morning. You’ll be free for the afternoon riding lesson.”
Griffin felt his stomach sink. Then Jake approached and put a hand on his shoulder. “We really appreciate you giving Camille the lessons. She’s had a rough time lately, what with her father’s death and that skunk of a fiancé.”
Griff frowned. “Did he wipe her money out completely?”
“Just about. We want her to have some fun, especially since she’s been helping the girls out since she got here.”
Griffin knew when he was trapped. He gave up without any more protesting. “Glad to help out,” he muttered, and picked up Brett’s saddle and bridle while the cowboy started brushing down his horse.
“I’ll get that in a minute,” Brett protested, but Griffin didn’t stop.
“I don’t have anything else to do. No problem.”
So he walked away, missing the grins the four Randall brothers shared. After all, they recognized misery when they saw it. They’d all been there, done that and survived to march down the aisle.
CAMILLE HAD CONSIDERED remaining in her room for supper, using her soreness as an excuse, but she realized that was not an option. She would have the four Randall ladies hovering.
And she couldn’t ask for a different seat at dinner without throwing the spotlight on her and Griffin.
She entered the kitchen with Megan just as everyone was sitting down. Griffin stood by the end of the table, waiting for her to sit.
“Are you all right?” he asked softly, leaning toward her after taking his place.
She stiffened, trying to deny the sizzling sensations that filled her. “Yes.”
“I was afraid you’d be sore. I may have pushed you too hard this afternoon.”
“Anna gave me a massage.” She tried to keep her answer to a minimum. She didn’t want an intimate conversation with the man beside her. That wasn’t true. She didn’t want an intimate conversation with the man beside her about horseback riding. Her cheeks flushed as she admitted to herself how interesting another kind of conversation might be.
“Are you running a fever?” he asked.
She glared at him. “No!”
“Everything all right?” Jake asked, leaning toward the two of them.
“Fine!” they snapped back in tandem, then glared at each other again.
- “How did the riding lessons go?” Jake persisted, his gaze sharp.
“Fine,” they repeated together, but their animosity was carefully banked, so their response would sound normal.
Camille suddenly realized everyone at the table was staring at them. With a bright smile, she said, “I didn’t know horses smelled so—so strongly. I may carry some perfume with me tomorrow.”
Smiles and chuckles came in response and several general conversations began, which eased the embarrassing moment. She took a deep breath and shifted away from Griffin’s lean, hard body. She would control her reaction if it was the last thing she did.
She hoped her words weren’t prophetic.
The phone rang. Mildred, closest to it, got up from the table and answered. “Yes, he’s here.” Every man in the room looked up. She held out the receiver and said, “For you, Pete. Long distance.”
Dinner continued, though Camille thought most everyone was listening to Pete’s call with one ear. When he hung up the receiver, he was glowing with enthusiasm. “Janie! I’ve been asked to deliver a speech at the rodeo conference next week. They had a last-minute cancellation when Don Gay got sick.”
His wife stood and gave him a hug. “That’s wonderful. You’re finally being recognized for the good job you do. I’m so happy for you.”
“Even better. You haven’t asked where the conference is.” He waited for her to do as he suggested.
“Well?” she prodded.
“Hawaii!” He swept her up and spun her around, then slid her down his body for a kiss.
Camille looked away, knowing their visible love would only increase the hunger she felt.
Everyone at the table began talking about Hawaii, and the pleasure
Griffin felt his stomach sink. Then Jake approached and put a hand on his shoulder. “We really appreciate you giving Camille the lessons. She’s had a rough time lately, what with her father’s death and that skunk of a fiancé.”
Griff frowned. “Did he wipe her money out completely?”
“Just about. We want her to have some fun, especially since she’s been helping the girls out since she got here.”
Griffin knew when he was trapped. He gave up without any more protesting. “Glad to help out,” he muttered, and picked up Brett’s saddle and bridle while the cowboy started brushing down his horse.
“I’ll get that in a minute,” Brett protested, but Griffin didn’t stop.
“I don’t have anything else to do. No problem.”
So he walked away, missing the grins the four Randall brothers shared. After all, they recognized misery when they saw it. They’d all been there, done that and survived to march down the aisle.
CAMILLE HAD CONSIDERED remaining in her room for supper, using her soreness as an excuse, but she realized that was not an option. She would have the four Randall ladies hovering.
And she couldn’t ask for a different seat at dinner without throwing the spotlight on her and Griffin.
She entered the kitchen with Megan just as everyone was sitting down. Griffin stood by the end of the table, waiting for her to sit.
“Are you all right?” he asked softly, leaning toward her after taking his place.
She stiffened, trying to deny the sizzling sensations that filled her. “Yes.”
“I was afraid you’d be sore. I may have pushed you too hard this afternoon.”
“Anna gave me a massage.” She tried to keep her answer to a minimum. She didn’t want an intimate conversation with the man beside her. That wasn’t true. She didn’t want an intimate conversation with the man beside her about horseback riding. Her cheeks flushed as she admitted to herself how interesting another kind of conversation might be.
“Are you running a fever?” he asked.
She glared at him. “No!”
“Everything all right?” Jake asked, leaning toward the two of them.
“Fine!” they snapped back in tandem, then glared at each other again.
- “How did the riding lessons go?” Jake persisted, his gaze sharp.
“Fine,” they repeated together, but their animosity was carefully banked, so their response would sound normal.
Camille suddenly realized everyone at the table was staring at them. With a bright smile, she said, “I didn’t know horses smelled so—so strongly. I may carry some perfume with me tomorrow.”
Smiles and chuckles came in response and several general conversations began, which eased the embarrassing moment. She took a deep breath and shifted away from Griffin’s lean, hard body. She would control her reaction if it was the last thing she did.
She hoped her words weren’t prophetic.
The phone rang. Mildred, closest to it, got up from the table and answered. “Yes, he’s here.” Every man in the room looked up. She held out the receiver and said, “For you, Pete. Long distance.”
Dinner continued, though Camille thought most everyone was listening to Pete’s call with one ear. When he hung up the receiver, he was glowing with enthusiasm. “Janie! I’ve been asked to deliver a speech at the rodeo conference next week. They had a last-minute cancellation when Don Gay got sick.”
His wife stood and gave him a hug. “That’s wonderful. You’re finally being recognized for the good job you do. I’m so happy for you.”
“Even better. You haven’t asked where the conference is.” He waited for her to do as he suggested.
“Well?” she prodded.
“Hawaii!” He swept her up and spun her around, then slid her down his body for a kiss.
Camille looked away, knowing their visible love would only increase the hunger she felt.
Everyone at the table began talking about Hawaii, and the pleasure
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