Page 120 of Her Boss, Her Rancher: Sunrise On The Ranch

“That precious child?”

“Just wait,” she said as she walked out of his room.

He smiled, watching her go. He really didn’t want to eat breakfast alone.

Again.

Four

At breakfast, Bella watched Jared wipe his dish clean, soaking up the last of his soft-boiled eggs with a wedge of sourdough toast. It was gratifying to see him eat so hardily. The crostata was nearly half gone. Granted, he’d made her sit at the kitchen table and have a bite with him, so she’d had a nibble, as well.

“I’ll be three hundred pounds if you keep feeding me this way,” he said, plopping the last of his toast into his mouth. “What’s in that crostata that makes it taste so good?”

“That’s a chef’s secret,” she said. “But if you promise not to tell...”

“I promise.”

“Butter...lots of butter. Everything tastes better with butter.”

“I thought that’s what they say about bacon.”

She smiled. “That, too.”

She got up and poured him another cup of coffee. He liked it black with one heaping spoonful of sugar. “You must not eat what you cook,” he said.

“I do.”

He glanced at the waistline of her white jeans and then lifted his gaze to her chest before meeting her eyes, shaking his head the entire time. “How do you do it?”

“It has something to do with chasing around a toddler. Plus I make it a habit to eat bites of food instead of the entire dish.”

“Ah,” he said, “that explains it.” He glanced at his completely empty dish. “Guess I failed at that. But it was delicious.”

“Thank you. But, Jared, just so you know, I like to balance the meals, so that you’re not eating heavy at every meal. Lunch will be light, I promise.”

“Because you don’t want a three-hundred-pound employer?”

“Because of theH-word. Some chefs don’t believe in it, but I do.”

His brows gathered and a question formed on his lips.

“Healthy eating. Emphasis on good health.”

“Does that mean I can’t have beef? You do know I co-own a cattle ranch.”

She smiled. “It means there are leaner cuts of meat and ways to prepare them that are healthier than others.”

“I do know that.”

“Until you’re back on your feet, it’d be best if I keep the food on the lighter side.”

“No more crostata?”

She shrugged, feeling a bit guilty. “I wanted to make a good first impression on you on my first day.”

“Darlin’, you don’t have to worry about my impression of you. I already think you’re a combination of Wonder Woman and Clara Barton.”

She nibbled on her lower lip and a flush of heat raced to her cheeks. She couldn’t look at him. He was too honest, too humble and too darn appealing. It made her hate herself a little bit to find him so attractive.