by Stark, Cindy
“Uh-huh.” He stayed silent for a moment. “Are you avoiding me, Daisy?”
She turned to him. “Me avoiding you? No. You’re the one who’s been hiding in the barn or out in the pastures.”
Oliver snorted. “I haven’t seen you outside of the house since the night I kissed you.”
Images of him holding her flooded her mind along with the taste of his kiss. She’d never say she wanted more, but she did. “I’m doing what I always do. I haven’t been avoiding you.”
“I’m doing what I always do, too.” His smile widened. “Sounds like you and I have similar thoughts rolling around in our heads.”
She froze. Did that mean he was thinking about her the same way? “Maybe so.”
He tilted his head toward her. “Been thinking though. I probably shouldn’t kiss my boss’s sister again without her approval.”
She hadn’t considered that, but… “Rachel doesn’t get to decide who I…kiss.” She inadvertently glanced at his lips.
He lifted his brows and his mouth curved into a most charming smile. “Maybe not, but she does get to say if I keep my job or not.”
“She’s not going to fire you for kissing me.” That was ridiculous. For one, Rachel had a heart of gold.
“What if I break your heart? Then would she?” His smile stayed in place, leaving her to wonder if he teased or not.
“You’re not going to break my heart.” Even if he could, she’d never admit it.
He snorted. “Because you’d actually have to like me for that to happen.”
“I like you.” He might annoy the hell out of her, but he possessed characteristics she admired.
“Good.” His grin widened as he shifted her car into a lower gear, making it growl before he accelerated into a turn along the country road. “I love the way your car handles.”
He wanted to change the subject, which she didn’t mind. “It is pretty sweet.”
Whether Oliver wanted to acknowledge it or not, he could appreciate the finer things in life, too. He’d enjoyed her date, and, from the look on his face, he now enjoyed the hell out of her muscle car, too.
Chapter Thirteen
Daisy settled on a chair in the backyard with a glass of sweet tea and a juicy novel, prepared to soak up the precious rays. She didn’t mind one bit being on her own for a few days while Rachel and Caleb took a short trip to see his sick aunt.
Finally, she could read. Enjoy a bubble bath. Dance naked through the house if she wanted. She hadn’t realized it, but she’d missed the times she’d had by herself in her mom’s apartment. Too much time alone would drive her crazy, but a break every now and then was heavenly.
Oliver and the other men would tend to everything outside, so she only had to worry about herself. Thinking of them, she scanned her surroundings to make sure no one would bother her. The area Rachel had created as an outdoor living space was sheltered from view of the barn, so she should be able to enjoy some privacy while basking in the sun.
For the past few weeks, Oliver had acted the same as he had before their kiss. Obviously, he’d buried the event somewhere in the back of his mind, never to be thought of again. Daisy had followed his example. Whenever he’d come to dinner, she’d acted as normal as possible. The four of them had enjoyed several pleasant evenings with Oliver playing the part of a nice guy and a good friend. Nothing more.
Apparently, fear of her sister’s reaction had doused whatever chemistry had flared between them.
Not that Rachel’s reactions were any small thing. She’d been upset when she’d first noticed Daisy’s bandage, but a few reassuring words seemed to calm her. She’d taken Daisy to have her stitches removed after ten days, leaving Daisy with a bright pink scar running along the side of her finger. It was almost as if she’d never cut herself or kissed Oliver.
Maybe that was for the best.
****
The compound was eerily empty when Oliver rode in on his horse mid-afternoon. Usually, Rachel and Caleb were around, along with the other guys and their trucks. But, it was the weekend, and he’d managed the necessary tasks on his own. No big deal. He’d done it before to give his bosses free time.
As he headed toward the barn with his horse, he studied the windows in the house, looking for signs of life inside. Apparently, he and Daisy were back to their original tactics of avoiding each other. Oliver didn’t have a clue what to do about it. He’d like to be friends since he enjoyed her company. Might like to be more than friends.
That wasn’t an option, though. Not with her leaving. Every time they were together, he struggled to remain detached, which wasn’t an easy thing with those beautiful brown eyes and her sexy laugh constantly teasing him toward a tangled web of desire.
Blackwater Canyon Ranch provided him with a nice income. He appreciated that more than he could say. Those funds, along with the money he earned on the side, had allowed him to put away a fair amount in hopes of buying his own spread one day. He might not be able to build it into an operation the size of Rachel’s, but ranching was in his blood.
He couldn’t risk messing it up. Couldn’t risk hurting Daisy, either.
His best option so far was to stay clear of Rachel’s sister. Problem was he’d promised her he’d check on Daisy while she and Caleb were gone. Rachel had even encouraged him to take her to dinner, her treat. Did she realize the position she’d put him in?
Oliver finished the chores in the barn and then sauntered toward the house, steeling his desires with each step.
When she didn’t answer the door, he became concerned. He tapped his knuckles a second time and waited. Nothing.
The front door creaked when he slowly opened it. Rachel never had a problem with him walking straight in, but he wasn’t so sure about Daisy.
“Hello?”
Pure silence.
“Daisy?”
He hoped to hell she hadn’t cut herself again and bled to death before she’d asked for help. The sight of all that blood had been a kick to his gut.
The kitchen was empty, too, so he cautiously headed upstairs. “Daisy? Are you here?”
He knew she hadn’t asked for help that day because he’d been an ass. He’d succumbed to her charms that night on his porch and had taken advantage of her. Yeah, he knew she’d enjoyed their kiss, too, but he had to stop thinking with his cock. She’d been very clear that she didn’t intend to stay, so starting something with the boss’s sister would be a mistake.
“Daisy?” He called louder. Where the hell was she?
When she was nowhere to be found upstairs, he took the stairs two at a time as he descended. Her car was in the drive and he hadn’t seen her leave, so she had to be around somewhere. He strode through the kitchen and out the back door.
The second he saw her, he screeched to a halt. He’d come out the door behind her, and she hadn’t noticed him yet.
Damn. He shouldn’t look, but couldn’t resist admiring the totally perfect package presented to him.
She wore the shortest of shorts, topped by a very sexy pink polka dot bikini top as she lounged on one of Rachel’s chairs. She had her nose in a book and looked as content as could be. A glass of iced tea rested on the table next to her, and purple headphone wires looped from her ears down to the phone sitting next to her drink.
That’s why she hadn’t answered him.
As he strode forward, he caught sight of the bright pink polish covering her toenails and those legs would surely lead him to heaven. He swallowed as he hardened. It wouldn’t take much to remove that bikini so he could feast on her lovely bare skin.
Fuck.
He turned from her and took a few deep breaths, reminding himself of his purpose, before he moved forward. “Hey,” he called in a loud voice.
She startled, and he smiled. “Sorry to bother you,” he said.
“It’s fine.” She pulled the earphones from her ears before she marked the spot in her book and closed it. “Everything okay?”
He hated thinking
she believed that was the only reason he’d talk to her. He’d never meant to put them in an awkward spot and ached to mend things between them. With Rachel and Caleb out of the way, he’d have a better chance to be himself and to set things straight without worry of being judged.
“Everything is fine.” He sat in a chair close to her and leaned forward with his forearms on his knees. He did everything he could to keep his gaze from dipping to those lovely breasts. “Your sister asked me to check on you. Do you need anything?”
“Seriously.” She snorted. “I’ve lived by myself for the past six months with no trouble. What is she so worried about?”
He grinned, loving her attitude. “Yeah. Seems silly to me when you’re so obviously fine.” He cleared his throat and averted his gaze, not wanting her to believe he’d meant that as a physical reference. “So, everything’s good?”
She stared at him for a moment before she sighed and set her book on the table. “No, actually, everything is not okay. I’m bored. I thought I’d be happy sitting here in the sun all day, but now I’m thinking of taking a hike, maybe to the river. Do you think I could do that without running into any bears or wolves?”
“The river? You do realize that’s close to a mile over rough terrain. You’d be better off taking a horse instead of walking.”
“I didn’t realize it was so far.” Her shoulders sagged. “I guess I could head in that direction until I’ve burned off my restlessness, and then I’ll turn around. I don’t have to worry about wild animals or anything, do I?”
“No, but I’m not comfortable sending you out on your own.”
“Really, Oliver? You, too? I promise to walk in a straight path so I won’t get lost.”
Her reply brought a chuckle out of him. “Your sister has made me paranoid, too. Tell you what, I still owe you a double dog dare date.” Lord knows he’d wanted to ask her before, but issues with Rachel had gotten in the way, and he’d assumed the bet was off.
“If you’re still interested, I could give you an up-close, personal view of the beautiful land you’re living on. You spend most of your time closed up in that house so it’s no wonder you’re restless. That’s your soul tuning in to what’s around you. You have no idea what’s out there, and you definitely need to see it before you leave.”
Her lips quirked into a smile. “You forget. I have been here before.”
“Yes, but not for years. We’ve already established that. Besides, we had a deal, and I intend to hold up my end of the bargain.” He caught his gaze as it dipped toward her breasts and forced his eyes to focus on her face instead.
“Really, I can walk. I realize things have changed between us, and I won’t hold you to our agreement.”
Except he wanted to show her his world. He also knew Rachel would approve of anything that might encourage her sister to visit another time. “Does that mean you’re forfeiting and I win?” He took a small amount of pleasure as his barb hit home.
A shrewd grin lit her face. “I might lose sometimes, but I never forfeit.”
Something warm inside him burst at the sight of her smile. “Never?”
“Never.”
He laughed, feeling plenty proud of himself for trapping her in her own sassy ways. “Good. You are officially at my mercy for the next couple of hours.”
“Okay, but…” She paused. “Don’t tease me when I say I’m scared to ride a horse.”
“No reason to be scared.”
“Says the guy who hasn’t been bucked off and ended up with a broken leg.”
“Ouch. Rachel witnessed it, right? I wonder if that’s why she’s so protective of you.”
“Yeah.” She laughed. “I’ve figured that out about her, too. She wasn’t only there. She’s the one who caused me to fall. Not on purpose, though,” she hurried to add. “She’d been acting all grown up and had saddled a horse for me so we could go walking like I had with our dad. As I look back now, it was a disaster waiting to happen, but who knows that as a kid?”
“True.” He waited for her to add more to her story.
“She hadn’t saddled the horse right, and when a snake crossed our path up in those hills, she screamed which frightened the horse and tossed me off its back. The rest is history.”
His snort came out before he could stop it. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to laugh, especially since you were hurt. Sounds like a crazy set of circumstances. If you’re more comfortable, we can take the four-wheelers.”
She lifted her shoulders and let them drop. “I don’t know how to drive one.”
She didn’t know how to… “Not a problem. You can ride with me.” Though it intensified his issues of having her close. Still, he was man enough to keep his pants zipped. “Anything in the fridge we can take for food? Then we won’t have to worry about running out of time before dinner.”
“Umm…sure. There’s stuff for sandwiches. Leftover watermelon…”
“Sounds great. If you want to change, I’ll whip something up.” He hesitated, visually indulging on the lovely skin bared by her bikini one more time. It would most likely be his last.
When he finally glanced back to her eyes, she lifted a brow in admonition. “Unless you want to go like that.” He grinned.
Her smile matched his, and she shook her head. “I don’t think so.”
He held out a hand to help her to her feet, and she grasped it. He tugged her, possibly a little too hard, propelling her toward him. He caught her by the waist so she didn’t slam directly into him. “Sorry. Overkill.”
God, she was soft.
She pressed her hands against his chest, creating distance between them. “You did that on purpose.” At least she’d smiled when she said it.
“I swear I didn’t.” Unless he had subconsciously. He couldn’t exactly deny it.
She narrowed her gaze. “You should make us food before I make you swear that on your life.” With that, she snatched her book and glass and headed for the house.
He was helpless to do anything other than watch her walk away. Her ass, her hips, all that bare skin on her back that he’d touched. The next few hours would thoroughly test his resistance.
Chapter Fourteen
Daisy hurried upstairs to change, the heat in Oliver’s gaze still burning in her mind. The sight of him had stirred her desire as well. His hands on her skin when he’d accidently tugged her too hard helping her to stand had nearly undone her. Good thing he couldn’t read her mind, or he would have known she’d been close to pressing against him and kissing him until he brought her recurrent fantasies to life.
Maybe she should have said no to his offer, should have conceded to be the loser in their agreement. Except a tiny, but powerful part of her wanted to experience “his Wyoming”.
Daisy descended the stairs a few minutes later dressed in jeans, sturdy shoes, and a t-shirt that covered much more than her bikini had. Her clothes weren’t all that different from Oliver’s worn jeans and khaki green t-shirt that hugged his chest.
“Ah…” He lowered his brows in a disappointed look. “You decided to go with something sensible.”
She grinned. “It was a prudent decision.”
“Prudent?” He laughed and pointed toward a small lunch box. “Well, I made some prudent sandwiches to go with your prudent decision.”
His flirting was irresistible. “You can’t make prudent sandwiches.”
He held her gaze for several electric moments. “I guess we’ll see when you take a bite.”
“I guess so.” At that moment, she couldn’t be sure he was referring to food or to whatever brewed between them.
Nervous energy infused her as she followed him to one of the smaller barns where they kept equipment. “Sure you don’t want to ride your own?” he asked as they approached a couple of intimidating four-wheelers.
“Not unless you’re sure you want me to crash into a tree out in the wilderness.”
“It’s not exactly wilderness.” He tucked their lunch pack into a saddlebag a
ttached to the back.
“You said yourself that the terrain is uneven. If it’s not paved, it’s wilderness to me.” She gave him a sassy smile. This was one argument he wouldn’t win.
“Yeah. Wait until you see it.” The excitement in his voice infected her as well. He threw a leg over the machine and settled in. He made a damn fine picture with his powerful thighs resting on the seat and those amazing biceps flexing as he started the engine. He glanced back at her, his gorgeous blue eyes full of mischief. “Hop on.”
Her pulse escalated, and she gave him a nervous smile. She stepped forward, putting one hand on his broad shoulder and the other on his torso as she slipped her leg over the seat.
Her insides sizzled as her body connected ever so slightly with his. “I feel like I’m doing something illegal like breaking out of prison.”
“You are. That exactly.” He gave the four-wheeler gas, and they moved forward out of the barn, sending a small rush of excitement through her.
God, he smelled good. Fresh, like sunshine mixed with a hint of damn sexy cologne. She was close enough she could see the short hairs growing beneath his hairline and feel where his ribs ended.
Everything about him was perfect. His smile, those eyes, the feel of his hard body beneath her fingertips as she held onto his waist.
All of this, right in front of her, but not available to her. He’d said they needed to keep their relationship platonic, but how could he expect her to respect his choices when he looked at her like he wanted anything but that?
As they bounced over the uneven ground, Daisy gave up trying to keep any distance between them. The movements jarred her until she bumped up against him. She’d tried to scoot back, but the motion made it impossible.
Oliver seemed to be going awfully fast for as bumpy as it was. She didn’t care. She had the afternoon to experience the new side of her that wanted to be wild and free, and she held on tight to that and to Oliver.
Adrenaline poured through her veins as she soaked in the experience. Oliver drove them over grassy terrain and navigated around any rocks that were too big to drive over. The blue sky overhead had never seemed so incredibly vast, making all her worries insignificant.
