“I’m in to it.”
“I think you’re going to work out just fine.” She walked a little farther down the hall and opened another door. “This is where you’ll do the massages.”
The room was painted a calming beige and the music was piped into this room. A cushioned table was in the center, and there was another door. “What’s behind that door?”
Rhonda chuckled. “You have to see it to believe it.”
Celeste followed as Rhonda went inside and opened the door. “Oh my.”
“You can say that again. Brian spared no expense to pamper his guests.”
“It looks like something out of a Roman bath.” Tall pillars, a sunken jetted tub that looked more like a small swimming pool. The tiles were an old-world design in soft gold and white.
“Besides the tub, there’s a steam shower. By the time the guest does the shower, the whirlpool, and then has a massage, they’re down for the count.”
“Heaven.”
“You got that right.” She sighed, then seemed to remember she was showing Celeste around. “I hope you don’t mind, but Ms. Darnell wanted a massage. She should be getting here in about ten minutes. I’ve been helping out and giving them, but only because Mr. Braxton was in a bind. I’ve had a little training but it’s not really what I enjoy.”
“I’d love to start.”
“Just take what you need out of the supply closet. I have to get back to the phones. I suspect once word gets out that we have a new massage therapist, it’ll start ringing off the wall.”
As soon as she left, Celeste walked back to the bathing area. A place where she could soak. She smiled. Surely Brian wouldn’t mind if she used the facility after hours. She was so going to love working here.
She gathered a few things from the closet and went back to the massage room. She set everything down on the counter, then lit the aromatherapy candle. For just a moment, she let her mind empty as calmness stole over her.
“I’m early.”
Celeste jumped.
“Sorry, Rhonda told me to come on in.”
Had she been lost in meditation that long? Apparently. The woman wore a white terry cloth robe, her bright red hair pulled up on top of her head, and she looked worn and tired.
“I’m Katie Darnell.”
“Hello, Ms. Darnell. I was just meditating.”
“Do I need to come back?”
She shook her head. “Not at all.”
“Good. This is my escape time while Jim watches the boys. They’re going horseback riding and then looking for arrowheads, then swimming, all in the hopes that the boys will expend enough energy they’ll fall asleep by eight tonight and Jim and I can have a little time alone.” She frowned. “I only hope Jim doesn’t fall asleep early.”
Celeste laughed.
“I talk too much, don’t I?”
She shook her head. “Not at all. You’ve only absorbed some of your sons’ energy.”
“Did I mention they’re twins? I don’t feel as though I have any energy.”
“It’s not the same thing.”
“I didn’t think so. I should be so lucky to have even half of what they have.” She paused, her face suddenly glowing with warmth. “But I do love them.”
What would it feel like to know that kind of love?
Chapter 15
Cal rode up to the cabin, leading the horse he’d brought for Nikki to ride. Just as she’d told him, Nikki was sitting in the rocker waiting. Yep, she didn’t give up easy. If he wasn’t careful he could really start to like this woman.
When she stood, his heart began to pound. Man, oh man, he’d just thought she’d looked hot before. What was there about a woman who wore tight-fitting jeans? If he didn’t know better, he’d think she was country born and bred.
Good thing he knew better about a lot of things when it came to Nikki and too bad she probably wouldn’t be staying very much longer.
“This is Tornado,” he said, indicating his horse.
“He’s beautiful.”
“Tornado’s a she.”
“At least you didn’t name her Bessie.”
He really liked her sense of humor. “And this is Taffy.” He tugged the reins of the other horse, bringing the animal forward. “And yes, I named both of them.”
Nikki warily eyed the horse. “She looks sweet. Is she? I mean, she’s not going to throw me off or anything?”
“Taffy is a gelding and no, the horse is gentle.”
“Good for her.”
“A gelding is a male. It means he’s been cut.”
Her eyes widened in disbelief. “You cut the horse?”
Cal chuckled. “So he won’t breed.”
“You steal the chickens’ eggs and scramble their offspring, the horses are eunuchs-what the hell else happens on a ranch? On second thought, I don’t think I want to know.”
Yeah, she had a real nice sense of humor.
Her eyes narrowed. “Are you sure we couldn’t just sightsee from your pickup? I know women in the nineteen twenties rode in pickups.”
“It’s not the same as when you’re on top of a horse breathing in the fresh country air.”
She mumbled something about the fresh country air not being that sweet, but he couldn’t quite make out her words.
He swung off Tornado in one easy motion and stretched his legs. It had taken him about a week to get over the soreness of riding once he came home. It sure wasn’t the same as when he was a kid growing up on the ranch. Back then, he’d loved to ride and practically lived on a horse. Not so much now.
Nikki was about to find out firsthand what it was like to ride a horse. She didn’t look too happy about the prospect.
“Come on, I’ll give you a leg up,” he said.
“Are you sure I can’t walk him for a while? Just until he gets used to me.”
“Not afraid, are you?”
Her chin jutted out. “Of course not.”
Much better. He liked her feisty. Brought the color to her cheeks and made her eyes flash. Besides, Taffy was gentle. The horse that Brian put all the kids on.
“Grab the horn,” he said, sliding his fingers along her arm and taking her hand to the front of the saddle. His movement brought her closer. The heat of her body swirled around him in a haze of teasing pleasure, sending an aching need all the way down to his midsection.
“And then what?” she asked breathlessly.
“Raise your foot.”
She did and he bent, guiding it to the stirrup. As he stood, his hands glided up her calves, over her thighs, and cupped her bottom. She leaned against him. He lost himself in the sweet scent of her perfume, and the heat emanating from her.
“Now what do I do?” Her whispered question fanned the hairs on his arm, showering him with ripples of pleasure.
“Push off with your other foot and pull on the saddle horn. As you come up, swing your leg over the horse.” His words were husky as he fought the passion that flared inside him. He refused to let her win in the game she’d started.
In one fluid motion, she was sitting on top of the animal. Cal handed her the reins. Their fingers touched. Hers trembled. Maybe she wasn’t as much of a barracuda as people thought.
“It’s really high up here.”
“It’ll be a nice, easy ride,” he told her and wondered if he was talking about the horse, or something else, and did she know it? But then, she didn’t like it easy. He cleared his throat. “Ready?”
She nodded.
He climbed back on Tornado and they started at a walk. After about a quarter of a mile, he knew she was more relaxed. “Are you ready to try a faster pace?”
“Yeah, sure.”
She hadn’t sounded sure. Nope, he didn’t think she looked nearly as confident as she pretended. “Raise up a little in the stirrups, and then nudge him with your heels. Try to go with the rhythm of the animal.”
She lightly kicked the horse’s sides. Taffy moved into a nice, easy lope. She grabbed the saddle horn.
“You’re doing fine,” he told her.
“It doesn’t feel like I am.”
“Try to relax.”