when he came in.
A pleasurable sensation tingled up Deke’s spine. While he wanted to admonish her for being up and around, he couldn’t bring himself to do so. Making him lunch had been the first nice thing she’d done for him since he’d walked back into her life. It also told him that she’d been checking on his whereabouts. That deepened the feeling of pleasure, and Deke knew he’d have to be very careful to keep his sentiments for Mary Beth under control. “I’mstarving, that’s for sure,” he said, grinning at her. “What about you? Have you eaten yet?”
She shook her head. “I’m not really hungry.”
“Come and keep me company while I eat, then.” He stood and held out his hand to her.
Mary Beth’s first reaction was to rebuke his offer of help. But she tamped down that instinct, thinking if she went along with him, she’d be better off. He’d be leaving soon enough. Knowing that, she wouldn’t be foolish enough to put any real trust in him. And during the time he was here, he could get a lot more done around the ranch than she would be able to do on a bad ankle.
Putting her hand in his, she relied on his strength to help her off the couch. His scent surrounded her, and she quickly let go of his hand and put some space between them so she wouldn’t give in to her desire to lean against him. She was pleased when Deke kept quiet as she used her own fortitude to get to the kitchen. In any case, he was close by her side until she took a seat at the table.
“The sandwiches are in the refrigerator,” she told him, pointing to it.
Deke nodded. He retrieved them, then set the plate on the table and unwrapped the cellophane covering it. Though each sandwich wasn’t loaded with lunch meat, there were a lot of them. Once again, he wondered about her financial status.
It took him a few minutes to get some ice in the glasses and pour the tea she’d prepared, then he moved the pot of vegetable soup to the table. Though Mary Beth had said that she wasn’t hungry, he got an extra bowl and plate from the cabinet, hoping that she’d join him.
He didn’t say anything to her, just put the setting before her along with her drink. “I found another break in your fencing,” he mentioned as he took a seat at the table. “Itjust needed a little repair before it got worse. The cattle are okay, but if it’s all right with you, I thought I’d move them to another pasture tomorrow. It looks like they’ve about done as much grazing as they can where they are.”
“That’ll be fine.” She’d been planning to do that, as well—that is, along with Clyde’s help.
“Why don’t you join me?” he suggested, indicating the soup and sandwiches. “You might not be hungry, but you need to eat. And to tell you the truth, I don’t like eating alone. I do enough of that on the road. It’s kinda nice to share a meal with someone other than the guys on the rodeo.”
Did that mean that he didn’t always have a woman with him? Her heart leaped at the thought as she looked at the food. The smell of the warm soup had stirred her hunger. And maybe she could eat one sandwich. “Okay.” She wondered about his comment.
Don’t be a fool, her mind taunted.
Her lips turned slightly upward as Deke ladled some soup into a bowl for her. She reached for a sandwich. “You should be home spending time with your family. I feel bad keeping you from them.”
He chuckled. “You’re not keeping me from them. Everyone at the ranch is busy working. They don’t stop to entertain me when I come home for a few days.”
“I saw Matt in town last week,” Mary Beth mentioned. “He sure has grown since he came to live at the Bar M.” She’d first met Deke’s nephew over a year ago. Nearly thirteen, he’d come to Crockett in search of the father he never knew. He’d been hitchhiking and she’d given him a ride when he’d asked where the McCalls lived. She hadn’t known then that Catherine, Matt’s mother, had been
A pleasurable sensation tingled up Deke’s spine. While he wanted to admonish her for being up and around, he couldn’t bring himself to do so. Making him lunch had been the first nice thing she’d done for him since he’d walked back into her life. It also told him that she’d been checking on his whereabouts. That deepened the feeling of pleasure, and Deke knew he’d have to be very careful to keep his sentiments for Mary Beth under control. “I’mstarving, that’s for sure,” he said, grinning at her. “What about you? Have you eaten yet?”
She shook her head. “I’m not really hungry.”
“Come and keep me company while I eat, then.” He stood and held out his hand to her.
Mary Beth’s first reaction was to rebuke his offer of help. But she tamped down that instinct, thinking if she went along with him, she’d be better off. He’d be leaving soon enough. Knowing that, she wouldn’t be foolish enough to put any real trust in him. And during the time he was here, he could get a lot more done around the ranch than she would be able to do on a bad ankle.
Putting her hand in his, she relied on his strength to help her off the couch. His scent surrounded her, and she quickly let go of his hand and put some space between them so she wouldn’t give in to her desire to lean against him. She was pleased when Deke kept quiet as she used her own fortitude to get to the kitchen. In any case, he was close by her side until she took a seat at the table.
“The sandwiches are in the refrigerator,” she told him, pointing to it.
Deke nodded. He retrieved them, then set the plate on the table and unwrapped the cellophane covering it. Though each sandwich wasn’t loaded with lunch meat, there were a lot of them. Once again, he wondered about her financial status.
It took him a few minutes to get some ice in the glasses and pour the tea she’d prepared, then he moved the pot of vegetable soup to the table. Though Mary Beth had said that she wasn’t hungry, he got an extra bowl and plate from the cabinet, hoping that she’d join him.
He didn’t say anything to her, just put the setting before her along with her drink. “I found another break in your fencing,” he mentioned as he took a seat at the table. “Itjust needed a little repair before it got worse. The cattle are okay, but if it’s all right with you, I thought I’d move them to another pasture tomorrow. It looks like they’ve about done as much grazing as they can where they are.”
“That’ll be fine.” She’d been planning to do that, as well—that is, along with Clyde’s help.
“Why don’t you join me?” he suggested, indicating the soup and sandwiches. “You might not be hungry, but you need to eat. And to tell you the truth, I don’t like eating alone. I do enough of that on the road. It’s kinda nice to share a meal with someone other than the guys on the rodeo.”
Did that mean that he didn’t always have a woman with him? Her heart leaped at the thought as she looked at the food. The smell of the warm soup had stirred her hunger. And maybe she could eat one sandwich. “Okay.” She wondered about his comment.
Don’t be a fool, her mind taunted.
Her lips turned slightly upward as Deke ladled some soup into a bowl for her. She reached for a sandwich. “You should be home spending time with your family. I feel bad keeping you from them.”
He chuckled. “You’re not keeping me from them. Everyone at the ranch is busy working. They don’t stop to entertain me when I come home for a few days.”
“I saw Matt in town last week,” Mary Beth mentioned. “He sure has grown since he came to live at the Bar M.” She’d first met Deke’s nephew over a year ago. Nearly thirteen, he’d come to Crockett in search of the father he never knew. He’d been hitchhiking and she’d given him a ride when he’d asked where the McCalls lived. She hadn’t known then that Catherine, Matt’s mother, had been
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