Free Caleb by Cindy Stark

and she opened, the physical act mimicking what she felt in her heart. She pressed herself against him, needing to be closer.
    They stumbled as she backed him against the edge of a stall. He twisted and pinned her against the rough wooden structure.
    “Caleb,” she whispered against his mouth, afraid of the wild feelings he’d unleased.
    “Shh… I’ll stop if you want, but…” He kissed her and then kissed her again.
    The scent of him, the taste of him. More. She craved him and didn’t care if—
    “ What the fuck ?”
    The sound of Bill’s angry voice coming from the doorway was equivalent to being tossed into the Shoshone River in early spring. She gasped and separated from Caleb like she’d been caught doing something wrong.
    “Jesus Christ. Get a fucking room.” Bill shot her a disgusted look before he swiveled on his boots and strode from the barn.
    Rachel’s breaths came hard as she watched him walk away before she turned her gaze back to Caleb. Her heart thudded so hard she was certain it would jump out of her chest. She reached for the edge of an empty horse stall to steady herself.
    He returned her gaze, uncertainty flickering in his eyes. “He shouldn’t talk to you like that.”
    “I know. But…”
    “There are no buts. A man does not treat a lady that way no matter how pissed off he is.”
    “You’re the one who told me I’d hurt him because I agreed to marry you. He’s just—”
    “It doesn’t matter.”
    Life had returned, chasing away whatever passion she’d found, and the pressure threatened to break her. “I…should go. I’ll talk to him.”
    “Rachel…” He reached toward her, but she took a step back.
    She held up a hand. “It’s okay.” But it wasn’t. She’d kissed a virtual stranger who had elicited a reaction like she’d never known. A man who’d leave in a few months. She needed to keep things good between her and Bill so she could carry on when all was said and done. Caleb wouldn’t be there for her then. Bill needed his job, and she needed him.
    “Are you sure?” Caleb looked like he was about to reach for her again.
    She placed her fingertips against her lips. “We shouldn’t do that.” Her cheeks heated at the mention of their powerful kiss. “It makes things around the ranch more difficult.”
    He started to shake his head, a fiery argument blazing in his eyes, but then he stopped. With a nod, he removed his cowboy hat and placed it over his heart. “I’ve put you in an awkward position, and I shouldn’t. It won’t happen again.”
    “No, you’re…” She couldn’t very well agree since it contradicted her desires. “I mean—”
    “You don’t have to explain.” He released a sigh. “I’m not going to lie. You’re very pretty, Rachel, and I can’t deny I’m attracted to you. But you’re my employer, and I should respect that. Forgive me?”
    “Oh…of course.” She shook her head as though to clear the air. “No worries.”
    “Thank you. I do know how important this is for you.”
    “Yes. It is.” Her ranch was everything, and this moment was turning impossibly awkward. Her heart still pounded, and her body ached for him to touch her again. “I…have work to do so I should probably get to it.”
    “Something I can help with? I feel like a useless fool sitting around all day. Use me before I go crazy.”
    Use him ? She swallowed her sexy thoughts.
    “Please. I need to be needed.”
    She needed to be free of him before she seduced him this time, but she couldn’t very well say no. “Give me a few minutes. I need to talk to Bill. Then I’m headed out to check fences and see if that big snowstorm and high winds did any damage over the winter.”
    ****
    Rachel trudged across the muddy ground toward the oversized garage that housed some of their larger equipment. Joe had said he’d seen Bill head in that direction, which didn’t surprise her. He’d made it his home away from home of sorts, and she knew he kept a stash of