by V. A. Dold
“Good morning, Joe.”
He fidgeted, shifting his weight from foot to foot.
Go on, ask her out. Jacob encouraged.
Then he touched her arm and cleared his throat. “I haven’t asked a woman out in quite some time. I fear I’m a bit rusty. Would you please accompany me on a ride later today?”
His fingers were work-roughened and warm. The innocent contact sent a shiver up her arm and took up residence in her chest. Her gaze bounced from his hand to his eyes. Laugh lines creased their edges and a warm smile complete with shallow dents, like dimples, on either side, drew her gaze to his chapped lips. She tamped down her mothering impulse to offer him her lip balm. As she stared, his tongue eased the dryness, leaving a wet sheen in its wake.
You want to accept his invitation. You might even get to kiss him. Stacy gushed.
Now she had to fight the urge to kiss those tempting lips. What the heck was wrong with her?
With effort, she regained her composure and focused on his eyes. Was that hope she saw in their depths?
“Yes. Yes, I would enjoy that. I was actually planning on taking Oreo for a ride to see the river.”
Joe gave her arm a gentle squeeze and released her. “Good. I should be back from checking fences by mid-afternoon. Would you be available around three o’clock?”
“I should be back before then. If I’m not in my cabin, I’ll probably be at the main house with Kensie.”
“Were you going somewhere?”
“The new clinic. I want to get a head start organizing the files.”
“That makes sense. Have a pleasant morning, and I’ll see you this afternoon.”
He tipped his hat but, didn’t turn away. He must be waiting for her to leave. She gave him a smile and a nod, then started for the dining hall. Like a physical caress, she felt his eyes follow her as she walked away. Her heart began to pound, but she refused to look back to see if he was watching or if she was imagining it.
After twenty paces or so, she gave in to temptation and glimpsed over her shoulder. She caught a flash of sunlight glinting off the rivets on his wranglers just before he was swallowed by the shadows inside the barn.
Isn’t he sexy? You want to have a relationship with him. Stacy said, nodding.
Nice butt, she thought as she grinned and went on her way. She considered what his kisses would be like. Was his body as hard as it looked? What was he like in bed? Carol stopped dead in her tracks. The realization that she might want more from Joe than just a rebound date hit her hard.
Crap, when had she become invested in the possibility of a relationship with that cowboy? This was bound to break her heart, but she knew she was helpless to stop herself.
She filled her plate with pancakes and scrambled eggs. With a steaming cup of coffee in one hand and plate in the other, she searched for an open seat. Kensie wasn’t in the room, and she didn’t know anyone else, so she chose an empty table.
She sipped her coffee and thought about her predicament. She kept picturing Joe, and the way two small dimples appeared when he gave her a real smile. Interesting, enticing little dimples. He had the kind of smile that made her think about kissing. No, not just kissing, but long, hot, make out sessions. Joe wasn’t the type of man she usually went for, yet she couldn't stop thinking about him. Maybe his being the polar opposite of her normal type was a good thing. It’s not like she’d done a bang up job with her regular choice of men.
Carol was setting her syrupy plate and three times emptied coffee cup in a plastic washbasin when a sheet of paper was thrust at her by a twenty-something cowboy.
“Here’s a copy of the daily schedule of activities. Participation, especially by a pretty female, is always welcome.
Wait, what? Did he just imply she was pretty? Carol felt her cheeks warm as she took the paper from his hand and her fingers brushed his. “Thank you, but I’m just leaving.”
*****
For the umpteenth time, his thoughts turned to Carol. He smiled. He figured she was in her mid-thirties. She was younger than his forty-two years, but not too young. Her soft curvy figure was dynamite and had taken the starring role in his dreams the night before. She was petite and attractive, but not overly beautiful. It was her personality that made her really shine. Although dating hadn’t been a consideration since Janice passed away, Carol had definitely changed his mind. She somehow touched his frozen heart. It was like cupid’s arrow had found its way to the bullseye on his chest.
The twins had only been babies when Janice passed away. Finding himself a single parent of two children under the age of three had overwhelmed him. Dealing with his grief, doing his chores, and taking care of Troy and Tracy was more than he could handle. With the help of the other ranch hands, thankfully, a couple of them had wives; he’d somehow muddled through and managed to do it without screwing his kids up.
Over the years, he and the kids had fallen into a routine. He’d been content with his life. The last thing he wanted was a parade of women coming and going in their lives. He’d been happy living in a relationship free zone. Now, he wasn’t so sure. Carol made him want things again.
When he’d asked her out, her dove gray eyes had studied his face. He’d feared she would say no and wondered what she’d thought.
He knew he wasn't much of a looker. Not like some of the guys who women flocked to. His eyes were a plain brown, nothing special there. He was still in good shape, though. He ran his fingers under his hat and through his hair. For some reason he could never figure out, women tended to like his wavy brown hair. And at an inch short of six foot, he was absolutely average. He was just a man in his forties, past his prime, and battered by life.
It was getting close to quitting time. The sun was high in the sky as Joe and the ranch hands were finishing the pasture fence they’d worked on all morning. He wanted to know more about Carol but refused to voice his curiosity to any of the hands. He didn’t want to shine a light on her and have any of them get any bright ideas. He sure as heck wasn't about to ask Kensie or Lucas, not after he had made such a stink about being left alone.
When Lucas took over the ranch, he’d tried to hook him up with a date or two. Joe had been rather loud about his unwillingness to date. Even though he’d told Lucas he would think about dating, he didn’t want to encourage him by asking about Carol. It looked like he was on his own in this. He would just have to get to know her the old-fashioned way. That meant spending time with her on dates, turning on the charm, and talking. Three things he’d let go rusty.
One thing was sure, he needed to rein himself in. The way Ace, one of the ranch hands, stood in the open barn door that morning and looked Carol up and down when she walked away made him see red. Which was crazy. He didn’t even know her yet. Hell, they hadn’t spent more than half an hour together, and he wanted to rip Ace’s head from his scrawny neck.
He’d forgotten what being interested in a woman felt like. That was something he hadn’t experienced since Janice. Somehow, the guys had picked up on his interest in his new neighbor, and they had poked at him every chance they got. Joe had spent the morning annoyed and more than short tempered. He moved onto the next fence post and muttered a curse under his breath at the men. Great, now he felt like a complete ass.
Don’t let them bother you. You know what’s important. Carol is special, and you can see yourself happy with her, Jacob whispered.
Why was he bothered by the comments of a few cow punching, ignoramuses? Admit it meathead, Carol is different.
*****
It had been a long few hours at the clinic and Carol was itching to see Oreo. She slipped off the tennis shoes she’d worn all morning and pulled her cowgirl boots from the closet. After running a brush through her hair and putting on her new cowgirl hat, she made her way out to the barn. She paused when a man walked out of a cabin not far from hers. There was something familiar about him. She just couldn’t put her finger on what. His large hat made it hard to see his face clearly. All she co
uld make out was black hair and baggy clothing. When he walked out of sight, she gave up trying to figure it out.
The barn was empty, and no one was in sight. Maybe the guys were still working. Oreo was in her stall and nickered to get her attention.
“Hi there, beautiful. How are you today? I hope you feel like taking a ride and going easy on this old lady.”
Oreo stuck her head out of the stall and nudged Carol’s shoulder. Chuckling, she scratched the horse behind her ears. “Pushy little thing, aren’t you.”
She was about to open the horse’s stall when she heard hammering outside. “What’s going on out there?” she asked the horse as she gave her one last scratch, dropped her hand from the latch, and went to investigate.
Carol walked past the barns paddock and turned right, following the fence line and the sound of the hammer. Shielding her eyes, the clear Texas sky made her smile. Minnesota was cloudy so often it was nice to feel the sun on her skin.
She found the source of the noise hunkered down, pounding nails into a fence post. Joe said he was working on fences in one of the pastures. Apparently, he was fixing this fence too. His discarded shirt hung over a fence post several feet away, giving her a tasty view of his muscular back and arms. That man was ripped, really ripped.
When he stood and stretched, then bent over to retrieve the hammer, her chin about hit the ground. Wrangler jeans stock would skyrocket if they put Joe in their advertisements.
He straightened and then turned to find her staring. “Carol! I didn’t hear you walk up.”
She blushed all the way to her roots and cleared her throat. Indicating the barn behind her, she babbled, “I was visiting Oreo. Heard pounding. And here I am.”
A grin tugged at Joe’s lips, and she swore arousal darkened his eyes. Slowly he took her in, his gaze lowered and then rose pinning her where she stood. “Yes, you are. I need to finish this, so my two new kids don’t make an escape. Then I really need to take a quick shower before our ride. Why don’t you meet me in the barn in twenty minutes?”
Her breath quickened. Never in her life had she been so turned on by a look. She nodded and meant to turn and go. Honestly, she did. But her feet had other plans when he bent to the task again. The sight of his scrumptious butt had her rooted to the spot. Then what he’d said registered. “Two kids?”
His head whipped up. He looked terrified. Why? Then she swore she saw relief wash over him.
“Lucas bought two new horses. It’s best to separate them from the other stock with a fence for a few days until they’re accustomed to their new home and the herd.”
This was the perfect opening. You should have told her. Jacob scolded.
“Oh, okay. That makes sense. When I first got my puppy, Tug, I had a roommate with a cat. We had to keep them separated until they got used to each other.”
“Exactly. It’s a new environment for them. They need to feel safe and secure before they mix with the herd or there could be tussles for dominance.”
Carol frowned. “Horses do that?”
Joe leaned on the fence rail he’d just fixed. “Sure. Every herd has a pecking order. The common misconception is the stallion is the leader.”
“He’s not? Who is?”
“The lead mare. The stallion owns the herd, but the lead mare is the true alpha. She is usually older. The other horses respect her for her wisdom. Her position has little to do with strength. To a horse, it’s all about wisdom. The wisest or oldest horse will be dominant, regardless of her strength. She has the proven track record of survival. She’s the one who leads them to safety and food. When you see a herd running, the lead mare is out front, and the stallion is in the rear. She leads them, and he protects the herd’s flank. The rest of the herd has a pecking order from the lead mare and stallion on down. When a horse is introduced into the herd, they are at the bottom of the ranks. It’s up to them to work their way up, or not.”
“Huh. Interesting. I better get going so you can finish up. I’ll see you in the barn.”
He gave her a smile and turned back to his work. “I’ll be there.”
Walking back to her cabin, Carol pictured Joe’s muscles flexing with each stroke of the hammer. For a man in his forties, he was in excellent shape. There wasn’t an ounce of fat on him as far as she could tell. She had to admit, she was attracted to him. Like really attracted to him. Heck, she hadn’t even felt this much sexual interest in Terry, and she had been ready to marry that dick.
Okay, she would give this a chance. As long as he didn’t lie to her or cheat on her, she would give this a go.
Twenty minutes flew by. Looking as good as she was able in her faded jeans and a T-shirt, she walked into the barn. She found Joe saddling a horse. His back was turned, which gave her the opportunity to enjoy the view without notice. His muscles flexed in the most delicious way when he heaved the saddle into place. Yummy.
Joe turned, his dimples showing from the wide grin he wore. She was so busted. “Hi there. My main man, Blu, and I will be ready in a minute.”
She cleared her throat and felt heat rush into her face. “Hi.”
“Oreo is saddled and ready to go. I have her tied to the paddock rail. I’ll meet you out there. Oh, I almost forgot, I found this tacked to her stall.” He dug in his pocket and pulled out a yellow post-it note.
Carol slowly reached out and took it. Her hand shook as she read, “Nice horse.” Her first thought was, a man from her past was after her again. But that wasn’t possible. It was probably from one of the ranch hands.
As she walked out, Lucas walked in. “Hi, Carol. Are you visiting Oreo?”
“Kind of, I’m taking her out for a ride,” she said, a bit distractedly.
“Great. Make sure you stay to the road or worn paths so you can find your way back. The ranch is large, and it’s easy to lose your way.” He paused, a frown creasing his brow. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah, sure. I was just lost in thought. Don’t worry, I won’t get lost. I have a tour guide. Joe’s going with me.”
Lucas raised a brow and grinned. “Really? Enjoy the ride.”
He watched Carol leave and went in search of his ranch manager. “Hey, Joe. I hear you’ve got a new job description.”
Joe tightened the cinch and rested his hand on the saddle horn. “What?”
Lucas leaned against a stall and grinned. “I hear you’re a tour guide now.”
Joe nodded, but kept his face blank. There was no way he was going to clue Lucas in on his feelings. “You must have talked to Carol on your way in.”
“Yep. She’s a nice lady. Kensie can’t sing her praises loud enough. You know, she’s different from most women. Kensie says she’s special. I know you’re loyal to Janice’s memory, and you said you weren’t available to date, but Carol is different. You should give her a chance.”
Joe didn’t answer immediately. Finally, he swung his leg over the saddle and turned his horse to leave. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
Lucas gave Joe’s horse a swat on the rump. “Have a good ride. I’ll see you at dinner.”
They were almost to the river, and Joe was about as hot and bothered as he could get. With every step Oreo took, Carol’s curves swayed. It was all he could do to keep his hands to himself. He urged his mount alongside hers. Their knees so close they gently brushed with each step.
As if his hand had a mind of its own, he reached out and trailed his fingertip along the curve of her cheek. Carol turned her face toward his, surprise widening her eyes. Her lips were close, so close.
It was too soon, and it would make him vulnerable to her, yet he couldn’t resist the temptation. He leaned forward just enough that he could feel the heat of her lips and exhale of her breath.
The allure of her slightly parted lips, the anticipation of how they would feel, was too much for him to resist. Impulsively, he leaned forward and tilted his head.
Carol reined her horse to the side before he made contact. The sudden move made Joe lose his b
alance. Thud. He hit the ground hard. His horse, Blu, snorted his discontent and shied away a step or two.
Joe pushed himself up to a sitting position. Shocked to find himself looking up at Carol through a cloud of dust. As he stood, she moved Oreo another step away. His entire body ached for a connection with Carol, and that scared the living daylights out of him. He should apologize, but to his astonishment, he didn’t want to. But, apologize, he would.
“I’m sorry about that. It won’t happen again.” He cleared his throat as he heard the harshness in his voice. “I misread the situation. I thought there was a mutual attraction.”
He brushed himself off as he awaited her response. Biting her lip, she looked away from him. Confused more than ever, he walked to her.
“I’m going to bare my soul here. I haven’t been interested in a woman since my wife passed away. There’s something special about you, and you’ve changed that for me. Is it so wrong for me to want to kiss you?”
Tentatively, he placed a hand on her thigh. He felt her shudder. His chest tightened. “Carol?” He breathed her name.
She squeezed her eyes shut.
“Carol. Look at me.”
She covered her eyes with her free hand. But she couldn’t hide the tears rolling down her face.
Without another word, he gently pulled her from the saddle, wrapped his arms around her, and held her against his chest.
She squeaked and tried to push away.
“Shhh, it’s all right.” He stroked one hand down her hair while his other arm kept her close.
“I’m—s…s…sorry.” Her voice was so quiet and shaky he almost didn’t hear it as she spoke with her face buried in the material of his shirt.
“Did I scare you? Tell me what I did that frightened you. Please, be honest with me.”
Chapter 4
Carol was mortified as she hid her face in the soft cotton of his shirt. She shook her head, but didn’t raise her face. “You must think I’m a crazy person.”