Page 110 of A Rancher's Heart
The warmth of the Chinook vanished in an instant, an icy cold blast cut through him. Karen, which meant Tamara. Which meant the woman had arranged for someone to come onto their land without informing him.
He didn’t trust himself to say anything to Finn at that moment, simply tipping his chin then offering a curt farewell. “Don’t set up anything else until I tell you.”
Caleb stewed the entire drive back to the ranch house, frustration and anger rising far hotter than he expected. When Tamara wasn’t in the house for him to ask what the hell was going on, it made him that much angrier.
“Anyone seen Tamara?” he demanded after marching into the barn.
Kelli and Walker looked up from where they were repairing a show saddle. “She went for a ride,” Kelli said.
“Which way she’d go?” Caleb was already moving to saddle his horse.
“Not sure, but most of the time she heads toward the falls.” Walker this time.
“How the hell do you know that?” Caleb demanded, his volume rising above anything he would normally use. “Why the hell does everybody else know what’s going on, and I’m the last to learn?”
He ignored the expressions of shock on their faces, just finished saddling his horse. He mounted and headed toward the falls while his temper to continue to boil.
He spotted her horse before anything else. Stormy wandered lazily as he pawed at the thinnest patches in the snow to get at the grass underneath.
Tamara reclined on the rocks where they’d first met, the black surface soaking up the sun’s heat and keeping the surface snow free. Caleb abandoned his horse and marched toward her.
He must’ve made a noise because she sat up from where she’d been relaxing, offering him a smile that faded the closer he got. “What’s wrong?”
“We raise horses, dammit. We run a damn community-supported agriculture program, and we’re stewards of the environment. I’m not against progress, but I expect to be asked before I let anyone climb all over Silver Stone who might simply rip her up and tear her part.”
Her expression went from concern to confusion. “Caleb. I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“That man wandering my land. Eyeing it to figure out where he can poke holes into the ground and suck it dry. You don’t think I can make enough money to care for my family? You don’t think I can make enough money to care foryou?”
He turned away from her, dragging a hand through his hair, whirling back before she could get any words out. “Okay, maybe it’s a good idea to see if there’s oil on the land, but you didn’task. That’s not how we do things around here, and if you and I are going to be together, then you have got to not go around me.”
Her jaw was no longer hanging open. She’d closed her mouth and was eyeing him, head tilted to the side. Absolutely silent as she listened intently.
Which was good, because he was just building up a full head of steam. “This relationship isnotgoing to be like the one I had with Wendy where we ignored each other then went and did whatever the hell we wanted. You and me, we’re going totalkabout things, and together we’ll make the decisions. Together we’ll decide what’s right for our girls, and how to raise our future kids, the ones you and I will have. We’re going to argue, and fight, and talk it out until we make the best damn decision, and we’re going to do it alltogether. Do you hear me?”
She’d have to be deaf to not hear him, he was all but roaring by this point.
Tamara was still silent, but the corners of her mouth had curled up. The longer he shouted at her, the wider her grin became, and now he didn’t know if he wanted to kiss her or pick her up and shake her.
“What the hell is so goddamn funny?”
She stepped forward, placed a hand on top of his clenched fist then eased up on her tiptoes.
And kissed him.
Tamara wasn’t certain how he was going to react, but there was no way she could continue without being in his arms.
Caleb seemed to agree because he reached down and caught her, clutching her as they kissed, and kissed, and kissed. Soft and sweet moving to passionate and needy before slowing again until he put her feet back on the ground and they eased apart, foreheads pressed together as he stared into her eyes.
The specifics of what they were fighting about didn’t matter, she was just so damn happy he wasfightingbecause it meant he’d changed.
When Wendy left, he’d shut down. Or, maybe it had even been before then he’d learned to walk away from any situation that was going to hurt or be an emotional challenge to him directly.
Now all his passion and fire had burst free, and she could work with that. He wasn’t holding back anymore, so they could finally,finallymove on.
“You want to tell me again, from the start what’s got you all riled up? Please?” she asked as sweetly as she could.
He held her, bodies close. Speaking softer as if embarrassed by his earlier explosion. “There’s a man on my land who says Karen Coleman sent him to do an assessment for oil.”
