Garrett rubbed one hand over the rough whiskers on his face, trying to remember just how long it had been since he’d slept with a woman. Finding female companionship had never been a problem, but lately he’d been too wrapped up searching for his birth mother to make time for anything else.
Garrett stood up as the aroma of fresh-brewed coffee teased his nostrils. He dressed and shaved at twice the usual speed, driven by the gnawing hunger in his stomach and the need to apologize to Mimi for his temper last night. The shock of finding a runaway bride hiding in his hayloft was no excuse. The least he could do was offer to give her a ride to her car first thing this morning and fill the tank with gas.
“Good morning,” she said cheerfully as he walked into the kitchen. She stood at the stove wearing one of his old flannel shirts, the tails hanging almost to her knees. The denim jeans she wore looked suspiciously familiar, too, the long legs rolled at the ankles. Her feet were bare, and her silky blond hair hung loose around her shoulders.
He shifted from one boot to the other, his throat suddenly dry and his heart pounding double-time. The stylish bride from the night before had disappeared. In her place was a woman who looked as if she’d just rolled out of his bed, her hair tousled and a sexy flush on her cheeks.
She transferred the bacon strips from the frying pan onto a plate, then flashed him a smile. “I found these clothes in your laundry room. I hope you don’t mind.”
He swallowed hard. “Not at all. Did you sleep well?”
Her smile widened. “I haven’t slept so well in years. It’s so quiet and peaceful out here. If you could bottle up the serenity and sell it, you’d make millions.”
Serene wasn’t exactly the way he felt when he looked at her.
“I hope you’re hungry,” she said, setting the bacon on the table next to a colorful egg casserole and a pot of steaming coffee.
“Starving,” he said, pulling out a chair for her and telling himself to confine his appetite to breakfast.
She served a hearty portion of the casserole on his plate, then watched expectantly as he forked up his first bite. “Well?”
He let the succulent flavors linger on his tongue, then swallowed. “What is it?”
“A vegetable frittata.”
He scooped up another bite. “What kind of vegetables?”
She picked up her coffee cup. “Onions and tomatoes and broccoli. Among other things.”
He reached for the serving spoon and covered half his plate with more of the frittata. “If you can make broccoli taste this good, you’re the one who will make millions.”
She laughed, and his heartbeat kicked up another notch. He picked up his coffee cup, telling himself it was a good thing she’d be gone soon or he could be in big trouble.
“Oh, I almost forgot,” she said, setting down her fork. “You got a phone call while you were in the shower. Some woman from the employment agency had a question about the position you want filled.”
Garrett swallowed a sigh of irritation. He’d contacted the agency over two weeks ago looking for a temporary employee. At this rate, calving season would be over before he ever got a ranch hand hired. “Did she leave a number?”
“No.”
He looked up from his plate. “Is she planning to call me back later?”
Mimi tucked a stray curl behind her ear. “No, but she is refunding your money.”
He scowled. “Why?”
“Because I told her the position is already filled.”
His stomach lurched, unsettling the large amount of vegetable frittata he’d just inhaled. Garrett wasn’t psychic, but he did have good instincts. And those instincts were telling him that trouble had already arrived. He took a deep breath, determined to remain calm. “Do you mind telling me why you did that?”
“You don’t need to find a ranch hand,” Mimi said, opening her arms wide. “You’re looking at her.”
Apprehension skittered across his spine. “Absolutely not.”
She leaned forward. “But, Garrett, I know I can do it. And this way you don’t have to waste time and money advertising for a ranch hand. I’m willing to work hard from sunup to sundown. And even longer, if necessary.”
His gaze fell to her chest, his whole body tightening at the way she filled out his old flannel work shirt. If he couldn’t even eat eggs with Mimi without fantasizing about her, how could he possibly work with her?
“Forget it,” he finally said. “You’re not cut out for ranch life. You’ll be much happier back in the city where you belong.” He stood up. “Thanks for breakfast. I’m going to feed the horses, which should give you just enough time to get cleaned up and ready to go.”
“Where exactly am I going?”
“That’s totally up to you. I’ll take you as far as your car.” His resolve wavered a little when he saw the bleak disappointment on her face. “Surely you have friends or family, someone who can help you.”
She shook her head. “I can’t go back to Austin.”
“Can’t or won’t?”
She didn’t say anything, just stared mutely at the coffee cup in her hands.
For the second time he wondered if she was in danger. He’d given refuge to a woman in danger before. And paid the price. He absently rubbed his left shoulder. The bullet hadn’t done any serious damage. The wound was scarred over, but still a little tender.
Of course, that had been an unusual situation. Jake Maitland had asked him to give Camille Eckart and her baby a place to hide from her abusive ex-husband. The old cabin on the outskirts of his ranch had provided the perfect sanctuary for them. At least, until Camille’s ex-husband showed up, armed and definitely dangerous. He’d tried to kill her, but had ended up dead by the time the confrontation was over. Garrett had suffered the only injury, but it still chilled him to think of the harm that might have come to Camille or her baby.
Still, Mimi didn’t act like a woman in jeopardy. She didn’t have the same shadow of fear that had hovered around Camille. No, Mimi was probably just afraid to face her fiancé. Or her family, who no doubt had gone into debt to pay for her fancy wedding. Still, what would it hurt him to grant her a temporary refuge?
Garrett firmed his jaw, feeling himself weakening. He couldn’t solve Mimi’s problems. He had enough of his own to handle.
“Do you need money?” he asked, trying to assuage his pesky conscience.
She met his gaze and tipped up her chin. “I don’t take charity. I’m willing to work for room and board, Garrett. The lady from the employment agency read the job requirements over the phone to me. It’s just a temporary job, which is exactly what I need. Just a month to get my life straightened out.”
A month. He’d barely made it through one night. The thought of having Mimi around day after day, night after night was enough to make him break into a sweat.
He shook his head. “You don’t understand. This is a working ranch. I raise registered Texas longhorns. I’ve got customers coming out all the time to buy breeding stock, so I need a ranch hand who can pick up the slack when I’m busy making a sale. Usually I can handle it on my own, but I do need help to get through calving season. Experienced help.”
“I’m a fast learner,” she countered.
He arched a brow. “Can you fix fence? Pull a calf? Brand?