THE UNTAMEABLE TEXAN

by Janice Maynard

  A second chance leads to sudden pregnancy in USA TODAY bestselling author Janice Maynard’s epic Texas Cattleman’s Club: After the Storm prequel novella...

  Texas financier Jed Farrell always gets what he wants—except when it comes to the one who got away, Kimberly Fanning. Now he’s here to settle old scores with his high school sweetheart at their ten-year reunion. But when they end up back between the sheets, the man with a plan soon gets an unplanned baby surprise. Will old doubts and differences scuttle their second shot at a future together? The time for answers is running out as a storm literally brews on the horizon....

  The story continues in Stranded with the Rancher by USA TODAY bestselling author Janice Maynard, only from Harlequin Desire!

  The Untameable Texan

  Janice Maynard

  Dear Reader,

  I married my high school sweetheart, so I have a soft spot in my heart for stories where the hero and heroine knew each other in school. Jed and Kimberly go way back in the town of Royal. But their lives have taken very different tracks.

  I hope you enjoy this prequel, and I really hope you’ll enjoy the latest installment of the Texas Cattleman’s Club!

  Happy reading,

  Janice Maynard

  Dedication

  For Charles Griemsman, who oversees

  these continuities with a sharp editorial eye.

  I enjoy working with you. :)

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Books by Janice Maynard

  Harlequin Desire

  The Billionaire’s Borrowed Baby#2109

  *Into His Private Domain#2135

  *A Touch of Persuasion#2146

  *Impossible to Resist#2164

  *The Maid’s Daughter#2182

  *All Grown Up#2206

  *Taming the Lone Wolff#2236

  *A Wolff at Heart#2260

  A Billionaire for Christmas#2271

  Beneath the Stetson#2276

  #A Not-So-Innocent Seduction#2296

  Baby for Keeps#2307

  Stranded with the Rancher#2329

  Silhouette Desire

  The Secret Child & the Cowboy CEO #2040

  *The Men of Wolff Mountain

  #The Kavanaghs of Silver Glen

  Other titles by this author available in ebook format.

  JANICE MAYNARD

  is a USA TODAY bestselling author who lives in beautiful east Tennessee with her husband. She holds a B.A. from Emory and Henry College and an M.A. from East Tennessee State University. In 2002 Janice left a fifteen-year career as an elementary school teacher to pursue writing full-time. Now her first love is creating sexy, character-driven, contemporary romance stories.

  Janice loves to travel and enjoys using those experiences as settings for books. Hearing from readers is one of the best perks of the job! Visit her website, www.janicemaynard.com, and follow her on Facebook and Twitter.

  Contents

  One

  Two

  Three

  Four

  Excerpt

  One

  Late August... Royal, Texas

  Jed Farrell didn’t believe in ghosts. But being haunted? That was another story. He looked in the mirror and straightened his crimson and navy tie, trying to ignore the sizzle of anticipation that made his hands shake. Tonight he was going to exhume the past. He wanted answers to questions. Answers he should have asked for long ago. And he wanted to see the woman who had once broken his heart.

  The organ in question was far tougher now; in fact, it was almost impervious to feminine manipulation. But once upon a time he had been a naive kid without defenses. Fortunately, he’d gotten over the girl. But her memory danced through his dreams now and again.

  His most recent romantic relationship had crashed and burned, leaving him to ruefully acknowledge that he’d never been involved with a woman for longer than six months.

  There had to be a reason for that.

  He had a sinking feeling he knew what it was. Tonight’s high school reunion was the perfect setting for rehashing the past and seeking clarity. She would be there. And so would he.

  His white dress shirt and dark gray suit were appropriate for his role as businessman, but he would have been just as happy in the jeans and cotton shirt he’d worn earlier today.

  The ostensible reason for this trip from Dallas was to help his brother, Drew. The two siblings owned Willowbrook Farms jointly, although Jed was mostly a silent partner. He came home on a regular basis to visit and help make decisions about the ranch when necessary. The high-end horse farm produced thoroughbreds for well-heeled buyers worldwide.

  Jed was proud to be a part of the endeavor. By virtue of his role as co-owner, he was a member of Royal’s Texas Cattleman’s Club, the historic venue where old Texas families socialized and struck business deals. But he spent far more time at the Dallas branch.

  The ranch was several miles from civilization, which suited Jed just fine. Even during trips home, he avoided Royal proper as much as possible. The town held a lot of good memories, but one bad one that tied a knot in his gut. During the festivities this weekend, he planned to deal with that situation once and for all.

  Class reunions were notorious for making people uncomfortable. Because this one included multiple years of graduates, Jed hoped the larger crowd would make it possible for him to look for her unnoticed.

  Kimberly Fanning. The only woman who had ever seriously dented his heart. Jed wasn’t conceited. He didn’t expect every female he met to fall at his feet. But he and Kimberly had been more than mere acquaintances. A hell of a lot more.

  He checked his watch and bent down to give one last buff to his black and gray cowboy boots. He much preferred his well-broken-in everyday pair, but tonight’s event, already underway in the hotel’s ballroom downstairs, was semiformal. Besides, when a man battled demons from the past, it seemed only logical to wear the appropriate armor.

  For reasons he wasn’t prepared to examine too closely, he had booked the hotel’s one suite, a luxurious accommodation filled with priceless antiques, fresh flowers and a bed the size of a small country.

  He could easily have driven back and forth to the ranch, but this setup afforded him privacy as well as the opportunity to have a few drinks if he desired. Beyond that, he had no other concrete plans. With life, though, as in business, it never hurt to be prepared.

  The hotel was only four stories tall. Royal didn’t have a need for skyscrapers. The town was the hub of Maverick County’s horse and cattle operations. Land that had been handed down generation after generation through old Texas families sprawled in every direction.

  As a second son, Jed would have been welcome as a full-time part of Willowbrook. But after college, he had been unable to return home. Instead, he’d pursued his interests in finance and now managed huge investment portfolios for a consortium of ranchers from his upscale high-rise office in Dallas. He also bore the responsibility of growing Willowbrook’s assets. Fortunately, he was good at what he did, which meant that Willowbrook Farms could and would expand when the time was right.

  Avoiding the elevator, Jed descended the narrow staircase at the back of the hotel. As he made it down the final flight, the noise from the party spilled out into the hallway. He followed the laughter and music until he stood in the doorway of the large event space.

  Someone with a crepe-paper fetish had decorated the room with miles of gold and crimson streamers. The color scheme was repeated throughout the room in flower arrangements, tablecloths and napkins. Alongside the familiar hues were multiple representations of the high school logo. The mascot for the Royal Renegades was a saber-brandishing figure who fell somewhere between a pirate and a Viking.

  Jed knew plenty of guys, and
a smattering of girls, as well, who had tried to live up to that image. Jed had been a bit of a hell-raiser himself until he met Kimberly.

  Kimberly. The reason he was here tonight. The reason he lived in Dallas. The reason a lovesick teenage boy had developed a thick vein of cynicism when it came to women.

  A flash of cotton-candy pink caught his attention despite the crush and the noise. There she was. Hovering over the punch bowl amidst a crowd of people. She served on the reunion planning committee. Apparently, that included overseeing the caterer.

  He examined her as dispassionately as possible, given that his heart pounded and his gut twisted. The dress she wore was strapless and fit closely from breasts to waist to thighs. It was a wonder she could walk in that thing. The skirt stopped three inches above her knees.

  Her glossy black hair was caught up in a complicated knot. A curvaceous body, more filled out than it had been a decade ago, was now that of a mature woman, not a girl. Add long legs in killer heels and a smile that was open and genuine, and the whole picture was breathtaking.

  The dress looked expensive. He’d kept tabs on Kimberly over the years from a distance and knew she lived on a tight budget. But she worked at a clothing store in town, so presumably she received a decent discount.

  She still hadn’t noticed him. The last time they spoke to each other was on the morning Jed left for his freshman year in college. Though he had phoned her once a day for two solid weeks after that, she never took his calls. Finally, he stopped trying.

  Only twice had he seen her in the intervening years. Both times at the funerals of classmates who had died far too young—one in a car accident, one from cancer. Kimberly had to have noticed him in attendance on both occasions, but by unspoken accord, they had remained on opposite sides of the room.

  Now here they were.

  He squared his shoulders, winding his way through the maze of bodies. Tonight was about closure. A petty man would want payback, as well, but hopefully Jed had outgrown such childish responses.

  Closing the distance between them, he said her name. “Kimberly. You look stunning. I’m glad you’re here.”

  * * *

  Kimberly couldn’t have been any more surprised if a dancing gorilla had showed up wearing a gold tutu. With a sickening whoosh, her heart fell somewhere down around her knees. Jed Farrell. Dear God. She’d seen his name on the list of attendees, but she had never expected him to make deliberate contact, much less so cordially. In one glance she took in the fact that he was as gorgeous as ever. Six feet tall, hair that was an intriguing mix of blond and brown and bright blue eyes that should be licensed as lethal weapons.

  “Jed,” she said faintly, hoping he would attribute the hot color in her throat and cheeks to the warm room. “I was surprised to see that you had registered for the get-together.”

  “I graduated with you,” he said, the words even and without inflection. “Why wouldn’t I be here?”

  The fact that he had missed their five-year reunion might have been one reason. But she didn’t have the nerve to press the issue.

  “You forgot to pick up a name tag,” she said cheerily, not meeting his gaze. “They’re right over there. Dinner buffet starts in about fifteen minutes. Dancing after that. Enjoy yourself.”

  She turned to escape, but he caught her arm, his fingers hot against her skin. “Do you have a date tonight?”

  “No.” She shook her head, her pulse skittering like a frightened bird.

  “You do now.” He touched her chin with his fingertips. “We have some unfinished business, Kimberly. Ten years is long enough. I decided that tonight was the night.”

  “You decided?” she shot back, flustered. “I don’t get a say?”

  His stare could have melted the faux stones in her earrings. “If I remember correctly, you made a decision for both of us way back when. I think it’s only fair that I get a shot.”

  Beneath his silky words, she heard a hint of warning. “That’s water under the bridge,” she said. “No point in digging up old bones.”

  “Do they teach you those lines in cliché school?”

  “Not all of us had the luxury of a fancy college education,” she said stiffly. “If you’ll excuse me, I need to check on the punch.”

  He stroked her cheek with his thumb before releasing her slowly. The brilliant blue of his irises glowed with determination. “I wasn’t joking, Kimberly. The only reason I came tonight was to see you.”

  “It’s not that difficult to find me,” she snapped. “My number is in the phone book.”

  “I wasn’t sure you’d take my call.”

  She took a step backward, stunned at the undertone of bitterness in those six words. Surely he wasn’t still mad about that. Her decision had been the right one. Jed had gone on to bigger and better things.

  Before she could respond, a chubby young woman with improbably red hair ran up to gush at them. “It’s so fun to see you both together again,” she said, her words bubbling over with enthusiasm. “I still remember the night you were crowned Homecoming King and Queen.”

  Kimberly was prepared to set her straight when Jed took the woman’s hand and kissed it. “Darla Thomas—right? You were a year behind us. So nice to see you.”

  Jed’s greeting stunned the poor female. Her eyes rounded even as her pale skin reddened with a blush of gigantic proportions. Kimberly couldn’t really blame her. Having Jed focus his considerable sex appeal at such close range was like detonating a bomb in an old-fashioned phone booth.

  Even Kimberly felt the heat.

  Before she could take advantage of the interruption to escape, Jed snagged her wrist and tucked her against his side. “I hope you’ll excuse us, Darla, but Kimberly and I have some catching up to do.”

  His wicked wink gave the other woman entirely the wrong impression. Darla backed away, nodding and giggling. “Of course. No problem.”

  When the poor girl scuttled out of earshot, Kimberly glared at him. “Are you nuts? Darla is the biggest gossip in town.” Or one of them anyway. In Royal, news traveled at the speed of light.

  “What’s to gossip about?” he asked.

  “Don’t be obtuse. You deliberately gave her the wrong impression.”

  “I said nothing but the truth.”

  “We don’t have anything to say to each other as far as I can tell.”

  “You owe me closure.” His gaze was no longer charming. If anything, the dark look in his eyes was a threat. “As soon as we handle that, you won’t ever have to speak to me again.”

  “Closure?” She parroted the word, not sure what he meant or what he wanted.

  “Conversation. A meal. A couple of dances. That last paragraph in our story you cheated us out of reading.”

  She searched his face, looking for sincerity. Inevitably, she had wondered a million times if she had done the right thing in breaking up with him. But surely Jed had moved on quickly. He’d been an eighteen-year-old boy heading off to university. Any anger and hurt he felt at her defection would have been short-lived.

  “Fine.” She shrugged. “If it’s that important to you. But why now?”

  The blue eyes warmed, and his rigid jaw relaxed enough to smile...a genuine smile. “It is important, Kimberly. Thank you. And as for why now? Well, why not now? You’re here...I’m here... The time is right.”

  * * *

  Jed might have won the skirmish, but even after Kimberly’s consent she managed to avoid him for the next forty-five minutes. She pretended to be busy, but he had a feeling she was inventing tasks in order to stay as far away from him as possible.

  He used the time to mix and mingle, greeting old friends who now lived out of town and exchanging jokes and conversation with men and women he had known for most of his life. Royal was a great place to live and raise a family. As content and successful as he was in Dallas, he couldn’t deny the pull of home.

  The faces were familiar: Craig Richardson had been a senior when Jed was a freshman. Megan Maguire
, who managed the local animal shelter, was as cute and friendly as ever. Even Keaton Holt was here tonight, and Keaton was not much of a party animal.

  After meeting his social obligations, Jed scoped out the seating choices carefully. Most of the tables were arranged for eight, but there were a few smaller ones set up for four. As they registered, guests had been urged to take pre-prepared place cards and put them where they wanted to sit.

  Once most people were seated and Kimberly still hovered near the chafing dishes, Jed wandered over to the entrance and spotted the name tags of a couple who hadn’t shown up yet. Chances were they’d had to cancel.

  Casually, he picked up place cards for himself and for Kimberly and then snagged the ones for the missing duo, as well. He seated himself at one of the two remaining quad tables, set out all the name cards and waited.

  Finally, Kimberly was forced to acknowledge him. With a grimace and a halfhearted wave, she summoned him to the serving line. The two of them filled their plates. Jed led his reluctant date to the empty table.

  Kimberly balked when she saw they were sitting alone. “We can find space at one of the bigger tables,” she said. “I’m sure you’d like to visit with your friends.”

  He put a gentle hand on the small of her back and urged her forward. “You’re the only one I want to talk to. Sit down, Kimberly.”

  The band played unobtrusively during the meal. Conversation filled the room except for the island of silence where Jed and Kimberly sat. She attacked her chicken cordon bleu as if she hadn’t eaten in weeks, and never once did she take her eyes off her food.

  But her deliberate attempt not to look at Jed gave him plenty of time to observe her. It was disconcerting to realize that the pull of attraction was still alive and well. There were many women in attendance tonight. But the only one with the power to make Jed ache for the past was this vibrant, sexy female who had once been the focus of his nightly dreams.

  He allowed her to finish, surmising that she couldn’t avoid looking at him forever. At last, however, both of their plates were empty, and they had polished off dessert, as well. During the meal, Kimberly downed three glasses of wine to his two, betraying her unease.