Page 30 of Mountain Time
“Bullshit,” Gran calls me out. “I wasn’t born yesterday, dear. I can tell when there’s more to a story. Let’s have it.”
Jessie busts up, almost spitting her food out. I thought she was going to choke for a second. My cheeks turn even redder, and I curse my pale skin. I should have known better than to hide anything from Gran.
“Alright, fine.” I lean against my seat’s back with a huff. “When we got back to my house and he started walking me to my door, I told him he didn’t need to do that. No one has ever walked me to my door. When we got to the door, he turned me to face him, picked a lock of my hair to rub between his fingers and said, ‘Sweetheart, you deserve to be walked to your door. Youdeserve to be told how breathtaking you are. I don’t know what kind of men you’ve been dating but find better ones.’ Then he left and I went into the house and hyperventilated.”
Jessie’s jaw is on the floor. It’s been years since I’ve seen her speechless. Leave it to Knox to finally shut her up.
Gran, however, is not speechless. She blows out a long breath. “Honey, back in my day I would’ve melted against him like wax on a burning candle for talking like that—especially one as good-looking as him. Hell, I would lock him in the basement ‘till he gave me a ring if I were you.”
Jessie snorts. “Well . . . you don’t have a basement. So what are you gonna do?”
Closing my eyes, I let my head fall back. A sad laugh escapes my lips. “I have no idea.”
Chapter 15
Kacey
Kacey
Hey, I’m running behind. I’ll be about 30 minutes late to hold those horses.
Knox
No worries. I’m almost to the ranch, is there a horse you know stands well? I can put it in the crossties and get started.
Kacey
Yeah, go ahead and start on the dun horse in stall 12. Thanks!
Carson, Chet, and I were moving some cattle to the feedyard and got behind schedule. We’re headed back to the ranch now so I can hold some horses for Knox to reset shoes on, but I’m really late.
We pull up to the barn to see Knox’s truck backed up to the door like normal. It’s colder today, so I have the barn doors closed and the heaters on. We unload from the truck and walk in through the side door. I hear the clang of a hammer striking steel as I walk around the corner. When I look toward the cross ties, I find Knox at his anvil stand shaping a shoe . . . shirtless.
Oh, wow.
I instantly halt and take in the sight. Every swing of the big hammer, sweat running down his body, and the quick flexing of every muscle in his arm, shoulder, pecs . . . and those abs—those sexy, chiseled abs. Next thing I know, someone is crashing into me.
“Oof. What the hell? Don’t just stop in front of someone like that.” Chet catches me with a hand on each of my arms so I don’t fall. I don’t even turn to look at him, no way I’m missing a second of the show.
“Carson didn’t run into me, how ‘bout you just watch where you’re walking?”
Carson stands slightly in front of me wearing a facial expression I can’t read and glancing between me and Knox.
Chet looks over my shoulder and narrows his eyes. “What the hell is this guy doing?”
“Looks like he’s shoeing a horse to me,” I reply sarcastically.
We walk down the alley closer to the crossties.
“This is a ranch, not Magic Mike. Put a fucking shirt on,” Chet chides as Knox inspects the shoe.
He looks up, wearing a shit-eating grin. “If one of you threw a couple dollar bills my way, it could be.”
Chet looks like steam is about to come rolling out of his ears.
I laugh and even Carson lets out a snort.
Carson steps up to hold the dun. “Chet, you act like you’ve never seen a shirtless man before, yet you live in a bunkhouse full of ranch hands. Why is it so hot in here?”
