Lassoing the Virgin Mail-Order Bride (2 page)

S
itting up
, I take off my hat and pull the bandana out of my back pocket. I wipe the sweat off my brow and around my neck, feeling the heat of the day on my back. I love being outside and working with my hands. There’s no greater pleasure in life for me than working on my land and running my farm. This kind of life isn’t for everyone, but it’s in my bones. I can’t stand going into the city and being around all those people and that noise. I’ve got enough noise out here with the livestock and the men who work for me. They’re like family, so being around them isn’t a problem.

I grew up on this land, and though I’ve been other places in the world, this is still the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen. As much as I hate the city, and being out here is great, it does get lonely a lot. These guys who work with me every day are the backbone of this ranch, but it’s not the same as having a family of my own.

That’s the reason I wanted to do the mail-order bride thing in the first place. I thought that I could use someone to make this more of a home. Bring the ranch together and make it into something I couldn’t. Sure, I could run this farm blindfolded with my hands tied behind my back. But it doesn’t give it the soul of a real home. That is something only a woman could do, and I thought marrying someone who was in it for the same reasons would make things easier. More straight-cut. No lines to blur, and everything in black and white. Hell, I even had the kitchen redone so that it would be perfect for my new bride.

But last night I tossed and turned thinking about what I was going to do with a wife, and I decided to just cancel the whole damn thing. I got up just before dawn and was going to talk to Earl about it, but one of the fences had broken and we had to get straight to work. It got late before I had a second to think and by then I just told him to go tell her to get back on the train and go back home. I just said to tell her that I’d changed my mind. I didn’t want to admit to Earl or to myself that deep down I was just afraid. Afraid of what it would mean to have a wife. What if she didn’t like me? What if she resented me for working on the land so much and not giving her enough of my time? I don’t want to disappoint anyone, and I had a feeling I’d be doing that a lot. I have no clue what to do with a wife.

As I put my Stetson back on and climb down off the fence, I see Earl riding up on his horse. When he gets close, he climbs off and walks over.

“Did you take care of it?” I ask, waiting to see if he sent back the bride.

“Yes. It’s taken care of,” he says, walking past me over to where some of the guys are still working on the last of the fencing.

I feel a pang of disappointment hit my chest as I think about her going back home. We didn’t talk much beforehand, just a few short emails, but Clare sounded like a nice lady, and I’m surprised at how sad I feel at not getting to meet her. It would have been for convenience and she would have just been like another hired hand on the farm, but something inside me feels regret at the decision.

Shaking it off, I try not to think about it. It was the right decision, and I’m sure I’ll be over it soon enough. There are far too many chores that need to be done for me to sit and think about my choice and how wrong it might have been.

It’s the heat of the afternoon, and this is when we do the work in the barn and try to keep out of the sun as much as we can. This ranch was handed down in my family and after my mom and dad passed, it went to me. I’ve been helping run it since I was old enough to walk, so I know every inch of this place. My parents had been young when they took over from my grandparents. I think they had plans to have a mess of kids to help out, but after my mom had me they weren’t able to have any more. I’d had dreams of having a big family, too, but I never got around to finding time to get a wife. Somewhere inside me I’d always wanted what my parents had, but I thought what they had was rare. People don’t find that kind of love every day, but I dreamed that if I ever did, I’d want as many kids as possible to love and play with and teach them all about our land.

We go into one of the barns, and I check on the chickens as the guys give them grain and gather eggs. We’ve got another barn for the cows and pigs, and then we’ve got horses and cattle, too. There’s not much we don’t grow or raise on our own out here, and I like it that way. We make money off the big cattle. Raising them and then selling them for their beef. It’s good money, and even though it’s a lot of work, it’s worth it.

We use a section of the farm for growing crops, but that’s just for us. It’s not for making money. I like knowing we are self-sustaining out here for the most part, and we don’t have to run into town for every little thing we need.

There are about fifteen guys who work for me full time out here, and they all live on the farm as well. The big house is for eating meals and holding meetings, but I’m the only one who lives in it. There are two other big buildings on the farm where the men stay. They’re fixed up really nice. Everybody has their own space, and they keep to themselves when they’re not working. One of the foremen on the farm even has a couple of goats that he keeps as pets, and another has a couple of sheep. The sheep should be having lambs soon, and it will be nice to have some new babies around the farm.

I stop on my way to my horse and think about babies for a second. What it would mean if I didn’t have any of my own to take over the farm if something happened to me. And how it would feel not being able to have a family of my own. I shake the thought off as I climb onto my horse and ride to the west side of the land. I want to ride the fence line and recheck after the fiasco we had this morning. The thing about this much land is, you’re alone a lot, and I’m not sure I should be alone with my thoughts right now. I’ve already been contemplating too much today on the fact that I sent Clare away and what that means. Hell, I should be kicking my own ass right about now, but it’s getting late, and I’ve got to figure out getting a cook or something to feed everyone. We’ve been taking turns doing the cooking, and tonight’s Earl’s night. He’s the best foreman I’ve got, but damn if that man can’t cook for shit.

Riding towards the barn, I catch a couple of guys bedding down the horses for the night, and I help out with that. We lay out new hay and feed for them and close up the barn. It’s almost six, and as everyone has been up since four in the morning, it makes for a long day. A normal workday on a farm is tiring, but throw in a broken fence at the crack of dawn and you’ve got a big group of tired, hungry workers on your hands. All I can do is pray Earl made something semi-edible tonight.

“Damn, something sure does smell good,” Travis, one of the farmhands, says beside me as we near the big house.

I raise my nose and take a whiff. My stomach grumbles. “Mmm, sure does. Maybe Earl finally made something we don’t have to choke down.”

The guys laugh as we make our way over to the big water fountain next to the house and wash up for supper. It’s one of those big old farm sinks with a handle you pump and water pours out. A few of us stand around and I wash my bandana out, using it to wash my face and neck. Afterwards, I knock the dirt off my boots and go into the house. It’s the same routine I’ve been doing since I was a kid, and I make all the guys do it, too. My mom always made us wash up and clean our boots before we came in to eat, and it’s a habit I just can’t break. Even though it’s nothing special and it’s just us guys, I still make them act like civilized people when we sit down to eat.

When I walk through the door, I make my way to the dining room and stop in my tracks. The table is set, and most of the guys are seated. A few of them are trailing in behind me. I guess Earl really stepped it up tonight. Most of the time, chow is in a line and we all make our plates and sit down. It’s not usually served like an actual meal, and the small effort makes me smile. My stomach rumbles again as I look down the table and see trays of burgers with all the fixings and homemade fries in big bowls between them. It’s a simple meal, but a hearty one, and it smells amazing. All the guys sit down, and I walk to the kitchen to thank Earl for a great dinner tonight.

When I walk through the door, I see him standing in the middle of the kitchen, and I smile at him.

“Great effort tonight. It smells good, and they guys are ready to dig in.” I look over at the counter and see five pies sitting on it, cooling. I’m in shock because I can’t remember the last time I had a homemade pie, and I know Earl didn’t make them. “Where’d those come from?” I ask, making my way into the kitchen.

“Me.”

I hear a soft feminine voice to the side, and I look over to see a beautiful woman with golden ringlets piled on top of her head standing in the pantry. She’s so tiny, maybe five feet tall, and she’s got rosy cheeks and big blue eyes. She’s utterly gorgeous, and as my eyes travel down, I see she’s wearing one of my mama’s old aprons. She looks so perfect, and I immediately want to go to her and scoop her up in my arms. But before I can say or do anything, Earl speaks.

“This is Miss Clare Stevens. You know, your mail-order bride.”

With that, Earl walks past me to the pantry. He stops and looks at Clare. “Dinner looks wonderful, Miss Clare. Come on out of the pantry and let the boys thank you.”

I see her rosy cheeks blush and she bites her lip, but she goes to take a step towards the door.

What does she think she’s doing? She can’t go out there and let those men see her. Is she crazy? She’s the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen in my life. No way are those hound dogs gonna lay eyes on this sweet, innocent, little thing.

In three long steps, I’m in front of her. Reaching out, I grab her arm and halt her motion.

“No,” is the only word I can say. My brain and tongue can’t seem to work together, and that’s all I can get out to stop her from leaving me.

I
stare
up into the grayest eyes I’ve even seen. I didn’t even know eyes could really be a gray that dark. His tanned hand around my arm tightens a little more. Firm but not painful. My eyes go to the hand engulfing my arm as it wraps around it.

I thought he was big in the picture he’d sent me. That was nothing compared to him in person. The man is well over a foot and a half taller than me. I feel his thumb brush up the sleeve of my shirt, almost like it’s petting me in small circles. The rough texture feels good on my skin, too good for a man I want to smack right now for being a jerk. A sexy jerk.

I lick my lips. They suddenly feel dry. His eyes go there, narrowing at my action. His jaw clenches hard, making the stubble that coats his face seem a little more prominent, and I wonder if he shaved just this morning or if it’s a few days old. If I had to guess, he shaved this morning and it grows fast.

“No? You just going to keep her locked in the pantry?” Earl laughs at his own joke. “I know you run a tight ship, boss, but that’s—” His words cut off as Cash pulls me by the arm, my body coming up against his like he doesn’t have any intention of letting me leave the pantry. He smells like the sun, and it catches me off guard just as much as him pulling me into him does.

I use my other arm to tuck a loose blonde curl behind my ear. It’s something I always do when I’m nervous. The air in the pantry starts thicken with uneasy silence.

“I should really take the last pie out of the oven.” I pull at my arm, and Cash reluctantly frees me. I take the opportunity to flee the pantry, sliding past Cash and Earl like my ass is on fire. I have no idea what to make of what just happened in there, but that wasn’t how I thought I’d meet my new husband.

I head straight for the oven, and a squeal leaves my mouth as I’m picked up and placed on the counter. I know a good wind might be able to blow me over, but he moves me like I’m nothing.

“You’ll burn yourself,” he says in a deep, commanding voice. The one I’m sure makes everyone jump, too. It even freezes me for a moment as I watch him grab the oven mitts before opening the oven and pulling out the peach pie, placing it on the counter next to the others.

“How do you suppose the others made it onto the counter?” I reply tartly. I’m not sure what to make of this. The only thing the man has done in the two minutes I’ve actually known him is boss me around. Now I’m getting why Earl calls him
boss
. The title fits well.

He pulls the oven mitts off, tossing them onto the counter. His hand goes to his face and he squeezes the bridge of his slightly crooked nose. It’s probably been broken a time or two. He’s clearly irritated with me. Maybe it is better I keep it zipped and don’t mouth off. I need this place. I have nowhere else to go, but what the heck. If I can’t touch the oven, what am I supposed to do around here?

My cheeks start to burn at the dirty thought that comes to mind, and I drop my head, looking down at my worn boots, not wanting Cash to see my blush. Maybe I could blame it on cooking all day. The heat getting to me.

“What am I going to do with her?” I hear him mumble. This is really not a great start. He’s a total jerk. He hasn’t even bothered to say hi. Is that so hard?
Hi, I’m Cash, the man you’ll be marrying tomorrow.
It’s a pleasure to meet you
. That isn’t so freaking hard, is it? The man has no manners. Or he isn’t happy with the bride he’s gotten. I’m thinking both at this point.

“Why don’t you join us, Clare? Get to know everyone?” I hear Earl say, making me look up. I suddenly remember everyone is in the dining room and can see us. They‘re all staring at Cash and me. Their eyes dart back and forth between us, waiting to see what will happen next.

“How about you mind you own fucking business, Earl?” Cash barks, not even looking over at the poor man who just smiles again. I’ve never seen smiles come so easily for someone before. It’s nice. Makes me feel like I have someone on my side already. He throws another wink my way like we’re sharing some joke I don’t know about. Getting the best of Cash on purpose.

“I’d love to.” I jump off the counter, ignoring Cash and hearing him mumble something about hurting myself. I grab a plate off the counter and head into the dining room. Earl nudges a man sitting next to him, who quickly moves, giving me a spot to sit after I fill my plate. I can feel Cash’s eyes on me the whole time I move about the table. I barely get my butt in the seat next to Earl and Cash is stomping into the dining room, heading for the chair next to mine at the head of the table.

“Everyone, this is Miss Clare Stevens.” Earl introduces me to everyone as I try to ignore Cash the best I can. Not an easy feat with his size and intensity. I get hellos around mouths full of food. They’re going at the dinner like they haven’t eaten in weeks. “We haven’t had a good meal in a while,” Earl adds, taking a big bite of his own burger.

I gasp as I’m once again picked up and placed on a hard lap. “Mrs. Clare McCallister.” Possession rings loud in Cash’s correction of my name. I’m not a McCallister yet, and I had a feeling I wasn’t going to be one just a few moments ago in the kitchen. I freeze like a deer caught in the headlights as everyone stops eating to look at the end of the table. Their eyes are on Cash, I assume, because they’re aimed over my head.

Reaching around me, he slides my plate over from where I had been sitting. His mouth comes to my ear. “Eat.” He gives yet another command. His warm breath against my ear makes little stray hairs tickle my skin. He pulls back a little, and I feel his nose barely brush against my skin. I hear him take a deep breath like he’s breathing me in. I clench my legs together, and I wish had on jeans instead of shorts. I’d changed into them when I figured out I wasn’t getting married today, and put away the only pretty dress I have.

As if noticing everyone is staring at us, he finally barks at them to eat as well. His tone is not as soft as it was when he’d whispered it in my ear. Everyone jumps at his command and goes back to shoving food into their mouths.

I don’t know what to do, so I just eat. Maybe the faster I get done eating, the faster I can get out of his lap. I pick up my burger and take my own big bite. The flavor hits my tongue. I moan around the bite, unable to remember the last time I had a full meal. I’ve been spreading my money thin, and a full meal isn’t something I’ve had in a long while.

Cash’s hand on my hip squeezes at the sound, then I feel it. A hard cock against my ass. I stop the cheeseburger midway to my mouth. I grew up around men when Mama and I worked on the Blackwell farm. I stumbled across many of the men talking about their nights out and so on when they didn’t realize I was in earshot, but I’d never been on the receiving end of a man wanting me.

When I was there, I was just too young, and all the men treated my mama and me with respect. The owner, Mr. Blackwell, demanded it, not that it even needed to be said. Everyone was like family to me, or the closest I’d ever had to one. I’d never known my father, and I was an only child. Then after we left, I was in and out of hospitals with my mama until she died. Men weren’t even on my radar.

I knew this was coming. Had been thinking about it since the moment I signed on for the whole mail-order bride thing, but having it pressed against my ass was making it all too real. He wanted me, and I didn’t know what to do with that. I was excited, happy, scared, and nervous all at once.

“All done,” I chirp, trying to jump up from Cash’s lap, but his arm comes around my front, snaking around my waist and pulling me back down into his lap. Everyone’s eyes come back to us once again. This is like dinner and a show for them or something.

“Eat. You’re too small.” My stomach knots at his words. The first thing he says about me is negative. The hunger I had been feeling is now gone, the knot filling its place.

Maybe he should have taken me up on the offer to send a picture of myself. Then he would have known what he was getting. I thought I’d hit the jackpot when I saw his picture. It was clearly too good to be true.

I jerk from his lap, harder this time, and he releases me with a grunt.

“Earl, you ever buy a stud without getting a look at him first?” I ask, taking a step away from Cash, not looking his way. I know his eyes are trained on me. Just like everyone else’s in the room.

“No, ma’am.”

“I didn’t think so. You’d think Mr. McCallister would know that, being as he owns a farm.” My eyes finally go to his. He’s staring up at me, shock clear on his face. “Maybe you should’ve had a look before you got me. Could’ve passed and found something a little more to your liking.”

With that, I turn and head towards the kitchen, but then I stop, not knowing where to go. I’m not even sure which room I’m supposed to be staying in.

I turn to see everyone still just staring at me, but I lock my eyes on the front door, my new destination in mind. I have to get away from everyone looking at me and kick myself. I just told Cash he could get rid of me. What if he does?

“Don’t you go running off,” Cash says as he stands from his chair like he’s going to stop me if I try. All the man can do is boss me around and insult me.

“Well then you can have the couch,” I huff before turning again, heading towards the hallway that has to lead to a bedroom or something. Stopping in the bathroom, I grab the bag I’d left in there earlier when I changed, and I start opening doors.

The first leads to an office that looks like a paper explosion occurred inside it. I quickly shut the door because if I look at it even a moment longer, it will get the best of me and I’ll start angry-cleaning, something I’m prone to doing.

The next door leads to a bedroom that looks just as minimalist as the rest of the house. A giant bed sits in the middle. I drop my bag right inside before closing the door. My finger hovers over the lock, but I decide against it. This isn’t my house.

I walk over to the bed and throw myself on top of the white comforter, praying Cash doesn’t send me packing first thing tomorrow morning.