To Have And To Hold: Made for Marriage / To Wed a Rancher / The Mummy Proposal

He moved toward her and touched Indy’s neck. “Nice-looking horse.”

“Thank you,” she said stiffly, hoping he couldn’t see the color rising over her cheeks. Callie collected the reins and swung herself out of the saddle. “Did you want something?” she asked again once both feet were planted on the ground.

“I did.”

So tell me what it is and go away so I can stop thinking about how totally gorgeous you are and how much you make me think about wanting all the things I never thought I’d want again.

“How did you know I was here?”

“Your apprentice told me where to find you.”

Joe? Callie wanted to ring his neck. “So you’ve found me. And?”

“I’d like to talk to you.”

Callie tilted her chin. “What have I done now?” she asked, clutching the reins tightly so he wouldn’t notice her hands were shaking.

He half smiled and Callie’s stomach did a silly leap. “I guess I deserve that,” he said.

She moved Indiana forward. She wouldn’t fall for any lines, no matter how nicely he said them. She wouldn’t be tempted to feel again. She couldn’t. It hurt too much. “Oh, I see—today you come in peace?”

“I wanted to apologize.”

“You’re a week too late,” she said stiffly and led the horse away. Callie felt him behind her as she walked—felt his eyes looking her over as he followed her past the rows of small stables until she reached their allocated stall.

Fiona came out from the adjoining stall. “Hi, Noah,” Fiona greeted with a cheek-splitting grin. Callie didn’t miss how the other woman’s hand fleetingly touched his arm.

Clearly, no introductions were required. Fiona saw her look and explained that she taught his son at the local primary school and took an art class with his sister, Evie.

“So you two know each other?” Fiona asked.

“Yes,” he replied. “We do.”

“I’d better go,” Fiona said quickly and began leading Titan from his stall. “My event is up next. Wish me luck.”

Callie watched her friend lead the big chestnut gelding away and then turned her attention to the man in front of her.

“Okay,” she said. “You can apologize now.”

He laughed and the rich, warm sound dipped her stomach like a rolling wave. Callie felt like smiling, but she wouldn’t. She wanted to be mad at him—it made her feel safe.

“I overreacted last week,” he said. “I know Lily took your horse without permission.”

Her chin came up. “Bravo. I’ll bet saying that was like chewing glass,” she said as she opened the stall and ushered Indiana inside. Then she clicked the bottom door in place. “So,” she said, “was there something else you wanted to discuss?”

“First, that you reconsider and give Lily riding lessons.”

Callie didn’t try to disguise her astonishment. “I thought you were going to find her another instructor.”

“Apparently you’re the best around.”

“Yes,” she replied, fighting the rapid thump of her heart. He was close now. Too close. “I am.”

“And I want the best for my daughter.”

“You should have thought about that before you called me an irresponsible nutcase.”

His green eyes looked her over. “Is that what I said?”

Callie unbuttoned her jacket. “Words to that effect,” she said, feeling suddenly hot and sweaty in the fine-gauge wool coat she’d had tailored to fit like a glove. She longed to strip off her hat, but the idea of him seeing the very unattractive hairnet she wore to keep her thick hair secure under the helmet stopped her.

He smiled. “Then I owe you an apology for that, as well.”

“Yes, you do. So, anything else?”

“That you give me another chance,” he said quietly. “I might be a jerk on occasion … but I’m not such a bad guy.”

She snorted and that made him smile again. God, her hormones were running riot. Did this man know how earth-shatteringly gorgeous he was? She had to pull herself together. He leaned back against the stall and Callie watched, suddenly mesmerized as the cotton shirt stretched across his chest as he moved. One step and I could touch him. One tiny step and I could place my hands over his broad shoulders.

“So, do we have an arrangement?”

His voice jerked her thoughts back. “No, we don’t.”

“Are you going to play hard to get?”

The double meaning of his words could not be denied and Callie blushed wildly. She looked at her feet, thinking that any minute she was going to plant one of her size nines into her mouth and say something she’d regret. And typically, she did exactly that.

“I’m not playing anything with you,” she said hotly. “As you pointed out so clearly last weekend, I don’t have the skills required to handle your daughter. What I do have is a business to run … a business that means everything to me. I work hard and I won’t do anything that could tarnish my reputation.”

His gaze narrowed. “And you think teaching Lily would?”

“I think …” She stopped. It wasn’t about Lily. It was about him. She only hoped he didn’t realize it. “I think … another teacher would be better for her. Someone she would actually listen to.”

“And if I promised that she would listen to you, Callie?”

She drew in a breath. It was the first time he’d said her name. It sounded personal. Intimate almost. “You can’t promise something like that.”

“She’ll do what I ask.”

Yeah … like putty in his hands. That’s how Callie felt at the moment. “Look,” she said pointedly. “All I want to do is run my school and care for my horses and try to fix up my house, which is crumbling around my ears. I just don’t want any drama.”

It sounded lame. Callie knew it. He knew it.

Something passed between them. Awareness? Recognition? A look between two people who hardly knew one another … and yet, strangely, on some primal level, had a deep connection. More than merely man to woman. More … everything. It scared the breath out of her. Thinking about him was one thing. Feeling something for him was another altogether.

“And there’s nothing I can offer you that might make you change your mind?”

Callie’s temperature rose and launched off her usual, well-controlled sensible-gauge. It was ridiculous. She couldn’t imagine everything he said to her had some kind of sexual innuendo attached to it.