I know this wasn't one of the ones I put as a sneak peek, but this has been on my profile for...Gosh I don't even know how long. Anyway, I hope you enjoy the first chapter!
Dedicated to maryrose16, who without her support, I couldn't have written this! :)
Please remember to review at the end! :)
"There is no way in hell that I would even consider his offer!" The fiery blonde shouted at her best friend, who was staring at her with a rough expressing on his face.
"Caroline, Klaus Mikaelson is one of the most respected ranchers in the area, and he knows what he's doing." Stefan Salvatore replied, stepping closer.
Caroline Forbes threw her head back, and scoffed loudly. "He just wants one thing, Stefan, and that's my land." She stated, glaring at him. "My land!" She shouted, placing her finger on her chest. "The land my mom left to me when she died, and I'll be damned if I'm going to let it fall into the hands of that son of a bitch!" She stated, roughly, marching past Stefan towards her office.
Stefan sighed, and shook his head. "Caroline, the ranch is going downhill. You need money, and Klaus is willing to help with that." He stated, following her.
She whirled around, her blonde hair flying behind her. "I will not accept money from that cocky prick!" She stated, pointing at the air. "Why are you defending him?" She asked, after a moment.
Stefan sighed, and looked at her, calmly. "He's a friend, Caroline. You know that." He remarked, stepping closer to her. "What do you have against him, anyway?" He asked, watching her jaw clench as she swallowed, hard.
"My reasons are my own, Stefan, and I will thank you if you keep your inquiries to yourself, as well my need for a loan." She stated, turning around to walk around her desk, and sat down.
Stefan sighed, and moved towards the desk. "You need help, Caroline." He remarked, watching her sigh, as she placed her arms on the desk.
"Not from him." She stated, shaking her head.
Stefan shook his head, and backed up. "Well, when he comes over this afternoon, do me a favor, and be nice?" He asked, moving towards the door.
Caroline's blue-green eyes flashed, as she stood up. "What the hell is he doing coming here?" She asked, roughly.
Stefan paused, and turned around to look at her. "He didn't say, but I imagine, he wants to talk." He answered, with a slight smile.
Caroline glared at him, as he left her alone, and fell into her leather chair. She growled, and pushed her blonde hair away from her face. She needed some air.
She needed…
Oh God, she needed to get away from here. She needed to clear her head.
She needed Klaus Mikaelson to drop off the face of the planet. That's what she needed.
Standing up from the desk, she marched out, and grabbed her white Stetson from the hat rack, and placed it on her head.
With a sigh, she felt the warm wind of the Montana air hit her face as she walked towards her barn. She smiled as her favorite horse walked towards her with a small neigh, as if she sensed what was going to happen.
"Hey, girl," Caroline whispered, petting her mare. "Ready for a ride?" She asked, as the horse pushed against her hands.
Caroline laughed, and for a moment her problems disappeared as she saddled her horse, and let her out of the barn.
"Where are you going?"
She stilled, and turned her head to glare at Stefan, and her foreman Matt. "I'm going riding." She stated, climbing on her mare. "Don't wait up." She stated, not waiting for a reply, as she clicked her heels, and let her mare take off.
Stefan sighed, and turned his gaze to Matt, who shook his head. "So much for taking it calmly," He stated, shaking his head again.
~XXX~
Caroline rode until she made it to the edge of her property separated by a small creek, which led up to the mountains. Climbing down from her horse, she led her mare to the water, and sighed as she began to drink.
"A little far from your ranch, aren't you?"
She stiffened, and lifted her gaze to the man on the other side of the creek. Her gaze hardened as she took in his dark button down shirt, jeans, and Stetson adorning his head on top of a black stallion, which he almost always rode. Rather symbolic, really, dark clothes, dark horse, all for a dark man.
"I am on my ranch." She spat out, placing her right hand on her horse's neck.
Klaus smirked, and climbed down from his stallion, and let him drink the water before them. "Shouldn't you be resting comfortably inside you air conditioned house, Forbes?" He asked as if to bait her.
Her eyes flashed, and her jaw clenched. "I can't afford to relax, Mikaelson, unlike you." She retorted, lifting her head higher.
He chuckled, and stepped closer to the edge of the creek. "You don't know the meaning of hard work." He stated, a devilish gleam shining in his eyes.
She let out an angry sigh, and shook her head. "I know more than you do." She replied, angrily.
He shook his head, and chuckled. "That's debatable, love." He remarked, his voice hitting a certain lilt with the British accent he had.
She resisted the urge to cave when he said love, and it only made her angrier. "What, you think I can't run my ranch?" She asked, with rage.
He lifted his right hand in defense, and shook his head. "No offense, love, but you don't know the first thing about running a ranch." He stated, with a laugh.
The laugh did her in. Marching into the creek, she glared at him like daggers shooting out of her eyes.
Klaus tilted his head to the side, and walked into the creek with her, meeting her in the middle.
Caroline felt his body heat radiating off him, and her heart pounded in her chest. She felt her breathe quicken, and she shrugged it off with the thought that it was her anger, not his deep…blue…sexy eyes.
She swallowed, and squared her shoulders. "My mother taught me all I needed to know, Mikaelson." She stated, placing her hands on her hips.
He cocked his head to the side, and for a moment his eyes softened. "I am sorry about your mother, Caroline." He whispered, softly, causing her to falter, just a fraction. "She was a wonderful woman."
She swallowed, once again, but this time, she swallowed her emotions down. "Yes, she was." She stated, roughly.
He leaned forward a fraction, and searched her eyes, sparks flying between them. "I made the offer to help you, Caroline, not to start a war." He whispered, watching her eyes spark with renewed anger.
"There is no way in hell I will ever accept your help, Klaus." She stated, backing up.
He sighed, and shook his head. "You would still have a controlling share in the ranch, Caroline. It's not like I'll be taking it over." He shouted, causing her to turn, and march towards him once again.
She felt the water from the creek wet her jeans, and soak into her boots, but she didn't care. This man was giving her reasons to hate him by the minute. "I don't need, want, or care about your help, Klaus." She stated, pointing her right pointer at him.
He rolled his eyes, and stepped towards her. "Why is it so difficult to accept help?" He asked, searching her eyes.
She shook her head, and stepped back. "Because that's not what she did." She stated, lowly. "And it's none of your damned business!" She shouted, shoving against his chest, causing him to fall backwards into the water.
Klaus felt a rock slice his leg, but he paid it no attention as he watched her climb out of the creek, and onto her horse. "Caroline!" He shouted, struggling to get up, and as soon as he stepped on his leg, he winced.
The cut was deeper than he thought. Glancing down, he surveyed the damage, and shook his head. That woman was infuriating, and yet he was fascinated by her.
He didn't lie when he told her about her mother. Elizabeth Forbes had been a tough woman, but compassionate, and had lent a hand for his mother when she had started his ranch years ago, and his family never forgot it.
Too bad Caroline didn't know about the debt he owed to her and her mom. Perhaps if she knew then maybe she wouldn't be so hostile.
He scoffed, as he climbed on his stallion, and rode after her. Who was he kidding? She was always going to be hostile, for reasons he didn't know, and he'd be damned if he didn't want to know.
Please be kind!
If you don't like this, I'm not forcing you to read it! This is meant to be a little humor/romance/small angst story, so I hope I succeed in writing it! (I've never really been good at writing humor, since my sense of humor is not that funny, but I'm giving it a shot!)
BTW, this story won't be too long, and by too long, I mean 15 to 20 chapters, maybe less, depending on my interest in writing this. LOL!
I'm writing a lot today, so more stories will be popping up today, as well as a completion of Hope's Light, hopefully.
Next Chapter: Klaus and Caroline get into a heated argument. Stefan listens, and gives his advice.
Until Next Time...