Cole stared down, shocked, and then impressed that this little person had the guts to lay into him when no one besides his mother and father had ever done so.
He bit back a smile and decided she was damn cute when she was pissed.He hadn’t enjoyed a good argument with anyone in years.Most people were afraid to fight with him.He knew he was being rude, but he was having fun and wanted to keep poking at her.
“I wouldn’t have to ask again if you’d just answer the damn question,” he barked.
Victoria growled low in her throat and crossed her arms over her chest.
“Well, that answers one of my questions,” he said, and his lips twisted into a smirk.
She frowned.“What are you talking about?”
“You have breasts, so you’re full-grown or close to it.”
An audible gasp escaped her mouth.She looked down and saw what he meant.Her arms had lifted her breasts, plumping them.She dropped her arms as a blush spread across her face.
“Of all the...”she hissed.
“Are you even out of high school yet?”Cole knew she was definitely a woman.He also knew he shouldn’t have enjoyed pissing her off so much, but she was so easily riled.
Victoria gritted her teeth and took a breath.“Well,Daddy,” she said snidely and put her hands on her hips.“Let’s just say you’re way older than I am and leave it at that.Shall we?”
His eyes narrowed on her, sending a shiver of awareness down her spine at the very male, very dominant look on his face.He gritted his teeth to help hold back a grin, tried to look stern, and crossed his arms over his chest.
“Daddy?”he asked with a lifted brow.
“Sure.Since I’m so young, that would make you really old.”
Brownie chuckled as he walked past them and behind the counter.“I see you two have met,” he interrupted.
They both said no and continued to glare at each other.
Brownie cleared his throat.“Well, let me introduce you.Cole Conley, this is your new next-door neighbor, Victoria Robertson.She’s Lester’s kin and—”
Cole dropped his arms and interrupted Brownie.“The person taking over Lester’s ranch is supposed to be a guy named Victor.”
The smirk on Victoria’s face grew.“It’s Victoria, not Victor.”
Cole’s brows came down in a frown.“There’s no way.Not only are you extremely young, but you’re also too damn small.”
Victoria’s brows went up, and her mouth twisted into a smile.“I’m not that young.I’m twenty-six.How about you?”
His hands went to his hips as his mind raced.“I’m thirty-two,” he said vaguely.His face brightened.This might be the best thing to happen.As young and beautiful as she was, she wouldn’t want to be stuck on a ranch in the middle of nowhere for long, and she would be more inclined to sell to him.
He tried to ease the anger, humor, and need coursing through his body.He cleared his throat and tried to fix the angst he’d caused between the two of them.
“I’m sorry, we got off on the wrong foot.My name is Cole Conley.”
Victoria looked at his hand like she would a snake before she reluctantly lifted her own hand.
“I’m Victoria Robertson.”She gasped at the spark that stung the palm of her hand and tried to jerk away from him.
Cole grinned after the first shock of attraction.Holy shit.He’d heard about this kind of thing but never experienced it until that moment.Now he guessed he’d be sad to see her go once he bought the ranch.The sizzle between them was amazing.Maybe she would consider finding a job in town until he could get her out of his system.
He knew he sounded like an arrogant prick, but he’d gotten every woman he set out to get very easily.Getting into this one’s pants should be effortless.He was thrilled that she was visibly affected, too.She pulled her hand.He squeezed it one more time before he released.
Brownie finally cleared his throat.
“Here you go, little lady.”He added it to the sack on the counter.“I’ll just put it on your account.”
