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I know he’s not going to be thrilled with getting another loan but this one will pay off the balloon payment and give him some working capital for my plan.
I just hope he doesn’t brush it off without hearing me out because this could be the answer to all his prayers. But it’s a little different and I can see him saying no right off the bat without even listening to what I have to say.
* * *
The next morning I drive my pickup truck out to his ranch, smiling when I pass some of the guys on the way in. Then I frown when I picture their future. I need to get Cody on board with this idea. It’s unorthodox but it could absolutely work.
I stop my truck and jump out, my skirts swinging around my legs. I shove my glasses back up my nose impatiently. Then I stride into Cody’s house without knocking again and all the way back to his little home office. We’ve got another part of the ranch that houses some business stuff and the files but this is where Cody feels free to do his work.
“Cody! Where are you?” I slam my way into his office and immediately whip around when I see that he’s only half-dressed.
“What the hell, Heather?” He growls at me.
“Why aren’t you dressed?” I shout, shocked. Just that quick look at him with his shirt off and his coppery skin glowing in the morning light has my body blowing up like there’s butterflies winging through my belly. He looked fucking hot and I know my damn battery operated boyfriend is going to get a workout tonight. I can’t stop thinking about his rippling muscles and the wide shoulders that wouldn’t quit. All tapering down to the magical v at his waistline that dips into his tight jeans.
“I told you before to make sure and knock. How hard is it to remember that? Dammit, woman! A few minutes earlier and I wouldn’t have had any pants on.”
Dammit! Why did I stop to pick us up coffee on the way in?I push that thought aside and groan. I’m killing myself here. “Why are you not wearing clothes in your office?”
“If you must know I was up late last night and I slept on the couch down here. I was just putting my clothes from yesterday back on to go upstairs and get clean clothes. Now…what the hell are you doing crashing back in here again.”
I turn around and see him tucking his t-shirt into his jeans and he eyes up my front like it’s edible and then he says, “I hope one of those coffees is for me?”
Oh. Yeah. I hand him the coffee and he groans when he takes a sip. “The diner makes the best damn coffee. Much better than mine.”
“Yeah, well. Yours is more like black coffee syrup. What do you expect?”
“You look like you’re up to something, Heather. What are you doing here so early?”
“I talked to my aunt at the bank and got you a line of credit to pay off the balloon payment and some working capital.”
His brows raise as he takes another sip of coffee. “Who do I have to kill for that?”
I look away from him and grimace. “It’s contingent on the plan I came up with to make money. It’s a really good plan,” I rush on, worried when I see the look on his face. He doesn’t look excited. More worried.
“What did you do, Heather?”
“Well…it’s a great idea. My aunt loves it.”
“Once again, tell me, Heather.” His face has gone stiff and stern and I really miss his smile.
“Okay. Well, I was looking online for something unique that follows the trends that I saw online for money-making for companies. But I wanted something different. So…I wanted to make a special contest. It’s called The Cowboy Auction. All that we do is update your very sad website and build up the interest in bidding on a date with a cowboy. Only it’s not really a date it’s more like spend a day with a cowboy. We’ve got more capital to take care of the horses and get everything cleaned up in the outbuildings that we can turn into rooms for the ladies to come and get a feel for what ranch life is like.”
His mouth is hanging open and he stares at me with his wide blue eyes, shocked silent. Then he explodes.
“Have you lost your mind? Dating one of the guys left here? You think I can talk the guys into this? They’re gonna kill me even for suggesting it!”
“The money is there. All you have to do is agree to it and you can get your ranch back in the black and solvent. Don’t you want to do that?”
He nods his dark head and groans. “This is an insane idea, Heather. One of the worst you’ve ever come up with.”
“So you come up with something!” I slam the door and storm out of the office. I am done. He can come up with his own ideas from now on. I push the tears off my cheeks and stomp off, intent on getting good and drunk.
CHAPTER3
Cody
Irun my hands through my hair and sip the coffee. I can’t stop thinking about the look in Heather’s eyes when she walked through that door. Hell, blew through it like the little hurricane she is!
