“I can’t believe all these funny words. My dad has got to read this book!” Jasmine turned to him with a flush on her lovely face. “I’m so glad you brought me here!”
So am I.
Together they looked through it and chuckled. Pretty soon he saw other people leaving. “Jasmine? The storm has passed over. If I can tear you away from this long enough, we’ll go get Moondrop. I’ll pay the bill and give it back to Jake.”
“Tell him thank you for letting me see the book and for the delicious meal. The Couch’s version of sweetenin’ was awesome.”
“May I quote you?”
“Definitely.”
They left for Jim’s ranch. Wymon loved the smell of the earth after a cloudburst like this. Everything felt fresh and alive. He felt alive like never before. A half hour later he helped load Moondrop into the one-stall trailer.
“She loads so nicely, Wymon. I just can’t believe how wonderful she is! It’s going to be a joy to train her.”
“Jim’s the best at what he does.”
“I can see that.” Jasmine had brought a net of green grass hay. “Once we reach the barn at home, I’ll set out her necessary feed. Oh, you little darling.” She kissed her nose and forelock. “I’d like to ride back here with you, but I can’t. Wymon will drive slowly so you don’t panic. Okay? Here’s a Fancy Filly treat.”
Wymon watched her pull one out of her pocket and feed it to her horse. Curious he asked, “What kind is it?”
“A peppermint patty. Would you believe it’s molasses based with oatmeal and flaxseed?” Her smiling gaze met his. “More of that wonderful sweetenin’.”
If she looked at him again like that, they weren’t going anywhere for a long time.
The filly chomped away and nudged Jasmine to get more of them. She giggled like a young girl. “So...you liked that, huh?”
Wymon made certain Moondrop was tied securely, and then signaled it was time to go. But tearing Jasmine away from her new baby wasn’t an easy task. “The sooner we get her home, the sooner you can play with her.”
After he shut the door, Jim saw them off. “Thank you for everything,” Jasmine called to him from her open window. “I’m so thrilled.”
“She’s found a fine home with you. So long, Wymon. Talk to you later in the week!”
“I’ll call you, Jim. Thank you!”
As Wymon drove away, he wished he was driving them straight to the Clayton ranch. After putting the new filly to bed, he’d like to take Jasmine to his loft where they could watch the sun go down over the Sapphire Mountains. He’d never ached for anything so much in his whole life.
No longer did he marvel over how fast Eli had fallen for Brianna and how he’d wanted to be married as soon as possible. Wymon had only known Jasmine a short time, yet already he recognized what was happening to him.
“What horse have you been riding since you lost Trixie?”
Jasmine shot Wymon a sideward glance. “I ride my mother’s mare when she’s not home.”
One eyebrow lifted. “Now you have one of your own again.”
“Moondrop is gorgeous. I’m so happy. Thank you so much for everything, Wymon.” The light in her green eyes said it all. “My parents are home today. They’ve wanted to thank you in person for what you did and are looking forward to meeting you.”
“I feel the same way. They’ve raised a wonderful daughter.”
Color seeped into her high cheekbones. “I’m not wonderful.”
“I saw the courageous thing you did at the crash site. Today I watched the way you wooed Moondrop until she was eating out of your hand. Those qualities tell me a lot about Jasmine Telford and her family.”
She was looking out the window. “If you want to know the truth, I’ve done a lot of things I’m not proud of.”
“We all make mistakes. Want to tell me what’s troubling you on this exciting day?”
“You notice everything,” she murmured.
“Forget I asked that question. It’s none of my business.”
Her head whipped around so she could look at him. “It’s more your business than you realize.”
“If I don’t miss my guess, this is about Mr. Farnsworth.”
“Yes. It’s going to take me time to forget my conversation with Rob yesterday. Frankly, it was a confrontation. Thank heaven you were spared some of it.”
Wymon sucked in his breath. “He hasn’t liked my politics for a long time, so meeting him face-to-face hasn’t helped.”
“It’s not just you he reacted to. He was too intent on telling me how cruel I was. I’m afraid if you or anyone else had pulled in the driveway just then, he would have ripped your head off. He was in that kind of a mood, but I know it was because he was hurting.”
A troubled sigh escaped her lips. “The timing of our breakup with the crash created the perfect storm. That’s what has made me feel so guilty.”
He blinked. “What are you saying exactly?”
“I didn’t want to go on our last date because I realized my feelings weren’t there for him. But I followed through because I thought I’d give myself one more chance to examine my reservations. To my shock he’d planned for us to fly to Seattle in his new plane. It was the last thing I wanted to do, but we were already at the airfield before I realized what he’d been planning.”
“Had you flown with him before?”
“No. Never. I told him I didn’t feel right about it because he flew for his job, and I didn’t want to interfere with that. He accused me of resenting his career. I told him that wasn’t true. To prove it, I told him I’d fly with him this one time.”
Farnsworth knew how to manipulate. That was one of his best political tools.
“Once we’d reached cruising speed over the mountains, he suddenly proposed to me. He did it right there! I’d known something big was going on in his mind, but not while we were in the air. Rob had put me on the spot, and I had to answer him honestly, that I wasn’t in love the way you have to be to contemplate marriage.”
“Good grief. The perfect storm is right.”
“Exactly. And while he was reacting to that, the hawk hit the propeller and the windshield shattered. He couldn’t have avoided it, of course. I know that. And because he’s such an outstanding pilot, he landed us safely despite his pain. I feel so awful about not being able to love him and make things right. That’s what has been troubling me.”
He reached for her hand. “You’ve both been through a harrowing ordeal. It’s no wonder you’re still trying to deal with it. Even if you’ve told him goodbye, he obviously needs more time until it all sinks in. You need more space, too, so after I drop you off at your ranch, I’m going to give it to you, Jasmine.”
“No,” she cried with tears in her eyes and clung to his hand. “That’s the last thing I want. I only told you this because you were first at the scene and saw Rob at my house after I told you it was over. I wanted to be honest with you, Wymon. Please, don’t let what I’ve told you change things between us.”
Her urgency, plus the acknowledgment of the us between them, did what nothing else could have done.
“I won’t.”
After squeezing her hand, he let it go so he could concentrate on his driving. Wymon was transporting precious cargo. He decided they needed to change the subject so he turned on the radio to a country music station. They listened to tunes the rest of the way to Philipsburg.
Her parents walked out to the trailer while they were unloading Moondrop. “Well, will you look at that?” her father said with a big smile. Jasmine’s blonde mother hurried over to the filly, running a hand over her neck and back, acting as familiar as her daughter with the horse.
“She’s absolutely a beauty, honey.”
Jasmine was beaming. “I think so, too. Mom? Dad? Meet
Wymon Clayton from the Clayton Ranch.”
Her dad shook Wymon’s hand hard. “How can we ever thank you for helping our daughter? Talking to you on the phone wasn’t enough to convey our gratitude.”
“I just happened on them at the right moment.”
“It was more than that. Jasmine has told us all about it.” Her mother gave him a hug. He could see where Jasmine’s good looks came from.
“Wymon?” Jasmine smiled at him. “I’m going to give her some water and take her to the corral so she’ll get used to her surroundings.”
Her father nodded. “Good idea. Our horses are there, too. They’ll be friends in no time.”
Together the three of them followed Jasmine around to the other side. The mare and the gelding perked up their heads and started walking toward Jasmine who led Moondrop inside. She talked to her horse as if she was a person, delighting Wymon who was still reacting to what they’d talked about in the truck.
Please, don’t let what I’ve told you change things between us. She’d made it more than clear that she wanted to go on seeing him. That was all he’d needed to hear.
As she walked the Appaloosa around, the other horses trailed after her. He noticed her father put an arm around her mother’s shoulders while they watched their daughter pass out treats and do her magic. She was like the beautiful Pied Piper of Philipsburg. Wymon was enchanted by the sight.
In a minute Mr. Telford walked over to Wymon who was undoing the hitch. “You figured out how to do that thing? I have trouble with it every time.”
Wymon smiled to himself, recalling what Jasmine had told him. “It took me a while,” he said.
“That makes me feel better.” Both men grinned. “I wanted you to know that I applaud your efforts to get the grizzly reintroduced here. It’s a damn shame the governor isn’t onboard yet, but that doesn’t have to be the end of it, right?”
“It’s not,” he said. “I’m working on some more funding measures as we speak.”
“Good for you. I don’t know if Jasmine has told you about the time we had the rare opportunity to see a mother grizzly and her two babies up at the Coffin Lakes when Jasmine was just a girl. She wanted to take one of the cubs back with us.”
A chuckle broke out of Wymon, and that got her father started. “When she was young, she was always bringing home all kinds of critters she found, and that was in addition to our pet dog, rabbit, hamster, turtle and later a parrot. She loved anything she could mother. Thankfully, when she got her first pony, her obsession with all the other critters came to an end.”
Wymon could relate. “With four rambunctious sons, my mother could swap similar stories with you and your wife. We were always bringing home snakes and other reptiles, much to my mother’s chagrin. Speaking of my brothers, I don’t know if Jasmine told you that my brother Roce checked out her horse yesterday. He’s a vet in Missoula and gave Moondrop a clean bill of health.”
“Jasmine was very pleased and impressed, especially with the care he took with her teeth. Did she tell you what happened to Trixie?”
“Not yet. I haven’t wanted to ask her until she was ready to talk about it.”
“Her horse died from a massive infection that spread so fast it couldn’t be stopped in time. Jasmine noticed a bad-smelling discharge coming from her nose and jaw and felt guilty that she hadn’t spotted it sooner. Pretty soon Trixie was tilting her head and stopped eating because one side of her jaw was much more swollen than the other. Our vet tried everything, but the infection was too severe.”
“We’ve had animals die at the ranch. I know from personal experience it breaks your heart.”
He nodded. “Her depression was so bad, I feared she couldn’t bring herself to get another horse.” His hazel eyes glistened as he looked at Wymon. “Besides helping save her life, you’ve been the one to get her back in the saddle again, so to speak. Her mother and I are more grateful than you know.”
“Jim Whitefeather and I share a love of horses. This was pure fun for us.”
“Hey, you two,” Jasmine’s mother called to them. “Come in the house and freshen up. We’re having a picnic out on the patio. Jasmine? Leave Moondrop in the corral—she’ll be fine!”
Wymon and Jasmine’s father shared a smile.
“Coming!” Mr. Telford shouted, and the two men headed up to the house.
Chapter Seven
Jasmine had seen her father’s and Wymon’s heads bent together in conversation while he’d been unhitching the trailer. She couldn’t help but wonder what they were talking about, but she could tell it was friendly by the way they smiled. They seemed comfortable with each other, which was a relief for her as her father didn’t always warm up to strangers right away.
Once they’d assembled on the patio for a late lunch, Wymon caught her eye. She felt he was sending her a special message, and she couldn’t wait to be alone with him.
After a meal of mouth-watering fried chicken, potato salad and homemade ice cream, she asked Wymon to walk her back to the corral. Jasmine wanted to be alone with him before he left for the drive back to Stevensville.
She caught up to Moondrop and led her to the stall in the barn that had once been Trixie’s. Until now she hadn’t thought she could stand to see another horse in her place. But the old adage about time healing all wounds was true in this case. Still, she suffered from a surfeit of guilt about what had happened with Rob.
To her consternation, Wymon had picked up on it. While the two of them rubbed her horse down, he looked at her. “What’s wrong, Jasmine? Are you still mourning Trixie? Your father told me what happened to her.”
“I’m over that, and I’m glad Dad told you.”
“Then you’re still upset about Rob.”
She was blown away by his instincts. “I’ve had enough time to figure things out. What I’m feeling is terrible guilt because I know I used Rob to help me get over my pain of losing my horse. He filled a need in me that led him to believe I cared for him more than I did. Now my guilt is weighing me down. It’s the reason I didn’t cut off our relationship sooner. Does that make any sense to you?”
Before she could guess his intentions, he reached for her and pulled her into his arms, rocking her gently. Feeling his hard body against hers sent shock waves through her nervous system.
“You didn’t do it intentionally. You have to let it go,” he whispered against her cheek. “People will be voting in November. You’ve filled a need for him, too. There’s nothing wrong with both of you needing each other to get through tough times. It’s life.”
He made such wonderful sense it was screaming at her. “You’re right. I’m so glad I met you.”
“You took the words right out of my mouth.”
His lips sought hers and coaxed them apart in a hungry kiss that took her breath away. At first contact, she lost cognizance of her surroundings while she reveled in the taste and feel of him. This was what she’d been craving for weeks.
He was all male and so desirable—it made her tremble to think such a man existed. This amazing rancher who’d appeared on the accident scene like a modern knight to the rescue was kissing her as if his life depended on it.
“You’re so beautiful, Jasmine. Heaven help me, but I want you.”
His hands ran up and down her back, arching her closer until there was no air between them.
“Wymon—” A moan of pleasure escaped her throat as she slid her arms around his neck, needing his kiss like she needed air.
“If you want me to stop, I don’t think I can,” he responded, his voice ragged. “You’re going to have to help me.”
“I can’t, because I don’t want this to end,” she whispered before covering his rugged features with kiss after kiss. He chased her mouth and began devouring her.
The rapture he created wasn’t like a
nything she’d experienced in her life. Her world spun with every touch, every caress. She almost went into shock when he suddenly tore his lips from hers and held her at arm’s length with a groan.
“I want to take you away where we can be alone for weeks on end, but we can’t do this, Jasmine. Not here. Not now. It’s a good thing I’m going to be busy this week talking to ranchers and potential donors. I don’t trust myself around you. Maybe after a week, I’ll have gotten myself under control.”
“You have a lot more control than I do.” Embarrassed that her voice was shaking, she eased away from him and patted her filly’s neck.
“If you don’t have any plans for next Saturday, I’ll drive here after my committee meeting with the governor in Helena and we’ll spend the rest of the day together.”
Helena?
“How does that sound?”
“I’d love it, but I do have a commitment I have to keep on Saturday.”
“For your job at the university? I thought you were taking your vacation then.”
Her heartbeat doubled. There was no way around this because she didn’t want there to be any secrets between them. “I will be on summer break then, but I made a promise to Rob I have to keep.” She told him what had transpired yesterday in her parents’ driveway and that she planned to attend the rally in Helena.
Wymon stared at her in the semidarkness of the barn. She could hear him thinking. “I have an idea. If you could get a ride to Helena, I could pick you up after the rally and drive you back to Philipsburg,” he said.
“You would do that?” The excitement in her voice thrilled him.
“What do you think? Though I love talking on the phone with you while we’re in separate cars, I much prefer you to sit right next to me.”
Heat filled her cheeks. “I’m sure my parents would take me. In fact I know they would be happy that I wouldn’t have to drive home alone at night.”
“It would make me happy, too,” he said. “So why don’t we do this? I’ll stay in Helena after the committee meeting is adjourned. Give me a call when the rally is over. I’ll be in my dark blue Audi. We’ll meet in the parking lot and find a restaurant to have dinner.”
Made for the Rancher Page 9
