by Erin Marsh
She patted him on the forearm, and once again, her hand felt like a cattle brand. Shock made the streaks of gold in her irises glint brightly, and he knew the searing blaze had touched her too. She didn’t pull back though. Instead, the molten flecks in her eyes cooled into shimmering ice crystals. Her lips curled in a clear challenge, and he felt his muscles stiffen for an entirely different reason than attraction. As a kid, he’d never been able to walk away from a dare. He’d matured, but evidently not when it came to a certain topaz-eyed pixie.
“Then I guess you’re going to be my ride.”
“Your ride?” Clay repeated. When she smiled at his confusion, he cursed his instinctual reaction. She knew she had the upper hand, and he’d practically gifted it to her.
“I’m volunteering at the zoo too, and I need a way to get there. My head is currently messed up due to your nephew and his friends, and I can’t keep bothering my grandfather for lifts. He’s got more to do than haul me around.”
“I guess I don’t have a choice.” It wasn’t the most gentlemanly response, but he hated being maneuvered like a young, foolish calf.
“No,” Lacey said with a slight smile, “I guess you don’t.”
* * *
In the nursery at the Sagebrush Zoo, Sylvia, the capybara, snuggled her newest charges. She loved all the orphans she’d watched over through the years, but these two wolf pups seemed extra special. With white bandages wrapped around their little paws, the tiny lobos spent most of their time sleeping, but Sylvia didn’t mind. She enjoyed the feel of their small bodies tucked against hers as she listened to their gentle breathing. Capybaras were social animals, and she relished the company of other critters.
When she was a young pup, she’d lived in a house with a small yard, and her old owner would yell at her for chewing on the furniture and baseboards. Now, she had a lovely pond to soak in, plenty of toys to sink her large front teeth into, and scads of companions. But she liked nothing more than cuddling with the zoo’s new orphans. She also received plenty of pats from the elderly veterinarian, the owner of the zoo, and his wife, along with their eldest daughter, Abby. The teenage girl gave the best scratches. Sylvia hadn’t interacted much with the new human twins. They tended to pull Sylvia’s fur, which she didn’t mind. After all, she was used to baby animals tugging on her. The bipeds, however, didn’t want the youngsters bothering her, so they didn’t let them too close.
Sylvia sighed as she settled her large head on the nest of blankets keeping her and the wolf pups warm. She sensed a change was about to occur in her little herd, and she was never wrong about these types of things.
Chapter 3
“What do you mean you’ve never been to the Sagebrush Zoo?” Lacey asked two days later as she swiveled to regard Clay. He might wear a cowboy hat and a Western shirt, but the man still exuded a city slicker vibe. True, he was handsome. Although Lacey hated to admit it, there were times her heart caught when she saw him…even when he made her angrier than a coyote with a mouth full of porcupine quills. But his handsome face was part of his problem. He was too perfect, too clean-cut. The sun had tanned Clay’s skin, but it looked like he’d achieved the golden hue lounging on a beach in the Hamptons rather than from riding his land. He didn’t even have a small scar to offset his masculine beauty. With his high cheekbones and even features, he always seemed like he was about to star in an underwear ad, the kind shot in black and white where everyone wore the same sexy pout.
And he had a body that went well with jeans and tailored cotton shirts. The simple materials showcased his muscles…and he had plenty of them. Lacey hadn’t wanted to look… Well, she hadn’t thought it wise to look, but Clay’s physique just attracted attention. Despite its undeniable deliciousness, it was the build of a model, not of a rancher. He might inspire fantasies, but he didn’t inspire confidence…at least not in Sagebrush Flats.
Yet Lacey had glimpsed something when he’d shown up twice on her porch with his nephew in tow. The preppy outsider might have more depths than she’d expected, and maybe, just maybe, part of her felt intrigued. She didn’t appreciate the feeling. Since her brother’s death, she’d avoided any potential emotional quagmires, and getting into a relationship with Sagebrush’s Big Bad Wolf would be like diving headfirst into quicksand.
Clay shrugged as he pulled into a parking space. “I never saw the need to visit the zoo, I guess.”
“It’s a Sagebrush Flats institution. Haven’t you lived here for more than a decade?”
A wry smile twisted Clay’s sculpted lips, and he looked like he was posing for a pretentious perfume ad. “If you haven’t noticed, I’m not exactly welcome at Sagebrush Flats institutions.”
Although Clay didn’t sound accusatory, that didn’t stop a small twinge of guilt. Lacey’s mother owned the most popular eating establishment in town. Although no one had ever actually refused Clay service, Lacey knew the waitstaff went out of their way to make him feel uncomfortable. They just might wait a little too long to take his order, his food might arrive a tad bit cold, and his pie might be slightly smooshed.
Although Lacey didn’t like the man’s policy on wolves, she was starting to wonder if the town treated him too harshly. He’d been a teenager when his father’s investment scheme had collapsed like an ecosystem with dried-up aquifers. Like she’d told her grandfather and Stanley yesterday, it wasn’t fair to hold him or Zach responsible.
“I’m sorry about that,” Lacey told him quietly.
Surprise flashed first in his aquamarine eyes, and then a genuine warmth spread through them. Lacey had never visited the Caribbean, but she imagined the waters looked like his irises…clear blue-green and utterly inviting. Although Lacey had always preferred hiking to swimming, something about the cerulean color made her want to take a nice, long dip. The emerald undertone darkened, and Lacey felt a tug deep inside. As if entranced, she leaned forward. Her lips parted involuntarily. Clay sucked in his breath.
“Are we actually going to get out of the truck sometime today,” Zach asked in a bored voice, “or are you two just going to stare at each other?”
With a gasp, Lacey jerked back in her seat. It almost felt like she’d been submerged underwater. Sucking in air, she blamed her head injury. For the past few days, fuzziness had distracted her, making it hard to concentrate. It made some sense she’d gotten caught in the undertow of Clay’s sea-toned gaze…at least that was what she was telling herself.
“Have you toured the zoo?” Lacey asked Zach, her voice a little too chipper.
He didn’t say anything about her overly bright tone, but he gave her the suspicious look that teenagers had perfected. “Isn’t it for little kids?”
“Zoos are for everyone.”
“I’m surprised you like animal parks,” Clay said as he unbuckled his seat belt. “I thought you were the type who believed all animals should run free.” His tone was a mixture of genuine curiosity and hidden challenge.
Since Lacey didn’t have the bandwidth for an argument today, she focused on his honest question.
“As an ecologist, I’d obviously like to see all animals in their natural habitat, but I realize it’s not always possible,” Lacey said as she climbed out of the truck. “Properly run zoos like Sagebrush’s help preserve the genetic integrity of a species. The Mexican gray wolf was extinct in the wild, and the captive breeding populations allowed us to bring them back.”
“But they aren’t native to this area,” Clay said, and Lacey felt her temper rise. They’d had this argument numerous times.
“Gray wolves are, and Rocky Ridge isn’t too far north of the subspecies historic range.”
“But—”
“Hi, guys.” Bowie Wilson’s voice broke into their conversation. Lacey turned to see the zoo director strolling up to them. He had a broad smile on his handsome face. Even before he’d married Lacey’s distant cousin, Katie, she’d always con
sidered him a de facto older brother. Back when she’d worked at the zoo, she’d reported to Bowie, and she’d never had a better boss. If anyone loved animals more than she, it was Bowie.
Clay’s mouth stretched into a welcoming grin. In the past, Lacey had considered it smarmy. Folks said he had his dad’s obsequious charm. But now Lacey had begun to wonder if she’d detected a surprising trustworthiness at his core.
Clay started to extend his hand, but Lacey noticed that he hesitated as if he wasn’t sure of his reception. When Bowie lifted his own, Lacey spotted the tiniest flicker of relief flash over Clay’s face. It struck her that a lot of folks in Sagebrush wouldn’t be so welcoming.
“Thanks for agreeing to take on my nephew,” Clay said.
The teenager made a disgusted sound. “He gets free labor. Like it’s a big deal for him.”
“Zach!” Clay made his voice sharp with warning.
Bowie, however, didn’t appear fazed by the bad attitude. Instead, he gave Zach a genuine smile, his gray eyes warm. “We’re always happy for more help. Lacey said you were a natural with the wolf pups.”
Zach shot her a startled glance. Like his uncle, he seemed surprised by any support. Lacey gave him an encouraging smile, but it only seemed to make him more uncomfortable. He focused his eyes on the ground as he scuffed at the gravel with his shoe. “Am I going to spend all my time here shoveling shit?”
Instead of being offended, Bowie laughed. “Well, there will be some of that, but we’ll try to give you interesting jobs too. Why don’t we start with a tour? You can meet some of our residents.”
Zach appeared torn between preserving his aloofness and giving in to his curiosity. To Lacey’s surprise, he swung his gaze toward her again. For some reason, the kid actually listened to her, but then people normally did. Her mother said she’d been born with the gift of putting others at ease. Working at her mother’s restaurant had only improved her people skills. As a ranger, her talent helped her hold the audience’s attention when she led walks or gave talks. Aside from observing wildlife, her favorite part of her job was hosting fireside chats for the young guests. But she didn’t get involved in their lives. Not like this.
“Bowie is a great guide,” Lacey said. “He started working at the zoo when he was a little older than you.”
“My first job was cleaning up graffiti—my own handiwork.” Bowie directed his broad grin at Zach, clearly trying to put the teenager at ease.
Shock chased the sullenness from Zach’s face, and he looked younger. “You tagged this place?”
“Yep, right after I got kicked out by my foster parents on my eighteenth birthday. Lou Warrenton and his wife took me in.”
Zach’s face clouded again. “I’m not looking for a home.”
Bowie chuckled. “Understood. With twin babies in residence, the house is a little tight at the moment, but we still have plenty of jobs at the zoo. Come on. Let’s go meet your charges.”
“My charges?” Zach asked as the two of them began to walk away.
“You’re going to be helping take care of them,” Bowie said as they disappeared around the corner, “so they’ll be yours in a way.”
As soon as his nephew was definitely out of earshot, Clay cleared his throat. “Thanks for setting this all up—and not just for getting Zach out of juvie. Working here will be good for him. I didn’t realize Bowie Wilson had a similar background.”
Lacey nodded. “His parents were drug addicts too. His mom died of an overdose. I was just a kid when it happened, but I remember folks gossiping about it at the café. They’d quit talking when they noticed me, but I think the sudden stop in conversation is why I remember it so vividly.”
Clay stared off at one of the distant rock formations. “That’s how Zach’s mom died. He’s the one who found her. His father, my brother, is still alive, but I’m not sure for how long.”
“I’m sorry. Addiction is a terrible disease.”
Clay shifted back in her direction. This time, his eyes appeared more blue than green as he focused on her face with surprising intensity. When he spoke, his voice was solemn and a tad gravelly. “Thanks.”
Lacey cocked her head at his unexpected response, so he continued. “For calling it a disease.”
“That’s what it is,” Lacey said.
One side of his mouth quirked up ruefully. “Not everyone sees it that way.”
Before Lacey could say more, Clay cleared his throat in an attempt to change the subject. “You’re good with him.”
“Zach?”
Clay nodded sharply. “I’ve been trying to break through his sullen exterior for a year, and you’re the first to get him to stop scowling for a nanosecond. It doesn’t sound like much, but it is for Zach.”
His observation made her feel itchier than an ill-fitting wool sweater. “Folks say I have a way with people.”
Clay made a short, harsh sound that sounded like half a chuckle. “Yeah. Well, your powers of persuasion typically don’t work on me, but this time, I guess we’re on the same side.”
An unexpected sense of camaraderie slipped through Lacey. “I guess you’re right.”
An awkward quiet fell over them next, and their gazes drifted apart. Lacey concentrated on a clump of dying sagebrush. Clay was the first to break the silence.
“I better get back to the ranch.”
Lacey looked back up just as he began to move toward his truck. She only caught his profile, but he looked so lost in that brief moment…maybe even more than his nephew.
“Wait.” The word escaped Lacey’s mouth before she could think better.
Clay turned expectantly in her direction. “Yes?”
“Would you like a tour of the zoo?” My goodness, where had that suggestion come from? “In high school and college, I worked here during the summers.”
Clay’s sculpted lips formed a slow, sexy grin. The flecks of green in his eyes deepened. “I’d like that. A lot.”
A warm wave of desire crashed over Lacey. It felt as good and as surprisingly welcome as the ocean spray on a hot day. Worse, she didn’t feel even a hint of trepidation, which paradoxically triggered a sense of worry. After all, a woman shouldn’t approach uncharted waters without some sense of hesitancy, especially those known to turn stormy.
* * *
There was something about Lacey’s brown gaze that wrapped around Clay like a Pendleton camp blanket on a cold winter’s night. It felt as if he’d found a place of refuge after being stuck in a relentless blizzard. And for a guy who’d never really had a home, the sensation was intoxicating.
Clay wanted to reach forward and seize the feeling. His fingers twitched as he imagined the silky glide of her hair. Would her lips taste as velvety and inviting as they looked? How deep would the warm heat of her body sink into his skin if she nestled against him?
He started to lift his hand, but the welcoming glow in her eyes banked as the gold streaks hardened into crystals again. To hide his gesture, he pretended to scratch an itch on his other arm. Lacey stepped back, her expression polite but nothing more.
“We’ll start with Lulubelle,” Lacey said as if he should recognize the name. “Her pen is the closest to the entrance, and she’s the unofficial greeter.”
“Lulubelle?” Clay asked.
“You haven’t heard of her? She’s an internet star.”
“My time on the computer is spent updating spreadsheets and researching beef market trends.”
“You really are focused on the business side of ranching,” Lacey said, and it didn’t sound like a compliment. Clay should be accustomed to the criticism, but her tone irked.
“I run an operation that’s subject to constant, unpredictable change.” Clay forcibly kept his tone light despite his burgeoning annoyance. “It keeps not only me but all my ranch hands employed. I’m also responsible for the herd, the hor
ses, the farm dog, and all the other animals on my spread. So yes, I review charts and data to cut waste, make better predictions, and keep the whole damn thing from folding.”
To Clay’s surprise, a responding anger didn’t blaze in Lacey’s eyes like it normally did when they argued. Instead, she regarded him steadily. “I didn’t realize you were so passionate about ranching.”
That. That surprised him. “How many heated fights have we had about your wolves killing my calves?”
“I thought you just liked being ornery.”
Clay felt like he’d been thrown from a horse. Even the air whooshed out of him. He’d been engaged in a public debate with the woman for more than four years, and she thought he’d done it because of sheer stubbornness? Hell, Sagebrush Flats really did view him as the spawn of the devil.
Lacey shook her head, a wry smile touching her lips. “You know, we’ve been shouting at each other for years, but I don’t think we’ve ever actually heard each other.”
Something jiggled loose inside him, and he felt his own mouth quirk up at the corners. He wouldn’t say he and Lacey were anywhere close to reaching a permanent accord, but it felt good to concede a truce…even if just for the morning.
“You might just be right,” Clay said, his voice sounding thick to his own ears. Before he could say anything more, a rumbling sound broke into their conversation. He glanced over his shoulder to discover two giant, liquid-brown eyes staring back at him.
Lacey immediately walked over to the camel and began rubbing her neck. “Clay, meet Lulubelle. Lulubelle, meet Clay.”
The animal gave him a silly smile, and he swore she inclined her massive head in his direction.
“Pleased to make your acquaintance.”
Lulubelle loudly sniffed the air, her nostrils flaring. Imploringly, she swung back toward Lacey and began to snuffle her shoulder. Lacey laughed, the sound bright and easy. “I’m sorry, but I don’t have any treats today.”
Undeterred, the camel began to chew on her ponytail.