Cougar in Texas (Rugged and Risque 3)

She shook her head, still incapable of meeting his gaze. “I can’t even begin to explain what that was all about. He must have come back in the past few days. No doubt he heard you were interested in a room here.”

“Your rumor mill really does take some getting used to, but he doesn’t bother me, Reese.”

His sincere tone brought her around. She stared up at him. “He’s got no business being here and I intend to let the sheriff’s office know he was at the house tonight. And I’ll file a restraining order if the judge deems I have sufficient cause. I changed all the locks when I filed for divorce. The only way he can get into the house is if he forces his way. I don’t believe he’d do that.” Anger gripped her anyway. He shouldn’t have even stepped on the premises. “This is my fight, Caleb. Not yours. I don’t want you to get tangled in—”

“Hey,” he said, his tone a strong and steady one. As was his gaze. “Don’t say you want me to walk away. I already knew about the divorce, remember? I knew you had an ex and a difficult breakup. It didn’t stop me then from wanting to get involved with you and it’s not stopping me now.”

Her heart melted. Yet that mortification seizing her soul did not dissipate.

“I appreciate what you’re saying,” she told him. “In fact, it’s really nice to have your support and understanding. But again, this isn’t your problem. It’s mine. And I have to deal with it. Me, Caleb. Not you.”

He crossed his arms over his wide chest and seemingly debated the situation. Endless moments ticked by and she didn’t say a word as he worked out whatever it was he needed to work out.

Eventually he said, “I hear what you’re telling me. You want to prove you’re strong and independent—not just to me, but to yourself.”

She nodded. “Thank you.”

“The thing is, sweetheart, I’m involved whether you want me to be or not. Because I’m already crazy about you. And I’m not letting him lay a hand on you again.”

Reese couldn’t contain the smile that tickled the corners of her mouth. Or the tears that stung her eyes. “Geez. Where did you come from?”

With a shake of his head, he said, “I’m no Prince Charming. But I don’t like to see anyone get pushed around.”

Her smile faded. “Clearly I should come with cautionary signs.”

“Everyone has their cross to bear.”

“Yeah? What’s yours?”

His tense look softened. “Crawl under the covers with me and I’ll tell you all about it.”

As tempting an offer as that was, she felt about two feet tall at the moment. “Can you understand I’m embarrassed and frustrated and… I don’t know. Mad as hell? I’m not good company to keep right now.”

“I won’t press. Just know I’m here for you.”

She said, “We’ll see how you feel about it in the morning.”

He let out a low groan. “I have a very good idea of how you’d feel next to me in the morning.”

Her smile returned, despite the anxiety still gripping her body. “Stop dangling that carrot in front of me. I’m trying to be respectable here.”

“Oh I’d still respect you in the morning.” The conviction and admiration in his eyes told her his words were said in earnest. “But you’re right. We’ve got time.”

Reese resisted the urge to sigh. He made her heart soar and her pulse race. Two sweet and sexy sensations she liked feeling, since they’d both been absent from her life for far too long.

He gave her a tender kiss that left her speechless. He was everything Tommy had never been—could never be. Why oh why hadn’t she waited for him to come into her life?

“Thanks for being so wonderful.”

He shrugged nonchalantly, as though he had no idea how wonderful he truly was. With one last kiss, he said, “Sweet dreams, darlin’.”

“You too.” She walked away, taking the stairs to her room.

She dumped her clothes in a chair and changed into a pair of loose pants and a comfortable long-sleeved shirt. Eyeing the bed, she debated her options. Her stomach twisted at the thought she’d once shared that intimate space with Tommy. And he’d shared it with someone else. Hell, rumor had it he and Amy had gotten it on in every room at the B&B. How was that not the most humiliating damn thing?

Tormented by her misfortune—and her botched evening with Caleb—she left the room. Downstairs, she retrieved a spare pillow and comforter from the linen closet and dropped them on the sofa that faced the fireplace. She started a low blaze in the hearth, then curled up on the couch.

Her mind wandered briefly to the hunky cowboy-vet-rescuer-of-abused-horses-and-devastated-women. Or woman. He didn’t seem to be the sort to collect broken hearts, and he’d said as much. He’d come unexpectedly into her life, but not even his sizzling kisses could keep her from thinking of her altercation with Tommy. And cursing the day she’d said “I do”, when she’d known, deep in her heart, it’d turn out to be a mistake.