Champagne & Chaps (4 page)

They both stood and scooted out of the booth. He touched the base of her spine as he guided her toward the bar. Her blouse was soft but he imagined her skin was softer.

When they reached the bar, he swept her onto the dance floor. This time he held her closer than he had at the Stampede. She seemed a little less skittish than she had then. And when they danced a slow tune, it was almost like she was cuddling up to him.

Desire slammed into him and he hoped she wouldn’t notice the effect she was having on him. He didn’t see how she couldn’t, but she didn’t move away.

One hour blended with the next. He’d stopped at two drinks since he’d be driving, but she had four before the night was through. She wavered a little when she walked and she giggled a lot when she got tipsy.

He couldn’t help grinning at how cute she was. Her inhibitions and fears seemed to slip away and she didn’t have that same sadness about her that she had been showing every now and then. Sabrina seemed to be even more fun, outgoing, and friendly, as if a little alcohol let her be who she really was when she wasn’t weighed down with whatever it was that had affected her so badly.

“Are you ready to go?” Wyatt said after their ninth or tenth dance.

She nodded. “I think I’ve worn out the heels on my boots. You might have to carry me out.”

With a grin he left some bills with the ticket and stood. “It would be my pleasure to carry you anywhere you’d like to go.”

She giggled and clapped her hand over her mouth, and he thought she blushed a bit, too. She moved her hand away and said, “Me and my big mouth.”

He laughed and she looked up at him and smiled as they walked out into the parking lot. “Thank you for bringing me here,” she said. “I’ve really enjoyed tonight.”

“Thank you for saying yes.” He settled his arm around her shoulders as they walked to his truck. She didn’t tense up. She seemed to be comfortable around him—most of the time. Sometimes he saw something wary in her eyes that told him not to push her too far too fast and he wondered what had happened to make her skittish that way.

The drive back to Carly’s house passed as easily as their dinner had as Sabrina told Wyatt about her last camping trip and the squirrel that kept dropping nuts at her head. It was so easy to talk with him and he made her laugh.

Still she started feeling nervous as he pulled his truck up to Carly’s house, beside her friend’s Jeep. When he parked, she waited for him to come around and he helped her out of the truck.

The night was mild and a slight breeze teased the hair at her nape as he shut the door behind her. They were on the far side of Carly’s Jeep, furthest away from the house, and her stomach flipped. She knew he wanted to kiss her.

And she wanted him to.

Her head told her no, she should leave now. That she shouldn’t risk either of their hearts. But something inside of her wanted him so badly in so many ways.

He moved his hands to her shoulders and drew her close to him. He lowered his head and his mouth hovered over hers, his breath warm on her lips. He was waiting for her to tell him no, giving her a chance to back out.

Without giving herself a chance to think about it, she closed the gap between them and moved her mouth to his. He gave a soft groan as she slid her arms around his neck and fell into the kiss.

Stop, stop, stop
kept going through her mind. But she couldn’t make herself.

He smelled so good, his spicy, masculine scent filling her. His body felt warm and solid against hers and she loved the way he tasted.

When she didn’t think her head would stop spinning from the power of his kiss, he drew away and he held her gaze with his. “Why don’t you come out to my place tomorrow?” he asked. “I’ll show you around the ranch.”

She swallowed and against her better judgment said, “I’d like that.”

He brushed his knuckles over her cheek. “I’ll call you tomorrow with directions.”

She nodded and then he kissed her again.

This time when he stepped back he said, “I’d better get you home before Carly comes out with a shotgun.”

Sabrina laughed. “You got the proud mama vibe, too?”

With a grin, he said, “I was half expecting her to give you a curfew.”

She smiled and he took her by the hand and led her to Carly’s home and walked with her up the front steps.

When they reached the door he cupped her face in his hands and brushed his lips over hers. She’d never had such sweet, amazing kisses. Ever. Nothing like Wyatt’s kisses. She felt as if magic spun around them, and she didn’t want to break the moment.

He let his hands slip away from her face and he looked down at her and smiled. “Good night, Sabrina.”

“Good night.” She returned his smile before she turned and opened the front door and stepped inside. She looked at him one last time before she shut the door behind her.

When the door was closed she leaned up against it, her eyes squeezed tight. She felt crazy, like a dozen emotions were flooding her. Giddiness, happiness, concern, fear, and others made her doubt herself and the choice to go out tonight, to tell him she would go see him tomorrow, to let him kiss her tonight.

“That good, huh?”

Sabrina’s eyes opened and she met her friend’s smiling face.

“I knew you two were meant for each other.” Carly gave a satisfied nod.

“Ha.” Sabrina pushed away from the door. “I was just relaxing for a moment.”

Carly laughed. “Sure, honey. If you say so.”

“I say so.”

“Tell me then, missy.” Carly had her arms folded across her chest, one eyebrow raised. “Are you going to see him again?”

Sabrina’s cheeks flushed with heat. “I agreed to go out to his ranch and see him tomorrow. He said he’d show me around.”

“Woohoo.” Carly gave a wide grin. “So much for not wanting to date.”

With a frown, Sabrina walked to the couch and sat down. “Am I making a mistake? I like him too much already. I don’t want to get hurt and I don’t want to disappoint him. After all, I’m not a whole woman.”

Carly frowned. “Don’t even go there, Sabrina. You’re
all
woman.”

“I don’t feel like it sometimes.” Sabrina sighed, a lump building up in her throat.

“Stop that.” Carly sat beside Sabrina. “Ever since you and Stanley broke up—”

“You mean since Stanley broke up with me,” Sabrina pointed out.

“The idiot broke up with you, yes.” Carly leaned forward. “But that was his loss. His inability to cope is what did it. He had the problem, not you.”

Sabrina felt tears back up behind her eyes. “I don’t want to disappoint Wyatt.”

Carly gave a gentle smile. “I don’t think Wyatt’s anything like that ass you used to date. I think he’s about as far away as you can get from that.”

Sabrina nodded. “I think you’re right. But—”

“Give him a chance.” Carly put her hand over Sabrina’s. “It’s not fair to him to treat him as if he is the same type of guy as your ex. Because he’s not and you know it.”

Sabrina looked down at her lap for a moment then returned her gaze to Carly’s. “If it goes any farther than just visiting him at the ranch, then I need to tell him,” she said. “That is important to me.”

“You do what you think is best, honey.” Carly said. “Just let him have the opportunity, okay?”

“Okay.” Sabrina squeezed her friend’s hand in return. “But if he runs, it’s your shoulder I’m crying on.”

Carly smiled. “Something tells me that the last thing Wyatt Cameron is, is the running kind. He’s a man’s man and knows how to treat a lady.”

The drive from Patagonia to Wyatt’s ranch took a while because the road went winding through the Canelo Hills and it was slow going.

When she finally reached the road leading to the Double U Ranch, it was close to ten in the morning. She drove her SUV up the dirt road, the vehicle shimmying over the rough ground. Like Wyatt had told her over the phone, his ranch was set back aways from the main road, but she could still see his house in the distance over the green grass that covered the ranchlands.

The closer she got to the ranch, the faster her heart pounded and the drier her mouth grew. She took a sip from her water bottle that she’d almost emptied during the drive. She wondered why she was so nervous. After all, Wyatt was the easiest man she’d ever talked with.

Her phone rang when she was about a quarter mile from Wyatt’s ranch house. She picked it up off the console and checked the number. She didn’t recognize it, but answered, “Hello?”

“Sabrina, this is Derrick.”

Her surprise at his call caused her to pause a moment. “Oh. Hi, Derrick.”

“Hope you don’t mind me calling you,” he said.

“Oh, of course not.” She relaxed. “What’s going on?”

“Just wonderin’ when you’re heading to Tucson next.”

“I’m going on Wednesday,” Sabrina gripped the steering wheel harder with one hand as the SUV shimmied again. Wyatt’s home was growing closer.

“Mind if I send along a package to my sister with you?” he asked. “It’s right off the I-10 freeway and Ajo Way. I don’t think that’s out of the way for you since you’re going up to the north side of Tucson, is it?”

“Not at all. I’ll be happy to take it.” She felt a little distracted as her belly tightened. She was almost to the cattle guard at the gate. Almost to Wyatt.

“I appreciate it.”

“I’ll give you a call Tuesday night,” she said.

“Talk to you then, Sabrina.”

She pressed the
end
button, flipped the phone shut, and set it back on the console. Her thoughts turned fully to Wyatt and a shiver went through her belly as she remembered his kiss last night.

The SUV’s tires thrummed over the cattle guard and her heart thrummed along with it. She pulled up to a beautiful tan ranch house with a red tiled roof. An old pueblo style fence and gate curved around in front of the long house. A grassy, tree-covered hill rolled up behind it and tall dark oaks were around the property. Five giant sycamore trees shaded the house. A garage stood separately from the house and there was a long barn next to wood corrals.

After she parked her SUV, she rubbed her palms on her thighs. She didn’t see anyone around. She stuffed her cell phone in her pocket and climbed out of her vehicle.

The sound of hooves came from behind her and she turned to see a horse trotting toward her, a cowboy on its back. She’d recognize that form anywhere. It was Wyatt and he’d never looked better.

His sexy grin lit a trail of fire straight to her heart. His cowboy hat was low over his brow and his eyes were shaded. His features were square cut, his skin tanned where his sleeves were rolled up and he was wearing a set of chaps. Damn but cowboys looked so hot in chaps.

He looked dusty and there was a sheen of perspiration on his arms and face. His muscles flexed as he swung off his horse and then stood in front of her. She smiled up at him but caught her breath in surprise as he took her by her upper shoulders, pulled her toward him, and kissed her.

It was like this cowboy was staking his claim and at that moment she was more than happy to let him. Her stomach flip-flopped as she breathed in the scent of leather and felt his heat. His hat bumped her head, his body firm and his clothing rough next to her softness.

When he drew away, his mouth was curved into a sexy grin, his hat raised so she could now see his incredible blue eyes. “I’ve been dying to do that since last night, Sabrina.”

She flushed with heat. She had wanted it just as much.

The horse neighed and bobbed its head as if wanting attention, too. Wyatt grinned and caught the horse by its bridle and patted its neck. “Now don’t go getting jealous,” he murmured to the horse. “Meet Sabrina.” He looked at her. “Sabrina, meet the other girl in my life, Senorita.”

“Hi,” Sabrina said and then felt silly. She looked at Wyatt. “I’ve never been around horses, but she looks beautiful.”

“Why don’t you touch her and start from there?” He took her hand and settled it on Senorita’s neck.

“I can feel the power in her.” Sabrina moved her palm over the horse, feeling the hard corded muscle and the coarse hair.

“Senorita’s been out working with me all morning,” Wyatt said. “She’s pretty dusty. About as much as I am. Why don’t you come with me while I take her into the barn to be put up.”

Sabrina nodded. “Sure.”

He tugged Senorita’s bridle and they walked beside her toward the barn.

“Did you have any problems finding my place?” he asked as they walked.

She shook her head. “Your directions were great. I did start to worry that I’d passed it, though. You were right. It is a little bit of a ways out here.”

He grinned. “Part of its charm.”

When they got to the barn, Wyatt called out, “Trent.”

A boy of about thirteen came jogging toward them from the shadows inside the barn. “Yes, boss?”

“Trent, this is Miss Sabrina.” Wyatt looked at her. “Sabrina, this is my youngest ranch hand, Trent.”

The boy grinned with pride. “Nice to meet you, Miss Sabrina.”

She smiled back at him. “A pleasure to meet you, too, Trent.”

“Take Senorita for me while I show Miss Sabrina around.” Wyatt let Trent take the horse by its bridle. “Give her some sweet oats, too.”

“Yes, sir,” Trent said. The boy gave Sabrina a nod and headed into the barn with the horse.

She smiled and said to Wyatt, “Wow, cowboys learn to be gentlemen young around here. I’m impressed”

“He’s a good kid.” They stood outside the barn as Wyatt spoke and he kept his voice down. “He’s been hanging around here since he was nine.” He looked at Sabrina, his jaw tight as he spoke. “His dad was a mean drunk and Trent needed a place to come to when his dad was feeling mean or passed out cold. So I let the kid help around here and gave him money and food. His dad used whatever he earned on booze. Trent was stick thin when he started coming here.”

Sabrina’s eyes widened. “Did his father beat him?”

“Thankfully, no.” Wyatt looked grim. “I might have ended up in jail for killing the sonofabitch for touching the boy if he had. I did have a real good talk with the man a couple of times. He’d be nicer to Trent for a while then slip back into what he was.”

“Couldn’t anything be done about it?” she asked.

“We sure as hell tried,” Wyatt said. “But there was never any proof of physical violence or other abuse that left physical marks, so there was nothing the state could do about it.”

Imagining Trent going through that made her heart hurt. “Does he still live with his father?”

Wyatt shook his head. “The old man accidentally burned their house down and himself along with it. We were real fortunate that Trent was here and not in the house with his dad. He was adopted by Mrs. Jacobson, a great lady who lives a couple of miles away. She lets him come over here and help out after school and on weekends. The boy loves it.”

Sabrina had watched the fierceness in Wyatt’s expression when he talked about Trent and what his father had done to him, and she saw the gentleness in the way Wyatt talked about the boy himself. She found herself admiring and appreciating him even more.

Wyatt touched her elbow and guided her into the barn. “The horses are out in the pasture behind the barn or out working with the men.”

The aisle they walked down was strewn with hay but the place looked clean. “Does Trent take care of the barn?” she asked.

Wyatt nodded. “He mucks the stalls and feeds and waters the horses along with anything else that needs to be done.”

“Like brushing down the horses,” she said and he nodded. She looked up to see a hay loft and then around her at the stalls and fifty gallon drums.

“We keep the grain, sweet oats, and pellets in these.” Wyatt leaned down and opened a smaller drum and she smelled the unfamiliar scent as he took a handful of pellets and pocketed them. “Why don’t I take you out to the pasture where the horses are?”

She smiled. “I’d like that.”

They walked out behind the barn to a set of corrals where five gorgeous horses grazed in a fenced pasture.

“They’re wonderful.” She looked at them in awe, the way their coats shone in the sunlight and the natural beauty of the big animals. She saw a sixth horse, a much smaller one, come into view from the other side of one of the larger horses. “That must be a baby.”

Wyatt smiled. “That foal is nine months old now and a handful, so we call her Mayhem. She’s going to grow up to be as beautiful as her dam, Missy.” He dug into his pocket. “Let me see your hand.” Sabrina did as he told her and he placed a couple of pellets on her palm. “Come on.” He opened a gate and they slipped in and walked toward the foal and her mother.

Sabrina’s breath caught in her chest as they approached Missy and Mayhem. The foal trotted up to them, her head high, a mischievous light in her big brown eyes. Missy bumped her nose against Mayhem’s neck as if telling her to behave. Sabrina looked up at Wyatt and saw his amusement.

Wyatt gestured to the dam. “Hold out the treats for Missy.” Sabrina obeyed, automatically taking a step back when the big animal approached her. “It’s okay, she won’t hurt you and she won’t bite.”

Sabrina stayed still, holding her breath as the horse lowered her head and made snuffling sounds over Sabrina’s palm, Missy’s hot breath warming Sabrina’s hand. Then she felt the velvety softness of the horse’s nose as she took the treats.

A thrill went through Sabrina and she laughed as she looked at Wyatt. “That was so cool.”

He grinned and she held out her hand for more pellets. This time he had her offer the treat to Mayhem who took them and then started prancing around her mother.

The four other horses came up and Sabrina fed each one of them the rest of the pellets. While they fed the horses, Sabrina petted them and talked to them and told them how beautiful they were. They seemed to like her talking to them and she smiled up at Wyatt.

“I think I’m in love,” she said.

He grinned. “I’ll take you riding sometime.”

“Thank you.” A sense of excitement raced through her at the thought. “I’d like that very much.”

When the pellets were gone, Sabrina reluctantly left the horses. “I adore them,” she said. “I can see why so many people are fascinated with horses. They’re amazing.”

Wyatt opened the gate to the pasture and let Sabrina out before closing it behind them. “Now I know the way to your heart,” he said and she laughed.

They walked to the corrals and climbed up on the wooden railings. “I’ll take you riding out there sometime.” He gestured toward the distance. “The cattle are grazing in the northeast pasture now.”

“I’m amazed at how beautiful it is out here.” Sabrina used the height of the railing she was standing on to get a better look around. “I’ve heard about it, but I just never imagined how incredible it is.”

She looked back at Wyatt who was standing on the ground now and he was smiling at her. He took her hand and helped her down.

“Now what?” she asked as she fell into step beside him.

“How about some sun tea?” He took off his hat and mopped his brow with a red handkerchief that he stuffed into his back pocket. “I could use something nice and cool to drink right about now.”

“Sounds great.” She fanned her face. “It is getting a little warm.”

He took her by the hand and she suddenly felt even warmer as his heat traveled straight through her from her head to her toes. He met her gaze and she had a feeling he was just as hot as she was.