It took a few stunned moments for Madison's brain to kick-start again after Callum's comment on the porch. He'd disappeared inside the house before the message from her head made it to her feet and she moved to follow.
When was the last time a man had made his interest in her so obvious? Had any ever done so? She was certain none had her contemplating giving in to temptation quite so thoroughly. But this situation won the award for bad timing. Even so, she didn't say anything else to deter him. She tried to convince herself it was because she was so hungry and he was cooking, but her eyes kept straying to how snug his jeans fit him as he stood at the stove. She nearly fell out of her chair when he flipped the omelette onto a plate and swung toward her in one fluid motion, nearly catching her ogling his backside.
He hadn't been lying. He could make a mean omelette.
"This is delicious."
"Delicious enough to let me take you out?"
She ignored the little pang at how she had to answer. "I'm sorry, but no."
Callum shrugged. "Can't blame a guy for trying."
And trying. He flirted with her so much during the rest of breakfast that she felt on the verge of giggling at some points. Despite her marathon sleep session, she must still be tired.
"Well, if you change your mind and suddenly can't bear not to see me, call the Pebble Creek Ranch. I'll be here in a flash."
She did laugh then. "You are, perhaps, the most persistent man I've ever met."
He smiled, making her heart go wild in her chest. "I do my best."
…
Callum tried to refocus on the work he had waiting for him as he drove toward home, but that was difficult when all of his senses were still focused on Madison. He couldn't get her out of his mind, not since the moment he'd first seen her. Having his concentration shot wasn't smart when working with bucking horses, which was what he was heading home to spend the rest of the day doing.
As he topped a hill, he spotted someone walking along the side of the road. Almost instantly, he recognized the jeans and red shirt. Damn, the kid had gone farther than he thought he would. He didn't like the idea of him causing Madison to worry more, making the dark circles under her beautiful blue eyes even darker. Maybe he could do something about that. He slowed as he pulled up next to Jason.
"Out for a walk or running away?"
He saw a sliver of concern pass over Jason's young face before recognition hit. "Just walking."
Callum wondered if Jason had entertained thoughts of running away, but something told him the boy didn't quite have what it took to go through with the deed. He might be angry with Madison, but he'd bet good money that he loved his sister beneath all that misplaced anger.
He pointed toward the passenger door. "Get in."
Jason just stared at him. After all, he really didn't know him. He was just the cousin of his sister's college friend.
"I'm headed down the road to my family's ranch. Going to work with some bucking horses today if you want to hang out and watch."
Jason hesitated a moment more before opening the door and slipping into the passenger seat.
Callum didn't force conversation on the boy. He figured he'd talk when and if he got ready. When they turned into the ranch's entrance, Callum started pointing out things—fire tower on a distant ridge, a few guest cabins along Pebble Creek, the main house where his parents lived with his sister, Regina, and brother, Baker.
"Our oldest sister, Natalie, lives in Cheyenne with her family."
"You all sure like big families out here," Jason muttered.
Callum laughed. "Need a lot of kids to fill up all this land." From who knew where, an image of himself as a father with his own kids formed in his mind—kids who looked remarkably like Madison.
He shook away the image. Yeah, he was attracted to her, but why was he having serious thoughts like that when he hadn't even known her a full day?
He parked next to the barn that held his office and apartment and connected to the outdoor arena where he worked the bucking horses with the hands. When he got out of the truck, Jason followed without a word. Callum gave the boy a quick-and-dirty tour before he got to work. On the way out the back of the barn, he texted Elly to tell Madison that he had Jason with him so she wouldn't worry. As Callum talked with Harry Wurton, his most trusted hand, about their newest horse's progress, he glanced toward where Jason was leaning against the back of the barn, trying his teenage best not to look interested. Callum had to laugh because he probably looked like that at fourteen, too.
"Who's the kid?" Harry asked.
"Little brother of Elly's college friend."
"City kid, huh?"
"Yeah. One who's had a tough time of it recently."
"That explains the visible chip on his shoulder."
Callum nodded. "He and his sister needed a break from each other." And better the kid was here than finding whatever trouble he could.
Callum didn't make it obvious he was keeping an eye on Jason, but he had to admit some satisfaction when the boy showed a bit of interest. As Harry pulled himself up onto Jumping Bean, Jason pushed away from the wall of the barn. By the time the large chestnut horse bucked Harry into the dirt, Jason was near the fence watching every move, a hint of light in his eyes.
Callum casually strode over to stand next to Jason. "This one's been a bear to train, but I think we've got him just about ready."
"For what?"
"The rodeo circuit."
"Oh." Jason watched as the hands led the horse out of the arena. "That's what you do, train horses to buck?"
"Yep. Used to ride them until a particularly nasty fellow named El Diablo bucked me right into a fence during a rodeo and knocked me out cold."
"You couldn't ride anymore?"
"Not the bucking stock. Doc said one more concussion might knock my brain right out of my head."
Jason laughed, and Callum wondered when he'd done that the last time because the kid looked surprised that it had happened.
Not that he'd had a lot to laugh about.
Callum looked toward the house and couldn't imagine losing his parents, especially not at the same time. And not when he'd been fourteen.
Even though she knew where Jason was, Madison fretted about him all day. She'd gone on a ranch tour with Elly, had lunch with Elly's parents, J.W. and Anne, in their gorgeous showplace home, and tried to read a novel. But she kept asking herself what Callum had been thinking taking her brother to his ranch, wondering if Jason was behaving or causing trouble. She hated having to worry about her brother's actions, but he'd been a different kid during the past several months.
She closed the book she couldn't concentrate on when she noticed a familiar pickup coming up the long drive from the main road. Nervousness twisted her stomach, and she had to admit it wasn't all because of Jason. Part of it was because she was about to see Callum again, and she was scared by how giddy that made her.
When the two of them got out of the truck, Callum touched the front edge of his hat. "Madison."
Her skin heated at the mere sound of her name on his lips. She figured if she ever let herself get too close to him, she might very well go up in flames.
And she wasn't at all sure that was a bad thing.
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