Page 69 of A Rancher's Heart

“I’m not having this conversation with you while you’re standing without shoes in a snow bank.”

Oh God, she was totally fired.

“Caleb.” Sheer misery in her voice. “Please let me stay.”

“You’re not fired. Get in the house,” he ordered gruffly. “Now.”

It wasn’t right that, when her job was on the line, him being all bossy made her tingle.

She abandoned her slippers before stepping on the porch. Her socks were soaked through as well, so she stripped them off, and followed him obediently into the house.

He motioned toward the fireplace, tossing a blanket her way. “Wrap yourself up.”

He didn’t say anything else, just settled into the chair opposite her. She sat, draping herself in the throw that had landed beside her. Hands in her lap as she waited for the verdict.

Caleb took a deep breath. “I have one question. No, two.”

“Anything.”

“I wondered if you’d consider—” His gaze met hers firmly. “You got any experience with bookkeeping?”

Not the direction she expected this conversation to go. It was enough of a surprise that Tamara simply answered the question. “Not much more than accounting in high school, and a couple of business-management classes in university. Administrative math. I’ve helped Karen look over things on the ranch, but Lisa’s the Whiskey Creek girl with the numbers brain.”

A soft sound escaped him, not his usual sexy grumble, but more of a frustrated sigh. “I didn’t do well with math back in school, and accounting still doesn’t make me very happy.”

“Why don’t you hire a business manager?”

His lips twitched. “Probably hire them to get things straightened out only to have them tell me I need to fire them because I can’t afford to pay their salary.”

A flutter of concern struck. “Are things that bad? I mean, I know I did a running tally, and I’m sorry for invading your privacy, although I didn’t look at the numbersthatclose, just put them down for you.” She was rambling and knew it. She caught herself. “My dad does the same thing. In fact, I think every single business owner who gets into it because they love the other parts of the job has an office like yours. My cousin’s quilt shop was a mess.”

“Would you take over?” The words burst from him as if a plug had been pulled from a well, gushing over her, earnest and sincere. “I need someone to help, and if you’re interested in getting things straightened out, it would sure be appreciated. I’ll hire somebody to come in and clean if that would give you more time. Same as before—the girls are your first responsibility, but if you put this second on your list… Well maybe third, because I like having food on the table.”

Not what she’d expected at all. She figured she’d be getting the boot this morning, and here she was being given more responsibilities?

“I don’t mind,” she told him honestly. “As long as you understand I’m not an accountant.”

He visibly relaxed, settling back in his chair as if he could breathe again.

Only, they weren’t done. Not really. They still needed to address the elephant in the room.

How should she start?

Then wonder of wonders, he did.

He lifted his eyes to hers and spoke as politely as if he were facing a very demanding review board. “I was wrong last night. You’re a woman in my home who deserves to be protected and treated with courtesy. What I did was beyond disrespectful. You shouldn’t feel you need to defend yourself from me, verbally or physically”—he held up a hand to ward off her protest—“which is all you did when you turned the tables. I’m sorry.”

Well then. Tamara had to think that over for a moment. It was odd to have him basically apologize for a kiss that had turned her world on end, but…nice he had taken responsibility for his actions.

But this wasn’t all on him.

When she was around? It was never all someone else’s fault.

“I was wrong as well.” She took a deep breath. “You’re a good-looking man, and there’s an attraction between us. But—”

“It won’t happen again.” He rose to his feet. “If you want to work on the office stuff, just let me know what you need. I’ll call the bank later this morning and make sure you’re cleared to make inquiries.”

“But—”