Free Round-the-Clock Temptation by Michelle Celmer Page B

her breakfast, but the room was empty. He checked the office next, but she wasn’t there, either, and she wasn’t upstairs in her room.
    Where the hell was she?
    He took the stairs two at a time and headed out to the stable. The sun was a glowing orange shadow on the horizon and the air was chilly and scented with fresh hay.
    No Nita, but he did find Jimmy.
    â€œHave you seen Nita?” Connor asked him.
    â€œShe got up early this morning. A couple of the men thought they saw a light out in the west pasture last night. They took the truck out there but whoever it was musta heard ’em and run off. Nita went to check it out.”
    â€œ Alone, in the dark?”
    The old man shrugged. “Said she wanted to search the property for more holes before we set the horses out to pasture.”
    Connor could hardly believe what he was hearing. “And you let her go?”
    His look was solemn. “She is the boss, Connor. I’m in no position to be giving her orders.”
    â€œYou could have at least gone with her.”
    â€œI offered, she said no thanks.”
    Connor knew she was doing this to get back at him for last night. He cursed under his breath and headed forGoliath’s stall. He had him saddled and ready to go in three minutes. “She ever does this again, you come and find me right away.”
    â€œI know you’re worried about her getting hurt, but she can handle herself,” Jimmy said as Connor walked Goliath out of the stable and mounted him.
    â€œI know she’d like to believe that, but right now, she’s not safe anywhere by herself.” He drove his heels into the horse’s sides and took off in search of her.
    Â 
    Nita studied the tracks in the dirt. There was a single shovel mark in the ground, as if the digger had been interrupted. That must have been about the time the boys drove out to investigate.
    She shook her head. Whoever was doing this, was certainly persistent, and not very intelligent if he thought she would fall for this old trick again. But if he’d set out to annoy her, he’d succeeded. She was going to have to have a talk with the men to see if anyone would be willing to patrol the property at night until the guilty party was caught. Maybe they could take three-or four-hour shifts. And if they were really lucky, maybe they would catch him in the act.
    A smile curled her lips when she thought about what she would do if she caught him herself.
    She heard the beat of a horse’s hooves and, looking at her watch, knew it was Connor. She didn’t have to turn and look at him to know he’d be angry she’d left without him.
    She was hoping he would be, though it couldn’t begin to make up for the anger and humiliation she’d felt last night when he’d turned her down. And yes,she’d been hurt. She’d never misread a man as badly as she had Connor. She’d been sure he was as interested in her as she was in him.
    Apparently not.
    Although that didn’t explain the bulge in his jeans. He’d definitely been turned on, but he sure had freaked out when she’d touched him. Then it occurred to her, maybe by saying he was damaged, he’d meant he was physically disfigured somewhere down there. He had been in an explosion. What if his back wasn’t the only place he’d been burned. Maybe he was embarrassed to let her see him.
    Oddly enough, the thought was almost comforting. He hadn’t actually rejected her. He was looking out for her welfare—protecting her from the gruesome truth. And he’d said that, hadn’t he? At the time she’d figured it was just some lame put-down line. Maybe he thought she’d be appalled by the way he looked.
    Well, hell, he didn’t need to feel embarrassed. She didn’t care what it looked like, as long as the plumbing worked, and even if there were kinks to work out she would be okay with that, too. The more challenging, the more