Familiar Texas. Caroline Burnes

certain what tense she’d meant to use.

      She turned to face him. “I may not go back.”

      He didn’t bother to hide his surprise. “Really?”

      “Is that so shocking?” She stepped past him so that her face was hidden from his view behind her dark curls. “I had an idea today. I need to investigate it before I talk about it, but I may be able to keep the ranch running.”

      “Want to bounce it off me?”

      She turned to him, smiling. “We say that a lot in advertising where we try ideas out on one another.”

      “Ranching has gotten very sophisticated.” He laughed. She was easy to talk to, and even though she had a fancy job in a big city, she didn’t act like she thought she was better than others. And she looked so excited about the scheme she’d hatched. He couldn’t help but wonder what her idea might be.

      “Thank you for your help today, Hank. I don’t know what I would have done without you.”

      “It wasn’t anything.” He wanted to reach out and pull her against him, but it would be completely inappropriate. He’d met her only that day, and Stephanie was a grown woman who knew her own mind. She wasn’t the kind of woman to be attracted to a rancher.

      “It was a lot. I don’t know what I would have done. That creep would have killed the cows and both of us know it.”

      “He would have done his best to kill them.” Hank leaned against the refrigerator. “Where in tarnation is that cat?”

      “According to his contract—“

      “Contract?” Hank asked. “You’ve got to be kidding.”

      “I told you, he’s a legitimate detective. According to his contract, he’s served grilled seafood or chicken. I made some snapper for him. He ate and now he’s taking a snooze.”

      “He is something else. I think if McElhanney had made a move toward you he would have bitten his nose off.”

      “Or worse. I take a lot of comfort in Familiar. Now Banjo is home, too, so I’ll be fine.”

      “If you’re frightened, I can stay.”

      She walked up to him. “I’ve never had a man stay with me because I was frightened of anything. I won’t start with you.”

      “I didn’t mean—”

      She put her fingers on his lips. “I know what you meant. I’m okay, Hank.” She stood on tiptoe and kissed him lightly on the lips. “I’m really okay. I know how to shoot a gun, and believe me, I will.”

      “I’m going to block that trapdoor in your bedroom before I go.”

      She nodded. “That room was originally designed for a child back when the ranch house was built in the 1800s. I’d forgotten all about it. If you’ll do that, I’ll finish cleaning the kitchen.”

      Rodney had left the supplies in the bedroom, and it took Hank only a few minutes to hammer a board across the trap door. It wasn’t the prettiest carpentry job he’d ever done, but it was effective. No one could sneak into the house.

      While he was there, he took a quick look around to make sure no one was hiding in the extra bedrooms or closets. He found Familiar asleep on a down comforter in a guest bedroom. When he returned to the kitchen, Stephanie was running cold water into the coffeepot to set it up for the next day.

      “I’ll be going then.”

      She put the pot down and walked up to him. “Thanks.”

      Her lips were so inviting, turned up to him. He wasn’t a man to pass an invitation like that. He bent down to kiss her, intending a light kiss. When she opened her mouth to accept his kiss, he pulled her tight against him. The kiss was as surprising as it was unexpected.

      When she drew away from him, he released her, though his gaze lingered on her lips. He’d never felt such a dizzying array of emotions before. He touched her cheek, wanting to draw her back to him for another kiss. He was about to do just that when she spoke.

      “Thank you, Hank. I’ll ride over tomorrow and make sure my cows aren’t causing any difficulty for you.”

      He’d been dismissed. “Yes, ma’am. If you’re done with me, I guess I’ll be heading home.”