Satin & Saddles (19 page)

Ah, hell. Maybe his concern was just a case of pre-wedding jitters. Although he had a good mind to move the date again.

He glanced at Jessie and thought how different she looked from Phoebe who was pale blonde and petite at five-one. Jessie, on the other hand, was no shorter than five-eight. Both women were beautiful as hell, just as different as sunrise from sunset.

He ground his teeth. He’d never been one to compare women, especially not now that he was about to be married. It was time he settled down and had a couple of kids to carry on the Cameron name. No one else in the family seemed to be inclined to head down that road. Someone had to do it.

“Phoebe would like you to photograph her place, too.” He paused in front of the doors to the ranch house. “She’s got a nice home, just north before you hit the hills and she wants the pictures to market it.”

“So, she’s selling it now that you’re getting married?” Jessie took her camera in both hands. “Of course she’ll be moving to the ranch, I assume.”

“You assume right.” Zane tried not to frown. “Phoebe is reluctant to sell her place and has decided to rent it.” Considering how pricey the house was, he wasn’t sure she’d be able to find anyone who could afford to rent it in these parts. He’d just have to convince her to put it up for sale. There was no need to hang on to another property.

Zane held the screen door open that let out onto the porch. Jessie hitched her pack with her camera equipment on her shoulder and her shoes made soft sounds on the wooden floor as she passed through the door and cool air touched her face.

“I love this. Everything about your place is fantastic.” She raised her camera and glanced at him. “I can photograph anything?”

“Almost anything.” The corner of his mouth turned up in a look that was sexy enough to make her stomach flip. “When in doubt, just ask.”

She nodded. “Sure.”

As she took a few shots of the expansive porch, taking in antique ironwork objects decorating the area as he let the screen door close. When she lowered her camera, he opened the huge door to the ranch house. She stepped through the doorway and entered the spacious home.

Inside everything was big and roomy with western décor and artwork, and high vaulted ceilings. The beautiful hardwood floor had area rugs covering parts of it. A coffee table made from a tree trunk was in front of a long leather L-shaped couch and another fabric couch with a western design, both of which faced an enormous entertainment center and big screen TV. Picture windows showed the incredible views from the front and back.

Through an archway was a spacious kitchen that she wanted to get a better look at. From what she could see of it, she knew her sister the cook would love it.

Jessie had just started photographing the living room when a cell phone rang and she lowered her camera. She automatically put her hand to the phone she wore on a holster at her side but realized it was Zane’s as she saw him take his phone from his own holster on his belt and he answer it.

His expression hardened as he listened to the caller. “I’ll take care of it,” Zane said and pressed the off button before re-holstering his phone. He looked at Jessie. “I need to leave to deal with a couple of hunters trespassing on my land.”

“Can I go with you?” She let her camera hang from its strap around her neck and hitched the backpack up on her shoulder. “I’d love an opportunity to get a look at some of the scenery.”

He paused for a moment then gave a nod. “Come on.”

This time his stride was long and she had to double her steps to keep up with him as they headed outside to the big black Ford truck she had parked next to.

She hurried to the passenger side but he was there before her. He opened the door and she stepped up on the running board then climbed inside before he shut the door behind her.

He got in on the driver’s side and put the key in the ignition and started it. The truck roared to life and he backed up then headed over the cattle guard and under the sign with the Bar C Ranch’s name and brand. His presence was so powerful that she found it hard not to be completely aware of him. She glanced at his profile and almost forgot that he was hands-off.

Damn.

As she studied him, his gaze met hers for a brief moment and she felt the power of some kind of connection between them. Her heart beat faster and she felt a tingling sensation all the way to her belly. A muscle ticked in his jaw before he moved his gaze back to the road.

She took a deep breath and tried to shake off the incredible attraction she had for Zane Cameron.

Once she turned her attention to the scenery, she was again impressed by the canopy of dark green oaks that contrasted against the expanse of golden grass. Here and there were pockets cottonwood trees and a few massive sycamores.

“This country is amazing,” she said. “An outdoor photographer’s dream.”

“I grew up here and I never get tired of it.” He glanced over at her as he drove. “Most visitors here, including Arizona natives from other parts of the state, can’t believe they’re in Arizona. Had a guy from Santa Barbara out here and he couldn’t believe how much it looked like the area he was from.”

“The expanse of grass of the San Rafael Valley and the surrounding green hills is just beautiful,” she said.

“Most people are surprised to learn that the musical
Oklahoma
was filmed right here in the valley,” he said.

“I never would have guessed that.” She raised her brows. “Parts of the grass valley look like how I would picture the Midwest plains back in the day.”

She was in love with the country. So peaceful, so quiet, so stunning.

It wasn’t long before they paused in front of a barbed wire fence with an open gate and a cattle guard. She looked at Zane.

“The ‘No Hunting’ signs have been taken down.” He shook his head. “I’ll have to get one of the men out here to take care of it.”

Zane drove on and they came up on an old red truck parked in the shade of a group of tall oaks but no one was in sight. Up ahead was a stock tank and water tower.

She glanced at Zane again to see him frowning. He parked then opened his truck door and climbed out. She hurried out her side, her camera strap securely around her neck and she hopped onto the dry ground.

As soon as she was out of the truck she took in their surroundings, picking out what she felt would be the best shots in the beautiful scenery. She took a deep breath of the clean air and let it fill her entire being as she closed her eyes. She let all tension leave her body as she connected with the land.

“It’s wonderful here.” She opened her eyes and looked at Zane who was staring in one direction.

“Let’s go this way. I can see some tracks leading up the road in this direction. We’ll try and stay in the open and visible,” he said as he looked over his shoulder at her. “The last thing you want is to get shot by mistake.”

“Gotcha.” She made sure she followed him and stayed out from behind the occasional oak tree or bush. “What’s in season this time of year?”

“Whitetail called Coues deer.” He paused and she almost ran into him as he gave a nod in the direction they had been walking. “Over there.”

She peered past him and spotted two men, one wearing a cap, and another in a brown cowboy hat, walking toward them.

A flash of irritation caused Zane’s gut to burn. The men should have stopped by the ranch to ask permission to shoot on his land. It was the proper thing to do, but then the signs were down.

“How do you do?” one of the two men said as they met up and the man held out his hand. “I’m Bud Harper and this is Joe Cullman.” Bud was tall, but Zane still had a good three inches on him. Joe was a little shorter and stockier.

“Zane Cameron.” He took Bud’s hand and shook it before taking Joe’s and releasing it. “Did you know you’re trespassing on private land?” Zane’s tone kept his tone even, not showing any anger. “There’s no hunting on this part of the ranch.”

Joe pushed up his ball cap. “This your land?”

Bud glanced around. “We’re sorry. We’ve been real careful to not trespass. We didn’t see any signs.”

“I own the Bar C.” Zane gave a nod. “We’re pretty welcoming to hunters, but we want to keep them out of this area of the ranch this year. Someone has taken down the signs and we’ll be fixing that.” He pointed toward the west. “If you take the dirt road another mile and a half, there’s a sign that says Jones’ Mesa. I’ve seen plenty of deer in that area and there are some great places to glass from and see a lot of country,” he said. “Just do me a favor and go under the fences if you can rather than climb over them. Hunters damage a lot of fences. It’s the only gripe I really have about you guys.”

“Sure thing. We understand. We’ll head on over there.” Bud moved his gaze from the direction Zane had pointed to and looked at Zane again. “Much obliged.”

Zane gave a nod and then Bud and Joe headed back to the beat-up red pickup, climbed in with Bud on the driver’s side. The truck gave a rusted hiccup and then rumbled as Bud started it.

He noticed Jessie photographing the truck as the men left. She lowered her camera and looked at Zane. “You were pretty nice to those guys.”

He rested his hand on the hood of his truck. “Nothin’ wrong with a little hunting as long as it is in the right area and as long as they respect things.”

“What does ‘to glass from’ mean?” she asked. “That’s a term I’ve never heard before.”

“Hunters use binoculars and spotting scopes to search the country for deer,” Zane said. “It’s called glassing. When they see deer through the binoculars, they stalk them.”

“That’s interesting,” she said. “So what’s next for a day in the life of a cowboy?” Her smile caused a stirring in his gut. “After chasing off hunters and all.”

He studied her and it felt as if there was a war going on in his chest. “While we’re out here I can give you a little more of a tour of the Bar C.” Something about Jessie made him want to spend as much time as possible with her.

Not a good idea, Cameron.
He mentally chided himself.
Run fast and run now.

“Sure.” She smiled. “I’d love that.” She pointed in the direction of the fence line. “I saw a group of some kind of cool looking feathery looking plants over there that I’d like to photograph on the other side of the fence.”

He gave a nod then watched her as she walked away from him. She had a cute little ass and gentle curves that were made for a man’s hands to caress. And those long legs that weren’t covered by her shorts. They were enough to make a man’s mouth water.

Damn.

Jessie reached the barbed wire fence. He watched as she carefully grabbed a top strand between barbs and then did the same with her feet so that she was standing on the bottom strand and balancing as she took pictures.

Concerned that she might fall, he moved closer to her. Before he reached her, she lowered the camera and let it hang on the strap around her neck. She started to climb back down when he heard a ripping sound and then a curse.

He reached her and put his hand on her shoulder. “You okay?” he asked just as he looked down and saw that she’d shredded her T-shirt on the barbed wire.

His mouth went dry as he got a good look at her bare breast and the pert nipple. He swallowed and met her gaze.

Her cheeks had gone red hot and she held her T-shirt over her breast the best she could. “So much for this thing,” she said, trying to make light of an embarrassing situation.

“We’ll get you back to the house and you can wear one of my clean shirts.” His touch set her on fire as he took her arm and she stepped down from the fence with his aid. “For now you can wear this one.”

He released her then unbuttoned his shirt and slipped it off. Her jaw almost dropped as she got a good look at his tanned physique and the powerful play of muscles in his chest and arms.

If he wasn’t about to be married she would have jumped him in two seconds flat.

“Thanks,” she said as she took the shirt from him and smiled.

He helped her slip into the shirt as she fought to keep the scrap of cloth over her breast. His shirt had his scent, warm and masculine, and she found herself inhaling and savoring it.

Once the shirt was on, they walked back to his truck and he helped her into the cab. She kept her hand firmly over the tear as he shut the door behind her.

He climbed into the driver’s seat and started the truck before glancing over at her. “Need a little help with that?” he said in a teasing voice.

“I think I’ve got it.” Her cheeks had cooled but threatened to heat up again. “What happens on Cameron property stays on Cameron property, right?”

He laughed. “No problem.”

# # #

New York Times
and
USA Today
bestselling author Cheyenne McCray’s books have received multiple awards and nominations, including

*
RT Book Reviews
magazine’s Reviewer’s Choice awards for Best Erotic Romance of the year and Best Paranormal Action Adventure of the year

*Three “RT Book Reviews” nominations, including Best Erotic Romance, Best Romantic Suspense, and Best Paranormal Action Adventure.

*Golden Quill award for Best Erotic Romance

*The Road to Romance’s Reviewer’s Choice Award

*Gold Star Award from Just Erotic Romance Reviews

*CAPA award from The Romance Studio

Cheyenne grew up on a ranch in southeastern Arizona. She has been writing ever since she can remember, back to her kindergarten days when she penned her first poem. She always knew one day she would write novels, hoping her readers would get lost in the worlds she created, just as she experienced when she read some of her favorite books.

Chey has three sons, two dogs, and is an Arizona native who loves the desert, the sunshine, and the beautiful sunsets. Visit Chey's website and get all of the latest info at
CheyenneMcCray.com
and meet up with her at
Cheyenne McCray’s Place
on Facebook! Feel free to contact Chey at
mailto:[email protected]