Cougar in Texas (Rugged and Risque 3)

“Did I mention he’s rich?” she added. “Comes from some society family in Dallas.”

“Strike one. I know their kind.”

“And he’s drop-dead gorgeous.”

Reese sighed again. “Strike two. Those are the types who have women falling at their feet. And if they don’t possess the strong constitutions your husbands do, they just end up cheating. Like my husband.” She smirked.

Undeterred, Liza added, “Bonus, he’s only twenty-six and never been married. No baggage.”

“Oh hello,” Jess finally chimed in. “How sexy is that?”

“Not,” Reese was quick to say. “That would make me five years older than him.”

Liza let out a low growl and said, “Cougar in Texas. How sexy is that?”

Reese’s jaw dropped. She stared at her friends, no doubt an incredulous look on her face. “Ladies, seriously. Not interested. Except in the room rental, of course.”

“Well, you’re just takin’ all the fun out of this,” Jess said, followed by a soft tsking sound.

“Does the phrase ‘put through the wringer’ mean anything to you two?”

“Hey,” Liza said as she crossed her arms over her chest. “My Mount Sinai surgeon boyfriend was blowing half of Manhattan… I know what it’s like to be devastated by a man. But then I met Jack.”

“Who is hopelessly devoted to you,” Reese said in an envious tone. “Trust me, no wealthy twenty-six-year-old is going to be hopelessly devoted to me.”

“Are you kidding?” Jess all but snorted. “Do you not have reflective surfaces in your house?”

“I’m thirty-one,” she reminded her friends.

“And beautiful,” Liza said.

“My hips are too big. No twenty-six-year-old man is going to want a woman with big hips.”

“They’re not big,” Jess told her, exasperation in her tone. “They’re shapely. I’d kill for those hips.” She eyed Liza and added, “Yours too. I’ve got no shape whatsoever. I’m the boring, straight road to Austin. You’re both the fun, curvy one to Galveston.”

With a laugh, Reese said, “She’s comparing us to asphalt. How lovely.”

“You get my point.” Jess waved her hand in the air. “Anyway, here comes Nadine. Do your best to not insult her—and your—new client before you’ve both cashed your checks.”

Reese turned as Nadine pushed open the glass door and entered the shop.

“I’m so glad I tracked you down,” the real estate agent told her. “Have I got a treat for you.”She crossed to where the three women stood. Patting her smart, silver bob, she said, “You’re going t

o be thanking me profusely for some time, my friend.”

“I heard.”

“His name is Caleb Bennett and he wants to rent your suite with the private entrance for a month. He’ll pay you up front.”

“A whole month?” Reese wouldn’t be surprised if dollar signs flashed in her eyes.

“Maybe more. Depends on how long it takes him to fix up the ranch.”

Liza rested her forearms against the counter and asked, “So what’s his story?”

“Down from Dallas with a nonprofit business idea in mind. I’ll tell you, he is one good-looking son of a gun. If I were twenty years younger…” She fanned herself with a bejeweled hand as though heat raced through her over the new kid in town.

“Nadine Sadler,” Jess snapped playfully, “you are married to one of the nicest men in this entire county.”