Pursued by the Rich Rancher

by Catherine Mann

  Instead she opened her eyes and asked him, “Why did you mislead me?”

  Remorse chased through his eyes, at least she thought it did. She wasn’t sure who or what to trust right now, not even herself.

  He rested his hand carefully on her wrist, squeezing lightly when she didn’t pull away. “You didn’t recognize me and it’s rare I get to hang out with someone who thinks of me like a regular Joe Shmoe. I like to think I’m a good judge of character, but there are still people out there who only see the money.”

  His explanation made sense. She wanted to buy in to it and believe she could indulge in a harmless flirtation this week—maybe more. Still, the oversight rankled. “I hear what you’re saying, but it still doesn’t seem right.”

  “Does that mean you’re not open to more dessert together?” he asked with a slow drawl and a half smile.

  Goose bumps rose along her skin, the good kind. Could she just go with the flow here? It wasn’t as if he’d claimed to be rich when he wasn’t just to impress someone, and she wasn’t committing to anything long-term.

  “Okay,” she conceded. “Since you came clean so quickly, I think I can overlook your allowing me to get the wrong idea about you. If you’d kept the truth from me for weeks or months that would be a different matter.”

  “Glad to know we’ve cleared that up.”

  She eased her wrist away and considered her words carefully, honestly. “To be honest, if you’d spilled the whole ‘I’m a McNair’ at the start, I probably would have thought you were bragging or feeling entitled.”

  He shuddered in mock horror. “My grandmother would absolutely not allow that.”

  She studied him through narrowed eyes, trying to reconcile this new piece of information about him. “You’re really not a ranch hand or a foreman? You looked like such a natural.”

  “I’m a hands-on kind of boss.” He clapped a hand to his chest. “And I’m getting the vibe that the boss issue is a problem for you.”

  “I’m just...unsettled.” Her rocking chair squeaked against the wooden porch floor.

  He leaned forward, elbows on his knees working his hat between his hands. “It’s nice to have someone to speak with who isn’t caught up in the McNair portfolio.”

  “Sure...”

  “But you’re still uncomfortable.”

  “I’m adjusting. You live over there—” she pointed to the mansion lodge “—and I’m more comfortable in a cottage.” Although her son had an inheritance that entitled him to so much more. But until she knew what the future held for Cody, she needed to be all the more cautious with his investments in case he couldn’t ever work to support himself.

  “Yes, I live in the family’s half of the lodge. It’s sectioned off into private suites.” He set his hat on the table and took her hand back again, holding tighter this time. “But that’s just brick and mortar, logs and rocks. It’s not who we are.”

  “And who are you, Alex McNair?” she asked, because the image of him as a coddled rich kid didn’t fit what she was seeing in him and his hands-on attitude. However, she knew how well a person could hide his real nature. “Why did you feel the need to let me misunderstand your role here for two days?”

  He linked their fingers, his eyes glinting in the moonlight. “Meet me for dinner tomorrow night and let’s find out about each other.”

  “My son is here for camp. I’m here for him, not for...” She stumbled on the word and held up their linked hands. “For whatever this is you think we might do this week.”

  But hadn’t she just been considering a fling? Still, she needed it to be her decision, and this wasn’t the kind of impulsive choice she’d ever made before.

  “You’re interested too. We’re both adults. What’s wrong with us enjoying each other’s company for the week you’ll be here?”

  Company? Could he mean that word as innocently as it sounded, or was there a hidden innuendo? “Do you see this program as a way to pick up vulnerable women short-term, no strings, and you get to say goodbye at the end of a weeklong camp?”

  “Whoa.” His eyebrows shot up in shock. “That’s a lot to unpack in one sentence. I’ll opt for a quick answer, ‘no.’”

  “No, what?” she asked suspiciously.

  “No, I do not make a practice of picking up any kind of vacationer coming to the Hidden Gem. In fact, this is very atypical of me.” He rubbed the inside of her wrist with his thumb. “And the last thing I would call you is vulnerable. You come off as a strong woman in charge of her life.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Flattery. But thanks.”

  “You’re welcome. So, are we having dinner together tomorrow or not? After Cody’s asleep of course, and under the care of one of our certified child care providers. There’s a dinner boat cruise that’s nice, public. No pressure.”

  He made the offer sound so easy. “I’ll think about it.”

  “Fair enough.” His stroke shifted from her wrist to her sensitive palm. “I’ll stop by at lunch tomorrow to get your answer.”

  “At lunch?” She wasn’t even sure what she was saying; her brain scrambled at the touch that was somehow so very intimate without being overt. What a time to realize how very little human contact she had in her life anymore.

  “I happen to have gotten a sneak peek at the itinerary from a very reliable source, and the kids are roasting hot dogs for lunch tomorrow at eleven. By noon they’ll be in a saddle polishing class. Meet me while your son is settled under the attentive eye of the instructors and we can talk.”

  “I can’t promise he’ll let me leave,” she said, wanting to turn the tables on him but not sure how yet. “I don’t want to risk another meltdown.”

  “Understood. I can be flexible.”

  She stared at him with suspicion, chewing her bottom lip.

  “What?” Alex asked.

  She gave up and blurted, “You’re too good to be true. It must be an act.”

  “Aw, Nina.” His hand slid up to cup her face. “People can be genuine.”

  She couldn’t help being enticed by the promise in his eyes. Yet pain from past betrayals welled up over how her husband and her in-laws had so deeply let her down. Worse, how they had let down precious Cody. “They can be. But they usually aren’t.”

  He stroked back her hair, tucking it behind her ear. “Then why are you even considering having dinner with me?”

  “I honestly don’t know.” Her scalp tingled from the light brush of his fingers, his nearness overriding boundaries she thought were firmly in place.

  Their gazes met, eyes held. She breathed him in, remembering the feel of his lips on hers.

  Would he kiss her again? Because if he did, she wasn’t sure she could say no to anything. Her body was on fire from just having him near and a few simple caresses. He angled forward and her heart tripped over itself for a couple of beats.

  He passed the dessert box over. “Chocolate-raspberry cake. Enjoy.”

  His lips skimmed her forehead so briefly, so softly, her breath hitched and then he was gone, jogging down the cabin steps and disappearing in the tree line.

  Drawing in a steadying breath, she released it on a shuddering sigh.

  No doubt about it, she had a serious willpower problem when it came to this particular cowboy.

  * * *

  The next day at lunchtime, Alex angled through the different stations of children enjoying camp activities from saddle polishing to panning for gold in a sandbox to using hula hoops for lassoing wooden horses. His cousin Stone had told him the activities helped with motor skills and confidence. Cody looked more relaxed today as he worked on cleaning the little saddle resting on stacked bales of hay. Nina sat on a bale beside her child, the sunshine highlighting streaks of gold in her red curls.

  He was still pumped over how well the con
versation had gone the night before. He’d learned a lot about her, more than she might have intended to let on. She was a wary woman and someone had obviously hurt her in the past, most likely her ex-husband. That would be important to keep in mind if Alex wanted a chance with her. He needed to tread smartly.

  Nina Lowery was a tactile woman. He’d gauged her responses carefully, watching her pupils widen with arousal as he’d stroked her wrist, then massaged her palm. Her senses were hungry and he intended to feed them.

  Even now her fingers were testing the texture of everything around, flitting from the bale of hay to the stirrups on the saddle.

  She hadn’t booted him out on his butt. She’d actually given him another chance. He was skating on thin ice with those stocks in play. It wasn’t as if they were entering into some long-term relationship. She made it clear she was leaving in a week and her son filled her life.

  Knowing that made him want to pamper her all the more while she was here.

  Alex stopped behind Nina, resting a hand on her shoulder. “Good afternoon, beautiful.”

  She shivered under his hand. But in a good way.

  He let his touch linger for a second before he stepped over to Cody. “You’re doing a great job there, cowboy.”

  “Make it smooth,” he said, stroking.

  The instructor, a special ed teacher from a local school who’d been glad for the extra income working at the camp, stepped closer. “Cody’s doing a fantastic job. I think he’s having fun.”

  The boy nodded, his hands circling repetitive strokes over the leather, cowboy hat perched on his blond head and protecting him from the sun. “Having fun.”

  Nina pressed her hand to her chest, emotions obvious in her expressive eyes. “I knew this was a good idea, but I had no clue how amazing equine-assisted learning could be for my son, for all these children.”

  “I’m glad to hear that. My cousin worked hard searching for professionals to employ. It’s important to do this right.”

  “Well, he succeeded.” Nina smiled over her shoulder at him. “I’m impressed with the way they’ve combined physical and speech therapy. And they’ve blended balance, posture, hand-to-eye coordination and communication skills into activities that are fun, making it seem more like play.”

  He hadn’t thought about it that way before, but it made sense. “Horses are herd animals. They seek connections and have a way of communicating, a bond, that goes beyond words.”

  “I can see that.” Her gaze shifted back to her child. “Most of all, I appreciate the self-confidence and self-esteem Cody’s finding in these classes in such a short time. It’s impressive how the different stations are geared for each child’s special need. They’ve approached Cody with sensory activities, without overloading him.” She glanced back at Alex. “But that’s not what you came for. Yes.”

  “What?” he asked, having lost track of the conversation. He was locked in on the sound of her voice and the berry scent of her shampoo.

  “Yes, I’ll accompany you on the dinner cruise.”

  “Excellent.” He folded his arms over his chest and rocked back on his boot heels.

  She looked at him quickly. “You’re staying?”

  “This camp may be my cousin’s endeavor, but it’s a part of the McNair empire, happening on McNair lands. I care.” He shrugged. “And it’s my lunch break. I’d like to spend it with you. If that’s okay?”

  “Sure,” she said, her eyes wide with surprise. “We could take a walk? The counselors encourage parents to step away today. You know that, since you’ve read the itinerary.”

  “Guilty as charged.”

  She laughed softly before kneeling to talk to her son, detailing where she was going and how long she would be gone, as well as what to do if he needed her. Cody nodded without looking away from his task.

  “Cody,” she said, “I need to know you understand.”

  He turned toward her and patted her shoulder with a clumsy thump, thump. “Bye, Mom.”

  Her smile at the simple connection stole the air from Alex’s lungs. Then she stood, spreading her hands wide. “Lead the way.”

  Victory charged through his veins. He cupped her elbow and steered her around the different play stations, the controlled chaos of childish squeals all around them. “After yesterday’s incident I thought you might be hesitant to go too far away.”

  “I feel more confident today than yesterday. So, would you like to show me around the place?”

  “Actually, yes, I have something I believe you’ll enjoy over by the pool area.” He steered her along the path back to the main lodge, tree branches creating a shady canopy. “You’ll still be able to see your son, but indulge yourself, as well.”

  “I don’t have my swimsuit with me right now and a swim is on the schedule for later. I’ll burn if I go twice.”

  “That’s not what I mean.” He gestured to the rustic canvas cabana off to the side of the pool area. “We’re here for a couples’ massage.”

  * * *

  “What?” Her voice squeaked. No kidding, squeaked. Nina cleared her throat and tried again. “You must be joking.”

  “Not at all.” He grinned wickedly. “My first choice was to fly you to my favorite restaurant for lunch, but I knew that would be pushing my luck. So I opted for something here at the resort you would enjoy for an hour.”

  Horrified that she could have so misread him, she held up a palm and backed away. “We are not going to have massages together. God, I can’t believe I trusted—”

  “Wait.” He grabbed her wrist, chuckling softly. “I’m not that clueless. Sorry for teasing you a bit there. If you pull back the curtain, you’ll see it’s just shoulder massages and a light lunch. Simple. No need to take off our clothes...unless you want, that is.”

  Her hand lowered. She’d been played, but in a funny way. She crinkled her nose. “You are a bad cowboy after all.”

  He held up his thumb and forefinger. “Just a bit.”

  Alex escorted her past the luxury pool area. One side of the tall stone fountain fed a waterfall into the shallow end of the pool. A hot tub bubbled invitingly on the other side of the fountain. Her in-laws were wealthy, but in a more steel-and-high-rise resort kind of way. Nina respected the way the McNairs had preserved the look of their place, even if it meant limiting customers. He stopped outside the cabana just as the curtain swept wide.

  An older woman stepped out, frail, with short gray hair. Nina backed out of her way, but Alex urged her closer.

  “Gran,” he said, leaning in to give the older woman a kiss on the cheek.

  So this was the indomitable Mariah McNair. The flyers about the camp had included the story of the senior McNairs’ romance and how they’d built their dynasty. Mariah had run the business side while her husband, Jasper, had been more of the artisan. The photo in the welcome packet bore only a passing resemblance to the woman in front of her, a woman whose health was clearly fading. Although her blue eyes were every bit as sharp and vibrant as her grandson’s.

  “Alex.” Mariah smiled, looking frail but relaxed, a sheen of massage oils glinting on her neck. “Introduce me to this lovely lady.”

  Something flickered in Alex’s eyes, but Nina couldn’t quite figure out what. “Gran, this is Nina Lowery. Her son, Cody, is here for camp this week. Nina, this is my grandmother Mariah McNair.”

  The McNair matriarch extended a thin hand, veins spidery and blotched from what appeared to be multiple IVs. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, dear. How is your child enjoying HorsePower?”

  “Nice to meet you as well, Mrs. McNair.” Nina shook the woman’s cool hand and found the quick return clasp to be stronger than she would have expected. “My son is having a wonderful time, thank you. I’m amazed at how quickly the camp counselors have put him at ease.”

 
“I’m glad to hear that.” Mariah tucked her hands into the pockets of her loose jean jumper. “Leaving a positive legacy is important.” She nodded to Nina. “Nice to meet you, dear. You’ll have to pardon me, but I’m going to take a nap now.” She waved to a younger woman behind her. Her nurse? An assistant?

  Mariah walked slowly away, the other woman hovering close to catch her if she stumbled.

  The pain in Alex’s eyes was tangible.

  Nina’s parents had been older when she was born, so her memories of her grandparents were dim, but she recalled the grief of losing them, first to dementia, then to death. Nina touched his arm. “It’s tough watching those we love grow older.”

  Alex rubbed the back of his neck. “She has cancer. Terminal.”

  “Oh no. Alex, I’m so very sorry.”

  He glanced over at her. “Me too. Nobody is ever okay with losing a loved one, but to be robbed of the years she should have had left is...just...” He rubbed the back of his neck hard. “Ah hell, I think I’m more than ready for that shoulder massage now.”

  And suddenly it was the most natural thing in the world to tuck her hand in the crook of his arm. “That sounds like an excellent idea. You’ll have to pardon me if I’m antsy. I’ve never had a massage before. Lead the way.”

  He swept the canvas curtain aside, to reveal a massage table, two massage chairs and a team of massage therapists, just as he’d promised. The grandmotherly pair waited off to the side in simple black scrubs with the Hidden Gem logo on the pocket.

  The canvas walls were lined with Aztec drapes. The music of Native American pipes drifted through the speakers and muffled sounds outside. Cooling fans swished overhead.

  Nina eyed the massage chairs warily, designed for her to straddle, her back exposed and her face tucked into a doughnut-style cradle. Warily, she smiled at the therapists before sitting. The leather seat was cool, but the cover on the face cradle was cottony smooth with a hint of peppermint oils that opened her sinuses with each inhale.