been trying their hardest."
Feeling hopeless and helpless, she slumped down to sit on the straw. Bessy gave what Shawna interpreted as a sympathetic whimper and moved back to the other end of the stall. What were they going to do? Where could they go? And they had less than three weeks now to figure something out. February 1 hung heavy over their heads. She knew there would be no way a new corporate buyer would keep them on, no matter how much Cade denied that. And winter was a pitiful time to be out looking for new jobs on a ranch.
She closed her eyes and thought about the banker's suggestion about them buying another small ranch he knew was for sell. For the money they could raise, it had to be really small. She supposed the size shouldn't matter. They just needed a fresh start, somewhere to dig in for a while. They needed a home. But she didn't want to leave the Rolling Hills Ranch. So many memories were here. Her father was buried in the old family cemetery on the north quarter. She didn't really want to think about another ranch. And how foolish is that!
"Stupid Calloway," she muttered. "Walk in here like the big shot executive you are. Cold hearted. Used to getting your way all the time. Come in here and destroy everything. I hate you. I really hate you."
Then she thought about how he'd put aside his work life and come here out of concern for her. Silly man. She'd been taking care of herself just fine. Okay, not so fine. But he'd strutted in here with all of his ridiculous medicines and determination to get her on her feet again. He put up with her crankiness, with her demands to leave. He'd ignored it all and simply taken care of her. He'd even sat by her side for hours on end while she'd fought fever after fever. He'd wiped her brow, forced chicken soup down her. His touch had been unusually gentle. Okay, his touch when he'd spanked her hadn't been all that gentle. Yet, in spite of that, she wanted to feel his tempting mouth on hers, wanted to have those big hands touch her in more intimate places, wanted to...
Stop! Just stop! She couldn't keep thinking these kinds of things about the man who would soon ruin her life. No, she should be thinking about trying to seduce him. Maybe if...
She snorted. Who are you kidding? That was the stupidest idea she'd had in a long time. The man was a world-class playboy. She'd seen his pictures in magazines, in newspapers, and on TV. Some of the most beautiful women in the world were known to cling to his arm at one fancy event or another. And, no doubt, many of them had warmed his bed. An idea she definitely didn't like thinking about. No, he would never even look twice at a simple country gal like her.
But he has. Looked at you with lust. Her mind was playing games with her. Sure, she'd seen heat in his gaze now and then. But he was a man. It didn't take much for a man to get aroused. She sure knew that from experience with her ex-fiance. Cade had also looked at her plenty of times in anger and irritation, too. Still, maybe... No! Not possible.
Disgusted with even thinking of such a crazy notion, she got to her feet, swayed a bit, and then made her way out of the stall. Time to get back to reality. Time to...
The stable doors opened and she froze. A stream of men poured inside the building, stomping around on the cement floor to get rid of snow covering their boots. Cade and Scott led the group. Even as she tried to remain perfectly still and pray not to be noticed, they both spotted her at the other end of the long walkway between the two dozen stalls.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Cade growled and strode straight toward her. Six foot something of very angry man.
She bristled, annoyed at how her heart skipped happily at the sight of him. "I came to check on Bessy."
"Didn't I tell you to stay in bed?"
"We've been taking good care of Bessy. You knew we would," Scott stated, sounding equally irritated, walking right behind Cade. Make that two big, angry men.
She
Feeling hopeless and helpless, she slumped down to sit on the straw. Bessy gave what Shawna interpreted as a sympathetic whimper and moved back to the other end of the stall. What were they going to do? Where could they go? And they had less than three weeks now to figure something out. February 1 hung heavy over their heads. She knew there would be no way a new corporate buyer would keep them on, no matter how much Cade denied that. And winter was a pitiful time to be out looking for new jobs on a ranch.
She closed her eyes and thought about the banker's suggestion about them buying another small ranch he knew was for sell. For the money they could raise, it had to be really small. She supposed the size shouldn't matter. They just needed a fresh start, somewhere to dig in for a while. They needed a home. But she didn't want to leave the Rolling Hills Ranch. So many memories were here. Her father was buried in the old family cemetery on the north quarter. She didn't really want to think about another ranch. And how foolish is that!
"Stupid Calloway," she muttered. "Walk in here like the big shot executive you are. Cold hearted. Used to getting your way all the time. Come in here and destroy everything. I hate you. I really hate you."
Then she thought about how he'd put aside his work life and come here out of concern for her. Silly man. She'd been taking care of herself just fine. Okay, not so fine. But he'd strutted in here with all of his ridiculous medicines and determination to get her on her feet again. He put up with her crankiness, with her demands to leave. He'd ignored it all and simply taken care of her. He'd even sat by her side for hours on end while she'd fought fever after fever. He'd wiped her brow, forced chicken soup down her. His touch had been unusually gentle. Okay, his touch when he'd spanked her hadn't been all that gentle. Yet, in spite of that, she wanted to feel his tempting mouth on hers, wanted to have those big hands touch her in more intimate places, wanted to...
Stop! Just stop! She couldn't keep thinking these kinds of things about the man who would soon ruin her life. No, she should be thinking about trying to seduce him. Maybe if...
She snorted. Who are you kidding? That was the stupidest idea she'd had in a long time. The man was a world-class playboy. She'd seen his pictures in magazines, in newspapers, and on TV. Some of the most beautiful women in the world were known to cling to his arm at one fancy event or another. And, no doubt, many of them had warmed his bed. An idea she definitely didn't like thinking about. No, he would never even look twice at a simple country gal like her.
But he has. Looked at you with lust. Her mind was playing games with her. Sure, she'd seen heat in his gaze now and then. But he was a man. It didn't take much for a man to get aroused. She sure knew that from experience with her ex-fiance. Cade had also looked at her plenty of times in anger and irritation, too. Still, maybe... No! Not possible.
Disgusted with even thinking of such a crazy notion, she got to her feet, swayed a bit, and then made her way out of the stall. Time to get back to reality. Time to...
The stable doors opened and she froze. A stream of men poured inside the building, stomping around on the cement floor to get rid of snow covering their boots. Cade and Scott led the group. Even as she tried to remain perfectly still and pray not to be noticed, they both spotted her at the other end of the long walkway between the two dozen stalls.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Cade growled and strode straight toward her. Six foot something of very angry man.
She bristled, annoyed at how her heart skipped happily at the sight of him. "I came to check on Bessy."
"Didn't I tell you to stay in bed?"
"We've been taking good care of Bessy. You knew we would," Scott stated, sounding equally irritated, walking right behind Cade. Make that two big, angry men.
She
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