Caleb (8 page)

“You fired Bill?” Caleb seemed genuinely surprised. “Why?”

Rachel shrugged, keeping her emotions safely behind the mask of forged confidence. “He refused to support me and my authority. He’s continually undermined me to the other guys. I can’t have someone like him killing morale.” She couldn’t tell Caleb about Bill’s unwanted advances. Even though it was none of his business, she knew he wouldn’t let it go.

“You need him, Rachel. Spring is damn near here. You’ll be moving cattle, birthing calves. You need a foreman now more than anything. I’d offer to stick around until you fill his spot, but that would require you to pretend we’re married for longer.”

“Thank you. That’s very kind.” As much as she’d like to take him up on it, she wouldn’t be able to fully heal and move forward until she put this period behind her. “Joe will step up. I know him. Then I’ll hire someone to take his place. One way or the other, I’ll make it work.”

“You’re going to have a hard time running this place with less men. Already you work too hard.”

“You’re starting to sound like my uncle.” She rolled her head, trying to loosen her aching neck muscles. “Look where his ideas landed me.”

“Maybe your uncle had a point. If you step back from the situation, you can see that it’s impossible for one person to do this alone.”

His comment spiked her irritation. “Which is why I have employees. If I say I can make this work, I’ll make it work, okay?”

He held her gaze for a long moment, and she sensed the argument hovering on his tongue. Instead, he nodded. “I could rub the kinks out of your shoulders if you’d like.”

He’d changed the subject, but the thought of his hands on her did little to ease her anxiety. To accept would only increase her attraction to him. To refuse would seem rude, and her stiff muscles and accompanying headache begged her to accept.

“I promise I won’t bite.”

“Fine.” She turned her back, giving him access, deciding the best move would be to accept his innocent offer without reacting. She glanced over her shoulder, still keeping a wary eye trained in his direction. “If you could just get my right shoulder, that would be amazing.”

“You got it.” He stepped closer, sliding his hands beneath her hood. “You should wear your hair down more often. You look good with soft curls.”

“Oh…thanks.”

She smiled, knowing he couldn’t see her. Despite the circumstances, she found she was happier when he was around.

He probed her muscles with his fingers, and she cringed. “Damn, girl. I’m surprised you’re not having constant headaches.”

She gave a sarcastic snort. “Who says I’m not?” She gathered her hair and pulled it to the side, out of his way.

“That’s no good.” He increased the pressure of his thumb into a large knot in the center of her right shoulder.

She winced. “Oh, geez. That’s...”

“Sorry.” He eased off. “You’re a mess, you know?” He rubbed the opposite shoulder which hurt almost as bad.

“Don’t I know it.” She exhaled and closed her eyes, trying to relax. As his hands warmed and stretched her muscles, her mind wandered to the feel of his fingers touching her skin, to how close his body was to her.

She wanted to turn, wanted to explore another kiss with him and bring back the feelings of excitement she’d experienced that morning.

When the temptation became too much, she twisted away and faced him.

He widened his eyes in concern. “Did I hurt you?”

“No. You were great.”

“Then why did you stop me?”

Why, indeed. “My shoulder feels much better and…” She glanced toward the gurgling river, her mind racing for an answer. Quickly, she bent to pick up a small stone. She turned it over in her hand and then looked to him. “I wanted you to show me how to skip a rock instead.”

He studied her for a moment, and she prayed the heat in her cheeks didn’t show. Instead of questioning her further, he smiled. “It’s not hard, but it does take practice, and you’re better off trying it at a lake where the water is smooth.”

“You did it here,” she challenged.

“All right,” he said with a laugh. “First you need to find a flat rock about the size of your palm.” He glanced about their feet.

She dropped the small one in her hand and searched for another. “Like this?” She retrieved a dark-gray rock that fit his description.

“That’s perfect.” He moved closer to her. “Now turn sideways with your shoulder toward the water and squat down. Then bend your wrist and snap it forward.” He mimicked the actions he wanted her to take.

She did as he said and released the rock. It hit the water and immediately sank to the bottom. “Oops.” She didn’t have anywhere near the finesse he did.

He laughed. “That’s a good first try. If you shift a bit, it might help.”

She adjusted her stance and look to him for approval.

He shook his head. “Like this.” He gripped her hips from behind and moved her into position.

She closed her eyes and took one second to appreciate his nearness.

“Hold that stance, and let me find you another rock.”

He found a couple more suitable stones and returned to her. “Watch me.” He squatted next to her, bent his wrist and flung. The stone skipped four times before disappearing from view.

“Oh, nice.” She held out a hand. “Let me do another.”

He put a rock in her palm and moved out of the way. She tried again with failing results. He scooted closer, giving her another stone. “Bend your wrist a little farther, like this.”

She focused on her wrist and practiced the movement a few times.

“You need to relax and just kind of go with the flow.”

She was alone in the wilderness under the big Wyoming sky with the sexiest man alive standing far too close to her. How the hell was she supposed to relax?

“Sorry.” Her weak laugh exposed her edginess. “Maybe I should try later.”

“It’s okay. Everyone sucks the first time.” He loaded her palm with the rest of the stones and moved away to lean against a tree. “Give it a few more tries.”

This time, he moved completely away from her. She inhaled and focused on her goal. A few more sinkers embarrassed her before she finally made one skip once. “I did it!” A proud thrill zipped through her.

He chuckled. “You sure did.”

The man looked like he belonged on her land. Many men wouldn’t withstand the sometimes brutal Wyoming winters along with the never-ending workload. She didn’t doubt Caleb would hold his own.

“Thank you for that. I haven’t had this much fun in forever.”

He pushed off the tree and approached her. “It’s amazing what fresh air and sunshine can do for the soul. You look more relaxed already.” He gave her a look that left every cell in her body tingling..

“I won’t tell you that you were right, but you were right. I need to keep things in perspective through this crazy time. Otherwise, I’ll be insane before it’s over.” She narrowed her gaze, giving him a cryptic smile. “How did you get to be so smart?”

He shrugged. “I’ve been where you are.”

“And where is that?”

His gaze darkened. “About to have the rug pulled out from under me. About to lose everything that matters.”

She sobered, concern replacing the lighthearted joy that was present moments ago. “Will you tell me what happened?”

He released a heavy sigh. “Very similar circumstances. My dad died leaving his spread to me and my brothers. I thought the three of us would run the place together. I know my brothers weren’t as interested as I was, but I was happy to shoulder the bulk of the management while they pursued other interests. It would have brought them a nice income with little work on their part.”

“But they didn’t want to,” she said. His sadness and loss nearly broke her heart.

“No, they didn’t. They wanted their money upfront and not spread over time. I didn’t have enough to buy out both of them, so we sold it. That was two years ago. My wife left me shortly after that.”

“What did you do?”

“What could I do? Worked odd jobs here and there. I have enough to live comfortably on for a while until I find what’s right for me, not to mention I’m enjoying consulting others. Gives me a chance to see the country and meet new people. Like you.” His smile returned. “I shouldn’t be dumping on you. Shouldn’t make you worry more. The outcome of my situation has absolutely nothing to do with yours.”

He could put on a smile if he wanted, but she could see the heartbreak resting beneath. He’d been cast from his home and was now wandering the country looking for another.

She couldn’t say what propelled her, but she closed the distance between them and wrapped her arms around him. His coat was rough against her cheek, but it smelled enticingly like him.

Seconds passed before he returned her embrace. “What’s that for?” She’d swear his voice carried a hint of emotion.

“I’m loving you better.” She gave him one last squeeze before she stepped away. “You might not know, but yours helped me earlier. I thought one might help you, too.”

He placed a hand over his heart. “Thank you. I appreciate it. Let’s make damn sure you don’t lose what’s most important to you, too, okay?”

“Okay.” She exhaled a deep breath, knowing she needed to move, or she’d end up kissing him again. “We should get on our way. We have a few more miles to ride, and my houseguest will want dinner before it gets too late.”

“Yeah, he’s getting hungry.” As they headed toward their horses, he slanted a sideways glance at her that sent a sensual shiver rolling through her. “Are you territorial about your kitchen, or would you mind a little help?”

She snorted. “Oh no. My kitchen is fair game. The less I have to cook, the better.”

“Great.” He held onto her horse’s reins while she saddled up and then handed them to her. “I like to keep busy. Like I said before, it’s good to be needed.”

“Be careful,” she warned with a glint in her eye. “I’ll have you so busy you won’t know which day is which.”

He grinned as he mounted his horse. “Bring it on.”

Dinner was a simple, but delicious meal of open-faced turkey sandwiches and a salad, which Caleb, true to his word, had made for them. Their dinner had been quaint, and Caleb had kept her entertained with wild stories from his youth. She tried to pretend there wasn’t a magnetic current running straight from him to her, but the more she studied his mannerisms and listened to his deep voice, the more entranced she became.

By the time they finished, she was a hot mess needing to escape before she begged him to hold her again.

“Thanks. Just pile them in the sink,” Rachel said as Caleb gathered his dishes. “I need to put away the leftovers first, but I’ve got it from here.”

He set the dishes in the sink, but instead of leaving, he followed her to the counter where she’d opened a drawer. She glanced up at him with a questioning look. He grinned and bumped his hip against hers. “How about I get this and you go soak in a hot tub? You need to do something to relax those shoulder muscles.”

She grinned, enjoying his flirtatious manner. “You need to stop tempting me.”

The look he gave her could have melted the glaciers in Montana. “Am I tempting you?”

Oh, hell yeah
. Instead of answering, she shook her head.

“Don’t lie. I can see it in your eyes.” His darkened gaze also showed the truth. Knowledge that he wanted her nearly undid her.

She continued her denial.

“I insist.” His fingers brushed hers as he took the plastic cover from her hand. “Go.”

“Okay, okay.” She’d better while she still had a chance. When she reached the edge of the kitchen, she glanced back. He shooed her away, and she laughed. “I’m going.”

The feeling of a weight lifted came over her as she climbed the stairs. Nothing permanent had changed in her life. She was still in just as dire of a predicament as before he’d answered her call for help, but life suddenly seemed better.

Her housemate was certainly a whole lot sexier than Franklin, which provided her with a nice distraction during these difficult times.

She did as he suggested and filled the tub with hot water. A soft sigh of pleasure escaped her as she sank to her neck and closed her eyes. Caleb was right. She needed this. It was super sweet of him to give her a break. Room and board were part of the deal she’d offered him, and she didn’t expect his help. But it was so, so nice.

She dozed in the tub until her water cooled for the second time. Then she climbed out, wrinkled and rested. As she dried off with a towel, she gently stretched her neck muscles and then recoiled when a sharp pain shot through her right shoulder.

“Shit,” she hissed when she tried to stretch it again and everything knotted tighter, intensifying the pain in her head. She shouldn’t have pushed it.

Gently, she dressed in the flannel pants and tank she intended to wear to bed and carefully descended the staircase. If she moved the wrong way even the slightest, another pain speared her.

Caleb lounged on the couch in front of the fire with his computer open on his lap, same as most evenings. Instead of stopping, she continued into the kitchen with one mission in mind.

“Son of a bitch,” she whispered as she lifted her arm to open the cabinet closest to the sink, determined to get what she needed despite the pain. She eyed the brown medication bottles on the top shelf, started to raise her arm farther, and then cursed. This wasn’t going to work.

“Caleb?” she called, embarrassed that she had to bother him.

“Yeah?” he said as he entered the kitchen a few seconds later. His scrutinizing gaze brought awkward heat to her cheeks.

“Can you help me?” She released a frustrated sigh.

“Of course. That’s what you’re paying me for.”

She looked up at him past her lowered brows, letting him know she wasn’t impressed by his attempt to make a joke. “I think my uncle still had a bottle of muscle relaxers, but I can’t reach them. Could you see if they’re up there?”

“Still hurting? The tub didn’t help?”

“Oh, it did, until I got cocky and stretched too far. It tightened up worse than the lid on a new jar of pickles.”

“Ouch.” He moved in next to her and glanced upward. He’d changed into flannel pants along with an old gray t-shirt, and she realized she enjoyed the fact they could both be comfortable around each other.

As he reached for the items on the top shelf, his shirt lifted, exposing a few delicious inches of skin on his lower back. A faded tan line hinted at time spent shirtless in the sun, and she hoped for an early summer.

“Any of these?”

She jerked her guilty gaze toward him and then quickly to the bottles he’d placed on the counter. She scanned through the labels and then gasped with relief. “Yes, thank God. This one.” But when she opened the lid, the bottle was empty. She shifted her gaze back to Caleb and tipped the container upside down as she frowned.

“That’s not good.” Caleb searched the top shelf again, but came up empty handed. “Ibuprofen will help some.”

“Yeah, but it’s not the same as the good stuff.” She grimaced as she grasped the white bottle of pain relievers from a lower shelf.

He reached over her and pulled a glass from the cupboard. “Let me get this for you.” Not only did he remove the glass, but he filled it with water, too.

She slipped the small brown-coated pills between her lips and washed them down with several swallows. “Thank you.”

“No problem.” He eyed her. “I could rub it again if you’d like. It would be much easier here in the house, and I promise relief. It will help you sleep better, too, and give the meds a hand up.”

She blinked as she considered his offer. His hands on her bare skin and the desires his touch would stir, or this insufferable pain until she fell asleep and possibly more again in the morning. “That’s a pretty bold claim. What if I can’t be fixed?” The pain was certainly strong enough.

His sexy grin turned her all mushy inside. “You can question my ability after I finish.”

She closed her eyes for a brief second. The carrot he dangled was too tempting to resist.

“Rachel,” he said in a stern voice. “You have pain, and I can help relieve it. Surrender to your stubbornness. You’d be crazy not to.”

She inhaled, ready to argue with him, but then realized he was a hundred percent correct. Arguing would be idiotic. “Okay. Thank you. That would be so nice.”

He looked happier than he should have. “Finally, a little common sense.”

She shot him a look, but he only smiled.

“Out of all my clients, you’re the most stubborn. Good to know you can see reason at some point.”

“Is that so?” She tossed his tease back at him, enjoying their banter. “Are you saying your way is the only reasonable way?”

He slid a slow gaze down her body, and her nipples involuntarily tightened at his visual exploration. “I’m saying you won’t regret doing things my way.” He captured her gaze, drilling his meaning home.

She lifted a brow, unable to respond in any way that would keep her out of trouble.

He grinned, obviously enjoying the effect of his words. “Wait in the living room while I get my lotion.”

Once she entered the adjoining room, she perched on the edge of the couch next to the fire. She couldn’t believe how in the blink of an eye everything in her life had changed. One minute her uncle was alive and thriving, the next gone. Up until that point, her life had been quiet and predictable. She hadn’t had time to grieve his death before she was forced to fight for what was hers. Now, she lived in close quarters with a stranger who heated her blood and haunted her thoughts most minutes of the day. It was as if the gods or whoever had taken her life like a snow globe and shaken the hell out of it.

She had no idea where she’d be when everything settled again.

“Ready?”

She startled and twisted her head toward him. The sudden movement shot a fierce pain up her neck. “Son of a…”

He shook his head, scolding her with a look. “You need serious help, girl.”

“No kidding.” She pressed on the aching area. “You said you needed to be needed, so here I am. I need you, and I’m paying you well for your services. Just don’t tell me I have to pay extra.”

“Consider this a freebie.” A slow, sexy smile curved his lips and made her insides shiver with anticipation that did not help her to remain indifferent.

He’d been tossing out the flirty remarks and heated looks all day. She needed to show him she wasn’t a naïve woman living her life on a quiet ranch who’d fall for any one of his innuendos. She’d grown up surrounded by testosterone and the many remarks that came with it.

She sent him a playful smile. “Ha. I might not have to pay in money, but you’re a smart businessman. I bet you’ll figure out a way to make me pay in some other form.”

He lifted a brow in interest. “Is that an offer?”

“Oh, no. Absolutely not. If you want something more than what I’m already giving you, you’re going to have to figure that out on your own.” She knew she played with fire, but she didn’t care. It felt good, life affirming even to tease him and enjoy the moment, despite her muscle aches.

“Okay.” He nodded and grinned, the action lighting up his eyes. “Challenge accepted.”

She snorted and shook her head to dispel the sexual energy blazing through the room. “Where do you want me? To sit?” she quickly added.

“The ottoman. For now.”

She acknowledged his checkmate with a smile.

Caleb made short work of moving the ottoman in front of the fire while she admired his biceps as he did.

She sat facing the flickering flames, hyperaware of him moving behind her.

“Do you want to fix your hair so it’s all off your back?” The timbre of his voice left goosebumps on her skin.

“Sure.” She’d piled the strands on top of her head when she’d bathed, but several pieces had come loose. She took a moment to secure her hair into a bun on top of her head while he moved in front of her, his back and hands toward the fire.

When he met her gaze, she glanced between the fire and his face, questioning his actions.

“No one likes cold fingers.”

She didn’t argue.

With a wink, he stepped behind her, out of sight. A second later, the sound of lotion squirting from a bottle competed with the crackling fire. When he placed his warm, lotion-coated hands on her back, she shivered.

She closed her eyes and sighed as she lost herself in the feel of his large, powerful hands caressing her. Slowly, he spread the lotion over her skin. He wasn’t pressing hard enough to massage her muscles, but his heated, steady touch soothed and, unfortunately, excited her.

Then his hands were on her shoulders, and the next thing she knew, he’d pushed her straps down her arms. She jerked her eyes open in response, but he continued to rub as though he hadn’t taken personal liberties with her. She glanced downward to make sure her shirt still covered the important parts.

Then he drew a firm thumb down her neck and over the top of her shoulder, and she forgot all about the condition of her tank top.

“Damn.” The pressure he applied burned so good.

“You’re a disaster.” His fingers roamed over her back finding and exploiting her most painful areas.

“That’s what you said earlier.” She tried to focus on her breathing instead of the pain.

“I was right earlier, except I didn’t realize how much of a mess. I’ve said it before, but you need to take care of yourself. The running of this ranch rests entirely in your hands. You need to stay strong.”

He pressed harder on a particularly nasty knot, and she gasped as she dug her nails into the leather seat.

“Tell me something I don’t know.”

“Sorry.” He changed his tactic to wide sweeping motions that soothed the pain. He rubbed her gently for several minutes, heating and smoothing her skin. The calming sensation teased her into a lull. She dropped her head forward and closed her eyes, breathing deeply.

The most delicious tingles erupted throughout her.

She knew this would happen, knew he couldn’t touch her in such a personal way without her responding. She swayed with the pressure of his hands, relaxing into a state of heated bliss.

“Mmm….” she moaned. “That is so good.”

His hands paused on her back, ripping her from her enchanted state. If she didn’t know better, she’d say she’d sounded like she was well on her way to an orgasm.

She coughed and straightened. The time had come to leave before things got out of hand. “Thank you, Caleb. That was wonderful.”

“Are you done, already? I could go longer. It’s free, remember?”

She stood and faced him, slipping her straps up her shoulders and crossing her arms over her breasts when something there snagged his gaze. “I feel tons better. I think I’ll just call it a night.”

“You sure?” He lifted a nonchalant brow. “You could stay down here and sit by the fire for a while. I noticed a couple of bottles of wine in the pantry. That might help relax you, too. It’s all part of staying balanced like we talked about.”

That was the kind of balance she shouldn’t add to her life right now. “Thanks. That’s a lovely offer, but too much of a good thing might make it worse.” Meaning him, not necessarily the knots in her muscles that were semi-relaxed for now.