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for a fraction of a second before he engulfed it within his large one. Althea did everything she could not to squirm, the electric heat of his hand touching hers, warming her on contact, sparking off a fizzle of awareness down her spine.
    â€œYes, Mr. Wilde, I’ve heard about you, from your brothers. What I meant was,your brothers told me you were away when they hired me. Not that that was the reason they hired me or anything. I just…” She stopped, took a breath, trying like hell to curb her nervous chatter. “I look forward to working here at the ranch.” She rushed out the rest of the sentence, expelling the breath of air she’d taken as she did.
    He held her hand, held it a fraction longer than was necessarybefore slowly releasing it.
    â€œIt’s beautiful here, I’ve already started falling in love with—”
    â€œNo offense, Ms.…Dayton,” he broke in, eyes narrowing, cutting Althea off, making her want to bite her tongue for the words she blurted and her crazy inability to stop with the nervous chatter.
    She didn’t miss the emphasis he’d placed on her last name. As though he suspected she hadn’t given him hertrue name.
    But his voice, smooth and liquid, distracted her momentarily. He had the type of voice that inexplicably brought out everything feminine in her. Things she thought long buried deep down inside, things she thought she’d never feel, tucked deep.
    Her imagination took over as she eyed him. She imaged him roping cattle on a lazy summer day, beads of sweat glistening against his naked,muscled chest, wearing snug low-riding jeans, his Stetson on, the rim low, shading his eyes…
    â€œBut as my brothers should have consulted with me before hiring you, I’m not so sure your stay here will be that long. I wouldn’t want you to fall too deeply in love. With the ranch, that is,” he said, breaking into her little fantasy and bringing a flush to her face, dragging her mind away from the unexpectedflight it had taken.
    Althea withdrew her hand from his and fully faced him, swallowing down her embarrassment.
    The noticeable coolness in his tone was in direct competition with the heated way he was looking at her, the way he’d been since the moment he entered the stall. His words said one thing, his eyes something totally different.
    Althea focused on what had just flown out of his mouth.
    â€œWell, Mr. Wilde, as your brothers were so kind as to give me three weeks’ pay—” she began, and ignored the look of surprise on his face “—for the next three weeks at least, you don’t have one damn thing to sayabout that,” she finished, and smoothly turned away from him, giving the horse her full attention.
    Before she turned away she saw the flash of irritation on his face and squelched the needto laugh. She had enough sense to know when to walk away from a fight. No sense in pulling the lion’s tail any more than she had today.
    â€œWe’ll see about that,” he nearly growled, advancing on her.
    Hot and heavy, the tension instantly grew thick; heady and palpable.
    Althea, despite the way the last years had shaken out, forcing her into hiding, had never been one to run from a challenge.
    â€œEitherI can work off the advance, or I can leave. Either way I’m fine with it. I’m still getting paid. It’s your call.”
    So much for not pulling the lion’s tail, she thought with a mental shrug.
    With her heartbeat racing out of control, Althea felt his glare on her the entire time as she turned and gave the horse a final pat, pretending a nonchalance she didn’t feel.
    As quickly as humanly possibleshe was out of the stable, not waiting around to see his reaction to her challenge…wondering what in the name of God she’d just signed on for.

Chapter 4
    â€œE ither I can work off the advance or leave. Either way I’m fine with it…”
    A deep frown