The Rancher's Rules

She nodded, clearly ready to do just that.

He stopped at the door. “I could take you. I need to go into town tomorrow and apologize to Carlene anyway.”

She pondered the question a lot longer than he’d expected. He wanted to demand what was taking her so long to decide if she wanted his company, but something held him back.

“I guess that would be okay. If you are sure you want to.”

Stung by her lackluster attitude toward spending time with him, his response came out more sharply than he’d intended. “Don’t sound so happy to have my company.”

She smiled sleepily at him. “Go home. You’re tired and cranky.”

She was probably right. What else would explain his current bad mood? “I’m going. What time do you want me to pick you up?”

She looked at the clock on the VCR and then back at him. “Not too early.”

“Fine. You going to come lock the door behind me?”

She groaned, but got out of bed. He wished he had not said anything. Her oversized sleepshirt draped off nipples that had hardened when she’d slipped out from the warm cocoon of blankets. He could not drag his eyes away from the sight of the hard nubs pressing against the stretchy fabric.

His hand itched to reach out and brush first one and then the other. Then he would cup the fullness around them and caress it until she moaned like she had on his couch and rubbed her delectable body against his. He would then slide his hands down to caress the smooth skin below the hemline of her shirt, letting his fingertips glide under to touch the fleshy curve of her behind. His breathing grew ragged and he felt his penis pressing against the buttons of his fly.

“Grant?”

He shifted his unfocused gaze to her face and tried to make out her expression through the passionate haze blurring his vision. “Huh?”

“Are you okay?”

The genuine concern in her voice snapped him into focus. What the hell was he thinking? He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Yeah. Just tired, I guess.”

She cocked her head to one side and looked at him. “Are you sure?”

He kept his eyes firmly on her face. “Yeah.”

He turned and headed for the front door. She followed him, her bare feet slapping against the ceramic tile of the hall.

They said goodnight at the door, and it took more self-discipline than getting out of bed at the crack of dawn to muck stalls not to kiss her soft lips before he turned to leave.

CHAPTER SEVEN

ZOE stumbled into the kitchen, only half awake. Staying up watching The Quiet Man with Grant might not have been the smartest thing to do last night.

She hated apartment-hunting. Grant was right. She needed to buy a house. It was ridiculous to hold onto the belief that buying a house was something you did after you were married and had started talking about having a family.

Even if she found homes for all her pets, like she had for Bud, she knew it wouldn’t take long to get herself back into the same predicament. She had no desire to live alone, and didn’t like being limited on the number and type of animals she kept.

She slumped in the kitchen chair. She had been saving for a trip to Europe since her first paycheck. Her dad would say that was impractical. Maybe it was time to earmark that money for something more lasting and practical.

Something like a place to live.

Even with her savings, she didn’t have enough for a decent down payment. But Grant had been right about something else too. Her parents would help her. If she asked. That was a bridge she’d have to cross later. She still needed to find a rental. It would take a miracle to find a house to buy, close on it and move in before the Pattersons returned.

She stood up, fumbled for the coffeepot and then filled it in the sink. Opening the canister of coffee she had brought with her, her nose perked at the vanilla nut aroma. Princess and Alexander rubbed against her legs.

She couldn’t imagine life without her cats. “Morning, guys. Want some coffee? No? You don’t know what you’re missing.” Zoe turned on the coffeepot. The sound of water filling the filter chamber lifted her spirits.

She opened a can of cat food and split it between Princess and Alexander’s dishes. “How about breakfast?”

The cats walked regally to their dishes and sniffed delicately at the food before condescending to eat. Zoe smiled. “One of these days I’m going to give you some off-brand cat food and watch in glee when you eat it without being able to tell the difference.”

Her pets ignored the empty threat.

She poured herself a cup of coffee, feeling decadent when she added flavored creamer. She took a sip, and savored the sweet concoction as its warmth slid over her tongue. Sighing with pleasure, she locked both hands around the steaming mug. Taking a few more sips, she gradually woke up.