Kissed by a Rancher

“As for marrying Lamont, that may happen someday. We’re compatible, we’ve known each other forever and Lamont is ideal. He’s grown up here, works here and doesn’t want to leave here. That description fits me also. How many men would feel that way?”

“Have you ever heard the old saying ‘opposites attract’?” Josh asked with a faint smile.

“I’ve heard the saying, but it’s no part of my life. Lamont is the ideal man for me—very plain tastes, will never leave Beckett, tied to his family—which in his case is only his mother and a married aunt and her family. We’re alike, we’ve known each other since we were children and neither of us is in a rush to marry. That’s all I want.”

“You’re damn easy to please. More than any woman I’ve ever known.”

“I’m sure I’m not like women you’ve known,” she said, smiling at him. “I know you can’t imagine such a simple life as Lamont’s or mine, but that’s what I know and like. My mother falls into your ‘opposites attract’ category. My dad was a charmer, a traveling salesman. He was delightful, but oh, so unreliable, and after three kids, he finally left Mom for another woman he met in California. When he did, it broke her heart, and I don’t like to remember that time. It was sad for all of us.”

“That doesn’t mean all men with personalities like your dad’s won’t be faithful or honor their marriage vows.”

“I’m not sure I believe that. I’ve heard he now has his fourth wife. I don’t want someone like that in my life. What about you, Josh? You’re single. I seriously doubt if you’re searching for your opposite,” she said, amused. “You would be bored beyond measure.”

“I suppose you’re right,” he said, smiling with her. “Right now, I’m not at the point where I care to get tied down. You’re already tied down with this inn—that’s 24/7. You work more than I do, and that’s saying something.”

“It doesn’t seem like work,” she said. “I enjoy the people and the job and taking care of the inn. I enjoy my family and Mr. Hickman, Aunt Trudy and Aunt Millie.”

“Well, you’re good at what you do, and I will be forever grateful for getting to stay here.”

“I’d better get moving because lunch will come before you know it.” As she walked away, her back tingled, and she had to fight the urge to glance over her shoulder. She was certain he watched her. But what was he thinking?

* * *

Along with sandwiches that Josh helped her make for lunch, she had a pot of vegetable soup, a salad and choices of chocolate or lemon cake, yogurt or cookies for dessert.

All the time she worked, she couldn’t lose the sharp awareness she had of him. She thought it would diminish as she got accustomed to him being at the inn and working with her, but it didn’t diminish one tiny degree.

Far from it—as she felt a constant, tingling consciousness of him wherever he was or whatever he did.

Through lunch she tried to ignore her fluttering insides. Afterward they sat and talked for an hour over cups of coffee. Then Josh helped her get dinner started, peeling potatoes while she prepared a roast. By the time they cleaned up and sat down with cold drinks, the delicious smell of the roast and potatoes in a slow cooker filled the kitchen.

“You’ve been such a help. I’ll owe you when you leave.”

“No, you won’t. Your inn has been a lifesaver.”

A clock chimed in the hall. “Oh, my word. I need to check the inn’s email account before dinner. They begin to drift down after five for a cocktail,” she said, standing and carrying her glass to the sink.

Turning, she almost bumped into him as he did the same.

“Sorry,” she said, causing him to smile.

“Slow down. I’ll help with serving dinner and with the cocktails. Where do you keep glasses? Do you have a bar?”

“There’s a small bar in the corner of the back room. We were in the living room last night because of the piano, but usually we gather in the back sitting room because it’s the largest. Through that door. I’ll hurry and be in the kitchen in about twenty minutes.”

He set his glass in the sink and caught up with her to head toward his room. They parted at the door, and she rushed on to her entrance. She had spent the day with him, and it had flown by swiftly. She liked being with him, still had the dizzying response to him physically and anticipated with a growing eagerness being with him again soon.

She knew that Josh would disappear from her life, but it had been fun while he was here—because she wasn’t letting herself fall for him.

She showered and dressed in another thick sweater, this time pink. She pulled on jeans and her suede boots and brushed her hair into a fresh ponytail.

With an uncustomary eagerness, Abby went to the kitchen to check on dinner and set the table. Josh was already there in a charcoal sweater, chinos and his Western boots, his straight, short brown hair neatly combed. He hadn’t shaved today, and a faint dark shadow of stubble on his jaw gave him a rugged look and added to his appeal. He was handsome enough that she had to fight the temptation to stare. Once again, Josh was helpful, setting the dining room table without even being asked.

When the first guests came downstairs, Josh left to serve them drinks. She was busy all through dinner and afterward until the kitchen was clean and everything put away. She heard Josh join the guests about five minutes before she did. As she went into the big sitting room, she could see through an open door some of the men playing pool in the billiards room. In the sitting room, some of the little girls sat at a table with crayons and coloring books. Other kids worked a puzzle, while two teens were busy with their phones. She looked at the fire Josh had built before dinner and saw it would soon go out.

Crossing the room to a game table, she stopped beside Josh, who sat playing cards with Mr. Hickman.

“Can I trade places briefly with you and get you to bring in some logs from the woodpile so the fire doesn’t die?”

“Sure,” Josh said, standing. “It’s your turn, Mr. Hickman.”

“I know, I know,” he said without looking up.

She smiled at Josh, who stood only inches away. She hoped he never realized the extent of the reaction she had to his presence. “The woodpile is below the east windows of this room,” she said, pointing. “You can go out through the kitchen. Thanks.”

She slid onto his seat and watched Mr. Hickman. His wrinkled hands were poised on the edge of the board as he studied his cards.

They each played several cards before Josh returned carrying logs. He paused near Abby. “Folks, there is a huge full moon that you can see rising over the horizon if you step outside and look to the east,” he announced, looking around the room. He glanced at Abby. “It’s marvelous out,” he added, setting down the logs. “Let’s go look and then I’ll build a fire.”

“Mr. Hickman, do you want to look at the moon?” she asked.

“Of course,” he said. “I’ll get my coat. It’s supposed to be seventeen degrees tonight.”

“Can I go upstairs and get it for you, sir?” Josh asked.

“It’s down here in the hall closet,” Abby said.

“Thank you very much anyway,” Mr. Hickman said to Josh.

Once Mr. Hickman had on his coat, Abby got hers out of the hall closet, and Josh held it for her as she slipped into it. “Ready, Mr. Hickman?”

“Ready,” he replied.

Abby linked arms with Mr. Hickman and was aware of Josh moving to the other side of him. Josh held the door, and finally they stepped out onto the porch and walked around the house. Her guests were clustered there, some huddled together because they hadn’t bothered to get their coats. Some gasped at the wintry scene. The wind had finally died, and the snow had stopped falling. It was a cold, clear night, and an enormous moon hovered over the horizon. The moon was a huge white ball with gray patterns on its surface. Nobody had walked through the snow beyond the house yet, and it was pristine, glistening in the bright moonlight.

“Just a minute,” Abby said, releasing Mr. Hickman’s arm and walking to one side of the crowd. “Folks, we have an old Texas legend about the moon. If you’ll move over here on the porch where I’m standing, you can see two oak trees in the yard with entwined branches.” She waited a moment as the group clustered around her.

“The full moon shining on those oak trees sometimes casts a heart-shaped shadow. There’s an old legend here that if two people kiss in that shadow, they will fall in love with each other for the rest of their lives. If you want to see the shadow, you have to stand on this part of the porch, or if you’re in the yard, stand right in front of the porch at this place.”

“Has anyone who has stayed at the inn ever seen it and kissed in the shadow?” someone asked.

“Oh, yes,” Abby said. “Including my grandparents. My grandfather died very young, so my grandmother wasn’t married long, but she always loved him and has never remarried.” Talking softly, people turned to watch as shadows across the snow changed gradually.

“So, have you ever kissed in this shadow?” a deep voice asked beside Abby. She turned to glance at Josh, thankful for the darkness that hid a blush warming her cheeks.

“No, I haven’t. There—look, Josh, I think the shadow is forming,” she whispered, watching the shifting dark patterns on the dazzling white snow. The crowd became silent, seemingly transfixed.

There was a collective gasp when a heart-shaped shadow became visible. People began to call out about it and hold up their phones to take pictures. One couple ran down the porch steps to kiss in the shadow. Two more couples joined them, and little kids laughed and clapped. Someone whistled.

“We can’t waste that,” Josh said, taking her hand and hurrying down the steps.

“Josh—”

“It’s only a kiss,” he said, rushing to stand in the shadow of the heart and pull her to him.

“This is absurd,” she said, laughing, her own heart pounding wildly. “Suppose it comes true? We don’t even know each other. You’re tempting fate. We might not like each other—”

“We’ll find out,” he said, wrapping his arms around her and leaning down to kiss her. His mouth covered hers.

Shocked, excited, caught off guard, she thought this kiss was the craziest thing she had ever done in her quiet, ordinary life. And then she stopped thinking and was consumed by his kiss, which built a fire deep within her. She couldn’t get her breath. She became oblivious to the cold, the snow and the people around her, as well as the knowledge that she barely knew Josh. All she was aware of was his mouth on hers, his arms banding her tightly, holding her against his solid, warm length.

She had never been kissed like this, held like this. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him passionately in return. The reason for their kiss vanished. All she knew was Josh, his hard strength, his tongue that took her breath completely and stirred her desire to a level she hadn’t experienced before.

With Josh’s kiss, her world and her life underwent a change as subtle as the shifting shadows around her, but in another way, a change far more monumental. Desire burned hotly, enveloping her, permeating her being. She clung tightly to him, kissing him in a way she had never kissed any other man.

At some point she realized where she was and what she was doing. With an effort she stepped back. As they broke apart, people clapped again, laughed and whistled. She was thankful for the darkness, because her face burned from embarrassment as she tried to smile but couldn’t.

For once, Josh’s ever-ready smile didn’t appear. He stared at her.

“We drew a crowd,” she said quietly. “That shadow is long gone.”

“Yeah.”

She turned away. Josh caught her hand as people clapped again. “Bow,” he said. “We have an audience. Let’s join the fun, and the moment will pass. Sort of.”

She curtsied as Josh bowed again.

The crowd broke up. Kids were tossing snowballs, and several had started a snowman. The snow crunched beneath their feet as they walked back to the inn. They stopped to accompany Mr. Hickman.

“Josh is an enterprising young man,” Mr. Hickman said, laughter in his voice. “I shall try to prevail upon him to go fishing with me.”

“That would be nice,” she said, thinking Josh would never come back to Beckett, and he probably was too busy to fish often. When he did, she suspected he flew to Colorado or Idaho or some location where fishing was much more challenging and satisfying than a stocked pond in a small west Texas town.

They went inside and put away their coats. “Want to finish our game?” Josh asked Mr. Hickman.

“Yes, indeed, and then it will be my bedtime.”

“See you later,” Josh said to her, and the two men turned to go to their game. One of the guests stopped to ask her if they would be having cocoa later.

“Yes. Would you and your family like some now? I can make it now just as easily.”

“That would be wonderful. I’ll come help.”

“You don’t need to. I’ll announce it as soon as it’s ready. It doesn’t really take long.”

“Thank you, Abby. We all look forward to your homemade hot cocoa,” the petite blonde said. “I’ll tell my family and the others.”

Abby hurried to the kitchen, trying to focus on making hot cocoa for everyone and keeping Josh’s kiss out of her thoughts for now. She failed to stop thinking about him, but she had made cocoa so many times in her life, she could do what she needed to without much thought.

Finally she escaped to her room for a moment to catch her breath. As soon as she shut her door, she leaned against it. Remembering Josh’s kiss, she closed her eyes. Why did she have this huge reaction to Josh, of all people, who would go out of her life as swiftly as he had come into it?

Three

Abby crossed the room to look into the mirror. She should look different, but she didn’t. She felt different, as if Josh’s kiss had somehow in some subtle manner changed her permanently.

She knew she had lived a sheltered, quiet life, but she had no idea a man’s kiss could ignite a raging fire in her.

It was just as well he would soon leave. Occasionally men would stay at the inn who were charming and single. They would flirt and ask her out, and she had always turned them down. There had never been anybody she had particularly wanted to go out with, and she had never had a reason to cause any ripples in her relationship with Lamont. She had always felt secure, comfortable and reasonably happy with him, but was she cutting deep joy and fun out of her life? There were other nice guys in Beckett and areas close around. Answering Josh’s questions about Lamont made her realize her romantic relationship with her old friend was almost nonexistent. Had she let the hurt caused by her father influence her too strongly? She went out with Lamont because it was convenient and easy.

Josh had not asked her out, and she didn’t expect he would. Any day now he’d pack and go, and she would never see him again. How long would it take to forget his kiss?

Was that going to dim her relationship with Lamont, whose kisses were bland and far from exciting? Was she missing out on life, as Josh had accused her?

Was she settling for a dull, uneventful future with Lamont simply because it was safe and convenient? And was it even fair to Lamont?

Should she and Lamont date other people? If Josh asked her out, would she feel free to accept if she and Lamont didn’t have an agreement to see others?

For the first time, she wanted out of the arrangement she had simply drifted into with Lamont. With uncustomary impulsiveness, she called him on his cell.

“Have you got a moment to talk, Lamont?”

“I need a short break, so yes, I’ll take a minute. Why do taxes seem to have more rules each year?”

“I don’t know much about that. Lamont, I’ve been thinking about us, that we should start going out with other people. We’ve sort of wandered into a relationship that I’m having some second thoughts about.”

“Abby, we’re just alike, so we’re very compatible. And this is a terrible time for me to make major changes in my life. Maybe you should rethink this. I’m sorry if I’ve neglected you somewhat, but we don’t usually go out during tax season, at least not in late March.”

“I want to be free to date others, and I think it would do you good to do so, too. We may be in a rut.” There was a long period of silence. She hated to upset him, but she still felt she should break it off with him, at least for a while.

“If that’s what you want,” he said. “Let’s go to dinner and discuss it, but it will have to be in a few weeks.”

“We can discuss it more when you’re finished with taxes, but I want to agree to see others.”

“Fine,” he said and gave an audible sigh. “I better get back. We’ll talk about this again.”

“Sure, Lamont,” she said, feeling better. She put away her phone, realizing she had just made what might be a life-changing decision. A decision based on a kiss from a man who was almost a stranger. Even so, she didn’t regret it.

Taking a deep breath, she turned to go back and join the guests to see if anyone needed anything. Josh and Mr. Hickman had just finished their game as Abby joined them.

“We’ve each won a game now,” Mr. Hickman said.

“Actually, you’ve won two and I’ve won one.”

“We’ll play again sometime, I hope.” Mr. Hickman stood. “I think I should turn in. I’ll see both of you at breakfast. I enjoyed the games, Josh. Thanks.”

“You’re welcome,” Josh said. “I enjoyed them, too. We’ll see you in the morning.”

“Good night,” Abby said. As soon as Mr. Hickman was gone, she turned to Josh. “There’s hot cocoa and hot cider in the kitchen.”

“At this point in my life, I’d like a cold beer.”

“I think we can fill that order,” she said as they walked to the kitchen. “Look in the fridge. If we’re out, there’s another fridge in the pantry.”

“I’ll find it.” He got a beer, uncapped it and sipped, then set it on the counter. He picked up dishes people had left at the table, carrying them to the sink. “I’ll check the dining room for dishes that need to be washed.”

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