Chapter 4
Gabe Walker feared very little in his life.
Today was an exception.
Chloe had called him to let him know that she was accepting the position he’d offered her as the resident vet for Walker’s Ranch over two weeks ago.
Now, he was waiting for her to arrive, and he felt like a horny teenager again, waiting to see his date. It wasn’t comfortable for a man his age, and to be honest, it was more than a little nerve-racking.
Chloe had already talked to her partners in town, and they’d agreed to let her pursue the position here. She’d given her notice almost immediately. He wasn’t surprised. All of the vets at Rocky Springs Animal Clinic were nice folks. They’d done just fine before Chloe had joined the group, and they’d do just as well without her.
I need her more.
He sat in a comfortable office chair in the viewing room, absently eating handfuls of candy from a bowl that was always present in the video and audio room that took up most of the lower floor of his home. Gabe had wanted a high-tech setup so he could watch all of the primary areas of the horse farm, and he had way more equipment than he probably needed. He could see every birthing area, pasture, and most of the barns from his location indoors, which was helpful when the mares were ready to drop their foals.
Fortunately, that wouldn’t happen for several months; most of them were expected in the early spring. He also had cameras set up to see any approaching vehicles on their way onto his property so he was prepared for deliveries and folks who wanted to look at his horses or ask about training classes. That camera was the one that had his intense focus right at the moment.
What if she backs out?
What if she changes her mind and doesn’t come?
Gabe told himself to let Chloe have time to straighten her head out after James had done a major mind fuck on her. It wasn’t an easy thing to do when his cock stood at attention every damn time she walked into the room, but he cared about more than just nailing Chloe. He wanted her to be happy again.
Chloe was his ideal, the woman who had the whole package: looks, intelligence, sweetness that could sometimes get a little tart when she was annoyed with him, and a curvy body that would fit perfectly against his big form. He still shook his head over her comment on New Year’s Eve that she was fat. Chloe Colter was as perfect as a woman could get in his eyes.
His dick had been aching to be buried inside her from the moment he’d seen her after she’d returned to Rocky Springs for good. Problem was, she was his best friend’s sister, and she’d already been claimed, engaged to the biggest asshole in town.
His fists clenched on the desk as he thought about Chloe’s confessions, and yet he was pretty certain she hadn’t shared everything.
I’d love to kill the bastard.
What kind of coward actually hurt an innocent female, and treated her like she was garbage?
Chloe deserves someone a hell of a lot better.
Unfortunately, Gabe knew that man couldn’t be him.
Blake was likely to try to beat his ass into the ground if he started messing around with his buddy’s little sister, and his friendship with Blake was important. They’d known each other since they were kids, and Gabe’s dad had still brought him to Rocky Springs almost every summer when he was a teen, even after Blake’s father had been killed. His parents and Blake’s had been close, and the two teens had bonded pretty tight during his adolescent years after he’d lost his mother. Blake had always been a friend Gabe could count on, and he’d been there for him when he’d lost his dad right after he finished college, leaving him essentially alone in Texas. Gabe still had friends in Texas, and cousins scattered around the whole country, but nobody whose friendship he valued more than Blake’s.
When the property next to Blake’s cattle ranch had gone up for sale, Gabe hadn’t hesitated to liquidate his interests in Texas and settle down in Colorado to make a new start. He’d needed it after losing both his parents.
His father had been an icon in Texas, and Gabe had never quite been able to fill his shoes. It wasn’t that he hadn’t wanted to follow in his dad’s footsteps, but that he could never quite be the man his father had been.
Gabe had been in the process of closing the deal on the Colorado ranch and taking care of his business interests in Texas when Chloe had left for college. Gabe had never run into her again, even on the rare occasions that she had been home on break from school.
Seeing her again as an adult had been a shock. He’d remembered her as a girl; she’d returned to Rocky Springs a beautiful, spunky, intelligent, sexy woman.
Don’t even think about it, Walker. You’re Blake’s best friend. Help Chloe through this tough experience and forget about your horny inclinations.
Obviously, his buddy would want Gabe to take care of Chloe since Blake was currently in DC until Congress took a break for the holidays—at least, that was what he was telling himself. But he didn’t think taking care of Blake’s sister would include screwing her until neither one of them could walk, which was exactly what he wanted every time he looked at her.
It’s not just sexual. I like her…I more than like her.
There had been very few women in his life who hadn’t wanted something from a relationship with him, and it was always material things. It seemed pretty damn strange dealing with a female who was as rich as he was, and didn’t need a single damn material thing from him.
He grinned and his heartbeat accelerated as he saw her big red pickup truck winding down his driveway.
She came. She really gave up her position in the community practice to come to me.
Her actions implied that she believed she was making a good decision, and there was nothing Gabe wanted more than for Chloe to believe in herself, to trust her own judgment. To believe in him. Hell, she needed to trust a guy other than her brothers someday; she might as well start with him. Why he coveted her trust he didn’t understand. He just knew it was essential that she felt like she could count on him.
Maybe I just want to fill in for Blake while he’s gone…
Naw…that was complete and utter bullshit, and Gabe didn’t believe in telling himself a bunch of crap, even though he’d been trying to rationalize his behavior. The plain truth was that he wanted Chloe for himself, and that was exactly what was motivating him at the moment.
He wanted to see her smile again.
He wanted to make her laugh.
He wanted to make her happy.
He wanted to experience her untapped passion that he sensed was waiting to be set free.
He wanted to bury himself inside her and brand her as his. To sate them both.
Christ! He hated himself for his random sexual thoughts about Chloe, but he couldn’t seem to help himself. He’d been drawn to her since the day she’d come back to Rocky Springs.
He rose from his chair as her truck approached the house, still grinning because for such a feminine, curvy—womanly—female, she certainly drove a very big, very badass truck. The vehicle was actually similar to his—except his was black.
Gabe watched as Chloe came to a stop and hopped down from the seat. His grin grew broader as he realized she didn’t dress to impress. Not that it mattered. She looked so damn beautiful that his heart started to race. Dressed in an old pair of jeans that hugged a shapely ass, she’d covered her upper body in an old sweatshirt with her college logo on the front. Her dark hair was pulled back in a ponytail, and as he viewed her from the camera on his doorstep, he could tell she wasn’t wearing a ton of makeup.
Didn’t matter! He was still so hard he could hardly walk.
One thing he liked about Chloe was the fact that she was unpretentious. She might come from a family with money, but one wouldn’t know that just by seeing and talking to her. She was smart, but she wasn’t a snob, and she was obviously the most comfortable exactly how she was right now. Nope, there were no airs and graces about Chloe. What you saw was what you got.
“She’s too damn gorgeous for her own good,” Gabe grumbled, wondering how fast it would take another guy to see exactly what he saw when he looked at her.
He didn’t like the thought of any other guy getting her attention.
Chase, his six-year-old Border collie, jumped up excitedly from his spot near Gabe’s feet.
“Let’s go, buddy.” Gabe snapped his fingers to make the ballistic, exuberant canine pay attention. “Mind your manners,” he warned the dog.
His dog was usually well-behaved, but got a little overzealous occasionally.
Chase sat and looked up at him with soulful eyes.
“This is no time for treats, buddy,” Gabe rumbled, knowing exactly what the canine wanted. Ever the sucker for Chase’s pleading gaze, even as he said the stern words, he pulled a piece of doggy jerky from his pocket and tossed it to his dog.
Chase caught it in midair, and it was gone in seconds.
Gabe finally heard the doorbell ring, and tried to contain his enthusiasm at seeing Chloe again. It was bound to be a little bit awkward after she had spilled her guts about her relationship; he hadn’t seen her in person since that night.
Despite reminding himself not to be impatient, Gabe sprinted up the stairs to answer the door.
Chloe was nervous.
She hadn’t told Gabe every little detail about her relationship with James, but he knew most of it. There were just a few things that were so vile that she couldn’t discuss them with anybody except Natalie. When she’d finally revealed the worst few incidences to her counselor yesterday, Natalie had been relieved that Chloe had finally made a complete break from James. Dr. Townson was supportive of Chloe’s decision to make a new start outside of town so she wouldn’t have to see him on a daily basis.
Chloe’s conversation on the phone with Gabe about the job had been brief, and she wasn’t sure how to react to him in person.
I am a damn professional. I’ll be businesslike. I’m not here as a friend; I’m here as an employee.
It was hard to remember that Gabe was now her employer after she’d pretty much sobbed through most of her explanation to him about why she was breaking off her engagement to James.
This is a new start for me. I’m going to treat it like an exciting experience.
She took a deep breath, enjoying the crisp, cool air of fall in the Rocky Mountains. Her back to Gabe’s door, her eyes scanned the mountains and the vivid red and orange of the leaves still left on the trees. Most of them were falling now, but traces of Colorado in autumn still remained.
“It’s so beautiful here,” she whispered to herself, feeling like after so many years, she was finally…home.
Gabe owned a lot of property, and his acreage spread farther than her eyes could possibly see. The barns and buildings were nicely maintained, and the fenced pastures held some of the most gorgeous horseflesh imaginable. She’d done her equine residency at a prominent horse farm, and at first glance, she could already see that Gabe’s place was state-of-the-art, and he hadn’t worried about cost when he’d built his home or his ranch.
Not that he needed to worry about money.
He didn’t.
And it showed in all of the little details she could visualize.
Quit stalling, Chloe. Ring the damn doorbell.
She turned and determinedly put her finger on the button to summon someone to the door, wondering curiously if he had staff for his enormous mansion.
Strangely, the home wasn’t pretentious. It was definitely big, but Gabe had used natural colors and native plants, and the well-kept mansion seemed to complement the landscape rather than stand out like a sore thumb. Other than the fact that the place was gigantic, it seemed to belong here.
She startled as the door suddenly swung open and she saw Gabe grinning at her.
“I’m glad you came,” he said simply in that husky drawl that always made Chloe’s female hormones do a happy dance.
“Me, too,” she answered honestly. She was glad to be here, away from town, ready to do a job she’d always wanted to do. Chloe was almost certain she’d feel guilty about taking the large salary Gabe had offered.
He opened the door wider and motioned for her to come in. She smiled back at him because it was nearly impossible not to. His mischievous grin was pretty infectious.
Almost the moment she stepped through the door, she was met by more than forty pounds of muscles and fur. A Border collie barked enthusiastically as he jumped from the ground and bounced off her body several times.
“Chase! Down!” Gabe commanded sternly.
Chloe was delighted, and she dropped to her knees and let the intelligent black and white dog sniff her before she stroked a hand over his fur. “He’s adorable.”
“He’s a pain in the ass sometimes,” Gabe grumbled.
The canine calmed quickly, laying down and rolling over so Chloe could scratch his belly. She wasn’t fooled for a minute by Gabe’s negative comment. The fondness in his tone was evident. “I take it his name is Chase?”
“He got that name because the fool chases just about anything from rabbits to bears. He doesn’t exactly know his limitations. Or his size. Or his strength.”
“He’s sweet,” Chloe cooed as she gave the dog a final scratch before rising to her feet. “I’m sure he’s very intelligent.” The breed was exceptionally smart.
“He is,” Gabe confirmed before adding, “When he isn’t chasing after something that’s likely to get him killed.”
Chloe laughed, charmed at the relationship between Gabe and his dog. The man obviously liked to complain about the canine, but his affection and concern for Chase was pretty evident in his tone.
She followed him as he motioned her forward, leading the way to the kitchen.
“You want coffee?” Gabe pulled a mug out of the cupboard and then hesitated.
“I’d love some, thanks. I didn’t have a chance this morning. Zane called, and we talked for so long I didn’t get a cup before I left.” She stepped forward. “I can get that.”
Gabe gave her a stern look. “You’re a guest. Sit down and relax.” He motioned toward the kitchen table.
She sat, but answered, “I’m not a guest, Gabe. I’m an employee.”
“You’re a vet, more of a consultant than an employee, and I don’t pay you to get coffee.”
Chloe propped her elbows on the table and watched as he prepared her mug of desperately needed caffeine. It was nice to have a man do something for her. She’d fetched most everything for James when they were together.
Gabe looked pretty comfortable in the kitchen. For a man his size, he did everything with a slow, natural grace that surprised her. He had to be a few inches over six foot, and his body was bulky—all of it pure muscle. Dressed in a pair of jeans and a casual gray pullover shirt that was obviously donned for warmth, he looked amazingly handsome and irresistibly touchable.
He wasn’t attractive in a sleek, wealthy sort of way. He looked like a rugged, masculine guy who was comfortable with himself no matter what he was doing.
“Cream and sugar?” he asked.
“Just a little bit of creamer,” she answered automatically. Although she preferred her coffee loaded with cream and sugar, she’d learned to drink it almost black. James had conditioned her to take in less calories and refined sugar.
She thought about that for moment before she retracted her answer. “On second thought, load it with both.”
Gabe turned and grinned at her, as though he knew exactly why she changed her mind.
“How do you really like it?” he asked curiously.
“Loaded,” she affirmed.
“Good girl,” he said in a supportive voice, scooping more sugar into her coffee. “Old habit?”
“Yes. A habit I don’t need to adhere to anymore.” Some of those old rituals might die hard, but they were going to bite the dust eventually. It was time for her to realize what she liked, and to please herself.
Gabe handed her a mug, and sat down across from her with his own coffee in his hand. “Check and see if it’s okay.” He nodded at her cup.
Chloe sipped, letting the taste of sweetened coffee roll over her taste buds. “Perfect,” she said with a satisfied sigh of pure bliss. It had been a long time since she’d tasted coffee this good.
“Good. Now tell me how you’re holding up. Any regrets about the broken engagement?”
Chloe looked into Gabe’s beautiful green eyes, which were currently registering a deep concern that showed in his entire expression. Something about his demeanor wouldn’t let her lie to him, or omit any truths.
“No regrets,” she answered carefully. “But I need to tell you something because I’m working for you. I’m not going to be in peak physical condition for a week or so.” Chloe kept her eyes locked with his, her heart melting as she saw him frown, appearing worried now.
“Why?” he asked gruffly. “Are you sick?”
She shook her head slowly. “No.” There was no easy way to say it, but she needed to explain. “Gabe, I was pregnant. I had an early miscarriage and I’m still recovering. I lost the baby a few days ago.”
Chloe thought she’d gotten over the initial shock and trauma of the incident, but she realized that she probably hadn’t when she broke down in tears and started to cry.