Page 42 of Giddy Up, Daddy

Then she tensed as well.

“Only the really naughty ones,” he said after too long a pause. Which made it sound very awkward.

Shit.

“I didn’t mean anything by that.” She sat up hastily and searched around for her clothes. She pulled her top on.

Should he tell her that it was inside out?

Not important.

“Blakely,” he said, sitting up as well as he watched her try to shove her foot into her jeans. “Blakely, stop.”

“I have to go. Sorry.” She hopped around, one foot stuck in her jeans, before she started to fall.

Leaping to his feet, he grabbed her, pulling her upright.

“Blakely, stop before you hurt yourself,” he told her sternly. He sat her down on the end of the bed and crouched to help her get her foot into her jeans.

“I’ve got it,” she said. “Please, just stop.”

Stop?

Stop touching her?

Shit. Fuck. He stood, drawing back and holding his hands up. “Blakely?—”

“Please don’t try to placate me,” she said hastily. “I feel like enough of an idiot right now. I just . . . I didn’t mean that we had to date. I don’t know why that came out like that. I didn’t come in here to . . . to trap you into a relationship.”

Fuck.

“Blakely, I know you didn’t,” he said hastily. “I’m not upset or mad at you.”

She eyed him skeptically.

“Baby, I’m not.”

“I don’t know why I said that. I know you don’t want a relationship. You’re too busy with the ranch.”

“I am busy with the ranch,” he said slowly. But was that a reason to put the rest of his life on hold?

He’d thought it was.

Now, he wasn’t so sure. Did he really want his life to be all about work?

Shit.

Was he really thinking about starting a relationship? With Blakely?

But the ranch wasn’t the only obstacle in their path.

“I’m not a Daddy,” he said quietly.

She was now standing and had her jeans on. Shit. He hadn’t even noticed her move.

You need to get yourself together.

“What?” she said.

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