Page 3 of Ethan

“I haven’t seen how good you are yet.”

Naomi clenched her fists. He wanted her to say it out loud. She exhaled.

“I’m sorry I took a horse out without permission. I got here early and wanted something to do while I waited. No one was around.” She jabbed a finger into his chest. “And that is your fault.”

His eyes dropped to her finger, then back to her face. “My fault. How do you figure?”

“You were late. We were supposed to meet at eight.”

“I apologize.”

She blinked. “What?”

“I said, I apologize. You’re right, I was late.” He straightened away from the door jamb. “But that doesn’t give you the right to take a horse out without asking anyone. You just assumed it was fine. The horses that need training aren’t even kept in the barn you were in; you would have known that if you’d waited. My manager Kurt was here. You could have asked him.”

“No one—”

“I know. No one was around.” His voice wasn’t unkind, but it was firm. “You knew we had an appointment, so you knew I’d show up. This is my property after all. I had a client meeting run long; it happens. But if you’re going to work here, you need to understand what you can and can’t do on my ranch.”

Naomi took a deep breath. “Alright.”

“Alright? Just like that? No argument?”

“I want this job.”

Ethan chuckled, and she had trouble keeping her eyes off his face.

“You must if you caved that fast. Okay, Ms. Austin, we’ll see how this goes, but it depends on when I see what you can do.”

Naomi smiled. “Alright. You won’t regret it.”

“I’d better not.” He reached inside the door and settled a cowboy hat onto his head. “Let me show you the apartment. Follow me.”

“Yeah,” she murmured, her eyes dropping to his Wranglers and noticing how well they fit. “No problem there.”

Without saying much, Ethan led her around the side of another barn and up the exterior staircase. He unlocked the door, pushed it open, and stepped aside.

Naomi entered slowly.

It was nice, nicer than she’d expected. An open living area, a kitchen that had actually been updated, windows on two sides with a clear view of the arena and the pastures beyond. Her horse could be down there. She could wake up every morning and see all of it.

“Bathroom is through there,” Ethan said from behind her. “Washer and dryer in the closet. Utilities included.”

She kept her eyes on the window. “It’s nice.”

“It comes with the position.” He let a beat pass. “If you get it.”

She turned then. He was watching her the same way he’d watched her in the arena, measuring, giving nothing away.

“Meaning?”

“Meaning I still need to see what you can do. On a green horse, not one that already knows the job.” He glanced around the apartment once, as if reminding them both what was on the line. “Impress me and we’ll talk. Don’t, and there’s no point in any of this.”

Naomi looked back at the window. The pastures. The arena.

“When?” she said.

“Now. Meet me in the next barn.”