Surrender to Temptation (14 page)

Nikki sighed. Regardless of her motives or state of mind, this was also her vacation time. It was time to stop the soul-searching and join the men. Chase had promised to help with her riding technique when her butt stopped hurting.

Switching off the computer, she left the den. The phone started ringing as she crossed the foyer. She frowned at it, shrugged, and kept on walking toward the kitchen. It stopped ringing and started again as she left the kitchen and stepped onto the patio.

“Ms. Nikki, could you pick up the phone for me, dear.” Mrs. B was at the end of the back porch doing something to the huge, stainless steel grill.

“Sure, Mrs. B.” Nikki stepped back into the kitchen and picked up the phone. “Eagles Hill.”

“Who is this?” a vaguely familiar voice asked impatiently.

Nikki frowned, trying to place it. “Ma’am, this is Eagles Hill Ranch. May I help you?”

“You may start by telling me who you are and why you are answering the house phone,” the woman answered. “Where are Chase and Sally?”

She must be one of Chase’s women. Nikki saw enough of Libby around the farm—almost every day—and had become adept at ignoring her glares. But enough was enough with these women and their attitudes. She wasn’t about to give out her name to some stranger with an attitude.

“My name is not important. Do you want to speak to Chase or Mrs. B?”

The caller chuckled. “Ah, now I recognized your voice, Ms. Savoy. It’s Estelle, Chase’s mother.”

No wonder she’d sounded familiar. Tension left Nikki’s body. Just then Mrs. B walked through the door, and Nikki motioned her to the phone. “Uh, Mrs. Fitzgerald, here’s Mrs. B.”

“Just a second, dear. How are you enjoying the farm?”

“It’s beautiful.”

“And is my son treating you well? I heard there was a bit of a misunderstanding.”

Nikki wondered who had told her. Chase or his uncle? She was betting on his uncle. “It was nothing.” Nikki motioned for Mrs. B to come over. “Did you want to speak to Mrs. B?”

“No. I want to speak to you.”

The hollow feeling she often had whenever she thought she’d been busted settled in Nikki’s stomach. “Me?”

“Yes, dear. When will you be done with the website?”

Nikki blinked, not sure why the woman would want to know that. Unless Chase’s family wanted her off his ranch. “By the end of next week.”

“Is that how long you usually take to complete a website?”

Nikki swallowed. They knew about Dee. It was the only explanation for the third degree. “No, dynamic websites are more complex to create and take longer.”

“Why? I thought all you needed were photographs and a few pages about the products.”

Nikki pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed. “Photographs, yes, but right now, the database is more important. The data on the horses is extensive, and Chase wants to make sure anyone can obtain whatever information they need on each mare and their foals with ease and using different search words. He wants to be able to update the website on his own. We also need a disclaimer from the lawyers to add to the site. If this was a simple website, I would have been done by now.”

“It all sounds so complicated and impressive. Your parents must be very proud of your accomplishments, dear.”

Taken aback, Nikki mumbled, “Um, they are.”

“Good. Do you need any background information for Chase’s bio? As his mother I can offer insight into why he’s turned out to be such a wonderful, dedicated, and hardworking young man.”

From their conversations, Nikki thought she had enough information on Chase, but she couldn’t very well tell his mother her input wasn’t needed. “Information from you would be invaluable, Mrs. Fitzgerald.”

“That’s wonderful. And please, do call me Estelle. Lex and Baron will want to add a thing or two, so expect calls from them. The girls, I’m not so sure. They said they might mention the few pranks he pulled on them, but I don’t think that sort of thing is good for business, but they did promise to call. Okay, dear, what do you want to know?”

Nikki was relieved the woman wasn’t onto her. She ran to the den for a notebook and pen and scribbled as the woman extolled her son’s virtues. Mrs. B might idolize Chase, but his mother took it a step further. He could do no wrong in her eyes. She even made traits that others might find irritating seem endearing.

“Did you get it all down, dear?” Estelle asked.

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Estelle, Nikki. Now can I talk to my son?”

“I’ll get him.” She let herself out of the house and headed in the direction of the arena where the three men—Chase, Winston, and Tucker—were observing the heavily pregnant Philly and talking among themselves.

***

Chase looked up and watched Nikki as she approached. The intense surge of need that washed over him didn’t surprise him. He’d thought it might lessen, but as days passed, it only grew stronger. He still hadn’t decided what to do about it.

“Happy you could join us, Nikki,” he said. “Staying indoors for too long induces cabin fever.”

“I had a few things to finish. Your mom is on the phone. She wants to talk to you.”

“Thanks.” As he walked past her, Chase couldn’t stop himself from reaching out and touching her arm. She gave him a tiny smile. The effect of that smile hadn’t lessened with time either.

Near the porch, he turned at her laughter. Again, desire pulsed through him. He couldn’t help feeling that his destiny was out of his hands and was somehow intertwined with hers. Ridiculous thought. It bothered him to even admit it to himself. He didn’t believe in destiny. You got things because you worked your ass off for them not because you were fated to have them.

Inside, Chase grabbed the phone and moved near the window, so he could watch the group near Philly. “Hey, Mom,” he said.

“Hello, sweetheart. Did I catch you at a bad time?”

“No, we were just checking on Philly. She might go into labor early.”

“That is great. Are you ready?”

“Yep. Dean and I delivered a foal last week, so I know what to do in case Jon doesn’t get here in time.”

“Is Tucker a good man?”

“Very. Is everything okay, Mom?”

“Yes, sweetheart. Just calling to see how things are going. I had a wonderful chat with Nikki. She sounds like a lovely young lady.”

Chase chuckled. “You mean you didn’t reach that conclusion when you interviewed her?”

“Yeah, well, one can hardly be themselves during an interview. She sounds lovely.”

“Are you trying to find out what I think about her, Mom? Because if you are, you’ll have to come right out and say so. Then I’ll know you had an ulterior motive when you sent her to me.”

Silence greeted him. He grinned.

“Aha, I knew it. As soon as she told me you interviewed her, I knew you were up to your usual matchmaking schemes. I’m not interested in getting married, Mother. Not until the ranch starts making a profit.”

“What utter nonsense. I wasn’t even thinking about matchmaking when I interviewed the girl.”

“Not buying it. You are not going to play me like you did Baron and Kara or Eddie and Faith. Nikki is leaving next week.” His chest tightened in rejection at his words. “She even plans to show me how to update the website so I’d have no reason to need her again.” The lie rolled off his lips. He needed her in his bed. Needed to hear her laugh at his stupid jokes and childhood anecdotes.

His mother made an exasperated sound. “Ah, you impossible boy. If you must know, your brother likes her and he’s thinking of flying out next week for a few days.”

Annoyance washed over Chase. “She’s not interested in Lex.”

“How do you know?”

“I asked her. I had to know whether… I mean, I mentioned it in passing after I spoke with Lex. He’s not her type.”

“Not her type?” his mother snapped. “How insulting. Your brother is a catch. Ms. Savoy should count herself lucky he’s interested in her.”

Mama bear was out to defend her cub. Chase grinned. “Come on, Mom. It’s not an insult to Lex… or you. So stop it. Besides, I can see right through your outrage. When are you coming to visit?”

“Soon. How are your eyes?”

“Fine.” After dodging more of her questions about his health and Nikki, he said, “I got to go, Mom. Love you and talk to you soon.”

“Take care, sweetheart. Don’t be angry that I worry about you. I just want to see you settle down with the right woman. Lex too.”

He’d heard that expression enough to last him a lifetime. “I will when the right woman comes along. Promise.” He frowned as he put the phone down.

His mom’s comment was a hint about his relationship with Keira. She never liked Keira though she never explained why. Maybe he had been too emotionally involved to see Keira for who she was—a woman he couldn’t count on. At the first hint of trouble, she’d walked away.

“Hey.”

Chase looked up and found Nikki standing beside him. Her eyes were filled with concern. His frown intensified. Would someone like Nikki crumble under pressure like Keira had? Would she stand by someone she loved no matter how uncertain the future was? Somehow, he couldn’t see her running away from anything.

“You were lost in thought and had a peculiar look on your face. Are you okay?”

The concern had been for him. It warmed his heart and filled his chest. “That depends. If I were to say I’m feeling downhearted, would you want to do whatever it takes to cheer me up?”

She laughed. “From that comment, I know you’re okay. So, when do you want to start on my lessons?”

Chase looked toward the pasture where his horses were grazing and shrugged. His gaze returned to her and caressed her face. He wanted to touch her, to hold her, and kiss her until she thought of nothing else but him. Everything about her drove him insane with desire. In fact, he craved her with an intensity that surprised the hell out of him. What made it worse was the fact that he knew she wasn’t indifferent to him. He saw it whenever they touched or when her guard was down. She was attracted to him, too.

“How about now?” he asked.

“Great. I’ll change.” She started for her room.

“Don’t take too long. You’ll be saddling the horse unaided.”

She groaned. “Slave driver!”

“Just for that, you have to get the horse from the field.” When she glared at him, he grinned. “Don’t say it. I might make you tame a wild mustang.”

Her eyes shifted to the horses, and a frown creased her brow. She chewed on her lower lip, a habit that made him wish he were the one biting it and soothing it with his tongue.

“Don’t worry. I’ll make sure you’re safe.”

“I’m not worried. Trinity and I are pals. I’m thinking of ways to make you suffer.”

He laughed. “If you want to do that before sundown, break a leg.”

Nikki wrinkled her nose and stuck her tongue out. He laughed as she walked away. The laughter disappeared from his face as he watched the gentle sway of her hips and the way the dress caressed her legs as it swirled around her knees. He wanted to be the one caressing her legs. He
was
going to be the one caressing her legs.

He grinned, liking the decision. Nikki Savoy was going to be his tonight.

Fifteen minutes later, Chase couldn’t control his amazement as he watched Nikki put the halter on Trinity unaided. She adjusted it perfectly. The last few days, she’d spent time with the mare—grooming her, taking her in and out of her stall. Little Joe often helped her, his adoration quite obvious.

He stayed close as she led the mare to the barn, brushed her down using different brushes, put on a saddle blanket, and then the saddle. Ten minutes later, she was on the horse’s back, urging her forward.

“Remember what a trot is?”

“When a horse moves his diagonal legs in a two-beat rhythm, so two feet are on the ground while the other two are off.”

“Good. I explained posting yesterday. Now you have to try it. Remember, rise off the saddle while the outside front leg and the inner back leg are in the air and lower your butt down gently onto the seat when they are on the ground. It’s a two-beat rhythm. One-two… One-two…”

She nodded and used her knees and the bridle to urge the horse forward. Chase watched her carefully. She was a bit awkward but soon corrected her movements. The others joined him and watched.

“She’s not bad,” Tucker said.

“Yes, she’s a natural,” Winston added.

She was, but Chase didn’t say anything. Bonding with the mare had made the difference. She was enjoying herself, her eyes sparkling as she and the mare moved as one. The others left after a while, leaving the two of them alone.

She brought Trinity to a stop, her breathing rapid. “That was fun.”

“You want to try a canter.”

She frowned. “I don’t know.”

“After the way you rode, I think you are ready.”

Nikki grinned. “Okay, let’s try it.”

It was another thirty minutes before she stopped. She was talking to the horse, promising her a thorough rubdown. Chase grinned.

He reached up to help her down. He was so close that her body rubbed against his as she slid down. She must have felt his arousal because her eyes flew to his. Heat shot through his body. His hand still on her waist, he tugged her closer, and her body swayed toward him. Her eyelids lowered to hide her eyes, and her lips parted in silent invitation. He lowered his head to accept the invitation.