“What?” Trisha hopped off the bale of hay, brushing off her butt.
“It has nothing to do with how much you weigh.” She raised both eyebrows urging her to get it. When Trisha’s eyebrows rose as well, Cindy snorted. “Girl, if you’d both been naked…”
Trisha sucked her bottom lip in her mouth, her face turning beet red. “I’m ready to leave now,” she finally said. “I can be packed in five seconds.”
“You couldn’t pay me a million dollars to leave now.” Cindy wrapped her arm around Trisha, leading her out of the barn.
The only response from Trisha was a groan.
*
Lunch had been an embarrassing ordeal, dinner hadn’t been much better, and now sitting at the table with Jeb and Cindy, she just wished she could disappear into her cabin. Jake hadn’t said much to her after lunch while they finished the stalls. She kept wanting to say something to him, but what in the hell was she going to say? ‘Oh, excuse me, Jake. I’m so sorry I straddled you.’ Just wasn’t going to get it.
Honestly, she didn’t know why he was acting strangely toward her. He was the one who pulled her off the hay. She didn’t hop on him like a sex-craved lunatic.
“How about a game of pool?” Hank walked up to their table.
Trisha grimaced. Just the thought of moving was painful. “Sorry, Hank.” She tried to change her grimace to a smile, but failed miserably. Hank was a really nice guy. She and Cindy had gotten to know him a little better during lunch. “I’m pretty sore and wiped out.”
“I was hoping you’d help me on my bank shot,” Hank teased, and to everyone’s surprise, he started massaging Trisha’s shoulders.
“You don’t have to do that, Hank,” Trisha moaned, her head dropping forward, giving him easier access. “But I’m sure glad you are. That feels awesome.”
“Me next.” Cindy laughed when Trisha moaned again.
“Hank.” Jake walked up, his voice hard, his stare even harder as he stared at Hank’s hands on Trisha. “Maggie needs you down at the main house.”
“I was just down there a half an hour ago.” Hank looked surprised, but then quickly took his hands off Trisha. “Oh, okay. Well, I’ll go see what Maggie needs.”
“You do that,” Jake all but growled. A few men who were sitting at the table next to theirs got up and left. After Hank left, Jake slammed a jar down next to Trisha. “This should help with your soreness.”
Trisha frowned up at him, wondering why the hell he was so angry. She picked up the jar looking at it. “Thanks.”
“Just rub it where you’re sore.” Jake nodded at the jar. “It works.” He turned to walk away.
“Why don’t you rub it on—” Cindy started to call out after him, but Trisha smacked her arm. “Ouch! That hurt.”
“Good.” Trisha stood with the jar. “I’m going to bed.”
“Well, aren’t you just loads of fun?” Cindy frowned, tossing a peanut at her.
Trisha didn’t say anything other than goodbye to Jeb and a sneer at Cindy. Man, she was really sore. Glancing down at the jar, she sure hoped it did work, and secretly, she did wish Jake would rub… Okay, she was more tired than she thought. Quickly glancing his way, she hurried out the door before she was loopy enough to actually ask him to help her.
*
“What?” Jake sat down with a beer next to Tim. When Tim didn’t say anything, but continued to stare, Jake leaned back in his chair taking a long draw of his beer. “Don’t we have a rule about workers touching guests?”
“No, don’t think so.” Tim tried to hide his grin behind his own beer.
“Well, we should,” Jake grumbled, letting the legs of his chair slam on the floor.
That did it. Tim laughed loudly, gaining attention from others around them. “Poor bastard.” He shook his head.
“Just say what you mean, dammit.” Jake glared at him, already knowing what he was going to say.
“Okay.” Tim nodded, setting down his beer. “You saw Hank’s hands on Trisha Summers and it drove you crazy, so you lied and told him Mom needed him at the main house.”
“Shit.” Jake drank the rest of his beer down. “That obvious, huh?”
“Pretty sure Hank got the hint, as did some of the other boys.” Tim cocked his eyebrow up. “I’m sure it will be all over the ranch by tonight, if it’s not already. These cowboys gab worse than a bunch of old women at a bingo hall.”
“Shit,” Jake repeated. “It’s not fucking funny, Tim. I’ve never felt this way before. I mean I’ve felt this way before, but not exactly. Goddammit!” Jake’s frustration flew out of his mouth.
“You actually really like her, don’t you?” Tim’s grin faded.
“Yeah, but I just met her; yet, I wanted to kill one of our best ranch hands over her. I know nothing about her and…ah hell, I don’t know.” Jake tapped his empty beer bottle on the table. “Maybe I should just get drunk as hell, find some bar chick, and get this out of my system.”
“I felt the same way about Rebecca the first time I saw her,” Tim reflected sadly. Seeing the look of disgust on Jake’s face, he sighed. “I know you hate her because she left me after the accident, but you shouldn’t. I don’t. I understand why she did it.”
“Yeah, so do I,” Jake sneered. “She’s a selfish bitch.”
“Who can blame her for not wanting to spend the rest of her life with a cripple?” A hint of bitterness tinged Tim’s voice.
“Bullshit. You’re no more a cripple than I am.” Jake slammed his hand on the table. “Just because you limp doesn’t make you a cripple, brother.”
“Let’s just change the subject.” Tim shifted uncomfortably in his chair. “Every time we talk about Rebecca, we end up fighting.”
Jake agreed with a nod, but he wouldn’t budge on his opinion of Tim’s ex. She was a selfish bitch. He glanced over to where Cindy sat. “Looks like Sam’s back.” Jake frowned, watching Sam work his magic on Cindy. “Someone should warn her about him.”
“They’ll probably make a great couple.” Tim glanced over his shoulder. Sam Burton was a bonafide woman user. He got what he wanted then he was long gone. “She seems like the type of woman who can take care of herself.”
“Maybe.” Jake stood. “Guess I’ll be getting out of here. It’s been a hell of a day, and with the rodeo coming up, the days are going to get longer.”
Tim waited until Jake took a couple of steps. “Hey, Jake.” He waited until Jake turned to face him. “Take a chance with her. It might be worth it.”
Glancing away from his brother, he nodded before he continued out the door. “I might just do that,” he said to himself once he was outside. “And she would definitely be worth it.”
Chapter Seven
Trisha had just drifted off to sleep when Cindy slammed into the room. “Trisha!” Cindy shook the bed. “You awake?”
“No,” Trisha growled, pulling the covers over her head.
Cindy ripped the covers off her. “Ha-ha!”
Prying her eyes open, she glared at Cindy. “I was almost asleep, Cindy. Do you have any idea how long I laid here in pain before I fell asleep?”
“You are never going to believe what happened.” Cindy squealed, shaking the bed.
“You found the love of your life.” Trisha kicked out at her. “And if you shake this bed one more time, I’m going to kick your ass.” Cindy frowned as if hurt by Trisha’s threat.
“How did you know?” Cindy really did look disappointed.
“The only thing that gets you this excited is some hot piece of ass,” Trisha replied with a huge sigh, knowing she wasn’t going to get any sleep until Cindy got this out of her system. “So come on and tell me all about your cowboy in shining chaps.”
Cindy squealed again as she grabbed her nightgown, running to the bathroom talking a mile a minute. “So, after you left tonight, this gorgeous guy came in with a bunch of other cowboys. His name is Sam Burton. He’s been at another ranch helping them out. That’s why he wasn’t here yesterday.”
“But that’s not the best part.” She pranced into the room in her red slinky nightgown. “He asked me out to dinner tomorrow night. Can you believe it? I’m going out with a real cowboy.”
“That’s great, Cindy.” Trisha repeated, her eyes closing. She was so tired. Obviously, Cindy didn’t work hard today, either that or she was superwoman.
“Are you sure you don’t mind? I mean, I did say no men, but he’s so cute.” Cindy started to shake the bed, but stopped when Trisha growled.
“If I say I don’t care, can I go back to sleep?” Trisha moaned when she tried to turn over. The stuff Jake gave her helped some, but damn, her shoulders and neck were on fire.
“Yes,” Cindy said slowly in anticipation.
“I don’t care.” Trisha sighed, ready for Cindy to shut her trap so she could slip into a deep sleep.
“Are you sure?” Cindy said close to her ear.
“Oh, my God!” Trisha turned too quickly causing pain to shoot through her body. “If you don’t go to bed, I swear I’m going to…”
Cindy grabbed her in a tight hug not letting her finish her threat. “You are the best.”
As mad as Cindy could make her, she couldn’t help but laugh. “Get off me, you perv.” Then a noise caught her attention. “What is that?”
“What?” Cindy froze, tilting her head to listen.
Thump, thump, scratch. Thump, thump, scratch.
Both women stared at each other with wide eyes.
“It’s coming from under your bed,” Trisha whispered, rising up on her elbows. The sound started again, the same exact sound. Getting up as quietly as she could, Trisha crawled to the edge of her bed.
Cindy moved to the center away from the noise. “What is it?” Her voice was shaky. When the noise started again, she opened her mouth in a silent scream, only a tiny squeal came out.
“I don’t know. Stay there.” Trisha crept off the edge. On tiptoes, she went to Cindy’s bed and bent over slowly, grabbing the covers. With one last look at Cindy, she lifted the covers and slow as she could peeked under the bed. Trisha screamed.
“Whaaaat?” Cindy screamed right along with her.
Trisha jumped up on the bed and shivered violently. “Eyes!” This time Trisha was the one squealing, but then tried to calm herself. “I don’t know what it is, but it has eyes.”
If the situation hadn’t scared them to death, it would’ve been hilarious. “I knew we needed a phone,” Cindy cried. “That’s why hotels have phones, so you can call the front desk when stuff like this happens.”
When it made a noise again, Trisha knew Cindy was close to having a full-blown panic attack. “I’ll go get help.”
“The hell you will.” Cindy gripped her tighter. “You’re not leaving me here with eyes.”
Trisha tried to pry Cindy’s painful grip off her arms. “Just stay on the bed,” Trisha ordered as she looked around the room for her shorts. Spotting them on the chair, she hoped she could grab them on her way out. “I’ll be right back.”
“Hurry!” Cindy finally let her go.
With one last look around her bed, Trisha leaped off, grabbed her shorts and ran out of the cabin. If her mind hadn’t been preoccupied with saving Cindy, she would have been impressed at being able to pull on her shorts as she ran; and run she did. Not being able to see very well in the dark, she had no clue where she was going, but she did hear music in the distance. Heading that way, she found a cabin like theirs, but much bigger.
Sliding to a stop in front of the door, she banged on it. When no one answered right away, she banged again as she tried to catch her breath. God, her feet were killing her. Lifting her hand, the door opened before she could start banging again.
Hank stood in the open doorway. “Trisha!” He looked confused until he registered the panicked look on her face. “What happened?”
“Something’s in our cabin,” Trisha began to explain, spotting Jake coming up behind Hank.
“Are you okay, Trisha?” Jake hurried to the door.
Standing in the open doorway, Trisha couldn’t take her eyes off him. He was shirtless and his jeans were tight and snug in all the right places. One part of her brain told her to talk, yet the other part told her to keep looking. Holy hell, the man was gorgeous. Suddenly, a mental picture of Cindy standing on her bed freaking out snapped her out of her lustful thoughts.
“Something’s in our cabin,” Trisha repeated, prying her eyes off Jake. “Cindy’s trapped on the bed.”
“Grab the shotgun,” he told Hank as he took off running out the door.
Fear for Cindy gave Trisha’s feet wings because she was keeping up with Jake, well almost. Reaching the cabin, Jake stopped at the door.
“Cindy, are you okay?” Jake stopped Trisha from going any further.
“I am now.” Cindy hadn’t moved from the spot where Trisha had left her. She stood in the middle of the bed in her sexy nightie.
“Did you see it?” Jake glanced back at Trisha.
Trisha shook her head. “The only thing I saw was two glowing eyes.”
“Glowing?” Cindy squealed, looking toward her bed in horror. “You never said they were glowing, you just said eyes. Dammit, Trisha, that’s important information.”
Hank ran up with shotgun in hand. “What is it?”
“Not sure.” Jake walked further into the room. “Did you grab a flashlight?”
“Yeah.” Hank handed it to him. Glancing toward Cindy for the first time, Hank did a double take then glanced behind him. “Ah, ma’am, you might want to cover up with something because more help is on the way.”
“Be careful,” Trisha whispered to Jake who was on his way toward the bed, but first, he grabbed what looked like a robe and flung it toward Cindy.
Thump, thump, scratch.
“That’s it!” Both Cindy and Trisha yelled and pointed to the bed.
Jake looked back at Hank and nodded. Hank headed into the room lifting the shotgun. “Go ahead, boss. I got you covered.”
Feeling a presence behind her, she turned to find Jeb, other workers and guests standing in the door of their cabin and looking in windows.
“Trisha, get outside,” Jake ordered in all his shirtless glory.
Although his alpha protectiveness was a turn on, she looked to Cindy who was staring at her with scared pleading eyes. “Not until Cindy’s out.”
“If given the chance, whatever is under that bed is going to head straight for that doorway, which you’re standing in.” Jake was poised to raise the covers on the bed.
“Then I’ll move,” Trisha said with more bravado than she felt.
“Will you please hurry?” Cindy cried.
Taking one last glance at Trisha, Jake slowly lifted the cover and peeked under the bed. “Well, I’ll be damned.” He chuckled, reaching under the bed.
“What in the hell are you laughing at?” Cindy cringed, her arms wrapped tightly around herself.
Standing straight, Jake held something small and furry in his arms. “This is your fearsome creature.”
“What the hell is it?” Cindy wasn’t even close to relaxing yet.
“Baby raccoon.” Hank laughed, getting a closer look.
“And this is what he was after.” Jake held up an empty torn bag of M&Ms.
Trisha slapped her hand over her mouth, hysterical laughter stuck in the back of her throat. All that commotion for a furry little raccoon that looked scared to death. Getting herself under control, she held her hands out. “Can I hold him?” Jake gently placed the little guy in her hands. “Ah, he’s so cute.”
Their cabin was suddenly overflowing with people. “What the hell is going on?” Tim demanded as he elbowed his way into the small room with Sam Burton hot on his heels.
“Are you okay?” Sam rushed to Cindy helping her off the bed.
“I’m fine.” Cindy glanced at Tim before looking at Sam. “Just a little shaky.” Sam wrapped an arm aroun
d her.
Trisha noticed Cindy seemed uncomfortable with Sam’s arm around her because she kept looking at Tim. Interesting. Turning her focus back on their little visitor, she laughed. “You sure looked scarier under the bed, little guy.”
“You’re lucky it wasn’t the mother,” Jake replied, his eyes leaving the raccoon to stare at her.
“Why’s that?” Cindy pulled away from Sam to walk closer to Trisha so she could get a better look.
“The mommas are bigger and meaner,” Jeb spoke up. “Had one tear up my dog.”
“Well, at least you had a raccoon in your room,” one of the other guests added. “We had a bat.”
“I hope to God you said cat.” Cindy shivered, pulling her robe tighter.
“No.” The man shook his head. “It was a bat. A big old—”
“Okay! Okay, we get the picture,” Cindy stopped him. “How are these things getting in the cabins?”
“Oh, they have their ways.” Jeb chuckled. “Now, this little guy was probably hungry and came prowling around. They love sweets so them M&Ms was a nice little treat.”
“Sorry, Trish.” Cindy moved to grab Trisha’s stash of M&Ms. “These have to go.”
“I don’t think so.” Trisha grabbed them right out of Cindy’s hand.
“You mean to tell me that you’ll chance another encounter with one of those things by keeping your munchies in here?” Cindy eyed the raccoon warily as she made a swipe at the bag.
“Don’t mess with the M&Ms, Cin.” Trisha acted like she was going to sic the raccoon on her.
“Got a thing for M&Ms, do you?” Jake smiled, watching her closely, a grin tipping his lips.
“A big thing, obviously.” Cindy eyed the little raccoon. “She always has a bag with her.”
Feeling uncomfortably warm under Jake’s gaze, Trisha wished to hell he’d put a shirt on. “What are we going to do with this little guy?”
“Take him away from the buildings and let him go.” When he saw the worried look on her face, he chuckled. “He’ll find his way home.”
“Can I do it?” She moved away from the door to let a few people out. He nodded and she handed him the raccoon. “Here, hold Bandit so I can get my shoes.”