Loving Lauren (24 page)

Just as the last lights from the sun touched the fields, she heard Chase behind her. “Beautiful, isn't it?”

She turned and saw him leaning against the door jam, Dingo at his feet.

“Yes. Thank you for the doors.” She stood and walked over to him. “They're just what I needed today.”

“Really?” He wrapped his arms around her. “Buddy and Dingo thought that you were going to rip a hole in me for putting them in without permission.”

“Well, on any other day, they would have been right. But after today,” she sighed and looked off towards the fields. “I don't mind.”

“Your sister made us dinner. Would you like to go downstairs?”

“Depends.” She leaned back and smiled at him.

“On?” He brushed a strand of her hair away from her face.

“Which sister cooked.” They both laughed.

Chapter Fourteen

By the noon the next day, Lauren wanted to kill Chase. He had decided to come along and lend a hand helping with the separating and vaccination of the cattle. It wasn't that he was annoying her, it was just that with him around, she found it hard to concentrate on her work.

Since he was a veterinarian, he and Jimmy handled vaccinating the cattle. She had to admit, with him helping, they were flying through the herd at a high rate. She was on Tanner's back, helping herd the cattle to the pen where they would get vaccinated. Haley was on her horse, Olivia, and there were four other riders helping herd the cattle. Every time she looked over at Chase, she would lose track of the cow she'd been herding. It had happened four times now and she was getting really frustrated.

Chase, for his part, hadn't done anything other than working in only a white tank top, faded jeans, dusty brown boots, and his favorite Stetson. He looked like he'd come right off the cover of a magazine. How was anyone supposed to concentrate with him looking like that?

Finally, she gave up and rode over to where he and Jimmy were wrestling a calf, both of them laughing as the small thing tried to kick at them.

Sliding off Tanner's back, she walked over and leaned on the fence. “Need some help, boys?”

Just then, Chase looked over at her and was rewarded with a solid kick to his thigh. He lost his grip of the calf and fell to his knee only to be kicked again in the shoulder.

“Damn it.” Jimmy pulled the calf away and swatted its backside, sending it running to its waiting mother. “Are you okay?” Jimmy stood over Chase. Lauren had jumped the fence and was kneeling beside him, asking the same thing.

“Fine, I'm fine.” Chase rubbed the two spots, his eyes closed for a moment. “That little guy landed a couple good blows.”

She could already see the large bruise forming on his shoulder. Reaching over, she took his arm and moved it slowly. “Does this hurt?”

He smiled. “No, Doc. I'll live.”

She glared at him. “Be serious for just one moment, will you? He could have done some irreversible damage.”

He smiled even more. “I've been kicked by animals before. I'll be fine.” He started to stand only to have her place her hands on his shoulder.

“Let me see your thigh.” She started pulling at his pants.

“The hell I will. Not right now, anyway.” Chase pulled her hands away from his crotch. Jimmy laughed and took off his hat and walked away.

“Chase, I need to know if he broke anything.”

“Only my pride.” Chase stood and laughed a little. “It's really all your fault, you know.”

“What?” She stood and crossed her arms over her chest. “Why is it my fault?”

He tugged on her braid. “You've been distracting me all day.” He pulled her braid a little more, bringing her closer to him. “Do you know how enticing you look herding cattle?” Leaning down, he placed a kiss on her lips, sending shivers down her spine.

“No.” She closed her eyes for just a moment. “Actually, I was thinking the same thing. I let four cows get away because of you. I've never lost a cow from my sights before.” She pulled back and ran her hands over his shoulders, feeling the welt from the calf's hoof.

“I guess we both have the same problem then.” His smile was contagious.

“Looks like.” She was about to lean up and kiss him when they heard a groan. Looking over she saw her sister leaning on the horn of her saddle.

“Are you two done yet? We have some real work to do and these cattle aren't going to vaccinate themselves.” Laughing, Lauren walked back to Tanner, then looked over her shoulder.

“Put on your shirt, you are very distracting.” She smiled. By the time she had gotten settled back on Tanner, she looked over at Chase who had removed his shirt altogether, a mischievous smile on his face.

“If I tell you to put on a coat, will you promise to take off—”

“Ugh!” Haley spun her horse around and bolted to the far field. Lauren and Chase laughed.

“Get back to work. I'm not paying you to stand around looking like a Chip and Dale dancer.”

He frowned up at her. “You're not paying me at all.”

She smiled. “Then I'll just have to reward you some other way.” She nudged Tanner and took off, following Haley out to the field to gather the next group of cattle.

In the end, it took them a day and a half to finish separating and vaccinating the cattle.

Now it was three days before they had to start moving the herd to Tyler for auction. It would take close to twenty trips to get all of them moved to the auction holding barns.

It was the night before Savannah's charity ball at the Pine's Theater. Lauren and Alex had driven into Tyler to pick out new dresses for the event. Even though she'd let her sister talk her into buying a dress that was out of her price range, she was still excited about attending the event.

Chase had taken to staying with her every night, but tonight he had a few errands to run and told her he wouldn't be back until late. She looked forward to waking up in his arms every morning. He kept spending his money on small things around the house. The other day he'd bought her a new toaster and coffee maker. He'd told her it was because he was staying there and wanted a decent cup of coffee and toast that wasn't burnt, but she knew he was slowly spending her money on things that would make her life easier. She tried to hide her annoyance at it, but enjoyed the good coffee too much to argue with him over it.

She'd been busy in the barn until after sunset and, armed with the financial books, which were tucked under her arm, she stood just inside the barn ready to go in for the night. Haley had just gotten back from a ride on Olivia, and Alex was working late at the diner. Since their little talk, she'd hardly seen her sister around the house. Hopefully, Alex was doing some thinking. Which reminded her that she had some thinking of her own to do. She enjoyed having Chase around, but still felt like he was trying to cross too many lines. Every day she would scold him for trying to butt into the affairs of the ranch or the house. He'd ordered a new tankless water heater for the house, stating that he couldn't stand the thought of cold showers in the winter. She'd caught him looking at new windows on his laptop and had, hopefully, convinced him not to mess with the house. It had been a large fight, but it had ended up with them wrapped around one another a few hours later.

She knew more about the farm than he did and for the most part, he kept his nose out of the running of it. She didn't mind his help out in the fields, but he had better keep out of her books. In the last seven years, she'd learned how to pinch every dime from the books, making her money go farther than even her father had been able to do.

Looking around the barn, even in the dying light, she felt a sense of overwhelming pride knowing that the place was thriving, even in the low economic times. If everything went fine at the auction, she'd be able to pay Chase completely off and could still afford to do some repairs around the house. She knew that Chase was upset that she hadn’t used his money to do the repairs, but her priority had been getting herself out from under his debt.

She heard a low sound coming from the back of the barn. Setting the paperwork down, she started walking towards the back, thinking that one of the horses might be sick.

When she got there, she was shocked to see Hewitt leaning against the railing of an empty stall, staring at her.

“What are you doing here?”

“Well, don't you look all pretty tonight.” He uncrossed his legs and started walking towards her.

“Hewitt, Jimmy fired you days ago. I expect you to be off my property.” She turned and started walking him to the barn door. He reached out and took her arm, holding her in place.

“Now, now. Don't be in such a hurry.” He leaned closer and she could smell the alcohol on him.

“Let go.” Her voice was low and full of determination. She knew how to handle unwanted advances. She'd worked with plenty of men over the years and Hewitt was no different.

His hand dropped, but he stepped closer. “You're a tease. I could tell from the first time I saw you.” His body swayed a little.

“Hewitt, I'm going to give your uncle a call. He'll—”

“The hell with Jimmy. He's nothing to me.” The man spat on the ground. Just then, Larry walked in the back door. Larry was a few years older than her, and had been working on the farm since before her father's death. The skinny man looked like he'd walked out of a Marlboro ad. Instead of a cigarette, he always had a toothpick hanging from his lips.

“You okay, Lauren?” He looked between the two of them.

Hewitt dropped his hand and then stormed past her, slamming the door as he left.

Lauren looked at Larry. “Yes, sorry.” She started walking towards the front barn door, then turned back towards him. “Tell Jimmy to make sure Hewitt knows that I don't want him on my property anymore.” Larry nodded and she walked out the front door.

The next morning she stood in line at the bank, and she cringed inwardly when she saw Savannah walk in behind her.

“Oh, Lauren. Aren't you so excited about tonight?” Savannah was wearing a sparkling pink top that showed off a lot of her busty curves. Even Lauren had a hard time averting her eyes from her friend’s cleavage as she chatted about the details of putting the banquet together. The teller line moved slowly, so slowly that it was almost as if Lauren had been thrust into an episode of
The Twilight Zone
, where time all of a sudden stopped. Finally, she walked up to the teller and made her deposit, then turned, hoping to avoid talking with Savannah any more, but her friend stepped out of line and stopped her from exiting the building. Just when she felt like her head would explode, Chase walked in, and a smile spread on his face when he noticed her.

“Well, fancy running into you here.” He walked up to them and smiled at her, then at Savannah. Savannah quickly tucked her arm into his, thrusting those ginormous breasts his way. For his part, Chase looked like he was rather enjoying the extra attention. He hadn't pulled away from Savannah and looked like he was rather enjoying the feel of her breast against his arm. A bout of jealousy slammed into her so quick, she clenched her fists.