*Trisha had finished her third stall when Cindy breezed her way into the barn. “Isn’t it time for lunch?” She glanced around the barn.
“Don’t know.” Trisha pitched out a forkful of soiled hay.
“Hey!” Cindy jumped back.
“You got it.” Trisha snickered, tossing out another forkful.
“You sure are chipper.” Cindy wrinkled her nose as the smell surrounded her.
“You know, I really like doing this.” Trisha stopped and leaned on the pitchfork.
“You’re shoveling horseshit, Trisha.” Cindy’s expression said she couldn’t believe she had to remind her of that fact.
Trisha shrugged then went back to work. “It’s freeing. I’ve done a lot of thinking.”
“You’re strange.” Cindy snorted, shaking her head before looking for Jake. “Hey, Jake!”
“What?” he called out from a stall.
“Isn’t it time for lunch now? I do believe certain labor laws protect people who work on dude ranches,” she called back.
“I guess we could stop for some lunch.” He glanced down at his watch.
“Slave driver.” Cindy leaned against the wall waiting for them. “You better watch it. I’ve been known to quit a few jobs on the spot.”
“And why doesn’t that surprise me?” Jake grinned, wheeling a pile of shit past her. “I don’t take you as the ‘do as you’re told’ type of person.”
“He’s got me all figured out, Trish.” Cindy laughed then moved quickly when the smell from the wheelbarrow hit her.
“No one has you figured out.” Trisha laughed then bent, trying to take off her boots. “Ah, I think I’m stuck. Help me get these boots off, Cindy.”
“Love ya, Trish,” Cindy replied, but shook her head. “But there is no way in hell I’m touching those nasty boots.”
Jake walked toward them. “Jump up here. I’ll help you.”
Trisha jumped up on a pile of hay and lifted one of her feet. When he tugged, she had to hold on. “It’s really stuck in there.”
Jake widened his stance. “Hold on.”
Trisha held tighter to the bale of hay as she glanced toward Cindy who was staring at Jake’s ass with approval. Rolling her eyes, she turned her head toward Jake just as he jerked hard. The bale of hay tipped, causing her to plow into him, her legs automatically straddling his hips. Embarrassed, she struggled against him, but stopped when he moaned.
“Did I hurt you?” Trisha struggled harder to get back on the bale. Finally, he lifted her with his large hands setting her down hard.
“No.” His voice was hard as he turned away. “I loosened it. You should be able to get it off.”
Watching him stomp away, she frowned and could have sworn she heard him cursing. Hearing noises coming from Cindy, she glanced her way and thought her friend was having some kind of seizure until Cindy looked up. She was laughing so hard she couldn’t talk, but she sure could point and laugh her ass off.
“What is wrong with you?” Trisha struggled again, but finally got the damn boots off. “I think I hurt him. I mean I know I’m a little heavy, but he looks so strong.”
“Trisha.” Cindy tried to get her attention, but Trisha kept talking. “Trisha!”
“What?” Trisha hopped off the bale of hay, brushing off her butt.
“It has nothing to do with how much you weigh.” She raised both eyebrows urging her to get it. When Trisha’s eyebrows rose as well, Cindy snorted. “Girl, if you’d both been naked…”
Trisha sucked her bottom lip in her mouth, her face turning beet red. “I’m ready to leave now,” she finally said. “I can be packed in five seconds.”
“You couldn’t pay me a million dollars to leave now.” Cindy wrapped her arm around Trisha, leading her out of the barn.
The only response from Trisha was a groan.
*
Lunch had been an embarrassing ordeal, dinner hadn’t been much better, and now sitting at the table with Jeb and Cindy, she just wished she could disappear into her cabin. Jake hadn’t said much to her after lunch while they finished the stalls. She kept wanting to say something to him, but what in the hell was she going to say? ‘Oh, excuse me, Jake. I’m so sorry I straddled you.’ Just wasn’t going to get it.
Honestly, she didn’t know why he was acting strangely toward her. He was the one who pulled her off the hay. She didn’t hop on him like a sex-craved lunatic.
“How about a game of pool?” Hank walked up to their table.
Trisha grimaced. Just the thought of moving was painful. “Sorry, Hank.” She tried to change her grimace to a smile, but failed miserably. Hank was a really nice guy. She and Cindy had gotten to know him a little better during lunch. “I’m pretty sore and wiped out.”
“I was hoping you’d help me on my bank shot,” Hank teased, and to everyone’s surprise, he started massaging Trisha’s shoulders.
“You don’t have to do that, Hank,” Trisha moaned, her head dropping forward, giving him easier access. “But I’m sure glad you are. That feels awesome.”
“Me next.” Cindy laughed when Trisha moaned again.
“Hank.” Jake walked up, his voice hard, his stare even harder as he stared at Hank’s hands on Trisha. “Maggie needs you down at the main house.”
“I was just down there a half an hour ago.” Hank looked surprised, but then quickly took his hands off Trisha. “Oh, okay. Well, I’ll go see what Maggie needs.”
“You do that,” Jake all but growled. A few men who were sitting at the table next to theirs got up and left. After Hank left, Jake slammed a jar down next to Trisha. “This should help with your soreness.”
Trisha frowned up at him, wondering why the hell he was so angry. She picked up the jar looking at it. “Thanks.”
“Just rub it where you’re sore.” Jake nodded at the jar. “It works.” He turned to walk away.
“Why don’t you rub it on—” Cindy started to call out after him, but Trisha smacked her arm. “Ouch! That hurt.”
“Good.” Trisha stood with the jar. “I’m going to bed.”
“Well, aren’t you just loads of fun?” Cindy frowned, tossing a peanut at her.
Trisha didn’t say anything other than goodbye to Jeb and a sneer at Cindy. Man, she was really sore. Glancing down at the jar, she sure hoped it did work, and secretly, she did wish Jake would rub… Okay, she was more tired than she thought. Quickly glancing his way, she hurried out the door before she was loopy enough to actually ask him to help her.
*
“What?” Jake sat down with a beer next to Tim. When Tim didn’t say anything, but continued to stare, Jake leaned back in his chair taking a long draw of his beer. “Don’t we have a rule about workers touching guests?”
“No, don’t think so.” Tim tried to hide his grin behind his own beer.
“Well, we should,” Jake grumbled, letting the legs of his chair slam on the floor.
That did it. Tim laughed loudly, gaining attention from others around them. “Poor bastard.” He shook his head.
“Just say what you mean, dammit.” Jake glared at him, already knowing what he was going to say.
“Okay.” Tim nodded, setting down his beer. “You saw Hank’s hands on Trisha Summers and it drove you crazy, so you lied and told him Mom needed him at the main house.”
“Shit.” Jake drank the rest of his beer down. “That obvious, huh?”
“Pretty sure Hank got the hint, as did some of the other boys.” Tim cocked his eyebrow up. “I’m sure it will be all over the ranch by tonight, if it’s not already. These cowboys gab worse than a bunch of old women at a bingo hall.”
“Shit,” Jake repeated. “It’s not fucking funny, Tim. I’ve never felt this way before. I mean I’ve felt this way before, but not exactly. Goddammit!” Jake’s frustration flew out of his mouth.
“You actually really like her, don’t you?” Tim’s grin faded.
“Yeah, but I just met her; yet, I wanted to kill one of our best ranch hands over her. I know nothing about her and…ah hell, I don’t know.” Jake tapped his empty beer bottle on the table. “Maybe I should just get drunk as hell, find some bar chick, and get this out of my system.”
“I felt the same way about Rebecca the first time I saw her,” Tim reflected sadly. Seeing the look of disgust on Jake’s face, he sighed. “I know you hate her because she left me after the accident, but you shouldn’t. I don’t. I understand why she did it.”
“Yeah, so do I,” Jake sneered. “She’s a selfish bitch.”
“Who can blame her for not wanting to spend the rest of her life with a cripple?” A hint of bitterness tinged Tim’s voice.
“Bullshit. You’re no more a cripple than I am.” Jake slammed his hand on the table. “Just because you limp doesn’t make you a cripple, brother.”
“Let’s just change the subject.” Tim shifted uncomfortably in his chair. “Every time we talk about Rebecca, we end up fighting.”
Jake agreed with a nod, but he wouldn’t budge on his opinion of Tim’s ex. She was a selfish bitch. He glanced over to where Cindy sat. “Looks like Sam’s back.” Jake frowned, watching Sam work his magic on Cindy. “Someone should warn her about him.”
“They’ll probably make a great couple.” Tim glanced over his shoulder. Sam Burton was a bonafide woman user. He got what he wanted then he was long gone. “She seems like the type of woman who can take care of herself.”
“Maybe.” Jake stood. “Guess I’ll be getting out of here. It’s been a hell of a day, and with the rodeo coming up, the days are going to get longer.”
Tim waited until Jake took a couple of steps. “Hey, Jake.” He waited until Jake turned to face him. “Take a chance with her. It might be worth it.”
Glancing away from his brother, he nodded before he continued out the door. “I might just do that,” he said to himself once he was outside. “And she would definitely be worth it.”