Page 3 of The Wrangler Takes a Wife

Oh, now that was a torture he wasn’t sure he deserved.

“…obviously I can’t sit and eat in front of you. So, just this once I’m going to fix you one too. Then I will hear you out. When you are finished, you will put this foolishness to bed and never breathe another word about it.” She stood and stared down at him.Was she waiting for an answer?

“Alright.” He nodded, and she returned it. Chase watched her walk away. The things her body was doing to the boot cut jeans. Her legs were not only long, but thick and shapely. The denim clung to her hips and displayed her lush bottom. He made note of the small gap above that sweet ass. It emphasised her narrow waist.

Well, at best, if he couldn’t talk her around, Chase would get a good meal out of this. Amara could cook her ass off. Everyone spoke about how good the food was at the diner. He had not been eating the best lately. If you could consider it eating. If he was being honest, what he had been consuming lately was worse than the rations he had when he was deployed. He couldn’t cook to save his life.

Chase had stocked up on canned beans, ham, and chicken. Oh, even his veggies came from the can. Bread and oatmeal. Amara’s diner was the only place you could eat for a couple hour’s drive. She had refused to serve him. The only other place to eat in Willowridge was the bar, and he wouldn’t take a chance to enter it. Once upon a time, he chose to bury his demons in bottles. So, it wasn’t an option he could afford.

Now it wasn’t to say he wasn’t offered food. Every eligible woman and their mommas were throwing meals at him. Some weren’t even single; they were just looking for an upgrade. What all those women had in common was the hope he would wife them up. They would leave food on his porch. He was tired of stepping over Tupperware, and ceramic dishes to get to the door.

The final straw came this morning when he found one of them in his kitchen, in an apron. He would like to think there was something under it, but he couldn’t be sure because he refused to look at her. Anyway, she was in the kitchen making hotcakes, eggs, and bacon. Like he had invited her crazy ass over. It was enough already! Chase had planned to speak to Amara for weeks, but he had been waiting for the right time. Well, today became the exact right time. He needed a woman to run these crazy chicks off. Amara would fill the bill and then some. People in these parts had more than a healthy respect for her. Some may call it fear. Whatever. Bottom line, he wanted to put an end to unwanted visitors and their gifts.

There was no way he would eat from those pushy women and tie himself to them. Only a fool would encourage one of those barracudas. He was no fool.

While he was lost in his thoughts, Amara came out with a pitcher of lemonade and utensils wrapped in napkins. “The food will be out in ten minutes.”

“Thanks.” When he was coming into the restaurant, the sign in the window said the daily special was shepherd’s pie. It was one of his favourites. People made it a variety of ways. He wondered if she put peas in it. The door swished open, and she returned, carrying a large tray. He stood to help. “It’s okay, I got this. If you try to take it, you’ll offset the balance and probably make everything fall.”

Chase was a grown man. He was an Army Ranger before he became a wrangler, then a rancher. Seeing the hearty, delicious meal in front of him almost brought him to tears. His ass was certain nothing on his plate of three thick slices of meat loaf, with mashed potatoes, green beans, and glistening sliced carrots came from a fucking can. The gravy had minced mushrooms init. The aroma was mouth watering. He looked up from his plate to thank her, but his words failed him when he caught sight of the basket of rolls.

“Thank you,” Chase told her with heartfelt gratitude.

“You’re welcome.” She almost smiled at him. He didn’t have time to dwell on it. Grabbing his knife and fork, he paused over his plate. Where should he start? The potatoes? Damn so good. Chase knew he was groaning. It was delicious and creamy. Good as it was, it didn’t compare to the meatloaf.Sweet Jesus! What did she put in it?Chase was lost in his meal.

“Would you like me to leave you alone with your plate?” Amara teased. He could hear the laughter in her voice. “I mean, I know I can throw down in the kitchen, but you are having an unhealthy enjoyment of the food. Shit, I think I saw something like this on TLC.”

After chewing and swallowing what was in his mouth, he finally remembered he wasn’t a neanderthal. A rueful reply came from him. “You are underestimating your skill. I don’t think I’ve ever had meatloaf this good. What did you put in here?”

“If I tell you, I’d have to kill you.” Normally when people said the phrase, they didn’t look so serious. “I guess I will have to wait until you are finished eating before you have your say.”

His plate was more than half done and he was ready to stop or slow down eating. Once he saw his plate, he hadn’t glanced at hers, but she didn't appear to have eaten as much as he had. However, he was pretty sure her plate wasn’t as laden as his had been. His portion certainly wasn’t what she gave customers. If she did, Amara would be bankrupt by now.

Since she didn’t seem to mind, he went back to his meal.

Chapter Two

Chase

Chase pushed his empty plate away. He should have been embarrassed at how clean the plate looked. It had gotten a once over by one of the delicious rolls. There wasn’t a trace of gravy left.

“Are you finished with your food trance now?”

He chuckled. “That was damn good food.”

“So, you were trying to get me to agree to marry you for some land?” Although her voice was full of bite, she smiled saccharinely at him.

“People marry for convenience all the time. I really need these women to back off.”

“Listen. I hate to admit it. I grew up with most of these women. They are a persistent lot. Not even you deserve that, but they haven’t had an eligible bachelor with that much land, who isn’thard on the eyes, and older than sin. So, they will not quit.” All Chase heard was she thought he was good looking.

“You think I’m handsome?”

“You have a wax buildup? No, I said you’re not ugly.” She shook her head in disbelief. “Talk about a huge jump.” Amara took a small bite.

“You know what? I’ll do you a favour. Since you like my food so much, I’ll let you eat here. You better leave a generous tip every time. Starting tonight. I’m charging you for my dinner too. I’ll ring you up before you leave.” Her smile was both genuine and a little… scary mixed with sexy.

“I’m happy to pay for dinner. Now about us getting married?—”

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