Caleb's Blessing Read online

  "That's why I never had much respect for the law, a bunch of corrupt boot licking fucktards is what most of them are."

  "We know Mark, you've told us about a million times over the years. Now I want you lot to come up to the house so I can introduce you so she knows who you are.

  I guess it goes without saying that I want all of you to keep an eye out for any strangers.

  Drake didn't say anything about the asshole showing up here and there's no reason to think he'd find her, but we're not gonna take that chance, you with me?”

  They all gave their assent though there were still a few grumbles, pretty much what I expected.

  “I'm gong to see about getting a picture of this prick so we know what we're dealing with.

  I don't need to tell you, if you see this bastard on my land shoot to kill, we'll figure shit out later.

  He almost killed her the last time he went after her, the only reason he'd be coming here is to finish the job; we're not going to let him."

  Especially not when I was all but ready to brand her.

  Chapter 4

  AMANDA

  Merciful heavens he's the Marlboro man, only ten times better. Long, muscular, with a wild mane of dark hair and the brightest pale grey eyes, with just a speck of black in the middle.

  I know, I know, everyone seems to think that because of my experience with Lance Woods that I'm supposed to be off men, but I'm not that stupid.

  I know all men aren't deranged assholes, just as I knew at eighteen when my own dad was pressuring me, that I shouldn't be marrying Lance.

  First of all, I wasn't in love with him. I was probably the only girl my age who felt such indifference to the town’s designated heartthrob.

  I found him to be a pompous, overbearing blowhard, and really never saw what everyone else saw in him.

  While the rest of them were planning out their futures with their high school sweethearts, I was just biding my time until I reached eighteen.

  I wanted to get out of our dead-end town as fast as my feet would carry me, but my dad had other ideas.

  Lance came from the most well to do family in our town and for the locals that qualified him for princely status.

  My dad had threatened me with everything but death after I’d turned that snake down and he’d gone around me to ask him instead.

  I would’ve ran if I had anything to run to, not to mention I had no money or real resources of my own. So in the end, I did as I was told.

  It was the worse year and a half of my life, from beginning to end, and I guess the reason why so many thought I would be put off men.

  There had been no lead up to the abuse. Just out of the blue one-day wham, right across my cheek.

  I think the first time he blackened my eye it was because some guy had looked at me. That was on our honeymoon.

  After that, it became a regular occurrence. It didn’t take me long to realize that there would be no help forthcoming from his parental unit since his own mom sported a few shiners of her own from time to time.

  It was another kind of hell getting away, small towns aren’t known for getting too involved when it mattered, especially if it meant going against the wealthiest family in the town.

  So no, I'm not in the market for a relationship, but I wasn’t dead either. But I've learned enough to know I would never want to bring anyone else into the drama that is my life.

  I expect to spend the rest of my life looking over my shoulder, sleeping in fear. Even way out here, where I’d meticulously counted the miles and the hours between where I left and where I am now.

  I might find some small pockets of peace and might even crack a smile here and there, but I’ll never know true happiness again.

  My dreams of one day being a mother died a horrid death the day Lance Woods beat me to within an inch of my life and then shot me in the head.

  I came out of the coma with my mind made up. Life had shown me what it had in store for me and it was not good.

  First my mom ran off when I was barely a toddler, my dad had been neglectful at best, though not abusive in anyway, but still.

  And then it only took Lance to round out the motley crew of fuck ups that played a part in my life.

  So even though I didn't paint all men with the same tainted brush, I'd decided not to tempt fate any farther, and accept what life was telling me. I'm fucked.

  No family, no kids, no career. The best I could hope for was that the jackass would shoot me from behind when he did finally hunt me down like he said.

  Now here comes Caleb Dunbar. He's maybe ten years older than my twenty-two, though he still has that college boy charm thing going.

  That wild mane of hair and those piercing grey eyes, that made up his movie star good looks will be hard to resist, but I'll do my best.

  He'd gone out to have a talk with his men after leaving me in this room that was about the size of the house I grew up in.

  Okay that's a slight exaggeration but not by much, this place is massive. Not for nothing, but I was embarrassingly aroused while in the game room.

  All those trophies and hot as fuck pictures of him sitting on a horse with a rope in his hands. Wow! Don't get me started on the pictures of him decked out in chaps and spurs with an infectious grin on his face and the sun at his back.

  I fanned myself and went into the bathroom to splash some cold water on my face, telling myself that it was the heat of the place and not my thoughts that had made me overheat.

  I unpacked my few belongings, which took all of five minutes. I'd been in such a hurry to get out of town that I left everything behind, not that I had much to begin with.

  My job at the daycare was about the only thing I'd miss from back there and maybe my dad who had really come through for me after Lance's sins had finally come to light.

  It didn't quite make up for all the months that he'd doubted me about the abuse when I’d finally drummed up the courage to tell him, but it had been a start.

  Now it looks like I was really and truly an orphan, since the man who helped me make my escape had drilled it into my head that there was to be no contact with anyone back home, not even dad, who was the only real family I had left.

  I made my way down to the kitchen, not sure if it was okay to peek into the cupboards, but I needed to know what I had to work with.

  Mr. Dunbar, uh, Caleb had said that the men took turns cooking down at the bunkhouse, but he said it in a way that told me he wouldn't mind if I took over that chore.

  I don't mind, I love to cook, in fact I love keeping house, find it very gratifying. Not exactly a feminist notion but what the hell, it's who I am.

  I was surprised to find state-of-the-art appliances and a well-stocked pantry. It was a gourmet’s delight and pretty soon I caught the fever as I trailed my fingers over marble counter tops and mixers and blenders that looked brand new, and started pulling out ingredients for baking.

  By the time Caleb returned with the men in tow I had an apple and a cherry pie going, there was a roast defrosting and I was busy peeling potatoes and vegetables.

  "Amanda, I brought the guys up to the house so you can meet them officially." He went around making the introductions while giving me looks as if he thought I would bolt any second.

  I didn't feel threatened, well mostly, the Scranton men intimidated me just a little, but there were no alarm bells going off in my head.

  Mikey, the youngest, was a year or so younger than I, and seemed sweetly shy.

  "Something sure smells good in here Miss. Amanda, may I call you Mandy?" He gave me a cocky grin that I was sure melted all the girls and my lips twitched.

  "It's Amanda or Ms. Stone young pup." Caleb piped in before I could answer.

  There were a few snickers and foot shuffling before I caught him out the corner of my eye giving his men the stink eye.

  "Pie's almost ready if you gentlemen would care for a slice."

  There was a chorus of ‘don't mind if I dos’ before they all tru
dged towards the kitchen table.

  Their relaxed manner told me this wasn't their first time inside, so I didn't feel too much guilt about inviting them in even after Caleb mumbled under his breath about fucking pie thieves.

  I dished up the pie with some vanilla ice cream I found in the deep freeze. Needless to say the apple was finished in one fell swoop.

  From the grunts and grumbles that came my way I thought it prudent to get started on another one. I love it when people enjoy my efforts in the kitchen. It gives me such a great feeling of accomplishment.

  Caleb had a big silly grin on his face as the men sang my praises as though he had something to do with it.

  "So what's for dinner?" Simon I think his name was, who seemed the most reserved of the bunch, asked that question.

  "Pot roast with all the trimmings."

  "We'll be back, let's go boys let's let Ms. Stone get settled in, much obliged ma'am."

  Each of them doffed their hats as they passed me by and headed out the back door leaving me alone with hunkalicious.

  Chapter 5

  CALEB

  She bakes a kick ass pie, she looks like sex on legs, and her voice is like melted chocolate. Either the ex is a brain dead fuck, or he was just plain mean.

  Whatever the case I had a feeling little Ms. Stone was going to be adding a whole new element to the Bar C Ranch.

  Yes indeed a woman like that could go a long way to keeping me warm on long lonely nights out here on the ranch.

  First I have to test the waters I didn’t want to scare her. Though on second thoughts she didn’t seem as skittish as I first believed, she was still getting over a horrible situation, one that was going to take time and patience.

  I have lots of experience with skittish babies. I’ve nursed a foal or two here and there over the years.

  I had to shake my head to clear it of my runaway thoughts. I must be really hard up, too long out on the range without any action, for me to be reacting this way to her. I usually keep a cooler head when it comes to affairs of the flesh.

  I might have to have a talk with young Mikey before long though. The boy seemed a bit dreamy eyed as he talked to her if you ask me.

  Not that there was anything wrong with that, except that she just got here and knowing what she's running away from, I needed to make sure that she wasn't made to feel uncomfortable in any way.

  Sure Dunbar, it doesn't have anything to do with the green-eyed monster that poked you in the ass when she smiled her sweet smile at him. Whatever!

  I made myself scarce the rest of the day. I was supposed to have gone out to the far pasture to rewire some fencing, but I think I'd stay closer to the house for the next few days.

  Instead I took one of the quarter horses I was in the middle of training into the corral to put him through his paces.

  This is what I considered the fun part of my business. People from all over the world brought their horses to us for training.

  This particular beauty belonged to a spoilt little twit whose father had more money than sense, and was wrapped firmly around her little finger.

  She was due here any day now to check up on the animal, and I was dreading that visit. The last time she'd been here I'd had to rebuff her, and the sweet little darling had hurled some epithets at my head that would've made a sailor blush.

  I was not looking forward to one Cecily Crane’s visit in the least little bit. If she got on my nerves too much, I'd have to do something I've never done before, and that was give her and her dad their money back and sever all ties.

  I wasn't about to be ruled by some infernal female who thought all she had to do was bat her lashes at any man she wanted and bring him to heel.

  ***

  AMANDA

  I can see him in the distance with the horse. It's like watching something out of an old cowboy movie the way he moves.

  There was grace and beauty in the way he runs and jumps on the animal's back, it's so...manly, the way he seemed to master the animal and bring it under his control.

  Damn, maybe it would be best if I stayed away from windows for the time being. It was a good thought but I kept getting drawn back to it time and time again.

  I walked around looking at old photos and trying to tell who was who. I think that secretly I was looking for one that would tell me if he was involved.

  There was nothing wrong with day dreaming after all and I had the feeling Mr. Caleb Dunbar was going to be starring in many of mine in the future.

  It was thanks to Michelle, the counselor that I’d been assigned to that I was able to think so freely where men were concerned.

  She’d got me as far as accepting that not all men were monsters, and that there was still a chance at a happy healthy relationship sometime in the future.

  She didn’t have to know that I’d chose to live out those fantasies in my head. I’ll never put myself under some man’s thumb again. At least that’s what I’ve been telling myself ever since I gained my freedom. Today for the first time in four years, someone or something had tested that.

  That thought was a bit unsettling and I needed to clear my head before I let my imagination run away from me, so I made myself busy doing what I loved, baking and cooking.

  He had lots of foodstuffs, but none of it was prepared. I made cookies and put some loaves to rise while I made large pitchers of lemonade to go with the double chocolate chip and oatmeal raisin cookies I'd made.

  I wasn’t here that long and already I was beginning to feel settled. I was very appreciative of the fact that the place was so isolated and that no one could come up to the house without me, or one of the men outside being alerted.

  I was humming by the time I removed the third tray of cookies from the oven. The kitchen looked the way I always imagined a kitchen should look.

  Flour sprinkled all over the counter, the bowls and mixers I used waiting to be rinsed and pies and cookies in the window.

  Maybe the guys would appreciate a nice snack before dinner, which was still a few hours away. I just needed to figure out where they were on this big sprawling place, and the only way to do that was to go ask my new boss.

  I found a cooler and filled it with ice before putting the two pitchers inside. I wrapped a heaping plate of cookies and searched for plastic cups, but found none, so settled for glasses instead.

  When everything was ready I lifted the cooler that was almost as big as I am and headed out. I was in luck because halfway to the corral I saw the youngest one, Mikey I think his name was, come running over to help.

  "Let me take that Ms. Amanda you shouldn't be carrying this stuff, where you off to anyway?"

  "I was coming to find you guys and give you a snack before dinner but I was gonna ask Mr. Dunbar first."

  "You don't need to call him that, I'm sure he wouldn't mind you calling him Caleb." He grinned at me and I smiled in return before we were both interrupted by what sounded to my trained ear like an angry man.

  "Mikey what the fuck?"

  I looked around to see that he had come up behind us and was scowling. My fear radar kicked in and I was ready to run for the hills but Mikey intervened.

  "Ms. Amanda made snacks for the guys. She was coming to ask you for help but I saw her from the garage with this big heavy thing and came to help." He put down the cooler with the plate on top.

  Why the hell was Mikey grinning, couldn't he see the death rays in Caleb's eyes? Caleb seemed to relax a little after that explanation, but he still looked unhappy about something to me.

  "You working on the tractor?" Caleb asked the younger man a bit gruffly.

  "Yep." He rocked back and forth on his heels as he grinned like a fool at Caleb. I wonder what that's about.

  "Well get to it scamp before I tear a strip off your hide."

  "Can I have my snack first?" He laughed and dodged the cuff Caleb aimed at his head. It was then that I realized that between the last time I'd seen him, and the time it took me to prepare my little offering, he'd t
aken off his shirt.

  "Oh merciful heavens." Crap I said that out loud while drooling over his chest. My mortification was boundless when I realized that he’d heard me. Hopefully he wouldn’t guess what I’d been thinking when I said it.

  For some reason, even though I could feel the heat in my cheeks that warned of a blush, I couldn’t drag my eyes away from his well- defined chest.

  He must get that way from working on the ranch. Look away Amanda; don’t make an ass of yourself. I was pretty sure drool was next.

  Chapter 6

  CALEB

  I tried to hide my smile at her slip of the tongue since her face had already gone up in flames. Poor thing she didn’t know what to do with herself.

  One thing was for certain; she wasn’t what I’d first believed. Not skittish at all I was happy to notice.

  Maybe what I’d noticed earlier was just the natural reticence of any beautiful woman, when meeting a strange man for the first time.

  I figured I better do something to help her out now though, because she seemed fixated on my bare chest.

  I hadn’t shed the shirt in the hopes of getting a rise out of her, but I never look a gift horse in the mouth. Still it was early days yet and she had only just arrived.

  I brushed my hand down the middle of my chest all the same and watched her eyes follow my actions. A man could do a lot with a look like that, and I’d better think of something else before I made an ass of myself and scare her half to death in the bargain.

  I could already feel a stirring in my dick that was naturally straining against the tab of my jeans, now made worst by her stare.

  "I'll take this to the guys you get back inside out of this heat." She was only too happy to run back into the house.

  I watched until she disappeared inside the door and then turned to go do her bidding.

  "Get the lead out boss." That damn whelp Mikey was standing in the garage door grinning like the village idiot.

  "I see you don't have enough to do around here today, how would you like to work with Brutus today for a change?" The smile fell off his face quickly as I knew it would.