“Crockett and I are hungry,”Coop said, breaking into Chase’s disgruntlement. “Let’s go to my place and eat. I’ve got some good’n tender barbecue beef in the Crock-Pot.”
“Let’s go,” Cash agreed, taking hold of Captain Jack’s reins, he saddled up. Like Bowie, the red dun stallion had been bred and born on Triple C Ranch-East. Coop had suggested Cash name him after a hero like he’d done in naming Bowie after Jim Bowie of Alamo fame. So, Cash had named his horse Captain Jack Sparrow. Coop had rolled his eyes, Chase had chuckled at the generation gap, and Captain Jack had stuck. “You coming with us, Chase?”
“Hell yes,” Chase grumbled, stepping into the saddle on Valor.
“You coming, Crockett?” Coop asked.
The cattle dog barked and led the horses away from the stables. The stables, barn, and a four-car garage all bore the Triple C Ranch brand—cCc. It was the same brand Chase used on his cattle. He glanced at the branding corral as they passed it on the way to Coop’s cabin. Come Tuesday, he’d be up to his ears in squalling calves. Come Tuesday, the beautiful blonde would be long gone. His frown worsened. No matter how he tried, Chase couldn’t get Jade out of his mind. It aggravated him that he’d thought of her on the ride to Coop’s log cabin, at the dinner table with cold beer and hot sandwiches, and all the way back home.
Dismounting Valor, he walked the horse into his stables, where Bob and Teresa were admiring Jubilee. Teresa loved the snowy mane and tail. Bob said Jubilee was the prettiest color of gold he’d ever seen. Chase once again admired the profound beauty of the spectacular horse. Seeing Valor for the first time, they turned their attention to the big black stallion, with Bob pointing out what excellent fillies and colts the stud would surely sire.
“Are you keeping the names they came with?” Teresa asked.
“I’ll stick with Valor because it suits him,” Chase said as he unsaddled the stallion. “Not sure Jubilee has any special meaning behind her name.”
“Her eyes are special,” Bob said.
“Yeah, I was sold when I saw those eyes,” Chase said.
Bob nodded. “I’ve never seen a horse, even a cream-colored or golden palomino, with green eyes.”
And Chase was back to the woman with the buttery blond hair and emerald eyes. At the front gate, he had received an explicit standing invitation from Kendra Desmond. Jade Taylor, however, had presented herself as polite with class written all over her. Aloof, Jade had left without so much as a glance or wave. Maybe he should have been the one to walk her to her car. Forget it. He’d had enough of women and their fake fawning over him, or his ranch, or his stables, or his vehicles, or whatever his money could offer them.
“Have you ridden Jubilee around the ranch yet?” Teresa asked.
“No.” Chase could saddle her up, plenty of daylight left. Or he could hop on his Harley and ride into town for a beer at Southside Suzy’s. Situated halfway between Colorado College and the El Paso County Courthouse, everybody from doctors and lawyers to police and judges, to business and shop owners, to teachers and students, to locals and tourists all ate and drank at that watering hole. It wasthewatering hole. Suzy was a longtime friend, and they’d shot a few games of pool when the back room wasn’t too crowded. “Maybe tomorrow.”
* * *
Twenty minutes later,and here he was. After parking his old pickup, which he drove around the ranches, he looked for her on the front porch. No luck. Coming around back, he spied her facing the opposite direction. He should turn around and leave. She’d never know he’d been here.
“Hey,” he called instead, leaning on the wooden gate in the rock wall surrounding the pool. In the middle of pulling a sheer animal print thing over her head, he noticed Jade’s legs were long, with slender thighs and shapely calves. She quickly tugged the zebra stripes into place and twirled to him. Her sex appeal was off the charts.
“Hi, Chase.”
“I stopped by to apologize for not being more hospitable earlier.”
“No apology necessary.”
When Jade gave him a little wave, he opened the gate. Walking toward her, he watched the Chinook wind, warm and mild this evening, riffle through her long hair. His fingers itched to do the same. She took a wobbly side step and steadied herself with a hand on the back of a chair.
“I was in the wrong place at the wrong time earlier,” she said. “You had a lot going on without having a confused bed-and-breakfast guest on your hands.”
Chase shrugged. She was gracious and possibly a little tipsy. “I thought maybe I could make it up to you with a ride on the palomino.”
“I’d love that. Is she here?”
“No, she’s at home getting used to her new surroundings,” he said, stopping about three feet from Jade. “Maybe tomorrow? If you have some free time?”
“I am happy to say that I have nothing but free time for the next four days.” Jade motioned to a nearby table with a goblet and bottle of wine. “I was about to go inside, but would you like a glass of wine?”
“Sure.” He strode to the table and pulled out a chair for her. She sat down, knees together and ankles crossed. Classy. He lifted the Pinot Noir bottle and asked, “Glasses?”
“Oh.” She glanced this way and that. “There’s only mine, but I’ll go get one for you.”
“Nah, don’t bother.” Chase poured her a few sips, leaving a couple swallows for him. Sitting down, legs spread and facing her, he asked, “What shall we drink to?”
“Our ride tomorrow?”
