Page 28 of The Rancher's Jilted Bride

Say you want to taste her.

Own her.

But instead he heard himself say, "Whatever you want, we'll do it."

What the fuck, Hale?

Who the fuck do you think you are?

You're not a good man and you never will be.

Hale had a feeling it wasn't his conscience raging at him this time. But whatever it was, and wherever it was coming from, Hale knew it wasn't lying either.

He wasnota good man.

But the way Heaven's blue eyes were shining as she looked at him made Hale think that hecouldbe one.

In time.

And so he promised himself that no matter what she asked him to do, he would do it.

Even if it meant—-

"Can we check on the hamsters together?"

—-checking her hamsters, which he fucking couldn't believe she had asked.

Hamsters?

"Do you think we can also clean their sand bath and their exercise wheels?"

The excitement in her voice reminded him of the first time he had her speak. It was contagious as fuck that he actually found himself smiling as he said, "Yes. We can do all of those things."

And when he saw how his words had Heaven looking at him adoringly—-

Just like the first day, too, he thought dazedly.

She was looking at him the way he had also hoped she would look at him.

"You mean it, really?"

"Absolutely."

As long as she kept looking at him like that, he would do whatever she asked.

Heaven and Hale

"F-f-fudge. S-sheep."

Heaven couldn't stop laughing at the way her usually intimidating boss ended up sounding like a young boy doing his best not to swear in front of his parents. The look on his gorgeous face was just as priceless, with Hale visibly struggling to stay still as Mr. Plato and Mr. Aristotle crawled up his arms until they each occupied a shoulder to themselves.

"There's nothing to freak out about."

"I amnotfreaking out," he bit out.

"You look like it though."

"Well, you're looking at it the wrong way."

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