Chapter Seven

Colt led the horses to the indoor corral so he could muck out the stalls. Same shit, different day. Literally. After doing that, he pushed the wheelbarrow along the aisle, then set it down.

“Hello? Could you tell me where I might find Colton Monroe?”

Colt turned to see a stunning woman with platinum blonde hair walking toward him, carrying a briefcase.

“I’m Colt Monroe,” he said as he removed his work gloves and stuck them in his back pocket.

“I’m Eden Brennan from the law office of Dirk Wallace. I have a letter for you and each of the ranch hands here. If you could hand those out, I’d appreciate it.” She placed her briefcase on a bale of hay, opened it, and took out several sealed envelopes, then handed them to him.

“What are these for?”

“I’m not aware of their contents, but they’re from the Cotton estate. Instructions were given to give them to you and the others after Mr. Cotton’s passing and his estate was settled.”

“Okay,” Colt said as he took them and looked through them. Each envelope had the names of the employees on the ranch. “I’ll make sure they receive them.”

“Thank you.” She smiled at him, and he nodded.

“Yes, ma’am.”

“If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to call me.” She handed him her business card. “I’ll answer what I can or refer you to Mr. Wallace if necessary. Have a good day.”

“You too. Thank you.”

Colt watched her walk away and disappear into the sunshine before entering his office and sitting behind his desk with the envelopes in front of him. He couldn’t help but wonder what they contained.

“There’s only one way to find out,” he muttered to himself, but he’d have to wait. Today’s schedule was packed with tasks to complete. He opened his desk drawer and tucked the envelopes inside, locked the drawer, and left his office.

As he walked toward the bunkhouse during lunchtime, he knew all the men would be there. He arrived at the door, opened it, stepped inside, and saw everyone eating at the table. They all turned to look at him when he closed the door.

“What’s going on, Colt?” Jett asked.

“I have some envelopes to give out at the end of the day—” He paused as they all looked at him with fear in their eyes. He chuckled. “No, they aren’t pink slips. They’re not from me or Chelsea either. They’re from a lawyer’s office and relate to Mr. Cotton.”

“Did you get one too?” Brian asked.

“I did, but I’ll look at it tonight. Finish your lunch then get back to work, and when you’re done for the day, find me and I’ll give you your envelope. We have too much to do today.”

“No kidding. I think everyone wants to ride before the snow comes,” Bobby remarked.

“No doubt. Bobby, you and Steve check the fence along the east trail once you’re done eating.”

“Yes, sir.”

Colt nodded and left the bunkhouse, making his way to the barn where they kept their feed supplies. As winter approached, he needed to check their stock and possibly order more. It was always better to have more than not enough on a ranch like this. After taking inventory of the feed, Colt contacted Ash Beckett to arrange for a couple of truck loads to be delivered.

As the day went on, Colt worked in the barns while the rest of the employees were out working on other tasks. There was always something that needed to be done to keep the ranch running smoothly.

Even though the horses did not belong to the ranch, they were cared for as if they did. This was one of the reasons why most people trusted them with their animals. The Cotton boarding stables had a stellar reputation, thanks in part to its dedicated staff members.

Colt couldn’t help but smile as he thought about Chelsea; she was constantly on his mind and he wanted her every minute of every day. It was tough being around her and not being able to touch her in some way. Even though they had decided to keep their relationship hidden from the employees, it was going well so far.

As Colt continued working in the barn, his phone buzzed with a message. He pulled it out of his T-shirt pocket and grinned when he saw that it was from Chelsea.

Dinner tonight?

He responded with a playful message.

Depends on what it is.

A few moments later, his phone buzzed again.

Okay, there is no dinner. I just want to get you naked.

Colt laughed.

I’ll be there this evening, after I grab a shower.

You can grab a shower here... with me.

Sounds good. See you later, baby.

Later, cowboy.

Putting his phone back in his pocket, Colt returned to work.

As the clock struck six, he was sitting in his office when there was a knock on the door.

“Yeah, come in,” he called out.

The door opened and the men entered the room. Suddenly, Colt remembered about the envelopes that had been left for him. He quickly retrieved them from the drawer and handed them out to each man.

“Do any of you have an idea what this is?” Jett asked, holding his envelope up toward the light coming through the window.

Colt shook his head, “No clue. I’ll see you all tomorrow.”

The men left the office and Colt was left with one envelope that had his name on it. He stared at it thoughtfully before getting up and putting it in his back pocket.

As he walked out of the barn into the cool evening air, he couldn’t help but take a moment to appreciate the beautiful sunset over the mountains. The sky was painted shades of red, orange, and yellow.

He walked up the steps to the house and knocked. The door opened, revealing the most beautiful woman he’d ever laid eyes on. He couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow when he noticed she wore a robe.

“Hi, you look ready for bed,” he said with a grin.

“More than ready. Come in.”

“I need a shower. I should go home first.”

“First?” She tilted her head and grinned.

“You know what I mean.”

“Oh, I do, cowboy. I do. Come inside and we’ll save water.” She hooked her fingers in his belt loops and pulled him into the house. Once inside, she wrapped her arms around his waist, leaned into him, and pressed her soft lips against his. They shared a heated kiss as she removed his hat and tossed it onto a chair.

“I seriously need a shower, Chelsea,” he said after breaking the kiss.

“Then, let’s do that.” She took his hand and led him to the bathroom.

In the bathroom, she slowly lifted his shirt over his head, and dropped it to the floor before unbuckling his belt, unsnapping his jeans, and pulling down the zipper with a swift yank, making him draw in a sharp breath.

“Damn, woman. You just took ten years off my life.”

Chelsea laughed. “Sorry.”

“Yeah, you sound it.” Unable to resist any longer, he fisted his hands in her hair and pulled her close for another deep passionate kiss.

As their lips met again, she shoved his jeans and boxer briefs down, exposing him fully. Her hand wrapped around his throbbing cock, causing him to groan with pleasure. He quickly shed his boots, jeans, and socks before returning to their passionate embrace.

His hands roamed over Chelsea’s body as he untied the belt on her robe, and slid it open. He explored the silky softness of her back and shoulders, then pushed the robe off her body, letting it fall in a pool around her feet.

“Condom,” she whispered breathlessly.

“Get my wallet.”

Chelsea retrieved his jeans from the floor and fished out an envelope from the back pocket.

“What’s this?” she asked curiously.

“It’s from the Cotton estate. It’s probably just a letter thanking me for working here,” he said. “Just get the condom.”

She removed it from his wallet, ripping it open with her teeth, and expertly rolled it onto him. He scooped her up, settling her on the bathroom counter as his finger trailed along her wetness. Her moan vibrated through him, sending shivers down his spine as he kissed her deeply.

“Colt,” she whispered his name, making him shudder with desire.

He locked eyes with her as he positioned himself and inched inside. She gasped at his sudden invasion while wrapping her legs tight around his waist, pulling him closer. He could feel her pulsing around him as he struggled to maintain control. Their moans and grunts filled the air as he thrust into her with intensity.

The sensation of Chelsea’s hot and tight embrace threatened to push him over the edge far too soon, but he couldn’t stop himself from continuing to drive into her depth with reckless abandon.

A heated sense of urgency swept over him as he felt the all too familiar tightening of Chelsea around him. Her body, so warm and welcoming, pulsed in rhythm to his thrusts. He knew he was precariously teetering on the edge of coming, but he needed her there with him, experiencing that sweet release.

He slid his lips against the softness of her cheek before whispering sensually into her ear, “I can feel you gripping my cock baby. You’re so close to coming... I want us to crash over together.”

His thrusts grew more powerful, seeking out those honeyed depths of pleasure within her. His hands slipped around the curve of her back, fingers digging into the supple flesh as if she was his lifeline.

Her body arched against his in response, succumbing to the relentless push-pull rhythm he set. Each deep plunge of his cock breaking waves within her core. Her breath hitched with each delicious slide of their bodies; it was intoxicatingly addictive.

He wanted to witness every flicker of ecstasy that danced across her features; to drink in the sight of her lost in their shared pleasure. To see her release for him would ignite his own.

Muscles strained as they moved together like a well-rehearsed dance; erotic, primal and utterly satisfying. A series of moans and gasps filled the room like a symphony enveloped in desire, building toward that blissful moment where everything else ceased to exist except them.

Every thrust inside her made him ache for more. The wet heat wrapped around him urged him closer to the brink with every plunge. One hand holding her steady while the other explored down between their sweat-slick bodies, fingers finding her clitoris swollen and eager for attention. With a few deft strokes against it, he aimed to impel them both over that edge they had been skirting around so deliciously.

“Let go, Chelsea,” His voice was raw with desire, as tense with tension as his hardness inside her. “Come for me,” he urged as his fingers kept circling her, giving her that extra push toward glorious oblivion.

When she screamed out, he grunted, pummeled into her, and followed her over as he came.

Colt took deep breaths as he rested his forehead on her shoulder. Her breath against his ear as she tried to calm her breathing.

He raised his head to look at her face, but she had her eyes closed and her lips were lifted into a smile.

“Now, can we get that shower?”

Chelsea laughed. “I definitely need one now. Help me down, please.”

He lifted her off the counter and held onto her until he was sure she could move.

****

Chelsea took a deep breath, steadied herself, then walked to the shower stall. She reached inside, turned on the water, and the room quickly filled with steam. She turned to face him to see him staring at her.

She smiled, stepped into the stall, and crooked her finger at him. He grinned, disposed of the condom then walked to the shower, and stepped into it.

Picking up the soap, she rubbed it in her hands until she worked up a good lather, then moved her hands over his chest and gazed into his eyes.

“It’s always so hot with you, Colt. I can’t believe what I’ve been missing.”

“I’m sorry you lived like that.”

“There was never any foreplay. He just expected me to be ready anytime he wanted sex, and if I wasn’t, he did it anyway.”

“Why did you stay with him?”

“Because I loved him and he was the only man I’d been with. I didn’t know it was wrong until after my divorce. I was so na?ve. A good friend of mine told me that Ron didn’t care about me, only himself.” She sighed. “I wonder how he gets those other women so interested in him. Of course, now I’m sure he’s enjoying his freedom again. He will never be faithful.”

“I’m glad you divorced him.” Colt held his hand out, and she placed the bar of soap in his hand. He lathered it up, then ran his hands over her body, making her moan.

“Me too because I’d never realize how good sex could be.”

Colt kissed her lips. “I’m happy to show you anytime.”

Chelsea laughed. “Oh, me too.”

Once they showered and dressed, they headed for the kitchen to get some food in them, then they planned to watch TV for a while until he left.

The next afternoon, she entered the barn to see riders getting their horses ready to head out. She frowned when she saw Colt talking and laughing with a woman who couldn’t seem to stand close enough to him, and Chelsea knew all about her.

When she placed her hand on his arm, Chelsea wanted to skin her alive, and he didn’t seem to mind one little bit.

“Colt,” she called out and saw him turn to face her with a smile on his face.

“Yeah?”

“Could you get started on mucking out the stalls?”

He frowned and clenched his jaw.

“Yes, ma’am,” he retorted, then looked at the woman standing beside him. “Enjoy your ride.”

After touching the brim of his hat, he strode down the aisle, passing Chelsea without saying a word, or even looking at her, then entered the tool room.

Chelsea took a deep breath, frowned at the woman, to see her grinning.

“Well, if it isn’t Chelsea Kennedy.”

Chelsea stepped close to her. “Find another place to board your horse by the weekend. I don’t ever want to see you here again.”

“You can’t do that.”

“I own this ranch; I can do whatever I want.” She stared at her for a few seconds, then followed Colt. She stepped inside the room to see him gathering up what he needed. He didn’t even look at her and she knew he was pissed.

“Colt…”

He sighed, set the rake down, and stalked toward her, stopping in front of her.

“Don’t ever speak to me like that in front of a client again,” he snapped.

“I just wanted—”

“To put me in my place? Was that it?”

“No!”

“Yes, you did. You saw that woman flirting with me and you didn’t like it.”

“It had nothing to do with that,” she said through clenched teeth.

“Bullshit.”

“It didn’t.”

“Then tell me what it had to do with Chelsea. Whether you believe it or not, I do know what the fuck I’m doing. I’m the manager and I have to be nice to any clients here. I’m not your ex-husband. I have no desire to fuck her,” he growled.

Chelsea gasped. “That was uncalled for.”

“Was it? Do not judge me by him. Now, get out of my way and let me get to work.”

She stared at him, but he turned away from her and loaded up the wheelbarrow, then pushed it out of the room without looking at her again.

“Damn it. You’re an idiot,” she chastised herself as she left the barn. She didn’t have time to talk to him right now, she had to make a trip to town to get supplies and check in at the coffee shop. She’d have to talk with him tomorrow.

****

Colt finished mucking the stalls, then worked on repairing a few of the gates. It was cold outside, but the barn had him sweating.

“Hey, Colt.”

“Brian. How’s your day going so far?” Colt flashed a grin.

“Busy. What did you think of the money?”

“Money? What are you talking about?”

“Haven’t you opened your envelope yet?”

“No, I haven’t.”

“Damn it, Colt. Open it. It’s a check. Well, if you get what we did, that is. Each of us received ten thousand dollars.”

“Ten thousand dollars? All of you?”

“All four of us. I’m sure Mr. Cotton gave you a little more since you’ve been here for so long. I can’t believe you haven’t opened it yet.”

“I just assumed it was a thank-you letter from him for working here. I couldn’t bring myself to read it yet.”

“I understand that but, you need to open it. I’m heading to the riding stables to clean the stalls.”

“Okay. See you later.”

“Yes, sir.”

Colt watched as Brian left the barn. He couldn’t believe Mr. Cotton had left them money. Although he shouldn’t be surprised; that was just how the man was. Colt certainly hadn’t expected any money from him.

“You don’t even know if he left anything for you,” he muttered, shaking his head because if he left money for the ranch hands, he was sure the man left something for him too. He wasn’t interested in the money though; he’d rather have Walt back, but he knew that wasn’t possible.

With a heavy sigh, he got back to work. He would open the envelope when he got home this evening.

It was eight o’clock by the time he got home and, he was exhausted. As he sat down in his chair, he took off his boots and socks and leaned back with a deep breath. If he didn’t get up soon, he’d fall asleep in the chair.

He needed a shower, something to eat, and then bed. In that order. He wasn’t seeing Chelsea tonight since he was still pissed over their encounter earlier today. It was best if he cooled down first.

After eating and showering, he entered his bedroom and opened the nightstand drawer to find the sealed envelope. Sitting on the edge of the bed, he stared at it for a moment, tracing his name written in cursive on the front in Walt’s handwriting. Damn, he missed that man.

Taking a deep breath, he opened the envelope and found a folded sheet of paper inside. As he unfolded it, another piece of paper fell to the floor. Bending over, Colt picked it up and did a double take.

“Holy shit. Is this real?” he muttered as he looked at the check for two million, five hundred thousand dollars. “Seriously?” He turned the check over and saw where he needed to sign it; there was no doubt that it was very much real. It was definitely more than ten thousand dollars.

“Damn, Walt. Why did you do this?” He set the check on the nightstand and picked up the folded letter addressed to him. As he read it, he swallowed hard.

Dear Colt,

I’m sure you are aware of why you have received this letter. While the enclosed check may come as a surprise, it is our way of showing our appreciation for everything you have done for us over the years. We would have left the ranch to you, but you made it clear that running a business wasn’t your passion. That’s why we sold it. The money from the sale is our gift to you. Tricia will have more than enough to live comfortably on without me. The ranch hands were also given something.

My brother will also receive some inheritance but know that we loved you like a son, Colt. Your arrival was a blessing in disguise, and we were both overjoyed when you decided to stay with us. You have been a huge help to us, and we believe you deserve this gesture of gratitude. We know you may not think so, but we do. Enjoy the money and use it however you see fit.

With love,

Walt

Colt wiped away his tears, rereading the letter in disbelief. He never could have imagined that they would do something like this for him. Gratitude filled his heart as he thought of Tricia, who had taught him to always thank those who helped him, and he would call her tomorrow. He picked up the check once more, examining the amount written on it with amazement.

“That’s a huge sum.” Colt shook his head, placing the check back in the envelope and placing it in the drawer of the nightstand. He would have to make a trip to the bank soon.

He couldn’t believe his luck. He knew he would never come across such a large amount of money in his lifetime, and now it was simply handed to him. He wasn’t going to mention this to anyone until he figured out what to do.

With a smile on his face, he stood then climbed into bed, turning off the light. As he lay there, his mind couldn’t stop racing about the check and what it meant for him. He clasped his hands behind his head, gazing into the darkness as he tried to process the fact that he now possessed such a significant sum of money.

****

Chelsea walked out of the house and made her way across the yard to the barn. Hearing someone enter the barn, Chelsea turned around and saw Brian. He paused in his step when he noticed her and she fought back a laugh.

“Good morning,” Chelsea greeted him.

“Morning, Ms. Kennedy,” Brian replied respectfully.

“Please call me Chelsea, Brian. We’re not formal around here.”

“Yes ma’am,” Brian hesitated before speaking again. “I’ve given the job you offered a lot of thought, but I’m sorry, but I don’t want to work in the riding stable.”

Chelsea nodded understandingly. “You wouldn’t just be working there; you’d be running it.”

“I know, but I’d rather stay here with Colt.”

“That’s fine. I’ll look into hiring someone else,” Chelsea assured him with a smile, hoping to convey that there were no hard feelings.

Brian’s face lit up with relief. “Thank you.”

Curiosity getting the better of her, Chelsea asked, “Can I ask why you told Colt?”

“Colt has always been my boss. He’s the best, and I wanted to let him know about your offer. I was afraid you would fire me if I turned it down.”

“I would never fire you for something like that, Brian. Honestly, it’s fine. I’m going to have Joey working in the riding stable, along with the other barns, to clean up.”

“I’m sure he’ll do a good job.” Brian smiled.

“He seemed happy to get more work.”

“I think the Cotton barn is a good choice for a riding stable,” Brian said.

“Cotton barn?” Chelsea laughed.

Brian shrugged with a grin. “It’s just what we’ve always called it so everyone knew which barn we were talking about.”

“I like that.” Chelsea smiled.

Brian grinned, touched the brim of his hat, strode past her, then walked toward the storage room.

Chelsea casually strolled down the aisle, searching for Colt. She remembered him saying he would be here at six in the morning. Just as she was wondering where he could be, he entered the barn and walked toward her while holding a cup of coffee. But when he saw her, he stopped in his tracks, took a deep breath, and then walked around her to enter his office without saying a word.

“Not going to happen, Monroe,” she muttered to herself as she followed him to his office, opened the door, and stepped inside.

“I just got here, Chelsea. Give me a break.” He sat down behind his desk.

“You can’t ignore me.”

“Watch me,” he retorted back.

She placed her hands on his desk and leaned forward to look at him straight in the eye.

“I don’t want to fight with you.”

“Then stop doing it.” He stood and glared at her. “That was uncalled for.”

“You don’t understand—”

“You’re damn right, I don’t. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have work to do.”

They stared at each other until Chelsea sighed then walked out and headed back to the house.

****

The following day, she sat at the kitchen table with her mother, unable to stop thinking about Colt. She knew she had upset him yesterday. Upset? What a damn understatement.

“What’s on your mind, Chelsea?” Sylvia inquired.

“I messed up,” Chelsea replied quietly.

“What happened?”

“I made a fool of myself in front of Colt.”

“Colt?”

“Colt Monroe, the manager here.”

“Do I have to pry it out of you or are you going to tell me?”

Chelsea chuckled before opening up to her mother about what transpired between her and Colt, and how angry he had become with her.

“I can’t blame him for getting upset. You embarrassed him, Chelsea. He’s right, he’s the manager and knows his job. Why did you do that?”

“I was jealous, Mom. I have strong feelings for him, and I know that woman. She’ll screw anyone with a penis and hasn’t been dead longer than three days.” Chelsea grinned when her mother laughed.

Sylvia leaned back in her chair. “So, you have strong feelings for him?”

“Yes,” Chelsea affirmed. “I’ve always had a crush on him, even when I was fourteen.”

“How old is he now?”

“He’s forty-three.”

“Oh, you had me worried for a second there.”

Chelsea grinned. “Sorry. Back then, he seemed like such a man to me at twenty-one. Now, he truly is a man.” She furrowed her brows. “Does that make sense?”

“Yes, it does. As a young girl, he probably did seem like a grown man to you,” Sylvia replied.

“He’s so angry with me. I don’t know how to make things right. I shouldn’t have acted that way,” Chelsea lamented.

“No, you shouldn’t have. You’re a mature woman of thirty-six years old, Chelsea. Acting like a jealous high school girl won’t solve anything,” Sylvia scolded.

Ashamedly hiding her face behind her hands, Chelsea groaned. “I know. I just hope he can forgive me.”

“Is there more going on here?”

“We, uh... We, uh—”

“I understand. Are you in love with him?”

Chelsea shook her head before nodding. “Yes, I am. He’s an amazing man but I have no idea how he feels about me.”

“Don’t you think that’s something you should figure out? You’re his boss, and if he doesn’t feel the same, it could make things awkward between you two.”

“I know. I just need to talk to him about what happened yesterday.”

“I agree—” Sylvia paused as a knock echoed through the room.

Chelsea stood up from her chair and walked over to open the door. It was Colt, and she could tell by the look on his face that he was still angry.

“Colt? Come in out of the cold.”

He took off his hat and entered the room, looking surprised to see Sylvia there.

“This is my mother, Sylvia Hawkins. Mom, this is Colt Monroe.” Chelsea held back a laugh as her mother’s eyes widened before she composed herself and smiled at Colt.

“Hello, Colt. It’s nice to meet you,” she said warmly.

“Ma’am. It’s nice to meet you too,” he replied politely.

“Is something wrong?” Chelsea asked him.

“I wanted to let you know that Bobby quit. We should probably start looking for someone to replace him.”

“Did he say why he quit?”

“No, not to me at least. He just left.”

“Oh, okay. Do whatever you think is best.”

His eyebrows raised in surprise. “Are you sure about that?”

Chelsea clenched her jaw. “Yes, I am.”

With a nod toward Sylvia, Colt put on his hat and headed for the door. He paused before opening it and looked back at Chelsea.

“Yes, ma’am.” With that, he left and closed the door behind him.

Chelsea sighed and turned to her mother, who was smiling knowingly.

“Oh yeah, he’s definitely still mad.”

“He can be so stubborn sometimes,” Chelsea vented.

“But he’s also very handsome,” Sylvia said with a teasing smile.

Chelsea couldn’t help but laugh. “Yes, he is. Too bad he’s such a hardhead.”

“Most men are. I can’t tell you how many times I’d like to slap your father upside his head.” Sylvia laughed.

Chelsea had no clue how she would even get him to listen to her, but either way, she knew she needed to apologize to him.

After her mother left, Chelsea pulled on her coat, tugged her beanie over her head, then opened the door, and walked to the barn. She wanted to find Colt and apologize for being a jealous fool.

She strolled along the aisle but didn’t see him anywhere. Had he gone home already? Looking at her watch, she saw it was only five, so she was sure he was around somewhere, but it didn’t look like he was in this barn.

She heard the door open and saw Christine enter. She smiled at Chelsea as she walked to her.

“Do you know where Colt is?”

“No, I was looking for him, myself,” Chelsea said. “Is there something I can help you with?”

“Did he tell you that Bobby quit?”

“Yes.”

“Well, if you’re going to replace him, would it be possible to also hire someone to work in the riding stable with me? Sometimes I need help. Bobby helped, but now he’s gone and it’s going to be more work for everyone.”

“I’ll talk to Colt about it.”

“Talk to me about what?” Colt asked as he entered the barn.

“Hiring two more people. One to help here, and Christine could use some help in the riding stable.”

Colt shrugged as he walked toward her, then moved around her, opened the door to his office, and entered it. Chelsea and Christine looked at each other and Chelsea shrugged.

“And men say we’re hard to understand,” Christine muttered.

“Right?” Chelsea sighed. “I’ll talk to him and get back with you.”

“That’s fine. Just make sure they know what they’re doing.” Christine smiled.

“Alright.” Chelsea huffed. “I’ll talk to you later.”

Christine nodded and left the barn, leaving Chelsea alone and trying to gather the courage to talk to Colt. Damn, what a stubborn man.

After taking a deep breath, she walked to the door of his office, knocked, opened the door, and entered the room. He sat at the desk but didn’t look up when she entered. She walked to the chair in front of the desk, sat down, and stared at him. After a minute of silence, she sat forward in the chair.

“Colt—” She stopped when he looked at her.

“What? I’m busy, Chelsea.”

“I want to apologize to you for yesterday. I’m so sorry.” She shook her head.

He tossed the pen he’d been holding onto the desk, leaned back in his chair and stared into her eyes.

“Why did you do that?”

“I know her. She’s one of Ron’s past lovers.” She shrugged.

“So, you did think I was interested in her because of your ex. I’m not him, and I was only being cordial to her because, no matter how much you don’t like her, she is a client.”

“If I’d known she was, I would have asked her to take her horse elsewhere. She did all she could to make my life miserable. When I saw her touching you, I saw red. It brought back pain. I’m sorry.”

Colt huffed, pushed his chair back, stood, and walked around the desk. She stood and stared at him with tear-filled eyes.

“Chelsea, you don’t have to worry about me with another woman. Hell, I barely have enough energy for you.” He shook his head. “I don’t cheat. I never have.”

“I’m sorry,” she whispered again.

He cupped her cheek in his hand. “Alright. I accept your apology.”

“Thank you.”

“Come here, baby,” he said, and pulled her into his arms. She wrapped her arms around his waist and cried against his chest. “Don’t cry. We’re okay. It just shocked me when you told me what to do.”

“I know it did. But seeing Janine here threw me for a loop.” She stared at him. “I told her to take her horse elsewhere. I will not be around that woman.”

“I understand but stop thinking I’m like him. I’m not.”

“I know. It won’t happen again. I don’t want you angry with me.”

Colt chuckled. “Darlin’, you’re asking the impossible. You know damn well; we’re still going to clash and piss each other off.” He kissed her temple. “But think of what fun we’ll have making up.”

Chelsea grinned. “Can we make up tonight?”

“Yes. Come to my place around eight. I’m a little behind today with Bobby quitting.”

“I wonder why he quit.”

“I’m not sure, but I’ll see about hiring someone.”

“Also, for the riding stable. Christine said she could use some help.”

“Yeah, I’ll look into it. Now, let me get back to work. I’ll see you later.” He kissed her lips, led her to the door, opened it, and gently pushed her out. He grinned then closed the door.

Chelsea stared at the closed door, laughed, and walked back to the house. She couldn’t wait to… make up this evening.