Joanna Wayne - Ambush At Dry Gulch

“He just said some ladies were driving out from Austin. He didn’t say it was you. And I’m just blabbering on. Sorry. I’m Edna, Jake Dalton’s housekeeper. You ladies just follow the main road back to the house and we’ll have some proper introductions. I’ll put the coffee on.”

“Please don’t go to any trouble for us.”

“Coffee’s no trouble. Can’t miss the main house. Two story. White. Dark green shutters. Big covered porch.”

“Is Mr. Dalton here this afternoon?”

“He’s not back from the city yet, but Tilson can show you around. He’s young, but one of the nicest wranglers you’ll ever meet and he knows the spread like the back of his hand.”

“I’m sure Tilson will be more than adequate.”

The gate clicked, then swung open. Carolina shifted the gearshift into Drive and eased over the bumpy cattle gap. The gate creaked slightly as it automatically closed and locked behind them.

“Nice setup,” Sara said. “I can’t wait to see the house.”

“Only thing missing is the boss man himself,” Peg added. “Bummer.”

So far, so good, Carolina decided as she stared at rolling pastures and the wooded areas that bordered them. The Silver Spur without Jake Dalton would work just fine.

* * *

“A SEVERE WEATHER watch will be in effect for Travis, Hays and Blanco counties from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. Be on the lookout for heavy rain and flash flooding in low-lying areas.”

Jake turned down the volume on his truck radio and used the hands-free Bluetooth connection to call Lizzie. Weather anxiety skirted the other issues of the day as he waited for his daughter to answer her phone. When she didn’t, he left a message.

“Storm is rolling in fast. I should be back to the ranch in about fifteen minutes. Hopefully you’re there, as well, or at least somewhere safe. Call me as soon as you get this message.”

When he broke the connection, he called his house. Edna answered on the fourth ring. After a quick hello he asked if the Saddle-Up team had defied the threatening storm and actually driven out to the ranch that afternoon.

“Yes, a couple of hours ago. I nearly passed out when I looked to see who was at the gate and Carolina Lambert was staring back at me.”

He knew the feeling, only he hadn’t been looking at a camera image. “I take it you pulled yourself together enough to let them in.”

“Of course, but I can’t believe you didn’t tell me she was the Saddle-Up leader.”

“I didn’t know you were a Carolina Lambert groupie.”

“Pshaw. I’m too old to be a groupie. But she’s famous. She attended a party at the White House once. I read that online.”

“Guess that makes her a celebrity.”

“She’s not a bit stuck-up. All that money, and I swear she showed up here in a pair of Wranglers, worn cowboy boots and an ordinary white T-shirt. Just like regular people.”

At least she’d changed out of that skirt that had inched up her thighs before she toured the ranch. He needed his wranglers working, not ogling.

“I hope the women left the ranch in time to make it back to Austin before the storm hits full force.”

“They haven’t left. They’re still out with Tilson.”

He swallowed a curse. Just what he needed. Carolina stuck at his house waiting out a storm. If they made it back to the house before it hit. “Did Tilson take them in one of the pickup trucks?”

“No. They wanted to go on horseback. I’m starting to worry about them, though. I haven’t seen any lightning yet, but the thunder is sure rumbling and clouds are getting dark.”

“Do you know where Lizzie is?”

“She’s with Tilson and the ladies.”

That did not sound like his daughter. “How did that happen?”

“Mrs. Lambert started asking her about the horses and the next thing I knew, Lizzie was headed to the horse barn with them. I haven’t seen her since, so she must have decided to stay with the group.”

Inspiring Lizzie to do anything that didn’t include social media, texting or hanging out with her friends was a major accomplishment. If Lizzie was actually with them and hadn’t slipped away from the ranch without mentioning it to Edna.

“I’ll be home in a few minutes,” he said. “Take care and stay inside. If you see Lizzie, tell her I said not to leave the house again.”

“I’m sure that once she gets inside, she won’t leave again in the storm.”

Edna had more faith in Lizzie’s judgment than he did. He broke the connection and gave his injured foreman a quick call. Granger answered on the first ring.

“How are the weather preparations going?” Jake asked.

“We’re on top of things, even though I’m just able to man the phones. Winds are already gusting and blowing up whirlwinds of dust. Clouds are threatening to let loose with a deluge any minute now. Lanky’s heading up to the big house to check on Edna, just in case she needs help with anything. He should be there any second.”

“Sounds good. What about the livestock?”

“Got a couple of wranglers checking on the horses now. You know how spooked they get when a storm blows in. I had the cattle in pasture six moved to pasture five. Ground’s higher there and will drain off a lot quicker if we get the rain they’re forecasting. Feeding is taken care of.”

“And the rest of the wranglers?”

“Told Fisher and Morgan to hightail it on home before the storm hits. The others are probably in the bunkhouse sipping whiskey and cooking up a bunch of fajitas by now.”

“Edna tells me Tilson is still out with the ladies’ tour group,” Jake said.

“Just talked to him. They’re on horseback and not five minutes from the big house. Lanky will help him take care of the horses after he drops off the ladies.”

“That’s what I needed to hear. I’m less than five minutes from the gate myself.”

Streaks of lightning darted about the gray depths of the heavens as he broke the phone connection. A gust of wind made the truck shudder.

A big yellow dog ran the fence line just past the burned ruins of the old Baptist church. A shrieking murder of crows lined an electric line as if warning motorists they’d best get on home.

The first huge drops of rain began to pelt his windshield as he passed through the ranch gate. By the time he pulled into the three-car garage, the rain was falling in wind-driven sheets. He took the covered walkway to the back door.

Thankfully Tilson and the Saddle-Up group had made it back to the house, but not before the rain had hit. They were huddled in the kitchen, drenched to the skin. Carolina’s gaze met his as he joined them, but it wasn’t her eyes that brought him to instant attention.

Her firm breasts and puckered nipples were detailed beneath the clinging shirt. Arousal hit Jake so hard and fast it was dizzying.

He looked away quick, before the ache in his groin became a visible bulge.

He didn’t even like the woman. What the hell was wrong with him?

Chapter Four

Tilson called his name and Jake jerked himself back to reality. “Sorry,” he said. “I missed that.”

“I was just apologizing for getting the ladies caught in the rain.”

“Actually, it’s our fault,” Carolina corrected him. “We were so impressed with the view at Cotter’s Canyon that we lingered too long.”

Cotter’s Canyon. His spot. More of a gulch than a canyon but special all the same. The place he went to get his head on straight. Now when he went there he’d most likely remember Carolina’s nipples pressed against the white cotton.

Stunning even dripping wet. Sinfully sexy.

Texas was full of beautiful women. He needed to get out more, see something more intriguing than cows. A date every now and then couldn’t hurt.