Wilting with embarrassment, she replied, “I’m in here.”
A broad, amused face peered around the corner of her bedroom door. The officer’s gaze widened slightly as it paused on her before seeking out her intruder on the floor. He whistled when he spotted the snake. “It’s a big ’un alright. We won’t come in just yet, ma’am. I can tell that rattler’s gettin’ annoyed. We’ve sent for a rattlesnake wrangler to come pick up this bad boy.” He gave her a kind smile. “It’ll only be a few minutes. You just hang tight—and don’t move, ya hear?” And then he left.
Long moments passed while Katelyn counted the drops of sweat that slid down her face and the brown and black diamonds that crisscrossed the snake’s back. She had just begun to wonder what a “rattlesnake wrangler” was when she heard more voices from the living room and heavy footsteps just outside her bedroom door.
“Ma’am, it’s Daniel Bodine.”
That voice! Warm as whiskey, it poured over her. Katelyn nearly groaned.
“I’m comin’ in now. Don’t you move a muscle.”
A moment later, the cowboy who’d figured in her dreams—hot and sexy dreams—filled the doorway of her bedroom.
As nervous as she was, Katelyn couldn’t help but note his broad shoulders nearly spanned the doorframe, and he had to duck to clear his hat beneath it. In one hand he held a long pole with a hook at the end of it, in the other a white sack.
His gaze met hers briefly, and he nodded once in her direction. A flush of red tinted his cheeks as he moved slowly into her bedroom, and then all of his concentration focused on the snake.
As he approached it, the whispery rattle grew louder, and the snake’s attention moved to him. When its head rose with fangs exposed, the man reacted in a blinding whir of movement, pinning the snake’s head to the floor with the hook. Then the cowboy placed the toe of his boot just below its head and tossed aside the pole.
Her heart pounded with fear as the snake whipped its body frantically about.
Daniel grabbed the snake just below the head, then straightened and held it up for a moment, letting it relax its full length toward the floor. He whistled appreciatively. “Whoa, he’s a big ’un.” He dropped it into the white sack and pulled the drawstring closed over it. Finally, he turned to her, his gaze flickering over her before sliding politely away. “It’s okay, ma’am. You can come down off the bed now,” he said softly.
“Thanks,” she said, her voice croaking like a bullfrog, “but I think I’ll wait until my legs stop trembling before I attempt it.” She hated admitting her weakness and flushed, feeling heat rise in her cheeks and spread down her neck to her chest. She wanted to raise her hands to hide her breasts, but knew it was a little late to save her modesty. The tips of her nipples were poking at her camisole.
“Let me help you down.” He stepped toward the bed, his hand stretched out.
“N-no,” she said, suddenly breathless. Don’t let him touch me. After last night, she already felt as though he’d touched her—intimately. She’d come, pretending his fingers stroked her slick flesh.
“It’s okay. I swear I don’t bite,” he said, his voice softer, huskier. His hand closed around hers, and he tugged gently.
Katelyn drew in a sharp breath at the heat of his touch and the calluses that roughened his palms and let him help her to the floor. When she stood beside him in her underwear and bare feet, she ducked her head and pulled at the cotton camisole that stuck to her skin.
Sure enough, his glance swept down her body and back up.
A warning flashed in the back of her mind, but she couldn’t help the slight catch of her breath as his gaze paused on her breasts. But rather than the suggestive comment she expected from the sassy cowboy of yesterday, he tightened his jaw and looked away.
His telltale sign of awareness and tension had a similar effect on her body, and she felt her nipples bead beneath her damp camisole.
He cleared his throat and stepped away. “I’ll just put him in the truck and be on my way,” he said, his voice now brusque. “I’ll be sure to release him far, far away. I wouldn’t want him to scare you again.” With a hot glance that said he hadn’t really been talking about the snake, he turned on his heels and left the room.
She slumped against the bedpost and wondered what that had been about and why her heart still pumped madly…and not from fear or embarrassment. She blew out a pent-up breath and moaned. Who the hell was she kidding? The look on his face had held a promise. One she was dying to know.
Katelyn, girl, you’re in trouble now!
Chapter Two
‡
Daniel swore and slung the sack into the bed of the pickup truck. For the second time in as many days he’d managed to act like a teenage boy in first lust in front of the prettiest girl he’d ever seen.
Dwight Emerson strode up beside him just as he reached for the door to the cab. “Mmm…mmm. Now, if that ain’t the way to start a morning off. That there’s one pretty filly.”
Knowing Dwight had just gotten an eyeful of the woman he’d already decided would be his own, Daniel chose to ignore his friend. It was that or plant his fist in Dwight’s grinning face. And he certainly didn’t feel like discussing the sexy woman and her sweet assets with anyone. Especially a yahoo like the sheriff.
Daniel just wanted to get away and let the tension dissipate that had gripped his body the moment he’d laid his eyes on her wearing less than his heart could take—and a whole lot more than she’d worn last night when she’d stripped in the darkness. A deep shame still burned through him for his actions of the previous night. He’d spied on her like a horny twelve-year-old boy.
“Yup, my eyes just about fell outta my head when I spotted Miz Carter standin’ in the middle of her bed, all pink ’n’ pretty. Didn’t know sweat could look so hot.” Dwight shook his head mournfully. “Too bad I’m a married man.”
“Bet Maria wouldn’t be too happy hearing you talk like that,” Daniel said, sending him a warning glance. He looked away before asking the question that was burning a hole in his gut. “What’s her first name?” he asked, his voice gruff.
The sheriff’s lips twitched. “Now, ain’t she a little long in the tooth for you?” Dwight gave him a sly sideways glance. “Then again, it don’t look like you even noticed that fact.” He gave Daniel a wink. “Her name’s Katelyn Carter—a pretty name for a pretty woman.”
Oh, Daniel had noticed all right—but he couldn’t change the day she was born. Aware of the wicked twinkle in the sheriff’s eyes, Daniel resisted adjusting the crotch of his jeans and narrowed his eyes at his erstwhile buddy. Try as he might, he couldn’t push the memory of her sleep-tousled blonde hair and wide blue eyes from his mind. His body was as taut as a barbed-wire fence, and his groin ached. If she’d looked down the front of his body even once, he’d have frightened the woman even more than the snake.
Wanting to change the subject, Daniel asked, “How do you suppose that rattler got into her house?”
“Cain’t be sure, but Miz Carter left her back door open all night. She don’t have no screen door on it. That snake was probably just lookin’ for a warm spot to spend the night. Cain’t think of anyplace warmer, kin you?”
Daniel ignored his teasing and paused for a moment, his hand on the door as he digested that bit of information.
“So, you decided to stay in town for yer vacation?” Dwight’s question intruded on his thoughts.
Daniel’s gaze drifted back to Katelyn Carter’s front door. “Yeah, I’ve got a lot to do around the place. I’m gonna catch up on chores,” he lied. He wrenched open the door of the cab and climbed inside.
“Well, enjoy yerself, and stay away from the station. I want you rested. I’ll need you this weekend.” Dwight winked slyly at him and cocked his head toward the house. “Maybe you should check on her later. Make sure your new neighbor’s doin’ alright after her excitement this morning.”
Daniel didn’t respond as he inserted his keys into the ignit
ion. He was way ahead of Dwight.
“You know,” Dwight continued, “she could probably use some help unloadin’ the rest of the stuff she’s got in that trailer. And Daniel…I didn’t notice no ring on her finger.” He winked again and grinned, then touched the brim of his tan sheriff’s hat before sauntering back toward the house.
Daniel cursed the fact his interest in the woman was so apparent. He’d have liked to keep it to himself for a while—savor the heady emotions running riot inside him in private. Thank God he had a few days off. He needed time to get himself under control. When he went back to work, he wanted the heat banked that burned through his body at just the thought of Katelyn.
Such a pretty damn name.
The long list of chores he’d hoped to accomplish during his vacation would just have to wait. They weren’t nearly as urgent as his need to be around the woman. But first, he had to make a run to the hardware store. Not that it was gonna be easy convincing her she needed his help.
Last night during the long walk home, he’d thought long and hard about how to get beyond the bone-deep wariness that made her expression defensive and almost brittle. He’d decided not to rush her, to take her slowly—one step at a time.
First he’d gain her trust. Then he’d gentle her with his voice and hands. Kind of like breaking a nervous filly to bridle.
Last night, he’d grinned at the thought. Today, he wasn’t so certain she could be brought around to trust him. Someone had hurt her, made her skittish around men. The man who’d had her before was a damn fool.
Her body was tanned and toned like a model’s, and she carried herself like a queen—even when she stood in the middle of her bed in her underwear. She had class stamped all over that face and body.
What the hell did he have to offer a woman like that?
*
Around noon, Katelyn was busy putting away the last of her dishes into the cupboard when the dull thud of a vehicle door slamming shut echoed through the house. Sighing, she made her way around unpacked boxes to the front door to see who her visitor was just as Daniel Bodine stepped onto the porch.
Desire flushed her skin, unwanted and perverse in its choice of obsessions—which Daniel was quickly becoming. Inside, her body softened and moistened. Outwardly, she lifted her chin and waited.
He pulled off his cowboy hat, revealing chestnut brown hair cut short, but not short enough to hide a tendency to curl.
Her fingers itched to sift through his rich, curling strands.
Daniel cleared his throat. “Howdy, ma’am.”
Katelyn waited behind the screen of her front door, glad for the barrier between them. He was a sight to behold—muscles stretching the shoulders and arms of his pale T-shirt. Her heart pounded just looking into the green gaze that watched her steadily. Pleasure washed over her despite her intentions, causing a tingling sensation in places she’d thought numb from years of neglect.
His face wasn’t pretty-boy handsome like Chris’s. Instead, it was almost harshly defined and very masculine. Something about the way he stood so still and kept his unwavering gaze on her face, told her he was an honest man—but he was still too good-looking for her peace of mind.
“What can I do for you, Mr. Bodine?” she finally managed to blurt out.
The corners of his mouth lifted just a fraction—just enough to warn her he knew she’d been checking him out. “I couldn’t help but notice earlier,” he said, his voice dropping lower, “you don’t have a screen on your back door. It isn’t safe to keep it propped open like you did last night.”
She frowned, not sure where the conversation was leading and not liking what his rumbling voice was doing to her body. She squeezed her thighs together to stop the instinctive yielding. “I kept it open because it was as hot as a furnace in the house, but a repairman is coming out tomorrow. I won’t have that problem again.”
His gaze dropped, and he cleared his throat again, twisting his hat in his hands.
She wondered cynically if this feigned shyness was an act he used to convince women to trust him.
When he raised his gaze to hers again, his expression was clear of any humor—and seared her with its intensity. “Ma’am, I know this house has a lot of problems. The previous owners were friends of mine. I take on jobs as a handyman from time to time, and I’d be glad for the work. I’d like to help you get this place to shine again.”
Katelyn’s breath caught. How does he do that? When he looked at her like that—like she was the prettiest woman he’d ever seen—she felt herself melting like a Popsicle in the sun. It was likely a practiced technique, but she was falling for it. Falling into those moss-green eyes.
“Ma’am, what do you think?”
Me, think? This tower of a man—any woman’s wet dream—could sap her resistance with just a look and that smoky, deep voice.
Katelyn sighed. The little sound that escaped broke the trance that had her leaning toward the screen door. She lifted a hand to her mussed hair, buying some time to get her reactions under control. But touching her hair was enough to remind her she was a mess, and he was probably only staring at a smudge on her face.
Her prejudice against handsome men might be coloring her impression of him. His eyes looked at her steadily without a hint of sexual innuendo. Her gaze turned to the older model pickup parked in her driveway, and she guessed he might need the money every bit as much as she needed help.
If she were truthful to herself, she’d admit the thought of having him underfoot made her feel more alive than she had in years.
Taking a deep breath and hoping she wasn’t making a big mistake, she replied, “Mr. Bodine, it’s not that I can’t do this all by myself—and that would be my preference—but I want things in their proper place before I start work. If I hire you, that door’s just one more thing I won’t have to do.”
“I understand, Miz Carter. You don’t really need me.”
She gave him a sharp nod. “That’s right. If I’m satisfied with your work, we’ll talk later about what else you might do for me.” She blushed when she realized how that last statement might be interpreted, but a quick glance at his face eased her mind that he hadn’t read anything into it.
He still wore the same steady expression. “I’ll get started on it right away.” He replaced his hat on his head and turned away.
Phew. She released the breath she’d been holding, and then her brain unclenched as she had another thought. “Wait!” she called out to him.
He hesitated on the porch step, and then turned. “Yes, ma’am?”
“I can’t afford too much, just yet. I start my new job on Thursday.”
He appeared to relax.
He must have thought I’d changed my mind, Katelyn thought.
“That’s okay,” he said, nodding solemnly. “You can pay as you go. I also know which hardware stores have the best prices—and I get a discount.” He smiled and continued to his truck.
That little smile nearly blew her away. A hint of a dimple in his left cheek had her thinking she was in trouble for sure. For a moment she melted, her toes curling against the hardwood floor.
Then she remembered the path those kinds of thoughts could lead, and she stiffened her spine. Glad she’d let him know up front where she stood, she turned from the sight of his strong shoulders and tightly muscled backside as he hefted a large toolbox from the bed of his truck and slammed the front door shut.
*
Daniel stubbed his toe against the top step of the back porch and cursed under his breath as he set down his toolbox. Deciding he’d better remove the solid door to get it out of the way while he worked, he reached for a hammer to tap the pins from the hinges. As he worked, he let his mind stray back to his beautiful employer.
Katelyn Carter had thrown him for a loop—again. No woman had a right to look that good with dirt smudging her cheeks and sweat dampening her hair. Looking into those baby-blue eyes brimming with suspicion, he’d almost talked himself into believing that
showing up on her doorstep so soon was a very bad idea. And letting her think he was a handyman didn’t sit right.
Uncomfortable with subterfuge, he still couldn’t think of a better way to spend time with the lady. He needed to get his foot in the door before the rest of the unattached males in Tierney, Texas, discovered this exotic flower of womanhood. He knew he didn’t possess a glib tongue or a pretty face, but usually he was satisfied with what he did have. This morning, however, Katelyn made him wish he was so much more.
Daniel sensed if she knew what kind of hammering and painting he really had on his mind she’d probably run screaming. As he tapped at the pins, he imagined himself alone with her in the moonlight. He’d start with stripping that tiny excuse for a T-shirt from her body and lick the sweat from between her plump breasts—
“Mr. Bodine?”
Her voice startled him, causing him to jerk, and he nearly smashed his thumb with the hammer. “Yes, ma’am?”
She stood beside him, so close his ears began to burn. That T-shirt clung to her skin like he’d imagined doing. She licked her lips nervously, drawing his gaze upward to follow the pink tongue as it flicked once around her lips.
Daniel lost track of the conversation.
“Mr. Bodine?”
He blushed when he realized he hadn’t heard a word she’d just said. “Pardon me, ma’am?”
“Um…” She blinked, and her glance fell to his lips.
Was she thinking about kissing him, too? He pushed back his cowboy hat and leaned toward her. “Ma’am?”
She shoved a glass into his hand and slipped back inside the house before he had a chance to say thanks. Grinning, he was heartened to realize she was just as disturbed by his presence as he was by hers. He chugged down the sweet tea and reached into the kitchen to set the glass back on the counter.
Ride a Texas Cowboy Page 2