Only You (6 page)

“Who’s Gwen?”

“My doctor. She moved here a few months ago. Cooper Creek’s lucky to have her. She’s started a monthly get-together for local women and gives a short talk on women’s health.”

Claire picked up her papers and moved to the door. “You should let Dave know that you’re taking Lulu so he can strike that off his to-do list.”

“Things seem to run smoothly around here.”

“I guess.”

“So, who’s the boss?”

Claire tilted her head, as if giving serious thought to the question. “JD, I suppose. Dave and JD have weekly meetings to discuss what needs to be done and what has priority. They tried to include me at first, but it didn’t take long for me to realize I had nothing to offer. Ethan’s idea, I believe,” she added on a note of derision.

“Do you work well with JD?”

“Yes. He’s a smart man, and he listens closely to what people say.”

“Where does Ethan fit in?”

“He doesn’t,” Claire snapped. “Except for coming up with stupid ideas that upset everyone. He says the ranch is the most important part of the business to him, but it doesn’t look that way. He can’t give up being the big man in the city.”

“But you said once your contract is finished you’ll head back to the city, too.”

“There’s no reason for me to stay. All I do is shuffle stupid papers around, pretending to increase the efficiency of an already well-run ranch. I’ll never forgive Ethan for shipping me off here to avoid firing me. That’s what it amounts to.”

“Don’t you ever wonder why he did?”

“Only a million times a day.” She ran a hand over her forehead. “Because I signed that stupid contract, and then he decided he hates me and had to find something for me to do for the next year, because he can’t fire me without paying the twenty-thousand-dollar bonus.”

Maggie put her hand on Claire’s arm. “I don’t think he hates you, Claire.”

“No? Then why hasn’t he come to the ranch to see me? He has his own plane, for heaven’s sake.”

Maggie’s heart clenched when she saw tears in her friend’s eyes. She could remember only twice seeing Claire cry in all the years she’d known her. She threw her arms around Claire’s thin shoulders and rocked her back and forth. “I’m so sorry he’s acting like a pinhead. For what it’s worth, I think he cares about you.”

Claire snorted and pulled away. “Sure, and kicking me out of his life is the perfect way to express how he feels.” She swiped at the tears that continued to roll down her face. “I slept with him, you know.”

Maggie staged a theatrical gasp. “You broke the cardinal rule of never sleeping with the boss? Claire Montgomery, I’m shocked.” Claire was always the one to not only follow the rules, but to make a few up as well. She could be a real stickler sometimes. Her saving grace was her ability to laugh at herself, and her compassion for other people’s shortcomings. Ethan had obviously pushed her beyond her limits on both counts.

“How was it?” Maggie couldn’t resist asking. Claire didn’t usually put up with too much BS from anyone. She wanted to know what it was about Ethan that had captured Claire’s heart.

A dreamy smile drifted over Claire’s face. “Unbelievable.”

And there was the answer to her question. Apparently, the Cooper boys were both talented. “Good enough to put up with his crap?”

Claire’s expression sharpened. “No one is that good. If he’d tell me what’s going on, maybe I could put everything in perspective. But he’s left me dangling, and at the same time as he’s woven this legal web around me. Why not let me go?”

“I hate to see you suffer like this. Call and ask him what’s going on. Barring that, why don’t you say the hell with the contract? I’ll pay you the twenty thousand you’re hanging in there for, and you can work for me.”

Claire smiled at her fondly. “Doing what?”

“Organizing my life. Obviously, I’m not very good at it.”

“You’re going to be fine, Maggie. You don’t need me telling you how to live your life. But thanks for the offer. I appreciate the gesture.”

“It’s not a gesture. I’m serious. If I’m pregnant, I need to buy a home and settle down somewhere. I’m going to need your help, whether I pay you or not. Just keep it in the back of your mind. The offer stands, but no pressure. Okay?”

“Thank you, but it’s more complicated than that. I have to pay Ethan twenty thousand if I break the contract. So, I’d not only sacrifice my bonus, I’d owe him a lot of money.”

“I have to wonder if the contract is legal. How could you sign a contract like that? It’s not like you at all.”

“Because that’s what he does to me. He makes me crazy. I can’t think when I’m around him. And I loved my job. I was good at my job.”

Maggie looked away when she heard the emotion in her friend’s voice. She hadn’t meant to embarrass her. “How about dating other men?” She was ashamed to admit she was testing her friend. But, really, how could Claire live in the same house as JD and not be attracted to him?

“I’ve tried. All I accomplished was making myself more miserable.”

She was dying to ask Claire if she’d gone out with JD, but she couldn’t bring herself to ask. Claire wouldn’t have, anyway, what with JD being Ethan’s brother. She’d have some kind of rule for something like that.
Thou shalt not date a former lover’s brother
.

“Promise me one thing, Maggie.”

“Anything.”

“I know things could get complicated between you and JD, but please don’t leave until I can sort out what’s going on with Ethan. I love Sammie, but she’s so out there lately. I need you here and on my side.”

Maggie squeezed Claire’s hand. “I’ll stay for as long as you need me.” Now all she had to do was figure out a way to tell JD she not only didn’t want to have sex with him anymore because she liked him too much, but that she planned to sleep with the next available man she could find. If she wasn’t pregnant, she didn’t have any time to waste. Talk about fun and games.

Now that Claire had asked her to hang around until she sorted out her feelings for Ethan, Maggie was committed to staying for a while regardless of what she wanted. Not that she was ready to leave just yet. Didn’t matter. When it came to Claire or Sammie needing her, she was there for them. No one was more important to her than her two best friends.

Since she was going to stay, she figured she might as well make herself useful. “Guess I should let Dave know I’ll ride Lulu today. I’ll see you later.”

Maggie went to her room and exchanged the black high heels she’d worn last night for her riding boots. She hadn’t managed to hang on to much from her childhood, but she still had her boots and helmet from her teenage years. Amazingly, they still fit, and she’d brought them along on the off chance she’d get to ride.

She’d loved riding and had adored Buttercup, and not for the first time she marveled at the differences between her and the Kennedys. Why had they adopted her? Both her adopted mother and father had successful careers as lawyers. Declan, their biological son and her adopted brother, was already a CEO at a large firm, and he was only in his early forties. They were all so . . . predictable. They belonged to the same country club, attended the same social functions and played golf together on the weekends.

She hated golf.

The clothes she wore, according to her parents, were always too bright or too tight or too loose. She laughed too loudly, walked too fast and wasn’t good at anything as far as she could see. Of course, they wouldn’t have known that when they adopted her, but it never made sense that they had wanted a second child. They seemed to be a perfect family without her.

She lengthened her stride when she heard a horse neigh inside the barn. Maybe that was Lulu calling to her.

A few hours later, when JD finally caught sight of Lulu standing under a tree in the far corner of the pasture, the worry that had gnawed at him since Dave told him Maggie had gone riding finally eased. Except, where was she?

He was always mindful of where everyone was supposed to be on the ranch. The Moondance Ranch ran over two thousand acres, and he hadn’t been kidding when he’d warned Maggie about getting lost. But he couldn’t recall actually fussing about anyone out riding alone before. For the last two hours he’d worried that Maggie wasn’t as skilled a rider as he’d hoped. Or that her ankle had given her trouble. Or that she’d fallen or gotten lost. The list went on. He wasn’t a worrier by nature, and he resented the feeling. It brought back memories of a time when he’d brooded nonstop. In the end, everything had gone to shit anyway.

He stood up in his stirrups and looked toward Lulu but couldn’t see Maggie. He nudged Boy forward and squinted toward the sun.

Wait a minute.
Was she
. . . ?
Why would she
. . . ? He grinned and urged Boy into a trot. Maggie was lying along Lulu’s back, her arms dangling down around the horse’s neck. He bet she was talking to Lulu. She was that kind of person. The kind who would fall in love with a horse.

And with a cowboy? What were the chances she could fall in love with him, even with all his baggage?
Whoa
. Where had that thought come from? He wasn’t ready for a serious relationship. He couldn’t imagine ever being ready for that. Life wasn’t so bad the way it was now.

“Hey there,” he called out to warn her and Lulu of his presence.

Maggie looked his way, but continued to hug Lulu. “Hey there, yourself.”

Her smile did all kinds of strange things to his insides. He reined in beside her. “You look comfortable.”

“Lulu’s a darling.” She grimaced as she sat upright.

“What’s wrong?” He noted with interest that her cheeks turned a light pink.

“Guess I’m a little out of practice.”

“Riding?”

She laughed softly. “That, too.”

He laughed and swung off his horse and held up his arms to her. “You need a break before we head back.”

She slipped off the horse and into his arms and rested her head on his chest before pulling away. “Thanks.”

“How was the ride?” He’d have been happy to hold her longer, but he couldn’t gauge her mood, so he let her go. She didn’t seem as effervescent as she had last night. Was she in more pain than she’d indicated?

She beamed up at him with a bit more of her sparkle. “I loved it. Lulu and I get on just fine.”

“I’m glad.” He couldn’t stop himself from reaching out and tucking a curl behind her ear. She smelled like horses, but underneath he could smell Maggie and all her mysteries.

“I’ve been thinking of you all day,” he said. And slipped one hand through her hair to cup her head. He liked that she was so tall.

She put her hand on his chest. She wasn’t going to push him away was she? Because since he’d left her, sleep tousled and glowing from their early-morning quickie, he’d been thinking of kissing her again, and he was hoping the kiss led to other things. Like last night.

He bent his head a fraction of an inch and tasted her mouth, running his tongue along her bottom lip. She still tasted like chocolate. He grinned against her mouth. The things she’d done with one little fingerful of chocolate icing last night. She’d brought him to his knees. Literally.

When she softened against him, he upped the amperage of the kiss, sinking into the taste and feel of her mouth, letting her know he wanted more. Much more.

He grabbed her by the hips and pulled her up against him. How long would it take to get her out of her clothes? No one ever came out to this pasture, not at this time of the year. He bet she’d love going
au naturel
outside.

She tore her mouth from his. “JD.”

“Hmm?” He rubbed his thumb over her bottom lip.

“We have to talk.”

No, they didn’t. Not right now. He couldn’t remember the sharp bite of desire ever burrowing so deep in his gut. He felt consumed by her. Couldn’t think of anything except how soft her skin felt and how wildly responsive she was to his touch.

Except, right now she looked sad, and Maggie feeling sad didn’t sit well with him. He’d laughed more yesterday than he had in years. Just thinking about her made him smile.

He took her hand, looked around and led her to the red ash tree that been uprooted last winter. He sat on the trunk, hooked a finger through her belt buckle and tugged her toward him until she stood between his legs. If they were going to talk—never a good sign when it came to women—he at least wanted her close.

He gazed up at her. Damn, she was beautiful. She’d better start talking soon or he was going to kiss her again. “What’s up?”

Her forehead wrinkled as she picked up his hand and played with his fingers. “About last night.”

Aw, hell. If it was too good to be true . . .

“Best night of my life.” He smiled, hoping to coax a corresponding smile out of her. He partially succeeded.

“It was great, wasn’t it?”

“I was hoping we could do it again.”

She brought his hand up to her face, rubbed the back of it against her cheek, then gently let it drop to his knee. Her face flamed red. “I lied,” she said, avoiding his eyes.

 “About what?”

“Birth control.” She glanced at him, then at the ground. “I want to have a baby, and I thought you’d . . . I picked you. I wasn’t supposed to like you, and I do already and we hardly know each other. So that’s not going to work, is it?” She glared at him as if everything was his fault.