Page 46 of Unexpected Temptation
“No, it’s so much more than I expected.”She looked up at him in amazement.“How did I not hear any of this?We’re not even a quarter of a mile away, are we?”
“It has something to do with the grove of trees between us and the fact that the wind is usually going away from us.It makes a big difference.I can definitely hear this at the cabin when the wind is up and coming my way.”
“You’ve done all of this in the short time you’ve been home from the military?”
“Yeah, a great uncle owned it.His health was failing, and he couldn’t be this far from the hospital.Sadly, he only lasted a few weeks after he sold.”
Jaylen looked around the place.He wished his uncle had lived long enough to see it.At least Jaylen had been able to make the last days of his life as comfortable and enjoyable as possible.He’d put him in the best retirement home he found within driving range and had visited him every day.He’d been there with his family when he’d taken his last breath, so he had never been alone.
“When I bought the place, it had the cabin and a dilapidated barn.The first thing I did was take the barn down and build a new one.I brought in a few horses and started training.”
“How did you learn to do that?”Amelia asked as her eyes darted from one thing to another, trying to take it all in.
“I grew up on a ranch in western Texas.”
“Is your family still there?”
“No, my dad passed away a while ago, and I was already in the military so I couldn’t help my mom or sisters with the ranch.Mom decided to sell it and move her and the girls closer to me here in Utah.”
“How close do they live?”
“They’re about a three-hour drive from here.I try to see them a couple of times a year.They’ve been up here a few times.There’s not enough space for them to stay for long, and I can’t be away from the ranch for long periods.I’m looking forward to building a big enough house for several bedrooms.A few for guests and the rest for our children.”
Amelia slid her gaze up to his to catch him smiling down at her.
“Going a little fast again?”Amelia asked with a smirk on her face.
Jaylen shrugged and pulled her closer to him with his arm around her shoulders.
“Maybe, but I’m pretty confident we’ll work out.”
Amelia snorted.She stiffened, and a whimper escaped when she caught sight of Wolf walking their way.
“Easy, Sweetheart.He won’t hurt you.”
Jaylen gave the beast a sit command and then grabbed her hand.
“Here, let him smell your hand.”
She tried to pull away.“Oh,God, I’m going to have my hand ripped off,” she whimpered under her breath.
Jaylen bit back his chuckle.“Don’t worry, Sweetheart.I won’t let you go, and I definitely won’t let him rip your hand off.”
“I know I must look like a wuss, but I’ve really never petted a dog in my life.”
Wolf sniffed her for a moment, then swiped his tongue over her fingers.
“Yuk!”she said and chuckled.
Jaylen released her and laughed when she held her hand out in front of her face with a disgusted look on her face.
“Just wipe your hand on your jeans.”
Amelia scrunched up her nose and wiped the drool away from her fingers.
“We’ll spend more time with him so you can get used to him.”
She didn’t want to think about that yet.She was still terrified of the dog, and she didn’t know how she’d be able to get over it.
