She disconnected the call and turned back around. Colt’s eyes studied her, as if he were waiting on her to open up about the call and her life. Not likely.
Colt took a step forward. “Do you need to go back home?”
“I’m fine.” A little worried, but she’d never let him see it and this was none of his concern.
“Take Genesis and go check on Emily.”
Before she could answer, her phone vibrated in her hand. “Dad,” she quickly answered. “What was it?”
“It’s 99.9.”
Okay, not terrible. “Give her a dose of that medicine. Just measure it in the dropper. The dosage is on the back for her weight. Is she acting okay? How’s Lucy?”
“Lucy is perfectly fine. Emily seems more tired than usual, but she’s not cranky.”
“That’s good,” Annabelle muttered. “Just keep me posted. Even if it’s to say she’s still fine, I want you to text me updates until I get back for lunch.”
“All right. And, Belle,” he added softly. “I’m sorry. For all of this.”
Tears pricked her eyes. He was always sorry, and she truly believed for the moment that he was. Only time would tell if losing everything could really change a man. So far, since she’d been home, she hadn’t seen any signs of his habits returning, but that didn’t mean anything. He’d always managed to sneak some game, race or sporting event. He’d gamble on the color of the sky if that was an option. Neil Carter never turned down a bet.
“I’ll be home in a few hours.”
As she slid her phone in her pocket, Colt continued to study her. “Nolan is home this morning. Do you want me to send him over?”
“The doctor?” Annabelle asked. Part of her was touched that he offered, but she didn’t want anything from Colt or his family...other than her house back. But, if Emily got worse, she wouldn’t turn down at-home care...especially since she couldn’t afford a doctor. “Emily will be fine.”
Colt stared another minute before reaching up onto Genesis and pulling the reins down. “Then you have work to do.”
Annabelle led the mare from the barn before mounting her. Why was Colt being so nice? The hat so her face wouldn’t burn, the simple day so her hand wouldn’t hurt, the offer to send his brother over to check on Emily...all of that showed there was a kindhearted man inside. But he still made no apologies for planning to take over her land or trying to seduce her.
When Colt came up beside her, she kept her eyes on the horizon. He’d opted to take Phantom out today instead of Lightning. All of his horses were gorgeous animals. Annabelle couldn’t pick a favorite. They were all so well mannered, so loving.
Pebblebrook was a beautiful spread, there was no denying that. Colt was obviously passionate about ranching. She was curious about his limp, there had to be a story there, but he’d never mentioned it or acted like it hindered his work. And she couldn’t help but wonder why he was still single. Not that she cared, but he was rather blatant with his advances toward her. Which reminded her, she could play that game, too.
“Lead the way, Boss.”
He threw her a glance before getting Phantom into gear. Annabelle followed to the side, staying back just enough to appreciate the view—the land and the cowboy.
As he headed toward the fence that ran as far as the eye could see, Annabelle started thinking, remembering. There was a time she’d wondered what the other side of this fence held. She’d wondered about the family who lived here, the house they must love and the number of people who must work here to keep such a place running.
Her family’s farm had been minute compared to this one, but she’d loved her animals, her childhood. She couldn’t complain about the first ten years of her life.
“You’re quiet back there, Belle.” Colt cast a glance her way. “Plotting revenge?”
She tapped her heel into Genesis’s side to come up even with Colt. “Don’t call me that.”
“Still waiting on you to give me something you’ll answer to that doesn’t sound like you’re my grade school teacher.”
“You’ll be waiting awhile,” she replied. “And I wasn’t plotting revenge, not yet, anyway. I was just thinking about my own farm from when I was little.”
“I didn’t know you or your sister,” Colt stated as he kept Phantom at a steady pace. “Our fathers knew each other, though.”
“Really?” Annabelle asked. She shifted her hat to block the morning sun. “I wasn’t aware of that. I don’t recall Dad ever mentioning yours.”
“No. He probably wouldn’t have.”
Confused, Annabelle slowed her horse, reached out to touch Colt’s arm. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
He brought Phantom to a stop and shook his head. “Exactly what I said. You were young, so I doubt your father would mention mine. That’s all.”
Annabelle had a gut feeling he was hiding something. Dread spread through her. Surely their fathers hadn’t gambled together. People as successful as the Elliotts didn’t get a ranch like this from betting their earnings away. Did her dad owe them, too?
She had to know. “Does my dad owe you all money? Aside from the house?” She glanced down to her tight grip on the reins.
Silence settled between them and Annabelle glanced at Colt from beneath the brim of her hat. He stared out into the pasture, his jaw muscles clenching.
“How much?” she whispered.
“There’s no debt other than the house.”
But he wouldn’t look her in the eyes, so there was something. An old debt, at least a story, and he didn’t want to tell her. Was he protecting her?
Damn it. She’d only been with him two days and already he showed her more good sides than bad. But the bad outweighed the good. Didn’t it?
“I want to pay you for everything he owes,” she went on, needing him to understand. “I’m sure you’re not the only person he’s indebted to—”
“There’s nothing. Let it go.”
His stern tone, so final and angry, had her stopping short. Something had happened, but if she wanted to know, she’d have to go to her father and confront him. She almost didn’t want to find out the truth.
They rode for another hour, randomly stopping to check the fence. Colt would type notes into his phone and Annabelle tried not to think about how he seemed like such a genuine guy. He worked hard, he obviously didn’t want to upset her earlier about her father, but he wasn’t sincere. He was a business shark.
As if she could forget.
They approached one of the ponds and Annabelle spotted movement amidst the cattails. She steered Genesis away from Colt and made her way over. She squinted, trying to home in on where she saw something.
“What’s up?” Colt trotted beside her. “Wait, I see it.”
Annabelle pulled back on her reins, but before she could hop down, Colt was off his horse and carefully moving toward the edge of the pond. He limped slightly, favoring his left side, but she wasn’t about to question him.
Colt squatted down, extending his hand and muttering something Annabelle couldn’t decipher. She waited, then sucked in a breath when he came to his feet. The sight of Colt cradling the cutest, chocolate-colored puppy had Annabelle climbing off her horse.
“Is this your puppy?” she asked as she approached.
He stroked the top of the puppy’s head. “I’ve never seen this little guy before. But it’s not unusual for us to have strays on the farm. People drop them off at the end of our drive all the time. Pisses me off.”
“Do you think there are others?” she asked.
Colt shook his head, still staring down to the pup. “I have no idea. I would assume they’d all be together, but we’ll ride around this area and see. They could be anywhere. Damn it. I hate when people treat animals like this.”
Oh, no. He could not be an animal lover, too. Her emotions were still raw, still so exposed that she couldn’t afford to let any more of his kindness seep in.
“Will you keep him?”
Col
t met her gaze. “Do you want him?”
She hadn’t thought about having a dog, but she’d always had one growing up. Honestly, over the past several years, she’d missed animals. When she’d lived in an apartment in the city, she hadn’t been able to have them. She’d worked in a bakery and was gone all hours.
As she stared at the poor pup shaking, her heart went out to him. She totally could relate to being scared of what would happen next.
“I’ll take him if you don’t want him.”
Colt nodded. “Fair enough. If you think you can handle a puppy and babies. Otherwise, I’ll keep him.”
Annabelle had a feeling the puppy would be the easiest aspect of her life. And having an animal that could grow up with Emily and Lucy would be precious. Plus, it was another way for Annabelle to establish roots in her home—well, it would be her home once it was paid off.
She eyed him, purposely zeroing in on his mouth. “I can handle anything.”
When his nostrils flared, Annabelle reached forward in an attempt to get the pup, but Colt twisted his body away. His gaze remained on hers as he cocked his head to the side to avoid bumping their hats.
“You know exactly what happens when you play with fire,” he growled.
A tingling swept through her, but she shrugged. “I’ve been burned before, Colt. I’m immune.”
He stepped closer, easing the puppy into her arms and deliberately brushing his forearms along her chest. “You’ve never dealt with someone like me. You may like it.”
Oh, she had no doubt. If that kiss yesterday was any indicator, she knew full well just how much she’d like it. But then she’d have to live with the consequences and she wasn’t ready for anything like that. She was a forever kind of girl. If he only knew what she’d gone through with her ex and just how inexperienced she truly was...
“I’m sure I’d disappoint,” she stated simply. Not because she doubted herself, but she knew, given their age difference, that he was much more experienced. There was no way she’d be able to live up to his expectations...and someone as sexy and wealthy as Colt definitely would have high expectations for a woman.
The puppy snuggled against her chest and Colt ran a bare fingertip up her arm, smiling when she shivered.
“I’m sure we’d both be thoroughly satisfied.”
Why did that sound like a promise and not just a hypothetical situation?
The radio in Colt’s saddlebag screeched, breaking the tension. He stared another moment before turning to grab the handset.
Annabelle cradled the dog in one arm and hoisted herself up onto her horse with the other. She listened as Josh assured Colt that the calf was going to be just fine and the vet had done a thorough workup and left antibiotics.
When Annabelle grabbed the reins and started to turn her horse, Colt jerked his gaze to hers.
“I’ll be back after lunch,” she told him as she trotted away.
Okay, so she was running, just via horseback. But she couldn’t get into any more sexually charged talks with that man. Besides the fact that she was probably the only twenty-four-year-old virgin in the world, she would not get swept into Colt Elliott’s web of charm, deceit and sex appeal. He was probably just trying to keep her sidetracked and it could very well work. But she had a larger goal in mind than just cashing in her virginity for a night with a sexy cowboy.
She’d dated guys before her fiancé, but never felt a passionate desire to get intimate. Then when Matt came along and they’d gotten engaged, she’d wanted to wait until they were married. He’d been fine with that, telling her he wanted it to be special. That bald-faced lie had made her feel special. If only she’d known he’d found her sister the better option. So here was Annabelle, nearly a quarter of a century old and untouched. That was definitely not something to brag about, so she tended to keep that tidbit of information to herself.
But for a minute, okay maybe more, she wondered what it would be like to be taken by someone so experienced, so powerful.
Annabelle held the pup a little tighter as she rode home on Genesis. She hadn’t asked to take the horse, but she couldn’t stand the tension simmering between her and Colt another minute.
When he’d touched her just a moment ago, her entire body had felt the zing...the same type she’d felt when he’d kissed her. What would happen if she gave in to those blatant advances and let him have his way?
If her entire future weren’t hanging in the balance, she’d very likely find out.
Seven
“Your basket is ready.”
Colt had just stepped into the kitchen to find Winnie, his cook and all-round awesome woman, patting the top of a picnic basket. He’d requested something extra for today and, as always, she’d delivered.
He circled the large granite island and kissed her on the cheek. “You’re amazing, Winnie. I’m going to marry you one day.”
She swatted him with her towel and laughed. “Get out of my kitchen, boy. It wasn’t that long ago I spanked your bottom for stealing cookies before dinner.”
Colt shot her a grin as he picked up the basket. “I still swipe your homemade cookies before dinner. I hope you put some in this basket.”
“Of course I did.”
She grunted as if he’d offended her. But Winnie Miller had been with this family for nearly forty years. Taking care of cowboys broke anyone of having thin skin.
“Mind telling me where you’re taking that?” She raised a brow. “Maybe to see some lady friend?”
“Nothing so exciting,” he replied as he headed toward the back patio doors.
“You’re going to have to settle down and bring some babies in this house eventually,” she called to his back. “Too many empty bedrooms.”
Considering she had her own suite on the first floor, she knew exactly how many rooms sat empty now. With his father in the nursing home, the absolute best they could find, and his brothers gone, Colt was also aware of how lonely this house was. Winnie only stayed over on occasion, but she mostly went back to her cottage on the edge of town.
Deciding not to take Winnie’s bait, Colt headed out the back doors and gripped the basket as he made his way across the concrete drive and stone path leading to the barn. Annabelle should be finishing up brushing the horses and then she’d be heading home for the day. He hadn’t pressed her further when she came back after lunch. He knew he’d shaken her up with the sexual innuendos.
Part of him wanted to get a rise out of her, but there was something so sweet about her flirting, he was starting to wonder if he was out of his depth. Maybe she hadn’t come up against real men before...men who wanted more from her than a nice, calm romp.
He could do slow. Clearly, by the pace he was setting to get Annabelle’s property, he was a patient man when he wanted something.
He stopped short at the entrance to the barn. The sun was starting to set, casting an orange glow through the wide opening on the opposite end of the structure. Annabelle had lost her hat some time back, and her ponytail swayed against her back as she shifted with each brushstroke. Damp tendrils clung to her face. She never failed to shock him with her hard work. She didn’t complain, never had a negative word—other than those directed straight at him and his character—and she seemed to care for these animals like they were her own.
But when she’d asked about her father owing money, Colt had clammed up. The way dread had laced her tone, her facial features, he just hadn’t had the heart to come clean.
If it were up to him, she’d never have to know. She was already hurting enough and he was going to take her land. He couldn’t deliberately add to her heartbreak.
Colt took a step into the barn, and his boots scuffing against the stone pulled Annabelle’s attention toward him. Brush in hand, she gestured toward the basket he carried.
“Bringing a picnic for the horses?” she asked, going back to finish stroking the mare.
“Actually, this is for you.”
Annabelle froze, throwing him a sid
e glance. “Nice try, Romeo. I’m not having a picnic with you.”
He couldn’t help but smile at her immediate rejection. Good to know. Not that he wanted to have dinner with her, he was thinking more along the lines of sheets, showers, and haylofts. Besides, sharing a meal was too intimate.
“I had Winnie make dinner for you and your dad.”
He set the basket down on one of the benches between the stalls. Shoving his hands in his pockets, he narrowed the space between them.
“Winnie?” Annabelle asked as she tossed the brush back into the bucket. She turned, crossing her arms over her chest. “Is she part of your harem of women who bow at your every command?”
Colt burst out laughing. He couldn’t help himself. Damn if Annabelle Carter wasn’t a good time. He could almost be her friend if business and his hormones weren’t in the way.
“Winnie is actually my cook, but she’ll get a kick out of your guess.”
Annabelle eyed the basket, then narrowed her eyes back on him. “Why did she do that? I can make my own dinner.”
“You can,” he agreed. “But you were exhausted when you left here yesterday and still had to go home and cook. Then I heard you tell your dad you were up at four this morning to feed Emily and I’m sure you were up with Lucy, as well. No reason I can’t make your situation a little easier.”
He wasn’t sure what reaction he expected her to have, but when she threw her arms in the air and turned to pace, he waited. If nothing else, the woman always kept him on his toes.
“You can’t do things like this,” she all but shouted as she whirled back around. “I’m trying to hate you, to remind myself that you’re the enemy. But part of me wants to believe you’re not a monster and when all is said and done, I won’t get hurt.”
Guilt slid through him, but he couldn’t let it hinder his plans. He still had a goal. But damn it. Annabelle touched something in him that he couldn’t identify and he had no clue how he could make the outcome less painful for her. There was no happy ending.
Still, she made it impossible not to like her. She made him want to go the extra mile to make her days easier and ignore the inevitable pain he would cause.
Twin Secrets (Mills & Boon Desire) (The Rancher’s Heirs 01) Page 6