Page 27 of At the Rancher's Pleasure

“Shameless. He was about to marry a month ago and here he is, already with another woman.”

She fought the urge to run from the room.

“This way, folks,” Faith said, leading them into the lion’s den.

Brett placed a hand on her back and practically pushed her toward their table, which was, Sarabeth noticed, one of the best, and most prominent, in the room. “Relax, sweetheart. We’re having dinner, not being executed,” he whispered in her ear.

She took the seat he pulled out for her and forced a smile onto her face. “I feel like everyone is looking at us.”

“They are,” Brett casually replied, dropping his big frame into the seat opposite her. Looking at Faith, he ordered Sarabeth’s favorite red wine and a club soda for himself. He leaned back in his seat, looking urbane and debonair in a black button-down shirt worn under a very nice, possibly designer, charcoal suit.

Sarabeth frowned at him. “I was hoping you were going to tell me that I was overreacting.”

“Nope, everyone in the room is talking about us.” Brett shrugged. “They can gossip about me until they turn blue in the face, I don’t care. The only person I don’t want to be hurt by the gossip is Lexi. And you, obviously.”

She liked that he was worried about his ex-fiancée. “Have you spoken to her recently?”

Sarabeth wasn’t jealous or feeling insecure...okay, maybe she was a smidgeon jealous and insecure. But she had no right to be—bed-buddies, remember?—and the stupid feelings that occasionally floated to the surface were her problem, not Brett’s.

He nodded. “I spoke to her yesterday. She’s still super pissed I called the wedding off so late, and she has a right to be. But she did admit it was the right thing to do.” Brett tapped his finger against the stem of his empty wineglass. “She asked whether the rumors about us were true.”

“What did you tell her?”

Brett shrugged. “The truth. I owed her that much. I told her you are renting a cottage from me and that we’re seeing one another. Without being crude, I stressed we are keeping it surface-based, and that it only started a couple of weeks ago and that it isn’t serious.”

Yet, here they were, eating at Sheen, dressed up nice and smelling good, acting like this was a date. Sarabeth rubbed her forehead with her fingertips, feeling confused. This wasn’t what bed-buddies did.

But friends could eat together, and she and Brett were friends. But nothing more.

However, when they got home, they’d end up having seriously hot sex.

Arrgh...

Needing a distraction, Sarabeth looked over to the open kitchen area of Sheen, visible to the guests, smiling when she saw Charlotte in her chef whites. As if feeling her eyes on her, the young woman lifted her head and scanned the restaurant, her smile broadening when she locked eyes with Sarabeth. She turned to another chef, said something, and then she left the kitchen area to make her way across the restaurant.

Sarabeth stood up and held out her hands for Charlotte to take, which she did. They exchanged kisses, and Charlotte surprised Sarabeth when she pulled her in for a tight hug.

When she released her, Sarabeth noticed Charlotte’s beautiful brown eyes were moist with emotion. “Since Ross isn’t here and I don’t know when next I’ll get you on your own, I just wanted to say a hundred thank-yous for the part you played in getting Ross to see some sense.”

Sarabeth smiled. “Anytime, honey. You look so happy, and so is he, and that’s all that matters. How’s my baby boy?”

Charlotte grinned. “I presume you are talking about Ben?”

Ross might be fully grown, a gorgeous man, but he’d always be her baby. Sarabeth winked. “This time.”

She introduced Brett, and Charlotte stood by their table for the next few minutes exchanging Ben stories. Stepping behind Sarabeth’s chair, she watched as the waitress poured her wine, before telling them their meal was on the house. “You don’t need to do that, honey!” Sarabeth protested.

Charlotte dropped a kiss on the top of her head. “I really do, I’m so grateful.” She straightened and her eyes, never still, drifted across the restaurant, constantly gauging the happiness and satisfaction levels of the customers. Sarabeth saw her spine stiffen, her expression close down and followed the direction of her gaze. She silently cursed when she saw Rusty and Billy Holmes standing at the entrance, talking to Faith.

Damn, the man still had the ability to spoil a nice night out.

Charlotte flashed her a strained smile. “I’ve got to get back to my station. I’ve got work to do.”

“And you want to avoid Rusty,” Sarabeth said, “and I can’t blame you.”

Charlotte grinned at her caustic tone and walked off, studiously ignoring her future father-in-law. Sarabeth looked at her ex and wondered what she’d ever seen in him. And why did she never noticed that his eyes were ice cold and his I’m-here-worship-me smile was as smarmy as hell?

Brett clinked his glass of soda against her crystal wine glass and his action pulled her back to her hot date. She hadn’t seen her ex-husband for a very long time. Was it wrong to be thrilled that she was looking good and was on a date with a great looking,youngerguy?

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