Page 8 of Unexpected Sweetheart
I turn my body and shove at the post with my side. “I’m not even surewhyI need a lesson. I don’t even want to help run the company. I just want my trust fund to open so I can relinquish my shares and get on with my life without the stupid expectation of being a Jenson hanging over my head.”
“What does your family do, anyway?”
“Cleaning products,” I grunt.
“Cleaningproducts?”
“Yep. If you use any kind of soap or detergent in your home, it’s probably one of ours. My great-great-grandfather got an army contract during the war that jettisoned the company into the spotlight. We’ve been riding that wave ever since.” The post shifts and I straighten up, victorious.
“And what would your role in that company be?”
I wrap my arms around the post, squatting around it as I wriggle it from side to side the way he said. “We sit on the board and make decisions about product lines, packaging, advertising budgets, and trade arrangements. It’s boring, and there are people far more qualified to hold that position than I am, so I don’t want to do it.”
“Does your father know this?”
“He does. We’ve had a series of arguments over it. But he says it’s my duty as a Jenson to further the family’s interests. Taking my place on the board, and marrying some privileged prince with an equally powerful surname is how I fulfill that duty. Sending me here is his way of trying to force me to see how easy my life is so I quit fighting him.” The post pops free suddenly, and I fall back from the velocity, hitting the ground before either of us can catch me. “And I guess it’ll teach me the importance of cleaning products too,” I add when Ryan pushes the post to the side and helps me to my feet. I’m covered in dirt and mud.
He studies my expression for a long moment. “There’s a lesson in everything, I suppose.”
“I don’t know,” I say, taking the fresh stake and driving it into the ground. “All this is really doing is teaching me that I don’t want to be a rancher.” He helps me secure the base then takes over and winds the barbed wire around it.
“Quitting on me already?” he asks as he snips the wire from the roll.
“I’m pretty sure that isn’t an option. This is the first day and youown mefor three weeks, remember?”
“How could I forget?” he says, his back to me as he checks that the post is secure enough. “That seems good. Now we just need to collect these tools and the old post, and we can head back to the house for a break and some food.” He picks up the wire and cutting tools while I move to grab the old broken post. The cows in the distance moo.
“Thank God. I don’t know how you do this all day, every day,” I whine, just as my grip slips and the post spins out of my hand, taking one of my lovely acrylic nails with it. “Oh fuck!” Blinding pain lights up behind my eyes as I let the post hit the ground and wrap my free hand over the throbbing of my damaged finger. I knew I should have had these things removed before coming here. But honestly, I wasn’t intending on actually doing work. My plans had been to play cowgirl dress up and lie around the ranch all day. With today’s labor laws, I’m well aware that no one can force me to doanything. But then Ryan the hot cowboy looked at me with that sexy everything he’s got going on.
“Show me,” he demands, instantly in front of me with the rough skin of his hands wrapping around mine. I uncurl my fingers to reveal the jagged edge of a baby pink nail, broken down to the quick, a nice line of blood leaking from the edge.
“What on earth made you think talons and ranch work went together?” he growls, making my insides turn to mush as he scoops me up in his arms like I’m the damsel and he’s my knight, then deposits me on Shadow’s back. “I’m taking you into town. Doc can look at you then you can go to the beauty parlor and have those things taken off.” He looks up at me with concern in his eyes, and I swoon.
“OK,” I squeak, taking back every nasty thing I thought about him while I was sweating and griping about the work. My lady parts still think he’s the hottest grump on the planet.
Ryan
“Can you put that on the Ranch’s account?” I say to Sloan McKenzie ofMcKenzie Hardware.
“Sure can,” he says, offering a smile as he slides the box of supplies I need to repair the barn across the counter. “This is kinda strange, don’t you think?”
“What is?”
“That we used to be the kids watching our parents, and now we’re the adults.” Sloan took over the hardware store after his father passed away about a year ago.
“Sure is.” Guilt twists in my belly as I take a deep breath, knowing he’s a far better man than I am—he’s staying instead of selling. “Thanks.” I lift the box then head back out to the truck, pushing my uneasiness aside as I drop the materials in the back then head back toward,The Hair Up Here Salon,where I sent Lorelei to get her talons clipped.
Admittedly, I'm sad to see those spikey pink delights go. Ireallyliked the idea of them dragging along my skin while I sheathed myself in her sweet body, her lusty moans filling my ears. Besides being a danger on the ranch, I suppose that’s exactly why her long nailsneededto be trimmed. I have to get my dirty mind out of the gutter where this girl is concerned. Despite the visit she paid me last night, it doesn't feel right thinking about her like that. Not just because of the age difference, but because ofwhyshe’s here. It feels like dishonoring my father. And I honestly don’t trust myself around her either. I get this feeling that if I give in to what I want from her, I'll lose control. I've never felt my skin crawling with a restless heat the way it does when I'm around her. This feeling isn’t normal, and I can't risk giving into it.
And let’s not even get started on how vastly different our circumstances are. In three weeks she goes back to her cushy heiress life—even though that marriage part sounds pretty fucking miserable—and I’ll still be here trying not to go bankrupt and hating every moment of it.Maybe that golf courseisa good idea after all.I shake my head to get rid of the thought.
“Ryan?” The sound of my name stops me in my tracks, and has me turning my head to find Elaine Peters crossing the street with a wide smile on her face. I remember her from Sweetheart High School, and despite pushing forty, she hasn't changed much. She’s still smiling enthusiastically like she's about to lead a pep rally. Except now I hear she's coaching the cheer squad. Some people never like to leave the halls they dominated. "Ithoughtthat was you." She places her hands on her hips, slightly breathless as she looks up at me.
"Well…congratulations on being right," I say with a polite nod. "Was good seeing you, Elaine." I turn to walk away, but she's quick to grab my arm.
"Oh, you don't get to run away that quickly, Ryan Oakley. How long has it been? Twenty years?"
"About that."
