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saying anything to Savannah. “It’s not what you think.”
    Savannah stopped toying with the breakfast pastry on her plate. There was just no way she could bring it to her mouth. She’d spent the first half hour of her day being miserably ill with morning sickness. “What do you mean?”
    “I mean that Vanessa didn’t make up the bookkeeping job. We really do need someone to keep the books around here.” He looked toward the front of the house. “It’s just that lately, Dad’s been kind of preoccupied. What with the divorce, and Sophia trying to take him for all he’s worth.”
    Savannah knew all about the bitter battle Ryan Fortune was embroiled in. “You read minds?”
    Dallas laughed, shaking his head. “Your face is an open book. Consider yourself on salary as ofthis morning.” He pushed back from the table. “As for the books, I’ll show them to you myself later this week. I work at the Fortune TX offices in town, but I also have a hand in the ranch management. For now, why don’t you do what Dad said? Just enjoy our hospitality. Go for a ride. I’ll even join you, if you like.”
    Savannah gave the pastry one last look and then rose from the table. “No, you’ve been kind enough already. I think I could use a little time to myself right now, if you don’t mind.”
    He understood very well about wanting to be alone. Ever since his wife had died, Dallas had carved out huge chunks of solitude for himself.
    “Understood.” Finished, Dallas dropped his napkin beside his plate and rose. “Tell one of the hands to saddle a horse for you. Help yourself to any one, although I’d recommend Pixie Dust. She’d got a disposition like an angel.” He smiled at Savannah before leaving. “Like you.”
    Dallas really was very sweet, Savannah thought as she walked to the stables. It was such a shame that he didn’t smile more often. A man like that deserved to be happy. She fervently hoped that he would find someone someday to make him as happy as his late wife had.
    As she walked, Savannah kept one eye out for Cruz. It wasn’t to try to get his attention if she sawhim, but to avoid it. She really did want to be alone with her thoughts right now, to try to sort them out.
    “Can I help you with anything, señorita? ” Cruz was just walking out of the stables as she hurried in.
    So much for trying to avoid him. “No, I just want to get a horse.”
    “Choose one, I’ll saddle it for you.” Cruz gestured into the stable.
    Savannah wanted to do it herself. She’d never gotten the knack of being pampered. And she certainly didn’t want to be waited on by him . “That’s all right. I’m sure you’re busy. I know how to saddle a horse.”
    “Why didn’t you tell me you were staying on at the ranch?”
    Startled, Savannah’s hands froze on the saddle horn. She’d just placed the saddle on a strawberry mare and was about to tighten the cinch under the horse’s belly. Well, gossip sure did travel fast, she supposed. She tried to look nonchalant as she glanced at Cruz over her shoulder.
    “I didn’t think you’d be interested.” It was an honest answer, if not the complete truth.
    Nudging her gently aside, Cruz took over tightening the cinch. “I’m interested in everything about you, don’t you know that?”
    The man could melt steel at thirty paces with that look, Savannah thought. And she wasn’t steel.
    Savannah shook her head. “It’s all right— I relieve you of it.”
    He looked completely lost. “Of what?”
    “Of the need to be charming around me.” She tried to look serious, and only partially succeeded. “Cruz, if we’re going to keep running into each other like this, you’re going to grow very tired of being so devastatingly charming to me.”
    His eyes slid over her in a look that could only be called possessive. His smile was wide. “Never.”
    Savannah sighed. “Why don’t you just treat me the way you treat Vanessa? It might make it easier on both of