It was time to set him straight, and she hoped to heaven she could heed her own warning. “You’re a city guy who’s out of place in the country. You run a big company, and I’m at home in a barn. You’re also the son of my best friend and mentor. The man is almost a father to me. You’d better believe I can handle it. There’s no other option, Brooks.”
He gave her a nod, his mouth turning down. “You’re right. But when I look at you and remember...”
“Don’t look at me.”
“You’re hard to miss, honey.”
Honey again? “It’s time to head back.” She didn’t wait for his reply. She turned Storm Cloud around. “Let’s go, Cloud.” With a slight nudge of the stirrup, the horse took off in a canter.
“I didn’t peg you for a runner,” Brooks called out.
But that’s exactly what she was.
This time.
With this man.
She wasn’t lying. She had no other choice.
Four
“You’re cooking?” Brooks asked Ruby as he walked into his father’s kitchen later that day.
Ruby glanced at him from her spot at the stove. She wore a black dress that landed just above her knees, fitting every curve on her body like a glove. A pink polka-dotted apron tied at the neck and waist didn’t detract from the look. Brooks was beginning to think Ruby looked sexy in everything she wore.
“I’m cooking. Beau wanted me to make you a special dinner for your first night here.”
“Do you cook every night?”
“No, that’s Lupe’s job. She’s the best cook in the county, but this recipe comes from my father’s family, and it’s something Beau likes me to cook on occasion.”
Brooks walked over to the stove. “I’m the occasion?”
She smiled. “You’re the occasion.”
He lifted the top off the enamel pot. Steam drifted up, and the scents of Mexico filled the room.
“Be careful. It’s hot,” she said, shoving a pot holder into his hand.
“What is it?”
“It’s called receta de costillas de res en salsa verde. It’s braised short ribs in tomatillo sauce.”
“Smells delicious.”
“It’s not too spicy for a gringo.” Her mouth twisted.
“You’re all the spice I can manage in his house.”
Ruby whipped her head around to the kitchen door. “Dios! Don’t say things like that,” she whispered. “I don’t like lying to Beau.”
“How did you lie?”
“It was a lie of omission. I didn’t tell him I’ve already met you.”
She’d met him and slept with him. And Brooks was having a hard time forgetting it. “He won’t hear it from me, Ruby.” He wasn’t a kiss-and-tell kind of man. “I’m starving. Can I have a taste?” he asked.
“I suppose.”
She grabbed a fork and dipped it into the stew. The meat she pierced fell easily away, and she lifted the steamy forkful up to his mouth. “Here. Tell me if it needs anything.”
Brooks looked into her dark brown eyes as she fed him a morsel. The heat on the stove didn’t compare to how he was heating up just being close to Ruby again. And then he began to chew. The seasoned meat blasted his palate with savory goodness. “Mmm. The lady can toss a man over her shoulder, ride a horse like nobody’s business and cook.”
“So, you like it?”
He nodded and stepped inches closer to her. “Is there anything you don’t do well?” She didn’t back away, and he didn’t bother pretending he wasn’t talking about her prowess in the bedroom.
She nibbled on her lower lip. “Brooks.”
He ignored her warning tone, sensing she was as caught up as he was. He leaned forward and focused on her tempting mouth.
“Well, I see you’ve met Ruby already, Brooks.”
The booming voice startled him, and he quickly stepped away. Ruby turned back to the stove, and Brooks answered his father. “Yes, I’ve met Ruby. She was kind enough to give me a taste of her stew.”
Beau nodded. “It’s a favorite of mine. I figured you might like it, too.”
He bypassed Brooks to give Ruby a gentle kiss on the cheek. “Ruby’s like a daughter to me.” He gazed warmly into her eyes, and Ruby gave him a sweet, affectionate smile. “She’s been with us since she was a tot. Her daddy was foreman around here, and Ruby grew up at the Look Away for all intents and purposes. I don’t think there’s a better horse wrangler in all of Texas, and everybody knows it.”
“Thank you,” she said.
“Actually, Ruby and I went for a ride this afternoon,” Brooks said, to add something to the conversation.
“Good, good.” Beau beamed with pride. “I want you to feel comfortable on Look Away. Did Ruby teach you a few things?”
Brooks met her eyes. “More than a few things.”
The feisty Latina with the killer body blushed and put her head down to stir the stew, avoiding eye contact with him altogether now. It was clear this meal was going to be awkward, to say the least.
“My boys—your half brothers—will join us another night,” Beau commented. “They’re giving us time to get better acquainted. I hope you don’t mind it’ll just be you and me. And Ruby, of course.”
“I can give you two time alone, too, Beau,” Ruby jumped in, obviously trying to remove herself from the situation.
“I won’t hear of it,” Beau said. “Not after you cooked all afternoon for us. You’re gonna sit right down and enjoy the meal along with us, Ruby. You work too hard as it is. Tonight we’re gonna relax and get to know Brooks.”
Ruby’s gaze dimmed, and Brooks hid his amusement, but somehow Ruby knew he was laughing at her. From behind Beau’s back, she gave him the stink eye.
Now that she was at the ranch, he couldn’t imagine keeping away from her. Not touching her again was messing with his mind. He had bigger problems, but the idea of delicate, petite Ruby Lopez sitting by his side at dinner had him tied up in knots.
She was about as off-limits as a woman could get.
Brooks had never run from a challenge in his life, as old man Sutton Winchester could testify.
But Brooks was used to getting what he wanted in life.
And he was beginning to think Ruby was all that and more.
Once they were seated at the table and diving into the food, Beau asked, “So, what do you think about the ranch so far? Seeing it on horseback is a good way to gain perspective on the property, son.”
Son? Would there ever come a day when Brooks would tire of hearing his father call him that? For so many years, Brooks had wondered what it would be like to know his true father, to sit down with him and have a meal. Now he was living the reality, and it all seemed surreal. “It’s...it’s a great spread, pretty impressive.”
“And I bet Ruby picked out a good horse for you to ride.”
“He rode Misty,” she said.
“Ah, good,” Beau said, nodding. It was the horse Beau had suggested.
“You know, Brooks, Ruby learned from the best. Her daddy, Joaquin, was my foreman and head wrangler for many years.” Beau’s eyes once again touched on Ruby with affection. “It’d make me real proud and happy if you’d think of Ruby as family, son. I mean, once you two get better acquainted.”
Ruby’s olive skin flushed with color. She immediately scraped her chair back, rose from her seat and went over to open the refrigerator. “I forgot the iced tea,” she mumbled.
Beau ran a hand down his face and gave his head a shake. “Uh, sorry, honey. I forget how independent you are. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”
“You didn’t,” she said, pouring tea into three glasses, her back to them. “I’m fine, Beau.”
Brooks’s gaze dipped to her rear end in that tight-fitting dress, her long hair falling down her back like a sheet of black silk. He wasn’t about to touch upon this subject, so he stayed silent. His father’s request only cemented his need to keep far away from Ruby, which wasn’t going to be easy since they’
d be living on the ranch together now. Every time he laid eyes on the woman, something clicked inside his head. And way farther south.
Shelve those thoughts, man.
She came back to the table, delivered the drinks and scooted back into her chair.
“Thanks,” Brooks said.
“You’re welcome,” she said, giving him a quick smile.
“Yeah, thanks honey. Meal’s real delicious.”
“Yes,” Brooks added. “You’re a talented cook, Ruby.”
Among other things.
* * *
Ruby escaped the dinner early, claiming a case of fatigue and a desire for Beau to get to know Brooks on a one-on-one basis. Beau was ecstatic to have his son finally home. She saw it in his eyes, heard it in his tone. And she was truly happy for him. He’d told her he’d been haunted for years, had searched for and lamented the loss of the children he knew were out there somewhere. Now he’d been given a second chance to father them and bring them into the family.
Twins, no less.
Dios, it was weird having Brooks here. He made her nervous, and she couldn’t say that about too many things. She was a woman who usually didn’t go in for one-night flings, yet the one time she’d indulged, fate pulled a fast one on her by bringing Brooks right to her doorstep. Weren’t one-night stands supposed to be just that—secret liaisons that both parties could walk away from?
She needed to purge thoughts of Brooks Newport Preston. He’d taken up too much space in her mind today. She made a detour and walked the path to the stables. Checking in on her horses always made her feel better.
One peek inside the dimly lit stable told her all was right in the horse world at Look Away. Beau bred dozens of horses to sell, and it was her job to make sure they were healthy and happy and well-trained. She knew enough not to form an emotional attachment to most of them. She knew not to love them, because that bond was sure to be broken as soon as the sale became final. Her papa had warned her enough times when she was a young girl, and after a few pretty brutal heartbreaks, she’d learned that lesson the hard way. Now Ruby knew when to love and when not to love.
Unfortunately she hadn’t been that astute when it came to men.
But the horses in this stable weren’t in danger of being sold off. They all belonged to the Preston family, except for Storm Cloud. He was all hers.
“Hey, Cloud,” she whispered, tiptoeing to his stall. “You still up?”
Cloud wandered over to her, his head coming over the split door to say hello with a gentle nudge. “Yes, you are.” Ruby stroked the side of his face, pressing a kiss above his nose. The horse gave a little snort, and Ruby chuckled. “You want a treat, don’t you?”
She grabbed her secret stash from a bag hooked on the wall and came up with a handful of sugar cubes. “Only a few,” she said. “And let’s be quiet about it. Or the others will wake up.”
Cloud gobbled them within seconds, and Ruby spent a few more minutes with him before she said good-night. Feeling better, she walked toward the cottage she called home while she was staying on the Look Away. Carrie Underwood’s “Before He Cheats” banged out of her phone, and she glanced at the screen.
Trace?
Her heart sped up. Why was he calling now, of all times? He hadn’t had the balls to call her for six months. She’d invested almost two years in him, mainly during the off-season of the rodeo. They’d dated and had an amazing time together. But it wasn’t all fun and games on her part. She’d fallen hard for the bull rider, giving him something she’d always protected and kept safe—her heart. Yet when the rodeo started up again this year, he’d left her high and dry. He hadn’t called. He hadn’t written. A few texts in the beginning, and that had been it, for heaven’s sake. She’d spent the first months making excuses for him because the rodeo was an important part of his life. He was busy. He was focused on making a name for himself. But in the end, Ruby came to the conclusion that Trace had not only tried to make a name for himself but also made a damn fool out of her.
Carrie Underwood was about to carve her name in her guy’s leather seats, and Ruby had a mind to do that very thing to Trace’s truck if she ever saw him again. But her curiosity got the better of her. Before her cell went to voice mail, she answered the call.
“Hello.”
“Ruby? Baby, is that you? It’s Trace.”
“I know who it is, Trace. Are you bleeding or on your last breath or something?”
Silence for a few seconds, and then, “No, baby. I’m not. What I am is missing you.”
“You’re not dying and trying to ease your conscience?”
“Ruby, listen to me. I know it’s been a while.”
“A while? Is that what you call six months of deafening silence? Why are you calling me now, Trace?”
“I told you, babe. I miss you like crazy. It’s been hell on the circuit and I couldn’t think straight, so I had to close off my mind to everything but what I was trying to accomplish. I needed the space to keep my head in the game. You can ask anybody around here. They all know about you, baby. They’re sick of me pining for you. They all know I’m crazy about you.”
Ruby’s heart dipped a little. Trace was saying all the right things. He had charm and dark dastardly good looks. His voice, that deep Southern drawl, could melt an iceberg. But her wounds were deep, and she wasn’t through being mad at him. “Not good enough, Trace. I’m sorry. I’ve got to go.”
“Ruby, baby...wait.”
“I have, Trace. For too long. Good night.”
She pushed End and then squeezed her eyes shut. Pain burned through her belly, and those old feelings she’d managed to bury threatened to bust their way back up and slash her again and again.
He’s like the horse I wasn’t supposed to love.
Dios, why did he have to call her tonight?
She didn’t want to think about him anymore.
Carrie’s voice carried the same tune again, Ruby’s cell phone drowning out the night sounds and coyote calls. No, damn it. She wasn’t going to answer her phone again. No matter how many times Trace called. Her finger was ready to push the end button again. Until she saw the name flashing on the screen.
Serena.
Oh, thank goodness. She picked up quickly.
“Serena, hi,” Ruby said anxiously. “I’m glad you called. You must’ve been reading my mind.”
“Ruby, wow. Is everything all right? You sound stressed.”
“I just got a call from Trace. And yeah, I’m a little stressed. I need to talk to you.”
“Tell me. I’m listening.”
“Oh boy, it’s almost too much to explain over the phone. Can we meet for lunch tomorrow?”
“Of course, sure. That’s the reason I was calling anyway. I wanted to catch up with you. It’s been weeks since I’ve seen you. I miss my friend.”
“I miss you, too. And there’s a whole lot to catch up on. I’m buying. Root beer floats and sliders at the diner sound okay?”
“I won’t pass up that offer. I’ll see you there at noon.”
Ruby sighed. Her bestie from high school was the only one she could confide in. “Thank you. I don’t know what I’d do without you.” Ruby didn’t have a mom or an aunt or anyone female in her family she could talk to. Without Serena, she’d have been lost. Ever since they were kids, they’d shared their secrets with each other. Ruby ended the call, feeling a little better about things. Just knowing Serena would listen and not judge her made all the difference in the world. Though they didn’t share bloodlines, they were sisters in all other respects. She’d relied on Serena’s friendship to see her through some of the really tough times in her life.
* * *
“I’m eager to show you around Look Away, Brooks. Mind if we saddle up after breakfast and take us a ride?” Beau asked on Brooks’s second morning on the ranch. “I’d love for you to see our operation.”
“Uh, sure. I’d like that,” he said, setting aside his coffee cup and patting his belly.
“If I won’t break poor Misty’s back after the giant meal I just consumed. It was delicious, Lupe. I ate up everything in sight.” Breakfast had included maple-smoked bacon, ham, eggs, chile-fried potatoes and homemade biscuits with gravy. “If I keep eating like this, I’ll be as big as this house, but smiling all the way.”
Lupe gave him a nod. “Gracias, Brooks. I’m happy to cook for Beau’s son.”
“Lupe is a triple threat to all of us. Breakfast, lunch and dinner. We have to work out hard around here to avoid putting the pounds on.”
Beau’s eyes were on him—the blue in them the exact same hue as his own—and he was beaming. Having his father look at him that way humbled him and made him feel as if he belonged. Even though ranch living was foreign to Brooks, it felt damn good knowing he was welcomed and—yes—loved by this obviously decent, successful and well-respected man.
A sudden case of guilt spilled into his good mood. Would Beau approve of the tactics he’d used to bring Sutton Winchester down? Brooks hadn’t taken any prisoners on that score, too eager to exact his revenge on the man he believed had immeasurably hurt his mother and his family. Brooks had looked upon Sutton as his enemy and hadn’t held back, using all the tools at his disposal to get back at the dying man.
But was Sutton the monster he’d made him out to be? Or had he simply protected his mother’s secrets at her urging, thus refusing to reveal who Cynthia really was? Had Sutton truly loved his mother enough to withstand all the media and personal attacks Brooks had thrown his way? It was hard thinking of Sutton in softer terms, as a man who’d go the distance for a woman to protect her. Everything else about Winchester pointed to him being a ruthless bastard.
Brooks was still sorting this all out in his mind.
“Son?”
Beau was on his feet, waiting for him.
“Yep, I’m ready, Dad.” His lips twitched, and suddenly he felt like a child being given an unexpected gift. He had a sense that Beau was feeling that way, too, as they walked out of the kitchen, ready to take a ride together as father and son.
Minutes later, Brooks had saddled up and mounted Misty. Beau was atop a stunning black gelding named Alamo. “I figured you’d be a fast learner. You saddled up that mare almost perfectly.”
The Texan's One-Night Standoff Page 5