Runaway Heart

by Amity Lassiter

  They were almost to the truck when Kerri spoke again, so quietly Ren almost didn't hear her. "Thanks, Dane."

  "No thanks necessary. First thing's first. Nobody disrespects a woman, least of all when I'm there, and one I care about. Second of all, and trust me on this one - the only men worth knowing are cowboys. The Sullivans only ride gas-powered horses, and not a one of them has ever treated a lady right." He started off somber but by the time he finished and they were all piled in the truck, Dane's tone was teasing.

  When they got back to the ranch, Kerri immediately headed for her bedroom and Dane helped Ren put the groceries away.

  "Thanks for what you did for Kerri back there." Ren put the block of cheese in the fridge and straightened.

  "It was nothing, really."

  Leaning back against the counter, she took in his casual expression.

  "I know it was nothing to you, but it was something to her. She's had a rough life, and someone besides me being kind to her is pretty monumental."

  "Look, you girls are part of my family now." When Ren chuckled aloud, he continued. "Seriously. Wait until you meet the rest of my family. Nobody's just an employee. Everybody's family."

  Considering all of the 'employees' she was currently aware of, Ren raised a skeptical brow at him and Dane raised his hands in mock surrender.

  "Okay, currently, all the employees are family, literally. But you two have already made yourselves indispensable, so… family."

  "Well… "

  Dane cut her off with a raised finger.

  "Family. Gage sees you that way already."

  "Fine. Family."

  Ren hoped she could remember the meaning of the word.

  —NINE—

  "Are you sure you've never been on a horse? You're doing awesome." Dane narrowed Kerri in his sights. She was sitting on Buckshot, as he had promised. She was clearly a little nervous but he was trying his best to make her more comfortable. Today was a day that reminded him how much better he was with horses than people.

  Ever on his radar, Ren was riding Roxy nearby in small circles. He'd given her a quick rundown on brakes and steering and she was working out the mechanics of it all on her own. Though he'd done his best to persuade him to sit this one out, Gage trotted one handed around the whole lot of them on Chessy. Kerri, however, needed a little confidence booster. She was sitting hunched forward, having a hard time anticipating the movements of the horse.

  Gage and Chessy lapped by Buckshot and the old horse's pace at the walk hastened just a half a step.

  Kerri panicked. "Whoa!" Crumbling forward on herself, she grabbed the saddle horn and forgot about the reins. The horse immediately came to a stop. Ren pulled up to observe and Kerri's fearful eyes met Dane's.

  "You told him to stop!" Gage called. He hadn't slowed even a bit in his trek around the ring.

  "He's right. Buckshot's the kind of horse that's gonna take care of you. He felt you were off balance and when you said 'whoa', that was his signal to stop." Dane stepped forward, patted the horse's neck and then tapped Kerri's knee affectionately.

  She straightened almost immediately, the knowledge that Buckshot wouldn't be galloping away with her hanging on desperately seemed to bolster her confidence.

  "Give it another try, one more circle around the arena and then you two can help me feed."

  Gage let out a celebratory whoop as Kerri nodded and squeezed her legs on the horse's side, giving him the signal to move forward. Dane took a few steps back to give her some space to turn, tucking his hands in his pockets.

  For all Ren had told him about the last four years of their life, Kerri had turned out to be a pretty good kid. So far, she had proven to be respectful and polite. She was kind to Gage even if she still wasn't sure what to make of his blatant admiration for her. Every minute Dane spent with the Maddock girls made him believe he'd made the right choice to hire Ren and invite them into his home.

  Ren steered Roxy toward Dane and came to a stop in front of him. He smiled up at her—she was a sight on a horse. She looked right at home up there. Maybe she wasn't an accomplished rider yet, but he'd make one of her, and there wasn't much sexier in his books than a good woman on a good horse. She was comfortable and not afraid and those were two of the more pressing factors in becoming a competent rider. He wondered if there was any challenge he could throw at her that she wouldn't meet bravely with a smile on her face.

  "So. I have the brakes, gears and steering down so far. It's the dismount I'm not so sure about."

  "Same as mounting up, just backwards." He chuckled.

  "Except the potential to land on my ass is doubled." Her tone was sarcastic, but her face said she was teasing.

  He approached, putting a hand on the horn of the saddle and standing parallel to the horse's side, creating a safe landing space for her.

  "I won't let you fall on your ass. Now tip forward, swing your right leg over her rump and step down. I'll be right here to catch you."

  She did as he told her, stepping down and a touch too far back. Losing her balance, she toppled backwards into him. He drew a sharp breath at the feel of her whole body pressed against him and she took an abrupt step forward to right herself as if she'd backed into a hot wood stove. He had made an effort not to touch her, not even a casual brush, since the night he'd held her on the couch, and it was like electricity coursing through him when they made contact just now. She took a moment to turn around - she felt it, too.

  Goddamn, but she was like a magnet. He wanted to be close to her, to touch her. He realized too late that he was standing too close for comfort, mere inches between his body and hers, and finally stepped back, not without effort, clearing his throat.

  "Told you I wouldn't let you fall on your ass." His teasing tone cut the tension crackling through the air and lightened the mood. He slipped the leather reins over Roxy's head and handed them to Ren. "Now you get to learn how to untack. There's no falling involved in that part."

  *

  So maybe she hadn't fallen on her ass, Ren thought, but she was clearly falling for this man. Mere days into her employment at the Baylor Ranch and she was already longing to put her hands on Dane Baylor's body, imagining what he would taste like, wondering what it would feel like when that storm his eyes kept promising came on.

  She had the kitchen to herself since Dane had the kids feeding stock with him. A roast had been in the oven all afternoon while they'd been trying out the horses, and she busied herself with potatoes and carrots for the stove top, keeping watch out the kitchen window for the trio she was beginning to feel was her little family.

  Though she told herself the reason she shouldn't feel anything at all for Dane was because he was her employer and she was his employee, it went so much deeper. Setting down any kind of real tie in Three Rivers meant that when the inevitable happened, and Anita found them, the departure would be much more complicated, that much more painful. Ren had just about had it with unnecessary pain.

  She sighed, putting the finishing touches on gravy from the roast drippings as she heard Dane, Kerri and Gage come tramping up the steps, laughing and chattering. Dane took off his hat and swatted Gage playfully on the behind.

  "You two go wash up for dinner, you smell like you were playing in the manure pile."

  Gage wiggled his bottom cheekily in the door of the kitchen and scooted forward with a squeal towards the bathroom when Dane stomped playfully toward him as if to swat him again.

  When the kids left, he settled himself with his hips against the counter, watching her for a moment. As far as Ren was concerned, he was always too close. Being in the same house was too close. She was always acutely aware of his presence, his proximity to her. The only relief she had was when he was out in the barns, and she hoped, as she settled into her role, that would be more frequent.

  Now she could feel not only his presence but his eyes on her as she stirred the gravy. Finally, she looked up and met his gaze. She couldn't spend her whole life skittering a
way from him or frozen with a racing heart.

  "What are you doing this weekend?" The smile on his face gave away his intentions.

  She cocked her head, narrowing her eyes at him.

  "I don't know, but I have a feeling you're about to tell me." She turned the heat on the stove down and wiped her hands on a dish towel.

  "How'd you know?" He chuckled.

  "You're the boss." Her tone teased but she hoped it got the point across. He was only deterred for a moment.

  "I'd like to take you to the dance hall on Friday. Give you a chance to meet some folks, get a feel for the community. Have a little bit of fun."

  Despite her resolve to feel nothing, a whole mess of butterflies took flight in the pit of Ren's stomach. She gave him a dubious look.

  "Do I have a choice in the matter?" It wasn't that she didn't want to spend an evening dancing with him. It was that this was more unnecessary pain—spending time with him outside of her employment, giving herself a taste of what she knew she couldn't have.

  "I'm the boss." He tipped his head with a playful smirk. His teasing manner and good mood were infectious and she found a small smile slanting the corner of her lips.

  "Okay, okay. What about the kids?"

  "Mama will come take care of them for the evening." He eyed her again, took his hat in both hands. "I can see you are skeptical about this plan. Trust me. You're going to have a blast."

  —TEN—

  Ren nervously smoothed down the front of her sun dress. She'd bought it on one of her evenings off this week with Kerri's help because she knew her huge closet needed a dress in it but she'd also let herself imagine what it would be like to wear it for him. It was a delicate cream eyelet lace pattern that hit just above her knees with a sweetheart bodice and halter top. It was really not something she'd normally wear but by the expression on her sister's face when she'd come out of the dressing room along with her own surprise when she looked in the full length mirror, she knew it was coming home with her.

  Kerri had been a little dismayed not to have been invited but Dane had graciously offered to take her to a local rodeo day the next weekend so she could meet some of the kids she'd be attending school with in the fall. She'd helped Ren get ready, suggesting makeup techniques and helping coax her normally wavy auburn hair into sultry curls. Ella had stopped by not five minutes before and taken the kids to get take out for dinner at a local restaurant, leaving Ren alone in her room to put the finishing touches on her outfit and her courage.

  Since the night they'd talked about their families, she had tried to keep her distance. In those moments, they had become familiar—too familiar, and she felt with the physical barrier broken between them, nothing good could follow. Nothing that would let her keep her job and fly under her mother's radar, anyways.

  Oh, but she wanted him. She released a long breath, letting her mind wander to the incredible specimen that was her employer. The body that wouldn't quit, the tough exterior that encased a heart of gold. He wasn't accustomed to showing it but she could see it when he interacted with Gage, when he had held her that night in the living room. It had been a long time since she'd been held like that, and longer still since she'd felt a sense of relief and comfort, like her life was finally on track.

  Her train of thought was disrupted by a soft knock. She looked up to see Dane standing in the partially open door, an expression on his face she couldn't quite read. He was wearing a pair of dark denim jeans that fit just right, a pair of boots that clearly hadn't seen as much dust as the ones he wore day to day, a long sleeved, black button down shirt with the sleeves rolled a third of the way up and a clean, crisp white Stetson.

  "You look beautiful, Ren." His words were reverent and sincere, and a blush rose in her cheeks. She had heard as many cruel comments as kind about her body. She had a little too much padding here and there, just enough to get the 'lose 15 pounds and you'd be a stunner' comments. Between working to take care of Kerri financially and actually taking care of Kerri, 15 pounds was a nemesis she hadn't had a chance to take down. She offered Dane a faulty smile, breaking eye contact and looking down. She wanted to say thank you but it was difficult not to brush the compliment off, so she didn't dare open her mouth.

  He crossed the room to her in a few short steps, breaking the physical barrier that had laid between them for the last few days and tipped her chin up to meet his gaze, a soft smile lighting his features, his eyes serious.

  "I mean it."

  She pursed her lips, searching his eyes. This man had no reason to lie to her. She found the words.

  "Thank you."

  *

  The dance hall was crowded and loud, the way Dane liked it. The people of Three Rivers convened here often, setting aside whatever differences might have plagued them through the week, to let loose and have a couple of beers. It had been a while since Dane had been able to get here and people noticed.

  Poor Ren looked overwhelmed by the raucous gathering. He casually slid an arm around her waist to keep her from getting lost in the sea of people as they cut across the back end of the dance floor to the bar. A couple of his regular dance partners took note, cocking an eyebrow. Dane had always been the sort of man who didn't turn down a spin on the dance floor—and he was making a bold statement now, by arriving with a woman and making a physical claim on her. He knew his offers to dance tonight would be few and far between, but he had a sincere hope the smoking hot siren on his arm would fill the position.

  At the very least, she hadn't shied away from his arm around her waist and it made his heart swell up with pride. She was a beautiful woman and he was pleased she allowed him to get close to her. He had nearly swallowed his tongue when he'd seen her in that dress and the other men in the dance hall had noticed it too. Fitted in all the right spots, it accentuated the curves of her body and offset the dramatic auburn of her hair. At this proximity, he could smell the delectable scent of honey and sunflowers wafting off her pale skin.

  With the noise so overpowering in the hall, any conversations were done in close quarters, and Dane tipped his head to speak directly into Ren's ear. Close enough to take in the enticing smell of her, he imagined pressing his lips to the soft hollow behind her ear, tasting the sweetness of her skin as his teeth nicked her earlobe playfully. He took a moment to convince himself not to drag her into the nearest dark corner and devour her.

  "What are you drinking?"

  Under his hand, he felt Ren take in a slow breath and release it carefully before she turned her head to position her own mouth near his ear and speak.

  "Rye and ginger ale? It's been so long since I've had a drink."

  A noisy trio of young man jostled into Ren then, pushing her body against him as they headed for the bar. Dane didn't have to speak, just directed a sharp glare to draw an apology from the group. He moved his other arm around Ren protectively to steady her and then released her quickly, before it became a mistake he wanted to make and he dragged her against his body in front of God and a third of the residents of Three Rivers.

  "You wait here, the bar is crazy." And it was—it was where the boys who'd pushed her had been heading, and people were crushing in toward the bartenders. The people of Three Rivers enjoyed their alcoholic indulgences when it came to social gatherings. He parked her near a pillar and left to cut his way through the crowd.

  Cutter Anderson was tending the bar and he smiled when he saw Dane approach. They had graduated together and like Dane, Cutter had never left Three Rivers. Some of them just didn't have the thirst for the big city, and as far as he knew, the Andersons were going through a struggle with their ranch. Cutter stayed close to support his family with whatever additional odd jobs he could pick up.

  "Hey Baylor, what can I get for you?"

  Leaning one elbow on the bar, Dane ordered. "Rye and ginger and my regular."

  Cutter raised a brow. "Rye and ginger, eh?"

  "For the lady."

  Tipping the spirits bottle into a Collins gla
ss, the bartender eyeballed the measurements, added half a scoop of ice and filled the glass with ginger ale, sliding it across the bar.

  "The lady, eh?"

  "I know you want to ask, Anderson, get on with it." Dane took the bottle of beer his friend offered and popped the cap off.

  "Who is she, where'd she come from and how long have you been tapping that? Also, am I invited to the wedding?"

  Dane rolled his eyes and steeled himself with a pull from his bottle. From Cutter, he could tolerate a little bit of rudeness. The pair regularly hassled one another good-naturedly and this was par for the course.

  "She's the homemaker I hired, she's here to schmooze with the good people of Three Rivers and nobody is 'tapping that', least of all me. I'm her boss." He said it as much to convince himself as his friend.

  "No shit, so she's living at the house with you?"

  Dane nodded, knowing what was coming next.

  "Then you won't be the boss for long." Cutter made the noise of a whip cracking, winked at his friend, and headed down the bar to help the next person.

  Shaking his head, Dane turned back to the dance floor and saw a small circle of people milling around Ren. He noticed a couple of friends of his mother's, no doubt offering help and casseroles. It didn't matter that she was an employee, what mattered was that she was a newcomer to town and they wanted to make her feel welcome. It was one of the many things he loved about the dusty town he'd called home his whole life. There was rarely a lack of hospitality.

  He made his way back across the floor to her elbow, sliding into the conversation easily and offered Ren the drink.

  "Oh hey, Mrs. Lawson here was just telling me about the time you kissed Jenny Benson on the playground and made her cry." There was a sparkle of mischief in Ren's eye and Dane liked it. "You don't make a habit of that, do you? Making girls cry?"