Her Unbridled Cowboy (Harland County Series)

by Donna Michaels

  Jordan chuckled. “I meant about the place in general, but I think I get the picture. It’s great to see you happy and excited again.”

  Her cheeks heated as she nodded. “I liked the feel of the place, even before I heard about this apartment.”

  “Me, too.” Jordan turned to Cole as he entered the bedroom, leaving the two realtors in the kitchen. “What do you think, hun?”

  “Well, this building is certainly big enough for what you want, and I like that most of the downstairs is unconstructed. Keeps the renovation costs down.”

  “Yeah, it’s like a blank canvas,” Kerri spoke her earlier thoughts.

  Jordan nodded. “Exactly. We can hire a designer straight away and work on a plan.”

  Cole turned to Kerri and smiled. “I guess I don’t have to ask you if you like the apartment, or what you girls are going to do with it.”

  “I’m going to help my sister regain her independence and have fun in the process.” Jordan winked at her.

  Independence and fun. Both had been scarce for far too long. Kerri could hardly wait to change that.

  “Well now, Kerri,” Cole said, leading them out of the room with a hand on their backs. “It looks like you are no longer homeless or unemployed.”

  Re-shoeing to some was a chore, but not to Connor. He found the job relaxing and sometimes therapeutic. Like now. Lord knew he needed the therapy. A double session twice a week and he still wouldn’t be right.

  What the hell was wrong with him, kissing Kerri like that last month?

  On his final hoof, he rasped the last stub of nail, filing it down before he used a pair of clenchers to seat the nail in the groove to keep the shoe from slipping. Done. Connor released the horse’s foot and straightened.

  He knew Kerri was trouble. He knew she made him forget reality when they touched, and still he’d followed her into that damn laundry room and kissed her.

  Idiot.

  After putting away his tools, he washed his hands at the utility sink and grimaced. Had that kiss been any different than the mind altering mistletoe kiss? No, well, yes, damn it. It had been worse. Better. All-consuming. The very reason he’d avoided Kerri for the last month.

  A wuss move.

  The intoxicating city girl was turning him into a coward. Connor McCall never turned tail and ran in his life, until she stepped her pretty little foot back on Wild Creek soil last spring. Twice now, he ran from her. And each time after a kiss. The only reason he hadn’t run after the mistletoe incident was because she’d been sitting on him.

  Yeah, a wuss move.

  He was ticked off.

  It had to stop.

  It was going to stop.

  Tonight. At Kade’s welcome home dinner here at the ranch. Kerri was cooking. No way could he get out of this one. And why should he? His best friend’s homecoming was a long time coming, and Connor had to admit, at times he’d wondered if it would take place at all.

  He’d kept up with the news feeds and events most television stations didn’t air, and knew this deployment was tougher than Kade’s last one. But it was officially over. His best friend was officially home. Kevin and Jen had gone to the armory and brought their cousin back to Shadow Rock this morning. Though Connor had already talked to Kade on the phone, it would be great to see his buddy in person.

  Leaving the stable, Connor was walking toward the ranch just as Kerri pulled up. She got out and popped the back of the SUV, and his gut tightened at the sight of her in a light purple ribbed turtleneck, black leather jacket and jeans—jeans—hugging a drool-worthy bottom.

  His mouth dutifully watered. Damn it.

  It was early February, but the sun was out and glinting off of her long dark hair that formed a curtain around her face as she reached into the back and pulled a long covered tin toward her.

  “Need any help?” He asked as he came around to stand next to her, noticing the back was full of tins identical to the one she almost dropped just now.

  “Connor! You startled me.” Kerri stared up at him through rounded eyes.

  “Sorry, didn’t mean to.” He sent her a slight grin.

  She was so beautiful. And he was such a wuss. But he didn’t care. No. Right now, his mind was full of all the indecent things he wanted to do to her.

  “Yes.”

  He blinked. “Yes?” Good Lord. It was his turn to be startled as his heart hammered out of his chest.

  She frowned at him like he’d lost his senses. “Yes, I could use the help.”

  “Oh, sure,” he stammered. She was right, he’d lost his senses. They were stolen, and she was the damn thief.

  “Emma asked me to bring these over to put in the refrigerator so we can get an early start on them tonight,” Kerri graciously informed while he managed to juggle the trays and open the front door. “Jordan will be by shortly with the rest.”

  “You mean there’s more?”

  “Of course.” Her tone indicated she now thought he was crazy.

  Again, she was right again.

  Connor lifted the tins he carried and inhaled as he followed her into his kitchen. Barbeque. “Mmm…smells good.”

  “Thanks.”

  A blush colored her beautiful face. The woman really was making a habit of stealing his breath.

  Damn thief.

  “Some of these Jordan and I are thinking about putting on the menu of our restaurant.”

  “Well, if it tastes half as good as it smells, I’d say you have a winner.” Connor smiled down at her as he placed his trays on the counter.

  Her blush deepened, adding a sparkle to her eyes. Like he needed that. Cripes. He had to hold back to keep from touching her.

  He failed.

  When the tray wobbled in her arms, he had every intention of just grabbing the damn thing and placing it near the others on the counter. But no. His knuckles had to brush the soft inner side of her arm. And her lips had to part in a soft gasp.

  One he could maybe—maybe—fight, but both? Hell no. He was sunk. Connor set the food down as planned, but then reached out and wrapped his fingers around her wrist, rubbing his thumb over her pulse point. It leapt.

  His pulse jumped in response.

  And then her eyes, God, those big, beautiful chocolate brown eyes stared up at him, brimming with uncertainty and, heaven help him, blatant need.

  She swayed toward him.

  “Connor.” Emma smiled as she walked into the room. “I was just going to call to ask you to help Kerri, but I see you’ve already started.”

  Kerri jumped and would’ve backed up, but Connor held tight, grin tugging his lips.

  “No problem. I’m all over it,” he informed, never taking his eyes off the beauty, and he stood fascinated as her blush deepened.

  “I’m sure you are, big guy.” The older cook chuckled as she slapped his back and pushed him toward the door. “Now, go get the rest.”

  A few more trips and they were done. Emma already had most of it neatly stored in the industrial size freezer by the time Jordan arrived with the rest.

  “Hi, everyone,” she greeted with a cheerful smile and her hands full of trays.

  “Let me help you with that.” Connor quickly took them from her and placed them on the counter where Emma and Kerri were standing.

  “Thanks, big guy,” Jordan said. “You sure are handy to have around.”

  “You bet I am, sweetheart. I’m the master of many talents.” He winked, and then grinned when the three ladies smirked. “Where’s my brother? Shouldn’t he be helping you?”

  Jordan shook her head. “No. He’s at work finishing up his codes.” Her smile turned wicked. “I want his undivided attention on our two week honeymoon.”

  He chuckled. “Jordan, believe me. With you in a negligee, my brother is not going to be thinking about codes!”

  “Negligee? Do you know something I don’t, Connor?” His soon to be sister-in-law studied him with a curious gaze.

  He held in his grin. “Could be.”

/>   “I guess I’ll have to wait and see.”

  Connor kept his expression neutral as he went out to grab the final two trays. He had no idea if his brother had gotten Jordan any type of negligee, but she didn’t need to know that, and he loved that he had the clever woman guessing.

  “That’s the last of them,” he informed Emma and Kerri as he placed the final tray down.

  “Thanks again, Connor. You can go now. We don’t need you anymore,” Kerri told him.

  As he watched her place the last tin in the refrigerator, he couldn’t fight the urge to tease. She might reward him with another blush.

  Dropping his shoulders and pulling his brows together, he hoped to come across dejected. “What? That’s it? No kiss? Just wham bam thank you ma’am? You use me for manual labor, and once you got what you want, you just discard me without giving thought to what I want, or my needs?”

  “Your needs? Oh Lordy, Connor. It would take all of the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders to satisfy your needs,” Kerri stated, then promptly turned a deep shade of red.

  God, she’s adorable. He wanted to eat her up, and well, maybe just start with the eat part. Yeah, he liked that part.

  “Now, darlin’, you are seriously underestimating your powers.”

  Connor watched as a flash of sadness skittered through her brown eyes. What the hell? He stared at her, but the puzzle remained. She gave nothing away. Just what the hell went on between her and her ex-husband? Surely the guy knew what a beautiful, vibrant and passionate women he had there. Cripes. If she were his woman, he’d never let her doubt that, and he would show…

  “He’s right, Kerri,” Jordan agreed, and he felt some of the tension ease from his body. “Oh, I almost forgot to tell you, Duke Carver called just before I left the house. He said he’d call you back later.”

  Connor sucked in a sharp breath, and his head snapped in Kerri’s direction. To his horror, he watched her blush as if pleased with this news. Hell no. She was not going to have anything to do with that man.

  “Kerri, you can’t go out with him,” Connor told her. The man was the biggest jackass in Harland County. No way was he going to let him anywhere near Kerri.

  “Excuse me?” Her gaze narrowed, and a shaft of anger flittered through her eyes.

  “I said you can’t go out with him.”

  “Oh, well then, that’s different. Since Connor said not to go out with him, I won’t go out with him.” As she spoke, she tossed her hands in the air and turned around to look at her sister and Emma who remained silently smiling.

  Not sure where Kerri was heading with that statement, he waited for her to face him. “Good.”

  “Good?” She blinked.

  Okay, maybe not good.

  “I’m sorry, I must have missed something, Connor. Since when did you own me?” she asked while walking toward him finger pointed. “I can go out with whomever I want.”

  “Just not Duke Carver.” Or any other man I know.

  Shit, where’d that thought come from?

  “Whatever happened between you and him and Tiffany has nothing to do with me.” Her eyes were really flashing now.

  How the hell does she known about Tiffany?

  Cole. Damn man needed a muzzle.

  He stepped to the angry woman, determined to make her understand. “It has everything to do with you, Kerri. Don’t you see?” He lifted his hand to lightly trace her chin. “Duke is just using you. He doesn’t care about you; he just wants to get back at me.”

  She swallowed before taking a deep breath and knocking his hand away. “Why is it so hard for you to believe he might find me attractive?”

  Pain rippled through her eyes and his gut tightened. Cripes. She was hurt. How the hell did I do that?

  “Maybe I want to be used.” Her chin lifted. “Why is it alright for you to use women, but I can’t use men?”

  Jesus. Did she even know what she was saying? He glanced at Emma and Jordan, but they just shrugged.

  Shrugged!

  Blasted women.

  Before he could reply, Kerri stomped out of the room, and his heart beat out of control at the thought of her sharing Duke Carver’s bed. Damn, fool woman had no idea what she was doing.

  Or did she?

  His insides turned cold. Maybe Kerri knew exactly what she was doing. After all, she was a city girl.

  In the process of sprinkling mozzarella cheese to the top of her pizza pasta bake, Kerri heard the commotion in the hallway and knew the guest of honor had made an appearance. Kade was the only reason she was there. After her earlier run in with Connor, she’d had no wish to return to Wild Creek, but did for Kade.

  After nearly thirteen months away, the soldier deserved a home-cooked meal. And she’d pulled out all the stops. Okay, maybe went overboard. By a mile. But, hey, the poor guy’s palate had suffered overseas. And she was in the business of exciting and pleasing palates. There would be no suffering tonight. Only joy. So Kerri had made several traditional Texas beef and rib entrees along with a few trusted favorites.

  And she was happy Emma had relinquished the kitchen to her without any fuss or hard feelings. It was actually kind of weird. But Kerri hadn’t had time to ponder.

  “Something sure smells great in here.” The deep, authoritative tone brought a smile to her lips.

  Kerri shut the oven door, twisted around and gasped. Holy Guardsmen. Had he filled out. Big time. She knew her mouth was open. Probably similar to last year when she’d first seen the other three cowboys after that eleven year span. Still. Wow. Kade was solid, and dangerous. And gorgeous. He always had been. Now he was…more.

  He removed his Stetson and smiled. “It’s great to see you, Kerri.”

  She returned his smile as she rushed across the kitchen to his opened arms.

  Estimating the cowboy to be somewhere around six-foot-two, she discovered he appeared solid because a mass of coiled muscles resided under his civilian clothes. The man fit the bill of a lean, mean machine. Dressed in jeans and a slate gray, button-down shirt, he oozed fitness. And authority. And danger.

  When they drew apart, Kade was still smiling down at her, his thickly lashed eyes full of warmth, but she sensed a darkness in the gray depths. Her heart constricted at the thought of what had caused the shadows.

  “You sure grew up beautiful,” he said, releasing her to set his hat back on his head.

  Right on schedule, her face heated like a bad habit. Because it was a bad habit, darn it. She smiled and touched his arm.

  “Thanks, and you’ve grown out. Jeez,” she said, squeezing his bicep. “I don’t think you have any more room to add muscle.”

  Surprised at how at ease she was around the virile man, Kerri took stock. She was comfortable enough to get close and touch and be touched without any anxiety what-so-ever.

  Unlike his best friend.

  Her gaze shifted to the silent cowboy who came to stand just inside the room, swallowing up the doorway…and her breath. Darn him. His expression was neutral, which was another surprise, since she half expected him to tell her to back away from Kade.

  She still couldn’t believe he had the gall to forbid her to go out with Duke. Who did he think he was? He didn’t own her. They weren’t an item. Just because they shared a few kisses. Okay, a few incredible, bone-melting kisses. Still, that didn’t give him the right to tell her who she could and couldn’t see. The fact she had no intention of dating the realtor was mute. Connor had no right to order her around.

  He’s just worried about you, her conscience insisted. Deep down, Kerri knew this, but it still hurt that he didn’t think she was attractive enough to catch Duke’s attention on her own.

  Kade chuckled. “Probably not.”

  She blinked and turned her attention back to the guest of honor, trying to get her mind back to their conversation. Muscles. Right. “Well, tonight I’m going to load you up with enough carbs your muscles will weep with joy.”

  “I can hardly wait,” he said, then motioned to
his silent friend. “According to Connor, I’m in for a real treat.”

  She glanced at the quiet cowboy, still leaning against the doorframe. He’d talked to Kade about her cooking? When? And darn him. She wanted to be mad at the condescending bugger for longer than an afternoon. He had no right to go pulling a sweet move so soon.

  Connor nodded, gaze still glued to hers. “Kerri’s the best cook I’ve ever tasted.”

  Holy crow. He did not just say that! Heat shot to her face, and her stomach fluttered without mercy. Bad body. She was still mad at him.

  A lazy smile spread across his lips and dimpled his cheek.

  Stupid fluttering increased.

  She searched her mind for something flippant to say, but due to the limited amount of brain cell activity, she was operating on auxiliary power.

  Shifting her gaze to Kade, she noted amusement brought a much needed light to the soldier’s eyes.

  She smiled. “Kade will just have to taste and judge for himself.”

  Chapter Eight

  When Kade’s eyebrow shot up in time with Connor’s sharp inhale, Kerri realized her mistake. Her face, of course, did the heating thing again while she blamed her stupid lack of brain power on Connor.

  “I mean the food,” she stammered. Friggin’ brain-cell-sucking giant. “I was talking about the food.”

  The Guardsman touched her arm and smiled. “I know.”

  “Good.” She was pretty sure her mouth turned up. Hopefully. Good time for a subject change. “I-I heard the two of you were going on a trail ride for a few days.”

  “Yes.” Kade released her and stiffened, some of the light disappearing from his eyes.

  Connor straightened from the door. “We leave at first light.”

  According to Mrs. McCall, this was a ritual whenever Kade returned from deployment. Kerri’s heart melted a little. Connor was a good friend.

  She bounced her gaze between the cowboys. “I’ll pack up some food for you to take. Including beef jerky.”

  “You know how to make beef jerky?” Kade asked.

  Her mouth definitely turned up this time. “Yes. You’d be surprised what I can do.”