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  “What about the bites?” Cole asked.

  “Those should heal up on their own. I put some blue ointment on them. Leaving you a tub of that as well. They’ll swell up even bigger the next few days, and then they’ll go down. Just keep the ointment on it and it should draw out the poison. He’ll probably have a tough couple of days. Keep an eye on the rest of the herd. We may need to test some more of the calves. Could be he was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. But we’ll make sure. I’ll be back tomorrow with some test kits. The Manyards’ve got a colt coming out breech. Got to get up to their place.”

  Cole shook Doc’s hand, and I hugged him. I’d known him my whole life.

  “Thanks, Doc,” I said.

  “Hold on.” He went out to his truck and trailer and came back with a box. “You’ll need to feed the calf by hand until we know for sure about the mother. Just for a few days. Don’t like to do that, but we’ve got to give those antibiotics a chance to work. Instructions are on the box on how to do it. About every four hours or so. Just a bit at the beginning. Maybe half of what it normally calls for. If he takes it down, increase a little each time.”

  “Thanks again,” Cole said as he took the box.

  Doc left. One of the horses whinnied, and the cow mooed. They were restless. Maybe they could sense the tension in the room.

  “I wanted—”

  “I have to get the horses out to the corral so I can muck the stalls and feed the calf.” His back was to me, but his shoulders were rigid.

  “This won’t take long.” I hopped from foot to foot. Why did he have to make this so difficult? Why did I?

  Because I didn’t want it to end. Memories of the previous night went off in my mind like a paparazzi’s flash. The way his touch burned my skin and lit my body on fire. His tongue—

  Holy hell. Why did I want this to be over? How could I make him understand if I changed my mind myself every five seconds?

  “Yeah. You don’t need to say it.” His voice was gruff. “Last night was a bad idea. A really bad idea. That contract isn’t going to save my job if your grandparents find out. We scratched an itch. It’s done.” He set the box down.

  “An itch? Oh my God. You are such a fucking asshole. I saw your eyes when you made me come. And when you did the same.”

  “Not here,” he said through gritted teeth.

  “Why, because you don’t want it broadcast on Cole television?”

  “No, because I’m working. Some of us do that for a living.”

  “You really are an asshole. I know how to work.” I grabbed the halters he had in his hand.

  “You deal with the calf,” I said. “I’ll take care of the horses. And then you’re going to talk to me like a normal human being. Last night was not a one-night stand. You signed a contract, and I’m going to hold you to it. You promised a month of fucking my brains out. That’s what I want.”

  “The contract says either of us can end it at any time.” He finally turned to face me, but his eyes were narrowed and full of distrust.

  How much of a loser did I really want to be? The guy didn’t want me. And he was right. I was the one who had come down here to end it. But that didn’t keep me from wanting him to want me.

  “Fine. You’re right. It’s best. We scratched an itch. You had your fill of me. I get it. I’m probably not as experienced as the other women you fuck. Though, I’ve never had any complaints before.” I handed him back the halters. “Except that one guy, but his dick was skinny like a pencil, so I don’t think it was my fault. And it was my first time. I couldn’t figure out why Bethany was all like sex is the best thing ever. I thought maybe I was frigid or something. Now your dick—”

  He grabbed my wrist and pulled me into the office.

  “I don’t know who you’ve been fucking, but they’re idiots,” he whispered.

  His mouth crushed mine as he pulled my hands behind my back. The air left my lungs as he plunged his tongue into my mouth.

  …

  The idea of her giving any man what she’d given me pissed me off. I had no right to be jealous. None. But I didn’t want to think about anyone else touching my princess. She was fucking hot and deserved someone who knew how to handle a woman who was reserved on the outside but burning fire on the inside.

  I shoved my hand up her shirt. Her breath caught as I rubbed a thumb across her nipple. God, she made me come undone.

  The mere thought of another man’s hands on her and I was a damn gorilla beating my chest and telling her no. Ridiculous.

  My cell rang, and I pushed away from the wall. Away from her. I growled and then I answered.

  Callie was a vision, with her mussed hair and those swollen lips. For a few moments, she just watched me. Usually, her feelings were easy to read, but not this time. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

  “Cole?” My name came over the cell. I’d forgotten to answer the damn phone after I’d accepted the call.

  “Yeah, Doc.”

  “I’m going to send out Avery to check some of the other cattle. I’m worried about the bacteria spreading. Your boss would have my hide if he lost any cattle because of this. You might want to rustle up some of the others to test the herd. It’s going to be long day.”

  I didn’t hear the rest of what he said. Callie pulled her T-shirt down and grabbed a band to pull up her hair.

  She turned without a backward glance and headed out of the barn. I wanted to say something but couldn’t. It was best if she left.

  But damn if I didn’t want to believe that even though I had a ton of work to do.

  I finished up with the doc and then called Harmon and Tiny to gather the guys.

  Then I texted Callie: Where did you go?

  Promised to help Gran with some charity stuff, she texted back.

  Right. I didn’t say you could go.

  ??? I don’t need your permission, jerk.

  I have work to do, but when I’m done, we are talking.

  She typed back an angry emoji and, Mood swings, much? Find someone else to annoy.

  …

  Nine hours later, we’d tested most of the herd, and none of them were sick. And the mom of the calf was fine. Mr. Llewellyn was worried because we couldn’t figure out where the bacteria had come from, but we were all breathing a bit easier.

  For an old guy, he worked just as hard as everyone else. Herding the cattle, giving them boosters of antibiotics just in case. It had turned into a long, hard job no one had expected, but it worked out for the best.

  “Good job today, son. You catching on that the calf was ill may have saved the herd. Thanks for that.”

  “I guess rattlers are good for something after all. I might not have noticed if it hadn’t been bitten.”

  “Make sure you bag everything and burn it. Don’t want to risk the other animals picking it up.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “You coming up to the house for dinner tonight?”

  I took off my cowboy hat and wiped my forehead with the sleeve from my shirt. Didn’t do much good, the shirt was as wet as my skin. “If it’s all right, sir, I’ll take a pass. I’m thinking shower and then sleeping until tomorrow. That is after I check on the horses.”

  Her grandfather chuckled. “Can’t say I blame you. We worked hard today. I may have my dinner in the bath. That is, if Helen lets me in the house. She may make me shower out in the pool cabana.”

  This time I laughed. Mrs. Llewellyn did like to keep a clean house.

  An hour later, I’d showered. My bones were tired as hell. But my cock was hard.

  I texted Callie: Where are you?

  Studying. And I’m not talking to you. Stop texting me.

  Didn’t blame her for being mad. I’d been a jerk. But this thing with her had only been going on for twenty-four hours, and I was already twisted up. Might be best to let it go. But that wasn’t going to happen.

  What are you studying?

  Sigh

  I snickered.

/>   Come on. I’m sorry. I was an asshole. Why don’t you bring your books, and I’ll help you.

  You don’t even know what it is.

  I need to see you. We can just study.

  She didn’t text back.

  So I typed: You’re mad. So rant. I can take it.

  WTF is wrong with you? You’re the one who told me you’d had enough. Then you kissed the shit out of me and took a phone call. And I told you I’m BUSY.

  You wanted what I gave you. We’re not doing this on the phone. 30 mins. Bring your books and laptop.

  Go F yourself.

  I laughed out loud. Maybe it was a little sick, but I liked when she was all fired up.

  28 mins.

  I shoved my phone in my pocket and took off for my uncle’s house. My sister was at her first slumber party. She’d become friends with one of the girls she’d met while helping Mrs. Llewellyn with charity work. They talked on the phone constantly. Her mother was nice, as was her father. The girl had spent the night at our house two nights ago. She hadn’t balked at the simple three-bedroom ranch house. They’d had fun and I hadn’t seen Addy that happy in a long time.

  I’d talked to the parents again when they’d picked up her friend. Then before I let her go to the party tonight, I’d made Ads pinky-swear there would be no boys involved. And that she’d text me every two hours to check in.

  I still hadn’t heard anything from Callie. So I sent her another text: Meet me at the ranch house. Please. See, I can be nice. Now get your ass over here.

  The princess was about to go to a whole new school. And I couldn’t wait to play teacher.

  Chapter Eleven

  No way in hell I was letting the cowboy order me around. This was just sex. I didn’t like bossy assholes trying to tell me what to do. Sex in the barn, well, that was definitely my kind of thing, and what he’d done to me later in my bedroom… My traitorous body warmed uncontrollably when I thought about it.

  I was in the kitchen grabbing a water from the fridge when he texted me another ultimatum. I didn’t want to be turned on, but I was. What kind of punishment was he thinking about? And I also did need help with my finance homework. And he’d signed an NDA, so he couldn’t tell anyone what I was studying.

  “Hey, hon, will you be here for dinner tonight?” Rosalee asked. I nearly jumped out of my skin. Thank God, the fridge door hid me.

  I thought about Cole’s order and checked the time on my phone. “I need to run some errands and visit a friend of mine. But I’d love to take something to go.”

  “Sure. I’ll make you up a little basket.”

  “You don’t have to go to all that trouble. I can do it,” I said.

  “Shoo. Shoo. You know I don’t like you messing around in my kitchen. Only your grandmother is allowed in here. Give me ten minutes and I’ll have it ready.”

  Rosalee was part Mexican and part German, you just didn’t mess with her or her kitchen. When I was a kid, I’d tried to be helpful and put the dishes away once. I put the forks in the wrong drawer and thought she was going to have a cow. After that, I was only allowed in when my grandmother could supervise. Between the two of them, they made Bethany’s OCD look silly.

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  I ran back upstairs to throw my books and laptop in my backpack. Then I decided to change. I threw on some short shorts, flip-flops, and a top that tied under my breasts. I’d spent enough time outside that I was no longer blindingly white.

  I thought about putting makeup on, but I didn’t think Cole cared about that sort of thing. The shorts alone were enough to make him suffer.

  Twenty minutes later, I pulled my car up in front of the foreman’s house. It was a quaint three-bedroom red-brick house with black shutters and cream trim. My grandfather made sure all the houses on the ranch were kept up. He liked things to always look nice.

  I stood on the front porch but paused before I knocked on the door. What if someone saw my car and wondered why I was down here? I was a selfish bitch sometimes, but I would never do anything to harm Cole and Addy. Even if he did piss me off every other minute. My need for more of what he was willing to give me really could cause a world of hurt. That knowledge sank into me like a lump of not-so-great cookie dough.

  I should go. Let the contract be broken.

  The door opened before I could turn around and leave. He leaned on the doorframe in his low-riding jeans and nothing else. No shirt. No shoes. And all I could think about was servicing him. Eating him up from the top of his head to his toes.

  “Afraid, Princess?”

  I cocked an eyebrow. “As if.”

  “Then come on in.” The challenge was there in his eyes, like he knew what I’d been thinking and he didn’t care. I was entering the lone wolf’s den, worried I might actually be dinner.

  “You’re late.”

  I glanced down at my phone, shaking ever so slightly in my hand. Warmth uncurled low in my belly.

  “Just barely. I was worried what might happen if someone saw my car.”

  “I saw you through the bay window.” He shut the door. “If anyone asks, just tell them you were here to see my sister. But no one ever comes out here. You don’t need to worry.”

  I took a deep breath.

  “I brought dinner.” I held up the basket.

  He took it from me. “Hmm. Your poor time-management might be forgiven if Rosalee threw some cookies in here.” I followed him into the kitchen.

  I’d noticed that he kept things pretty clean. I wasn’t sure what I’d expected, but even though some of the furnishings were kind of dated, it was well kept.

  “It’s a possibility,” I said about the cookies.

  “So why are you mad?”

  “I don’t know, maybe because you referred to what happened between us as scratching an itch.”

  He grunted. “Yep. I was tired and a jerk. I’m still tired, but I’m sorry.”

  I sat down on one of the barstools. “You’re probably used to this sort of thing, but I told you I…uh, don’t have a lot of practice with sex.” Truer words were never spoken. “What happened was more intense than— I’m making a mess of this. I want to keep going. I just felt like maybe, from the way you were acting, that I hadn’t— This is so embarrassing. Maybe you like women with a little more experience.”

  He’d been holding a bottle opener, and it dropped out of his hands. He came around the corner and put his hands on my shoulders. “Babe, you are more than enough woman for me. I was a jerk. It was intense, and it was more than I was expecting, too. It scared the hell out of me.”

  “It did?”

  “Yep.”

  I took a deep breath. “So does that mean we get to do it again?”

  “Oh yeah,” he said. “But first we’re going to eat. You need your strength.” He kissed my cheek. “Do you want a beer or a soda?”

  “Beer.”

  “So what are you studying?” he asked as he set out plates and silverware on the bar. Then he put the food containers on there.

  I sighed. “If I tell you, you have to pinky swear you won’t tell anyone.”

  He gave a slow grin. “Pinky swears are kind of sacred in the Keller household. Addy has to tell me the truth about everything if we pinky swear.”

  I shut my eyes. “Well, this is a secret that only one other person knows. It would kill my family if they found out.”

  He frowned. “You can tell me. Really.” He held out his pinky. “I swear.”

  It was silly, but I wrapped mine around his. “Thanks.”

  “I sort of messed up with school, especially with one class. It’s the first time I’ve ever failed at academics.” I threw my hands in front of my face. “It’s so embarrassing. Shit. I can’t even get the words out.”

  “Hey.” He came back around and took me in his arms. “I won’t judge you. No matter what.”

  “Finance. It killed me. I flunked the final and the class. It just didn’t click with me, and I feel so stupid. I always felt
like I was someone who could learn anything from a book. Like I might not be perfect at it, but I could figure it out. But it’s like reading Japanese or something to me.”

  He guided me back to the barstool. “Well, that’s definitely something I can help you with if you want. My major, when I was in school, was finance and accounting.”

  “Huh. I figured you were into agriculture or something. You seem to know so much about running the ranch.”

  He coughed. “Can I be honest with you about something? And you swear you won’t say anything?”

  What could it be? “I signed a contract that says I can’t say anything about what we do or talk about. So whatever your secret is, it’s safe with me. And I just bared my soul to you, so it might even make me feel better.”

  “Hell, I don’t know much about ranching. But I do know how to run a business. I’ve been learning since I was a kid by working all kinds of odd jobs everywhere from in garages and pet stores to restaurants. I even spent a summer working at a call center for a cable company. But I’m good at organizing things, and that’s all the ranch needed. Well, the records were organized, but they needed an easier system than paper ledgers. The animals like me, which is sheer dumb luck.”

  He paused. “Sorry. This is about you. That was my long way of saying I can help. I promise. I also tutored on the side in school to make extra cash.”

  “You’re the only one who knows. I couldn’t even tell my friend Bethany.”

  He took my hands in his. “And you’re worried your grandparents are going to disown you if you fail a class? You’re just on probation, right? They didn’t kick you out?”

  I shook my head. “Nah. I’m not worried about being disowned. I just don’t want to disappoint them. They have such faith in me, and they want me to take over the empire some day.” I pulled my hands from his.

  “That’s a lot of pressure to put on yourself.”

  “It is what it is. I’m privileged. No one knows that more than I do. I will live up to their expectations. I have to. My future has been planned out for me since my parents died.”