Wild for the Girl (6 page)

He glanced over his shoulder. “Uh-huh. What about the trails?”

“What about them? We have different-length routes mapped out, depending on whether a group pays for one hour, half a day, or all day. They’re all in good shape. I rode them myself.”

“Dad asked me to double-check, ride them with you one more time.”

Reese on a horse—she suddenly wanted to see that, with him wearing same faded jeans and shirt he’d worn before. But the request didn’t sound like Mike. “He doesn’t trust me?”

“Don’t worry, I’m sure he does. He’s just being thorough. The man can’t keep his mind off work. I think he’s frustrated, being stuck at home for a few more weeks yet, so he’s making everyone give him progress reports. He asked me to do a final inspection of the trails.”

It didn’t seem necessary, but she didn’t mind taking a few hours off from work for some leisurely horseback riding in the mountains if her boss insisted. If Reese came along her interest level would ratchet even higher.

She looked him over, appreciating the disheveled executive look while imagining how he’d look on a horse. Pretty damn good, she guessed. “Fine with me. When do you want to go?”

“How about tomorrow afternoon, say three o’clock?”

“Sure. I’ll have a couple of horses ready.”

“Don’t bother, I can saddle my own. Just pick one out for me.”

Uh-huh. “How well do you ride?”

“Better than Tad.” He grinned. “Well enough to handle any trail horse, I imagine.”

She smiled sweetly. She loved a challenge.

6

T.J. had to admit that Reese seemed competent as he saddled Whiskey, the big gelding she’d picked out for him. He’d known what to do with the hoof pick she’d tossed him, and only had to spend a minute persuading Whiskey to open his mouth for the bit. She figured that was pretty good, since Reese probably hadn’t ridden in years and Whiskey practiced being stubborn on a daily basis.

And he’d worn the tight jeans. Or a pair just like them, jeans that showed off his strong, muscled thighs and hugged a butt too nice to hide under tailored business suits. She sneaked a glance when he had his back to her. He looked good in anything, but jeans had the advantage of hitting her in her weak spot, the one shaped since her childhood by cowboy movies and the rodeo circuit. He could belong here, if he wanted to.

She had to remember that he didn’t. Because outside of his fondness for high-class women and big-city life, there didn’t seem to be a thing wrong with Reese Barringer.

“Hot damn, I’m not too late after all.”

T.J. looked up. Tad Prescott sauntered up the aisle where they were tacking the horses, dressed for riding. “I was hoping I could talk you into a makeup lesson for the one I missed yesterday, and here you are, all ready to ride. That’s what I call luck.”

“Bad luck,” Reese corrected. “This is business, no guests allowed.”

He responded so quickly T.J. barely had time to wonder how she could get out of including Tad in their ride. Instead, she was left to ponder why a trail ride with two good-looking men was less appealing than riding with just one of them.

“Business, huh?” Tad looked Reese over. “I couldn’t tell. It must be casual Tuesday.”

“That’s right. And your lesson was this morning. T.J. has other things to do now.”

T.J. shot a look at both men, almost expecting to see someone paw the ground and snort, but each stood calmly, taking the other’s measure. From Tad’s grin, she guessed he wasn’t the least bit inclined to back off.

“Ready?” Reese asked her. Without waiting for her answer, he led Whiskey toward the door. “See you tomorrow morning, Tad. If you make it.”

She raised her eyebrows at the obvious friction between the two men as she picked up Susie’s trailing reins.

Tad gave her a slow wink as he raised his voice for Reese’s benefit. “I’ll be there. And maybe we can work out a makeup session for yesterday’s lesson, T.J. After hours. I wouldn’t want to interfere with your regular job.”

She rolled her eyes and followed Reese outside. Tad walked past as they mounted, giving them a cheery wave. Reese watched him go, then let one side of his mouth tick upward as he turned to T.J. “Sorry. That guy’s starting to get under my skin.”

“It’s all talk, just part of his image as a ladies’ man.”

“If you believe that, you aren’t as observant as I thought. He’s not hitting on you to pass the time. He’s short term, but he’s serious.”

She mounted and nudged Susie into a walk. “Doesn’t matter. I’m not interested.”

Reese kept Whiskey at her side as she led the way to the trail head. “Who
are
you interested in, T.J.?”

She sent him a startled glance, then looked away again, determined not to get pulled in by those dark, knowing eyes and the body that tempted hers to melt against it. “No one.”

And she was trying to keep it that way. He wasn’t making it easy.

*   *   *

She’d been prepared to sneer at his horsemanship and dislike him for blowing off what she considered to be the best scenery in the world. It would have helped to override his compelling physical appeal. But he rode with more skill than she’d expected, and soaked in each view as if he’d missed seeing it. Maybe he had.

The routes took advantage of both the beautiful vistas and the densely wooded slopes. Two hours into the ride, he pulled Whiskey to a stop where a small cataract tumbled from a gorge, its waters frothing over huge rocks at the bottom before rushing onward. Lost Angel Falls, the locals called it, although it wasn’t on any map she’d seen.

Dismounting, Reese held the reins and stepped close to the granite boulders at the base of the falls. T.J. watched spray collect in glistening drops on his skin, then joined him, standing beside him for a full two minutes, enveloped by the water’s thunder as they watched its unending fall. It was her favorite spot on the trail ride, and she loved that he was captivated by it, too.

When he led the way along the stream to a pristine lake, she followed. The roar of the cataract faded quickly in the trees, and was a low background growl as they stood beside the lapping waves.

Reese bent down, picked up a stone, and lobbed it into the lake, smiling at the splash. “My brothers and I used to ride out here when we were kids. I’d forgotten how beautiful it is.”

“Your dad is using a photo from this spot on the brochures for the two-hour ride.”

“Good choice. Our guests will love it. They’ll take spectacular pictures, go home and show their friends, and next thing you know their friends will be booking vacations at the Ridge.”

It probably wasn’t significant that he’d said
our guests
, since temporarily they were his, too. But it made her think about how nice it would be if they really were his guests, if he stayed and worked with his dad at the resort. Watching his thoughtful expression, she wondered if he was imagining it, too.

He turned to her, eyes alight with an idea, and she sucked in her breath, half expecting him to say he wanted to stay. “I do a lot of sailing back in Boston,” he told her, shading his eyes as he looked back at the lake. “But I think it would be fun to kayak out here.”

Her momentary fantasy of him staying in Colorado crashed and died. His life in Boston would always lure him back—she needed to remember that.

“You ever come up here to kayak, T.J.?”

Still subdued by the thought of him leaving, she shook her head no.

He looked appalled. “Why not? You’ve lived here all your life, and you haven’t taken advantage of that?”

“You ever run in the Boston Marathon?”

He laughed, a deep, sexy chuckle that started a fire low in her abdomen, a response she hadn’t wanted to feel. “Touché,” he said, seriously fanning the flames with a smile that crinkled the corners of his eyes. “But I highly recommend it.”

“Then I’ll keep it in mind.”

He studied her with an intense look that left butterflies whirling in her stomach. “No, you won’t. You’ll spend all your free time with your horses, like you always do.”

“I
like
my horses,” she said, instantly on the defensive.

“More than you like people?”

“Some people.”

He stepped closer. She made herself hold her ground, even though the purposeful look in his eyes sent shivers down her back. Danger, mixed with temptation—the kind of man she tried to avoid. He lifted his hand, fingering a strand of her hair then tucking it behind her ear. More shivers crossed her shoulders.

“Who hurt you, T.J.?”

It was far too perceptive. But since there wasn’t one answer, it was easy to be evasive. “No one. Maybe I just like horses better than people.” They never lied, and they never left you.

The small lift at the corner of his mouth told her he didn’t buy it. Damn, she didn’t need a man who saw things she chose not to show.

“You’re good with people, T.J, despite what you say. I’ve watched you work with Tad Prescott. You don’t fawn over his fame and looks, and you don’t hesitate to tell him what he’s doing wrong. It’s exactly what he needs.”

His nearness made something squirm in her stomach. “So?”

“Do you like him?”

“He’s funny. And clever.”

“He’s interested in you. And persistent.”

“Too bad. I’m not interested in him.”

Something flared in his eyes. “Good.”

She knew before he reached for her that he would, and knew she should stop it. She didn’t—her curiosity was too strong. Still holding his reins in one hand, he wrapped his free arm around her waist, pulling her close, and despite the careful part of her mind that yelled at her to back away, she allowed her body to curve against him, lifting her mouth to meet his.

She knew what to expect from a first kiss: a statement of interest, a sampling of what might lie ahead. But not this. His kiss was as possessive as the arm encircling her, firm and demanding as he held her close, thorough as he took what he wanted, then finally soft when he let her go, as if reluctant to let it end. He released her and she blinked at him, heart pounding as she licked her lips, savoring the taste of him. Wanting more, even as common sense took over and made her take a step back. She’d tasted him, felt his body against her own, and her curiosity should be satisfied.

Should be. Stupid theory.

That lingering realization made her nervous, raising hairs along the back of her neck. She closed her hand tightly on Susie’s reins, fingernails pressing into her palm as she made herself say the thing she should have said two minutes ago. “We should go.” If she got back in her comfort zone atop a horse, her mind might stop spinning. “That is, if you want to see where the trail cuts upward for the two-day ride. It’s ten minutes from here.”

Amusement played on his lips and she watched, mesmerized, like prey caught in a predator’s stare. He could take more if he wanted it—she didn’t have the will to resist him, and she watched the knowledge play in his eyes. Then he nodded once. “Fine, let’s go.” She swung into the saddle before he could change his mind. Or before she could.

She made sure there were no more reasons to get off her horse. Maybe if she resisted the urge to kiss him again she could also resist the urge to take it further. While she’d been plastered against him, the thought of doing more had raced through her like fire. Realizing how much she’d wanted his hands on her body had left her unsettled and wary of her own instincts. Avoiding men who had other lives to lead, with other women, was simple self-protection.

Unfortunately, her body wasn’t going with the program, and her mind was wavering. Giving in was bad, because she knew what followed—heartbreak and resentment.
Who hurt you?
he’d asked. Several men, and something told her that loving and losing Reese would be worse than all of them combined.

It was late when they got back, the sun already dropping into the purple-red haze behind Two Bears Mountain. Reese helped her untack and stable the horses, and she breathed a sigh of relief when they hung up the bridles. “So what are you going to tell Mike?” she asked.

“About what?”

“The trails. You said he wanted to make sure everything was ready to go. That was the reason for our ride.”

“Oh. They’re great. The trail rides should be a good addition to the resort.”

Satisfaction warmed her. She knew she’d done a good job, but it was nice to hear someone else say it. Especially Reese, since he’d thought about it so carefully. There was a lot of pondering going on behind that still gaze.

“I’m glad we were able to get close to the falls. It’s bound to be the favorite spot on the ride,” she said.

“For some.”

“Don’t you think it’s impressive?”

“Yes, but it wasn’t my favorite part.”

He looked confident that something had been better than the spectacular beauty of the surging fall of water. “What was?”

“This.” Taking her by the shoulders, he pulled her against his chest and kissed her. Heat rushed through her body as he ran his fingers beneath her hair, tilting her head for better access, kissing her until she moaned softly with pleasure and wrapped her arms around his neck. Responding to the signal, his tongue probed her lips and licked into her mouth, while the area between her thighs went soft and wet. When he finally pulled back, he gave her lower lip a light nip and smiled. “That was my favorite part.”

She bit her lip and waited for the dizzy swirling in her head to stop. “That was extra.”

“Hmm. If I check out the trail for the all-day ride, would it be included?”

He wanted more. It was as if the ground under her feet suddenly grew boggy and dangerous, trying to suck her in. She should turn back. But that was ridiculous, it was just kissing. It didn’t mean a thing. “I’m almost certain it would.”

“Then put me down for that one on Sunday.”

“Okay,” she said, deceptively cool while her libido overheated at the mere thought.

A voice in the back of her mind screamed at her to stop playing with fire. She gagged it. Obviously, her rule about not getting involved with men who were bound to leave needed a footnote. Physical attraction happened, and it didn’t have to mean more than that. No crying when it ended, and no broken hearts.