THE COWBOY SHE COULDN'T FORGET (6 page)

Vance stroked Rusty across his back, then walked out of the stall. “It’s only for a week, Ana. Could you put up with me that long?”

They started down the barn aisle. At this time of day the men were out doing chores. So besides the horses in their stalls, they were pretty much alone.

“Or should I move back into my old room in the barn, or the bunkhouse?”

She stopped. “I can’t let you do that. Of course you can move into the house.”

Vance’s eyes softened, then he gripped her hand and pulled her into the empty corner stall.

“Vance, what are you doing?”

With a tug of her hand, he had her suddenly against his body. “I thought since you don’t want to be seen with me, we shouldn’t let anyone see when I do this.” His mouth closed over hers, and Ana wanted to cry out for him to stop, but that would be a lie. She’d wanted this since Los Angeles. His mouth slanted over hers and her arms wrapped around his neck as the kiss deepened.

A soft moan escaped her lips as she moved closer, so close she could feel the hard planes of his chest. Oh, God. Her body was betraying her as she eagerly returned his kiss.

He finally broke away and looked down at her. His dark gaze was heated. “It seems your kissing has improved over the years.”

* * *

The room was dark, as much as a hospital room could be. Colt couldn’t wait to get out of this place. To be able to sleep in his own bed, in his own house. He closed his eyes and realized that might never happen.

If he didn’t get better, he couldn’t go back to the ranch—that was a fact. So he needed to get his strength back, to relearn to walk and talk again. It had been barely a week since his stroke, since his entire life fell apart.

God, he was only fifty-four years old. What had happened? Lousy habits for one, along with stress and endless hours of work. That wasn’t any kind of life. He thought back over years of not caring about anything. He’d lost so much, he hadn’t wanted to go on, especially after the girls left home. Hell, he’d driven them away, and ended up all by himself. Vance was the only one who’d hung in with him and the ranch. Now Colt was pretty sure he would lose the Lazy S and rot away in some nursing home.

He thought back to the early years and the joy he once had in his life. Luisa and their beautiful daughters. They were all gone, except for Ana. For some crazy reason she wanted him to survive. He felt a surge of hope. Maybe he could salvage something and at least have part of a family.

He needed to get better. He glanced down at his lifeless hand and recalled what his therapist, Jay, had said: “You have to put in the time and hard work.”

Colt stared down at his hand again, willing it to move. It seemed to take forever, but he finally lifted two of his fingers. Then he dropped his head back on the pillow and smiled, feeling for the first time in a long time that he wanted to do this. He thought back to his rodeo days and the determination it took to climb on a bull, to ride the eight seconds.

Colt opened his mouth, working to form something more than a grunt. “Sss...second ch...chance,” he said in the silent room.

The small accomplishment brought more joy than he’d felt in years. Suddenly, he didn’t want to just lie down and die. There were things he needed to change and correct before he checked out of this world.

He closed his eyes, and this time sleep finally came, but so did a dream of his beautiful Luisa.

She stood in the doorway, then it seemed she floated across the room to his bedside. She leaned in closer and he could see her face, her beautiful face.

“Colton,” she whispered.

Her voice touched off so many feelings, feelings he’d suppressed for years since she had abandoned him. Yet the pull was too strong to deny. “Luisa.” He tried to open his eyes, but couldn’t. “Luisa.”

“I’m here, Colton.” She touched his face. “I’ve always been here.”

CHAPTER SIX

“I’
M
SO
SORRY
,
Ana,” Sarah said as they sat at a corner table in the Big Sky Grill the next day. “I had no idea Mike was the guide going with Dad yesterday.”

“It’s not a problem,” Ana told her friend. “It’s not like I’m going fishing with the group. So we won’t cross paths again.”

Sarah munched on a French fry, then said, “Mike can be a pain in the butt sometimes with his flirting, but he knows if he steps over the line he’ll have to deal with Dad.” She leaned back in her seat. “And he likes his job too much for that.”

Ana had always envied her friend’s relationship with her father, their closeness. “It wasn’t a problem. I can handle Mike.”

Sarah leaned forward and lowered her voice. “And it didn’t hurt to have Vance Rivers come to your rescue.”

Not hungry any longer, Ana pushed her club sandwich away. “I didn’t need to be rescued at all.” She shook her head. “What is it about men that makes them think they need to compete against each other, and I’m the prize?”

Sarah smiled. “I’d say you’re a pretty lucky girl. I wouldn’t mind having someone like Vance around...just in case.”

Ana tried not to think about him that way. “Sarah, you know we have to work together. That’s all that’s going on.”

“So you don’t have any feelings for the man? No sparks between you two?”

Ana shook her head, knowing she was lying. Yesterday’s kiss in the barn proved that there were sparks. Okay, more like fireworks. But what about Vance? Was he trying to prove a point by kissing the boss’s daughter, as he had all those years ago?

Sarah’s voice quickly brought Ana back to reality. “I would think a man as handsome as Vance would get your juices flowing.”

“I can’t afford to get anything flowing. We have to focus on the ranch. And there’s Dad to think about. I have too much on my plate right now to think about him or any man.”

“I’m sorry, Ana. Is there anything I can do to help?”

“You’re a good friend, Sarah. Thank you, but unless you want to drag my sisters back here, there isn’t much you can do.” She smiled. “Taking me to lunch was the best. Thanks for calling and insisting I come into town.”

“A lot of good it did.” She nodded to the nearly untouched sandwich. “You aren’t eating enough.”

Ana sighed. “I’m not very hungry.”

“Well, make yourself eat. Colt needs you to stay strong.”

Did her father even care? She knew that he needed her at the ranch. Whether he wanted her there or not, she wasn’t sure. But she wanted him well and back home to run the Lazy S. Then she could go back to her life. Her job. Except for the kids at the school, there was no one special waiting for her.

* * *

The following morning came far too soon for Ana. She got up with the sun, ate toast for breakfast and drank down some coffee, then headed out to the barn. She was going to do whatever needed to be done.

She was ready to face Vance, whom she hadn’t seen in two days. Once inside the barn, she found a list of chores hanging on the door of the tack room, but no Vance around. The note stated that he’d gone out with most of the ranch hands, who were moving the herd.

She shook off her disappointment that she hadn’t been asked to go along, then went to start her tasks. At the feed bin, she began to scoop out the morning’s rations of oats for the horses. With Jake’s help she got the job done within the hour. Then the cleaning began, the mucking out stalls and hosing down the center aisle.

She even had the buckskin, Blondie, in the washing area. By the time she was finished with the bathing, she was as wet as the horse.

It felt good to do physical labor. It took her mind off everything except the job at hand. She walked Blondie back to her clean stall. The horse nudged her for more attention.

“If I have time later, it’s you and me headed across the meadow.” She gave the affectionate horse one more rub and left the stall.

Jake walked by, whistling. “Thanks for the help, Ana.”

“Not a problem. What’s next?”

The twenty-one-year-old smiled. “We’re finished for the morning.”

“Good, then I think I’ll go up to shower.” Ana wrinkled her nose. “I can’t stand myself any longer.”

She took off toward the house, then paused to admire the huge stone and brown-clapboard structure. The original two-story house had been built for her mother, but over the years, they’d added on as each baby came along. Now it looked big and empty and in need of some tender loving care.

Ana walked up the stone path to the back door, to find Kathleen folding clothes in the utility room.

“Hold it right there, young lady. You’re not going into the house wearing those filthy clothes.” The housekeeper handed her a towel from a stack of clean ones. “Strip and put everything in the hamper.” She shook her head. “This sure brings back memories. You always could get the dirtiest of all your sisters. I miss those times,” she said, lifting a basket of clean clothes and walking out.

Ana smiled as she kicked off her boots and unzipped her jeans, shimmied the wet fabric down her legs and tossed them into a hamper. That was the benefit of staying for the summer: she got to be around the horses and live here at the ranch. She pulled off her sweatshirt and threw it on top of the jeans. She was shivering by the time she got out of her soggy panties and bra. She reached for the towel and wrapped it around her just as the back door opened.

Ana gasped in shock when she turned around and saw Vance step into the small room.

“What are you doing here?” she demanded, gripping her towel tightly.

He didn’t answer right away, but his gaze took a slow journey up her body. “Right now, I’m enjoying the view.”

She felt warmth surge through her. “Well, stop it.”

He tipped his hat back and leaned against the doorjamb. “That’s a little hard to do.” He shook his head. “Damn, if you don’t look good in a towel.”

“Oh, grow up.” She hated that he made her feel so anxious. “I’m going to take a shower. So if you need anything... I mean, is there something I can do—”

“Believe me, a lot is coming to mind, but right now I just need to move in.” He grinned. “Looks like I’m going to be enjoying my stay here.”

Ana didn’t have a comeback, so she swung around and marched off with as much dignity as she could manage in a towel. All the way reminding herself that there would be a man in the house. A man she definitely needed to stay clear of.

Vance enjoyed the view from the back almost as much as the front. But if he wasn’t careful, and if he came on too strong, Ana would run far and fast. He frowned. The wise thing to do might be to back off completely, as he’d been doing for years. Yet all he could think about was the kiss they’d shared in the barn. No other woman could tie him in knots like Analeigh Slater.

Hell, he’d thought the years apart would lessen his appetite for the pretty brunette. But all she had to do was flash those big blue eyes at him, and once again he couldn’t remember his name.

He grabbed the duffel bag outside the door and walked into the kitchen just as Kathleen was coming down the hall.

She gave him a bright smile. “So now I know what’s got my girl so riled up.” The housekeeper paused. “A word of advice, Vance. Don’t push too hard.”

He played innocent. “I only came by to drop off some things in my room.”

The older woman shook her head. “Yeah, I know. Just be warned, Ana is vulnerable right now. She’s been fighting for her daddy’s approval all her life.” Kathleen pushed her finger into his chest. “I don’t think you’d ever break her heart intentionally, but...just tread softly.”

Vance felt his chest tighten. That would be the last thing he would ever do. He was more worried that she would destroy him.

* * *

An hour later, Ana came out of the same bedroom she’d slept in since she was a little girl. She was freshly showered and shampooed, realizing she’d be sharing a bath with Vance at least for a few days.

In the past four years, she’d seen Vance Rivers only in town. They would nod in greeting, but rarely exchanged words. Now she had to work with the man, and she’d be sleeping a few doors down the hall.

Okay, it was a big house. There were four bedrooms upstairs and a master suite at the opposite end. They could go their separate ways, except when they needed to come up with ideas to help the ranch.

She headed for the stairs and saw her sister Marissa’s bedroom door was open. There was Vance, taking clothes out of his bags and putting them in the dresser drawers.

In the walk-in closet there was a row of shirts hanging neatly. Well, he was making himself at home. Ana closed her eyes. He had every right to be here. He’d been a part of this family for years. He should be like a brother to her. So why didn’t she feel sisterly toward him?

Just then Vance turned around, and she zoned in on the tall, broad-shouldered man with that lanky cowboy build a woman couldn’t take her eyes off. Her gaze moved to his handsome face with those deep-set, coffee-colored eyes. His sandy-brown hair was thick and wavy, and maybe a little on the long side.

“See anything you like?” he asked.

“Well, you were checking me out downstairs. I thought I’d turn the tables and see how you like it.”

He dropped his stack of T-shirts and came toward her. “I like it a lot, especially from you,” he told her.

She fought to move away, but he was so close, and so tempting. “This playing around isn’t a good idea, Vance.”

“Who said I was playing?” he challenged.

Her heart started to pound as she met his intense gaze. She managed to step back. “Whatever it is, stop it. We need to concentrate on other things. Are you settled in?”

“I’m getting there. Back at my house, I put away all my personal things. Jake and Gary moved beds from the bunkhouse into the other two bedrooms. So the place now sleeps four to five adults. Kathleen is going to put on the bedding and add some special touches.”

“Thank you, Vance. Thank you for doing this.”

“It’s not a big deal. The house is part of the ranch. It’s not even mine.”

“But it comes with your job as foreman.”

Vance had plans to have his own place soon. The dream might be pushed further into the future than he wanted, but he wasn’t giving up. He had the land, and the crop nearly ready to harvest, and soon he’d be able to build his house. He looked at Ana. Question was, would he ever have the girl?

“I can handle living here,” he said, wanting to change the subject. “I bet your sister would have a fit knowing I’m sleeping in her room.”

Yeah, and so close to me.
Ana suddenly remembered the kid who used to sleep in the barn.

“Like I said before, Colt should have never made you stay out in the barn,” she said.

Vance raised an eyebrow. “He didn’t make me stay anywhere.”

“A boy shouldn’t have to live with animals.”

“It wasn’t that bad. Really. My room was upstairs. It was a big area, and finished just like a regular house.”

“But you were a kid,” she insisted. “You needed adult supervision.”

“I was fourteen,” he told her. “Chet was close by. I had pretty much been living on my own for years. Though my mother left, my dad was around most of the time. I liked being at the ranch, because he wasn’t there taking a swing at me.” Vance glanced away. “It was heaven to have a warm bed, three square meals and clothes.”

Ana felt the tears building.

He gave a frustrated sigh. “Don’t you do that! Don’t go feeling sorry for me. I’ve had a good life here. Your father took me in, helped me learn about horses and cattle. He gave me a chance at a good life, Ana. So just drop this.”

Seeing her frown, he quickly changed to another topic. “I heard you worked pretty hard today.”

“Isn’t that what you wanted? There was a list.”

He folded his arms over his chest. “I post a list every day, but I didn’t expect you to do it all.”

“I want to help out.”

“You don’t need to go overboard, Ana. There are men who get paid to do the job.”

“You can’t expect me to sit around and do nothing.”

He hesitated. “Then how about taking a ride with me this afternoon? I need to help with the herd.”

She was excited. “You’re not just making the trip up for me?”

He shook his head. “I don’t have time for that. I wouldn’t have come in, except I needed to get my clothes out of the house. I’d planned to go back out after lunch. You can come along or not.” He went back to putting clothes away in the dresser.

“I’ll come,” she agreed.

“Then let’s have some lunch and go.”

She smiled, and he found there was nothing sweeter.

* * *

There was nothing like the view of the mountains and feeling the cool breeze against her cheeks as she raced across the pasture. Blondie loved to run, so Ana gripped the horse’s mane and let her have her lead through the high grass.

She glanced over her shoulder and saw Vance on Rusty only a slight distance behind her. He could easily catch her, but she was glad he allowed her the freedom to do her thing.

Finally, he rode up beside her and pointed toward the pasture, where cattle dotted the landscape.

“Fun is over, it’s time to go to work,” he called to her.

Ana pulled back on the reins and her mount slowed. They approached the herd of Hereford cows with their babies, and she immediately heard the calves bawling. She smiled at the familiar sound, and inhaled the scents of cattle and fresh grass.

Vance closed the space between them. “You ride in with the herd. I need to check for strays.”

With her nod, Vance kicked Rusty’s sides and they took off after an errant yearling. Ana couldn’t help but smile, seeing the gelding react like a pro cutting horse. She knew Vance had entered Rusty in many competitions.

The horse and rider were putting on a show now. They headed off the calf, and a dance of wills began between the equine and cow, until Vance managed to direct the little guy back to the herd and his mama.

Ana walked Blondie along with the herd, careful not to startle any of the cows. Vance soon fell in beside her.

“Pretty impressive work.”