“No,” grumbled the boy.
The big man crouched to look the boy in the eye. “You can do better than this, son. This is not the life you want. Every choice is important. Each one counts.”
“Nothing really matters,” the boy muttered. “People don’t care.”
“I do.” It was impossible not to believe him. This man was rock solid. He’d never doubted where he belonged or who he was. He let go of the boy.
To her surprise, the boy didn’t race away. “Why?”
A gentleness rose in the man’s eyes. “You tame enough horses, you get to know when one’s just kickin’ up for the hell of it, which one is going to be a good mount for life.”
“I’m not a horse.” But curiosity mingled with the boy’s resentment.
“People are no different. It’s in the eyes. Just have to take the time to look.”
Sophia suspected the boy was as riveted by this man as she was. She couldn’t tear her gaze away.
The boy tried for one more disinterested shrug. “Big deal.”
The man glanced at her. “Got a pen and some paper in there?”
“Oh.” She stirred. “Yes.” She dug in her purse and handed him both.
He wrote in a bold, authoritative hand, then tore off the small piece of notebook page. “Here.” He handed it to the boy.
“What’s this?” Suspicion painted his tone.
“The phone number and address of the Double Bar M—that’s my ranch.”
“Why would I want this?”
Give it to me, Sophia wanted to say. She surprised herself.
“Because I’ll be out of the Navy in six months, and we can always use a good hand on the ranch. You could use a change of scenery.”
“Ranch hand?” the boy scoffed. “Texas is a thousand miles from anywhere important, and I don’t give a shit about horses and cows and crap.”
The man only smiled patiently. “You don’t have to use it, but keep it. You might change your mind.”
The boy glanced down. “Gordon McLaren.” An odd look passed over his features. “Double Bar M, seriously?”
“Been in my family for over a hundred and seventy-five years.”
“For real, you have your own horse?”
“Got a whole bunch of them. Cattle, too.”
The boy’s head canted. “Do you have a dog?”
“Always. You like dogs?”
“They’re not so bad.”
She guessed that Gordon McLaren could see the same too-thin frame she was observing, the neglected haircut and shabby clothes. “Here. I live in San Francisco. If you need help beforehand, you can call me.” She took the pen and notepad and wrote down her own information.
“I don’t know,” the boy said. “You look rich.”
She finished writing as she grinned. “I’m not, but my father is.”
“Maybe he’ll give me some money.”
“I doubt that. But I’ll help you find assistance. You could come with me now.”
Wary eyes met hers. “No thanks. Gotta jet. ‘Bye Cowboy! Bye, Rich Girl!”
Before Gordon could stop him, he was gone.
Leaving the two of them staring after him.
“He won’t call, will he?” she asked.
“Maybe not, but the Double Bar M isn’t goin’ anywhere.” He turned. “Sophia—I only caught the first name.” His eyes were warm and made her want to get closer so she could lean into that broad chest and inhale the scent of his strength.
“Sophia Bancroft.” He made her shiver. In a good way. “So how does a Texas cowboy wind up in the Navy?”
“Serving my country. I come from a long line of patriots. My great-great granddaddy Ronald McLaren won our land in return for fighting to free Texas from Mexico.”
“But now you’re a sailor?”
He shrugged. “Thought I wanted to see the world.”
“You don’t?”
“I’ve seen enough to know that I belong back on my land.”
What must it feel like, such certainty? She’d never belonged, not in her society life, not with the bohemians she’d fled to. She wasn’t sure where to try next, so she’d been floating along. “Would I like Texas?”
His quick grin and the crinkles around those warm gray eyes made her breathless. “Texas would like you, I know that for sure. Would a rich girl let a cowboy buy her lunch?” He held out an arm like the gentleman he was.
A completely new kind of gentleman to her experience, one who was rugged and strong but knew how to temper the rough edges. He’d take off his hat for a lady, she’d bet anything.
“That would be lovely,” she replied, and slipped her arm through his, holding on and feeling something inside her settle.
As they walked, they spoke of small things, what he’d seen, where she’d traveled, books they’d read, music they liked.
Most of it as different as cheese and chalk.
But beneath the surface, both of them felt the thrills, the little shocks.
And the first heart-racing currents of longing.
Click on the covers below for more on each book
* * *
OTHER TITLES BY JEAN BRASHEAR
THE PEARL OF PARADISE (novella)
Five years ago, covert operative Damon Alexander became guardian of the sacred ivory carving, the Pearl of Paradise, and he sacrificed any chance for a life with the woman he loved to save her from being killed by his archenemy, Kwan. The vow curses him to die, should he leave holy ground, but his enemy is back and is picking off those Damon cares for most, taunting Damon to risk the curse to stop him.
Lily Shen has spent five years closing off her heart from Damon after his devastating betrayal, but hearing that he means to sacrifice his life to stop the killing, she knows that she may have the only means to save him—by revealing to him that he has a son. When Kwan kidnaps their child, the love that never died draws them together in a race to find some means to break the curse and save the son Damon has never met.
THE LIGHT WALKER
Newly-minted detective Jace Carroll’s innocuous first case plunges her into a world of shifting realities. At the center of the tangled knot is the mesmerizing and mysterious Dante Sabanne, a wealthy recluse whose proficiency with ancient poisons, mystical lore and exotic sexual practices makes him by turns a crucial expert witness, a devastating lover…and possibly the man behind a cult whose profane rituals have turned from depraved to deadly.
The powerful attraction between them complicates everything, as the Jace who thought she knew exactly who she was and what she wanted becomes both pawn and queen in a battle between the dark and the light. Innocents will die if she makes the wrong choice between the evidence before her eyes and the yearnings of a heart she is no longer sure she can trust.
A scorching tale of suspense, passion and magic from USAToday bestselling author Jean Brashear.
THE CHOICE
Deep-cover FBI agent Drake Cullinane is driven by guilt over a terrorist attack he couldn’t prevent. It’s taken him years to become the trusted head of security for arms dealer Klaus Hafner, the man responsible for that attack, and he’s within days of taking down Hafner and his whole network.
Jillian MacGregor found a splashy way to apply to be one of Klaus Hafner’s bodyguards, and she’s out to kill the man the mysterious Cullinane is sworn to protect, seeking revenge for her sister’s death at Hafner’s hands.
White-hot attraction flares between them, but both are hiding dangerous secrets. Only one of them can win—and if they cannot learn to trust each other, both of them could die.
About the Author
New York Times and USAToday bestselling Texas romance author of the popular TEXAS HEROES series and over 30 other novels in romance and women’s fiction, a five-time RITA finalist and RT BOOKReviews Career Achievement Award winner, Jean Brashear knows a lot about taking crazy chances. A lifelong avid reader, at the age of forty-five with no experience and no training, she decided to see if she could wri
te a book. It was a wild leap that turned her whole life upside down, but she would tell you that though she’s never been more terrified, she’s never felt more exhilarated or more alive. She’s an ardent proponent of not putting off your dreams until that elusive ‘someday’—take that leap now.
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