Country Pride (Belle Ridge Book 1)

by Charlene Bright

  “You don’t have to tell me that.”

  After exchanging a few more pleasantries, Nikki grabbed her bags and everyone said goodbye as she and Chance shut the front door behind them.

  “Don’t forget the auction on Monday!” he called after them.

  “Auction?”

  He turned back to Kinsley. “One of the ways I can keep this place running. Nikki’s gonna help me drive the calves I rounded up yesterday to the trailer and take them to the auction house on Monday.”

  “Can I join you?” After seeing his startled face, she added, “That is, if I’m not on the road with Ethel by then.”

  “Have you ever done it before?”

  She shook her head. “No, my grandparents had a couple of milk cows, but never raised cattle for sale.”

  “Then perhaps we need to get you reacquainted with this country. How long has it been since you’ve ridden around a big farm?”

  An hour later, they were leaving the barn, Jared atop Marshall while Kinsley was introducing herself to Nikki’s horse, Big Sal. He watched her gently rub the horse’s neck and had a vision of her hands on his own chest. Swallowing, he looked away and encouraged Marshall along the well-worn path, while he listened to her telling Big Sal a little about herself as they followed close behind.

  “When I was about seven,” she was saying to the horse, “I had this horse I named Princess Buttercup. Have you ever seen The Princess Bride, Sal? Well, I was obsessed with that movie. There were a few months there when I ended everything I said with, ‘As you wish.’ It got really annoying.”

  Jared smiled, looking toward the horizon, thinking he could listen to her chat about herself all day long.

  She rode up alongside him. “Sorry about that. I try not to let anybody have control over where I’m going unless they know a little about me.”

  “Don’t let me interrupt your introduction.”

  “I think we got the important stuff out of the way.”

  His hat shaded his eyes, giving him the opportunity to appreciate her form less obviously. Her long hair was pulled into a pony tail and trailed down the center of her back. Her pink t-shirt hugged her chest, and her jeans highlighted her fit legs, kept in shape from yoga, as she’d told him the night before. He’d had to try several mind tricks to get his thoughts away from the vision of her stretching seductively on the floor. His eyes caught her white tennis shoes in the stirrups.

  He gestured at her feet. “If you’re gonna spend some more time out here, we’re gonna have to get you some riding boots.”

  She glanced down and frowned. “Yeah, I guess I need to make some plans for a longer stay and pack the appropriate equipment.”

  Longer stay. “I know we’re just taking things one day at a time with Ethel and all, but maybe we should start talking about your plans.”

  She looked up at him curiously. “Plans?”

  “Well, you’ve mentioned maybe visiting the area some more in the future as part of writing your book and learning a little more about your family line. I hope you’ll consider coming here sometime.”

  “I’d like that. I feel like we’ve become friends, so I hope we’ll be able to see each other some more in the future.”

  “And then there’s the barn dance next weekend. You haven’t answered our invitation yet. Nikki would be very disappointed if you didn’t stay.” He stopped Marshall and looked at her. “I can’t say that I wouldn’t be disappointed myself.” He saw her cheeks flush and felt warm himself.

  “Let’s see what J.J. has to say today and then let me talk with my publisher and get started on rescheduling that event in Carrollton. I’d like very much to come to a barn dance.”

  One side of his mouth rose in a grin and he turned back to the path. They had ridden around the perimeter of the property and were about halfway back to the house when he suddenly noticed that there seemed to be many more cattle in this field than he had expected, since he’d rounded up about half of them the day before.

  “Something’s not right,” he said and urged Marshall toward the penned area where the cattle should have been. He looked back at Kinsley as she came up next to him and turned a questioning gaze upon him. His brow furrowed. “I separated the cattle I’ll be selling this week from the full herd yesterday. Somehow they’ve gotten out.” He pointed to the gate and remembered how distracted he had been the day before. “Looks like I forgot to latch the gate. That’s not like me.”

  “Are you sure it didn’t just come open? Maybe one of the cows moved against it?”

  He shook his head. “I use latches that have to be purposefully opened with fingers.” He removed his hat and ran his fingers through his hair, a little moist from the summer sun. “Looks like I’m gonna have to round them back up. Why don’t you go on back to the house to cool off? I should be able to take care of this by dinnertime.”

  “With help, you could get it done much sooner,” she insisted. “It’s been a couple of decades, but I’ve done this before for some of my grandparents’ neighbors. And it makes me happy to find another way to help earn my keep.”

  He appraised her for a moment, nodded, then put his hat back on. “Can’t say I wouldn’t mind the company. Come with me. I’ll point out the cows that have been marked for sale. There’s about sixty of ‘em.”

  It took just over two hours, but all fifty-five cattle were back in the pen, and Jared had double-checked the latch. They walked back into the cool of the air-conditioned house, both red and sweaty—Kinsley a little more so, not having performed this duty in quite some time. She wiped a drop of sweat, making a trail on her forehead as it fell from her hairline.

  “Why don’t we shower and then I’ll scoop us some ice cream to help cool us down,” he offered.

  For a second, she thought he was inviting her into his shower, and was glad that her face was already red from the day’s work. “Great idea,” she said and headed upstairs, shedding the sticky clothing as soon as she entered the bedroom. She pulled a towel around her body and peeked out the door to the hallway, making sure the coast was clear, before scampering into the bathroom, looking forward to the cool, clean water of the shower.

  As the shower fell over her body, washing away the day’s work, she watched the dirt swirl around the drain. She had a sudden thought of Jared wet and naked just a few feet away and wondered how he would react if she suddenly pulled open the curtain and asked if she could join him. At the thought, she reached up and turned the water colder.

  When she felt she was clean enough and could no longer keep her thoughts from turning to him, she turned off the water, wrung her hair until it was no longer dripping, then stepped out and wrapped her long hair in a towel turban. After drying off, she pulled the robe Nikki had lent her off the hook on the back of the door and donned it.

  When she started looking for clothes to wear, she realized the jeans she’d been wearing had been the only ones that were clean. Opening the bedroom door, she stuck her head out, wondering if Jared was still in the shower or getting ready in his room. She thought she could hear water running, so she grabbed her dirty clothes and hurried downstairs to the laundry room. In her haste to get into the laundry room and back to her room, she didn’t register that the sound of water running was louder as she approached the laundry room. She had been standing in front of the washing machine for a few seconds before she realized the washing machine was already running. Instead, she didn’t move as she watched Jared bending over a basket, pulling out shirts.

  Apparently, the machine had masked her arrival because he didn’t turn around. He was only wearing a pair of jeans, his tan, muscled back flexing before her. If someone had asked her name at that moment, she might have had to think for a minute. She almost stepped closer to him when he turned around, startled.

  His surprised look quickly transformed into something more like pleasure. He, too, stilled at her sight and his eyes roamed along her body. As his eyes moved down, she followed them and saw that her robe was open enou
gh to reveal her cleavage, and loose enough for someone to slip his hand into easily. She took a step backward, but he advanced at the same time and looked back into her eyes, his amused grin unmistakable.

  “I was just getting a clean shirt.” He nodded at the jeans in her hand. “It didn’t occur to me that you would need the washer, but it’s only barely started and I just have a couple of pairs of jeans in there. Might make sense for you to add yours.”

  She nodded but did not move. His eyes formed a question as he took another step toward her. Her heart rate accelerated and a pleasing, ticklish warmth spread from hip to hip. He looked down at his chest and back up at her, aware now of her reaction.

  He gave a short chuckle and gestured toward her robe. “Well, now you’ve seen me shirtless. It’s only fair that I get to see you shirtless, don’t you think?”

  She nodded slowly, still entranced, but remained standing still. He stepped forward again, this time close enough that she could feel his breath on her cheek. She dropped the jeans she held in her hand, and he hesitantly touched the tie on her robe, watching her face closely.

  Suddenly a piercing chirp broke the moment. They jerked their heads toward the door as he stepped backward. “What in God’s name—”

  He hurried out of the room as she pulled her robe tighter and followed him. The screeching sound continued to grow as they pushed through the swinging door to the kitchen. It was so loud there, she couldn’t hear him speak. He grabbed a step stool from the side of the refrigerator and put it below the smoke detector on the opposite wall.

  A few seconds later, the sound stopped, leaving Kinsley’s ears ringing and a thumping in her head. Jared stepped off the ladder, the smoke detector in his hand. He turned it over, examining it, then laid it on the counter and investigated the house for signs of a fire. Kinsley followed him in case they found the source and needed to leave right away.

  Finally, he sighed and put his hands on his hips, bringing her eyes to his waist and her thoughts back to the earlier moment in the laundry room. “No idea. And I just changed the batteries in that thing a couple of weeks ago.” He seemed lost in thought for a moment, frowning.

  She crossed her arms, aware that the moment had passed into something more resembling confusion and concern. He looked up at her, and for a moment, his gaze seemed soft, as if he wanted to revisit the earlier moment, but he didn’t move toward her. Instead, he spoke. “I’ll go get those bowls of ice cream I promised.”

  Jared went back into the laundry room to retrieve the shirt he had been about to put on when Kinsley had entered the room, looking fresh and clean and irresistible. Another second, and they may have entered no-going-back territory. He pulled the clean shirt over his head, and picked up the jeans she had dropped and put them in the machine with his. He stood still for a second and considered what that moment could have led to.

  Until I know if she’ll be around longer, I think it’s best to keep a modest distance … if I can. The thought of making love to her this afternoon only to have her drive off tonight was unpleasant. Then again, the thought of her leaving without them having explored those feelings was equally irritating. He shook his head. He thought back to the incident with the smoke detector, a dark thought forming, but his mind kept taking him back to the beautiful, nearly naked woman in the other room, and he hurried to retrieve the treat he’d promised them both.

  A few minutes later, she joined him in the kitchen just as he was scooping Neapolitan ice cream into two bowls. He felt a moment of disappointment when he saw she had exchanged the robe for a loose shirt and skirt that reached her knees. She must have noticed his gaze because she offered, “No clean jeans. This was the only thing I could wear.”

  He nodded and turned back to the ice cream. After she was seated, he brought over the bowl, spoons in his other hand, and placed them before her. “I wasn’t sure what kind of ice cream you liked, so I gave you a scoop that included all three flavors.”

  “Perfect,” she said, picking up the spoon.

  After he’d returned the carton to the freezer, he brought his own bowl over to the table and sat next to her.

  “The only kind of ice cream I won’t eat is ice milk,” she said. “Do they even still make that?”

  “I remember hating that as a kid too. I think it’s just called low-fat ice cream now.”

  She looked thoughtful for a moment. “I guess that makes sense. I’m sure it was difficult to sell too many cartons of ‘ice milk.’”

  They chatted for a moment before Jared’s phone rang. Jared used the interruption to take his bowl to the sink and look out the window over the cattle they had had to chase down earlier. J.J. launched into an apology as soon as Jared answered.

  “I’m so sorry about this. You know I don’t normally keep someone waiting like you guys have had to do.”

  “Of course not, J.J. What’s the news?”

  “Greg can’t make it today after all.”

  “His mother-in-law’s car?”

  “Yep, just got it fixed but they’ve got plans for the weekend. He won’t be able to make it until Monday.”

  Jared tried to hide his smile. “Ok. Don’t sweat it, buddy. We understand.” He looked back at Kinsley and winked and put his hand over the microphone, whispering to Kinsley, “Not fixed yet. Gonna run outside and check on that fence again.”

  At Kinsley’s nod, he returned his ear to the phone and resumed his conversation with the mechanic. “Hey J.J., while I got you on the phone, I have a couple of questions about something else,” he said as he walked out the back door.

  “Something up, buddy?”

  “It’s just . . . I gotta ask . . . is there another reason you’re taking your time on this? I mean, this really isn’t like you.”

  J.J.’s laughter rang in Jared’s ear. “Oh man, you got me. I can’t keep a secret.” The mechanic sighed. “That daughter of yours gave me a call and said there really was no hurry to get the car fixed, that that pretty guest you got really needs a break, and she thought it would be . . . wise for me to help delay it.”

  “She did, huh?” Jared’s voice carried a slight tone of chastisement, but his smiled belied a different emotion.

  “I mean, she assured me, man,” sputtered J.J., “that all of y’all were cool with this and thought it would be a good idea too. She said I would be helping her make you happy. Now, if that ain’t true—”

  J.J.’s laughter rang out this time. He wasn’t sure if this was 100% ethical, but Kinsley had been hinting she wanted to stay a little longer, and he certainly didn’t want her to leave right away. Against his better judgement, he said, “No, no. It’s okay. I think . . . I think everyone is okay with this.” He reached the fence and checked the lock. “I mean, let me make sure we aren’t on the wrong track. You know what, just don’t do anything right now. Let me think on this just a bit and I’ll call you back in a few minutes and let you know if I’m cool with this . . . if Kinsley’s cool with this.”

  After he hung up, he walked back to the house slowly. Kinsley was still sitting at the table though her ice cream bowl was gone. She seemed to be waiting on the news. Was she anxious? Anxious to leave? Anxious to not leave?

  “I guess I’m not going anywhere anytime soon?” She spoke first.

  “Well, it doesn’t look that way . . .” he began.

  “Don’t worry about it,” Kinsley jumped in, “Honestly, I was expecting that. Mayberry, remember?”

  “Yeah, I guess it wasn’t exactly breaking news. We already knew this was a possibility.” He sighed and realized it just wasn’t in him to let her believe J.J. truly was having trouble finding the problem and getting the car fixed. “Look, Kinsley, I gotta come clean here. The truth is . . . it seems J.J. hasn’t been one hundred percent honest about this.” Her eyebrows rose, so he continued quickly, “I mean, he hasn’t fixed your car, but it seems he hasn’t really tried to either.”

  Kinsley’s face registered puzzlement. At least she doesn’t seem angry, thou
ght Jared.

  “I don’t understand,” she said slowly as he sat back in the chair across from her.

  “Don’t worry, he’s not charging extra or anything. It’s just . . . well . . . ’parently my little mischievous daughter has taken it upon herself to . . . um . . . keep you here longer.”

  “What do you mean, keep me here longer, how?”

  “She told J.J. you really needed a break and that it would be good if he’d hold off just a day or two and give her . . . us a chance to get to know you.” He thought he saw a slight grin playing at the corners of her mouth. “But, of course, I’ll get J.J. to get right on—”

  She put her hand on his to interrupt him. “I think Nikki is right. This break has been very . . . very good for me. But I don’t want to put you out, so if you want me to—”

  This time, he stopped her. “No, I don’t want you to leave. Is that okay?”

  “It’s more than okay,” she said after a beat and included a dazzling smile that made a warmth spread throughout his stomach.

  “Then, it’s settled. J.J. can wait another day . . . or two to get Ethel back on the road.”

  She nodded in agreement and Jared stood and walked to the sink, asking her if she’d like more ice cream.

  As they finished their second helping, they chatted about the slightly strange turns the day had taken, steering clear of discussing the moment in the laundry room. They spoke lightly of the cattle and the smoke detector malfunction, as if the incidences were nothing more than odd but not too out of the ordinary, and spent the rest of the afternoon and dinner in jovial conversation.

  10

  They spent the evening sitting on the couch together watching an old black-and-white movie. For a long time, Kinsley thought that their earlier moment of attraction had fizzled and Jared’s feelings had lessened once the heat of the moment had ended. However, their dinner conversation had been comfortable and they had found it very easy to pick a movie together.

  Jared expressed pleased surprise that she was a fan of westerns and pulled up an Eastwood classic from AMC on-demand. They watched the movie while sitting close to one another, but not awkwardly, and about three-quarters of the way through, Jared put his arm over her shoulders and she moved even closer to lean in to him. They stayed like this through the credits.