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Matt listened from the hallway,before he started down the stairs. Their voices came from a different part of the house now—probably the kitchen with the way the smells drifted up the staircase. Maribella would never get any complaints from him on her cooking. It was a hell of a lot better than Roberto’s offerings out in the bunkhouse. He felt sorry for those guys sometimes. Maribella did, too. Once or twice a week, she would bake extra goodies and treat the guys. She always ate her supper separately though, in her own house with Roberto.
He stood outside the doorway, listening to Ally’s soft, smooth voice while she talked to her father as they discussed the food Maribella had prepared. The melody ran over him like melted butter. Funny how her subtle twang was so much more noticeable away from New York. He wondered how she’d sound in the heat of passion. Might be something he’d like to find out.No, you idiot. The boss’s daughter is off limits.
“Well, might as well get this over with,” he mumbled as he forced himself to walk through the kitchen door.
* * *
Ally’s attentionimmediately flew to the newcomer in the room. How could she not see him? He was gorgeous. Not that she actually wanted to notice.Ha! Who was she kidding? His hair was still damp where it curled slightly at the neckline of his shirt. The short sleeve tee fit snugly and showed off his pectorals and tanned arm muscles. He grabbed his plate, made his way around the table, and leaned in close. Oh, his scent hit her—clean soap and pure male.Good God.
“Like what you see, princess?” he murmured.
Startled out of her trance, she stumbled for a quick, snide comment. “You wish, cowboy,” she whispered back, and then turned back to her daddy, who was already halfway finished with his meal.
She was not about to let anyone see how rattled the foreman’s presence actually made her. She only hoped she hadn’t already given her odd interest in him away.Ignore him and he won’t be any the wiser.She would be sure to make this trip a short one, or she would be in trouble.
Jesse cleaned his plate and abruptly stood, placed his dishes in the sink, and made to leave the room.
“Looks like you kids get to do the dishes. I’m off to my study.” Her daddy kissed the top of her head. She watched him slap his foreman on the back, and chuckled when he disappeared through the door.
“That rat!” she said. “He shoveled through his dinner on purpose.”
“No worries, princess. I do the dishes every night, anyway. You can go do whatever it is you do before bed. I’ll take care of the clean up before I head out to check the horses.”
“Oh no you don’t. I won’t let you go running to Daddy tomorrow whining because I didn’t do my share, so I’ll wash. And why are you calling me ‘princess’?”
“It seemed fitting. Would you rather me go back toma’am?”
“No, I would rather you use my name, thank you.”
He only shrugged. He pushed his place setting aside, rose, and reached for the dessert and plates on the counter. “Since we’ll be working together, how about some dessert before we get busy?”
“Oh, I suppose. What kind is it?”
“Dutch apple. We have vanilla ice cream, too, if you want some.”
“Oh my gosh, Maribella made me my favorite!” Ally squealed in delight.
“She made memyfavorite.”
“Why are you so stubborn?”
“I’m not stubborn, princess. She’s been baking me Dutch apple for two years.”
“Well, she baked them formefor years before you came along.”
“Okay, neither of us is going to win this way. Can’t we agree to disagree? You get the ice cream while I dish up the dessert. No arguing,” he said when she started to protest. “I have the pie and the knife, so I’ll serve.”
“Fine,” she huffed.
“Fine,” he mocked with a smirk.
With the goodies devoured, she handed him a towel and then plunged her hands into the dishwater. There was tension in the room and it was eerily silent. She didn’t do quiet; it drove her crazy. She was accustomed to her noisy office. He must be used to hearing the animals or listening to the cowhands.
“So, cowboy, are you from Wyoming?” Might as well start the conversation somewhere, and better to talk about him than her.
“Yes, ma’am.”
“You were born here?”
