Jake

A few days later, I found Jamie in the barn helping one of our hands, Mitch, work with the new foal. One of the youngest guys on our crew ran over to take Whiskey from me.

“I’ve already cooled her down, gave her water, and made sure there were no hot spots,” I told him.

“I’ll brush her down,” he said, eager to be of assistance.

I feared my crew had heard whispers that I might have to lay some people off. I nodded and handed him the reins. Immediately, I went over to hug my girl.

“Hey, sunshine, did you name her yet?”

I’d promised our newest foal to Jamie, no matter that she’d fetch a decent price. Hell, hiring Honey had stretched the budget, but what choice did I have? I couldn’t run the ranch and babysit my father. Something had to give. Jacque’s deal was starting to become my only option.

Jamie shook her head and I shook off my worries. “There’s still time.”

I patted her back and went to check on Dad. I missed working with him. Not having him there only reinforced the reality that he wouldn’t live forever.

When I opened the door, my stomach did a happy dance. The aroma of dinner cooking made it feel like Mom was still around. The woman responsible had her back to me, dancing to unheard music. I turned to Dad, who was transfixed. He felt my stare and gave me a shrug. Her movements were hypnotic. She was some kind of snake charmer because my dick uncoiled in my pants.

Her eyes were closed as she turned. Even with only one earbud in her ear, she hadn’t heard us come in. Her body jerked to a halt when she spotted us. Her cheeks reddened.

“Dinner’s ready,” she announced, her voice squeaking.

She fled the room so fast, I chuckled.

“I really like her,” Dad said.

“Of course you do.”

There was something about her that reminded us of Mom. It wasn’t in her looks—it was her take-charge attitude and ability to cook circles around everyone else. I hadn’t had to spell out the job to her. Either my description of what was required had been enough or she had a natural talent for this type of work. Since she’d come to us, I’d been able to take Jamie to a speech therapist and not worry about Dad. Honey was doing more than what I was paying for. I would have to figure out a way to compensate her for that.

“No, seriously, the woman can cook and she’s easy on the eyes. And I know you, boy—you like a woman with curves. Pretty women that don’t look like stick figures are hard to come by.”

He was right about that. Tara had been full of curves until she got it in her head that skinny was better. She wasn’t alone in that thinking based on commercials and the many way too thin actresses out there. It was probably why I hadn’t settled down. It wasn’t that I’d been hoping to run into Honey again—or so I told myself.

“Your mother was a sturdy woman. She had hips—”

I covered my ears. “Seriously, Dad, I really don’t want to think about you and Mom that way.”

“Son, I’ve talked to you about the birds and the bees.” His grin said he was teasing me.

“I’d like to think I was the product of Immaculate Conception.”

Dad gave me a full belly laugh. “Yeah, well, your mother and I wanted to believe that our granddaughter was brought to us via stork.”

It was my turn to laugh. “Tara’s mother sure did look like one when she brought Jamie to us.”

I went to the front door and called for my daughter.

Honey had disappeared in her room and we ate without her. I’d knocked on her door, but she hadn’t answered. With Dad and Jamie watching, I hadn’t pressed the matter. Was she avoiding me?

Later, after story time with Jamie, I joined Dad on the back porch. He was smoking a cigar and looking more content than he had in a long time. When I sat, he pushed his cigar box toward me.

I shook my head and instead poured two fingers from the whiskey bottle that sat there. Dad knew I’d join him because there were two glasses.

“So, what have you decided?”

His voice was rich and full. With his Stetson on, I could forget that a disease was eating away at the pathways in his brain.

“I’ve decided nothing.”

There was a big decision to be made about the ranch that affected more than just me and mine. I had the hands to consider. Something had to be done, or it would mean more than a few jobs lost.

“No,” he said. “I mean about her.”

He nodded to the sight not too far from the porch. Honey. We hadn’t really spoken much. I’d been meaning to, but she made herself scarce every time I was around. I hadn’t really known what to say, afraid I’d scare her off.

She came into view, dressed in pants that clung like a second skin, ending just below her knee. But that wasn’t it. She wore a bright tiny top, not much more than a bra. Her rack was on display, and I wasn’t the only man in the area drooling. She jogged, rounding an outbuilding behind the house where we kept heavy equipment.

To the right side of where we sat, a group of hands hung around the fence that circled the area in front of the barn. They watched her circle the outbuilding and looked like they should be eating popcorn for the undivided attention they were giving her. She was oblivious. With earbuds in both ears, she jogged around, disappearing around the corner and then reappearing after finishing her loop. She had no idea every male had eyes on her.

My palm bit into the etched crystal as I squeezed harder. I slammed it down.

“Son,” Dad tried to stop me.

He’d guessed what I was about to do. Technically she was off duty and her time was her own. In that moment, I couldn’t see anything past the haze of red that clouded my vision.

The screen creaked as I slammed it open, only for it to pop back closed with a thunderous crack. I ignored Dad calling for me to be calm and marched to stand right in her path. She stared right through me, so lost in her music.

Her body slammed into mine and I had to circle my arms around her to stop her from falling down.

“Sorry,” she muttered.

Anger fueled my words.

“What. Do. You. Think. You’re. Doing?”

She frowned up at me and tugged the buds from her ears. “What?” she asked innocently.

I repeated my words, letting menace seep into them.

“I realize we haven’t talked about my schedule, but I assumed since you were eating with your family, I could have some time to myself.”

Damn woman didn’t get it.

“Time isn’t the issue.”

Her confused expression hardened. “What did I do?”

Nothing but make me feel way too possessive. I couldn’t say that. I glanced over her shoulders at the ranch hands. She turned and saw who I was staring at. Her cheeks flushed.

“You do realize you’re the only female on this ranch other than Jamie, who’s just a little girl? I don’t like the idea of them thinking about you when they’re alone.”

Realization dawned on me, but he wasn’t finished.

“These are good men, but they work hard all week without a woman in sight. And you’re a temptation they don’t need.”

He pointed at me like I was a pile of horse shit he’d stepped in.

I aimed a finger right back at him. “You’re an ass.”

As I turned to march away, he caught me by the arm. The withering glare I gave him should’ve been like a kick to the gut. As I slapped his hand away, the peanut gallery made sounds of painful groans that turned into raucous laughter.

Jake didn’t take the hint. He dragged me toward the house—I assumed so we wouldn’t be seen by our audience.

Safely hidden, I pulled free from his grasp and he sighed. I said nothing and continued my stare down.

“Honey.” He sounded weary as he closed his eyes.

“Sugar,” I snapped.

When his gaze landed on me, I shouldn’t have been affected by him after he was a jerk. But I couldn’t stop myself from licking my lips, afraid I might have drooled some. He was gorgeous, this big man with a big heart based on how he treated his family, not to mention his … My eyes drifted downward, trailblazing a path to the part of him that had blown my mind on our first meeting.

I shifted my gaze, embarrassed by my thoughts.

He moved, caging me in against the house. He leaned forward and captured my mouth like he was a man starved.

The girly whimper that escaped my lips couldn’t be helped. The man may not be good at words, but his actions spoke volumes.