fun in the easy give and take of conversation.
If not for the intense looks Clint Chavez tossed her way every now and then, the evening would have been perfect.
She wondered if anyone else caught the tendrils of heat simmering between them or the invisible lightning snapping in the air. She made sure to sit as far from him as possible when they were having drinks and on the opposite side of the table when they ate.
But the sexual awareness was still there. Oh, yeah. It was very hard to miss it. At least for her.
They sat outside with ice cold beer after dinner, watching the last of the sunset. But when the sky darkened and the first stars began to shine like tiny crystals, she pushed herself out of her chair.
“I hate to be the party pooper,” she said, “but tomorrow will come very early for me. I’ve got as cow ready to calve and two young bulls to cut from the herd to begin training.”
She looked at the Wrights. “I feel terrible dragging you away so early. I really should have driven myself.”
“I’ll drive you.” Clint’s gaze was so intense it practically burned a hole through her. The invisible danger sign on his forehead was flashing bright red.
“I…oh…that is, maybe I could just borrow one of the ranch trucks here?” She glanced at Reece.
Before Reece could answer, Clint was already on his feet.
“I need to get going anyway. No reason to borrow a truck.”
He was beside her in a moment, his fingers gentle but firm on her arm. “I’m happy to drive you. No problem.”
Flustered, she looked at the four people still seated. She could have sworn each of them was having trouble concealing a grin, but maybe it was just her imagination. Self-consciously, she smiled. “Thank you so much for inviting me.”
She looked at Reece and Katie. “Everything was delicious, and I really enjoyed myself.”
“We’ll do it again,” Katie assured her.
Then she turned to the Wrights. “And thanks to you for picking me up. That was kind of you.”
“A pleasure,” Alex assured her.
“I’ll call you during the week,” Liz said. “I’d love to come by and take a look at what you’re doing. And maybe you could spend a day at the Lucky L.”
“That would be great.”
And it really would. Friends. She hadn’t had any real female friends for longer than she could remember. On the rodeo circuit, there was usually either the buckle bunnies or the competitors. Not too many of the wives traveled, and the ones who did were a tight knit circle she hadn’t quite been able to break into.
“Thanks,” Clint said, nodding at everyone. Then he gently tugged her in the direction of the parking area.
The SUV he drove was a big one, but when they were both buckled into the front seat, Montana suddenly felt as if there wasn’t enough space. As if all the air had been sucked out and replaced with such intense sexual heat she was afraid she’d burn alive. She gave him the simple directions to find the MS Ranch, but then her brain seemed to blank.
Desperately she scrabbled in for something to say. Anything.
But it was Clint who broke the conversational impasse.
“How are you settling in at the ranch? Reece tells me you’re really busy there.”
Ah. Good. Safe territory.
“Yes. It’s breeding time so were busy drawing semen straws and implanting the cows.” A flush crept up her cheeks.
Should she be talking about breeding and semen with this man? “Um…and we’re just beginning the training program for the young bulls.” There. That was a safe topic.
“Sounds interesting. I’ve read about it, the mechanical riders and all.” He glanced sideways at her. “I’d like to come and visit sometime. That is, if you let strangers take the tour.”
“All the time. That’s one of the ways we get new clients.”
Silence again.
Talk, Montana. Think of something.
Again it was Clint who broke the silence. “I hope you’ve been satisfied with the facilities at Rawhide.”
“Yes. Thank you.
If not for the intense looks Clint Chavez tossed her way every now and then, the evening would have been perfect.
She wondered if anyone else caught the tendrils of heat simmering between them or the invisible lightning snapping in the air. She made sure to sit as far from him as possible when they were having drinks and on the opposite side of the table when they ate.
But the sexual awareness was still there. Oh, yeah. It was very hard to miss it. At least for her.
They sat outside with ice cold beer after dinner, watching the last of the sunset. But when the sky darkened and the first stars began to shine like tiny crystals, she pushed herself out of her chair.
“I hate to be the party pooper,” she said, “but tomorrow will come very early for me. I’ve got as cow ready to calve and two young bulls to cut from the herd to begin training.”
She looked at the Wrights. “I feel terrible dragging you away so early. I really should have driven myself.”
“I’ll drive you.” Clint’s gaze was so intense it practically burned a hole through her. The invisible danger sign on his forehead was flashing bright red.
“I…oh…that is, maybe I could just borrow one of the ranch trucks here?” She glanced at Reece.
Before Reece could answer, Clint was already on his feet.
“I need to get going anyway. No reason to borrow a truck.”
He was beside her in a moment, his fingers gentle but firm on her arm. “I’m happy to drive you. No problem.”
Flustered, she looked at the four people still seated. She could have sworn each of them was having trouble concealing a grin, but maybe it was just her imagination. Self-consciously, she smiled. “Thank you so much for inviting me.”
She looked at Reece and Katie. “Everything was delicious, and I really enjoyed myself.”
“We’ll do it again,” Katie assured her.
Then she turned to the Wrights. “And thanks to you for picking me up. That was kind of you.”
“A pleasure,” Alex assured her.
“I’ll call you during the week,” Liz said. “I’d love to come by and take a look at what you’re doing. And maybe you could spend a day at the Lucky L.”
“That would be great.”
And it really would. Friends. She hadn’t had any real female friends for longer than she could remember. On the rodeo circuit, there was usually either the buckle bunnies or the competitors. Not too many of the wives traveled, and the ones who did were a tight knit circle she hadn’t quite been able to break into.
“Thanks,” Clint said, nodding at everyone. Then he gently tugged her in the direction of the parking area.
The SUV he drove was a big one, but when they were both buckled into the front seat, Montana suddenly felt as if there wasn’t enough space. As if all the air had been sucked out and replaced with such intense sexual heat she was afraid she’d burn alive. She gave him the simple directions to find the MS Ranch, but then her brain seemed to blank.
Desperately she scrabbled in for something to say. Anything.
But it was Clint who broke the conversational impasse.
“How are you settling in at the ranch? Reece tells me you’re really busy there.”
Ah. Good. Safe territory.
“Yes. It’s breeding time so were busy drawing semen straws and implanting the cows.” A flush crept up her cheeks.
Should she be talking about breeding and semen with this man? “Um…and we’re just beginning the training program for the young bulls.” There. That was a safe topic.
“Sounds interesting. I’ve read about it, the mechanical riders and all.” He glanced sideways at her. “I’d like to come and visit sometime. That is, if you let strangers take the tour.”
“All the time. That’s one of the ways we get new clients.”
Silence again.
Talk, Montana. Think of something.
Again it was Clint who broke the silence. “I hope you’ve been satisfied with the facilities at Rawhide.”
“Yes. Thank you.
Similar Books
