Total pages in book: 45
Estimated words: 42859 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 214(@200wpm)___ 171(@250wpm)___ 143(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 42859 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 214(@200wpm)___ 171(@250wpm)___ 143(@300wpm)
Damn it.
She wasn’t supposed to matter. This was one of the many reasons why he didn’t care for a housekeeper. Women were trouble, that was his experience with them all at least.
Ignoring the door and the desire to knock on it, just so he could see her, he went straight to his bedroom. He’d already taken a long shower before Archie demanded his presence downstairs.
There was a book on his bedside table. He made a habit of going to the library once a month to get a title, and so far, he hadn’t been able to get into that one. It probably didn’t help that their housekeeper had also been with them for over a week. Running a hand down his face, he tried to focus on work.
The fences were an easy fix. Owning a ranch, he’d come to realize that fixing things was pretty much a full-time job. It was all he did, from the fences, to the barns, to the house. He was never too far from any tools, which he didn’t mind. He loved to build things. It was the one area of his life where he didn’t feel like a constant screwup.
He changed into a pair of shorts and kept his shirt off. The house was still too damn warm. He had the window open in the hope of getting a nice breeze. Nothing.
Lying down on his bed, he picked up the book and opened it up to the first page.
Gabe read the words, but none of them sank in. His thoughts returned to the woman a few feet away from him.
After an hour of attempting to read, he slammed the book down, got to his feet, and decided to take the dogs out for a walk. There was no way he should be struggling to sleep. Not with the work he did on a daily basis, and yet, that was exactly what was happening.
The floodlights were off when he stepped outside. He took a deep breath of country air. There were more stars than he could ever count lighting up the night sky. Each step on the dry grass created a distinct crunch. They needed rain in the worst way.
The dogs didn’t have to sleep in the old barn, but some nights when it was too warm like tonight, they never came in the house.
He came to a stop when he heard a voice.
“I get to stay. Did you hear the news? I’m going to be the best housekeeper ever. I’ll make sure to get extra steak for you guys weekly.”
Annalise’s soft voice permeated the air, and Gabe paused.
She was in the barn?
Why didn’t he hear her move around? He swore she’d gone to bed hours ago.
The door was partially open, and he glanced through to see she was kneeling on the ground. She wore what looked like a pair of sweatpants and a negligee.
His dogs were lapping up the attention, and he knew why—she had treats.
How many times had she been in the barn since her arrival?
“I was so worried though. Yeah, I said something silly to Gabe, and I was scared he thought I was flirting.” She groaned. “I bet women are always drooling all over him, and I want him to trust me, you know?” She sighed. “It would be nice to not have to find another job. I love this ranch. Always have. I bet you guys love it too, don’t you? Running around, doing whatever you want.”
Gabe was worried she might spill some private details, so he cleared his throat and pretended to just arrive.
Annalise gasped and spun around toward him. “Gabe!”
“I didn’t mean to startle you.”
She attempted to catch her breath. “Oh, it’s fine. This is your house and your barn and your land.” She quickly stood. “I … er … I couldn’t sleep.”
“It’s fine. You don’t have to explain yourself. You come out to the barn often?”
Only the flickering light of her lantern gave a soft wash of light to the immediate area.
“Not too often. Just when I struggle to sleep. I love dogs. I always wanted one growing up but was never allowed a pet.” She pressed her lips together and then smiled. “I better go inside.”
“The heat is distracting me. Do you want to take a walk with me?” he asked.
“Yeah, sure. I’d love to.”
He clicked his fingers, and the dogs got to their feet, heading out of the barn ahead of him.
Annalise crossed her arms, but it was too late. He’d already seen the delicious curves of her tits, and damn it, now he wanted to see them better.
Clenching his hands into fists, he remained silent as they walked, side by side, heading toward the first field. The full moon was high up in the sky, casting a gentle glow. All he wanted to do was touch her, to pull her in close, to taste her.