Page 53

Chapter Eighteen

Sienna

A date. That was what last night had been. It was as close to perfect as I could have hoped for. Even the peanut butter and jelly sandwiches were fantastic. He had made the effort to pack a picnic and set up the whole scene and I was thankful. The spot was perfect too: the fire, the candles, the softly burbling creek. It all came together in a way that was truly magical. Even when we came back to the house, and just sat quietly together.

I couldn’t have hoped for a better date. In fact, I couldn’t remember any previous date at all that came anywhere close to that one.

The whole night had played over and over in my mind last night once I slipped into bed. I even dreamed of what he did to me under the stars and woke in the middle of the night, needing to have a drink of water to calm myself. I slept fitfully after that, continually wondering how Ryder was doing, if he was tossing and turning, playing through the night’s events over and over as well.

I even had my hand on the door handle to my room at one stage. I’d considered walking to his door and asking if I could just lie with him, in his arms. But in the end, I decided against it. I didn’t want to seem like a needy or clingy girlfriend. Because even if he didn’t see it the same way, that was what he was acting like: my boyfriend. I wasn’t scared at what that meant. Not really.

This country boy sure was talented and now I had some idea of what he meant when he told me he would never leave me wanting. If he was that good with just his hands and mouth, then I couldn’t imagine how many orgasms he could wring from me if we were to go all the way. Though maybe it wasn’t a matter of if, but more a matter of when.

I woke up well after noon, surprised that I’d slept so late. But after the fitful night’s sleep, maybe it was warranted.

With jeans, a long sleeve top, and my boots on, I applied a quick lashing of mascara as my phone rang. Popping the wand back in the cylinder, I swiped at the screen, answering the phone without seeing who was calling.

“Sienna-Grace Anderson,” I said in lieu of a greeting.

“At least you answered my call this afternoon.”

“Of course I answered your call.”

“I want an update on the contracts, Sienna-Grace.” I pinched the bridge of my nose at his blunt words.

“I’ve been emailing with Ethan Sanderson back and forth, I’ve sent the correspondence to Marion, it should be in her inbox waiting for you to look it over.”

“I expected that one sooner.”

Rolling my eyes at my father’s attempt to make me feel bad, I forced a smile to my face, knowing he would hear it on his end.

“I was just about to head over to Larsen Ranch, Daddy.”

“That’s good. That means I don’t have to tell you to hurry up and make your move then. Are you meeting up with one of the brothers today?”

“I’ll probably come across them at some point.” I tapped the mascara on the tallboy I was leaning against.

“Well, only Ryder or—” I heard the shuffling of papers. I imagined him looming over his desk in his study, moving those papers from one spot to the other. Searching for whatever he was trying to remember. “Wyatt Larsen has authority to sign the paperwork. So, this make-believe friendship you have struck up with one of the girls does the company no good.”

Internally, I wondered why Colton and the girls weren’t able to sign the paperwork. They were all family and helped out around the ranch.

Admittedly, it did seem that Ryder tended to do the most farm-related work around here. Wyatt worked at the local high school, so he didn’t have the time to dedicate to it. I had seen Colton with the horses a few times, and the girls seemed to look after the house and Kenzie worked at one of the local bars at night. Though I think there was a brief mention one night at dinner, about Savannah needing to be at Logan’s mechanic shop to work on the books.

Maybe it did make a little sense then. Wyatt being the oldest, but Ryder being the one that spent the most time on it. He would be the one most involved in the day-to-day dealings, and probably the income relating to the property. Hence why getting him to sign on the dotted line was necessary.

“Are you listening to me?” My father’s condescending tone reached my ears.

Holding in a loud exhale, I bit my lip till I was sure it wouldn’t escape. “Yes, Daddy, I heard you. Loud and clear.”

“I expect to have a signed contract in my email tomorrow morning. Do you understand me, Sienna-Grace?”

His question caused me to lose my breath anyway. “Tomorrow morning?” The month wasn’t over yet. Though it was just like my father to expect the job to be done with time to spare.

“I’m sure you can convince either of them to let you stay the night and keep them entertained. We need that contract signed.”

I was done with this; he was all but calling me a whore without saying the actual word. I deserved respect. I had worked hard to become the lawyer I was. I wasn’t going to be downgraded to a company slut. “Sorry, I’ve got another call. Talk to you later,” I lied, ending the call. I threw my cell onto the bed and watched it bounce off and onto the floor on the other side.

Still annoyed at my father, I left the cell on the ground beside the bed, swiped the magnetic and geographic surveys from my luggage and headed out the door to the barn in search of a horse.