ROUGH RANCHER Page 2

  “What? You can’t be serious.”

  “Those were his wishes.”

  “So…if I go back to the city on Sunday…”

  “You will not inherit the ranch, though he also left you a stock portfolio worth about twenty-thousand dollars—that’s assuming you sold out right away—and ten-thousand in cash.”

  “What happens to the ranch if I don’t stay here?”

  “It would go to the ranch manager.”

  A chill pricked her skin.

  “Does he know that?”

  “Oh, yes, he’s known for some time, but he wasn’t at liberty to say anything.”

  Her head began to spin.

  The property would have been his if she’d left, yet he’d pushed her to make the call and get the information.

  “Will you be staying? I need to know right away,” the lawyer said urgently.

  “If I do,” she managed, trying to gather her thoughts, “how am I supposed to get my things and rent my condo, or maybe even sell it?”

  “I realize this is very short notice, but bear in mind I have been trying to reach you for a while. Regardless, money has been set aside to take care of those issues. We just need specific instructions from you—in writing, of course.”

  “What about Callum?”

  “I was coming to that. Your uncle states in his will, and I quote, Kelly must learn about ranching and horses from a true rancher and horseman, the manager of Lone Pine Ranch, Callum Coleman.”

  “And if he leaves?” she asked, thinking his surname rang a bell.

  “If he leaves before the year is up, the property will be sold. Any funds Callum has invested will be returned to him, along with one-quarter of the profits from the sale. You’ll get the rest.”

  “So, the bottom line is, if I want this place I have to stay here.”

  “For a minimum of one year, that’s correct. It’s your choice, but it’s also his. He’s under no obligation to remain. At any point during the year, if you leave or he does, the property will be sold.”

  “Good grief. What about the costs? Where will the money come from to run this place?”

  “There’s the stock portfolio and the cash, and you will also have income from the rental of your condo, or whatever profit you might realize if you sell. But apparently the ranch has started to make money, though as the funds come in, a percentage must go to Callum until he’s paid back the funds he’s invested.”

  “I don’t know what to say…”

  “I’ll email you the documents now. If you want to stay and claim the property, sign and scan them, and email them back to me. As long as they’re here when I return on Monday—“

  “I’m not sure if Callum has a printer and scanner.”

  “He does, and as I was saying, as long as they’re here when I return on Monday, the ranch is yours, if not, it will revert to Callum. I’m sorry about this being last minute, but—“

  “I know, I know, you’ve been trying to reach me,” she said with a sigh. “Is there anything else?”

  “Yes, your uncle left you a piece of jewelry. Callum has it.”

  “How long has he lived here?”

  “Full time for almost four years, but from what I understand, he’s been working at that ranch since he was a kid.”

  “I was here every summer. I don’t remember him.”

  “Perhaps you didn’t cross paths, but Kelly, if it hadn’t been for him, your uncle would have been forced to leave that place a while back. Callum took care of him as well as the business.”

  “But Uncle Ernie never mentioned him.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Uh…he may have said something about a cowboy lending a hand, but that was about it.”

  “The only cowboy your uncle had working for him was Callum. Do you have any further questions?”

  “Uh, no, thank you Mr. Bateman.”

  “You’re welcome. Enjoy your weekend, and regardless of your decision, I’ll speak to you on Monday.”

  The call ended, and sitting in the quiet office, Kelly could almost feel her uncle’s presence.

  “Why have you put me in this impossible position,” she whispered, “and what the hell am I supposed to do?”

  CHAPTER FOUR

  When Callum had entered the field, he paused to take a deep breath and push aside his frustration, then moved calmly up to his horses. He always carried treats in his pocket, and watching his equine friends eagerly gobble them up, he felt the last remnants of his anger dissolve.

  A cold gust suddenly swirled around them, making the horse’s manes flutter. Checking the sky, and feeling the temperature suddenly dip, he guessed the storm would be over them within the hour.

  Each of the horses knew their stall, and when they reached the barn, they ambled in to wait for dinner. Loading a wheelbarrow with hay, Callum began wheeling it down the aisle, recalling his early days at the barn…and Kelly. She would arrive dressed in expensive designer jeans and trendy shirts, and barely give him a second look. Then one afternoon, with no warning—

  “Callum?”

  Her voice echoed through the barn breaking into the memory.

  The timing was startling.

  But Moon, the big dapple grey, whinnied loudly, wanting his dinner.

  Kelly would have to wait.

  Pushing the barrow forward, Callum lifted out two flakes and dropped them into the feeder.

  “Please, Callum, don’t be mad. I’m sorry!”

  Shifting his gaze and watching her walk hesitantly towards him, he noticed her long, blonde hair was tousled. The wind must have picked up.

  “Sorry for what exactly? Being rude? Losing your temper? Refusing to listen?”

  “All of the above,” she replied with a sigh. “I mean it. Honestly, I’m sorry.”

  “I take it you’ve spoken to Tom Bateman.”

  “Yeah, he told me everything. If you hadn’t insisted I call him this place would have been yours. Why did you do it?”

  “I can’t talk about it in here. This is where the horses live, and I keep things calm and relaxed. Go back to the house. We’ll discuss it later,” he replied, then headed into the feed room.

  “I’m seriously considering my uncle’s offer,” she declared as she followed. “Staying here for a year would be a huge change, but my life has become so stressful, I think it might be just what I need. The thing is—he left instructions that I have to learn about horses from you. Can’t I start now? I only have a couple of days to make up my mind.”

  He turned around to face her. She was running her fingers through her hair, and he noticed her long, polished nails. They didn’t belong on the ranch, nor did the short, pale blue skirt and white silk blouse she’d arrived in. Even the jeans and boots she was now wearing where covered in rhinestones. He suspected, even if she did decide to stick around, she’d probably only last a couple of weeks, a month tops.

  “Please, Callum?”

  He’d hated her once.

  Not really, but sort of.

  He’d hated her for ignoring him.

  Being born into a solid, wealthy family.

  Having everything while he’d suffered for years.

  But he’d also been crazy about her.

  He’d tried to hide his feelings, but Ernie had seen right through him.

  “You’d be good for her,” the craggy-faced rancher had said. “When she’s a bit older, if you want to ask her out, you’ll have my blessing.”

  It had never happened.

  But something else had.

  A couple days before she’d left that last summer, she’d cornered him in a stall and asked him to meet her there that night.

  “Callum, did you hear me?” Kelly pressed, snatching him from his thoughts.

  “Yep, but I told you we’d talk about it at the house,” he said, fighting the sudden desire to grab a fistful of her disheveled hair, hold it tightly, scold her for not listening, then crush her lips in a fervent, never-ending kiss that would le
ave her breathless and her heart pumping.

  Maybe even open her eyes and recognize him.

  “But I wasn’t trying to discuss the situation with you. I was asking if I could help around here, now. Do something useful. Teach me…please…?” she begged, looking up at him earnestly, then unexpectedly she reached out and touched his arm. “I really am sorry. I can be such a cow sometimes.”

  His cock stirred.

  “That’s not a very nice thing to say about cows.”

  Though he hadn’t meant it as a joke, she broke into a smile.

  “Is that a yes?”

  Trying to ignore the barrage of salacious thoughts flashing through his mind, he picked up a bucket on the counter behind him.

  “Here, take this,” he ordered, thrusting it at her. “See those four bins? Put in a scoop from each of them and take it to the big grey in the end stall. His name is Moon. Inside there’s a feeder in the corner. Pour it in there. He’ll probably follow you over but he’s a gentle giant. Just do everything slowly and calmly. Got it?”

  “Yes, Callum, and thanks.”

  As she moved to the bins and leaned over, his eyes fell on her curvaceous backside. He imagined yanking down her jeans and panties, then slapping her naked cheeks until she was squealing and promising to behave.

  His member continued to stiffen.

  Grabbing two blankets, he hurried back into the aisle, dropped one on the ground, and carried the other into a stall.

  “Hey, Gypsy, how are you, girl,” he said softly, stroking the mare’s neck.

  The horse nickered and nudged him for a treat. He obliged, then throwing the blanket over her back, he buckled the straps and left. Picking up the second blanket, he spotted Kelly walking out of Moon’s stall.

  “Callum, will you show me the right way to put that on?” she asked, hurrying up to him. “It’s been years since I’ve done it.”

  He took a breath.

  “Sure, but Kelly, I’ve gotta ask, why the apology and the sudden change in attitude. What happened? It has to be more than just learnin’ about the will.”

  “I took a shower and changed and I feel better.”

  “Is that it?”

  “Uh, yeah.”

  “Okay, so here’s the deal. I don’t know how long you’ll be around, but whether it’s an hour, or a day, a month, or the whole year, every time you lie to me I’ll spank your ass,” he declared, and before she could move he landed a hard swat on the center of her backside.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Jumping away, red-faced and outraged, Kelly was too stunned to speak.

  “I know you wanna yell at me right now, but don’t,” he warned, his voice annoyingly calm. “No raised voices in the barn.”

  “Then you shouldn’t have hit me in here,” she hissed. “In fact, you shouldn’t have hit me at all.”

  “You’re right on the first point, not the second, and I might’ve done a whole lot more if we were somewhere else.”

  “But I—”

  “We’ll talk about it back at the house,” he said sharply, cutting her off, “but no more lies. Is that clear?”

  “Not everything I said was a lie. I did take a shower, I did change, and it did make me feel better.”

  “Maybe, but that’s not why you came over here to make peace, and right now I have to finish up. If you wanna watch me blanket Poet, come on in.”

  Though he left the door open as he moved into the stall, she stayed where she was. She didn’t just need to get control of her anger, she had to push away the salacious sensations rippling through her body. Butterflies fluttered in her stomach, there was a warm flood between her legs, and she had an overwhelming need to be wrapped up in his arms in an endless hug.

  But there was also something unnervingly familiar about him.

  Especially when she looked into his eyes.

  As she took in a deep breath and attempted to gather her wits, the image of the rose tattoo popped into her head. She couldn’t help but wonder what it meant, and why he’d chosen to have it inked where it was. But watching him throw the blanket over the horse, she realized fighting with him was counter-productive. Whether she decided to stay or sell, she’d need his help. Resolved to find a common ground, she ambled into the stall.

  “Poet is a pretty name,” she remarked as she walked in.

  “I called him that because he’s such a beautiful mover…poetry in motion,” Callum said, looking up at her. “And your dog?” she asked, nodding towards the golden retriever panting happily in the barn aisle.

  “That’s Waggles. When he’s excited and wags his tail his whole body moves with it. The mare I just blanketed is Gypsy, Moon you’ve met, and the little fella, his name’s Goliath.”

  In spite of the many thoughts still racing through her mind, she had to laugh.

  “Goliath? He’s almost small enough to be a pony.”

  “Yep, but he’s a big brave horse in a little horse’s body. It takes a lot to spook him, not like this guy.”

  “Do all these horses belong to you?”

  “Yep. I rescue horses from bad situations, rehab them, then sell them to forever homes, and believe me, I’m real picky about where they end up. But we need to get out of here before that storm comes in,” he declared, hastily buckling the blanket straps. “If you wanna help, go back and grab the blue bucket on the counter. Fill it with half a scoop from each of the bins and give it to Goliath.”

  “Sure, I’d love to,” she said eagerly, but as she hurried off to the feed room, she recalled their argument in the house, and the comment he’d made about spanking her.

  Though they’d only just met, he’d made good on this threat and swatted her! But as she finished scooping the grain into the bucket, her thoughts were interrupted by a frightening, rumbling boom. Running into the aisle, she saw Callum standing at the wide rolling barn door.

  .“Callum? Was that thunder?”

  “Sure was,” he replied, pulling it closed. “I didn’t think those clouds would move in so fast. We have to hurry. Give Goliath his grain while I finish blanketing.”

  Striding quickly into the horse’s stall, she dropped the grain into the feeder, then hastily returned the bucket to the feed room and closed the bins.

  “Let’s get outta here,” Callum exclaimed, poking his head in. “It’s about to let loose. Come on, Waggles!”

  “Will the horses be okay?” she asked as the dog trotted up to join them.

  “They’re used to the weather, but I installed security cameras so I’ll be keeping my eye on them just in case,” he replied, marching up to the regular door and flipping a couple of switches on the wall. Abruptly the bright, overhead lights turned off, and a low amber glow filled the barn. “Okay, Kelly, the winds will probably be strong, so prepare yourself.”

  As he pushed the door and held it open, Waggles raced past her almost knocking her down. Though his exuberance made her grin, her smile quickly faded as she stepped outside. In spite of Callum’s warning she wasn’t ready for the wild gusts. They howled through the trees and swirled around her like tiny tornadoes.

  “This is awful,” she yelled, her eyes darting around her, then looking across to the house it seemed very far away. “Maybe we should stay in the—” but a bolt of lightning suddenly lit up the sky directly overhead. As she let out a terrified scream, Callum wrapped his arms tightly around her and quickly lowered his lips to her ear.

  “It’s okay, don’t panic, I won’t let anything happen to you,” he promised, his voice calm and deep. “We’re going to walk fast, but we won’t run. Just hold my hand and we’ll be home before you know it.”

  CHAPTER SIX

  They reached the cover of the porch seconds before the skies opened and torrential rain began to fall. Catching their breath, they stopped to watch the dramatic scene before moving inside and heading into the kitchen. While Kelly settled at the table, Callum dropped some kibble in a bowl for Waggles and made a pot of coffee. As he retrieved two mugs from a cabi
net, he glanced across at her. Her eyes were downcast, and she seemed troubled.

  He wasn’t sure if she was still frazzled from the lightning strike, or upset by his unexpected, hard smack. If it was the latter, he had no regrets. She deserved it after her display of temper. She also needed to know he wouldn’t be taken for a fool, and he was a man of his word.

  After placing a small carton of half-and-half next to the sugar bowl on the table, he returned to the counter, poured two mugs of the freshly brewed java, carried them back and sat down opposite her.

  “Thanks,” she murmured, picking up the cream and adding it to her drink.

  He followed suit, then dropped in a teaspoon of sugar.

  “Are you okay?” he asked as he stirred.

  “I’m still feeling a bit shaky. That lightning…it was absolutely terrifying.”

  “Yeah, it was close, real close. It shook me up too.”

  “It did?”

  “Hell, yeah!”

  “But you were so calm.”

  “I’m not given to panickin’, but I don’t think anyone could be calm with a bolt of lightnin’ landin’ a foot away.”

  “It was that close?” she asked, her eyes wide.

  “It sure felt like it.”

  She let out a breath, then tilted her head to the side.

  “I’m surprised you added sugar and cream. You look like a black coffee kinda guy.”

  “Nope, I’ve got a sweet tooth,” he replied with a smile, then decided to take the plunge and remind her of their past. The one she didn’t remember and he’d never forgotten.

  “You don’t know who I am, do you, Kelly?”

  “I’m not sure what you mean…though…I was thinking earlier there’s something familiar about you.”

  “You don’t recognize me at all?”

  Her face turned slightly pink.

  “Should I?”

  “Depends, probably not, maybe,” he said, voicing the thoughts as they popped into his head.

  “Are you going to tell me?”

  “I’ll do better than that.”