Clint: A Hidden Lane Ranch Cowboy Novel Read online

  He turned with a grin and put a finger to his lips. “Girls, we better be quiet. My mom will tan my ass if she comes out here.”

  “Clint! Is that Wyatt?” We froze when we heard Ma’s voice. I held back a chuckle; Wyatt was so busted.

  “Yes, Ma, Wyatt just got home. He has guests though,” I called back to her, grinning wickedly at him. I loved getting him into trouble with Ma.

  Ma came walking into the kitchen and frowned immediately when she saw the two girls with Wyatt. She never told us how to live our lives, but the disappointment on her face was evident. “Wyatt,” she nodded at him. “Who are your friends?”

  If he’d been buzzing when he came home, he was probably stone-cold sober from the look Ma was giving him. “These are just some girls I met tonight when I was out.”

  She gave them a nod. “Well, I’m going to bed. Goodnight everyone.” She turned and went back down the hall. We sat silently, waiting until we heard the click of her bedroom door.

  The three of them dissolved in a fit of giggles and Wyatt gathered them up to take them back to his room. “Good night, Clint.” He winked at me as the girls each wrapped an arm around his waist. I shook my head; Wyatt was going to get an earful from Ma in the morning.

  I flipped off the kitchen lights and walked off to the master suite. Ma insisted I take it after Dad died. She said it was too painful for her to be in there anyway. I decided on a quick shower before bed and imagined how much more fun it would be if Rachel were with me. As I cleaned myself, I gripped my cock, already semi hard between my legs. I reached an arm out to brace myself against the shower wall as I stroked my erection, thinking about being buried deep inside her.

  A soft moan escaped my lips, my hand moving faster. I licked my lips, thinking about how her skin would taste. I wanted to cover every inch of her body with my tongue until she cried out my name. I shuddered and released in my hand, breathing harshly. Fuck.

  I cleaned up and turned off the water. I dried off before throwing on some pajama bottoms. I preferred to sleep naked but I’d been waken up in the middle of the night with ranch emergencies on more than one occasion and I didn’t like getting caught in the buff.

  I clicked off the light on the table next to me and lay back, putting my hands behind my head while I stared at the ceiling. I hated the emptiness in the bed next to me and thought for a brief second about Hope. She was supposed to grow old with me here and help me run the ranch just like Ma and Dad had. She’d decided this life wasn’t good enough for her and headed out west to California. I hadn’t seen or heard from her in years.

  I turned to my side and touched the empty pillow next to me. Rachel’s image flashed in front me and I imagined her lying here next to me night after night. I snorted and closed my eyes. She would probably freak out just like Hope had; life on the ranch wasn’t easy and for those that hadn’t grown up with it, they had a hard time adjusting. I wouldn’t give up hope that I would find someone to share my life with. Eventually, the right person would come.

  I couldn’t shake the feeling that I’d just run into the right person.

  I almost overslept the next morning, visions of a blond-haired beauty filling my dreams. I was going to try to get back to the diner today and hopefully run into her.

  As I got dressed, I thought about all the times Ma had told me when I met the right girl, I’d know. She insisted the moment she met Dad, she told everyone she was going to marry him. I’d told her she was crazy; I didn’t believe in that shit, especially after being so sure Hope was the one.

  Now, after meeting Rachel, maybe there was something to what Ma said. I’d only spent a few minutes with her, but I couldn’t get her out of his head.

  I threw myself into my morning chores, trying to work off some of the frustration I was feeling. There was nothing like some old fashioned labor to help clear my mind. I ran this ranch, but that didn’t stop me from getting deep in the trenches with the other ranch hands. I worked just as hard as they did, if not harder. My dad had taught my brother and me to work hard. This morning I was messing with the ranch truck, trying to get it to run again.

  It was a muggy morning, the humidity felt like it was at 100% and it wasn’t long before I’d taken off my t-shirt. As brutal as the winters were here in Wyoming, the summers could be just as bad. I tried to get most of the hard work done before the sun was too high or it was just too hot.

  I glanced up to find Wyatt finally stumbling from the house with a cup of coffee in his hand.

  “Rough night?” I asked as he walked up to me in the garage.

  He grinned before taking a drink of his coffee. “You have no idea, big brother. You should’ve joined me. I would’ve shared.”

  I laughed and shook my head. “Did you even sleep?”

  He shrugged and set his coffee down on my toolbox. He turned his baseball cap around and studied the engine. “I can sleep when I’m dead.”

  We tinkered around on the truck awhile before Ma came out of the house. “Clint, someone’s here to see you.”

  “Send them to my office please, Ma. I’ll be right there,” I called over my shoulder, tightening one last bolt.

  “Well, it’s a girl. She says her name is Rachel. Do you know a Rachel?”

  I dropped my wrench and hit my head on the hood of the car in my surprise. Rachel was here?

  I bent down to pick up my dropped tool and when I turned around, there she was. She was wearing jean shorts and a purple sparkly tank top. Black sandals covered her feet and she had her hair on top of her head in a messy bun.

  “Hi, I’m here about a job,” she smiled at me shyly.

  3

  Rachel

  Fuck me. Was he really standing there in front of me with no shirt on?

  I watched him talk to the woman who’d answered the door when I knocked. She was his mom? Guess ranch living is different than back home. Most men I knew would never still be living with their mothers.

  My eyes followed a bead of sweat as it went down his chest and disappeared beneath the waistband of his jeans. My tongue darted out between my lips; what I wouldn’t give to lick that up with my tongue. I could have spent hours tracing over the muscles on his chest and stomach. My nipples were tight beneath my tank top and I suddenly wished I’d been wearing more than just the cami underneath it.

  His skin was golden brown from hours in the sun. He didn’t have any tattoos and it was nice to see a man that didn’t feel the need to cover his body with ink. Tattoos were hot, but there was something refreshing about his clean look. So far it seemed like Clint was the exact opposite of every man I knew and at this point in my life that was a very good thing.

  “Hello Rachel,” he smiled and nodded at me, grabbing the handkerchief from his back pocket and wiping the sweat from his brow. “Glad to see you again.”

  “You know this girl?” the woman who’d answered the door asked, looking at the two of us with curiosity written all over her face.

  “We met at the diner last night, Ma,” he replied, his eyes never leaving mine. Guess I was right; she was his mother. “Ma, this is Rachel. Rachel, this is my mother Mary. Rachel’s passing through town but I offered her a job here. I figured she could help Eliza run things. She’s been begging me lately to get her some help.”

  A knowing smile played on the woman’s lips before she answered. “Good idea.” She turned to me. “Nice to meet you, Rachel.” She looked back over at Clint. “Should I get Eliza?”

  “Not yet. I’ll get her.” His mom turned to leave as he reached for his shirt on his toolbox and slipped it over his head. A wave of disappointment washed over me. No, don’t put your shirt on, not yet. I chewed on my lower lip as I watched his muscles ripple even beneath his shirt. “Would you like to go inside and talk? I could use a break.”

  I nodded when another guy came from around the corner of the garage. He looked like a slightly smaller, younger version of Clint. His younger brother maybe?

  “Who do we have here?” he grinne
d, walking over to me with a grin that I was sure got him laid on more than one occasion. I had to stop from rolling my eyes at him; it was clear by the way he moved and the way his eyes moved over my body that he was a player. I was all too familiar with men like that.

  “Easy boy,” Clint said. “This is Rachel. She’s here about a job on the ranch.” He turned to me. “Rachel, this is my baby brother Wyatt.

  “Nice,” he winked at me as he shook my hand. “We could use some eye candy around here.”

  “Wyatt!” Clint scolded, reaching out to punch his arm. He smiled at me apologetically. “Sorry about that. Wyatt doesn’t know how to behave around ladies.”

  I giggled at Wyatt’s feigned look of shock. I loved the exchange between the two brothers; it was clear this family was close. That wasn’t something I was used to. It had just been my mother and I. Once she passed away, I met Seth at a coffee shop and he was my only family.

  Wyatt put his hand to his chest like he’d been wounded. “I’m hurt, big brother.” He laughed and turned to me. “Don’t believe a word he says, Rachel.”

  “Let’s go inside,” Clint said to me, ignoring his brother. “I’ll rescue you from him.” He started walking toward the house and I followed him. I stayed a few steps behind him so I could check out his ass again in those jeans. I made a mental note to send the makers of Wranglers a thank you card.

  “I’ll introduce you to my sister, Eliza. She’s probably about your age,” he said once we got inside. He opened the fridge and pulled out a pitcher of what looked like lemonade. “Would you like some?”

  I nodded and he motioned to the table for me to sit while he poured us each a glass. He sat down next to me and his scent filled my nostrils; it was a mixture of a little bit of sweat and soap and maybe even a woodsy scent.

  He started talking a little bit about the ranch and I tried to pay attention, but I couldn’t help but check him out in the light of day with him so close to me. He really was all man and I found myself drawn to him almost instinctively. I always thought of myself as a strong woman but there was some part deep down inside of me that wanted to wrap my body around him and let him take care of me.

  A door slammed, interrupting Clint and in walked the female version of Clint; this must be Eliza.

  “Hello hello!” she said, coming over to me and shaking my hand. “Mama said you had someone in here you were going to hire to help me?” she asked Clint. “I’m Eliza. You must be Rachel.”

  I nodded, a little bit overwhelmed by the tall beauty with the long black hair back in a ponytail. She was wearing black tank top and cut off shorts along with some cowboy boots. She looked amazing with her tastefully done makeup, almost like she’d walked right out of some sort of fashion magazine.

  “Well, it’s nice to meet you. Don’t listen to a word that this guy says,” she sat down on the chair across from me. “He thinks he’s in charge, but really, I am.” She winked at her brother. She froze and her eyes widened. “Oh my God, do not let her meet Wyatt.”

  “Too late,” he said wryly. “She met him outside and he was turning on the charm already.”

  “Stay away from Wyatt. He likes the ladies but never the same one twice,” she rolled her eyes and I couldn’t help but laugh.

  “Don’t worry. I know a million guys like him, so he can’t fool me,” I said with a smile.

  “Good.” She stole Clint’s glass of lemonade and took a long drink as we both watched her.

  Clint looked over and me and shrugged. “This is my family, what can I say?”

  I loved it. I’d only been here thirty minutes, if that, and I was in love with them. This place would be the perfect spot to stay for a while until I figured out the rest of my life without Seth.

  Eliza put the glass down and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. “Whatever. You go back outside to work and I’ll give Rachel the deets of job.”

  My heart fell; I wanted to stay with Clint. If I was honest with myself, he was probably the main reason I came and even considered working here. I didn’t want to seem desperate though or keep him from the stuff he had to do.

  “Sounds good,” he said, standing up from his chair. “If you need anything, just call or text me.” He began to walk out of the kitchen, stopping at the door. “Welcome to Hidden Lane Ranch, Rachel.”

  “Thank you,” I replied softly.

  He looked like he wanted to say something else, but opened the door and went back outside. I was looking forward to seeing him a lot more.

  The rest of the day was a whirlwind. Eliza took me all over the ranch, showing me the cattle fields, the kitchen, and a million other things. I had no idea Wyoming was such an amazing looking state. When we walked out of the back of the house, I was breathless from the view; there were mountains as far as the eye could see along with rolling green hills. I felt like I was in the middle of a painting. This was something I’d only seen in pictures and here it was right in the ranch’s back yard.

  By the time we were done, I was crazy impressed with the size of Hidden Lane Ranch. She told me the history of the ranch and how it’d been in her family for fifty years. I learned her dad had died about five years earlier, leaving Clint to run things. She mentioned something about an old girlfriend of his leaving him when they were younger, but she was vague and I didn’t want to seem nosy and ask.

  Every once in awhile we would run into Clint or Wyatt as we walked around and whenever I saw Clint, my heart would race and my mouth would get dry. It was like I was back in high school having my first crush. He’d taken off his shirt again and I caught myself staring a few times at the trail of muscles that formed a ‘v’ at the waistband of his pants. I’m pretty sure Eliza caught me looking at him with my tongue practically hanging out by the grin plastered on her face.

  He would always greet me with a smile and wave but I found myself wishing we could stop and talk to him. I wanted to know more about this sexy cowboy.

  Wyatt found us a few times too, always turning on the charm. I had to admit, he was sexy and it was easy to see why the girls flocked to him, but I’d been there, done that and wasn’t going to fall for a guy like that ever again.

  As part of my employment, I would get to stay at the ranch and have my meals taken care of too. They had food and lodging for everyone that worked there. You didn’t have to stay there, but it was one of the perks. I was a city girl through and through, but I loved the idea of escaping to this rolling paradise for a while.

  We sat down in the living room of the big main house with a cup of lemonade. It felt like it was one hundred degrees outside and the running around had left us both tired and sweaty.

  “So what do ya think?” Eliza asked, her dark eyes bright as she looked at me.

  “I love it,” I admitted. “This place is beautiful and perfect for me right now.”

  She squealed and bounced on the couch, clapping her hands like a little girl. “Yay! There’s so much testosterone in this place, it’ll be nice to have another girl around, especially one my age. I’ll show you to your room.”

  We stood up and she led me down the main hallway. “Since you’ll mostly be helping me in the office and here at the main house, we have a room for you in here.” She pointed to the doors as we walked. “Wyatt’s room, Mama’s, mine.” We arrived at the end of the hallway where there were two doors. “The one on the end here is Clint’s master suite. Mama insisted he take it.” She opened the door next to it. “This one is yours. I’ll give you a second to look around.”

  I walked around the bedroom, checking out the old dresser and nightstand. The comforter was blue and covered with some sort of floral pattern. The whole room had a homey, comforting feel. There was a small bathroom attached with a standup shower. It was perfect.

  I sat down on the bed, suddenly aware of just how close Clint would be next to me at night. What if he brought a girl home and I had to listen to him? Did he sleep naked? All of these thoughts raced through my head.

  Sweet baby J
esus. I thought maybe on this sprawling ranch I wouldn’t have to run into him all that often but I was going to be sleeping right next to him? How was I going to fight this attraction? It seemed like he was attracted to me too and now I was practically in his lap.

  Eliza teased me about staying away from Wyatt, but why did I have a feeling Clint was really the dangerous one? I left Buffalo to get away from one man and here I was attracted to another instantly. How could I not be though? He was so damn hot and a real man’s man. He was the kind of man country songs are written about. Well, I didn’t listen to country really, but I imagined he was.

  “Rachel!” Eliza called to me from down the hallway. I got up from the bed with a sigh. I left the room, closing the door behind me.

  Before going back to Eliza, I looked over at Clint’s door. I reached out to touch it with my fingertips. What was I getting myself into here?

  4

  Clint

  “What’s wrong with you today, man?” Wyatt asked me as we walked back to the main house for dinner.

  “Nothing’s wrong, why?” I asked defensively. I’d been distracted all day, trying to get glimpses of Rachel as Eliza showed her around the ranch. I was annoyed I didn’t get to be the one to do it, but there really wasn’t any reason Eliza couldn’t. I just wanted to spend more time with Rachel.

  I was thrilled she was coming to work here. Today she had covered it up better, but I still noticed that bruise on her cheek. Here I could protect her from whoever had done that to her. I clenched my hands into fists; if I ever got my hands on the person that hurt her, they would be begging for mercy.

  “You’ve been distracted all damn day and don’t think I haven’t noticed you checking out that fine piece of ass we just hired.”

  I stopped and grabbed my brother’s arm. “Don’t you ever refer to Rachel like that again, got it?” I said through clenched teeth. My brother wasn’t going to treat her like he did the other girls in this town.