busy for quite a while.”
“If you aren’t a licensed carpenter, you shouldn’t be touching those boards,” Felicity informed him. “What if I walk across this porch and a board flips up and smacks me in the face? I’ll probably become the richest woman in Texas.”
“Not if you’re already planning on suing me, honey.” He pounded in another nail. “Assuming you win, all you’ll get is a blue pickup truck and a hundred head of Brahman cattle. The bank owns everything else.”
Felicity stepped out on the porch and peered across the road at the peaceful group of humped, red cattle grazing there. “I could use a few cows around here. A cow would probably be good company.” She glanced pointedly around her newly mowed yard. “I’ll bet a cow would keep the grass down, too. Just think. No more tractors roaring around while I’m trying to sleep.” She took a step back when Aaron’s sharp gaze went over her. “I could tie a bow around her neck and call her Elsie.”
Aaron gave her a slow, hot smile and laid down his hammer. “Are you sure you wouldn’t rather have my bull? He’s registered and worth a lot more than a cow.”
“Well, isn’t that just like a man?” Felicity tried to work up some indignation. “Cows are the ones that give the milk and have the calves. Since when is a bull worth more than a cow?”
“Since I paid plenty for this particular bull,” Aaron returned, chuckling. He rose to his feet with slow grace. “These cattle are breeding stock. A good Red Brahman bull can produce something like twenty calves a year, while a cow produces only one calf a year.”
Felicity gasped with feigned outrage. “The day I see a bull producing even one calf is the day I’ll win the Nobel Prize in biology.”
“Now, Miss Clayton, let’s not split hairs over the mechanics of bovine reproduction. You’re just looking for something to fight with me about.”
“I knew you were a male chauvinist the minute I saw you. Get off my porch, you sexist Neanderthal.”
“Now, honey.” He took a step toward her. “Look at it from a rancher’s perspective.”
“You’re not a rancher; you’re a car salesman.” Pleased that she was still capable of pretending anger at a man whose very movements filled her with a sense of delighted anticipation, she flung out her hand in a dramatic gesture. “Off my porch.”
Aaron took another step toward her. “In that case, let’s discuss trading that Dodge of yours in on a new Chevy truck.”
Somehow she managed to overcome the inclination to back up as he approached. This was a moment to stand her ground. After all, he couldn’t very well kiss her on the front porch in full view of anyone driving down the road.
Could he? Her breathing quickened with expectation.
“I like my truck, thank you,” she said, on a gasp.
“Miss Clayton, I admire your taste.” Aaron halted when he stood about three feet from her. “A lady with such great fashion sense shouldn’t waste her good taste on a Dodge.”
“A Dodge?” Felicity stared into his navy eyes and was lost … almost. She pulled her thoughts back to reality. “My Dodge is practically brand new.”
“A Chevy truck would do a lot more for those fancy cowgirl clothes of yours.” He reached out slowly and curled his fingers gently around her upper arms. “Why don’t you let me show you around the lot? One of the new double-cabs would be my recommendation for you. Your choice of colors, of course.”
“What?” Mesmerized, Felicity stared at his tanned face as he leaned toward her very slowly. His rugged features caught the morning sunlight on every plane.
But all male, Felicity thought dreamily, as Aaron’s lips settled gently over hers. It was a positively stunning face, one that projected strength and security. At the same time, the expression in those dark blue eyes promised excitement and challenge. Ordinarily, she relished both. In this case, her innate caution warned her that this man
“If you aren’t a licensed carpenter, you shouldn’t be touching those boards,” Felicity informed him. “What if I walk across this porch and a board flips up and smacks me in the face? I’ll probably become the richest woman in Texas.”
“Not if you’re already planning on suing me, honey.” He pounded in another nail. “Assuming you win, all you’ll get is a blue pickup truck and a hundred head of Brahman cattle. The bank owns everything else.”
Felicity stepped out on the porch and peered across the road at the peaceful group of humped, red cattle grazing there. “I could use a few cows around here. A cow would probably be good company.” She glanced pointedly around her newly mowed yard. “I’ll bet a cow would keep the grass down, too. Just think. No more tractors roaring around while I’m trying to sleep.” She took a step back when Aaron’s sharp gaze went over her. “I could tie a bow around her neck and call her Elsie.”
Aaron gave her a slow, hot smile and laid down his hammer. “Are you sure you wouldn’t rather have my bull? He’s registered and worth a lot more than a cow.”
“Well, isn’t that just like a man?” Felicity tried to work up some indignation. “Cows are the ones that give the milk and have the calves. Since when is a bull worth more than a cow?”
“Since I paid plenty for this particular bull,” Aaron returned, chuckling. He rose to his feet with slow grace. “These cattle are breeding stock. A good Red Brahman bull can produce something like twenty calves a year, while a cow produces only one calf a year.”
Felicity gasped with feigned outrage. “The day I see a bull producing even one calf is the day I’ll win the Nobel Prize in biology.”
“Now, Miss Clayton, let’s not split hairs over the mechanics of bovine reproduction. You’re just looking for something to fight with me about.”
“I knew you were a male chauvinist the minute I saw you. Get off my porch, you sexist Neanderthal.”
“Now, honey.” He took a step toward her. “Look at it from a rancher’s perspective.”
“You’re not a rancher; you’re a car salesman.” Pleased that she was still capable of pretending anger at a man whose very movements filled her with a sense of delighted anticipation, she flung out her hand in a dramatic gesture. “Off my porch.”
Aaron took another step toward her. “In that case, let’s discuss trading that Dodge of yours in on a new Chevy truck.”
Somehow she managed to overcome the inclination to back up as he approached. This was a moment to stand her ground. After all, he couldn’t very well kiss her on the front porch in full view of anyone driving down the road.
Could he? Her breathing quickened with expectation.
“I like my truck, thank you,” she said, on a gasp.
“Miss Clayton, I admire your taste.” Aaron halted when he stood about three feet from her. “A lady with such great fashion sense shouldn’t waste her good taste on a Dodge.”
“A Dodge?” Felicity stared into his navy eyes and was lost … almost. She pulled her thoughts back to reality. “My Dodge is practically brand new.”
“A Chevy truck would do a lot more for those fancy cowgirl clothes of yours.” He reached out slowly and curled his fingers gently around her upper arms. “Why don’t you let me show you around the lot? One of the new double-cabs would be my recommendation for you. Your choice of colors, of course.”
“What?” Mesmerized, Felicity stared at his tanned face as he leaned toward her very slowly. His rugged features caught the morning sunlight on every plane.
But all male, Felicity thought dreamily, as Aaron’s lips settled gently over hers. It was a positively stunning face, one that projected strength and security. At the same time, the expression in those dark blue eyes promised excitement and challenge. Ordinarily, she relished both. In this case, her innate caution warned her that this man
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