“Youtwo were so drawn to each other, he moved out here, bought the ranch, and movedyou to it to raise your family.”

Ninalaughed. “Oh, if only it were so romantic. No. I hated him on sight. He wasarrogant and self-riotous. But he kept coming back. We saw him several timesover a two-year period. I came to realize he wanted to do what was best for usno matter what the government said we needed. He helped us in ways no one knew.I turned eighteen the last summer he came. We got to talking one day out by myparents barn. He reached over and kissed me. Shocked me somethin’ fierce. Ididn’t know what to make of it. You see, I’d never been kissed before. I heldonto my virginity like a sacred vow to the gods and I wasn’t going to give itup to just anyone. James swept me off my feet, but then he didn’t come back. Ididn’t see him again for five years. He went back to Washington and left me inNew Mexico without a word. He never wrote, never called, nothing.”

“I’msorry.”

“Itwas for the best. I wasn’t ready to be anything but a young girl when he wasthere during that summer, but when he returned I knew what I wanted. I wantedhim and I wasn’t going to take no for an answer. I knew he liked me or hewouldn’t have kissed me.” She laughed. “I made him work for it though. No, Iwasn’t easy to catch when he returned the bit older man. You see, he’s ten yearsmy senior so at eighteen, I wasn’t old enough for him, but at twenty five, Iknew what I wanted.” Nina took Mesa’s hand in hers. “All I’m saying is if youwant Joel, don’t let him go. He might not be there when you’re ready for him.”Nina patted her hand and climbed to her feet. “I have a feeling there is morebetween you than either of you is willing to admit. Just don’t let it be toolate. I got lucky.”

Ninamoved off toward the house leaving Mesa to think things through on her own.Thinking wasn’t part of the plan though. Thinking meant she had to feel and shewasn’t sure she wanted to let her heart do the talking.

Chapter Eleven

Theroar of the trucks sent tingles down her arms as they sat on the edge of themud pit waiting for the signal. Joel sat in the driver’s seat with her buckled intothe passenger seat. Her heart raced in excitement. She had her hair pulled backin a ponytail and wondered if she really would get as muddy as Joel suggested.She kind of hoped so. This would be one hell of an experience to add to theauthenticity of her cowboy romances.

“Ready?”he asked, flashing her a wide grin. His eyes sparkled like blue topaz in thedim light of the truck cab.

Shecould tell he was totally in his element here amongst his brothers and friendswith their beer, trucks, mud to their elbows, and country music turned up soloud she could hardly understand the words.

“Yeah.”She gripped the oh shit handle so tight, her knucklesturned white.

Thegirl holding the flags on the other side of the pit threw her arms ups and theywere off. Mud sprayed the sides of the trucks practically obliterating the viewout the windows. They slipped and slid around in circles. Mesa laughed as Joelkept the truck upright. She never had so much fun in her life.

Afterthey had their turn at the pit, they drank beer, roasted hot dogs andmarshmallows over the open bonfire, told stories, and laughed until their stomachshurt. Some of the trucks from town even came out when they heard the Youngfamily was havin’ a muddin’party.

Mesahad mud in her pants from when Joel tossed her in before diving in after her. Notto mention the muck in her hair, down her shirt and everywhere in between butshe hated to see it end.

Themud had begun to dry on her skin, pulling it tight. She couldn’t wait to getback to her room and into a nice, warm shower. Her eyes began to droop as shesnuggled up into the curve of Joel’s arms. He’d sat on the ground with his backagainst a rock, drawing her into the cocoon of his embrace.

“Readyfor bed?”

“Hmm.Yeah, if you’re in it.”

“Ihoped to be. I need a shower first though.”

“Metoo.”

“Howabout we head back to my place, shower, make love, and sleep until noontomorrow?”

“Yeah,right. You’ll be up with the chickens.”

“True,but one can dream, right? I wanna hold you tonight.”

“Ineed to stop by my room and get clean clothes then.”

“Okay.”He stood up, drawing her up with him. “We’re headin’back to the house. See y’all in the mornin’.”

Thegood-natured ribbing brought a smile to her face. Not like anyone in the groupknew for sure, but they had an idea what would happen when they made it to abed.

“Yougot condoms, brother? I think you’re gonna need a few.”

“Don’tworry about me, Jeremiah. I’m prepared. Trust me.”

Thegroup laughed as she blushed to the roots of her hair. Good thing they couldn’tsee her face in the dark.

“We’regoing to get the interior of your truck dirty.”

“Itwashes. I got leather interior for a reason. This is what we do around the HillCountry.”

“Tonightblew my mind, Joel. You guys were great. I can see why you love it here somuch.”

“Ido. It’s where I was born and raised. I can see bringing up my kids here.”

“Youwant kids?”

“Someday,yeah. A couple. Nothing like my parents. Wow. Icouldn’t handle nine boys, I don’t think. I don’t know how they did it.”

“Ican’t imagine it either. I mean I have a couple of siblings, but nine…”

Theypulled up in front of the house. “I’ll just be a minute if you want to waithere.”

“I’llwalk with you. I’ve been walking this ground my whole life. I know every pothole, rock, and nook in this yard, but there are still dangers of walking outhere at night and I have a flashlight on my key ring for just this purpose.”

“Alwaysprepared, huh?”

“Itry to be, but you’ve thrown me for a loop more times than I can count.”

“Me?”

“Yes,ma’am. I wish I knew what to do with you.”

“Justlove me.”

Hetripped over a rock and she laughed.

“Somuch for knowin’ every rock.”

Hegrinned as he swatted her butt.

Shetook off at a run up the steps of the house and through the doorway. Theylaughed as he chased her up the stairs to her door. With a hand on either sideof her head, he trapped her against the door.

“Nowyou’re mine.”

Herlips parted on a sigh. “I’ve been yours from the moment I rode behind you onyour horse.”

“Areyou, because I need to know.”

“Yes.”

Hebent his head to take her lips in a soul-searing kiss meant to curl her toes,which it did. She tangled her fingers in the hair at the nape of his neck. Histongue tangled with hers, spreading warmth from her mouth to every part of herbody. Her belly clenched in need. She needed this man with every breath in herbody.

Whenhe lifted his head, his eyes were darker blue and burning with lust. “We canshower here.”

“Letme get the door.”

“Iwant you, Mesa,” he whispered against her ear when she turned around to unlockthe door. Shivers rolled down her back as goose bumps flittered across herarms.

Theystumbled through the doorway.

“Whatthe hell?” they said in unison.

Everydrawer on all the future was open although nothing seemed disturbed in thedrawers. She looked around the room, but nothing was missing.

“Ithad to be the ghosts.”

“Ghosts?”

“Yeah,they’ve been bugging me since I got here. Knocking on my door when there is noone there, voices, arguing, the cowboy who disappeared.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah,oh. You know about them, right?”

“Yes.They don’t usually bug people or do this kind of stuff though. They get alittle noisy sometimes, but I’ve never had them open drawers like this.”

“Well,it doesn’t matter. You’re here. He won’t bug me tonight.”

“He?”

“Yeah,the cowboy or the guy who argues with the women next door. I think it’s herknocking on my door sometimes, but I’m not sure. There isn’t anyone there whenI answer.”