“All right, let’s get this tour started. We’ll start with the house and living quarters for guests. They are cleaner than the barn…won’t get your new boots as dirty,” Taylor said from nearby.
Were the two of them planning to take turns teasing her the entire time she was here? Claire wrinkled her nose at them playfully and followed along toward the long structure that sat on the other side of the guest cottage.
“So, you just have the two guest cottages?” It seemed odd that they would have a bunkhouse for most guests, but not improved accommodations for a premium price.
“Yes, the people that come here want an authentic ranch experience. That involves staying in a large bunkhouse to build camaraderie with their fellow visitors. They do everything as a group. We get individuals who just want to enjoy being a part of a working ranch, as well as people who use it as a team building exercise. The guest houses are for personal visitors who require more privacy than the house affords or those who we don’t want to stay in our house.”
“That makes sense, I suppose. So, you and Alexandria started this place by yourselves?”
“Alexandria? No. she is just staying her for a little while. Messy divorce. She came out here to get away from the psycho.”
“Wow. She seems so young.”
“She is. Alexandria is my half-sister from my father’s second marriage. She ran off and married some oil tycoon twice her age. I guess he was as slick as his product. Anyway, he’s not a nice man. Alexandria is here to stay out of his way until the court date.”
“Poor thing.” Claire was glad she had not wed Samuel only to find out that he couldn’t be faithful. It had to been devastating enough as it was. Her heart went out to Alexandria for whatever wrong had been done to her.
“She’ll be fine. I’ll make sure of it,” Taylor added.
The unspoken meaning was clear. No man in his right mind would bother her here, surrounding by men that would not abide any nonsense. Claire was secretly even more enamored with the old school chivalry. Taylor Turner made it incredibly hard for a woman not to be completely drawn to him. she would have to watch herself with him as much as with Harper, it seemed.
“This bunk house looks a bit nicer than I would expect for ranch hand accommodations,” Claire referenced the portly bunks with plush mattresses and a large flat screen TV on one end in a common sitting area.
“Well, people want to feel like they are getting a first-hand experience of ranch life, but they don’t.”
He laughed and winked at her playfully as she chuckled. They continued their tour of the grounds, including the main house. It was all fantastic, but her mind seemed to dwell on the fact that Harper was being unnaturally quiet. Was this him out of his element or just allowing his client to take the lead for now?
“I had it custom-made so that you can really spread out and get wet everywhere.”
“What? Oh. Yes, I can see that.” The flush warmed Claire’s face again. Her mind had still been well absorbed in contemplations about his bed as he had moved on to the enormous garden tub in the nearby private bath. She should have felt ashamed of herself for her thoughts, but the fact remained that there was really no reason for him to include his personal home on the tour, much less his private bedroom.
“Well, I think that just about covers everything doesn’t it, Taylor? Perhaps we should get on out and enjoy a bite of lunch,” Harper suddenly said from nearby. Claire glanced at him, noted the look of annoyance on his face that he was trying to play off as Taylor looked up toward him.
“I suppose we should. We’ll make a round through the dairy barn on the way out. Try to keep your shoes clean, Harper.”
“Yes. Lessons learned and all that. Definitely must watch where I’m going around this place.”
Chapter 13
After a quick tour of the large dairy barn that sat off to one side of the property, Taylor announced that it was time for a lunch break. Claire went back to the cottage to freshen up while he and Harper took care of a few things before fetching her again. They walked as a group toward the large exterior garage that sat to one side of the main house as he hit a remote that opened two doors simultaneously.
“Old or new?”
Claire stood looking at the two black cars sitting side by side in the garage and realized that there were many kinds of horses on this ranch. The kind out in the pasture, the stallions beside her and these. One was an older model and the other appeared brand new. Claire knew nothing about cars but couldn’t resist a ride in the classic model.
“Old!”
“Wise choice. I love my Mustangs. That one is a 1967 Shelby GT500, completely restored. The other is a custom-built 2018 model hot off the factory floor. Sexy huh?
Custom-made so that you can really spread out and get wet everywhere rang out in her head. Claire had never actually done it in the backseat of a car. That would be kind of hot. What the hell is wrong with you? The mental admonishment startled her as if a real person had yelled at her for thinking along those lines again.
“Yes, it is sexy,” she replied. What had she just said? She had to get a grip. It got worse when they got in the car. He was so close to her and she could smell the masculine scent of soap and the outdoors on his skin. Not only that, but Claire could practically feel Harper glaring at her from the backseat into which he had been crammed.
Things smoothed out a bit over lunch as they began to discuss business. It was really Harper’s campaign and she was content to let him take the lead and do all the talking while she focused on her meal. After a fantastic lunch of sushi at the local Japanese steak house Taylor had taken them to, the three of them returned to the ranch. Claire was surprised when Taylor hopped onto an ATV near the barn and told her to get on the back. She looked at Harper with a bit of hesitation and he nodded his head for her to go.
“What? I thought we were going to look at the feeding system next.”
Claire stood looking at the contraption on which he was balanced as if he were asking her to get on a bucking bronco. Though they were a common sight on the farms in Tennessee, she had not every been on one herself. She had always considered them dangerous and a frivolity.
“Oh, come on. You aren’t scared of a four-wheeler, are you?” he said.
“No, of course not.”
Claire was. Terrified, in fact. Reluctantly, she climbed on behind him. He pulled her arms around him and told her to hang on tight. Her fear was partially replaced by the sudden rush she felt at being pressed against his muscular body, but it quickly resurged as he went zipping off across the massive pasture and into a thick of trees divided by a well-used path and a small stream. They bounced up the side of the hill for what felt like forever before stopping at the top.
“Here we are,” he said as he slid off the ATV and watched her struggle to get off behind him.
Placing his hands on either side of her waist, he lifted her upward and then stood her on the ground directly in front of him. Claire was sure she must look a wreck with windblown hair and chapped lips, but the look on his face reflected thoughts that were probably more in line with her own internal dialogs about him from his expression.
“We are where?” she asked, breaking free of his spell to take a couple of steps to the side to look around. There was nothing around them but pasture.
“Turn around,” he said in a gentle voice, stepping closer to her again and returning his hands to her waist to point her back toward the direction from which they had come. Whether it was the view or his touch wasn’t clear, but she was suddenly overcome with the most incredible sensation.
“Oh, my God. It’s beautiful!” she exclaimed.
You couldn’t see it as you were making the trip up the side of the hill on the ATV or when you arrived in the pasture at the top. However, the view once you arrived was spectacular. There was a clear line of sight through the lush green trees that allowed the stream to catch the sunlight. At the bottom, the gorgeous pasture spread out toward the barn
and bunkhouses on one side and the house and garage on the other. It was too breathtaking for words.
“This view is one of the main reasons I bought this land. I named it Tea Rose because my mother used to grow those in our yard when she was young.”
His breath was warm against her ear as he spoke. He was deliberately touching her and Claire could hardly stand it. When he turned her around to face him, she felt entranced by his incredibly blue eyes as he reached out to push a strand of hair from her face. She thought of Harper doing the same.
Crap. Harper. The thought of him jarred her back to her senses and she pulled away from Taylor quickly, taking a few steps away.
“I’m sorry, Taylor. You’re a client and this is highly inappropriate.”
“So?”
“So, we should focus on your advertising campaign and not mix things up with any personal interferences.”
“I’m sorry, Claire. I have just wanted to touch you since the moment I saw you walk into that conference room the other day. I shouldn’t have stepped over the line.”
“It’s okay. Let’s forget it. Perhaps we should go down and look at the feeding system now.”
“Sure. Absolutely.”
They climbed back onto the ATV and headed silently down the hill to where they had left Harper standing. He was busy on his cell phone talking with someone when they arrived, but broke it off as they pulled up.
Chapter 14
“That was a quick trip.”
“Yes. Taylor just wanted to show me the view from the upper pasture. It was quite stunning.”
“I’m sure you were inspired by it,” Harper replied, the look he cast in her direction almost accusing in nature. Was he jealous? Why did she find that so intriguing that he might be unhappy about her being alone with Taylor Turner for even just a few minutes?
“I was. Taylor is going to take me to see the feeding system now. Are you coming or have you already seen what you need to of it?”
“I think seeing it again would be a promising idea.”
Claire studied his face, once again contemplating if there was any hidden meaning behind his words. It was hard to say for certain. She decided to let it go and followed behind Taylor as he led them to the equipment they would be advertising for him.
After some very careful explaining of how it worked, Claire had a much better feel for what they needed to relay in his ads. Harper had been very right about seeing it first-hand giving her a new grasp on what needed to be shown in the graphics.
“Listen, it’s been a long day with your drive up and getting carted all over since you arrived. Plus, I need to take care of some things around the ranch. I’m going to let the two of you go hash out what it is you intend to do for me or get some rest, whatever you need to do.”
“Sounds good, Taylor. Thanks for everything.”
Taylor nodded and headed off toward a group of men working some horses in a nearby pasture. Harper turned to her and looked at her intently. She could tell he was a bit upset about something, but wasn’t quite prepared for what came next.
“Did you kiss him?”
“What?”
“On your little trip up the hillside while you were alone. Did you kiss him?”
“Harper, I hardly see how that is something you and I need to discuss.”
Claire watched as Harper’s eyes drifted toward several workers in nearby stalls and then back to her again.
“Come on. Let’s go for a little walk.”
Claire followed him as he walked out of the large structure around them and toward a fence near the edge of the surrounding field. Walking around a large hedge flanked by a row of trees, he stopped and looked back at her.
They were out of earshot and shielded from view. Claire assumed she was about to get her first chewing out from her boss when he suddenly reached for her and pulled her close to him, kissing her so furiously that her toes curled.
“Wow,” she said as they finally broke apart, sending both into a fit of laughter that resonated against the nearby tree line.
“Wow, indeed.”
His mouth cut off her laughter as they embraced again and got lost in one another, oblivious to their surroundings and forgetting all about keeping their distance. When they finally pulled apart again, they just stood looking into one another’s eyes for a moment without speaking.
“Why can’t I stop thinking about you?” Claire asked, throwing coyness to the wind.
It had taken only seconds for her to realize she not been interested in Taylor at all. It was just an appreciation for his attractiveness with nothing more than that in common. Harper, on the other hand, seared her soul in a way she couldn’t quite comprehend.
“Same reason that I can’t get you out of my mind. It drives me crazy to be so close to you and have to keep my hands to myself. I can’t do it, Claire. I don’t know what this is between us, but it’s powerful and I really want to explore it. See where it leads.” His look was intense as he searched her face for a reaction.
“I want that, too, Harper. I’m just as drawn to you, but I don’t want to jeopardize our working relationship”
“Fine. You’re fired.” His tone was stern. Claire was pretty sure he meant it.
“If you fire me, then I will be unemployed and forced to move back in with my parents in Tennessee. I won’t be able to see you anymore.”
“So? I have enough money to take care of you.”
“Maybe I don’t want someone to take care of me, Harper. Besides, I hardly know you and I enjoy my job. I like what I do.”
“What are you saying? You don’t want to give us a shot because you rather have your job than a chance at love?”
“I’m saying that I want both, but that maybe this isn’t what is right for me, no matter how much I’d like for it to be.”
“Okay. Well, let’s get back down to the feeder and make some notes, then you can go to your cabin so that you can settle in. We’ll just try to pretend that there is nothing at all between us.”
He sounded incredibly solemn as he spoke. Claire wanted to say something else, but she didn’t know what else to say and she was afraid that if she thought about it too long, she would betray herself and give in. He wasted no time in getting back to business. In a few minutes, they were in the barn looking at the feeder system again, making notes about how to present it for the advertisement.
Chapter 15
“This is the mechanism that makes everything flow smoothly. There is a mini silo installed in a nearby stall and you just flip a switch to deliver a pre-measured amount of the specially blended feed at intervals set by a timer. It is controlled remotely from the ranch office here, but it could be set up at any remote computer the user chooses. The next feeding is at five in the morning, so you’ll have to get up early if you want to see it in action. After that, I can call you a driver to take you back to the city if you wish.”
“It really does look simple.” They were both just going through the motions. The sting of the earlier conversation still tainted their demeanor.
“It is. Look, I have some things that I need to take care of. If you want, you can head back to the cottage and take a breather.”
“Okay. Thanks.”
Claire wanted to say more, but couldn’t think of anything that wouldn’t just make it worse. Instead, she turned and left the barn, making her way toward the cottage, where she collapsed across the sofa and mentally kicked herself over and over. After a bit, she drifted off into a fitful nap.
“Claire?”
The female voice coming from outside the door was accompanied by knocking. Claire struggled to her feet and made her way toward it.
“Hold on. I’m coming.” Claire had slept in an awkward position on the couch and was moving slowly, but finally made it to the door. She opened it to find Alexandria standing there.
“Hey, Claire. I came to see if you wanted to come to dinner in about an hour. We have the closing dinner with the other guests tonight. It’s a
Texas style barbecue with all the fixins.”
“Oh, I appreciate it Alexandria, but I fell asleep on the couch and now I’m aching all over. I think I’ll just take a hot shower and work on the feeder campaign for a while.”
“Yikes! How about you come up to the house instead? You can use that hellacious tub in Taylor’s room to take a nice long soak. I have an Epson salt soak that will cure whatever hurts.”
The mere mention of Taylor’s name sent off alarms to steer clear. The only person on this farm Claire needed to avoid more than him was Harper. Just the thought of him reminded her of the melancholy that had preceded her nap and now enveloped her like a well-worn glove. How could she find herself so attached to him so quickly?
“Oh, no. I don’t want to impose on Taylor.” She didn’t, for many reasons.
“You won’t be. He had to go into town to pick up some things. It’s just me and the caretakers right now.”
It almost sounded like she was desperate for the company of another woman, even if that woman was soaking in a tub somewhere. Claire supposed that being surrounded by a bunch of cowboys wasn’t every woman’s dream.
“Okay. Thanks. Let me grab some clean clothes and I’ll be right over.”
“Great. Just come on in the back door. I’ll go ahead and start the tub for you.” She nodded and Alexandria headed off toward the house.
It felt a little weird to Claire to step into someone else’s home and even stranger standing in the middle of Taylor’s bedroom again as she arrived at the house. She smiled forlornly at the huge, inviting bed as Alexandria came bouncing out of the bathroom, the sound of running water behind her.
“Oh, great. I lit some candles, poured you a glass of wine and the water should be about ready. I’ll close the door to the bedroom so the staff won’t bother you.”
“Thank you.”
Claire walked into the bathroom and closed the door, getting undressed and slipping into the hot, steamy bath. Although she had felt a little uneasy about this, the glass of wine and the soothing heat of the bath soon erased all her concerns. The nice long soak was just what she had needed. Once the water began to cool, she stepped out and dried off, fighting the urge to snoop in the medicine cabinet and drying off, instead.
The Dragon's Gold (Exiled Dragons Book 12) Page 4