by Julie Benson
She smiled, making her face light up and his breath hitch, catching him unaware. The image of her in his arms yesterday, of the secrets he’d shared with her filled his mind. What was there about this woman? She irritated him, made him lose control, and wasn’t at all his type, so why did he spend time thinking about her? And more than a little.
Like last night. When he’d hauled Campbell away, she’d painted a vivid picture of what she’d like to do with and to him. In the past, he’d have gladly accepted the excuse to burn off sexual steam, but instead, her offer left him uninspired. His motor hadn’t left first gear, while here, gazing at McKenna standing there, his heart rate shifted out of second, heading for third.
Instead of boxy black clothes, she wore a brown skirt that hugged her hips before it flared out, stopping below her knees. She’d cinched in the white blouse with a belt, giving her a slender, yet decidedly, hourglass shape. How come he hadn’t realized how skinny she was? No skinny wasn’t the right word, because she had some fine curves. Lean or slender maybe.
But that wasn’t the only change. Her hair was different. Instead of her headache bun, she wore a softer style and left a few strands framing her face.
Saying McKenna looked nice had been too mild. Pretty damn fine sounded better.
“If my shoes are that ugly, I guess it’s a good thing I have my cowboy boots in the car. Will those do?”
“They’ll be better than those,” he said, nodding to the old lady pumps she wore, but he’d prefer those short boots women wore now. Then he could see her shapely, surprisingly muscular calves.
“Don’t you look pretty,” Rosalie said.
After thanking Rosalie for the compliment, McKenna turned to him, confusing lining her face. “It’s a good thing I’m not paranoid. Otherwise, the way you keep showing up unexpectedly, I’d think you were following me.”
“Now who’s got the big ego?” he teased.
Behind them, Rosalie cleared her throat, breaking the tension between them. “I have Ginny’s lotion behind the counter, and McKenna, since you’re holding your clothes, I’m guessing you intend to leave with what you have on. If you two follow me, I’ll get you checked out.”
When they reached register, McKenna placed her clothes on the counter. “See to Zane first since he only has the lotion.”
While he paid, McKenna fingered through the display of necklaces, selecting one with six turquoise chunks separated by silver beads on leather cords and held it to her neck.
“The necklace would be perfect with what you’re wearing,” Rosalie said.
“Jewelry will have to wait. I need to get to work before the boss gets mad.” McKenna returned the necklace to the display. “Rosalie, could you select two other work appropriate outfits and a couple dresses for weddings I could try on tomorrow? I can stop in when you open. After being in your shop, I’ve realized my wardrobe needs a serious overhaul.”
“That’s for sure.” Zane chuckled. His purchase completed, he stepped aside, but made no move to leave.
“I’d be happy to, but if you’re short on time, you can take the items, try them at home whenever, return what doesn’t work, and we’ll settle up.”
“That would be a huge help since my weekends are crazy.” McKenna chewed on her lower lip. “Just nothing ornate, busy, or flashy.”
“Don’t worry. I want you to not only look wonderful but feel comfortable and confident. My customers are my walking advertisements.” Rosalie placed McKenna’s ugly, black clothes on tissue paper.
“Don’t waste your time bagging that stuff,” Zane turned to McKenna. “You ought to have Rosalie throw ’em out.”
“That would be wasteful. If I don’t keep them, I’ll give them to charity,” McKenna said.
“Lord don’t do that. People down on their luck have enough trouble hanging on to hope without dressing in all black. Those clothes would depress Mother Teresa.”
McKenna chuckled. “Okay. That was funny.”
She admitted it? He’d better be prepared. Who knew what miracle could happen next?
“Zane, your sense of humor reminds me of your dear grandfather,” Rosalie said and handed him scissors. “Would you cut off the price tags?”
Cut off the tags? On the clothes McKenna had on? He paused. As in reach inside her shirt and skirt to get the tags?
What the hell was wrong with him? Why was he nervous over something so silly?
Maybe because you’re scared you might accidentally brush against McKenna’s skin and discover you want to explore her more?
Chiding himself for his foolishness, he accepted the scissors and stepped toward McKenna.
She scooted away. “That’s okay. You can leave them on. They’re not bothering me.”
“I need the tags to know what to charge you,” Rosalie said.
“You don’t trust me?” Zane teased.
His comment triggered memories of their discussion last night when she asked if he though everyone lied or just her. His lighthearted mood shattered. Their talk had torn open old wounds of who he was not being enough. Of women not seeing past his looks. She’d dredged up injuries making him feel worthless and unlovable that he’d sworn had healed years ago.
If you’ve gotten over it, how come you still don’t want anything to do with your mom or dad?
Shaking off the old memories, he stepped behind McKenna.
“Maybe I shouldn’t trust you with scissors. My nose is finally back to its normal size and my black eye has started fading,” she teased.
“I’ll be gentle.”
Chapter Eleven
Zane’s breath hitched at his poor word choice.
Telling himself he was being ridiculous, he reached inside McKenna’s collar and fumbled for the tag. His fingers brushed the soft skin on her nape. A shiver rippled through her into him. How could he be so ridiculous? He latched on to the blasted tag and snipped it off.
Irritated at his body’s reaction, he found the tag hanging from her belt and removed it without touching her. Damned if he’d go anywhere near her skirt. The thought of reaching under that garment made him sweat. He hadn’t acted like this as a teenager on his first date.
He slapped the scissors on the counter, along with the two tags he’d removed. “You’ll have to get the one on the skirt.”
The older woman chuckled, walked out from behind the counter, and saw to the task. “It’s refreshing to see a man acting like a gentleman.”
Talk about getting the wrong idea. His red-hot thoughts were anything but noble and would singe the shopkeeper’s ears.
After learning the total, McKenna withdrew a stack of bills from her purse and handed them to Rosalie.
Who carried cash anymore, especially an amount like that? “Haven’t you heard it’s not wise to carry that much money?” he asked.
“I destroyed my credit cards. My monthly bills are automatically paid from my bank account every month. For anything else I pay cash.”
“Sounds smart to me. Not many folks your age are careful enough with credit cards,” Rosalie said as she handed McKenna her change and the bag with her old clothes.
After a few final pleasantries and grabbing the lotion, Zane and McKenna headed across the shop. As he held the door and McKenna slid past him, his pulse quickened as her lavender mint scent floated over him.
Outside, a gust of wind caught her skirt, sending it fluttering around her legs. Long, shapely, firm legs that he’d see in his dreams tonight. Most likely wrapped around his waist.
If he could erase that image from his mind, they’d be better off. He raised the bottle he clutched in a death grip. “I’ll see you at work after I deliver this to Ginny.”
She nodded, and they both headed for their vehicles. He put his truck in gear and was about to back out of his parking space when McKenna got out of her car. He rolled down his window and stuck out his head. “Something wrong?”
She shook her head. “Rosalie gave me an extra dollar in change. I’ll head out af
ter I return it. You go ahead.”
He shook his head. How many people returned extra change? Yup, McKenna was a good girl to the bone.
*
Instead of going into the office after delivering Ginny’s lotion, Zane meandered to the pasture by the barn where the horses stood grazing. A feeling of calm descended on him, putting him at ease. Being outside, particularly here on the Lucky Stars or at Ty’s Bar 7 most times cleared his head. Hopefully, it would today.
What the hell should be do about McKenna?
When he first kissed her, he insisted his reaction had been a fluke. But it happened again last night, and his reaction today had about knocked him on his ass. She walked out of the dressing room in that flowy skirt and blouse and his body forgot they didn’t get along. All he wanted to do was explore those curves she’d been hiding. Talk about making no sense.
Chance, the horse his grandfather gave him his first Christmas after moving here, glanced up from grazing, noticed Zane, and headed over. When was the last time he’d gone riding? Longer than he could remember. In his younger days, whenever the world closed in on him, he’d saddle Chance, and they’d ride the ranch until the feeling disappeared.
The horse stopped in front of Zane, poked at his arm, then bobbed his head and snorted. “Sorry I forgot about the treat. Next time.” He scratched the horse’s neck. “Be thankful you’re a gelding and you don’t have to worry about females, Chance, because there’s no way to understand ’em.”
He preferred the way he and McKenna had been, arguing about business and pretty much everything else. That he could handle, but this sexual electricity? That scared him more than a marriage-minded mama.
As if thinking about McKenna called her, gravel crunched under tires. He turned and recognized her burnt orange compact car heading down the drive. He shook his head. That blasted color wasn’t any better on a vehicle than a TU shirt.
A minute later, when she got out of her car and strolled toward him, she looked as pretty as she had in the store.
He grinned. “The boots are much better.”
“Not that there was anything wrong with the way I was dressed or wore my hair before, but I realize you and Grace could have a point. It might be slightly helpful to the business and my interactions with clients if I tried to fit in more with the folks around town.”
“Woman, could you put more qualifiers in that sentence?”
A smile played on her lips and her chin rose in defiance. “I’m sure I could if I worked at it.” Chance moved to McKenna, poking her hand with his nose. She awkwardly patted him. “What’re you doing out here? Why aren’t you in the office?”
He shook his head. “Again, with the why am I here. You have got to find a new conversation starter.”
“I’ll work on it.”
“I needed time to clear my head. I love being outdoors. Ginny says even as a baby. When I was fussy, if my mother put me in the stroller, I calmed down the minute we got on the porch. But there’s something special about this place. I sort things out better here. The best way is to climb on a horse and ride the ranch.”
“Does walking around LA help when you’re home?”
Home. Odd that LA hadn’t felt that way since he returned to Wishing.
Maybe because he hated the city. The noise. The pollution. The crowds. Hell, the short walk from his closet-sized studio apartment to work set his teeth on edge. “If I can get to the beach, it helps, but it’s not like being on the Lucky Stars.”
“You sound like you miss it.”
“I do. Texas never gets out of person’s blood.” For the first time he realized how much. When he graduated and landed a job after his first interview, he’d been relieved to be done with the process and accepted the offer. Once working in California, he became entrenched in the industry and never thought about whether he liked living there. When he and Cody started Big Stake Games, they hadn’t researched other locations.
But back in Texas, he’d examined his life some. He’d never done that on a visit before. Maybe because this trip had felt different the moment he stepped into town. He’d been drawn to the land and the town the way he hadn’t been in years. Did all the changes have anything to do with his feeling he was the odd man out with his friends as if they’d moved on to a new phase in life, while he stood still.
“Ginny said you visit often,” McKenna asked, pulling him back to their conversation.
He nodded, thinking how his grandmother’s health was another matter weighing on him. She appeared more fragile now than at Ty’s wedding. Damn hip problems. She seemed better since surgery, but how long would it last? She was nearing the age when folks started falling. Seemed like if that happened, they often went downhill fast.
“Ginny’s an amazing woman.”
“I don’t know where I’d be without her.” But more often the thought that his time with her was ticking away hammered at him. “I worry about her living out here alone since she’s getting older. I wish she’d move into town.”
“You should talk to her about it.”
He chuckled. “If I did, I know how it would go. About as well as riding a horse with a slipping saddle.” Unable to stand the competing thoughts bouncing around in his head vying for attention, Zane said, “Speaking of riding, that’s what I need to do. Want to come?”
“I don’t ride.”
He stared at McKenna. “You work on a ranch that offers western weddings where the couple and often the wedding party arrive on horseback and you don’t ride? Tell me you at least know how to care for a horse.”
“What’s there to it other than making sure they have food and water?”
“What do they get fed?”
“Hay?”
“How much and anything else?”
“I have no idea.”
“You should know about horses in case you have to deal with them during a wedding.”
Her chin jutted in the air. “Your point is valid. I’ll put researching how to feed and care for horses on my next week’s to-do list, or maybe I’ll call Cheyenne or Tyler. Now can I go to the office?”
“What about saddling a horse? Can you do that?” When McKenna dug the toe of her boot in the dirt, he said, “I’ll take that as a no. Better buckle up, Buttercup, because you’re about to learn.”
*
McKenna didn’t have time for this or want to be alone with Zane right now. He looked too tempting. Instead, she wanted the safety of focusing on work. “In my defense, we have a stable hand who sees to the horses. Ginny doesn’t saddle the horses for weddings either.”
“But she knows how.”
McKenna stared at Zane. What was with him today? He seemed oddly subdued, instead of his wise-cracking self. Granted, he still drove her crazy, but now by almost being determined to show what she didn’t know.
Most people who incorporated riding into their wedding ceremony rode and preferred to saddle their horse. If not, Tyler, Lucky Stars’ stable hand, came in to see to the animals. Still, she should learn to saddle a horse in case Tyler was sick or someone needed assistance, but now? “I’ll ask Cheyenne or Tyler to teach me when I ask about horse care.”
“I’ll teach you.”
“Now?” He nodded, and McKenna resisted the urge to sigh. She hated unexpected surprises, especially when she had an event to manage today.
“I’m not opposed to learning, but in case you haven’t noticed, I’m not dressed for working in the barn.” She wouldn’t mention she kept jeans and a T-shirt in the office for cleaning days.
“You can wear those awful black pants if you’re worried about getting your new skirt dirty.”
“That’s not the only issue. I don’t have time. I have a rehearsal dinner tonight, or rather we do, and a wedding to coordinate tomorrow.” She ran through her to-do list timeline. “Not only that, but I haven’t checked my notes from yesterday as to what I need to see to first today.”
“It can’t be anything important or you’d remember.” When she
opened her mouth to continue pressing her case, he raised a hand. “We’re not at an event. I’m in charge.”
Did he want to test how far he could push their truce? Did he wonder if she meant to honor their agreement? “You’re pulling rank?”
“Guess I am.”
Time for fancy footwork. She smiled, and plastered what she hoped passed for an agreeable, submissive look on her face. “Then I agree, but could we postpone this until Sunday? Then we could take whatever time we needed. Who knows how long it could take? I might be a slow learner.”
“I doubt that Miss Overachiever.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“You would. Now quit trying to wiggle out of this and change before I reconsider leaving you in charge of events.”
“Oh, all right. I’ll be back.”
When she headed toward the office instead of her car to retrieve her old black slacks, he said, “You’re going the wrong way.”
“As it happens, I have jeans and a T-shirt in the office.”
*
While she changed, Zane gathered the gear, including treats for the horses. He’d moved the last of Chance’s to the breezeway and was about to get Misty’s when McKenna walked into the barn. His jaw nearly dropped open. Who would’ve suspected she not only owned jeans, but ones that molded to her slender curves like a denim skin?
Not in his wildest dreams would he have, and he’d had a few enthusiastic ones involving McKenna lately. Ones that left him shaking, and wide awake drenched in a cold sweat.
As she sashayed toward him, he noticed something written on her shirt across her chest. Sweat beaded on his forehead despite the mild weather. When his brain cleared enough to focus on the writing rather than her enticing breasts, he chuckled. The Wedding Planner—to save time let’s assume I’m never wrong.
“What’s so funny?”
“Your shirt. I got to say, it’s definitely you.”
“It was a gift from my younger sister.”
“Who’d have guessed you own jeans and a T-shirt?”
“You’d have lost that bet, huh?”
“What makes you say that?”