but that was their business. Taking Hailey’s arm, Winn made an executive decision. He turned to Elena. “Miss Randall will join me for lunch on the terrace.”
“Yes, sir.” Elena hurried off, ignoring Hailey’s faint murmur of protest.
Two bright swaths of pink colored Hailey’s cheeks. “I didn’t come over expecting to be fed.”
“You made Elena happy.” Winn kept his tone conversational as he took her arm and ushered her through the house to the terrace. “Now, tell me about this man hidden in the barn.”
“Man?” Hailey stopped dead in her tracks, a frown furrowing her pretty brow. “What man?”
“Elena told you he was in the barn.”
Hailey dropped into a chair. The peel of laughter that burst from her lips both puzzled and delighted him. Try as he might to fight it, the gregariousness of the woman seated across the table had always appealed to him.
“The he is a dog.”
Winn blinked.
“Barks. Four legs.” Hailey’s tone was serious, though she appeared to be struggling not to laugh again.
Elena appeared with a glass of sangria and a tray of tapas, including mixed olives and cheese. The housekeeper’s smile appeared to widen at the ease between him and Hailey. Elena slipped back into the house to finish the salad preparation with a light step.
“The dog is a stray.” Hailey took a sip of sangria. Pleasure sparked in her blue eyes. “This is good. Try it.”
She thrust out the sangria. Winn obligingly drank and wondered what it’d be like if, instead of the glass, his lips closed over hers? Would her mouth taste as sweet as the sangria?
Winn shoved the thought aside and handed the fruity drink back with an easy smile. “Very nice.”
When she placed her lips on the glass, Winn experienced a hard punch of lust. It wasn’t the first time he’d felt this, but she was his neighbor and just coming off a difficult breakup. He leaned back in his chair and forced a composure he didn’t feel. “Tell me about the animal you came to see.”
He listened as she explained the border collie mix had strayed onto his father’s property. No one had reported the dog missing. Apparently it had been hanging around for several weeks. The ranch hands hadn’t let him starve.
“The shelter said, based on the information given, he’d probably been dumped.”
“You came all the way out here just to catch a look at some stray?”
“His name is Bandit.” Hailey spoke almost primly. “It was engraved on a tag hooked to his collar.”
“Makes sense.” Winn lifted his glass of tea and frowned slightly. “I guess.”
“When the dog was found, your father told Bobby to take him immediately to the shelter, but Bobby—and some of the other guys—wanted to try to find him a new home. The shelter was full and there was a chance he’d be put down. From what I gather, he’s a smart, sweet boy, young though, more puppy than—”
Winn held up a hand, like a schoolboy waiting for the teacher to call on him.
Hailey smiled. “Yes, Winn.”
“Who’s Bobby?”
“One of your father’s ranch hands.” Her tone implied it was something he should have known. “Bobby and I went to high school together.”
“So a friend from high school—who now works for my father—called you.”
“Actually, I ran into Bobby downtown. He told me about Bandit.”
“The border collie.”
“A+, Winn.” She unexpectedly grinned. “You’re paying attention.”
“One major piece of the puzzle doesn’t fit. Why would someone put a dog’s name on a tag but not their contact information?”
Hailey lifted her shoulders in a little shrug. “Why would someone dump a dog?”
“I’m surprised your friend didn’t take him.” Winn grimaced. He wasn’t into wasting time. So why was he having a conversation about a stray?
“Bobby’s place doesn’t allow pets.” Hailey paused to savor another sip of sangria. “I’ve been thinking about getting a dog, so I said I’d take a look. If I like what I see, I’ll take him home.”
Yep, he really was wasting time discussing a dog. Winn opened his mouth, determined to change the subject, when Hailey lowered her voice to a conspiratorial whisper.
“Bobby told me I could take him home, too.” She chuckled. “A two-for-one deal.”
An uncomfortable tightness gripped his gut, but Winn reminded himself it wasn’t any of his business who she dated...or took home to her bed. “Are you taking him up on the offer?”
She rolled her eyes, waved a dismissive hand. “Bobby has a girlfriend. Besides, after that fiasco with Josh, I’m not feeling particularly charitable toward old high-school classmates.”
“A+ for you,” Winn said, and made her laugh just as Elena appeared with their salads.
“Thanks.” Hailey offered the woman an extrawarm smile. “This looks delicious.”
“Yes,” Winn added. “Much appreciated.”
“The woman is a saint,” Hailey confided once Elena was out of earshot. “I don’t know how she stands—”
She stopped, as if suddenly realizing she was speaking to the son of the man she was about to disparage.
“Don’t stop on my account.” Winn offered a humorless chuckle. “I’d be the first to acknowledge my father is a difficult and complex man.”
That was all he’d say on the matter. As tired as he was of the dog talk, he wanted to discuss his father even less.
Hailey took another big gulp of sangria. “I love dogs, don’t you?”
On second thought, perhaps discussing his father wasn’t such a bad idea. “I haven’t had much contact with animals.”
Hailey set down her glass, tilted her head. “Surely you had a dog growing up?”
“You’ve met my father. You know how particular he is about his home, his possessions. Does he appear to be the type of man who’d tolerate a slobbering, hair-shedding, shoe-chewing creature in his home?”
Hailey put a finger to her lips, drawing his attention to her full sensual mouth. “You’re right. Definitely not a dog person.”
“From what I’ve observed, a pet of any kind is a big responsibility.” Winn placed the linen napkin on his lap with a preciseness that was as much a part of him as his hundred-dollar haircut. “Are you certain you have time
