Page 3 of A Rancher's Heart
Caleb wasn’t sure if it was a blessing or curse, but he nodded. “Spaghetti sauce is in the crockpot, so you don’t need anything—”
Luke waved a hand. “I can figure it out,” he said easily. “Ginny and Dare aren’t the only ones who’ve spent time taking care of your kids.”
An arrow of guilt shot straight through Caleb, the barbs on the shaft slicing hard.
Luke must’ve seen him cringe. “Hey, that wasn’t a complaint. I’m damn glad to spend time as Uncle Luke. But you should go before I change my mind and make you do my chores in exchange.”
Caleb slapped him on the shoulder in thanks.
He finished a couple tasks in the barn over the next hour before using that free time. He let his horse take her head as they wandered toward wherever, thoughts drifting until he realized they were headed to what had to be his favourite spot on the whole Silver Stone ranch.
Obviously, his horse felt the same way as she glided down to the pool at the base of Heart Falls.
The land in this small section was accessible from a road off the public highway, and it had been willed over to the community. The family had placed a bench far above the water for people to sit and enjoy the view. On warm summer nights teenagers used the trail to get to the rocks so they could jump into the cool depths, and they’d occasionally ask permission to float down the river that started there and passed through Silver Stone.
Caleb sat on Lacey’s back and stared over the water, watching the sun glitter off the water’s surface, like sunshine on morning dew. He took a deep breath of the fresh air, and the sound of the falls rolled through him and soothed the tension that had built up.
As head of Silver Stone ranch, he had to make the right decisions. If he screwed up, they could lose it all, but in that a moment right there and then, it was if the land itself saideverything is going to be okay.
God, he hoped it was true.
He closed his eyes and took another deep breath, soaking it in. Feeling calm settle into his soul, and it felt good.
Until it didn’t.
An unwelcome sensation stole over him. He slid off his horse, dropping the reins to let her graze as he fought with himself.
How had Luke described him? Solid and predictable?Fah. Code words for old and boring. As if the only reason a woman would be willing to come and stay in his house was because he wassafe.
Which wasn’t all bad. Hell if he wanted Tamara, or anyone else to be scared of him, but—
He found himself grasping the bottom of his shirt, lifting it over his head as he toed off his boots and stripped. A full-out grin rose to his cheeks. The water would be icy cold. It was probably the last week of the year before snow fell in earnest, but to hell with logic.
Not known for his impulsive moves? Try this one on for size.
He stepped to the edge of the rocks and stared into the deep blue depths.
I bet Tamara would be daring enough to jump.
The mental tease sent another shot of lust through him along with the naked image of his soon-to-be but very-much-hands-off nanny…
Jeez, now he needed the ice water to cool the fire in his veins.
Considering voyeurism wasn’t one of Tamara’s kinks, she’d had more run-ins with nudity than the average woman. Even now as she sat minding her own business, she had to admit the surprise show was proving spectacular.
Shadows cast by the towering pines to the west were playing peekaboo with his face, and he was mostly in profile, but even if the man had been in full sun she was far enough away she wouldn’t have been able to spot details like facial features. She had no idea who he was, which meant she didn’t know if she should feel guilty for ogling him.
He could be a married man, or the Heart Falls Community Church pastor communing with nature—although ifthatwas the local man of the cloth, she was about to have a religious experience.
Ignorance was one benefit of being new to town.
It was also a downfall as she’d have all sorts ofnewto contend with over the next days and weeks. She was mostly looking forward to it. After twenty-nine years in one spot, the idea of a fresh start appealed to her. She was going to miss her family, most of them, but a change had been needed.
Her mystery man was now naked from the waist up, his face hidden in shadows. Solid muscles flexed in his biceps and chest as he shoved his jeans and the rest to the ground. She wished her observation spot on the trail was a little closer to the pool, because while the view was lovely, it was too far away to offer details beyond generalities. Trim hips, strong thighs. Not an inch of fat on him.
She pushed her glasses into place and sighed happily.
Yes, this new beginning was going to work just fine if this was how they did things in Heart Falls.
