Taking Charge (Lone Star Burn #4)(19)

He ran a mesmerizing thumb across her parted lips. “You need to save the ranch on your own. What if I promise I won’t step in to help again unless you ask me to, and in return you let me pay for the use of your barns and fields to train my horses.”

“You can’t pay me. I owe you money.”

“Then charge me and deduct as we go. I’ll pay you a fair rate for the lease of your facility.”

“Why would you do that?” Besides to sleep with me, because that can’t happen.

As if he heard her, he dropped his hand and stepped back. The sadness she felt at the absence of his touch was as confusing as fighting the pleasure from it had been. “I’ve been thinking about getting my own place for a while. This would be a way to test how I like it. Working with Tony has been good for me, but like you, it’s time for me to see what I can do on my own.”

“You can’t stay in the main house.” Lucy blushed right after she blurted her thought out.

A slow smile spread across his face. “Wyatt suggested I stay in the old workers’ quarters. None of the men who were here today will be looking to stay there. It’ll be perfect.”

Perfectly crazy.

Am I honestly considering this? “If I say yes, it doesn’t mean I’m agreeing to anything else. I want to be clear about that.”

A twinkle lit his eyes. “Why, Miss Lucy, what else might I think you were agreeing to?”

A reluctant smile pulled at the corners of Lucy’s mouth, but she pressed her lips together and told herself to be strong. Knight-in-shining-armor David was difficult enough to resist, so any hint of naughty playfulness put Lucy at risk of stripping right then and there and begging him to take her. She hoped he couldn’t see the need in her eyes when she said, “I really do have a lot of work to do.”

He replaced his hat, tipped it politely, and sauntered out the door.

After he was gone, Lucy sat down heavily on the box in her hallway. I said David could work here.

It’s proof that I’ve lost my mind.

She remembered how perfectly his Levis had hugged his tight ass and muscular thighs. David would likely be working with his horses in the paddocks across from her house.

Talk about an office with a view.



David smiled his way back to his truck to get the overnight bag he’d thrown in there impulsively that morning. He could have left his things at the hotel he’d checked in to, but a smart man was prepared for all possibilities. He’d shower, change, make a few calls, then collect the rest of his things from the hotel after Wyatt returned.

She said yes.

His expression sobered when he thought about why he didn’t want Lucy to be alone. He studied the main house. The sheer size of it was testament to the success Lucy’s family must have once had with cattle ranching. Years of neglect, though, had diminished its value. Alone, it didn’t seem valuable enough to merit York’s level of interest.

Wyatt had said York wanted the land. David scanned the rolling fields beyond the house. During his first visit, he’d heard the ranch was over ten thousand acres. Once again, a nice setup, but there had to be more for someone like York to be willing to blackmail Lucy to get it.

When in doubt, follow the money. David didn’t know what York thought would be so profitable about owning Lucy’s land, but with a few phone calls he was confident he could find out—and soon. Unlike Lucy, David had no problem turning to others for help. He was a better man because of the people who had come into his life when he’d been in need, and he gladly paid that kindness forward whenever he could.

Accepting help didn’t take away from a person’s achievements. Lucy would see that in time.

David never took his natural intuition for granted when it came to working with horses. Many of the same rules of interaction overlapped species. Trust needed to be earned. Any rider who thought a horse should trust them just because they held the reins was quickly disappointed. Riding was a partnership acquired through clear communication, consistency, and mutual respect. He was betting the same recipe could win Lucy’s trust.

David smiled as he walked into the bunkhouse and chose a room. The building was old but had been well cared for until recently. The walls were bare, but the furniture was good quality and the bedding spoke of a family who cared about the people who had worked there. He liked the physical evidence of what he felt he knew about Lucy already. She was a good woman who’d come from a good family. She’d pull through this rough patch just fine.

And then she’ll be mine.

David pushed back a curtain to see the main house. He wondered what Lucy was doing. Was she wishing as much as he that he’d taken that kiss she seemed to want to give him?

There’ll be plenty of time for that later.

He thought about the business she was starting. She’d told Sarah she wasn’t ready to talk about it yet. He knew she’d gone to school for marketing. Most likely she didn’t want to say much about her business until she knew she could do it. He could respect that.

I’ll have her telling me all about it by the end of the week.

He turned and began to strip for the shower. He’d removed his shirt and shoes when his phone rang. When he saw the caller, he considered ignoring it but knew she was genuinely concerned. “Hello, Sarah.”

“So, did you get there okay? What was it like seeing her again? Did you ask her out? Are you still there with her? I know I should have waited for you to call, but I’m dying from curiosity here.”