Her Holiday Rancher

by Cathy McDavid

  “Actually, it’s up to Celia. She and I talk regularly, and I’ve visited her a few times. She loves her mother and father, and isn’t compelled to seek out her biological father.”

  “That could change.”

  Reese didn’t disagree. “When and if it does, we’ll figure things out. In the meantime, she’s happy, which is the most a parent can hope for their child.”

  “Why are you telling me this, Reese?”

  She sought the right words, needing Gabe to understand her reasons.

  “I trust you.”

  “Huh. Didn’t see that coming. I’m pretty sure I threatened you recently with having you removed as trustee.”

  “Oh, right.”

  He chuckled. “Am I to assume you aren’t angry?”

  “It was a knee-jerk reaction. Happens a lot at work.” Returning his smile was difficult. Reese’s nerves were getting to her. She and Gabe had never been like this before. Close physically and emotionally. “I trust you because you didn’t tell anyone I was pregnant. That means something.”

  “What does it mean, Reese?”

  The smooth timbre of his voice as he said her name caused a stirring in her middle. It was impossible to ignore and resist. Gabe was having an effect on her. And these intimate conversations they’d engaged in lately only heightened her awareness of, and attraction to, him.

  He leaned in, and his breath caressed her cheek. She had to stop this. Right now. If not, they might be tempted to venture into dangerous territory.

  “We should probably go inside.” She made an effort to rise, but changed her mind when her shaky legs threatened to give out. “Your mom’s expecting her platter.”

  “Not yet.” He placed a hand on her arm.

  “Gabe,” she whispered right before his lips found hers and covered them completely. Her eyes drifted shut as he increased the pressure of their kiss.

  This could not be happening. But, it was, and Reese wasn’t doing anything to stop Gabe or the incredible sensations his assault on her mouth elicited. Nor, would she stop him. Not yet, anyway. Another minute. Maybe two. The kiss was just too delicious. Too powerful. Too sensual. A soft moan filled her ears. Hers. It was followed by another moan as she angled her head to give Gabe greater access.

  Her hand sought his jaw, and his short stubby whiskers tickled her fingertips. Truth be told, she’d imagined kissing Gabe and tracing her fingers along his jaw, more than once. That must account for her immediate and uninhibited surrender to him.

  The next second, the assault intensified as Gabe slipped his tongue into her mouth. Reese didn’t resist this either and melted farther into his embrace. His arms circled her, firm and strong, pulling her flush against him. She was trapped, exactly where she wanted to be.

  The next low groan came from him, raw and desperate. Under different circumstances, Reese would have been thrilled with her ability to arouse this kind of excitement in him. Instead, the groan acted like a trigger and brought her to her senses. Their behavior was more than inappropriate. It was risky. Too much was at stake for her to make such a careless mistake.

  Breaking off the kiss, she insisted, “We can’t,” in between short, shallow breaths. “Stop. Please.”

  He did. Sort of, in that he ceased kissing her. But he didn’t move away and didn’t give any indication he would. Lowering his head, he nuzzled the side of her face. The gesture was incredibly sensuous, sweetly tender and wildly romantic.

  Who would have thought it? Gabe was an amazing kisser. With very little effort, he’d taken her to a place she’d never been before and might not ever go again. It was that good. And, she had to admit, her feelings for him were that strong.

  “Gabe, we have to go inside.” Sliding away from him, she all but leapt to her feet. This time, he let her go. Which was for the best because deep inside, she didn’t want to leave the garage.

  Rising casually—damn him for his composure; she was a basket case—he lifted the lid of the pine chest and retrieved the platter.

  She hurried toward the door.

  “Reese, hold up. We should go together. If not, my mom will think I did or said something to upset you.” He paused, balancing the platter in the crook of his arm. The same arm he’d used to hold her tight moments ago. “Did I upset you?”

  “No.”

  “Really? Because you look kind of flustered.”

  “I do?” She automatically smoothed her hair.

  “Don’t worry.” He grinned. “You’re gorgeous.”

  He’d been right the first time. She was flustered and more than a little mad at herself. She’d been wrong to encourage him.

  “This is all my fault.”

  “I’m the one who kissed you.”

  “And I let you.”

  His grin widened. “Yeah, you did.”

  She rolled her eyes. He was such a guy. “Don’t let it go to your head. I was simply curious.”

  “That wasn’t the only reason you kissed me.”

  Of all the nerve! His confidence irritated her. “Whatever the reason, it isn’t going any further and won’t happen again.”

  “Because of your job.”

  “Yes.”

  And because this was exactly the sort of rash behavior that had landed her in trouble twelve years ago with Blake. He’d been unavailable. Engaged to another woman. But Reese had fancied herself in love.

  She would not be that person again. She’d grown up since then. Learned her lesson.

  At least no one had seen her and Gabe or knew of their momentary indiscretion. As long as he didn’t say anything, and he’d proved himself dependable when it came to keeping his mouth shut, they could forget all about the kiss.

  Who was she kidding? She’d remember this kiss for the rest of her life. But she would try and pretend it hadn’t happened.

  “Come on.” Gabe nodded in the direction of the door.

  Reese didn’t need to be asked twice. She flew through the door, raced across the laundry room and burst into the kitchen before coming to a sudden halt.

  “There you are.” Raquel stood with her hands upon her hips, and taking them in, a wide smile spread across her face. “Cara was about to go searching for you. We’re almost ready to eat.”

  Four pairs of eyes fixed on them—Josh and Cole had come in from outside while Reese and Gabe were in the garage. Seeing the suspicion in all of their eyes, Reese was convinced she and Gabe had been busted.

  Gabe presented his mother with the platter, his manner unconcerned. “It wasn’t where I thought. We had to look around.” He sauntered over to the counter. “Need me to carve the turkey?”

  Reese snuck a peek at her hostess, feeling heat climb her neck and travel to her cheeks. This was going to be a long, awkward dinner.

  Chapter Six

  Gabe could sense Reese’s embarrassment from the opposite side of the dining table. She spoke little, fidgeted a lot and ate hardly anything.

  He probably shouldn’t have kissed her. Okay, fine. He’d been out of line and taken advantage of her in a weak moment. But, damn, he’d do it again given half a chance.

  The kiss had been electric. Phenomenal. If he hadn’t been sitting on the chest, he’d have fallen to the garage floor. Who would have guessed? Him and Theo McGraw’s daughter, kissing in the garage. If his father were alive, he’d disown Gabe.

  Or would he? He had named Reese as trustee. Gabe still failed to grasp his father’s reasoning. It must have been the chemo or pain medication muddling his brain.

  Gabe couldn’t use that excuse. Kissing her had been the furthest thing from his mind when they’d entered the garage. Then she’d told him about her daughter Celia. Thanked him for keeping her secret. Told him she trusted him and insisted he could trust her in return.

  And
what had he done? Abused that trust by kissing her. While she’d been a willing partner, he’d made the first move and elevated the kiss from a somewhat chaste, if not quite innocent, peck to a searing hot lip-lock.

  It had been worth it. She’d shown him how good it could be between two people and how right it could feel.

  “Gabe. Hey, Gabe. You listening?” Cara elbowed him in the side. “Josh asked you to pass the rice.”

  “Thanks,” Josh said when Gabe roused himself from his stupor and handed over the large bowl.

  “What’s wrong?” Cara whispered.

  “Nothing,” Gabe insisted.

  “I get it.” She gave a tiny nod in the direction of his brothers, who were debating their favorite pie, pumpkin or apple. “I don’t know what your mom was thinking, inviting them.”

  Gabe didn’t correct Cara’s assumption about his the reason for his distraction. “They are staying in the guest suite,” he murmured.

  “Yeah. Not to invite them would be rude. Too bad.”

  He ate mechanically, his gaze wandering the table. The next instant, Cara caught him staring at Reese.

  “Well, well, well.” A hint of amusement colored her voice.

  “It’s not what you think.”

  “You have no idea what I’m thinking.”

  “What are you two chatting about?” Gabe’s mother asked, putting an immediate end to their private conversation.

  “Nothing, Tia Raquel.” Cara winked at Gabe.

  He glanced away, not wanting to make Reese any more uncomfortable than she already was.

  What was it about her that got to him? Before his father’s illness, Gabe had dated. A couple of those former girlfriends had lasted long enough he’d considered making the relationship permanent. Considered, but hadn’t acted on it. Something always held him back.

  Until today, he hadn’t realized what that was. Then he’d kissed Reese, and she had responded like no other. The incredible sparks were the missing component he’d been searching for.

  “I was thinking,” Josh said, “you could take me and Cole on a ride of the pasture lands tomorrow.”

  Gabe nearly choked on his bite of enchilada. “We’re a little busy this week, vaccinating the calves and pregnancy checking the cows. I promised Violet I’d help her load the equipment and ready the vaccines.”

  “Cole and I will lend a hand.”

  At his mother’s warning stare, Gabe ground his teeth together. “Be saddled up and ready to ride out at two.”

  Josh smiled, but Cole clenched his knife and fork as if attempting to bend them with his bare hands. “What about the morning?”

  “Violet and I can handle it.”

  “If we’re going to be partners on this ranch, Josh and I need to learn the ropes.”

  From anyone else, Gabe would have admired the man’s persistence and determination. From Cole, it smacked of interference.

  Again, his mother fired off a warning stare. Again, Gabe reluctantly conceded. Damn the holidays and having to behave during dinner.

  “We start at seven o’clock sharp.”

  “Breakfast is at six,” his mother added sweetly. “In the summer, when it gets light out earlier, we eat at five-thirty.”

  Did she have to tell them everything?

  “Thank you again for inviting me,” Reese said during a pause. It was her first contribution to the conversation in a while and probably made to ease the tension.

  “My pleasure.” Gabe’s mother beamed.

  “Isn’t it a little late in the season to vaccinate?” Cole asked.

  The question startled Gabe. What did Cole know about raising cattle?

  “Normally, we vaccinate in October. Time got away from us, what with Dad dying and all.”

  Gabe purposely refused to look at his mother, knowing she was annoyed at his snide tone. But, hell, his brothers had been eight hundred miles away while their mutual father wasted away during the final stages of colon cancer. Vaccinating calves and pregnancy checking cows had been the last thing on Gabe’s and anyone’s minds.

  “Tortillas, anyone?” His mother held up a ceramic warmer.

  Gabe suspected she was attempting to diffuse the tension.

  “Yes, thank you,” Reese answered, too brightly to be genuine.

  Cara, Gabe’s mother and Josh carried the conversation for the next several minutes, long enough for them to almost make it through dinner. Then the shit hit the fan when Cole opened his mouth.

  “Cara, why is it you got one-sixth of the ranch?”

  She drew back, startled. “I beg your pardon?”

  “Aren’t you just a family friend? ”

  “Cara is practically a member of this family,” Gabe’s mother said, rushing to Cara’s defense. “And I’m sure August wanted to remember her. The work she does with the sanctuary is important. Those poor horses need someone to look out for them. They’re neglected, starving and sometimes abused.”

  “But wouldn’t the ranch benefit if you turned the sanctuary land over to the cattle?” Josh asked.

  Josh’s question hadn’t come across as an attack like Cole’s. Gabe was irritated nonetheless.

  “The land belongs to Cara,” he said. “She fosters over two hundred horses. We’d have to find somewhere to place them. That’s a big job.”

  “I’m simply trying to figure this out.” Josh’s gaze traveled from Gabe to Cara, “Don’t you want the ranch to get out of debt? We’d have a better chance with five hundred more acres. We wouldn’t have to supplement the grazing land with grain and hay.”

  “It isn’t our habit to discuss business at the table,” Gabe’s mother said firmly.

  “Excuse me for saying, ma’am,” Cole stressed the last word, “but we were discussing business a few minutes ago, and you didn’t have a problem with it.”

  Gabe pushed back from the table, his chair scraping loudly across the hardwood floor. “What my mother means is we don’t argue at the table. My father wouldn’t allow it. But, then, you’d know that if you were ever here.”

  “For the record.” Josh tossed his linen napkin onto the table. “Dear old Dad refused to let us come out for a visit. He told me so himself when I disobeyed my mother and called him fifteen years ago. He said I wasn’t welcome.”

  Gabe’s mother bit back a sob. “He always regretted that.”

  Josh’s eyes flashed. “You’re wrong, Raquel. He didn’t have an ounce of regret. He couldn’t have cared less about me or Cole.”

  “He loved you. It...it wasn’t his fault.” Her eyes filled with tears. “You don’t understand.”

  “You’re right.” Cole ground out the words. “I don’t understand a father who would turn his back on his children.”

  “The way I heard it, your mother left.” Gabe could spar with the best of them and would be happy to oblige his brother.

  Cole jumped to his feet. “Because of your mother.”

  Reese let out a small gasp.

  “Stop it!” Cara cried out.

  “I remind you,” Gabe said stonily, “that you’re staying in this house solely because of my mother’s generosity.”

  Cole pointed at himself and Josh. “The house is two-thirds ours.”

  “She and Cara are entitled to remain here as long as they want.”

  “But the house doesn’t belong to her, and she has no claim. She and our dad never married. Is that right?” He fired Reese a hostile look.

  “I’m not an attorney,” she said calmly. “My job is to carry out the terms of the will, not offer legal advice.”

  Gabe barely heard her. Cole’s insinuations were another reminder Gabe wasn’t legitimate. Was that the reason his father didn’t leave him Dos Estrellas? Had he believed Josh and Cole would contest the will and try to
take the ranch away from Gabe? As his legal offspring, they might have succeeded.

  “My mother has been nothing but kind to you. Don’t insult her.”

  Josh’s face paled, and he and Cole walked away without excusing themselves.

  “Good riddance,” he said after them, then mumbled, “Greedy bastards.”

  Reese’s eyes widened. Cara made a sound of disgust.

  “What?” he demanded. “They are.”

  “Enough, mijo,” his mother scolded in a tone Gabe hadn’t heard since he was ten.

  “They were ready to throw you from your home.”

  “Your brothers are our guests.”

  If he lived to be a hundred, he would never understand women.

  * * *

  “I OWE YOU an apology,” Gabe said.

  “You’ve been doing that a lot lately.” Reese hugged herself as if she might fly apart at the seams. “Apologizing.”

  “I had an outburst. Can you blame me?”

  “You embarrassed your mother.”

  “They started it.”

  “Really, Gabe?”

  Fresh anger surged, and he tried to tamp it down before he lost control again. “They were insulting and out of line.”

  “There’s something to be said about taking the higher road.”

  “Right.” He could hear his father making a similar remark when Gabe had punched Josh in the nose during their early school days. What would he have said back to his father if he’d known then what he knew now?

  “It’s Thanksgiving, Gabe. Holidays aren’t a time for fighting with family.”

  “Can we save the lecture for another day?”

  “You did ask me to stay.”

  “Sorry. Again.”

  She rolled her eyes.

  Maybe he should quit while he was ahead and walk Reese to her car.

  The two of them sat on the couch in the living room. She’d wanted to leave after the fiasco at dinner. Gabe had convinced her to remain and give him a chance to explain. Only he was doing a terrible job.

  “It’s been a difficult, weird day,” she said.