COWBOY: His ranch. His rules. His secrets. (Taking Charge Book 1) Read online

  "Why is he so damn stubborn? He's known since I was a boy my dream was to have my own horse ranch."

  "Why are you so damn stubborn?" she retorted. "That's what he'd say."

  "He has, many times."

  "He's determined that you'll take over the company, and it doesn't help that you have his gift for business."

  "Will he ever let me be my own man? Live my life as I see fit?"

  "If your mother was still alive there'd be a chance, but since her passing he's become obsessed with crowning you King and placing you on the throne. It's his legacy, and Keith, you know how much he's changed."

  "He sure isn't the dad I remember as a kid."

  "He's my brother, but I can never forgive him for what he did."

  "I know you're talkin' about Gary, but I still don't believe he was behind that whole thing."

  "No-one beats your father, and Gary did. That oil lease was worth a great deal of money, and after he lost your father was determined to get even."

  "I'm sorry Elsie, but plantin' drugs in his house? Makin' an anonymous call and gettin' him arrested? It's just not dad's style."

  "Someone did. Gary wouldn't even take an aspirin. He was totally railroaded, and Harlan was his only enemy."

  "That you know of."

  "Gary would have told me if someone else was out to get him."

  "What about that horrible ex-husband of yours?"

  "He was long gone. I don't even know where that bastard is, and it was a couple years after our divorce that I met Gary." Then lowering her voice she wistfully added, "I'd waited to be with someone like him my whole life, and just when we were about to start our lives together…" but she was unable to continue as the painful memory swept over her.

  "I know you love Gary very much."

  "Your father knew that too, and he killed two birds with one stone. He ruined Gary's life, and he ruined mine in the process, and I'm sure he thinks I deserved it."

  "Because you were going to marry his competitor? I don't buy it," Keith said with a frown. "He knows you can't choose who you fall in love with. Mom's parents were against his marriage to her, and he had to fight to make it happen. Do you really believe he'd rip apart your love life? His only sister?"

  "You and I have talked about this too often and too much, and as I've said many times, someone went to a great deal of trouble to make sure Gary was taken away from me, and Harlan was hopping mad when he lost that lease to Gary."

  "Maybe someone was making sure you were taken away from him."

  "Same difference. When God took Mabel from your father he turned angry at the world."

  "Yep, he did," Keith grimaced. "Home was a bad place to be."

  "She was his rock and his shelter. It didn't help that I'm a nurse. As misplaced as it was, the medical profession was one of the targets of his fury. I suspect he's become even more embittered. If he finds me here helping you, God help us both."

  "You don't have to worry. My lawyer is a master at coverin' tracks, and so am I. Keith Parker doesn't exist, and I sure don't look like a businessman in a three-piece suit and tie when I'm here, not that I let anyone see me anyway. As far as the world is concerned, Andy Chapman is Dream Horse Ranch. Besides, Houston is halfway across the country."

  "All I'm saying is, don't take any unnecessary chances. You can't say anything until you're one-hundred percent sure this girl can be trusted with your life, because that's what it is, Keith, your life."

  "All our lives. I care about her, a lot! I know it sounds crazy after such a short amount of time but I do."

  "You don't have to explain yourself to me. From the moment I met Gary I was lost to him. He haunted me every minute I wasn't with him, and he still does."

  "Thanks, Elsie. I feel bad about keepin' up the pretense with her but you're right, it can't be helped. I just pray she'll understand when the time comes."

  "If it comes," Elsie remarked, "and I hope it does."

  "Now I have to get to my office. I missed a conference call this mornin'. Dad will be as mad as a rattler."

  "You'll talk your way out of it, you always do. I'm just amazed that there are phones that say you're somewhere you're not."

  "It's not the phone, it's an app."

  "An app. I still don't understand what that means and I don't need to, it's just good that it does what it does."

  "Elise, don't give up hope. Gary will be up for parole in a couple of weeks and God willin' you'll have your life back."

  "I swear, every minute away from that man has felt like a lifetime. I miss him so much. I'm just praying your father doesn't interfere. He knows some powerful people."

  "I'm sure he'll be too busy with other things. Try not to worry. I'm off to make that call, but I'll be back to join Carly for breakfast."

  "How is she? Better I assume."

  "Not as much as I think she's pretending to be, and her arm needs a fresh bandage," he said, rising to his feet.

  Standing outside the door Carly was processing everything she'd just heard. Keith was from Houston! She couldn't suppress her grin of delight, but as she heard Keith approaching the door she quickly knocked and pushed it open.

  "Is it okay to come in?"

  "Great timin'," Keith declared. "I was just leavin' to go make that call I told you about. I'll be right back."

  "Hello, Carly," Elsie said warmly. "You'd better let me take a look at that arm. Are you hungry? What would you like for breakfast?"

  "I don't want to be any trouble."

  "It's no trouble at all. I need to cook something up for Keith, but first sit down and have some coffee while I fetch my medical bag."

  Keith was about to leave the room, but as Elsie disappeared into the kitchen Carly turned and sent him a wink. He winked back, and feeling buoyed he started down the hallway towards his office. Elsie had been right. His father was angry at the world, but Keith had learned how to tolerate the man's rantings. He couldn't afford not to. His job with the company was imperative and would remain so for a few more months.

  He had started Dream Horse ranch with an inheritance left by his mother, but he'd still needed to borrow. The land was in the perfect location and the acreage ideal, but the house, the arenas, the barn, and the outbuildings, had been in desperate need of repair. The ranch was profitable, but every penny went to the debt. He didn't want to break free of Boyd Holdings until it was paid off and he had capital in the bank.

  Entering his office he settled behind his desk, reached for his cellphone, opened an app that would offer a false number and location, and placed the call.

  "What the hell?" Harlan bellowed as he answered. "Where were you?"

  "I'm truly sorry and I don't blame you," Keith said, feigning remorse, "and I'm not gonna give you some cockamamy excuse. I'll tell you exactly what happened."

  "Go on then, let me hear it."

  "I met a woman a while back and over the last few days I've been spendin' some time with her. Last night she was in a real bad car accident. She was almost killed. She was trapped in her vehicle and I was one of the people who helped to get her out."

  "What? Are you okay? Were you in the car?"

  "No, no, but I was nearby. Long story short, she's in the same hotel as me and after the paramedics had looked her over, I walked her to her room. She was extremely upset and I ended up stayin'. I couldn't leave her by herself. It was probably about three o'clock in the mornin' when I finally closed my eyes and I slept right through my alarm."

  "I see. Sounds like quite the drama. How was she trapped?"

  "A piece of lumber slid off the back of a truck and smashed through her windshield. She was in a vintage vehicle. Glass was everywhere. It's a miracle she survived. Her arm is scraped up and badly bruised, but otherwise she's come out of it unscathed."

  "Damn."

  "We never know about things, dad. I could have been drivin' behind that truck and I mightn't have been so lucky, but I am sorry I missed the call. How did it go?"

  "Fine, fine, but
I need you to listen."

  "I always do."

  "I mean, really listen. I know you like working while you travel around and see this great country of ours, and I have no complaints about your productivity. Your reports are always in on time, you have great relationships with our satellite offices, but I need you here. I need you in the office next to mine. The time has come for you to put your wandering lifestyle behind you."

  "Why now?"

  "Why not now?"

  "You just said yourself you have no complaints. What's that old sayin'? If it ain't broke don't fix it."

  "Why must you sound like a hick? Sayin'? It's saying. The word has i-n-g at the end of it. I didn't pay for a first-class education for you to sound like some small-town nobody."

  "I've met a lotta folks in small towns and they're good honest people. A whole lot more honest and good-hearted than most of the people we deal with."

  "Talking that way came from that damnable stable you used to hang around," Harlan continued, not responding to his son's comments. "Being with all those cowboys was a bad influence on you. I should have stopped it before it began."

  "Why didn't you?"

  Keith heard his father take a breath. He knew the question would stop the badgering. Harlan had allowed him to hang out at the local western barns because his wife had insisted upon it. She'd said their son was never happier than when he was around horses, and everyone at the stable said he had a natural gift.

  "We're digressing," Harlan said brusquely. "I need you back here."

  Keith paused. It mightn't be a bad idea to put in an appearance earlier than he'd planned.

  "Okay. I'll move my trip up. I'll come in a couple of days rather than next week."

  "You will? That's great. We'll go to Vic and Anthony's for a steak."

  "My mouth's waterin'."

  "Watering!"

  "That too," Keith chuckled. "See you soon."

  Ending the call Keith dropped the phone on his desk, and letting out a heavy breath he leaned back and closed his eyes. It was all so tiring. His father's constant nagging, living a double life and balancing so many balls in the air. But it would be worth it in the end, and now he'd met a woman who shared his passion for horses, and probably his love of kink. As the thought floated through his mind he smiled. He couldn't wait to find out just how deep her dark desires ran.

  CHAPTER NINE

  Carly was determined to return to her much-loved truck to view the damage and check on Winston. Though Keith didn't think she should ride he thought getting out of the house was a good idea, but Elsie was against it.

  "Trust me, in a little while you're going to be so tired you won't be able to stand up," Elsie warned. "I think you're pushing your luck. You need to rest."

  "Maybe in a little while, but right now I feel absolutely fine."

  "Except for your arm," Elsie said solemnly. "Don't tell me that doesn't hurt."

  "Sure, but I've competed at shows with worse injuries," Carly declared, then hastily added, "sorry, I know you're only watching out for me and I appreciate it."

  "Just be careful," Elsie insisted, "and it's not just that injury I'm worried about. You don't understand how a trauma like that can catch up with you."

  "I'll keep my eye on her," Keith promised, rising from the table. "Come on, Carly. I know you're itchin' to see that pickup of yours."

  "I also need to stop by the cabin and get changed."

  "We'll take the golf cart. Your truck is blockin' the lane down to the cabin."

  Keith pushed open the front door, and as Carly stepped outside she stared up at the sky. Mountainous puffy clouds seemed motionless, it was cool but not cold, and there was not even the breath of breeze, but debris was scattered everywhere, evidence of the night's horrific winds.

  "What a mess. How will you deal with it all?"

  "Andy will arrange for a crew to come in," Keith replied, taking her hand and leading her to a small shed. "There are part-time laborers around here who do that kinda work, but I'm sure they're busy cleanin' up the town."

  "I'm amazed we didn't lose power."

  "That's not somethin' I worry about. We have backup generators, but you're right. It's common for the power lines to come down in winds like that."

  Climbing into the golf cart they started down the driveway, but when they turned to descend the gentle slope towards the cabin, Carly grabbed Keith's arm.

  "Oh, my God! Poor Daisy, and how the hell did I walk away from that?"

  "Damn. I thought it look bad last night, but…"

  His voice trailed off. He was lost for words as he stared at the shocking sight, and as they came to a stop Carly felt a cold shiver rattle through her body.

  "Keith, I'm feeling weird."

  "I'm not surprised. I can't believe what I'm seein'."

  "It looks so much worse than I thought it would."

  "I'll drop you at the cabin. While you're gettin' changed I'll take some pictures in case your insurance company asks for them. When are you gonna tell your folks?"

  "If my mother sees a photo of this she'll be catatonic for days, and I'm not sure dad will be much better. I'm their only child. They're extremely protective of me."

  "I know what you mean."

  "You're an only child too?"

  "Uh, yeah."

  "Sorry, that question just slipped out," she said hastily. "I wasn't trying to pry."

  "It's okay," he said warmly, impulsively putting an arm around her shoulders. "Wait until that branch is gone then you can take some pictures just for them."

  "They can't see that huge log through the windshield that's for sure. Holy crap."

  "It's a miracle you're still here, it's an absolute miracle."

  "I saw it coming at me. The branch. I saw it in the headlights and then…"

  "Carly? Are you okay?"

  "Yeah, I'm okay. I can still see it, but yeah. It's just hard to get it out of my head, and…uh…"

  "What is it?"

  "I'm dying to tell you this, but you have to promise you won't think I'm crazy."

  "Did something else happen?"

  "Uh…sort of."

  "You're killin'' me! What was it?"

  "It is a miracle that I'm here," she whispered, "but it's a miracle I can't explain. Keith, I saw it coming and I froze. I couldn't move."

  "I don't understand."

  "Someone—something—" she whispered, "well—uh—shoved me down."

  A shiver rippled down his spine, and Keith instinctively knew she was telling the truth.

  "That's how it missed me," she continued staring at him. "That's the miracle, but, uh, there's more. I'm just not sure I can tell you."

  "Why? Is it scary, or bad, or…?"

  "It's not bad, but it's—I don't know what it is. I want to tell you, I really do, it's just so, uh, out there."

  "Okay, you've warned me. I'm prepared. Take a deep breath and spit it out."

  "Here goes nothing," she mumbled. "After the trunk crashed through the windshield, the very first thing that happened was, uh, a voice whispered in my ear."

  "What? A voice? It must have been the wind whistling through the broken glass."

  "That's what I've been telling myself," she stammered, "except I don't think it was."

  "What did it sound like?"

  "A woman whispering in my ear is what it sounded like, and she said, trust him, and your face flashed in my head."

  Swallowing hard, he touched his shirt and felt the key. It was impossible, or was it? Putting his arm around her shoulders he pulled her against him, and as a breeze suddenly swirled around them he closed his eyes. Was it a puff of wind, or was it something else?

  "So, uh, do you believe me," she asked softly, "or do you think it was my imagination?"

  "You had an angel on your shoulder, and as for the whisper, who knows. If you heard it, you heard it."

  "It helped me so much. I was still terrified but I didn't feel alone. Keith, I felt a presence with me, a loving presenc
e watching over me."

  "Watchin' over you," Keith repeated. "That's how it felt?"

  "Yes, that's how it felt, and that's how I want to describe it."

  "An angel watchin' over you…"

  Carly thought she heard his voice crack, but a moment later he pulled back and smiled down at her.

  "Something created a miracle, and isn't that what angels do?"

  "You're right. Thank you."

  "For what?"

  "Everything, and for being so kind about what I just told you."

  "There are more things in heaven and Earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy. One of Shakespeare's great lines."

  "A cowboy quoting Shakespeare?"

  "What can I say? I was forced into a literature class when I went to college. Shall we go down to the cabin?"

  "Sure, but now I have a thousand new questions rolling through my head."

  "One of these days you'll get some answers," he promised, then began to roll slowly forward, but it was only a minute later that he came to an abrupt stop. The carport had been severely damaged.

  "Dammit. The whole thing is about to fall down."

  Though the wind had failed to rip the roof off its frame it had made the effort. The supporting beams were leaning at a sharp angle.

  "Is it safe for me to walk under that?"

  "Nope. Use the back door off the deck."

  "It's locked from the inside."

  "Meet me there. I'll go in this way and open it up."

  "This is unbelievable," Carly said as she climbed from the cart. "Will it take long to fix?"

  "Probably not, but there might be other damage around the place I haven't seen yet."

  "Not too much I hope."

  "Andy would've called if he'd seen anything real bad, though I'm surprised he didn't tell me about this."

  As she started to walk around the cabin, Keith stepped from the cart and studied the damage. His initial assessment had been correct. The weight of the roof could bring the entire structure crashing down. Walking swiftly to the porch he opened the door, and in spite of the damage to the carport he was unprepared for the sight that greeted him. The room was a shambles. A window had been blown out and debris was scattered around the floor, along with magazines, pictures and other items that had once sat on shelves. Stepping carefully around the havoc he cautiously entered the bedroom, and though he'd been expecting to find similar chaos, to his great relief it was untouched. Moving quickly to unbolt the back door he found Carly waiting, and staring up at him she shook her head.