By The Sheikh's Command

“Wow! Pretty and smart, too.” He slid an arm around her waist and urged her toward him.

Bri gave him a none-too-gentle shove. He wasn’t usually so touchy, even though she’d heard rumors about his womanizing from Jessica Grayson and Hannah Coleman. If he thought he could take liberties because Cord was away, he had another thing coming.

“I can handle the inventory,” she said with a warning look. “Why don’t you go back to doing whatever it was you were doing.”

“Hell, I’m sorry, Brianna. I didn’t mean nothin’.” His blues eyes sparkling, he gave her that boyish grin again. It did make him look awfully cute. “Don’t hold my friendly country ways against me.”

Trying not to smile, she raised her eyebrows. “I heard you were from Dallas.”

“True enough. But when my daddy left me and my mama, we moved up to the Panhandle to be near my grandparents. Ever been up there, darlin’?”

Bri’s heart squeezed as she shook her head. She knew more than she cared to about being abandoned.

“Don’t guess you would’ve had reason to visit that part of the state. Ain’t nothin’ there.” He winked. “Especially since I’ve left.”

She laughed. “You are something, that’s for sure. Now, would you leave me alone so I can finish my work?”

His expression got serious suddenly. “Are you going to be leavin’ the Flying Ace anytime soon?”

“Why would you say that?” she asked, knowing full well the reason.

“Me and the boys were talkin’ and…” He shrugged. “I guess now that the boss is married, we figured you might not want to stick around.”

“This is my home, too.” She turned away and picked up the clipboard so he couldn’t see how much the idea of leaving frightened her.

“I know that, darlin’, it’s just, I dunno—”

“Don’t call me darlin’.” Her hands shook, but she tried to hold the pen steady as she made a notation about the condition of the work saddles.

“Now, no need to get all prickly. Of course, I’m hopin’ you don’t go. I imagine that house is plenty big enough for two women.”

Bri focused on the clipboard, unsure how much her eyes would give away. “I can’t imagine that you all don’t have enough work to do that you have time to discuss my future.”

“Whew!” Chuck removed his Stetson and wiped his forehead with the back of his sleeve. “It’s gettin’ mighty hot in here. I best wait till it cools down before I ask you what I came to ask.”

She slanted him a sidelong glance. He was grinning like the Cheshire cat. Darn it. Now he’d stirred her curiosity.

“What?”

“I don’t want to ask you when you’re so steamed.”

She sighed and lowered the clipboard. “I’m not mad. I just don’t like people speculating on my personal business.”

“It wasn’t like that at all, darlin’. Honest.” He hunched his shoulders. “Me and the boys just don’t want to see you go. Me, especially.”

Bri turned away again. Why hadn’t she just let the subject drop? She didn’t care what Chuck wanted to ask her anymore. She wanted him to leave. She just wanted to be alone. She faced him, ready to tell him to go.

He twirled his Stetson in his hands and for the first time she could recall, he looked unsure. “Next week is the Bridle dance and I was wonderin’ if you’d like to go.”

A dance? She nearly dropped the clipboard.

“With me, of course.” He raked a hand through his sandy-colored hair. “I mean, the other guys are goin’, too, but I want you to be my date.”

Bri cleared her throat. “I don’t think so.”

“You already have a date?”

“No, I won’t be going.”

Chuck drew his head back in surprise. “Everyone’s goin’. The dance is a big deal in Bridle.”

“I don’t like to dance,” she murmured as she ran a finger down the list of inventory items.

“Why not?”

“You won’t eat beets.”

He blinked. “So?”

“Well, why not?”

Chuck scratched his head and then set his hat back on. “Darlin’, there ain’t one blessed thing that dancin’ and beets have in common. And that’s a fact.”

Bri sighed and shook her head. So he was cute. Just not the sharpest tool in the shed. “Thank you for asking. But I won’t be going.”

“Come on, Brianna. Don’t say no yet. Think about it. The prettiest girl in the whole dang county can’t sit out the dance. It ain’t right.”

She blushed and bowed her head. “Get out of here and let me get my work done, or I won’t be going anywhere.”

“So, you’ll think about it?”

She still wouldn’t look up, but she heard the grin in his voice. “Goodbye, Chuck.”

“I’ll take that as a maybe.” He laughed. “See you later, darlin’.”

She kept her gaze on the clipboard until she was sure he’d left the stables, and then she sagged against the pole, tempted to slide down and crawl into a ball in the hay. It wasn’t bad enough that she had doubts about her place here at the Flying Ace, but others were talking about it, too.

Maybe she should go to the dance. Start circulating. Meet other ranchers. She’d learned enough about the business in the past year that she could get a job at another ranch. Bridle was a small, tight community, and the odds of a position being open were slim, but there were neighboring communities, and around here everything was done by word of mouth.

But a dance? The thought made her shudder.

Aunt Elaine hadn’t believed in any situation that allowed a boy and girl to get that close, and had forbidden Bri from attending any of the high-school dances. She’d snuck out once, on the pretense of going to the library, but the evening had been a nightmare.

Her clothes had been all wrong. She’d been woefully ignorant of the latest dance steps. Not that she’d been all that familiar with the old ones. All she knew was that dancing was not her cup of tea.

The clipboard slipped from her fingers and fell into the hay. She bent to retrieve it and when she came back up, she saw Rafe standing near the rear door. Not looking as if he’d just arrived.

Her pulse picked up speed and her hand automatically went to her hair. Her ponytail was a mess. “What are you doing here?”

His gaze followed the path Chuck had taken out of the stables. “I thought you had work to do.”

“I do. I—” She didn’t answer to him. “I thought you were going to the Desert Rose.”

“I’m taking one of the horses.”

She hid a smile, unable to picture him driving the pickup she’d offered. Even in jeans, a chambray shirt and boots, he looked different from the other guys around Bridle. More sophisticated. Worldly. Exotic.

Definitely more attractive.

No one else gave her that funny flutter in her tummy.

“Is everything all right?” He narrowed his gaze and then again looked toward the door by which Chuck had left.

“Fine.” She wondered how much he’d heard. “Why wouldn’t it be?”

“A woman such as yourself has many admirers. Sometimes their attention can seem overwhelming.”

“Admirers?” Her cheeks burned and she hugged the clipboard to her chest. “Don’t be silly.”

He frowned slightly. “You must not take these young men’s intentions lightly.”

Intentions? She wasn’t going to ask. “Help yourself to any of the horses. Cord favors Lightning, the tan gelding, when his horse is being groomed.”

Rafe stared at her, his dark eyes intense and probing, making her want to confess to sins she hadn’t even committed.

“I have to get back to work,” she said, and turned away from him. Nothing on the paper attached to the clipboard made sense anymore, but it gave her something to focus on.

“Brianna?”

“I’ll have something made for lunch around one. If I’m not around, check the refrigerator.”

He touched her arm and she stiffened. “Why are you so uneasy around me?”

“I’m not.” Heat climbed her neck, and when he urged her to turn around, she lowered her lashes.

“What am I to think but that Aliah has said unkind things about me?”

“That’s not true.” Her gaze flew to his face and she saw the amusement he couldn’t quite hide. “Okay, so you make me a little nervous. I don’t know why. Probably because I’d never met a sheikh before.”

“Now that you have, am I so different than any other man?”

“I guess not,” she said, lying through her teeth. He was different, all right. Taller, darker, more self-assured than any of the guys she knew. And when he smiled. Lord help her. Maybe it was a good thing he didn’t smile all that often.

“Tell me, who was that young man with whom you were speaking?”

“Chuck Williams. He works here.” She narrowed her gaze. “Why?”

“In your brother’s absence, I hope you feel free to come to me if you have any problems.”

She stared at him in disbelief. “I thought you said Cord was only teasing about asking you to watch over me?”

“I am an older brother. I would want someone to take care of Aliah in my absence. In effect, now that she has married, I have handed her over to Cord. It is not unusual for a brother to—”

She made a most unladylike sound of frustration, and then clamped her mouth shut when she realized what she’d done.

His eyebrows drew together in a slight frown. “You are upset.”

“Not really.” Embarrassed was more like it. Aunt Elaine would be mortified and furious at Bri’s manners. Of course, since leaving New Hampshire, Bri had changed in a lot of ways. Thanks to Cord, she had more freedom than she’d ever dreamed possible. “It’s just that—” She shook her head. “It’s not important. I apologize for overreacting.”

He stared at her, his dark eyes searching, and for a moment she feared he wouldn’t let the matter drop. Not that she had any intention of discussing the importance of her newfound independence. Such as it was. Here at the Flying Ace the crippling shyness that had stunted her social life seemed to ease. She felt safe here. At peace. But if she had to venture out into the world again…

She couldn’t even finish the thought.

“No need for an apology, I assure you.”

“You’re right.” At his surprised look, she swallowed. “I’m your hostess while my brother is away, not your ward.” There. She’d said it. “Not that I don’t appreciate your concern.” She sighed at the unnecessary concession.

Rafe’s left eyebrow went up, and she couldn’t tell if he was annoyed or amused.

She didn’t care. She’d said her piece and she wasn’t sorry. “Now, if you will excuse me…”

He touched her arm when she started to turn away. “Answer one question first.”

“Okay,” she said slowly. “If I can.”

“Why would you not want to go to this dance in town?”

She lifted her chin. “You were listening?”

“I overheard. There is a difference.”

Amusement and not annoyance had been on his face, she decided. The look was still there. Condescending, almost paternal. She had a good mind to wrap her arms around his neck and kiss him so hard he’d never think of her as a child again.

The mere idea stole her breath. She could no more do something like that than ride bareback in a rodeo. Heck, she still had trouble staying in a saddle. Lots of dogs and cats roamed her New Hampshire neighborhood. No horses.

Texas was a whole new world to her.

So was Rafe.

She swallowed hard at the way he stared into her eyes as if he could read her every thought. “I really have to get back to work.”

“Then I will assist you.”

That startled a laugh out of her. “You? Work?”

Anger flared briefly in his eyes. “The idea surprises you?”

“Well, you couldn’t even get your own breakfast.” She bit her lip, wishing she hadn’t said that.

“Ah, how do you know that was not a ploy to assure myself of your company?”

She blinked. “Huh?”

He laughed, and his whole face changed. “Perhaps I am not the man of leisure you assume.”

“I didn’t assume any such thing. Allie told me how much you do for Munir.”

“Ah, but you think I am ignorant of the mundane tasks of life.”

“Well…” Bri thought about Allie’s first attempts at manual labor and she had to stifle a laugh. “Actually, yes, I do.”

His features tightened. “Your honesty is admirable.”

“Not that I’m being critical. There’s been no need for you or Allie to do things for yourselves.”

“While I was at the university, you would be surprised at what I learned to do for myself.” One side of his mouth lifted and made her wonder what exactly he meant. “Allie did not go away to school and as a result became very pampered.”

“But she’s not anymore. She does a lot around here to help. Heck, before long Cord won’t need—” She gasped, horrified at what she was about to say.

Quickly, she turned back to sorting the bits. She’d already lost count of the bridles. After an hour she’d accomplished nothing. If she couldn’t be useful in the business end of the ranch, no one would need her.

When Rafe remained silent for too long, she finally slid him a glance. And wished she hadn’t. The sympathy she saw in his eyes made her ill.

“Brianna.” He took her hand and she was too stunned to pull away. “Just because a man takes a wife does not mean he does not need his sister.”

“You don’t understand.” She looked down at the toes of her tennis shoes, trying to gather her thoughts, willing herself not to say anything foolish.

He stroked the inside of her wrist with his thumb, and her breath caught. “I understand that you mean a great deal to Cord.”

She met his eyes, and pulled her hand away. “You don’t know him. You can’t say that.”

“Ah, but I am only repeating something he told me.”

“I don’t believe you.”

He smiled. “He also said you were shy, but he neglected to mention refreshingly honest.”

This conversation was not helping. In fact, hurt seeped into the fear. Just how intimately had Cord discussed her with Rafe?

As if reading her mind, Rafe sobered. “Your brother spoke of you only in terms of a warning to me.”

“A warning?”

“I told him how extraordinarily beautiful you are and he told me to…” His dark brows drew together in a puzzled frown. “The saying escapes me. Ah, I believe the term he used was ‘hands off.”’

Bri’s mouth opened but nothing came out. Rafe thought she was beautiful. How was that possible? And then she blinked. “Cord said what?”

“Do not look so troubled. He is your brother, your patron. As we discussed earlier, of course he would defend you.”

Bri shook her head. No sense trying to get through either of their thick, chauvinistic skulls. And then she drew in her lower lip, wondering what Rafe’s response had been. Not that she’d ask him. Not in a million years.

“I have an idea.” He took her hand again.

She gave him a cautious look.

“Go to the Desert Rose with me.”

The heat from his palm pressed to hers traveled up her arm and went straight to her belly. “Why?”

“To watch Mac Coleman train the two new colts. I believe one of them is Rising Star.”

No fair. He knew she had a special fondness for the scrawny colt. Although the way Rafe rubbed the inside of her wrist again was an even more persuasive argument. “You forget I have work to do.”

“It will still be here.”

She hesitated, afraid to meet his eyes.

“Hey, Bri. I almost forgot to ask—”

At the sound of Chuck’s voice, she gave a guilty start and tried to jerk her hand away. Rafe held firm.

Chuck stared at them, obviously startled himself, and then his gaze fell to their clasped hands and his lips thinned.

“Sorry,” he muttered in a sarcastic voice. “Didn’t mean to crash the party.”

With a firm tug, Bri withdrew her hand. She was embarrassed. No getting around it, but she’d be damned if she’d let Chuck get away with acting like a two-year-old and give her that accusatory glare. “You wanted something?” Amazingly her voice didn’t crack.

He glowered at Rafe and then gave her a wounded look. “Never mind.”

“Chuck, come on. You didn’t interrupt, and you obviously wanted something.”

“It’s personal,” Chuck said, darting Rafe a sour glance. “I’ll talk to you later.”

Rafe didn’t offer to leave but stood there, looking bored and impatient, which really annoyed her. In fact, both men annoyed her.

“Fine, then if you’ll both get out of my hair, I can finish this inventory.”

Rafe frowned, his displeasure clear. “I thought we had a date.”

Her gaze immediately went to Chuck, whose eyes had narrowed in contempt. “To watch Mac train over at the Desert Rose? I’d hardly call that a date.”

“Afterward, I will take you to lunch,” he said as if the matter was settled, and then reached for her hand again.

She had just enough wits about her to jerk away, but words failed her. What the heck was he doing? The whole bunkhouse would be gossiping about them by dinnertime. She couldn’t bear the thought. Enough of her life had been hurt by rumors and whispers. All that talk about how she was unwanted, a bastard child…

“Okay, I get the picture.” Chuck took a step back, his expression far from understanding. “But you could’ve told me, Bri, and not waste my time.”

She threw up her hands. “Told you what?”

“That you two were already playing footsies under the table.” Lifting his chin in a cocky manner, he adjusted his Stetson.

“We are not.” She looked to Rafe for help. Maybe he didn’t understand what Chuck was getting at, because he just stood there watching with lazy interest.

“Yeah, well, that’s sure what it seemed like.” Chuck slid Rafe an accusing look, which was received with a stifled yawn.

“Well, I’m telling you how it is.” Bri put her hands on her hips. “Not that I owe you an explanation.”

“Sure enough, darlin’,” Chuck shrugged and took a step back. “Just wish you hadn’t led me on about the dance.”

“I never—” She could end the talk before it started. “Who said I led you on? Of course I’ll go to the dance with you.”

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