Page 4 of Cameron

Maybe she was being nosy, but she wanted to know. The way his coat fit him to perfection across those broad shoulders and muscular chest made her curious.

It had been months since she’d even considered a man. Months. And this one was easy on the eyes and had her heart racing and pulse dancing. Her breath came out short and quick.

“I’m here to attend the wedding and maybe try to talk the groom out of it,” he said smiling.

When he smiled, it was like a thousand-watt bulb lighting up the room.

“Now, Mr. Burnett,” she teased, “we want our couple to be very happy. They’ve been planning this big day for a long time.”

If this wedding didn’t go off as planned, she might have to prop up Tara for months. The woman had worked so hard on this event. If Samantha could afford it, Tara would be getting a bonus if this event went off without a hitch.

“And I hope they’re very happy,” he said. “But we single guys need to stick together. We’re in short supply.”

Wasn’t that the truth. Especially ones who looked like he did.

The man was single. He wore a cowboy hat. He had a physique that had her body warming and a smile that sent tingles all the way to her center.

But this was business.

“Oh, I’m sure that the next group of college graduates will be available in the spring,” she said. “It’s like a wheel of rotating available men and women.”

He laughed at her. “You’re good.”

“Why, thank you,” she said, tossing her blonde hair over her shoulder.

For a moment, they stared at one another before she took a deep breath. Why did she feel such an attraction to this man?

“Mr. Burnett, I put you on the second floor of the bunkhouse. Here is a list of activities that are planned. I hope you have a real nice stay with us.”

When his hand reached out for the key, their fingers touched and he smiled at her. “I’ll be seeing you.”

God, she hoped so.

“If you need anything you know where to find me,” she said smiling.

Oh, that sounded really corny and almost like a come-on line. She needed to back away from the counter and go into the kitchen and crawl into a freezer. The heat flowing through her would melt everything inside that cooler.

A grin spread across his face and he tipped his hat at her.

When he walked out the door, she laid her face in her hands. “Oh my God, I acted like a fool over him. But he was so damn cute.”

Her mother came out of the back and walked over to the counter. “What are you doing?”

“Oh, Mother,” she groaned. “Our first guest just arrived and I think I gushed all over him. Gosh, he was so handsome. Better than any man I’ve seen in months.”

Her mother laughed. “The first time I met your father, I could only stammer and hem haw as I stared at him. He was such a good-looking man.” She sighed. “I still miss him every day.”

Samantha came around the counter and hugged her. “I know you do, Mama. We all miss him. I think Edward does too.”

Her mother sighed. “Edward should have learned from his father before he passed away. Instead of being gone all the time, Edward should’ve been learning about running the ranch.”

It was an old argument, and sometimes, Samantha just wished they would’ve handed the ranch over to her. But her father believed that once she married, she would leave home and he wanted to make sure the land stayed in the family. But there were days that Samantha worried they wouldn’t survive another six months.

“You need a boyfriend,” her mother said.

After her last disastrous relationship in college, she’d frowned on dating.

And yet her lack of a man in her life was a constant discussion in their household. But when you worked on a ranch in the middle of the boondocks and the closest small town didn’t have many single men, it became a problem. You knew the failings of those single men, and you walked on by. Sure, she’d dated in college, but hadn’t found a man she wanted to spend forever with.

---