Taming Clay Read online

  “Okay. It’s a little funny. Not at the time, but it is now. You should have seen that man’s face,” she said then smiled as she kept working.

  “Hey, any day that starts out with Yates is not gonna be a good day. You can just chalk that up to experience. He’s an ass.”

  “What did he say to you?” Clay asked lowly from the doorway.

  Both of them jumped and Laine rose slowly as he shifted wary eyes back to Hailey. She caught his look and shook her head as she looked back to Clay.

  “Not much. The credit line’s still open and everything’s fine.”

  “Goddammit, when I ask you a question, I expect a straight answer,” Clay barked.

  “That’s it. That is fucking it,” she snapped at him as she dug the change out of her pocket then slapped it down on the desk.

  “There’s the change and the receipts for the petty cash box. And just so you’ll know, I’ve just about had it up to here for one day with men telling me that they know better than I do about whatever the current subject is. You hired me as a business manager. Then let me do my job. I spoke to him. He spoke to me. It doesn’t matter what was said. The bill is paid and the credit line is open. And that’s the only thing that matters. The backup drive is working. Now if you will excuse me, I have work to do,” she said then glared at him until he backed out the doorway and let her through then watched her as she strode across the room, into her office and slammed the door.

  Clay clenched his jaw several times then turned a steady gaze back to Laine.

  Laine pulled the grin back down and held his hands up in the air. “Honest to God, Clay. She didn’t tell me what he said. She just said it hadn’t been as pleasant as she hoped and then the deal with the guy at the electronics store. Then the truck wouldn’t start and…she’s a little…pissed.”

  “You think?” Clay asked quietly.

  Laine tried not to smile but he couldn’t help it. “Damn I do love a woman with a temper. She’s got that covered.”

  “Don’t you have work to do?”

  “Tons. Enjoy your ride?”

  “Yes. I’m going with you when you move the cattle. Whatever else is going on, it’ll wait a couple of days.”

  “Good. I enjoy it when you go and I know you do. See you later,” Laine said then went through the door.

  Clay turned back to his desk then walked around it to inspect the small box sitting on top of the server.

  “Huh. Little thing like that keeps a backup of that whole computer? Go on smart man. Ask her that question,” he said then pulled down the grin that tried to tug at his lips. He rose silently and walked to the kitchen. He met Isobell’s questioning eyes with a shake of his head and pulled down two cups. He filled them both and cut his eyes back to her.

  “So…what do I say when I carry this to her?”

  “Hmmm. Peace offering,” Isobell said, recalling Hailey’s own words just that morning.

  Clay nodded then took both cups and went through the door. He shifted both cups to one hand then knocked softly on the door.

  “Come in,” Hailey said quietly.

  Clay opened the door and walked in then set the cup down silently and waited for her to look up before he spoke.

  “Peace offering,” he said softly.

  Hailey blew out a short breath and shook her head. “I’m sorry, Clay.”

  “You don’t have to be sorry. Tell me what happened in town.”

  She sighed and then took a swallow of coffee before she looked back at him. “He was arrogant, snide. But the bottom line is everything’s okay. The other two went well. The five checks are in the mail. And the manager of the electronics store just may have a new-found respect for female customers. And I know what to do when the truck won’t start. All in all, not a bad day,” she said quietly.

  “Okay. How many of those bills do you have left to check out?”

  “Not a lot really. I’ll be through today. Or at least sometime tonight.”

  “Maybe you should take that ride.”

  Hailey’s gaze came up slowly and she pursed her lips but finally had to smile slightly. “Maybe. I will when I get through these. If not today then tomorrow.”

  “They’ll be there when you get back. Take the time if you want. I’ll be in my office. Oh, do I have to do anything for that backup?”

  Hailey shook her head. “No. It’s set and ready to go. It’ll back up everything incrementally each night. Every couple of days I’ll switch them out. We’ll keep one in the safe and one on the computer. That way if anything happens the most we’ll lose will be a couple of days. I would like to suggest one thing.”

  “What’s that?”

  “I think we should put passwords on all of these computers. We shouldn’t have just anybody being able to walk by and get in there and dig around.”

  “Okay. Believe it or not, I actually know how to do that. All of them the same?”

  “Yeah, I think that would be fine. Something easy to remember but not the first thing anybody would guess.”

  “Montana Skies,” Clay said immediately.

  Hailey grinned and nodded. “Okay. Montana Skies. If you’ll set yours, I’ll set the rest of them.”

  “I’ll get the others. I’ll go do that right now. You just set yours. I’ll be around if you have any questions,” he said and started for the door.

  “Clay?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Thanks for the coffee,” Hailey said quietly.

  He hesitated for just a second then spoke without turning around. “You’re welcome.”

  She leaned back in the chair and watched him for as long as she could see him then let her gaze drop back down to the cup on her desk. The smile spread slowly across her face as she picked it up and took a sip. She really hadn’t meant to blow up at him the way she had. It had all just come out. Her intention was to only skirt around the things Yates had said as best she could, but as soon as her mouth opened everything just spilled out. She had come back to her office and laid her head down on her desk. She didn’t really think he would fire her but he certainly could have. Instead he had brought her a cup of coffee. The man was a puzzle. A complex, intriguing, so very sexy puzzle.

  * * *

  Hailey was on her way back from the kitchen with another cup of coffee when the front door opened. She turned her head just enough to see who it was and her steps stopped immediately.

  “May I help you?” she challenged.

  The woman swept a gaze down her then back up again. “I hardly think so. Where is Clay?”

  “And you are?”

  “Gail Cardell. His wife,” she said as she set a suitcase down on the floor then looked up at her expectantly.

  She could have said she was Mary, Mother of Jesus and it wouldn’t have surprised her more. “Excuse me?” she said after she finally found her voice.

  “You must be new.”

  “I’m…I’ll just…”

  “What the fuck are you doing here?” Clay snarled from his office door.

  “And it’s good to see you too, Clay. I see your manners haven’t improved.”

  “I said what are you doing here?”

  “We need to talk.”

  “Not unless you want to talk about a divorce. Anything other than that, I’m not interested,” Clay snapped.

  “I assume you’re still putting your girls in the front bedroom. I’ll take the one upstairs,” Gail said with perfect poise.

  “Take whichever one you want that’s empty. ‘Cause you’re damn sure not stayin’ in mine,” Clay hissed then walked across the room towards her.

  “Excuse me,” Hailey said evenly then walked to her room. Clay glanced at her when she came back with a black straw hat on her head and pulling on a pair of leather gloves.

  “Where the hell are you going?” he snapped at her.

  “The two of you obviously need some time alone. I think I’ll just take that ride now,” she said as evenly as she could while she held his gaze steadily f
or a few seconds then brushed past the woman to go out the front door.

  “Charming girl,” Gail said as the door closed behind her.

  “And you know all about charm. What do you want, Gail?”

  “Maybe I just wanted to come home.”

  “This is not your home. I haven’t seen you in two years. What the fuck do you want?”

  “I’m tired, Clay. We’ll talk after I’ve rested,” she said and glanced down at the suitcase then up to him.

  “Yeah, right. You want the sonofabitch upstairs, carry it up there yourself. But you stay out of my room,” he said then followed Hailey out the door.

  He strode down the steps then made a right turn when he saw a grizzled old man standing close by.

  “I need a cigarette,” he growled.

  The old man pulled a full pack and a lighter out of his pocket and handed it to him. “Figured you’d be out here after I saw her climb out of that car. Keep ‘em.”

  “Do you think I pay you to stand around and mind my business?”

  The old man snorted then spat on the ground without saying anything and without moving as Clay lit a cigarette then took a long drag and blew it back out.

  “Say what she’s doin’ here?”

  “No.”

  “Huh. Saw the new girl headed for the stables. She looked about as happy as you do.”

  “Yeah, well…Gail has that effect on people. You should know that, old man.”

  “I do. Smoke that cigarette, son. Calm down.”

  Hailey stopped in Laine’s doorway then drew in a deep breath and blew it back out again. “Can you ride with me now?” she asked quietly.

  “Sure I can. What’s she doing here?” he asked quietly.

  “I wouldn’t know. Can we just go?”

  “Sure. Follow me. We’ll pick out a horse for you,” he said then led her down the main aisle. He stopped and turned back when he realized she wasn’t behind him then walked back to her shaking his head.

  “No, no, no. Not that one.”

  “What’s wrong with this one?” Hailey asked as she ran a hand down the face of a beautiful horse that was solid gleaming black except a white star on his forehead and white stocking feet.

  “He’s ornery as hell. Nobody but me, Clay, and a couple of other hands have ever been able to stay with him long enough to get him to settle down. He bucks for about five minutes before he decides it’s not so bad after all. Let’s pick…”

  “I want to ride this one. Let me try, Laine.”

  “Hailey…this guy is…I mean after he settles down he’s okay, but…”

  “Please. I really need something, just one thing that turns out right today. Please.”

  Laine met the pleading eyes and finally shook his head. “Goddamn. If this sonofabitch bucks you off, Clay will have my head on a stick. Alright. I hope the hell you know what you’re doing.”

  Hailey smiled up at him then leaned up and kissed him on the cheek. “Thank you,” she whispered.

  The bright smile immediately went across his face. “Well, hell. Why didn’t you tell me it would earn me a kiss? I would have said yes faster. Back up. Let’s get this guy out of here.”

  Clay took the last drag and put the cigarette out on his boot then turned his head when he heard the stable doors open. He straightened up when he saw the horse she was leading and took a step in their direction before the old man’s hand landed on his shoulder.

  “Uh-uh. Leave her alone.”

  “Shack, she can’t ride him.”

  “Son, have you looked at that girl. If there was ever a woman born to be on a ranch like this or a horse like that…that’s her. Leave her alone.”

  “Oh, hell,” Laine muttered when he looked up and saw Clay watching them.

  “We’re gonna get along just fine, aren’t we Soldier? Yes, sir,” she cooed to him gently as she placed her left foot in the stirrup. She kept talking as she confidently mounted then immediately reached up and settled her hat lower on her head when she felt the horse’s muscles twitch and start to bunch.

  “Back up, Laine,” she said quietly. “Okay. Go ahead and get it out of your system. Let’s get it over with,” she soothed as she felt his back start to bow. Instead he surprised her by dropping his back and kicking out twice with his back feet then just a quickly rearing up on his hind legs and pawing the air with his front feet before settling back into a relaxed stance. Hailey stayed in the saddle and smiled slightly when the horse settled back to the ground.

  “That’s it? Are we done?” she asked as she leaned forward just enough to rub a hand down the side of his neck but still ready to react if he showed any indication of making any sudden moves.

  “Well, I’ll be damned,” Clay said softly. Shack’s hand had tightened on his shoulder when he started to move on the horse’s first kick. And now he chuckled softly behind him.

  “Told you. That woman is a natural. And he knows it.”

  Laine smiled up at her in surprise. “That mangy bastard put me on the ground twice the first time I tried to ride him. And look at you,” he said then shook his head and mounted his horse.

  “Let’s go, cowgirl.”

  Clay took another step when he heard her laugh and watched the two of them ride out together only to be pulled back one more time.

  “Smoke another cigarette, Clay. You’ve got your hands full with the one in the house. You better take one thing at a time,” Shack said then patted him on the shoulder and finally let him go.

  Clay watched them until they were out of sight then dropped his head and lit another cigarette before he turned a hard stare back to the old man at his side.

  “You think just because you’ve been here longer than most of the dirt on this place that I won’t fire your ass?”

  Shack gave him a wry grin and lit his own cigarette. “Yep.”

  Clay looked away then back to him again then dropped his head. “Yeah, well. Maybe.”

  He turned and walked slowly back to the house but stopped at the front porch and smoked the cigarette silently. He tried a thousand different things in an effort to come up with one reason that Gail would come back now. The only one that he couldn’t dismiss was money. He set his jaw firmly as he stubbed the cigarette out on his heel then held it between his fingers for few seconds before he tossed it away and walked inside the house. He glanced up at the balcony once then walked straight to his office and sat down behind the desk.

  He let his eyes drop to the change Hailey had laid on the desk and just looked at it for several minutes. How had his world suddenly turned upside down in just a couple of days? He shook his head and turned his chair to open the safe, deposited the money and receipts in the box that held the petty cash fund then slammed it shut. He had a thousand things to do and he couldn’t focus on one of them. He moved the mouse and was immediately prompted for a password and he closed his eyes as he heard her laugh, saw her on that horse that he’d sworn more than once to sell to a glue factory, and watched her ride out at Laine’s side.

  * * *

  “Laine, it’s so beautiful here. I mean New Mexico’s pretty, but…not like this,” Hailey said quietly. They had ridden at a canter for several miles before they had let the horses have their heads and run. And the big black horse between her legs could really fly. Now they were walking and she took the time to really view the land around her.

  “It’s God’s country. I figure when He made this part, He decided that if He ever came down here to live, this was where He’d stay,” Laine said then smiled when she flashed a brilliant smile at him.

  “I don’t think I can argue with that. I’ve never seen a place like this. And it’s…where is that creek?” she said as she trailed off and turned her head to try to find the source of the sound of the trickling water.