The Rancher and the Event Planner - By Cheryl Gorman Page 0,7

toward him. He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye and slid his gaze down her nice legs. The way she looked, the transformation from shy, awkward girl to confident, gorgeous woman unnerved him and he didn’t like it one bit. But why her? Why now?

His life had been humming along fine with few complications until Jennifer showed up. She was intelligent and no shrinking violet. As soon as he’d laid eyes on her in his office, she’d thrown him like a hot-blooded saddle bronc.

There was only one option. Damn Linc’s hide.

“We have a couple of spare rooms at the ranch house. You’re welcome to one of them if you’d like.” They’d be in each other’s pockets. How was he ever going to keep his hands off her?

Jennifer looked at him, a mix of surprise and relief filled her eyes plus another emotion he couldn’t name. “Thank you that would be wonderful if you’re sure I wouldn’t be in the way.”

Oh, you’ll be in the way all right and there isn’t a damn thing I can do about it. “Not at all. We’ll be glad to have you. First I need to pick up Molly from school then we’ll head to the ranch.”

She removed her heels, wiggled her toes painted bright red, slipped on the sandals and sighed. Her sigh seeped into his skin and bedded down for the night. “Cade tells me she’s an angel.”

Thank God. Thinking of his little girl helped douse the unwelcome attraction he felt for Jennifer. “I have to admit she was sent straight from heaven, no doubt about it.” The moment Molly was born he’d committed himself to making his marriage work for his child’s sake and he’d sworn to himself that no sacrifice was too great. But in the end, he’d let Molly down and himself. Not to mention Caroline.

Pushing the thoughts from his mind, he reached into a cooler on the floor board of the extended cab and pulled out two chilled bottles of water. He handed her one.

She took the bottle and condensation trickled over her chin as she drank. Suddenly, he had a terrible urge to lick it away. He needed to stick his head in a bucket of water.

“Thank you. You come prepared. I remember you and Cade were in boy scouts together.”

“I made it to Eagle Scout. Cade never moved past Tenderfoot. Too busy goofing off. I still have all my badges.” Heat climbed his neck. “I can’t believe I just told you that.”

She laughed. “I promise I won’t spread it around.”

Her laugh was light and girlish and tweaked his nerve endings. He brushed away his feelings and focused on the road.

***

I'll be staying with Rafe. JC’s heart had yet to settle back to its normal rhythm after Rafe’s unexpected invitation. Nervous tension and a healthy dose of unbridled joy danced along her spine. She was both happy and terrified at the thought of living in his house. They’d be sleeping under the same roof, sharing meals together and telling each other goodnight at the end of the day. How was she going to hide her attraction for a whole month? Rafe would make that impossible with his sexy good looks and charm. She was a healthy flesh and blood woman who had wants and needs just like every other woman and resisting Rafe would be a sensual nightmare but she had to do it because fairytales didn’t exist.

Maybe Cade’s cabin would be repaired and livable sooner than expected and she could spend her evenings away from Rafe’s alluring presence. She would hold on to that lifeline but in the meantime she had to forget about her lust for Rafe and concentrate on the job at hand—revitalizing the town.

Shortly, Rafe turned into the Salvation Elementary School parking lot.

Cars, filled with parents waiting to pick up their children, circled in a holding pattern. He stopped behind a station wagon just as the bell rang and children poured out of the school.

Rafe climbed from the truck as a little girl with dark curls bouncing around her cherub face, ran toward him. He gathered his daughter in his arms for a quick hug then he helped her into the truck. “Molly, this is Ms. Barrett. She’s Uncle Cade’s sister and an old friend of mine.”

A pair of leaf green eyes looked innocently up at JC. Her nose and mouth, the shape of her face and the wavy, dark locks of her hair reflected her father. She was Rafe’s