Page 31 of Shades of Mercy
“I guess we'd better not let it slip that you and I had sex. That would be an entirely new multifaceted issue we’d be revealing.”
He reached over and turned up the air. The sun was getting warmer. “We’ve known each other long enough—and know enough about each other’s lives—that we can pass as relatives.”
“I guess that’s convenient. You get a cook and a cousin.” She laughed, but inside, she was a ball of doubt, wondering if she could pull this off. One wrong look and she’d reveal that she had feelings for Jag.
“Yeah, lucky me. I get to babysit you for who knows how long.”
“You’re not babysitting me,” she corrected him. The last thing she wanted was for him to refer to her as a baby who needed his care.
“My bad. You’re certainly not a baby.”
His choice of words, as innocent as they were, made her feel warm in her belly.
“You just remember to keep your hands to yourself.”
He chuckled. “Don’t worry. I’ll keep my hands right where they belong. It’s the right thing to do.”
“They felt pretty right that night we shared,” she said, her smile hidden.
After clearing his throat, he said, “If we keep talking about that night, we’ll blow your cover quickly.”
“Well, I declare you might have enjoyed it a tad bit,” she said in her best Scarlett O’Hara voice.
“Mercy, there’s one thing I do know without a doubt. I most definitely enjoyed that night.”
“Then it’s a good thing I’m not interested in taking a stroll down memory lane. It’s never a good idea to revisit the past.”
They fell into silence for the remainder of the drive. When she saw the arched sign swinging over the driveway for Storm Pass, some of the tension she’d lost during her banter with Jag returned.
The ranch was pristine, with vibrant green pastures contrasting against freshly painted white fences and blue barns with black roofs. Very modern.
On one side, horses grazed, and on the other, cattle. Several cowboys rode horses along the fence line, throwing up their hands in greeting as Jag drove past. He reciprocated by touching the brim of his hat.
“Wow. This place is beautiful,” she said.
“You’ve only seen the tip of the iceberg.” The lane curved, and he jutted his chin at the row of ice-capped mountains in the distance. Their pointed tips seemed to reach the fleecy clouds meandering overhead, moving as languorously as the cattle in the pasture to their left.
More cowboys scattered the land, busily doing chores underneath the bright morning sunlight. Some had removed their shirts and Mercy tried not to stare too long.
Their large silver buckles glistened in the sunlight, as well as their slick, sweat-coated skin.
Three men were on top of a barn roof, repairing it, and paused in their work to watch Jag’s truck pass.
“Is everyone here muscled and toned?” She didn’t realize she’d said the words aloud until he answered.
“This is the true meaning of fitness, Mercy. From sunlight to sundown, these men are working.”
The lane curved again, and the focus shifted to the stately farmhouse—a white-sided, two-story structure with extra-large windows and a welcoming wraparound porch adorned with rocking chairs. On each side of the house were lush gardens overflowing with flowers. Mercy didn’t know a daisy from a lily, but she could still admire the love someone showed to the gardens.
Instead of parking in front of the main house, he continued to drive, and the road went from gravel to dirt.
“A lot of the food provided to the crew is grown here, or on local farms.” He pointed at a vegetable garden near the farmhouse's back door. A clothesline full of clothing whipped the air as a strong breeze blew in.
“Does someone wash clothes for the crew?” She noticed that most of the clothing on the line was men’s shirts and jeans. “Please tell me that’s not the cook’s job.”
His chuckle was caught in the wind blowing in through the open window. “No, it’s not the cook’s job. A lady comes out a few times a week to clean the house and do the laundry. Her name is Jess, and I’ll warn you, she can be somewhat cantankerous.”
“I’m sure doing laundry for a handful of smelly cowboys is a highlight of her week.”
