Page 86 of Her Boss, Her Rancher: Sunrise On The Ranch

“Not yet. No goodbyes until the end of the job,” he said. “I’ll be around when you come back. We can say our goodbyes later. A farewell kiss would be good. Then we’ll have a hello kiss when we’re together,” he said. He leaned down and kissed her again.

She finally turned and boarded the plane where she sat to watch him drive away. She wondered if he had plans to be at the ranch when she returned.

For the rest of the next week Lucinda, Eli and Sierra worked together in New York, looking at furnishings and artwork, getting together at the office to go over the day’s selections, plus the changes, the sketches and suggested purchases.

Sierra worked long hours looking at sketches, plans, catalogues and pictures of furnishings. During the day she spent time in art galleries, searching for the right pieces, wondering all the time if Blake would like what she did.

She missed him and thought about him constantly. She tried to convince herself it was because she was working on the design for his new wing. Late at night he usually called, and they talked for a long time about nothing important.

The more she missed him, the more she worked. Late on Wednesday night she fell asleep at her desk. Her phone woke her, and when she heard Blake’s voice, she came fully awake. She was glad to talk to him. She sat back, listening to him, telling him about paintings she had selected, and sending him pictures from her phone of what she had chosen that week, even though he had said he didn’t want to be consulted.

To her relief he listened, made suggestions and, even better, liked what they had picked and what they planned to do.

“Tomorrow I’ll call the contractor and set up a time for all of us to meet at your ranch. We’ve talked on the phone and I’ve sent plans, so he already knows a lot about what he’ll need to do.”

“What I’m interested in is when you’ll be here at the ranch to stay, and we can be alone.”

She laughed. “You lusty, lusty man. Eli and Lucinda will be with me when I come back. Eli is excellent in dealing with contractors, and I’m turning some of that over to him. I don’t know if you and I will be alone much.”

“That’s not what I want to hear. I’ll work on that one. This is a big house. We’ll put Eli and Lucinda in the guest houses. They might enjoy the privacy.”

“Actually, they might enjoy the peace and quiet. However, do not make plans for me to move in with you when I’m busy, and so many people are working in your house.”

“I wouldn’t think of asking you to move in with me.”

“Oh, yes, you would, and I’m sure you were planning exactly that,” she remarked, amused and certain she was right.

“Well, I’ll admit the thought crossed my mind.”

Smiling, Sierra continued talking with him for another hour before finally telling him goodbye.

During the week she called Nan to ask about William. Sierra hoped Blake would really care about the kid. He had cared enough to give William some attention when they were in Kansas, but that had been easy. Now, when Blake was back in Texas, it would be a bigger task. Part of her hoped Blake would make the effort.

For the rest of the week she got a call late every night from Blake, but then he had meetings in California and the calls stopped. She knew he was busy with his commercial properties, and he was deeply involved in his work. And she also knew that she should get used to living without his conversation or company.

Sooner or later she’d have to let go because they had no future together.

Blake’s schedule was packed, partially because of things he had put off doing when Sierra was at the ranch, and partly because he worked at finding ways to keep busy to try to forget her.

She was not his type, and the sooner he went on with his life, the better off he would be. All sensible thoughts, but not a solution. He missed seeing her. He wanted to go out with her again, and he wanted her back in his bed.

Blake called old friends, accepted party invitations, kept busy and resisted calling Sierra. His father had just built a new luxury hotel in Florida, and Blake had already bought nearby land and made arrangements to start construction. Blake flew out to look, staying in his father’s hotel to check it out, something he did about once a year. His hotels were taking more business than ever from his father’s.

But even that work made him think of Sierra. He remembered their conversations about his father. She didn’t understand his motives because she had never been hurt the way he had. She had grown up insulated by the love of her family.

He had seen the latest figures on the hotels. He had cut into his dad’s business so much that he expected him to sell his properties.

In years past that small success would have brought more satisfaction than it did now. Was that Sierra’s influence—or was Blake tiring of trying to get a bit of revenge for the years his father had refused to acknowledge him?

Blake thought about the kid at the picnic, William, who didn’t know his father and had lost his mother. There ought to be some way to help the boy beyond sticking him in a shelter. The shelter was better than the street, of course, but there must be something that would give him a better chance in life. Blake made a note to have someone look into it.

That was definitely Sierra’s influence, he thought.

How could she have had such an impact on him in such a short time?

In early April, Sierra flew to Dallas to meet with Blake and his contractor, and make arrangements to commence work. She was jittery, and not sure if it was because she was presenting their final plan for Blake’s approval or because she would be seeing him again.

When she stepped out of the rental car, he was waiting on his porch. Tall and handsome, Blake looked like the Texas rancher he was with his jeans, boots and tan shirt. He came down the steps to sweep her into his embrace.