A SWEETHEART FOR JUDE FORTUNE

by Cindy Kirk

  “You’re riding a horse?”

  Gabi’s back automatically stiffened at the disapproval in her father’s tone. For a second, she’d been so caught up in making plans she’d forgotten he was sitting there, sucking in every word.

  “It should be fun.” When the scowl on her father’s face deepened, she added, “I bet most of the women around here ride.”

  “You’re not from this area,” he said pointedly. “And you have to be extra careful.”

  Gabi told herself not to go there, to simply let the subject drop. But her mouth seemed determined to open and get her into trouble. “Are you worried I’ll fall? If you are, don’t give it a second thought. Jude plans to saddle up Sweet Betsy for me. Supposedly this horse is so mild-mannered a two-year-old could ride her.”

  “Yes, I’m worried about you on a horse. You’re a city girl.” Her father spoke through gritted teeth. “But I’m even more worried about you falling for a man like Jude.”

  Gabi counted to five. Lifted a brow. “A man like Jude?”

  “He’s got a rep.”

  Without taking her eyes off her father, she leaned back in her chair, forced a casualness at odds with her hammering heart. “Tell me more.”

  “He likes women,” Orlando said as if that explained it all.

  “I’d say that’s a good thing.”

  Her father made an impatient gesture with his good hand. “From what I’ve heard he goes from woman to woman, doesn’t stick.”

  A knife sliced into her belly and twisted. Jealousy, she realized. Ridiculous, considering she and the handsome cowboy had only recently met.

  “Why would that be a problem?” Gabi lifted a brow. “I live in Miami and I’m not looking to relocate.”

  “I don’t want to see you hurt.”

  The look in his eyes was one of love, and Gabi felt her irritation subside. “Papi.” She covered his hand with hers. “Jude is simply being nice, showing me around the area. He’s not looking for anything more than companionship. I’m not looking for more, either.”

  Her father narrowed his gaze. “Does he know of your condition?”

  The quick, hot surge of temper took Gabi by surprise. “I don’t have a condition,” she snapped. “I’ve had a heart transplant. I’m all better now.”

  Or close enough. She was down to only two meds.

  Not surprisingly, Orlando didn’t back down. “Does he know?”

  “This may surprise you, but I don’t shout my medical history from the rooftops of every town I visit.” Gabi pushed back her chair with a clatter and rose to her feet. “I’d appreciate it if you didn’t, either.”

  She bent, kissed his leathery cheek and spoke briskly. Lunch would have to wait for another time. “I’ll be back in a couple of hours. I’m going to run some errands, pick up a few things while I’m here in Lubbock.”

  “I love you, Gabriella.” He grabbed her hand before she could move away. “Sometimes my love makes me a little overprotective.”

  “A little?” She paused. Sighed. “I love you, Papi, but you need to remember I’m a grown woman. I handle my own affairs.”

  “But your heart—”

  “My heart—” Gabi spoke slowly and distinctly so there could be no misunderstanding “—is strong and healthy and all mine. You don’t have to worry about me giving it away to a stranger and getting hurt.”

  The truth was she didn’t plan on giving her heart away to any man. Not even one who was handsome as sin and wore a black Stetson.

  * * *

  Jude ran into Sawyer in Vicker’s Corners, just as he finished loading supplies in the back of his pickup. When his cousin crossed the street, Jude shut the tailgate and lifted a hand in greeting.

  “Looks like you’re going to be busy.” Sawyer gestured with his head toward the truck. “Don’t you know Sunday is the day of rest?”

  “Not on a ranch.” Jude kept his smile easy. Although he didn’t know Sawyer well, so far he liked what he’d seen. He appreciated the way Sawyer and his wife had looked out for Gabi’s father. How a boss treated those who worked for him said a lot.

  “Past lunchtime. Have you eaten?”

  Jude took off his Stetson and raked a hand through his hair. “Not yet. It’s been one of those days.”

  “Me, either.” Sawyer gestured toward a family-style restaurant on the corner. “Got time to grab a quick burger?”

  Though there was plenty of work waiting for him back at the ranch, Jude didn’t hesitate. A man had to eat, after all.

  Because it was nearly two, the after-church crowd had cleared out long ago and the only people in the place were a couple of grizzled old cowboys playing checkers at a corner table.

  The hostess led them to a table by the window.

  “How’s Orlando?” he asked, after Arlene, a retired schoolteacher-turned-waitress, had taken their order and brought the drinks.

  “You’d know better than me.” Sawyer leaned back and relaxed against the vinyl seat, downing a good portion of his iced tea in one gulp. “I was surprised to see you with Gabi last night.”

  Jude smiled and changed the subject. “How’s the accident investigation coming? Is sabotage still on the table?”

  Jude had heard all about the anonymous letters received at the post office. Letters alluding that what happened to Orlando could happen again if the Fortunes didn’t pull up stakes in Horseback Hollow. He was grateful neither his brothers nor the ranch hands had brought up the letters at the bar when he’d been with Gabi.

  Sawyer waited to answer until the waitress had set the food in front of them and was out of earshot. “The NTSB is still investigating. Until they file their report we won’t know for sure.”

  Jude hefted the massive burger. “What’s your take?”

  Sawyer dipped a French fry into a puddle of ketchup. “I don’t think so, but being part of a famous family does open you up to all sorts of things.”

  “That sucks.”

  “Sometimes.” A speculative look crossed Sawyer’s face. “Are you sorry you became a Fortune?”

  Jude shifted uncomfortably in his seat, but Sawyer had always been honest with him. He could be no less. “It takes more than DNA to make people family.”

  “True enough.” Sawyer popped a fry into his mouth. “Though I have to say when I saw you, I recognized you as a Fortune immediately.”

  Jude grinned and simply shrugged. No use denying it. Everyone commented on the physical resemblance between Jude and his cousin.

  “Your brother Christopher doesn’t seem to be having any problem adjusting to his new family,” Sawyer said in a casual tone that Jude guessed was anything but casual.

  “That so?”

  Sawyer added more salt to his fries. “He’s considering a move to Red Rock.”

  Jude kept his face expressionless. “First I heard.”

  The thought that Chris would leave Horseback Hollow to hook up with the Fortunes didn’t shock Jude. Not as much as if Sawyer had told him one of his other brothers was considering the possibility.

  At twenty-six, Chris was the youngest of the five boys and the only one who’d never taken to life on the ranch. From the time he’d been a little boy, he and their father had been at odds. If their dad said something was black, Chris would insist it was white.

  Still, Jude had to wonder what his little brother was up to....

  Jude shoved the speculation aside. He had no doubt he’d find out soon enough what Chris had up his sleeve.

  “Back to Orlando.” Jude took a drink of cola. “I know he’s worked for you the past couple of months. Has he said much about his daughter?”

  A trace of a smile lifted Sawyer’s lips. “You mean about your future wife?”

  “Scoff all you want.” Jude met Sawyer’s mocking
gaze with a steady one of his own. “When Gabi is walking down the aisle straight toward me, you’ll be eating those words.”

  “Okay, okay.” Sawyer took another bite of burger. “I’m sure you know more than me. She’s one of five kids. The mother died several years back. O is very protective of her, so watch your step.”

  Jude’s fingers tightened around the glass of cola. “Watch my step?”

  The words were so cold frost could have formed on them.

  His cousin waved a dismissive hand, his fingers holding a French fry. “You know what I mean.”

  “I would never take advantage of Gabi.” The words were said slowly, concisely and with an edge even Sawyer couldn’t fail to notice. “I care about her too much.”

  “Good. Then Orlando won’t be a problem.”

  Jude wasn’t sure about that, but right now it didn’t matter. His focus was on Gabi, on getting to know her and having her get to know him. Not everyone fell in love at first sight.

  Until Gabi got to know him she couldn’t love him. And love was essential if they were going to have a long and happy life together.

  Chapter Six

  Gabi decided riding Sweet Betsy was very much like sitting in a rocking chair. The chestnut-colored mare had one speed and that was slow. Nothing interested her, not the rabbits hopping across the field nor the cattle grazing nearby.

  Wherever Jude’s stallion went, the mare was content to go. Jude had smiled approvingly at Gabi’s jeans, boots and long-sleeved shirt with a jacket for the ride. Because the sun shone bright, he’d plopped a hat on her head.

  She was grateful to have it. The sky was blue without a trace of clouds. A slight breeze added to the pleasantness of the day.

  Though there wasn’t a palm tree in sight, Gabi found the openness of the landscape appealing. Just like the man at her side. Gabi slanted a sideways glance at the handsome cowboy, with the roll of wire hooked to his saddle.

  “Do you like banana bread?” Jude asked when they drew close to a large pond.

  It was an odd question, but Gabi answered truthfully. “Who doesn’t?”

  “My mother made some this morning, and I brought a few slices with me.” Jude shot her a wink and slipped off the back of his horse with an ease Gabi envied. “I could be persuaded to share.”

  “I’ll start working on appealing to your altruistic side,” Gabi declared. “Once I quit gazing longingly at terra firma.”

  Taking hold of the chestnut’s reins, he assisted Gabi off the horse. She stood there for a moment, her hands resting on his muscular forearms.

  “It feels odd,” she murmured.

  He grinned. “Being on solid ground again?”

  “No.” Gabi cast a wary glance at the pond where their horses now stood drinking. “Being this close to water and not being on alert.”

  Jude cocked his head.

  “Back home, when you see water that isn’t the ocean, you think snakes and alligators.”

  The look he shot her was clearly skeptical. “You’re making that up.”

  “I’m not,” she insisted. “The church I attend in Miami has a couple of lakes on their property. They got rid of the gators once but had to bring them back. Know why?”

  “No clue.”

  “The snake population exploded. They even got into the building.”

  He gave a disbelieving snort.

  “Honest to God.” She swiped a finger across her heart. “We brought the alligators back to keep the snakes under control. And not just any snakes, water moccasins, the deadliest of all.”

  Jude shook his head. “You like living in such a place?”

  “It’s been my home for as long as I can remember,” she said simply. “But it doesn’t feel that way so much since my mom died and my dad moved away.”

  A wave of sadness washed over her at the realization that her father’s departure had changed everything. In an attempt to shake off the unwanted melancholy, she performed a couple of stretches then shook out her hands, which had been holding the reins in a death grip. By the time she straightened, her mood had lightened.

  “I could have been a Texan,” she announced.

  If Jude was surprised by the out-of-the-blue pronouncement, it didn’t show. “Could have been? Or could be?”

  “Could have been,” she repeated. “My father and his brothers were born in Texas, but relocated to Florida when they were young.”

  He slapped his hat against his dusty jeans. “That explains it.”

  She lifted a brow.

  “You’re a natural on a horse,” he told her. “You’re a born cowgirl.”

  Gabi laughed.

  The sound made Jude smile. She captivated him. As she had from the first moment he’d seen her.

  “Where’s my banana bread?” Gabi asked.

  “I thought you were going to persuade me to share.”

  She stared at him for a long moment, a speculative gleam in her eyes. “What’s it going to take?”

  He simply smiled, enjoying the game.

  “A little buttering up?”

  He grimaced. “That makes me sound like a tub of popcorn at the movie theater.”

  She fisted her hands on her hips, considered. After a second, she took a step closer, slid her hands up his chest to the lapels of his shirt. “Oh, Jude,” she simpered. “You’re so handsome.”

  He cocked his head and stared pityingly at her.

  She dropped her hands, frowned. “You’re right, way too cliché.”

  “But you’re on the right track,” he admitted, making her smile.

  “Okay.” She took a deep breath, let it out slowly then tipped her head and gazed up at him through lowered lashes. Her voice became a sultry purr. “Have I told you that I absolutely adore your muscles?”

  He appeared to consider then shook his head. “I don’t believe you have.”

  “I do,” she said, all wide-eyed and innocent. “I know some women go for the starving-poet look. You know—guys with that long shaggy hair and not a manly muscle in sight.”

  “I take it you’re not one of them.”

  Gabi trailed a finger across his biceps, a hint of a smile curving her lips upward when the muscle jumped. “I prefer men who look like men. I like them gentle but strong. You know—the kind of man a woman can depend on.”

  She stopped, as if she’d taken it further than she’d intended. But Jude liked knowing that she found him attractive, that his body appealed to her. And since they were exchanging confidences...

  “Have I told you the kind of woman who appeals to me?”

  Gabi shook her head, a cautious look in her eyes.

  “Short women with dark hair?”

  “Not just any short woman with dark hair.” He took a step closer. “You.”

  She inched back. “Ah, that’s sweet.”

  “I mean it.” He took her face in his hands and gave her a smile so warm it made something inside her ache. “I’ve dated women of all shapes and sizes and found many of them attractive. But none compare to you.”

  She feigned a look of mild interest. “Tell me more, smooth-talking cowboy.”

  “I speak the truth.”

  “Yeah, right.”

  “Seriously, I love the way your hair shines like dark walnut in the sun.” He touched those silky strands as he spoke, marveling at the softness. “Your eyes remind me of the finest Venezuelan chocolate.”

  “They don’t make chocolate in Venezuela.”

  He smiled. “They do. My mother received some as a gift for Christmas from Sawyer. I remember the rich, dark color. It was the first thing I thought of when I saw your eyes.”

  She blinked. “Well, thank you.”

  “And your body.” His gaze slid up and
down from the cowboy hat to the tips of her dusty boots. “You’re small and muscular, but you have curves in all the right places. When you’re against me we fit together perfectly. You fit me perfectly.”

  “If you were the one trying to convince me to give you a piece of banana bread, it’d already be on your plate.”

  Jude let his gaze linger on her lips. “I’m not hungry for banana bread.”

  Her dark eyes sparkled in the sunlight. She moistened her lips with the tip of her tongue.

  “I admit I’m tempted to kiss you,” she said in that sultry tone he found so incredibly sexy, “but I’m not into public displays of affection.”

  Confused, Jude glanced around to see who was riding up. But he saw only cows and pastureland. “We’re the only ones here.”

  Gabi gestured with her head toward the herd of longhorns eyeing them suspiciously from behind a string of fence.

  He grinned and shook his head. “They don’t count.”

  “Maybe.” When she looked like she might be thinking of making a run for it, Jude grabbed her hand and tugged her to him.

  “Not so fast, darlin’,” he said in a deep voice with the faintest hint of a Texas drawl. “First things first.”

  Gabi stood so close he could see the flecks of gold in the rich brown depths of her eyes.

  “Oh, that’s right.” She gave a throaty laugh and batted those long lashes. “You owe me a slice of banana bread.”

  “I want to kiss you.” His gaze met hers. “And you want to kiss me.”

  “I guess we might as well go ahead and lock lips.” Though Gabi’s voice had a slightly bored edge, the flicker of desire in her eyes gave her away. “It’s not like we have anything better to do.”

  “We could eat the banana bread.” He trailed kisses up her neck.

  She arched back, giving him full access to her throat. “Too many fat grams.”

  He nibbled on her ear, inhaling the light floral scent of her perfume. “We’ll stick with this, then.”

  “I thought you were going to kiss me.” Her breath came in little puffs.

  “I think that’s what I’m doing,” he said, nipping her shoulder through the fabric.