“That’s never been a problem in the past.” He said, crossing his arms over his chest.
“But, Scott is getting older now. It’s important that he be with his peers, both for his academic success, as well as his social success. A lot can happen in two weeks around here.” She finished in the best authoritative voice she could.
“In my opinion, the roundup serves that purpose as well. Have you even been on a roundup?” He asked, beginning to tire of the conversation but intrigued that she would continue to stand up to him.
“No, but how much can he learn, playing cowboy in the mountains. Not much call for herding cattle in today’s world.” She finished, triumphantly, her chest heaving with anger.
He turned and strode across the room, to look out the window. The sight of her breasts rising and falling with each breath was more than he could take. He’d found her words fading as he thought about taking one of them into his mouth.
It had been even more enticing that she was covered completely, the last button fastened at her throat. He could only imagine what color lace he might find under that black silk shirt she wore. Refocusing his thoughts, he turned to her ready to let her have it, when she got up from the desk and came out from behind it.
She was wearing a pencil skirt that hid none of her ample curves, it was all he could do not to run from the room, when a lightning bolt of desire shot through him and straight to his crotch. Instead he turned that desire into anger, stopping her in her tracks.
“It seems to me that you’re preaching about something you know nothing about. I dare you to come with us, see what goes on while we’re playing cowboy.” He said, with a sneer.
“As much as I’d like to, in case you’ve forgotten, I’ve got a classroom full of students whose parents expect them to learn something during those two weeks.” She said, stomping across the room and staring him down.
“Fine then, bring the whole class, they could stand to learn something too, I’m sure.”
“You’ve got to be kidding. Take the whole class on your roundup? That doesn’t even make any sense. Are you crazy?” She said, stepping back a step, suddenly realizing how far things had gone.
“Don’t think you can handle it? Playing cowboy too hard for you? Or are you afraid you might learn something. I promise you the kids will.” He said, closing the space between them with a step forward.
“Once again, I wonder what world you live in. Not very many parents would agree to this, and I doubt the principal would be on board either, it would be expensive.” She said, stepping back again.
“You haven’t been at this school very long, I think you might be surprised what parents might do given the opportunity. The principal is no problem, one word from me and it’s a done deal. I challenge you, Ms. Burke, to put your money where your mouth is.” He said, closing the distance once again, this time coming a little closer than before.
“Do you have any idea how much work it would be to put something like this together? It can’t be done in two weeks.” She said, wanting to step back but realizing that there was a desk at her back. She could feel the heat radiating from his body, stirring feelings she’d long ago put into hibernation.
“Let me know if you need help and I’ll have my brother send you someone who can run a computer and answer the phone. Any more excuses, Ms. Burke? You have my contact information.” He said, stepping back a few feet, then letting his gaze slide from her mouth to her feet, taking in each and every bit of her.
She suddenly felt as if he’d just undressed all size 12 of her, what he saw she had no idea, his eyes gave nothing away. But her body responded to his gaze, her nipples hardening under her lace bra, shivers of desire flashing through her body.
Just managing to find her voice, she said. “I’ll do my best, but I don’t have much hope.”
He just looked at her for a second, then said. “We'll, see.” Then turned and walked out of the room.
Chapter 2
As soon as she knew Garrett was out of the room, she put her head down on her desk, trying to still her heart. She took a deep breath finding she was both angry and aroused, this could not be healthy, she thought. Those two emotions should not be tied together, but he made her so mad with his superior attitude. He didn’t even listen to her arguments, just shut her down.
Then he’d issued that stupid challenge and she’d taken the bait. Now she’d have to spend time she didn’t have putting together a proposal that would make the principal laugh at her. Sitting up and squaring her shoulders, she decided that she’d give it her best, after all, if what Garrett said was true and the principal would agree, it might be a great trip for the class.
She didn’t fool herself that there would be a lot of learning going on, but they would get a great experience and it wouldn’t hurt her reputation either. If they got to ride horses, that would be a bonus as well, she hadn’t been on a horse in nearly two years. She’d had her own horse since she’d been old enough to take care of one. In Kentucky everyone had horses, but in Colorado it was expensive to keep one, so she’d sold her horses when they’d moved.
It would also be great to see the mountains up close, they’d been here all summer, but had spent it getting to know the city, assuming they would have time to explore the mountains later. Sabrina had been camping before, but knew that the Rocky Mountains would be vastly different than the hills she was used to.
Equally present in her mind was the fact that it would be two weeks spent with Garrett, no matter how easily he could make her angry, she couldn’t deny the fact that she was attracted to him. He was the kind of man she always found herself drawn to, he had a hard edge that thrilled her. She should know better, look where the last bad boy had gotten her.
Besides, she was Scott’s teacher and the one thing a teacher never did was get involved with a student’s parent. But that didn’t mean she couldn’t enjoy the view, both of the mountains and of Garrett. Finally able to concentrate, she set to work putting together a proposal for the roundup.
*****
Garrett left the classroom shocked at what he’d just proposed, it was so unlike him to do something so rash. But, she’d goaded him into it, challenging his choices as a parent even if she’d done so carefully. Then calling it playing cowboy. That had been the last straw. He couldn’t wait to get her up there, throw her on a horse and see what she had to say then.
Just thinking about her on a horse made his groin tighten, and his mind go places it shouldn’t, not about Scott’s teacher, not about any woman. This might have been a bad idea for several reasons, the biggest being that he might not be able to keep his hands off her. But, she needed to be taught a lesson, and he was the man to do it.
With renewed conviction, he stopped by the principal’s office to pave the way for Sabrina’s proposal. Although it was a spur of the moment decision, they had done group trips with children enough times on the ranch that they had protocols in place, including insurance and the releases that were needed.
The principal was a little skeptical at first, but after a few minutes Garrett had worked his magic and he was on board with the plan. He wished he could be a fly on the wall when Sabrina found out she and the class were on their way to the roundup. He knew most of the parents in Scott’s class and he was sure most would be on board as well.
Meanwhile, the principal had been easy compared to how mad his cousin Daphne was going to be. Daphne, her husband, and their three kids all lived at the ranch. A vital part of the operations, a group this size would fall into her realm of responsibility and she wouldn’t be happy he’d thrown this at her with so little time to prepare.
But, he knew his cousin well, she was well organized and would have the whole thing under control in a matter of days. It was her gift, one that he didn’t possess, and was happy to hand over to her capable hands. He had a sneaking suspicion that she and Sabrina would get along famously, since each seemed to have made a real commitment to educating children.
; Deciding not to wait until tomorrow for the parts and spend another night in the city, he headed out of town after a quick lunch with Scott in the cafeteria. It might be best to break the news to Daphne in person, by tonight he had no doubt that a stunned Sabrina would be on the phone needing more details about the roundup.
It brought a smile to his face to think about proving her wrong, but also because he would be spending two weeks with her. Time enough to sort out these feelings he got when he was around her. Maybe he could find out what had hurt her so bad in the past and once it was out in the open this strange need to protect her would disappear.
*****
He stopped at the house Chuck and Daphne had built on the ranch after they got married, to talk to Daphne, but arrived just in time for dinner. He’d accepted her invitation to join them, shocking her and immediately alerting her that something was up. Garrett and Daphne were almost exactly the same age, their fathers were the only living descendants of the Terrell clan. One had produced three boys while the other had produced three girls, each having their children at about the same time.
He waited until the kids had been put to bed, before broaching the subject of the roundup. “So, are you ready for the roundup?” He asked, innocently.
Daphne was immediately on her guard, “Pretty much, only need to have the food delivered, and finish a few last minute details.” She said, then waited.
“Well, then you might have a little free time before we go?”
“Maybe, what did you have in mind?”
“Well.” He said, then paused, searching for his words. “I got into a little discussion with Scott’s teacher who seems to think that a roundup is not an educational experience worthy of his missing two weeks of school.”
“Oh, no. Don’t tell me Scott can’t go. It’s bad enough that Sebastian has to miss every year now.”
“No.” He paused again. “In fact the whole class is coming.”
“What? Did you just say the whole class is coming?” She just looked at him, waiting for an answer.
“Well, it seemed the only way to prove her wrong.” He said, sheepishly.
“Garrett Slocomb Terrell, there’s more to this than you’re telling me.” She said, in her best mother voice.
“Daphne, there’s nothing more to this than proving the woman wrong. There’s only twenty of them, it shouldn’t be that hard. Besides, I would guess that there will be plenty of parent volunteers, you should be able to pick and choose.”
“But we only have two weeks to pull it together, it's a lot of work.” She said, still not convinced.
“Please.” He said.
Daphne was shocked, Garrett never used the word please. She didn’t think it was in his vocabulary, he always said thank you, but never please. “Okay, I can see it’s important to you. But you owe me. And don’t think I won’t find out what this is really about, you’re up to something.” She said, giving in as he knew she would.
“Thanks, Daphne. Will you call her?”
“Sure give me her number, I’ll call her now. We don’t have much time.”
*****
When Sabrina heard her phone ringing she thought it was a little late, but she decided to answer it, she was going to be up for hours trying to put all the paperwork together for the roundup. She’d been shocked when the principal had approved her proposal, until he’d explained that Garrett had already been to see him and arranged the details.
It had saved her from dealing with the legalities, but she still had to contact parents, chose chaperones, and put together a student hand out. There were so many things to consider and worst of all, she knew she was going to have to call Garrett and tell him they were coming. Something she was not looking forward to. He’ll probably say I told you so, she thought, dreading the call.
She didn’t recognize the name of the caller, but with twenty students she wasn’t surprised, it happened all the time. She was surprised to find that it was a woman named Daphne who was Garrett’s cousin and in charge of keeping the kids fed, happy, and safe on the roundup. The woman seemed nice enough and by the end of the conversation, she felt much better.
Over the next few days, they worked together by computer and phone to put the trip together. They had agreed that it would be best if Sabrina arrived a few days before the kids to help Daphne gather the extra equipment and supplies they would need. Once the kids arrived, they would have a day of instruction before the trip began.
Daphne was obsessed with safety and it was a relief to know that she was going to be there helping Sabrina with the kids, she had three of her own who would be included in the group. By the time all the children going on the trip were counted, they would have a total of thirty. Add to that eight extra adults as chaperones and it was quite a group.
Daphne had assured her that they were prepared and as long as the kids brought the items on their list, everyone would be fine. Sabrina packed her and Marie’s bags the weekend before they were due to leave, since they would hit the road Friday after school. The kids would follow the next Monday.
As Sabrina drove into the mountains she found her mind wandering to Garrett, she’d spent way too much time thinking about him over the last few weeks. Just like a teenager with a crush, she’d imagine all kinds of scenarios between them, each ending with a searing kiss. It was silly for a woman her age to think like that, but here she was fantasizing about a man she barely knew.
But before long, Garrett disappeared from her mind as the beauty of the mountains grabbed her attention. Knowing that she lived just hours from all this, made leaving Kentucky that much easier. The drive was easier than she’d hoped, traffic amazingly light for a Friday, but it was fall so most of the summer activities were over, and the ski season hadn’t started.
She found the ranch house at the end of a long dirt road, tucked into the trees. It looked like a simple log cabin, but she was sure there was more to the building than could be seen from the road. Billionaires didn’t live in log cabins, they had huge mansions that smelled like money.
She pulled up in front of the house just as Garrett came out the front door. He waved to her in what appeared to be a friendly manner. She waved back trying to appear carefree when in reality her heart was pounding in her chest and little flutters of desire were hovering in her stomach.
Marie was out of the car in a flash, running around the front of the house, enchanted by everything she saw. “It’s not like the mountains at home. These are huge. And it smells different.” She was rambling away as she took everything in.
“Hi.” She said, cautiously.
“Hi. How was the drive?” He asked, not good at small talk but trying.
“Fine. There wasn’t much traffic, and the mountains are beautiful. Our mountains in Kentucky are nothing like this, they’re really more like hills.” She said.
“Daphne had to run a quick errand, but I can show you where you’ll be staying until we head to the hills. Come on I’ll show you. Dinner will be in a few minutes, you got here just in time.”
He showed them to their room and as she’d guessed, the cabin was much bigger than it looked, but it still wasn’t what she’d expected. It had a homey feel, like it had been lived in, like it’d been loved. Not at all what she’d expected.
They only had a few minutes to get settled in before the dinner bell was wrung, just like on television and the movies, Marie had pointed out as they made their way to the dining room. As they walked through the door she saw a blonde woman across the room, she spotted Sabrina at the same time. There was a brief pause as she took in the fact that Sabrina was African American but recovered quickly.
Sabrina had become accustomed to this reaction since she’d moved to Colorado, and took no offense, since most people seemed to never consider it again. Daphne enveloped her in a big hug, then said. “I’m so glad to meet you. What do you think of the ranch?” She asked, leading Sabrina farther into the room.
“It’s wonderful, the kids are going to love
it. It’s so kind of you to do all this work for us.” Sabrina said, meaning every word. She knew how hard Daphne had worked to make this happen.
“Well, starting tomorrow you’re my assistant. Hope you’re ready for that.” She said, laughing. “But first let’s eat. I’m starving.”
Dinner was lively with the kids talking and the adult talking, Sabrina found herself included in a family once again. It had been so long, she’d forgotten what it was like to be part of a big group. Marie had attached herself to Scott, obviously slightly in love with him, but he was being a good sport about it.
After dinner, she put Marie to bed then found her way to the porch, where Daphne was waiting for her. To her surprise Garrett was there too, looking sexy in the moonlight. She tried to ignore him and pay attention to Daphne as she explained their plans for tomorrow. Which included a through inventory of the supplies as well as her riding test, which anyone who wanted to ride was required to pass.
She saw the smug look on Garrett’s face when the riding test was mentioned and decided not to tell them that she knew how to handle a horse. She’d enjoy the look on his face when he realized that she’d have no problem staying in the saddle no matter where they went. It was her ace in the hole, giving her the confidence to face this trip with good humor.
Once they had all their plans straight, it was late so Daphne headed back to her house, only a short walk from the cabin to get some sleep. Sabrina had risen to do the same, but Garrett blocked her way with one muscled arm as she walked by. Her heart began to race when she realized that they were alone. Everyone else had gone home or to bed.
Having no choice, she looked up into his eyes. “It’s getting late, I really should go to bed.” She said, hoping he would let her go. The longer she stood this close to him, the more her body began to tingle.
“I just wanted to make sure you have everything you need. It might get cold tonight, you’ll find some extra blankets in the closet.” He said, still not letting her pass.
“Thanks, I think we’ll be fine.” Her words whispered as she saw that his eyes had gone to her lips and stayed there. She had no idea what she would do if he tried to kiss her, it was wrong, but she wasn’t sure she would be able to stop him.
You Complete Me: A BWWM Single Parent Older Couple Romance (Brothers From Money Book 1) Page 2
