No Strings Attached (Last Hope Ranch Book 1) by Amanda McIntyre

promiscuous behavior in town. After the shock, feeling as though she’d been placed on public display she assured the members that the rumors were unfounded as most rumors are. The embarrassed members filed out and Principal Kale, while not issuing an apology, did say he was glad to hear the rumors weren’t true. A remark Sally tucked away to remember come time when his position was up for renewal.
    Sally toed the ground. There was more. She could have read Clay a litany of concerns. But he didn’t know her, didn’t understand that she’d used up nearly all of her inheritance for the unexpected costs of the renovation. It would be months, maybe years on her salary to rebuild it to the level where she could even consider having a child.
    “Sally?”
    She looked up, pulling from her reverie, realizing that Clay stood before her. He was studying her.
    “Are you okay? You seemed to take off there for a few minutes.”
    She shook her head. “It’s been a day—a long day.” She waved off his query.
    He tipped his head. “This have anything to do with those brochures?”
    Her first inclination was to bolt. If another man so much as looked at her with that glimmer in his eye…
    She glanced at him. No glimmer. Her shoulders slumped. She was tired of running from the topic, tired of trying to hide it. She pressed her lips tightly, her chin wobbling. Damn. It only hurt when she stopped to think about it. “I-It’s n-nothing.”
    “Sally.” His fingers touched her chin, forcing her gaze to his.
    “Listen, I know we’ve had our differences, but you can talk to me. I’m not going to say anything to anyone. I’ve been through torture training. I can deal with a small town.”
    She smiled despite the fact that she felt like crying. Aimee had been the only person she’d felt she could talk to about this. Most men in town were more than ready, if rumors were true, to offer their services in bed. Clay hadn’t. On most every level, in fact, they seem to mostly tolerate each other. He was a safe bet.
    She sat down on the wood storage box and released a quiet sigh. “Have you ever looked around and felt like you’re the only one who’s different?” She hurried on. The idea that she could speak freely opened up the gates and she couldn’t seem to get it out of her system fast enough. “All my friends are married, getting married, having kids,” she said, ticking off each point on her fingers. “Some going on their second kid.”
    Clay eased down beside her, keeping his distance, and folded his hands over his knees as he listened. “You mean Wyatt and Aimee? They mentioned something about that at dinner the other day.”
    “Please understand, I am deliriously happy for them as I am for Rein and Liberty, and Dalton and Angelique.” She looked up, eyeing the rafters. “And then there’s Nate and Charlene, who are getting married and pretty soon I’ll be hearing about their kids.” She looked at him. “You know, all this never got to me before. I’ve been totally content with having my students each year. Starting out, I had my dad to care for and I thought I couldn’t give any more than I already am.” She shook her head. “Now I’m almost thirty-two and I know I’m not all that bad-looking, right?”
    Clay glanced at her, surprise registered on his face. “Uh, no, I wouldn’t say you’re bad looking.”
    She held his gaze, deciding it best not to question him further. “I guess guys aren’t drawn to me because—honestly, I don’t know why.” All the confusion, the questions about who she was and what she wanted out of life seemed to storm forward, desperate to be freed from her torment. “I realize there are some single guys around,” she said with a chuckle. “Most who’d gladly hop in my bed in my quest to have a child, but wouldn’t dream of going through the mundane things of asking a girl out, taking in a movie, making out in the back row—you know what I mean?”
    Clay swiped his hand