Authors: Cerian Hebert
“No, I thought about it and it makes
sense. More sense than fixing my grandparents place. That would be my dream
come true, but I have to be sensible. At the moment I don’t have the cash. This
is much better. Until I can get myself established.”
“It’s a small place.” Craig warned her.
He didn’t want her accepting it unless she knew exactly what she was getting
into.
“About half the size of the Shady H?”
“About. A hundred-fifty acres. Long
Knife Creek is enormous compared to it.”
“I’m not looking to raise cattle. Just
horses. I don’t need much land. Besides, your parent’s made a good go of it,
even with cattle.”
Craig smiled and looked at his coffee.
As much as they had loved their ranch, he didn’t think ranching had been in his
father’s soul like it was in Quinn’s. It made him wonder for a moment if it was
in his soul. He’d left it easily enough to follow Elise’s dreams, but if it
hadn’t been for her, he would’ve been happy with ranching. He’d certainly
settled back in, like a second skin. He made a better than decent living at
writing, but, yeah, ranching was in his soul. It felt good to admit it.
“It may work out fine for both of us
then.”
He took a moment to study her in this
unguarded moment. She’d kicked off her boots and had drawn her legs underneath
her. A small smile pulled at her lips and he wondered where her thoughts had
taken her. Galloping across the prairie maybe. Or that new colt who’d just come
into the world. He would’ve given a hell of a lot more than a penny to know.
“Marisol seems happy,” Quinn remarked.
“I think you were the catalyst. After
meeting you and getting Sunny, everything seems to have changed. Thank you.”
Her smile brightened and her blue eyes
glittered. “I’m glad to help.”
“She made a few friends since the
barbeque and is planning her first sleepover for the weekend. Four girls in one
house. Don’t know if I can handle it.”
“Oh, I’m sure you’ll be fine. Yell if
you need help.”
“I may take you up on that.”
Whatever lightness the conversation held
dissipated when their gazes locked and held fast. All he could think about was
how she’d tasted, how she’d felt in his arms. How much he wanted it again.
A lock of her hair had fallen out of its
braid and lay against her cheek. Knowing he ought to resist, he reached out and
pushed it away. His fingers trailed along the soft skin of her cheek. Quinn
drew in her breath and held it as she continued to watch him.
It would’ve been so easy, so natural, to
lean in and kiss her, but luckily his daughter’s approach was loud enough to
give him warning, and enough time to withdraw his hand, and note the
disappointment in Quinn’s eyes.
“Dad, you should’ve seen him trying to
stand,” Marisol spilled into the tack room, her eyes and smile bright. “Doc Tolson
told me so much. Maybe I’ll be a vet someday.”
She crashed on to the sofa between Craig
and Quinn and leaned against him. Despite her excitement, she looked tired.
With no wonder, it was nearly ten o’ clock.
“I thought you were going to be a writer.”
“That was before tonight. Next time Doc
comes over to our place can I hang out with him?”
“If he’ll let you and you promise not to
get in his way.”
It was time to go before he’d have to
carry his daughter out of there. Quinn looked sleepy too. No doubt she’d been
awake since the crack of dawn and no doubt she’d be up as early tomorrow.
Quickly he pulled Marisol to her feet.
“Thanks for inviting us.”
“I’m glad you both could come. Sometimes
these things don’t happen to suit my schedule. We lucked out tonight.”
She didn’t walk them back to his truck,
but instead returned to the mare’s stall.
For the next few riding lessons, Craig
made it a point to be there for at least part of it, if he could. There had
been some kind of breakthrough between Quinn and him the night of the colt’s
birth. She seemed more at ease at the Shady H and let Marisol talk her into
staying for lunch. Even in the kitchen, when the two of them were putting
sandwiches together, Quinn seemed perfectly comfortable, including Craig in
their light-hearted banter.
Marisol’s sleepover approached and even
before Craig could mention it, Marisol asked Quinn to join them, saying it
would be much better to have a female chaperone instead of just Dad. Quinn
would understand their needs more than a guy. Craig chuckled, not at all
insulted by the slight.
“I’ll have to make sure Jacob doesn’t
have anything planned for the evening. We’re going on a drive during the day,
but should be back in plenty of time.”
Craig didn’t know who was more anxious
for the upcoming gathering, Marisol or himself.
Time crawled until that day. He threw
himself into his work, despite having hired two more ranch hands. He made a
trip over to Emerald Ranch the day after the Penney’s departed, to assess what
needed to be done to restore the place to what it had once been. He planned,
when Quinn was over, to give her an offer for the place. There was a fair bit
of work to be done and she’d be responsible for it in return for a low price,
if she wanted to lease it, as opposed to becoming manager.
With the idea of keeping this business,
Craig thought he could get through the night more easily.
“I’m not going out with you.” Quinn
pushed past Robby on her way out of the barn. Her mouth was as dry as the dust
that covered her from head to foot. All she wanted was a shower and Robby kept
her from that goal. That, in and of itself, gave her enough reason to sock him
one.
“Come on. One evening, that’s all I’m
asking. A movie, some pizza. I promise I’ll keep my hands to myself.”
“Not tonight.” Not any night, if she
could help it. She wanted nothing to do with him romantically and he wasn’t
getting that through his thick skull. “I’ve got plans.”
Robby hurried to keep up. “Plans? With
who? You have a date?” A hint of accusation tainted his voice and Quinn didn’t
like it.
“Yeah, I have a date. A hot date with
four ten-year-old girls. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m sure they don’t want me
smelling like dirt and horse.”
“What are you talking about? What
girls?”
Quinn stopped short and turned on him.
“I’m giving your brother a hand with Marisol’s slumber party.”
Robby’s upper lip curled in disgust.
“Seriously? Why does he need your help?”
Quinn sighed. She didn’t owe him an
explanation. “Marisol asked me.”
“Yeah, right. What’s going on between
you and Craig?”
A cold fist plunged into her belly. Did
Craig say something? Did Robby see the kiss? No, if he’d seen it, he would’ve
said something when it had happened. “Nothing is going on.”
“You sure spend a lot of time over
there.” The charge in his tone was stronger now and his sea-blue eyes narrowed
as if he were trying to get inside her head. That was the last place she wanted
him.
“Teaching Marisol to ride,” she replied
through clenched teeth.
“And how does that relate to a slumber
party?”
“Oh, for God’s sake, Robby, drop it.
Last I checked I was an adult. Not even Jacob grills me like this. And since
you and I weren’t dating, you don’t have any right to question me about my
plans.”
“Fine, you’re busy tonight. How about
tomorrow night?”
“I’ll think about it,” she lied. She’d
say just about anything to get him off her back. “But don’t get your hopes up.
I’m not interested in revisiting what we used to have.”
“You’ve turned into one stubborn woman.”
Quinn smiled sweetly. “Why thank you.
That’s about the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me.”
A lazy grin spread over his handsome
face. “If I didn’t think you’d hit me, I’d kiss you right here.”
“Yeah, you’re right. I’d probably hit
you. Why don’t you go find someone else who’ll appreciate your charm? It’s
totally wasted on me.”
Before he could reply, Quinn moved past
him. She had to shower and pick up pizzas on the way to the Shady H.
Later, with a towel wrapped around her
wet hair, Quinn stood in front of the closet, agonizing over what to wear. The
realist told her to grab a pair of jeans and a baseball shirt but the girly
girl, who’d been blessedly absent for years, returned and urged her to wear the
feminine cream capris and the sunset colored halter top. That would knock Craig
right on his butt.
With a growl, she reached for the jeans
and baseball shirt. She wasn’t going over there to knock anyone on their
behinds. The other outfit would be too obvious. She quickly dressed, brushed
out her hair, slipped on a pair of sneakers, and dashed out the door.
“Where are you headed?”
Quinn stopped when she heard Jacob’s
voice. He stood behind the front desk, giving her one of his big brother looks
of concern, brows furrowed and mouth turned down in a tight glower.
“Um, out.”
“With?”
Quinn narrowed her eyes. “With friends.
Since when do you check up on my comings and goings?”
Jacob shrugged. “Robby said something
about you going over to Craig’s.”
Damn.
She should’ve followed her gut
and smacked Robby when she had the chance. The little jerk probably knew Jacob
would wonder why she was going. She needed Jacob knowing about her crush as
much as she needed a jab in the eye.
Quinn gave her best version of a
nonchalant shrug. “Craig’s a friend, isn’t he? Marisol is having a slumber
party and Craig is a bit out of his element. I’m going to help out.”
Jacob lifted a brow.
“Oh come on, you don’t think—look how
I’m dressed. Do you think I’d wear this if I was—Jacob, come on.”
Thea came out of the office and put her
fists on her hips. “Are you giving Quinn a hard time? Leave her be.” She shot Quinn
a knowing wink.
Quinn wasn’t sure if she should be
comfortable with the cook knowing her secret. But if Thea could cover up for
her, Quinn wouldn’t look that gift horse in the mouth.
“Night guys,” she said and left before Jacob
could say anything else.
Play it cool.
Those words
were her mantra as she picked up the pizzas and drove to the Shady H. She was
determined not to let Craig throw her off in any way.
Marisol and her friends greeted her at
the door. They grabbed the pizzas and ran to the kitchen, leaving a trail of
girlish laughter that Quinn had never been too familiar with.
Growing up, Falstad had seemed smaller.
She didn’t think there were half the kids as there were now. Add the fact that
she hadn’t had a group of girls she hung around with, and that had made for,
not a lonely childhood, but a rather solitary one.
Not that she minded. Her life had
revolved around the ranch. No gaggle of girls could ever replace a good
horseback ride or camping under the stars with Jacob and her dad.
“Hey, you made it.”
Craig came out of a back room and Quinn’s
knees went weak. Damn, he didn’t have to say anything except hi for her to go
all mushy. Didn’t have to do anything but enter the room for her to feel his
kiss all over again.
A warm light glowed in his eyes and he
gave her a welcoming smile.
“You sound surprised.” Quinn laughed
“Thought maybe you came to your senses
and decided to stay away.”
From the girls or him?
“Nope, I promised, and I never break my
promises. The girls stripped me of the pizzas. I have a feeling when we make it
to the kitchen all there’ll be left is crust.”
Craig nodded. “You might be right. Come
on.”
In the kitchen and found Marisol had
pulled out plates and cups and had already dug into the food.
“Hope there’s enough for us,” he
commented and took two more plates out of the cabinet. He handed them to Quinn
then reached for glasses. He paused and looked at her.
“Wine? Beer? Grape soda?”
Quinn considered the first two options
before settling for the soda. Alcohol in the presence of Craig wouldn’t be a
good idea. She didn’t need any false courage.
Within minutes, the girls deserted the
kitchen in favor of the living room and a movie.
“Do you want to join the girls or sit in
here?”
Quinn chuckled. “I know we’re supposed to
chaperone but I think such close contact might cramp their style. I opt for in
here.”
She settled across the table from him.
“You know, I never came inside this house when I was a kid. Has it changed much
since you were younger?”
Craig shrugged. “A splash of paint here
and there. I redecorated the office and Marisol’s room. I’m not too sure I’ll
do much more.”
“Good. The house has character. It
reminds me of how our house used to be. Maybe fancier. Newer. I like it.”