Chapter Twenty

Reese searched James’s handsome face, for what…she wasn’t exactly sure? But what she saw in his green eyes made flutters erupt in her chest. She had no idea what she was doing taking a dive back into this fairy tale, because it sure wasn’t protecting her heart.

I’ll never learn. I’m hopeless.

Hopelessly in love was more accurate.

He chuckled in that way that said he had delightfully wicked ideas in mind but didn’t answer her question about what he needed.

She moaned as his hand slid under the back of her shirt, making chill bumps raise in a delightful wave. His touch told the story of a sexy cowboy with a very specific goal in mind, but his expression was thoughtful.

“The truth is…” His sigh was long and deep. “I don’t know what I need.”

“We’ve known one another since we were children, but only in small doses with long stretches of no contact. Maybe what we need is time to get to know the people we’ve become and see how we fit into one another’s lives.” Were they destined to be those people who shared only bits and pieces of their lives in snippets over the years?

“Good plan, Goldilocks.”

…

Reese sipped her morning coffee and walked around the ranch house observing it like a museum. She stopped to study every antique and each work of art from bronze sculptures to paintings, hoping something would spark with the last mystery clue about strokes of nature and regrowth. Back when they’d discovered the fifth note at Home Place, they spent time looking at every sculpture, but nothing had led them to the next clue.

In the front entryway, she looked at a large oil painting of an oak tree surrounded by bluebonnets. The paint was thick in places, scooped and smeared with something other than a brush.

She sucked in a breath. “The tool we found is a palette knife, not something for sculpting.” Leaning on the entry table, she studied the painting. The artwork depicted nature, and bluebonnets regrew every season. Reese rushed for her phone and dialed James.

“What’s up, Goldilocks?”

“Are you in the barn or out riding?”

“I’m in the barn. Is something wrong?”

“Something is right. I think I found the next mystery clue.”

His laugh drifted over the phone line. “Of course you did. Give me a few minutes and I’ll come inside.”

While she waited, she considered taking the painting off the wall but managed to restrain herself. Finally, she heard him coming in through the kitchen door, met him as he entered the living room, and dragged him over to stand before the artwork. “Look at this.”

“What do you see that I don’t?”

“I think the tool we found is a painter’s palette knife, and this painting is of nature and things that regrow. Do you think something could be on the back of it?”

“One way to find out.” He took the painting off its hook and they peered at the back, where a large envelope was affixed. “Well, hell. Would you look at that. Pull it off, and I’ll hang this back up.”

She did as he’d asked and then sat on the couch until he joined her. Reese opened it to reveal another note and a hand-drawn map on thick paper. “Oooh. Maybe it’s a treasure map.”

“Read the note, sweetheart.”

“Join half from two and form a new line.

Become The Keepers.”

“It’s not signed, and the handwriting is different,” she said.

“You’re right. Interesting development. But there’s the word join again.” His lips moved as he silently reread the note. “Joining two things to make something new. Let me see the map.” They each held one side and studied the detailed drawings. “Look how one edge is unfinished. This is only half a map. I recognize some of these landmarks. It’s this ranch.” He pointed to a square. “That’s my house and there’s Home Place.”

Reese rubbed her hands together and wiggled her hips. “This is so exciting. We need to find the other half, join the two, and it will lead to… I don’t even know what we’re trying to find. A secret or a treasure?”

“Still up for the challenge, Goldilocks?”

“Absolutely, but there isn’t a clue to guide us to the other half.”

“Maybe the clue is in the map itself. We’ll figure it out.” He put it on the coffee table and stretched his arms. “We’ll see if we can talk my grandparents into giving us a hint. They’re coming out this evening with Finn, and I’m going to throw some steaks on the grill.”

“Are your grandparents mad at me?”

“No.” He wrapped his arms around her and lay back on the couch with her tucked against his chest. “You’re their hero.”

She laughed. “I doubt that.”

“It’s true. Because of you, we got to my dad before he did something epically stupid that he would’ve regretted.”

“Glad I could be of service.” She trailed her fingers along his arm and settled into the comfort of his touch.

…

A few weeks later, Reese sat in a shady spot in the town square park. She tipped her face up to the afternoon sun and breathed in the mingling scents of funnel cakes and kettle corn. The town’s annual Celtic festival was much larger than she remembered. Colorful tents and tartan-covered booths of crafts and food wrapped around the whole town square and spread down the side streets. The drone of bagpipes filled the sultry summer air. She’d always loved their sound, so haunting and mysterious.

James stood in line at an ice cream booth and animatedly talked on his cell phone. It hadn’t been that long since their blowup at MacLachlan Realty, but they’d found their way back to one another and were building a friendship-based romance that felt natural and real.

Mrs. Walschak sat on the bench beside Reese’s picnic blanket. “Hello, young lady. I’m glad to see you’re still here enjoying our little town.”

“It’s nice to see you.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t realize when I first met you that you are Sara Turner’s granddaughter.”

“Yes. Did you know her?”

“I did. We were in the same sewing circle, and we often shared our herbal remedy recipes.”

A ball bounced onto Reese’s blanket, and she waved and rolled it back to the same adorable little boy who’d run into her legs at the diner on her first day back in town. “I have my grandmother’s journal with all of those recipes.”

Mrs. Walschak reached over and squeezed her shoulder. “I hope you realize what a treasure you have. I also wanted to say thank you for everything you’ve been doing to help keep our little spot of heaven on earth safe from too much development.”

“Cypress Creek has always been a special place for me, and I want to protect it.”

“So happy to hear it. I better get back to my husband before he eats too much sugar. Have a lovely day.”

“You, too.”

When James sat beside her, she leaned against his shoulder. “You seemed excited on the phone.”

“It was the geologist, and he had good news. His team found one of your endangered species in the cave.”

“No kidding? That’s awesome!”

“It’s all thanks to you, Goldilocks. Next, the archaeologist is doing a land survey.”

She took a long, slow lick of his ice cream cone and enjoyed watching his green eyes flare.

His hand flexed and the sugar cone cracked slightly under the pressure. “Sweeeet,” he whispered, husky and deep, then pulled her in for a kiss, barely managing not to crush the ice cream between them.

Warmth kindled at her core. “You know, this festival is one of the items that was on our original summer to-do list.”

“And we’ve already marked off swimming in the creek, with the added bonus of no clothes. What else is on the list?” He licked at the melting sweetness dripping down the cone then leaned in for another sugar-coated kiss.

“Lots more of your lips on mine. And dancing.”

He held up his treat. “Have another lick. It’s starting to drip out the bottom. After we finish it, we can dance.”

She took the dripping cone, sucked ice cream from the pointed tip, licked her lips, and smiled.

He moaned and adjusted his jeans. “My sweet, sweet Reese.”

“What’s up, you two?” Finn slapped James on the back and took the spot Mrs. Walschak had vacated.

“Not much,” James said. “Just being tortured by this woman.”

“I’ve done no such thing,” she said with a wicked grin.

…

Reese woke in the night reaching for James and found his spot warm but empty. She’d become accustomed to seeking the comfort of his touch. Too accustomed. They’d fallen into a domestic routine that excited and frightened the hell out of her, and not in equal measure. Excitement led this unexpected ride.

Or was it fear tinged with the unknown?

Her days on the ranch felt like a vacation. She’d found a much-needed peace working in the garden and roaming the land with her camera. Her second National Geographic project, featuring photos of his grandparents, had turned out better than she could’ve hoped and been sent in. While she waited for their decision, there were long horseback rides and time spent playing with Sampson and Stormy. Every night she enjoyed cooking and experimenting with different recipes, and sometimes they took a nighttime swim in Cypress Creek.

But they hadn’t said those three little words. She’d given up fighting the fact that this had become a true romantic relationship, but she could not allow herself to verbally express her love and complicate things.

The topic of her leaving rarely came up but weighed on her mind. It would need to be addressed again at some point very soon. Her bank balance wasn’t going to magically increase while she sat on her butt playing house. National Geographic would be contacting her soon, and whatever the result, it would mean an end to this lovely reprieve from real life.

A soft meow drew her attention to the kitten on her chest. Stormy stretched and kneaded the blanket with her tiny paws. “What do you think I should do about a job?” she whispered.

“Meow.” Stormy yawned, blinked big blue eyes, curled into a ball, and purred.

“Wonder what I might find near Cypress Creek? It certainly won’t be the world-traveling gig I’ve longed for. I think we both know my promise to only focus on my career has been shot to hell, but that doesn’t mean I’ve given up on my dream. I’m still determined to be a working photographer. I might not get the magazine job, but I’ll have to find something. Sooner rather than later.”

Could I be happy in a career without world travel?

At her upcoming gynecologist appointment, she might get her answer about whether babies could safely wait a few years. So many questions and decisions to make. Could she have the adventurous traveling career she dreamed of and a family, or did she need to choose? She definitely wanted children and still held out some hope of regaining ownership of her grandparents’ farm to pass on to them. Was she expecting too much out of one lifetime?

Her little listener was sound asleep, and James still hadn’t returned. He was probably in the kitchen eating a midnight snack. She moved Stormy to the foot of the bed and pulled on one of his T-shirts. Sure enough, he stood in front of an open refrigerator in black boxer briefs, eating cold spaghetti. The glow from the refrigerator light shadowed his chest and painted an enticing picture. Warm tingles sent a shiver over her skin. Where was her camera when she needed it?

“You really do like my cooking.”

He turned and grinned like a child caught sneaking candy. “I absolutely do.” He closed the refrigerator and sauntered her way. “Here, have some. You need your strength.” He held a forkful to her lips.

She accepted the bite, took the container from his hand, and fed him one more before putting it back in the refrigerator. “What am I gathering strength for? What could you possibly want to do at this hour?”

His lips turned up in a half grin, and he pinned her against the refrigerator door, his hands on either side of her head. “I’m still hungry.”

“Oh, sorry, I’ll get it back out.”

He shook his head. “For something sweet.” Lowering his arms, he entwined their fingers.

His tender touch reached all the way to her heart. “I can be sweet.”

James raised her hands above her head and held them in place. “How about spicy? Leave your hands there.” He lowered to his knees, then drew his fingers up her thighs and under the hem of the T-shirt.

Warm breath fanned across her belly as the shirt rose higher, and he pressed his mouth over her navel, making goose bumps erupt across her body. “Your lips feel so good on my skin. Don’t stop.”

He moved higher still, mumbling a reply against her breast. “Mmmm, spicy sweetness.” The shirt had been pushed up and covered her eyes, and his tongue flicked across one nipple, making her bow against him.

When he reached her neck, she tilted her head to give him more access, the shirt now tangled around both of her wrists. This was a new experience and turned up the heat meter to a new level. Streaks of fire lit her up. “I need to touch you.” She lowered her bound hands to rest behind his head, arms across his shoulders.

As hungry as him for a midnight treat, she claimed his mouth and feasted. Jars and bottles rattled inside the refrigerator as they bumped against it. Moonlight streamed in the window, casting their joined shadow across the floor. They were desperate and frenzied, her fingers tugging through his hair as he carried her into the bedroom.

It was moments like this that complicated her decision making.

…

Missing her like some love-struck teen, James knocked on the door of the guest bathroom, currently known as Reese’s darkroom. “Almost done in there, sweetheart?”

She opened the door and kissed him before he stepped in. “Just finished with the black-and-white shots I took at Home Place, but I think I messed up this batch.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Look how some have a foggy haze and something that looks like bubbles floating in the air.”

“They’re still beautiful photos. Maybe…” He studied one more closely, and the fine hairs on his body stood. His whole life he’d caught glimpses out of the corner of his eye. The feeling that he wasn’t alone. The idea of ghosts didn’t scare him. It intrigued him and made his mind race with possibilities.

“What do you see, cowboy?”

“Maybe your next series of photos should be about ghosts.”

She gasped and pulled one of the prints closer. “That’s an intriguing idea. Think I’ll do some research.”

“Why am I not surprised to hear that?” He wrapped his arms around her. “When do you think you’ll hear from National Geographic about your second assignment?”

“Anytime now.”

Then there’d be no excuse left for her to hang out on MacLachlan Ranch waiting to hear from the magazine. The uncomfortable tension that had been creeping in more and more banded his chest. He almost told her how his feelings were growing and that he hoped she’d stay close to Cypress Creek but clamped his mouth closed. They clung to one another, not ready to admit the possibility of her moving far away.

James should’ve been working, but he was looking up information on how to build a proper darkroom. Reese needed something better than the bathroom. A professional place to work. His fingers froze on the keyboard.

What am I doing? Is this my way of tempting her to stay?

He dropped his hands from the computer and leaned back in the chair. Even he recognized her talent, and she was one step closer to getting her dream job. He wanted the world for her, but he also wanted her close. Selfish, but true. Most likely, she’d get the position and be off traveling, and he’d get the part-time lover he’d originally hoped for.

Is that still the kind of relationship I want?

She was a good listener, and he’d opened himself up and told her things he’d never told anyone. He’d let her in, and it scared him but also felt right. He slept deep and peacefully with her in his arms each night.

But he still hadn’t taken her to the family cemetery, to his mother and baby brother’s grave. A place that would explain some of his life choices.

He needed out of the house to clear his head, before his thoughts got so carried away that he said something he shouldn’t.

He made his way to the barn and chose the feisty Appaloosa filly to work his muscles, rather than fight his overanalyzing mind. They’d been training a few minutes when he caught a glimpse of Reese in the garden. She blew a kiss, then went back to clipping rosemary. He loved it when she pursed that sweet little mouth of hers and sent him her love. His free hand clutched at the cloth over his heart and rubbed at the sudden twinge.

In that moment, he was struck with a realization and totally lost.

I’m in love with Reese Turner.

A sharp yank on the rope almost sent him ass over teakettle. He’d lost focus, never a good idea with an animal this big and powerful. He refocused on the work at hand before he got hurt but ended the training session early because he couldn’t give it his full attention.

When he went inside to grab a shower before dinner, he found her in the kitchen, singing and cooking something that smelled wonderful. She looked so content and beautiful with her blond hair in a messy knot on top of her head. It bobbed from side to side as she danced, making him think of her breasts swaying above him as they made love.

Does she love me, too?

He snuck up from behind and framed her waist with his hands. “What’s cookin’, sweetheart?”

She yelped and then leaned back against him. “You startled me. Rosemary potatoes, green beans, and ham.”

“Smells great. I’m going to clean up, then I’ll come help.”

“Wait until you see what’s for dessert,” she called after him.

“I hope it’s you with some whipped cream,” he yelled from halfway down the hallway.

After a shower, James glanced in the mirror above his dresser and did a double take at the image. He hardly recognized himself. Who was this man smiling more and opening up? Not only to her, but to himself. He opened the top drawer for a T-shirt. His mother’s diamond ring sat idle, tucked in the corner, waiting for a bride.

A bride he’d thought he’d never have. Thought he didn’t want.

Reese was the only woman he could imagine giving his mother’s ring to. He picked up the box, the dry red leather creaking as it opened. The emerald-cut diamond winked in the light. This time with Reese had been more than he’d ever hoped to find. He could envision a life with her on the ranch. But would that be enough for her? She had loads of talent and big dreams of traveling. Was it fair to ask her to give up her dream?

He shook his head and squeezed his eyes closed. He’d promised he wouldn’t ever stand in the way of her dreams, and he had to stick to it.

What did he have to offer a woman like her? No college degree. No plans to travel the world. No big job opportunities for her in Cypress Creek. Only small-town life. He had a large bank account, which would be enough for some women, but Reese wasn’t that kind of woman.

Could he give up his life here to follow her? What in the world would he do in some big city? He had no skills other than cattle, horses, and whiskey. The organic beef had become a thriving business to such a degree he’d hired new employees. He was in the first stages of talking with his cousin in Scotland about possibly moving to Cypress Creek to turn the whiskey distillery into a real business. The horse therapy was just getting started and held great potential, along with the benefit of watching the little kids’ faces light up.

Grandpa was too old to run the ranch on his own. Dad wasn’t interested, and neither was his sister, Astrid. All the ventures relied on him, plus he needed to protect the land. He didn’t see how he could walk away from his responsibilities.

Then another thought stopped him. If she wasn’t traveling, would she want to have a baby? He snapped the ring box closed and dropped it back into the drawer, a shiver of fear snaking along his spine.

Having her traveling the world was one thing, but losing her forever…

That he could not bear.