From This Moment On (5 page)

She moved a little closer to him, which kicked his heart rate up. He kept kneading and rubbing her soft warm skin and by the time they reached the stable, she’d started to relax. They hadn’t made it inside yet when one of the horses whickered and she went stiff again. She stopped, probably would’ve jerked away if he hadn’t been caressing the back of her neck. The pulse below her jaw beat wildly.

“Wait right here, okay?” Trace moved his hand to her chin and urged her to look up at him. “I’m going to make sure Lester is done brushing Diablo.”

“Who?”

“He’s a kid who works here.”

She stayed motionless, only her eyes moved to sweep a gaze inside the dim stable.

Trace didn’t want to let go. He’d give just about anything to let his fingers trail down to her collarbone, slip beneath the scooped neckline. Just a little...he only wanted to feel more skin. Hell, he wanted more than that, but for now, what he cared about most was for her not to be afraid.

“Nikki?” He waited for her to look at him. Her eyes were black and filled with so much fear it sliced into his confidence. Maybe this wasn’t the right thing to do. He was good with horses. Everyone assumed he was good with women. And mostly he was...flirting was easy. But he’d never been tested when it really counted. “Can you trust me? I’m not going to let anything happen to you.”

She stared into his eyes and moistened her lips. Taking in a deep breath, she lifted her hand, and he expected her to push him away. She held on to his wrist. “No offense. I don’t trust anyone.”

Trace smiled. That wasn’t entirely true but if that’s what she wanted to believe...

Her grip on his wrist tightened. “Does Matt know?”

“Not from me.”

“Whatever happens in there, don’t tell him.”

Now he knew he’d screwed up. Lester was inside. The kid might talk. “I won’t say a word. Will you wait here? I’ll be right back.”

She nodded, her gaze still locked with his, and he wanted to kiss her. Right here, where the sunlight glistened off those soft full lips and glowed from her golden skin. Fear slowly faded from her eyes replaced by something that looked suspiciously like it could be trust. Whatever it was it stopped his foolish thoughts and he let her go before his good sense ended up in the dust.

* * *

N
IKKI
WATCHED
T
RACE
disappear into the cavernous stable. Along with him went her short-lived confidence. That she couldn’t fully appreciate the breadth of his shoulders or the muscular definition of his back told her how out of control her fear had grown. Back at the porch when she couldn’t smell and hear the animals, she’d been real clear that she wanted him with his shirt off. Now all she could think about was whether or not to run.

He wouldn’t force her to get too close to the horses, and even if he tried she’d refuse. But what if being in a stable made everything worse? Oh, she really did believe Trace wouldn’t let any harm come to her, but she also believed that the horses could sense she was terrified. If facing her terror head-on didn’t work, it would be murder living on the Lone Wolf. Maybe she could find an apartment in town. Sadie would know...

From deep inside the stable someone was walking toward her. Not Trace, but a shorter, huskier guy. He was young, she saw when he stepped out of the shadows, his hair lighter. Had to be the guy Trace mentioned. Already she’d forgotten his name.

“Hi,” he said as he got closer, eyeing her with curiosity.

“Hey.” She hugged herself, doing her share of sizing him up as he passed, checking for signs of evil-horse attack.

She casually angled to her left to inspect him from the back. His clothes weren’t torn and there was no blood. He wasn’t limping. All good to know.

“Nikki?”

She must’ve jumped three feet in the air before she spun toward Trace. “God, scare the hell out of me, why don’t you?”

He raised both hands, palms out. “Sorry.”

Okay, for the moment she could appreciate his chest. It was mostly smooth, just a faint dusting of hair between his brown nipples.

“You ready?”

“I guess.” She sucked in as much air as she could manage and wiped her damp palms down the front of her jeans.

“Good. Keep taking deep breaths.”

“If I tell you I have to leave then I’m leaving. Period.”

“Got it.”

“It does not mean I’m opening the subject for negotiation.”

“Glad you cleared that up.”

She swung a look at him. “I’m serious.”

“Me, too. You women seem to think everything requires a discussion.”

Nikki gaped at him, then noticed they’d advanced several feet inside. Bales of hay were stacked in the corner. On a railing three saddles sat in a row. The scent of leather and weirdly, soap, was strong. “Are you purposely being an ass to distract me?”

“Think about it. You ask a guy if he wants to stop for a drink, and he says yes or no. A man asks a woman the same question and what does he get?— ‘Oh, I don’t know, isn’t it too late? What do you think?’” He’d raised his pitch to mimic a feminine voice and Nikki almost laughed.

“That’s not true,” she said. “And it’s sexist.”

He finger-combed back his dark hair, and frowned as if giving the matter serious thought. “You’re probably right about it being sexist, but I swear to God it’s true.”

“Really? Ask me again about going to Kalispell and see what I have to say.”

Trace grinned and caught her hand. “I wish we were at the Sundance. Then I’d know all the horses’ names.”

She slowly looked to her left. They were standing in front of the first stall, but she didn’t remember walking this far in.

The horse looked at her with its ears pricked forward.

Nikki moved closer to Trace. “Is it male or female?”

“She’s a mare. You might hear someone refer to her as a roan. That’s for the color. The paint over there might be referred to as a pinto.”

“I won’t touch her,” Nikki said, watching the mare’s nose strain over the stall door. “Any of them.”

“I wouldn’t let you. I don’t know these horses. We’re just having a look.” He slid his arm around her shoulders and she leaned into him as they kept walking.

Despite the fact that he’d been working in the sun and sweating, he smelled nice. Very masculine. Very different. Whatever combination made up his scent it was a turn-on. She almost forgot they were surrounded by horses. For a second she considered sliding her arm around his waist but didn’t. It would be crazy to let this turn into something else. This was perfect. She had an excuse for the clammy palms and racing heart. No need for Trace to know he was partly responsible. The fiery tingle low in her belly was all him.

He rubbed her arm. “Maybe some day when you’re at the Sundance helping Rachel and Jamie I’ll take you to our stable.”

“You’re never there when I am.” She bit her lip, wishing she hadn’t admitted she’d noticed his absence.

“I figured you were trying to avoid me.”

“I only go over to cover for Rachel when she’s busy with Matt or if Jamie calls.”

“Ah. I won’t take it personally then.”

She didn’t have to look to know he was grinning. She much preferred keeping her eye on the stalls as they walked by. A horse at the back made an angry sound. “Gee, don’t tell me...that’s Diablo.”

“He’s still getting used to being penned in.”

“Maybe we should turn around.”

“You’ve trusted me this far. Give me five minutes. You can stand as far back as you want.”

“The next county?” She sighed. “Five minutes.” Neither of them wore a watch. So what? She’d know when it was time to make a run for it.

They got to the last stall, and Trace took his arm from around her shoulders. She moved back as he stood at the stall and stroked the horse’s neck.

“Mustangs have a reputation for being harder to tame and train than other breeds. They’re innately suspicious of humans.”

“So he was wild when Matt bought him?”

“Someone else had him for a short while, but they couldn’t handle him.”

It had taken Trace about three hours. She’d watched him from her window, awed by his patience, never speaking above a whisper. The horse had responded fairly quickly all things considered.

“See this black hair rimming his ear? We call them black points.” Trace stayed focused on the stallion, murmuring things she couldn’t hear. She was beginning to think he’d forgotten about her when he said, “I have a proposition for you, Nikki.”

“What’s that?” she asked, suspicious when his gaze remained on the horse.

“Let me teach you to ride.”

“Diablo?”

“No.” The corners of his mouth quirked, but he kept the smile in check. “I have a Sundance mare in mind.”

She didn’t care if it was a pony. “Why? What’s the point?”

“You live on a ranch. It’ll be easier when you see you have nothing to fear.”

“I’ve been doing just fine by staying in my own corner.”

“You’re also missing out. Horses are terrific animals.” Trace met her eyes. “Come on, Nikki, give me a shot.”

Breathing in deeply, she turned her gaze to the stallion, and watched Trace stroke its velvety neck. “Okay,” she said, the word nearly sticking in her throat. She hated feeling afraid...of anything.

5

T
HE
NEXT
DAY
Trace waited for Nikki at the agreed upon spot, a grassy field between the Lone Wolf and the Sundance. It was the perfect place because she could easily access it by truck, and yet they’d have privacy.

He’d brought Gypsy, a sweet bay mare that was a guest favorite because of her gentle disposition. She rarely spooked and she was also on the small side, a good size for Nikki to control. Not that he expected her to climb in the saddle right away. She had to get to know Gypsy first and let confidence squeeze out some of the fear.

Damn, he hoped she hadn’t changed her mind. He glanced at his watch. She was only five minutes late. Nothing to sweat over. He thought he’d given her good directions but he might’ve taken a turn or two for granted. There weren’t many landmarks out here.

He checked his phone to make sure she hadn’t called him to cancel, relieved to see he didn’t have a voice mail. It wouldn’t have shocked him if she’d had second thoughts, but she wouldn’t leave him dangling. A moment later he heard the truck, and through the aspens and spruces, saw flashes of chrome reflecting the sunlight.

Gypsy barely reacted. The mare was used to the sound of vehicles around the Sundance, but he stroked her neck, passing his calm energy to her. Then Nikki parked and climbed out of the truck in tight jeans and there went his composure. He was still fine on the outside, it was just his pulse that seemed to be headed for a finish line. Gypsy danced a bit to the side, but he held on to the reins and hoped Nikki hadn’t seen the nervous step.

She walked toward him, her gaze fixed on the mare, her hands restless until she buried them in her front pockets. “Hey.”

“You have any trouble finding the road?”

“Only one wrong turn.” She finally met his eyes. “FYI, it’s not a road.”

He smiled. “It’s gotten overgrown since I was here last. Gypsy and I rode over the grass a few times to make a trail for you.”

“She’s a bay,” Nikki said, stopping a fair distance away and eyeing the mare as if she were an opponent in a boxing match. “I did some checking online so I’d know what I was getting myself into.”

“Good for you doing your own research. The more you know what to expect, the better.” He could stare at her sexy pink mouth and almond-shaped eyes all day, so he turned back to Gypsy before he forgot what he was supposed to be doing. “She’s about the best tempered horse I know. Josh and I use her to give riding lessons to the guests. Come closer. She wants to meet you.”

Nikki seemed to favor close-fitting stretchy shirts with necklines that dipped just low enough to make a man itch. He’d seen her wear four different colors. Today’s was yellow. And with the deep breaths she was taking, he’d have to watch himself. It didn’t help that he’d spent too long in the shower wondering how those lips would feel....

“I have to admit, she does have a sweet face.” Nikki stepped closer. “You’re holding on to her, right?”

“I am. Honestly I don’t need to, but we’re gonna take our time, let you two get acquainted for a while.”

She nodded, eyes only for Gypsy. “I’m not sure what I’m supposed to do.”

“As soon as you’re comfortable, you keep moving closer. Remember what I told you yesterday about a horse’s ears?”

“Yes, forward means friendly or curious. And I’m trying to keep my voice quiet and even.”

Trace smiled. “You’re doing fine.”

“Oh, the other thing I read was that quarter horses are good horses to use to teach someone to ride.”

“That’s partly true, I suppose, but more important, the horse should be used to beginners. Also important is that I know the horse well.” He pulled off his right glove. “You can get online and read for hours, but it comes down to whether you trust me or not.”

Her lips parted and she tore her gaze away from the mare to look at him. “I do,” she said softly.

They were only talking about a horse and riding lessons, for Christ’s sake. No reason for his chest to tighten. “Good.” Obviously he’d been looking into those pretty brown eyes too long. He switched his focus to Gypsy. “Makes it easier all the way around.”

“I’m coming closer now.”

He didn’t want to make her more nervous by watching her inch forward, but he’d never met anyone this scared of a horse before. She wasn’t faking like some of the guests had done to get his attention. Her face was pale and if he touched her hand he’d bet it would be ice-cold. She stopped after three steps.

“Nikki?” He moved away from Gypsy to get closer to Nikki, but the mare went with him making her retreat. “Sorry. My fault.” He tethered Gypsy to a shrub, then went to Nikki.

Her eyes locked on the loose tie. “Will that hold her?”

“She’ll stay right where she is. That really was my fault.” He pulled off his other glove before he reached for her. “What are you afraid will happen?”

“I—I’m not sure.” She frowned at his fingers wrapping around her upper arm. His thumb almost touched his middle finger. The sassy mouth and tempting curves made him forget how small she really was.

“I’m not going to force you to do anything, so you can relax.”

She smiled a little. “You’re treating me like Diablo. Letting me get used to your touch.”

“Something like that.”

Her lashes lifted and her eyes looked every bit as enticing as her body. “Why?”

“So we can approach Gypsy together.” He put an arm around her shoulders, and held her against his side. And then ordered himself to calm the hell down. Finding out he was getting hard wouldn’t ease her mind.

“Okay,” she said, her body stiff.

“You’re short. I think you’re afraid the horse might lunge forward and overpower you.”

“Maybe. Yeah.”

“I still have a free hand to block her, but it won’t be necessary. Think this might help?” he asked, feeling her start to relax. “Two to one, plus I’m taller than Gypsy.”

“I was thinking a stool, but yes, this—”

The mare stepped closer. Nikki grabbed his hand and pulled his arm across her middle like a shield. Leaning into his side she tried to move them backward.

“You’re okay,” he said, his arms circling her protectively. Not wanting to lose ground, he slipped behind her, holding her against his chest, ignoring her death grip on his forearm. “Gypsy was probably curious, that’s all.”

She nodded, her gaze trained on the mare, her fingers digging deeper into his muscle. Her hair smelled like a beach drink, something with coconut and vanilla in it. The soft shiny strands caught on his roughened chin, though he’d shaved early this morning. He should’ve been more thoughtful and waited until just before he came to meet her. Taking another pleasant whiff, he vaguely reasoned that needing a razor didn’t play into any part of today’s—

Shit.

He froze in sheer panic, though he obviously wasn’t panicked enough. She was too short for her ass to be a strategic hit to his fly, but her lower back was doing a fine job. He had an erection the size of a national monument.

“Hey, you know...” He moved so that they weren’t touching, caught her shoulders when she lost her footing. “A stool is a good idea.” He couldn’t let her turn around and see him like this, let her think his motives for bringing her out here were anything but aboveboard. “I’ll get one and you can keep it in your truck for next time.”

Dammit all to hell. He rushed past her, afraid there wasn’t enough cold water in the whole state of Montana to cool him down.

* * *

“T
RACE
.” N
IKKI
UNDERSTOOD
the problem. What she didn’t know was whether she should admit it or try to act as if she hadn’t noticed. If she came clean, she risked the chance that this innocent and very sweet overture on Trace’s part would turn into something that couldn’t be undone. Because she was turned on, too. How could she not be?

She knew what was under that brown T-shirt. And he had strong muscled arms that made her feel protected and safe—which was juvenile, because she knew better, from personal experience. A man could use his good looks and charm to make a woman believe promises he had no intention of honoring.

To be fair to Trace, he was slowly proving that maybe she’d been too quick to judge him. He had sides to him she hadn’t expected. In his own subtle way, Matt had tried to tell her there was more to Trace. But as much as she had grown to love her brother, when it came to men, she trusted her own instincts over anyone else’s. Right now, though, she was a little shaky in that department.

“Trace.”

“Yep.” He was keeping his back to her and stroking Gypsy’s neck.

Nikki had no desire to get in the mare’s space or to embarrass him, so she stayed back a few feet. “Thank you for taking time away from your work to do this for me. Gypsy, I want to thank you, too.”

He smiled at her over his shoulder, then frowned and leaned into the mare, his ear close to her muzzle. “What’s that?” He drew back, looking annoyed and glaring at poor Gypsy. “I’ve warned you about your manners.”

Nikki laughed. “Okay... What did she say?”

“‘Talk is cheap. Where’s my damn apple.’”

“You’re nuts.”

“Yeah, Gypsy said that, too.” He was still smiling when he moved to unfasten the saddlebag.

She knew he couldn’t still be hard or he’d be turned away, but she had to look. Not quite normal yet, though not nearly as impressive as five minutes ago. She almost sighed. Such a waste.

Gypsy had to know what was coming. Stretching her neck, she turned to watch him pull out her treat.

“I’m not sure why, but I’m surprised you feed her apples.”

“I don’t usually.” He shrugged. “Sometimes I let a guest give her one. I thought you might like to.”

“Um, I—I—” She ended in a soft whimper.

“Not now. I’d hoped we’d get a little further.” He gave the glossy red apple to Gypsy, who chomped down on it. Wow, she had big teeth. “Maybe next time,” he said. “You still game to try again?”

“Tomorrow?”

He shook his head. “Maybe the day after. I’ve got something going on in the morning and can’t predict when I’ll be done.”

She’d bet it had something to do with the guests, which shouldn’t matter to her. And it didn’t...not at all...

Now that she thought about it, he hadn’t flirted with her once. Not like he did at the bar. The hard-on didn’t count. It was a natural physical reaction and he’d run from it.

Huh.

“You know I don’t have to leave yet,” she said. “Unless you do.”

“No, I planned on us spending a couple hours out here. What time do you have to be at Sadie’s?”

“Around five.”

“You going straight there?”

She nodded. “I’m not hot and sweaty so I don’t need to go home first.”

He gazed up at the passing cloud cover, adjusting his hat to protect his eyes. “It feels nice in the shade.”

“Yes, it does.”

Silence stretched, and she didn’t understand why it suddenly seemed awkward between them. They’d moved past the embarrassing hard-on thing easily. Was he disappointed that she hadn’t made much progress with Gypsy? She really had, she thought, staring at the mare who seemed to be looking for another snack. Standing here with no wall separating her and the horse was progress. And she hadn’t had a single moment of pure dread, imagining evil lurking behind Gypsy’s soft chocolate-brown eyes. Maybe she should explain that to him.

“I meant to—”

“This is the—”

They looked at each other, not smiling, just staring. It figured they’d both speak at once. And now nothing.

“I’ll go first,” Trace said. “I want to get it off my chest. If I overstepped earlier, I’m sorry.”

“You didn’t. It never crossed my mind that you had. Here I’m worrying that I disappointed you.”

“What?” His brows rose in disbelief. “You’re doing great. Ever think you’d get this close to a horse outside of a stall or corral?”

Nikki smiled. “I was going to point that out to you.”

“Don’t you worry, darlin’, I’m paying attention.”

Her mood deflated. “I really don’t like you calling me that.” She watched him frown and fidget with the brim of his Stetson. He called guests darlin’ all the time. Especially if he’d forgotten the woman’s name. She wouldn’t explain why it bothered her. But she refused to be part of the herd. He could figure it out for himself. Or not. As long as he stopped.

“I won’t do it anymore.”

“Okay, then we’re good.” She patted her pockets for her keys, then remembered she’d left them in the ignition.

“If you’re feeling edgy because of Wallace, we can wait on your lessons.”

“I don’t give a damn about the man, and you know it.” That he would say something so stupid pissed her off. Why was everyone trying to make her feel guilty for not caring? She had no reason to feel anything but contempt.

“Doesn’t matter if you care or not. He’s sick and dying right there in the house. The atmosphere changes. For everyone.” He kept looking at her, even when she glared back. “I bet the hands living in the bunkhouse who can’t stand him are affected. That’s the way it goes.”

“What do you know about it?”

“It’s been twelve years but I damn well remember what it was like when my dad died.”

“No, you don’t understand. Everyone loved your dad.” Nikki regretted her childish tone the second she heard her own voice. But Trace didn’t get it. People spoke Gavin McAllister’s name with reverence.

“He was a great man. The best man I’ve ever known,” Trace said, turning to pet Gypsy. “He was a fair employer. And a good father, though I might’ve argued that point a few times when I was fourteen and getting grounded every month.” He smiled a little. “But to say everyone loved him? That’s stretching it. Dad had some zero-tolerance rules about conduct on the ranch and if the line got crossed, there were no exceptions. Some guys didn’t see that as being fair. He’d had his share of getting flipped off behind his back. But once my dad was too sick to get out and work alongside the men, the whole mood around the place changed.

“Even my friends didn’t want to come over and play pool. For months Dad was confined to his bed, so nobody saw him. Just the family and the nurse who’d come out to check on him and bring pain meds. It’s not only about knowing he’s upstairs suffering, but looking around while you do everyday things and recognizing his absence. Lucy’s feeling it, so is Matt, I guarantee you. And that’s bound to affect you.”