Cowboy Candy Page 4

  blue eyes felt as if they were boring into her soul. She felt trapped. She was

  mesmerized. She could hardly breathe. She realized that he hadn't released

  her hand yet and quickly withdrew her own.

  "You can call me Dusty," he grinned, "everyone does." Those dimples, that smile, she was a goner.

  She couldn’t help but imagine making love with him.

  “Cowboy Candy is right . . .hot damn.”

  She was simply grateful that he couldn’t read her thoughts. "Alright, Dusty it is, then," she replied with the most sensual smile she could muster. The air suddenly felt thick, like he could hardly breathe. He had to resist the urge to take her in his arms and kiss the living daylights out

  of her.

  He cleared his throat and tried his best to sound business-like. "First of all, let me just say I appreciate you driving all the way up here,"

  I hope you didn't have too much trouble finding the place.”

  She gazed directly into his eyes, nearly throwing him off balance. "Oh no, no trouble at all - I appreciate the invitation," she replied. He finally released her hand, and she felt herself starting to perspire.

  "Well, let me take you for a grand tour of the place so you can see what

  you're about to get yourself into," he grinned. She inhaled deeply, why did

  he have to be so freaking handsome? Why did he have to smell like soap

  and fresh linen? Why did she ever agree to this interview?

  "If you don't mind, I'd like to tell you a little bit about the job. My

  mother, Grace was badly injured a few years back, during a trail ride. She's

  doing better than we could have hoped for, but she does need help with her

  daily routine some days. She needs to take her pain meds on schedule,

  occasionally needs someone to help her to her doc's appointments, and

  some days she just needs company. I really wish I could manage to do it all

  myself, but that's impossible.”

  She did her best to pay attention and felt mesmerized by that gaze of

  his.

  "The position starts at thirty thousand a year. If you decide to accept,

  you will also have access to your own two-bedroom house on the property,

  with utilities paid," he confirmed.

  She could hardly believe what he was saying . . Did he just say thirty

  thousand a year? He flashed a grin that would make any woman's heart

  melt. She cleared her throat.

  "Well, your mom sounds positively charming, and I happen to have

  some medical training," she stated.

  She began to fish through her bag for the resume that she had typed at

  the library and attempted to hand it to him.

  "Thank you, but this really isn't necessary," he said.

  "Oh no, I insist. You need to have my information on file. I think I'd

  feel better about it," she stated.

  "I'll just give this to Miss Joan, our accountant in town. She handles

  all that stuff," he grinned. He neatly folded her resume and put it into his

  back pocket. "Well then, I suppose now's a good time to bring you to meet

  mom," he smiled. "Follow me," he said as they walked into one of the

  grandest foyers imaginable.

  The house was built with a rather large tree square in the middle of the

  vestibule. Dozens of roses, gardenias, and Calla Lilies adorned the space.

  The smell of Night Jasmine filled the air.

  She inhaled deeply and smiled.

  "Oh, how beautiful . . . I love the smell of Night Jasmine." Dusty made a mental note, enjoying the look of sheer happiness on

  Maddy's face.

  There was a large fountain in the corner. It was in the shape of an

  angel, who was delicately pouring water into a basin filled with Koi and

  water lilies. Maddy felt as if she were transported to a different world. It

  was breathtaking.

  Dusty grinned, and she had a difficult time not looking at those dimples. "Maddy, I take it you approve of my mother's green thumb.? She hesitated, blushing.

  "Oh, absolutely, it’s stunning!" she grinned.

  He opened two large French Doors that led to a gigantic great room

  with stone fireplace and distressed leather furnishings. The room had

  massive wood pillars, twenty foot ceilings, and was decorated with western

  art. She followed him to a second set of French doors.

  "Well, Miss Maddy, time to meet my mom, Grace,”he said with a

  wicked grin.

  He knocked gently on his mother's door.

  "Mom, are you decent?"

  "Yes honey, come in!" she yelled from a distance.

  As they opened the doors, Maddy was taken aback by the sheer loveliness of Dusty's mother. She was a beauty, with twinkling blue eyes, snow-white hair, and a face that was remarkably devoid of wrinkles. She flashed Maddy a comforting smile and put her hand on her shoulder.

  "Welcome, Maddy. Come, sit down." Grace smiled as she poured some coffee.

  "Guess I'll go visit Miss Dottie in the kitchen and see if she needs help carrying in those apples for her pies," Dusty announced, excusing himself. Maddy smiled inwardly. He was charming, respectful, and worried about the kitchen help? He was like one of those cowboys from a western romance novel. He surely looked like he could be a model on the cover of

  one, she sighed dreamily.

  Just then, Grace handed her a cup of coffee and the two women sat

  and shared an enjoyable hour together. Maddy had always been a bit of a

  gardener herself, and they had much to talk about. Grace had an immediate

  calming effect on the young woman and by the time they were through

  talking, Maddy got the job.

  Grace was delighted. She wasn't quite sure what to expect when Dusty

  advised her that he'd invited someone to the ranch to interview for the job.

  She smiled to herself. She liked Maddy, a lot. The girl had a quiet air of

  dignity about her and a good head on her shoulders. She appreciated her

  honesty and knew that she must have felt somewhat embarrassed

  explaining her reason for relocating to Grand Valley.

  Dear heavens, it was nothing to be ashamed of. Grace admired her for

  it. Lord knows Walt tried to hit her one time, and only once. That night, he

  awoke to a loud click and found himself staring into the barrel of a loaded

  Smith & Wesson.

  "No, nothing to be ashamed about, at all."

  She respected the beautiful young girl for taking control of her own

  destiny. Maddy had somehow managed a wrong turn and ended up here at

  Mountain Rose. The world surely did work in mysterious ways. Inwardly

  pleased, Grace thought about her son. She had seen the spark in his eyes as

  he looked at Maddy.

  A mother always has a sixth sense. And Grace could sense that her son

  fancied young woman; who wouldn't? Maddy felt like a breath of fresh air,

  and she didn’t simply drop from the sky into their laps.

  Grace believed in fate; and these two certainly deserved a chance at

  happiness. Her heart broke for her son when that no-good Janie had taken

  off with Ramon, without any warning at all. Dusty didn't suspect a thing.

  She herself had consistently been treated with an icy air by the woman; as if

  she posed some type of threat.

  Let's face it, the Janie was insecure as hell. Although she was stylish and

  beautiful, her nasty personality was not a very attractive trait. Nevertheless,

  as they say, "love is blind." She helplessly watched that bitch treating her

  son with disrespect; while he treated her with nothing b
ut love and

  kindness. She was more interested in what he could give her monetarily,

  not for the decent man that he was.

  Grace had never meddled in her son's personal life, at least; she tried

  not to. If she ever got wind of that good-for-nothing Janie trying to weasel

  her way back, she'd put a stop to it, for sure. She sat down and smiled. On

  the other hand, she could sense the tension in the air between her son and

  Maddy. She might have been a little older, but she wasn't blind. "Yes my son, it’s time to take the blinders off,” she smiled.

  CHAPTER 14 Maddy was impressed. Dusty’s mother was a real gem. During their interview, the woman had treated her as if they were old friends...amazing.. Grace was rich, but not pompous. She was refined, but told you what was what. She was simply a really sweet woman who obviously cherished her family. Grace was kind enough to give her an entire week to get moved and settled into the place. Inwardly Maddy was crying...tears of sheer happiness. Outwardly, she attempted to appear poised and confident.

  Currently, she tried to avert her eyes from Dusty’s swagger as she followed him to the den. Walt, was looking over some paperwork and removed his glasses as they entered the room. He stood from his chair. "Well, well...you must be Maddy," he grinned.

  "Hello, Mr. Cash, yes sir . . .Maddy Cassidy," she blushed. He gave his son an approving glance from across the room. Dusty was leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed, taking it all in. He was relieved that he approved of Maddy already. He couldn't recall the last time his father had ever approved of anything or anyone when it concerned him. However, maybe he was imagining things. Walt truly did want someone special taking care of his wife. No slouch was going to live on his property without putting in a good, solid day's work.

  "Well, welcome to Mountain Rose. I take it my son has shown you around the ranch," he asked.

  Dusty spoke up.

  "No dad. I was just about to ask her if she wanted to go see her new

  place," he confirmed.

  "Which one?’

  "Oh, I figured the cabin overlooking Diamond Lake.”

  "Well done . . . good choice," the old man nodded approvingly. Walt grinned and reached out to take Maddy’s hand in his own. “You just make yourself at home Miss Maddy, and be sure to holler if you need any help at all.” “Why, thank you Mr. Cash. I sure do appreciate the job offer, and the cabin. I plan on packing my things tonight, and perhaps coming out tomorrow? I need to stop at the store to pick up some things to decorate with too,” she grinned.

  "You make yourself comfortable and take your time, there’s no rush. Welcome to the family," he smiled.

  CHAPTER 15 Dusty couldn't believe his old man had actually come through. He was more than a little stunned. Walt normally didn't act so kindly towards the hired help. It seemed as if the Mountain Rose Ranch was a dismal place and Walt recognized the fact. The dismal pall that had overshadowed the entire atmosphere since his mother’s accident was finally beginning to fade. Maddy's presence appeared to affect everyone in a positive way. She exuded charm, wit, and determination, and Walt recognized a good thing when he saw it. Somehow, he sensed this girl was going to really help his wife to regain some semblance of her former self. He was sure of it.

  Dusty escorted her her outside and started walking towards his Jeep. "How'd you like to see your new place?" he grinned. "I can hardly wait, Dusty. I haven't felt this excited about anything in a very long time. My own place and a fantastic new job; what more could a girl ask for?" she laughed.

  He dazzled her with another heart wrenching grin and she felt her heart begin to race again.

  "After you Mademoiselle," he said, as she awoke from her daze. "My chariot awaits," he laughed. She followed him, hoping he wouldn't detect her shallow breathing. He placed his large hands around her tiny waist and hoisted her into the Jeep.

  "Better be careful, you might throw out your back," she teased. He grinned.

  "What? Why you're as light as a feather.”

  She couldn't remember the last time she'd had this much fun with a man. They laughed so hard, they were crying. The ride was exhilarating as he drove through creeks, over berms, and took hairpin turns with ease. He sped up a little and drove up a steep ravine. Finally, the Jeep screeched precariously to a stop at the edge of a ten-foot drop.

  "What is this place," she asked curiously.

  "It used to be a hunting cabin," he replied. We don't hunt much any more, but it does come in handy during the winter season. It's fully stocked with all the comforts of home," he replied. "I never have been one for hunting down something I'm not planning to eat. I'd rather just fish for some trout," he smiled, apologetically.

  "Well, I've been hunting a time or two and can't say I really care for it, either." She agreed. Their eyes caught, and she had a difficult time looking away.

  Blushing, she hopped out of the Jeep. "I didn't realize that there was a river here," she smiled.

  "That's the Diamond River," he said as he joined her at the edge of the ravine.

  "It's beautiful," she sighed, "But I bet sometimes it can be dangerous." She pointed out. As they spoke, he began walking towards her like a large, dangerous cat. She tried to act casual, as she found herself back stepping. Finally, she could go no further. Her back was against the rough wooden logs of the cabin.

  Surprisingly, she didn't panic. She stood her ground and hoped that he wouldn't come any closer. No, she hoped that he would never stop coming closer. He put his hand on his hip and grinned.

  "Maddy, you look like a scared rabbit. You don't have to worry, I won't bite."

  She snapped out of it, hating the fact that she had become skittish around the opposite sex. Feeling more than a little foolish, she gave him a sheepish grin.

  He unlocked the door and they stepped inside. The living room had a huge rock fireplace that rose to the tall ceiling. Wood panels lined the walls and the kitchen had granite countertops, state of the art appliances, and a huge brass pot rack. The spiral staircase led upstairs to a large loft with picture windows. The view was breathtaking. She could see for miles and miles.

  "What a view...it’s breathtaking,”she remarked as they made their way to a back deck that overlooked the pond. The air was sweet with the aroma of Night Blooming Jasmine.

  He took her hand gently in his and brought her around the front of the place. Someone had lovingly planted a variety of flowers, and among them were Night Blooming Jasmine. They walked to the side porch where Dusty pointed out the ravine, with it's colorful wildflowers and cascading waterfall. The pool underneath looked as if it belonged on a movie set. It was slightly hidden with Eucalyptus branches and sunbaked rocks. “There’s a thermal pool down there. It hasn’t been cleared out in a few years, but you’re more than welcome to have at it,” he grinned.

  “Oh? Well, I’ll have to remedy that,” she mused.

  She imagined them swimming naked together, and making love all afternoon on the grassy bank.

  "Maddy? Hello? Whatcha' thinking about, girl?" he asked.

  "Me? Oh, I was just thinking that this is the perfect spot for a picnic." Dusty chuckled.

  "Funny you should say that. . . "I was thinkin' the same thing.” There was a comfortable silence between them . . .

  "Well, what do you think about your new place?”

  She flashed a breathtaking smile in his direction.

  "You mean, this is mine?," she laughed, giddy with excitement.

  He grinned wide.

  "It sure is! Thought you might take a fancy to it...you did say you loved Night Blooming Jasmine.”

  Just then, she felt like the luckiest woman in the world and without thinking ran up to give him a grateful hug. She was close to tears and he held her gently in his arms.

  "No need to cry girl, you're home now," he whispered.

  CHAPTER 16 Maddy drove the car as if on autopilot. Still dazed, she glanced into the rearview mirror and
saw that her eyes were rimmed red from crying. She had been pent up for so long, it felt good to finally have a place to call her own. In her mind, she replayed what had just happened. Dusty had held her and tried to quiet her down, pulling out his handkerchief and dabbing at her eyes.

  "Come on, Maddy. Let it all out, you'll feel better," he soothed. When her crying jag had finished, she settled into his muscular arms and nestled her face against his chest. "Dusty Cash, you are an amazing man, did you know that?," she whispered. He responded by holding her closer. They stood that way for what seemed like hours. Finally, he released his hold and stooped down to pick a fragrant bloom of Jasmine, and placed softly placed it in her hair.

  She all but swooned. What a sweet man. What a sweet gesture. He had given her the hunting cabin because of the Night Jasmine. At that moment, she did feel like the luckiest girl in the world. After years of black eyes, sleepless nights, and fear; she felt safe in the arms of this handsome, sweet cowboy.

  She smiled to herself.

  "I think I'm in love..." she whispered to herself. "No, no. I can't allow my heart to rule my head. I have a job to do and you're never supposed to mix business with pleasure." Still, she felt warm inside and got butterflies in her stomach just thinking of those huge arms sheltering her.

  Just then, Boz Skaggs began to croon . . .

  "Love, look what you've done to me. I never thought I'd fall again so easily." She turned up the radio and floored it. "Look out El Dorado, here I come!," she laughed with sheer happiness as she pointed the mustang West.

  “I’ve got the urge...to splurge,” she grinned and cranked up the radio. Before long, Maddy was eighty miles away from Grand View and found herself missing it already. She was not alone in the world any more. It felt good to know that she had friends now, and a place to live, working for a great family.

  She pulled up into the parking lot and pulled her shopping list out of her bag, checked her face in the mirror, and walked into the store like she owned the place.

  She felt carefree and grinned.

  “Watch out everyone, hurricane Maddy’s just blown into town.”

  She no longer had to fear that someone in town might see her spending some of her own money. She no longer feared that Jack would berate her for spending money at such a “frivolous” place as K-Mart. She no longer had to dress, act, speak, sleep, talk, or walk a certain way for fear she might be smacked for trying to attract too much attention. She was relishing her freedom, every minute of it.