Chapter Five

As Chelsea drove into town, she smiled at the hustle and bustle of people milling about. The town thrived during the summer months thanks to the Clifton Bed and Breakfast and the Bur Oak Guest Ranch in Spring City. People came from all over just to visit the small towns, and many fell in love with them and ended up moving there permanently.

Chelsea parked in front of Paige’s store and went inside, only to find it packed with customers.

“Hey, Chels,” Paige greeted her.

“Paige.” Chelsea exclaimed as she hugged her friend. “It’s so busy in here today.”

“We’ve been non-stop all day. I haven’t even had time for lunch,” Paige replied with a weary smile.

“Lunch was two hours ago,” Chelsea pointed out playfully.

“I know, but I can’t leave right now. Even Nick is too busy to come to town.” Nick Richards owned a Christmas tree farm that required constant attention, even when it wasn’t close to Christmas.

“How about I go grab us some salads and we can eat in your office?” Chelsea suggested.

“Oh, Chels, I’d love you forever,” Paige said gratefully.

“Pffft, you’ll love me anyway,” Chelsea teased with a grin.

“True,” Paige admitted with a laugh.

“I’ll be right back. I know exactly what to get you.” Chelsea smiled and then left the store, checking for traffic before crossing the street. When she entered the diner, she was met with a packed house full of tourists.

“Chelsea, honey, grab a seat if you can find one. I’ll be right with you,” Connie, the owner, said as she walked by.

“I just need two Southern fried chicken salads with ranch dressing, to go, whenever you have a minute,” Chelsea told her.

“Alright, hon. Let me set these dinners down and I’ll let Owen know,” Connie replied with a smile before disappearing into the kitchen.

After waiting for fifteen minutes, Chelsea saw Connie emerge with a bag and waved her over.

“I don’t know how you manage to deal with this every day, Connie.”

“Some days, I question it myself, but I can’t deny that I love it.”

“I know you do. Here’s your money.” Chelsea handed her the cash, dismissed the change, grabbed the bag, and stepped outside.

The lingering heat of the day still clung to the air, but as soon as the sun set, it would start to cool down. She quickly scanned the traffic before crossing the street and making her way into the lingerie shop. When she spotted Paige inside, she held up the bag and grinned, knowing her friend’s reaction.

They walked together back to Paige’s office and settled at her desk. Chelsea took out the salads from the bag and placed them in front of them along with the dressing and plastic forks.

“I’m starving,” Paige exclaimed as she opened her container.

“Me too.”

Paige eagerly stabbed a fork into the lettuce and brought it to her mouth, letting out a moan of pleasure after taking a bite.

“This is amazing. So, how’s life at the ranch?”

“Colt’s devastated by Mr. Cotton’s passing.”

“It’s sad. He was a wonderful man. I’m so sorry I missed the funeral. Colt’s the manager, right?”

“Yes,” Chelsea said as a blush crept up her cheeks and she silently prayed that Paige wouldn’t notice, but her hopes were dashed when Paige spoke up.

“Why are you blushing?” Paige asked curiously, tilting her head.

“Blushing? Must be the lighting. I never blush.”

“You do lie sometimes, though. And right now, that’s definitely a blush. Spill it.”

Chelsea dabbed at her mouth with a napkin before meeting Paige’s gaze.

“Colt and I had sex.”

Paige seemed momentarily stunned, forkful of food paused halfway to her mouth. She set it down slowly.

“You want to run that by me again? Just for confirmation.”

A chuckle escaped Chelsea’s lips. “Yes, we had sex.”

“When?” Paige shook her head in disbelief. “Never mind. And?”

“I want more,” Chelsea confessed with a grin.

“I’ve never met him. What’s he like?”

Chelsea sighed. “He’s gorgeous. Tall, dark hair, and very dark eyes. His picture is probably posted under, tall, dark, and handsome in the dictionary.”

“Why are there so many good-looking men around here? Is it in the water?” Paige grinned.

“Must be. I had such a crush on him when I was fourteen. Of course, he ignored me because he was twenty-one. I was just a kid then.”

“But you’re a grown woman now. If you’re both single… He is single, right?”

“Yes. As far as I know he has never married.”

“Well, go for it then. What could it hurt?”

“Paige, every time we have sex, he gets pissed. It’s because he works for me and thinks it would complicate things.”

“Would it? What if you got involved and it didn’t last? How would you work together?”

Chelsea nibbled on her bottom lip. “I think that is what it all boils down to. God! He is so hot though. And talk about filling out a pair of jeans. Damn.”

Paige sighed. “I know how you feel. I love how Nick fills his out.”

“Yeah, he’s crazy about you too.” Chelsea smiled.

After finishing their meals, Chelsea left, got her shopping done, then headed home. She hoped she didn’t see Colt and knew he was off this weekend so maybe they wouldn’t see each other until Monday.

The sun was beginning to set Monday evening, as Chelsea sat on the top step of the porch, her gaze fixed on Colt as he walked out of the barn and headed toward the other one. He glanced her way and gave a small nod before continuing. Despite the early evening hour, the heat still lingered in the air, causing sweat to stain his T-shirt and emphasize the muscles beneath.

As she watched him, she couldn’t help but murmur, “How can one man fill out a pair of jeans so perfectly? Hugging him in all the right places, like his toned ass, and don’t get me started on what’s behind that fly.” She couldn’t help but shiver, just knowing firsthand. “Damn, it’s hot.”

Shaking her head slightly, she got up from her spot and made her way into the house. After pouring herself a glass of lemonade, she went back outside to sit on the step once again.

A few minutes later, she saw Colt strolling back from the barn toward the middle one. This time, when he looked her way, she held up her glass of lemonade. She watched him hesitate for a moment before making his way across the yard toward the porch.

“Would you like a glass of lemonade?” she asked as he approached. “It’s not quite as good as Tricia’s, but it’s still refreshing.”

Colt removed his hat, wiping his forehead with his arm before resettling it on his head and giving a nod. “I would.”

“Come inside and cool off for a little while,” Chelsea suggested, standing up and leading him toward the door. As they entered the house, she couldn’t hold back a small smile. She knew he had been hesitant, but something about him made her want to push past those barriers and get to know him even more.

Once inside, he removed his hat, and stood by the door. As if ready to take off at any second. She put ice in a glass, poured him some lemonade then handed it to him. He took it without touching her, and she was having a hard time not laughing.

“Something funny?” he asked.

Chelsea folded her arms, leaned a hip against the table, stared at him, and grinned.

“You.”

“Me? How’s that?”

“You look like you’re ready to bolt.” She laughed when he chuckled.

“Maybe I am. I only seem to get into trouble anytime you’re close.”

“So, you’re calling what we’ve done, trouble.”

“It sure as hell can be.” He drank the lemonade down, put the glass in the sink, and turned to leave.

“Why can’t we see if this goes anywhere?”

“Because you’re my boss, and I like my job too much.”

“You think I’d fire you?”

“Hell, woman, you already did and that was over nothing. If we did see if this went anywhere, what happens if it doesn’t? You’d fire me in a heartbeat. As you keep telling me, I’m on downhill spiral, and I sure as hell don’t want to start over anywhere.”

“You know I’m teasing you about your age.”

“Yeah, but let’s face facts, I’m too old to start at the bottom again.”

“What if I promise not to fire you if it doesn’t work out between us?”

Colt huffed out a laugh. “Yeah, like that would make a difference. You’d find another reason, Chelsea.” He shook his head. “As much as I’d love to see if it would amount to anything, I don’t want to chance it.”

“So, we just stay away from each other?”

“It’s for the best.”

“Best for whom? I can be honest here and tell you, I like being with you.”

“Look, I love how good it is between us, but it’s too risky.” He sighed. “I can’t start over somewhere. I’m sure I could get another job due to my experience, but, likely, it wouldn’t be a manager position.”

“I understand that.” She shrugged. “Okay, we’ll stay away from each other.”

His eyes narrowed as he stared at her.

“Don’t try reverse psychology on me.”

“Is that what I’m doing?”

“What you’re doing is driving me up a fucking wall. Have a good evening,” he said, as he opened the door, and walked out.

She walked to the door to see him sauntering across the yard toward the barn and no doubt, cussing the entire way, she thought with a laugh.

“I’m not giving up, Colton Monroe. I’ll wear you down.”

After putting her glass in the sink, she decided to start looking for a riding instructor.

****

Colt walked out of the barn, into the cool October air, wondering where the hell summer went. He made his way into the spacious barn that was to be used for riding lessons. The smell of fresh hay and wood shavings filled his nostrils as he spotted Chelsea chatting with a petite woman by one of the horse stalls. Both women turned to look at him as he approached them.

“Colt, this is Christine Jones,” Chelsea introduced, gesturing toward the woman next to her. “Christine, this is Colt Monroe, the manager here at Cotton Boarding.”

“Ma’am,” Colt said politely as he reached out to shake Christine’s hand. His eyes couldn’t help but linger on her delicate features; the soft waves of light brown hair cascading down her shoulders, and the warm hazel eyes that seemed to sparkle in the sunlight filtering through the barn windows.

“Nice to meet you, Colt,” Christine replied with a smile.

“She’ll be joining us as our new riding instructor,” Chelsea explained, snapping Colt back to attention.

“I see. Well, welcome aboard. We hope you enjoy your time here,” Colt said sincerely.

“Oh, I’m sure I will,” Christine responded with a hint of flirtation in her voice as she continued to gaze at him.

Colt held her gaze until Chelsea cleared her throat, causing him to shift his focus back to her. A faint frown creased her forehead and he wondered what could possibly be bothering her.

“Actually, I wanted to let you know that I’ll be taking Joey with me to check the fence. Just wanted to give you a heads up in case you needed him and couldn’t find him,” he said to Chelsea.

“I’m sure he thought he’d be off today since it’s fall break, but I appreciate you letting me know,” Chelsea nodded gratefully.

“Yes, ma’am,” Colt replied dutifully before turning back to Christine. “It was nice meeting you.”

“The pleasure was all mine,” Christine said flirtatiously, flashing him another charming grin that made him chuckle.

He cast a final glance at Chelsea, noting the slight downturn of her lips, before making his way out of the barn. The warm sun greeted him as he stepped outside, but there was a chill in the air. Christine was a beautiful woman, but in his opinion, she couldn’t hold a candle to Chelsea.

Riding along the fence, he stole a glance back at Joey. The poor guy looked like he was about to have a heart attack on top of that horse.

“Just relax, Joey,” Colt called out. “He can feel your tension, and it makes him tense too.”

“Okay...” Joey’s voice shook with fear. “I’ve never ridden a horse before.”

“Don’t worry; it’s easy. Just try to relax your muscles. They’ll thank you for it later.”

After they finished their rounds, Colt led Joey back to the barn where he taught him how to cool down the horse. Looking at his watch, he realized it was almost two.

“You can head home if you want, Joey. I’ll see you tomorrow morning.”

“Thanks, Colt. See ya!” With that, Joey quickly ran off to his car and drove away.

“Colt?”

He turned around to see Chelsea walking toward him. Great, what could she possibly want now?

“Yeah?”

“How is Joey doing? Is he working out, okay?”

“He’s doing great so far. Seems like he really enjoys being here.”

“That’s good to hear. Oh, and I think Christine will work out just fine as well.” She stared at him expectantly.

“Well, that’s good to know. Did you check her references though?”

“Of course, I did. I do know how to run a business.” Her tone was defensive.

He raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms. “What other businesses have you run?”

“I own a coffee shop in town.”

“I had no idea.”

“How would you? We barely speak unless we’re having sex, and not much talking goes on.”

“Well, start learning how to have actual conversations because the sex isn’t happening again,” he retorted harshly.

She laughed. “Sure thing, cowboy.”

He grit his teeth and walked away from her, clenching his fists when he heard her laughing behind him. She was going to be the death of him. He could see it coming. And if she put her mind to it, she could have him in bed again in a heartbeat. She was a constant temptation that he struggled to resist.

The next morning, Colt entered the barn with a cup of steaming coffee in hand and made his way to his office. Just as he sat down at his desk, there was a knock on his door.

Colt called out for whoever it was to enter. He was surprised to see Christine standing in the doorway, with a smile on her face.

“Good morning,” she greeted him with a chipper tone.

“Morning. What can I do for you?” Colt replied, gesturing for her to come inside.

She closed the door behind her, walked confidently toward his desk, and took a seat in the chair across from him, her eyes full of mischief.

“What can you do for me? That, Colt, is quite a loaded question,” she teased with a coy smile.

Colt chuckled and shook his head. “Christine, I don’t want to hurt your feelings, but I’m not interested.”

Her playful expression faltered slightly. “You sure looked interested when we first met. Are you seeing someone?”

“No—”

“Then why not? Look, I’m not looking for anything serious. Just thought we could have some fun together,” she said nonchalantly.

“Fun? You mean... sex.”

She let out a carefree laugh. “Well, isn’t sex supposed to be fun?”

“I’m sorry.” Colt shook his head firmly, as he stood.

“Do you and Chelsea have something going on?” Christine asked curiously.

He furrowed his brow. “No. Why would you ask?”

“Because she looked pretty pissed off when we were introduced. Probably because I flirted with you, and you didn’t seem to mind. Maybe even flirted back a little.” She grinned mischievously.

“I’m a man, of course I don’t mind a beautiful woman flirting with me,” he admitted with a grin of his own.

Suddenly, Christine stood up and sauntered around the desk until she was standing inches away from him. She tilted her head up to meet his gaze, her hands resting lightly on his chest.

“You think I’m beautiful?” she purred seductively.

“I’m sure you already know that you are,” he responded with a sly smile.

She leaned in closer, her lips inches away from his ear as she whispered, “I’ll make it worth your while.” She playfully nipped at his earlobe with her teeth.

Just then, the door swung open and the two of them sprang apart. Colt turned to see Chelsea entering, a look of disapproval on her face.

“Is there something going on here that I should know about?” she asked icily as she closed the door behind her.

Colt shook his head quickly. “No.”

Christine couldn’t resist flashing him a grin before turning back to face Chelsea. “I just wanted to say good morning to Colt since we’ll be seeing a lot of each other here,” she explained innocently.

Chelsea narrowed her eyes, clearly not buying it. “Uh huh. Well, if you could go down to the riding stable, there’s a young woman waiting for you who needs some instruction.”

“Of course,” Christine replied smoothly before walking toward the door and giving Chelsea a polite nod. She waited for her to move out of the way before slipping out and glancing back at Colt with an alluring smile. “See you around, Colt.”

As soon as the door was shut, Chelsea turned back to face Colt with a pointed look.

“Well, that didn’t take you long,” she commented wryly.

“What?” He furrowed his brow in confusion.

“It didn’t take you long to catch her attention, did it?”

“Excuse me? She came looking for me, not the other way around.” He crossed his arms defensively. “And why does it even matter to you? We’re both single.”

“So, you are interested in her?” Chelsea pressed.

Colt shrugged noncommittally. He couldn’t bring himself to tell her the truth, it wasn’t Christine he was interested in.

Chelsea nodded. “I see. Well, just remember, no fooling around on the job, or I’ll have to fire you both.”

With that warning, she turned and left the office, slamming the door behind her with a force that made Colt wince.

****

Chelsea stormed into the house, slamming the door behind her with a loud thud. She couldn’t believe it. How could he be interested in Christine? If she had known, she never would have hired her.

She muttered to herself, “Jealousy is not a good look on you.”

Was it because Christine was younger? Chelsea couldn’t help but feel stung by the seven-year age difference. Memories of her ex-husband’s infidelity flooded her mind, each woman younger than the last.

“Why do men always want someone younger? Do they think these women will make them age slower? Men are such pigs.”

Feeling frustrated and hurt, Chelsea decided to head to town to check on her coffee shop. Ainsleigh had been doing a great job managing it while she was away, but she wanted to make sure nothing needed to be ordered.

As she got into her SUV to leave, she noticed Colt standing in the doorway of the barn, watching her. She refused to acknowledge him as she drove off.

Tears threatened to spill from Chelsea’s eyes, but she angrily blinked them back. She hated crying, but she couldn’t help feeling hurt that Colt would pursue Christine so quickly after just meeting her, while showing no interest in Chelsea.

“Why not? We were so good together,” she sniffled once more.

She couldn’t understand it. How could he just walk away from such amazing sex? All because she was his boss.

When she arrived at the shop and walked inside, it was bustling with customers.

“Welcome to The Everyday Grind, we’ll be right with you,” someone called out.

“Chelsea.”

She turned to see Ainsleigh approaching her from behind the counter. They hugged.

“I love how busy it is. Have sales been good?”

“It’s been like this every day, but as you know, it will probably get even more busy now that the weather is getting colder.”

“Yes. Do you mind if I check inventory in the office?”

“Chelsea, it’s your shop,” Ainsleigh smiled.

“I know, but you run it so efficiently that I don’t want to mess anything up.” Chelsea laughed.

“Don’t worry about it. Please, feel free to do whatever you need to do. I should get back before the customers start revolting. Let me know if you need anything.”

“Thanks, Ainsleigh. I will.”

Chelsea made her way to the back office, sat at the desk, and checked on everything. She was pleased to see that the shop was doing well. As she glanced around the office, she wondered if she should sell it. She hardly ever came here now that she had bought the ranch.

Pushing her chair back, she stood up and walked toward the front of the shop, behind the counter.

“Everything looks good. We’re running low on a few things, so I left a note for you on what we need to order.”

“You want me to handle ordering?”

“Yes. Ainsleigh, I’m not here enough to keep up with it all. If you don’t want to do it, I can take care of it myself, but this is your baby now more than mine. I’m so busy with the ranch.”

“You really love that place, don’t you?”

“I do. I just added a riding stable and hired an instructor for lessons. We’re doing great.” Chelsea smiled. “I need to figure out what to do with this place though.”

“Are you thinking of selling it?” Ainsleigh asked nervously.

“I’m not sure yet. I’m in no rush to make a decision. But I’ll let you know as soon as I do.”

“Thank you. I love working here. I love this shop.”

“I know you do. Don’t worry about it right now. It will be a while before anything happens. I’ll talk to you soon.” Chelsea hugged her again and then left for her car.

When she arrived back at the ranch, it was late afternoon. She decided to check on Christine and see how her lessons were going.

She opened the door to the riding stable and almost turned around when she saw Colt talking with Christine at the rail. They seemed a little too comfortable for her peace of mind.

****

Colt glanced over his shoulder to see Chelsea entering the stable.

“Looks like the boss is here,” Christine whispered.

He watched as Chelsea approached them and couldn’t take his eyes off her.

“How were the lessons, Christine?”

“They went well. All three signed up for more.”

“That’s great.” Chelsea cleared her throat. “Well, I just wanted to check in with you. I need to head inside and go over some paperwork.” She looked at Colt.

He nodded. “I should also check on the men.”

Chelsea turned and left. Colt watched her go before turning to see Christine smiling at him. He raised an eyebrow.

“I thought you said you weren’t involved with her?”

“I’m not.”

“But you want to be.”

Colt smirked. “It wouldn’t work out. She’s my boss.”

“Oh, I understand now. If it doesn’t work out, you could lose your job.”

“You’re perceptive.” He grinned.

“She likes you too, Colt.”

He shook his head. “It doesn’t matter.”

“Then why don’t we have dinner together?”

“How old are you?” he asked.

Christine laughed. “You know you should never ask a woman that question? But I’ll tell you. I’m thirty.”

“Well, that’s too young for me. Thirteen years is a big age difference in my book.”

She ran her fingers through the hair on his forearm.

“I happen to like older men.”

Colt shook his head. “Sorry. Have a good evening. See you tomorrow.” He left the stable and headed toward the center barn, but then changed direction and walked across the yard toward the house. He climbed the steps and knocked on the door.

Chelsea opened it and gave him a confused look.

“What do you want, Colt? Is Christine busy?” She waved him inside and he removed his hat before stepping inside the house, then hung it on the hook by the door.

He chuckled. “She doesn’t have to be busy for me to stay away from her.”

“What?”

“Chelsea, I don’t know why you think I’m interested in Christine. I’m not, so maybe try being a little nicer to her.”

The tension hung thick in the air as Colt and Chelsea stood facing each other. The soft glow of the setting sun filtered through the window, casting a warm golden light on their faces.

“She wants you,” Chelsea said, her voice trembling with frustration.

“So?” Colt replied coolly, shrugging. “You think I don’t know that? I told her I wasn’t interested,” he added, his eyes holding hers.

“Why not?”

“I’m just not,” he repeated, his gaze turning to the window.

“But she’s beautiful,” Chelsea persisted.

“So are you,” Colt murmured, his eyes lingering on her lips before meeting her gaze again.

“I thought you wanted her.”

“Chelsea, I don’t want her,” he replied firmly.

“You don’t want me either,” she whispered, and he could hear the pain in her voice.

But then he smirked. “That’s where you’re wrong. I do want you. I want you every minute of every day, but you’re my boss. We’ve been over this. It wouldn’t work.”

“You’re not even interested in seeing if it could?” Chelsea shook her head in disbelief. “I would think when two people are attracted to each other, they see where a relationship could go. Why can’t you take a chance?”

“I told you. I don’t want to lose my job,” Colt explained.

“I see,” Chelsea replied quietly.

“Chelsea, this job, this place, it’s all I have, and I will not lose it. This is the only home I’ve ever known,” he added, desperation creeping into his voice.

“I get that, but—” Chelsea started to say before being cut off by Colt’s sigh.

“You have no idea how much I’d love to see if we could have something, but what if we don’t?” he asked, his voice pleading.

“Do you think I’m not scared to try too? If it came down to you ending it, what would I do if you left here? You run this place, Colt. Mr. Cotton trusted you, and I do too. I have no idea what I’d do without you, but I’m willing to take a chance. Why can’t you?” Chelsea’s eyes bored into his as she spoke passionately.

He stared at her for a long moment before finally speaking.

“I want to,” he murmured.

Without another word, Chelsea closed the gap between them, wrapping her arms around his neck and pressing her lips to his in a passionate kiss.

“Then, do it,” she whispered against his lips. “Look, Colt, I hate sounding like a desperate woman, but I’ve never wanted a man more. Not even my ex before we got married.”

“Yeah, what happened there?” Colt asked, his voice low and husky with desire.

“He liked younger women,” Chelsea replied bitterly with a shrug.

“Ahh, I see,” Colt chuckled, understanding dawning on him.

“You see what?” Chelsea demanded.

“That’s why you don’t like me talking to Christine,” he replied with a mischievous smile.

“I don’t care if you talk to her, just don’t screw her,” Chelsea said half-jokingly.

Colt laughed. “No worries there. She’s way too young for me, and I am way too interested in you.” He sighed deeply. “Alright, we can see if this goes anywhere. I know I’ve never wanted another woman as much as I want you. Promise me, you won’t fire me.”

Chelsea laughed and nodded. “I promise, and you promise me, if you end it, you won’t leave here.”

“Alright. I promise, but we keep this between us, okay? At least until we see how it’s going,” Colt added, his eyes searching hers for reassurance. She nodded and with that, he lowered his lips to hers once more, their kiss filled with a newfound passion and hope for the future.