Just Once (21 page)

“I—Oh. Wow. Well.” A pause. “Thank you.”

It’s important to note that I’m not a novelist. Though I do have a book out there with my name on the front cover and my picture on the back. It’s called
The Sunshine Schools
, and it was written almost entirely by accident.

Several years ago I was traveling in Vietnam when I met two young Australian teachers who told me about the schools where they were working. Built and funded by villagers tired of seeing their children trek miles to a crowded school for a poor education, the community had taken matters into their own hands. I followed the Australians to a school still under construction and spent a month helping (if barely managing to use a wheelbarrow counts) with the work and documenting my days.

One night I was on the phone with Stanley when he asked to see some of my notes. I sent the journal along, expecting nothing more than a get-back-to-your-real-job response, and was shocked to learn he’d passed my poorly written pages on to a publisher who’d expressed interest in a book.

A year later
The Sunshine Schools
was published and became a sleeper hit, even spending a few weeks on the bestseller lists. It earned me a surprising bit of money and—coupled with my trust fund and personal savings—meant I no longer had to work unless I wanted to.

All that being said, I haven’t encountered many fans outside of the book tour and rarely get recognized. There’s a black and white photo of me inside the back cover, but that’s the glam me, in a designer little black dress and diamond earrings. It bears little resemblance to the sweaty, dirty me Matt met two hours ago. At least, I didn’t think it did.

“Anyway,” he says, “I hope that’s not too weird.”

“No, I—” I pause as I hear something. Or someone. It sounds like footsteps on the opposite side of the fence, moving very slowly, as though someone is trying to either approach or escape unnoticed.

“What is it?” Matt whispers.

I hold a finger to my lips and tiptoe to the gate, pulling it open and peeking out. Nothing. I creep around the corner toward the front of the ranch, but it’s also empty. And, I notice, the silver SUV is gone.

I return to the steps and shrug. “Thought I heard something,” I say. “But I guess I didn’t.”

Just then the lunch bell rings, and Matt roars with laughter as he stands to go inside. I hesitate on the steps, looking around. I swear I heard something. Or maybe I just wanted to. Finally I follow him in, hand him a pitcher of water, and tell him to start pouring.

Lunch is busy, but Matt fits in well, especially considering he’s already better than Pete, who has been doing the job for two weeks. It helps that Matt’s not tripping over himself to be near Lisa at all times, though I do catch his gaze lingering on Hailey once or twice. She doesn’t seem to notice, and I’m about to corner her to mention it while she refills the iced tea, but Matt beats me to it, arriving with an empty jug and asking her about the ratio of ice to tea.

They have their backs to the door so they don’t notice Brandon come in to collect the ranch hands’ lunch, don’t see the dark look that crosses his face when he sees Hailey laughing at something Matt said. I decide to mind my own business. If Brandon doesn’t know what he wants, then neither do I, and if Matt’s interested in Hailey, I’m all for it.

We finish with lunch and everyone departs to clean up and nap, leaving Matt and me behind. “You guys take naps?” he asks, looking perturbed.

“Daily,” I say, a little defensive. “You’ll see. Plus it’s Saturday. People need to rest up for tonight.”

We take a brief tour of the ranch, starting with Hank and Mary’s house, since they should probably meet their new employee. I expect them to react to his piercings and ponytail, but they don’t bat an eye, just shake his hand and welcome him to Ponderosa Pines.

“Happy to be here,” he says politely.

Mary gives me a thumbs up as I go. Maybe I’m cynical, but she and Hank look a little too happy with my new hire.

I point out the barn but steer clear of the door so I don’t catch a glimpse of Shane and learn that I still want him as much—if not more—than I did before I knew what he could do to me.

I show Matt the pool area and the cabins, then leave him at the boys’ bunkhouse with Mark, who promises to show him to an empty bed. It’s hotter than hell out, and with most of the staff fast asleep, it’s quiet and peaceful. I stop at the pool to debate whether I should go for a quick swim before my nap.

“You found somebody.”

I spin around to find Shane standing inches away. “You almost killed me,” I gasp, clutching my chest. “How do you move so quietly?”

He laughs. “You were distracted.” His eyes drift to the tiny patch of bare skin visible where the top buttons on my shirt are undone, then lift to my face. “Who’s the new guy?”

“Matthew Bacon,” I reply.

“Bacon?”

“Yep.”

“Huh.”

“Huh.”

Be cool
, I remind myself. It was one time. You agreed not to make things awkward afterward. Just be normal.

“You weren’t at the dance,” Shane says.

“I fell asleep,” I admit.

He arches the eyebrow I now find damnably sexy. “Oh?”

I shrug. “I’ve been overworked.”

“Really.”

“It should be okay now that Matthew Bacon is here.”

“Well, you know what they say: Bacon makes everything better.”

“Shane Maddox. Was that a joke?”

He’s trying not to smile. “Never.”

He’s staring at me again, those dark eyes burning into mine and making everything that shouldn’t be wanting him want him so damn badly. It’s like running a marathon, collapsing, then somehow wanting to get up and run again. I can’t—can I? But Shane isn’t moving, isn’t speaking, isn’t doing anything, and the sun is unbearably hot. Yes, that’s it. It’s the sun that’s making my skin flush and my spine prickle.

“Well,” I say. “It’s naptime.” I start to move past him.

“Wait.”

I look at him.

“Come up here a minute,” Shane says, climbing the stairs to the pool deck. “There’s something in here. Tell me if you know what it is.”

He disappears into the hot tub shack, and my mind races. Did we leave something in there last night? But what? We brought nothing more than our bathing suits and towels, and those came back with us.

I step into the dim, warm confines of the shack and squint, trying to see this mystery item. “I don’t think—”

“Kate.”

I turn to see Shane slide the door shut, trapping us in the dark.

“What?”

“Don’t think.” He kisses me, big hands starting at my hips and sliding up, thumbs grazing my breasts. He tugs the elastic from my hair and threads his fingers through the loose strands, cupping my head, holding me in place even though I’m not resisting.

I make a small, questioning sound in my throat, but Shane’s tongue prevents any real words from forming. He takes three steps forward, and my feet are forced to move with him, stopping only when my back meets the warm wooden wall. He presses the length of his body against mine, and I feel a familiar hardness against my stomach.

We pause for breath, and I look away to hide both my confusion and my arousal. “We agreed—”

He kisses me. I turn the other way.

“You said—”

He kisses me again.

“—one time—”

I try to free my mouth, but now his hands are holding my neck, his thumbs pressing into my jaw, trapping my mouth beneath his. Not that I’m really trying to get away, I just want to understand.

“I don’t remember that,” he says against my lips.

“It was very clear…”

His chest rumbles against mine as he laughs. I smell mint on his breath, like he just brushed his teeth.

“Do you want this?” he asks.

I feel like I should hesitate, act uncertain or coy, like I don’t desperately and immediately want Shane every time I see him. But I do. “Yes,” I say.

In a split second he has my damp shirt off and one hand under my bra, fondling my breast.

“You’re great,” he says, kissing my neck.

“I know.”

He laughs, and I unbuckle his pants as he pushes a hand down the front of my jeans, finding me wet and ready.

“Is it hot in here or is it just me?”

“It’s hot,” I gasp as he pushes a thick finger inside.

“You want it slow?”

He adds a second finger and thrusts gently, stretching me. I unzip my jeans and he helps me shove them down.

“No.”

“Thank God.”

He kisses my shoulder as I wrap a leg around his waist, then his gaze locks on mine as he forges his way inside me. I make myself look back, though instinct tells me to close my eyes. I’m not good at intimacy, and despite our agreement to not do this again—to keep things casual—this feels intimate.

Shane buries himself to the hilt, then holds still as I adjust, his thumb slowly circling my clit.

“Feel good?” he asks after a moment.

“Yes.”

“You ready?”

“Yes.”

“Kate.” He kisses me, long and deep, then grips my ass. “Hold on.”

Twenty minutes later I stumble into a cold shower, rinse off the sweat, and shuffle down the hall to my bedroom. Shane and the other ranch hands are driving the guests back to town, and thank God for it—if he hadn’t had to leave I’d no doubt be on my back in his trailer doing all the things we promised not to do again.

I collapse naked on top of the covers and fall fast asleep, waking at the sound of knocking on my door. It takes me a minute to figure out why I’m chilly. “Hang on!” I call and quickly slip into jeans and a T-shirt before opening the door. It’s Hailey.

“Oh good, you’re awake,” she says.

“Ha ha.”

“Are you coming out tonight?”

She uses her sixth sense to determine that I’m about to decline, and her voice turns wheedling. “Please? I’m tired of talking to the wranglers about horses.”

One of the first things Hailey and I bonded over was the fact that though we both work at a dude ranch, neither of us cares for horseback riding. I’ve gone countless times in the past, but it’s just not my thing. I’m not very good at it, I can’t shake the feeling that the horse is going to fall down and crush my leg, and the horses seem to sense my ineptitude and take full advantage, basically ignoring my every command or plea.

“I’ll buy,” she adds, when I hesitate.

I shake my head. “You don’t have to buy anything. I’ll come. I could use a change of scenery.”

“She’s in!” Hailey hollers to Lisa, who’s down the hall in the bathroom.

“Sweet!” she shouts back.

Hailey elbows her way into my room and shuts the door. “Now let’s do something about your hair…”

“You’re kidding,” Matt says again.

“No joke,” Hailey answers, tossing back another shot. “Another three inches and it would’ve been a different story.”

I flush and sip my beer. Lisa, Hailey, and Pete have been regaling Matt with tales of ranch life before his arrival. The more they talk, the more I see Matt’s impression of the ranch as an idyllic and simple place disintegrate. Every now and then he’ll look to me for confirmation, and I have to nod. They’ve just finished the story of Janie trying to slap me, and I tap my toes impatiently.

“Want to dance?” Mark asks from across the table. He’s been sitting with us for the past hour, but hardly talking. Because he and Alec spend most of their time in the kitchen, the only staff they really cross paths with are us. Hailey’s still pissed at him for bringing Cassidy to the ranch, and Lisa pretty much fails to notice anyone who isn’t Pete, so Mark doesn’t have a lot of friends.

“No thanks,” I say after a moment.

He shrugs and returns to his drink. I feel a bit bad for him, but if he really wants to dance, Cassidy’s grinding away on the other side of the bar in a skirt that covers less skin than my underwear. I know she’s seen me, but so far she’s kept her distance. I’m purposely avoiding eye contact, hoping she stays away. If I stir up any more drama—my fault or otherwise—I’ll never be allowed back in O’Malley’s. We don’t get cell reception this far up, but it’s become a popular pastime to use one’s phone to film the goings-on here, and in addition to the drunken shenanigans of the other staff, there’s footage floating around of my showdown with Janie.