Heartbreak's Reward (Double Dutch Ranch Series: Love at First Sight Book 2) (11 page)

“So, you like the place?”

Brenna nodded, a slight quirk to her lips. “Yes. Nora is making a phone call to see if they have an age minimum.”

“Age minimum. Aren’t you old enough?” His gaze passed over her, but a spirited smirk played on his lips.

“For my sister. She’s sixteen. I’m well old enough.”

His eyes widened. “Wow, that’s a big age difference.”

“What? Maybe not. How old do you think I am?”
Humph
. She didn’t think the age difference was a big deal. Jase could keep guessing. She wasn’t all that much older. Thirty-one wasn’t old.

Nora took a seat in the ivory-colored recliner when she returned. “Yeah, Jase, now that you’ve stuck your big foot into your mouth, answer Brenna.”

He lifted his hand. “Two of you against me? I take the Fifth Amendment.”

“Let’s say my sisters were a bigger surprise to my parents than to me.” Her face heated and she excused herself to use the bathroom.

She had to get out of there before someone asked a question. One she wasn’t ready to answer. Saying
sisters
as plural was still a habit she didn’t want to break. Her heart skipped a beat over the thought of Jordann, and she had to be alone for a minute.

In the bathroom she held her hands under the water and patted her face. She dried it on a blue hand towel. Cooling her face had helped. Doing her best not to think of Jordann worked most of the time—to keep her sanity, yet, each time she looked at Chloe, it was a dismal reminder.

She had to get back out there. “Please don’t let them ask,” she prayed. With a big exhale, she exited with a smile. Taking the seat on the sofa again, she faced Nora. “What did the agent say about an age limit?”

“Nothing,” said Nora. “You’re good to go.” She moved to the edge of her chair and patted Brenna’s hand. “I’m excited for you. You’ll be happy. A pool and hot tub are close by if that interests you. Especially since you’re off work all summer. But you’ll burn in no time if you’re not careful.”

“My sister, Chloe, will love it and I might get myself out there.”

“I like that name,” said Destiny. “Who is Chlo-e?”

“She’s my sister, honey. You might get a chance to meet her during the school year.”

“Goody. Does she have a cowboy hat?” Destiny jumped off the sofa and came around to sit on Nora’s lap.

“Well, no. Maybe she’ll get one. Do you have one?” She glanced at Jase.

“I have a red one. My daddy bought it,” said Destiny, moving off Nora’s lap.

“We’ll have to work on getting a hat for Brenna.” Jase put his hat on and poked his niece in the belly when she came to stand by him. He turned to Brenna. “Waiting on you. Anytime you’re ready.”

“I’m ready.” Brenna stood and walked around the coffee table, scanning the downstairs one more time from the kitchen to the room they were in. She glanced over her shoulder to the outside again. A new hope filled her and she already pictured a life here.

“Nora, thank you so much. We can move on to whatever the next step is.” She held out her hand. “This is fantastic and unbelievable how fast it all happened.” She turned to Jase. “All because you found me lost in a parking lot.”

“I can relate,” said Nora. Destiny moved to the side and Nora stood. Jase did too.

“It was no big deal, Brenna.” He sauntered to the door and Brenna followed him. He opened it for her and she went out first.

Jase paused at the door and Brenna waited on the sidewalk. Taking a look around the scenery past the parking lot…to the big old mountain, she almost laughed because she saw it everywhere she went.

She turned back and said farewell to Nora and Destiny. “It was lovely meeting you two.” She headed to the truck.

“Come back, Brenna, if you need to check the place out again.”

Brenna said that she would. Jase caught up to her in a couple long strides, and he went to the passenger side and opened it. When she got inside, she faced him. “I appreciate you taking the time to do this. She’s nice and your niece is so cute.”

“Yep, I love Destiny as if she were my own.” Jase placed his hand on the top of his truck and the other on his thigh. He leaned in. “So, what about dinner? Still on for steak?”

Brenna had a hard time talking sense to herself. She wanted to reach out and kiss him. It wouldn’t take much, wrap her hand around his nape and pull him down…kiss those lips. “Um…
ummmm
” She was speechless. Maybe this wasn’t the right place to devour his lips in a kiss, since she’d live here. But she couldn’t find her voice other than to mumble. He continued to stare and it didn’t make it any easier. Now she willed him to move away.

Something about him was so tantalizing. He drew her in as if he had cast a spell. She gulped and shook her head. “Please get in the truck.” She pulled her stare away and looked forward. He moved her in such a way she couldn’t comprehend. Breathing came in short breaths. When he finally walked around the rear of his truck she blew out a very long and erratic breath.

“Are you okay, Brenna?” he asked when he got inside.

“Uh huh. H-hungry.”

“Let’s go. Steaks are waiting for us.” He shifted into gear and backed out.

She paid attention when he turned left out of the parking lot and right onto the highway. He drove farther this time then what it took to get to town the last time. When he turned left and under a sign, she looked up, reading, Double Dutch Ranch.

“This is your place?” Brenna twisted around looking out the rear window. “Why are we at your place? Jase, why did you bring me here? I don’t know.” She didn’t expect this. Now what? Why? Why not?

Jase hit the brakes and dust billowed up around them. “Are you scared? I had hoped it’d be okay.” He leaned his elbow on the console. “We’re here because I make a badass steak.” He placed his hand over her arm, playing two fingers over her skin. “Is it all right with you? I would have asked sooner, but I feared you’d say no.”

“Um…um.”
Oh, damn, now what?
Alone with him under the stars. In front of that big Superstition?

“Brenna?” He stretched over and stroked her chin, turning her face toward him. “You can trust me. I’ve had more than one chance to ravish you. I could right now, right here.”

But what about trusting herself? Her insides tumbled like an offset dryer. “Okay,” she managed to get out. “I like homemade steak—especially the badass kind.” Her voice was higher than she recognized as her own. Was it fear? Kind of—but maybe not the kind of fear she had expected. He wasn’t the one she was afraid of. Her body’s reaction to him is what caused her fear.

Jase casually moved his fingertips to her neck, sending shivers throughout her body. His touch was amazing, fingertips warm and gentle…
God help me
. “Um, I-I don’t know if this is a good idea.” She gulped again, having one hell of a time swallowing. Wanting to look into his intense blue eyes, she wouldn’t allow herself that, but her lack of control took over, and as if a puppet on a string she turned toward him again. The look in his eyes was frightening…not a scary kind of frightening…but a sexy kind. An
omigod
kind of look.

Jase put the truck in first gear and turned around.

“No.”

Again he hit the brakes. “No? Yes? No? What is it? Staying or going because I don’t want to keep doing this.” His clenched the top of his steering wheel with one hand.

“It’s okay if we stay here. My mouth is already watering…for the steak.” She tried to breathe normally but it didn’t happen. “How much farther up to your house?”

“A half mile. Hey, you gonna be all right? Sure I don’t have to take you to the ER? Because you look a little pale.”

Glancing at him out of the corner of her eye, she found a smile. “I’m fine. It’s that you… Let’s go, I’m okay.”

He spun around and headed up the road again.

“Can I see your horses?”

“Yes, ma’am. Let me get the steaks marinating for a little while and we’ll go into the barn. Best get you some barn boots, girl. Do you know how to ride?”

“No.” She shook her head. “I’d love to learn.” She meant it too. She never gave a thought to riding, until now.

“Then, Miss Brenna Page, you shall learn. We all have to start some time.”

“Yay.” She gave a nervous laugh and placed her hand on his arm, the fear evaporating from her body…and thoughts. She trusted him, saying a silent prayer to please don’t make her sorry for those thoughts. The road curved and he pulled up to the back of his house. It was adobe brick styled, one floor like a ranch home. Brenna laughed to herself—ranch styled, no doubt.

“This is nice, Jase.” She pointed and snickered. “And look. That mountain is following me. Everywhere I go there it is.”

“Hard to miss that thing, darlin’. Let’s get into the kitchen. Come on. It’s kind of messy, but I cleaned it up a little. Not much furniture. That has a story too.”

He had a lot of stories. All for later, it seemed. She met him at the front of his truck, and he clasped her hand, taking two steps at a time to get to the porch.
This man has long legs.
“Good thing I left the heels at home today. Trying to keep up with you can be a challenge.”

“Sorry about that. Should I pick you up?” He wiggled his eyebrows. “Carry ya up the steps next time?”

“No thanks. Challenges can sometimes be fun.” She had been in his arms the other night. Doing it again wasn’t a bad idea.

“Got that right about challenges.” He unlocked the door and offered for her to go ahead of him.

They walked into a large kitchen with black granite countertops, light oak cupboards, and stainless steel appliances. The interior had an open floor plan. “This looks brand new. Have you lived here long?”

“Built it some years back but updated a couple years before.” He took a package of steaks from the fridge and a bunch of spices from the cupboard. “Go ahead and look while I get this started.”

Taking a quick glance around, she looked straight through to the dining room that had nothing more than a rectangular table with six chairs—another good sized room. Into the empty living room, she went to the windows that took up almost the whole wall across the back. “Your house is lovely.”

Looking outside, there it was again. Not everyone had a tourist attraction in their back yard. A cactus caught her attention in the yard that must have been twenty feet tall. “What’s with the huge cactus?” She turned and he stood right behind her, close enough to almost feel him.

“You have your pine trees, we have our saguaros. Nice view, huh?” He stood beside her. “Hey, want a beer while you finish the tour?”

“I’ll have one, thanks.” She turned to follow him, but he gripped her arm, gave a gentle squeeze and told her he’d get it, encouraging her to carry on.

Continuing down a long hallway, she peered into what had to be a boy’s room. A wallpaper boarder of horses ran across the top, and there was a built-in chest that might have been used as a toy box. It had what looked like a painting of a horse on the top. She strolled down the hallway a little more, and leaned against the door jamb to another empty bedroom. She crossed her arms, a sadness creeping over her. A family had once lived here. By the pink color of the room and the frilly white curtains, this had to belong to his little girl.

Jase stood beside her in the doorway and handed her a mug of beer. “What is your daughter’s name?” When he told her, she had to wait before words would come out. Jaelle was a pretty name. This man’s life had been torn apart. Being here to see this caused her heart to twist in her chest.

“And my boy’s name is Joseph, but I call him Joey. He’s a good boy, and smart for his age.” He took hold of her arm. “Come on, let’s go out the front door and around to the barn.”

“What’s down that way?” She pointed to the other end of the hallway.

“My bedroom. I’m sure you don’t want to see that one. And my office is on the right.” Jase did a half shrug. “Most of the time I don’t want to see it, but it’s either go in or sleep on the floor.”

“Why don’t you like going in your room? Too messy?” she asked with a wink.

He nudged her arm. “I choose not to sleep on the floor.” Jase tilted his head down the hall. “Come on if you must. You might as well see it. I guess you can almost call your tour complete.”

Brenna’s shoulders relaxed and her breathing evened out. Maybe a teeny bit of apprehension she refused to pay attention to, lingered. Was she crazy? She knew nothing about him. No one knew she was here. They passed a full bathroom and his office on the way.

At the doorway he stopped and diverted his eyes. “Forgot to make my bed.” He went over and pulled his covers up, leaving them in a big bunch. Brenna thought his action was cute. He pulled up a shade and light burst in to lighten a dark, huge room.

The room had a large window and through it was a desert landscape with more saguaros than she could count. She walked toward the bathroom, looking in instead of entering. The room was large with a whirlpool bathtub and a walk-in shower enclosed behind a wall of cut glass block. It must have been part of the redo as well. The walls were painted light green, enough to show color without being overpowering.

“The Superstition seems to glow at sunset. You’ll be able to see it tonight. Nothing like an Arizona sunset. Even I have to say it’s awe-inspiring.” Jase held his hand out. “Let’s go to the barn. Maybe I’ll hike ya up on a horse out there.”

Brenna held her hand up. “Oh, no, at least let me get used to being around one first.” Maybe that was the wrong thing to say to a horse rancher. Her experience was limited.

“Huh? You...haven’t been around horses?”

Brenna grinned and stuck her hand into her back pocket. “I’m embarrassed to say yes. Especially to you. I have friends who ride but that doesn’t help me any.”
Oh, boy here comes the razzing I bet.

“Ya know what? Before I came here I didn’t have much experience either. I had to learn this business, the horses. Now I can break one as good as the next cowboy. My brother has a ranch hand named Randy. He’s about the best at breaking around here though.”