Sam's expression became thoughtful, and he said, "It's called Whispering Springs."
"So then, what do you think about the trail idea?" Jayne asked.
"I suppose we could give it some thought," Sam replied.
"Thinking won't get the job done," Jayne said. "What about hiring a high school boy for a week or so? You said there was money set aside."
Sam eyed her over the rim of his mug. "I'll talk to Jack."
"Does he always have the final say about things?" Jayne challenged. Not only did she want to keep the conversation far away from her hasty departure from the room the day before, but she also wanted to make a difference during the time she'd be there. Putting in a network of trails and making flyers for self-guided hikes and showing some organizational skills would be a start.
Sam looked slightly miffed, as he replied, "I don't need Jack's approval. I'll look into hiring a kid from one of the neighboring ranches."
Jayne couldn't help smiling, and when she did, Sam smiled too. A broad, sexy smile that had her heart skipping, and her pulse racing, and her face growing hot, and her lungs feeling trapped for air, and all the man did was smile. "Then I'll get busy with the flyers," she said, "and since I have dozens of other things to do before the guests arrive next week, like checking on supplies, I'd better get started."
Excusing herself, she left the kitchen and went upstairs to check the supply closet, feeling as flighty as a school girl, while also wondering if this thing with Sam would eventually wear off. She'd never had her hands start shaking just because a man was looking at her, or felt the urge to do spontaneous things like put her palms on his chest to see if it was as hard as it looked, then slide her hands up his muscular arms and around his neck, and kiss him. But she had to get a grip on things. Turning her attention to taking inventory of the supplies was a start. With eight cabins on the creek, and eight guest rooms upstairs in the lodge, running out of toilet paper the first week wouldn't bode well for the new manager. The guest-season staff would be arriving in two days and she wanted to be ready for them too. She was already familiar with the procedure at the front desk for checking guests in and out, and she had her computer program up and running, which was good, because the first batch of guests were scheduled to arrive the day before Easter, which was only four days away.
According to Flo, two women would be in charge of cleaning the guest rooms and cabins and changing beds and bundling dirty towels and linens to be picked up by the cleaners, and a third would be helping in the kitchen.
Jayne had just left the main supply room, which was located at the head of the stairs, when she saw Sam on his way up. He looked like he had something on his mind, and when he got to the top step, he stopped so he was almost eye level with her, and said, "I talked to a kid from a neighboring ranch. He'll be here tomorrow, so you can show him what you want."
"That's it? You're letting me take charge of the trail project?" Jayne replied.
"You're supposed to be running things here," Sam said. "So yeah, you can take charge."
When he didn't turn and leave, but stood looking at her, like he was waiting for her to say something more, Jayne had to fight the urge to put her hands on his shoulders and give him a little kiss. Short and sweet. A thank you kiss for letting her run things the way she wanted. Odd, wanting to kiss a man she'd barely talked to during the short time she'd been there.
"I'm distracting you again," Sam said, holding her gaze.
"Yes," Jayne replied. "Was that all you wanted? To tell me about the boy coming?"
"No. I thought since you plan to make flyers for the hikes, today would be a good day to show you the hot springs, the Indian mound, and a guest cabin about an hour's ride by horse. You might want to make a flyer for that too, and make it a half-day hike."
"The cabin's not on the lodging list," Jayne said, distractedly, feeling little tingles in her tummy from the way Sam was looking at her—a an unspoken message she understood. That kiss in her office, which was almost not a kiss, haunted her too.
"We don't advertise the cabin," Sam said. "It's remote, no electricity."
When she didn't reply, because she was wrapped in thought, Sam said, "Are you worried about being alone with me?" He looked concerned, and a little confused. But then, everything from the moment Sam covered her cold hands with his to warm them had been confusing. Too many new feelings to assimilate. She'd never felt such a strong attraction to a man. She even found herself contemplating how she might somehow meet his minimum requirement for a step-mother for his son. Miracles did happen on occasion. "Well, no," she replied.
"Then I'll saddle the horses and meet you at the stable," Sam said. "I take it you ride."
"Some," Jayne replied. "Pretty much what I learned at summer camp. It will be nice to ride in the mountains with you and see the things you mentioned."
Sam gave her a different kind of smile, one that held a kind of cryptic message, like he felt as excited about the idea of them being alone as she did. "We'll ride to the cabin first then stop by the Indian mound and hot springs on the way back. Wear a swimsuit under your clothes so we can sit in the pool and listen to the voices."
A very, very bad idea, sitting with Sam, half-naked, in a pool, and her having palpitations and air hunger whenever the man was near. "I don't have a swimsuit," she said.
"You don't need one," Sam replied. "The pool's in a dark cavern and the water comes up mid chest on me. You could get in first and sit opposite me."
"Said the spider to the fly," Jayne quipped. "You do realize what you're suggesting is a very bad idea, don't you? Us skinny dipping like that?"
"If you're worried about me, don't be," Sam assured her. "I may be new to the single's scene, but I do have some control."
"Maybe you're not the one I'm worried about," Jayne said. "I won't deny I find you attractive, and I might be imagining things, but I think I've caught you looking at me a time or two."
"Then you don't want to go," Sam said, in a cheerless voice.
"That's the problem," Jayne replied, "I do want to go, but I know it's a bad idea."
"Yeah, I suppose," Sam said. He turned and started down the stairs.
"On the other hand, we're adults," Jayne called after him. "We do have control."
Sam paused on the stairs and glanced over his shoulder, and the only way Jayne could describe his smile that followed was Machiavellian. "Then I'll meet you at the stable in a half hour," he said, and turned and continued down the stairs.
***
Sam glanced at Jayne, who sat on the horse plodding along beside him. She looked good dressed the way she was—an oxymoron in her safari outfit while riding western. An English mount and knee-high boots would seem more fitting, but he liked the safari look on her. More than liked it. But he was determined to keep his hands off her. He'd read about single parenthood, and what was emphasized was staying out of relationships for a long time after a divorce, though he'd also read that if a relationship developed, to keep all intimacies away from the kids and not introducing the love interest until there was a commitment of marriage. He was far from that with Jayne, although the idea hadn't escaped him.
But heading into an intimate relationship would be about as reckless as anything he could do. Ricky was disturbed enough, being forced to see his mother with her live-in's hands all over her, but he also knew Susan had problems. Back when they were still having sex, she demanded he pump hard, and she accompanied his forceful pumping with deep guttural sounds. Then she began demanding things he wasn't willing to do, and that's when the marriage started to unravel.
"It's really beautiful here," Jayne mused. "How much farther to the cabin?"
"About another ten minutes," Sam replied, wondering how his mind had managed to slip to thoughts of Susan, with Jayne riding at his side. He also wondered how it would be with Jayne. How she'd be if they were making love… if she'd be responsive to him. Not being able to satisfy Susan left him with doubts about himself.
The
trail narrowed and the horses moved together, and when they did, Jayne's leg rubbed against his. She looked at him and smiled, and he smiled back. He wanted the contact, casual as it was, and Jayne's smile told him she wanted it too.
"I think we should set things up for weddings," she said. "Families of the bride and groom and their friends could rent the lodge for the week leading up to the wedding, and the couple could be married in the great room, or you could have a grape arbor put up where they could be married outside when the weather's nice." Her eyes brightened with anticipation, and he couldn't help wondering if his presence triggered her thoughts of marriage, premature as it was. That thought had been occupying his mind. In fact, unrealistic fantasies of Jayne as his wife seemed to be dominating his thoughts. But her idea of weddings for ranch guests didn't work. "Flo doesn't do wedding cakes, and she's not set up for catering receptions."
"Flo wouldn't have to do either," Jayne said. "We'd provide folding tables and tablecloths, along with napkins, wine glasses, plates, and silverware for the reception, but the families would be responsible for the cake and for having the reception catered."
"I don't know," Sam replied. "That's taking on a lot."
"We need to do something to get people coming," Jayne said. "I also think we should operate on a weekly basis. Setting things up so guests arrive for Sunday brunch, stay through the week and leave the following Saturday after breakfast, makes it easier to plan meals and activities. Between Saturday and Sunday there would be time to clean the lodge and prepare for the next round of guests, and it would be more cost-effective that way."
"That won't work," Sam said. "We have guests who only stay a few days."
"Maybe a few would be angry, but at least we'll have paying guests," Jayne said. "I want to try it. You said I could run things the way I want."
"Yeah, but I didn't mean to change the whole routine," Sam snapped then wondered why he was irritated. She was just trying to do her job. But he couldn't think straight. Every time he looked at her sitting on the horse, back straight, chest out—it was the chest part that kept distracting him. He'd gone too long without a woman, and everything about Jayne had him thinking hot sex, and long term, and having a wife again.
"I know many guest ranches that operate this way," Jayne said. "As it is, we'll have twelve empty rooms when we open. Things can't get much worse. By lowering the rates for the week-long stays we'll be filling more rooms and making more money, but, if you don't want to do this, then maybe I'm not the right person to be running the place."
Sam looked at Jayne with a start. She was right. He'd hired her to do the job, so he needed to back off and let her. But what she suggested was a major change. "I'd better run it past Jack first," he said, not wanting to give Jack any reason to find fault with her.
"Was Jack first born or something?" Jayne asked. "You seem to defer to him."
Sam realized Jayne was goading him into letting her do things her way, and it was working. All his life he'd been compared to Jack. Jack was the bigger twin, the more assertive, the one most like their father, which, Sam realized, was his reason to go off to college to prove to himself, and everyone else, that he was a step ahead of Jack. But even with the winery up and running, Jack was still several steps ahead of him. Jack had a wife who'd stand by him no matter what, and kids he adored, and was happy with his life, and none of it took a college degree.
"Look," he replied, "just to set the record straight, I don't need to ask Jack anything. I'd do it as a courtesy, so you can do whatever you want."
"Thank you," Jayne said. "If we weren't on horses I'd kiss the boss, which is unacceptable behavior for an employee, so it would be a short, sweet kiss."
"I'm already familiar with that kind of kiss from the guest-ranch manager," Sam said, his mind morphing the brief kiss in Jayne's office to a passionate, open-mouth kiss while stretched out naked with Jayne on the bed in the mountain cabin.
"That wasn't a kiss," Jayne reminded him. "That was an accident."
"Yeah, well we can fix that," Sam said.
Jayne gave him an ironic smile, but instead of responding to his comment about fixing the kiss, she said, "Incidentally, the new week-long-stay plan is posted on our website. We already have four families signed up for April and six for May, and a couple of weddings are scheduled in June." Sam stared at her in surprise. "Don't look so shocked," she said. "You told me when you hired me that I could run things my way, so I am."
Sam didn't know whether he wanted to kiss her or cuff her. The woman had a way of jerking him around, even when he knew she wasn't meaning to. But he also realized, with an illogical sense of regret, that her wedding idea had nothing to do with him. "Then, why did you go through all that with me if you'd already done things your way?" he asked.
"Just a courtesy," Jayne quipped. "But you won't be disappointed. This way we can plan activities on a weekly basis. Indian mound one day, hot springs another, a trail ride and packed picnic to the cabin another, a nature hike and bird watch on another. And we'll plan a barn dance for Fridays, sort of a farewell get-together. Guests will know each other by then, another reason for week-long stays. They'll return as groups in later years."
Sam couldn't argue Jayne's point. He was beginning to think she could get the guest ranch up and running again. He'd lost interest when he started putting in the vineyards and building the winery, and after the pinot noirs proved to rival the burgundies of the top wineries in the valley, that had become his focus. Jayne was exactly what they needed. What he needed.
The trail made a series of sharp uphill switchbacks, then one moderate climb, and they reached a hilltop clearing.
Seeing the view, Jayne said, "This is the most beautiful place I've ever seen, and the wildflowers and butterflies... they're everywhere!" She dismounted and handed him the reins and walked halfway across the meadow before crouching on her knees.
Sam dismounted and tied the horses to a hitching rail near the cabin and walked over to where Jayne was kneeling in tall spring grass dotted with yellow dandelions, blowing on a puff, and sending cottony seeds floating in the air. She glanced up at him and her eyes sparkled with joy, and when she stood and looked at him, he started moving toward her, but when he got within range of pulling her into his arms, she braced her palm on his chest to stop him, and said, "So, show me the cabin," then stepped around him and headed toward the log cabin nestled against a backdrop of evergreens. And he knew he needed to stop building castles in the sky.
Once inside, Jayne stood for a moment to take in the surroundings, then she walked over to the kitchenette and raised the curved handle on the water pump, sending a gush of water cascading out. "It's crystal clear," she mused, "and that stone fireplace with its hand hewn mantel looks like something out of a picture book. This would make a wonderful honeymoon cabin. It even has a sheepskin rug in front of the fireplace for lovemaking."
"Yeah and there's also a queen-size bed in the bedroom," Sam said.
Jayne gave him a little smile and stepped over to a closed door and opened it and stood looking in. Sam came up behind her put his hands on her shoulders and looked over the top of her head at the bed. He had no idea where her thoughts were, but there was no question about his. He could imagine a whole lot of romping there before settling into serious lovemaking.
"It's the perfect place for a honeymoon," Jayne mused. "There's no radio or TV here so it would be all about spending quality time together and really getting to know each other and making love without distractions."
She glanced back at him, like maybe she was talking about them. He'd heard it could happen, couples finding love in an instant, marrying after a week or two and staying together for a lifetime. "I agree, and in between the lovemaking you and one of the owners of the ranch could hike some of the trails around here," he replied, testing.
Jayne turned and looked at him, her face sober, and said, "Sam, you need to slow down. Things with us are moving way too fast, and I wasn't talking about us. I was tal
king about advertising it as a honeymoon getaway. It would be another source of revenue."
Sam looked at her steadily, his mind seeming unable to switch to what she was telling him from the notion that she was destined to be his wife. "Yeah, you're right," he said, forcing himself back to reality. "It could bring in money."
"Then I'll go ahead and make a flyer for the website. We'll advertise champagne packed in ice and fresh flowers waiting in the cabin, as well as other amenities like a pair of Dancing Moon Ranch wedding goblets, and caviar and brie cheese and fancy crackers, and maybe a box of chocolates with a gold-foil Dancing Moon label on it that would include the bride and groom's names and wedding date. It could all be done on the computer."
"You're in charge," Sam said, and tried to shove aside his disappointment that, while he was imagining Jayne as his wife in that queen-sized bed, she was imagining a great new money-making opportunity for the guest ranch.
They mounted their horses, and as they made their way down the hill, Jayne was quiet, and Sam knew why. Things were moving too fast, and he vowed to back off. He also reconsidered stopping by the hot spring. Sitting with her in a pool would push his willpower to the limit.
He was about to suggest they get back to the ranch when Jayne said, "How far to the spring?"
"About another fifteen minutes," Sam replied, "but we don't need to stop there. It's just a pool of warm water in a cavern. You can hike there anytime from the ranch."
Jayne didn't respond right away, but when she did, she looked at him, and said, "Please don't misconstrue what I said at the cabin. I like what's happening between us. I just want to slow things down. You're rushing headlong into something you know nothing about. You also have a son who's not very happy with life right now, and he needs to be your focus."
Sam gave her a half smile, and said, "It's a good thing one of us has their head screwed on right. We'll come back to the spring another day."
Living With Lies Trilogy (Books 1, 2, and 3 of The Dancing Moon Ranch Series) Page 45