“Are you sure you don’t mind?” Niamh fidgets with the truck keys in her hand.
“We can do it tomorrow or the day after,” I assure her. “Your bar and your staff are more important right now.”
The reservation I had for the restaurant in the city can be changed, and as much as I’ve been dying to get this woman alone again since yesterday morning, it can wait. We have time.
We were ready to go when she got a call from Ashley letting her know they were now short-staffed due to two of her staff members coming down with a stomach bug, and while Ashley had tried to manage it, it was too busy.
I understand business, and I know when to push. This isn’t one of those times.
“Okay,” She steps closer, that pretty dress she put on just for me swishing around her legs.
“Did I tell you already how beautiful you are?” I ask her. I don’t think I’ve ever told her.
Her cheeks turn a little pink as she shakes her head.
“You are stunning,” I tell her, “More than that. I never want to look away.”
Pushing onto her toes, she kisses me firmly, slipping her tongue between my lips, but it’s over way too quickly. “I’ll see you later, cowboy.”
My grip on the counter turns firm as I watch her walk away from me, grabbing her cell and purse on the way out, and only when the door shuts behind her do I release my breath and my hold. I feel fucking feral when it comes to her. I never want her to leave. I want her here with me, on me, so far under my skin neither of us will be able to tell where one begins and the other ends.
Running a hand down my face, I start for the office, but sitting behind the desk right now is probably going to make this worse, so I spin and change direction.
A ride. I need a fucking ride, and the fences haven’t been checked today. It’s a long job, meaning I won’t be able to get in that damn truck to follow Niamh into town. I have to remember to give her space. I can’t bewith her twenty-four seven, no matter how much I want to be.
Yanking the door open, I head into the late afternoon sun, my legs eating up the space between here and the barns, but a loud whistle stops me. Silas is heading this way, a thick envelope in his hand.
“Saw Niamh leaving,” He says, “Figured this was a good time to give you this.”
“What is it?”
“Does it look like I opened it?” Silas deadpans.
“Smartass,” I fire back, taking it from him.
“Our lawyer dropped it off this morning.” He adds.
“You want to see what it is?” I ask, but my brother shakes his head.
“Nah, I’ve got a call with a ranch out of town. They’re looking at bringing in a trainer for one of their new filly’s.”
“Alright, I’ll let you know.”
Slipping my finger under the tab, I open the envelope, pulling out the first page so I can see what it is.
Deeds.
I pull the paperwork from the envelope, but as it comes out, a smaller white envelope falls out with it, landing by my feet.
Roman.
The handwriting makes me pause. I’d recognize it anywhere…
Tucking the rest of the paperwork under my arm, I reach down for the letter from my grandfather and turn back around, staring at the envelope like I might beable to see inside without opening. Lowering onto the top step of the porch, I place the deeds beside me and open the envelope.
I know you’re probably pissed at me, but if you’ve got this, it means you did as I asked.
I knew you were smart, and you’d figure it out, it’s why I put that clause in my will, but everything I did was for you, Roman.
