Fortune's Way Read Online Free

throat. “I’ll be tidy, I assure you.”
    The son stepped forward. “That’s not what he meant. We want you to make yourself at home, of course. Kyle was just referring to the fact that we’re pretty comfortable with things the way they are. Neither of us is keen to change what we think is working rather well.”
    “If it ain’t broke…” Kyle raised his brows.
    She hardened her gaze at the blond hunk. “Apparently something is broken, or I wouldn’t be here, would I?” Turning her attention to the son, she started, “Mr Fortune, I—”
    He raised a finger.
    She paused.
    His gaze seared her. “I told you, it’s Dean. Why don’t you let me give you a tour of the house, then we’ll meet up with Kyle outside for a trip through the stables?”
    She liked the idea of losing the foreman. One of these guys alone was intimidating enough. Together, they were almost too much to bear. She nodded. “Good idea.”
    Dean turned to Kyle. “We’ll catch up with you later. Okay?”
    Kyle seemed to think about it before answering.
    Miranda watched the looks that passed between them, wondering what they were all about. Perhaps the ranch has some secrets they don’t want revealed?
    “Okay?” Dean repeated, softer this time.
    “Sure,” Kyle finally said. “See you later.” He cast a quick glance at Miranda before walking out.
    She turned to Dean. “Who’s the boss here, Mr Fortune? Your foreman should do what you ask, when you ask it. He shouldn’t pout and sulk when he doesn’t get his way.”
    Dean stepped so close she could feel his warm breath on her face. “If you think that was pouting and sulking, then you don’t know Kyle. He can be a bigger pain in the ass than that. He also understands this ranch better than anyone I know, so I give him quite a bit of leeway to speak his mind.” He licked his lips. “While we’re on the subject of being naughty, I’ve asked you repeatedly to call me Dean. Mr Fortune is my father, and if you haven’t noticed yet, I’m not him . I’m nothing like him, actually.” He smiled pleasantly. “Now, how about that tour?”
    She was mortified to feel her nipples harden at his words. Something about the way he spoke had her imagining herself bound with scarves to his bedposts as he doled out punishment to a naughty girl. “I, uh…sure. Thank you.” She purposely hadn’t called him by his first name. She needed to keep this on a purely professional basis.
    He eyed her with amusement. “Thank you, who?”
    Miranda swallowed. “Dean.”
    He smiled. “I’m sorry, I didn’t catch your first name.”
    She could barely speak. “Miranda.” The word came out like a frog’s throaty croak.
    He smiled again. “That’s really pretty. Okay, Miranda, we’ll start right here. This part of the ranch was the original home built by my great-grandfather in the early nineteen-hundreds. Frank Fortune started the Double-F-Ranch as a cattle operation. Somewhere around nineteen-fifty my grandfather turned it into a horse ranch. My father was the one who honed in on the market for Appaloosas. Except for the occasional foundling or stray, we only have the one breed here now.”
    “I’ve seen pictures of them. They’re beautiful animals.”
    “Pictures?” Dean chuckled. “Have you ever seen a real horse?”
    She started to tell him that she’d been a member of the California Junior Rodeo Association for ten years and had won Best All Around Champion for three of those years. In retrospect, she decided to hold that piece of information back. “Once or twice.”
    “Oh, this’ll be fun.” He opened a door and motioned for her to go ahead.
    He thinks I’m a total ditz. She offered a giddy smile and went out, deciding she might as well act like what he was expecting. He’s right. This could be fun.
     
    Dean was in a serious case of lust. He hadn’t felt this way since the first time Kyle walked on to the Double-F-Ranch. He knew that day he’d bed the man sooner or later. He