by R. C. Ryan
“This is yours?” Lily moved closer, and as she read the name in the lower right hand corner, her eyes went wide. “This says Grace Anne LaRou Malloy.” She turned to Grace. “I’ve got your picture hanging in my bedroom. Are you famous?”
“Maybe. To some who love photographs of mustangs.”
Frank ambled over to drop an arm around his wife’s shoulders. “My Gracie Girl is being modest. She’s spent a lifetime photographing mustangs here in Montana and has earned quite a fine reputation around the world for her work.”
“Oh boy.” Lily’s eyes were shining with excitement.
Yancy announced that supper was ready. As they gravitated toward the table, Lily saw Nelson struggling to ease himself out of his overstuffed chair.
She raced over and caught his hand. “Come on, Great One.”
As the rest of the family stared in surprise, Nelson kept the little girl’s hand in his as he allowed himself to be led to the table. When he was seated, he patted the chair beside his. “You can sit here, Lily.”
“Thank you.” As she settled in, looks were exchanged.
The stern Hollywood director they all knew and loved had made no secret of his disdain for the children he’d been forced to work with through the years. He’d once remarked that he’d rather work with the devil himself than deal with a single heavenly cherub who always proved to be sugar and spice only on the outside, with vinegar and acid in his or her tiny, shriveled little heart.
Apparently the little tomboy with the wild tangle of hair and the wide, trusting eyes had just become the exception to Nelson’s self-proclaimed rule. The family wasn’t quite certain how this had happened.
Was it her admiration for his daughter, Grace Anne, that endeared her to him? Or was it her sweet, sunny nature and her concern for an old man’s welfare?
Whatever the reason, he seemed genuinely charmed by her.
Chapter Fourteen
I knew your daddy.” Frank held a big bowl of mashed potatoes so Ingrid could help herself.
She paused with the spoon hovering over her plate. “You did?”
Frank nodded. “A good man. And from what I heard from the wranglers who worked for him, a fair one.”
Ingrid’s tension eased and she let out a long, slow breath before passing the bowl Luke’s way.
He winked. “I figured you probably knew Lars Larsen, Grandpop. I guess you’ve met just about every rancher in these parts.”
“That I have.” Frank took a bite of beef burgundy and paused a moment to savor the taste before turning to Yancy. “This may be your best recipe yet.”
“I was just about to say the same.” At the other end of the table, Nelson cut off a second piece before giving a nod to the cook. “Even Pierre, head chef at the Bistro, couldn’t have done it better.”
Lily looked up at the old man beside her with eyes wide. “Is this one of those fancy-schmancy foods you love, Great One?”
Luke nearly choked on his beef.
Nelson glared down at the little girl. “Where did you hear that?”
“Luke said you only drink fancy-schmancy drinks and eat fancy-schmancy food. Isn’t that right, Luke?”
Nelson speared a glance at his grandson. “I figured an innocent like this couldn’t have come up with such a phrase on her own.”
“You have to admit it defines you, Great One.”
Silence descended over the room.
Nelson slapped a hand on the table. “That it does, Luke. That it does.”
He looked at Lily. “Fancy-schmancy, am I?” Then, without waiting for her response, he threw back his head and roared with laughter, and the others joined in.
With everyone relaxed, the conversation around the table turned, as always, to the weather, the herds, and the expectations of market prices for roundup at the end of summer.
During a lull in the conversation, Grace turned to Ingrid. “You haven’t said anything about your mother, dear. Did she pass away, too?”
“She’s…alive.”
“You left her alone at the ranch?”
Ingrid turned to Luke, feeling her face flame.
“She isn’t at the ranch.” Without thinking, Luke placed a protective hand over Ingrid’s. “She’s spending some time in Wayside.”
Grace shook her head. “I’m not familiar with Wayside. Is it far from Glacier Ridge?”
“About an hour or so. It’s much smaller than Glacier Ridge, just a few shops and such. But it’s closer to Ingrid’s ranch than our town.”
“I see. Well, as long as she’s safe there. But if she’d care to join you and Lily here, please let her know she’s welcome, Ingrid.”
“Thank you. I will, Mrs.—”
“Gracie.” Grace reached over and, like Luke, squeezed her hand. “We don’t stand on formality here. Just call me Gracie, or if you’d rather, call me what the boys call me. Gram Gracie.”
“Oh boy.” Lily couldn’t contain her excitement. “I never had a grandma.” She turned to Frank. “Or a grandpa. But I’ve got Mick, and Ingrid says he’s like a grandpa, aren’t you, Mick?”
The old cowboy chuckled. “As long as I’m everything else around the ranch, I may as well be your grandpa, too, girl.”
Grace smiled at the little girl. “And I feel lucky to have a little girl call me Grandma, since all I’ve ever had around here is boys.”
“Oh boy. Gram Gracie.” Lily was beaming as she finished her meal.
The family left the kitchen to take dessert and coffee in the great room. They were treated to Yancy’s chocolate layer cake and chocolate-marshmallow ice cream as they sat around a roaring fire that managed to drown out the sound of a summer storm that had begun raging outside.
Afterward, as Nelson enjoyed a glass of bourbon, and the others sipped coffee or longnecks, Luke found a deck of cards and challenged Lily to a game of Fish, with the loser having to tend to Turnip’s stall in the morning. It was all Lily needed to forget the storm and her weariness, and she threw herself into the game with renewed energy.
Reed took a seat beside her, cheering her on each time she beat his brother, and commiserating with her each time she lost, until Luke insisted Reed join the game. Then it became a fever-pitched contest that had the winner boasting, and the losers loudly grumbling and calling for a rematch.
Late into the night, when Lily could barely keep her eyes open, Luke took pity on her and suggested they continue the game another night.
“But I need to beat you two more times, or I have to clean Turnip’s stall in the morning.”
Like shook his head. “I’ll clean it. Just this one time. And then we’ll play again to see who wins the match. But right now, you need to get to bed.”
Grace looked up. “Would you like me to show you to your rooms?”
Luke was already on his feet. “I’ll take them up, Gram.”
“All right.” Grace turned to Yancy. “Will you show Mick his room?”
Yancy nodded. “You’ve got the room beside mine off the kitchen. Best spot in the house, if you like late-night snacks.”
Mick said his good nights and followed Yancy from the great room.
Grace walked over to hug the little girl and her sister. “Good night. If you need anything at all, be sure to let Luke know.”
Ingrid closed her eyes for a moment, inhaling the lavender scent of the older woman as they embraced. “Thank you. I’m sure we’ll be fine.”
“I know you will.”
Grace indicated Lily, who was almost asleep on her feet. “I think Lily might enjoy a horseback ride up to her room, Luke.”
“Good idea.” He knelt down and caught Lily’s hands. “Climb on my back, Li’l Bit.”
Lily giggled and called good night to the others before wrapping her arms around Luke’s neck as he started up the stairs.
Ingrid trailed behind them, and she couldn’t help laughing until she felt her heart suddenly hitch at the sight of Lily snuggling against Luke’s broad back.
Once
upstairs, Luke galloped down a hallway before stopping at a closed door. He opened it and stepped inside, turning on a light before pausing beside a big bed. “Here’s your stall, Li’l Bit.”
He knelt down, allowing her to climb down from his back.
She looked around with eyes gone wide, studying the desk and chair, a long, low dresser on which rested a flat-screen TV, and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the hills in the distance. “You mean this is just for me?”
“It’s all yours.” He crossed the room and opened a door, revealing a gleaming bathroom with both tub and shower and a wide expanse of marble counters.
“Ingrid’s room is next door, and it’s exactly the same.”
“So,” Ingrid said softly, “if you feel a little lost or uncomfortable, you can come to my room and climb into bed with me.”
Lily rubbed her eyes. “I think I’m too tired.”
“Okay.” Ingrid indicated the bathroom. “Why don’t you wash up and settle into bed, and I’ll come back in a few minutes to hear your prayers.”
“Okay.”
Ingrid followed Luke out of Lily’s room and paused as he opened the door to the next room.
As she stepped inside, he followed and turned on the light.
She looked around with a shake of her head. “This is…all too much.”
He winked. “Yeah. I know it’s pretty humble, but hey, it’s home.”
She couldn’t help laughing with him. “It’s so beautiful. So big and cozy and…” She shrugged. “I’m rambling. This is all wonderful. Like your family.”
“Yeah. They’re great. And they like you and Lily.”
“I like them, too.” She looked up at him. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. You heard Gram Gracie. If you need anything, just let me know.”
As he turned away, she lay a hand on his back. He froze, before turning slowly toward her.
“I know I’ve been…difficult, Luke.”
“It doesn’t—”
She touched a hand to his mouth to still his words. “You knew I didn’t want to leave, even though we weren’t safe at the ranch anymore. And you pushed as hard as I resisted.”
Unable to stand the heat of her hand on his mouth, he caught it between both of his. “I’m sorry about that.”
“Don’t be. This isn’t easy for me to say, but I need to thank you for insisting. Now that we’re here, I feel such relief at being somewhere safe. Not just for my sake, but even more for Lily’s. It’s plain to see that in a matter of hours she’s fallen in love with your entire family.”
“And they love her, too. How could they help it?” He looked down at their joined hands, before meeting her steady gaze. “Ingrid…” Something flickered in his eyes. Even the tone of his voice changed slightly. Gentler. More intimate.
She started to pull away, but he cupped the back of her head before lowering his face to hers.
The kiss was soft. Tentative. Testing. Tasting.
When she didn’t resist, he leaned into her, taking her fully into the heat that flared up between them. He gathered her close, sinking into the pleasure as she made a soft sound in her throat. Surprise? Delight?
There was no time to wonder as a wave of desire, hot and swift, nearly swamped him. One minute he was simply acting on a whim. The next he felt the pull of raw, sexual need taking over his mind, his will, his senses.
Without a thought to what he was doing, he drove her back against the wall, touching her at will. His hands roamed her back, then skimmed her sides until they encountered the swell of her breasts. His thumbs moved over them, feeling her body’s reaction, and all the while he spun out the kiss until they were both struggling for breath.
“Luke.”
The sound of his name torn from her lips had him lifting his head. His eyes narrowed on her, and he became aware of just how far he’d taken her. Had taken them both.
He lifted his hands from her, forcing them to his sides. “Sorry. I didn’t mean…I was rough.”
“I should…” She swallowed and tried again. “I need to hear Lily’s prayers.”
“Yeah.” But he didn’t step away.
Instead, he pressed both hands against the wall on either side of her and leaned in to brush his mouth ever so softly over hers. Hot desire sparked between them before she put a hand to his chest.
He shot her a knowing smile. There was no denying that she was as aroused as he. “If you need anything through the night, I’m one room away.”
“How…convenient.” Her words were a little too breathless. She couldn’t quite meet his eyes. “Good night, Luke.”
“’Night, Ingrid.”
He watched as she stepped around him and into the hall before returning to Lily’s room. As he made his way along the hallway to his own room, he was still vibrating with need. A need that was slowly driving him mad.
He stepped into his room and closed the door, leaning against it as he drank in the sight of the darkened hills outside his window. He’d always loved the sight of those hills. Right now, he couldn’t focus on them. All he could think about was Ingrid and that kiss.
He fully understood her intention to prove herself stronger than Nadine. Her reaction to his kisses was natural enough, under the circumstances. But for every time she retreated, he wanted her more.
He’d hoped that having her here at his family ranch, surrounded by so many people, would prove a distraction for him. Now he realized that it had only made things worse.
Seeing her being charmed by the people he loved made him more aware than ever just how special a woman she was.
He undressed, giving vent to his frustration by kicking his boots against the wall. Naked, he climbed under the covers and lay with his hands beneath his head, deep in thought.
Until Ingrid Larsen, he’d never met a woman who cost him sleep. Until Ingrid, he’d never wasted a minute of his time worrying about the next step in his life. He’d been wild and carefree and loving every minute of his freedom to ride his Harley, wrangle his herds, and live the life of a cowboy.
Now the only thing that mattered was Ingrid. Her safety. Her ranch.
Who was he kidding?
He lusted after her like a teenager with raging testosterone. But he did care about her ranch, her safety, her sister, and old Mick.
More than anything, though, he just wanted her. Wanted to do all the things he’d been thinking since that first time he’d seen her, with that cap of fine blond hair and those big, haunted eyes that touched something deep inside his soul.
He turned and punched his pillow before giving voice to a string of curses. Yeah. He wanted her right now, here in his bed.
And the wanting was like a drug, driving him half mad.
Chapter Fifteen
The following morning, Luke stepped out of his room and paused at Ingrid’s closed door. Hearing no sounds from within, he moved on and found himself hoping she’d slept comfortably, knowing she was safe here.
When he entered the kitchen, he saw Ingrid sitting in the pretty alcove with Frank and Grace, talking quietly while enjoying coffee.
Yancy was removing freshly baked rolls from the oven. At the stove, old Mick was flipping flapjacks onto a platter. The two men were working side by side as though they’d done this all their lives.
“Good morning.” Luke greeted the two men before snagging a mug of coffee and ambling over to where his grandparents were sitting with Ingrid.
“’Morning, Luke.” Frank was grinning from ear to ear. “We’ve just been comparing stories about our families. Ingrid’s grandfather came here just about the time I did. Our paths crossed hundreds of times. But through the years, with family obligations and all, we lost touch. I only saw her father, Lars, a dozen times or so, and then usually when we were both in town for supplies.” He looked over at Ingrid. “But I remember the pride in his voice whenever he spoke about his daughter. He thought the sun rose and set in you.”
Her eyes were shiny at his words. �
��That means the world to me, Frankie.”
Her easy use of Grace’s term of endearment for her husband caught Luke by surprise. He glanced at his grandmother, who was beaming.
She touched a hand to Ingrid’s shoulder. “It’s been fun catching up on old times.”
The back door slammed, and Lily trooped in with Burke, Colin, and Reed. The four shed their boots and paused to wash up at the big sink before stepping into the kitchen.
Lily’s wild gypsy hair had been pulled back in a ponytail. Her shirt and jeans were faded and patched, but her face was wreathed in smiles.
“Where’ve you been, Li’l Bit?”
“Mucking Turnip’s stall.”
“But I said I’d do it.”
“I told Reed I wanted to pay up. And he said I’m a…” She turned to the tall cowboy who was smiling down at her. “What did you call me?”
“An independent woman.”
“That’s right.” Lily looked at her sister. “Ingrid says a woman who can pay her own way gets through life without owing anybody.”
“Well said.” Vanessa, who had just descended the stairs beside her husband, Matt, gave the little girl a high five. “I can see that you and Ingrid will have no trouble living in today’s world.” She indicated the tray of drinks. “Would you care for some orange juice, Lily?”
“Thank you.” Lily sipped, then looked over at Mick. “This is good. What did you put in it?”
Mick pointed at Yancy. “He squeezed the OJ. Ask him.”
Yancy shrugged. “There’s nothing in it. Just orange juice.”
“But there’s this good stuff in it.” She ran her tongue over her upper lip, leaving an orange mustache.
“Oh.” The cook grinned. “That’s orange pulp. It falls in when I squeeze the oranges.”
“You squeeze real oranges?” The little girl was clearly intrigued. “Why?”
“So you can enjoy fresh-squeezed orange juice.” Yancy paused a beat. “You like it?”
“Yes. Will you show me how to squeeze oranges, Yancy?”
He couldn’t hide his delight. “Later today we’ll have our first lesson.”