“Sorry? I was off in my own little world,” I admitted, hoping he wasn’t going to call me out on my bad manners.

“I was just asking if you wanted me to show you around tomorrow.” He shifted in his seat looking uncomfortable for whatever reason. I was a little surprised by his gesture; it was not at all what I was expecting.

“That’s really nice of you. I would, however, like to help around here anyway I can.” His short sharp laugh and roll of his eyes had me confused and a little annoyed.

“Darlin’, I’m pretty sure work on the ranch might near kill you, or at least break a few of your nails.” His smart words got under my skin. Did he think we were living in the 1800s? I could do anything he could do, and I could do it with more class and a cute ass.

“Umm, sexist much? I’m more than capable of getting my hands dirty,” I told him with a glare.

“Maybe in the city you could do a spot of gardening, but out here, it’s real work.” He shook his head and sipped his cocoa looking relaxed and not at all bothered that he’d just royally pissed me off.

“What time do we start in the morning?” I asked defiantly. I wasn’t about to let an asshole guy tell me I couldn’t handle a bit of hard work.

With a smug look on his face, he told me, “Four am, sweetheart.” I bit the inside of my cheek to stop from telling him I was nobody’s sweetheart.

I stood up, walked over to him, handed him my empty mug and smiled sweetly. “Equality and all that jazz. I wouldn’t want you going around thinking it was a woman’s job to be in the kitchen.” His stunned expression made me giddy. I’d one upped him. “See you at four, cowboy.” I heard his grunt as I walked off toward the stairs. Knowing he was watching me the entire way, did wonders for my damaged ego

X X X

Rolling over, I stretched my arms up above my head and yawned, pushing myself up onto my elbows. I flicked my eyes over to the clock perched on the wall. It was before five in the morning and I was awake. “The damn sun isn’t even up yet,” I grumbled, sliding out from the warmth of the double bed. Hell knows what I was thinking the previous night. I needed my head examined or my pride cut down some.

Shuffling down the stairs twenty minutes later, I tried and failed to put a spring in my step, just to show the obnoxious ass I was able to wake up at the same time as his highness and look good doing it.

“She won’t hack it.” Destry’s voice stopped my zombie-like movements in an instant. I stood stock still on the bottom step and strained my ears. The smell of food assaulted my nostrils and my stomach made a tiny rumble.

“Sure she will. I’ll bet she can even keep up with Braxton for most of the day.” Austin laughed. More clanging of plates being put down and shuffling of feet made it harder to hear what was being said.

“Don’t be an idiot. Just make sure you’re ready to bring her back to the house if she looks like she’s struggling.” A chair scraped against the wooden floors “She’s a city girl and I can guarantee she has no idea what she’s in for today,” Destry said with amusement.

I’ll show him, I mused to myself as I stepped into the kitchen–slash-dining room. The massive ten-seater table was set and plates of breakfast foods were laid out. A handful of delicious smells hit my senses all at once. Pushing Destry’s smart comments to the back of my mind, I said my good mornings to everyone. Saving the cocky cowboy for last, I smiled hugely at him. When he turned around to face me, I forced myself to appear a hundred times more awake and peppy than I actually felt.

A loud crash had my attention snapping to his hands, and then the floor. “Ah, you can’t wear that,” Destry grumbled when he took in my appearance, clenching his jaw tightly as he focused on a something over my shoulder.

I looked down at my clothes and back up again with a scowl. Who was he to tell me I couldn’t wear what I wanted to? I was three seconds from opening my mouth to give him a serving when a gaping Austin stood before me and groaned, “I—ah, they’re short and that’s… Jesus Christ, you’re freaking hot!”

“Like I said, you can’t wear that,” Destry sighed and bent down to pick up the plate he’d dropped.

“I can and I will. They’re shorts and a shirt. Not a big deal; get over it,” I chastised him. My mother had forever told me what was the ‘proper’ thing to wear and I wasn’t about to let a bunch of horny boys tell me I couldn’t wear what I wanted.

“I’m headin’ out to round up the cows. See y’all soon.” Braxton grabbed his hat from the hook by the back door and left.

I squatted down in front of Destry to help pick up the last of the mess when I registered two less people. “Where are your grandparents?” I asked quietly, hoping they were still asleep; I didn’t want to wake them.

“Gone away for a week to visit our cousins.” My eyes snapped up just as he looked away from the swell of my breasts against my white cotton tank. Destry cleared his throat and focused on the pieces of crockery. “They left earlier.”

"Well, we should get going. Braxton isn't going to move those cows himself and I'd hate for him to think I couldn't keep up.” I smiled sweetly as he registered the fact I’d heard every word he said. I grabbed the Stetson I’d borrowed from Ellie-May and a piece of buttered toast, popping the corner in my mouth before walking out the back screen door.