A Helluva Man

by Sable Hunter

  Maddox, who was still in earshot, fired back a comment. “And don’t mind my brother, he’s a bit spacy at times.”

  “Just crunch the numbers, Mad.” He winked at Tamara. “I’m the creative side of this partnership.”

  Still in hearing distance, he retorted again, “There wouldn’t be any money for your creativity, if it wasn’t for my number-crunching!”

  “See? Has to have the last word.” Storm shook his head.

  “No problem.” Tamara laughed. She couldn’t help but notice the contrast between the twins. They were truly opposites. While Maddox appeared to have stepped off the cover of GQ, Storm looked to be a free spirit. He wore faded jeans and an impeccably clean t-shirt that showed off the muted tattoos running up his forearms. His hair was longer than his brother’s and there was a dark scruff of beard on his strong jaw. “Thank you for having me.”

  “Allow me.” He took the bag from Tamara’s hand and headed up on the wide front deck of the massive house. “Right this way.”

  “Your home is unbelievable.” The closer Tamara came, the more she discovered. “I love the arbor by the lake.”

  “Yea, we’ve got all the comforts of home.” He stopped to point a few things out. “We have a helipad, a pool and a cabana, a private ski-lift up the mountain, a skeet-shooting range, and a lot more. I’ll be glad to show you around. We can take some side-trips too. There’s a lot to see in San Luis Valley.”

  “Sounds great.” Tamara beamed with anticipation. “Whatever works for all of you, I’m just here to do my job.”

  While Joseph and Maddox talked business, Storm escorted her into the house to a lovely guest room. Her eyes were about to pop out of her head as she took in the many amenities in the huge home. There was literally everything one could think of, including a bridge in the den built over an actual running stream. “Wow.” There was just a mix of rustic and luxury, that her head wanted to swim. “I would love to prowl around and take everything in.” Just as she ventured from the front door to the staircase, she saw a wet bar, a TV as big as the side of a barn, an indoor pool through a pair of French doors, and a fireplace big enough to roast a whole hog.

  Storm chuckled as he led the way. “You make yourself at home. I’ll check with Joseph and Mad, and if they’re going to be preoccupied, I’d love to take you on a little sight-seeing tour.”

  “Okay, great! I’ll freshen up and change clothes. Will jeans do?”

  He gestured toward his own. “With me. Always.”

  He gave her a wink and Tamara smiled. The guy was cute, but she wasn’t tempted with anything but the prospect of an adventure. She had her own man back home. “I think I’ll call Jaxson and check up on him when I’m done. Afterward, I’ll be down to meet you. Okay?”

  “Sounds perfect.” Storm opened the door to a guest room and Tamara felt like she’d died and gone to heaven.

  “Oh, good gracious!” She laughed. “I’ve stayed in 5-star hotel suites that weren’t this nice.” She clapped her hands at the fireplace, the French doors opening up to a huge balcony, a bed big enough for six people, and an adjoining bathroom that looked like a spa. “This could be a honeymoon suite!”

  “Well, when you get married, give us a call. We’ll be glad to put you up!”

  Tamara figured he was teasing, but she couldn’t help picturing Jaxson lounging on that big bed – waiting for her. “I’m not getting married anytime soon.”

  Again, fingers crossed.

  Storm dropped his smile, his face becoming serious. “If your guy doesn’t scoop you up fast, he’s a crazy man.”

  Tamara blushed. “Well, I know he’s smart, but he might be smart enough to avoid the trappings of matrimony.”

  Storm shook his head. “With the right woman, marriage is heaven. When I find the right girl, I’m not going to waste any time tying the knot.” With that parting word, he left Tamara alone.

  Unable to resist the temptation, she sat down on the bed to call Jaxson. To her delight, he answered on the first ring.

  “Hey, baby. How you doin’?”

  “I’m good. Missing you.”

  “How did the shoot go this morning?”

  “Great. We have another one tomorrow. Joseph and I just arrived at the Connelly’s place. You should see it, it’s wild. They’re very nice.”

  “Better than me?”

  Tamara giggled. “No comparison. You’re one of a kind. Besides, I’m addicted to you. Just hearing your voice makes me tingle.”

  Jaxson made a choking sound. “Lord, woman. You just made me puff up and get hard. I’m going to have to walk around with my damn hat over my stiff business.”

  “I like the sound of that.” She squirmed on the bed, tempted to touch herself. “I can’t wait to get home.”

  “How long are you going to have to stay?”

  “Only as long as I have to. I’ll be back by the weekend, for sure. Just make our plans and I’ll be there with bells on.”

  “You got it, honey. Will you call me tonight? When you’re in bed?”

  “Oh, yes. I will. I love having phone sex with you.”

  Jaxson laughed. “Man, I miss holding you. What are you doing? Are you working this afternoon?”

  “No, no more work today. I think I might go sightseeing. One of the Connelly’s is all business, but the other guy seems approachable. He offered to show me around.”

  A little growling noise came from Jaxson’s throat. “I know you’re with men all the time, sugar. I trust you, I just don’t trust them. You be safe, you hear? Take care of my baby.”

  Pride rose in Tamara like an incoming tide. Jaxson loved her, he had to love her. “I will. You take care of yourself too. You belong to me.”

  “Damn straight, darling. When you come home, I’m going to take you out on the town. Any restaurant you want to go to. You just name it and I’ll make reservations.”

  “Sounds good. I can’t wait. I’d love to try the Outlook Restaurant at that resort on Lake Buchanan sometimes.”

  “Huh, I know the owners. Perfect. I’ll enjoy showing off my best girl.”

  “Thank you. I’ll call you later, Jaxson. Bye.”

  “Bye, love. Be sweet.”

  With those final words from him, she hung up the phone and flung herself back on the bed in a near swoon.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  “There’s something magical about this place,” Tamara breathed as she looked out over the panoramic vista. The whole valley was surrounded by mountains, which made the views surreal, as if she was in the middle of a giant rocky embrace.

  “I agree.” Storm headed the jeep down the road, talking as he went. “We’re about four hours south of Denver, the routes through the mountains are among the most scenic drives in the state.” He winked at her. “And that’s saying a lot.”

  “Absolutely. I feel so alive here.”

  “So, move. I bet we could find a nice piece of this terrain for you to buy.”

  Tamara shook her head. “I have…family.”

  “Ah, I understand. Family can certainly influence your decisions, that’s exactly why we’re in Colorado.”

  “You’re not from here? Originally?”

  Storm shook his head and laughed. “What would you say if I told you we were from New York City?”

  “I’d say Maddox looks the part, but this area suits you.”

  “I agree. I love it here. I’ve found my niche in the world. The very air I breathe here energizes me.”

  “Other than invest, what else do you do?” Tamara knew Storm was artistic, but she couldn’t pinpoint if he was an actor, singer, painter, or something else.

  “Besides working with film, I paint.” Storm glanced over and caught her eye. “Nudes.”

  Tamara gulped air, then choked on it and Storm patted her on the back.

  “Are you okay?”

  “Yes,” she gasped, then grinned. “You just surprised me, that’s all.”

  “Ha! You aren’t the first. To tell you th
e truth, I sort of enjoy shocking people.”

  For some reason, he made her a bit nervous – but in a good way. “Well, to get back on topic. Why did you two come to Colorado? You mentioned family.”

  “Our sister. Clare.”

  He smiled so serenely that Tamara knew without a doubt his sister was loved. “Tell me about her.”

  “Clare’s a mystery, even to us. She’s a loner. The girl has a room in our home, but she rarely stays in it.”

  “Where does she go?”

  “She lives in the mountains most of the time, right by herself. We built her a cabin in the exact spot that she calls her favorite in the world. If we have time, I’ll take you up to the high country and show you.”

  “Doesn’t she get lonely?” Tamara couldn’t imagine being all alone in such wild country.

  “I guess not. She makes friends with every animal that comes along, even has a bear that visits her fairly frequently.” When he saw Tam’s surprised look, he laughed. “Yea, we feel the same way, but he’s proved his worth a few times. Very protective.”

  “Clare sounds unique, for sure.”

  “She’s very talented. I’m jealous, in fact. She can do anything. Clare refuses to take our money, or any family money. The girl writes poems, songs, she paints, she sews. Everything she creates is exquisite.”

  “I’d love to see some of it.”

  “I’ll show you. The stuff is all over our house. She also has some pieces in boutiques and galleries all over the state. Although, we do have to funnel them from her secluded studio to the stores, she refuses to have anything to do with that side of the business.” He cut a glance at Tamara. “If you think I’m the opposite of Maddox, you should meet Clare, she’s even weirder than me.”

  Tamara giggled. “I can hardly imagine that.” She smiled. “I’m sure she’s wonderful. I can tell you think the sun rises and sets in your sister.”

  Storm’s face clouded. “I do, but she’s…” He shook his head. “Now’s not the time to worry about family issues.” He pointed out the window. “This is our first point of interest, the Old Cow Town at Mill Creek Ranch.”

  Tamara sat straighter in the seat as they turned down a winding dirt road that crested atop a hill before entering a small valley. Perched against the hillside was a group of wild west-style buildings grouped into a horseshoe pattern. “Oh, how neat!”

  “Yes, it is. There’s a steakhouse, horse-drawn carriages, even a horse-drawn hearse. Folks can go on trail rides, play putt-putt, hike, or listen to live music in the dance hall. There’s even a B&B.” They pulled up to a bright yellow house. “Are you thirsty?”

  “Yea, I am,” she admitted. Before Tamara knew it, Storm was out the door and returned a few minutes later with lemonade in a boot-shaped glass.

  “Refreshments. Drink up. We have a lot to see.”

  As they drove, he told Tamara more about the Mill Creek Ranch, how it was all decorated authentically, down to the bell in the tower of the small chapel, to the ragtime player piano in the hall.

  “Up ahead is something you won’t be expecting. Alligators.”

  “Alligators? Are you serious? This is Colorado, not Louisiana or Florida.”

  “True, this is no swampland, but hundreds of alligators live in the San Luis Valley. The Colorado Gators Reptile Park is an educational rescue that started way back in the seventies as a tilapia farm. A couple by the name of Young decided the valley’s 87-degree geothermal waters could be used to raise fish. The only problem is that fish farms have a high degree of loss, so they imported a hundred baby alligators to take care of the dead fish. The babies grew quickly and due to the great interest of the locals, the park’s emphasis changed, and they began taking in reptiles needing to be rehomed or rescued.”

  “I had no idea.”

  “The park is quite a tourist attraction. Most people come to see Morris.”

  “Morris?”

  Storm laughed. “He’s a 450-pound movie star. The old gator appeared in Happy Gilmore, Dr. Doolittle II, and Interview with a Vampire. Once he ate the whole set of a sitcom called Coach. But the best part of the park experience is holding a baby gator. When Clare comes to town, she heads for the park to see if there are any little ones. I haven’t touched one, but she swears their skin is silky soft, not rough and scaly.”

  “Huh, I’d have to touch one before I believed that little tidbit.”

  “Okay. Here’s your chance.” He turned off the road and sure enough, there was the sign to the Gator Park.

  Tamara laughed at the sign. “No trespassers. Violators may be eaten. That’s reassuring.”

  Storm offered her his arm. “Stick with me, I’ll protect you.”

  Turns out, she didn’t need protecting, the alligators she got up and personal to would fit in the palm of her hand. Sitting on a stool in the nursery, Tamara oohed and ahhed over the tiny baby gators. “Clare’s right about their skin.” She stroked one, laughing as he opened his mouth and hissed at her. “They’re so cute. I just want to take one home.”

  “Unfortunately, they’ll outgrow your bathtub pretty quickly, I’m afraid.”

  When Storm was able to tear her away, they headed on down the road. He showed her some wild things, from a motel where you could watch a drive-in move from the bed, to a towering castle constructed out of beer cans and hub caps.

  “If you’ll look,” Storm told her, pointing out the monstrosity, “you’ll also see grills, wire, screen doors, bike parts, nails, and aluminum siding.”

  “What’s it used for? Weddings for mechanics or junk collectors?” She couldn’t imagine.

  “No, not weddings. Cano’s Castle is a private residence. The owner doesn’t even allow tours.”

  A little farther along, Storm slowed down. “You may recognize this next house from one of the Indiana Jones movies.”

  “Oh, neat.” She craned her neck. “One of Jaxson’s brother’s is an archaeologist. The family calls him their Indiana Jones.”

  “So, Jaxson is your boyfriend?”

  “Yea, I guess. We’ve never really labeled our relationship, but that’s how I think of him.”

  Storm frowned, picked up her left hand and stared at her ring finger. “I won’t say what I think, but the guy’s a fool.”

  Tamara gasped, torn between defending Jaxson and thanking this man for being so sweet. “I’m hoping he’ll get smart real soon,” she told Storm with a smile.

  “If he doesn’t come to his senses, call me. I’ll make him see the light.” He nodded his head and waved his fist in the air.

  “Thank you, Storm, that’s very nice of you.”

  “Hey, I’m a nice fellow.” He winked at her. “Now, for another point of interest.” They stopped at an intersection blocked by automatic railroad barriers. “This is the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad, a steam engine which crosses between Colorado and New Mexico more than ten times in a single ride. The train goes through several pitch-black tunnels, and above a nine-hundred-foot gorge. If we had time, we’d take it. Alas, we don’t.”

  “Shucks. I bet the scenery is incredible.”

  “I don’t know, the view in the front seat of this jeep is pretty good from where I sit.”

  Tamara smiled, realizing he was looking straight at her. Not knowing what else to do, she turned her head away. Storm was a great guy…but he wasn’t Jaxson.

  For a while, they rode in companionable silence, while Tamara just soaked in the beauty of the countryside.

  When Storm spoke again, he pointed at a sign that announced they were entering a town call Crestone. “You know, this is really the UFO capital of the West.”

  “Really?”

  “Yea, in fact, the San Luis Valley has more documented sightings of alien spacecraft than Roswell, New Mexico. We’re also famous for our unexplained cattle mutilations.”

  “How horrible,” Tamara giggled. “That’s not funny, it’s such an odd thing to be known for.”

  He nodded, like she’d made a keen ob
servation. “You’re right, and odd is a good term for this little town. They say Crestone sits on a deposit of quartz crystals, making it a vortex to other dimensions.”

  “Whooooo,” Tam made a spooky noise, then busted out laughing.

  “You think this is crazy, just wait.” He sped up and in a little while, they topped a hill and Tamara’s jaw dropped. “It looks like the Sahara. We’ve gone from mountains to the desert in no time.”

  “Right, this is one weird sight, massive sand dunes below the mountain peaks, both lining a warm trickling spring.”

  “Stop.” She tapped him on the arm. “I want to get a picture.” He did, and Tam jumped out to capture the strange sight. Hot sand surrounded by snowy mountain peaks. “This is otherworldly.” She laughed with delight.

  “Well, come on, girl. We’ve got one more stop before I take us home. Joseph and Mad will think we’ve eloped.”

  “Okay, can’t have that.” She was having a blast. “What’s next?”

  “Wait and see.” He gunned the engine and in just minutes, they were out of the sand and into the mountains again. A long, bumpy, dirt road led to a picturesque waterfall.

  “Wow. Just wow.” Tamara was enchanted, and nothing would do but they get out and take a closer look. After pulling of their shoes, Storm led them to the top and they waded toward the caves to get right beneath the spill.

  “Pose for me,” he pulled out his phone. She did, and he took several photos. “We’ll send one of these to Jaxson. I bet he’ll love it.”

  Tamara thought he might be right. “Send it to me, and I’ll do it now.”

  He did, and while they were driving to their next destination, she sent it to Jax’s phone. When she looked up again, Tam thought they’d wandered onto the set of a western movie. “Are those buffalo?”

  “This is the Zapata Ranch, over a hundred thousand acres, home to two thousand bison.” Storm slowed down and parked next to a fence.

  “What are we doing?” Tamara asked, exiting the vehicle with the full assurance that another surprise awaited.

  “I thought you might want to meet another local celebrity.”