by Roxy Wilson
Stay With Me
BOOK TWO
Westbury Ranch Series
By
Roxy Wilson
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
This is a work of fiction. All characters, places, businesses and incidents are from the author’s imagination or they are used fictitiously and are definitely fictionalized. Any trademarks or pictures herein are not authorized by the trademark owners and do not in any way mean the work is sponsored by or associated with the trademark owners. Any trademarks or pictures used are specifically in a descriptive capacity. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons living or dead, is coincidental.
Editing & Book Design By: Leanore Elliott
Cover Art: Fantasia Frog Designs
© June, 2015. Roxy Wilson
Books by Roxy Wilson
Newest Release—May, 2015:
Just Gettin’ Started: BWWM Interracial Cowboy/Western Romance (Westbury Ranch, Book 1)
Ms. Perfectly Imperfect
Other Books -
Baby Wanted (A Bundle of Joy, Book 1)
The Baby Proposal (A Bundle of Joy, Book 2)
Baby, You’re Mine (A Bundle of Joy, Book 3)
Secret Baby Seduction (A Bundle of Joy, Book 4)
A Christmas Kiss (Holiday Happiness, Book 1)
Second Chance Christmas (Holiday Happiness, Book 2)
The Christmas Cupid (Holiday Happiness, Book 3)
Mistletoe Miracles
Loving St. Nick
Work It Out
The Right Kind of Love
He’s So Into You
Love in Black and White (Sam Crescent, Jamallah Bergman, Roxy Wilson, et al)
BLURB
Saying goodbye is never an easy thing…
When Shayne Westbury turned 18, she couldn’t wait to see the back of the family’s ranch and to go make a fortune in the big city. But when she loses her philandering, physician husband to his nurse and quits her high-paying job because she was tired of running herself ragged, she returns to Westbury Ranch, where she plans to lead a much simpler, forever-single life. Then she meets Juston Hughes, the sexy ranch hand her sister, Cullen, recently hired. Will Shayne hold fast to her resolve, or will she ride off into the sunset with a sexy cowboy?
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Hello Reader,
Because I want to show you how much I appreciate that you supported me by purchasing Stay With Me, I’m offering you a FREE copy of my sweet, BWWM romance, A Better Man.
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Regards,
Roxy
Chapter One
Shayne lifted the cup of piping, hot coffee to her lips. The landscape that spread out in front of the farmhouse soothed and calmed her nerves. Once, she couldn’t wait to get away from the ranch, the endless farm chores, the silence, but now she found peace in this place. Seven years ago, she’d fled from Westbury Ranch because she wanted to make her own place in an upscale city. As a public relations employee, she climbed every single rung of the corporate ladder swiftly, because of sheer hard work and her cool efficiency. Now, she was back to test her mettle as the marketing and administrative manager at the farm that was established by her father, Wesley, and now run by her sister, Cullen, and mother, Jackie.
“Honey, you’re up bright and early,” her mother said as she came out into the patio. “Do you want some breakfast?”
Shayne was raring to go. “No, mom. I had a croissant.”
“I could have made you something fresh.”
Shayne turned to look at her mother. Jackie may be six inches shorter, but she had nerves of steel and a heart full of compassion. “You don’t have to wait on me, mom. I can take care of myself.”
“You’ve been taking care of yourself for a long time now. Let me do some good old-fashioned maternal loving now.” Her mother frowned. “You’re too thin, Shayne.”
Maybe once upon a time, those words would have filled her with ire, but now she only saw the concern in her mother’s eyes. Sometimes, she thought that by coming back to the farm, with her tail between her legs, she’d put her mother and sister in an awkward spot. Her sister, Cullen, gave her a job and her mother felt obligated to soothe her daughter’s hurt. But no one could fill the void in her heart. She’d made a success of her marriage for five years. Shayne had been proud of her husband who was fast becoming one of the most sought after surgeons in New York, but that was only until she found out that…
No. I’m not even going to think about it. That was her secret—one she hadn’t even shared with her family.
She forced a chuckle. “I’m sure I’ll put on some weight; as long as I’m staying here and having my fill of your fantastic cooking. But first, I need to set up my home office.”
“You don’t have to begin work immediately. Take a week off. Relax. Read”
She’d arrived only two days ago, but already she was itching to get her hands on some of the work. “I’m not used to doing nothing. You’ve raised us better, remember?” Her mother sighed, knowing that she’d lost the battle for now, but knowing Jackie, she would come back stronger. Shayne had no doubt that soon, her mother would be feeding her by the truckload. “Is there a gym around here?”
Jackie laughed. “All you need to do is walk up to that every day,” she said, pointing to the steep hill that was visible from the window. “Trust me; it’s better exercise than any gym.”
Shayne shook her head. “What was I thinking? I guess that’s what I should start doing every day.”
“If you’re in the mood, you can also go for a ride on one of the horses.” Jackie gazed down at the three inch heels that Shayne wore. “But you will need better shoes.”
“I can just borrow a pair of Cullen’s. We’re practically the same size, and God knows, she has enough.”
“You talk to your sister about that.” Jackie’s gaze traveled to the guy who was striding towards the farmhouse. “That’s Juston Hughes. He joined us a few days before you did. He’s the one who’s going to take care of the cattle that Cullen and Graeme recently purchased.”
As she stared at the man, Shayne felt a sudden feeling in the pit of her stomach. If she hadn’t known better, she would’ve thought it was lust, but of course, it couldn’t be. She wasn’t the type to look at a man and fall for him. Even when she started going out with Nick, her ex-husband, the process was slow and lengthy. Shayne always took her time. She preferred a meeting of minds than a fast tango of bodies. Juston Hughes was handsome, she had to give him that. His dark blond hair fell over his forehead, even though he tied it with a bandana. His eyes, the color of faded denim, appeared to sear her right down to the depths of her soul. She actually felt a little self conscious, a little uneasy, as his gaze settled on her.
He turned to her mother. “Good morning, Jackie.” And then his gaze returned to her. “And you must be Shayne,” he said with a dimpled smile.
She accepted the hand that he thrust out. The instant their fingers touched, she felt a jolt of static electricity. “Yes, I am. It’s nice to meet you.”
“Same here.” He glanced at Jackie. “Cullen and Graeme are away, so I thought I would just drop in to see if you ladies needed anything. I’ll be working on the eastern fence today, among other things, so we’ll be away for a while.”
“Thank you, Juston,” Jackie replied. “We don’t need anything, but would you like to have a slice of my upside-down pineapple cake?”
>
He grinned and the corners of his eyes crinkled. “I was hoping you would ask me that.”
Jackie laughed as she led him inside. “In that case, I’ll pack it and you can take it for the rest of the men, as well.”
“That’d be mighty kind of you.” He removed his hat as he walked inside.
Shayne could see that he already felt at ease, even though he was just recently employed at the ranch.
Juston stood until she took a seat, and then he took one opposite her.
Jackie gave him a slice of the cake and then she put one in front of Shayne.
Since it was right there, she began to eat it. With much gusto. Having such a fantastic time gorging into her mother’s heavenly cake, she’d forgotten she was sitting in the presence of company until she heard the deep chuckle.
“Delicious, isn’t’ it?” The gleam in Juston’s eyes was unmistakable.
Feeling suddenly lightheaded, Shayne snagged a napkin from the table and dabbed her lips which were probably full of cake crumbs before she forced herself to look into his eyes. Immediately, she regretted the move. There was something in his eyes that held her captive. Now that his gaze was locked with hers, she couldn’t look away. She needed to make conversation with the man to break the awkwardness she felt around him. Shayne cleared her throat. “Where did you work before coming here?”
“I used to work for Max Hayes, the owner of the ranch next door. Worked for about a year and then came down here.”
She’d heard about Max. He was her sister’s ex boyfriend, and the way things had ended, it wasn’t good. “So, why did you leave?”
“The man didn’t have any respect for his workers,” he said in a blunt manner. “Sure, I work for pay but that doesn’t make me a slave. Now, look at Cullen and Jackie here. They spoil us rotten. And Graeme is firm but fair. A man would be foolish to leave this place and wander elsewhere.” He chuckled. “Such beauty on this farm; it boggles the mind.”
Shayne had the distinct feeling that he wasn’t talking about the farm anymore. She squirmed in her seat. Was he actually making a pass at her? No. She didn’t think so. “It’s a beautiful place,” she agreed. “We grew up here and then I left.”
“But you returned, and that’s all that matters.” He bit into his slice of cake. “Did you like living in New York?” Juston laughed when her mouth fell open. “Ranch hands talk. There isn’t much to do when you’re herding cattle from one end of the farm to another.”
Shayne remembered when they were kids her father would take her sisters and her along on farm chores. They never had cattle but there was always something happening on a farm. Now that she was the marketing manager here, she wanted to be familiar with every aspect of the work. “I should go around and take part soon. And yes, to answer your question, I liked living there, but it was a bit lonely. New York is a busy city. People don’t have time for each other.” She shrugged her shoulders. “At least not like here, where you can stop at a grocery store and get all the relevant and irrelevant gossip about everyone while you’re also doing shopping.”
“This is the life,” he agreed. “And gossip sure does run this town. Are you really interested in going with us when we ride the cattle?”
“Why do you ride them from one end to another?”
“The cattle follow the grass and we follow them. If they keep grazing in one place, they would finish off the green pastures, so it’s important to move them around.”
“I see.” Shayne nodded. “Yes, I’d like to come with you.”
“Tomorrow, then? We’re starting early at seven and we’ll come back with them at sundown.”
It would be a long day. It’d been a while since she’d ridden that hard and for that many hours. Shayne thought it was okay to say no, but then she gazed into his eyes, and for some strange reason, she felt as if he was issuing a challenge. The word no got stuck in her throat. She nodded. “All right. That would be great.”
His lips lifted in a smile.
The simple gesture was enough to send a lance of desire careening through her body. She felt the solid punch of it and nearly reeled. Oh dear, she was in trouble. The desire she tried to suppress from the moment she saw him skipped through her nerves and it was impossible to stop the flood. She sucked in a deep breath. Her fingers trembled as she lifted her cup of coffee and drank the now cold liquid.
Seemingly unaware of her reaction, he stood, just as the mother strolled into the room. “Thank you for the cake, Jackie. The boys will really appreciate this.” He turned to her. “And Shayne, I’ll see you tomorrow.”
She nodded, not able to trust her voice as of yet. When he left, she finished her cake. What the hell was that? She’d never felt an attraction so powerful. Like something primal, basic. And she was bloody scared of it.
Jackie settled in front of her.
Shayne cleared her throat, desperate to pretend that all was well. “I guess I’m going tomorrow for cattle herding.”
“It’s a good idea to become familiar with all procedures on the farm,” Jackie replied.
Shayne breathed a sigh of relief. Her mother didn’t know. Thank the Lord for small mercies.
“Juston is a new guy.”
Her heart slammed in her chest. Her mother did know. Of course, it was impossible to hide anything from Jackie. When it came to her daughters, she had the nose of a hound. “He is.” She stood and carried the empty plate over to the sink. Shayne washed it, reluctant to go into any details. “I should start setting up my office. Did Cullen say anything about a wireless router?”
“It’s in the cupboard in the room that has been assigned as your office. Do you need help?”
“No, thanks. I’ve got it.” She walked towards the door.
“Shayne.”
She closed her eyes, counted to five, and turned around. Of course, she never could hide anything from her mother.
Jackie’s bright gaze met hers. “I know that it’s hard to recover from the blow of a broken marriage, but you’ve got to start moving on.”
“It’s barely been six months, mom.”
“It’s never too early to start, and frankly, you couldn't do better than Juston. He’s a kind soul. I can see it in his eyes.”
Shayne didn’t blame her mother for trying. “I know you want us to all settle down and be happy, mom, but I have been through the wringer and trust me, and I don’t want to try again, just yet.”
Jackie stood. She marched over to her daughter, and though she was a head shorter, she raised her hand and put it on her daughter’s cheek. “I want you all to find someone who cares for you, but more than that, I want you to stop hurting, and I think Juston can help you do that.”
She hadn’t told her mother everything about her broken marriage. The words edged at the tip to her tongue but she swallowed them whole. She didn’t want the sympathy or the outcry that might follow if she revealed what went on in her marriage. “Juston is nice, but I just don’t feel ready yet.”
Jackie removed her hand. She sighed. “It’s all right, dear. Take your time.”
“Thanks, mom. I’ve always been able to count on you.” Shayne bent to kiss her mother’s cheek. She turned and walked away. It was time to put her stamp on her office. She intended to do a good job at Westbury Ranch and really make a home here. All she needed to do at this moment was concentrate on work. This would be her priority—and nothing or no one could deter her from that path.
Chapter Two
Juston had never expected to glance at a woman and fall head over heels in love. Nothing in his life prepared him for such a moment. He liked women, sure. But he never felt such massive pull like he was experiencing right now. Shayne was so not his type. He’d never dated a city girl before. Shayne was used to higher standards, and he wouldn’t ever be able to give her that. Yet, he couldn’t help but feel that she was the right one for him.
How crazy is that? Silly even. He shouldn’t even look at her that way but he couldn’t help but keep glancin
g her way as she rode beside him. For a woman who’d spent several years in the city, she looked right at ease on the horse. He saw the way she gripped the reins and pressed her heel to the horse’s side. She could control the animal. He’d been afraid she wouldn’t be able to handle the heat and the brutal routine, but he was strong. He hadn’t heard her complain, not even once. Instead, she was full of questions, and he liked that she was actually interested in the work.
Not just a city girl. She was much more than that. And of course, he was completely bowled over by her looks. Her caramel skin glowed with good health, then her hair, dark and wavy, was tied up in a bun. Her body, curvy and supple, was covered from head to toe, but still it made his mouth water every time he looked at her. He longed to get his hands on her sinuous body and run his fingers over that dewy, soft skin. He wanted to plant his lips on hers and feel them move under his. His fingers itched to run through her hair.
Juston knew he was in deep horseshit; and he didn’t think he’d be able to climb out of it. He never felt quite like this for another woman, and it wasn’t going to be easy to fight this attraction. But Shayne was way above his league. He couldn’t ever get a woman like her, yet still he wanted to try. Not because it was an ego thing but because he wanted to be with her.
“This seems about right, boss,” Blade broke into this thoughts.
Juston turned his attention to the task at hand. “Yeah, it is. Let’s take a break for lunch. We’ll start moving them again, after a couple of hours.” He got off his horse and patted it on the flank. Understanding the silent command, the animal tottered off to do its own grazing. He sauntered over to help Shayne, but she was already off her animal.
Her brows furrowed, as she held the horse’s reins. “Should I let her go?”
He patted the filly she’d been riding and smiled. “These horses are trained well. They won’t go far.”