by J. S. Scott
“You’ll do it my way until I say different,” he snapped back at her bossily.
She smiled against his chest. He sounded so much like one of her brothers. “We’ll see,” she replied nonchalantly, enjoying the verbal sparring. When he held her so tenderly, comforted her so sweetly, it was difficult to argue with him.
The last several days had been rough, and part of her really did feel guilty that she was relieved that she wasn’t going to bear James’s child. But the loss of any child made her emotional. The child had been hers, too, a baby that would never be born. “Thank you,” she said spontaneously to Gabe.
“For what?”
He acted like he’d done nothing, when he’d actually done so much just by comforting her. “For listening. For understanding.”
“I can’t say I completely understand, but I’m worried about you,” he rasped in her ear. “I know I don’t understand your psycho ex-fiancé. What guy does something like that? What man does any of the fucked-up things he did to you? He’s not all there, Chloe.”
They were questions that Chloe had asked herself over and over again. And why had she ever accepted it as normal? She’d never had anything to compare James’s behavior to, but she did have brothers. None of them would ever be capable of treating a woman like James had treated her. It was like she’d just never connected the men because James had been her only boyfriend, and he was also a master manipulator. “I don’t know,” she finally answered honestly.
“I want to hurt him, Chloe. I want that more than I’ve ever wanted anything,” he admitted angrily.
“I know. My brothers would want to do the same thing. But I don’t want that, Gabe. I just want to forget. Lara and Natalie have taught me so much about what a normal relationship should be, and you’ve given me a new beginning. I just want to move on now.” Her life with James was finally over. “I want to be happy again.” Or maybe for the first time in her life. She’d been with James for so long that she wasn’t certain what “happy” in a relationship really was.
Gabe stroked her cheek. “You will be, sweetheart. I promise.”
The sincerity in his vow touched Chloe deeply, made her yearn to believe him. Heartache and anxiety had been her only two companions for a while now. She needed to find some new friends.
“Are you going to show me around the ranch?” she asked sleepily, her eyes starting to close. She was exhausted after a few nearly sleepless nights.
She had woken up this morning tired, but resolved to start a new life working with Gabe. The phone call from Zane had deflated her somewhat. Yes, she had already suspected James of betraying and manipulating her body as well as her mind, but having it verified had been a shock to her system.
“Later,” Gabe answered abruptly. “Right now you can rest.”
“I’m not sick,” Chloe argued, forcing herself to open her eyes. She’d taken this job, and she wanted to get started.
“Give yourself some time, Chloe. You need time to heal.”
“Then we can take the slow tour,” she said, actually feeling comfortable enough to joke with Gabe.
He stood up with her still in his arms. “After you take a nap. How much did you sleep last night?”
A few hours. “Enough,” she said evasively.
“That right there tells me it wasn’t much.” He moved through the large home and mounted a set of stairs.
“Let me down,” Chloe said, panicked. “I weigh a ton.”
Gabe chuckled as he sprinted up the stairs. “Sweetheart, any guy who can’t carry a little thing like you isn’t much of a man. Relax.”
He wasn’t even winded as he hit the top step. Chloe was stunned into silence. Regardless of what he said and the bulky, muscular size of his body, she was no lightweight. “I’m a veterinarian, not a medical doctor. I can’t fix your back pain from carrying me around,” she said in a self-deprecating voice.
He took one of the hallways at the top of the stairs and pushed a door open with his wide shoulders. “Good thing I’m not prone to back pain then,” he retorted.
Chloe looked around the beautiful space they’d just entered, marveling at how well and carefully decorated the bedroom appeared to be. It was opulent, yet understated. It was incredibly large for a bedroom, with a small sitting area near the wide windows and a huge sleigh bed closer to the door. The furnishings were a neutral shade with splashes of vivid color, mainly dark and medium blues in the accents, adding a homey feel to the room.
“This is gorgeous,” Chloe said frankly. “I love it.” It was the type of room she adored.
“Good. I thought you’d like it. This will be your room for a while,” Gabe answered casually as he lowered her gently to the bed.
“I can’t stay here. You have a small house for your vet, right?” That’s what he’d told her. The old resident vet had had his own house on the property.
“I’m refurbishing it. You’re going to be stuck here until it’s done,” Gabe said noncommittally. “It will take awhile for the crew to finish the house.”
“But I can live there while they’re doing it,” Chloe said hastily. She couldn’t stay in the same house as Gabe. Admittedly, it was a huge home, but she was bound to end up spending a lot of time with its owner, and that could be dangerous. She was way too attracted to him; she was still vulnerable and she could very easily get addicted to his company.
He shook his head as he pulled off her sneakers like it was the natural thing to do. “They’re doing everything: carpet, paint, flooring, and new furnishings. The place is gutted at the moment.”
“You don’t have another place—”
He placed a finger over her lips gently, silencing her. “Don’t argue, Chloe. There’s plenty of room for you here. Now take a nap. You can tour the ranch later.”
She was tired, and the bed beneath her felt divine. The pillow was soft beneath her head, and she loved the feel of the fine cotton. “We need to talk about this arrangement,” she warned with a yawn.
“Darlin’, right now, you don’t look like you’re in any shape to argue about anything,” he drawled with a small grin.
She smiled back at him weakly. “It’s been kind of a rough few weeks.” Ever since she’d broken off her engagement, she’d constantly been trying to avoid James. She hadn’t answered his calls, and he’d followed her home from work every day, but he’d stopped once she entered Colter property. So far, she’d outmaneuvered him every time he’d tried to confront her, desperately hoping he’d eventually give up and realize there was nothing more to say.
She was done, and nothing he had to say was going to make a damn bit of difference.
“You’re safe now, Chloe. Trust me,” Gabe said emphatically as he placed his lips on her forehead and kissed her like she was important to him.
Trust? I’m not sure I’m ready to trust any man completely again except my brothers.
Yet, she wanted to believe in Gabe. Honestly, she probably already did since she’d poured her heart out to him. She just wasn’t ready to voice it yet.
“I know I’m safe,” she answered cautiously. “Thank you.”
Chloe felt the mattress shift as Chase hopped onto the bed with her. She smiled as the furry body plopped right next to her and he put his head on her belly. Running her hands over his fur, she laughed as his canine body quivered in ecstasy.
“Chase. Down,” Gabe bellowed.
“He’s okay. Is he allowed on the furniture?” She adored affectionate dogs.
“Most of it,” Gabe admitted reluctantly. “He likes to be wherever I am. I guess he’s switching loyalties.”
“I was crying. Maybe he senses that I’m sad right now,” Chloe mused, continuing to stroke the dog’s silky fur.
“Are you still sad?” Gabe asked in a husky voice.
Chloe paused for a moment before answering. “No. I think I’m going to be okay.”
“I know you will,” Gabe answered confidently. “Now rest for a while. We can see the ranch when you’
re feeling better.”
He turned and left the room, closing the door quietly behind him.
Chloe gently removed Chase’s head from her stomach and rolled over, hugging the pillow as she laid her head back down. The dog settled beside her.
She tried to wrap her confused mind around everything that had occurred in the last week or so, but her brain was on overload.
Finally, she gave up and drifted off to sleep.
It took Gabe several days to let Chloe leave the house, and a few more to allow her a tour of his property. She finally started getting antsy. Her confusion had given way to grief, and finally to acceptance. It was impossible to change what had happened in the past, but she had her entire future in front of her.
Chloe wanted to experience all of the things she’d denied herself, live a life free of fear and guilt. “I want to see the ranch now,” she told Gabe calmly.
They were seated for breakfast, both of them finished and lingering over coffee, which had become their habit over the last few days. Gabe had a cook who came in for breakfast and dinner, and a crew who came in weekly to clean and do laundry. She assumed he usually skipped lunch, but he’d made certain to make them a sandwich or something simple around noon.
So far, he hadn’t let her lift a damn finger to help.
Chloe couldn’t say all of the time had been wasted. She’d been with Gabe every day, going over each one of the horses on the farm, their pedigree, his breeding techniques and his plans. It wasn’t a commercial breeding ranch, or even close. Gabe bred the best to the best for various purposes. One thing that made his ranch unique was that he didn’t have to worry about making large profits. When a guy was one of the richest men in the world, he could afford to do something just because he loved it. He could sustain breaking even for as long as he needed to keep breeding his best horses to other phenomenal horses to produce outstanding foals. His horses were in demand, but he was picky about who he sold to.
One of the things she’d come to admire about Gabe was that his ranch was his passion, not his business.
“I don’t think you’re ready,” he told her stubbornly.
She’d heard those exact same words every morning for the last five days.
“I’m ready. I feel better than I ever have, and I just got checked yesterday. The doctor said I can resume all normal activity,” she argued, loving his protectiveness and also resenting it just a little. “I can’t sit around anymore, Gabe. I’m bored. I’ve busted my ass to get through school for over ten years. I’m not used to being idle, and I don’t like it.”
“Are you starting to get sassy with me?” he asked with a lopsided grin as he met her gaze, his Texas drawl more pronounced.
His jade eyes sparked with humor, and as usual, his hair was naturally wavy with a mind of its own, making him almost impossible to resist.
But she wasn’t capitulating this time.
“I think I have to be,” she told him firmly, knowing if it were up to him, she’d be inside for weeks. “Look, I’m fine. You know I’m fine. Let me start doing my job now.”
The dining room was silent as Gabe appeared to be debating. Chloe could see the contemplative expression on his face. Really, he was her boss, and he had the right to tell her if he wanted her to work or not. But she knew this wasn’t a power play for him. He was genuinely concerned about her.
“Okay,” he finally said with a slow nod. “But we aren’t going to hike the ranch. Are you able to ride?”
Chloe smiled at him. “Of course.” She’d grown up on a horse, and had even done some amateur barrel racing when she was a teen. Her love for all things equine had been her motivation for doing an additional residency to feel comfortable taking care of horses. This was exactly the job she’d always wanted.
This position was her dream one. She loved taking care of all animals, but horses were her passion as much as they were Gabe’s. She’d taken the position at the clinic in town to decide what she really wanted to do, and to see if caring for the area horses in addition to small pets would be enough for her. Working every day with horses without having to leave Rocky Springs was the perfect opportunity.
“Okay. You ready?” Gabe asked a little unhappily.
Chloe hopped out of her chair with lightning speed. “Yes!”
“Don’t worry about pulling on boots right now. We’ll be riding.”
Chloe sprinted to her room and put on a pair of old sneakers, shoes that had seen plenty of barns and stables. Gabe had arranged for all of her belongings to be brought to the ranch, and she’d stored pretty much everything except her clothing. Not that she had a whole lot. She’d planned on buying new things once she bought a home. Most everything she had right now was either useful or sentimental.
“Put on a jacket!” Gabe bellowed from down the hall.
Chloe smiled. It wasn’t exactly cold. Fall in Colorado was unpredictable, but they were seeing unseasonably warm weather. She dug a fleece jacket out of the closet and pulled it on, wondering when Gabe was going to stop treating her like she was as fragile as blown glass.
They met in the hall. Gabe was just leaving his room in a pair of work boots with Chase right on his heels. Despite his orders to her, he was wearing a flannel shirt and jeans…minus a jacket.
“Where’s your hat?” Chloe asked curiously, noticing that she hadn’t seen Gabe in his old Stetson since she’d been here.
“Don’t have it anymore,” he answered, looking uncomfortable.
“I kind of think you could afford to buy a new one,” she teased.
He shrugged. “Wouldn’t be the same. It was Dad’s. He gave it to me. I’ve had it since I was a kid.”
All thoughts of joking with him fled immediately. “I’m sorry. It must have been difficult to lose something that was so special. What happened?”
She followed Gabe as he walked down the stairs. He was silent until he reached the bottom. “I lost it in a pen with a new stallion. He was nervous and trampled the shit out of it until it was shredded all to hell.”
“Were you hurt?” Chloe asked, concerned. A nervous stallion and man were not a good mix in close proximity to each other.
“Naw. But the hat didn’t survive.” He shot her a grin over his shoulder.
She smiled in spite of her attempts not to be amused by his comment. “I really am sorry. It hurts to lose something that sentimental.”
“Hey, I survived. Dad’s been gone a long time. Maybe it was past time for me to stop trying to be him,” Gabe answered frankly.
Chloe grasped his bicep instinctively, causing him to turn around and look at her. “Were you trying to be your dad?” Chloe remembered Gabe’s father, and he’d been larger than life, a big man who hadn’t been afraid to voice his opinions loudly. Chloe remembered how well Gabe’s father could tell a joke, and how outgoing he’d always been.
“I think maybe I was. I felt guilty for a long time about selling off most of his business interests. But oil and cattle weren’t something I was good at managing.”
Chloe’s heart squeezed as she looked at Gabe’s earnest expression. “You don’t need to be anyone else, Gabe. You’re pretty damn good just the way you are.”
His eyes bored into her, and Chloe wanted to squirm as he stared at her. “You think so, beautiful?” he asked gruffly.
She swallowed, uncomfortable with his intense scrutiny. “Yes.”
“I’m not nearly as likeable as he was, and I’d rather run a horse ranch than continue his legacy.”
“You are who you are,” Chloe answered breathlessly as Gabe crowded her against the wall next to the door. Unfortunately, she thought she liked him just the way he was way too much.
“Exactly,” Gabe answered as he placed his hands on the wall, one on each side of her. “I finally figured that out when I threw that old hat away.” He paused before adding, “What do you need to throw away to find out who you are, Chloe Colter?”
She realized exactly what he was asking, but she didn’t have
the answer. “I don’t know. I feel different since I broke things off with James, but it’s going to take awhile before I figure out what I really want. I’ve spent most of my adult life trying to make him happy, and I never succeeded.”
“You shouldn’t have to try, Chloe,” Gabe rasped, his warm breath wafting over her cheek as he leaned into her. “You just have to be you.”
She wanted to ask him what he meant, but before she could speak, his masculine scent assaulted her senses, and her core clenched in a volatile physical reaction she’d never experienced before.
Oh, God. He smells so good, feels so amazing.
She knew he was going to kiss her, and she didn’t make a single move to stop him. In fact, some long dormant inner voice told her to stop fighting her attraction to him and let herself…feel.
His mouth came down on hers dominantly, but so sensually that she moaned against his lips. She opened to him almost immediately, savoring the taste of passion in his embrace. He plundered her like a man possessed, his tongue taking control of her mouth as he swept inside as though he was desperate for a taste of her.
Chloe was a woman of limited experience, her only intimate contact being with James. What Gabe was doing to her body now was so very different, so enticing that she couldn’t resist. She’d never thought of herself as a sexual female, and most of the time she dreaded sex. James had seldom demanded it anymore, making it clear that her overweight body didn’t appeal to him.
The only time he ever wanted to screw me was to assert his control.
It had nearly always hurt in one way or another, and she was convinced she could probably go the rest of her life without experiencing it again.
I think I was wrong. So very wrong.
Her nipples hardened as Gabe breached any distance between them, his muscular body flush with hers. Her entire being felt like it was on fire as Gabe lifted his mouth from hers and started a trail of pleasurable sensation down the sensitive skin of her neck with his lips.
