Guarding Hope

“Shit. I’m sorry,” he said, but he didn’t look away like he should. In fact, his eyes lingered over the spot on the towel where she tucked into her cleavage.

“Is there something you needed to tell me?” she asked, staring at the huge bulge forming in his jeans.

“Shit. Yes. I need you to stay upstairs. My foreman is coming up to the house. I’ll call you down when he’s gone.”

“Okay,” she replied.

He turned around and walked toward the door. “Fuck. Too damn sexy,” he growled, closing her bedroom door just as Bill knocked on the front door.

Rushing down the stairs, Gage opened the door and greeted his foreman while panting. “Hey, Bill. Come on into my office.”

“You all right?”

“Yes. Sorry. I was getting ready to jump in the shower.” The faint sound of the shower running could be heard by the stairwell, so he led him down to his office.

“I won’t keep you. We’re good for the night. The fences around the property look great. And tomorrow we’ll be moving the cattle to the pastures on the right of the house.”

“That’s great. The supply delivery will be here tomorrow. What time will you all be coming back in?”

“I’m about to take them back into town, and we’ll be here at six to get started.”

“What do you think? Can we keep them on permanently?” Gage sat down and pulled out his checkbook and ran over the numbers to double check that they matched what he sent to his accountant. It would be easier for him to do the checks here, but he didn’t have the time or the knowledge to do payroll checks. That position needed to be filled quickly.

“Yeah, I’d say they are good to stay.” He passed the stack of checks to Bill to distribute.

“Good. A lot of the bunkhouse already is set up. You can have them clean it after their workday, and then we can get them in there if they want that.”

“They better. I don’t want to drive out every morning to pick these bastards up.”

“Now, go enjoy your shower and whoever she is.” Bill winked and walked to the door with a chuckle.

Before he grabbed the handle, Gage stammered out, “What makes you think there’s some woman here?”

“Because you would have turned the shower off, and that bag in the front room is a woman’s bag. It’s not my business who you bring into your home.”

Gage became defensive because for the first time in his life, he let a woman into his family home, and he wanted to keep her there. Hope wasn’t just some random hookup, and Gage didn’t want people to believe that either. “She’s gonna be my future wife, but we have some complications. I need to keep this under wraps.”

He lifted his hand, halting Gage’s explanation. “Enough said. I don’t need to know anything if you’re not ready, and I sure as fuck will mind my own business.”

“That’s great to know. Also, if you see anyone lurking around the property, call me immediately.”

“Do you mean the two thugs in the suits with a black SUV?”

He caught Gage by surprise again. Being an attorney, he had to know all the potential tricks the defense had in store, but he hadn’t been keeping up with that method like before. “Yeah.”

“Yeah, when I went in town to grab us some lunch, they flashed her picture around. Don’t worry. I’ve got no time for Baxter Cummings and his goons.”

“You know them?”

“Oh yeah. I fired one of his associates’ cousins, and that’s when I suddenly had that accident, leaving me out of work for a whole damn year.”

“Fuck. Maybe that’s something we could use against them,” Gage offered, tapping his chin as he thought about the possibilities of getting rid of Cummings legally.

“No. I’ve tried, but they claim my accident was just that. They know how to do things corruptly.” His face drooped and his shoulders slumped as Cummings got the better of him.

“Well, I want to install more surveillance around here,” Gage smirked, standing up and clapping Bill’s back.

“Maybe you should do more to fence off the main house.”

“I’ve considered it.” Gage had already lined up a security company owned by one of his friends to come set up the cameras. They’d be at the ranch tomorrow.

“Well, I’ve got to get these boys home so I can get some fucking sleep. Be careful.”

Once Bill drove off, Gage took the stairs two at a time to see her. “Hope, can I come in?”

“Yes.”

Gage opened the door and saw her sitting on the bed looking so beautiful. He gasped, staring at the way her long red hair rested on her right shoulder in a loose braid.

“He’s gone. Sorry it took so long. I sent him on his way.” Gage gave her a crooked smile, hoping she didn’t get upset with him. He couldn’t explain how she changed him, but she meant more to him than he understood.