“Do you want me to sign it so you have it on record?”
Greta held up her whistle a mere blip of a moment before blowing it so loud, it made Bernie’s eyes tear up. “Stop being a moron, Sutton. Of course I’m not going to write you up for lying about liking a man!”
“But he’s my boss and I’m an ex-con.”
“So you’re the first ex-con who’s liked a man?”
“Well, no, but I’d think as my parole officer you’d frown on that sort of relationship.”
“So now you’re telling me how to do my job?”
“No…I…” She floundered. What was the right answer here?
But Greta began to laugh, her round crimson cheeks swallowing her sparkling eyes whole, and Winnie, Daphne and Calla joined in.
“Afternoon, ladies. Can I see you for a minute, Bernie?” Ridge drawled as he sauntered toward the barn, tipping his hat to them.
“‘Can I see you for a minute, Bernie?’” Winnie teased, lowering her voice to mimic Ridge and batting her eyelashes.
Bernie glowered at them, running a finger over her neck in cutthroat fashion, but they giggled in spite of her threat, evil grins securely on their faces as she made her way to the barn.
Poking her head around the corner, she caught her breath as Ridge pulled his shirt back down and dropped a towel on a hay bale, giving her a glimpse of his muscled back. Bronzed from being out in the pasture, the rippling flesh wide then tapering into his jeans—it made her mouth go dry.
If he could just be ugly, or even a little unappealing, it would make her interaction with him so much easier.
One deep, shaky breath later, and she wandered into the barn and tapped him on the shoulder. “What’s up?”
He turned to face her, his smile white and delicious. “Hey, do you mind if we study later tonight instead of after work? I’ve got a couple things I need to do.”
“If you’re busy, it’s no big deal—”
“I’m not busy, Bernie. Not too busy to help. I’m just delaying. But let me make it up to you?”
She shook her head, wiping her palms on her jeans. It wasn’t just hot in the barn because of the temperature; it was always hot when Ridge was too close. “You don’t have to make up anything to me. I can always ask Fee to help me—or independent study is okay, too.”
He sauntered up to her, his arms crossed over his wide chest, his eyes amused. “Do you really think you should independently try to move a body of water without just a little help from this warlock? It’s pretty heavy, you know.”
She giggled and shrugged her shoulders. “Well, as oceans go, you have plenty of room for one out in the pasture. I don’t know why you’re worried. I’m really good at burning things down, why should moving a body of water be any different?”
He cupped her jaw without warning, making her knees wobble and her breath quicken. “Bernie, I’m just delaying our tutoring session, but I’ll make you dinner and we can study while we eat. That work?”
“Depends on what you’re making.”
“What if I told you it was spaghetti and meatballs?”
“I’d call you a liar.”
Ridge grinned. “You’d be right. I’m a crappy cook. How does pizza from Alphonso’s and a cold beer sound?”
“Better than the can of ravioli you burned the other day when you were making lunch.”
“Did you smell that all the way out here?”
“Siberia smelled it.”
He tipped her chin upward. “You’re funny. Very funny. So are we on for tonight?”
Her toes were all but curling in her new running shoes as his thumb caressed her chin. “You bet.”
“So meet me up at the house at about seven?”
“Done deal.”
Ridge leaned in close and whispered, “You do know you’re not putting me out, right? I always get the feeling you think you’re taking me away from something really important. I’ll have you know, that’s not the case.”
“Everyone’s been really nice about this, and I feel so guilty when I consider there are plenty of things everyone could be doing other than babysitting me.”
“I like having you around, Bernie,” he drawled, low and husky.
What did she say to that? I like being around while you drive me and my libido around the bend? She stunk at small talk and flirting. Was there a class for that?
Her heart throbbed as she looked up at him. “Then make sure you have plenty of beer. If we’re moving bodies of water, we might need more than a six-pack.”
“You bet. See you tonight.” He dropped a light kiss on her lips, one she wasn’t at all prepared for, one that made her want to slip her arms around him and drive her body against his.
Instead, she murmured a “later” and headed back out into the heat, feeling lightheaded and dizzy, her heart crashing in her ears. She went to sit on the bench at the table under the pecan tree and put her head on her arms to ease the pitch and roll of her stomach, and closed her eyes.
“Can I talk to you for a sec?”
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