Rancher's High-Stakes Rescue

by Beth Cornelison

  Dawn wagged a finger between Zane and Josh. “You two are...identical twins?”

  Zane nodded. “We are. And we have a sister, who rounds out the set. Triplets.”

  Kate blinked and goggled at Zane. “Triplets! Wow. Does your sister live here, too? Will we meet her?”

  “She does now. Just moved back from Boston. You’ll meet her at the welcome dinner tonight. Which, I was saying when Josh stormed in, is at six p.m. Out in the side yard.” Zane directed them with a finger pointing out the window. “That way. Can’t miss it.” He clapped his hands together. “Well, we’ll get out of your hair, let you unpack. The refrigerator has soft drinks and bottled water. Help yourself. Can we do anything else to get you settled before we scoot outta here?”

  “I’m good, thanks,” Kate told Zane, and when she glanced back at Josh, his piercing gaze was still riveted on her, the playful twitch of a grin tugging the corner of his mouth.

  Her heart bumped, and her breath snagged in her throat. His stare was unnerving, both because of the intensity of his sky blue eyes and because of the mysterious smile he gave her. As if he knew a secret about her. As if he were undressing her with his eyes. As if he could read her fears and reluctance about being there and was privately mocking her.

  She calmed her edginess with a deep inhale and slow exhale, the way her therapist had taught her after the trauma of being trapped in the silo. Center yourself by focusing on something near you, something real, something safe.

  Kate tore her gaze away from Josh’s and concentrated on a whimsical rooster figurine above the kitchenette cabinets until the uneasy feeling passed. She could hear Dawn telling the brothers goodbye and thank you. Heard the screened door slap closed followed by the squeak of hinges as the main door closed.

  “Wow,” Dawn said, returning to the living room area of the guesthouse. “Twice as nice! Two for the price of one...” She gave Kate a play-punch in the shoulder as she strolled past on her way to check out the bedrooms. “I do believe we need to get you into some double trouble.”

  With a grunt of disagreement, Kate followed her friend toward the bedrooms. The last thing she wanted from this trip was trouble. Double or otherwise.

  * * *

  Josh McCall scrubbed his hands and fingernails with the small brush at the stable’s wash station, while the hot water sent billowing steam up in his face. His motions were mechanical, habit, which was good, because his thoughts were miles away. Or rather, a few dozen feet away in the guesthouse.

  He was not sure what he’d expected from the two representatives from the Dallas PR firm Zane was working with, but the wheat-blonde beauty, even now unpacking in the old bunkhouse, had not been what he’d pictured. Kate Carrington, Zane had said her name was. Kate, with her heart-shaped face, full lips and nervous smile had left him awestruck. He wasn’t as sappy as to believe in love at first sight, but lust at first sight, or intrigue, or captivation—whatever you wanted to call it—he was pretty sure had just happened. His body was thrumming, and his brain was clicking, anxious for the chance to talk with her again, get to know her. And yes, possibly sample those pink lips that had trembled a little when she’d smiled at their introduction.

  He’d stared. He knew he had, and maybe his rapt attention had unsettled her. Maybe she wasn’t used to guys openly, unabashedly admiring her. Maybe—his heart stuttered—crap, was she married? He hadn’t thought to look for a ring. Gorgeous as she was, beguiled as he was, he would put his attraction on ice before he messed with a married woman.

  “I think you missed a spot,” Dave Giblan, one of the Double M’s ranch hands, said as he sidled up beside him to wash his hands.

  “Huh?”

  Dave chuckled. “Geez, where’s your head? You’ve been scrubbing away over here for like ten minutes. Your skin’s gonna be raw.”

  “Oh.” Josh passed the scrubbing brush to Dave and stepped aside. “Just trying to be thorough.”

  Dave grunted and gave his boss a skeptical side-eye. “Heard the first guests arrived. You meet them?”

  “Yeah,” Josh said, drying his hands on a clean towel from the shelf above the industrial-sized sink. “Couple of ladies from the PR place that’s handling our advertising and marketing.” He put the towel on a hook near the sink where Dave could use it next and hitched his head toward the back stall. “How’s mama doing?”

  Dave nodded. “Great. She’s tired, but she’s taking care of her baby like she’s supposed to. Calf weighed in right at seventy pounds. Vet says he looks good.”

  “Excellent.” He slapped Dave on the shoulder. “I’ll leave them in your capable hands. Let me know if anything changes with mama’s or the little guy’s conditions.”

  Dave shut off the water. “Will do, man.” Dave hesitated, then asked, “Say...what’s this adventure tour biz mean for me?”

  Josh gave him a puzzled look. “For you?”

  The hand jerked a nod. “I’m already busier than a one-legged man in a butt-kicking contest since Karl left. And now you, Brady and Zane have your hands full with the adventure tours. Are there plans to hire a new hand? Get me some help?”

  Josh grimaced and ran a hand through his shaggy hair. “Not that I know of. Sorry. We don’t plan to leave you hangin’. Brady’ll only be involved in the new business in small ways, and Zane and I’ll do our best to give you extra help when we’re around.”

  Dave looked skeptical, but said nothing more about it.

  Josh left the stable, pondering the truth that Dave had raised. The ranch did need more hands. But where would they find the money to hire more help? As he crossed the ranch yard, he heard the familiar squeak of the guesthouse’s screen door hinges. He glanced over to find Ms. Fetzer hurrying over to him.

  Changing direction, he moved to intercept the woman, whose red-brown hair had been pulled into a single braid at her nape and whose ample curves jiggled as she trotted toward him.

  “Hi. Josh, is it?” she said cheerfully, her dark brown eyes sparkling with enthusiasm.

  “Yes, ma’am. What can I do for you?”

  “Well, you can call me Dawn instead of ma’am for starters. We are going to be working together, after all.”

  Josh grinned and poked his hands in his front pockets. And, yes, they were a little raw from his distracted and extended scrubbing. “Dawn, then.”

  She toyed with her braid—auburn, that’s the name of the color he’d heard Piper use for that shade of brownish-red hair—and she gave him a coy smile. “I’m really looking forward to trying all the adventures. Especially the rafting. That looks like so much fun!”

  “It’s a blast,” he returned, nodding and giving her a schooled smile.

  The guesthouse screened door screeched again, and when he glanced toward the small porch, his blood surged and heated. His smile grew as Kate walked toward them. She had a graceful stride, but even her poise didn’t mask the sexy sway of her hips. When she met his gaze, her cheek dimpled with a quick grin before her attention shifted to her friend. “Dean just called you. I answered it and told him I’d get you, but he said he was just checking that we arrived okay.”

  Dawn pressed a hand to her full bosom. “What a sweetie. Did he want me to call back?”

  Kate shrugged. “When you get a minute. The connection wasn’t good, so...”

  “Yeah. Cell reception out here stinks. The landline in the guesthouse might be the better option for phone calls.” Josh got his first up-close look at Kate’s mossy green eyes, and something deep inside him kicked.

  She tucked her blond hair behind her ear and moistened her lips with a quick swipe of her tongue. Josh’s mouth watered, and he clenched his hand inside his pocket.

  Damn but he wanted to kiss those pink lips!

  Instead, he motioned toward her, saying, “You’ll want to keep some lip balm close by. The air here is pretty dry, and it can be brutal to lips.”
>
  She seemed a little startled by his non sequitur, and a wrinkle of confusion creased the bridge of her nose briefly before she nodded. “Okay. I will. Thanks.”

  Her gaze went to his mouth before darting away.

  “And sunscreen, especially when we’re on the adventure outing. It might only be May, but skin as fair as yours—” he caught himself and included Dawn with his gaze “—and yours, will burn easily, even this time of year.” He touched the brim of his black felt Tony Lama hat, adding, “A good wide-brimmed hat helps, too.” He winked at them. “And you thought we just wore these doozies because they look good.”

  Both of the women laughed, and Dawn swatted his arm, clearly flirting. “That they do, cowboy!”

  He stepped back from Dawn’s hand and doffed his hat as he eased away. “Until later, ladies. Duty calls.”

  As he shuffled into the mudroom of the main house, he shook his head and chuckled. “Ironic.”

  “What’s ironic?” his sister, Piper, said from a stool at the kitchen counter.

  After shucking off his work boots, he strolled into the kitchen and snitched one of the potato chips on Piper’s plate. She batted at his hand.

  “Hey, mooch, get your own!”

  “Why? Yours are right here.” Man, he loved to tease her. Having her back at the ranch after seven years felt good. The McCall family was complete again. Having her part of this new business venture with Zane felt ordained.

  “What’s ironic?” she repeated, sliding her plate out of his reach.

  “Oh, the two women who came this afternoon from the PR firm. I was just talking to them outside and...well, one of them is not so subtle about her interest in me...”

  Piper snorted. “Vain much, Josh?”

  “Hey, I know flirting when I see it.” He walked around her and took another potato chip. “But the other lady, the one I actually think is pretty hot, seems...I dunno...kinda skittish.”

  Piper pivoted on the stool to face him, folding her arms over her chest. “Back up, Doofus. You find her hot?”

  “Damn right. She’s gorgeous.”

  Piper arched a dark eyebrow at him. “This is a travel adventures business we’re trying to launch, bucko, not a dating service. The customers are off-limits.”

  He paused with a potato chip halfway to his mouth. “Says who?”

  “Says...everyone. Mixing business and pleasure is bad form.”

  He gave her a withering scowl as he crunched the chip. “I disagree. If both parties are willing, why can’t I have a little fun on the side...if you know what I mean.” He gave her a wink.

  Piper chuckled and shook her head. “Josh, even Zeke knows what you mean,” she said, referring to the family’s part–Maine coon cat, who was circling Josh’s legs, meowing for attention. “You’re about as subtle as a bat to the head.”

  Josh stooped to lift the long-haired cat into his arms. Zeke immediately draped himself over Josh’s shoulder and commenced purring loudly. “You’re on my side, right, buddy? You think I should be able to romance the customers if they’re open to it, right?”

  Piper grinned. “He’s been neutered. He doesn’t know what you’re talking about.”

  Josh winced in sympathy for the feline, then gave his sister a wry snort. “His being neutered is not the reason he doesn’t know what I’m saying.”

  “Case remains, you cannot mess around with the customers.” She stood and gave Zeke a scratch on the head, which the fur ball leaned into with relish. “It’s bound to end badly, and we cannot afford to screw anything up with the business.”

  Josh shoved the cat into her arms, then took the last potato chip off her plate. “Maybe we’ll put it to a vote of all the partners.”

  “Maybe we will,” she returned. “But in the meantime, we have a welcome dinner to put on and more guests arriving in another hour.” She looked him up and down. “And you smell like crap.”

  “Because I was helping deliver a calf an hour ago.”

  Piper perked up. “Really?” She set Zeke on the ground and dusted fur from her shirt. “Why didn’t anyone tell me? I would have helped! I love births!”

  “Plenty more to come, sister dear.” He took his leave. “I’ll be in the shower if anyone comes looking for me.”

  * * *

  “Are you looking for anyone in particular?” Dawn asked Kate that night as they strolled into the small cluster of people gathered on the ranch yard around a festively decorated buffet table and smoking grill.

  “Uh, no. Why?” Kate tucked a loose wisp of her hair behind her ear and felt a telltale prickle in her neck as she flushed with embarrassment. She hadn’t realized she’d been so obvious, craning her neck as she scanned the faces in the crowd for one in particular.

  Dawn bumped Kate’s hip with hers and cackled. “You are the worst liar!”

  Kate bumped her back. “Shut it.”

  “You know you don’t need to look for him. I guarantee Josh’ll find you before this shindig gets started good.” Dawn straightened the neon multicolored scarf she had draped around her neck to accent her bright green blouse. “You need only sit back and wait.”

  Kate questioned her friend with a furrowed-brow glance.

  “Oh, come on, Katie! You did see the little heat waves rising off him when he looked at you this afternoon?”

  Kate pulled a face and dismissed her friend with a buzz of her lips.

  Dawn stopped walking and faced Kate fully, taking her by the arm. “No, seriously. His tongue was dragging the ground. Eyes popping out of his head. You didn’t catch all that?”

  Kate laughed and brushed past Dawn. “You make him sound like one of those cartoon characters when they see the femme fatale.”

  “Uh...bingo!” Dawn took a few quick steps to catch up with her. “He was seriously interested, sister, and you’d be crazy not to act on it.” Dawn tipped her head and narrowed her eyes. “Unless you have some problem with hunky dark-haired cowboys with eyes straight out of heaven. Or is his more clean-cut brother the one you’re considering?”

  “Would you stop?” Kate said with a chuckle. “I’m not considering either. I’m here on business, not pleasure.”

  “So?” Dawn persisted. “You could have both.”

  “I was just telling my sister the same thing,” said a deep voice behind them.

  Kate whirled around with a gasp. “Josh. Hi.”

  The subject of their discussion gave her a devastatingly handsome grin and tipped his hat.

  Dawn didn’t try to hide her smug grin as she muttered in a quiet singsong, “Told you...”

  Josh had changed into clean jeans and a light blue polo-style shirt that set off his straight-outta-heaven eyes and hugged his muscled torso. His raven hair was still damp from his shower and combed back behind his ears, where it then curled slightly at his nape. And he smelled divine. Something woodsy and fresh, without the cloying and pretentious scents of the colognes the men in her Dallas office wore.

  “Did you ladies get settled in okay?” He slid his fingers in the front pockets of his jeans and divided a look between them.

  “Yeah. Just fine,” Kate said and clutched the thin straps of her purse so that she didn’t fidget. Good grief. She felt like some junior high girl with a crush on the school’s quarterback. “I love the way you’ve decorated the guest rooms.” Doh! Could you sound more banal?

  “Thanks, but I had nothing to do with that. My mom and sister were the bosses of that part of the renovation.” His smile dimpled his cheek, and she felt her stomach swoop and her knees soften.

  “Well, they have good taste. They split the difference between masculine and feminine decor perfectly.” She sensed more than saw Dawn easing backward, leaving her alone with Josh. She snuck a hand out and grabbed her friend’s arm before she could duck completely away.

  “We have time before
dinner is served if you’d like to go see the new calf now.” He waved his thumb toward the stables.

  Kate couldn’t help but smile. She may have some bad memories of her parents’ farm, but she missed the animals. “I’d love that.”

  Dawn lifted a foot to him, waggling her high-heeled sandal at him. “I’m not sure I’m in the right footwear. You two go ahead, and I’ll see the baby tomorrow.”

  Kate tightened her grip on her coworker’s arm, sending her a look that said, Stop playing matchmaker!

  “Are you sure? We have boots you can borrow down by the stable,” Josh said.

  “Yes, Dawn,” Kate said through her teeth, “you can borrow boots. Come with us.”

  Dawn pried Kate’s fingers from her forearm and gave her a disgruntled look. “No thank you, Kate. You two go on. I’ll just go get a drink and wait for you up here.” With a wiggle of her fingers to wave goodbye, her traitorous friend backed away, wearing a victorious grin.

  “All right then. Guess it’s just us.” Josh put a warm palm on her back to direct her toward the stable.

  Her pulse jumped at his touch, and a tremor of acute awareness shimmied through her. She walked beside him, silently cursing Dawn and mentally fumbling for conversation that didn’t sound as lame and juvenile as she felt. She was awestruck and tongue-tied like some smitten kitten, and she hated the sense of vulnerability and hesitation that held her. Why did he make her so nervous? While he didn’t look a thing like Jason, her most recent mistake, her attraction to Josh was similar. Maybe that was why she was battling this odd mix of lust and wariness. Internal warning lights were flashing and sirens blaring. Don’t go down that path again! Danger ahead!

  “...are you from? Besides the Dallas firm, I mean,” Josh was saying.

  “Oh, um, I grew up in Missouri. On a farm. And then I went to school in Georgia and got my job in Dallas a couple years ago. How about you?” She kicked herself as soon as the question left her mouth. Idiot!

  He chuckled. “Born and raised right here at the Double M.”