STEADFAST
Page 9
Plates empty, conversation stalled, an uncomfortable silence settled between them. Wrath seemed much more comfortable with it than Cara. She couldn’t push aside the voice in her head insisting she head home, not let the man next to her work his way into her life any further. Standing, she picked up the plates.
“I’ll clean up, then I should go back to my place.”
He didn’t argue, joining her in the kitchen. She washed, he dried, neither saying more than necessary to get the job done. When finished, Cara felt a strange ache claim her. Wrath hadn’t tried to change her mind about leaving. Instead, she couldn’t forget the look of relief on his face when she’d announced her plan to go home. It hurt.
Drying her hands, she grabbed her leather jacket. “Thanks again for a great time.”
“We aren’t quite finished yet, Cara. I’ll be escorting you home.”
“You don’t—”
He stopped her with a stern look. “I do. You don’t live far, but I’ll feel better knowing you got home safely.”
As he’d said, the ride to her place was short, too short. Knowing she’d made the right decision to leave Wrath’s, it still didn’t mean she wanted to say goodbye. He’d said nothing about wanting to see her again. It felt as if a switch had been flipped, the brightness she’d experienced earlier dissolving, replaced by a cloak of darkness.
She pulled into her driveway, killing the engine. Wrath stopped behind her, leaving his bike running. Disappointment gripped her. He’d done as promised and now he’d leave.
Squaring her shoulders, Cara walked toward him. Raising her voice over the sound of the deep rumbling of his bike, she leaned closer.
“Thanks, Wrath.”
Waiting a few seconds for something he didn’t offer, she turned away. A moment later, the roaring of his bike faded as he continued down the street.
Unlocking the door, she stopped with her hand on the doorframe, taking a quick look behind her to confirm it had been his bike she heard. It was.
“Well, Cara, you got what you wanted.” The words were spoken in a soft whisper even as they bellowed through her mind.
Closing the door behind her, she glanced around her apartment. Nothing had changed. The artwork, books, and pictures remained in the same places she’d left them on Saturday morning. She had the best weekend of her life, yet returned to find nothing had changed.
Tomorrow would bring a return to her normal routine. She’d review documents, teach a couple classes, and if she recalled her calendar, meet at least one potential client. For three years she’d thrived on routine, knowing what each day would bring. No surprises, no big highs or deep lows. Unlike when she’d faced her day the previous Friday, Cara already knew tomorrow wouldn’t be the same. The safety of routine had been stolen from her.
Pulling out sleeping pants and a soft tank, she turned on the water, waiting until steam filled the bathroom before stepping into the shower. Closing her eyes, Cara let the hot water sluice over her head to flow down her back. It felt wonderful, encouraging her body to relax.
After a few minutes, she pumped shampoo into her palm. Sudsing her long hair, a sigh escaped her lips, then a panicked scream when the shower door flew open. Strong arms wrapped around her, pulling her against a muscled chest, a body she remembered.
“I couldn’t stay away.” His deep voice confirmed Wrath had returned. “Tell me if you want me to leave.”
Swallowing, she turned, wrapping still trembling arms around his neck. “Stay. Please.”
Chapter Ten
Wrath set the last stack of papers aside, then stared out the bulletproof window in his office. He hadn’t heard from Grayson in two days, and being Friday, the lack of communication indicated his men could have a weekend to themselves. They deserved a few days of uninterrupted rest.
His parents had called the night before, catching him sliding into bed next to Cara. They’d fallen into a pattern, staying at her apartment a couple nights and at his house two or three. He found himself looking forward to the end of each day.
The last few weeks had gone well. Very well, if he were being truthful. Some evenings, they’d ride their Harleys, make dinner, watch a movie, then end up in bed. He found it was a comfortable routine, one he could get used to. The knowledge surprised Wrath but didn’t unnerve him as he’d expected.
His mother’s familiar ringtone delayed his intended ravishing of Cara. She’d only lifted a brow, then chuckled when he reluctantly answered the call.
His parents seldom asked anything of him or his brothers. As much as they needed help at the ranch, they understood their three sons had their own lives and were reluctant to interfere. This time, though, the older McCords needed their sons’ help. After a longer than normal discussion, he hung up, glancing at Cara.
“That was my parents.”
She looked up from the book in her hand, a small smile on her face. “I sort of suspected.”
“They don’t ask much of me and my brothers, but they need our help this weekend. They’re getting a small herd of colts and fillies delivered tomorrow morning for assessment. They’re saddle broke, but their owners want us to get the next phase of their training started.”
“Us?” Cara asked.
“My brothers and me.” Wrath grasped her hand. “My folks asked if you’d be interested in coming out for the weekend.” To his surprise, Cara’s face brightened.
“I’d love to go. I mean, if you’re okay with me tagging along. Do you think they’d let me help?”
He remembered Cara saying her parents had a ranch and all their children grew up around horses. “I’m certain they’d be glad to have you help out. How long has it been since you’ve ridden?”
Her brows drew together in a cute frown. “After Greg died, I made it a point of going up for a few weeks at least twice a year. The last visit was not quite a year ago, between the time I learned about being hired for the teaching position and the day the college wanted me to start. I was home almost a month and rode every day.” She looked up, the frown replaced with a questioning gaze. “Do they have an extra saddle and tack?”
Wrath laughed, thinking of the large room full of saddles, blankets, halters, lead lines, and bridles. “They have enough for another dozen riders. If you can get off early, we’d drive there tomorrow afternoon. It takes about an hour and a half. We’d come back Sunday night. How does that sound?”
She jumped out of bed, heading to her closet to pull out a bag. He watched a minute before striding over to her.
“What are you doing?”
Pressing a finger to her lips, she tilted her head. “I have a full day tomorrow that I’m going to attempt to complete in five hours. If I pack tonight—” The rest of her sentence, as well as the air in her lungs, rushed out when he banded an arm around her chest.
Leaning down, he nuzzled her neck, feeling a shiver run through her. “Jeans, t-shirts, socks, boots, and a jacket,” he whispered against her ear before trailing his lips along her shoulder. Before she could respond, he swept Cara into his arms, carrying her back to the bed. “We’ve got more important things to do tonight.”
Her brow rose. “Oh yeah?”
Wrath nodded just before settling her in the middle of the bed and stretching out beside her. “Oh yeah.”
“This is beautiful. I’ve never been this far south of Liberty Lake.” Cara stared out the window of Wrath’s truck, his hand resting on her thigh as the sun touched the top of the western mountains. They’d been driving for over an hour, traveling down winding mountain roads and flatlands with grazing horses and cattle. “Did you grow up around here?”
“A few more miles down the road in Claraden. Last I knew, it had a population of about twenty thousand. My family’s ranch is on the other side of town, as are several other large ranches. Those families mostly run cattle, but a few breed horses, similar to my parents.”
She didn’t turn her gaze away from the scenery rushing by. “What do they breed the horses for?”
She studied his face, seeing unexpected pleasure. “Will you do it? Come back, I mean.”
He drew in a slow breath, the enjoyment of an instant before slipping. “If I can. I have responsibilities that make it hard to get to the ranch as often as I’d like.”
She shifted in the seat, turning toward him. “The businesses the club owns?”
Eyes on the road, he nodded, ready to change the subject. “Not long now. See the sign up ahead with battling horses? A mile past that is Claraden. Five more miles and we’ll reach the turnoff to the ranch.”
She could hear the excitement in his voice. Leaning over, she kissed his cheek. “Thanks for inviting me to come along.”
Glancing down at her, Wrath pulled to the side of the road, letting the motor idle as he drew her into his arms. Lowering his head, his lips pressed against hers before his mouth covered hers in a demanding kiss she felt all the way to her toes.
His tongue traced the fullness of her lips before exploring the deep recesses of her mouth. Cara groaned at the sensations rushing through her, giving herself over to the passion. Her fingers played with his silky hair, drawing him closer, unable to stifle a sigh. A moment later, she felt his arms loosen, regretting the loss before he actually pulled away.
Raising his mouth from hers, Wrath stared into the depths of her deep blue eyes before placing one more kiss to the tip of her nose. Straightening, he let out a deep, ragged breath.
Licking her lips, Cara brushed hair from her face, giving him an impish grin. “Well, that was unexpected.”
Choking out a laugh, he swept a hand over her hair. “I figured we might not have much opportunity at the ranch, so…” He shrugged, wiggling his brows. “Guess we’d better get going or we’ll miss dinner.”
Pulling back onto the road, he drove through town, pointing out various landmarks, places he frequented while growing up.
Cara placed a hand on his leg. “I’ll bet you have some great stories.”
A slow grin appeared on his face. “I’m guessing you’ll get to hear a few this weekend.”
“The deputy handcuffed Ethan and hauled him off to jail. Dad wouldn’t drive to town to get him, so he got to spend the night behind bars.” Quinn’s smile spread from ear to ear. “And he wasn’t even the one who threw the paint on the statue.”
“And whose fault was that, young man?” Belinda McCord glared at her youngest son. “You could’ve spoken up, taken responsibility.”
“What fun would that have been, Mom?” Quinn winked at Cara. “Ethan was always the one who never got caught, even when the bad ideas were his. Well, some were Caid’s, but Ethan was the king of bad ideas.”
“He was the king of talking you into carrying out his plans.” Caid closed a hand around Cara’s.
She squeezed back, enjoying the familiar banter of a family who so clearly loved each other. Cara missed the closeness of her parents and brothers, but not enough to endure their overprotective behavior by moving back. She also liked the way Belinda and Stuart insisted Caid and Quinn be called by their given names while at home. No Wrath or Wrangler around them.
Caid pushed his chair away from the table, standing. “Cara and I’ll help clean up, then I want to show her around.”
Belinda waved a hand through the air. “Nonsense. You two go on. I’m sure Ethan and Quinn will be more than happy to help.”
Holding out his hand to Cara, he didn’t hesitate getting her out of the house. A few minutes later, they stood outside a corral holding the colts and fillies delivered earlier in the day.
“The ones in the corral are under three years old. Most are colts and between one and two. We’ll spend most of tomorrow and part of Sunday doing the evaluations. By Sunday afternoon, we’ll have our recommendations and call the owners.” He led her past one of the barns to a paddock with three older horses. “These are cutting horses Dad is training. When I’m here, I work with him.”
“Do Ethan and Quinn help train them?”
“Ethan does, but Quinn prefers working with the pleasure mounts. Once in a while, he’ll arrange for groups of kids to come out and ride.”
Cara rested her arms on the top rail of the paddock. “I’ll bet he is great with children.”
Placing an arm over her shoulders, he chuckled. “That’s because Quinn is still a kid himself.”
Caid walked her through another barn, past a few more corrals and paddocks before taking her back to the house. Standing on the front porch, he pointed toward a range of mountains in the distance.
“We used to camp up in those hills. There’s a series of caves. We never hauled tents with us, just found a cave we liked and set up camp.” Caid wrapped an arm around Cara’s waist, drawing her close. “I’ll take you up there sometime, see if we can find our own cave.” Leaning down, he pressed his lips to hers, then drew back. “We’d better get to bed. It’ll be an early day tomorrow.” He glanced behind him before lowering his lips to her ear. “Leave your bedroom door unlocked.”
A wry grin tipped the edges of her mouth. “Do you plan on ravaging me tonight, Mr. McCord?”
Kissing her once more, he turned her toward the front door. “I plan to ravage you every night, Ms. Mortensen.”
Caid scanned a chart of the horses being evaluated, noting the dams and sires, their ages, and the background of their owners. Looking up, he studied the two colts in the corral in front of him.
“Hey, Dad. Did you see the sire and dam of these colts?”
Stuart walked over, looking at the chart. “Darn good bloodline. If I recall right, both the sire and dam were cutting champions. They’re a little younger than some, but let’s move them over so Ethan can see how they do with a cow.” He pointed to the next corral over. “If they do well in there, we’ll have our first two. I’ll let Ethan know.”
Stuart walked to where Ethan sat on his horse, waiting to assess how the colts and fillies reacted to a cow. Those who had an immediate and strong response would be considered possible candidates for cutter training. Especially the ones with exceptional bloodlines.
Caid entered the corral with the two colts, herding them toward the gate Ethan held open. Glancing over his shoulder, he waved Cara over to him.
“What is Ethan doing?” She rested her arms on the top rail, watching the colts move toward the cow, showing no fear.
Caid explained what they were hoping to see. “Ethan’s in there to make certain none of the animals get hurt while watching the colts’ reaction to the cow. Right now, all we wants is for the horses to respond in either an aggressive manner, trying to dominate the cow, or show fear, wanting to keep the cow at a distance. Either one shows potential. The horses who have no reaction, couldn’t care less if the cow is in the same corral, don’t usually turn out to be good cutters.”
“Apathetic?”
He chuckled. “Apathetic, indifferent, even lazy. Those horses might make better pleasure mounts. See how these colts continue to move toward the cow in an aggressive manner, not recoiling or backing away, as if they want to control the animal?”
Mesmerized, Cara couldn’t look away. “Uh-huh.”
Caid set a hand on her shoulder. “That’s exactly what we’re looking for.”
Ethan rode toward them, keeping his gaze on the animals. “I believe we have two good ones here.”
“Move them to the next corral and let’s evaluate a couple more.”
“Sure
thing, Dad.” Ethan herded the colts to the next corral, signaling for them to send more over.
Caid swung an arm over Cara’s shoulders. “Come on, sweetheart. Now that you know what we’re doing, you can help out.”
The day passed quickly, leaving little to do on Sunday. Out of the twelve, the McCords selected seven for cutter training. They’d reassess the remaining five in the morning, making certain of their recommendation before calling the owners.
After another delicious supper, Caid saddled two horses. “I thought we’d take the trail behind the barns and corrals. It’ll take us up a hill toward a creek I’d like to show you.”
As excited as Cara was about riding again, she didn’t care where they rode. “Sounds perfect.”
They rode side by side for a couple hundred yards before Caid took a trail requiring them to ride single file up a hill. Cara split her gaze between the rugged man in front of her and the view to the sides and behind them.
“Are we still on your land?”
He looked over his shoulder. “You can ride a few hours in all directions and still be on Freedom Meadow’s land.”
“I love that name, Caid. Did your mother come up with it?”
“Mom and Dad came up with it together. It’s how they do everything.” Caid didn’t say how much he admired the way his parents worked together. He’d never known a couple as devoted to each other as Stuart and Belinda McCord.
Reaching the top of the hill, he reined his horse left, taking another trail. A few minutes later, they entered a clearing dotted with wildflowers and low shrubs. Crossing the opening, he continued forward to a spot where a thin stream touched the edge of the clearing.
“In the spring, we get snowmelt from the mountains north of here. For a couple month there’s some pretty good fishing.”
“Maybe you can bring me back up here next spring and we can fish.”