Learnin' The Ropes (29 page)

“I’ll count on it.” Lexi winked at Ty as he stepped back and strode in the direction of the other Rockin’ R hands. They sat together, admiring the rattler’s buttons as Swede passed them around.

“Lex, what are you doing?” Rob asked as he glared at her.

“Getting ready to wash up for dinner.” Lexi tossed a flippant grin at her uncle, fully aware what he meant.

“That’s not what I was talking about. What’s up between you and him?” Rob tipped his head Ty’s direction. “You know better than to chase after the hired help.”

“I’m not chasing anyone.” Lexi dropped her voice and straightened her spine. “He’s not just a hired hand, he’s a good friend.”

“Yeah, I saw how friendly, all right,” Rob said with a sneer. “You better watch yourself, girl. Your daddy left you sitting pretty and any money-grubber with half a lick of sense will be after it any way he can get it.”

“Ty’s not like that,” she snapped, angered by his insinuations. “He’s a good, honest man who works hard, cares about others, and never talks bad about anyone. If you don’t believe me, ask Swede. He thinks the world of him.”

“I’ll talk to Swede later.” Rob calmed down a little. “Just what are his intentions toward you? He is your hired hand, isn’t he?”

“Yes, he’s my mechanic.”

Confused, his brow wrinkled. “Mechanic? I thought he was another wrangler.”

“We’re teaching him how to cowboy, but I hired him to be our mechanic. He’s a professional and our equipment has never run so well.” Lexi glared at her uncle. None of this was his concern, but since her father passed away, both Linc and Rob thought it was their responsibility to watch over her.

“Did he have prior ranching experience?” Rob asked, more than curious about his niece’s newest hired hand.

Lexi laughed. “No. He’d never been out of Portland, never ridden a horse, never seen a cow up close, and never even owned a pair of Wranglers.”

Rob whistled and shook his head. “He must be a quick learner, because he rides like it’s something he’s always done.” A hint of admiration was evident in his voice.

“Ty is a quick learner and he’s been willing to do whatever we ask of him without complaint. He’s cool-headed and not easily riled, which is more than I can say for a lot of guys.” Pointedly, she stared at Rob, a man known to have a hot temper.

“Swede said he was cool as a cucumber when he killed that snake, so I’ll give him credit for that. But honestly, Lex, where do you think a relationship with your mechanic can go?”

“I don’t know.” She did not intend to discuss the affairs of her heart with her hotheaded uncle. “It’s not like we’re dating or anything. We’re friends.”

The man snorted in disbelief. “Girl, men don’t look at women like he was looking at you unless they are a lot more than friends. I’d bet my best horse that boy is in love with you. Judging from the look on your face, the feeling is mutual.”

“Uncle Rob, you don’t…”

“Don’t understand?” Rob cut her off. He looped an arm around her shoulders and turned her toward the backyard where his wife and daughters set dinner on the table. “I understand all too well, Lex. You forget I have three daughters of my own and two of them are already married. I intend to have a talk with your young man before you leave.”

“That won’t be necessary.” Inwardly, she cringed at the idea of her uncle raking Ty over the coals.

“Oh, but it will be.” He grinned. “And I might even enjoy it a little.”

As the Rockin’ R crew packed up to leave after the branding, Rob took Ty aside and talked with him for a few minutes. Nervous, Lexi watched while she pretended to adjust the gear in the back of her pickup.

Ty kept any emotion from showing on his face and gave Rob a firm handshake as they parted. He walked over to where she waited, held the driver’s door for her as she climbed in, and then strode around to the passenger side.

“Well?” Lexi started the pickup and fastened her seat belt, dying to know what the two men had discussed.

“That’s a deep subject,” Ty teased, removing his hat and settling in for the long drive ahead.

She glared at him. “Aren’t you going to tell me what Uncle Rob said to you?”

“Maybe someday.” The teasing grin he cast her way only made her antsier.

With a huff, she muttered something about men under her breath then waved at Rob as they pulled out of the driveway. He gave her a broad wink as she drove by and she wondered what that meant.

She glanced at Ty again. “Are you really not going to tell me?”

Ty stretched his arm along the back of her seat and toyed with a stray lock of Lexi’s hair. “He told me he was impressed with my cool head and quick thinking in regard to thinning the rattlesnake population.”

“And?” Lexi asked, impatient for Ty to get down to what she really wanted to know – if Rob mentioned her.

“He said if you ever lose your mind and fire me, I can work for him anytime.” He attempted to sound indifferent as he started out the window.

“That’s quite a complement from Uncle Rob,” Lexi said, not surprised her uncle would try to steal Ty out from under her. He recognized a good hand when he saw one. “What else did he say?”

Ty rolled his head to the side and smiled at her. “He asked me what my intentions are toward his favorite niece. Do you know who that might be? I’d like to meet this girl before I decide what my intentions are.”

“Could you please stop kidding around?” As quickly as possible, she wanted Ty to tell her everything he discussed with Rob. His teasing was more than she could take in her agitated state.

“I could, but it would deprive me of so much fun.” He lifted Lexi’s hand and gave it a slight squeeze.

She jerked away and bumped his arm. “Just tell me what he said!” So intent on intimidating information out of him, she started to weave across the road.

“Road, Lexi, focus on the road,” Ty said with humor filling his voice. No doubt, Swede would think they were doing something they shouldn’t be as he followed behind them in the dually truck.

She guided the pickup back onto the right side of the road, but gave Ty a dark scowl.

“What is it you think I’m not telling you?” Ty asked, fully aware of what she wanted to hear.

A sigh rolled out of her. “What did you really tell him about your intentions?”

“That I have some,” Ty answered evasively.

Lexi glared at him again.

“Lexi Jo, let it go.” The look he gave her made it clear he had no interest in discussing the conversation he had with her uncle. “For now, let’s enjoy this beautiful desert of yours.”

Irritated at Ty’s close-mouthed attitude and frustrated Rob felt the need to intervene, she sat in sulky silence as she drove home. She hoped her well-meaning uncle hadn’t scared off the best thing that had ever happened to her.

If he had, she was going to have a hard time forgiving him.

Lesson Fourteen

Say What You Mean

and Mean What You Say

“No good comes from beating around the bush.

Ya got somethin’ to say, just spit it out.”

Sunday afternoon found Ty hanging around the shop, cleaning up a few projects. Baby slept on her blanket in the corner and the rest of the hands had left for the day.

Lexi returned from church right after lunch. He thought about going to the house to see her, but fought back the urge.

Since they returned from her uncle’s house more than a week ago, they’d barely spoken or seen each other. He tried to convince himself it was just the fact that they had been incredibly busy with work on the ranch. The only time he’d spent in the shop had been making repairs to the baler. The rest of the time, he was either on a piece of equipment in the fields or on Delilah riding fence.

Ty refused to admit the reason they hadn’t talked was because he was trying to decipher his feelings for the intriguing woman and figure out what he wanted out of a relationship.

Rob had grilled him about his plans regarding Lexi. Honestly, Ty told him he hadn’t figured out what he wanted to do about his feelings. He loved her, of that he had no doubt, but he wasn’t sure how she felt. The fact hadn’t changed that he absolutely had no business chasing after his boss. She was so far out of his league, she might as well be on another planet. If he could make a wish and have it come true, he’d spend every day of the rest of his life loving Lexi. But he’d be just as likely to win the lottery as marry the woman.

However, he couldn’t tell Rob all that. Rather than baring his heart and soul to the rancher, he told him he was interested in Lexi and promised not to do anything to hurt her.

 Finally taking pity on him, Rob shook his hand and told him not to wait too long to give in to the inevitable. Ty was still trying to decipher what that meant.

With his thoughts circling around in his head, Ty decided to go for a walk. He stepped out into the warm sunlit afternoon and headed past the barn. Following a path he used to run on when he first arrived at the Rockin’ R, he noticed Lexi on a blanket beneath a big cottonwood tree.

For a long while, he stood with his hands in his pockets, watching her. Unable to stay away from her, he climbed the fence and quietly walked her way.

Beneath the shade of the tree, she rested on her stomach on a colorful quilt. She wore cut-off shorts and a soft T-shirt. Her silky dark hair hung loose and flowed down her back in a wild tumble.

He didn’t know how she could possible look any more beautiful than she did right then. Her cheeks were flushed from the warmth of the afternoon and her lips parted slightly as she breathed evenly, taking a much-deserved nap.

Not wanting to disturb her, he sank down on the blanket and waited for her to awaken. Clouds drifted across the brilliant blue of the sky and he breathed deeply of the fresh spring air.

 Powerless to stop himself from touching Lexi, he bent down and trailed kisses from her ankles up her exposed tan legs to her knees. Ty pressed a moist kiss to the back of each knee, continuing on toward the hem of her cutoffs. Before he reached it, Lexi opened her eyes and looked over her shoulder at him with a smile that made his insides burn with heat and his heart pound.

“Hey,” he said, fighting to keep his desire for the lovely woman from overriding all rational thought.

“Hi.”

Her voice sounded sleepy as she rolled over. She looked soft and warm, and so enticing, Ty was sure he’d never seen, let alone dreamed, of a woman looking as alluring as she did at that moment.

Her eyes glowed as she stared at him. “I thought I was dreaming, but it was you all along.”

“Yeah,” he said, scooting down beside her on his side. He lifted a ribbon of her hair and rubbed it between his fingers as he raised himself up on one elbow. “I went for a walk and saw you out here. I couldn’t stay away.”

“I’m glad,” Lexi whispered, pulling his head down to hers. Their kiss was hot and urgent, filled with the longings they’d banked as they went through the daily tasks of ranch work.

Ty rolled onto his back, pulling her on top of him. “I missed you. Missed this,” he rumbled, kissing her with such a growing intensity, Lexi thought she might completely melt right there in the pasture. She had been dreaming of Ty, the feel of his arms around her, his lips possessing hers, when she sensed his presence and smelled his unique scent. She thought it was all part of a wonderful dream until she woke up to feel his lips teasing the backs of her legs. It was the most exciting, tantalizing sensation she’d ever experienced.

“I missed you, too,” she whispered against his lips. “So much.”

He buried his hands in her hair and continued kissing her, tasting her, teasing her, until they both were breathless.

“Ty…” Lexi leaned back so she could look in his face, falling into the intense blue pools of his eyes. “What are we doing?”

“I thought that was obvious.” He grinned and delivered another searing kiss. Lexi smiled against his lips.

“Not right this second,” she huffed, slightly exasperated. “I meant us. What are the two of us doing? Where is this going?”

Ty gently set her down beside him and sat up. He sighed and ran his hands through his hair.

It needed another trim and Lexi fought the urge to bury her hands in the rich brown waves.

“Your Uncle Rob asked me the same thing,” Ty said, holding Lexi’s hand in his and rubbing  his thumb across her palm.

“And what did you tell him?” Lexi asked. Ty had been distant since they came home from Rob’s and she wasn’t sure if it was the workload, or if he’d been avoiding her.

“I told him I couldn’t speak for you, what you are feeling, or what your plans are.” Ty meant to give her a quick glance. Only it wasn’t quick, because one look in her eyes pulled him into the green depths. “He didn’t take that for an answer any more than you will.”

Lexi nodded.

“I’m not good at talking about feelings, Lexi, but I’m also not very good at talking around a subject. I told your uncle I care for you a great deal, that my intentions are honorable.”

She didn’t know what to say to that and looked away. Ty cared for her a great deal. He also cared a great deal for Baby. Did she mean any more to him than the dog?