Chip shook his head. “How often does she tell you it’s a waste for you to keep sleeping around?”
“Right, but why? Chicks say some weird shit.”
“All I know is that she says she sees something in you that tells her you should settle down. That you’d make a great husband or some shit like that. It’s like she’s talking about some other guy.” Chip shrugged. “You know how she is. She believes she knows things about people that they can’t see. Who knows? Maybe she does.”
“So, why haven’t you ever given in when she’s made a play for you?” Wes held his stare.
“First of all, the whole dipping the pen in the company ink thing, and second of all, she doesn’t make plays for me.”
Wes laughed, startling Sweets into a woof. Wes stroked her head. “Right, you just keep believing that.”
“Listen, I came up to see if you wanted to swap. Want me to take the fishing and overnight and you can take the day trip?”
“Isn’t that big of you now that you’ve seen three pretty women in bikinis?” Wes shook his head.
Chip held his hands up. “Hey, I’m trying to save you from regrets you might have next week when you’re not on the trail, but back to real life, in the library every Thursday, looking at the assistant librarian instead of a group of girls gone wild.”
Anger brewed in Wes’s gut. “She’s not…They’re not the girls-gone-wild type of chicks.”
“Yeah, I know. At least her friends aren’t. They’re hot, but very married. Even with me and Cutter in the hot tub, all they talked about was their husbands and Callie. And you, of course, but they spoke in code, like, that guy who loves to read and shit, as if we wouldn’t put two and two together.”
The thought made Wes smile. “Hey, speaking of code. What does it mean when a girl says to another girl, I brought skinny girls?”
“Depends. Are they at an orgy?”
Wes belted out a laugh. “No, man. They’re talking here at the ranch.”
“There’s an orgy at the ranch and I missed the memo?”
“You’re an idiot.”
Chip rose and stretched. He tugged at the collar of his hoodie. “You sure you don’t want me to take the overnight? I know Cutter’s dying to come along.”
“That’s reason enough for me to say no.” Wes had never been a jealous man, and he trusted Cutter to respect his boundaries, but he couldn’t deny the claws of the green-eyed monster scratching at his spine with the thought of Cutter going on an overnight trip with Callie.
“All right. If you change your mind, I’ll be at my cabin tomorrow night.” Chip patted Sweets’s head. “Just tell me this. What is it about her, and where’d you take her tonight?”
“Everything, and none of your business.”
“Oh yeah,” Chip said as he stepped off the deck. “Clarissa will love this.”
Wes knew Clarissa would love it because, when he hadn’t been able to reach Emily when he’d called earlier, he’d called Clarissa and asked the favor of her instead. It was a big favor, and she’d practically salivated at his request, but he wasn’t about to tell Chip that. He’d have enough teasing to deal with once Chip talked to Clarissa. Until then he’d try to make it through the night without crawling through Callie’s window.
Chapter Eight
CALLIE DREAMED ABOUT Wes all night. Sweet, erotic, naughty dreams that she’d awoken from, panting and hot, several times throughout the night. She woke early Saturday morning and climbed silently from the bed, trying not to wake Bonnie, who was fast asleep, sprawled out on top of her covers, wearing her Single Slayer T-shirt and boy-shorts underwear. Callie changed into her exercise clothes and went into the bathroom. She stared at herself in the mirror as she brushed her hair, thinking about Wes. She loved kissing him more than anything else she could think of. Even reading. That was a first, she realized as she set her brush on the marble countertop.
“What is it about him?” she whispered to her reflection. Her pulse kicked up just thinking about him. Today he was going to give her a private riding lesson so she would feel more comfortable when they rode out to the backcountry, where they would be camping. Wes was rugged, which was different from the guys she usually dated. Callie was usually drawn to academic types, men who pondered, not men who lifted her from moving horses to rescue her. Then again, no one had ever done that before. Wes was smart, and that was evident in all that he’d accomplished and the way he spoke, but it was also present in his eyes every time she looked into them. And then there were his kisses. Boy, can he kiss. And touch. Her cheeks flushed and turned away from the mirror. Her stomach fluttered nervously, and she drew in a deep breath. Okay, Callie. Get it together.
Callie went through her morning routine with renewed energy. After finishing her Jillian Michaels workout, she made coffee and took it out on the front porch to sit in the sun—and stumbled over a gift-wrapped box.
“What the…?” She was surprised to see her name written in pencil on a small rectangular gift card envelope. Hoping it was from Wes, and knowing that was a stupid thing to hope for after one evening together, she sat down on the porch steps and read the card.
Cal, petite four. Hope they’re okay and glad you’re staying. Wes.
Callie stared at the card. “No way.” She wondered if her friends had orchestrated a gag, but one look around told her she was all alone. If they had done this, Bonnie would be taking pictures. She tore open the box. Inside were two pairs of petite, size four, boot-cut jeans and a pair of cutoff jeans shorts. She pressed them to her chest and closed her eyes for a beat.
Wes Braden took thoughtful to a whole new level.
TWO HOURS LATER, Callie and the others headed down to the lodge for breakfast.
“Let me get a picture of all of you guys on the bridge.” Bonnie lifted her camera.
“You’re like the paparazzi. We’re going to have to start dodging you.” Christine fluffed her stick-straight hair, as if it might actually fluff instead of falling flat beneath her visor. “Farrah Fawcett I am not.”
Callie looped her arm into Christine’s, feeling confident on the wings of her budding romance and in her new jeans. “You’re gorgeous.”
“Agreed.” Kathie held Christine’s other arm. “I still can’t believe he bought you jeans, Callie. I mean, come on. Really? How did he even manage that? Wasn’t he here the whole time?”
“Can you guys smile instead of talking?” Bonnie directed.
“Sorry,” they said in unison and plastered smiles on their faces.
Bonnie took a few pictures. “Those were great.”
“Okay, now get in here and I’ll take the picture.” Kathie held her hand out to Bonnie, and Bonnie reluctantly handed over the camera.
“Put on the strap.” She draped it over Kathie’s neck. “Okay, just push that button when we look clear.”
“I think I can handle a camera.” Kathie held it up to her eye. “Wow! You guys look great.” She turned, scanning the grounds through the lens. “Oh, baby, we have to make a quick stop before breakfast.”
“Kathie!” Bonnie reached for the camera.
“Wait, wait. Okay, I’ll take it.” Kathie laughed. “I just got sidetracked by the hot cowboys.”
“Take the darn picture already. Then we can all see the hot cowboys,” Christine said.
Kathie forced a serious face. “Smile.”
“I’m only interested in one hot cowboy,” Callie said.
“Yeah? Well, I’m only interested in one hot accountant by the name of Paul Sharp, but a little eye candy never hurt.” Kathie lowered the camera after taking the pictures. “Inspiration for my Wild West novel.”
“Is that what we’re calling it? Inspiration?” Christine asked as they crossed the bridge.
“You laugh. Just wait. I’m going to write the next hot cowboy historical romance. You guys will be able to say, I knew her when.” Kathie grabbed Callie’s arm and tugged her in the direction she’d been scanning with the camera. “You have to see this.”
They followed the sounds of hooves on dirt, and a moment later Wes came into view, sitting atop a large black horse and swinging a lasso over his head.
Cutter leaned against the wooden fence, cheering him on. “Come on, Braden. Get in there.”
A handful of cattle ran beside the horse. Beneath Wes’s leather cowboy hat, his eyes were locked on one brown steer. His thick, powerful legs held him to the horse. The muscles in his arms bulged and flexed as he swung the lasso, then expertly threw it toward the steer, looping it over the steer’s head.
Cutter let out a whoop! Sweets ran back and forth along the fence. When she noticed Callie and the others, she bounded over to them, drawing them all to their knees to love her up.
“Holy cow.” Callie’s eyes remained on Wes. She grabbed Bonnie’s arm. “Pictures. Get pictures.”
“Already on it.” Bonnie lifted the camera.
Wes looked virile and focused. There were no two ways about it; he was the most valiant and handsome creature Callie had ever seen.
“Breathe, baby. Breathe,” Christine said in her ear.
“Right. Breathing. That would be good.”
“Told you that you needed to see this.” Kathie pulled Callie toward the fence.
“Hey, ladies.” Cutter lifted his cowboy hat in greeting. “He’s getting a little roping practice in.”
Callie tried to concentrate, but she could barely think past her tingling nerves and the desire that coiled down low at the sight of Wes as he flicked the rope off of the steer and watched it run free.
“Why didn’t he jump down and tackle it like they do in the movies? And what’s the steer got around its horns?” Bonnie asked, continuing to take pictures.
“You only tackle the steer if you’re steer wrestling. And the leather contraption is a horn protector. It protects the skin and hair at the base of horns, keeps ’em from getting chafed,” Cutter explained. “He’s practicing loop and catches. He loves roping, and as you can see, he’s damn good at it.”
Damn good is right, but deliciously appealing might be a better choice of words.
Wes rode over to them. Callie thought she’d get used to his striking good looks, but apparently, her brain didn’t get the memo, because she was hot and bothered and struggling to remember how to speak.
“Hey,” Wes said casually. His eyes drifted over the others and settled on Callie. “I see the jeans fit.”
She followed his eyes south. “Yes, perfectly. Thank you. That was so nice of you. You didn’t have to—”
“I wanted to. You look great.” He smiled, and she grabbed the fence to remain upright on her weakening knees.
“What am I missing here?” Cutter asked.
Wes slid him a narrow-eyed look.
“I’ll just…uh…go take care of the cattle.” Cutter tipped his hat and went into the riding arena. Sweets wriggled beneath the fence and ran after him.
Wes joined Callie at the fence, and Bonnie turned her camera on them. Callie wondered how they looked together and whether she looked any different now that they’d become so close.
Kathie tugged Bonnie and Christine away. “Why don’t we grab breakfast? Callie, we’ll meet you at the lodge, okay?”
“Yeah. Sure.”
Wes covered her hand with his, then leaned over the fence and kissed her softly. “Hi,” he said just above a whisper.
“Hi.” She’d like to have one of those kisses every morning.
“I’m glad you liked the jeans. I wanted you to be comfortable when you rode.”
“Thank you. No one has ever bought me jeans before, I mean except my family and girlfriends.”
“You mean no man has ever bought you jeans before.” He kissed her again. “Good. I like being the first. Are we still on for a private riding lesson later? I really want to help you get comfortable on a horse, unless you’ve decided that you’d rather not. No pressure.”
“You’re so considerate. Thank you.”
“Is that a yes?” He brushed the back of her hand with his thumb.
God, yes! “Yes.”
Wes ran the back of his hand down Callie’s cheek. “I thought about you all night. Any regrets?”
God, no. She shook her head, and he kissed her again, sending a shiver down her back.
“Good. Me neither.” He smiled. “We’re skeet shooting today, and I know you said you don’t like guns, so you can sit it out if you’d like.”
Callie stepped closer to the fence. She’d climb right over it to be closer to him if she wasn’t afraid of the steers on the other side, though she knew Wes would protect her.
“I’ll try it.”
“Yeah?”
She nodded again.
Wes lifted a foot to the bottom rung on the fence, and in two quick moves he landed on the other side beside Callie and drew her into his arms. He was holding her right out in the open, where Cutter or anyone else could see them, and she felt like the luckiest girl in the world.
“Aren’t you worried about what your employees might think?” she asked.
“Nope. It was too hard to stand on the opposite side of the fence from you.” He drew his thick brows together. “Of course, if it bothers you…” He released his grip on her.
She hooked her fingers into the waist of his jeans and pulled him against her again. “No. I was only worried about what you said yesterday. You know, not getting involved with guests.”
“I never have.” He lowered his forehead to hers. “I guess you’ve just claimed a first for me, too.”
She hoped a last, too, though she’d never say that out loud.
“I’m glad you stayed and that you’re willing to give some of these things a shot.” He pressed another soft kiss to her lips, lingering just long enough to steal her breath. “I’m glad you’re willing to give me a shot.”
A shot? I’d give you the whole arsenal.
Chapter Nine
WES WAS TALKING on the phone to Emily when Chip came into the office in the lodge and sat down across from him. He clasped his hands behind his head and stretched his legs as if he had nothing to do for the rest of the day. Wes glanced at the clock. Chip was due to guide a day trip in fifteen minutes. He held up one finger, indicating he’d be just another minute, and Chip shrugged.
“Emily, Chip just came in, so I have to run in a sec. I’ll be gone for the next day and a half, but you can come anytime. You can stay at my place or the lodge, whichever you want.”
Emily sighed, and Wes pictured her leaning over her architectural drawing table, her forehead wrinkled and her long, dark hair curtaining her face. She had a habit of hiding behind her hair when she was stressed, which wasn’t often, and it was why he’d so readily offered her his cabin when she’d called to say she needed a break from reality. “Thanks. I’m not sure if I’ll come out, but it’s nice to know the option is there.”
“Whatever you want to do is cool with me. You’re working too hard, Em. You deserve a vacation.” He briefly wondered if her being at his cabin might somehow derail an evening with Callie, but he quickly dismissed the idea. Callie would probably never leave her friends overnight, and he wasn’t even sure they’d move to sleeping together that quickly. He wanted to leave the pace of their relationship up to Callie, even though he wasn’t sure he’d be able to hold back. The anticipation of seeing her, touching her, and kissing her made for a hard day in more ways than one.
“When are you coming back into town? Jake’s coming in for the weekend next week, and we’re all going to Luke and Daisy’s for a barbecue. I think they left messages on your cell, but I know you can’t get reception there. Can you make it?”
He hadn’t seen his older brother Jake in three months. He was a stuntman in Los Angeles, and his filming schedule made it difficult for him to visit. “I’ll make sure I can. I have to run, Em. Love you.”
Wes hung up the phone and splayed his hands on the desk. “If you’re here about the applications, I’ve already gone through them.”
“I’m not, but what did you think?” Chip leaned forward, and his shaggy hair flopped into his eyes.
“Nothing overly impressive. What are you here for?”
“It’s none of my business, but—”
Christ. Cutter must have mentioned seeing him and Callie together, or he’d found out about the jeans. Wes pushed himself to his feet. “Then keep it to yourself. Come on, Sweets.” He slapped his thigh, and Sweets crawled out from under the desk.
Chip rose and met him eye to eye. “Wes, you’re putting yourself out there in the open for all the employees to see. She’s been here a day or two, and suddenly you’re willing to let the employees see that you don’t follow your own advice? Eight years of holding back, gone—just like that?”
Wes clenched his jaw.
Chip lowered his voice. “I’ve known you since we were yay high.” He held his hand waist high. “I’m just protecting you here, man. Tell me this is something more than a fling, and I’ll back off. But if it’s not, we have to protect our business reputation—and you’re the last person that I should have to say that to.”
“No shit. You think I don’t know that? You’re like a broken record.” Wes pushed past him, and Chip grabbed his arm.
“Think with the head on your shoulders, not the one in your pants. If it’s real, fine. As I said, I’ll back off. But we’ve spent eight long years building a business we’re proud of. And we’ve had some hot pieces of ass in here. Too many to count. Think before you…” Chip searched Wes’s eyes, then blinked several times and released Wes’s arm. “Holy shit. You have feelings for her.”
Wes had been thinking about how quickly his brother Luke had fallen for Daisy and how Luke had known without any hesitation that she was the one. Wes hadn’t believed it at first. In fact, he’d just about told Luke as much, and as his stomach went all weird and desire coiled deep in his belly at the very thought of Callie, he was beginning to think he understood what Luke felt.
“Hey, Wes, if you do, it’s cool, man.” Chip took a step back, allowing Wes to pass.
Wes trusted Chip with his life and his secrets, but he didn’t understand what was going on with his emotions, and he wasn’t about to let anyone else contemplate his feelings until he had a handle on them.
Fated for Love Page 10