One Week with the Best Man: Reclaimed by the Rancher

by Andrea Laurence

  “Maybe because I can.”

  He was being a bastard. He knew it. And by the look on Lucy’s face, she knew it, as well. But the opportunity to make her bend to his will was irresistible.

  The fact that each of them could still elicit strong emotions from the other should have been a red flag. But then again, that was the story of their relationship. Though he and Lucy had grown up in the same town, they hadn’t really known each other. Not until she’d come home to Royal for a lengthy visit after college graduation.

  Lucy’s parents had been dead by then. Instead of bunking with her cousin Kenny, Lucy had stayed with her childhood friend and college roommate, Kirsten. One of Kirsten’s friends had thrown a hello-to-summer bash, and that’s where Jeff had met the luscious Lucy.

  He still remembered the moment she’d walked into the room. It was a case of instant lust...at least on his part. She was exactly the kind of woman he liked...tall, confident, and with a wicked sense of humor. The two of them had found a private corner and flirted for three hours.

  A week later, they’d ended up in bed together.

  Unfortunately, their whirlwind courtship and speedy five-month trip to the altar had ended in disaster. Ironically, if they had followed through with their wedding, two days from now would have been their anniversary.

  Did Lucy realize the bizarre coincidence?

  She stood up and walked to the foyer. “I have to go.” The words were tossed over her shoulder, as if she couldn’t wait to get out of his house.

  He shrugged and followed her, putting a hand high on the door to keep her from escaping. “I don’t want to make a trip out to the farm for nothing. So don’t try standing me up. If you want the money, you’ll get it on my terms or not at all.”

  Six

  Lucy hurried to her car, heartsick and panicked. Why had she ever thought she could appeal to Jeff Hartley’s sense of right and wrong? The man was a scoundrel. She was so angry with herself...angry for approaching him in the first place, and even angrier that apparently she was still desperately in love with him...despite everything he had done.

  During the past two years, she had firmly purged her emotional system of memories connected to Jeff Hartley. Never once did she think of the way his arms pulled her tight against his broad chest. Or the silkiness of his always rumpled hair. At night in bed, she surely didn’t remember how wonderful it was to feel him slide on top of her and into her, their breath mingling in ragged gasps and groans of pleasure.

  Stupid man. She parked haphazardly at the farm and went in search of her cousin. She found him in the barn repairing a harness.

  Kenny looked up when she entered. “Hey, Luce. What’s up?”

  She plopped down on a bale of hay. “How much would it take for you not to sell the land?”

  He frowned. “What do you mean? Are you trying to buy it for yourself?”

  “Gosh, no. I’d be a terrible farmer. But I have a gut feeling you’ll change your mind down the road. And I’m willing to keep things running while you sow your wild oats. So I’m asking...would twenty grand be enough to bankroll your move to LA and get you started? It would be a loan. You’d have to pay back half eventually, and I’ll pay back the other half as a thank-you for not letting go of Peyton land.”

  The frown grew deeper. “A loan from whom?”

  Kenny might pretend to be a goofball when it suited him, but the boy was smart...and he knew his grammar.

  “From a friend of mine,” she said. “No big deal.”

  Kenny perched on the bale of hay beside hers and put an arm around her shoulders. “What have you done, Luce?”

  She sniffed, trying not to cry. “Made a deal with the devil?”

  “Are you asking me or telling me?”

  Kenny was two years younger than she was. Most of the time she felt like his mother. But for the moment, it was nice to have someone to lean on. “I think Jeff Hartley is going to loan it to me.”

  “Hell, no.” Kenny jumped to his feet, raking both hands through his hair agitatedly. “The man cheated on you and broke your heart. I won’t take his money. We’ll think of something else. Or I’ll convince you it’s okay to sell the farm.”

  “You’ll never convince me of that. What if being an actor doesn’t pan out?”

  “Do you realize how patronizing you sound, Luce? No offense, but what I want to do is more serious than sowing wild oats.”

  She rubbed her temples with her fingertips. “I shouldn’t have said that. I’m sorry.”

  After a few moments, he went back to repairing the harness. “Why did you go to Jeff, Lucy? Why him?”

  Bowing her head, she let the tears fall. “The day after tomorrow would have been our wedding anniversary. Jeff Hartley still owes me for that.”

  Seven

  Jeff made arrangements to have the Hartley Ranch covered, personnel wise, in the event that he didn’t return from Midland right away. There was no reason in the world to think that he and Lucy might end up in bed together, but he was a planner. A former Boy Scout. Preparation was second nature to him.

  As he went about his business, his mind raced on a far more intimate track. Lucy had betrayed the wedding vows she and Jeff had both written. Before they’d ever made it to the altar. And yet she thought Jeff was the one at fault. Even from the perspective of two years down the road, he was still angry about that.

  At four o’clock, he showered and quickly packed a bag. He traveled often for cattle shows and other business-related trips, so he was accustomed to the drill. Then he went online and ordered a variety of items and had them delivered to his favorite hotel.

  When he was satisfied that his plans were perfectly in order, he loaded the car, stopped by the bank, and then drove out to the farm. There was at least a fifty-fifty chance Lucy would shut the door in his face. But he was convinced her request for a loan was legit. In order to get the cash, she had to go along with his wishes.

  Unfortunately, Kenny answered the door. And he was spoiling for a fight.

  Jeff had spent his entire life in Texas. He was no stranger to brawls and the occasional testosterone overload. But if he had plans for himself and Lucy, first he had to get past her gatekeeper. He held up his hands in the universal gesture for noncombative behavior. “I come in peace, big guy.”

  “Luce never should have asked you for the money. I can manage on my own.”

  “In LA? I don’t think so. Not without liquidating your assets. And that will break your cousin’s heart. Is that really what you want to do?”

  “You’re hardly the man to talk about breaking Lucy’s heart.” But it was said without heat. As if Kenny understood that more was at stake here than his would-be career.

  “Where is she?” Jeff asked. “We need to go.”

  “I think she was on the phone, but she’ll be out soon. Though I sure as hell don’t know why.”

  “Lucy and I have some unfinished business from two years ago. It’s time to settle a few scores.”

  Kenny blanched. “I don’t want to be in the middle of this.”

  “Too late. You shouldn’t have tried to sell your land to Samson Oil. And besides, Lucy came to me...not the other way around. What does that tell you?”

  Kenny bristled. “It tells me that my cousin cares about me. I have no idea what it says about you.”

  Eight

  Lucy stood just out of sight in the hallway and listened to the two men argue. Strangely, there was not much real anger in the exchange. At one time, Kenny and Jeff had been good friends. Kenny was supposed to walk Lucy down the aisle and hand her over to the rancher who had swept her off her feet. But that moment never happened.

  Lucy cleared her throat and eased past Kenny to step onto the porch. “Don’t worry if I’m late,” she said.

 
Kenny tugged her wrist and leaned in to kiss her on the cheek. “Text me and let me know your plans. So I don’t worry.”

  His droll attempt to play mother hen made her smile. “Very funny. But yes... I’ll be in touch.”

  At last she had to face Jeff. He stood a few feet away, his expression inscrutable. In a dark tailored suit, with a crisp white dress shirt and blue patterned tie, he looked like a man in charge of his domain. A light breeze ruffled his hair.

  His sharp, intimate gaze scanned her from head to toe. “Let’s go” was all he said.

  Lucy sighed inwardly. So much for her sexy black cocktail dress with spaghetti straps. The daring bodice showcased her cleavage nicely. Big surly rancher barely seemed to notice.

  They descended the steps side by side, Jeff’s hand on her elbow. He helped her into the car, closed her door and went around to slide into the driver’s seat. The car was not one she remembered. But it had all the bells and whistles. It smelled of leather and even more faintly, the essence of the man himself.

  For the first ten miles silence reigned. Pastures of cattle whizzed by outside the window, their existence so commonplace, Lucy couldn’t pretend a deep interest in the scenery. Instead, she kicked off her shoes, curled her legs beneath her, and leaned forward to turn on the satellite radio.

  “Do you mind?” she asked.

  Jeff shot her a glance. “Does being alone with me make you nervous, Lucy?”

  “Of course not.” Her hand hovered over the knob. More than anything else, she wanted music to fill the awkward silence. But if Jeff saw that as a sign of weakness, then she wouldn’t do it.

  She sat back, biting her bottom lip. Now the silence was worse. Before, they had simply been two near strangers riding down the road. Jeff’s deliberately provocative question set her nerves on edge.

  “While we’re on our way,” she said, “why don’t you tell me what these conditions are? The ones I have to agree to so you’ll loan me the money?”

  Jeff didn’t answer her question. “I’m curious. Why doesn’t Kenny go out and get his own loan?”

  “He’s shoveled everything he has back into the farm. His credit’s maxed out. Besides, his solution is selling to Samson Oil. I explained that.”

  “True. You did.”

  “So tell me, Jeff. What do you want from me?”

  Nine

  What do you want from me? Lucy’s frustrated question was one Jeff would have been glad to answer. In detail. Slowly. All night. But first there were hurdles to jump.

  Though he kept his hands on the wheel and his eyes on the road, he had already memorized every nuance of his companion’s appearance. Everything from her sexy black high heels all the way up to her sleek and shiny hair tucked behind one ear.

  Her black cocktail dress, at first glance, was entirely appropriate for dinner in the big city. But damned if he wasn’t going to have the urge to take off his jacket and wrap her up in it. He didn’t want other men looking at her.

  He felt possessive, which was ridiculous, because Lucy was definitely her own woman. If she chose to prance stark naked down Main Street, he couldn’t stop her. So maybe he needed to take a different tack entirely. Instead of bossing her around, perhaps he should use another very enjoyable means of communication.

  Right now, she was a hen with ruffled feathers. He had upset her already. The truth was, he didn’t care. He’d rather have anger from Lucy than outright indifference.

  He could work with anger.

  “We’ll talk about the specifics over dinner, Lucy. Why don’t you relax and tell me about your work in Austin.”

  His diversion worked for the next half hour. In his peripheral vision, he watched as Lucy’s body language went from tense and guarded to normal. Or at least as normal as it could be given the history between them.

  Later, when he pulled up in front of the luxury hotel in the heart of the city, Lucy shot him a sharp-eyed glance.

  He took her elbow and led her inside. “The restaurant here is phenomenal,” he said. “I think you’ll enjoy it.”

  Over appetizers and drinks, Lucy thawed further. “So far, I’m impressed. I forgot to eat lunch today, so I was starving.”

  Jeff was hungry, too, but he barely tasted the food. He was gambling a hell of a lot on the outcome of this encounter.

  They ordered the works...filet and lobster. With spinach salad and crusty rolls. Clearly, Lucy enjoyed her meal. He enjoyed the fact that she didn’t fuss about calories and instead ate with enthusiasm.

  Good food prepared from fresh ingredients was a sensual experience. It tapped into some of the same pleasure centers as lovemaking. It was hard to bicker under the influence of a really exceptional Chablis and a satisfying, special-occasion dinner.

  That’s what he was counting on...

  Lucy declined dessert. Jeff did, as well. As they lingered over coffee, he could practically see her girding her loins for battle.

  She stirred a single packet of sugar into her cup and sat back in her chair, eyeing him steadily. “Enough stalling, Jeff. I’ve come here with you for dinner, which was amazing, I might add. But I need to have your answer. Will you loan me the money, and what are your conditions?”

  Ten

  Lucy was braced for bad news. It was entirely possible that Jeff had brought her here—wined and dined her—in order to let her down gently. To give her an outright no.

  Watching him take a sip of coffee was only one of many mistakes she had made tonight. When his lips made contact with the rim of his thin china cup, she was almost sure the world stood still for a split second. The man had the most amazing mouth. Firm lips that could caress a woman’s breast or kiss her senseless in the space of a heartbeat.

  Though it had been two long years, Lucy still remembered the taste of his tongue on hers.

  “Jeff?” She heard the impatience in her voice. “I asked you a question.”

  He nodded slowly. “Okay. Hear me out before you run screaming from the room.”

  Her nape prickled. “I don’t understand.”

  Leaning toward her, he rested his forearms on the table, hands clasped in front of him. His dark gaze captured hers like a mesmerist. “When you walked out the night before our wedding, we never had closure. I went from being almost married to drastically single so fast it’s a wonder I didn’t get whiplash.”

  “What’s your point?” Her throat was tight.

  “Divorced couples end up back in bed together all the time. Lovers break up and hook up and break up again. I’m curious to see if you and I still have a spark.”

  Hyperventilation threatened. “We can talk about that later.” Much later. “You said you had two conditions. What are they?” For the first time tonight, she caught a glimpse of something in his eyes. Was it pain? Or vulnerability? Not likely.

  He shrugged. “I want you to ask Kirsten to tell you what really happened that night.”

  “I don’t need to talk to Kirsten. I’m not blind. I saw everything. You kissed her and she kissed you back. Both of you betrayed me. The truth is, Kirsten and I have barely spoken since that night. She has shut me out. I think she’s embarrassed that she didn’t stop you.”

  “And you really believe that?”

  His tone wasn’t sarcastic. If anything, the words were wistful, cajoling. She’d spent two horrid years wondering why the man who professed to love her madly had been such a jerk. Or why Kirsten, her best friend, hadn’t punched Jeff in the stomach. She had seen Kirsten’s face when Lucy caught them. The other woman had looked shattered. But her arms had definitely been twined about Jeff’s neck.

  “I don’t know what to believe anymore,” she muttered. Jeff hadn’t dated anyone at all in the last twenty-four months according to Royal’s gossipy grapevine. He was a young, virile man in his prime. If he was s
uch a lying, cheating scoundrel, why hadn’t he been out on the town with a dozen women in the interim? “And if I do go talk to Kirsten about what happened? That’s it? What about the other requirement?”

  Those chiseled lips curved upward in a smile that made her spine tighten and her stomach curl. “I’d like the two of us to go upstairs and spend the night together.”

  Eleven

  Go upstairs and spend the night together.

  His words echoed in her brain like tiny pinballs. “You mean sex?”

  Jeff laughed out loud, but it was gentle laughter, and his eyes were filled with warmth. “Yes, Lucy. Sex. I’ve missed you. I’ve missed us.”

  Oh, my...

  What was a woman supposed to say to that kind of proposition? Especially when it sounded so very appealing. She cleared her throat. “If you’re offering to pay me twenty thousand dollars to have sex with you, I think we could both get arrested.”

  His smile was enigmatic. “Let’s not muddy the waters, then. I promise to give you the money for Kenny as long as you have a conversation with Kirsten.” He reached across the table and took one of her hands in both of his. When he rubbed his thumb across her wrist, it was all she could do not to jerk away in a panic.

  “Steady, Lucy.” His grip tightened. “I think deep in your heart you know the truth. But you’re afraid to face it. I understand that. Maybe it will take time. So for tonight, I’m not expecting you to make any sweeping declarations. I’m only asking if you’ll be my lover again. One night. For closure. Unless you change your mind and decide you want more.”

  “Why would I do that?” she asked faintly, remembering all the evenings she had cried herself to sleep.

  “You’ll have to figure it out for yourself,” he said. That same thumb rubbed back and forth across her knuckles.

  She seized on one inescapable truth. “But I don’t have anything with me to stay overnight,” she said, grasping at straws. “And neither do you.”