The Taming of Delaney Fortune (The Fortunes of Texas: Cowboy Country)

by Michelle Major

  “You can distract me all you want,” she answered, “especially when you try to get the boot off my foot.”

  His gaze turned serious. He pulled out a small utility knife from his back pocket. “We’re going to need to sacrifice the boot for the greater good.”

  Delaney let out a halfhearted whimper. “I love these boots.”

  “I wish there were another way,” Cisco told her, shaking his head. “But your ankle is too swollen.”

  “I know,” she whispered, embarrassed when a few errant tears slipped from her eyes. “I can’t believe I’m crying over a pair of cowboy boots. You must think I’m so silly.”

  “I think you’re one of the strongest women I know,” Cisco told her, bending forward to place his lips against the moisture on her cheek. He smoothed his hands through her hair, and she leaned into his strength. “I should have been there with you.”

  “It’s okay,” she told him again. “You’re here now.”

  After a few moments he sat back, adjusting her foot to rest on his bent knee. Delaney tried not to notice the muscles that bunched under his jeans but failed miserably. As he took the knife to the perfectly worn leather, she figured it was better to focus on his body rather than how he was destroying her boot.

  Her eyes drifted to his face, his focus laser sharp on his task. She felt the pressure around her injured ankle lessen and a moment later he held up the mangled boot for her inspection. “Sorry,” he repeated.

  She smiled wanly. “I’ll miss them, but it feels better already.”

  He pulled off her sock and Delaney peeked at her foot, which looked small and pale cradled in his large tanned hands. Her ankle had swelled to nearly twice its normal size, the skin already bruised with a mix of dark blue and black. Cisco took the bag of ice and, after draping a washcloth over her ankle, placed the ice on top.

  Delaney winced, then shivered but after a moment the coldness seeped through and began to soothe her ankle.

  “The sprain isn’t too bad,” he told her, adjusting the bag. “I’ve sprained my ankle a few times playing basketball. You should feel better within a few days.”

  “Thank you for taking care of me.”

  “My pleasure.” He dipped one of the washcloths into a bowl of water she hadn’t noticed earlier on the tray and drew her arm out straight to dab at the scratch on its underside. “I wish I could do more.”

  His dark gaze captured hers and suddenly, despite her exhaustion and the aches in her body, an electric energy charged the air between them. You could kiss me. The words popped into Delaney’s mind and color flooded her cheeks. She was pretty sure Cisco could read her thoughts, as she saw his breathing go shallow.

  At that moment her mother cleared her throat behind them. “I have the bandages and first-aid kit, if you’re ready for them.”

  Cisco stood quickly, breaking their connection. “I should go so you can rest.”

  Delaney tried to hide her disappointment. It wasn’t as if he didn’t have more important things to do in his day than play nursemaid to her.

  “I’d love to stay with you, but from here I’ll just be in the way.” He bent forward and kissed the top of her head, the first outward display of affection in front of someone in her family. Delaney took it as a positive sign of his attentions toward her. “I need to take care of a few things at the office—”

  “Don’t forget your meeting,” she supplied, hoping she didn’t sound peevish.

  His gaze went gentle as he perched on the edge of the sofa next to her. “If you want me to stay, I will.”

  “And the meeting?”

  “It can be rescheduled. I meant what I said, Delaney. You’re my priority.”

  The sincerity in his eyes overwhelmed her. Delaney knew how important business was to Cisco and the fact that he’d choose her over his professional obligations made her heart pound. It also gave her the strength to let him go. “It’s okay. Take care of your job. I’m in good hands here.”

  She glanced at her mother, who gave her an approving nod.

  “Are you sure?” Cisco looked almost reluctant to leave. When she nodded, he straightened again. “I’ll come by later to check on you after you rest. Unless you’re too tired then—”

  “I won’t be too tired,” she assured him.

  “Thank you, Cisco.” Her mother wrapped Cisco in one of her famous nurturing hugs.

  Delaney smiled a little as she saw Cisco’s strong shoulders visibly relax. Jeanne Marie’s quiet, motherly way had that effect on everyone around her.

  Cisco nodded at Jeanne Marie. “Let me know if she needs anything.”

  “We’ll be fine.”

  “Rest,” he said to Delaney. He looked as if there was more he wanted to add but glanced at her mother.

  “I’ll see you soon,” Delaney told him, and he walked out with her mother.

  Jeanne Marie returned a few minutes later.

  “Are you sure you’re okay?” She lifted the bag of ice to examine Delaney’s foot. “It doesn’t look too bad.”

  “The swelling is already going down. I’d like to shower, then rest for a bit. I think if I give it a little time, I should feel much better by tonight.”

  “Then let’s get you upstairs.” Her mother moved the coffee table to clear a path and helped Delaney stand. “You and Cisco are growing closer.”

  Delaney nodded. “I...really like him.” She wasn’t ready to admit the depth of her feelings to her mother.

  “I can tell he cares about you.”

  “I think so, too, Mama.” Despite the pain and fatigue, Delaney’s heart sang. In her mind, one good thing had come out of this horrible day. She was certain that Cisco felt as much for her as she did for him.

  She had a pretty good idea of how she was going to handle what came next.

  Chapter Thirteen

  “What do you mean, Alden Moore isn’t here?”

  “There was an emergency at one of the other properties,” Kent Stephens explained. “He had to take care of it personally.”

  Cisco ran his hand through his still-wet hair as he paced back and forth across Kent’s office. He’d busted his tail to get to this meeting on time after stopping at his rental house to change and shower. His time on the ranch had left him dirty, dusty and rethinking his whole purpose in Horseback Hollow. Seeing Delaney injured and the lengths she’d gone to in order to protect the lost calf had only cemented Cisco’s respect for her and the way of life she held so dear.

  He truly believed Cowboy Country in general, and the condos specifically, would have a much better reception in town if they could enhance the design and theme to feel more authentic to the true cowboy spirit that so many locals embodied.

  Taking a few deep breaths, he pulled out his laptop and flipped it open on the conference table. At least he could discuss his ideas with Kent, who might pave the way for Alden to be more receptive to the changes.

  “I wanted to talk to you both about reworking the design of the condos and the overall Cowboy Country brand.” He slid into a chair across from Kent and plugged in the cord to connect his computer to the screen at the far end of the table.

  “We’re not paying you to come up with branding ideas.” Kent shook his head. “You were hired to lock in the investors—”

  “The guys in Lubbock are ready to sign,” Cisco interrupted.

  “—particularly the Fortunes,” Kent finished. “So far all I’ve heard about on that front is you playing cowboy around town and sowing some Texas oats while you’re at it.”

  Anger coursed through Cisco. He stood up, pressing his palms flat on the table to lean toward Kent. “What are you insinuating?”

  “It’s no secret you’ve gotten close with the youngest of Jeanne Marie Fortune Jones’s kids. What’s her name? Delilah?”

 
; “Delaney,” Cisco said through clenched teeth.

  Kent leaned back in the chair, crossing his beefy arms over his chest. “I assume you’re using her to secure your ties with the whole family. It’s a decent strategy.”

  Cisco wanted to argue. Unfortunately, that was exactly how his relationship with Delaney had started. Now it was much more, but he didn’t expect Kent to understand that. Hell, he barely understood it himself. In a matter of weeks, she’d become essential to his life. Making her happy was more important than any business deal that came his way.

  “Leave the Fortunes out of the equation for a minute.” He held up a hand when Kent began to speak. “Let me show you what I’ve done here.” He powered on his computer and opened the presentation he’d prepared. He’d made the changes to the luxury condo development and highlighted the reasons behind them to appeal to Alden Moore directly. He hoped that Kent was forward thinking enough to consider this new proposal.

  As he spoke, Cisco became more certain that this plan could satisfy the goals of both Cowboy Country and Moore Entertainment while alleviating some of the concerns of the people in Horseback Hollow. Unfortunately, Kent reached forward midway through the presentation and snapped shut Cisco’s laptop.

  “This is all well and good, Mendoza, but it’s not part of the plan.”

  Cisco felt a muscle twitch in his jaw. “Plans change.”

  “Not these.” Kent pushed back from the table and went to stand before the window that looked out to the theme park. “You know there have been some challenges with this opening. We’re fighting to keep on schedule and, more important, on budget. There is no room to deviate. We need to get this place open and those condos built before public sentiment turns any further against us. Jobs are on the line.”

  “Yours being one of them?” Cisco supplied.

  Kent didn’t answer directly but the grim set of his mouth told Cisco he’d guessed correctly. “I haven’t spent the better part of my career working for Alden Moore to have this nothing cow town get the best of me. Bring the Fortunes to the table, or I’ll find someone who will.”

  “Will you share the ideas I’ve given you with Mr. Moore?”

  “No way.” Kent shook his head. “I’m not telling Alden anything that would lead him to believe I have less than one hundred percent confidence in the Cowboy Country model.” The man turned, squeezing his fingers around the back of his chair. “We’re a lot alike, Cisco. We’ve both worked hard for our success. My career is everything to me, just like yours is to you.”

  “Not anymore,” Cisco whispered.

  “Don’t be a fool. This development is the opportunity of a lifetime for you. You get the deal done on this and your future with Moore Entertainment is set. I can tell you there are plenty of plans for brand expansion in the works, and you’re going to want to be a part of them.” Kent flashed an acid smile as he walked back to the conference table. “Get the Fortunes to ante up so we can lock in this deal before the grand opening and you’ll be the golden boy. I don’t care what you do on your own time. If you want to mess around with that little piece of cowgirl—”

  Cisco shot up from the table, grabbing Kent by the collar and spinning him around. Kent was a big guy and probably had a good thirty pounds on him. But anger fueled Cisco as he slammed the other man into the wall. “Don’t ever speak about Delaney that way.”

  “Fine.” Kent coughed several times, trying to pull Cisco’s hands away from his throat. “Sorry I mentioned it. Just get this deal done so we can move on, okay?”

  Giving a sharp nod, Cisco released the man. He never lost his temper like that. He wanted to turn his back on Cowboy Country right now, to walk away so that he could start fresh with Delaney. So that he could be the man she believed him to be, the man she deserved.

  But he’d made a commitment to Moore Entertainment, and he’d never failed at a job before. He still believed he could make this right, but he’d have to come clean with Delaney on the entire situation first.

  “I’ll have it wrapped up by the end of the week,” he told Kent as he packed up his laptop and the revised plans from the architect. “But I want to talk to Mr. Moore directly.”

  “I told you he’s very busy, so—”

  “If the Fortunes are so damn important, he’ll make time.”

  Kent studied him for a moment, then nodded. “I’ll check his calendar. If he’s not going to be back in the office, I’ll schedule a conference call.”

  “You know where to reach me.” Cisco grabbed his bag and left the office without another word.

  A gust of hot air hit him as he walked into the bright midday sun. He took a deep breath to clear his head. Of course Kent thought he was using Delaney. Normally Cisco wouldn’t care. Other than his family, he’d allowed his personal life to fall by the wayside as he’d worked to achieve his professional goals.

  Friends, and in particular girlfriends, had been just means to an end as he kept moving forward. He’d never taken the time to make the people around him and their needs a priority. He’d always believed he didn’t need anyone, could handle anything life threw at him on his own. Now he saw how much that had cost him in life. More important, how much he stood to lose if he couldn’t make Delaney understand his work with Cowboy Country.

  He texted Delaney but didn’t hear immediately back. He figured she might be resting, so, as much as he wanted to hear her voice, resisted the urge to follow up with a phone call. He walked around the theme park, taking in the brightly colored rides and carnival-type activities. Everything was shiny and new, but there was a distinct lack of activity within the park. Cisco knew there was dissension with the employees and Kent had alluded to even bigger problems. If the situation wasn’t straightened out, it could have negative repercussions on not just the grand opening but the initial stages of the condo development, as well. But right now he was grateful for the quiet to regroup his thoughts.

  After leaving Cowboy Country, he drove out to the condo site, imagining how the landscape would change once the housing development was built. He wondered how his life would look right now if he’d taken the time to consider how the deals he’d brokered over the years would impact the communities where they were built.

  Hindsight might be twenty-twenty, but Cisco had never been a fan of dwelling in the past. He checked his phone but there was still no communication from Delaney. He decided to return to the rental house, change clothes from the meeting and call out to the ranch. It didn’t matter if he had to sit at the foot of Delaney’s bed and watch her sleep. Cisco had an overwhelming need to see her, to make sure she was still okay from the morning’s turmoil, then figure out how to tell her everything that had happened with him.

  As he drove across town to his house, he rehearsed several scenarios for explaining the whole truth of his job to her. The street was empty as he pulled into the driveway. The more he thought about seeing Delaney, of just being close to her, the more anxious he became to get to the ranch.

  He fiddled with the front door lock—then realized the door wasn’t locked. Although it probably didn’t matter in a town like Horseback Hollow, Cisco hadn’t gotten out of the big-city habit of locking everything up tight. It put him a little on edge as he walked through, but the sight that greeted him made him take a step back.

  Candles were lit all around the living room, the shades partially drawn so that the flickering lights were the only thing that illuminated the space. That was surprise enough but what rocked him to his core was Delaney.

  She stood in the middle of the room wearing nothing but a pale blue silk nightgown that barely grazed her thighs. A nervous smile curved her lips.

  Cisco swallowed and opened his mouth to speak but found he was unable to produce even a single word.

  * * *

  Goose bumps pricked the back of Delaney’s neck as Cisco continued to stare at he
r. Maybe it was just a few moments of shocked silence, but it felt like hours. She dug her fingernails into the flesh below the hem of her nightgown, feeling like the biggest fool in the world.

  “Um...maybe this is a bad time,” she stammered, itching to bolt through the house out the back door. “I should just go and—”

  “No.” The force in his tone kept her rooted where she stood. He held up a hand. “I... Give me a minute to...” He swiped his hand over his face. “Delaney, what are you doing out of bed?”

  “The idea was sort of to get into bed,” she said on a nervous rush of breath. Color flooded her cheeks and she bit down on her lip. “I didn’t mean to say that out loud.”

  Even as his mouth kicked up, those brown eyes that did funny things to her belly turned smoky black. “I thought you were resting at home. Because of your ankle.” He pointed to her feet but his gaze seemed to snag on her bare legs.

  “Well, I took a couple of ibuprofen and a nap.” She pulled her nightgown down to cover more of her legs, then realized she’d exposed most of her chest in the process.

  The silk gown was held up by thin straps that tied in a delicate bow above each shoulder. She’d bought it on a whim almost six months ago when she’d been shopping with her sister in Vicker’s Corners. At the time, Delaney hadn’t had any idea of when she might wear it. But she’d woken up this afternoon feeling better physically but still so full of emotions from her ordeal with the baby calf and the fact that Cisco had been the one to find her. She believed with all her heart that he just needed a little push to reveal his feelings for her.

  “I thought... I wanted to thank you for your help this morning,” she stammered.

  “You don’t need to thank me, Delaney.” His gaze was infinitely gentle. “Not like this.”

  Oh, no. This was her greatest fear come true. She’d put herself out there for this man, and he didn’t want her. Blood roared in her ears as humiliation washed over her. If only the floor would open and swallow her whole. Since that was unlikely, Delaney did the next best thing. She turned and started to run for the back of the house. She’d parked her truck on the street behind Cisco’s to make sure she surprised him.