by Marin Thomas
“That’s my old stomping ground. I thought maybe next week I’d take you out there and show you around.”
“What’s there to see?”
“Our family pecan farm for one thing.”
Mack had mentioned one of his brothers ran the farm during the chuck wagon cookout with Roger Kline and his business associates.
As much as she was intrigued about seeing the property, she wasn’t eager to meet Mack’s siblings and answer their questions about her relationship with their brother. “I’m not sure what I’m doing,” she hedged.
“Check your schedule and let me know.”
Aside from Mack showing her a good time today, he’d also helped her realize that she needed to quit focusing on him and make some decisions about her future.
A future without Mack in it.
* * *
“WHAT’S GOING ON that I’m out here two weekends in a row helping with trail rides?” Porter asked Mack.
“Hoss thinks Jake fell off the wagon again.” Mack nodded to the grooming kit. “Hand me the currycomb.”
Porter tossed the rubber device through the air and Mack caught it with one hand. They’d spent the better half of an hour brushing the horses after bringing them in from the trail.
“I didn’t know Jake had a drinking problem,” Porter said. “Shoot, he’s close to my age, isn’t he?”
“Twenty-eight. He’d been sober for a year when Dave hired him last summer.”
Porter snapped his fingers. “Is that why he dropped off the rodeo circuit?”
“I’m guessing that was the reason.” Mack felt sorry for Jake. The man’s drinking problem had already cost him his marriage, and if he didn’t get his act together he might lose shared custody of his daughter, too.
“I don’t mind pitching in on weekends, but I’m not looking for a permanent job at the dude ranch.”
Mack stopped brushing Speckles. “Are you ever going to get serious about your future, Porter?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Porter scratched Doink’s ears. The horse was Porter’s favorite—maybe because they were both goof-offs and acted as if they didn’t have a care in the world.
“You haven’t held down a forty-hour-a-week job in I can’t remember how long.”
“Since when have you been concerned about what I do and don’t do? You and everyone else were off chasing girls and rodeoing when I was little. Where was your concern then?”
Mack opened his mouth to respond then changed his mind. Porter was right. As the youngest brother, he’d gotten overlooked and had often been told to stay behind or get lost. “You should decide what you want to do with your life before you reach thirty.”
“Okay, big shot.” Porter punched Mack’s shoulder. “You’re gonna be thirty this year. What’s your game plan?”
“I’m not certain, but—”
“See!” Porter pointed a finger. “You’re doing that...black-pot-kettle thing Grandma Ada always said to us.”
“You mean the pot calling the kettle black?”
“Yeah, that’s it.”
Mack set aside the currycomb. “I’ve been giving the future a lot of thought.” Especially since Andy, the band’s drummer, had announced he was quitting the Cowboy Rebels at the end of the year. Andy’s wife was tired of him being gone every weekend, and she wanted him home with her and the kids. “I like what I do at the dude ranch.”
“Can you earn a decent living here if you work full-time?”
“I’ve talked with Dave about adding a cattle drive to the activities at the ranch.”
“What do you know about cattle?”
“More than you,” Mack said. “I herded cows at the Triple D for three summers when I was in high school.”
“What did Dave say?”
“He’s considering it. I figured it would bring in additional income during the summer when cabin rentals decrease.”
“Would you work more hours then?” Porter asked.
“Yep.”
“What about the band?”
“I’m getting burned out on the music scene.” Meeting Beth had confirmed in Mack’s mind that he was ready to give up the nightlife and superficial flings with buckle bunnies. Beth made him want more. Something deeper...richer...rewarding. And permanent.
“What do you think of that lady who’s a guest here?”
Had his brother made a move on Beth? “Why are you asking?”
“I introduced myself to her, but she seemed kind of serious.”
The tightness in Mack’s chest eased. “She didn’t fall for your flattery, eh?”
“Nope. And I put out my best effort.” Porter walked Doink into his stall then shut the gate.
“I offered to take her on a horseback ride, but she claimed you’d already been on the trail with her.” Porter grinned. “What’s going on between you two?”
Mack played dumb. “Nothing.”
“When I mentioned your name, her face turned red.”
A week had passed since he’d taken Beth to the rodeo, and he’d only caught glimpses of the woman since. He’d gone out of his way to cross paths with her, but it was as if she sensed whenever he was near and found an escape route before he reached her.
“Mack, are you in here?”
He glanced toward the barn entrance. Beth stood in the swath of sunlight streaming through the doors. “Take a break,” he said to his brother.
Porter chuckled, and Mack swore he’d throw a punch if his brother didn’t get lost. “Holler if you need my help.” Porter approached Beth, stopping in front of her.
Mack wished his brother would keep walking.
“If you change your mind about that ride, give me a shout.” Porter tapped a finger against the brim of his hat and left the barn.
Mack expected Beth to move closer but her shoes appeared cemented in place. She wrung her hands as he closed the distance between them. When he stopped in front of her, she straightened her shoulders as if ready to do battle. It had been six days since the rodeo—six days of Beth dodging him. Six nights of reliving their rodeo kiss in his dreams.
“What’s wrong?”
“I need to talk to you.” She glanced toward the storage room.
“We’re alone.”
Her posture relaxed and she blew out a quiet breath. “I wanted to apologize.”
“I can’t think of anything you need to apologize for.” His remark brought her head up and the shimmer in her eyes socked him in the gut. Tears?
“I shouldn’t have kissed you at the rodeo.”
His lungs froze in the middle of drawing in air. He sure as hell didn’t regret the kiss, and he didn’t know what to say.
“I got caught up in the excitement and...”
And what?
“My first experience with the whole rodeo thing.”
One of the horses kicked their stall and the loud thump startled her. “Let’s get out of here.” He led Beth from the barn and stopped beneath the shade of a paloverde tree. “What are you afraid of?”
“I’m not afraid.” The crack in her voice betrayed her bravado.
Mack brushed the pad of his thumb against her cheek. “I admit we met under interesting circumstances, but I thought we’d decided to start over as friends and—”
“That’s just it.” Beth moved away, and Mack’s arm fell to his side. “Friends don’t exchange kisses.”
Something more than kissing bothered her but she wasn’t making it easy for him to guess. Since he’d learned of her divorce, he’d wondered about her feelings for her ex. “Are you still in love with your ex-husband?”
She broke eye contact and rolled the ball of her shoe across a pebble on the ground.
“We’ve never rea
lly talked about him,” he said.
“We haven’t talked about all your ex-girlfriends, either.” She spun on her heels and took the path that led to her cabin.
Mack hurried after her. “I’ve got nothing to hide. Ask me anything.”
“I don’t care to know about all the women you’ve slept with.”
“There haven’t been as many as you might believe, considering my line of work.” For a short woman she sure had a long stride. He picked up the pace. “If we’re friends, it shouldn’t matter how many women I’ve been with.”
She stopped in front of her cabin and fished a key from her pocket. He took it from her grasp and opened the door for her, then hovered on the stoop.
“You’re doing it again.”
“Doing what?” he asked.
“Acting like a boyfriend instead of a friend.”
“I can’t help it if Grandma Ada taught her grandsons manners.”
They squared off, and when she attempted to speak he interrupted her. “I want to be friends with you, and I meant it. I like you, Beth. You’re different from other women I’ve known.” She looked everywhere but at him. He entered the cabin and grasped her shoulders. “What’s really bothering you?” Her eyes watered again. “Can’t we see where this...whatever is happening between us leads?”
“It can’t lead anywhere,” she whispered.
Not the answer he hoped to hear, yet it wasn’t a flat-out no, either. “I get that you might need time to—”
“I’m over Brad.”
Okay, she was over her ex, but he doubted she’d put his betrayal behind her. “I’m a good listener.”
She stiffened. “I don’t want to talk about my marriage.”
He released her and closed the cabin door. “We don’t have to talk.”
She licked her lips. “This isn’t a good idea.”
He eyed the trail of moisture left behind by her tongue then flipped the lock on the door. The quiet click echoed through the cabin. “What’s not a good idea?”
“You and me alone.”
He moved forward.
She retreated. “Don’t you have work to do?”
“It’ll wait.”
Her shallow breathing convinced him that she was as turned on as he was. Why was she fighting her attraction to him? He lowered his head and pressed his lips to hers.
That’s all it took—one brush of Mack’s lips across Beth’s and she lost the will to fight. All she wanted was to be left alone to figure out her next move in life, but Mack was everywhere—always in her thoughts and now here in her cabin. She didn’t understand what a man like him saw in her, but he was too handsome, too male, too everything, and she didn’t have the strength to resist him.
Trust your instincts.
She trusted that Mack’s intentions were honest—he did like her, and there was no denying the attraction between them, but a guy like Mack wasn’t looking for forever with a girl like her. She wished with all her heart she hadn’t lost her sanity that night at the Number 10 Saloon. Mack had given her a taste of what girls like her could never have. Part of the thrill for him was the chase and once he caught her, he’d grow bored and move on—like Brad had. Heart thudding painfully in her chest, she wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned into him, giving herself over to his expert care.
One kiss turned into two then three and finally he pulled away. “We can take it as slow as you want,” he whispered.
The truth was she didn’t want to take it slow. She wanted fast. Hard. And often. But if she gave in and lived day by day with Mack, she’d never make plans for the future.
She should leave. Tomorrow. No, tonight.
Not yet.
Enjoy Mack while you’re at the ranch then move on.
Could she lower her guard and allow them to be friends with benefits, then skip out on him when she found a new job?
“I’m leaving...”
“Stay,” he whispered.
“I need to look for a job.”
“You’re not thinking of searching anywhere else but Yuma, are you?”
“I haven’t decided if I want to continue living in the same town as my ex.”
“Don’t let him run you off.”
“If I go, it’s because there’s nothing to keep me here.”
Mack’s brown eyes gleamed with intent, and Beth’s heart tumbled a little farther down heartache hill.
“Then I guess it’s up to me to give you a reason to stay.”
Chapter Six
Mack took his promise seriously to change Beth’s mind about her feelings for him and remain in Yuma. He couldn’t say for sure where their relationship was headed—he only knew he wasn’t ready to say goodbye to her. And no matter how she protested, gut instinct insisted that she didn’t want to part ways with him—not after the kiss she’d planted on him at the rodeo. He understood her reservation at jumping into a personal relationship so soon after her divorce, but he sensed if he didn’t make his move now, he might lose his chance with her.
He blamed Todd at The Barn for the shift in Mack’s feelings toward Beth. When Todd had helped her off the bucking machine, leaving his hands on her waist longer than necessary, the green monster attacked Mack. The angsty feeling in his stomach that night had proved his feelings for Beth weren’t a passing fancy.
After helping Hoss earlier in the morning, he’d taken the businessmen on their final trail ride. The group had returned to their cabins an hour ago to pack their belongings before the Sunday check-out at noon. Mack went to Dave’s office to see if there were any chores needing to be done. If not, he wanted to spend the afternoon with Beth. He entered the main building and rapped his knuckles on the boss’s door.
“C’mon in.”
“Got a minute?”
Dave sat behind his desk, reading glasses perched on his nose. He held up a sheet of paper. “I’ve made a decision.”
“About adding a cattle drive to the activities at the ranch?” Mack took a seat in the chair across from the desk.
“I made a few calls to local ranchers,” Dave said. “They recommend buying the cows from the Still Water Ranch near Bedford.”
“Bedford’s west of Prescott, isn’t it?”
“Yep. Last night I spoke to the owner, Bud Miller. He’s got fifty head ready to sell. I want you to drive up there and take a look at the herd before I sign on the dotted line.” Dave shuffled a pile of papers scattered across his desk then held up a yellow Post-it note. “The ranch phone number and address.” He handed the paper to Mack. “Make sure the animals are in good condition. No pregnant cows and no bulls.”
“What about feed for the cattle? Have you found a supplier?”
“The Bar 7 sells hay and they’ll deliver to us.”
“Do you plan to hire an extra hand to help with the herd?”
Dave’s expression sobered. “The only way we’re doing this is if you’re on the payroll forty hours a week.” Dave held up his hand. “I’m willing to try this for one year to see if it attracts more visitors. If it doesn’t, I sell the herd. Starting February first, you’re eligible for benefits and health insurance.”
That was more than Mack expected out of the deal.
“If the herd becomes too much work, especially during the winter months when the ranch is busiest, I’ll consider hiring Porter on a permanent part-time basis.”
Part-time would suit Porter fine; it was the permanent that might scare him off. “When do you want me to go to Bedford?”
“We don’t have any guests scheduled until Thursday. You can leave tomorrow.”
“You mind if Beth comes with me?” The words were out of his mouth before he realized he’d spoken.
Dave narrowed his eyes. “Are you two dating?”
K
eeping a straight face, Mack said, “No. I just thought she might like a break from the ranch for a couple of days.”
“You took her to the Rattlesnake Rodeo.”
Mack squirmed inside his boots.
Dave glared at Mack. “She’s the daughter of a good friend, and I don’t need to tell you—”
“Before you say another word, let me assure you that my intentions toward Beth are honorable.”
“I know Beth is a grown woman and she’s not my daughter, but she’s a guest at my ranch and I feel responsible for her.”
“I understand.”
“You’d better or else...”
His boss didn’t need to finish the threat. Mack knew there would be hell to pay or worse—he’d lose his job—if he hurt Beth. Hoping to change the subject, he asked, “Have you heard from Millie?”
“No.” Dave reshuffled the stack of papers on the desk. “I hired a new housekeeper. She starts tomorrow.”
Mack felt bad that Millie’s sudden departure had hurt his boss. “I’ll check in before we leave in the morning.” He made a beeline for the barn to give Hoss a heads-up that he’d be gone for a couple of days, but the man was nowhere in sight—probably taking an afternoon nap. Mack stopped at his quarters to shower and change clothes then went in search of Beth. He found her sitting on her cabin porch, staring into the distance. She appeared soft and in need of a hug—his hug. She wore a pink, V-neck T-shirt with jeans—nothing fancy, but sexy all the same.
“How’s your day going?” Mack leaned a hip against the porch rail.
“Fine. How about yours?”
“Good. I’ve got a proposition for you.”
She raised an eyebrow.
“Dave’s adding a cattle drive to the dude ranch experience and he asked me to check out some livestock in the Prescott Valley. How would you like to tag along with me tomorrow?”
Beth got out of her chair and attempted to pass Mack on her way to the door, but he grasped her arm. He slid his fingers across her flesh, the softness of her skin and the scent of her sultry perfume almost making him forget why he was there. “Say you’ll come with me.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
