Page 30 of Cowboys Next Door

“Is that why you called me over here? To team up on me?” she demands, sliding off the stool.

It’s best just to get it out in the open, so I ask, “Are you working for MVP?”

The consternation on her face is genuine. She shakes her head. “What’s that?”

“Katherine hasn’t mentioned them? I find that hard to believe,” Eli fires out.

Rose’s eyes shadow, and she backs away from us, her eyes narrowing. “I want to go back to my grandmother’s.”

Eli chuckles. “So you can get your hands on her bank accounts?”

“What money?” Rose retorts sharply. “You’ve seen the state of her property. She’s broke.” Eli appears taken aback by her retort, but Rose isn’t finished. “I hope that the ranch will see some profit before…” She draws in a breath. “That I can restore it to what it used to be before everyone in her life disappointed her and left her to fend for herself.”

“Is that it? Or are you here to bleed her completely dry?” I blurt out.

Rose’s face pales to a near-opaque, and she exhales in shock. “Is that what you think of me?” Hurt haunts her question. “That I would take advantage of my own grandmother?”

“Is she your grandmother?” Eli insists.

“Of course she is! What do you think I’m doing here?”

“That’s what we’re trying to figure out,” I cut in, sensing that this is about to erupt. “We care for Katherine.”

“So do I!” Rose explodes, throwing her hands up. “But I seem to be the only one who’s stepping up here. At least I’m doing something about it!”

Now she has both me and Eli on the defensive.

“We have done our best for her,” I growl. “But we have our own properties to maintain.”

Eli’s complexion wanes more, as if he feels more shame than me. “You don’t know the whole story, Rose. You have no right waltzing in here like you did.”

She glowers at both of us. “I don’t even know what to say to you two! Does Hudson think I’m taking advantage of my grandmother, too? Is that why you all have been such jerks since I arrived?”

She directs her anger at Eli, who has the decency to appear shamed.

Rose takes a step forward. “She asked me to come here! I never invited myself!”

“Okay, okay,” I snap, stepping between her and Eli. “Don’t get all worked up. We’re all trying to do right by Katherine, right?”

I try to offer her a smile, but she’s seething.

“I asked you all for help, and you’re mocking me behind my back? Acting like I’m taking advantage of a woman who has been nothing but kind to me since she found out I existed?” Her full chest heaves, her upset mounting, and I reach for her, but she shrugs out of my hold. “I don’t need this. How dare you! You don’t know anything about me!”

Her fury arouses me, shameful as it is, and I pull her toward me in a bearhug, if only to calm her down. She feels small and delicate against my larger frame, and the softness of her body seems to melt into mine. I can’t help but breathe in the sweet scent of her hair as strands of it brush against the stubble on my chin. I find one of my large hands coming up to cradle her head, while the other splays wide across her back, holding her securely to me.

“You need to stop,” I order her gruffly. “You’re freaking out the dogs.” Both Bounce and Silo are half asleep on their beds in the living room, but I need to say something to ease the tension. “We’re sorry, okay? Right, Eli?”

I look at my friend, and he mumbles something incoherent.

“That’s not good enough!” Rose barks, drawing back to scowl at me. “I’m?—”

Before I know what I’m doing, my lips crush to hers, my desire to stop her tirade overcoming my common sense, and I immediately know I’ve crossed a line I shouldn’t have even toed.

But it’s too late now… and Rose isn’t pulling away.

CHAPTER10

Rose

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