Ruthless (Wolf Ranch #6) - Renee Rose Page 0,5

from the top of the waterfall. In the dim light of the basement, they seemed to glow, just as they had before. His hair wasn’t silver, far from it. Beneath his cowboy hat, it was almost black. His jaw clenched, and his nostrils flared.

“Red, it’s been a long time.” He came over to me, extended a hand and pushed Nash further away.

Red. I’d forgotten all about that nickname he’d given me all those years ago when my hair had usually been in a long braid down my back. He leaned close, and I had to tip my chin back to look up at him. His nostrils flared as he drew a deep breath. Almost like he was breathing me in.

God, he probably was. I’d bet he had a keener sense of smell than a normal human. Wolf senses.

“Sure has,” I replied although my mouth was dry.

“You’ve grown up.” His gaze drifted over me from my cheap gas station flip flops to my wild hair… and everywhere in between. He reached out, tucked a curl behind my ear.

I gulped, and my skin prickled at the action.

Holy shit.

“So… have you.” I didn’t remember him to ever be a gangly teenager. The opposite. He’d been tall, thickly muscled and, to a ten-year-old, cute. The first vague flutterings of a girlhood crush had been awakened by him. Now, he was even taller, even broader. His muscles had muscles. My female interest wasn’t a vague flutter any longer.

Hell, no. It was instant attraction. Heat. A longing I’d never known before.

Nash stood off to the side watching as if he were at a tennis match. “You two know each other?”

Rand dropped his hand but almost reluctantly. “I used to work for Old Man Sheffield. Back in high school. Natalie was here summers when she was little.”

Nash snapped his fingers. “That’s right.”

I knew I blushed but hoped it didn’t show too much. “Haven’t been back since I was ten,” I admitted. “It’s been a long time.”

“Sorry about your uncle,” Rand said. “He was a real nice guy.” He smiled, making little crinkles form in the corner of his eyes. While he seemed intense with me, almost overwhelming, it appeared he did that alot. Smiled, that is.

“You knew him better than me. Working here, you had to know him really well,” I admitted. “I was shocked he left me the house and property.”

“You were his only kin, as far I know.” Rand looked up as if he could see through the subfloor. “Needs some work. What are your plans for it?”

I shrugged. “A friend of mine suggested a bed and breakfast, so it can earn some cash.”

Was it me or did they tense up a little when I said that?

I’d thought Rand had been staring before, but now, I felt trapped. Caught in his blue eyes. As if he could see into me.

“You want people to come here and stay?” he asked, as if I’d said tourists should come and shovel manure in the barn.

I frowned, unsure of the issue. “I don’t know anything about ranching, and I don’t want to bartend forever. Income would be a good thing. I like to eat. There isn’t much in the way of jobs out here. At least for what I do.”

“What’s that?” Rand asked.

“Concert violinist.” That was a touchy subject, and Rand gave me the usual wide eyed stare of surprise. I couldn’t see Nash except out of the corner of my eye with Rand standing so close.

I took a deep breath, and my chest bumped Rand’s. “Well, standing in the basement is fun and all, but I’m sure you two have other projects besides me.”

Rand just stared, took another deep breath then stepped back.

I sighed.

Nash went to the fuse box, glanced over his shoulder. “Got a flashlight?” he asked Rand.

Rand pulled one from his back pocket, handed it over along with a new fuse. Kept his gaze on me.

“How did you know to bring that?” I asked. He was well prepared.

His eyes crinkled warmly even though he wasn’t outright smiling. “I used to work here, remember? Nothing’s changed with the electric. I used to have to come down and replace the fuses for your uncle all the time. Got a hell of a shock once. Come on, we’ll go upstairs, and you can holler down and let Nash know when the power comes back on. Always thought this basement was creepy.”

“Probably full of spiders, too,” I murmured, looking around. I freaking hate spiders.

I looked to Nash who gave me