Page 22 of White Collar Rancher

She opened the cupboard and yanked two plates out with more force than intended. Where did Mom keep the paper plates? Now she’d be stuck doing dishes with nothing to think about but Justin’s rebuke.

“No, I get it.” She rushed out to the dining room. “We’re friends and you don’t think we can be any more and not ruin our friendship.”

True or not, after that kiss, she was willing to try. And wasn’t that what bothered her? Her ass on the counter, grinding into him, was enough to make her toss their history and her career just to see how hot they could blaze into the future. But he was like, whoa, you’re a better friend?

It chafed.

Because he was right. They understood each other as far as Maisy’s influence was concerned. Her patients didn’t. They were already leaving. If anyone learned she and Justin were in a romantic relationship, the accusations would fly, and it was her career they would damage.

He followed her. She almost jumped at how close he sounded. “Do you really think we can sleep together and keep it casual?”

Her? No.

The fear of losing her job had just run through her mind, but here she was spinning out over “sleep together.” And the key word: casual.

She wanted this. No one had to know. Her private life was just that.

She squared her shoulders and faced him. His challenging look propelled her to an answer she wasn’t ready for.

“Yeah, actually. I think we can.”

Chapter 8

His erection was finally starting to fade and then she hit him with that.

She wanted casual sex. With him.

The woman with the killer legs and the teasing tongue and the little whimpers when he ground against her wanted to sleep with him.

Oh, but Priya. I don’t want sex. I don’t want to sleep together. I want to fuck you until you agree this is the worst idea in history.

The problem was that it’d be too late. He’d get hurt. He’d want too much or not enough and she’d get hurt. Or worse, she’d lie to him. Use him. Manipulate him.

There it was. The real reason he had a hard time pushing farther than a spontaneous kiss.

“Maybe you can, but I’ve been used for sex before,” he said. “And I’ve had sex used against me to trap me into more.”

She deflated before his eyes, the defiant light in her eyes fading. “I guess I’ve been in the middle. No one cared enough either way.”

He used to pride himself on how well he read people in the boardroom. But the last few years, he’d been around sheep and cattle or stuck in a combine or grain truck by himself. His skills were dull.

She thought she wasn’t appealing enough for a guy to toss his doubts aside and jump in the sack with her.

He walked up to her. Her gaze remained fixed to his chest where she’d fisted his shirt. He tilted her head back.

“It isn’t a bad thing to not be lumped into those categories.”

“You mean not to be so dead sexy a guy would go stupid just to be with you? Or not to be so dead sexy a guy wouldn’t even think about the complications sleeping with you would cause?” Her lips thinned, but they were still unfortunately lush. “I’m in the middle. So perfectly…dull.”

How could she think she was dull? Her beauty was like the first spring ride on horseback after a long, bitter winter. And her brains? Looks were one thing, but someone he could spend hours talking to was a person he wanted to keep around. But he knew what she meant. Didn’t mean he agreed.

He couldn’t help himself. Touching his lips to hers, he kept it only a peck. “It’s okay to be the one guys respect.”

“Right. It’s a well-known fact that all guys list ‘respect’ as the number one thing they want in a partner.”

Her flat tone made him chuckle. “It’s like one of those things that’s a given and doesn’t need to be mentioned.”

She waved him off. “Regardless. I hadn’t planned on discussing my lack of a love life—or any social life whatsoever—tonight. I’m not looking for pity, or a pity lay. Let’s consider the topic dropped and move on.” She charged toward the kitchen.

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