by R. C. Ryan
She looked away, avoiding his eyes. “I think it’s time for me to grow up and deal with my fears.”
He climbed the steps and started to reach for her before deciding against it and lowering his hand to his side. “You don’t have to be here alone. Willow asked you to come back and spend the night at our place.”
“No.” When she realized how harsh that sounded, she tried to soften her words. “This is my problem, Griff. Not yours or your family’s. I need to learn how to handle my own life.”
He caught her hand and was forced to absorb a swift sexual jolt. “Look, I know this isn’t my business. But if Mitch is still out there, why not accept Willow’s hospitality?”
When she opened her mouth to object he said quickly, “If not for your own sake, then do it for the sake of your sons.”
She lowered her head. “Now you’re trying to guilt me.”
He grinned and touched a finger beneath her chin, tipping up her face and forcing her to meet his gaze. “Is it working?”
She pulled her hand free and took a step back. “I can’t spend my nights with you…with your family.”
He caught her hesitation and decided to take the plunge. “Juliet, I know what this is about. We nearly crossed a line last night…”
She started to speak and he cut her off. “…but we didn’t. And now I can feel you trying to distance yourself from me. I get it. So to put your mind at ease, I promise you I won’t let that happen again. But until Mitch is caught, the danger is real. There’s no reason for you to put yourself at risk because of something that happened in the heat of the moment.”
Her head came up sharply. “What kind of guarantee can you give that we won’t find ourselves in the… heat of the moment again, if I spend the night in the room next to yours?”
His voice held the edge of steel. “I’m fresh out of guarantees. But I give you my word that unless you say otherwise, I’ll keep my distance. I may have wanted you in my bed—and still do, if you want the truth—but what I want even more is for you and your sons to be safe.”
For a moment she seemed stunned by his honesty. Then, taking a deep breath, she forced herself to look him in the eye. “What happened last night wasn’t just your fault. I share the blame. I …wanted you. Maybe I still do.” She could feel her cheeks flaming. “But you’re right. For the sake of my boys, until Mitch is caught, I need to be sensible. We’re totally isolated out here. Even my wranglers are too far away to offer any help in an emergency. So, thank you for your offer, Griff. As long as your family is willing, I’ll certainly sleep better if I’m surrounded by good people.”
“Done.” He turned away. “I’ll pick you and the boys up in time for supper.”
“All right. We’ll be ready.” She saw him pause and turn. “And this time I’ll pack clean clothes for tomorrow, so Myrna doesn’t have to do laundry at dawn.”
“I’m sure she didn’t mind.” He strode to his truck and started the engine.
Juliet let herself into the house before leaning against the closed door.
What had she just agreed to?
How in the world would she find the strength to keep fighting this attraction, when she kept the object of her desire too close for comfort?
Griff unloaded the wood he’d bought at the mill, storing it neatly at the side of the house. He’d forgotten how much he missed this. He’d had a knack for woodworking since he was a teen, and had spent his summers working for a local construction firm. In the early years he’d been the crew’s gofer, cleaning up the job sites, hauling away debris, running and fetching everything from water to their lunches. Later, when he was old enough to be allowed to handle the power equipment, he’d been in hog heaven.
He loved everything about woodworking and carpentry. From the smell of freshly sawed lumber to the visual symmetry when the wood was laid out just the way he’d seen it in his mind.
Though he was just beginning this latest job, he could already see how it would look when it was finished, with a long, gently sloping ramp to the back porch, and possibly another leading to the barns and outbuildings.
He began at the back porch, doing a quick sketch of the ramp he hoped to build. In no time he was laying out the boards that would form the base of the ramp. For the next few hours, as the sun climbed high overhead, he measured, sawed, hammered.
Somewhere along the way he’d shed his shirt. Each time he stopped to drain a bottle of cold water, he would pour the rest over his head. Soon his hair was plastered to his neck, and his back and arms were bronzed from the sun.
Gradually the others drifted home from their chores. Willow and Brady, down from the hills to check on the herds, paused to watch as the ramp took shape.
“Oh, Brady.” Willow’s smile was as bright as the sun. “I wish Mad had agreed to this years ago. Why did we give in to his foolish vanity?”
Brady slapped Griff’s arm. “Because we didn’t have our own home-grown handyman, that’s why. But now that Mad’s had a change of heart, let’s just go with it.”
Whit sauntered up from the barn and stopped to admire the work. “Nice job, bro.”
“Thanks.” Griff got to his feet and grabbed another bottle of cold water before draining it. “It’s coming along.”
“I think I could lend a hand tomorrow.”
“Great. I’d appreciate the help.”
They both looked up as Ash and Brenna drove up in a truck. Brenna stepped out and reached for a covered cake plate, while Ash trailed behind, carrying several bags.
“Hey, you come bearing gifts.” Whit’s grin was infectious. “I don’t care what’s in those bags, but I know a cake when I see one. Chocolate, I hope.”
“It is. With buttercream frosting.”
He wrapped an arm around his sister-in-law’s shoulders. “Maybe you should let me carry that. It looks heavy.”
Brenna was laughing. “If I turn this loose, you’ll have it half gone before we even have supper.”
“Supper.” Griff looked thunderstruck. “What was I thinking? I promised to pick up Juliet and her boys.”
Just then a truck pulled up and Juliet and the boys climbed down.
“Thanks, Jackie,” she called to the driver.
The old man waved as he put the truck in reverse before turning and driving away.
Juliet walked up to the others, trying not to stare at Griff, who was still stripped to the waist, his body slick with sheen. “I thought, since Jackie was coming this way, I could save you that long drive.”
“I’m glad you did.” Griff tucked the hammer into his leather tool belt. “The truth is, I got so caught up in my work here, I forgot the time.”
“Mama packed our suitcase,” Casey announced proudly. “So we’ll have our PJs tonight and clean clothes tomorrow.”
“So this is your vacation?” Willow said with a laugh.
Casey turned to his mother. “Is this a vacation?“
“That’s what it feels like.” Juliet caught Willow’s hand. “I’m so grateful for your hospitality.”
“And we’re happy for the company.”
“What’re you building, Griff?” Casey said as he raced over to stand beside him.
“A ramp.”
“For Grandpa Mad?”
“Yeah.” He grinned at the little boy’s easy use of the old man’s name. “Think he’ll like it?”
“Yeah. When it’s done, he can take me and Efan on even longer rides.”
“That’s the plan.” Griff felt Juliet staring at him and turned to her. “Any word from Ira about Mitch?”
She gave a quick shake of her head and he let the subject go, knowing she didn’t want to talk about it in front of her sons. But from the look in her eyes, he was certain something had happened.
Myrna stepped out onto the back porch. “Supper in one hour. Mad says you’d better wash up and get inside while the steaks are hot and the beer’s cold.”
While the others scrambled inside, Juliet remained a moment, watchin
g as Griff collected his tools and made ready to store them in the barn for the night.
Moving along beside him, she said, “Ira told me that they’ve found my truck. It was abandoned on a deserted ranch outside of Copper Creek. He referred to it as the old Cleary place.”
Griff shrugged. “I’m sure the others will know where it is.”
Juliet lowered her voice. “There’s something else.”
He paused.
“Mitch called. He didn’t identify himself, but I recognized his voice. He called me…a few choice names before warning me that I’d pay for the trouble I was causing him.”
“Causing him?” Griff’s voice was rough with anger. “What about what he’d planned on doing to you?”
“I guess that doesn’t count in his mind. But he’s furious that he barely evaded the state police before abandoning my truck.”
“Did you call Ira?”
She nodded.
Griff stowed his tools on a shelf and hung his tool belt on a hook. Using his discarded shirt to wipe sweat from his face and chest, he realized Juliet was watching each movement with a look he couldn’t quite fathom.
“Is there more?”
She shook her head and turned away.
He caught her by the arm, stilling her movement. “Is something wrong?”
“No.” She avoided his eyes.
His voice lowered. “Tell me, Juliet. Did Ira have bad news?”
She gave a sound that could have been a laugh or a sigh. “No news. Good or bad. He said he had every confidence that Mitch would be caught.” She sighed. “This isn’t about Mitch. It’s…you.”
“What about me?”
She turned to face him, and allowed her gaze to move slowly over him, from his sweat-slick torso to the damp denims molding muscular thighs. His hair was dark and wet and falling over one eye, adding to his look of a rugged, dangerous rogue.
“You’re so gorgeous, with all that sweat and muscle. And I feel…safe when I look at you. I can’t take my eyes off you.”
He went very still, his lips splitting into a wicked grin. “Wait a minute. Did you just call me gorgeous?”
“As if you don’t know how sexy you look.”
He slowly shook his head before reaching out to bring her close. “I hope you don’t mind being kissed by a hot, sweaty cowboy. ’Cause lady, there’s just no way I can resist after all those pretty words.”
His arms closed around her and she was hauled against his chest.
He smelled of heat and sweat and sawdust, and she breathed him into her very soul as his mouth moved over hers. At the same time his hands moved up her sides, setting off little sparks wherever they touched. And they touched her everywhere, until her body was on fire.
She didn’t know how her hands found their way around his neck, but there they were, clinging as if to a lifeline. She poured herself into the kiss, her tongue meeting his, her teeth scraping his, as she gave him everything he wanted and more.
Inside her mouth he managed to whisper, “Do you think the others will miss us if we sneak into one of the stalls?”
She laughed, but only for a moment, until he took the kiss deeper. Then her laughter turned into a soft sigh, and then a moan of pleasure as he dipped his head and took one of her erect nipples into his mouth. Despite the barrier of her shirt, it hardened instantly.
“Griff. We have to stop.”
“Can’t.” His breathing was labored.
“Hey, Mama.” Casey’s high-pitched voice was a dash of ice water.
Two heads came up sharply. In the instant before the little boy stepped into the barn, they managed to move apart, though their chests were heaving.
“Grandpa Mad says to come to supper.”
“Thanks, honey.” Juliet knew her voice sounded as out of breath as she felt.
“Come on then.” He stepped between them and took hold of his mother’s hand.
Griff leaned close to whisper in her ear, “This isn’t over, you know.”
She lifted a finger to his mouth. Just a touch, but she heard his quick intake of breath before she started toward the door.
As she walked away she could still taste him on her lips. Could still smell him in her lungs. The smell of a man. It was something she hadn’t allowed herself to savor for such a very long time.
And though she was awash in guilt, it was absolutely intoxicating.
Chapter Fourteen
By the time Griff walked into the kitchen—his hair damp from the shower, and wearing a clean shirt and denims—the family had gathered around the far side of the huge kitchen, sipping cold longnecks and discussing their favorite topic: the weather and how it was affecting their herds and crops.
Whit handed Griff a frosty bottle of beer before adding, “If this continues, roundup is going to be a challenge.”
“Why?” Griff didn’t really care at the moment. With Juliet smiling at him over the rim of her glass of ice water, all he could think about was that kiss in the barn. And how he wanted to get her alone and do it again.
“We’ll have to hire on extra wranglers, for one thing.” Brady sipped his beer. “Thanks to a gentle spring, more calves survived than ever before. The herd is nearly double what it was just a year ago. And now that we’re wrangling Brenna’s herds, as well, we’ll have our hands full come September.”
“So it’s all good news.” Griff tore his gaze from Juliet long enough to watch her two boys kneeling beside a low table and helping themselves to finger-sized slivers of toasted rye bread slathered with a cheese dip.
“These are really good, Grandpa Mad.” Casey licked cheese from his thumb.
“I’m glad you like them, lad.” Mad winked at Ethan, nibbling in silence, and the boy’s face was wreathed in smiles.
Griff raised a brow at Juliet, who looked as surprised as he was.
How, he wondered, had a grumpy old man like Mad managed to charm one sad, lonely little boy?
A half hour later, at Mad’s command, they gathered around the big oval table. The wonderful smells of onions and steaks on the grill, garlic potatoes steaming, and apple pies, sprinkled with cinnamon cooling on the counter, had their mouths watering.
Like the food, the conversation was soul satisfying.
“Ash and I were in town today, and Orin Tamer just got in a slew of brand-new trucks.” Brenna’s eyes danced with unconcealed excitement.
“And which one did my big brother pick out for you?” Whit’s voice was a lazy drawl.
“Who says I’m buying my wife a truck?”
“Bro, the minute pretty little Brenna set her heart on a new truck, we all knew you were a goner.”
At Whit’s words, the others burst into laughter.
Ash looked properly annoyed. “Just because somebody wants something doesn’t mean they always get it.”
“They do if that someone is a brand-new bride married to a poor helpless lovesick cowboy who can’t stop kissing her pretty little feet.”
“Knock it off, Whit.”
“The truth bites, doesn’t it, bro?”
While the others laughed, little Casey asked innocently, “Do you let Ash kiss your feet, Brenna?”
Her eyes twinkled. “I do indeed, Casey. And do you know why?”
“So he’ll buy you a truck?”
Above the laughter she said, “Well, there’s that, of course. But the real reason is because it purely makes Ash so happy to kiss my dainty little feet.”
Casey looked from Brenna to Ash before turning to his mother. “Did Daddy ever kiss your feet, Mama?”
Poor Juliet was mortified.
Taking pity on her Griff managed to redirect the conversation. “So, Brenna. You haven’t said. What color truck do you want?”
“Black. Shiny black.” She smiled. “At first I thought about a white truck, but we haul so many supplies that it would soon be black anyway.” She touched a hand to Ash’s shoulder. “And I doubt my husband would be happy driving a white truck.”
&nb
sp; “So you’ve picked out the color. When are you getting it?”
“Whenever Ash decides we need it.”
Whit’s smile widened. “I’m putting all my money on soon, Brenna. Very soon.”
Everyone, even Ash, joined in the laughter. It was clear to all of them that he was so content with the new life he’d made with Brenna that even his younger brother’s teasing couldn’t dim the glow that seemed to radiate around both of them.
Griff sat back, wondering about that very thing.
Ash MacKenzie was a tough guy. No doubt about it. He’d left home after a bitter fight with his father and hadn’t been seen for nearly ten years. He’d returned only after news of his father’s death.
And yet here he was, reunited with Brenna, the love of his life, who had been on the verge of marrying someone else until Ash had walked back into her life.
Was love enough to change a person? Or were there other factors working in Ash’s life that had brought him this much joy?
He stowed away the questions to mull when he had more time. For now, the family was thoroughly enjoying their excellent supper.
As they began passing around platters, Brady turned to Mad with a grin. “You sure know how to get a hungry cowboy’s attention.”
“That’s ’cause I was one, for more years than I can count.” Mad sat back, watching the others tuck into their steaks with enthusiasm.
“You were a cowboy, Grandpa Mad?” Casey’s eyes were wide.
“That I was, lad. One of the best.” Mad smiled at the memory. “Before I was old enough to shave, I was doing the work of three men. Brute strength. That’s what it took in those days to tame this wilderness.”
“And a healthy dose of hardheadedness,” Brady added dryly.
“Aye. That, too. That was my downfall.”
“You fell down?” Casey asked innocently.
“In a manner of speaking.” The old man turned to him. “We had a sudden spring blizzard, trapping my herd up in the highlands. Bear warned me about attempting to try going up to the hills in such weather. I knew I’d lose all those new mothers and their calves if I didn’t get food to them. So against my better judgment, I was hauling a load of feed when the rig caught an icy patch and flipped, crushing the cab and pinning me inside. I was nearly blue with cold by the time Bear found me. He returned with all his wranglers and as many tools as they could carry. It took dozens of hands and plenty of blowtorches to free me.” He glanced down at his useless legs. “The doctors told me I was lucky to be alive. I’m afraid it took me a lot of years before I agreed. I thought, at first, I’d rather be dead than crippled.”