by Avery Gale, Jess Buffett, Willow Brooke, Lynn Ray Lewis, Gracie Meadows
Talon had even recently been talking about promoting Gavin to manager when he retired, but there were still a lot of details to work out before that became a reality. Chief among those tricky points would be how involved Kylie wanted to be in the day-to-day operation and management aspects of the ranch. Gavin and Talon had discussed various options over a beer or two on more than one occasion. Talon understood his daughter’s passion for the animals on the ranch did not extend to the business end of things. And during their last conversation, he’d looked over at Gavin and shook his head before sighing, “Maybe if I hadn’t made her stay away from you, something might have developed between the two of you.”
Gavin had been shocked to his core at his boss’s statement, and it had obviously shown on his face. Talon Stone had laughed, “Jesus, Joseph, and Mary, did you think I was blind? Or maybe that you would be immune to her tireless flirting? Hell, the only reason I made her stay out of the barns was because I was afraid she would drive you away, and you were the best damned help I’d ever hired.” Gavin had been speechless, and Talon had shaken his head. “By the time she left for College Station, I knew the two of you were perfect for each other, but I also understood your predicament. Boss’s daughter and all; besides, she needed to follow her dreams and live a little. Hell, I was hoping the two of you would have figured something out by now, but it’s probably just wishful thinking on my part.”
Chapter Two
Gavin hadn’t said anything, because his mind had been racing to process the information. Over the years, he and Talon had become more than boss and employee. Gavin considered Talon to be one of his closest friends. The Stones had taken a chance when they’d hired him just before his twenty-first birthday, and he’d worked hard to make sure they never regretted it. However, Gavin was still reeling from the fact he’d known about his interest in Kylie and hadn’t run him off with a shotgun. Talon looked over and chuckled. “Man, I can almost hear the wheels in your head spinning. And no, I wouldn’t have approved when I first noticed the attraction between you, because she was way too young. But by the time she left, it was obvious you had her best interests at heart, and that kind of loyalty and maturity is exactly what her mother and I have always wanted for her.” Talon Stone had paused for so long that Gavin wasn’t sure he was going to speak again. He’d rolled his bottle around on the table where they were sitting, leaving a pattern of intricate swirling lines of condensation in the rim’s path. When he finally looked up, he met Gavin’s gaze straight on. “And in answer to the question I know is spinning around in your head like a tornado, yes—Kay and I know about your club membership in Austin. And we understand what that entails, as well. We also know Kylie has an interest in such things, but that is something you two will have to discuss, to see if your needs are, well, compatible.”
For the first time since Gavin had known him, Talon seemed almost unsure of his words. “What I’m trying to tell you is, both her mother and I will support you in any way we can if you decide to pursue a relationship with our daughter. But…we don’t plan to interfere directly because, as I’m sure you know, that young woman has a stubborn streak a mile wide. And a sure way for her to turn tail and run in the opposite direction is for her to think we’re pushing her. She gets that from her mama, by the way.” Talon’s wink let Gavin know he knew full well his lovely wife was within earshot.
Gavin couldn’t hold back his laughter when he heard Kay’s shout from the garden room directly behind her husband, “Are you serious? Good God, Gavin, move away from Talon before you get struck by the lightning that is surely headed for his lying ass.” Gavin had always liked Kay Stone because, although she was model-gorgeous, she was one of the most open, honest, and humble women he’d ever met. And just like her gorgeous daughter, Kay either didn’t know how stunning she was, or she simply didn’t care. He’d seen her work just as hard in the barns as any of the ranch hands, and it always surprised him when she cut loose because her language was as colorful as any sailor’s, and the rough language was such a contrast to the beautiful package.
Suddenly Gavin brought himself back to the moment and realized his silence was making Kylie jittery, and that wasn’t at all the way he wanted this conversation to go. Looking over at her, he noticed she was chewing on her bottom lip, a sure sign of her nervousness. “Kylie, I’m sorry.” When she turned to him with a puzzled expression, he wanted to grab her and kiss the little frown wrinkles away from between her gently arched brows. “I really didn’t use your nickname to insult you. I’m aware of all your accomplishments, and,” he took a deep breath and let it out slowly. This is it, McCloud. Go big or go home, “well, I’m proud as hell at everything you’ve achieved. I’m also well aware that you’re all grown up. I used the nickname because it reminds me of a time when we were really close, and I guess I’d like to see us there again.”
Her startled gasp didn’t escape his attention, and he worried for just a second that his words hadn’t been a pleasant surprise. But watching the pupils of her eyes dilate and her breathing accelerate proved that she was at the very least interested. Taking a deep breath, he reached forward to take a lock of her hair that had been pulled free from her braid and was floating on the breeze, caressing her pink cheek. Pushing the blonde silk behind her ear, he left his palm against the side of her face for just a second or two longer than necessary before removing it. “Believe me when I tell you the fact you’re all grown up has not escaped my attention.” The Dom in him noted each and every one of her responses. She hadn’t even flinched as he’d reached for her, and she’d tilted her face ever so slightly into his palm in a gesture that spoke of the trust they’d built over the years.
When she opened her mouth to speak, he pressed his finger gently over the softness of her plump lips to still her. “Go enjoy your breakfast and then come on back down and find me. I want to show you what we’ve done in the smaller barn. Bring your laptop or your iPad or whatever you take notes with, okay? Your dad put wireless in your new office, so you’ll be able to order what you’re going to need easily.” He smiled when her jaw dropped open. Using his finger under her chin, he slowly pushed her jaw closed and grinned. “Go on. I know Hannah is anxious to see you, and I’m sure your folks want to say goodbye before they leave.”
“Leave?”
She was obviously puzzled over his comment, and he simply nodded as he turned and gestured toward the house. “Yeah, they’re flying out early this afternoon. Your mom loved the pictures you sent her from your trip, so your dad is taking her island-hopping for the next few weeks.” He saw awareness move through her expression when she realized that he already knew who she’d been traveling with. The guilt of trying to deceive him flashed quickly over her stunned expression before she dropped her eyes and nodded as she turned to go.
“Kylie?” When she stopped and turned back toward him, he stepped forward and kissed the end of her pert little nose softly. “Welcome home, sweetheart.” Her eyes went stark-wide open, and her surprise was so cute he had to hold back his smile because it sure wouldn’t do for her to think he was laughing at her. “Hurry back. I’ll still be waiting for you.” Kylie was an incredibly bright and perceptive woman, and ordinarily she would have questioned him relentlessly about his comment. The fact she let it slide spoke volumes about how off-balanced she was. Perfect. Oh, he knew he could probably have her in his bed before the sunset, but this wasn’t just about winning her body. Gavin wanted to win her heart, because he knew that Kylie wouldn’t truly surrender her body into his care unless he’d won her heart.
Chapter Three
Kylie walked up the flagstone path to the main house in a daze. What the hell just happened? Everything had seemed so normal and then suddenly, the earth must have tilted on its axis because everything had shifted into some weird realm that seemed like it had been plucked directly out of her fantasies or The Twilight Zone, and right now she wasn’t quite sure which. But if she were to be honest with herself, things like this happened to
Kylie more often than they did to most people. Penny always teased her about channeling her inner “Alice”, as in the girl who fell through the looking glass, because that was exactly how she’d once explained the feeling to her best friend.
Walking into the house, she stopped just inside the back door and let the scents of Hannah’s cooking wash over her. Nothing said “You’re home” quite like this. The warmth of the fire crackling in the garden room fireplace and the smell of breakfast and chicken cooking, Oh, God in heaven, please let there be chicken and dumplings in my future, were about the sweetest things she’d ever felt. When she’d been younger, and all of her friends were hanging out with their moms in the kitchen learning how to cook, Kylie had been out in the barns learning about the newest calf vaccines, how to mix the most nutritious feed for perfectly marbled beef, and all things related to the care of her precious barrel racing horses. To this day she was a disaster in the kitchen, and she’d laughed last night when she’d notice that her small house was stocked with sandwich-making supplies, frozen dinners, and a cappuccino machine.
Shaking herself out of her mental stupor, she looked up to see her dad watching her intently from the doorway. The smile on his lips made her think he was already mentally on vacation. Kylie knew her parents were closer than most couples their age and she envied how perfectly their personalities complimented each other. Her mom had been completely honest during their mother-daughter sex talks and explained the key was finding someone who enjoyed all the same “kinks” that you liked. Several of Kylie’s friends had stared at her in shock when they’d been discussing “the talk” one night over pitchers of margaritas. Kylie had been equally shocked that their mothers had either glossed over or completely ignored everything her own mom had considered critical information.
“Kylie? Sweetheart, are you all right?” Her dad’s voice jarred her from her second mental road trip in just a few minutes and she suddenly wondered if moving home hadn’t somehow sucked out a few of her brain cells. Letting her smile show him just how happy she was to see him, she made a beeline for his welcoming embrace.
“I was just absorbing home. And now it’s even more perfect.” She snuggled against his chest and let the feeling of safety she’d always found in his arms move through her like the warm Caribbean tides. When she finally pulled back, she looked up into the same shade of green eyes as her own before pulling his face down so she could place kisses on both cheeks. It was a game they’d played since she was a toddler. “There. If one’s good, two’s better.” Her mom said that her dad had done that exact thing to her from the day she’d been born and then one day when she’d been two, Kylie had started doing it to him, and the habit had stuck.
“Damn, I’m glad you’re home. Even if we’re leaving soon, I know we’re leaving you in good hands.” What an odd thing for him to say. And whose “hands” does he plan to leave me in? She saw a muscle in his jaw tighten as if he’d just realized what he’d said, but before she could ask him about it, he was escorting her into the kitchen. “Orange juice, coffee, or cappuccino?” He looked down at her and she grinned. “Oh, Lord love a leper, I don’t even know why I asked.” And then diverting his attention to the woman standing at the stove, he said, “Hannah, look who finally made her way back home.”
Hannah Johnson was married to the oldest of her dad’s ranch hands, and she’d been their cook and housekeeper since Kylie had been in grade school. Hannah was four foot eleven and round as the bon-bons she loved to make for Christmas and Valentine’s Day. When the woman who had been a second mother to her turned and saw Kylie, the squeal she let out could have shattered glass. “Kylie-girl, I’m so glad to see you, baby. Come here and give me a hug.” Kylie met her halfway and let the joy of being squeezed against Hannah bring a smile to her lips.
“Okay, now sit down and let me feed you. You got a great tan down in those islands, but good Lord, girl. Didn’t they feed you?” Kylie’s dad leaned back in his chair and laughed at her protests at the amount of food Hannah was piling on her plate. They discussed her parents’ trip and Kylie promised to send suggestions to his email. Her dad had fully embraced technology and had given up the little flip-topped notebook he’d carried in his chest pocket when he got his first smart phone. Kay Stone was still holding out, and they teased her because she still insisted on keeping everything in her often-misplaced day planner.
After her mom came downstairs with the last of her bags, they moved into the garden room. Kylie thanked them for the flower arrangements in the guest house and jokingly thanked them for “stocking” all her favorite snacks and beauty products.
Her mom and dad had looked at each other blankly before small smiles curved their lips, and they returned their gazes to her. “Honey, neither your dad nor I did that. We were going to let you do that today.” Kylie felt herself blinking, but her mind was blank. If they didn’t do it, who had? The only other person who would have had a key to the small cabin was Gavin. But why would he go to all that trouble? Everything had been perfect…from the small crystal dish filled with Smarties on the coffee table to the full box of split wood by the back door. Would Gavin have done all that for me? And if he had, why?
Her mom leaned forward and took Kylie’s hand in her own. “Ky, don’t think too hard about things, baby. Just live your life, okay? Enjoy it…soak up every single good thing you can because those memories are what get you through when you hit the rough patches.” This time, Kylie smiled at the second use of her nickname in under an hour, and she felt herself nodding even though she was lost in thought. Looking up at her dad, she saw a small smile playing over his sun-aged face, and she had the distinct impression he knew a lot more than he was sharing. He must have sensed her coming questions because he quickly stood and announced it was time for them to “hit the road.”
As Kylie watched them drive away, she thought back on the last thing her dad had said, “Kylie-girl, listen to your mama. Don’t think so hard that you forget to listen to your heart. Your mama and I raised you right, your heart will find the truth and if you heed it…everything else will fall into place.” What did that mean? Shaking her head, Kylie turned and headed down to the barns. The only thing her dad had said that she totally understood was that she was thinking too hard, so she decided to let the confusion just slide out of her mind. It was time to check out the small office and barn she’d be working out of for the foreseeable future. Until she was able to build up a roster of patients, she’d be working solely for her dad’s ranch. He’d agreed to let her commandeer one of his smaller barns, and the last time she’d checked, it needed a lot of work. Kylie knew she’d be spending long hours just getting things up and running, but this was what she’d worked so hard for, and oddly enough, she felt energized just thinking about getting to it.
Chapter Four
Gavin smiled down at the text he’d just received from his boss. Seemed the target of his affection had been a bit stunned and confused when her parents pulled out a few minutes ago. He had to admit he was shocked they’d been able to pull off the innocent routine with regard to all the “goodies” he’d put in the small guest house for her. Technically they hadn’t lied, because they hadn’t actually done any of the work, but they’d sure supplied him with plenty of information. Stepping out of his office, he headed for the barn’s door and pulled it open at the same time Kylie pushed from the other side. Her startled gasp was all he heard before he caught her in his arms. “Whoa, sweetheart. Are you okay?” He hadn’t had any trouble steadying her, but he’d certainly struggled with letting her go. Feeling all of her softness pressed against him sent a stab of pure need right through him. He reluctantly set her back, but didn’t remove his hands from her shoulders.
“Yes, thanks. I was just coming to find you. Do you have time now to show me…oh shoot, I was supposed to bring my laptop.” Gavin smiled as she chewed on her lip, it was a nervous habit she’d obviously not broken.
“No worries, we’ll swing by your place and pick it up
on the way.” He wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her close against his side, and led her down the path. It was getting toward the end of January, and the wind was picking up, so he kept her tucked against him. He felt her shudder, “Are you cold? We’ll grab a jacket for you as well.” Walking along the path, he felt her shudder again, but this time he wondered if it wasn’t for an entirely differently reason. Deciding to keep the conversation light, he asked, “Have you heard from your friend in Montana? I heard on the news they’re expecting a big storm up there tomorrow.”
“She sent me a text late last night letting me know she’d made it home. And she wasn’t thrilled with the weather. I warned her that heading north in shorts and flip-flops was a mistake, but she had been enjoying drinks on the plane so…well, you know how that goes.” Indeed, he did.
“No drinks for you on the plane?” He gave her shoulders a small squeeze and then laughed at her snorted denial.
“I’m not much of a drinker. My tolerance is close to zip, and it steals the filters that are supposed to keep me from saying stupid shit. And Lord knows I’m entirely too honest when I’m drinking.” Now there was a tidbit of information that he intended to file away for future reference. When they stepped into her small cabin, he was impressed that she had apparently already unpacked. When she saw him looking around she tilted her head in that adorable way she had always done when she was trying to figure out something that had befuddled her.
