Spurs and Heels (13 page)

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“Oh, I’m all about being your good girl.”

“Yeah, sure. Remember who you’re talking to!” he said with a laugh. “I remember you calling my parent’s marital status into question, among other things, on the way to the hospital. After hearing about your grandmother, it’s starting to make more sense, though. So my mother shouldn’t take offense at the insinuations you made about who my father might be?”

“Oh, Lord, don’t you dare tell her about that! I’ll never live that day down, will I?”

“It’s not many women who’ve called me a idiot motherfucker that I’ve hung around long enough to get to know better.”

“Hopefully, that means you’ve forgiven me for that awful tongue lashing.”

Ash grinned at her and looked her in the eye. “Actually, down, dirty insults aside, I thought you were the prettiest, hottest, sexiest thing I’d ever gotten on the wrong side of before. You had such fire in your eyes, at least until you quieted down. That’s when I got worried about you.”

“I was so ashamed of the way I behaved.”

“Darlin’, I could handle the rough edges because I could see the sweetheart underneath.”

“But me screaming at you, at the
top
of my lungs? If you could see anything positive in that, you’ve got better eyes than most.”

“Maybe I do, where you’re concerned. You done?” he asked, reaching for her plate as she nodded. “You know, I’ve been thinking next weekend we ought to go out to The Dancing Pony for a date. I thought you might enjoy going out on Friday or Saturday night.”

“I have work,” she said, uneasily. “That’s going to be a busy weekend.”

“That’s all right. We’ll be busy with the horses, too, though not that late. Just bring a change of clothes, and I can pick you up from the store. If we want to have time together, we’ll have to do it at odd times like after the store closes.”

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“You don’t mind?”

“Not if you don’t. I didn’t expect you to forsake your job completely, just cut back to a healthier workweek.” He was about to say more when his phone buzzed in his pocket, signaling a text message.

She released him to take care of his business and went into the living room to pick a DVD for the evening’s entertainment. She picked two out and returned to the kitchen.

“Ash, I narrowed it down—”

Ash stood leaning against the counter, looking like he’d just been sucker punched. He was replying to a text when he looked up.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to interrupt.”

“You didn’t, darlin’. Let me finish this and we’ll see what you picked out.” He finished typing and slid his phone closed. He still looked almost queasy as he put the phone in his pocket and went to her.

“You okay?”

“I’m fine. Whatcha got?”

“
Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure
and
Who Framed Roger
Rabbit.
”

Ash grinned at her and said, “Quirky taste, darlin’. I’d pick Jessica Rabbit any day.”

“Exactly! All my friends think I’m crazy when they see I own that movie. Lawrence absolutely detested it.”

“Well, then that just strengthens my opinion of it. The man clearly had no taste.”

Ash squeezed her from behind as she giggled and slid the DVD

into the player, murmuring seductively, “‘I’m not
bad
. I’m just
drawn
that way.’” Juliana rubbed her fanny against his groin, and Ash gave her a growly rumble as he slid his hands over her hips and nuzzled her throat. She felt his phone buzz in his shirt pocket.

“Shit,” he muttered. “Sorry, darlin’.” Pulling the phone from his pocket, Ash looked at the screen. He grunted discontentedly and said,

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“Would you mind if I made a call real quick? Otherwise, I have a feeling my phone will be going off all night.”

“No, go ahead.”

Sitting down on the couch, Juliana realized that she’d given no thought to whether or not they’d gotten the store closed with no problems. It made her feel a little uncomfortable and guilty. She rolled her eyes and sighed when another part of her rebelled at the notion that the store defined her life, who she was. Somehow, she’d become what Doug had been looking for in a manager. She was caught up in it twenty-four-seven as if she were its parent or caregiver.

Unsuccessfully scratching at one of the itchy sutures on her back, she wondered if it wasn’t just more free time, or more flexibility, that she needed. Maybe it was time for a bigger change? Time to simplify?

Talking about her family earlier had made her a little homesick. She called a cousin while Ash took care of business out on the back porch.

Ash returned bearing bowls of homemade chocolate crisp topped with vanilla ice cream. She squealed when he handed her the bowl, and he smiled down at her, joining her on the couch.

Juliana noticed as he sat watching the movie with her that he laughed in all the appropriate places, but he was distracted and seemed troubled.

He made no move to hold her or play around, caught up in his own thoughts. The movie ended, and he turned to her. At least the smile on his face for her was genuine. He groaned when his phone vibrated yet again.

“Ash, is everything all right? Did something happen at the ranch?”

she asked as he lifted her into his lap, careful of her wrist and stitches.

“An unexpected visitor showed up looking for me, that’s all.” He looked at her as if torn.

“Do you need to go? You’ve been quiet and distracted since your phone call.”

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He sat there quietly for a few seconds, looked into her eyes, and kissed her. The look on his face told her she was in for a disappointment.

“I should, darlin’. This is probably not something I can deal with over the phone, and I feel bad for leaving others to handle it. Would you mind?”

Juliana could tell he didn’t look happy about it. Neither was he forthcoming with much information. “Of course not, Ash. I’m disappointed, but I definitely understand. Thank you for taking care of me this weekend.” She kissed him, and his moustache tickled her upper lip, causing a delightful shiver to race up her spine.

He smiled at her and squeezed her. “Why don’t you go get changed, and then I’ll tuck you in for the night?” He helped her rise from his lap and patted her ass.

A few minutes later, she slipped from her bathroom, dressed in her satin and lace nightgown, and he sighed in appreciation. Even though he didn’t have to, he gently lifted her and carried her to her bed. Juliana laid her head against his shoulder, loving the feel of his muscular arms around her. He careful placed her in the turned down bed and helped her snuggle up under the covers.

“Ash, is there something you need to tell me about, or that
I
should be worried about?” She searched his eyes in the dim light but could find no hint of what troubled him.

“Nothing for you to worry about
at all
, darlin’. It’s just a situation I need to deal with. You get some rest, and I’ll call you in the morning.” He leaned down and kissed her tenderly. His kiss reassured her and hinted at the plans he’d had for that night and promised of nights to come.

Juliana wished he could’ve stayed, and doubt wormed its way into her heart even as his lips lingered on hers. She hoped he’d be a little more forthcoming in the morning.

After he let himself out of her house, she drifted on the edge of sleep for over an hour, wondering what had happened. Who had

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shown up at the ranch? And why did he choose to not tell her who it was?

There could only be one reason he’d withhold that information. It had to be another woman. He’d been distracted, sweet and loving as he usually was, but nonetheless distracted. What thoughts or memories had been in his mind as he stared off a million miles away during the movie? Whoever it was, he’d said it was an unexpected visitor. Perhaps it was a woman from his past. If it had been a male friend, she doubted he would have withheld that information from her.

She sighed heavily, rubbing her brow, reminding herself of the way he looked at her, the way he talked to her, and the way he’d made love to her that morning. He wasn’t the type to love ’em and leave

’em, and he’d left reluctantly. If it was someone he’d truly wanted to see, he would’ve left her house much more eagerly. He’d left tonight like he did not want to go and face whatever was waiting on him.

Finally, she drifted off, but her sleep was far from peaceful, and her dreams were troubling. She woke several times during the night and didn’t fall deeply asleep until it was nearly time for her to get up.

When she awoke, she felt bereft of rest and a little cranky.

Peevishly, she thought about calling or text messaging Grace to ask her if she knew who it was that Ash had returned to the ranch to see.

Pride wouldn’t let her. She didn’t want to seem desperate, even to her friend.

She vacillated, remembering that Grace had asked her to call, and she decided she would after she got to work. Then she decided against it again because she didn’t want to know if it was bad news from Grace. She’d rather hear bad news straight from Ash if it was coming.

Proud of herself for following through on her promise to not go in early, she didn’t get to the store until nine-thirty. She should’ve felt out of sorts for arriving at a time she would normally consider late.

When she walked the sales floor and checked the stockroom, she was pleased to discover that everything looked as it should.

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The stock had been rotated onto the sales floor properly, and the display racks were all full, neat, and tidy. Employees were already busy getting ready for the day.

After her usual morning meeting with Evelyn and Leah, the day went on without a hitch, almost boring in its quietude. At least it was until the theft detection alarms at the front door went off.

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