“Don’t go blamin’ them Asher. I knew after sitting with her that first day that she was right for you, but I was sure you’d be too stubborn to go for it.”
She shook her head at me in that way that mothers have of showing you just how much you’ve disappointed them.
“There’s nothing to go for Dolly. She’s my employee.”
“Do you sleep with all your employees?”
I choked, but she only laughed. “Dolly please.” I rubbed my temples to stave off the headache I felt coming on. “I need you.”
Setting her cup down, Dolly raised her hands up and dropped them flat on the table. “Asher I’m old and I’m tired. I’m ready to live the life of leisure I was promised before my Hal left this earth, rest his soul.”
How could I deny her that when she’d worked hard all her life serving other people?
“Yeah, I get it. Just don’t be a stranger Dolly. You’ll be missed.” I stood and wrapped her in a hug.
“I’ll be by often, if for no other reason than to see how things play out with you and the pretty chef.”
I shook my head at her good-intentioned meddling. Dolly had my best interest at heart, I knew that, but she didn’t know the whole story.
“I can’t Dolly. She has dreams of making it as a chef and I’ll never make the mistake again of trying to trap a city girl out here. It doesn’t work, and it only leads to pain.”
Dolly stood and patted my cheek as though I were a stupid little kid. “Not every woman is like Elena and certainly not Clara. She has a say in this decision too, if you want her to stay that is.”
“She won’t want to stay.” They never do.
“You won’t know unless you ask her to stay.”
Her words stayed with me for the rest of the day.
The phone rang for what felt like the thousandth time, and though it wasn’t even lunch time yet I regretted spending the day in my office. Unfortunately, paperwork was as big a part of ranching as ranch work and the buck stopped with me. It had almost nothing to do with the sexy Botticelli angel singing in my kitchen.
“Hello?” Apparently, the damn thing would ring until I answered.
“Hi this is Megan Faulkner from Soupçon. May I speak with Clara Bloom?”
I sighed heavily. It didn’t take a genius to figure out this woman was from some fancy restaurant and they wanted my Clara.
“Clara is unavailable at the moment.”
“Oh,” she said with genuine disappointment. “She applied here several months ago, and I would like for her to call me back. Would it be possible for you to pass my number along to her?”
She rattled off the details without waiting for me to reply, so I just jotted down the highlights of the message.
“Got it,” I said and hung up rather abruptly. My mother would be appalled at my phone manners, but dammit I was about to lose my second housekeeper this year and it was damned inconvenient. There were many reasons I didn’t want Clara to leave and I wasn’t ready to deal with them yet, but having a cook and housekeeper helped me run my ranch smoothly. Without it me and the boys would likely starve.
Sometime later, a knocked sounded at the door.
“Come in,” I barked, still feeling angry and off-kilter from the call and all that it implied. That Clara would be leaving. Leaving me.
She walked in carrying a large wooden tray laden with food. She looked up at me and smiled.
“I figured we could have lunch together since you’re in the house.”
I watched her efficient, graceful movements as she unloaded meatball sandwiches and thick cut fries with coleslaw and soda. My stomach rumbled at the sight and the scent of the meal.
“Looks good,” I told her but my gaze was fixed on her sweet face and the swell of cleavage exposed by the thin cotton shirt she wore.
“It’s so nice out, I set up lunch for the boys on the picnic tables out back.”
She was so damn sweet, probably too sweet for the likes of me but I had a feeling she was just what I needed.
We ate in a comfortable silence until the food was about half gone, but a question had been nagging me for longer than that.
“Are you looking for your next job?”
She froze and then shrugged. “I’ve been sending out resumes since Dolly will be back soon, but I haven’t heard anything yet.”
Her sigh of defeat shouldn’t have given me any relief, but it did. I also sensed she was hiding something.
“Will I need to replace you before the six months are up?”
“What? No, why would you ask me that?” Hurt flashed across her face but she covered it up quickly. “Are you trying to get rid of me because of…, you know…?”
I shook my head, shocked she would even ask that.
“You haven’t said much about your plans after you leave here.”
She shrugged. “What’s there to say? This is the first real cooking job I’ve been able to keep but it’s temporary. Dolly will be back soon and I’ll probably still be looking for work.”
“Dolly has decided to retire.” The surprise in her eyes told me that Dolly hadn’t mentioned it to her. “I need to know if I need to put out ads to replace you. Finding you wasn’t all that easy.”
“I’m here as long as you need me. If that changes I will give you sufficient notice.”
I felt relieved, but I was still unsettled by the notion of Clara leaving.
“Good. I’m glad to hear it.”
After our talk the silence was more tense than companionable, both of us lost to our own thoughts. By the time she stood to leave, I realized I had avoided telling her about the phone call. Intentionally.
A few days later, the boys and I spent all day moving the cattle around the property. We did it every few weeks but this time, it had used up all my energy. When I finally made it back to the house, it was late and Clara was already in bed. So, I postponed my shower and ate standing over the sink. I didn’t savor the food like I normally did, just shoveled it in for sustenance, rinsed my plate and made my way upstairs.
It really was too bad Clara was in bed because losing myself in her sweet little body was the perfect way to end this long, unending day. Too damn bad.
It was probably for the best since it had been days and I still said nothing to her about the possible job. It was eating at me something fierce, yet I still kept it to myself. Tomorrow, I promised myself, I would tell her.
I pushed open my door and flipped on the light only to find a redheaded angel spread across my bed. She didn’t stir until my weight shifted the bed.
“Oh hey, I tried to wait up for you. How’d it go out there today?”
I couldn’t help but smile at her because she was so sweet and caring, always asking after me and the guys. Like we were her boys. She had the perfect disposition for a ranch woman. Not my woman, mind you, but still.
“It went fine but there are always stragglers, usually playful youngsters.”
She smiled through half closed lids.
“Did you eat? I can warm it up for you,” she moved to get out of bed but my hand on her bare thigh stopped her.
“I ate. Stay where you are. I’m hitting the shower and when I get back I plan to fall asleep with you in my arms.”
Clara stretched, nipples hard and straining against the thin t-shirt she slept in.
“Sounds good to me,” she said with a warm smile.
I never showered so fast in my life. In less than ten minutes I was mostly dry and sliding between the top sheet and scooting over to wrap my body around her delectable curves.
“Clara,” I warned around a yawn as her ass pressed and ground against my straining erection.
“Fine,” she pouted and quickly drifted off to sleep while I stayed awake for a while longer, willing my body to go to sleep and leave her be.
When I woke up, it was early, not even sunrise yet and I had a beautiful lush woman half on top of me with her face buried in my neck. Her hand drifted up and down my chest sl
owly and she moaned, big green eyes opened to mine.
She smiled as her hand slipped past the waistband of my boxers.
“I’ve never had morning sex before,” she purred. Before I could tell her what a great idea it was, she’d tossed one leg across my body to rest beside my hip, my cock fisted in one hand and grazing through her moist folds.
I watched, transfixed as my cock disappeared into her welcoming pussy. Big breasts bounced and jiggled as she moved over me in search of her pleasure. Jerky movements spoke of her inexperience, but with her eyes boring into mine, I didn’t give a damn about finesse. I was deep inside her and it was exactly where I wanted to be.
“Clara,” I groaned and gripped her hips, thrusting into her while she moaned her pleasure.
We came together fast and explosive, passion mounting until we both shattered as the first rays of sun burst from the sky. I just lie there spent, with Clara wrapped around me placing slow, sensual kisses to my neck and chest before settling into the crook of my neck again.
“I love you,” she whispered before sleep claimed her again.
I froze at her words, certain I’d misheard. She couldn’t love me.
She couldn’t.
Chapter Seven
Clara
Sharing a bed with a man was a delicious indulgence I’d never experienced before. But ever since that night a few weeks ago, when Asher found me in his bed, he’d never let me leave it. It was a heady feeling that had had me constantly on edge and always horny. But on a day like today when I woke up feeling like twelve types of hell, I longed for an empty bed. My mouth was somehow dry and moist at the same time, and my stomach had decided to try out for the Olympic gymnastics team. I felt worse than the first time me and Boone had gotten drunk junior year of high school, but better than the food poisoning I’d gotten from bad sushi.
I just lay in bed, glad that Asher wasn’t here to witness any of this. He hadn’t said a word about my ill-timed declaration of love, so I didn’t think seeing me sick like that was what he’d signed up for.
When the room finally stopped spinning I opened my eyes again and raced to the en suite bathroom to empty my stomach. Still feeling like crap, I only bothered washing my face, brushing my teeth and brushing my hair before hurrying downstairs to get breakfast started. I was already twenty minutes behind and the boys needed to eat.
Okay, so far so good, I thought as I rolled out the dough for biscuits and popped them in the oven. But the moment the sausage patties hit the cast iron skillet my stomach did a backflip, and the dripping coffee had my mouth on a constant drip and I knew what was coming. Ten minutes later my stomach was empty again, but I was no longer sick. I still didn’t feel any better though. At least breakfast was ready and set out for the boys. As soon as they arrived I excused myself and went outside for some fresh air, happy I’d done most of the laundry yesterday.
From my spot on the porch I could see the garden in the distance, bright colors finally visible as evidence of my hard work and nurturing. Now that everything was starting to come in, I couldn’t help but think about all the other things I’d like to add. Maybe a row of herbs like basil, rosemary, parsley and thyme. And more vegetables.
I smiled and held my queasy stomach as I made the decision to get off the ranch today and take a bit of a break. In the months I’d been on the ranch, I had only been into town a couple times, and twice Asher or one of the guys had accompanied me. Apparently ranch living meant saving up all your errands for one day. Today was that day for me.
I picked up seeds, soil and nutrients for the garden at the feed store and headed to My Best Friend’s Closet to pick up a few things. Now that I was sharing a bed with a big, sexy cowboy I figured I needed some sexy lingerie to keep things interesting. I picked up a few pairs of shorts because they were essential for summertime in Texas, but a pretty dress caught my eye and I spent way too much time admiring the gauzy fabric, white with an American flag underlay so you couldn’t be sure you were seeing what you thought you were. The spaghetti straps would show off my shoulders and cleavage and it hung around the knees. It would be perfect for the Fourth of July.
“You should get that dress girly, it sure is pretty. If I had your rack, I’d wear ’em out every day.”
I looked up at the strong voice saying those outrageous things.
“Uh, thanks?”
“Name’s Betty Driver,” she gave my hand a strong shake for a woman who had to be close to eighty. “You’re Hawthorne’s new girl, aren’t you? Dolly was right, you are a looker.”
“Thanks. I’m Clara.” I picked up a lavender dress and handed it to her. “This won’t give you tons of cleavage, but I bet it’ll cause a stir among the single men in town.”
Betty laughed and snatched the dress from my hands.
“You stay here girl while I try this on.”
I laughed and did as I was told, paying for my purchases and picking out another dress for the feisty old lady.
“Try this too,” I told her and flung a fuchsia dress over the door.
“That color’s too bright for an old woman,” she grumbled.
“Good because I don’t see no old woman here. Try it on,” I urged, laughing when she mumbled something about stubborn young girls. Ten minutes later, she had both dresses in a cute purple bag walking alongside me toward the grocery store where we both picked up a few items.
“Oh look, come on!” I spotted a pet adoption in the park across the street and I knew just what Hawkeye Ranch needed. I put the bags in my van and made my way to the ring full of puppies. They were adorable with their high-pitched yaps and enthusiastic tongues.
“I’ll have these two,” I told the girl who handed me two applications. “What about that one for you Betty? He won’t get very big and they love to cuddle?”
Betty gave me the stink eye. But we left with three puppies instead of two.
I just hoped Asher liked my surprise.
Later that week I woke up again feeling awful. It took me fifteen minutes just to get out of bed, but I was able to get through the day. Just a little slower than usual. I was starting to get worried, thinking maybe I had a fatal disease, or food poisoning but if it were the latter, at least one of the boys would have it too. Right? I didn’t really know, all I knew was that even though I was tired all the time, sleep didn’t come easy, I couldn’t eat hardly anything.
All in all, whatever this was, it sucked.
Big time.
The only true bright spots were Bones and Hobo, the chocolate lab and golden retriever I’d adopted for the ranch. The men loved the puppies, doted on them and let them have free run of the property. Bones though was my favorite, and could be found at my side just like now, while I pinned the sheets on the clothesline to take advantage of the warm sunny day.
“You are just too darn adorable,” I told him.
He gave me those big brown eyes that made my heart melt. When I finished, I left Bones on a spot of shade on the porch, while I went to finish up my last task before starting dinner. Cleaning Asher’s office. Stepping inside the room that was quintessentially Asher with pine wood and plaid everywhere, his words came back to me.
“Don’t go rearranging things because I know where everything is. Exactly.” He’d given his best stern look, blue eyes intense and dark while I fought a laugh.
So I quickly cleaned the office, vacuuming and dusting while trying not to think about how much things had changed since my emotional outburst during our pre-dawn lovemaking weeks ago. What kind of amateur springs the ‘L’ word right after an orgasm?
“Apparently me,” I shook my head, disgusted with myself as well as Asher, who of course, said absolutely nothing about it. Still. So not only did I tell him I loved him, which I do, but I now feel like a fool because he obviously doesn’t return my feelings.
Distance. That was all I needed. Well, and maybe I needed to make a few friends around here so Asher and the ranch weren’t my entire life.
I blew out
a breath and began dusting his desk, around all the clutter of course. I froze on a name that was very familiar to me. Megan Faulkner was the executive chef at Soupçon, a New Orleans restaurant I applied to months ago. I leaned in closer to read the note without touching it, all pretense of not snooping gone. I took in the small print in Asher’s neat block handwriting.
Clara. Job. Call back. That was all it said and my heart stopped as my blood ran cold.
Someone had called about a job and Asher had kept it from me. Well I might be inexperienced in the bedroom but I had a Ph.D. in dealing with controlling men, so I waited until he came in for his late lunch to confront him.
“Anyone call for me Asher?”
He scowled in my direction but I wasn’t intimidated.
“You’re going through my things now?”
A bitter laugh escaped, and I shook my head.
“You asked me to clean your office, remember? Or maybe I’m wrong, maybe Megan Faulkner didn’t call for me at all. Tell me she didn’t Asher.”
“She did,” he said sheepishly.
“When?” I had to know how long he’d been sitting on this information. I don’t know why but I just did.
“I meant to tell you but you brought in lunch and we started talking and I forgot.”
“Lunch?” My voice was a screech I knew, but I was shocked that he would do this. “So she called the day you asked me to stay?” Who was this manipulator who’d stolen my heart?
“Yeah,” he mumbled and went to the sink to wash his hands while I pulled his lunch from the oven and set it on a plate with much thumping.
“Why?” I asked because I had to know. I set the plate down in front of him harder than I needed to, but dang it, he deserved it.
“I don’t want you to leave.”
I refused to let my silly heart read more into that statement than he meant by it.
“Why?”
“What do you mean?” He rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand.
“Why didn’t you tell me about this job Asher and why don’t you want me to go?”
Fake Fiancé Next Door_A Small Town Romance Page 26