Forever's Affection (Forever In Luck Series Book 3) (3 page)

Jake
started laughing and her eyes zeroed in on him.
“In your
time?
You’re not that old.”

Looking
down to the ground, she put a hand to the brim of her cowboy hat and pushed it
back some, then looked solidly at Jake. Kris swallowed again, deciding she had
the most interesting eyes, a piercing stormy blue-gray,
silver
almost.

“Well,
let’s just get straight to it, why don’t we? I know how this works, from a
small town myself. I’m twenty four. Was on a horse before I even knew how to
walk, been dealing with horses and cattle ever since. Lived on a ranch, raised
and taught most of what I know by ranch hands and professionals. I’m known
throughout Wyoming for my horsemanship. I’m single, never been married, and
have no plans to be. Ever,” she spat. “I’m here, staying at the Luck-E as a
favor, and my job and talent is in training horses. Which by the way, I’m
missing one, had some fence down myself. Wonder if we can look
around,
see if it made its way over here.”

Straight and to the point, and wanting
nothing to do with men.
Of course he’d want
her,
she revved his engine like no other. Kris felt like walking over and banging
his head on the side of the barn. What the hell, women threw themselves at him
all the time and he wasn’t interested but for one
thing,
and then there’s this one that wants nothing to do with men, and his mind says
too bad, you’re mine. Go figure. He heard his dad answer her.

“For
sure, absolutely, take a look around, no problem.”

With
that, she made a little yip and her dog happily jumped to attention. Then
giving a command, the dog took off like a bullet, running back down the way
they’d come.

Looking
back to his dad, her disposition softened. “I’m in need of some hay and some
muscle. You know anyone who’d be willing to sell me some?”

His
dad nodded. “We can probably help you out. How about you go look for your
horse, and then come back in about two hours. We’ll be done milking by then.
Let us feed you some breakfast, welcome you to the neighborhood, and thank you
for your help this morning. We’ll iron out the details at that time.”

A
loud ruckus of barking started off in the distance and she smiled widely. That
was one nice smile, Kris thought. Whistling for her horse that had grazed away,
it instantly came trotting her direction. Watching as she ran alongside the
trotting horse, she took hold of the saddle horn, gave a hop and a leap, and
was up in the saddle in a flash, her spurs jangling the whole time. Reaching,
she took her lasso from its hold, and Kris nearly groaned aloud. He so wanted
to see her use that lasso, bad. With the horse’s reins in one hand and the
lasso in the other, she looked over her shoulder towards the barking. “Sounds
like Coco found Ricochet. Damn good dog.” Turning back to them, she asked, “Can
I bring anything?”

His
dad shook his head. “Just you, bring you. We’d love to have you come eat with
us.”

“Alrighty
then, see you in two.” With that, she gave her horse a little click and a kick,
rounded the yard gathering momentum, then
hurdled
the
fence and took off down the hill at a gallop. Unable to move, Kris stood
watching her retreating form. This was a whole new breed of woman, he thought,
and he was most definitely up to doing a little “how do you do” with her.

Nik
clapped him on the shoulder. “Come on Casanova, let’s get the milking done.
Then you can get to the house and get a shower in. You look like you just
rolled out of bed after having had sex, which I presume you did because you got
a big ole hickey on your neck.”

Narrowing
his eyes on his smartass of a brother, he answered him with warning. “I’ll kick
your ass if you’re screwing with me.”

Nik
shrugged his shoulders and laughed. “Front and center, and flashing like a neon
sign.”

That
explained why his dad and Linnie had given him a hard time. Well, it had been
two thirty in the morning too, and his shirt had been on inside out. Damn it,
just his luck. Meet the most interesting woman he’d ever seen, and he had the
mark of another female on him. Turning, he headed for the barn.

CHAPTER 2

Showered
and changed
Dani,
drove out of the driveway of the
Luck-E, reflecting on her earlier visit to the farm. Holstein
cows,
cared for, about a thousand from the size of the newer
built barn, good condition farm, plenty of land, lots of haying pastures, and
abundant muscle from the looks of the men. The two brothers who’d spoken, no
problem, the one was
married,
she knew that from
meeting the little woman the day before. The other, flirty and loud, and
obvious as the day is long. She could handle him, no
problemo
.
It was the tall silent one she wasn’t so sure about. She felt a knot in her
stomach with that one. He was like a bull, waiting and watching, and if there
was one thing she knew, it was that the gentle, docile bulls were the most
dangerous.

Pulling
into the farmyard, she parked in front of the house and went to the door. Just
as she was about to knock, the door swung open. It was the flirty one standing
there, smiling from ear to ear.

“Come
on in, Danielle,” he said with amusement, as he stepped aside with a flourish.
“The kitchen is up the stairs and straight ahead.”

Grrr
, he did that on
purpose, she thought annoyed. Giving him no choice, she looked him in the eye
and said in no uncertain terms, “Call me Dani.” Stepping in the house, she
slipped off her boots and went up. Walking in the kitchen, she was greeted by
the one she met yesterday, Jules.

“Hi
Dani, come on in, have a seat here.” Jules patted a chair near the end of the
table. “We’re so glad to have you with us. You found your horse, did you?”

Dani
nodded. “I did, and had enough time to get the fence up enough for now.”

The
guys walked in and took seats around the table. Of course, the tall, silent one
took a seat next to her. That knot in her stomach gave a good yank.

“I
hope you like
pannekoekens
,” Jules said, “because
that’s what I’m making. It’s one of the favorites around here. Kris requests
them all the time.”

Which
one was Kris again? She shrugged her shoulders. “Can’t say I’ve ever heard of
them, so I’m not rightly sure if I like them or not.”

“Oh-ho,
you’ve been missing out,” the flirty one said, giving her a wink.

Not
impressed, she ignored him.

“You’re
in for a real treat then,” Jules answered. “They’re also called Dutch pancakes.
They’re large and puffy, and have wonderful things on them.”

“Sounds
good, just the way I like my pancakes. Can I do something to help?” She prayed
not. Lord
help
them all if she said yes.

Jules
shook her head. “No, I’m good, wait till you see them come out of the oven.
They’re no ordinary pancake. You like coffee or tea?”

Well
she dodged a bullet there. She really was in luck. “Coffee, please, black as
pitch and thick as tar if you got it.”

They
all chuckled.

“Coming
up,” Karl said, stepping to the coffee pot, pouring her a cup and handing it to
her. “Need cream or sugar?”

Reaching,
she took the cup. “What, and ruin a perfectly good cup of coffee?” She shook
her head.

More
chuckles as they all stared at her.

“Thank
you, by the way,” she answered, holding up the cup and nodding, then bringing
it to her lips, she took a large drink of the steaming hot liquid. “Perfect,”
she muttered, when she felt the scorch all the way to her stomach. It burned so
much she couldn’t feel the knot anymore, talk about benefits. “All your cows
accounted
for,
or you still missing some? Coco can
find them if need be.”

“We’re
good,” Karl answered. “Thank you again.”

A
tired looking, dark haired, pregnant woman walked in, plopping in a chair with
a groan.

Karl
reached over and squeezed her hand. “This is my daughter, Linnie, and as you
can see we’re going to have a little one around here soon. She and her husband,
Nate, live here, but are building the house you passed on the way in. Nate and
his dad own and operate Sander’s Heating and Plumbing in Luck. Linnie, this is
Dani.”

Looking
over, Linnie gave her a halfway smile.
“Hey, Dani, nice to
meet you.
Been here long?”

Nodding
in acknowledgement of the welcome, she answered, “Arrived a day ago.”

“Oh
wow, we’re glad you’re here. You doing alright, finding everything you need?”

“Yes
and no,” Dani answered. “I need to find my way around first,
then
I’ll be good.”

Jules
put several bowls and plates full of food on the table and the guys went for
them, passing them around as they went. Preparing to take the plate stacked
high with meat as it came her way, the tall silent one, put a small piece of ham
on her plate, and began to pass it on to the flirty one.

“Hold
up there,” she said, grabbing her fork. Stabbing a nice, big, thick piece of
ham, she dropped it on her plate.

Next
came the pancake thing, looked damn tasty for sure, and he gave her a sliver.
What the hell? There were several of them on the table waiting to be eaten.
Looking up, she scowled at him.
“Stop.”
Picking up her
knife, she cut an ample piece, scooped it up and set it on her plate before he
passed it on.

When
the fruit came around, he just held the bowl and she took a large spoonful.
Next came the syrup, and as he held the pitcher over her plate, he stopped and
waited. Looking at him, she said, “Bring it on, all over, it all goes to the
same spot, and don’t be skimpy.” With that, he gave her the most dazzling smile
that reached all the way to his eyes, and she felt that knot in her stomach
tighten and grow about ten times its size. If it got much bigger she wouldn’t
have room for all the food she’d taken.

Last
was a bowl of fresh whipped cream, and as he tried to delicately place some on
her food it wouldn’t come of the spoon. “Slap it on there, big guy, I’m
hungry.”

There
were chuckles all around the table and he gave the spoon a firm snap of the
wrist as he grinned, finding humor in her words. The whipped cream slapped onto
the food with a splat.

“Perfect!”
she exclaimed, grabbing her fork and taking a big bite.

“What
is it you need help finding?” Linnie asked, breaking the ice again. “We’ll
point you in the right direction.”

Swallowing
the large bite of food, she used her napkin and answered, “First, let me say
the food’s great. Thank you. Second, I need to look at a map, see the lay of
the land,
then
I need to find feed and livestock
supplies, a tractor, sporting goods, and retail stores.”

The
married one, she presumed, because he was sitting next to Jules holding her
hand, sat up and said, “Now that the crops are in the ground, I’m sure Kris
could help you out, show you around. What do you say, Kris?”

Set
up, she thought, she could see it plain as day.

Tall,
silent next to her, took a deep breath and let it out. “Yeah, I suppose I
could.”

So
this was pancake loving Kris. She laughed inside, playing it cool are
ya
big guy. He had a deep voice and he did clean up nice,
she could say that much. “Don’t go putting yourself
out,
I’ve managed to find my way around a rock and a hard place before, no problem.”
She took another bite of her food.

“I
said I’d do it,” he answered curtly, as he briefly made eye contact then
glanced away annoyed.

Oh
man, he had nice brown eyes with full lashes, and she was taking none of his
guff. She shook her head. “No you didn’t, you said you supposed you could.” His
nostrils flared a little and she laughed inside. She’d been around men all her
life, she had his number in an instant, the Mr. I’m in charge,
we’ll
do things my way little woman or forget it kind.

The
tension crackled in the air around them and his gaze swung around to her. “I’d
love
to show you around,” he
exaggerated, between tight lips as his eyes penetrated her.

She
couldn’t just let his sarcasm go, now could she? Dani, why are you doing this,
she wondered. You’re calling his attention, you do not want his attention,
remember? “You sure about that?” she asked with a spark in her eye. His jaw
tightened, with the provocation. He was smoldering, and she wondered what he’d
do next.

Looking
directly into her eyes, he took the challenge, paused for a bit, then nodded
slowly without saying a word.

“Great!”
she said with enthusiasm, making a point of looking away, “I’ll take you up on
that. Know anyone who wants to pick up a few bucks for a few hours of work each
day, just till I get the ranch in working order?” she asked, briefly ignoring
him. Taking a bite of ham, she looked at the snickering faces around the table
with a smile, then back to him. He sat watching her mouth as she chewed.

He
nodded slightly. “I’ve got some time available each day.”

Oh
boy, here we go, she thought, he’d left that wide open. First, the in control
standoffishness, then the irritated don’t argue with me, followed by quaint
cynicism, and now the veiled intrigue. She needed to make this clear.
Swallowing her ham, she responded, “For work…right…time each day for
work
?” She’d caught him. “You
ever ridden
a horse?”

Staring
at her, he didn’t answer right away, being clearly fixed and trying to figure
this out. Eventually he shook his head.

“That’s
all right,” she said, with a wave of her fork, trying to lighten things up a
bit, before dropping the big one. “I won’t hold it against you. Can you handle
taking orders from a woman?”

His
mouth twitched and he held back a smile. “Yeah, I think I can manage.”

Mmhmm
,
right.
“Name your price?”

“What
if I said I was just being neighborly, help free of charge?”

Hold
up
hoss
, we got us a wolf in sheep’s clothing here.
“Then I’d say the deals off.”

He
nodded.
“Of course.
Well then, I’ll take whatever you
decide is fair.”

She
laughed to herself. What a gallant, going passive-aggressive and still trying
to gain control over this. Well, she was having none of that. “Alrighty then,
we’ll give it a shot. If either one of us is unhappy for any reason, the deals
off, no questions asked, no hard feelings. Agreed?” she asked with a smile, as
she held out her off hand as she had some toast in her right.

Pausing
for a moment, he stared at her hard, and she knew he’d gotten the message and
didn’t like it one bit. She was in charge and would throw him out on his ass if
he tried anything funny.

“Agreed.”

Reaching
over, he took her hand, shaking it, swallowing it up in that big, warm, grizzly
bear sized paw of his, and she felt that knot in her stomach turn to a dull
ache. This was a colossal mistake, she knew it,
the
man had a hickey on his neck for heaven’s sake. Well, looking on the bright
side of
things, that
could very well mean he was
taken, which would be perfect because she was so not interested in the effort.

“Today
then?” she asked optimistically, as she tried tugging her hand out of his grip.

Glancing
at her plate and smiling, happy to be back in control, he nodded. “Finish up
and we’ll get started.”

Tugging
on her hand a little harder, he wouldn’t let go.
“Ah, little
tough to do, big guy, when you won’t let go of my eating hand.”

His
eyes took on a humorous glint, pleased that she’d noticed. “You’re a southpaw
are you?”

“No,
I’m right minded.”

There
were snickers from around the table and he laughed, the rumble reaching all the
way to her core.

Letting
go of her hand, but not before he gave it a gentle squeeze, he tried again to
gain the upper hand between them. “Eat up, sugar,
then
we’ll go.”

She
bristled and sparks flew. “Call me that again, and you’ll go from being a bull
to a steer in under a minute.”

“
Whoohoo
!” the flirty one howled. “Go get him Dani.
Ding, ding, round two.”

“Shut
up, Nik,” Kris barked, as the two of them went head to head. His eyes narrowed
and his lips went tight. “Prickly little thing aren’t you?”

“As
a porcupine, and I’ve been called a lot of things, but little isn’t one of
them.”

“That’s
because it’s relative,” he answered, using it as an excuse to look her all over
before continuing, “and when next to me, you’re definitely little.”

Oh
boy, bad, way bad, she groaned inside. This had bad idea written all over it.

*****

Walking
up to the barn, Kris held the door open for Dani. Well, she allowed me to do
that, he thought to himself as she passed him. She was a feisty one, and it was
becoming crystal clear that she was going to require special handling. She was
a tough cookie, he had to give her credit for that, and she’d out maneuvered
him every step of the way. He sure the hell had a special knack for being taken
with the high maintenance ones, that was for damn sure.