Chapter 11 #2
Wyatt chuckled. “Dad wants you feeling like part of the family. Besides, some of those suites are cottages that are pretty remote. We figured you might prefer this.”
As soon as he said it, I shut up. He flirted lightly with me as he led me up the stairs to the porch. “If you need anything, I’m available,” he said. “All hours of the day and night.”
I laughed through the sudden nerves of knowing I was staying in Charlie’s house. “Thanks, but I’m think I’m good to go.”
Wyatt sighed. “It’s because of Charlie, isn’t it?”
“Nah. It’s because I’m only here for three days and I doubt I’m going to need anything at night. Something tells me the fresh air around here is going to knock me right out.”
He grinned. “I meant—”
“I know what you meant, but I’m still fine. Thank you.”
He shrugged after placing my things neatly on the bed.
I walked him to the door and waved goodbye. “Thanks for carrying all that stuff for me. I owe you.”
He tossed me a cheeky wink over his shoulder. “I’m going to hold you to that.”
As he strode away, he broke into a half-jog that made me wonder what he was in such a rush to get back to. Once he’d disappeared, I stayed in the open doorway, looking out the window at the ranch I was temporarily calling home.
It was absolutely beautiful out there, but it was nothing like what I was used to. There was more open space just on this one ranch than I’d ever seen before. Coming from the city, I was accustomed to being surrounded by skyscrapers, shopping centers, restaurants, bars, and traffic.
This was going to be a whole new experience for me. As uncertain as I was about living in such close proximity to Charlie, I couldn’t say I minded the view I would have while trying to figure things out with him.
As if my thoughts had summoned the man himself, he appeared from around the corner and strode up to my door.
“Welcome to Anderson Ranch,” he said, that deep, sexy voice of his sending a shiver through me. “Do you need anything?”
Yes, you.
I had to fight the flush that wanted to creep onto my cheeks at the thought, so I bit my lips and shook my head. “No, I’m alright for now. Thank you.”
I moved back into the bedroom.
Charlie lingered at the threshold.
I frowned. “Are you going to come in?”
Those ice blues followed me, but he didn’t move an inch. “Nope. A gentleman doesn’t invite himself into a lady’s bedroom.”
“Does the invitation have to be in writing? You’re welcome to come in. Obviously. It’s your property.”
“Unfortunately, the rules state that the invitation does have to be in writing. Embossed. All fancy like. It also requires a ten-day cooling-off period.”
A snort of laughter escaped me as I turned to face him, my head cocking and my arms coming up to fold over my chest. “Well, would you look at that? Your sense of humor is back.”
“It never went anywhere.”
“Oh, so it was just hiding the other day when you told me you didn’t want to work with me?”
It might’ve been my imagination, but I swore I saw a flicker of regret in his eyes as he shrugged. “It is what it is.”
“That might be true, but I know you didn’t want me to come spend time on the ranch.”
His gaze was unwavering on mine. “It’s nothing personal. I just prefer to keep things traditional, is all.”
I looked back at him and realized I didn’t really know what he meant by that, but I also realized it didn’t matter. If I wanted to earn his trust me in my professional capacity, I couldn’t start off by questioning his values or his beliefs.
“I can respect that,” I said quietly. “I also want you to know that I understand what the ranch and the privacy of your family means to you. Being from a family that is relatively well known in some circles myself, I get that.”
“You’re here because you’ve got a job to do,” he said slowly, those eyes still holding mine with such an intensity that I found it impossible to avert my gaze.
“I get that, but forgive me if I don’t believe that my family’s privacy is going to be a priority for you when you’re coming up with your pitches to our fathers. ”
I bit my lip and refused to let the insult take control of my temper. Abigail had made a fair point earlier. What Charlie had said did make it seem like there was some fear involved from his side about us working together, which meant that going off on him was the worst thing I could do.
I had to keep calm and try to make him understand that I was here to help.
“All I want is to push your brand further and to help you expand your reach. Contrary to what you might think of us city folk, I’m not here to obliterate your family’s privacy or exploit your way of life simply to further my career, Charlie.
I can assure you that I will always treat you, your family, and the ranch with the utmost respect and I won’t push things on you that you don’t want. ”
As he looked into my eyes, he was quiet for a moment before he nodded. “Dinner is in an hour at the main house. I’ll see you there.”
Turning on his heels, he strode away from my room and I sighed, my head shaking.
I decided to unpack to give myself something to do other than chasing after him.
I so badly wanted to know what he was thinking after that speech I’d just given, but I supposed I would just have to wait and see what happened at dinner.
Raking both of my hands through my hair, I looked around my bedroom, noticing the same rustic charm and sweet touches that I had the other morning.
This room had an adjoining bathroom and it was larger than the one I’d stayed in last time, but all the furniture was made of some kind of heavy-looking wood as well, and there was another crocheted runner with a small vase of fresh flowers on the dresser.
The bedding was a crisp white, which seemed like a risky move on a ranch, but whoever washed this stuff seemed to be amazing at keeping it as white as it’d been when it was new. Or maybe it was new.
I had no idea, but it sure looked beautifully clean and inviting. Especially against the backdrop of the picturesque views outside.
I hung my clothes in the charming, antique wardrobe and folded some things into the dresser. As I did, I chewed on my lip and contemplated how crazy the difference was between my life and his. This was what Charlie had known growing up.
The wide-open spaces and fresh air, the rustle of leaves and the birdsong drifting in from outside. It smelled like the outdoors even inside my bedroom, the scent of grass, wood, and well, a little bit of cow poo too.
It was nothing like my life had been in the city, and while I supposed it wasn’t an insurmountable difference, one of us would have to adapt to a completely different lifestyle if we ever were to get together.
I wished I could stop thinking about that kind of thing, but I just couldn’t. Charlie had been constantly at the back of my mind ever since we’d met, and no matter how many times I’d told myself to focus on my work, I just couldn’t shake the thoughts of him.
I didn’t know what it was about him that had gotten under my skin, but I hadn’t been joking when I’d told my sisters that I felt connected to him.
It was almost like he was somehow tethered to me.
I couldn’t explain it, but he made my heart race and my knees weak, and trying to forget about him was as impossible as deliberately trying to forget my own name.
A useless endeavor.
Can I be this close to him for a few days and not act on the attraction I feel, despite the fact that he can be a total hardass? We shall see.
I needed to, though. I couldn’t get handsy with a client—and this was our biggest one.
It just crossed way too many lines between business and personal, and I knew how ugly that could get.
While I’d come here determined to keep an open mind, I suddenly realized that was probably the worst idea Abigail and London had ever had.
My mind—and my legs, for that matter—had to remain completely closed to Charlie.
Whatever this connection was between us had to be left alone to fizz out and die.
That was the only way to protect the professional relationship between our respective businesses.
Considering that both our fathers’ legacies were on the line, that was the only thing that really mattered.