Bossing the Cowboy (Circle B Ranch 4)

Connor’s arms flex as he continues working, gently speaking to the Palomino. I’m standing so close that I’m surprised Connor hasn’t asked me to back away, but I want a front row seat.

“See what I’m doing there?” he asks, his breath brushing against my face. Hooded eyes meet mine, and I swallow hard, then force my attention back to Daisy’s mouth.

“Yes,” I barely whisper, noticing how he maneuvers the file. My focus goes from the horse to Connor, and I find myself admiring him. Even though I shouldn’t, I like watching him work because he’s mesmerizing in every sense.

I suck in a deep breath as he continues to teach me, but it can be hard to focus when everything he says and does consumes me.

“You just wanna make sure it’s smooth on the surface instead of the sharp points that tend to cause sores,” he reminds me again.

I nod, making mental notes

“You’re getting certified in dental too, right?” he asks, and I’m sure I see a smirk, but it quickly disappears.

“I plan to,” I say. I’ve only really read about the procedure and have sat through a few lectures on it, but it’s different watching someone as talented as Connor do it.

Oh God. I sound like a superfan. If my cousins or even my brother caught wind of those thoughts, they’d never let me live it down.

Connor asks me something, but I miss it. “Elizabeth,” he snaps, my name sounding like poison. “Pay attention or get out of the way.”

My cheeks heat.

“Hold her still.”

I do what he says, annoyed I was lost in my thoughts. Connor glares at me with disapproval, then shakes his head. Thankfully, Jeanie rounds the corner and interrupts us.

A smile immediately meets his lips as if he weren’t just scolding me like a child.

“How’s it goin’?'' she asks with two bottles of water for us when we’re done. She sets them on the railing as Connor completes the last bit of the job.

“Doin’ good,” he tells her. He gives her a rundown of what happened along with a lesson on the importance of dental care every six months, no excuses. By the time he finishes his speech, he’s doing a final check and feeling around Daisy’s mouth.

“Thank goodness she’s gonna be fine.” Mrs. Ashby brushes a strand of bright white hair from her face as she bats her lashes and puckers her lips. I don’t recall her having lipstick on earlier. The next thing I know, her hand is on his shoulder, and she’s giggling. I’m used to women flirting with Connor, but there’s a fine line between being friendly and flaunting yourself. I think she crossed it when she called him a bad boy and threatened to spank him.

It’s aggravating to watch Connor happily playing along. Eventually, she looks over at me, and I grin even though for the last fifteen minutes, it was as if I didn’t exist to either of them.

“Will you mail me the invoice?” she asks as Connor strolls to his truck and leaves me to tow all of his shit back.

“Yes, ma’am,” he replies in a sugary-sweet tone. To add a cherry on top of it all, he shoots her a wink.

This time, I do roll my eyes because neither of them can see me. This is typical Connor fashion, and I’m sure it’s one of the reasons he’ll always have clients in Eldorado. He’s good at acting and can cut off his dreamy vet persona just as fast as he turns it on. I’m often tempted to call him out on his mood swings, but since he’s my boss and has the authority to fire me, I haven’t. One thing’s for certain, though, I always get the asshole version of Dr. Connor Wallen.

At least he’s consistent with that.

The next day, I wake up in a sour mood. The more I thought about how he treated me at Mrs. Ashby’s, the more aggravated I got. Not even a glass of wine or a bath could calm me down afterward, so it bled over from yesterday. He doesn’t call out my snappiness, though, and acts the same way he always does. I’m convinced that nothing can get a rise out of him.

After we’ve finished our morning appointments, we head back to town, and I leave to meet Maize for a late lunch.

I’m excited to get out of the office for a bit, especially since I’m starving and the days have felt like Groundhog’s Day—work, eat, sleep.

I thought I’d get to spend more time with Ethan and Kenzie since they graduated and moved back home, but we’re on different schedules. Another reason I can’t wait to finish school and have a steady routine.

I arrive before she does and order a water while I wait. Within ten minutes, she walks through the door. When she spots me, she rushes over with a big smile. I stand and pull her into a hug.