Page 43 of One Steamy Night

After picking up Nadia’s car, Jaxon followed her back home. Then they had lunch at a restaurant on the outskirts of town that, in his opinion, served the best BBQ ribs he’d eaten in a long time. When they reached the Ellerey Ranch two horses were saddled and ready for them to ride.

For some reason the man’s granddaughter, a woman who looked to be in her late twenties, had saddled the second horse for herself. She’d assumed Jaxon would want company and had invited herself to go riding with him. Why she’d thought such a thing when he didn’t even know her, he couldn’t say.

It didn’t take long to figure out what she was about and he wasn’t having it. He let her know that Nadia would be his riding partner. From the way she’d glared at Nadia it was obvious the woman hadn’t liked that too much. Not that he’d given a royal damn.

As soon as Nadia was seated in her saddle, she had taken off and he’d chased after her. It didn’t take long for her to prove she was the expert horsewoman she’d claimed to be. Not that he’d doubted it for a second. He liked ruffling her feathers. He had enjoyed racing across the valley with her and then trotting along several paths.

“Oh, look,” she called out and slowed her horse.

His gaze followed to where she was pointing. A fawn was caught between the fencing. They brought their horses to a stop and Nadia was off before Jaxon could help her down. She rushed over to where the baby deer was crying for its mother.

“Poor thing,” Nadia said, glancing around.

“We need to untangle it and set it free,” he said. “It’s my guess the mother is around here somewhere, probably watching and hoping we don’t do her baby any harm. I need to grab a pair of gloves from the saddle bag.”

When he returned, he saw Nadia smoothing the animal with calming words and it was no longer crying. It took them working together to untangle the fawn only because the animal was skittish and frightened. Once they had set it free, the fawn took off. Up in the distance they saw it was joined by the mother and then both animals skedaddled into the woods.

“Well, that was our excitement for today,” Nadia said, smiling.

“There’s a lake over there. We might as well rest the horses and let them take a drink,” he said.

Going back to the horses, they grabbed the reins and walked toward the lake. “When Dad was alive there were a lot of horses on the Novak Homestead,” Nadia said, leaning against a tree. “We had to sell them all when he got sick since money was needed. That’s when I lost my horse. He was one of the ones we had to sell.”

Jaxon nodded. This wasn’t the first time she’d told him how she and her sisters had made sacrifices when their father had taken ill. Sacrifices they had been glad to make so their father could get the best medical care. The first night Jaxon had shared dinner at her place she’d told him how Pam had returned home after giving up acting. Jill had to stop her riding lessons. Yesterday, on the drive to Valley Bluff, they’d passed a dance studio and she told him Paige had been taking dance classes there until their father had gotten too sick for her to continue. Now, Nadia had told him she’d given away a horse that had meant a lot to her.

“What was your horse’s name?” he asked, leaning against a tree opposite her. The fading sun highlighted her features. They were the same beautiful features he’d stared down into last night while making love to her.

“Cocoa. I named him when he was born because he was the color of rich, dark cocoa. He was the best horse a girl could ever have, and he was beautiful.”

“I bet he was.”

“I have a picture of me at eleven sitting on his back. It was the last one Cocoa and I took together.”

Jaxon recalled seeing the framed picture on a wall in her bedroom. He could hear the sadness in her voice. It was sadness he wished he could take away. Deciding to change the subject, he said, “I wonder where this lake leads to.”

Nadia told him the history of the Ellerey Ranch and how Jamie Ellerey was the descendant of one of the town’s founders. She then told him more of the town’s history and how her great-great grandfather had been one of the first to settle in the area as well. While she was talking, he wondered if she would consider living somewhere else. Or was she pretty rooted here since returning after living in Denver all those years? Gamble was the type of town that could grow on you. Everyone he’d met had been hardworking and friendly. That’s why he knew if Nadia preferred living here permanently, then he would, too. His home would always be with her.

“What’s the deal with Ellerey’s granddaughter? I take it the two of you know each other.”

Nadia nodded. “I’ve known Clementine all my life. Her father was old man Ellerey’s only child and I understand he was a real decent man. When Clementine’s parents were killed in an avalanche during a ski trip, old man Ellerey raised her alone. She was only three and needless to say he spoiled her rotten. She’s always been a pain in everyone’s side. Even as a kid. I’d hoped her attitude had improved when I moved back years later but it hasn’t. She has this entitlement complex. She believes she’s entitled to anything or anyone she wants.”

Jaxon had gotten that same impression.

“I’m sure you noticed how beautiful she is,” Nadia added.

Yes, he’d noticed. “I’m a man who believes inner beauty is just as important as outer beauty. Even more so.” There was no need to add that he’d dated a number of women who’d had the looks of a goddess but possessed hearts of stone.

“It’s time to get back, Jaxon.”

He glanced at his watch. It had gotten late and he hadn’t been aware so much time had passed. “I enjoyed today with you, Nadia.” No need to tell her again how much he’d enjoyed his night with her, too. He had pretty much proved it last night.

She didn’t say anything for a minute and then stated, “And I enjoyed being with you today, too, Jaxon. But nothing has changed.”

“You’re wrong about that. Everything between us has changed after last night.” He wouldn’t waste his time saying that as far as he was concerned last night sealed the deal. “I was your first,” he added.

“But that doesn’t mean you’ll be my last.”

“That’s how I intend for it to be.”

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