Page 4 of The Wedding Ruse

Chapter Three

This place was amazing. It was rustic, definitely a ranch, or looked like she thought one should, and not something she ever would have imagined here. Even though she lived in New York State, she was still one of those people that didn’t think much beyond the scope of the city.

Mentally kicking herself all the way up the road that led to the lodge for not attempting any conversations with Tristan was completely forgotten when she walked inside. Her only thought now was to get Tristan in a pair of jeans and a cowboy hat by that fireplace was all she wanted to see through her camera lens now.

The bunkhouse as he called it was another five-minute drive down a gravel road, or more of a path really, from where the lodge was. It hadn’t escaped her notice that she was supposed to be in an entirely different kind of lodge with Hannah this weekend either. Checking her phone, no service, guess they were really on their own.

“We are in the one to the right.” Tristan pointed at one of the two cabins in front of them.

“Cool, I’ll grab my bags.”

“Just wait, we will go take a look around, make sure there are no issues before we do. My uncle was supposed to make sure this one was made up for us before we got here, but you never know.”

Nodding, she waited for him to unlock the door and they walked through. “I am not sure what a bunkhouse means to you, but this is not what I expected.”

“There are other ones, we can try a different one if you’d like.” Tristan turned to walk out.

“Not at all what I meant. This is so pretty.” She turned and took in the small room. “I thought more like a bunkroom with actual bunk beds or something.”

Tristan laughed. “There are two rooms in here, and the kitchen and living room. Of course, a bathroom as well.”

“Which room did you want?”

“You choose, you are doing me a favor staying here.”

Grace took the opportunity to walk away from Tristan and the overwhelming presence he had and explored the first room. A decent size queen bed sat in the middle of the room, unadorned. A plain blue blanket was on it, tan sheets. It seemed as simple as everything else she had seen so far, but it made for a nice aesthetic.

A quick peek out the room to see where Tristan was, first, she checked the other room and found it to be much the same, just on opposite walls. The bathroom was between the two rooms. Nothing fancy there either.

“Did you choose?”

Grace jumped, again. She didn’t know why he had her so on edge, maybe it was being so alone with him.

His brown eyes danced with laughetr, . “I promise I am not trying to scare you.”

“It’s not your fault, I guess I am a little jumpy today.”

“You didn’t have to stay if you didn’t want. Or I can get another set of keys for me to stay in another bunkhouse.”

She didn’t want him to leave. It definitely wasn’t that, she just never knew how to act around him. He made her nervous because she was so turned on and flustered by how attractive he was.

“No, it’s not that. I don’t know what it is. You’re fine.” He raised an eyebrow as if to ask if she was sure. “Honestly I would probably be terrified to stay here on my own.”

“If you’re sure?”

“I am. You can put the things down in that room. Thank you for carrying it in.”

“I do know how to be a gentleman.” Winking at her as he walked into her room.

That wink did things that it shouldn’t have for the simple gesture that it was. It probably, definitely, meant nothing, but tell that to her legs, she instantly swooned at the motion.

Once she recovered her senses, she forced herself to follow him into the room. A deep breath later and she nearly had a grip on riotous emotions.

“I am going to go change real quick and we will grab some lunch from town. You might want to bring your camera, and I will show you around the ranch after we eat.”

Not trusting herself to talk after thoughts of him changing clothes ran through her mind, she just nodded, again. He smiled and grabbed his bag and walked to the other room and closed the door.

She swallowed hard, staring at the closed door. Never having seen him in anything other than business clothes, always long sleeves, she was immediately picturing any number of things that he might consider appropriate to wear at a ranch.

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