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Raven realized that fact about two seconds after he saw Parker’s expression.
He didn’t realize how sensitive she was. He’d always been known as the kindest Ryder. A teddy bear at heart. And yet, he’d acted like a donkey’s ass.
He supposed there were two ways he could handle the situation. One, let her leave. She didn’t belong there anyway. Or two, take his ass inside and apologize. Grovel if needed, because if he wanted to be perfectly honest with himself, he’d been caught off guard by the sudden attraction he felt for her. Did feelings turn most men into assholes? Or was he the only one?
After finishing up milking the cow, he tossed it onto the ground as fertilizer. Better than taking it inside and having it spoil.
Going to the back of the house, he saw Parker’s abandoned clothing laying in a pile near the steps. Feeling the slightest bit guilty, he hosed them down then took them to the washer and tossed them in, putting them on an extra heavy cycle. After washing off at the sink in the mud room, he stepped inside the kitchen and listened. The house was quiet except for the faint sound of water running upstairs.
He needed to eat crow and he knew it. For Bonnie if nothing else.
After washing the milk bucket, he poured some water into the coffee maker, pressed the power button, and once it dripped into the carafe he poured two cups. Now he wished he would have saved some of the cow’s milk because the only thing he found in the fridge was a carton of eggs and butter.
Sitting down at the table with his coffee, he watched the steam from her cup furl into the air and evaporate.
She certainly did take a long shower.
Finally, the water shut off. He heard the creaking of the bathroom door opening, and the sounds of bare feet on the planks of the wooden floor above his head.
Ten minutes later, he microwaved her coffee and placed it back onto the table about the same time she came downstairs. When she stepped into the kitchen and saw him, a sour expression crossed her pretty features. Guilt went to work inside of him.
“What are you doing here?”
“I made you coffee.” He pointed at the cup.
Her mouth twisted.
“I also threw your clothes into the wash.” He hoped he was making some ground in his much-needed apology.
“I planned to toss them,” she said evenly.
“Why?” he scoffed.
“I think that’s pretty self-explanatory.” She picked up the cup, took a sip, and didn’t wrinkle her nose.
“Trust me, you wouldn’t be the first person to fall into fertilizer.” He started to smile but reminded himself she seemed a bit touchy about this subject.
“I won’t need them any longer.”
“Will an apology change your mind?”
She looked over her at him. “And why would you bother?”
“I owe you one.” A cowboy had to know when to lower his pride.
“Yes, you do. A big one, but that doesn’t change anything.” Her gaze latched onto his.
“How about we start over?”
“For the third time? The third time isn’t always a charm,” she bit out. “Bonnie’s not even here.” Parker turned her back to him and sipped her coffee while staring out through the window above the sink.
“She will be, eventually, and I would like for her to have some choices.”
He half expected her to toss him out on his ear, but instead she turned to face him, leaning one hip against the sink. He’d hoped that he’d imagined how pale her eyes were. Her flawless skin and pert nose that wrinkled slightly when she smiled. He’d fallen asleep last night thinking of her, or rather thinking how he could find a way to back out of today and let her fend for herself. His sleep had been full with images of her, dressed and some not so dressed.
She looked a helluva lot prettier than he felt at the moment.
“I’m not too upset to give you some credit. I know you care for Bonnie and are looking out for her best interest, but I’m not the enemy. I truly want what’s best for her too.”
