Texas Big Man

“Morning,” I say.

“Morning.” The word is quiet. Hesitant. “You made breakfast?”

“I did. Welcome to the ranch.”

She comes the rest of the way down the stairs and looks around, hugging herself around the waist. She looks lost and unsure, like she’s not exactly sure what to do. “It’s not poisoned,” I say, grinning. “Coffee?”

“God yes, thank you.”

I grab the kettle, still hot, and spoon in two heaps of coffee into the filter. I pour the hot water over the grounds and into her mug. The kitchen immediately fills with the smell of fresh brewed coffee. I think I hear Melena moan.

“How do you take it?” I ask, as I carefully place the steaming mug in front of her.

“Black in the morning; sugar and cream in the afternoon.”

Leaning over the table to put the coffee next to her, I raise an eyebrow. “That’s very specific.” From my vantage point above her, I get a glimpse of more skin than I was expecting. That damned top. I could pull it all the way off her shoulder and savage those nipples that are begging for it. Melena doesn’t even seem to be aware that they’re showing. In fact, she seems completely unaware of her own appeal. But fuck, I’m about ready to haul her over this table and fuck her like the cliché that’s in every country movie.

And her groan when she tries the coffee nearly does me in. Holy shit I am not going to survive this woman. “Good?” My voice has dropped, and she notices when she looks at me, eyes fluttering over me like she knows I’m about to pounce.

“Yes,” she says. “Very.”

“Good.” I force myself to step back. “I’m glad.”

I take my seat again, partly because my breakfast is getting cold but mostly to hide the growing bulge in my jeans. I finish my eggs and coffee in half the time, and put my dishes in the sink for later. Outside. I need to be outside and working so that I can get her out of my head for a little bit.

I’m about to make a break for it, take in some fresh air to clear my head of this woman, when she asks, “What happens now?”

“What do you mean?”

Melena cringes. “I mean, Trevor made it seem like I’d be down here with him, not with you.. That’s what I was expecting, at least. That’s why I was so…surprised…yesterday. Without him here, I’m not exactly sure what I’m supposed to do.”

My eyebrows lift into my hairline. “He didn’t give you any instructions?”

She shakes her head. “I kind of figured he’d be here to…direct me. I don’t have a single idea about what it takes to make this a functioning guest ranch. I only agreed to come so I could help my brother. And well, now that my brother’s not even here…”

“Well I have a list of jobs a mile long that I have to do. You’re more than welcome to join me. That is, if you think you can handle it.” I don’t even realize the double entendre before I see a blush spread across her face. Damn. This is not the direction I’d meant this conversation to go. I quickly reverse course, remove any playfulness from my voice. “Or maybe you should call Trevor, see what he has in mind. I only know what he wants me to do.”

“Okay.”

I push out of the door into the morning sunshine. It’s not hot yet, but it will be. I can already tell.

As much as I want Melena right next to me where I can see her working, I can also already tell that that’s going to make a huge dent in my productivity. Can’t exactly fix fences if I can’t take my eyes off her.

And that’s what I’m doing today. Fixing fences. Frankly, repairing all the fences on the massive property in advance of the construction crews arriving is the biggest job. The second is clearing some of the construction sites of trees and debris. But I’ll get to that eventually. The fences are the first on my list so we can make more space for the horses we have, and eventually bring some more on the property.

Throwing myself into my work, it doesn’t seem like very long before I hear the crunch of dirt and stones behind me. I turn and find Melena standing there in jean shorts and a tank top and a baseball hat that makes her absolutely fucking adorable.

“You talk to Trevor? Get your marching orders?” I ask.

“I decided just to help you today. I want to. Show me what you need.”

I push aside my skepticism that this city girl is going to be much use on a ranch like this. Trevor told me that I’d be working with his sister, but he never told me why. But she’s strong, I saw that yesterday. Maybe she’s a fast learner.