King Creek Cowboys Box Set 1

Chapter 4

“I’ll take care of dishes,” he said. His words were smooth and soft. The kind of words that stuck like honey in her ears.

She blinked as his words captured her attention again. “You don’t have to do that.”

“I know.” He rolled up his other sleeve and headed for the sink. “I want to.”

Kit was not about to look a gift dishwasher in the mouth. “Thank you.” One Brownie point for Carter McLeod.

He went to the kitchen sink, which was beneath a huge kitchen window that looked out on the backyard, and a colorful bed of flowers. He ran hot water into the sink basin and squirted dish soap in the water. His hands were strong and capable as he started in on the dishes. The water steamed up from the sink, making swirls that seemed to dance in the air. Clearly the man knew how to use hot water on dishes. Another win for him.

Now that her heart rate had slowed, she took in the backside of her new boss. Damn, what a backside it was. Wranglers did things to a man’s ass that no other jeans could.

Not only did he have a magnificent rear view, the rest of him was just as drool-worthy. Short, coffee-brown hair curled just a little at his nape and dark, straight eyebrows sat over deep-set blue eyes. He had the kind of sexy grin that would make most women sigh and dream about him.

Especially a man who rolled up his sleeves and washed dishes.

The next best thing would be him washing the dishes shirtless.

Oh, yes.

One thing better than that would be if he wore only chaps and boots. Or even just boots. She let that mental picture sink into her mind and felt the blood rush to her cheeks.

She nearly fanned herself from the heat that rose within her at the image.

Down girl.

Talk about a heart-stopping sexy man. Daisy hadn’t been far from the mark at all. No, she’d been right on target. Cowboys. She couldn’t picture this man being anything other than what he was, casually working in worn jeans and a button-down western shirt. And he had a smile that seemed to shut down any part of her that wasn’t focused on sex.

He glanced over his shoulder and the look in his eyes told her he knew she’d been checking him out.

She looked away and got back to work, assembling ingredients for the boss’s cake—while the boss was in the room with her.

Awkward.

“How was your drive from L.A.?” he asked as he continued to hand wash the dishes. He didn’t seem bothered by it at all. She observed him for a moment when she was actually behind him. He didn’t seem like a multi-millionaire who operated a large ranch in Arizona. He seemed so down to earth.

“Not bad at all.” She thought about her conversation with Daisy again. “The trip isn’t too long.”

He rinsed out a pot, steam coming up from the water. “You have family back in California?”

“My mom and sister.” Kit didn’t want to share more about her family than she had to. “They live in the San Francisco Bay area.”

He put another pot into the sudsy water. “What do they do?” He was curious about her. She couldn’t blame him for that. Still, this was another question that she didn’t want to answer.

She looked beneath the counter, in a cabinet where she found a couple of mixing bowls as she debated the right way to answer. She stood and set the bowls on the counter. “Mom owns a used bookstore-slash-coffee shop.” She hoped he wouldn’t notice the partial answer and ask about what she had left out.

She’d ducked the parts of that question she didn’t want to answer.

Coward.

It was hard enough to explain to anyone, much less the man who would be signing her paychecks.

It wasn’t any of his business anyway. He didn’t need to know. But she still felt guilty every time she couldn’t find the words to talk about her past.

“Sounds like something that would be successful in the city.” He rinsed off a serving dish and put it into the dish drainer. “Can’t beat books and coffee.”

A man after my own heart.

Kit set the mixing bowls aside and finished prepping three round cake pans. “It is very successful. Especially popular with college students and anyone who wants to read and drink a cup of coffee in a relaxing atmosphere. She picked a good location for it.”

She found herself talking more than she was used to with strangers, and she wasn’t sure if she liked it. She preferred to keep everything close to her chest, so a slight change in the direction of their conversation appeared to be in order. “What authors do you like to read?” she asked.

“James Lee Burke and his Dave Robicheaux series would have to be my favorite.” Carter looked thoughtful as he placed one of the pots into the drying rack next to the sink. “I read suspense and thrillers, too. David Baldacci, Mark Greaney, and Greg Iles are a few authors whose books I enjoy.”

More Brownie points for the boss.

“All great authors.” Kit smiled. “I also have a thing for urban fantasy by Kevin Hearne and Jim Butcher.”

It had been a while since she chatted about books with a hot guy. It felt good to have someone who could keep up, but it just made her think about sex more, especially every time he turned those smoldering eyes to her.

“I’ll have to try those.” Carter switched the subject on a dime. “Married? Any kids?”

Exactly where she hadn’t wanted the conversation to go. She swallowed down a lump that suddenly formed in her throat.

Belle said Carter didn’t like lies, but he was a stranger. She didn’t have to tell him anything about something so personal and painful. Besides, it wouldn’t be lying if she didn’t tell him what had happened.

Would it be lying by omission?

Damn it.

He was her employer, but that didn’t mean he needed or had the right to know. She wasn’t obligated to say a word about it. But it felt weird not to say something.

Kit studied the mixing bowl as she dumped ingredients into it. She had to say something. It was taking so long that it was getting awkward. “I’ve never been married, and I’ve never raised a child.”

And that was not a lie…it just wasn’t exactly the truth, either. A clever half-truth, meant to let him believe what he wanted to hear.

It had worked times in the past when she really didn’t want to share too much. It was easier that way.

She looked over her shoulder and met his gaze. “What about you?”

His eyes were amazing. She stared for a moment longer than should have been appropriate.

“Never met the right woman.” He shrugged one big shoulder. “I’d like a few kids, but as my kid sister’s friend pointed out just this morning, I’m not getting any younger.”

Show me a mature man who doesn’t want kids.

That thought made her stomach sink like a stone dropped into a deep well.

She hated feeling like that. It was definitely time to change the subject. After all, anything had to be better than not being totally truthful with your hot boss on his birthday while he’s helping you catch up on your job—especially on your first day.

Good job, Kit.

“How old are you?” That might give her an idea of what to write on the cake since she couldn’t find any candles in the pantry.

She didn’t know why she expected anything different. This wasn’t exactly a five-star restaurant. She was cooking for employees and family, not serving a crowd of several hundred during a dinner rush.

“Thirty-six—” His mouth tipped at the corners. His smile could sell sand in the desert. “Make that thirty-seven today. Got stuck making the boss’s birthday cake, am I right?”

“Spot on.” She laughed. “Happy Birthday.”

“Thank you.” He went back to washing dishes and cleaned up a frying pan. “Did anyone warn you that I don’t like surprises?”

“Yep.” Kit tried not to laugh. “First thing. That and you don’t like parties.”

He chuckled. “Now that you have the most important aspects of your job down, you’re going to do just fine here.”

Other than the click and scrape of pans and dishes being washed, and the occasional whirring of the mixer, Kit and Carter continued talking. Their conversation was companionable and comfortable.

It was already starting to feel like they had known each other for years. It felt good, but she had to remind herself that she was talking to her boss.

“You have any dogs around here?” She turned to him after she turned off the mixer the last time.

“One dog, but she’s not here right now.” His tone was concerned. “A bobcat attacked Lucy.”

“Sorry to hear about the bobcat.” Kit frowned. “I guessed that a place like this would have more than one dog.”

“We lost Nellie a few months ago.” Once again, she could hear the sadness. He must have loved his animals.

“I’m sorry.” She didn’t know what to say.

“It’s fine. I just miss having them around.” He got back to work. “Nellie was thirteen. Lucy is recovering at my brother, Bear’s, place. He’s a vet. She’ll be back soon.”

The silence fell over them for a few minutes before either spoke again.

“I’m done with the dishes.” Carter’s voice caught her attention. “I’d help you finish up, but I’ve got to get a few things done before the boys and the staff come in for lunch.”

“I appreciate every bit you’ve helped with.” She gestured to the filled dishwasher and overflowing drainer. “You are a lifesaver.”

He picked up his western hat from where he’d left it on the hat tree by the back door. After he tugged it on, he touched the brim. “Let Belle know if you need anything.”

“I will.” She smiled at him and her throat caught as his gaze lingered with hers.

Pure heat in those eyes.

He gave a nod and let himself out through the back door.

Kit put her palm over her heart. No way in hell was she going to get the hots for the boss.

Say what you want, at least this job came with amazing views.

She scolded herself for even thinking about that and forced herself to get back to work.

The entire time she stood there and pictured Carter doing dishes in nothing but his hat, an apron, and a pair of cowboy boots. It was definitely swoon-worthy when she imagined him tipping the hat her direction.

Damn cowboys!

She realized that Daisy was right, and made a mental note to tell her all about it. There would be no end to the teasing about her hot new boss.

She wondered if she could get a good picture of him.

Daisy would get a kick out of it.

She grimaced. Okay, so she already had a thing for Carter just from the short amount of time she’d spent with him. It reminded her of the reasons she had come all the way out here and why something like that was the worst idea.

She wasn’t about to let it go anywhere. No how. No way. She knew better than that.

Kit thought about calling Daisy right away. Or even sending a text, but there was too much to do. She turned to start getting more work done, her mind running through the logistics of making it all happen on time. Maybe she could call Daisy this afternoon, after she finished her duties.

That would probably be a lot better. It would be a terrible idea to get herself into trouble on her first day.