railing so it looked like she stepped right out of it, up onto the railing, and jumped right off.
So easy.
He stuffed his hands in his pockets and followed the bridge to the path that led around the lake to the other side away from where he’d left Aubrey’s car. When the trail wound close to the water, he tossed Tate’s cell phone in, then enjoyed the rest of the two-mile hike back that ended not more than a mile or so from his office.
The energetic hike invigorated him. He liked to keep in shape, so a couple miles barely made him break a sweat.
His assistant, Kelly, stood the second she saw him, ready to do his bidding just like he’d taught her once upon a time. “You’re back early.”
Yep. It didn’t take him even an hour to fix things with Liz and take care of Aubrey’s meddling.
Her gaze narrowed and fixed on his chest. “Did you spill lunch on your shirt?”
He glanced down at the small red stain. “Ketchup.”
She raised an eyebrow. She knew better than to question him. He’d taught her that, too.
“Something you want to say?”
She rigorously shook her head.
“I didn’t think so.” He went into his office, took off the shirt, grabbed a clean one from the credenza, stuffed the dirty shirt in the plastic bag from the clean one, and went out to his assistant. “Kelly, take this to the dry cleaners when you pick up my suits.”
She put her hand on the bag and stared up at him. “Sure.” She may not like running his errands but she’d never say no.
Not to him.
She knew better.
Unlike Aubrey, Kelly took their breakup in stride, but continued to pine for him. Not that he cared. She hadn’t been the one either. But she did what she was told, so he strung her along, giving her just enough attention to keep her in line. And every now and then, he took pity on her and gave her a night to slake her need for him.
She was a good, obedient girl.
He went back into his office and sat at his desk, smiling, free and clear.
Chapter Fifteen
Tate tossed the post hole digger into the back of his truck, rolled his sore shoulders, and went to the driver’s side door. He leaned in the window and tugged on the sleeve of the jacket he’d left there earlier. He felt all the pockets but didn’t find his phone. He must have left it at the ranch in the stables, or up at the house in the kitchen where he’d grabbed several bottles of water before heading out here to check fences and the herd.
The cows were fat and happy, but he passed grumpy and went right to pissed that he’d left his phone and couldn’t call Liz once he got back in cell range. He had a nagging urge to hear her voice and know she was okay.
Funny how things had changed so quickly. There’d been an appropriate distance between them as friends. They shared things, but not everything. Now he wanted to know all he didn’t know about her. What she wanted and needed. What she dreamed about for the future.
And he wanted to get his hands on her.
He didn’t know what happened after the weekend and the hot kisses they’d shared. But he felt something off in her the last few nights.
He didn’t think she was pulling away, but maybe settling in to take things slow and let them build again. He could do that. For now. But he had plans. Dirty, sexy, sensual plans that would leave no doubt in her mind he wanted her desperately.
And he had other plans for their future.
Drake bought a house with Adria and hired contractors to fix it up, including the dream kitchen Adria always wanted.
Tate wanted to turn the cabin into a place for him and Liz to call home.
His finances needed help. He’d been wise enough to save a little here and there, but he could have done better. The ranch made good money, especially now that they increased the herd and supplied Almost Homemade.
He made a decent income. He could provide for him and Liz. Modestly.
He’d like to fix up the cabin, maybe add on to it. It would save them money. But he had no idea if Liz wanted to live way out here on the ranch and away from town. She loved her place because it was so close to shopping and restaurants and anything else she wanted to