Page 31 of Dallas Rivals

Then there’s Eliza—Mr. Walker’s housekeeper—who reminds me of one of the fairy godmothers from Sleeping Beauty. The one in red… was that Flora or Fauna? I can never remember.

Anyway, she’s the sweetest soul—always smiling, always feeding the rich boy—sorry, Lord Walker—and somehow always ready with good advice.

The other day she caught me talking about Roger. I didn’t get far before I chickened out, but she did say I should probably be honest about not wanting anything serious.

“Maybe just a touch-and-go,” she called it—with a wink, of course.

I lift my eyes from the necklace, and—huh.

The cows are gone.

Well, not gone, exactly—they’ve all bunched up by the fence, practically begging for attention… from Mr. Walker.

I stare at the sky, raising a brow.

“Really? That’s your answer, Grandma?”

I walk carefully toward my boss, forcing a polite smile—not too bright, not too serious—and ask,

“Can I help you with something, Mr. Walker?”

He looks up. The faint smile he’d been wearing while petting the cows disappears instantly.

“No. Am I not allowed to spend time with my own cattle?”

Okay then…

Why does he always use that tone with me?

When he talks to anyone else, he sounds calm, steady, reasonable.

With me, it’s like every word comes out through clenched teeth.

“Of course you can,” I say sweetly. “I just wondered if you needed to tell me something, give me some direction…” I turn halfway around and mutter under my breath, “…criticize the thousand things I apparently do wrong.”

“I heard that, Miss Saint-Clair.”

Crap.

“Shouldn’t you be rounding up the cattle by now? The sun’s almost gone.”

There it is. The daily complaint.

I turn back and flash a fake smile.

“I was just about to, but they seem pretty entertained at the moment.”

Can’t blame them.

I mean, I’m not blind.

Mr. Walker is ridiculously good-looking.

It’s the strong, chiseled jaw, those thick dark brows, and those deep, unreadable eyes.

I have a theory: he’s part of that rare ten percent of the population whose pheromones cause immediate attraction.

Basically, he’s one of the most handsome men I’ve ever seen.