Page 8 of In Bed with the Rancher

She laughed. “You better cool it until you learn who you are.”

“I don’t think I can be held responsible for any innocent remarks I make right now when I don’t even know who I am.”

“They aren’t so innocent and you know enough to realize what you’re saying,” she said, laughing at him and he grinned.

“Meeting you has been worth going through all that happened to me. At least, sort of, because I do want my memory to return.”

“Cool it, cowboy. And I think I’m right—you’re a rancher.”

She turned into a room. “I’m down the hall but here’s a guest suite you can use,” she said as they entered a living area. Through an open door she could see the bedroom that had a blue-and-tan decor, like the sitting room. “You’ll find packets of things you might need—comb, soap, toothbrush, that sort of thing—in the bathroom. There should be clean towels, too. There will be about two sizes of new pajamas on one of the chests. I’m glad Gerald brought you some men’s clothes. On second thought, let me check to make sure the soap is there,” she said, starting to turn away.

He stopped her with his words. “Go join your friends,” he said. “I’m sure I’ll have what I need. You sound as well-equipped as a drugstore. At least, I can remember what a drugstore is.”

Before she could step away, he reached out to take her arm. The moment he touched her, she felt another tingle all the way to her toes. Her breath caught and she looked up to meet his gaze that was as sizzling as his light touch on her arm. Startled, she saw he felt something, too. He had a surprised look that changed to an intense focus on her, which made her pulse drum faster.

She should say something, move, do something, but she felt captured by a casual touch and a look. Only the touch hadn’t been casual to her and it evidently hadn’t been to him.

“Call me if you need me. It’s Ava, in case you forgot,” she said in a breathless voice that was almost a whisper.

“I can’t remember my name, but I promise you, I remember yours, Ava,” he said in a husky voice, still gazing at her with a curious look that kept her pulse racing. He released her arm and, with an effort, she turned to leave.

She hurried out, closing the door to his suite behind her. She stood a moment and gulped for air. She had never had such a reaction to a man. Never, not once. How could a casual, slight touch stir such desire? Especially by a muddy man who was a complete stranger?

After her breakup she hadn’t been attracted to any man. She had turned down invitations, not wanting to date. She still didn’t want to.

She was shocked by her reaction to this man. Especially now. Her heartbreak over Judd definitely had not healed and would never be forgotten. It still hurt to think about how he’d left her.

At this point in her life she didn’t want to be attracted to any man. She couldn’t handle another breakup.

So how could just a look from this stranger make her heart race?

He’d seemed as surprised as she was and she was certain it was every bit as unwanted a reaction to him as it was to her.

Telling herself to stop thinking about him, she hurried back to join her neighbors and thank Molly for bringing her nurse kit to tend to the stranger’s cuts. Ava was relieved that she wouldn’t have to do that task. The mere thought of taking care of his back or shoulder, or any other part of his anatomy where he had been injured, made her pulse race again. She banished the thought as she rejoined her friends.

“You’re the greatest neighbors to go out in this storm to come by and meet him, in addition to bringing food, clothing and first-aid care. Thank you both.”

“We’re glad to do it,” Molly said.

“I feel better meeting him,” Gerald added. “I can’t recall why he looks familiar, but I have a real strong feeling we’ve met before.”

“That’s good news, too,” she said. “Right now he knows nothing about himself.”

She looked out the window at the storm, which hadn’t let up. “I hope your kids aren’t afraid with both of you gone. That wind is fierce and the rain is still teeming.” As if to emphasize her words, a streak of lightning lit the outside. Shortly, thunder boomed again and wind whistled around her house.

“The kids don’t care. They’re super good at entertaining themselves and, fortunately, both like to read, so they’re either playing a game or curled up to read or comforting my grandmother over this storm,” Gerald answered. “She’s the one who will be scared out of her wits.”

Thunder boomed and the sharp click of hail drowned out conversation for a moment. Gerald went to the window and then disappeared briefly. In a moment he returned. “Look at the size of this hail. This is slightly bigger than the other we had,” he said, crossing the room to show them. “There will be roof and window damages with this storm.”

Molly gasped, picking up a hailstone that looked the size of a golf ball.

“It’s already let up,” he said, taking the hailstones to the kitchen to toss them into the sink. “I think this storm will make the news,” he said when he returned.

“Thank goodness the hail didn’t last long,” Ava said, looking at the window.

“Your dinner is in the fridge now,” Molly reminded her. “And, of course, you know you both are always welcome at our house if you’d rather stay there.”

“Thanks, Molly. I think we’ll be fine.”

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