"Cole… oh, Cole!"

A tall handsome dark man stood grinning at her. His hair was styled in a longish cut with thick sideburns, the suit was a rich brown that matched his twinkling brown eyes. South Dakota had never been exposed to a suit like that. Why, it was… well… voguish and smart and showed off his handsome broad-shouldered, lean-hipped physique to advantage.

Damn, damn, damn! Why did he have to come a day early and surprise her like this? Kate felt like a fool in her old shorts and jersey, up to her elbows in suds. And she'd bought that lovely slinkly jumpsuit for his homecoming. Damn him!

Gwen smiled and slipped out. It must be wonderful to have a man of your own… your very own. And she could have too. Peter Miller wanted to marry her before she left New York… but no, she'd had to prove herself, had mostly to prove to her father that his art galleries weren't the world… the real world… where it was with real people. But, so far, the only one she'd found was Kate. Ironically Kate was an artist too.

Kate just stood there as the tears welled up in her eyes. Damn Cole. He looked so smart and elegant, a new suit, new side burns and hair cut and here she was all hot and sweaty and house-wifey looking. No make-up, her hair stringing. "Damn you!" she finally blurted aloud.

"For what?" Kate felt his arms wrap around her from behind and his lips brush her temple. "Hello, wife woman."

"Ohhhh… just damn…" she wailed.

Cole dropped a kiss on her neck and tightened his arms around her slim waist. "I can go back where I came from, you know. Those chicks in Paris thought I was pretty hot stuff," he teased.

"It's just that I wanted to be all dressed up and pretty for you… and you have to go and spoil it all… barge in and find me looking like a hag… and… oh, hell…" She was sniffling now, not only at how she looked but the apprehension over hiring Eric and Angel and how Cole might take that. She'd never interfered with the operation of the ranch before.