Raleigh And The Rancher (Wranglers & Lace #3)

by Laura Anthony

  He groaned and slipped an arm around her waist. He pressed his lips to her ear. “Say yes, Raleigh.”

  She whimpered. His masculine scent aroused her. His lips tempted. His daring gaze met hers, stark and knowing. She felt overwhelmed, as if he could read the secrets of her very soul.

  “I won’t kiss you without your permission. Say yes.”

  When he pulled her closer, she didn’t resist. Instead she welcomed his embrace, enveloping herself in the intimate contact like a child sinking into a feather bed.

  “Yes,” she whispered, trembling.

  Their lips joined, fused. She tasted his warm, moist mintiness. She inhaled the scent of autumn clinging to his skin.

  “Oh, sweetheart.” He sighed. Desire rampaged through him with the force of stampeding horses. Undiluted passion spilled from her lips. He felt the sizzling current, pure and electric, complete the circuit they’d created. Sharp, aching need rose in him and he realized no one but Raleigh could ever quench this particular thirst.

  She lifted her hands and, for one instant, he feared she might push him away, but instead her arms encircled his neck, drawing him closer. At last, he’d broken through to her. At last, she surrendered to him.

  As the kiss deepened, Dan felt his restraint slip. She moaned delicately into his mouth. He absorbed her noise, savored it. Cupping the back of her head in the palm of his hand, he held her close, exploring every nook and cranny of her exquisite haven.

  Finally he tugged his lips from hers and mined a path of well-placed kisses down the length of her long neck. She wove her fingers through his dark hair and sighed her pleasure.

  Dan experienced a desperate need to see her eyes, to read her emotions, to understand how she felt. Pulling back, he cupped her precious face in his hands.

  The woman who stared back at him was no longer the stubborn, bristly female farrier he’d first hired. In her place stood a softhearted, vulnerable young woman who badly needed his love.

  “Raleigh,” he said, “I could hold you forever.”

  In an instant the old Raleigh returned, a veiled, hunted look clouding her eyes. Her hands trembled. She pushed hard against his chest.

  “Stop,” she cried.

  “What’s wrong? What did I say?”

  Twisting from his grasp, she leapt away. What on earth had she been thinking? She staggered back to the truck, anxious to distance herself from Daniel McClintock and his bewitching kisses. Had she lost her ever-loving mind? She must be crazy—mad! What had come over her? She’d never behaved so irrationally in her entire life.

  Raleigh shrank back against the pickup as Dan approached her. The chilled metal beneath her thin cotton blouse sent goose bumps racing up her spine. Dan appeared confused—and small wonder. One minute she ran hot as the town floozy. The next minute, colder than a blue norther. Her heart fluttered; she puffed like a marathoner running that last mile.

  “Raleigh? What’s wrong? What did I do to frighten you?”

  “This is insane.”

  “Sweetheart, if what I’m feeling for you is insanity, then I want to be crazy forever.”

  “Don’t call me sweetheart.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “Take me home,” she said.

  Fumbling open the door, she hopped inside and buried her face in her hands. She forced herself to take slow, deep breaths. Just when things were going smoothly, Dan had spoiled everything by kissing her. No, she thought miserably. That wasn’t true. She was as much to blame. More so. She’d allowed it, encouraged him.

  Need burned in her, ripe and raw, provoking feelings she’d thought lost for good. Feelings of gentleness, hope and longing. Serious feelings that scared her.

  Her bottom lip trembled. Raleigh lifted a hand to her mouth, softly fingering the tender flesh so recently branded by Dan’s fiery signature.

  She registered Dan slipping behind the wheel and starting the truck. He cleared his throat but said nothing.

  Turbulent inner emotions disturbed her so deeply, Raleigh couldn’t bear to look at him for fear she might do or say something she would regret.

  What to do? She couldn’t escape the inevitable consequences of their kiss. She wanted him physically. Period. It was that simple and that complicated.

  If she stayed at the ranch, sooner or later she would succumb to these feelings and submit her body to him. She knew it as surely as birds migrate south for the winter.

  Distracted, she closed her eyes and willed her mind to think clearly. Silence engulfed them. Acutely conscious of Dan’s raspy breathing, Raleigh found her own chest rising and falling in perfect accompaniment to his labored rhythm.

  Oh, this was too awful. How could she continue to live at the ranch after this? She’d made a tragic error in agreeing to come on this ill-fated date.

  On the other hand, how could she afford to leave? Especially now. She had nowhere else to turn, no place to live, no other job. Besides, Dan needed her. That much was obvious.

  But if she stayed, she’d be opening herself up to the very real possibility of greater pain and suffering. She couldn’t survive another lost love. Not again. She absolutely refused to fall in love with Daniel McClintock.

  Raleigh stared unseeingly out the window, her mind locked in a morass of quandary and indecision. Was it possible to give her body to him without involving her heart? Could she surrender physically while remaining emotionally detached?

  The idea both excited and disgusted her, to think she was capable of using him like that. But then, she’d never before experienced such strong sensual yearnings, hadn’t realized such passion existed. Even Jack hadn’t been able to arouse her the way Daniel McClintock could.

  “Raleigh?” Dan asked, his voice tight with cracking tension.

  “Yes?”

  “You’re not thinking about leaving the ranch over this, are you?”

  “I don’t know,” she answered honestly.

  “Please,” he said. “Look at me.”

  Raleigh turned her head, found herself looking up into his dark, shining eyes, and then she knew. The sexual force brewing between them was as destructive and inescapable as a relentless tidal wave.

  “I need you. I don’t know if I can make a go of the ranch without you,” he whispered.

  In that long, suspense-filled moment, Raleigh made her decision. She would stay at the ranch and let the horseshoes fall where they may.

  Chapter Seven

  They decided to have an autumn fling. It would be a combination barbecue, barn dance and hayride designed to welcome in the fall season and promote the ranch in the community.

  They printed up flyers and took out advertising. Raleigh contacted churches, schools and civic groups, while Dan hired a well-known local country-and-western band, as well as a caterer from Abilene. The plan was to charge ten dollars a person and offer the biggest, blowout harvest party ever to hit Callaghan County.

  After that memorable kiss on the night she and Dan went to Abilene, Raleigh had once again put their relationship on a purely professional footing. She became totally absorbed in preparations for the party, giving Dan little opportunity to corner her.

  Confused by the powerful emotions struggling within her, she threw herself into her work, starting her busy day at 5:00 a.m. and collapsing into bed after 10:00 p.m. But despite her exhausting schedule, she couldn’t stop herself from thinking about Dan and the seductive way he cocked his cowboy hat back on his head, or his self-confident swagger, or his rich masculine scent of leather and woodsmoke.

  He even visited her dreams, haunting her, teasing her, causing her to wake in the middle of the night lonely and aching for the comfort of his arms.

  There was no escaping the man now. She’d promised to help him raise money for the ranch and Raleigh Travers was a woman of her word. Her safest bet lay in making the best of the situation and keeping her erotic fantasies on a very tight leash. With any luck, she could get through this uncertain period in her life with her heart unscathed.r />
  The Saturday of the party dawned crisp and clear. Delighted with the good weather, Raleigh hopped out of bed nervous and excited. Dressing quickly, she hurried to move the horses to the back pasture so she, Pete and Caleb could scrub down the barn before the band and caterers arrived that afternoon.

  They’d readied the tractor-trailer rig for the hayride yesterday, and scattered the ranch with pumpkins, hay bales, lanterns and brightly colored streamers.

  Dan had cordoned off an area for parking, and constructed a ticket booth for the cakewalk and bingo games they planned. Pete and Caleb erected dozens of picnic tables on the tennis court slab and installed Porta Potties to meet their guests’ requirements.

  Fay Walton had also volunteered to help with the festivities, even closing the diner for the day so she could participate. She arrived just after dawn, wearing a smile and carrying a box of doughnuts.

  “You look fantastic,” Fay told Raleigh, handing her a strawberry Danish. “Working out here suits you much better than slinging hash.”

  “Thanks,” Raleigh replied, taking a bite of the sweet pastry. If only Fay knew the truth.

  “She does look great, doesn’t she?” Dan said, grinning. He joined them beside the barn, toting a broom and shovel in his hands.

  Raleigh blushed. Looking away, she avoided Fay’s inquisitive stare. She knew all of Clyde was speculating about her relationship with Daniel McClintock, but she refused to satisfy their curiosity. They wouldn’t believe her, anyway.

  “Fay,” Dan said, “I’m putting you in charge of the caterers. If you’ll follow me, I’ll show you around.”

  Breathing a sigh of relief at their departure, Raleigh finished her pastry, dusted her fingers on the seat of her pants, and pulled on a pair of work gloves. She retrieved the shovel Dan had discarded and busied herself scooping horse droppings from the barn floor.

  Hard work never bothered her, nor the pungent aroma of horses. Chester stayed at her side and several times she had to shoo the bothersome dog out the door. By the time Dan returned with Pete and Caleb, she’d halfway completed the task.

  “Hold on,” Dan said, resting a hand on her shoulder. “You don’t have to tackle this alone.”

  His touch caused her heart to roller coaster in her chest. Forcefully, she struggled to keep her expression impassive.

  “Take a break.” His gloved hand closed over hers and he pried the shovel from her grasp.

  Her mouth went dry; her stomach tingled. She shouldn’t have eaten that Danish, she thought, trying lamely to explain her body’s reaction to the intensity of Dan’s steady gaze. No matter how much she might prefer to deny it, even being near the man made her weak-kneed and addle brained.

  Blindly she grabbed for the push broom leaning against the wall, and shoved it across the barn floor toward the open door.

  Dan bent over to pick up some collected debris and to her abject horror, Raleigh found herself eyeing his firm backside. Everything he did, every move he made, created electric friction inside her.

  The ensuing hours were pure torture as they worked side by side. She’d glance over and see his sinewy muscles rippling beneath his shirt or his tanned forearms bunching like coiled wire. His manly vigor entranced her, in spite of her vow to remain cool and detached.

  They finished cleaning the barn at noon. Fay carried a platter full of sandwiches to the patio and called to them that lunch was ready.

  Turning to wash up at the outdoor sink, Raleigh crashed full-on into Dan’s chest. Flustered, she jumped back, stumbling over a feed bucket.

  “Whoa, there,” Dan said, putting out an arm to steady her. His deep voice echoed in the confines of the empty barn. Raleigh felt dizzy, disoriented. Closing her eyes briefly, she swallowed hard.

  “You okay?” he asked.

  “Fine. Fine,” she mumbled, stepping up to the sink, shedding her work gloves and vigorously soaping her hands.

  Dan stood next to her, unmoving. Why wouldn’t he go away? She could feel the warmth of his breath on the top of her head. Shivering, she shifted to one side. His closeness affected her irrationally.

  “Place looks real nice,” he observed, surveying the barn over his shoulder. “And you deserve most of the credit.”

  Dan noticed she held her shoulders stiff and her head high in that proud, defensive manner of hers. What would it take to break down her barriers? That night by the lake he thought his kisses had chiseled a tiny chink in her protective armor. Had he been wrong?

  What would it take to get through to her? Would she ever learn to trust? For the millionth time he wondered what had happened to her in the past to make her rebuff him at every opportunity.

  After their magical, spellbinding date, Dan had believed things would be different between them, but he’d been wrong. If anything, Raleigh seemed more unapproachable than ever, withdrawing into her work, keeping him at bay, avoiding interaction with him as much as possible. Her response saddened and perplexed him.

  She stalked across the yard to the house, and Dan followed her with his eyes, admiring her springy purposeful step, appreciating her trademark braid, approving of her tight, compact caboose. Sexual hunger chewed at him, instant and intense.

  Damn, but the woman did dangerous things to him. Well, Miss Raleigh Travers had been denying her needs too long. Tonight, at the party, Dan was determined to dance with her and snuggle against her on the hayride whether she wanted him to or not. He’d kept his distance before, but now it was time he took charge and made her face her feelings and the troublesome past that prevented her from enjoying the present.

  Sighing, Dan joined the others on the patio. They ate ham sandwiches and drank lemonade. He’d hoped to sit next to Raleigh, but somehow she’d managed to maneuver Caleb between them.

  “All the kids at school are talking about the party,” Caleb said. “I think it’s going to be a big success.”

  “I hope so,” Dan responded.

  “Maybe we could turn the barn into a haunted house for Halloween and charge admission. What do you think, Dan?” The boy grinned, obviously eager for male approval.

  “Why, I think that’s an excellent idea, don’t you, Raleigh?” Dan asked.

  “Huh?” Raleigh replied, distracted from her reverie. Looking up from her plate, she found Caleb, Dan, Pete and Fay all staring at her.

  “Caleb thought we could turn the barn into a haunted house for Halloween. I think it’s a great idea,” Dan repeated, raising an eyebrow in her direction.

  “It would take a lot of work,” Raleigh mused. “And money.”

  Dan draped his arm across Caleb’s shoulders, and Raleigh experienced a jealous twinge at their obvious friendship.

  Since she and her brother had moved into the log cabin, Caleb and Dan had formed a great camaraderie. Often, in the evenings, Caleb would slip off to the big house and play video games or watch action-adventure movies on Dan’s VCR.

  And she had to admit, Dan was good for the boy. He took Caleb horseback riding and talked to him man-to-man. Her brother confided in Dan, admitting hopes and fears he would never have verbalized to her. Dan had even taught Caleb how to drive Pete’s old work truck around the ranch perimeters. Their budding relationship had deepened to the point where Raleigh felt a little shut out.

  “Trust sis to be practical,” Raleigh heard Caleb whisper to Dan. “She never has any fun.”

  His words hit her with the cold slap of truth. Her stomach knotted. She didn’t have fun. Hadn’t in a long time. Hard work and responsibility at a young age prevented it. She was boring and practical and staid.

  Raleigh got up from the picnic table, wadding her empty paper plate in her hand. She tossed it in a nearby trash can, and tried hard to breathe past the lump in her throat. Aware of everyone’s gaze upon her, she faked nonchalance. Taking her sunglasses from her front shirt pocket, she slipped them on to disguise the hurt in her eyes.

  “Looks like the caterers are here,” she said coolly, pointing at the driveway.

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nbsp; The group broke up. Fay and Dan went to deal with the caterers, while Pete, Raleigh and Caleb started decorating the barn.

  They filled brightly colored balloons with helium and watched them bob gracefully to the ceiling. They hung orange and brown crepe-paper streamers and tacked a large Welcome banner across the front of the barn. They placed yellow tablecloths on the picnic tables and added bouquets of fall flowers.

  Two hours later the band arrived, along with some high school students Dan had hired to take tickets and direct traffic. It was after five o’clock by the time Raleigh trudged to the log cabin to clean up and change for the party.

  Indulging herself, she took a leisurely bath instead of her usual shower. It helped her to relax, and if she was going to survive this night, she needed to be as peaceful as possible. She twisted her hair into an elegant French knot, and dressed in a blue gingham dress she’d bought the day before. Dabbing on a light dusting of makeup, she added a squirt of lilac cologne before stepping outside into the noisy hubbub.

  The McKary Brothers band tuned up, vibrating the air with melodious chords. Chester streaked through the exercise yard, tongue hanging out, while Caleb unfolded lawn chairs around the patio.

  Near the tennis courts, the caterers had started grilling; a bossy chef carefully orchestrated the project. Delicious smells greeted her nose. Hot dogs and sausages lined one grill, ribs and brisket roasted on another, while a third held sizzling hamburgers.

  Card tables sagged beneath the weight of potato salad, coleslaw, fruit compotes, relish trays and vats of baked beans. To one side, six ice-cream makers toiled diligently, grinding salty ice into delectable frozen treats.

  Raleigh scanned the gathering crowd, searching for Dan’s tall figure. Where was he? she wondered, feeling lost without his steady support.

  Dodging extension cords and other equipment, Raleigh picked her way across the yard to the barn. Nervousness tightened her gut. She hated crowds, rarely socialized, and always felt inept at parties. She turned to flee back to the safety of her cabin but found Dan blocking her way.