by V. A. Dold
A secret smile fluttered on her lips as she recalled the crush she had harbored for Stefan when she was a teenager. Somewhere around ten or twelve years older than her sixteen years at the time, he’d been breathtaking.
Glossy, thick, blond hair that hung past his shoulders in waves. Dreamy, honey golden eyes with the thickest, longest lashes she’d ever seen. Full, decadent lips that made her heart flutter just by thinking about them. But, his body...damn, instant wet panties. Her smile immediately transformed into a scowl as she visualized the womanizer she knew him to be.
Stefan Le Beau was one distraction she didn’t need nor want. Squaring her shoulders, she turned from the unseen splendid view. That impressionable teenage girl was long gone. Experience had stomped ‘carefree’ right out of her.
Between the loss of her father and the never-to-be-named-again college boys, her heart was no longer open for business. Her opinion of most men didn’t even budge the arrow on the interest meter.
The last thing she sought was a date, God forbid a relationship. Dating could lead to emotions, and for her that always meant heartbreak. Therefore, she simply removed men from her equation of happiness. Life was predictable on her ranch, nice and steady, just the way she liked it. She didn’t need nor want anyone rocking the even keel she had established.
Gulping the last of her coffee, she walked back to the kitchen. A glance at the clock over the sink told her it was time to start her daily chores. El made straight for the wheelbarrow and manure fork. There were stalls to muck and horses to be fed. One step through the large double doors of the main barn and she stopped short. Someone was in her barn. All she could see from where her feet remained glued in place was a set of extra wide shoulders and a very lucky pair of jeans that were painted onto a perfectly honed male ass.
Stefan Le Beau.
Great.
Just peachy.
A toolbox stood open and several tools lay spread on the floor near the damaged sliding stall door. The one she had planned to work on today. The lunkhead whistled to himself as he wrestled the door back on its track. Leaning on the manure fork, she watched silently as she wondered if he even knew which end of a screwdriver to use.
Reluctantly she had to admit, he made quite a sight with biceps flexing and thighs straining. El suppressed a groan when he bent over and his jeans pulled further down that delectable backside. The man apparently hadn’t heard the news..there was a thing called a belt.
As if it wasn’t bad enough, the aggravating man stood and arched to stretch his back, which, of course, tested the limits of the buttons on his shirt. Without her permission, her body clenched and her nipples hardened. Damn body. She just had a talk with it last night, too. Apparently a second reprimand was in order along with a badly-needed chat with her hormones.
When BR lifted his cowboy hat to scratch his head she got a glimpse of his face. A five o'clock shadow! It made him look a little less white collar, a bit more rugged, and, God forbid, a whole lot more handsome. Of course it was perfectly trimmed and shaped. How do you even manage a five o'clock shadow at seven a.m.?
And why is it so hot in here?
As if he heard her, Stefan turned his head her direction, his honey brown eyes met her chocolate gaze. She quickly straightened and adjusted her hat nervously. And that pissed her off more. After her two hour session last night with Pamela, she was on an even keel again. There was no reason to feel nervous around him or any other man.
“Good morning, El. How are you this beautiful day?”
His greeting was too bright and sunny for this time of the morning. She would bet he wasn’t accustomed to hard work before breakfast. His dimples made her heart ache for things she’d never have. Dang it, she would have to have a talk with that, too.
“What are you doing in my barn?”
Stefan pointed the screwdriver he held at the stall.
“Fixing your door.”
As if he was supposed to be in her barn at seven a.m.
“I don’t remember asking you to come here, or fix anything on my ranch.”
“You didn’t need to ask. I wanted to help.”
The best solution was to pay him for the labor and get rid of him. She never went into debt to anyone if she could help it.
“No man works for free on my ranch. What do I owe you? Then you can leave.”
She crossed her arms to hide her treacherous nipples, and kept her tone neutral.
“If you go out to lunch with me, I’ll be paid in full.”
He bent again to gather the tools left lying about. She swore he turned just a bit to give her a really good view.
“You already paid for lunch last night, or has your short-term memory already faded in your old age?” She was really getting annoyed now.
He stopped and gave her a heart-stopping mischievous grin. “Actually, I paid for dinner. I’m talking about lunch. And, for the record, my memory is perfect and I’m not that old.”
El tapped her foot in frustration. “On what planet would I agree to eat two meals with you?”
His gaze became heated and caused his golden eyes to sparkle in the dimly lit barn. She blinked to erase the image, and suddenly he was there, in front of her, much too close.
Stepping back, she looked away. He was too intense.
Too tempting.
Too everything.
Her treacherous nipples were still hard pebbles and now her panties were damp. The man was a menace and needed to leave ASAP. She couldn’t handle him acting like he was attracted to her when she knew all too well the type of women he hound-dogged around with.
When his eyes made a slow sweep over her body as though he wanted her and he licked his lips suggestively, she was pushed to her limit. The man was an expert at seduction, but she wasn’t falling for his tricks.
“Pack up your tools and take your little games somewhere else. They aren’t appreciated here.”
“Aw, now, cher, don’t be like that. You might as well admit that you’ll be eating a lot more than two meals with me. Come on, have lunch with me.”
“I think it’s time for your medication. I suggest you pick up your toolbox and leave. I have things to do.”
“Tell you what, you have lunch with me at Ralph’s Diner down the road and afterwards I’ll drop you off and leave.”
“What’s option two?”
Stefan’s grin faded. “There is no option two.”
“You’re not going to cry, are you?” she frowned.
“Would it work if I did?”
“No.” El threw up her hands. “Ah, hell. I’ll go. But, only because Grand-mère would be horrified by my lack of manners if I didn’t.”
Stefan’s face lit up like a little boy with his first pony. “Will eleven be too early for lunch, or should I come at noon?”
“Eleven is fine. I’ll have the morning chores done and I can get a shower in before you return.”
“Oh, now you’re just being plain mean talking about taking a shower to me,” he teased as his gaze heated again.
“Not happening, BR.” She pushed the wheelbarrow into the stall trying her best to ignore him.
Holy Moses! Was he just looking at my lips like he wanted to kiss me, or did I imagine it?
Breathing immediately became an issue and she felt slightly lightheaded. The man was potent… no, beyond potent. She could handle plain, old everyday potent – this was something altogether different. She wanted to lean toward him and lay one on him good and proper.
What the hell was that? You don’t go around kissing men. Ever. But, damn, she sure did want to.
“BR?”
“Don’t ask things you don’t want to know.”
El began mucking out the first stall effectively ending the conversation.
Stefan had two options, leave or start mucking the next stall. It looked like his brand new Tony Lamas were officially work boots and no longer just for show.
Two hours of hard labor and the barn was spotless. The last t
ime he worked this hard was when they remodeled the cabin a couple years ago. He hadn’t realized how much he missed it. El did this seven days a week with no time off. He decided right then he would come by as often as possible and pitch in. He didn’t care for the idea of his mate working this hard while he sat in an office. It felt...wrong.
El straightened from dumping the last load of soiled straw, put her palms to the small of her back and flexed to stretch sore muscles.
She had to hand it to old BR, he’d hung in there until the job was done.
Well hell, I guess I better offer to fix him lunch. We can’t go to the diner with him smelling like a dirty stall. She rolled her eyes. Grand-mère is going to be thrilled. I can’t believe I’m allowing him to join us. Guess I’ve made more headway with Pamela than I thought.
“Thank you for helping, Stefan. Would you like to have lunch here at the house instead of the diner? I’m sure Grand-mère would like to meet you.”
His heart leapt into his throat. She actually thanked him and asked him to join her in the house. Progress was a beautiful thing.
“I’d love to meet your grand-mère.”
The house was warm and inviting. Everything he expected a ranch house to be. Comfortable furniture with lace doilies at the head rests, woven rugs scattered on the floor. This was a well-loved home.
“El? That you? Who's with you, cher?”
“Stefan Le Beau came by to help out this morning.” She gave Stefan an evil grin, then continued. “I found him fixing the broken stall door and now he won’t leave.”
“Thank you for helping my granddaughter, Mr. Le Beau. Why don’t you come on in and take a load off.”
“I would love to, ma'am. But, please, call me Stefan.”
“I’ll make you a deal. I’ll call you Stefan if you call me Mémé or Marie, I answer to either. Now, I'm sure you could use a cup of coffee. So bring yourself in here.”
“Yes, ma'am, Marie.” Stefan laughed. He liked this feisty old lady.
“Good answer. No use arguing with Mémé,” El agreed.
“I’m sure it would be like arguing with my mother, a waste of breath and always a losing battle.”
Stefan removed his hat and smiled. The effect was staggering. His hair was slightly mussed and hung into his honey-colored eyes. And those dimples could cause cardiac arrest, not to mention the way his shirt stretched taut over his chest. Or the soft, worn blue jeans that hugged his hips like a lover. He was the picture perfect cowboy of every teenage girl’s wet dream.
Heat raced up her neck to her face when a polite cough jerked her gaze to his.
Shit!
His lips twitched as he suppressed his pleasure at her appreciative assessment. He tried to hold back his excitement. He failed.
“I have coffee brewed. Would you like a cup?” Mémé offered. “I knew El would be coming in for a cup about now.”
“Thank you, I would love a cup.”
“What have you been up to, Stefan?” she heard Grand-mère ask as she got the coffee together in the kitchen.
“We’ve started building Simon’s new PTSD dog compound and Lucas is home from traveling. I believe he’s planning to purchase a working dude ranch across the state line in Texas.”
“Oh? I’m so glad Lucas is home. He an El were friends before he left to travel a couple years ago. He even asked her out a few times.”
What the hell?
Stefan would be having a talk with Lucas the minute he got home. “Really? Did they date before he left?”
“No, much to my dismay. I can’t seem to get El married to a nice fella, not for a lack of trying, mind you. At this rate I’ll never get great–grandbabies.”
Honey-colored eyes fastened on hers as she entered from the kitchen with a loaded tray.
“Grand-mère, why are you talking to him about my love life? Could we talk about something else, please?”
Marie ignored her and continued on like she hadn’t heard a word. “She went out with a nasty, rich kid in college and now she doesn’t date anymore.”
El’s head snapped toward her grand-mère. “Mémé, it’s not his business. Please, don’t.”
Stefan gave El a good, long look. He had a little background work for Thomas and John. One way or another he would get the name of the jerk who hurt El bad enough to make her avoid men all together.
“Mémé, do I smell your cornbread in the oven?” She needed to change the subject...fast.
“Yes, you do. Who needs a refill?”
When Mémé turned away to refill her cup, El mouthed “sorry” to Stefan. Grand-mère had a filter issue sometimes and it appeared her filter was on the fritz this morning.
He reached out and took her hand in a show of support. Energy and heat shot up her arm, setting a flurry of butterflies loose in her stomach.
She quickly pulled her hand away. Headway, yes. Insanity, no. A second later, Mémé walked back in. That was much too close of a call.
“Maybe Lucas can take you out to dinner one night now that he’s back. Or perhaps Stefan is the Le Beau who is interested in you now?”
“Mémé, Stefan was the one who won me at the auction. He already is taking me to dinner.”
“Yes, I am. But, I just asked her to lunch and she in turn invited me to eat here at the house today, if that’s all right with you, ma’am? Then Friday evening I was going to make her dinner at my place.”
“That’s wonderful news.” She looked at El. “Last night’s session must have really helped.” Then she glanced to Stefan, “I’ll make sure El is ready for your dinner date.” Her grand-mère leaned forward, very serious about El’s personal life. “What time will you be picking her up?” This woman was intense when it came to finding El a boyfriend.
Stefan drew his brows in. “Session?”
Before Mémé could respond, she said, “I appreciate the offer to cook, Stefan, but you really don’t have to go to all the trouble. Dinner at the diner is perfectly fine.”
“Nonsense, El, where are your manners?” Marie gave her a stern glare. “This handsome, eligible bachelor has offered to make you dinner. You'll go if I have to tie you up and get you ready myself.”
El’s eyebrows rose in shock at Mémé’s declaration. Then she cracked a smile and shook her head at her Grand-mere Marie, “All right, Mémé. If it’s that important to you, I’ll go. But, only this once and then you’ll drop the subject.”
“We’ll see. I’m making no promises. You haven’t dated since that tiny dick idiot in your junior year.”
“Grand-mère!” El sighed and turned to Stefan as she tried to change the subject. “I think the gumbo and cornbread are ready, if you’re hungry.”
“Fine. So, I don't know if he had a tiny dick. But, I do know he hurt you and should pay for that.”
Laughter filled the room as Stefan helped Mémé from her chair. “I agree with you, and if I find this tiny-dicked ass, I’ll do just that, Marie.”
Chapter Nine
Four Days Later
Saturday night after the ball, Stefan had notified the family he’d be taking time off from the corporation to court his mate. Then he bought the first beater truck he found. He revved the engine in the old pick-up he’d purchased to impress El. The beast had some life left in it.
So, here he was, driving to El’s house for the fourth day in a row. Every day she tried to make him leave, but Marie, bless her heart, always came to his defense.
The look on her face when he stepped from the cab would be worth the five thousand dollars he paid for the wreck. He hoped the truck would set the tone for the rest of the day and produce a positive response.
Somewhere he’d heard consistency wins the day. Okay, he would consistently come by her ranch every day helping with any chores she doled out. Just being around would have to warm her up to him to some degree, and he would find ways to show her the man he truly was. Maybe get the occasional lunch date.
He took a short breather to lean on his pitchfork a
nd gaze at his mate. The sweet tune she hummed as she worked made his wolf lie down with his tongue lolling out like a love-drunk pup.
Stefan was addicted to the private little smiles that flitted across her lips when she thought no one was watching. Chuckling softly, he shook his head. There was no way he was ever going to let his brothers know about this.
Walking to the tool closet to put his pitchfork away, a very distasteful thought flitted through his brain causing him to stumble.
What if she’s just not into me?
Not possible. No shifter in history had ever been rebuffed by their mate. Stefan sighed, leave it to me to make history.
Every morning he woke with renewed resolve to make headway that day. Every night, he drove the twenty miles home with a hard on from hell. His palm was raw and it wasn’t from the ranch pitchforks and shovels. His determination was beginning to show chinks. Couldn’t she see he was earnest in his desire to court her? That he was offering his heart on a platter, literally?
With the pitchfork stashed in the tool closet, he was finally headed to her front door. Soft laughter paused his steps as he reached the porch. A quick glimpse through the window told him El had a visitor. A MALE visitor. His wolf snarled, she seemed to enjoy this guy’s company a hell of a lot more than she enjoyed being with him. They sat together on the couch. Much too cozy. He lifted his hand and rapped louder than necessary on the door.
“Come on in, cher. No need to knock,” Marie called from the living room. “Let me get you a cup of coffee and you can visit for a spell.”
Marie shuffled to the next room as Stefan sat on the chair closest to El and glowered at the intruder.
Marie’s voice could be heard from the kitchen. “You should invite Stefan to go to lunch with you and Dale. I bet he’d love to join you.”
Her grand-mère returned with a twinkle in her eye. She tried to look innocent of the game she was playing with him and El, but he could both sense her humor and smell it swirling around her.
Stefan’s gaze focused on the enemy before him. Dale.
