She added a few more basic staples to her basket, milk, eggs, butter, cheese and dry cereal. That should do her until she could get away to make another trip into town.
Sam was already checking out when she reached the front. She got in line behind him, but he didn’t say anything until he had paid the clerk. “I will be waiting in the truck,” he said, glancing back at her.
“Okay.” Loren replied. She noticed that the clerk raised her eyebrows at Sam’s comment.
The clerk waited until Sam had left the store before she said anything. “So you are with Sam?” she asked in a surprised tone.
“Yes, I am.” The clerk had a funny look on her face in response to Loren’s answer. “Is something wrong with that?”
“Well, no. It’s just that he has never come in with a girl before. Well, at least not since I have been working here. Rumor has it that he still pines after Mr. Woodrow’s daughter.”
“Who, did you say?” Loren asked. She wasn’t sure why she wanted to know more, but she did.
“Mr. Woodrow, you know the owner of this grocery store.”
“No, I mean whom did you say he was pining after?”
“Stephanie Woodrow.” The girl said it as if she expected Loren to know exactly who this Stephanie was.
When Loren didn’t respond, the clerk continued on with her idle chatter.
“You know, his high school sweetheart. They had planned to be married soon after their graduation, and well, she just up and ran off to Paris with her friends. Snagged her some rich Frenchman is what folk’s around here say.”
The clerk paused long enough to take a short breath and rattled on as if she were talking to herself. “Of course last I heard she divorced him and plans to move back to Georgia. I don’t suppose Sam knows that yet or he wouldn’t be riding you around all over town, showing you off.”
Well, that sure explained why he wasn’t married. Loren’s heart ached at the pain that Sam must have felt when the one girl that he had loved so much had run off to Paris, leaving him behind.
Not really knowing what else to say, Loren paid for her groceries and quickly walked towards the exit door.
“Wait Miss, your change,” the clerk called out after her. Loren either didn’t hear her or didn’t care, she disappeared out the door.
Chapter 8
Sam picked up on Loren’s quite demeanor on the way home. She was unusually quiet. He got the feeling that something was bothering her or weighing heavy on her mind. When he pulled into the drive, she jumped out of the truck before he could even get the ignition cut off.
Once her feet hit the ground, she made a bee line for the back door. She had been in such a hurry to get away from him that she hadn’t even remembered to get her groceries.
Maybe he had been a little too rough on her, but on the other hand, she had deserved it, so he wasn’t going to allow himself to feel guilty about it. He grabbed her bags and hopped out of the truck.
Letting himself into the back door, he carried her groceries in and put them on the table. He didn’t see her lurking around in the kitchen, so he called out to her. “Loren, where are you? You forgot your bags in the truck.”
There was still no answer. “Loren, are you okay?” he asked.
Sam heard her walk around the corner into the kitchen as he was putting the perishables in the fridge.
“So what do you have planned for these?” He held up the pack of steaks, displaying them in front of his chest.
“I thought I would cook dinner for you tonight.” Was that a look of surprise that crossed his face? “What? You don’t’ think I can cook?” she asked with raised eyebrows.
“Well no, not really,” he admitted. “You look a little wet behind the ears to me about a lot of things,” he commented.
And what in the devil did he mean by that? “I guess I will just have to prove you wrong then,” she said, keeping her tone even.
She walked over and practically snatched the pack of steaks from his hands. Thanks for bringing in my bags, but I can take if from here.” It was all she could do to keep her tongue in cheek and not yell the words at him.
Sam took the dismissal as it was intended, and tipped his hat to her on his way out the back door. He had chores that needed tending to anyway. He couldn’t let this place go, just because there was a female around to shake things up a bit. A beautiful desirable woman he reminded himself, and one that thinks she can cook. The thought of her smoking up the kitchen from charred steaks, brought a smirked grin to his face.
“Dinner will be ready around seven,” she called out to his retreating back. His smirking grin had not gone unnoticed. She would just have to show him that all the smirking in the world would not change the fact that she was a great cook. With that thought in mind, Loren set to the task of marinating the steaks. She was determined that this would be the best steak that he would ever have the pleasure of putting into his mouth.
And as promised, Loren had dinner ready and served at seven p.m. sharp. The night air was cool, but comfortable, making it a nice evening to have dinner served outside on the back deck.
Sam had to admit, he was impressed. “Well, it all looks good, but let’s see how well it taste,” he said, trying to add a hint of sarcasm to his words.
Loren knew sarcasm when she heard it, but just smiled and motioned him to a chair. He removed his hat and sat down. The truth of the matter was that he hadn’t had a meal like this cooked for him in so long, he wasn’t even sure where to begin. The aroma was making his stomach growl.
The steaks were grilled to perfection. The salad was crisp and fresh; the baked potato was baked to a fluffy softness. He popped a piece of the steak into his mouth and began to chew. Mesquite flavor exploded into his mouth with each grind of his teeth.
“So, what do you think?” She was tapping her foot waiting for an answer.
Amy had been determined that Loren would learn to cook. She had stayed persistent over the years, telling Loren that she would be grateful one day. Well, that one-day was finally here. Proving Sam wrong would be her trophy.
“It is heavenly, where on earth did you learn to cook like that?” Sam replied in between chewing.
“My mom was a great teacher.” Her answer came with a feeling of satisfaction. It pleased her that he liked it, and it made her feel all bubbly inside. “But now that you know I can actually cook; don’t be expecting it all the time. Tonight was just a peace offering for getting under your skin all day.”
He couldn’t argue with that. She had gotten under his skin all day and he was beginning to think this day was never going to end, but now he wasn’t sure that he even wanted it to.
He hadn’t realized it until now, but he missed the company of a woman. He tried to recall the image of Stephanie’s face, but it wouldn’t come to mind. He was just distracted, that’s all.
Loren sat down across from him and began to spoon lots of butter onto her potato. She knew it wasn’t really healthy for you, but she didn’t really care at the moment. It wasn’t worth eating without loads of butter and salt. She might regret it one day when it settled on her hips, but for now she was just enjoying every savory bite.
Sam washed his last bite of steak down with a swish of sweet tea. “Thank you Loren. That is by far the best meal that I have had in a very long time.”
“Wait a minute. Is that a compliment that just accidentally escaped your mouth?” Her smile was beaming from one side of her face to the other.
“Yes, I believe it was, but it was no accident. I meant it.” Sam’s voice sounded sincere.
Without thinking, he reached out and laid his hand on top of hers, causing her cheeks to turn a light shade of pink. She was blushing again.
“Then you are welcome. I am glad that you liked it,” she stammered.
She wasn’t sure if his words or the warm sensation of his hand on top of hers was responsible for the pinkness in her cheeks. She fought the urge to pull her hand away from his.
With
each minute that his hand lingered on hers, her skin was becoming warmer. It was starting to feel like his skin was going to catch hers on fire.
Suddenly without warning the sky opened up and let loose a fountain of rain. Big fat rain drops began to fall; pelting down on them, as the dark clouds came rolling in. They were both soaked before they reached the door.
Loren paused with her hand on the doorknob. “Have you ever danced in the rain, Sam?”
“No, I don’t believe that I have. Hurry and open the door. In case you haven’t noticed, we are getting soaked out here,” he said impatiently.
“What do you mean that you don’t believe that you have? Have you, or have you not danced in the rain before,” Loren said with her hand still on the doorknob.
“No, I have not. I am sure that I would remember it, if I had. Now open the door,” he said, growing more impatient with every minute that passed.
“We are already soaked. Dance with me?” she asked, holding out her hand to him.
“Are you crazy? We are likely to catch phenomena out here in this mess.”
The warmth of her hand earlier had ignited a spark in him. He was afraid that if he touched her again, he might start a fire that he couldn’t put out.
“Please,” she pleaded softly, while still holding her hand out to him.
Without giving it another thought, Sam took her hand and swept her into his arms. They were in a world of their own as he held her close, going through the dance motions.
He could feel the warmth of her body through their wet clothes, as she pressed her body close to his. Her head lay against his chest, her arms encircling his waist. Her hair smelled like fresh cherry blossoms. His nostrils were filled with the sweet sent, causing another spark to ignite within him. Sam felt like he was catching on fire as his blood began to race through his veins.
He cupped her chin and lifted her face to look into her eyes. God she was beautiful. He wanted to kiss her, but knew that he shouldn’t.
Going against his better judgment, he lightly caressed her bottom lip with his thumb until she parted them. It was his undoing. He bent low and touched his mouth softly to hers, tasting the sweetness.
Loren moved her arms upward to wrap them around his neck while he continued to softly explore her mouth. Sam could feel the surging fire begin to grow stronger inside him. The hot flames of desire were urging him on with each new spark. He wasn’t sure how far Loren would let things go and he didn’t trust himself to stop if she didn’t ask him to. He knew that he needed to break the kiss, before things went way too far; before he couldn’t stop himself.
Suddenly, Sam ended the kiss and gently pushed her away from him, holding her at arms-length. She looked up at him, confused.
“I shouldn’t have done that,” he told her, releasing his hold on her. He watched the look on her face change from confusion to embarrassment. “I’m sorry.” His mind had just gone blank. He didn’t know what else to say.
Loren lifted her hand and softly touched his lips. “Don’t be.” Turning away from him, she opened the back door and walked inside. He was left standing alone on the deck in the pouring rain.
He just stood there staring at the door for a moment, trying to clear his thoughts. What had just happened? He had not intended to kiss her, but the honest truth was that he wasn’t sorry that he had. Loren had awakened a fire within him and it was still burning.
He tugged at his Stetson and pulled it lower on his head before heading in the direction of the barn. He glanced back once as if he hoped Loren would be standing in the open door calling for him to come back.
He was half relived that she wasn’t because he felt sure that he would have returned to take her into his arms again and this time he wouldn’t push her away. He wouldn’t end their kiss until he had his fill of her. Lord help him, this was going to be a rough few months.
Chapter 9
After the first few days on the ranch, Loren was pretty much beginning to like her new home, except for the hard work that Sam made her do every day. The work seemed endless and he pushed her hard.
She was so tired every night when she went to bed, that she fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow. She had to take a soaking bath each night to wash away the dirt and grime of the day. Her mornings were started with a quick shower to help her wake up and face the day ahead.
One day she had complained that he was pushing her too hard. His only response was to tell her to go back home to Mommy and Daddy if she couldn’t handle it. Running a ranch was hard work and if she couldn’t do it then she didn’t need to be there.
She guessed that is what he wanted her to do. If she went home, he would have the ranch all to himself again. Out of pure stubbornness, she had decided that she could take whatever he dished out. This was her ranch, and with God as her witness, she was not leaving.
By the time Friday rolled around, she was bone tired. The weather was starting to turn cooler with November approaching and she wanted nothing more than to stay huddled beneath the warm covers.
She forced herself to sit up and swung her legs over the side of the bed. Every muscle in her body ached. Loren pushed herself to a standing position, and slowly walked to the shower in the hopes that the hot water waiting for her, would soothe away some of the soreness.
Once inside the shower, she just stood there letting the water run over her naked body for the longest time. She knew she was wasting time, but it felt too good to move.
Loren finally stepped out of the shower and glanced at the clock that sat on the night stand beside the bed. She had definitely wasted too much time and if she didn’t hurry, she would be late getting to the barn to meet Sam for their morning ride. If she was more than ten minutes late, he would leave without her.
On more than one occasion, Sam had already made it clear that he did not tolerate tardiness. If she wanted to learn to take care of this ranch, she had to do it on his schedule and by his rules, no exceptions!
She quickly pulled on her under things along with a pair of jeans and a long sleeved cotton shirt. Taking the steps two at a time, which was her habit, she raced down the stairs. In the mudroom, she pulled on her muck boots and a rough looking blue jean jacket before running out the back door. It was a short walk to the barn.
Today had been reserved for mucking out the horse stalls. She dreaded it with a vengeance, but it was the only thing on her to do list today other than feed the horses before their morning ride.
Even though she hoped it wouldn’t take long, she knew it was pretty much an all-day job. From the looks of them, Sam hadn’t mucked them in quite a while. He had probably been saving it to torture her with.
Their morning ride was pretty much quite as usual. Upon their return to the ranch he had left her to mucking out the stalls on her own. Surely she wouldn’t mess that up. A smile crossed her face when she remembered the look on his face when she had gotten the hayfork hung up in the hay ring the day before.
By her sixth day on the ranch, Sam had showed her every acre of the ranch and pointed out any details that he had discovered over the years. He had showed her a spot along the creek that was deep enough for a small swimming hole, which would be nice for the summer months. A couple of huge cottonwood’s lined the bank on one side of the creek providing some very nice shade.
Loren had a vision of sitting beneath one of the cottonwood’s reading a romantic love story while her horse grazed on the soft green grass; or better yet, making her own love story with Sam.
Although they had not spoken of the kiss they had shared, Loren could still remember the feelings that had consumed her body when his lips had touched hers and she could still feel the warmth of his skin when he had held her close.
At first it had confused her when he had ended the kiss and pushed her away from him. Then the confusion had quickly turned to embarrassment when she realized that he must have pushed her away because he could tell that she was inexperienced in the art of kissing a man.
After seeing that he meant to keep his distance from her, Loren soon decided that he would probably never kiss her again, but at least she had her memories of the most perfect kiss ever. It had been a wonderful experience. One that she was sure she would never forget.
Loren decided to take a quick break. Not only was she tired, her throat was parched. She was anxious to get the mucking over with, but there was no need to kill one’s self in the process.
The phone was ringing when she pushed the back door open. Loren ran to answer it.
“Hello,” she answered, almost out of breath.
“Hey sweetie,” came Amy’s soft voice over the phone.
“Mom is it really you?” Loren asked, feeling her heart skip a beat at the sound of her mothers’ voice.
“Yes, of course it is dear. Are you okay? You sound like you are having some trouble breathing.”
“Yes, I’m okay. I ran to catch the phone before you hung up. I have been out at the barn mucking stalls and had just come up to the house for a quick break. Oh Mom, it is so good to hear your voice. I have missed you and Dad so much.”
“Oh, honey we have missed you too. Sam’s not working you too hard is he?”
“No, not really,” she lied. Loren was afraid that if she told her Mom the truth, that she would insist that she come home or worse fire Sam for working her too hard. It was true that he could rile her and make her frustrated, but it was also true that she liked him and wasn’t ready for him to leave just yet.
“He has been teaching me all the things that I need to know about taking care of the ranch. Some of it is hard work, but he helps me with the really hard stuff,” Loren assured her mother. Big fat liar was running through her brain cavities as soon as the words were out of her mouth.
“So, you and Sam are getting along pretty good then?” her mother asked.
“We are. I am so glad that you and Dad asked him to stay on for a while. He is great!” She said it with a little enthusiasm to convince her mother that all was well.
SECOND CHANCES AT MG RANCH Page 5