Ill see what I can do.
Maybe a quick text or an e-mail?
Ill see what I can do. The voice had turned stony.
It was definitely time to back off. Thank you, said Melissa with as much gratitude as she could muster. I really do appreciate this.
The professionalism and the formality came back. Thank you for calling Ryder International.
Thanks for your help, Melissa offered once more before hanging up.
Then she plunked her phone back in her bag, readjusted the clip that was holding her hair back and pulled her damp tank top away from her chest. She hated to go to lunch looking like this, but it was a long walk back to her cottage, and there was no way she could skip the meal.
As the days went by, her respect for cowboys and stable hands had risen. They worked extremely hard. A salad or a protein shake might cut it in an office, but out here, calories were essential.
She dried the last of the washed tack, laying it out on the bench to be polished later. Then she slung her canvas bag over her shoulder and headed for the cookhouse while she waited to see if Jared would call.
A couple of steps out the stable door, Jared startled her, blocking her way. She stopped short.
What the hell? he demanded.
She glanced around. Is Stephanie with you?
What was this about seeing me in private?
She didnt see Stephanie anywhere. Ill explain in a minute. Is there somewhere we can talk?
Jared hesitated. Then he nodded at the stable. Theres an office up those stairs.
Great. Melissa turned, and he followed her in.
They tapped their way, single file, up the narrow staircase. It opened to a short hallway with three doors.
Far end, Jared rumbled. And this better be good. My secretary was scrambling the Saxena team for damage control. She thought you were warning me of a hostile takeover.
Melissa cringed. Sorry. Did you call them off?
Of course I called them off. His boots were heavy on the wood floor behind her. This better not be some flirting thing.
Its not flirting. Melissa stopped at the closed door.
Jared reached around her and pushed it open to reveal a small desk, a couple of filing cabinets. Three open, curtained windows showed a cloud-laden sky, and a comfortably furnished corner with armchairs, low tables and lamps. Through the window, Melissa could see a crowd of people at the arena. She assumed it was a jumping class and that Stephanie was there.
Take a seat. Jared gestured to a worn, brown leather armchair.
Melissa sat down, and he took the chair next to it. They were separated by a polished pine table, decorated with three small, framed horse portraits.
He leaned back, crossing one ankle over the opposite knee and folding his arms over his chest. Whats going on? he asked directly.
Melissa took a deep breath, giving herself a second to compose her message. Its Stephanie.
What did you do?
I didnt do anything.
She lost patience with you? Fired you?
No. Melissa sat forward. Will you let me finish?
He waited.
Your sister, for some reason, has decided Im well, a good match for you.
Jared planted his feet and sat forward. What did you say to her?
Nothing. This is about her, not me. I was minding my own business. She saw you helping me yesterday. Apparently the first time you saw me you said I was pretty.
I never
Well, Stephanie thinks you did. And shes a determined and romantic young lady, and she thinks she can subtly throw us together without you noticing. I was guessing youd catch on, and I thought youd appreciate a heads-up.
Jareds mouth thinned into a grim line. His hands moved to the arms of the chair, and he gave his head a subtle shake. Its worse than I thought.
Melissa waited for him to elaborate.
He fixed his gaze on her. If shes targeting you, things are really getting out of hand.
Excuse me? Melissa couldnt help the defensive tone in her voice. Im the bottom of the barrel?
No, youre not the bottom of the barrel. He paused. But youre definitely from the unlikely half of the barrel.
Is that supposed to make me feel better?
The last person she targeted was a lawyer.
Melissa nodded. She told me.
Just how long was this conversation?
Not long. Melissa shifted back in her chair. For the record, I tried to talk her out of it.
Jareds expression turned thoughtful, and he glanced toward the window and out to the arena. Did she seem.upset?
Melissa shook her head. Stephanie hadnt seemed remotely upset. Id call it enthusiastic, even excited.
He stood up and walked toward the closest window, looking through the opening to the crowd in the distance. Its about Sunday.
Melissa stood with him. The clouds were thickening in the sky and the wind was picking up.
Its got to be, he continued.
What about Sunday? she dared to ask.
Jared kept his gaze glued outside. The twentieth anniversary of our parents deaths. And the first time my grandfather wont be here to commemorate it with us.
Melissa took a few steps toward him. Your grandfather died?
Jared nodded. In April. It hit Stephanie pretty hard.
I can imagine, Melissa said softly, her sympathy going out to the whole family.
Look at her jump. Jared nodded toward the arena, and Melissa shifted closer to where she could watch Stephanie on her big gray horse.
Perfect form, he continued as the two sailed over a high, white jump rail. Shes talented, driven, unbelievably hardworking. Only twenty-two, and shell be a champion before we know it.
Then she was only two when your parents died? Melissa ventured.
Only two, Jared confirmed with a nod, and his voice turned introspective. And despite her success, all these years all she ever wanted was a mother.
Melissa didnt know what to say to that. Her own parents had moved to Florida only a couple of years ago. She saw them every few months, but she still missed her mother.
I dont blame her, she offered.
I understand the desire, Jared allowed. But ever since she was old enough to understand, shes pestered the three of us to get married. Poor Gramps. And poor Royce. He was afraid to bring a date home in high school for fear of how Stephanie would embarrass him. She goes into matchmaking mode at the drop of a hat.
You could get married, you know, Melissa offered reasonably, only half joking. Youre what, early thirties?
Thirty-five.
So whats the holdup? I bet you meet eligible women every day of the week.
Jared frowned at her. Im not getting married for the sake of my sister.
Get married for yourself. Hey, if you get proactive, youll have your choice of women. If Stephanie gets her way, youre stuck with me.
It obviously took Jared a stunned minute to realize Melissa was joking. But then he visibly relaxed.
What about you? he asked. Would you get married to keep your siblings happy?
What about you? he asked. Would you get married to keep your siblings happy?
Melissa coughed out a laugh. I have five older brothers. Trust me, no husband in the world will be good enough.
Would they scare a guy off?
Melissa smiled at that. They range from six-one to six-four. All tough as nails. Adams a roofer, Ben and Caleb are framers, Dans an electrician and Eddys a pipe fitter.
A calculating look came into Jareds eyes. You think theyd be interested in jobs with Ryder International?
Im afraid theyre all gainfully employed.
His eyes squinted down as he stared at her, and she braced herself for sarcasm about her own dismal career status. It was going to be hard not to defend herself from his criticism.
Might be worth marrying you for the union connections alone.
The words surprised a laugh out of her. She played along. Plus, Stephanie would have a mother. She played along. Well, more like a sister, really. Im only four or five years older than she is, you know.
Not a bad plan. Jared nodded and pretended to give it serious consideration. Stephanies pretty convinced the family would benefit from a few more females in the mix.
Smart girl, said Melissa.
Cant argue with the logic, Jared agreed. Its her methods that cause the trouble.
As they spoke, Stephanie sailed over her final jump, completing a clean round.
She really is good, said Melissa.
You dont know the half of it. Jared turned from the window.
He paused, and they came face-to-face, closer than shed realized. Sunlight streamed in, highlighting his gorgeous eyes, his strong chin, his straight nose and the short shock of brown hair that curled across his forehead.
The force of his raw magnetism drew her in, arousing and frightening her at the same time. He was all man. He had power, looks and intelligence, and she suddenly felt inadequate. She wasnt ready to work at his ranch or write an article about him. The phrase out of my league planted itself firmly in her brain.
For a second she let herself fear his reaction to the article. But then she banished the fear. It was her job to get the story, and shed be far away from Montana by the time it ran in the Bizz.
The world outside darkened, and his eyes turned to midnight, sensuality radiating from their depths. The humidity jumped up, only to be overtaken by a freshening breeze.
There were shouts from outside as the wind swirled and a storm threatened. Doors banged, horses whinnied, and plastic tarps rattled against their ropes.
Meanwhile, gazes locked, Jared and Melissa didnt move.
The wild clamor outside matched the cacophony inside her head. This attraction felt so right, but it was so incredibly wrong. Jared was her article subject, her employer, one of the most powerful entrepreneurs in Chicago. She had absolutely no business being attracted to him.
He reached out to brush a stray lock of hair from her temple. His touch was electric, arousing, light as a feather but shocking as a lightning bolt.
Thunder rumbled in the distance, and the first fat raindrops clattered on the roof.
Im going to kiss you, he told her.
She drew a breath. You think thats a good idea?
He moved slightly closer. Its not the smartest thing Ive ever done. He stroked his thumb along her jaw, tipped her chin. But probably not the stupidest, either. Might not even make the top three.
What were they? she asked.
The stupidest things?
She gave a slight nod.
I dont think Ill be telling you that right now.
Maybe later?
I doubt it. Done talking, he leaned in and pressed his warm lips to hers.
It was a gentle kiss, a tentative kiss. There was a wealth of respect and more than a couple of questions contained in the kiss.
She answered by softening her lips. One of her hands went to his shoulder, steadying herself, she lied. Truth was, she wanted to hang on, press closer, turn his inquiry into a genuine kiss.
He easily complied, stepping forward, parting his lips, one hand going to the small of her back, the other tunneling into the hair behind her ear. He tipped his head, deepened the kiss; she plastered herself flush against him, feeling the hard heat of his body, counterpoint to the wind and rain that rushed in through the open window.
Warning sirens clanged inside her head.
It wasnt supposed to happen like this.
She was supposed to maintain a journalistic detachment. Plus, hadnt she come up here to warn him about Stephanie? Not to flirt. Or worse, seduce. What on earth was she thinking?
He broke the kiss, but moved instantly into another. Melissa didnt have time to decide if she was relieved or upset before she was dragged away on another tidal wave of desire.
The world disappearedthe horses, the people, the wind and rain. Nothing existed except Jareds kiss, the rough texture of his hands, the heat of his hard body and the fresh, earthy, male scent that surrounded her and drew her into an alternative universe.
His thumb found the strip of skin between her tank top and blue jeans. He stroked up her spine, sending shivers of reaction skittering both ways. His hand slipped under her shirt, warm palm caressing the sensitized skin, working higher, closing in on the scrap of her bra.
His tongue touched hers, tentatively at first, but then bolder as she responded, opening to him, tipping her head to give him better access to her mouth. His hand caressed the back of her head. Her arms tightened around his neck. She went up on her toes, struggling to get closer.
A clap of thunder boomed through the sky, rumbling the building, lightning dancing in the clouds rapidly engulfed the ranch. The rain grew steady, blurring the world, cooling the air and clattering like a freight train against the cedar shakes above them.
Jared pulled her tighter still, leaving her in no doubt about the effect the kiss was having on him. It was having the same effect on her. It was wild, untamed, sexy and all but unstoppable.
He shifted, moving her away from the open window and the driving rain that was dampening their clothes. He backed her into the wall, and his leg slipped between hers. The friction sent a shot of desire through her body, and a moan found its way past her mouth.
Jared whispered her name, his kisses moving from her mouth to her cheek, her temple and neck. He moved aside the strap of her tank top, the thinner strap of her bra, kissing his way to her shoulder, where his warm tongue lingered, laving the sensitive skin.
Her legs grew weak, and she braced herself against the wall, clinging to Jareds strong shoulders, even as she kissed his chest through the damp cotton of his shirt. Hed crooked his knee, and she rested the core of her body against his strong thigh. A pulse throbbed through her veins, and there was no mistaking where she wanted this to lead.
We have to stop, she forced herself to gasp.
His lips paused mid-kiss on her bare shoulder. Im not sure why, he breathed. He straightened, bracing his hands against the wall, arms on either side of her, gazing down with passion-clouded eyes.
Did I do something wrong? he asked.
She was all but shaking with reaction, afraid to move for fear shed throw caution to the wind and lose herself in his arms. This is nuts, she told him, struggling to bring her voice back to normal, forcing herself to drag her hands from his shoulders.