Steal My Heart (Prosperity Ranch Book 2)

by Heather B. Moore

  She also knew his text by heart, and how he’d implied that other women—Ones he’d dated? Had relationships with?—always had an agenda. And he appreciated that she didn’t. So she wasn’t going to think about how holding his hand last night for those brief moments had sent goose bumps skittering across her skin. Or how the deep timbre of his voice had made her feel all melty inside. And how when he said she was beautiful, she could have thrown her arms about his neck and never let go.

  Her phone buzzed, and Evie opened the incoming text from Becca.

  What’s the update?

  Evie groaned. She might have said too much about Carson yesterday, and she might have told Becca she was going over to his homestead to talk to him last night. She typed out a short reply, because she wasn’t ready to explain to Becca. She’d just analyze every little thing, and Evie had done enough of that on her own.

  Nothing new. Just woke up. Helping my mom today with her new quilt.

  Will you see Carson?

  Probably, but don’t read into it.

  I’m totally reading into it.

  Evie sighed. I know you are. But I’m not going to be.

  Becca sent a winking emoji.

  And before Evie could be tempted to re-read Carson’s text to her, she climbed out of bed. The house had gone silent, which meant the men were outside someplace. After her shower, Evie went into the kitchen to find cold coffee. She put on new coffee and found some eggs in the fridge. She made extra scrambled eggs for her mom, then covered the bowl so she would find it when she woke up.

  “Evie?” her mom said.

  She turned to see her mom in her robe and slippers, not a sight she often saw. She was always put together. “Sleep in?” Evie teased, although she felt a knot of worry tightening her stomach.

  Her mom smiled. “No, I like to read in bed for about an hour. Besides, 7:00 am is early in most people’s lives.”

  “Right.” Evie began to wash out her bowl and the pan and utensils she’d used. “When do you want to start on the quilt?”

  Her mom sat at the kitchen table. “After your ride.”

  “My ride?” Evie looked over her shoulder. “What are you talking about?”

  “Go on and ride your horse,” her mom said. “Enjoy yourself while you’re here.”

  “But I thought—”

  “The quilt is just something fun we can do together,” her mom said. “I’m not on a deadline or anything. Besides, I’m going to start on preparations for lunch, then dinner.” She dug into the bowl of scrambled eggs and took a bite. “Thanks for this, it’s delicious.”

  “Mom, I can help you with whatever you want,” Evie said, setting her hands on her hips. “I know I’m on spring break, but I don’t want you taking care of everyone when we can do that for ourselves.”

  Her mom gazed at her with a soft smile. “I like doing things for my family. And you know, cooking is my thing, my therapy.”

  And Evie knew that, but didn’t her mom need a break? “Why don’t you ride with me?”

  “I haven’t ridden for a while,” her mom said. “I have my full strength back, but I don’t trust myself on a horse. But really, you go. Enjoy the fresh air of the country.”

  Evie crossed to her mom and bent to kiss her temple. “Okay, see you soon. And I have my phone with me.”

  When Evie stepped out into the morning, decked in the cowboy boots she’d pulled out of her closet, her oldest jeans, and a well-worn flannel shirt, the familiar scents of the ranch struck. The new grass, the spring flowers, the fresh air, and even the tang of the horse arena. It all brought on a wave of nostalgia, feeling like home.

  Evie strode to the barn and walked inside to find Jerry, their ranch hand, brushing down the horses.

  “Hi, Miss Evie,” he said, turning a wide grin toward her. He was a short, wiry man, with dark hair and eyes.

  “Hi, Jerry,” she said. “Where is everyone?”

  “They all went into town to the feed store,” he said. “Lane was talking big about bringing in some new type of vitamin mix that will be good for the horses.”

  Ah, Lane always had ideas for the ranch, although he claimed never to want to work here.

  “How are the horses?” Evie asked as she walked toward the stable.

  “They’re great,” Jerry said. “We’ve got four we’re boarding, and Holt is doing their training.”

  Holt had earned a decent reputation for training horses for different rodeo events. It helped that they had their own small arena at the ranch, and then of course, access to the main rodeo arena in town.

  She spotted her favorite gray mare, Molly. “Hey, girl.”

  Molly nudged Evie’s shoulder as she stroked her long nose. Evie laughed. “Does that mean you missed me?”

  “Wanna take her for a ride?” Jerry asked.

  “Sure,” Evie said. “We both need the exercise.”

  Jerry brought over the tack, and soon, Evie had Molly saddled. Then she grasped the reins and led the horse out of the stable and through the back of the barn. After she climbed onto Molly, they set off at a walk around the arena.

  Holt had created his own little dynasty over the past couple of years. Evie was impressed. The entire ranch seemed to be well-run, and her family content. Having only Lane around on a holiday was a big change. Usually on breaks, Cara was here, too, and Evie always felt insecure around her sister. And Knox . . . Well, he was a different story. He’d cut himself off from the family for so long that Evie was used to him being gone. Since Holt and Macie’s wedding, Knox had reached out more to the family at large, which basically meant he participated in group texts.

  Since Knox was Ruby’s real father, Evie had thought he might come around more just because his daughter lived in Prosper now. But so far, that hadn’t happened. He’d basically relegated their relationship to phone calls, which was sort of understandable since he was on the rodeo circuit in Montana.

  “Wanna go faster?” Evie asked the horse.

  Molly tossed her head.

  “I’ll take that as a yes,” Evie said with a laugh, and snapped the reins. “Come on.”

  Molly moved to a canter, and Evie gazed about the landscape. On the west side of the property was a river, and she headed toward it. Before reaching the copse of trees, she reangled Molly and continued south. Now, she was technically on the old Anderson property—well, now Mr. Hunt’s, and she supposed Carson’s.

  She slowed the horse to a walk as she checked out her surroundings. The spring grass stretched as far as she could see, and butterflies and insects moved lazily about the wildflowers. The morning sun had finally dried the dew, and the endless blue sky promised plenty of warmth later.

  Without realizing it, Evie had traveled quite a bit farther onto the Hunts’ property. In fact, she could see the back of the house, and . . .

  Carson was standing in the backyard, in the garden? His back was to her, and well, she knew it was him, because surely his grandad didn’t have such broad, muscled shoulders, and a back that was magazine-worthy. Because, yep, Carson was shirtless. He stood, hands on his hips, as he surveyed whatever he was looking at.

  Evie was staring—how could she not? She might be caught at any moment, but her hands were frozen on the reins. Even the horse seemed mesmerized by the shirtless Carson Hunt.

  “We need to leave,” Evie whispered to her horse.

  Molly didn’t reply.

  Carson lifted a hand and scrubbed his fingers through his hair, then he leaned down and tossed something forward. Beyond him, yellow flames leapt up.

  Oh, he was burning garden mulch.

  He took a couple of steps away and folded his arms as he watched the burning heap.

  He was engrossed, and Evie could turn around and leave without being noticed. She was about to do just that when the back door to the house opened, and Mr. Hunt stepped out.

  “Breakfast is ready,” he hollered. “What in the Sam are you doing, son?”

  “Burning some dead plants. I�
�ll be there when this is out,” Carson told his grandad.

  “Hello, Evie,” Mr. Hunt said, his gaze finding her across the property. Then he ducked into the house, the door shutting after him.

  Oh, no. It was absolutely too late to sneak away.

  Sure enough, Carson turned around, shielding his eyes against the rising sun.

  Evie jerked the reins, and Molly took a couple of steps backward. Evie really wanted to turn and gallop away, but that would look like she was in the wrong or something, and although she was technically trespassing, it wasn’t like she wasn’t welcome, right?

  “Hey,” Carson said.

  “Hey.”

  His smile started slow, then grew. Evie was definitely blushing. That smile, combined with what he was wearing—or not wearing to be more exact—definitely had her heating up all over. She was doing it again. Forming a crush on an unattainable guy. If there was anyone who was unattainable, it was Carson Hunt. He was a small-town guy who’d be settling in Prosper of all places.

  And . . . Carson was walking toward her. The sun gleamed off his hair and shoulders and torso and abs and forearms and biceps and . . .

  “Are you okay?” he asked.

  “Yeah.” Although, she was basically frozen in place.

  Carson stopped near the horse. “Hi, pretty lady.”

  It took her a second to realize he was talking to the horse.

  “What’s her name?” he asked.

  “Molly.”

  Carson looked up at her, and this close, she could see the lighter brown in his eyes. “Want to come in for breakfast? Grandad’s been hard at work on the stove this morning.”

  “Uh, I already ate,” she said. Did she sound breathless? “Thanks, though. I should get going. My mom needs help, and I didn’t mean to ride out this far.”

  Carson didn’t look like he believed her for one minute, but he stepped away from the horse.

  Evie dragged her gaze away from the perfection that was his body and urged Molly to turn around. The horse obeyed, and soon, Evie was pushing her into a gallop because she really needed the wind to cool off her face. She thought she heard Carson chuckle, but she didn’t look back to find out.

  When Evie neared the barn of her family ranch, she climbed off Molly and led her to the water trough. “What do you think about Carson?” she asked her horse.

  The horse continued to drink, oblivious to Evie’s spinning thoughts. Carson had to know he had an effect on her. It wasn’t like he’d known she was coming over—thus, he was shirtless—but when he saw her, he could have just waved instead of walking to meet her. And that smile of his . . . Evie sighed.

  “Everything okay?” Lane’s voice cut into her unbidden thoughts.

  She turned with a start to see her brother heading out of the barn. “Oh, you’re back. That’s great.”

  Lane’s brows pulled together. “You’re acting weird, sis.”

  “I am not,” she said immediately, although her cheeks were starting to burn hot. Could her brother read her mind? Was she acting weird?

  Lane folded his arms. “Just admit it, you like him.”

  “Him?”

  “You know who I mean.”

  And she did. Evie kept her shoulders stiff, her expression neutral, her eyes on the horse. “So what are your plans the rest of the day?”

  Lane scoffed, since he likely knew she was trying to change the subject. “Carson’s coming over, and I want to run a business deal past him.”

  “Of course you do.” The words were matter-of-fact, without malice. Just because Lane was still in college himself didn’t mean he wasn’t full of ideas on improving the profitability of the ranch.

  “You can hang out with us if you want,” Lane said, nudging her shoulder.

  She could hear the smile in his voice without even looking at him.

  “We’ll see,” she said simply. Over her dead body.

  It was noon, and Carson probably shouldn’t be obsessing over the time, but he was. Currently, he was leaning against the arena wall at Prosperity Ranch as Lane talked about the improvements Holt had made over the past year. It was all interesting, and definitely smart. The two brothers had created the beginnings of an empire. Holt used to do a lot of traveling to train skittish horses, but now the horses were coming to him. Some for weeks. Others for a few days.

  Lane had somehow secured a grant that paid for the room and board of neglected horses, and they were now thinking about expanding. He had one more semester before he graduated in finance, and he was already putting his education to good use. It was pretty cool to see how Holt respected his younger brother’s opinions. Their relationship reminded him of his own brother.

  “So do you think your grandad might be interested in setting up a couple of stables to help with the boarding?” Lane asked. “We’d rent out the stables from him, of course, and do all the work. I just know my mom wouldn’t want every inch of our property covered with horses.”

  “I don’t see why not,” Carson said. “We could ask him today, if you want.”

  “Great,” Lane said, clapping him on the shoulder. “Why don’t you two come over for dinner tonight, and we can discuss it.”

  Another dinner invite? “Don’t you need to clear it with your mom?”

  “Oh, don’t worry, she’ll be more than happy to have the two Hunt men over again.” Lane stepped away from the arena wall. “I’m going to find Holt and tell him that you’re definitely open to housing our horses.”

  Carson was very interested in hearing about why Mrs. Prosper would be so happy to have him and Pops over for dinner again, but he didn’t think he could ask without raising questions.

  Besides, it was after the time that Evie had said she’d take him on a tour of Prosper. Well, she hadn’t exactly been definitive, but Carson was counting her text from last night. Seeing her this morning had been . . . well, amazing. He’d been thinking of her that morning, and then suddenly, she burst onto the scene, just like the surge of flames consuming the garden mulch.

  And he’d seen the interest in her eyes and the pink stain of her cheeks as he walked toward her. Evie had been wearing slim jeans, boots, and a button-down shirt that made her cuter than any rodeo queen he’d ever seen. She’d braided her hair, and the wisps had danced about her face from the breeze. She looked so natural on a horse, so at ease, that his pulse might have raced a little bit faster.

  Evie had no idea how beautiful she was, and Carson needed to look past his attraction to her, or he’d be moving backward in his life. Down the path of heartache and destroyed expectations. There was a reason he hadn’t dated since Stacee. He’d had enough of loss and heartbreak in the last couple of years. He’d been trying to put that behind him and not let it rule his life.

  And Evie Prosper was a walking land mine. She’d been more than clear about her aversion to living a small-town life. Well . . . it wasn’t like Carson was going to propose marriage on the spot. He chuckled to himself. No way. Evie was . . . she was . . . well, innocent and trusting and stubborn, that was for sure. He still couldn’t believe she’d never been kissed.

  “What’s so funny?”

  Carson snapped his head around to see Evie herself leaning against the rail, her blue eyes light today.

  His mouth went dry. “What are you talking about?”

  One of her eyebrows lifted. “I heard you laugh, so I was wondering what you’re laughing about.”

  “Oh, that.” His heart was racing. Was that normal? “I can’t remember.”

  Evie scoffed, then turned to look across the arena. “Then what are you looking at?”

  “Nothing,” Carson said. “I was waiting for you.”

  She wasn’t looking at him, but the edge of her mouth lifted. “You really want a tour that bad? You know, you could have asked one of my brothers, or even my dad.”

  “I want you to show me your town.”

  Her brow wrinkled, but there was a warmth in her eyes. “Like I said, it will take ten minutes
.”

  “Are you busy?” he asked.

  She turned more fully toward him, and a few wisps of her blonde hair stirred against her jaw. She smelled a lot sweeter than he probably did, even though he’d showered after the garden work that morning.

  “I’m always busy,” she said, as if she were impatient, but there was a lightness to her tone. “Let’s go, if you insist.”

  “Okay, then I insist.”

  She spun away from him and headed around the barn, toward the front of the house. Carson caught up with her in a few easy strides.

  “We’re taking your truck,” she announced, veering toward it.

  “You know, it’s kind of an old truck,” he teased.

  She rolled her eyes, and he laughed. When her mouth expanded into a smile, he felt his heart expanding at the same time. Easy, Carson. She doesn’t belong to you, or to Prosper.

  Carson reached the truck a step ahead of her, and he opened the passenger door. He wanted to pull her close as she passed by him, if only to breathe in her sweet scent. Or smooth her hair back from her face, or maybe even kiss the edge of that pretty mouth of hers.

  Breathe, Carson. And calm down.

  He shut the door and walked around the truck, then keeping his gaze forward, he started the truck and drove off the property. As he drove along Main Street, Evie pointed out the various shops, but Carson was barely listening. What was wrong with him? He’d wanted this tour, but he wasn’t even paying attention. His mind was full of all things Evie. How she was sitting in his truck, where her hand was resting on the bench not far from him, how the breeze coming through the half-open window tugged at her braid, how she wore light pink nail polish . . .

  “And this is the school my mom wants me to work at. Apparently, they have a need for a graphic designer.”

  Carson shifted his gaze to the brick red school on the other side of the street. The two-story building with its rows of windows was both graceful and stoic. The lawn in front was green and extended to the small parking lot in front. “You went to school here?”