It Had to Be You (47 page)

“I know it’s a bad time to go,” he said into her shoulder.

“We’ll manage.” She sat back on her heels. “Go do what you have to do.”

“A few days, that’s all. I’ll be back.”

“Just do what you have to do. We’ll be here waiting for you.”

Choked up, he nodded and went to the door. “Thanks,” he said to the wood. “You’re great to work for, and a friend, too. And not a bad kisser.”

She laughed and watched him go before letting the worry take over. He didn’t remember much from last night, and now she couldn’t help but wonder if with him gone, the odd little mysteries would end.

A few minutes later, Tucker came in, followed by Michael who’d come for a morning ride, which he often liked to do. She smiled at them wearily, not quite recovered from Stone’s news. “No more guests we have to baby-sit,” she told Tucker.

“Deal,” he said, watching her carefully. “Now tell me what’s wrong.”

“Stone’s gone for a little while.”

Tucker let out a breath. “To get help?”

“Tucker—”

“You can’t say.” He nodded. “I know.”

Michael handed her a cup of coffee and looked over her shoulder as she read over the forms for the incoming group, a bunch of novelists looking for a retreat and a chance to do some fun research.

“At least everyone’s ridden before.” Tucker joined in on flipping through the forms. “That’s good.”

“And they’re not young, idiot, keg-dwellers,” Michael noted. “Tucker filled me in on yesterday’s events.”

And he’d rushed right out here. Thankfully
after
Jake had left her cabin. She didn’t intend to hide anything from anyone, but nor did she want to flaunt a relationship she didn’t fully understand herself.

“We have two days before they get here.” She drew a deep breath. Stone would be okay, she assured himself. He would.

And so would she. She stood up, rolling her shoulders, stretching a little. She was stiff as a board, and would have liked to attribute that to riding through the storm after Smithy, but she knew the truth. It was from making love all night long with Jake.

“Sore?” Tucker asked, and her gaze flew to his.

He wasn’t looking at her, but down at the paperwork in his hands, so she had no idea what was going through his head. “No,” she said slowly. “I’m fine.”

His eyes met hers then, without judgment or cynism. “Stay that way,” he said simply.

“I plan to.”

Michael’s face was volleying back and forth between them. “What’s going on?”

“Besides the usual shit around here? Nothing.” But Tucker didn’t take his gaze off Callie’s.

“Well, the usual shit is enough to give me gray hair,” Michael said.

She patted his arm, surprised to find him so tense. Tense for her. The knowledge gentled her voice but she still had to say it. “I’m not going to ever be happy behind a bank desk, Michael. You’d be forced to fire me within a week.”

Tucker laughed. “A day.”

“Hey,” she said, but had to laugh, too.

Michael ignored their amusement. “I know you’d be so much happier if you’d just—”

“No.” She slipped her arm around him. “
You’d
be happier. I’m good here. At least for now. You’re going to have to face that.”

“Yeah.” But he didn’t look like that would be anytime soon.

“Jake’s meeting his real estate agent out here today,” Tucker said.

Callie looked at him in surprise. “So you and Jake are talking to each other?”

Tucker shrugged. “If you can’t beat ’em…”

“But he is selling,” Michael reminded them both. “Focus on that.”

“I wouldn’t have to if you’d finagle a loan for me,” Callie said.

“Cal…” Michael looked tortured. “I can’t do it unless you qualify on your own.”

“I know. It was only wishful thinking. Don’t worry, I’d never ask you to do anything to jeopardize you or Matt.”

“He’s my business partner and my best friend. I can’t just—”

“I thought
I
was your best friend,” she said, trying to lighten the mood, but given the look on his face she hadn’t succeeded. She smiled and pretended everything was okay. “Don’t worry. Maybe Jake’ll change his mind.”

He stared at her. “Say his name again.”

“What? Why?”

“You sighed when you said it, a dreamy kind of sigh.”

She felt her face flush. “I did not.”

“Oh my God.” His mouth fell open as the shock spread across his face. “I thought you were just playing around, flirting with the guy for something new and exciting, but he’s the one. The one who makes you tingle.”

“Michael—” She let out a laugh that didn’t sound so convincing. “Stop it.”

“You’re passing me over for him, a guy who’ll tear your heart out and stomp on your world. Are you already sleeping with him?”

Tucker looked pained. “Jesus, why don’t you just get right to the point?”

“Are you?”

“Last I checked, that was my business,” she said, but then rushed to snag his hand when he would have stormed out. “Michael, please, don’t be angry.”

“Angry?” He looked down at their conjoined hands. A spasm of hurt crossed his face. “That’s not quite it.” He shook his head then managed a smile though it didn’t reach his eyes. “I’ve got to get to work.”

“Michael—”

“I’m okay, Cal. And you will be, too.” But he didn’t look at her when he left.

She tried to maintain her composure but it slipped. “Damn.”

“He already knew you weren’t ever going to be his. He just needs to deal with it,” Tucker told her gently.

“Yeah.”

“I guess he thought that with Jake selling, he still had a shot.”

She sagged to her chair. Somehow, somewhere, she’d lost her anger about Jake selling, but a sorrow filled her, so much so that for a moment she couldn’t breathe. “How did this all get so out of control?”

He looked out the window, to where Amy was fussing with the vegetable garden, and shook his head.

“He can’t afford the ranch, Tucker,” she said quietly.

“I know that. Or we wouldn’t be in this position.”

“You know what I think?”

“No, but I have a feeling you’re going to tell me.”

“I think you’re starting to like him.”

“Yeah? Well, why don’t you look in the mirror, boss, because I’ve got the feeling you are, too.”

Callie stood there long after he’d left, trying that on for size. She and Jake…no doubt when they were together, they simultaneously combusted, both in bed and out of it. But could they really be more? He belonged hundreds of miles away, in a world so different from hers that she couldn’t imagine them meshing, couldn’t imagine him wanting them to.

Damn it. Why did it have to be so difficult? She didn’t want to yearn and ache like this, but even more than that, she didn’t want to yearn and ache like this for him. But not wanting it to be so changed nothing.

Fact was fact, and Tucker was right. She liked Jake. She liked him a hell of a lot.

T
ucker was in the horse corral working with Moe when Amy drove up in Callie’s Jeep and began unloading groceries. Tucker hopped the fence to help her.

“I can handle it,” she informed him in that lofty voice he was sure she thought scared people off, when in fact, it made him a little hot.

He scooped up four of the bags. “Sure you can, but why should you when I can help?”

“I’m fine.”

He smiled at her. “Yeah, you’re extremely fine.”

She had four bags in her arms, too, and she just stared at him. “Why do you say such things?”

“Because they’re true.”

“So you always speak the truth?”

“Always,” he said.

She started walking toward the house. He followed her. In the kitchen they set down the bags, and she turned to him. “I’m not like the girls you hang out with at the bars in Three Rocks.”

“Those girls are just friends.”

She shot him a disgusted look, and he laughed. “They are.” He moved close to help her empty out the bags. “We all hang out together, Eddie and Stone, too, and none of us really hook up, if that’s what you’re thinking.” Since he had no idea where to put the things he pulled out of the bag—fresh fruits and vegetables, meats—he just began stacking them all on the counters. “Wish you’d come with us sometime.”

“I wouldn’t fit in.”

“How do you know?”

“I know.” She turned away. “I’ve got stuff to do.”

“Come with me tonight.”

“I don’t date.”

“Then we’ll go out as friends, with the others.”

Her hands stilled. With a can of tomato sauce in each palm, she looked at him. “Not a date?”

“Just fun. A bunch of us. No pressure, no anything. You’ll eat, talk, smile…hell, you might even forget yourself and laugh.”

“I don’t know.”

“Think about it.”

“Maybe. You have to go now.”

“Why?”

“Because I can’t think when you’re in here.”

He grinned. “You know, I think that’s the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me.” Whistling, he strolled out of the kitchen, and spent the rest of the afternoon chopping wood, making sure to stay in view of Amy’s kitchen window as he did.

Amy shocked herself that night by going with Tucker into town. They sat in the Last Stop Bar and Grill with a bunch of his friends, laughing and talking and—she had to admit—having a decent time. She’d worn the least faded of her three pairs of jeans, and a new T-shirt she’d gotten with her last paycheck. The music rocked, the food was good, and she actually found herself smiling for no reason at all.

“Now
that’s
what I’ve been waiting for.” Tucker drew her to her feet and toward the dance floor. “Don’t forget you’re having a good time.”

“Oh no.” She dug in her heels. “I’m not having that good a time—Tucker!”

He let go of her hand and started dancing, if you could call arms flailing and legs dancing—good Lord, what was he doing with his legs? He was easily the worst dancer out there, and she clamped her hand over her mouth. Was he kidding?

“Come on.” He gestured she should do the same.

He wasn’t kidding.

Eddie was also out on the floor with two girls. The rest of the group they’d been sitting with was there, too, all dancing together, none quite as dorkily as Tucker, but no one seemed to care what they looked like, only that the music was good.

“If you think I look silly,” Tucker said over the music, “then you should see how you look just standing there with a scowl on your face.”

“I’m not scowling.” But she was, so she smoothed that out first. Then with Tucker still wobbling and hopping and bobbing all around her as he smiled into her face, looking so cute and happy, she rolled her eyes. “Fine.” She swayed. “See? Dancing.”

He laughed. “Is that it? That’s all you’ve got?”

“Shut up.” But she moved a little bit more, using her arms this time. She knew how to dance; she’d spent hours doing so late at night after her father passed out cold on the couch. She’d sneak into his closet and put on the one thing of her mother’s he’d kept, a long, flowery sundress. She’d twirl around in it to the music from her little
AM/FM
radio, pretending she was a fairytale princess locked away in her castle waiting for her prince. It’d been the only time she’d ever been happy.

So when she closed her eyes now and let herself go, let herself dance—much better than Tucker, she might add—the same emotion came over her.

Happiness.

Callie stood in front of the sink in her bathroom wearing a sea green lace camisole and matching shorts, neither of which even attempted to hide much of her body. Another online impulse buy. Of course the model had been long, leggy and lean as a whistle, but Callie had to admit, having curves suited the set as well.

She knew wearing pretty things beneath her work clothes was a pathetic attempt at feeling feminine in a decidedly unfeminine world, but figured she deserved one little concession to being a woman.

When the knock came at her door, her heart jerked.

“Callie?”

God, just his voice, a little thick and husky, wound her up. Not sure how she felt about that, she reached for her robe, slipping into it before opening the door.

Jake filled her vision, his good arm holding up the doorjamb. “Hi.”

“Hi.” Suddenly a little unsure, she crossed her arms. “You had a busy day.”

“I wanted to introduce you to the real estate agent but you vanished.”

“I was busy, too.” She’d avoided them on purpose. Childish, definitely, but she’d needed the distance. “How did it go?”

“People are pretty spooked over the gossip. They’re saying we’ve either got a mischievous ghost, or someone is after giving the ranch a bad name.”

“None of the incidents are that bad…”

“Missing money.” He ticked off the others on his fingers. “Injury to a horse, injury to horse’s owner, more missing money.” He shook his head. “It’s just enough to scare people.”

“I’m sorry, Jake.”

“Are you?”

She leaned against the opposite side of the door. “I’m sorry it’s giving you trouble, yes. I’m not sorry you haven’t sold yet.”

A smile touched his lips. “I can always count on you for honesty.”

“Always. You got your message from Joe.”

“He said you sounded pretty.” His smile widened. “I told him you were.”

“And he said you’d promised to come and train his next group of recruits.” She didn’t let any emotion tinge her voice, even though she felt plenty. “I told him to expect an ugly puppy along with you.”

His smile faded. “Callie—”

“I don’t want to talk about it.” Honest to God she didn’t because nothing would change. “Can you live with that?”

He ran his gaze over her face for a long moment. “I can. For now.”

She moved back. His body brushed hers as he came inside and shut the door, holding her to his side as he lightly drew his knuckles along her cheek. “I thought about you all day. I’m going off the assumption you gave me at least a passing thought.”

A laugh almost bubbled out of her. A passing thought? Try a hundred. “Yeah. You could assume that.”

His other hand skimmed up and down her back over the smooth robe. That warmth he always caused within began deep inside, and she lifted her hand to his chest.

“Another assumption I had was that we’d share your bed tonight.” His voice was nothing but a rough whisper. His eyes were lit with hunger, and more, so much more that it took her breath away.

She ran her hand back and forth over his chest. Beneath his shirt he was warm, hard with strength. “I think that’s a good assumption.”

“What’s beneath the robe?” he asked hoarsely, then unbelted it himself, sweeping it off her shoulders, letting it fall to the floor. He took her in with one sweep of his eyes, and groaned. “That’s incredible. Now take it off.” That said, he took care of it himself.

She had every light on in the place, and for a minute felt bare and vulnerable sandwiched between the closed door and his fully dressed form. “The bed?”

He kissed her, then lifted his head. “Too far.” He kissed her again and then again, until she forgot about feeling vulnerable and open. When he scraped his teeth over a nipple, then soothed it with his tongue, she writhed against him while his busy, clever, and extremely talented hands skimmed up the backs of her thighs, exploring between. “Jake.” She let out a shaky laugh. “My legs won’t hold me.”

He eyed her kitchen table, which was only a few feet to the left, then slid his good arm around her waist, lifting her against him as he headed toward it.

“No,” she gasped, laughing. “It won’t hold.”

So he set her down on the counter instead. Stepping back, he began to strip out of his clothes, and she blessed the light she’d just cursed because he had such a glorious body. He pulled out a condom, held her gaze while he put it on. Settling his big palms on her thighs, he pushed them apart. She’d barely taken a breath before one powerful thrust brought him home. And he
was
home right here in her arms, just as she was in his, which was both simple and terrifying.

Or maybe just simply terrifying.

Two days later, the next group arrived, an eclectic mix of romance authors who from the moment they stepped foot on the ranch were a dream group—happy to be there, happier to help, and happiest grilling the ranch hands for research.

They’d asked for an overnight camping trip, and as Callie liked to do when she had the time, she rode out with them for the day, planning on riding back to the ranch just before nightfall. She loved the interaction with the guests, but loved even more the two hours of sheer freedom she’d get galloping home as the sun set.

Tucker was coming along for only a few hours as well, but he planned on riding back before Callie, wanting to be around the ranch for two of the cows that were close to term. He didn’t want to miss the births.

Jake came along, too, for reasons that were his own. With Stone gone, Amy stayed behind with Marge and Lou, who’d made himself so useful around the ranch fixing and repairing and maintaining, they’d upped his hours to full time.

The day was a glorious marvel. They rode along the top of the canyon walls, a set of rocky sheer cliffs rising up to majestic heights, and far below ran the river, still and calm now, as if last week’s storm had never happened. The sky was a startlingly pure azure blue, without a single cloud. As the day warmed, Callie shrugged out of her long-sleeved denim shirt, leaving her in a tank top and jeans. Eddie had stripped out of his shirt entirely, trying to get a tan, and maybe a romance author all in one shot.

Jake wore one of his firefighter T-shirts and his jeans and, she had to admit, was looking good in the saddle. “It’s so beautiful,” she said.

“Breathtaking.” He hadn’t taken his eyes off her.

“I was talking about the day.”

“And I was talking about you.”

She smiled. “You don’t have to give me those come-on lines, I’m already sleeping with you.”

“Not that there’s been much sleeping, but I wasn’t giving you a come-on.” He studied her curiously. “Hasn’t anyone ever told you that you were beautiful before?”

“Sure. But I divorced him.”

“The guy was an idiot.”

“No, he wasn’t. He just couldn’t keep his zipper up.”

“Like I said, idiot.”

She laughed. “Count for count, I’d bet you’ve brought home more women than Matt ever did.”

“But I never put a ring on a woman’s finger and promised to be true to her.” He reached for her hand when she looked away, waiting until she brought her face back around. “I don’t make promises often, Callie, but when I do, I keep them.”

She had no idea why that brought a hard lump to her throat. Maybe because, somehow, she’d come to want exactly that from him. “What kind of promises
do
you make?”

He smiled. “How about as many orgasms as you want tonight?”

She rolled her eyes. Inexplicably let down and annoyed at the both of them, she shifted Sierra so that he had to let go of her hand. “If the subject was getting too serious for you, you could have just said so.” Urging her horse into a trot, she moved to catch up with the other women, where maybe, somehow, she could get her mind off the men who alternately brought her to new heights, and new lows.

Jake watched her go.

“Women.” Tucker patted Homer as they fell in place next to Jake.

He looked over at his brother. “Are we actually agreeing on something?”

“Bro, on the subject of women, all men agree. They’re nuts.”

Jake laughed. And perhaps best of all, so did Tucker. “I thought you had a problem with Callie and me.”

Tucker lifted a shoulder. “I did. Now I don’t.”

No explanation, and Jake knew he wasn’t going to get one.

“Just don’t screw her up.”

Jake looked at Callie ahead of him, smiling and laughing with the other women. He didn’t know how to respond, because he didn’t know how not to screw up.

“And don’t screw you up, either,” Tucker said. On that surprising statement, he said his good-byes to everyone and turned back for the ranch.

The rest of the day went fairly smoothly. Jake helped Eddie and Callie get the women all set up for the night. When Callie prepared to ride back to the ranch, Jake joined her. “What are you doing?” she asked.

“Eddie can handle the women on his own. I’m going back with you.”

“I can come up with my own orgasms tonight, thank you,” she said dryly.

“Yes, and imagining that will go a long way toward keeping me uncomfortably hot on the ride back, thank you.”

“You just want a bed tonight.”

“That’s right. I’m not sleeping on the cold, hard ground when I can have a too short, too narrow, cold, hard cot.”
Or you.

She snorted her opinion of that, and he began to understand that once again, he was going to have to talk her into wanting him. He hated that, but it wouldn’t stop him, not when he had to have her so badly. He had no idea what that said about him.

They rode in silence. There was a tension in the silence though, and a growing heaviness in the set of Callie’s shoulders that clued him in to her mood, though he had no idea what to do about it.