Locating her had crossed his mind, but he’d figured she’d be caught up in the high-society life her father wanted for her. Dear Old Dad hadn’t approved of the kid with holes in his jeans whose mama scrubbed toilets for a living.
Cash’s belly rolled into a knot. Was taking her to the ranch without telling her a mistake? How would she react? And why was it so damned important she be pleased? Better to warn her. He pulled the truck onto the gravel shoulder and stopped.
“I need to tell you...” He paused when her blue eyes reflected concern.
She touched his arm, sending napalm-like streaks straight to his groin. “There’s nothing you can’t tell me.”
He stared, mesmerized for a second.
Oh, hell. Grow a pair and tell her.
“I bought your old home place.”
She sat silently for the longest time. Cash tried to keep up with the myriad of changes that passed behind her gaze. He waited patiently, letting her sort through her feelings. He needed the truth, not a lie to placate him.
Unless she’d changed, she’d never been a good liar. Her honesty about the two of them had resulted in a visit from her father and the sheriff. Looking back, Cash understood how he and his mother had allowed themselves to be bullied. He’d opted to join the Army to avoid a trumped up charge designed to send him to jail. Her dad had laid it out plain and simple. Cash wasn’t good enough for his baby.
“Are you happy living there?” The corners of her mouth lifted, but her expression shouted help me out here ’cause I’m at a loss for words.
“I guess that’s an honest first question.” If only he had a good answer. “The place feels more like home now that the renovation is complete.”
Now who was lying? He could’ve been honest and confessed he’d originally bought the ranch out of spite. A stupid effort to prove his worth. Thankfully, after the first horse was unloaded, he’d released those old resentments.
Or had he?
“Show me.” Her tone sounded sincere, and Cash’s bunched shoulders relaxed a little.
Back out on the highway, he hooked a right and drove under the archway where the McKinney Angus Cattle Ranch sign had hung. He’d had it replaced with one that read, Butler Quarter Horse Ranch. If she had pangs of resentment, her face didn’t show any signs.
“You graveled the road back to the house.” Stacey rolled down the window, allowing her long blonde hair to billow around her shoulders.
“Not me. The woman I bought the place from made some changes of her own. When the husband died, she wanted to move into the city. I was in the right place at the right time.”
He parked in front of the ranch house and hopped out to open Stacey’s door. Her gaze scanned the area and then came to rest on his face. Chills raced up his spine. What was going through her mind? He hoped bringing her out here didn’t dredge up sad memories.
“I’m glad you bought it. The place suits you.” She stepped down and wrapped a strand of hair around her finger, a habit he remembered her having when they were teenagers. The familiarity of her action sent surges of undefined emotions racing through him.
What thoughts were running through her mind? Did coming here reopen the pain of losing her mother? Did Stacey remember his declaration of undying love sitting right there on those steps? Or did she think of how her father made an impoverished, unworthy eighteen-year-old feel when he ran him out of town?
A lot of time had passed. Seeing her—being near her—sent ideas racing through his mind and made him wonder. Could a person ever really go home again? He’d walked away from her once, didn’t think he could do it again. Things were different now. The poor kid from the wrong side of town didn’t exist anymore. This grown man ran scared from no one.
“House or barns?” she asked.
“What?” He hated to ask her to repeat herself. Felt stupid for letting his thoughts wander.
“Where to first?”
“Barns. I want to introduce you to someone.”
Stacey accepted his extended hand and followed him to what once had been a cattle barn. Inside, his chest swelled with pride when her face lit up at the changes. Horse stalls lined the walls. A wash rack, tack room, and feed storage finished the transformation.
“I can see why we came here first,” she said, sounding pleased. “This is impressive.”
“I wanted you to see the changes, but there’s more.” He walked down the aisle, stopping outside a stall.
Stacey peeked over the gate. Her jaw dropped. She was staring at a magnificent sorrel foal, a colt. “He’s beautiful.” She glanced around. “Where’s his mother?”
“Died two days after giving birth.” He caught the shift in her eyes. Damn, he hadn’t brought here out her to make her sad. “Luckily, he got that first mother’s milk. Gave him a good beginning.” Cash’s throat tightened. A lot rode on this colt. The first offspring of his stallion, a good showing in the sale barn could establish the ranch’s name. “One of the boys located a nurse mare. She’ll be delivered today. If the foal won’t nurse, we’ll bottle-feed him every hour.”
Stacey held out her hand, and the young horse backed away. “It’s okay,” she spoke in soothing tones. “You don’t have to trust me.”
Fearlessly, she opened the stall door and stepped inside, moving slowly. She stopped a foot away and held out her hand again. Cash’s heart did a weird squeeze when the young stallion moved closer, allowing her to stroke his neck.
“He likes you.”
So do I. And that could be a mistake
. The fact she hadn’t answered his phone calls all those years ago still stung. That she’d bowed to her father’s belief that Cash wasn’t good enough for her shouldn’t still nag at him, but it did. He shook off those thoughts. She was here and that’s all that mattered.
Stacey stepped out of the stall into the aisle. She turned when the colt nickered, and she stumbled over a water hose. Cash reached to steady her, but she tumbled to the hard floor. Sweeping her into in his arms, he carried her to a bale of hay.
“I’m fine. Put me down.”
“You sure you’re not hurt?” He sat her down and knelt in front of her. He brushed her cheek to inspect for bruises. Her eyes flashed wide, and her lips parted. Lush, pink, and moist, her mouth begged to be kissed. So he took off his hat, leaned in, and did exactly that.
****
Lightning bolts shot in every direction, mostly in the area of Stacey’s lower belly. Cash’s earlier kiss had been a beginning, an exploration. This was a full out assault. Tossing resolve aside, she put both hands on the back of his head and pulled him to her. Her lips reacquainted themselves with his. The effect swept away all reason. His tongue painted exotic pictures of future delights. He wanted her. The evidence pressed hard against her leg.
Holy crap. She’d jumped on a runaway train. Her brain warned they were screaming downhill out of control, but her body begged for more. She shifted her position, allowing him to slide between her thighs, moaning when he rubbed against her.
A cease and desist signal kept circling, refusing to be ignored. Finally, with great effort she pushed him away. She straightened her blouse and smoothed her hair. He tilted his head to one side, ran his thumb down her jaw and then gently kissed her forehead.
“Look.” Her ragged breathing made speaking difficult. “I can’t explain what’s happening. Maybe it’s old memories. Maybe there’s something real happening. I don’t know if I can handle it right now.”
There. She’d been honest. Could she trust that he wanted to recapture what they’d lost? His expression softened, and he looked her straight in the eyes.
“Then we take baby steps, because what’s happening is ‘real.’ But there’s more going on here. What’s got you so skittish? I can’t lend a hand if you won’t tell me.”
“I don’t need help.”
“My gut tells me you’re wrong.” He sighed when she didn’t speak. “Come on, I’ll show you the stallion barn and the house.”
The exterior grounds, with the new horse corral and hot-walker, bore little resemblance to when she’d called this place home. When they started toward the house, her heart stumbled. She half expected to see her mother step out and wave. Losing her to cancer had left twelve-year-old Stacey heartbroken.
Cash’s arm rested on her shoulder. The smile he’d worn earlier had vanished. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I should’ve realized. Let’s get out of here.”
She leaned against his muscular frame. With him supporting her, she could do this. “No. I want to go inside.”
The walk up the path and through the gate was eerie and threw her a little off balance. Memories of how hard she’d fought against the move to Houston flooded her. In the dreams of her eighteen-year-old brain, she’d expected Cash to ride in on a white horse and save her. He hadn’t.
“You sure?” Cash stood so close his warm breath caressed her skin.
“Yes.” She straightened her shoulders and stepped through the door, hoping to embrace the place as his home.
The interior had taken on a distinct masculine feel. Gone were the bright colors her mother had loved. Dark paneling covered the living room walls and hardwood floors displayed a collection of original Indian handmade throw rugs. The coffee table was one of those constructed out of a tree stump variety and had been varnished many times to produce a dazzling sheen. A mahogany leather couch and two overstuffed chairs flanked by small tables reflected Cash’s taste.
A painting hung over the fireplace, an old cowboy sitting in front of a roaring fireplace, worn out boots by his chair and sleeping dog at his feet. The man appeared to be dozing with a dream overhead of a young man on a wilding bucking horse.
The house was all Cash. The tension between her shoulders eased. Her mother would’ve approved.
“How long have you been back?” Stacey moved around the room, marveling at the changes.
“A little over a year.”
“How’s your mother?”
“She passed away.” He shook his head as if waving off sympathy. “Drunk driver ran a red light and T-boned her car. She suffered for a few months. Went to sleep one night and didn’t wake up.”
“I’m sorry. You were with her when she passed?”
“Yeah. Barely made it home in time.”
The sadness in his eyes sent Stacey searching for a new subject. She said the first thing she could think of. “You never married?”
“No. The woman I wanted...how about you?”
“Me either.” Why hadn’t he finished his sentence? Who was the woman? Stacey wanted to ask, but she wouldn’t. “Never even close.”
In ground-covering strides, Cash crossed the room and wrapped his fingers around her arms. His gaze locked on her, thunderclouds clashed behind his eyes.
“Why did you come home?”
“Maybe I came to see if you were here.” She hadn’t intended to say that, but he kept pushing her for a reason. Why was it so important to him? Even if she confided in him, he couldn’t help.
“I think you’re lying.”
Anger suddenly swamped her. Anger she didn’t understand. “You’re right. Why would I expect you to be in Oak Hill when you couldn’t wait to leave?”
“What? I...” Judging by how fast he clamped his teeth closed, he wasn’t sure what to say. She opened the front door and started out to the wraparound porch.
“I’d like to go back to my car.”
The ride back to the Cactus Club was awkward and silent. Her emotions were all over the place. One minute, she wanted to pull him close. To cling to him. To trust they could recapture the past. The next she wanted to lash out at him like a scorned teenager.
He parked, and they sat staring straight ahead for a minute.
She turned to face him. “Meeting you today was a mistake.”
“I’m glad you did.” His always unreadable eyes never flinched. Leaning toward her, he tucked a card in her purse. “My cell number.”
Fighting the urge to tell him everything, she drove from the parking lot without glancing back.
A stop at the local big-box store netted her food for the week and a disposable phone. She loaded her groceries into her car. The hair on the back of her neck rose. A shiver rushed up her spine. She whirled expecting to find someone directly behind and found no one. She couldn’t shake the feeling of eyes on her.
Somebody was watching.
Chapter Three
Stacey looked forward to Friday night. The fast pace, loud music and happy people helped her forget the constant feeling of being watched. The steady flow of customers helped block out thoughts of Cash. Most of the time. He didn’t have her phone number or know where she lived, but the question nagged at her. Was he following her?
A cold hand wrapped around her arm and Stacey whirled. Wide-eyed, Jonathan jerked back.
“Sorry.” They both laughed off their overreaction. “You surprised me.”
“You couldn’t have forgotten I was back here.” He stacked the cold cases of beer on the counter and then began separating them into singles. “You’ve been looking over your shoulder all night.”
“Really? I hadn’t noticed,” she lied.
“Can I get a beer over here?” Cash’s whiskey-toned voice washed across her.
God help her, she’d missed him. Missed his touch. Missed his kiss. Missed being near him. Plus, she had to ask if he’d been watching her. No doubt, he’d tell her the truth.
“Sorry, I don’t recall your brand.”
One corner of his sexy mouth lifted. “That would be Coors.”