Page 24 of Undone

I nodded. “Yeah, sorry about that.”

Zoe moved closer to me and lowered her voice. “I’m not.”

I opened my mouth to answer just as one of the hands, Randy, came around the barn. “Yo, boss. Been looking for you. I need you inside for a sec.”

I waved at him without taking my eyes off Zoe. “We’ll figure this out later, okay?”

She nodded, looking up at me through her lashes, and it took all of my strength not to lean down and kiss her again.

SIXTEEN

ZOE

Icould barely finish my dinner.

The grilled chicken was delicious, and the summer salad had the perfect mix of sweet strawberries and crunchy walnuts, but all I could do during the meal was sneak looks at Josh down at the end of the table.

Thatkiss.

It was all the permission I needed to let the fantasies I’d been suppressing take over. And now they were making me lose my appetite. The only thing I wanted to consume was Josh.

Shannon seemed oblivious and filled the silence with talk about the latest breeding program gossip. The world of horse breeding appeared to be part science and part equine matchmaking, and I had no idea how my BFF knew so much.

“I told that guy that we specialize in light horses for cutting, roping, and reining lines, but he insisted we also breed western pleasure mares, which we’ve never done. Can you even imagine? I mean, way to mansplain my own business to me!” she fumed as she ran her handalong the back of her hair, smoothing the auburn ringlets that had sprung out of her bun. “I tell you, it’s not easy being a woman in this business.”

“Is this the same guy who called you, ‘little lady?’” I asked her.

“Oh no, different one. The older ones are all like that. It’s incredibly frustrating and I didn’t dare chew him out because I knew it’d make things worse.”

“Are you sure you don’t want me to step in and handle it?” Josh asked in his big brother way. I knew Shannon would say no before she started shaking her head.

“Nope, I’ve got it. No offense, big brother, but having you jump in to speak on my behalf would only reaffirm that jerk’s belief that women don’t belong in this industry. But I appreciate the offer anyway.”

“I totally understand the mansplaining thing,” I agreed. “Being a woman in computer science can be tough.”

“I bet!” Shannon exclaimed. “Speaking of, how’s the website coming along? I’m so excited for the launch.”

“Getting closer every day. I just need a few more photos and I’ll be ready.”

I could feel Josh’s eyes on me, but I refused to look at him. I couldn’t, because locking eyes with him would turn the pleasant family meal into foreplay.

“Josh said something about helping you out with some horse pictures today. Did you get everything you needed?”

Josh coughed to stifle a laugh, then quickly picked up his beer to hide his smile.

“Um,” I said, squirming in my seat. I couldn’t resist playing with hima little. “Almost. I came really close to getting what I wanted. Let’s just say I got a taste of the finished product.”

“What are you trying to capture?” Shannon asked.

His heart?

“She’s trying to get a photo that sums everything up,” Josh jumped in. “One that takes the past into consideration as well as where we are now.”

I swallowed hard. Was he saying what I thought he was saying?

Shannon squinted and looked from me to Josh. “Wait…I’m confused. Are you talking abouthorses?”

“Yes, but also the spirit of the ranch,” I said quickly. “It’s a lot.”

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