to trying all the adventures. Especially the rafting. That looks like so much fun!”
“It’s a blast,” he returned, nodding and giving her a schooled smile.
The guesthouse screened door screeched again, and when he glanced toward the small porch, his blood surged and heated. His smile grew as Kate walked toward them. She had a graceful stride, but even her poise didn’t mask the sexy sway of her hips. When she met his gaze, her cheek dimpled with a quick grin before her attention shifted to her friend. “Dean just called you. I answered it and told him I’d get you, but he said he was just checking that we arrived okay.”
Dawn pressed a hand to her full bosom. “What a sweetie. Did he want me to call back?”
Kate shrugged. “When you get a minute. The connection wasn’t good, so...”
“Yeah. Cell reception out here stinks. The landline in the guesthouse might be the better option for phone calls.” Josh got his first up-close look at Kate’s mossy green eyes, and something deep inside him kicked.
She tucked her blond hair behind her ear and moistened her lips with a quick swipe of her tongue. Josh’s mouth watered, and he clenched his hand inside his pocket.
Damn but he wanted to kiss those pink lips!
Instead, he motioned toward her, saying, “You’ll want to keep some lip balm close by. The air here is pretty dry, and it can be brutal to lips.”
She seemed a little startled by his non sequitur, and a wrinkle of confusion creased the bridge of her nose briefly before she nodded. “Okay. I will. Thanks.”
Her gaze went to his mouth before darting away.
“And sunscreen, especially when we’re on the adventure outing. It might only be May, but skin as fair as yours—” he caught himself and included Dawn with his gaze “—and yours, will burn easily, even this time of year.” He touched the brim of his black felt Tony Lama hat, adding, “A good wide-brimmed hat helps, too.” He winked at them. “And you thought we just wore these doozies because they look good.”
Both of the women laughed, and Dawn swatted his arm, clearly flirting. “That they do, cowboy!”
He stepped back from Dawn’s hand and doffed his hat as he eased away. “Until later, ladies. Duty calls.”
As he shuffled into the mudroom of the main house, he shook his head and chuckled. “Ironic.”
“What’s ironic?” his sister, Piper, said from a stool at the kitchen counter.
After shucking off his work boots, he strolled into the kitchen and snitched one of the potato chips on Piper’s plate. She batted at his hand.
“Hey, mooch, get your own!”
“Why? Yours are right here.” Man, he loved to tease her. Having her back at the ranch after seven years felt good. The McCall family was complete again. Having her part of this new business venture with Zane felt ordained.
“What’s ironic?” she repeated, sliding her plate out of his reach.
“Oh, the two women who came this afternoon from the PR firm. I was just talking to them outside and...well, one of them is not so subtle about her interest in me...”
Piper snorted. “Vain much, Josh?”
“Hey, I know flirting when I see it.” He walked around her and took another potato chip. “But the other lady, the one I actually think is pretty hot, seems...I dunno...kinda skittish.”
Piper pivoted on the stool to face him, folding her arms over her chest. “Back up, Doofus. You find her hot?”
“Damn right. She’s gorgeous.”
Piper arched a dark eyebrow at him. “This is a travel adventures business we’re trying to launch, bucko, not a dating service. The customers are off-limits.”
He paused with a potato chip halfway to his mouth. “Says who?”
“Says...everyone. Mixing business and pleasure is bad form.”
He gave her a withering scowl as he crunched the chip. “I disagree. If both parties are willing, why can’t I have a little fun on the side...if you know what I mean.” He gave her a wink.
Piper chuckled and shook her head. “Josh, even Zeke knows what you mean,” she said, referring to the family’s part–Maine coon cat, who was circling Josh’s legs, meowing for attention. “You’re about as subtle as a bat to the head.”
Josh stooped to lift the long-haired cat into his arms. Zeke immediately draped himself over Josh’s shoulder and commenced purring loudly. “You’re on my side, right, buddy? You think I should be able to romance the customers if they’re open to it, right?”
Piper grinned. “He’s been neutered. He doesn’t know what you’re talking about.”
Josh winced in sympathy for the feline, then gave his sister a wry snort. “His being neutered is not the reason he doesn’t know what I’m saying.”
“Case remains, you cannot mess around with the customers.” She stood and gave Zeke a scratch on the head, which the fur ball leaned into with relish. “It’s bound to end badly, and we cannot afford to screw anything up with the business.”
Josh shoved the cat into her arms, then took the last potato chip off her plate. “Maybe we’ll put it to a vote of all the partners.”
“Maybe we will,” she returned. “But in the meantime, we have a welcome dinner to put on and more guests arriving in another hour.” She looked him up and down. “And you smell like crap.”
“Because I was helping deliver a calf an hour ago.”
Piper perked up. “Really?” She set Zeke on the ground and dusted fur from her shirt. “Why didn’t anyone tell me? I would have helped! I love births!”
“Plenty more to come, sister dear.” He took his leave. “I’ll be in the shower if anyone comes looking for me.”
“Are you looking for anyone in particular?” Dawn asked Kate that night as they strolled into the small cluster of people gathered on the ranch yard around a festively decorated buffet table and smoking grill.
“Uh, no. Why?” Kate tucked a loose wisp of her hair behind her ear and felt a telltale prickle in her neck as she flushed with embarrassment. She hadn’t realized she’d been so obvious, craning her neck as she scanned the faces in the crowd for one in particular.
Dawn bumped Kate’s hip with hers and cackled. “You are the worst liar!”
Kate bumped her back. “Shut it.”
“You know you don’t need to look for him. I guarantee Josh’ll find you before this shindig gets started good.” Dawn straightened the neon multicolored scarf she had draped around her neck to accent her bright green blouse. “You need only sit back and wait.”
Kate questioned her friend with a furrowed-brow glance.
“Oh,
