to pull him out of his grief, and his solitary life on the ranch had begun.
Off in the distance, Callie spotted a lone rider coming in from the range. She took a few steps forward to be sure. Her heart sped. Emotions washed over her. She hadn’t seen Tagg in five weeks. Five weeks too long. She held a secret close to her heart. One she wouldn’t yet share with him.
Long and tall in the saddle, Tagg was just as much a cowboy as he was CFO of Worth Ranch. He wore tan leather chaps over Wranglers and a blue work shirt. Dark Ray-Bans blocked the penetrating sun. As he rode his mare up the dirt path to the barn her breath constricted in her chest. Every nerve ending pulsed.
If Tagg seemed surprised to see her, he didn’t show it. He kept his expression blank as he swung his leg up and dismounted the gorgeous bay mare; her coat was glistening with sweat. Callie put a hand on the horse. “You’re such a pretty girl,” she said, taking hold of the bridle and stroking the mare’s forelock. She had a soft spot for all animals, but she loved horses and considered herself an expert horsewoman.
Tagg stood several inches taller and she had to look up to see his face. He folded his arms across his body and leaned back. “I could say the same to you.”
She couldn’t see his eyes, but was fairly sure he’d just complimented her. “Hi, Tagg.”
“Callie.” He looked her up and down through his sunglasses, making her wish she’d worn something frilly and feminine instead of blue jeans. “You looking for me?”
“I am.”
He rubbed the back of his neck and let go a deep sigh. “Listen, I’m glad you showed up here—”
“You are?” Callie couldn’t help herself. She’d been afraid Tagg wouldn’t want to see her again. So this was good news and she couldn’t hide it in her voice.
He removed his sunglasses and dark silver-blue eyes narrowed in on her. Excitement raced in her veins. Those eyes had seen every ounce of her, had traveled over her body with admiration and desire. Callie would never forget the hot gleam and what it had done to her.
Growing up, Callie had been forbidden to have anything to do with the Worth boys. Her father’s rules. The Worths hadn’t been worthy of the Sullivans. In her father’s mind, no one was good enough for Callie. But she’d known Tagg at school, had seen him around town and later had watched him bust broncos in the rodeo.
Simply put, Taggart Worth had owned her teenage dreams. She’d thought the sun rose and set on his broad shoulders—the chisel-jawed, dark-haired, handsome neighbor boy she wasn’t allowed to get to know. Six months ago, when she’d returned home from Boston to care for her father after a slight heart attack, nothing had changed except that Callie was her own woman now. And her father’s staunch restrictions no longer applied.
“Yeah. I’ve been thinking about you.”
Callie held her breath and on to the hope that surrounded her.
“You have?”
He wrestled with his words. “I’m … sorry. About Reno. Shouldn’t have happened.”
She deflated faster than a birthday-party balloon. Her stomach clenched tight and a slow burn began inside her belly. She’d been bold with Tagg that night. She’d never be sorry for taking what she wanted. For giving Tagg all she had to give. She’d relinquished more than her body in Reno. And now he was apologizing? Telling her it shouldn’t have happened?
Pride and anger replaced her disappointment.
“I don’t walk out on women like that, usually.”
How many women? How many one-night stands? She wished they’d woken up in each other’s arms that morning and declared undying love for each other. But she wasn’t foolish enough to believe that would happen between them.
“You left a note,” she reminded him in a tone that made him wince.
His look of deep, honest regret overpowered her. He regretted everything while she held close to her heart those wonderful memories.
“I should have stayed and explained.”
“Nothing to explain, Tagg. We both got what we wanted.”
Tagg shook his head. He didn’t believe it.
Unable to stomach his remorse another second, Callie looked away, glancing at the mare. “Are you going to comb her down? She’s breathing hard.”
Before he could answer, Callie took the reins and walked the horse inside the barn. “Come on, girl,” she cooed. “Let’s get you out of the hot sun.” The familiar musky scent of straw, feed and dank earth wafted in the air. She’d grown up around those barn smells.
Tagg stood there a moment watching her, his expression tight, giving nothing away. Then he strode into the barn behind her. Callie had never felt so raw inside. So unnerved. But she came here to tell Tagg something and she wouldn’t leave until she did.
She took off the mare’s bridle while Tagg began removing the saddle.
“You don’t have to do that,” he snapped.
She’d annoyed him. Good. “It’s second nature with me. I grew up on a ranch, too.” She shot him a smile.
“Kind of hard to forget our biggest competitor.”
She set the bridle on a hook and grabbed a grooming brush. “Is that the problem? I’m The Hawk’s daughter?”
Tagg’s mouth twisted. “No.”
She handed him the brush and their fingers touched. Briefly. For a split second. It was electric, a jolt that tingled down to her toes. She saw a flicker in Tagg’s eyes, a gleam that lit up before fading into his unreadable expression once again.
“I wasn’t expecting flowers and candy,” she said quietly.
“You got less than you deserved.” He set the brush on the mare and began grooming her with long sweeping strokes.
“I knew what I was doing, Tagg. It was … pretty amazing. Are you going to deny that?”
Tagg stopped brushing the mare and turned to her, his eyes dark and hard. “No, I won’t deny that, but it can’t happen again.”
“I don’t want it to,” she said quickly, her pride taking hold. “Just so you can get your ego through that barn door, I’d better say what I came here to say. I thought you’d care to hear this from me rather than from your brother. You’re going to see me around Worth Ranch from now on. I’m volunteering at Penny’s Song. It’s a worthy cause that I’m fully behind and I can’t wait to get started working with the children.”
“You?” Tagg silently cursed. Callie Sullivan was the last person he wanted to see on Worth land day in and day out. He couldn’t believe she’d shown up here today. He’d been thinking about that night in Reno for weeks now. Remembering how good it was with her. His blood pressure escalated the second he’d spotted her on his property. And in that instant when they’d touched, memories of hot sweaty mind-numbing sex had rattled his brain.
“Yes,
