Rachel opened the door, and Chloe escorted Jade to her car. They stowed her bag in the backseat, and Jade slid in behind the wheel. With a wave, she took off down the drive and turned east, toward Triple C Ranch-Central. Soon, she had stopped along the horseshoe drive in almost the same spot and at almost the same time as she had last Thursday afternoon.
Except nothing was the same. Jade’s hands gripped the steering wheel as she looked over her right shoulder at Chase’s magnificent, mountain-style house. The towering portico and double front doors led the way into the world of an intimidating and overwhelming man. A real live cowboy who expertly ran a huge cattle ranch. He lived a life and lifestyle she had never before experienced. When exactly had she fallen for Chase Cooper? The moment she saw him? Was that why she’d been so tongue-tied last Thursday? Quietly trying to take him, his family, the brunette, the horses all in at once? It had been then and still was daunting.
She hung her head. Could she drag Chase into her world? No, and she had already decided he wasn’t interested in her past this weekend anyway. Should she leave her world? She certainly needed to do so. Being with Chase, his family, and friends had magnified what was normal and what was not. She had to figure a way out of her mess and get her life back. Instead of turning off the engine, she put the gearshift into reverse and looked over her left shoulder, preparing to leave.
“You comin’ or goin’?”
Jade swiveled her head right and saw Chase. Black hat, snug Triple C Ranch white tee shirt, blue jeans, and black boots, he casually leaned against a portico pillar like the cowboy stud he was. She put the car in park and turned off the engine. Grabbing her hat off the seat beside her, she opened her door and hopped out.
Jade’s heart answered for her head, “Coming.”
Chase let out a wolf whistle as he walked toward her. When he opened his arms, she sashayed to him. Still holding her hat, she wrapped both arms around his neck. Scooping her up against him, her feet left the ground. When they kissed, her legs lassoed his waist. His strong hands cupped her fanny as he carried her toward the open front door. He walked into the house and shoved the door shut behind him before breaking their kiss.
* * *
In her absence,he said he’d dealt with a couple of ranch matters, showered, and then saddled Valor and Jubilee. Hand-in-hand, they walked through the great room and kitchen to the backdoor. The horses were waiting for them in the stables.
“What’s the first rule, buttercup?”
“A handsome cowboy told me to never mount your horse in the barn because if it rears up, you could be hurt,” Jade said. “Always mount outside.”
“Right,” Chase said seriously as they led the horses out of the stables and into the afternoon sun. Reins in her left hand, Jade placed that hand on Jubilee’s withers and her right hand on the saddle’s cantle. She was ready to give a little hop when Chase’s hands gripped her waist. From behind, he pulled her hair aside and kissed her neck. “I missed you.”
“I missed you too,” Jade turned in his embrace, stood on tiptoes, and kissed him. Instead of crying at having to say goodbye so soon, she said, “Saddle up, and I’ll race you to Cash’s.”
“I don’t think so.” Chase laughed and gave her a boost onto Jubilee. Jade arched a brow as if she might take off. “The long weekend is almost over, don’t press your luck.”
Jade laughed, but an arrow shot through her heart and soul at how quickly the glorious holiday was ending. She wished it could be Thursday all over again. In the saddle on Valor, Chase nudged the stallion into a trot, and Jubilee kept pace. Every minute was precious to Jade, and she impressed the details in her brain—Chase’s laugh and the sexy timbre of his deep voice.
When he grinned, it was cocky, and when he smiled, her cares floated into oblivion. Each wink he gave her made her want another one. His low groan made her tingle. Glimpses into his life—whether it was something about him, his ranch, his family, or friends who were like family—thrilled her.
* * *
Chase tooka trail off the back road that led to a creek. They dismounted and let the horses drink. In the distance, some of his cattle meandered and grazed. From a saddlebag, Chase produced two bottles of water and gave her one. Sitting down under a shade-tree, he leaned against it. Jade sat down next to him, having so much to say she didn’t know where to begin. Chase tipped his water bottle to his mouth. Jade gripped hers in her lap as he silently waited.
“I am under a two-year contract as a therapist with Mateo Spatafore,” she blurted out, not looking at Chase. “That contract includes a no-compete clause. I’m also under a two-year contract as a model with Franco Spatafore. His contract includes all of those strict rules about what I can and cannot do so that no harm comes to…to—”
“Your face or body.”
Straightening her backbone, she said, “Yes.”
“Two contracts must mean two salaries,” Chase said.
“Yes, but they’re so…” she couldn’t find the right word.
“Time-consuming?”
“Controlling.” She looked at him then. “Suffocating. Exhausting.” She pressed her lips together and shook her head. “When I signed those contracts, I had no idea they would strangle me. I’ve done nothing except see clients five, sometimes six days a week, from morning until night. As soon as I get home, if Franco doesn’t show up, I study my equine therapy online. When I’m not at the office, I’m obligated to do photography shoots at Pikes Peak, Garden of the Gods, or the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. This weekend is the first free time I’ve had for an entire year.”
Chase shrugged. “So quit.”
“If only.” A laugh of defeat escaped Jade, and she shook her head. “Even if I quit today, the no-compete clause prevents me from working within a hundred-mile radius of Colorado Springs for one full year.” Jade shook her head. “Not only that, the Spatafores bought my plane ticket and gave me a ten-thousand-dollar sign-on bonus. I used most of the bonus to put a down payment on my car and buy some furniture for the house I rent from Franco. If I quit before the two years are up, I have to pay back every dime in one lump sum. If I can’t work in the Springs because of Mateo’s no-compete clause, I’ll have to break the lease on Franco’s rental house.” With the fingers of both hands, she rubbed her forehead. “There would be no end to the legal trouble. I thought I had struck a good deal, but…” She shrugged.
“But what?”
“It’s not a healthy, normal working relationship.”
“I agree.” Chase nodded. “Have you tried telling them how you feel?”
