by Lori Wilde
And everything was riding on the success of his ranch.
“Place looks really nice,” Dan observed, surveying the barn. “And you deserve the credit.”
Raleigh held her shoulders stiff and her head high in that proud, defensive manner of hers. What would it take to break down her barriers? That night by the lake he thought his kisses had chiseled a tiny chink in her protective armor. Had he been wrong?
Would she ever learn to trust him? For the millionth time, he wondered what had happened to her in the past to make her so withholding.
Bigger question, why did he keep barking up the wrong tree? If she didn’t want a relationship with him, best to stop trying.
After their magical, spellbinding date, Dan had believed things would be different between them, but he’d been wrong. If anything, Raleigh seemed more unapproachable than ever, withdrawing into her work, keeping him at bay, avoiding interaction with him as much as possible. Her response saddened and perplexed him.
She stalked across the yard to the house, and Dan followed her with his eyes, admiring her springy purposeful step, appreciating her trademark braid, approving of her tight, compact caboose. Sexual hunger chewed at him, instant and intense.
Dang, but the woman did dangerous things to him. Well, Miss Raleigh Travers had been denying her needs too long.
Tonight, at the party, Dan was determined to dance with her and snuggle against her on the hayride whether she wanted him to or not. He’d kept his distance before, but now it was time he took charge and made her face her feelings and the troublesome past that prevented her from enjoying the present.
Sighing, Dan joined the others on the patio. They ate ham sandwiches and drank lemonade. He’d hoped to sit next to Raleigh, but somehow, she’d managed to maneuver Caleb between them.
“All the kids at school are talking about the party,” Caleb said. “I think it’s going to be a big success.”
“I hope so,” Dan responded.
“Maybe we could turn the barn into a haunted house for Halloween and charge admission. What do you think, Dan?” The boy grinned.
“Why, I think that’s an excellent idea, don’t you, Raleigh?” Dan asked.
“Huh?” Raleigh replied, distracted from her reverie. Looking up from her plate, she found Caleb, Dan, Pete, and Fay all staring at her.
“Caleb thought we could turn the barn into a haunted house for Halloween. I think it’s a great idea,” Dan repeated, raising an eyebrow in her direction.
“It would take a lot of work,” Raleigh mused. “And money.”
Dan draped his arm across Caleb’s shoulders, and Raleigh experienced a jealous twinge at their friendship.
Since she and her brother had moved into the log cabin, Caleb and Dan had formed a great camaraderie. Often, in the evenings, Caleb would slip off to the big house and play video games or watch action-adventure movies with Dan.
And she had to admit, Dan was good for her brother. He took Caleb horseback riding and talked to him man-to-man. Her brother confided in Dan, admitting hopes and fears he would never have verbalized to her. Dan had even taught Caleb how to drive Pete’s old work truck around the ranch perimeters. Their budding relationship had deepened to the point where Raleigh felt a little shut out.
“Trust Sis to be practical,” Raleigh heard Caleb whisper to Dan. “She never has any fun.”
His words hit her with the cold slap of truth. Her stomach knotted. She didn’t have fun. Hadn’t in a long time. Hard work and responsibility at a young age prevented it. She was boring and practical and staid.
Raleigh got up from the picnic table, crumpling her empty paper plate in her hand. She tossed it in a nearby trash can and tried hard to breathe past the lump in her throat. Aware of everyone’s gaze upon her, she faked nonchalance. Taking her sunglasses from her front shirt pocket, she slipped them on to disguise her eyes.
“Looks like the caterers are here,” she said coolly, pointing at the driveway.
The group broke up. Fay and Dan went to deal with the caterers, while Pete, Raleigh, and Caleb started decorating the barn.
They filled brightly colored balloons with helium and watched them bob gracefully to the ceiling. They hung orange and brown crepe-paper streamers and tacked a large WELCOME banner across the front of the barn. They placed yellow tablecloths on the picnic tables and added bouquets of fall flowers.
Two hours later, the band arrived along with some high school students Dan had hired to take tickets and direct traffic. It was after four o’clock by the time Raleigh trudged to the log cabin to clean up and change for the party.
Indulging herself, she took a leisurely bath instead of her usual shower. It helped her to relax, and if she was going to survive this night, she needed to be as peaceful as possible. She twisted her hair into an elegant French knot and dressed in a blue gingham dress she’d bought for the occasion. Fay had generously loaned her the money. Dabbing on a light dusting of makeup, she added a squirt of lilac cologne before stepping outside into the noisy hubbub.
The band tuned up, vibrating the air with melodious chords. Chester streaked through the exercise yard, tongue lolling, while Caleb unfolded lawn chairs around the patio.
Near the tennis courts, the caterers had started grilling; a bossy chef carefully orchestrated the project. Delicious smells greeted her nose. Hot dogs and sausages lined one grill, ribs and brisket roasted on another, while a third held sizzling hamburgers. Card tables sagged beneath the weight of potato salad, coleslaw, fruit compotes, relish trays, and vats of baked beans. To one side, six ice-cream makers toiled diligently, grinding salty ice into delectable frozen treats.
Raleigh scanned the gathering crowd, searching for Dan’s tall figure. Where was he? she wondered, feeling lost without his steady support.
Dodging extension cords and other equipment, Raleigh picked her way across the yard to the barn. Nervousness tightened her gut. She hated crowds, rarely socialized, and felt inept at parties. She turned to flee back to the safety of her cabin but found Dan blocking her way.
Her heart jumped.
“You look good enough to eat.” His voice spilled over her like a creamy chocolate confection-dark, rich, and sinfully delicious.
She liked the way his eyes crinkled at the corners; it made him appear friendly, approachable, like someone she could tell all her secrets to.
Where did that last thought come from? Raleigh shook her head. She didn’t want to discuss her past with anyone, much less Dan.
“Hello,” she said rather primly, casting her gaze around the milling crowd. “Is there anything I can help with?”
“Stay next to me.” He took her hand and squeezed. “Remember, this is our project, and I need you.”
“I’m not much of a party girl, I’m afraid. If that’s what you’re used to.”
Dan stroked her cheek with the back of his index finger. The sensation sent tingling messages flooding through her neurons.
“I don’t want a party girl,” he whispered low and husky. “I want you.”
“Why would you want me? I’m boring,” she said. “Haven’t you heard? Even my kid brother thinks so.”
“Caleb didn’t mean anything by that remark. He just wants to see you happy. And I happen to think you’re the most intricate, fascinating woman I’ve ever known. You confound me, Raleigh. I only want to understand you.”
“Shouldn’t we mingle with the guests?” she interrupted, anxious to change the subject. She did not want to hear his words, realizing how close she was to weakening, to giving up and accepting the inevitable.
The next few hours passed in a blur of activity. Buzzing voices mixed with the scent of grilling meat, infusing the growing twilight with a down-home quality. Folks laughed, joked, talked. The sound of slamming car doors heralded more visitors.
Dan greeted the guests with hearty handshakes and words of welcome, but all the while he kept one arm securely draped across Raleigh’s shoulders. It felt good resting there, she grudg
ingly admitted to herself, and for the first time in many weeks, she started to relax.
Pete lit the lanterns, bathing the old ranch in a soft, romantic glow. The band broke into a slow, tear-jerking ballad about lost love.
“Have you had a chance to eat yet?” Dan whispered to her.
“No.”
“Me, either. The line’s thinned out; want to go grab a bite?”
“Sure.”
They walked over to the grill and helped themselves to the buffet. Carrying plates loaded with food, they sat side by side at a vacated picnic table. Most of the livelier guests packed into the barn to dance, while the more sedate bunch sat in lawn chairs around the periphery.
“The party’s going well,” Dan observed. Light as a feather, his bare arm brushed her shoulder, and his hard thigh pressed against her soft one.
Denim strumming cotton. Friction. The sensation evoked in Raleigh a sincere desire to sin.
Dan’s teeth flashed white in the darkness.
A half-moon smiled wide across the velvet sky. Spicy barbecue lingered sweet yet tart on her tongue. Wood smoke hung acrid in the air, and the ground beneath their feet vibrated with the power of a throbbing base. Raleigh tapped her toes in time to the music.
“Would you like a dish of homemade ice cream?” Dan asked after they’d finished their meal.
“Okay.”
He stood and extended his hand. Letting her tranquil mood carry her along, Raleigh slipped her palm into his. Together, they ambled over to the ice-cream makers.
Picking up plastic bowls from a nearby table, Dan opened the lid and dipped out homemade peach ice cream. Then they strolled over to the barn, eating ice cream.
Inside the barn, dancers promenaded to the “Cotton-Eyed Joe.”
“Are you having a good time,” Dan asked as they polished off their ice cream.
“This is nice,” she confessed.
“And it’s only a start. I can’t wait until the dude ranch is running full swing.” His face brightened as he talked about his dream. Raleigh stared at him, mesmerized.
“It’ll be wonderful,” she said.
“Would you like to dance?” he asked.
No, her mind warned. Not now. She felt too vulnerable, too ripe for suggestion.
“I enjoy watching just fine, thanks.”
“Come on. One dance won’t kill you.”
“I don’t know about that,” she replied, cautiously eyeing the boisterous dancers two-stepping across the hay-strewn floor.
“Yeah,” Dan said. “You’re right. Better not risk it; you might actually have some fun.”
She swallowed the lump in her throat. He was right. She did shy away from a good time. As a young girl, she’d been too busy accepting responsibilities to worry about having fun. The loss of her mother had robbed her of her childhood innocence, then Jack’s death had brought her up short, stealing any of the carefree impulses she might have possessed. And Pa’s lingering illness had only compounded her serious, practical nature.
Dan smiled. “Please, Raleigh, dance with me. For one night, let yourself go free.”
“I can’t. I don’t know how to dance,” she confessed.
“Well, darlin’,” he drawled, thick and sexy. “You let me take care of everything.”
Before she could protest, Dan eased her through the crowd and onto the dance floor. Clutching her tightly, he angled his head down and whispered, “Follow my lead.”
She clung to him, feeling nervous and out of her element. The disparity in their heights made dancing together almost comical. The top of her head grazed his shoulder.
“Regular Mutt and Jeff, aren’t we?” Dan commented as if reading her thoughts.
“Yes. A bad match, indeed.”
“When you’re prone, darlin’, height don’t mean a thing.” He chuckled.
With her ear pressed so close to his chest, she heard the rumble of his hearty laughter. Cursing the hot flush running up her neck, Raleigh moved her head. He certainly had a way of burrowing underneath her skin. And what was this “darlin’” stuff, anyway?
Gracefully, he guided her around the other dancers. She spied Fay and Pete dancing together. Fay caught her eye and winked. The crowd thickened, making it impossible to keep any distance between herself and Dan.
He held her close yet cautiously, as if she were rare porcelain. Raleigh wondered how many other women he’d held like this on a dance floor. Probably hundreds.
They swayed in time with the music, and she felt the hard outline of his thigh bumping against her hip. He rested his cheek against her hair and sighed.
“Raleigh?”
She raised her head and looked into his face. A sheen of perspiration dotted his upper lip. “Yes, Dan?”
“We’ve got to talk. In private.”
“Not tonight.”
“No,” he agreed. “But soon.”
He was right. They did need to talk. Things couldn’t continue as they were. Something had to give between them, and Raleigh would be damned if it was her heart.
The band burst into a fast-paced song.
“Ready to boogie?” Dan asked, spinning her breathlessly around the floor.
How could she hope to combat his relentless optimism, Raleigh wondered, knowing Dan possessed the ability to talk her into things she knew weren’t prudent. Nothing daunted this man for long.
They shimmied and shook to the upbeat tune. Her head swam, and she hung on to Dan, helpless as a rubber raft tossed adrift on wild ocean currents.
Raleigh practically floated in his arms. She was petite, dainty, and he wondered, not for the first time, how she managed to wrangle horses so well.
He knew he was walking on eggshells where their relationship was concerned. One false move and she’d disappear from his life like a plume of ephemeral smoke. Although she’d begun to change in the months she’d worked at the ranch, she still remained guarded, distant, veiling her true feelings with stubbornness and anger.
But tonight, he sensed her staunch resolve weakening. Tonight could be the night he finally crashed through her defenses.
The crowd jostled them. He clung tighter to her hand, pulling her along with him. The soft rhythm of her breasts sliding across his torso drove him crazy with lust. He meshed his hips into hers, letting her know exactly how much she affected him.
“Will you go on the hayride with me?” he murmured into her perfectly shaped ear, his heart chugging at the thought of her refusal.
She looked up. Pain lodged in his midsection. Would she reject him?
“Please?”
Her full lips parted, and he smelled the fruity scent of peaches on her breath. Tendrils of copper-colored hair drifted around her pixie face. When she lowered her gaze, long lashes brushed against her cheeks.
Anticipation gripped his chest, suspense stretched endlessly as he waited for her reply. Please let her say yes, he prayed.
“Ride with me tonight,” he whispered. “Will you?”
Though a worried frown creased her brow, she nodded, ever so slightly.
“You will?” His eyes widened in surprise. He hadn’t expected a positive response.
“Yes, Dan, I’ll sit with you on the hayride. And stop looking so shocked.”
“I...but...oh...never mind.” He shut his mouth and grinned, feeling fifty pounds lighter. Did this mean what he hoped it meant? Had she just agreed to take their relationship one step further?
She tossed her head back and laughed, a tinkling melodious sound that drove a spike of desire straight through to his groin. What a beautiful noise it was! A sound to be courted.
“What’s so funny?” he asked.
“The look on your face is priceless.” Mirth crinkled the corners of her lips. If only there was some way to cajole her into laughing more often.
“I’m glad I make you happy, sweetheart.”
Her laughter died instantly, and her sober, serious look returned. What had he said wrong?
The song ended, and
Raleigh sprang away from him. “It’s time for the hayride,” she said. “You should make an announcement.”
Dan walked to the stage and moved to take the microphone. But his eyes never left Raleigh. He cleared his throat and announced the end of the musical entertainment and the start of the hayride.
Stepping off the stage, he captured her gaze. He extended his hand to her and held his breath. When at last she settled her palm into his, Dan knew with absolute assurance that after tonight, there could be no turning back for either of them.
The band disassembled while the crowd filtered outside. Some guests headed for their cars, others climbed into the back of the tractor-trailer rig piled high with musty hay. Pete fired up the tractor engine and honked the horn.
“Where’s Caleb?” Raleigh asked.
“He’s around here somewhere,” Dan assured her.
“Maybe he’d like to go with us, too. He’s worked so hard; I don’t want to run off and leave him.”
“There he is.” Dan pointed.
She caught a glimpse of her brother sitting alone at an abandoned picnic table. Without waiting for Dan to follow, she scurried over to her brother. “Hey, are you going on the hayride with us?”
Caleb grimaced. “Nah, my stomach hurts.”
“Too much rich food,” Dan diagnosed.
“Listen, Dan. I can’t possibly go now,” she said, feeling both relieved and disappointed.
“Oh, please, Sis. Go on. I’ll be fine. Fay’s staying behind to help clean up. She can look after me.”
Dan touched Raleigh’s elbow. “He’s a big boy, Raleigh. You’ve got to untie the apron strings sometime.”
“You sure it’s okay?” Torn between duty and a desire to snuggle with Dan on the hayride, she looked from Caleb to Dan and back again.
“Go. Have fun.” Caleb shooed them with a wave of his hand. “Have you guys ever considered I might want you out of my hair?”
Pete honked again. “All aboard that’s going aboard,” he sang out.
“That’s our ride,” Dan cued.
Raleigh cast a worried glance over her shoulder at Caleb as Dan hauled her to the overcrowded trailer. Everyone shifted closer to make room, but it was a tight squeeze. Raleigh found herself sitting on Dan’s lap, encircled by his muscular legs and pressed firmly against his lower anatomy. They fit together perfectly, like interconnecting cogs.
