“You just have to keep doing it. I love riding, the rhythm, the connection with the animal.”
“I didn’t think I would. In fact, I still need help getting on and off, which is humiliating when Seth has to practically lift me by my waist.”
“I bet that cowboy could help you get off in more ways than one,” Doris purred suggestively.
Ryan burst out laughing, her cheeks flushing hot. “No doubt. I’ll send an email tonight with all the photos. Talk soon.”
“Okay, honey. I’m heading home to my hubby. Talk soon. Be careful with that heart of yours and ignore Sean.”
“I will. Night.” She hung up, placed the phone on the sink countertop, and started the water, steam rising. Then she stripped off her dirt-smudged clothes, pinned her hair up, and stepped into the tub, her skin prickling at the temperature.
Once the tub filled to just below the overflow drain, she hit the jets and groaned as the swirling water massaged her sore muscles.
****
Seth turned the shower handle until the scalding spray stopped. Steam billowed around him as he opened the glass door. He snatched a black towel from the rack and scrubbed it roughly through his hair, droplets spattering across his shoulders before he dried his body with quick, efficient strokes. The plush bathroom mat cushioned his feet as he walked to the fogged mirror, wiping a clear streak with his palm.
Taking a deep breath, he lathered shaving cream over the stubble that shadowed his jaw and neck. The razor rasped against his skin, revealing the tense set of his mouth with each careful stroke. In his bedroom, he tugged on a faded blue T-shirt that had seen better days, sweatpants, and thick socks against the evening chill. The floorboards creaked beneath his weight as he trudged to the living room, collapsing into his recliner.
His stomach growled, but exhaustion anchored him to the seat. He stared into the cold hearth where ashes from last night’s fire still lingered, then pushed himself up with a groan. In the kitchen, he opened the freezer door releasing a vacuum-sealed whoosh, revealing a sad array of microwave dinner boxes. He grabbed a lasagna dinner, squinting at the tiny instructions before stabbing buttons on the microwave. As it hummed to life, he crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the counter’s edge, the granite cool through his thin shirt.
“Just stay away from her,” he muttered, his voice rough in the empty kitchen. “Someone else could take her to the fields to get photos.” He shook his head, jaw clenching. “Let...Culldo it.”
The thought of his friend with Ryan twisted something sharp in his gut. Cull had been loyal since Seth bought the ranch. Ifanother woman brought happiness into Cull’s life after all he’d been through, Seth should be grateful.
“Bullshit,” he growled, the word hanging in the air like a confession.
He jerked when the microwave dinged, then opened the door and removed the dinner. Steam curled up from the plastic container, carrying the faint scent of processed cheese and meat. It looked as appealing as a box of rocks. He took a plate down from the cupboard, set the dinner on it, then shuffled back to his recliner.
After flipping through channels of bright, meaningless faces, he settled on an old Western and ate his dinner mechanically, barely tasting each bite. He set the empty tray on the end table and stared at the TV until his eyelids grew heavy. He knew he’d have another night of restless sleep. Ever since Ryan showed up, he couldn’t close his eyes without seeing her face, those cobalt blue eyes that crinkled at the corners when she smiled. Not to mention that kiss.
“Shit,” he muttered as he got to his feet, muscles aching with fatigue. He picked up the plate, strode to the kitchen and tossed the empty carton into the trashcan with a little more force than necessary, placed the plate in the sink, then headed to bed. He just wanted to go to sleep without seeing her in his dreams.
He pulled the crisp cotton sheets back, stripped off his clothes and crawled into the king-sized bed. Clasping his hands behind his head, he stared at the ceiling fan as it whirled above him, its wooden blades casting elongated shadows across the moonlit room. Heaving a deep sigh that seemed to come from the soles of his feet, he rolled to his side, punched his down-filled pillow, then lay down and closed his eyes.
Monday morning, he entered the barn, carrying a steaming hot cup of black coffee. Sleep had, once again, eluded him like a skittish colt. He came to an abrupt halt when he saw Cull andRyan standing together near the tack room, their heads bent close in animated conversation. When her laughter rang out, echoing against the high wooden beams, Seth clenched his jaw until a muscle twitched in his cheek.
“Good morning, Seth,” Cull said when he spotted him, straightening his frame.
“What the fuck is good about it?” Seth snapped, his voice rough as sandpaper, and felt a twinge of remorse when Cull raised an eyebrow at him.
“Get out of the wrong side of the bed, Mr. Harrison?” Ryan asked with a playful smile that lit up her face.
Seth looked at her, taking in the way her black hair caught the early morning sunlight streaming through the barn doors. “I don’t see where that’s any concern of yours, Ms. Carroll.”
Her perfectly arched eyebrows shot up, and he felt like an ass, a familiar sensation that had been dogging him since her arrival at the ranch.
“Well, okay then.” She looked at Cull. “I’ll meet you at the UTV.” She walked from the barn, her boots leaving small imprints in the dusty floor.
Seth watched her retreating figure, then looked back at Cull to see him staring at him with narrowed eyes.
“What?” Seth growled, clutching his coffee mug tighter.
“What’s your problem with her?” Cull demanded, crossing his arms over his chest.
“It’s just an inconvenience having her here,” Seth muttered, the lie bitter on his tongue.
“Yeah, okay.” Cull shrugged, disbelief evident in every line of his face.
