Page 337 of Conveniently Wed
Embarrassed, she started to race up the steps into the house, but Garrett caught her around the waist before she made it to the door. He pulled her back to his chest and bent his head so his breath caressed her ear. “Don’t change on my account. I don’t mind seeing your pretty ankles.”
Aundy should have slapped his face or at least rushed into the house and slammed the door. Unfortunately, her limbs turned languid when her back touched his chest while his breath churned up new, disquieting sensations as it danced tantalizingly around her ear.
“You’re intractable.” Aundy huffed, trying to regain the ability to move her arms and legs. All she wanted was to fall back against Garrett’s solid chest and stay there forever, wrapped in his arms.
“So I’ve been told.” Garrett made no effort to move his hands from her waist or his lips from their place so close to her cheek.
“Garrett…” Aundy’s voice came out in a whisper. She turned her head and he fell into her liquid blue eyes. “I think…”
“Me, too.” His voice was deep and husky as he slowly turned her in his arms.
The kiss he would have surely given her failed to materialize when Nik’s whistling interrupted them from a few steps away.
“Thought I better come get Bob and the lamb,” Nik said, grinning at both Aundy and Garrett.
“I’m Garrett Nash.” Garrett stepped away from Aundy and held his hand out to the young man. “Our place is the next one over, Nash’s Folly. If you ever need anything, you just let me know.”
“Thank you, sir. I’m Nikola Zorian Gandiaga, shepherd of the sheep,” the boy said, once again executing a bow with his cap held to his chest. “But my friends call me Nik.”
“A pleasure to meet you, Nik. I hope you enjoy working here with Mrs. Erickson. If she beats you too hard, refuses to feed you, or threatens you in any way, just tell me or Dent. We’ll set her straight.”
Nik’s eyes grew wide, but then he grinned, seeing the appalled look on Aundy’s face and the teasing smile on Garrett’s.
“Yes, she looks like a cruel woman,” Nik said, joining in the joking. “I’ll have to be on guard at all times.”
“For sure.” Garrett reached out and grabbed Aundy’s hand, squeezing it without even realizing what he did.
Annoyed by their teasing, all thoughts of kissing Garrett fled right out of her head. Aundy marched to the door and glared at Garrett then Nik.
“If you both think you can behave, you can wash up and tell the rest of the men to get ready for lunch. Nik, you may bring Bob and Butter to the back porch.”
“Butter?” Nik asked looking at the lamb. “Guess you named him.”
“Yes, I did.” Aundy stepped inside the house, quietly closing the door behind her.
She raced through the house, pulled off the dress in her bedroom and slipped on one of her own. Aundy dashed to the kitchen where she donned a large apron, slipped a pan of rolls into the oven, and hurried to set the table.
By the time the men filed inside the kitchen, she had everything ready and greeted them all with a smile.
“Don’t know why you think they are smelly, evil beasts, Fred. Even young Nikola can see they’re harmless. Too bad a big fella like you is scared of a few little wooly sheep,” Glen teased as they sauntered inside.
The daggers Fred shot at Glen with his eyes would have bled him out on the kitchen floor if they’d been able to pierce him. Glen laughed and slapped Fred’s back as they all stood at the table, waiting for Aundy to be seated.
“Garrett, not surprised to see you here,” Dent said, winking at Aundy. “Couldn’t keep from coming over to check things out, could you?”
“You know it.” Garrett held Aundy’s chair for her while she took her seat. Dent gave thanks and the men all dug into the food. Nik filled his bowl twice with stew and looked around the table, sizing up the men.
“So, Nik, where do you come from?” Dent asked, wanting to know more about their young shepherd.
“Mr. O’Connell’s place,” he answered with a cheeky grin.
“Before that, if you please.” Aundy smiled at the fun-loving boy.
“I grew up near Jordan Valley, about as south from here as you can get and still be in Oregon.” Nik buttered another roll and took a bite before continuing. “My family came from the Pyrenees Mountains in Spain before my brother and I were born. There are many sheep farms around Jordan Valley and most hire Basque shepherds to care for the sheep.”
“So you’re Basque?” Aundy asked, realizing with Nik’s name, his heritage should have been evident.
“Yes, ma’am.”
