The Rancher's Cinderella Bride

by Sara Orwig

  “We won’t even think about that part of it. Keep your distance and try to be a little remote and untouchable. I can’t believe I’m saying that to you.”

  “I can definitely be remote and untouchable. I’ll get my old hairdo back and pack my bags and move home. You’ll forget all about me, especially when I’m covered in dirt.”

  He doubted that.

  “You know, I never did ask you about your business. I’m glad it’s growing and you like it. Do you get out there and mow with the guys?”

  She laughed. “No. I’m a landscape designer. I plan flower beds, how yards will look—what trees will be good and where they should be planted. I hire and keep up with everything, but mostly my job is planning.” She looked out at his crystal-blue pool, with a waterfall and fountain at one end. “I have an interest in a pool business in Dallas, too. They do the pools in the yards I landscape. I’m surprised you didn’t let me have a shot at doing yours, but that’s okay. I haven’t inquired about buying a bull from you.”

  He smiled at her. “Maybe I’ll have you come do the yard over.”

  She looked around. “This yard doesn’t need doing over. It’s beautiful, Gabe. Your pool is gorgeous and this patio—with the furniture, the big-screen television, the fire pit and the outdoor rug—it’s all perfect. When we arrived, I saw your beautiful shade trees. Your oaks are marvelous. And your two magnolia trees. They’re big for how long you’ve lived here.”

  “Some of the biggest ones were already on the lot. I had the house that was here razed and this one built. It’s more contemporary—lots more glass and plain lines.”

  “You have a beautiful home.”

  “Thanks. Maybe we should go inside. Seems kind of warm tonight.”

  He held the door for her and when she walked past him, he caught a whiff of her new exotic scent and looked at the sexy sway of her hips and desire tore at him. He wanted her in his arms. What was wrong with him? Only minutes ago he all but told her he would leave her alone. Once again his libido warred with his common sense. He wanted her but he knew he shouldn’t touch her. He had to avoid seducing her or he would be doing this fake engagement for real, because of a guilty conscience. And, heaven forbid, he did not want to fall in love. That hadn’t ever happened and he didn’t think he ran much of a risk, but Meg had a way of complicating his peaceful life. He couldn’t think of many disasters as big as falling in love with Meg. She’d tear his heart into little pieces. She didn’t like any part of his life—his bulls, his motorcycle, his car, his planes, nothing except him. He had to keep reminding himself of that, so he’d keep his hands off her.

  “I guess I’ll turn in, now that we’ve made our plans,” she said as they walked inside. “Tomorrow we’re going to your ranch after church, right?”

  “Yes. I’ll take the small plane.”

  She spun around. “No way! I’m not flying in your small plane. I’ll drive to your ranch.”

  “But it’ll take so long to drive,” he protested.

  She stepped toward him. “Don’t worry, I’ll entertain you while you drive,” she said, running her hands over his chest.

  He shook his head and dragged her hands away. He couldn’t risk having her touch him, not when he was about to explode. “Life is full of risks. You can’t live in a bubble.”

  “There are some risks that are unnecessary and some that are definitely bigger than others. I don’t have to fly to your ranch, therefore I’m not going to fly in your small plane.” She tugged her hands from him and walked away.

  The sashay of her behind was the last straw. He strode forward, grabbed her and spun her around. “The hell with this, Meg.” He stepped closer, not a molecule of air between them. “Here’s another wild risk in life. Live a little.” And he kissed her.

  Seven

  Meg had had every intention of going straight to bed—alone. Till now. Once Gabe’s lips touched hers, every intention to resist him disappeared, along with all her warnings to herself and her sense of caution. What was the harm? A few kisses would not bind her to him. It was ridiculous to worry over a few kisses with Gabe. The minute that thought came, it was followed by big doubts. How unforgettable would Gabe be?

  When his lips parted and his tongue plundered hers, she wasn’t capable of any more thought. Her body overrode her mind and she wrapped her arms around him, his kiss making her feel more desired than she’d ever dreamed possible.

  Her heart raced and she couldn’t get her breath. She only wanted to kiss him, hold him close and run her hands over his marvelous male body.

  He held her tightly, his lean, muscled body solid against her, his kiss sending her into a dizzying spiral. She thrust her hips against him. He leaned over her, kissing her and holding her while he caressed her with his other hand. His hand drifted over her nape, then down her back and beneath the shirt she wore. She had promised herself she wouldn’t do this. She was putting her future, her heart at risk. She was taking the peace that she had finally achieved, turning right around and risking it all for Gabe’s kisses. He could break her heart. If she made love with him, she would be in love with him, and that would lead to the worst kind of heartbreak because she had known him all her life and he was important in her life. Every second she touched and kissed him, she was wading deeper into a dangerous pool of heartbreak. She had never been emotionally invested in Justin. She was in Gabe. And that put her in danger.

  Yet how badly she wanted his arms around her and his mouth on hers. Just a little longer, she told herself. How bad could it be? How could she lose her heart over kisses? Over just one night of love? Or was she simply fooling herself in order to shut out the sensible warnings of disaster?

  Right now she couldn’t answer that, not when her heart hammered with excitement, when desire burned hot through her fingertips that ran over his chest.

  “You’re a beautiful woman, darlin’. You can’t imagine what you do to me,” he whispered.

  He kissed her again, stroking her sensuously with his tongue as he toyed with her breasts, his breath warm, his attention exciting. She ran her hands over his strong shoulders, wanting to pull him even closer, wanting him inside her.

  She pulled back to drag in air. “You’re pure temptation,” she whispered. “You’re taking me where I vowed I wouldn’t go.”

  “I’ll stop when you tell me to,” he rasped out, his hands and tongue roaming over her. “Ah, you are so beautiful, so hot.”

  He tangled his fingers in her hair, tilting her face up so he could look into her eyes. She felt caught and held again by his blue eyes that mesmerized her and flashed so much blatant desire she couldn’t get her breath.

  Wrapping his arms around her, he pulled her tightly against him. He was on fire, his manhood thick and hard and ready to love.

  This would be a commitment for her while it would be no such thing for Gabe. Was that what she wanted? If they made love tonight, she would feel a bond with him that he would never feel. Could she live with that? Was she moving closer to a big heartache? She was torn between wanting him and being sensible and keeping her distance.

  She ran her fingers over his nape, aching to have him inside her, wishing to be one with him, desiring all of him. She wanted his loving all through the night and she knew he would give her that if she let him. But that tiny voice of caution would not remain silent. It kept calling out to her, begging her to be wary.

  Gabe would never want anything long-term and she wouldn’t want it even if he did. She couldn’t deal with his wild ways, so why was she getting herself more entangled with him by the minute?

  “Gabe, wait,” she said, leaning away from him. “This is too fast and too far for me. I just can’t take making love the casual way you do.”

  She placed her hand on his chest as she shook her head. “Besides that, suppose we have sex and it’s the most fantastic sex
ever, like our kissing is fantastic. Suppose sex between us is that way. How are you going to live with that?”

  Gabe blew out a hot breath and she felt his arms loosen their hold on her. “Darlin’, you sure know how to kill the moment. Holy hell.”

  “I have definitely and obviously not killed the moment for you,” she said, glancing down at the hardness in his slacks. “We’re going to be together for a while. I’m going to live at your house, maybe for the rest of the month. We have time. There is no need to jump into bed tonight. Let’s stop and think. Suppose sex is the most spectacular thing ever between us—”

  He groaned and placed his hands on his hips. “You can stop. We’ll quit for now. C’mon. I’ll see you upstairs and tomorrow will be another day, as someone famous said.”

  She frowned, staring at him. “You think about us, Gabe.”

  “As if I could think about anything else.”

  She faced him, taking him in. His hair, a tangle of dark waves, fell on his forehead. His broad shoulders made her draw a deep breath as her gaze ran across his well-muscled chest.

  “Meg, my life was quiet and peaceful and uneventful until you came back into it. I’ll tell you, in all my experience with women, you’re unique.”

  “I find that a compliment.”

  “Take it how you will. You were a fun special friend when we were kids, but I never thought of you as unique. Tonight’s a first in my life. I’ve never been asked to stop for the reason you gave me. The hell of it is—you make a degree of sense. Are you even listening to me?”

  “Of course I am,” she said, looking up at him.

  “Sleep is shot to hell for the next few hours. I’m going to have an icy shower and come back here and drink a beer. If you want to join me, you’re welcome to.”

  “I doubt if I’ll sleep, either. I’ll join you here in a little while,” she said. She took one last long look, her gaze running to his toes and back up to find him watching her.

  “You’re incredibly sexy,” she whispered. “I’m going while I still can.”

  “Thank you, I think, for the ‘incredibly sexy’ remark, although that parting shot isn’t doing anything to cool me down.”

  “I’m gone,” she called over her shoulder, hurrying out of the room before she walked back into his arms and into his bed for the night.

  * * *

  Gabe watched her go. Her fabulous blond hair swung with each step and it took an effort to keep from going after her.

  He recalled all those initial feelings, days ago, when he had watched her come up his drive and then into his house and into his life again. Those feelings that said trouble was coming had been right. He had never known another woman like her, never been sexually involved with one. Right now, as much trouble as she was, he still wanted her. If she turned around and came right back and walked into his arms, he would take her to bed with him for the night, and for the week if she would let him. And then she would worry the hell out of him, even if she didn’t say anything about what they were doing. Except she would say plenty.

  She had him tied in knots and he hadn’t even slept with her. And she was causing him sizable grief. In addition, her dad had threatened him, which was probably an empty threat, but her family definitely disliked him. After his dad and Meg’s had split, Gabe learned later, when he was grown, his dad had pulled some sneaky dealings to buy out her father for way less than he should have been worth as a partner. Her father had tried to retaliate and hurt Dirkson’s business, trying to outbid him on land deals and drilling rights, but it was like a fly buzzing around a bull. Dirkson Callahan hadn’t been hurt, and it had left the Aldridges bitter and angry ever since.

  Mason Aldridge, her rancher grandfather, was the least angry and did speak to Gabe, probably because they knew each other through cattle sales and rodeos and ranch activities. Gabe respected her grandfather and Mason seemed respectful of Gabe. Whatever happened, Gabe just didn’t want to get into a business struggle or any other feud with her family, at least no more than they already had.

  Her father had warned him, and Gabe had no intention of hurting Meg, but she was the earnest type who counted on certain things and would get hurt if she didn’t get them. If he slept with her, would she expect him to marry her? She had to realize, given his reputation, that he certainly had no intention of walking down the aisle after taking her to bed. She should know that, since she had talked about it often.

  Gabe gathered his things and went to his room. As he stripped off his clothes, his thoughts kept going back to the past hour with Meg. It was a crime how sexy she had turned out to be. He was on fire just thinking about her and he wanted her more than ever. He had a feeling a cold shower wouldn’t do the trick tonight. It would take a soak in an icy lake to cool his body down.

  Why, oh, why, did his little childhood chum set him ablaze just by entering the room? As absurd as it was, the sight of her had jolted him, because he had never for one split second expected her to arouse him so instantly.

  And that silly argument of hers that sex between them might be too great? It had almost made him laugh, except the prospect had made him hard from wanting her. If it turned out to be the most fantastic sex ever, he would find that a welcome problem.

  He scoffed to himself as he turned on the shower. All the way to cold.

  The little girl next door...

  Only she wasn’t the little girl next door now. She was a stunning blonde who could blow him away. And she came with all kinds of trouble—her fear of planes, fast cars, rodeo riders, all the things he thought were great, fun or just downright convenient. She had a family who hated him. She wanted commitment and marriage if she shared her bed. It was a litany that was becoming far too familiar, but he had to keep reminding himself why he should view the lady as off-limits. Big-time off-limits. Meg would be nothing but trouble in his life if he seduced her. She already was a bushel of trouble. Why didn’t that prospect cool him down?

  Gabe groaned as he stepped into the shower, gritting his teeth at the cold and hoping it would freeze his libido. If only there were some spigot he could turn on to stop thinking about her and remembering how she looked and kissed—that’s what he desperately needed.

  He tried to think of something else to get her out of his thoughts. Another woman wouldn’t do it. Business deals wouldn’t, either. Meg trumped them all. Little Meg, who had him in knots and shivering in an icy shower, still unable to stop thinking about kissing her.

  He had to get a grip because his thoughts were taking him to dangerous places. He started to think that it might not be the worst thing in his life if they made love and his conscience forced him into proposing to her. He expected to shudder at the thought, but not even that prospect stopped him from wanting her. And that scared him.

  After a long shower, he pulled on a short-sleeved navy Western shirt and jeans. He took his time, but finally went downstairs and found her outside on his patio. He got a cold beer and joined her.

  “Hi. Is it cool enough out here now?” he asked, his gaze drifting over her. She wore another loose-fitting black T-shirt and cutoffs that left her legs bare. It didn’t matter what she wore, she looked great and he could remember exactly how she had looked naked from the waist up.

  “It’s cool enough, and it’s so quiet out here. All I hear is the splashing water from the fountain, which is such a relaxing sound.” She laid her head back against the seat back and stretched her long legs in front of her.

  He couldn’t help but think how perfect she looked sitting in his backyard. As if she belonged here.

  “I’ll miss you when this is over.”

  She turned to him, her face visible in the dim patio light. “No, you won’t. We haven’t hung out together for quite a few years. Not like we used to. After this is over, we’ll go our separate ways again.” She gave him a grin. “I’ll read about y
ou in Texas magazines or in the society pages.”

  He put his hands up. “Not me. I won’t be in many society pages. My mom maybe, when she’s here, which is seldom. My dad even less, and he keeps a low profile since he’s gotten older.”

  “You expect me to believe you’re a hermit? I know you too well, Gabe Callahan.”

  “Oh, I get around,” he retorted, “but I tend to do my trolling out of the public eye.” He shrugged. “Never had any complaints from the women I’ve dated.”

  She laughed and her whole face seemed to light up. “And I’m guessing that’s a fair number of women, from what I’ve heard.”

  Gabe was not the type to kiss and tell. He simply shrugged and took a draft of beer.

  She turned to him then, and sat up, suddenly serious. “Don’t you ever want to get married, Gabe?”

  “Sure, someday, but I’m young and I’m not ready now. I don’t want to be tied down and I haven’t found the right woman, anyway.”

  “I seriously doubt if she exists,” she said and he grinned.

  “Sure she does. I just don’t know her yet. I could ask you the same question. Don’t you ever want to get married?”

  “Of course I do, but I want the right man and Justin definitely isn’t him.” She picked up her beer bottle. “But I think Justin has started to become history in my life, thanks to you. You’re a real buddy and you came through for me in the best possible way.”

  “I can do even better if you’d let me,” he said, his voice becoming husky.

  “You have a one-track mind.”

  “If I do, it’s because you’re a good-looking, appealing woman who is fantastic to kiss.” He stood up and picked her up, sitting back in his chair with her on his lap. “Maybe I do have a one-track mind where you’re concerned,” he said, running one hand lightly up her bare leg, his fingers slipping beneath her shorts slightly to caress her. He had limited access, but her soft, smooth inner thighs made him want to peel away the cutoffs. “I don’t know how you expect me to think about other things when you dress like this. You’re beautiful, Meg. You know what you do to me when we kiss. I can’t stop wanting you or forget about that.”