Chapter 3

Sunday morning Wyatt paused outside the church doors to help his mother down the stairs. She was a short round woman with all grey hair.

It was interesting to those who knew the family were surprised that a woman barely five feet tall could produce such large strapping sons. Regardless, she came from a long line of rancher’s wives and was as tough as hell. Again, people who knew her didn’t let her size fool them. She also dished out a few good wallops when they deserved it.

Wyatt had no problem helping his mother because he, like Logan, was very respectful when it came to their parents. His mother raised them with strong morals in that area. If she asked them to do anything, they would, no hesitation, no questions.

At the same time Wyatt was helping his mother, Natalie came out onto the steps and waited patiently for them to get out of the way. She smiled shyly at him as she walked by. He reached up and tipped his hat in respect and when those deep brown eyes met hers, her stomach lurched. It wasn’t often that he looked directly at her, or even acknowledged her, so it took her by surprise. She quickly averted her eyes unable to hold that hypnotic stare of his.

“Hey Nat.” Logan said drawing her attention through the leaving crowd of people.

She liked Logan. He was down to earth and genuinely nice to her without any sort of hidden agenda. She widened her smile and walked over to him. “Hi.”

“Pa says you have a load of lumber to bring out?”

“Yes, I had Randy load it on the flat bed yesterday. I’ll bring it out right away. The store is closed so I don’t have to worry about customers.”

“Why don’t you stay for lunch then? Ma makes a wicked Sunday brunch.”

“Oh—“ she cast a quick glance at Wyatt who was looking directly back at her. She quickly averted her gaze, “—I really don’t—“

“—nonsense,” came his mother’s interruption hearing the conversation, “You are a skinny gal. If you work Sunday for the Stricklands, we feed you.” She patted her arm. “I expect you to be there.” She said as if there was no objection.

She looked back at Logan who gave her a helpless grin and a shrug of his shoulders as if to say, “did you expect anything different?’

She had always thought of Logan as a friend, but his family inviting her for a meal was new and it made her nervous. However, she didn’t have the heart to tell Mrs. Strickland no. It was obvious that she drew a great deal of respect from her sons and they thought the world of her as did a lot of people in the town. There was more than once that she went out of her way for a family in need. “All right.” She said reluctantly not wanting to disappoint her, “I’ll leave a note for my father.”

Wyatt’s eyes narrowed slightly at that comment, but she didn’t seem to notice.

After saying goodbye she headed back down the sidewalk toward the direction of home.

Lee came up behind them at that time and took his wife’s arm placing it on his before addressing his sons. “I want you two to go and check on the cattle down at the river before you come home.”

Wyatt nodded as his parents walked off but his eyes stayed on Natalie. They were told early this morning that they might need to check on the cattle so they took different trucks to church.

“He won’t even let us get out of our Sunday suits.” Logan said shaking his head.

“We won’t be getting out of the truck most likely.” Wyatt responded.

“What if we have to pull a bloody cow from the muddy banks?” Logan protested.

“They we look good doing it.” He smirked.

“Ah hell, I need to get out of that house.” Logan said wearily.

Wyatt laughed and gave Logan a shove toward the truck, “You whine like an old woman.”

Upon leaving the church parking lot Logan was surprised that he turned east instead of west. “Where are we going?”

“Natalie lives twelve blocks from here. That’s a long walk in those shoes.” He said nonchalantly while cruising up beside her and rolling down the passenger window.

Natalie stopped seeing the brothers in their big fancy dodge truck coast up beside her.

“Wyatt’s concerned about your feet Natalie.” Logan said opening the door and getting out, “Get in and we’ll give you ride home.” He near laughed at the dumbstruck look on her face at his statement

She glanced at Wyatt, “I’m fine.” She nodded toward the direction of her house, “I walk this way every week.”

“And you spend too much time on your feet.” Wyatt countered.

She didn’t know what to say to that. Wyatt probably spoke a whole eight sentences to her over the four years of her living here and she’d been walking from church every Sunday just like today during that time.

“Come on honey, contrary to popular belief, he doesn’t bite.” Logan added.

Her eyes widened slowly, “What?”

Logan burst into laughter, “Nothing, just get in.” He was still chuckling when she reluctantly got in and Logan shot his brother and amused glance before he got in a shut the door. He couldn’t possibly fathom meeting a girl as naïve as this one was.

Natalie couldn’t even meet the other brother’s eyes after Logan said that. Then Wyatt’s fingers accidently brushed her thigh when he palmed the stick shift and lowered it into second gear. He didn’t seem to notice, but she certainly did. Before it happened again she moved herself closer to Logan who had his arm slung across the back of her seat. She was practically touching him but it didn’t bother her like touching Wyatt did.

Logan looked down at the top of her head over the movement and then at Wyatt who obviously noticed her shift in the seat and shrugged an indifferent shoulder over it.

Normally Logan would be flattered, but he began to think that she was afraid of his brother which was really odd, because he took her small glances at Wyatt as shy admiration. He himself had never had a woman move away from him if they were attracted. He guessed that Wyatt could seem intimidating. His size after all, was that in itself. He also had that hard stare that could unsettle just about anyone and if he was unhappy with someone, he didn’t have to say a word, they knew it.

Before long they pulled into her driveway. The house was just behind the store. It was a modest two story home that was nice, but nothing fancy. It actually looked like it could use a paintjob and a couple of shutters seemed to be hanging at awkward angles.

Wyatt eyed the place through the dusty windshield. He didn’t appreciate that Natalie’s father had let the home go. A home is a man’s castle and it said a lot about who you were.

Logan got out and told her that he’d see her in about an hour because they had to go check on the cattle before they went home.

She just waved without saying a word and went into the house. She had to get changed before she took the lumber out anyway.

When he got back he turned to Wyatt, “I think she’s scared of you.”

“No she’s not.” Was all Wyatt said as he watched her go in the house before he shifted the truck into reverse.

Logan waited for him to elaborate, but he didn’t. “She acts like it.”

“Maybe.”

Again no elaboration. Well, that was Wyatt’s prerogative. He leaned back in the seat comfortably for the drive to the river.

“Oh lord.” Natalie said coming out of the house as the ranch truck the brothers were driving came to a halt in the driveway and two large men got out covered in mud to their waists. Logan was clearly angry. Wyatt as usual didn’t seem emotional in the least.

Logan did say he’d be an hour but it had been almost two and now she knew why.

“Best bloody hat I had!” he burst swiping the mud splotched Stetson off his head and looking at it.

Dolly Strickland came out and stood beside Natalie. They were waiting for the boys for lunch. Lee had gone to supervise the unloading of lumber when they didn’t return. He already knew they had hit a snag, but that was to be expected. Cattle ranching wasn’t a clear cut business and if you thought it was predictable, you were in the wrong business.

Natalie was shocked at the boys’ appearance, but Dolly acted as if it was a normal sight.

As they started to go in the house Dolly stepped in front of them with hands on the hips of her stout frame while she stared up at them, “Not on your life. To the hose.” She pointed to the side of the house that had the tap.

Natalie thought it was almost comical seeing those towering men stand over their short mother with looks of hopelessness on their faces. Then after a moment Logan looked ready to explode. Wyatt just turned and did as he was told.

“Ma that water is ice cold.” Logan argued.

“That’s too bad, besides I can’t see that thick hide of yours feeling the temperature difference. Quit arguing.” She scolded with a narrowing of her eyes.

He clenched his jaw to stop another protest. Arguing with his dear mother in front of Natalie was disrespectful and as much as he wanted to hit his own shower, he couldn’t disobey her.

“Natalie will hold the hose for you boys. Won’t you dear?” She said without a second thought. “I need to get brunch on the table.”

No, I won’t! She thought fearfully. How could the woman expect her to stand there and hose down a man whose very presence took her breath away? She turned sharply to see Dolly totter back into the house as if that suggestion was a simple one.

“Sure, come on Nat.” Logan said following the same path that Wyatt took moments ago. “It’s hard to hold the hose and wash at the same time.”

Natalie bit her lip and hesitantly did as Dolly asked. When she rounded the corner she stilled, frozen in her tracks. Her mouth fell open at the sight that met her.

Wyatt had stripped off his suit jacket, shirt and tie, and was in the process of removing his slacks. Every tan inch of him was covered with thick muscle that swelled with each fluid movement of use as he finished undressing. He hadn’t changed one bit in four years and if anything, got more bulk on his body. Never in her life did she see a man as beautiful as that, or even more, close to being naked. Her eyes roved down every sinful part of him in complete hypnosis. How could any man possibly be that perfect?

Logan started doing the same and when he looked up, Natalie was gone. “See, you scared her again.”

Wyatt grinned, “Yeah, sure I did.” He said tossing his slacks carelessly in a pile and turning on the hose. He had boxer shorts on so it wasn’t as if he was naked, but obviously she felt it was too much. She also didn’t know that he knew she watched him. He wasn’t sure how long she’d been doing that, but he finally noticed about six months ago. He was a smart man and those looks weren’t from a woman who was frightened of a man. They were subtle glances of appreciation.

“Well, she acts like a timid little mouse around you.”

“She’s a timid mouse.” Wyatt confirmed, “Probably never kissed a man, and Ma sends her to hose down two half naked men in their prime.”

“Hey I never even thought of that.” Logan stood straight, undressed except for his own boxer shorts while waiting for his turn. It completely made sense then. Wyatt and Logan were both used to forward women, not one with a temperament of humility.

“Yeah well I have.” He sucked in a breath running the cold water over his bare skin.

“Why don’t you ask her out?”

He shook his head, “I’m too busy and as I said before, she’s not my type. She’d probably faint if I said hi to her.”

“She’s cute.”

She was more than cute and Wyatt knew that, but he didn’t have time for a relationship, nor did he want one. Also Natalie would take time to woo and he had no energy to invest in any female at the moment. She was sweet like Logan said but he knew she wouldn’t say shit if her mouth was full of it. Although he liked her modesty he preferred a woman with a little more backbone. As for his meddling brother, he turned the cold hose on him full blast.

Natalie was sitting on the porch step when the boys came back from around the side of the house, holding their soiled clothes in one hand and their shoes in the other. She was still beet red from seeing him almost naked and she didn’t want questions from Dolly so she stayed outside until she felt the heat in her cheeks subside. That didn’t last, because when they came around the house, her face went as red as the paint on the barn. They glistened under the sun like a pair of bronze statues carved to perfection.

“Honey could you go in the house and get a garbage bag for these clothes, or mother’s going to shoot us for dripping on the hardwood.” Logan asked setting his shoes on the step below her.

“Sure.” She got up quickly and went in the house like her feet were on fire. That way she wouldn’t have to see the two of them. They exchanged an amused glance at her quick exit.

“See?” Logan gestured toward the front door. “She acts like this when you’re around.”

“That’s her problem Logan.” Wyatt actually started to get a little irritated.

“I know her differently.” He explained, “She’s not as shy as you think.”

“I don’t care.” He said fixing his stare on his brother.

That look said enough. Logan knew he was raising his ire, but Wyatt had the wrong idea of what Natalie was like. Yes, she was a little shy, but witty and smart, not this fragile flower he seemed to think she was. However, there was another reason he brought her up. “Willie Vanderzandt has been after her for several weeks. She told me that the other day. Only I don’t think she realizes that it could be serious.”

Wyatt near winced. Willie was three bricks short of a two brick load as far as he was concerned. He had a criminal record by the time he was fourteen and his father had the money and the means to keep him out of jail. He was the same age as Logan and about as wild as a feral cat. Wyatt was pretty sure he had the makings of a sociopath. He never worked a day in his life and got kicks out of torturing small animals.

Because of some incident when he was twelve, the court prevented him from owning any, but several cats and dogs in his neighbourhood went missing and people suspected it was him. That was over ten years ago. Now he was sure it was people he took his sadist tendencies out on. He roared around town in a red sports car with no care to people crossing the street. Wyatt always saw him with some different gal in the passenger seat every time.

“Apparently he can see through those shapeless knee length dresses she wears.”