by MISSY HARPER
She knew he wasn’t happy. He only used her name when he was mad at her about something or having a really serious discussion with her. She could only hope his formal use of her name was due to the topic of conversation, but it was a long shot. It seemed she’d found herself in a tiny office with an angry Ethan after all.
“As the Alzheimer’s progressed your dad had moments where he knew something was very wrong with him. In one of those moments he spoke with me about his children and the needs he’d have when he could no longer take care of himself. He felt Sam was too far away, and he just didn’t trust Nick or Kelly to make the right decisions for him. He asked me if I would be responsible for all his medical decisions, Ethan. He said he didn’t want you to have to make the difficult decisions he knew were going to have to be made. He was trying to protect you.”
“I see.” He said, staring at the floor again. “I guess you’re not handin over that particular document are you?” He asked.
“I’m sorry, Ethan. He made me promise.” Ethan looked up at her with tears in his blue eyes, and it broke her heart. The only other time she’d seen that look in his eyes had been at his mother’s funeral. Never before had she wanted to go to someone and hold him more than she did at that moment. This was why she should have stuck to keeping her distance from him.
“Sounds like him.” Ethan snorted as he smiled and played with his hat in an effort to keep his hands busy and his tears from falling. He’d come home to take care of his father and the ranch, but found the ranch was being handled by Rylee, and his father was already gone. He just still had a pulse… and Rylee to take care of him, too.
“I promise I won’t make any major decisions without speaking with one of you guys first. He’s your father, Ethan, and I respect that, but I have to keep my word to him.”
“But the final decisions are actually yours to make.” Ethan clarified, looking off to the side, unable to hide the hurt in his eyes.
“Yes, they are. It’s the way he wanted it.” Ethan’s heavy sigh was like a fist around her heart.
“Well, Runt, I feel the same way about this as I do about everything else. I understand, but I still don’t like it.” He looked up at her and grinned. God, he had a beautiful smile!
“I am sorry, Ethan.”
“I know you are, Runt, but hey, look at the bright side. At least I got my ranch back.” His grin spread as he held up the papers she’d given him. Rylee smiled at him knowing he was trying to make the best out of a bad situation.
“Yep, and if you need any help, or if you decide you want me to continue handling the business end of your ranch for a while, just let me know.” She watched him push himself up out of his chair. She looked up at him towering over her and saw the devious little smile that crept across his face. She recognized the twinkle in his eyes and knew what was coming. She’d seen it a thousand times and fallen in love with it when she was only ten years old.
“Now why the heck would I need a Runt like you runnin my ranch?” He teased her. “We both already know you learned just about everything you know from followin me around all the time, anyway.” This time he added a knowing wink to his teasing comment, proving she was wise in her decision to keep a little space between them.
“Well, if that’s the case, what the hell are you still doing in my office.” Rylee shot back. “You ain’t one of them lazy bull riders anymore, cowboy. We don’t party all night and then sleep till noon around here. We work from sun up to sun down, so get your lazy butt out there and get some work done. I’ve got work to do and I know you have cattle to check and horses to feed and all sorts of other things to take care of, so off with you!” Ethan smiled and chuckled as he walked to the door.
“I’d almost forgotten about your ability to put a man in his place.”
“Not to worry, if you forget again, just come on over. I’ll be more than happy to refresh your memory.” She said evenly as she busied herself with paperwork.
“Hey, Rylee?” She looked up to see him standing in the doorway twirling his hat in his hands. “About that date with Martin? He’s got a bad habit of… well, I guess what I’m askin is exactly what did you have to do for me?” Poor baby, he looked almost sick to his stomach.
“Hell, Ethan! I don’t like you or your ranch enough to do that!” She assured him and looked back down at her work. She wasn’t trying to hide what had happened on that dreadful date, but she didn’t want him to see the lie in her eyes about not liking him enough to have done it if she’d had to.
“Look at me, Runt.” He demanded. “Please tell me you didn’t…”
“No, Ethan. I suffered through a really disgusting kiss and had to dodge him and his phone calls for six months, but that was it… and you owe me eternally! Now, go away so I can get some work done!” And so I can stop thinking about doing things that will break my heart when my eight seconds are up.
“Thanks, Runt.” She heard him say just before she heard his boots fading down the hallway.
“You’re welcome, Ethan.” She whispered to the empty doorway and wondered if her heart would always feel as empty as it did now.
Chapter 5
Kitchen Cat Fight
Ethan was sitting in his brother’s restaurant having a late lunch withTanner, Thor and his brother Nick when he saw Rylee enter through the front door. Just when he thought she couldn’t get any prettier, she’d prove him wrong by showing up looking better than he’d ever seen her look before. She’d been doing it ever since he’d gotten home, and it was getting down right infuriating! It didn’t look like today was gonna be any different.
He’d come into town to take care of some business, and take advantage of the rare opportunity to have lunch with the guys, and here she came, lookin sexier than any woman he’d ever seen! She looked like she’d walked right out of one of his fantasies and into his brother’s damn restaurant! Did no one monitor what this girl wore?
I mean by all the saints above! What was any man to think when a woman as gorgeous as Rylee showed up in a tight pair of dark blue jeans with tall black boots that made her damn near as tall as he was… not to mention showed just how long and gorgeous those legs were?
Not a leg man? No problem! She had on a fitted white shirt that proved she’d been blessed in the breasts, if ya know what a guy means. Now if that combo ain’t hot enough to fry an egg on a sidewalk, then go ahead and add the black leather jacket and long, flowing blonde hair to the picture because Rylee certainly hadn’t left them out! She looked like a damn goddess come down to earth to feed on mere mortal men!
“Hey, Baby Girl.” Thor said as she approached the table like she was floating on air.
‘Hey Baby Girl?’ was that all he had to say? Ethan clinched his jaw. The man’s daughter shows up looking like a walking wet motorcycle dream and that’s all he had to say! How about telling the little hell cat to go put something on that’s not gonna make every man in the room want to lean her over the table and…
“Hi, Daddy?” Ethan heard her sweet voice and watched with envy as she leaned down and kissed her father on the cheek.
“Thought you were off today?” Tanner asked as if he had no concern for what she was wearing or how it made her look. Ethan wanted to scream at his friend! This is the Runt, Man! She’s never supposed to look like this! Are you blind? Stupid? Been kicked in the head…?
“I am. Cindy and I are going shopping this afternoon.” Ethan watched her mouth move as she spoke and then fought back a pang of jealousy when she, again, began to run her fingers through Tanner’s long, shiny, black hair. He was the only one of the Van der Brook boys that truly embraced his Native American heritage. Obviously, Rylee approved, because she seemed to always have her hands in the man’s hair. It was damn inviting enough to make a man consider letting his hair grow long.
“Ah, then maybe while you’re there you might buy some different boots?” Tanner turned a disapproving glance down at her tall boots. “Maybe some that come just above the ankle instead of j
ust below the knee?”
“It’s about time one of you says something about her damn clothes!” Ethan growled, glaring at Rylee. Nick began to chuckle and kicked Ethan under the table. Ethan looked over at his brother with a what the hell? look and realized that not only had he been busted staring again, but he’d spoken his last thoughts aloud. Ethan rolled his eyes and kicked his brother back.
“I already told ya about wearin them hooker boots!” Ethan listened asTanner warned his little sister, but Rylee spoke up before he had a chance to toss his own lot in with Tanner’s.
“And I already told you to leave it alone or I’d finish off the outfit just to ruffle your feathers.” Rylee gave him a big smile and a quick tug on his long ponytail before she turned her attention to Ethan.
“And as for the resident hypocrite at the table, I’d suggest he keep his mouth shut!” Rylee snapped. “It’s just not right for you to enjoy the view and then turn around and bitch about it! Make up your mind, Cowboy. And don’t either of ya fool yourselves for one minute. Keep it up and I’ll break out the really short leather skirt I bought to go with my favorite boots and jacket.” Rylee threatened with narrowed eyes and a saucy smile as everyone at the table laughed, except Tanner and Ethan.
“Like hell you will!” Ethan announced as his fork clattered against his plate. “Your daddy might grin and your brother might fuss a bit, but I ain’t your daddy or your brother, Runt.” Ethan leaned his forearms on the table top. “I catch ya dressed like that, and one of two things is gonna happen.” Ethan stared at her with fury in his eyes, thinking she should understand what he was talking about. This little hell cat was way out of control!
“Oh, don’t stop now, big, strong bull rider.” Rylee said, mocking him. “Please, enlighten us all as to what two things will happen to me if I don’t follow your rules. I’m sure everyone else is waiting on pins and needles, just as I am.” Her voice was sugary sweet and oh, so sarcastic. Ethan brought both of his elbows up to rest on either side of his plate and glared at her with uncensored male appraisal.
“Well, I guess that would depend on my mood and how much I’d had to drink.” Rylee quirked a sarcastic eyebrow at him. “If I was feelin charitable I’d tie your ass up, toss you in the back of my truck and take ya home to your daddy where you belong. If I’d had a few, I might not care. Oh, I’d still tie ya up, but I certainly wouldn’t take you to your daddy.” Rylee glared at him as if she might reach across the table and smack him! How dare he insinuate he’d have to be drinking for her to be good enough!
“Don’t worry, Runt, out of respect for your brother here, I’d be sure to take ya out of those inappropriate clothes he seems to disapprove of so much.” Ethan’s grin spread across his face as he sat back in his chair and let his eyes roam over her body. He figured that ought to shut that smart little mouth of hers.
Rylee bent over at the waist and placed her palms down on the table as she stared into Ethan’s eyes. She made quite a production of lifting her butt in the air and positioning her legs in that sexy stance no man can resist as she looked defiantly down at him.
“Ah, hell!” Ethan swallowed hard. He’d never seen a woman look more appealing than she did at that moment.
Crash!
“You lil’ bitch!” All heads turned toward the kitchen and the sound of a very angry, latin accent.
“Again?” Rylee asked, turning her head from Ethan to his brother, Nick.
“Afraid so.” Nick said, nonchalantly, as he took a sip from his glass. Rylee let her head fall between her arms and balled her hands into little fists.
“What the devil’s goin on in there?” Ethan asked. It sounded like WWIII had broken out in a kitchen in Montana! There was yelling, in Spanish no less, and lots of banging and panicked screaming from others that seemed to be caught in the crossfire.
“Well, my Spanish ain’t so good,” Nick teased, “but the best I can tell, Ramon is mad at Jorge because he’s a little bitch.” Nick informed his brother without much interest. When Ethan shook his head in confusion, Rylee decided to give him a little background info on the two chefs.
“You see Ethan, Ramon and Jorge are lovers… ya know, like you obviously want no man to be with me. Sometimes things get a little hot in the kitchen between those two, if ya know what I mean?” She asked, sarcastically, as she looked him straight in the eye. “Then they fight. It’s a shame, but it is a fact.”
“Oh, I know what ya mean, Runt. Question is, do you?” Ethan met her challenge, but she ignored him and went on with her explanation of the reason for WWIII in the kitchen.
“Jorge tends to have a wondering eye… you know how that is, don’t cha Mr. Bull Riding, picture taking, buckle bunny chaser?” She asked, scrunching up her face innocently.
“Rylee…” Ethan warned, but Rylee, of course, ignored him.
“Ramon doesn’t seem to appreciate it, much.” She continued, cutting him off, wrinkling her nose and shaking her head. “So when Ramon catches Jorge eyeing some tall, good lookin cowboy, we usually end up with a cat fight in the kitchen. Rylee stood up from her bent over position to survey the empty restaurant. “Funny, I can usually see it coming… Jorge and I usually have the same taste in men. But, nope, I don’t see any tall good looking cowboys. Strange isn’t it.” She said to a grinning Nick as she turned, heading for the kitchen.
“She’s got it comin, Thor. I’m just saying…” Ethan warned her chuckling father as he inhaled deeply.
Ethan watched Rylee’s graceful strides carry her across the room to the swinging doors that led to the kitchen. She used her long arm to swing the door open with such force that it stuck in the open position. She hooked a step stool with the toe of her boot and sent it sailing across the kitchen, where it stopped directly in front of a long stainless steel work table.
The stool came to rest in the exact spot, and at the exact time, Rylee reached it and used it to step up onto the worktable without ever breaking stride. She reached up above her head to pull down a heavy pot rack, removed two large pots from the rack and turned back to face the open doorway. With booted feet spread shoulder width apart, she held the pots over her head and banged them together until the room fell silent.
Ethan held his breath and unconsciously licked his lips as he watched Rylee standing there. Food flew all around her, but none of it hit her, farther proving she was in fact a goddess. He felt his brother nudge him with his elbow and looked over to see Nick watching Rylee but talking to him. He immediately thought of at least five ways to kill his brother.
“Watch this, man. It get’s way better.” Nick warned him with a big grin on his face. “I live for when she does shit like this.” Nick admitted to his brother, grinning like a boy with his first dirty magazine. “Sit back and enjoy the show, little brother.” He chuckled, but never took his eyes off of what was happening in the kitchen.
“Man, with those boots and that jacket, she looks like she should have a whip in her hand.” One of the waiters said to the other.
“She wouldn’t have to beat me long to get me to do whatever she wanted.” He replied with a wishful sigh. Ethan grabbed him by his tie and jerked the guy toward him.
“Your fuckin fired!” Ethan growled at the poor man. Thor couldn’t contain the laughter that bubbled up in his throat. The boy had it bad for his little hell cat and didn’t even know it. At this point he didn’t know who was more entertaining, Ethan or Rylee.
“Dear God in heaven! Please help me.” Ethan whispered the prayer under his breath as he ran his hand over his face, trying to wipe away the new fantasy the recently unemployed waiter had offered.
Chapter 6
The Negotiator
“On what planet would this behavior be acceptable to me, gentlemen?” Rylee’s voice drew the attention away from Ethan’s impromptu firing of his brother’s employee, and centered it firmly back on Rylee, standing atop the worktable in the kitchen.
“Iz Jorge tha iz de problem!” Ramon accused in a heavy Latin accen
t, pointing his chubby finger at his lover.
“Why is Jorge the problem, Ramon, and why is it affecting my kitchen?” Rylee asked in her very cool, authoritative way.
“Becauze he iz a Bitch!” Ramon shrieked and covered his mouth with his hand in an overly dramatic fashion. His other hand resting on his big, rounded belly. He is such a Diva!
“Who you callin a bitch, you lil bitch!” Jorge yelled back in the same thick Latin accent, but he added a very effective neck roll while placing his long boney hands on his slender hips.
“He’z de one can’t keep hiz beady lil eyez off that cowboyz ass, Mizz Rylee, not me!” Ramon yelled as he pointed out of the open door, then turned around and buried his face in his hands as if he were cut to the bone.
“What cowboy?” Rylee asked. The only people in the restaurant were her dad, her brother, Nick and Ethan.
“Tha one righ there!” He screeched again, turning dramatically to point at Ethan. “De one tha iz alwayz being wit Mr. Nick. He come in here every day wit tha sexy lil walk and tempt my Jorge to leave me!” Ramon sobbed as he stomped his foot.
“Ethan?” Rylee exclaimed with a smile spreading across her face. She grinned to herself, remembering the conversation from just before the outbreak of WWIII.
“I must be livin right.” She muttered to herself.
“Yez, tha… E-than!” Ramon seethed as his voice dipped down very low when he said Ethan’s name.
“So Ethan’s been coming in here everyday to strut his stuff for Jorge, has he?” Rylee asked loud enough for everyone to hear her.
“Yez.” Ramon answered through his dramatic sobs.
“And has he been wearing tight jeans and those sexy cowboy shirts, maybe tippin his hat and givin Jorge a little wink?” Rylee asked, trying desperately to keep a straight face.
“I no see him wink at him, but all the rest!” Ramon said with an overly dramatic wave of his hand as it temporarily left his mouth.