by Sara Orwig
Pleased, she held him, leaning forward to kiss him. He let her slide down until her feet were on the floor. She stood returning his kisses until he finally carried her to bed.
The next night when they were back at the ranch, after once again making love, Jeff left her to return and hand her a box tied in a blue silk ribbon. “For you, love.”
Surprised, she opened it and was dazzled by a necklace of diamonds.
“Jeff, this is spectacular!” she gasped, unable to believe he had bought it for her.
“I want you to have it,” he said, taking it out of the box. “Turn around.”
She was astounded Jeff had bought it for her. It was cold against her as he placed it around her neck. She held up her hair and he fastened the clasp.
She turned, going to stand in front of a mirror. She was wrapped in a sheet and the necklace sparkled as the diamonds caught the light. “Jeff, it’s fit for royalty. You should not have done this.”
“You deserve it,” he said. “You helped me twice now with two of the best accounts Brand has.”
“You’re very good at what you do and you wouldn’t have needed me in either case.”
“We could argue all night. You take the necklace. It’s for you and that’s that.” He pulled her into his arms to kiss her.
She poured herself into her kiss. Excited, she was still on a high from the business success.
Through the night and the next day they made love.
She was in Jeff’s office when Noah called and she could hear Jeff’s part of the conversation. She realized Noah was heaping praise on Jeff.
When he ended the call, Jeff looked at her. “You can guess what that was. You should get a call yourself from Noah. To say the least, he’s pleased and he’s already informed Dad.”
“Your dad is going to want you to stay even more.”
“Doesn’t matter,” Jeff answered lightly. “Next weekend, let me show you the ranch I got with this marriage. You’ve never seen it and I think you’ll like it. I want to show you the Brand ranch that had belonged to my grandfather first.” When she nodded, he smiled.
“I’ll go, but a ranch is a ranch, still cattle and horses and still out in the country,” she said with a sigh.
“Let’s take Friday off and go. We’ll come back through Dallas and stay at your condo.”
“Great,” she said, actually feeling little enthusiasm.
“Then we’ll leave Friday afternoon. Also, I’m riding in a rodeo in Fort Worth soon. Come with me. You might have a good time.”
“Jeff, I can’t get fired up about a rodeo, but I’ll try.”
“We make a good team,” he replied. For the first time, she began to get edgy at the realization of how much time they were spending together. The first month of the year was almost gone. Eleven more months to go. If they had half the success they already had with new accounts, it would be a phenomenal year.
The next weekend they flew in a smaller jet of his, heading southwest toward San Antonio. “This is in the Texas Hill Country. To me, it’s a beautiful place,” Jeff said.
Before long, when she looked below, she could see what he meant. They landed on a ranch runway and she was surprised by the rolling hills covered in grass, changed trees and wildflowers.
“This is different, Jeff,” she said.
“You should see it in the spring. That’s the prettiest time. The bluebonnets will be in bloom.”
They crossed a clear, shallow river, driving on river rocks and a low-water road. The ranch house was sprawling, less flamboyant than his palatial mansion on his other ranch. “I’m beginning to see why you wanted this….”
“It has oil, cattle, horses. Herefords and Angus. This is a thriving, productive ranch. I’ll take you around tomorrow in the truck to look at it.”
They spent the weekend and she wondered why he didn’t move permanently. She liked it much better than his other ranch. On the flight back Sunday night, she asked him.
“West Texas is home now. I like it the best. All the things you find odious about it are the reasons I like it and want to stay there. I’ll visit the other place, but home is West Texas.”
“I don't know how you can feel that way,” she said, unable to understand his preference, but then she understood little about Jeff.
Eight
H olly wondered how many more ways Jeff would change her life. A rodeo was one of the last places she ever expected to be. While Jeff had a suite, he also had a box in front where he wanted her to sit since this was her first rodeo.
She was surprised how eager and excited he was.
Watching the saddle bronc riding, she couldn’t imagine why anyone wanted to do any of the rides. She enjoyed the barrel racing, but that was the only activity that didn’t scare her to watch. Finally, it was time for the bull riding. She closed her eyes after the first seconds of the first cowboy and bull out. She heard the gasp from the crowd and opened her eyes to see the cowboy sprawled on the sawdust and the bull stomping on him as the crowd gasped again.
The clowns lured the bull away and she expected medics to come out and carry the cowboy away on a stretcher. Instead men came out to get him and he rolled over. Holding his side with the men helping him, he got to his feet and the crowd applauded as they helped him off.
Finally the bull trotted through an open gate that a cowboy swung shut behind him.
She wanted to leave and she couldn’t possibly watch Jeff. She saw the next cowboy as the bull lunged out of the chute, but then she had to close her eyes until she heard the applause from the crowd. As the clowns drew the bull’s attention, the cowboy got to his feet. She couldn’t imagine who was crazier, the clowns for risking their lives to keep the bulls away from the cowboys, or the cowboys for riding the bulls.
Then it was Jeff’s turn. She knew he would want her to watch him. The chute finally opened and the big gray bull came plunging out, bucking and twisting while Jeff rode it. She was terrified for him, clutching the program in one hand until she crumpled it without realizing what she was doing. She held her breath, hating every second, cold with fear and closing her eyes, only to open them briefly because she was certain he would ask if she had watched.
The buzzer sounded; the crowd cheered and applauded as he jumped to the ground, flashing a grin her way and walking off to climb the fence and disappear. She let out her breath, realizing she had been frozen with fear. She cared what happened to him. Was she already in love with him and hadn’t realized it? Had she been fooling herself about her feelings for him? Or had her dislike for the ranch clouded her thinking so much she hadn’t seen that she was falling in love with him?
Whatever it was, she had cared with all her being what happened to him in that bull ride.
He suddenly appeared, sitting down beside her and pushing his hat to the back of his head, grinning at her. “How’d you like it? Are you having fun?”
She stared at him, still wanting to throw her arms around him and cry with relief that he was safe.
“How can you want to do that?” she asked.
“I take it you didn’t like watching me,” he said and his grin disappeared. She wondered whether she had disappointed him, but she didn’t care. The whole rodeo seemed barbaric and terrifying to her.
“I was scared to pieces,” she admitted, locking her hands tightly together so she wouldn’t touch him. She wanted to grab his hands and hold them, hug him, just to feel him safe in her arms.
He gave her a quizzical look, reaching over to unlock her fingers. He looked up at her again. “You are scared, aren’t you?” he asked her with surprise in his voice.
“Yes,” she hissed, angry that he would risk his life so foolishly.
“I’m fine. It’s not that dangerous. Well, maybe it is, but I was doing what I like to do. I like the competition, the knowledge I can do it. It gets the adrenaline going and you’re thankful to be alive. When I win, I feel great.”
“Have you ever been hurt?”
“Su
re. But I mended and got over it. Broken bones heal.”
She ran her hand over her eyes, certain she would never understand him or like what he liked.
“C’mon. You’re not watching, anyway.”
She got up and left with him, walking into the hallway that had a few people standing around or coming and going. She could hear the announcer, smell the hay and horses and hear people talking.
Jeff pulled her into his arms and she couldn’t keep from hugging him hard. “I was so scared for you,” she said, trying to get a grip on her emotions and not let him see that she was worried. “Jeff, this is a ghastly sport.”
He shook his head. “No, it’s not. It’s stuff cowboys do anyway. It’s part of our lives to ride and rope. Well, riding bulls isn’t, but the other events are.”
She released him and stepped back. “Sorry, I just wasn’t ready for this. That first cowboy got hurt….”
“He walked out of there on his own. He’s okay. Had a broken rib or two.”
“It just seems a ridiculous sport. Sorry, it’s not for me.”
“Hon, I think I hear the announcer saying my name. I may have won. Come with me—let’s go see.”
She nodded, still shocked over her own discoveries about herself and her feelings for him. She hoped that he didn’t have an inkling how upset she had been over his ride.
She didn’t want to be in love with him. His life was as foreign to her as someone from another planet. This was not the man she wanted to love.
Back when Noah had been single, she had never been drawn to him physically, yet Jeff was his identical twin. Noah was the twin she resembled. Noah was professional, wound up in business, loved opera, liked the things she did—yet she had never once been attracted to him. What was this wild chemistry that she had with Jeff from the first moment that she had looked into eyes identical to his brother’s?
She watched Jeff talking and laughing with the officials as he collected his winnings. His hat was pushed back on his head and he looked as if he had done nothing the entire evening. She would never understand his lifestyle or his love of it.
On the drive home she was quiet in the face of his excitement. The minute they stepped into the house, she turned to pull him close, standing on tiptoe to kiss him, thankful he had survived the evening.
His arms went around her and he kissed her.
She wanted him desperately, wanted to make love and reaffirm that he was his usual self. Clothes were shed across the kitchen and they made love on a leather sofa in the den.
He shifted to hold her against him as they lay on their sides. “What brought that on? It couldn’t have been a high from the rodeo.”
“I was so scared for you,” she admitted. “I just wanted to know you’re safe. I cannot begin to imagine why you like to ride. You don’t need the money.”
“I told you why. It’s a challenge.”
When she shuddered, he frowned. “Stop worrying. If I see it as fun and exciting, you shouldn’t be uptight about it. Besides, a year from now, we’ll part and it won’t matter at all to you. Look at it that way. Frankly, I’m flattered you were concerned.”
She felt the blush burn her cheeks and looked away from smoky eyes that might see too much. She hadn’t wanted to let him know how scared she had been, but she couldn’t help her reactions and it was too late now.
“You’re right, of course,” she replied, trying to keep her voice light and be more cheerful. “I just don’t think I want to go to any more rodeos. I was anxious whether you were hurt or not, but I was scared for each of those riders.”
“Aw, shucks,” he drawled. “Here I thought all that distress was over me.”
“A lot of it was,” she said lightly, hoping he had no inkling how consumed by fear she had been.
“Let’s shower and get in bed,” he said, scooting around to sit and pull her into his arms. He stood and headed toward the stairs.
“Jeff, put me down. Let’s gather our clothes. I don’t want the staff to come in the morning and find my underwear strung across the kitchen.”
He chuckled and set her on her feet. “We’re newlyweds, I don’t think Marc would fall out with shock.”
“I don’t care. I’m getting our clothes.”
“I’ll get mine,” he said, grabbing up his and then turning to watch her. When she realized what he was doing, she yanked her clothes in front of her.
“You’re embarrassing me. Stop looking.”
“The view is spectacular. I’m not about to stop. Have I ever told you that you’re a beautiful woman?”
“As a matter of fact, yes, you have,” she said, grabbing the last of her clothes, trying to cover herself and hurrying to him. “You are a rogue!”
“Rogue? What century did you get that out of? I’ve never been called that before,” he said, grinning as he draped his arm around her and they headed toward their bedroom.
Before falling asleep, they made love again. It was three in the morning before she drifted to sleep, hoping she didn’t dream about the rodeo.
After breakfast Jeff left to take care of morning ranch chores since it was the weekend. He was still amazed by her reaction to the rodeo from the past night. He had hoped she would like it, but wasn’t surprised that she had not enjoyed it. What astonished him, and he still was mulling it over, was her fear for his safety. When had she gotten so she cared?
He had been shocked when he joined her in their box and she had grabbed him, holding his hand tightly. Her knuckles had been white when she locked her hands together in her lap. She had been terrified for him and he had never expected any such reaction from her. He couldn’t imagine her falling in love with him. She hated everything about his lifestyle. Or was she changing?
They still talked about when the marriage would be over and they would part. She seemed okay at the prospect. Actually eager, most of the time.
He acknowledged it was the best relationship he’d had, but he’d often felt that way in the past about someone and then when it was over, he could say goodbye easily and move on. He expected to do the same with Holly. Heaven help him if he ever did fall in love with her, because she didn’t like one thing about his lifestyle.
People changed and maybe she was changing, a little bit at a time. He rubbed the back of his neck. He was still set on getting out of this marriage at the end of the year and hoped she felt the same. He didn’t want to hurt her.
That night as he sat with Holly on the patio after dinner, he held her hand, rubbing her smooth skin lightly with his thumb. “Would you like your own horse and to go riding some mornings with me? I can get you a gentle mare. It’s beautiful out there, Holly, watching the sunrise and seeing the mist on the ponds some mornings.”
“No, thank you, Jeff. I did that as a child and didn’t find any great thrill in it. You go enjoy your rides. I’ll pass.”
“You don’t know until you try.”
“Like the rodeo? I think not. Too dangerous for me.” She sighed. “How is there any hope of meeting and sharing anything except…” She clamped her mouth closed.
Amused, he watched her face flush. “Except—finish your sentence.”
“You know what I was about to say.”
“Sure do. The one place where we have the same interests big-time—in bed. The sex is beyond my wildest dreams.”
“Most amazing, considering everything else,” she said, sounding more annoyed by the minute. “Actually, there have been moments in business when we’ve agreed and wanted the same thing. You can be professional and quite successful when you put your mind to it.”
He chuckled. “I can hear your but without you having to say it. Most of the time you don’t think I’m any of those things when it comes to work and Brand Enterprises.”
“Maybe not,” she admitted, blushing again. “You’re very laid-back and unbusinesslike a lot of the time, but when you have to, you rise to the occasion.”
“Come here,” he said, wanting her, thinking about being in bed
with her. He tugged her wrist and stood to pick her up, carrying her into the house. “I’m ready to rise to the occasion as you said. We’re missing out on some fun and I don’t intend to do so.” He walked into the first bedroom on the ground floor and set her on her feet to pull her into his arms.
The ringing of the phone woke her and she opened her eyes in darkness, momentarily disoriented. Jeff reached out to pick up the phone and she glanced at the clock to see it was three in the morning.
His hello was sleep-filled, sounding slightly gruff. In seconds he sat up and his voice changed, becoming alert, and she realized something had happened.
“Where is he? I’ll be right there. I’ll take the plane,” he said, tossing aside the sheet. A ceiling fan turned lazily overhead. She reached for her nightgown to pull it on and stood as he hung up the phone.
“What’s happened?” she asked.
Nine
“I t’s Dad. He’s had another heart attack and he’s in the hospital. This just happened about an hour ago. Noah called as soon as he could get a chance. I’m flying to Dallas.”
“I’ll go with you.”
“I’ll be glad to have you, but you don’t have to.”
She was already headed out of the room. “I’ll be ready as quickly as I can,” she tossed back as she rushed to shower and dress.
Within the hour they were in his jet, flying east toward Dallas. She reached over to squeeze his hand. “I’m sorry, Jeff. I hope everything is okay when we arrive and that he’s better.”
“Thanks,” he said, holding her hand. “He’s made it through these twice before.”
