Chapter 6
CHAPTER SIX
Leo collapsed on his bed and groaned. He was in trouble.
So much trouble.
Because Kat? She was trouble.
He groaned again, dragging his hands down his face. It was times like this one when he wished he could fly out to Georgia, retrieve his brother and bring him home. At least that way Jane wouldn’t be able to force Kat to stay with them in his house.
She was too close. Already through the thin walls, he could hear her pacing. She was muttering something and despite his sour mood, his lips twitched.
What was the adage?
Misery loved company.
Well, they could be miserable together.
If Reese had been here, he would have acted like a shield between Leo and Kat.
He’d be able to prevent them from going at each other’s throats like a regular couple of roosters.
The worst part about this arrangement? Jane had insisted that they’d be working closely together.
She didn’t want Kat to have any excuses as to not being updated on the project.
And Leo was expected to report about anything going wrong.
Well, this was just great.
Not only was Leo stuck babysitting little miss princess in the other room, he was going to have to make sure she didn’t get trampled by one of the many animals this ranch had to offer.
His devious smile returned when he considered taking her over to the chicken coop.
Those feathered beasts hated him. If given the chance, he was sure they’d peck his eyes out.
Would it be so bad if he gave Kat a little shove into the coop and let them meet someone who was a bigger enemy than he was?
Nah. Kat was strong enough to handle a horde of chickens.
“Leo! Supper.” His mother’s voice called from the stairway and he got to his feet, reaching the door just as she continued. “And if you want to invite your little friend—”
“Mom,” he hissed, his eyes darting to Kat’s closed door, “we’ve been over this. She’s not my friend. She’s here for Jane and Noah. That project they’re working on.”
His mother winked at him. “If you say so. I heard all about you two.”
“What?” he snapped. This time he charged down the stairs and whispered sharply. “What are you talking about?”
She shrugged, turning to head down the stairs.
“Reese said a few things after that first meeting you went to in New York. I just assumed…” Her voice trailed off when the distinct sound of a door opening caught her attention.
She turned her bright blue eyes to Kat. “Hello, dear. I’m Sonya.
Come down for supper when you’re ready. Better be quick if you want it while it’s still hot. ”
Leo shot Kat a look, then spun to chase after his mother. The second they were out of earshot, he whisper-shouted, “What exactly did Reese say? Because I can assure you, he lied. There is nothing between me and Kat. She’s the dev—”
His mother gasped and flicked him with the end of a wooden spoon. “Don’t you dare finish that statement young man. Here, we respect women.”
Leo rolled his eyes. If she knew the kind of woman Kat was, she might not come so swiftly to her defense. Still, he knew better than to argue with his mother. He rubbed at his upper arm even though the sting had already faded.
His mother had made her famous lasagna. It was his favorite and the perfect ending to a miserable day. Leo pulled out his chair but before he could sit, Kat entered the room.
“Leo, be a doll, and pull out our guest’s chair, will you?”
Kat stared at him like he might lunge forward and bite her head off. “Oh, I’m fine, Mrs. Chambers—”
“Nonsense, dear. As I was telling my son here, under this roof, we’re respectful to our guests.” She smiled as brightly as ever and Leo got the distinct impression that she was doing this on purpose.
What was he thinking?
Of course she was doing this on purpose.
His mother was ever the matchmaker—especially since Noah and his brothers had all settled down.
His cousins were the first to find their soul mates out here in Montana.
And their mother had teased his mother about that fact relentlessly.
Leo had a feeling she wasn’t going to give in so easily.
She wanted her sons married off so she could be the grandmother she always wanted to be.
With Reese off in Georgia, her attention had settled on him.
Shuffling like a child toward Kat, Leo pulled out her chair. Then he glanced over his shoulder to his mother and smirked. When she went to sit down, Leo pulled a little more.
Kat nearly collapsed on the floor, but she was quick enough to catch herself on the table.
Boy, if looks could kill? He’d be a dead man walking.
He chuckled to himself as he pushed the chair in a little too roughly. Then took a seat across from her.
“It smells delicious,” Kat offered. “I love Italian.”
His mother beamed. “It’s my mother’s recipe. Everyone requests it at every family function.” She placed a plate in front of Kat then one in front of Leo.
“Thanks, mom,” he murmured.
Kat took a bite and the moan that escaped her lips startled him to the point all he could do was stare. That sound did things to him, made his body react in ways that weren’t really appropriate—especially at the dinner table.
His mouth had fallen open and the second she looked at him with her own devilish smirk, he had to snap it shut.
She’d done that on purpose!
Leo’s eyes narrowed and he hunched down to take his own bite.
It was good. But then he couldn’t recall a single time when it hadn’t been.
“You’re a whiz, mom.”
Her smile warmed him and for a moment he could forget that an infuriating, annoying, maddeningly beautiful woman was seated across from him. No more ridiculous moans filled the air and the conversation turned to their guest.
His mother did most of the talking, asking about her family and how she liked living in the big city. Kat’s answers were all very vague and polite—though he didn’t think his mother noticed. The woman knew how to sway a room to her favor.
Well, the room save for one grumpy cowboy.
He shoveled the rest of his food into his mouth before asking to be excused. In his room, he settled on his bed again, ears cocked for when Kat would return to hers. Tomorrow he’d put her in her place.
For real.
And he had the perfect plan.
Leo pounded his fist on the door that used to be his brother’s. There was a muffled sound on the other side and he smirked. He hadn’t heard her come to bed until later which made it easy to assume she didn’t have plans for getting up this early.
The sun hadn’t risen yet. But that was to be expected. There were still a handful of warm days in September, but there were a good number of days where the cold winds could rip right through a person’s soul.
“Kat!” he called. “Get dressed and come down for breakfast. Time to get to work.”
He waited, ears straining for her to answer. Then the knob rattled and the door opened to reveal the most stunning woman on the planet. Leo was momentarily taken aback by his reaction. Kat was bleary-eyed and her hair was disheveled. There wasn’t a speck of makeup on her face.
And yet…
He couldn’t help drinking her in like he was a man starved of water in the middle of a wasteland. Leo swallowed hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing.
“What do you want?” she peered at him then yawned.
Leo cleared his throat. “I… erm…” Straightening his shoulders he attempted to shove aside this strange attraction. “Time for work. I’m taking you on a tour.”
She squinted at him. “What?”
“A tour. You need to know what you’re up against.”
“What time is it?”
“Five.”
“Five?” Kat muttered what sounded like a curse. “Come back when the sun’s up. There’s nothing I can see in the dark anyway.”
Leo had to admit she had a point. But he wasn’t going to tell her that. There was plenty he could tell her in the dark. And there were lights in the barn. “Get dressed and come down for breakfast.” With that, he strode away, ignoring the adorable sound of her protests as he went.
Kat arrived in the kitchen wearing a pair of slacks, heels, and a blouse.
She looked as though she was ready for a board meeting.
Even still, Leo’s eyes raked over her again.
He’d always thought she was attractive—in a sort of predatory way.
There was something about seeing her here—in Montana—on his turf that was doing something strange to him.
Her eyes narrowed on him as she pulled out a chair and took a seat at the table.
“You look nice, Kat,” his mother offered, placing her breakfast before her.
“Thank you,” Kat murmured, her eyes dipping to the meal, then widening. “Oh, this looks amazing but I… couldn’t.”
Leo glanced to his mother who raised a brow. “Oh? Are you allergic to something?”
Kat shook her head. “I just…” A blush rushed across her cheeks. “I don’t usually eat breakfast. Just coff—” She cut herself off when she caught sight of Leo’s expression.
Granted, he probably looked ready to tear her head off. “You really should eat,” he muttered. “You’re going to need your energy.”
She shifted in her seat and glanced down at the plate piled with eggs, bacon, and crêpes. Then she offered his mother a small smile. “It really looks delicious.” With that, she picked up a fork and took her first bite.
The rest of their meal was full of an unknown sort of tension.
The more Leo observed Kat, the more he noticed little things.
Like the fact she seemed almost too thin.
The curves he’d noted before seemed to come more from the clothing she’d picked.
Her waist was too trim. One fall from a horse and she’d snap in two.
He frowned. That would change. She wasn’t in New York anymore. There weren’t beauty standards that needed to be met while she was here. If she thought she’d starve herself, she had another thing coming.
Once they were both done with their food, he motioned for her to follow him out the back door. He heard her thank his mother once more for the food and then she hurried after him.