He was an excellent foreman, the perfect choice to handle the riding stable part of this guest ranch operation. He was also tall, blond and beautiful. But if she allowed herself to get involved with him and it blew up in her face, she’d be out her right-hand man. She couldn’t take that chance.
So even if she was fired up, even if he was looking at her as if he could read her mind, she had to put a stop to it.
But how? What would get her out of this sexually charged moment gracefully? Because if she didn’t do something fast, he might decide to kiss her. And once that happened, there would be no going back. Unless he turned out to be a lousy kisser. That would cause a whole different set of issues. But he wouldn’t be lousy. Not with his sexy—
“Taryn…” He took a step toward her at the same moment his phone chimed.
Saved.
“That’s my dad.” Breaking eye contact, he walked to the dresser and sucked in a breath before grabbing his phone. “Hey, did she have the baby?” He paused. “That’s awesome.”
She turned away and steadied her breathing. Close call. Had a little oopsie, a slight lack of judgment, but so what? She was only human.
As Pete continued to chat with his father, she retrieved her jacket and put it on. This activity was finished except for taking a picture. First she’d have to bring in the lamps she’d bought, though. Light was fading from the sky.
Pete ended the call and gave her a smile. “It’s a girl.”
“Aw.” Good. They could move right onto a new topic. “I’ll bet Kendra’s pumped about that.”
“Dad says she’s over the moon. And teary-eyed over little Noel Lorraine.”
“A Christmas name for a Christmas baby.”
“Everybody’s excited over there. And Faith’s dad…you’ve met Jim, right?”
“Jim Underwood? Sure have. Nice guy.”
“He is. And he’s tickled about having a granddaughter because he has such fond memories of raising Faith.”
“You probably want to get going, so you can join the celebration.” She buttoned her jacket. “I’ll feed the horses tonight.”
“I’m in no rush. In fact, Dad’s told the Sawyer contingent to come over to Wild Creek Ranch about six. He asked me to invite you.”
“Me?”
“We need all the folks we can get. The plan is to round up all the McGavins, all the Sawyers, and any other friends we can rope in. Then we’ll stand outside Faith and Cody’s A-frame and serenade them with Christmas carols for a little while.”
“That’s so sweet.”
“Theoretically, although no telling how it will go down since the Whine and Cheese Club is behind it. I’ll bet we’ll end up singing stuff like Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer.”
Taryn grinned. “I wouldn’t be surprised. They’re like slightly twisted fairy godmothers.”
“Yeah.” He laughed. “Anyway, if you’re up for it, there’s food involved. You can ride over with me and I’ll bring you back here when it’s over. Shouldn’t go very late.”
Ten minutes ago, she wouldn’t have hesitated to accept his offer. But she did, now.
He picked up on it. “Unless you’d rather drive yourself.”
And what kind of fainting female would that make her? Because of one hot look she couldn’t muster the courage to ride in his truck? To hell with that!
She took a calming breath. “I’d love to ride over with you.”
“Great.”
Maybe it was just that easy. “Where did the Lorraine part come from?”
“That was Faith’s mom’s name.” He glanced at her jacket. “You look ready to leave the cabin. Didn’t you want to take pictures?”
“I have to get the lamps, first. They’re still in that back bedroom where I’ve stored everything.”
He picked up his jacket and hat. “Then let’s go fetch ’em. Might as well take the dolly back, too, so it’s ready for the next bedroom set. We could do that one tomorrow afternoon if you want.”
“Okay.” And she’d just ignore the fizzy sensation in her veins while they did it.
On the way back to the house, she matched her pace to his ground-eating one and their rapid breathing fogged the air. After turning up her collar against a cold wind, she tucked her gloveless hands into her pockets.
The dolly rattled along on the dirt path, making so much noise she had to practically shout to be heard. “Just thought of something else I need to buy—a utility vehicle to haul people and suitcases to the cabins. Could you please check into what’s available in the area?”
“Be glad to. My dad and I used UTVs for our horse-breeding operation. They make good little snow plows, too.”
“Which I’ll need, anyway, especially if I intend to open for two weeks at Christmas next year. I’m still undecided about that.”
“Like I said, I’m game if you want to do it.”
“But it means we’d both be working during the holiday. Wouldn’t you rather be with your family?”
“I could still carve out some time to be with them.” He picked up the dolly, carried it to the porch and set it against the railing. “But you couldn’t leave to go see yours.”
“I could ask them to spend the holidays with me, instead.” She opened the massive front door, one of the many things she loved about the house.
“I’ll bet they’d like that.”
“I think they would. But if I’m going to offer a Christmas package for next year, I need to put it on the website ASAP while people are still in holiday mode. Once I do that, I’m committed to at least that one year.”
“But if it turns out you don’t like it, you can drop the concept the next year.”
“That’s what I’m thinking. Do it on a trial basis.” She liked to bounce ideas off him. He thought like a businessman because he’d run a breeding stable with his dad before they’d both moved to Eagles Nest.
As she walked through the living room turning on lamps, she breathed in the faint scent of wood smoke from last night’s fire. She enjoyed her evenings curled up with a book, a glass of wine and some finger food that passed as dinner. The cook she’d lined up would start working in the spring, and until then, she made do with simple meals.
Pete followed her down the hallway. “I’ve never been clear on how much of the house the guests will be allowed to use.”
She glanced over her shoulder. “That’s because I keep changing my mind. My current plan is to allow them access to the living and dining room during the day but close up after dinner, so I’ll have some time to myself.”
“That sounds reasonable.”
“I think so. I put fireplaces in every cabin, so they can still enjoy the coziness of a fire without spending every evening here. But I might designate one night, maybe Saturday, when everyone’s welcome to gather in the living room.”
“I’ll bet that would go over great.”
“I think it will. Even in the large hotel I managed in San Francisco, guests loved having a gathering place with access to board games and books. It builds a sense of community.”
When they reached the bedroom she was using for furniture storage, she handed him the floor lamp and one of the table lamps. She carried the third lamp and her digital camera. Her phone took relatively decent pictures, but this one was better, especially for images that she wanted to use on her website.
She needed to hire a professional photographer, but she hadn’t done it yet. Kendra was a good source of recommendations, but she’d been super busy getting ready for the birth of her first grandchild. Not a good time to ask.
Pete glanced over as they retraced their steps to the cabin. “So are these shades what they call Tiffany?”
“They’re in the Tiffany style but they’re designed to blend with a Western decorating scheme.”
“I like them.”
“So do I. That’s why I bought quite a few. Now I’m impatient to have some guests so they can enjoy everything I’ve created.”
“That’s going to be fun, seein
g the reactions.”
“I can’t wait. I’ve put my heart into this because I believe people will love it as much as I do. I just need to convey my excitement in the marketing and I’ll end up with more business than I know what to do with. Eventually I’ll have to build more cabins!”
“I look forward to that day.”
For a moment, she allowed herself to savor the warmth in his voice and the gleam in his eyes. “So do I.” But when the gleam started to turn into something else, she looked away. If she gave him the slightest encouragement, it would be the dumbest move she could possibly make.
Chapter Three
Pete believed every word Taryn had said. She had the talent to make Crimson Clouds Ranch into a goldmine. The name she’d hung on it tickled him, though. It sounded more like a day spa than a Montana ranch, but greenhorns might go for a place named Crimson Clouds.
If they booked a cabin, they’d sure as hell gobble up the atmosphere she was creating. She’d confided that she and her ex had made a tidy profit on some real estate in the Bay area during their marriage. She’d used her half of the money for this venture. Her dream for a life with whoozit hadn’t panned out, so this was her new dream.
Which was why he needed to be cautious. During that emotional moment in the cabin, she’d looked like she was considering taking their working relationship into personal territory. He’d been onboard with that idea at the time.
Evidently she’d changed her mind. Totally her call. She was his employer, after all. Getting friendly would complicate things. He’d be wise to keep a lid on his libido. Might not be the easiest task in the world, but he’d do it.
That meant enduring a seductive photo shoot in that cozy cabin. While she took pictures, he was her assistant—dimming the lights, pulling back the covers and rumpling the sheets. He could have weaseled out of it by using feeding time as an excuse to leave. He wasn’t a weasel.
But staying was torture. He kept moving so the fly of his jeans wouldn’t start to pinch.
Luckily she ended the photography session before he embarrassed himself. Stepping into the cold evening air took care of any lingering issue and he was fine by the time they brought the horses in from the pasture.
Taryn had known nothing about horses when she’d taken up residence at this ranch, but she’d been eager to learn. Teaching her had been a joy and a pleasure. They’d bought these horses together, one at a time, and she’d had input on every purchase.
The horse-search outings had been some of his most memorable times with her. She’d been drawn to the beautiful ones, naturally, so that was one reason they had a dappled gray named Fifty Shades and a palomino named Honey Butter. The other four were serviceable chestnuts and much cheaper because they weren’t flashy like the other two. At first she’d claimed the chestnuts were like quadruplets and she couldn’t tell them apart.
Now she could, though, and her affection for all the horses warmed his heart. She used feeding time to love on each of them. After a few weeks of delivering hay flakes and mucking out stalls under his supervision, she’d managed by herself on his day off.
But she’d have to hire another stable hand once the guests arrived. She’d be too busy to spend much time in the barn. He’d miss having her there sweet-talking those animals. He’d miss being able to spontaneously suggest going for a ride. She was coming along on that skill, too. Another six months and she’d be totally relaxed in the saddle.
“That takes care of that.” She pulled off her work gloves as she walked toward him. The barn still had half-a-dozen empty stalls. Room to grow. “Do I have time to freshen up before we leave?”
He took out his phone. “Is ten minutes enough?”
That seemed to amuse her. “You tell me. I haven’t looked in a mirror recently. It could be a thirty-minute job for all I know.”
He glanced her way. Flushed cheeks, windblown hair, sparkling brown eyes. “Perfect as is.”
“Now I know for sure you’re full of it. Come on up to the house while I pull a brush through my hair.”
“Alrighty.” He doused the overheads before they left the barn and then he closed the double doors.
As they started off, Taryn glanced up at the stars glittering above them. “Little Noel Lorraine was considerate, coming into the world when the weather is halfway decent. This plan wouldn’t work very well in a blizzard.”
“I suppose they could have postponed it.”
“But having it on her birthday is the best way to go. I wonder if Kendra and Quinn realize they’re setting a precedent. Odds are there will be more grandchildren.”
“That’s a given.”
“But they can’t count on having only Christmas babies, so they’ll have to figure out a playlist for the ones born the rest of the year.”
“And should they be the same tunes, or different ones for the season?”
“Good question.” She climbed the porch steps. “My guess is that whoever proposed this concept didn’t think too far ahead.”
“Caught up in the moment.” He followed her into the house.
“It happens. Make yourself at home. I’ll be back in a flash.”
“Take your time.” Knowing her, she wouldn’t be gone more than five minutes. He unbuttoned his jacket and glanced around the large living room. He and a high school kid she’d hired for the summer had lugged in most of the furniture. Although it was all new, Taryn had bought classic pieces that looked as if they could have been here for years.
Gradually, with the addition of pillows, lamps and throws, she’d made the space look lived-in. She’d grouped the furniture to form several conversation areas, which would work well if she invited her guests to spend a Saturday night here.
A square table with four armchairs would be perfect for cards or a board game. In another corner, four wingbacks surrounded an oval coffee table for anyone who wanted to just sit and talk. Two overstuffed chairs flanked a roomy sofa positioned in front of the fireplace.
During their bed-making episode, she’d mentioned wrapping up in her blanket to enjoy the fire. She must have done that last night, because pillows were stacked at the end of the sofa as if she’d used them to lean against while she read the book lying on the side table. Moving closer, he studied the cover. A woman wearing an old-fashioned long dress was in the arms of a cowboy.
“It’s a love story set in the Old West.”
He glanced up. “Is it any good?”
She walked toward him, lipstick on and hair tamed. “It’s exactly what I wanted. I get to escape into a world where I know everything will turn out well in the end.”
“I like a good ending, myself.” He helped her on with her jacket and opened the door.
She stopped on the porch and took knit gloves from her pocket. “Do you read?”
“Not much, but when I do, I want lots of action and the good guys have to win in the end.” He looked at her multicolored gloves. “I don’t think I’ve seen those before.”
“My mother made them. And a hat to match.” She pulled that out and tugged it over her glossy hair. “I only wear these when I know they won’t get messed up.”
“They’re pretty.”
“I think so, too, but mostly I love the idea that she made them for me.” She started down the steps.
Something about that hat got to him. It made her look younger and more vulnerable. The store she set by those hand-knit items affected him, too. He walked beside her over to his truck. “She’s a knitter, then?”
“She’s just getting into it. As you’ve probably concluded, my family has money. They inherited and then invested wisely. She can buy me all kinds of stuff, and has, but recently she decided it would mean more if she made me a gift.”
“Without ever meeting your mom, I like her already.”
“My parents are good people. They’re devoted to each other, too. Forty-one years together and they’re more in love than ever.”
“That’s special.” He opened the passenger door and gr
ipped her hand to help her in. He’d been in the habit of doing that all along whenever they’d taken his truck somewhere. It was the way he’d been taught.
It was one of the few times he’d touched her, though. Riding lessons were the other instance. Until now, he hadn’t allowed himself to put any importance on doing it. Those days were over. He treasured the brief contact of her gloved hand in his. Wanted more than that. Couldn’t have it.
Once he was behind the wheel, he got the heater going. “It’ll be cold standing out in front of that A-frame, but having a crowd of people should help.”
“It’ll be fun, too. I had such a good time getting to know everybody at Roxanne’s wedding last month. Now I get to see them all again tonight and then I can look forward to my first Christmas here.”
“It’ll be my first one, too. I thought it would be weird not being at the Lazy S for the holidays.” He backed out and started down the dirt road. “Instead it’s shaping up to be a great Christmas, starting with tonight’s deal.”
“Will that little cutie Josh be there, do you think?”
“I imagine so.” Pete smiled at the thought of his brother Gage’s fifteen-month-old son. In September, Josh’s mom Emma had arrived in town with a baby Gage hadn’t known existed.
“Have Emma and Josh moved here yet?”
“Not yet. Poor Gage is so eager for them to do that, but Emma’s easing into it, like the responsible mom she is. Each time she and Josh visit, they stay at Gage’s house a little longer than before. They came down this past weekend and plan to stick around through New Year’s.”
“I wonder what Josh will think of his new baby cousin.” She glanced over at him. “Or will these babies be cousins since your dad and Kendra aren’t married?”
“Nobody seems to care that they’re not married. They’re a committed couple, which unites their extended families in spirit, and that’s good enough for all of us. So, yes, those two little ones are cousins as far as everyone’s concerned.”
“That’s really nice.”
“It tends to be how things work around here.” He turned onto the paved two-lane that would take them through town and out to Wild Creek Ranch. “Faith hopes Emma will move to town so the two babies can spend time together.”
A Cowboy's Holiday (The McGavin Brothers Book 12) Page 2