“Well, no. Maybe she’ll get one. Do you have one?” She glanced at Jase.
“I have a red one. My daddy bought it,” said Destiny, moving off Nora’s lap.
“We’ll have to work on getting a hat for Brenna.” Jase put his hat on and poked his niece in the belly when she came to stand by him. He turned to Brenna. “Waiting on you. Anytime you’re ready.”
“I’m ready.” Brenna stood and walked around the coffee table, scanning the downstairs one more time from the kitchen to the room they were in. She glanced over her shoulder to the outside again. A new hope filled her and she already pictured a life here.
“Nora, thank you so much. We can move on to whatever the next step is.” She held out her hand. “This is fantastic and unbelievable how fast it all happened.” She turned to Jase. “All because you found me lost in a parking lot.”
“I can relate,” said Nora. Destiny moved to the side and Nora stood. Jase did too.
“It was no big deal, Brenna.” He sauntered to the door and Brenna followed him. He opened it for her and she went out first.
Jase paused at the door and Brenna waited on the sidewalk. Taking a look around the scenery past the parking lot…to the big old mountain, she almost laughed because she saw it everywhere she went.
She turned back and said farewell to Nora and Destiny. “It was lovely meeting you two.” She headed to the truck.
“Come back, Brenna, if you need to check the place out again.”
Brenna said that she would. Jase caught up to her in a couple long strides, and he went to the passenger side and opened it. When she got inside, she faced him. “I appreciate you taking the time to do this. She’s nice and your niece is so cute.”
“Yep, I love Destiny as if she were my own.” Jase placed his hand on the top of his truck and the other on his thigh. He leaned in. “So, what about dinner? Still on for steak?”
Brenna had a hard time talking sense to herself. She wanted to reach out and kiss him. It wouldn’t take much, wrap her hand around his nape and pull him down…kiss those lips. “Um…ummmm” She was speechless. Maybe this wasn’t the right place to devour his lips in a kiss, since she’d live here. But she couldn’t find her voice other than to mumble. He continued to stare and it didn’t make it any easier. Now she willed him to move away.
Something about him was so tantalizing. He drew her in as if he had cast a spell. She gulped and shook her head. “Please get in the truck.” She pulled her stare away and looked forward. He moved her in such a way she couldn’t comprehend. Breathing came in short breaths. When he finally walked around the rear of his truck she blew out a very long and erratic breath.
“Are you okay, Brenna?” he asked when he got inside.
“Uh huh. H-hungry.”
“Let’s go. Steaks are waiting for us.” He shifted into gear and backed out.
Chapter 8
She paid attention when he turned left out of the parking lot and right onto the highway. He drove farther this time then what it took to get to town the last time. When he turned left and under a sign, she looked up, reading, Double Dutch Ranch.
“This is your place?” Brenna twisted around looking out the rear window. “Why are we at your place? Jase, why did you bring me here? I don’t know.” She didn’t expect this. Now what? Why? Why not?
Jase hit the brakes and dust billowed up around them. “Are you scared? I had hoped it’d be okay.” He leaned his elbow on the console. “We’re here because I make a badass steak.” He placed his hand over her arm, playing two fingers over her skin. “Is it all right with you? I would have asked sooner, but I feared you’d say no.”
“Um…um.” Oh, damn, now what? Alone with him under the stars. In front of that big Superstition?
“Brenna?” He stretched over and stroked her chin, turning her face toward him. “You can trust me. I’ve had more than one chance to ravish you. I could right now, right here.”
But what about trusting herself? Her insides tumbled like an offset dryer. “Okay,” she managed to get out. “I like homemade steak—especially the badass kind.” Her voice was higher than she recognized as her own. Was it fear? Kind of—but maybe not the kind of fear she had expected. He wasn’t the one she was afraid of. Her body’s reaction to him is what caused her fear.
Jase casually moved his fingertips to her neck, sending shivers throughout her body. His touch was amazing, fingertips warm and gentle… God help me. “Um, I-I don’t know if this is a good idea.” She gulped again, having one hell of a time swallowing. Wanting to look into his intense blue eyes, she wouldn’t allow herself that, but her lack of control took over, and as if a puppet on a string she turned toward him again. The look in his eyes was frightening…not a scary kind of frightening…but a sexy kind. An omigod kind of look.
Jase put the truck in first gear and turned around.
“No.”
Again he hit the brakes. “No? Yes? No? What is it? Staying or going because I don’t want to keep doing this.” His clenched the top of his steering wheel with one hand.
“It’s okay if we stay here. My mouth is already watering…for the steak.” She tried to breathe normally but it didn’t happen. “How much farther up to your house?”
“A half mile. Hey, you gonna be all right? Sure I don’t have to take you to the ER? Because you look a little pale.”
Glancing at him out of the corner of her eye, she found a smile. “I’m fine. It’s that you… Let’s go, I’m okay.”
He spun around and headed up the road again.
“Can I see your horses?”
“Yes, ma’am. Let me get the steaks marinating for a little while and we’ll go into the barn. Best get you some barn boots, girl. Do you know how to ride?”
“No.” She shook her head. “I’d love to learn.” She meant it too. She never gave a thought to riding, until now.
“Then, Miss Brenna Page, you shall learn. We all have to start some time.”
“Yay.” She gave a nervous laugh and placed her hand on his arm, the fear evaporating from her body…and thoughts. She trusted him, saying a silent prayer to please don’t make her sorry for those thoughts. The road curved and he pulled up to the back of his house. It was adobe brick styled, one floor like a ranch home. Brenna laughed to herself—ranch styled, no doubt.
“This is nice, Jase.” She pointed and snickered. “And look. That mountain is following me. Everywhere I go there it is.”
“Hard to miss that thing, darlin’. Let’s get into the kitchen. Come on. It’s kind of messy, but I cleaned it up a little. Not much furniture. That has a story too.”
He had a lot of stories. All for later, it seemed. She met him at the front of his truck, and he clasped her hand, taking two steps at a time to get to the porch. This man has long legs. “Good thing I left the heels at home today. Trying to keep up with you can be a challenge.”
“Sorry about that. Should I pick you up?” He wiggled his eyebrows. “Carry ya up the steps next time?”
“No thanks. Challenges can sometimes be fun.” She had been in his arms the other night. Doing it again wasn’t a bad idea.
“Got that right about challenges.” He unlocked the door and offered for her to go ahead of him.
They walked into a large kitchen with black granite countertops, light oak cupboards, and stainless steel appliances. The interior had an open floor plan. “This looks brand new. Have you lived here long?”
“Built it some years back but updated a couple years before.” He took a package of steaks from the fridge and a bunch of spices from the cupboard. “Go ahead and look while I get this started.”
Taking a quick glance around, she looked straight through to the dining room that had nothing more than a rectangular table with six chairs—another good sized room. Into the empty living room, she went to the windows that took up almost the whole wall across the back. “Your house is lovely.”
Looking outside, there it was again. Not everyone had a tourist att
raction in their back yard. A cactus caught her attention in the yard that must have been twenty feet tall. “What’s with the huge cactus?” She turned and he stood right behind her, close enough to almost feel him.
“You have your pine trees, we have our saguaros. Nice view, huh?” He stood beside her. “Hey, want a beer while you finish the tour?”
“I’ll have one, thanks.” She turned to follow him, but he gripped her arm, gave a gentle squeeze and told her he’d get it, encouraging her to carry on.
Continuing down a long hallway, she peered into what had to be a boy’s room. A wallpaper boarder of horses ran across the top, and there was a built-in chest that might have been used as a toy box. It had what looked like a painting of a horse on the top. She strolled down the hallway a little more, and leaned against the door jamb to another empty bedroom. She crossed her arms, a sadness creeping over her. A family had once lived here. By the pink color of the room and the frilly white curtains, this had to belong to his little girl.
Jase stood beside her in the doorway and handed her a mug of beer. “What is your daughter’s name?” When he told her, she had to wait before words would come out. Jaelle was a pretty name. This man’s life had been torn apart. Being here to see this caused her heart to twist in her chest.
“And my boy’s name is Joseph, but I call him Joey. He’s a good boy, and smart for his age.” He took hold of her arm. “Come on, let’s go out the front door and around to the barn.”
“What’s down that way?” She pointed to the other end of the hallway.
“My bedroom. I’m sure you don’t want to see that one. And my office is on the right.” Jase did a half shrug. “Most of the time I don’t want to see it, but it’s either go in or sleep on the floor.”
“Why don’t you like going in your room? Too messy?” she asked with a wink.
He nudged her arm. “I choose not to sleep on the floor.” Jase tilted his head down the hall. “Come on if you must. You might as well see it. I guess you can almost call your tour complete.”
Brenna’s shoulders relaxed and her breathing evened out. Maybe a teeny bit of apprehension she refused to pay attention to, lingered. Was she crazy? She knew nothing about him. No one knew she was here. They passed a full bathroom and his office on the way.
At the doorway he stopped and diverted his eyes. “Forgot to make my bed.” He went over and pulled his covers up, leaving them in a big bunch. Brenna thought his action was cute. He pulled up a shade and light burst in to lighten a dark, huge room.
The room had a large window and through it was a desert landscape with more saguaros than she could count. She walked toward the bathroom, looking in instead of entering. The room was large with a whirlpool bathtub and a walk-in shower enclosed behind a wall of cut glass block. It must have been part of the redo as well. The walls were painted light green, enough to show color without being overpowering.
“The Superstition seems to glow at sunset. You’ll be able to see it tonight. Nothing like an Arizona sunset. Even I have to say it’s awe-inspiring.” Jase held his hand out. “Let’s go to the barn. Maybe I’ll hike ya up on a horse out there.”
Brenna held her hand up. “Oh, no, at least let me get used to being around one first.” Maybe that was the wrong thing to say to a horse rancher. Her experience was limited.
“Huh? You...haven’t been around horses?”
Brenna grinned and stuck her hand into her back pocket. “I’m embarrassed to say yes. Especially to you. I have friends who ride but that doesn’t help me any.” Oh, boy here comes the razzing I bet.
“Ya know what? Before I came here I didn’t have much experience either. I had to learn this business, the horses. Now I can break one as good as the next cowboy. My brother has a ranch hand named Randy. He’s about the best at breaking around here though.”
“How’d ya learn?” She’d like to watch him break a horse.
“My dad taught me, and when he got too sick, my brothers took over.”
“Oh, your dad was sick?” Brenna tried to stop asking so many questions like the other night. She liked him as he was right now. But, she liked him a whole lot the last couple nights they were together, too.
“My dad had cancer and died eight years ago. Tristan, my middle brother, spent more time than me here with him.” Jase sat their glasses on the table and escorted her out the front door. “My little brother, Dane, decided he didn’t want to be a rancher anymore. He’s a soldier and good at it. Damn smart, too. An Army Ranger as a matter of fact.”
“Impressive,” said Brenna.
Once outside, they turned to the right and headed toward a big red barn. Brenna walked in with him, and they stopped at the first stall.
“This one’s a beauty,” said Brenna. The horse stuck its nose out through the opening in the side of the stall.
“This guy’s mine. We’ve been together for a while now.” Jase adjusted his hat lower on his head.
He went into the stall and took hold of the horses harness. With his hat pulled down over his forehead like that, she lost all focus when he lifted his chin, looked downward to see past the brim, and it looked awful sexy to her.
He brought the horse out. “This is Warrior. I’ll hook him into these cross ties and you can see him better. He’s awesome, ain’t he?”
Brenna patted his back and ran her hand over his sleek body. “What is he? He’s absolutely gorgeous.”
“My horse is manly, not gorgeous.” Jase chuckled. “Your hair is almost the same color as his mane and tail. His color is called light golden and his mane is considered flaxen. He’s a palomino.”
“Do you have more like this?” She threaded her fingers through his thick mane and slid her hand over his back again. “He’s big.”
“Follow me. He’s the only palomino right now.” Jase took her to Jaelle’s horse. “This is Sugar Plum, a Welsh pony. She’s as sweet as a puppy dog, everything perfect for my little girl.”
“Can I call her gorgeous? Her hair is so shiny. Do you brush her a lot?” Maybe she overdid it. “Does Jaelle ride her alone?”
“Only in the ring. We started out walking beside her, but she went to a lead rope. She can handle a cantor.” Jase patted the mare and took hold of Brenna’s elbow and they moved on. “She used to get brushed a lot. Not so much anymore.” He led her into the next stall, pointing at her feet. “You should have boots on.”
She peeked down at her shoes. “You’re correct about that. I’ll get a pair.”
“Both of my kids have their own horses. I thought it was important for many reasons. Being responsible for an animal is number one.” Jase showed her another horse. “This mustang is Joey’s. He’s considered dun in color.” Jase gave him a big pat and hugged his neck. “Meet Shadow. My son picked him out when he went to an auction with me. This horse took me for a lot of money. My kid has great taste.”
After visiting Shadow, Jase went in and out of each stall, patting and talking to the horses. If they stuck their nose through the small opening, she’d give them a pat. Brenna pictured him as a dad with his kids and the horses. A different man than she saw in the parking lot that night. She wanted to know him as he used to be. Was he a gentle soul who had bad times thrown upon him? Was it possible for that man to return? Here in his barn, she detected some of the person he might have been. “Your horses are all so gentle.”
“I try to get them that way, Brenna. Then I sell them to riding schools and they’re much easier on the students and trainers. If I get lucky, I make a lot of money selling it to the right buyer. This is what I hope for. The big one.” He removed his hat and wiped sweat from his brow and pushed his hair back before putting it back on. “More importantly, my own kids. Joey likes to ride others beside his own, and I keep that in mind when I’m buying and selling. I do some horse breeding too, but it can get expensive.”
This choked-up Brenna. His family had been his whole world. What a shame he was so broken-hearted. How could someone hurt him like that? Th
e urge to touch him overpowered her and when he came out of the stall, she clenched his arm. He turned to her, eyes full of questions.
She didn’t say anything. What was there to say? Brenna liked him…and she didn’t care if anyone called her a fool, but his body summoned her. He placed his hands on her waist and took a half step closer. His body so close, it was almost touching hers and she wanted to touch him, press close into him. Jase pulled her to his chest as if reading her mind and nuzzled his face into the hair at her neck, fisted the back. She released a big breath, whispering his name, “Jase.”
Releasing her hair and placing one hand at the back of her neck, he pulled her tighter against him. Her breathing became erratic and she didn’t know if he detected it.
Not sure what to do with her hands, she wrapped her fingers around his arms and he continued to hold her, but pulled back and stared into her eyes.
“Brenna, I-I don’t know…I’ve had such a great time with you these past few days.” She hadn’t noticed the rasp in his voice before. Maybe because he hadn’t spoken that low.
Trembling inside wouldn’t stop. He lowered his face closer to hers and peered into her eyes again. She moved her hand to the nape of his neck before lowering her gaze. Before she made a total fool of herself, she said, “Should we get to those steaks?”
“Yes, ma’am.” He didn’t release her until Warrior tapped his hoof on the floor a few times and grunted. “He wants to eat, too. Time for all of them. Wanna help feed before we get to the steaks?”
“I’d love to.” She slowly lowered her hand from his nape and dragged it down the front of his hard chest.
Jase leaned forward. He peered at her lips and back to her eyes. She so wanted to kiss him.
He backed away and pulled his hat down. “I’ll show you what to do.”
She sighed and he glanced over his shoulder, indicating for her to follow. Her body ached. It wasn’t something she was used to either.
Heartbreak's Reward (Double Dutch Ranch Series: Love at First Sight Book 2) Page 9
