The Staying Kind

by Cerian Hebert

  It was one thing to lust over Travis, but quite another to fantasize about things that could never be. Like falling in love. Being married. Those contemplations would bring her too close to the edge of emotions she had no use for.

  No, best to keep it real. And real for her, at the moment, was using a bedding pitchfork to remove horse droppings from the dry wood shavings in the stalls, then rinsing out water buckets. Good, hard work would keep her mind focused on reality.

  For her, right now, the horses in Sadie’s barn took precedence. She hadn’t realized how important they’d become, how much she really enjoyed working around them these past months.

  Who’d have thought each one would have their own distinct personality, or how Dante knew he was the king of the stable? He walked proud, surveyed the place as if everything revolved around him. Despite all that he also had a playful nature and could be patient when need be.

  She adored Barnaby, who was a big baby and liked to follow her around like a puppy dog. And when he could get away with it, he’d nearly knock her off her feet in an effort to make her scratch his head.

  Fleur, the queen to Dante’s king, was a regular prima-donna, who, if she was inclined, would give anyone a chase just to attach a lead rope to her halter. Dusty was a grump, yet he’d do anything for Sadie, even let her give lessons to a bouncy five year-old. Angel loved Butter Rum Lifesavers and having her belly scratched. After every grooming, Angel would immediately go outside and roll in the biggest patch of dirt she could find, until her pale gold coat was filthy again.

  Rio loved them all. Even sulky Dusty. In fact, she felt more for these five horses than she had for any person she’d met during her years on the road, with very few exceptions. To leave them would break her heart. If she quit Cobble Creek she didn’t think she’d ever find any work nearly as satisfying.

  So, she’d stay. As long as she could. All she had to do was pray the traveling bug wouldn’t find her. Or find her relationship with Travis so awkward that she couldn’t bear to be in the same town with him.

  She hoped it wouldn’t come to that. Ever. Still, these feelings couldn’t solve any of the questions lingering in the back of her mind. What next? Where did one go after a night of lovemaking with a man you barely knew? Unchartered territory for her, maybe for Travis too.

  While she didn’t plan to start up a conversation about his love life, she didn’t think he was a player or promiscuous. He seemed too straight-laced, too responsible. He’d been a single dad for years now, and he’d been in the service, with over a year in Afghanistan. She didn’t suppose he led a rich love life, but no doubt there’d been a woman or two during those years.

  And what if there was? It was none of her business, and she had to remember that.

  Still, tendrils of jealousy licked at her thoughts. If another woman did exist at one time, their relationship shouldn’t matter, as long as it remained in the past.

  He certainly hadn’t gone on any dates since she’d lived there. And if some woman came along and enticed him, so be it. He was allowed to whatever happiness he could find after what he’d been through. Rio had made it pretty clear happily-ever-afters weren’t for her. She didn’t believe in them or the pretty words that accompanied them. If what she had wasn’t solid, something she could touch, then it wasn’t worth her time.

  These thoughts weren’t worth her time either. She had far too much to do with the horses. Sadie wanted her to give Angel a bit of a stretch of the legs after her lesson with Fleur. Maybe a ride down the road, away from the farm. Escape Cobble Creek for a little while.

  By the time she hit the road with Angel, Rio’s body ached. She stretched her arms in the air, then rolled each shoulder. She was ready to quit for the day. Although not much past three-thirty, dusk had already begun to creep in. In an hour it would be nearly nightfall and she’d be finishing up with the feeding. Then home.

  Interesting how quickly she’d started calling Shadow Oak ‘home.’ Yet it had become more of a home than any of the hovels her mother put her in, growing up. Cobble Creek was home too. Sadie was family.

  Her mind inevitably turned to Storm. Why had he gone to their mother? Probably because he had no other place to go and no other options. Where else would he have gone?

  Could she pry him away from their mother? Out of a life he no doubt had become accustomed to? There might be hope for him yet.

  One thing she knew, she couldn’t live with herself unless she tried.

  At the stable, Rio helped Tyler feed the horses and settled in their stalls for the night. Outside a fine drizzle began to fall.

  “Snow on the ground my morning,” Sadie predicted. She’d been doing paperwork in the office at the end of the barn. “May only be November, but mark my words, winter is ready to settle in.”

  “First snow I’ll have seen in years.” Rio leaned against the doorjamb and stared out the window beyond Sadie’s desk.

  Sadie glanced up at her and shot her a narrow gaze. “Not thinking of flying off, are you?”

  “Couldn’t remove me from here with a crowbar. Don’t worry, I think I discovered my niche.”

  The suspicion in the older woman’s regard disappeared, replaced with a sparkle. “That’s my girl. Knew you had it in you. Do me a favor before you head out. There’s a door outside the barn, a bit past the entrance at the end. It’ll lead you upstairs. There’s a box up there marked “photos.” Run up and grab it for me.”

  Rio found the door easily enough, surprised she’d never noticed it before. The stairs on the other side were narrow and steep, and when she got to the top, she had to open another door. Expecting to find a storage area, she was shocked to find living quarters.

  Although now it resembled more of a storage area filled with boxes, a few old saddles, and bridles, at one time it must have been a cute little apartment.

  Rio had to investigate. While not luxurious, it had a small kitchen with stove and refrigerator, a full bathroom, furnished living room, and a bedroom containing a bed and dresser. It was adorable.

  Who’d have thought all this was hidden up here?

  Rio grabbed the box Sadie wanted, and carried it downstairs. “Here you go.”

  “Thanks.” Sadie accepted the box.

  “Nice place up there,” Rio commented, hoping her voice sounded casual.

  “Oh, that? Yes, had it done up about twenty years ago when I had a barn manager. Came with the job. I had a full schedule of shows and practically lived on the road. Needed someone I could count on here permanently. I guess that’s one thing about being banned from riding. I can get into the nitty gritty here. Why don’t you take off with yourself? And be careful coming over tomorrow. Could be a bit icy.”

  “All right.” Rio grabbed her jacket from the wooden coat rack and slipped it on, wishing Sadie would have had more to say about the apartment. “Have a good night.”

  “Same. And, Rio?”

  Rio paused at the door.

  “You did well today. Real well. Both those horses respond to you. I may work you ‘til you’re ready to drop, but you’ll appreciate it. Believe me, you’ll appreciate it.”

  Boy, I hope so. It had been a hell of a day. A fantastic day. Every muscle in her body ached. She recalled the Jacuzzi tub in Travis’s master bathroom. Oh, to soak in there for an hour or two. She decided to settle for a hot shower and a couple aspirin.

  Travis was the only one home when she arrived, still in his uniform, and shuffling through the mail at his desk. She stopped dead at the sight of him. Last night’s memories flooded back. In an instant, fire raged through her entire body in reaction.

  If she could, she would’ve melted into a puddle of lustful goo, picturing him out of his uniform. She had to admit, however, there was something about him in the uniform that left her knees weak too.

  “Hey, y
ou’re home.”

  Rio had been too immersed in her craving for him to realize he’d put down the mail and now focused on her. No doubt he could feel the flames licking her entire body, because she sure as hell could feel the heat.

  “Just got in.” She shoved her hands in her jacket pockets. Her fists closed tightly. She wanted him, yet was frightened to claim him.

  Travis closed the distance between them, which was good, because her legs had turned to noodles and she couldn’t move, not even when he wrapped his arms around her and dipped his mouth to hers.

  All the aches and pains that had gathered in her body all day were worth it to come home to this. His hand pushed through her hair as she pressed her lips to his, suckling, then opening her mouth so their tongues could meet and dance with silky abandon. She didn’t have an opportunity to feel awkward, facing him after a day of contemplation. For that she was grateful. She’d been dreading an uncomfortable moment. Thankfully Travis didn’t plan on giving her time for any discomfort.

  When he pulled away, he didn’t let her go. Instead he kept his arms wrapped around her. “Jessa asked to stay another night over at Tina’s, so I want you to go grab a shower.” He pressed a kiss on her forehead. “And get dressed. I’m taking you to dinner.”

  “Wow. Dinner out?” Like a date? “How should I dress?” She felt dumb for asking. She’d never gone on a real, honest-to-God date before and she didn’t want to wear jeans if something dressier was more appropriate. Or vice-versa.

  “A dress, if you have one. If not, a pair of slacks and a sweater would be fine.”

  “Fine. I’ll be ready in a jiff.”

  “Okay.” Swiftly, he kissed her one more time.

  Another night alone. Would that mean more of what they shared last night?

  In the shower, Rio’s heart pounded harder than the hot stream of water beating against her lower back. Her body was alive with the memory of his hands on her again. How in the world would she make it through dinner when all she could think of was sex with him? Slow, hot—scathingly hot—sex.

  At this rate, she’d explode before they made it through appetizers.

  Not good. She shut off the hot water and let the cold stream relieve her of those sumptuous thoughts. As soon as the fire fizzled, she climbed out and wrapped a towel around her hair, drying off.

  From the medicine cabinet over the sink, Rio selected a bottle of cream Sadie had insisted on buying her, in case she should want to dress up and go out. She didn’t normally go for soft fragrances, but right now she was grateful for the woman’s foresight. Tonight she’d let herself become all girly. For Travis.

  She didn’t have any dresses, something she’d stood firm on when Sadie had taken her shopping. Rio promised she’d buy one should the need arise. She’d managed for nearly all of her twenty-seven years to not wear a dress. She was fairly certain she could make it another twenty-seven much the same.

  The fact she shied away from dressy clothes worked against her in this case. She ended up with a pair of black leggings and a pale green scoop necked top with a crocheted neckline and snug fitting waist.

  This was the most feminine she’d ever felt. She slipped on a pair of black heels that gave her an extra inch of height, then for the hell of it, applied a light coat of mascara to her lashes and blush to her face. She ran her fingers through her damp hair, making it curl more than usual.

  This date preparation stuff consumed too much time. She couldn’t imagine doing it every day. Still, when she stared at herself in the mirror she grinned with shock and pleasure. Who’d have thought she could look like this? Travis was in for a surprise.

  Travis waited in the living room for her, standing at his desk. He stared at a letter. The dark expression he wore cleared quickly when he noticed her presence by the sofa.

  “Ready?”

  Travis didn’t speak for a long moment. His gaze felt like a physical caress as he studied her. The intensity of the examination moved her, but it gave her an excuse to gaze at him.

  She’d become so used to seeing him in his uniform or a sweatshirt and jeans, this dressy appearance made him seem like a different man. Though not wearing a suit or tie, his dark red button-down shirt was crisp and stylish, accentuating his wide shoulders and trim waist.

  As soon as he turned, she’d be able to admire his long legs and nicely shaped butt in his black slacks. She wasn’t too embarrassed by the direction of her thoughts. His mind probably wandered in the same direction.

  “Wow.” His voice was little more than a sigh. “You are incredible.”

  Rio grinned with more confidence than she actually felt. “Well, don’t get used to it. Tomorrow it’ll be back to jeans and a sweatshirt.”

  “Then I’ll take advantage of tonight,” he promised. “Though I can’t complain about the jeans and sweatshirt.”

  “Since that’s what you wear all the time too.”

  “You noticed.”

  Rio felt herself blush harder. She shrugged and slipped on the black pea coat Sadie had bought for her.

  The only restaurant Rio had ever been in, besides Denny’s, was Maitrise, a fancy French restaurant in Atlanta where she’d worked two winters ago. While the inn Travis brought her to wasn’t nearly as pretentious, she felt far more comfortable in the friendly, cozy atmosphere of the old New England restaurant.

  The dining room boasted a large crowd, and she wondered how Travis could even reserve a table so last-minute until he introduced her to his friend Lenny, who owned the place.

  Lenny gave Rio the onceover with an assessing look, then offered a friendly smile. Had Travis filled this guy in about her during their hunting trip? Apparently, yet she saw no judgment in his eyes, nothing as menacing or distasteful as the way Travis’s ex-mother-in-law had acted.

  Lenny led them to a table at the rear of the dining room, a nice, quiet nook out of the way, lit by a small candle and low overhead lamp. How romantic.

  God, this was a date. Despite her thick skin against these kinds of things, shivers ran circles in her belly. Fantastic shivers. The kind of shivers she never thought she’d feel in a million years.

  “Very nice,” she complimented as she picked up the menu. Well, at least she could identify the items on this menu, as opposed to Maitrise, where everything had been written in French.

  Choosing a seafood pie, her mouth watered at the description. Lenny brought over a bottle of wine and poured some into the two glasses on the table.

  “I guess I should thank Sadie for making me go shopping, otherwise we’d be eating at a pizza joint right now,” she said lightly because she didn’t want to be too serious. Already the expression in his eyes, which appeared dark in the muted, flickering light, shook her sensibilities.

  “Pizza would’ve been acceptable, but here’s to Aunt Sadie and her arm-twisting. You’re absolutely stunning.” He held up his glass in a toast.

  Rio tapped the rim of her glass against his. “Thank you.”

  “You can relax. You’re ramrod stiff.”

  “Am I? I’m sorry. You’ve brought me out of my element. I’ve been more accustomed to the serving side of the table, not the eating and relaxing. I guess you could say this is my first official date.”

  “You’re kidding.” A small smile lifted the corner of his lips as he sipped his wine.

  “Come on.” Rio dropped her voice so the other diners wouldn’t overhear. “I was a virgin up until last night. Is it really that much of a stretch? Okay, so I had a beer or two with a guy here and there, but this is the first sit down meal I’ve had with a man. I’m a bit awkward.”

  Travis set his glass down, and gathered her hands in his, a tender gesture. In spite of her lifelong commitment to cynicism, something sparked in her heart and mind. Something more than lust and friendship. Something that told her—q
uite firmly—to back off, remove her hands from his, and screw her head on straight.

  She ignored the voice, at least for now. Instead, she planned on letting him wine and dine her, and if later on they ended up in bed again, well . . . so be it. All things she’d no doubt pay for further down the line. She’d spent all her adult life—and most of her childhood—living for the moment and doing everything by the seat of her pants with no consideration of the consequences.

  This relationship with Travis wouldn’t be much different.

  Chapter 13

  So, what did one talk about on a date? Since they lived under the same roof, there wasn’t anything home-related to discuss. They could talk about Travis’s job, or hers, but those two topics wouldn’t keep the date on track for long. Rio’s childhood? No, not unless she wanted to be completely depressed by the time dessert rolled around.

  She took a sip of wine and stared out the window. Just as Sadie had predicted, snow gently spiraled from the black sky, thick and fluffy. Already the ground was covered in a thin, white blanket.

  “The snow is so beautiful,” she said. Weather conversation. Great.

  “We’re supposed to be in for our first decent snowfall tonight. It’s the first time I’ve seen snow for ages. I didn’t think I’d appreciate it like this.”

  Rio glanced away from the window and studied his face. His eyes glinted with little-boy enthusiasm as he watched the drifting flakes.

  “That’s right, you would’ve been in Afghanistan last winter. Must’ve been hard, separated from Jessa for so long.”

  Travis nodded. “I don’t know what was worse, being away from her for Christmas or seeing the things that happened over there. You wouldn’t think there’d be two places more different, in landscape, in the very way we live our lives. Still, there was so much hope. Even more hope and optimism than you’d find here. You have to wonder how some people can survive such adversity when others would crumble because they lost their television reception or their cell phone.”