Best of Cowboys Bundle

by Vicki Lewis Thompson, Barbara White Daille, Judy Christenberry, Christine Wenger, Shirley Rogers, Crystal Green, Nina Bruhns, Candance Schuler, Carole Mortimer

A wistful sigh escaped her lips. She was no closer to forgetting him now than she’d been the day she’d told him she wanted to keep their arrangement strictly business.

  Hah! That was a laugh. If he were here now, she would probably jump his bones!

  She’d tried staying busy, focusing on work to keep him out of her mind. Since she’d hired two additional employees to work at the ranch, she’d had some free time to see to what needed to be done in the house. Starting in the kitchen, she’d worked her way through it, cleaning one room at a time, leaving her father’s room until the very last.

  She’d even tossed out all of the old travel magazines, thinking living in Crockett wasn’t so bad. Now the inside of the house fairly sparkled—like it had when her mother was alive. For an old place, it didn’t look half-bad.

  The knock came again, louder this time. An edgy restlessness shifted through her as she neared the front door. Christmas was less than a month away, and she’d begun feeling the same gloomy, depressing emotions she experienced whenever she thought of the holiday.

  For the past two years, she’d spent Christmas alone on the ranch. She’d pretty much ignored all the hoopla, preferring to treat it just like any other day. It had been for her. She’d had no loved ones to share the holiday season with.

  Mary Beth thought of Deke and how nice it would be to spend the holidays with him. She loved him with all her heart. And time away from him had only made her miss him even more. Every time he called, every time she heard his sexy voice, her resolve to keep him at a distance melted another fraction. Since she hadn’t made any progress toward forgetting him, she might as well have continued seeing him!

  She muttered an oath beneath her breath. She had no one to thank but herself for being heartsick. It had been at her insistence that she and Deke share a business relationship. She couldn’t fault him. Deke had respected her wishes.

  Dammit! She should never have made that stupid stipulation. Maybe she would have ended up with a broken heart if she’d continued seeing him, but at least she would have enjoyed herself along the way!

  Reaching the door, she opened it. Her breath caught. “Deke!” she squeaked. Her eyes widened as her gaze skimmed his body. His washed-out blue jeans hugged his hips and thighs, and his shirt brought out the blue in his eyes.

  Deke felt her warm smile all the way to his toes. Damned if she didn’t look happy to see him. Thrilled, he didn’t question why. “Hey, sweetheart,” he said, giving her an engaging grin. Hungry for the sight of her, his eyes lingered on her face. “Well, can I come in?”

  “Oh…uh, of course,” she stuttered. She nudged the dogs out of the way and moved aside for him to enter. Deke leaned down and patted Lightning and Lady as he came in, and Mary Beth blew out a breath as she watched his big hand lovingly stroke their fur.

  He straightened, then put his arm around her and drew her to him. “I’ve missed you,” he said thickly.

  Startled, Mary Beth’s eyes met his, and her heart tripled its beat. Her gaze slid to his mouth. All she could think about was how much she wanted his kiss. Maybe she was weak. Maybe she was just a fool, but at the moment, here in his arms, she wanted nothing more than to be with him. “I’ve missed you, too,” she whispered, her voice raspy.

  Deke aligned his body with hers. “Yeah?” He studied her, a bit surprised. What had happened to all her reservations? “How much?” he asked. Lowering his head, he briefly touched his lips to hers. She tasted sweet, like pure honey. He wondered if he’d ever get his fill of her.

  She pressed her body closer, then smiled up at him. Her lips found his again, her teeth nipping his lower lip. “Mmm, so much.”

  Throwing caution to the wind, Deke kissed her deeply, hungrily. Blood roared in his ears. “Sweetheart, if this is how you’re gonna welcome me, I’m coming home more often.” His hands slid from her waist to her breasts, and when she eased away to give him better access, moaning that sweet, seductive sound she made when he found and touched her nipples, he gently rubbed his thumbs over each protruding bud.

  Heat ignited in the core of her. Mary Beth’s pulse began to race. His warm hands slid beneath her shirt, unclasped her bra, then he stripped them both off and tossed them to the floor. Desire burned in his eyes as they lowered to her breasts, to her dusky-pink nipples. His hands cupped her, testing their weight.

  She gasped when he lowered his mouth and gently caught her taut nipple with his teeth. Oh, she’d missed this—the incredible way that this man could make her feel. She wanted to be loved by him, wanted to feel him inside her.

  Her fingers found the buttons of his shirt and began slipping them through the buttonholes. Then she yanked the tail of it from his jeans and finished the rest. His shirt followed hers to the floor.

  Her hands touched his skin, and Deke sucked in a breath. When she began to unbuckle his belt, he stopped her. “Sweetheart, I want you so much right now, if you touch me, I think I’ll embarrass myself.” With an expression of pure need, he scooped her up in his arms and carried her to her bedroom. “Let’s do this right.”

  He eased her on the bed, and his lips sought hers hungrily. Slowly, methodically, he kissed a path down her throat to her breasts. His hand lifted one soft mound to his mouth, and he sucked her nipple, teasing it with soft bites. Mary Beth’s eyes drifted shut as her hips began to move. Deke took her other nipple in his mouth as he stripped off her boots and jeans, then slid her panties down her thighs and tossed them aside.

  His gaze swept over her. Something powerful moved inside him—a sensation unexpected and perplexing wrapped itself around his heart. And at that moment, Deke realized that he wanted Mary Beth for more than just this moment in time.

  He slowly skimmed his hand down her body, loving the feel of her satiny skin beneath his palm. She lifted her eyelids and looked at him, her eyes glazed with passion. Deke’s body trembled as she quivered beneath his touch.

  His heartbeat quickened as he worked his clothes off. He joined her on the bed, aligning his body to hers. With each moment, each touch, he watched her, unable to get enough of looking at her.

  Leaning down, he pressed his mouth to her neck. She smelled so incredible. Mary Beth turned her head toward him, seeking his mouth, his kiss. Her lips clung to his, hungry, yet gentle—urgent, yet so unbelievably soothing. He took his time with her, using his lips and tongue, tasting her skin as he trailed hot, wet kisses down her neck to the sensitive area between her breasts.

  Mary Beth twined her arms around his neck, and she drew her to him. Deke’s chest constricted as he positioned himself and joined their bodies. Fire raged inside him, and he sank all the way into her.

  Perfect. She fit him so completely.

  And when she moved against him, a storm of emotions came at him all at once. He trembled with the force of them, with his need for her. If he could make love to her for the rest of his life, it would never be enough.

  But the fire she’d started inside him became a flaming inferno, raging through his body, stealing his ability to control his emotions. When she peaked, softly calling his name on her lips, he found his own release. He held her tightly to him as a million brilliant lights exploded like fireworks in his mind.

  It was at that moment that Deke knew he was in love with Mary Beth.

  “I woke up and you were gone.” Deke gazed at Mary Beth as she stood at her father’s dresser. His chest constricted. How could he leave her now? But he knew he couldn’t stay. He wasn’t good at relationships. He’d blown it with his father, hadn’t he? What made him think that he wouldn’t screw this up, too? When he’d decided to come and see her, he’d known that he couldn’t stay long. Nothing had changed.

  And he had no right to tell her that he loved her. Not yet. Not until after the finals. Even then, he wasn’t sure it was a good idea. And if he didn’t win…he wouldn’t even let himself think about it.

  Standing in her father’s room, Mary Beth turned to look at Deke as he walked up behind her. He slipped his arms around her w
aist and brought her fully against him.

  “I couldn’t sleep,” she said, and she closed her eyes for a moment, savoring the pleasure of being held in his arms. “I thought maybe I could get a few more things done in here.” She turned in his arms and pressed herself to him, the warmth in his eyes touching her heart. “Do you want some breakfast? I can make you some before I start.”

  “I’ll get some at home,” he told her. Deke kissed her neck, then he closed his eyes as he breathed in her scent, wishing he could bottle it and take the fragrance of her with him. How had he ever let himself get so involved with her? It was going to be hard to leave her today. He had plans to head to Vegas by late afternoon, and he still had to go by the Bar M. “You’ve been working hard, sweetheart. The place looks great.”

  Pleased that he’d noticed, she smiled at him. “You’re surprised that I started cleaning my father’s room, aren’t you?” She’d spent the better part of yesterday, until Deke had arrived on her doorstep, stripping it of every reminder of the man whose love she’d never been able to obtain. All that remained to be cleared was one drawer full of junk and the shelf in his closet. “I’ve already packed most of his things. I was going to show you last night, but we sort of got sidetracked.” She blushed, remembering that they’d only left her bed long enough to eat.

  Deke glanced around the room, taking in the bare walls and the assortment of stacked boxes. His gaze went to the unmade bed, then shifted back to Mary Beth. He reached for her, but she put a firm hand to his chest, keeping him at a distance. “Don’t even think about it. I’m almost finished in here.”

  He grinned, and despite her protest, kissed her hungrily. Her lips clung to his as he lifted his head. “All right, sweetheart,” he drawled, and he gave her a sexy grin. “How about some help?”

  She chuckled. “Your timing’s impeccable. All I have left is this drawer,” she said, pulling it open. Nodding at the closet, she added, “and that stuff on the shelf in the closet.”

  He cocked his head and studied her. “Has it been hard going through his things?”

  “A little,” she answered honestly. “My father wasn’t an easy man to understand. He rarely showed emotion. I accepted the fact that I could never do anything to please him a long time ago.” Despite her words, a shiny tear formed in the corner of her eye.

  Deke pulled her to him. “I’m sorry he never appreciated you, Mary Beth.” She was so beautiful, so sweet. Her father must have been crazy not to see how special she was. She sniffed, then turned toward the dresser and pulled out the drawer. Deke took it from her and put it on top of the dresser.

  “Why don’t you let me go through the rest of this?”

  She shook her head. “I’m okay,” she said quietly, and she began fingering the items inside the drawer. “Isn’t it strange the things people keep.” There was an assortment of odds and ends—an old wallet that she remembered her father carrying and a couple of his old watches. “Hmm, look at this.”

  Deke stepped closer and put his arm around her. He looked over her shoulder as she picked up a small, plain wooden box and turned toward him. “What is it?”

  She studied it, her gaze perplexed. “I don’t know.” She lifted the lid. Inside was a silver key.

  “What do you think it’s for?” Deke asked.

  Mary Beth stared at it, her eyes wide. “I’ve no idea. I’ve never seen it before.”

  “Did you find anything it would fit when you were going through the room?”

  “No, nothing.” Puzzled, she looked closely at it. “It doesn’t have any markings or anything.” Shrugging one shoulder, she added, “I doubt that it could open anything important.”

  Deke’s curious gaze flicked to hers. “I don’t know. Why would your father keep a key hidden in his drawer, if it didn’t go to something he considered important?”

  “You’ve got a point,” she agreed. She turned to look around the room. “But I haven’t seen anything—” Her gaze went to the closet. “What about up there?” she said, indicating the shelf in the closet.

  “Let’s have a look.” They walked to the closet, and he began handing things down to her. Mary Beth took the items from Deke, then stuffed them in an empty box as he reached for more. “Wait, what’s this?” At the very back of the shelf was a large silver box. He took it down and held it out to her.

  Mary Beth’s stomach knotted. “I wonder what’s inside?”

  “Try the key.”

  Biting her lip, she slipped the key into the small opening. It fit perfectly. Her fingers trembled as she turned it, then lifted the lid. “Oh, my God,” she whispered, turning pale. “Deke, look.” She barely got the words out before she took the box from him, then sank down on the edge of the bed. Her heart began to pound in her chest.

  Deke sat on the bed beside her as he looked at the contents of the box. Inside was an array of mementos of Mary Beth’s life—a picture of her as a baby, a locket of her hair pressed in a small square of wax paper, a barrette she’d worn as a child.

  “Oh, Deke,” she cried softly. “Look.” She held up a blue ribbon. “I won this at the Texas State Fair when I was twelve. I remember coming home from school one day and finding it missing. I wondered where it had gotten to. I thought my mother had thrown it out.” Sniffing back tears, she looked at Deke. “But she hadn’t. My father had taken it, kept it hidden in here. All these years.”

  Deke rubbed her shoulder as she discovered a folded piece of paper. It was so old that it practically tore in the creases as she unfolded it. Inside was a drawing she’d made at a young age.

  “I can’t believe my father kept all this.” Her throat tight, she could barely talk.

  Tugging her closer, Deke touched his lips to her brow. He could only imagine what she was feeling. “Your father must have loved you in his own special way, sweetheart. Maybe he just couldn’t say the words,” he said solemnly.

  “Maybe.” Mary Beth couldn’t remember a time when her father had ever said he loved her. He’d never shown much emotion toward her mother, either. Doubts assailed her. What if Deke was right? What if her father had loved her the only way he’d known how?

  “He wouldn’t have kept all this if he hadn’t cared about you.”

  Mary Beth leaned against Deke, glad that he was there with her. “I never knew,” she whispered shakily, thinking about all the times she’d tried to talk to her father. Her shoulders began to tremble as she clutched the box to her chest. “I thought…Deke, I thought he hated me.”

  Wrapping his arms around her, Deke held Mary Beth tight against him as she wept. He wished he had the power to ease her pain, but knew she had to work through her emotions concerning her father.

  “I wasn’t sorry when he died,” she confessed breaking the silence that lay between them. Lifting her tear-streaked face, Mary Beth looked into Deke’s eyes. She swallowed past the lump in her throat. “I wasn’t grieving for him the day you made love to me. Not the way you and everyone else probably thought. My father was never around when we needed him. And when he was here, we didn’t get along. I couldn’t wait to grow up so I could leave here and get away from him.”

  Deke slipped the box from her hands and set it aside. Spotting some tissues, he grabbed a handful and gave them to her. “Don’t feel guilty, Mary Beth.”

  “I can’t help it. If I’d known—”

  “But you didn’t know. Don’t tear yourself up over something you had no control over. Chances are that your father wouldn’t have ever admitted his feelings even if you’d confronted him.”

  She sniffed and blew her nose. “You’re right. I know you’re right,” she whispered sadly. She turned away to look at the box. Her eyes filled again.

  And Deke held her while she cried.

  Matthew McCall stood on the front porch of the large ranch house on the Bar M, and watched sharp streaks of lightning arc across the sky. The screen door opened behind him, and he looked at his uncle as he walked up beside him.

  “Your mom s
ent me to tell you to get your butt inside,” Deke said, leaning against one of the posts. “She doesn’t think it’s safe for you to be out here with the storm moving in.” He had to agree with Catherine. It looked as if it was going to be a particularly bad one. Rain had been falling for the better part of the afternoon, and by the look of the darkening sky, it wasn’t going to stop anytime soon. The local weather forecast had just confirmed his suspicions, calling for a severe line of thunderstorms to move through over the next few hours.

  After doing some of Mary Beth’s chores, Deke had finally headed for the Bar M when it began to rain. He’d planned to leave an hour ago for Las Vegas but had decided to wait until the storm passed.

  The finals were due to start in two days. Deke had to get his mind off of Mary Beth and back on competing, if he stood a chance of winning. Still, as stupid as it sounded, he planned to stop by to see her again on his way out.

  He looked off in the direction of her place. His eyes widened when he saw billows of thick black smoke rising in the sky. “What the hell?”

  Startled, Matt glanced in the direction of his uncle’s gaze. “Is that smoke?”

  But Deke was already moving toward his truck, his fear for Mary Beth’s safety ripping through his heart. “Get Ryder and Jake! Hurry!” he yelled over the roar of thunder. He jumped in his truck and started it. With a curse, he gunned the engine, then tore out of the yard.

  Mary Beth jumped at the loud clap of thunder. A chill raced down her spine as a streak of lightning flashed outside her window and she heard a loud crack! That was close! She raced to the window and peered out, her heart beating wildly. Rain slashed against the ground so thick that she could barely see. Still, she couldn’t shake the feeling that something was terribly wrong.

  When Lightning and Lady began to bark, she hurried to the living room. Both dogs were in a frenzy at the front door. Grimacing, Mary Beth jerked it open and gasped.

  The barn’s on fire!

  Flames shot toward the sky from the rafters of the barn. Giving little thought to her own safety, she rushed outside and ran across the yard. In seconds she was soaked to her skin, but she didn’t care. Her hard work, what she’d struggled to build, was being torn from her. She fought against the wind and rain until she was able to unlatch the barn doors and pull them open.