LITMIR.BIZ

       Four

      Hayes flattened his palms on his desk and blew out a sigh. What the hell was he doing?

      Not that he had much choice in what to do next with his unexpected guest. He might want to be left alone to battle his demons and renovate his home, but he couldn’t be a jerk. That’s not how he’d been raised. The Elliott boys had been taught how to treat people, and women were always treated with the utmost respect. His father had handled his marriage as if Hayes’s mother was royalty.

      Which was why Hayes had had to walk out of the kitchen. Because Alexa standing there in his clothes was too damn tempting. He respected her, even though she was driving him insane. Walking away was his only option.

      While he wouldn’t mind a little stress reliever in the most primal, old-fashioned way, something about her screamed innocence and vulnerability. He could find a better use for that sassy mouth of hers, but yet again, that desire waved every red flag inside his mind.

      Yes, he wanted the hell out of her, but that was just lust. Alexa didn’t seem like the type to give in to lustful feelings.

      Unless properly persuaded.

      He deliberately turned his thoughts to the storm. The rain pounded against the windows and the thunder continued to roll every few minutes. Thankfully, it wasn’t booming. An occasional streak of lightning flashed across the sky. No, this storm wasn’t letting up anytime soon. He’d thought for sure it wasn’t going to do anything until tomorrow.

      His eyes landed on the piece of mail he’d attempted to ignore. The governor had chosen the wrong recipient for the Man of Honor award.

      This was a new award and apparently Hayes had been the first choice. When they’d called him last week to inform him, he’d been numb, shocked, then angry. Hayes didn’t want a damn award for serving his country. He didn’t want to be recognized because he’d been the only one in his platoon to survive. His busted-up knee was nothing compared to what his brothers had gone through.

      Pushing away from his desk, he turned and headed out of his office and down the hall to the kitchen. The last thing he wanted was to see that damn gold-embossed invitation.

      Initially, he’d thought working in his office would allow him to ignore Alexa. He figured he’d look over some of the dude ranch plans, but then the invitation mocked him. And now he felt guilty for walking out on her without saying a word.

      His brothers, Nolan and Colt, were moving forward with the transformation of a portion of the ranch property. It wouldn’t be long before Pebblebrook’s dude ranch would be up and running and pulling in tourists just like their father had always wanted. Even though he was in a nursing facility and not in his right mind, his sons planned to push through and keep the patriarch informed each step of the way. He might not recall his plans, but the boys needed the communication with their dad.

      Well, three of the four boys. Colt’s twin, Beau, wasn’t part of the process. He was too busy out in LA, making movies and being Hollywood’s playboy to worry with the ranch. Or at least that’s the way it seemed. The media loved any scoop they could get on the so-called “it” actor and, as of late, Beau had been seen in some compromising pictures with an up-and-coming actress.

      Beau would occasionally call or text one of his brothers, but more often than not, he couldn’t be reached because he was off in some remote location working...and whatever else he did.

      Hayes kept his true feelings for Beau’s choices to himself. He and Beau didn’t mesh well on a good day, so it was probably best Colt’s twin wasn’t around. It was crazy how Colt and Beau were identical twins, but Colt worked his ass off at the ranch while Beau would rather smile pretty for the camera. Definitely night-and-day brothers.

      Hayes entered the kitchen and came up short. Alexa had the back door propped open while she examined the screen door. She muttered under her breath and Hayes couldn’t make out quite what she was saying, but she seemed extremely determined in whatever it was she was doing.

      Intrigued about what she was attempting, Hayes crossed his arms and leaned against the door frame leading from the hall to the kitchen. Alexa opened the screen wider, then eased it back. She fiddled with the spring at the top and slid the stopper along the bar in the middle. Then she eased the door back and forth again.

      Hayes chewed on the inside of his lip and tried not to focus on how slender her shoulders were beneath his T-shirt, or how she’d had to fold the waistband and the cuffs of the pants just so they’d somewhat fit. The stirring of normal emotions felt so foreign, he was starting to wonder if she’d put a spell on him. How could one voluptuous woman with eyes dark as night be so enthralling?

      Her long black hair had started to dry and hung in ropelike waves down her back. He clenched his fists against his chest and ignored the fantasy of how silky all that hair would feel sliding between his fingertips...because he’d never know. Letting his mind wander was a moot point.

      Alexa shifted slightly and met his eyes. Her hands stilled on the door as she slowly brought it to a close. The pounding rain blew in on his back porch and the porch swing tapped a rhythm against the side of the house.

      “Sorry. I just... I thought maybe I could fix the door and keep it from slamming so hard.”

      Even though her eyes never wavered from his, the rest of her body language showed she was completely nervous. She wrapped her arms around her waist, pulling the material tighter and showcasing the fact that she wore nothing beneath his shirt.

      His body betrayed him and stirred with arousal.

      “Do you often go around fixing stranger’s doors?”

      She tipped her head and offered a slight grin. “I’m wearing your clothes, so I’m not sure how much of a stranger you are. Besides, I fixed my own door at home, so I thought I could work on yours.”

      He could fix the damn thing himself, but he’d just gotten used to closing it softly, and not fixing it was more about the principle now. He wasn’t about to let that door win. It was a damn door and he refused to be intimidated by it.

      Besides, it wasn’t like anyone ever stopped by. Occasionally his brothers would drop in, but usually they were in the old barn or Hayes saw them down at the main stables. With his house tucked away on the farthest corner of the property, there wasn’t much use for anyone to come back here. All the livestock were kept on the west side more toward Nolan’s home.

      “Are you that bored?” he asked.

      She stepped further into the kitchen, shutting the oak door at her back and drowning out the sound of the rain pelting the back porch. “I didn’t want

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