Page 21 of Ranch Rules

“Mmm-hmm?”

“I mean, if you really feel that way... then why... how...”

“Am I with the man who spanked me in the first place?”

Natalie smiled, grateful for Lora putting the words out there. “Yeah. I guess.”

The other woman shrugged a dainty shoulder. “I guess it does seem crazy, when put like that.”

“Listen, it’s okay, you don’t have to—I wasn’t trying to say—”

“Relax.” Lora held up a hand, warding off further protests. “I get it, I promise. I just am not sure I have the answer you’re looking for.”

Now it was Natalie’s turn to be patient. She fiddled with the hem of her shirt and wished she’d never brought it up. After all, there was nothing Lora could say to make her feel any differently about the situation she found herself in, so why had she bothered to ask? Maybe it was something about the way her heart beat faster when she saw Thomas...

“What are you thinking about?”

Natalie’s head jerked up. “What?”

“Just now. What are you thinking about?”

“Nothing. Why?”

Lora’s lips curved into a knowing smile. “That’s not nothing. You’re blushing.”

She brought her hands to her face, surprised to find the heat in her cheeks. “Well, I didn’t mean to.”

“I’m sure you didn’t,” the other woman laughed. “Is that what this is about? Who are you paired with?”

Suddenly, she regretted opening up at all. She didn’t want to say his name, in case her body gave away other tell-tale signs she wasn’t able to stop.

“Come on, you can tell me.”

“So... about filing. You never did say—”

She waved a hand to dismiss the subject. “There’s plenty of time for that. Are you really not going to tell me? Is it Justin?” Lora’s eyes gleamed as she tried to guess. “Hmm, no. What about Antonio? Now there’s a cowboy. I mean, he’s not really my type, but plenty of women go nuts for him.” Her eyes were fastened on Natalie now, searching. “No? Who could it—oh! Thomas!”

Natalie felt her tummy do a little flip at the mention of his name as her pulse sped up. It must have shown on her face because Lora began to crow in excitement.

“Ooh, I never would have thought of him! I mean, he’s a bit of an enigma, isn’t he? Smiling one minute, stern the next? But I guess that’s what you like.”

“Stop it,” she muttered, turning away to hide her blush. “I barely know him. He was just paired with me, it wasn’t like I picked him or anything.”

“Yeah, I hear you. I mean, who would actually pick Thomas? He’s so... I don’t know. What’s with that constant smiling, anyway? And does the man own anything besides flannel? I mean, he looks okay in it, I guess, but really, would it hurt him to mix it up a little? And—”

“I like flannel.” The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them. She had turned around to look at Lora, unsure why she felt the need to defend a man she’d known less than twenty-four hours.

But Lora smiled triumphantly. “And you especially like it on Thomas, am I right?”

She would have tried to deny it if she hadn’t felt the way her cheeks bloomed. “I’m not sure,” she said at last. “I mean what I said, I barely know him. Now, seriously, we need to get to these files. If your fiancé comes back in and finds us just sitting here...”

She’d found the right words at last because Lora cast an anxious eye at the door and nodded. “You’re right.”

“So, your experience with filing has consisted of what, exactly?”

“Um... I think the last time was when I was the helper in Mrs. Johnson’s first grade class.” Lora let out an embarrassed laugh.

“Don’t worry about it. It’s easy. You’ll pick it up in no time.” With that, Natalie launched into a quick introduction and demonstrated as she talked. Her prediction had been correct and soon they were working together to organize the files Nate had left behind.

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