9781618857279MakeMineaCowboySullivanNC (18 page)

“Seriously?”

“Yes,
ma’am.”
Nina nodded with a smile. “Y’all are cute together.
I haven’t seen him act this way toward a woman before.”

“I’m
so not his type though.”

“Sure
you are! He’s never been into skinny women. You’re just his type.” She patted
Mesa’s hand and then stood. “I’ve got some work to do. You enjoy your day and
don’t worry about Joel. He’ll come find you either later tonight after supper
or tomorrow.”

“Thank
you, Nina. You’ve been a huge help.”

“You’re
welcome, honey. I’ve enjoyed having you here.”

“Oh.
I’ll get your dress and shoes back to you later this afternoon. Would it be
okay if I did some laundry? I didn’t bring very many clothes with me on this
trip and I’m about out of clean underwear.”

“Of
course. You know where the laundry facilities are. Use whatever you need. There
is soap and dryer sheets
on the shelf.”

“You’ve
been such a great hostess. You can bet I’ll be singing your praises and those
of the ranch on every social network I’m on when I get home.”

“Word
of mouth is the best advertising we can ask for. Thank you.” She nodded again
before she headed back for her office, leaving Mesa to sit alone in front of
the fireplace contemplating her thoughts.

Maybe Nina is right. I should avoid
Joel until he comes looking for me.
She bit her lip as
trepidation rush through her.
But what if
he doesn’t come looking? I’ll feel like a total fool.

The
smile he gave her earlier brought back memories of their night together.
His hands on her flesh.
His lips taking what he wanted. His
body covering hers as he took her to heights of ecstasy she’d never felt
before. Did he do the same thing with every woman he made love to? She shook
her head. Surely it was that way with any man who knew how to make love to a
woman, right?

Remember your ex
,
her head said before she could think any further. He couldn’t fuck if he tried.
All he knew how to do was stick it in, pump a few times and flop down on top of
her. Then he actually had the nerve to ask if it was good for her. Well nope,
it wasn’t. It sucked!

Now
with Joel, wow!

“Okay,
enough thoughts of Joel. I’ve got some writing to do.”

* * * *

Joel
wound his horse around a boulder keeping an eye out for snakes as he checked
the fence for breaks and the cattle for strays. His thoughts weren’t on his job
though. He wanted to see Mesa. He knew he’d pissed her off last night with his
casual remark about their lovemaking, but he really didn’t want to give her the
impression it might turn into something more than a quick fuck. Hell, she
didn’t even live in Texas!

“
Yo
, Joel!”

He
pulled on Jet’s reins as Jeremiah rode up on his horse.

“What
are you doing out here?”

“I
came to find you. Mom was looking for you earlier.”

“Oh
great.”

“Yeah.
I’m sure it’s something about you coming home with Mesa last night.”

“What
the fuck? Does everyone know?”

“Of
course they do, dumbass. One, you brought her home in your truck with its loud-assed
muffler and two, she’s staying in the main lodge. Everyone on the place
probably heard you bring her home.”

Joel
tipped his head back on his shoulders and sighed.
Great
. Everyone in the family knew they’d been together without him
or her saying a damned word. His mom probably wanted to kill him. “I guess I
better go find her.”

“Yeah,
I would say so. You know how she is. Mom’s gonna rip you a new asshole, buddy.”

“Great.
Thanks for the support, Jeremiah.”

“You’re
welcome, bro.”

“Asswipe.”

Joel
kicked his horse into a slow gallop headed for the barn. Despite the probable
indigestion, he wanted this confrontation with his mother over with before
supper.
Maybe I can find Mesa while I’m
at the house.

Several
minutes later, he rounded the barn for the corral as Jeff came out of the tack
room. “Joel? What are you doin’ back from ridin’ fences?”

“Mom
wanted to talk to me if it’s any of your business.”

“Everything
on this ranch is my business. The horses, the cattle, where the hands
are…everything.”

“I’m
not your damned employee, Jeff. What I do is none of your concern no matter
whether you think you’re in charge or not.” He swung down from the saddle, and
then began unbuckling the straps. “Besides, what the hell are you doin’ in the
barn this time of day? Don’t you have somethin’ to keep you busy besides the
barn?”

“I’m
checking the feed stock,
fucktard
.”

“Well
get busy then, asshole. I’ve got my own worries.”

“Oh?
Like fuckin’ one of the guests?”

“Blow
it out your ass, brother. What I do is none of your damned business. How many
times do I have to tell you?”

“One
day Dad won’t be here and everything will fall on me. I’m not doing anythin’
more than what will be expected of me when the time comes.”

“Dad
isn’t going anywhere for a long time, Jeff, so back off. I’ll talk to Mom about
me and Mesa.”

“Keep
your hands off the guests.”

He
pushed against Jeff’s chest. “Make me. I can fuck whomever I want to and you
can’t say a damned thing.”

“The
hell I can’t.”

“Enough
you two!” shouted his father. “Jeff back off.”

“What?”

“I
said back off. What
happens
on this ranch is mine and
your mother’s concern. We will deal with your brothers. Not you.”

“But
Dad…”

“But
nothing. This is between me, your mother, and Joel.”

Joel
smirked, earning a growl from his brother as he balled his fists at his sides.
He could tell Jeff wanted to kick his ass. Let him try. Jeff might be about the
same size as him, but he had a little more bulk to his frame, whereas his
brother wasn’t quite so muscular.

“In
the house, Joel.”

“I’m
not done with you, Joel,” Jeff snarled.

“Fuck
you.”

“I
said in the house,” his father snapped, pointing to the main lodge.

As
Joel’s steps took him toward the lodge, he whistled knowing his father stayed
back for a moment to reprimand his eldest brother. Jeff really needed to get
laid or something. The guy had a serious stick up his ass the size of a fence
post.

He
walked inside, relishing the cool interior. The rain hadn’t let up all day and
he was soaked to the bone. A nice dry change of clothes would be good but he’d
have to make a trip back to his place to get them.

“Joel?”

“Yeah,
Ma.”

“I’m
in the office.”

“Be
right there.”

He
dragged his feet as he released a heavy sigh. Twenty eight years old, and that
tone still sent chills down his spine. With a heavy sigh, he shuffled his feet
toward his mother’s domain.

“Have
a seat,” she said the minute he stood in the doorway. “We need to talk.”

“Are
you gonna wait for Dad?” he asked, sliding into the chair across from her desk.
He hadn’t felt so put on the spot like this in several years. Not since she’d
found out he’d been visiting their neighbor’s daughter.

“Your
father will be along shortly, I’m sure. But we’ve already discussed this at
length before I went looking for you earlier.”

“So
what’s up?”

“It’s
you and Mesa, son.”

“What
about us?”

“So
there is an us?”

“Well…”

“No
hemhawin
’ about it. I know you were together last
night. I saw her come in and heard you peel out of the driveway, digging up
about three quarters of the gravel we laid this summer.”

“Sorry,
Ma.”

“Joel,
honey. I’m not mad at you. I like Mesa. I think she’s a wonderful girl. The
reason for this talk isn’t to chew you out for bein’ with her. It’s so you
don’t hurt her.”

“I
don’t plan to hurt her, Ma. We’re just havin’ a bit of fun while she’s here.”

“That’s
exactly why I made the rule of you boys not pursing guests.” She stood up and
paced the room like a cage animal. “I don’t want this place getting a
reputation for the wild Young boys taking all the single guests to bed.”

“It’s
not like that. Mesa understands.”

“Does
she? I think she’s a nice girl who’s been swept off her feet by a handsome
cowboy. She doesn’t come across as a worldly type woman. She’s not one for
casual relationships, Joel. What if she does develop feelings for you?”

“Aren’t
you the least bit worried about me?”

“You’re
a lover, son, not a fighter although you wouldn’t believe it the way you and
Jeff were ready to go toe to toe in the barn a few moments ago,” his father
said, coming into the room.

“And
the way you and Joshua went at it the night before last.”

“It
doesn’t matter. Aren’t we here to discuss me and Mesa?”

“Yes
we are. I want to you stay away from her, Joel,” his mother said. “I’m afraid
she’s gonna get hurt.”

“I
don’t want to hurt her, Ma. She’s a friend.”

“A
friend with benefits?” his dad asked.

Joel
pulled off his Stetson, raking his fingers through his hair. “Hell, I don’t
know what she is. We had fun together. Where it goes from here, I’m not sure.
She doesn’t even live here. She lives in Los Angeles, for God’s sake!”

“What
if she moved here?”

“She’s
not moving here.”

“What
if she did?”

Joel
got up and paced the room now. “I don’t know, Ma. I like her a lot. We have a
lot in common and she’s a wildcat between the sheets, but is there something
else there? I don’t know.”

“Do
you want to find out?”

“Sure
I would.”

“Then
ask her to stay.”

“What?
You can’t be serious. She doesn’t live here. I told you, she lives in
California.”

“I
understand she lives somewhere else, but she’s also a writer who has the
ability to be wherever she wants because she’s self-employed.”

“You’ve
done your homework, Ma.”

“Thank
you, Joel. I like to know about our guests. We had a nice conversation earlier
today.”

“You
did?”

“Yeah
and I think, for the record, she likes you a lot, but she’s confused by your
actions. You marked her earlier.”

He
hoped his mother and father understood the confused looked on his face because
he didn’t have a clue what she meant. “Marked?”

“You
ran your fingers along her shoulder on your way out of the lodge this morning.
You marked her in front of your brothers, the other males in the room, as your
own.”

“You’ve
read too much Native American History, Ma.”

“So
what if I have?” She stopped in front of him. “Honey, I want you happy. If Mesa
makes you happy then be my guest, but I like her too and if you hurt that girl,
I’m going to kick your ass.”

Chapter Nine

The
window she stared out of overlooked the back of the lodge house. Her laptop sat
in front of her, the cursor blinking mockingly. She had been at it for hours
now, the story flowing so rapidly, she could hardly type fast enough. Now, she
looked out the window, her mind almost blank.

She
could see the comings and goings of several of the boys from her window, but
she never saw Joel. With her state of mind, it might be a good thing she
didn’t. She wanted to get some words on virtual paper before supper.

After
several hours of typing, she went back to read what she wrote, realizing the
entire book was her trip to the ranch, meeting Joel, and their subsequent love
making the night before. Reading it on the screen made her realize how hot the
whole night had been and how much she wanted it to happen again.

A
heavy sigh rushed from between her lips as she tipped her head back on her
shoulders. The cowboy in her book even sounded like Joel.

Joel.

What
the hell was she going to do about him? His mother said to avoid him today,
which she’d done with regret. She needed to talk to him. Wanted to see him.
Would die to taste him.

“Enough.
We need to write.”

She
glanced at the screen, realizing the story stood where her own life stopped at
the moment.
What to do from here?