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The Wild Rose Press
www.thewildrosepress.com
Copyright ©2008 by Mallary Mitchell
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NOTICE: This work is copyrighted. It is licensed only for use by the original purchaser. Making copies of this work or distributing it to any unauthorized person by any means, including without limit email, floppy disk, file transfer, paper print out, or any other method constitutes a violation of International copyright law and subjects the violator to severe fines or imprisonment.
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CONTENTS
Praise for Mallary Mitchell
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
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Roped and Tied
by
Mallary Mitchell
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales, is entirely coincidental.
Roped and Tied
COPYRIGHT ©
2008 by Mallary Mitchell
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the author or The Wild Rose Press except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.
Contact Information: [email protected]
Cover Art by Tamra Westberry
The Wild Rose Press
PO Box 708
Adams Basin, NY 14410-0706
Visit us at www.thewildrosepress.com
Publishing History
First Yellow Rose Edition, 2008
Published in the United States of America
Praise for Mallary Mitchell
In Wayback, Texas a cowboy falls in love every eight seconds, but for Jericho Farrell, hero of Mallory Mitchell's Roped and Tied, falling in love wasn't enough. He had big plans and big dreams, and being tied down with Eden Sawyer wasn't part of them. Years later, when he returns to Wayback, he discovers that the things you walk away from never quite leave you. What he feels for Eden is stronger than ever. He just has to convince her—and deal with the secret she'd determined to keep. Mallory Mitchell has captured both the flavor of Wayback, Texas and the essence of the people who live there in a story that you won't put down until you finish it. She'll make you wish Wayback was a real place that you could visit—and that a Jericho Farrell would be waiting there to greet you. Hats off, Ms. Mitchell, for a heartwarming, love story.
~Judith Rochelle, Author of Redemption, Love With a Proper Rancher, Cutter's Law and One Hot Texas Night.
Saddle up for another trip to Wayback Texas and Mallory Mitchell's Roped and Tied. Young love wasn't enough to keep local cowboy, Jericho Farrell from leaving pretty Eden Sawyer for bigger and better things. Years later, he returns to his small Texas hometown and learns that some things never change, including his attraction to Eden. Sparks fly, tempers flare, and a half-pint secret waits right around the corner. Neither Jericho's nor Eden's lives will ever be the same. This sweet story is fast-paced and fun. Spend a hot Texas afternoon with Mallary Mitchell's Roped and Tied and enjoy the ride.
~Rita Thedford-author of Hot Night at the Blue Bug Saloon and One Dependable Man
[Back to Table of Contents]
Chapter One
Four Years Ago
Jericho Farrell had just signed on with Boyd Walton's huge ranch in Waco. He was officially working for Walton now and should have been elated. But he wasn't.
He pulled off the road just past the fairgrounds at Coy Sawyer's fruit stand and sat behind the steering wheel of his old Firebird searching for the words to explain this to Eden.
Eden was a reasonable person. Maybe she would understand why he had taken the job. Yeah. Sure she'd understand that he'd signed with a competitor after practically being raised in the Sawyer household.
He groaned. This wasn't a question of loyalty or family. This was about him, his life. He deserved this chance. But would Eden understand?
In a hopeless attempt to release the growing knots of tension, he rolled his neck to the left, then to the right. His eyes shifted to the darkening skies. Maybe he should come back later. It looked like a storm was brewing. Yeah, later would be good.
No. It was too late to chicken out now. He shook his head with a little laugh. Eden was walking his way. He opened his creaking door and leaned against the car.
She flashed him a smile and good sense told him to duck and run. He should have never touched her but he had. He should have never let his relationship with the boss's daughter get so out of control but he had, and now he had to face the consequences.
"I didn't expect to see you.” She had to stand on tiptoes to brush his lips with a kiss. It was meant to be a promise of things to come. Kind of like when he revved his engine at the stoplight. “I called your house earlier but Dylan said you weren't home and wouldn't tell me where you were."
Why was she out here on the interstate in those shorts and that little top? Why she still insisted taking a shift at the stand, he didn't know. She'd been working at Wayback's Trauma Center since graduating nursing school. One would think patching up broken cowboys every weekend would keep her occupied, but she still insisted on working here at her father's farm as well. She raised one brow and tilted her head. “So?"
"I was out.” He blew out a long breath.
"Oh,” Eden's widened her eyes, “I see. That explains a lot.” She walked off with a sigh. “None of my business, huh?"
The long shadows told him it was getting close to her closing time and she had already started packing up the fruit for the day. She returned to her task.
Tell her.
Heat just short of suffocating gripped his lungs. It had been a beautiful morning, but late day thunderheads had topped out and flattened in the sky. Jericho wanted to get home before the storm hit, but he really didn't want Eden hearing this on the evening news. And it would be on the local news, with Buck getting hurt like he had, Boyd wanted a replacement. Boyd was going to sponsor him to ride in the rodeo.
Boyd had been impressed with his time and his performance on amateur night at the Yellow Rose Corral. Shoot, he'd just done what he'd been doing for Eden's father Coy since he was fourteen. He'd been getting prizes for his calf roping for a while now. One thing was certain. He was never going to get this chance with Coy. Coy liked the rodeo, but all he cared about was bull riding.
Eden needed to hear the news from him. He watched her sorting fruit, and moving baskets. His eyes swept the length of the produce stand. The sweet smell of fruit in baskets and bags sorted by grade and variety saturated the humid air. It brought back way too many heady memories of stolen summer evenings spent alone with her.
This was not going to be pretty.
Eden was already giving him the silent treatment for his evasive answer. She would consider his employment with Walton an act of treason. Her father, the great Coy Sawyer, had won three, count them, three PBR titles. But Jericho didn't ride bulls and Coy didn't consider calf roping a priority.
Jericho needed a backer to enter the competition at the Yellow Rose and Coy wasn't going to do it. It was just too expensive. He'd sponsor Matt, of course. Matt was Coy's son, while Jericho was just an employee. Despite the fact he demonstrated his skills frequently on the
ranch by riding down and roping calves, it was just too expensive a venture.
It wasn't right how some people had so much while others had so little. Coy owned a big ranch. Even now Jericho was at Sawyer's roadside fruit stand. Everything Jericho touched had “Sawyer” on it somewhere, including Eden.
As of today, Jericho was no longer part of Sawyer Farms. No more empty promises, no more dangling carrots and no more paying homage to the great Sawyer name.
A sprinkle of rain had started to fall and he walked to the shelter where Eden busily ignored his presence. She had dressed for the heat. Her shoulder length blonde hair had been swept off her neck in a disorderly ponytail. Her pale blue camisole stopped at the midriff, and those shorts revealed more than covered her tanned legs.
He walked over to stand beside her. “Eden?"
She looked up at him.
Tell her. “You know—I really need some peaches.” Coward.
Her eyes narrowed and she gave him a speculative look. “I think we might have a few."
"Yeah,” he looked in the surrounding bins. “And they smell good."
"Take one.” She grabbed a peach off the counter and held it in her open palm. “I culled these out. They're too ripe to sell. Personally, this is how I like a peach.” She rubbed the fruit lightly with her thumb. “The skin will come right off in your hand.” She held the fruit out to him.
He just stared at the ripe fruit, soft, sweet, and tempting. He reached for it, the caress of his thumb on her palm was unintentional. “I guess you aren't named Eden for nothing."
"What?” She crinkled her nose.
Lord, she was pretty.
"Eden ... fruit."
"Oh.” She rolled her eyes and gave a dismissive wave. “The peaches are hardly forbidden fruit."
But you were.
She crossed her arms and his eyes went to the low vee of the camisole. He jerked his head away and bit into the peach.
Her hazel eyes flickered up at him. She cocked her head in question, giving him a hard look. “What is wrong with you? Oh, wait, I know.” She pursed her lips tapping her fingers on the edge of a crate.
Jericho looked at her and stopped chewing. His stomach tightened.
"You're here to tell me you can't make it to Dad's wedding, aren't you?"
Relief washed over him. That was this weekend. With all the excitement he had forgotten Coy's wedding entirely. “I don't know if I can or not."
"Jericho! You've known about this for weeks. How could you forget my only father's wedding?"
"It slipped my mind.” He shrugged. No longer interested in eating, he gave the peach a toss and once again evasively changed the subject. “I ought to take my Grandma some peaches. She usually cans some. How much are they a bushel?” He reached for his wallet.
She shook her head. “Is your brain on vacation? I have a bushel of Galas for her in the cooler. I asked you to come get them last night. And put your money up. I wouldn't think of charging your grandma. She's like family."
His grandmother had been Coy's housekeeper until her health had gotten too bad. His family was the hired help. Yet another of the hundred or so reasons he should have kept away from Eden. He sighed and sat on a weathered stool.
"Gosh, you're really talkative today.” She gave a little grin. “Maybe it's not a bad thing.” She left her job of putting the produce back into the crates and baskets and walked to stand between his legs. She inched both palms under his shirt. “Talking isn't always necessary. And I don't have any customers."
His throat began to close. He grabbed her hands and held them in his.
"Eden, I really need to talk to you."
She wiggled her wrists out of his grasp and placed both hands around his neck. “Please come to the wedding."
He tried to remain impassive as she massaged the knots and kinks in his neck muscles. He tried not to remember all the times with her. He desperately needed to let her go. Eden was a princess in this town and he ... well ... he was no prince.
"Please, say you'll be there.” She gave a sweet pout and he made the mistake of looking into those eyes of hers. “They're having dancing at the reception and if you don't show up I won't have anybody to dance with but Tucker."
"Tucker?” He spoke a bit more forceful than he intended. Thoughts of Eden in the arms of last season's bull riding boy wonder didn't sit well. He saw her self-satisfied smirk and had a strange suspicion she knew what she'd done.
"Well, at least he doesn't mind dancing with me."
"He better not dance with you.” Jericho backed away at the intensity of emotion. He had to get out of here.
"About the peaches.” He began again. “I want some of those whatever-kind-you gave me in addition to Grandma's bushel, and I do intend to pay you.” He was direct and businesslike. Thunder rumbled in the unsettled sky.
"I'm not taking your money. If you liked that one, I'd be more than happy to give you these really ripe ones and let them go to good use instead of going to waste. Just wait and I'll get Hazel's peaches.” Eden walked toward the cooler.
"You are not carrying a bushel of peaches. It's way too heavy for you."
"Since when?” She cut her eyes up at him.
"Eden, you know the two of us are different.” Jericho followed her.
She stopped just short of the door. “Is that what's wrong? You're stuck on our differences again? Sure we're different. That's what makes it interesting."
"You and I don't exactly run in the same social circles. You're a Sawyer."
"And you are so negative.” The wind blew around them. And the clouds mirrored her now stormy eyes. “How many times do I have to tell you I don't care who your parents are? I surely don't think we are mismatched."
"Eden ... It's complicated.” He placed his hands on her waist.
She felt so incredibly good in his arms. Jericho stole one last soft kiss. He lifted his head.
"Jericho? What is wrong?"
He opened the door to the cooler and walked into the huge refrigerator where more produce than he cared to calculate was stashed. I took a job with Walton, just say it.
He opened his mouth and a loud crash of thunder stopped the words.
"Man, that was a close one.” She bit her bottom lip after a nervous little laugh.
"Yeah.” He looked out the open door to the sky. “You don't need to be out here in a storm. Where's your car?"
"Home. I walked here.” Eden hugged her arms to her body and cast worried eyes to the sky.
"You walked?"
She shrugged. “The weather was fine earlier. Hey, could you take me home?"
It was a simple request.
"Sure. Let me help you close this place down."
Rain poured before they finished closing and Eden was soaking wet as she piled into his car. She pulled the elastic band from her hair and shook her short curls.
She looked even prettier with the raindrops clinging to her face.
"Jericho, can you stay with me a while?"
"I really need to get home.” He took a right off the interstate highway toward the Sawyer place then, turned again into a long paved driveway.
He parked the car in front of an imposing white house.
"Please?” She begged.
Jericho took her hand in his. “I don't think I ought to."
"Are you having second thoughts about us?” She sighed.
He looked away. “No need to do that. I know getting involved with you was a mistake.” He put the car in park.
Her face registered surprise and her mouth dropped a second before she recovered. “Boy, you really know how to make a girl feel good. If you came here to dump me, I get it.” Eden's eyes filled with tears.
"I didn't mean it like you took it."
"How else did you mean it?” She rivaled nature's fury as she slammed the car door.
He watched her run inside.
He didn't leave. He had just sat debating whether or not to go after her. His decision was made for him
when a loud pop of lightning blacked out the lights in the large house. He couldn't leave her alone. He made his way into her house. “Eden?” He called from the kitchen.
"Go away.” He could tell by her voice she was in the basement.
"I didn't mean to hurt your feelings.” He yelled as he felt his way down the stairs.
"Hurt my feelings?"
It took a moment to see where she sat on the old sofa in darkness.
He eased down beside her. “I didn't mean it in a bad way. I just meant I should have had more control.” He could feel her shaking.
She was crying without making a sound. He couldn't see the tears but he felt them as he placed his hand on her cheek.
"Eden, please don't.” He scooted closer and wrapped an arm around her. “Let's face it. You're the boss's daughter. I shouldn't have let it get out of hand like it did. I really care for you. I don't want to break up with you."
"I care for you too. That's why it doesn't matter who I am and who you are.” She snuggled closer laying her head on his shoulder. She crossed her legs over his.
"I love you, Jericho. I have always loved you."
She moved in closer to him, into his lap, pressing her body to his. Jericho's defenses fell. His body took control. His lips closed at the base of her throat where her pulse pounded, then he moved lower to where the top button of her camisole strained. When his hand hesitated, she unbuttoned all three buttons.
"Please Jericho.” She whispered. “I've missed you this week."
"No.” He spoke into her hair breathing heavily. Jericho stared a moment out the window. The lightning illuminated the yard so he could see the tires of his old black bomb parked in the driveway. He tried to recall every part of his car's failing engine. Gas—did he have enough gas to get home? “I should go."
"Stay with me, at least until the storm stops."
"Eden, under the circumstances..."
She raked her nails across his stomach. “You need to stay,” she said.
He couldn't help but groan. “Lord, you are killing me.” Jericho's mouth met hers once again.
Roped and Tied [Wayback, Texas Series] Page 1
