and planted her right hand on her hip.
The sensible action would be to thank him for his concern and go up to her room. However,
she couldn’t bear to have him think she was interested in someone else. “I appreciate
that you’re concerned about me, but you have it all wrong.”
“Why won’t you admit you’re seeing the guy?”
His obvious annoyance made her temper flare. “Because I’m not. We’re friends. Nothing
more. Yes, he’s good-looking and he’s been very nice to me. So what? I’m not the least
bit attracted to him. If you’re worried about me making a fool out of myself over
a man, then you’re way off base with Ty. If I was going to act on my feelings with
anyone it would be with y—”
She clamped her hand over her mouth, as if the physical action would draw the sound
back into her throat. It didn’t. The half word hung there between them, echoing until
the confusion in Brady’s eyes faded and comprehension dawned.
Heat flared on Randi’s cheeks. The sensation was so strong, she didn’t need a mirror
to tell her she was bright red. She dropped her hand to her side and raced for the
stairs.
“Rita?”
She didn’t respond to his call. She kept running until she reached her bedroom and
slammed the door shut behind her. Once safely alone, she sank to the floor and buried
her face in her hands. No matter what, she was never, ever going to be able to face
Brady Jones again.
Chapter Twelve
As soon as Randi finished the last bite of her dessert, she murmured a quick excuse,
pushed back her chair and fled the table. No one else seemed to notice, but Brady
stared after her and wondered how long she was going to avoid him. Since the previous
day, when she’d admitted she was attracted to him, not Ty, she’d been ducking in and
out of buildings, turning up late for meals, then leaving early, all in an effort
to stay out of his way.
Brady got up and followed her. They had to get this situation straightened out. There
was no way she would be able to relax while she was worried about what she’d said—or
almost said. Besides, the whole thing was his fault. If he hadn’t confronted her about
Ty, she wouldn’t be feeling badly now. And if Tex hadn’t come to him and said that
he’d seen Ty and Rita together, Brady wouldn’t have thought twice about her friendship
with the cowboy.
As his long legs ate up the distance to the house, he grimaced. It all came back to
Tex. Had the older man really thought there was something going on or had he pulled
a fast one? Tex wouldn’t mind twisting a tale to suit his purpose, especially if he
thought it might make Brady admit his feelings for a woman. Tex was forever on his
case, reminding him Alicia wasn’t the only female on the planet.
When Brady opened the front door, he heard footsteps on the stairs. “Rita?” he called.
The footsteps slowed.
“Could you come down here, please?” he asked.
The steps sounded again, this time advancing instead of retreating. She came into
view, feet first, then long, shapely legs, round hips, full breasts and finally her
face. She wasn’t smiling. Tension tugged at the corners of her mouth. Her dark blue
eyes were wide with trepidation and her joined hands twisted together.
He held open the front door. “Why don’t we talk out here,” he said, motioning to the
porch and thinking a more public place would ease her discomfort.
She perched on the far side of the top stair. He settled next to her. They both stared
at the barn. Sunset wasn’t for another hour or so, but the heat of the day had already
started to ease.
“I’m sorry about what happened yesterday,” he said. “I shouldn’t have jumped to conclusions.”
She cleared her throat but didn’t say anything. So she wasn’t going to make it easy.
“Tex went on about you and Ty being together,” he continued. “Thinking about that
made me a little crazy. I guess what I’m
The sensible action would be to thank him for his concern and go up to her room. However,
she couldn’t bear to have him think she was interested in someone else. “I appreciate
that you’re concerned about me, but you have it all wrong.”
“Why won’t you admit you’re seeing the guy?”
His obvious annoyance made her temper flare. “Because I’m not. We’re friends. Nothing
more. Yes, he’s good-looking and he’s been very nice to me. So what? I’m not the least
bit attracted to him. If you’re worried about me making a fool out of myself over
a man, then you’re way off base with Ty. If I was going to act on my feelings with
anyone it would be with y—”
She clamped her hand over her mouth, as if the physical action would draw the sound
back into her throat. It didn’t. The half word hung there between them, echoing until
the confusion in Brady’s eyes faded and comprehension dawned.
Heat flared on Randi’s cheeks. The sensation was so strong, she didn’t need a mirror
to tell her she was bright red. She dropped her hand to her side and raced for the
stairs.
“Rita?”
She didn’t respond to his call. She kept running until she reached her bedroom and
slammed the door shut behind her. Once safely alone, she sank to the floor and buried
her face in her hands. No matter what, she was never, ever going to be able to face
Brady Jones again.
Chapter Twelve
As soon as Randi finished the last bite of her dessert, she murmured a quick excuse,
pushed back her chair and fled the table. No one else seemed to notice, but Brady
stared after her and wondered how long she was going to avoid him. Since the previous
day, when she’d admitted she was attracted to him, not Ty, she’d been ducking in and
out of buildings, turning up late for meals, then leaving early, all in an effort
to stay out of his way.
Brady got up and followed her. They had to get this situation straightened out. There
was no way she would be able to relax while she was worried about what she’d said—or
almost said. Besides, the whole thing was his fault. If he hadn’t confronted her about
Ty, she wouldn’t be feeling badly now. And if Tex hadn’t come to him and said that
he’d seen Ty and Rita together, Brady wouldn’t have thought twice about her friendship
with the cowboy.
As his long legs ate up the distance to the house, he grimaced. It all came back to
Tex. Had the older man really thought there was something going on or had he pulled
a fast one? Tex wouldn’t mind twisting a tale to suit his purpose, especially if he
thought it might make Brady admit his feelings for a woman. Tex was forever on his
case, reminding him Alicia wasn’t the only female on the planet.
When Brady opened the front door, he heard footsteps on the stairs. “Rita?” he called.
The footsteps slowed.
“Could you come down here, please?” he asked.
The steps sounded again, this time advancing instead of retreating. She came into
view, feet first, then long, shapely legs, round hips, full breasts and finally her
face. She wasn’t smiling. Tension tugged at the corners of her mouth. Her dark blue
eyes were wide with trepidation and her joined hands twisted together.
He held open the front door. “Why don’t we talk out here,” he said, motioning to the
porch and thinking a more public place would ease her discomfort.
She perched on the far side of the top stair. He settled next to her. They both stared
at the barn. Sunset wasn’t for another hour or so, but the heat of the day had already
started to ease.
“I’m sorry about what happened yesterday,” he said. “I shouldn’t have jumped to conclusions.”
She cleared her throat but didn’t say anything. So she wasn’t going to make it easy.
“Tex went on about you and Ty being together,” he continued. “Thinking about that
made me a little crazy. I guess what I’m
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