Free License to Love by Kristen James Page B

horses, Missy stayed indoors for the day. Somehow she
had to keep busy and not think about their kisses.
    The cabin had no TV, so she tried to finish the cleaning. It’d
been a mess when she moved in and she had slowly been moving things around and
settling in. She’d added some touches of her own here and there, and autumn
decorations, though she’d been hesitant to replace Ben’s things with her own.
    Coming here turned her life around. She’d spent three years thinking
about the firm, her accounts, building her reputation. She’d fought and won
battles. Now she questioned what she’d been fighting for. Whatever she sought
before, wasn’t there.
    But what would happen if this didn’t work out? She felt like
she was gambling every time she flirted with Brent. They could be business
partners if they wanted, but she wasn’t sure they could be lovers and make it
work. If that kind of relationship didn’t work, how would she stay here? She
was loving it more and more with each passing day; she hated to think about
leaving.
    She stood by the window that faced down the road, toward
Brent’s house even though she couldn’t see it from here.
    After glancing around the cabin, she went outside for a
walk. It was eleven, and she saw Dale and Ivan working on the fence Brent was
adding to section off the pasture.
    She needed to talk to them more, without Brent around, and
get to know them. What better way to befriend two men than with food? She
headed inside to fix something. Twenty minutes later, she brought them hot
drinks and sandwiches and hung around to hear their rodeo stories.
    Halfway through Dale’s recounting of the time he broke four
ribs, she heard Brent’s giant truck hauling down the gravel road. She knew she
wouldn’t get out of there in time without being rude, and that would undo her
efforts with the men.
    He pulled the truck up by his house and headed their way.
Why should she avoid him? She’d never felt so safe with anyone else.
    She watched him walk, watched his long jean-clad legs. He
was dependable about those jeans. Every day she got to drool over him in them.
    Teasing aside, he was patient. He gave great massages.
Cooked her a wonderful dinner. And every time, he walked her home without
making a move. Until that kiss.
    She met his gaze, wondering if he could tell what she was
thinking about.
    “So this is what I miss when I head into town for a day?”
    “You should take off more often.” Ivan grinned over his
sandwich.
    Brent gave her a look.
    “I wasn’t sure what to do with myself. You weren’t here
handing out chores.” She tried for the light tone that their teasing had
carried before, but when her gaze met his, she could tell he wouldn’t see her
as an annoying city girl ever again.
    Dale and Ivan both seemed to miss his lack of response and
jumped knee-deep into conversation about getting the fence finished before the
rain came back.
    “Thanks for lunch, Missy,” Dale said as the two men headed
back to work.
    “Seems they like you.”
    “I try.” She picked up the tray and mugs.
    “Listen, you don’t need me telling you what to do. If you
want to join them, go ahead. Or go for a ride. Feed the horses. You haven’t
gone into town that much, and it’s beautiful this time of year with the festive
decorations coming out.”
    “Are you tired of bossing me around?” She gave him a grin,
but he saw through it.
    “You don’t need bossing around.” He tipped his hat and
turned to leave.
    Just like that? She watched him go, sinking inside. Why
wasn’t she happy that he listened to her? First time she’d ever gotten a man to
do what she wanted, and it didn’t want to make her dance around. Darn him!
    She took the dishes back to the house before she headed down
to the stables. If she’d learned anything, it was how to muck out a stall, so
she took on the dirty job with a vengeance.
    Did he think she wanted space? Yeah, she’d asked to be
friends, but that meant she still