Right Here Waiting (9 page)

“Wait a minute!” Jules gasped, sounding as if she just
struck gold. “Don’t tell me. This is the man you developed a crush on all those
years ago. He’s the reason you left Hidden Oaks and didn’t want to return.” 
Leave it to Jules to figure everything out.

This was the last conversation she wanted to have with
anyone. Jules wasn’t making this any easier on her. She was trying to forget
about Blade Thorne. If it wasn’t her mind betraying her, with images of Blade
shirtless, his taught muscles glistening with sweat, the hot sun beating down
on him as he worked, it was someone wanting to talk about him. She was beginning
to feel exasperated.” She tightened the cord around her finger.

“Can we change the subject?" she asked, hoping her
friend would move their conversation in another direction. "I don’t want
to talk about Blade.”

“Something happened, didn't it? You and Blade have hooked
up and have done the horizontal mambo together, haven’t you?”

Jules knew her better than she knew herself. She just
wished she never stumbled upon this piece of information. If she lied, Jules
would know. “Yes, as a matter of fact, we did.”  Tears stung at her eyes.

“Good grief! Spill it, girl! And don’t be skimpy on the
details, either. Was he any good?”

“Last night he spent the night in my bed. And Jules, oh
my gosh, it was incredible.” There, it was out in the open. It felt good being
able to express that to someone she could trust not to tell anyone else.

“Ooh. And this morning?” Images of their fight filled
Megan's mind.

“He left. That’s all there is to it.” She kept her answer
simple, not wanting to get into too many details.

“What about next time?”  Megan stilled, the question
catching her off guard.

“There isn’t going to be a next time. Last night was it.”
Saying the words out loud slashed through her heart like the sharp blade of a
knife.

“You mean a one night stand? This is so unlike you.
You’ve never seduced a man without the promise of a commitment.” Megan could
hear the shock in her best friend's voice.

There were times when she wished her best friend didn’t
know her so well. Right now was one of those times. She started twisting the
phone cord around her finger again. It was a bad nervous habit.

“Yes it was a one night stand, but I never meant for it
to happen to start with. You know the old cliché, it just happened. One minute
we were dancing the night away, which is as far as I meant for it to go and the
next minute we were in bed having the most fabulous sex of my life. Can we
please change the subject? I really don’t want to talk about Blade.” Right now,
just the thought of him made her want to cry. What she wouldn't give to be back
in New York. She knew if she did return now, she would miss Blade.
I must
really be messed up,
she thought, releasing the phone cord.

“I understand, but I have one more question about Blade,
and I swear I’ll drop the subject after this.”  Megan rolled her eyes. Now
what?

“What?” she asked, knowing full well she would soon
regret to agreeing to let this conversation continue on.

“Why can’t you just let Blade have the ranch? Pack up and
come back home. You were planning to sell the ranch anyway, and besides, ranch
life isn’t for you. Your life is here in the city now.” Another question she
hated answering. She couldn't believe Jules could even ask her to turn
everything over to Blade.

She knew Jules was right about her life being in New York
now. She no longer felt cut out for simple country life, but she wasn’t ready
to leave yet. She was determined to stick it out for the year. She couldn't
turn her family's ranch over to such an arrogant man. “I can’t just let Blade
have my family’s ranch. You know me, Jules, I can’t resist a challenge.” She
lived for it seemed more accurate. Being in New York and the work she did there
was challenging. She thrived on it.

“Are you sure you want to stay in Idaho when you could be
home resuming the life you have created for yourself here?” She longed to be
there, but there was a job she needed to do here. It was the least she could do
for her parents.

“It’s not a matter of me wanting to stay in Idaho. It’s a
matter of me not wanting to back out of a challenge. Besides, my mom and dad
made this request and it is the last thing I can do for them before I put
everything here behind me.”

“If you’re sure this what you want – “ Megan cut her off
before she could finish getting the words out.

“I’m really sure.” The last thing she wanted was to fight
with Jules right now.

After promising Jules she’d call her more often and
hanging up, she knew she needed to call the advertising agency. She put it off
long enough and she wanted set everything for her plan in motion today. She
just hoped Mr. Harper would agree to it. She was nervous.

His assistant, Vanessa Carlisle, answered the phone after
several rings, but when Mr. Harper learned it was her, his voice came over the
line in a matter of seconds. “Please tell me you’ve come to your senses and
you’re coming back home today. We need you here.  You wouldn't believe the work
load we have on us right now.”

“I’m not coming home yet.” She sighed as soon as the
words were out and waited for her boss to explode.

“And tell me why the bloody hell not?” There it was, as
expected.

“I told you before when we spoke the other night. I have
to stay here for a year.” She hoped he didn't fire her.

“Yes, I know you told me.” He let out a long sigh,
sounding exasperated. “I just thought by now you would have come to your senses
and figured out a way so you could come home. We need you here. One client is
personally asking for you to work on his latest campaign. He loved the work you
did on the last one.”

“No I haven’t, but I do have a plan.”  Would he accept
the proposition she was about to make to him?

“What is it? If it involves you coming back now, I’m all
ears.”  She sighed again. He wouldn't make this easy on her. Mr. Harper could
be a very complicated man at times.

“No, sir, it doesn’t, but I need you to hear me out just
the same.” Would he go for her idea?

“Oh alright, what is this plan you have come up with?” 
The man seemed disinterested, but he would hear her out just the same. She
would see to it he did.

“I was hoping you could set me up with a computer and
teleconference equipment so I can do a lot of work here at the ranch.” She
stopped, waiting for his response.

“Are you serious?” He didn't seem very eager about the
idea.

“Of course I’m serious. I can’t come home yet, so what
choice do we have?” She held her breath for a few seconds, giving him a chance
to absorb everything.

He was silent on the other end of the phone line. She
knew he was thinking about it. She crossed her fingers. “Fine, but on one
condition,” he said at last. “I’m not just sending the equipment you requested,
I’m also sending Josh Burton there to work with you as your partner for the
year.”

Her mouth went dry. She and Josh dated a few times in the
past. They were really good friends now, but did she want him here on the ranch
with her? “Mr. Harper, it won’t be necessary. I just need the equipment shipped
– “ he cut her off.

“My final offer, Ms. Nelson; take it or leave it.” She
knew he was serious. She let out a loud sigh.

He was leaving her no other choice. Josh came here or she
would be out of a job she couldn't afford to lose. “Fine, you’ve got yourself a
deal.”

* * *

O
n the day Josh arrived and began
unloading the equipment, she watched as Blade approached him. She hadn't spoken
with Blade since the morning he stormed out of her cabin, so he didn't know
what was going on. She could only imagine his reaction when he learned Josh was
staying.

She told no one about her plan, or the fact Josh was
coming to spend the year with her on the ranch so they could work together as a
team. She figured if there wasn’t an empty cabin to be found anywhere on the
ranch; Josh could stay in her cabin with her and sleep on the sofa.

She watched as Blade and Josh exchanged a few words
before they shook hands. They exchanged some more words and suddenly Blade’s
head jerked up and his gaze traveled in her direction. He turned his attention
back to Josh, said something to him, and then began walking in her direction.
She braced herself for the confrontation she knew would be coming soon.

She was standing in the doorway of her cabin wearing a
pair of cutoff jeans showcasing her long, lean, tan legs, and a halter top. She
felt vulnerable as she watched him approach. What did he want? Would he be rude
to her guest?

She wanted to run, but there was no place to go. She was
trapped. She felt like a deer in the headlights of an approaching vehicle. Even
if she went inside and closed the door, locking it behind her, she knew it
wouldn’t stop him from getting inside. She found it ironic Blade always got
what he wanted, including in her bed with her. She cringed at the thought.

“We need to talk,” he said when he was within a few feet
from where she stood.

“Is there a problem?” she asked innocently. She could
tell he was upset about something by the spark in his eyes.

“I know you noticed your friend arrived. Why didn’t you
tell anyone he was coming?” He looked put off and for a moment she felt guilty,
but she decided not to let him get to her.

“I didn’t know I needed your permission.” She looked at
her fingernails, giving him and anyone passing by the impression she was bored.

“That isn't what I meant,” he said, sounding frustrated.
She could tell he was having a hard time keeping his temper under control.

“What did you mean?” she asked, smiling up at him.

“Where do you plan for him to sleep? All the cabins are
booked solid for months. There are no motels for miles around. I think it’s too
much to ask any of our neighbors to take him in for a year.” Had she pushed
things too far? No. This was her ranch. She just needed to take care of some
technicalities to make it official.

“I thought he could stay in my cabin. After all, Josh and
I will be working together.” She couldn't deny the look of jealousy that
crossed his face.

“And where in your cabin is he going to sleep?” She could
see a flicker of anger in his steel gray eyes. She thought about yanking his
chain and playing around with him a bit, but she thought better of it. She
could tell he wasn't in the mood for it.

"It’s not any of your business, but I’m planning to
let him sleep on the sofa. Do you have a problem with that?” she challenged
him.

“As a matter of fact, I do.” Before she could respond, he
swept past her and entered the cabin, leaving her standing there in shock.

* * *

H
e didn’t fully understand why, but he
always felt possessiveness when it came to Megan. Ever since the night he made
love to her and slept in her bed, his feelings for her grew. He wasn’t sure of
the type of relationship Megan and Josh shared, but he’d be damned if he’d let
this Josh fellow sweep in here and take her from him now. He waited too many
years for her return to lose her to another man.

Of course they fought that morning after making love the
night before, but he'd been so sure she would come around. It pained him when
he realized she started avoiding him like the plague. There were times since
that night when he wanted nothing more than to be close to her, but he knew she
wouldn’t welcome it. It seemed as though she were going out of her way to avoid
any contact with him.

When he saw her standing in the doorway of the cabin only
minutes before, dressed in those damn cut off shorts displaying her legs so
well, it drove him crazy with want. He wanted to run his hands up and down
those legs, and over the halter top showing off her midriff and outlining the
soft mounds of her breasts. He fought the strongest desire to lift her into his
arms, carry her inside the cabin, and make love to her forever.

There was that word again. The word forever seemed to
creep into his mind whenever he thought about her. When he thought about being
with her forever, it didn’t seem long enough. Hell, an eternity wouldn’t be long
enough. He knew she didn’t realize it now, but she belonged here with him. If
it took the rest of his life, he’d spend it convincing her of this. There was
no way he was going to allow her to return to New York at the end of the year.
This was her home. It always would be. He couldn't stand by and watch her throw
it all away as she seemed bound and determined to do.

He walked into her bedroom and she was right behind him
on his heels. He got her suitcase out of her closet where she stored it. He
began packing her clothes for her. “Damn it, Blade Thorne, look at me,” she
demanded. He was trying to avoid looking at her so he wouldn't give into the
desire and make love to her right now, right here, regardless of who saw them.
When he turned to look at her, her eyes were blazing with anger. Damn, she was
even sexier when she got angry. How would he ever be able to keep fighting his
desire for her with her looking at him this way? “What the hell do you think
you’re doing?” she demanded.