Wishing for the Rancher’s Love (High Country Ranch #5)

Chapter 6

6

“You look nice tonight.” Grady two-stepped with Willa, one hand holding hers and the other on her shoulder blade at her back.

She was smiling up at him—had actually been smiling at him since he’d arrived an hour ago at Inman’s Lodge. “Thank you, Grady. I appreciate the compliment. Again.”

Blast. How many times had he told her she looked nice? He’d lost count. She did look pretty in her striped skirt and matching blouse. Her dark hair was curled in fancy ringlets, and her pale face had a flush tonight.

Maybe he kept complimenting her because he was hoping that if he told her how nice she looked, he’d convince himself to be attracted to her. Because she was pretty and sweet.

Fiddle music and foot-stomping filled the lodge along with laughter. The air was stale in the crowded room, even though the double doors were wide open and letting in the cold November air.

The lodge, made of log walls and a low ceiling, was the meeting place for social clubs, political rallies, holiday parties, and other gatherings. It didn’t have many windows and was always dark inside, especially at night, even though lanterns had been lit and hung from the rafters around the large room.

Two fiddlers stood at the far side next to the dancing. On the opposite end, the dessert table was filled with cakes and pies along with coffee and lemonade. The sponsors of the dance never allowed any spirits, hoping to provide an alternative to the bawdy dance halls on Main Street, where the dancing girls and drinks attracted a rougher crowd.

Not that Grady had ever gone to the dance halls or saloons. Those places didn’t appeal to him, and even if they had, his dad would have whupped him good if he’d ever even thought of taking up the pastime of drinking and womanizing.

Willa was studying his face, nibbling on her bottom lip and likely trying to figure out what to talk about next. He knew he wasn’t the best conversationalist, unlike his dad, who could carry on a discussion with a barn door. Even so, he needed to make more of an effort to keep the exchanges with Willa going, and so far he hadn’t done much.

If he had any hope of winning the challenge his dad had given him last evening, then he couldn’t sit back and be passive about getting to know Willa. He had to be intentional and attentive. Although he’d never had a serious relationship, he’d mingled enough to know that the early stage was awkward and uncomfortable. It took time to move beyond that.

The trouble was, he didn’t have a lot of time to spare—not if he hoped to beat his dad. He never would have guessed his dad was capable of moving so fast, already visiting Mrs. Meriwether and setting up supper plans. But clearly his dad was taking the challenge seriously.

Grady needed to as well.

He shifted in the two-step for several more moves before clearing his throat. “How is business at the hotel?”

“It seems to be good.” Her eyes were wide upon him and shining with an admiration that was so different from the fire that was usually in Clementine’s eyes. That was because Clementine was always so passionate about everything—and, okay, yes, mad at him half the time.

Regardless, he never had any trouble keeping up a conversation with her. There was no pretending, no tiptoeing around, and no false compliments. He could say whatever he wanted, and she could do the same.

So far, he hadn’t seen her at the dance. John and his friends weren’t there either. Which was good, because he’d warned them that morning when he’d hiked up to the mine, not to come to the dance, not to go to any more hockey games, and most certainly not to be seen within shooting distance of Clementine.

He’d only had to pound one fist—into John’s ribs—to emphasize how serious he was about the boundaries. Although he’d learned the truth about John’s cheating ways, he wasn’t convinced that John was the one leaving the flowers and notes.

“I keep really busy,” Willa said with a soft laugh. “So that must mean we’re doing all right.”

“That’s good.” Her answer wasn’t what he’d wanted to hear. He was interested in the details of the hotel, like how many customers they had on average, what was the revenue versus costs, and how many staff they used to maintain the day-to-day operations. Since his dad owned a couple of hotels in Georgetown, Grady was already knowledgeable about what the business entailed and had considered the option of building a hotel in Breckenridge, especially if the population continued to increase.

But he couldn’t ask Willa business questions. He needed to be more practical. “What kinds of things do you do each day?” That was a topic that would get her talking, wasn’t it?

Willa moved her fingers against his. They were so thin and delicate and tentative. “I help make and serve breakfast to our guests.”

He nodded, but his attention caught upon Clementine entering through the open double doors. She was radiating with life and vibrancy, especially as she shared laughter with the young man whose arm she held.

She was attired in the dark-green skirt and bodice she’d worn before, but for some reason, tonight the hue was brighter and made the red highlights in her loose blond hair shimmer and the green of her eyes sparkle like jewels.

She seemed to be hanging on to every word from her escort. And she was hanging on to him literally, both of her hands wrapped through his arm and her shoulder pressed against his.

It was Jeremy Usher, the blacksmith’s assistant. He was swaggering beside her, peering down at her with an enormous grin, as if he’d just struck a mother lode. He must have been saying something witty, because her laughter rang out above the din of everything and everyone else.

Or maybe the noise level had dropped, because most people had stopped talking to take in Clementine. How could they not be drawn to look at her with how striking she was?

But why had she come with Jeremy, who was nothing more than an overgrown child? Since the blacksmith’s shop was next to the livery, Grady saw more of Jeremy every day than he wanted to. While Jeremy was a strong fellow who worked hard, he was also loud, obnoxious, and hardly ever serious about anything.

As the two began hanging their coats on the already overflowing coat tree, Jeremy pointed a finger at one of his friends and yelled a greeting. Another one of Jeremy’s friends stepped away from the dance floor and shoulder-bumped Jeremy, all the while keeping his eyes on Clementine.

In return, she gave the friend one of her flirtatious smiles.

Grady’s gut began to churn. This was bad. She was drawing lots of attention.

He glanced around at the faces of the other young men. If the fellow who’d sent her the roses was here, what would he think of her tonight? What if that fellow was Jeremy Usher?

Grady had absolutely no evidence that would implicate Jeremy, but at this point, every man Clementine associated with was a suspect.

“Should we go talk to Clementine?” Willa’s question penetrated through Grady’s racing thoughts.

Only then did he realize he’d stopped dancing, released Willa, and taken a step away from her. She was peering at Clementine hesitantly, as if she didn’t really want to mingle with her friend.

“No.” He didn’t want to talk to Clementine or look at her. He needed to pretend she didn’t exist and enjoy the rest of his evening with Willa.

But as he reached for Willa’s hand again, Clementine’s laughter wafted across the distance and coiled around his chest, squeezing it tight. She probably shouldn’t have come. But now that she was here, she needed to be quieter and subtler, and she definitely shouldn’t be flirting with every man who approached her.

With a frustrated sigh, he took hold of Willa and started to dance again. Her bright smile was gone, and a timid one had taken its place—one that said she wasn’t sure what was going on anymore.

He wasn’t sure what was going on either, except that his frustrations and worries about Clementine were swirling in their own two-step. He couldn’t let her presence ruin his night. He had to take control of himself and the situation.

Steeling his back, he forced a smile for Willa—or at least as much of one as he could muster. Then he began dancing again, trying to ignore Clementine only a dozen paces away. But somehow, as usual, his body was attuned to every move she made, just as it had been at the hockey game last night.

He wished he weren’t so aware of her. And he wished his thoughts wouldn’t stray to her so often. But that was how it had always been with her, even when they’d been friends, and he supposed the habit was just too hard to break after so many years.

Even though she’d come with Jeremy, she danced with several of his friends, laughing and gushing over them as if they were circus stars. By the time she’d finished with her third dance partner, Grady’s gut was a tangle of tight knots. When she stepped away, she happened to glance Grady’s way, where he was still attempting to dance with Willa and make small talk, although he wasn’t doing a good job of either if her growing frown was any indication.

His gaze snagged with Clementine’s, and she raised her brows to question why he was watching her. He lifted his in return, asking why she was looking at him.

She tilted up her chin and nose, denying she had any interest in him and Willa and their dancing.

He smirked, knowing full well his little half smile irritated her to no end. Then he twirled Willa and drew her closer. Not too close but enough to show Clementine he was enjoying the dance.

Her eyes narrowed just slightly. Then she pursed her lips together and glanced around. She found Jeremy, who was standing by the dessert tables and joking with one of his friends. She wound her way through the crowd, grabbed his arm, and began to drag him back to the dancing. Once there, she wrapped both arms around his neck, stood on her toes, and brushed a kiss to his mouth.

The touch was only for half a second. Maybe not even that. Either way, it was too long.

Grady halted abruptly, a shot of anger stiffening his muscles. What was Clementine doing?

She darted a look his way, then smirked back.

Was she going around kissing fellows just to spite him? That was ridiculous. Someone had to make her come to her senses.

And that someone had to be him.

“Excuse me, Willa.” Without even looking at Willa, he let go of her and stalked toward Clementine, not caring that he was bumping people out of his way.

Her back was turned to him, but he had a full view of Jeremy, who was grinning and starting to wrap his arms around Clementine in return, his eyes wide and filled with desire. He was probably planning to kiss Clementine back and wouldn’t resort to a half-second peck. No, the fellow would take advantage of the situation and get in a big, long kiss.

Grady could feel a growl forming deep in his chest, and with the last two strides, he lunged for Clementine. Grabbing hold of her waist, he wrenched her out of Jeremy’s arms.

Clementine released a surprised screech.

Grady dragged her back several steps, not caring what anyone else thought of what he was doing.

As she twisted in his hold, she began to wriggle to free herself. “Grady Worth, you let go of me this instant.”

“No way. You’re going home.”

“I am not.”

“Oh yes you are.”

“You’re not in charge of me, Grady, even though you think you are.” She wrenched against him and almost broke free.

He repositioned his hands on her hips, then did the first thing that came to mind. He picked her up and slung her over his shoulder.

She released a startled scream.

He clamped his arm over her legs, dangling down his chest, and then headed toward the door.

“What do you think you’re doing?” She pounded a fist against his back. “Put me down!”

He didn’t answer, just strode through the crowd, which was thankfully parting on both sides, giving him plenty of room to make his escape. The music had come to an abrupt halt, and the chatter in the room was fading. He could sense all eyes upon them, and he knew he was causing a commotion.

But causing a commotion this way was better than letting her make a scene with Jeremy. With another kiss.

She slapped his back again. “You’re a brute. Do you know that? A pompous, rude brute.”

He honestly didn’t care if he was being a brute. He was too mad to care.

With a heavy stride, he pushed past the last of the dancers and out the door. A lantern hung from a metal lamppost beside the sprawling log structure, casting a warm glow over the front yard with a stone patio and benches on either side.

A couple was sitting on the bench and appeared to be kissing. At the sight—and sound—of his stomping approach with Clementine, the young couple jumped up and separated quickly, then peered up into the sky as if they’d been doing nothing more than stargazing.

Grady didn’t give them more than a cursory glance, not with Clementine ranting even louder with each step he took. As she tried to slide down, he held on tighter even as he wished he’d brought a wagon so he could toss her in the back, tie her up, and take her home.

But as he reached the rows of wagons and horses and hitching posts, he slowed down. The rage that had reared up inside him seemed to be slowing as well, allowing for a slight window of sanity.

He was breathing hard, although he wasn’t sure why, because he hadn’t exerted himself all that much—no more than he did when he was on the ice. Clearly he’d gotten worked up in his anger and frustration. But he was only taking care of Clementine the way he’d promised his mom before she’d died. That’s all this whole situation was—his making sure Clementine stayed out of trouble.

He stepped between two wagons and finally stopped. Now that he was away from the lodge and all the light, the darkness of the night circled around him, giving him some privacy.

“You’re in big trouble, Grady,” Clementine said, her voice muffled behind him. She’d ceased her pounding and wriggling and now lay still across his shoulder.

Only then did he realize where his arm was holding her. Across the back of her thighs and brushing against her hindquarter. A well-rounded and firm hindquarter.

A surge of heat pumped through his gut—heat that was rising in temperature because of her proximity and her womanliness. He didn’t want to think about her that way, didn’t want to be affected by her allure the way other men were, didn’t want to have any longings for her at all. But there was no denying the burning in his veins.

He had to put her down. Now. Before he thought about the rest of her body pressed over his shoulder and against his back.

Carefully, so that he didn’t let himself feel any more of her, he set her on her feet.

The moment she was standing and her arms were free, she lifted a hand to smack him across the face.

His reflexes were quick from hockey, and he captured her wrist before she could connect with his cheek.

Even though they had only the faint light from Inman’s Lodge around them, he could see the fury in her eyes and in the tight lines of her expression. “How dare you?” she hissed.

“I had every right to protect you.” His whisper was cantankerous, but he didn’t care.

“Protect me from what? A kiss?” Her whisper rose. “Well, thank you for rescuing me. I was in so much danger from that kiss.”

He released a soft scoff. “That wasn’t a kiss.”

“It most certainly was.” She pushed her pointer finger into his chest. “It was a good kiss.”

“You obviously don’t know what a good kiss is.”

“And you do?”

“Of course.”

“You’re so arrogant.”

Somehow during their arguing, they’d ended up mere inches apart, and he was still holding her wrist. Her face was upturned, her cheeks flushed, and her hair mussed. Why did she have to be so blasted pretty, even when she was angry?

Her finger on his sternum lightened, then her palm came to rest against him. Her gaze swept around his face and landed on his mouth.

Why was she looking at his mouth?

That same heat from moments ago pulsed into his blood. “It’s not arrogant to state a fact.”

“And what fact is that?” She was still studying his mouth.

“The fact that I’m a good kisser.” He needed to tell her to stop looking at him that way. It was making him think things he shouldn’t. Like what it would feel like to have her lips against his.

Her gaze shifted to his. Even though the fury was simmering there from before, something else was there too. Was it interest?

He quirked his brow. Did she want him to show her how he kissed?

As though sensing his question, or maybe seeing the rise of his brow, she scoffed and started to push at his chest.

He grabbed her wrist on that hand too, so he was now gripping both wrists and holding her in place. “Guess now’s as good a time as any to prove that I’m right.”

“Or wrong.” She didn’t try to pull away. Instead, she seemed to be waiting. “You’re almost always wrong.”

“You know I’m almost always right.” His gaze fell to her lips as if drawn there by a power he couldn’t resist. The second he let himself look at her pretty, sassy lips, all he could do was bend in and take those pretty, sassy lips with his.

As his lips touched hers, her lashes dropped, and she released a surprised gasp that he captured hungrily. His hands slid from her wrists up her arms. In the next second, her fingers clutched at his shirt as though she needed to keep from sinking down. Then she twisted his shirt and jerked him nearer.

The jerk seemed to loosen something inside him. He could only describe it as raw need. Not need for just any woman. No, this need was for only her. And it coursed through him with a strength that left him breathless.

As he fused his mouth more deeply with hers, she didn’t seem to know quite how to respond. And for a reason he couldn’t explain, he was relieved that she wasn’t practiced at kissing—at least, beyond anything quick and chaste. Even if she flirted all the time, she’d been smart enough to set boundaries.

It was a good thing. Because just one taste of her lips would make any man a goner.

Those lips had a softness that was both pliable and firm—just like her, sweet at times and frustrating at others. As she finally caught on to meshing her lips with his and started kissing him back, the eagerness of her mouth against his sent a fresh burst of flames through his body, setting him on fire.

He didn’t want to feel this kind of need for her, didn’t want to desire her, didn’t want to kiss her. But when she rose into the kiss even more fully and began to stir against him with a clear need of her own, he forced back a groan of pleasure.

He’d never expected to be kissing Clementine, the woman who was a thorn in his side. And he’d most certainly never expected it to be like this.