Ryder Men of Clifton, Montana Book 5

by Susan Fisher-Davis

  “Do I pass?" he asked her. Just then, two dogs came running into the kitchen and saved her from answering.

  Ryder told them “No” in a voice that demanded obedience. Both dogs stopped and sat down in front of her. She smiled and put her hand out to them. They were bumping into each other trying to get closer but barely moved.

  “What breed are they? They’re so pretty.” She glanced up at Ryder.

  “Border Collies,” he said as he walked to the back door and opened it to let them out. They both ran off the porch, and then disappeared around a small barn. Ryder closed the door, removed his hat, hung it on a hook alongside his jacket, and then disappeared into a small room off the kitchen. Kelsey took her coat off and followed him. They almost bumped into each other as he came out the door she was going in. She laughed softly and looked up at him. He was a big man. He took her coat from her and hung it on another hook near his things. No smile touched his lips as he turned to her.

  “Are you hungry? I could make you some soup or something.”

  “I’m too tired to be hungry. I just want to go to bed." She felt a blush rush up her neck and into her cheeks. She had no idea why saying that made her blush but suddenly, she couldn’t look at him.

  “I’ll show you to your room then. Follow me.” Ryder left the kitchen. After a few mortifying seconds of wishing she could crawl into a hole, Kelsey followed him. You’re making such an ass of yourself. Calm down. He’s just a man. God, yes, but what a man!

  Kelsey rolled her eyes at her own foolishness as she followed him through what appeared to be a foyer or maybe not, since he didn’t turn any lights on until they reached a hallway. It was then she noted they had passed a darkened living room. He opened the first door on the left side of the hallway and turned a light on inside the room. He motioned for her to go in. He set the suitcase down just inside the door.

  “You have your own bathroom. If you need more blankets, there are some in the linen closet. If you need anything, my room is the last one on the right.” He frowned at her. “How did you know to find me at Dewey’s? The bar,” he clarified.

  “When I arrived at the bus station, I saw a Sheriff’s Deputy and I asked him where I could get a taxi to take me to your house. He told me he’d just been by the bar and saw your truck there.” She shrugged. “So I took a taxi there.”

  He gave her a nod and softly closed the door behind him leaving her alone.

  Kelsey stood in the center of the room and looked around. The walls were painted in a soft blue. There were white lace curtains on the window and a blue and white quilt on the bed. The chest of drawers was mahogany with a small TV sitting on top of it. Along a wall sat a large mahogany dresser and the soft carpet was light beige. It was a surprisingly nice room.

  She walked to the nightstand beside the bed, turned on the small table lap, and then flipped off the ceiling light. Sighing, she lifted her suitcase up on the bed and opened it. She hoped she wasn’t here very long or she’d have to get more clothing. She put her underwear in one of the drawers, and hung her blouses, and jeans in the roomy closet.

  Moving toward the bed, something outside in the yard caught her eye. She slowly moved to the window and looked out. It was Ryder. He was walking toward the barn. He had certainly made no bones about not wanting her in his home. Other than answering her question about the dogs and telling her where to get extra blankets, he hadn't said much. Geesh! What a motor mouth! She chuckled at the thought.

  Kelsey took a seat on the bed and wondered what to do next. The fatigue of the past two months, the journey here, and not knowing what was going to happen was weighing heavy on her. It had been a long flight from Georgia to Montana, and now the time difference was starting to affect her. She counted on her fingers and realized that it was nine at night in Georgia, but only seven here. The bus ride from Butte to Clifton had been long and boring.

  When she heard the dogs barking, she stood up and looked out the window again. She watched in amusement as Ryder played with them. He was throwing a ball for them. He’d throw it as far as he could and the dogs would run after it. Both of the dogs, eager to please their master, tried carrying it back to him. She heard him laugh and her heart hit her stomach. He had a deep, rich laugh that made her smile. He glanced toward the window as if sensing she was there. She jumped back. She didn’t want him to see she’d been watching him.

  How long was she going to have to be here? With a man she knew nothing about...except that Frank Sanders trusted him. She sighed. She knew that was good enough for her. She loved Frank as if he were an uncle to her instead of a godfather. She even called him uncle. She knew he’d never put her in danger.

  Kelsey fell back on the bed and placed her hands over her face. Please God, please let the stalker give up on me…please. She whispered the same prayer every day, hoping one day soon God would hear her, and give an answer.

  ****

  The next morning Kelsey awoke to what sounded like hammering. She was surprised at how hard she had slept. She expected to toss and turn since she was in a strange place but she must have been more exhausted than she thought. Climbing from the warmth of her bed, she looked out the window. There was a smattering of snow on the gravel driveway and the grass, but the sun was shining. Feeling energized, she hurried into the bathroom to shower. After dressing, she headed for the kitchen.

  When she came upon the living room, she stopped. Unlike the night before when it was dark, it was bright with sunlight and looked very welcoming. To her right was a cherry door with leaded glass. A large red overstuffed couch filled the room in front of her with its back to her. Two red recliners sat opposite of the couch. The stone fireplace had a large flat screen TV hanging above the mantel centered between the living room and kitchen. She loved how it was open on both sides. A window seat with large cushions sat at the bottom of a large picture window that took up most of the front wall. In the corner next to the window seat was a beautiful rocking chair made from cedar. The floor was dark cherry hardwood. The whole room was beautiful. A room she'd love spending a day in reading a good book.

  She was preparing a pot of coffee in the kitchen when the back door opened. She turned to see Ryder enter with the dogs following behind. She could feel and smell the cold coming off them. The dogs greeted her with pants and wagging tails. Without a word, they sat down in front of her. She smiled and reached down to pet them. They put their paws up for her to shake. She laughed and looked at Ryder, who busied himself taking his hat and coat off. He hung his hat on a peg by the door, then walked into the laundry room and hung up his coat.

  She watched as he walked back into the kitchen, rolling up the sleeves on his blue and black checkered flannel shirt. She could see he had a T-shirt on under it. His forearms were large and tanned. Dark hair covered his arms. She'd always thought that was sexy but when she took notice of his mussed hair as well, it only added to the sexiness that was Ryder Wolfe.

  “I’m making coffee. Would you like some?” she asked, watching him.

  Ryder nodded his head as he washed his hands at the sink. As he reached for a paper towel, she noticed a small crescent shaped scar by his right eye. His eyes were even greener than she’d first thought. His lashes were long and thick. His hair so black that the ceiling lights made it appear to have a blue sheen. His eyebrows were thick and black. The man was, without a doubt, drop dead gorgeous, and sexier than sin.

  Kelsey turned away from him and wanted to fan herself. Suddenly, the room seemed as if it was on fire. It was so hot! She was so into her own thoughts, she didn’t realize he’d spoken until she saw him staring at her. She blushed and glanced away from him.

  “Are you all right?” Ryder asked her.

  She nodded. “I’ve just got a lot on my mind. I’m sorry. What did you ask me?”

  “I didn't ask you anything. I said I didn’t know if you even liked coffee when I made the pot, so I didn’t make any extra. I will tomorrow morning.”

  “What are the dogs’ nam
es?” She blushed. What a lame question! Oh well, she was curious.

  “Badger and Buttons,” he said while pointing to each dog. “I didn’t name them. They had those names when I adopted them from the shelter.”

  Wonderful! A gorgeous man who also saves animals. Did he have any flaws? Dipping her eyes down to the fly of his jeans again, she had her answer. Nope. No flaws.

  ****

  Ryder pulled a chair out from the table and sat down. He watched her fuss over the coffee and saw her nod again. Was she nervous? Was she afraid of him? He mentally shook his head. No, she wasn’t afraid, nervous perhaps, but she knew and trusted Frank. If Frank trusted him enough to watch over her and protect her, then she wouldn’t be here if she didn’t trust him. He moved his gaze over her as she poured a second cup of coffee. The night before, the bar had been dark and although he had appreciated her beauty, he hadn't wanted anything to do with her. Then she told him Frank sent her. He clenched his jaw at remembering. Damn it! He didn’t need any of this. Frank knew that he didn’t have time for this shit.

  He sneaked a look back at Kelsey and allowed his eyes to peruse the view of her backside. He almost groaned. Jesus, those jeans hugged her ass like a second skin.

  His dick twitched in appreciation so he leaned back in the chair, crossed his arms, and looked everywhere but at her. When she walked into his line of sight and set his coffee down in front of him, he caught a whiff of her perfume again. Just like last night, subtle, but not too strong. Still, enough to make him want to hold her close and breathe it in. He tried not to watch her as she sat down in the chair across from him. She spooned sugar into her cup but kept her eyes down as if she was determined not to look at him.

  Ryder lifted his cup and took a sip of coffee. Thankfully, it was not scalding hot anymore, or he would have burned his mouth since he couldn't keep his gaze from going back to her. Her skin was flawless and his notice of freckles across her nose told him she wore no makeup. He liked that. Most women would put makeup on regardless of the situation, and especially around a man they didn't know. For what reason that was, he had no idea. He preferred a natural looking woman.

  He took a deep breath. He knew he had to let her stay. He'd do it for Frank because he'd do just about anything Frank asked him to do. He let his breath out slowly and stood up, moving to the sink without glancing at her. After rinsing his cup, he set it aside, and walked to the laundry room where he’d left his coat. Returning, he didn’t look in her direction but put his hat on, gave an abrupt nod, and headed out the door.

  Chapter Two

  Kelsey sat at the table for a long while after Ryder left. She wondered what she was going to do all day since he certainly gave her no suggestions. He barely spoke more words than were necessary. She stood, walking to the sink to rinse her cup. She stopped there and gazed out the window. She wondered what he did to keep busy. Did he have horses he had to take care of? Would he mind if she went out there? She wasn't about to go where she wasn’t invited to find out. He just seemed so private. A real loner. Sighing, she returned to her bedroom, got her cell phone out, and called Frank.

  "What kind of man do you have me staying with, Uncle Frank?" She smiled as she heard him chuckle. She wasn't sure what the relationship between Ryder Wolfe and her godfather was but she needed to know. "Who is he to you?" she asked curiously.

  She heard him take a deep breath and exhale. She listened as Frank told her about Ryder.

  "He's had a rough life. He ran away from home when he was sixteen. His father…and I use that term loosely, used to smack him, and his mother, around. Ryder's mother stayed drunk most of the time. His father was a heavy drinker too, and a mean drunk. Ryder was smart to get away from them. I found him sleeping in our barn." Frank chuckled as if remembering back. “He had a real bad attitude too, and didn't want help, from anyone. I was ready to call the cops, but Grace saw something in him that I didn't. He needed love. We found his parents and asked them to give him up to us. At first, they said they wouldn't do it unless we gave them a lot of money. Money! They actually wanted money instead of their son." Frank sighed. "But once we told them we'd report them for child abuse, and not reporting him missing, they changed their mind. They said Ryder was nothing to them anyway. So we took him in and told him if he ran off, we’d report him for being a runaway. For months, he fought us every step of the way. Eventually, Grace got him to see that she loved him, cared about him, and it got through to him. She was the mother he never really had.

  “It took a little longer for him to trust me. It finally happened when we went fishing when he was seventeen. He caught me with his hook when he cast out. I swore up a blue streak. Scared him to death, I guess. He thought I was going to hit him. Even at seventeen, already getting big and strong, he was scared. I had him take the hook out of my hand. The whole time, he had tears streaming down his face. When he finally removed it, he hung his head, as if waiting for me to start hitting him. I put my hand on his shoulder and told him I wasn't angry with him. He said, ‘you sure were cussing a lot.’ I laughed and told him, I guess I was…because it hurt! Ryder looked at me with the most amazing look on his face. He couldn't believe I could be that angry and not hit him. He gave me the biggest grin, and from that day on, we've been close. He calls us Mom and Dad now, unless he's angry with me, then I'm Frank. He went back to school and graduated. From there he went to college, and then returned to Clifton to raise Paint horses. His grandfather left him that ranch, but that’s something I’ll let him tell you about because it’s not all cut and dry. I was hoping to get in touch with him before you arrived but Grace had an art show, and time slipped away from me.”

  “I’m all right with it. I’m not sure Ryder is though.”

  Frank chuckled. “He’ll be fine. He’d do anything we ask of him.”

  “I’m just not sure how long I should stay here.”

  “Until I’m sure that SOB isn’t looking for you. We’ll just take it one day at a time. In the meantime, enjoy Montana. It’s beautiful there.”

  “All right. I love you, and tell Aunt Grace I love her too.”

  Feeling a little better about this enigmatic man, Ryder Wolfe, she gave a low sigh, put her phone away, and decided since she was obviously stuck here for a while, she’d make herself useful and fix dinner. Wondering what food was available, she returned to the kitchen.

  ****

  Ryder pounded the hammer as hard as he could to work out his frustrations. How the hell was he supposed to live with her, and for who knew how long? He didn’t like having a woman in his home, let alone living here. No matter how temporary it was. He blew out a breath because he knew he had no choice. Frank and Grace asked him to do this and so he would—for them. But damn, if Kelsey wasn’t so fucking beautiful, it wouldn’t be such a hardship. Her long hair looked so soft that he wanted to wrap it around his hand and pull it to his face. The hammer missed the nail and hit his thumb. Grimacing in pain, Ryder dropped the hammer and grabbed his thumb.

  “Motherfucker!”

  He stuck his thumb into his mouth, trying to ease the pain, and make it feel less like it was going to explode like in the cartoons. That’s what you get for not having your mind on your work, and on a woman instead, stupid. A damn woman! Shit!

  His thumb was hurting. It throbbed something fierce. He shook his hand trying to alleviate the pain. but it didn’t seem to help. He bent over, picked up the hammer, and put it away. There was no way he’d get any more work done since he wasn’t able to concentrate on it anyway. He put his tools away, left the small barn, and entered the horse barn. Two of his ranch hands walked toward him.

  “Hey, Ryder,” Jay Rodriquez greeted him.

  “How’s it going, guys?”

  “It’s been a pretty good day, boss,” Gavin Hill told him.

  “Great. If you’re done, you guys can head on out.” He nodded at them and started around them. “Oh, wait. You’d best know, there’s a woman here for a while…” he started to explain but hesit
ated when both men raised their eyebrows. “No, not for that, get your minds out of the gutter. Frank sent her here from Georgia. She has a stalker and he thought she’d be safer here until the guy was found again. The police had him once but he jumped bail.”

  “That stalker shit isn’t something to take lightly. An ex-boyfriend stalked my sister and it got downright creepy,” Jay said.

  “Is she all right?” Ryder asked.

  “Yeah. But he tried to kidnap her. Luckily, the police caught up with them and helped her, but Jamie is almost afraid to step outside the house now. I know she’ll get over it eventually but it was real bad for a while.”

  “I just want you both to keep an eye out for any strangers coming around. Although I’m not sure how anyone would find her here, but you never know.”

  “Have you told Sam?” Gavin asked him.

  “No, but that’s a good idea. I just worry that the more people who know about her being here, the greater the chance of her stalker finding her. Then again, most folks around here I can trust to help keep an eye out. I’ll give him a call though. Have a good evening,” Ryder said waving them on their way, as he walked down the aisle of the barn.