Oh shit. Unfair.
She inwardly winced at the thought of her messy bun, answered the phone, and glared at him. “You can’t just video call someone without a heads-up.”
“Why not?” His phone bobbed and she realized he was on horseback.
“Where are you?”
“Out in the field. Moving the cattle to a less muddy pasture. Where are you?”
“At home.” She headed into the kitchen, intending to make herself a cup of coffee. “The office was getting on my nerves.”
Even from this angle, he was unearthly beautiful. Most people would look bad from a chin-up angle, but it somehow only highlighted the fact that he had a godly-looking jaw. Scruff was growing in, which only added to his sexiness. At the edge of the screen, she could see hints of the sky and the brim of his cowboy hat. His picture bobbed back and forth, and she could just imagine his hand resting on the pommel of his saddle, holding the phone.
“Amy says you’re bailing out on me.”
“I didn’t say that,” she grumped. “I just don’t like how utterly fascinated everyone suddenly became in my love life.”
“You made a big, public gesture. Of course it’s going to follow you around for a few days.”
“A few days?” she asked skeptically. “You sure it’s not a few months? Longer?”
“I’m sure,” he said, all confidence. “They’ll get bored and move on to something else. You still want to bail on me?”
Layla sighed. “No.”
“Good. Else I was going to have to come over there and spank you.”
She sputtered. “You would not.”
“You’d like it, don’t worry.”
“Oh my god, you’re incorrigible.”
“So I’ve heard.”
Another voice boomed over his phone. “Can you quit flirting with your new girlfriend and get back to work?” One of his brothers, she guessed.
“Why?” Jack shot back, grinning. “The cattle don’t care if I talk to her.”
“Yeah, but Caleb’s gonna vomit if he has to hear you giggling with her about spankings.”
For the first time, she saw Jack scowl. “I’m not giggling.”
“Giggling,” came another voice.
Layla chuckled. “This is what happens when you take a personal call while at work. I can let you go.”
“Not yet. Not until you say we’re still on for Wednesday.” He peered into the phone.
“I said we were, didn’t I?” She felt shy.
“Okay, then.” He paused. “And how’s my son?” One of his brothers groaned, and he ignored them. “He doing okay?”
“He’s doing great, and he can’t wait to see Dad again on Wednesday.”
“All right, then. Give him a big hug and kiss from me.”
“You know he’s a dog, right?”
“Okay, fine, I’ll save the hug and kiss for you when I get there.”
“I’m hanging up now.” Mostly so he couldn’t see her blush.
He chuckled. “See you Wednesday.” He pointed at the screen. “I’d better.”
“Yes, sir.” She gave him a jaunty salute and hung up.
Well . . . she supposed that was that. He wasn’t going to let her chicken out of their date after all. That made her feel good. Nervous, but good.
CHAPTER TWELVE
For some reason, Jack figured the days must have gotten longer. Someone out there in the universe had added several hours to every day, and an extra three days in before Wednesday. That must have been the reason why the week was crawling by so slowly. Didn’t matter how much he threw himself into work, how many extra chores he did around the ranch; time seemed to crawl past.
Jack wanted to text Layla.
Often.
He didn’t, because he didn’t want to seem like a crazy person, but, man, he sure wanted to. He wasn’t obsessed. He just . . . liked talking to her. Liked hearing her thoughts. She was the most charmingly fascinating person he’d met in a long, long time. He liked that she was alternately shy and yet somehow brash. That she was unafraid to be her own person despite her humdrum job. He liked that she had a sharp sense of humor and she was able to laugh at a situation, no matter how bad or strange. Jack had known a lot of girls that would have retreated after the bathroom mishap and gone home. Layla had stayed and laughed at her own predicament, even though he’d known she was embarrassed. She just wasn’t embarrassed enough to let it ruin her day.
That was what he liked about her. He liked that she chose to have fun despite the hand that fate dealt her . . . and so he wasn’t going to let her wiggle out of their date.
Jack had texted her casually throughout the last few days, just to check in on the dog. He was sure the dog was fine; it was just pretense. He wanted to talk to her. Hoped she’d send some cute photos of her cuddled up with the pup.
She’d played it cool, though. Cooler than he had, and Jack didn’t like that. He was losing his head to a smart mouth and sparkling eyes, and he wanted her to fall with him. It was no fun if you fell in love alone, after all.
Not that he was in love . . . but the falling sure was fun.
Now it was the day of their scheduled date. The one he’d anticipated all week, had thought about more than he probably should have, the date she’d paid twenty-six hundred dollars to go on . . . and she was late.
That made him antsy.
Jack checked his phone for the time yet again, pacing near the barn. He’d given her the address. Confirmed that she’d be coming by this afternoon. He’d saddled two horses for them—the gentlest gelding they had for her, and his horse, Rocket, so he could ride alongside her. There was a bundle of snacks in a saddlebag—sure, it was February, but romance knew no season and she had a thick jacket, right?—and a thermos of cocoa. He’d shaved this morning, too. He’d wanted to grow his beard back out, but the scruffy four-day growth didn’t look like date material in his eyes, and Jack was vain enough to want to look good for her. So he’d shaved clean and endured the joking of both Watson brothers. He’d ribbed them when they’d found their ladies, so he supposed it was only right that they tease him.
He paced around the barn, and when his nerves started to make the horses stomp, he headed out to the main house. Maybe by the time he got a coffee, she’d show up . . . unless she’d ghosted him.
The thought had no sooner crossed his mind than he was dialing the phone.
She picked up immediately and didn’t even offer a greeting. “I’m almost there!”
Jack laughed. “I thought you might have done a runner on me.”
She snorted, all prickly irritation, and he liked that. “No.”
“Okay, good.”
“Okay, bye.” She hung up on him and he grinned. Oh yeah, she sounded thrilled to go horseback riding. Just thrilled.
Five minutes later, she pulled her car down the long gravel driveway leading to the ranch and parked it next to the row of pickup trucks out front. He wasn’t entirely surprised to see she had an SUV (practical) in bright, neon green (not practical) with a bunch of bumper stickers plastered to the back.
She hopped out of the car as he approached, her hair pulled up into a bun, her glasses dominating her small face, and she wore a sweatshirt that looked like it was covered in bright pink and green dinosaurs.
“Nice car,” he commented.
“I can find it in a parking lot at all times,” Layla shot back. “Unlike you and your bright red truck that screams you’re making up for other inadequacies.”
He laughed, because he absolutely did have a bright red truck. “I can safely say that that is not the reason I have a bright red truck and I’m happy to show you proof.”
“Cool it, Romeo. I have to get our son out of the back seat.” But she tossed a grin in his direction, and his heart swelled a little. She didn’t mind his outra
geous flirting. Just rolled with the punches and didn’t take him seriously.
Oh yeah, Layla made falling for her a lot of damn fun.
He approached as she opened the back door of her SUV and pulled the dog out. Oscar’s little wiry tail was thumping overtime, and he wiggled with joy at the sight of Jack. Damn dog was melting his heart, too. He held his arms out and when she handed over Oscar, the dog was beside himself with joy, licking Jack’s face.
“I think he missed you,” Layla said. “He never greets me like that.”
“He hasn’t left your side in the last few days. He had time to miss me.” He glanced over at her. “And you? Did you have time to miss me?”
Her cheeks flushed a pretty pink. “Absolutely not.” But she smiled as she said it.
“I think one of us is lying,” he confided, and was rewarded with a chuckle and a light batting hand at his shoulder.
“Oscar’s been doing good,” she told him. “Strangely enough, he likes my cat and Sterling tolerates him. I found them curled up together this morning, and I’m wondering if maybe Oscar just needs a buddy instead of constant carrying.”
“Hmm. Maybe.” He studied the little dog as he licked his face again. “Is this your way of telling me that you want full custody?”
“Not at all. I just . . .” She shrugged, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. “Want to make it easy on you. I have an office so it’s a little easier for me to take care of him during the week.”
“So what I’m hearing is that weekends are mine.”
That bright smile broke across her face. “I figured I could take him to visit Miss Cora tomorrow.”
“I’m sure he’ll love that.” He rubbed the floppy ears and studied the gaudy sweater on the dog’s body. “Is that a Wolverine costume?”
“It is, actually. I made it for him.” She tugged at the bright yellow jacket and then pulled the little hood over the dog’s face. Oscar growled at her hand but didn’t snap, and she soothed him with a little touch. “Most of the dog sweaters are terribly ugly and without personality.”
“He looks fantastic.” Jack was in awe of her creativity. “I’m gonna have to get you to make me one.”
She pretended to look distressed and leaned in, mock whispering. “I don’t think you’re the same size.”
Jack threw his head back and laughed. Man, he loved her sharp tongue. “Come on. I’ll introduce you to Uncle Ennis and then we’ll get you on horseback.”
“Oh goody, I can hardly wait.”
* * *
* * *
Uncle Ennis loved Layla. That was no surprise, as she was damn adorable. She chatted with him as he checked over Oscar, doing an impromptu vet appointment as Layla talked things like taxes and bookkeeping.
“I wish I’d been using your service. You know I got audited last year? Had to pay a penalty, too.” Uncle Ennis shook his head. “Animals, I’m good with. Taxes, not so much.”
“Do you want me to take a look at your books?” she asked earnestly. “I’m happy to give them a glance over. For free, of course. I’d be a jerk if I tried to drum up business while on a date.” She gave Jack a small smile.
“I would love for you to look them over,” Uncle Ennis began.
“No,” Jack said firmly. “She’s stalling because she doesn’t want to get on horseback.”
“Busted,” Layla agreed, grinning. “But I really will look at your paperwork. Just get it together for me and I’ll take it home. It’s a slow time of year for me and I can use a project.”
His uncle nodded. “You’re mighty kind.” Uncle Ennis smirked. “And that means you probably deserve better than Jack.”
“Busted,” Jack joked, and sent her into a fit of giggles. “Now, come on. You’ll watch Oscar for us, Doc?”
“Of course.”
Jack put a hand to the small of Layla’s back and steered her out of the veterinarian’s office attached to the main ranch house and toward the distant barn.
“Why do you call him Doc?” Layla wanted to know.
“Everyone in town calls him Doc. He was here before the first doctor showed up in the area, so when people had a medical emergency, Uncle Ennis was sometimes called in. Name stuck, I guess.”
She smiled up at him. “Sometimes I forget just how small this town is.” Her smile faded. “Other times, it’s impossible to forget.”
“They still giving you grief in town?”
Layla shrugged, but he could tell it bothered her. “Just people being nosy. Asking far too many questions, not letting things go, the usual.”
“Just being people, then.”
She glanced over at him and gave him the briefest of smiles. “I guess so.”
“Don’t let it get to you. They’re only fascinated because I’m so incredibly fine.”
Laughter bubbled out of her at that. “Right. Okay.”
He put a hand on the small of her back. “You know what will relax you?”
“If you say horseback riding, I’m going to kick you,” she warned.
“Horseback riding,” he agreed, feigning innocence.
Layla scowled over at him, and it was delightfully cute. She was delightfully cute. And he was absolutely loving this.
Jack escorted her to the barn, noting that she’d dressed appropriately for their date. She’d pulled a coat out of the car and some gloves, and while she wasn’t wearing cowboy boots, her heavy combat boots would protect her all the same.
“I have to say,” Layla began as they entered the barn. “I don’t feel I’m getting my money’s worth.”
He looked over at her in surprise. “Is something wrong?”
“You’re not wearing spurs or chaps.” She shook her head, tsking. “Very un-cowboy of you.”
That made him grin. “I’ll wear them for our weekend date, deal?”
She held up her smallest finger. “Pinky swear?”
He hooked his in hers. “Pinky swear.” Jack might have found the only woman as irreverent as he was, and his heart wasn’t gonna survive this.
Layla’s playful demeanor lasted until they got into the barn and he introduced her to the horses. She petted their noses and they fed them apples, but when he gestured that they should mount up, an uncertain look crossed her face. “I’ve never ridden a horse before.”
“I’ll help you mount. You can do it.”
She bit her lip, glancing up at Rocket. “It’s just . . . they’re awfully . . . big from this angle.”
“You say that to all the men you buy at auctions, don’t you?”
That earned him a laugh, and he got a mounting block and set it next to her mount, Cameo, the most docile palomino he’d ever seen, and Uncle Ennis’s favorite horse. Cameo was unflappable and remained perfectly still even as Layla nervously took his hand and stood atop the mounting block.
“Swing your leg over,” he instructed her, and when she tried and her leg wouldn’t go all the way, he quickly put his hands on her ass and hefted her all the way up into the saddle. Layla squealed a protest. “You have to get on right away or it confuses the horses,” he explained. “Trust me, if I just wanted to grab your ass, there’s easier ways to go about it.”
“So you say.” Her voice was wobbly and her hands were glued to the pommel. She listed to the side, her shoulders hunched. “I feel like I’m sliding.”
“You’re not sliding. Grab the reins.”
“I’m sliding!”
She was, in fact, sliding. He watched as she inched over, falling a little too far on the opposite side, and he hurried over to Cameo’s other side to grab her before she dropped onto the floor of the barn. No sooner did he move into place than she slid right off the saddle and into his arms.
Layla let out a little choked cry and flung her limbs around him, squeezing him like an octopus. Jack coughed, staggered just enough to
keep his balance, and managed to somehow stay upright.
“How the hell do you fall off a horse?” he asked, curious. Even people that weren’t naturals in the saddle didn’t immediately slide off the other side.
“Maybe . . . maybe the saddle’s loose.”
“The saddle isn’t loose,” he promised her. “You were leaning over too far.”
“Because it felt like I was going to fall off!” She pushed her glasses up her nose and frowned up at him. “I’ve changed my mind. I don’t want to go horseback riding.”
Oh no, she wasn’t going to get away from him that easily. He’d been around enough inexperienced horse riders to know when someone was afraid to ride. Jack rubbed a hand up and down her back. “How about we ride together? You can just hold on to me and I’ll handle everything else.”
She relaxed. “I’d like that.”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
A short time later, both of them were on Rocket, and the horse ambled along at an easy pace instead of racing off into the hills like his name proclaimed. Layla was still nervous atop the horse, even though she sat in front of Jack on the saddle with his arms around her and they were more or less crawling, speed-wise. The cattle were in one of the nearer pastures, so he opened the gate and headed in that direction.
“Why are we going in with the cattle?” Layla asked, tense.
“Just to ride around. Giving you the full cowboy experience and all.” He shut the gate, noticing she was slumped forward and clinging to the pommel again. It was like her bones deserted her the moment he dismounted. Biting back a laugh, he mounted again behind her, ignoring her indignant squawk when the saddle jostled. “Come on, this is fun, isn’t it?”
“Board games are fun. Watching Netflix is fun. Playing Animal Crossing is fun. This? It’s very . . . outdoorsy.”
Jack laughed. “That it is.”
“It’s not terrible, I guess,” she offered as he guided the horse forward. The cattle mostly ignored them, moving around Rocket and casting hopeful looks after the horse. “Why are they all so fat?”
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