Drawn to a Cowboy (Brother Duet #1) (2 page)

Seriously Jade, you’re worried about what he’s going to have you do. He’s offering a job in the countryside. A cowboy for god-sakes, a gorgeous one, at that. You’ve been off on all the wrong adventures.
I was finally hit with the possibility to experience the surroundings that I always felt like I had been born to live in. I was never satisfied with the beach lifestyle and Paris definitely was all wrong. However, the French countryside was doable. I could’ve lived there, but the cowboys there weren’t exactly like the ones that I had grown up around. That was a comical statement, the cowboys that I knew were all make-believe… actors in Western movies. So to be fair, they, the acting cowboys, depicted what I thought cowboys should be, and French speaking ones just seemed totally wrong.
Didn’t all cowboys sound like John Wayne? Or shouldn’t they?
Those words made me sound like the French people I had been surrounded by for the past two years. I was stereotyping the cowboy culture.

I needed to stop talking to myself and laughing.
Here comes that cowboy strutting my way and I am looking like a loon with crazy rooster-red hair.
Pulling down my visor, I checked myself. I had no idea if a raccoon look might be adding to my already crazed appearance.
Safe! Thank you Maybelline, makers of waterproof mascara.
Closing the overhead mirror I couldn’t help but sing the famous jingle to myself,
“Maybe she’s born with it, maybe it’s Maybelline.”
Then with a light laugh, I adjusted my clothes—ready to hear the rest of the details to his proposition. But rest assured, I was going to say “yes.”
Let the new adventure begin!

Climbing out of my vehicle at the burger joint, I watched a pair of snug jeans hugging two sturdy, muscular thighs that looked to be rubbing alongside a healthy package. I had to bite my lip to stop my tongue from licking my lips. He was definitely a perk, an incentive, a bonus to working on his ranch.
Look! Don’t touch! Look! Don’t touch! Hmmm… How was I going to keep that promise?

Sage

W
hat was I doing? Following my dick, instead of my brain?
No. I was trying to make things right for her. Her being a woman who was just swearing in French and English, kicking tires, pulling her hair. She could be a loon, a wanderer, a drifter, a true homeless person, and I was taking her to lunch—not to mention—offering her a job at my ranch. For god sakes, I didn’t even know her name. I didn’t even bother to ask it before I walked away from her, across the gas station lot, and climbed up into the cab of my race-red, full-size 4x4 truck. I did, however, check out the long legged beauty as she was shutting her vehicle door.

As soon as she pulled closer to my pickup truck, I had to shake my head into focus before I pulled out in front of her. I realized heading down the road, a normal person probably would’ve come to their senses and hightailed it down the highway. Apparently, I wasn’t that person as I drove slowly enough for her to follow me to the burger place, I had suggested. I kept her in my line of sight, glancing probably more than I should have into my side and rearview mirror. She was right behind me the whole way to a parking lot just down from the restaurant.

Being a proper gentleman, I walked to her car with the intent of escorting her inside, and politely opened her car door. Extending my hand to her, she reached up and grabbed onto it as she pulled herself up in front of me. Dropping my hand, she closed her door before I could, then turned back to face me almost as if she was going to do a full twirl around, but stopped. “Ready,” she said with a smile and a little bounce in the direction of the burger place. Her enthusiasm, had me walking briskly, matching her stride step for step as we made our way down the sidewalk to the door of Diablo.

Inside and seated, our server welcomed us and asked if we had been there before. I quickly said “no” on purpose. A funny look appeared on my lunch companion’s beautiful face. Unsure about me, she seemed to be screaming—as I knew she was capable of, after experiencing it first hand—liar with her pale green eyes. I watched her intently as she listened to the story behind the food we were about to eat and drink. The restaurant, like I said, used all local business: vintners, breweries, cheese makers, bakers, farmers for produce and of course, the grass-fed beef.

I smiled after we placed our orders. “Sorry, I just wanted you to hear for yourself. I think this place is pretty impressive. More businesses should support each other when they can. Speaking of business, why don’t you tell me what happened to you? Why you’re out of a job? Homeless? Then maybe I can help you. First, let’s start with names, Sage,” I said, extending my hand even though I was pretty sure the touch was going to brand me for life. Our brief connection at her car had already caused a certain amount of energy to zap my body—not complaining.

She took my hand reluctantly, “Jade,” then she took it back just as quickly as she had offered it, but it didn’t matter. It was too late, she had once again caused a shock to my system, and if I was not mistaken, it got her too. I couldn’t be certain, but in her loon like fashion, she began to ramble, “In a nutshell, a Flagstaff resort commissioned me to do paintings throughout their lobby and rooms. While I created the artwork, they were providing me with living accommodations, and food vouchers. I had my life figured out for a few months.” She stopped and shook her head while toying with a paper napkin.

I knew there was more to her story and I had a feeling she was trying to control her emotions. “What then, they up and cancelled on you, leaving you high and dry?”

“Well, yes for the living part. They did give me a twenty-five percent deposit based on the total price that had been set, an amount we agreed upon. But I did use a large portion to purchase tons of supplies. The rest was mine, non-refundable.”

“Still, being out seventy-five percent is a huge deal.”

She seemed to like my statement and exclaimed, “Damn right!” It seemed to rile her up and she began listing off more of her story. “I had packed up my SUV with my art stuff, all of my clothes, necessities, and hit the road. Arriving early this morning at the hotel, I walked right up to the front desk clerk and gave him my name, and told him that I had an appointment with the manager. He picked up the phone and buzzed someone, that person immediately arrived at the desk and ushered me to a manager’s office. I knew something was up.”

“Like being sent to the principal’s office?”

“Yes! Exactly, though I never had that experience.” She looked at me for a time like she was waiting for me to confess or she was giving me that look that said, I bet you were a bad boy. Though I wasn’t, but my brother, he was another story. “Anyhow,” she continued, “someone came, shortly thereafter, delivering coffee and pastry. People seemed frantic. The manager finally arrived after I waited for over two hours. And without an apology for his tardiness, he informed me that the place was being taken over by a hostile merger: Your job is cancelled. Keep the deposit. Now, get the hell out!”

She laughed, shaking her head and biting on her perfectly biteable bottom lip. “He didn’t say that, but he might as well have.” And just as she finished her story in a much calmer fashion than at the gas station, our food arrived. She was so fucking adorable, less like a crazy person.

She was actually funny, charming, and witty. I loved her spunkiness in general and her enthusiasm for food. When our two messy burgers sandwiched between buns that looked like cattle branded English muffins along with Belgian style fries arrived they were accompanied by every sauce they offered. Jade couldn’t make up her mind when our server named off each one earlier when we ordered. The food was great, and if only we weren’t heading off on a long drive, I would’ve loved to try one of their many beers—I could’ve used one at that moment. As she was starting to relax, I was beginning to head in the opposite direction.

There was something about her that I couldn’t quite figure out, that was telling me that I may be crazy for what I was about to propose. I didn’t even really know her. For that matter, she didn’t know me either.
What the fuck?
She shouldn’t be going off with a complete stranger. I could be a rapist or a serial killer, I’m not, but she didn’t know that. Yet, there was something very familiar about her. She really scared the shit out of me.
Why?
Because seeing her sitting across from me at that moment, she looked like my future.
What told me that?
I couldn’t pinpoint one certain thing. It was maybe a gut feeling or maybe just nothing more than lust. After all she was fucking hot!

And what the hell, once I opened my mouth, there was no going back. I basically offered her room and board along with a portion of what the big hotel chain was offering her. There were ten cabins that existed on the ranch, five more under construction, one near completion. There was also the main lodge that housed a lobby, dining room, kitchen and a few offices, and lodging for special guests, like visiting family members. The only other building occupiable by people on the property was my personal log cabin, and housing for the stable hands. Certainly, I could tuck her away somewhere, though not in my quarters, that was totally not happening.

Though my brain or maybe my lower thinking cap said bring her in, use all of her skills, my logical side focused on her legitimate job description. Focused, I managed to run through a brief description of the existing artwork—if you wanted to call it art—that hung in all of the structures. The old, dated, yet nicely framed, posters really did need to be replaced. I really hadn’t given them much thought as the rooms had been updated with new paint and the furnishings had been freshened up with new upholstery and linens. But hearing her talk about art setting a new tone, I was excited to have her. Excited to have her artwork change the rooms. Give them new life. That’s what I meant.

Finishing my boss to potential employee speech in a rapid, rambling similar to the lovely redhead before me, I wasn’t sure if she was having second thoughts or she was reading my tense body language. Or maybe she finally wanted more information about the stranger drawing her in, as she started asking me questions that had nothing to do with what was ahead of us. For all I knew she was going to thank me for lunch, run to her car, and speed away. Part of me wished she would, while the other part wanted her to stay with me
forever
. My brain was truly fucked up!

“Okay.” She wiped her lush lips and placed her napkin on the table next to her partially eaten food. “Where were you coming from?” Smart girl. I was correct, she was feeling me out. Casual questions, but an investigation nonetheless.

“I made a trip back home for a family wedding then had some business down in Los Angeles. I’m looking forward to getting back to the ranch, I’ve had my fill of city life. It always reminds me of why I ran away from there.”

“You ran away from home?” A smirk graced her face.

“Not in the way you think.” I snickered at the thought of me carrying a knapsack on a stick, hobo style, hopping freight trains. “I had a nice upbringing, I just never felt like I belonged. I’ve watched old western movies since I was a kid, the idea of being a cowboy always appealed to me. Once my parents took me to a dude ranch one summer, I was sure that I belonged living in the country. San Francisco is the complete opposite.”

“Yes, I would say that is not exactly cowboy country. How long have you been gone?” she asked looking me over, sizing me up.

“Thirteen years.”

My answer caused her brows to raise and her head to tilt. “You don’t look old enough to be away from home that long.”

“I left San Fran for a more rural college. I thought I wanted to be a veterinarian, but changed to a degree in agricultural development. My interests evolved as I became more involved in farming organic produce. The thought of being a farmer was more appealing to me. Then the ranch kind of fell into my lap. I’m grateful that it did…” My speech faltered as I remembered how the ranch came to be mine. Not all of it made me happy, but for the most part it did.
Snap out of it. No getting melancholy.
“We better get going. You done?”

“Yes. I’m stuffed. That was a lot of food. Anymore and I’d need a nap.”

“We can’t have you falling asleep behind the wheel. Let’s go grab a couple of fully leaded cups of coffee and head out. Along the way if you want to stop, just flash your headlights in case our cell phones don’t have a signal.” When she looked me straight in the eye, I noticed a little sauce next to her lips. I should have pointed it out, but my thumb had a mind of its own. Swiping her flawless skin, my body heated. Then instead of wiping the excess sauce off on my napkin, I proceeded to lick the delicious condiment from my digit, and watched her reaction. What followed, was an obvious rise and fall of her breasts along with a gasp. For me, a slight tightening of my denims.

Clearing her throat, she started to say something then stopped as if she was about to redirect her words, maybe to something on safer ground. I was relieved and disappointed at the same time that naughty words didn’t escape those lips that I was ready to attack. “Like th… Gotcha. Ready to ride out, Cowboy. I’ll be right behind you. Hot on your trail. I mean following you. I hope you’re not leading me astray,” she said with a hint of nervous laughter. I would guess that being nervous was normal, she was taking a job from a total stranger. One that fed her, and was about to lead her across a couple state lines.