And so, she found, her own warmed a little, along with something deep inside her. She'd come here tonight needing to be with something alive, thinking the animals would do it, but somehow this worked, too. So she leaned back, too, and just breathed.

Later, when she entered her cabin and dead-bolted the door, she stared down at her bag, which she still hadn't unpacked. She nudged it with her toe and glanced up at the armoire in the corner, which stood empty. A yearning to actually unpack came over her, but then common sense prevailed. She never unpacked, anywhere.

Instead she went to bed.

The next few days proved to be quiet and rather easy for Callie. The cheerleaders had some good horsing experience. They worked a roundup and everyone participated, even Jake, who didn't seem to have too much trouble riding Molly. Of course, no one had trouble on Molly, but Callie gave him credit for trying.

On the cheerleader's third day, Eddie, Stone, and Tucker got up at the crack of dawn to take the women on a two-day mountain horseback expedition through the Dragoons, to hike among old, deserted mining camps.

Lou had spent the past few days cleaning and oiling all the riding equipment. Marge packed up all the sleeping gear. Amy prepared their food, and when she helped Tucker pack it into saddle bags, she went on and on with cooking directions for so long that his eyes glazed over and he pretended to snore.

Everyone laughed, and Amy smacked Tucker, then looked horrified at herself. But Tucker just laughed some more, then walked off completely uninsulted, leaving Amy staring after him for the longest time, as if waiting for the other shoe to fall, which of course it never did.

Tucker actually asked Jake to go with them on the camping trip, but Jake paled at the idea of camping and declined. When they'd left, Callie, Lou, and Marge divided all the chores. With a bucket of feed and an empty basket for the eggs, Callie headed toward the hen house.

"Whatcha doing?"

She didn't have to turn around and see Jake to get that odd, nameless feeling in her stomach. She forced herself to take a deep calming breath before turning to face him. "Working."

"Want some help?"

There was something in his eyes beyond the easy smile: a hint of pain and also a sadness that got to her. "You're going to help me gather eggs?"

"Now, see, that's what I'm talking about. Gathering eggs...why didn't Tucker give me that job?"

He was trying hard to be light and carefree, and she decided to let him have it. "Think it's easy?"

"How hard can it be?"

"Not as hard as running into a burning building, I'm quite certain." Inside she gestured to the row of hens. "Go for it."

He walked up to the first hen, eyeballed the thing sitting there so calmly. "Okay, I'm going in." He started to reach in with his right hand, winced at the movement of his shoulder, and pulled back. Before Callie could stop him, he tried again with his left-and got pecked hard. He jumped back with a yelp. "What the hell-"

"You've got to be quick."

He stared at her, and then tried again.

And took another hit.

"Here." The man was going to get pecked to death. "Like this..." She scattered some feed on the ground. The hens cackled and coo'd and leapt toward the feed, leaving their eggs wide open. She reached in and filled her basket, then grinned at him.

"Wow."

"Impressive, huh?"

"No, it's not the eggs, it's the smile. Love it, even though it's cocky as hell." He snagged her hips in his hands, pulled her close and lowered his head.

"Oh no." She slapped a hand on his chest. "We're working."

"I know." He touched his forehead to hers. "But I'm losing it here, Callie. Kissing you is about all I have left."

She cupped his face and looked into his serious eyes. Her heart slipped. "Oh, Jake."

Before the words were out, he kissed her, and for a long, delirious moment, she let herself sink into him, but finally managed to locate a few working brain cells. "If you're going to kiss me in between every hen, this is going to be a slow process."

"What's wrong with slow?"

"Because I have the goats, the cows, the horses, the puppies, and a million other things left to do after we finish here."

"Don't make me try again for more eggs," he begged, eyeing the hens with dread.

Shaking her head, he held the basket while she grabbed the eggs. "You ever going to tell me what's wrong?"

"I thought you already had it all figured out." He followed her into the pig pen with the bucket of kitchen leftovers.

She tipped it into their trough herself, feeling Jake's tension behind her at not being able to lift it for her. She looked at him. "It's not being able to get back to work, work that is your entire life."

"Bingo," he said.

"And being here on your father's land feels weird."

"Double bingo."

"I'm sorry, Jake."

"Sorry enough to sleep with me again?"

She laughed, and he shot her a small smile. "I guess not." But they stayed together to feed the cows and the horses. Last, they checked on Tiger and her puppies, who crawled in ecstasy all over Jake, and Callie had to laugh at the sight of him sitting on the ground being mauled by the puppies. "What?" he asked.

He was unexpectedly cute, that's what, and sleeping with him sounded damn good. She just shook her head and headed to the shed.

Jake followed her. "What next?"

"I need the rake to drag over the grass, that is, if Goose lets me." She grappled with the lock for a moment, wanting to grab last year's leftover fertilizer as well, for the flowers she would plant beneath the living room window.

Jake entered the shed behind her, so that when she turned around to block the door open, he was right there. He pressed her up against the wall, sandwiching her in with his body. "You're thinking about it."

Her breath caught at the feel of his hard, warm body against her. "About what?"

"Sleeping with me."

A bolt of white hot lust shot through her. "Still working here."

"Yeah, I know. Do you have any idea what watching you be all in charge is doing to me?"

Yep. She could feel it pressing low on her belly. "You're sick."

"Definitely." He'd made his way to her ear, his soft breath sending delicious shivers down her spine. "What color is your underwear today, Callie?"

"Jake-"

"Is it silk? Or lace?"

Clearly only one of them was capable of rational thought. She slipped free of his hold and slapped on the light.

In the sudden brightness, he blinked once, slowly, looking rumpled and adorable. She had to remind herself that it was all a look, that he could not possibly be so adorable when he had one foot out the door, the other crushing her future.

"You're doing it again." He lightly tapped her temple. "Thinking too much."

"Someone here needs to."

He just sighed and slipped his hands in his pockets. "I'm trying like hell, Callie, not to think at all. If you were at all kind, you'd help distract me."

She closed her eyes. "I'm not having sex with you in this shed."

"I meant talk to me." He grinned. "But if you're thinking sex..."

"What do you want me to talk about?"

"I don't know. Tell me about your parents."

"Nothing to tell." She shrugged and began to search for the fertilizer. "My mother isn't exactly maternal."

"And your dad?"

"Not into kids. I landed here like Amy. Eighteen and pretty much on my own."

"Richard took you under his wing." He scratched his jaw as he studied her. "But you said he wasn't exactly the warm, loving, parental type, either."

"He cared enough."

"Then your ex came along, right? Just another in a string of people who were around but not really around. Not attached to you."

She set her teeth. "I'm not a pity case."

"I didn't think you were. Tell me more about Matt."

Her frown deepened. "I was young and stupid. Nineteen," she admitted when he just looked at her, his eyes warm and patient. "I kept forgiving him, thinking he could change."

"Forgiving him for what?"

"You name it." She turned to the door.

With surprisingly gentle hands, he turned her back. Then stroked a strand of hair off her face, running his finger down her jaw. "Other women?"

"Well, I did say we were young and stupid."

"Sounds like he was the only stupid one."

"Funny, coming from a man who's never had a serious relationship in the two years I've known him."

"And have you?"

She closed her mouth.

"See, you say you follow your heart, Callie, but it seems to me like you've burned it out." He smiled. "I have a suggestion."

"I'm afraid to hear it."

"A good, long, hot spring fling. No strings."

"Gee, wherever would I find a man up for that job?"

He grinned at her wry tone as he lifted a hand. "I readily volunteer."

"How noble of you." Despite everything, she was more tempted than he could ever imagine. Desperately needing a distraction, she continued to search the shed and finally found the two bags of fertilizer. She tossed him the first, then bent for the second when she heard his low grunt of pain. She whipped around.

Eyes closed, face tight, he dropped the bag and leaned back against the wall, holding his shoulder.

"Oh my God, Jake, I'm sorry. I didn't even think-"

"Not your fault." This came out through his clenched teeth. Sweat had broken out on his brow as he sank to the ground. "I shouldn't have reached out to catch it."

She went to her knees beside him. "Let me-"

"No. I'm fine." He shifted away. "Just give me a sec."

The man had probably never shied away from a woman's touch in his life, but that was when the touching was on his own terms. Clearly he was humiliated at not being able to even catch something, and she felt like slime for putting him through it. "I'm so sorry-"

"Car," he said tightly.

"What?"

"Car just drove up."

She heard it now, coming up the driveway. She wasn't expecting anyone, and rose to her feet. "It must be Michael. He was going to come out for a ride. Wait here a sec, and I'll be right back-"

Jake grabbed her wrist. "He wants you."

"Jake."

"Just remember one thing if you're going off with him."

"I'm not going-"

"One thing."

She sighed. "What?"