Bowles, Jan - Branded by the Texas Rancher (Siren Publishing Classic)

by Неизвестный

  “This won’t do,” she said out loud.

  “That’s the first sign of madness.”

  The deep voice from behind her caught her off guard, and she spun around. “What is?”

  Jed leaned nonchalantly against the open doorway, his gaze traveled over her from head to toe. A look of pure amusement spread across his face.

  “You were talking to yourself, Rebecca.”

  “Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t know I’d spoken out loud.”

  He grinned. “I guess you were absorbed by your pie making.”

  She felt her cheeks suffuse with heat. Did he know she’d been watching him for the last twenty minutes?

  She moved to the fridge. “I’ll get you a cold beer,” she said by way of a distraction. She handed him a bottle of Bud. “I got these especially for you. I don’t drink myself.” Their fingers touched briefly as he took the bottle from her, and her eyes immediately locked on his. Rooted to the spot, she saw amusement there. It was all she could do to stop herself from running away. What must Jed think of her? Surely she was acting like a child?

  The whole point of immigrating to America had been to start afresh, yet she still couldn’t shake her strict upbringing from her thoughts. It seeped into everything she did. Turning over a new leaf would be easier said, than done.

  Averting her gaze from his, she motioned with her hand to the kitchen table. “Would you like to sit down?”

  “Only if it won’t make you nervous?”

  “Of course not, why do you say that?”

  “Just a feeling I get.”

  Her heart began thumping in her chest as he brushed past her and sprawled onto a kitchen chair. His whole torso glistened from the manual labor and the heat of the sun. She’d never known anyone so completely masculine as Jed. His presence overwhelmed her, and he seemed to know it, too. He raised the bottle of Bud to his lips as he stared at her. He swallowed the contents in one long swig and placed the empty bottle back on the table.

  Maybe she should explain. “It’s not you, Jed,” she lied. “I’m just not used to having people around.” Well, that part was true. “In England I lived a very sheltered life. America is very different to what I’m used to.”

  “Sounds like you regret coming over.”

  “Oh, no,” she assured him, as her confidence grew. With Jed sitting down she didn’t feel quite so overawed by him. “It’s the best thing I’ve ever done. Everyone is so open and friendly. It just takes a bit of getting used to, that’s all.”

  “Good, I’m glad you’re not thinking of going back.”

  “Why?”

  “Because I—” He smiled, a teasing smile. “My little Annie thinks you’re the best teacher ever.”

  “I’m glad.” She smiled back. Their eyes connected. He opened his mouth to speak and then closed it again. Whatever he’d been about to say he’d decided against it.

  He rubbed a hand over his face and then looked at the array of fresh-baked goods on the table. “My, these sure smell good.”

  “I’ve baked one for you to take home, but you can have a piece now if you like.”

  “You sure know the way to a man’s heart, Rebecca.”

  She just saw the hint of a smile on his face as a blush began to settle in her cheeks. Well, she’d have to get used to having him around, and his teasing, too. Annie needed the extra schooling, and she needed the help around the house.

  * * * *

  A week later, at the top of a ladder, Jed hammered a chisel into the rotten wood of an upstairs casement window. Old Forest Tucker had sure left the place to rot. They all really needed replacing, but Rebecca just didn’t have that kind of money.

  As he chiseled away, he reflected on how well things were going between them. She still hadn’t entirely relaxed in his presence, but that was to be expected. When she’d told him about her upbringing, she’d given him an insight into what made her tick. He had to admire her guts for coming to the US in the first place. It must have been a big step for her.

  Last week he’d almost asked her for a date, but he’d backed off at the last minute. He didn’t want to scare her away. There would be plenty of time to make a move. He just needed to choose the right moment.

  He shook his head as he scraped out the last of the rotting timber. If she’s not attracted to you, you’ll make a complete ass of yourself.

  Well, it wouldn’t be for the first time. No, he’d say something sooner or later. He felt sure she liked him. Her body language said she did. All those little looks she gave when she thought he wasn’t watching. He grinned. Yep, he felt like a stag during the rutting season. His cock just wouldn’t play dead. How fucking embarrassing was that?

  He brushed his fingers over the freshly cut wood and a sharp pain pierced his flesh. On close inspection, a splinter of wood had driven down behind the nail of his index finger.

  “Goddamn.” Now that hurt. He shook his hand in order to alleviate the intensity.

  “Are you all right? I’ve brought you a cold beer.”

  He looked below to see Rebecca standing at the bottom of the ladder.

  He began climbing down. “I’m fine. Just picked up a splinter, that’s all.” He winced as he took the bottle from her.

  “Here, let me see.” She held out her hand, and he dutifully placed his own in it as he took a welcome swig of ice-cold beer. “That’s nasty. Come inside, and I’ll see to it.”

  “It’s nothing.”

  “I insist.” Her eyes flared. It was the first time he’d seen her annoyed. Her lips pouted, and he couldn’t help but think how pretty she looked. “It might get infected.”

  “You’re the boss.” He followed her inside, his gaze scanning her ramrod straight back. Her hair was still pinned up, and she wore jeans and a pretty blue blouse. He couldn’t help but linger on her cute little butt. Rebecca sure was a prize worth winning.

  “If you sit there,” she pointed to a chair, “I’ll just get some antiseptic.” She disappeared down the hallway and returned moments later with a bottle and a small towel.

  “Hold out your hand.”

  “Yes, nurse.”

  A faint smile brushed her lips as she held his hand in hers. Then she produced a pair of tweezers.

  “Give me those. I can do that.”

  “Ah, scared I might hurt you?”

  “Nope.”

  “Good, then I’ll do it, it’ll be less painful.”

  He could just see the slight hesitancy before she leaned closer. He studied her face. Her dark lashes curled down onto her pale skin. He’d never noticed before, but she had the teeniest freckles scattered across the bridge of her nose.

  “Those are cute.”

  “What are?”

  “Those little freckles on your nose.”

  Color rose in her cheeks, and she flicked her gaze momentarily to his. “Jed, I need to concentrate. This might hurt,” she said, as she clamped the tweezers around the offending splinter.

  He hardly noticed as she pulled it from his finger. All he could focus on was her. Her unmistakable perfume. Her full lips. Fuck, he wanted to pull her into his arms right now and kiss those lips. She must have guessed his thoughts because she quickly moved away, putting space between them.

  “You’d better put some antiseptic on it.”

  “Aren’t you going to do it?” he asked.

  “I’m sure you can do that yourself.” She looked distracted and then turned quickly toward the sink and stared out the window. Her hand moved across her face and then brushed nervously into her hair.

  Surely she must guess his intentions by now. “Rebecca, I want—”

  “Oh, my washing, it’s raining.” With that, she dashed outside, leaving him on his own. When he looked out the window, he couldn’t see a damn drop of rain. All he saw was a clear blue sky and not a cloud in sight.

  She certainly wasn’t making this dating game easy for him. Now he’d have to find another time to ask her. Still, there was no doubt in his mind that
she wanted him as much as he wanted her.

  Chapter Four

  Two weeks later

  Rebecca removed the apple pie from the oven and placed it on the cooling wire. In a couple of minutes, she’d call Jed in for a drink. He’d been on the roof for the past couple of hours. Every now and then, she heard a hammer hitting home. The sun was quite fierce, and she knew he would be thirsty.

  She poured a drink and went outside. Unable to see him, she called out, “Jed, there’s a beer waiting for you.”

  “Okay, be right down.” His disembodied voice returned from the roof.

  Sitting at the table, Rebecca sipped at her cool lemonade. When Jed walked in, her heart seemed to stop working. Naked from the waist up, sweat glistened on his tanned torso as he washed his hands in the sink. “Something sure smells good.”

  With her concentration focused on Jed, the glass slipped from her fingers and shattered noisily on the tiled floor, breaking into a thousand pieces. “Oh. How clumsy of me.”

  Just as she bent down to tidy up, he did, too. “Watch you don’t cut yourself, Rebecca.”

  His hand accidentally brushed against hers as he reached for a large piece of glass. She looked up into startlingly blue eyes. His gaze slipped to her mouth, and she couldn’t help but lick her lips. His perfectly toned body rippled with muscles mere inches from her. All she had to do was reach out and touch him.

  He spoke. “Rebecca, I—”

  “I’ll get a brush,” she hastily interrupted. Getting quickly to her feet, she went and retrieved a dustpan and brush from the broom cupboard. Better to deny the attraction between them than to start something that would only lead to disappointment.

  It had been like this for the last couple of visits. Every time they were alone together, this feeling would consume her like nothing she had known before.

  “Rebecca, I’ve been coming here for the last month. There’s an attraction between us. I feel it, and I know you feel it, too.”

  With an effort she barely thought possible, she looked him straight in the eye. Confusion reflected on his features as he held her gaze. Denial would be the safest option. “I don’t know what you mean, Jed. Surely you know I’m not your type.”

  He laughed, his brows drawing together as he studied her. “And what type are you?”

  “I don’t know. I’ve been told I’m too cold. What type would you suggest? Ice queen? Ice maiden?” She began sweeping the shards of glass into the dustpan with exaggerated movements. Anything to keep herself from looking at him.

  “Who told you that?”

  “My ex-fiancé.”

  “I see.”

  “No, I don’t think you do. My father was a vicar. A preacher, if you like. I’ve got plenty of hang-ups that would make you unhappy.”

  “Is that why you came to America? To escape your father?”

  Lifting her head from her task, she stared at him. His piercing gaze held her captive. It was all she could do to keep breathing. Surely he was the most attractive man she’d ever seen? “My father’s been dead for two years now. I came to America to leave the humiliation of rejection behind. I don’t wish to add any more.”

  “So you’d rather reject me, Rebecca, than have some fun?”

  “I’m sorry. It’s for the best.” All her emotions surfaced as she put the brush and pan to one side. She would always be a failure where men were concerned. She’d hoped to leave the past behind her, but she just didn’t seem to have the courage to make that final step. The idea that she would be a disappointment to any man scared her the most. She just couldn’t deal with the humiliation again.

  “What are you frightened of, Rebecca?”

  “I’m not frightened.” She moved out of his reach. “How about some apple pie?”

  “Instead of you, you mean? I don’t think you’re taking anything I say seriously.”

  Without warning he pressed her hard against the kitchen table. Taking her hands in his, he pinned them down on either side of her. His gaze focused on her mouth, her own eyes unable to ignore the pure masculine presence of him. The hard contours of his chest, so close and overwhelming, made the breath seize in her lungs in a short, sharp gasp.

  He leaned forward, his warm breath fanning against her neck as he whispered softly in her ear. “I see I’ve got your attention, Rebecca, because you’ve sure as hell had mine these past few weeks.”

  “Jed.” He felt so incredibly sexy standing right up against her. His heat soaked through the dress she wore. His male scent pervaded her senses like nothing she had known before. “Believe me, I’m the complete opposite to you.”

  “I don’t think so. I’ve seen you looking at me when you think I don’t notice. There’s a connection between us. You want me, just as much as I want you.”

  “You are mistaken.”

  “Uh-uh.” He brushed his lips against her cheek, his mouth nuzzling her soft skin as he tasted a line to her ear. Pressed back against the table, her hands pinned beneath his, she could barely move. It excited her like never before. “Truth be known, you’d like me to take you here, on this table, right now, and fuck you senseless.”

  The image and the language he used shocked and startled her. No one had ever spoken to her like that before. Jason had never been as crude as that. Trouble was, Jed turned her on far more than Jason ever could. Maybe Jed was right. Maybe she was more like him than she realized.

  Only a few base words wouldn’t begin to change a whole lifetime of concealment. To allow Jed in, she would have to let her defenses down, and she just wasn’t ready to do that. She liked her safe little world. That way she wouldn’t disappoint herself or anyone else.

  “As I said, Jed. You are mistaken. Now let me go.”

  He stared at her for a moment. “Very well.” Then he leaned in and whispered low against her ear. “You may fool everyone else. You may even fool yourself, but you can’t fool me. Maybe you need a man like me, rather than that dickless wonder back in England. I bet your father approved of him.”

  She looked sharply at him. He’d hit the nail on the head. “He did.”

  “Well, darlin’, he would never have approved of me.” With that, he moved away and went back outside, leaving her feeling incredibly empty. Jed had given her plenty to think about.

  * * * *

  Jed pulled into the parking lot outside Madison’s and stilled the engine. Usually he looked forward to a couple of beers on a Sunday night with Todd and Jake, but not tonight.

  His thoughts were consumed with Rebecca. He’d begun to form an attachment to her. He guessed it was the time they’d spent together. He knew her quite well. He shook his head. He knew diddly-squat because she just wouldn’t let him in.

  This afternoon she had looked so scared when he’d suggested there was a mutual attraction between them. Like a deer caught in the headlights, she had just stared back at him. Frightened of stepping across the divide between them.

  He didn’t think for one minute that she was that cold, passionless woman she had described herself as. No wonder she had left England. The men in her life had completely destroyed her self-confidence. He knew Rebecca had a lot to give. He just had to find a way to coax it from her.

  He entered the bar and walked over to his drinking buddies. They grinned at him as he approached.

  “You finally made it then, Jed. Jake and I had our doubts that you’d turn up this evening.”

  “And why is that, Todd?”

  “We heard through the grapevine that you’ve been slipping the new schoolteacher a length.”

  “Fuck you, Todd.” This was all he needed. The townsfolk of Avery Grove were there when you needed them, like when he’d first lost his wife. But by God, they took an unholy interest in everyone’s love life, or lack of it.

  He ordered three beers, noticing their reflections in the mirror behind the bar. “If you two don’t stop smirking, I’m outta here.”

  “Well, you can confide in us, Jed. We won’t tell a soul.”

&n
bsp; “Sure. How about I tell you zilch?” He took a swig of his beer, feeling rather defensive about Rebecca.

  “That’s too bad, Jed,” Jake teased. “We all heard you’d nailed her in the kitchen.”

  He shook his head in amusement. “Such details, where do you get your information from?”

  Todd joined in. “Apparently, as soon as you got inside her house, you ripped each other’s clothes off, and then you got inside her.”

  Jed started to laugh. “I hate to disappoint you, but I think my little Annie has something to do with the rumors. I’m afraid she’s misconstrued what’s happening. You know what kids are like, two and two make six.” He really ought to have a word with her, but if he did, wouldn’t he be fueling the gossip?

  “Well that ain’t no good to you, Jed. The whole town thinks you’re fucking her. It’s the major topic of conversation all over.”

  “Great.” He began to walk from the bar. He at least ought to warn Rebecca before she heard the rumors herself.

  “Hey, where are you going?” Jake called after him.

  He gave the finger, and Todd added, “I sure hope she’s keeping it nice and warm for you.”

  * * * *

  Rebecca ran the brush through her waist-length hair one more time. Sunday nights were her pamper nights. A long bath followed by liberal amounts of lotions and potions.

  Some soft background music played on the radio, and as soon as the program finished, she’d retire to bed. It was an early start again tomorrow.

  When the doorbell rang, she pulled the dressing gown around herself and did up the tie.

  “Who is it?” she called, not wanting to open the door this late.

  “Rebecca, it’s Jed.”

  Her heart began to beat faster. Her hand shook as her fingers grasped the lock. What did he want at this late hour? “Can’t it wait until morning, Jed?”

  She heard his slow exhale of breath. “Rebecca, we need to talk. Trust me, I’m not gonna try anything.”