Page 43 of Rancher's Strength

“Alexandra,” he croaked. It sounded like both a warning and promise. We were pressed against each other now, the cold metal of the cattle chute at my back. I hadn’t even realized we’d moved. “God, I’ve never stopped wanting you.”

Just as I opened my mouth to ask what was stopping him, the long, loud bellow of the cow behind me broke the trance we were in. “Guess I should let her out.” I smiled and reached for the lever that opened the gates. However, I wasn’t able to get it open given how I was standing, because Ryder hadn’t moved away from me. Without breaking eye contact, he reached up, wrapped his hand around mine, and pulled down. The cow bolted, and the chute rattled, bumping me into Ryder.

“I should get to work,” he said as he finally stepped away from me. “Ready?” he asked, reaching up to let the next cow out of the pen. Slamming the gates closed, I nodded, and the next beast thundered up the alleyway. Whatever was happening was over now, and we were back to all business.

With minimal discussion and no small talk, we worked the twenty head of cattle and managed to let the last one out just as Ruby called from the porch. “Auntie Lexie, Uncle Ryder, where are you?” Her little voice was full of panic. My heart broke, and Ryder and I both sprinted toward the house. His long legs covered ground faster than mine, and he bounded up the stairs, scooping her up in his arms and twirling her around. Her giggles floated through the air, and I stopped at the bottom of the steps, watching the two of them.

The panic was gone, and she looked adoringly at Ryder. “Why’s Auntie Lexie wearing your jacket?" she asked between giggles.

“She came out to help me and didn’t wear a coat. I guess she forgot it was fall, so she stole my jacket.”

“You gave it to me,” I grumbled, while Ryder shook his head and Ruby leaned over to look at me.

“I think it looks better on you, Auntie,” Ruby whispered, cupping her hands around her mouth.

“Well, maybe she should keep it,” Ryder said as he turned to look at me, arching his brow.

“I think I still have one at my house in Bozeman,” I said as I shrugged out of it and held it out to him. “I should get it next time we go. Then you can have yours back.” I hadn’t thought about my house in Bozeman at all since I’d gotten the call from the police. I didn’t want to think about what was rotting in the fridge. Well, let’s be honest. It would be some sort of takeout in a cardboard container. I didn’t cook much because I’d spent all my time focused on my career, which in reality was just something to do so I didn’t have to think about him.

“Well, since it’s not here, keep it, sweetheart.” Ryder set Ruby down but held on to her hand.

Ruby burst out laughing, “You called her sweetheart. That’s weird.” She shook her head, and I looked up at Ryder, thinking,Not all that weird.When we’d been together, I could have sworn he’d forgotten my actual name. He called me “sweetheart” all the time and hearing it again, after what happened in the corral, shook me to my core.

“Auntie Lex, are you coming in for breakfast?” Sawyer asked through the screen door, his big eyes looking up at me.

“Yeah, I’m coming.” I smiled and pulled the screen door open. Sawyer wrapped his small hand around mine. My heart squeezed as tightly as the grip he had on my hand.

Chapter Twenty-Two

LEXIE

“It’s so nice to see there’s a lawyer in this backwater town.” The man’s voice shattered the quiet oasis I’d managed to find this morning.

“Good morning. How can I help you?”

“Are you here alone?” His beady eyes bore into me, and my skin crawled.

“No, I’m not. My receptionist is in the back.” Smiling tightly, I held back a flinch as he looked around.

“She must be extremely quiet.”

“How can I help you today?”

“I have a request for you; now, it might sound kind of odd, but I’m looking for the person who owns these land locations.” He reached inside his well-tailored suit and pulled out a piece of paper. Unfolding it, I stared at the list of numbers.

“May I ask why you’re interested in them?” I lifted my eyes from the page to the stranger. He didn’t fit in here. Nobody wore a suit, ever. Not even on their wedding day. My father didn’t wear one unless he had to actually go to court, and then it was just a western suit jacket with his best pair of black wranglers and cleanest boots.

“I’m interested in talking to the owner about purchasing the land.”

“Well, I can tell you that these parcels of land aren’t for sale.”

“How could you possibly know that?”

“I know the former owner, and in the condition of the sale to the current owner, there was a clause that they can’t be sold to anyone other than the original family. So, I’m sorry you’ve wasted your time stopping in today.” I smiled sweetly but didn’t miss the flash of anger shoot through his eyes.

“Don’t you go blabbing about this conversation. Confidentiality and all.”

“Confidentiality only applies to paying clients, and you, sir, are no client of mine. And you never will be. Please see yourself out.”

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