by Joann Baker
“But I’ve only been here a month, the Library Board will be…”
“Just fine about it.” He moved across the room to peer out the window. “It’s a small town, honey, and we take care of our own.”
A warm feeling settled in the center of Georgia’s chest. She loved her family and knew they would do anything for her. But this? This was beyond anything that had ever happened to her before. For perfect strangers to be so kind…
Tears threatened again and she fought them back. “I hate to be such a bother.”
“No bother, sweetheart.” Ryder traced his steps back to the couch. Leaning down, he grabbed the ice pack and put in in her hands, then picked her up in one smooth movement just as car doors opened and closed outside.
“What… what are you doing?”
“I’m taking you to the Ace in the Hole.”
Georgia was enjoying the feeling of being in his strong arms way too much. The solid strength of his broad chest pressed against her side, making her warm all over. Her protest was token at best. “That’s not necessary, really. I’ll be fine here.”
“You can’t even walk. Besides,” he opened the door, “we have proper ice packs at home.”
Georgia blinked as two big cowboys appeared at the bottom of the steps. The resemblance to Ryder was uncanny and she knew immediately that they must be his brothers. She just didn’t know which one was which.
“Well, well,” the taller one drawled, “now there’s an armful of pretty I’d be glad to take off your hands, little brother.”
“Shut up, Gabe.”
Hmm, now she knew, Georgia thought, a little thrill going through her at the growl in Ryder’s voice and at the way his arms tightened around her. She linked her arms around the strong column of his neck and turned a smile on his brothers. “Thank you both for coming to help.”
“I’ll be your white knight anytime, sweetness.”
Georgia blushed and tightened her hold on Ryder’s neck.
“Just clean up the paint, moron. I’ve got everything else under control.” Ryder didn’t like the way Gabe was eyeing the woman in his arms. What he did like was the way she felt against him. “In case you hadn’t guessed, these are my brothers. The mouthy one is Gabe and the silent one is Cal.”
“It’s nice to meet you both. I just wish it could have been under better circumstances.”
Once again, Gabe opened his mouth to speak but was cut off by Cal. The stony-eyed cowboy at first appeared cold and indifferent, but Georgia recognized a fellow introvert, someone slightly out of step with the rest of the world.
“Pops is making up his bed for you.”
“Oh, but I can’t take his room.”
“Don’t worry,” a quick smile lessened the serious look for just a second, “he’s going to bunk in with Gramps. They’ll be fine.” He turned to look at the back of Ryder’s truck. For the first time, Georgia noticed it was loaded with building supplies. “We’ll unload that while you get her settled in the truck.”
“Thanks,” Ryder grunted and continued down the steps, holding her as if she were made of glass. “I need to get her home and into bed.”
Gabe snickered and earned himself a hard jab in the arm from Cal as they unloaded what appeared to be boxes and boxes of tiles. What had Ryder done, she wondered for a moment? That thought was completely erased by the deliciously wicked thoughts of him taking her to bed. He placed her gently on the seat and put the bag of ice back on her foot. By the time he’d slid in beside her, she’d gotten her feelings under control and had what she hoped was a seemly expression on her face.
The drive to the big ranch house took less than ten minutes, which was about nine minutes too much in Georgia’s opinion to be in such a cramped space with the sexiest man she’d ever set eyes on. His care and consideration only made him more attractive. It wasn’t until they pulled up to the house and Ryder got out that she could draw a decent breath.
The Ace in the Hole Ranch was everything she’d expected. Oversized and dramatic. The ranch house was huge, but then she guessed it had needed to be in order to contain three growing boys. In her mind’s eye, she could picture Ryder and his brothers tearing across the wide front lawn when they’d been younger. She felt her insides clench at the thought of having children. It was something she’d always wanted. Little ones and a man who loved her like her father loved her mother. A family of her own.
“Come on, let’s get you settled.” As she’d been fantasizing, Ryder had gotten around the truck to her door. He leaned in, plucking her from the seat and into his arms once again. His booted foot slammed the door behind them.
She knew she should protest; she wasn’t a lightweight by any stretch of the imagination. But he seemed to be handling her just fine. A small shiver ran through her at the thought of him handling her in a very different way.
As they climbed the steps, the front door opened and Silas and Pops—or Harvey, her landlord, appeared.
“Ryder, you take that woman into the living room, right now and get her settled.”
“Okay, Pops.”
As Ryder strode through the house, Georgia realized it was just as big and beautiful on the inside as it was on the outside. Whoever had designed and decorated the house had meant for it to withstand the rugged demands of ranch life while still being a showcase.
A river-stone fireplace was the focal point of the giant living room, vying for attention with the scenery beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows. Large leather sofas and matching chairs were dispersed throughout. Ryder placed her on one of the sofas and stepped away, pulling up an identical colored ottoman for her foot. It was too hot to make a fire, but Georgia could only imagine how warm and cozy it would feel on a cold winter’s night to sit on this very sofa with Ryder before a roaring blaze. There she went again, fantasizing about things that were never going to happen.
Or could they?
She saw the worry in Ryder’s eyes as he fiddled with the makeshift ice bag. Could he have developed feelings for her this quickly? She had for him but, then, women tended to fall in love faster than men.
Whoa, she cautioned herself, pulling her thoughts up short. Love? This soon? No. No, that wasn’t it at all, she reassured herself. Just a mind-boggling case of lust—with a fierce heaping of attraction.
“I’ll go get you a real ice pack. Be right back.”
Ryder rose from his crouched position at Georgia’s feet, rubbing his hands along his thighs to prevent himself from reaching out and kissing her. She looked so small on the big couch. All he wanted to do was take her back into his arms and assure her that he’d take care of her for the rest of his life. It was that feeling that scared the hell out of him and kept his hands away from her. Marriage and responsibility for someone else’s happiness wasn’t where he wanted his life to head. At least not right now. He still had a lot more wild oats to sow.
“Bring her something to eat, too, son.” Pops and Silas had stayed in the background as Ryder settled Georgia on the couch. They moved forward now. Pops took a seat on the ottoman next to her injured ankle and Silas dragged over a straight-backed chair from in front of the fireplace.
“So what happened, sweetheart?” Pops posed the question. “Ryder didn’t cause this, did he?” There was concern and a streak of annoyance in his voice that Georgia found quite endearing.
“Of course not,” she hastily assured the man. “It was my own fault. I wanted to start painting the kitchen and, as usual, got a little ahead of myself.” She went on to explain about the ladder but said nothing about her distracted state that had contributed to her lack of concentration and subsequent fall.
“So it was your fault, you old coot. You should have had that place professionally painted.” Silas’s accusation had Pops turning a bright red. Immediately, Georgia felt bad. The accident had been entirely her fault just as she’d said. And Pops had given her a discount on her rent because he hadn’t had it painted before she moved in.
“If you remember,
Silas, there was a reason I didn’t have it painted.”
Georgia couldn’t tell for sure, but she thought Pops rolled his eyes towards her as he spoke.
“Oh, right. Right.” Silas cleared his throat and the two sat in silence for a moment. Before the quietness could get awkward, Ryder walked back in carrying a tray. Immediately, the two men got to their feet. “Looks like everything’s under control here. I think I’m ready to turn in. How about you, Silas?”
“Yep.” Keen blue eyes turned toward Georgia and Ryder. “It’s still early, though, you two. Why don’t you watch a movie or something, get Georgia’s mind off her foot?”
“I think I can handle taking care of Georgia.” Ryder’s tone was smooth, with just a touch of humor.
With another short goodbye, the two older men left, leaving Ryder and Georgia alone.
“Was it me, or were they up to something?” Georgia asked, a quizzical look in her eyes.
She still had on her glasses and all Ryder could think about was removing them and kissing her senseless. “Oh, they were just concerned, no doubt,” he answered quickly. He didn’t share the thought that had assailed him that his grandfathers were maybe meddling where they shouldn’t be. He quickly placed a blue ice pack on her ankle and wrapped it in place with an elastic bandage.
“You do that well.”
He glanced up, catching Georgia watching him.
He shrugged, striving not to let himself be affected by her praise. “Around a ranch, you have all kinds of bumps and cuts that need tending on a daily basis.”
“Oh. Have you ever been injured?”
His hand lingered on her ankle. “Yep. More than I care to remember. Mostly scrapes and bruises, but I have had a broken bone or two.”
Their gazes held for a moment longer than necessary before he looked away. “Are you hungry? Gabe and Cal are probably enjoying our Chinese dinner right about now.”
Georgia gave a soft little laugh. “That’s okay. They deserve it. I made a pretty big mess with all that paint.”
Ryder’s features tightened and he leaned forward in spite of his resolve to keep his distance. “You are never to climb a ladder again when you are by yourself. Do you understand me?”
A tingle of pure female appreciation licked down Georgia’s spine even as she stiffened at the aggressive tone. “What? Are you going to do everything for me from now on?”
“If I have to.”
“Then why don’t you kiss me?” She couldn’t believe those words had just escaped her mouth. She never would have guessed that a little pain could make a girl so bold.
Or was it the desire flowing like lava through her blood?
Ryder stilled at her words. Her hair hung in disarray around her pretty pink-tinted face, and her breathing was heavy. His eyelids came down, hiding his expression as his gaze fell to the rise and fall of her heavy breasts beneath her paint splattered cotton t-shirt. He wanted to do a lot more than kiss her.
He wanted to strip her bare and take her. Right here. Right now.
With effort, he quelled those baser instincts and leaned forward, softly touching his lips to hers. Her hands came up to curl in his hair, pulling him in closer. He obeyed her silent command and deepened the kiss, licking the seam of her mouth, seeking entrance. She opened to him like a flower to the first fall of a Spring rain. Eager and impatient.
At her innocent response, he leaned forward, his arms clenching the back of the couch, caging her in. He didn’t trust himself to touch her. He knew if he did, he’d have her shirt up, revealing the flesh that taunted him, calling him to explore.
He thrust his tongue into her mouth, seeking the delightful taste that awaited him there. Over and over, he kissed her. Long, slow, drugging kisses that had them both gasping for breath. Soft, quick kisses that satisfied none of their hunger, but kept it boiling inside them.
He didn’t know how long he would have stayed there, in her arms, tasting and teasing if the sound of truck doors slamming hadn’t pulled him away. He rested his forehead against hers. “My brothers are back. Let’s get you to bed.”
He stood up, his very aroused body protesting the movement. He heard her gasp and knew she’d recognized just how much he wanted her. With an expression more a grimace than a smile, he picked her up and carried her to the bedroom Pops had prepared for her. With a last soft kiss, he left her alone.
Other than walking away from his parents’ grave after their funeral, it was the hardest thing he’d done by far his entire life.
CHAPTER FOUR
THE NEXT MORNING Georgia woke up before dawn, the pain in her ankle more intense than it had been yesterday. Throwing back the covers, she turned on the lamp to take a better look.
“Fudge,” she cursed softly, seeing the swollen and bruised flesh. She knew by just looking at it that there was no way she was going into work today. Or maybe tomorrow or the next day. Swinging her legs to the side of the big bed, she attempted to stand when a soft knock sounded on the door.
She cursed again, this time using a word that her momma wouldn’t have approved of. She didn’t want Ryder near her with bad breath and bed head. Knowing there was nothing she could do, she ran her hand over her hair before calling, “Come in.”
To her relief, Pops opened the door, sticking his smiling face inside the opening he’d made. “How you feeling this morning, honey?”
“I’m good. Come on in.” The door opened wider, and he walked in.
“I saw the light come on and was just checking to see if you were ready for something to eat. Didn’t look like you ate much of what Ryder fixed for you.”
She blushed a bright red, remembering exactly what she’d been doing instead of eating.
“I guess I wasn’t that hungry, but I am now. Is everybody else up?”
“Lord no, child. It’s too early for those slug-a-bugs.”
Georgia looked at the bedside clock and smiled. It was only four in the morning, a time most normal people would never think about rising. On workdays, she wouldn’t get up till around seven, and she always slept in late on weekends. She moved slightly and winced. “Mr. Anderson, do you think I could have an aspirin, please.”
“Don’t you be calling me that, girl. Call me Pops and call Silas, Gramps. Is your ankle hurting? Maybe Ryder should take you in to see the doctor.”
“No, no,” she hastily assured him. “It’ll be fine with some rest. Forget I even asked for aspirin.”
Pops looked at her, a slight smile tugging his lips. “You’re a stubborn one, aren’t you?”
She smiled back at him. “Maybe.”
“Just what we need around here,” he grinned back, “to butt heads with those stubborn grandsons of mine. Now you stay here, and I’ll get you that aspirin and some flapjacks to go along with them.”
Before she could protest, he was out the door.
Shaking her head, she finally managed to get to her feet. Using the wall as a support, she hobbled her way to the bathroom. Looking into the mirror above the sink, she grimaced. Yep. She definitely wasn’t looking her best. She washed her face and hands and finger combed her hair as best she could. Re-entering the bedroom, she stopped for a moment to admire the room. There hadn’t been time last night to take in much of her surroundings. The big bed dominated the center of the room, its carved headboard going halfway up the green and white painted walls. A matching dresser sat against the wall on the right while a walk-in closet took up the entire left side of the room. The house she’d rented from Pops was by no means a hut, but the size of this room and the attached bathroom was simply astounding. If the house was any indication, Devil’s Spur must be an incredibly successful operation.
She was sitting on the side of the bed, trying to regain her breath from putting her jeans on when the door opened again. After Ryder had left her alone last night, she’d taken off her jeans and slept in her underwear and t-shirt. Not the most comfortable of nighttime attire. The smile on her lips turned into a surprised ‘oh’ as she
looked up to see Ryder entering the room, a tray in hand.
“Good morning, Sunshine.”
Even though she could see only the faint light of dawn through the window, the smile he directed at her did make the day seem brighter. Dressed in his usual Wranglers, western-cut shirt and scarred cowboy boots, he nonetheless took her breath away. “What are you doing up? Pops said he was the only one up yet.”
Ryder laughed. “Pops gets up ten minutes before everybody else so he can call us lazy bums.” He set the tray on the bedside table. Leaning down, he kissed her lightly, then pulled back to stare into her dazed green eyes. “How’s your ankle feeling this morning?”
Her tongue traced over lips still tingling from his kiss. “A lot more sore, but I guess that’s to be expected.”
“How about your hip? I never did get a chance to look at it last night. I could do that now.” His eyes swept over her, and she felt the heat rise inside her.
“It feels fine,” she said quickly, earning herself a masculine chuckle.
“Alright, we’ll leave it for now. But just know the offer is still open. You sit back here and eat your breakfast. While you’re doing that, I’ll refill your ice pack.” He grinned and reached behind her to plump up the pillows she’d slept on, aligning them so that they would provide support for her back.
Moving to do as he said, Georgia drew in a deep breath, inhaling the scent of fluffy pancakes and syrup along with a spicy, clean scent that was definitely all male.
All Ryder.
“Ryder, I’m sure you have better things to do than babysit me.” She pulled the sheet over her legs, uncomfortable in the rumpled jeans and shirt she’d worn since yesterday. “Once I have a bite to eat, someone can take me home and I’ll be out of your hair.”
“Definitely not.” Ryder made a cutting motion with his hand. “You’re staying put until you’re able to walk better on that foot.”
“But it’s really not necessary.”
“Don’t you like it here?” He straightened, a frown marring his handsome face. “Or is it me?”
