The Cowboy's Last Goodbye (Grass Valley Cowboys Book 6) Read online

  General hit Ben at full speed, knocking him away from Harper. The dog rolled to his feet and growled low in his throat.

  “Stand down, General. Stand down.” Harper held a hand out to the dog. He stopped growling and whined once as he ran over to her side. “Oh, Gen, it’s okay. Ben isn’t hurting me, sweetheart, but you were a very good boy to come to my rescue.” Harper stroked his head and rubbed his back with a calming hand.

  Stunned, frustrated, and unable to breathe since the dog had knocked the wind out of him, Ben took a moment to gather his composure.

  He’d known all along kissing Harper was a bad idea. A monumentally horrible idea.

  Despite the invitation in her eyes, the yearning burning in his gut to do it, he’d tried to avoid kissing her.

  With stark clarity, something in him knew one kiss with Harper would shift his world so far off kilter, nothing would ever be the same.

  That was putting it mildly.

  The kisses they’d just shared were unlike anything Ben had ever known or imagined. It wasn’t just the physical pleasure of the exchange, either.

  Some part of his soul connected to Harper, like she was the key that could unlock every wonderful thing he’d yet to experience.

  The intensity of his feelings, of his absolute longing to own her forever, left him disturbed and more than a little worried.

  It was a good thing the dog had shown up when he had or Ben couldn’t say what would have happened. Nothing had prepared him for the way Harper would affect his heart or rattle his senses.

  Once he could take a deep breath, he glanced over at the dog.

  General whined again and gave him a look that said he was sorry. Ben held out a hand and the dog licked it. “It’s okay, buddy. You were just doing your job of protecting Harper. You’re a good boy, General.”

  The dog kept his head down, but his tail wagged.

  “I’m so sorry, Ben. Are you okay?” Harper reached out to his side where General had hit him. The dog weighed almost seventy-five pounds and coming at him full force, he could have cracked a rib or done some real damage.

  “I’m fine, don’t worry about it.” Ben gave General another pat to his head then retrieved two towels from the bag he’d brought along. He handed one to Harper and used the other to dry himself off, turning his back to her. Quickly pulling on his jeans, socks and boots, he slipped on his shirt, although he left it open.

  When he turned back around, Harper struggled to zip her dress. Without thinking, he zipped it for her then placed a kiss to the back of her neck.

  The gulp she sucked in sounded like a bellows drawing air in the evening quiet.

  Nervous, she stepped away from him and shoved her feet into her sandals then gathered her things. She took out the band holding her bun in place and shook her wet hair around her face.

  Ben groaned inwardly, wanting to burrow his fingers into her golden tresses, lose himself in more of her sweet kisses.

  One thing was for certain, Harper Hayes’ kisses were unlike anything he’d expected. If he hoped to maintain a shred of sanity, he needed to make sure he didn’t spend any more time sampling the ambrosial splendor of those delicious lips.

  The ride back to her truck was silent with both of them lost in their thoughts. General gnawed on the bacon-flavored treat Ben had given to him, but his satisfied grunts were the only sound.

  At the Renegade station, Ben opened Harper’s door and walked her over to her pickup. After General jumped inside and she’d set her purse on the seat, she turned back to Ben with a sad look in her eye.

  “I guess this is goodbye.”

  Ben couldn’t stop himself from touching her one more time. His thumb grazed over the silky smoothness of her cheek. “I suppose it is. Maybe we should just call it a farewell until we meet again.”

  “Farewell it is. Thank you for this evening, Ben. I’ll never forget it.”

  He nodded, unable to speak as he thought about how he’d relive the moments of having Harper in his arms over and over again.

  Even after she got in her truck and drove away, Ben stood in the parking lot, watching her taillights until they disappeared.

  The best way to keep from completely falling for the woman was to avoid seeing her again and that was exactly what he intended to do.

  Chapter Six

  Saying goodbye doesn’t mean anything.

  It’s the time we spent together that matters,

  not how we left it.

  Trey Parker

  Harper had given herself a dozen lectures about the stupidity of letting Ben Morgan infiltrate her thoughts for another single minute.

  She’d lambasted the image in her mirror with a long list of reasons why it was absurd to reflect on the kisses she’d shared with the man. Kisses that still boggled her mind and made her weak-kneed every time she recalled them.

  No good would come from dwelling on Ben’s tempting smile or rich brown eyes, or the sinfully wonderful scent of him.

  The smart thing to do was to forget he existed and move on with her life.

  They both knew when they parted ways Saturday night they weren’t saying goodbye for the evening but goodbye to what might have been.

  She’d sensed the frightened, unsettled feelings surging through him as much as they raced through her.

  Three days had passed without a word from him. Without a single call or text. Determined to move past her infatuation with him, she’d gone to work, taken care of her uncle, and accepted an invitation to join Denni and Hart for dinner at their place that evening.

  Although her uncle complained about going to the Hammond’s, she knew he was pleased with the invitation.

  In spite of his efforts to be the crotchety curmudgeon in the area, Cletus Keller had a big heart and a soft side he worked hard to keep hidden.

  “If you’re gonna force me to go to this dang supper with the fancy-schmancy Hammond and Thompson families, let’s get a move on. I’m hungry,” Cletus said, glowering at her from the doorway to her room.

  “I’m ready, Uncle Cletus.” Harper spritzed on a quick spray of her favorite perfume and grabbed her purse then followed her uncle down the hall and out the door.

  General ran around the yard, chasing a butterfly, as they made their way across the walk and out the gate.

  “Load up, boy,” Harper called to the dog as she opened both doors on her pickup.

  “Are you talking to your mutt or me?” Cletus asked as he leaned on his walker and watched General jump into the backseat.

  “Both of you,” Harper teased. “Do you need me to help you get in?”

  Cletus sent her a withering glare and somehow managed to hoist himself onto the seat of her pickup. She set his walker into the back and hurried around to the driver’s side.

  Harper turned the air conditioner on high as they drove down the gravel road that would take them to the highway. As they bounced along, she glanced at her uncle, noticing the look of anticipation on his face.

  She hid her smile by staring out the window and studying the wind turbines on the hill across the road. Uncle Cletus made a nice chunk of change from allowing them to be on his property. Since he rented out the rest of his ground, except for a few acres around the house, it gave him a good income in his golden years.

  “Denni gave me directions, but do you know where she and Hart live?”

  Cletus scoffed. “Anyone with eyeballs in their head knows how to find their house. It’s the big ol’ log mansion with the spotted horses and weirdo bovines grazing in the pastures.”

  “Weirdo bovines?” Harper shot her uncle a questioning glance.

  “Hart raises some strange breed of cattle. I forget what they’re called. Blue something or other. They look more like pigs to me than cows, but he claims they make the best cuts of beef.” Cletus scowled as they passed by some of their neighbors.

  Harper honked and waved with a friendly smile.

  “And spotted horses? What are those?” she asked as they neared t
he end of the gravel road.

  “Appaloosas.”

  “Oh, my gosh, Uncle Cletus. I love appaloosa horses. They’re so unique and different.”

  “Yes, they are, although I prefer a good ol’ quarter horse any day.” Cletus winked at her as they turned onto the highway.

  A few miles later, she turned onto a side road and tried not to gape as they went up the driveway to Hart and Denni’s impressive home. The location on a little hill, overlooking the surrounding pastures, offered a fabulous view.

  The façade, made of thick logs and river rock, gave the house a rustic but welcoming appearance.

  Harper stopped her pickup out front and left it running as she hurried around to get the walker out of the back for her uncle. He slid down and took it with a grunt, slowly making his way up the walk while she hurried to park the truck next to several other vehicles.

  By the time she caught up to her uncle, Denni had stepped outside and waved.

  Cautious, General kept step beside them.

  Harper rushed ahead and gave Denni a warm hug. “Thank you so much for inviting us for dinner. I hope you don’t mind that I brought my dog, but he doesn’t do well when he’s home alone for too long.”

  “He’s more than welcome to join us.” Denni squeezed Harper’s shoulders then smiled at Cletus. “Well, Cletus Keller. I haven’t seen you in so long I thought maybe you’d kicked the bucket.”

  The old man cackled and shook a gnarled finger at Denni. “I’m too ornery for that and you know it.”

  “Yes, I do.” Denni gently patted his back as he made his way up the steps and across the threshold inside the house.

  Uncertain what she should bring as a hostess gift, Harper handed Denni a basket with small jars of strawberry, raspberry, and blackberry jam nestled inside.

  “Did you make all this jam, Harper?” Denni asked, looping their arms together as they walked inside the grand foyer.

  “I did. Uncle Cletus likes a little bread with it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.” Harper grinned as her uncle glared at her over his shoulder.

  “Hart will enjoy these for sure. Thank you so, so much.” Denni led them into a large open room with a huge rock fireplace accented by a broad timber mantle.

  Harper watched through the sparkling windows as several of the Thompson family members milled about on a deck.

  “I’m excited to meet your family.” Harper smiled at Denni as she led her outside. Cletus followed behind them with General. The dog surveyed the surroundings then sat down next to the old man when he took a seat on a patio chair.

  Tess Thompson hurried over and gave Harper a friendly hug. “We’re so glad you could make it, Harper. It’s nice to see your uncle out, too. If he needs any therapy, you let me know.”

  Harper recalled that Tess was a physical therapist and appreciated her offer.

  Denni excused herself to the kitchen where Hart put the finishing touches on dinner while Tess introduced Harper to the family.

  One thing was certain, the Thompson brothers weren’t lacking in the good looks department. They all resembled each other, but held their own unique appeal.

  The startling blue shade of Trey Thompson’s eyes put Harper in mind of photos she’d seen of Caribbean seas.

  “It’s nice to finally meet you, Harper. I’m not sure how we missed connecting all these years, but it’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance.” Trey offered her a friendly grin and shook her hand as he kept one arm around the waist of a beautiful dark-haired woman. “This is my wife, Cady. The little screaming heathens chasing the redhead around the pasture out there are our kids.”

  Harper smiled and took the hand Cady held out to her. “Twin boys? They must really keep you hopping.”

  Cady laughed and glanced up at Trey with such a look of love, it caught Harper off guard. “Shiloh and Shane have their moments, but Cass is old enough she’s a big help with them.”

  As she met Trent and Lindsay and then Tess’ husband, Travis, Harper couldn’t get past the deep devotion, respect, and love each couple shared.

  With startling awareness, she realized that’s what she wanted. A love so intense and strong and true, that others could not only see it, but also feel it.

  If she could find a love like that, she’d abandon her resolve never to open her heart up to someone.

  Thoughts of Ben Morgan trickled into her mind and she brushed them aside like a pesky gnat. There was no way he would love her like that. Even if he hadn’t said anything, she knew he wasn’t looking for a long-term relationship or anything that smacked of a commitment.

  Forcing her attention back to the fun-loving family around her, Harper grinned as Emily Thompson ran up to her. Dressed in a pale pink sundress with a pink ribbon in her hair, the little girl looked exactly like the photographs she’d seen on Ben’s phone.

  “I like your shoes,” Emily said, pointing to Harper’s raspberry-pink sandals.

  “I like your dress.” Harper bent down until she was on the child’s level. “That is my favorite shade of pink.”

  “Mine, too!” Emily giggled and ran off to play with her cousins.

  Harper turned around to discover Trent had somehow made friends with General. He set a bowl of water and food out for the dog then scratched his head before looking at Harper with a broad smile. “I’ve not had the pleasure of meeting a dog like this one before, but I’ve heard about them.”

  “General is pretty special,” Harper said, watching as the dog slurped water then chomped food.

  One of Trey’s boys ran up and lunged at the dog, but Trent swept him into his arms.

  “It’s okay. He’s good with kids. It’s adults that he tends to be wary around,” Harper said, wanting to assure everyone the little ones were safe.

  “That’s good to know,” Trent said, setting down Shiloh and telling him to go find his brother. “Still, the kids don’t need to maul him. They know better than that.”

  Travis pulled a chair up beside Cletus and much to Harper’s surprise, engaged her uncle in a conversation about bull riding.

  Although she’d been nervous about meeting all the Thompson family and dining at Hart and Denni’s home, they’d all made her feel at ease.

  Denni and Hart stepped outside and invited them inside where it was cool to eat. Once everyone found a seat at the big dining table, Hart asked a blessing on the meal then they started passing around platters and bowls heaped with food.

  Cletus forgot to keep up his grouchy pretense as he spoke with Trey and Hart about ranching.

  They’d just finished passing around a platter full of steaks grilled to perfection when the front door opened. Footsteps thudded across the wooden floor.

  “Hey, sorry I’m late. The old man was working me like a slave today,” Ben said as he walked into the room and slid into an empty seat a few spaces away from Harper. She almost choked on the olive she’d just popped into her mouth.

  He was the last person she expected to see. It surprised her that he’d walk right in.

  “It’s too bad your folks couldn’t join us,” Denni said, passing Ben a basket of rolls.

  “Mom’s boss was having some barbecue thing after work they had to go to. Believe me, Dad would much rather have come with me.” Ben grinned as he accepted the steaks and salad passed to him.

  After he filled his plate, he glanced around the table and noticed Harper sitting next to her uncle. The smile on his face slowly dripped into an indefinable mask. He offered her an expressionless and nearly imperceptible nod of his head, spoke a word of greeting to Cletus, and turned his attention to his meal.

  Denni glanced at him then smiled at Harper. “Have you met Harper, Ben? She’s Cletus’ niece.”

  “We have met before,” Ben said. He took a huge bite of potato so he wouldn’t have to say more.

  Conversations ceased and all eyes turned to Ben and Harper.

  “Is that right?” Tess asked, casting her brother an accusatory glare.

  “We connec
ted at the gas station the other day,” Harper said, unwilling to lie, even if that wasn’t the whole truth. The affable smile she pasted on her face disguised her irritation with Ben. He’d filled his mouth on purpose so he wouldn’t have to speak, leaving her to offer an explanation.

  “That’s right. I did see you two talking,” Hart said. The conspiratorial wink he gave Harper came and went so fast, she wasn’t sure it actually happened. Thankfully, no one else seemed to have noticed as they returned to their meal and conversations.

  Ben remained silent as he ate until little Emily squirmed down from her chair and hurried to his side.

  Without waiting for an invitation, she climbed right up on Ben’s lap.

  “That’s a pretty dress, Pinkie,” Ben said, smiling at the little imp as she gazed up at him with her baby blues.

  “Thank you, Uncle Ben. Aunt Cady made it for me.” Emily wiggled her feet and sighed contentedly when Ben wrapped an arm around her, settling her more comfortably against his chest.

  The brown curls on her head bobbed in time to a tune she quietly hummed causing Ben to smile as he finished the last few bites of his dinner.

  When he leaned back, Emily snuggled against him. “Uncle Ben?”

  “What is it, Pinkie?”

  “Are you gonna stay at Uncle Mike and Aunt Michele’s house for a long time?”

  “No, honey. I have to go back to work on Monday.”

  Emily stood on his leg and wrapped her arms around his neck, squeezing tightly. “But I like you here. Please don’t leave. I don’t like it when you go.”

  “I know, Pinkie, but I have to work. It’s what I do.” Ben settled her back on his thigh and patted her back.

  “But why can’t you work here?”

  Ben noticed the females around the table eyeing him as they listened to the conversation.

  “Emily, don’t pester Uncle Ben. He has a very important job and he can’t do it here because there isn’t a big river.” Lindsay smiled at her daughter as she rose to her feet and picked up dirty plates to carry into the kitchen.