He reached around her, turned on the shower and before she could protest, picked her up and stepped under the myriad jets. He set her down, grabbed a bottle of body wash and started in. By the time he finished, she was clean, sated and weak-kneed. Then again, so was he. Two could play that game.
* * *
She forked the last bit of new straw into Doc’s stall and turned around. Chance stood there watching her. Tilting her head, she cocked her hand on a hip and gave him her best sassy smile. “See something you like, cowboy?”
“Mmm-hmm.”
Cass had to admit he’d surprised her. He didn’t drop her off. He’d parked his truck and insisted on helping. While she slipped into the house to change, he headed to the barn and with Buddy’s help, turned the horses out into the pasture so they could clean stalls.
“Fancy meeting you here.”
She glanced at the door. Boots, his expression inscrutable, watched them.
“Good morning, Mr. Thomas.”
“Stayed out a little late, Cassidy Anne.”
She realized she’d dropped her gaze so that her guilt now appeared obvious—and that Boots had ignored Chance. She raised her chin and met the situation head-on—by ignoring the insinuation. “Chores are done. Any coffee left?”
“There is. But I figured y’all might be in need of something more substantial. Breakfast at the Four Corners. My treat.”
She glanced at Chance, bemused by the expression on his face. He stared at Boots, but the smile curving his very sexy mouth looked almost hostile. She opened her mouth to decline and suggest that even she could scramble eggs, but her stomach growled. Loudly. Chance glanced at her and chuckled.
“Guess that means we’re doing breakfast. I’ll get washed up.”
He disappeared into the tack room, taking longer than he needed so he could sort through his emotions. Boots Thomas didn’t trust him, and Chance needed to figure out why. The old cowboy knew who he was. Did the man also suspect why he was pursuing Cassie? He stared at his reflection in the broken piece of mirror stuck up above the sink. Why was he after Cassie? He told his brothers and father it was business. But last night turned it into something else entirely.
Hell, he was falling for the girl. That was a big damn joke on him. Chance Barron didn’t fall for girls. Life with the old man convinced him that love didn’t exist. Lust? Oh, yeah. Lust was dependable. But love? With Cassidy Anne Morgan?
“Damn, son. You are in so much trouble now.”
Over the sound of running water, he heard Cass leave. By the time he joined Boots to lean against the hood of his truck, she appeared on the porch, ready to go. Buddy lazed in the shade. Boots moved to the passenger side and as soon as he opened the back door, Buddy leaped into the backseat.
“No, Buddy. Get out.” Looking mortified, Cass ran to the truck and did her best to pull the dog out. “You can’t go.”
“It’s okay.” He’d opened the driver’s door and leaned in to watch.
“But Chance, those are leather seats.”
“So?”
“So?” Her mouth gaped. “Let me at least get a blanket or something.”