For a woman who had tried holding herself away from him when he first mounted behind her, she totally rested against him now. Something he greatly approved of. Her hands upon his forearms and her head settled along his shoulder, gracing him with tantalizing whiffs of the inviting scent compilation she wore—cranberries with a hint of vanilla.
When he’d found her sleeping beneath the tree, he’d wanted to jump down and gather her close. The dried tearstains on her face cut him deeper than he’d like to acknowledge. He bet anything it had to do with her mother. Rosa told him she’d left the ranch earlier today. Combined with what Frank had said, he’d pieced it together.
Kilburn snorted and sidestepped, pulling his attention from the vixen in his arms and returning it to their surroundings.
“Are they dangerous?” Laciee whispered, pressing into him a bit more.
He found what she had spied. Coyotes. About five of them wandered as they scavenged for food.
“No.”
“Don’t most ranchers kill them?”
He grunted. “Yes. But they forget that coyotes are needed to help balance the ecosystem. I’ve not had problems with them. They’re a bit small to go after cattle in a herd and we have the dogs as extra protection.”
“So you don’t set out to kill them?”
He frowned. “Why would I? They were here long before we were. They’re only trying to make a living for themselves. I don’t condone killing them just because they are carnivores.”
“You’re a different man, Judd Travers.”
“Is that a good thing?” he asked as Kilburn carefully picked his footing down the small decline, leaving the coyotes to their own devices.
“Yes. Refreshing.”
Hadn’t ever been called that before. He smiled before he realized it. “You really need to meet other people, darlin’. I’m just me.”
“Hard working cowboy.”
He dipped his head and brushed his lips along her ear. “Yes, ma’am.” Her little shiver affected him deeply.
“I never thought of Texas as beautiful until now. Riding this, with you, I can see the allure it has to people.”
His free hand flexed around her as pleasure raced through him at her honest and heartfelt admission. “Glad to be with you when you realized how beautiful she is.”
Laciee shifted closer to him and he tightened his grip around her. “She?”
He nodded as he gazed around. “Yes. She. Texas. The land.”
She murmured her understanding and turned her head so her cheek rested against the plane of his chest. Christ, he would love to keep her like this forever. When she fell asleep he licked his lips and gazed at her. The amount of trust she showed staggered him. Brushing his lips along her forehead, he allowed himself a moment of fantasy belief that she was his and was staying here on the Flying T with him.
He didn’t rush Kilburn, just allowed the gelding to pick his own way. It didn’t matter to him how long it took to return to the barn. Judd was perfectly content holding the woman in his arms. When the buildings did come into view, he kissed her again.
“Wake up, darlin’.”
“I fell asleep?” Her question was soft and stroked his skin as if she did so herself.
“Yes. We’re almost back.”
“I’m so sorry, you were showing me your ranch and I…I…I’m sorry.”
“Not a problem. You needed to sleep.”
He held her close when she made to pull away from him, liking her near. A few of the ranch hands watched them as they headed for the barn but other than greetings, no one said or made any untoward comments or expressions. Judd swung down before lifting Laciee free from the saddle. Her curves slid against him and he had to remind himself they were being watched.
She looked tousled and slightly sleepy. But her smile was pure and honest.
“Can I help you take care of him?” she asked, turning slightly to touch Kilburn. “Poor baby had to work then carry my extra weight.”
Judd rolled his eyes when his gelding snorted pathetically and
When he’d found her sleeping beneath the tree, he’d wanted to jump down and gather her close. The dried tearstains on her face cut him deeper than he’d like to acknowledge. He bet anything it had to do with her mother. Rosa told him she’d left the ranch earlier today. Combined with what Frank had said, he’d pieced it together.
Kilburn snorted and sidestepped, pulling his attention from the vixen in his arms and returning it to their surroundings.
“Are they dangerous?” Laciee whispered, pressing into him a bit more.
He found what she had spied. Coyotes. About five of them wandered as they scavenged for food.
“No.”
“Don’t most ranchers kill them?”
He grunted. “Yes. But they forget that coyotes are needed to help balance the ecosystem. I’ve not had problems with them. They’re a bit small to go after cattle in a herd and we have the dogs as extra protection.”
“So you don’t set out to kill them?”
He frowned. “Why would I? They were here long before we were. They’re only trying to make a living for themselves. I don’t condone killing them just because they are carnivores.”
“You’re a different man, Judd Travers.”
“Is that a good thing?” he asked as Kilburn carefully picked his footing down the small decline, leaving the coyotes to their own devices.
“Yes. Refreshing.”
Hadn’t ever been called that before. He smiled before he realized it. “You really need to meet other people, darlin’. I’m just me.”
“Hard working cowboy.”
He dipped his head and brushed his lips along her ear. “Yes, ma’am.” Her little shiver affected him deeply.
“I never thought of Texas as beautiful until now. Riding this, with you, I can see the allure it has to people.”
His free hand flexed around her as pleasure raced through him at her honest and heartfelt admission. “Glad to be with you when you realized how beautiful she is.”
Laciee shifted closer to him and he tightened his grip around her. “She?”
He nodded as he gazed around. “Yes. She. Texas. The land.”
She murmured her understanding and turned her head so her cheek rested against the plane of his chest. Christ, he would love to keep her like this forever. When she fell asleep he licked his lips and gazed at her. The amount of trust she showed staggered him. Brushing his lips along her forehead, he allowed himself a moment of fantasy belief that she was his and was staying here on the Flying T with him.
He didn’t rush Kilburn, just allowed the gelding to pick his own way. It didn’t matter to him how long it took to return to the barn. Judd was perfectly content holding the woman in his arms. When the buildings did come into view, he kissed her again.
“Wake up, darlin’.”
“I fell asleep?” Her question was soft and stroked his skin as if she did so herself.
“Yes. We’re almost back.”
“I’m so sorry, you were showing me your ranch and I…I…I’m sorry.”
“Not a problem. You needed to sleep.”
He held her close when she made to pull away from him, liking her near. A few of the ranch hands watched them as they headed for the barn but other than greetings, no one said or made any untoward comments or expressions. Judd swung down before lifting Laciee free from the saddle. Her curves slid against him and he had to remind himself they were being watched.
She looked tousled and slightly sleepy. But her smile was pure and honest.
“Can I help you take care of him?” she asked, turning slightly to touch Kilburn. “Poor baby had to work then carry my extra weight.”
Judd rolled his eyes when his gelding snorted pathetically and
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