“You live just outside of Denver, if memory serves,” Derek said, his brows furrowing. “On a ranch, right?”
Brody chuckled, a deep tone coming from somewhere in his broad chest, sending a shiver through Claudia’s body. “If you can call it that. I have twenty acres and a small barn, two horses. And just a few goats and some chickens, and a pig I rescued when someone thought they’d gotten one of those baby pot-bellied pigs, then it grew up to be three hundred pounds. I’m hoping to do more rescue work, though.”
“We have an animal rescue here now in case Arrow and Micah didn’t tell you. In fact, Claudia here is good friends with Reese, who runs the rescue. Maybe she’ll take you down to the barn later.”
“Of course,” Claudia said, her cheeks heating at the thought of being alone with him. The intense attraction she’d always felt for him had escalated each time she’d seen him in Dallas, especially after her divorce.
“You two already know each other, I’m told,” Derek said.
“Yeah, we do,” Brody agreed.
“Oh, yes, a little,” she managed to get out.
Derek smiled. “Well, time to get to know each other better, I guess. What luck that you two are meeting up again here, huh?”
Was it her imagination, or was Master Derek up to his old matchmaking again? Not that she and Brody would ever be a match. He was a good eight years younger than she was and looked like he’d been carved by the gods. And she wasn’t in themarket for another relationship. She was finally learning to be happy on her own.
But that body… that face… that voice, that despite being barely into his thirties was full of good humor and command—a devastating combination. And not wanting to pursue a relationship didn’t mean they couldn’t connect, since he was there at the Ranch. Maybe the universe was handing her an opportunity, and she’d be foolish to waste that chance.
“Claudia? When are you done with work?” Brody asked. “I’d like to see the animal rescue if you have time. I could use some pointers on how to get a real rescue set up. I’m sure there are a hundred details I haven’t thought of.”
Derek glanced at his watch. “She should be done in about an hour; just enough time for you to get settled in your room. I’ll have Sadie let Reese know you two will be down. That okay with you, Claudia? Or did you have plans?”
“Only if you’re up to it,” Brody said. “I’m here for six weeks; there’s plenty of time.”
“No, I’m totally free,” she answered. “And Reese and her husband Arlo will definitely be able to help you out with organizing a rescue. I’d be happy to introduce you.”
“Great. I’ll meet you here in the lobby when you’re done working?”
“Sure. Sounds good,” she answered, catching Master Derek’s too-satisfied smile from the corner of her eye. She raised an eyebrow at him so he’d understand she knew what he was up to.
“It’s good to have you here, Brody,” Derek told him with a clap on the shoulder. “We can meet tomorrow to go over your curriculum, and I’ll have Sadie show you your classroom. Ten a.m. work for you?”
“Yep. I’ll be at your office at ten.”
“Excellent. Enjoy the barn. And don’t mind the Littles’ shenanigans. I’d like to be able to assure you there won’t be any,but there are way too many here for me to keep track of them all.”
“I like Littles,” Brody said with a low chuckle. “I find them charming.”
“I’ll do my best to get them to promise not to pull anything involving glitter,” Derek said, grinning. “Biodegradable, of course, but that stuff gets everywhere.”
“I played pro football; I’m sure I can handle a little glitter.”
Claudia watched the exchange between the two men, and Brody’s easy confidence and relaxed manner were maybe the sexiest things about him. She’d always thought so. He was one of those people who got along with pretty much everyone. They’d definitely gotten along well when they were hanging out with his cousin, but she’d been so newly divorced, and she hadn’t had the confidence yet—or the eighteen months of hard work in therapy she’d done since she’d arrived at the Ranch—and she wouldn’t have dared to feed into his flirtatious nature. But now? Now there was a new possibility, if she dared. If he was still interested.
He sure seemed to be if the way he kept smiling at her was any indication.
She’d have to decide what, exactly, she was going to do about him. Or with him. That idea would have seemed insane to her even a year or so ago, but the healing she’d done here at Rawhide Ranch had brought her a very long way from the broken woman she’d been when she arrived.
She watched his easy stride as he moved across the lobby toward the front doors. The man was pure heaven in a muscle-packed body and blue jeans that fit him a little too well that made her tremble with need every time she saw him, and today was no different. She shook her head at her lustful musings.
He’s way too young for you.
But that wouldn’t matter if she simply spent a few evenings with him in the Ranch’s Dungeon. It was about time she worked through her issues around kink, and her therapist at the Ranch, Catherine Denton, had been encouraging her to get back into the Dungeon once she found someone she’d be comfortable with. And she already knew Brody—sort of.
“Claudia, hey!” her friend Luna called out as she approached the desk. She tucked a strand of her mermaid-colored hair behind her ear. “Thank you so much for covering the front desk while I was away.”
“Ah, you’re here early. How was your trip with Drake?”
