Riding Her Rancher Boss Page 7

  As she headed to Caramel’s stall, she overheard Jared sending two of the men out to check the western unit and childishly hoped he would go and leave her be. How could she focus with him standing over her, knowing that his resolve was as weak as hers?

  Guiding Caramel out of the stall, she decided to take the initiative and mount him. Placing a foot in the left stirrup, she swung a leg up and almost fell back. Immediately, Jared’s hand was against her side, his touch stealing her breath. Somehow, she managed to straddle Caramel and compose herself.

  “I’ve got this,” she told him, setting aside her discomfited attempt at mounting. “I remember how to ride. Like you said, it’s not something to forget.”

  “I’ll stay with you over the next few days.” He released her and stood back, watching her with that piercing gaze.

  What brought on this protectiveness? She shook her head. “You don’t need to. I can ride and the other ranchers will be around to help.”

  “I’m your boss. If I want to look out for you, I will.”

  “Thanks for your attentiveness, but I’m a big girl. I can cope with the work.”

  She prompted Caramel to leave the stables, knowing Jared’s gaze was on her. He wasn’t the only rancher in Mountainbrook. It frustrated her to realize that she couldn’t understand him. As someone who’d socialized excessively during the years, especially within a familiar small town environment, she was confident in her ability to read people.

  But Jared was a contradiction. It was going to be a long week.

  Chapter Five

  He knew he wasn’t handling this well. Jared mounted Honor and eased her out of the stables. The air was crisp, the sky slashed with streaks of gold and orange emanating from the sun brimming above the forest. He stared out toward the expansive acres of plains, the mountains prominent behind them. The size of his land never failed to impress, and each day the task of patrolling it all was momentous. It was a welcome albeit temporary change from the boardroom in New York and the endless meetings. He looked forward to embracing that part of his life again.

  Cassie waited for him atop Caramel, turning her gentle sapphire blue eyes to meet him. He looked over her shapely body in the saddle, her breasts perfectly full enough to fit in his hands. Even with her glossy blonde hair tied back and her skin pale with no visible makeup, she was attractive. He was well aware of how the men were checking her out, unable to stay away from her captivating smile. Yep, Cassie Mills had to have enraptured many hearts over the years. It didn’t help that she was forthcoming and quick with a dose of sarcasm. And a little spark of feistiness, too.

  But that flicker of attraction meant nothing. He’d ensure it. This was how it started with Heidi – a consuming infatuation. Cassie was riding with him, the way Heidi once had. Yet that didn’t stop the enticement to take her.

  Jared recalled Heidi’s svelte face with a curtain of brown hair, the gleam of her green eyes and thin, pursed lips. Everything wholesome he’d once believed of her had been damaged the moment he strode up to her room within the ranch, clutching a bouquet of her favorite cardinal flowers. Only to find….

  He clenched his jaw. Hell, Cassie reminded him of all the nuances of the love of his life. And his deepest regret.

  Cassie’s lips eased into a smile. “What do I need to do?”

  He tore his thoughts from the past where they hadn’t strayed for months. “You’ll be heading out with me and Warren. Randall will cover the southern fence line.”

  Cassie stared at him, maintaining her composure but he knew beneath that calm facade, she had to be terrified. She’d told him of her apprehension toward flying due to her parents’ accident, a moment of vulnerability that reminded him any veneer of professionalism was fading fast. And her hesitation stemmed from a genuine reason, not his former dislike for horses due to aggravation from his father’s demand to take over the ranch. Jared once set a goal to become CEO for a prominent financial investment company in New York, a goal he’d achieved with blinding success and earned the wealth he’d dreamed of since he was seven. Yet it wasn’t enough to earn his father’s approval.

  Shifting his thoughts away from that, he wanted Cassie to ease out of her reluctance. She was willing. And seems willing for a whole lot more.

  “Let’s move.” He nodded at Cassie. “Follow us out.”

  “Take all the time you need,” Warren added. Jared knew he was saying that to be courteous. They had a lot of land to cover.

  Jared led the way, with Warren hanging back to keep an eye on Cassie. All of them were aware of her apprehension regarding riding, and he knew they’d look out for her. They were all good men, hard workers, and he intended to keep them on board after the ranch’s changeover. But that thought amazed him. He was easing away from the ranch, not intent on escalating his involvement. New York beckoned. Even so, he wanted to make sure Mountainbrook was set for a stable, thriving future without him.

  Cassie didn’t hesitate to get Caramel moving. Jared glanced back at her and for a moment, their eyes locked. Trepidation shrouded hers, but her body had noticeably relaxed. Hell, she was doing better than when he’d first started riding after years of sitting at a desk.

  Warren offered words of encouragement and by the time they’d covered a few miles, Cassie coaxed Caramel into a gallop. The startled look on her face stirred something within him and he slowed to ride by her side. “You all right?”

  She flashed that pretty little smile. “Told you I got this.”

  He returned her smile, his eyes trailing down her body. An image of her naked breasts swaying wildly as she rode flashed into his mind. He’d almost kissed her in the stables and couldn’t ignore how good she would’ve felt beneath him, her skin soft and supple, her mouth eager for his tongue.

  She had her mind set on leaving Idaho. Neither of them wanted to be tied down. Was it wise for professionalism to take a backseat?

  As midday arrived, they’d covered a reasonable distance even with Cassie stopping to take photos. She impressed him more than he could admit. He watched her on Caramel as she clicked off a photo of the mountains. The foggy clouds were swept away from the base of the mountain range, exposing the tips of the trees. A view he found himself appreciating as much as having Cassie there. Her enthusiasm was infectious and even Warren managed more quips than usual.

  Jared adjusted the saddlebags packed with materials to patch up the fences. Warren carried their lunches of a few basic sandwiches slapped together. They’d need to make something better than that for guests. He hesitated, wondering how engaged his father expected him to be with Mountainbrook after the changeover.

  Once the ranch was renovated, he’d no longer need to stay. The thought evoked a sense of regret. Of course he’d miss the place, especially Honor. But there was no time to think of that now, to delve in misgivings and introspection. He’d lost himself in them for too long.

  He led them across the small creek that followed the eastern border. Water splashed up beneath Honor’s hooves, sparse droplets clinging to Jared’s boots. He heard Cassie gasp as she led Caramel through. The gentle intake of her voice made him harden with desire. How would she sound as he buried himself inside her wet pussy, bodies clasped together in hot, uninhibited passion?

  Warren urged Savannah to a stop. “I see a break over there.”

  He dismounted and headed for the tear in the fence, the wires bent from pressure obviously made by someone putting their weight on it.

  Warren bent down, observing it. “Looks like someone’s climbed over the fence and damaged it. A calf could easily get through here.”

  Jared glanced at Cassie. Her lips parted in shock. She had nothing to worry about as the cattle were gated off in another area. He would’ve seen this long before releasing them and fixed it before trouble arose.

  But he’d let her squirm a little first. She wasn’t innocent, after all. Who knows how many private properties she’d breached to claim photos? But despite his logical stance, it was the part of
him he couldn’t control that surpassed his restraints. The part that threatened to get rock hard if he allowed her to be a distraction.

  He dismounted and pulled the saddle of materials free, throwing them over to Warren. As Warren got to work with the minor repairs, Jared watched with amusement.

  “If I’d caught the trespasser, I had a certain punishment in mind,” Jared said.

  He met her gaze. Now her eyes shone with a wicked gleam. “Whoever it is won’t know what’s coming.”

  He caught her meaning and smiled, his jeans straining from his arousal. Oh, he’d make her come. Hard. Once he had her back in the stables, he’d stop this teasing and give her what they both yearned for. No woman had driven him this wild before.

  She was his employee, he had to reprimand himself, but she was also an enthralling and gorgeous woman with a fondness for horses despite her reluctance to ride. It was a fine line he’d treaded once before. Could he do so again?

  “I’ll make sure to deal with the matter personally,” he said.

  Cassie looked at him from beneath her wide brimmed hat, her expression unreadable. He was losing his sense of professionalism – not that it had been secure beforehand. He’d met plenty of stunning women, but none exuded sensuality combined with a likable personality like Cassie. He was drawn to her like no other.

  They went through the motions, replacing the salt licks for the cattle, trailing them into the next gated area. Lunch was a quiet affair filled in with brief conversations about the ranch. Minor distractions to bide the time until he’d have her to himself. Finding pleasure with her wouldn’t result in a similar outcome to Heidi. He had his boundaries enforced and it would be a few days of sex. Nothing more.

  Cassie took another photo of Warren, his Stetson low over his brow as he posed in mock seriousness. “You have a photogenic smile.”

  “I’d hope so, helps with modeling.”

  Her eyes widened. “So you are a model?”

  “Yep. The boss caught me in town all dressed up after a shoot and assumed I was a genuine cowboy. He told me they had positions open at the ranch and I agreed for the hell of it, but soon as I showed up, it was obvious I was a mess when it came to ranching.”

  She laughed. It sounded lighthearted, and it made his chest clench. She fitted right in amongst the ranchers as if she belonged. Jared had to cut in, “He sure learned quick though. Fell off a few times, but no harm done.”

  “How long have you been working here?” Cassie asked, her gaze lingering on Warren. Jared hated the familiar flare of jealousy that tightened his chest, pouring over him like hot oil. He hadn’t even kissed her yet didn’t want another man to insinuate interest. A troubling prospect.

  “Since last year. Don’t know how the schedule will be once the ranch is all done up,” Warren responded.

  Jared looked away. He’d said modifications needed to be done and not all of them could keep their jobs. It depended on Mountainbrook’s popularity and if it was financially sustainable for his father. Job cuts would be a last resort, and he’d do everything he could to keep things relatively stable, even invest his own money.

  It took three hours to cover the remainder of the designated land and once back at the stables, he dismounted, looking for Cassie. She’d been with the others for photos but he still couldn’t get her alone, even once all the horses were enclosed and Randall had left.

  He saw her with Luke, the both of them laughing over a photo. Jared caught his gaze, offering a tight smile. He was glad to see him in high spirits. He recalled when Luke had arrived at the ranch with his wife Jean whose riding skills eclipsed many of the men. The car accident that stole her life had been a painful, confusing period for all of them, and Luke had sworn not to love again. He easily drew enough attention but spurred it all - until Cassie.

  Luke gave a brief nod. “I’ll head out. See you all tomorrow.”

  That surprised him. “You aren’t staying?”

  “Nah, not this time. Got a hungry dog to feed. My neighbor’s probably forgotten to leave some food out for her.”

  Jared nodded, watching him leave. His excuse seemed weak. Luke always stayed at the ranch during the week as he enjoyed the company.

  Was it Cassie? Jared hoped his attraction wasn’t so obvious, but most of the men had taken a liking to her.

  He watched her remove her hat before wiping at her forehead. The heat was evident, but it would cool down before dark. The ranch was already shrouded in shadows.

  Jared read the look in her eyes. She was exhausted, but forced a smile. “You weren’t kidding about a long day.”

  “Feel like staying?” he had to ask.

  “Am I the only one you’re extending this invitation to?”

  “All the ranchers have an opportunity to stay at no cost. And during the renovations, we’ll be building some log houses a few miles away for long term stays.” He didn’t want his proposal to seem personal. Intimate. But looking into the intricacies of her blue eyes, every mental barrier seemed to fall away.

  Cassie was pretty. She was dissimilar in many ways to Heidi…and there it was. Hell, the woman still haunted him. After what Heidi had done, she deserved to be banished from his heart, from his mind entirely. But that lingering pain wouldn’t leave, along with the notion that romance led to heartbreak, always. His parents’ turbulent marriage that ended in a cordial divorce didn’t help matters and reinforced his conviction that anything with Cassie would be physical only.

  She pursed her lips, looking utterly kissable. “And they’ve left. Are the accommodations really that bad?”

  He grinned. “You’ll have to come and see yourself.”

  Her gaze roamed over his face as if contemplating it. Tense need made his body rigid, his jeans growing tighter. He didn’t understand her sudden hesitation. As he remembered, she’d been all for kissing in the stables.

  The wind blew loose strands of blonde hair against her face as a brief flicker of doubt marred her face. “I…can’t right now. See you tomorrow, boss.”

  She sauntered back to her car. He stared after her, both bewildered and amused. She got more intriguing by the day and he knew that resisting her was ineffectual. But how could he coax his tempting employee into submission?

  Chapter Six

  Cassie’s ass and legs burned from riding. If sitting in the saddle had been this uncomfortable, she only wondered how it was for Jared. That explained why he rode often, rarely taking a break. It would be enough to curb any sexual thoughts.

  She smeared on a layer of lip balm, aware the wind would dry her lips out. Only four more days before the week was over and she could relax.

  She’d arrived earlier than Luke and Burke, a welcome surprise. She let her gaze drift over the ranch, the rolling timbered hills as striking as ever. And it stopped on Jared. He was out near the stables, leading a saddled Honor inside.

  They’d barely spoken after she’d rejected his suggestion to stay for the night two days ago. The memory made her flinch. She didn’t want to offend him, but fantasies of joining him in bed, feeling his hard, naked body meeting hers, his lips raining kisses on her skin, had caused her to hesitate and harshly realize where all this was leading to. It was one thing to hook up with a man with no intentions of seeing him again – and she’d only done that once - but to sleep with her boss? A line she had to resist crossing due to the circumstances.

  Flirtation was harmless. Getting physical wasn’t. But every day she was with him, she couldn’t maintain her resolve, not with his incredibly handsome smile and the way he assiduously asked if she needed a drink of water or time to stop and rest.

  Cassie headed for the stables and saw Randall emerge with Jared, the two engaged in quiet conversation. They both glanced at her. Randall gave a warm smile but Jared showed no emotion. Which was how she needed to feel toward him.

  She entered the ranch and greeted his father who was occupied preparing breakfast.

  “Hope you got enough photos for your blog,” he sa
id with a warmhearted smile.

  “Yes, I’ve started uploading them already. They’re drawing quite a few hits.”

  Derek nodded, visibly pleased. “And I hear you’re making a fine cowgirl.”

  Heat flushed her face. “I wouldn’t call myself one yet.”

  “Ah, don’t be modest, you have it in you.”

  His assurance made her smile until she caught sight of Luke perched on the couch, eyes downcast as if something troubled him. She held back the urge to confront him. If she conversed with all the ranchers on the property, she’d lose time best spent working off her debt. That was her focus, even if it conflicted with her need to engage in conversation.

  The other ranchers arrived shortly after, gorging themselves on the food. It was the same array as the past few days, but green salads and a fruit bowl were a welcome addition. It seemed Jared’s father had taken in her consideration for healthy food options. A little influence from her mother, but in her case, she preferred the biscuits and gravy.

  Derek nodded toward the buffet. “You think this’ll be good enough for discerning guests?”

  She smiled. “Definitely. It’s more of a meal than I can whip up during Thanksgiving.”

  He seemed delighted with her approval. Cassie loaded up her plate. “Not long until the ranch opens. You must be looking forward to it.”

  Derek flashed a wide smile. “It’s going by fast. I know it’ll be a welcome addition to the town’s tourism, and I can’t wait for you to see it. Will you be here in December?”

  His enthusiasm sobered her. “I’m really sorry, I don’t think so. I have a job interview scheduled for tomorrow.”

  If she was accepted, work would begin within days. She wouldn’t have the time or inclination to return to Sandpoint. After all, this was supposed to be a professional, not emotional, endeavor. That didn’t prevent a glimmer of disappointment.

  “Best of luck with it. If you have your heart set on something, follow it. Don’t stay out of loyalty.”