Free Her Rugged Rancher by Stella Bagwell Page A

of mild dementia. Bella’s been going around the office in a fog. Now I can’t even keep your attention. Are you all right?”
    No. There was nothing right about him, Noah wanted to say. But he couldn’t. How could he explain to Jett that he was overwhelmed with the need to make love to his sister? That every moment of the day, she was on his mind like a wide-awake dream? Not only that, his encounter with Bella was the very thing he’d desperately tried to avoid all these years he’d been on the J Bar S. It was crazy. And he had to put a stop to it before his job, his whole life here on the ranch, came to an end.
    â€œHell, yes, I’m all right. Why wouldn’t I be?” he asked gruffly.
    Jett shrugged as he passed a keen gaze over Noah’s face. “You tell me. You’re not acting like your usual self. Have any of the guys been slacking or giving you a problem?”
    â€œNo. They’re all working hard and no tempers have flared. I’m just tired, that’s all. In fact, if there’s nothing else we need to talk over, I’m going to head home.”
    â€œGo ahead. I figure Sassy’s probably waiting dinner for me anyway.” He moved closer and gave Noah an affectionate slap on the shoulder. “Don’t pay any mind to me, Noah. It’s just that I worry about you.”
    Noah was momentarily taken aback. It was true that Jett considered him more of a close friend than an employee, but he’d never expressed this kind of concern before. “Worry? Why would you do that?”
    A wry expression crossed Jett’s face. “Because I want you to be happy. And it’s obvious that you aren’t.”
    Ignoring the hollow pain in the pit of his stomach, Noah let out a mocking snort. “Since when did you become a psychiatrist?”
    â€œI don’t need a doctor’s degree to figure out that much.”
    Noah hung the leather headstall back on its hook. “I guess the next thing you’re going to do is tell me I need to get out more. Find myself a woman and have a passel of kids.”
    â€œWell, it wouldn’t be the first time I’ve told you that.”
    â€œI wish to hell it would be your last.”
    â€œA family would change your life—for the better,” Jett argued.
    â€œOver my dead body,” Noah muttered, then giving his hat an unnecessary tug onto his forehead, he started toward the door. “I’m going home.”
    â€œNoah, wait a minute.”
    Reluctantly, Noah paused and turned to face the other man. “Jett, I really don’t want to get into this.”
    Jett shook his head. “I’m not about to give you a lecture, Noah, or anything like that. I just wanted to say that we’ve been good friends for years now. And I’ve never tried to stick my nose in your private life. Past or present. But it’s always been clear to me that you’re running and hiding from something. I just hope that one of these days you’ll turn and face whatever it is that’s haunting you. Because until then you’ll just be going through the motions of living.”
    His jaw tight, Noah muttered, “If that isn’t one of your lectures, I’d sure hate to hear one.”
    Grinning now, Jett made a backhanded wave at the door. “Go on. That’s all I have to say about the matter. I’ll call you from the Horn tomorrow and let you know about the saddles.”
    The sudden change of subject had Noah heaving out a breath of relief. “Fine. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
    â€œYeah. Have a good night, buddy.”
    Outside, Noah crossed the ranch yard to where his truck was parked near the saddling pen. By now darkness was fast approaching, shrouding the barns and connecting corrals with deep shadows. The rest of the ranch hands had left more than an hour ago and, other than a handful of goats eating from a trough, the work area was quiet.
    At any other