“I know, but I want to.”
“Okay. I’ll talk to him in the morning.”
They admired the new filly for a while before heading back to the house. She was on her feet now, energetically nursing from her tired mother.
The spicy aroma of baking still filled the kitchen when Quinn opened the back door for her. “Want a cookie? Don’t tell Martha I said so, but they aren’t as good as yours.”
She shook her head, smiling. “Thanks, but I’m bushed. All I want to do is take a fast shower then crawl into bed.”
“It has been a long day.”
He followed her up the stairs, pausing outside her room. “Lanie?”
With her hand on the doorknob, she turned.
“I know we’ve still got a lot of problems to work out. Things happened that neither of us will get over easily. But God, I’ve missed you. I want you so much I ache with it.”
“Quinn—”
He put his fingers over her lips and smiled. “You don’t have to say anything. I realize you’re still confused and upset. I won’t push you, but I wanted you to know I’m here if you ever decide you need me.”
Slowly, he leaned over and replaced his fingers with his lips, kissing her gently. “Goodnight, Lanie.”
He was halfway down the hall when her whisper reached him.
“Quinn? I’ve missed you too.”
Heart leaping, he gazed back at her. “That’s a start, Angel.”
She nodded. “Goodnight.”
Before he could say more, she stepped into her room and closed the door.
Chapter Ten
I’ve missed you, too.
The words continued to ring in his head the next morning as he sat in front of the computer Duncan had installed in the office. Through the window he watched Lanie talk to the contractor, gesturing occasionally to make a point.
Today, her T-shirt was white, tucked neatly into her jeans. The sun glinted on her hair, setting off deep auburn highlights in the darker brown strands. To his eyes, she looked no different than she had at eighteen, the summer she’d knocked him flat on his butt.
Until that year, she’d been his buddy, someone to take care of. She’d even been his pen pal, writing him newsy letters about everything that was going on in Watson during the winter months while he was in college. When he’d found out how much she loved horses, he’d convinced Jonesy to hire her each summer, paying her wages out of his own pocket.
But that particular summer…
~~~~~
Quinn hoisted his duffel bag with one hand to keep it from snagging on seats as he made his way off the airplane. He hoped Jonesy hadn’t forgotten he was arriving today. An hour-long wait in the small terminal wasn’t something he relished. He’d been in such a hurry to get home he hadn’t even gone by Edward’s, instead leaving straight from college.
A small crowd waited at the gate as he disembarked and he scanned the faces rapidly, looking for Jonesy. There was no sign of the older man, and he sighed. He should have called from the airport in Chicago and reminded his foreman that he was on his way.
“Hey, cowboy. What’s your hurry?”
The voice was low and sexy, and he almost kept going. But there was something vaguely familiar about it. Abruptly, he stopped, turning to look at the crowd again.
She was standing in front of him, grinning from ear to ear. Her dark hair was pulled back in a thick braid, and she was wearing a skirt and blouse. A blouse that molded itself to her upper body, defining a shape that was about as far from childish as you could get. The skirt was full, some gauzy material that nipped in at her small waist and showed off legs a mile long below the hem.
“Lanie?” Stunned, he could do nothing but stare at her.
“It’s about time.”
Reflexively he dropped his bag as she launched herself at him, his arms closing around her.
“Welcome home,” she murmured in his ear. “God, I’ve missed you.”
He was still grappling with the fact that this woman was “his” Lanie when she kissed him. Not just a peck on the cheek, a real lip-lock. Combined with the feel of her curves pressed against him, her scent washing over him, his body reacted with a need that shocked him. This was Lanie. His best friend. He wasn’t supposed to be feeling this way about her.
With a scowl, he pulled her arms away from his neck and glowered down at her. “Who taught you to kiss like that?”
Her grin turned saucy. “Who taught you? And don’t try to tell me you didn’t like it. I know better.”
“We’re in public, for gosh sakes.”
She tilted her head. “Want to go somewhere private and try again?”
“Lanie!”
Laughter erupted from her throat. “Okay, okay. I was just teasing. But you should see your face.” She reached into a pocket on her skirt and pulled out a set of keys, tossing them at him. “I brought your truck. I thought you might like to drive it home.”
“Thanks. Is it still in one piece?” He couldn’t stop looking at her and that scared him. This wasn’t one of the women he took to bed without a second thought. Lanie trusted him, cared about him.
“Of course it’s in one piece. I had a great driving instructor.”
“Who still has gray hair from the experience.”
“I wasn’t that bad.”
“Oh? What about the time you took the curve outside Watson on two wheels and nearly hit the ditch?”
“I was dodging a cat.”
“Uh-huh. One I never saw.”
“It’s not my fault my eyes are better than yours.”
They had reached the truck by then, and Quinn slung his bag into the back before opening it and pulling out a wrapped box. As soon as they were inside, he handed it to her.
“What’s this?” She examined the colorful paper curiously.
“A graduation present. Open it.”
He started the truck and pulled out of the parking lot, keeping an eye on her as she tore the paper off and opened the gift.
“Oh, Quinn. It’s beautiful.” She held the heart-shaped necklace by its chain, sunlight sparkling off the diamond in the center. “Thank you.” She slid across the seat and kissed him, this time on the cheek.
To his horror, he realized he was disappointed that she hadn’t really kissed him again. He cleared his throat. “So, going off to college now?”
She shook her head. “I’m not cut out for college. Jonesy gave me a full-time job at the ranch.” There was a brief hesitation. “I moved into that cabin on the south part of the range. Jonesy let me have it as part of my salary.”
“What about your grandparents?” He arched a brow in question.
“They threw me out,” she said quietly. “You know how grandpa is. After the drunk driver who killed my parents got off with a fine and a suspended sentence, he thinks anyone with money is evil. My working at your ranch during the summers was bad enough. When I told him I’d been hired permanently he lost it.” She shrugged. “I guess it’s for the best. I never really felt welcome there anyway.”
“I’m sorry, Lanie.”
“It’s not your fault.” She smiled at him. “I love having the cabin to myself. It’s so peaceful there.”
“So, got a hot date lined up Friday night?”
“No. I haven’t been dating much lately.”
Relief washed over him. “Good. How about going to the drive-in with me?” The words popped out before he knew he was going to say them and his breath caught in his chest. He’d lost his mind. There was no other explanation. Carefully, he glanced at Lanie. She was staring at him intently.
“I thought you’d never ask,” she said quietly.
~~~~~
Quinn smiled now as he watched her bend over a set of plans with the contractor, making a mark here and there on the paper. He’d managed not to let things go too far that summer, but just barely. It had been pure hell and sweet heaven working with her every day, spending every minute off together. By the time he’d gone back to college,
he’d known he was in love.
The tone of their letters had changed his first year of graduate school. Neither had openly declared their love, but it was obvious. Never had a school year seemed so long. And he’d known deep down inside that the next summer he wouldn’t be able to stop. He wanted her more than he’d ever wanted any woman before.
The phone beside him rang, interrupting his chain of memories. He snagged it before Martha could answer.
“Quinn?”
“Franklin. How’s it going?”
“Thank God I caught you. Edward is driving me nuts. He wants me to stall the trust fund. I think he still believes you’ll see the light and come back.”
“Let Edward think whatever he wants. He’ll find out the truth soon enough.” Quinn picked up the sheaf of papers lying on the desk in front of him. “I got the papers you faxed. I’ve been looking them over. There are a few changes I want you to make before I sign them.”
“What changes?”
“I’m going to be adding some stock to the fund.” Quinn leaned back in the chair.
“Well, that shouldn’t take long.”
“Yeah, but I haven’t finished buying yet. It could be a couple more weeks. I’ll let you know when I’m ready.”
He depressed the receiver and dialed the number for Tom Delaney, his stockbroker. The secretary put him right through.
“Tom, Quinn McAllister. How are we doing?”
“You aren’t going to believe how well.” The stockbroker’s voice was excited. “It’s like McAllister Pharmaceutical stock is falling from the sky.”
A grim smile curved his lips at Tom’s response. “Wonderful. How much longer do you think it will be before we have controlling interest?”
“We’re getting close to the five percent mark. At this rate, I’d say another week.”
Quinn paused and his smile widened. “That’s better than I’d expected. A lot better.”
“Are you going to inform Edward that you’re making a takeover?”
“No, let the Security Exchange Commission tell him. It’ll give Edward a taste of his own medicine.”
Dropping the phone back into its cradle, he laced his fingers behind his head, satisfaction flowing through him. It was going to come as a big surprise when Edward discovered the company he lived for now belonged to the four-year-old grandson he hadn’t considered good enough to acknowledge.
* * * * *
Lanie stopped in the stable door to let the first group of riders return to their cars before checking the booking schedule. Five more groups were down for today, which meant she and Sherry both would be in the saddle all day.
“Next week is worse,” the blonde commented from behind her. “People are already drifting in for the Frontier Days Festival.”
“I know. The newspaper is running our ad today and tomorrow. Maybe we’ll have some help by Monday.”
“Granddad can always pitch in if we need him.”
“I hate to bother him.” Lanie smiled at her foreman. “But that does remind me. Quinn is taking me to the Spotted Horse tomorrow night and he suggested you and Duncan come along.”
“Yeah?” She glanced toward the bunkhouse where Duncan was standing and licked her lips with a great deal of exaggeration. “I think I can handle that.”
“You’re horrible.” Lanie laughed out loud.
“No I’m not. But there are only three hunks like him in this county, and you’re married to one of them, and engaged to the other. I’ve got dibs on this one.”
Leave it to Sherry to remind her, Lanie thought ruefully. She closed the appointment book as her foreman went to get ready for the next group. She’d been trying not to remember how nice it had felt last night, sitting next to Quinn with his arms around her while they talked. Or about the dreams she’d had when she finally fell asleep. They made her feel like a traitor.
She pinched the bridge of her nose in confusion. How could she have dreams like that about Quinn when she loved Jared? There had to be something wrong with her.
Her next group had ten people in it, and she tried to think logically as she began saddling the horses. Quinn had not only been her first love, he’d been her first lover. The day they’d married had been one of the happiest of her life. She’d thought they would be together forever.
The night he’d left, her whole world had fallen apart. For weeks she’d waited by the phone, expecting him to call. But he never had. Edward had called instead.
And lied.
Lanie lifted her head and stared into space. That was it, of course. One minute Quinn had been there and the next he was gone. There had been no closure, nothing to tell her emotionally that their marriage was over. Part of her had always believed he’d come back. She simply hadn’t expected it to take five years.
Now that she thought about it, she knew why she’d waited so long to take off her wedding rings, why she’d held Jared at arm’s length for so long. In her heart she’d still been married to Quinn.
He was right, she realized. No matter how this turned out, they needed the chance to find out what might have happened if not for Edward. And if they wound up getting a divorce after all, then at least this chapter of their lives would be closed. They could both move on with no regrets.
“Need some help?”
She glanced over her shoulder to see Quinn watching her and her heart did a fast somersault. “Still remember how?”
“I think I can figure it out.”
“Okay. I need six more saddled. We can split it.”
“Which ones?”
She shrugged. “Doesn’t matter. All the horses we use for riding are gentle and well trained. They have to be. A lot of the people we get have never been on a horse before.”
He led a chestnut mare into the aisle. “Are the groups always this big?”
“It’s about normal for early spring. They’ll get larger later in the summer. There’s only one other riding stable near Watson and their horses are nags. They rent them out for thirty minutes and pretty much just turn the people lose in a big pasture. Our rides are ninety minutes, and we take them to all the scenic spots on the ranch. Word gets around and we generally have more business than we can handle.”
“I can see why you need to hire more people. I’m really sorry about the bunkhouse.”
Critically, she watched him adjust the saddle as she tightened the girth on another. “Don’t worry about it. I’m hoping for at least four local kids. And if it comes down to it I can always put a few college kids up in the cabin for the summer. Why don’t you come with me this trip? You must be eager to look the place over.”
He hesitated. “Maybe another time. They’re installing the hot tub this afternoon and I want to be there.”
“A hot tub.” She grinned and shook her head in amazement. “The neighbors are going to think we’ve lost our minds.”
“Wait until you try it. You won’t care what the neighbors think. Did you get the plans for the new bunkhouse worked out with the contractor?”
“Yes. He’ll start next week.”
By the time they led the horses outside and draped the reins loosely around a hitching rail, people were starting to arrive. Quinn watched Lanie take the money, his mind doing a rapid calculation. One eyebrow rose as he finished. Even if the groups stayed this size, she’d make enough in four months to support the ranch all year. No wonder she’d never pushed for alimony or child support. Lanie had turned the ranch into a real moneymaking operation. And she’d done it on her own. A sense of pride filled him at her accomplishments.
She waved at him as the group headed out, already giving her guests a brief rundown on the history of Jackson Hole and the McAllister Ranch.
He waited until they were out of sight, then returned to the stable. Duncan was already there.
“Are you sure you want to do this?”
“Yes.” Quinn went to the stall of a buckskin gelding and led the horse out. “She’s already starting to wonder why I haven’t been ri
ding.”
“You could tell her the truth.”
“No.” He settled a saddle blanket and saddle on the horse before glancing at Duncan. “I don’t want her pity any more now than I did before.”
“She’ll have to know sooner or later. You can’t hide those scars on your leg forever.”
“I know that, Dunc. But I’m hoping by the time she finds out, it won’t matter. Besides, I’ve missed riding.” He untied the reins and looped them over the saddle horn. “I’ll have to mount from the right. My left leg will never hold my weight. It might make him nervous until he gets used to it, so hold his head.”
Duncan got a tight grip on the bridle as Quinn paused by the horse’s right side. Curiously, the gelding turned his head as Quinn lifted his right foot to the stirrup, but made no effort to move out of the way.
Gingerly, he swung his bad leg over the horse’s rump and lowered himself to the saddle before picking up the reins. “Okay, you can let go.”
Duncan released his hold then walked beside him to the stable doors. “Thirty minutes this first time. No more. And stay where I can see you.”
“Stop acting like a mother hen.”
“Show a little sense and I won’t have to,” Duncan growled. “Even if nothing were wrong with you, it’s been five years since you rode. You’re going to be saddlesore at the least, and I don’t want you re-injuring that leg.”
“Fine. Thirty minutes.”
He kept the horse at a walk as they went through the open gate that Lanie had taken a few minutes earlier. His heart pounded so hard it felt like he’d run a marathon. There had been many months after his surgeries when he’d doubted he would ever walk again. Now, he was back on a horse.
Automatically, the buckskin tried to turn in the same direction the riding group had gone, but Quinn held him straight. He didn’t want to meet Lanie after telling her he couldn’t ride today.
Taking a deep breath and clamping his teeth together, he let out on the reins. The horse trotted a few steps then broke into an easy canter.
Elation burst through him, and he had to stifle his yell of delight. Only a dull burning sensation centered in his thigh, not the sharp pain he’d been expecting. All those hours of physical therapy and exercise were paying off.