Chapter 15
Craig couldn’t have asked for a better day for this ride.
“There’s Quinn and Robby. Dad, can I go over and say hi?” Marisol had already mounted up and tugged on Sunny’s reins before Craig could answer. Bonnie followed closely on her dun gelding, Coyote, leaving Craig to his own devices. He couldn’t very well trot on over like the girls did. He’d bide his time, but he missed her, damn it. It had been nearly two days since he’d talked to her and for some reason it seemed more like two weeks. He’d have to wait even longer, while watching her with his brother.
Not that she looked too happy with his company. She had a stiff smile pasted on her face as she talked to him. Craig took some satisfaction in that at least. As Marisol approached her, Quinn’s face lit up. That was better. Her genuine smile brightened the already sunny day. When her eyes shifted across the ranch yard, he hoped she sought him out.
“Nice of you to join us.”
Jacob sat tall on a big Paint, grinning at Craig.
“Glad to be here.”
“You think you’re up for a two day ride? It’s been a long time.”
Craig mounted up so he was eye level with Jacob. “Think I can manage it,” he assured his friend, sure that Jacob was only kidding with him.
“Good to see you haven’t forgotten your roots in all these years.”
“You got quite a crowd here.”
“The more the merrier. I always seem to have more than just the ranch guests join in,” Jacob replied with a grin.
In twenty minutes they headed out, fourteen riders in all. Craig stayed back with Jacob helping where needed, but keeping an eye on Marisol and Bonnie. They were his first priority but he didn’t want to ride with them. They, no doubt, wouldn’t appreciate his presence. For a good part of the ride, they stuck close to Quinn, and when Robby joined them on occasion, both girls giggled behind their hands.
Well, this is fun, he thought, watching the woman he loved from a distance while his brother flirted shamelessly with her. To her credit, Quinn didn’t seem to enjoy his attentions and sent him on his way on several occasions.
By lunchtime, he’d had enough and rode up to her and the girls.
“Thought you’d never join us.” Quinn dismounted and grinned up at him. “How’s it going back there?”
Craig glanced back. He’d been involved in a conversation about the comparisons between deep-sea fishing and cattle driving with a forty-year-old man from Portland, Maine for the past hour. Interesting, but he gladly escaped. “Going fine. Thanks for taking care of the girls.”
“I don’t think they’re paying too much attention to me.” With a laugh, Quinn nodded toward another guest, a boy he figured to be about thirteen.
“Great,” he muttered. “Thought I had a few years before I had to worry about that.”
“Oh, Craig, you have so much to learn. I think the girls are going to have lunch on their own. Would you like to join me?”
Everyone ate their lunch; simple fare of sandwiches, fruit, chips and water, picnic style on blankets spread out over the grass. Marisol and Bonnie sat further away from Craig, heads together as they continued to giggle and sneak looks at the boy who sat with his parents. Just ignore it. There were enough eyes here, nothing could possibly happen. He couldn’t possibly disapprove of a bit of mooning. In fact, he’d spent the better part of the morning doing much the same.
He turned his attention to Quinn. She sat cross-legged facing him. They kept enough space between them so he couldn’t easily reach out and touch her without anyone noticing, so he kept his hands to himself and instead enjoyed looking at her.
The trail had left a light coating of dust on her face and wisps of hair floated in a cool breeze, yet she looked fresh and happy. She’s in her element.
She was a rare woman, he decided. He knew a lot of women who grew up on ranches around here, but out of all of them, Quinn stood out. No one threw themselves as joyously into the work like she did, and that included a lot of men he knew. No, most of the girls he grew up with were content to running the home while their men took care of the land and animals, or looked forward to leaving the prairie behind for something more exciting.
Like Elise. She had planned her escape for years, with or without him. The realization wasn’t shocking, but he did feel a little guilty. It wasn’t nice to think of her decisions in such cold terms, but when he got right down to it, it was true. It didn’t make him love her any less, because that’s just the woman, the girl, he’d fallen in love with, and he didn’t regret that he’d been able to help her into the life she wanted.
What would Elise think of Quinn? Of his feelings for her? Back in the old days, he knew Elise barely tolerated Quinn, and now he realized why. One girl to another, Elise was probably well aware of Quinn’s crush. Had she felt threatened by Quinn? No, that was crazy. Quinn had only been a little kid. How could she have been jealous?
“You look concerned about something. Everything okay?”
Quinn’s voice brought him out of these weird thoughts. He refocused on her face and smiled.
“Fine. Just thinking. How far are we riding today?”
“We’ll stop around four. Chuck wagon and tents are set up east on James Hightower’s property, right next to Sweet Grass Creek.”
“You’re going to have a bunch of sore riders,” he indicated a small group already rubbing their lower backs and legs.
“Hey, now there’s an idea. Alexis should have her own little wagon with a massage table from the spa. Whoa, I’m going to suggest that for next year.” Quinn reached out and patted Craig on his knee. “Awesome job. That would bound to be a moneymaker.”
“Got room for two more?”
Craig glanced up. Robby and the female wrangler he’d been chatting up earlier, stood at the edge of their blanket. Quinn nodded and scooted over so she sat closer to Craig. He didn’t miss the way Robby’s eyes narrowed or his mouth tightened, but his face cleared quickly and he took a seat next to her, leaving the girl to fill the spot between him and Craig.
“How you holding out, old man?” Robby asked.
“Doing fine, thanks.”
“Good. Thought maybe the break from riding was taking its toll.”
Craig noted the small smile at the corner of Robby’s mouth. What was he up to? Trying to make him look bad?
“Like riding a bike.”
Robby nodded and then glanced away, his attention drawn to Quinn. “Glad you came along.”
Craig watched the way his brother’s demeanor changed, the way Robby leaned toward her and the way his smile grew. To her credit, Quinn kept her eyes on her lunch. Robby probably expected her to gaze at him through adoring eyes. The only thing Quinn seemed interested in was her sandwich. “I try not to miss these rides,” she replied.
“Still, with Emerald to take care of, seems like you’ve got your hands full.”
“Scott and Tom are handling everything while I’m gone. They’re completely competent.”
Robby nodded. “Good kid. Hey, sorry I left in kind of a hurry yesterday morning. I didn’t even get a chance to thank you for breakfast.”
If looks could kill, Robby would’ve been deader than a squashed bug under the heel of Quinn’s dusty boot. Her head jerked up and she shot him a hot glare.
What the hell was he talking about? Breakfast? He looked from her to Robby. A lazy smile slid over his brother’s face that told him he was playing troublemaker, and whatever happened between them probably wasn’t anywhere near as dramatic or alluring as Robby wanted everyone to think.
“I was cooking anyway. Try driving drunk anywhere around here again and I’ll call the cops instead of letting you sleep on the sofa.”
Craig chuckled. His brother made himself quite the target of Quinn’s ire. As if he would’ve gotten any other kind of reaction. She rose, grabbed the saddlebags on the grass next to her and stalked off.
“Good going,” Craig said, looking straight at his brother. “
You ever going to give up on her?”
Robby grimaced and took a bite out of his sandwich but didn’t reply.
Craig shook his head. What would happen when little brother found out about his relationship with Quinn?
***
She’d done this ride with Jacob’s group nearly every year since Long Knife Creek Ranch took shape as a dude ranch. She’d even take time out of her school schedule if need be. The only time she’d missed was the previous year because she’d been touring Europe.
She never thought she’d actually regret coming along.
Just what in the world was Robby trying to do? Did he know there was something going on between her and Craig? Or maybe it was a subtle way of marking his territory, so to speak. Trying to insinuate he’d spent the night, that something actually happened between the two of them. In her mind she came up with several colorful expletives, but she behaved and kept them to herself. No one needed her swearing like a drunken sailor.
She stayed clear of Robby, and even Craig for the rest of the day, helping with the guests when needed, not saying much of anything. She felt Craig’s eyes on her throughout most of the afternoon, but there was an unspoken agreement not to ride together. What a damned way to spend the day.
When this ride ended, she and Craig would have to let people know they were dating. Not that they would announce they were sleeping together or even that they were in love. Just that they were dating. Everything else they could work up to slowly, especially where Marisol was concerned.
In another half hour, they reached the camp next to a bend in the creek. The chuck wagon, which resembled an old-fashioned covered wagon but was actually a high tech kitchen, well, as high tech as a traveling kitchen could be, waited for them. Thea prepared dinner for the hungry riders. Seven sleeping tents had been set up surrounding the makings for a big bonfire. On the outskirts of the ring stood two portable bathrooms, which came complete with a men’s and women’s shower.
When they rode into camp, Quinn watched her brother break away from the group and dismount. He was quick to get to work, making sure everything was in order and all the guest’s needs were met.
Instead of seeking out Craig’s company, she went to check on Marisol and Bonnie. After Marisol briefly gushed over the ride and complained about her sore rear, the two girls plunged into girl talk, which centered on the boy who stayed close to his parents. Quinn felt like a fifth wheel with the two ten-year-olds, so she said goodbye and moved on.
Finally, she ended up seeking out Thea to see if she could lend a hand.
“Okay, Quinn, what’s eating you?” Thea didn’t pause as she set up the folding tables for dinner.
“Nothing’s eating me.”
Thea chuckled. “Yeah, right. You look darker than a storm cloud. I know you well enough to know it’s not you. So which brother is it? Craig or Robby?”
“I’d like to throttle Robby. Why are men so stupid?”
The cook laughed. “Not all men are stupid, hon. Now, in the case of Robby, well you could always look at it as him having good taste. Right?”
Quinn pulled a face. She didn’t look at it that way at all. “Trying to talk sense into him is like beating my head up against a wall. I’ve told him every way possible that it’s over between us. He won’t let it go and I’m damned, sorry, I’m tired of it,” Quinn muttered, and grabbed a pile of forks and started to lay them out.
“Is Robby the only reason why you’re so glum? I’d think this ride would have cheered you up. Especially with Craig to gaze at.”
Quinn bumped Thea with her shoulder. “Shh. Please don’t announce it. No one knows.”
“You’ll have to do something about that.”
“Not here, not now.”
“How serious are you two?”
She glanced behind her to make sure Jacob was nowhere near. “Pretty serious. I know it’s not such a hot idea sneaking around like this, but some people wouldn’t much like the idea.”
“Like who? Marisol? Your brother? Robby? Listen, Jacob is a big boy, he’ll handle it. He might get all protective and maybe a little weirded out by the age difference, but that won’t last. Not if you’re really happy. Craig is a good man. As for Robby, well, he’ll get over it. He may try to convince you he’s the one for you, but you know as well as I that that boy is as fickle as they come. Marisol is the only one you have to take care for. I don’t think she’d appreciate it to find out you two are ‘serious’ about each other after the fact.”
Such good advice. And true. “I’m going to tell Craig after this ride we need to come clean with her. At least get her used to the idea he and I want to date. Not that we’re already dating. I’m just not used to this. Believe it or not I can count the number of serious boyfriends I’ve had on one hand.”
“You’re young yet. If this is meant to be, then it’ll happen. If not, well, there’s plenty of time to find the man of your dreams.”
“My, you’re quite the romantic. I never had much use for the emotion, but now I can see it’s not all that bad. Don’t repeat that. I have a reputation to keep up.”
Thea held up her hand. “Promise. Your secret is safe with me.”
“You’re a goddess amongst mere mortals.”
When night fell and the remnants of dinner cleaned up, Robby and Lance started up the bonfire in the pit at the center of the ring of tents. Quinn watched as Marisol and Bonnie went off to sit as close to the one boy in the group as they could without being overly conspicuous. Not that the boy was oblivious. Quinn couldn’t decide if the kid enjoyed the girls’ attention or was extremely uncomfortable with it. Probably a bit of both.
“So much for some father daughter bonding,” Craig said with a sigh when Quinn passed by him on her way to give the horses one last check for the night.
She paused and with the growing dark masking them, she got closer than she had been all day. Her fingers trailed against the back of his hand, and her arm brushed his. Slowly she inhaled and savored his scent, a mix of dust from the trail, horse, and a trace of cologne she couldn’t identify. Just what a man should smell like in her perfect world.
“Get used to it, Dad,” she told him. “It only gets worse from here. Females are bolder in pairs. So I hear.”
“You didn’t stalk unsuspecting boys when you were ten? In packs with other ten year olds?”
“No, I started my stalking when I was five, until around the time I turned ten. And I did it alone.”
Craig looked down at her. It was too dark to see the expression in his eyes. “Their loss.”
“No, probably not.”
“I need some time with you. Even if it’s a few minutes. After Marisol and Bonnie go to bed.”
The mere sound of his whispered words sent sparks through her body, kick starting her heart and sending it into a flurry. Just the idea of a few stolen moments sent thrills spiraling through her. “You sure it’s a good idea?”
“You think it’s a good idea spending two days together pretending we’re only friends?”
“True. I can’t do it much longer. We’ve got to tell people, Craig. I don’t want to hide this anymore. When we get back tomorrow.”
Craig caressed her hand with the back of his. “Okay. But meet me tonight. Just for a few minutes.”
Waiting for that moment proved painful and even though unwarranted, she felt like every eye was on her. Craig sat with Jacob, and the couple Craig spoke to earlier in the day. Robby hung out with Lance, so she sat with Becky. She and Becky had been friends for years and Quinn saw no reason to let Robby come between that. So, Becky had a thing for him. Maybe Robby would grow up and pay attention to that fact.
With the reflection of flames dancing on faces around the bonfire, she glanced at Craig. To his credit, he seemed involved in the conversation with Jacob and the couple. She, on the other hand, teetered on the edge of knife sharp anticipation.
In the distance, along the horizon, lightning flickered like the flames from the bonfire. Hea
t lightning? Jacob had made sure no inclement weather was headed their way before they embarked on their ride. The last thing they needed was to be caught in a thunderstorm. In the event a storm should head their way, Long Knife Creek Ranch trucks would pick up the guests and bring them back to the ranch, and the horses would be brought to Hightower’s ranch. Thus far, the night remained cool and comfortable and, except for the lightning, there were no tell tale signs of rain. Still, it wasn’t unheard of for a storm to sneak up over the prairie. Jacob, despite the attention he gave his guests, would be paying attention to the conditions around them as well.
About an hour later, Marisol and Bonnie said goodnight and disappeared into their tent. Despite the fact she longed to take a sleeping bag and spend the night outdoors under the vast blanket of stars, Quinn had her stuff in the tent she shared with Becky and Thea, but she did not intend to retire early. Quinn held a cup of coffee and counted down the moment until she could sneak off and meet Craig.
That would happen when Robby disappeared into the tent he and Lance shared. If only that would happen soon. With each passing moment, she grew more and more antsy, more hyped. She stole glances at Craig and admired the way the glow of flames danced over his face. His hands gripped his own mug of coffee and she could’ve sworn his knuckles looked a bit white. Was his anticipation building as much as hers?
Thea wished everyone goodnight and not long after Becky disappeared into their tent. That left Robby, Lance, Jacob, the couple, Craig, and her. Man, this sneaking off would be more difficult than she realized.
When Robby finally gave up, she breathed a sigh of relief. A partial one. Casually, she got up and wandered over to the chuck wagon to see if there was any coffee left. Standing on the edge of the firelight, she could easily slip into the darkness, walk to the paddock and wait for Craig to be able to slip away.
Man, what a way to act. Like a couple of kids sneaking around behind their parents’ backs. Only for another day or two. Then Craig could officially start courting her and they wouldn’t have to meet in dark places for a few stolen moments. They could fall in love in public.
Sweet and Wild Page 18