Learnin' The Ropes

by Shanna Hatfield

  “Just like that,” she rasped when she could once again speak. “You can definitely leave early Friday, if you promise another kiss like that is involved.”

  Ty grinned. “If that’s the boss’s orders, then I have no choice but to oblige her do I?”

  “Nope,” Lexi said with a wink. “I think we better head back in, though.”

  Instead of rising to his feet, he buried his face in her hair. She heard him groan, felt his struggle to do what was right. Finally, he lightly kissed her lips, stood, and pulled her up with him.

  “I think we’ve let things go far enough for the afternoon,” Ty said with a wicked grin. He bent down and picked up the quilt and Lexi helped him fold it. He carried it in one hand while he held her hand in the other.

  They strolled across the pasture, enjoying the beautiful day and each other. Halfway to the fence, the ground trembled. The sound of something pounding and huffing came from behind them. Swiftly turning, they both looked with wide eyes as one of the bulls raced full tilt toward them.

  Lexi tightened her grip on Ty’s hand as made a mad dash for the fence.

  “What did you do?” Lexi asked as they ran.

  “Me? I didn’t do anything except come out to see you.” Panic seized him as he measured the distance to the fence and calculated the bull overtaking them before they reached it. The crazed bovine moved a lot faster than Ty would have thought possible.

  “How did the bull get in here?” Lexi asked, running as fast as she could, keeping stride with Ty’s long legs.

  “Didn’t Swede say something yesterday about moving the bulls around?” Vaguely, he recalled a conversation from breakfast the previous day.

  “I completely forgot.” Lexi said. Her thoughts were so muddled with Ty, she was starting to forget important details. Like dangerous bulls. “I’m sorry.”

  “No biggie.” Near the fence, he poured on a burst of speed. Before Lexi could climb over, Ty swept her up and over the pole fence along with the quilt. He centered his hand on the top pole and vaulted over it a second before the bull slammed on the brakes and slid into the fence, making it rock.

  The momentum from their run carried them several yards before Ty bent over with his hands on his knees and drew in gulps of air. Lexi dropped the quilt and sat on it, trying to catch her breath and calm her quaking limbs.

  “That was close,” she finally said, looking up at Ty.

  “You think?” A teasing glint brightened his blue eyes. “That was a little too close, babe.”

  “Where’s your sense of adventure?” Lexi teased from her seat on the quilt, squinting at him as the sun shone in her face.

  “Right here.” He pulled her into his arms and kissed her with a ruthless intensity that she easily matched. Adrenaline and longing coursed through them, setting their hearts into a matching wild rhythm.

  It took both hands to hang onto his last little speck of sense, but he finally set Lexi down, picked up the quilt, and tugged her toward the house.

  He glanced down at her with a cocky grin. “I think after all that, you need to feed me dinner.”

  “Is that so?” She cast a flirty look his way.

  “That is so.” Playfully, he swatted her bottom. “Let’s call it hazard pay.”

  Lexi laughed. “We’ll both cook. You grill the steaks and I’ll do the rest.”

  “Deal.” After dropping a kiss to her cheek, they continued to the house.

  Gratitude filled him as he thought of the fence Cal and Keith recently finished rebuilding. At the time, he wondered why it needed to be so tall and stout. Now he knew.

  Ty was helping Lexi finish the dinner dishes when a knock sounded at the back door followed by a “hallo in the house,” from Swede.

  “Come on in, Swede,” Lexi called, putting away the last clean dish while Ty hung the dishtowel on a rack to dry.

  Ty and Lexi watched Swede enter accompanied by a tall, attractive woman with white hair, sparkling brown eyes, and a warm smile.

  “Howdy,” Swede said, grinning from ear to ear.

  “Hey, Swede. Did you enjoy your day off?” Lexi asked as Swede dragged the woman further into the kitchen.

  “I sure did. Made a trip to Boise today,” Swede said, sweeping off his hat. “This here is my sister, Janice. Everyone calls her Jan. Sis this is Lex Ryan, the boss, and thet feller with the dishpan hands is Ty, the best mechanic I’ve ever met.”

  “Hello, Jan,” Lexi said, extending her hand to Swede’s sister. While Ty shook her hand, Lexi took a moment to study the older woman. A faint family resemblance existed between Jan and Swede. “Welcome to the Rockin’ R Ranch. Are you going to be visiting Swede for a while?”

  “Well, I’m not…”

  “Actually, Jan ain’t here to visit me.” Nervous, Swede twisted the brim of his hat in his hand.

  Ty watched the ranch foreman with interest. It was one of the few times he’d seen the man uneasy.

  “Oh, well…” Lexi started to say, but Swede interrupted.

  “I fetched her to be yer housekeeper. She can do the job with her eyes closed and ya got to have some help before we hit high tide with summer comin’. The boys ain’t got time to mess with cookin’ and cleanin’ and ya said yerself ya didn’t have time to keep chasin’ down help thet won’t stay. Jan will stay with me in my house and it’ll be dandy.”

  Lexi wasn’t sure what to think or say. It wasn’t like Swede to just spring things — employees — on her, but she was tired of searching for a housekeeper and they did need the help.

  “So, Jan, do you have experience housekeeping and cooking?” Lexi wanted a little background on the woman before she agreed to Swede’s plan.

  “I wed at eighteen and had five babies by the time I was twenty-five, so I know a bit about keeping a house orderly. I had to with my brood. My husband and I opened a restaurant and ran it successfully for twenty-seven years. His illness forced the sale of the business and when he passed away last year, it left me with too much time on my hands,” Jan said, looking fondly at her brother. “So when this rascal said you needed my services, I decided to jump into a new adventure. I’ve never lived on a ranch before, but Swede tells me I’ll adjust just fine.”

  “You aren’t the only one getting used to living on a ranch,” Lexi said, pointing at Ty. “This one had never even seen a cow up close until he moved here in February.”

  “It appears I’m in good company, then,” Jan said with a warm smile Ty’s direction. “Growing up in Seattle, Francis knew from the time he was old enough to talk that he wanted to be a cowboy. While other little boys got paper routes and played baseball, this one practiced learning to walk, talk and live like a cowboy. He left home the day after he graduated from high school and has been living his dream since.”

  “Francis?” Ty mouthed, shooting Swede a devilish look.

  Swede glared at him and shook his head.

  “So there’s hope for me yet,” Ty commented with a broad grin. He tucked away Swede’s real name for later tormenting purposes.

  “You already knew that,” Lexi said, squeezing Ty’s arm. The rock-hard strength of his bicep unsettled her, but she turned her attention back to Jan. “Is there anything I can do to help you settle in?”

  “No, Swede helped me move my few things into his spare room already. I was staying with my daughter in Boise and didn’t have a lot to bring along. I would be happy to start in the morning if that would be satisfactory.”

  “If you feel up to it, that would be great.” Lexi relayed the times she’d like to see breakfast and dinner served. “After breakfast, we can go over the job details, if that sounds good to you.”

  “That would be fine,” Jan said, as she looked around the beautiful kitchen. “So I’ll be serving meals here?”

  “Oh, no,” Lexi said with a laugh, imagining the discomfort that would bring the hands. They all behaved as if they tread on sacred ground anytime they needed to come in the house. Swede and Ty were the only two that acted normal w
hen they were there. “Meals will be served in the bunkhouse. It has a full kitchen and we can work on a grocery list tomorrow.”

  “Very well,” Jan said, glancing at Ty. “Do all the hands join you for Sunday dinner here?”

  “No. The hands have Sundays off, so that would include you as well,” Lexi said, reaching for Ty’s hand and meshing their fingers together. “This guy thinks he gets special privileges.”

  “I see,” Jan said, even though she didn’t. Although the tall mechanic, as Swede referred to him, looked like any other wickedly handsome cowboy, she wondered what the relationship was between him and the boss.

  “Well, let’s head back to the house, sis,” Swede said, escorting his sister to the door and settling his hat on his head. “Thanks, boss, for givin’ this a try.”

  “Sure, Swede. You haven’t steered me wrong yet,” Lexi said then looked pointedly at Ty, giving him a wink.

  “I’ll walk with you.” Ty needed to say good night before he and Lexi got involved in more kissing that would lead to places they really shouldn’t go.

  “Night,” Lexi said, waving at Swede and Jan before kissing Ty’s cheek.

  “Night, babe. Thanks for dinner and a great afternoon,” Ty whispered, then followed Swede and Jan out the door.

  “Well, Ty, you are the mechanic and also are learning to be a cowboy?” Jan asked as they walked across the yard, enjoying the pleasant evening weather.

  “That’s right, ma’am,” Ty said.

  “And you’ve only been at this since February?”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “Well, you seem to be a very fast learner,” Jan said with a smile.

  Ty nodded his head in thanks and bid both Swede and Jan a pleasant evening as he went on to the bunkhouse. After doing his laundry, he called Beth and caught her up on what had happened in the last few days, including the bull chasing him across the pasture.

  “What were you two doing in the pasture, anyway? I would think you would have noticed him before he got that close,” Beth said.

  “We were… um… a little… um,” Ty stammered.

  “You were what? Tyler Jaxton Lewis, what have you done!” Beth used the tone that always let him know he was in trouble.

  “I haven’t done anything, exactly,” Ty said. His hand plowed a furrow through his hair and he released a sigh. “We were just kissing.”

  “Kissing!” Beth laughed. “And why would you be kissing your boss?”

  “Because I can’t seem to help myself,” Ty answered with sincere honesty. “I’ve got it bad, Beth.”

  “How bad?”

  “Really bad.” He sighed again. “I’ve never felt this way before about anyone. She’s all I can think about. And yes, I know it is crazy and about the dumbest thing I’ve done.”

  “I don’t think it is crazy or dumb,” Beth said with a smile in her voice. “Does she kiss you back?”

  “Of course,” Ty snorted, somewhat offended Beth would even ask.

  “Hmm…” Beth said, thinking about Ty and Lexi — together. “That’s interesting.”

  “You might as well just spit it out.” He folded the clothes he’d dumped on his bed. “You know I’m not good at deciphering your hidden messages.”

  “I think it’s about time you fell in love, really fell in love, and Nate and I both think Lexi is wonderful. If she isn’t opposed to being close enough to kiss you, I think you should see where this goes,” Beth said. Smug and satisfied, she was happy Ty finally admitted what she already knew. She could tell he was infatuated with Lexi when they’d visited right after Jax was born.

  “What if it goes to the unemployment line?” he asked, aware that was a very real possibility. “What if we end up breaking things off and she tells me to find a new job?”

  “Worry about that when it happens. Don’t borrow trouble or obsess over the what-ifs. The opportunity to find real love is worth risking everything for, isn’t it?” Beth asked.

  “Yeah, I think it is.” Ty decided he was truly crazy. He had absolutely nothing to offer Lexi except himself. Right now that didn’t seem like much. “I asked her on a date so we are officially going out Friday.”

  “Make sure you take her somewhere nice for dinner and buy her flowers. And wear something besides one of your hooded sweatshirts,” Beth said with maternal authority.

  “Yes, mother,” Ty teased. “Thanks, Bethie. I’ll let you know how it goes.”

  “Be sure you do,” Beth said. For good measure she added, “And make sure you behave like a gentleman.”

  “Right.” That was the very last thing he wanted to do.

  Lesson Fifteen

  Lighten Up

  “The only person takin’ ya that seriously is the one

  lookin’ back at ya when ya shaved this mornin’.”

  “Boss, yer strung as tight as a fresh-tuned fiddle,” Swede commented early Friday afternoon as he rode next to Lexi. “What’s got ya as jumpy as the lone cat at a canine convention?”

  “Nothing.” Lexi looked everywhere except at Swede.

  “Nothin’?” A teasing glint twinkled in Swede’s eyes. “Thet must be the same nothin’ thet’s got dude’s rope in a twist today.”

  Lexi glared at Swede and he offered her a knowing grin.

  “What time are ya supposed to be ready for yer date?”

  It didn’t surprise her that Swede somehow knew they were going out. “He’s picking me up at five.” She wanted so badly for the evening to go well, she was more nervous than she’d ever been before. The reasons behind her anxiety-ridden state were emotions she refused to delve into, regardless of how much she needed to examine them. “Do you think I’m making a mistake?”

  Swede narrowed his gaze and studied her. “In goin’ out with Ty?”

  She shrugged. “Yeah. Since he’s an employee and I… well, you know.”

  “Little late to worry about thet now ain’t it?” The old cowboy cackled. “He took care of ya while ya was sick. He’s a hard worker and a good man. From what all the girls in town say, he’s more than a little handsome. Seems to me ya’d be makin’ a mistake if ya didn’t go out with him, especially when ya like him as much as ya do.”

  Lexi gaped at Swede and watched as a grin spread across his face.

  He waggled a bushy eyebrow at her. “If’n I were in yer boots, boss, I’d have me a fine time and not worry so much about what others might think. Yer daddy would have approved of Ty and I certainly do.”

  “But what about the other hands? Won’t they give him a bad time? Think he’s getting special treatment?” Lexi asked, not wanting Ty to suffer on her account. “I don’t want them harassing him.”

  “He can hold his own with that bunch.” Swede reached over and patted Lexi on the knee. “They ain’t gonna say a thing about the two of ya and if they do, it’ll be a mighty short conversation. Jes forget about the ranch and the crew and everythin’ but being a young woman with a hot date.”

  Lexi laughed. “If you insist.”

  “I surely do.” Swede cackled again. “Now, how is Jan workin’ out?”

  She smiled. “Oh, Swede, she’s the best. I’m so glad you talked her into coming to the ranch.” Her eyes shone with gratitude. “She can run circles around me. I don’t know when the house has been so clean and I can’t tell you how nice it is not to have to worry about cooking and housekeeping or what you guys are eating. She’s so sweet to leave me dinner up at the house so I can relax and you guys can talk about how awful the boss is without her in the room.”

  “Now, Lex, ya know no one would say a thing about ya,” Swede scolded defensively, until he saw Lexi grin. “But it’s nice not havin’ to worry about cookin’. That sister of mine always was purty handy in the kitchen.”

  Lexi and Swede continued chatting as they rode the fence line. They finished up a lengthy repair then Swede looked at his watch and whistled.

  “Ya better hustle it up, boss, or yer gonna be late. Ty is one man ya don’t want to keep wai
tin’.” Swede showed her the time.

  “Good grief! How’d it get so late?” Lexi swung onto Rowdy and took off toward the house. “Thanks, Swede,” she called over her shoulder as she nudged the horse into a full gallop.

  After reining in at the barn, she stripped the saddle from Rowdy and asked Gus, who was working on some tack repairs, to cool down the horse before he put him away.

  Before he had a chance to reply to her request, she ran to the house. She stopped inside the back door to remove her chaps, hat and boots, nearly sprawling across the floor when she tripped over her discarded boots. Lexi raced up the stairs to her room, stripping off her shirt and undoing her belt buckle as she went. In record time, she took a shower, washed, dried and curled her hair, put on mascara and lip gloss, and stared uncertainly into her closet.

  All Ty said was that he’d pick her up at five. He didn’t say where they were going. If it was into Burns, jeans would be fine to wear anywhere they might go. If it was to Bend, she wanted to dress a little nicer.

  Finally deciding to dress up, she selected a figure-skimming slim black dress, highlighted by a swirl of moss green foliage and bright pink flowers, along with a pair of black heels.

  A spritz of favorite perfume made her feel very feminine as she grabbed a sleek black handbag. Hastily tossing in the essentials she might need for the evening, she snapped on a watch and fastened a dainty black necklace around her throat. She picked up a black cardigan sweater, hurried downstairs, and reached the bottom step just as Ty knocked on the front door.

  Lexi smiled as she opened it and welcomed him inside. For a moment, she thought he would refuse to come in as he stared at her.

  Ty spent the better part of the day giving himself a mental pep talk about all the reasons he should find Lexi and tell her they couldn’t go out tonight. As her hired hand, he had no business dating her. Overall, it was a terrible idea. But every time he started to call her cell phone, he thought about how perfectly she fit into his arms, how delicious her lips tasted, how much he wanted to kiss her again, and lost his resolve.