by Claire Adams
I immediately caught on to the pointed look Tiffany had sent my direction. I knew where this was going before she could even say it.
“I already cleaned out those stables,” I said with a partial grin. “We have the room, and Cheyenne can come by anytime she needs to.”
A huge smile spread across Tiffany’s face, the first I’d seen of late. It brought a smile to my own face to see her happy.
“She’s a good woman,” Tiffany said, cradling her drink in both hands. “She’s a great friend. I really want her to stick around, plus she is doing so much good. What about you?”
I tensed at the question. “What about me?”
“Oh, please.” Tiffany rolled her eyes. “Come on; I know you’re interested. You’ve been checking her out non-stop, and you’ve asked me about her before.”
“She just went through a barn fire,” I said. “I may be a red-blooded man, but I’m not going to take advantage of her being around our place.”
It was tempting to think about, though. It had crossed my mind that night I stayed at Cheyenne’s house, listening for her to cry from upstairs. I’d seen it in her eyes—the carnal need for comfort and distraction. My own body wanted it too. I felt myself stiffen in arousal at the thought and shifted in my chair to cool myself.
“Well, you’d be pleased to know what I overheard her saying today when she was talking to her mom on the phone.”
“What’s that?” I asked, even though I knew what Tiffany was up to.
“She said that you were like one of those cowboys you see on the front of the paperbacks in the grocery store. You know? The cheesy ones with their shirts unbuttoned. I don’t see the similarities though.”
“Very funny,” I said when she grimaced. “Are you sure that’s what she said?”
“Very sure. I was standing right next to her.”
“Oh, so you were eavesdropping,” I corrected with a laugh. “You just can’t mind your own business sometimes, can you?”
“Either way,” she said, shrugging her shoulders with a grin. “I think the two of you should get together. You know, blow off some steam. It’s obvious you both are into each other.”
My mouth went dry at the thought of blowing off steam. A lot of it.
“I don’t think she wants that,” I said hoarsely. “Cheyenne doesn’t strike me as that type of woman.”
Tiffany’s grin turned mischievous. “Not that your sex life is something I want to spend my time thinking about, but I’m telling you, she has thought about doing it with you. I know it.”
A whole new agony filled me as Tiffany turned to look in the direction of the bar, spotting a friend who had called out her name, then left the table to visit. I sucked in a deep breath through clenched teeth, trying to control my body that was now coiled and ready for action.
“Damn it, Tif,” I swore, running a hand through my hair. “Why did you have to say all that? Especially when Cheyenne will be at our ranch all the time now.”
Chapter 7
Cheyenne
“Are you sure about this?”
Tiffany sighed in exasperation as she climbed up into the passenger seat. She closed the door before giving me a long look.
“Yes,” she said. “Colt and I discussed it. In fact, he had already cleaned out the stables to make room for the horses before I even brought it up. It’s not going to be a problem.”
I was still uneasy when I put the truck into gear, slowly easing forward with the trailer behind me. While I appreciated Tiffany’s friendship and the incredibly generous gesture from the two of them, I still felt wary of the entire situation.
Guilt bubbled in my stomach. Calm down, Cheyenne. Not every single person in the world is out to hurt you.
“Thank you,” I repeated for the hundredth time since Tiffany arrived at my house with the news. “I really appreciate everything that you and Colt are doing.”
“Don’t mention it, Cheyenne. We hate Bill Coates, and well, we like you a lot.” Tiffany sent me a sly smile. “And who knows, maybe Colt is expecting some sort of benefit in return.”
“Ha-ha. Not funny, Tiffany,” I replied with a smile, even though my body had flushed hotly at the thought. A small part of me wouldn’t mind paying Colt back in other ways. “I’m sure your brother isn’t like that anyway. He seems like a gentleman to me.”
“He is, absolutely,” Tiffany agreed. “He’s never mistreated any woman, though it’s been a while since he’s been in a relationship, now that I think about it.”
“Why is that?” I asked as I glanced over at her, dumbfounded and curious now.
“Who knows?” she shrugged. “I’m sure Colt has his reasons. He’s been focused on getting his restaurant launched, and then when our parents died, you know it was…”
Tiffany’s voice failed her just as I turned onto the highway. I didn’t have to look over to see the tears in her eyes. I could hear it in her voice.
“I’m sorry that your parents died the way they did,” I said sincerely. “I can only imagine how hard that has been on the both of you. They would be proud of you for many things I would expect, but especially for your kindness.”
“Thank you,” Tiffany said, smiling now. “My mom always threatened to kick our butts if we were mean to other people. I’m sure that expectation hasn’t changed with her death.”
We shared a smile as we continued north on the highway in the direction of the Smith Ranch. My blood went hot with anger when we drove by Robert, who was parked alongside the highway, his radar gun pointed directly at us. He checked the reading before waving at the both of us with a wide smile.
“Has this place always been corrupt?” I asked in disgust, tempted to throw him the middle finger in response.
Tiffany glanced over her shoulder to make sure he was still parked alongside the road.
“Yes, from what I remember. Bill Coates hated my parents, and well, Robert is friends with Bill. You know how it goes in a small town.” She smiled grimly at me. “Colt and I grew up dealing with that shit show. We are still dealing with it.”
“What was the feud even over in the first place?”
We hit the edge of town, and instead of driving down Main Street, Tiffany directed me to a side street to avoid traffic.
“It’s all over a contract that Bill Coates lost to my father,” she explained quietly. “It was a lot of money—a huge corporation. Losing it nearly put Coates into bankruptcy. We knew it was war when one of our horses wandered onto his property through a broken fence, and he just shot it.”
“He didn’t get in trouble for that?” I asked, horrified at the thought, though not entirely surprised.
Tiffany shook her fair head. “Nope, he didn’t. He told Robert that he didn’t know whose horse it was, but Colt saw him smiling when we found our horse laying there suffering, all but dead. He knew who the horse belonged to all along.”
“That’s horrible,” I said. “I don’t understand how or why he takes things out on animals. They did nothing to him.”
“Trying to figure him out is a lost cause. My dad spent years trying to do it,” Tiffany replied with a sigh. “We’re almost there. Take this next right.”
The Smith Ranch sat on over two hundred acres of land. There were three barns supporting the needs of various animals, and everything about the property was well-maintained. The fences were sturdy and new. The lawn in front of the spacious two-story log home was neatly trimmed. Flowers, still clinging to the last bits of fading summer, were bright and vibrant in their beds.
Horses grazed happily in the pasture next to the barn. They lifted their heads to look up at us as I pulled the trailer up to the gate.
“What do you think?” Tiffany asked, walking along the trailer after we had hopped out. She reached up to scratch the neck of a horse when it poked its head out to look at the other horses in interest. “It’s a nice place, huh? Look at the other happy horses over there. We have chickens and tons of cows, too.”
I took it
all in with a surprised shake of my head. Even without Colt ranching full-time, the place was orderly and nice.
“It’s amazing here,” I said.
I jumped when a man in his late forties approached from inside the barn. While we were loading up the horses, Tiffany had mentioned that Colt was at the Iron Stallion helping out the cooks, so I didn’t expect to see anyone else at the ranch. He gave Tiffany a tight hug before turning to smile at me.
“Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you,” he said. “I’m Rick Brigs. I’m the stablehand here.”
“The one and only stablehand,” Tiffany jested, nudging him in the ribs. “He’s done such a good job we promoted him to be the only person around besides Colt and me.”
“It’s just the three of you maintaining this entire ranch?” I asked, shocked at the thought. Both of them worked all day long doing other things outside of the ranch. I couldn’t imagine coming back to do even more work.
“At the moment,” Rick replied. We have folks come on at different times of the year when we need them. I’m the only full-timer for now.” He glanced at the horse trailer. “I heard about the fire. Your horses will be safe here; I can promise you that. We have a security system here.” He lifted his thin jacket to show the butt of his gun. “Coates comes anywhere over here, he knows that a bullet from my gun will greet him.”
“Does Bill honestly have that many enemies here?” I felt sick to my stomach as I twisted and fidgeted with my blistered hands.
Rick and Tiffany exchanged a short look.
“Yes,” they replied in unison and gestured for me to follow them into the barn.
For the next ten minutes, Rick showed me everything I would need to care for the horses, then he helped Tiffany and I lead the three we had trailered over out to the pasture. I watched with a smile as they galloped over to the other horses. They would be happy and content here, and I couldn’t ask for anything more, given the situation.
“We’ll have to make several more trips,” Tiffany told Rick, closing the trailer. “You’ll be seeing us coming and going all afternoon.”
Rick nodded, “Give me a holler if you need anything. I’ll be here past sundown.”
“What do you think?” Tiffany asked once we pulled back down the road. “It’s going to be fine, right? I told you we had enough room at the ranch.”
“More than enough, it seems,” I said wryly, but I still felt uneasy. I couldn’t shake Bill Coates out of my head or what Robert had said about a long list of enemies. I knew that Colt and Tiffany already had enemies given their parents’ history, but I didn’t want to add to their problems by moving my horses there.
That unease grew as we passed Robert again on the side of the highway. I kept on eye trained on the rear-view mirror but didn’t see a flash of lights.
“Stop it,” Tiffany said.
I looked up in surprise at her tone.
“Stop what?”
“Stop doubting whether or not this is a good thing,” she said. “I can see the look on your face. You’re worried about something.”
“I’m just worried that Bill Coates will go after you and Colt now that I’m over there.”
“He won’t bother us,” Tiffany scoffed. “He’s terrified of my brother. He won’t admit it, but Bill would be stupid to try and mess with our ranch. He’d cause an uproar and get unwelcome attention. He knows that.”
“He burned my barn,” I said, as fresh anger filled me again. “He shot your horse, and he even abuses his own animals. What’s ever going to stop him?”
“The fact that PETA and residents of Green Point are watching him like a hawk now. That’s what will stop him, trust me. The man cares about his reputation because of his clients. If word that he is acting like a jackass reaches his clients, he’ll end up losing his ranch. He can’t afford to drop any more contracts if he wants to remain solvent.” A frown spread across Tiffany’s face then. “Which isn’t entirely a bad idea, given the fact that he probably abuses every single animal he owns. Colt said that the cows and horses at his ranch weren’t the same ones he had before PETA came.”
“You think he got new ones?”
“Yep. From Jim Staffer, I would imagine,” Tiffany mused, tapping a finger against her chin. “Who knows? At this point, you’re better off just staying clear of him. You can hang out with me. We have a guest room and—”
“That’s too much, Tif,” I exclaimed, shaking my head at her. “I can’t stay at your house for free. That’s way too much for me to ask and—”
“Look, Cheyenne, you’re my friend. I wouldn’t offer this to a person I didn’t trust.” She hesitated for a moment as we pulled up my driveway. “I’m worried too that someone might come back for you. You don’t even own a gun or know how to use one for protection.”
“I can learn,” I argued, shutting the engine off. “I don’t think Colt would appreciate it either. I can’t just invade his personal space.”
“He doesn’t care. Besides, I think he’d enjoy it.”
“How so?”
“Really? Do I have to say it again?” Tiffany opened the passenger door with an arched eyebrow. “I mean, he’s obviously into you. He won’t mind you being around, trust me.”
“You should ask him first though,” I said, ignoring the exasperated look Tiffany shot me as we walked back to the corral. “I mean it. I don’t want to stay if I don’t hear him say okay.”
“Suit yourself,” she said, shrugging. “Ask him when you see him. Just go get a bag packed for the night. If you don’t get the answer you want, you can come back. No questions asked.”
She walked towards the area where the remaining horses were grazing. I stopped at the gate before turning to look back at the empty space where the barn used to be. A pile of black ash and a few wooden beams. That was all that was left of my dream—my sanctuary for these horses. A pile of ash where I used to pour myself into this operation. The area felt empty, lacking life. I felt it in my heart as well when I turned away from remnants of the barn.
Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to take the offer. I shoved my hands into the front pockets of my jeans, only to jerk them back out and swear as I got yet another harsh reminder that they were burned. I walked slowly in the direction of my house, feeling Tiffany’s smug stare on my back the entire way. I wouldn’t stay if Colt gave any indication of discomfort. I had a feeling that while Tiffany ran the ranch, Colt wouldn’t be necessarily pleased with some of his sister’s decisions. I also had a feeling that he had no idea that Tiffany had offered me a place to stay.
Unless Tiffany was telling the truth when it came to the notion of him wanting me around. Damn. That thought was even more unnerving than the idea of sleeping under the same roof as Mr. Colt Smith.
Chapter 8
Colt
It had taken all of my patience to not say a word to Tiffany when I arrived back at the house to find Cheyenne’s truck parked in front of the barn at 11:30pm. Not because I wasn’t thrilled at the idea of Cheyenne staying in the guest room until her insurance paid for a new barn. It was just as well she stay until the unease over the whole situation settled out as well.
I was tempted. Too tempted when I saw Cheyenne curled up on the couch next to Tiffany with a book in hand as they talked idly.
“I won’t stay if it’s too much,” Cheyenne had said, the second she caught me glaring at Tiffany. “I can go on home. Tiffany said I could stay, but if—”
“It’s no problem that you stay here,” I had told her, ignoring the lust that shot through me at the thought of her sleeping just down the hall. “I’d rather you stay here. It’s safer for now.”
That was the end the end of the conversation. I had gone straight upstairs to take a long hot shower to release the tension steadily growing in my groin. It wasn’t just physical attraction that brought me close to Cheyenne. It was her compassion, her warmth. It was everything about her that I’d gathered so far since the day she arrived in Green Point.
Even the showe
r did nothing to help me. I still tossed and turned all night trying to keep myself in bed. I gave up after three hours of just dozing, instead venturing down to breakfast to find a pot of coffee already brewed at 6:30am. Pouring myself a cup, I walked through the dim living room to the windows that overlooked the barn and fields beyond. Sunlight barely peeked through the evergreen pines on the horizon. I immediately noticed that the barn lights were on, and I could see Cheyenne walking about with buckets of oats and flakes of hay.
I had to give it to her. Even though her barn had been intentionally burned down, even though she was distraught, she never said a word. She never broke from her routine and her passion to make sure that the horses under her care were seen to. No matter what.
The whole group of them, even the ones Tiffany and I owned, strained against the fence eagerly as Cheyenne walked out to greet them. She greeted them with a smile as she slipped through the fence with two full buckets in hand.
It wouldn’t hurt to ask her out on a date I guess. I took a long sip of coffee. Except, she’d perceive it as me taking advantage of her being here. There was just no escaping it now that Tiffany had invited Cheyenne to stay with us.
“Morning,” Tiffany called out, startling me. “You’re up early this morning.”
I tore my gaze away from the windows to glare at Tiffany as she came down the stairs.
“No thanks to you,” I quipped and continued on before she could question what I meant. “What are you doing up so early?”
“I’m helping out at Mattie’s bookstore today,” Tiffany said, heading to the kitchen. “Don’t you remember anything I tell you?”
“Apparently not.” I followed her into the kitchen to fill my coffee mug again. “What are you doing at Mattie’s store?”
She filled up both of our mugs with the last bit of coffee. “I volunteered to run the store today while she left town with her husband. I have some stocking to do.”