Page 24 of The Rancher's Addiction

Jenny had to bite the inside of her mouth at the horrified looks on her parents’ faces.

“I have never touched an animal in my life,” her mother burst out.

Mac looked shocked.“Like ever?”

“No.”

“Not even a cute kitten or a puppy?”

Her mother hissed and curled her lips.“Not ever.”

“Oh, well, you’re missing out.So, what kind of doctors are you?”

“I’m a heart surgeon,” her father said stiffly.“And my wife is a brain specialist.We’ve both been written about in medical journals...”

Mac shrugged.“Sorry.Not my type of reading.”

“I can see that,” her mother said.

Jenny gasped and turned to her mother.“I want to remind you that you are in my home.I won’t have you disrespecting my friends.”

“Well, I think we’ve outstayed our visit, Terrance.”

He nodded.“I agree.”

Jenny’s shoulders straightened as she led them to the door and opened it.“I’d like to thank you for coming, and I hope your convention goes well and you have a safe trip home,” she tried to sound as sincere as she could.At the moment, she was too embarrassed to care.

Her mother air-kissed her from a foot away, and her father awkwardly patted her shoulder.

“We would be pleased if you were ready to come home and act like an adult.”

Jenny sighed.“Thank you, Father.”

Jenny wrapped her arms around her waist and watched them get into their car and drive away, knowing it would be the last time she would see them unless she flew home, and even then, it was iffy, whether they would give her the time.

“Are you going to stand there all day?”

She sighed, gritted her teeth to keep the tears at bay, stepped back, and held the door open for him.“Thank you for stopping.”

His eyebrows went up.“You think you can get rid of me?”

“Could you please leave?I have to get to the clinic, and I don’t want to fight anymore.”

****

He studied her closedexpression and sighed.He fucked up.Again.For some crazy reason, he’d thought she had a man in her house, and it threw him.

It was that old saying—he didn’t want her, but he didn’t want anyone else to want her either.He had to be honest, at least to himself.It wasn’t that he didn’t want her.Instead, he was afraid to take a chance with her.

Now she stood in front of him with a sturdy wall she’d built around herself, not only from him but her parents, too.He didn’t want to guess what was going through her head right then.She didn’t exactly look upset, but he couldn’t be sure because her expression was blank.

“I’m sorry if I made them leave.”

She shrugged.“I knew it would happen sooner rather than later.Now, if you don’t mind.”

He could tell she was desperate to get him out of the house, but wasn’t sure why.He took the steps he needed to stand before her and stared down at her.He studied her for a moment, slapped his hat on his head, and walked out.

“Wait,” she called out, making him stop and turn.“Why did you stop by?”

---