Asher

“I’ve thought long and hard about this Asher and I’ve decided I ain’t comin’ back.”

Dolly sat at the kitchen table she’d filled with food and cleaned for nearly four decades, sipping coffee and eating one of Clara’s cinnamon rolls.

“But I need you around here. Who else will keep those guys in line like you do?”

I was laying it on thick, but the truth was Dolly made sure the boys ate and got back to work without a lot of horsing around. She’d kept my house running so I didn’t have to think about it. I would miss her.

“I’m not the only one. From what I hear Clara is a real hit around here. She’s good for you too,” the older woman eyed me knowingly.

“Damn gossiping ranch hands,” I mumbled because that’s the only way she could have possibly known.

“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, me and the boys 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 slowly 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.