Tycoon's Tryst (Culpepper Cowboys Book 10) by Merry Farmer, Culpepper Cowboys Page A

really think you’re going to marry her, then you need to shut up and let her tell you what she wants from you. Do not railroad that poor woman.” He turned to climb into his truck, but stopped with one foot in the door and pivoted back to add, “And drop that lawsuit right now. It was a stupid idea anyhow.”
    Sly wanted to debate the point. Of course he wanted to debate. His plan was a good one…wasn’t it? He always came up with good plans…didn’t he?
    He carried his box of cookies around to the driver’s side of his convertible and hopped in, mulling over the point in his mind. It wasn’t until he was halfway into Culpepper proper that he let himself consider that maybe Doc had a point. The lawsuit really was a wild idea, and at this point it would damage Rachel’s company. Dropping it meant finding another way to boost Culpepper’s profile, but he was smart, he could do it. Maybe he could figure out something connected to the rodeo that the town was hosting in a few days. Yeah, that would work.
    By the time he pulled into the hotel’s parking lot, he was back to being in a good mood, filled with confidence. He grabbed the box of cookies and sauntered up the walk and into the hotel, certain he could conquer the world and win Rachel’s heart too.
    He was still convinced of that when he spotted Rachel sitting in the hotel’s lobby, a mountain of paperwork spread out over a coffee table in front of her. She wore a pair of reading glasses as she studied one paper. Those glasses combined with the way she bit her lip as she read rocketed Sly’s blood pressure through the roof. Yep, he was definitely going to marry this woman. He’d win her, starting now.
    Rachel glanced up just as he sidled forward, box of cookies in his outstretched hands.
    “I brought you a present.” He slid into the chair next to her, wiggling one eyebrow as he handed her the box.
    Rachel blinked at him, her expression vacillating between a dark frown and something more teasing and amused. “There better be a note in this box saying you’re dropping your lawsuit.” The expression she settled on was powerful and undaunted.
    Sly loved it. He still couldn’t bring himself to admit outright he was chucking his first plan and dropping the suit. “Take it and you’ll see.”
    She hesitated, meeting and holding his eyes as if trying to read him. Let her read away. She could read all about how she’d made his head spin and his heart leap. She could see that the two of them were meant to be, if only he could figure out how to orchestrate everything so that he could win, she could win, and Culpepper could win too.

    * * *
    R achel knew male desperation when she saw it. She’d dealt with enough executives steeped in male privilege in her day to know when a guy was having a hard time accepting that she wasn’t going to let him run her over. But there was something else about Sly O’Donnell. After the day they’d spent together at his family home, in spite of the fact that she’d ruined a pair of shoes—her second one this trip—she had to admit that his motives were pure. Well, okay, not exactly pure, but he wasn’t out for himself. He was genuinely out for the good of Culpepper.
    “What’s in the box?” she asked, eying the pink ribbon suspiciously.
    Sly’s smile grew. “You won’t know until you open it.”
    She could already smell something sweet. The box was stamped with an emblem bearing the name Culpepper Culinary Creations. She sighed and took the box, tugging the ribbon to open it.
    The most beautiful and mouthwatering selection of cookies peeked out at her from the box. It was impossible not to feel flattered. Or maybe that was just hungry. But no, once again, Sly had done something super nice for her, and as much as she wanted to see it as a bribe, she couldn’t tell what he wanted from her.
    “These look delicious,” she told him, trying to smile.
    His victorious grin slipped. “But?”
    She sighed, making a space