“You mean wait and get my take on the idea? Hell, you can’t disappoint Pippa. She’s probably looking forward to some estrogen to even out the balance.”
“She did say as much. Yet, I wasn’t sure how you’d feel about me being around them again, at least for a family thing. I might be overstepping the boundaries here, but I think we jumped off the metaphoric cliff when I moved—temporarily—into your house.”
“Darlin’, if you think you can stand them for another evening, be my guest—or rather, be Pippa’s guest. I warn you though, we’ve been known to wrestle and bleed, buckets sometimes. Without mom around to break us up when we get out of hand, we don’t know our limits. Can’t say it’s as bad now that Pippa is running things. She’s into board games and charades, but I’m sure she could wrestle and beat every single one of us if she chose to.”
“You like her, don’t you?”
“She makes Roman happy and she’s accepted all of us. What’s not to like?”
“I’m getting an image of you brawny cowboys playing charades, and I think I’d like to see that.”
“You’re a brave woman, Harley Tate. We aren’t real smart in proper etiquette, but I’m sure they can mind their manners for an evening.”
“That makes me want to come more.”
“Yeah, makes me want you to come too.” Her choice of words almost did him in.
She narrowed her eyes and he didn’t dare take his gaze from the road or she’d see straight into his horny thoughts. He had to stop acting like a caveman. A woman like Harley wanted a refined man, one with good behavior, not a cowboy who burped after supper and sat around naked.
“Your niece did amazing tonight. I was hoping to congratulate her. Maybe at dinner I can tell her.”
“Maybe you can.” His chest tightened. There was a mixture of excitement and trepidation rolling through his veins. He was glad Harley would be there for dinner, but at the same time, could he control himself being near her in front of his family? Not to mention, he was suddenly worried about making a good impression. He’d never been concerned before. This was all new to him.
They turned onto the narrow lane of the ranch, but Penn wasn’t quite ready for going home yet. “The evening is still young. Can I show you something?”
“Sure.”
Instead of heading toward the house, he drove beyond the pastures and barns. “I come out here a lot of evenings.”
“Out in the field?” she asked.
“Not the field. Better.” He drove the truck upon the grassy knoll. “That.”
She leaned forward and her eyes widened. “A lake? It’s huge.”
“It is and it winds through the property. Now, I’m going to let you in on a little secret, but you can’t let anyone know. Okay?”
She laughed. “You certainly are piquing my interest.”
“Follow me.” He grabbed a bag from behind the seat and together they walked toward the water. “You ever take a canoe ride?” The breeze swept over her, lifting a tendril of her hair. He envied the wind at that point.
“I haven’t been in a boat in years. Not since I was a kid.”
“Then no time like the present.” They headed to the dock. “Let me help you.” He held out his hand, which she immediately took and he helped her inside the canoe. Once he joined her, he untied the rope and pushed the boat away from the dock, making sure he held his feet wide so they didn’t capsize. Dumping her in the water wouldn’t get him any bonus points.
Harley sat at the front of the canoe, her back to him and he didn’t mind too much. He could admire her without her noticing. She looked over her shoulder. “So, you don’t want anyone to know that you take canoe rides?”
“No, that I feed the ducks. If word gets out, no one would hire me as the bad-ass they think I am.” He pointed and she followed.
“Oh my goodness. There are so many.”
“When it became obvious that they all migrated here, I realized I had no choice but to feed them.”
“They must be very grateful.” She had her neck craned to watch them, then she swiveled to face him.
“To be honest, I get as much from them as they do me. It’s quite relaxing watching them as the sun sets.” He dug into the brown bag, pulled off two chunks of the stale bread and handed one over.
“I’m flattered, Penn, that you’d share this with me. It’s beautiful.” She pulled off a small piece of bread and tossed it into the water. Several ducks swam to the offering, gobbling it up in no time.
“Maybe I thought it was a good idea for me to show you that I’m more than just a ‘warm body’.” He winked. “I wouldn’t want that to be a lasting impression.”
Her tongue came out to roll across her bottom lip. Each time she did, he felt the urge to adjust his fly.
“Of course. You didn’t get all of those muscles just from skill in bed.” She returned his wink. “I knew there had to be more to the man.”
He laughed. The sound scared a few ducks that flew across the water, but when he dropped bread in, they came back. “Tell me, why Marshall Reed?”
She threw her last piece of bread to a nearby duck, then rubbed her palms down her legs. “You’ve asked me that question before.”
He nodded. “Yes, but now I’m serious. Why Reed?”
“Age is only a number.”
“You know that’s not what I’m asking.” He held her gaze.
“He really is an in-depth man.”
“Must be to get the attention of a woman like you.”
She looked across the water as if she didn’t want him to see her expression. “He was interesting. Generous.”
“That doesn’t seem like the Reed I know. Or the man you’ve been referring to for his recent antics.”
“There’s something I should tell you.” She turned her chin to look at him through a fringe of thick lashes. “He gave me a substantial loan, to help build the bookstore into what it is today.”
Penn removed his hat and laid it next to him. “Oh boy. Did he change once he gave you the money?”
“He certainly does like control. He’s a business man at heart.”
He nodded. “He’s a shrewd business man.”
“You could say that again.”
“Isn’t it interesting how people do that. They put on a good front, but knowing eventually their true self will certainly show.”
“Not you, though, right? You haven’t put on a fake nature for me?”
He shook his head. “What you see is what you get, although I could have probably done a little better with the first impression. Tell me more about this loan from Reed. Is he calling in the loan unless you come back to him?”
“He’s called several times, so to speak.”
“How much do you owe him?” He saw her discomfort. “Hey, probably important.”
“Twenty thousand.”
He whistled through his teeth. “Won’t find that much cash laying around in a cookie jar.”
“He’s got me up against the wall. It’s either give in, or sell him the bookstore.”
He noticed the shine in her eyes before she turned away. He hated seeing her sad, and hated it even more that a man like Reed with power and a prominent place in the community felt like he could have so much control over Harley. “You can’t do that.”
*****
“I don’t want to. Can we talk about something else? This is way too special to waste.” She didn’t really care if they talked. She wanted to watch Penn. His shirt was left unbuttoned at the top showing off his smooth, broad chest. With each stroke of the paddle his muscles flexed and then relaxed, only to tense again. His shirt sleeves were rolled up high on his biceps showing off thick, coiled muscles that had been the focus of her dreams lately.
She never had a talent for painting, but her creative side itched to pick up a brush and oil paints and paint him. With a model like Penn she could imagine how rewarding it would be to create his portrait. She searched his face. His amazing eyes, flawed n
ose, and prominent jaw. Although he and all his brothers looked so much alike, she saw the differences, some subtle, and some not so much. Penn was more serious and she wondered if the accident had changed him? And as he scanned the water, he reminded her of an explorer seeing everything for the first time, although he’d been here lots of times before.
Thinking about it, there was no one who resembled him, at least in her opinion. He was complicated, yet easy. Exotic, yet simple. He was a heady combination of raw and refined. He intrigued her. Scintillated her senses. On the surface, he was a country boy, a cowboy, but she had a feeling his thoughts were as complex as a scientist’s. She wondered what he witnessed when he was deployed. What he felt when he came home safe and sound only to have an accident that left him without a leg. She realized by never meeting his father or mother, Harley had missed out on something amazing. A man like Penn didn’t get this way without guidance of a great man and a nurturing mother. Yet, he shied away from relationships.
“What are you thinking?”
Her stomach dipped at the sound of Penn’s thick voice. He must have seen her staring, and yet she didn’t care. “About you.”
One corner of his mouth lifted. “That’s a short thought, I’m sure.”
“Hardly,” she answered quietly, honestly. Here, alone with him, glimpsing a bit of his life that he didn’t share with many caused a deep stirring within her. Every move that he made, his hands gripping the paddle, each ripple of water intensified the effect. Their gazes met, lingering. Her body warmed, her nipples beaded and tingled. Her inner thighs trembled in expectation. She could only look away to hide how profound her emotions were. “This is a piece of heaven out here.”
“I’m glad you see it too.”
“I feel like I’m time traveling to a place where life was simpler.”
“This land, it’s amazing. If we were going back in time we’d never have to leave this spot. We could stay right here forever.”
She shifted, imagining the two of them stuck together—and it didn’t seem too bad. She leaned in. “Tell me, Penn. The accident, how horrible was it?” Her throat constricted. Her heart broke thinking of what he must have gone through.
“Horrible enough to change me.”
“Better or worse?”
His gaze held hers. “You tell me.”
“I can’t. I didn’t know you before.”
“You know me now.” Birds chirped loudly. Ducks flapped their wings, splashing water.
“I think you’re a good man. You come across as rough and raw, but inside, you’re a wealth of emotion and compassion. Why do you hide behind the facade?”
She must have put him on the spot because he shifted uncomfortably. “I wouldn’t call it a facade. This is who I am.”
“You’ve never been in love?” She threaded her fingers in her hair, drawing it away from her cheek.
“Love. Such a trivial word. Not sure what that feeling is supposed to feel like. People say it enough, but don’t show it enough. Does it even exist?”
Her breath hitched and sweat beaded her forehead. She dipped her fingers in the water. “Many believe love is not a feeling, but an ability to find treasure in others. We lose control during those first moments when someone finds and unlocks that hidden door within us. We lose logic and all our preexisting ideas, thoughts, and beliefs. We begin to look at things in a magical color. People say that two must find common ground, share similarities to grow as lovers and partners, but I don’t see it exactly that way. I think it’s the differences, the challenges, that snare us in a mystical web. There’s nothing more enjoyable than learning someone’s paths and intersections.”
He stared. “That’s a mouthful.”
“Okay, so what’s your take on love then, cowboy? And don’t just say that it doesn’t exist.”
He stared out over the water as if he needed the time to gather his thoughts. “Not sure since I’ve never been in love. Have you, Miss Tate?” One thick brow lifted over curious eyes. “Was ‘Mr. In-depth’ the one until he wasn’t?”
She swallowed and touched her neck, feeling her quick pulse under her fingers. “Oh, I’ve thought I was a few times, and not with Marshall. Love can be deceiving and lust just as strong. It seems we never know when the one is going to jump up and bite us.”
A bird cried somewhere. A duck flew across the water flapping its wings frantically. Silence descended upon them—an easy, welcoming silence as they enjoyed each other’s company without expectation—without the need for fillers. The breeze turned stronger and cooler, and she shivered. The boat rocked ever so slightly, lulling her. Ripples skittered across the water and the wind blew the tops of the trees, leaves drifted and floated.
Harley noticed everything around her, down to the warm, prickling sensation in her most sensitive parts. Her senses were delicate, her body was moist and invigorated. She allowed her mind to drift aimlessly over the last few days since Penn had strolled into her life in such an unexpected way. The stress and anxiety seemed to have melted away, exchanged for something much more powerful. She pondered how her life had been in an upheaval. Her humiliation over her relationship with Marshall, how she’d allowed herself to fall for his charm that faded once he felt comfortable. And now the tension of her mistake was gone, being here had calmed her. Being near Penn had overwhelmed her in the most wonderful of ways.
She was pleased to be here close to him. Glad she hadn’t allowed her uncertainty to keep her from coming when he invited her.
Harley watched Penn row the canoe. How could such a simple act evoke such sexuality? Desire. In everything he did, he exuded confidence and purpose. She didn’t want to stare, to become so vulnerable, but she couldn’t help herself. She found the havoc of emotion spiraling through her to be like fireworks.
“And here we are. My secret place.” He pointed to a row of large trees that formed a wall. He rowed the boat into the hollowed area and it bumped against the bank. “Listen.”
She did, holding her breath for good measure. After several seconds, she smiled. “I don’t hear anything.”
“Exactly. The trees are a sound barrier.”
“I don’t remember every seeing such a thing before.”
CHAPTER EIGHT
THEY SAT IN the middle of the lake. Here, among the ducks, the birds, and silence, he found answers to some of his deepest thoughts and questions. To share it with Harley, well, no words could describe how he enjoyed her company.
They sat in silence. It was not a forced or stressful one, but he felt comfortable. He’d realized long before now that Harley wasn’t a woman who needed entertained with conversation all the time. That’s probably why she spent so much time reading. She was as meditative as he was and understood the importance of being still and listening to nature. To the unspoken words.
“Oh, Penn. Thank you for bringing me here. It’s amazing. Being here I can almost forget there’s an outside world.”
He smiled, loving the fact that she got how special this place was.
He reached into the brown bag and pulled off another chunk of the bread. He handed it to her. She happily tore off smaller bits and dropped them in the water, laughing as the geese quickly gobbled up the gift.
The geese and ducks swam in circles, honking and beating their wings against the water to gain her attention and hopefully be rewarded for their efforts with a bit of bread. He’d planned to feed them too, but he found he couldn’t manage anything else but to watch her.
She was amazingly beautiful. Her hair blew in the breeze. Her skin was flushed from the cool wind. The shirt dipped nicely across her chest, showing off her smooth skin and the tops of her breasts. He suddenly wondered how good it could be to share an evening like this with her every day.
He gave his head a shake. It wasn’t safe to go down a path that was a dead end. They were two different people, and although she said differences brought couples together, he also knew he didn’t see himself being a man that a woman needed, especially
one like Harley.
Thunder boomed in the sky. A few miles away, but close enough that he realized they needed to head back.
She seemed oblivious to the change in weather and he didn’t bother telling her that there was a possibility they would get wet if he didn’t paddle fast. He was pretty damn good at rowing, but Mother Nature moved faster.
When he started paddling, steering them out of the quiet cove, she brought her chin around, and question marred her features. “We aren’t staying longer?” Disappointment edged her tone.
“You didn’t hear the thunder?”
She sat up straight and looked up to the sky. “No, I guess I didn’t.” She pulled her hair back from her face. She was in a battle with the wind.
Dark clouds rolled above them, pushing the white, fluffy ones out of the way, threatening that any second, they’d send down the wrath of a hot, summer evening. A drop of rain splattered on his cheek. He wiped it away. She laughed, but when she was pounced with a large drop on her forehead that splashed down her nose, she frowned. “Uh-oh,” she mumbled.
“I need to know something, Harley.”
She lifted a brow. “What?”
“You’re so sweet, you won’t melt, will you?”
“Does that line really work?”
“No, it doesn’t.”
Sprinkles turned to fat raindrops. Lightning struck in the distance. Then a tense calm that warned him they wouldn’t make it back in time.
They were pounded hard.
Penn rowed faster.
He should have been better prepared for bad weather.
Then Harley’s laughter filled his ears.
He looked across at her. Her arms were wrapped around her chest, and she was pushing out her bottom lip into a perfect cherub’s bow curve in between chuckles. “I’m glad you find this funny.” He continued to paddle.
She leaned her head back, opened her mouth and caught some of the rain while holding her hands up as if she could draw in the weather as energy. Her shirt was completely soaked now and had become see-through, but he doubted she cared. She seemed to be enjoying herself, and he wasn’t too bad himself.
Penn's Fortune (Saddles & Second Chances Book 2) Page 11