Page 31 of The Rancher's Addiction

She gritted her teeth.“Secondly, I’m embarrassed for intruding into your life with your ex.I had no right, and I’m afraid I might have made things worse for you.”

“Anything else?”

“The third thing should make you feel good.”

“Oh?”

“Yes, I lost a patient last night.”

She waited for any reaction and then shook her head when there was none.“Please leave.”

“What patient?”

She hit her fist against his chest.“Screw you.I don’t deserve this, and if you’re trying to push me out of town, you’re succeeding.There are a lot of other places I can get a job and not be harassed.”

He looked shocked.“I’m not trying to get you to leave.”

“I don’t believe you.You’ve tried to ruin my career, you’ve driven my parents away, and you’re hurting me.”

His hands fell to his sides, and his head snapped back as if she hit him.

“Jesus, woman.I don’t want you to go anywhere, and I’d never try to ruin your career.I respect the hell out of what you’ve done.”

She snorted.

“No, Baby.It’s true.My problem is I’m terrified you’re going to get hurt.That’s all.And as far as your parents go, I can’t tell you how sorry I was that I disrupted your visit with them.I saw the car in the driveway, and I got jealous.And the last thing I want to do is hurt you.I’m an asshole, and I can’t seem to figure out how to deal with my feelings for you.”

She stared at him in disbelief.She didn’t know what to say to him.Everything he just said was a shock to her system.

“I tried to find you last night, but Nicole said you had a call.I wanted to thank you.No one’s ever stepped up for me.Oh, I know they think I can handle myself, and I can, but I still hate dealing with that bitch.”

He seemed to be waiting for something, but she didn’t know what to say.

“As far as the calf last night...”

“How’d you know it was a calf?”she asked.

“I ran into Ron in town, and he told me what happened.He said the calf was dead an hour before you got there.He thought he could deal with getting the calf out.He said if it weren’t for you, he would have lost the cow.”

She didn’t know what to say, so she stayed quiet.

“Did you hear me?”

She nodded.There were too many emotions raging through her, and she wasn’t able to stick to just one.

“I heard.Now, if you could leave, I want to be left alone.”

He studied her for a long moment.“I think you’ve been alone too long.”

She shrugged.“It’s what I’m used to.”

He ran his hands up and down her arms.“That doesn’t mean you can’t learn something different.”

She gritted her teeth when she tried to step back, only to have him pull her closer.She pressed her hands against his chest to keep some space between them.

“Listen, Kaden.I’m not sure why you stopped by, but I really do have a lot of work to do, and I’m already tired.”

“I wanted to check on you.”

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