Page 1 of Stranded with a Bossy Rancher

CHAPTER 1

ELLIOTT

I stareup at the sign for the Feed Haven and my stomach knots. I know I’m being ridiculous. I have a million dollar ranch, and I’m completely justified in coming into town every day for the last two months and stopping in at the feed store. I do have a lot of cows to feed and a huge farm where equipment breaks down on all the time, so no one is going to question why I’m here—well, except for me.

I could send any of my guys to come pick up whatever I need, but ever since I saw Camille Trotter sitting behind the desk at the Feed Haven, I haven’t been able to stay away.

As soon as I walk in the front door, I spot Camille, and it’s like I can’t drag my eyes away from her. She’s nothing like the women I’ve dated in the past. She doesn’t put on any airs, and I don’t see dollar signs in her eyes when she looks at me. She’s super sweet, friendly, and beautiful without a lick of makeup on. Today her hair is pulled up into a high ponytail, and there’s a ball in my stomach because I’m waiting on her to lift her head and look at me with those big brown eyes of hers.

When she finishes whatever she’s doing on the computer, she lifts her head, and as soon as our eyes meet, it’s like a shock to my system. I keep telling myself this reaction I have to her is normal, but I know it’s not. It’s like nothing I’ve ever felt before.

Do her eyes light up? Is there a pinkness to her cheeks that wasn’t there before? These are all the things going through my head as I stare back at her. All this time, I’ve wondered if I’ve affected her the same way she affects me, but she’s more guarded than most, and she’s hard to read.

“Hey, Camille.”

She smiles. “Hey, Mr. Barnett. How are you doing today?”

I shake my head. It’s on the tip of my tongue to tell her that she can call me Elliott—or better yethusband—but I hold it back. There’s no doubt she’ll think I’m crazy if I demand she call me husband even though that’s exactly what I want to do.

She starts to laugh. “Sorry, I mean Elliott. How are you doing today, Elliott?”

I take a step toward her and want to cuss the counter that stands between us. For months I’ve only been able to see her from behind this counter, and it’s not enough anymore. I want to touch her. Nothing freaky, I just want to touch her hand and see if the attraction I feel when I look at her will transfer over to touch. So many times I’ve tried to convince myself I’m being ridiculous, but the longer this charade goes on, the more I know I can’t move on until I find out.

“I’m doing better now, Camille.”

Her face flushes a pretty red, and I bite my lip as the emotions play across her face. She’s attracted to me, that much is obvious,but it’s also just as obvious that she’s fighting it. She doesn’t want to be attracted to me, and I don’t understand why.

“Can I help you with anything?” she asks, and she bites her lip as she waits for me to respond.

It takes everything in me not to reach across the counter and rub my thumb across her lower lip. “I’m just going to look around.”

She nods her head, and her smile gets even bigger. “Sure thing. Just let me know if I can help you find anything.” She immediately rolls her eyes. “Of course, you’re here almost as much as I am, so you probably know where things are better than me.”

I grip the counter and don’t even have to look to know that my knuckles are turning white from the firm hold. “I may know where things are or could probably find them myself, but then I wouldn’t get to talk to you, Camille.”

Over and over, I’ve tiptoed around her, flirting easily with her, and she seems to blossom under the flirty words. And this time is no different. First she looks at me as if she doesn’t believe me, and that look always surprises me. How can she not know how amazing she is? But just as quickly, the surprise turns to hope, and then just like every other time, hope turns to doubt. Her eyes lose their luster, and she frowns. “Well, if you need help, let me know.”

She turns away before I can respond, and I want to ask her if she’s okay, but I don’t. The owner of the feed store comes in the front door, and I step down an aisle. If I get to talking to Wyatt right now, I’ll never get out of here.

I look up and down the aisle and try to figure out what the ranch might need today. We’re stocked up on almost everything sinceI’ve been spending my days here, but there’s no way that I’m walking out of here without buying something because it’s just another way for me to interact with Camille.

I grab a pair of bolt cutters because we can always use another pair and then make my way back toward the front. I’m almost to the end of the aisle when I hear the hushed whispers from the checkout counter. I stop in my tracks when I hear Wyatt’s anger-filled voice. “You’re pregnant and unmarried, Camille. You’re setting a bad example for the store…”

And he goes on and on, but my stomach fills with knots, and I can’t make out the rest. Camille… my Camille is pregnant. Does this mean she’s dating someone?

I move farther down the aisle, and I hear Camille’s soft, defeated voice. “Yes, I’m pregnant, Wyatt. And your nephew is the father. It was probably ignorant of me to believe him when he told me he was single. I had no idea he was married… you and he both lied to me.”

I hear Wyatt start to stutter. “Now look, I didn’t have anything to do with you shacking up with my ‘married’ nephew, but I do know that now that you and him are no longer an item, I can’t have you sticking around here.”

“You’re firing me?”

Wyatt laughs out loud. “I swear you’re just being dense now. Of course, I’m firing you. You’re starting to show, and this is a small town. I can’t have people thinking I hire employees with no morals.”

I set the bolt cutter on the shelf in front of me, and my hands automatically fist at my sides. That fuckin’ asshole. Who does he think he is?

I walk out from the aisle with every intention of giving Wyatt a piece of my mind, but the first thing I notice is Camille walking out the front door. I make a flash decision to follow her even though I know I won’t just let Wyatt get away with talking to her like he did. He’ll get his, but first I’m going to catch up with the woman that has had me flustered since the first day I saw her.

“Camille!” I call out, jogging to catch up with her. “Stop.”

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