Page 17 of Rancher's Heart

We drove in silence back to Griff’s place. “Get in the house. I’ll bring the boxes in that I left on the porch.”

“I can help you, don’t be silly.” I rolled my eyes, and reached for one of the boxes.

Without warning he took the box from me, tucked it under his arm, and pulled the door open.“Get in that house, have a shower, and relax.”

“I don’t need you to take care of me, Griff,” I said as I went to grab another box. Pressing his hand on it so I couldn’t lift it, he glared at me.

His eyes blazed, and the usual amber color had turned almost black. “If I don’t look after you, who will?” Slowly, he lifted his hand to my cheek and ran his thumb over it. “You had a bit of dirt.” His half smile made the independence I prided myself on crack just a little. “Please let me do this for you,” he whispered.

“You’re doing too much for me,” I said as I stared at him.

“Nothing’s too much for you. Go.” His last word was barely a whisper, and I nodded.

Kicking my boots off at the front door, I avoided the carpeted living room and walked through the kitchen area. I was sure I was covered with dirt and dried leaves and the last thing I wanted to do was to have to vacuum the carpet because I’d tracked a mess through it.

Steam filled the bathroom as I waited for the water to warm the tub. Turning to look at my ass in the mirror, there wasalready a large purple spot forming. Groaning, I ran my hand over it, and I shook my head. This could have been so much worse than a few bruises if Griff had shown up only a few minutes later.

Sinking into the scalding water, I wanted to scald the feel of Billy’s embrace from me. Griff’s was the only touch I wanted to remember.

CHAPTER 11

ELLE

Aloud bang jolted me from my sleep. Sitting upright in bed, still not totally sure how I got there I blinked and stared at the bear standing at the foot of my bed.

“Griff, are we going to have to have a chat about boundaries?” I mumbled as I rubbed my eyes with the heels of my hands.

“You’re cute when you just wake up,” he said with a hint of playfulness in his voice.

“You won’t think I’m cute in a second when I kick your ass for waking me up.” Flopping back down on the bed, I pulled the comforter up over my head. He’d obviously been in here for a bit because the blinds were up, and the blinding morning sun was streaming in the windows.

“I’d like to see you try.” He laughed this time. I obviously missed how annoying this man could be, especially at seven in the morning.

“What do you want?” I asked, my voice muffled by the blankets on me.

“Time to get up.” And with one quick jerk, my warm, luxurious blankets were pulled off me, and I was basically exposed to this man. Pulling my legs up to my chest, I yankedthe shirt down over my knees, trying to cover my bare ass at the same time.

I didn’t move, but I could hear Griff moving around the bed. It dipped as he leaned over. “I need your help, so if you don’t mind, can you get out of this bed before I climb in it?” His words were low, and I had to resist every screaming nerve in my body that wanted me to scoot over and make room for him. I didn’t know him, and I couldn’t risk losing a place to live until I could find a new one.

“Fine,” I huffed as I reached up and pushed him away from me. His laughter floated through the room as he turned to leave. “Annoying fucker,” I grumbled as I kicked my legs off the bed.

“I heard that.”

“You were supposed to,” I yelled back in his direction.

Pulling clothes on, I grumbled and basically growled about my new host. He had no right wandering into my bedroom. How long had he been there? Maybe if he’d actually snuggled up next to me wouldn’t have been so mad.

“Here, I think you need this.” He stood in the hallway with a large mug of coffee for me.

“Thank you,” my mumbled appreciation was thwarted by the steaming liquid wafting up into my nose, waking my senses. “Why didn’t you just knock on the door?” I looked up at him, and his eyes danced as he shook his head before he turned and headed down the hallway.

“I did knock, and there was no answer, so I opened the door and called your name and still nothing. So, I barged in.” I watched his shoulders shrug as I followed him.

“Sorry, I’m usually dead to the world when I finally do fall asleep.” Taking a sip of coffee, I sighed as I sat on the chair next to him.

“Don’t you sleep well?”

“No, all the years I’ve done shift work, its messed me up. It would be easier if I could work one shift or the other, but that’s not nursing. Also, I can’t do that when I have Parker. It’s not fair to him.” Griff slid a plate of bacon and eggs in front of me.

---