by Sierra Brave
Real Cowboys Love Cats
Sierra Brave
Real Cowboys Love Cats
Having grown up isolated from other shifters, Abram’s not completely comfortable in his own skin. Nevertheless, after the death of his beloved human mother, he relocated to Horse Mountain to reconnect with his father’s side of the family. Love was the furthermost thing from his mind until he met Maddie.
When Maddie meets Abram, she’s smitten but doesn’t see much of a future. A man, who doesn’t like cats, should be a deal breaker for a mountain lion shifter like her. Yet every time he’s near, her body goes crazy. Could he possibly be her fated mate?
Table of Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Epilogue
Chapter One
* * * * *
Abram shook the dirt off of his boots before stepping onto the barn’s concrete floor. The stable area smelled of hay and horses. His cousin, Davis, was already inside brushing out Thunder’s honey-colored mane. She was one of their most gentle mares. All the kids, who took riding lessons at the ranch, loved her. She was good with the tourists staying in the bungalows and the veteran’s participating in their therapeutic program.
“Hey, Davis, I already fed the horses in the paddock.”
His cousin looked his way, thumping his hat up to show his entire face. “Good because I’ve got something else for you to do now.”
“Sure, whatcha got?”
“I need you to take the truck down the mountain and pick up some cats.”
Abram grimaced. “Cats? Why the hell do you need those fuzzy lil’ bastards?”
Davis rolled his eyes. “Would you like to catch all the mice invading the barns?”
He huffed. Picturing those fat, lazy animals and their scornful expressions annoyed him. When he was four, he’d wanted a kitten more than anything. He caught one running around the farm, but the damn thing bit him and ran off. His parents didn’t know which cat had broken his skin. Since they couldn’t find the piece-of-crap varmint to test it, he ended up having to get a series of painful rabies shots. “Why does it have to be me? You know I can’t stand cats.”
“Yeah, yeah, I hate to tell you, but any idiot that chases a scared, feral animal deserves what they get.”
He frowned. “I was a young’un.”
Davis lifted his chin and the corners of his mouth turned up into a smile. “Come on, man. I need your help. I’m swamped, and Becky is working on payroll. The trainers are busy. You’re the only one who does so little around here I can afford for you to leave for a while.”
He knitted his eyebrows. “Bullshit! I work hard. You don’t see Becky mending fences or any of your precious trainers doing any of the heavy lifting around here.”
Davis snickered. “I know. I was just messing with you. Calm down, man.” He reached up and patted Abram on the shoulder. “Please get the cats. I already put a pet carrier in the truck bed. The Catnip Calamity volunteer will relocate them from one crate to the other. Then all you’ve got to do is bring them here and let them go.”
“What the hell is a catnip calamity?” He shifted his weight from one leg to the other while lifting an eyebrow.
“They trap, spay or neuter, and then return feral cats to the area where they found them. Sometimes if there’s a hoarding situation, they have extras. We’re getting a few of the mousers who might not fare well if they were left completely on their own in the wild.”
“Yuck. They’ll probably spread rabies.” He scrunched up his nose.
“They get three-year vaccines. After we feed them for that long, they’ll be pretty used to us and we can start taking them to the vet.”
Ugh! This is not cool. Abram’s shoulders slumped as he resigned to the fact he’d be stuck dealing with a bunch of rowdy cats. “Give me the address.”
“Becky has it written down for you. Get it when you sign-out the keys.” Davis turned his attention back to Thunder while Abram strode off toward the office.
After parking the ranch’s red, Chevy pickup in front of a small cottage, Abram doubled checked the address scrawled on a yellow sticky note. He eyed the number on the white railing of the house’s front porch. He’d expected to find Catnip Calamity located in a veterinarian’s office or an animal shelter, not a dollhouse painted in white with a touch of berry. Seems this is going to be even more painful than I expected.
He stepped out of his ride and then closed the door before taking the pet kennel out of the back. While walking up the short driveway, the scent of azaleas and geraniums caught in his nose. He looked around, admiring all the natural garden-style landscape. He recognized a lot of the different types of shrubs from his time working in turfgrass management. He was also familiar with the home’s craftsman-style beaded siding because of an old job in construction. He’d tried a lot of different professions before Gram convinced him to move to Horse Mountain for employment on the ranch.
His boot landed on the front porch’s wooden step with a thunking sound, disturbing a long-haired cat snoozing on the cushion of a wicker loveseat. The animal lifted its head and looked at him as if he was a gnat before resuming its nap. He pinched his lips together as he approached the Dutch-style door. The top half was wide open, leaving the home airy but also ripe for intruders. So reckless.
After ringing the doorbell, he waited until he heard a female voice call out, “Come in.”
While he stared at the knob, he stalled for a few seconds before reaching for it and opening the door. Craning his neck, he attempted to see the voice’s owner as he stepped inside. “Hello.”
“In here.”
He glanced around the room, admiring the cottage’s open floor plan. He estimated the place to be about eleven thousand square feet, but the high, vaulted ceilings and white paint gave it the appearance of having much more room. Natural light beamed on him through a skylight above as well as from two high windows near the ceiling and the set of box casements by the porch.
His gaze fell on another cat lounging on top of a rug underneath a casual coffee table. He scrunched up his nose and followed the voice calling out, “In the breakfast nook.”
After walking past a free-standing island, he turned left before discovering the small dinette. A real estate agent would’ve called the room cozy, but to him, the table and four chairs made it tight. He stood in the large opening between the eat-in area and the kitchen. “Hi.”
A laptop snapped shut and a good-looking brunette looked up from where she was sitting. Her emerald green eyes became huge as if he had startled her.
Shit, she told me to come in. “I’m here to pick up some wild cats.”
Her frightened expression softened. “I was expecting Davis. You’re not him, but now that I look at you, there’s a bit of a resemblance.”
“He’s my cousin.”
Maddie eyed the sexy guy standing just outside of the room as he shyly looked away from her. There was no mistaking; He was definitely a Banks. He had the same seafoam-green eyes as his cousin, but Abram was taller and even more muscular.
As her gaze fluttered across his broad shoulders, she admired the way his tee shirt stretched over his hard pectoral muscles, showing their definition. Her pulse raced and saliva filled her mouth. When she’d first met Davis, she’d had a similar reaction, but only at about ten percent potency. Any slivers of attraction never stuck. They were meant to be buddies and nothing else, but she definitely wasn
’t getting the only-friends vibe from this man.
He glanced at her face again, and as their lines of vision synced, the cutest rosy hue lit up his cheeks while his pupils dilated. Hot and sweet. Her heart turned a somersault.
Absently, he fiddled with the hem of his shirt. Wow. She’s super cute. She had porcelain skin and a short, button nose that accented her high cheekbones and heart-shaped face. Stop staring. You’re here on official business not to flirt with hot babes. His silent, self-scolding did nothing to deter his pounding heart; he couldn’t take his eyes off her.
She lifted a meowing meat-bag from her lap, bringing his count to three, before placing the orange tabby on the floor. How can someone so good-looking have so many disreputable pets? As she stood, he eyed her full figure with interest. The tiny bounce in her step as she walked over made her large breasts jiggle beneath the snug tee shirt she was wearing. She stopped in front of him and presented her hand. “Pleased to meet you. I’m Maddie.”
He inhaled, breathing in her succulent scent. As their palms touched, his body temperature soared, delivering a light flush of heat to his cheeks. When he released her hand, she touched her temple, bringing his attention to the raven-colored ponytail pulled up high on her head and trailing down past her shoulders. After he searched his mind for a reason to keep staring at her long eyelashes, he thought of a question to ask. “How do you know Davis?”
“We went to high school together.” She flashed a smile that gave her an almost mysterious expression. “We were pretty close.”
The corners of his mouth turned down slightly and his heart plummeted into his stomach. “Did you guys date or something?”
Her cheekbones pushed upward as she laughed and wagged her head. “No, but we had a special bond.”
Special? He looked off to the side, irrational jealousy settling in his chest. Davis’s soft-spoken and bashful manner wasn’t exactly suave. Abram still hadn’t figured out how he had snagged a hot fiancé like Scarlett. Maybe some women like the whole aw-shucks, country gentleman stuff. This girl’s way sexier than my cousin’s lady. How the hell had Davis even approached a woman like her?
She stood close enough for him to count the tiny freckles dusting her cheeks. He ran his tongue along the inside of his cheek to ease the dryness in his mouth and wiped his sweaty palms on his jeans. When he brought his gaze to her face again, she looked at him as if she were waiting for him to say or ask something. He scratched his head. What was I even doing? “Oh, yeah, the cats.”
She pursed her lips as her gaze swept from his face to his feet and then to his eyes again. For a second, he thought he saw a hint of confusion on her face, but it soon faded. She shrugged. “Follow me.”
Her hips moved agilely as she sauntered out the back door to the patio. As Abram admired the curve of her plump ass and thick thighs in her tight black and gray yoga pants, he licked his bottom lip. Nothing like a woman with plenty to hold onto.
She opened the sliding glass door and then strolled outside. He followed behind her until she led him to what looked more like a rabbit hutch than a cat cage. After removing a pair of thick, utility gloves off the roof of the pen, she put them on and threw him a coy smile. “Safety first.”
Her expression sent his pulse racing, and he nearly tripped over his own feet while rushing to help her. He lifted the animal crate and opened the door. “Put those crazy, clawing minions in here.”
While holding one screeching, twisting cat in her hands, she took the time to give him a nasty look. Even as she placed the feral cat in the carrier, she glared at him. “You don’t like cats?” Her tone was accusatory.
“Not especially.” He frowned at the cats still in the hutch before returning his gaze to her face.
Her eyes narrowed and her nostrils flared as if she had been personally insulted. He palmed his face, resisting the urge to smack himself. Don’t be an idiot, man. You don’t tell a cat rescuer that you don’t like cats.
He fidgeted with the neckline of his shirt and then ran his hand through his short, brown hair. “I mean…they kinda hate me.”
Her expression softened, but the way she raised an eyebrow indicated she wasn’t totally buying it. She coaxed the second cat out before relocating it. “And I suppose horses are so much better?”
His shoulders stiffened. What the fuck is that? She couldn’t possibly know. Would Davis be stupid enough to her? Nah—she must be referring to my employment at the ranch. “Horses are smart, loyal animals.”
“Cats are smarter and can be every bit as devoted. The simple fact is they happen to have decent taste. They don’t let just anyone pet or ride them.” She had her back to him so he couldn’t see her expression, but she sounded furious.
His mind flashed to the memory of his first rabies shot, administered right in the gut, and a jolt of anger loosened his tongue. “They rub against you for treats or whatever else you got but the minute they get what they’re after, they’re gone. They’re noisy and have bad dispositions. What other animal bites and scratches the hand that feeds it?
When she spun around to face him, her eyebrows were so low and pushed together they created a wrinkle over her nose. “A mistreated or abused animal is more likely to attack. I own three cats and none of them bite or scratch me. I respected their space and took my time to earn their trust. Now they come to me.” She stood up straight and pushed her shoulders back.
She was at least a foot shorter than him, not that it mattered. Her admonishing glare sent him right back to parochial school; he could practically feel the nun’s ruler smacking over his knuckles.
He shifted his weight and swallowed the lump in this throat. Damn, she has her eyes narrowed and she’s still gorgeous. Another whiff of her amazing scent dazzled his perception, and his cock twitched in his pants. Focus, Man. After noticing she held a cat in each hand, he tilted the crate to help her put them away. She placed the animals in the cage and then removed one more from the hutch. She put the wriggling cat inside and then closed the door. “Please tell Davis I said thank you for accepting all five.”
“I didn’t mean to offend you. I’m sorry. I had a childhood trauma with a cat.”
“Is that a fact?” She laughed.
As his lips turned downward, his chin crinkled. "That's funny?”
Her expression became more alert. “You were serious?”
He nodded. “It’s definitely in my top five worst childhood memories.”
Her eyes calmed while she offered a gentle smile. “Sorry. You should tell me about it sometime, but for now, I’ve got a conference call in three minutes.”
He lowered his head, his chin close to his chest as he raised an eyebrow. “Feral cat savers get conference calls?”
“Catnip Calamity isn’t my day job, sir. I happen to work from home as a cybersecurity professional.”
His chest tightened and his feet felt as if they’d been dipped in cement. His brain was aware it was time to go, but something deep inside of him anchored him there. His horse fought against him, forcing him toward the beauty in front of him. This is crazy! I’ve got to get out of here before my body goes haywire. By sheer strength of will, he found his voice. “Well, I’ll leave you to it.”
“Thanks for picking up the cats.” Her green eyes seemed to sparkle as her smile reached them.
“You’re welcome.” He mentally demanded his feet to move toward the exit. When he got to Maddie’s front door, he paused. “I’m just going to latch this and close it behind me unless you’re expecting someone else.”
She didn’t respond and was probably out of earshot for her phone call so he set the carrier on the floor. He latched the top portion of her front door to the bottom before he secured the entrance’s lock and left. As soon as he was outside and physically cut off from her, his body calmed. He sighed with relief. Being a shifter had never been easy, but up until then, his horse hadn’t gone nuts and made him fear he might not be able to control his transformation.
He hauled the b
ox of unruly, squealing cats to the vehicle. For a split second, he considered putting them on the flat bed. As his thoughts lingered on how rough the trip up the mountain could be, he decided to let them ride in the cab next to him. After he set the kennel on the passenger’s side and closed the door, he walked around the truck. He opened the door and then stepped up to slide behind the wheel. As he fastened his seatbelt, he glanced over at the box full of glowering felines. “I don’t like you guys, but that doesn’t mean I want you to go flying off a pick-up at full tilt.”
Maddie peered through a window watching her handsome visitor’s truck pull away as she logged into her business call. That was one sexy cowboy, but no matter how hard he had her purring, she had decided to completely write him off and wipe any trace of him from her thoughts if he’d shoved the cats in the bed of the truck without tying down the cage. He surprised me. I’d never have expected him to let them ride up front. She used her hand to fan her face. How had it gotten so hot so quickly? Nervous energy swirled in her stomach. She tapped her index finger against her bottom lip. Oh, Davis, why did you send that man my way?
Chapter Two
Abram poured cat food into a couple of medium sized, plastic bowls and filled a larger bowl with water. He scooted the crate closer to the food before opening it. At first, the silly bastards cowered inside the kennel, but he hung back long enough that one of them couldn’t resist approaching the food. She padded out and began to eat and soon enough the others followed suit. “Alright, good riddance to you all. Me or somebody else will be leaving food for you once a day. Go kill some mice.”
After hosing off the kennel, Abram went to the office and asked Becky where Davis usually kept it. She looked over the top of her round-lensed glasses as she pushed the eraser end of a pencil into her gray-tinged red curls. “You can leave it in the barn for now. The feed store delivered some palates the boss wants you to unload and put away.”