house. How bad was it?”
Nick walked to the far side. “Had to replace this whole wall before I could start putting the ceiling panels up. I think you might have termites along with the damage from the storm.”
“Oh no, that’s not good news.”
“The other three walls are okay and the well itself is fine. I’ll go into town and get some termite poison. If you’ve got them here, they’re probably elsewhere too.” The dog ran back up, leaning into Nick’s legs. “Oh, and I made a friend. This one of Noah’s dogs?”
“No, I’ve never seen him before. He’s cute!”
“He’s been helping me, I guess you could say.” He lifted his hat again, feeling his hair matted to his forehead.
“I’m about to go make lunch. If you’re hungry, come take a break. I’ll have it all ready in about thirty minutes, okay?” She went back to the horse, pulling up onto the saddle. “Good work, Nick. Remind me to get you some sunscreen too. You’re cooking out here.”
The mention of it made him feel the sunburn. A cool lake and a beer sounded good. Maybe the Tucker ranch had both. He watched her ride off, noticing her breasts as they rose and fell with the galloping of the horse. Even in her work clothes, she was perfect. Yeah, Nick definitely needed that cool lake. How was he going to keep a professional relationship with her when every time she came around, he couldn’t keep his mind off of her?
Pulling his shirt on, he felt the sting of the cloth against his skin. Wincing, he gathered the tools and threw them in the truck. The dog watched from afar and he patted his leg. “C’mon, boy. Let’s get you some water.”
Amelia was waiting for him on the porch as he pulled in. Holding out a sandwich, Nick took it as if it were a gourmet meal. Between bites he asked, “Where’s Noah and your dad?”
“I sent them to get the termite poison. They were complaining that I never gave them any work to do, so I figured I’d delegate that onto them. Why don’t you come sit down? I’ve got some aloe-vera lotion that we can put on.”
Nick sat at the kitchen table and started on his second sandwich. He washed it down with more tea, amazed at how hungry he was. Amelia came back into the kitchen with a green bottle.
“Sorry it’s just sandwiches. Why don’t you take your shirt off so I can put this on your back while you eat?”
Was she kidding? How was he supposed to respond? Taking another long gulp of tea, he hesitated. “You sure? I can do it.”
“Yes, I’m sure. There’s no way you can reach back here. You’re gonna be wishing for it later.” Grabbing his shirt tale, she helped guide it over his head. “I’m not asking for you to get completely naked. You didn’t seem too timid when we were out at the well house.”
If she only knew the affect it would have on him. Sitting up, he tried to control his breathing as he felt her massage the lotion, first into his shoulders and then down to his shoulder blades. Her hands were so soft and inviting, and he continued to nibble on the sandwich to control himself. The cool feel of the lotion instantly alleviated the burning. She smoothed it down to the middle of his back and back up. He felt himself relax in the chair and he closed his eyes, letting out a low moan as she rubbed on his skin.
A part of him wanted to stand up and get away. It was nothing but harmless lotion on a sunburn, but in his mind, he was turning it into a more thrilling experience that he was certain Amelia wasn’t meaning it to be. She’d be mortified if she could see inside his mind at that moment. The other part of him was winning. He rested his head on the table as she continued.
“Does that feel better?”
“You have no idea,” he replied, scooting up farther to help her reach him.
Amelia couldn’t believe she had the bravery to do this. Asking her new ranch hand to take his shirt off? What was she thinking? And here she was, rubbing the lotion into his back. His strong,
Nick walked to the far side. “Had to replace this whole wall before I could start putting the ceiling panels up. I think you might have termites along with the damage from the storm.”
“Oh no, that’s not good news.”
“The other three walls are okay and the well itself is fine. I’ll go into town and get some termite poison. If you’ve got them here, they’re probably elsewhere too.” The dog ran back up, leaning into Nick’s legs. “Oh, and I made a friend. This one of Noah’s dogs?”
“No, I’ve never seen him before. He’s cute!”
“He’s been helping me, I guess you could say.” He lifted his hat again, feeling his hair matted to his forehead.
“I’m about to go make lunch. If you’re hungry, come take a break. I’ll have it all ready in about thirty minutes, okay?” She went back to the horse, pulling up onto the saddle. “Good work, Nick. Remind me to get you some sunscreen too. You’re cooking out here.”
The mention of it made him feel the sunburn. A cool lake and a beer sounded good. Maybe the Tucker ranch had both. He watched her ride off, noticing her breasts as they rose and fell with the galloping of the horse. Even in her work clothes, she was perfect. Yeah, Nick definitely needed that cool lake. How was he going to keep a professional relationship with her when every time she came around, he couldn’t keep his mind off of her?
Pulling his shirt on, he felt the sting of the cloth against his skin. Wincing, he gathered the tools and threw them in the truck. The dog watched from afar and he patted his leg. “C’mon, boy. Let’s get you some water.”
Amelia was waiting for him on the porch as he pulled in. Holding out a sandwich, Nick took it as if it were a gourmet meal. Between bites he asked, “Where’s Noah and your dad?”
“I sent them to get the termite poison. They were complaining that I never gave them any work to do, so I figured I’d delegate that onto them. Why don’t you come sit down? I’ve got some aloe-vera lotion that we can put on.”
Nick sat at the kitchen table and started on his second sandwich. He washed it down with more tea, amazed at how hungry he was. Amelia came back into the kitchen with a green bottle.
“Sorry it’s just sandwiches. Why don’t you take your shirt off so I can put this on your back while you eat?”
Was she kidding? How was he supposed to respond? Taking another long gulp of tea, he hesitated. “You sure? I can do it.”
“Yes, I’m sure. There’s no way you can reach back here. You’re gonna be wishing for it later.” Grabbing his shirt tale, she helped guide it over his head. “I’m not asking for you to get completely naked. You didn’t seem too timid when we were out at the well house.”
If she only knew the affect it would have on him. Sitting up, he tried to control his breathing as he felt her massage the lotion, first into his shoulders and then down to his shoulder blades. Her hands were so soft and inviting, and he continued to nibble on the sandwich to control himself. The cool feel of the lotion instantly alleviated the burning. She smoothed it down to the middle of his back and back up. He felt himself relax in the chair and he closed his eyes, letting out a low moan as she rubbed on his skin.
A part of him wanted to stand up and get away. It was nothing but harmless lotion on a sunburn, but in his mind, he was turning it into a more thrilling experience that he was certain Amelia wasn’t meaning it to be. She’d be mortified if she could see inside his mind at that moment. The other part of him was winning. He rested his head on the table as she continued.
“Does that feel better?”
“You have no idea,” he replied, scooting up farther to help her reach him.
Amelia couldn’t believe she had the bravery to do this. Asking her new ranch hand to take his shirt off? What was she thinking? And here she was, rubbing the lotion into his back. His strong,
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