Dream Kisses (Romance on the Ranch Series #1) (17 page)

Sage
bent to Sarah's ear. "Grab your lunch and follow me."

Sarah
didn't like the tone of his voice. He sounded short-tempered and frustrated.
She frowned, but placed a tuna sandwich on her plate and walked downstream with
him. He sat on a boulder and she sat on another one a few feet away. He took a
bite of his sandwich. Finally, he asked, "How are you feeling?"

"Better."

He
took another bite. "Why did you really come out here with Newt?"

"I
wanted to help. He seemed a little overwhelmed."

"Is
that the only reason?"

"Yes.
Why else would I come?"

"So,
you weren't a little jealous of me being surrounded by all these women?"
He only sorta sounded like he was teasing.

"Of
course not; it's your job."

"You're
lying."

Sarah
paused with her sandwich halfway to her mouth and felt her face burn. She lied
and said, "I'm not lying."

Sage
studied her face. "There's nothing between Chrissie and me, but at one
time we had a brief…very brief…affair. Thank God it's over."

Sarah
couldn’t help her response. "She doesn't seem to think its over."

"I
don't give a rat's ass what she thinks."

Sarah
shifted her eyes from the intensity of his gaze and stared across the river.

Sage
asked low, "Will you come to the house tonight?"

She
bit her lip. "I…I don't know."

"Okay.
I won't press you."

"Can
I stay and watch the rest of the shoot?"

"Why
do you want to?"

She
looked at him. "I don't exactly know."

He
looked across the river, too. "If that's what you want. Sure." They
finished eating in silence and then he stood. "We better get back."

They
returned to camp and he excused himself when the photographer called his name.
Sarah started cleaning up the table. While she was packing supplies back in the
box, Chrissie and the other two models walked over. Rosie and Diane each
selected a sandwich to nibble on. Chrissie said, "That Curley guy should
have sent a green salad. I
told
him that's what I wanted for
lunch."

"The
turkey is really good, you should try it," said Rosie.

Chrissie
gave her a disdainful look and directed her attention to Sarah who was tossing
discarded plates in a trash bag. "So, Sarah, how much of the shoot did you
see?"

"Just
a couple of minutes."

"Sage
and I look good together, don't we?"

"Yes,
you pose well together." Sarah looked at the other models. "All of
you."

Chrissie
said slyly, "We do
other
things well together, too…better than
well."

Rosie
and Diane snickered.

"Yes,
he told me about that." Sarah tried to sound catty but it came off as
sounding lame.

Chrissie
had cornered the market on catty and shot back with, "We just
do
it
for each other."

Sarah
and the other models looked at her dumbfounded.

The
photographer called to Chrissie. Before she left, she turned to Sarah and
winked. "I guess we've had a common experience." Then she twirled and
pranced away like she was on a Paris runway.

"What
a bitch," Rosie said.

"You
got that right," Diane agreed.

"What
do you say we give her a run for her money—cozy up to Sage the rest of the day?
Who knows, maybe one of us might get lucky."

The
girls started walking away, ignoring Sarah who was once again tossing trash in
a bag. Rosie stopped and turned around, "Hey Sarah, thanks for cleaning
up."

Before
Sarah could think of a witty retort, the leggy beauties were out of earshot.
Slinging uneaten sandwiches back in the ice chest, she didn’t hear Newt until
he was behind her.

"Hey
Sarah, you mad at them sandwiches?"

"Oh,
sorry, Newt. Guess my mind is elsewhere."

Newt
looked from her to the retreating figures of the models. "Don't let em get
ta ya. Sage can't stand the lot of em."

Sarah
shrugged as if she didn't care.

Newt
helped her finish cleaning and packing. He waved to a nearby crewmember.
"Can I get some help hauling this stuff back to my truck?"

"Sure
thing, Newt."

Sarah
grabbed the box of supplies and started toward the trail. When Newt started to
object, she gave him a steely look. He closed his mouth to whatever he'd been
about to say. After the truck was loaded, he opened the passenger door for her.

"I've
decided to stay and watch. Sage said its okay."

"You
actu'ly want ta stick around?" Newt sounded incredulous.

Sarah
grinned, "Guess I'm a glutton for punishment."

The
old cowboy shook his head and climbed into his truck. Sarah waved when he
backed out. She returned to the top of the crest and, instead of following the
trail to the bank of the river, sat on a boulder near the trailhead and watched
the scene below. Newt was right to think her crazy, and she was right when
she'd said she was a glutton for punishment. Sage and the models were back in
rare form. The poses were sexy, provocative, sensual, and heartbreaking for
Sarah to watch. Surrounded by beautiful women, a successful designer, and an
attentive crew, Sage was in his element. She felt like the ugly stepsister.
Even though he complained about modeling, it was an exciting world he fit into.
Her world consisted of lonely days tapping on a computer while attempting to
create, in words, scenes like the one unfolding in real life below. If, by some
miracle, Sage had lasting feelings for her and wanted to stay in contact, could
she handle his world? And if they continued their relationship, how long until
he realized just how boring Sarah Carter was? Her heart was already suffering;
did she want to prolong the inevitable?

For
the next two hours Sarah sat on her perch pondering her dilemma. When the
photographer called a wrap, Sage spoke briefly with the designer and the
photographer. Then he walked to the large tent and said something that made the
crew laugh. Chrissie approached him, smiled, and placed a hand on his chest.
While she was talking, the other models joined them, and she stepped
possessively closer. Rosie, almost as tall as Sage, leaned to whisper in his
ear.

Sarah
sighed and looked away. When she glanced back he was walking toward the trail.
He'd almost reached the top when she stood. He stopped a few feet from her.
"Come on. Let's get the hell out of here."

The
drive back was quiet and Sarah stared out the window. When they reached the
gate at the edge of the pasture, Sage got out and opened it and then got back
in the cab. Instead of putting the truck in gear, however, he just sat there.
Sarah chewed her lip. He turned to face her. "I don't know what's going
through your head, honey, but if you think I have anything going with those
women, you're wrong. I don't fool around with multiple women. I'm monogamous.
But I guess that's something you'll just have to take my word on."

Sarah
was saved from having to respond when the walkie-talkie sounded. "Sage,
this is Beaner. You there?"

He
sighed and reached for the device. "Yo Beaner, this is Sage. What's
up?"

"Sorry
to bother you boss, but Ned went to town for supplies and Newt's not answering.
Me and some of the guys are at the boundary of the north pasture and there's another
break in the fence. We got cows crossing the main road and cars stopped."

"Shit!
I'm on my way. I'll stop and get Curley. You keep radioing everyone. Tell them
to get their asses over there pronto."

"Righto
boss. Over and out."

Sage
switched the channel on the walkie-talkie. "Curley, this is Sage, pick up
quick!"

Curley's
voice crackled back. "What's up?"

"I'll
be at the dorm in ten minutes. Meet me out front. We got escaped cows. I need you
to go with me."

"I'll
be waitin'."

Driving
past the gate, Sage jumped out and closed it, and then jammed the truck toward
the ranch. On the way, the walkie-talkie sounded again and he spent the rest of
the ride giving instructions.

When
he stopped in front of the dorm and Sarah opened her door, Newt's voice came
over the walkie-talkie. "Boss, pick up."

 Sage
said, "Hold on, Newt." Reaching across the seat, he circled her
wrist. "We'll finish our conversation later."

Sarah
nodded. "Don't think about that right now, you just go take care of business."

He
reached to caress her cheek. "Maybe I'll see you later tonight?"

She
looked down and didn't respond, and he dropped his hand. She stepped out of the
truck and Curley jumped in. Newt's voice sounded again. "Ya still there,
boss? I hope yer finished being pretty boy, cause we got cows thinkin' they're
cars."

Sarah
didn't hear Sage's response because the truck peeled out in a cloud of dust.

Inside
the dorm, the dudes were gathered around the big screen TV watching John Wayne
shoot-it-out with a gang of angry hombres. They didn't even notice her. Back in
her room, she picked up her laptop and wrote the ending to
Dream Kisses
.
At least her characters would have a happily-ever-after. For herself, she knew
what she must do.

Tarah
walked along the river's edge, her heart heavy and broken. After spending one
last glorious night with Gage, she'd left Liberty Ranch in the middle of the
night to return to her parents' humble home. Gage lived a life of wealth and
prestige that she could never fit into. She would always be plain Tarah Casey,
daughter of poor potato farmers barely eking a living. Gage deserved a wife of
beauty and polish—someone who could make him proud.

Staring
across the river, she picked up a stone and tossed it into the calm water.
Suddenly, another stone skipped behind the one she'd just tossed. Tarah jerked
around. Leaning against a tree, Gage watched her with such intensity she
couldn't breathe. Slowly, he stepped away from the tree and walked toward her.
He said…"

A
tear dripped onto her keyboard when she typed the last word in
Dream Kisses.
She closed the laptop, put it in her briefcase, and lay back on her bed,
allowing her tears to freely flow.

Later
that night, when Sarah saw Sage's truck parked at the side of his house, she
walked over and knocked on the door. She hoped Julie was still up.

Julie
opened the door. "Hi, Sarah, come on in. You know you don't have to knock.
Dad just got back from chasing cows," she snickered. "He asked if
you'd come over. When I told him no, he looked disappointed. He'll be glad
you're here."

"Did
they round up all the cows?"

"Yeah,
he wouldn't have come back if they hadn't. Can I get you some tea or
lemonade?"

"No,
but thanks for asking." Sarah felt awkward.

"You
wanna sit down til Dad gets out of the shower?"

"Yes.
Umm, Julie?"

Julie
looked questioningly at her.

"I
just want you to know…well, I think the world of you. You're a sweet girl and
you have enriched my life."

Julie
studied Sarah's face. "Thank you. I feel the same way about you."

Sarah
stepped toward Julie and hugged her. Julie hugged her back. Not wanting to get
emotional, Sarah released her and sat on the couch, trying to make small talk. "What
did you do today? Did you do some trick riding for the dudes?"

"Yeah.
I even tried some new moves I've been practicing with Precious Pudding."

"Really,
what kind of moves?"

For
the next half hour Julie happily described her latest achievements. Neither of
them realized Sage was watching from the hallway until he said, "Hello
Sarah."

Sarah's
heart jumped into her throat. "Hello. I heard you were able to round up
all the cows."

"Finally."

Julie
looked from Sarah to her father. "I think I'll turn in. Dad, just as a
reminder, Tooty and I are going to the movies tomorrow. Her mom's picking me up
early."

"Okay,
honey. Have fun." He didn't remove his eyes from Sarah's.

After
Julie left, Sarah walked to stand in front of him. Silently, she lifted a hand
to caress his cheek. Standing on tiptoe, she followed with her mouth skimming
his five o-clock shadow.

"Do
you want me to shave?" he whispered in her ear.

"No."
She moved her mouth to his, teasing it with tiny nips.

Pulling
her into a tight embrace, he cupped her bottom and pulled her up against him.
"Let's go to bed, Sarah, my love."

For
the next few hours, Sarah loved Sage with every atom of her body and emotion of
her soul. When they lay spent in each other's arms, he smoothed his hand over
her hair and kissed her forehead. Softly, he said, "Thank you,
Sarah."