The Reluctant Rancher~Badlands (Contemporary Western Romantic Suspense) Read online

  “Hey!” he said when he caught sight of her. “I figured you might be hungry after last night.” Another knowing grin. “I mean, you really tore me up, honey.” He shook his head.

  Jenna swallowed hard, reaching for the glass he offered. The orange juice tasted like it had been squeezed fresh, tantalizing the taste buds on her thick tongue. “Thanks.”

  “Sit down and I’ll fix your eggs to order. How do you like them?” He picked up a spatula and gazed at her expectantly. “Scrambled? Over easy?”

  “You can cook?” she mumbled.

  “I’ll let you decide that,” he said.

  “Over easy.” She slid onto a stool and leaned against the cool granite counter top, polished and shining. She watched him put a pat of butter into the skillet and break two eggs into it. Damn! And he looks so good doing it.

  He took another glance at her and slid a bottle of a popular over-the-counter pain reliever towards her.

  She grabbed it with slightly shaky hands and poured three tablets into her palm, washing them down with the juice. She pushed the bottle back toward him. “Did you take some?” she asked.

  “Didn’t need it,” he said. “We jackasses can hold our liquor.”

  She howled in disgust. “Give it a rest. You’ve made your point.”

  He chuckled and turned her eggs over with a deft flip of his wrist.

  “Where’s my truck?” she asked.

  “Honey, you were in no condition to drive, so we left it in front of the Eagle’s Hall. I’ll take you to town to pick it up a little later.” He set the plate of food in front of her. “I thought we could just hang out here for a while and get to know each other a little better. I mean, after last night, I think we should.”

  She stabbed a forkful of eggs and shoved it into her mouth. Delicious. Damn! She wondered what she had done to him last night. He must have liked it, because now he was cooking for her and acting all boyfriend-like. What did I do?

  She cleared her throat. “About last night…”

  He grinned. “Don’t worry, Jenna. I don’t kiss and tell.”

  She gasped, feeling a jab of conscience. Whatever did I do?

  “And, I will always treasure the way you screamed, “Ride me, cowboy,” when you…Well, you know.” He turned to put the skillet in the sink and then brought his plate to the counter, sliding onto the stool beside her. “Jenna, I’m so glad you were able to put away your initial reservations about me and give in to your passions.” He leaned over to nuzzle her neck.

  She paused with the fork halfway to her mouth. His lips against her skin caused a swirling sensation in her lower gut that had nothing to do with the food on her plate.

  “Eat up, honey. After last night, you need your strength.” He dug into his eggs like a starving hound after a bone.

  She ate in silence, reasoning that the food was delicious and as long as she was chewing, she didn’t have to talk.

  E.J. prattled on, telling her about his plans for the day. “We could take a ride over to the ridge while it’s still cool. Later on, it might be too warm for you…but, I forgot that you’re used to this heat.” He leaned close and lowered his voice. “Not like us dandified city boys, huh?” Then he had the nerve to laugh.

  She stared at her plate and poked the eggs again. The bacon was the mesquite smoked thick slab kind she loved. She picked up a slice with her fingers and munched it with relish. Why was this pretty boy staring at her? Hadn’t he ever seen a woman eat before?

  “So, how about it, Jenna? Want to saddle up and ride out to the ridge?”

  “I want to go to my truck and get on home.”

  He put his arm around her shoulder and gave her a hug. “Aw, you’re no fun.”

  “I—um…I’m not feeling at my best right now.” She drew a deep breath. “I don’t usually drink like I did last night.”

  He gave her a look of incredulity. “No-o-o. I would never have guessed. You were really knocking ‘em back last night.”

  She shuddered, loathe to think about her behavior the previous evening. “Was I loud?”

  “Oh, yeah.” A wide grin spread across his face. “Oh, you mean at the Eagle’s Hall? I thought you meant when we…”

  “No! Never mind. I don’t want to know.” If she had made a spectacle of herself in front of the local inhabitants, she was sure she would hear about it. And she was sure that when she went to church tomorrow morning everyone would stare at her like the total harlot she was.

  I slept with E.J. Kincaid. I had sex with him. I had wild, drunken, completely abandoned sex with this man and now he seems to think we’re in a relationship, or something.

  “Jenna, honey, if you’re feeling bad, I can take you to see the doc. She has office hours on Saturday morning.”

  “No, I’m fine.” She drew in a deep breath and expelled it. “If you want to go for a ride, I think that would be…nice.” She forced a smile.

  “Really? Great, I’ll go saddle up the horses.” He appeared to be delighted as he swiveled around on the stool. He planted a kiss on her cheek and strode out the door.

  She felt a sense of loss when she found herself alone in the large, gleaming kitchen. Why would she feel so isolated just because E.J. Kincaid left her alone in his fancy place?

  He returned a short time later and by then Jenna had finished her excellent breakfast and was rinsing her plate. “Thanks for making my breakfast, E.J. I didn’t know I was hungry until I smelled the bacon.” She flashed a smile of genuine appreciation.

  He looked pleased. “It’s the least I could do.” He chortled again. “I mean, after I got you drunk and let you have your way with me.”

  Another stab of guilt shot through her mid-section. She wished she could remember what happened the previous evening, but then again, maybe she should be glad she couldn’t.

  “I think a little fresh air might do me some good.”

  He looked surprised. “Great! Let me check something. I’ll be right back.” He turned and left by the rear door.

  ~*~

  CHAPTER FOUR

  E.J. expelled a deep breath. That was the last thing he had expected. He’d anticipated temper tantrums and more snarky verbal put-downs. He never thought Jenna would do an about face and turn sweet and pretty this morning. Now, he was feeling bad about his ruse. Damn! You never can tell with women.

  He went to the stables and saddled his own horse for Jenna and his father’s favorite mount, Stryker, for himself. He led the horses back to the house and on the way, tried to figure out how he was going to make things right with Jenna.

  He couldn’t let her continue to think they had been intimate. But, he was intrigued by this change in her. Was this the way she interacted with people she liked? With people who weren’t jackasses?

  Maybe he would wait a while longer to enlighten her. Maybe he would get to know the soft side of Jenna Lewis...the only woman he had been attracted to in this god-forsaken place other than the lovely Cami Carmichael…Ryan.

  He looped the reins to a post and re-entered the house. She smiled and something in his chest broke loose. A little squeezing sensation he hadn’t expected. “Ready?” At her nod, he removed his leather jacket and held it open for her. “Slip this on. It’s a little cool out there.”

  She hesitated and then stuck her arms in the proffered jacket.

  He snugged it around her and she shivered. He pulled her back against his chest and held her for a moment, savoring the experience of holding a beautiful woman in his arms. “Jenna, there’s something I need to tell you…”

  She turned in his arms, gazing up with large, green eyes. “No, please don’t. Whatever I did, I’m sorry. I’m sorry if I embarrassed you last night and I’m sorry I’ve been sniping at you…I’m just…” She stopped speaking and a tear glistened at the corner of her eye.

  He kissed her. Held her in his arms and kissed her thoroughly. Kissed her and wanted to kiss her again. Her arms came around him and he realized how long it had been since he had en
joyed the embrace of a woman. She must have been enjoying it too, because she leaned against him and buried her face against his chest. Now was not the time to confess his practical joke. Not if he wanted to enjoy a few more kisses with the lovely Jenna.

  “Shall we take that ride now?” he asked and she nodded, her hair making a scrunching sound against his shirt. He gestured to the door and grabbed an old jacket of his dad’s on the way out. He started to help her up onto the horse, but she grabbed the reins and saddle horn and stepped into the stirrup without assistance. She hoisted herself up and turned to give him a grin. Something about that grin made the squeezing sensation in his chest increase.

  They rode out toward the ridge, which was really just a gentle rise in this flat land, but it overlooked a deep ravine with cross sections of colorful earth strata. Something beautiful that had taken centuries to push and pull into the exact creation it presented for their pleasure today.

  Jenna's hair was loose and the fresh air seemed to restore her color. There were wild flowers and they sighted a coyote and several jackrabbits on their ride. When they drew up at the edge of the gorge, she was smiling and her eyes were bright. “Beautiful!” she exclaimed. “I always love this view.”

  “You’ve been here before?” he asked.

  “With your dad. He brought me out several times over the years.” She stopped suddenly. “I just couldn’t believe…I mean, when he confessed to Silky Carmichael’s death, I was just…” Her voice trailed off, uncertainly.

  “Yeah, I know that feeling.” He had no idea why his dad would have confessed to murder or, for that matter, why he would have taken Jenna riding…but then, he had no idea why his dad did anything.

  "I liked Eldon," she said. "I liked that he loved and respected the land. And he knew his business."

  E.J. nodded, emotion uncomfortable in his chest.

  "I hate to tell you this, but I expected that you would beat it back to Dallas and put a big old for sale sign on this place."

  He snorted, hating that she was echoing his earlier thoughts. "Why would you think that?"

  She turned to gaze at him. "I just never figured you loved it here like Eldon." A smile graced her lips. "I'm glad I was wrong."

  "Yeah, well..." He wasn't quite sure how to respond. "I'm glad I could surprise you."

  When he drove her back to town, they stopped to have lunch at Tiny’s Diner. He sensed she was a little uneasy when all the patrons turned around to stare. Some of them raised a hand in greeting, to her, but not to him.

  I’ll always be an outsider in this wilderness. He followed her to a booth and slid in across from her, his back to most of the locals. She slipped out of his jacket and arranged it on the seat beside her.

  “Thanks for lending me your jacket, E.J. It’s warm.”

  “Keep it,” he said. “It looks better on you than it does on me anyway.”

  She dimpled, a flush of color appearing on her cheeks. “I couldn’t do that.”

  They ordered and ate while E.J. tried to figure out how to break it to her that he did not have sex with her. “I enjoyed the ride.”

  “Me too.” She hesitated and then blurted out, “Would you like to go to church with me tomorrow?...I mean, not if you don’t want to, but if you do…”

  He reached across the table and extended his hand. She placed her hand in his outstretched palm and he lifted it to his lips. “I would be honored to attend church services with you tomorrow, Miss Lewis.”

  She appeared to be delighted. The rest of their meal seemed to take on a lighter tone. When they finished, he escorted her to the front, once again running the gamut of stares.

  He could almost hear their thoughts. That nice Jenna Lewis, she had lunch with the murderer’s son.

  He did a mental eye roll. Just wait until I show up with her at church tomorrow. That should make the news.

  He caught the eye of another woman as he paid the bill at the register. A dark-haired beauty he seemed to recall meeting in the past, but couldn’t attach a name to. She smiled and he nodded to her, wondering where their paths had crossed.

  ~*~

  Celeste Pigeon was furious. She had trouble forming a pleasant smile for E.J.'s benefit. Mustn’t scare away the handsome millionaire.

  But damn! Did he have to be in the company of that horsey veterinarian woman?

  Celeste regarded Jenna through half-closed eyes. She was dressed differently than her usual, muck-out-the-barn-type garb. The shirt was wrinkled, but had once been pressed. Same for the jeans and her boots were polished. Oh, my God! Those are the clothes she must have worn last night. She must have spent the night with E.J. Kincaid.

  Celeste threw her check on the counter and plunked her Visa card down. If only she had gone to the Eagle’s Hall last night, it might have been her who took the gorgeous man home, but no. She hadn’t wanted to waste her time on the local cowboys when the man who might be her ticket to easy street was in his mansion. But it hadn’t occurred to her that he might go to a local dance hall on a Friday night. Well, damn it all to hell!

  No matter. She had no intention of letting him get away. She didn’t care if he played with the veterinarian, as long as he paid the bills for one Miss Celeste Pigeon.

  She watched through the plate glass window as he helped Jenna into his Jaguar and then climbed in on the driver’s side. Damned if he didn’t lean over to give her a kiss before he started the car. This is going to be harder than I thought.

  ~*~

  When E.J. dropped Jenna off at her truck, he heard her heave a deep sigh.

  “Well, I’m sure everyone in town has seen my truck parked here overnight and drawn their own conclusions.”

  “And their opinion matters to you?”

  She straightened a little. “E.J., I have an education and a professional license, but I’m just a home town girl. I’ve known these people since I was a little girl. Yes, their opinion matters.”

  “And now we have to get married? Is that the drill?” He wondered why that prospect didn’t seem like such a bad deal.

  She threw her head back and laughed. “Don’t be ridiculous. It just means that everyone knows I spent the night at your place. I’ve gone from that nice Jenna Lewis to being that slutty Jenna Lewis.”

  He stroked her cheek with the back of his fingers. “Which one woke up in my arms? She’s the one I want to spend time with.”

  She rolled her eyes at him. “It must have been slutty Jenna.”

  “I like her better than the other one.” He drew her into his arms and kissed her, felt her melt against him and her soft lips part as he took over her mouth.

  She drew away and quirked a smile up at him. “She likes you better too.” She slipped off his jacket and left it on the seat before climbing out and walking toward her truck.

  He watched her hips sway with a rhythmic motion he found hypnotic. Who would have thought such a beautiful and sweet woman could be found hiding under her tough exterior?

  “What time?” he yelled after her.

  She turned and smiled. “Church services take place at nine and eleven in the morning. We can go to whichever you prefer.”

  “I’ll bet you go to the nine o’clock service,” he said.

  “And you would be right, but I don’t mind the later one if it’s easier for you.”

  “Jenna, I’m not the playboy you have me pegged for.”

  She drew in a deep breath and let it out. “Good to know.”

  “I’ll pick you up at eight thirty.” He waited until she was inside her truck and had it running. He followed her out of the parking lot and saw her turn toward her home. He felt almost as good as if he had truly enjoyed a wild night of sex with the lovely Jenna. He hadn’t been interested in anyone for a long time…not since his ill-fated courtship of Camryn Carmichael. And that had never led to anything like holding Jenna’s naked body against his the whole night through. There was still that one little problem…one more little thing the jackass had to fess up to.
r />   ~*~

  Jenna retrieved her truck and drove through the town. She still couldn’t believe her behavior the previous evening. The sensation of lying against E.J.’s powerful torso and being snuggled in his strong embrace was still with her. So much of her life had been spent alone. Somehow, she liked having the attention of one man who was both challenging and charming at the same time.

  She had been looking for a man with an education…a man worthy of commitment. But surely I can’t have totally changed my mind about him in less than twenty-four hours? Did I fall under the spell of those mesmerizing blue eyes? Was it the flash of dimples in his grin? Or the body…the hard, muscled body that seduced me?

  She sighed. No, it was the tequila. No matter how gorgeous, she was sure she wouldn’t have fallen into the dangerous current that was E.J. Kincaid without the assistance of some liquid courage.

  The sad thing is that she couldn’t remember her seduction by E.J. or how she succumbed to his many charms. And he seemed to remember it all in detail. He’d grinned and called her a wild woman. She pressed her lips together. Good to know I have some hidden talents.

  She headed out of town to the ten acres she called home. Not a big spread by any means, but enough for her and her three horses. She grew enough silage to feed the horses most years. And that was all she needed. Her barn still had some bales of hay from the previous year and her field would produce lots of feed for them by the time it was harvested.

  She smiled to think that E.J. was willing to take her to church. This simple life was important to her. She was a part of this community…an important part. And tomorrow she would take E.J. to church.

  As she turned into her driveway and pulled close to the house, she was hit with a strange thought. She had wanted a boyfriend. Did she have one now? Was E.J. Kincaid husband material?

  She got out of the truck and her black and white Australian shepherd, Rufus, ran out from under the porch to greet her.