When Miranda returned, Keith used the bungee to secure the trailer door to the corral panel. He then climbed over the corral, dropping to the ground beside her. They stood watching the wary stallion, who still evinced no desire to leave the trailer.
It was the closest they’d been to each other in a long time, and his proximity hit her hard. Any resolution she had to keep things on a professional level melted that moment. Fifteen minutes in his company already had her aching for his touch. How could she ever last a whole week? A day? Even another hour? Miranda suddenly felt a lot like that horse. Now that Keith was here, it was impossible not to think about being with him again. Did he feel it too? Did he still want to be with her?
“This is a real nice place.” He nodded to the house and surroundings, still revealing nothing of his thoughts. “I didn’t really get to see it last time I was here.”
“It’s been my grandmother’s home for over fifty years,” Miranda replied. Now that he’d set the tone, she had no choice but to follow suit with inane small talk. “It’s also where my grandfather grew up. His parents homesteaded the place during the depression. They came out West and never looked back.”
“You sound like you’re happy here,” he remarked.
“I am. I never could have imagined doing anything like this, but everything just seems to have led to it.”
“There isn’t any chance I can still talk you out of it, is there?” he asked.
“No, Keith. The deal is signed. I couldn’t back out even if I wanted to, but I don’t want to. I’m even hoping you’ll come to see this as a good thing.”
“That’s doubtful,” he said.
The two old geldings grazing in the pasture suddenly caught the stallion’s attention. He blew out a loud snort and leapt off the trailer to charge down the fence line, neck arched and ears flat. Keith sprang into action, closing the trailer door and then the corral gate to lock him in.
“We need to be very careful to keep him away from them.” He nodded to Jesse and Doc. “Blue Eye is going to see any other male as a threat to his harem. There wouldn’t be an issue if there weren’t any mares around, but once mares are in the mix, a stud horse can be a real pain in the ass to keep. It probably would have been better if I’d brought geldings instead of mares. It also wouldn’t be a bad idea to keep the mares separate from your geldings, just in case this guy should get out.”
“It shouldn’t be any problem. There’s plenty of room here. The ranch has two corrals and over two thousand acres of pastures.”
*
After they unloaded and fed all the horses, Miranda showed Keith around the ranch. Even though he’d come with the best of intentions, his resistance was slipping fast. It had taken him less than five minutes to realize he’d only been fooling himself to think he could ever maintain a platonic relationship with Miranda. He’d been fighting the urge to touch her from the moment he climbed down from his truck.
“Do you want to see the bunkhouse now?” she asked.
“Sure. Let me just grab my stuff.”
Walking side by side, he noticed her long strides perfectly matched his. He didn’t stifle the impulse to rest his hand on her lower back. She glanced up at him, her gray eyes flickering. He broke the contact only to grab his two bags. His hungry eyes were glued to her shapely little denim-clad ass as he followed her to the bunkhouse. His thoughts and emotions were jumbled as she fumbled with the lock. His resolution was already weakening.
She opened the door to the single-story split-log cabin and beckoned him inside. “It’s not much, but I hope you’ll feel at home here. This is the living area. We cleaned the place and aired it out last week, and replaced all the linens. There’s a fridge, microwave, and coffee pot in the kitchenette, but we’re happy to feed you over at the house.”
He gave the room a cursory inspection. It was sparsely furnished, just an overstuffed sofa, end table, a television, and a recliner. There was a multipurpose wood-burning stove between the living room and kitchenette. It was more than adequate for his needs.
She turned to face him, her expression soft and inviting. “I really mean that, Keith. I want you to feel welcome here. Your coming means more than I can say.”
“I already told you not to read too much into it,” he replied brusquely. “I’m not a convert to your ‘save the mustangs’ campaign, Miranda.”
“But you are here,” she countered. “I think I’m reading that part right enough.”
“I’m here for you,” he said.
“Is that so?” she whispered. “Then what are you waiting for?”
The look in her eyes was a blatant invitation, but Keith still resisted. “I told you before that it’s a bad idea to mix business with pleasure.”
“But you didn’t want the paycheck, did you?” she countered softly.
“No. I don’t need your money,” he said.
“Since you refused my offer of payment, technically this isn’t a business arrangement, is it?” She toyed with a golden curl. “The way I see it, it’s more like a friend doing a favor for a friend.”