A Little Harmless Ride (5 page)

“
Whatcha want now, Ross?”

“
Dee wanted to know when Crysta was returning. She’s wondering if she’d want to come over and meet everyone.”

“
Why the hell would she want that?” he asked, realizing he had raised his voice when one of the horse trainers glanced over at him. Why the idea had him pissed off he had no idea.

“
Dee thought she might want to get to know about the islands. And, you know, you don’t have a lot of women on the ranch. She might want some female company. Plus, you know the ladies. They’ll want to take her to Rough ‘n Ready.”

Eli said nothing as he looked out over the barn.

“
Eli?”

He didn’t know why he had such a visceral reaction to her being at the club, or even just talking to the women. May Chambers and Dee Ross were sweet women and would never do anything to Crysta, but Eli realized there was a sense of wrongness about taking her to the club.

That is until she’d submitted.

Dammit.

“
Eli? Seriously, man, you have to answer me, or Dee’s going to have her brother route a call to 911 there.”

Eli shook himself out of his funk. “Control your woman, Ross. Besides, what makes you think Crysta would want a trip to Rough ‘n Ready?”

There was a beat of silence. “I talked to Damon, the Dom we talked about. She’ll want to at least stop by, according to him.”

That wasn’t acceptable. Not that he had a choice in the matter, but Eli didn’t like it. He wanted her here. With him.

Shit
.

He needed to get his mind off that. There was no way he was going to be able to bed Crysta. He didn’t have time to deal with a new sub, and he didn’t want to deal with implications of getting tied up with her. They had a hard six months ahead of them.

“
Listen, I’ll let her know when she comes here. We will probably make a trip to Oahu, but we are kind of stuck here for six months. We can only leave the island for a couple days.”

Ross chuckled. “I have a feeling old Joe had this planned all along.”

“
Of course he did, the old bastard.”

“
You don’t sound too upset over it.”

He shrugged knowing Micah couldn’t see it. “I can’t disagree because I’ll be left with the ranch at the end.”

“
That’s true. Call if you need anything. And you know, Dee’s gonna make me call in a couple days.”

“
Of course she is, Ross. You’re whipped.”

“
And gladly.”

He hung up, leaving Eli to his thoughts. He walked out of the barn with Charlie, his three-year-old mare. She was a good workhorse and since he’d been there she’d foaled, they had pretty much spent her entire life together. Best, she didn’t ask questions.

The one thing he wanted to make sure was not to let his attraction to Crysta cause problems. Business was business. With them both living in the same house, he needed to control his need to touch her. It wasn’t overwhelming him…not yet. But, when he had seen she and her father return from spreading her mother’s ashes, he’d wanted to pull her into his arms and comfort her. It wasn’t something he was accustomed to. He had subs, he had lovers, but he didn’t get involved in their personal lives.

He sighed mounted his horse. There was nothing a good ride out wouldn’t help with.

* * * *

It had been two weeks and Crysta was still not sure she was doing the right thing. In terms of the ranch, she was. But she was worried about her father. As people hurried past them at Dulles, she started to have regrets. Her father was stronger, but he needed her. Not all the time, but some of the time. Okay, not really at all, but being so far away made her worry.

“
No.”

She looked up at her father. “What?”

“
No, you are not going to use me to stay here.”

She frowned at her father. “I’m not trying to use you.”

“
It’s six months, and maybe I can find time to get back out there to visit again. I can take care of myself.”

She knew he could. “But what happens if the cancer comes back.”

He took her hands. “First, you have to accept that the cancer will always be there. I’m just in remission. It is something I will probably have to live with. Secondly, you know provisions are in the will for this. And thirdly, you need to get through security so you can make it to your plane.”

He pulled her close, gave her one of those big hugs she loved so much, then gave her a loud smacking kiss on the lips.

“
I love you. Now go away.”

She laughed. “Okay.”

She turned to head to security.

“
Text me when you get there.”

“
I don’t know. You told me to go away,” she yelled behind her. She smiled when she heard his laugh. Right before she turned the corner, she turned and looked back. He was still standing there, the man who she thought could conquer anything, smiling and waving. He was all that was good in her world and one thing she knew she needed was to let him have his freedom. And…she needed to get on with her life.

Tears burned the backs of her eyes as she turned and headed off to that life. At least for a little while, she was going to be a ranch owner.

Oh, God.

“
I hope you know what you were doing, Joe.”

* * * *

“
Shouldn’t she be here by now?” Danny Aiona asked Eli.

Eli tried to ignore his own personal anticipation about Crysta arriving, but with Danny asking about it every five minutes, he made it worse. May Chambers’ younger brother was working at the ranch for the summer to save up some money for school. He didn’t mind since they were busy at the ranch and Danny was a good worker. It was a shame that the kid wanted to be a doctor because he was excellent with horses.

“
I heard she was hot.”

He had to fight a chuckle. The youngest of the Aiona’s had a problem with keeping his thoughts to himself.

“
Yeah. She’s pretty.”

Danny hummed. “I do have a thing for black women.”

“
So I’ve heard.”

By marriage, Danny was a member at Rough ‘n Ready, although he didn’t play much. Evan kept him on a short leash since he wasn’t completely trained as a Dom, so he wasn’t allowed full play at the club. It was one of the things he respected about both club owners. They took the safety of their patrons over earning bigger profits.

Suddenly, Danny whistled. Eli glanced up and saw what Danny was reacting to. When he spotted her, his heart almost stopped. She was walking with that long-legged easy stride of hers. She was wearing a worn cowboy hat. It wasn’t something she had just bought. She’d had it a long time from the look of it. His gaze drifted down as he took in the rest of her outfit. The bright blue sleeveless shirt matched her eyes. The jeans fit perfectly, molding to her legs and hips, and God help him, he was pretty sure her ass too.

She smiled when she saw him and dammit, his mouth dried up. How could this woman he barely knew pull this reaction from him?

“
Hey, boss?” Danny asked.

He glanced at the younger man and hoped he wasn’t blushing. He wasn’t some little boy with his first crush, but he was embarrassed he’d been caught daydreaming about her.

She stepped up and without warning gave him a hug. It was too quick, but it was enough to get his heart racing. The scent of her surrounded him.

“
It’s so great to finally be here. That’s such a long trip,” she said as she pulled back. He said nothing for a minute because she was smiling at him and every damned bloody thought in his head evaporated. It was as if he had been rendered stupid in that one second.

Danny cleared his throat, bringing Eli back to earth.

“
Crysta, this is Danny Aiona, one of the hands.”

She turned and smiled at Danny. “It’s so nice to meet you. I only have one bag, so it shouldn’t take that long.”

“
One bag for six months?” Eli asked.

She slanted him a look. “I shipped everything else. It should be here next week. Besides, I don’t need much.”

“
I like that in a woman,” he said.

She laughed. “I’m sure every man does.” Something caught her eye and she hurried over to the carousel to get her bag. He strode after her, annoyed. She reached for it, but he got there first, pulling it off.

“
Whoa, cowboy, I can handle my own bag,” she said, annoyance filling her voice.

“
And I think Joe would expect me to show you the courtesy of grabbing your bag.”

She rolled her eyes and walked away. He followed. He’d been right. The jeans fit that heart shaped ass perfectly. She was rooting through her purse and then withdrew her sunglasses.

“
So, where are we parked, Danny Aiona?”

He glanced back at Eli, apparently unsure of what to say. Then he motioned with his hand. “Just right out here.”

“
Let’s go. I’m hungry.”

* * * *

Crysta smiled when her father texted back.

“
Your father?” Eli asked.

It irritated her that he assumed it would be her father, but she was more annoyed that she was disappointed by his reaction when she arrived. Okay, she had been a little over enthusiastic, but she was excited. The long ride over gave her a lot of time to think.

Her father had been right. This was a chance to start new. To take time and decide what to do with the rest of her life. Well, for the next part of her life at least. That had excited her. She shouldn’t expect Eli, a man who had worked alongside her uncle for years, thinking he would own the ranch.

“
Yes. He’s going to bed now. Kind of late for him.”

He nodded. “He might have company.”

She snorted. “I wish. He needs to have a life.”

“
There’s been no one since your mom?”

She shook her head. “I know he had lovers, but no one he wanted to let me know about, which means he wanted nothing long term. He needs someone to keep him company. Besides, sex keeps you happy and healthy. It’s good for your immune system. So, he needs a woman.”

“
Not all men do.”

“
All people need each other.”

He shook his head. “No. Look at me. Look at Joe.”

‘”
First of all, I don’t know that much about you. Secondly, we all know why Joe didn’t have anyone around.”

So, she had known Joe had been gay. Not everyone did, but Joe apparently trusted the Millers enough to tell them. She glanced in the back. His husband had died a few years ago, so he hadn’t had anyone around.

“
And, you do have people around. Or beings. Admit it. You would be happy to spend all your days alone, but you would always want an animal around. A dog or a horse.”

He hated that she barely knew him but could pick up on so much of his personality.

“
Don’t look so irritated. You remind me of my father. He’s always been a bit laid back, but I know he could kill with his bare hands. Now, he just likes the quiet. He said after time in the Navy and raising me, he likes his own company. Which kind of irritates me, but I know it’s the truth. I’m a lot to put up with.”

“
I can’t believe that,” Danny piped up. She smiled back at him.

“
Aren’t you sweet, but you aren’t a very good liar. There’s one thing I know and that is…
I’m a handful
.”

Eli turned off the main road and it only took only a minute or two to make it to the gate. It was open, which had Eli frowning.