by Karen Kelley
After a lot of pleading, Mr. Miller had given Brian a chance and the family had managed to make it through the summer. He still remembered how it felt to be able to pull his own weight. He kind of figured Celeste felt the same way.
So maybe he’d keep her at least until she proved whether she could do the job or not.
He sat back down and started going through the mail. Who said he even had to be around her? Rhonda managed the spa. If there were any problems, she could handle them. He’d just show Celeste around.
But there had been something different about her. He wasn’t sure, but she almost seemed lonely. He wondered if she had anyone—a relative or a friend. Everyone needed someone.
Brian snorted. Cal would be laughing his fool head off if he knew the direction Brian’s thoughts were going. Always trying to fix something, Cal would say. He’d be right. His habit had gotten him into more trouble more times than he wanted to think about.
Like Wanda Jo. He’d tried to fix her, but she’d turned the tables and showed him a whole lot more than he’d ever expected. Yeah, like he needed to think about her when she was happily married to Ape Man.
He sat forward in his chair and cleared his mind of the past, glancing at his watch. Celeste should be almost finished by now. He tapped his fingers on the desk, then picked up the mail. A couple of bills, a brochure on a horse sale coming up next month. Nothing that couldn’t wait. He tossed the mail to the side and glanced at his watch.
Then he realized how anxious he was to see Celeste again. He was a fool. But that didn’t stop him from jumping when the buzzer on his phone went off.
“Yes?”
“Celeste is back.”
He could feel his heart racing inside his chest. No, he wasn’t just a fool. He was a complete idiot. Anyone would think he was a virgin. It had been so long since he’d been with a woman, he felt like one.
Brian didn’t say a lot as he walked Celeste out the back of the main house and toward the east side. A stone path led the way to the building he’d had built a couple of years ago. He hadn’t planned to have a spa, but so many of his guests asked about one that he decided it made good business sense.
“It’s very serene,” she said.
He looked around. Yeah, he guessed it was. He’d paid to have it landscaped. There were trees on each side of the path, small ones. The landscaper had called them Japanese plum trees. They were kind of neat looking the way the trunks twisted, and combined with music from hidden speakers, it was nice.
“You pay for what you get and I only have the best.” He held the door and let her go in first. The foyer was circular. Something about peace and harmony. A load of B.S. if you asked him, but his guests enjoyed it.
He watched Celeste from the corner of his eye. She was taking everything in, and from the expression on her face, he had a feeling she liked it, too. For some odd reason, that pleased him. And he admitted the entrance was impressive.
Celeste couldn’t believe she was going to be so lucky to work in a place this tranquil and beautiful. Pale yellow walls and music like gentle rain greeted her. She liked this area of the ranch. It made her feel relaxed and welcome.
“Hello, Mr. Braxton.” A woman, who was probably in her fifties, spoke from behind a desk.
“Rhonda, this is Celeste, our new massage therapist.” His gaze moved back to Celeste. “Rhonda is the brains of the spa. She makes sure everything runs smoothly. If you have a problem, she’s the person to talk to, and if there’s anything you need, just ask her, and she’ll get it for you.” He turned and abruptly left.
“Wow, you’d think his tail feathers were on fire. I don’t think that man ever slows down.” She turned her attention back to Celeste. “You’ll love it here, though.”
Rhonda was pretty, with deep auburn hair, and she had a good aura surrounding her.
“Right now, I’m only temporary. Brian thinks I’m too young and can’t have very much experience, but he felt sorry for me and is using me on a trial basis.” She had a sudden sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. “I’m not sure he’ll keep me. He seems upset with me about something this morning.”
Rhonda’s gaze swept over her. “Oh, honey, you certainly don’t look too young, and that may be the problem. Brian hasn’t dated anyone in a long time.”
She could feel the heat rise up her face. “I really don’t think he’s attracted to me.”
“Oh, yeah, he’s attracted. Any man would be—if he was straight, that is. And by the way, experience isn’t everything. Amy had experience, the last massage therapist, and she was good, but she lacked that certain extra something. Brian thought she was suited for the job and kept her.”
“Hopefully, I’ll make this a permanent job.”
“I hope not.”
Celeste’s eyebrows shot up. “I beg your pardon?” Had she run up against more opposition?
“You may be very good at what you do, but you’re too young and pretty to be stuck way out here in the middle of nowhere. Unless, of course, you and Brian hit it off.”
She relaxed. “I think I’ll like staying here until I do move on, and believe me, Brian isn’t at all interested.” Angry, a workaholic, dry—but interested? No, not a chance. Although it wouldn’t be difficult to imagine his arms pulling her close.
And she’d better get those thoughts right out of her head.
“I hope you’ll be around for a long time.” Rhonda stood. “Come on, I’ll show you the rest of our little spa. I’ll tell you, this is the most relaxing job I’ve ever had.”
“Do many people use the spa?”
“Enough, but as busy as we get, I still feel a sense of renewal while I’m at work. If you ever want to practice massages, let me know. I’ll willingly take one any day.”
“I’ll remember that.”
“We have two women on staff who do pedicures and manicures: Jill, you’ll meet her later, and Lillie, who also does hair. They’re in the salon area, which we fondly call the gossip room. The guests usually get to know each other fairly well while they’re getting pampered.”
“It sounds like fun.”
“Oh, we can create quite the party atmosphere.”
They walked down a hallway. Rhonda opened a closet door. “Here are all your lotions, towels, there’re even stones. Brian ordered a lot of stuff that Amy never used. She wasn’t much into a lot of the New Age stuff. What about you?”
“I’m in to it.”
“I think you’re going to work out just fine.” She walked a little farther down the hall and opened another door. “This is where you’ll do the massages.”
The room was painted a calming beige and the music was piped into this room. A cushioned table was in the center, and there was another door. “What’s behind that door?”
Rhonda chuckled. “You have to see it to believe it.”
Celeste followed as Rhonda went inside and opened the door. “Oh my.”
“You can say that again. Brian spared no expense to pamper his guests.”
“It looks like something out of a Roman bath.” Tall pillars, a sunken jetted tub that looked more like a small swimming pool. The tiles were an old-world design in soft gold and white.
“Besides the tub, there’s a steam shower. By the time the guest does the shower, the whirlpool, and then has a massage, they’re down for the count.”
“Heaven.”
“You got that right.” She sighed, then seemed to remember she was showing Celeste around. “I hope you don’t mind, but Ms. Darnell wanted a massage. She should be getting here in about ten minutes. I’ve been helping out and giving them, but only because Mr. Braxton was in a bind. I’ve had a little training but it’s not really what I enjoy.”
“I’d love to start.”
“Just take what you need out of the supply closet. I have to get back to the phones. I suspect once word gets out that we have a new massage therapist, it’ll start ringing off the wall.”
As soon as she left, Celeste walke
d back to the bathing area. A place where she could soak. She smiled. Surely Brian wouldn’t mind if she used the facility after hours. She was so going to love working here.
She gathered a few things from the closet and went back to the massage room. She set everything down on the counter, then lit the aromatherapy candle. For just a moment, she let her mind empty as calmness stole over her.
“I’m early.”
Celeste jumped.
“Sorry, Rhonda told me to come on in.”
Had she been lost in meditation that long? Apparently. The woman wore a white terry cloth robe, her bright red hair pulled up on top of her head, and she looked worn and tired.
“I’m Katie Darnell.”
“Hello, Ms. Darnell. I was just meditating.”
“Do I need to come back?”
She shook her head. “Not at all.”
“Good. This is my escape time while Jim watches the boys. They’re going horseback riding and then looking for arrowheads, then swimming, all in the hopes that the boys will expend enough energy they’ll fall asleep by eight tonight and Jim and I can have a little time alone.” She frowned. “I only hope Jim doesn’t fall asleep early.”
Celeste laughed.
“I talk too much, don’t I?”
She shook her head. “Not at all. You’ve only absorbed some of your sons’ energy.”
“Did I mention they’re twins? I don’t feel as though I have any energy.”
“It’s not the same thing.”
“I didn’t think so. I should be so lucky to have even half of what they have.” She paused, her face suddenly glowing with warmth. “But I do love them.”
What would it feel like to know that kind of love?
Chapter 15
Cal rode up to the cabin, leading the horse he’d brought for Nikki to ride. Just as she’d told him, Nikki was sitting in the rocker waiting. Yep, she didn’t give up easy. If he wasn’t careful he could really start to like this woman.
When she stood, his heart began to pound. Man, oh man, he’d just thought she’d looked hot before. What was there about a woman who wore tight-fitting jeans? If he didn’t know better, he’d think she was country born and bred.
Good thing he knew better about a lot of things when it came to Nikki and too bad she probably wouldn’t be staying very much longer.
“This is Tornado,” he said, indicating his horse.
“He’s beautiful.”
“Tornado’s a she.”
“At least you didn’t name her Bessie.”
He really liked her sense of humor. “And this is Taffy.” He tugged the reins of the other horse, bringing the animal forward. “And yes, I named both of them.”
Nikki warily eyed the horse. “She looks sweet. Is she? I mean, she’s not going to throw me off or anything?”
“Taffy is a gelding and no, the horse is gentle.”
“Good for her.”
“A gelding is a male. It means he’s been cut.”
Her eyes widened in disbelief. “You cut the horse?”
Cal chuckled. “So he won’t breed.”
“You steal the chickens’ eggs and scramble their offspring, the horses are eunuchs—what the hell else happens on a ranch? On second thought, I don’t think I want to know.”
Yeah, she had a real nice sense of humor.
Her eyes narrowed. “Are you sure we couldn’t just sightsee from your pickup? I know women in the nineteen twenties rode in pickups.”
“It’s not the same as when you’re on top of a horse breathing in the fresh country air.”
She mumbled something about the fresh country air not being that sweet, but he couldn’t quite make out her words.
He swung off Tornado in one easy motion and stretched his legs. It had taken him about a week to get over the soreness of riding once he came home. It sure wasn’t the same as when he was a kid growing up on the ranch. Back then, he’d loved to ride and practically lived on a horse. Not so much now.
Nikki was about to find out firsthand what it was like to ride a horse. She didn’t look too happy about the prospect.
“Come on, I’ll give you a leg up,” he said.
“Are you sure I can’t walk him for a while? Just until he gets used to me.”
“Not afraid, are you?”
Her chin jutted out. “Of course not.”
Much better. He liked her feisty. Brought the color to her cheeks and made her eyes flash. Besides, Taffy was gentle. The horse that Brian put all the kids on.
“Grab the horn,” he said, sliding his fingers along her arm and taking her hand to the front of the saddle. His movement brought her closer. The heat of her body swirled around him in a haze of teasing pleasure, sending an aching need all the way down to his midsection.
“And then what?” she asked breathlessly.
“Raise your foot.”
She did and he bent, guiding it to the stirrup. As he stood, his hands glided up her calves, over her thighs, and cupped her bottom. She leaned against him. He lost himself in the sweet scent of her perfume, and the heat emanating from her.
“Now what do I do?” Her whispered question fanned the hairs on his arm, showering him with ripples of pleasure.
“Push off with your other foot and pull on the saddle horn. As you come up, swing your leg over the horse.” His words were husky as he fought the passion that flared inside him. He refused to let her win in the game she’d started.
In one fluid motion, she was sitting on top of the animal. Cal handed her the reins. Their fingers touched. Hers trembled. Maybe she wasn’t as much of a barracuda as people thought.
“It’s really high up here.”
“It’ll be a nice, easy ride,” he told her and wondered if he was talking about the horse, or something else, and did she know it? But then, she didn’t like it easy. He cleared his throat. “Ready?”
She nodded.
He climbed back on Tornado and they started at a walk. After about a quarter of a mile, he knew she was more relaxed. “Are you ready to try a faster pace?”
“Yeah, sure.”
She hadn’t sounded sure. Nope, he didn’t think she looked nearly as confident as she pretended. “Raise up a little in the stirrups, and then nudge him with your heels. Try to go with the rhythm of the animal.”
She lightly kicked the horse’s sides. Taffy moved into a nice, easy lope. She grabbed the saddle horn.
“You’re doing fine,” he told her.
“It doesn’t feel like I am.”
“Try to relax.”
“What? I don’t look relaxed?”
He grinned but stayed close, watching as she did exactly as he’d explained. She picked up the movement of the horse and adapted to it.
The wind blew through her hair as they sped by trees on each side of them. He saw fear change to excitement and knew she was enjoying herself. She wasn’t supposed to have fun. His plan was backfiring. But had he really wanted her to be afraid of riding a horse?
When Cal slowed Tornado, Taffy matched the other horse’s pace.
“That was fantastic,” Nikki said, laughter in her voice.
Yeah, it had been even though he didn’t want to admit that he’d enjoyed her reaction. It did make him wonder what the hell kind of childhood she’d had.
“Didn’t you ever go to an amusement park, feel the rush of wind on your face when you rode the roller coaster?”
“Like Six Flags?” She shook her head. “No. My parents had their reasons, but we did travel most of Europe. The art museums were wonderful.”
They’d traveled Europe. He would’ve loved sightseeing when he was a kid, especially art museums. Yeah, right. Not that he’d had a choice. His grandparents hadn’t had that kind of money.
But where she’d traveled wasn’t his concern. He refused to feel sorry for someone who wanted to drag his reputation through the mud, but maybe he would show her a few things—like what sightseeing on a ranch was all about.
“T
here’s a spring-fed pond not far from here. I used to practically live there during the summer. We can water the horses. Want to see it?”
“I’d like that.”
“I’ll race you.”
“You’re on!”
She lightly kicked the sides of her horse. Taffy leapt forward and she had to grab the saddle horn to keep from falling off, but she didn’t slow down. An amazing woman—but still a reporter.
He chuckled as he sat watching her. Damn, but she was something else. She had plenty of determination and stubbornness. But that’s why she’d been nicknamed The Barracuda, and he needed to remember that.
“Are you going to let me win?” she yelled over her shoulder as she reined the horse in.
He grinned. “You’re going the wrong way!” He twirled Tornado to the east and nudged her forward.
“That wasn’t fair,” Nikki told Cal when she caught up to him, but she had to bite back the laughter that threatened to bubble out of her. That was the most fun she’d ever had in her entire life. Who knew riding a horse could be that exhilarating?
“Yeah, I know. But you enjoyed every second of it, admit it.”
She cocked an eyebrow. “It was fun. There, are you satisfied?”
“It’s okay to enjoy life.”
“I enjoy life very much. Do you think I don’t?”
“I wondered. You’re stuck in the nineteen twenties doing research, you’ve never been to an amusement park, and you’ve apparently never celebrated a holiday.”
She cringed at the lie about why she was really here, but it wasn’t as though she could tell him the truth. Now that she really thought about it, her life had been tame, except for her job. There’d never been anything tame about the stories she went after—well, except this one, and she didn’t really want to think about it right now.
They rode the rest of the way in silence, stopping when they came to a stand of trees.
Cal swung his leg over Tornado and jumped off. She swung her leg over Taffy and jumped to the ground, too. Immediately, her legs buckled. Before she could fall, Cal caught her up against him.
“Did I forget to mention riding a horse is a lot like going from a ship to land? You have to get your balance back.” There was laughter in his voice.