Harlequin Superromance September 2017 Box Set

Cole pulled a splintered piece of lodge pole free. “Where did you fit in the social hierarchy?”

Taylor stopped and brushed the back of her glove over her forehead. “Are you asking if I was a mean girl?”

“Were you?”

She straightened and drilled him with a hard look that made him feel slightly ashamed, even if he had good reason to ask. He was attempting to distance himself—or better yet, to have her distance herself from him. “I wasn’t mean. I was confident. How about you?”

“Wildly popular.” Right. Cowboy geeks were never wildly popular. He tossed a piece of wood underhanded.

Her gaze never wavered. “I’ll bet you were. And that was an asshole question you asked me.”

Cole didn’t argue with her. It had been. “Just trying to get a handle.”

“By asking if I was mean?”

He bent to pick up another piece of rotten board. “All I was asking is if you were one of the school elite.”

“I don’t think you were.” The words were cool, a statement of fact he couldn’t deny.

“Maybe we should drop this subject.”

She hurled a piece of wood with rather impressive force, making him wonder if his name was on that one. “Yes. Maybe we should.”

Taylor didn’t talk as she drove back to the farm. She focused on the road with an intensity that told Cole that he might have his wish. She might back totally away from him, and all it had taken was his acting like an ass.

Did he regret it?

He told himself no. He needed to focus on his livelihood. And what if Karl was the old-fashioned sort who didn’t like his tenant screwing around with his granddaughter?

Not likely, but there was always a possibility.

After returning to the farm, they broke for lunch, heading off to their respective abodes. Cole made himself a sandwich, leaning back against his counter to eat as he wondered how the afternoon would play out. Until he’d asked about her place in high school society, there’d been a sense of something simmering just below the surface, ready to break out.

Hopefully he’d taken care of that.

Taylor was already sorting through debris when he walked around the barn, pulling a glove onto his good hand. He dived in, pulling bent rebar out of a stack of pipe and metal rails. They worked for most of the afternoon with next to no conversation.

It was not a comfortable silence.

Taylor worked methodically, seemingly lost in thought, but the few times they’d reached for the same piece of debris, she’d pulled her hand back as if not wanting to chance touching him.

And since that was what he wanted, it made no sense that he was so stupidly aware of her. Taylor was a hard worker. She may not like farmwork, she may still believe that clearing the boneyard was busywork, but she was now committed to the task.

And maybe he’d made his point about working her ass off. Did he really want to spend time like this, working next to a woman he would be better off avoiding? There were things they could each do alone.

The stack of pipe shifted, and Taylor let out a yelp as the fingers of her glove got trapped. She yanked her hand free of her glove, which dangled from where it was caught between two pieces of rusting metal.

“Son of a—”

“Are you okay?”

Taylor frowned at him before working her glove free. “Fine.” She rubbed her thumb over her forefinger, which must have gotten pinched, then slipped the glove back on and went to work again.

Cole moved farther away. Working next to her was driving him kind of crazy—because he wasn’t being honest about this whole situation.

Maybe he needed to say, “Hey, what should we do about this mutual attraction that won’t be good for either of us?” Then Taylor could come up with some parameters and goals and they could deal. Together.

Yeah, right.

His phone buzzed in his pocket, and he stepped down off the pile of debris he was sorting through to answer.

“Hey, Jance. What’s up?” Nothing bad, he hoped, but Jancey didn’t usually call to shoot the breeze.

“I just wanted to touch base.”

“Yeah?” he asked gently, staring off over his fields as he held the phone to his ear, yet totally aware of the woman still working behind him.

“Yeah.” She fell into silence, and he waited. “I was wondering…since you’ve left and stuff…do you feel differently about the ranch?”

“Where’s this coming from?”

“Oh…I’ve just been thinking a lot. Now that I’m about to leave the place.”

“I love the ranch. I don’t think anything will change that.” He paced away from the debris piles toward the barn. If he was going to have to talk his sister down, he wanted to do it in private.

“So you’d never sell. Right?”

He made a sputtering noise. “No.” He’d never sell because Miranda would somehow end up with the entire place, and he wasn’t going to let that happen. And because it was his and Jancey’s birthright. Their family settled that land, and it would damn well stay in the family.

Jancey let out a small breath. “That’s what I thought. I’m just feeling kind of unsettled, you know?”

“That’s normal when you’re about to leave home for the first time.” He ran a hand over the back of his neck. “Do you want me to come out to the ranch for a while?”

“No. I’m good. I just… I guess I wanted to be reassured that after I left I wouldn’t feel differently.”

“You might, Jance. I won’t lie. But I don’t.”

He could hear the smile in her voice as she said, “Thanks, Cole. I feel better.”

“Good. Are you sure you don’t want me to drive out?”

“No. Really. I’m doing great. How are my babies?”

Cole smiled. “Your babies are greedy eaters. They’re gaining weight fast.”

“Good to know. I’ll try to get in to see them—and you—soon.”

“You do that, kid. And call anytime you’re feeling unsettled. Okay?”

“Okay.”

He dropped his phone back into his pocket as he strode back toward the pile. Taylor didn’t even glance his way as he went back to work. Maybe he did need to take a drive to the ranch soon. Going back invariably stressed him out, but he needed to keep tabs. Make sure that Miranda was minding her p’s and q’s.

“Why’d you leave your ranch job if you owned the ranch?”

The question came out of the blue, startling him after a day of silence. Cole carefully set the pipe he’d just extracted onto the salvage pile. “I quit because I didn’t like my boss. And I only own part of the operation.”

“Do you miss it?” Taylor put a hand on her hip, and Cole couldn’t help but follow the movement before bringing his gaze back up to her face. She wore her business expression, which made him think that she fully intended to get answers. So much for distance.

“I don’t miss what it became.” He went back to sorting the pipe. Taylor didn’t move. He didn’t look at her.

“Is the subject off-limits?”

“Pretty much.”

“Because you’re private, or because it’s me?”

“Private.”

“Uh-huh.”

“Nothing personal, Taylor.”

“Right.”

He gave a small snort. He wasn’t lying. “I don’t discuss the ranch.”

“Maybe you should start.”

“Because?”

“You bottle things up and they come out in weird ways.”

“I’ll take the chance.” Because the thought of opening up to…well, anyone, really…made him freeze. Telling the truth about his family…he hated what the ranch had become and hated that he no longer felt welcome on his own property. Talking about it only twisted the knife a little more.

“It isn’t like I can use the information against you,” she continued as she went back to battling the rebar. A moment later the pieces she’d been working on slid free and she put them in the junk stack.

“I don’t like talking about it.”

“In my world, you grow a thick skin.”

“In my world, you hide your true thoughts.” In the guest ranch world anyway.

“Mine, too.”

He turned to meet her gaze. “What are your true thoughts right now?” It was almost as if he couldn’t help but edge toward trouble with this woman.

“You want the blistering truth?” she asked.

“I can take it.”

“I think you don’t want to like me. I think you’re working hard to push me away.”

Cole stilled. His first impulse was to deny it. His second was to admire her instincts. His third was to back up fast. “I have nothing against you.”

Her eyes narrowed and her lips curved into a humorless smile, telling him that she wasn’t fooled. Not even a little. “But…”

“No but.”

“Liar.” She spoke softly, holding his gaze in a way that warned him not to underestimate her. “But I’ll let it go in the name of future peaceful calf feedings and wonderful days sorting junk.” Taylor took off her gloves and uncapped the water bottle sitting on the tailgate. “I’m done for the day. I have a Skype interview in an hour.”

She started to walk away, and Cole realized that even though the sane thing would be to let her walk away, he wasn’t done.

He took hold of her arm as she went past him, and she stopped, her gaze slowly coming up to meet his. “You’re right,” he said.

“I know.” Her voice was low and husky. It made him think of sex, although he didn’t think that was her intention. Didn’t matter. It came off that way.

“Getting closer will complicate things.”

“We wouldn’t want that.” She spoke softly as her gaze moved down to his lips and held. “But you don’t have to be a jerk to me. Just…talk.”

He pulled in a breath. Her muscles were taut beneath his grip, light as it was. She could have easily moved away, but she didn’t. She finally pulled her gaze from his mouth, her expression shifting ever so slightly as she met his eyes, then reached up to touch his face as he’d touched hers in the SUV the day she’d taken him to the doctor. Her fingers moved over his cheekbone, trailed down his jaw, brushed lightly over his lips, making his nerves sing and his dick jump.

She leaned closer. “If we kiss—”

He didn’t wait for her to finish the sentence, didn’t wait for her to set goals or outline parameters. He made the if a reality, releasing her arm and sliding his hand around the back of her neck as he brought his mouth down to hers.

Taylor gasped against his lips, even though she’d known the kiss was coming—maybe because she felt the same surge of raw need that he did as their mouths melded together and their tongues met. And what should have been a test-the-waters kiss became a long, deep exploratory kiss. One that had the blood pounding in his veins and his hands skimming over her body before he pulled her more tightly against him. He raised his head briefly, then went back for more. Taylor met him halfway as reality blurred. Dynamite in his hands.

When he raised his head for the second time, Taylor’s lips clung to his and her eyes remained closed, as if she were savoring, keeping the moment for as long as she could. When she opened her eyes, she stepped back, putting space between them that seemed more like a chasm than a few feet of gravel. A slight frown drew her brows together as she lightly pressed her fingers against her lips, as if checking for damage, which only made him want to kiss her again.

“Aren’t you going to say that you didn’t see that coming?” she asked in a low voice.

He shook his head. Kissing Taylor had been inevitable. Like it or not, even when he’d thought she was a princess through and through, he’d been drawn to her. At first, he’d assumed it was wanting what was off-limits. Now he knew what he felt toward her was more complex, harder to define. Troublesome.

“No. That was the reason I was trying to push you away.”

“Well,” she said, wiping her hands down the sides of her jeans, as if she’d just finished a tough job, “you should have worked harder at that.”

“It was the thick skin you mentioned. Things seem to bounce off you.”

“At least it appears that way,” she said before clearing her throat. “I have to do my networking.”

Of course she did. Kiss and move on.

But Cole didn’t see this being a done deal. He couldn’t help but think that it was a good thing she was going…and that working with her was going to be a hell of a lot more interesting.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

TAYLOR HEADED BACK to the bunkhouse, taking care not to walk too fast. Not to look too affected.

Holy smoke, but that guy could kiss.

This is no big deal. Get your breath. How many times had she kissed a guy and they’d gone their separate ways, no harm, no foul?

Many.

How many times had she done it when she’d had to interact with the guy on a daily basis? None. She’d taken the maxim about not getting involved with coworkers seriously, so maybe that was why this felt different.

He isn’t a coworker.

But still…

A one-time deal. That was all this was. Shake it off. If he thought it was more…well, she’d set him straight.

She let herself into the bunkhouse and settled at the computer, checked her email, researched possible contacts, noted that the market was tightening even more, damn her luck.

There was a text from Carolyn waiting on her phone—a selfie of her and her new beau with a glacier behind them. Carolyn looked happy, and Taylor smiled at the photo. Carolyn sought out relationships the same way that Taylor had avoided them. Depend on yourself, her mother had told her at least five or six times a week as she was growing up. Depend on yourself and you’ll be happier and more secure than if you depend on others.

Cecilia had lived her life that way. She’d been in a relationship with her artist husband, Jess, for almost a decade, but it was on her terms. He was the one who adjusted when compromise was necessary. In Taylor’s mind, it didn’t seem like a healthy way to run a relationship, but they seemed happy, at least on the surface. Surely Jess had to be going a little crazy, always bending and giving?

When Taylor was in a relationship—and usually she was not—she did fine in the beginning, but when it came to adapting and changing, the fear factor kicked in. What if she changed, gave up what was important to her, and then the deal crumbled? Where would she be then?

What if she couldn’t get back what she’d given up, or if she lost a piece of herself?

Getting through the divorce, and her father’s death, and now being fired, she felt as if she’d lost enough of herself.

So where did that leave her with Cole?

Excellent question. The pooling of sensual warmth in her midsection at the thought of that crazy-hot kiss was probably not a good sign—especially when she couldn’t say she didn’t want more. Sure, it was threatening, but it was also heady, and she wasn’t about to run or hide.

Taylor got to her feet and went to the small window over the sink, studied the house where Cole was now…what? Analyzing what had just happened? Or had he pushed it out of his mind?

If he could do that, he was tougher than she was.

And he wasn’t.

Taylor pushed off the sink, rolling her shoulders, which had stiffened up. So she’d kissed him. Whatever.

And, with that, she was right back to where she’d been when she’d crossed the drive from the house to the bunkhouse. And that was exactly where she was going to stay.

No. Big. Deal.

She had an interview to prepare for, and she needed to tidy up and get her equilibrium back. Act as if a big bump hadn’t appeared in the road in front of her.

* * *

AND THAT WAS one decent interview.

Taylor leaned back in the kitchen chair and stretched after the video call had ended. She’d done well, considering the fact that she’d still been off-kilter—thank you, Cole—when the call had connected. But she’d managed to get her hair and makeup done before the call, and had slipped into a dark suit jacket, so all in all she’d been prepared.

And if she got the job…maybe she and Cole could have a last hurrah. Pursue this matter between them.

Taylor pushed her chair back. Not wise. Not when he was living in her grandfather’s place.

Half an hour later she heard the barn door roll open and looked out the window. Cole was feeding the calves without her. Because of the kiss, or because he knew she had an interview?

The latter. It had to be. He probably wanted to move on as much as she did. No sense making things more uncomfortable than they needed to be while they were stuck together. The best thing to do would be to forget the kiss had ever happened.

When she met up with Cole at the barn a few minutes later, he seemed to be on board. There was nothing self-conscious in the way he greeted her or handed her the grain bucket. Together they walked to the calf pen, and if Taylor was more aware of him than usual, tuned into his every move, that was biology in action. Fortunately, she had a brain able to overcome the pitfalls of primal biological responses. She was in control of this situation, not her lady parts.

“How was the interview?”

“I think it went well. It’s a company in Ellensburg, Washington. Close to home.”

“Ah.”

The calves mobbed them, and Cole helped create a space for her to feed first one calf, then the next, without getting knocked down by the hungry trio. When the last bottle was empty and all the calves were picking at hay in the feeder, Cole opened the gate and stood back for her to pass. She was barely through when he said, “So. That kiss.”

Her startled gaze met his. “What about it?” She stepped back so that he could come through and lock the gate. “It happened. We don’t need to dissect it.”

An odd expression crossed his face. “Wait…the queen of analysis doesn’t want to analyze?”

“Maybe that is the result of my analysis.”

“You don’t want input from your research assistant?” There was no humor in his voice.

“What could you possibly say that I don’t already know, or haven’t already concluded?”

He leaned his shoulder on the fence post next to him, studying her with those green eyes until she felt like shifting her weight, folding her arms. Moving. She didn’t. But it wasn’t easy. Why wasn’t he instantly agreeing with her to move on?

Suddenly the situation, which she’d hoped to blow off, was once again edging into threatening territory, and she wasn’t going to have that.

“I analyzed,” she said finally. “And came to the conclusion that, yes, there’s chemistry. But we would be foolish to act on it. Not when we’re living as we are. You were right, we don’t want to complicate our lives.”

He considered her words and then gave a slow nod. “Fair enough.”

“It makes sense. Besides—” she nudged a rock with her toe before looking back up at him “—I’m getting to the point where I don’t want to do you bodily harm on general principles, and why mess with that?”

“I see your point.”

She pushed her hands into her pockets. “Surely you see things the same way?” She hadn’t intended for the pleading note in her voice to be there.

“I…don’t want to screw up my lease,” he admitted.

“Right.” She felt a small measure of relief. “There is that potential.”

He cocked his head. “Doesn’t stop me from wanting to kiss you again.”

Taylor’s breath went shallow. The images that flooded her brain were unsettling. “I…don’t think that would be wise.”

“Because you’re feeling it, too?”

She gave him an impatient look. “Would I have kissed you back if I hadn’t ‘felt it’?”

He hooked his thumbs in his pockets, drawing her eyes down to…there. She casually swept her gaze on over the gravel to her running shoes.

Dear heavens.

“So the next step is no step.”

Taylor let out a relieved breath. “Yes. Exactly.”

* * *

COLE WAS GOOD with the next step being no step. It wasn’t as if he had a lot of choice. The lady had spoken, and it would make their lives less complicated if they continued as they were.

But what were they?

More than acquaintances, but not quite friends. Friends felt comfortable together. When he was with Taylor, he was on edge. But he liked her.

His mouth tightened as he headed for his tractor, and he reflected that things would be a lot easier if he didn’t, but somehow the prickly princess had turned out to be a real person. One who called him on his bullshit. One who honestly did work her butt off when asked.

He’d read her wrong…or maybe she’d lightened up. Whatever the reason, this new Taylor was a double threat.

Double threats were never good.

A streak of white headed across the yard just as he got on the tractor, and with a low groan he climbed back off again. Chucky disappeared through the windbreak separating Karl’s place from the Clovendales’ pastures.

He pulled his phone from his pocket and called Mrs. Clovendale, who explained that her sister was no longer able to get around like she used to and Chucky was now a permanent resident of Clovendale Farms. But she’d certainly ask her husband to fix the hole that Chucky had escaped through.

Cole agreed that was a great idea and then dropped the phone back into his pocket. If his biggest concerns were a renegade poodle and Taylor, then his life was good.

Miranda was a potential concern, too, but she’d been quiet and as far as he knew hadn’t messed with Jancey lately. And he decided he should be grateful for that.

Why was Miranda so quiet?

He started the tractor and headed out to the fields, wishing he could just let things go. He didn’t trust Miranda. Taylor had probably worked with nutso people like his step-aunt. There had to be tons of egos and power maneuvers in the business world. When things smoothed out between them, when he didn’t feel the urge to touch her every time she got close to him, maybe he’d ask for insights…without going into a whole lot of detail about his ranch.

It was not only demoralizing, it was embarrassing.

Which was probably how Taylor had felt after losing her job when she’d made it the primary focus of her life.

But he wasn’t going to think about Taylor. Or Miranda. He was going to focus on weed control and seeing about getting water to the corners of his fields. At least that was a part of his life he could control.

* * *

THE NEXT MORNING after the calf feeding, Cole told Taylor that he had work to do in the fields, then asked if she would mind clearing out the old tack room in the barn.

“I want to store seed in there, but it’s loaded with old tools and stuff. Most of it needs to be hauled away.”

“Sure.” She’d discovered that the work she hadn’t wanted to do made the days go by and kept her from obsessing over her job search. She missed dealing with numbers, plotting strategies and keeping her finger on the pulse of business operations, but found that she didn’t mind physical labor. It left her with a sense of satisfaction and beat staring at her computer or the four bunkhouse walls.

“It’s a dirty job, so if you want use of the tub—” he looked vaguely self-conscious “—just let me know.”

Use of the tub? Words she’d never thought she’d hear him say. Taylor frowned at him. “What brought this on?”

He rubbed his cheek. “Too many hours in the tractor.”

“Excuse me?”

He dropped his hand. “I was being a jerk about things when you first got here. There’s no reason you shouldn’t have access to the tub if you want.”

As if she could relax naked in hot water with him on the other side of the door.

“Thank you,” she said slowly. “I, uh, might take you up on it. If I had the house to myself.”

“I’m not moving into the bunkhouse.”

“I wasn’t talking permanently. I was only thinking that I’d have a better shot at relaxation if I was alone as opposed to hogging the bathroom.” Because Karl’s old house had only the one.

“Okay. The next time I have a night out, I’ll let you know.”

She allowed herself a smile. “I’m trying hard not to do a happy dance right now.”

“Tomorrow is poker night. I’ll be gone for a while.” He opened the barn door and set the grain bucket inside, then reached out to take the bottle bucket from Taylor.