Melody Anne's Billionaire Universe: Against the Billionaire's Will (Kindle Worlds Novella) (Love Against Odds Book 3) Read Online Free Page B

around his fingers.
    “When I was little, I always wanted a pony.” She shrugged and looked at him through his lashes. “What little girl doesn’t, right?” She didn’t wait for confirmation. “We moved around a lot, but the only places my dad could afford were dumps in the middle of nowhere. Usually someone had horses around. For years I’d find myself watching caretakers tend to them, and one day, a nice old man saw me watching and offered to show me.” She couldn’t help but smile at the memory of Mr. Peters. Everyone thought him old and crotchety, but he’d always been nice to her. “We only lived there a couple of months after that, but I soaked up everything he taught me. By the time I’d hit high school, my dad owed money to half the county.” She looked over the water, remembering those formidable years of her life, and regretting she had to spend them with a father like that. “Anyway, no ranch would hire me because I was either too young, a girl, or an Attree. I waited tables for a bit, and when a local ranch changed owners, I jumped at the chance to apply. I worked as a ranch hand while I continued to wait tables. I was exhausted all the time, but I loved it.”
    “And how did you end up here?”
    She cocked an eyebrow at him.
    “I know the official details. I want your version.”
    She licked her lips. “I caught the eye of a rancher who already worked here.”
    “Presley.”
    She nodded slowly. “He was a regular at the diner. Always sweet. Tipped well.” She laughed without humor. “One day we got to talking and I told him about working with horses. He got me an interview with the ranch manager at Buckley, but I don’t think either of them expected Mr. Winthrop to be there that day. I’m just glad I actually knew enough to get the job legitimately.”
    “I’m just glad you know what a tablet and Google is,” he said with that dry humor of his.
    “Ha. Ha.” She crossed her arms over her legs and shook her head. “Do people realize how much of a comedian you are?”
    “Actually, no,” he said and pulled as he leaned back on his hands and looked up at the sun. “That’s how I usually prefer it.”
    “Well, I feel special, then,” she said offhandedly, but immediately regretted it. He sat up, looked at her, opened his mouth, but frowned as if he’d checked the words and had decided not to let them free. “I was a little worried about your technology skills before coming to the ranch.”
    “Huh?”
    “You’re doing really well gathering the information I need. I was worried you’d be someone without any business sense and I’d have to start with the very basics first.” Was that a backhanded compliment? She huffed and opened her mouth, but he lifted a hand to stop her. “No offense, but I knew nothing about you. I still don’t know much. Well, other than what we just talked about and what my people gleaned from their research the night we met.”
    “I’m surprised you didn’t call the IRS to get my tax records.”
    His mouth flattened.
    “Oh my god,” she said slowly, staring at him in disbelief. “You did.”
    “Not the IRS. At least I don’t think so.”
    How could he have done that? “You realize that’s a huge invasion of privacy, right? I mean, I get you pulling records on the ranch, but on me personally? That was none of your business.”
    “Hey, hey,” he said softly as he touched her shoulder. Electricity shot down her spine from that one little caress, numbing her senses and igniting a reaction much stronger than the anger she’d felt seconds ago.
    Need. She felt an enormously heavy sense of need.
    The air was suddenly thick and tangible. Her heart banged in her chest as if trying to break free. Her mouth painfully dry as another area of her body stole all the moisture.
    From a gentle touch. One not meant to be sexual at all.
    She swallowed and looked away, her breaths quickening. Why was she so attracted to him? Why couldn’t she control it? But