Gentling the Cowboy by Ruth Cardello Page A

there, saying nothing, the intensity of their connection building until everything around them disappeared.
     
    Don’t trust her.
    No one is that fucking sweet, that innocent. Just because her hand is as soft as velvet doesn’t mean she’s incapable of deception. A woman could rehearse those wide-eyed expressions. Which scenario is more likely? That a beautiful, loving woman got lost and ended up in my shower purely by accident and then conveniently had a reason to stay? Or that she planned this entire scenario and is either a reporter or on the payroll of one?
    Optimism is best reserved for fools.
    So why hold her hand? Why invite her to stay another day? He couldn’t justify either any more than he could stop his heart from thudding wildly in his chest when she touched him. He wished it were a simple itch a night of sex would cure, but in his near-thirty years he’d never felt anything close to this.
    “You probably want to check on your horse,” he said, needing to break free of whatever web of fascination she was spinning around him.
    Her hand shifted as if she were preparing to pull away. His hold on hers tightened instinctively and she smiled. Damn. I don’t know if I do care if she’s a liar. A night with her would be worth whatever she found here to write about.
    Idiot.
    He dropped her hand with determination. It did matter. He’d protected his privacy for far too long to piss it away because some damn woman thought she could play him. “Well, you know where he is. David will show you around the barn if you need anything. His office is in the main aisle to the left.”
    The momentary confusion on her face was almost comically kissable. Her chin lifted in defiance and she said, “Thank you.” But in a tone that didn’t sound at all grateful.
    A stronger man wouldn’t have stood and enjoyed watching her cute, jean-clad ass strut angrily down the driveway to the barn. Tony barely blinked.
    “A woman like that would never be happy here,” Melanie said from behind the screen door of the porch.
    I know.
    “Is she leaving today?” she asked.
    Tony shook his head, but didn’t turn away from watching Sarah. She stopped at the entrance, looked over her shoulder at him briefly, then disappeared into the barn.
    “Don’t suppose you’d welcome my opinion?”
    With a brief shake of his head, Tony turned, strode up the steps, stepped around Melanie who was holding the door open for him, and headed up the main staircase. It was time he found out what his little blonde was hiding.
     

Chapter Five
    Unlike the night before, the barn was alive with activity. Two young men who were mucking stalls stopped and rested their picks for a moment when they saw her. Another man paused from brushing down a horse in the aisle behind them. They all appeared to be in their late teens or early twenties. Hard to tell much more at the distance she was from them, but Sarah smiled and waved. Just because she wanted to strangle their boss didn’t mean she couldn’t be friendly.
    None returned her wave, but instead quickly returned to their work.
    “Don’t be offended,” a deep male voice said behind Sarah. “They don’t want to do anything that would risk their jobs here.”
    Sarah turned and her eyes widened as she looked over the man attached to the voice. Is every man in Texas hot? The blond-haired beefcake took off his hat and held out a hand to shake hers. She used to think that suits were sexy, but jeans and plaid were blowing that theory away. His blue eyes smiled down at her. Sarah appreciated his beauty as one would appreciate a painting or a sculpture, but her heart didn’t race when his hand closed on hers. She felt grateful for his warm welcome, nothing more.
    I guess I go for the broody type.
    “You’d fire them for saying hello?”
    “I wouldn’t,” he said, but his tone implied that others might. “David Harmon, ranch manager.” He released her hand and replaced his hat.
    “I guessed as much. Sarah