Cowboy Brothers of Rainbow Canyon: A Western Contemporary Cowboy Romance

by K. C. Crowne

  Her frown deepened. “I don’t know what I’m doing. I understand where you’re comin’ from, but then again I guess I was just following my instincts.” She looked at me. “I don’t know what I would normally do.”

  Fuck, she wasn’t making it easy.

  My eyes moved over her curves almost as if on their own accord. But I used logic rather than lust to continue our conversation. “And there’s another thing, too. We don’t know anything about your life. For all we know, you could have a husband and kids waiting for you at home. Or maybe a boyfriend. Never know.”

  She nodded, looking on the ground and a little embarrassed. “Yeah, I know. You’re right. It was a foolish move. She looked back up at me after a few seconds. “What were you going to say? When you called me Jess?”

  I offered her a half-smile. “Was gonna say that we’re happy to have you here...”

  Another pause, another urge to kiss her.

  But I held back.

  It was hard as hell.

  I shut the door and left.

  But damn, she was on my mind the rest of that entire night.

  Wyatt

  The meal was as incredible as ever. Mama G had made fried chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans, and homemade rolls, a perfect country meal. By the time I was halfway done with my second helping, I was pretty sure I’d be going back for more. Everyone was there except for Travis, who’d insisted on going to check out the abandoned car.

  “Damn, Mama,” my youngest brother Chance said from the far side of the farmer’s table where we ate. “You really went all out tonight.”

  Mama G offered a wry smile in return. “Of course I did –we’ve got company, after all. And you know what I think about swearing at the dinner table. Hell, you know how I feel about my kids swearing at all.”

  “Hell’s a swear word,” Silas noted with a grin, and his wife, Molly, slapped him on the arm.

  “Hey, when you’ve given birth to five kids and raised them all up right, you get a few privileges. Swearing when I feel like it is one of them.”

  I smirked at my mother’s words. But I was more concerned about our guest. She sat next to me, and I kept stealing glances at her as she ate. I was like a kid in high school checking out a crush. It was out of character for me. Ever since my divorce, I hadn’t wanted much to do with women. But this one was different.

  “How’re you likin’ the chicken?”

  She took a big bite before looking at me. “Mfmm,” she said, starting to talk with her mouth full but stopping herself. She swallowed and took a swig of her beer to wash it all down. “What I was trying to say,” she began with a grin, “was that you were right. This might be the best damn meal I’ve ever had in my life.” Her eyes widened as she realized she’d broken the rule about swearing at the table. “Sorry.”

  Mama G caught it and grinned. “Don’t worry about it. Guests get certain privileges too.”

  Emily, my pretty, dark-haired kid sister, a spitting image of our mom at that age, spoke up. “I still can’t get over what happened to you. You really lost your memory?”

  “Really lost my memory,” Jessica replied with a shrug.

  “As in all of it?” Chance asked. She nodded and he added, “Now that’s a heck of a thing.”

  “I still have parts. Like, I know what Texas is and remember the taste of fried chicken. But as far as anything about me or what happened…there’s nothing. Just a big blank space.”

  “I’m so sorry to hear that,” Mama G sympathized. “But it’s a good thing Wyatt found you when he did. What’s going on outside is nothing you want to get knocked out in.”

  “Yeah,” I agreed. “It’s a good thing.”

  my expression tightened. It brought to mind the idea of what might’ve happened had I not found her. The idea was enough to make me lose my appetite.

  “Well,” Silas said, dipping his fork into a huge mound of mashed potatoes topped with fresh butter made from the cows on the ranch. “We don’t need to worry about any of that. My brother got you, and you’re safe and sound now.”

  “And when we’re done, Wyatt can show you to your room,” Mama G added, wiggling her finger. “But don’t get too eager – there’s fresh blackberry pie waiting for you after we’re done.”

  “Oh, I love blackberry pie!” she exclaimed. Then her eyes flashed. “Hey, I remember that.”

  “Food’s good like that,” Chance commented. “Read somewhere that tastes and smells are attached to the most powerful memories we have.”

  “Ain’t that right,” I said. “I can still remember exactly what your meatloaf tasted like when I was a kid, Mama G.”

  “That might be because I haven’t changed the recipe in thirty years.” She grinned broadly.

  “Mama G here will stuff you until you remember every little detail,” Silas told Jessica teasingly.

  “If all your meals are this good, Mrs. Walker, then I’m more than down to try that out.”

  “Don’t worry about that,” Mama G said, waving a dismissive hand. “As long as you’re here you won’t go hungry for a minute. I make sure all my guests are properly taken care of. And please honey, call me Ginny.”

  I loved watching a woman with an appetite like Jessica. She devoured her meal and wasn’t shy about it.

  Before the conversation could continue, I heard the front door of the house open. I knew it had to be Travis. All the eyes in the room turned in the direction of the house entrance. Sure enough, he stepped into the kitchen, his cap and coat dusted with raindrops.

  “Oh, there you are!” Mama G exclaimed. “I was startin’ to get worried.”

  Travis unzipped his coat and took off his cap, setting them aside before plopping down into his usual open chair. He didn’t waste a second grabbing a plate and piling it high with food.

  “You know, Ma,” he said as he poured himself a tall glass of milk – also from our own cows. “For once, I think you might’ve been right to be worried. It’s lookin’ like hell out there, the frozen-over kind.”

  I was relieved he was back, too. But I was also curious as hell about what he’d found. “What’s the situation with the car?” I asked as Travis took a big, hungry bite out of a drumstick, the skin crunching loud enough for me to hear it.

  He chewed and swallowed. Jessica watched him with eager eyes. “It’s stuck, alright. We’ll be able to get it pulled out with one of the trucks, but that’ll have to wait until tomorrow.”

  “And did you find anything?” Emily asked, inquisitive as always.

  “I brushed off the windows and looked around inside.”

  Jessica interrupted. “It was unlocked?”

  “Yep.” He chugged some milk, wiped his mouth, and said, “Checked everywhere. Didn’t find anything other than a suitcase you must’ve brought. Hope you don’t mind, but I opened it and took a look.”

  “No, not at all,” Jessica said. “I’m glad you did. What was in there?”

  “Only clothes, really. Phone charger.”

  I shook my head in frustration. “Damn, was hoping for some kind of clue.”

  “No such luck,” Travis said. “But at least you’ve got some clothes. I left the suitcase by the front door.”

  “Thanks so much for doing that,” Jessica said, sincerity in her voice.

  “Not a problem.”

  The group continued eating and drinking. I polished off most of my third helping before pushing the plate aside and folding my hands over my belly, totally satisfied.

  “Another meal, another knock out of the park,” Emily complimented.

  “You know I love to see my kids fed,” Mama G beamed. She turned her attention to Jessica to make sure she was included. “And our guests.”

  We cleared our plates from the table before our mother left and returned with two perfect blackberry pies, the crusts golden brown, the filling glistening.

  “This house,” Jessica said as my mother served the pie. “It’s gorgeous. I love the interior – so southern.”
/>   “It’s home,” I said. “Only place I’ve ever given that name.”

  “The kids’ father had a keen eye for detail, and I’ve always loved Gone with the Wind. So when it was time to build our own place, he created my own personal Tara—on the inside anyway. On the outside, it still had to be a rancher’s home. But the inside and décor always bring back a little of my childhood in South Carolina.”

  “And all of you live here?” she asked.

  “Some in the house, some in their own cabins on the property,” Chance said. “Emily and Logan are out near the riding rings and Silas and Molly have a place out nearer to the pastures. But Wyatt, Travis, and myself like to be close to Mama G’s kitchen.” He grinned and patted his belly.

  Chuckling at his silly behavior, we set into our pies, and damn, it was even better than it looked, flaky and buttery and rich. Coffee was served alongside of it, the perfect complement to the desert.

  “Now, I don’t know about you guys,” I said, “but I’m thinking a little something in the living room’s just the thing.”

  “I’ll second that,” Silas said.

  “Care to join us?” I asked Jessica.

  “You bet!” Her eyes flashed again as she realized she might’ve shown a little too much enthusiasm. But I didn’t mind. I was looking forward to getting to know her.

  “Come on.”

  We hopped out of our seats and made our way to the living room. As we did, Jessica looked around at the decor of the house, which was all southern charm and hardy ranch at the same time.

  “I was in here so briefly earlier,” she mused. “And I was not in the frame of mind to notice all the details in here.”

  “You’ll get a pass,” I said with a smile.

  “I didn’t really notice how amazing this place is. You said your dad built it?”

  “That’s right – with his own two hands, too. There were a few other pairs of hands helping, of course. But he put his heart and soul into this place. Not all of us had been born yet, but he was definitely planning on a big family.”

  We stepped into the living room and I headed over to the bar, pouring the two of us brandies. The fire was still crackling, and when we sat down with our drinks, we said nothing for a time, simply enjoying the cozy fire.

  “You said you were a veterinarian, right?” she asked, breaking the silence.

  “That’s right. I’ve wanted to be a vet since I was a kid helpin’ my dad with the animals around the place.” I smiled as nostalgia took hold. “Had this old stallion named Duke. Dad loved him like crazy, and he never missed a day taking him out for a ride. But one day, old Duke got sick as hell. We were all worried like crazy about him. None of us could figure out what was wrong.”

  I took a sip of my brandy before continuing. “So Dad called the vet, salty old guy named Dr. Sampson. He came, took a look at Duke, and came back with some medicine. He did that, and then what I saw next I couldn’t believe – he talked to him.”

  “Talked to the horse?”

  I nodded. “That’s right. Not sure what he said, but it must’ve helped. Duke got calmer right away. Anyway, the medicine worked, and Duke kicked around for another few years. But the whole thing left a hell of an impression on me. It was like the guy was magic or somethin’. I’ve always loved animals, and bein’ able to help them live long, healthy lives was a no-brainer for me.”

  As soon as I finished speaking, I felt like I was coming out of a spell. Why the hell was I being so open with her? I’d never been cagey or anything like that, but I’d also never been one to spill my guts. This girl was having an effect on me that I couldn’t really understand. Especially since I’d locked myself up so tight after my divorce.

  And right in the middle of my thoughts, I felt a light pressure on my leg. I glanced down to see that it was Jessica’s hand. I glanced up and our eyes met. The fire flickered in hers, the glow outlining the damn near perfect beauty of her face.

  Something stirred between us, not a doubt in my mind.

  “You’ve got a good heart,” she murmured, her voice nearly a whisper. “This whole experience has sucked, to say the least, but at least I got to meet someone like you out of it.”

  Then I felt it – that moment of heat and tension when two people realize they want to kiss each other. Her lips looked so inviting that I could hardly resist.

  But I did. I turned my head, breaking eye contact, and broke the spell. I wanted her, and she wanted me, but it wasn’t a good idea. She was lost and scared and confused, and I refused to take advantage of that situation. Hell, for all we knew, she was married with a house full of kids in Houston.

  The thought of that didn’t sit well with me at all.

  “Anyway,” I said. “I should show you to your room. You’re probably tired as hell after what you’ve been though.”

  “Yeah, that’d be nice.” There was disappointment in eyes and her voice. Fucking hell. “Of course, I can’t remember what I’ve been through, so…” She chuckled, pulling a quick laugh out of me.

  We finished our drinks and headed upstairs, me grabbing her bag on the way up. “Your room’s gonna be right down this hall on the east wing.”

  “The east wing,” she repeated as she looked around. “Damn, this place just doesn’t end.”

  “Dad liked to think big.”

  “I can see that.”

  We reached the guest room I’d picked for her and opened the door. It was a cozy little space with a 19th century four post bed covered in quilts Mama G had made. I stepped in and placed the bag on the bed. Jessica opened it and dug through it.

  “Yep, it’s clothes alright.” She sifted through the bag as if looking for something. And as she did, I caught sight of a pair of lacy blue thong panties. The image of Jessica wearing nothing but those flashed into my mind. It was enough to make my cock move in my jeans.

  “Alright,” I said. “I’ll let you get to it. But remember that as long as you’re in this house, it’s as much of a home to you as it is to us. Don’t feel like any request is too big or too small.”

  “I’ll keep that in mind.” She smiled that gorgeous smile.

  “And Jess…” I stopped, catching myself calling her by a familiar name.

  She stopped what she was doing and looked at me for a moment with a strange expression on her face.

  “Sorry, didn’t mean to be too familiar.”

  She shook her head. “No, that’s not it. Something came back to me,” she said with a concentrated stare. “That name…that’s what people who were close to me used. You must’ve had a sense for it.”

  “I must’ve.” I still felt odd about the whole thing. What was going on with me?

  “I like it.”

  She looked up at me again and the moment of tension returned. And it was much, much harder to resist.

  She stood on her tip toes and planted a kiss on my cheek. Nothing too scandalous, but enough to send the message. When I pulled back, she regarded me with wide surprised eyes.

  “That’s…not a good idea, Jess.”

  “You’re right,” she murmured, staring at the ground.

  “You’ve been through a hell of a lot today. You were in some kind of accident, got hurt bad, and now you can’t remember anything.”

  “Are you thinking I’m not in my head or something?” she questioned.

  “It’s not that. More that you’re in a vulnerable state right now.” She nodded but she looked confused. “You bet your ass I wanna kiss you. But it just...wouldn’t be right. I’d feel like I was taking advantage of you. And I’m not the kind of man to do something like that.”

  Her frown deepened. “I don’t know what I’m doing. I understand where you’re comin’ from, you know, but I also know I want to kiss you, too.” She looked at me. “I don’t know what I would normally do.”

  Fuck, she wasn’t making it easy. My eyes moved over her curves almost as if on their own accord. But I used logic rather than lust to continue our conversation. “And ther
e’s another thing, too. We don’t know anything about your life. For all we know, you could have a husband and kids waiting for you at home. Or maybe a boyfriend. Never know.”

  She nodded, looking a little embarrassed. “Yeah, I hadn’t really thought of that. It’d be a hell of a shock to find out something like that.”

  “That’s right. And you’d feel awful about what we’d done –or what we’re both thinking of doing.”

  “Okay, then,” she said after a moment of silence. “Guess it’s not a good idea.” She looked at me. “What were you going to say? When you called me Jess?”

  I offered her a half-smile. “Was gonna say that we’re happy to have you here. Good night.”

  Another pause, another urge to kiss her. But I held back. It was hard as hell.

  “Good night.”

  With that, I shut the door and left. But damn, she was on my mind the second I was gone.

  Jessica

  I woke up the next morning feeling refreshed. The bed was comfortable, and the cozy room put me in a good mood right away.

  But then I remembered. Or didn’t remember. My memory still hadn’t returned. I scanned my thoughts to see if there was anything new in there that had come up during the night.

  Nothing. Shit.

  I closed my eyes and tried to put aside the frustration I felt. It was infuriating to feel so…helpless. Maybe Wyatt was right about last night, about me being in a vulnerable state. I didn’t like the idea of being vulnerable, but what could I do until my memory returned?

  Wyatt. He came right to mind – much more pleasant to think about him than all the rest I had to worry about.

  I glanced down at my pajamas. They were a silky, light pink matching set I’d found in my bag. The fabric draped over my curvy body, and I found myself thinking about what Wyatt would look like on top of me, his muscular body on full display as he fucked me raw.

  My nipples hardened and my pussy clenched. God, I wanted him. But why was this feeling so intense? It felt so soon, so sudden. Weren’t things like this supposed to develop over time?