by Barbara Gee
“All the real horse people already know your reputation as a cuttin’ horse trainer,” Chad assured him.
“I sure hope so. I would’ve never agreed to let them do the article on me if I’d known it was going to turn out like it did. I only said I’d do it because I thought it would help us get some more exposure for the Wild Rose and Triple Creek.”
“I still think you’re overreacting,” Amy said. “Sure, they played up your good looks, and the photos are all about you being a young stud cowboy, but the article itself is fine.”
“Please, Will. Show me the magazine,” Kelly begged, leaning up against his shoulder. “I can’t believe we talked on the phone every single day, and you didn’t tell me about being interviewed.”
Chad stood up. “Hang on a second, I bet he’s got it in his truck. He wouldn’t let it stay out in the stable.” He hustled out of the room before Will could protest further.
“Is that where it is?” Kelly asked hopefully.
Will let his head drop back down, pressing the heels of his hands against his eyes.”
“This is mortifying. I was really hoping you wouldn’t find out about it. At least not for a while.”
“Seriously, Will?” Amy asked. “You’re going to be the talk of Tallock County and beyond for the next month, like it or not, and Kelly was bound to hear about it. It’s just as good Chad was the one to bring it up.”
Kelly put her hand on Will’s chest and leaned over to kiss his cheek.
“And now you’ve just got to suck it up,” she said, her eyes gleaming with anticipation. “I think it’s awesome that you’re a big shot up and coming horse trainer.”
“Well, I’m not sitting here while you read it, I can tell you that. I’ll be out on the front porch, so you know where to come to tease me when you’re finished.”
He got up and left as Chad entered, holding the magazine high in triumph.
“He had it stuffed way back under the seat.”
Kelly eagerly took the magazine, her jaw dropping when she saw the cover.
“Oh my gosh, you guys didn’t tell me he was on the cover!” she exclaimed. The photo was similar to the very first photo she’d taken of Will, with the brim of his hat just high enough to show his brilliant blue eyes as he looked out at a point beyond the camera from the saddle on Wild Red.
“Oh wow. What page does the article start on?”
Amy helped her find it, and Kelly stared at the glossy photos, her brows arching upward as she took them in. The first one showed Will from the back, carrying a saddle over his shoulder as he looked to the side, his perfect profile nothing short of magnificent, the outline of his impressive body highlighted by sunshine. He was dressed in his typical black tee shirt, molded to his muscular body, and his usual low slung, faded Levis. Several other photos showed him riding Wild Red, in one of them he was pulling up hard on the reins and his impressive biceps were prominently displayed. The last photo showed him standing in front of Wild Red, their heads close together, and Kelly knew Will was doing his horse whisperer thing after a good ride.
After perusing the photos for quite some time, Kelly looked up to see Chad and Amy grinning expectantly at her. Her lips curled slowly upward and she didn’t speak, she just folded the magazine at the seam and raised it up to fan her flushed face.
“I know, right?” Amy crowed. “I mean we all know Will is hot, but seeing him in a magazine just kicks it up a level. I wish he wasn’t so upset about it.”
“He’s cursed with an extra dose of modesty,” Chad said. “Photos aside, I honestly don’t think he realizes how rare his gift with horses is.”
Kelly opened the magazine again, this time reading carefully through the article. She had to agree with Amy, it was good. While the photos were obviously exploiting his good looks, the article focused almost solely on his impressive successes as a horse trainer. Several horses that he had trained were currently doing extremely well on the cutting horse show circuit, and the article included a few quotes from both owners and riders, all of whom agreed that Will’s skills were formidable.
When she finished reading, Kelly felt overwhelming pride.
“He definitely shouldn’t be embarrassed about this,” she declared. “Excuse me while I go give him an earful.”
“Have at it,” Chad encouraged her. “He shouldn’t take it so seriously.”
“We’re going to head on home,” Amy said. “We’ll stop and say goodnight to my parents and little James on our way past the stables.”
“Okay. Night, guys. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Come over and see my finished nursery if you have the time.”
“I’ll be sure to do that. I’ll call before I come, to make sure you’re home.”
They left, and Kelly grabbed the magazine and went to find her reluctant celebrity. He was leaning back against the porch railing, his hands gripping the rail beside his hips, his booted feet crossed at the ankles. The only light was what shone out from the living room windows, and Kelly couldn’t read his expression from a distance.
She walked up and stood in front of him, where she could see him more clearly, and his expression was wary. She knew he was uncomfortable with her seeing the magazine and she wished they hadn’t teased him quite so much.
“It’s a good article, Will. I’m so proud of you,” she said softly.
He lifted his hands to her waist, his eyes probing, trying to see if she meant what she was saying.
“I didn’t know you’d trained horses that are doing so well in the rodeos.”
He sighed. “That’s not the whole picture, though. Turning out a good work horse is what I enjoy the most, and yet they hardly even mentioned that. All they talked about in the article was fluffy, showy stuff.”
“That’s not I how took it, Will. I think the writer made it clear that you’re capable of training almost any horse for whatever job they’re meant for. But the rodeo horses are what many people want to read about, and the bottom line is selling the magazine.” She smiled gently. “Honestly, Will, I know those photos are all about sex appeal and they make you uncomfortable, but you shouldn’t blame the editor for putting them in. They’re beautiful photos. If I saw that magazine in a store and saw that cover, I’d buy it even if I’d never heard of horses.”
“I don’t want to be recognized because I was on the cover of a magazine,” Will told her. “I hate it. I had no idea I was on the cover until I got that blasted copy in the mail.”
“I love that you hate it,” Kelly said, “because that’s just who you are. You would make a terrible diva. But I predict you’re going to sell that company a truckload of magazines.”
“Okay, enough with the magazine,” Will said gruffly. “I’ve waited thirty-seven days to kiss you again. Any objection if that were to happen right about now?”
Kelly shook her head slowly. “None whatsoever.” She reached up and took his gorgeous face in her hands, standing on tiptoe to meet his descending mouth eagerly.
Nothing, nothing had ever felt as good as being wrapped up in Will’s arms with his mouth ravishing hers. More than a month of missing each other was poured into it, and it wasn’t until they heard the voices of the others returning to the house that they pulled apart, both of them grinning happily.
“Welcome to Texas, baby,” Will said.
“Glad to be here,” Kelly replied, taking his hand and pulling him back into the house.
Chapter 26
Kelly spent the next morning getting settled in. Maggie had put her and James at the other end of the house this time, where they each had their own room with a shared bathroom in between. The rooms were spacious and comfortable, and also beautifully decorated. Kelly knew they would both be very satisfied with this set up for the summer.
After unpacking she was ready to go to the stables to see what was going on out there, but just before she left the house she got a text from Will saying he had to get back to the Triple Creek to meet a potential client. Kelly wo
ndered whether the magazine article was paying off already, but she decided not to tease him about it. He was probably already hearing it from the ranch hands.
After lunch James went for a ride on Midnight with Chad, and Kelly walked down to Amy’s house to see the nursery. She ended up staying there until almost supper time, thoroughly enjoying her time with her sister-in-law.
Will called late afternoon and said he would come over after dinner, if that was okay, as he couldn’t get away before then. Kelly told him to come whenever he could, and they would watch a movie or something.
He ended up getting there just a little before James went to bed. The three of them played a game of Sorry, then Kelly sent James to get his bath. Soon her very tired boy was tucked in and well on his way to dreamland. Kelly turned off his light and went to join Will in the living room.
“Tell me about your day,” she said, snuggling against him. “How’d it go with the client?”
“I’m going to go take a look at his horse this weekend. See if he has the kind of potential the guy thinks he does. If so, Eli and I will bring him to the Triple Creek and turn him into a cutter.”
Kelly smiled. “I can tell you’re excited about it. Do you get this way with every horse you train?”
Will shrugged. “Yeah, I guess I do. Every horse is different, so you never know exactly how it’ll go, or how fast they’ll take to it. It’s challenging, but in the best kind of way. And there’s no better feeling than when the owner comes to see the results, and leaves with a well-trained horse and a smile on his face.”
“How do you decide whether the horse goes to the Triple Creek or the Wild Rose to be trained, if you’re the one who does it both places?”
“We do it a little differently at each place. We take on clients at the Triple Creek, and just get paid for the training. Over here at the Rose, we buy the horses young, or raise them from the breeding stock here, and then train ‘em, and sell ‘em. There are pros and cons to both ways of doing it, but they both make some pretty good money. It just so happens that Senior has always preferred to raise his own horses, and Eli and I like working with clients.”
Kelly nodded. “Like it or not, Will, reading that magazine article helped me understand what you do a little better.”
He sighed wearily. “That blasted magazine. I was razzed all day long, by my brothers, by Chad, and by all the hands at both ranches. I’ve learned my lesson. There are other ways to get publicity for the Rose and TC.”
“Teasing is their way of showing they think you’re a big deal. They don’t want to admit they’re impressed, but they have to acknowledge it somehow. It’s like pulling the cute girl’s hair in the first grade.”
Will chuckled. “Oh, so that’s why they bought at least twenty of the magazines and had my picture pinned up everywhere I turned around.” He pulled Kelly onto his lap and wrapped his arms around her, his cheek resting on the top of her head. “Don’t worry, I can give as good as I get. And I had you to look forward to at the end of my day. That makes anything bearable.”
“I still can’t believe I’m here. And for the whole summer.”
He lifted her hair and nuzzled her neck. “So tell me about your day.”
Will and Kelly never did get around to watching a movie. They simply talked until almost midnight, when Kelly insisted that Will get home to bed. She knew he got up early every morning, and she felt bad about keeping him up so late.
She walked him out to his truck, but before he got in, he took both her hands in his, lacing their fingers together.
“I want to teach you to ride, Kelly. I know you’re not wild about the idea of getting on a horse, but will you trust me and give it a shot?”
Kelly had known this would come sooner or later, and she’d made her peace with it. Which was a good thing, because saying no to this man was pretty much impossible.
“I’ll try, Will. I’m just not sure I’ll be any good at it.”
“You’ll be great,” he assured her with a smile, “because you’ll have the best teacher.”
She gave him a sideways look. “If you say so.”
“I do say so. And you’re gonna love it. We’ll start tomorrow.”
“Are you sure you have time for it?”
“Yes ma’am. I’ll make time. Come out to the stable mid-morning. We’ll stay in the corral the first couple days and work on the basics, then we’ll go explore the ranch together. You, me, and James.”
“Okay. I’ll see you tomorrow morning.
Will kissed her goodnight, his lips soft and lingering.
“Sleep well, Kelly.”
“You too, Will.
The next day, Kelly walked out to the stable at ten o’clock. She noticed a sporty little white BMW parked in front of the door, but no one was out in the corral. Deciding to check the office, she started down the corridor, frowning when she saw Chad with a big smile on his face standing by the open office door, motioning for her to keep quiet and join him.
She tiptoed up to him.
“What’s going on?” she whispered.
“We had a little rodeo queen show up demanding to see Will Connor. Said she’s got a horse to train and she and her daddy won’t settle for anyone less than the best. She’s been following Will around for the past half hour, and if I’m not mistaken, he’s about to shut her down big time.”
“And you’re eavesdropping?” Kelly said, grinning.
“You bet I am.” He held up a finger as Will’s voice came from the office.
“As I’ve already told you multiple times, Taryn, I can’t start working with your horse for at least a month. That’s not going to change no matter how long you hang around here. My schedule is full, and I’m not going to bump any prior commitments in order to get you in earlier.”
“But I want to get started now, and Daddy will pay whatever you want, Will,” a smooth, high pitched voice replied.
“It’s not a matter of money. You go on home and think about it. If you decide you can wait a month, I’ll come take a look at your horse and see if he has potential.”
“Come look at him now, Will,” the feminine voice cooed. “I’ll drive you. We can make a day out of it.”
“Not today. And if we do end up making a deal, Taryn, it’s to train your horse and nothing else. Is that clear?”
“I don’t know what you’re getting at, Will.”
“Sure you do.” His voice was hard, and Kelly realized she’d never heard that tone from him. “You show up out of the blue, waving Daddy’s money around and insisting I drop everything to train your new horse. Obviously you saw me in that blasted magazine and made a beeline out here. You’ve been following me around for half an hour, rubbing up against me every chance you get. I’m not stupid, Taryn. And I’m also not interested in anything more than possibly training your horse. If I determine he has what it takes, I’ll train him, and do it at a fair price. But it ends there.”
“You do realize who I am, don’t you?” the girl said defiantly. “I’m the Taryn Daniels who came in second in the Houston Cutting Horse Competition this year. I would have thought you’d be a little more happy to meet me. I hang out with the big names in the business, and I can definitely get the word out about you, if you work with me. And if you do work with me, I have no doubt you’ll change your mind about any other benefits I might choose to throw in with the deal.”
“Okay, the Taryn Daniels. Let’s try this one more time,” Will said, drawing out the words. “I’m booked solid, so obviously I don’t need your referrals, and I’m not interested in your ‘benefits.’ I have a girlfriend and I’m totally into her. Only her. So why don’t you go home and think about whether you want me to train your horse. Period. If you do, give me a call and I’ll look him over.”
“I can’t believe this,” the girl said furiously. “What a wasted morning. I could have just called you about the damn horse.”
“So why didn’t you?”
“Because you’re damn hot and I tho
ught maybe we could have some fun together. And let me tell you something, Will Connor, you’re giving up a real good time by sending me home. If you gave me the chance, I’d leave you begging for more. No question about it.”
“Goodbye, Taryn. Good luck at the show this weekend.”
Chad and Kelly heard her footsteps coming and pretended to be just now coming down the hall toward the office. The pretty little blonde completely ignored them as she swept by in a huff. Moments later her BMW squealed away.
Will came out of the office and saw Kelly and Chad standing there. He smiled at them, but it quickly faded when he saw their guilty faces and realized they had heard his exchange with the Taryn Daniels.
“I don’t even want to hear it,” he said, holding up a hand to stave off their comments. “Kelly, let’s go saddle your horse.”
There were so many things Kelly could have said to give Will a hard time about Taryn, but considering how he’d felt after getting teased all day yesterday, she refrained.
Will hoisted a saddle over his shoulder and took Kelly to the stall of a pretty little brown mare with a white blaze.
“This is Sandy,” he said. “She’s as gentle as they come, so you don’t need to be nervous about her trying to unseat you.” He put a saddle blanket on Sandy’s back, then effortlessly lifted the saddle and settled it at the right spot, showing Kelly how to tighten the straps. They led the willing horse out to the corral and Will smiled down at Kelly.
“You ready to mount up?”
Kelly nodded. “But first I want to tell you something.” She smiled and put a hand on his hard chest. “Chad and I shouldn’t have been eavesdropping, and I’m not going to tease you. But I do have to admit, I really liked that part about you having a girlfriend you’re totally into.”
“Oh yeah?” Will curved a hand around the back of her neck and tugged her closer. “I hope you weren’t surprised to hear it. I’ve tried to make it more than clear how I feel about you.”
“You do make it clear, but it’s still really nice to hear you say it when you don’t know I’m around and a very attractive girl is making a play for you.”
