Page 8 of Belonging to the Rancher

“You broke the rules.” She tried not to sound so accusatory, but that was hard to do.

“We’d disturbed their nighttime routine. I was fixing it.”

“Ah, okay.” She nodded her head.Ask him. Ask him. Ask him if you’re a bad kisser.

“I’ve got to get out to work,” Axe said in that gruff, commanding voice of his.

She was tempted to just let it go, to pretend last night hadn’t happened, but … it had happened. The kiss had been incredible, at least to her.

“Was I not good?” The words slipped out of her mouth of their own accord. She wanted to slap her hand across her lips, to find some way to silence herself. She hated conflict of all kind, and this could lead to conflict.

“That shouldn’t have happened last night.”

“Why?”

“I’m your boss!” He glared at her.

“Oh,” Clarissa said. “So, all I am to you is an employee, is that it?” she asked.

“Yes.”

“Good. That is great to know.” She got to her feet, picked up her cup, and tossed the remaining contents into the sink.

“I am your boss, Clarissa. You are my employee. I don’t know what happened last night and it’s never going to happen again.”

She couldn’t bring herself to look at him. Of course, he spoke the truth. What was she even thinking? Having a crush on her boss was the biggest mistake of her life, and she shouldn’t even be entertaining thoughts of being with him. That is her mistake, not his.

“You’re right. Let’s forget it ever happened.” This was the best job she ever had and she didn’t like the thought of not working for him. She loved working for him.

Axe looked at her for several seconds, or maybe minutes. Either way, they were excruciatingly long, no matter the time.

She waited.

“I’ve got work to do.”

Dolly and Susie were waiting at the door for him.

Clarissa didn’t stop him, but she couldn’t help but watch him as he left. The door closed behind him, and for several minutes, she stood in the empty house, with her thoughts on the previous night. With no audience, she reached up and pressed her fingers against her lips. That kiss had really been something. Dropping her hand to her side, she felt tears fill her eyes.

Her first kiss, to a point even her first crush, and it had started in disaster. She was going to have to stop herself from thinking about him, or wanting anything more than a professional relationship.

She moved to the fridge and began to tick off all the smaller details that would help her keep this relationship to that of a boss and an employee. The first point would be for her to not have breakfast or any kind of meals with him. Clarissa would make sure breakfast, lunch, and dinner were either eaten before or after him.

That would be the start.

****

Axe had every intention to apologize, and to set them on the right path. He’d not slept at all last night. The puppy dogs hadn’t been a problem. They settled onto his bed and didn’t move until he had, this very morning.

Driving along the main line of the fence, he looked to see if there were any problems. He’d already received the text from one of his men letting him know the cattle had been checked over and there were no issues.

The fences heading into winter were always a problem, and it had been a good few years since he last changed them all. Every so many miles, he’d stop, get out, and test the work he and his men had done. He did a full loop of the property.

The dogs were starving, and as he got to one of the open fields that had recently been mowed by his cattle chewing on the grass, he pulled the car to a stop and let the dogs out. Dolly and Susie didn’t need instructions. First, they started by doing their business, and Axe was already at the back of his truck, opening the supplies, so he could go and clean up. Axe then sat back against his truck as both dogs started their morning run.

Each one returned to him as they saw what he held in his hand—a single tennis ball. Raising his arm in the air, he threw it across the field and both took off. This time, Dolly was the first one to the ball. Susie trailed behind her, and then they both came back and dropped the ball at his feet. He bent down, picked it up, and started the process over again.

For several minutes, he did this, every other day. He loved the quiet, the peace, it helped him clear his mind, but today, it was not helping him do anything.

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