Romancing the Rancher (The Pirelli Brothers)

by Stacy Connelly

  A slow blush climbed her cheeks, but she didn’t look away as she said, “I think we’ve gone slow enough already.”

  The softly spoken words nearly knocked him from the saddle and only when Theresa took a step back did Jarrett realize he’d unwittingly kicked Champ in the sides. He had the horse under control in seconds. Couldn’t say the same for the desire racing through his veins. “Still ready for this?” he asked wryly.

  Her laughter filled the stables as she said, “I can’t wait.”

  Reaching down, he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her onto the saddle in front of him. Her warm curves fit perfectly within the circle of his arms, the cradle of his thighs. Her fresh, summery shampoo teased him, and he didn’t even try to resist burying his face in her soft, sweet-smelling hair. He found that spot on her neck and spoke with his lips moving against her skin as he promised, “Time to fly.”

  Racing from the stables, he had a split second to catch the startled look on his sister’s face turn to a smile as they sped by, mud flying from beneath Champ’s churning hooves.

  * * *

  At one time, Theresa had considered herself something of a horsewoman. She’d taken lessons over the years, trained in an arena, but that experience was nothing compared to riding with Jarrett. Performance jumping was all about precision and control as horse and rider worked through a set course.

  Racing across open ground with Jarrett and Champ was all about...letting go.

  Even in the days before the surgery, she doubted she would have had the strength or experience to command the powerful horse. But with Jarrett’s arm wrapped like a steel band around her waist and his broad chest at her back, the only worry she had was about falling for the strong, sexy cowboy himself.

  And at the moment, even that felt...right. Destined, even.

  Only a few days ago, she’d mocked her friend Caitlyn’s idea that fate had brought them together, but now it was her friend’s response that echoed through her thoughts.

  Maybe fate is what we make of it, and it’s up to you to make the most of the time you have with Jarrett.

  Theresa had every intention of making the most of today. A joyous laugh escaped her, and Jarrett’s arm tightened even more. She wasn’t sure how long they rode before he slowed the horse to a stop as the dense trees lining the trail gave way to a long, narrow meadow.

  Champ was breathing hard from the exertion, and Theresa realized she was, as well. Jarrett slid from the saddle before helping her down. He kept a grip on her waist, helping her stand, and for the first time since the accident, Theresa didn’t care about the weakness in her legs. The ride had been worth it.

  “Thank you,” she said breathlessly as she braced her hands on his chest. The lightweight cotton of his shirt transferred the heat of his skin through the fabric, and her fingers instinctively curled, seeking out more. “That was amazing.”

  “You feeling all right? I know it wasn’t exactly the trail ride you were expecting.”

  Theresa shook her head, realizing most of her hair had slipped from its ponytail. Reaching up, she pulled out the band and shook the rest of it free to fall over her shoulders. “It was better than I could have imagined. Kind of like my first time clearing a jump.”

  Despite the easy grin teasing his lips, his gaze darkened as he reached out to run his fingers through her hair. “First times can be pretty incredible.”

  Her pulse pounded in her veins at the promise in his eyes, in his touch. “Yes, they can be.”

  It wasn’t the first time Jarrett had kissed her, but that didn’t make the moment any less incredible as he caught her up in a kiss every bit as exciting and exhilarating as the ride they’d just taken. He’d given back a piece of herself she feared she’d lost and the preciousness of the gift wrapped around her heart.

  For her. He’d done this for her. And it didn’t matter how many trail rides he’d led or cowboy wannabes he’d instructed, this was about so much more than that. This was about sharing the pain of the past and finding a way to move forward, to move on to a far more promising future.

  The first drop that fell from the sky was almost soothing against her heated cheek. And when Jarrett caught the dampness with his lips, the rain became a part of the kiss. Almost like a blessing sprinkled down from Mother Nature as the sweet scent of rain filled the air. But when the light drops started falling harder and faster, Jarrett broke away. His chest heaved as he tried to catch his breath, and his scowl was as dark as the clouds that had gathered overhead. “Storm came in outta nowhere.”

  Theresa smiled as she reached up to brush her thumb against his lower lip. “I’d say it’s been brewing for some time.”

  He caught her hand, pressing his mouth against her palm, and an instant rush of goose bumps raced up her arm. But he only frowned at the slight shiver. “We need to go. We’re going to get soaked as it is.”

  “I won’t melt,” she promised.

  But Jarrett wouldn’t be swayed. Without another word, they were back on the horse with Theresa wearing his hat and Jarrett wrapped around her like a human poncho. True to her word, Theresa didn’t melt. But they were both drenched within minutes, and even with the combined body heat, that slight shiver had turned into chills as the cold rain poured down over them.

  Champ raced through the rain like a champion mudder, and Jarrett bypassed the stables, guiding the horse straight to Theresa’s cabin. He swung down from the saddle and swept her into his arms, not stopping until he’d carried her up the steps and beneath the sheltering porch.

  She laughed a little as he set her down. Her sodden clothes were cold and heavy against her limbs, her hair soaked despite the hat she handed back to Jarrett. His hair was plastered to his head, water running in rivulets down the rugged planes of his face and clinging to his eyelashes.

  A wry smile twisted his lips. “Not the cold shower I had in mind.”

  But Theresa hadn’t been thinking of cold showers. From the moment Jarrett kissed her, she hadn’t thought of stopping at all. And though she was freezing on the outside, inside that same fire still burned. “Come in with me,” she whispered.

  Heat flared in his hazel eyes as he took a quick step forward, his boot heels striking against the wooden porch, but then he stopped, his expression pained. “I can’t. I have to take care of Champ.”

  “Oh, right. Of course.” Her face heated at her willingness to forget everything—including the poor horse standing patiently in the rain—so long as it meant being in Jarrett’s arms again. “In that case...hurry back?”

  Jarrett grinned. “Wild horses won’t keep me away.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  Darkness still blanketed the bedroom when Jarrett awoke with Theresa in his arms. Not a dream, then, he thought with a smile as he ducked his head to breathe in the sweet floral scent of her hair and drew her body closer to his. Last night had really happened. The freedom of the fast-paced ride with Theresa in his arms, getting caught in the storm, her invitation back to her cabin...

  He hadn’t known what to expect when he rushed back to the cabin after rubbing Champ down and seeing to the horse’s food and water. He’d hurried as fast as he could, but enough time had passed to make him wonder. Had Theresa changed her mind?

  When she opened the door wearing nothing but a pale blue robe, he had his answer. Her hair was still damp, and her skin held a flush of warmth that told him she’d taken a shower while she waited. He wished he could have joined her and thought to himself, Next time...

  And he was determined there would be a next time and a time after that and after that... Until Theresa left as he knew she would.

  But he didn’t let himself think of that as she reached out for him, concern written in her blue eyes as she touched his chilled skin. “Come in, quick! You’re freezing!”

  “Only on the outside,” he promise
d as he shook the lingering rain from his hat.

  But Theresa didn’t seem to care about the puddle gathering beneath his boots or the trail of water as she pulled him over the threshold. Or about the dampness that seeped from his clothes and through her robe as she wrapped her arms around him and pulled his head down for a kiss.

  She tasted as sweet and fresh and clean as she looked, and the desire pooling in his veins was enough to leave him light-headed and aching. But he wanted her to be sure. “I want you, Theresa. I want to make love with you.”

  She pulled back when he hesitated, seeming to realize he was waiting for her response. A small smile played around her lips as she said, “I don’t open the door naked to just any man.”

  He caught the end of the tie knotted at her slender waist. “You’re not naked.”

  “Not yet,” she said before the teasing light in her eyes grew stronger and yet softer all at the same time. “I want you, too, Jarrett. Make love with me.”

  All it would have taken was one tug at the belt, and her gorgeous curves would have been on full display. But somehow that wasn’t the way it happened. Instead, it was Theresa helping remove his clothes.

  She ran her palms over his shoulders and arms as she pushed his shirt off and let it fall with a damp plop onto the entryway linoleum. He toed off his boots with ease, but his wet jeans were another story. They clung to his legs like a second skin, and he nearly fell on his face more than once as her “helpful” hands kept getting in the way. By the time he’d stripped down to nothing but his boxers, he forgot all about being cold.

  Ever.

  In his entire life.

  And heat only burned that much brighter as he backed Theresa farther into the cabin, stumbling slightly as his feet tangled with his discarded jeans. He could feel her laughter—against his lips and inside his chest—and didn’t even care. Hell, he wanted to laugh, too. He couldn’t remember ever feeling so...happy. But first—

  Theresa squealed when he scooped her into his arms, making sure to step over the last of his clothes as he carried her toward the bedroom. He had a vague notion that she and Summer had decorated this room, too, but his main focus was the queen-size bed and the woman he placed in the center of it.

  Theresa’s dark hair spread over the white pillowcase, and she gazed up at him with eyes as blue as the wide-open skies he loved. He’d been right about the robe. One tug on the tie and the soft material slipped away from even softer skin. He chartered the same path Theresa’s had taken earlier, running his hands over her delicate shoulders and satin-smooth back, curving around her narrow waist and flat stomach and up to cup the soft weight of her breasts.

  She arched into his touch, her nipples pebbling against his palms, pleasure written across her face. He lowered his head to take her into his mouth, her seductive scent filling him as she buried her fingers in his hair. He matched the tug and pull of his lips and tongue with the rise and fall of her ragged breathing, increasing the pace until she was crying out for more. He slid his hand between her thighs, and the silken dampness he found there almost did him in.

  “Theresa, wait.” He started to pull away. “I’ve got to—”

  “Here,” she whispered, opening her hand and holding up the condom she must have slipped from the pocket of his jeans moments ago.

  Jarrett almost sank into her arms in relief. The thirty seconds it would have taken him to run back to his jeans in the other room would have seemed like a lifetime. “You are incredible.”

  “This is incredible,” she responded, and he didn’t have to ask what she meant. The heat between them, the sheer perfection of the way she opened for his kiss, for the slow slide of his body into hers. All of it incredible and better than he’d imagined as the first tremors shook her body, gradually growing stronger, more powerful, as she cried out, finding her release and urging him toward his own.

  Incredible, he thought again as she turned in her sleep to burrow against his chest. Too good to be true and, deep down in his heart he knew, too good to last.

  * * *

  Though it was the last thing he wanted to do, Jarrett had slipped from Theresa’s bed to dress and head down to the stables. He was working his way through the morning chores—at a record-setting pace, he had to admit—when he heard the brisk sound of approaching footsteps. Theresa’s recovery had come a long way, but she still had the slightest limp in her step. After the ride yesterday and everything that followed, he worried that she might be a little stiff and sore and moving a bit slower than usual.

  Don’t touch me like I’ll break.

  He’d taken her at her word, though at times he’d tried to hold back, but she hadn’t let him. Theresa wasn’t broken. She was a strong, determined, desirable woman, and she didn’t need a man to protect her. She needed one to...love her.

  Love her?

  The words were still stumbling through his mind like a newborn colt on shaky, uncertain legs as his sister’s cheery greeting cut through the predawn silence. “Have to say I didn’t expect to see you out here so early.”

  Jarrett immediately turned his attention back to laying out fresh hay for Duke and away from Summer’s cheeky grin. No way was he discussing his love life with his little sister. “Chores don’t do themselves around here.”

  He should have known that wouldn’t be enough to discourage her. Rolling her eyes, she grabbed a bag of feed and got to work beside him just as she’d done every morning since she’d arrived. Unfortunately, her mouth moved just as fast as she did. “I think it’s great that you and Theresa are together. I like her.”

  “She’s not staying, Summer.” He said the words as much as a reminder to himself as to his sister.

  But Summer’s gaze was all too knowing as she murmured, “But you want her to.”

  “Doesn’t matter what I want.” What mattered was what was best for Theresa. She’d come to the ranch to heal, to put the pieces of her life back together so she could put the accident behind her and move on.

  I’m not that fragile, Jarrett.

  No, she was strong now. Stronger maybe than she’d been before the car accident, and if he’d had anything to do with that, well, then that would have to be enough.

  Summer stopped him with a hand on his arm when he would have moved on to the next stall. “Don’t push her away, Jarrett.”

  “I don’t push—” He swallowed the words before he could speak them because he knew they were a lie. He’d spent a lifetime pushing Summer away, but this time, she seemed determined to stick. “One of these days, you’re gonna have to tell me why you’re really here.”

  “Is it so impossible to believe I want to spend time with my big brother?” Despite the teasing, the light in her eyes dimmed, darkened by memories, and Jarrett’s gut twisted. But the moment was over and done so quickly, he was left to wonder if he’d only imagined it as she went on to say, “I think the work you’ve done with the rescue is amazing, and I’d really like to be a part of it...if you’d let me.”

  Jarrett knew it was Theresa’s influence that had him admitting, “You’ve done a good job here.”

  And it was his half sister’s unrelenting eagerness that had her saying, “But I could do so much more, Jarrett, if you’d just let me. With the money I have—”

  “Forget it. I’m not taking money from your family.”

  “Okay, ignoring that my family is your family, too, it’s my money. My inheritance.”

  Which she received from her paternal grandmother, and Jarrett never had and never would accept the Carringtons as his family, but he didn’t say that to Summer. Because, of course, she was a Carrington and yet she was also his sister. Hell, this whole family stuff was more of a complication than he wanted to deal with. It’d been so much easier when it was just him and his dad.

  Easier. The word rang through his head. Maybe it wasn’t s
upposed to be easy. Maybe family was something worth fighting for even when times were tough...

  “I just want to do something good, something worthwhile with that money.”

  “Your mother’s involved with dozens of charities back in Atlanta. You know she’d help you set up some kind of fund or scholarship in a heartbeat.”

  “But like you said, those are her charities.”

  “And the rescue is mine,” Jarrett pointed out, even though it was so much more than that to him. A tribute to his father. A second chance not just for the horses to find a new home, but one for him, as well. As he said the words, though, he could hear Theresa’s voice in his head.

  The ranch was something you wanted to share with your dad. But, Jarrett, there are other people who care about you.

  Would it really be so wrong to let—to ask Summer to help? A part of him rebelled at the idea—the stubborn, hardheaded bull rider with a chip on his shoulder and attitude to spare. The man whose picture Summer had taken all those years ago. But he wasn’t that guy anymore. The guy who didn’t give a damn because he had nothing to lose.

  Silverbelle nickered softly as he neared her stall, awaiting his approach when not long ago, she would have shied away.

  Now he had so much riding on his shoulders. The rescue’s future hinged on renting out the cabins, and he needed to do everything he could to see that they were a success. Everything including asking for Summer’s help. “There is something you could do.”

  “Really?” Hope lit her eyes, her eagerness making Jarrett felt like the world’s biggest jerk for not doing what Theresa had suggested all along and just reaching out a little.

  “I saw the picture. The, um, one you took of me.”

  It was Summer’s turn for embarrassment as she said, “Theresa wanted to use some of my pictures to decorate the cabin. I have them saved on my computer, and she picked that one. Did you want me to have some more printed for the rest of the cabins?”

  “Um, no, can’t say that I do. But I do want to update the ranch’s website. I’d like to get more pictures up of the rescue horses and of the new cabins...once you get them decorated.”