Billionaire Boss by Meagan McKinney Page A

attached to Seth, too. It was hard enough battling her own feelings after all they’d done together. She sure didn’t want to answer to her mother’s and Carrie’s feelings, as well. It was too much like…
    Well, it was too much like being entangled.
    â€œSeth, have you ever been to the Devil’s Elbow?” Jenn asked, serving dessert warm from the oven. “That’s the old part of Mystery where Carrie and I picked these blackberries in the pie. It’s not the most magnificent view, but if you walk far enough, you’ll come to the old grist mill. You can swim there, and if you bring a bucket, you can get all the blackberries you can carry home.”
    â€œI haven’t seen that part of the valley yet. I’ll have to saddle up Noir tomorrow and take a ride out there.”
    â€œIf you need someone to show you, I know how to get there,” Carrie offered, her blond ponytail bobbing up and down in her eagerness to please their guest.
    Kirsten tried damage control. “Surely, Carrie, Mr. Morgan doesn’t need our—”
    â€œCan you ride?” he interrupted.
    The ponytail bobbed again. “Hazel taught me.”
    â€œI’ve got a good cob in the stable you can take. His name’s Plat—short for Platinum. Looks just like your sister’s horse, Sterling, only a hand or two smaller.”
    â€œMy sister has a horse?” Carrie exclaimed, amazed.
    â€œIt’s not my horse. Mr. Morgan just meant that I can ride her, but it’s his horse.” Kirsten suddenly realized she was exhausted. Monitoring conversation was worse than mountain climbing.
    â€œYour sister’s free to ride Sterling any time she wants,” Seth said, accepting Jenn’s second helping of pie. “And you feel free to come and ride Plat. I’ll tell Jim, our ranch manager, that you have special permission.”
    Carrie looked at her mom, her blue eyes dancing with awe.
    Being virtually fatherless, Carrie had had verylittle male attention in her life. It made Kirsten’s heart ache to see her so eager for Seth’s attention. To be made to feel this special was something the girl was not used to. And Kirsten dreaded the moment when it might end.
    â€œWell, that was a wonderful dinner, guys, but if you’ll excuse me, I think I’m feeling a little under the weather so I guess I need to get going.” Kirsten stood.
    â€œSo soon?” Jenn asked. “I thought you haven’t been sleeping well.”
    â€œBut what about our ride tomorrow?” Carrie added.
    Kirsten didn’t want to burst her sister’s balloon, but these things, as she herself knew from personal experience, were less painful popped earlier than later.
    â€œWe’ll have to see about the riding, Carrie. Mr. Morgan’s a busy man. We don’t want to inconvenience him.”
    â€œOh,” the girl said, suddenly deflated, as if realizing how foolish her enthusiasm had been.
    â€œMiss Meadows, I want you to take me to Devil’s Elbow tomorrow and I want you to have your sister come along, also. The boss, if you pardon me, has spoken.” Seth’s words were a command.
    Kirsten was silent. No one was cooperating.And there was only so much she could do to intervene if they didn’t help her.
    â€œCertainly, Mr. Morgan,” she said, hugging her enthralled sister goodbye.
    â€œCome back again soon, won’t you, Mr. Morgan?” Jenn held out her hand. “We don’t have anything too fancy here, but when you’ve lived everywhere in the world, you certainly know about hospitality.”
    Seth squeezed it. “I’d be honored to be invited again. Thank you.”
    They got into the Jeep, Kirsten silently fuming the entire way out of town.
    â€œYour family’s wonderful, Kirsten,” Seth said in the dark car.
    â€œThank you.” She didn’t know what else to say. Her family was wonderful. Which was why she