“How long will it take?” The sooner I got her off the ranch, the better.
“Depends on how bad it is. It could take a few weeks. Maybe longer.”
“Rhett suggested you live here while you work.”
She nodded. “I agree with him. I live about two hours away and the weather turns fast. The roads could become impassable. I understand we’re in a time crunch, so being here would allow me to work longer hours.”
“You’ll be living here. With me and my brother.”
“Understood.” She didn’t flinch when I told her she’d be living here. That alone made me suspicious. What kind of woman agreed to live on a remote ranch with two men without hesitation? Either she was desperate, stupid, or playing an angle. My money was on the latter.
Memories of my ex rose to the surface.
“Before we go any further with this interview, let me make one thing perfectly clear, my brother and I are not up for grabs. If you have any plans to try and get into our beds, you’re out of luck.”
She stared at me for a long moment. Then she said, voice dry, “Mr. King, I’m not exactly fantasy material.”
My first thought was—wanna bet? And that pissed me off because I hadn’t thought about any woman like that in years. The curves she was trying to hide under that professional blouse, the fullness of her lips, those big brown eyes—yeah, she was fantasy material alright. Which made her dangerous.
“My brother is somewhat of a womanizer.”
“Good for him. And I think you are the cold-hearted cowboy, right? So I guess we’re all safe.”
Cold-hearted. If only she knew how right she was. “That’s exactly what I am. Remember that.”
“Let’s set a few ground rules. I’ve got a number of ranch hands, and we work close to the house this time of year. I prefer you don’t go outside unless necessary.”
Her eyebrows rose. “Excuse me?”
“The bunkhouse. Stay away from it. Don’t step foot out there when the men are around.”
“Are you saying your employees are dangerous?”
“I’m saying they’re men. And I don’t need complications.”
“I think your ranch hands will survive my presence without losing their minds.”
She was trying to look all buttoned-up and professional when any man with eyes could see the soft curves and warm skin underneath.
“You’d be surprised,” I said, my voice dropping lower. “Pretty woman shows up on a ranch full of men who haven’t seen one in weeks? You’ll be a distraction. And distractions get people hurt.”
Color rose in her cheeks, but her gaze didn’t waver. “I’ll stay away from the bunkhouse. Any more rules?”
Yeah. Stop looking at me like you’re not afraid of me. Stop making me notice things I don’t want to notice. Stop sitting there smelling like sunshine when I’m trying to remember why I don’t let women close anymore. “No.”
“Good.” She pulled a notepad from her bag. “Can I see the files now?”
“In a minute. I have a few more questions.”
She set the notepad on her lap and waited.
“You married?” I asked.
“No.”
“Boyfriend?”
“That’s none of your business.”
