The Cowbear's Curvy Christmas (Curvy Bear Ranch 2) by Liv Brywood Page A

leaving. Did you think we’d cuddle afterward?”
    “I thought you’d want to at least lie here for a minute.”
    She took a breath and blew it out. If she let Mack hold her now, she’d burst into tears. She couldn’t let him think he’d hired an unstable, hysterical woman, even if it was the truth.
    “I need to start prepping dinner.”
    As she pulled the sweater over her head, he stood and took her hand. “Did I miss something?”
    “No. I wanted you. You wanted me. We had sex. End of story.”
    “Madison.”
    She gave him a sharp look. “Don’t. Please, just take it for what it was—meaningless sex.”
    He frowned. “I don’t appreciate being used like a stallion.”
    “That’s such bullshit. You wanted me just as bad as I wanted you. But you were right about one thing.”
    “What?”
    “We need to stop doing this,” she said.
    “Sex?”
    “Yes. I don’t understand why it’s so easy to want you, but I need this job. Sex will just mess everything up.”
    He slowly drew on his pants. “If that’s what you want, fine. But don’t pull this crap of seducing me and then pretending you didn’t want me. At least give me the courtesy of not being a liar.”
    She drew back as if he’d slapped her. “I’m not a liar.”
    “Aren’t you?”
    He pushed past her and climbed down the ladder. When he reached the bottom, he scowled up at her and opened his mouth as if to say something. He shook his head, pressed his lips together, and stomped off.
    The pit of her stomach dropped. She’d acted like a crazy bitch, and for what? Mack didn’t deserve to be pulled into her mess. She shouldn’t have taken her frustration out on him. She’d be lucky if he didn’t send her home tonight. And why not? Who would want an unstable crazy person running their business?
     
    ***
     
    Mack avoided looking at Madison through the first half of dinner. He didn’t comment on the dried-out mashed potatoes or the tough-as-hell steak. He ignored the mushy carrots and burnt dinner rolls. But he couldn’t ignore the anger and confusion swirling in his belly. He wasn’t one to misread a woman’s signals, and he never would have had sex with her if she’d given him any indication that she wasn’t completely into it. So why the hell had she pushed him away?
    “Please pass the butter,” Madison said.
    Mack picked up the small tray and handed it to her. As she grasped it, their fingers brushed. Their gazes met for a second before she looked down.
    Logan said, “Steak’s pretty good.”
    “I burned it.” Madison’s dejected tone was so unlike her usual bubbliness that Drew and Logan looked up.
    “Hey, don’t worry. We’ve had our fair share of steak that could double as charcoal,” Logan said.
    Mack shot him a withering look. Logan shrugged his shoulders.
    Drew asked, “How did everything go today?”
    “Fine,” she said.
    Drew threw Mack a questioning look. Mack shook his head as if to say, Drop it .
    Madison pushed back from the table and picked up her half-eaten plate of food. “I’ll be back later to clean up.”
    “Are you feeling okay?” Mack asked.
    “I just need to lie down.”
    After she left the room Logan asked, “What’s up with her?”
    “I don’t know,” Mack answered.
    “Well, something happened.”
    Mack balled up his napkin and stood. “I’ll go check on her.”
    “I bet you will,” Logan mumbled under his breath.
    Mack ignored him. He’d deal with his brother later. Right now, his concern for Madison outweighed everything else.
    He took the stairs, then followed the hall until he reached her room. As he knocked softly he asked, “Can I come in?”
    “Not now, Mack.”
    “I know something’s wrong,” he said.
    Through the door, he heard her sniff. His restless bear’s desire to protect her overwhelmed his desire to respect her space.
    With a sigh, he turned the doorknob and peeked in. “I’m coming in, okay?”
    When she didn’t answer, he stepped into the room. He found her