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Now, he just had to figure out a way to show her that it was what she wanted, too.

Releasing her hair, he took a step back, enjoying the confusion in her eyes as she wondered why he hadn’t kissed her. “They’re probably done fucking and asleep by now. Remember that you have to turn the shower nozzle all the way to hot, let it get hot, then adjust the temperature in the guest bathroom?”

She nodded. “O-okay.”

He smiled, put the vape pen in his mouth and headed deeper into the barn.

“Come on, Bruno. Goodnight, Mieka.” Bruno gave a little yip of excitement and scampered after Nate. It was all he could do not to turn back and look at her. He knew she was still standing there.

“G-goodnight,” she stammered.

He grinned as he turned the corner outside and sat on a bench that allowed him a perfect view of all his land. It wasn’t until he heard the side door at the other end of the barn close that he knew she was gone and he was finally alone.

“Give me a month, Minx,” he said more to himself and the stars above than anyone else. “Give me a month and I’ll show you what kind of a life we could have here.” He took a long pull on the vape pen, then watched as the smoke disappeared quickly into the night air when he breathed out.

Now he just had to figure out what to do in that month to convince her.

Good thing he liked a challenge.

Chapter Five

Mieka collapsed into bed after a long hot shower. She’d bought one of those cast cover things that you can wear so having a shower wasn’t impossible, or at the very least challenging and involving plastic wrap and duct tape. It was a lifesaver since she loved her showers. The hotter the better. The longer the better. Hot showers were endless on the cruise ships, but in the farmhouse where they had old pipes and a standard size hot water tank, the water ran cold long before she was ready to get out.

Damn Nate.

Damn him and his beautiful blue eyes that reminded her of the Atlantic Ocean at sunrise. Or his cocky smirk and the way it made that one dimple in his cheek dig in extra deep.

She thought for sure he was going to kiss her. Plaster her up against the wall of the barn and ravish her mouth—and her body. But he’d done nothing other than tug on her hair, make her panties soaked from the rakish look in his eyes, and ask her to let him show her how good a life on the ranch could be.

So many parts of her told her to say no. That this was not the life for her.

It was too quiet. Too removed from the rest of civilization. Too … country.

But she didn’t say a word. She didn’t nod. She didn’t shake her head. All she did was stare into his eyes like a love-sick fool as her tongue got more and more tangled in her mouth.

How did he expect to show her what life on the ranch could be like? She’d seen what life was like when she was here last year for the wedding. It was hectic, it was hot, it was dirty, and it smelled like hay and horse twenty-four-seven. She woke up to the smell and went to bed to it, too. Not that it was a terrible scent, but it was just … everywhere.

She loved the horses, in fact she loved all the animals, but that didn’t mean she wanted to set up a cot in Macklin’s stall and send out change of address notices to all her friends.

You have nowhere to be and nothing better to do. Let him try. What’s the harm?

The harm was that she had no idea what she wanted to do with the rest of her life, no idea where she wanted to set down roots—if she even had any roots to set down—and she was worried that her vagina and heart would get all wooed and seduced by the sexy rancher with dog tags and she’d make a huge mistake deciding to stay. This was not the life for her. It might be for her sister, but it wasn’t for Mieka.

She knew Nate’s bedroom was above hers. Triss and Asher’s room was over the kitchen and living room. She hadn’t heard him come in, but he probably did while she was showering. The squealing pipes drown out the sound of everything else, including her own thoughts.

Turning over onto her side under the covers she pinched her eyes closed and hugged her pillow, willing sleep to come. The weed was wearing off, and she made sure to take some regular-strength painkillers before bed since last night when she forgot, she woke up with a throbbing ache in her arm.

The sound of the front door opening and closing gently, had her eyes popping open. Shuffling, followed by the creak of feet on the stairs.

Nate.

She followed him with her ears as he made his way upstairs, down the hallway and into his room.

She’d never been in his room since there was no need for it. She’d been in Asher and Triss’s room only because that was where Triss got ready for their wedding, but Nate’s bedroom door had been closed and she respected his privacy.

Was he a minimalist with just a bed and a nightstand? A few pairs of jeans and flannels in his closet and one pillow? Or did the man like a few secret luxuries like a flat screen television, a wooden dresser and a nice bedside table? Did his bed have throw pillows?

She snorted at the thought of Nate’s bed having decorative throw pillows. She’d never met a man who had throw pillows. Those seemed to come with a woman when she moved in, but no man that she’d ever met actively went looking for decorative pillows or had them in his bachelor pad. Not for their bed or their couch. They used their hoodie rolled up if they needed something for their head.