The voice broke the silence and startled me, almost making me bite off a chunk of my tongue. “Son of a bitch, Garrison! You scared the shit out of me!” I yelled as I threw my fork down on the iron weave table top and jumped to my feet.
He grinned as he ambled up the steps, his eyes sweeping over my body.
Shit. I didn’t expect to have any company, so I’d dressed for comfort in sleep shorts and a tank top…sans bra… I crossed my arms over my chest and glared at him.
“What the fuck are you doing here?”
His hazel eyes darkened as they returned to my face. They were heated but his expression was grim, and he scowled at me. “Watch your language, Rose.”
My eyebrows shot up and I imagined they were high enough to get lost in my hair. “Excuse me?” I snapped, indignation coloring my tone.
He sighed and stepped closer, frowning when I backed away. “I just want to talk, baby.” My eyes narrowed in warning at the endearment. If he thought it would knock down some of my defenses, he was wrong. However, my traitorous body hummed with pleasure.
“Fine,” I gave in grudgingly. The sooner he said what he had to say the sooner he would leave. “Just give me a second.” I went inside and hastily threw on some yoga pants and a hoodie before returning to the porch.
Garrison had seated himself at the table, lounging there as though he owned it. His eyes did an inventory of my body and he smirked at my change in attire. “Doesn’t matter how many layers you put on, baby. You’re still the sexiest woman I’ve ever met.” He tapped his temple a few times, his smirk growing into a grin. “Besides, I’ve got the memory of what you look like underneath burned into my brain.”
I glowered but didn’t take the bait, choosing to plop back down in my seat and resume eating my dinner.
Garrison leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees and his chin on his clasped hands. “I don’t like the idea of you out here all alone,” he admitted. “Anything could happen to you.”
I rolled my eyes in his general direction but continued to focus mostly on my meal. “I’m not a weak, young woman who needs to be watched over or rescued, Garrison. I can take care of myself. James wouldn’t have let me live here if he didn’t believe I was safe. Besides, I have a crew of ranch hands here if I need help with anything.”
I stole a glance at him and shivers skittered down my spine at the fierceness of his frown and the dark look in his hazel eyes.
“Don’t test my control, Rose. I’m on my last thread in my effort to be patient. I’ll break their fucking hands if any of them touches you.”
The thought shouldn’t have thrilled me, dammit. But, his intense possessiveness caused my pussy to throb. Ugh, why couldn’t I shut off my body’s reaction to him.
I looked into his eyes and could easily see that he wouldn’t be persuaded to do anything other than what he wanted. Garrison was as stubborn as a mule. Shrugging, I stood and gathered up my empty dishes. “Do whatever you’re going to do, Garrison. Just make sure you do it from a distance.”
“That’s not how it works, baby.” He shook his head and leaned back in the chair, as though he had no intention of leaving. “I can’t protect you if I’m not near you.”
My lips thinned into a straight line as anger bubbled up inside me. “Fine. You want to leave your house and relocate to the bunkhouse, have at it.”
He jumped to his feet quicker than a man his size should be capable of. Placing his hands flat on the table, he leaned forward, his stare hard. “Not close enough. Try again, Rose.”
I sputtered at his implication. “You can’t think—I don’t—you think you’re going to stay with me?”
“Now you’re getting it.” He smiled in a predatory way that intensified the throb and made my nipples hard and tingly.
“No fucking way!” I shouted before rushing to the back door. I needed to get away from him before I did something stupid like give in and beg him to take me.
I was stopped short when he snaked an arm around my waist and pulled my back flush against his chest. How the hell did he move so damn stealthily??
“I know you aren’t ready to invite me into your bed, Rose,” he rumbled in my ear. “I get that and I’m not going to push.” He moved my hair away from my neck and ghosted a kiss over the sensitive skin, chuckling when he felt me tremble. “For now.”
I sucked in a gulp of air and forced myself to let it out slowly, trying to keep my wits about me and not get lost in the lustful fog he created. “That doesn’t mean I won’t be watching over you.” He removed his hand from around me and stepped back. I clamped my lips shut to suppress a whimper when a rush of cool night air replaced his heat. Still, my feet were practically glued to the floor.
“What are you going to do?” I asked indignantly. “Sleep on the porch?”
His eyes swept around the space before he answered. “If I have to.”
I rolled my eyes disbelievingly, but he just smiled. With his hands on my shoulders, he turned me toward the door. Then he patted my butt and gently pushed me forward. I ran inside like my ass was on fire and as the door closed, I heard him laughing.
4
Garrison
It took an incredible amount of effort to let Rose go. I was tempted to take advantage of her body’s response to me so I could spend the night in her bed. Thankfully, the rational side of me was winning the fight by a photo-finish. I knew it would only hurt my cause when she woke up in the morning. She’d feel used and would regret it.
I wasn’t willing to let that happen. When I finally got the chance to make love to her again, she wouldn’t regret a single fucking moment.
I walked around the house once, checking the doors and windows. Then stopped at my truck which I’d parked around the side. I grabbed a couple of bags and made my way back to the porch.
It was definitely a long shot to hope that she would agree to let me at least sleep in the house, even if it wasn’t in her bed. Although it might have been too tempting to stay inside, I wasn’t sure I could have kept myself from crawling into bed with her.
I was prepared for either scenario. The first bag had a hammock and I took it out and secured it to the porch. Lia’s grandfather, who’d owned the ranch before her, had kept one hanging all the time. But, since Lia had moved to Locke Creek, the hooks had remained empty.
The second bag had a pillow and blanket. I threw them in the hammock, pulled off my shirt and sat in a chair to tug off my boots. Then I climbed into the makeshift rope bed and got settled. My hands went behind my head and I stared up at the dark sky sprinkled with winking stars.
I’d spent many nights like this with my dad when I was younger. As I got older, I hoped to make memories like that with my own son. After pushing Rose away, I’d let that dream go, knowing I’d never want a family with another woman.
When Rose left for college, I’d practically held my breath for weeks waiting for her to call. The more I thought about it, the more I imagined her round with our child, the more obsessed I became with the idea. But, I’d shoved it down deep, along with my feelings for her.
Now that I was determined to make her mine, those old desires were surfacing. My eyes swept across the land behind the house and I pictured a small playground with beautiful little kids running around that looked just like their mama. There was a wooden rocking loveseat at the other end of the porch and I could see Rose and I sitting there, growing old and watching our grandchildren play.
It had been a long day working on the ranch and eventually, my tired eyes drifted shut and I succumbed to sleep.
The sun was just peeking over the horizon when I woke. Yawning, I lifted my hand and checked my watch. It was just past five. I didn’t need to be back at Locke Creek for another couple of hours. My assistant manager would already be up and doing paperwork before doing rounds with the vet at five thirty. She’d proven her worth over the last five years and I was surprised she hadn’t moved on to a better position.
As I’d begun forming a
plan in my head the day before, I was grateful she was still there because she was the one I’d be recommending to James as my replacement. I fully intended to be a permanent resident at Red Hill Ranch, managing it alongside Rose. Although I’d been raised on, and worked on a breeding ranch all my life, James and I had both soaked up the knowledge shared by Nick, the man who’d run Red Hill before passing it on to his granddaughter when he died.
I knew enough about training show horses to run the place, but Lia would be there to cover anything I missed as we showed Rose the ropes.
Swinging my feet over the edge of the hammock, I stood and stretched. I didn’t bother rolling up the makeshift bed as I intended to sleep there until I convinced Rose to let me into hers.
My bag was sitting on one of the iron chairs and I bent over it to rummage through until I found my toothbrush and the clean shirt I’d packed.
Once Lia had married James and moved in with him, she’d asked the ranch manager to keep an eye on the house on her land. However, Andy had been running the ranch since before Lia was born and she’d finally convinced him to retire last spring. I’d been doing double duty until she found a replacement. I checked on the house from time to time, which meant I had keys to get in.
As quietly as possible, I unlocked the back door and padded into a mudroom that also served as the laundry. There was a small bathroom with a shower on one side and the kitchen on the other. I slipped into the bathroom and quickly showered, then donned my jeans and brushed my teeth. I threw my damp towel in a basket near the washer as I crossed through the mudroom.
The kitchen was bright and cheery with white cabinets and appliances and sunshine yellow walls. I opened the fridge and pulled out the fixings for omelets.
I was dicing up vegetables when I heard a gasp. Twisting around, I smiled at the sight of Rose standing in the doorway, rumpled and dazed from sleep. She was fucking gorgeous in her little shorts and tank, her hair a wild mass of curls hanging down past her shoulders.
Sleepy blue eyes scanned me from the top of my wet head to my bare feet, lingering on my naked chest and the unbuttoned opening on my pants. When they snaked back up and met my gaze, pink dotted both of her cheeks. My smile grew into a full-blown grin as I gave her the same once-over. Her nipples pebbled, and her round tits bounced a little with each of her heavy breaths. I wanted to sweep her up into my arms, throw her on the counter and fuck her. But, I knew it would only send her running, so I thought about anything but her luscious body, trying to regain some room in my jeans.
“What the fuck are you doing in my kitchen, Garrison?” she growled adorably.
I frowned. “Would you watch your language?” I chided, my tone clearly conveying my annoyance. Her eyes narrowed mutinously, and I sighed. “Making you breakfast.” Turning, I resumed my task and finished with the vegetables. “Sit,” I ordered, pointing the knife at the table set in a dining nook. She huffed but walked past me and around the counter and dropped into a chair.
She folded her arms across her chest and lifted a single black eyebrow. “Let’s start with how the hell you got into my house.”
“Key,” I stated matter-of-factly as I poured the egg mixture into a heated pan on the stove.
“Annnnnd,” she prompted.
I ignored her as I added vegetables and cheese.
“Garrison,” she snapped. “Why do you have a key to my house?”
I shrugged as though it was no big deal. “Been watching the house for Lia and James. Had ‘em for years.”
“I expect them to be on the counter when you leave,” she clipped. I didn’t respond. “Okay, moving on to why you’re making me breakfast and doing it half naked?”
The omelet was done, so I slid it onto a plate and pushed it toward her. “You need to eat. It’s going to be a long day.” I placed a fork next to the plate and then fixed her a glass of orange juice.
“Are we back to you thinking I can’t take care of myself? You know I’m a grown woman, right?”
My head snapped up and I dragged my eyes over her. Pink stained her cheeks and a visible tremor rolled through her, making me smirk. “I’m one hundred percent aware that you are a woman, baby,” I practically purred. “Eat.”
Her eyes narrowed to slits, but she grabbed her plate and glass, taking them back to the table. I almost sliced my finger open when she moaned at her first bite. My jaw clenched, and I went back to thoughts that would cool my libido.
Once I’d finished serving my breakfast, I sat next to her. She glanced up and her fork froze halfway to her mouth, her eyes glued to my chest. “Would you put a shirt on?” she snapped.
“Afraid you can’t resist me?” I asked smugly. Her lips pressed into a thin line and then she went back to eating without comment. We finished eating in comfortable silence. Rose stood to gather the dishes, but I waved her off. “I’ll take care of this. Go shower and get ready for the day, then we need to talk.”
She rolled her eyes. “You’re infuriatingly bossy, you know that?” I winked at her and continued cleaning up. She threw up her hands, making me laugh, and marched past me.
It didn’t take long for her to return wearing a red and white plaid shirt, jeans, and carrying a pair of brown boots. Her damp hair was in a braid down her back and a straw cowboy hat sat on her head. Damn, I was tempted to demand she change because the pants hugged her sweet ass and if they had me hardening, I knew plenty of the guys working on the ranch would be drooling over her.
I’d finished cleaning up and put on my shirt like she’d asked. I was tempted to leave it off because I enjoyed the way her eyes devoured me, but we needed to have a serious conversation.
“Let’s talk.”
5
Garrison
Rose sighed and sat in a chair to pull on her boots. “I don’t know what there is to talk about, Garrison. Why don’t we just go on avoiding each other. It’ll make things easier.”
I crossed my arms over my chest and leaned back on the counter, giving her a hard stare once she’d sat up. “That won’t work for me. I have to be near you.”
She stood and mirrored my posture, using the table for support. “I don’t understand you. Why would you possibly want to put us through that?” She shook her head, her eyes clouded with confusion.
“So I can convince you that I’m not going anywhere, Rose. That you’re mine. I made a huge fucking mistake letting you go and I won’t make that mistake again.”
Rose blew out a breath and pushed away from the table. “You broke my heart once, Garrison. I’m not going to let you do it again.”
“Fine.”
She tried not to react, but her eyes widened just the tiniest bit, disappointment lurking behind the blue. “Um, okay, glad we agree.”
I stepped forward into her space and cupped her face in my big hands. “We agree that I won’t break your heart again, baby. But don’t misunderstand me, I’m going to own it.”
Rose sputtered for a moment but was saved by a knock at the back door. She broke out of my hold and shook her head as she walked over to open it. She reappeared with Lia at her side. She was dressed similarly, but her shirt flowed down to accommodate her swollen belly.
“Uh, hey, Garrison.” Lia glanced between us curiously, her fingers toying with her red-haired ponytail. It was obvious she wanted to ask about my presence in Rose’s house at six o’clock in the morning.
“He didn’t sleep here,” Rose blurted out, her tone defensive.
“Not in her bed,” I clarified. Then added, “Yet,” under my breath but just loud enough for them to hear it. Rose glared at me and I responded with a wink.
“Ah, that explains the hammock,” Lia concluded.
“What?” Rose stalked to the window over the sink and peered out at the porch. “What the hell?” she exclaimed when she spotted the hammock. “You actually slept out there?”
“I told you,” I drawled with a shrug. “I don’t like you living out here alone.”
Her hands clenched at her
side and she pressed her lips together, holding in whatever she wanted to say. Then she took a deep breath and pivoted to face Lia. “Let’s go.”
“Lia, does James know you’re here?”
She shrugged but didn’t answer my question.
I sighed, knowing it was futile to try and change her mind. Lia was every bit as much a spitfire as a Rose. “Don’t overdo it or James is gonna lock you in the house,” I warned.
She waved me off as they started for the door. “I’m just going to show her some stuff.” She stopped and looked back at me, her eyes narrowed. “And don’t go tattling to James about me being here.” Then she led the way out of the kitchen.
“We aren’t done with this conversation, baby,” I called to Rose as they left. We hadn’t gotten to my plan to help her run the ranch, but I decided to wait until later anyway because I had things to put into place.
I went outside and grabbed my bag before donning my Stetson and making my way around to my truck. Even though both ranches were a couple thousand acres each, it didn’t take long to get back to the big house at Locke Creek because the original owners’ wives had been best friends, so they’d built their homes near each other’s borders.
I parked my truck near the barn, saddled up Samson, my Percheron, and rode out to the main paddock where we exercised our grown horses. Maddie, my assistant manager, was watching some of the ranch hands and in deep conversation with the vet. I stopped to talk with them both before going about the rest of my work.
My day was packed and before I knew it, it was after seven. I headed up to the main house where James’ cook, Cookie, would be setting out dinner for those who lived and worked at the ranch. After the meal, I intended to have a talk with James and elicit his help with my plan. I would leave out the part where I intended to claim Rose, for now. Otherwise, I had a feeling he’d run me out of town instead of gaining his help.
Lia was sitting at the counter with her three-year-old twin boys and her five-year-old daughter, frosting a batch of sugar cookies. My mouth watered as the smell of sugar and butter invaded my nose. They were my favorite treat.
The Rancher's Rose: Ranchers Only Series Page 3
