“I can certainly relate,” Jade said, glancing at him with a soft smile. “My grandmother took my mom’s death really hard and passed shortly after she died.”
“What about your dad?” he asked. Jade was becoming accustomed to the motion of the horse and not slipping around as much. But taking a moment to adjust herself in the saddle, when she didn’t answer right away, Chase asked, “Sore subject, or are you just getting sore?”
“Maybe a little of both,” Jade admitted and laughed. She was telling Chase more about herself than she’d told anyone. But somehow, she felt inexplicably safe doing so, or maybe he was just good at getting information out of her. Either way, she heard herself say, “I never knew my father or his side of the family. He was just a sperm donor.”
Chase frowned. “His loss.”
“My grandfather raised me and more than filled his shoes.”
“Good.” With a nod, Chase said, “We’re almost to Cash’s place.”
* * *
They journeyedin silence until Cash’s ranch came into view. Just like Chloe had said, five smaller houses set at the rear of a large, rambling ranch house. Chase agreed that Cash’s guests paid well for the dude ranch experience. But he added that Cash worked as hard as he and Chloe did to keep it all well-supplied and running smoothly. Besides his ranch hands, helping Cash on his ranch were longtime employees, Sam, wife Kellie, and their grown son, Jeff.
Chase headed the horses toward a water trough outside a massive building he said was a combination retail store and horse stables with twenty stalls. Asking her not to dismount, he did so and then came to her. She slid into his arms, and her body brushed his. Looking up at him, she thanked him and stepped back. He took the reins to both horses and walked them to the trough. He let them drink, then motioned to her before tethering the horses in the shade of the building. Inside the stables, Jade saw horses in about half of the stalls. Cash, wearing a dark gray cowboy hat and dark gray tee shirt with a Triple C Ranch logo above his heart, was talking to a brunette with a braid down her back.
“Speak of the devil,” Cash said. “Here’s Chase, now.”
“Hello, Chase,” Kendra Desmond said, holding a brown paper sack.
“Hello,” Chase replied. He took off his sunglasses as Jade removed hers. “Hey Cash, we’re here for some,” he paused and looked at her, “what size shoe do you wear?”
“Seven.”
“Size 7 boots.”
If looks could kill, Kendra’s glare would have dropped Jade dead in her tracks.
“Come on, Jade, my store is just over here.” Cash pointed to a glass door through which boots, hats, and saddles could be seen. “I have the perfect handmade cowgirl boots for you.”
As she left with Cash, Jade saw Chase place his cell phone to his ear and heard Kendra Desmond doing her best to distract him.
CHAPTERFIVE
Chase watched the beautiful blonde walk away from him as the brash brunette clutched his upper left arm. The horse deal was done. What did Kendra Desmond want? He knew the answer. He ended the call he’d made and was glad for a reprieve as a call from Bob came in right after it.
“What brings you to Triple C Ranch-East, Kendra?” he asked after pocketing his phone.
“Stopped by your house first, but you weren’t home. I brought you a gift to show off your bulges,” she said with a quick glance below his belt buckle as she squeezed a bicep muscle. When he didn’t reply, she pulled a black tee shirt out of the paper sack. On the front was a red silhouette of a horse. She flipped it around, and on the back, written in red, wasProperty of Desmond Horse Ranch. “Try it on.”
“I wear my own brand. Thanks anyway.”
“It’s extra-large.” Undeterred, Kendra held the shirt against his chest. Standing on tiptoes, she smoothed the sleeves over his shoulders, brushing her breasts against him. “Feels just right.”
Over her shoulder, Chase saw Jade, carrying her sandals, returning with Cash. For a split second, surprise registered on Jade’s face at seeing Kendra draped over him, then Jade turned and spoke to Cash. Chase swept the tee shirt and Kendra’s hands off him. He looked at Jade’s feet and nodded at seeing the fancy and feminine yet sturdy pair of red boots. Red leather tassels decorated the outer sides, with a traditional heel and sole in black.
“As good a choice as your hat. I like ‘em,” Chase said. “What do you think, Jade?”
“Perfectly gorgeous!” she exclaimed, looking down at them. “Cash matched them up with this red leather belt and buckle, but he won’t tell me what I owe him.”
“You don’t own me a thing, Jade,” Cash said with a smile and looked at Chase. “Chloe says it’s Jade’s birthday, so the buckle and belt are on me, Chase.”
“A Triple C Ranch silver buckle,” Chase said. “Well done, little brother. What do I owe you for the boots?”
Cash held up his right hand, indicating five hundred dollars, “But hey, I also threw in a pair of red socks.”
“My gosh!” Jade gasped and walked to a wooden bench outside of the store. “I owe you for the socks, Cash.” She sat down, crossed her right foot over her left knee, and grabbed the heel of the right boot. “Gentlemen, thank you from the bottom of my heart, but I can’t accept such extravagant gifts.”
