“Oh?”
“How much of Singing Springs have you seen?”
She shrugged. “Mostly the area immediate to the house.”
“Great. Henree is making us a picnic lunch. I thought we could take a couple of the horses, ride over the property so you can really see it and then have lunch by the spring. Have you ever seen the spring the ranch is named for?” When she shook her head, he continued. “You really need to. Nicest piece of land in this area.”
She looked away from him as she drummed her fingernails on the table. Nervous? Of him? Of being alone with him?
Of course not. They’d been alone for days.
Then he had a thought that made his heart sputter. Was she afraid to see Singing Springs because she was having second thoughts about their deal? What would he say if that was the situation?
She stood and began collecting the dishes from the table. He reached out to wrap his fingers around her wrist and hold her still.
“What’s wrong?”
Pulling out of his grasp she turned toward the kitchen counter. “Nothing.”
“You are the worst liar,” he chided. “Fess up. What’s going on in that brain? Don’t you want to see Angus’s place?”
The dishes rattled when she set them firmly on the counter. “Can’t we see Singing Springs by car?”
The legs of his chair scraped the floor as he pushed back and stood. “No, we can’t. Riding the property is the best part. Webster is saddling a couple of horses for us. We’ll be able to see a lot of the land by horseback.”
Her knuckles were white from the death grip she had on the counter’s edge. “I don’t know. I’ve been away from the clinic. Maybe I should run by and see if there’s anything on my desk that needs my attention.”
When he put his hands on her shoulders to turn her around, he could feel her tension. “It’s Saturday. No one is there today.”
“But—”
“But nothing.” When she turned, he hated what he saw. Her face was ashen. Her eyes wide with fear. The artery in her neck throbbed visibly. “Hey. What’s going on? You look scared to death.” He pulled her into a hug. “Whatever it is, tell me. Maybe I can help.”
She mumbled something into his shoulder. He gently pushed her back until their gazes met.
“What?”
“I don’t know how to ride a horse.”
“Oh, Caroline.” He smiled and pulled her back against him. “That’s not a problem. You have jeans?”
She nodded.
“And some boots?”
She nodded again. “For some reason, your mom gave me a pair for my birthday.”
“Then throw those on with a blouse, which is of course always optional, and I’ll teach you. I’ve got the gentlest gelding. You’ll love him. Name’s Willard.”
“But what if he starts running away with me? I won’t know what to do.”
Travis laughed. “Willard has been in my barn for years. He won’t run away with you. Trust me.” He hugged her then pushed her away. “Go get dressed.”
By the time they got to his ranch, Caroline’s jitters were close to full-blown panic. He pulled into his garage, turned off his truck and turned toward her.
“Caroline.”
She jumped. When she turned to face him a cute pink blush was tinting her cheeks.
“I’m not going to force you to do this, you know.”
She sighed. “I know. This is so silly. I’m thirty-two years old and I’ve never ridden a horse.”
He draped his arm along the back of the bench seat. “Honestly, there’s nothing to be scared of. I’ll be by your side all the time. Willard is gentle enough that I would let my nephew ride him. Trust me?”
Her nod came quickly. “Yes.”
He stepped from the truck and hurried around to her side before she could change her mind. After opening her door, he extended his hand to help her climb down from his truck.
“C’mon. I’ll make a cowgirl out of you yet. You’ll never want to leave.”
“Is that right?” she said with a laugh as she stepped to the ground.
“Yes, ma’am, it is.”
He should have dropped her hand once she was standing safely on the concrete of his garage, but he didn’t. He wasn’t exactly sure why he didn’t except that he liked how her hand felt in his. But that was okay. She wouldn’t be in his life long. He might as well enjoy it while he could.
Chapter Nine
When Travis led her horse from the barn, Caroline stifled a relieved laugh and grinned. Willard was a gray-colored gelding who looked as though he hadn’t missed a meal in years. His eyes sparkled as though he was glad to be out of the barn. As hard as it was not to back up, she held her ground as Travis led the horse up to her.
“Caroline,” he said formally. “This is Willard. Willard, this is Caroline.” He leaned in close as though to whisper a secret to the horse. “Don’t tell anyone, but she’s my temporary wife so you have to be nice to her. Understand?”
He pulled on the reins so the horse’s head came down and back up as though nodding an agreement. Caroline chuckled.
“Hello, Willard,” she said as she held out her hand for the horse to sniff. “Is that what I’m supposed to do? Let him smell me?”
“No. Step over here by his side and talk to him. You can stroke his neck or his face. He likes that.” He handed her a wrapped peppermint. “Plus, he loves peppermint.” He leaned to her as though imparting a secret. “Helps his breath too.”
With a wide grin, she took the peppermint in the palm of her hand. She stepped to Willard’s side and ran her palm along his neck. The muscles in his neck rippled.
“He’s so soft,” she said, enjoying the feeling of soft horse hair.
“Hey!” Travis said with a grin. “He’s a boy horse. We aren’t soft, right, boy?” He patted the horse on his neck. “We’re manly men. Go ahead and hold out your hand with the treat.”
Soft horse lips brushed her flesh as Willard sucked the mint from her hand and chewed. Her palm felt like she’d rubbed a clothing lint brush across it.
“Okay, enough messing around. Let’s get saddled up.”
“Umm…”
“Got you covered. I have a mounting block for Adam, Olivia’s son.” He pointed to a raised rounded platform that looked like a tree stump. When she reached the mounting block, she saw it was the base of a large tree.
“Step up,” Travis said.
She did.
He led Willard over. “Put your left foot in the stirrup and swing your right leg over.”
When she looked at him, she crossed her eyes and he laughed. Then she did what he said and found herself high off the ground on the back of a horse that suddenly looked a lot bigger and meaner than he had. Her heart slammed against her chest. She grabbed the knob on the saddle and held on with shaky hands.
She didn’t want to look like such a wuss, but she felt like someone had rolled up a king-sized comforter and shoved it between her legs…not that Willard was soft like a plush comforter, but her legs were being shoved wide apart—wider apart than she’d spread her thighs in a very long time. The leather saddle creaked when she shifted trying to find the impossible soft place in the seat. How could a cowboy sit on something so hard for hours on end?
“Rocky!” Travis hollered over his shoulder. “Come over here and hold Dr. Graham’s horse while I get Ransom.” He looked back up at her and smiled. “Looking good up there, Doc.”
Caroline tried to smile but her lips were stuck to her teeth. She licked her lips and tried again. Travis chuckled.
“Trust me, darlin’. I’ve never lost a date yet.”
“First time for everything,” she muttered, causing him to laugh again.
A young teenage boy hurried over and took the reins. Travis headed toward an even larger horse than the one she sat on. He stepped into a stirrup and slung himself on top of the enormous black horse. “Be right back,” he said before turning his horse and riding back into th
e barn. In a minute, he was back carrying a straw cowboy hat. He walked the horse over to where she waited and slapped the yellow hat on her head.
“Olivia left this hat here last month. Sun’s a little bright today. This should help keep it off your face.”
“Thanks.” She settled the hat firmly on her head. “Okay. Ready, I think.”
“Hold the reins like this.” He demonstrated how loosely he held them and the proper lacing of the leather strings.
She tried to emulate his actions but her fingers were shaking just too much. But she got the grip close enough that he nodded.
“Great. Let’s go.” Clicking his tongue, he gave Ransom a tap with his heel.
When Ransom moved, Willard followed. She clung to the saddle horn, so afraid she would fall off, embarrassing both of them. But she didn’t fall. Her butt slid side-to-side in the leather seat with each of Willard’s steps. Travis waited for them to catch up and then rode beside her as they headed out of the barn area and into an open field. He glanced over and smiled.
“You’re doing great.”
“I’m scared to death.”
He chuckled. “So tell me about growing up in Arkansas.”
The talking helped, as did the slow pace. Thinking about Arkansas and remembering the good details of her life kept her mind focused there and not on the fact she felt like she was on top of a moving mountain. When they reached the fence that separated Halo M from Singing Springs, she was surprised to find a well-maintained gate. Travis leaned over, opened it and then followed her through before relocking it.
“Your animals are looking good,” he said with a point of his chin toward a pasture in the distance. “Hancock is doing a good job for you.”
“Thank goodness,” she said as they continued to walk the horses. “I was relieved when he agreed to continue helping with the livestock.” She looked at him out of the corner of her eye. “What do you mean ‘my livestock’? This place is yours, not mine.”
He shook his head. “Go back and look at our deal. I took the ranch, but there’s nothing in there about the stock.”
“Travis! Are you kidding me? What am I going to do with….cows?”
He shrugged. “Don’t know. You might need to make a deal with the new owner.”
She laughed. “You’re an ass.” He grinned in response and she felt a sexual tug low in her gut. The man had no idea what one of his smiles could do to her.
“Tell me more about your next stop on your never-ending medical tour.”
For the first time, thinking about moving on—moving away from Travis and Whispering Springs—brought a wave of uncertainty crashing over her. Usually, she was more than ready to move on when the time came. This time? Not so much.
“Headed to Montana.” She explained about the pregnant doctor up there and how she would be filling in during the eight-week maternity leave. They talked about all her moves, the ones she’d liked, the ones she hadn’t.
After about an hour, they turned the corner and came upon a babbling stream. Near the water’s edge, under a tree, someone had spread a red blanket. Sitting in the middle of the spread was a large wicker picnic basket. To the side was a red and white cooler.
“Travis. Did you do this?”
He grinned. “Had one of the Webster kids run it over after we left. They’ll come back and get everything when we leave.” He swept his arm toward the setting. “I promised you a picnic.”
He hopped from his horse as naturally as he walked. He tied the reins to a tree and came to where she and Willard stood.
“Need some help?”
“Please.”
“Stand up in the stirrups, swing your right leg over and lower yourself to the ground.”
She rolled her eyes. “You make it sound so easy.”
“It is. Trust me. Besides…” He moved closer to her left foot. “I’ll be here to help.”
She stood, tried to lift her right leg, which refused to bend, throwing her off-balance. As she tilted backwards, a pair of large, strong hands circled her waist and lifted her down. Glad to be on solid ground, she opened her mouth to say so, but her knees took that moment to buckle. She grabbed at Travis’s shoulders for support. He tightened his hands and pulled her to him. Her breasts flattened against his firm chest. Her breath caught as she looked up into his blue eyes.
If she kissed him right now, would he be shocked? Back away? Return the kiss?
A bead of sweat rolled down his throat. She ached to lick it, taste his saltiness, draw his flavor onto her tongue. Her tongue flattened against the roof of her mouth. Her mouth opened. But he didn’t give her the chance to kiss or taste him.
Forearms thick with muscle and sinew wrapped around her legs, swept her up and carried her over to the soft blanket holding their lunch. He knelt, letting her legs slide onto the ground.
“I am so embarrassed.” She dropped her head against his shoulder, not wanting to look into his eyes.
“Why? I’m the one who should have his ass kicked. I should have remembered what a first horseback ride can do to legs.” Putting two fingers under her chin, he lifted her head until their gazes met. He shook his head, looking disgusted. “I’m sorry, Caroline. Feel free to call me a few choice names. Dunderhead. Idiot. Whatever.”
She stared into his steel-blue eyes, her breathing coming in deep draws. For a minute, neither of them moved, and then she placed her hand on his face. “Here are my choice names for you. Wonderful. Thoughtful. Caring. Do those work?” She smiled, ready to move on. He didn’t need to know any more about what she really thought about him. She dropped her hand from his face and made a point of looking around the picnic area. “This setting for lunch is perfect. I’m glad we rode over. I can’t believe how much of Uncle Angus’s ranch I’ve gotten to see today. It’s beautiful. I can see why you wanted it.”
He caught her hand and brought it to his mouth, leaving a kiss in the palm. For what seemed like eternity, they stared into each other’s eyes, neither making the move to come closer nor to move away. His warm breath blew on her face. With each inhale, she breathed in his scent, a mixture of woodsy cologne, leather and something that was just Travis. She’d made up her mind to kiss him just as her stomach took that exact moment to rumble loudly. He smiled, leaned over and gave her a quick kiss.
“Sounds like you could use lunch.”
She dropped her face into her hands and shook her head, laughing away her sexual frustration. Travis moved away far enough to get a hand on the basket handle and dragged it over.
“Let’s see what goodies we have in here.”
Strapped on the inside of the lid were two plates, knives and forks and two red-and-white plaid napkins.
“I’ll get the food out,” Caroline said. “See what we’ve got to drink.”
Travis stood and retrieved the cooler. Looking inside he said, “Looks like ice tea, water and some Cokes.” He grinned. “And I do believe there is a container of potato salad. You are going to love Henree’s potato salad.”
Caroline was pulling a container of hot biscuits out of the basket to set alongside the fried-chicken strips. “This all smells heavenly.” She drew in a deep breath. “And I’m starved.”
They loaded their own plates, grabbed bottles of water and settled in to eat. For the first few bites, Caroline couldn’t help but moan. Travis had been right. Henree was a wonderful cook.
“So, Travis,” Caroline said, wiping her mouth with her napkin. “Tell me about growing up here. Your family seems so close.”
He nodded and then washed the large bite of chicken and biscuit down with half the bottle of water. “We are. You know everybody except my brother, Cash, right? The one who’s on the PBR tour?”
“Never got a chance to meet him. Is Cash his real name?”
“No. A nickname, and Mom hates it.” He grinned. “Everybody thinks he got that name from all the rodeo winnings, but that’s not it at all. When we were growing up, there wasn’t a dare Cash wouldn’t take, as long
as there was money involved.” He laughed. “He got pretty fast evading bulls, rolling unmanned tractors, you name it.”
Travis continued on with his stories as Caroline set her empty plate off the blanket on the grass and lay on her side, her head propped in her hand. She watched his luscious lips move as he talked. Watched his Adam’s apple slide up and down with each pull on his water. Enjoyed ogling the muscles in his arms as they bunched and flexed and showcased their beauty with each movement. As she watched him talk and gesture and laugh, her insides tumbled like clothes in a dryer…jumbled and hot. He was pure raw male, and the female inside her roared her approval.
Above, birds sang and flew from tree to tree. The sun painted muted stripes on the blanket and across Travis’s lap. With each breath, she drew in both the earthy scent of the grass beneath them mixed with Travis’s masculine aroma. The combination hit her like a powerful aphrodisiac. She licked her lips and tried to slow her runaway heart.
This wasn’t real life, she cautioned. This was a temporary arrangement known only to her and him. He was being a class act, a real friend today. Don’t do anything that could put a roadblock on that friendship.
Satisfied she’d talked herself down off the I-am-going-to-jump-him ledge, she drew in a deep breath and sighed in total contentment.
Travis set his plate inside the basket and then lowered himself onto his side, lying face-to-face with Caroline. The end of his lips lifted into a smile as he brushed a few wayward strands of hair off her face. The roughness of his fingers ignited the nerve endings in her skin, reviving all those emotions she’d just squashed. She pressed against his hand and allowed her eyes to drift shut. She wanted to experience his touch without any visual distractions. Wanted to lock this feeling into her memories.
His scent grew stronger seconds before his full lips touched hers. She angled her head, wanting to get as much lip-to-lip flesh touching as possible. He wrapped his hand around her head and held her as he plunged his tongue through her open lips. She gave him full access to her mouth, welcoming his tongue’s touch in every nook and cranny. Powerful electrical surges flashed through her body. The area between her thighs grew hot and damp.
Texas Tango: Texas Montgomery Mavericks, Book 2 Page 12