2

 

Graham lathered the washcloth and scrubbed his face, feeling as invigorated as if he’d just won a race. He reached for the clean shirt Rori had left in the bathroom and tugged it over his head. Her brother must be a tall and slender fella. A bit snug and longer than he usually wore his shirts, but at least it would work until he got home. Better than that smelly thing he discarded in the barn, anyway.

He still couldn’t believe that Rori didn’t recognize his face or connect his name. How long would that last? He’d never told her that he was the vet, but he hadn’t corrected her, either. He probably should set her straight on who he was, but…why? It felt rather nice, freeing, actually, not to be bothered with the price of fame. To be…himself.

He opened the bathroom door, and the strong smell of coffee removed any lingering llama odor. He followed the caffeine trail, which wasn’t long or far, because the converted stable didn’t boast many rooms. From what he could tell, it consisted of an open great room with a combined kitchen, a bathroom, and maybe one bedroom. It was rustic and rather primitive, but she’d done a great job making the interior comfortable and homey with her feminine touch.

“Feel better?” Rori’s emerald orbs speared his, striking him again with their depth and beauty. They appeared to be guile-free, but he’d been fooled before.

She stood at the kitchen counter, two plates stacked with sandwiches, sliced apples and chips in front of her, a spoon poised over a coffee cup.

“Much. Thank you.”

“I forgot to ask how you take your coffee.”

“With sweetener if you have it.”

She nodded, dumping the white powder from a couple packets in and stirring. She tossed the spoon in the sink and handed him a plate and mug, gesturing for him to follow.

“Thank you for this.” His stomach growled. How had the time gotten away from him?

“You’re welcome.” She settled on the worn leather couch and stretched her long legs onto the oversized ottoman. A fire glowed in the gas fireplace, chasing the unusually early fall chill from the room.

Goliath had stretched out in front of the hearth, his chest lifting as he snuffled soft snores.

He sank onto the other end of the couch, feeling the need to keep space between them, breathing deep of her spicy, floral scent. Get a grip, man. Wait until she knows who you are. That’s always a game changer. “Mind if I bless the food?” he asked.

“Sure.” Her brows raised, and then her lids fluttered down. She lowered her head.

He offered a short heartfelt prayer, including thanks for the new cria, and then took a giant bite of the sandwich. “Mmm…ham and cheese. One of my favorites.”

For a little thing, she sure devoured lunch fast, finishing hers about the same time he did.

They settled back with the coffee.

“At least you smell better.” Green eyes sparkled at him from over the rim of the mug. She sipped.

“You could have warned me, you know.”

Her mouth gaped open, but it didn’t disguise the curving of her lips. “I did warn you.”

“About thirty seconds too late.”

“Nah. You were just thirty feet too close.”

So, she was a bit feisty. A grin slid across his lips, enjoying the banter. “Does Jumbo ever spit on you?”

“Not often. He’s a smart one. He knows who feeds him. Mostly he spits on his buddies when they get too close to his food, but I guess he was upset with you for trying to block his view of Snickers.” Her lashes dipped for a second and then flicked back up, her voice softening. “Thank you for all your help today.”

Spunky, yet shy. Two traits he found extremely intriguing.

“You’re welcome.” He nodded and glanced around the room, cradling the warm mug, taking pleasure in the gentle company. He spent too much time around the shop with testosterone-loaded males.

“It’s not much, but it works for just me.”

What? His gaze jerked back to her. Did she think he didn’t like her comfortable home? That wasn’t the case at all, but he couldn’t tell her what he’d really been thinking, could he?

He glanced at the slender fingers gripping the mug. No rings. So she was single.

He tried to squelch the bud of excitement from sprouting and taking shape, but it didn’t work. “Actually, I was thinking about how nice it felt in here.” With you, but he left that unsaid. “It may be small, but what it lacks in size or opulence, it makes up for in coziness and livability.”

So different from the castle, the nickname he’d adopted for his house, which was much too big and formal for his liking. Why had he ever allowed Lisa to talk him into purchasing the gargantuan place? Really, if he counted the bathroom as part of the master bedroom, he only lived in two rooms of the castle when he was there, which wasn’t often. From the looks of it, Rori used every room of her house. Much more practical.

“That’s sweet of you to say, but I recognize my limitations. My brother and stepfather helped with a lot of the conversion, but they have full time jobs, too. Lives of their own.”

Meaning she did much of the work herself? Impressive. “It was a stable, right?”

She nodded.

“That’s pretty creative. What made you think of converting a stable into your home?”

“When I bought this property, the stable was in bad shape. There was no way I would use it to house animals as it was, but I saw the potential to transform it into a comfortable living space. It’s not where I envision it yet, but without more time and money…” Her voice trailed off as she picked up a throw pillow and hugged it to her chest.

Yeah. Everybody wanted money. Usually his money.

“Like I said, it works for me, and I love it just the way it is.”

He angled his head to see her face, surprised to find a soft, satisfied look gracing her expression. She obviously meant what she said. Interesting thought process, though, her taking the stable because she didn’t deem it fit for the animals.

“What do you envision?” he asked, more to keep her talking than from curiosity, so captivated he was by her voice, her expression, and her caring spirit.

She flicked long dark strands behind an ear. Was her hair as smooth and silky as it looked? His fingers itched to find out. He hiked one leg over the other and pressed back against the cushion, propping one hand on his leg and the other around the arm of the couch.

“My master plan calls for a second floor with spare bedrooms and an adjoining bath. I’d also like to add a half bath downstairs. Right now it’s just one bedroom and one bath.”

Hmmm…an updated kitchen with more modern appliances wasn’t on her list? Was that due to lack of funds? Or because those items weren’t a priority?

And why more bedrooms if it was just her? Did she hope for a family to share the space or was it more for resale value? He kept those questions to himself.

“How do you handle everything here by yourself?”

“I’m not totally by myself. My brother, Burk, and my mom and stepfather swing by to lend a hand when they can, and I can count on some volunteers to help during the week.”

So, she had a brother named Burk, and apparently, she was close to her mom and stepfather. Graham filed that information away for future retrieval. If there was to be a later…he found himself wishing for one.

“Do you get many volunteers willing to drive out this far from Charlotte?”

She wrinkled that cute little nose. “Not as many as I’d like, but every person makes a difference.”

Not enough volunteers. Just as he suspected. “That sounds like a politically correct answer.”

Her laughter warmed his belly more than the coffee. “Maybe, but it’s the truth. I couldn’t get everything done without them.”

He hadn’t seen anyone on the ranch besides her since he’d arrived that morning. That meant she did the bulk of the work around here herself. She could use more help than she let on. He studied her profile. High cheekbones, a cute button nose sprinkled with freckles, dimples that always seemed to be winking, long silky hair. His gaze dipped to the slender legs that stretched forever. He wanted to get to know her better. Was she more sass than sweetness? He didn’t think so. He would give up winning the next race to glimpse those dimples flash, to watch her charm the animals, and to delve into why she turned so melancholy after that phone call. But how could he do that without giving away his identity? Eventually she would figure out who he was. In the meantime, could they spend enough time together before the ridiculously exorbitant amount in his bank account became a factor?

Time was what he needed. An investment of time, rather than money, at this point. Could it work? He rubbed the back of his neck, letting an idea percolate. Could he commit the time to volunteer regularly at the ranch? He spent every weekend at various tracks across the country. What about the rest of the week? The season was winding down, and he employed capable men and women who could run the shop, people he could depend on to get things done when he wasn’t around. Could he commit to two days a week? Three?

For so long now, he’d invested everything into his racing career, and God had heaped abundant blessings on him. Maybe in meeting Rori, God was nudging him towards investing a little time and effort into finding that special someone, and less on his livelihood. He was tired of opening the door to the huge, lonely castle knowing nobody waited for him inside. He longed for love, laughter, and children to fill the empty holes in his life.

What was the alternative? Ending up like his seventy-year-old buddy, Harley, a pit crew chief from Graham’s early racing days, long since retired. Harley’s wife had divorced him ages ago because his career involved spending so much time away from home. He’d lived alone for decades, with no family nearby, just his racing buddies, who were gone most of the time.

Lisa might have divorced Graham for entirely different reasons, but the result was the same. At thirty-two, he lived alone, no love or laughter gracing his home. But then, life with Lisa hadn’t included either of those, and children hadn’t been on her bucket list.

God, what should I do here? I don’t want to deceive Rori, but it would be great to get to know her outside of the context of money.

She turned to face him, and he caught a glimpse of lingering pain in her expression, similar to the one he’d witnessed while she’d been talking on the phone. What was that all about?

He wanted the chance to find out.

“Count me in.”

 

****

 

She coughed, her brows lifting her forehead. Was this guy for real, or was she in the middle of a sweet dream? First, he arrived in time to assist with her first cria delivery, and now he was offering to volunteer at the ranch?

“Count you in for what?” Surely, she’d misunderstood.

“Your volunteer ranks.” His arm reached along the back of the couch, and he turned those cocoa-colored eyes loose on her.

Her pulse zapped a response that she felt all the way to her toes. She’d just met the guy, and already a strong physical pull tugged her to him. It had to be a natural response to witnessing the miracle of a cria birth, and then sharing coffee and conversation with a male other than her brother or stepfather. Factor in relaxing in front of a glowing fire and a snoring dog, and she was toast. Feeling an urgent need to put a little space between them, she sprang off the couch and moved to stand in front of the stone hearth.

Goliath’s sleepy head popped up, and then with a moan, he plopped it back down on his paws.

There. She felt safer over here. Less vulnerable. Now, if she could only slow her heart rate down to normal. She rubbed moist palms along the denim of her jeans. “Really?” she asked.

“Are you trying to dissuade me?” His fingers traced the whiskers smattering his cheeks, but she still caught a glimpse of a boyish grin.

Was she? Trying to dissuade him? Her gaze landed on his sculpted biceps, taut against her brother’s snug shirt. His worn jeans bore the stains of hard work on a ranch, and he looked so comfortable stretched out on her couch, as if he belonged there. Shivers tingled along her arms, and her breath caught. Most of her volunteers were teenagers. How would she handle a man, and not just any man, but this fine specimen, on her property for an extended period? She gave her arms a brisk rub. She’d have to assign him chores in the farthest field or she wouldn’t get any work done. “The only reason I would ever turn down a volunteer is if they were an animal abuser.”

His face darkened, and he growled out the words, “Animal abusers should be locked up, and the key thrown away.” His passionate words ignited similar feelings within her.

She’d become somewhat jaded over time with owning the animal refuge. If law enforcement couldn’t lock up the abusers, she’d settle for moving the animals to a better place, to people who would love and treat them with respect. “I agree. We procure quite a few animals who have suffered from abuse. Jumbo was one of them. That’s why he misbehaves occasionally, but underneath all the craziness, he’s such a sweet soul, just looking for a little bit of love.”

“Jumbo was abused?” His tone and clenched fists indicated he’d like to beat the abuser to a pulp.

“Yeah.” She didn’t want to go into the specifics, how gaunt and parasite-infested the poor animal was when he first arrived at the sanctuary. “His owner couldn’t afford to take care of him and pretty much abandoned him.” Left him to starve to death. Literally. Rori cleared her throat and swiped at her eyes to keep the tears from spilling over. Why did people do that? Procure animals as pets, only to turn around and discard them like they were trash.

“It’s obvious you love them.” His voice was low and husky, and did weird things to her insides.

“Llamas have quickly become my favorite animals.” She took in a deep, cleansing breath and exhaled slowly, trying to restore her composure. She’d loved Jumbo from the minute he arrived, but her brother and Savvy always complained about his behavior. Hopefully, consistent training and loads of love would cure his bad habits.

“I like Jumbo’s spunk.” His soft tone and gentle expression were balm to her wounds, and although he made reference to Jumbo, Graham’s gaze never wavered from her face.

She looked away as heat rushed up her neck.

He pushed off the couch and reached for his dishes. “I better get started.”

Goliath bolted from his near sleep and trotted over to Graham. They were leaving already.

Disappointment lodged in her chest. From what, she didn’t understand. She was used to spending days at a time alone. Well, not really alone, because she had the animals around, but minus any companions of the human variety.

“I’m going to check on Reesie.” His long, powerful strides took him to the sink where he rinsed his plate and cup.

She followed, until they stood side by side at the kitchen counter.

He smelled clean, the rose scent from her bathroom soap hovering around him like a delicate cloud.

She smiled and stifled a chuckle at the incongruence of the floral scent coming from this totally masculine guy. What did he normally smell like? When he wasn’t sporting llama crud or rose soap?

He flashed a questioning gaze as she deposited her dishes in the sink.

“Yep. Like I said. You definitely smell better.”

“Like I said. I like spunk.” He looked straight at her, a smile tugging up one corner of his mouth and warmth radiating from his eyes. “Next time I come I’ll make sure to bring my own soap. Something a little more manly.”

So, he planned to come again, or was he just saying that? Her heart stuttered then raced, and her palms moistened just thinking about a return visit. “Or learn to dodge Jumbo.” Her voice came out quivery.

“I think I’d rather be friends.” He leaned closer, still maintaining a safe distance, but close enough that she glimpsed his loneliness. Or was it merely a reflection from her eyes?

“He’d like that. He has very few male friends,” she whispered.

Jumbo tended to be wary around men.

Just like her.

“Good.” He cleared his throat and moved back.

She released the air that had backed up in her lungs.

“What would you like me to do after I check on Reesie and Snickers?” He tugged his shoes on and turned, his fingers gripping the door handle.

Huh?

“Do you have a list of chores for the volunteers?”

Did he see the startled expression on her face? The doubt? “Are you sure you have time?” She really hadn’t taken him seriously. How would a busy vet afford time away from work to help her at the sanctuary?

“I’m here. I’m all yours for right now.”

His words dashed frigid water on her dreams, and her bubble crashed. I’m all yours for right now. Yeah. How could she forget? Her dad used to spout those very words. He’d taught her life’s most important lesson. One she wouldn’t let go of any time soon.

“The stalls need mucking.” An unpleasant task, for sure. After he finished, she wouldn’t worry about the handsome vet showing up at Forever Family Animal Sanctuary again.

He scratched his head and nodded. “OK. See you in a bit.”

Not likely. He’d probably hang out in the barn for a few minutes, just enough time to make him look good, and then slink away in that fancy car of his.

The door clicked closed behind the vet and his dog.

She glanced at the clock. Afternoon already? She had a ton of work waiting for her outside, but she wasn’t about to head for the barn. She could work on some grant applications until he left, which wouldn’t be long. She booted up the computer and searched the Internet. She completed a grant request and checked the time on the computer. One hour had passed. Stretching, she glanced out the front window.

The vet’s car hadn’t moved. He was still here? Well, it had only been an hour.

She sat back down and resumed her search. Two more hours crawled by. She rose and went to stand next to the window. Pulling the fabric back with her fingertips, she stared out.

His car was still there.

Remorse poked her like a stick in the belly. Maybe she hadn’t given him enough credit. She filled two thermal mugs with coffee, scooped some oatmeal cookies into a bag, and then left for the barn. She’d bring a peace offering and let him off the hook. She neared the opening for the barn and froze.

The guy was actually humming while he mucked out the stalls?

She shook her head and continued inside. She caught a vision of his backside as he bent over, brushing her horse. Her boots clomped behind him, and the humming stopped.

He turned around and glanced at her, pride in his expression as he patted the horse’s rump. “I finished the stalls. I thought I’d introduce myself to your horses.”

“Ah, I see you met Pocono.” She tossed a morsel to Goliath, and then held out the mug and the bag of cookies for Graham.

“Thank you.” He set the brush down, plucked off his gloves, and took the mug and cookies from her with a wink.

How could he be so kind after she’d sent him to muck the stalls? She lowered her head, feeling awful. Her behavior wasn’t any better than Jumbo’s. “I’m the one who should be thanking you.”

“It’s all good.” He flexed one arm, showing off the massive bulge under the taut sleeve. “I haven’t had this good of a workout outside of a gym in ages.” The man could still joke with her? After the torture she put him through?

He chewed the cookies, downed the coffee and set the empty mug on a hay bale. He gripped Pocono’s halter and led him back in the stall. When he came out, his keys dangled from his hand.

“I’ll be back tomorrow.” He hesitated, like he wanted to say more, but didn’t. Instead, his lips curved upwards in a delicious, somewhat shy smile before he quietly ordered, “Come, Goliath.”

Back tomorrow? Sure, he would. Rori propped a hip against the stack of hay bales and slid her hands in her pockets, watching the dog’s fluffy tail curling in the air as he kept up with the man’s long legs eating up the distance to the car. The engine roared, and the sports car pulled away. He couldn’t get away fast enough.

“Thank you, Graham.” Not that he could hear her now, but she felt better saying it.

Her cellphone vibrated against her fingers. She tugged it from her pocket, disappointment at her behavior kicking her in the belly. Why had she allowed those famous last words of her father to haunt her now? That wasn’t fair to a guy willing to wallow around in horse manure all afternoon. She checked the screen name before connecting. Finally. The original vet. “Hey, Corbin.”

“Rori, sorry I missed your call earlier. It’s been a zoo around here. Pun intended.” Amusement mingled with weariness in his tone.

She smiled, but couldn’t bring herself to chuckle. With Graham’s departure, the light in her day had just waned. “It’s all right. We did just fine without you.”

“I knew you would. How’s Snickers?”

“Mama and cria are great. I was worried at first, but the on-call vet showed up, and Snickers delivered shortly after that. No complications.”

Silence on the other end.

Her phone alerted her to an incoming call. Her brother.

“Listen, Corbin, I have to go. My brother’s on the other line. I’ll talk to you later, OK?”

 

****

 

Graham tossed the bundle of hay towards the llama males anxiously hovering around, occasionally bumping and nudging his shoulder or back.

Several llamas immediately started eating. Every time he heard the occasional shrill hum, his head jerked up in a frantic effort to locate Jumbo, and he automatically backed up a few paces. Over the last couple of days working at the sanctuary, he had discovered that these llamas usually let him know when they were alarmed, but mostly their humming was their way of telling another llama to back off.

Freshly shorn again last month, Rori had explained how many different products their fibrous coats produced. Most of them were multi-colored llamas, but Jumbo stood out among the crowd, his chestnut and black fiber shimmering in the afternoon sun. If he’d been abandoned, Rori had done a fantastic job nurturing him back to perfect health. He was…majestic. Beautiful. Even if the fella was a little mischievous. That just gave him personality.

Graham leaned on the pitchfork, smiling at the scene before him.

The llamas munched contentedly and Goliath raced back and forth across the length of the enclosure, barking.

“I can see why Rori loves you all so much.” He ran his hand along a llama’s back, turned, and headed back to the barn, gripping the farm tool lightly.

Goliath raced, beating him to the gate.

He could hear one of the llamas lumbering along behind him. He angled his head over a shoulder. Jumbo. Graham quickened his pace and unlatched the gate, stepped through the opening and deposited the pitchfork along the fence. He plopped his forearms across the rail.

Goliath sat on his haunches, panting, his tongue hanging out of his mouth.

Long lashes and voluminous eyes, much bigger proportionally than the llama’s face, got up close and personal. The giant stared at him, solemn and expressive, so still Graham wasn’t sure how to react. Should he run or attempt to make friends? His hand reached up to touch the strikingly vivid, white “T” marking on the llama’s face, and then he allowed it to drop away. Hadn’t Rori said that the llamas didn’t like to be petted on the face, only the neck or back?

“Hey there, buddy. Glad to see you’re in a cheerful mood today.” Even so, Graham decided it wouldn’t hurt to back up a bit. No sense in giving the big fella such a close target.

Tires crunched across the gravel driveway. A car pulled into the parking spot next to his truck.

Jumbo’s chestnut-colored ears flicked down. Arching his nose in the air, he emitted a shrill, piercing sound. The other llamas jerked their heads in Jumbo’s direction, naturally curious, but otherwise frozen in place.

Graham started backing away from Jumbo. That reaction couldn’t be good.

The engine stopped, and a door opened and closed.

Graham considered running, but how would that look to the person in the car? He’d never live it down. He opted to turn around and walk away slowly, as if Jumbo weren’t on high alert. A hiss was his only warning before warmth splattered his back. “Not again.” He closed his eyes and groaned. Hadn’t he just told Jumbo he was beautiful? Didn’t that count for something? He turned and glared at the hairy beast.

Which earned him another lashing. This time it landed on the front of his shirt.

Goliath let out a series of angry barks. At least the dog was smart enough to do it from a safe distance.

“Whoa! That’s some nasty stuff.” A female’s voice sounded somewhere behind him. She didn’t even bother hiding her disgust.

He knew that voice. He didn’t have to turn around to know that Nan Greenway with Athletes in the News stood behind him. And…between him and getting to know Rori.

He blew out a breath. This day tumbled from pretty decent to beyond terrible in what, sixty seconds? So much for his plan to get to know Rori outside the context of his wallet. The few days he’d spent on the sanctuary were sweet, but not nearly enough.

How had Nan tracked him down?

He’d warned his staff not to give away his whereabouts to anybody.

“Yeah. It is. You’ll have to excuse me for a minute while I go change.” Without revealing his face to Nan, Graham took his time ambling to the barn, Goliath trotting with him. Once inside, he tugged off his shirt and retrieved a fresh towel from the stack Rori kept for this purpose. He tossed the soiled shirt in the heap, joining the others marked for serious disinfectant. More likely, the trash. A quick swipe with a towel and a change of shirts would have to do until he could make use of Rori’s bathroom. Again.

Had she noticed that he’d stashed a bar of soap in there yesterday? Something that didn’t smell quite so…feminine.

He grinned, but that slipped as he considered the sports reporter waiting outside. “Might as well face the music.” Graham spoke to Goliath.

Pocono slipped his head over the stall’s half-door.

Graham rubbed the horse’s ears, and then stepped outside, the still blue sky a direct contrast to the churning in his gut.

Standing next to Nan, Rori’s arms were folded across her chest and a boot tapped the gravel. Nan appeared to be doing most of the talking, palms waving in the air, lips moving.

Oh, God, I had really hoped for more time with Rori. Is it possible? Graham sighed and braced himself for the answer. He stepped over to join their conversation, situating himself next to Rori. Her subtle scent drifted his way. He took a deep breath of it. Might be the last one.

“Graham, have you met Nan Greenway? She’s a reporter with Athletes in the News.” Rori offered him a weak smile, but her narrowed brows and rigid back indicated she wasn’t happy about the reporter’s presence.

Now why was that? Had Nan already spilled the beans? Or did Rori have past experience with the reporter who refused to take no for an answer?

Nan was a sports reporter. It wasn’t likely that their paths had crossed.

An idea flitted through Graham’s mind, building momentum. The animal sanctuary could use a little publicity, and Rori needed more volunteers. He could make both happen. Fame and fortune should be good for something, right?

“Yes, actually, I have.” He acknowledged Nan with a nod. “I think it’s awesome that you’re here to do a feature on the Forever Family Animal Sanctuary.”

Nan narrowed her pencil-thin brows, her severely painted red lips turned down.

“Come on. I’ll show you around,” he offered, flicking his head in the direction of the llama paddock. He turned back to Rori. “That is, if you don’t mind.”

Rori’s arms had dropped to hang limply along her too slim hips. He couldn’t read the unidentifiable emotion that glazed her face. Relief? Pain? Fear?

He stepped close and peered under the cowgirl hat. Amber specks shimmered with dampness.

Anger had him clenching his fists and he forced his voice low, but it still came out stronger than he would have liked. “Did the reporter say something to upset you?”

Rori shook her head and gulped.

Well, it was only him and Nan on the ranch.

What had Rori so rattled that she was near tears? He nudged Rori’s chin up with his thumb. “Are you OK?”

“Yeah. I’m good.” She blinked a couple times, but the tears never fell. She cleared her throat. “I’ll catch up with you when you’re done.”

“Count on it.” And he meant it. He wouldn’t leave the ranch until he found out why she was so upset. He turned and took a couple steps, intent on catching up with Nan.

“Graham?”

He stopped and angled a questioning glance over his shoulder.

Rori looked so dejected and lonely, like it was just her against the world. A sudden urge to go back and tug her against his chest hit him with the strength of slamming into a wall at the track going a hundred and seventy miles an hour. He stuffed his hands in his jeans pockets, fighting the temptation. “Yeah?”

“Thank you for being here.”

He shrugged. “No problem.” But wasn’t it? Handling Nan for now only postponed the inevitable. He didn’t like deceiving Rori. Not that he’d ever volunteered the information that he was a vet, but he really needed to tell Rori that he wasn’t who she thought he was before somebody else spilled the beans. He clamped his lips together, the desire to keep quiet and the need to confess warring within. Would admitting who he was mark the end of the beginning?

Or would she be willing to explore a relationship?

 

****

 

A rush of cool air breezed by, bringing the familiar animal smells of manure and hay with it. Rori lifted her head and breathed deep, comforted slightly, but unable to dislodge the strange feeling rolling around in her tummy, leaving her a little unsettled.

What just happened there?

Her gaze drifted to Graham. His wide shoulders looked capable of handling large animals and heavy burdens. His boot tapped a soft rhythm on the lower fence rail, and his muscled forearms rested across the top. Occasionally, he gestured at a horse in the far pasture or a llama, his face animated as he offered information to the reporter. He pointed at Jumbo, and a grin transformed his heavily whiskered face.

Rori found her resistance weakening to his casual, comfortable, and totally at home on the ranch vibe. He’d been a great help at the sanctuary this week. She still couldn’t believe he’d followed through on his word. How was his veterinary practice coping with his absence? Wasn’t he anxious to get back to his work responsibilities?

Just then, he glanced over his shoulder at her, and the grin softened, turning into something gentle and tender.

Rori felt the familiar tug at her lips whenever he was around.

A camera clicked. The reporter captured Graham’s tender expression for the entire sports world to see. Didn’t Graham know the reporter wasn’t here for the ranch? That Nan came here to interview Rori about her father?

Rori’s smile shut down, abruptly extinguishing the tiny flame that his smile kindled in her heart. She mashed her hands inside the pockets of her denim jacket and stomped to the barn, away from the reporter’s nosey questions, camera flashes, and invasions of privacy. Away from the emotions Graham evoked, the emotional scars he made her face.

Graham was the first man—ever—to warm the icicles that encased her spirit, worse than the metal bars that closed around a prison cell. He was the first man to make her question the legacy her father left. That a man didn’t stick around when the going got tough, and that if her own father didn’t love her, how could she expect or hope for a husband’s forever love?

Thoughts and dreams of a lifetime commitment died years ago when they lowered her dad’s body into the ground. They might as well have lowered the casket lid on her heart, too.

Nah. Graham wouldn’t stick around. Not after he found out about her father, and the publicity surrounding his suicide. Or the social phobia that had taken over her life since that horrendous day.

Graham would rev up that sports car or that truck he’d taken to driving lately, and leave Forever Family Animal Sanctuary in the dust of those high-performance tires.

And she wouldn’t blame him. The media wasn’t kind or forgiving, and they would pummel his vet practice just for associating with her. Just like the media had blasted her mother, blaming Lessa for her husband’s suicide, practically burning her at the stake. No, Rori wouldn’t want anybody to go through the public humiliation that her entire family suffered from the media’s invasion. Especially not a sweet, gentle man like Graham. She swiped at wet cheeks with her denim sleeve. She reached the barn door and turned for one last glance at the attractive man.

He’d followed her progress, the lopsided smile still on his face.

Yeah, it was probably best if she just stayed clear of the vet.