Page 71 of Seaside Cowboy's Fairy Tale

Never mind that Darius had grown up into a fine, hardworking man with broad shoulders and muscles chiseled by daily labor outdoors. He smelled of leather and hay, and even at the wedding reception, his outfit consisted of traditional ranch wear, including a white cowboy hat, leather cowboy boots, a white Wrangler’s shirt stretched over an impressive torso, and blue jeans hugging narrow hips. She’d have considered him handsome when she’d returned to her hometown if she hadn’t already laid her eyes on the easygoing, fun veterinarian whose personality matched hers. She’d even become Austin’s assistant before her feelings for him deepened and he’d met his now wife.

Never again was she going to fall for her boss.

She placed a hand on Darius’s shoulder and swayed with him to a country song that, of course, had to talk about love and heartbreak. Who played sad love songs at a wedding anyway?

Thanks a lot for the reminder.

“What did you say?” Darius’s eyes searched hers. His eyes were the family’s signature brilliant blue, but his had tiny sapphire dots in them.

“Did I say it out loud? Oops.” She attempted a giggle but nearly choked on it. Where was her easy laughter now?

“Is it okay to ask what upset you?” His gaze was compassionate instead of just curious as he whirled her around.

How embarrassing. She couldn’t tell him the reason. She swallowed hard. “Well, for starters, I just quit my job and am currently jobless.”

He brightened. “That’s not sad. It’s awesome.”

Well, how insensitive. From surprise, she stepped on his foot. Yes, it was fromsurprise, not on purpose. “Excuse me? And excuse me for stepping on your foot.”

“It’s okay. You can step on my feet all you want. But I didn’t mean that it’s awesome you’re jobless. It’s awesome that maybe you could come work at our ranch office. We could use an assistant. And if you could help with accounting, all the better. Our accountant resigned, and I heard you’re taking accounting courses.”

Did he ask around about her? But then, there were no secrets in a small town. Well, there could be some secrets, as her cousin’s story proved. Then there was that mystery surrounding the early demise of these brothers’ father...

Her heart shifted as Darius brought her a little closer. His eyes were captivating in a way she didn’t realize. Or was she getting attracted to him simply because he resembled Austin, minus the reddish hues in his hair and the cheerful hues in his personality?

With an effort, she brought her thoughts to matters at hand—as in how to make a living from now on. When she wasn’t heartbroken, she loved to laugh and tell jokes, but she was also a practical girl. “My cousin, your oldest brother’s wife, would be much better suited to help with the books. She has tons of accounting experience while I have none.” Her gaze slipped to her cousin whose baby bump was noticeable now, and Saylor’s heart shifted again.

Once upon a time, Saylor had dreamed of family and children. But she had to be more realistic now.

“She’s busy with her paintings. And then she’ll be busy with the baby.” His expression turned wistful when he mentioned the baby.

What was all that about?

“And maybe you could help me find some important papers. I’ve been searching for them for days,” he added as his fingers tightened around hers a tad.

Some people called her impulsive, but she warmed up to the idea fast. What better way to forget a man than to throw herself into work? And it wasn’t like small towns brimmed with employment opportunities. Most jobs here were seasonal with lots of work during the tourist season and lots of unpaid downtime during the rest of the year.

“Sure,” she said. “Let’s discuss benefits and salary tomorrow.”

“Awesome!” He smiled. “This time, it’s just awesome.”

His smile was open, sincere, and lit up his face in a way she hadn’t noticed before. It did something strange to her senses she couldn’t logically explain.

He dipped her, and it stole her breath away. Her breath didn’t return when he brought her back and she stared into his baby blues.

What exactly was happening?

She didn’t get the answer to her question because the song ended and Rachel announced the bouquet toss.

A sting of disappointment surprised Saylor when he led her back. Was she... was she sad to let him go?

“Thank you for the dance. I loved dancing with you.” Once again, wistfulness softened his expression.

She didn’t expect it, but she loved dancing with him, as well. Her lips curved up, and this wasn’t a pretend smile like before.

Hmm, she never wanted to leave a job because of falling for her boss again. “It’s going to be a while before I’m ready for a romantic relationship again. So it’s a good thing we won’t worry about office romance. You’re still sort of my brother’s best friend to me.” Her heart moved as she said the words and finished in an upbeat tone. “And I guess, to you, I’m still your friend’s little sister who grew up.”

Did she want it to be different?

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