Her breath caught. “A calving check?”

“We have to check the expectant mothers every three hours ’round the clock. I told the boys I’d take the nine o’clock shift. So, what do you say? Are you up for it?”

The thought of being out on the range at night made her nervous, and it had nothing to do with him. “I…I don’t know…”

His eyes narrowed beneath a furrowed brow. “A rancher’s wife is expected to take an interest in the ranch,” he said.

In the past, her lack of interest had driven a wedge between them, but tonight, she heard something else in his voice. Resignation, perhaps, as if he no longer resented her lack of interest. She didn’t want to think he no longer cared how she felt.

“A rancher’s wife might also be concerned at being shot at,” she said.

A look of apology fleeted across his face. “If’n that’s what you’re worried about—”

“If?” She stared at him. “I believe most civilized people would be worried about being shot at.”

“While we’re checkin’ the calves, the boys will be on guard duty. You’ll be perfectly safe.”

“Like Kansas Pete was safe?”

“We’re not goin’ out that far.” When she made no immediate reply, he added, “I would never ask you to go with me if’n I thought there was any danger. You know that, right?”

He studied her with concern-filled eyes, and she felt her resistance weaken. “Yes,” she said. “I do know that.”

“So? What do you say?”

She moistened her lips. Since it seemed important to him, she didn’t have the heart to say no. “I say we check for calves,” she said, managing a smile.

He flashed a crooked grin. “All right then. I’ll tell Rusty to have our horses ready.” He hesitated a moment before adding, “Thank you.”

Puzzled, she frowned. “For what?”

“For all that you’ve done for Ginny. For takin’ care of Kansas Pete. For…” He cleared his voice and looked away.

“I haven’t done all that much,” she said.

“You have… More than you know.” He turned and quickly left the room.

Staring at the closed door, Emily thought about the way her heart pounded at the sight of him, the way her breath caught in her lungs whenever he came into view. Lately, she couldn’t fall asleep until she knew he was in the room next to hers.

If she didn’t know better, she would think…

No, no, no! She could not, would not, must not fall in love with Chase McKnight. Life on a ranch was nothing like the one she’d envisioned for herself.

Not wanting to dwell on the alarming thought, she set to work adding figures to the ledger. But it was no good. Once the thought of love had entered her head, it was hard to think of anything else. After having to blot out a third mistake, she closed the record book.

Just as she opened the desk drawer to shove the ledger inside, a piece of paper fell from its pages. Stooping, she retrieved the paper and—thinking it was another receipt that had to be recorded—unfolded it.