“Hello, Jesse.”
His eyes met hers and something shifted deep inside of her. She felt different when he looked at her. Not quite able to put her finger on just what it was, she told herself she would worry about it later.
“Lacy will be so sorry she missed you,” she said. “She was really looking forward to it.”
“I’m sorry I got held up today. I was shooting to be on my way to town by three o’clock this afternoon,” he said with a shake of his head. “But we had a steer go loco on us.”
“Loco?”
“Crazy,” Jesse and her uncle said at the same time.
“What happened?”
“Damned steer broke through a section of fence we’d just repaired and we had to chase down the rogue and his buddies.”
It seemed like a reasonable excuse, but the fact remained that Lacy had been just as heartbroken yesterday when he didn’t show up. Although she hadn’t wanted to bring it up, she just couldn’t get the image of her little one’s sad face from her mind. “About yesterday—” she began.
He pushed his Stetson to the back of his head and smiled down at her, a look of relief on his face. “I’m glad you understood why I didn’t want to interrupt.”
“Interrupt?”
“When you were all out back with the delivery.” He frowned. “Didn’t you understand my note?”
Perplexed, she asked, “What note?”
“I left you a note on the table explaining that something came up and I’d be stopping by this afternoon for Lacy’s lesson.” He paused then shook his head. “Only, damned if I couldn’t get away like I’d hoped.”
“So you left me a note,” she repeated, unable to hold back her smile. When he echoed that smile, she asked, “Did you leave it in the mailbox?”
It was his turn to frown. Funny, but up until that point, he seemed pretty relaxed. “I took a piece of paper off the clipboard and left the damned note in the middle of the table.”
She looked at her uncle who shook his head. “Well, we didn’t find anything.”
He took his hat off and worried the brim with his hands. “Then Lacy and you thought I forgot about you?”
Uncle Jimmy patted her on the back, winked, and then left them alone.
Not trusting her voice or wanting him to know how close to tears they’d both been, she shrugged and a lock of hair tickled her nose. She tossed her head to get it out of her eyes, but it slid back down in her face.
Jesse reached out and smoothed the strand behind her ear. Pins and needles of awareness prickled just beneath her skin where his fingers had brushed against her.
Her sharply indrawn breath had his gaze zeroing in on her face. “You two were on my mind all day.” Something dark and desperate bubbled in the depths of his eyes as he rasped, “I never break my word, Danielle.”
“I was hoping you wouldn’t,” she admitted. She didn’t know what else to say. She’d been so churned up before he arrived and now that he was here, she was all but tongue-tied.
As if he could sense the turmoil within her, he closed the gap between them and slid his arms around her. Her breath caught as the blood rushed through her veins.
“Dani darlin’,” he whispered, pulling her flush against him until she could feel the pounding of his heart. Her gaze flicked to his and he lowered his head. “I’ve been dying to taste you.”
“Oh, I—” Jesse’s lips claimed hers and every thought drained from her head as his mouth took command of hers in a devastating kiss.
He slid his hand down to the small of her back and pinned her to him, the hot, hard length of him straining against the denim that held him in check. Her startled cry was echoed by the triumph in his as his tongue swept into her mouth to tangle with hers.
***
He would never be satisfied with one mind-blowing kiss. Delving deep, he stroked his hands up and down the curve of her supple spine, stopping to mold her curvy backside with his hands. When she gasped a second time, he swept his hands up her sides, cupped her face, and tipped her head back. “I want more.”
Desperate to take, a heartbeat away from sweeping her into his arms and kidnapping her, he drew up short when a jubilant voice cried out, “Cowboy Jesse!”
He dropped his hands and turned just in time to catch the tiny missile aimed at his knees. He bent down and snagged Lacy before she banged her head on his knee bone. “Hey there, little darlin’.”
“I knew you’d come,” she crowed as he lifted her up into his arms. “I told Mommy you would.”
Dazed from the absolute trust shining in her blue eyes, he looked from daughter to mother and shook his head. “I always keep my promises.”
“But you din’t yesterday,” Lacy reminded him.
“I left your mommy a note at the diner.”
“I knew it!” The little girl shocked the shit out of him when she threw back her head and gave a rebel yell. He couldn’t help it; he laughed and suddenly Danielle and Lacy were both in his arms, laughing with him.
The bottom just dropped out of his stomach as his world spun in circles and his heart skidded closer to the edge, like he had out at Devil’s Bowl.
“Can we go riding now?”
Touching the tip of his finger to the end of her turned up nose, he shook his head. “The horses have all gone to bed for the night, but I wanted to ask if your mommy could bring you to the ranch tomorrow afternoon.”
“Yes!” Lacy answered for her mother.
“Well, I—”
“Yes,” her uncle added from the living room.
“I guess it’s settled then,” Jesse said, running the tip of his finger along the curve of Danielle’s cheek. “Say yes, Dani. I’ve got something I need to do tomorrow night, so if you drive out in the afternoon it’ll save me time so I can squeeze in a lesson before dinner.”
When she hesitated, he tucked her hair behind her ear and tipped her face up. The look in her eyes warned him not to kiss her. Hell, he never liked being told what to do. He claimed her mouth with a swift kiss that was over far too soon.
“You don’t kiss Mommy like Unca Jimmy does.” Lacy punctuated that statement with a giggle.
“I sure hope not, little lady,” her uncle called out from where he stood in the doorway.
Unable to help himself, Jesse pressed his lips to Lacy’s forehead. “Is he the only man who kisses your mommy?”
He thought he heard Danielle grumbling under her breath, but was distracted when Lacy answered, “Uh-huh… ’specially since Daddy left us.”
“That’s enough for one night, Lacy.” Her mother shifted until Lacy was back in her arms, and she stepped out of Jesse’s. “Time for bed.”
“Can cowboy Jesse tuck me in?”
Every drop of spit dried up in his mouth. He couldn’t have answered even if he wanted to, so he did the next best thing and nodded. Following behind them, he grabbed the handrail to steady himself as they ascended the stairs.
A night-light shone from the open door at the end of the hallway. Walking toward it, he wondered if this was a passing fancy or if Lacy would want him to stick around and tuck her in every night. Damned if that thought didn’t appeal almost as much as getting his hands on Danielle—only the next time he got his hands on her, there wouldn’t be anything to stop him from satisfying his bone-deep need to make love to her.
Danielle settled Lacy under the covers, kissed her cheek, and turned to reach for his hand. She squeezed it—maybe it was her way of letting him know it was OK with her that he be in her daughter’s bedroom like this, about to take part in their nightly ritual.
His throat tightened, but he ignored it and bent down to kiss the tip of Lacy’s nose. She giggled and wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek. “I love you, cowboy Jesse.”
A lump the size of Texas filled his throat as moisture filled his eyes. His voice useless, he answered her the only way he knew how, by wrapping his arms around her tiny little frame and hugging her close. The precious life in his
arms snuggled close as if she were settling in for the night.
“All right, sweetie, Jesse has to go home and get some rest if he’s going to be getting up at dawn to take care of the ranch animals.”
Grateful that she intervened, yet at the same time sorry that he had to go, Jesse eased back from the little one and brushed the hair out of her eyes. “Sleep tight.”
“…and don’t let the bedbugs bite!” Lacy finished, smiling as she closed her eyes.
Jesse didn’t know how long he would have stayed there if Danielle hadn’t grabbed a hold of his hand and given it a tug to get him moving. When they were in the hallway, she stopped and looked up at him. “Thank you, Jesse.”
After the outpouring of affection he’d received from both of the Brockway ladies, he was the one who should be down on his knees thanking her. “I didn’t do anything special,” he finally grumbled.
“There’s where you’re wrong,” she told him. “You just proved to my daughter that a man can keep his word and can be trusted.” She lifted her hand to touch his face but hesitated, drawing back at the last moment.
He snagged her hand in his and brought it to his lips. “You and Lacy are something special,” he rasped. “I can’t wait until you come out to the Circle G. There’s so much I want to show you.”
“Tomorrow,” she whispered, tilting her head back.
“Tomorrow,” he rasped, sealing his words with a kiss.
Chapter 8
Jesse smiled and touched the tip of his tongue to the back of her knee. The soft, sweet moan of pleasure was his cue to begin licking a path up her toned and tasty thigh. His fingertips circling her hipbones had her squirming and shifting. He smiled as he pressed his lips to the top of her thigh and inhaled her sweet, subtle scent, reminding him of—coffee?
“What the hell?”
“’Bout time you woke up, Bro.” Tyler held out a mug of coffee.
“Explains why her thigh smelled like coffee,” he mumbled, reaching for the cup.
Tyler grinned. “Sounds like you had a good time last night.”
Jesse drank deeply and sighed. His brain would start working by the time he got to the bottom of the mug.
Tyler was leaving when he turned back. “By the way, where’d the money come from?”
Jesse wondered how long it would take before somebody asked him. He wasn’t sure why, but he didn’t want to say anything just yet. He shrugged in answer.
After a few moments of silence, his brother took the hint and left. Getting out of bed, he stepped into his jeans and pulled on a pair of clean socks. Man, he’d have to do something special to thank Emily for doing his wash. What, he had no clue, but he’d think of something. Right now he had to get a move on.
“No rest for the wicked.” He pulled on a clean shirt and his boots, and was ready for the day.
Over breakfast, Dylan asked him about the money, but he ignored him. He’d have to change tactics by tonight, because the longer he held out, the more his brothers would try to pry the truth out of him. It wasn’t a big deal, just something he wanted to keep to himself just a little longer.
“Talked to Tommy yesterday,” Jesse said to change the subject.
Tyler reached over to squeeze Emily’s hand and explained, “He’s one of our New York City cousins.”
“The fireman?” Ronnie asked.
“One of them. He and his three brothers are firemen.”
“Yeah.” Jesse grinned. “Pat and John can’t make it, but Tom and Mike will be here. They’re coming in a week early.”
“Maybe they could help move the herd. Did you ask them about it?”
Jesse scooped up a mouthful of fluffy scrambled eggs and nodded.
Dylan asked, “What about the Justiss side of the family?”
“Matt and Ben will be here, but they, uh—” He looked from Emily to Ronnie and back and shrugged.
Tyler caught Jesse’s look and nodded. Jesse was glad his brother understood; where Matt and Ben were concerned, there had to be women involved. Not that they expected their Garahan cousins to line up dates for them; they just liked to know the lay of the land and availability of female distractions in the vicinity of the ranch. Time was always at a premium when they visited, especially since they spent a good chunk of each visit working the land with their cousins.
“Something wrong?” Emily asked.
“Maybe we can help,” Ronnie offered.
Jesse smiled into his cup. “Uh, no thanks. Got it covered.”
“Well,” Emily said, “if you change your mind.”
He set his mug down and stood up. “I’ll let you know. Thanks again for the clean clothes.”
She smiled. “My pleasure. Do you have any for me today?”
He shook his head. “No, ma’am, not yet.” He grabbed his Stetson off the peg by the back door. “Maybe tomorrow.”
“You’ll tell us eventually where the money came from?”
Tyler’s question had him pausing to answer. “I didn’t steal it. Can’t you just accept it and let it go?”
“For now,” Dylan agreed.
Relief arrowed through him. A reprieve… for now.
“Danielle and Lacy will be stopping by this afternoon. Will you and Ronnie be here?”
Emily smiled and said, “We’d love to meet the ladies responsible for turning your head.”
“Who said anything about that?” Jesse grumbled.
Emily just smiled. “Tell them we can’t wait to meet them.”
Jesse shrugged and followed his brothers out to the barn.
***
“So what’s up with Matt and Ben?” Tyler asked as they rode out to the west of their land.
Dylan moved closer so he could hear their conversation.
Jesse shrugged. “They just wanted to make sure there were females over the age of twenty-five.”
It was Tyler’s turn to laugh. “Something must have happened since we saw them last.”
Dylan chuckled. “Yeah,” he snickered, “they got older.”
Jesse started to laugh. “Maybe he remembers the last time they were here—and what happened with the Johnson sisters.”
“Yeah,” Tyler said. “Those two were set on meeting up with two real, live U.S. Marshals.”
“Where did they get those police-issue handcuffs?” Jesse asked.
Tyler shook his head.
“Well, they returned the favor when you went up there a few years ago.” Dylan smiled. “When they sicced those redheaded sisters on you.”
Tyler shuddered. “Maybe I have a way to get even with them. I think Jolene could help with a couple of names.” Jesse smiled. This was gonna be fun. “They have a couple of regulars that would be just what the doctor ordered for our cousins the lawmen.”
“They’ll be pissed.” Dylan was smiling.
“Yeah,” Jesse said. “We haven’t had a good old fashioned donnybrook with our cousins in a long time.”
“That’s because the last time, Ben broke your nose and you couldn’t ride herd with us for a couple of days.”
“So I owe him.” To Jesse’s mind, it was that simple.
Riding side by side, the brothers were united in their quest to outdo their know-it-all cousins from the Rockies.
Tyler looked up and smiled. “It’s gonna be a good day.”
“Always a good day when you can spend it in the saddle, riding our land,” Dylan added.
“We’re burning daylight.” Jesse squeezed his thighs against his horse, urging more speed from Dodge as they rode away from the sunrise.
Hours later, exhausted, needing to refuel, they rode back to the ranch house. Giving their horses a much-needed break, they rubbed them down and set them loose in the corral. Ready to grab some grub themselves, they filed into the kitchen and opened the fridge.
Jesse pulled out a tall glass pitcher of iced tea and rasped, “Bless you, Emily.” He tipped back his head and lifted the pitcher high—
“Damn it, Jess,” Tyler grumbl
ed coming in behind him. “Get a glass.”
Dylan chuckled. “Saw him kissing Dodge this mornin’.”
Jesse stretched his arm as far as it would go and poured icy cold tea down his throat. Wiping his sleeve across his mouth he grinned. “And my lips never touched the pitcher.”
Tyler shook his head. “Baby brother’s got talent.”
Dylan grabbed for the pitcher, but as he lifted the pitcher, Tyler shoved a glass at him.
Shrugging, he poured a glass and passed the pitcher. By the time it made it back to Jesse, there was less than half a glass left. “Hey—”
“Ronnie said she was leaving us some salads and sandwiches and not to touch the casserole filled with meatballs and sauce.”
Jesse’s eyes widened. He’d do just about anything for his sister-in-law’s meatballs. “I’ll bet she didn’t count ’em when she was making ’em.” He pulled out the macaroni and potato salads and handed them off to his brothers. With a quick glance over his shoulder at Dylan, he grinned and said, “She’ll never know.”
As if that decided it, Tyler said, “I’ll grab the forks.”
“One meatball each,” Dylan warned, “or Ronnie will know we snitched some.”
Jesse agreed. “I’ll fill in with sauce so she can’t tell where we took them from.” Working as a team, the brothers each took a turn spearing a cold meatball covered with sauce. “Man, Dylan, when you get tired of being married to Ronnie, you just let me know.”
His brother’s response was a jab to the shoulder. Jesse could have dodged it, but then Dylan would have been honor bound to try to hit him again. Philosophically, he figured he deserved it, so he may as well accept the punch and be done with it.
Tyler grinned. “So you thinking about convincing Ronnie that Dylan’s tired of her?”
Jesse’s gaze shot to Dylan’s. The deadly intent in his brother’s dark eyes told him just how soon Dylan would be giving Ronnie up—never. That was just fine with him.
“Nope, got my eye on a curvy blonde. Danielle and Lacy will be stopping by this afternoon. I’m gonna give her riding lessons.”
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