should tell him she needed to rest, but who was she kidding? She had enough adrenaline pumping through her veins right now to run a marathon. Luke’s beckoning eyes darkened to a deep ocean blue, causing her breath to catch in her throat. Unknowingly, he had powers of persuasion that quelled a woman’s resolve. He was everyone’s Mr. Nice Guy and he’d been her own private knight in shining armor. It was hard denying him anything—thus her taking up residence here and working for him on Sunset Ranch. “Okay. I’ll meet you in the kitchen in thirty minutes.”
His stomach complained again and he grinned like a little boy. “I’ll be there.”
* * *
Audrey turned on the faucet, adjusting the water temperature to medium-hot, and stepped inside the shower. As the pulsating spray hit her naked body, she closed her eyes to the warmth and relaxed as she washed away the dusty morning drive. And just like that, memories rushed into her mind of an awkward, lonely time in her life.
She’d been sixteen and upset about missing her high school dance. Not that she was much of a dancer, but she’d missed being with friends who seemed to be moving on without her. She wasn’t happy spending most weekends on the road with Casey and this one Saturday night, she’d let her sour mood get the best of her.
Judd Calhoon and his friend were slightly older than she was and pretty much harmless. She wouldn’t call Judd her friend. He’d mostly teased her about being scrawny and younger, but they’d shared one common complaint—both would rather be spending their weekends at home. So when he’d dared her to sneak out of the trailer that was her second home with Casey, Audrey had found herself eager and willing to thumb her nose at her big brother’s rules. He was her half brother, anyway, she’d thought. And she’d been tired of his demanding, overprotective ways.
She’d met the boys at midnight—Casey, with a Saturday-night drunk on, would never have known she was gone—and they’d built a small campfire in a cleared-out field half a mile away from the rodeo arena. They’d had some laughs, and she’d been feeling really good about her rebellion. She’d even taken a swallow or two of whiskey the boys had brought along. Before she knew it, Judd’s friend had passed out, falling into a snoring heap on the ground three feet away from her. Judd had been drinking heavily by then, and his usual mocking tone had suddenly turned affectionate. His hands got grabby and his pockmarked face was suddenly all over hers. Judd Calhoon, the brother of the rodeo clown, was no Romeo, and Audrey had shoved him away, telling him he was stupid for trying such a stunt.
Judd hadn’t taken no for an answer. His affection had turned to demand and before Audrey knew it, she’d been pinned to the ground under him. “Get off,” she’d said, shoving at him.
He was too big, too clumsy and too strong for her and she’d realized he’d let her shove him away the first time. This time, her shove didn’t budge him.
“Aw, come on, Audrey. No one will know.”
He’d smelled of whiskey and tobacco. He’d kissed her chin, her cheek and kept missing her mouth because he’d been drunk and because Audrey kept turning her face away as fast as he came at her. “I said get off,” she’d shouted again, her fists pummeling the wooden block of his chest.
And he’d complied, just like that. Only it hadn’t been Judd doing the moving, but Luke, his hands in a vise grip on Judd’s shoulders. The next thing she knew, Judd was flying through the air, and Luke’s face was red with fury when he’d gone after him. He’d picked Judd up where he’d landed and had held him by the scruff of the collar. He’d spoken with deadly calm then. Audrey, knowing Luke like she did, had realized his great restraint as he’d lectured Judd and placed the fear of God in him.
“You okay?” Luke had asked her after he was through with Judd. He’d helped her up and she’d dusted herself off, grateful to Luke, but fearing what he had to say to her, too.
“I’m f-fine.”
“I wasn’t gonna do anything to her, I swear,” Judd’s voice squeaked from the darkness.
Luke hadn’t taken his eyes off her. “Shut up or I’ll take you to the sheriff.”
Luke had taken her hand then and led her to his truck. She’d gotten in and sat in silence on the ride back. She could tell Luke was fuming and part of his anger was aimed at her.
“That was real dumb going off in the middle of the night.”
“I kn-know.”
“Dangerous, too. Those boys are losers. Stupid to boot.”
Audrey had nodded again.
Luke had killed the engine of his truck twenty feet away from the trailer she shared with Casey.
“Why’d you do it, Audrey Faith?”
She’d stared straight ahead into the night and opened up her heart, telling him about her loneliness, her sadness over missing her friends at school and her terrible boredom at the rodeo. She’d told him how Casey was all over her with rules and regulations and that she’d felt like she never fit with anyone, anywhere. How Casey was only her half brother and how she’d had half a life. She was rarely home when it mattered and her only salvation was her love of horses. She’d cried a few times and Luke had leaned over to wipe her tears tenderly with his kerchief.
She’d spilled her guts and Luke had nodded like he understood, giving her words of encouragement for her to let it all out. He’d truly listened to her and in the end, when her body sagged, spent from her crushing confessions and soulful tears, Luke had offered her a compromise. He wouldn’t tell Casey what happened, and he’d go back to Judd and his friend and make sure they never bothered her again, if Audrey would promise to come to him when she was feeling like doing something stupid or reckless or dangerous. He’d encouraged her to talk to Casey about everything that bothered her, but told her he’d be there if she ever needed him.
For a girl who’d thought her brother would ground her for life if he ever found out what she’d done, Luke had offered her a dream deal. She’d agreed to his terms and Luke had sealed their little pact with a brotherly kiss to the cheek.
Audrey wasn’t sure a girl of sixteen knew a darn thing about love, but she was ninety-nine percent certain that that was the night she’d fallen deeply and wholeheartedly in love with Lucas Slade.
Audrey stepped out of the shower and toweled off vigorously, purging the memory from her mind. She dabbed at her throat, chin and face and talked herself out of any more reminiscing. It wouldn’t help her current situation. She was at a loss here with Luke.
And ten minutes away from making his lunch.
“You are in a pickle, Audrey,” she muttered as she dressed in her only change of clothes.
She combed her hair, banding it in a ponytail, and glanced in the mirror. The clothes were a slight improvement over the ones she’d worn this morning—new black jeans hugged her hips below the waist and a white peasant’s blouse with short sleeves sloped on her shoulders. Her boots were dark tan and well broken in, the most comfortable shoes she owned.
With three minutes to spare, she closed the door on her sleepy cat and sashayed down the hall, heading to the kitchen wondering if the old cliché still held true. The way to a man’s heart was through his stomach. If only...
* * *
“Hey,” Luke said
