Maddie breathed in his scent, leather and earth—so raw, so masculine, so completely Trey. He was a man’s man, a special breed who knew how to please a woman. As his lips claimed hers once more, Maddie realized that she could easily fall under his spell again.
Too soon, Trey pulled away and cool Texas air replaced his body’s heat. They stood there, facing each other, eyes locked, hearts beating.
Trey blinked.
Maddie tried for a smile, but his expression wouldn’t allow it. He appeared shaken, taken completely unaware. So many expressions crossed his features that Maddie didn’t know what to think. She didn’t know what to say, either. Moments ticked by and then Trey finally broke the silence. He stood with his head bent, scratching his neck in the same spot where Maddie’s fingers had explored just seconds ago. “That was entirely my fault. A big mistake.”
Maddie crossed her arms over her middle and stood her ground. She may not have had an abundance of experience with men but she had excellent female intuition, and Trey Walker wasn’t getting away with this. He wanted her. And he wasn’t so much of a fool not to see that she wanted him back. Finally, after all this time, Trey had come around. She didn’t know why exactly, because for the past year he hadn’t given her the time of day but suddenly Trey had taken notice.
What they shared tonight was something short of heaven. Maddie hadn’t felt anything like this before. And she wasn’t about to allow Trey to deny it. “It didn’t feel like a mistake.”
Trey’s head snapped up. “Well, it was.”
“Are you saying you didn’t want to kiss me?”
“No. I mean . . . yes. What I’m saying is that it shouldn’t have happened.”
“But it did, Trey. It happened.”
He sighed. “Maddie.”
Maddie took one step forward, keeping her eyes on his face. She spoke softly. “I liked it, in case you didn’t notice.”
He swallowed, his gaze locking onto her lips. “I noticed.”
Trey Walker had turned her life upside down this past year. She needed to know how he felt inside. She needed to hear the words. She smiled and spoke softly again, taking a brief glance below his belt buckle. “And I noticed how much you liked it.”
Trey’s brows shot up. She might have shocked him.
“Okay, damn it. It was hot. Probably the hottest kiss I’ve ever . . . it doesn’t matter, Maddie. We’re business partners and I shouldn’t have taken such liberties. That’s what I wanted to talk to you about before Storm acted up.”
Her nerves twitching, Maddie’s voice rose. “That was what you wanted to talk about. You and me, kissing?”
What was Trey trying to do, add insult to injury? He’d just kissed her senseless, probably ruining her for any other man, and now after giving her a small taste of heaven, he wanted to tuck her safely away and pretend nothing had happened. He wanted to make sure that nothing like it would ever happen again.
“Not exactly. I wanted us to sit down and have a logical, reasonable discussion about our living arrangements. I’ve never had a woman live out here with me and well, I suppose it’s a fact of nature that in a weak moment . . . ” He paused, taking a breath of air, before continuing. “What I mean to say is that the only way this is going to work is if we keep our distance. I wanted to make sure you saw it the same way.”
With chin held high, Maddie stepped closer until she stood boot to boot with him. “You call kissing a girl until her knees buckle keeping your distance?”
Trey focused on her mouth. “I’m taking all the blame.” And those incredible intense eyes softened. “It was a great kiss, Maddie. But wrong.”
“If you knew it was wrong then why’d you do it?”
Trey looked away. And they were immersed in silence. Only Storm’s occasional quiet snort could be heard. Patiently, Maddie waited.
Trey turned and his dark eyes pierced hers. This time she knew she’d have the truth. “I’ve wanted to kiss you for a long time.”
Maddie’s heart lurched. She hadn’t expected to hear him admit anything of the sort. All of this time, he’d been aloof and detached, giving her no reason to hope. He’d spoken about having a weak moment, but now Maddie knew it wasn’t just that. He’d been thinking about her, just as she’d been thinking about him. “You have?”
He nodded and spoke with firm conviction. “But it isn’t right.”
“Why, Trey? Why isn’t it right?” she asked, trying to puzzle through Trey’s admission.
Trey shook his head, his expression filled with regret. He softened his tone, but his words cut straight through her heart. “Because wanting you and doing right by you are two different things. It’s best you understand that. I’m not the man for you, Maddie. I never could be.”
*
Trey stalked off and headed to the older barn, leaving Maddie standing there in the moonlight. He’d made a world-class mess out of things and he’d hurt Maddie in the process. Nothing about this night had turned out as he’d hoped. Why couldn’t he have left well enough alone? Why’d he have to kiss her? His body still hummed from the impact of that kiss, the soft sweet way Maddie had given herself to him. The way she told him with every movement, every little moan, that it could only get better.
That kiss blew his mind.
Trey’s well-honed control had been tested to the limit and had failed. Miserably. One petite little redhead had thrown him off-kilter. She’d made him hard. She’d made him want.
It had been a long time since Trey had taken up with a woman. He’d made a pact long ago that “temporary” involvement was all he could manage. One-night stands were even better. Not that he’d indulged lately, but he knew that sticking to his plan, especially with Maddie, would benefit everyone and hurt no one. Trey’s vow to keep his distance couldn’t be sharper or laid out more clearly because now he understood what kissing her was like.
Trey walked to the stall that housed one of Maddie’s patients. “Hey there, Maggie. How’re you doing, girl?”
The fair-haired dog looked up with big, sad eyes. She’d been accidentally shot with a round of birdshot by Willy McGill, a young boy who’d been playing with his daddy’s gun.
“Feeling any better tonight?”
Trey bent to scratch the old girl behind the ears, gently stroking her coat. “The doc fixed you up real good. You’ll be going home soon.”
Trey stood and checked on all of the other animals, making note of how well cared for they all appeared. After the fire that had claimed Maddie’s office, Trey had worked like a demon to get this place ready for the animals, mucking out the stalls, cleaning them the best he could. He’d laid down blankets for the larger animals and gathered up cages that he had on the grounds for the smaller ones. Of the eight stalls, more than half were filled with animals on the mend.
The tack room in the back served double-duty as Maddie’s office and an examining room. She’d brought in what few supplies she’d salvaged, others she’d purchased including a makeshift examining table made of heavy aluminum. She had all that she needed to start up her practice again.
Trey shouldn’t lose sight of that. He shouldn’t forget the good Maddie coming to 2 Hope Ranch would serve. The animals needed her expert care. The deal he and Maddie had made insured the animals would receive it.
In the year since Doc Benning had left Hope Wells, Maddie’s practice had grown. She’d gained a reputation as a compassionate, intelligent veterinarian who loved all animals and had special talents communicating with them. She’d been young, coming straight out of college, but it hadn’t taken her long to earn the town’s trust. And for the time being, she’d be working here, treating the animals.
And living with him.
Trey would just learn to adjust.
*
Maddie entered the kitchen through the back door and glanced at the coffee cups that had been left on the table. All of this had started by Storm’s sudden outburst. The stallion had interrupted what would have been Trey’s attempt at set
ting up their “business” arrangement. What he’d really wanted to do was lay down the rules. “Rules” that, according to Trey Walker, were not to be compromised or challenged. “Rules” that left no doubt in Maddie’s mind that the cowboy simply was not interested.
She cleared the coffee cups and loaded them in the dishwasher. Then she refilled the sugar bowl and creamer and put them away, straightening up the kitchen the best she could, keeping her vow to pitch in and share in fifty percent of the daily chores. She owed Trey that much. He’d been kind and generous coming to her aid when she’d needed help the most.
Her mind still raced at one hundred miles per hour.
She doubted she’d be able to concentrate on one single thing tonight, other than Trey’s incredible kiss. Maddie would never forget that earth-moving, heart-stopping experience, but it seemed that for Trey, it hadn’t been enough. It hadn’t been what he wanted. Maddie would have to respect his wishes. She was here at 2 Hope living off his hospitality, with a roof over her head and, more importantly, a place to treat the animals.
That mattered to her above all else.
With the kitchen clean, Maddie headed for her bedroom, taking one last peek out the window. Storm pranced and snorted, making his way around the perimeter of the corral, his shiny, sleek mane catching starlight.
“He’ll never be all yours,” Trey had been told.
How well Maddie understood that. The stallion’s instinct, his spirit, the very heart of the animal, wouldn’t allow it. Stallions could be trained, but they could never be fully trusted. Just when you believed them tame, their wild side would emerge, creating havoc and fear. An untamed spirit exposed their true temperament—one that thrived solely on strength, independence, and freedom. Storm belonged to no one but himself.
And Maddie realized now what Trey had seen in Storm.
He’d seen himself.
*
Maddie woke early the next morning after a restless night. She’d never been one for change, and sleeping in a strange bed in someone else’s home hadn’t been as easy as she’d hoped. She missed her small apartment in town. She missed her things. Almost everything she loved had gone up in smoke. She’d never again see her favorite rhinestone hairclip that had kept her bangs out of her eyes on her first date ever, with Johnny Renato. She’d never slip her feet into her worked-in jogging shoes that had accompanied her on miles and miles of asphalt road. She’d never put her arms through her cozy chenille bathrobe and snuggle herself tight on a cold, lonely night. She missed her books too, especially the mysteries that kept her from sleep and the romance novels that made her dreams so sweet. And how odd was it that she missed her dry college textbooks?
She brought her fingers up to the silver charm resting against her chest. Aphrodite hugged her neck holding tender memories of her grandmother close. Gratitude that the necklace had been spared in the fire bubbled up inside of her. It was sort of a miracle.
As she glanced around the spacious bedroom that would now be her home, that gratitude continued. A good-size bed with a thick, hand-quilted paisley comforter kept her warm throughout the night. Her meager belongings were housed in a lovely carved-oak armoire that stood against the opposing wall. The armoire’s intricate workmanship spoke of decades past, giving the room a sense of history.
Maddie’s gaze drifted to a vase atop the armoire filled with a bouquet of fresh pastel carnations. Trey had put them there sometime yesterday as a gesture of welcome and they actually helped her feel a little less like an imposition to him.
In so many ways, Trey Walker was a mystery to her—an unreadable man that rarely let his guard down and rarely allowed anyone inside. He’d given her a taste of it last night by pulling her into a deep passionate kiss, then closing up tight and not giving her a glimpse of his true feelings. He’d pushed her away and, okay, she’d definitely gotten the message. She’d try to forget the wonderful kiss and his strong embrace, though she didn’t think it’d be easy. If a cordial businesslike relationship was all he wanted, she would have to respect that.
Sunlight beamed in bright and warm through the shuttered window. The morning would slide by if she wasn’t careful. Today was her first official day on the job since the fire. So why was she lollygagging? “Maddie, get a move on. You have things to do,” she uttered.
Maddie tossed off the covers, rose from the bed and grinned like a fool, suddenly eager to start her day. She hugged her chest against the cool morning air and strode down the hallway in her bare feet and pajamas.
Thoughts of a steamy shower filled her mind as she opened the bathroom door and strode inside. She stopped mid-stride, a gasp tearing from her throat. “Oh! Sorry.”
Trey stood facing the mirror with razor in hand, the unshaven half of his face still lathered up with white foam. Fresh lime permeated the air, the soapy clean scent appealing to all of her female senses. Trey glanced her way for one second then faced the mirror again, taking a swipe at his beard and examining his progress.
“Nothing to be sorry for, Maddie. I should’ve been up and out early this morning. Would have been if the pipe hadn’t busted in the other bathroom. Now it looks like we’ll be sharing this one until I get the plumbing fixed.”
“Oh, that’s alright,” Maddie said numbly. When she’d made this bargain with Trey he’d offered her this bathroom, closest to the bedrooms during her stay, while he had opted to use the one nearest the kitchen. “I hope it isn’t too serious.”
But as she looked at him, Maddie knew it was serious. Tearing her gaze away from the wide expanse of Trey’s solid chest was proving seriously impossible. Tiny hairs curled around his nipples and arrowed down his torso, leading below his waist and into a tight pair of unbuttoned jeans. Tall, tanned, muscular Trey was seriously taking her breath away.
“Don’t know. My uncle Monty’s the expert. He can fix just about anything.” Trey took another swipe at his beard then rinsed the razor in the sink. “I gave him a call, but he can’t get out here until next week.” He stopped shaving to turn to her. “If it’s a problem, I’ll call in a plumber today.”
“Not a problem at all.” She actually sounded unaffected seeing his half-naked, sexy body. After all, he’d set down the rules last night and she wasn’t going to complicate his life by swooning over him, even if it killed her. She shrugged. “I’ll shower later.”
The last thing she wanted was to be a burden. Or cost Trey any money. She knew from their deal that Trey wasn’t in good financial shape right now and hiring a plumber could get expensive. If need be, she’d share the bathroom but she’d make darn sure not to barge in on him again.
Maddie turned to leave, but Trey stopped her. “Maddie?”
She looked up. “Yes?”
Trey leaned both hands on the tiled counter and bent his head, staring into the sink. Half-shaven, bare-chested and more tempting than Maddie wanted to admit, he spoke softly, “About last night—”
With a tilt of her head, Maddie finished his thought. “It was a mistake.”
His head snapped up and he studied her for a moment. “Right.”
“And it’ll never happen again.”
He hesitated. “Right.”
“Anything else?” She asked on tiptoes, ready to turn and make a quick retreat.
Trey glanced at her lips then let out a breath. “Just that I think it’s best that we move forward and forget about—”
“Already done, Trey. It’s forgotten.”
“That easy?”
The question seemed to have slipped from his tongue and if he could have pulled the words back, Maddie was certain he would have.
She lifted her lips in a quick smile. “Easy as peach pie,” she said and headed back to her bedroom.
She heard the shower door open then close, the sound of water raining down. Maddie couldn’t block out the image of one naked cowboy soaping up in a hot, steamy shower. Her heart pounded hard against her chest as she shut her bedroom door then leaned heavily against it and closed her eye
s. “Easy as peach pie,” she repeated on a whisper. “Maddie Brooks, you are such a terrible liar.”
Chapter Three
“It’s Dr. Maddie! Mommy, Dr. Maddie is here!”
Annabelle Portman raced straight into Maddie’s legs as she stepped down from her truck. The four-year-old clung on and hugged tight.
Maddie patted Annabelle’s head. “Hey there, sweetie. How’s my favorite helper?”
Annabelle beamed. “I groomed-ed Dumpling, and Mommy said I did a good job.” And then the child’s expression fell. “But now her leg is broke. Mommy said you can fix her.”
Maddie bent down to the child’s level, looking her straight in the eyes. “I’m going to do the best I can, Annabelle. Dumpling’s a healthy horse and she probably just pulled up lame.”
“That’s what I think, Maddie. At least it’s what I’m hoping,” Caroline Portman said as she approached the truck. Maddie straightened and smiled at her good friend. She and Caroline had met on the first day Maddie arrived in Hope Wells. They’d nearly collided on the main street in town, their cars missing each other by mere inches and both women had instantly realized how lucky they’d been, not winding up in a hospital that day. They’d gone to lunch after that and had been close friends ever since.
“Hi,” Maddie said, wrapping her arms around Caroline in a warm embrace. “It’s good to see you.”
And Maddie meant it with her whole heart. There weren’t too many constants in Maddie’s life right now, with the fire, losing nearly everything she owned, then coming to live with Trey, a man who would surely cause her more than one sleepless night. A visit with a good friend was just what Maddie needed today.
“It’s great to see you, too. I’ve been planning on having you out for dinner, but dear sweet Dumpling beat me to it. She’s in the barn and I’ve got her iced, using one of my old pant legs sewn up, just like you said. The ice pack seems to be working fine.”
Taming the Texas Cowboy (Forever Texan Book 1) Page 3