Roping the Cowboy (Circle B Ranch .5)

“What happened?” He takes my hand and holds it under the cold water. The concern in his voice is evident, and for a moment, I wonder how Braxton can go from the biggest asshole in the world to this—sweet, tender, caring.

Must be some kinda talent of his.

“Nothing. I’m fine.” I pull my hand away, but he’s not having any of it and maintains his secure grip around me.

“Kat.” His tone is a warning. “How badly are you burned?”

“Well, I just took the pan out right before you walked in. So it was still pretty hot, but I have some cream I can put on it once the stinging stops.”

“Why would you grab it if it had just come out?” he asks, but it’s not a tone of judgment, which I appreciate at a time like this.

“Because my mind was preoccupied,” I admit, grinding out my words. “I wasn’t thinking.”

He faces me and gazes into my eyes before dropping them down to our hands. “Where’s your first-aid kit?”

“In the office,” I tell him, and then he holds his finger up for me to stay while he goes searching for it.

He returns moments later and opens it. “I’ll wrap it up for you as long as you don’t deck me for trying to help.”

I release a breath through my nose, holding back my laughter. “No promises.” Considering his snarky comment about gluten-intolerant eaters being sensitive, I should do more than deck his smart mouth.

After he dries my hand, he finds the right cream and carefully rubs it over my palm and fingers. He’s being so tender and delicate that I nearly forget about the pain. After wrapping my hand in gauze and taping it, he brings my hand to his lips and presses a soft kiss on my knuckles.

“There. All better now.” Braxton looks at me so sweetly that it nearly takes my breath away. How is this the same douchebag guy from less than twelve hours ago?

I blink, trying to swallow the knife in my throat, and look at him as if he’s grown a third eye.

“Thank you,” I finally say.

“You’re most welcome.” Braxton releases my hand, and I immediately miss his touch. “But next time, try using a mitt, okay?” He flashes a wink, and then he’s out the door with the boxes of goodies.

I stand in the middle of the kitchen, looking around and wondering if all that just happened. Perhaps I’m daydreaming, or the liquor from last night is still flowing through my veins. When I feel the tightness of the gauze around my hand, I know it wasn’t a dream at all. It still burns a little, but it’s nothing compared to the ache I feel in my chest.

Chapter Six

Braxton

I haven’t been able to get Kat off my mind since yesterday, and every time I think about her, I become more frustrated. She’s hot, then cold, and I don’t know which Kat I’m going to get at any given time. I like to think I can read any woman, but she’s the exception who doesn’t come with a rule book. It’s like she’s written in a completely different language. Maybe that’s why she’s so damn frustrating to me. We have so much to discuss, but I don’t even know where to start. I feel as if I’m going crazy and she’s to blame.

My stomach growls, pulling me away from my thoughts, so I hop in my truck and go over to the B&B to grab a quick bite to eat. Looking at the clock on the dashboard, I see it’s half past six, which means it’s a flip of a coin whether we’ll run into each other. The part of me addicted to her pulls me forward. I’ve never been weak for a woman like this.

As soon as I’m at the B&B, I don’t see her car anywhere, and I breathe a sigh of relief. I park by the barn, get out, and see Colton walking with buckets.

“Breakfast?” I ask.

“Nah, Presley and I ate already.” He smirks.

“The look on your face tells me she was breakfast.”

He shrugs and grins as he sets the buckets down and pulls off his leather gloves.

“I’m going to throw up in my mouth.” I chuckle and head down the path that leads to the back porch. When I walk in, the smell of the coffee and fresh food surrounds me, making me even more hungry. I grab a plate, quickly load up on eggs and meat, then take a seat to dig in.

The front door closes, and I spot Kat, but I remain focused on my food. Out of sight, out of mind, right? But I can’t deny the way she forces my blood to rush through my body.

I hear her talking to John, laughing, and then the conversation ends. Is it possible she didn’t see me, and she’ll just leave? When I take another bite, I hear the chair in front of me being pulled out. I look up and see her sweet smile and sparkling blue eyes.