Page 35 of Taming the Wild Cowboy

“What do you do, Trev? Other than to charm people and blind them with your good looks?”

“I’m an information security analyst.”

“No.” She cocked her head as if trying to form a mental picture.

He shrugged, then started toward the main gate, thinking he’d like to do a once-over on the tractor before his next walk-through. Maclyn caught him by the elbow, stopping him. “You can’t drop a bombshell like that and walk away.”

“Why is that a bombshell?”

She spread her palms as her gaze traveled over him, starting at his beat-up felt hat and ending at his equally beat-up, manure-splattered boots. “What do you think?”

“I don’t look the part?”

She folded her arms over her chest, her gaze speculative. “What do you wear to work?”

“Khakis and a button-down.” He cleaned up pretty good, even if it didn’t feel natural.

She laughed. “I want to see this.”

“You don’t get to.”

“Maybe for my birthday?”

“I don’t see that happening.”

Mac waited until they’d ducked into the barn before saying, “You’re really a computer jockey?”

“Nobody uses that term anymore.”

Undeterred, she asked, “What led a wild cowboy into …”

“Geek land?”

“That wasn’t what I was going to say. I knew you were going to MSU. Brooke mentioned it often enough, but I assumed that you were taking some Ag or natural resources course of study.”

She folded her arms over her midsection as she regarded him curiously. “Do you like your job?”

“I’m good at my job.” He spoke in a way that did not encourage more questions and Mac’s curious expression blanked out as she got the message. He felt a little bad about that, but he did not want to talk about his job. Didn’t really like thinking about it while he was on the ranch. He had competent associates who could handle things while he was gone, so he didn’t have to think about it.

“Why don’t you work here full-time? It looks like Wade needs you.”

“One of us will always be here. Hayes is training for a job he can do remotely. Jordan is supposed to be here after he finishes his never-ending project.” He let out a breath. “As far as my job goes, I’ve put too much into it to just bail.” He made almost triple his ranch salary when he wore those khakis. “I like the benefits. I like being a professional.”

But he still preferred wearing shit-stained boots to polished Cole Haans.

Mac touched his arm, and he realized he’d gone quiet.

“I’m going to town tonight to get a few things now that I have a fridge and oven. Do you want me to pick up anything?”

He smiled to let her know that he was aware she was purposely switching topics. “Estelle takes care of the shopping, so I think we’re good.”

“Okay.” She brought her hands together in front of her. “I’m doing the ten o’clock and two o’clock cow checks. Wade and I worked it out.”

That sent up a tiny warning flare.

“Wade didn’t happen to mention Hayes’s fiancée, did he?” Because the last thing he needed was some ham-fisted matchmaking on Wade’s part.

Mac gave him a curious look. “Not really. Why?”