Cougar in Texas: 3 (Rugged and Risque)

by Fox, Calista

  “Cheers,” he said.

  Reese’s nerves finally settled… Until they landed at the Dallas FBO where a limo awaited them. Forty minutes later the vehicle pulled into a long drive lined with tall oaks dripping Spanish moss from their limbs. White twinkle lights wrapped around their trunks, sparkling in the dark night.

  “Good Lord,” she mumbled under her breath, her anxiety returning. “This is Southfork.”

  “Not quite. We don’t have that much acreage, nor is it a working ranch,” Caleb told her. “No cattle or horses. Just a mansion.”

  The driver dropped them off at the steps of an enormous veranda running the width of the central portion of the house that jutted out. The east and west wings were set back a ways. One look at the guests milling about with expensive-looking champagne glasses in their hands made her glad she’d sought out Liza’s style advice. Nothing in her own closet would have done for the grandiose occasion.

  The men escorted her into the house, which would put any five-star resort to shame. She wondered if the governor’s home could compete with all the chandeliers and marble flooring and gilt-edged banisters.

  Caleb took her directly to his parents. They were amidst a small conglomeration in the far corner. He lightly touched a woman on the arm, impeccably dressed in a glittery, silver gown. She turned and her face lit up.

  “Caleb,” she said as she did the fake double-cheek kiss thing Reese had always deemed pretentious. “Samuel.” She repeated the gesture.

  “You look lovely as always, Mother,” Caleb told her. “Nice necklace.” Then he said, “I’d like you to meet Reese Middleton. She owns the bed and breakfast in Wilder where Sam and I temporarily reside.”

  Reese was pleased he’d addressed the pertinent details upfront and had left off the “girlfriend” tag. She held her hand out. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Bennett.”

  The other woman regarded her for a moment, taking her in before giving a very slight nod of approval. She delicately placed her hand in Reese’s. “Please, call me Judith.”

  “Reese is a visionary,” Sam jumped in. “She took one look at the house on Caleb’s property and saw an inn with an event lawn overlooking the lake.”

  “She’s going to manage it,” Caleb added, a hefty dose of pride in his voice.

  Reese hoped his mother would immediately latch onto the fact she had a business arrangement with Caleb and Sam, but the expression that crossed the older woman’s nearly flawless face suggested she had a very good idea of what Reese’s association was with the two men. Well one of them, at least.

  Judith’s jaw tightened briefly, a telltale sign she wasn’t particularly pleased with the news. “That’s quite an undertaking.” To Caleb, she said, “You never mentioned wanting an inn.”

  “It all fell into place. The house is well suited for it. In fact, that might have been the previous owner’s intention. You’ll have to come see the property. It’ll be as stunning as it is productive when we’re finished. Even Sam fell in love with it right off the bat.”

  With a smile, his brother said, “I’m going to help with the horses.”

  “Samuel,” their mother all but hissed.

  Suddenly a tall, sturdy man turned his attention on them. “What’s this?”

  “Dad,” Caleb said as he extended a hand. They shook, then he added, “This is Reese Middleton.”

  She accepted his hand, though he was highly intimidating. She could see from where the Bennett brothers got their height, mass and rugged looks.

  “Very nice to meet you, sir.”

  He also visually assessed her, but apparently couldn’t find fault with her appearance. In fact, he kissed the back of her hand and grinned at her, his pale-blue eyes crinkling at the corners the way Caleb’s did. The three men were devilishly handsome in their designer tuxedos and Reese was momentarily distracted by the lovely image this family created.

  But in the back of her mind, a little voice reminded her to tread lightly. She’d succeeded in fitting their ideal of how she ought to look at their ridiculously ostentatious soiree. Yet that was only step one.

  “Call me Jake.”

  “If you’re done fawning,” Judith cut in, her voice clipped. “What on earth are you talking about, Samuel? Working on a ranch as a hired hand? We absolutely will not stand for that.”

  “Actually,” Caleb said, “we’re business partners. Legal papers signed and all. I’ll manage the med facility and he’ll take care of the stables and corrals. And, of course, Reese will run the inn.”

  Jake cleared his throat. “We should discuss this, boys.”

  Judith took Reese’s bare elbow and said, “Why don’t I introduce you around?” As she guided her away, the older woman added, “Beautiful dress, by the way. Valentino?”

  Hitching her chin, she said, “Yes, I borrowed it from a friend.”

  “Borrowed?” She seemed to have trouble getting the word out.

  “Wilder’s not exactly known for its social engagements. Although that might change with Caleb’s inn.”

  “About the inn. Have you become a partner as well?”

  “Certainly not,” she said. “I was shocked Caleb asked me to manage the inn—but also thrilled. I have a list of ideas. And experience. Caleb and Sam will be able to focus solely on their respective responsibilities, not having to worry about the inn. I’ll be an employee.” She felt compelled to point that out, lest Judith think she was trying to get a slice of the Bennett pie as a partner.

  “What do you plan to do with the bed and breakfast?”

  “I’ve run it for eleven years. I really need a greater challenge—and to be a part of something I’m not just doing on my own. I want to work with people. The entire concept Caleb has for the ranch… It’s so impressive and inspiring. He truly is a humanitarian. And the fact Sam instantly jumped on board says so much about Caleb’s character. And Sam’s.”

  Judith seemed to mull this over, then bluntly asked, “You’re romantically involved with Caleb?”

  Taking Liza’s advice, Reese looked her straight in the eye. “Yes, I am.”

  The other woman’s lips pressed together for a moment. Then she said, “You’re a bit older than him, aren’t you?”

  Reese forced her teeth not to grind together. “By five years. But, as everyone seems to know about Caleb, he’s very mature for his age.”

  “Hmm.” Judith deposited her empty glass on the tray of a passing waiter. She lifted a fresh crystal flute and handed it to Reese before selecting her own. She sipped as the waiter wandered off to attend to the other guests.

  The tension suddenly hovering between them unnerved Reese but she held her head high. “Caleb is a very special man. You and Jake must be extremely proud of him.”

  “Well,” she said with a dismissive wave of a heavily bejeweled hand. “He always did go his own way. So did Samuel. But I’m not sure this business venture is suitable or even plausible. My hope is that their father talks them both out of it.”

  Reese glanced over her shoulder to find the three men in an intense huddle. Her stomach coiled. She knew how it felt to have someone squash dreams. She only hoped both Caleb and Sam stood their ground, for their own sake. Though, of course, she hated the thought of plans for the inn vanishing into thin air as well.

  But the brothers were already fully engaged with the project. She suspected they were much too committed at this point to back out. No matter what Jake or Judith Bennett had to say about it.

  “Let’s mingle, shall we?” Judith doled out introductions as they passed various conglomerations. Her standard greeting was the double-kiss followed by a haughty, “Darling, so lovely to see you. I’d like you to meet Reese Middleton. She owns a B&B in Wilder.”

  Her emphasis on B&B and Wilder nearly screamed, “She’s just a commoner, my dear friends.”And she never once mentioned the ranch or the inn.

  The lingering, assessing gazes made the knots in Reese’s stomach tighten. What was worse was that most of the gu
ests had no idea where Wilder was located.

  “Hill Country, outside of Austin,” she’d say.

  No one was the least bit interested in learning more about the small community. They homed in on the word “Austin”, and then went on and on about one thing or another related to the city.

  It was exhausting to keep her chin up and make eye contact, as well as try to look as though these people didn’t intimidate the hell out of her, when they did. She felt several chinks in her armor, but then Caleb swooped in and took her by the arm.

  “Thanks for keeping her company, Mother.”

  “Yes, well, I do have other guests to attend to.” She swapped out champagne glasses from another waiter and then drifted off in the opposite direction.

  “She thinks I’m too old for you and that I want your money.”

  He laughed. “I’m not going to have much left when we’re done.”

  “So your dad didn’t talk you into a corporate position?”

  “You mean he didn’t bribe me into one? No, but he certainly tried. Sam and I are hopelessly devoted to the ranch, though. And I want you to be too.”

  “I told you I love the idea. I am one hundred percent dedicated to running the inn.”

  “Then don’t let my mother ruffle your feathers.”

  “She was very careful not to mention our association to anyone.”

  Caleb rubbed the nape of his neck. “I did learn she has someone in mind for me.” His head inclined toward the tall fireplace. “Missy Burton, the blonde. Seems I was supposed to be her date this evening and my parents aren’t pleased I brought a woman along.”

  “Nice of them to tell you they’d paired you off.”

  He laughed sharply. “They’re always hard at work with some scheme.”

  Her heart sank. “Judith will be a dog with a bone over all of this, won’t she?”

  He didn’t sugarcoat the situation. “Count on it. But at this point she can’t stop what’s happening with the ranch. I just need to keep my ear to the ground and my eyes open when it comes to her matchmaking. If she starts dropping hints of an involvement that doesn’t even exist, we’re in trouble.”

  “What about Missy? Does she get a say in the matter?”

  “Both of our parents have wanted to see us together for years. Missy doesn’t disagree.”

  Reese studied the other woman’s face and then asked, “How old is she, Caleb? Twenty?”

  “Twenty-four. But don’t think twice about that. I am absolutely not interested. And you know it.” He kissed her temple. “Missy can be downright calculating herself. I just have to make sure I’m fully extricated from the equation. And one way to do that is to introduce you two. Come on.”

  Reese hedged. “Are you sure that’s a good idea?”

  “I want to avoid any misconceptions.”

  She couldn’t argue with that logic. “Okay. Lead the way.”

  They insinuated themselves into Missy’s circle of friends. Caleb gave the petite blonde a peck on the cheek and then immediately said, “I don’t mean to interrupt. I wanted you to meet my date before we head out. Missy Burton, Reese Middleton. She’s from Wilder.”

  The word “date” did not seem to sit well with the six women who unabashedly sized up Reese.

  “How do you do?” Missy asked with debutant politeness, though the flash of disdain in her emerald eyes was unmistakable. To Caleb she said, “Judith didn’t mention you were seeing someone. We were expecting you and Sam to come stag.”

  “Reese and I recently met and we’re quite taken with each other.” He smiled down at Reese and her heart fluttered. “We weren’t planning on attending the party but thought we’d keep Sam company. We won’t take up any more of your time. I just wanted to stop by before we leave.”

  “It’s good to see you, as always,” Missy said, a sparkle in her eyes as she gave him a hug and a quick kiss. On the lips. “Don’t be such a stranger. My parents and I miss seeing you.” She turned her attention to Reese and added, “We go way back.”

  “Yes, I’ve heard.”

  The fact Reese managed to keep jealousy and insecurity from her tone seemed to agitate Missy even more. The disdain flickered in her eyes again—almost a “how dare you steal him away” expression.

  “Let’s get Sam and return to the airport, darlin’.” Caleb placed a hand at the small of her back. “Ladies. Enjoy the rest of your evening.”

  They walked away, but Reese heard the instant spark of gossip behind her. She pretended to neither notice nor care.

  After bidding his disgruntled parents goodbye, they left the mansion. The chauffer took them back to the plane.

  Reese didn’t have much to say on the short flight home. What a weird evening. It hadn’t been as disastrous as she’d anticipated—following Sam and Caleb’s description of how Charlotte had been treated—and that caused her to be even more wary. Judith could very easily lure her into a false sense of security—making her feel as though she’d successfully pulled off the evening. When Reese’s guard was down, she’d move in for the kill.

  Or she could be completely overreacting. Paranoid for no good reason, other than she cared deeply for Caleb and didn’t want his family to come between them.

  By the time they reached the B&B, she needed some space to sort out her convoluted thoughts and replay the party in her head.

  As they crossed the drive to the porch, she heard an engine start, saw a flash of lights beyond the tall hedge that trimmed her front lawn and caught the squeal of tires.

  Tommy?

  The thought prickled her already jangled nerves. Was he still watching her?

  Anger replaced the anxiety. Son of a bitch. Why didn’t he leave her alone?

  Once inside, Sam retreated to his room.

  Caleb kissed her, then said, “You’re being way too quiet for my comfort.”

  She sighed. “I need to let the whole evening sink in.”

  He didn’t press and she appreciated his empathy. “You know where to find me if you want to talk.”

  “Thank you.”

  She turned to head upstairs. He added, “You really are sensational, Reese. Nothing anyone says is going to change how I feel about you.”

  Her smile was a bit shaky, especially as she thought of her ex stalking her. “Thanks again.”

  She wondered if Caleb could keep his promise. They’d known each other a short period of time, after all. His family had longevity and blood on their side. Missy Burton had history with him too. Reese would be an easier tie to cut.

  That was what worried her most.

  * * * * *

  The next morning, the house was empty. Caleb had left her a note saying he and Sam had taken some leftovers and gone to the ranch to finish the perimeter posts. She drove out to the Wades’ house. Liza was at work, but Jack accepted the items she needed to return and locked the jewels back in his safe.

  In town, Reese walked into the diner.

  “This is a surprise,” said Melodie, one of the servers. “You never come in for breakfast.”

  “Thought I’d treat myself to a tall stack of pancakes flipped by someone other than myself.”

  “Coffee?”

  “Please.” Melodie set a glass of water on the table and then left her to place the order.

  Reese snapped open the morning newspaper and perused the articles. Before her pancakes were delivered, however, someone slid into her booth on the opposite side of her. She dropped the paper on the table and let out a sigh of irritation.

  “I didn’t invite you to sit down, Tommy.”

  “We need to talk.”

  “We have nothing to say to each other.”

  He pinned her with a hard look. “Reese, I don’t like what’s been going on with you this past month or so.”

  Her laugh wasn’t the least bit bitter—more like incredulous. “Of all the asinine things you could say to me. Seriously. Get the hell out of my booth.”

  Undeterred, he said, “You’ve got two m
en living with you.”

  “It is a B&B, if you’ll recall.”

  “Yeah? Exactly what kind of services are you renderin’ there, sugar?”

  Without a second thought, she grabbed the glass from the table and threw the water in his face. Of course, every gaze in the restaurant flashed to them as Tommy sputtered and fumed.

  Reese collected her purse and the paper. Standing, she glared at her moronic ex and said, “This is the absolute end. No more. You have no right to be watching me or gossiping about me. If you can’t handle me moving on with Caleb, then you ought to find yourself another town. We are through, Tommy. From this moment on, you are just a mistake I once made. A distant, distant memory.”

  At the end of her diatribe, the diner fell silent. Until a slow clap pierced the quiet, followed by another, and another. Reese whirled around to find her friends and neighbors applauding the backbone she’d demonstrated. Some of them even stood.

  She smiled, grateful for their support.

  Feeling quite pleased with herself, she pulled some bills from her wallet and handed them to Melodie. “Sorry about the mess. This should cover my breakfast.”

  “Oh, no,” she said with admiration in her eyes. “The pancakes are on me.” Over her shoulder, she yelled to the cook, “Alan, box up the flapjacks for Reese!”

  “Thanks.”

  Melodie eyed Tommy and said, “And just so you know, the only mess I see is the one who’s not welcomed in this joint.” She turned sharply and retrieved Reese’s packaged breakfast, then went back to the counter to refill coffee cups.

  Feeling as though she’d finally broken a vicious cycle and had effectively set the record straight, Reese left the diner. Word would spread, of course. There was no stopping it in this town. But it felt damn good to finally, publically say her piece.

  Chapter Ten

  “You’re going at those posts as if you’re trying to break through a concrete barrier,” Sam said. “It’s just dirt, bro.”

  Caleb dropped the sledgehammer to the ground and surveyed his work as his chest heaved from exertion. “Shit.” He’d damn near pummeled the last ten or so poles into the soil. They were crooked as hell too.