Page 13 of Rancher's Heart

I leaned in closer to her and shook my head. “No, because I’m stubborn, and when I start something, I don’t quit.”

She nodded as if that answer was acceptable to her. “Okay, let me at it,” Elle said, motioning for me to come closer to her.

“It’ll probably be easier if I’m sitting,” I said as I grabbed her hand and led her to the porch swing. Taking a seat, Elle moved to my side and she ran her hands gently over my shoulder. Letting my head lull to the side, her delicate fingers grazed over my neck, and I had to will my cock not to respond. God, her touch was like electric shocks that went straight below my belt.

She worked on me for as long as I could handle her touch. Placing my hands on hers, I smiled. “I think I have a house to show you.” Standing I pulled her around in front of me and guided her to the front door.

Swinging open the door, I let Elle go in first. Glancing down, I looked at the five pairs of cowboy boots scattered in the entryway. “Just kick your boots off and add ‘em to the pile.” I joked behind her. Why hadn’t I at least cleaned up the entryway? Well, maybe because you never thought you’d be asking the woman to tour your house and to move in with you?

“Okay, so the house is basically the same at either end.” We walked into the open-concept living space, and I watched Elle’s eyes almost bug right out of her head as she looked around. I was happy it was organized. In the spring and summer, I wasn’t home a lot, but if it had been winter this place would have looked like a bomb went off in here.

“Come on, I’ll show you where Parker’s room would be.” Elle nodded, and she walked beside me. “Think this will do?” I opened the door at the end of the hall, and she walked in. Her mouth opened, and I could almost see the wheels turning in her head.

There wasn’t anything overly special about it, but it was huge and had windows on two sides of the room. “He can look out at the mountains one way, and the barn and pasture from the other.” I’d almost made this my room when I moved in, but I wanted to overlook the lake, so I’d taken the other side of the house. “He can do whatever he wants in here. It’s a blank canvas.”

“Oh, don’t tell him that when you see him, I’ll be painting for the next month.” She smiled, and I watched her face turn red, “if we move in, that is.”

I chose to ignore that last statement. “Follow me.” I motioned with my head as I walked by her in the hallway. Reaching the other room, I pointed, and thankfully, I didn’t have to tell her to open the door; she just did. Taking a step in, she brought her hand to her mouth, and I heard her gasp.

“This is bigger than the house we’re living in.” She mumbled from behind her hand.

“Well not quite, but probably close.” My voice was low, and I hadn’t expected her abrupt stop, so I was standing so close to her I could feel her body heat radiate onto me. Quickly, she pushed past me and left me standing in the room alone.

“Talk to me,” I said as I found her in the kitchen.

“It’s all so overwhelming.” Elle stood by the island and closed her eyes. “I want to say yes; I want to go bring everything I have here this instant, but I’ll have to think about it, Griffin. I’d take you up on your offer for the horses, and I will work on your arm regardless of what I decide.” She grabbed her boots and walked out to the porch. I imagined this was a lot to take in.

Leaning on the railing, I looked out at the mountains, and the green grass was so beautiful. Putting my arms on either side of her, I drank in her scent. The citrus and vanilla of her hair, the light lilac perfume she wore, and her body so close to me made me hum. “I don’t want you two living there anymore. I don’t trust either of those Hayes brothers.”

She leaned back and rested her back on my chest. “I’ll be fine while I find someplace to live. Thank you for being worried about us.” As if she remembered what she’d actually come here for, she ran off the porch and opened the passenger side of her truck. At least she wasn’t on the driver’s side trying to run from me.

“You lent me your coat last night and in the rush of you leaving, I forgot to give it back.” She held out my suit jacket. Little did she know I purposely left it with her. “How is your new foal?”

“He’s great, want to go see him?” I took my coat from her hands and threw it over the porch railing. Her eyes grew as large as dinner plates and she nodded. Reaching for her hand we headed for the barn.

CHAPTER 8

ELLE

The moonlight shone through the kitchen window, and I looked at the clock on the stove. How had it gotten to be midnight? Ad after ad on the buy-and-sell site all started looking the same, and Griff’s offer was clouding my judgment, because nothing measured up. They all looked dated and needed a lot of upkeep.

Griff’s home was beautiful and, strangely enough, everything I’d ever dreamed of in a home, right down to the massive fireplace. I wouldn’t have to worry about anything while I was there, but even with our own wing of the house, was it responsible to move Parker in there?

Couldn’t be any less responsible than letting him live in this run-down shack.My brain at midnight was quite ruthless, and it was true. I’d been so desperate to get things back to normal for him with the move into this place I’d jumped at the first listing I saw. But taking Griff up on his offer felt like that same impulsive decision, despite the improvement it would be.

Standing, I stretched my back and started digging through the cupboards, desperate to find my stash of junk food. A pounding on the screen door made me jump. “What the hell?”

“Hey, nursey, open up. I know you’re in there.” The pounding was continuous now, except for the brief pauses when he tried to open the door. Letting my eyes drop to the doorknob, I watched it rattle, but I’d remembered to bolt the door, and I breathed a small sigh of relief. But then the panic set in. Like everything in this place, it wouldn’t last long with the force pushing on the other side of it. The doorframe sounded like it was about to shatter, and my heart was pounding in my ears. “Let me in, and you can practice your bed bath skills.” The man’s words were slurred.

“You can’t keep me out of my own house.” He growled as my blood ran cold.

Oh god, it was Billy Hays, fuck. Immediately, my thoughts moved back to Griff only this time it wasn’t about his house. He warned me this would happen. Thankfully, Parker was at his dad’s and I didn’t have to worry about him being here during this chaos.

How was I supposed to get out of here? There was only one door. As if I’d been hit on the head, I remembered I’d backed my truck in beside the house, and there was only one way I was going to get out of this house - my bedroom window.

The screen was ripped, and it never actually closed properly. Saying a silent prayer, I hoped I could fit through the opening.

Walking quietly to the bedroom, I hoped Billy hadn’t seen my shadow moving through the house. I didn’t need to alert him as to where I was, so I gently took the lamp and jewelry box off the dresser in front of the window. Climbing on top of it, it swayed, making me freeze. This thing was ancient and was probably going to crumble under my weight. My lip gloss rolled across the top, and I grabbed for it, but it tumbled to the floor, and I froze still hearing him beat on the door.

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