Cassie (Book 2, Tempted By A Texan)

CASSIE

Tempted By A Texan - Book 2

Laurie LeClair

Copyright © 2015 by Laurie LeClair

All rights reserved. This work is not transferrable. Any reproduction of this work is prohibited without the permission of the author due to the infringement on the copyright. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the creation of the author or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or people, living or dead, is coincidental.

Dedication

To Jim. Thank you for being my special place I call home, someplace warm and loving and tender, right where I belong.

Chapter 1

Do you know how much I despise you at this very moment? Cassandra Callahan lied through her teeth as she clutched her wine glass in her hand and stopped it halfway to her suddenly tingling lips.

His green eyes fastened on her. His slow smile inched higher as he walked in the door.

Now other places tingled to life, places that were numb since leaving him behind in the hotel room on her prom night years ago.

Cass swallowed—once, twice. Still her throat remained dry. With a shaky hand, she gingerly placed the glass on the bar.

He wouldn’t look away, capturing her stare and holding it with each step that brought him closer. She gulped, thinking, yep, epic fail.

The smattering of people in the room—family, friends, and the guests—focused on him, turning to catch a glimpse of the exciting newbie to this all-too-boring party.

Even with the remodeled bunkhouse—this common room decorated in rustic ranch with wagon wheels overhead and twinkling lights strewn around the big spacious room, makeshift wine barrel fully-stocked bar, and the refurbished floor shiny and ready for some two-stepping with the four-guy country band waiting in the wings to begin—this fling was a dud.

The weekend singles mingle at her family ranch hadn’t gotten off to the roaring start she’d hoped for and planned down to the last detail. If she didn’t pull this first one off at the Circle C, the word would spread like wildfire. Cancellations and demise followed.

The cash flow and the Callahan reputation were at stake. Stark, cold failure sat like a lump of coal in her belly. Cassie needed to win this one. For her. For her family. And especially to get over the broken heart she’d been nursing these last few months.

Her first six clients for the grand opening weekend, nervous and timid, barely talked on the ride from the airport in the van. They’d been reserved, to say the least, ever since arriving a few hours ago.

Cassie never failed at anything in her life. This could be the first. Okay, second. He’d been the heartbreaking, aching first. But no one except herself realized that.

Her matchmaking gran had shoved this new venture on her, handing off the task. Even though Cassie didn’t want it, she took it on. She needed the body-numbing work and dedication to stomp away her thoughts on yet another failed relationship. How many did this make now? Three? Four?

Let’s not go there!

Aware of the awkward and unnerving non-couples seated in corners and as far away from one another as possible, Cass conceded she’d do whatever was in her power to save tonight, even if that meant engaging with him again.

At least he got everyone’s attention. And why wouldn’t he? The black Stetson covered his dark hair; the scuff on his chin and jaw sent a wave of fierce longing through her at wanting to rub her palms over the prickly facial hair.

Brody Jenkins stopped in front of her. All male, six feet tall, those broad shoulders encased in the black Western shirt with snap buttons running down the front of his powerful chest.

Thoughts of unsnapping those little suckers right here, right now, teased her imagination and forced her to lick her lips.

Brody ‘Bad Boy’ Jenkins. I must’ve missed your name on the invitation list.

Such a sweet-talker, Cassie. And a little firecracker, too. Brody’s boyish grin and twinkling green eyes plucked at the best and worst in her. You’re so easy to tease.

Do you ever take anything seriously?

Nope. He chuckled, low and husky. And to prove his point, he swooped her up, crushing her in a hug and setting her back down in two point five seconds flat. He was good. Too good.

She clutched his big biceps for fear of tumbling over. His muscles flexed under her fingertips and she dug in, holding on for dear life. His scent, fresh and clean, swept away her senses.

Cassie was practically hypnotized by him. She pushed away, but he didn’t let her go far. You always crash parties? she retorted, feeling defensive of her bouncing emotions; her heart dropped to her belly and sprang to her throat.

Only bad ones. That grin nearly undid her.

Chuckling, she swept a glance over him. Jeans and boots, classic cowboy wear, but damn if he didn’t put all those other cowboys to shame. What’s your remedy?

Kiss the hostess? His eyebrow lifted.

Good start. Her voice came out low and raspy. Tilting her head to her right, she said, Gran’s over there, getting the food ready. Let me know how that kiss goes. Her lips twitched at the way he pulled back.

Not you?

She’s the mastermind around here, remember?

Still, huh? He rubbed a hand along that jaw and she stood, mesmerized. Knew where we were and what we were up to most every time.

Yep. Luke and you couldn’t get much pass Gran. Her brother and his best friend tried time after time; sometimes they’d succeed, for a few hours. But Gran waited until they showed back up again. Nailed.

And Cassie would wait, hiding at the top of the stairs, and made funny faces at them for getting caught. Oh, she didn’t like to rub it in. No, she wanted to see how Luke and his best friend could get out of yet another one. It didn’t hurt to stare at the mostly drunk, slightly rowdy, and always handsome Brody Jenkins.

You can stop showing off, Brody.

Darlin’, did anyone ever tell you that you’re a bossy little thing? Always have been. You need to lighten up. You are the show. Deal with it. With that, he tugged her out to the middle of the floor, walking backward so he still watched her. He stopped. His big, warm palm lightly touched her back. She quivered.

Did Luke pay you? Her brother would pull something like this. His idea of a good time drastically differed with hers.

I’m saving your bacon, honey. Smile pretty.

Little sparks from her crush of eons ago flared up. Nope. No more wicked nights with wicked bad boys. She was through with men. Ten years should do. After all, she did want kids one day.

New game. Dancing with the cowboy. Let’s play, Cassie. His voice, low and husky, did the strangest things to her.

He was just about the sexiest, hottest cowboy in three counties. A couple of years older than her, she dismissed the whirlwind of activity in her chest and bubbling up in her belly every time she laid eyes on him.

Well, she’d done her darnedest. With one huge exception. Then she’d gotten right back on her soapbox.

Cassie did not poach one of her brothers’ best friends. Not now anyway. Dang, why’d she make up that foolish rule?

Chapter 2

Brody Jenkins lost a damn bet; otherwise, he’d never show up at this singles thing.

Why, he nearly bust a gut laughing over a beer at the Giddy Up when his best friend Luke Callahan told him about the ranch’s latest venture.

The tossed-down challenge of who’d go crash the little first night get-together sparked interest, yanking his troubling thoughts away from the reason behind his latest visit to town.

Next time he’d make sure he wasn’t rusty at his pool game before putting himself in this awkward position ever again.

Now three desperate women, of different shapes and sizes, gazed at him with googly eyes as he joined them in dancing the Achy Breaky and ignored their weekend dates.

The wannabe cowboys, in their brand-new jeans and stiff Western shirts, were more interested in watching Cassie shake out her moves. And rightly so. In the above-the-knee, white lacy-edged dress and her cowgirl boots, she put the rest to shame.

By far, she was the hottest, sexiest, and prettiest of the ladies. His blood buzzed just looking at her and noting the womanly changes in her the moment he arrived. Blonde-haired, blue-eyed angel with curves to die for.

Brody stopped, stunned at himself. She was his best friend’s little sister. Bro code: you don’t go there. You don’t even think there.

But he had for years. That was a huge problem. One he overcame with distance.