Chapter Three

~ Jos ~

I kept a firm hand on Mitsuaki's lower back as I watched Mr. Sato snap his briefcase shut and then walk out of the room, followed by a very large man who had glared at everyone the entire time he was in the room. The sketchy lawyer hadn't said a word. Just walked out.

That seemed weird to me, but what did I know? Everything that had happened since Monty called me into the office a couple of days ago seemed weird.

"Well, congratulations, Jos," the judge said. "I hope the two of you will be very happy together."

"Yes, sir," I replied as I glanced down at the man standing beside me. The man I'd just married. I knew very little about Mitsuaki Montgomery Cross, but I wanted to know everything. There was something about him that called to me in ways I never expected.

I had been stunned when I walked through the front door and saw Mitsuaki for the very first time. Considering his Japanese ancestry, I'd expected the man to be smaller than me, but I hadn't expected the waif like beauty I'd been presented with.

Mitsuaki's fingers were strong and slim, but his wrists were frail looking, as was the rest of him. He was slender, reed like, with a narrow waist and short legs. A good stiff wind could blow him away.

I had no idea how he was going to survive on a ranch.

His face—what I had seen of it—was delicately carved, his mouth full, and he had a swan like neck that made me want to bite him and mark him to let everyone know he'd been claimed.

I had no idea what to do with those feelings or the strong streak of protectiveness flaring through me every time I looked down at the little man.

"Well," Monty said, "this calls for a drink."

He grabbed a bottle of whiskey and several glasses off the shelf and then carried them all back over to his desk. He poured four glasses before glancing at his son. "Mitsuaki, do you drink whiskey?"

Mitsuaki shook his head.

"All right then." Monty replaced the lid then grabbed his glass. He held it high. "To my son and my new son-in-law."

I grabbed one of the glasses and lifted it to my lips, slamming the whiskey back. I was sure I was going to need it. It wasn't every day I got married to someone I didn't know.

"You have a legacy now, Monty," the judge said. "These two get some grandkids going and Cross Creek Ranch will have it made."

I sputtered, choking on my whiskey. "Little early to start thinking about kids, don't you think? We just got married. We need time to get to know each other first."

As part of my agreement with Monty concerning my marriage to Mitsuaki and the transfer of ownership of fifty-one percent of the ranch to me, I'd agreed to have children to carry on the Cross name, which was also the reason I agreed to have my name legally changed to Jos Cross. I just didn't expect Monty to start talking kids the day I got married.

Monty chuckled. "Maybe."

A lot maybe.

"Why don't you show my son around the ranch?" Monty set his glass down. "Mrs. Gibbons is planning a wedding feast. I figure you got about an hour before its ready."

I nodded before pressing on Mitsuaki's lower back. "Would you like to see the ranch?"

Mitsuaki gave a short nod. "Yes."

I escorted Mitsuaki out of the office and then back toward the front door. I frowned when I spotted the two suitcases and a single cardboard box sitting next to the door. "This is all you brought with you?"

Mitsuaki nodded.

"When's the rest of your stuff going to be here?" I asked. "Are you shipping it all the way from Japan?"

Mitsuaki's brow flickered. "No more stuff."

My eyebrows shot up. "This is all you own?"

"Yes."

Two suitcases and a box?

I didn't know what to think of that so I pushed it to the back of my mind to think about later and pulled open the front door. "Have you ever been on a ranch before, Mitsuaki?"

"Miko, please. Not Mitsuaki." There was a slight accent to his tone, but the words he spoke were clear as day.

"Okay, Miko it is." I smiled. "So, have you ever been on a ranch before, Miko?"

"No." Miko frowned again, deeper. "I have read about ranches, though. My grandfather gave me a book to read when I was ten years old."

"Not sure what books you've read, but I doubt they can give you a good idea of how an actual working ranch is run."

"Of course."

I had no idea what that meant.

"Cross Creek Ranch comprises over five hundred thousand acres. We have over five thousand head of cattle and a hundred horses at any given time. Most of the ranch hands live in the bunkhouse. We'll be living in the big house."

Miko nodded as if he understood all of that, but I doubted that he did.

His eyes were too wide.

I had no idea what to show him first so I kind of guessed. "Would you like to meet my horse?"

Miko's eyes widened even more as he glanced up at me. "You have a horse?" he asked in a tone tinged with wonder. "A real horse?"

Right then and there, I decided I'd make sure Miko had his very own horse. I would have to choose a gentle horse, something that didn't spook easily.

"His name is Bucky."

"Bucky?"

I chuckled at the small wrinkle of confusion on his face. "I raised him up from a foal. He was always running around, kicking up his hooves and bucking." Hell, he still did that and he was five years old. I was just lucky Bucky didn't do that while I was riding him.

I made a quick scan of the pasture next to the barn as I led Miko in that direction. There weren't any cattle in it right now, but there would be later. "Cows are all out in the pasture right now, but maybe we can take a ride out to see some of them tomorrow."

Miko nodded, but he was straining to get a look inside the barn.

I smiled and picked up the pace. I could easily see where his interest lay.

"There are only a few horses in here right now," I explained. "Most of the ranch hands are driving the herd up to the high meadow for the summer. A few of them will stay up there in a shack and keep watch over the herd, but the rest of them should be back in a few days. You can meet them then."

I led Miko down the wide corridor to Bucky's stall. I opened the gate and then stepped inside, reaching my hand out to pet Bucky's neck. "This here is Bucky," I said. "Bucky, this is Miko."

I smiled at Miko's gasp. "Would you like to pet him?"

"Can I?" Miko whispered.

I nodded, but made sure I had a firm grip on Bucky's halter. Bucky often lived up to his name when others were around. He was very particular about who touched him or rode him. "Go slow so you don't spook him."

Miko reached out tentatively, but the second his hand touched fur, a wide grin spread across his lips. "He's so soft. I expected his coat to be course, but it's soft."

"I have to brush him down every day after riding him," I explained, "make sure he doesn't have any burs in his fur."

Miko's brow flickered. "Burs?"

"It's the rough prickly part of a burdock plant like Houndstongue . They grow wile around here."

"And they are bad?"

"They can hurt livestock, especially if they become embedded in the eye or eyelids. It can cause eye damage in animals. Houndstongue is also toxic to livestock. It can poison them."

"How do I know of this Houndstongue ?"

I smiled. I liked Miko's inquisitive nature. His thirst for knowledge would be helpful in getting him to know about ranch life. " Houndstongue produces a reddish-purple flower that stands about one to four feet tall. We see them mostly in the mid-simmer. They are actually quite pretty, but they are nasty for ranchers."

"You...show me, please?"

"Sure, I can show you a Houndstongue ."

"Now?"

"Oh, uh, they aren't in bloom right now."

"Then why do you brush the horse?"

"There are all sorts of things that can get into a horse's fur, Miko. Burrs, twigs, dirt, even rocks. If you're going to have a horse, you'll have to learn how to take care of it."

Miko gasped as his eyes grew large. "I'm going to have a horse?"

I frowned. "You live on a ranch, don't ya?"

Happiness danced in Miko's caramel colored eyes as he turned to pet Bucky some more. "I've never had a pet before."

My eyes started to twitch. "Horses aren't exactly pets, Miko. On a ranch, they are as much workers as the ranch hands."

"I will work on ranch?"

"We'll see." I wasn't going to agree to anything until I knew a little more about Miko. I had no idea what sort of skills he might have, if any, but I really didn't see the slender man working cattle with the rest of the ranch hands.

"We should probably get headed back to the main house. Mrs. Gibbons is making us dinner."

"Yes, of course." Miko's whole demeanor changed in the blink of an eye. He went from being filled with happiness to the staid and stiff man I had first met. He even dropped his head down to stare at the ground.

I couldn't stand it. I reached over and lifted Miko's chin. "We can come back and see Bucky later and maybe tomorrow I can take you for a ride."

"Oh." Miko's eyes strayed to the horse. "I could ride him?"

I winced.

"You can ride with me," I corrected. "Bucky doesn't let anyone ride him except me, but if I'm with you, you should be fine."

"Please."

I smiled before sliding my hand over Miko's hip to pull the man to my side. "Tomorrow, Miko."

Miko nodded and then watched Bucky over his shoulder as we walked out of the stall.

"Do you know how to ride, Miko?"

"No, but I would like to learn if that is permissible."

Permissible?

Was that even a thing?

"I will teach you and then we will work on finding you a horse."

Miko was silent all the way out of the barn and across the yard to the front porch. When we started up the steps, Miko turned and grabbed my wrist. "A moment, please."

I stopped instantly. "Of course."

"I can have a horse?"

My eyebrows drew together in a deep frown. "I said you could, didn't I?"

" Hai ." Miko swallowed tightly. "Yes."

"Then..."

Miko seemed to regard me with a critical squint before speaking. "Forgive my impertinence. I do not mean to offend. I have question."

"Just ask your question, Miko."

It was like pulling teeth.

"Am I to live here?"