Cougar in Texas (Rugged and Risque 3)

“Yes I did, darlin’.”

“It’s the perfect gift,” she said as she leaned over and kissed him. “And while I am sure it is much more than you should have spent on me, I can’t wait to try it out.”

“I can’t tell you how happy I am to hear it.” She’d expressed interest in riding, and that had meant a lot to him.

Standing, she said, “I have something for both of you.” She retrieved two packages from under the tree she’d put up a week or so ago when he and Sam had been out at the ranch.

She set the stacked gifts on the table and handed one to each of them. They tore the wrapping and both grinned at the same time.

“Reese, honey,” Sam said, “this is a dam

n good Christmas present.”

They were the same—a framed sketch of the welcome sign that would sit in the inn’s front yard. They’d agreed to the wording she’d presented, but Reese had also had Ginger, who’d obviously produced the drawings, add to the signage, “Bennett Brothers, Proprietors. Established 2012.”

Caleb actually felt a bit choked up with the visual evidence of the legacy he and his brother were building. The outcome of their venture seemed much more attainable as he held the sketched sign in his hands.

“Yeah, kid,” Sam said, as though he read his thoughts, knew the emotion that flowed through him. “You’re really doing this.”

“No,” Caleb told him with a shake of his head. “We’re really doing this. All of us.” He set aside the frame and reached for Reese’s hand. “You’re as much a part of this as Sam and I. And the three of us make one hell of a team.”

“Thank you for including me,” she said, her voice cracking. “All this time, I knew I was missing out on something. But I didn’t know what it was until I met you.” She turned to Sam. “And you. Kinda the brother I never had.”

“We’re more than a team,” Sam said. “We’re family.”

This brought tears to Reese’s eyes that Caleb swept away. “Now darlin’, you know how I feel about that.” He winked at her though, because he was feeling moved himself.

“Hey, we’re not quite done.” Sam leaped up and strolled over to the tree. A tiny gift bag hung on one of the hearty limbs.

Caleb suspected Reese had never noticed it, since she gaped in surprise.

Returning to the table, Sam set the bag in front of her and said, “I made a special purchase. I hope you’ll both indulge me.”

“What did you do?” she asked in apparent anticipation.

Digging into the itty-bitty bag filled with tissue, she extracted a key. She stared quizzically at Sam, who grinned. Then her gaze shifted to Caleb. He shrugged. He knew nothing about Sam’s present.

“What does this open?” she asked.

Sam pulled his wallet from his back pocket and fished out a photo that he handed over. “I know you’re going to offer a warm welcome to everyone who comes to the inn, but I thought I’d lend you a hand with this. I snapped the shot at the design studio. It’s ready to be picked up when the foyer is done.”

She stared at the picture. Caleb looked over her shoulder. He nodded. “That is country elegance at its finest. Nice job, Sam.”

The double arched doors were oversized and painted dove-gray. The large, crystal-cut insets in their centers were intricate and caught the light in the studio, creating a spectacular prism of color. The sun would provide the same effect and it would be sensational, Caleb had no doubt.

“I know it’s not exactly personal,” Sam said, “but I thought every time you walked through those doors you’d feel like you were stepping into someplace special. An inn brought to life by your vision.”

“Ah geez, you guys.” She pressed two fingers to her lips as though to keep them from trembling.

Caleb extended a hand to his brother and said, “You nailed it, bro.”

They shook, then Reese gave Sam a hug. At that moment, Caleb knew his brother had been right about needing to introduce Reese to their parents. He wanted their own, small family unit to work and that meant dealing with the bigger issue at hand, particularly finding a way to assimilate Reese to the Bennett extravagance while also shielding her from their ruthless sides.

Unfortunately he didn’t hold as much hope for a successful outcome with that venture as he did his business undertaking.

* * * * *

The party came upon them much too quickly. Caleb wasn’t in a particular hurry to take Reese home to meet the folks, but the day had arrived.