Page 35 of Caleb’s Cause (Broken Wheel Ranch #12)

“I like you, Katherine. I liked you since I first laid eyes on you when you arrived here. I don’t know if Erin putting us together was for a reason, but I’m starting to have feelings for you.

” He took her arm and ran his hand over the scar that had been bandaged when she’d first arrived, but had since healed.

“I know you went through hell. I can only imagine the horrors that you relive when you sleep. It makes me feel like I’m helping when I hold you and you are able to calm.

” When she started to say something, he shook his head at her.

“Let me finish. I want to start a relationship with you. Exclusive.” He scowled when she snorted a laugh. “What was that sound for?”

“Who am I going to date other than you? All the other men are taken, unless you think Ducky would work.” They laughed, and he shook his head.

“Brat.”

“Sometimes, but I understand what you’re saying, and I have feelings for you. I only have one question right now.”

“What’s that?”

“Will you pressure me into having sex with you?”

“No, I would never do that. If and when you’re willing, we’ll discuss it.

” He saw she knew he was telling the truth, then he continued, “I wanted to get that out of the way because I don’t want you to be upset if and when Staci is hired to come.

We are friends and work colleagues only.

However, if we’re dating, and if you’ll be working for me, there is one thing I would like you to do. ”

“What’s that?”

“Keep an eye on Staci.”

“For?”

Caleb drew in a deep breath and sighed heavily. “When she’s working on something, she’s so focused she forgets to eat, or even drink sometimes. A few times in the past I have had to pick her up bodily and carry her kicking and screaming from her work.”

“Why?”

“She stank,” he said with a shake of his head.

“She hadn’t showered in several days, and the air conditioning had gone out in the middle of the summer.

She forgets everything around her when she is in what she calls the zone.

I saw this with love for a sibling, but she needs a keeper.

I’m not saying that you have to be her keeper, but I’ve seen your organizational skills, I wouldn’t be opposed to you setting up some type of schedule for her to follow once she starts working here. ”

“How is she with rules and regulations?”

“She sticks to them like glue.”

“What about contracts?”

“Same thing, she’s of the mindset that once something is written, then it would take an act of war to change them.”

Katherine grinned. “How about stating in the contract of her working for you, with you, or in your building that she had to take a break at a certain time, lunch at a certain time, and had to leave the office at a certain time. Something like she had to be away for at least eight hours.”

“I like that,” Caleb said as he nodded. “Yeah, I can see that if it’s drawn up in the original contract she would follow it. Would you be willing to help me come up with something?”

“Yes, and I can help enforce it.” She stared off into space, then turned to him with a grin. “How does this sound? If I work for Naomi in the morning, then I can swing by here make lunch for the three of us, and when I arrive at your office, she would have to take an hour for lunch.”

“I like that. I’m sure we can work out the details later when she arrives, but I like that idea.” He scrubbed his face and shook his head. “How do you feel about teaching her how to cook?”

“I don’t have a problem with that. Why would I need to teach her?”

“She worked in the city of Seattle where there were restaurants all over that delivered. She would Door Dash an order, and she once admitted that she never bought groceries other than coffee, she drank it black with no sugar. She said since she didn’t know how to cook, she spent what normal people did on groceries on take-out orders. ”

Katherine started to giggle and waved her arm around.

“Unless she wants her steak extremely fresh, like right off the hoof, her meals would be stone cold before they arrived. We’ll have to talk with Erin when it gets closer to her arrival, but I can see us purchasing extra food to help teach her.

Luckily, Pru provides the eggs, and scrambled eggs is the easiest thing to teach.

Do you know if she has any diet restrictions? ”

“No. Her using Door Dash and losing all track of time when she works is really all I know about her.” He chuckled again.

“I do know that she’s always worked in the city, so this will be a culture shock to her.

” He waved his arm around too. They shook their heads and studied the hills in the distance.

At one point, Caleb turned to her, and when she looked at him, he took her chin in his fingers, bent his head, and kissed her. It was several moments before he lifted his head.

“What was that for?”

“A taste of what’s to come. Just because we won’t be having sex until you’re ready, it doesn’t mean that we can’t kiss and cuddle.”

“I totally agree,” she said as she wrapped her arms around his neck, and whispered, “Let’s practice.” Before she brought his lips back to hers.