Page 74 of A Rancher's Bride
“You’re a mean one, Kelli James,” Luke growled.
He pulled the door open.
Ashton stood there with a face full of thunder. But he didn’t swing at Luke, which Kelli considered a positive start.
The foreman glanced at Kelli, looking her up and down with a careful eye before turning back to the man who, for all intents and purposes, should be considered his boss.
Only Ashton had been around since the days of Luke’s parents, and he was more than just a hired hand. And at that moment, he didn’t look one bit pleased.
“I need to talk with you,” he growled, going face to face with Luke. Ashton eased back his shoulders as if preparing to take a swing if necessary.
That was one thing Kelli wasn’t worried about. Luke wasn’t a hothead. He wouldn’t go off half-cocked, but she sure hoped he’d be moderately polite. Ashtonwasher boss too, after all.
Then damn if Luke didn’t make as if he was going to meekly follow directions.
Kelli sighed dramatically, grabbing Luke by the arm to restrain him until she could step in front.
She gave him a dirty look as she passed. “You know how to argue. You’ve done enough of it with me over the last week. Heck, over the last hour. So I don’t know why you’re all willing to go off without a peep this time.”
Luke’s lips twitched.
She focused her attention on Ashton. “And unless I’m jumping to a conclusion and you’re here because you need to talk private ranch business with Luke, then maybe you should be talking to meandLuke. If you plan to butt into my business, that is.”
Ashton raised a single brow. “Fine. We’ll do this here.” He fixed his eyes on Luke, disapproval visible in every inch of his sturdy body. “You think you’ve been respectful and proper to a woman who’s under my protection? Or should I rightly wallop you from one end of Silver Stone to the other because you’ve been a stupid cuss, and acted without thinking about the consequences?”
Luke squeezed Kelli’s shoulder before sliding her slightly to the side. “I was thoughtless and stupid beyond measure before Kelli and I headed to the gala. But I can honestly say she kicked me hard enough to knock my head out of my ass. Besides, that mistake helped me realize something I should have figured out a long time ago.”
Ashton was still frowning, with narrowed eyes and rigid body, but he waited without offering to kill Luke, so…
So far, so good.
Luke slipped his hand around Kelli’s waist and tugged her against his side. “I’m not going to say you can ask Kelli’s permission to bury my body in the back forty, because you don’t need my permission or hers to do what you think is right. But I think she’s forgiven me for being stupid”—he shrugged—“and beyond that, this isn’t your business.”
Okay, that wasn’t where Kelli thought this conversation would go.
Neither had Ashton, obviously, his eyes going wide.
“I respect the hell out of you, Ashton,” Luke continued softly. “I appreciate that you were there for us after Dad died, more than you can know. But I respect Kelli too. She doesn’t need your permission, or your protection, unless she asks for it. Heck, I wish she would take you as backup if she decides to go off on one of her harebrained rescue schemes without me. But about me and her being together?” He shook his head. “Not your concern unless she says it is.”
Ashton met Kelli’s eyes. “Well, girl?”
She adjusted her stance and leaned more firmly against Luke. It felt strange as hell to do that in front of Ashton, but maybe the practice during the gala had been enough to give her the confidence. “I don’t need to borrow the backhoe. Not this week, at least.”
Beside her, Luke made a small sound of amusement. Ashton nodded, still eyeing Luke as if he were a leftover piece of manure in an otherwise clean stall. “Let me know if you change your mind.”
He adjusted his hat and turned on his heel, closing the door firmly behind him.
As good as it had felt to hear Luke put her in the driver’s seat, it was having the first barrier crossed—of people knowing about them—that caused a rush of relief.
She sagged against Luke.
“That was awkward,” she pivoted against him, draping her arms around his neck. “And it was wonderful. Once you decided to not screw up, that was awesome.”
He rubbed their noses together. “I’m afraid habit predicts I will continue to screw up in bursts, but I’ll try to make course corrections as quickly as possible.”
“Appreciate that.”
He stared down, his lips twisting. “You ready to grab some stuff? Because I’m serious about you coming up to my house.”
