Once Marisol settled in with a group of two girls and a boy about her age, Craig and Quinn stood back and watched. At first, the girl was unsure, but eventually the kids pulled a smile out of her.
“Do you think we should stand here and stare at her?” Quinn leaned toward Craig and kept her voice low. It was a mistake because she caught the subtle scent of his woodsy cologne, and combined with her memories of their moment the day before, Quinn could’ve kept on leaning until she ended up in his arms.
“I’m sure she wouldn’t appreciate that. Come on. Show me around so I can see what Jacob has done to this place.”
Side by side, they moved away from the play area. Quinn was torn between wanting to escape his company and never wanting to leave it. It had never been her style for a man, someone she hadn’t seen for years, to tie her stomach into knots and turn her legs to jelly. But there she was, walking next to him, close enough to bump arms, sending sparks of desire rushing through her like a surging grassfire.
“Maybe we should find Jacob. He’s the one to show you around. He’s an excellent host and tour guide. I’m the one who hides out at the barn or out on the prairie whenever I can.”
“I don’t see why. I have a feeling you know this land every bit as much as your brother. Maybe more.”
Quinn stopped in her tracks and Craig turned to face her.
“That’s the land. This house is different. It’s more Jacob’s than mine.”
She thought briefly of the old clapboard farmhouse they’d lived in before Jacob transformed the place. That was home.
She looked at Craig and noted the troubled look on his face but it passed quickly and he focused back on her. Where had his thoughts gone? Maybe living over on the Shady H, he felt kind of the same. She wondered if Craig was aware of what Ted Penney had done to Emerald Ranch. She hoped not but he was bound to find out at some point.
“Okay, fine, you can be in charge of giving me a tour of the barn.”
Quinn stuck her hand out. “It’s a deal.”
Craig took it in a firm hold. Mistake. The hold lasted a little longer than a polite handshake should, and the thrills that raced from his fingers to her heart, and parts beyond sure weren’t polite. Worse, she couldn’t free herself from his gaze. It was steady and warm. The smile disappeared briefly from his lips and when it returned, it seemed a little forced.
Quinn pulled her hand out of his and shoved it into her pocket. “It’ll, um, have to be later. I have to get Piper ready for the barrel racing.”
“Good luck.”
Quinn managed a smile and felt about seven years-old again. To her dismay, a blush heated up her face. She grinned cheekily, hoping he wouldn’t notice that her cheeks blazed. “It’s only a demonstration. But thanks.”
She turned away before she made more of a fool of herself than she had already.
***
Craig admired her from behind. As petite as she was, Quinn had great curves that she showed off to their best advantage in the pair of snug Wranglers. Her braid, wrapped at the bottom with fawn colored leather, fell several inches past her shoulders. She had a swagger to her that would drive any man crazy and he didn’t think she even knew it.
“You know, if I didn’t know better, I’d say you were checking out my little sister.”
A rush of guilt washed over Craig. That was exactly what he’d been doing. There was no way he would admit that to Quinn’s big brother.
Craig held out his hand and Jacob took it in a strong grip. “What happened to that little kid who ran wild over the prairie?”
“You kidding? She’s still running wild. But now she doesn’t have a curfew.”
Craig wanted to get away from the subject of his friend’s little sister. The thoughts that had come to the front of his mind were uncomfortable to say the least. Instead, he looked around his surroundings in admiration.
“This place looks incredible.”
Jacob nodded. “Took a lot of time and a couple staunch supporters but we’ve done what I wanted to do here.”
“The transformation is amazing.”
“I’m sure I’ll think of something more it needs. The spa is my latest addition. From what I’ve heard, it’s going to be a popular attraction, though I know nothing about running one.”
“You do know the way to a woman’s heart,” Craig said with a laugh.
“I saw Marisol over with a group of kids,” Jacob commented. “She seems to be making some friends.”
That relieved Craig tremendously. He’d been so afraid the girl would be a loner here. “It’ll make starting school easier if she does. She’s a shy kid. Except around your sister. I think there’s some hero worship going on there.”
Jacob chuckled. “That’ll embarrass Quinn. And make her proud. She always wanted a little sister.”
Oh great. I don’t need to picture Quinn as a daughter figure. “I’m a little too young to be her father.”
“God no. You’d have only been eight? Hell, that’s not the image I need. She’s riding in a few. You want to go watch?”
As if I’d miss it.
Craig and Jacob walked over to the arena. Down the fence, Robby and Lance flirted with three women, guests of Long Knife Creek Ranch apparently. Craig shook his head and turned his attention to the arena as Quinn rode in on her flashy roan mare.
For the first time Craig saw Quinn riding Piper with a saddle, a showy number of black leather trimmed with silver details. Dressed in the same dark blue wranglers, she now wore chaps of a deep red, fringed with turquoise, and yellow leather. Her shirt was sky blue with the same red and yellow and a darker blue flame design. She was stunning. A rodeo queen if he’d ever seen one.
The brim of her hat cast her eyes in shadows, but they were focused on the barrels. On Piper’s back, in all that fancy gear, she looked more mature, but there were those lips, pale red, full and sexy, even set in a frown of concentration.
God help me, he thought, throwing out a prayer that Jacob wouldn’t notice his growing interest. He had a feeling Jacob wouldn’t approve, not when there was a whopping eight year difference in their ages.
Someone announced Quinn and her mount and as soon as the prancing horse was ready at the starting line, Quinn leaned low over the mare’s neck and with a “giddyup”, set the horse in motion.
The race was over in mere seconds but it brought an enthusiastic round of applause, mixed with a few shrieking whistles, from the spectators. Craig glanced at his brother. Robby paid attention now, a wolfish smile on his face. Yet, he didn’t seem to mind the hand of some tall brunette on the small of his back or the way the guest leaned against him.
Surely, Quinn wouldn’t fall into Robby’s trap again.
“She’s something else,” Craig commented to his host. “I swear the girl is half horse.”
Jacob nodded. “That would be a compliment of the highest level to my sister. Sometimes I swear she wishes she were a horse.”
In the arena Quinn talked to three guests who were mounted and apparently interested in learning how to do what she’d just done so effortlessly.
It was amazing to see Quinn, who just a little while ago said she preferred to keep to the barn, look so vibrant and confident with the guests now. Maybe because on the horse she was in her element. It was a pleasure to see her work and he felt good about the fact Marisol would be in her hands.
“Hey, why don’t you let me show you around,” Jacob broke into Craig’s thoughts, which was a blessing. He needed the distraction. Without giving Quinn another look, Craig followed Jacob away from the arena.
By the time he and Jacob parted company, Craig headed to collect Marisol so they could get some lunch. Marisol, however, didn’t want to be collected. In fact, she had started lunch without him, sitting with her new friends in the shade of some trees by the play area. She waved at him but returned immediately to whatever story a dark haired girl told.
“Looks like you’ve been stood up.”
Craig swung
around toward the voice. Quinn stood behind him, her hat in hand and dust across her cheek. The urge to kiss her burned through him like a flash fire. He sucked in his breath and mentally steadied himself. How easily it would’ve been to throw caution to the wind and pull her into his arms. Shake it off, Lynch. Kissing Quinn would be opening a door he had a feeling he wouldn’t be able to close again.
“I’m glad she’s found some friends. Thank you for inviting us today.”
Quinn grinned and slapped him lightly on the arm in a kind of buddy type gesture. “Well, you and Jacob were like brothers so you’re practically family.”
The arm slap deflated Craig’s mood a bit, but he put the angle on it that this was precisely what he needed to get his mind on the right track. Family. Kid sister. Much better.
“I’ve got to go change out of this costume. I’m too warm. See you later.”
Craig didn’t want to watch her walk away but the view was too appealing. Kid sister. It didn’t hold water at the moment.
Chapter 5
Quinn couldn’t get out of Craig’s company quick enough. When she reached the privacy of her room, she called herself all sorts of nasty names for throwing herself in his path every chance she could today. It was cute—for a kid, but she wasn’t a little girl anymore and pretty soon it would become obvious she had a thing for him.
Then what? It would get all awkward between them and he probably wouldn’t want her anywhere near the Shady H to teach Marisol how to ride, and she truly wanted to do that.
Quinn discarded the rodeo garb and changed into a pair of denim capris a white short-sleeved baby doll shirt, and a pair of old sneakers. After washing her face, she stared into the mirror. Admiring her face wasn’t something she did, and this certainly wasn’t an exception to the rule. Instead she studied her features. Steady, pale blue eyes regarded herself in the mirror. Too tan despite her near religious use of sunblock and her hat, with a smattering of freckles across her imperfect nose. A nose broken so many times coming off a horse, that she finally refused to have it fixed. Most of the time it didn’t bother her, she wore it like a badge of honor for all the hard work she did, but now she heard Charlene Tatreau’s voice in her head, telling her she should get it fixed.
Was it that bad? Quinn turned her head and examined it from each side. No, it wasn’t hideous. But it sure wasn’t cute and petite. It looked broken. God, Craig probably thought it looked horrible.
“Oh, good lord,” she muttered and pulled her gaze away from the offending feature. She was damned if she was going to dwell on it. It never bothered her before. Craig hadn’t stared at it in horror.
Still, when she went back out, Quinn was determined not to go anywhere near Craig.
The problem was when she finally made it outside it seemed all the ladies had disappeared. Apparently, they’d all headed to the spa to pamper themselves while the men enjoyed a highly competitive game of horseshoes. Some people lingered over lunch, but not anyone she’d typically join. Quinn had the choice of either going to the spa, hanging around with the kids in the play area, or joining the game of horseshoes. None of those options appealed to her, so she headed to the barbeque pit to find some lunch.
Halfway there, she stopped dead in her tracks. Craig stood at the edge of the picnic area with Ted and Dina Penney. Quinn had no desire to deal with Ted. From a distance, Craig didn’t seem to be too pleased about chatting with them either. Not that Quinn blamed him. She had nothing against Dina, except the woman barely said three words in her husband’s presence, but she didn’t trust or like Ted in any way, shape or form. He was worse than a used car salesman, except he tried to deal in horses and cattle, neither of which he did with an ounce of success. He came around to the barbeque every year, with that greasy smile on his face and his timid wife behind him.
Every year he tried to schmooze with Jacob, trying to get her brother to buy horses for Long Knife Creek. Jacob always turned him down. Now, it looked like he was working on Craig.
Instinct told her to walk away, it wasn’t her business, and surely Craig could hold his own against Ted, but she’d never forgive herself for not even trying to rescue him. She approached the threesome, plastering a cold smile on her face.
“Hello Mr. and Mrs. Penney,” she said, interrupting the conversation. She didn’t look at Craig, but instead concentrated on the couple. “So glad you could make it over.”
Ted’s mouth transformed from a pinched line to a broad smile. His “used car salesman face”, Quinn liked to call it.
“Wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
Quinn nodded. “Where’s Scott?” She looked around for their son but already knew what Ted would say.
He chuckled. “You know that boy. He’s got a project going at the ranch he didn’t want to stop.”
Translation—Ted had him working hard. No breaks for him. Ted didn’t have any hired hands to run the ranch and it showed. Scott pretty much took care of everything on his own. Ted worked his son and wife to the bone. And for what? For the horses he bred, mainly in hopes of keeping the surrounding ranches in stock? How she longed to put him out of business, but while there had been complaints lodged against him for neglect, he kept his animals in just good enough shape to escape having them removed. Barely.
“It’s too bad he couldn’t have made it at least for a little while,” Quinn said then turned her attention to Dina, her heart thawing a little.
Though a mouse of a woman, Quinn would have bet at some point Dina had been pretty. What she had seen in Ted Penny, Quinn couldn’t fathom. Too many hard years as his wife had washed her right out.
“You know, Miz Penney, the spa opens today. If you’d like some pampering, I’ll take you there.”
Quinn hadn’t planned on going, but if she could draw the woman away from her husband for a few hours it would be worth a little mud on her face or a cucumber slapped over her eyes.
Dina glanced at Ted, a weak smile on her face. “I don’t know, it sounds expensive.”
Quinn waved her hand. “Everything is on the house. For today only.”
She shot a quick look at Craig who’d been studying her. The warmth in his blue eyes recharged her heart.
Dina looked back at her husband, her eyes wide and full of hope. Quinn could tell by the way his lips disappeared into a thin, hard line that he wanted to say no.
“I’ll have her back in no more than two hours,” Quinn promised. That at least was true. She didn’t think she could stand more than two hours of primping. “We’ll be back in time for the band.”
Dina clutched her purse, her brown eyes pleading.
Ted smiled. “Of course, you go on ahead. You deserve a little spoiling.”
Quinn tried not to retch. What a fake. He didn’t fool anyone.
“And you can join the guys playing horseshoes,” Quinn suggested, hoping to free Craig of the man’s company.
Craig nixed that idea.
“Ted and I have some business to tend to first.”
The warmth left Craig’s eyes as he stared hard at Ted. Maybe Craig did know about the condition of his childhood home.
Ted shifted under the weight of Craig’s attention so Quinn took hold of Dina’s arm and pulled her away from her husband. “I’ll take your wife and get something to eat first. We’ll see you in a few hours.”
Forty-five minutes later, she and Dina, now chattering and happy, walked into the brand new spa. Women’s voices filled the place. Soft music filtered unobtrusively through the conversation, mingling with the scent of coffee and incense. Jacob had managed to maintain the hominess that their ranch was famous for, but add in pure luxury. Quinn relaxed just being there.
Alexis Roundtree, the manager of the spa, came out from the office to greet the newcomers. “Has Hell frozen over or did pigs start to fly?”
“Dina is here to be pampered. I want her to get the works,” Quinn told the woman. She’d known Alexis forever. In fact Jacob and Alexis had dated briefly in high school before s
he left the state to get a degree in business management. Now she was a married mother of three, living over in Salem.
Alexis nodded and called for Bridget, one of the employees who came and led Dina away. Once alone, Quinn leaned against the counter. “I want it on me.”
“Not a problem. And what are you going to have done? Massage? Facial? Manicure? Maybe a pedicure?”
“I think I’ll settle for a magazine in the waiting room.”
Alexis chuckled. “I think not. No, we have an opening in about five minutes. I think I have just the thing to make you stunning, not that it’s a long way to go. But you get too much sun.”
“Please no,” Quinn protested, but she lost the battle before it began. Five minutes later she sat in a comfortable, reclining chair, a glass of white wine in her hand, and a young woman named Renee removing the braid from her hair. Quinn closed her eyes as Renee worked on her skin. Her nostrils filled with the scent of pineapples from the mysterious facial, but at that point, Quinn didn’t care what was being done. It felt so good, especially when Renee started to massage from her scalp right down to the tips of her fingers. Renee knew how to perform magic.
The hour ended much too soon, but Quinn was glad to head back to the cookout, refreshed and with a promise to return for whatever the spa was dishing out. Dina looked ten years younger and more relaxed. Pity she had to go back to Ted.
The band had already set up and now played lively country music from a small stage near the house. The women who had been at the spa earlier were back and the dancing had begun.
Quinn automatically searched for Craig and found him with Jacob, and another local, Nicole LeBlanc. A twinge of unwarranted jealousy poked at her. As nice as Nicole was, she was also tall and willowy and drop dead beautiful in a feminine way that reminded Quinn of Elise. She bet Nicole didn’t smell like horse on a regular basis.
“Come on,” she told Dina, dragging her eyes away from Craig. “Let’s go show you off. Maybe you can get your husband to dance.”
Dina’s transformation faded at the mention of her husband. Quinn would’ve kept her away from his company longer but when she caught sight of him it was clear Ted wasn’t pleased.
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