The Rancher's One-Week Wife (6 page)

“I think we’ve come to an understanding,” Karly announced as Blake saddled the gelding. “I’m not going to upset her.”

When she paused, he smiled. “It sounds to me like you’ve worked things out.”

Nodding, she added, “We’re both going to blame you if I do make the mistake of doing something she finds offensive.”

“Now, why doesn’t that surprise me?” he asked, grinning as he led Boomer over to where she and the mare stood.

“Probably because you’re the one insisting that I have to ride a horse,” Karly retorted as he handed the gelding’s reins for her to hold as well as the mare’s.

“Wh-what are...you doing?” she asked, her voice filled with panic once again.

“Don’t worry, Boomer is just as well behaved as Suede,” he called over his shoulder as he entered the tack room to get a rifle. They didn’t have a lot of trouble with predators, but it was always wise to take protection along on a ride just in case.

“Just remember—”

“I know,” he interrupted, returning to where she and the horses stood. “If something happens it’s all my fault and you’re going to haunt me for the rest of my days.” He couldn’t help but chuckle as he slid the rifle into the tooled leather scabbard attached to Boomer’s saddle, then took the reins from her to lead the horses out of the barn to the round pen. “I guess it’s fortunate for all concerned that I’m a damn good teacher.”

“It’s nice that you’re humble about it, as well,” she said, grinning.

Tying Boomer’s reins to the top rail of the round pen, Blake turned to face Karly. “No brag, sweetheart. It’s just a fact.” He nodded toward the mare. “Now let’s get you up in the saddle so you can start learning how to ride.”

Her apprehension was apparent when she put her boot in the stirrup. But her expression changed to relief when she shook her head and lowered her foot to the ground. “This isn’t going to work.”

“Why not?” he asked, wondering what excuse she was going to come up with this time.

“I can’t possibly climb up into the saddle with my knee under my chin,” she said, shaking her head. “I guess you’ll have to ride up to the pasture alone.”

“That’s an easy fix,” he said, moving to stand behind her. “While you pull yourself up by the saddle horn, I’ll give you a boost.”

The offer had been an innocent one, but when he placed his hand on her delightful bottom to help lift her, he felt like the world came to a screeching halt. The feel of her body nestled in his palm sent his hormones racing through his veins like the steel bearings in a pinball machine.

He quickly helped her up into the saddle, stepped back and took a deep breath. Had he lost what little sense he had left? He wasn’t looking for anything more to come from her visit to the ranch than finding out what had changed in the few days after they parted in Las Vegas. He was still recovering from his first heartbreak. No way did he want to start something new with Karly. So, considering the effect she still had on him, he’d do well to keep any kind of physical contact between them to a minimum.

If he hadn’t known that before, he sure as hell did after that kiss and that touch.

“Dear Lord, I’m a lot farther off the ground than I thought I’d be,” Karly said, her voice a little shaky.

“A little taller than that pony at the grocery store opening?” Blake asked, thankful for the distraction from his wayward thoughts.

“That would be like comparing a two-story house to the Seattle Space Needle,” she retorted.

He chuckled and handed her the reins, then, taking hold of the mare’s bridle, he led the gentle animal through the round pen’s gate. “Just relax and move with her,” he instructed as he stroked the horse’s tawny neck. He showed Karly how to rest her boots in the stirrups with the heels down and the toes pointed slightly outward. “And when you feel comfortable enough, loosen the death grip you have on the saddle horn.”

She shook her head doubtfully. “That’s easy for you to say. You have both feet firmly on the ground. You’re not the one sitting up here looking down at how far you’re going to fall.”

Blake grinned as he started leading Suede around the perimeter of the round pen. “Do you honestly think I’d let you fall and not catch you?”

Karly nibbled on her lower lip, causing him to bite back a groan. “I believe you would try. But what if you couldn’t react fast enough? Or I was too heavy for you to hold on to?”

He frowned as he glanced up at her. “Did you see anything slow about my reflexes when you watched me ride bulls in Vegas?”

“Well, no...but—”

“Then why do you think I’d miss doing something as important as catching you if you fell?” he asked. “And for the record, I’ve been tossing around bales of hay that weigh more than you do every day since I was fourteen or fifteen years old. The day you’re too heavy for me to catch is the day they bury me.”

“But what if—”

“You can’t let all of the what-ifs in life hold you back, Karly,” he interrupted. He let go of the mare’s bridle and continued to walk beside her as they made another trip around the inside of the round pen. “If you don’t take a chance once in a while, you’re just marking time. You’re not living.”

It was something his grandfather had always told him and Blake firmly believed it was true. It was one of the reasons he’d been so quick to ask Karly to marry him. He’d known what he wanted and he’d made her his. It was also the reason behind him asking her to stay at the ranch while he tried to find out why she’d been hell-bent on divorcing him. He might not like what was behind her abrupt decision, but at least he’d know for sure why she’d decided he wasn’t the one for her.

Karly stared at him for several long moments. They both knew he was talking about more than her riding a horse. But she didn’t seem willing to talk about it and he wasn’t going to press her on the issue just yet.

Smiling, she finally shrugged. “If I didn’t step out of my comfort zone once in a while, I wouldn’t be on this horse now, would I?”

“And you’re doing a great job of riding her on your own, too,” he commented, holding up both hands to show her she was riding the mare independently.

“Oh, dear Lord!” From the look on Karly’s pretty face, he knew she was a hair’s breadth away from all-out panic.

“Don’t freak out,” he said calmly. “I haven’t been leading Suede since the first trip around the pen and you’ve done just fine.” When they reached the gate, he opened it and stepped out to untie Boomer while the mare continued to walk slowly around the inside of the pen.

“B-Blake?”

“I’m just going to get Boomer so I can ride beside you,” he reassured her. Swinging up into the saddle, he guided the gelding into the pen and caught up with Karly and Suede as they made another trip around the inside. “There are a few more things I want to show you, then we’ll be ready to leave the round pen and start the ride up to the pasture.”

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Karly asked. “I’d hate to have to spend eternity haunting you.”

“I’ll take my chances on that, sweetheart,” he said, laughing.

As he showed her how to guide Suede by doing nothing more than touching the reins to either side of the mare’s neck, he noticed that Karly began to relax. She sat looser in the saddle and actually started moving with the mare instead of remaining as stiff as a ramrod.

On the third trip around the inside of the circular fence, Blake nodded toward the open gate ahead. “It’s time we take this show on the road.”

Karly looked doubtful. “I really don’t think—”

“Good idea,” he said, grinning. “Don’t think. Just do it.”

When they rode the horses out of the round pen, he could tell by the tightening around her mouth that Karly was anything but confident. But he admired her willingness to give riding a try. He just wished she had shown that kind of consideration to giving their marriage a chance.

* * *

By the time she and Blake reached the pasture where the herd of steers had spent the summer, Karly was feeling a little more sure of herself. Suede had proved to be as docile as Blake had promised and once Karly relaxed in the saddle, riding the mare wasn’t bad at all.

“Are these mountains part of the Rockies?” she asked, gazing at the splendor of the high mountain meadow.

“Yup. The Laramie Mountain range is part of the eastern edge of the Rockies,” he answered, stopping his horse to look at the black cattle on the other side of the river that wound through the valley.

When she looked over at him inspecting the animals, she realized that he’d been right not to give up his way of life to move to Seattle with her. Blake Hartwell wasn’t a man who was meant to be a city dweller. She could tell he loved living on this ranch, loved watching over the animals in his care. He was as deliciously rugged as this beautiful land and she couldn’t imagine him living anywhere else.

As she continued to admire the man who had swept her off her feet eight months ago, she spotted the butt of a gun attached to his saddle that she hadn’t noticed before. A sudden thought had her looking cautiously at the tree line surrounding the vast clearing. “Are there grizzly bears in the region?”

Grinning, he shook his head. “Black bear, mountain lion and bobcat, but no grizzlies.”

All three species were prominent in the mountains surrounding Seattle and normally black bears and bobcats weren’t overly aggressive unless startled or if they were being protective of their young. Although she was extremely cautious when she was in an area where they were known to be, she wasn’t as concerned by them as she was by the mention of mountain lions. They were an entirely different matter. They were more aggressive and so silent, one could be within a few feet and a person might never realize the animal was there until it pounced.

Blake must have realized she was worried about the predators that might be close by. “Don’t worry, the big cats and bears in the area don’t normally wander down from the higher elevations unless there’s a drought or a shortage of the game they prey on.”

“What keeps them from making these cattle their next meal?” Karly asked as she gazed at the herd of steers grazing on the thick prairie grasses.

“Unlike grizzlies, black bears are too opportunistic to bother with hunting larger game,” he explained. “They’ll eat whatever is available—roots, berries, bugs, carrion. They’ll even eat garbage or whatever else they happen to find along the way.”

Karly laughed as she nodded. “They really aren’t very discerning when it comes to what they eat. Sometimes one will come down from the Cascade Mountains into one of the suburbs surrounding Seattle and everyone has to secure their trash cans. If they don’t, they risk having the trash strewn all over their yards show up on the evening news as a warning to others to take precautions.”

“Yeah, bears like an easy meal,” he agreed. “But mountain lions are natural-born hunters. We do have a problem occasionally with one of them straying down here. If we see one or find tracks too close to the herds or ranch buildings, we try to call the Fish and Wildlife Service and they send one of the game wardens to deal with a nuisance cat.”

“Do they kill the animal?” Even though the predators scared her outside the confines of a zoo, she hated that something might be killed because it had the misfortune to wander into the wrong place.

To her relief, he shook his head. “Not always. They first try to trap it for relocation to a more remote area. Exterminating the animal is a last resort unless it’s known to be a threat to humans or livestock.”

“Is that what the gun is for?” she asked, eyeing the hardwood stock sticking out of the leather holder. “For protection in case one of them becomes a threat to us?”

His expression changed to one of determination as he nodded. “It’s always better to be safe than sorry. I told you I’d protect you no matter what and I meant it.” He gave her a look that caused her insides to quiver. “I give you my word that as long as there’s a breath left in my body, I won’t let anything happen to you, Karly.”

The intense promise in his dark brown eyes stole her breath and reminded her of the kiss they’d shared in the barn. Neither of them had seemed to want to acknowledge that the chemistry they’d discovered between them in Las Vegas was just as strong, if not stronger, than it had ever been. As she continued to gaze into the fathomless depths of his eyes, she’d never felt as safe and secure in her entire life as she felt at that moment.

They both remained silent for several more moments before they started across the pasture toward the trail that led back down to the ranch. There wasn’t a doubt in her mind that he would do whatever it took to protect her from any and all dangers.

Her heart skipped a beat as she thought of how difficult it was becoming to keep him at arm’s length. He’d acted just like the husband she’d always dreamed of, even though she’d presented him with divorce papers to end their union. And it was getting harder and harder to remember why it was the best for both of them to go through with the divorce.

She sighed when she glanced at him from the corner of her eye. He might be prepared to protect her from the four-legged predators that could hurt her. But who was going to protect her from the force of nature that was Blake Hartwell?

Four

“I
told you riding isn’t as hard as you thought it would be,” Blake said, smiling as he helped Karly dismount the mare.

“I think I need to join a gym,” she commented as she patted Suede’s neck and moved away from the horse. Karly’s wince and the way she walked told him that she’d spent too much time in the saddle for her first time riding.

His smile faded. He could have kicked himself for being an inconsiderate jerk. A new rider needed to condition their thigh and back muscles on shorter rides before they attempted long hours in the saddle. Otherwise they risked soreness much like what someone would expect after a strenuous workout. How could he have been so thoughtless?

He’d been so caught up in showing her the ranch and his way of life, he’d forgotten all about her being new to the experience of being on a horse. Now she was paying the price for his oversight.

“Why don’t you go on up to the house and try to relax while I take care of the horses?” he suggested.

“I think I’ll take you up on that offer,” she said, nodding. She smiled. “I may be out of shape, but you’re right about the riding. I can’t believe I’m going to say this, but I actually enjoyed myself.”

As he watched her turn and walk slowly toward the house, he knew what he would do if they were at the main house. He’d make sure she took a nice long soak in the hot tub, then give her a massage with a good soothing liniment. His body tightened at the thought of once again touching her satiny skin as he ran his hands over her thighs and back. Then he would turn her over and sink himself...

“You’re one sorry son of a bitch, Hartwell,” he muttered as he brushed down the horses. Karly was hurting from his insistence that she ride a horse and his carelessness about the hours she spent in the saddle. They’d both signed divorce papers that she was eager to file. But all he could do was think about what a pleasure it would be to make love to her again. If that didn’t make him a prize jerk, he didn’t know what did.

Blake took a deep breath to relieve some of his building tension. She obviously didn’t want him touching her that way and if he wanted to preserve what little sanity he had left, he shouldn’t want that, either. But as long as he kept his hands to himself, he could drive her over to the ranch house for some time in the hot tub to ease her discomfort.

Of course, that would require introducing her to Silas. Blake wasn’t worried about the old guy telling her that Blake was the owner of the Wolf Creek Ranch. He knew that if he asked Silas to keep that information to himself, the old man would take it to his grave before he told a soul. But introducing his soon-to-be ex-wife and then keeping secrets from her was going to add a lot of fuel to the fire of the many lectures Blake would have to endure before Silas found something else he felt compelled to preach about.

With his mind made up, Blake took the saddles and bridles to the tack room, brushed down the horses, then led them back to their stalls. Giving them generous scoops of oats and flakes of hay, he reached for the cell phone clipped to his belt as he left the barn.

“I’m bringing Karly over for supper,” Blake said when the old man answered.

“So you decided I’m decent enough to meet your bride after all?” Silas queried, his tone filled with sarcasm. “What changed your mind, boy? Did you finally fess up and tell her you own this spread?”

“You ask a lot of questions,” Blake complained.

“Well, I would never find anything out if I didn’t,” Silas retorted. “So did you tell her?”

“No.”

“Tarnation, boy! Why not?” The old man grunted his disgust. “The way I see it, that little gal’s got a right to know just who she’s hitched up to.”

“I told you, I don’t want my net worth influencing her decisions,” Blake said, irritated that they were having the same argument they’d had every time he’d talked to Silas since Karly arrived on the Wolf Creek.

“Not every woman is as money-grubbin’ as that heifer your daddy married or as connivin’ as that little tart that tried to rope you into marryin’ her by claimin’ you were gonna be a daddy,” Silas insisted. “All this gal did was take a trip down the aisle with you. And she did it so fast she must not have cared if you had millions or if you were flat broke.”

Blake groaned at the mention of the fiasco with the buckle bunny that had taken place several years ago. He didn’t like thinking about the hell he’d gone through proving that he wasn’t Sara Jane Benson’s baby daddy. Just the fact that he’d given the rodeo groupie a reason to accuse him had been bad enough. There were some women a man could have a good time with and then there were the ones that when they came toward him, a man would do well to turn around and run like hell. Sara Jane fell into the latter category.

But he’d been a little drunk that night and pissed off over his stepmother’s latest refusal to sell him his family’s ranch. He’d regretted his lapse in judgment the following morning, but he’d been fit to be tied when Sara Jane showed up a month later claiming that he’d made her pregnant. When he finally discovered that Sara Jane had lied—that there wasn’t a baby and never had been—he didn’t think he’d ever been more relieved in his entire life. After he confronted her, the woman had finally admitted it was all a ruse to try to get money from him after she discovered that he wasn’t just a dust-covered rodeo rider. But aside from narrowly missing the trap she’d set, the incident had taught Blake a valuable lesson about letting anyone know that his family owned one of the largest private ranches in the state of Wyoming.

“She may have married me fast,” Blake finally answered. “But she divorced me just as fast. I’ll tell Karly when the time is right.”

“When’s that gonna be?” Silas persisted. “You know the longer you wait, the bigger the chance of somebody tellin’ her for you.”

“The chances of that happening are slim,” Blake said confidently. “The men have been leaving before daylight to make sure the fences are ready for the herds when we bring them down from the summer pastures. And I know I can count on you not to say anything.”

“It ain’t my place to tell that little gal,” Silas said, sounding affronted that Blake even mentioned the possibility. “But what are you gonna do when you take her over to the Rusty Spur for that barbecue day after tomorrow? What if one of the Laughlins says somethin’ about it? What are you gonna do then?”

“I’m going to call Eli and fill him in before we go over there,” Blake stated. “Neither Eli or Tori will say a word about it.”

He’d given it some thought on his and Karly’s ride back to the house and he knew he could trust his friends not to mention that Blake owned the ranch, or pass judgment on him for wanting to keep that fact from Karly. Eli Laughlin and his wife, Tori, had their own unorthodox tale of how they’d met and married, not to mention the obstacles due to secrets of Tori’s past and Eli’s trust issues that they’d had to work through.

Tired of arguing with the old cowboy, Blake decided it was time to bring the conversation to an end. “Go ahead and set the table. We’ll be over in about fifteen minutes.”

Ending the call before Silas could come up with more of his endless questions, Blake took a deep breath. He might be irritating as hell, but Silas was right. Karly had married him because she wanted to, not because she thought she could get something from him. And even though they were headed for a divorce, it was becoming more difficult to defend his stance on not telling her.

A sudden thought stopped him dead in his tracks. Could she have rejected him and their marriage because she thought just the opposite about him? When she got back to Seattle, had she decided that he didn’t make enough money to support her and the kids he had hoped they would one day have?

Blake shook his head as he climbed the back steps and started into the house. Either way, he needed to find out what her reasoning had been for ending things with him. Once he knew that, he could put this marriage fiasco behind him. Until then, he’d simply wait and see what he could find out.

* * *

When Blake drove his truck up the asphalted driveway toward the huge log lodge, Karly caught her breath at the sheer size and beauty of it. “This is absolutely gorgeous,” she said, falling in love with the way the home and the rugged landscape complemented each other so perfectly. No other style of house would have looked as natural with the vastness of the land surrounding it. “Can you imagine living in a place like this?”

“You like it?” he asked, staring straight ahead as he parked his truck in front of the porte cochere covering the entrance to the house. Made with the same huge logs as the main structure, it provided shelter from the weather as well as added to the grandeur of the home.

“Who wouldn’t love this?” she asked, noticing a small waterfall cascading over boulders not far from the stacked stone steps. It emptied into a little pool by the bottom step and looked so natural that it took a moment for her to realize it was man-made. “Everything about it is perfect.” She frowned. “But shouldn’t we be going through the back entrance?”

“Why would we do that?” he asked, sounding confused.

“It’s not like we’re invited guests,” she said, shaking her head. “The owner—”

“He isn’t staying here right now and even if he was, he wouldn’t care.” He grinned as if finding something humorous about her question. “He’s a pretty easygoing guy.”

She had a hard time believing anyone would want an employee and his guest taking advantage of their good nature. “And you’re sure he won’t mind us just walking in like we own the place?”

He laughed and shook his head as he got out of the truck and walked around to help her down from the cab. “Take my word for it, sweetheart. He doesn’t have any problem at all with us making ourselves at home while we’re visiting the main house.”

When he lifted her from the truck seat and set her on her feet, he kept his hands resting at her waist as he gazed into her eyes. Her breath caught and her pulse sped up. He was going to kiss her again and heaven help her, she wanted him to do just that.

Mesmerized by the heated light in his incredible brown eyes, she could only watch as he slowly began to lower his head. But just when she thought his lips would cover hers, he took a step back and smiled down at her. “Silas is expecting us.”

Not entirely certain whether she was disappointed or relieved that he hadn’t kissed her, she blinked. “Silas?”

He nodded. “I think I’d better warn you,” he said as he put his arm around her and guided her toward the steps. “The housekeeper here is ornery, opinionated and downright disagreeable at times. But the old cuss has a heart of gold and if he thought you needed it, he’d give you the shirt off his back.”

“Does he know...about us?” she asked hesitantly. She’d only told a couple of her friends at work about what had taken place on her Las Vegas vacation. But he hadn’t mentioned telling anyone.

Blake nodded. “Keeping anything from Silas Burrows is damn near impossible. But don’t worry. He’s won’t say a word to you about it, unless you bring it up.”

She doubted that would happen, but she forgot all about her concerns or the housekeeper’s opinion when they reached the entrance doors. Hand-carved images of black bears and pine trees overlaid the glass and added to the appeal of the lodge.

But when Blake opened the door and they stepped into the foyer, Karly couldn’t believe the rustic beauty of the home. “This isn’t just a log home, it’s a mansion,” she said as they walked into the great room.

With a vaulted ceiling and massive fireplace made of river rock, the room had a surprisingly cozy feel for such a large space. But when she noticed the panoramic view of the mountains through the wall of windows on the opposite side of the room, it felt as if the room opened up to the landscape beyond.

“Do you like it?” Blake asked.

She nodded in awe as she continued to look around the room. Even the interior walls were made of logs. “It’s gorgeous.”

“I’ll give you the grand tour after supper,” he said, smiling as if her approval pleased him.

“I’d like that.” As an afterthought, she added, “As long as you don’t think the owner would mind.”

“Not at all.” Blake’s sexy grin sent a shiver up her spine. “Trust me, he’ll be fine with it.”

“Supper’s ready and if you want it hot you two better get in here.”

Turning, Karly spotted an older man who looked like every child’s favorite jolly old elf. On the portly side, his thick hair and long, full beard were snow-white and although he wore jeans, his green suspenders and long-sleeved red shirt would have convinced young and old alike that he might very well be Santa Claus.

As they walked toward him, Blake made the introductions. “Karly, this is Silas Burrows.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Burrows,” Karly said, extending her hand.

He stared at her for several moments before he gave her a wide grin as he shook her hand. “Just call me Silas or Si.” He motioned for her and Blake to follow him. “I fixed beef stew and sourdough bread for supper. It ain’t fancy, but it’s hot and there’s plenty of it.”

“If it tastes half as good as it smells, I’m sure it’s going to be delicious,” she said when they entered the kitchen and the smell of baking bread and the rich aroma from the bubbling pot on the state-of-the-art range assailed her senses. “Is there anything I can do to help you finish getting it ready?”

Silas shook his head. “Not really much left to do. While I slice the bread, I’m gonna let Blake pour us all glasses of iced tea and we’ll be ready to eat.”

After Blake guided her over to the large oak table across the room and held her chair for her to sit down, he whispered close to her ear, “It looks like you’ve got a fan.”

“What do you mean?” she asked, barely able to keep from shivering when his warm breath feathered over her sensitive skin.

“I haven’t seen Silas grin this much since the former owner’s second wife sold the ranch to his son,” he said, nibbling a kiss along the column of her neck as if it was the most natural thing in the world for him to do.

Startled by his show of affection, her heart pounded against her ribs and she tried not to think about what it might mean as he crossed the kitchen to pour their drinks. To distract herself, she looked around. She loved to cook when she had the opportunity and someone to cook for. Unfortunately, that only happened a few times a year—usually when she and her coworkers had a potluck lunch at the office. But if she had a kitchen like this one, she might be tempted to cook more. All of the appliances were commercial grade and top-of-the-line. And she absolutely loved the spaciousness and convenience of the entire room’s layout. Cooking, even if it was just for herself, would be a joy in a kitchen like this.