by Jen Peters
“Hmm…” She would be hard pressed to come up with any of those. “But it’s worth it?”
He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Oh yeah. I wouldn’t survive if I didn’t have this.”
They rode for a while longer, talking about nothing, then had a trotting race on the way back. Cliff mostly stayed with her, but if Zeus broke into a lope, he had to slow him back into a trot and that gave Robin a chance to pull ahead. Cassie just forged ahead with a steady gait.
“I’m winning!” Robin shouted, exhilaration filling her body.
“Only for a minute,” Cliff called back, holding Zeus to a steady trot but catching up to her quickly.
A deer crashed through the underbrush, heading for safety deeper into the woods. Cassie wasn’t concerned, but Robin startled and lost her balance momentarily. “Okay, time to slow down. But that was fun.”
They walked the rest of the way, Cliff pointing out a hawk overhead and the marks where deer had rubbed their antlers. When they got back across the river, he encouraged Robin into a lope across the field. She held onto the horn as she bounced, then melted again and found her rhythm with Cassie. It was like a combination of rocking horse and flying. “This is better than the trotting race,” she called.
Except that when she turned her head, she lost her balance. And then she really did fly.
She landed on her side, shoulder and hip hitting the hard ground with a sharp thud. “Ooh,” she groaned when she caught her breath.
Cliff was there in an instant, stroking her hair and looking into her eyes. His were blazing green with worry. “Are you okay? What hurts?”
She wanted to say, ‘what doesn’t hurt?’ but she couldn’t catch her breath enough. She’d have to settle for watching him watch her. Which she minded and didn’t mind, all at the same time. She really didn’t like being the center of attention, and this seemed even more up close and personal than him checking out her body position for riding.
“Can you wiggle your feet for me?” he asked, still stroking her hair.
She could stay in the moment forever, if only he’d keep doing that, but she turned her feet one way and then the other as he asked.
“Good, now your hands?”
By the time she wiggled her fingers, she found she could also draw a breath. “I’m fine. Just got the wind knocked out of me.”
At that, he slid his arm under her shoulders and lifted her to a sitting position. Very nicely leaning against his chest, she noticed. She could feel his heart hammering against her ear, going almost as fast as hers.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I didn’t bring you out here to hit the ground.”
“And hard ground it is,” she whispered back, looking up at him, “but it was fun until then.”
He nodded, but didn’t break his gaze. Was he checking out her pupils? He didn’t think she had a concussion, did he? But she couldn’t seem to look away either, even though her hip cried out for her to move.
She’d never felt like this about a guy before. She had only dated a little in college before the Frat Brat, but she had dated. Never had her heart raced like this, though. Never had she wanted to lose herself in someone else’s eyes.
Why? Why was Cliff any different from any other guy? She’d seen guys with six-packs before, guys with arms and shoulders that belonged to a Marine. None of them had done to her what this long, lanky cowboy did.
Was it the cowboy aspect? Probably not, or she would have been watching the hunks on network rodeos all these years.
But there was something about Cliff, whether it was his build or the look in his eyes or the way he was around animals. Around her. Something she’d be able to dream about at night.
He finally looked away. “Sorry, time to get you up and walking around.” He stood and reached a hand down to help her up.
She felt lonely without his body to lean on, but his hand was warm and strong. In a moment, she was standing. It would have been easier to shake her legs a bit and walk around, but he was holding her close, steadying her, and she didn’t want to move away. Finally she had to.
Robin moved, smiling for Cliff and trying to ignore the deep sore spots she was sure would turn into black bruises by the next day. When she looked up, she was surprised to see both horses standing close, grazing on the late season grass.
“Why didn’t they run?” she asked.
He didn’t take his eyes off her. “Guess they like your company too.” Then a gentle pink appeared under his tan, surprising her.
Wow. She wasn’t the only one feeling sparks. She caught her breath at the thought, then let it out slowly. It didn’t matter anyway—she couldn’t take the risk of opening up to someone in anything more than her dreams.
Before she knew it, he was leading Cassie to her and giving her a leg up. They rode back gently, leaving Robin plenty of time to wonder what he was thinking and try to push her own thoughts back down.
Back at the barn, she helped unsaddle the horses and brush them. Every touch of his hand sent unwanted sparks through hers.
Finally, she met his eyes. “I’ve got to go take care of the dogs.”
He only nodded. “And I’ve got to move the irrigation pipes and finish the barn.”
“Thanks for the ride. Even if I’ll be sore tomorrow.”
He grimaced “I’m sorry for that. I wish—”
“It’s oka—”
They broke off at the same time. “See you later,” she said, and walked resolutely toward her car.
Chapter 9
Cliff wiped the sweat from his forehead and readjusted his gloves. The September heat surprised him—it would be cooling off by now in Montana. He attached the Come Along, an indispensable fence-tightening tool, to a rope on the tractor and then to the loose strand of barbed wire. It ratcheted easily at first, then took every ounce of muscle to tighten until the wire sang.
Phil finally nodded and hammered two barn staples into the post. Then he wrapped the excess around the post and twisted the remaining length into the existing strand. By the time they were done with this length of fence, no angry cow would be able to take it down.
Cliff fastened the Come Along on the next strand, ratcheted it tight again, and Phil hammered another couple of staples. It was routine enough that Cliff’s mind had plenty of room to remember Robin’s wonder at loping across the field, his panic when she had hit the ground so hard, the way she felt leaning into his body.
He blew the thought out of his mind and focused on setting up the next strand. Then the recalcitrant thoughts returned. If Robin had been more scared after her fall, maybe she would have ridden double behind him on the way home. He imagined those light arms around his waist, maybe her body pressed against his back.
She hadn’t been frightened, though, and had done wonderfully on the ride home. That was good too—it meant he might get her to come riding with him again.
“Trade you places?” His uncle’s voice cut into his thoughts. Phil stood and stretched his back, and Cliff looked down the line of beautifully taut wire.
Before they started the last strand, Phil’s phone rang. “Hey, Dr. Jan, you got some results for us? Uh huh, well, hallelujah! At least that’s something we don’t need to worry about any more. Thanks much.”
He hung up and grinned at Cliff. “Looks like you scrubbed the barn for no reason—Brandy doesn’t have rhino.”
Cliff let out a breath. “I’m glad, even if I’ll have the smell of bleach stuck in my nose forever.”
“The barn’s ready for visitors, anyway. We could put Carla’s friend’s horse in there now.”
“Sure,” Cliff said, waiting while Phil stretched the wire this time. This was what he liked—fresh air, sleek cattle in the field, and plenty of hard work. To not have to think too much.
“So, Cliff,” Phil broke the silence. “You’ve been here for, what, nearly three months?”
Cliff nodded.
“And your dad passed in February?” He had the wire tight no
w.
Cliff nodded again. He hammered the staple in a little harder than necessary.
“So have you thought much about what you want to do?”
Cliff set the next staple, hammered hard, and hit his thumb instead. He swore under his breath, and swore again as his uncle chuckled. How was he supposed to answer that? He had no idea what he wanted to do, or even what he could do. He only knew that he’d rather live in the moment, helping Uncle Phil on the ranch, riding Zeus, and not worrying about change.
But maybe he’d worn out his welcome. Maybe Aunt Jess was tired of feeding another person. Maybe Phil had gotten tired of Cliff’s ideas on expanding the ranch.
“Do you want me to go?” he finally asked.
“Oh, heavens no, son,” Phil said. “You’ve been a big help around here, and I know the work has been good for you. But you must want more out of life than being a ranch hand.”
Cliff worked the wire around the post without getting the barbs caught on his gloves too often. “I like being a ranch hand,” he said. “No way can I ever afford my own place, and I doubt I can do what you did and marry into another ranch. So this is the next best thing. Until you get tired of me, anyway.”
Phil chuckled again. “Your aunt would have my head. You’ve brought life into her world again.”
Cliff straightened and looked his uncle in the eye. “Am I doing enough? Is it worth my room and board and the paycheck you’re giving me? ‘Cause you can cut my pay down if you need to.”
The older man paused. He opened his mouth, closed it again, then finally put his customary smile back on his face. “No, son, your paycheck is fine. If you weren’t here, I’d have to pay someone else. Only difference is they’d be sharing the apartment above the barn with Jory, not living in the house. Besides, without a paycheck, how are you going to take Robin anywhere special?”
Cliff made a face and went back to twisting the wire into the newly tightened strand. He’d like to ask Robin out, but he had no idea where to take her besides the local bars. She’d want to do something besides just ride, but the movie theater was showing ancient Godzilla movies for the month—not exactly his first choice. The only thing that came to mind was to help walk her dogs at the park. And how juvenile did that sound?
A barb hooked his arm where he’d gotten careless. He yelped and pulled it to his mouth. Uncle Phil laughed.
Cliff grabbed a carrot from the barn fridge, broke it into pieces, and wandered over to Old Red. The big stallion laid his ears back, then softened and lipped a piece gently from Cliff’s hand. Cliff rubbed the white star on his forehead. “You’re an old bluffer, you are,” he murmured. “Just want people to think you’re tough.”
Red pushed against him, searching for another carrot. He whuffled as Cliff offered another. Then he headed to the round pen where Brandy waited expectantly. Her cough was gone, her runny nose almost cleared up, and she snatched the carrot from Cliff’s hand.
He laughed as he haltered her. “Glad you’re feeling better, girl.” He led her to the main horse pasture, turned her loose, and watched her run and buck. The other horses ran with her, except for Zeus, who arched his neck and snorted at him. He’d been a colt when Cliff was a teenager and got his name from lording it over the rest of the yearlings. He still liked to rule the herd, but he’d mellowed out over the years, and he knew exactly where his treats came from.
Cliff offered a carrot piece and scratched behind the bay’s ears. Zeus leaned over the fence and rested his head on Cliff’s shoulder. “Come on, boy, let’s go for a ride.”
Ten minutes later they were heading out in the twilight. The moon was rising, three-quarters full, and soon the land was lit softly. They jogged along the Koke River, then crossed into another pasture.
A deer bolted out, then another, but Zeus didn’t shy. Instead, he put a lift in his trot and an arch in his neck. Cliff swore sometimes that there had to be some Arabian in him, not just Quarter Horse, but he didn’t know. “Settle down, buddy, I’m not up for any feistiness tonight.”
There were too many thoughts swirling through his mind. His dad and his future were ever present. Robin was a whole conundrum herself. And then there was Uncle Phil and the ranch.
Several times now, something had crossed the man’s face when Cliff had asked about the ranch. Phil had brushed off any concern or just plain changed the subject. Could anything really be wrong?
“What do you think, Zeus?” Saying things out loud helped bring order to Cliff’s mind, and the gelding was always good to talk to. Very non-judgmental.
Zeus flicked an ear and slowed to a walk.
“It’s not time for the calves to go to market,” Cliff told him. “The river’s down, but Phil’s water rights are some of the oldest, so that’s not a problem. And except for Brandy, all the stock is healthy.”
Zeus swiped a mouthful of tall grass beside the trail. “And you’re just fine, aren’t you, Munch Mouth?” Cliff chuckled, pulling him away. “Yeah, I get it, I shouldn’t worry until I know there’s something to worry about.”
The trail widened into a dirt road, and Cliff touched his heels lightly against Zeus’s sides. Zeus moved into a smooth lope, and Cliff smiled at the lightness filling his heart. “I needed this, boy, and so did you.”
He urged him faster. Zeus let out a small buck and Cliff tightened his legs, then tipped his head back and laughed as the gelding galloped on.
A half mile later, Cliff began slowing him down. As Zeus dropped to a jog, his gait faltered. “Hey, there,” Cliff said, steadying him with legs and reins. But even at a walk, something was off.
Cliff halted him and dismounted, checking his legs and feet. One front hoof had a stone stuck in his shoe. Cliff reached for his pocketknife and pried it out. “Sorry, boy, it’s got some sharp edges. Bet it doesn’t feel too good.” He tossed the stone away and massaged the spot, then led him out.
Zeus followed him willingly, but still favored the leg slightly. Cliff sighed. “You’re probably fine, but I think I’ll walk you home just the same.” He looked back over the miles they had come and sighed again. “And you can tell me how to solve the world’s problems.”
They ambled along, Zeus’s head at Cliff’s side, and Cliff wished the horse really could talk. Even if he could stay as a ranch hand forever, and even if the ranch was fine, there was still Robin. That girl did something to him, something he’d never felt with any of his past girlfriends.
“Remember Sadie, boy? She took one look at the dust and dirt on the ranch and took her shiny red Corvette right on out of there.” He rested a hand on Zeus’s mane, the horse’s head bobbing in time with their strides. “And Monique was an awesome dancer, but when I said I had to check on the mustangs, she thought I meant cars!”
Cliff’s memories took them halfway home, and then there weren’t any more girls to remember. Just Robin to think about now. She loved animals. She wasn’t afraid to get dirty. She did really well on a horse for her first time. And then there was that zing between them.
Not that he hadn’t had any zings with old girlfriends, plenty of kisses too, but something was different with Robin. It was like something bubbling up with tension. Not bad tension, just…possibilities.
If he had anything settled in his life, he’d see what might happen between them. He’d have to be careful—he wouldn’t want to hurt her if nothing came of it.
Then he shrugged. He had too much to deal with, too much to figure out to add a warm-hearted young woman into the mix. Romance would have to wait a year or two, and Robin probably wouldn’t be around that long.
“Just you and me, Zeus. That’s got to be enough.”
Chapter 10
Robin winced as she lowered herself into the car, her leg muscles still stiff after riding four days earlier. Not to mention the bruises from falling. But it had been worth all the abuse to her body.
She swung into the IGA and worked through her grocery list, all the while savoring the memories of riding with Cliff, laughin
g and talking and, if she admitted it, how good it felt to be in his arms. And to look up into those green eyes and enjoy him stroking her hair.
She smiled to herself. Sure, any decent person would have picked her up after she fell off. But stroking her hair? Only a guy who was interested would do that, right?
Robin looked down in her basket as she got to the checkout: grapefruit instead of oranges, potatoes instead of onions. She pivoted back to the produce section—she wouldn’t be so pleased with her daydreams if she got home with the wrong food.
Besides, she was going to cruise through some side streets and see what might be available for her shelter, so she needed to pay attention now.
Fifteen minutes later, Robin pulled over in front of a vacant building with a For Rent sign in the large front window. There was an upholstery shop on one side and a mechanic on the other, but they had plenty of space between them, unlike the shops on Main Street.
She peered through the dusty window and saw an open area with a counter, probably for retail sales. She couldn’t tell what was behind that, though—a little snooping was in order. Although if the place was for rent, they had to expect that people would look in windows.
Investigation showed a small office on one side, a workshop area, and no windows on the other side. Maybe that part was storage space that could be easily converted to something else.
She tried to picture how it might lay out with dog pens, greeting rooms, and a grooming area. Maybe Cliff’s idea of a proper animal shelter wasn’t so far-fetched. She came back around to the front and punched the number into her phone.
Five minutes later, she sank to the ground. She hadn’t been able to answer the lady’s questions very well. She had no idea how many square feet she needed, no idea what she would need to get started, and no idea how to pay fifteen hundred dollars for rent month after month after month.
Actually, that last one wasn’t even a question. Rent and remodeling costs would be high no matter what. Collection jars and fundraising projects were never going to supply the funds she needed.