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Valentina’s heart tightened at those words. Lois did trust her, with her life and with Kenny’s.
She closed the door and prepared herself for whatever was about to take place. She didn’t know if this guy would be friendly or have an attitude. She got her police guard up and then stopped short as he got out of his truck.
Goddamn, was this guy hot. Totally cowboy from head to toe, hat and boots included. The added bonuses were his tight blue jeans and that firm, fierce expression as he took in the sight of her and seemed shocked.
“Valentina?”
She gave him a nod and reached her hand out. He towered over her by at least a few inches. She was average height, about five feet four. He was big, thick all over with muscles, and had a nice tan, to boot. His dark brown eyes bore into hers, and then she felt him gave her body a quick sweep with his eyes. Man, did he pack a punch.
“I appreciate you meeting us out here like this. I thought we would have arrived late tonight, but I made good time.”
He glanced at the car and saw Lois.
“Are just the two of you interested in the place?” he asked and then looked her over again.
“Yes.”
He nodded and then looked at her strangely as he pulled out a key.
“Does she want to come check it out, too?” he asked.
“No, she’s leaving it up to me,” she told him. He raised one of his eyebrows at her funny-like and she didn’t know why. Then he gave her a nod and started showing her the place. It was absolutely stunning outside, and as he unlocked the door, she was shocked at how beautiful it was inside.
“There are three bedrooms, but I guess you’ll only need one. There’s a laundry room off the kitchen and plenty of wood outside for the fireplace, but once that is depleted you’ll need to get your own delivered if you like the place.” He rambled on so quickly about everything her head was spinning. He was not a patient man, and his abruptness put Valentina on edge.
“So, it’s eight hundred a month and that includes utilities?” she asked him.
“Gas and electric only,” he said and looked her over like he was analyzing her body. She walked away from him to look at the size of the rooms, and when she turned around, he was standing in the doorway watching her.
* * * *
Ridge couldn’t believe it. Two women, maybe lovers, were going to be renting their cottage right next door. The woman was super hot, too, and didn’t look like the masculine type, but her comment about the other woman letting her decide on the cottage had to mean something.
He stared at her ass. It was incredibly perfect and stuck out just so in a sexy way. She made those blue jeans look painted on, made to follow the curves of her body. She wore a slim-fitting hoodie with a rounded collar shirt, both in black, but it was her gorgeous blonde hair, with streaks of light highlights against those blue eyes, that made him stare. And now, get caught doing so. He heard a door open and then little feet, like a kid running.
“Aunt Val, Aunt Val!” a voice called out, and she stepped past Ridge as a little blond kid with tears streaming down his cheeks ran toward them. At the sight of Ridge, the kid stopped short and then covered his face with his hands and fell to his knees. He didn’t know why the kid looked so scared. Valentina squeezed by him and got to the little boy quickly. She lifted him up into her arms and held him close. “I got you, honey. You’re fine. I didn’t go far, and I’m not in any danger,” she said to the kid. It struck him as totally strange, but then he focused on the one thought—the kid called her aunt.
Valentina turned around, holding the boy, and she smiled. So did Ridge as he looked her over again. He had it all wrong.
He felt his chest tighten and his cock instantly harden.
“Sorry about that. It’s been a long haul out here, and we’re all a little high-strung. So, when is the place available for us to move in?” she asked.
He heard the door creak open and there stood a woman who looked almost identical to Valentina, but her hair was a darker blonde. She looked a little pale and kind of sickly. His chest tightened again. God, he hoped the woman wasn’t dying or something. The poor kid. Shit, what the fuck was he thinking?
“It’s move-in ready. We just need to call the cable and utility companies.”
“Great. Are you our landlord? So if anything comes up it’s you I call or contact?” she asked him.
“It’s me and my three brothers. We live right next door on the ranch.” She swallowed hard and looked him over.
“The ranch on this side or that side?” she asked.
“We live on this one to the right of the front door, but our cousins—there are four of them—they live there.”
“Oh,” she said and then glanced at the other woman he assumed was her sister. Her sister shook her head no and stared at him like he was some sort of criminal. It was disconcerting, but every ounce of his instincts kicked in. These women were on guard for a reason.
“Can you give us a minute to look around and discuss it, please?” Valentina asked him.
