Jesse (13 page)

“She's fine,” Jesse answered. “Aren't you?”

Danielle impressed the hell out of him. She gathered herself together for her daughter's sake when he knew she'd been quivering from his touch. He would never forget the way she felt melting against him; it would keep him awake nights until he had her where her wanted her—in his bed.

Damn it! There were way too many people and too many distractions for him to give in to what his body clamored for—to grab the woman and run! It was actually painful, but he moved a step back from the golden woman, still vibrating from their brief touch.

“Yes, thanks,” she said at last. With a faint smile, she stepped around him and walked to the other side of the room. Hiking Lacy up on her hip, she watched him from a distance like he was a poisonous snake and she a frightened filly.

If it took the rest of the night, he would figure out a way to get her back in his arms.

How?
He had no idea.

When?
He had no clue. All he knew was that it had better be soon.

While his brothers washed up, the ladies bustled around the kitchen setting out the smorgasbord of leftovers: salads, sandwiches, meatballs, with the pièce de résistance—Danielle's chocolate pie.

Jesse did something out of character; he watched everyone around him while he ate, not adding to the conversation. Truth be told, the joy filling the Circle G's kitchen tonight touched him deeply. Emily had added so much to their lives when she took Tyler up on his offer to come and live out at the Circle G. They were getting married in the fall, but Jesse wondered if they'd really be waiting that long.

Next came Ronnie, who'd married Dylan weeks after meeting him. The circumstances were special—you could say that Dylan was Ronnie's saving grace, but in turn, she added happiness to his brother's life that had been sadly missing.

“We're staying with my uncle for the summer.” Danielle was looking at Tyler, who must have asked the question, and Jesse noticed that her eyes twinkled a lovely shade of crystal clear blue, just like a picture Jesse'd seen once of a lagoon in a nature magazine. Mesmerized, he couldn't look away. The sharp jab to his ribs had him rubbing the spot, but still he watched the woman as if she were a dream… just out of focus and not to be touched or else she'd disappear.

“I think Jesse's done in.”

Tyler's voice broke through to Jesse's thoughts. He turned toward his brother. “Just tired 's all.”

“So you're staying home tonight?”

Jesse's heart sank; he'd have to leave the cozy scene in their kitchen soon, or he'd be late and Slim would start looking for another driver. Jesse was only as good as his last race, and if he didn't get in enough practice time, he'd lose the edge he had.

It took more than skill to drive a race car; it took guts, desire, and an extra helping of ego. He knew he could do it, but he'd have to work for it. He shook his head. “I've gotta go out.”

He pushed his chair back from the table and stood. “Dinner was a pleasure, thank you, ladies.” Turning toward Danielle, he asked, “Would you and Lacy like to take a walk with me out to the stables? I'd like to check on Dodge before I leave.”

“But you didn't get to try Mommy's pie.” Lacy sounded so disappointed, he almost changed his mind and reached for his cell to call Slim. But he'd been dreaming of this chance for so long, it would be like cutting off one of his legs and trying to walk without it.

“If you slice off a piece, I can take it with me. I promised a friend I'd help him out.”

“Friends are important,” Lacy said looking up at him and then at her mother. “Mommy and I can come back… anytime.”

Her smile was so hopeful, he had to laugh. “That would be fine.”

He was confident enough in his legendary charm to think that he could woo Danielle and convince her to bring Lacy back soon. By the time he'd gotten a few Saturday night races under his belt, he'd have Danielle right where he wanted her—in his bed.

Lacy had his thoughts moving back to safer territory when she asked, “Don't you have an apple for Dodge?”

He bent down to scoop her up into his arms. “Hey, Dylan, pass me an apple.”

Without pausing to see if his brother would do as he asked, he reached up a hand and caught the fruit his brother threw to him and handed it to Lacy.

“Wildfire's gonna get jealous,” Dylan warned.

That had Jesse pausing by the back door. “Better toss me a few more. Put your hands around my neck and hang on,” he warned Lacy.

Tyler and Dylan picked up apples and tossed them at him. He hadn't expected any less. His older brothers were always trying to outdo him. He caught the first two easily and dropped them down his shirt, and was ready when Dylan tossed one at his face and Tyler tossed one zipper-level. “Thanks.”

“Show off,” Tyler said, but he was grinning.

When Danielle's mouth dropped open, he grinned. “Played shortstop in high school.”

“I thought Texans only played football.”

She seemed interested in his answer, so he explained, “Pleasure's not like most towns out here. Yeah, football is big, really big, but we've always had a baseball team too. Garahans like to play both.”

With his shirt bulging with apples and Lacy wrapped around him like a vine, he put one arm beneath her to steady her and the other around Danielle, ushering her out the back door.

Outside, Danielle slowly came out of the daze she was in. He couldn't say that he minded all that much, because it had been his quick hands that had captivated her. Was she thinking of what he could do with those hands when they were alone?

Hell, he was!

“Here,” she said, holding out her arms. “Let me take Lacy. You'll need to get the apples for the horses.”

He grinned down at her and passed Lacy into her mother's waiting arms. He watched the way Lacy leaned into her mother and memories of his mother doing the same thing haunted him. He still missed her and hadn't been ready to lose her. But the Lord had had other plans. That was his grandfather's explanation for the wreck that took his mother's life. Hell, that was what he had said when a dark sedan pulled up in front of their house and two Marines got out.

Jesse didn't actually remember seeing the car or the Marines, but Tyler remembered and had reminded both him and Dylan every year, so that they wouldn't forget that their father had died serving their country. All these years later, they had four days that they observed quietly and in their own way: their parents' birthdays and the day each one was taken from them.

“The horsies really want those apples.” Lacy's words jarred him back to the present. It wasn't like him to let his mind wander when he was around their horses. They were big animals and required his full attention.

He shook his head; he had no excuse but didn't have time to sort out why he had now. He could do that later.

“Then let's give them their treat. You want to help?”

“We both do.”

Danielle still had a hold of Lacy, and it was a good thing, because the little girl never would have been able to feed the horses their treat otherwise. “I like to cut the apple into quarters before giving it to them.”

He pulled out his pocketknife and sliced into the first apple. The tangy scent had all of the horses whickering and stomping in their stalls. They knew Jesse had a special treat for them.

“Are they mad?” Lacy looked worried and had a tight grip on her mother's neck.

So he shook his head. “Just excited. That's how horses let us know what they want or what they're thinking.”

“Oh. Can I feed them too?”

“That was the plan, little darlin'.” He handed a slice to Lacy and reminded her, “Just like before, hold your palm out and curl your fingers back as far as they can go so none of my friends nibble on your fingers.”

“Would it tickle?”

He frowned and held up his left hand. “See this scar?” The fleshy part of his palm right below his fingers had a line that stretched from pinky to pointer finger. “Got this when I was right around your age.”

Lacy looked at his hand and then up at him, and asked, “What happened?”

“I didn't listen to my grandfather and curled my hand the wrong way.”

“Did a horse bite you?”

He nodded. “But it wasn't the poor horse's fault, and my grandfather reminded me of that as he was putting a butterfly bandage on my hand.”

“So their teeth are sharp?” Danielle sounded horrified.

Danielle sounded worried, and he didn't want her to be. He wanted these two to be comfortable around their horses and at the Circle G. “No, but they are strong.”

“Did your grandfather get mad at the horse?”

Jesse laughed, delighted that Lacy seemed to understand and wasn't frightened by the prospect of being bitten. “No, but I sure caught hell—er, heck for not listening. He reminded me that it was my fault for not listening or feeding the horse properly.”

“Like this, right?” Lacy held the slice of apple in her hand just like he'd shown her earlier.

“Perfect,” he said, as Dodge carefully lipped the treat out of Lacy's hand. She giggled and Jesse smiled. “Tickles, doesn't it?”

“Uh-huh. Can I do it again?”

He nodded. “We've got a few more mouths to feed. I'd appreciate the help.”

As they took turns feeding the horses, Danielle asked, “Do you still have that horse?”

He stared at her for a moment to be sure she wasn't just being a wiseass. She seemed to want to know. “Uh, no, that was nearly twenty-five years ago.”

“Oh, I didn't realize you were…” Her voice trailed off and her face turned a delightful shade of pink.

So
, he thought.
Pretty
Danielle
is
trying
to
guess
my
age
. He'd been taken from anywhere from twenty-five to thirty. He didn't mind; it gave him a broader range of women to choose from. Looking down at her, his gut churned remembering the sparks he'd felt from a simple touch and knew that his heart was now spoken for. Time to start convincing her that hers was too.

Her colored deepened and he wondered if she was remembering how perfectly she'd fit against him or if she was thinking about kissing him again. Need to have her pressed up against him again shot through him, singeing him. Hell, he wanted a tongue-tangling, mind-blowing, full-bodied kiss from this woman… and more…

“Cowboy Jesse?” Lacy was standing beside him, holding on to her mother's hand.

Damn, he'd better get his mind where it belonged—in the barn—and out of the bedroom, or else he'd blow his chance to get to know Danielle better. “Yeah?”

“What will the horsies do now?”

Delighted with her question, he squatted down so they were eye level when he answered. “They'll relax once I turn the lights off and drift off to sleep. They know they've got a lot of work to do tomorrow.”

“Do they get days off?”

“We do give them a day or so, now and again, but we've only got five horses, so they don't get much more than that.” He stood up and turned off the first set of lights at the back of the barn.

“When do you get a day off?”

Danielle's softly asked question had hope swelling inside of him. She had to be just as interested in him if she wanted to know that. “Ranching's a tough business,” he said quietly. He didn't want to scare her off, but he didn't want to sugarcoat the truth either.

“My brothers and I work twenty-four/seven, so there's not much time off, 'cept when we're in bed,” his eyes met hers and he couldn't keep from grinning when he added, “sleeping.”

He watched as her eyes narrowed and her gaze dipped down to the top of Lacy's head. Jesse wasn't stupid; he caught her silent warning that he'd better keep things clean for her daughter's sake. With a shrug, he ushered them toward the front of the barn, turning off lights as they went.

“I'm glad you came today.”

Danielle smiled and looked down at her daughter and back into his eyes. “We are too.”

“It's a busy time of year for us at the Circle G.”

“From what my uncle says,” Danielle said, “it's busy all year out here.”

“Well, except for twice a year when the cows are calving; that's when it's insane around here.”

“What's calving?”

He normally had a quick comeback that was a little rude and a lot crude, but this was Danielle's pixie pink cowgirl asking him. He remembered to think first and told her, “It's when the baby cows are born. Sometimes there's a bunch born all at once.”

Lacy's eyes brightened at the thought. “Do they have big horns when they're borned? Doesn't that hurt the mommy cow? Can I play with them?”

Danielle's eyes were bright with amusement, but she held her tongue, waiting to see how he would answer. He'd get even with her later and the look he sent her promised both retribution and passion. Her eyes widened a heartbeat before softening with an answering passion that smoldered in their depths until soft blue deepened to sapphire.

“I uh… no.” He tried to remember what the heck Lacy had asked. “They don't have horns when they are born, so it doesn't hurt the mother. You can come and visit the next time we're expecting calves.”

Lacy danced all the way back to the house. “Are the momma cows 'specting soon?”

Jesse had to tear his gaze away from Danielle's tempting mouth to answer her daughter. “Uh, not for the next little while. I will let you know in plenty of time, OK?”

“OK.” Lacy raced up the steps and smiled up at Tyler, who was holding the back door open. “We fed all the horsies apples, and know what?”

His older brother grinned down at Lacy. “What?”

“Cowboy Jesse said I could watch baby cows being borned.”

Their eyes met and Tyler's smirk irritated the hell out of him. He promised himself that he'd punch Tyler later. “What else did
cowboy
Jesse say?”

“That horses can't help biting you if you don't feed them right.”

“Then I guess cowboy Jesse knows everything.”

“Uh-huh,” Lacy said, slipping past Tyler into the kitchen.

Jesse paused and stared at his brother. Tyler's gaze narrowed and he said, “Anytime, anyplace, Bro.”

“Except here and now,” Emily said coming to stand next to Tyler. “We have company, and besides, I don't like sleeping alone. Do you?”

Jesse laughed, hoping his brother would punch first and think second. But after one last glare, Tyler looked away and tugged Emily inside.

“Thank you for being so nice to Lacy.”

He held the door for Danielle and walked in behind her. “It's no hardship; she's a great kid.”

Danielle's smile seemed to blossom from the inside. It was one thing he had noticed about her—the way her eyes would light up when she smiled. He really wished he didn't have to leave tonight. He wanted to taste her so badly; his hands ached from clenching them so he wouldn't reach out and simply grab hold of her.