Page 21 of On His Ranch

It was a question he wanted answered, too. He walked back to the table and took his usual place beside his grandfather who had set down his paper and was waiting, too.

Piper looked mortified to be the object of their attention.

She sure does blush a lot.If the tightness of his pants was any indication, he liked it far more than he should.

“It’s… um… well, it’s kind of a long story.”

He leaned toward her, unable to resist whispering, “You shouldna said that. We haven’t had a visitor in forever. Ma’s gonna want to hear all your stories.”

“Shush, Chase,” his mother scolded, laughing.

“Well, it’s true,” he retorted, giving an exaggerated wince when she turned and bopped him on the hand with her spatula.

Piper relaxed, even if it was only the slightest bit. “Well, okay then. If you’re sure.”

Chapter 5

When Piper had stopped for the night trying to find someplace to get out of the cold and to catch a few hours of sleep, she never would have imagined this was where she would end up. Sore-bottomed and included in the morning antics of a family she’d never met before. It made her ache in a different, more lasting way. As a way to ignore it, she began speaking, her words tumbling over one another so fast she was babbling.

It was cathartic, in a way, and before she knew it she was telling them far more than she’d intended. About her money troubles, being forced to leave her apartment with nothing more than the backpack she wore. Even her uncertainty about the welcome she’d receive from her aunt.

“Why, you’re family!” Patti exclaimed. “I’m sure she’ll be delighted to have you!”

“It doesn’t work that way everywhere, Ma,” Chase answered before she could.

Piper shifted her gaze to him, surprised and grateful that he understood.

“Hmph. I s’pose you’re right.” She sniffed, clearly disapproving of such families. “Well, dear, go on.”

At some point during her tale, food had begun arriving at the table. Buttery, melt-in-your-mouth waffles. Fluffy piles of biscuits. Crispy hash browns and greasy, delicious bacon. Piper took a piece of bacon and began to munch before she continued.

“She never had children of her own. I don’t think she ever wanted any, to tell you the truth. So it was a lot for her, being forced to take me in when my parents died.”

Patti gasped, looking at Piper with so much sympathy that it was almost uncomfortable. “You poor thing. How old?”

“I was seven.”

There was silence at the table. For a moment, she thought Patti might cry and she had to look away, or she knew she would, too. Somehow, this felt even more vulnerable than when she’d been half-naked over the hard thighs of a stranger hours ago.

“But it’s all right,” she hurried to add. “I mean, that was a long time ago, and I’m fine now.”

“Hmph. You don’ have a job, a place to live, or a car,” Senior said, summing up the obvious. “That’s not what I call ‘fine.’”

Though no one echoed his sentiments, Piper could tell they all agreed. Her face was burning right up to the tips of her ears. “I… I know that’s the way it seems, but it’s all temporary! As soon as I figure out a way to get some money, to get my business off the ground…” But she stopped there, mortified. She could feel the questions in their stares, the curiosity of the silence, but this time, she ignored it. There were some things too sacred to share.

And then Patti setting a stack of plates at the table and Chase was passing them out until everyone had one. Then Patti took a seat next to her, encouraging her to take more eggs, more slices of bacon, have another biscuit.

What followed next was the best morning Piper could ever remember having. There was delicious food to be eaten, and teasing that went around the table, including her as though she was one of them. It was almost enough to make her feel like shewas. It almost made the spanking she’d gotten worth it, somehow.

“Have you ever had fresh cow’s milk, Piper?”

“No, ma’am,” she answered.

“Well, there’s nothing like it, I promise you.” The older woman took the pitcher Senior held out toward her and wiped off a glass with her apron before pouring it halfway full.

She could feel Chase looking at her and as much as she tried to fight the temptation, she couldn’t keep her eyes from shifting toward him. It was a mistake, though, because as soon as she locked gazes and looked into his dark, unfathomable eyes, she lost control of her body.

The next thing she knew, the glass was falling, the milk streaming down the table. Piper leapt to her feet. “Oh, my gosh, I’m so sorry! Let me just—”

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