Spurs and Heels(Divine Creek Ranch 5)(41)

front of her.

“Thanks, darlin’,” he said, joining her at the table.



110

Heather Rainier

“So, that’s probably way more story than you wanted to hear.”

“No, I think it’s high time I heard about your family. Are they all

redheaded like you?”

“Oh, no. I’m one of only a few with red hair. Most of them are

tall, blond, and thinly built. I take after my Grandma Lila. She had red

hair like mine when she was younger and the same blue eyes.

Grandpa always said she reminded him of Rita Hayworth. He used to

tease her and give her a wolf whistle and do the old hand motion for a

woman with a full, hour-glass figure then duck from whatever she’d

throw at him. Usually it was a dish towel or apron, but once she went

after him with a small iron skillet.”

Ash choked. “Damn! And you take after her?”

She snickered. “Uh-huh! Couldn’t you tell?”

“So, did she get him with the skillet?”

“Oh, no. My grandpa was too charming for it to come to that. She

chased him into the offices and slammed the door behind her. All we

heard was the skillet hit the floor. When they came out later, she was

smiling and so was he.”

“Hot-blooded, huh?” he said speculatively.

“Uh-huh.”

“She must’ve been something.”

“Yeah, I miss her and Grandpa a lot sometimes. It’s been hard on

my parents and my aunts and uncles. The last I heard, they still hadn’t

taken care of dividing up their personal possessions. With so many

people involved, I think everyone is afraid that if they start down that

road, there will be more strife, so they’ve been putting it off.”

She stopped talking to eat and praised him for the perfect steak,

loving the rice dish. “You’re an excellent cook, I hope you know

that.”

“I enjoy it a lot. Not many opportunities to do more of it. I’ve

cooked for the guys before, but they seem to prefer the basics. I’m

glad you like what I made you. If you’re a good girl and clean your

plate, there is a homemade dessert for later.”



Spurs and Heels

111

“Oh, I’m all about being your good girl.”

“Yeah, sure. Remember who you’re talking to!” he said with a

laugh. “I remember you calling my parent’s marital status into

question, among other things, on the way to the hospital. After

hearing about your grandmother, it’s starting to make more sense,

though. So my mother shouldn’t take offense at the insinuations you

made about who my father might be?”

“Oh, Lord, don’t you dare tell her about that! I’ll never live that

day down, will I?”

“It’s not many women who’ve called me a idiot motherfucker that

I’ve hung around long enough to get to know better.”

“Hopefully, that means you’ve forgiven me for that awful tongue

lashing.”

Ash grinned at her and looked her in the eye. “Actually, down,

dirty insults aside, I thought you were the prettiest, hottest, sexiest

thing I’d ever gotten on the wrong side of before. You had such fire in

your eyes, at least until you quieted down. That’s when I got worried

about you.”

“I was so ashamed of the way I behaved.”

“Darlin’, I could handle the rough edges because I could see the

sweetheart underneath.”

“But me screaming at you, at the top of my lungs? If you could

see anything positive in that, you’ve got better eyes than most.”

“Maybe I do, where you’re concerned. You done?” he asked,

reaching for her plate as she nodded. “You know, I’ve been thinking

next weekend we ought to go out to The Dancing Pony for a date. I

thought you might enjoy going out on Friday or Saturday night.”

“I have work,” she said, uneasily. “That’s going to be a busy

weekend.”

“That’s all right. We’ll be busy with the horses, too, though not

that late. Just bring a change of clothes, and I can pick you up from

the store. If we want to have time together, we’ll have to do it at odd

times like after the store closes.”



112

Heather Rainier

“You don’t mind?”

“Not if you don’t. I didn’t expect you to forsake your job

completely, just cut back to a healthier workweek.” He was about to

say more when his phone buzzed in his pocket, signaling a text

message.

She released him to take care of his business and went into the

living room to pick a DVD for the evening’s entertainment. She

picked two out and returned to the kitchen.