not looking to raise cattle. Just
horses. I don’t need much land. Besides, your parent’s made a good go of it,
even with cattle.”
Craig smiled and looked at his coffee.
As much as they had loved their ranch, he didn’t think ranching had been in his
father’s soul like it was in Quinn’s. It made him wonder for a moment if it was
in his soul. He’d left it easily enough to follow Elise’s dreams, but if it
hadn’t been for her, he would’ve been happy with ranching. He’d certainly
settled back in, like a second skin. He made a better than decent living at
writing, but, yeah, ranching was in his soul. It felt good to admit it.
“It may work out fine for both of us
then.”
He took a moment to study her in this
unguarded moment. She’d kicked off her boots and had drawn her legs underneath
her. A small smile pulled at her lips and he wondered where her thoughts had
taken her. Galloping across the prairie maybe. Or that new colt who’d just come
into the world. He would’ve given a hell of a lot more than a penny to know.
“Marisol seems happy,” Quinn remarked.
“I think you were the catalyst. After
meeting you and getting Sunny, everything seems to have changed. Thank you.”
Her smile brightened and her blue eyes
glittered. “I’m glad to help.”
“She made a few friends since the
barbeque and is planning her first sleepover for the weekend. Four girls in one
house. Don’t know if I can handle it.”
“Oh, I’m sure you’ll be fine. Yell if
you need help.”
“I may take you up on that.”
Whatever lightness the conversation held
dissipated when their gazes locked and held fast. All he could think about was
how she’d tasted, how she’d felt in his arms. How much he wanted it again.
A lock of her hair had fallen out of its
braid and lay against her cheek. Knowing he ought to resist, he reached out and
pushed it away. His fingers trailed along the soft skin of her cheek. Quinn
drew in her breath and held it as she continued to watch him.
It would’ve been so easy, so natural, to
lean in and kiss her, but luckily his daughter’s approach was loud enough to
give him warning, and enough time to withdraw his hand, and note the
disappointment in Quinn’s eyes.
“Dad, you should’ve seen him trying to
stand,” Marisol spilled into the tack room, her eyes and smile bright. “Doc Tolson
told me so much. Maybe I’ll be a vet someday.”
She crashed on to the sofa between Craig
and Quinn and leaned against him. Despite her excitement, she looked tired.
With no wonder, it was nearly ten o’ clock.
“I thought you were going to be a writer.”
“That was before tonight. Next time Doc
comes over to our place can I hang out with him?”
“If he’ll let you and you promise not to
get in his way.”
It was time to go before he’d have to
carry his daughter out of there. Quinn looked sleepy too. No doubt she’d been
awake since the crack of dawn and no doubt she’d be up as early tomorrow.
Quickly he pulled Marisol to her feet.
“Thanks for inviting us.”
“I’m glad you both could come. Sometimes
these things don’t happen to suit my schedule. We lucked out tonight.”
She didn’t walk them back to his truck,
but instead returned to the mare’s stall.
For the next few riding lessons, Craig
made it a point to be there for at least part of it, if he could. There had
been some kind of breakthrough between Quinn and him the night of the colt’s
birth. She seemed more at ease at the Shady H and let Marisol talk her into
staying for lunch. Even in the kitchen, when the two of them were putting
sandwiches together, Quinn seemed perfectly comfortable, including Craig in
their light-hearted banter.
Marisol’s sleepover approached and even
before Craig could mention it, Marisol asked Quinn to join them, saying it
would be much better to have a female chaperone instead of just Dad. Quinn
would understand their needs more than a guy. Craig chuckled, not at all
insulted by the
horses. I don’t need much land. Besides, your parent’s made a good go of it,
even with cattle.”
Craig smiled and looked at his coffee.
As much as they had loved their ranch, he didn’t think ranching had been in his
father’s soul like it was in Quinn’s. It made him wonder for a moment if it was
in his soul. He’d left it easily enough to follow Elise’s dreams, but if it
hadn’t been for her, he would’ve been happy with ranching. He’d certainly
settled back in, like a second skin. He made a better than decent living at
writing, but, yeah, ranching was in his soul. It felt good to admit it.
“It may work out fine for both of us
then.”
He took a moment to study her in this
unguarded moment. She’d kicked off her boots and had drawn her legs underneath
her. A small smile pulled at her lips and he wondered where her thoughts had
taken her. Galloping across the prairie maybe. Or that new colt who’d just come
into the world. He would’ve given a hell of a lot more than a penny to know.
“Marisol seems happy,” Quinn remarked.
“I think you were the catalyst. After
meeting you and getting Sunny, everything seems to have changed. Thank you.”
Her smile brightened and her blue eyes
glittered. “I’m glad to help.”
“She made a few friends since the
barbeque and is planning her first sleepover for the weekend. Four girls in one
house. Don’t know if I can handle it.”
“Oh, I’m sure you’ll be fine. Yell if
you need help.”
“I may take you up on that.”
Whatever lightness the conversation held
dissipated when their gazes locked and held fast. All he could think about was
how she’d tasted, how she’d felt in his arms. How much he wanted it again.
A lock of her hair had fallen out of its
braid and lay against her cheek. Knowing he ought to resist, he reached out and
pushed it away. His fingers trailed along the soft skin of her cheek. Quinn
drew in her breath and held it as she continued to watch him.
It would’ve been so easy, so natural, to
lean in and kiss her, but luckily his daughter’s approach was loud enough to
give him warning, and enough time to withdraw his hand, and note the
disappointment in Quinn’s eyes.
“Dad, you should’ve seen him trying to
stand,” Marisol spilled into the tack room, her eyes and smile bright. “Doc Tolson
told me so much. Maybe I’ll be a vet someday.”
She crashed on to the sofa between Craig
and Quinn and leaned against him. Despite her excitement, she looked tired.
With no wonder, it was nearly ten o’ clock.
“I thought you were going to be a writer.”
“That was before tonight. Next time Doc
comes over to our place can I hang out with him?”
“If he’ll let you and you promise not to
get in his way.”
It was time to go before he’d have to
carry his daughter out of there. Quinn looked sleepy too. No doubt she’d been
awake since the crack of dawn and no doubt she’d be up as early tomorrow.
Quickly he pulled Marisol to her feet.
“Thanks for inviting us.”
“I’m glad you both could come. Sometimes
these things don’t happen to suit my schedule. We lucked out tonight.”
She didn’t walk them back to his truck,
but instead returned to the mare’s stall.
For the next few riding lessons, Craig
made it a point to be there for at least part of it, if he could. There had
been some kind of breakthrough between Quinn and him the night of the colt’s
birth. She seemed more at ease at the Shady H and let Marisol talk her into
staying for lunch. Even in the kitchen, when the two of them were putting
sandwiches together, Quinn seemed perfectly comfortable, including Craig in
their light-hearted banter.
Marisol’s sleepover approached and even
before Craig could mention it, Marisol asked Quinn to join them, saying it
would be much better to have a female chaperone instead of just Dad. Quinn
would understand their needs more than a guy. Craig chuckled, not at all
insulted by the
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