by Katie Lane
A low bellow cut him off.
They both turned to the cluster of mesquite to the right. Through the tangled branches, you could just see a pair of dark calf eyes.
“I’ll get him.” Cru unhooked his rope from his saddle horn and took off toward the bushes. Penny would usually be right there with him. But she was so stunned by his speech she just watched as he untangled the calf from the bushes and led him back to his horse by the rope.
Cru had gotten it all wrong. She didn’t go up against her father because she was worried about getting kicked off the ranch. She didn’t go up against him because she wanted her family reunited again. She wanted Evie and Clint here where they belonged, even if it meant she had to kiss her father’s butt. Because, like Cru, she never wanted to feel the loss of losing someone she loved like she had felt the loss of losing her mom. Except her mother’s death hadn’t caused her to push loved ones away. It had caused her to pull them close and refuse to let go.
Even at the cost of her own principles.
She had always thought of herself as a tough cowgirl. And she was tough on the range. She could ride and rope and tackle a steer to the ground as well as any man. But with her family, she was still a little girl who couldn’t stand up for herself or her beliefs. Her father, and even her sister, had taken advantage of that.
And it was time she stopped letting them.
Chapter Seventeen
Cru knew Penny was upset. She didn’t say a word on the ride to take the calf back to its herd. She didn’t laugh when he found his hat and pulled it back on only to discover it was completely bent out of shape. She didn’t even crack a smile at his knock-knock jokes. And he thought the mustache knock-knock joke was the funniest one he’d found on the Internet. By the time they reached the barn, he was feeling pretty bad for taking the smile off her face. He should’ve kept his big mouth shut. Instead, he’d given her a lecture. And the last thing Penny needed was another lecturing father.
“Did you find the calf?” Raul came out of the barn to get their horses with Trixie close on his heels. As soon as Penny dismounted, the dog hobbled over to greet her. Usually she crouched down and let the dog give her exuberant kisses. But today, she only gave Trixie a brief ear scratch before she spoke to Raul.
“Where’s my father?”
“He’s in the back paddock with that new horse he bought. But he’s in a pretty bad mood, so I’d wait to talk to him.”
“I’m in a bad mood too,” she said as she headed for the corral. The purposeful way she strode around the barn made Cru realize things were about to get ugly. And it was all his fault. If Penny got kicked off her beloved ranch, he would never forgive himself.
He hurried to catch up with her. “You shouldn’t listen to me, Penny. I’ve never had a family. So I don’t have a clue what I’m talking about. You’re right to respect your father. And you certainly don’t want to go off half-cocked on him just because an idiot says you should stand up for yourself.”
She didn’t stop. “I’m not half-cocked. I’m fully-cocked. And you were right. It’s about time I stopped acting like a little girl.”
“That’s all good, but maybe you should wait until you’ve cooled down.”
“When I cool down, I’ll make excuses for his behavior just like I always do.” She opened the gate of the paddock and swung it wide. Hank Gardener was trying to put a saddle on the appaloosa horse. When the gate clanked against the barn, the horse startled and pranced away.
“Close the damned gate!” he yelled. “Don’t you have a brain in your head, Penelope Anne?”
Okay, so maybe Hank did deserve a good ass chewing. And Cru was sticking around to see it . . . and to make sure Penny didn’t get too crazy. Although she already looked pretty crazed. And sexy as hell.
She strode into the paddock like a princess warrior and slammed the gate closed, causing Cru to jump back out of the way or get hit. Figuring it was safer to be on this side of the fence anyway, he rested his arms on the gate and watched Penny stride toward her father. She jerked off her hat and the sun reflected off her fiery hair like a brand new penny. And she was sure acting like one. She stopped within inches of her father and got right in his face.
“Yes, I have a brain in my head, Daddy. Even though you don’t think I do. Why didn’t you tell me an energy company had contacted you about drilling for oil on our land?”
Hank Gardener didn’t even flinch. Of course, Cru didn’t expect him to. From what he could tell, the man was made of stone.
“Because it was none of your business.”
Cru waited for Penny to explode. He sure would have. But she only stared at her father for a long minute before she released her breath. “Of course you think that. You’ve always thought that. The only one who needs to know about ranch business is you. Your wife didn’t need to know anything. Evie doesn’t need to know anything. And I sure as hell don’t need to know anything. But you’re wrong, Daddy. You’re dead wrong. This ranch is my business. And it’s Evie’s. And it was Mama’s. We’ve all worked hard to make this ranch what it is.”
Hank leaned closer. “You don’t know what you’re talking about, little girl. I’m the one who paid for this ranch in full with my blood, sweat, and tears.”
Penny didn’t back down. “And you think I haven’t given this ranch my blood, sweat, and tears? I work my ass—”
“Watch your mouth! I won’t have a daughter of mine talking like a saddle tramp.”
“But it’s okay for you to. That’s bullshit, Daddy.”
Cru couldn’t help but grin. That grin faded when Hank jerked off his hat and his face was bright red with anger. Cru stepped up onto the corral railing. If Hank lifted one finger to Penny, Cru was going to kick his ass from here to Simple. But Hank didn’t lift a finger. He just stood there shaking with anger while Penny continued to gore the bull.
“In case you haven’t noticed, Daddy. I’m not a little girl anymore. I’m a grown woman.”
Hank might not have noticed, but Cru definitely had. For the last few weeks, he’d tried to act like he could resist her, but his gaze kept being drawn to those womanly curves and his mind kept going back to the kisses they’d shared. Kisses that were permanently embossed on his brain. And no amount of knock-knock jokes or friendly conversation could get them out. It was a struggle every time he was with her not to drag her into his arms for a repeat. And right now, with her hair all wild and her face flushed with temper, it was an even bigger struggle.
“And as a grown woman,” she continued. “I’ll damned well cuss if I want to.”
“Like hell you will! This is my ranch and my house and I set the rules!”
“Haven’t you been listening to a word I’ve been saying? This isn’t—”
Sadie moved up next to Cru and pulled his attention away from Penny. “What in the world is going on? I can hear Hank yelling all the way in the house.”
“Penny and Hank are going at it.”
“Well, I’m not about to let my sweet little chick be browbeaten by that stubborn cuss.” She started to open the gate, but Cru stopped her.
“Give her a minute. I think your little chick has turned into an angry goose.” Cru returned his attention to the paddock where Penny was now standing on the toes of her boots, pointing a finger at her father.
“. . . and you need to get it through your thick skull that this ranch is as much mine and Evie’s as it is yours!”
“Your sister doesn’t give a hoot about this ranch.”
“Yes, she does, Daddy. She loves this ranch as much as I do. She just couldn’t stay here and be under your thumb. She couldn’t stay here and be her own woman.” She froze with her finger in his face. Suddenly, all the temper seemed to drain out of her and she lowered down to her boot heels. When she spoke, she spoke more to herself than her father. “And I can’t stay here either. I can’t stay here if I want to be my own woman. No matter how much I want my family reunited, I can’t stay.”
Holy shit
. This was not what Cru had intended to happen. He had only wanted Penny to threaten to leave the ranch to make Hank back down. He never thought that she’d actually do it. She loved this ranch. She’d be miserable anywhere else.
But that was exactly what was happening. Without another word to her father, she tugged on her hat and strode toward the gate. He planned to hold the gate closed and talk her out of this nonsense, but Sadie pushed him out of the way and opened it for her.
“I’ll help you pack, honey.”
“No!” He followed them toward the house. “You can’t pack your bags. You can’t leave. Just give your father some time and I’m sure he’ll come to his senses.”
“No, he won’t. The damned stubborn fool will never come to his senses. And I’m tired of trying.” Penny stomped up the steps of the porch. “I’m going to go stay with Evie. She had the right idea all along.” She jerked open the screen door and strode inside.
Cru held it for Sadie and followed behind the two women. “You can’t go to Abilene, Penny. It’s not the place for you.”
She hesitated and turned to him. “You’re right. I can’t be my own woman in my sister’s house where I’ll still be her kid sister.” She thought for a moment. “I guess I’ll have to move somewhere else. Maybe Dallas.” She headed down a hallway.
He followed trying to think of anything that would change her mind. He didn’t have a home, but she did. And he wasn’t going to be the reason she lost it. “Dallas is an awful choice for you. Tons of people, crime, and traffic. A small town girl like you will hate it there.”
Penny paused outside a bedroom. One quick peek inside and he knew whose room it was. There was no pink or ruffles or frills. The furnishings were sturdy and simple. Pictures of horses hung on all the walls and plain white curtains fluttered in the breeze sweeping in through the open window. The oak bed was unmade, the white comforter and yellow sheets mussed and the pillows scattered like someone had been making wild love in it.
“You’re right. Why should I leave my hometown?” Penny’s question pulled Cru away from ogling her bed and thinking about things he had no business thinking about. “I can’t stay on the ranch, but that doesn’t mean I have to leave Simple. I could even get a job on one of the other ranches. And if Daddy doesn’t like it, he can just go to hell.” She walked into her room and slammed the door behind her.
Cru lifted his hand to knock, but Sadie stopped him. “Best to give her a moment. She’s in quite a lather. And I’d say it’s about time.”
“It’s my fault. I’m the one who got her riled up about standing up to her father. But I didn’t think she’d actually leave the ranch. She’ll be miserable. She loves this ranch. It’s her home. And I couldn’t live with myself if I’m responsible for taking her away from it.”
Sadie studied him. “And here I thought you were just trying to get in her pants like you were Evie’s.” Cru stared at her in surprise, and she laughed. “You and Penny certainly thought no one had eyes in their heads back then, didn’t you?” She waved a hand. “Come on into the kitchen while I call Evie to let her know what happened.”
He glanced back at the bedroom door. “But I need to stop her from making the worst mistake of her life.”
“Good luck with that. Once a Gardener makes up their mind, there’s no changing it. Stubbornness runs in the family. Besides, it’s way past time for her to leave and spread her wings. It will be good for her. And hopefully knock some sense into her father.”
“But what if it doesn’t? What if Hank never says he’s sorry and never gets her to come back?”
“He’ll do it or he’ll be gettin’ worms with his oatmeal.”
Cru wasn’t so sure that worms would make a difference to Hank, but maybe going a few days without his ranch manager would. He followed Sadie to the kitchen and sat at the table while she talked to Evie. From what he could get from the conversation, Evie was thrilled her sister had told off their father and ticked at Hank for forcing Penny to leave the home she loved.
Although Penny didn’t look like anyone was forcing her when she walked into the kitchen pulling a roller suitcase behind her. She looked determined and still mad as a wet hen. “I’m staying at Dixon’s Boardinghouse. Reba said I could have the garden room.”
“That’s the prettiest room in the place.” Sadie gave Penny a big hug. Cru could see tears in both the women’s eyes and it made him feel even worse. Sadie smoothed Penny’s hair. “I want you to think of this as a much-needed vacation. Don’t you worry about the ranch. With Dylan, Chester, Lucas, and Cru’s help, I’ll keep everything running smoothly until you get back.”
Cru didn’t want to keep the ranch running smoothly without Penny. At that moment, he realized how much he’d loved working with her these past weeks. How happy he’d felt every morning when he woke up knowing that she’d be waiting in the barn for him. When he followed her outside, he couldn’t help taking the suitcase away from her.
“Would you just listen to me for a second?”
“I did listen to you and you’re absolutely right. I’ve been acting like a little girl and expecting to be treated like a woman.”
“No, you weren’t. You were acting like a loving daughter.” Leaving the suitcase on the porch, he led her down the steps and toward the barn. Raul wasn’t around, but he still pulled Penny into an empty stall for privacy. “When I told you to stand up to your father, I didn’t mean for you to actually leave. I only meant for you to threaten to leave.”
“Threats don’t work with my daddy. Only actions.” She kicked at the pile of hay with her boot. “Stubborn ass.”
“You can’t leave, Penny. You won’t be happy any place but here.” The tears that filled her eyes were all the proof he needed. “Dammit.” He ran a hand through his hair. “What have I done?” He turned back to her. “Look, I’ll talk to your dad. I’ll tell him that you didn’t mean anything you said.”
“I meant everything I said. I love this ranch, but I’m tired of being a compliant daughter who never speaks up for her beliefs. I’m tired of working my butt off and not getting a say in what happens to this ranch. I’m tired of being treated like a little girl who doesn’t have a brain and doesn’t know what she wants.” She studied him. “And if I want to start being treated like a woman who knows what she wants, I better start acting like it.”
Before he knew what was happening, she grabbed the front of his shirt and backed him up against the wall of the stall.
“What are you—” That was all he got out before her lips touched his. Or not touched as much as devoured. She took what she wanted with demanding lips and a ravenous tongue. He was toast. Complete and total toast as desire set him ablaze like a range fire. As her mouth controlled the heat sizzling through him, her hands tightened on his shirt and tugged open the snaps. His abdominal muscles jumped in response as her cool fingers spread over them, then slowly trailed a scorching path up to his pecs.
She cupped them firmly in her hands before she pulled away from his lips and trailed kisses over his chin, down his throat, across one collarbone to his left nipple. The wet heat of her mouth had his head thumping back against the stall wall and a groan escaping his throat as desire settled hard and thick beneath the fly of his jeans. He had never wanted to bury himself deep inside a woman so much in his life. He wanted to lose himself in her and never be found. It was the intensity of his need that had him pushing her away.
They were both breathing heavily. And when she opened her eyes, he could see the dazed passion that tightened her pupils into tiny points. He felt just as dazed. But he couldn’t give her what she needed. Even if he desperately wanted to.
“I’m sorry, Penny. But as much as I want to have sex with you, that’s all it would be. Sex. And you deserve more. Much more.”
He expected her to turn tail and run. That’s what the Penny of a few days ago would’ve done. But this Penny wasn’t scared off so easily. Her eyes narrowed with determination.
“Don’t tell m
e what I deserve, Cru Cassidy. I’m not that thirteen-year-old crushing girl you first met. I’m a woman who can handle a sexual relationship without needing a ring and wedding bells.” She grabbed his shirt and pulled him in for another kiss before she pushed him away. “I’ll be staying at Dixon’s Boardinghouse.”
She turned on a boot heel and strutted out of the stall, leaving Cru stunned and desperately wanting something he couldn’t have.
Chapter Eighteen
“But why would you go to Dixon’s when you could’ve come here? I’m your sister!”
Penny put her cellphone on speaker so her eardrum wouldn’t be busted by Evie’s yelling and set it on the nightstand next to the vase of lilacs. The garden room at Dixon’s Boardinghouse was decorated like a quaint country cottage. While it was beautiful, it was a little too girly for Penny’s taste. She missed her bedroom with the hickory furniture Grandpa Myers had made for her mama when she was a child and all the pictures of the beloved horses she’d owned over the years.
Including Severus. She missed the feisty horse. She missed him as much as she missed the ranch and Sadie, Raul, Trixie, Dylan, and all the ranch hands. She even missed her daddy. Darn his stubborn hide.
