emanated from his mouth.
He leaned across her to reach the other end of the rail, and she eased backward, suddenly aware that her tight skirt had crept up to her ass, and that getting back down wasn’t going to be as easy as getting up.
“Okay, you should be able to get the drapes off now.” Kaiden released the tarnished brass rail and set it down on the countertop.
“Thank you.” Even as Julia waited for him to descend, she knew she’d have to ask for his help, and was already dreading it. She waved vaguely at her skirt. “Could you . . . ?”
“Help you down?” He grinned at her, accentuating the fine lines around his mouth and gray eyes. “Sure. You might want to consider investing in a pair of jeans if you’re going to stick around here for a while.”
He placed his hands on her waist and lifted her down in one fluid motion, waited until she was stable, and immediately backed off.
“I have jeans.” Julia made herself look him in the eye.
“Awesome.” He gestured at the drapes. “Why did you suddenly decide they needed to come down?”
“Because they were obscuring the view.”
“It certainly is a good one.” Kaiden looked past her, his expression thoughtful. “You might need to clean the glass, too.”
“I know that.”
“Then, I’ll leave you to it.” He checked his cell phone and frowned. “I won’t be able to get out here again until the weekend. Danny’s on a course so I’m doing his ranch work as well as mine.”
“That’s fine.” Julia nodded. “I’ve got a lot going on myself.”
“You taking on the ranch work?”
“Hardly. I still have a job in San Francisco.”
“You’re a lawyer, right?”
“I am.”
He hesitated. “If you need any help with anything—”
“I’ll ask Dad,” Julia said firmly.
“Okay, then.” Kaiden held out his cell. “Can I have your number? I’d rather talk to you than bother Juan.”
“Really?” Inwardly Julia winced as she relapsed into high school mode. What was it about Kaiden Miller that made her behave like a sarcastic teenager?
He rubbed his hand over his stubbled chin, probably to conceal a smile. “I can’t believe I’m asking, either, but I guess we both want what’s best for Juan.”
She took his phone and punched in her number with one sharp fingertip. “We do.”
“Thanks.” He picked up his hat. “I’ll call to let you know when I’d like to come up here again.”
“Sure, it’s not as if I’m planning on going anywhere.”
Kaiden turned back to look at her. “Do you have transportation?”
“Dad’s truck is still working, so yes. Are there any actual shops in Morgantown these days?”
“Plenty. You should come and check it out sometime.” His smile was a thing of beauty. “I’m just going to say good-bye to your dad, then I’ll see myself out.”
“Fine.”
He winked at her and strolled away. She heard her father’s laugh and Kaiden’s low-voiced murmur in reply, and then he was gone. His truck fired as he backed up and bumped down the pitted drive. She had the absurd idea of chasing after him and asking him what the hell she was supposed to do with her dad, with the ranch, with everything.
When had Kaiden Miller become the kind of guy people could depend on? He’d always been the outsider, the one too busy cracking jokes at everyone else’s expense to ever be taken seriously. Or was she so desperate that the slightest hint of kindness had reduced her to rubble?
Her cell rang and she automatically picked up.
“Hey, Julie! Didn’t you get my texts? I need to ask you some questions about the Mitan file.”
She gripped the phone tightly as the coffee in her gut turned to acid.
“Blaine, I don’t have access to any of the files right now. You’re supposed to check in with Miley, not me, okay?”
“Miley’s useless.” Julia closed her eyes as her new boss’s voice rose to its usual petulant whine. “She just tells me to sort it out myself.”
“You are the lead negotiator on this now, Blaine,” Julia pointed out, her gaze straying to the newly revealed window like it would save her soul. “You’re supposed to be the one making the decisions.”
“And, as your superior, I’m telling you to sort this shit out.”
Julia breathed out slowly through her nose and imagined galloping her horse through the water meadows that led down to Morgan Creek.
“Julie? Are you still there?” Blaine was in full panicked meltdown mode now.
“Sorry, can’t hear you too well.” Julia held the phone away from her ear. “Signal’s not great out