“Is that so?”
“Yep.”
“When exactly did you decide this?”
He rubs his clean-shaven chin. “You know it would have to be … officially … after you kissed me.”
“Out of a fit of rage,” I insist.
“You threw yourself at me.”
“To make sure you didn’t get the last word.”
“It was … stirring.”
“An unfortunate side effect.”
Oh no, his smile.
Look away, Roxanne, before it’s too late.
The way the moonlight touches his jaw should be illegal. I have to put a stop to this. “Mr. Faraday?—”
“I wish you would call me Duke.”
My gaze drops. I still can’t bring myself to cross that barrier, and yet I grabbed him and kissed him like we were the last twopeople alive. This man has got me turned upside down in the worst way. “I did kiss you. That was … unprofessional. I apologize.”
The corners of his mouth twitch, as if I’ve said something disappointing and amusing all at once.
Fine, so the kisswasstirring, which is why I needed to apologize for it and make sure it doesn’t happen again. But I also need to clear the air on the other thing bothering me.
“You were right about me, by the way,” I blurt out.
I brace myself for some sassy retort or cocky remark as he basks in the glow of me admitting to being wrong.
“Oh?” is all he says, looking at me with a genuine and curious expression.
“I came here with one foot already on the plane home. I didn’t want to do this, and so I didn’t prepare, but I’m already seeing all that’s at stake with what you’ve got here. I know now that I need to get my head straight.”
Duke is quiet for a beat and then he turns to me. “I’m not sure what happened to you here that made you never want to return, but I know something about not feeling like you can come home. I’m sorry if this is difficult for you.”
“Thank you. I’ll adjust. I have to. I want to do the best possible job here this summer,” I say. “I want to fully capture the essence of Firebird Ranch, and for me to do that, I need to keep things professional. Because honestly, you all are so professional.”
“We do our best,” Duke says, “and still manage to have fun and let loose when we can.”
“It’s more than that,” I continue. “It’s the mission statement, the strict guidelines for conduct—and, well, you’re all so …” I pause, searching for the right words. “I guess I just didn’t expect it.”
Duke’s brow arches, a hint of a smile tugging at his mouth. “Didn’t expect what?”
“That a group of men and women running a ranch in the mountains wouldn’t …”
He grins. “Sound like a bunch of hicks?”
“Not hicks, just…”
“Just not what you thought.”
“I suppose.”
