Page 127 of Her Boss, Her Rancher: Sunrise On The Ranch

“Lord, no. I’ll go back to bed in a little while. I might catch another hour or two, maybe three if I’m really lucky and Sienna doesn’t wake up. What about you? You said you toss and turn. Is it because you’re uncomfortable?”

He gazed at her from just above his mug of coffee and shook his head. “Not tonight.”

“Oh, no?” She bit her lip. “So then I did wake you.”

“You didn’t. Honest. It’s just that I’m having...”

“Nightmares?”

He shook his head. “Flashes of memory. I see my car sliding off the road and me losing control. I must’ve hit some loose gravel and spun out. That’s all I remember.” He shrugged and stared into her eyes. “It’s weird, not knowing what happened. But it’s even stranger to see it happen in my mind in sort of slow motion.”

“Oh, Jared. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. I’m taking it as a good sign.”

“But maybe with the trauma of it all, it’s better not to remember.”

“Maybe. But whatever happens, I’ll deal with it.”

He put his hand to his chest and rubbed at his sore ribs. Her gaze fell to that spot and when their eyes finally met, something warm and crazy stirred in her belly.

Immediately she put her head down and stared into her mug.

“What’s wrong?”

She shook her head. “Nothing.”

“Bella?”

“It’s just that I’m feeling guilty.” About betraying Paul with her thoughts, her lies to Jared about her true identity and something else entirely.

“What are you feeling guilty about?”

“I might’ve been the one who broke your ribs.”

A speck of acknowledgment flashed in his eyes. “Oh, that.”

“You know?”

“I was informed at the hospital that it could’ve happened when you applied chest compressions.”

“If it wasn’t for me, you wouldn’t be in so much pain.”

“If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t be breathing. Besides, there’s every possibility the rib injuries were caused by the crash. Let’s leave it at that. You shouldn’t feel guilty about anything. My ribs will heal. So enough, Bella, okay? No more guilt about anything.”

She glanced at his rib cage again, her heart fluttering wildly, and then met his eyes. “Okay.”

The timer dinged and she rose instantly, grateful for the distraction. Pulling the pizza out, she was impressed with the results.

“How does it look?” he asked.

She showed him their sizzling veggie-topped creation. “Presentation is important, but what really matters is how it tastes.”

“Well, dish it up. I’m dying to try it.”

“Me, too.”

She used a pizza cutter to slice it and soon they were digging into hot, crusty pieces.