Authors: Elle Saint James
Saint James, Elle - Unbridled and Unbranded [The Double Rider Men's Club 5] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) (2 page)
He shrugged. “What are you going to do?”
“I’m going to go in the house and put on my Sunday best for a visit to the bank. I’m going to need cold hard cash to hire an independent contractor. Damn it.”
Landon cocked his head to one side. “Think they’ll give you a loan?”
She shrugged. “I hope so. You’re my accountant, what do you think my chances are?” His expression soured. Before he could respond, Callie said, “Don’t answer that.”
His expression brightened suddenly. “There is
another
solution to your problem you know. The trust would pay, if...”
“Don’t go there, Landon, I’m not doing that.”
“But it would solve everything—”
“No. It would cause more problems. And it doesn’t matter anyway because I’m not doing it.” Callie reserved the lure of the trust and its unconscionable criteria for her absolute last resort.
She desperately hoped she never got that low.
* * * *
Clayton Forester pulled his SUV into the last available parking slot on the street in front of the bank. He needed some cash. Then he was headed to the house of an old friend who was back in town after several years away. He was delivering some personal things he’d held on to for his friend.
Inside the small Ryder Bank and Trust, he got in line and filled out a slip as he advanced toward one of two tellers working this morning.
After pocketing his cash, he turned in time to see a familiar brunette exit the bank. He jogged across the lobby and hit the street trying to catch Jessica Wilder.
The moment he called out, “Jessica,” to the brunette, she turned and he knew he was mistaken in the identity.
Calista Warren twisted around to face him, showcasing a sly smile. “No. I’m sorry. You’ve got the wrong woman.”
“Or I have the right woman, but I said the wrong name.”
She shook her head. “That can be a profoundly bad thing, Clay, especially if you’re in bed talking to that woman.”
He laughed. “You’re right. I’ll be more careful next time.”
“What’s up, neighbor?” Her vivid blue eyes danced as if with pleasure to see him.
“Not much. Just had a few errands today. What about you? Is the ranching business going well?”
Her expression darkened slightly. “Actually, I’m not having the best day in that regard.”
“Oh? Anything I can do to help?”
A mischievous grin split her lively lips. “I don’t suppose you know any good cow inseminators, do you? That would be immensely helpful to me right now. Especially if he was an inexpensive inseminator. ”
Clay laughed. She had beauty and a sense of humor all wrapped up in an amazingly muscular yet sexy, lush body. He wasn’t looking for a partner in a sexual way, but if that changed, Callie would be at the top of his list.
“Hmm. An inexpensive inseminator. You know, I actually might be able to help you out. Let me make a phone call.”
She looked surprised. A dubious expression lit her gorgeous face, but she said, “Great.”
He dialed Rafe Latimer’s number and got him on the first ring. “Hey, it’s Clay. I’m in town and I ran into a friend who is looking for someone to inseminate cows. Do you know of anyone that can help?”
Rafe’s laughter came through the line before he spoke. “That question wasn’t even in the top one thousand on the list of what I thought you were about to ask.”
“Surprise. So can you help, or not?”
Rafe paused a moment then said, “Actually, I
do
have a very good cow inseminator. Who is this for?”
Clay put a hand over the mouthpiece. “Care if I give him your name?”
She shook her head.
“It’s for my friend Calista.”
“Calista? As in Callie Warren?” Rafe’s shocked tone came through the line.
“Yes. That’s right.” Did they know each other? Ryder was a small community, but the surrounding area was fairly large. He hadn’t expected them to have met.
“I thought she had someone on staff at her ranch.”
Clay shrugged, even though he knew Rafe couldn’t see him. “Apparently, not anymore.” Clay wasn’t sure why Callie needed an inseminator, but that wasn’t his role. He wanted to help her out. Just as she’d helped him out long ago.
“Well, I’ll have to talk it over with Bo, but why don’t you bring her with you right now and we can discuss it. I’m sure we can work something out.”
Clay lowered his phone. He drilled a gaze in her baby blues. “Can you meet right now?”
She nodded. “Sure. That would be great.”
Clay said, “We’ll be there shortly.”
“Can’t wait.”
“I’ll bet.” If Rafe knew Callie, then he knew she was beautiful. A streak of matchmaking crossed his mind right then as he looked at Callie with new eyes.
Perhaps she would be the perfect woman for Bo and Rafe. He knew Bo Parker, Rafe’s best friend and partner, had just moved back to this area after a long stint away making his fortune overseas.
The three of them had known each other briefly in the military, before they’d gone their separate ways. After their service commitments had ended, Rafe had taken over Bo’s family ranch and Bo had built a very successful security firm based in Europe.
Clay glanced down at Callie. She was in a dress, surprisingly, and her legs were as shapely as he remembered. “My SUV’s right there, want a lift?”
She glanced down the street for a moment and then nodded. “Will it be a problem to bring me back here later on?”
“Nope. We’re coming back into town for dinner anyway. I’m delivering them something. You can chat while we unload it and then we’ll come back whenever you’re ready.” He pushed the unlock button on his remote. “Hop in.”
“Thanks so much, Clay. Seriously, you’ve saved my life.”
“No problem.”
Clay hoped she still was glad when she found out where they were going. Rafe not only knew her, but sounded glad to hear from her. If Bo was equally happy, perhaps he’d add matchmaker to his list of skills along with expert marksman, bodyguard, combat strategist, and security specialist.
Chapter Two
Rafe Latimer hung up the phone and went to find Bo. If Calista Warren was on her way here, he needed to tell Bo a quick story about their distant past before she arrived on the premises.
That night long ago that he and Callie had spent together had been one he’d never forgotten. While he and Bo had an arrangement to share women when they were together, they’d certainly also been with others over the years, as they’d been living apart. Rafe hadn’t been indiscriminate, but the evening with Callie had been unexpected, exceptional, and unfortunately never repeated.
He searched the house with no luck. He finally found Bo out in the barn.
“Hey. There you are. Clay called. Are you about ready? He’s on his way.”
Bo heaved a saddle onto the rack and grabbed a brush. “Oh yeah? I thought I had some more time. I’d planned to shower before we left. Besides, we’ll still have to unload the stuff he’s bringing.” He began stroking the brush over the horse’s flanks.
“True. But he’s also bringing someone with him.”
He continued working on his horse with careful attention to his legs. “Who is it?”
“Actually, it’s someone you and I need to discuss.”
“Does that mean it’s a woman?” Bo grinned, and his dimples dented his face. Girls always went crazy for those dimples.
“Of course. And in fact, she and I have a brief history.”
“How brief?”
“One night, five years ago after a charity auction and two bottles of really great sangria.”
He straightened. “Hard feelings between the two of you?” Bo asked.
“No. Nothing like that, just that she’s looking for someone to inseminate cows and I told Clay we’d help her.”
Bo stopped stroking the brush halfway down one of his horse’s legs. He stood. “You want to help her with cow insemination? So you’re aiding and abetting our competition now?”
“Well, it’s hardly illegal. It just sounded like she lost her guy unexpectedly. She’s not exactly competition for us. I know there has been some local gossip in the past year or so of a rival after her property. I thought it might be nice to offer a little help to her as a friendly gesture.”
Bo laughed. “Because the two of you had a one-night history over a bottle of sangria?”
“Two bottles, actually.” Images of that night flashed before his eyes. Callie, legs spread wide as he ate her pussy on the balcony of the hotel room they’d shared. Later in bed together she’d ridden him hard. He shook his head to keep up with the current conversation.
Watching him closely, Bo asked, “Did you want to have a reunion with this mysterious old flame?”
Hell yes.
“No. I just want to loan her our cow inseminator.”
And she’s probably not the sharing kind.
He rolled his eyes. “Do I know this deserving girl?”
Rafe shrugged. “I don’t know. Her name is Calista Warren.”
Bo bobbled and then promptly dropped the brush he was using. He didn’t seem to notice. The stunned expression on his face said that Bo knew
exactly
who Calista was. Rafe would be willing to bet the farm that their history had lasted longer than a single night.
* * * *
Callie sat back in Clay’s luxurious vehicle and pushed out a sigh. It wasn’t often she got to enjoy the finer things in life. Perhaps one of these days she would be able to earn a plush SUV like this for herself.
Chiding herself for being so enamored of a ride in a nice car, Callie snapped her focus back on where they were headed. She didn’t even know where they were going.
A sudden panic that he was taking her to Kincaid’s ranch had her sitting straight up in her chair.
“Wait a minute.” Callie didn’t mean to sound so alarmed, but this was a wasted trip if they were going to see Drew Kincaid. “I hate to be difficult. But where are you taking me?”
“That’s a legitimate question. Have you ever heard of the Double R Ranch?”
Double R Ranch? As in Rafe’s place?
Holy crap, she hadn’t thought of Rafe in years. A warm rush of emotions washed over her.
Five years before, her father had paid for and insisted she attend a charity auction for the local ranchers’ association. She hadn’t wanted to go. Shortly before that evening, she’d made a personal decision to work on her passion of sculpture. She bought some secondhand equipment and had hidden it away in a little-used section of an old barn on the property.
At the time, her plan had been to attend the auction, but sneak out after dinner to spend some time throwing some clay onto her wheel to practice making large vases.
But she’d met Rafe instead. He was the first man to have any impact on her libido since Bo Parker had left for his military career. They had danced and talked, and then slow danced and kissed. After dinner, she decided not to sneak out to practice making pottery. Her father had put her in the charity auction without her knowledge. She’d been called to the stage and on her way had seen Kincaid. Back then he was just a nuisance and not the bastard she knew today.