by Liv Brywood
“I think he fell in love with me before I won, but the order doesn’t matter,” Kim said. “I couldn’t be happier to have found my mate.”
“That’s wonderful,” Violet said.
“Do you have anyone special in your life?” Kim asked.
Aaron perked up. He hadn’t considered that she might have a boyfriend waiting for her back in San Francisco. His heart beat in double time for the moment it took her to respond.
“Not right now. I’m too busy with work.”
“What do you do?” Kim asked.
“I own at a tech company. We’re about to IPO, so I’ve been up to my eyeballs with government regulation paperwork and lawyers. Just when I think everything’s going well, a new situation pops up. It’s nothing I can’t handle, but it’s stressful to say the least.”
“How many people do you have working for you?” Zack asked.
“Seventy-five. If everything goes well with the IPO, they’re going to be set for life. They’re all depending on me to make sure there are no snags.”
“Sounds stressful,” Kim said.
“It can be, but I have a good team behind me.”
“Your parents must be proud of you,” Kim said.
Violet went silent. For a few awkward seconds, she bit her bottom lip as if trying to decide what to say. To save her from embarrassment, Aaron jumped in.
“Where are your parents?” he asked. “I thought they were joining us.”
“We went to the hospital this morning. Seeing Nicole hooked up to all those machines took a lot out of them, so they decided to stay home. Zack, this chicken is phenomenal. I’d love to get the recipe.”
“You’re going to have to pry it out of his cold, dead hands,” Kim joked. “He’s a stickler for keeping his secret recipes under lock and key.”
“Or at least in my head,” Zack said.
“You two are so adorable,” Violet said wistfully. “When are you getting married?”
“We’ve only been engaged a few weeks. We want to give it some time to settle in before we settle down,” Zack said.
“And we’re building a new house,” Kim added.
“You’re moving away from the ranch?” Violet asked.
“No. We’re building on one of the back pastures we don’t use very much. It tends to flood when the river rises, but we have a plan to shore up the land to avoid that issue,” Zack said.
“We’re going to skip making a basement,” Kim said. “They’re creepy anyway, so I’m perfectly happy to skip it.”
“They’re only creepy if you don’t finish them,” Violet said. “My parents’ basement is a separate apartment. When my grandparents come to visit, they stay there. Mom has a craft room too.”
“In the basement?” Kim asked.
“Yep. As if she doesn’t get enough craft time with the business.” Violet rolled her eyes. “You’d think that someone who spends all of her time bottling and selling honey and beeswax products would be tired by the end of the day. Not my mom. She’s a worker bee. At least she was before my sister was shot.”
“I’m so sorry about your sister,” Kim said.
“Keep praying for her. Hopefully she’ll pull out of it soon.”
“Of course.” Kim reached across the table and patted Violet’s hand.
As the conversation turned to lighter topics, Aaron stole quick glances at Violet’s profile. She radiated warmth and beauty. In the ten years since she’d left, he hadn’t met a single woman who could hold a candle to her. It was so good to have her back, even if it was temporary.
A rush of longing tugged at his heart, but he quickly stamped it down. She had no intention of staying. She had a life back in California and people were counting on her to take her business to the next level. Although he admired her ambition, a part of him hurt to think that they’d never have a chance to be more than just friends.
They’d lost their chance years ago. She’d made her choice. She’d chosen ambition over him, and while he knew it was selfish to wish she’d been content in small-town Texas, he couldn’t hold on to bitterness. She deserved a wonderful life. He just wished she’d found it in Lost Hills.
Violet patted her stomach. “I can’t eat another bite. Thanks for inviting me to lunch. I think I would have lost my mind if had to stay in my parents’ house for five more minutes.”
“They’re just upset,” Aaron said. “They’ll be less snappy once Nicole wakes up.”
She wasn’t convinced. Their growing hostility had been building from the moment she’d arrived. It was almost as if they blamed her for the shooting. She didn’t want to go back to the house until she had to, so she turned to Aaron.
“I’d love a tour if you have time,” she said. “So much has changed. The new barn is huge. And where did those little cottages come from? I don’t remember seeing them.”
“We built them a couple of years ago,” Aaron said. “When the economy took a nosedive, we needed additional income to keep the ranch running, so we built them as rentals. No one’s occupying them at the moment, but we were packed during the barbecue competition.”
“I was staying in one when I met Zack,” Kim said.
“It was convenient to say the least,” Zack said slyly.
Kim giggled and swatted his shoulder.
“I don’t have any plans this afternoon. I’d love to show you around,” Aaron said.
“Great.”
“We’d tag along, but we’re supposed to meet Kim’s mom in an hour,” Zack said. “She’s been like the Tasmanian devil ever since her cancer went into remission. I can hardly keep up with her. She’s helping us design our new home.”
“Wow, I’m glad she’s feeling better,” Violet said.
“She’s a fighter. But a stickler for people being on time, so we’ve got to run,” Kim said.
“It was great to meet you,” Zack said. “Hopefully we’ll be seeing more of you?”
“Uh…” Violet glanced at Aaron.
He smiled. “She’s always welcome here.”
Zack and Kim helped clean up lunch before leaving the ranch. Aaron’s other brothers had stopped by long enough to grab plates and get back to their various jobs in the fields. The Grant brothers were hard workers, just like her parents. Running a ranch wasn’t easy, but it was in their blood. She preferred city life. But every once in a while she missed the huge Texas sky and wide open spaces.
She glanced at the sky and frowned. Dark storm clouds were blowing in from the north. It wasn’t unusual to run into summer thunderstorms, but she hoped it wouldn’t start raining until later. She wasn’t ready to head back to her parents’ home yet.
“Ready to head out?” Aaron asked.
“Lead the way.”
She slipped her hand into his as if it were the most natural thing in the world. At one time it had been, but so many years had passed. She wasn’t the same girl who’d fallen in love with him all those years ago. Older and wiser, she knew it took more than just love to hold together a relationship. If they didn’t share the same ambitions, they’d never be able to be together.
Sometimes she wondered what could have been had she returned to Lost Hills after graduating from Stanford. But it was neither here nor there at this point. She’d enjoy their time together until she had to return to San Francisco.
“We built the barn a few years ago,” Aaron said as they approached the huge red building.
To the left of the twin barn doors, a tall windmill spun slowly as it caught the breeze. A riot of red and yellow wildflowers danced around the edge of the barn. Bales of hay were piled along one side about a third of the way to the roof.
When they stepped inside, several horses whinnied and tossed their heads over their stalls. They gazed at her with hopeful expressions, as if wanting a treat.
“I don’t have any carrots.” She raised her hand to pet a chestnut mare. The horse shook her head before pressing her muzzle against Violet’s hand.
“That’s Farrah,”
Aaron said. “Let me see if I can find some carrots. She loses her mind when she sees a carrot. It’s hilarious. I’ll be right back.”
She stroked the horse’s forehead before reaching under her chin groove to scratch her. “Oh, you like that, don’t you?”
The horse whinnied and nodded her head. Violet laughed. The girl sure had a friendly demeanor.
When Aaron returned with a basket full of carrots, Farrah’s eyes widened and she danced from side to side. She raised her head and snorted before turning in a circle. She shoved her head over the stall and stuck it out as far as it would reach in an attempt to grab a carrot. When she couldn’t quite make it, she pursed her lips and stretched her neck.
“Hang on, girl. Violet, would you like to give her one?” Aaron asked.
“Sure!” She reached into the basket and chose a huge bright orange treat.
“Make sure you keep your fingers out of the way,” he said.
“I’ve fed horses before,” she said indignantly.
“I know, but it’s been a while.”
“How do you know I’m not feeding horses in San Francisco?” she asked.
“Is there a farm in the middle of Nob Hill I don’t know about?”
She laughed. “Maybe. You’d be surprised by what we have tucked away in various parts of the city.”
“You love it there, don’t you?”
“I do. But I miss the wildness of Texas. We have parks in San Francisco, but they’re planned and maintained in a predictable way.”
“I thought you liked predictability,” he said.
“I do, in business. But I also like adventure.”
“Maybe you can go on vacation after the IPO goes through?”
“Maybe. I can’t think that far into the future right now,” she said.
“You don’t have to. Right now the only thing you should be worrying about is Farrah’s teeth. Her chompers will take your finger right off if you’re not careful.”
She held the carrot out and Farrah took a huge bite. The carrot snapped in half. Farrah chewed with gusto before returning to gobble another bite. Violet opened her hand and laid the remaining carrot flat on her palm. To her surprise, Farrah gingerly nuzzled her hand with her lips before gently biting the carrot. She pulled back before crushing the sweet treat between her teeth. When she finished chewing, she tossed her head toward the basket.
“I don’t know if you’re allowed to have more than one,” Violet said. “You’re going to have to ask him.”
“One more and then we’ll have to cut her off,” Aaron said. “I don’t want her getting a bellyache.”
As Violet fed the horse another carrot, Aaron carried the basket deeper into the barn. A low rumble of thunder rattled the doors. Farrah stepped back into the stall and froze.
“We might have to cut the tour short,” he said when he returned. “It’s starting to get dark outside.”
“I guess we should head back.” Her shoulders slumped.
“Hey, don’t worry. We can do this another time,” Aaron said.
“I love this barn.”
“A lot of hard work went into it. I like showing it off.”
“Do you bring a lot of people here?” she asked.
She only cared about one particular type of people: women. He hadn’t mentioned a girlfriend, but maybe he was doing it to be polite.
“I’ve brought friends here in the past, but no one special.”
“No hot dates?” she joked. Her clenched belly relaxed.
“Not since you.”
He turned and strode toward the door, leaving her standing there with her jaw hanging open. Her heart flip-flopped in her chest. What did he mean? Surely he’d dated someone in the last decade.
As she followed him outside, a crack of thunder pierced the air. The scent of ozone swirled on a gust of wind. She wrapped her arms across her chest. The temperature hadn’t dropped by much, but it was enough to give her a slight chill.
“We should hurry,” he said.
She nodded. But before she could take a step, fat drops of rain splashed into her hair. The sky broke open, unleashing a torrent of rain.
“Run for the cottages,” Aaron said.
Sheet lightning flashed to illuminate growing puddles of muddy earth. By the time she reached the closest cottage, her boots were soaking wet.
Aaron quickly ushered her onto the porch. The large overhanging roof protected them from the rain. Without thinking, she backed into his arms. He wrapped them around her like he’d done it a thousand times before. She snuggled against the warmth of his rock-hard chest.
“Do you remember that time it hailed?” she asked softly.
“The day after high school graduation?”
“Yeah.”
“I’ll never forget it,” he said in a thick tone.
“We hid in the barn while all hell broke loose outside.”
“Hail the size of golf balls tore up part of the roof,” he murmured. He tucked her head under his chin and squeezed her tighter.
“I think about it a lot,” she admitted.
“You do?” He turned her around, still holding her firmly against him.
“I do.”
He brushed soggy strands of hair from her face and cupped her cheeks. The rough pads of his fingertips grazed her flesh, awakening it in a way no other man could. When he brushed his thumb across her bottom lip, she shivered with desire. She tilted her head and looked into his gray-blue eyes. Fire and longing burned in his gaze. He moved toward her so slowly that it felt like a dream. And when his lips finally met hers, she melted into him.
Chapter 5
As the storm raged on, Aaron deepened the kiss. He couldn’t hold back, sweeping his tongue between her lips to claim her mouth. Their tongues melted together, teasing and whirling in a kiss that took his breath away.
When he finally broke for air, she backed away. Her chest rose and fell in quick succession as she tugged at her clingy dress. Rain molded it to her body to display every curve. Her cheeks flushed as she tried in vain to pull the cloth away. His pulse quickened and heat flooded his cock. The hard length of him pressed against his jeans. He tried to discreetly shift to one side, but the weight of waterlogged denim prevented much movement.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “I don’t know what came over me.”
His stomach plunged. But what did he expect? That a few steamy kisses would make her suddenly want to move back home so they could rekindle their decade-old romance? He silently chided himself for being so foolish.
“I’m worried about my sister, so I’m being irrational.”
“Hey,” he murmured. “You don’t need to justify it. We got caught up in the past. I get it.”
He didn’t, but now wasn’t the time to try to win her back. When she flashed him a sheepish smile, he lifted his hand to caress her cheek.
“It’s good to see you again,” he said.
“It’s been a long time.”
“Yeah…We should head back,” he said.
“Will you walk me home?” she asked.
“Of course.”
The rain let up and they started back toward her parents’ house. She reached over and clasped his hand. Confusion rippled through him. One minute she’d been kissing him as if her life depended on it and the next she was pushing him away. And now this. What did it mean? He hated to have even a glimmer of hope, but his dumb heart insisted on holding onto any sign that one day they might get back together.
When they reached the house, she released his hand. He wanted to grab hers again and never let go. But he couldn’t. She wasn’t his to love anymore.
“Can I check on you in a few days?” he asked.
“Of course.” She turned toward the door but stopped. “Thank you for today.”
He stepped forward and drew her into his arms. He pressed his forehead against hers for a few seconds before releasing her.
“Call me anytime you need me. I can give you a ride to the hospital or c
ome over and cook dinner. Whatever you need,” he said.
“You really are the perfect man, aren’t you?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
He smiled and backed off of the porch before he could do something stupid like scoop her into his arms and carry her back to his bed.
Back on the ranch, he began his chores. After tossing hay into each of the horses’ stalls, he fed the goats and mucked one of the back paddocks. Heavy storm clouds hung over the land trapping the humidity and making everything sticky and wet. Covered in sweat and mud, he needed a long, hot shower.
As he headed toward his house, he caught a glimpse of Violet’s parents’ home. He stopped and sighed. She’d felt so damn good in his arms. Her lips were as soft as a spring lamb’s coat and her hair was like corn silk. She’d destroyed him for other women. No matter how much he’d tried to date in the past, no one could ever compare to her.
His bear rumbled around in his chest. The beast hadn’t been out all day and he was restless. He turned toward the bayou at the edge of his property. He could take a shower later. Right now he needed to satiate his bear.
At the edge of the bayou, frogs croaked and scattered along the banks. Black-trunked trees jutted up from the water, their branches heavy with long strands of dripping moss. He checked the river for any telltale signs of gators. A few weeks ago, they’d had some trouble with a couple of gator shifters, but he and his brother had fought the trespassers and sent them slithering back into the swamp.
He shucked his shirt and pants and folded them over a branch. Everything was already soaked, but he didn’t want lizards crawling around in his clothes.
His bear roared and stretched. As the shift began, pain sliced through his fingers. Claws formed on the tips as fur sprouted to cover his hands. He dropped to all fours as his spine stretched and his body more than tripled in mass.
As his nose elongated into a snout, scents from the bayou assaulted him. Rotting vegetation, dank and pungent, curled up to invade his nostrils. The briny scent of algae mingled with the earthy scent of the saturated ground.
When he finished shifting, he roared again. A flock of black birds beat their wings furiously as they took flight. He grinned and padded through the trees. In his bear form, he didn’t have to worry about complex human emotions like love and regret. He could focus on fun things like chasing catfish.
