Chapter 6

      Alyssa’s heart immediately began beating harder when she walked into the kitchen the next morning to find Clint seated at the table. Although it appeared he was just starting in on breakfast, she knew he was there waiting on her. His expression indicated that he wanted to know her decision.

      She glanced around the large kitchen, trying to ignore the pulse that was erratically thumping in her throat. It was a sin and shame that Clint looked so good this early in the morning. He was staring at her with those dark, piercing eyes of his, and the way the sunlight captured the well-defined planes of his face made him appear hauntingly handsome. Alyssa found his good looks quite disturbing, given the fact she was trying to resist her attraction to him.

      Seeing him only reminded her of her behavior with him last night in his office. He had once again kissed her mindless, engulfing her with a degree of passion she thought was possible only in those romance novels Aunt Claudine read. Alyssa had gone to bed dreaming about him, their kiss and the things she wanted to do with him beyond a kiss. She had awakened mortified that such thoughts had entered her mind. She would need to take steps to make sure her dreams never became a reality.

      For her own sake and well-being, she had reached the conclusion that setting ground rules with Clint would be the only way they would survive living under the same roof. Otherwise, she was setting herself up for many tiring days and disturbing nights, Alyssa realized.

      “Where’s Chester?” she asked.

      Clint leaned back in his chair. “He’s off on Wednesdays. At least, he takes off after breakfast and then returns at dinnertime. It’s the day he’s at the children’s hospital being Snuggles the Clown.”

      Alyssa lifted a brow. “Snuggles the Clown?”

      “He spends his day in the children’s ward making the kids laugh. He’s been doing it for over twenty years now and he’s a big hit. That’s how he and Uncle Sid met. Chester used to be a rodeo clown,” Clint said.

      At first Alyssa couldn’t picture Chester as a clown, but then as she thought about it, she changed her mind. He had a friendly air about him and would probably be someone who loved kids. She didn’t know any clowns and found the thought of him being one fascinating. “You have to love kids to do something like that,” she said.

      “He does. It was unfortunate that he and Ada never had any of their own.”

      “Was Ada his wife?”

      “Yes. They were married over thirty years. She died six years ago from an acute case of pneumonia,” Clint explained.

      “That’s sad,” she said quietly.

      “It was. He took her death pretty hard. They had a very strong marriage.”

      A very strong marriage. Alyssa wondered if that meant the same thing as the two of them were deeply in love. “So he’s been working at the ranch a long time?”

      “Yes, Chester’s been working here since before I was born,” Clint said.

      Alyssa could hear something in Clint’s voice that went beyond a mere liking for Chester. It was easy to tell that Clint considered Chester more than just a housekeeper and a cook. He considered the man an intricate part of his family. While giving her a tour of the outside of the house, he had introduced her to several of the men who worked for him. Some of them were older and full of experience in the taming of the horses. The younger ones were learning the ropes, but everyone, as Clint had been quick to point out, played an important part in the running of his operation. The men had been friendly and respectful and when he had introduced her as nothing more than a good friend, it was apparent they had accepted his word.

      “You’d better dig in while the food is warm,” Clint said.

      Taking his statement to mean he was tired of answering her questions, she walked over to the stove to fix her plate and pour a cup of coffee, feeling Clint’s gaze on her with every move she made.

      “I’m glad you know to do that,” he said.

      She turned and looked at him, bewildered. “Do what?”

      “Fix your own food.”

      At her confused look he said, “A lot of women wouldn’t. They would expect to be waited on hand and foot.”

      Alyssa turned back around to scoop eggs onto her plate wondering if he’d ever met Kim. Her cousin would definitely be one of those type of women. Uncle Jessie still called Kim his princess and she took it literally. “Well, I’m not one of them,” she said when she came to the table to sit down. “I’m used to fending for myself.”

      She had barely taken her seat when Clinton folded his arms across his chest and asked, “Okay, what have you decided?”

      Instead of answering him, she stared down into the dark liquid of her coffee for a moment before glancing up at him. “Do you have to know this minute?”

      “Any reason you can’t tell me this minute?” he countered, with a little irritation in his voice.

      She set her cup down knowing the last thing they needed was to get agitated with each other. Besides, he was right. There wasn’t a reason she couldn’t tell him now. “No, I guess not.”

      She didn’t say anything for a few moments and then met his gaze. “Before I commit to anything, I want you to agree to something,” she said.

      He lifted a dark brow. “Agree to what?”

      “Agree that you won’t try to get me into your bed.”

      He smiled. “My bed?”

      “Or any bed in this house.” She thought it best to clarify. “And to be more specific, I want your word that you won’t try to seduce me into bed with you.”

      He laughed softly and held her gaze for a long moment. “Define seduce,” he said.

      Alyssa was aware that he was toying with her, but she was more determined than ever to make sure he understood her position. “You’re a man, Clint. You know very well what seduction entails,” she said.

      His smile deepened. “And you think I’d do something like that?”

      She didn’t hesitate in answering. “Yes. I’m certain of it. In less than twenty-four hours we’ve kissed twice, which leads me to believe you would try seducing me.”

      He stared at her for a moment, eyed her reflectively and then said, “You’re right. I would in a heartbeat.” And then he asked, “And we’ve kissed twice, you say?”

      Like he didn’t know it. “Yes,” she said, now very annoyed.

      “Want to go for three?” he murmured in a voice that was so husky that it sent shivers through her body.

      She eyed him sternly. “I’m serious, Clint.”

      “So