Corporate Cowboy

He took a step closer to her. “Maybe I did sign your form. So?”

So she didn’t have him. They both knew the contract was done more in good faith than anything else. Again there was that same challenging look in his eyes, the one that sent a shiver of excitement down Kacy’s spine. She forced herself to remember she was representing the Triple J, that the only reason she was standing next to this man was because of her work.

“Being a successful executive, you know that the success of any program depends on the cooperation of the individuals involved. What we do is to create original, out-of-the-ordinary experiences that bring people together. The key is to work together as a group or you defeat the purpose of being here.”

She could see by the expression on her face that she hadn’t convinced him. She tried another approach. “Mr. Bennett, you’re obviously a hard-working, dedicated man. You wouldn’t have brought all of this with you if you weren’t.” She waved her arm over his makeshift workplace. “All I’m asking is that you put that dedication and hard work to use here at the ranch. These are your employees. Some of them weren’t exactly crazy about coming here, but they’re all here and they’re giving the program a chance to succeed.”

He didn’t speak for several moments, but looked toward the corral, where the other team members sat on bales of hay waiting to begin their lessons. Seeing the direction of his gaze she said, “The Triple J doesn’t force its guests to do anything they don’t want to do, but I really do encourage you to give the program a try.”

“And if I don’t?”

“You’re not cheating me, Mr. Bennett. Just them.”

“I’d hardly call not riding a horse cheating my employees. I’m sure they can play cowboys just fine without me,” he said dryly.

“There’s a little bit more to this program than playing cowboys. It’s about building better people skills and judging by the way you’ve behaved ever since you arrived, I’d say you could use a little help in that direction.” The moment she said the words, she regretted them. What she didn’t need to do was insult a guest.

Only Austin Bennett wasn’t insulted. “And just how do you plan to help me with my people skills?” he asked with a bit of amusement in his eyes.

Before she could answer his cell phone rang.

“If you’ll excuse me, this is an important call,” he said as he reached for the pocket-sized phone.

Once again he was dismissing her. Kacy could have cheerfully given him a swift kick with her boot. Fortunately, sanity prevailed and instead of saying more things she’d regret, she swallowed back all the nasty things she wanted to say and told him, “Very well, Mr. Bennett. However, if you change your mind about the riding lessons, you know where to find us.”

Fortunately, the walk back to the corral dissolved her anger. And within a few minutes of doing what she loved best—working with the horses—she forgot all about her encounter with their difficult guest.

As soon as everyone had learned how to saddle a horse, Kacy demonstrated the basics of mounting and dismounting. None of her students had ever ridden, which actually made it easier for her, since there were no bad habits to correct. They were all eager to learn which made her realize how different the session would have been had Austin Bennett been a part of the group. His very presence would have created tension, since she couldn’t get within five feet of the guy without having every nerve in her body aware of him.

As soon as the riding lessons were over, the three teams became one large group with Kacy’s brothers in charge. The first team-building assignment was fence building. As everyone worked together digging post holes and setting timbers in place, Kacy thought about the man back at the pool. Not only was he missing the pleasure of riding, but the physical exertion of working together with his employees.

Even if he hadn’t wanted to be a part of the program, Kacy could hardly believe that he would write off its merits without so much as even giving it a try. Without participating in even one activity he had decided it wasn’t worthy of his attention.

By lunchtime she was feeling less than charitable toward the man and she sensed that his employees weren’t exactly thrilled that they were dusty and sore while he looked as cool as a cucumber. Not that it mattered to Austin. He said little at lunch and Kacy wondered if his thoughts weren’t on the mysterious Daphne, whom Suzy informed her had called at least half a dozen times that morning.

For the afternoon session the group was to be divided in two groups. One half would ride fence, checking for downed wire. The other would ride to a neighboring ranch where they would learn to sheer sheep. As soon as lunch was finished, Kacy approached the CEO.

“You’re assigned to group two, Mr. Bennett. That’s the one doing the sheep shearing,” she told him.

“Do I look like I want to even get near a sheep, Ms. Judd?” he asked and Kacy’s blood pressure again soared.

“Then I guess you’re going to be one hungry man.”

“What does sheep shearing have to do with eating? Don’t tell me hunt and kill is part of the lesson,” he said with a chuckle of disbelief.

“No, it isn’t,” she denied vigorously. “What I meant is that if you’re not with us you’ll miss dinner because it’s served at the chuckwagon out on the range. That’s why you need to come along this afternoon. We won’t be returning to the lodge until after we’ve eaten.”

His look was guarded. “I’ll think about it.”

“You have about forty-five minutes. That’s when we meet outside.”

As she expected, he was nowhere around when they met at the corral. Kacy pursed her lips and looked back at the lodge. He wasn’t outside at the pool. She figured he was probably sitting inside the air-conditioned room talking to Daphne on the phone.

Kacy didn’t understand why it should bother her at all. Whether or not he took part in the activities was no reflection on her skills as a facilitator, yet she felt as if he were affronting her by not showing up. The less she saw of him, the more he seemed to irritate her. Yet when she did see him, he irritated her, too. The only way she was ever going to get any peace of mind was for him to be gone. Four more days and she would never have to see Austin Bennett again. It was a thought she kept foremost in her mind.

“WE’RE SORRY, but all circuits are busy.”

Austin slammed down the receiver of the telephone and sighed. He was beginning to wonder how many long distance circuits they had in North Dakota. Every time he tried to make a long-distance call he got the same recorded message. Or was it simply a gimmick orchestrated by the Triple J to keep guests from using the phone? After all, he was supposed to be “unplugged” at the ranch.

Austin paced about his luxurious room. With the exception of the phone service, the accommodations were on par with any five-star hotel. The problem was, he was hungry. He should have gone with the group today just to get dinner. Irritation also gnawed his insides at the memory of how Kacy Judd had returned wearing that smug look on her face, boasting of the two-inch-thick steaks they had enjoyed. His mouth watered at the thought of a slice of beef right now.

It was barely nine o’clock, yet the Bennett employees had turned in for the night. Austin didn’t blame them. They had looked dog-tired when they had returned and he had felt a twinge of guilt. He probably should have gone with them, but he had a stack of reports needing his attention—reports that would make a difference for the future of Bennett Industries.

Again pangs of hunger rumbled in his stomach. There was only one thing to do. Invade the twenty-four-hour kitchen. He grabbed his room key and headed for the cafeteria.

One fluorescent bulb beamed a welcome sign at the entrance to the dining room. Austin walked through the vacant room until he reached the swing doors separating the kitchen from the dining room. As he stepped inside, he flipped a switch that created a glow overhead illuminating chrome appliances and working tables. He opened the refrigerator and practically salivated at the plate of sliced roast beef sitting on the top shelf. In a matter of minutes he had made himself a sandwich stuffed with meat and cheese. He was just about to turn off the lights and return to his room when a set of footsteps echoed on the floor.

Coming toward him was Kacy Judd. She wore a tiny white shirt made of lacy cotton and a pair of cut off jeans showing off long, slender legs. But it wasn’t the legs or the top that caught Austin’s eye. It was her hair.

It was bright red but Austin was quite certain the color didn’t come out of a bottle. It fell to her shoulders in long springy curls that bounced when she walked. When that hair was tucked up beneath a hat it was easy to assume she was a tomboy. But when it hung loose, it made her look all woman. When she saw Austin, she smiled, looking like a cat ready to pounce on a canary.

“Well, lookee who’s here. Hungry?” she asked with an arch of one brow.

He felt as guilty as a kid who was caught skipping school by the teacher…which irritated him. This woman wasn’t his mother or his teacher or anything to him. And he had a perfect right to get something to eat. After all, the ranch advertised its twenty-four-hour kitchen as a selling point.

“There’s nothing like a sandwich at midnight, is there?” she said saucily, then quickly added, “Unless it’s a thick juicy steak at dinner.” Her grin was devilish.

“All right. You’ve made your point,” he said dryly and started to leave.

“You don’t need to eat in your room. I’ve already seen you.”

That comment really annoyed him. “I’m not a man who hides from anything, Ms. Judd.”

“No?” She turned her back to him and walked over to the refrigerator. Austin watched her pull out the same plate of beef. “You could have fooled me.”

She sat on a stool at the island counter and began to make herself a sandwich. Instead of leaving—which he knew she would interpret as him feeling guilty—he took a stool across from her and plunked his plate down with a thud.

“Just because I don’t want to play cowboys with you doesn’t mean I’m a coward,” he stated in no uncertain terms.

She didn’t answer, but gave him a quick glance then continued smearing salad dressing on her bread.

Silence stretched between them until he said, “If this is how you treat your guests I’m surprised you have any sort of reputation left.”

This time she was the one who slapped something down on the counter. A knife. It clanged and he saw a spark in her eye that made his heartbeat increase.

“This is not a hotel, Mr. Bennett. It’s a ranch. A working ranch and guests who come here do so because they want to be a part of that work. Our job is to provide them with that opportunity, not to cater to self-indulgent, egotistical suits who have little respect for anybody else’s property but their own.”

By the time she had finished her eyes were flashing, her cheeks red, her chest heaving. It was the heaving chest part that held Austin’s attention. There was stress on the buttons of her shirt. And it wasn’t only caused by her posture, which was one of agitation. No, that skimpy little shirt of hers was a bit too tight across the bosom. He suspected that it was a deliberate maneuver on her part. He had yet to meet a woman who didn’t use her physical attributes to get her own way.