She picked up a good-looking pear from the ground and put it in the small basket she’d gotten from the back of the truck.
“That one’s a little too ripe.”
She turned around, surprised to see Rollin.
“I thought you might need some help.”
She let out a deep sigh. Hell, yeah, she needed help, but she wouldn’t have ever admitted it. “I don’t have Miss Barbara’s assistance, but I’m doing okay.” She looked into her basket.
“Let me see what you’ve got so far.” He took the basket and looked around inside.
“Don’t think I can pick fruit either, huh?” she asked.
>
He handed the basket back to her. “Sure you can. It’s just like being in the grocery store. You wouldn’t purchase a rotten pear, would you?”
He took a pear off the top and tossed it into a nearby compost receptacle.
“No, I wouldn’t,” she replied, looking after the bruised pear. “Hey, how did that get in there?”
He nodded toward the truck. “What’s he doing?”
“Not helping me, that’s for sure.”
Rollin walked over to the truck and had a few words with Kevin before he pulled off.
“He’s leaving us out here?” Tayler asked, pointing toward the departing truck.
“He’ll be back. He sits around talking to his girlfriend too much.”
“How old is he? He looks like he’s still in high school.”
Rollin laughed. “He’s been out of school for a couple of years now. He just looks young. That’s what good country living does for you.” He pointed beyond the pear trees. “Come on, the squash is down here. You’ve got enough pears.”
“Well, how old are you?” she asked as she followed him. “That is, if you don’t mind me asking. You only look a couple of years out of high school yourself.”
“I’m thirty-two, and you? That is, if you don’t mind me asking.”
“Not at all. I’m thirty-six.”
He stopped and looked her up and down with a big grin on his face. “Damn, you seriously don’t look thirty-six.”
“Thank you. And let me congratulate you on all your accomplishments at such a young age. I know it’s a lot of hard work.”
“Thanks. It is, but I’m not afraid of hard work. Inherited that from my pops. He started all of this, I’m just trying to take it to the next level.”
“So you grew up working the farm as a young boy?”
“Yep, worked every morning before I left for school.” He walked over to a group of low shrubs and reached for her basket again. “Come here and let me show you how to select squash.”
She followed him over to the vines.
“Put your basket down. There’s an art to picking squash that you have to respect.”
“You have to respect picking squash?” she asked, looking at him as if he was crazy. Is he serious?
“Of course you do. You respect the land and treat it with love. It’s like a relationship. We have a mutual respect for one another.”
“You and the squash?” she asked, arching a brow.
“I know it may sound a little strange to you.” He knelt down and gently pulled and poked the yellow squash before placing it into her basket. “It should be tender to the touch.”
She tried not to laugh but couldn’t help herself. “I’m picturing you caressing squash—in a respectful way, of course.”
“Oh, you got jokes. I’m trying to teach you something and you’re laughing at me.”
She stopped laughing. “Okay, I’m sorry. I didn’t realize I was being schooled.”
“That’s right, come on down here and pick a few yourself.”
She squatted next to him where the vines ran along the ground and followed his lead.
“That’s right, pull it by the neck, then use your fingernail and press gently about a half inch below the stem. If you can make an indent, it’s ready. You don’t want it if it’s too tough. But we harvest them when they’re young, so all of these should be good.” His velvety-smooth voice was a sharp contrast to the roughness of his hands.
She grabbed another one and unintentionally inserted her fingernail right into the vegetable.
“Not like that.” He took Tayler’s hand in his and guided her to another squash. “Let me show you.”
They took hold of another squash.
“Push with your fingernail like this.” He guided her finger through the touch. “See how soft that is?”
Every nerve in every finger came alive at his unintentional caress. A flush of heat surged through her body that set off a warning alarm in her head. She looked up into his eyes while his hand stroked hers over the squash.
“There you go—you’re getting the hang of it. Make sure it’s not too soft or too hard. A little firmness is good.”
The sensual reference was too much. She yanked her hand away from his and fell backward onto her butt.
“Hey, you okay?” Rollin asked as he helped her stand up.
Embarrassed as hell, she brushed herself off and then kept repeating, “I’m fine, I’m fine. Really, I’m okay.”
He grinned and looked down at her. “You look a little flushed.”
She fanned herself. “It’s the heat. Boy, is it hot out here.” She looked down into her basket and knew she’d never look at squash the same.
The truck came barreling back up the road, kicking dust everywhere as it pulled to a screeching halt close to them.
Kevin rolled down the window. “Rollin, we’re runnin’ late for the market.”
Rollin dropped his squash into Tayler’s basket and looked at his watch. “Damn, I lost track of time. Is everything ready?” he asked Kevin.
“Everything’s loaded and heading on over. I was just waiting on you to call me.” Kevin held up his cell phone.
Rollin took Tayler’s basket. “Here, let’s put this in the back of the truck. We need to get going.”
Rollin opened the door and helped Tayler climb up into the truck. Immediately, she realized Kevin’s truck wasn’t as big as Rollin’s. She scooted over as Rollin eased in next to her.
He swung his left arm behind her back to rest on the seat and closed the door. She crossed her ankles, trying to keep her thigh to herself, but it was impossible. Kevin took off, turning the truck around so fast, Tayler almost landed in Rollin’s lap.
She hoped Kevin would drive her back to the house since she was practically wedged into Rollin. However, the truck pulled out from the fields and headed in the opposite direction.
“Uh, excuse me. Would you mind dropping me off at the B and B first?” she asked, looking from Kevin to Rollin.
“Sorry, but you’re gonna have to ride to market with us this morning,” Rollin said, and then pulled out his cell phone when it rang.
Tayler looked at Kevin. “Is he serious?”
“Uh-huh, but we’ll only be gone a couple of hours. The farmers’ market is only open Thursdays from eight until noon.”
* * *
An hour later, Tayler handed a cute little girl with long plaits and the chubbiest cheeks she’d ever seen a bag of apples. She handed the mother the change.
“Are you new?” the child’s mother asked.
Tayler opened her mouth to respond and stopped short of saying, hell, no, I got roped into this. “No, I’m only helping out for a little while this morning.”
“Oh, that’s why I haven’t seen you around town.”
“I’m visiting.”
“You’re visiting Rollin?”
What’s with all the nosy questions?
“Bernice, are you over here harassing the help?” Kevin asked as he walked up.
The woman laughed. “Of course not, I just wanted to introduce myself.” She offered a hand to Tayler. “I’m Bernice Eversole.”
Tayler accepted her hand. “Hi, Bernice, I’m Tayler Carter.”
“Nice meeting you. Are you visiting Corra or Rollin?”
Tayler smiled. “Neither. I’m actually a guest at the B and B.”
Tayler’s mother would have called Bernice thick, or big-boned. She was an attractive woman but had the worst weave Tayler had ever seen. Her piercing eyes searched behind Tayler in the direction of Rollin, who was helping a man load a bushel of green beans onto his truck.
Bernice grinned. “That really is some working farm y’all got over there. You even put the guests on t
he vegetable stand.”
“Bernice, you know we’re like family at Coleman House,” Rollin stressed as he walked up and placed his arm around Tayler’s shoulders. “Tayler’s the newest member of the family.”
The look on Bernice’s face matched the shock on Tayler’s. Rollin’s touch always did something to her no matter where she was. She smiled as he pulled her close enough to inhale his woodsy scent. His lips moved so she knew he said something, but being this close to him again shut off a piece of her brain.
“Yeah, I see,” Bernice said and cocked a brow.
The minute Bernice left, Tayler gathered her senses and slid away from Rollin. She looked from him to Kevin. Each one had a big grin on his face.
“What was that all about?” she asked.
“I’m sorry. I hope you don’t mind us having a little fun at your expense. Bernice has to know everybody and everything.”
“And she’d like to get to know Rollin a lot better, too,” Kevin added.
Rollin shook his head. “It’s not like that.”
“Oh, here comes another one of his girlfriends.” Kevin walked off as another young woman approached.
“Hey, Rollin,” she called out in a singsong voice.
Rollin cleared his throat. “Mornin’, Cassie.”
“Mama sent me over to see if you had any tomatoes left.”
Young, hot and ready for trouble was how Tayler would have described Cassie in her shorts and high heels.
“We sure do. Right down there where Kevin’s at.” Rollin pointed to the other end of their area of the farmers’ market.
“You know I never did learn how to pick good tomatoes.” Cassie chuckled while looking at Tayler. “You know how it is, girl. I just get mine from the IGA grocery. But Mama likes the ones from Coleman’s farm.”
Tayler smiled.
“Rollin, can you help me pick out some nice, firm but juicy tomatoes?” Cassie asked.
She bit the tip of her finger in a coy way that made Tayler roll her eyes. Oh, my God. Cassie’s body language flirted with Rollin so hard Tayler felt like a voyeur. Rollin walked around the table. How gullible. Men are so stupid, Tayler thought.
“Kev.” Rollin motioned for Kevin. “I’ll tell you what, Cassie, Kevin will help you pick out some tomatoes, and he’ll get your mama a few green ones. I know how she likes fried green tomatoes.” With his arm around Cassie’s shoulder, he handed her off to Kevin, who hustled over with a big smile on his face.
When I Fall in Love Page 5
