by Kadie Scott
Enjoy an Exclusive Excerpt from
Taming the Texas Cowboy
Charlene Sands
Book 1 in the Forever Texan series
Copyright © 2003 Charlene Sands
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“I do,” Trey Walker uttered.
In a million lifetimes, he never dreamed he’d say these words. Especially not to Maddie Brooks, the auburn-haired beauty standing beside him, her eyes wide with gratitude. They stood under an arbor of lush traveling vines in the small garden area behind his house at 2 Hope Ranch.
“I do, too,” she offered. A gentle breeze blew by and tousled her hair all sexy-like.
Trey swallowed. He was intrigued by the young woman who’d be living with him for an unforeseen length of time. In truth, the petite, green-eyed female scared the hell out of him with her innocent looks and wholesome demeanor. She was the exact sort of woman Trey avoided—the kind that said “KEEPER” in big, bold capital letters. But damn it all, if Trey hadn’t needed her, or rather if 2 Hope Ranch hadn’t needed what she had to offer, Trey would never have agreed to this.
“So you agree to the terms?” She repeated softly, her voice a mere whisper on the wind.
“I do, Maddie. There’s no need to sign a contract. My word is as good as gold.”
Maddie nodded a bit tentatively as she swiveled her body around, glancing at his property, her slender hands set in the back pockets of her denim jeans. Trey looked his fill, enjoying the view of a perfectly formed backside. He was one to appreciate a good-looking woman and Maddie was all that—even in her range-dusty work clothes.
When she turned around, Trey snapped his head up to meet her gaze. Again, her words were soft as morning dew and Trey got the feeling she was as reluctant about this arrangement as he was. “I’ll move my things in tonight, and tomorrow I’ll set up my office in the old barn. The animals all seem to be doing fine. I think this might just work out.”
Trey squeezed his eyes shut momentarily. He grunted a reply and held out his hand. A handshake in this part of Texas was more than enough to bind an agreement. Maddie lifted her right hand from her pocket and slid her palm into his. He shook the hand quickly before the impact of her touch could register to any other part of his body, other than his addled brain. “It’s a deal then.”
She bit down on her lip drawing his attention to a heart-shaped mouth so pink and ripe that Trey was certain the Almighty had made her lips expressly for kissing. Too bad, Trey thought with regret, because he’d already set Maddie Brooks strictly off-limits. She was now a business partner, of sorts.
She would rent out one room in his house, use the old barn as her office and treat her animal patients there. Not only would 2 Hope Ranch gain from the rental fee, but Maddie had also agreed to treat all of Trey’s livestock for free. It was a deal he couldn’t refuse. His ranch had encountered more than a few setbacks lately, and Trey just plain needed the revenue. He’d had no choice really and neither had Maddie. Her veterinary office had burned clear down to the ground just days ago, and Trey’s was the only ranch within miles that had an extra barn and a ranch house big enough to accommodate her without any problem. There was no denying Trey had plenty of room on the grounds as well as three empty bedrooms inside his house.
Trey had taken in her animals first thing after they’d been rescued by the fire department in Hope Wells. They included a yellow Labrador retriever recovering from a birdshot wound, a border collie named Toby that had been hit by a car, and two rabbits suffering from ear mites. They and various other small pets were now housed inside Trey’s smaller, older barn. Hell, he couldn’t have the animals suffer. They needed a home, but he hadn’t bargained on Maddie coming to live with him. No sir.
Uncle Monty had pulled a fast one talking him into this arrangement, and Trey wasn’t at all certain his uncle hadn’t had matchmaking on his mind.
Maddie graced him with a small smile. “Deal.”
Trey began to walk off but turned when a thought struck. “You need help moving your stuff in?”
“Uh, no. Not really. I don’t have much at the motel but some clothes and a few things I managed to accumulate since the fire. I’m pretty much starting out fresh. I don’t even have much left in the way of files.” She shrugged, keeping up a brave front, but Trey figured Maddie was as broken up inside as that old border collie. “Guess I’m just going to have to improvise.”
Trey nodded. Maddie lived in a small apartment above her office in town, and now she’d lost almost everything. The insurance company came through with a small sum for the time being, but the rest of her claim was contingent upon an investigation into the cause of the fire.
He tipped his hat. “I’ll be here, if you need me.”
He was just being neighborly, doing the polite thing, yet those words sent his body into small shock. He shuddered and turned to walk away before Maddie noticed. No sense worrying the girl. She had enough to worry over. But the fact remained that Trey didn’t want to be needed.
Ever—and especially by a female.
He’d been cursed in that regard. Both his father and grandfather had bad track records when it came to women. They’d done a great job of breaking hearts and wrecking lives. Trey had seen the destruction firsthand and it hadn’t been pretty. From early on, after one failed engagement, Trey had vowed to keep his own life simple. And women close only when they both agreed on temporary. Trey didn’t do permanent. Nothing was going to change that.
And now that pretty little filly Maddie Brooks would be sharing bath towels with him under his roof. An image instantly flashed—Maddie’s petite body wrapped in a two-by-nothing towel and bumping into him in the hallway. He paused, letting the image sink in of soft ripe curves and healthy, tanned skin all tucked into a tight little package. He caught himself and cursed up a blue streak then kicked up his heels so fast that his boots cut a straight-arrow path back to the corral.
Sometimes, being neighborly came with too high a price.
*
Maddie slowed her truck to a stop by the rubble that was once her home, her office and her very existence in Hope Wells. It was all gone. She’d lost the small place on the edge of town she’d proudly called home for the past year and a half. Sucking up courage, she glanced at the devastation through the truck’s window. Large cinders still radiated heat and practically everything she’d owned was diminished to varying shades of black, charred beyond recognition.
Maddie stepped down from the truck and breathed in the smell of destruction. She coughed, choking on a deadly combination of burnt belongings and wafting smoke. Only a small broken-down remnant of her storefront sign remained. The sign that had once said, The Animal Place, T.A.P. Gently, Madeline M. Brooks, D.V.M., now only touted the first three letters of her first name, Mad. How appropriate. A little irony of life, she thought sadly. Tears welled in her eyes as she stared at the loss.
Goodness, she still didn’t understand how the fire started exactly. Faulty wiring, one firefighter guessed. He’d known old Dr. Benning for years, the man who had sold Maddie his veterinary practice before moving to Dallas to be closer to his grandchildren. He’d been a mainstay in the community, a man who cared for animals until his eyesight had just about given out. Maddie, fresh out of an internship in northern California had been overjoyed at the prospect of buying a small but fully established practice and had just enough funds to cover a down payment on the asking price.
Doc Benning had stayed on for one month after the sale, guiding Maddie, introducing her to his clients, and mentoring her much like a tutor would a new student. Maddie had been grateful for the help, but she’d been eager to get started on her own. She’d studied hard, learned fast and her love of animals came easily. She’d been graced with the “touch” from a young age, a special way she had of communicating with animals that went beyond description. Her well-honed instincts—in combination with her schooled training—served her well, and Maddie was extremely proud of her accomplishments.
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sp; She reached into the truck, grabbing a beat-up pair of leather work gloves and tiptoed her way through the charred remains. Heat curled her toes from inside her boots, but it wasn’t unbearable, so she ventured forth, searching. This would be the last chance she’d have to find something, anything left partially intact, before a crew would come to clear it all away. She’d been through the place once already, right after the fire. At that time she’d been too distraught to really see anything beyond the damage.
Maddie tiptoed carefully through the wreckage, her gaze traveling along slowly, eyeing each inch of ground carefully in hopes of finding something she might recognize, but nothing appeared salvageable. She sighed and turned to leave. She shouldn’t have come. The venture was as fruitless as it was painful. Everything was gone.
But then a glint of something shiny caught her eye. Afternoon sunlight beamed down and at first Maddie thought it was just light reflecting off burnt metal. She stepped closer and bent to make a better inspection, putting on her gloves. With nimble fingers, she parted the ashes that partially covered her discovery. The Appaloosa emerged, a sterling-silver necklace given to her by her Grandma Mae when Maddie had graduated high school. Maddie lifted the piece, picking it up by the chain, dangling the necklace before her eyes. She gasped her relief then chuckled with glee. “Hello, Aphrodite. I should’ve known nothing would keep you down.”
The charm appeared undamaged, except for a layer of ash that Maddie quickly blew away with a forceful gush of air. Then with a gentle rub of her gloved thumb the sterling horse winked back with luster, appearing unscathed and good as new. Clutching the charm to her chest, tears stung her eyes—tears of relief, happiness, and gratitude.
If there was one thing Maddie would have chosen to salvage from all this destruction, it would have been Aphrodite. Lucky her. Maddie believed that small miracles happened every day, and today she’d been graced with a precious one.
Grandma Mae’s sage words flashed through her mind as she recalled that cloudless spring day when she’d been given the family heirloom. “Love who you are, child. Love what you do. Love your family and friends and God’s creatures, and then love will also find you.”
“I’m glad I found you.”
Trey Walker’s deep voice startled her out of her thoughts. Maddie whirled around. With her heart in her throat, she peered at him as he stood with arms folded, leaning against the cab of her truck. Trey’s voice did things to her. His impossible good looks knotted her stomach. His long lean stature, that cowboy stance, the hypnotic way a tic worked at his jaw, all conspired to throw Maddie’s once nicely orchestrated world upside down.
At one time, she had thought to be in love with him. She’d hoped to gain his attention since the first time she’d laid eyes on him, out in his barn at 2 Hope.
Trey had called Doc Benning out to see to an aging mare. The old girl had been failing for quite some time and Doc had brought Maddie along with him to mentor her and give her a grain of experience. She doubted she’d ever forget the image of Trey Walker bent over that old roan, whispering soft soothing words in her ear. Strong, work-roughened hands slid gently and with masterful grace over the horse’s muzzle. He worked his hands along her mane, each stroke careful, calculated to give the old girl peace.
There wasn’t anything she or Doc Benning could do, but give the horse a shot to put her down. But Trey disagreed. He wanted her to go as God intended, when He intended. And Maddie knew, without a doubt, that Trey had made the right choice. The horse had eased out of the world with Trey’s loving hands caressing her softly, spilling words from his heart and speaking a final farewell to a longtime friend.
Maddie had fallen in love with Trey Walker that day—instantly and without a doubt in her mind.
But she’d been clearly disappointed when Trey Walker ignored her every attempt to gain his affection. Oh, he’d been polite, sweet as peach pie when she’d come out to check on his livestock. But he’d also been distant and at times, indifferent. Maddie had even tried a supreme makeover once—highlighting her hair, learning to do her makeup without smearing herself all up and wearing the most revealing, cleavage-spilling clothes a woman dared to wear. Nothing had worked. He hadn’t given her the slightest glimmer of hope. Clearly he wanted no part of her. And seeing him around town making easy conversation with women at times surely broke her heart.
Heck, you don’t have to hit Maddie Brooks over the head with a sledgehammer. She’d finally gotten the message. She’d given up. Wholly and completely.
But darn if the man standing right in front of her still didn’t make her legs go wobbly. Only now, Maddie was smarter. She armed herself with steely resolve. She didn’t have a clue about enticing a man like Trey. She wasn’t the sort of woman to catch Trey Walker’s attention. She understood that now.
“Trey, are you looking for me?”
Trey glanced at her tear-smudged face but Maddie refused to let it bother her. She wasn’t out to impress Trey Walker anymore. She wouldn’t rub her cheeks dry, but they burned hot as Trey’s deep blue eyes studied her.
He pushed away from the truck and stood at the edge of the ashes, his gaze holding hers. “Ah, Maddie, you’re crying.”
Maddie stiffened her shoulders against Trey’s knowing eyes. She lifted the necklace and swung it out, catching his attention. “Happy tears. I found something . . . something that wasn’t destroyed. Something . . . precious.”
Trey glanced at the necklace then arched a brow, but nodded in understanding.
“My grandmother gave this to me when I graduated high school. I wore it every day in college. It has special meaning.”
Trey stepped into the rubble, coming up close for a better look. He reached for the necklace, his fingers brushing over her gloved hand. Even through thick leather, Maddie felt the shock of his slight touch. The careful way he lifted the jewel from her, as if he trusted that it was indeed precious, only magnified the sensation. She stared at the dark fringes of his eyelashes as he peered down and she noted a tiny quirk of a smile erupting. “It’s nice. I’m glad you found it in all this mess.”
Maddie glanced around. “Yes. It’s about all I found.” When she turned to him again, she wondered if he purposely sought her out. “What are you doing here? Do you want me for something?”
Trey pursed his lips, disguising a devil-made grin. Hell, he’d never seen anything like it. Maddie Brooks, traipsing through these ruins, with her auburn hair tangled around her face and tearstains running a path down her ash-smudged cheeks. She looked like a lost child—a vulnerable one at that, but he’d yet to find anyone prettier, or more appealing.
Did he want her for something?
A loaded question and one Trey would never answer.
“I was heading to town to buy feed for the horses, when I realized I hadn’t given you the key to the house. But first,” Trey said, placing his hands on her shoulders and turning her around so that her back was to him. He lifted her hair and slipped the necklace around her neck, letting the loose chain slide down her throat to fall into the soft valley between her breasts. He breathed in, a sharp intake of oxygen. Damn. His mind drifted to thoughts of putting his hands where the necklace lay and touching her soft skin there. Hell, he wanted to do more than merely touch her.
Wow . . . where had that come from? If only Trey wasn’t a hard nose when it came to good, decent women. Maddie wasn’t for him. So he removed all thoughts of lust out of his head. He wasn’t about to let the subtle scent of Maddie’s skin—a trace of sweet raspberries—and her vulnerable state affect him. He wouldn’t do that to Maddie Brooks. She’d been through enough. “There,” he said and stepped away.
Maddie turned around, removing her gloves so she could finger the charm. Joy lit her eyes, but she guarded her delight carefully, as if she were afraid to indulge in happiness for too long. Trey understood that better than she might guess.
“Thank you,” she said with a small smile.
He nodded, keeping his eyes focused on
her face and not on the deep inviting cleavage that framed the necklace. He slipped a hand into his pocket, coming up with a key ring. He removed one and handed it to her. “Here you go. Come and go as you please on the ranch. I won’t wait up.”
“Oh, I won’t be going out much, unless I have to make a late-night house call.”
He nodded again, not happy with the notion of Maddie Brooks underfoot every night. “Sometimes, I get in late,” he admitted, “but if you need anything when I’m not around, you know Kit, my foreman?”
“Yes, we’ve met. But I’m sure I’ll be fine.”
“Okay then. I’d better get that grain before the store closes.”
She lifted the key to the ranch house. “Thanks again. I guess I’ll get my things from the Cactus Inn now.”
Trey reached into his back pocket and presented her with his red bandanna. “For your face.”
“Oh.” Color rose from under her smudge marks, brightening her face to a rosy hue. “Is it that bad?”
“Doesn’t bother me a bit. But I figured you’d want to clean up before heading to the motel.”
She began swiping her face for all she was worth. “Thanks. I must look like heck.”
Trey turned his back on Maddie, released a reluctant sigh and headed for his truck, mumbling, “Heck never looked so danged cute.”
Trey got into his truck, gunned the engine and took off, his wheels spitting up a cloud of dry Texas dust. He’d come into town to help Maddie move her things from the motel. It hadn’t set right that she’d refused his offer. What kind of man would allow a woman, who was down on her luck, alone in the world and who had lost most of her possessions, face that task alone?
But one look at her today, standing there in the midst of her onetime home and something powerful stabbed at him. It wasn’t like anything he’d felt before, this protective, warm feeling he had for her. Trey didn’t like it, not one bit. If he wasn’t careful, he’d be under her spell, she’d be under his sheets, and then disaster would strike.
