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SIX
There was something exciting about starting a new job. Especially this time, since it was the job she really wanted. All she’d wanted her entire life was to work with animals. If she’d stayed with the church, she never would have been allowed to. The barns were the domain of men and some women deemed ill-fitted to bear children. Instead, she’d been stuck in kitchens and sewing rooms during the hours she wasn’t required to be in church itself. And although she’d learned young to hide her true feelings, it hadn’t been easy.
She shook Harper awake before the sun even came up. Laura felt bad about that, but she wanted some time in the barn before it got busy, and she couldn’t abandon Harper with no car.
“You’re crazy, you know that?” Harper asked her voice hoarse from sleep.
“I know, but you love me anyway.”
“Darn right I do. We’re not doing this every morning, are we?”
Laura bit her lip. “For a few weeks at least, yes. Eli said he’s getting a second UTV for me to use, but until then…”
Harper huffed out a breath, but didn’t argue, and Laura was grateful. She wanted to get this right, and not just for herself. Harper understood that because she wanted a more permanent home just as badly as Laura did. Maybe even more.
The first gray light of dawn was just creeping over the mountains when Harper dropped her off at the barn. Laura breathed deeply as she stepped inside. It was perfect. The blend of animal, hay, and leather was intoxicating to her. Taking her time, she stopped at each stall and talked to the horse for a moment. Some were friendly, nosing into her shoulder as soon as she walked up. Others were more hesitant, and Laura smiled. Their personalities were just as varied as humans, and she loved it.
After making a round of all the animals, she found her way to the office. There was a computer on the desk, but she didn’t bother with that yet. Instead, she looked over the paper records in binders on a bookshelf. Electronics weren’t really her thing. Even ten years after leaving the church compound, things like cell phones and computers almost seemed like magic, though she was proficient in using them.
Thankfully, the records were labeled with dates, so she pulled out the oldest ones and sat at the desk going through bills of sale, breeding contracts, and receipts for supplies ranging from feed to tack.
When someone knocked on the door, she jumped with a little squeak. Laura looked up. Rafe. Of course, it was Rafe. Her heart beat skipped a little, and she fought to keep her face neutral.
“Good morning,” she said, her voice sounding too high.
Rafe frowned. “What are you doing here this early?”
“Just getting acquainted with things. I met the horses first. Now I’m going through some of the old records. Just trying to start things off on the right foot.”
His face cleared and one corner of his mouth even turned up a little. “Ah, so you’re that kind of person. You want to know it all before you start and be the best,” he said, and then winked. “Maybe I should have already guessed that.”
Laura flushed. Had he really just said that to her? She was his boss, for crying out loud. He would never respect her, though, would he? He’d seen her naked and vulnerable. Closing her eyes, she tried to keep herself calm so she wouldn’t be tempted to cry.
“I’m sorry,” he said, his voice hoarse. “That was out of line, and I apologize. You’re my boss, and I want you to know I respect that.”
Laura’s brain struggled to keep up. “I… uh… thank you. Yeah, I mean, we probably shouldn’t bring that up here, huh?” She forced herself to meet his eyes to see what he thought about that.
He shook his head. “No, I’m going to tell Eagle. I won’t lie to him about this.”
Laura swallowed hard. “So where does that leave me?”
Rafe tilted his head to one side. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, isn’t he going to have a problem with the fact that we…that I…I mean…” She trailed off feeling the heat climb up into her cheeks.
Rafe smiled and her heart squeezed. Stupid thing.
“We didn’t do it on purpose. He’ll understand. It’ll probably be me with more issues than him.”
“What? Why?” she asked. Did he think less of her because they’d slept together? Because she’d been a virgin? Bile crawled up her throat making her want to throw up. Maybe her stepfather had been right. Sex made women second class.
Rafe gaped at her. “Um, because you’re a stunning woman and I know what you look like without your clothes on and what you sound like when—”
“Stop!” she all but shouted, holding up her hand. She took a deep, shuddering breath. She was embarrassed now, but relieved as well. “I get the picture, ok.”
He smiled again and Laura had a flashback to that weekend when he’d held her after finally taking her, that same smile on his face as he held her.
Nope. Not going there.
