Bunking Down with the Boss
Charlene Sands

This book is dedicated to the memory of my

childhood friend, Los Angeles County Deputy

Sheriff, Jack Miller, the true inspiration for the

sheriff in this story. You paid the ultimate price,

Jack. Your service and sacrifice

will always be remembered.

Special heartfelt thanks to my wonderful editor,

Jessica Alvarez.

Thank you for all that you do.

Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Coming Next Month

One

Tie-One-On Bar and Grill was known for two things: earsplitting country music and beautiful female patrons. Sam Beaumont indulged in both. He sat at a corner table in the honky-tonk listening to Toby Keith’s latest, while eyeing a tall blonde up at the bar. She’d caught his attention the minute she walked in. The thing of it was, the Texas bombshell had stared back at him with interest, then spent a minute deep in conversation with the bartender before grabbing two Coors and walking over to him.

“I need a man,” she said, with a shake of her head. Her long locks gyrated right back into place. She set the two bottles down on the table and gave him a good long assessing look.

“Yeah?”

“Chuck over at the bar says you might be interested.”

He surveyed the leggy blonde, sweeping a leisurely look over her body. She was beauty-queen pretty, but Sam had seen more than a fair share of pretty women in his day. No, it was something in her eyes that spoke to him, a guarded look he knew too well. It was that vulnerability, even as she stood there brazen as all hell, claiming she needed a man, that intrigued him.

Sam sipped his beer slowly, keeping her waiting, and a surge of something he hadn’t felt in nearly a year traveled through his veins. An unhurried rush, a tingle of awareness that he had believed long buried, surfaced.

That, in itself, was enough for him to send the woman packing. He didn’t want to feel anything. Not ever again.

“So are you?” she asked. “Interested?”

He swept her a look. “What’d you have in mind?”

Even through a layer of smoky haze and dim light, he couldn’t miss her face color to tomato red, but the woman seemed determined. She slid into the booth at the same time she slid a beer his way. “I need a month’s work, for a month’s wages, room and board included. Chuck vouched for you. He said you’re looking for work.”

He sipped his beer and thought about the events that had brought him here. The CEO of a major construction company on the run, not from the law, but from his own guilt-ridden past—Sam was running from things he could no longer face. He didn’t need the cash, but hell, staying real busy kept those agonizing thoughts at bay. And Sam needed that, almost as much as he needed his next breath.

“Maybe.” He surprised himself with his answer. Truth be told, he wouldn’t mind staying in one place longer than a week. So far, nobody had caught up with him. And he wanted to keep it that way. When he’d left his CEO position with its staggering responsibilities and his old life behind, he’d called his younger brother Wade occasionally, at his insistence, but Sam had never disclosed his location. Trust only went so far. He needed running room and manual labor to keep his tortured mind from remembering.

“I’m Caroline Portman.” She held out her hand and Sam took it. Well, hell, he wasn’t in the habit of shaking hands with women. But her handshake was firm, even though her skin was soft as butter.

“I’m kinda desperate for help right now, so you can take advantage of me, but only just a little.”

She smiled briefly, and he noted two dimples peeking out from both corners of her mouth. Like he said, beauty-queen pretty. He felt another unwelcome surge travel through his body.

“I’ve got one month to get my place up and running. It’s hard work and long hours, but I can pay well.”

“What kind of work?”

Sam cursed himself for asking. He’d pretty much determined that those sparks he felt a moment ago weren’t anything he wanted to feel again. He’d spent the better part of this year numb to the outside world. Keeping the status quo was essential. If those tiny sparks nudged away the numbness to any degree, then he’d never survive. He’d have to say no to pretty Miss Caroline Portman.

“I’m rebuilding my stables. The place sort of went downhill, and, well, I’m planning on bringing it back up to the way it was before, uh, before…”

She stopped, blinked several times, biting down on her lip, unable to get the words out. It wasn’t an act—he’d had enough experience to know when someone was downright lying. The lady had choked up, and Sam saw the heartache there, the pain she tried so bravely to hold back.

He didn’t want to know. He’d had enough grief of his own to last a lifetime. Hell, he’d been drifting for months, heading from one Texas town to another, trying to forget, and that was what kept him going. The forgetting.

He liked this town. Hope Wells reminded him of the place he’d been raised since the age of five, a small friendly place where life was simple and fair. But looking into Caroline Portman’s eyes, maybe he needed to amend the fairness part. Sam knew that life held more unfair uncertainties than sometimes a man could take.

Or a woman.

Damn if he didn’t love horses. Rebuilding a stable and working with horses again appealed to him. He had spent his young life around ranches. He knew a thing or two about livestock and would enjoy the work, but he still didn’t think this a good idea.

“Not interested.”

Caroline blinked her big baby-blue eyes.

Sam rose from the table, finishing off his beer. “Thanks for the offer.”

Stunned, the blonde sat there wearing a disappointed look.

He set a few bills on the table and strode out of Tie-One-On. If nothing else, meeting Caroline Portman had added a little spice to an ordinary day.

He walked along the sidewalk, heading toward the motel adjacent to the honky-tonk. He’d almost made it to his room, but a shuffling sound from behind alerted him. He spun around.

“Wait up, Mr. Beaumont!”

Caroline Portman walked briskly toward him. Out of breath and flustered, she looked even sexier, like a woman who’d just had a wild night. Sam envisioned putting that look on her face and his momentary slick-hot fantasy made him shudder.

She came up to face him. “I need to know—why?”

“Why?” Sam kept walking, but at a slower pace.

She stayed with him. “Why did you refuse my offer?”

“I don’t recall telling you my name,” he said, as old instincts kicked in.

“It’s a small town. I know a little about you. You’re here looking for work, aren’t you?”

“Yep.”

“I’m offering you a job.”

“Yep.” He kept walking until he reached his motel room. He leaned against the door to face her. Moonlight streamed onto her form like a spotlight and Sam noticed the snug fit of light-blue jeans and a chambray shirt with some sort of rhinestone work on the chest. Not gaudy, but with style, the color bringing out the true blue in her eyes. She was a woman who didn’t flaunt what she had, but yet she couldn’t conceal the perfection of her body. “Don’t men say no to you very often?”

Caroline blinked and shot him a stern look. “Men say no to me all the time, Mr. Beaumont, but that’s not any of your business. I know you’re looking for work. The man I had lined up broke his leg, and now I’ve run out of time. Seems to me we could make some sort of arrangement.”

He glanced at his motel door, raising his brows.

“Not that kind of arrangement,” she hurried out.

Sam chuckled.

She folded her arms and waited.

Sam pursed his lips. He admired this kind of determination. Damn, if he wasn’t the biggest kind of fool. “I need to know something first.”

Caroline nodded.

He pulled her into his arms, and leaning back against the door he brought her with him. She was too stunned to protest, so he did what he’d wanted to do the minute he’d laid eyes on her. He kissed her.

It wasn’t long, and it wasn’t sweet, but rather a deep exploration of lips meeting and mating. Sam steeled himself against her honey-soft mouth. He braced himself against the onslaught of holding a beautiful woman in his arms. He breathed in her female scent, some fruity fresh concoction that reminded him of a lazy summer day, and willed his body not to react. It didn’t. Not in the least. Relieved, he released her immediately. He’d learned everything he needed to know.

He stared into furious blue eyes. “I accept the job.”

Caroline smiled with sugary sweetness and stepped out of his arms. “Good, because now I can fire you, Mr. Beaumont.”

Morning dawned way too fast for a woman who hadn’t slept a wink. Caroline Portman rose from bed, dressed quickly and went out to the kitchen to make breakfast. Her head ached and her eyes burned, but she couldn’t afford to waste any more time. She had work to do. And keeping busy kept her from thinking about Annabelle, her sweet five-year-old, who she had unselfishly sent off to Florida for a vacation with her grandparents.

How she missed her daughter. She and Annabelle had never been apart. But Caroline’s mother and father had insisted on taking Annabelle home with them, especially as they lived just minutes away from every child’s fantasy come true, Disney World.

Her parents’ offer had come once they’d heard Caroline’s plans to refurbish the stables. They had given her their blessing, backing her up one hundred percent. Her parents knew what the stables had meant to her, and how much it had hurt her that her ranch had been run down nearly to ruin. She’d given up her heart and her trust to the man she’d married and he’d abused both. He’d run her livelihood into the ground, putting her so much in debt that she’d only just now surfaced in the black again.

Gil Portman hadn’t the mind for business. He’d entered into one bad deal after another, running up bills that he couldn’t pay, then trying to recoup the loss by entering into one dubious deal after another. The last one had been investing in a shady stud-service scheme that had nearly bankrupted them. Caroline had been busy raising Annabelle, placing her trust in her husband, but she’d learned a hard lesson with Gil, and she’d never place her life or her livelihood in the hands of another man again. Caroline had vowed when Gil had run off, abandoning his family, that she’d never allow a man to run roughshod over her good intentions again. She knew better now. She could only rely on herself and her two very loving, supportive parents.

Edie and Mike Swenson knew that their daughter would need time alone to achieve her goals without a five-year-old distracting her. They wanted the ranch to succeed again, because they knew that the ranch meant stability for Caroline, but it also meant something more. It meant independence. Caroline needed both now, for herself and for her daughter. Her parents hadn’t flinched, but had stepped in, offering to help with her little bundle of energy. And, as they’d put it so tenderly, they’d missed seeing Annabelle. Spending time with their granddaughter would be good for all of them.

Caroline had finally relented, agreeing to let them have Annabelle for one month. In that time, she planned to work harder than she’d ever worked to get her stables back up to par. She’d come up with a new name to signify all the changes she’d planned to make. Annabelle Star Portman would be excited to know that Portman Stables would now be known as Belle Star Stables.

Caroline stuck a piece of sourdough bread in the toaster oven, set the coffeepot to brewing, then sat down at the table to check the classified ad she’d placed in yesterday’s Hope Wells Reporter .

The telephone wasn’t ringing and no one was breaking down her door looking for work. Her last hope had been dashed yesterday, with Sam Beaumont. But she wouldn’t think about him, not when she had a problem to solve. Finding a suitable worker on a temporary basis wasn’t easy. But Caroline knew without a doubt she’d have to find someone or her plans for Belle Star would crumble.

Fatigued, Caroline slumped in her seat, struggling to keep her eyes open. She glanced at the Reporter, blinking her eyes, but the newspaper print blurred, her eyelids drooped and her mind all but shut down. Maybe if she just slept for a few minutes, she’d feel better.

Maybe if she laid her head down on the table, just for five minutes…

The explosion rocked Caroline to a sitting position. She snapped her head up from the kitchen table where just minutes ago, she’d laid her head down to rest. Dazed from her little nap, it took a moment for her to come to grips with what just happened. Her toaster oven had overheated. The appliance, literally “toast” now, had ignited the can of cooking spray she’d left nearby. Caroline was covered with the greasy effects of that combustion.

And within seconds, flames erupted, catching on to the overhead oak cabinets.

Caroline screamed, “Oh God!”

She ran for the fire extinguisher on the wall next to the refrigerator and yanked it free. Fumbling with the handle, she couldn’t get it to work. She’d never used an extinguisher before. Heat burned her cheeks and smoke billowed from the cabinets. The fire spread.

Panicked, she fidgeted again with the extinguisher and cursed the husband who’d left her in this mess, the husband who’d abandoned his wife and child when the going got rough, the husband who had recently died, leaving her a widow. “Damn you, Gil!”

She didn’t take time to worry about speaking ill of the dead. Since Gil had abandoned his family, nothing much had gone right in her life. She couldn’t help but lay the blame where it seemed to fit. Marrying Gil had been the biggest mistake she’d ever made, yet without him, she wouldn’t have had Annabelle. That was the only good thing he’d ever given her.

Caroline gave up on the extinguisher, opting to call the fire department instead. Of course, she knew her entire kitchen might burn to the ground before they arrived, but she had little choice.

And then the choice was taken from her.

A pair of masculine hands reached out to grab the extinguisher. Stunned, Caroline turned sharply to find him, the man who had caused her sleepless night, standing beside her, taking control.

“Get back,” Sam Beaumont said, commanding her with a quick nod.

Caroline stepped back and watched as he pulled the pin and operated the fire extinguisher, putting out the flames with long sweeping motions. He did a thorough job, making sure all the flames were put out, before turning to look at her. “You okay?”

Numb, she nodded, biting her lip.

He swept a quick gaze over her body as if he had to make sure himself. She must have passed inspection because he set the extinguisher down and assessed the damage to her cabinets.

Caroline glanced at her once-tidy kitchen, where just minutes ago everything had been neat and organized. Now, the place looked like a disaster, but her kitchen was still standing, and so was she. “What are you doing here?”

He turned to face her, his lips quirking up in a charming smile. “Apparently, putting out your fire.”

Tears stung her eyes, from the smoke and the flames and from the relief she felt at this moment. She gazed into Sam Beaumont’s dark-brown eyes, seeing not the hard man who had refused her yesterday, but a man who appeared genuinely concerned. He’d shown up in the nick of time.

And Caroline owed him. But he still hadn’t explained what he was doing here.

“Want to tell me what happened?”

Caroline shrugged, numbed from the thought of what might have happened. The little appliance mishap might have escalated into a full-blown house fire if Sam Beaumont hadn’t shown up. “I guess the toaster oven overheated. It’s old and I should have known the other day when…it…sparked…that I…” A lump formed in Caroline’s throat. She couldn’t finish her thought.

Sam took her arm gently and guided her out of the kitchen. “Let’s get away from this smoke.”

He opened the back door and they both stepped outside. The fresh air was like a balm to her out-of-whack nerves. She breathed in deeply.

“Wanna sit?” he asked and led her over to the back-porch swing. She sat down, and to her surprise he took a seat right next to her.

Still reeling in shock, Caroline remained quiet. It had been so long since anyone had taken care of her. So long since she didn’t have to think or make decisions. She needed peace, just for a moment.

And Sam Beaumont seemed to understand. He sat beside her in silence.

Morning birds chirped, their song a harmonious cluster of sounds that soothed. Caroline closed her eyes, breathing deeply, listening, fully aware of the man next to her.

He’d been a major part of the reason she hadn’t slept last night. Since her husband had left nearly two years ago, Caroline hadn’t had any physical contact with a man. She hadn’t been held intimately. She hadn’t been kissed.

Sam Beaumont had reminded her of all the things she was missing. He’d taken her into his arms, pulled her close and brought his mouth to hers. He’d made her feel feminine and alive with just one kiss. He’d sparked something in her that Caroline had buried a long time ago. She knew she was no longer that young, naive, innocent girl who believed in happily ever after. No, a bad marriage had erased all of those thoughts, but she hadn’t realized that she’d been dry, like an arid desert, wasting her womanhood away.

Sam Beaumont’s kiss, the look in his eyes, right before their mouths touched, was enough to remind her that she wasn’t just a single mother raising a daughter alone, but a woman, through and through.

Enough of a woman to realize that the man sitting next to her was sexy as sin. The tight fit of his jeans and the broad expanse of his shoulders hadn’t escaped her.

“It’s nice out here,” he said.

Caroline nodded in full agreement, but then she turned to look at him as curiosity set in. She asked once again, “What are you doing here?”

He didn’t hesitate this time. “I could lie and say I was passing by on my way out of town. That’s what I’d planned on saying. But the truth is, I found your ad in the newspaper and came out here deliberately.”

“Why?” Caroline asked, realizing she should be concentrating on how to fix her newly burned kitchen cabinets instead of shooting the breeze with Sam Beaumont, but somehow she couldn’t quite tear herself away. She had questions for him and she hoped he would give her the satisfaction of truthful answers.

“I came here to apologize.”

“Oh.” It was the last thing she expected him to say. Caroline wasn’t accustomed to having men apologize to her. Gil hadn’t had the civility or manners to do so. His arrogance wouldn’t allow it. Caroline only saw her husband’s good side when he wanted something from her. And sadly, she hadn’t realized his tactics until after he’d abandoned his family. She’d been blinded by love, or what she’d thought was love, and now, as she gazed into Sam Beaumont’s dark eyes, she wondered if she could believe him.

“I stood behind your door, ready to knock, when I heard the explosion. Then I heard you scream. Your door was open, and, by the way, you should keep your doors locked, especially when you’re all alone out here. The rest is history.”

Caroline stared out into the morning light, squinting her eyes and holding her breath. “You say you came to apologize?”

“I was way out of line yesterday. It kept me from sleep last night and I knew I had to make it right.”

So, she hadn’t been the only one who hadn’t had a good night’s sleep. She felt herself softening to him. It seemed he had scruples and a conscience, but she wasn’t letting him off so easily. She’d learned her lessons the hard way. “I see. So was it your refusal, the kiss or your arrogance that you’re apologizing for?”

Sam chuckled and lifted up from the swing to lean against the porch post. He faced her squarely. “I deserved that.”

“I know,” she said, but a smile she couldn’t contain emerged. There was something extremely charming about the man, yet, Caroline wouldn’t let her guard down completely. She stood up to face him. “What I can’t figure is why you kissed me.”

Sam’s gaze traveled to her chest as sunlight beamed down. She felt piercing rays of heat, not from the sun but from his direct perusal.

He ran a hand down his face and finally, he lifted his eyes to hers. “You’ve got, uh, something wet splattered on your blouse.”

Caroline glanced down. She’d been through too much this morning to be embarrassed, but the fact remained that she’d been splattered with cooking spray, and grease stains made her blouse almost transparent. And of course, the moisture had hit the most protruding target. Her breasts. She folded her arms over the wet area, hiding what he’d already seen. “Hazards of wet cotton.”

Sam agreed, “Yeah, what a bummer.”

She caught his smile, but he had the good grace to maintain eye contact with her.

“Will you answer my question?”

He set both hands in the back pockets of his jeans and sighed quietly. “Why does a man kiss a beautiful woman?”

Caroline soaked up the compliment. Oh God, did it feel good to hear those words. Yet she steeled her resolve, not letting him off the hook so easily. She had to know. “You tell me.”

Sam averted his gaze, looking off in the distance. She doubted he was studying the scenery. After all, broken-down barns and stables, along with a neglected yard chock-full of weeds, weren’t all that interesting.

“Okay,” he said, “you deserve the truth. It was a test.”

“And I passed? Or failed?” Caroline tried to make sense from his words.

He shook his head. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but the test had nothing to do with you. It was my test. I had to know something.”

“What? What did you have to know? I offered you a job and you kissed me? What kind of test was that?” Caroline asked, exasperated. She didn’t understand any of this. The man seemed to be speaking in riddles.

Sam just stood there, looking guilty.

It was that look that got her to thinking. Then, as if a light clicked on in her head, she figured it out. “You kissed me to see if you were attracted to me,” she stated with certainty. “And…and once you did…you accepted the job.”

Sam’s mouth twisted.

“Meaning, you decided you could work with me…because…because…” Caroline blinked her eyes, keeping both fury and tears in check as the niggling truth began to surge forth in her mind.

“Look, it was a mistake, a damn fool thing to do. But you’ve got one heck of an ad campaign, lady, walking up to me in that bar claiming you’re looking for a man. I’m just looking for work. Period.”

“I could have phrased that better,” she said defensively, “but you had no right to put me to your test.”

Caroline closed her eyes, willing away the pain as realization dawned quite clearly. Sam Beaumont had made her come alive last night, with a hungry mouth and steady embrace. He’d made her feel things she hadn’t felt in years, while she, on the other hand, had been so uninspiring that he’d decided he could work with her. She wouldn’t be a temptation at all. Caroline Portman wouldn’t shake his resolve in any way.

Caroline didn’t think her day could have gotten any worse. Sam Beaumont had touched her last night with an embrace and sexy kiss that had revived what she believed dead inside in one quick unexpected moment.

“Look, I’m here to apologize. I know I made a mistake. And I’m real sorry.”

Caroline heard the sincerity in his tone. She stared deeply into his eyes and saw it there, too. His expression never faltered, the apology written all over his handsome face. For some strange reason, she believed him. Which was saying something. After what Gil had put her through, Caroline didn’t put much faith in any man. “Okay, I accept your apology.”

“Listen, let me put my words into action. Since I’m here anyway, and I know a thing or two about carpentry, I can fix your cabinets for you. Unless you’ve hired someone already?”

She shook her head.

“It’ll take me the rest of the day, but I’m not heading anywhere special, so I don’t mind doing the work.”

Caroline inhaled deeply. The offer had merit. “I don’t know if I can afford you.”

“No charge,” he said immediately.

“That’s not what I meant, Sam.”

He stared into her eyes for a long moment. Too bad he had a sinful body, a handsome face and dark eyes that could burn into your soul, because sexy Sam Beaumont found Caroline completely lacking as a female. Boy, she didn’t know if she’d ever get over that one.

“I’ll be on my best behavior.”

She could bank on that but the thought didn’t comfort her. Sam wasn’t good for her ego, but Caroline had put that part of her life on hold anyway, so what did it matter if she wasn’t the kind of woman Sam Beaumont thought attractive? Right now, all she needed to know was if he could help her out with her cabinets. “You sure you know how to fix cabinets?”

“I’ve had some experience.” He peered at the damage with a gleam in his eyes as if calculating exactly what he needed to do and how he’d accomplish it.

It was good enough for Caroline. She surely didn’t know anything about repairing them and it didn’t look as if anyone else was coming to her rescue today. “You’re on.”

He nodded, then approached her with a purposeful stride. Their gazes locked as he stood before her. “Tell me something.”

His probing look told her she wasn’t going to like his question. “What do you want to know?”

“When I was behind your door, I heard you scream out. So, who’s Gil?”

Two

Caroline appeared shaken by his question. She’d flinched when he’d mentioned Gil’s name, and then a somber expression stole over her face. For a moment, Sam thought she’d keep that information to herself, but then she spoke up, albeit quietly. “Gil was my husband. He died about four months ago.”

“Sorry. That’s rough.” How well he knew about losing someone you loved. How well he knew the heartache involved, the day-to-day agony of living without the ones you love. Sam hadn’t been able to face his demons any longer. He’d taken off trying to escape the truth, to dull the pain, to find some way of surviving.

Caroline sighed, a brief smile emerging before she spoke. “As long as we’re being honest with each other, I can tell you that Gil only did two really good things in his life. He gave me a daughter for one. She’s five years old and the light of my life. And two, he kept up his life insurance. We have enough money to live and, if I’m real careful, there’ll be enough to refurbish our ranch.”

Caroline had a five-year-old daughter? Sam’s gut clenched. A searing jolt shot straight through him and he winced as if he’d been sucker-punched. He hadn’t suspected, though he should have known she might have been married, she might have had a family.

“Where is your daughter?”

“Annabelle?” A winsome expression stole over her face and she smiled. Sam saw the joy there and the love she wouldn’t even try to hide. God, if only Sam had shown that same kind of love to his own daughter. If only he’d been…more. “She’s with her grandparents in Florida. They’ve got her for the whole month. I miss her terribly.”

Sam missed his daughter, too. Only she wasn’t ever coming home. His heart ached and old pain surfaced. Pain he’d tried to run from. He’d endured months and months of agonizing grief and then it had turned to numbness. He liked the deadened feeling best. He’d managed to drift for months this way. Forgetting.

Good God, Caroline’s daughter was the same age his daughter would have been—had she lived.

And little Tess would have lived if Sam had been there for her.

“My parents took her so that I could have this month to bring Belle Star Stables up to snuff again.”

Sam brought himself back to the present. “So, you need to find help really fast.”

She nodded. “Time’s a wasting.”

“Any prospects?”

“None at all.”

Sam pondered this for a moment. His first instincts were to get out of Dodge the minute Caroline confessed to having a young daughter. Sam didn’t think he could take the day-to-day reminder, but her daughter wasn’t here. And she wouldn’t be for a month.

And Sam had had enough of drifting from town to town every few days. He wouldn’t mind staying on in Hope Wells for the month. But he’d already made a big mistake with Caroline and he’d hurt her feelings, as well.

He figured he’d be doing her a favor if he stayed on. He knew his way around a ranch and truth be told he’d spent the better part of his adult life running one of the largest construction companies in the southwest, the Triple B, his father’s namesake, Blake Beaumont Building. He’d been CEO and top of his game, professionally. He’d helped his father bring in more business than they could handle, building up a small enterprise into a multi-million dollar corporation. To say he had some experience in carpentry was an understatement. Sam had made a fortune, but he’d paid a heavy price for his success. The cost of his dedication to work had been the untimely death of his child.

Yet as he stood there, looking at Caroline, he knew he could help her. If she’d agree, he could have her place up and running in one month’s time, then he’d move on. Actually, he missed the hands-on work of creating and building something from scratch. Refurbishing her stables would be a challenge he’d love to take head-on.

And he’d already determined he could work side by side with Caroline, pretty as she was, he simply wasn’t interested in getting involved with a woman. Good thing too, because the whole widow-and-child package would do him in otherwise.

“Listen, I have a proposition for you. If by the end of the day, you like the work I’ve done, and if no one comes knocking on your door for the job, I’m reapplying.”

Caroline lifted her brows. “You are?”

“Yep, if you’re agreeing.”

She folded her arms, contemplating. “I don’t see as I have much choice.”

“Fair enough. Is it a deal then?”

Caroline hesitated, but he knew he had her over a barrel. She was desperate for help. One determined lady. She had a plan in mind, and Sam had no doubt she would succeed, with his assistance. “Let’s see what you can do with those burned-up cabinets.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Caroline reassessed the damage, not to her kitchen, but to her heart, and decided that it was a good thing Sam Beaumont was only interested in an honest day’s work. He’d been up front about it. He’d been truthful. That’s a heck of a lot more than she’d ever gotten from Gil.

Caroline had more than her ego on the line. And if Sam Beaumont was the man for the job, then she was one step closer to seeing her dream come true. She hadn’t gone into that honky-tonk last night looking for love. She’d gone looking for an employee.

Caroline grabbed the bag of food she’d bought from Patsy’s Pantry, burgers fully loaded, fries and two caramel and fudge sundaes, still frozen she hoped, and exited her truck. She’d left the house three hours ago to run errands and then, because her kitchen was in turmoil, she’d picked up dinner.

It was after seven o’clock when she walked through her front door. Sam had been working all day, and if the cabinets looked half as good as the man fully immersed in the job, wearing a tight white tank and those faded blue jeans, then Caroline had found herself an employee.

“Dinner,” she announced, setting the bags on the kitchen table.

When she glanced up, she found Sam standing back from the cabinets, admiring his work. “Almost through,” he said.

Caroline swallowed, looking at the work he’d done. He’d managed to reface the existing cabinets so that they appeared an identical match. No one would have guessed that there had been burnt and charred wood there just hours ago. “They’re beautiful.”

“I couldn’t find a match to the old doors, so I put on all new ones.”

“I see that.” Caroline loved the new look, but she hesitated. “I hadn’t planned on renovating my entire kitchen. Those new doors must have been expensive.”

“Nah,” Sam said, finally glancing over to her. His dark eyes twinkled and Caroline’s stomach flip-flopped. He was a man who, when he gave a woman his full attention, could turn her inside out. “I made the lumber store manager a deal. Trust me, you got more than a fair shake on the doors.”

“How?”

“How’d I make the deal?” He seemed pleased with himself. “You’ll do all your lumber business with him during the renovations and you’ll give his kid free riding lessons.”

“Free riding lessons?”

“Yep, you were planning on giving lessons, weren’t you?”

She chuckled. “I am now.”

Actually, aside from boarding and grooming the horses, Caroline had toyed with the idea of giving lessons after school and on weekends. Sam had just cemented the notion into reality.

He set the invoice for the cost of the lumber, doors included, onto the kitchen counter. Caroline leaned over to take a look. She couldn’t fault him for being excessive since he had indeed gotten a fair price for the materials. She glanced up to meet his eyes. “Looks like I can afford you after all.”

“So I’m hired?”

Caroline nodded. “For the month. Yes, I’ll hire you. And I don’t plan on starving my one and only employee. I brought dinner home from Patsy’s Pantry. It’s nothing fancy but the food’s the best in five counties. Hungry?”

“I could eat,” Sam admitted, “but I’d like to clean up first. Mind if I take a shower?”

A shower? Caroline’s mind spun in a dozen directions, but it came back to earth quickly and focused on one final thought. Sam Beaumont, with his bronzed skin and strong body, naked, in her shower. The instant mind flash caused her a moment of doubt in hiring him.

He was good-looking to a fault. And sexy as sin.

Oh, Caroline, get a life.

“Sure, you can take a shower. Follow me.”

Caroline grabbed a towel from the linen closet on her way toward the bathroom. “Sorry, all I have is this color.”

Sam took the fluffy flamingo-pink towel. “Thanks. As long as it dries my bones, I’m happy.”

“Take your time,” she said once they reached the bathroom. “Dinner will keep.” With that, Caroline headed for the kitchen, blocking out the image of hot steamy water running down Sam’s bare body. Instead, she was grateful that Sam didn’t have one of those macho, don’t-give-me-anything-pink attitudes so many men share. A real man is secure enough in his own skin not to worry about trivial things like that. A real man knows who he is, and what he’s made of.

It had taken Caroline twenty-nine years to realize what made a real man, and unfortunately, she just hadn’t met too many of that breed in her lifetime.

She entered the kitchen, setting out paper plates and napkins, two glasses of lemonade and then…She remembered the fudge and caramel sundaes! “Oh, no!”

Quickly, she dug into the bag and came up with both ice cream concoctions. She sighed with relief. They weren’t completely melted, so she set them into the freezer, hoping for the best.

Not ten minutes later, Sam reentered the kitchen. He’d dressed in his jeans again, but his chest was bare. Caroline blinked, opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. Her naked-shower fantasy didn’t compare to seeing the real thing. His jeans hung low, dipping under his navel and hugging a tight butt in the back. His chest, wasn’t massive, wasn’t muscle-man broad. No, it was simply the perfect amount of bronzed strength.

With hair slicked back, and tiny beads of moisture still caressing his skin, he headed straight for her in a slow sexy saunter. Sharp tingles coursed through her body as he came closer. Caroline held her breath, unable to move, staring.

“Excuse me,” he said, passing her to reach for his shirt hanging on the back of the kitchen chair, the one he’d removed just before he began ripping out the damaged cabinets. He slipped his arms into the sleeves and turned to face her, buttoning up. “Smells good.”

Her shoulders slumped ever so slightly “Oh, uh, yes. Let’s eat.”

Fantasy over.

And it was a good thing, too. Because if Sam Beaumont had reached for her hand, Caroline would have followed him.

Right into the bedroom.

“I’d like to seal the cabinets tonight, so I can get started tomorrow with the stables. The doors I can do outside, but I’m going to have to put the sealant on the existing cabinets where they are. Only problem is that the fumes will be too strong for you to sleep in the house.”

Sam Beaumont collected his paper trash, helping Caroline clean up the kitchen after they’d eaten their meal. She wiped down the counter and table then turned to him. “Not a problem really. I can sleep in one of the stable stalls tonight.”

“Are you sure?”

She shrugged. “The cabinets need to be finished. And I’ve got a sleeping bag. I’ve slept out there before.”

“Oh, yeah? Have you lived here all of your life?”

“Most. When I married Gil, my parents retired and moved to Florida. They gave us the stables to run as a wedding present, along with the house I’d grown up in. They weren’t crazy about changing the name of the stables to Portman, but they’d agreed. Gil had a thing about that. Status was everything to him. I should have known better, but I agreed, too. After all, I’d married into that name. At least when the place went to the dogs, my parents’ name wasn’t associated with the stables any longer. They’d worked hard most of their life to build up what Gil ruined in just four short years.”

Caroline didn’t want sympathy. And Lord knows, she’d agonized about this for too long. She wasn’t looking back any longer. She had a future now, with the life insurance money that she’d received. And she was determined to create a good life for Annabelle in the process. One day, her daughter would have everything.

“Well, sounds like we’ve got a lot of work ahead of us. It’ll take me an hour or two to get these cabinets sealed. And I can guarantee that you won’t want to be in here.”

Us? Caroline hadn’t been one half of “us” in a long time. She’d been the one making all the decisions, doing all the planning and hoping. She sorta liked the sound of it, even as she reminded herself that the sexy drifter she’d hired would only be here for one month.

Caroline knew she to had take complete control—relinquishing her part in the ranch had been a mistake she would never make again. She had too much to lose now. She’d barely squeaked by these past few years, boarding a few horses and taking on odd jobs just to earn enough to keep food on the table and the bankers from knocking on her doors. She’d never risk her daughter’s future again. And she’d never lay her heart and her life on the line for another man. So this one-month arrangement with Sam Beaumont was a perfect solution.

“Okay, well, I’ll just muck out some of the stables. I’ve got to check on Dumpling, anyway. She misses me if I don’t spend time with her at night.”

“Dumpling?”

“Our family mare. She’s a sweetheart.”

He nodded. “So, will I be sleeping in the stables too?”

Caroline’s mind once again flashed a thrilling image of Sam Beaumont waiting for her on a plush bed of hay. Her heart danced for a moment and, inwardly, she sighed. “No, there’s a room at the back of one of the stables. Used to be a tack room, but I recently converted it into a guest room. I wouldn’t expect much, but there’s a comfortable bed, a dresser and electricity.”

“Sounds fine.”

But Sam Beaumont had already dismissed Caroline, focusing his attention on the cabinets. He worked his hands over the wood, looking for rough spots, surveying the job ahead.

Chuck from the Tie-One-On had been right in vouching for Sam Beaumont. He seemed intent on getting the job done and oddly enough, despite the way they’d met, Caroline felt she just might be able to work with him.

She reminded herself to ask Chuck how he’d come to know so much about Sam, and why he seemed so eager for her to hire him.

Sam Beaumont still was a mystery to her, the handsome drifter who seemed far too capable a man to be scrounging around for work, traveling from town to town like a vagabond.

The smell of wood and hay, of horse dung and leather brought back memories of happier times in Sam’s youth. Sam stepped into the room he’d be staying in, breathing deeply, glancing around the small twelve-by-twelve room. He’d frequented the best five-star hotels in the country, but this room with its blue-checkered curtains, rough wood-framed landscapes and mismatched furniture, appealed to him in ways those elegant suites never had.

He and his younger brother, Wade, had been shoved off to live with their Uncle Lee and Aunt Dottie on their working cattle ranch near El Paso. They’d had a small herd, earned a decent living and Sam would like to think he and Wade had brought some joy into their lives. His aunt and uncle couldn’t have children of their own, and Sam’s father thought it fitting to get the boys out of his hair while he built his new company from the ground up. Uncle Lee and Aunt Dottie had been the only true parents he and Wade had ever known.

Sam set his duffel bag on the bed then plopped down to test the mattress. Comfortable, he assessed, lying down and stretching out his legs. He laced his hands behind his head and rested on a navy corduroy pillow. He stared up at the ceiling, looking for a kind of peace that always seemed to elude him.

Sam had seen action in the Persian Gulf War, he’d battled the toughest opponents in the business world, but he had never known the kind of fear he experienced each night when he closed his eyes.

Thoughts of Tess would surface. But his mind denied Sam the sweet memories of his daughter. He didn’t deserve them, not yet. Not ever. Sam had lost so much that day, his daughter, a wife who had blamed him, and the better part of his soul. “I’m sorry, Tess,” he whispered quietly. “So sorry, sweetheart.”

Sam rose from the mattress and paced the floor. He had no intention of sleeping on this comfortable bed tonight. He grabbed the doorknob and yanked open the door.

Caroline Portman stood on the other end, balancing a tray, ready to knock.

“Uh, hi,” she said, “I almost forgot about dessert.” She lifted the tray to his eyes. “Ice cream sundaes, slightly melted, but delicious all the same.” She walked past him, stepping into the room. “Are you settled in for the night?”

“Not really. I won’t sleep here tonight,” he announced, “while you’re sleeping on a bale of hay.”

She grinned and those twin dimples peeked out. “I don’t mind.”

“I do. You get this bed tonight, or the deal’s off.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, really. The lady always gets the bed.”

Caroline tilted her head to one side and smiled. “That’s really not necessary.”

Sam stared, standing still in silent argument, his expression set in stone.

Caroline sent him a look of genuine appreciation. “Okay, and thank you. That’s very…very sweet.” Sam got the distinct feeling she hadn’t been treated with regard too often.

He wouldn’t belabor the point. Instead, he glanced at the sundaes. “Those look good.”

“Let’s sit outside and eat them,” she said, “before they melt even more.”

They opted for a bale of hay just outside the barn. The night was warm, the sky overhead twinkling with bright stars. Sam enjoyed the serenity. He took a deep breath, and Caroline’s fresh fruity scent invaded his brief peace. He glanced at her as she ate with gusto, devouring her ice cream. Sam found little enjoyment in life, but watching someone eat with such obvious glee made him smile.

“What’s funny?” she asked, catching him.

Sam shook his head and pointed to her empty dish. “You ate that like there’s no tomorrow.”

His observation didn’t rattle her; she grinned. “I know. I don’t indulge often, but when I do, watch out. ”

Good Lord, she looked pretty, sitting under the stars with moonlight streaming down. She had the softest features, a sweet smile and beautiful blue eyes. And Sam wondered about her comment. What other things did she indulge in? Her “watch out” statement intrigued the hell out of him. No, he wouldn’t allow his mind to go there.

“You saved the day, Sam. I want to thank you for coming to my rescue today.” Again, the sincerity in her tone made him think this woman, who deserved more, hadn’t been treated with much regard in the past.

“I’m far from a hero, Caroline.”

Caroline set the empty plastic ice cream dish on her lap and with head downcast, she admitted, “Still, I’m glad you’re here.”

“Because the stables mean everything to you.”

She nodded. “My heart’s been broken, Sam. I can’t ever let that happen again.”

Sam knew how she felt. Her sentiments echoed his own. Losses of any kind were hard to take—there was no way to measure the amount of pain they caused. Sam didn’t think he had an exclusive on heartache. Obviously, Caroline had had a bad marriage and had almost lost her precious ranch. “We’ve got a lot of work to do starting tomorrow. Let’s get some sleep.”

Caroline agreed. She stood up abruptly, dropping the dish and napkin that had been on her lap. Both went down to retrieve the items. They reached for the dish at the same time and bumped heads.

Sam’s hand covered hers and an electric shock traveled through his system. Her sweet laughter rang out, tempting his senses. His body instantly reacted. Not just a little slight jab, but a full-fledged, piercing arrow that angled straight to his groin.

He went thick and hard below the waist. He summoned all his willpower to contain his massive erection. Wasn’t happening. Instead, white-hot desire bulleted through his body. He ached from the fullness, something he hadn’t experienced in a long time. That dead part of his body came alive and no matter how hard he tried to bring the numbness back, he couldn’t.

Sam released Caroline’s hand and backed off, staring into her eyes. Had he lied to himself last night when he’d kissed her? Had he persuaded himself that he was immune to her soft lips and warm womanly body? Had he fooled himself into thinking that Caroline Portman hadn’t intrigued him from the very start, approaching him with her I-need-a-man, comment?

Sam didn’t have answers. What he had was a hard-on that was killing him.

“Sam?” Caroline looked at him with curious eyes.

“It’s nothing, Caroline. I’ll see you in the morning.” Stiffly, Sam rose and headed for the stable stall where he’d be sleeping tonight.

And he was hoping that when he woke, this momentary lapse would disappear in the morning’s light.

Three

“You are a beauty,” Sam admitted, stroking her female body, closing his eyes for a moment, relishing the feel of such a lovely creature. It gladdened his heart to see that she responded in kind.

“I see you’ve met Dumpling,” Caroline said, walking up to the mare’s stall. “And it appears you’ve made a new friend.”

Sam patted the mare with affection. “She’s a sweetheart, just like you said.”

Caroline approached, rubbing her cheek against the mare’s snout. The animal responded with a soft whinny. “Yeah, Dumpling and I go back a long way.”

She eyed the horse with tenderness; her face glowing and Sam figured she saved that look for only those who’d earned it—only those she trusted.

“How’d you sleep?” she asked. When she turned her attention and her baby blues on him, Sam inwardly flinched, the blow taking him by surprise. Those sparks, those damned unwelcome fireworks hadn’t disappeared as he’d hoped. They were alive and well and residing uninvited and unwelcome, flaming up his body. At least his anatomy below the waist hadn’t betrayed him. Yet.

“Fine.”

She narrowed her eyes. “Really? Were you comfortable in the sleeping bag?”

Last night Sam had had visions of lying with Caroline in the sleeping bag, counting stars and making love. He’d willed the sensation away, but the powerful urge only grew stronger. Unable to fight it off, he’d wanted to get up and run for the hills, but Sam had had enough of letting people down in his life. This time, he would keep his promise to work here for the month. He’d given his word, and he wouldn’t back out now.

Caroline believed he wasn’t interested in anything but an honest day’s work and that’s how he would keep it, as difficult as that would be.

“I slept just fine.”

“Me, too.” She sighed breathlessly. “Best sleep I’ve had in a long while, even though I miss Annabelle something fierce.”

Sam turned away at the mention of the little girl’s name. He had yet to come to terms with the death of his daughter. He didn’t begrudge Caroline’s love for her little girl, but the ache inside him burned deep and tore at him with raw agonizing pain. He couldn’t hear talk of her little Annabelle without reliving the horrible day that young Tess had died.

Sam blamed himself.

And he always would.

He peered out over the yard and the other buildings they’d be working on and quickly changed the subject. “Do you have a plan of action?”

Caroline sidled up next to him. “After breakfast, I was hoping we could go over what needs doing. We could make a list of repairs. As you can see, the yard itself is pretty run down.”

Sam glanced her way, seeing so much in her eyes, her hopes and expectations and her dream of a successful stable coming alive again. “I think that’s a good plan. But I’m not one for breakfast.”

She smiled. “Coffee then?”

“Sounds good.”

“Well then, I’ll go get it brewing and bring you out a cup. Sound fair?”

“You’re the boss.”

She lifted her lips in a soft smile. “I am, aren’t I?”

Her scent lingered as he watched her walk into the house, her perfect derriere catching his eye. She moved with grace, the unintentional sway of her hips purely natural. She wore a plaid work shirt and ripped jeans. Work clothes. Yet Sam eyed her with more enthusiasm than he would an exotic dancer working a dance pole.

His body reacted, tightening up.

He cursed and grabbed a steel rake. He’d just burn off his extra energy with good hard work. He wasn’t above mucking out a stall, and from what he could tell there would be plenty of stalls to muck in the very near future.

Later that day, Caroline cooked spaghetti and meatballs and they ate dinner together in the kitchen, each absorbed in their own thoughts, or so it seemed. The radio, set on low, played down-home country tunes, easing the quiet. All in all, Caroline was pleased with the day’s work they’d put in. Sam had proven himself a hard worker and a man of his word. So far.

But Sam didn’t divulge too much about himself. And Caroline wasn’t into prying. She knew what she needed to know about Sam Beaumont for now.

“So do you think we can finish everything on our list before the month is up?” Caroline asked, stringing a wad of spaghetti around her fork. She’d posed this question to Sam in different ways today and each time his reassurance had helped calm her nerves.

“I think so. There’re major repairs to be done to the roofs and stable stalls, some painting and shoring up of your fences. The yard will need a complete overhaul. You’ll need new supplies of feed and hay. But I think we can do it.”

Caroline nodded. “Yes, I’m hoping so. I’d like to have everything done before school starts. Annabelle will be starting first grade. She’ll be gone most of the day. I’ll be able to run things, along with some part-time help.”

“Do you have anyone in mind?”

She shrugged, not worried in the least. “There’s always high-school students ready to earn some extra cash. I know because I used to be one of them.” She chuckled, recalling her days as a part-time employee. “I worked at Curly’s Ice Cream Parlor, making root beer floats and banana splits after school.”

Even though they spoke of nothing specific, Caroline enjoyed conversing with another grown-up. And this particular grown-up happened to make her heart stop every now and then when she least expected it. Sam Beaumont had a style all his own. His quiet demeanor, his work ethic and his incredible good looks blended into a man who had, to put it quite simply, entered into Caroline’s fantasies.

Caroline set her fork down, her spaghetti plate empty. “What about you? Did you ever have a part-time job?”

Sam took a moment then nodded his head. “I worked for my uncle. He had a small ranch outside of El Paso.”

“Ah, so you do know something about this life.”

“Well, we had a herd of cattle, but ranching cattle isn’t too different. And we had a healthy string of horses, too. Uncle Lee used an old army helicopter he’d salvaged to oversee his ranch. I’d go up in that bird every chance I got.”

Caroline could only imagine a young Sam Beaumont completely addicted to flying, watching his uncle fly over the ranch and wishing he was the one behind the controls. “I’m surprised you didn’t fly it yourself.”

Sam stared down at his plate for a moment, then admitted. “I did. Got my pilot’s license when I was twenty.”

“You’re a pilot?” Stunned, Caroline stared at Sam. Everything she knew in her heart about this man, contradicted his presence here in Hope Wells. Early on, she’d pegged him for a drifter, a man with no ties, no connections to anyone or anyplace, but the man she was coming to know didn’t quite fit that bill.

“I was. I don’t fly anymore.”

“May I ask why?”

Sam glanced at her and for a moment she thought she might get an answer, but then the phone rang. “Oh, excuse me.”

Sam watched Caroline answer the phone, twirling the cord on her finger as she leaned against the refrigerator. She smiled as she recognized the caller.

“Hey, Joanie. It’s good to hear from you. Yes, yes, I know. I’ve been busy.”

Sam rose from the table and took his plate to the sink.

“A girls’ night out? Oh, that’s sounds like fun, but I can’t. Yes, I know how long it’s been since I went out. But you know I’ve got only the month to get the stables running again. I’m working every day.”

Sam put the iced-tea pitcher in the refrigerator, along with the container of Parmesan cheese and Caroline mouthed him a “thank you” as she slid out of his way.

“Yes, I know. I can’t use Annabelle as an excuse right now. I do know that, Joanie, but oh—darn. I forgot it’s Lucille’s birthday. All the girls are going?”

He finished clearing the table, wondering if he should leave rather than eavesdrop on Caroline’s phone conversation, but when he looked her way, she put up her index finger asking for one minute.

He leaned against the sink with arms folded and ankles crossed and waited, watching Caroline’s eyes dance with delight, her blond ponytail bouncing as she bobbed her head in conversation. He enjoyed looking at her—way too much.

“Okay, Saturday night. You’ll pick me up? Great. See you then.”

Caroline hung up the phone and walked over to him. “Thanks for helping with clean up.”

Sam nodded. “Dinner was good.”

“I’m not the greatest cook, but I try.”

“You’re better than you think.”

She appreciated the polite compliment for what it was. “Thank you. Oh, and I guess we’re not working all day Saturday like I’d planned. You heard that conversation. I tried, but my friends won’t let me off the hook. I’m going out for the first time since…well, doesn’t matter. We’ll just catch up on Monday.”

“I can still work the weekend.”

She shook her head. “No, that wouldn’t be fair. We’ll put in half a day on Saturday and Sunday we’ll rest. Remember, we’d agreed on those terms?”

Sam didn’t need a day off but Caroline did, whether she knew it or not. He’d agreed to her terms only to seal the deal. He’d worked seven days a week for so long that he really didn’t think it a hardship. Although others had, and that’s where he’d gone wrong in his life. His priorities had been way off.

He wouldn’t make that mistake again.

“Sunday, we rest,” Sam agreed.

“Good.”

Caroline smiled with warmth in her eyes and she glanced up at the cabinets he’d replaced. “You wouldn’t know that these had burned up yesterday. They’re so much nicer now with the new doors. You did an amazing job. Have I thanked you properly?”

Sam could think of a dozen ways she might thank him but nothing proper entered into his mind. “Twice. You thanked me twice, Caroline,” he said, his voice a husky whisper.

“Oh, I did?” She stared into his eyes, her gaze lingering, then she turned and reached up on her tiptoes to put a clean plate onto the shelf. She fumbled, the dish teetering on the edge. Sam moved quickly, sandwiching her between his body and the counter and caught the dish before it crashed. He set the dish on the shelf, fully aware of Caroline’s body pressed to his.

He groaned, the sound a hoarse cry of need. He stood rooted to the spot, unable to move away, as his body heated up to a quick sizzle.

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