Page 37 of Savage Secrets

He compressed his lips. “I have money saved.”

She blinked. “That’s so sweet of you…but I can’t let you do that, Zach. You patched the barn roof, but how long before it starts leaking in another spot?”

“Everything looks fine for now. I’d say you’ve got time. If you need to take more leave, Opal…to collect yourself after what happened…”

Her brows drew together in a wince of pain. “Thank you, Zach. I’ll think about it. Actually, I’ve been putting off some paperwork, but it’s probably a good time to have a look at it. Do you need anything? If you need to go into town—”

“I’m not leaving the ranch today,” he cut in.

She took a step closer to him. What would he do if she put her arms around him? Laid her head on his chest just to gain comfort from the thump of his heart?

His gaze ticked over her face, caressing her without ever laying a hand on her. He made a move to go.

When he reached the doorway, she called out, “Zach!”

He turned.

“You’ll come for coffee this evening. Right?” She appreciated his talks about the ranch. Listening to his fixes for problems made her feel like she wasn’t totally alone.

He ducked his head in a nod. “No problem.”

She watched him go for a minute and then glanced at the clock on the stove. Rainie would be home soon from her sleepover, and that left a few minutes for Opal to take care of that paperwork.

She went into her father’s study. Just pushing open the door made tears well up in her eyes. The place smelled like leather and the cigars he sometimes smoked on special occasions. It smelled like her daddy.

Finding the insurance policy she knew existed was at the top of her list of things to do today. If it was worth anything, shecould use the capital to pay some bills. Maybe even get ahead a little bit, if the policy was big enough.

She pulled on the drawer where he kept all his important paperwork, but it was locked.

“The keys.” She rushed to the kitchen. On the wall near the door, Zach had hung the key rack. From one of the hooks hung the keychain he’d also been thoughtful enough to get her.

Touched more than she should be by fetching a set of keys, she returned to the office. After testing out at least half a dozen keys on the ring, she found one that fit the drawer.

After another ten minutes spent digging through the disorganized files, she finally located the folder containing the insurance policy her father had told her about.

Her name was on the top as beneficiary. Her daddy may not have wanted her to be involved with the ranch, but whether he intended to or not, he had made her part of it.

The Springvale was her home, one that was steeped in memories, both good and bad. But mostly good ones.

“Mommeeeee!”

Opal couldn’t stop the smile that spread over her face. The sound of Rainie running through the house to find her was another good memory to add to the photo album in her mind.

* * * * *

Dust rose in the morning air, hovering in a cloud around Zach as he shoved another bale of hay off the truck bed. He watched it topple onto the growing pile.

Despite the chill in the air, a rivulet of sweat trickled down his temple. Adjusting his gloves, he pulled in deep breaths of the air. He welcomed the hard labor of stacking hay in the barn for winter.

There was something he could do about the frustrated desire to have Opal beneath him, but for a week solid, he’d left her standing on the porch alone each evening.

How he managed to walk away from the invitation that glowed in her deep brown eyes, he didn’t have a clue. Sheer willpower was the only answer he could come up with as to why he didn’t grab her and carry her off to bed every damn night.

“Morning, Zach.”

He paused mid-lift. The twine of the bale dug into his leather gloves—a feeling similar to the sudden tightness he felt in his body at the sound of Opal’s sweet voice.

He released his grip on the bale and straightened to look at her. “Hey.”

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