Wanted!. Vicki Thompson Lewis

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СКАЧАТЬ where I’d have a better chance of finding it.”

      Nick almost choked as he swallowed a laugh. Damned if she hadn’t told the truth. He was really starting to like this woman.

      “I see.” Jack folded his hands over the saddle horn and studied the scene. “In my experience, wildlife tends to come out at dawn and dusk.”

      Nick shrugged. “Usually, but it was worth a shot to accommodate a ranch guest.”

      “And it’s a lovely spot,” added Miss Jeffries.

      “Yes ma’am, it is.” Jack gave Nick another dirty look. When Nick and Gabe were in high school, they’d each claimed a make-out spot on the ranch. Jack had been their accomplice back then, supplying condoms from his personal stash and handing out sexual advice from his lofty, nonvirginal perch.

      Nick wished the old Jack had shown up in the clearing instead of this new version. The old Jack would have smiled knowingly and headed back to the ranch house.

      The new Jack glared at Nick with obvious disapproval. “I’d like those postholes dug today. The posts and wire should arrive this afternoon.”

      Nick met his gaze. “It’ll get done.”

      “I surely do hope so. We’ve needed a fence out here for a long time.”

      Nick was willing to argue the point, but not at the moment.

      Jack glanced up through the trees at the sun. The guy never wore a watch, never needed to. “It’s late. Mary Lou’s probably dishing up. You two better head back or you’ll miss lunch.”

      “We’ll do that.”

      “See you there.” Jack touched the brim of his hat again. “Ma’am.” Then he wheeled his horse around and cantered down the narrow road.

      Nick wished she wasn’t standing there watching Jack go with such apparent fascination. Jack might be bossy and abrupt these days, but women were still drawn to him. They always had been. For all Nick knew, Miss Jeffries might wish she’d thrown her loop at Jack Chance instead of some nameless cowboy wielding a posthole digger.

      She turned to Nick. “What do you call that color horse?”

      “Bandit’s a paint. That’s what we breed on this ranch.” So maybe she’d been admiring the horse instead of the man.

      “Show horses?”

      “Can be. But we train and sell them as cutting horses, which means they—”

      “I know what that is. I saw City Slickers.” She ruffled her hair with her fingers again. “I think Mr. Chance had a pretty good idea what we’ve been up to.”

      “Probably.”

      “The way you talked back to him, I’m amazed you still have a job. Or maybe he didn’t want to fire you in front of me. I’m perfectly willing to cover for you, but an employee needs to watch his attitude.”

      “Guess so.”

      “Yours was kind of belligerent, if you don’t mind my saying.”

      Nick decided the game was over. “He can’t fire me. I’m his brother.”

      Her eyes widened. “You’re one of the Chance boys?”

      “‘Fraid I am.”

      “But.you were out here slaving away as if…”

      “I know. It’s a problem these days. Apparently Jack grieves by working around the clock, which is fine, except he insists the rest of us do the same. I’d rather not have a showdown with him, which wouldn’t help morale, either.”

      She groaned. “And I’ve only made things worse between you during a tough time for your family. I’m so sorry.”

      “Hey.” He rested his hands on her shoulders and looked into her eyes. “I’m a big boy and I make my own decisions. I don’t for a second regret what we just shared. In fact, I was thinking that since you’ll be here for five nights, we might—”

      “Oh, no.” She stepped back, out of range of his touch.

      “What do you mean, no ? Didn’t you enjoy yourself? Scratch that. I know for a fact you enjoyed yourself. You couldn’t fake that kind of reaction.”

      “But I thought you were one of the hired hands. Sure, I knew I might see you again while I’m here, but we’d pretend nothing happened so you wouldn’t get fired for dallying with a guest.”

      He was picking up the drift of her comments, and he didn’t like the implication. “So you bagged your cowboy, and now you’re done?”

      Her brow furrowed. “I told you I didn’t expect anything to come of this.”

      “Yeah, but that doesn’t mean it has to end with one brief moment in the woods! Hell, we’ll be sleeping under the same roof!”

      “Even more reason not to take this any further, especially with your brother monitoring everything that happens on the ranch. I don’t want to be the cause of more friction between you two.”

      “Why don’t you let me worry about that?” Nick was wondering if he could manufacture a necessary business trip for his dear brother, who was becoming an obstacle to all things happy.

      “Let’s just leave it alone. What we had today was perfect. I don’t want to spoil it by turning it into some … some complicated maneuver.”

      Nick blew out a breath. “It doesn’t have to be complicated. It could be very simple. I become your date for the time you’re here and I inform my overbearing brother that it’s none of his business what goes on between us.”

      “I don’t think—”

      “Look, I understand that you’ll return to your life in Indianapolis in five days, and I’m cool with that.”

      “I’m not so sure I’d be. I don’t trust myself not to get in over my head. I can’t take that risk.”

      Nick gazed at her. “But you were willing to have outdoor sex with an anonymous cowboy.”

      “Yes. But now I intend to rein myself in.”

      “That’s too bad. Plus, what else are you going to do while you’re here? The skiing is lousy in June and I’m way more fun than a horseback ride or an all-day hike.”

      Her lips twitched, as if she wanted to smile but wouldn’t quite let herself.

      “Think about it, Miss Jeffries. In the meantime, let’s hightail it to the ranch house before all the food’s gone. I don’t know about you, but I’ve worked up an appetite.”

      “Me, too, Mr. Chance.” With a little grin, she walked toward the truck.

      He had to clench his hands into fists to keep from grabbing her and kissing her until she melted against him the way she had earlier. СКАЧАТЬ