Page 35 of Hope's Highest Bidders

Jake looks between Sassy and me. “Are you sure you’re married? Because Sassy even looks surprised.”

Fuck, I should have just punched his ass and been done with it. He may be my foreman, but I don’t put up with shit fromanyone. “Yes, she knows we’re married, and I know if I catch you looking at my wife again like you did a minute ago that you’ll be looking for another job.”

Sassy turns in my arms and puts her hand on my waist. “Cole, don’t...”

I look down at her. “Sorry, honey, that’s the way it is. Before he didn’t know, so I’m giving him a pass. But now he does, and if he looks at you or even thinks of asking to spend time with you, then he’ll be buried six feet under on this ranch somewhere.”

Her eyes widen, and she blinks up at me. I force my gaze away from her and give a challenging look to Jake. “Are we clear, Jake?”

Jake’s not happy about it, and I can’t say I blame him. But it is what it is. He holds his hands up. “Yeah, sure, man, we’re clear. Congratulations, I guess. I’m going to head into town.”

I nod and watch him walk away. Sassy is still standing under my arm, her hand on my waist, and I release her. She groans and puts her head in her hands. “The whole town will know we’re married by this evening, Cole.”

I shrug my shoulders. “So what?”

She shakes her head, and by the look on her face, I know what she’s going to say. I hold my hand up. “Think about it, Sass. If you’re about to say anything to me about money, stop now. I don’t want to hear it.”

“No, it’s not that. I’m just confused, that’s all.”

I cross my arms over my chest. “Confused about what?”

“You obviously don’t want to be married to me.”

My arms tighten across my chest. “Why would you say that?”

She laughs and does a cute little snort. “Uh, because you didn’t ask me to marry you. You felt obligated because of”—she pauses and looks around to make sure no one is within earshot—“the auction. And well, now you’re telling people that we’re married.”

I shrug. “I think I told you once before that I never do things I don’t want to do.”

She throws her hands up in the air. “Fine, then whatever. If you’re not going to take...” Her voice trails off when I give her the look. The one that says if she mentions money again I’m going to lay her over my lap and spank her pretty ass. “if we’re going to do this then I need to start doing some wifely duties.”

My cock instantly comes alive. I almost reach down and adjust myself, but I figure that would be too obvious. Instead, with a grunt, I ask her, “What do you have in mind?”

She shrugs, lost in thought and completely oblivious to the state of my dick right now. “I don’t know. I hired a nurse to stay with Dad some. I can work on your ranch.”

Fuck, I don’t like the sound of that at all. There’s no way I’m going to let her work side by side with Jake. “Stay away from my barn and my cows.”

She huffs, offended. “I’m a perfectly capable rancher, Cole. I can work just as hard as any man you have working here.”

I nod in agreement because I know she’s right. But that’s not why I don’t want her working my ranch. “Yeah, and none of my hands will get anything done because they’ll be too busy trying to get into your pants. Forget it, sweetheart. It’s not happening.”

She looks between the barn and back at me. “No one wants to get into my pants.”

I can’t keep the smirk off my face. “I beg to differ. What else you got? What other wifely duty do you want to perform for me?”

Her eyes blink at me, full of innocence. She’s not catching on to my innuendo. “I can cook.”

I shake my head. “Do you want to put Tina out of a job?” I know Sassy well enough to know she knows Tina has been cooking for my family for a long time. I also know that Sassy would never take someone else’s livelihood.

“I can clean, then.” I open my mouth, and she holds her hand up. “I know, Tina cleans too. But this place is huge. I’m sure she’d appreciate the help.”

I dip my head, shaking it side to side.

I can see her mind racing, trying to think of something. Meanwhile, I’m thinking of all the wifely duties I’d like her to perform. Hell, she wouldn’t have to do much. She can just lie back on my bed and let me love every part of her body and I’d be a happy man. All the things I’ve dreamed about and told myself I’d never have. That’s what I want from her. But I can’t ask her for it. Not yet. Not until we’re past the point where she feels she owes me. She doesn’t owe me a damn thing. The things I want from her, I need her to want to give me.

She licks her lower lip, and I suck in a breath. “Fine. Tell me then, Cole. What do you want me to do?”

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