“Be careful what you wish for. You might get it.”
That brought about more whistles and laughs from the guys.
“Okay, boys, knock it off,” Martha said, bringing Des a sandwich. “And, Logan, I’m ashamed of you. Des is our guest. You’re supposed to be showing her a good time.”
“She asked to work the ranch today. I’m showing her how it’s done. She can quit anytime she wants.”
Oh. So that’s what this was about. He was testing her to see if she’d walk away.
Like his mother did.
Not a chance.
She shrugged and picked up her sandwich. “I’m not a quitter. Never have been.”
“We’ll see how you feel about that by the end of the day.”
LOGAN KNEW HE was being an ass**le, but there was something inside of him that demanded he test Des to her limits. He didn’t know what had come over him. Normally, he would have gone easy on a guest. They’d had plenty of people want to try their hand at ranching, and he and Ben and the hands always gave them easy tasks.
It had to be near a hundred degrees out there today. When they’d stopped for lunch, Des’s face was as red as a tomato, and she’d looked like she might pass out. She’d handled the morning just fine, and if he’d been a nice guy, he’d have told her to sit the rest of the day out.
But she’d been so goddamned determined, and she’d never once complained. So why not see if she had the grit she claimed, right?
So now, as she stood in the lane while they sorted cattle, he’d once again let Vic work with her.
Not a peep out of her as she ran to open one gate and close another so the cattle would head into the correct pens.
She learned fast, too.
The task took several hours, with no shade and in the baking afternoon sun. Des wore a long-sleeve shirt, jeans, boots, and a hat. He knew what it was like to work in those temperatures, but he had been born and bred to this, had been working cattle since he was a little kid.
Des wasn’t used to it, and typically they’d give their guests a sample of the work process, then give them a break.
Logan hadn’t given her a break. He was treating her like any of his other hands, making her put in a full day’s work.
What kind of a dickhead did that make him?
A first-class one. And he didn’t understand what the hell was the matter with him.
“You gonna cut that filly loose before she drops, son?”
Logan looked up at Ben, and lifted his chin. “She’s doin’ fine.”
“She ain’t fine, and you know it. You have a fight with her or somethin’?”
“No.”
“Then what the hell is your problem? Even with your momma on her meanest day, your daddy would have never treated her the way you’re treatin’ Des. So you go cut that girl loose, Logan, or I’m gonna do it for you.”
It was unheard of to be lectured by Ben. It hadn’t happened since he was in his teens. And he was ashamed it was happening now.
“You’re right. I’ll go take care of it.”
“You do that. The boys and I will handle things here. We’re almost done anyway.”
Logan walked around the outside of the pens and made his way to the rear where Des and Vic were working. He slid under the chute, signaled for one of the other hands to take Des’s place, and headed toward her.
She looked a wreck. Her boots were filthy and covered in cow shit. As a matter of fact, so was she. But she never even glanced his way, just worked with machine-like precision alongside Vic.
She’d make a fine hand. He admired her work ethic.
Logan whistled and everyone came to a stop, including Des.
“Brian’s going to take over for you, Des” he said, motioning to Brian, who stepped into the chute.
Des narrowed her gaze. “Why? I’ve got this covered.”
“I know. You did a great job today. Most seasoned hands wouldn’t be able to handle the kind of day you did. But that’s enough. You proved your point.” He led her out of the chute and back toward the house.
“I had no point to prove,” she said, staying in step beside him. “I think that was you.”
He stopped and turned to her. “No, I didn’t.”
“Didn’t you?” She took off her work gloves and handed them to him, then pulled her phone out of her back pocket and hit a button. “Hey, it’s Des. Can you come get me? I’m over at the McCormack ranch.”
She waited, her gaze staying firmly on Logan. “Great. I’ll see you soon.” She tucked her phone back into her jeans.
“Des.”
She held up her hand. “Look, Logan. I get that you don’t trust many women. But I thought we were past that, that things between you and me were different. I guess I was wrong.”
She headed over to the barn so he followed. She stopped at the sink, shrugged out of her long-sleeve shirt, leaving her wearing only her tank top. She turned on the water and grabbed the soap, then started scrubbing her hands and arms. And the whole time, she ignored his presence.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said.
This time, she wouldn’t look at him. “Don’t you? Betting against me? Trying to test me to see if I’d crumble and run?”
She’d read him perfectly. “I can explain that.”
She turned off the water and grabbed a paper towel to dry her hands. “I don’t need you to explain anything. I get it, I really do. But I can’t do anything about how you feel.” She grabbed her shirt and headed outside.
There was a black SUV waiting by the house. Des walked over to it.
“Des, we need to talk,” Logan said.
She laid her hand on the door handle, then lifted her gaze to his. “Oh, I think you said enough today, Logan.”
“Let me take you back to the set. We can have dinner, talk things over.”
“No. I’m tired, I’m hot, and I smell like cow shit. Furthermore, I’m pissed as hell at you for daring to compare me to—” She shook her head. “Never mind. All I want to do is soak in my nice whirlpool tub—because you know us rich actresses do things like that—and then I’m going to bed.”
She opened the door, slid in, and shut it. He heard the click of the door locks, the sound ringing with a firm finality that made his stomach clench.