Love Me Tender

by Wendy Vella

  Okay, technically he’d been tense seeing Rory, but he’d enjoyed the knitting.

  Rory owed him an apology, and it was past time she issued it, to his mind. Then he’d take her to the nearest table and forgive her.

  That stopped him in his tracks. She’d accused him of being a womanizer, in a roundabout way. Was he? Shaking his head, he kept walking. He’d never been rude to or hurt a woman, so that ruled that out... didn’t it?

  Some of the women who’d passed through his life had wanted more, and he’d been unwilling to enter into a relationship, but that didn’t make him a womanizer, did it?

  “Ride in a circle, Abby.” Jack set up a few small hurdles for her to jump.

  “Heels and elbows down.” He kept instructing her as she rode around him, and tried to shut down his thoughts. He’d always been the same and had no complaints before, so why was he thinking this shit now?

  It was her, bloody Princess Aurora May!

  “Don’t saw on her mouth!”

  “I’m trying not to, Jack. Maybe I should come to you, and you show me how to hold my hands again?”

  She was pouting, which irritated him. He was all business in here; he left everything else at the door... especially when he was working.

  “You’ve been having lessons for over a year, so you know how to hold your hands.”

  She pressed her lips together, which told him he’d upset her.

  About twenty minutes into the lesson she trotted toward him, then pulled her foot out of the stirrup and waved it at him.

  “I have something in my boot, Jack.”

  “Take it off then and get it out,” he said, not moving to help her.

  “Couldn’t you do it?”

  Jack was a nice guy... mostly. He was a charmer, so his aunt said, but right at that moment he’d lost his charm. He was suddenly unsure of the person he’d always been, and that wasn’t something he wanted to deal with. He had a vision for this place, and no woman was interfering with that, so why suddenly was Rory messing with his head?

  “Look, Abigail, can we have a lesson without the other stuff?” The words came out before he could stop them.

  Shock was the only word for the look on her face.

  “I-I don’t understand.”

  “Do you or do you not want to learn to ride and jump a horse?”

  “I— Yes, I do.”

  “Well, then let’s do that, and cut out the other crap.”

  “Crap?” Her eyes narrowed in anger, which told him he had probably just lost a client.

  “This is my business, Abby, it is not a place for flirting.”

  “I beg your pardon!”

  Outraged, she swung her leg over the horse and dismounted with ease, which told him just how much she’d been playing him. The woman usually got him to help her down from the horse.

  “I don’t want to date you, Abby, I want to teach you to be the best you can be on a horse. Plus, I want us to be friends.”

  Jack tried a smile, but it was forced.

  “Are you suggesting I’ve come to the lessons with the intention of—of flirting with you?”

  He didn’t speak, just looked at her. The slow flush that crept up her face was more uncomfortable for her than him.

  “You’re not that much, Mr. Hot Pants!” she snapped. “And for what it’s worth I wouldn’t touch you with gloves on now!” She stormed out of the arena.

  Jack pressed his forehead into Sandy’s warm neck.

  “You ladies are so much easier to understand.” He rubbed her chest. “All you want is to be fed and watered and rubbed down after a ride. No games.”

  Luke wandered in, whistling. “Nice day for it.”

  “Thanks for sticking around, Luke.”

  “So what was that about?”

  “What?” Jack loosened Sandy’s girth.

  “The no-more-flirting, can-we-just-do-the-lesson thing? You usually love flirting and the other stuff that goes along with being the town hunk.”

  “Cut it out.”

  “What?” Luke looked genuinely confused.

  “That shit. I’m not the town hunk.”

  “Since when?”

  He brushed by his brother and led Sandy back to her stall.

  “What’s up?”

  “Nothing.”

  “Sure looks like something.”

  “I’m off today, don’t sweat it.”

  Luke rested on the stall door, watching him.

  “Off how?”

  “Off, off,” Jack muttered.

  “You know that doesn’t make sense, right?”

  Jack looked at his brother.

  “Am I considered loose and a womanizer in this town?”

  The shock on Luke’s face made him feel better.

  “Where the hell did that come from?”

  “Nowhere. Forget I said anything. You go on up to the house and we’ll head out in an hour or so.”

  “Jack—”

  “Go, Luke. I’m all good, just having a weird day.”

  “Sure, and we all have those. But before I go, just let me say you’re one of the best men I know, and I’m not just blowing smoke up your ass here. You’re a good, kind man, Jack. The women love you, and that’s hardly your fault, and maybe you’ve dated your share, but that doesn’t mean you’re loose. I’ve never heard a woman say a bad word about you, bro.”

  “Thanks.” He gripped Luke’s shoulder. “It means a lot.”

  When he’d left, Jack finished with Sandy and then saddled up his latest acquisition, a silver quarter horse named Heath, short for Heathcliff. He hadn’t been ridden much, was skittish and in need of lots of training. Jack was just the man for the job, especially in his current mood.

  Soon he’d forgotten all the other crap going on in his life and was focused on one thing only: staying in the saddle as long as he could before Heath tried to toss him again.

  Chapter 21

  After the last dish had been dried and food wrapped and stored in her fridge, the knitting club had left. Rory couldn’t deny the feeling of belonging, watching them drive away.

  She’d been able to breathe again when Jack was done fixing Miss Marla’s knitting, and had to admit she’d enjoyed the whole experience after he’d gone. Okay, there were the embarrassing stories that had made her toes curl, and that moment when Tafty told everyone she’d been hard to potty train, but for all that it was nice to be part of a group. Nice to feel like she fitted somewhere.

  Grabbing her keys, she dressed warm and headed out the door with her father’s briefcase in the other hand. She’d visit Bas, and get him to open it after dropping the dolls at the stables.

  “Courage, Rory,” she reminded herself, stowing it in the trunk beside the dolls. She needed to apologize to Jack, or what happened would always lie between them like it had today. She’d felt his anger when he looked at her, and she didn’t want that.

  When he’d walked into her house and sat down beside Miss Marla and fixed her knitting, Rory had wanted to sigh. Instead she’d ignored him.

  He was just so damned hot. Sexy, smart, and yes, she had to add nice to the description. He was sweet with the Robbins sisters and Mandy, and polite to all those women who threw themselves at him, and she’d said those nasty things to him.

  “You’re a bitch, Rory Haldane.” She glanced in the rearview mirror at herself.

  She’d been poking at him since she’d arrived in Ryker Falls, and now she owed him an apology. The box of dolls was the perfect opportunity.

  She drove up to the stables, parked to one side, and got out. There were more snow flurries in the air, but she enjoyed the bite of cold on her cheeks. Walking inside carrying the box, she exhaled slowly to calm her nerves.

  There was no one in the stables, so she walked into the arena, and it was there she found Jack. He was riding a huge silver horse with a flowing black mane. Muscles bunched and released as it pranced under him. He was magnificent—but then so was his rider.

  “That
’s it, you know who’s in charge, don’t you.” His voice was a soft croon as he put the horse through its paces. He barely moved on the seat, his body an extension of the horse. Rory shuffled sideways a few feet and lowered the box to the ground. She then leaned on the wall. She’d never seen such skill or beauty. The breath caught in her throat as the animal reared on its hind legs, but Jack stayed in the saddle, controlling the horse as it fought him.

  Rory wasn’t sure how long she stood there, but when he finally stopped and headed back to the doors, she pushed off the wall.

  He saw her then, and didn’t seem happy about it, if the cool look in his eyes was any indication.

  “Hi, Jack.”

  He nodded.

  “He’s magnificent. That,” Rory waved her hand to the arena, “was amazing. I’ve never seen anything like it before.”

  “Thanks.”

  The word was clipped, and then he walked the horse through the doors, leaving Rory to follow.

  You deserve this, she reminded herself. She doubted her words had hurt him, but they had been mean and uncalled for.

  “Jack, I want to say something, but when we were surrounded by some of Ryker Falls’s biggest gossips at knitting club wasn’t the right time.” She followed him into the stable and leaned on the half door he shut behind him.

  “I behaved badly the other night, and I apologize.”

  He didn’t reply as he removed the bridle and saddle, then rubbed the animal down.

  “I’m sorry, and I wanted you to know that.”

  He continued to ignore her, which was fine with Rory. She’d say what needed to be said, then leave. Her conscience would be clear... ish.

  The man had a fine ass, she thought as he bent over, his worn jeans pulling tight across it.

  “It’s just I tend to react like that when I’m emotionally cornered,” Rory blurted. “Sorry.”

  More silence.

  “All right, okay then, and I probably deserved that, but to be fair you do have this reputation and I was—”

  “And that makes it right, does it?” The words were muffled from behind the horse now. “Because you think I have this reputation, suddenly I’m fair game and someone you can insult?”

  “No, it doesn’t make it right, and I said that already.” He sounded hurt, and she was suddenly even more ashamed of her behavior.

  “So what? I should just forget it, is that what you’re saying now?”

  He threw a cover over the horse and fastened it, then he motioned for her to open the door. She did, scurrying backward.

  “Look, what happened shouldn’t have, but it did. Now we need to move forward for as long as I’m here. I’ve apologized, and you can accept it or not. Now I’m leaving.”

  She turned to do just that, then remembered the box of toys, so she ran back to the arena and picked it up. He was standing in her way when she came back.

  “What the hell are you doing?”

  “Give this to your niece.” She tried to thrust the box at him but he wouldn’t take it. Rory put it on the floor and stepped to the right to go round him. He followed, so she went left, and he mimicked her actions.

  “Move, Jack. You’re obviously angry with me, and likely that’s justified, so I’m leaving.”

  “Likely?”

  She ignored him and moved right again. He blocked.

  “What do you want from me?” she shrieked.

  His eyes ran over her face slowly, then down her body, which he could not see as her coat was buttoned to the neck, but she still felt that wonderful heat again.

  “That’s an interesting question. How about—”

  “No! I won’t do that with you again!” Rory backed away. There was no longer anger in his eyes.

  “You come for a ride with me and the family,” he said with a wicked look on his face. “And seriously, Princess, you need to clean up those dirty thoughts of yours. It’s disturbing, is what it is.”

  “You were not going to say that!”

  “I was.” He placed a hand on his chest.

  With narrowed eyes she glared at him. His smile never slipped.

  “So... so, do you.... I mean, we’re.... What I’m trying to say—”

  “Just say it fast,” he said unhelpfully.

  “We’re good now, right?” she snapped.

  “Real good,” he said, grabbing her around the waist. He then hauled her in close and kissed every thought from her head.

  “Jack,” she whispered when he eased back. “Wh-what are you doing?”

  “It’s called kissing, Princess. Seems I need to try harder if you don’t understand that.”

  “No!” She wrenched out of his arms and leaped backward. “Don’t do that again.”

  “Well now, I can’t promise anything.” He was smiling. Standing there in a thick gray-flecked sweater, his hair all over the place, he looked like some wicked feudal lord who owned everything and everyone... including her. The thought made her knees go weak.

  “Minutes ago you were all pissed off, and now you’re smiling,” Rory said. “And they say women are fickle.”

  “Aww, poor baby, you want me to stay angry with you longer?”

  “Will you cut that out!”

  “What?”

  “That.” She waved at his face.

  “I’m not allowed to smile now either?”

  “Not that smile.”

  “What the hell does that mean?”

  “That’s your woman-killer smile.”

  He let out a bark of laughter. “I’m not sure if I should be insulted or complimented.”

  “Oh, it was definitely an insult.”

  “Okay, so we’re good then?” She backed out of his arms.

  “Sure.”

  “I need to go, I have to see Bas.” Rory was babbling, and it was all his fault. The man kissed the sense right out of her.

  “What do you need to see him for?”

  “I have to open something.”

  “What?”

  “Something.”

  He gave her a steady look.

  “A briefcase. It was my father’s.”

  “Bring it in, I’ll open it for you.”

  “No, I don’t want to bother you.” Rory backed further away.

  “You only have to breathe to bother me. Now be a good girl and go get it from the car.”

  “Is that an insult?”

  He smiled, another slow, sexy one. “Not an insult.”

  Rory turned, heat climbing into her cheeks, and hurried to her car.

  “Hand it over,” Jack said as she returned with the case.

  She did, then followed him to a room filled with tack and other things needed to care for horses. Rory tried to identify the different scents but gave up after leather.

  Jack placed the case on the bench, then had a good look at it.

  “Be right back.”

  Rory watched him leave the room, then heard the thud of his feet on the stairs. Minutes later he was back with a paperclip in his hand.

  “What are you going to do with that?”

  “Pick the lock,” he said patiently.

  “You can do that?”

  He looked at her with a raised brow.

  “Right. Bad boy Trainers know how to pick locks.”

  “Correct.”

  She watched as he unbent the paperclip, then used a hammer to flatten one end completely. With the briefcase dials facing him, he then put the end of the clip through the right side of the dial and moved the dial numbers.

  “The right number has a gap you feel with the paperclip,” he said.

  “Good to know, should I be in this situation again.”

  “Very. Now, you want to tell me what’s in here?”

  “It was my dad’s. He was never without it, and we were never allowed to look inside. Now I get to.”

  When she heard the case open, Rory couldn’t help it: she clapped.

  “You’re easily impressed.” He handed the case to her. “You can
have a look at the contents after the ride.”

  “Thanks for the offer, but I’m just going to head home now.”

  “Not happening.” He took the case back and put it on a shelf up high. “You can have it later.”

  “What? No way!”

  “Let’s go.”

  “I don’t take orders from you.”

  “Hey, Rory.”

  She looked around him and saw Luke and Joe, Dylan and Piper Howard. Behind them were Jess Trainer, little Grace, and Bailey.

  “Oh hi, Piper, everyone,” Rory said. “I was just leaving, but your brother has something of mine and he won’t give it back.”

  “I told you I’ll give it back after the ride,” Jack said, greeting his family with hugs, kisses, and chest bounces. His niece he picked up and cuddled.

  Rory swallowed. The man was potent enough, but with a child he was devastating.

  “Fine, keep the case, and I’ll come back and get it when you’re gone,” Rory snapped, stepping around the group and walking back into the barn. She picked up the box of dolls.

  “All my cousins are bossy, don’t pay them any attention. What’s that?” Piper had followed her and was pointing at the box of dolls.

  “I found these while I was going through my grandmother’s things and thought Grace might like them. If not, maybe you could send them on to someone who would.”

  She picked up the box and handed it over. Piper opened it and squealed.

  “They’re amazing, and perfect. Come and look, Gracie.”

  Soon they were all gathered around, examining each doll.

  “Mine!” The little girl clutched one to her chest as she looked from her mother to Rory.

  “Yours.” Rory nodded. “Do you like them?”

  She beamed. “Yes.”

  “Say thank you to Rory, honey,” Dylan said, touching his daughter’s head.

  “Thank you, Ory.”

  “Are you sure you don’t mean ornery, Gracie?” Jack drawled.

  “All good, Grace. I’m just happy Nana’s dolls are being loved now, and not still sitting in a cupboard.”

  “Rory is riding out with us today. She needs it after hosting her first knitting club.”

  “Oh Lord, how is it you’re still standing?” Piper looked horrified. “I would have taken to my bed for the rest of the day had I been hosting, which luckily I never have to as I can’t knit.”