Free B01EU62FUC (R) by Kirsten Osbourne Page A

walked into the house without knocking, as he usually did during working hours. “Jo, I wanted to have a talk with you about the ranch today. I packed us a picnic lunch.”
    Jo wrinkled her nose. “All right. We can have lunch.”
    “I saddled your gelding for the ride.” Bob indicated the two horses outside the window, and Jo followed him out.
    She swung her leg up over the saddle and rode with him to a spot along the side of the road. Bob spread out the quilt he’d tied behind his saddle and pulled the food from his saddle bags. “Now what did you need to talk to me about that couldn’t wait?”
    He spread the food out on the quilt while she sat on the ground, waiting for him. Bob had been Jo’s father’s foreman, and he had been obvious about his feelings for her since the day she’d taken over ownership of the ranch. She’d been just as obvious about her feelings for Dylan, after their initial season of getting to know each other.
    “I’ve been patient with you and your little crush on the vet, but I think I’ve waited long enough,” Bob said, biting into his sandwich. “It was your father’s wish that we marry, which I told you as soon as you took the ranch over.”
    “But it’s not my desire we marry. Doesn’t that matter to you at all?”
    “You haven’t given me a chance, Jo. As soon as you saw Dylan Drake, you forgot all other men existed. You need to give me an honest try. It was your father’s dying wish.”
    She shook her head. “Is that the only reason you brought me here?”
    “Are you saying you won’t give me a fair chance?”
    “I’ve never hidden the fact that I have feelings for Dr. Drake. I’m not going to give anyone else a chance. Why would I?”
    He grabbed her by the arm and pulled her to him. Valerie was just as disgusted as Jo was. She didn’t want to be touched by anyone but Jesse. She tried to pull her arm away, but his grip was too strong.
    Bob crushed her to him, kissing her. She pounded on his chest to get away, and then she was pulled from him, and Dylan was there, throwing a punch at the foreman.
    Bob landed flat on his back on the ground, staring up at Dylan who had fire in his eyes.
    “You have no right to touch a lady who doesn’t want to be touched.” He still had anger in his eyes as he grabbed Jo’s arm. “I’ll drive you back to the house.”
    In the car, he shook his head. “Why did you come out here with him? Why couldn’t you stay at home where you were safe?”
    She glared. “I can take care of myself, Dylan! He’s my employee, and I thought he wanted to give me an accounting of how the ranch was doing.”
    “By taking you on a romantic picnic lunch? How naïve can you be?”
    When the car stopped in front of the house, she got out and slammed the door. “I don’t need anyone managing my life! Not even you!”
    She stormed into the house and slammed the door behind her.
    Steven yelled out, “Cut!” He was smiling as he walked over to her. “That was perfect. Absolutely perfect. I could feel your anger with Dylan.”
    She nodded briefly, realizing that she was a little angry with Jesse. It hadn’t been hard to act angry. He seemed to be trying to take over her life, and that wasn’t what she wanted. She wanted someone to be beside her, not someone who would completely control her life. She’d had enough controlling with Curtis.
    “We’ll do the scene where you and Dylan make up after lunch.” Steven strode away, and Jesse appeared at her side as if by magic.
    “Are you hungry?” she asked, wondering what they’d do for lunch.
    He nodded. “Let’s go back to your trailer for some sandwiches.”
    She was surprised by how things were stilted between them. She’d thought once they finally made love, there would never be any tension. She’d been wrong. “We need to talk.”
    “Yeah, we probably do, but I’m not sure I’m ready to talk.”
    “Why not? You were the one who dropped a bomb on me, not the other way