Authors: Cerian Hebert
“Say yes,” Marisol urged.
“It’s not that easy. There’s an enormous
amount of work to be done on the place,” Craig wanted Marisol to understand,
and at the same time give Quinn a reason to say no if she wasn’t interested. He
didn’t want her to jump into anything without knowing what she’d be jumping
into.
“It could work. I could help out and
maybe dad could help too, since it’s his.”
“Your dad is kind of busy with the Shady
H.” Quinn glanced at Craig, a small smile sliding onto her lips. He liked the
glitter in her eyes. She looked back to Marisol. “But I promise, if your dad is
serious I’d definitely consider it.”
If Quinn had anything else to say, she
didn’t get a chance. Her cell phone interrupted them. When she glanced at it
her lip curled and her brows furrowed. She put it to her ear anyway. “Hi
Robby.”
Craig frowned. He’d managed to forget
about his brother’s history with Quinn and the plans to win her back.
He held onto the knowledge that Robby
hadn’t exactly been behaving like a man in love. No doubt, Quinn would see
right through his behavior.
“No, I’m busy Robby. A picnic sounds
wonderful, but—I’m right in the middle of things and I won’t be back for a
while. Robby, can we discuss this later.” There was a long pause, Quinn turned
away from Craig. “We’ve had this conversation for the last time.”
Without saying goodbye, she closed her
cell and turned her attention back to Craig and Marisol. “Sorry. Your brother
is very persistent.”
“What did he want?” Marisol asked.
Craig’s curiosity grew too, but he
refused to ask. He was foolishly glad Marisol had.
“Um, just a picnic on the prairie. He
has a few hours off. I don’t though.”
“Of course,” Craig murmured.
“Well, I’ve got to get moving. I’ll see
you tomorrow afternoon, Marisol. Have Sunny all tacked up. I think you’re ready
to go solo. I’ve got some fun stuff planned for you both.”
“Barrel racing?”
Quinn laughed. “No, not barrel racing.
Not yet.”
“I’ll come up with some sort of plan for
Emerald,” Craig told her, bringing her attention back to him. “Those horses
over there need someone who really knows what they’re doing. Someone who cares.
If you’re really interested.”
“I’m very interested. I don’t know if
it’s a possibility, but I’m interested.”
***
Quinn’s words held a double meaning and
she wondered if Craig had picked up on it. She’d been referring to Emerald
Ranch, but she also meant she wanted him. She didn’t think that would be
possible, though.
The past week and a half had been
torture, seeing him as often as she had to. Generally, he kept his distance,
except for a few occasions they talked about Marisol’s progress. She’d made
sure she put plenty of space between them and kept the conversation well away
from anything personal.
Space didn’t stop her from obsessing
about his kiss or thinking what if they hadn’t been surrounded by so many
people. Would she have continued the kiss? Would he? Would she have run?
It didn’t help that he looked so damned
good in his faded Wranglers and the navy blue tee shirt that fit snug against
his broad chest. He was hatless and his black hair curled around his ears. One
lock fell against his forehead. Being so close to him made her ache.
Man, she had to get away from him. Now,
before he noticed how just thinking of him made her face burn.
“I’ll see you later.” She threw a grin
at them both and turned away, clutching the leather lead rope she’d picked up
in a death grip.
Damned fool
. She couldn’t
even carry on a normal conversation with a man without these thoughts popping
into her brain.
Not just any man. No, she could hold her
end of any conversation with almost any man. Just not Craig.
His offer to hire her to manage Emerald
Ranch intrigued her. Yes, she was interested. Very interested. Breeding Quarter
Horses had been a dream ever since she was a kid. That and riding in rodeos,
which she’d already accomplished. Of course, she always imagined she’d run her
own spread. She had the homestead property waiting for her, and now the offer
of Emerald. Both properties offered a challenge. She didn’t know the complete
history of the horses Ted owned, but they were hard luck cases. They might need
special care. But maybe if she proved to be successful with Emerald, she could
earn enough to set the homestead back to life.
She thought of the original Long Knife
Creek homestead, the old house and sad, old barn on the corner of Long Knife
Creek bordering the Shady H, the spot with the little grove of cottonwoods and
good grazing. That was one of those “one day” dreams. A “one day after I win
the lottery” dream.
Did she want to wait so long? Or listen
to what Craig had to say. Put the old homestead on the backburner for someday,
and push up her sleeves to get Emerald back into working order?
Back at Long Knife Creek, the farrier
was about to arrive to shoe five horses. To add to the scramble, Quinn expected
Doc Tolson to be over at some point. Her mare, Dee-Light was due to foal any day
and he wanted to check on her while he looked at one of the stock horses who’d
been kicked by another and received a nasty gash.
Never a dull moment.
She carried two
salt blocks toward the paddocks. Rarely a chance to slow down. Just the way she
liked it.
As she put the second salt lick in
place, a pair of arms grabbed her from behind and pulled off her feet.
“Damn it.” Her hat fell off and into the
dirt. When she was back on the ground, she pushed away from the tight grip.
Robby. Before she could get away
completely, he leaned in and kissed her hard on the mouth.
Once Robby’s kiss would’ve curled her
toes and sent steam rising right out her ears. Not today. Not for a very long
time. Now his boldness irritated her. She shoved angrily against his chest.
He gave up easily, but smiled, his
hooded eyes regarding her with lazy contentment.
“I wouldn’t recommend doing that again,”
she warned icily, and turned away from him. The last thing she needed was the
unwanted amorous attention from her ex.
Robby caught up and walked next to her.
“Can’t help it. You’re so damned sexy when you’re working.”
“No one else here to turn your charm on
for?”
“Wow, am I detecting a little jealousy?”
“Not one ounce.”
“Not that I was trying to make you
jealous, but if I thought it would help…”
Robby let the rest of the sentence go
unsaid but he gave her a cocky grin, which made her want to clobber him. She stalked
to the barn.
“So, how ‘bout our picnic? Tomorrow
maybe?” Robby inquired, his voice casual, though Quinn could hear the more
desperate undertones he fought hard to cover.
“No.”
“Why not?”
Inside the barn she headed to Dee’s
stall. “Not interested. And I have a million things to do, Robby.”
“Q, throw me a bone, babe. You have to
take a break sometime.”
Before she reached her mare’s stall, she
turned and dropped her voice. She didn’t want to upset the pregnant mare.
“I already told you, several times, no.
I don’t want to revisit us. Not today, not tomorrow.”
“Then how ‘bout Friday?” He said it with
a laugh, as if he were the most charming, clever man in the world. “I’m going
to get you to have some fun, Q-pie. Whether you like it or not. You can’t be
all about work. No beautiful woman can be all about work.”
He tugged the end of her ponytail,
winked, then turned on his heels and strode down the aisle, singing a country
song as he went.
“Ugh,” she muttered. He didn’t get her.
She pushed away from the wall. He’d never get her.
***
At seven p.m., Quinn left Dee’s stall in
search of fresh air and a stretch of the legs. She’d been at the mare’s side
for hours. Soon, Doc told her. The baby should be put in an appearance within
the hour.
At the main house, the lights were on, the
sound of music and laughter wafting into the air. Still, she would rather be here,
under the stars, inhaling the smell of horses and cattle that mingled with the
cool, fresh breeze off the prairie. Exhaustion seeped into every bone in her
body, but she never felt so alive, doing something she lived for.
She needed to share it with someone. Doc
Tolson was there, but she needed more, someone who would truly appreciate the
miracle happening right behind her. She reached for her cell and dialed Craig’s
number.
“Hey, it’s Quinn,” she said after Craig
picked up.
There was a slight pause before he
replied “Hi.”
“I know it’s late but I was wondering if
you and Marisol would like to come over. I have a mare about to foal and maybe
Marisol would like to see it.”
“Wow, yes, I bet she would. Hold on and
I’ll ask.”
He put his hand over the mouthpiece and Quinn
heard his muffled voice and Marisol’s reply.
“We’ll be right over,” he told her when
he got back on the phone.
***
“Is it going to be gross?”
Craig chuckled at his daughter’s
question and glanced at her. Her nose wrinkled and she grimaced.
“I think once you see the baby you’ll
forget all about the gross part, and if you want, you can hide your eyes.”
Marisol may have traveled the world, but
she’d never seen the miracle of birth. She’d see plenty of it by the time she’d
been in South Dakota for a year, though. In a few years, it would be old hat.
For now, he looked forward to experiencing this first with her.
Quinn was in the barn, kneeling in the
thick blanket of clean straw next to the mare’s head. She’d looked beautiful
the night they’d kissed, but here, with concern and love on her face and straw
in her hair, she was stunning.
She glanced at them and smiled. “You
made it in time.”
Marisol’s stare fixed on Doc Tolson as
he assisted the mare, her eyes and mouth wide. She clung to Craig’s hand with a
tight grip.
The mare’s sides heaved with the effort
of bringing her foal into the world. Quinn returned her attention to the
animal, her voice low and soothing.
Once the foal’s forelegs appeared, the
rest of the birth seemed to go with lightning speed. With one last Herculean
push, the foal slid onto the straw. Everyone sighed in relief and Marisol
squealed in delight.
The next few minutes were a blur of
motion. Doc delivered the afterbirth and tended to the colt while Quinn cared
for the mare until she was on her feet. Then Dee took over the mothering of her
son. Quinn backed off and went to the door. She grinned at Marisol.
“Well? What did you think?”
“Oh my God, that was amazing!” The
girl’s eyes were as wide as her smile.
Quinn laughed. “I still think the same
way, no matter how many times I see it.”
“What are you going to name him?”
“Well, his mama’s name is Dee-Light and
his dad is Ace of Diamonds. What do you think a good name would be? I think he
takes after his Dad with his white face and the stockings.”
“You mean I can name him?” Marisol’s
eyes widened even more. It was one marvel after another.
“Sure, I bet you can come up with
something to do this little boy justice.”
Marisol leaned against the stall door
and Craig knew she was lost.
“There’s a pot of coffee brewing in the
tack room, if you’re interested,” Quinn offered him. “I need to wash up.” She
wiped her hands down her denim-clad thighs.
Craig followed the motion of her hands,
admiring the shape of her legs in those faded, close-fitting jeans. Suddenly,
his throat was chalk dry, and that all too familiar rush hit him square in the
belly.
“Coffee sounds great, if it’s okay for
Marisol to stay here.”
Quinn chuckled and threw a glance back
at the girl. “I don’t think we’d be able to tear her away. Doc would be glad
for a new ear to fill with his knowledge.”
Craig followed her to the end of the
barn where the wranglers and other ranch help hung out. It was rustic and bare
bones, but comfortable none-the-less. Saddles lined the walls and bridles hung
in another corner. An old sofa took up one wall. It looked ancient and of
questionable condition, but when Quinn handed him a cup of coffee, she dropped
into it as if it were the softest surface in the world.
“Have a seat,” she said and patted the
cushion next to her. “I promise it’s not too dusty. Most of the time the guys
keep their feet off it.”
Craig smiled. He liked this relaxed Quinn.
She had lowered her guard and he planned on taking advantage.
“I was putting those numbers together.
For the ranch. If you’re really serious. If not, I understand. Marisol may have
put you on the spot.”