Breaking the Rules (1st in Breaking Series)

Chapter Five

Chapter Five

"Thank you for accompanying me today," Grant said as he and Elizabeth rode toward town in Grant's small buckboard.

"Thank you for inviting me," Elizabeth replied. She had given in to her father's demands that morning and had worn a skirt and a feminine green blouse. She had left her hat at home and had her hair pulled back in a bun and covered by a small white bonnet. Her pa hadn't wanted her to wear her pistol but Elizabeth knew better then to go without it. Anything could happen on these uncivilized trails.

"You look very lovely today. That blouse make your green eyes shine."

Elizabeth wanted to laugh at the compliment but smiled instead, "Thank you."

"That new hand, Brody, how is working out?" Grant asked suddenly and Elizabeth frowned.

"Why do you ask?"

"He just seemed like a man who didn't like taking orders when your father and I brought him to the ranch."

Elizabeth thought back to Brody's arrogance the day before and then to the look of concern he'd given her that evening. He was a puzzle she was afraid to look too closely at for fear the edges would be razor sharp and cut her to pieces.

"Most men don't like having a woman give them orders," she acknowledged in response to Grant's comment. "Sometimes I feel like I have to be ten times meaner and harder than any man would have to be in order to get them to listen. I see the way my father is able to laugh and joke with the hands and I wish I could have that, but the second they start to see me softening, they all start trying to push me around. I have to be a slave driving, ice queen at all times and honestly, it's tiring as hell."

"That will only get worse once your father passes and you are running the ranch yourself," Grant noted, deciding to let the foul language go for now. He could always teach her better than to speak that way once they were married.

"No, it will get better. I can handpick the ranch hands myself. I can hire and fire men at will and everyone will know better than to try to overrule or undermine me."

"Well just so you know, Miss Elizabeth, you never have to be what you are not when you are with me. With me, you can let your guard down and just be Elizabeth," Grant felt like he'd won a victory when the first true smile he'd seen her have toward him, graced her beautiful face. He knew how to get what he wanted.

Elizabeth sighed, "I think that sounds nice." Maybe she hadn't been fair with Grant. It wasn't his fault that she was fighting a constant battle with her father over marriage or that she was a high strung nervous wreck because of her fathers illness. She needed to enjoy her day out with him today and really get to know the man. After all, he hadn't spoken a single word about marriage yet and didn't seem to want to rush her.

"So, you seem to know a lot of things about livestock and horses, tell me, who has better cattle? McCready ranch or the Triple L whose land borders yours to the west?" he asked and Elizabeth could hear a teasing tone in his voice and she sat up straight and raised a brow.

"The McCready ranch of course. Those Triple L cows aren't fit to feed to the coyotes."

Grant laughed, she never needed to know it was a fake laugh, and he shook his head, "You're something else, Miss Elizabeth. Nothing at all what I was expecting." Elizabeth found herself laughing as well, which was a big deal for her since she didn't usually allow herself to relax enough to laugh.

"You are a pleasant surprise as well Mr. Foster."

"Grant, please."

Elizabeth smiled, "Grant."