Taking Charge (Lone Star Burn #4)(18)

“A package for you, Miss Lucy,” an amused male voice said from the bottom of the steps. She and David jumped apart. “I would have left it without interrupting, but it’s a heavy box, and I’m supposed to have you sign for it.” The postman smiled as he handed the box to David and took out a tablet for Lucy. “Sign right there, if you don’t mind.”

Lucy scanned the box in David’s arms. It had to be from Technically Anonymous Pleasure. After seeing the poor-quality photos for some of the items in the catalogue, Lucy ordered one of everything with the intention of taking pictures for her website. The company was normally discreet with its labels, but Lucy wanted to rip the box away from David just in case. She reluctantly turned her attention to the tablet, signed the electronic form, then handed it back to the postman, who thanked her and left.

Looking at David, she said, “I’ll take that now.”

He bounced the large square box against his chest. “It’s too heavy for you.”

“I don’t want or need your help. Give me the box.” She reached out for it and pulled before he had a chance to release it. Meeting resistance, she pulled harder. His release of the box, along with the way she’d braced herself to pull harder, sent her stumbling backward beneath the weight of it.

And this is how I die, crushed beneath a box of sex toys.

David was beside her in an instant, stopping her fall by putting an arm around her waist. Once she was steady on her feet, he reached for the box. She clutched it to her and started to retreat, but was blocked by the arm still supporting her. Opposing emotions rushed through her. She loved the feel of him against her, loved his strong touch. At the same time, she’d just learned the risk of leaning on anyone, and she was furious with herself for being tempted to do it again.

“Easy, Lucy. I told you it was too heavy.” His amused tone only confused her more.

There is nothing funny about my whole life falling apart and nothing amusing about how desperately I want to make the right choices this time. “And I told you I could handle it.”

David frowned. “Was I supposed to let you fall on your ass?”

“If that’s what I wanted—yes.”

“I can’t do that, Lucy. I’m not the kind of man who can walk away when someone is in trouble.”

Sweat began to bead on Lucy’s forehead from the exertion of holding the ridiculously heavy box. Do they wrap their toys in bricks? She turned to the side and bent to put the box down, but dropped it, barely missing both of their feet. She hated that she hadn’t been strong enough to make her point by holding the box. Tears welled in her eyes.

She knew enough about David’s history with Tony to believe David was sincere. Sarah had told her how David had hunted Tony down when he thought the horse trainer had gone unpunished for a tragedy David had felt was Tony’s fault. Tony had been drinking himself to death when David found him. Another man might have gloated over the irony, but David had not only stayed and sobered Tony up, he had also guided the man back to a career he was gifted in.

But I don’t need to be saved.

I need to do this on my own.

She met his eyes, and for a moment her resolve wavered. He had the kindest eyes she’d ever looked into. What would we be to each other if we’d known each other before all this? If I wasn’t already a tangled mess on the inside?

Why ask myself what might have been, when all I have is here and now?

“Keeping this ranch is my priority now. My only priority. I know how ungrateful that sounds, but I asked you not to come. I warned you. Good-bye, David.”

He bent closer again, so close Lucy’s resolve began to dissolve. “I’m not leaving until I’m sure you’re safe, Lucy. Wyatt hired me to help look after the outbuildings, and I agreed to bring some of my horses over to give work to some of the men who were here today. Wyatt seems to think they’ll need it.”

The room spun. “Wyatt can’t hire you. This is my ranch.”

David caressed the side of Lucy’s face, running the back of his fingers down one side of her neck. “Wyatt’s worried about you. He thinks you need someone to watch over you. I agree.”

The pleasure of his touch confused Lucy. She felt vibrantly alive, and her miserable morning was too easy to forget. No. No. No. She pushed his hand away. “I don’t care what Wyatt thinks, and I don’t care what you do, either. I’m telling you to leave. I don’t want you here.”

“Then why do you look like you want to kiss me so damn much?” he asked.

Lucy turned away from him. She wrapped her arms around herself. She could lie to him and say he was wrong, but they’d both know it wasn’t true. “You say you want to help me, David, but you don’t listen to me. I will save this ranch, and I will do it myself.” She turned back to face him. “Haven’t you ever needed to prove something to yourself so badly that an easier way of doing something was impossible to consider?”

David nodded. “And that was usually right before I fell on my face.”

She sputtered angrily and was about to tell him off when he raised his hand to caress her cheek again. “We’re at a standoff, you and I. My daddy always said the secret to solving a disagreement was finding a compromise both could live with. Wyatt needs help outside, the men who were here today need jobs, and I need to know you’re okay.”