It was nearly ten o’clock. He was usually headed for bed, planning his morning schedule, but he couldn’t leave things without talking to Jess. He was becoming too involved with both mother and son. And he’d feel better setting some ground rules.
He rapped on the door before he could change his mind. He waited, then heard a muffled, “Who’s there?”
“Johnny.”
The lock gave way and the door swung open. Jess appeared in her same clothes as earlier. Good, he hadn’t woken her up. “Johnny, what are you doing here?”
“We need to talk.”
She hesitated, then opened the door to let him inside. He removed his hat and looked around the room. It was surprisingly large with a sectional sofa that faced a flat-screen television. The lighting was dim, except for the lamp at the desk in the corner. Soft music played in the background. He turned toward the small but open kitchen, next to a narrow hall that probably led to the bedrooms.
“Is something wrong?” she asked, drawing his attention back.
He turned around and saw those whiskey-colored eyes looking back at him. Hell, she was killing him. “I could lie and say I came to talk about teaching Brady.”
“You changed your mind?” she asked, then rushed on to say, “I understand. I mean, he’s a little boy and it’s not going to be an easy job.”
“Dammit, Jess, it’s not that. I like your son. I wanted to talk about what happened between us.” He paced the small room. “I mean, there’s an attraction between us.”
She looked surprised.
“To be honest, Jess, I avoid your type.” He went to her. “But, lady, you’ve been driving me crazy since the moment I first saw you.”
She smiled, looking entirely too pleased about the whole situation. “What a nice thing to say.”
And frankly he didn’t understand any of it. She wasn’t his type at all, but he couldn’t seem to stay away from Jess Calhoun. “So we’ve got a problem.”
She grew serious. “What do you mean? Are you going to leave? What about Storm?”
He paced away from her, then back again. “No, I’m not leaving. I don’t run away from my commitments. But I only commit to the horses I train.” He stopped. “You need to know that I don’t do well with people relationships.”
“You said that before, and I told you I don’t expect anything from you.”
He let his hands drop to his sides. “You can still get hurt, Jess.”
Too late, Jess thought. His words already pierced her. Her guard went up. “Is that why you came here, to warn me? Fine, consider me warned. Now, you can leave.”
“Ah, Jess. That’s the problem. I don’t want to leave you.”
She folded her arms to keep from shaking. It didn’t work. “So what do we do now?”
“The hell if I know.” He reached for her, all his good intentions to keep away from her falling by the wayside. “All I know right now is I don’t want to talk any longer.” His mouth came down on hers in a hungry kiss. Immediately, desire surged through his body.
Johnny wanted this woman like no other. That alone was bad, but that didn’t stop him as his tongue traced her lips. She parted them, letting him taste what he longed for.
He broke off the kiss, then pressed his forehead against hers. “Ah, Jess, this could lead to trouble.”
But all he knew was he didn’t want to stop. His mouth covered hers, wanting another taste of her again and again.
“Oh, Johnny,” she breathed as her fingers gripped the front of his shirt and reached up to return another kiss.
“Mom!”
Jess tore away from Johnny. “That’s Brady.” She quickly pulled out of the tight embrace. “I need to go to him,” she said, and hurried out of the room.
Johnny sank down on the sofa and closed his eyes, cursing at his weakness. A child’s cry reminding him this was a lousy idea.
* * *
Jess walked into her son’s room. “What’s wrong, honey?”
“I heard a noise. Is someone here?”
“Yes, there is, but you’re not to worry about that.” She straightened the blankets. “It’s time you were asleep.”
“But I’m thirsty and I can’t stop thinking about my new pony.”
She went off to the bathroom to get Brady some water. She took the first drink, and then refilled the glass for her son. Once back she handed Brady the water. He drank about half, then lay back down.
She kissed him and headed for the door. “Mom.”
She turned around. “I’m glad Johnny is going to teach me to ride,” he said, then rolled over. “Night.”
“Night, son.”
Jess returned to the living room to see Johnny’s head resting against the back of the sofa, his eyes closed. Darn if only she could forget all her responsibilities, and dive into an affair with this man. She had to think about her child first.
She sat down across from him. “He heard us.”
Johnny sat up, those gray eyes locked on hers, mesmerizing her again. “What did you tell him?”
“I said someone came by to see me. I didn’t mention your name. I’d never get him to stay in bed if he knew you were out here.”
“It was probably a bad idea that I came here.” He didn’t move to get up.
“I need to think about Brady. It would have been awkward if he’d come out here.” That was an understatement, but she did have a hard time resisting him, even with her son close by.
“I probably shouldn’t come by anymore.”
She touched his arm. “I didn’t say that. I just don’t want Brady to walk in on us. It’s hard to explain things to a five-year-old.”
His face broke into a grin. “So I better behave myself.”
She smiled, too. “Can you do that?”
“If you ask me to, I will.” He stood and walked to her, placing a sweet kiss on her lips. “I can’t seem to get a decent night’s sleep because I keep thinking about you.”
Her heart began racing once again and she couldn’t come up with anything to say. “I’m sorry.”
He pulled her to the entry. “Don’t be sorry. You’re beautiful dream material, darlin’.” He hesitated, then said, “I’m not going to be around long, Jess. When my job ends, I move on.”
She wanted so badly to argue with him. She wanted to make him fall for her so he’d never want to leave. Instead, she nodded.
His mouth came down on hers. There was nothing gentle about the kiss. It was hot and demanding, letting her know exactly what he wanted from her.
He broke off. “Sweet dreams, Jess.” He turned and walked out the door.
She stood at door, aching for the man who’d just left. She wanted to chase him down and tell him to stay, but in the end, he would leave her. She couldn’t hold a man like Johnny Jameson. And how could she risk her heart again knowing it was just a matter of time until he packed up and left her? Too late. She was already halfway in love and she was finding it hard to resist the man.
* * *
Two days later in the afternoon, Jess drove to the ranch to pick up Brady. She was surprised to find her son outside in the front yard with Wes. She pulled into the drive at the back door and climbed out.
Brady ran down the steps. “Mom, you’re home. We’ve been waiting and waiting.”
She caught her son in a hug. “Waiting for what?”
“They’re here. The ponies are here. But Wes said I can’t go near them until you got here.”
The foreman came up to her. “Hi, Jess. I guess Brady told you the news.”
This was happening too fast. “Fill in the blanks for me, please.”
Wes nodded. “Sure. I went over to the Carson Ranch today. Harry showed me the ponies and convinced me to take them both home and let Brady decide which one he wants. I swear the man wouldn’t let me get a word in and before I knew what was happening he’d hitched up the trailer and loaded in the two ponies.”
Brady jumped in. “Sassy and Beau are here and I get to choose one.” Her son’s ey
es were round. “Mom, can I see them now?”
She loved seeing her son’s excitement. She looked back at Wes.
“I tried to get ahold of you, but I got your voice mail. I called the bakery and you’d left. I wouldn’t have brought them home if we hadn’t talked about it.”
“I know.” She smiled at her son. “Okay, then let’s go see them.”
They all headed toward the horse barn. “They’re New Forest ponies,” Wes told her. “Harry got them for his grandkids, but they moved away and he doesn’t want them neglected. I put them in the large stall. They seemed to like being together.”
Jess held her son’s hand. She couldn’t tell if he was nervous or just excited. They were just inside the doors when she spotted Johnny coming toward them. He moved in a slow, easy gait, a loose-hipped swagger that most cowboys tried to pull off, but Johnny had it perfected. He oozed sex appeal. He affected her in ways she never knew possible. Her body seemed to come alive whenever the man was around.
“Johnny,” her son cried as he motioned for him to join them.
Jess tensed as he made his way toward them. She hadn’t seen him since he left her apartment two nights ago. Memories flooded back, along with so many confusing feelings for this man.
“Hey, partner,” he greeted Brady, then he looked at her. “Hi, Jess.”
“Hello, Johnny.”
He turned his attention to Brady. “Hey, did you know there are two ponies in the barn?”
The boy nodded. “They’re for me! I get to pick one for my birthday.”
Johnny knelt in front of Brady. “Don’t be too quick to choose. Your first horse is important. He or she is going to be a good friend, and you need to see that you get along.”
“Oh. You mean I might not like them.”
“No, I mean, you should feel comfortable with your mount.”
“Then will you help me?” the boy asked. “I might be a little scared.”
Johnny smiled. “Of course, but once you get to know the pony, you’ll feel a lot better. Wes wouldn’t bring you an animal that wasn’t gentle.”
Brady looked up at the foreman and smiled. “Can I see them now, Wes?”
The foreman nodded. Jess was not only surprised with Brady’s eagerness, but also when he took Johnny’s hand like it was the most natural thing in the world.
The painful part was it wasn’t the same for Johnny. This was a temporary stop for the horse trainer. She followed the group to the double stall. Johnny lifted Brady to the railing to get a good look at the ponies.
“Oh, Mom, look!”
Jess admired the shiny coat of the reddish-brown gelding. She wasn’t an expert about this breed. They were definitely bigger than a Shetland pony.
“The chestnut is Beau,” Wes informed them. “The buckskin is Sassy.”
She looked at her son, unable to know what to do. This was one of those times she wanted her dad’s advice.
Johnny opened the gate and went inside, trying to focus on the ponies and not Jess. She’d distracted him, more than ever since the last time they were together.
Right away the chestnut gelding came to him. He spoke quietly to the horse, then reached out and stroked him. He was average height for this breed, about thirteen hands high.
Johnny liked Beau right off. He was the friendlier of the two. Sassy was a little skittish. But it was up to the kid.
“Which one do you like, Brady?”
“Beau.”
Johnny took a rope off the hook, snapped it on the pony’s bridle and led him out of the stall. “Okay, let’s try him out.”
Brady looked a little frightened. “Right now?”
“Don’t see any better time. At least, let’s get him outside so I can see how he acts around people. Maybe we’ll save the riding for another day.”
The boy nodded and followed behind with his mother and Wes. Once in the corral, Johnny put the animal through some simple commands and was happy to see how well trained he was.
“Did Carson say if the animal has any bad habits?”
Wes shook his head, watching closely. “Harry said that Beau is a peach. Sassy is good, too, but she can be a little high-strung.”
Johnny saw how Brady clung to his mother. This wasn’t going to be easy. “How about we pet him first?”
He eyed Jess as she coaxed her son closer. “First thing we do is let your horse know you’re around so not to spook him, but talk quietly. Animals don’t like to have someone sneak up on them. So start talking to him.”
“Hi, Beau.” Brady edged closer. “I want to be your friend.” He held out his hand and when he was close enough the pony turned his way. “I’m Brady.”
The animal bobbed his head and took a step closer. The boy backed off. That was when Johnny swung Brady up into his arms. “Okay, let’s get you up to be his size.”
Johnny felt a strange feeling go through him as he held the child close, and reassured him that he wouldn’t let anything happen to him.
Brady reached out and petted the pony’s forehead. “He’s soft.”
“Yes, he is.” With Wes holding the reins, Johnny carried Brady around the animal, letting him get to know the dos and don’ts of being around a horse. Johnny rubbed the horse’s coat across his back and neck. Brady followed suit and the horse enjoyed the attention. Beau bobbed his head again and blew air out of his nostrils.
“See, he likes it.”
Brady giggled. Then Johnny convinced the boy to take the reins and walk the animal around the corral. Of course, Johnny was right with him. He smiled when the horse followed like a trained dog.
They returned to the barn door. “That was fun,” Brady announced. “Mom, can I ride Beau tomorrow?”
Her son’s sudden change surprised her. “Why don’t we wait and see?”
“Maybe first I should try him out,” Johnny offered.
“Good idea,” she told him. “Brady, you go up to the house and tell Nancy I’ll be there in a minute.”
“Okay,” her son said, then turned to Johnny and Wes. “Thanks, Wes, for bringing the ponies. And thanks, Johnny, for helping me with Beau.”
“Any time,” Johnny said.
Wes said, “You’re welcome, Brady. Hold on and I’ll walk you to the house.”
“I’ll take Beau back to the stall,” Johnny said.
As Jess watched the two walk off, she told herself that she wanted to talk with Johnny about the pony. But she knew the truth was she just wanted to talk to him. Period. It had been a long two days. And he hadn’t made any effort to get ahold of her. She hated to admit it, but she’d been disappointed, especially after the kisses they’d shared in her apartment.
Once the horse was back in the stall, Johnny stroked both the animals, before he finally exited through the gate. Jess was waiting for him.
“Is Beau really a good mount for Brady?”
“I don’t see a problem with the pony. It’s Brady who needs more confidence. The more time he spends around the horse, the better.”
“I’m happy he wants to try. Thank you.”
“I haven’t done anything yet.” He moved in closer and smiled. “But if it enables me to spend more time with you, I’m glad.”
He leaned down and placed a gentle kiss across her mouth. It was slow and easy, but it got her heart pounding.
He pulled back. “Sorry, I tried but I couldn’t resist.”
“Oh…” Her voice sounded squeaky and she wanted nothing more than to be in Johnny’s arms.
Three ranch hands walked in at the far end of the barn and she stepped back. Johnny took her by the arm and walked her down the aisle past Storm’s stall to where he kept his horse.
“Since it’s still early I’m going to take Risky for some exercise. You want to ride along?”
She couldn’t help herself when it came to this man. “Sure. I’ll see if Nancy can watch Brady.”
* * *
Fifteen minutes later, Johnny stood at the corral railing holding the reins to his
bay roan, Risky, and the buckskin, Goldie, and second-guessing his invitation to Jess. He needed to stay away, not get closer.
Then he saw her come out of the house, and all common sense flew out the window. She’d changed into a pair of jeans and boots and placed a hat on her head. By the time she reached him the cold air had colored her cheeks…and her mouth.
“You saddled Goldie.”
“It saves time.”
“Thank you.” She took the reins, and climbed on the mare.
They headed out of the corral and Johnny glanced across at Jess. She was a natural on horseback with a good seat and straight back.
“Is Goldie your horse?”
She nodded. “I got her in high school. I used to barrel race back then. I feel bad because I don’t have the time or energy to ride her like I should.”
They picked up the pace to a canter. “That’s a shame because it looks like you really enjoy it.”
Jess couldn’t help but smile as they rode. The easy rocking motion was relaxing, the scenery gorgeous.
“I do, but my son and the business keep me pretty busy.”
“Maybe soon Brady will be able to ride with you.”
Johnny was curious. “Do you know what caused Brady’s fear to begin with?”
“I think Dad just got overly anxious and he pushed Brady at too young an age.” She glanced at him. “He did pretty well today, though. The first time he’d touched a horse was the day you arrived.”
Risky danced sideways, eager to run. “You want to pick up the pace?”
“Sure.”
“You lead the way,” he told her.
Jess pushed her hat down and kicked her heels against the mare’s sides, then shot off. That was all Risky needed and he was soon after them. Johnny watched as Jess’s head lowered and she moved in perfect unison with the racing horse. He came up beside her and enjoyed the view of the woman in motion. They didn’t stop until they saw the creek.
Reaching the bank, Jess climbed down, smiling as she walked her mount to the water. “Wow, I haven’t ridden like that in years.”
“You’re good.”
“I’m Clay Calhoun’s daughter. I’m supposed to be a good rider.”
“I know you miss him.”
She walked with him through the stiff winter grass to the tree. “It’s hard to imagine the Double Bar C going on without him. He loved this land.” She glanced around the landscape. “Now, Holt runs the operation, as you know, but he’ll be gone awhile.” She released a breath. “I have to say we miss his leadership. There are so many things I could use his help on.”
The Cowboy Comes Home Page 7
