In the Ranger's Arms (The Men of At Ease Ranch)

by Michaels, Donna

  “Or else what?”

  She shook her head. “There is no or else. I have to. Period. The alternative isn’t an option. I won’t even speak about it.”

  “Because that might give it wings.”

  The man was very astute. “Exactly.”

  He scratched his temple. “Does Stone know?”

  She bent to pick up her brush. “Know what?”

  “That you’re not staying.”

  “Yes. Why?” She stilled. “There’s nothing going on between us.”

  “Are you sure?”

  She opened her mouth to deny it, but memories from yesterday flashed through her mind and stilled her tongue. Cord was right. That embrace in Stone’s office was too hot, too intense, to classify as unimportant.

  “Yeah.” He nodded as if reading her mind. “Look, Stone’s had a rough year. He put his personal life on hold to help out a friend. And because of that, he hasn’t dated in a long time. Just tread carefully. Okay?”

  Not something she wanted to know. It made her feel things for her landlord she had no business feeling. Sympathy. Understanding. Thrilled that he’d broken his restraint because of her.

  Dammit.

  She tamped down her delight and set a hand on Cord’s arm. “You’re a good friend. But you don’t have to worry. Stone and I already talked about it.”

  “You have?”

  “Yes, and we agreed, given the fact that I’m only here for the blink of an eye, we’d be foolish to start something.”

  He held her gaze for a beat, then nodded. “Smart, but sometimes things don’t always go as planned.”

  She released him to wave her hand. “Well, not this time. I’ve got the feeling we both have too much at stake.”

  “Time will tell.” He shrugged, then went back to quietly rolling the wall.

  Which was fine with her. The conversation was too disturbing. Made her chest feel funny, and she needed to keep her chest out of it. Her mind. Her brain. Everything.

  Glancing out the window, she caught sight of Stone exiting the post office down the street. Her pulse hiccuped as she took him in. Tall, broad shoulders, mouthwateringly lean, dark hair gleaming under the sun. Simply gorgeous. He had a quiet assurance that made him sexy as hell. All of the protests and reasoning she’d just spouted to Cord began to fade.

  Damn, she was really beginning to regret that no-touching agreement. Without it, the next four weeks could be quite amazing.

  As if sensing her scrutiny, he turned to stare at her shop. She didn’t think he could see her because of the sun’s position so she remained and watched, waiting to see what he’d do. Hesitation removed his confident air and he stood in the middle of the sidewalk, hat in his hand, staring at her café. Her hiccuping pulse now thundered in her ears. She wondered if he regretted the agreement, too. But then he shoved the hat on his head, pivoted around, and strode away without a backward glance.

  That would be a resounding no.

  Jovy had her answer. One she would respect. There was no reason to be mad. No use for hurt feelings. Texas was a stepping-stone. The unreasonable feeling of loss ripping through her made as much sense as a vegan café in the middle of cattle country.

  Chapter Seven

  Keep walking. Don’t turn around.

  Stone repeated those orders in his head until he climbed into his truck parked outside the bank and slammed the door. He wasn’t in town for pleasure. Only to take the estimate to McGregor Feed and the loan payment to the bank, and drop a package off at the post office for Vince. Checking on the progress at Jovy’s café would have nothing to do with the paint his buddies were slapping on the walls. The burning need to stop in had everything to do with the hazel-eyed tenant with killer curves…and wicked tongue.

  At the memory of her taste, his dick twitched to life. Shit. What was with this woman and her power over his crotch? He rammed the key in the ignition, started the truck, and headed home before he did something stupid. Like barge into her shop, crush her against the nearest wall, and kiss her lips to see if that uncontrollable, heated rush was just a onetime thing.

  Yeah, stupid.

  Over forty minutes had already passed since he’d left his friend’s room. A call from a tavern Brick frequented in the next town had summoned them at 2:00 a.m. to fetch Leo because the bartender had wisely confiscated his keys.

  He and Brick had taken turns standing vigil over their inebriated friend, even long after the guy had passed out in an upstairs bedroom at the ranch. Not how Stone wanted to spend his Monday, but Leo had been wasted last year when he thought swallowing the last of the painkillers from an old bullet wound was a good idea. Now every time their troubled friend got drunk, Stone and the guys kept an eye on him. Just in case.

  In less than ten minutes, Stone was back at the ranch, slipping into Leo’s room to relieve his brother.

  “How’d things go with the McGregors?” Brick asked quietly as he rose from a chair and stretched.

  “Pretty good,” he replied in the same hushed tone. “Old Burt was pleased, but said he’d call tonight. He needed to run it by Mrs. McGregor, who was at their Kernville store today.”

  Stone had studied the balding man’s face as he’d explained the renovations and the new construction in detail. Mr. McGregor’s smile had broadened with each fact. A promising sign. But he didn’t want to get his hopes up. He got the impression Mrs. McGregor’s approval was law.

  “That’s good.” Brick yawned. “How’s Jovy’s place look? I bet it’s a damn sight better than that yellow monstrosity.”

  “Don’t know. I didn’t stop.”

  His brother’s eyebrows shot up. “Wow. Thought for sure you’d cave.”

  Cave? What did that mean? Before he could ask, Leo stirred and opened his eyes.

  “Hey.” His friend blinked into a frown. “What’s going on?”

  Brick folded his arms across his chest. “We had to fetch you from the Roadhouse after last call this morning.”

  Leo’s face bunched. “Fuck. Sorry. I only remember having two beers.”

  “Try two pitchers,” Brick scoffed. “Bartender said he cut you off, then called me.”

  Stone stepped forward to halt the exchange before it had the chance to heat. “Look, Leo, I thought you stopped drinking. What happened, man? You were good for almost two months.”

  His buddy eye-rolled him. “Yeah, well, I got thirsty. Is there a fuckin’ law against it?”

  Stone felt his brother stiffen at his side, so he ignored the question and asked one of his own. “You had that dream again, didn’t you?”

  Leo hadn’t been the same since he’d taken a round in the shoulder and Drew had died during a mission that went sideways two years ago. They were all plagued by that mission.

  They should’ve anticipated…

  “Yeah.” Leo surprised him with the admission. He closed his eyes, defeat rounding is shoulders. “I just wanted to sleep without seeing that little girl…”

  After a beat, Brick ran a hand through his hair and blew out a breath. “I see her, too.”

  “So do I,” Stone admitted, meeting his friend’s startled gaze.

  “Then why the hell aren’t you two as fucked up as me?”

  Brick snorted. “Who said we aren’t fucked up? Have you seen Stone’s face? That’s pretty fucked up.”

  Stone wasn’t sure if the change of subject was good or bad.

  Leo blinked, and his lips twitched. “True. He is kinda fugly. Although that pretty new tenant didn’t seem to think so yesterday.”

  Bad.

  His brother smirked. “Ah, you noticed that, too?”

  “Hard to miss.” Leo sat up and nodded, then winced. “Especially when she was devouring him with her eyes.”

  Stone muttered a curse. “She was not. For Christ’s sake. We’ve only known each other a few days. Nothing’s going on. You two are delusional.”

  “True, but we were talking about you and Jovy.”

  “There is no me and Jo
vy.” Even as he denied it, Stone felt a sharp sting of loss for what might have been if circumstances were different.

  “There could be,” Cord said from behind.

  He twisted around and frowned at his friend regarding him intently from the doorway. “How the hell long have you been standing there?”

  “Long enough,” Cord replied. “And they’re right. You should’ve seen Jovy’s face when I showed up on her doorstep today instead of you. Man, I’ll tell you, if I had an ego, she would’ve severely wounded it this morning.” He shook his head. “Watching the joy leave her face was like seeing a balloon deflate.”

  “That sucks,” Leo said. “My grandmother did the same thing last month when I told her I might not make it to her eightieth birthday party.”

  Leo’s family lived an hour north of Joyful, but his friend didn’t visit home often. It might do him good. They guy’s mother worried about him. She called every week for updates, but stayed away, not wanting to crowd her son’s sanctuary.

  Stone frowned. “When’s the party?”

  “This Wednesday.” Leo sighed. “I should probably go, huh?”

  “Sounds like she’d appreciate seeing you,” Stone replied.

  His buddy nodded, then hit him with a keen stare. “Just like Jovy would appreciate seeing you.”

  Brick snickered. “He’s right, little brother. So what are you going to do about it?”

  “Nothing.”

  “Why the hell not?”

  “It’s complicated.”

  “Then un-complicate it.”

  Cursing under his breath, he strode for the door. The last thing he needed was the guys egging him on, pushing him toward the woman he was barely able to resist. The woman who crept into his thoughts throughout the day and ruled his dreams at night. But with his friend’s latest setback, now more than ever, Stone couldn’t afford the distraction.

  Still, that didn’t change the fact that he wouldn’t mind un-complicating things with his sexy tenant.

  …

  Until that minute, Jovy was having a pretty good week. A great week. Monday, she helped paint the café. Yesterday, not only had her clothes arrived from Philly, all the furniture and utensils were delivered on time, and with excitement in her veins, she’d spent the rest of the day getting ready for her final inspection, which she passed with ease.

  Now, a day later, V-Spot was ready for this afternoon’s grand opening. Leslie, her cook, was there preparing food and taking care of last-minute details. All the place needed was a little personal touch.

  Flowers.

  Since it was such a beautiful morning, Jovy decided to take a walk and pick the pretty blue ones she’d spotted in a field on her way to the At-Ease Ranch for brunch on Sunday. Bluebonnets, Skeeter had called them when she’d passed him on her way out of town a half hour ago.

  What he should’ve told her was they were guarded by Raging Moo.

  “Now, Lula Belle. Just calm down,” she urged in as steady a voice as she could muster, one hand up in a defensive mode with the demon cow charging straight for her, damn bell clanking out an erratic beat that rivaled Jovy’s pulse.

  Jesus. Did the thing just snort?

  Not good. She eyed the distance to the road on the other side of the fence—behind the rampaging cow. Dammit. Why’d she have to go so far into the field? Because the flowers were there, and she hadn’t expected them to be guarded by a jealous bovine, probably. Dropping her armful of bluebonnets, she raced for the lone tree several yards away with Lula Belle in hot pursuit, jangling bell growing louder and louder. Why hadn’t she heard the thing approach in the first place? Because her mind had been preoccupied with a certain gray-eyed cowboy.

  This was all Stone’s fault. Wandering thoughts. Jealous cow. All his damn fault.

  Jovy yanked her phone out of her pocket and contemplated dialing 911, but they’d probably mark it a prank call if she claimed to be chased by a jealous cow.

  With spurts of hot breath hitting her back, she lunged for the tree, scrambled up to the first branch, uncaring she wore shorts—and promptly lost hold of her phone. “Shit!” Her curse echoed through the leaves as her cell hit the grass with a muffled thud near Lula Belle’s hoofs.

  Dammit. Her life was in that phone, and she wouldn’t put it past the cow to deliberately stomp on it if she tried to retrieve it. Doing her best not to panic, Jovy climbed to a branch on the other side of the tree—the one facing the road—and breathed a sigh of relief when the cow followed, thankfully sparing her cell phone.

  Now, if she could just figure out how to avoid getting trampled by the cow and make it to her own friggin’ grand opening, life wouldn’t suck.

  Several minutes later, Jovy was starting to freak the hell out. Hot, with both knees bleeding from her hasty climb up the tree, she grumbled at her predicament. Dammit. She needed to get back to the shop. Her doors were due to open in about an hour, she guesstimated, thanks to her lost phone. Hard to know for sure. She’d had plenty of time, over two hours, when she’d started off on her little flower adventure that morning. Now her time was dwindling and there wasn’t a damn thing she could do. It had cost good money to take out ads boasting the time of the grand opening, and she hated to leave her cook alone, and certainly couldn’t hold that remotely from up a damn tree.

  Stupid cow.

  “I hope you’re happy.” Her agitated sigh mixed with the breeze and twitched the cow’s ears. “I’m not sure what your beef is with me, but you really should thank me, you know. I’m on your side. Not only do I promote meat-free dishes, they’re milk-free, too.” She shook a finger at her captor, who stopped chewing the grass sprouting up at the base of the tree to glance up at her. “I’ve got your back. And how do you repay me? By chasing me up a damn tree and standing guard so I can’t leave. Not nice, Lula Belle. Not nice.”

  Big brown eyes stared unblinkingly as if to say bite me.

  “Don’t you look at me in that tone of voice, missy, because I do like meat.” She folded her arms across her chest and glared down at the beast. “Steak happens to be my favorite.”

  Did the cow’s eyes just narrow?

  “That’s right, so don’t push me, or you just might become a special on…” She stiffened and bit back a curse. “I’ve lost it. Stress has finally gotten to me. I’m arguing with a damn cow.”

  Lula Belle mooed.

  “It’s not funny, you…you heifer.”

  The cow mooed again and tipped her head toward the road. Jovy shielded her eyes against the sun and prayed whatever noise the cow heard was something that would distract Lula Belle long enough for Jovy to get out of the tree and make it to her own grand opening on time.

  …

  With the sun on his back and things finally going his way for once, Stone rode to town on Galahad to sign a contract with McGregor Feed. This was a huge win for Foxtrot and all its employees, not to mention everyone at At-Ease. Maybe fate was starting to favor him.

  Moo.

  He smiled as he approached Lula Belle’s field, then stiffened. If he didn’t know any better, he’d say she sounded pissed. What the hell had her so uptight? A flash of movement caught his eye.

  Jovy?

  What was she doing in the tree? Her long, bare legs snagged his attention, then stopped his heart. Was that blood?

  “Jovy?” He galloped to the fence a few yards from the tree and dismounted. “Are you all right?”

  “I will be if you get your friggin’ girlfriend to move so I can leave,” she replied. “All I wanted was a few flowers for my grand opening, and she chased me up the damn tree.”

  Stone’s lips twitched. He knew he shouldn’t laugh, but the whole scene was so absurd he couldn’t help it. Masking his amusement under a cough, he dug a piece of carrot from his pocket and held it over the fence. “Come here, Lula Belle. I have something for you.”

  The cow’s demeanor instantly changed. Her ears perked up and she rushed toward him, tail swinging, bell clanking at her hurried pace. J
ovy jumped down, swiped something off the ground behind the tree, then sprinted across the field. Lula Belle barely spared the fence-climbing woman a second glance. The old girl was too preoccupied with treats and a nose scratch.

  “Thanks,” Jovy said, jogging past.

  “Hey, wait.” He pulled his empty hand away from the cow and rushed to grab the retreating woman’s arm. “Where are you going? You’re bleeding.”

  “And I’m also late, thanks to your groupie.” She glanced at the phone in her hand and cursed. “My grand opening is in forty-five minutes.”

  With an increased squeeze, he tugged her to a stop. “Let me give you a ride. I can get you there quicker.”

  She glanced at Galahad and blinked before shaking her head. “Thanks, but no. One encounter with a creature friend of yours is enough for me today, Stone.”

  Still holding her arm, he laughed as he led her to his horse. “I promise I won’t let you get hurt. This will be a totally different experience.”

  “I-I don’t know.” Her hazel eyes grew wide with doubt as she neared the horse. Or was that fear? “He’s awfully big. I should wa-h!”

  Stone lifted her off the ground before she could bolt, and set her left foot in the left stirrup. She didn’t struggle, just chewed her lower lip. He was glad she didn’t insist he put her down, but she was killing him. “Just grab the horn and swing onto the saddle.”

  “There’s a horn on here?”

  He snorted. “Not the kind you’re thinking.”

  “Oh, you mean the handle thingy?”

  “Yes.” He fought back a grin and lost. “The handle thingy. Just grab it and hoist yourself up.”

  As she did as instructed, he got a face full of her sweet ass…and momentarily forgot what he was doing. Holding her, viewing her luscious curves, he automatically grew hard, his body reacting as it had when they’d shared those searing kisses a few days ago. Kisses that haunted him through the day and led to hot dreams every night.

  “Uh, Stone, a little help here.” She hovered, stuck in that delectable limbo, testing his resolve and the strength of his zipper.