Heartbreak's Reward (Double Dutch Ranch Series: Love at First Sight Book 2) (26 page)

She couldn’t ignore the way his body moved the same as hers and she closed her eyes, absorbing the moment of having him pressed against her. She pictured being in his arms earlier, and how he pulled her shirt apart then. Her heart raced thinking about the act, and how she trembled. Brenna wanted him. Thinking of lying naked with him, limbs entwined, his breath against her cheek was more than she was able to comprehend. “Can we stop a moment?”

He took the reins. “Warrior,
hoo
, boy.” They cantered to a stop. “Are you okay? Turn around and face me, if you are.”

Jase helped keep her balance when she situated herself on the horse’s back, and faced him. “That wasn’t easy!” She ringed her arms around his neck when Warrior went into a circle. “I’m absolutely wonderful, though.” She pulled his face close to hers, giving a kiss, savoring the touch of his lips, their warmth, gentleness. But she wanted more than gentle right now. Increasing the intensity of the kiss, she lowered her hands to his back and ran them up and down, stopping at his waist. She tucked her fingers inside his waistband, holding tight as Warrior shifted his position and moved around.

“What are you doing, Brenna?” Jase held the reins while his arms encircled her, and he turned the horse around. “Look, honey.”

The sun lowered and the sky turned to gold, deepening to a coppery caramel color, changing right before them. She buttoned her shirt. “It’s astonishing.”

Jase lifted one of her legs at a time over his thighs and held her.

Brenna sighed, glad she was so flexible and the horse was well trained. “Thank you for bringing me here. It’s so delightful riding with you.” Her heart raced and she could barely breathe. Since meeting him, she learned what it was like to need someone.

“My pleasure.” He eased her up against him. “Enjoy a few more minutes before we head back. You’re so tempting. How the hell did you remain a virgin so long?”

“Easy. I’ve never come across you before.”

She closed her eyes for a moment, taking in his heat, comfort, and his breath against her neck. Knowing damn well if she had met him before, it probably wouldn’t have been any different. Chemistry is chemistry if a person is sixteen or thirty-one. Which reminded her that her sister was alone with a teenage cowboy.

Jase nuzzled his face against her cheek and lowered his voice. “I’m glad you came back, Brenna.” He held her tighter when Warrior took a step sideways, but he pulled the reins. “Like I said, I don’t want to play games. You saved us when you returned.”

“I’m glad I came back, too.” She observed each line to his face. “I’ve fallen so hard for you. If I didn’t know better, I’d swear this bordered on…on, well, I like you a helleva lot, dude.”

“Mmm…I get what you’re saying.” He placed one hand at the center of her back.

They stayed that way a few more minutes until the sun set nearly all the way and his horse got antsy. “We have to go before it gets too dark. Are you ready? Otherwise your first time might be bareback on a horse. And, I don’t only mean the horse being bareback… I mean the rider. Turn around now.”

“Yes, I’m ready…and no. I…love being in your arms.” Brenna peered into his eyes in the twilight. “Jase, I…love…being with you. I got scared back there earlier. Please forgive me for being childish.”

“It’s all forgotten, darlin’. Nothing but you and me and this scenery. Oh, and of course Warrior.” He laughed. “We can’t forget the horse. On our ranch, a horse is a man’s best friend.” He took her hands and held them between them. “Let’s go. The stars will be twinkling before we get back.”

Brenna inhaled the smell of him, mingled with a little horse, some desert sand, and maybe a touch of her own cologne. The combination excited her, and she hated to see the evening end. Now if she could only turn around without falling off.

At Brenna’s townhouse, Jase removed her carry-on and laptop from her car. Davy eased the door open and nodded toward the living room. She glimpsed Chloe curled up on her side, sleeping on the sofa, and her heart softened.
So innocent.
Davy settled back into the recliner.
Hmm.

Speaking low, Brenna pointed at all the luggage stacked near the door where Chloe and Davy dropped it, and said to Jase, “These two pieces will go into my bedroom.” She pointed down the hall. “It’s been a long day. Thanks for coming back with me.” She sat the bags of food on the counter.

“Let me carry these into your bedroom for you,” he said, a slight tilt to his lips, “and I’ll have Davy take me home afterward. Early in the morning, the traveling equine dentist will be over to give the horses a checkup…preventative care.”

Brenna stopped. “A dentist comes to your ranch?”

“Yep. In a specially outfitted horse trailer. It’s easier on my horses. He only does a couple at a time.”

She took hold of the handle on her carry-on and followed him down the hall. Wow, she was impressed he took care of his horses that way. “Two more days until my furniture gets here. I can’t wait to have my own stuff again, including a real bed.

“I have a real bed.” Jase took her into his arms when he put the luggage down. “Will I see you tomorrow?”

“Maybe dinner? We don’t have food here, but I could shop, of course. Next weekend you come here for dinner. A real home-cooked meal.”

“Sounds like a plan. I’ll call you and we’ll set up a time for tomorrow. Did you mean the three of us for dinner?”

“Well, unless the kid wants to bring company.” She nodded toward the living room. Brenna still wasn’t sure how she thought about it. Her concentration was cut off when his lips pressed against hers.

She enjoyed his sensual kiss and wanted more, letting it go on until she heard the kids talking in the front room. Brenna lowered her arms from around his shoulders. They sauntered into the living room. It’d take a while to get used to seeing cowboys in her home.

Jase said hi to Chloe. “Hey, Davy, I’m ready. Come on.” He tilted his head toward the door.

Davy took his time about it but stood. “All right.” He picked up his hat and touched the tip, saying to Chloe, “Catch ya next time.”

Jase opened the door and gave Brenna a hug before stepping out. Davy followed.

“Good night, Davy. Thanks for keeping my sister company.”

“My pleasure, ma’am.” He trailed behind Jase on the way out to the parking lot.

Brenna turned to her sister. “We’re having dinner with Jase tomorrow night. Did you want to bring anyone along?”

Chloe came toward her, called after Davy, and went out.

Brenna went into the living room and dropped into the chair, lifted the footrest and lay back, exhausted. This day was nothing at all like she had thought it would be.
Bareback on a horse?
Me?
Five minutes later, Chloe came back in.

“I guess Davy might go with us.” She sat on the sofa and pulled her legs up to her chest. “Will you let me date?”

“Date? I’m so tired. Can we talk about this tomorrow? I still feel the effects of my hangover.” She’d forgotten all about it with Jase earlier.

Chloe lifted her hair off her back and let it fall through her fingers. “We will talk dating.”

“Of course.” She took the blanket off the arm of the chair and brought it over her. With a sigh, she mumbled, “We’re home.”

***

In the morning, Brenna stood under the hot water and closed her eyes, letting it flow over her achy body. Despite being in the chair, she did sleep. Her last thoughts were of riding through the desert at sunset like in a fairy tale.

When finished, she put on a short robe and went for coffee. Chloe was awake and had the TV turned on to cartoons. “Want some juice, Chloe?”

“I’ll take a cup of coffee.”

Since when had her sister started drinking coffee? “What do you take in it?” There were so many surprises, or maybe she hadn’t noticed these things. Her sister had plenty of reason to grow up fast. “No sugar, but we do have milk.”

“I have some packets in my backpack from the restaurant.” She got up to get it. “I love the big closet in my bedroom.”

Brenna held both cups when she sat in the recliner. “The lady here before me didn’t use the upstairs bedroom, only the loft.” She turned around to face Chloe in the dining room. “Did you see the rooftop patio?”

Chloe straightened and held a handful of sugar packets in her hand. “What are you talking about?”

“When I get dressed I’ll show it to you. It’s great.” She laughed. “What’s with the sugar?”

“For my coffee. Creamer, too, but we don’t have any, so milk works.”

“I didn’t even know you drank coffee, let alone steal sugar packets.”

“Well, I recently began drinking it.” Chloe came in and took her coffee. “So, Davy wants to show me where the school is, and maybe drive around town some. What do you say about that?”

The topic would have to be approached. She took another drink of coffee and then another, hoping the caffeine would kick in soon. “Don’t think I’m an old prude, but you do realize his age?”

“Yeah, of course, but it isn’t that much difference.” Chloe held out two sugar packs and Brenna ripped the tops off. She dumped sugar into her coffee and swished the cup around, crossed her legs, and held the cup with both hands.

“Chloe, it might not be that many if you were nineteen and he was twenty-one, but you’re sixteen—”

“Next week I’ll be seventeen. I’m seventeen.”

“Still too young for someone his age.” Was she making too much out of this? Maybe Jase was right and they’d be friends, or never see each other after…okay, after dinner today. Now she contributed.

“What do you think we’re going to do?”

“Oh, that’s not it.” Brenna paused. Yes, that was it. “Please, Chloe, don’t get on me—this is only a scenario. If something did, he’s old enough to go to jail for it. No matter what, if something happened while you were both out together, he could go to jail for contributing to a minor.”

Chloe frowned at her and drank down her coffee. “So, you’re worried about Davy?”

Brenna took a deep breath but tried to be nonchalant about it. “In a way, but more for you.” This was all Jase’s fault for bringing him to the airport.

“You don’t know me.” She got up and walked to the kitchen and poured more coffee. “Obviously you still don’t trust me either.”

Brenna didn’t want to have this conversation right now, but, they had to. “I trust you with him, but
what
is it about him?” She got up and went to the kitchen and stood in front of Chloe. “I mean, do you think you like him? Last night you mentioned dating. Do you want to?”

“I don’t know!” Chloe sat her cup down and leaned against the sink, shrugging. “It could happen, I suppose. He’s really nice, Brenna. What am I supposed to do if I don’t know anyone? Mope around and become a recluse…like you before we moved here?”

“No, I don’t want that for you. Davy was dating a girl not long ago, but she went off to college.
He
didn’t go to college.”

“He’s going to a community college, and he told me about the girl,” Chloe rebutted. “What does that have to do with anything?”

Brenna glanced at the ceiling. Chloe was getting defensive and she didn’t want this to turn into an argument. “I don’t know. Back to the question…can you date him? I don’t see why…well, it depends on some things.”

Chloe lifted her hand. “Don’t try to act like my mother. You’re my sister.”

“And your guardian.” She didn’t want this to turn into a power struggle.

“Just don’t be a warden.”

Brenna set her cup on the sink. “I promise not to be. Please, take it slow.”

“Like you did? With, you know…the cowboy.” Chloe smirked. “He’s a cute guy. Now if I went for him, you could really say he was too old.”

“That isn’t even funny, you know.”

“Well, how can you tell me to take it slow when
you
didn’t?”

“Because I’m an adult, and it’s not what you think.” Brenna had to break eye contact with her sister. Forgetting for a moment, Chloe was close to being an adult. She had an adult body but a teenage mind, though, for the most part.

“Don’t pull that on me. I’ve been through more than a lot of adults have.”

Brenna had to agree. “I’m sorry.” She hated to bring up things she’d rather forget, but it had to be said. Now was as good a time as any. “You still have to earn some of that trust back. The trouble you’ve been in speaks for itself.”

“You didn’t try to understand most of it.” Chloe paced to the dining room but whirled around and came back.

“Yes, I did, Chloe. That’s why we’re here.” She spread out her hands. “The reason I’m giving us a new life, a chance to start over with everything.”

“What’s the worst that can happen to me, Bren?” Chloe cast her gaze aside. “I’m sorry, that was the wrong thing to say.” She touched Brenna’s shoulder. “Are you afraid I’ll get pregnant? Run away into the sunset with a cowboy?”

Brenna literally choked on that one and laughed. “You know that’s not so bad, riding off into the sunset with a cowboy. I did yesterday, on a horse, no doubt!”

Chloe laughed too and patted Brenna on the back as she walked by.

“Can’t we just chill and find a way to move on with our lives?” She took a seat on the sofa and turned off the TV, shrugging. “Why am I watching cartoons?”

Brenna said from the kitchen, “Lots of adults watch cartoons, honey.” She turned and went to her bedroom. While in her room she took the clothes out of her suitcases and hung them up in her large walk-in closet.

She’d have to wash clothes and have some dry-cleaned if the wrinkles didn’t come out. “Hmm, we’ll need a washer and dryer.” She slipped on a pair of denim shorts, a white tank top, gold thongs on her feet, and went back into the living room. “Are you ready to see that rooftop patio?” Brenna teased, “Get your sunglasses.”

“Before that, what is your answer about going with Davy today? We’ll still do dinner with you and Jase…I suppose.” Chloe cocked her head. “Is his name Jason?”

“No, and he seems to be adamant about not being called that.”

“Whatever. Davy just texted.”