Summer Days

by Susan Mallery

  She paused to draw in a breath. “And Rafe has a matchmaker, if you can believe it, and he’s on a date tonight. Because if you had a chance to land someone like him, what’s a three-hour drive to Fool’s Gold, right? And the cows are gone, which is good, because I need the money, and I’m hiring a sales rep for my cheese, which is scary. It was Rafe’s idea, so he’s helping me and trying to take my home from me at the same time.” She drew in another breath. “There’s a lot going on.”

  She reached for her margarita and took a long drink.

  Annabelle and Charlie exchanged a look.

  “That’s quite a list,” Annabelle said.

  “Most of it was about Rafe, and she’s drinking more than usual,” Charlie added. “You know what that means.”

  “Trouble.” Annabelle shook her head. “Big trouble.”

  “Man trouble.”

  “There’s no man trouble,” Heidi announced. “None. Zero. Zip. I’m not attracted to Rafe.”

  “But you’ve kissed him,” Annabelle said smoothly.

  “Yes, but it was—” Heidi slapped her hand over her mouth. She hadn’t meant to mention the kiss. She dropped her arm to her side. “It’s not what you think.”

  “Was there tongue?” Charlie asked.

  Prepared now, Heidi pressed her lips together and didn’t speak.

  “That’s a yes,” Annabelle said with a sigh. “I miss tongue. Or any kind of kissing. I miss sex and men and orgasms.” She sighed again. “I’m sorry. What was the question?”

  “Tongue is exactly what I think,” Charlie said.

  Jo brought their burgers. When she left, Heidi grabbed a fry from her plate.

  “No, it was an accident. Or meaningless, or both. He has a matchmaker. Who does that? I don’t know why he can’t get his own girl. The man is rich and good-looking. And when he rides Mason… Oh!” She turned to Charlie. “Did you know your horse knows how to rope a steer? Well, the horse part of it. He’s not the one throwing the rope.”

  Charlie picked up her burger. “Seeing as I bought Mason, yes, I knew. So Rafe is sexy on a horse?”

  “More than should be legal. With those shoulders and in that hat?”

  “Oh, no. You have it bad.” Annabelle stared at her. “I thought you were going to sleep with him to keep him from getting the ranch. Not fall for him.”

  Heidi took a bite of her burger and chewed. She swallowed, then flicked her fingers at both of them. “I’m not falling for him. He’s not my type. He’s a townie. I know better.”

  “Townie?” Charlie mouthed. “I can figure that out in context, but it’s not like you’re still in the carnival. You live in a town. You’re a townie now.”

  “Not in my heart.” Heidi drank more of her margarita.

  The tequila went down smoothly. If her brain was a little fuzzy, that was a good thing. Soon she wouldn’t have to think about Rafe on a date. With some San Francisco-based bimbo.

  “Stupid man,” she muttered. “Who does he think he is, looking that good on a horse? It’s not like I started the kissing, either. He kissed me.”

  “Was it amazing?” Annabelle asked wistfully.

  “Yes. But it’s not like he wanted to have sex with me.”

  “Not that you’re bitter,” Charlie murmured.

  “I’m not. Stupid man.”

  “You said that already,” Annabelle told her.

  Heidi gulped the rest of her margarita and signaled for another.

  “You really don’t want that,” Charlie told her. “You’re plenty drunk as it is.”

  “You’re not the boss of me,” Heidi announced.

  “It’s too late,” Annabelle said. “There’s nothing we can do.”

  “You’re going to be hating life, come morning.”

  Maybe Charlie was right, but at this moment, Heidi didn’t care.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  “BUT I NEED MY CAR,” HEIDI said, leaning against the door in Charlie’s truck. “Not that I would have driven, but we could have towed it. Or herded it. Like the cows.” She giggled at the image of herds of cars following faithfully behind. “They should make a commercial.”

  “What are you talking about?” Charlie asked.

  “Nothin’. My cheeks are numb.”

  “You’ll be throwing up soon enough.”

  “Na-ah.” Heidi liked the way the sounds felt in her mouth and made them again, then laughed. Her amusement ended in a snort that had her covering her mouth. “That wasn’t me.”

  “That is so the least of what you’re going to be doing tonight,” Charlie told her, as she pulled around the ranch house and stopped by the front porch. “When next we see each other, I’m going to say, ‘I told you so,’ and I don’t care how pitiful you look. You’re going to be living in a world of regret.”

  “Already there,” Heidi said, fumbling with her suddenly complicated seat belt. There were many regrets, most of them fuzzy. A few of the more clear ones were about Rafe and his date.

  “I hate her.”

  “Who?” Charlie asked.

  “I don’t know yet. But her.”

  “Okay, then.”

  Charlie climbed out and came around the truck. As she reached for the door, Heidi saw someone on the porch. The shape moved toward them and she recognized Rafe.

  “You shouldn’t be back,” Heidi said as Charlie opened the door. “You should be out with her.”

  “Oh, Lord,” Charlie muttered. “Come on. Let’s get you inside.”

  “What happened?” Rafe asked.

  He was tall. With big man-shoulders. Heidi remembered how he’d looked in that towel—all wet and sexy. She would like to see him naked again. She hadn’t seen a penis in a long time, and she had a feeling his would be especially nice.

  “Too many margaritas,” Charlie said, unfastening the seat belt. “Heidi’s not much of a drinker. She’s going to have a difficult night. Come on, kid. There’s going to be a big step.”

  “I’ll get her,” Rafe said, stepping closer.

  Charlie moved back, giving him room. Heidi found herself at eye level with Rafe.

  “This is your fault,” she told him.

  “I’m sure that’s true. Come on, goat girl. Let’s get you inside.”

  She wanted to protest the “goat girl” title, except the way he’d said it sounded kind of nice. Friendly. Maybe teasing. Like they were friends. Not that Rafe was the friend type. He was more the kind of man who took what he wanted, leaving women broken and desperate and…

  “What’s so funny?” he asked.

  “What?”

  “You’re laughing.”

  Heidi felt her face. “No, I’m not.”

  He glanced over his shoulder. “How much did she drink?”

  “Let’s just say, around two in the morning, I wouldn’t get between her and the bathroom.”

  “Thanks for the warning.” He turned back to Heidi. “You ready to get out of the truck?”

  “All right.”

  She took a step forward, only to realize she hadn’t gotten out of the truck yet. Her feet got tangled, and she would have fallen out of the cab face-first if Rafe hadn’t grabbed her.

  He muttered something she didn’t catch and wrapped his arms around her. “I guess we’re doing this the hard way.”

  He eased her out of the truck and stood her next to him on the driveway. Balancing was harder than she remembered, she thought, as she swayed and tried to stay upright. She had a vague idea that she should see Glen, and go get some of his post-bender elixir, but the notion faded as quickly as it had arrived.

  “You’re not getting up the stairs on your own, are you?” he asked.

  She was too busy staring at his mouth to answer. She liked his mouth,
especially how it felt when it was busy touching hers.

  “Charlie asked if there was tongue and I wouldn’t answer, but I think she guessed the truth.”

  Rafe was sure Heidi thought she was whispering. Unfortunately, she was wrong. He glanced at the tall, broad-shouldered woman who’d driven Heidi home.

  “You Charlie?”

  “Uh-huh.”

  “Mason’s your horse?”

  Charlie nodded. “I heard you were riding him. I appreciate you giving him the workout. I’m less sure you should be messing around with Heidi.”

  “Me, too. And I’m not.”

  Her steady gaze didn’t waver.

  “It was one kiss,” he added.

  “That’s generally how it starts. She’s my friend. Don’t make me hurt you.”

  Rafe sighed and put his arm around Heidi. As he helped her to the porch, he wondered why he couldn’t be back in San Francisco, at a baseball game with Dante, or even working late. Right now a financial crisis or lawsuit threat sounded pretty damned good.

  “I promise not to hurt her,” he said. “Good enough?”

  “We’ll see.”

  He half led, half carried Heidi to the porch. Charlie closed the passenger door and went around to the driver’s side. She got into her truck and drove away.

  “Bye, Charlie,” Heidi called after the retreating vehicle. She tried to wave and nearly slid to the ground.

  He caught her and pulled her back to her feet. She rubbed his arm. “You’re so strong.”

  “Thanks.”

  “It’s very nice. I’ve seen you in a towel and that’s nice, too. If you weren’t trying to steal my home, I’d like you more. Want to change your mind about that?”

  “This isn’t the time to have that conversation.”

  “Sure it is. Or we could kiss.” She stared up at him hopefully.

  “Are those my only two options?”

  She nodded her head, then stopped. “You had a date.” Her tone was accusing. “With a woman.”

  “Would you be happier if it had been with a man?”

  She considered the question, then blinked. “I don’t know.”

  He had a feeling that for her, it was a brand-new day.

  “Did I mention the kissing?” she asked.

  “You did.”

  “Any thoughts?”

  “None you want to hear.”

  He knew he could break the mood by mentioning his date, but he didn’t want to talk about it. Bad enough he’d lived through it once already. While Julia had been perfectly lovely, he’d spent their two hours together trying not to get caught staring at his watch. He’d found himself thinking about Heidi and the ranch, wondering why he would rather be there than out to dinner with a charming companion. He’d ducked out early, and had turned off his cell phone so Nina couldn’t call to ask how the date had gone.

  “Let’s get inside.”

  He managed to guide Heidi up to the porch and into the house. Rather than risk her navigating the stairs, he picked her up in his arms and carried her to the second floor. From there, it was a short trip to her bedroom.

  Once inside, he set her on her feet and turned on the light. She gazed up at him with wonder.

  “You carried me.”

  He nodded.

  “That was so romantic.” She smiled. “You can kiss me now.”

  She obligingly closed her eyes and pursed her lips.

  The smartest thing would be to walk away. She was drunk, and he was just trying to get through the days without stepping in too much crap.

  But there was something about Heidi. Something that tempted him beyond what was reasonable. She wasn’t his usual type, but that didn’t make her any less…appealing. He was drawn to everything about her. She was unguarded and funny. She worked hard, was loyal to those she cared about and, right now, even drunk, she was sexy as hell.

  He leaned in and lightly brushed his mouth against hers. The heat was instant, as was the need. She swayed again, and he put his hands on her shoulders to steady her.

  The second he touched her, he knew he was lost. That wanting couldn’t be reasoned with, and he wanted her bad. Taking advantage of a woman who was drunk wasn’t his style, though. Besides, he had enough ego to want Heidi to know what she was doing when she came to his bed. He drew back.

  Her eyes were wide and unfocused. She yawned. “That was nice, but I’m sleepy.”

  Despite the painful throbbing in his groin, he smiled. “You’re not tired—you’re about to pass out.”

  She waved one hand. “Tomato, tomahto.” She edged toward the bed.

  He helped her. When she sat on the mattress, he pulled off her shoes. No way he was taking off her clothes, he thought. The hows and whys of undressing her weren’t a conversation he wanted to have.

  She stretched out on the bed, and he covered her with the comforter. He kissed her forehead.

  “You’re going to be in a world of hurt tomorrow,” he murmured.

  “No. If I drink Glen’s secret mixture, I’ll be fine.”

  “Want me to fix it?”

  She closed her eyes and drew in a deep breath. “’Night, Rafe,” she murmured, sounding half-asleep already.

  He took that as a no. “’Night, goat girl.”

  He walked out, leaving her door open. After using the bathroom, he left the light on so it would be easier to find in a few hours, then made his way to his own room. He was about to close the door when he heard a strange sound. Was Heidi sick already?

  He stepped out into the hall and listened. The sound came again. He realized the source was downstairs. A cry. Not of distress, exactly, it sounded like…

  His mother?

  He flinched and hurried back to his room. After closing the door, he grabbed his iPod and shoved the buds into his ears, then cranked up the volume. Fool’s Gold was, as he’d always known, his own version of hell. A place where his mother made time with the guy who had ripped her off, and where Rafe couldn’t have the one who seemed to be the only woman he wanted.

  * * *

  RAFE HAD FALLEN ASLEEP close to midnight, only to be awakened about an hour later by the sound of rapid footsteps in the hallway. The bathroom door had slammed. He’d rolled over and gone back to sleep. His phone had beeped at him just before dawn.

  He dressed quickly, then grabbed his boots and stepped into the hall. He knocked once on Heidi’s door.

  “Go away.”

  The voice was weak and full of pain.

  He opened the door and saw a huddled shape in the bed. “I’ll take care of the goats this morning.”

  “You don’t know how.”

  “I’ll figure it out.”

  “You have to sanitize everything.”

  “I’ve seen you do it.”

  Heidi shifted and one swollen, bloodshot eye peeked out from under the covers. The bit of skin around it was an uncomfortable combination of green and gray.

  “What time did you stop throwing up?” he asked.

  “I’m not sure I have.”

  “I’ll deal with the goats,” he repeated.

  “Thank you.” She collapsed back on the bed, then groaned. “Lars is coming.”

  “Lars?”

  “He trims their hooves.”

  “I’ll handle it. Actually, Lars will handle it and I’ll supervise. I like watching other people work.”

  “Thank you. I’m probably going to die later.”

  “Sorry, no such luck. You’ll wish you were dead, but you’ll make it.”

  “You don’t know that for sure.”

  He wondered how much she remembered from the night before, and figured, even if she recalled begging him to kiss her, she would pretend she didn’t. />
  “Try to get some sleep,” he told her. “I’ll milk the goats and deal with Lars.”

  He stepped out of her room and went downstairs. As he passed through the kitchen, he heard soft laughter from the direction of Glen’s bedroom. Being a regular kind of guy, he kept his head down and walked faster. No way he was having that conversation with his mother. At least, not before coffee.

  He headed for the goat house and found the goats waiting for their morning milking. Athena’s ears flicked back and forth when she spotted him, as if she’d already guessed there was a change. Her eyes narrowed and she took a step back.

  “It’s okay,” Rafe reassured her. She didn’t look convinced.

  He washed his hands, then collected the supplies he would need. After everything was set up, he walked toward Athena. She glared at him and stepped to the side, obviously torn between the need to be milked and the fact that he wasn’t Heidi.

  The other goats watched. If Athena went easily, they would follow. If she didn’t… He decided not to think about that.

  The door pushed open a little and the three cats strolled in. They trotted toward him, mewing in anticipation. The gray cat wound around his ankles, leaving a coat of light-colored hair on his jeans.

  “Nice,” he told it.

  The cat blinked at him, then purred.

  The rumbling sound was loud, yet relaxing. Athena flicked her ears again, then stepped into place, by the short stool.

  “All hail the cat,” Rafe murmured, and put on fresh gloves. He sat on the stool, wiped Athena’s teats with disinfectant and went to work.

  Five minutes later, he was willing to admit that milking was harder than it looked when Heidi did it. Athena kept glancing at him, as if wondering why she had gotten stuck with the inept human, but finally he finished. The next goat took her place, and so on.

  When they were all done, he gave the cats their share, then propped open the doors, so the goats would have the run of the large yard. Usually, Heidi took them to different parts of the ranch to feed on the wild plants, but with the hoof guy coming, Rafe decided to keep them close.

  He made sure they had water, then took the milk inside and stored it in the extra refrigerator in the mudroom. He grabbed a quick breakfast, mercifully avoiding his mother, before heading back out to get Ethan’s guys working on the fence line.