Rodeo Queen (10 page)

Scott returned to the trailer to find Sydney showered, changed, and placing the food on the table. She looked as fresh as a spring flower and smelled nearly as sweet. Had Jake not been right behind him, he would have forgotten breakfast entirely and kissed her senseless until they had to leave.

As they sat down at the small table, Scott stared at the woman across from him. He wasn’t sure what had changed on his drive back from the ranch yesterday, but he knew that Sydney was different. In fact, she was the polar opposite of Liz, and he couldn’t believe he’d ever thought they were alike. Sydney was tough as nails when she wanted her way, refusing to back down, even running headlong into a fight to stand up for a cause where Liz wouldn’t have lifted a finger for anyone but herself. Where Sydney sought out hard work, Liz ran from it. She had a passion for life and had stirred a passion in him unlike anyone else. But he’d also glimpsed her vulnerability and a pain in her eyes that he knew few had seen. He wasn’t sure what had caused it, but he wanted to protect her from any of her fears. Scott’s eyes followed her as she rose to clear the breakfast dishes.

“Sydney, honey,” Jake drawled, sitting back in his chair. “That was fantastic.”

“Thanks, Jake.”

Jake jumped from his chair and took the plate from her. “Why don’t you go load the rest of the horses and Scott and I will take care of these?” He gestured at the dishes. “You cooked, we’ll clean.”

“You sure?” she asked.

She pulled a hair tie from her wrist and used her fingers to comb her long curls back into a ponytail. Scott felt his breath leave in an instant, as if he’d been kicked in the gut by one of the horses. Her every curve was accented as she raised her arms, her shirt clinging to her breasts and raising enough to give him a peek at the bare, silken skin of her stomach. He couldn’t tear his gaze from that small expanse of skin, and he wondered when he’d become a fifteen-year-old boy again, so given over to his hormones. He was almost grateful when she headed out the door so that he could breathe again.

“Ahem.” Jake cleared his throat and a broad grin filled his face.

“What are you laughing at?”

“How the mighty fall.”

“What?”

“You’ve finally met your match.” Jake chuckled. “And I’ve gotta say, she’s a perfect match.”

“What are you talking about?” Scott rose and attacked the plates in the sink. “Since when do you play matchmaker? Isn’t that still Jen and Silvie’s job?”

“Boy, you’ve got it bad. A blind person could see it.” Jake clapped him on the shoulder as he reached for a towel to dry the dishes. “And there is nothing wrong with that. It’s been far too long.”

“For what?” Scott passed another dish to him, jamming it into his hands. He knew that Jake was just trying to watch out for him. Most of the older hands thought of him as their nephew since they’d known him most of his life, but he didn’t like the turn this conversation had taken.

“Scott, it’s been a long time since you were in love.”

“Love?” Scott scoffed at the thought. “You know I don’t believe in that crap. It’s right up there with Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny.” Scott pressed the last dish into Jake’s hand and headed for the shower. “Maybe you should mind your own business.”

As Jake headed out the door, Scott barely heard him mumble, “Maybe you should cowboy up and just admit the truth.”

S
YDNEY HAD JUST
finished loading the horses when Scott stepped out of the trailer. She could just make out his damp curls at the collar of his t-shirt.

As she made her way toward him, her pulse quickened. Even clean shaven, he had a rugged air about him, and her heart skipped at the mere sight of him. She wasn’t sure what had happened yesterday before he’d arrived, but his change had, at the very least, pleasantly surprised her. And his kisses, well, those had turned her every bone to Jell-O and her limbs liquid. Waking in his arms this morning had caused buried yearnings to rise up, demanding fulfillment.

Scott had admitted that he wanted her and she couldn’t help but desire him, but they couldn’t base a relationship on mere need. She wasn’t sure how she felt about him. To call them friends seemed too mild, but she couldn’t say that this was love either—not after only knowing him a few days, even if those days felt like a lifetime. There was definitely something other than desire between them, and it was growing stronger, but she wasn’t convinced they should explore it further. She wasn’t naïve enough to think she was more than a fling for him; he’d practically admitted that love had nothing to do with it. And he was her employer, or might as well have been. If this fell apart, she’d be back to training at her parents’ house.

“Ready?”

“Yep, let’s head out.” Scott waved Jake over as he opened the passenger door for her. “Hop in.”

During the two-hour drive to the ranch, Sydney tried desperately to control her nerves. Questions swirled in her head. What if the family didn’t like her? What if she didn’t like them? What if there was too much work to keep up with by herself? Scott tried his best to keep her talking about rodeos she’d attended and the horses she’d trained. He asked questions about her training methods and her father’s ranch. But her nerves practically vibrated as they turned off of the highway onto the gravel road before stopping in front of the barn and corral. She was jumpy, unsure of what kind of welcome to expect from the family Scott had told her about.

Scott jerked his chin at the people pouring from the house as if the first one to the truck won a prize. “Looks like the gang’s all here.”

Mike was the first one to her door, and he swung it open for her. “Come on out, Sydney. We’re so glad to see you made it in one piece.”

As Scott climbed out of the truck, he was bowled over by a brunette with the same mischievous dark eyes. “I’m so glad you’re back!” She hugged him tightly as Mike walked Sydney to the driver’s side.

“Hey,” Scott choked out. “Loosen up before you strangle me.”

“Sydney, this is Jennifer, Scott’s older sister,” Mike introduced.

The woman pushed Sydney’s outstretched hand aside and drew her into a warm hug. “Call me Jen. We’ve heard so much about you! And you’re far prettier than even Mike’s description.” As she drew back, she elbowed Scott in the ribs. “I hope this one behaved himself.”

Sydney smiled as Scott cringed at Jen’s teasing. She was so bubbly and warm, and willing to push Scott’s buttons, that Sydney felt an immediate bond. “Yeah, I can hold my own against the likes of him.” Jen’s eyes were full of laughter while Scott’s held the glint of desire, and she realized her unintentional double meaning.

Sydney felt the blush immediately stain her cheeks, and Scott’s lips spread into a knowing smile as he winked at her. “And this is Clay, Jen’s husband and our best pick-up man.” He clapped the towering, blond beast of a man on the shoulder. Scott looked around. “Where’s Derek?”

“I’m right here.” At the mention of his name, a tall young man stepped forward. He looked so much like Scott it was eerie, but he was obviously younger and his body lacked Scott’s muscularity. He was less tanned as well, as if he’d been indoors more than out. He walked forward and scooped up Sydney’s hand, kissing her knuckles. “It’s so good to meet you. If I can do anything for you, be sure to let me know.”

“Um, okay.” Sydney was a little embarrassed at his display, so she wasn’t sure how to react and took a step back. The rest of the group burst out in boisterous laughter. Derek frowned at Scott and hurried to the back of the trailer.

“Now, all of you leave this poor girl alone,” ordered a plump woman in a motherly tone as she shooed everyone away. The short, gray-haired woman wound a chubby arm around Sydney’s waist.

Scott leaned in and whispered in her ear, loud enough for everyone to hear. “This is Silvie. Mike calls her the housekeeper, but she really runs everything around here.”

“Oh, you . . .” Silvie waved her hand at Scott modestly. “You just go and get those horses settled.”

“Oh, I should go do it,” Sydney protested.

“Nonsense,” Silvie said as she guided Sydney away from the men. “You just follow me.”

S
COTT ENTERED THE
kitchen after getting the horses settled in their new pasture. As the screen door slammed behind him, all three women at the kitchen table immediately stopped talking and turned to look at him. They all watched silently as he reached into the refrigerator and grabbed a cold soda. He’d heard them talking as he reached the door, but all conversation had stopped upon his entrance.

“Everything okay?” He popped the flip tab on the soda, barely letting the fizz settle before gulping back almost half of the can.

“Sure,” Jen answered. “Why wouldn’t it be?” She looked at Sydney and Silvie and suddenly all three women burst into hysterical laughter, sounding just like Jen and her friends had during their teenage sleepovers.

Scott rolled his eyes and shook his head as he opened the screen. “I’m not even going to ask,” he said in mock disgust. In truth, he was thrilled that Jen and Silvie were already making Sydney feel at home. He knew they’d welcome her in; they both shared that mothering instinct, as he knew too well, but they also seemed to be bonding in a mutual friendship.

“How’s it going out there?” Sydney tried to hide her grin between her thumb and first finger.

“It’s fine.” He shot her a sideways glance. “Why? How are things in here?”

“Silvie and Jen were just warning me to stay away from the giant snakes near the water troughs.”

Scott cringed. So that’s what they’d been in the kitchen laughing about? The one time when he mistook an old, knotted rope in front of a horse trough for a rattlesnake? He arched his brow and put his hands on Sydney’s shoulders, lowering his voice but still whispering loud enough that everyone could hear.

“You should tell them about your last encounter with a water trough.” He gave her shoulders a squeeze, watching a flush rise from her neck as he brushed a kiss on her cheek and hurried outside.

“What happened with the water trough?” Scott heard Jen’s voice carry through the screen, wondering how much of the truth Sydney would actually admit.

Chapter Seven

D
ESPITE THE OLDER
woman’s protests, Sydney helped Silvie clean up the dinner dishes. Afterward she found herself sitting on the end of a very comfortable bed, staring at the boxes stacked beside the closet on her right. She felt so odd to be unpacking her clothes and mementos in someone else’s home. Well, they weren’t going to unpack themselves. She had just picked up the first box and moved it when she heard a knock at the door.

“Come in,” she called, assuming Scott had come to check on her again. He’d been staying close all day, as if he was making sure nothing went wrong on her first day at the ranch. She glanced over her shoulder and caught a glimpse of dark eyes and dark hair, but it took a second for her brain to process the leaner, taller frame. “Oh, Derek. Come on in, sit down.” She motioned to the easy chair in the corner.

“Thought I’d come and see if you needed anything.” He slid down into the chair, staring at her intensely with those black eyes, which were so much like his brother’s.

“Not that I can think of. I’m just getting started unpacking so . . .” she left the suggestion hanging.

Derek rose and grabbed the box labeled “Stuff” from the stack, laughing. “Hope there’s nothing I shouldn’t see in here.”

“That’s just pictures and knickknacks I couldn’t do without.” She smiled as he held up a picture of her with her parents, taken of her at four on her first “big-girl horse.” “Those are my parents and Jedi.”

“That horse is enormous. And you’re what? About five?”

“Four, and yes, he was big, but he was such a teddy bear. We actually just lost him a few summers ago.” Sydney took the picture and placed it on the dresser. “So, Derek, I know what Clay does, and Jen helps Silvie. Are you going to the college?” She guessed he was about twenty, so she’d assumed that with his lack of muscle from outdoor work he must not be at the ranch full-time.

“I graduated a couple semesters early, last fall.”

Sydney realized that she must have misjudged his age. “I see,” she teased. “You’re a genius.”

Derek laughed and placed another picture of her parents on the dresser. “That’s me, genius extraordinaire.” He grabbed a picture of her brother, his arm looped over her shoulder, taken at a rodeo last year. She saw him frown before holding it up for her to see. “Boyfriend?”

“Ew, no! Younger brother,” she corrected. She saw the flash of anger on his face, but it was gone almost as quickly as it appeared. She almost wondered if she hadn’t imagined it. “So, you’re the youngest?”

“Yeah, I’m the baby of the family.” His tone told her he wasn’t happy about it either. “Ask anyone and they’ll tell you.”

Sydney wasn’t sure what sort of family dynamic was at work, but there was some sort of tension. “So Jen said she’s the oldest. You guys must be pretty close in age.”

“Jen and I are five years apart. Scott and I are three years apart, although sometimes it feels like a lot more.” He didn’t hide the bitterness in his voice at the mention of his brother.

“You two don’t get along, I take it.”

“That would be an understatement.” He turned back to the box.

So that was the reason for the odd tone when Derek talked about his brother. “What about your sister?”

“Jen’s great. She just . . . she gets me, you know what I mean?” He shrugged and put the picture next to the others. “Scott wants me to be him. Just because we look alike doesn’t me we are alike.”

Sydney didn’t really want to delve any further into the dark waters of a family disagreement. “So what do you do now that you’ve graduated, smart guy?”

“I actually work for you.”

Sydney’s hands froze. “What? You mean you work for Mike.”

Derek shrugged and shook his head. “No, for you,” he repeated. “Well, technically, with you, I guess, since I’m a part owner. But you’re my boss and I’m supposed to report to you, so I work for you.”

“Doing what?”

Derek reached inside the box for the last few pictures and laid the photo albums on the bed before flattening the box. “I never liked working with the bulls or cattle. No,” he corrected, “I think
hate
would be a better word. But I love working with the horses. I’ve been trying to do the exercising and training, but when it comes to training, I’m just okay. So when Mike hired you, he said I’d be your right hand.”