“Sorry,Ma.”

“Joel,honey. I’m not mad at you. I like Mesa. I think she’s a wonderful girl. Thereason for this talk isn’t to chew you out for bein’ with her. It’s so youdon’t hurt her.”

“Idon’t plan to hurt her, Ma. We’re just havin’ a bit of fun while she’s here.”

“That’sexactly why I made the rule of you boys not pursing guests.” She stood up andpaced the room like a cage animal. “I don’t want this place getting areputation for the wild Young boys taking all the single guests to bed.”

“It’snot like that. Mesa understands.”

“Doesshe? I think she’s a nice girl who’s been swept off her feet by a handsomecowboy. She doesn’t come across as a worldly type woman. She’s not one forcasual relationships, Joel. What if she does develop feelings for you?”

“Aren’tyou the least bit worried about me?”

“You’rea lover, son, not a fighter although you wouldn’t believe it the way you andJeff were ready to go toe to toe in the barn a few moments ago,” his fathersaid, coming into the room.

“Andthe way you and Joshua went at it the night before last.”

“Itdoesn’t matter. Aren’t we here to discuss me and Mesa?”

“Yeswe are. I want to you stay away from her, Joel,” his mother said. “I’m afraidshe’s gonna get hurt.”

“Idon’t want to hurt her, Ma. She’s a friend.”

“Afriend with benefits?” his dad asked.

Joelpulled off his Stetson, raking his fingers through his hair. “Hell, I don’tknow what she is. We had fun together. Where it goes from here, I’m not sure.She doesn’t even live here. She lives in Los Angeles, for God’s sake!”

“Whatif she moved here?”

“She’snot moving here.”

“Whatif she did?”

Joelgot up and paced the room now. “I don’t know, Ma. I like her a lot. We have alot in common and she’s a wildcat between the sheets, but is there somethingelse there? I don’t know.”

“Doyou want to find out?”

“SureI would.”

“Thenask her to stay.”

“What?You can’t be serious. She doesn’t live here. I told you, she lives inCalifornia.”

“Iunderstand she lives somewhere else, but she’s also a writer who has theability to be wherever she wants because she’s self-employed.”

“You’vedone your homework, Ma.”

“Thankyou, Joel. I like to know about our guests. We had a nice conversation earliertoday.”

“Youdid?”

“Yeahand I think, for the record, she likes you a lot, but she’s confused by youractions. You marked her earlier.”

Hehoped his mother and father understood the confused looked on his face becausehe didn’t have a clue what she meant. “Marked?”

“Youran your fingers along her shoulder on your way out of the lodge this morning.You marked her in front of your brothers, the other males in the room, as yourown.”

“You’veread too much Native American History, Ma.”

“Sowhat if I have?” She stopped in front of him. “Honey, I want you happy. If Mesamakes you happy then be my guest, but I like her too and if you hurt that girl,I’m going to kick your ass.”

 

Chapter Nine

Thewindow she stared out of overlooked the back of the lodge house. Her laptop satin front of her, the cursor blinking mockingly. She had been at it for hoursnow, the story flowing so rapidly, she could hardly type fast enough. Now, shelooked out the window, her mind almost blank.

Shecould see the comings and goings of several of the boys from her window, butshe never saw Joel. With her state of mind, it might be a good thing shedidn’t. She wanted to get some words on virtual paper before supper.

Afterseveral hours of typing, she went back to read what she wrote, realizing theentire book was her trip to the ranch, meeting Joel, and their subsequent lovemaking the night before. Reading it on the screen made her realize how hot thewhole night had been and how much she wanted it to happen again.

Aheavy sigh rushed from between her lips as she tipped her head back on hershoulders. The cowboy in her book even sounded like Joel.

Joel.

Whatthe hell was she going to do about him? His mother said to avoid him today,which she’d done with regret. She needed to talk to him. Wanted to see him.Would die to taste him.

“Enough.We need to write.”

Sheglanced at the screen, realizing the story stood where her own life stopped atthe moment. What to do from here?

Thesupper bell clanged downstairs. She stood, stretching her back until it popped,relieving some of the pressure at her spine from sitting without moving in thehardback chair. Her stomach rumbled reminding her she’d missed lunch. Eventhough she’d heard the bell earlier, the book wouldn’t release her long enoughto go eat. Now, she regretted not going even though it would have meant seeingJoel.

Ah,the life of a writer. Caffeine and snacks at the desk. She couldn’t rememberhow many times those things had been her sustenance for days on end while shefought to finish a book before the deadline.

Therumbled of voices downstairs reminded her of supper.

“Well,I can’t avoid him for the meal unless I sit somewhere else.”

Shegrabbed her key, opened the door, and shut it before heading down the stairs tojoin everyone for the evening meal.

Laughtermet her ears as she reached the bottom stair and looked out into the expanse ofthe dining room. The rain had stopped, finally allowing the sun to come outlater in the afternoon, lightening everyone’s mood. Several women sat at onetable laughing and passing around a bottle of wine. They didn’t serve liquor atthe ranch, but you were welcome to bring your own.

Thefamily sat at their regular table and several of them called out when theynoticed her standing in the entryway. She waved before she got in line to gether dinner plate.

Where to sit. Where to sit.She glanced around hoping to find the women from earlier in the group, but noone looked familiar. The book club must have left right after her chat withthem. Too bad. She would have enjoyed talking bookswith them a little longer.

Warmbreath tickled her ear, sending goose bumps down her arms. Joel. “No escape,little bird. You’ve been avoiding me.”

“NoI haven’t. I’ve been writing.” Well, both were the truth. She had been writing,but also avoiding him like his mother suggested.

“Good.I’m glad you’ve been busy. I’ve missed you today. It was kind of lonely ridingby myself. I thought you were going to ride with me.”

Sheswallowed hard. “I have to strike while the iron is hot.”

“Oh,the iron is hot, mi’lady.”

“Ithought you didn’t want to see me.”

“Inever said I didn’t want to see you and now that my whole family knows aboutus, we don’t have to keep it a secret.”

“Yourwhole damned family!” Everyone turned to look at them as embarrassment flushedher cheeks with heat. “Great. Just fucking fabulous,” she grumbled under herbreath.

“Sorry,darlin’, but apparently they all heard you come in last night and me peel outof the driveway.”

Theyoung woman dishing up the roast beef winked as she placed the meat on herplate. The next woman smiled while she put mashed potatoes next to the meat. Just fucking great. Everyone does know aboutJoel bringing me back to the ranch. They couldn’t know we slept together, butthey are all assuming as much from their behavior.

“Idon’t want to talk about it.”

“Weneed to, Mesa. It’s important.”

“Leaveme alone, Joel. I’m here for research and to write, not hook up with a hot-asscowboy for a few nights.”

“Hot-ass?”

Sheexhaled sharply, rolled her eyes and headed toward the opposite end of thedining room. One of the tables near the door was empty so she took it. Shedidn’t want company tonight anyway. The moment she sat down, the bench acrossfrom her scraped the floor as Joel took the seat on the other side.

“Whyaren’t you eating at the family table?”