Claire McEwen - Return To Marker Ranch

“Who’s going to want to mentor a Hoffman?”

There was pain and truth behind his words. She looked at him for a long moment. What he was proposing was dangerous. To her heart, to the regrets she tried hard to lock away so they wouldn’t overwhelm her. But he was trying to make something of himself. Trying to prove himself. She understood that. She was living that.

“All right. We’ll try it.”

“Thank you,” he breathed, relief written stark across his face. “I promise I’ll take as little of your time as possible.”

He reached over the fence and put a light hand on her shoulder. “I’m truly grateful, Lori.”

He was looking at her like she was his guardian angel. His salvation. And then the reality of this, of them, tensed every muscle. How would he look at her if he knew what she’d done? With hatred? Disgust? Pity? Certainly not like this. “No problem,” she muttered through clenched teeth. Ducking out from under his hand, she turned, put her foot into Dakota’s stirrup and swung onto the mare’s back. “I’d better get going. I’ll come by later today.”

He was studying her face, obviously puzzled by her sudden change in mood. Well, let him wonder. When you slept with someone and then disappeared, you lost your right to explanations.

“See you this afternoon, then.” His voice was quiet, his reserve back.

“Yup” was all she could get out. She turned Dakota away, trying to breathe through the whirlpool of feelings. Regret, shame, old anger and the newest, unwelcome addition to the general chaos of her emotional life: excitement. This partnership meant they’d be spending more time together. And against all common sense, a part of her was happy about that.

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