Part 2 (1/2)
21.
”You want me to make coffee, Mr. James?” she asked with a thick Spanish accent.
”No, it's okay, Isabella. I'll get these, thanks. This is Rachael Harrison, the new vet and Colin's cousin. Rachael, this is Isabella Mendez, our housekeeper and general domestic savior.” James introduced them.
”It's nice to meet you, Isabella.” Rachael nodded and smiled at the older woman.
”Encantada,” she replied before bustling out again.
James talked to Rachael as he made the coffee. ”Y'know, we were in the same year at elementary school, but you were in a different cla.s.s.”
”Really? I don't remember clearly. Did you pull my hair?”
”I plead the Fifth.”
”You can plead whatever you want. It won't save you. They do say that vengeance is a dish best served cold,” she joked.
He laughed and held up a mug. ”Let me guess.” He deliberately glanced down at himself and slightly opened his arms. ”You like medium-light with a little sugar?”
Rachael realized that James was a tease. Well, two can play at this little game. ”Not usually, but I don't mind if there's nothing else. I prefer mine strong, dark and definitely not sweet.” She let her gaze wander to Joshua and then back to James, smiling innocently at him.
”In fact, right now I need a big one.”
James's mouth fell open, and for a few seconds, he was lost for words. Then he laughed. ”I can give you that, sweetheart.” He turned to the pot, grinning.
Joshua s.h.i.+fted his stance and looked a little uncomfortable. For a brief moment, Rachael wondered if she had overstepped the line and that her teasing had annoyed him. Then she noticed the impressive-looking bulge in his pants and understood that wasn't the case. She quickly snapped her gaze up to his face, swallowed down a gulp and feigned a look of polite inquiry.
22.
He cleared his throat. ”About the procedure...what's needed?”
She immediately slipped into no-nonsense business mode. ”Well, apart from the probe, which Colin will have to arrange to be couriered, you'll need a cattle pen that is capable of being opened at the sides because, if the bull has problems standing afterward, it might need to be released quickly. I also don't want a head bail with choke bars because it could put pressure on the animal's spine.”
”Not a problem. We can do that.”
Rachael explained the procedure in a matter-of-fact, professional manner, highlighting the pros and cons, rea.s.suring them that it was the best option for a bull with an injured leg.
”I'd better take a look at him to determine what size of probe we'll need.”
As Joshua led the way to the barn, Colin walked with Rachael and leaned in close so that only she could hear his words. ”Are you sure that you can handle this? I wouldn't want to lose good clients like the Rydens,” he whispered apologetically.
”Don't worry. I've done it lots of times.” She thumped his back rea.s.suringly.
When she saw the bull, she nearly had second thoughts. He was a huge beast, and she judged that her arm would only just be long enough.
”Well, this is an easy call. We'll need the biggest probe. Can you get one in time, Colin?”
”Yep. Mark can courier us one in from Houston. He's making a delivery there tomorrow, as luck would have it.”
”Super. Are you still okay with me doing it, Joshua? I wouldn't want to force my services on you.”
She looked at him with just a ghost of a smile on her lips. Joshua wondered if she was playing with him. It was a novel experience, as
23.
most people tended to err on the side of caution when dealing with him, and a lot of women were just plain unsettled by his size and character. Her words conjured a plethora of images regarding the various ways she could service him and, though he couldn't be sure, he had the impression that she knew what he was thinking. He tried to concentrate on ranch business and not his increasing interest in Rachael and the pounding in his pants.
”I'll give you a chance, Rachael, trusting that you are, in fact, good enough.” He echoed her words from the conversation in his UV.
She nodded and gave him a genuine smile, which soften his hardened, and, if he were honest, lonely heart.
As they finished their coffee, he noticed that she looked a little drained. No doubt she was feeling the tiring effects of her long journey. That, together with the fact that Colin was clearly desperate to catch up with family news, had him wrapping up their business conversation quickly.
Watching them go, James turned to Joshua. ”An intriguing woman.”
”You blatantly seemed to think so.”
”Well, you can't blame a guy for trying, but I have to say, brother, I've never seen a woman less interested in me and more interested in you. No offense.”
”None taken; you try harder.”
”Are you staking a claim of interest?”
Joshua considered his brother's words. ”We'll see.”
He recognized that she was smart and tenacious, which alone made her very attractive to him. Of course, it didn't hurt that she was mighty fine-looking too. He only hoped that her confidence wasn't misplaced. If Thursday turned out to be a disaster, she probably wouldn't be staying.