Taming the Texan
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Jules Bennett
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Harlequin
HarlequinOne
“What are you doing here, Ma’am?”
Alexa Rodriguez spun around, her hand to her heart. The low, gravelly voice had shocked her, but not as much as seeing the man strut toward her.
Well, he had a cowboy swagger with a slight limp, so she wouldn’t quite call it a strut. Regardless of the label, the man held her attention and there was nowhere to go...not when she was pinned in place by that dark-as-night stare.
When she first stepped into the impressive stables on Pebblebrook Ranch, she hadn’t seen a soul. And now this sexy cowboy stood only feet away, staring at her from beneath the wide brim of his black hat. Her heart shouldn’t be beating so fast, so hard. But...yeah, he was one sexy stable hand.
Was she trespassing? The owner of the bed-and-breakfast next door had told Alexa the stables were open to B and B guests, but maybe there was some disconnect because this man did not look happy to have a visitor.
“I’m a guest next door,” she explained as she tried to keep eye contact and not fidget. “I was told I could come ride and that someone would be here to assist me.”
The stable hand grunted, but never took his eyes off her. Well, this was awkward.
Stepping out of her comfort zone was the theme of the weekend. Her meddling yet well-meaning best friend had bought Alexa a package for a three-night stay at the B and B, stating Alexa was an overworked single mom who deserved some alone time.
Alexa had just registered next door and put her bag in her room when she decided to check out the outdoor amenities before the predicted storm moved in. She hadn’t been on a horse since she was five. Yeah, she was so far outside her comfort zone she didn’t even know where comfort was anymore.
But if the horse came equipped with a captivating cowboy, maybe doing something different wouldn’t be such a bad thing. Her best friend would definitely be thrilled Alexa was showing signs of life in the lust department, that was for sure.
This stable hand had sultry written all over him, from the dusty boots to the fitted denim over narrow hips to the black hat. And the way he drawled out the word ma’am had her stomach tingling.
Clearly, it had been too long since she’d had interaction with someone outside her preschool special education classroom and her fourteen-month-old son.
“You ever ridden before?” he finally asked.
“Once,” she admitted, shoving her hands into the pockets of her jeans. “I was five and at a cousin’s birthday party.”
He took a step closer, minimizing the gap between them, and all the breath in Alexa’s lungs seemed to vanish. How could one man be so striking, so bold? The deep eyes with long, dark lashes and a stubbled jaw outlining the most perfectly shaped lips...and that was all just his face.
Broad shoulders stretched his button-up black shirt in the most glorious way, one that had her imagining what excellent muscle tone he must have beneath the fabric. Those lean hips covered with well-worn denim could make any woman beg...but not her. She’d sworn off men who made her tingle—they were nothing but a hindrance in the life she’d carved out for her and her son.
And this man? He looked like pure trouble. The kind of trouble that could make a woman forget all common sense, the kind that would have a woman crying out his name over and over, the kind—
No. Her days of flirting or dating or anything else with a man were over—at least until her son got older and she could focus on her own life. For now, Mason was her everything and all that mattered.
Still, that didn’t mean she couldn’t look and appreciate...and there was so much to appreciate with this cowboy.
“Do you work here?” She had to assume so, but now she wondered if he was a guest, too.
He held out his hand. “Hayes Elliott.”
Elliott. She wasn’t just ogling any stable hand or random guest. Hayes was the elusive, mysterious war-veteran Elliott brother. Living in Stone River, she’d heard rumors about how he never left the ranch and the term PTSD had circulated nearly every time she’d heard his name.
Also what had cropped up along with his name was how he’d saved several children in a small village overseas and then been left severely injured, and how some of his friends had died in the same battle.
Something like that alone would make waves across a small town like Stone River, but couple the rumors with the fact that Hayes was a member of the prestigious Elliott family, well...it was difficult not to have gossip.
So where were his employees? A spread this large surely had several workers so the owners didn’t have to lift a finger. She knew the Elliott brothers were gearing up to open a dude ranch on their five-thousand-acre spread. What she didn’t know was why this brother, the sibling scarcely seen since he’d returned home, was the only one around.
“Alexa Rodriguez.”
She gripped his hand and, though it was cliché, she felt... Well, she felt legitimate sparks. Sparks she hadn’t experienced for years, and never at just the simple touch of a man’s hand. How did that even happen?
“You’re staying at my sister-in-law’s bed-and-breakfast?” he asked, still holding on to her hand and looking her over.
Alexa nodded, impressed that he knew the goings-on of the B and B—but even more impressed at how her entire body responded to a handshake and a heavy-lidded stare. “I arrived this morning and thought I’d venture out before the storm.”
And because she missed Mason. Alexa had already texted Sadie three times and requested a picture of him.
“My sister-in-law has the best B and B in Texas.”
The low tone combined with a dimple that appeared when he spoke drew her attention to his mouth...a place she should not be looking. Granted, the rest of him was just as impressive. So where was a girl supposed to look when presented with such an intriguing man? Even his dusty boots were intriguing. They instantly sparked fantasies of him doing manual labor around the ranch...shirtless, to show off those sweaty, tanned muscles.
“The stable hands are all gone for the day. How long will you be staying next door?”
Well, that pulled her right from her glorious daydream.
“I’m here through the weekend,” she replied, nerves swirling through her belly. “I, um... I didn’t know they were gone, and I wanted to check things out before the weather turned. Sorry if I disturbed you.”
The horse behind her stomped its foot as if protesting. She sort of felt like doing the same. She’d talked herself into taking a ride even though she wasn’t completely comfortable, because she wanted to do something for herself and she didn’t want to feel guilty about her friend paying for this getaway.
When Hayes continued to stare at her without a word, she got the impression he didn’t want to be having this conversation any more than she did at this point. He obviously hadn’t expected to find someone in his stable, especially when he thought his workers were gone.
The awkward silence had her offering a feeble smile before she turned. No need to stay where she obviously wasn’t wanted.
“Wait.” Hayes muttered a curse beneath his breath that had her cringing. “I’ll take you out if you really want to go.”
Alexa fisted her hands at her sides and pulled in a deep breath. Hayes’s boots shuffled behind her as the horses shifted in their stalls. It was almost as if they were waiting for her answer.
“Listen.” She turned, but stopped short when she realized he’d moved in closer than she expected. “I don’t want to put you out.”
There went that stare again, the one that held her in place and made her wonder what he was thinking...because the way he looked at her seemed an awful lot like—No, it couldn’t be.
Why would someone like Hayes Elliott look at her with desire? He was a sexy cowboy, a war hero, a wealthy rancher and she was, well...just a single mom and schoolteacher.
“I came to take a ride now that everyone is gone,” he explained. “Might as well take you.”
Didn’t that sound like a lovely invitation? All warm and sincere and wrapped in Southern hospitality.
“That’s okay,” she replied. “It’s obvious you want to be alone.”
She turned to go again, more than ready to get out of here. So far her vacation consisted of irritating a grouchy cowboy. The weekend could only get better from here...right?
“Damn it. Don’t go.”
Alexa laughed and spun back around. “It’s fine. Really.”
“No. I’m just not used to dealing with guests. It’s supposed to rain later and over the next two days.” He shrugged and shoved his hands in his pockets. “You’re here now. Let’s do this.”
Let’s get this over with.
The unspoken words hovered in the air between them. Fine. She wanted to ride and he was here. It wasn’t her fault he was the only one left or that he was angry.
The sulking, sultry cowboy continued to stare at her from beneath that Stetson and another jolt of lust shot through her.
Who knew a cranky rancher would be the one to get her heart beating again? She’d been pretty emotionally stagnant since becoming a widow two years ago, just before discovering she was pregnant. Grief and motherhood could do that.
“You’ll ride Jumper.”
Hayes’s words pulled her to the present before she could dive too far into the dark time of her life. Alexa took a step back and held up her hands.
“Maybe you missed the part where I hadn’t ridden since I was five. I think I’d rather have a horse with a name like Buttercup or Princess.”
Hayes reached just past her, causing Alexa to freeze in place. His arm brushed against her shoulder and Alexa attempted to act calm. But that smell, that purely masculine aftershave, enveloped her. For a half second she breathed in deep and cursed herself for the instant carnal thoughts that flooded her mind.
“Jumper is our newest mare and she’s a sweetheart,” Hayes explained, oblivious to Alexa’s inner turmoil. “We’re getting her used to riding long distances and she’ll be perfect for you. Don’t be fooled by her name.”
Alexa took a step to the side to get away from his casual touch. When she focused on the horse instead of the man, Alexa noticed a gorgeous chestnut mare with a white star on her nose.
“She’s my favorite girl.” He rubbed the side of her face and murmured something to her. “I got her specifically for new riders and children at the dude ranch because she’s so gentle.”
“You’ll stick close?” she asked as she came to stand beside him. “I mean, I literally have no experience.”
Hayes eyed her from beneath the large black rim of his hat. “No experience, huh?”
He raked that heavy-lidded gaze over her and he might as well have touched her bare skin. There wasn’t a place on her that wasn’t tingling. She’d met the man only five minutes ago and he’d managed to awaken something in her that had been dead for two years.
“You’re in luck.” He brought those dark eyes back up to hers. “I’m very...experienced.”
Okay, they were definitely not talking horses anymore. There wasn’t a doubt in her mind this man was much more worldly than she’d ever thought of being. If she had to guess, she’d put him in his midthirties, nearly a decade older than her own twenty-five.
“And I’ll definitely stick close,” he promised.
The ride hadn’t even started and Alexa was already wondering if she was getting in over her head.
* * *
What the hell was he thinking?
He shouldn’t be offering rides to or flirting with a total stranger. He’d come down to the stables to be alone, to ride his brother’s stallion. Being back on the ranch was supposed to help him return to some semblance of the life he’d had before he’d been gutted by experiencing things no one should ever be subjected to.
But the second he’d hinted that she’d have to come back later for a stable hand to take her on a trail ride, a burst of jealousy speared him. The feeling had caught him off guard. He didn’t want to feel, didn’t want to allow himself any happiness. He’d been through hell and was just trying to survive each day and uphold his promise to his brothers and his ailing father. They had a dude ranch to get up and running and Hayes had a home to renovate.
Hayes had been back home a few months and he was not looking forward to getting involved with anyone right now...if ever. So no matter how mesmerizing Alexa’s brown eyes were, no matter how she seemed to be a little sad and vulnerable, sparking that fierce protective instinct inside of him...he simply couldn’t act on this unwanted chemistry.
He saw how she looked at him; he wasn’t a fool. She was young; she was attracted. He was only going to show her a portion of the ranch, bring her back, and send her on her way. That would be the end of things. Her attraction had no place here...and neither did his.
He carried too much baggage, had too much to sort through within himself before he could think of trying anything with a woman again. Hell, he barely left the ranch, let alone attempted to be social and date.
Taking a beautiful woman out for a ride didn’t have to be anything more than just that. Once she was gone, he could ride alone like he’d originally intended. Adjusting to civilian life was more difficult than he’d believed possible and riding alone was the only thing that cleared his mind.
PTSD was nothing to mess with, and he needed space. Perhaps a little one-on-one time with a total stranger wouldn’t be such a bad thing. With Alexa, there would be no need for him to talk about himself. He didn’t have to put on a front like he often did with his brothers. He could talk up the dude ranch with Alexa, which was a welcome distraction in his life. This family project might be the only thing keeping him from going out of his mind and giving in to the demons that had followed him home.
“I’ll get her ready and we’ll go,” he told Alexa.
Alexa. Such a beautiful name for a woman with such striking features. He’d only heard the name one other time, long ago. His high school buddy had dated and married someone named Alexa. Hayes had to force himself to stop staring because she was the type of woman a man could get lost in.
All that long midnight hair, her dark skin tone and those wide, chocolate eyes. Her curves were damn near hypnotic in those jeans and fitted tank. Yeah, she would turn any man’s head and he was no exception.
Years of military training had enabled him to mask his emotions—something that would come in handy on a trail ride with this beauty. The sooner he could get this ride over with, the better.
Hayes saddled up Jumper and Doc, his brother’s stallion. Nolan had been working overtime at the hospital, so Hayes had offered to get Nolan’s horse out for exercise.
“Right this way, Ma’am.”
If he didn’t refer to her by her name, maybe he could keep this little escapade impersonal...exactly the way he wanted to live his life. Detached.
Hayes took the reins and led the horses from the stable. Alexa fell in step beside him. The subtle aroma of jasmine tickled his senses. His instincts hadn’t failed him in all his years overseas, and he was positive he had Alexa pegged as someone who wasn’t taking time away because she necessarily wanted to. Something about her reserved nature and an underlying hint of fear made him all the more determined to make this ride to be enjoyable and memorable for her.
After all, wasn’t Pebblebrook using Annabelle’s B and B as a way to spread the word for the dude ranch? By the time they were ready to open, they would not only have her guests already talking, they’d also have hired the best PR firm in the country. This dude ranch was a goal of their father’s and Hayes wasn’t about to let that man down.
“You live on the ranch?” she asked as they stepped out into the bright June sunshine.
“I do.” That was the easy answer. The ranch was now in its third generation of Elliotts, and Hayes wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. He owned two other homes: one in the mountains of Montana and a tropical getaway in the secluded part of the main island of Hawaii. He had options, but the ranch was where he’d come to heal, to find that piece of himself that had been damaged...possibly destroyed for good.
“There are several homes on the ranch,” he continued. “My brother Colt and his wife, Annabelle, live in the first house you see as you come up the drive. Nolan and his wife live in the back on the east side, and I live in the original Elliott homestead back on the west corner. It’s set between the river and the brook running through the ranch.”
He loved not only owning that piece of history from his family, but having the privacy he so desperately craved right now. His brothers respected the fact that he needed his space.
“Sounds like quite a family,” she stated. She wrung her hands as she glanced back to Jumper. “Are you sure the horse is safe for me? Does she know I’m nervous?”
Hayes looped Doc’s reins around the post and moved to Jumper’s side, right by Alexa. “You’re not nervous. You’re anxious. There’s a difference.”
Alexa smiled, a simple gesture that packed a punch of lust straight to his gut. Damn it, he didn’t want a punch of any kind. Couldn’t he just enjoy the company of a beautiful woman without lust entering into the picture? He wanted this ride to be simple, but the stirring in his body was anything but.
Someone should’ve notified Annabelle not to send any guests up today because the stable hands had all gone with Colt to the auction for more steers, leaving Hayes in charge. Not a position he’d wanted to be in.
Despite all the pain and anguish and betrayal he’d been through, something about Alexa made him want to get closer. Perhaps it was all those curves packed into such a petite frame, maybe it was those striking eyes that seemed to look deeper than just the surface, or perhaps it was that underlying vulnerability that made his inner protector surge to the forefront. Regardless, he knew this ride wasn’t going to be quick and painless like he’d first intended.
“At any time, we can turn back,” he stated, hoping that would give him the out he desperately wanted.
Alexa nodded. “I’m ready. Just tell me what to do so I don’t hurt or scare her.”
“Grab the pommel and hook your left foot into the stirrup.”
She followed his command and, before he even realized what he was doing, he’d stepped in behind her and circled her waist with his hands. Alexa stilled beneath his touch. Throwing a glance over her shoulder, her eyes met his.
“I’m helping you up.” He left no room for argument because, while he might not have thought about his actions at first, now that he had his hands on her, he was in no hurry to let go. “Relax,” he murmured.
Her eyes darted to his mouth—as if he needed another reason to feel that pull of sexual tension. Those dark lashes framed striking eyes and all of that rich black hair slid over her shoulders, the tips brushing against the backs of his hands. An image of all of that hair sliding over his body came to mind and Hayes knew in that instant he was fighting a losing battle.
He wanted this woman, the first woman he’d wanted since his return. And he planned to have her... To hell with all the reasons this ride was a bad idea. He’d just figured out the reason this was the best idea he’d had in months.
