my property. This whole place.”
I feel all blood drain from my face.
Busted.
“Oh.” An awkward smile pulls at the corners of my mouth, and for the life of me, I can’t wipe it off my face. Instead, I pull it wider and stare at him, guiltily.
“It’s okay.” His eyes seriously scan me from head to toe. “I’m guessin’ you ain’t hidin’ any calves in that purse.”
“Ha!” I sharply exclaim.
“So, do you like it?”
I look around, still in denial that he owns this land. “It’s huge.”
“That’s not an answer.”
“I don’t know. I haven’t seen anything other than the field really.”
“Is this your first time riding these parts?”
“Yes. You should consider yourself lucky.”
“I do.” His aquamarine eyes pierce right through me. He gestures ahead with his chin, and my eyes follow where he points.
“Wha—”
In the distance, I see an enclosure, a row of stables, and farther ahead, a gigantic house that looks like a small mansion.
“Your… house?” I raise my eyebrows.
“That’s right. My home sweet home.”
Home sweet home? Are you kidding me? You can easily fit a family of ten in there.
The house is essentially four times my parents’ place.
“Not bad.” I nod without even attempting to hide how impressed I am.
“So, where in town?”
“Huh?”
“Where in town are you from?”
Is Mr. Cowboy as interested in me as I am in him?
“Couple o’ blocks from the police station. It’s my parents’ house, really. I live on the floor upstairs.”
“Do you like livin’ in town?”
“It’s where I’ve spent most of my life. Basically… it’s very familiar.”
“Comfort zone?” He gives me an understanding look.
“Yeah.” I repeatedly nod. “You can say that.”
“I know those.” He narrows his eyes. “They’re not always good for you.”
“Can’t complain, really.”
As we ride on, we pass by the enclosure where the ranchmen smile as we appear. Their expressions seem genuine, not the kind of fake grins you give a boss you hate. Jake is obviously admired, if not loved, by his employees.
Next, we strut past the stables and his eyes lovingly examine the space with the horses. They are all well-fed, healthy, clean, and taken care of.
My eyes remain fixed on him as he delves into his contemplations, studying his profile in greater detail this time.
He has a strong, square jaw with two-day stubble and a bronze tan guaranteed to take my breath away if I ever see him topless.
Belle! Why are you letting your mind wander like this?
I feel my heart beat harder in my chest as I imagine his broad shoulders, toned chest, and well-defined abdomen.
Stop it!
His narrow waist makes way for muscular hips and well-built thighs that descend along the horse’s sides like those of an ancient warrior. His back is straight, and an aura of pride surrounds him.
He certainly is something else.
We approach the house, and by the driveway, there’s a shaded area where two expensive vehicles are parked. One of them is a sports car—red, naturally—while the other is the fancy version of a ranch truck in shiny black.
The third and fourth slots are smaller, and that’s where he leads his horse.
“C’mon.” He waves for me to follow.
“Uh…” I hesitate, slowing Lady down. “You feeling good?”
“Yeah. Do you have to go already?”
“Well—”
“I ain’t got nowhere to be right now. So, if you’re free, why don’t you let her be in the shade while we have a cup of coffee? It’s the least I can do.”
“Ah, yeah. Why not.” I have Lady step forth and slowly get down, my eyes surveying the house up close this time. “You sure we won’t be disturbing anyone?”
“There’s no one there.” He shrugs, gently patting Flint with a smile on his face.
As if from nowhere, a man approaches us, regarding me with a polite nod and a touch of his hat brim. They speak in whispers while Jake points at Flint. The man nods in my direction one more time before disappearing into a shed at the end of the driveway.
“So, you run this whole place.”
We step onto the front porch and he pulls out the keys. “Technically. But not alone.” He pushes the door open and steps aside for me to go in. “You’ve seen my men; they’re everywhere.”
A handsome man with an impressive physique, rich, nice to those who work under him, and possibly lives alone in a massive home.
What are the odds?
This is clearly my lucky day.
My eyes wander in the space around me. How is it that every single detail is planned out to a tee?
“Modern.” I smile.
“It wasn’t like this when I got it. Needed some work.”
“So.”