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“Yeah, I do,” I answered, narrowing my eyes at her. “You running from someone?” I meant it be sarcastic, but her face went stone cold.
“No,” she said firmly.
“I’m sorry, I was just joking—”
“Are there cameras throughout the property?”
“Yes—”
“How many roads lead to the ranch?”
“Just the one, why?”
Her face softened, and even with the weight of two heavy-looking duffle bags, her shoulders seemed to relax.
“It’s just a lot of space for my kid, you know? He’s been living in cities his whole life.”
“Ah, I see,” I said with a smile. I tilted my head toward the bunkhouse, and she gave me a short smile in return before climbing the steps and walking inside.
The screen door clicked shut behind us as she tossed the bags down on the couch, stretching her arms over her head, and tilting her head side to side, giving me a glimpse of a faded butterfly tattoo on the back of her neck.
Day was running back and forth, checking out the three bedrooms and excitedly chattering away.
“Pick your room, kid. You gotta go get all of your crap out of the car, too. Don’t leave your Gameboy in there overnight,” she said, but Day burst through the other screen door at the back of the bunkhouse, looking back and forth before darting into the pines. Moira sighed, looking over her shoulder at me with apologetic smile. “He’s like a puppy. He’s been cooped up in the car for two days.”
“Two days?” I set the hamster purse on the dining table, giving the little creature another once over before crossing my arms over my chest and looking down at the firecracker now turning a slow circle in the center of the room, taking it all in. “I didn’t know you lived that far from here. Where’d you come from?”
“Dallas.” She sighed, shrugging. “I used to live here in Hot Springs, though. When I was kid. Used to drive by the ranch every day on my way to and from school.”
“What took you to Dallas, then?”
“Work,” she said pointedly, then turned on her heel and disappeared behind the wall cutting off the kitchen from the living and dining area. I followed her, curiosity blooming in my stomach as I watched her open and shut every cabinet.
“Everything’s stocked up,” I said as she opened the fridge. “George is the lead rancher; he also lives on the property. If you need anything from town, groceries or what not, just let him know and he can run into town for you.”
“Can I not go myself?” she asked with a laugh, her eyes meeting mine with a glint of mischief.
“Of course you can,” I replied quickly, clearing my throat. Something about her was already nagging at me. I felt like a teenager talking to a girl for the first time, stumbling and stuttering over my words. “There’s an elementary school down the road, too.”
“Day’s homeschooled,” she replied, pulling a bottle of beer from the fridge and inspecting it, then tossing it to me before she grabbed one for herself.
I bit the inside of my cheek as she popped the lid off the bottle with nothing but the curve of her hipbone, the metal leaving little divots where it had pressed against her skin.
I hadn’t realized I’d been staring at her waist until she chuckled nervously, cheeks going pink.
“It’s a party trick I learned in college,” she explained, a hint of embarrassment hanging off every word.
She pressed the lip of the bottle to her lips and took a drink, her eyes still locked on mine.
I let out my breath, shuddering.
Fuck, this wasn’t good. I thought I’d hired an engineer to help save my property, not a fucking vixen who could easily ruin my life.
“Where did you go to college?”
“Washington State,” she answered with a shrug, crossing her arms as she padded over to the back door. Day was crouched at the base of a pine, poking a crop of mushrooms.
“Can I ask you something?”
