Lonesome Ryder: Lonesome Ryder / Restaurant Romeo. Carol Finch

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СКАЧАТЬ he noticed a moving shadow in the hall he hurriedly snatched the bedspread over his lap to cover himself.

      He glared at Laura when she stepped uninvited into his bedroom. “Next time try knocking first,” he muttered.

      “Sorry.” Her gaze bounced from his bare chest and bare legs to his face. She blushed, but she moved bravely toward him. “I thought a massage might help you relax.”

      Wade nearly came unglued when she placed her hands on the tense muscles of his neck. “Don’t touch me!” he yelped.

      She snatched her hands away as if she’d been scorched. “I’m only trying to do the job I was hired to do,” she explained as her gaze dipped once again to his chest.

      “Go do it somewhere else.” He clung desperately to the bedspread that concealed his hips. “I don’t want a massage.”

      “You look pretty tensed up to me,” she observed.

      “Maybe it’s because you’re invading my private space when I’m not dressed,” he grumbled, his male pride prodding him. He didn’t want Laura to see his battered and bruised body when, in comparison, she was the picture of health and beauty. This was not helping him feel better about himself.

      She studied him for a pensive moment then smiled down at his scowl. “Know what, Ryder?”

      “No, what, Seymour?” he asked, feeling himself caving beneath her beguiling smile.

      “I still think you’re afraid of me,” she teased playfully. “And you know what else?”

      “I give up. What else?” he questioned, wishing she’d hotfoot it from the room and leave him in peace.

      “I’m going to kill you with kindness while I’m working here. No matter how mean you are to me, you aren’t going to have a single complaint with my work.”

      “Probably not since I’ll be dead,” he countered.

      He hadn’t intended to amuse her with the comment, but apparently he had because she chuckled. “Well, good night then. If you need anything just give a holler. I’ll have your breakfast ready when you get up in the morning.”

      After she exited Wade raked his fingers through his hair and sighed. He wasn’t sure he could keep up this pretense that he disliked Laura when everything in him responded to her disarming smile and her enjoyable companionship.

      Well, he reminded himself as he stretched out gingerly on his bed, he’d just have to try harder to remain remote and distant. He tried to concentrate on ways to alienate Laura, but he was just too exhausted. Sprawled on his back, he fell asleep with forbidden fantasies swirling around his head.

      BY THE TIME WADE HOBBLED into the kitchen the next morning on the crutch he used for balance, Laura had one load of clothes washed and stuffed in the dryer and the rest of the laundry sorted. She also had bacon and pancakes staying warm in the oven.

      “Morning,” she greeted cheerfully.

      Wade mumbled unintelligibly then motioned toward the living room. She presumed he wanted to eat in his recliner so she fixed his plate. Surprisingly he didn’t poke fun at her cooking, just wolfed down the food and asked for more. Although he’d previously announced that he didn’t need her company during meals, Laura grabbed the dust cloth and spiffied up the living room.

      “I really like your ranch,” she said conversationally.

      “It’s mine and you can’t have it,” he replied, flashing her a dark look from beneath lowered brows.

      “Well, shoot, and here I was, ready to write you a check for the place,” she said breezily.

      “Could I have a little more orange juice, ple—” He clamped his mouth shut and glared at her.

      “Sure.” She breezed over to pluck up the empty glass. It amused her that Wade had to force himself not to be polite. She sensed that he wasn’t as mean as he wanted her to think. She’d have to remember that when he purposely goaded her.

      “I thought I’d take a look at your computer programs this afternoon,” she said as she handed him the glass of juice.

      “Fine, whatever,” he mumbled then took a sip.

      “More coffee?” she offered.

      “Yeah, tha—” He closed his mouth and thrust out the cup.

      “If you don’t mind, I’d like to hike around the ranch in my spare time. I haven’t had the chance to go on nature walks or ride horseback since I was a kid at summer camp.”

      “Just don’t scare the cattle. I’m in no condition to stop a stampede.”

      Well, at least he hadn’t forbidden her from looking around the place, she mused. Of course, that was because he wanted her out from underfoot occasionally.

      When she reentered the living room, she noticed Wade had set aside the empty tray and was looking hopelessly lost. She imagined an active man like Wade was having trouble with his sedentary existence. Laura wheeled toward her bedroom to gather a few books that she’d brought with her.

      “Here, these will occupy your time.” She handed him two suspense thrillers for his reading pleasure.

      Wade stared at the books then glanced up at her. “I’m too old for book reports, professor,” he said flippantly.

      “Would you prefer something else to read?”

      “Yeah, Playboy. They’re in my bottom dresser drawer.”

      If he was trying to aggravate her, she’d prove that it was a waste of his time. “Sure thing. Coming right up.”

      He frowned, apparently disappointed that she hadn’t objected. Laura swallowed a smug grin and strode down the hall. She’d never actually had her hands on the men’s magazine before so she thumbed through it on her way back to the living room. She couldn’t help but wonder if the busty and bare bunnies were the types Wade preferred when he was in the mood for female companionship.

      “Find something interesting in there, Seymour?” he asked when he caught her staring at the centerfold.

      “No, Playgirl is more my style,” she insisted saucily. “I plan to pin up a few beefcake posters in my bedroom, as soon as I have time. You don’t mind, do you?”

      “Fine by me. Then maybe you won’t be barging into my room to sneak peeks at me,” he razzed her.

      Her mouth dropped open. “That was not what I was doing last night!” she objected, affronted.

      “Could’ve fooled me,” he said, and grinned wickedly. “I may be crippled up, but I’m not blind. You looked your fill.”

      Her face flooded with color because he was right and they both knew it. She’d definitely looked him over when she saw him sitting on the edge of his bed—arms, legs and chest bare. Having lived with four brothers, she’d seen men in various states of undress. But Wade’s power-packed, muscled body had had more of an arousing effect than she wanted to admit.

      “Well?”

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