by North, Cara
“Of what?” she asked. It was too late.
Suddenly overwhelmed by the presence of three very large cowboys in close proximity she took a step back and stumbled over the tree root she had been only moments ago sitting on. Six large hands moved at once to grab at her, but Lucky had her. Standing on her feet again as the other two grabbed her by each hand and held her there.
“Good Lord in heaven,” she said as she caught her breath.
“Let her go,” Lucky said. He moved to stand beside her. That caught their attention more than her almost fall.
“Yes,” cowboy one said. “Let her go, Jack.”
“You, let her go, Rafe.”
“Oh for crying out loud, stop being juvenile,” Lucky reached forward and took her hands out of theirs. She watched as both of the men’s eyes grew large in surprise. She could feel him being possessive, and it was oddly a good feeling. He let her hands go and took a step forward placing himself a bit between her and the brothers. She knew the owners were three brothers and one sister. The Johnson Family Ranch was everything she needed to be around to get her mind straight and life right. It was why she’d chosen this place to escape to prior to making a new life plan.
“Aren’t you going to introduce us?” Jack asked. He smiled and leaned a little to look at her around Lucky’s shoulder. She noticed the double dimples, the brown eyes and thought Montana must just grow men this way. His brother, Rafe pushed Jack a step and took his own turn to peek at her. It was odd being behind Lucky this way, they were obviously not a threat, yet he stood between them as though she needed protection.
“I’m Hope,” she said “It’s nice to meet you.”
“Hope,” Rafe nodded. “Beautiful name. Did you know her name was Hope, Lucky?”
“Yes,” he snorted.
“Was that another laugh?” Jack asked. “Because you see, Hope, Lucky hasn’t laughed in years. He’s grumbled, sometimes he smiles, but we consider ourselves a family full of funny antidotes and he barely cracks a genuine smile.”
“He smiles at guests,” Rafe added in Lucky’s defense. “But that fake smile. I call it his picture face.”
“Picture face?” Lucky had to be grinding his teeth. His body was tight, rigid. She could see the muscles in his shoulders flex as he pulled his arms up to cross them over his chest.
“Yeah, the one on every headshot or banner with your mug on it. That’s the face people get around here. But you,” Rafe leaned and peeked at her. “You got a real smile. A laugh, too. We just wanted to meet you, that’s all.”
“That’s not all,” Jack shook his head. “You should come to dinner tonight. Meet the rest of the family.”
“She’s busy,” Lucky answered for her.
Not sure why, other than the fact she was determined not to let a man boss or hide her ever again, Hope spoke up, “No, I’m not.”
“Looks like her plans just opened up.” Rafe clapped his hands.
“Are you staying on the property or did you just come out for the day?” Jack asked. They were obviously not aware she was a guest.
“I’m a guest,” she said. Then she realized that Lucky might be in trouble for whatever they suspected being that she was a guest. “But Lucky has known me for a little while.”
It was a little lie, and barely a lie at all since he did know her a little and he certainly knew her longer than they had.
“Really?” Rafe said.
“The plot thickens.” Jack quipped.
“Juveniles.” Lucky remarked. “Can I finish my lunch?”
The brothers looked at each other as if they had to decide whether or not to leave him alone. She witnessed this by leaning around to peek at them as they had been doing to see her.
“Please?” she asked. They looked at her and nodded. Two cowboy hats tipped and they were off without another word to either of them. She could hear them talking as they walked away. Mostly questions about who she was. Not what she had hoped to hear.
Lucky took two steps away from her and then turned to face her. He was not happy. “Why did you say you were free when I said you weren’t?”
“I didn’t want to lie.” She steeled herself and lifted her head in defiance.
“But we know each other so well.” He looked at her with his eyebrows drawn down and a frown flat on his face. If she didn’t know better she might think he was actually mad, but he would have to care what she did for that to be true and it was likely he didn’t.
“I didn’t want you to get into trouble for fraternizing with a guest.” She crossed her arms and mimicked his stance and expression. She was much shorter than he, all curves where he was planes and angles, but nothing about the moment was frightening. In fact, a breeze lifted the air and drew his warm mix of fragrance and sweat towards her. It was intoxicating.
He looked away, his profile strong and sensuous whether he intended it to be or not. When he looked back he was smiling. Something she now knew was something special, not for everyone. Just for her. The core temperature of her body shot up instantly. Her nipples defied her will and tightened. The stupid throb between her legs ached. All from a look. One simple look from this man and she was ready to take off her panties.
“Do you believe in fate, Hope?”
She wasn’t sure what she believed in anymore. “I suppose it’s plausible.”
“Plausible?” he laughed. He looked at her, studied her.
She could feel the air change, the distance between them close. He didn’t have to steal her breath, it was gone before his lips touched hers. Close to swooning she had no choice but to wrap her arms around him. Lucky was larger than any man she had ever dated in her life. He was larger than life in many ways. The tenderness of the kiss sparked every atom inside her to life and she could feel her body hum.
“Think about it. “ He said against her lips after kissing her senseless.
Then he grabbed the remnants of lunch and walked away leaving her staggering on her feet. Drunk from his kiss, the taste of fresh strawberries, she reached for the tree to stabilize herself. Catching her breath and clutching the heart thumping against the bones in her chest, she looked to the sky and asked, “Was that a sign? I don’t want to be tempted, Lord. I can’t. I have to have all or nothing. Don’t tempt me with that one…Good Lord, not with that one. I won’t recover.”
***
“Shut up,” Lucky said as he passed the brothers. He was not going to give them the pleasure of submitting to their razzing.
“Is she coming to dinner?” Rafe asked as he followed. Jack laughed, as Jack was known to do, and walked off towards the guests. Rafe was always the sensitive one. After marrying Layla and taking in two kids his fathering nature had only grown. Not that he was old enough to father him, hell they had competed together back in the rodeo days, but Rafe always invested in those around him. “She seems a little skittish.”
“Rafe, please don’t start analyzing her.” Lucky made his way to his horse. They had an hour before it was even time to start heading back.
“She was doing just fine with Trail Walker, talking with a few other ladies as they saddled up. The next thing I knew she was off, and backwards. But you know what I saw?”
“Don’t care.” Lucky retorted.
Rafe laughed. “Man I love this! She really has you by the short strings doesn’t she?”
Lucky glared at him.
“All right,” Rafe let a step distance them. Whatever he was going to say now, Lucky knew was going to be the last of it, at least for the rest of the trip. “She was doing just fine. Then she saw you.”
Rafe was heading back towards Jack leaving Lucky to stew on that for a while, and he did. Hope had him all kinds of crazy since he met her on the road that night. He was walking, talking to God, and thinking he was ready to settle down. It was as if a voice told him he just needed to keep hope alive. Oddly enough, that is what he did. How could it not be fate? He was the lightest of his family, blonde hair, blue eyes, but his momma and grandm
omma were both Native American and they believed God answered through the land. He had been lucky all his life in everything he did, when he asked for an answer, it was always given to him. The latest had come when he asked if he should keep riding bulls? Nope, he got gouged and decided he wanted to do more than beat up his body for the rest of his life. He didn’t want to age out and end up broken and busted with nothing to show for it.
He asked for a path, he was offered a job at the ranch by the Johnson family, his family by extension. He asked for a love of his own. He got a woman named Hope placed right in his path. She might not have died had she taken either fork in the road, but she would have suffered had she kept standing there like a deer in headlights.
Much to stew on indeed.
Chapter Three
“Hi,” Hope said to the woman at the front desk. “I left my bag in the barn. I was told it was brought here.”
“Yes,” The tall redhead responded. She didn’t bother to get it though.
“Um, can I have it?” Hope tried for a smile. Up until now, everyone at the ranch had been over the top nice to her.
The woman glared a moment as if thinking about it. “Just a backpack, right?”
“And a jacket.” Hope tilted her head. Was this the sister? She was tall enough. Her eyes similar.
The woman crossed her arms over the baby bump. “I’m Jan. Jan Johnson. This is my family’s ranch. I’ve known Lucky since I was a kid. He’s had that jacket for years now. You may have found it, you may have stolen it for all I know about the crazy women who come here just to see him, but it belongs to him and it will get returned to its rightful owner.”
“Then give it back to her,” Lucky’s voice boomed behind her. She watched the mouth of Jan Johnson drop open. Hope turned, but he was already gone. She turned back to Jan who still stood gaping.
“So, can I have my bag and jacket, now?” Hope asked politely. More than she felt at the moment.
“I don’t know you.” Jan said. She looked her up and down a moment then reached for the items under the counter. “How is that you get this jacket and I don’t know who you are?”
“Do you keep tabs on everyone’s clothes around here?” Hope felt bolder.
“No,” Jan slid the items across the counter paying special attention to the jacket. “Just surprised to see a gift I gave him so long ago be given away to someone I don’t even know.”
Hope scanned Jan Johnson closer. Her heart began beating faster. Memories flooded her system as quick as she surveyed the ring on Jan’s finger, the pregnant belly, the possessive look. Her stomach turned. Her heart in her throat she turned and ran out of there without grabbing either her backpack or the jacket. She found the nearest trash can and heaved up everything she’d eaten that day.
“Hey,” Jan’s voice seemed lighter now. “Are you all right?”
One more heave and that was it. Unable to stomach someone losing their stomach, Jan was next.
“I hate this part of pregnancy.” She said as she stood straight again. “Look, I don’t own Lucky. It just hurt my feelings a little that he would come to my house, have dinner with my family, and never tell us about you. Okay?”
“You’re not…he’s not…” Hope could feel the world lifting off her shoulders.
“Noooo,” Jan waived her hands in emphasis. “Nothing like that. Buck is my husband and Lucky’s best friend. Granted, I sent the jacket before Buck and I were married, but the surprise, the hurt...I guess, comes from realizing he is keeping secrets and I don’t know what we did to cause that.”
“Oh,” Hope pressed a hand to her head and massaged her own temple. “We just met. He offered it to me because I was freezing. I was planning to return it to him.”
Jan’s eyebrow shot up and she looked very much like her brothers with that expression.
“Well,” Jan rocked her head in a side to side motion of thought. “He wants you to have it. He would have said otherwise. Maybe he wants to see you again.”
“I’m not sure…” Hope followed the confident woman back into the building.
“Honey, if you’re not sure let me speak on behalf of the fifty women who are roaming this place trying to locate his ass, take the jacket.” And for good measure she added. “You’re a fool if you don’t. Lucky doesn’t share affection easily.” She must have had another thought as she amended it. “Not real affection. I’m sure these grounds aren’t laden with cowboy chasers for nothing.”
Hope frowned as Jan pushed the items at her with a smile this time.
“Good luck.” Jan waved as Hope left with the backpack and jacket.
It was getting dark and though the sunset lit up the sky in colors and beauty she came here to admire, she simply couldn’t think beyond the smell permeating faintly from the jacket she had pulled on to block the chill. She had her own damn jacket, for crying out loud, but it wasn’t as large, and it didn’t smell of Lucky. She had to return it. She had to give it back to him and she had to let all that fate crap he suggested go. If there were a ton of women here looking for him, she was going to fall short of his expectations in a matter of time. Why bother? She had a couple weeks to enjoy the ranch. She intended to do so, alone.
Her room was warmed by electricity, not fire like his cabin. She reluctantly removed the backpack and jacket and started her evening routine. She wasn’t planning to go to dinner. She was going to order room service, read, and maybe do a few job searches. She was going to make a plan for returning that blasted jacket and getting Lucky and his soul searing lips out of her mind.
The knock on the door was right on time. She was ready for dinner.
“You ordered room service?” Lucky balanced the tray in his hands.
Some random delivery person she could handle in a gown and robe. Lucky, on the other hand, standing all six foot whatever two-hundred-whatever looking at her with those eyes and that smile…”I uh…”
“Can I come in?” He looked a bit confused.
“Sure,” she said with her lips. Her brain said, no way. Her body shouted why aren’t you already inside and naked?
He began placing the food on the table. She realized then he had brought food for both of them. “I was glad you decided not to go to dinner. I was so worried you were planning to go, but then Chance said you ordered room service and I just felt the world lift off my shoulders.”
“Lucky,” she couldn’t look at him.
“Ah,” he said. She heard him push the chair back and she watched as his large body stood. Disappointment was clear on his face. She could barely describe the way her insides twisted from that expression. “You didn’t plan to see me. You just planned to eat.”
He walked past her to the door. His hand was on the knob when she finally composed herself enough to say, “Stay.”
He didn’t move.
“Look,” she said. “I’ve made some real mistakes in the past. You don’t know me, and if you did, you probably wouldn’t like me. I…”
“I don’t care.” He said as he turned to look at her. “I promise you. I don’t care. In fact, I don’t want to know. I’m not innocent. I’ve had my share. I don’t care what you did, who with, or for how long. I care that you feel it. You have to. I’ve never been wrong about something like this before.”
“Like what? Like trying to sleep with me?” Hope was nervous. “I’m attracted to you, Lucky, but who isn’t?”
She did feel it. So strong in her bones that he was hers and she was his from the first time he opened his mouth. His touch, simple and innocent had her tangled in knots she never felt with men she’d had relationships with in the past. It scared her.
“I’m not trying to sleep with you, Hope.” He shook his head. “I mean I wouldn’t mind, but it’s not all that I’m after. I want you.”
“You can’t know that.” She paced back and forth.
“But I do.” He rolled one shoulder and sighed. “Just have dinner with me. Talk to me. If you can look me in the eye and deny me at the end of
this evening, I’ll leave you alone. I promise.”
“We’re just talking,” she said. She wrapped the robe tighter and tied the belt as if that helped to hide the fact her body was already reacting to him in ways her brain could barely control.
“I didn’t order chocolate cake.” She said as she sat down.
“I did,” he said as he moved to sit across from her. “It has a raspberry sauce. Chance makes it special once a month. I love it and have to fight at least six women who work here for it. If you won’t eat your slice, I will.”
Hope looked at the Hulk of a man across from her. He was so damn overwhelming, so gorgeous with long eyelashes, and that short blonde hair with natural sun highlights. “We’ll see.”
“Why did you come up here?” he asked. “Montana, a dude ranch, not a lot of women vacation here alone.”
“Honestly,” she took a bite of food, made a yum sound because it was amazing. Everything she’d eaten since arriving had been just amazing. “I saw a huge semi driving down the road and it had this scene on the side of it and the word Montana at the top. I thought to myself with that much sky, that much space, I could really find myself.”
“How’s it working out?” he asked sincerely.
“Well, I got lost the first day,” she said. Then looked up at him. He was listening, really listening to her. “I was praying, I was asking for a clear path and I didn’t mean between which fork I was facing moments later. I was asking for a sign, I mean I have been so…lost lately. I barely know the person I left in California. I was a park ranger there, in a small town in the high desert. It’s kinda why my ego was crushed about getting lost. I can’t go back to that job…you don’t want to hear about why.”
“Do you want to tell me?”
“I think you should know. I mean you seem to think that fate has brought us together. You kissed me and…yeah, that was pretty good, but…”
