Jacob(6)

The walk up to the house provided a breathtaking view of the Black Hills. A burnt orange and crimson splash from the setting sun painted the ranch in warm, golden hue. Towering dark evergreens rose with a majesty that pulled the eye towards the western skyline. The Aspen leaves in the lower elevations had turned a brilliant pallet of gold and red. The radiance had started to dull and the leaves dropped in the brisk autumn wind.

But in spite of the natural glory of her home, it was just a matter of time before she’d take out again. She was just like her mom, a driven spirit, a restless soul that needed a higher purpose in her life.

Tori saw her dad climb the stairs to the house and take a moment to relax on the front porch swing.

As they stomped up the steps to the porch in frozen silence, her dad eyed both of them with a grunt. “You two look like you’ve been at it again.”

They stopped at the top of the stairs and both folded their arms at the same time. Like mirror images, Tori leaned to the pillar on the right and Keelee leaned to the pillar on the left.

“Tori’s cinching up and going back to D.C. this weekend for a conference which means we need to postpone the family drive to bring down the cattle until after she comes back unless Danny makes a miraculous recovery.”

Her dad nodded. “Alright, we can wait or we can ask one or two of the Koehler boys to come over and help after they move their herd. Not like we haven’t done that in the past. They’re our hands for most of the year anyway.”

Keelee’s back stiffened and she shoved her hands in the front pockets of her jeans. “No, we’ll wait. I don’t want to give that moron Clint any more reason to come over here. The man won’t take no for an answer. The weather report doesn’t indicate snow yet, and we don’t need to spend money hiring on hands this time of year. ”

Keelee glared at her sister. “Enjoy your little D.C. jaunt, Tori.” She stomped towards the door. “I’m going to see if Aunt Betty needs help with dinner.” The screen door took the brunt of her anger, shuddering against the door frame with a resounding slam.

Tori sat down in the swing next to her dad and elbowed him. “You think she is mad at me or mad because you mentioned the Koehler’s? I think Clint really likes her.”

Frank grunted. “She ain’t mad at you. Much. She was looking forward to this year’s drive because she wanted to spend time with you. That Koehler has his hat set for her, but I hope Clint ain’t got a chance with her. He’s too…hell, I don’t know what it is. He sticks to her like a wet saddle blanket. He won’t meet my eye when I look at him. She needs a strong man beside her, not one who is going to consume her.”

He leaned back and pushed the planks of the porch with his boot, setting the swing in motion. “Trip is kinda sudden, ain’t it?”

“No, not really. And if I’m honest…I’ve had it planned for a year now. Daddy, I can’t miss this weekend.” She leaned in and nudged him with a shoulder. “I have a date with a gentleman.”

Frank gave his daughter a sideways glance. “That so? You never mentioned a man to me before. ”

“Yeah. Look, this might be nothing, but we have had this date planned for a year. I didn’t want Keelee to know because I didn’t want to take any shit over it.”

“Watch your mouth. You sound like a ranch hand.”

Tori chuckled at a rebuke she’d heard a thousand times growing up. “Alright, Daddy, I didn’t want to take any crap over it.”

“That don’t sound much better, baby girl.” He drew a deep breath. “So did you make this date before or after you got hurt?”

Tori’s face relaxed and her eyes lost focus, thoughts of Jacob did that to her. “Jacob responded to the situation…accident…I was involved in. He rescued me. He was so kind and stayed with me when I was hurt, afraid and alone. We agreed to meet in a year at a restaurant we both know.”

She shrugged her shoulders and forced a smile. “Who knows. He might not even show.” Tori leaned over and kissed his cheek. “I love you, Daddy. I’ll be back by Monday afternoon. We can ride out Tuesday morning to bring the rest of the herd down.”

Frank nodded, cleared his throat several times. Tori glanced at him and darned if her father didn’t look all misty-eyed. “That will work. And baby girl, if this man has any sense at all—he’ll be there.”





Chapter Four


Jacob glanced down at his watch for the fifth time in as many minutes as a line of limousines pulled up in front of the restaurant. He disregarded the town cars and cast his eyes down the street to find any woman who might be Tori. She would be tall. His eyes searched between several different women, all with escorts. Most of the people waiting for tables stood close to the huge outdoor heaters that warmed the beautiful front courtyard of the restaurant. His gaze skimmed the women standing in the area. No, nada, zip, zilch. Fuck.

He blew out a huff of frustration and disappointment. Damn it…he wanted to talk with her again. No, check that—he needed to talk to her again. The woman’s spirit had captured his attention. His leg bounced in agitation and impatience. Another long glance down the street. Nothing. Damn it…he didn’t care if she showed up covered in filth or dripping in diamonds. He just needed to see her, to talk with her, to make sure she had made it through the aftermath of the torture and the pain. He’d thought of her almost every day since he’d left her in Germany.

A slight shrug of his shoulder eased the ache. He adjusted the damn sling for what seemed like the tenth time. He wanted to go without it, but his arm wasn’t quite strong enough…yet. A weakness he couldn’t hide. His departure from the hospital against medical orders would land him in a world of shit. A mental shrug threw that concern away. He would deal with the repercussions. Screw it. If there was a chance to see her again, he was going to take it. Shit, the worst Gabriel could do is fire him again, right? Worth the price if she showed. At least he’d know she was alright.



*



Victoria tried to stop her nervous drumming of her fingers against the car door, but the alternative was to check her make-up…again. Her hand lifted to her hair to smooth it back. Damn, she just couldn’t sit still. Once again, she wondered if she had gone overboard on the dress and shoes. The flame-red angora wool dress hugged her body like a second skin and molded to her toned thighs. The combed angora gave the illusion of softness that almost forced a person to touch the fabric. Her breasts mounded tantalizingly above an ultra-low scoop of the neckline and the now nicely toned muscles of her long arms peeked from the shoulder to cuff slits in the sleeves. Her classic, four-inch black Louboutin pumps with the red soles that matched her dress made her six-foot, two-inches tall, but the man she remembered from the plane would still be taller. A simple, black leather rope necklace with her favorite diamond solitaire drop and diamond stud earrings completed her ensemble. She checked her lip stain and added some gloss.

For the first time in a long time, she worried about what someone thought of her appearance. The sensation sent a small tremble of fear that she tried to squelch. She wanted Jacob to see her for who she was now, not what she had been. A larger wave of anxiety washed over her at the thought he might not show hit her once again. Her fears had mocked her all year, but tonight they screamed for attention. He only kept you company. The talk of the date provided nothing more than a distraction to keep your thoughts from your injuries. Tori’s eyes misted as she fought the disappointment that threatened to overtake her.

Two years ago, these types of emotions wouldn’t have run rampant. What happened to that fearless woman? Life happened. Her time at the ranch in South Dakota had healed her body and therapy had helped her learn mechanisms to cope, but from time to time, the PTSD still kicked her butt. She blinked several times and tried to talk the fears away. She repeated reaffirmations almost as a mantra. I can do this. What’s the worst that could happen? Okay, so he doesn’t show. If he doesn’t, I’ll have a glass of wine while I wait for the car and go back to South Dakota. This date doesn’t impact who I am. Still…he would show. He had to.

The streetlights passed and she recalled the steel blue eyes of the mercenary who’d saved her life. She saw his massive muscled shoulders and chest, the way he towered over his men and the way his uniform accentuated his wonderful physique. Tori blushed at the desire she felt. For weeks after the rescue, she had meticulously recreated every memory, every glimpse she’d had of Jacob. When she recalled his sense of humor and his smile, the tenderness in his eyes and the gentleness of his hands, it brought her a warm sense of comfort. Lord knew she would recognize his voice at once if she heard it again. That deep southern accent with its rich timber surrounded her every recollection of him and visited her in dreams at night. Every detail of the man seared a profound and permanent brand in her memory

The car slowed as it pulled near the front of O’Malley’s. The driver lowered the privacy glass and explained he needed to wait for the limo in front of them to unload its passengers. Victoria looked at her watch and noted the time. Ten minutes late. She worried her bottom lip nervously. God, she hoped the grace period he granted still applied. The young chauffeur pulled up, parked, exited the car and jogged around to her door. The driver opened the door with a flourish and held his hand out for Tori as she exited. At least thirty people milled around the immaculately landscaped courtyard, preventing Tori from seeing if Jacob waited for her.