Page 5 of Healing Her Cowboys (Silver Creek Ranch #6)

Chapter Five

A tlas showed Reese around the ranch so she could get a better feel for it. She was surprised to learn how big the property was and how much land it covered. He took her through the large stable to see the rest of their horses. Lori had already settled down to sleep with her new baby.

Reese had been too worried about the delivery to notice how big the stable was at the time, but it fit eight horses with a few empty stalls for more.

“You don’t have to worry about caring for the horses here,” Atlas said. “We have enough help to handle all the heavy ranch work. You can help with the house chores, especially the cooking.” He stopped and turned to look back at her. “Do you know how to cook?”

“I’m no Michelin chef, but I know my way around the kitchen,” Reese said confidently.

“Great. Then you’ll probably fit in here just fine. Most of us can’t cook worth a damn to start with.”

“Not even you?” she asked. There was something about Atlas that said he could do anything he put his mind to and knew how to work that solid physique of his.

She chastised herself for that one. Although he was handsome and not her patient, she still shouldn’t have been lusting after him.

It was even worse that she thought Brik was handsome too. He was just a cockier version.

“All I know how to cook well are steaks and burgers,” Atlas said.

“Which should never be cooked well done,” she added. “Never anywhere past medium.”

He offered her a big, proud smile. “A woman after my own carnivorous heart. Well done only destroys the natural flavors. You might as well ask for dried-out chicken.”

He showed her a cluster of four smaller houses out in the distance. They were painted the same blue and white shades as the main house and large stable. He said that the smaller houses kept all the working ranch hands who lived on the property.

Although she could see a few workers in the distance, she didn’t get to meet any of them one-on-one.

Reese couldn’t help but notice how easily Atlas seemed to fit into the ranch life around him. “You really like living here, don’t you?” she asked.

“Yeah, I do,” he said. “It’s not an easy life, by any means, but it keeps you honest and focused on the things around you. I guess it just grows on you.”

There was something warm and tender about how he talked about the place, which only made him sexier. Was he able to do anything to make him unattractive?

“It must be nice to have a sense of belonging like that,” she said. “I’ve been traveling around for so long that I’ve forgotten what home feels like.”

“Maybe being here will make you want to stay longer this time.” His eyes met hers, and the warmth inside her felt like an explosion waiting to go off.

Her eyes fell to his parted lips, and when she realized she had been staring at him for a moment too long, she looked away. Something was seriously wrong with her.

“Come on,” he said. “I’ll grill some steaks for your first night here.”

When they returned to the main house, Brik sat on the porch swing. “I was wondering when you two would get back,” he said. “I hope Atlas gave you a good tour.” He stood up and walked back into the house without saying another word.

If she wasn’t mistaken, he sounded jealous. What did he have to be jealous about?

“Don’t worry about him,” Atlas said. “He acts even more like an asshole when he’s hungry. Means it’s time for dinner.”

Reese watched as Atlas manned the grill and flipped the steaks like an expert grill master. It didn’t take long for all the other ranch hands to come to the main house to have dinner with them. She finally got to meet each one: Harry, Colton, Jenson, and the newest one, which was Tony.

She ate with them and listened to stories about their time on the ranch. All of them were veterans, except for Tony, who had answered a help wanted ad for an additional ranch hand. Reese realized they all knew each other from another ranch called Silver Creek.

“What are we having for dessert?” Harry asked.

Atlas gave all of them a stern look. “Aunt Bee sent us another care package.”

The men hooted and hollered.

“Dessert is on Aunt Bee!” Colton said.

“Don’t even think about it!” Atlas shook his spatula at them. “Last time, you all ate every cookie and left me none. This time, I have first dibs. Keep your greedy paws off!”

Reese couldn’t help but laugh at their jokes and banter. They were a lively group to be around. Although she was the only woman among them, no one made her feel uncomfortable or like she didn’t belong there.

At least, everyone except for Brik.

Every so often, she could feel his eyes lingering on her. She wasn’t sure if he was scrutinizing her or something else, but she shifted with each glance he sent her way.

That night, Reese had a hard time sleeping. It always happened when she was in a new place. Her sleep patterns were off, which made it hard not to toss and turn in her bed.

Reese had resigned herself to counting the stucco pieces in the ceiling like sheep to fall asleep when she heard a muffled sound coming from the hall.

She cracked her door to see if she could hear the sound better. Groaning, like someone stirring in pain, traveled through the hallway.

The sound brought her to Atlas’s room. His door was already open, and she could see that the usual calm expression was twisted in fear and frustration. His covers were tangled up all around him.

She hesitated before waking him up. Was it safe to disturb him when he was having such vivid nightmares? The sound of him in pain decided for her.

“Atlas?” she called. When he didn’t respond, she tried to say it louder. “Atlas!” Still, nothing. She finally rested her hand on his shoulder and tried to call his name again. “Atl—”

Before she could blink, he pulled her down on the bed with him. He rolled over until she was trapped beneath him. She could barely see his expression except for the moonlight snaking through the window.

His eyes seemed partly open but still almost in a dreamlike state.

“Such a beautiful dream,” he said. “I like this one better.”

His lips captured hers before she could tell him he wasn’t dreaming.

She stilled as his mouth tried to open hers to explore their depths even more. She realized then that he didn’t have a shirt on, and she could feel the hard expanse of his chest pressing into her. That wasn’t the only hard thing digging into her.

This time when she tried to speak, a moan slipped out instead. She wanted to close her eyes and follow the pace of his kiss, but she didn’t feel right having him thinking he was still in a dream. Wasn’t that like taking advantage of him?

“Atlas, wake up,” she said. “You’re not dreaming.”

Instead of waking up, he rolled them over until they were on their sides, facing each other with his arms still wrapped around her.

She could hear Atlas’s breath even out as he drifted back to sleep. How was she supposed to leave now?

A yawn flowed out of her as her eyelids got heavier. Before she could try to fight through it, sleepiness finally consumed her.

***

The first rays of dawn made Atlas stir first. He tried to stretch but realized someone was in the bed with him. As he finally woke, he became aware of the warmth snuggled up against him. Seeing the soft rise and fall of her breathing confirmed that Reese was sleeping beside him.

He tried to remember how she ended up there, but his brain was foggy. He also didn’t want to think too much about it. After all, the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen was sleeping peacefully in his bed, and he had no complaints.

He realized he could watch her sleep for days and not have any problems with it.

He took in the softness of her expression and how she parted her lips slightly as she slept.

Although he wasn’t sure how she got there, this was the first restful sleep he had had in years, and he was pretty sure it had something to do with her sleeping beside him.

Reese stirred and her eyes fluttered open. Realization of where she was filled her face, and then she met his gaze.

“Morning,” he said.

“Good morning,” she said. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to fall asleep.”

“No need to apologize. If anything, I should apologize for pulling you into bed with me.” The night before seeped through in broken images, and he realized she must have caught him in one of his night terrors.

“I guess we were both pretty tired.”

“Thank you for coming to check on me. I don’t think I’ve slept that good in years.”

Reese smiled. “I’m glad I could help. Do you always have trouble sleeping?”

The smile fell from his face, but Reese felt easy to talk to. “It’s not as frequent as it used to be, but when it comes, it’s unpleasant.”

“Is it because of the things you saw over there?”

“I guess you could say that.” Atlas pulled her closer into his arms. “I oversaw my squadron. We were supposed to have a set destination, but something didn’t sit right with me.

I changed course, but my team was still attacked.

My men died, but somehow, I survived. I found out later that I was right.

Bombs had been planted on our initial route, but we still got ambushed anyway. ”

“That sounds like it would give anyone nightmares, but at least you tried to protect them. I’m sure they knew that.”

“They all supported my gut feeling. I think that’s what bothers me the most. One of my men even said that they had my back no matter what. He was a good friend too, not just a fellow soldier.”

“What was his name?”

“Brendan Oliver. He was a good guy. All of them were good men.”

Her hands stroked his arm as if it were the only way she could think to comfort him. “You can’t change the past. You can only adjust how you move on from it.”

They both stayed connected in silence, still supporting each other with body contact even though words were hard.

Atlas thought about what Reese said. Would he ever be able to move away from his past? It didn’t feel possible, but at least she kept the shadows of it at bay by being beside him.

Reese broke the quiet first. “I should probably head back to my room.”

He reluctantly let her slip out of his arms, but if he had his way, she would be back in them sooner rather than later.

After a long shower, he finally headed downstairs for breakfast.

Brik was already downstairs taking in the day’s sports section. “Morning,” he said without looking up from the paper.

Atlas could already tell Brik was in one of his moods. He just hoped it didn’t spill over to Reese.

“Look,” Atlas said, “if you’ve got something to say, just say it. Don’t drag her into it. Not today before she’s even started to work with you.”

“You two seemed like you were getting pretty cozy last night.”

“Nothing happened. She helped me out. That’s all.”

“She seemed more than happy to stay in your bed after helping you.”

When Reese slammed her hand on the table, Atlas knew she’d already heard everything.

“I don’t know what you’re hinting at, Brik,” she said through gritted teeth. “I don’t like when people assume they know me. If you have a question, ask. I’ll decide if you deserve to hear my answer.”

Atlas couldn’t hide a little grin. The woman had some fire in her, and he liked it a lot.

“Listen,” Brik said, “I know Atlas comes off as a people’s man, but you’re here to do one job. We don’t need added complications.”

“Brik!” Atlas chastised.

“It’s fine, Atlas. Let him think what he wants. Maybe you should worry less about what Atlas and I are doing and focus on getting your strength back. If you’re serious about me being here to help you, I’ll be in the gym waiting.”

Reese didn’t give him the chance to respond before storming out of the kitchen.

From the looks of it, Brik was in deep shit, and he deserved every moment of it.