Bunking Down with the Boss. Charlene Sands
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like we’ve got a lot of work ahead of us. It’ll take me an hour or two to get these cabinets sealed. And I can guarantee that you won’t want to be in here.”
Us? Caroline hadn’t been one half of “us” in a long time. She’d been the one making all the decisions, doing all the planning and hoping. She sorta liked the sound of it, even as she reminded herself that the sexy drifter she’d hired would only be here for one month.
Caroline knew she to had take complete control—relinquishing her part in the ranch had been a mistake she would never make again. She had too much to lose now. She’d barely squeaked by these past few years, boarding a few horses and taking on odd jobs just to earn enough to keep food on the table and the bankers from knocking on her doors. She’d never risk her daughter’s future again. And she’d never lay her heart and her life on the line for another man. So this one-month arrangement with Sam Beaumont was a perfect solution.
“Okay, well, I’ll just muck out some of the stables. I’ve got to check on Dumpling, anyway. She misses me if I don’t spend time with her at night.”
“Dumpling?”
“Our family mare. She’s a sweetheart.”
He nodded. “So, will I be sleeping in the stables too?”
Caroline’s mind once again flashed a thrilling image of Sam Beaumont waiting for her on a plush bed of hay. Her heart danced for a moment and, inwardly, she sighed. “No, there’s a room at the back of one of the stables. Used to be a tack room, but I recently converted it into a guest room. I wouldn’t expect much, but there’s a comfortable bed, a dresser and electricity.”
“Sounds fine.”
But Sam Beaumont had already dismissed Caroline, focusing his attention on the cabinets. He worked his hands over the wood, looking for rough spots, surveying the job ahead.
Chuck from the Tie-One-On had been right in vouching for Sam Beaumont. He seemed intent on getting the job done and oddly enough, despite the way they’d met, Caroline felt she just might be able to work with him.
She reminded herself to ask Chuck how he’d come to know so much about Sam, and why he seemed so eager for her to hire him.
Sam Beaumont still was a mystery to her, the handsome drifter who seemed far too capable a man to be scrounging around for work, traveling from town to town like a vagabond.
The smell of wood and hay, of horse dung and leather brought back memories of happier times in Sam’s youth. Sam stepped into the room he’d be staying in, breathing deeply, glancing around the small twelve-by-twelve room. He’d frequented the best five-star hotels in the country, but this room with its blue-checkered curtains, rough wood-framed landscapes and mismatched furniture, appealed to him in ways those elegant suites never had.
He and his younger brother, Wade, had been shoved off to live with their Uncle Lee and Aunt Dottie on their working cattle ranch near El Paso. They’d had a small herd, earned a decent living and Sam would like to think he and Wade had brought some joy into their lives. His aunt and uncle couldn’t have children of their own, and Sam’s father thought it fitting to get the boys out of his hair while he built his new company from the ground up. Uncle Lee and Aunt Dottie had been the only true parents he and Wade had ever known.
Sam set his duffel bag on the bed then plopped down to test the mattress. Comfortable, he assessed, lying down and stretching out his legs. He laced his hands behind his head and rested on a navy corduroy pillow. He stared up at the ceiling, looking for a kind of peace that always seemed to elude him.
Sam had seen action in the Persian Gulf War, he’d battled the toughest opponents in the business world, but he had never known the kind of fear he experienced each night when he closed his eyes.
Thoughts of Tess would surface. But his mind denied Sam the sweet memories of his daughter. He didn’t deserve them, not yet. Not ever. Sam had lost so much that day, his daughter, a wife who had blamed him, and the better part of his soul. “I’m sorry, Tess,” he whispered quietly. “So sorry, sweetheart.”
Sam rose from the mattress and paced the floor. He had no intention of sleeping on this comfortable bed tonight. He grabbed the doorknob and yanked open the door.
Caroline Portman stood on the other end, balancing a tray, ready to knock.
“Uh, hi,” she said, “I almost forgot about dessert.” She lifted the tray to his eyes. “Ice cream sundaes, slightly melted, but delicious all the same.” She walked past him, stepping into the room. “Are you settled in for the night?”
“Not really. I won’t sleep here tonight,” he announced, “while you’re sleeping on a bale of hay.”
She grinned and those twin dimples peeked out. “I don’t mind.”
“I do. You get this bed tonight, or the deal’s off.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, really. The lady always gets the bed.”
Caroline tilted her head to one side and smiled. “That’s really not necessary.”
Sam stared, standing still in silent argument, his expression set in stone.
Caroline sent him a look of genuine appreciation. “Okay, and thank you. That’s very…very sweet.” Sam got the distinct feeling she hadn’t been treated with regard too often.
He wouldn’t belabor the point. Instead, he glanced at the sundaes. “Those look good.”
“Let’s sit outside and eat them,” she said, “before they melt even more.”
They opted for a bale of hay just outside the barn. The night was warm, the sky overhead twinkling with bright stars. Sam enjoyed the serenity. He took a deep breath, and Caroline’s fresh fruity scent invaded his brief peace. He glanced at her as she ate with gusto, devouring her ice cream. Sam found little enjoyment in life, but watching someone eat with such obvious glee made him smile.
“What’s funny?” she asked, catching him.
Sam shook his head and pointed to her empty dish. “You ate that like there’s no tomorrow.”
His observation didn’t rattle her; she grinned. “I know. I don’t indulge often, but when I do, watch out. ”
Good Lord, she looked pretty, sitting under the stars with moonlight streaming down. She had the softest features, a sweet smile and beautiful blue eyes. And Sam wondered about her comment. What other things did she indulge in? Her “watch out” statement intrigued the hell out of him. No, he wouldn’t allow his mind to go there.
“You saved the day, Sam. I want to thank you for coming to my rescue today.” Again, the sincerity in her tone made him think this woman, who deserved more, hadn’t been treated with much regard in the past.
“I’m far from a hero, Caroline.”
Caroline set the empty plastic ice cream dish on her lap and with head downcast, she admitted, “Still, I’m glad you’re here.”
“Because the stables mean everything to you.”
She nodded. “My heart’s been broken, Sam. I can’t ever let that happen again.”
Sam knew how she felt. Her sentiments echoed his own. Losses of any kind were hard to take—there was no way to measure the amount of pain they caused. Sam didn’t think he had an exclusive on heartache. Obviously, Caroline had had a bad marriage and had almost lost her precious ranch. “We’ve got a lot of work to do starting tomorrow. Let’s get some sleep.”
Caroline agreed. She stood up abruptly, dropping the dish and napkin that had been on her lap. Both went down to retrieve the items. They reached for the dish at the same time and bumped heads.
Sam’s hand covered hers and an electric shock traveled through his system. Her sweet laughter rang out, tempting his senses.