Page 4 of Cowboy's Sinful Bargain

I had tried to run before.

The air was strange. Not dry, but not wet either, and there was a definite odor that I couldn't identify. It was relatively quiet outside, which I hadn't expected considering it was supposed to be a working ranch. Where were all the horses and cows? The cowboys? Weren't those things that belonged on ranches?

I kept my head down, but peeked through my eyelashes as I followed my grandfather's lawyer up the wooden steps to a large front porch. The lawyer knocked on the red front door. Considering the rest of the house was white, I thought it odd that the front door was red, but what did I know? Maybe it meant something to ranchers.

According toFeng Shui, many believed that painting their front door red would create a positive energy flow and a welcoming atmosphere.I doubted ranchers cared much about creating harmony in the natural world.

When the door was opened by an older woman with pure white hair swept up in a bun, my curiosity got away from me. I raised my head so I could get a better look. The kindly smile on her face as she met my gaze lowered my anxiety level, but just a little.

"Good day, ma'am," the lawyer started. "I am Harold Sato, lawyer for—"

"Come in, come in," the woman said before glancing over her shoulder. "Monty," she called out loudly, "your son is here."

My eyes rounded at the sheer volume of her shout.

She flashed me another one of those kindly smiles. "Mr. Cross will be right here. In the meantime, is there anything I can get you to drink?"

I didn't know how to reply to that, but I felt like I should. The woman was looking right at me. "I am good," I said softly as I gave a slight bow. "Domo arigatou."

The woman squinted at me. "Domo what?"

Crap.

"Apologies." I gave another quick bow as I quickly swallowed the bile rising in my throat again. I had forgotten I was only supposed to speak English and feared I would be punished for my mistake. "Thank you very much."

"Oh." Some of the pressure on my chest lifted when she smiled again. "That sounded so pretty in Japanese."

I gave her a small smile instead of replying verbally. I was already in enough trouble. I didn't want to add to it. Punishment was always hard and swift back home. I didn't know how it would be here.

"I'm Mrs. Gibbons. I take care of the big house."

I glanced at my grandfather's lawyer out of the corner of my eye. I wasn't sure what a big house was beyond the fact that we were currently standing in a very big house. It just wasn't as big as my grandfather's family compound.

"Come on in and sit down. Monty will be out in a moment." Mrs. Gibbons led us to the living room, which I found quite airy. I'd expected a lot of wood and rock and antlers, maybe animal heads and rifles hung over the mantle. I hadn't expected hardwood floors, white walls, or a vaulted ceiling.

I had read about ranches in a book my grandfather had given me. I hadn't known at the time the crafty old man had had an agenda with giving me that book.

I hadn't known I'd be here.

I gave Mrs. Gibbons another bow as I searched for the appropriate words. "Your home is very pleasing."

Mrs. Gibbons stared for a moment before her kindly smile broke out into a large grin. "Thank you."

I let out a relieved breath that I'd replied appropriately.

I wouldn't be punished.

"Are you sure I can't get you some coffee or tea?" Mrs. Gibbons asked.

I glanced at the lawyer.

"That would be kind of you," the man replied. "Thank you."

I knew from the man's stiff posture, he was only accepting to be polite. I doubted the lawyer would even drink the coffee of tea when it got here. I wasn't thrilled that work was being created for the woman when there didn't need to be, but it wasn't my place to say anything.

I knew the rules.

I kept my head bent down until I heard footsteps. Nothing in the world could have kept me from looking up and watching an older man with a cane walk toward us from the back of the house. His hair was graying, but still full and lush, cut close to his head. His mustache was still dark brown, without a hint of the gray in his hair. He was tall, much taller than me, even with the slight bend in his wide shoulders.

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