Page 35 of Wyoming Tough

She should have had more control of herself. It was just that he was heaven to kiss. And kissing had so quickly not been enough to satisfy either of them. If she hadn’t opened her mouth to say something so shocking, if he hadn’t pulled back in time…

She flushed, remembering how sweet it had been. She couldn’t allow that to happen again. Not that she’d be around long enough. She’d started trouble with the brothers, innocently, setting one against the other. Her presence here was causing problems. She should leave. Now. Today.

Yes. She should. She got back on her horse and started to turn him toward the ranch. But at the last minute, she couldn’t force herself to do it. Just a little longer, she promised herself. Just a few more days to look at Mallory from a distance and talk to him and dream of him. What would it hurt?

She started back to the fence line.

SEVERAL DAYS PASSEDwith no other incidents. Mallory, however, said hardly two words to Morie. He relayed instructions through Darby, who seemed uncomfortable for some reason.

Cane found Morie at the line cabin, where she was spending the day watching for calves to drop. He got off his horse with some little effort and walked up on the porch. Morie was drinking coffee from her thermos and eating a cold, buttered biscuit.

“Hi,” she greeted cheerily. “Want to share lunch?” She held out the half-eaten biscuit.

He shook his head. “No, thanks. I just had a thick roast-beef sandwich with homemade French fries.”

She groaned and looked at the biscuit. “I knew I wasn’t living right.”

He smiled. He pushed his wide-brimmed hat back on his head and his dark eyes narrowed. “What’s going on between you and Mal?” he asked unexpectedly.

She fumbled and spilled coffee on her jeans. Well, they were dirty anyway. “What…what do you mean?” She faltered, and ruined her poise by flushing.

He pursed his lips. “I see.”

“No, you don’t,” she shot back. “You don’t see. There’s nothing. Nothing at all!”

“Why, because he’s the boss and you’re the hired help?” he asked, leaning back against a post. “We aren’t royalty.”

“You might as well be,” she said flatly. “He thinks I’m after his money.”

His eyebrows arched. “He does?”

She lowered her eyes to the splash of coffee on her knee. She sipped more coffee. “I’m not,” she said with quiet pride, “but it’s what he thinks.” She looked up. “I’m fairly certain his girlfriend is helping him to think it. She really hates my guts.”

“I noticed.”

She looked up at him solemnly. “You watch her,” she said with sudden passion. “She’s pretending to be something she’s not.”

His eyebrows arched. “And you know this, how…?”

“For one thing, she’s wearing last year’s colors. For another, the shoes she favors are far out of style. Her jewelry is just as dated, and the purse she carries is couture, but it’s not a new one.”

His eyebrows arched more. “Excuse me?”

She shifted restlessly and averted her eyes. “I have a friend who models,” she lied. It was her mother, who was her closest friend. “I know what’s in style and what’s not, something Ms. Bruner seems unaware of. I suppose she thinks men don’t follow fashion and wouldn’t know.” She met his gaze. “She’s trying to pose as a socialite, but something’s not right about her. Want some advice? Get a private detective to do just a surface check of her background. I’m betting you’d find something interesting.”

“Why don’t you tell Mal?” he asked.

She laughed coldly. “Oh, sure, he’d listen to me. He already thinks I’m a gold-digging opportunist.”

He sighed. “You’re not what you’re pretending to be, either, are you?”

She smiled wryly. “No,” she confessed. “But I’m an honest person. I’m not hiding from the law or contemplating breaking it. Actually, I have a cousin who’s a Texas Ranger. I’ve known him and looked up to him since I was able to walk. He’d disown me if I did anything criminal. So would my parents.”

“Why are you working here?”

“You’d be surprised,” she assured him.

“I might be, at that.” He hesitated. “Want me to go ride fence with you? I’ve got some free time. That killer is still on the loose.” He sobered. “I wouldn’t want anything to happen to you.”

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