Parks chuckled. “I have to say that Wade ‘Wild-ride’ Landry was quite a character.” The man’s hazel gaze locked on his. “He sure talked about you a lot.”
“He did?” Trent asked, sounding more surprised than he wanted to.
“Yes, he was proud of his son in Special Forces. Of course, he got so worried when you were deployed so many times, but that’s to be expected when a son goes off to war.”
Trent felt uncomfortable talking about the man he hadn’t seen or known in years. It was a shame that a stranger had talked with his dad more than his own son.
Jason Parks brought him out of his thoughts. “We could probably swap stories about Wade all day, but I’m sure you didn’t come here for that. What can I do for you, Trent?”
Good, back to business. “I need a construction loan to finish my building project.” He pulled a paper from his pocket, outlining his goals and everything he needed to finish the cabins. And of course, the amount he needed to borrow. He’d been up late last night coming up with the amount. “I have money in a retirement fund and substantial savings that I’d like to use for collateral.”
Jason walked around his desk as he looked over the proposal. “Why not use the Lucky Bar L?”
“I don’t want to risk the ranch.” He leaned forward. “Look, Jason. You had to hear about our contractor running off with the money Rory Quinn and I had for the project.”
At the man’s nod, Trent continued, “Well, I plan to finish the cabins myself. I’ll be the general contractor this time, and hire all the trades to do the work. If you can’t help me out, I’ll go look elsewhere, because the buildings need to be completed before the first snow.”
Jason Parks nodded. “Then I guess we need to get down to business and figure this out.”
Chapter Eight
That evening in her cabin, Brooke groaned as she shifted her aching body into a deeper, more comfortable position in the oversize bathtub. Nothing seemed to help ease the pain. After Trent dropped her off from their ride earlier, she’d only managed to fall into bed for a nap, but it hadn’t helped the stiffness in her legs and bottom.
Who would have thought riding a horse could hurt so much? Although she was proud of the fact she hadn’t fallen off Raven, and she had the satisfaction of helping Trent move the herd.
Brooke laid her head on the rolled towel she’d placed at the edge of the tub. She closed her eyes and her thoughts automatically turned to the cowboy she’d gotten to see in action this morning.
Not only had Trent looked commanding astride his horse, she’d also gotten to see a gentler side of the man when he’d freed a small calf tangled in some fencing. The sight of him cradling the tiny bovine in those big strong arms was so heartwarming, and after hearing the phrase a total turn-on several times, she now knew what it meant.
A warm feeling stirred her body. What woman could resist that? If she let herself, she could easily take the tumble. But she couldn’t keep dreaming up fantasies about this man.
She needed to remember she had a mother who was in a care facility, with Alzheimer’s, and her dream job still wasn’t hers yet. Then there was a twin sister and a father she never knew about. And there was a good chance that Rory and Laurel would reject her. Her chest tightened with the familiar ache.
Doubt set in again. Oh, God. What was she doing here, going horseback riding and sleeping in a fancy cabin that belonged to a family that would never be hers? She shouldn’t be wasting time thinking about a man just because he gave her a little attention. Trent Landry was out of her league. She had no idea how to play the male-female games. And what would he do when he learned the entire truth about her?
Seeing her fingers begin to shrivel like a prune, Brooke started to get out of the tub, but her sore muscles rebelled and she leaned back with another groan, and turned on the soothing jets.
She closed her eyes and sank deeper into the tub as the bubbles covered her breasts in a warm caress. The picture of the sexy cowboy with the deep-set chocolate eyes and a cleft chin flashed back into her head. Ten more minutes for a fantasy wasn’t going hurt.
* * *
TRENT WALKED UP on the cabin porch, balancing food containers in one hand so he could knock on the door. He waited a few seconds but there was no answer, not even a sound from inside. Where was Brooke? He glanced at her compact car parked beside his truck. It was already dark so he hoped she wasn’t running around outside on her own.
He tried the knob and it was locked. Good.
“Brooke?” he called but was met with silence again. Worried, he used the master key and opened the door, then walked into the empty room. “Brooke? It’s Trent. Are you here?”
He set the bags of food on the table and made his way down the hall, calling Brooke’s name so as to not startle her. He glanced inside the one bedroom to find the bed hadn’t been made. Then he saw clothes on the floor, the jeans and blouse Brooke had worn that morning. He stopped short seeing her lacy pink panties and bra. Thoughts of a naked Brooke flashed through his head. When his body reacted, he swiftly shook the picture away. He needed to find her.
Trent continued his search and headed to the last room in the small cabin, the bath. He hesitated as he reached the open door, knowing he should give Brooke privacy. He also needed to see that she was okay. At least that was what he told himself.
He nearly stumbled when he saw her lying in the tub. Her eyes were closed, and her lips slightly parted, letting him know she was sound asleep. His gaze moved down to her body, thanking the Lord that the soapy water kept her modesty intact. Barely. Even that didn’t make any difference to his suddenly active libido. He sucked air into his starved lungs. Okay, get a grip, Landry. What are you, fifteen?
A moan came from the tub, and his pulse shot off. He quietly jerked the door partly shut but the view of a naked Brooke had been burned into his brain.
He leaned against the wall, working to pull himself together. Maybe he should just leave. No. It wasn’t safe; she was in a tub.
Taking a relaxing breath, he raised his fist and began to knock on the door. “Brooke! Brooke, are you in there?”
Not a sound. He knocked hard. “Brooke. It’s Trent. If you don’t answer, I’m coming in there.”
He waited a few more seconds, then he heard her voice. “Trent? What are you doing here?”
With the sound of water splashing he knew she was climbing out of the tub. Naked.
He shut his eyes, and damn, if he couldn’t imagine water sluicing down her slim body, her full breasts, along the curve of those hips. He swallowed and managed to say, “I brought you some...ointment for your sore muscles.”
There was a pause, then the door opened a crack and her face appeared, damp curls circling her face. She looked adorable and sexy as hell. He glanced down to see that she was wrapped in a towel. “And some supper,” he managed.
Her eyes went wide in surprise, as if she, too, recognized the intimacy of the situation. “I’ll be out in a few minutes.”
He jerked his thumb in the direction of the hall. “I’ll...just go back to the living room. Holler if you need anything.” He turned and walked down the hall before he did something stupid.
* * *
FIFTEEN MINUTES LATER, Brooke finally made an appearance. It had taken her that long to get the nerve up to face Trent. She knew that the bathroom door had been open when she’d gotten into the tub. A shiver went through her knowing he had to have seen her. He had done the gentlemanly thing, closed the door before he’d called out to her.
She’d put on a pair of sweats and socks, leaving her hair in a loose ponytail and walked into the living room. She stopped short and her pulse shot up a notch when she got a load of the man waiting for her. Minus his cowboy hat, his thick brown hair lay in waves across his high forehead. His chiseled jaw showed off the fact that he had shaved recently. He was dressed in a light blue collared shirt and black jeans.
“Hi...”
He smiled. “Do you feel better?”
“Much,” she said, as heat crawled up her neck then to her face. She worked to keep her movements slow and even. “The bath helped a lot.”
He held up the paper bag. “This might help, too. Some call it a magic ointment.”
She reached inside and took out a bottle of ibuprofen, then a large jar of cream. She read the label. “This says it’s for animals.”
He shrugged. “All I know is it works great on sore muscles. I’ve used it myself many times, especially when I first came back to the ranch. I hadn’t ridden in years.” He motioned with his hand. “Go put some on and I’ll warm up some dinner.”
“I should help you,” she said.
“I can handle this.” Trent folded his arms across his chest. Even in pain, dressed in baggy sweats, and her hair pulled into a messy ponytail, she was damn appealing.
She straightened. “Stop trying to intimidate me, Mr. Sergeant Major.”
And feisty. “Look, I’m the one who let you sit in the saddle most of the day. Humor me, Brooke, and try the cream. And also take some ibuprofen.”
She glared back, then finally relented and turned and walked away.
It killed Trent to see her wince in pain. At least she’d soaked in the tub. That should help her some.
Suddenly a picture of her rubbing the cream over her body popped into his mind, but he quickly shook it away. “Get a grip.”
Busying himself with supper, he set place mats on the coffee table, along with paper plates and plastic forks. He knew Brooke would be more comfortable on the sofa.
Tasks completed, he stood back and eyed the makeshift table. He thought about lighting candles, then stopped himself. This wasn’t a seduction, just a simple meal with a visitor to the ranch. Off in the distance, he heard the rumble of thunder. A storm was moving through tonight, promising some much-needed rain. Those candles might be needed after all.
Trent went back to the counter and opened two foil-wrapped containers from the diner in town and placed them in the preheated oven to keep warm.
Ten minutes later, Brooke came out of the bathroom. Moving slowly, she made her way into the room, and smiled as she looked around.
“Oh, Trent. What have you done?”
Her soft, husky voice caused his body to react again. He took the containers out. “If you have to ask, then I guess I did it wrong.”
“No, that’s not what I meant. You didn’t need to do all this.”
“It’s only Monday night’s meat-loaf special from the diner.” He shrugged. “Since I was in town, anyway, I thought I’d bring back supper, especially since I knew you’d be a little sore from today’s ride.”
She seemed to relax at his comments. “And I thank you for going to all this trouble. You’re spoiling me, and I’m not used to... I mean, I don’t get the chance to enjoy many evening meals.”
He escorted her to the sofa, wondering about the kind of men who’d been in her life. “Well, you’re getting spoiled tonight.”
She sank down onto the leather sofa. “You’re not going to want to sit too close—the smell is pretty strong.” She wrinkled her cute nose. “The ointment is wicked. I slathered on a pretty good dose.”
Smiling, he couldn’t help imagining her hands working the cream over her long slender legs. “Give it a few hours and you’ll see it’s worth the odor.” He needed to concentrate on something else. Supper. “I poured you water, but if you want something else...”
“No, this is fine.”
Trent dished the food onto the plates, then carried them to the table.
“Oh, this looks wonderful.” Brooke started to scoot forward, but he stopped her.
“Let me make it easier for you.” He reached under the coffee table, released the latch and pulled the top up, making it table height.
She smiled. “How nice.”
That pleased look caused his pulse to race. “Rory and I decided our guests should be able to enjoy a game on the television.” He nodded toward the bare wall and sat down next to her. “Soon there’ll be a large flat screen hanging there. They’ll have a front-row seat right here.”
She bit off a piece of the roll. “Are you going ahead with the building?”
Nodding, he swallowed a bite of meat loaf. “There isn’t any choice, unless we both want to lose our investment. Earlier today, I went to the bank to work out a loan. I’ve been approved, and I’ve already hired a carpenter, a roofer and a plumber. If this rainstorm moves through tonight, the rest of the week looks clear to begin the work.”
A rumble of thunder filled the silence as she picked up her fork. “What about Rory?”
“He texted me today and let me know he’ll be home in a few days. He has other things on his mind, and he hasn’t texted me back about the loan. I had to go ahead with this. Winter is coming, along with snow, and any more delays could cause us more trouble.” He looked at her. “Are you still able to stay until Laurel and the family get back?”
She shrugged. “Like I said before, I’ve taken some vacation time for the week. But if I hear from the Dream Chaser Hotel about me being hired, I’ll have to leave.”
Four days. That excited him more than it should. “You don’t sound happy about it.”
“I’m worried about my mother. Erin, at the care facility, has assured me that she’s been doing well. Of course, Coralee is anxious for me to talk with Laurel.”
“I’m sorry,” he said. “You have a lot of things you put on hold waiting until the Quinns come home. Funny thing is, Rory usually never leaves the ranch. Diane has always had to drag him away for even a short vacation.”
Brooke shrugged. “I did show up here unannounced.”
She enjoyed talking to Trent. He was a good listener. Most men she had known wanted to talk about themselves, and none had been as interesting as Trent. Okay, none were as good-looking either.
She took a bite of her mashed potatoes and the buttery favor had her closing her eyes. “Oh, my gosh. These are delicious.”
“Bill’s specialty. And his meat loaf, too.”
Ten minutes later, their plates were empty, and everything had been eaten.
“Well, that was shameful.” Brooke sank back onto the sofa. “I can’t believe I ate all that food.”
Trent nodded. “Horseback riding is great exercise. You burned a lot of calories today.”
“And I think I’m crippled for life,” she joked.
He frowned. “That’s my fault. I never should have let you ride two days in a row.”
“I’m glad you did, because I’ll probably never have the chance again. So thank you for such a wonderful day.”
* * *
AN HOUR LATER, Trent glanced down at Brooke’s peaceful face. She had somehow positioned herself against him. One minute they’d been sitting comfortably on the sofa, just talking about Laurel and Rory. Then he’d noticed her lack of conversation and looked at her. She was sound asleep.
He would laugh about the situation if his body hadn’t been in a constant state of arousal since she’d snuggled up to him. There was nothing he wanted more than to kiss her sweet mouth, and feel her body under his while he made love to her. He dropped his head back on the sofa with a groan. He began to visualize several more fantasies with one pretty blonde. And none of them were G-rated.
Brooke shifted in her sleep and her hand moved dangerously close to the waistband of his jeans.
He couldn’t take much more.
As carefully as possible, he held her away from him as he stood, then he leaned down and lifted her into his arms.
Brooke stirred and opened her eyes. “Trent...”
His heart pounded in his chest, hearing her whisper his name. “That’s right, babe, I’m here.” He started walking down the hall and into her dark room. “It’s time for you to be in bed.”
“Oh, okay. So tired.”
He couldn’t believe how trusting she was with him. Reluctant to let her go, he managed to place her down on the mattress, then he pulled a blanket
and quilt over her. He felt her shiver and he reached for another blanket off the chair, and layered it on top of the quilt.
A flash of lightning shone across Brooke’s face as she turned on her side, then snuggled into the pillow. Crouching down beside the bed, Trent brushed the hair from her face. He felt something tighten around his heart as he watched her sleep. Unable to resist any longer, he leaned closer and placed a gentle kiss against her cheek. “Good night, cowgirl.”
Brooke’s eyes blinked open. “You kissed me.”
He couldn’t help a smile. “Just a good-night kiss.”
Suddenly a strange expression crossed her face. “No one ever kisses me.” Then her eyes drifted shut and soon he heard the soft sound of her breathing, letting him know she’d fallen asleep again.
He stood and walked out of the room. Nobody ever kissed her? What did that mean? No men? Not her mother?
Trent carried their paper plates into the kitchen and dumped them in the trash can under the sink. He thought back to his own childhood, his brother’s death, then his parents’ divorce and the lonely years in the military. He’d found he still wanted to come back here to the Lucky Bar L. Maybe find what he’d lost, exorcise ghosts from the past.
He thought about the woman in the next room. He fought the urge to go back and pull Brooke into his arms and hold her. Something told him she hadn’t had much of that in her life. Whether or not she had, he couldn’t let her get close. Brooke Harper was still a mystery to him and he might need help to figure her out.
He grabbed a towel to wipe off his hands, then grabbed his jacket and headed out the door. Rory Quinn, you need to get home and take care of business. He walked out into the storm, but it was nothing compared to the one brewing inside him.
Chapter Nine
The next morning, the sun was up and the sky, clear. Trent looked out his cabin window as he sipped his third cup of coffee. He’d been up for two hours, helped the men feed the barn stock, and been on the phone with Ricky to check on the Lucky Bar L. They’d been fortunate the storm had passed through the area, and hadn’t done any damage.
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