Free A Rancher's Christmas (Saddlers Prairie) by Ann Roth Page B

lights down there.
    His footsteps thudded down the wooden steps, each one sounding like a scold. Feeling terrible for insulting him, she chafed her arms.
    Uncle Lucky’s portable dishwasher was still hooked up to the kitchen faucet from after dinner. The cycle was finished, and she unhooked and wheeled it to its place against the wall.
    She was about to put the clean dishes away when she heard Zach come up the stairs.
    Her heart pounded. Twisting her hands at her waist, she met him at the top of the steps. He looked surprised. “What’s wrong?”
    “I just— Don’t be angry, Zach.”
    “Damn straight, I’m mad. I don’t like being judged, especially when you know nothing about me.”
    She was wearing flat ankle boots tonight, which gave him a height advantage of at least four inches. Looming over her with a dark expression, he was intimidating, but she met his gaze. “Not for lack of asking. You won’t tell me anything.”
    “My past is my business. It’s over and done with, and I don’t talk about it.” He crossed his arms as if daring her to say one more word about the subject.
    Frustrated, she offered something of an apology. “I won’t bring up your past again, all right? But don’t blame me for making assumptions. They’re all I have to go on.”
    That didn’t make him any happier, and she threw up her hands. “You should probably just go home,” she said, hating the thought of his leaving like this, of being alone for the rest of the evening.
    “I’ll stay until the dishes are done. You empty the dishwasher and I’ll bring in the stuff from the living room.”
    “That’d be nice. Thank you.”
    * * *
    N OT IN THE best of moods, Zach turned and headed back to the living room. Of all the nights to have words with Gina. He didn’t want to argue with her or leave things unsettled. The second he’d caught sight of her in the airport baggage claim, he’d known they were as mismatched as a cowboy boot and an expensive pump.
    The problem was that every time he saw her, he wanted her more.
    He shouldn’t have kissed her yesterday, but he wasn’t sorry he had.
    The plates clattered loudly as he stacked them. Then he remembered Gina’s warning to be careful. He collected the utensils and glasses with more care and brought them to the kitchen.
    Gina was putting away the clean silverware and acknowledged him with a curt nod.
    Time for an apology. He set the dirty dishes in the sink and waited for her to look at him. Her wary expression tugged at something in his chest. “Look, I don’t want to fight with you,” he said.
    “I’m so sorry for what I said—what I implied.” She swallowed loudly, her eyes filled with remorse. “That was rude and completely uncalled for.”
    “It was, but I overreacted. We’ve both been through a lot, especially today, and feelings are raw.”
    “It isn’t just losing Uncle Lucky.” She bit her lip. “I’m worried about things at work.”
    “Ah.” She kept reminding him that work was her main priority, and he kept forgetting. Unable to think of a decent reply, Zach shook his head. “I’ll grab my coat and let you get back to it.”
    “Tonight I don’t want to do anything remotely work related,” she said. “I don’t even want to think about my job, but I’m so stressed out that I can’t help it. Carrie, my assistant, isn’t doing what she promised. She’s supposed to take up the slack and handle the accounts while I’m here. I’ve only been gone three days, and already she’s fallen behind. My clients expect blue-ribbon service. I can’t risk losing them because of her.”
    Zach understood. “Ask a colleague to step in and help.”
    “I’m going to have to,” she said. “But everyone is trying to clear off their desks before Wednesday, when we close for the long Thanksgiving weekend.”
    “Have you talked to your boss?”
    “Not yet.” She sighed. “It’s a bit of a mess. My assistant and I both assured him that she was up to the