Free Surrender to Desire by Tory Richards Page A

job.”
    Chaz nodded. “Yeah, I finished up early. All I want now is a
couple days of R and R.”
    He backed up when Callie moved toward him. “I haven’t
checked your room since I’ve been here. It might be a little stuffy.” She
scooted around him.
      “I think I can handle
that.” He chuckled.
      “Would you like a cup
of coffee or something to eat?” She turned when they entered the kitchen. “I
was just thinking of fixing a snack.”
    “If it’s no trouble,” he said, pulling a chair away from the
table and sitting down. “So, where are you from, Callie?”
    “New York.” She opened the fridge and took out some cheese
and cold cuts. “City born and raised.”
    “This is your first experience on a ranch?”
    “Yes. And except for being chased up a tree by a big black
cow my first day here, it hasn’t been bad.” Especially
her and Blade’s sexual escapades.   Callie cast him a smile. She made him a sandwich piled high with cold
cuts and cheese. “This one’s on me,” she joked, setting it, and a cup of
coffee, down on the table in front of him.
    Because he looked so much like Blade, Callie found that
talking to Chaz came easy. She felt comfortable with him. What surprised her
most was that she wasn’t attracted to him in the least. There was no spark
there as there had been when she first met Blade. Maybe that’s because my heart already belongs to his brother. That
sudden realization stunned Callie. It was too soon to know where things might
be going between her and Blade. At thirty, she couldn’t afford to jump to
conclusions that might end up hurting them both.
    “That big black cow must have been Satan. Thanks,” he said,
picking up half of the sandwich and taking a big bite.
    “Thank God Blade came by, otherwise I’d still be up that
tree. He had to rescue me.” Callie sat down.
    Chaz’s gaze moved over her with mild interest. “I’m sure
Blade didn’t mind rescuing a pretty damsel like you.”
    The compliment sounded sincere. It dawned on her that the
Evans brothers liked their women with curves. Maybe because they were as big as
mountains themselves.
    “So, how are you and he getting along? Blade can be moody when
he wants to be. Especially when he has a migraine.”
    Callie choked on her sandwich. A fit of coughs racked her
body. The next thing she knew Chaz was pounding on her back until they
gradually let up. She exchanged a look with him, feeling the heat of embarrassment
on her cheeks. He was looking at her with a curious mixture of interest and
speculation in his dark eyes.
    Oh crap! She
smiled nervously. She didn’t know Chaz that well, but she recognized a
questioning look when she saw one. He was trying to figure out if there was
something between her and Blade.
    “Okay now?”
    Callie nodded. “Thank you.” She took a sip of coffee. “Would
you like another sandwich?”   She noticed
his plate was empty.
    “No, ma’am.” He scooted his chair back. “I think I’ll take a
ride and see what’s been going on while I’ve been away.”
    Callie stacked their plates and took their dirty dishes to
the sink.
    “Have you had a chance to ride yet?”
    She shook her head. “No.”
    His smiling eyes crinkled at the corners. “Well, you’re
dressed for it. Why don’t you go with me? We’ll head out to the birthing
pasture. This time of year there’s bound to be a few calves running around.
We’ll look for Blade while we’re out.”
    Excitement rushed through Callie.   She thought about the work she still had to
do, but the thought of possibly seeing Blade in his element made the decision
for her. “I’d love to see the calves but I’ve never been on a horse by myself.
I’m not sure—”
    Chaz didn’t give her a chance to back out. “Come on, you’ll
do fine. We have a gentle little mare we use for city slickers. She’ll be
perfect for you.”
    How could she say no? Especially when Chaz was already
forcing her out the kitchen door and down the steps.