together and issue instructions to his housekeeper had him back on the road in less than an hour. The drive would take him approximately four hours and he hoped to arrive in the early afternoon.
He contemplated the delectable young woman that he had grown so fond of in such a short time. She was as smart as she was passionate, that combination mixed with her lovely blonde hair, and equally desirable curves had her constantly on his mind. He should have listened to Ivan when he first hired her and either sent her down to marketing or let her go, but in the time she had worked for him, she had proven herself to be quite an asset both professionally and personally.
He groaned when he remembered the private dance she had given him in his living room. It still amazed him that someone as passionate as she was had been a virgin. He liked to think that he let out the vixen that had been smoldering under the surface.
He had been so lost in thought that he almost missed the turn off. After driving for more than an hour on a dusty two-lane road, he came up over a crest. He pulled off to the side of the road and got out. Looking down into the valley, the land was dotted with cattle, as far as the eye could see. He thought he detected riders on horseback, but at that distance, it was too hard to tell. Getting back in the car, he made the remainder of the trip before pulling up outside the Jenkins’ ranch. Spotting an office, he pulled up outside and walked in.
An elderly wolfhound lay sprawled in front of a heater, as a matronly woman who appeared to be in her mid-sixties walked out from the inner office.
“May I help you?”
“I hope so. I’m looking for Sarah Jenkins.”
“And you would be?”
“Vitaly. Vitaly Chekov. I-”
“I know who you are Mr. Chekov. You’re the one who broke my niece’s heart. Now why should I tell you anything about her?”
Fisting his hands, Vitaly dug his nails into his palms as he took a ragged breath. “I can understand your concern. But it is imperative that I speak with your niece. There has been a huge misunderstanding.”
Crossing her arms over her chest, Hannah Jenkins looked at Vitaly over the top rim of her glasses, as she tapped her foot. “She should be returning shortly from delivering food out to the ranch hands. If you wait by the barn, she’s driving an old red pick-up.”
Vitaly nodded his head in thanks and prepared to leave. “But if I find out that you hurt my niece again, you will not only be dealing with me. We presently have thirty employees on staff, all of whom would do anything for her. Have I made myself clear, Mr. Chekov?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
As Vitaly exited the office, he looked toward the barn. No red truck. Deciding to walk over so Sarah wouldn’t see his car, he heard the rumble of a diesel engine, as a truck came around the corner. Parking in front of the barn, a spry figure jumped out clad in jeans, boots and a sweatshirt with the ranch logo on it. Spotting blonde hair peeking out from behind an oversized cowboy hat, Vitaly quickened his pace.
When he was about a dozen feet from her, he called out her name. Sarah froze. She had been crying on the way back in the truck and she knew that her eyes and nose where bright red. Rubbing her face, she turned around to face him with a guarded look.
“Vitaly,” she finally managed to say in recognition.
Smiling in relief, he took a step toward her, but she took an immediate step back. And with each step he took, she put equal distance back between them. Pausing, he looked at her.
“You’ve been crying,” he stated flatly. Closing her eyes, Sarah counted in her head before responding.
“Is there something you wanted?”
“I’ve been trying to reach you, but you haven’t been answering your phone.”
“I changed my number.”
“I…oh. We have things to discuss.”
Holding her hand up, “Oh, I think that I’ve heard all that I want to hear. Now if you’ll excuse me, I still have chores to
He contemplated the delectable young woman that he had grown so fond of in such a short time. She was as smart as she was passionate, that combination mixed with her lovely blonde hair, and equally desirable curves had her constantly on his mind. He should have listened to Ivan when he first hired her and either sent her down to marketing or let her go, but in the time she had worked for him, she had proven herself to be quite an asset both professionally and personally.
He groaned when he remembered the private dance she had given him in his living room. It still amazed him that someone as passionate as she was had been a virgin. He liked to think that he let out the vixen that had been smoldering under the surface.
He had been so lost in thought that he almost missed the turn off. After driving for more than an hour on a dusty two-lane road, he came up over a crest. He pulled off to the side of the road and got out. Looking down into the valley, the land was dotted with cattle, as far as the eye could see. He thought he detected riders on horseback, but at that distance, it was too hard to tell. Getting back in the car, he made the remainder of the trip before pulling up outside the Jenkins’ ranch. Spotting an office, he pulled up outside and walked in.
An elderly wolfhound lay sprawled in front of a heater, as a matronly woman who appeared to be in her mid-sixties walked out from the inner office.
“May I help you?”
“I hope so. I’m looking for Sarah Jenkins.”
“And you would be?”
“Vitaly. Vitaly Chekov. I-”
“I know who you are Mr. Chekov. You’re the one who broke my niece’s heart. Now why should I tell you anything about her?”
Fisting his hands, Vitaly dug his nails into his palms as he took a ragged breath. “I can understand your concern. But it is imperative that I speak with your niece. There has been a huge misunderstanding.”
Crossing her arms over her chest, Hannah Jenkins looked at Vitaly over the top rim of her glasses, as she tapped her foot. “She should be returning shortly from delivering food out to the ranch hands. If you wait by the barn, she’s driving an old red pick-up.”
Vitaly nodded his head in thanks and prepared to leave. “But if I find out that you hurt my niece again, you will not only be dealing with me. We presently have thirty employees on staff, all of whom would do anything for her. Have I made myself clear, Mr. Chekov?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
As Vitaly exited the office, he looked toward the barn. No red truck. Deciding to walk over so Sarah wouldn’t see his car, he heard the rumble of a diesel engine, as a truck came around the corner. Parking in front of the barn, a spry figure jumped out clad in jeans, boots and a sweatshirt with the ranch logo on it. Spotting blonde hair peeking out from behind an oversized cowboy hat, Vitaly quickened his pace.
When he was about a dozen feet from her, he called out her name. Sarah froze. She had been crying on the way back in the truck and she knew that her eyes and nose where bright red. Rubbing her face, she turned around to face him with a guarded look.
“Vitaly,” she finally managed to say in recognition.
Smiling in relief, he took a step toward her, but she took an immediate step back. And with each step he took, she put equal distance back between them. Pausing, he looked at her.
“You’ve been crying,” he stated flatly. Closing her eyes, Sarah counted in her head before responding.
“Is there something you wanted?”
“I’ve been trying to reach you, but you haven’t been answering your phone.”
“I changed my number.”
“I…oh. We have things to discuss.”
Holding her hand up, “Oh, I think that I’ve heard all that I want to hear. Now if you’ll excuse me, I still have chores to
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