by Bonnie Vanak
“Not everything. Some stuff she learned on her own. Lexie’s got a natural seat with that horse. That’s why she’s skilled.”
Cora sniffed. “She’s lucky, that’s all.”
“Sometimes it does take luck to win,” he agreed.
“You need some damn luck, Cora, then you wouldn’t be so slow. Hate paying for lessons only to see you move slower than a cow in winter,” her father said.
A wounded look crossed Cora’s face, but it vanished quickly. Feeling sorry for his pupil, Jackson aimed a look at her father. “Cora’s doing fine. She just needs a little more practice.”
Cora pouted. “Hard to find time to do that while working for Daddy”
“Lexie gets up at the crack of dawn to practice.”
“You don’t lock the stable?” Cora looked at him, frowning. “The main stable, that’s where you’re stabling Big Boy, with Diamond and the other mares not in season. And you let anyone walk in during the night?”
“Lexie’s not anyone. We keep the stable doors locked at night.” Jackson curbed his irritation. “I get up earlier than she does, and leave the west door open just for her. Your stud is perfectly safe. He’s secure, in a stall where no one can touch him.”
Bart grunted. “Stop your caterwauling, Cora. Big Boy’s fine, and you’re trying to find excuses for yourself. You’ll practice later, and practice until you get it right. No one’s beats a Baker. Right now I need you to work on the spreadsheets.”
As Bart walked back to the golf cart, Cora aimed Jackson a coy look. “Want to share a drink when I’m done?”
“No, thanks.” He’d rather swig back straight hemlock than drink with Cora. “Need to work a little more with Lexie.”
She lowered her voice to a vicious whisper. “That gimpy cowgirl is nothing but clumsy when she gets off her horse. I don’t understand why you like her.”
Anger tightened his chest. “I have a lot of things in common with Lexie.”
“What?”
She’s a wolf, not a she-devil like you, he was tempted to say. Instead, he attempted diplomacy. “Why are you so interested in who I like anyway? I heard Peter is crazy about you.”
Her expression softened. “He’s very cute. And talented. He likes woodworking. He promised to make me a statue of a horse. Peter is very good with his hands.”
“Not as good as me.” Grinning, Jackson flexed his right fist.
The sullen look sure did make Cora look unattractive. She joined her father in the golf cart. Jackson didn’t turn around to wave as they drove off. There went one seasoned bitch. He wondered if she’d end up sinking her claws into Peter soon.
Jackson only wanted one female sinking her claws into his back. Lexie. And if she shifted and they mated as wolves, well, that would be fine. Mighty fine.
He grinned, wondering what Cora would think if she saw that sight.
Chapter 9
Lexie fell from Diamond while riding back to the stables.
It wasn’t a hard fall, but the saddle slipped violently, spilling her to the ground. Lexie had fallen enough that she knew how to take a tumble.
Rubbing her bottom as she stood, she examined the saddle. A chill rushed down her spine.
Only thin threads of leather held both cinches together. She’d checked the saddle, as always, before saddling Diamond. Lexie saw faint, clean cuts near the buckles on the cinches.
Someone had sawed through the leather, just enough to cause a break after a session of rough riding.
If she’d fallen while barrel racing instead of walking Diamond back, she would have been badly hurt. And maybe Diamond would have taken a spill as well.
Inside the barn, she stabled her horse and stowed the saddle away. Lexie was brushing down Diamond as Jackson strolled down the wide aisle.
“Want to go riding? I’d like to show you the ranch,” he asked.
“Sure. I’ll need another mount, though.” Lexie put away the brush. “By the way, I’ll have to borrow one of the ranch’s saddles.”
He nodded. “What’s wrong with yours?”
Lexie hesitated. She didn’t want to voice her suspicions. Not yet. “Cinches are a little worn.”
Jackson found her a gelding to ride and they saddled up. They cut through the south pasture, tall meadow grass bending in the cool breeze sweeping across the plains. The sun shone in the sharp blue sky as he pointed out the quiet vistas of meadow, the jagged mountains and the majestic peaks.
“There’s no place like it on earth, Lex. I’m hoping you’ll share it with me,” he told her in a quiet, assured voice.
Nikita’s warning kept pricking her conscience. How could she desert her own pack when they needed her so desperately? She couldn’t trust her feelings for Jackson.
“I can’t,” she told him.
“Just like that.” His jaw turned to granite.
“I have my reasons. Just like you need to make a contribution to your pack, I have to make one to mine. I owe them, Jackson. ”
“Owe them?”
Lexie couldn’t explain, so she rode ahead.
That night, he was corralled in another long meeting with Aiden. By the time he returned to the cabin, it was late and she pretended to be asleep.
Jackson was gone when she awoke just before dawn, the leaden light barely pushing away the night. Lexie dressed in an emerald blouse, soft fawn trousers and slipped on her polished boots. She dressed and went downstairs and read his note.
They were having dinner on the river, just the two of them. A private, candle light dinner at one of the pack’s camping spots and then spending the night in a tent. Many tents were scattered around the river. This one had a fire pit.
Pack an overnight bag with everything you need and leave it on the porch. I’ll arrange to transport it, he’d written. We’ll ride out to the river. I’ve already arranged everything to be there. Wear a jacket because the night will be colder.
Shrugging into her shearling jacket, she hurried to the dining room and went out the French doors to the deck.
Her feet made no noise in the dewy grass as she sped through the back yard to the narrow dirt pathway leading to the stables. It was a long walk.
Faster if she shifted. But she didn’t dare risk other Lupines seeing her as wolf. Forget the Skins. If Jackson’s people knew about her problem…hell, if Jackson knew, he wouldn’t want her anymore.
Cool air brushed against her cheeks as she followed the pathway to the stables. Birds chirped in the overhead branches and in the distance, cows lowed. Lexie drew a in a deep breath, enjoying the fresh air. This ranch had the prettiest views and operated smoothly.
Would be nice to live here, she mused. Live here instead of a ranch that seemed dead and dying…Guilt pinched her. The thought was a betrayal of all her aunt fought for.
She reached the stables and headed for the west entrance. A computer-printed sign hung on the stable door Jackson always left unlocked for her.
The floor has been polished and is still wet. Please remove your boots before entering.
Odd. She sat on a bale of hay and tugged off her boots. Floor should be dry by now… Boots in hand, Lexie tugged open the door and stepped inside.
Something cracked beneath her left foot, sending stabbing pain shooting through her sole. Lexie yipped.
She limped back to the hay bale and collapsed. Blood sluggishly seeped around a shard of glass spearing her deformed foot.
A pickup truck rambled down the dirt road and parked before the stables.Horrified, she watched the truck park and Jackson step out. She had to do this before he saw her.
“Okay. One, two.” She took a deep breath. “Three.”
She yanked the shard free. Pain exploded, and a scream fled her throat.
“Lexie!” Jackson yelled.
Oh, it hurt, it hurt so bad. She yanked off her sock, desperate to stem the blood seeping past the fingers she pressed against her sole. He couldn’t see, not now. Humiliation poured through her, as painful as the sharp gl
ass. Lexie groped for the pink bandana around her neck and quickly tied it around her foot and slipped on her sock.
“Lexie, what happened?” he demanded, racing to her side.
“Stepped on something. No biggie, just a little cut.” She pointed to the glass shards inside the stable. “Someone must have had a little celebration and forgot to clean up.”
Jackson picked up the bloodied shard of broken glass and his eyes widened. “Son of a bitch… you stepped on this? Let me see your foot.”
“No.” She held out a hand to fend him off. “I’m fine, it’s fine, I’ll be fine.”
Everything was a-okay fine. Lexie bit her lip as she pulled her boots back on.
And then she scented something overbearing and flowery and went still.
Cora appeared around the side of the stables, a tight smile on her face. “Step on something, Lexie? Maybe you should show Jackson your foot.”
I’d roll over and die first.
“Naw, it’s okay.”
“What’s wrong? It’s just your feet. Afraid Jackson will think you have ugly toes?” The woman’s nasty smile widened. Suddenly Lexie knew. Cora wanted her to remove her socks, wanted Jackson to see exactly how ugly she was…
Suspicion flooded her. “Jackson, did you put that sign on the door?”
He ripped off the cardboard and read it, shaking his head. “No. I hose down the aisles every night, but everyone knows it, including you.”
How exactly had that broken glass been placed right where she always removed her boots?
“What are you doing here this early, Cora?” Lexie demanded.
“Ambrose and I were checking on our stud, making sure he’s doing all right.” Cora gave Jackson a sly glance. “The stud named Big Boy.”
Fury tightened Jackson’s face as he waved the cardboard sign. “Did you put this on the door? And how did that glass get here?”
Cora shook her head. “Not my fault if someone’s messing around with your stables, Jackson. I’m just here to make sure our horse is treated right.”
As the Skin walked off, Jackson focused his attention on Lexie. “Sweetie, let me see your foot. That was a nasty injury.”
“It’s not that bad. Really, all this fuss over a bitty cut?”
The only way he’d leave her alone would be if she walked as normal as possible. Hoping in vain that her Lupine blood would heal her injury faster than normal, Lexie stood and pasted on a bright, wide smile. “See? It’s nothing. Let’s not miss breakfast.”
Even on a broken femur, she’d fake it, just to keep Jackson from looking at her foot. He tossed aside the cardboard sign and unclipped the radio hooked to his jeans. Static crackled.
“Aiden? Get someone to the main horse stable right away. West door. Broken glass all over the aisle needs cleaning.”
He replaced the radio, went into the stables and squatted down, examining a piece of glass. “Looks like a beer bottle.”
“Felt like light beer to me,” she joked.
Jackson set down the shard and went to her, running his hands up and down her arms as if to assure himself she was okay. . His touch soothed her, chased away the fear knotting her stomach. “Lexie, darling, you sure you’re all right?”
She wriggled her foot, glad to feel the pain easing slightly. “Never better. Let’s go. I’m hungry and I want to eat the fab breakfast you’re always bragging Cookie prepares.”
That afternoon while Jackson worked, she remained off her feet. The injured left foot healed faster than before. Almost as quickly as an ordinary Lupine’s would.
Maybe it was all the rare beef Jackson kept encouraging her to eat. He gave her most of his share as well, insisting he wasn’t hungry and it’d go to waste unless she ate it.
An hour before sunset, they saddled their horses and rode out through the pastures, following the back road. The vistas stunned her. She’d lived in Montana for years and still, the state left her breathless and awestruck with the majestic pine trees layering jagged mountains, wide, open plains and rock-strewn rivers. Here, a Lupine could roam wild and free.
Her wolf whined, itching to paw its way out and feel the sweet release of freedom. Lexie took a deep, shuddering breath. Soon, she promised. When no one watched and no keen eyes were upon her.
Half an hour later, they reached the river as the sun sank lower in the sky. Several tents large enough to shelter a family were scattered along the banks.
Jackson dismounted and helped her off Diamond. “Aiden put them here on a permanent basis, for pack members who wish to court their females. Wired for electricity, all of them with wood decks and furniture. The river gives them a little privacy, a little scenery and a lot of romance.”
He winked at her.
They led their horses over to a small corral with a lean-to, where fresh hay and water awaited them.
Then Jackson put a hand on the small of her back and escorted her up the incline to a bank overlooking the river.
Breath fled her throat. The encampment had a dining area with a white tent big as the stable encasing long tables to accommodate a larger group. The wood deck extended to the edge of the bank and was edged with brick columns and a rope fence. Elegant glass carriage lanterns atop each brick column illuminated the night.
Smaller, more intimate tables were set on this deck, the sky as the roof. A table for two with a pristine view of the river was set with a white linen cloth, several glowing candles, fine china and silverware. Upon one of the plates rested a single red rose.
Jackson picked up the flower and handed it to her. “I wanted to get our night off to a good start.”
She inhaled the sweet, delicate scent and smiled. This rugged cowboy with his charisma and simple honesty charmed her.
“You’re a romantic. You know how to treat the ladies,” she teased, not knowing how to break the tension.
But he did not smile. “Only around you. Around you, I want to try to make everything right.”
Enchanted, she gazed around the tent. “Your pack dines here frequently?”
“We come here sometimes to get away, in small groups or solo, just to relax. Or treat our mates to time away and unwind, without leaving the ranch property.”
She glanced at the dining hall. “Who’s the cook?”
“Me.” At her raised eyebrows, he grinned. “Well, sorta. I can fry a mean steak when I’m on the range, but I wanted something nicer for you. I asked Cookie to whip up a special dinner.”
“This is wonderful,” Lexie admitted.
He pulled out her chair and offered a gallant bow. “Please, be seated. Enjoy your surroundings and I’ll be back.”
The river burbled over rocks and gurgled below her, lacy whitewater glinting in the nearly full moonlight. Pines flanked the riverbank and in the horizon, the mountains sloped upward. It was a heavenly place to dine. She’d never envisioned Jackson being this thoughtful. When she’d made her devil’s bargain with him, Lexie envisioned him ripping off her clothes in lusty passion, not this tender romance.
He came out of the tent bearing a bottle of uncorked wine. “I know you like red, and this is a reserve.”
Tasting the sample he poured, she nodded. “But you don’t drink anything other than beer.”
His gaze turned warm. “I do tonight.”
Jackson filled her glass and his, then set down the bottle. He lifted his glass. “To you, Lexie. The best damn barrel racer in the west, and anywhere. And the cutest, as well.”
Blushing, she clinked glasses with him.
He returned to the tent and wheeled out a trolley filled with covered dishes. Jackson served each one. A rare, thick sirloin with a twice-baked potato and freshly-picked green beans.
They talked about the ranch as they ate. Lexie was curious about his lifestyle and why he settled for a pack that chose cattle ranching. She knew he’d been orphaned as a teenager and roved from town to town, hiring himself out as a cowhand, finally settling on the Mitchell pack as his home. But he’d never told he
r why.
“I liked how Aiden made the pack into a family and didn’t rule through intimidation, but respect. Everyone here pitches in. I’ve been on ranches, both Skin and Lupine, where some get away with goofing off and letting others work. Not here.” He toyed with the stem of his glass. “Our biggest challenge is we have too many cowhands and not enough females for mating. Every time I’ve returned from herding cattle, it gets worse. I got into a fistfight last week, Lex. It was pretty bad.”
She touched his hand, troubled by how he refused to look at her. “Beth told me.”
“Did she tell you I shifted into a wolf and nearly went for Aiden’s throat when he tried to break it up?”
Shock pummeled her. Attacking the alpha was grounds for expulsion, if not death.
Jackson tossed back his wine. “Aiden’s a fair SOB. Could have killed me on the spot. Instead, he ordered me to find a mate or leave. I’ve got two weeks and options. There’s a few female Lupines I’ve kept entertained when in town who could suffice. But they wouldn’t ever come close to how I feel about you, Lex. Never.”
“Jackson…”
“Wait. Please, let me finish. I’ve got to say this before I lose my nerve. Been thinking about it so long and hard, trying to fit all the right words with all the right feelings. I’m a simple cowboy, Lex, not a poet. But I need you. I want you so much, and most of all, I want to make you feel as special as I feel when I’m with you.”
He took a deep breath. “Every night on the range, lying on my bedroll, staring at the stars, I thought if I had you by my side, the nights wouldn’t be so terribly lonely. They’d be perfect. I could be on the rockiest ground in the toughest brush on the coldest night, and it would all feel like a luxury palace with a roaring fire, only because you were with me. You would make me want to be a better Lupine, the one Aiden knows I can become.”
He raised his head and the stark longing on his face twisted her insides into tight knots. A lump clogged her throat. Like her, Jackson was lonely. He needed her, badly. But he’d never shown it this starkly and he’d never shown how much. Until now.
“Is this why you brought me here, to the river? To woo me into asking me to mate with you?” she asked gently.