“Damn,” he murmured softly. “You’re kidding, right?”
There, at the base of a tree, in a hollowed-out area in the trunk, was a cat and four kittens.
The mother was a calico, with tabby markings instead of black. Two of her kittens were tabby, one was a marmalade and the last was all black. They were tiny, maybe a week or so old.
Priscilla walked over to the tree, then bent down. Her trunk lightly stroked the cat. The cat closed her eyes and seemed to go to sleep.
He knew about the cats that came to visit when the goats were milked and this wasn’t one of them. She looked more feral than the goats’ daily visitors. He was also aware that while Priscilla would provide impressive protection and that there was plenty of water in the pen, the elephant was an herbivore. Whatever the mama cat was eating, she would have to catch it herself.
He stared at the elephant. “Because I needed one more thing?”
Her wise eyes seemed to crinkle with amusement.
He went back to the house, got some chicken out of the refrigerator, cut it up, then added cat food to the shopping list his mother kept. After taking the plate to the edge of the fencing, he slid it as close as he dared. Priscilla watched him warily, still standing guard over her new family.
He shook his head and walked away.
He’d gotten all of twenty feet when two SUVs drove onto the property and parked by the barn. What seemed like twenty, but was probably only five or six, girls spilled out and swarmed all around him.
“Are you really a cowboy?”
“Do horses bite?”
“Can I really learn to ride?”
“Can we braid the horses’ tails?”
“Do any of the horses have blue eyes?”
“What’s that smell?”
The drivers got out of the cars. They were both women he might or might not have recognized from his visits to town. Nothing about the situation should have been dangerous, but he couldn’t help the feeling that his life had just taken a turn for the difficult.
“Ladies,” he said, touching the brim of his hat. “How can I help you?”
“We’re here for the horseback riding lessons.”
* * *
SHANE WAS WAITING WHEN Annabelle arrived at the ranch. He looked stern and rugged, in a sexy kind of way. Not that she was going to allow his killer smile to distract her. The man obviously needed his priorities set straight.
She got out of her car, but before she could start to complain, he said, “We have to talk.”
“Good. I was thinking the same thing. I’ve been getting calls. Calls from mothers with daughters who are crushed that you won’t teach them to ride. What’s the big deal? You have horses, a ranch. I know you can do it. I saw you with that rodeo guy. He was learning and you were helping. These women are paying customers and this is your business. Why are you being so difficult?”
Shane pulled off his hat, set it on the roof of her car, then rubbed his face with his hands. “I need a drink.”
“It’s only three in the afternoon.”
“It’s been a hell of a day.”
He moved closer and put his hands on her shoulders, then turned her so that she could see each of the corrals.
“Those are my horses,” he said.
“I know that.”
“What is it you think I do?”
She didn’t understand the question. “Horse stuff,” she said, stating the obvious. “You, um, raise horses and train them. And people. You’re building a ranch where I guess you’ll have more horses. Oh!” She turned to smile at him. “You have pregnant mares, so you breed horses, too.”
“Two drinks,” he muttered and released her shoulders.
She wanted to protest. The feel of his hands on her body was nice. Better than nice. His grip was warm, his fingers strong. He was a patient man and wasn’t that the best quality in a potential lover?
“I started out in the rodeo. I took off when I was eighteen and got work where I could. Learned as I went. I did okay but I figured out early I would never be a champion. So I turned my attention to the horses. It turns out I have a knack for breeding. Thoroughbreds.”
She blinked at him.
“Horses that race. You know, like the Kentucky Derby.”
She looked back at the horses grazing. At their powerful chests and long legs. “Racehorses?” She swallowed. “Aren’t they expensive?”
“Yes.”
“You’ve had horses in these races?”
“Came in second at the Belmont Stakes.”
Another race she’d heard of.
She was starting to see that Shane wasn’t exactly who and what she’d thought. She’d assumed he was a regular kind of guy who worked with horses. A man who kept a few around for, um, for… Well, she wasn’t sure why people kept horses exactly. Charlie liked to ride Mason, but the world of racing and breeding was different.
Her gaze shifted to Khatar. “He’s different from the others.”
“Arabian.”
She thought back to the conversations they’d had and her stomach lurched. “He was expensive?”
“Depends on your definition. He wasn’t seven figures.”
Seven? As in a million dollars?
“Well, sure. Why would you pay that much?” Her voice was faint. “But close, right?” Not that she wanted to know.
“Pretty damned close.”
She was going to faint. Right there on the ground, she would collapse and possibly hit her head and then have to live with the resulting amnesia. The good news was she might then be able to forget this conversation.
“That’s why you had me riding Mason,” she said. “Because he’s a regular horse and I couldn’t hurt him.”
“You can’t hurt one of the other horses, either. It’s that they’re not riding stock. Certainly not for a beginner or a bunch of kids.” He raised his hands, then let them drop to his side. “I’m not being a jerk about the kids, Annabelle. The truth is I don’t have anything for them to ride.”
“I see that now. I’ll explain to the mothers. There has to be someone else nearby with appropriate horses. Because the girls were very excited by the opportunity. Maybe I could rent a horse for them or something.”
He groaned. “Is that in your budget?”
“No. I work at a library. But I could figure something out.”
“The walls are closing in,” Shane muttered. “Have you talked to my mother about this?”
“No. Why?”
“Do me a favor. Don’t. Tell you what. I’ll get some pleasure horses out here. Rent them for the summer or something.”
“You don’t have to. It’s not your responsibility.”
“You’re right about that, but currently, it’s my problem. If I don’t rent them and my mother finds out, she’ll buy some. Probably old horses. And I’ll have to take care of them. This will be easier. I’ll offer a few lessons and we’ll take it from there.”
While she appreciated the gesture, she still felt guilty and a little foolish. How could she have missed the truth about Shane?Before she could figure out what to say, Khatar came strolling around the barn. She laughed as he headed directly toward her.
Shane turned. “What the hell? How did he get out?”
She reached for the horse as he approached and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Hey, big guy. How are you? Who’s a handsome horse? Did you know you’re expensive? You need to take care of yourself.”
“He’s insured,” Shane said drily.
She leaned into the horse because it was easier than looking at Shane. “I can still help with your house. If you want me to. You know, to make up for all of this.”
She expected him to say no, but he surprised her by agreeing.
“We never did decide on the kitchen,” he said. “Maybe we can do that in the next day or so. Jocelyn is on me about wanting to pour the foundation.”
“We can do it after our lesson, if you’d like.”
“Sure. You have time?”
When it came to him, she was starting to think she had all the time in the world. She liked that even when he’d been annoyed, Shane’s anger had been low-key. He’d never once yelled and he didn’t say anything disparaging. Lewis, her ex, would have said she was stupid, would have gone on and on, blaming her. He would have done his best to make her feel small.
“I can stay,” she told him.
Their gazes locked. She was aware of something hot pulsing between them. Something that would be very, very messy. Maybe he would want to…
A flicker of movement caught her attention. She saw one of the mares in the corral next to Priscilla’s enclosure.
“Are you trying to see if Priscilla wants to be friends with one of the horses?”
Shane turned and nodded. “I found a cat with Priscilla yesterday. A mother cat with kittens. I went online and read about Asian elephants. The females need a group to belong to. I don’t think a cat is going to be enough, so I’m trying the mares, one at a time, until we get a match.”
“That’s very sweet.”
“Priscilla belongs to my mother. However, she has left the care of her menagerie to me, so I’ll do what I can.”
“Maybe she’ll fall in love. Or at least start dating.”
Shane swung his attention back to her. “Speaking of dating,” he began.
Her heart fluttered. Was he going to ask her out? Did he feel the chemistry between them? Was he thinking that they should at least take their attraction for a test drive?
“I had an interesting talk with Charlie yesterday,” he told her.
She winced. “Oh.”
He raised his eyebrows. “Oh? That’s it?”
“She needs to start seeing someone. I won’t go into why, but she has to get back on the horse, so to speak, and you’re a horse guy so I thought… But then you said you weren’t interested and it probably wouldn’t work.” No way she was going to bring up their kiss. Even if she couldn’t stop thinking about it.
“Anyway, that’s what happened. You didn’t hurt her feelings, did you?”
“Charlie firmly put me in my place. You would be proud.”
“That’s nice.”
“Anyone else you want to set me up with?” he asked.
She shook her head.
“Other groups that will be showing up unannounced?”
“I can’t think of any.”
“Good. Ready for our lesson?”
She nodded. “Am I riding Khatar?”
Shane shook his head. “It’s what you both want. Who am I to stand in the way?”
“But he’s so expensive. I don’t want to hurt him.”
Shane sighed. “You won’t.”
Khatar stood next to her, his neck over her shoulder, his cheek against hers. “I’ll be very careful.”
“I’m sure you will.”
Shane started toward the barn. She followed, Khatar trailing after her.
“You think I’m a pain in the butt, don’t you?” she asked.
He turned. “I know you’re not trying to be.”
“I’m not. Usually I’m not the least bit difficult.”
“Why don’t I believe that?”
Before she could come up with a response, he stepped toward her and grabbed her upper arms. He pressed his mouth against hers in one hard, hot kiss that seared her down to her toes. Before she could reach for him or even kiss him back, he released her.
“Khatar’s never had on a Western saddle. You’ll have to ride English.”
Pleasure and need charged through her in time with her heartbeat. She drew in a shaky breath.
“Whatever you say, Shane.”
He grunted. “If only that were true.”
CHAPTER SIX
“RAFE AND I HAVE DECIDED we’ll hold the wedding here,” Heidi said as she poured glasses of iced tea in the ranch’s dining room. “It’s more economical and we can have more people.”
Charlie took the offered glass and raised her eyebrows. “Seriously? Rafe’s worried about what it’s going to cost?”
Heidi laughed. “No, but I’ve spent my life being frugal. That’s not going to change anytime soon.”
Annabelle figured her friend was in for a financial adjustment. Heidi and her grandfather had never had an excess of funds. Now Heidi was marrying a very successful businessman with millions to his name. She would bet that Rafe would pay for any kind of wedding Heidi wanted. But she also knew Heidi wouldn’t see it that way.
“Besides,” Heidi continued, “this is more about the room than the costs. I’ve made so many friends here in town. I want everyone to come and have a great time.”
“More party than reception?” Charlie asked.
“That sounds perfect.”
“I agree,” Annabelle told her. “The weather will be warm but not hot and people will enjoy the more relaxed venue. You were leaning toward a less formal ceremony anyway.”
May, Rafe and Shane’s mother, walked into the dining room, several pads of paper tucked under one arm and a fistful of pens in her free hand.
“Am I late? Did you start without me?”
“You’re right on time,” Heidi assured her future mother-in-law.
“I saw you and Glen pulling into town about three this morning,” Charlie told her.
“Our flight landed in San Francisco at midnight,” May said, taking a seat at the table and passing out the pads of paper and pens. “We talked about grabbing a room by the airport but decided we would rather be home.”