“Catherine, I have a surprise for you,” Wade called to her as she walked toward them. She studied the girl as she approached—she was young, probably seventeen or eighteen. She had dark hair, pulled back in a thick braid running halfway down her back, and she wore a loose white blouse tucked into a wide, flowing skirt. Her skin was nut-brown, and she wore a pretty mantilla over her head and shoulders.
“This is Maria,” Wade said. “She’s José’s sister, and she’s agreed to come and help you around the house. You do a lot, and I thought you could use some feminine companionship. And if you end up taking the teaching job, we’ll need someone to keep house for us.”
She studied him, wondering what kind of game he was playing. She knew he had no intention of letting her take the job, although she’d fight him to her last breath on that one. Still, the idea of having help was a good one.
Catherine turned to Maria, who gave her a bright smile.
“I help you, Señora Masters,” she said. “José says you’re a good lady, and I work hard for you.”
“It’s nice to have you here,” Catherine replied, forcing herself to smile back while noting how lovely Maria was. And young. Younger than her.
“Where were you thinking she’d be staying, Wade?” she asked, turning to him. He kept his gaze on Maria, his expression pleased and appreciative.
“I figured she should stay in the house with us,” he replied. “There’s the empty room next to mine that will do.”
Catherine nodded, realizing it was the only good solution. A young girl like Maria wouldn’t be safe out in the bunkhouse, and it might be nice to have some company.
But still… She didn’t like the idea. Wade could slip right out his door and into her room without anyone noticing. Catherine felt a dark feeling stirring in her gut. Dammit, she was jealous! It surprised her—why should she care who Wade looked at? Sure, she found him attractive, but she didn’t want anything from him. She needed to get rid of this emotion right away. Teachers didn’t have time to moon over cattlemen. Even a cattleman as handsome as Wade.
“Come with me,” she said to Maria, making herself to keep a civil tone. “I’ll get you settled and you can help fix supper.”
That night all but one of the ranch hands made it in to eat, the single men eyeing Maria hungrily enough to make José bristle protectively. Wade even pulled her chair out for her, and when she gave a pretty blush Catherine had to walk back into the kitchen to keep from making a snide remark. It didn’t help her mood that she’d thrown Maria right into things from the start, putting her in charge of supper by herself. Catherine had assumed that the young woman wouldn’t be able to put together such a large meal on short notice. Maria had done better than expected, though, making soft corn tortillas, beans and thin-sliced steak that the men loved.
“It’s nice to have a little variety around here,” John muttered as he wiped his mouth. “You’re a great cook, Catherine, but this is different. I like it.”
Catherine pasted a smile on her face as she picked up the dishes and carried them into the kitchen. As they cleaned, Maria chattered happily at her, oblivious to her hostility. Every word grated on Catherine, which really wasn’t fair because Maria seemed to be a very nice girl. And they got the kitchen cleaned up in record time. Early enough that Catherine had time to heat water and take a bath.
Bathing was a luxury on the ranch, and she knew some of the men went for long periods without doing more than washing up at the pump before supper. But she enjoyed a bath as often as possible. Wade and his father liked to keep clean too, so they were good about hauling water in for the tub. She’d take the first bath, then the men would follow, everyone using the same tub they set up behind a sheet she would hang across the kitchen for privacy.
Tonight, Maria recruited José to help with the water, and by the time the crickets started singing the bath was ready to go. Catherine banished everyone from the kitchen, hung up the sheet and pulled off her clothing, sinking into the tub with a sigh of pleasure.
This was almost worth hearing about Maria’s cooking at dinner, she decided, letting the hot water soak the tension out of her shoulders. The light of the lantern This was almost worth hearing about Maria’s cooking at dinner, she decided, letting the hot water soak the tension out of her shoulders. The light of the lantern flickered as she relaxed in the tub. She couldn’t afford to rest for too long—she didn’t want the water to get cold for the men. But five minutes wouldn’t hurt anything, she thought, sliding beneath the surface.
When she popped back up something seemed different in the room. She looked around, but couldn’t see anything. Then she heard the thump of a booted foot against the floor.
“I’m taking a bath,” she called out. “And I want my privacy.”
“I want lots of things,” Wade said, pushing aside the curtain and stepping into her little enclosure. “But I have a suspicion I’m not going to get them tonight. A man can hope, though.”
Catherine glared at him, sinking down into the tub, covering her br**sts with her hands.
“You can’t come in here while I’m bathing!”
“I just did,” Wade replied, grinning at her. He pulled up a chair and sat down, propping a foot against the kitchen table. “And I have to say, the view is a hell of a lot better on this side of the curtain. Although you give a pretty good peep show through the sheet. The lantern offers just the right touch.”
Her breath caught, and she surged up, forgetting for a moment to keep herself covered, ready to tear a strip off his sneaking hide. His eyes followed her hungrily, and she sat back down just as quickly, sending a surge of water out onto the floor.
“How long have you been spying on me?” she asked.
“Well, it didn’t start by spying,” he replied. “I just walked in once while you were getting dressed. But after I saw how good the view was, I came back for more. Hell, you had to be suspicious—I was always offering to haul in the water for you.”
She didn’t reply at first, not knowing what to say to that. He had been very helpful when it came to hauling the water. She’d thought it was because he enjoyed the baths so much for himself.
“You’re a disgusting, filthy pig of a man,” she said finally. “And you need to get out of here so I can get dressed. And then I’m going to find a way to put a lock on that door.”