by Leela Ash
But he sure was a pleasant surprise, she thought, taking in his spurs and his ambling stride. He even had one of those bolero string ties and a number of flashy rings. One ruby, in particular, glinted at her in the sun. She hadn’t expected to find a bona fide cowboy in Angel Springs, Florida.
“What the hell is wrong with you, lady? You tryna be road kill? Listen, if you wanna off yerself or somethin’, that’s yer call. But don’t be comin’ ter do it beneath this here truck.”
Jessica shook her head, trying to get a word in edgewise. “You’ve got it all wrong, sir. I wasn’t trying to die.” She gestured at her car, “I was asking for help. My car won’t start, and I’m stuck here with my kids.”
The anger drained from his face at once as understanding dawned and he bestowed a grandfatherly beam on her kids. He seemed to make a mental shift. “Oh I see, you got some wee ones with ya, hey? I’ll take a look-see at yer car and let you know, lickety-split, what the problem is. Hopefully, even git ya on yer way.”
Jessica fought down a grin at his accent and choice of words. It didn’t get more country than this. “Uh…sure. Thank you Mr. …” she trailed off, uncertain.
“Name’s Roy, ma’am.”
He removed his hat just then, and she saw, for the first time, that he was completely gray.
“Thank you, um, Mr. Roy. I’m Jessica … Harris,” she added.
He grunted, as he began to fiddle with something underneath the hood of her car.
She let him work in silence, thanking her stars that she had acted so quickly to wave him down. Truth be told, it had been more panic than smarts. She was still holding her breath as he worked.
Her kids erupted from the backseat and dashed forward to stand beside her and Roy. “What’s he doing?” Kal demanded, planting his little body protectively in front of his mother and sister.
Roy looked up for the first time since he’d started tinkering, and a wide grin split his face as he took in the little boy. Clearly, he was the man of the family.
“You gonna stand over there pissing on yer territory or you gonna come over here and give me a hand, boy?” Roy demanded as he stuck his head beneath the hood again.
Kal’s eyes widened until they positively bulged, “Can I?”
Jessica threw her son a surprised glance. Those two words were filled with such hunger and disbelief and joy that, in a split second, she saw clearly what she’d done. In the four years since her ex-husband walked out on her and their kids, she had parented her son exactly as she parented her daughter. He was hungry for male attention. He desperately needed a father figure, and apparently, this old guy was it at the moment.
Her heart was in her throat as she ruffled his hair, “Go on.”
Kal was so excited that he forgot to frown at her for ruffling his hair. He catapulted forward and skid to a halt beside Roy.
“What do you want me to do?” he asked eagerly.
Roy grinned at him, “Here, hold that.”
He handed Kal a small bottle of oil. Kal held it gingerly as though it were made of fine porcelain, his eyes fixed in concentration.
Jessica felt tears sting her eyes as she watched Kal proudly lean over to pour in some oil when Roy told him to. Her little boy was growing up without a father, and she hadn’t realized just how hungry he was for one. A few minutes beside Roy, and her eyes were opened.
Roy tinkered a little more and then lifted his head to give her a nod, “That oughta do the trick. Go on and test her.”
Jessica hurtled into the driver’s seat and twisted the key in the ignition. It started at once, and she grinned. “Roy, you’re a miracle worker. Come on, kids, get back in,” she called as she exited the car to thank him more properly.
Roy tipped his hat to her and helped shoo the kids into the car.
“Well, can’t have a little miss like you stranded in the middle of nowhere, now, can we? Not from around these parts, are you?” he observed
It wasn’t much of a newsflash. Her clothes alone were a dead giveaway, she decided with a grimace, looking down at her sundress and flat sandals. They had looked so beautiful when she took off this morning, but now, seeing the rough rolling hills and pagan landscape, they seemed as impracticable as horse riding on a New York sidewalk.
“We’re from Oklahoma,” she told him.
He stared at her in silence as though he seemed to be waiting for something. She would have been confused if she hadn’t read enough Nora Roberts novels to know that, in small towns this size, they all lived to know each other’s businesses.
Well, he had been helpful, she decided. Maybe she could be a little more neighborly herself, she thought. “I am heading to a place called Exotic Rescue. Maybe you’ve heard of it. I’m a scientist and on an exchange program from Oklahoma.”
Roy continued to stare at her in silence. Was it her imagination or had his expression changed ever-so-slightly to one of displeasure?
“D-Do you know of it?” she stuttered, increasingly uncomfortable beneath his unwavering gaze.
Why did she suddenly feel as though she were in danger? All the hairs on the back of her neck started to rise, and she had to check herself to keep from taking several steps backward.
Roy’s gaze was direct as he stared straight at her and, for a minute there, his pupils changed color until they were a pure molten silver. He was unconsciously spinning his ruby ring as he looked at her in a whole new way. She didn’t care for it at all.
She wasn’t imagining anything, she thought, her breath catching in her throat. The sudden wave of antagonism rolling off him was so tangible that she felt she could reach out and touch it.
“Everyone in these parts knows about ole’ Teddy and what he’s been up to in that rescue of his!” He practically spat the last few words. “Sure is cryin’ shame that a purty little thin’ like you is mixed up in all that,” Roy finished coldly.
His face was once more suffused with an angry red color. A strange light glinted in his eyes, and he started to take a step toward her at the exact same moment Kal poked his head out the back window of her car and called, “Thanks for fixing our car, Mister. And thanks for letting me help!”
Roy’s gaze cut to the little boy and his sister, who were smiling up at both of them with childish innocence. Then, he snarled at her, the sound low in his throat and somehow otherworldly. In that moment, Jessica could have sworn she saw one tooth pop out from behind his lips. Was that a fang?
Her hand gripped her chest region in fear, trying to calm her erratic heartbeat as she unconsciously blinked her eyes to clear her vision – because obviously, she was starting to see things.
And then, before anything stranger could happen, seemingly in the blink of an eye, the strange man was back in his truck and continuing on his way.
As he drove off in a cloud of dust, Jessica could hear her heart hammering loudly in her chest. Was it her imagination or had Old Roy’s faded blue eyes suddenly changed to pure silver for a split second? And had she really seen a fang? It was hard to tell in the fading light of day. Maybe she was just exhausted.
Of all the —
Dang it, Jess. Either, your imagination is off kilter or you need to get your eyesight checked, she thought, wiping a weary hand down her face.
The nagging thought stayed with her, though, as she pulled back onto the road and continued the rest of the drive into town. Who was he? Why had he become so aggressive just before he left? Let’s face it, he gave off a very dark vibe, to say the least. How had he moved so fast to the car? And that fang? She had already chalked that later things up to her exhaustion, at least that was the story she was trying to sell herself. But what sort of town was this? Was there something else going on in Angel Springs?
This wasn’t how she had envisioned getting started in a new place, but it was probably nothing to worry about. Every town had its fair share of outlaws and odd people. Maybe he was one of those and that was the weird vibe she’d picked up.
Too bad; Roy had se
emed like such a sweet old man ─ right before he turned out to be such a douche.
Chapter 3
Jessica quickly discovered that Roy wasn’t the only one who stiffened up whenever she mentioned her new boss, Theodore Cooper, or his animal sanctuary, Exotic Rescue. The chirpy gas attendant lost his choirboy grin when he flushed the information out of her that she was new in town and here to work for Theodore. The baker who handed over the sponge cake Arizona was coveting wasn’t so friendly once she heard the words, ‘Exotic Rescue’, and the chatty cashier at the grocery store immediately switched to monosyllables when Jessica asked for directions to the animal rescue.
Something was going on, all right, but what it was she had no idea.
She didn’t owe it just to herself to find out what was up with the rescue. She had two small children to think about as well. If the town, the sanctuary itself, or the people who ran it, turned out to be the least bit unsavory, she was hightailing it out of Dodge before Theodore Cooper could so much as say “Hey”.
The moment she drove onto the grounds of Exotic Rescue, though, her budding anger and disquiet vanished in a poof as her mouth fell open in wonder. She had heard it was pretty nice, but this was beyond that. It wasn’t any old animal sanctuary. Although everything was clearly built for function and practicality, it had been built to the standards more approaching that of a luxury resort than a place for unwanted big cats and the like. One glance, and Jessica was in love. She could get used to this.
From this central hub she could see various pens and sectioned off areas for the many different types of animals that the rescue cared for. There were garages for the various trucks, and building where she assumed food was prepared for the different species. It appeared there was even a reptile building, if she were correct. Interspersed amongst the usual trappings of a rescue were lush patches of trees and brightly-colored flowers nodding their tender heads in the wind. Rows of exotic-looking coconut trees disappeared down numerous a winding paths. The property spread out in all directions with no end in sight. The main building was almost palatial and the outbuildings of exquisite design, which was rather uncharacteristic of any rescue she had ever seen. She saw a row of golf carts parked adjacent to the cars. There were workers all about, some hauling feed. As she took in the sprawling grounds, a few trucks passed hauling various types of equipment.
There was a row of rough, jagged mountains serving as a backdrop to the picturesque location. Another truck passed pulling a boat behind. Undoubtably, there was at least one body of water on the premises. Maybe it even connected with the Glades. The air was still, the silence broken, occasionally, by the chirping of birds and the hum of the wind through the trees. Everywhere smelled clean and fresh, and the dying evening sun lent a golden hue to the atmosphere, making it look like something out of a movie.
“Wowwwww,” Kal breathed from the backseat.
Jessica threw a glance over her shoulder at her wide-eyed son. “I know, right? It looks just like a slice of Heaven.”
“It’s beautiful,” Arizona chirped.
Jessica looked at her kids, “I bet we’re gonna have a lot of fun here.”
“Yeah, we are!” Kal shouted excitedly.
Jessica had to remind herself it was only for six weeks, though. But she was ready for the break. Home was … not the best of places for her right now. She loved her job at the zoo she worked at, for sure. But she had found out, just two weeks ago, that her best friend, Kate, had been one of the plentiful women Patrick had cheated on her with.
And if that wasn’t bad enough, Kate had had the utter gall to excuse her behavior with a flip, “It was really just sex, Jess, and years ago, too; so get over it. Pat just liked his fun, and you started to get a bit boring and became a stick-in-the-mud toward the end. I mean, I’m sorry it happened, but it was a long time ago.”
I’m sorry it happened? That was the best she could do? No thanks.
Getting the email from Exotic Rescue, offering her a spot in their exchange program for six weeks, had been a blessing just in the nick of time. She had jumped on it with both feet, grateful for the opportunity to be away from everyone and everything familiar for a while. She needed to process some thoughts and, more than anything, she needed some uncomplicated peace and quiet.
That thought had her glaring up at the sprawling mansion that was Exotic Rescue’s main building. She wasn’t sure why some of the locals distrusted Theodore and his outfit, but her interest had been piqued and she knew she wouldn’t rest until she found out just what was going on. Some had hinted at hearing animal sounds of pain at night. Surely, he wasn’t torturing animals here, or using them for some experiment, was he? That was a little farfetched, she thought.
A man dressed in a yellow and white uniform stepped forward quickly, “May I take your luggage, ma’am?”
Jessica startled as she looked up at him. “My luggage?” she repeated. What kind of animal sanctuary asked if you needed help with your luggage?
He jerked his head in the direction of her trunk. “I imagine, you’re gonna need help lugging those heavy bags to your accommodations.”
She nodded. “I want to speak with Theodore Cooper, first.”
His gaze flicked toward a large oak tree in a corner of the compound and he looked back at her, “I don’t see his car in its usual place. Good luck tracking him down,” he added, before striding off with a grunt, obviously rescinding his offer of assistance.
In the back seat, Arizona erupted into tears. “That’s mine!” she cried.
“Okay, okay, guys. Kal, give her back her doll.” She knew the kids were exhausted and hoped they would be settled in soon.
But, at this rate, she and the kids would be camping out in the car! She had to admit to herself that it wasn’t just the kids who were at the end of their rope. She couldn’t even fathom the idea of getting out of the car to go into the building, even though at this point she did want to have a word with this Theodore character. Instead she whipped out her phone, scrolling furiously until she located the email she had received from Exotic Rescue. She scrolled down, looking for a phone number, and she pressed dial as soon as she located it.
The phone rang and rang and rang.
“Dammit,” she swore.
She had just gotten out of the car when a rich chuckle sounded behind her, and she spun around to where a tall, dark and handsome man stood with his arms folded across his chest, surveying her with wicked amusement gleaming in his vivid green eyes and a friendly welcome on his attractive face. His black hair was almost falling into his eyes, his lips were firm and sensually molded; tough, rugged strength was carved into every brawny male part of him, and his eyebrows had an arrogant slant that hinted at a man accustomed to being obeyed. His shoulders were so broad that they seemed a mile wide. His features were strong and masculine, with an air of authority stamped onto them in stark contrast to the heavy-lidded look in his eyes. He looked like a man who wanted some … well, action in bed. That thought drew her gaze helplessly toward the juncture of his thigh, and she couldn’t help but notice the prominent bulge beneath the soft material of his pants.
Jessica felt an unwelcome stab of desire and then, ruthlessly, squashed it with a disapproving movement.
He smiled at her then, his face lighting up and making him so devastatingly handsome that her breath caught in her throat.
Dear Lord, what was wrong with her? One glance from beneath those heavy-lidded eyes and she was dizzy with desire.
“Do you always swear in front of your kids?” he asked, tilting his head in the direction of the kids arguing in the back seat.
“Do you always poke your nose into someone else’s business?” she countered, her tone a bit more harsh than she had intended. She tried to calm herself. It had been a long day. Picking a fight with the first … well, second person she met was not the way to start her exchange.
He was unfazed however, his grin as friendly as ever, as he observed, “You seem lost. Need some hel
p?”
His eyes were piercing as he stared straight into hers and, for the second time in less than a minute, Jessica’s breath caught in her throat. She stared up at him with wide eyes, surprised at the effect he had on her without even trying. Her nipples beaded into hard points beneath her shirt, a pool of wetness gathered between her legs, and her traitorous thoughts began to imagine his strong masculine hands wrapping around her slender waist.
Jessica drew herself up short, cutting off that enthralling vision as she glared up at him. Was it her imagination or had his gaze dropped briefly to the vicinity of her breasts?
She had caught Patrick, once, with his eyes diving down Kate’s blouse. He had laughed at her for being paranoid when she’d asked about it. Well, recent revelations proved she had been anything but paranoid.
What was wrong with her? Less than two seconds in a completely different state and she managed to attract someone just like Patrick. Was there some invisible stamp on her forehead that said, ‘Pervs, sign up here’ or something?
“Is this a thing you people do around here? Hit on a woman right in front of her kids?” she demanded, angry that she had forgotten the presence of Kal and Arizona for even a split second.
“What?” His eyebrows snapped together in a frown.
She would have to go out of her way to annoy him, she decided. It was the only way to dissuade men like Patrick.
“Listen, Mister Snazzy, I am here to work and nothing else,” she started in a voice that made her displeasure all the more clear. “And yes, I’m sure your type wouldn’t recognize work unless it’s stuck in a monkey jacket or a pretentious little suit,” she added, sneering at his running shoes that had to be expensive enough to rival the cost of her car. “I am not exactly sure what kind of people you are used to putting up in your ‘accommodations’, but let’s be clear. I am not some rich socialite here to get a tan and sit by the pool and drink cocktails! I came here to study the animals and further my research. It’s called work. W. O. R. K. So if you don’t mind, I will take my own bags if you will step aside.”