Real life... ‘Of course,’ Jason said flatly. ‘Models don’t ply their trade on ranches.’ And then added, ‘What kind of dream?’
‘It’s a long story and you don’t want to. hear it right now. But ever since I can remember I’ve had this desire to see the way cowboys work and live.’
Jason’s expression was forbidding. ‘I’ll give you a tour.’
‘No thanks.’
‘I’ll take you out on the range, drive you around in a Jeep. An hour or two and you’ll see all you want.’
‘I want a lot more than that.’
Exasperating woman. ‘I suppose you think cowboys are exciting? I’ve a fair hand with a lariat—I’ll do a few twirls.’
‘Mr Delaney—’
‘Rope a couple of steers.’
‘You really don’t understand.’
Jason was beginning to feel as if he was being caught in a trap with no way of getting out. ‘What is it you want, Morgan Muir?’ he asked harshly. ‘Pointers on how to look your best in boots and a stetson? So that you can look the part when you model next year’s collection of western gear? The kind of things women like you might think are authentic?’
‘Why are you so bitter?’ she asked him.
His lips tightened. ‘Bitter?’
‘Oh, yes. You seem to have such a low opinion of women, Mr Delaney. Or is it just me you don’t like?’ When he didn’t answer she went on, ‘Thanks for offering to show me around, but it’s not what I want.’
‘What do you want?’
‘I keep telling you—a month on your ranch. I’ll pay for the experience with my cooking.’
The walls of the trap were tightening. Jason frowned as he shoved his hands deep into the pockets of his jeans. ‘I believe you know that you’re trying my patience.’
Morgan’s tone was light. ‘Don’t you think you’re being a little unreasonable.’
Jason decided not to dignify the question with an answer.
He saw Morgan take a breath before she went on. ‘I don’t know why you’re so opposed to me, Mr Delaney. Granted, I haven’t had much experience as a cook, but I will learn and I’m not asking for favours. I saw an ad and I answered it. Brent could have asked me any questions he liked and I would have been honest with him. He didn’t have to hire me—but he did, and he had his own reasons. So now I’m here. All I want is to spend a few weeks on your ranch, and I’m not asking for a free ride.’
‘A model,’ Jason said scornfully, his tone lashing her with the force of his contempt. ‘Bet you don’t know much about hard work.’
‘If I were you, I wouldn’t bet my last dollar on that.’ Anger stirred in the lovely face, brightening blue eyes and staining soft cheeks with an appealing flush. ‘You’re obviously one of those people who think that modelling is all glamour. You’re dead wrong, you know. It’s hard work—gruelling.’
‘Is that so?’ Jason asked cynically.
‘It certainly is! Some days, after hours behind the counter and more hours in front of a camera, I’m so tired that I can’t wait to get home. On days like that it’s an effort just to gulp down a bit of food and make it to bed.’
‘Sounds as if you don’t enjoy your career.’
‘Oh, but I do, Mr Delaney. I enjoy it very much. I’m just telling you that I do know about hard work. In fact, there are times when I’m tempted to...’ She stopped.
‘To what?’ he prompted, interested despite himself.
‘It doesn’t matter,’ Morgan said curtly. ‘The fact is that I’m looking forward to cooking for your cowboys.’
‘Morgan—’
‘It’s all part of the dream I was telling you about. Please...please don’t take it away from me.’
There was something about her tone. Her expression. The passion with which she said the last words. Suddenly Jason was swept with a great wish to put his arms around Morgan and make life easier for her. To protect her. He took a step towards her.
In that moment he remembered Vera. She had breached his defences, and he had lived to regret it.
His tone turned to ice. ‘You mentioned a contract.’
She seemed to be making an effort to control her emotion. ‘Yes...’
‘I need to see it.’
‘Of course,’ she said. ‘I’ll get it from the car.’
A few minutes later Morgan was handing Jason a folded envelope. As he took it from her his hand brushed against hers. In a second the wish to protect her turned into a strong desire to kiss her.
Wordlessly he looked at her. To his surprise, he saw that her lips were quivering. Their eyes clashed, dark eyes holding blue ones for an interminable moment. Then Morgan was stepping away from him, and Jason told himself that he was glad of the distance she had created.
He looked down at the envelope in his hand. When he looked up again his expression was sombre. ‘All there, isn’t it?’ he said at last.
She was watching him intently. ‘Sounds as if you’re accusing me of something. What exactly do you mean, Mr Delaney?’
‘You put in every damn clause you could possibly think of.’
‘If there’s something you want to say why don’t you just say it?’
Jason gave a short, derisive laugh. ‘Oh, come, Morgan Muir, don’t look at me with those innocent blue eyes of yours. We both know who drew up this contract.’
Morgan seemed to be controlling her anger with some difficulty. ‘You talk as if I’ve committed a crime. I haven’t.’
‘I take it you typed this.’
‘Brent said he didn’t know how. One of us had to do it.’
‘If that was all there was to it. But you did more than type this, Miss Muir. These words...’ Jason tapped the pages impatiently ‘are not part of Brent’s vocabulary. I doubt he could draw up a contract if his life depended on it.’
‘I still don’t know what I’m being accused of.’
‘Getting what you want. In that, you’re like—’ Jason stopped abruptly.
‘Like?’ Morgan asked curiously.
Jason looked away from her. ‘Someone I know.’
‘A woman?’
‘Not that it’s your concern, but yes.’
An odd expression appeared in Morgan’s eyes, one that Jason had not seen until now. He wished he knew what it meant.
After a moment she said, ‘That’s what I thought...from the way you spoke...’ She paused. When she spoke again her tone was defensive. ‘There’s nothing wrong with the contract.’
‘Except that you’ve ensured your stay at Six-Gate Corral for a month.’
‘Sure I did. But the contract works two ways.’ Morgan’s voice was tight now. ‘It’s true that I made certain of my place at the ranch but, as I said earlier, we’re both protected. Brent knows I’ll be doing his work while he’s gone—that I’ll be taking care of things for him. That was important to him, knowing that the men would continue to eat well while he was away.’ Blue eyes seemed to be asking for understanding.
Jason’s