Page 16 of The Rancher's Rejected Bride

"Too much?" His tone was the very definition of devilish.

Bee tried to play it cool for once. "I have no idea—-Nicholas, no!"

But the deed was already done. She was now seated on his lap, and with the kitchen having only an open doorway, there was every chance Nicholas' boss could walk in on any them, andoh my God, but what if this would have her husband suspended or, even worse, fired?

Nicholas frowned at the sudden look of distress on Tabitha's face. "What's wrong?"

"I just don't think this is appropriate," she said uneasily. "I mean what if your employer—-" She stopped speaking when she saw Nicholas' gaze narrow.

"You know..." His voice was thoughtful. "I have a feeling we've got our wires crossed somehow."

Fearing that he might think her too interfering or presumptuous, she said tentatively, "I really, um, like..." She tried to say the words 'sitting on your lap' but couldn't. "I really, um, enjoythis," Bee said instead. "I'm just worried that your employer might think you've been skiving off—-"

"Can I ask you a question?" Nicholas interrupted. "What exactly has Daniel told you about my job?"

"You manage a ranch." She paused. "Don't you?"

"And that's it?"

Bee was starting to feel confused. "Was there anything else he should've added?"

"Nothing much..." It was his turn to pause. "Except the fact that I own the ranch as well?"

Bee burst into laughter. "Yeah, right—-"

Nicholas smiled but said nothing.

She stopped laughing. "You're joking."

Nicholas only looked at her.

"Youhaveto be joking."

He said very gently, "I'm not."

"But..." Her heart had started racing, and she was suddenly having difficulties breathing. "It can't..." Her eyes flew to him in horror."I can't do this."She was just ordinary Tabitha Sandler, a nobody who was fine being nobody. And he was now telling her she had married a man whose ranch was the same size as Rhode Island?

"I can't, I'm sorry, I—-"

"Tabitha."

"I don't want to disappoint you. I don't want to ever make a mistake—-"

"Tabitha."Nicholas' firm voice cut her protestations short. "Look at me."

Panicky brown eyes lifted to his.

"Do I look like a man who doesn't know what he's doing?"

She slowly shook her head.

"Do you think I would have married you," Nicholas lied without hesitation, "if I thought you wouldn't be able to handle being my wife and everything the position entails?"

After one long moment, she shook her head again.

"Then trust me when I say you have nothing to worry about."Because it was true.

"You're the woman Daniel and I chose."She had nothing to worry about.