style="font-size:15px;"> “No, but will you let me fall on my ass?”
“You don’t need my help for that.”
“Ha. Funny.” Eyeing his boots, she saw they were making a slight depression in the dirt. She took his hand and not for the first time wondered why he didn’t have more calluses.
She stepped down and was instantly glad for his assistance. He didn’t let go until they reached a patch of gravel, and she was sure of her footing.
“I know her,” Erin murmured when she finally looked up and caught sight of a woman standing on the porch of an attractive two-story house set back from everything. “I think that’s Rachel.” Her long, beautiful auburn hair wasn’t easily forgotten. Still, Erin glanced at Spencer for confirmation.
He shrugged. “Could be Matt’s wife. I’ve never met her.” His attention shifted to the second barn. “Here’s Gunderson now.”
Spencer walked toward the man, until they met up and shook hands. They were around the same height, somewhere just over the six-foot mark, though Matt had a huskier build and lighter hair.
Erin trailed behind until Spencer introduced her. Matt’s rough palm felt more like what she expected of a cowboy. She knew from the townspeople that Spencer was new to the area. And damn, she was curious about what he’d been doing before buying Shadow Creek Ranch. If she could get Dusty alone, she bet he would tell her.
“Ah, here comes Rachel,” Matt said, looking toward the house.
“I thought it was her,” Erin said and caught Matt’s confused expression. “We met in town about three months ago. I was here scouting locations for a film.”
“Okay. You must be with that independent film, then,” Matt said, and she nodded. “My buddy Ben Wolf has been providing your production company with some stock.”
“That’s right. I don’t know Ben all that well, but we met when he was still working in Hollywood. He sure has some beautiful horses.”
Matt nodded at Spencer. “How do you figure into all this?”
“I don’t,” he said, putting up both hands. “I just gave the lady a ride.”
Erin grinned. “I’m trying to get him to let us use Moonlight Mountain. The director wants to shoot the last scene of the movie on the west ridge.”
“I can see why. Nice piece of real estate you’ve got there,” Matt said to Spencer. “I’d considered making an offer on it myself, but I think you’d already put down earnest money.”
“Well, damn. I wish you had bought it. Spencer’s playing hard to get.”
“Don’t start,” he warned in a low voice just as Rachel approached.
“Oh, please, I haven’t even begun to get started.” Erin smiled sweetly, heard Matt chuckle, then turned to Rachel.
“Erin, right?”
“Yes, we met at— Oh—” Erin stumbled back a step. Rachel was a hugger. “Okay,” Erin murmured, doing her best to reciprocate but feeling awkward. She kind of patted the other woman’s back and hoped that was enough.
Matt grinned but not without a hint of understanding in his face. “You meet Rachel once, and you’re a friend for life.”
“Not everyone.” Rachel glanced at her husband. “You know who I’m talking about,” she said and turned to Spencer with a smile and her hand out. “Hello. I’m Rachel.”
He shifted the speculative look he was giving Erin, his expression easing as he nodded at Rachel. “Spencer Hunt.” He reached up and yanked off his hat before shaking her hand. “Pleased to meet you, Rachel.”
With raised brows, Rachel looked at her husband.
“Ah, Christ.” Matt rubbed his jaw, the corners of his mouth twitching. “Thanks, Hunt. Yeah, thanks for showing up the rest of us poor slobs with your fancy manners.”
“You can blame my mama for that.” Spencer reset the hat on his head and smiled. A real, honest-to-goodness, genuine smile that seemed to come so naturally.
Wow. Erin hadn’t known he had it in him. “You’ve never removed your hat for me,” she said.
He turned to her with a hint of amusement in his face. “If you were less irritating, maybe I would.”
Matt choked out a laugh. Then something caught his attention, and he excused himself, moving to the side. “Hey, Chuck,” he called to a young man walking toward the corral. “Have you seen Petey?”
“I think he’s in the bunkhouse.”
“Mind getting him for me?”
“No problem, boss.”
Rachel’s lips were pressed together as she studied Spencer and then Erin. “Are you guys headed to the stable?”
Erin shrugged. “I don’t even know why we’re here.”
Matt rejoined them. “Yep, we’ll be in the stable for a while. Maybe take a ride out to the north pasture. We’ll end up at the house eventually. Are you going to be home?”
Rachel nodded. “I put a roast in the slow cooker. It won’t be ready until closer to dinnertime. But I can make some coffee for now, and sandwiches later.”
Coffee? The magic word.
Erin resisted the urge to raise her hand and jump up and down.
“I’m sure there’s coffee brewing in the stable or the barn. I’ll call you in a while.” Matt smiled and kissed Rachel. “Thanks, honey.”
It was just a brief brushing of lips, but it was the tenderness in his eyes that made Erin’s chest ache. No man had ever looked at her like that. And probably never would. In the thirty-three years her parents had been married, she’d never seen them kiss or hug each other even once. But then she hadn’t seen much of them, period. They’d worked a lot, so she’d mostly hung out at Lila’s house after school.
“Erin? You want to come to the house with me?” Rachel asked. “Or would you prefer to go with the guys and learn everything you didn’t want to know about storing and shipping frozen bull semen?”
With a laugh, Erin looked at the men. Seeing their wry smiles, she realized it wasn’t a joke. “Huh.” She turned back to Rachel. “So, you mentioned coffee?”
“I can even make you an espresso if you want.” Rachel checked her watch. “Damn. We have to hurry. The chocolate chip cookies are almost ready to come out of the oven.”
“Seriously? You made cookies?” Erin said, in awe of her new hero.
“They’re actually the slice-and-bake stuff,” Rachel whispered as they started for the house. “But honestly, they taste homemade, so don’t tell anyone.”
Erin slowed and glanced back at Spencer. “Don’t
