Untouched by Maisey Yates Read Free Book Online Page B

the staff tonight. There are cowboys that are going to guide the kids through the ins and outs of ranch work—teachers. One is a survival guide, and he’ll be taking them on hikes.”
    “Sounds . . . good.”
    “Yes. It does. And legitimate. Nothing sketchy. I did a good job.” She wasn’t just lying by omission; she was lying like a rug. And she hadn’t really intended to do that, but it had kind of come out, and now it was too late to take it back. Anyway, she deserved a little respect from Cole. She was a grown-ass woman and all that.
    “I’m sure you did.”
    “You are not. That’s why you were waiting by the door to pounce and ask about my day.”
    “You are late. You’re not getting worked too hard, are you?”
    “Nope. I got fed. I ate with the teachers.”
    “Sounds . . . good,” he said again.
    “It is.”
    “What’s good?” Cade was standing in the kitchen doorway, a bottle of beer in his hand.
    “My job,” she said, her face heating. Because she felt like a jerk. Because what had seemed okay a moment ago didn’t seem so easily justified with her brother standing there. “It’s going well. Everything is legit. Cole was sure I’d done something really stupid.”
    “I never said that.”
    “You pretty much did. Because let’s be honest, Cole—you think I can’t make my own decisions.”
    “I never said that either.”
    “But you think it.”
    He let out a heavy breath. “Lark, I’m sorry, but you’re my baby sister—”
    “Who is twenty-damn-two, thank you very much.”
    “And you live at home.”
    She winced. “And you want that to change?”
    “Hell. No. I’m just saying, you’re still under my protection, Lark, and I take that very seriously.”
    “Cole.” Cade shook his head. “She’s not a kid. You have to ease up.”
    “I didn’t say anything,” Cole pushed his hat back on his head and scowled. “If you want to act like I’m a tyrant, then give me a chance to act like a tyrant. Fine, I don’t think you know a damn thing about the real world. I said it. So I worry about you now that you think you’re just going to go out into it.”
    “I’m down the street,” Lark said. She was angry, angrier probably because she’d effed up and gotten tricked by Quinn. Because in some ways, Cole had been right, and she should have asked for his help, but because she hadn’t she was in an impossible situation. “And anyway, I deal with people online all the time for the business. I know how to conduct myself.”
    “Virtually,” Cole said.
    “Knock it off, asshole,” Cade said, coming to stand beside Lark. She almost laughed. Because Cade had given her a hard time about the same thing not that long ago, but obviously he wouldn’t let Cole do it too. And because she didn’t deserve to have Cade defending her.
    “It’s fine.” She looked at Cole. “It’s fine. Cade, Rockstar me.”
    Cade rolled his eyes and went back into the kitchen, returning a moment later with her favorite energy drink in hand. She lifted it and smiled. “Thanks. Now I’m going upstairs to recede into my virtual world like the little socially challenged creature I am. Feel free to hang out down here and talk about how incapable I am. I’ll be resting up. For that job thing I have that I got on my own and that rocks. Oh, and did I mention that I’m making really good money? Because I am.”
    She turned and started to head up the stairs.
    “Lark.”
    She turned and looked down at Cole. “What?”
    “Sorry. I’m overprotective. I can’t turn it off that easily.”
    She flicked the tab on the soda can. “Right. I know. Thanks.”
    “Seriously, don’t be mad at me, please. Or I will send in the baby to give you kisses.”
    “Ohhhh . . . fine,” she said. “But I’ll take kisses from my niece any time.”
    “I knew I would get you.” He smiled, a little sheepishly, and some of her annoyance disappeared.
    “Yeah, yeah. Fine. I’m going now.” She continued up the stairs